Written Answers of 14 June 1990

PRIME MINISTER

  Bradford
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to pay an official visit to Bradford.

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

  Methyl Chloroform
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make it her policy that the time horizon of between 10 and 15 years for the 100 per cent. phase-out of methyl chloroform be used by Her Majesty's Government as a base starting point for agreement at the Montreal protocol meetings due to take place in London later this month.

  The Prime Minister
  It is the Government's policy ultimately to phase out all ozone-depleting substances. However, it is impossible at this stage to predict whether safe substitutes for all uses of methyl chloroform will be found within the next 10 or 15 years.

  Advisers
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer,Official Report, 24 May, column 286, if she has any plans to make funds available from the Cabinet Office vote for political advisers to the leaders of all political parties with parliamentary representation.

  The Prime Minister
  No. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 5 June at column 397.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will take steps to ensure that departmental Ministers have sufficient staff to reply to hon. Members' lettes within an acceptable span of time; and whether it is in accordance with her policy that a letter to the Secretary of State for Health dated 27 February should be answered on 6 June.

  The Prime Minister
  Long delays in replying to correspondence from Members of Parliament can rarely be justified. The Department of Health has introduced major changes in the national health service which have generated a great deal of public interest. Revised procedures have now been implemented to help in dealing with the large increase in correspondence. My hon. Friend will recall that I announced on 29 March a review of the handling of correspondence across all Departments.

  Engagements
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 June.
  270
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 June.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 14 June.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I shall be hosting a dinner at Downing street in honour of Sir Sonny Ramphal, Secretary General of the Commonwealth.

  Official Visits
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list those countries to which she has paid an official visit in each of the last 11 years, indicating in each case whether the visit was followed by an oral statement to the House.

  The Prime Minister
  I have paid an official visit to the following countries in the past 11 years:

  Country

  1979

  June

  France

  June–July

  Australia

  October

  Italy, Luxembourg, West Germany

  December

  United States

  1980

  May

  Yugoslavia

  September

  France, Greece, Yugoslavia

  November

  Italy, West Germany

  December

  Irish Republic

  1981

  February

  Netherlands, United States

  April

  India, Saudi Arabia

  September

  Bahrain, Kuwait

  October

  United Arab Emirate, Oman, Qatar, Pakistan, Mexico

  November

  West Germany

  1982

  July

  Italy

  September

  China, Hong Kong India, Japan

  October

  West Germany

  November

  France

  1983

  January

  Falkland Islands

  September

  Netherlands, Canada, United States

  November

  West Germany, India

  December

  Greece (twice)

  1984

  January

  France, Italy

  February

  Hungary, Soviet Union

  March

  Belgium

  April

  Portugal

  May

  France

  June

  France

  November

  India, France

  December

  Irish Republic, China, Hong Kong, United States

  1985

  February

  United States

  March

  Soviet Union, Belgium

  April

  Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, India, Saudi Arabia

  May

  West Germany

  June

  Italy

  July

  United States

  271

  Country

  September

  Egypt, Jordan

  October

  Bahamas, United States

  November

  Belgium

  December

  Luxembourg

  1986

  January

  France

  March

  Italy

  May

  South Korea, Japan, Israel

  June

  Netherlands

  July

  Canada

  September

  Norway, West Germany

  November

  United States, France

  December

  France

  1987

  March

  Soviet Union

  June

  Italy, Belgium

  July

  United States, Jamaica, France

  September

  West Germany

  October

  Canada

  November

  France

  December

  Denmark

  1988

  January

  Kenya, Nigeria

  February

  Belgium (twice)

  April

  Turkey

  June

  France, Canada, West Germany

  August

  Bahrain, Oman, Singapore, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand, UAE (stopover)

  October

  Italy

  November

  Poland, United States, France

  1989

  Februrary

  West Germany, France

  March

  Morocco, Nigeria (stopover), Zimbabwe, Malawi

  April

  West Germany, Namibia

  May

  Luxembourg, Belgium

  June

  Spain

  July

  France

  September

  Japan, Soviet Union

  October

  Malaysia, Qatar (stopover)

  November

  United States, France

  December

  Belgium, France

  1990

  January

  France

  April

  Bermuda, Turkey, Irish Republic

  June

  Soviet Union

  Oral statements to the House are made whenever appropriate.

HEALTH

  Blood Products
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which pharmaceutical companies are presently importing factor VIII concentrates into the United Kingdom; and if he will list each company's share of the market.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  For reasons of confidentiality, the information held by the Medicines Licensing Authority about pharmaceutical companies importing Factor VIII concentrate cannot be divulged.

  Plutonium Contamination
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans or studies have been made by his Department to assess what measures would have to be taken in the event of contamination by airborne plutonium resulting from a nuclear weapons accident on board a Royal Navy ship docked at Greenwich.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans or studies have been made by his Department to assess what measures would have to be taken in the event of contamination by airborne plutonium resulting from a nuclear weapons accident on board a Royal Navy ship docked at Greenwich.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces gave the hon. Members for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) and Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 8 June at column 724. The contingency plans referred to cover action necessary by all relevant Government Departments and public bodies, including this Department and health authorities.

  Sex Offenders
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements for access to information and expertise his Department has with the Gracewell clinic for rehabilitating sexual offenders; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are aware of the work undertaken by the Gracewell clinic; officials have recently visited the organisation.

  Child Sex Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has of the percentage of children who are sexually abused.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information is not available centrally in the form requested. The information collected centrally relates to the number of children who are on the child protection registers who have been categorised as "sexually abused". The latest information available relates to the year ending 31 March 1989 and is published in the provisional feedback "Children and Young Persons on Child Protection Registers England 1989". Copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contact his Department has with Governments in America, Australia and the EEC regarding their experience in the creation and running of national institutes for research into child sexual abuse.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department does not have direct contact with overseas Governments concerning their research programmes into child sexual abuse. Professional staff within the Department keep in touch with research abroad as appropriate and researchers from departmentally funded programmes and units have contact from time to time with overseas counterparts.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the amount of money being spent by
  273
  Government Departments on research into the sexual abuse of children (a) at May 1989 and (b) currently; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The following amounts were allocated by Government Departments for research into child sexual abuse.

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Department of Health

  92,000

  125,000

  Home Office

  72,000

  32,000

  Social Work Services Group (Scottish Office)

  17,000

  52,000

  Total

  181,000

  209,000

  In addition, the Department of Health funds a number of projects covering both sexual and physical abuse of children. The cost of these projects in 1990–91 is £221,000 which brings the total to £430,000.

  Medical Accidents
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what review has been made of the gathering of information on medical accidents; if he will regularly publish statistics about the incidence of claims and settlements or awards achieved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No review has been made of the gathering of information on medical accidents. When the health authority indemnity for medical negligence was introduced on 1 January 1990, the Department asked health authorities for an annual return of the number of claims of medical negligence, the number of such cases settled, and the total cost of the settlements reached or awards made. The returns for the period to 31 March 1990 are now being received. No decision has been taken on publishing any statistics.

  Complaints Procedure
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he intends to monitor and assess hospital complaints, family practitioner committee complaints, and the procedures at the General Medical Council and other related professional bodies.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Complaints made about the services provided in NHS hospitals are monitored by health authorities as required in directions made under section 17 of the National Health Service Act 1977; Family practitioner committees are obliged by regulations to forward reports to the Secretary of State. In addition, the Health Service Commissioner provides an independent assessment of the handling of complaints by health authorities and publishes his report annually.

  The General Medical Council is an independent statutory body whose procedures are governed by the Medical Act 1983. The council publishes annually a summary of cases considered by its disciplinary Committees. The Department is not routinely informed by professional bodies of complaints which they receive.

  Sheppey General Hospital
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in the assessment made as to the closure of the Sheppey general hospital, what regard was paid to 274
  questions of (a) population influx in the summer months, (b) future housing development, (c) the nature of access to the island and (d) the availability of an ambulance service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Medway health authority has no plans to close Sheppey general hospital.

  Mr. Joseph Watts
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the report of the inquiry into the circumstances leading to the death of Mr. Joseph Watts, a patient at Broadmoor hospital.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Further to the reply of my hon. Friend, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health to the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 25 April 1990 at column 219, I welcome the intention of the Special Hospitals Service Authority to make the report widely available. I have arranged for copies of the report, with the authority's response, to be placed in the Library.

  The authority shares many of the concerns of the inquiry team and has ensured that action on the report's recommendations is well in hand. The inquiry team produced an authoritative, comprehensive and constructive report. I am grateful to its chairman and members for the thorough way in which they approached their work.

  Ophthalmic Clinics
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of 1988–89 and 1989–90 in each district health authority area in England.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information about consultant out-patient activity is not available centrally on a quarterly basis. Details of the numbers of new referral attendances for all consultant out-patient clinics are published annually and copies of these summaries for 1987–88 and 1988–89 will be placed in the Library.

  Medical and Dental Schools
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the special increment for teaching paid to each medical and dental school in England; and what that sum represents per student.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The service increment for teaching—SIFT—is allocated to regional health Authorities to compensate hospitals for the additional service costs incurred through providing clinical facilities for undergraduate medical and dental education and research. In 1990–91, SIFT amounted to £343 million in total. It is allocated to RHAs according to numbers of undergraduate medical and dental students, at rates of £32,017 per medical student and £12,764 per dental student in 1990–91. For students in London, these figures attract a 9 per cent. weighting.

  RHAs should distribute SIFT to specific hospitals according to a range of factors, taking advice from universities, and other research interests as appropriate. Information on sub-regional distribution is not collected centrally.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will instruct regional health authorities to commission an opinion poll survey of the local population in each area where there is a proposal to establish a self-governing trust, in order to determine their views about such a proposal.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. Successive Governments have never thought it sensible for changes in management of NHS services to be subject to opinion polls. When formal applications for NHS trust status are made, following parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, regions will seek the views of the local community, community health councils and other parties with an interest, on individual proposals before any decisions are made.

  Sight Tests
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total cost to his Department of commissioning the NOP survey on sight tests.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The cost of the survey is a commercial matter between the Department of Health and NOP.

  Drug Side-effects
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have taken place between his officials and representatives of the pharmaceutical industry about setting up a drug damage compensation scheme for victims of drug side-effects which have become apparent some years after a drug was first prescribed.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No such discussions have taken place.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 231, what progress has been made by the research project reviewing the possible connections between BSE and Creutzfeld-Jakob disease; and what information he has on the common properties of the two diseases.

  Mr. Dorrell
  After detailed planning the Department of Health has recently commissioned the neuropathology component of the study which my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under Secretary of State announced in a reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 31 January at column 231. The two diseases Creutzfeld-Jakob Disease, a spongiform encephalopathy in humans, and bovine spongiform encephalopathy are both fatal, progressive, neurological disorders and have a large number of common properties.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Vietnam
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has received seeking further aid to Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.
  276
  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 17 May about the provision of aid support for NGO activities in Vietnam. Since then I have received no representations seeking further aid for Vietnam.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the population at risk from famine in Ethiopia he estimates can be reached by the southern supply route of the joint relief partnership.

  Mrs. Chalker
  From the start of the southern line operation on 20 March up to 3 June, 16,030 tonnes of food were delivered to northern Wello and Tigray. As damaged roads are repaired and additional transport capacity becomes available—in both of which areas Britain is providing assistance—the joint relief partnership hopes to build up deliveries towards its monthly target figure of 14,500 tonnes. This should be sufficient to feed just over 1 million people or perhaps a quarter of the total number at risk in northern Ethiopia.

  Irrigation
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many new irrigation projects he is currently supporting in the third world; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are currently funding 11 major irrigation projects, of which seven are in Pakistan and one in each of Bangladesh, Indonesia, Sudan and Zimbabwe. The total value of our support for these products over their duration is just under 100 million. We are also funding irrigation research with a total value of 3 million. Some of our wider programmes also include an irrigation component, but it would be disproportionately costly to collate this information.

  Environmental Programmes
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the Government's plans to help developing countries with their environmental programmes.

  Mrs. Chalker
  To promote sustainable economic growth and meet developing countries' diverse needs, our help covers a wide range including population programmes, energy efficiency, conserving biodiversity, natural resource management and the promotion of environmental awareness among other subjects.

  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.

  International Service for National Agricultural Research
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all United Kingdom contributions to the international service for national agricultural research made since 1980.
  277
  Mrs. Chalker
  Our contributions to the International Service for National Agricultural Research (ISNAR) since 198() have been as follows:

  Financial year

  Contribution £

  1979–80

  15,000

  1980–81

  50,000

  1981–82

  50,000

  1982–83

  100,000

  1983–84

  120,000

  1984–85

  120,000

  1985–86

  120,000

  1986–87

  130,000

  1987–88

  135,000

  1988–89

  142,000

  1989–90

  140,000

  1 1990–91

  140,000

  1 Planned.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Nuclear Accident, Greenwich
  Mrs. Mahon
  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 with regard to children at schools in the area.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 11 June 1990,Official Report, column 22.

  Mr. Peter Hunt
  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the hon. Member for Ravensbourne may expect an answer to his letters of 2 April, 4 April and 4 June and his telephone calls of 10 May, 16 May and 22 May relating to the case of Mr. Peter Hunt; and what are the reasons for the delays in his Department's handling of this case.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 12 June apologising for the delay in replying to his letter of 2 April. In considering Mr. Hunt's case it was necessary for the Department to make inquiries of Bromley local education authority. The facts of the case were then given very careful consideration within the Department.

  The final decision was communicated as soon as possible.

  University Staff(Pay Offer)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the reasons for the delay in his Department's approving, via committee B of the universities' negotiating machinery, the vice-chancellors' offer of a 9 per cent. pay increase, accepted by university academic and related staff on 11 May; and what steps he is taking to expedite the process of ratification.

  Mr. Jackson
  There has been no unnecessary delay. The Government are giving careful consideration to the salary 278
  increases for university non-clinical academic and related staff proposed in the 25th report of committee A of the universities academic salaries committees.

  Academic Awards
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to publish his Department's policy review of the Council for National Academic Awards.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The review has now been completed and I am publishing the report today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report contains a number of important recommendations, on which I am seeking the views of interested parties. These have been requested by 14 September. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will be arranging parallel consultations in Scotland and Wales. I shall announce the Government's response to the report in due course after these consultations.

  Meningitis
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report in tabular form, details of all research into meningitis being supported by the Medical Research Council, indicating (a) the location of the research work, (b) the precise nature of the research project and (c) its tenure.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: The Medical Research Council, which receives a grant in aid from this Department, is supporting the following research projects on meningitis:

  Direct Support—through MRC establishments

  (A) MRC Clinical Research Centre Middlesex.

  (B) Project Title:

  1. Pathogenesis and immunobiology of meningococcal infection.

  2. Isoenzyme analysis for differentiation of neisseria meningitidis infection.

  Indirect Support—Grants

  (A) Professor E. R. Moxon, Oxford University.

  (B) Project Title: Molecular basis of Haemophilius influenzae pathogenicity.

  (C) Tenure: 1 April 1985 to 31 March 1995.

  (A) Dr. G. J. Boulnois, Leicester University

  (B) Project Title: Genetic Engineering of Polysaccharides

  (C) Tenure: 18 July 1988 to 17 July 1991.

  (A) Professor T. H. Pennington, Aberdeen University

  (B) Project Title: Studies on the population genetics and typing of neisseria meningitidis.

  (C) Tenure: 21 November 1988 to 20 November 1991.

  (A) Dr. J. E. Heckels, Southampton University.

  (B) Project Title: Immunobiology of meningococcal outer member proteins.

  (C) Tenure: 1 September 1988 to 31 August 1991.

  (A) Dr. D. M. Jones, London, Public Health Laboratory Service Board.

  (B) Project Title: To investigate neisseria meningitidis surgace antigens for induction of protective antibody after disease/carriage.

  (C) Tenure: 1 July 1988 to 30 June 1991.

  (A) Dr. J. J. McFadden, University of Surrey.

  279

  (B) Project Title: DNA Probes to study epidemiology and virulence of neisseria meningitidis infection.

  (C) Tenure: 31 January 1989 to 2 January 1992.

  (A) Dr. B. G. Spratt, University of Sussex.

  (B) Project Title: Molecular basis and molecular epidemiology of the emergence of penicillin resistance in neisseria meningitidis.

  (C) Tenure: 1 May 1989 to 30 April 1992.

  (A) Dr. A. Robinson, Porton, Centre for applied microbiology and research.

  (B) Project Title: A preliminary investigation into mechanisms of meningoccal meningitis.

  (C) Tenure: To be arranged.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Fair Employment
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the firms in the Mid-Ulster area which are registered with the Northern Ireland Fair Employment Agency in Strabane district council, Omagh district council and Cookstown district council areas; and what are the number of employees in each and the Fair Employment Agency religious break-down of each.

  Mr. Needham
  The firms listed are those in the Strabane, Omagh and Cookstown district council areas which have been registered by the Fair Employment Commission. The total number of employees is shown alongside the name of the firm.

  The Fair Employment Commission is not releasing information on community composition from individual monitoring returns at present.

  Firms registered with FEC and number of employees in each case Strabane District Council Area

  Numbers

  Adria Limited

  Beechmount Avenue

  Strabane

  County Tyrone

  BT82 9BG

  1,085

  Ballantine A.S. Limited

  Aughafad Quarrry

  Donemana

  County Tyrone

  BT82 0SB

  32

  Leckpatrick Dairies Limited

  Artigarvan

  Strabane

  County Tyrone

  BT82 0HN

  346

  Linton and Robinson Limited

  Abercorn Square

  Strabane

  BT82 8DH

  48

  Melmount Community Care Limited

  6 Ballycolman Avenue

  Strabane

  County Tyrone

  BT82 9AF

  130

  Millar L. J.

  25 Seein Road

  Sion Mills

  Strabane

  County Tyrone

  39

  280

  Numbers

  Porter H. G. & Company Limited

  Abercorn Factory

  Derry Road

  Strabane

  BT82 8DX

  115

  Strabane Community Project

  St. Josephs Centre

  Springhill

  Strabane

  BT82 8HT

  42

  Ardstraw Parish Community Scheme

  The Rectory

  2 Bunderg Road

  Newtownstewart

  County Tyrone

  BT78 4NQ

  29

  Herdmans Limited

  11 Mill Avenue

  Sion Mills

  County Tyrone

  BT82 9HE

  760

  Linian Knitwear Limited

  Spamount Mills

  Castlederg

  County Tyrone

  BT81 7NB

  33

  McGolgan Brothers Ltd.

  Dublin Road Industrial Estate

  Strabane

  BT82 9CA

  55

  Melmount Foods Ltd.

  Unit F965

  Dublin Road Industrial Estate

  Strabane

  County Tyrone

  35

  Octopus Sportswear

  Ballycolman Avenue

  Strabane

  BT82 9AF

  53

  Roulston & McLaughlin NI Ltd.

  2 Drumquin Road

  Castlederg

  County Tyrone

  BT81 7PX

  49

  Barrett Electrical

  9 Gortrush Industrial Estate

  Derry Road

  Omagh

  BT78 5EJ

  50

  Coolaness Private Nursing Home

  Kesh Road

  Irvinestown

  County Fermanagh

  38

  Eakin James & Sons Ltd.

  Dublin Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT78 1ET

  30

  Knock Na Moe Hotel Ltd.

  59 Old Mountfield Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  40

  281

  Numbers

  McAleer & Teague

  Dromore

  County Tyrone

  BT78 3AU

  45

  Naturelle Consumer Products Ltd.

  Mountjoy Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT79 7EQ

  52

  Omagh & District Advice Centres and Projects

  9 Holmview Terrace

  Omagh

  BT79 0AH

  71

  Bradley & McElhatton

  25 and 31 Main Street

  Mountfield

  Omagh

  BT79 7PY

  26

  Duncan & Griffin Company Limited

  Silverbirch Hotel

  5 Gortin Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  30

  Finlay Hydrascreens Limited

  Drumquin Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT78 5PN

  145

  Master Meat Packers Limited

  52 Doogary Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT79 0BQ

  85

  Moffatts (Drumquin) Limited

  61 Drumscra Road

  Drumquin

  Omagh

  61

  Nestle Company Limited

  46 Beltany Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT78 3NF

  173

  North West of Ireland Printing & Publishing Company Limited

  John Street

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT78 1DT

  44

  Omaglass Limited

  Gortrush Industrial Estate

  Derry Road

  Omagh

  BT78

  66

  Scott T. W. & Sons (Fuels Limited)

  51 Curr Road

  Beragh

  Omagh

  BT79 0UW

  34

  282

  Omagh District Council Area

  Numbers

  Shergrim Limited

  Gortrush Industrial Estate

  Derry Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT78 5EJ

  26

  Royal Arms Hotel

  51–53 High Street

  Omagh

  BT78 1BA

  41

  St. Vincent De Paul Ace Scheme

  11 Holmview Terrace

  Campsie

  Omagh

  30

  Alexander W. & Sons

  39 William Street

  Cookstown

  BT80 8BD

  32

  Blue Circle Cement

  29 Sandholes Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 9AP

  182

  Cookstown Community Renewal Projects Limited

  16E Old town Street

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8EF

  105

  Drapersfield House

  19 Drapersfield Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8PS

  26

  Tyrone Constitution

  25–27 High Street

  Omagh

  BT78 1BD

  34

  Scott W.& C. Limited

  9 Mountjoy Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT79 7AD

  43

  Woodlock Joinery Limited

  3 Killybrack Road

  Omagh

  County Tyrone

  BT79 7DG

  75

  Ardboe Manufacturing Co. Ltd.

  T/A Forbes Kitchens & Forbes Furniture

  Ardboe Coagh

  Stewartstown

  County Tyrone

  BT71 5AX

  63

  Cookstown Community Projects Ltd.

  Drum Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  58

  Fairfields Nursing Home

  Fairhill Road

  Cookstown

  BT80 8RB

  35

  283

  Numbers

  Hilton Meats (Cookstown) Ltd.

  Derryloran Industrial Estate

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8UJ

  46

  Glenavon Hotel (1982) Ltd.

  52 Drum Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 3JQ

  43

  MacMahon Mr. J. J. (Building Contractor) Ltd.

  4 Loy Street

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8PE

  47

  Marina Private Nursing Home

  Shore Road

  Ballyronan

  Magherafelt

  BT45 6JA

  30

  Milton Thom

  Royal Hotel

  64 Coagh Street

  Cookstown

  BT80 8NG

  26

  Mallon Brothers

  Unit 6 Derryloran Industrial Estate

  Sandholes Road

  Cookstown

  BT80 9LU

  29

  McAleer & Rushe Ltd.

  24 Dungannon Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8TL

  43

  Orr W. G. (UK) Ltd.

  45 Ruskey road

  Coagh

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 0AH

  40

  Cookstown District Council Area

  Numbers

  O'Neill Engineering

  48 Ballygittle Road

  Stewartstown

  County Tyrone

  26

  Viper International

  Orritor Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8BL

  45

  Unipork Limited

  70 Molesworth Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8PJ

  794

  St. Vincent de Paul Ace Scheme

  35 Loy Street

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 8PZ

  50

  Quinns of Cookstown Limited

  7 Sandholes Road

  Cookstown

  County Tyrone

  BT80 9AR

  51

  Primary Schools
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what discussions have taken place about the proposed rationalisation of the primary school sector within the Southern education and library board;

  (2) what consultations have been held with the school principals within the primary school sector in the controlled section about the proposals for rationalisation in the Southern education and library board.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The proposed rationalisation of schools is a matter in the first instance for either the education and library board in the case of controlled schools or the school authority in the case of voluntary schools. I am not aware of any discussions within the Southern board or between the board and primary school principals on proposed rationalisation, but I understand that the board has established a sub-committee to examine current school places.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about the proposed rationalisation of the primary school sector within the Southern education and library board.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I have received one letter from the hon. Gentleman.

  Fencing
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions have taken place about the introduction of financial assistance in respect of the provisions of fencing at agricultural holdings in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Grants are available for fencing on agricultural holdings under both the United Kingdom farm and conservation grant scheme and the Northern Ireland agricultural development programme.

  Sheep and Lamb
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further action will be taken to promote the Northern Ireland sheep industry and the sale of Northern Irish lamb.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The Livestock Marketing Commission for Northern Ireland is mainly responsible for market promotion and is intensifying its efforts, particularly in relation to export markets.

  The Department of Agriculture is supporting the development of a high-quality product through its promotional programmes and various schemes including breeding schemes and its education and advisory services.

  Union Flag
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members there are on the Southern health and social services board; how many of these members selected by him are non-elected members; what arrangements he makes for flying the union flag at its various premises; and why it was not flown at Tower Hill hospital, Armagh, on 2 June.

  Mr. Needham
  There are currently 25 places on the Southern health and social services board, one of which is vacant.
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  Nine of the places on the board are filled after consultation with professional, academic and trade union interests. Nine people are appointed because of the individual contribution they can make to the conduct of the board affairs. Seven places are filled by district councillors.

  The requirements to fly the union flag on those prescribed dates relevant to Northern Ireland applies only to central Government offices. There is no requirement therefore for it to be flown on Tower Hill hospital, Armagh.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of dedicated energy managers in his Department and the number of person-years devoted to energy management in the latest year.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: There is one dedicated energy manager in the Northern Ireland energy conservation unit for the Northern Ireland Government office estate. Three person-years were devoted to energy management in this estate by the unit in 1989–90.

ENERGY

  Spent Magnox Fuel
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to require Magnox operators to backfit at site dry storage facilities for spent fuel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  No. This is a matter for the operators of the Magnox stations. Neither Nuclear Electric nor British Nuclear Fuels have any such plans.

  Nuclear Technology
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which countries, not being signatories of the non-proliferation treaty, have received nuclear technology from the United Kingdom since 1985.

  Mr. Baldry
  No export licence has been issued since 1985 for the export of nuclear technology to countries which are not signatories to the non-proliferation treaty. The guidelines for all United Kingdom nuclear exports remain as set out by the then Foreign Secretary now Lord Callaghan on 31 March 1976 at columns 514–16, which has been reaffirmed by the Prime Minister. These guidelines ensure that our nuclear exports are fully consistent with our international non-proliferation obligations under the non-proliferation treaty.

  Spent Fuel Processing
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey,Official Report, 23 May, column 207, what amounts by weight and volume of (a) high-level waste, (b) intermediate-level waste, (c) low-level waste, (d) reusable plutonium and (e) reusable uranium he estimates will result from the reprocessing of (i) the Magnox fuel and (ii) the spent oxide fuel awaiting reprocessing at Sellafield at 31 March.
  286
  Mr. Baldry
  Detailed information on the quantities of materials arising from reprocessing is a matter for British Nuclear Fuels plc.

  Nuclear Reprocessing Contracts
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the chairman of Nuclear Electric concerning the review and revaluation of nuclear reprocessing contracts inherited from the Central Electricity Generating Board.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of Nuclear Electric regularly to discuss aspects of the nuclear industry. Reprocessing contracts between Nuclear Electric and British Nuclear Fuels are a commercial matter for the parties concerned.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to bring forward proposals at the fourth review conference of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in August-September, for a multilateral programme for the long-term management of spent nuclear fuel, vitrified high-level wastes and the decommissioning of nuclear facilities developed under bilateral or multilateral nuclear technology transfer under the provision of article IV of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Nuclear Materials
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has agreed the definition adopted for the detection time concerning the diversion of nuclear materials from intended peaceful uses, by the safeguards authorities of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The definition of detection time is given in paragraph 108 of the "IAEA Safeguards Glossary" 1987 edition—ref. IAEA/SG/INF/1 (Rev. 1)—a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. This definition is accepted by the member states of the International Atomic Energy Agency, including the United Kingdom.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what developments have taken place since 1985 in safeguards to ensure that non-nuclear weapons states acquiring reprocessing facilities do not use plutonium for military purposes.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have full confidence in the safeguards arrangements which are currently applied by the International Atomic Energy Agency which has reported no evidence of diversion of civil nuclear material to non-peaceful use.

  In recent years there has been a series of meetings to consider the application of safeguards techniques to large-scale commercial reprocessing plants, in which the United Kingdom has been involved; this programme is continuing. Furthermore, the United Kingdom has, since 1981, carried out a safeguards research and development programme, which is funded to the sum of approximately

  287
  £1 million annually, in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency. A substantial proportion of this programme is devoted to the development of techniques relevant to the safeguarding of reprocessing plants.

  Hinkley Point C
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has received the inspector's report from the Hinkley Point C public inquiry; and when he intends to announce his decision on Nuclear Electric's application and to publish the report.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have just received the inspector's report. I shall not be in a position to reach a decision on Nuclear Electric's application until I have thoroughly considered it, but I hope to reach this position by the late summer.

  The normal procedure for planning inquiries is for the inspector's report to be published at the same time as my Decision. I intend to follow this procedure in the case of the Hinkley Point C inquiry.

  Electricity Agreement (France)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the implications for the three-year agreement between the electricity supply industry and Electricité de France as part of the non-fossil fuel obligation as a result of current electricity output reductions in France; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The agreements between Electricité de France and the public electricity supply companies are not part of the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Loft Insulation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what criteria were considered when fixing the limit of 30 mm for topping-up loft insulation within the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The reference to 30 mm was in the consultation paper issued by the Energy Efficiency Office in February. The figure is that used previously for the homes insulation scheme. A number of representations concerning that level of insulation have been received as a result of the consultation process and are currently being considered.

  Nuclear Power (Privatisation Fees)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he proposes to pay Kleinwort its full fees for the advice it gave on the privatisation of nuclear power.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Kleinwort Benson's fees for the relevant periods have been paid in full.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the price of shares in the electricity distribution companies.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will announce the price of the shares in the 12 regional electricity companies on impact day. It is expected that will be during November 1990.
  288
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the television advertising campaign to sell the electricity distribution companies will commence.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Advertising to publicise the offer for sale of the 12 regional electricity companies will be undertaken to inform the public of the forthcoming flotations. It would be premature to set out provisional plans, which are subject to matters that will not be resolved until much nearer the time of flotations.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to have the estimated total of expenditure on advertising the sale of the electricity distribution companies.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have nothing further to add to the answers that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave to the hon. Member on 1 May and 6 June 1990.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he anticipates the Energy Efficiency Office announcing plans to include cavity wall insulation, electrical appliances and hot water tank thermostats within the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The possible inclusion of additional energy efficiency measures within the home energy efficiency scheme was an area on which a number of comments were received as a result of the recent consultation process. Those comments are currently being considered.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to implement a minimum standard of knowledge for the energy advisers to be operating under the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  A number of those responding to the recent consultation paper on the home energy efficiency scheme commented on the need for standards for the provision of energy advice. Those comments are currently being considered.

  Nuclear Fuel (Reprocessing)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what further capital investment will be required by British Nuclear Fuels plc to meet its contractual obligations to the owners of foreign nuclear fuel to be reprocessed in Britain;

  (2) what capital has been invested by British Nuclear Fuels plc to enable it to reprocess foreign nuclear fuel in Britain.

  Mr. Wakeham
  British Nuclear Fuels plc has reprocessing contracts for both Magnox fuel and thermal oxide fuel. Magnox fuel is reprocessed in facilities constructed for the United Kingdom's own Magnox reactors and no significant additional capital investment has been necessary to reprocess foreign fuel.

  British Nuclear Fuels plc thermal oxide reprocessing plant is being constructed to store and reprocess both United Kingdom and foreign thermal oxide fuel. Several of the associated plants for the treatment of wastes arising from THORP reprocessing will also treat wastes from Magnox fuel. British Nuclear Fuels plc estimates that the

  289
  allocation of capital investment for the storage, reprocessing and waste management of foreign thermal oxide fuel to date is £1,100 million with £600 million still to be spent.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what is the estimated value of British Nuclear Fuels plc contracts to reprocess foreign nuclear fuel in Britain in the current year and each succeeding year up to 1995;

  (2) what is the estimated total value of British Nuclear Fuels plc contracts to reprocess foreign nuclear fuel in Britain;

  (3) what is the longest period of any contract entered into by British Nuclear Fuels Ltdplc to reprocess foreign nuclear fuel in Britain.

  Mr. Wakeham
  BNFL's estimated turnover relating to storage, reprocessing and waste treatment still to be performed on foreign nuclear fuel is around £4 billion, excluding £0·75 billion from the series of contracts which BNFL is currently completing with West German utilities. More detailed information on contracts is a matter for the company.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Police (Complaints)
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average period of time taken by the Director of Public Prosecutions in processing complaints by prisoners against police officers in specific cases; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Records of the time taken to process such cases are not kept. However, all such cases are processed as swiftly as possible. The time taken for any particular case depends on the complexity and size of the case. Simple straightforward cases are normally processed within two weeks of receipt of the police investigation report, more complex cases within three months and the most complex and largest cases within six to 12 months.

  High Court, Northern Ireland
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General whether there is a separate family division at the High Court in Northern Ireland; how many judges at the High Court deal with the family problem of custody of children and access to children following separation or divorce; how many such applications await hearing in the High Court; and if he has any proposals to shorten the time required before such cases are heard in the High Court.

  The Attorney-General
  A separate family division of the High Court in Northern Ireland was created by the Judicature (Northern Ireland) Act 1978. The business of the family division is assigned to one of the judges of the High Court who is assisted by other judges of the Supreme Court as necessary. All 10 High Court judges hear petitions for divorce and judicial separation and deal with questions of custody of and access to children arising therefrom.

  There are two custody applications awaiting hearing and one access application listed for hearing in the week beginning 11 June 1990.
  290
  Waiting times are in general considered to be satisfactory and there are therefore no proposals to shorten the time required before custody cases are heard by the court.

  Court House, Armagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the arrangements for flying the union flag at the court house in Armagh city; and why it was not flown on 2 June.

  The Attorney-General
  An attempt was made by the office manager to fly the union flag at Armagh court house on 2 June 1990, but when being hoisted it caught on barbed wire and was torn to the extent that it was rendered unusable.

  A new flag has been supplied and will be flown on all appropriate dates in accordance with standing instructions.

  Evidence (Fax Machines)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Attorney-General whether there is any proposal to make provision, in relation to the Supreme Court for the admissibility of evidence from solicitors of documents in evidence via fax machines; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  There are currently no proposals to make provision in the Supreme Court, for the admissibility of evidence from solicitors of documents in evidence via fax machines.

  Fax copies are unsuited for use as part of the permanent court record because of their tendency to fade. The question of filing court documents by fax will be kept under review, in particular whether technological advances will make fax copies suitable as permanent documents.

ENVIRONMENT

  Toxic Waste Imports
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide details of the quantity of toxic waste imported into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Trippier
  The latest figure for imports of hazardous waste into the United Kingdom under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations for the calender year 1989, is 41,554 tonnes. This figure is an update of the one given in the written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 21 March 1990,Official Report columns 684–85, taking into account additional notifications received from disposers.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the Government's estimates of toxic waste imports to the United Kingdom in each of the next five years.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government make no estimate of future imports of hazardous waste into the United Kingdom. However, it is expected that imports from other EC member states will reduce in future years following the Council of Environment Ministers' decision in Luxembourg on 7 June 1990 that member states must aim to be self-sufficient in waste disposal.

  Drought
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will commission a study into the effects of prolonged drought on bird life that requires a diet of freshwater fish; and what information he has on the numbers of herons observed fishing in the sea along the south coast.

  Mr. Trippier
  There is no evidence that the risk to birds from the effects of drought is so significant as to justify commissioning a study. Populations of herons and other waterways birds are monitored annually. I have no information about the extent to which herons fish in the sea, but I understand that it is not unusual.

  Sea Birds (Poisoning)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the research centre at Monkswood has within the last 12 months examined any sea birds for evidence of glycol poisoning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Institute of Terrestrial Ecology's Monkswood experimental station—part of the natural environment research council—has not examined any sea-birds for evidence of glycol poisoning in the past 12 months.

  In 1988 the institute carried out analysis and post mortem studies on a number of birds found dead in the Bacton area of Norfolk. No single cause of death could be found at post mortem and none of the chemical or metal residues found in the birds could, taken singly, be considered to have caused death. Tests for glycol residues were inconclusive, although glycols are not generally considered to be especially toxic to vertebrates. No further incidents have been brought to the institute's attention.

  Planning Appeals, Manchester
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the number of planning appeals made to his Department against decisions made by each local authority in Greater Manchester in(a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987, (d) 1988 and (e) 1989, together with the number of appeals upheld in each year against each authority.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information requested is as follows:

  Appeals 1985–86

  Local authority

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Greater Manchester

  4

  4

  0

  Bolton

  58

  51

  22

  Bury

  20

  9

  3

  Manchester

  28

  21

  10

  Oldham

  31

  31

  10

  Rochdale

  20

  15

  6

  Salford

  29

  21

  9

  Stockport

  42

  39

  14

  Tameside

  29

  29

  12

  Trafford

  57

  44

  20

  Wigan

  49

  22

  8

  Appeals 1986–87

  Local authority

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Greater Manchester

  2

  5

  1

  Bolton

  53

  53

  27

  Bury

  28

  23

  9

  292

  Local authority

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Manchester

  30

  21

  9

  Oldham

  34

  31

  11

  Rochdale

  21

  16

  3

  Salford

  30

  28

  9

  Stockport

  60

  46

  20

  Tameside

  44

  30

  15

  Trafford

  45

  41

  20

  Wigan

  38

  39

  13

  Appeals 1987–88

  Local authority

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Greater Manchester

  —

  1

  0

  Bolton

  60

  60

  26

  Bury

  28

  31

  11

  Manchester

  17

  22

  11

  Oldham

  22

  24

  10

  Rochdale

  30

  30

  16

  Salford

  25

  20

  11

  Stockport

  51

  46

  16

  Tameside

  53

  50

  20

  Trafford

  54

  34

  16

  Wigan

  51

  44

  18

  Appeals 1988–89

  Local authority

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Greater Manchester

  —

  1

  0

  Bolton

  53

  47

  19

  Bury

  26

  23

  9

  Manchester

  22

  14

  6

  Oldham

  29

  23

  5

  Rochdale

  36

  24

  13

  Salford

  26

  19

  13

  Stockport

  55

  47

  17

  Tameside

  53

  55

  32

  Trafford

  63

  44

  18

  Wigan

  49

  52

  18

  Appeals 1989–90

  Local authority

  Received

  Decided

  Allowed

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  Bolton

  63

  47

  22

  Bury

  33

  24

  11

  Manchester

  38

  21

  9

  Oldham

  41

  32

  10

  Rochdale

  41

  36

  15

  Salford

  33

  22

  11

  Stockport

  80

  61

  27

  Tameside

  61

  43

  24

  Trafford

  64

  48

  21

  Wigan

  51

  29

  9

  Notes:

  1. Appeals received do not equal those decided. Cases decided in any one year were not necessarily received in that year.

  2. The Greater Manchester Metropolitan County Council was abolished in 1986.

  Development Plans
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases there have been in the last 12 months where developers have been found liable for costs after they have pursued appeals against refusals properly substantiated by policies in up-to-date development plans.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  During the 12 months from 1 June 1989 to 31 May 1990, my right hon. Friend and planning inspectors awarded the planning authority's appeal costs against an appellant in 53 cases, where the appellant's
  293
  "unreasonable" behaviour, as interpreted in DOE circular 2/87, caused the planning authority to incur costs unnecessarily. These awards were justified by the circumstances in each case; and I regret that an analysis of cases in which the award was based solely on inconsistency with an up-to-date development plan could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Leaseholders
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to introduce legislation for the enfranchisement of leaseholders of flats.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  I have no immediate plans to do so. As the law stands, freehold tenure does not provide a sound basis for the ownership of flats. The concept of commonhold is being developed with a view to overcoming this problem, but a number of important issues remain to be resolved. I understand that my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor intends to make a statement on the subject in due course.

  Climatic Change
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to proposals for a European Community centre of studies of climatic change; and if he will make a statement on the results of discussions held in Madrid for this purpose.

  Mr. Trippier
  There is at present no European Community proposal for a centre for climate change studies. The directors of western European meteorological services have recently established an ad-hoc working group, which first met in Madrid on 5 and 6 June to consider possible initiatives for co-ordinating their activities on climate change issues. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister opened the new Hadley centre for climate prediction and research on 25 May. This will build on the leading work of the United Kingdom Meteorological Office, and international co-operation will be an important part of its remit.

  Industrial Rates
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the cost to the Treasury of industrial derating for manufacturing industries.

  Mr. Chope
  The aggregate rate liability of factories, mills, works and workshops in England and Wales in 1990–91, subject to transition, is around £2·1 billion.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what limit he can impose on the amounts that firms situated in enterprise zones may offset against any taxable benefit tied to that location in respect of other enterprises outside such zones making losses.

  Mr. Moynihan
  None. The circumstances in which tax relief available in enterprise zones can be utilised is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  Ozone
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that information on low-level ozone build-up is released automatically to the press and public on a daily basis wherever it exceeds World Health Organisation air quality guidelines.

  Mr. Trippier
  Information on ozone levels is already automatically released through the Department's press office, as I said in the answer I gave on Tuesday 24 April 1990 to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey, (Mr. Hughes) at column 121. So far this year, 27 daily summaries have been released and many requests for information have been received.

  Housing Associations (Low-cost Houses)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in implementation of the provisions for repurchase by housing associations of low-cost houses.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department is anxious to ensure that shared ownership housing association schemes on scarce sites in rural communities continue to benefit local people with modest means. We are now considering proposals from the Housing Corporation for a housing association rural repurchase scheme, which it is hoped to introduce shortly.

  Student Nurses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress has been made in reclassifying psychiatric student nurses as students for the purposes of the community charge;

  (2) if he will now reconsider the definition or classification of student nurses for the purpose of the community charge.

  Mr. Chope
  The eligibility criteria for the student relief are set out in the Personal Community Charge (Students) Regulations 1989—S.I. 1989/443. They already provide that students on undergraduate nursing courses and those undertaking Project 2000 training will be eligible for the student relief. Over the next few years the Project 2000 scheme will be extended to cover all pre-registration nursing trainees at schools of nursing, including those training for psychiatric nursing.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of percentage price increases in the cost of living each year for the next five years in Scotland, Wales, northern England, southern England and south-east England due to the uniform business rate.

  Mr. Chope
  In fixing the national non-domestic rate poundages for England and Wales for 1990–91 the Government have aimed to raise in real terms from private businesses and the nationalised industries broadly the same amount in rates as they paid in 1989–90. In future years, the poundage cannot, by law, rise by more than the level of inflation. The new system is therefore not
  295
  inflationary. There is no uniform business rate in Scotland, though my right hon. and learned Friend has taken powers to harmonise the local poundages there with the non-domestic rate poundage in England over a period of years.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he proposes to make to the announcement by West Germany of a ban on the domestic use and production of chlorofluorocarbons by 1995, and the banning of the use of halogenated hydrocarbons in hand-held extinguishers and on the use of carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroforms as solvents by 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Future international controls on ozone depleting substances will be decided at the meeting of the Montreal protocol parties in London at the end of this month. In the light of the results of that meeting, member states of the European Community will discuss what measures to impose within the Community, consistent with the operation of the single European market.

  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to introduce a Bill to implement the Montreal protocol proposals to cause a reduction in the use of chlorofluorocarbons and halons.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Montreal protocol is implemented on a Community wide basis by EC regulation 3322/88, which is directly applicable in United Kingdom law. The Commission has proposed a new regulation aimed at implementing the changes to the protocol which should be agreed at the end of this month. Member states will consider the draft regulation in the light of the changes which are actually agreed—we expect to complete the process by the end of 1990.

  North Sea Conference
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the implementation, proposed to be drawn up within three months, of the North sea conference on 8 March.

  Mr. Trippier
  I hope to publish the Government's guidance note on implementation of the third North sea conference within the next month.

  Disability Grants
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will delay implementation of the new scheme for means-tested grants for people with disabilities until local authorities have received full information on the scheme.

  Mr. Chope
  The new scheme will be introduced on 1 July by which time local authorities will have received full information by way of Departmental circulars.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Hands of Calderdale as part of the consultation process on proposed procedures for means-testing home improvement grants for people with disabilities; and if he will be responding to their questions.
  296
  Mr. Chope
  The Department received a letter from Hands of Calderdale in response to the consultation exercise on the test of resources for the new disabled facilities grants being introduced under part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Their comments were considered along with those of other consultees in finalising the test of resources regulations.

  Housing
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table which, allowing for recent adjustments to the Housing Corporation's capital programme, shows for 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93(a) the number of housing association new approvals and (b) the number of housing association completions.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: The Housing Corporation is currently discussing with housing associations the implications of recent adjustments to the corporation's capital programme for the level of approvals and completions over the next three years. The Housing Corporation has already indicated that housing association completions in 1990–91 are expected to exceed earlier forecasts. Thereafter, massive expansion in the output of new homes is still expected.

  Norman Shaw North (Water Supply)
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what pollutants have recently been found in the water supply to the Norman Shaw North parliamentary office building; and what action has been taken to remove them.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: Following a complaint about the quality of drinking water in the building, samples were tested by the laboratory of the Government chemist. Those taken from the supply to the Embankment side of the building were found to contain coli-aerogenes. Remedial action was taken. Further tests samples taken on 5 June 1990 contained no coli-aerogenes and the supply has now been reinstated.

  Tyne and Wear Development Corporation
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest information he has as to how many new jobs in Sunderland have been created by the activities of the Tyne and Wear development corporation, from its inception.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: To date, 1,138 jobs have been created in Sunderland through the activities of the Tyne and Wear development corporation.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to test the accuracy of job creation forecasts given to his Department by Tyne and Wear Development Corporation.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: The corporation is well aware of the advice issued by the Department about job-creation figures and I have every confidence that the appropriate techniques are being applied.

  Sunderland Enterprise Zone
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his current estimate of the cost to Her Majesty's Government of the Sunderland enterprise zone, broken down into(a) rate relief and (b) capital allowances.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: The initial estimate of the overall costs of the zone was given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster on 7 December 1988. The cost of rate relief and capital allowances in the zone will depend on the progress of reclamation and development and the decisions of individual firms.

  Children (Sexual Abuse)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what facilities his Department offers to local government to spread the best practice in suspected cases of sexual abuse of children.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department routinely issues guidance to local authorities, and has recently hosted a national conference for chairmen of area child protection committees, the proceedings of which will be disseminated. In addition, several projects in the Department's central training initiative are concerned with child sexual abuse and as part of the training support programme (child care) a special development group has produced guidelines for local authority training officers to assist them with planning their staff training in this area. The Department's social services inspectorate also produce reports which highlight good practice.

  Aquaguard
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to renew the product licence for Aquaguard.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Minister is hoping to make a statement shortly.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Tuna
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what steps he has taken to assure himself that the tuna fish served in the House is caught in a manner harmless to dolphins.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Refreshment Department purchases only canned tuna fish products which derive from skipjack tuna and, which it is understood, do not usually swim with dolphins. It is also keeping itself informed of developments in the marketing of "dolphin-safe" canned tuna fish. It is impracticable for the Department to purchase foodstuffs from other than a wholesaler.

  Parliament (Organisation)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he will consider an approach from a management consultancy company to undertake a study on the organisation of the House.
  298
  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I am always interested in suggestions which may lead to improvements in the organisation of the House and the services provided for hon. and right hon. Members. However, a separate study by management consultants would not seem appropriate at present in the light of the review of management, decision-taking and financial responsibilities which was announced by the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith), on behalf of the House of Commons Commission, on 23 May,Official Report, column 179.

  Motions
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on how many days since 1 July 1987 the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) has tabled notices of motion relating to each of(a) a Select Committee on Legal Affairs, (b) the reform of the House of Commons procedure, (c) sittings of the House and (d) Members' facilities; and what estimate he has made of the total cost to public funds and the volume of newsprint that have been involved in the printing of these motions.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The total cost to public funds of printing and publishing notices of motions relating to (a) a Select Committee on Legal Affairs, (b) the reform of the House of Commons procedure, (c) sittings of the House and (d) Members facilities, tabled by the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) since Sessions 1987–88, 1988–89 with 1989–90 up to and including 7 June 1990, is estimated as £55,000. The volume of paper consumed was about 300,000 sheets of A4 paper.

  The number of days on which the notices of motions were tabled in each Session are as follows:

  Number of days

  Motion

  Session 1987–88

  Session 1988–89

  Session 1989–901

  Total

  (a) Select Committee on Legal Affairs

  —

  71

  92

  163

  (b) Procedure

  69

  122

  92

  283

  (c) Sittings

  69

  123

  92

  284

  (d) Facilities

  —

  115

  92

  207

  1 Up to and including 7 June 1990.

  Secretarial Facilities
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what action he intends to take to improve the secretarial facilities for hon. Members.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  In the context of planning for the new parliamentary buildings several initiatives have been taken to improve conditions for Members' secretaries. Further accommodation has been provided in Canon row; 100 new desk spaces are planned for phase 1; more will be included in phase 2; and, in the Services Committee's third report of this Session (HC 334) recommendations are made to establish basic minimum standards in respect of planning for future accommodation.

  Any proposal to increase the secretarial allowance is a matter for the House to decide.

  Pedestrian Access
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he has any proposals to improve pedestrian access across the road directly outside St. Stephen's entrance and Chancellor's Gate.
  299
  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee has accepted the advice of the traffic authorities that all pedestrians crossing St. Margaret's street should be encouraged to use the existing facility. It is understood that the installation of any additional crossing would run counter to plans to improve the management and safety of pedestrians and traffic in that area.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will give for each year from 1978 the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by the Privy Council Office, expressing the figures in(a) cash terms, (b) 1978–79 money terms and (c) units of consumption for electricity in kilowatt hours, gas in therms, liquid fuel in litres and solid fuel in tonnes.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: The Privy Council Office, as the joint occupier of a building complex, pays a negotiated proportion of composite charges for gas, and for electricity. The office does not incur any costs in repect of liquid or solid fuels. The total units of consumption for gas and electricity in the financial year 1989–90 were given in my answer on 10 May 1990, but comparable figures for the previous decade could not be accurately calculated except at disproportionate cost. The annual costs to the Department in cash, and 1978–79 money, terms for gas and electricity for those years for which figures are available are as follows:

  Cash terms

  1978–79 money terms

  Gas £

  Electricity £

  Gas £

  Electricity £

  1983–84

  1,350

  6,150

  793

  3,611

  1984–85

  1,854

  8,446

  1,037

  4,725

  1985–86

  2,160

  9,840

  1,146

  5,224

  1986–87

  2,511

  11,439

  1,289

  5,874

  1987–88

  1,782

  8,118

  868

  3,956

  1988–89

  1,675

  7,632

  762

  3,472

  1989–90

  1,920

  10,923

  820

  4,666

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Departmental Advisers
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the advisers to his Department, and the area of work for which their advice was required, for the period since 1 January 1984.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  There are two special advisers at present, Mr. D. Lidington and Mr. M. Fraser. Their role is to consider the presentational and domestic political aspects of policy issues, including those for which the Foreign and Commonwealth Office does not have lead responsibility. Others who have held the post during the period since January 1984 are Mr. J. Houston, Mr. A. Teasdale and Mr. A. Fergusson.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement outlining the courses of action available to Her Majesty's Government(a) in the prevention of the settlement of Russian emigrants in territories illegally occupied by Israel and (b) to persuade Israel to take part in a conference with a view to negotiating a settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute.
  300
  Mr. Waldegrave
  The Israelis are well aware of our view that the settlement of Soviet Jews in the occupied territories, including east Jerusalem, is both illegal and a serious obstacle to peace and should not be permitted. We are working closely with the United States and other interested parties to encourage Israel to open a dialogue with representative Palestinians as a first step towards a comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute which will have to be negotiated at an international conference.

  Mrs. Asmat Jan and Son
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when a decision is to be taken on the applications made to the post in Islamabad by Mrs. Asmat Jan and her son Atlas Khan, Refs: IMM/92511 and K22704, to enter the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In accordance with the guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases, issued to Members on 14 December 1988, I have referred the question to the correspondence unit of the migration and visa department of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. The hon. Member will receive a reply from the unit as soon as possible.

  Defence Policy
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to the foreign policy implications of the options for change study.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has, of course, been consulting us and other colleagues on the work he has in hand. He will be reporting to the House on this in due course.

  Naval Policy
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in what international negotiations on(a) naval confidence-building measures and (b) naval disarmament the Government are currently involved.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No negotiations are taking place on naval arms control involving the United Kingdom. The subject of naval disarmament does, however, feature on the agenda of the annual United Nations disarmament conference.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current assessment of the feasibility of opening negotiations on(a) naval confidence-building measures and (b) naval disarmament.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The alliance's priority for conventional arms control remains land and air forces, because of the potential threat they can pose to stability. Naval forces are explicitly excluded from conventional arms control negotiations taking place in Vienna by their terms of reference.

  Mr. Choudhry Mohammad Waheed
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he issued instructions to the post in Islamabad to issue entry clearance to Mr.
  301
  Choudhry Mohammad Waheed following his successful appeal against refusal to grant entry clearance, Ref. TH/7817, in August 1989; when they were received there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

TRANSPORT

  Rail Services
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider making grants to the British Rail Board towards the reopening of rail lines or the reinstatement of rail services where such services will relieve traffic congestion or enhance travel opportunities to the benefit of the community.

  Mr. Freeman
  Grants may be made under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968 towards the cost of investments which are not financially viable but which can be justified on wider social and economic grounds. The availability of such grants to British Rail was noted by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in his letter of 19 December 1989 to the chairman of the British Rail reported in the Official Report on 19 December, at columns 227–32.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the extent to which bus substitution provides an acceptable alternative to existing rail services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for British Rail to make any such assessment in the first instance in the light of the objectives set by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in his letter of 19 December 1989 to the chairman of the British Railways Board.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider increasing the public service obligation grant to British Rail in respect of the Provincial Services Network in line with inflation each year; and what account he takes of the need to reduce overcrowding and congestion and increase reliability of services when considering increases to the public service obligation grant.

  Mr. Freeman
  The size of the grant needs to reflect progress made by British Rail in increasing revenue and reducing costs. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has set quality targets for reliability, punctuality and load factors, which were taken into account when the current financial targets were set in his letter of 19 December 1989 to the chairman of the board.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish guidelines to Network SouthEast and the Provincial Services Network of British Rail concerning the level of services supported by public services obligation grant he expects them to provide.

  Mr. Freeman
  The British Railways Board was directed on 30 March 1988 to provide a public service generally comparable with that provided at the date the direction was made. The direction is published each year in the board's annual report and accounts. Quality of service standards were among the objectives set by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in his letter of 19 December 1989 to the chairman of the board.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the studies conducted inside his Department by management consultants over the last 10 years, naming the consultancy, the cost, the subject and the outcome in each instance.

  Mr. Atkins
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I have nothing to add to the replies given to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 30 March 1990 and to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 15 March 1990.

  Smoking on Trains
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to seek to reintroduce section 20 of the Regulation of Railways Act 1868, repealed in 1959.

  Mr. Freeman
  The provision of smoking accommodation on trains is now a matter for the management of British Rail and other railway undertakings to decide.

  Dangerous Substances
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give consideration to transferring to local authorities the enforcement of the Dangerous Substances (Conveyance by Road in Road Tankers and Tank Containers) Regulations 1981.

  Mr. Atkins
  The regulations are enforced by the Health and Safety Executive. I have no plans to change this.

  Aircraft Pollution
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies are being carried out into the influence of water vapour created by aircraft on the atmosphere, and on the stratosphere in particular, over and above naturally occuring water vapour levels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In the troposphere, water vapour is known to be an important natural contributor to the greenhouse effect, although the contribution made by aircraft is negligible. Whether the amounts emitted by aircraft directly into the lower reaches of the stratosphere are significant is a matter on which I am seeking advice from Professor Hoskins, the Department's scientific adviser on global environment.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals exist for scienific studies into the effect on stratospheric ozone in relation to proposals for a post-Concorde fleet of supersonic transport aircraft; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In the United States of America the National Aeronautical and Space Administration is undertaking a major programme of research into this issue in view of the recent revival of interest in supersonic transport aircraft. In addition to determining the potential impact of an supersonic transport aircraft fleet on the protective ozone layer, NASA is also seeking to establish technologies and operational procedures that would
  303
  ensure that future supersonic transport operations would not result in significant ozone depletion. At home, Warren Spring laboratory has been asked to consider what effect aircraft operations in the stratosphere might have on the ozone layer.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will call for a report from the railway inspectorate on the safety implications of allowing locomotive number 86238 to travel from Norwich Crown Point to Manningtree on 7 June without a qualified driver.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that the locomotive was used in conjunction with one of the driving trailers which are to be introduced on Liverpool Street to Norwich InterCity services later in the year. The train was driven by a traction inspector who was fully qualified to drive both the locomotive and driving trailer. Two other, similarly qualified inspectors were also on board. Had a driver been present he would only have assisted with route knowledge and all three traction inspectors were fully competent in that respect. The railway inspectorate assures me that safety was not compromised.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much money he estimates to have been saved by compulsory competitive tendering in road and other transport schemes in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: Competitive tendering has been the long-term policy for the construction of the Department's motorway and trunk road schemes. Fee competition for consultants responsible for the preparation, design and supervision of construction of these schemes was introduced in January 1985. This has resulted in projected savings of about 25 per cent. on the total whole life costs of commissions placed in the first five years.

  Local authority highway works have been increasingly exposed to compulsory competitive tendering since 1981 but information on which to base estimates of savings is not available. The Audit Commission has begun a study of effects of the 1987 and 1988 regulatory changes, which require all highway works over £25,000 and 60 per cent. of work at or below that threshold to be subjected to compulsory competitive tender.

  Marine Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give full details of the ships, aircraft and other pollution control equipment available to the marine pollution control unit; where these ships and aircraft are based; and what plans he has to augment the unit's equipment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: The list of directly owned or contracted counter-pollution resources available to the marine pollution control unit is extensive; copies have been placed in the House of Commons Library.

  In addition, the unit can also hire equipment from commercial sources in the United Kingdom and can call
  304
  on assistance from other North sea states under the terms of the Bonn agreement for co-operation in dealing with oil spillages.

  A full review of United Kingdom preparedness to deal with an oil spill at sea was completed last year after the Exxon Valdez incident in Alaska. I refer the hon. Member to my answer of 6 March 1990, Official Report, columns 551–52.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has supplied to the European Commission on arrangements concerning the transport of nuclear fuel and waste through the channel tunnel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  When Eurotunnel puts forward proposals covering the movement of dangerous goods and radioactive materials, they will be considered by the intergovernmental commission established by the channel tunnel treaty to oversee safety, and any necessary advice sought.

  The European Commission does not at present have any direct influence in this field.

THE ARTS

  European Audiovisual Industry
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals to encourage the production of more European-made programmes for television.

  Mr. Luce
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon West (Miss Nicholson) on 6 June,Official Report, column 607, on Her Majesty's Government's support for the Commission's proposed 250 million ecu budget to promote the European audiovisual industry.

EMPLOYMENT

  Special Needs Training
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy that the cost of funding special needs training will continue to be underwritten by the Government.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government will continue to ensure that all eligible people with special training needs who join youth training or employment training have access to suitable training programmes. The cost of such training will in part be met by the contributions of scheme sponsors and employers, and in some cases by training and enterprise councils out of their own self-generated funds. The Government contribute funds, totalling more than £2 billion, for youth training and employment training in 1990–91, to ensure that its declared guarantees and aims for youth and adult training are fully met.

  Genetic Manipulation
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list any prosecutions, enforcement notices or improvement notices issued under the Genetic Manipulation Regulations 1989.
  305
  Mr. Nicholls
  Since the Health and Safety (Genetic Manipulation) Regulations 1989 came into force on I November 1989 a total of five improvement notices have been served by the Health and Safety Executive to enforce the requirements of these regulations.

  Three of the notices were served on the City and Hackney health authorities at St. Bartholomew's hospital, London and a further two were served on a department head at the hospital.

  Employment Exchanges
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give full consideration to the social value of a local part-time employment exchange before considering any proposal for its closure;

  (2) if he will ensure that the local authorities covering any part of the area served by a part-time local employment exchange are fully consulted and that full weight is given to their response before considering any proposal to close any such office; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list any part-time local employment exchanges in Wales which his Department is currently considering closing;

  (4) if he will undertake a full process of public consultation with any community served by a local part-time employment exchange before considering any proposal for its closure.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 13 June.

  In considering the closure of a part-time local office, full consideration is given as to how best to provide the most effective service to ES clients. Larger full-time offices offer a comprehensive range of services and are better able to help unemployed people back to work.

  The following part-time local offices in Wales are scheduled for closure by the end of July:

  Bethesda

  Brynamman

  Clydach

  Cwm

  Hirwaun

  Merthyr Vale (Aberfan)

  New Tredegar

  Pembroke

  Senghenydd.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Industry Council
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the European Economic Community Industry Council meeting of 28 May.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Industry Council on 28 May discussed the involvement of small and medium sized enterprises in public procurement and EC R&D programmes, and the implications for such firms of the business environment. The Council considered the subject of semiconductors and held a first debate on the Commission's proposal for a seventh directive on aid to the shipbuilding industry. The Commission also presented its views of prospects for the EC steel industry over the next five years. The business was both uncontroversial and routine in character.
  306
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Britain was represented at ministerial level at the recent meeting of the European Community Industry Council at which steel was discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom was represented by the United Kingdom permanent representative to the Community, Sir David Hannay, supported by senior DTI officials.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to meet the chairman of British Steel to discuss the proposed closure of the strip mill at Ravenscraig.

  Mr. Ridley
  I last met Sir Robert Scholey on 5 June when we had a confidential discussion.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the chairman of the British Steel Corporation to discuss the future of the steel industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  I last met Sir Robert Scholey on 5 June when we had a confidential discussion.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received any representations about the working of the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Redwood
  I receive a considerable number of representations on a variety of topics relating to the regulation of financial services.

  Chartered Accountants
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans his Department has for fresh legislation to cover the chartered accountants profession; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  We have no plans to legislate in respect of chartered accountants in particular or the accountancy profession in general. However, the implementation of part II of the Companies Act 1989 and of Directive 89/48/EEC on the mutual recognition of professional qualifications will affect parts of the accountancy profession, including chartered accountants.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information his Department collects on the production of chemicals which may have a harmful effect on the ozone layer; if he will break down this information by manufacturer for the most recent 12-month period available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  There are only two United Kingdom manufacturers of chlorofluorocarbons, one of which also manufactures halons. They are obliged, under EC Regulation 3322/88, to report their production of these substances to the European Commission at six-monthly intervals. They do so on a commercially confidential basis, and copy the data to my Department and to the Department of the Environment.
  307
  There are no reporting arrangements for the production of other ozone-depleting substances.

  British Steel
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the date of his last meeting with the chairman of British Steel; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: I last met Sir Robert Scholey on 5 June when we had a confidential discussion.

  National Consumer Council
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much is paid from public funds to the National Consumer Council; for what purpose those funds are paid; and who are the members of the council.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: For the financial year 1990–91 the total grant-in-aid to the National Consumer Council will be £2·178 million. This amount includes the grants-in-aid to the Scottish Consumer Council, Welsh Consumer Council and Consumers in the European Community Group which are paid via the National Consumer Council.

  The grant is paid to the National Consumer Council to enable it to carry out the functions described in its memorandum of association, that is to promote action for furthering and safeguarding the interests of consumers, to ensure that those who take decisions which will affect the consumer can have a balanced and authoritative view of the interests of consumers before them and to insist that the interests of all consumers, including the inarticulate and disadvantaged, are taken into account.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are taken by his Department to ensure that the National Consumer Council reflects the views of consumers.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: On many subjects there may be no one consumer view. However, I am satisfied that in so far as it is possible to do so, the National Consumer Council reflects the views of consumers.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps are taken by his Department to check claims made by the National Consumer Council before those claims are made public knowledge.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: The Department does not check the claims made by the National Consumer Council (NCC) before they are made public knowledge, nor does it believe that it would be appropriate for it to do so.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to increase the accountability of the National Consumer Council to consumers.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: No. I am satisfied that the National Consumer Council adequately takes account of the views of consumers.
  308
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to phase out the funding of the National Consumer Council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: No.

  Export licences
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been granted under the powers given to him by the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939 to firms seeking to export equipment to(a) Jordan, (b) Syria, (c) Libya, (d) India, (e) Pakistan, (f) Israel, (g) Saudi Arabia, (h) Egypt and (i) Argentina in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at extremely disproportionate cost.

  Trade Licences
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many licences have been granted under the powers given to him by the Import, Export and Custom Powers (Defence) Act 1939 to(a) Matrix Churchill Ltd., (b) TMG Engineering Ltd., (c) Technology and Trade Development Group Ltd. and (d) Canira Technical Corp. Ltd., in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: It is not the practice to publish such information.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the chief constable of Warwickshire to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets chief officers of police on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of policing matters, but he has no present plans for a meeting with the chief constable of Warwickshire to discuss crime figures in particular.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Cumbria to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets chief officers of police on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of policing matters, but he has no present plans for a meeting with the chief constable of Cumbria to discuss crime figures in particular.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the chief constable of Gwent to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets chief officers of police on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of policing matters, but he has no present plans for a meeting with the chief constable of Gwent to discuss crime figures in particular.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the chief constable of Staffordshire to discuss crime figures.
  309
  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets chief officers of police on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of policing matters, but he has no present plans for a meeting with the chief constable of Staffordshire to discuss crime figures in particular.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the chief constable of Leicestershire to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Wiltshire to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Surrey to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Sussex to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Derbyshire to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Greater Manchester to discuss crime figures

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets chief officers of police on a regular basis to discuss a wide range of policing matters, but he has no present plans for meetings to discuss crime figures in particular.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what comparable figures he has on international levels of crime and on the level of crime in England and Wales.

  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the level of crime in England and Wales, in each member country of the European Community and in the United States of America.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend and my hon. and learned Friend to the reply given earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Ipswich (Mr. Irvine).

  British Summer Time
  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further representations he has received in respect of proposed changes to British summer time.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further representations he has received in respect of proposed changes to British summer time.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones).

  Car Security
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with motor manufacturers in the last year on improving the quality of car security.
  310
  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend has had no discussions with motor manufacturers in the last year but he has written recently to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders to invite them to discuss what more can be done by motor manufacturers to improve the quality of car security. I have also written to the Consumers Association to invite it to meet me to consider how consumer demand for improved car security can be encouraged.

  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the quality of car security.

  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the quality of car security.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the quality of car security.

  Mr. John Patten
  So far this year, we have answered two parliamentary questions, four letters from Members of Parliament and three letters from members of the public about car security. The parliamentary questions and one letter from a Member were concerned about the action taken by the motor manufacturers to improve the quality of car security.

  Crime Prevention
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chief constable of West Yorkshire to discuss crime prevention initiatives.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend has, at present, no plans to meet the chief constable of West Yorkshire, but officials maintain regular contact with the West Yorkshire police to discuss crime prevention issues.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the remaining scientific evidence in the Birmingham pub bombings case, in the light of the statements to the May inquiry that forensic evidence in the Maguire case can no longer be considered reliable.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the remaining scientific evidence in the Birmingham pub bombing case, in the light of the statements to the May inquiry that forensic evidence in the Maguire case can no longer be considered reliable.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will reconsider the remaining scientific evidence in the Birmingham pub bombings case, in the light of the statements to the May inquiry that forensic evidence in the Maguire case can no longer be considered reliable.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have said on many occasions that I will consider any new evidence which appears to call into question the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. I will of course take into account any evidence presented to the May inquiry which may be relevant to those convictions.
  311
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigation into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigation into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigation into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to have the results of the Devon and Cornwall police investigations into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings case.

  Mr. Waddington
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer given earlier to the question from the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short).

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police or other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police or other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police and other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he proposes to take to ensure that material in police or other official archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case will not be destroyed.

  Mr. Waddington
  As I made clear in response to a question from the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 26 April, I understand that the West Midlands police and the Devon and Cornwall constabulary have made arrangements to ensure that all material in their possession relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case is stored in secure conditions pending the outcome of further inquiries into the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. Relevant papers in the possession of the Home Office will also be preserved.

  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the 2,000 or so non-material statements which were not made available to solicitors acting for the six men convicted of the Birmingham pub bombings.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks).

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received about the Birmingham six; and if he will make a statement.
  312
  Mr. John Patten
  Since the beginning of this year, we have received representations from Members of both Houses of Parliament, representatives of the clergy and members of the public, both here and abroad, expressing concern about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six.

  Careful consideration is given to all representations received about the safety of convictions. My right hon. and learned Friend has asked the chief constable of the West Midlands police for a report on a number of points arising out of representations made to him about the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six. These matters are now the subject of inquiries by the Devon and Cornwall constabulary, and my right hon. and learned Friend will take full account of the report of the outcome of those inquiries, together with any other relevant information, before deciding whether his further intervention in the case would be justified.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the playing cards which were an exhibit in the Birmingham pub bombings case but which have since disappeared.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the playing cards which were an exhibit in the Birmingham pub bombings case but which have since disappeared.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to recover the playing cards which were an exhibit in the Birmingham pub bombings case but which have since disappeared.

  Mr. John Patten
  The cards, which were mentioned in the evidence for the defence, were not an exhibit at the trial. It was, of course, open to the defence to bring them before the court if they had wished to do so, but they did not. However, the police are making inquiries to trace the present location of the playing cards said to have been used by various members of the Birmingham Six on the train journey from Birmingham to Heysham.

  Police Allowances
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement on his discussions with the Police Federation regarding allowances and the community charge.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Regulations to modify police rent allowance were laid on 9 March. These regulations took account of representations made be my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) and representatives of the staff side of the police negotiating board, including the Police Federation. The discussions resulted in a number of important changes to the original proposals.

  Immigration
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals have been made under the 1992 programme to facilitate the greater access of residents in European Economic Community nations to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  These matters remain under discussion between member states. My right hon. and
  313
  learned Friend will in the usual way report to the House the conclusions of the current meeting of Immigration Ministers in Dublin.

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received from pensioners' representatives about free television licences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Since 1 January we have received 103 letters from people representing pensioners about free or reduced price television licences for pensioners. Ninety-seven were from hon. Members and six from organisations. We have no plans to change the present concessionary arrangements.

  Strangeways Prison
  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated cost of the damage caused to Strangeways prision, Manchester, caused by the recent disturbances.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated total cost of damage to Strangeways prison, Manchester, caused by the recent disturbances.

  Mr. Mellor
  I announced on 17 May at columns 489–90 plans for the refurbishment of Strangeways prison to provide a range of new and improved facilities, including integral sanitation at a cost of £60 million. This work will also include repair of the damage done during the recent disturbances, which amounts to about £30 million.

  The Greater Manchester police authority advises that the additional cost of policing as a result of the disturbances was £580,000.

  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to refurbish Strangeways prison to enable it to be brought back into use as soon as possible.

  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to refurbish Strangeways prison to enable it to be brought back into use as soon as possible.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress of his plans to refurbish Strangeways prison.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to refurbish Strangeways prison to enable it to be brought back into use as soon as possible.

  Mr. Mellor
  As I announced on 17 May at columns 489–90 the refurbishment of HM prison Manchester should be completed in about three years' time. One of the remand wings—K wing—should, however, be back in use by October of this year, and the remaining accommodation in the remand wings should be available in about a year's time.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward legislation in the light of recent judgments on Sunday trading cases by the courts; and if he will make a statement.
  314
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made on the question of Sunday trading.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it remains the Government's intention to reform the Shops Act 1950.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he has made on the question of Sunday trading.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on reform of the Shops Act 1950.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given earlier to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn, Hatfield (Mr. Evans).

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many written representations in favour of and against Sunday trading he has received since 3 May.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since 3 May 1990 we have received 10 written representations broadly in favour of Sunday trading and three against.

  Police Houses
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the pay and conditions of police officers living in police houses.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have recently received a large number of representations from police officers, from hon. Members on behalf of police officers and from police representative organisations. These refer, in particular, to the Police (Amendment) Regulations 1990 and a proportion concern the position of officers living in provided accommodation. In response we have explained the reasons for setting aside certain aspects of the police negotiating board agreement on rent allowance. My right hon. and learned Friend has also made a number of important changes to the original proposals to meet points which were raised.

  Prison Boards of Visitors
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about the uprating of car mileage allowances payable to members of prison boards of visitors to the same level as that payable to prison staff and members of other prison committees.

  Mr. Mellor
  The co-ordinating committee made representations to the prison department in May 1988 to request that rates for boards of visitors travelling, subsistence and loss of earnings should be linked to the civil service rates rather than those applicable to justices of the peace.

  Violent Crime
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of who are the most likely victims of violent crime.
  315
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of who are the most likely victims of violent crime.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of who are the most likely victims of violent crime.

  Mr. John Patten
  Recent research shows that in England and Wales young people aged 16 to 24 remain most at risk of becoming victims of assaults, and young men are by far at the greatest risk. People in England and Wales are less likely to be victims of violent crime (robbery, assaults and sexual assaults) than in most western European countries, the United States of America, Australia and Canada.

  Prison Conditions
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to accelerate the ending of slopping out in prisons.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to speed up action to provide access to sanitation in prisons to enable the procedure of slopping out in British prisons to be phased out by the year 2000.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to accelerate the ending of slopping out in prisons.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Caithness and Sutherland (Mr. Maclennan) on 3 May 1990 at column 659.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what submissions he has received recently about the state of prisons in England.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Home Office receives numerous communications about the state of prisons. These vary considerably in content from an individual's problem to more general concerns.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the Prison Officers Association to discuss prison regimes.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at this stage to meet the chairman of the Prison Officers Association to discuss prison regimes, but should a request be made he will give the matter urgent consideration.

  Football Matches
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce legislation to enable chief constables to veto the holding of Football Association and league football matches.

  Sir Marcus Fox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what machinery now exists for the exercise of a police veto on a football fixture.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 8 May when my right hon. and learned Friend met representatives of the Football League 316
  they agreed to work out urgently with the Association of Chief Police Officers effective arrangements for obtaining police advice about the scheduling of fixtures and to act upon it on all occasions. We shall keep these arrangements under review, but at present we have no plans to introduce legislation on this matter.

  Drugs
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on any new Government initiatives to deal with the drugs problem.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, East (Mr. Dykes) on 29 January at column 19 in which I listed recent initiatives for combating the misuse of and traffic in drugs.

  Further developments include:

  the announcement of plans for a United Kingdom task force to advise other countries on ways of reducing the demand for drugs;

  the setting up of a joint police/customs task force, to target cocaine and crack;

  plans for the first seven Home Office drug prevention teams to be located in the London boroughs of Hackney, Lewisham, Newham and Southwark and in Birmingham, Brighton and Liverpool;

  a further tranche of drug-related assistance to Colombia, amounting to some £4·5 million;

  the unanimous adoption of a detailed 35-point political declaration at the conclusion of the world ministerial drugs summit in April giving a commitment to a range of practical measures to reduce the demand for drugs and combat the cocaine threat.

  Police Manpower, Warwickshire
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current level of police manpower in Warwickshire; and what it was three years ago.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The position at 31 March is set out in the table:

  1987—965

  (2 vacancies)

  1990—975

  (45 vacancies)

  Trevi Group
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next intends to meet other members of the Trevi group to discuss the implications of open frontiers on levels of drug smuggling and terrorist activity.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend is attending meetings of Trevi Ministers in Dublin today and tomorrow at which progress is strengthening police co-operation with a view to the implementation of the single European market will be reviewed. The Government are strongly committed to such co-operation, while believing that checks at United Kingdom ports and airports will continue to play a necessary part in combatting terrorism, drug trafficking and other crimes.

  Public Order Laws
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is considering any amendments to the public order legislation currently in force.
  317
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In reply to a question from my hon. Friend, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), the then Home Secretary, announced on 26 October 1989 at column 620 that an evaluation of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986 was to be undertaken to obtain a clearer picture of the consistency and effectiveness of its application. We are now considering the representations received.

  My right hon. and learned Friend is also considering the recommendations in Lord Justice Taylor's final report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster for the creation of some new offences and penalties in connection with behaviour at sports grounds.

  Prison Officers
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet the Prison Officers Association to discuss pay and conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans at present to meet the Prison Officers Association to discuss pay and conditions of service. Discussions concerning the annual pay award are currently taking place between officials of the Treasury, the Home Office and the appropriate trades unions, including the Prison Officers Association.

  Videos
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the enforcement of the Video Recordings Act 1984 which restricts retailers from hiring 18 videos to children under the age of 18 years.

  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he is making of the effectiveness of the law prohibiting the sale of 18 classification videos to minors; and what steps he is taking to make enforcement more effective.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Criminal Justice Act 1988 provides powers for local authority trading standards officers to enforce the provisions of the Video Recordings Act 1984 and the manner in which they discharge these duties is a matter for each local authority to decide. The Video Standards Council has recently drawn up a code of practice for the industry and we shall be monitoring its effectiveness closely. However, we have not ruled out the possibility of fresh legislation if such self-regulation proves inadequate.

  Prison Population
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prison population; what it was one year ago; and what are the equivalent figures for young offenders.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current(a) adult and (b) young prisoner prison population; and what it was one year ago.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prison population; what it was one year ago; and what are the equivalent figures for young offenders.
  318
  Mr. Mellor
  On Friday 8 June the total prison population, including those held in police cells, was 45,630. The corresponding figure for 9 June 1989 was 48,604. The latest information available in the form requested is for 31 March, when the total number of prisoners held in prison service establishments was 46,888: 37,224 were adult prisoners; 9,664 were prisoners aged under 21, of whom 6,655 were sentenced young offenders. The corresponding figures for 31 March 1989 were 49,180, 38,597, 10,583 and 7,395 respectively.

  Metropolitan Police
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Metropolitan Police Commissioner; and if he discussed traffic problems.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend last met the Commissioner on 5 June. Although traffic problems were not on the agenda on that occasion, regular contact is maintained with the Metropolitan police on traffic issues.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he last met the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to discuss police manpower.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend last discussed police manpower with the commissioner on 21 December, when he met him to discuss his strategy statement for 1990, which was published on 11 January.

  Mid-Glamorgan Fire Service
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the Mid-Glamorgan fire service to discuss emergency planning procedures.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have no plans for such a meeting.

  Prisons, Isle of Wight
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to increase the current levels of security at Her Majesty's prisons on the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Mellor
  A number of improvements to the physical security of the three prisons on the Isle of Wight are currently in hand, planned or under consideration.

  Football Hooligans
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the statutory provisions relating to the imposition of restriction orders and exclusion orders on football hooligans.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers there are to allow courts to impose restriction orders and exclusion orders on football hooligans.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since August 1987 part IV of the Public Order Act 1986 has empowered courts to impose exclusion orders on those convicted of football-related offences as defined in that Act to prevent them from attending designated matches in England and Wales. Since
  319
  24 April 1990 the courts have been empowered by part II of the Football Spectators Act 1989 to impose restriction orders on those convicted of football-related offences as defined in that Act to prevent them from attending key matches outside England and Wales. From 1 June 1990 magistrates courts have had the power under the 1989 Act to impose restriction orders on those convicted of corresponding offences in Scotland or Italy.

  Expatriates (Voting Rights)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many United Kingdom expatriates have registered for voting purposes to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are 1,237 overseas electors on the United Kingdom electoral register for 1990–91. Corresponding information for the 1991–92 register, which will include those registered under the new provisions introduced by the Representation of the People Act 1989, will not become available until the draft register is published on or before 28 November of this year.

  Firearms
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to review the effects of the Firearms (Amendment) Act and its implementation by different police forces.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under section 22 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 it is the function of the firearms consultative committee to review the provisions of the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1988 and to make to the Home Secretary such recommendations for improving their working as the committee thinks necessary. The Home Office also keeps the operation of the Act under general review. Administration of firearms controls is a matter for individual chief officers of police.

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to amend the procedure for considering claims for asylum in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to amend the procedure for considering claims for asylum in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to amend the procedure for considering claims for asylum in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Procedures are kept under review. We have no present plans for fundamental change.

  South Yorkshire Fire Authority
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to receive the results of the review that is being currently carried out by the South Yorkshire fire authority of its own operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that the chief fire officer of South Yorkshire fire service is reviewing the fire risk 320
  categorisation and standards of fire cover throughout the South Yorkshire area. When the review has been completed, the chief fire officer will submit his report and findings to the South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority. I understand that the review is still at a very early stage and it would be inappropriate for my right hon. and learned friend to speculate on when the results of the review will be available.

  War Crimes
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress being made in the setting up of a war crimes investigation unit.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary indicated in the Second Reading debate on the War Crimes Bill on 19 March that the unit would not be set up before the Bill received Royal Assent. On 14 June another place declined to give the Bill a Second Reading. The Government now intend to reflect on all aspects of the issue before taking any decision on further action.

  Right of Silence
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to amend the law relating to the right of silence of suspects in police custody; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I would refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to a question from the hon. Member for Huddersfield (Mr. Sheerman) on 7 March at column 639.

  Domestic Violence
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has recently revised his guidance to police officers about dealing with domestic violence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Work on a new set of guidelines is at an advanced stage and my right hon. and learned Friend hopes to issue them within the next few weeks. The new guidelines will represent an important step in ensuring that the victims of domestic violence receive the full protection of the law to which they are entitled.

  Immigration (Airlines Liability)
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals relating to the operation of the Immigration (Carriers Liability) Act 1987 as it affects airlines.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 21 May at column 8.

  Police Manpower, Northumbria
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next expects to meet the chief constable of Northumbria police to discuss manpower levels.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so. My right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State met the chief constable and the police authority on 3 April when police manpower was discussed.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of remand prisoners held in police cells; and what it was one year ago.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn).

  Mr. Cecil Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the estimated total cost of damage to Strangeways prison, Manchester, caused by the recent disturbances.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Wirral, South (Mr. Porter).

  Ticket Touts
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he plans to take to curb the activities of ticket touts.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no general plans to introduce legislation in this area. We are currently considering the recommendation by Lord Justice Taylor for control of ticket touting at football matches.

  Radio Broadcasting
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next intends to meet the Director General of the BBC to discuss radio broadcasting.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend met the BBC board of governors yesterday, together with the director general and board of management, and discussed a wide range of broadcasting matters, including radio.

  Sentencing
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will next meet the chairman of the National Association of Probation Officers to discuss sentencing policy.

  Mr. John Patten
  There are no plans at present for the Home Secretary to meet the chairman of the National Association of Probation Officers, but we maintain regular contact with the association.

  Women Prisoners
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women in open prisons requested home leave to visit their children during 1989 or during the most recent available period.

  Mr. Mellor
  There were 212 recorded applications for home leave for this purpose during the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women in open prisons were granted home leave to visit their children during 1989 or during the most recent convenient period; and how many periods of home leave they were granted on average during this time.
  322
  Mr. Mellor
  During the period 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990, 152 women from the three open establishments were granted at least one period of home leave to visit their children. Details of the average number of periods of home leave granted to individual prisoners are not readily available.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the criteria for granting home leave to women in open prison; and at what level the decision was made.

  Mr. Mellor
  All applications for home leave are considered by the establishment's home leave board and must be approved by the governor. The criteria for considering applications are laid down in circular instructions 9/1988 and 12/1988. For prisoners in open establishments, these will include the length of the prisoner's sentence, her behaviour in prison, whether the prisoner can be trusted not to commit any further offence during the leave and to return on time and the suitability of the accommodation where the home leave is to be spent.

  Drinking in Public Places
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the request by Bolton metropolitan borough council to introduce a byelaw to prohibit drinking in public places; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The byelaw is being tested on an experimental basis in seven areas. A decision on whether the byelaw will be made widely available will depend on the results of these experiments.

  BBC Report (Chinese Nationals)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department made any representations to the British Broadcasting Corporation regarding its report at 1 pm on Friday 18 May, regarding 33 Chinese nationals.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. After the 1 pm report, the BBC asked for, and was given, the views of the Home Office.

  Criminal Records
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set up an agency independent of the police charged with maintaining criminal records and meeting vetting requests.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Arrangements are being made for an early scrutiny of the issues involved and the implications of establishing such an agency.

  Football Licensing Authority
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the location of the offices for the Football Licensing Authority and the number of staff to be employed.

  Mr. John Patten
  No final decision has yet been taken on the location of the offices of the Football Licensing Authority. We envisage that the authority will have a small headquarters staff headed by a chief executive, and a team of inspectors some of whom will probably be located in different parts of the country.
  323
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he plans to announce the chairman and members of the Football Licensing Authority.

  Mr. John Patten
  As soon as possible.

  Nuclear Accident, Greenwich
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans or studies have been undertaken to assess the measures that would have to be taken in the event of widespread contamination by airborne plutonium resulting from a nuclear weapons accident aboard a Royal Navy ship docked at Greenwich.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces to a question from the hon. Members for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) and for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 8 June at column 724.

  Evidence (Fax Machines)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the policy of his Department's parole unit in relation to the admissibility of evidence from solicitors of documents in evidence via fax machines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The parole unit will accept documents by fax subject, where appropriate, to confirmation later of their provenance.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are to be taken to improve the effectiveness of policing the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 by the Scientific Procedures Inspectorate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This country is unique in having a full-time inspectorate consisting only of qualified medical practitioners and veterinary surgeons. The present controls are highly effective and my right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to change them.

  Boundary Changes, Northampton
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will set out the timetable of any prospective changes in ward or constituency boundaries within any part of the Northampton, North constituency or concerning Northampton, North.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Local Government Boundary Commission for England has agreed to carry out a review of the electoral arrangements for the borough of Northampton. This is likely to commence as soon as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has reached a decision in respect of a recent review of parishes in the borough of Northampton. The review is expected to be completed in good time for the next local elections to the borough council in 1995.

  The Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England will commence its next general review of all constituency boundaries in England, including those of the Northampton, North constituency, in 1991. The commissions report must be submitted between 1993 and 1998.

  Mother-and-Baby Units
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost per week of keeping a mother and her baby in the units at(a) Holloway, (b) Askham Grange and (c) Styal.

  Mr. Mellor
  In 1988–89, the average net operating costs per inmate per week for Her Majesty's prison, Holloway, Her Majesty's prison and young offender institution, Styal and Her Majesty's prison, Askham Grange were, respectively, £491, £340 and £314. Operating costs of the mother and baby units are not separately identified.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters per month are being received by his Department from hon. Members; and what proportion of them are being answered within five, 10, 20 and 40 working days, respectively.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is laid out in the table:

  Number of inquiries received by the Home Office from members of parliament for the months of January to April 1990.

  Answered within

  January

  February

  March

  April

  10 days

  687

  554

  374

  249

  11–20 days

  567

  786

  874

  536

  21–30 days

  646

  680

  585

  823

  31–40 days

  263

  189

  336

  268

  Total number of inquiries

  2,551

  2,875

  2,904

  2,534

  Police Disciplinary Proceedings
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, following the outcome of recent police disciplinary proceedings relating to the investigation into the murder of PC Keith Blakelock, he will now review the convictions of Winston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite and Eugin Raghip.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: The disciplinary charges against Detective Chief Superintendent Melvin concerned Mr. Jason Hill, not the convictions of Mr. Braithwaite, Mr. Raghip or Mr. Silcott. My right hon. and learned Friend is always ready to consider cases in which it is suggested there might be new evidence which might call the safety of the convictions into question. We are considering whether the recent television programme contained any new evidence or other consideration of substance.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet Lord Justice Lane to discuss the safety of the convictions of Winston Silcott, Mark Braithwaite and Eugin Raghip for the murder of PC Keith Blakelock.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: No.

DEFENCE

  Tanks and Helicopters
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment his Department is making concerning the proper balance between tanks and helicopters for the British Army.
  325
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The balance between tanks and helicopters is kept under constant review.

  Nuclear Warheads
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if insensitive high explosives are used on the nuclear warheads fitted to United States air force SRAM-A missiles based in Britain.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no United States air force SRAM-A missiles based in Britain.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any nuclear warheads of British manufacture use insensitive high explosive.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It would not be in the national interest to reveal such details of nuclear weapon design.

  Harrier GR7
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the first Harrier GR7s to enter Royal Air Force service.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Ministry of Defence took delivery of the first Harrier GR7 on 5 June this year. It will be in Royal Air Force service within the next few months.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying movements were authorised in the Borders tactical training area at less than 250 ft in the periods (1) 1 July 1986 to 30 June 1987, (2) 1 July 1987 to 30 June 1988 and (3) 1 July 1988 to 30 June 1989; and if he will provide a breakdown of the 1988–89 figure into movements in the Borders tactical training area (west) and the Borders tactical training area (east).

  Mr. Neubert
  The information requested regarding aircraft movements authorised in the Borders tactical training area at less than 250 ft is given in the table. It should be noted that the movements figures for the Borders tactical training area have, since 1988, been recorded on a different basis following the extension to the Borders training area, and the number of movements quoted for this area from July 1988 onwards is not directly comparable with earlier movement figures which predate the extension of the area. I regret that central records do not separately identify movements in the Borders tactical training area west and the Borders tactical training area east over the period for which information is requested.

  Operational low-flying movements in Borders tactical training area

  Period

  Number

  1 July 1986 to 30 July 1987

  873

  1 July 1987 to 30 July 1988

  558

  1 July 1988 to 30 July 1989

  1,865

  French Defence Minister
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his French counterpart; and whether he discussed European security.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State had a bilateral meeting with Mr.326
  Chevènement at the Anglo-French summit in London on 4 May, when a wide range of defence questions was discussed, including future European security.

  Army Regiments
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the regiments of the British Army arid(a) the location and value of the property associated with each and (b) the location and value of the property associated with each which has been sold in the past 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The regular regiments and corps of the British Army are listed below:

  Regular Regiments and Corps of the British Army

  1. Household Cavalry

  The Life Guards

  The Blues and Royals (Royal Horse Guards and 1st Dragoons)

  2. Royal Armoured Corps

  1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards

  The Royal Scots Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers and Greys)

  4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards

  5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards

  The Queen's Own Hussars

  The Queen's Royal Irish Hussars

  9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's)

  The Royal Hussars (Prince of Wales's Own)

  13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own)

  14th/20th King's Hussars

  15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars

  16th/5th The Queen's Royal Lancers

  17th/21st Lancers

  Regiments of the Royal Tank Regiment

  3. The Royal Regiment of Artillery

  4. Corps of Royal Engineers

  5. Royal Corps of Signals

  6. Infantry

  (a) The Guards Division

  Grenadier Guards

  Coldstream Guards

  Scots Guards

  Irish Guards

  Welsh Guards

  (b) The Scottish Division

  The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)

  The Royal Highland Fusiliers (Princess Margaret's Own Glasgow and Ayrshire Regiment)

  The King's Own Scottish Borderers

  The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)

  Queen's Own Highlanders (Seaforth and Camerons)

  The Gordon Highlanders

  The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's)

  (c) The Queen's Division

  The Queen's Regiment

  The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers

  The Royal Anglian Regiment

  (d) The King's Division

  The King's Own Royal Border Regiment

  The King's Regiment

  The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire

  The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment)

  The Royal Irish Rangers (27th (Inniskilling) 83rd and 87th)

  The Queen's Lancashire Regiment

  The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding)

  (e) The Prince of Wales's Division

  The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment

  The Cheshire Regiment

  The Royal Welch Fusiliers

  327

  The Royal Regiment of Wales (24/41st Foot)

  The Gloucestershire Regiment

  The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot)

  The Royal Hampshire Regiment

  The Staffordshire Regiment (The Prince of Wales's)

  The Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment (Berkshire and Wiltshire)

  (f) The Light Division

  The Light Infantry

  The Royal Green Jackets

  (g) The Brigade of Gurkhas

  2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Simoor Rifles)

  6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles

  7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles

  10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles

  (h) The Parachute Regiment

  (i) Special Air Service Regiment

  (j) Other Corps

  Army Air Corps

  Royal Army Chaplains' Department

  Royal Corps of Transport

  Royal Army Medical Corps

  Royal Army Ordnance Corps

  Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

  Corps of Royal Military Police

  Royal Army Pay Corps

  Royal Army Veterinary Corps

  Small Arms School Corps

  Military Provost Staff Corps

  Royal Army Educational Corps

  Royal Army Dental Corps

  Royal Pioneer Corps

  Intelligence Corps

  Army Physical Training Corps

  Army Catering Corps

  Army Legal Corps

  General Service Corps

  Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps

  Women's Royal Army Corps

  The data requested concerning location and value of property could not be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British Army regiments existed in 1979 and currently; and if he will name those which(a) have been amalgamated or abolished and (b) it is proposed to amalgamate or abolish.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Details of numbers of combat arm regiments and infantry battalions are given annually in volume 1 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates.

  Of these, the only regiments or battalions that have been amalgamated or disbanded since 1979 are 2nd battalion, 7th Gurkha Rifles, which was raised in 1981 and disbanded in 1986; 2 Regiment and 9 Regiment Army Air Corps, which were disbanded in 1983 and 1982 respectively; the Composite Infantry Demonstration Battalion, which was disbanded in 1982; and 25 Regiment, Royal Artillery, which was disbanded in 1984.

  As for future amalgamations or disbandments, this will depend on the circumstances at the time. However, we recognise that the changing circumstances in Europe will have implications for the deployment and structure of our forces and that we are therefore examining the options for change.

  Army Property
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the outside management consultants used by his Department to rationalise the property assets of the British Army since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence—and, before 1988, the Property Services Agency—has employed a great many outside management consultants to assist with the rationalisation of property assets across all three services and the procurement executive. No central record is maintained of the use made of consultants, however, and it is not possible to provide this information retrospectively.

  Territorial Army
  Mr Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spends on the Territorial Army at the present time; and what the figure was in 1979 at constant prices.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In 1990–91, expenditure on the Territorial Army will total £345 million compared with £271 million in 1979–80. Both figures are at 1989–90 prices.

  Defence Policy
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will initiate a review of Britain's defence policy, following the recent summit conference between Presidents Bush and Gorbachev.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are already examining options for change in the structure and deployment of our armed forces in light of the changing international circumstances.

  United States Navy Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the visits of United States navy nuclear submarines to Bangor since 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no records of any port visits to Bangor, Wales, or Bangor, Northern Ireland by United States navy nuclear-powered submarines.

  Stoney Castle Ranges
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received about unauthorised access across his Department's land at Stoney Castle ranges, Pirbright, for the illegal tipping of waste; and what steps he is taking to prevent this.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has received representations from the Pirbright parish and Surrey county councils and a number of local residents about access across Ministry of Defence land at Stoney Castle ranges, Pirbright, Surrey, for the illegal tipping of waste.

  Action is in hand to establish the status of access. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.

  Atomic Weapons Establishments
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the management structure for atomic weapons establishment sites after contractorisation.
  329
  Mr. Neubert
  No decisions have yet been made on the details of the future interim management structure of AWE. It will be open to the contractor in discussion with MOD to recommend organisational changes or additional management posts to facilitate efficient operation of the establishment as a whole.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce his choice of contractor for the atomic weapons establishment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  We expect to let an interim management contract at AWE in the autumn of this year.

  Maguire Case
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions he has given to RARDE regarding the making available to Sir John May's inquiry of papers relating to the Maguire case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  My officials have been instructed to be as helpful as possible in the inquiry.

  Arms Exports, Middle East
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the role of British exports of military equipment in spreading sophisicated weapons and military technology to the middle east.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The United Kingdom has won orders for a range of military equipment to some middle east countries, but these have been allowed only after very careful consideration of each export to ensure that it is consistent with our national interests and international obligations. The factors considered always include assessments of political, strategic and technology transfer aspects.

  Police Review
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what expenditure has been incurred to date on the study of options for change.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The work is being done by personnel in the office of management and budget and the defence staff in addition to their normal duties. We have not sought to attribute their time and related costs between this and their other tasks.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications have taken place with North Atlantic Treaty Organisation allies about the study of the options for change.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has informed our NATO allies that work on options for change is taking place and he is in close touch with them about international developments and the evolution of alliance policy, which are important elements in that work.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when the options for change study will be completed;

  (2) whether the results of the study of the options for change will be published.
  330
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Parliament will be informed once the Government have reached a view on the appropriate way forward on the options for change exercise.

  Nuclear Accident, Greenwich
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Lady to the reply that I gave to the hon. Members for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) and for Islington, South and Finsbury (Mr. Smith) on 8 June,Official Report, column 724.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Low Incomes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of the poorest one tenth of the population in the period 1981 to 1985 he estimates had an income rise of (i) minus 5 per cent, or less, (ii) 0 to minus 5 per cent., (iii) 0 to plus 5 per cent. and (iv) plus 5 per cent. or more.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The households below average income analysis is derived from data on incomes contained in the family expenditure survey which is a continual annual survey of a sample of private households in the United Kingdom. The households below average income analysis enables comparisons to be made between the position of decile groups over time, but, because the sample consists of different families each year, it is not possible to draw similar comparisons between individual families. The information requested is therefore not available.

  Income Support
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, if claimants in receipt of unemployment benefit income support have their fortnightly benefit payment suspended for not actively seeking employment on three successive occasions, and they then satisfy the condition, they have to make a fresh claim for benefit and complete a new B1 or whether their fortnightly payment is automatically reinstated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No fresh claim for income support is required if hardship payments are made when benefit has been suspended on account of failing to actively seek employment. However, if hardship payments have not been made and income support has been suspended for longer than a fortnight, a fresh claim on a new form B1 will be required.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether a non-householder income support claimant without dependants whose income support is suspended for not actively seeking work or being available for work can be paid on income support hardship payment; and if he will make a statement.
  331
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Yes. The adjudication officer has to be satisfied that, unless income support is paid, the claimant will suffer hardship. No distinction is made between householders and non-householders.

  Personal Pension Plans
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing on 21 December,Official Report, column 405, he has completed his review of the disclosure requirements for occupational and personal pension schemes, including unit-linked personal pension plans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The disclosure of information regulations will need amendment as a result of the provisions on occupational pensions in the Social Security Bill and of other recommendations in the Occupational Pensions Board report "Protecting Pensions" which we have accepted. A number of interested bodies have been asked for their views on the existing regulations, and responses are due very soon. In the light of these comments, we hope to bring forward our proposals as soon as possible.

  Family Credit and Income Support
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently receiving family credit or income support in each county in England and in each district council area in England.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information on the number of recipients of family credit or income support by county and district council area is not available.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much public expenditure has been reduced as a result of policy changes to housing benefit each year since 1982, both at current prices and at 1990–91 prices; and what has been the cumulative total of savings.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information is not available in the detail requested because, over time, the financial effects of successive policy changes overlap with other changes such as uprating of benefit levels, movements in housing costs, changes in unemployment, and movements in income levels. In cash terms, housing benefit expenditure was £1·6 billion in 1982–83, including help with rates, and the forecast for the current year is £7 billion, including community charge benefit. This represents a substantial real terms increase since 1982–83.

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost to public funds in the current financial year, and with retrospective effect to 6 April of(a) raising from £3,000 to £6,000 the savings disregarded for community charge rebate, while leaving the £16,000 figure unchanged and (b) assuming that each £500 of savings produces £1 a week of income.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 23 May 1990]: The estimated benefit cost of increasing, for community charge benefit, the lower capital limit from £3,000 to
  332
  £6,000 and changing the tariff rate to £1 of every £500 over £6,000, allowing for retrospection to 6 April 1990, would be £100 million in 1990–91. (Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1985–86–87 family expenditure survey).

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost to public funds in the current financial year and with retrospective effect to 6 April, of entitling all non-employed spouses of persons who are paying income tax only at the standard rate to a community charge rebate of 80 per cent.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 23 May 1990]: I regret that it is not possible to make an estimate of this. Any estimate of the total benefit cost requires such a wide range of assumptions, for example, the allocation of community charge benefit children's allowances to the employed spouse, and the allocation of savings between the partners, as to make any estimate both arbitrary and uncertain.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  BSE
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions compensation has been refused in respect of confirmed BSE cattle since January 1989; under what circumstances such applications are refused; what advice he offers to farmers to avoid such refusal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Ministry is required by the Animal Health Act 1981 to pay compensation in respect of all cattle slaughtered as BSE suspects.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made towards being able to identify the presence of the bovine spongiform encephalopathy infective agent in cattle prior to the onset of clinical symptoms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 21 May at column 86.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 734, to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond), what recent research is being undertaken to establish whether the infective agent responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy can be transmitted to (a) pigs, (b) poultry and (c) dogs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 12 June at column 135.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what contingency plans he has to cover the event of BSE being found to be vertically transmissible.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no evidence to suggest that BSE is vertically transmissible. However, measures are in hand to require cattle owners to maintain herd breeding records, including the identity of each calf and its dam, and to retain these and the existing movement records for 10 years. These measures will assist the tracing of calves born
  333
  to dams in which BSE is subsequently confirmed, should further animal health measures be necessary to facilitate the elimination of the disease.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the average cost to his Department of each case of BSE; and what is the breakdown of such cost into its components of compensation, carcase disposal, laboratory test and other.

  Mr. Maclean
  The average expenditure between August 1988 and April 1990 is estimated to be as follows:

  Item

  Average cost £

  Compensation

  422

  Carcass disposal and miscellaneous expenditure

  216

  Laboratory costs

  166

  Veterinary field service

  251

  Total

  1,055

  Colorado Beetle
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions Colorado beetle has been found in the United Kingdom in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Thirty seven live and nine dead Colorado beetles were found on produce imported into the United Kingdom in the 12-month period ending 31 May 1990. No breeding colonies have been identified here.

  The Colorado beetle presents a serious threat to our potato crops and the Government remain determined to prevent its introduction and spread in the United Kingdom. We maintain careful surveillance of imports and continuing public awareness campaigns to ensure that our crops remain free from this pest.

  Marine Turtles
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the Southern sea fisheries committee has distributed information to Isle of Wight fishermen on marine turtles; and if he will make this information available to hon. Members.

  Mr. Curry
  The activities of sea fisheries committees are, of course, a matter for the committees themselves as constituent bodies of local councils. I understand that the Southern Sea Fisheries Committee has neither sought nor distributed any information on marine turtles to fishermen within its district.

  Animal Health Inspectors
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animal health inspectors are now in post; what qualfications were required for recruitment; what training provision was undergone by recruits; and what arrangements have been made for reviewing the effectiveness of training and the working of the scheme as a whole.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are currently 547 state veterinary service (SVS) staff appointed as inspectors by the Minister for the purposes of the Animal Health Act 1981. All veterinary offices are qualified on entry to the SVS to be 334
  appointed as veterinary inspectors for the purposes of the Act, without further training. The technical support staff (animal health officers) receive training on entry to the SVS over at least two years, on the provisions of the Act and its associated orders, the service of statutory notices and the duties of an inspector under the Act. The performance of all inspectors is constantly monitored as part of the routine staff appraisal process, and appointments can be withdrawn if duties are not effectively carried out.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what rules exist in respect of the voltage levels and use of cattle goads; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what steps he is taking to minimise offences in respect of the use of goads under the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and the Transit of Animals (Road and Rail) Order; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are no specific statutory controls on the energy output of cattle goads. Their use is. however, subject to the general provisions of the Protection of Animals Act 1911, the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 and orders made under the Animal Health Act 1981. We are planning to introduce statutory welfare measures in markets and slaughterhouses which would prohibit the use of electric goads on all animals, other than adult cattle and adult pigs under certain conditions.

  Fishing Investment
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much British finance is committed to EC structural policy 4028/86 on fishing; how much money comes back to this country in return; and what is his estimate of the net benefit/loss to the United Kingdom for 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  This information is not readily available.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give his estimate of the amount spent on decommissioning grants for fishing vessels of its national Governments by the Commission in(a) France, (b) Denmark, (c) Holland, (d) Belgium and (e) Spain in the latest available year.

  Mr. Curry
  The latest available figures of European Community reimbursements in 1989 for decommissioning grants are as follows:

  £ million

  France

  Nil

  Denmark

  1·64

  Holland

  1·87

  Belgium

  Nil

  Spain

  Nil

  Meat Tenderising Enzymes
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his assessment of the extent of the usage of meat tenderising enzymes administered pre-slaughter.
  335
  Mr. Maclean
  I understand that about 2 per cent. of cattle are treated with the enzyme Papain before slaughter.

  The Government have announced that they will not be seeking provision for the continued use of this pre-slaughter treatment under the rules to be adopted for the single market.

  Hill Livestock
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when delays in payment of hill livestock compensatory agreement premiums will be resolved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Hill livestock compensatory allowances are paid as quickly as possible following receipt of claims, once the necessary administrative checks have been completed.

  Beef
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of beef produced in the United Kingdom is from(a) steers and (b) bulls under the age of 14 months.

  Mr. Gummer
  No information is available on the age of slaughtered stock. However, in 1989 steers accounted for 46 per cent. of United Kingdom beef production by carcase weight and young bulls for 8 per cent.

  ADAS (General Charging)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give for each complete financial year since the introduction of general charging by the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service, the income and the number of customers.

  Mr. Curry
  Charging for ADAS services on a general scale was introduced in April 1987. Income for the financial years since then is as follows:

  £ milion

  1987–88

  16·7

  1988–89

  21·1

  1989–90

  25·8

  Almost 85,000 customers have purchased ADAS services since April 1987. Customer figures by year are not available.

  Marine Environment
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action his Department is taking to improve the quality of the marine environment.

  Mr. Curry
  [pursuant to his reply, 19 April 1990, c..971]: The Government are determined that the unpleasant practice of dumping colliery minestone on beaches in the north-east of England should stop as soon as practicable. As a result of a great deal of study carried out at the Government's direction various options have been considered for disposal of the waste on land. However, before any disposal on land can begin, British Coal must get planning permission.

  I am therefore now requiring British Coal to seek all necessary permissions for a land-based means of disposal of their minestone.
  336
  It is important to set a deadline for this process. The Government consider that five years is a tight, but not unreasonable, timescale for British Coal to prepare an application, have it properly assessed through the planning system, and to construct the necessary arrangements for dealing with these large quantities of stone on land. I am therefore making clear to British Coal that the Ministry envisages that the licences which permit British Coal to dump minestone on the beaches should end in five years. The only reason for extending the licences beyond that date would be if the outcome of pursuing a planning application were that no practical means of disposing of the stone on land is in fact available to British Coal.

  I shall similarly be requiring British Coal to seek permissions for disposing on land the minestone that they currently dump out at sea from Wearmouth and Westoe collieries. For these licences, a seven-year deadline will be set.

  Dietary Survey
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the results of the dietary and nutritional survey of British adults.

  Mr. Maclean
  The first detailed results of this major survey of the diet and health of more than 2,000 adults throughout Great Britain are published today. I have placed a copy of the report in the library of the House.

  The survey was conducted by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys for the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Department of Health. In addition, MAFF and the Department of Health provided the dietary, nutritional and health expertise needed to conduct and interpret such a complex survey.

  My noble Friend Baroness Hooper, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health, and I welcome this excellent report, which will provide a sound base for future food and health policy. The detailed findings provide an invaluable source of reference for those outside as well as within Government, and are a benchmark against which future developments can be measured.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Customs and Excise (Devon)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of staffing in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in Torbay; what was the level of staffing in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The current and previous three years staffing levels of Customs and Excise officers engaged in Customs work in Torquay is as follows.

  Numbers

  1987

  5

  1988

  5

  1989

  4

  1990

  2

  337
  The reductions in 1989 and 1990 were the result of transferring Customs posts to the Brixham office. There are currently a further 14 VAT staff and one excise officer also located in Torquay.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of staffing in Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in Brixham; what was the level of staffing in each of the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The current and previous three years staffing levels of Customs and Excise in Brixham is as follows. All staff are engaged on customs work.

  Numbers

  1987

  2

  1988

  2

  1989

  4

  1990

  6

  The increases in 1989 and 1990 were the result of transferring customs posts from the nearby Dartmouth and Torquay offices.

  Pensions
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the percentage increases over the past 10 years in(a) the state retirement pension, (b) the armed forces pensions and (c) police pensions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  The percentages used to increase the state retirement pension, the armed forces pensions and police pensions in each of the last 10 years are in the table.

  per cent

  1980

  16·5

  1981

  9·0

  1982

  11·0

  1983

  3·7

  1984

  5·1

  1985

  7·0

  1986

  1·1

  1987

  2·1

  1988

  4·2

  1989

  5·9

  1990

  7·6

WALES

  Silage
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received any scientific advice concerning possible dangers to sheep from eating silage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Listeria organisms can be found in silage and in some circumstances can cause death in sheep. The overall incidence of this disease is low; fewer than 80 deaths were diagnosed in Wales last year by the veterinary investigation service. ADAS advisory leaflets on the production and feeding of silage to sheep are available to farmers on request. Advice is also available from ADAS nutrition chemists and the veterinary investigation service.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives have been taken by his Department to try to secure an improvement in the acid rain problem facing Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The Department has initiated a programme of research which has been designed to assess the impact of acid rain on Wales and seek practical steps to reduce its impact.

  In addition, the Welsh Office has supported the Department of the Environment in funding a major research project in the Llyn Brianne area to assess the relative contribution which air pollution, afforestation, land type and land use and practice make to the acidification of Welsh water.

  Limitation of the effects of acid rain on Wales is dependent, of course, upon a reduction of emissions throughout the United Kingdom and Europe. Using 1980 as a base line, the United Kingdom is committed to reducing emissions of sulphur dioxide by 20 per cent. and oxides of nitrogen by 15 per cent. from existing large combustion plants by 1993 as the first stage of directive 88/609/EEC, "The Limitation of Emissions of Certain Pollutants Into the Air From Large Combustion Plants".

  Mental Handicap Nurses
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what progress has been made on an all-Wales level with regard to the future role of mental handicap nurses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  In the context of the development of community-based services for people with a mental handicap, under the all-Wales strategy, mental handicap nurses have a valuable and important role in the provision of the range of services required in support of those people living in, or resettled into, the community and who require nursing care.

  The four chief nursing officers in the United Kingdom have established a working group to review the needs of people with a mental handicap, and identify the future requirement for skilled nursing care arising from the changes outlined in the White Paper "Caring for People". Their report, which will address the issues that require resolution at the all-Wales level, will be ready in the autumn.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest figures for the number of confirmed cases of BSE in cattle in(a) Carmarthen, (b) Dyfed, (c) Wales and (d) Britain.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Total number of confirmed cases as at 1 June 1990

  Number

  (a) Old County of Carmarthen

  162

  (b) Dyfed

  493

  (c) Wales

  967

  Lactofol
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what investigations have been undertaken by his agricultural department of the Welsh Office into Lactofol, in relation to its potential as a fertiliser and as an agent to counteract acid rain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The analytical facilities of the Government's Agricultural Development and Advisory Service are available to the private sector on a contractual basis. The details of such contracts are a matter of commercial confidentiality.

  Year

  Submitted

  Decided

  Granted

  Number

  Per Cent.

  Brecon Beacons NP

  1988

  812

  650

  463

  (71)

  1989

  907

  819

  558

  (68)

  Pembrokeshire Coast NP

  1988

  727

  600

  489

  (82)

  1989

  787

  704

  526

  (75)

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of children aged under 16 years received free eye tests in Wales(a) in each quarter of 1988–89 and (b) in each quarter of 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  The data requested were not collected centrally before 1 April 1989, since when it has been collected on a six-monthly basis.

  The available info.mation is given in the following table:

  Estimated1 percentage of relevant population who received eye tests in the six months ending

  30 September 1989

  31 March 1990

  Children aged under 16

  6

  7

  1 Estimates based upon a 2 per cent, sample of all such sight tests paid for by family practitioner committees and expressed as a percentage of the estimated number of children aged under 16 (as at 30 June 1988).

  Beef
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to assist the beef-rearing industry in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The beef-rearing industry is assisted by a number of measures, directly by the suckler cow premium and indirectly by market support measures. My agriculture colleagues and I are considering the suckler cow premium rate for 1990–91 and will make an announcement in due course.

  Heart Operations
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of heart patients who were sent for surgery from Wales to England for each of the years 1984 to the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Information is not available in the form requested.
  340
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many planning applications were submitted in each of the Welsh national parks in the last two years for which figures are available; how many were determined; and how many of those determined, in numbers and as proportions, were successful.

  Mr. Roberts
  The information on planning applications in the calendar years 1988 and 1989 for Brecon Beacons national park and the Pembrokeshire coast national park is set out in the following table. No statistical returns were received from Snowdonia national park.

  However, an indication of the number of cases of Welsh residents treated in the 14 regional health authorities of England whose speciality on discharge was cardiothoracic surgery is as follows:

  Numbers

  1984

  511

  1985

  462

  1986

  446

  11987–88

  408

  11988–89

  405

  1 1 April to 31 March

  Notes:

  1. These estimates are based on the best available information supplied by the English regional health authorities.

  2. The estimates relate to the specialty of cardiothoracic surgery as figures for cardiac surgery cannot be separately identified.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people in Wales are awaiting heart surgery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Information on the number of people in Wales awaiting heart surgery is not available centrally, but the number waiting for in-patient treatment in hospitals in Wales in the specialty of cardiac surgery at 31 December 1989 was 242.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he has any proposals to eliminate waiting lists for investigating heart problems;

  (2) what proposals he has to increase facilities in Wales for heart surgery; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Proposals for major developments in the investigation and treatment of patients with heart disease in Wales are well under way following a review by the cardiology committee of the Royal College of Physicians. A centre of excellence capable of providing 800 open heart operations yearly for adults with appropriate cardiology is to be developed at University hospital of Wales (UHW), Cardiff. Funds have already been provided to upgrade the cardiac catheter laboratories and are to be made available this year to enhance intensive and coronary care facilities at the hospital. Consideration is also being given to the development of a second adult cardiac unit in South Wales. In the interim, funds have been made available to secure additional cardiological procedures and cardiac surgery from other specialist centres in England.
  341
  A new paediatric cardiac unit at UHW is on schedule for completion in autumn this year.

  In North Wales, additional funds have been made available to improve access to cardiology and cardiac surgery for patients in Clwyd, and Gwynedd health authority has been asked to assess its requirements and present detailed proposals to the department.

  Local Authorities (Devolution)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to devolve more powers during the next five years to Welsh local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no plans for changes in the responsibilities of local authorities in Wales.

  Schools (Opting Out)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools in Wales have formally expressed interest in opting out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Roberts
  To date four schools in Wales have balloted parents on making application for grant-maintained status. Two of these have voted against and two in favour of making an application.

  Hospital Trusts
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many applications he has received from hospital trusts in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend has not yet received any applications from hospitals for trust status.

  NHS Pay Awards
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what ways he proposes to help the area health authorities of Wales meet pay awards and national health service medical inflation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Health authorities in Wales have already benefited from supplementary provision of £11·125 million towards the excess cost of pay awards to staff covered by the review bodies' machinery over and above the allowance for inflation already provided in allocations for 1990–91.

  When taken together these extra funds represent a cash increase averaging 7·8 per cent. over last year. This increase, together with the resources which authorities are expected to unlock by cash improvement programmes and income-generation schemes, should be sufficient to meet anticipated inflation and provide for further service developments.

  The excess cost of other pay awards which are negotiated through the Whitley machinery have not in the past been met from Exchequer funds. Authorities are represented on Whitley councils and it is therefore appropriate that they should be expected to meet the consequences of settlements to which they are party.

  Myodil
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his replies of 27 March,Official Report, column 134, 28 March, Official Report, column 186 and 29 March, Official Report, column 271 and his letter dated 27 April, what information he now has on the number of patients who have come forward to complain of after-effects and side-effects of the drug Myodil; and if he will now agree to instigate a thorough and independent investigation into the incidence of such cases in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Representations have been received on behalf of 12 patients in Wales who may have been affected adversely by the use of Myodil. That point aside, there is nothing I can add to my letter of 27 April.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment, Cardiff
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when he anticipates issuing a revised letter of agreement on the radioactive site licence for atomic weapons establishment, Cardiff, pursuant to the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, section 13;

  (2) what consultations have taken place with the Environmental Health department of Cardiff city council, the South Glamorgan county fire service and the National Rivers Authority regarding revision of the letter of agreement issued by his Department to the Ministry of Defence under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, section 13, regarding the atomic weapons establishment, Cardiff;

  (3) if he will revise and publish the letters of agreement issued to the Ministry of Defence in respect of the atomic weapons establishment, Cardiff under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, section 13, before contractorisation takes place.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The revision of the agreement is currently being considered and it is expected that it will be completed before the atomic weapons establishment site at Cardiff becomes contractor operated.

  Although no consultations with the organisations mentioned are required under the terms of section 14 of the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, my Department will be informing the local authorities of the proposed revision at an appropriate stage. The Department will also he copying to them the revised letter of agreement for their records.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the actions of the French and German Governments concerning BSE and the export of beef from Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: As my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food indicated in his statement to the House on 7 June, the illegal ban on British beef exports imposed by France, Germany and Italy was dealt with at a meeting of the Agriculture Council on 6 and 7 June. The Council was able to consider the latest advice from the Commission's scientific veterinary committee, which confirmed that the existing Community rules in respect of bovine spongiform encephalopathy provided full protection for public health. However, after prolonged discussions the Council agreed

  343
  to amend Community rules to provide certain additional guarantees. The unilateral bans imposed by certain member states were immediately lifted.

SCOTLAND

  Mental Health Programmes
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he proposes to take to avert staff redundancies and unfilled training places in the programmes run by the providers of training for those with mental health problems.

  Mr. Rifkind
  It is the duty of the Training Agency to enter into contracts with training providers to provide for the delivery of sufficient places to meet likely demand from potential trainees including those with mental health problems and other special needs groups. It is the responsibility of training providers to maintain their staffing at levels commensurate with the efficient and cost-effective delivery of their training commitment in terms of such contracts.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he or any agency responsible to him has commissioned a business plan for an independent Scottish steel industry.

  Mr. Lang
  No, nor would it be appropriate for my right hon. and learned Friend to do so.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has formally asked British Steel if it is prepared to sell its Scottish assets to enable them to form the basis of an independent Scottish steel industry.

  Mr. Lang
  The chairman of British Steel has assured my right hon. and learned Friend and me that if the company should wish at some stage to close its steelmaking facilities at Ravenscraig, it would consider on a commercial basis, any wholly private sector offer for those facilities as an alternative to closure.

  Provision for under 5s in Scotland (pupils or places)

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Borders

  1,728

  1,416

  1,321

  1,422

  1,952

  2,020

  2,077

  2,130

  2,239

  2,431

  2,282

  Central

  4,182

  4,142

  4,383

  4,647

  4,808

  5,055

  5,089

  5,321

  5,628

  6,008

  6,373

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,492

  1,548

  1,571

  1,673

  1,951

  2,060

  2,265

  2,127

  2,278

  2,428

  2,695

  Fife

  6,676

  5,804

  5,817

  5,729

  7,214

  6,627

  7,073

  7,231

  7,499

  7,921

  8,370

  Grampian

  7,955

  7,748

  7,981

  8,211

  8,134

  8,230

  8,741

  8,490

  8,764

  8,915

  9,617

  Highland

  2,923

  3,060

  3,230

  3,426

  3,729

  3,339

  3,572

  4,140

  4,010

  4,229

  4,727

  Lothian

  14,665

  13,727

  14,152

  14,018

  13,859

  14,524

  15,356

  14,947

  16,109

  16,406

  18,217

  Strathclyde

  36,278

  34,646

  36,925

  35,662

  37,915

  39,881

  40,113

  39,343

  40,301

  44,767

  41,557

  Tayside

  5,998

  6,269

  5,920

  5,620

  6,145

  6,232

  6,244

  5,760

  6,486

  6,858

  7,636

  Orkney

  472

  558

  543

  506

  548

  553

  643

  522

  700

  729

  811

  Shetland

  518

  622

  630

  671

  677

  578

  575

  649

  665

  699

  708

  Western Isles

  431

  498

  538

  479

  589

  679

  1,274

  1,587

  1,680

  1,503

  968

  Scotland

  83,318

  80,040

  83,643

  82,056

  86,821

  89,748

  93,022

  92,247

  96,359

  102,894

  103,961

  Ravenscraig
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when British Steel was informed of the House's view on the closure of the Ravenscraig hot strip mill, as set out in the Official Report, of 21 May, column 75.
  344
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps the Scottish Development Agency or any of his departments has taken to assess the viability of an independent Scottish steel industry.

  Mr. Lang
  It would be for any business parties interested in establishing or acquiring steelmaking facilities in Scotland to consider whether such an entity—however defined—might be viable.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will publish a table showing the number of nursery school or other pre-five facilities places available in each regional council area in each of the past 12 years;

  (2) what is his estimate of the number of children in the current year who are unlikely to be accommodated in pre-five facilities.

  Mr. Lang
  The table gives for each regional and islands council the total of the following:

  pupils attending local authority nursery schools,

  places in local authority day nurseries,

  places in local authority and registered pre school playgroups,

  places for which local authority sponsored and private childminders are registered.

  Figures for numbers of pupils attending nursery schools have been used because there are no reliable figures for the number of places and because many children attend nursery school part time. It should also be noted that some children may make use of more than one of type of provision.

  There were in addition 1,392 children in September 1989 below the age of five attending independent schools, 351 children below the age of five attending special schools at September 1988 and an estimated 1,500 places in registered day nurseries. Information for 1977–78 is not available on a consistent basis and that on private nursery schools is not collected centally. At June 1988 there were an estimated 322,989 children under five and 126,079 children in the population aged three and four years, the range which is the relevant age group for nursery education.

  Mr. Lang
  No doubt British Steel took note of the House's view, as set out in the Official Report, and which was widely reported in the media following the debate on 21 May.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the names of companies and identification of proposed site locations in Scotland for toxic waste incinerators.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the constituencies in which there are proposals to site new licensed toxic waste incinerators; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Applications for planning consent or for waste disposal licensing are in the first instance matters for district and islands councils. There is no statutory requirement for information to be held centrally.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Government's policy on an increase in the numbers of licensed incinerators in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to limit the numbers of licensed incinerators in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government regard incineration as a sound means of waste disposal, provided that the appropriate statutory conditions for operation are fully met. We have no policy to increase or to limit the existing number of incinerators in Scotland.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to bring forward proposals to charge members of the public for the right of appeal against the siting of incinerators or dumps.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The right of appeal exists only for those who have been refused planning permission. Members of the public may object both to their local planning authorities during the consideration of an application and to my right hon. and learned Friend during any subsequent appeal. There are no proposals to charge members of the public for submitting such objections.

  Sheep
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by region(a) how many sheep and (b) how many farms, still have restrictions in force because of the Chernobyl explosion.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information for each of the Regions in Scotland where restrictions are in force is set out in the table:

  Region

  Number of sheep

  Number of farms

  Central

  46,000

  19

  Dumfries and Galloway

  22,000

  17

  Strathclyde

  56,000

  38

  Total

  124,000

  74

  Public Houses
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions were mounted for offences in connection with under-age drinking; and how many convictions resulted in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The available information is set out in the table.

  Under age drinking offences, Scotland 1988

  Offence

  Persons proceeded against

  Persons with a charge proved

  Sale of drink to persons under 18

  270

  106

  Person under 18 buying alcoholic liquor or consuming alcoholic liquor in a bar

  190

  189

  Purchasing alcoholic liquor for consumption by person under 18

  96

  87

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many applications for late licences for public houses were granted under section 64 of the Licensing (Scotland) Act 1976 in the last year for which figures are available;

  (2) how many public house licences were in operation in 1976 in Scotland and at the latest available date; and, in each case, how many public houses per thousand of the population this represents;

  (3) how many licences for the sale of liquor were in operation in Scotland in 1976 and at the latest available date; and, in each case, how many licences per thousand of the population this represents.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Five thousand six hundred and four extensions of permitted hours were granted in 1980 in respect of licensed premises in Scotland. Separate figures in respect of public houses and afternoon or evening extensions are not available. I refer the hon. Member to table 4.4 of civil judicial statistics Scotland 1980 (Cmnd. 8710).

  In 1976 there were 4,132 public house licences in force in Scotland, which represented 0·79 public houses per 1,000 of the Scottish population at that time. In 1980, the latest year for which official figures are available, there were 4,472 public house licences in operation, representing 0·86 public houses per 1,000 of the population.

  In 1976 there were 14,781 liquor licences in force in Scotland, representing 2·83 licences per 1,000 of the Scottish population at that time. In 1980, the latest year for which official figures are available, there were 16,412 liquor licences in operation, which represented 3·16 licences per 1,000 of the population.

  The collection and publication of liquor licensing statistics in Scotland was discontinued after 1980, following consultation with the police and local authorities on the use being made of the statistics. Information on licensing statistics up to 1980 was contained in the annual civil judicial statistics Scotland; and unofficial estimates for later years are contained in the annual Brewers Society statistical handbook. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Charities
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what bodies he proposes to treat as a Scottish charity as the phrase is used in clause 1(6) of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Clause 1(6) will entitle any Scottish body recognised by the Inland Revenue as charitable to describe itself as "a Scottish charity". There may be 15,000 such bodies.

  Fine Defaulters
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of admissions to prisons in Scotland of persons for non-payment of fines of(a) up to £25 and (b) between £25 and £50, at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The available information is for value of fine outstanding rather than fine imposed at court and for receptions rather than persons admitted to prison. One reception is counted if one or more warrants arrive for the same person for the same court on the same day. Some receptions relate to warrants arriving at establishments for people already held in custody.

  In 1989, the number of receptions where the fine outstanding was (a) up to and including £25 was 387, and (b) greater than £25 and up to and including £50 was 1,420.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were admitted to Scottish prisons as a result of non-payment of fines in the last year for which figures are available; what percentage this was of total admissions and what was the average length of stay in prison before release.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The available information is for receptions rather than persons admitted to prison. One reception is counted if one or more warrants arrive for the same person from the same court on the same day. Some receptions relate to warrants arriving at establishments for people already held in custody.

  In 1989, there were 9,154 receptions into penal establishments in Scotland for non-payment of fines, 47 per cent. of all receptions. The average period spent in custody by fine defaulters was 11 days.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the daily prison population in Scotland was made up of inmates in prison because of non-payment of fines, excluding remand prisoners.

  Mr. Rifkind
  In 1989, 6 per cent. of the average daily population in penal establishments, excluding those held on remand, were there for non-payment of fines.

  Public Trusts
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been made to the Court of Session for the reorganisation or amalgamation of public trusts whose objectives are obsolete or have otherwise been fulfilled in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Rifkind
  This information is not available in the form requested.

  Divorce
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many decrees of divorce were granted in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will break this figure down on the basis of the grounds of divorce used to establish the irretrievable breakdown of the marriage.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The numbers of decrees of divorce granted in Scotland for 1988, the latest year for which figures are available, broken down by grounds are set out in the table.

  1988

  Adultery

  1,309

  Behaviour

  3,559

  Desertion

  83

  Non-cohabitation for 2 years with consent

  4,879

  Non-cohabitation for 5 years

  1,626

  Cases with more than one ground

  12

  Total

  11,468

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate, using current divorce statistics, of the percentage of marriages now contracted in Scotland which will end in divorce.

  Mr. Rifkind
  A paper on "Trends in Marriage and Divorce in Scotland 1951–1987", published by the Registrar General for Scotland with the vital statistics return for the week 17–20 June 1989, estimated that approximately one quarter of recent Scottish marriages would end in divorce.

  Government Buildings (Security)
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will place in the Library the management report prepared for his Department by David Stevenson dealing with the use of private security firms to oversee his Department's premises.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) on 11 June, Vol. 174, c.50.

  Marriages
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of marriages contracted in Scotland in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The provisional figure for 1989 is 35,325.

  Conveyancing
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has carried out any research into the legal fees charged in conveyancing transactions in Scotland since the abolition of scale fees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 19 January Official Report, Vol. 165 col. 418. Of the projects referred to there, the report on the first has just reached my Department, while the report on the second is expected early next year.

  Water Supply
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures for the separate costs of liming and orthophosphate treatment in the water supply in Scotland in each year between 1979 and 1990, inclusive, and for the projected annual cost of these treatments from 1990 to 1998; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is an operational matter for each regional and islands council and such costs, which will vary considerably between individual treatment works, may not be separately identified. Costs incurred by authoriies for particular treatments to meet individual water quality standards are not recorded on a national basis.

  Scotland-Ireland Bridge
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will initiate a survey and report into the possibility of a bridge between the Mull of Kintyre and Torr Head, Co. Antrim; and if he will seek the co-operation of the Commission of the European Community for this research.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The right hon. Member will not be surprised to learn that my right hon. and learned Friend has no intention of initiating a study into the feasibility of a bridge between Mull of Kintyre and Toor Head, Co Antrim.

  Adult Education
  Ms. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list his office's priorities and objectives for the expansion of community-based adult education in Scotland; and what guidance he has issued to Scottish education authorities on the matter;

  (2) if he will list his office's priorities and objectives for the expansion of English as a second language provision in Scotland (a) on a community-based adult education programme and (b) as a school-based provision; and what guidance he has issued to Scottish education authorities on this matter.

  Mr. Lang
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave on 7 June to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell).

  As to school-based provision of English as a second language, this remains the responsibility of education authorities to determine in the light of other first language usage. Circular 1178, issued by the Scottish Education Department in January 1989, commends to authorities the practice of using another language in primary schools as a bridge to proficiency in English.

  "Step up the Wordpower"
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total level of expenditure allocated by his Department for the provision of support to the BBC "Step up the Wordpower" basic skills campaign in the current financial year.

  Mr. Lang
  The BBC initiative "Step up the Wordpower" took place in 1989–90. The Scottish Education Department contributed £16,500 in that year in 350
  direct support, and further contributions were made by the Scottish Community Education Council, which received a total grant of £528,000 from the Department, arid by the Training Agency.

  A BBC numeracy initiative is due to commence in the current financial year, and £10,500 has already been made available by the Department towards the costs of this initiative.

  Family Planning (Lothian Region)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much it costs per case for Lothian health board to provide family planning advice through(a) community clinics, (b) the general practitioner service and (c) the Brook Advisory Centre.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Medical and Dental Schools
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total additional cost for teaching paid to each medical and dental school in Scotland; and how much that represents per student.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The additional cost of undergraduate medical and dental education and research in hospitals which support teaching is reflected in the allocation of resources for recurrent expenditure made to the four teaching health boards. The amount made available for this purpose for the financial year 1990–91 is set out in the table:

  Teaching Health Board

  £ million

  Greater Glasgow

  32·076

  Lothian

  22·671

  Grampian

  14·215

  Tayside

  14·797

  This represents a cost of £36,450 per medical student and £9,110 per dental student.

  Piper Alpha (Pollution)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what monitoring is being undertaken to establish the effects on the marine environment, including fish stocks and sea mammals, of the loss of polychlorinated biphenyls from the Piper Alpha platform; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 24 May 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply which was given to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman) on 25 January (Vol. 165, columns 839–40.

  Officials have since discussed with representatives of the fishing industry and the Nature Conservancy Council the results of the surveys carried out under the abandonment programme approved by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy, copies of which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. My right hon. Friend is considering what further monitoring may be needed under the abandonment programme.

  DAFS will continue to monitor the area round Piper Alpha as part of its general monitoring of the contaminant levels in sea water and in fish stocks in sea waters around Scotland.
  351
  Research on contaminants in seals and other sea mammals in Great Britain's coastal waters has been commissioned by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. The sea mammal research unit in co-operation with the DAFS marine laboratory, Aberdeen is at present examining the relationship between contaminant burdens in seals and their feeding sites by studying a group of breeding female grey seals over a number of years. Results are expected soon.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employment training places have been taken up by people who have disabilities in Scotland by Training Agency area over the last two years.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: In the period September 1988 to March 1990, 2,822 people with disabilities have taken up employment training places in Scotland. This information is not available by Training Agency area.

  SUDAN: HUMAN RIGHTS
  SUDAN: HUMAN RIGHTS
  MANCHESTER PRISON: WORK FOR INMATES
  MANCHESTER PRISON: WORK FOR INMATES
  MANCHESTER PRISON: OFFICERS ON TEMPORARY GRADING
  MANCHESTER PRISON: OFFICERS ON TEMPORARY GRADING
  CHURCH SCHOOL CLOSURES
  CHURCH SCHOOL CLOSURES
  SPECIAL HOSPITALS: CROWN IMMUNITY
  SPECIAL HOSPITALS: CROWN IMMUNITY
  DIETARY AND NUTRITIONAL SURVEY OF BRITISH ADULTS
  DIETARY AND NUTRITIONAL SURVEY OF BRITISH ADULTS
  NCC: SUCCESSOR COUNCILS' STAFFING AND COSTS
  NCC: SUCCESSOR COUNCILS' STAFFING AND COSTS
  NCC: SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT ON SUCCESSOR COUNCILS
  NCC: SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT ON SUCCESSOR COUNCILS
  WORLD HERITAGE SITES
  WORLD HERITAGE SITES