Written Answers of 18 June 1990

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Lenient Sentences
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases involving lenient sentences he has referred to the Court of Appeal for review; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Since 1 February 1989, when this power took effect, I have applied for leave to refer the sentencing in 15 cases to the Court of Appeal. Four cases have not yet been heard, and I have withdrawn two cases in the light of further information. Leave has been granted in eight of the remaining nine cases, and sentences have been increased in seven of the cases. I have referred one case to the Court of Appeal in Northern Ireland; the sentence in that case was also increased.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Attorney-General what was the smallest amount paid in legal aid in the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  There is no minimum sum below which a claim for legal aid will not be met. Details of legal aid fund expenditure are contained in the legal aid annual report, a copy of which is placed in the Library each year.

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will discuss with the Director of Public Prosecutions the arrangements for promoting prosecutions on breaches of company law, in the light of the publication of the House of Fraser report.

  The Attorney-General
  Primary responsibility for the enforcement of company law rests with the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. The Crown prosecution service prosecutes Companies Act offences where they are relevant to other proceedings which they have brought. The relevant principles are clearly established, and I have no present plans to discuss them with the DPP.

  Judges (Retirement Age)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Attorney-General if he has any proposals to lower the retirement age for judges.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Maguire Case
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last discussed the Maguire case with the Director of Public Prosecutions.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply today to the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Sedgemore).

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Attorney-General 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.

  The Attorney-General
  No such studies have been conducted within the legal secretariat to the Law Officers or the Serious Fraud Office. In the case of the Treasury Solicitor's Department the firm of Peat Marwick McLintock advised on the installation of a computerised time recording and billing system. The cost of this consultation was £86,337·63 and the system has now been installed.

  Since the service was created in 1986, the following studies by management consultants have been carried out in the Crown prosecution service.

  Strategic planning and budgeting study by Hay Management Consultants, completed April 1987, cost £37,000, results—strategy set and planning system implemented;

  Telecommunications strategy study by Logica, completed January 1987, cost £20,000, result—strategy set;

  Internal communications study by Charles Barker Communications, completed December 1987, cost £29,000, result—internal communication manager appointed and work on improving internal communications put in hand;

  Information study, assistance from The Mindworks Partnership, cost £37,000, completed December 1988, result—programme of work to develop internal information systems put in hand;

  Staffing model feasibility study by PA Management Consultants, cost £37,000, completed December 1988, result—feasibility established leading to full study;

  Staffing model development by PA Management Consultants, completed January 1990, cost £135,000, result—model produced, currently being tested and refined;

  Evaluation of the use of information technology to present evidence in court by The Human Science and Advanced Technology Research Centre, Loughborough University, completed February 1990, cost £15,000, result —evaluation report produced and supplied to other relevant organisations;

  Review of CPS contract car-hire scheme by Transtech Consultancy Services, completed April 1990, cost £14,000, the report is now being considered.

  Licensed Conveyancers
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Attorney-General how many licensed conveyancers are presently registered to practise in England and Wales.

  The Attorney-General
  There are presently 766 licensed conveyancers holding licenses, of whom 270 are practicing on their own account. The remaining 496 are employed as conveyancers.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Attorney-General what educational requirements and what technical educational qualifications are required before an applicant can be accepted as a licensed conveyancer.

  The Attorney-General
  To be- accepted as a licensed conveyancer a person must have successfully completed or obtained exemption from the Council for Licensed Conveyancers' examinations and the prescribed practical training. Information about the educational requirements and training for licensed conveyancers is available from the Council for Licensed Conveyancers at Golden Cross house, Duncannon street, London WC2N 4JF.

  Leaseholders
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects legislation concerning leaseholders to be presented to Parliament.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor announced in June 1988 that the Government had arranged for draft legislation to be prepared at the Law Commission to give effect to the proposals contained in the report of the working group on commonhold (Cm. 179) under the chairmanship of Mr. T. M. Aldridge. That work is taking longer to complete than was originally expected and a number of important issues remain to be resolved. No final decision has yet been taken about the implementation of the report, nor can I give any indication of when legislation on commonhold may be introduced.

  Mr. Kevin Taylor
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 13 June to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe, whether the Director of Public Prosecutions has yet received a reply to his letter of 19 January to the chief constable of Greater Manchester.

  The Attorney-General
  Yes. The terms of the reply are confidential between the chief constable and the DPP. The right hon. Member will, however, be aware of the announcement by the chief constable of Greater Manchester that he has decided to ask a senior officer from another police force to investigate the issues raised by the DPP.

  Social Security Commissioners
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps have been taken to reduce delays in deciding appeals to the social security commissioners and in notifying claimants of commissioners' decisions and what effect those steps have had or are expected to have on the average length of such delays.

  The Attorney-General
  The following steps have been taken within the last month by the Lord Chancellor's Department and local management of the office of social security commissioners (OSSC):

  (a) The Department is recruiting an additional legally qualified Nominated Officer to assist the Commissioners;

  (b) A 'fast-stream' system has been introduced to expedite appeals where both parties agree the lower tribunal erred in law. At present up to 20 cases a week of this sort are being dealt with out of the usual chronological order;

  (c) Agency typists and word processor operators are now used to cover for sick and annual leave by full-time staff;

  (d) Two new word processors have been installed. A new photocopier will be installed shortly which will significantly reduce the time taken to photocopy case papers and Commissioners' decisions;

  (e) Tighter targets have been set for the typing of work, including Commissioners' decisions, to reduce delays; and

  (f) Office systems at OSSC's London headquarters have been reviewed and simplified to increase effectiveness and management control. Some sections have been amalgamated.

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  The Department believes that these measures will start to reduce the average length of delays over the next three months, but it is too early to predict the scale of that reduction.

  Divorce
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Attorney-General how much legal aid for divorce cases cost in the latest year for which figures are available; and how much this cost in 1985.

  The Attorney-General
  The latest year for which figures are available is 1988–89. The cost of full civil legal aid in all matrimonial cases was £116·91 million in 1988–89 and £74·88 million in 1984–85.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Aid Recipients (Growth Rate)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what studies have been made of the impact of British aid on the growth rate of recipient countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The ODA's own evaluation studies examine the specific impact of our aid projects and programmes. There have been many other studies of the impact of global aid flows on the economies of aid-recipient countries, but I am not aware of any which focused on the relationship between British aid and the growth rate of recipients.

  EC Ministers
  Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the last meeting of European Community Development Ministers.

  Mrs. Chalker
  European Community Development Ministers last met on 29 May. We discussed the direction of the Community's aid to Asia and Latin America. I emphasised the importance of focusing on poor countries and poorest sectors of the population. We agreed on a resolution stressing the importance of environmental aspects of development. I gained the support of all partners to my call for reform of the tropical forestry action plan and for further discussion on completion of the review. We also discussed food aid policy; the role of women in development; and evaluation of projects.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the European Community Council of Development Ministers meeting of 29 May.

  Mrs. Chalker
  At the European Community Development Ministers meeting on 29 May we discussed the direction of the Community's aid to Asia and Latin America. I emphasised the importance of focusing on poor countries and poorest sectors of the population. We agreed on a resolution stressing the importance of environmental aspects of development, and I repeated my call for reform of the tropical forestry action plan. We also discussed food aid policy; the role of women in development; and evaluation.

  Bergen Declaration
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he plans to take as a result of the Bergen ministerial declaration; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Bergen ministerial declaration will be helpful in informing the Government's views on the global aspects of implementing sustainable development. Where appropriate we shall be following up in the relevant fora, especially in the preparations for the UN conference on environment and development in Brazil in 1992.

  Vietnam
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has recently had with representatives of the Vietnamese Government on the subject of aid relief to Vietnam.

  Mrs. Chalker
  During the visit of my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to Hanoi from 18 to 21 February the possibility of British aid was discussed in the context of a satisfactory overall settlement to the problem of returning all non-refugees from Hong Kong to their country of origin.

  Mr.Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to visit Vietnam to discuss with the Government of Vietnam future aid programmes to that country.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have no current plans to visit Vietnam.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to establish a government-to-government bilateral aid programme with Vietnam.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he is giving to establishing a government-to-government bilateral aid programme in Vietnam.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Broxtowe (Mr. Lester) on 17 May. The Government have made it clear that the provision of direct bilateral aid would depend on the co-operation of the Vietnamese Government in reaching a satisfactory solution to the Hong Kong boat people and on a continuing commitment to economic reform.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with non-governmental organisations about aid for people in southern Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have regular meetings with representatives of non-governmental organisations, and aid to southern Africa is often discussed.

  AIDS
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what resources have now been committed by the Overseas Development Administration to help developing countries to combat the spread of AIDS.
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  Mrs. Chalker
  To date we have provided £16·83 million as our contribution to the global programme on AIDS being run by WHO. We have also committed £6·58 million to help finance a number of individual country AIDS control programmes in Africa and the Caribbean; these have been formulated under the umbrella of the WHO global programme.

  In addition, we have contributed £2·98 million over six years to the International Planned Parenthood Federation's AIDS programme; and £3 million for AIDS-related research studies in developing countries in a number of key fields by a range of British institutions and experts.

  Namibia
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to help relieve the debts incurred by Namibia before independence.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the hon. Member for Makerfield (Mr. McCartney) on 14 May.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the application of African, Caribbean and Pacific trade preferences to Namibia was discussed at the meeting of the European Community Development Council on 29 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Namibia's application for accession to the Lomé convention was not discussed at the Development Council. The Commission is in con tact with the Namibian Government and will be making proposals for accession arrangements which will cover trade preferences. The United Kingdom Government have told the Namibian Government that we will view their application sympathetically, and we hope their accession will be formalised as soon as possible.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on how his Department is monitoring the impact of Britain's bilateral aid programme on global warming.

  Mrs. Chalker
  It is not possible to monitor specifically the overall impact of the bilateral aid programme on global warming. The ODA's manual of environmental appraisal guides managers in assessing environmental issues in all bilateral projects and programmes.

  Our programmes in forestry and energy efficiency are designed to help developing countries pursue their development objectives while limiting their contribution to global warming.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much of the current Overseas Development Administration budget is directed towards chlorofluorocarbon and carbon dioxide reductions in developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have so far committed over £340,000 to assist developing countries to phase out substances that
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  deplete the ozone layer. This support covered a study of the options open to India for phasing out these substances; funding for an international conference on tropical ozone and atmospheric change which was held in Penang, Malaysia in February; and help to enable developing countries take an active part in international meetings of the Montreal protocol.

  It is not possible to monitor specifically how much of the current aid budget is directed towards carbon dioxide reductions in developing countries. However, key programme activities like our tropical forestry initiative and our energy efficiency initiative are designed to help developing countries pursue their development objectives, while limiting their contribution to global warming through reductions in carbon dioxide emissions. During my visit to India last month I announced a new aid package under the energy efficiency initiative which will provide £50 million to improve energy efficiency in India.

  Caribbean Bananas
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to protect the livelihoods of Caribbean banana workers when the European single market comes into effect.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what effect he expects the European single market to have on the economies of the main banana-producing Caribbean states.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The European Commission has not yet come forward with a proposal for the arrangements to apply for bananas post-1992. It is not possible at present to say what impact the creation of the single European market will have on Caribbean banana-producing countries. However, we are encouraging the Commission and other member states to ensure that any new arrangements fulfil our commitments to our Commonwealth Caribbean suppliers, and that they take account of consumer interests and the competition and efficiency objectives of the single market initiative.

  Climate Change
  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the British Government are contributing to the fund to help developing countries participate in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration and the Department of the Environment have each contributed £25,000, and the Overseas Development Administration has offered a further £25,000.

  Refugees
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to discuss the position of refugees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I met the new High Commissioner for Refugees, Mr. Stoltenberg, in Geneva on 5 June. We had 394
  a most useful and wide-ranging discussion, focusing particularly on Mr. Stoltenberg's plans for reorganising UNHCR and improving its operational effectiveness. I also announced new British contributions totalling £5 million which will help UNHCR over its current financial difficulties.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to establish a bilateral aid programme with Cambodia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Britain has no relations with the Hun Sen regime. This rules out the provision of normal bilateral aid. We are, however, committed to providing humanitarian assistance inside Cambodia through British non-governmental organisations and UN agencies.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the effect of developments in eastern Europe on the global availability of funds from multilateral institutions.

  Mrs. Chalker
  OECD member Governments are agreed that assistance to eastern Europe must not detract from the high priority placed on international co-operation with the developing countries; and this was reaffirmed in the declaration by the UN special session on international economic co-operation held from 23 April to 1 May.

  European Community aid to eastern Europe has not been at the expense of any other development assistance. Any increase in World Bank lending would be funded from borrowings in the financial markets. Additional funds will be made available for eastern Europe through the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest information he has on the famine situation in Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Although the situation remains critical, it has so far been possible to avert mass starvation and mass migration of people in search of food. There are some grounds for hope that the threat can be contained, provided that relief operations are not further disrupted by the civil conflict and that there is good rainfall over the coming months.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to ensure that food supplies reach northern Tigray and Eritrea.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are providing both food and logistical support for the southern line operation which, by the end of May, had delivered more than 15,000 tonnes of food to the famine-affected areas of northern Wollo and Tigray. We are also providing support for deliveries of relief supplies from Sudan into Eritrea and Tigray, and for the United Nations-organised airlift of supplies for vulnerable groups in Asmara, the besieged capital city of Eritrea. We have also been pressing for the reopening of
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  the port of Massawa and welcome recent reports of the Ethiopian Government's willingness in principle to agree to this.

  Romania (HIV-infected Babies)
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further plans he has to make funds available to help HIV-infected babies in Romania.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government have already given 1 million disposable syringes and a quantity of HIV testing equipment to Romania; and we have paid for the transport to Romania of disposable gloves, syringes and other supplies generously donated by British companies. We have also asked the World Health Organisation to use for AIDS work a substantial part of the £500,000 we recently gave to the World Health Organisation's programme of aid to the Romanian health services. We have no plans for further aid at present.

  Third World Debt
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs by how much he estimates developing countries have benefited from the Brady plan for third world debt.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 14 May at column 340.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he estimates the benefit to have been to developing countries of the Toronto plan for the poorest indebted countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Members for Manchester, Blackley (Mr. Eastham) and for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie) on 14 May at column 340.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what proposals the Government have made to the World Bank about the cancellation of debt owed by the poorest developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Britain has taken the lead in international efforts to assist the poorest debtors. We have cancelled over £1 billion-worth of old aid loans. On other official debt, we proposed concessions which were agreed at the 1988 Toronto economic summit. We regularly review the debt strategy with the management and other members of the IMF and World Bank.

  Southern Africa Universities
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money was given in aid by the United Kingdom to universities during(a) 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90 in (i) South Africa, (ii) Malawi and (iii) Zimbabwe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The figures in the table represent the cost of the following activities—

  (i) in South Africa scholarships for black students, and advice on strengthening academic support programmes for them;

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  (ii) in Malawi and Zimbabwe the supplementation from the bilateral aid programme of the salaries of British lecturers and the provision of equipment; and expenditure in these countries from the ODA grant to the committee for international co-operation in higher education.

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  South Africa

  350,000

  800,000

  Malawi

  613,000

  760,000

  Zimbabwe

  264,000

  756,000

  Southern Africa Development Co-ordination Conference
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British support for SADCC.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 24 May at column 368.

  Zambia
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what priorities Her Majesty's Government use in their aid programme for Zambia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our main priority is support for Zambia's structural adjustment programme, which is being monitored by the International Monetary Fund, and to which we have pledged £30 million in balance of payments support. In addition we are spending over £14 million per annum, largely on manpower support projects involving some 200 aid personnel in Zambia and training for over 300 Zambians in the United Kingdom; and on the strengthening of institutional capacity at district level in the northern and central provinces.

  Amazon Forests
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new measures he proposes to take to ensure an integrated and comprehensive approach to aid designed to protect Amazonian forests.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom is supporting the development of effective tropical forestry action plans in the Amazon countries as an important means of encouraging an integrated and comprehensive approach towards protection of the Amazonian rain forests. We are doing this both by seeking reforms of the tropical forestry action plans mechanism in general and by helping in specific countries.

  South Africa
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on British aid to black South Africans.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 19 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) at column 431.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what help has been given during the last 12 months to extend the services of the British Council in Sri Lanka; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The British Council has not contemplated an extension of its services in Sri Lanka over the last 12 months in view of the security situation in the country. Help for this purpose has neither been sought from, nor offered by the Government. When the security situation permits, further assistance for English language teaching is one of a number of possibilities that we are prepared to consider under our bilateral aid programme to Sri Lanka.

  Forestry Projects
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans further to assist forestry projects overseas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration is currently implementing a forestry initiative with the aim to commit a further £100 million bilaterally to assist forestry activities over the next three years.

  Animal Conservation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much will be made available by his Department for animal conservation schemes in 1990–91.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We expect to spend over £2 million. This includes projects jointly funded by the ODA and non-governmental organisations which concentrate on environmental issues and their impact on local communities, but which are expected to have an indirect but distinctly beneficial effect on animal conservation.

  Tropical Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he is doing to fund research designed to increase the productivity of tropical forests, particularly non-timber products.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are funding 40 projects at a total cost of £6·2 million under the forestry research programme managed for the ODA by the Oxford Forestry Institute. These include projects on, for example, agro-forestry and buffer zones. The Natureal Resources Institute is considering research on the economic potential of rain forest products.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the new projects in preparation which will be financed from the new £100 million for rain forest-related projects.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As the Prime Minister told the hon. Member on 11 December 1989, at column 459, details of particular projects will be made known when formal agreement has been reached with the country concerned. I summarised recent developments in my speech to the rain forest harvest conference on 17 May.
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  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he is taking to strengthen forestry departments of tropical countries, where they are charged with conservation and management.

  Mrs. Chalker
  An ODA report on forestry projects of November 1989, a copy of which is in the Library, lists ongoing bilateral forestry projects aiming to strengthen forest departments in tropical countries. Many of the projects in preparation also have this as a major aim. I gave examples in my speech to the rain forest harvest conference on 17 May, a copy of which is also in the Library.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the contract with Professor Malcolm Wilkins, regius professor of botany at the university of Glasgow, on the development of space-based monitoring of rain forest.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Professor Wilkins has recommended that the ODA should contact the European Space Agency and the British National Space Centre. Officials will do this.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Overseas Travel
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the airline used and the destination of each of the overseas visits undertaken by the Select Committee on Employment for the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Since April 1989 the Committee has undertaken two visits overseas. The first, in July 1989, was to Copenhagen and Amsterdam, using British Airways flights except for the flight between Copenhagen and Amsterdam (KLM Royal Dutch Airlines) and one Member's return flight to Manchester (NLM Dutch Airlines). The second, in October/November 1989, was to Rome and Bordeaux; the flight to Rome was by British Airways; from Rome to Bordeaux by Air France and Air Inter; from Bordeaux to London by Air France.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf concerning sign language inserts on broadcasts of Parliament.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have received no recent representations from the Royal National Institute for the Deaf on the subject of sign language inserts. However, the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House, which I chair, has been examining the issue as part of its monitoring of the experiment, during the course of which evidence has been received from the RNID and other organisations representing the deaf. A closed-circuit trial with the signing of Prime Minister's questions was arranged by the Select Committee during the first two weeks after the Whitsun Adjournment and the relevant tapes were shown in the Division Lobby. The Select Committee's report, which will cover this aspect of the experiment, is expected to be published by about early July.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Romania
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to extend the eastern European know-how fund to Romania.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have no plans to do so at present.

  Lockerbie
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has received any offers of help from the Government of Syria with regard to the Lockerbie air disaster.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Prisoners (Turkey)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received calling for his Department to put pressure on the Turkish Government to release Demetrios Leuka and Christalis Savvides; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Nineteen. We have made it clear to the parties concerned that neither incursions into territory controlled by the Turkish Cypriots, nor the continued detention of the two youths, contributes to the creation of the right atmosphere for progress towards a settlement of the Cyprus problem.

  BBC World Service
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the reasons for his approval of the BBC's decision to end World Service broadcasts in Japanese and Malay.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The BBC and the FCO have jointly reviewed new broadcasting opportunities against the effectiveness of world service output. It was agreed, subject to the outcome of the 1990 public expenditure survey, to increase broadcasts in Russian, Mandarin Chinese and Vietnamese, as well as programmes in English for south-east Asia, the Indian sub-continent and west Europe.

  The review identified offsetting savings, including the ending of broadcasts in Japanese and Malay. In both countries, audiences for these services are small and there are many other sources of news and information from Britain, including the world service in English.

  COCOM
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department is party to the discussions between the United States Government and central European Governments on relaxations in the COCOM rules.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Following an agreement reached at the COCOM high-level meeting on 6 and 7 June, we and other COCOM member Governments will be discussing with certain eastern and central European countries a more favourable application of the COCOM rules. These discussions will build upon earlier soundings carried out by the United States and other COCOM partners.

  Israel
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Israel following the gas grenade attack on the United Nations health centre in Gaza city on 12 June; what information he has as to the number and ages of the casualties; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We condemn any use of excessive force by the Israeli Defence Force.

HEALTH

  Dental Hygienists
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on regrading for dental hygienists in the national health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The pay and grading of dental hygienists are matters for negotiation in the professional and technical staffs B Whitley council. The management side of the council recently carried out a review of all dental auxiliary grades in order to inform this year's negotiations on pay. I understand that negotiations on the staff side's claim are expected to begin shortly.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of hospital beds available in each of the past five years within the constituency of Norfolk, North-West.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information about hospital beds is collected centrally by district health authority, and is not available for individual parliamentary constituencies. The figures for West Norfolk and Wisbech health authority are given in the table.

  Average daily available beds, and in-patient cases treated, West Norfolk and Wisbech district health authority, 1984 to 1988–89

  Year

  Available beds

  In-patient cases treated

  In-patient cases treated per available bed

  1984

  841

  19,703

  23·4

  1985

  847

  20,445

  24·1

  1986

  838

  20,382

  24·3

  1987–88

  871

  21,949

  25·2

  1988–89

  876

  22,462

  25·6

  Social Workers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of cases prescribed by statute as requiring the attention of social workers which are not currently receiving appropriate attention.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when sections 1 and 2 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 will be implemented.
  401
  Mr. Dorrell
  No decisions on the implementation of these sections can be taken until we have established their resource and service implications. We are consulting the local authority associations on these issues and are currently awaiting their preliminary assessments as a basis for discussion.

  Medical and Dental Education
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the second report of the steering group on undergraduate medical and dental education will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The report is published today, and is available in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science and I are sending copies of the second report to all interested parties under cover of a message which reads as follows:The report from the Steering Group on Undergraduate Medical and Dental Education has been prepared in response to the remit which our predecessors gave the Group to consider how the current arrangements for undergraduate medical (and subsequently dental) education can be improved to ensure that the policies and programmes of the bodies concerned are properly co-ordinated and directed. The Group was later invited to assess the implications for these matters of the proposed NHS reforms, and to make recommendations. The present report subsumes the Interim Report which was published in June 1989.
  We welcome, and endorse, this new report. We are grateful to the members of the Steering Group, and to the organisations which have been associated with it, for working effectively together to support the common purpose of the NHS and the universities in maintaining and improving standards of undergraduate medical and dental education.
  The organisational and financial arrangements must encourage those responsible in both the universities and the NHS to work together to teach students, advance knowledge through research and provide and develop services for patients. These three functions are integral, something as true in the reformed NHS as it is today. That is why the Steering Group has emphasised the essential common purpose of the universities and the NHS in the fostering of medical knowledge and skills, an emphasis which we support. The ten key principles proposed by the Steering Group to underpin jointly agreed working arrangements have already been promulgated with our endorsement. The sense of common purpose will be strengthened by the new provision in the NHS and Community Care Bill regarding university membership of those health authorities and NHS Trusts having significant involvement in medical and dental education.
  The Steering Group has given close attention to certain details of finance and management. It has proposed revised procedures for the distribution of the Service Increment For Teaching (SIFT) which again have been promulgated, and are being implemented, with our support. It has made proposals for handling the relationship known as "knock for knock", emphasising the importance of changing only by agreement the balance of expenditure between co-operating institutions. It has also suggested that the flexibility essential to the management of the job plans of clinical academics who are honorary consultants in the NHS might be achieved through a tightly defined package of clinical service commitments, to be delivered by university staff under the management of heads of clinical academic departments in consultation with NHS managers. We endorse these proposals, which encourage an agreed approach to the management of those areas in which the universities and the NHS must engage together in responsibilities which neither can discharge alone.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people on family credit or income support received free eye tests in England(a) in each quarter in 1988–89 and (b) in each quarter in 1989–90.
  402
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Statistics prior to 1 April 1989 were not broken down by patient group. Since then, family practitioner committees have collected data on sight tests paid for under the general ophthalmic services on a six-montly basis. A tota of 530,660 national health service sight tests for adults receiving income support for family credit were paid for in England during the period 1 April to 30 September 1989. This figure is based on a 2 per cent. sample of NHS sight test application forms processed by family practitioner committees. It does not take into account sight tests paid for after 1 April but conducted before that period.

  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health by what method statistics relating to the collection of information on the number of (i) national health service eye tests and (ii) non-national health service eye tests have been collected.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on NHS sight tests is collected from family practitioner committees. The data are obtained from a count of the forms signed by patients at the time of their sight test and forwarded by the optician to the family practitioner committee for payment. Routine statistics on non-NHS sight tests are not collected. The NOP survey, the results of which were made available to the House on 6 June, was commissioned by the Department to provide an independent measure of total volume during the first quarter of 1990.

  Allergies
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will consider appointing to the Committee on Safety of Medicines a consultant specialising in allergic diseases, such as hay fever and asthma.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Appointments and reappointments to the Committee on Safety of Medicines and its sub-committees were made as from 1 January 1990: members include specialists in allergic diseases. Additional experts in this or other fields may be consulted or appointed as temporary members as necessary.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities on the provision of nursing home care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Ministers and officials have frequent meetings with representatives of local authorities at which this and other aspects of community care are discussed.

  Community Care
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation has taken place with local authority organisations on the additional staff required to carry out the necessary assessment for the provision of community care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are not aware of any specific consultations with local authority organisations on this matter although there have been frequent discussions with local authority associations on the
  403
  implementation of the proposals in the White Paper "Caring for People". It is for individual local authorities to determine their own staffing needs.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to how many extra social workers and support staff are being appointed; what training provisions have been made to implement the proposed community care programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the number of appointments of social workers and support staff is not collected centrally. The White Paper "Caring for People" recognises that its proposals have implications for the training of staff involved in community care. The social services inspectorate has established a community care training strategy group to identify and address these needs. We have increased this year's training support programme to £19·4 million in grant to local authorities, £2 million of which is targeted towards the training of management staff in social services departments.

  GPs, Manchester
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the general practitioner practices in Manchester which have indicated that they wish to become fund-holders.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not available centrally.

  Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were operational at Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport on(a) 1 June 1979 and (b) June 1989.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The number of available beds at Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport on 21 June 1979 and 1 June 1989 was 589 and 791 respectively.

  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) trained and (b) untrained nursing staff were employed at Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport on 1 June 1979 and 1 June 1989.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The number of trained and untrained nursing staff at Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport on 1 June 1989 was 432 and 116 respectively. Comparable figures for 1 June 1979 are not available centrally.

  Water Pollution, Camelford
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to establish whether children in the Camelford area have suffered any intellectual impairment as a result of the water pollution incident there on 6 July 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The report of the Lowermoor incident health advisory group, which was published in July 1989, a copy of which is available in the Library, concluded that no long-term effects on the health of people in the Camelford area were expected. It is for the district health authority to take any further measures it thinks necessary for the health of the population.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ambulance services have expressed an interest in becoming self-governing trusts; and if he will list them.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Five ambulance services have expressed interest in NHS trust status including two which are incorporated in other units. The units are:

  Northumbrian Ambulance Service

  Lincolnshire Ambulance Service

  Norfolk Ambulances

  Cornwall Community Services

  Swindon Health Authority—All District Services

  Income Generation
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the income generated from a contract under the National Health Service and Community Care Bill by a district health authority-managed hospital will be credited specifically to that hospital.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes.

  Departmental Savings
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what mechanisms exist in his Department for identifying and tracking value-for-money savings in its operations.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: The Government's policy is to secure significant improvements in value for money within the NHS through the reforms contained in the NHS and Community Care Bill. The NHS management executive has also established a value for money unit to stimulate—in collaboration with local NHS management—opportunities for improving value for money within the NHS.

  The Department has various mechanisms for improving value for money within its own operations. The departmental accounting system, the public expenditure survey and the Department's management plan all place heavy emphasis on value for money and are supplemented by other mechanisms such as internal audit, staff inspection and consultancy.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the value-for-money savings in his Department's operations identified by internal audit and internal efficiency arrangements, and by external audit and by management consultants retained by his Department between 1983–84 and 1988–89; and what is the amount of those savings fulfilled to date.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: I refer to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 12 June 1990 at column 166.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of total cost of storm damage to health authority property in England and Wales since 1987; and what consideration he is giving to enabling health authorities to insure against future risks of this sort.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: No central estimate has been made. NHS property is not covered by

  405
  commercial insurance and authorities are expected to make provision within their allocations to meet such contingencies. While there are no plans to alter the current policy on commercial insurance, we are seeking powers in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill which would enable us to establish a scheme for meeting the losses and liabilities to health authorities and NHS trusts. However, no decision has yet been taken on when such a scheme would be implemented.

PRIME MINISTER

  Economic Policy
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps she has taken since 26 October 1989 to improve co-ordination at ministerial level in the formulation and implementation of economic policy.

  The Prime Minister
  Economic policy is co-ordinated in the usual way at ministerial level with meetings between Ministers, including discussion at Cabinet.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps she has taken since 27 October 1989 to ensure the confidentiality of official information relating to the conduct of the Government's economic policies.

  The Prime Minister
  The normal rules of confidentiality for official information apply to information relating to the conduct of the Government's economic policies.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps she has taken since 26 October 1989 to remove obstacles to the efficiency of communication within Government in respect of developments in economic policy.

  The Prime Minister
  I am entirely satisfied with the degree of consultation and communication between Ministers on matters of economic policy.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what has been the cost of hospitality given at No. 10 Downing street since 31 March to visitors other than representatives of overseas governments and representatives of official bodies from within the United Kingdom; and if she will list each such visitor and the identifiable costs of associated hospitality.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not available in the form requested.

  USSR
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister when she hopes to complete her consideration of what role Britain might best play in the ecological research centre the Soviet Union is proposing to establish at Lake Baikal.

  The Prime Minister
  We are in close consultation on this with interested scientific bodies. We will also be pursuing contacts with the appropriate Soviet authorities in the near future.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister in what capacity, in what role and at whose expense the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster accompanied her on her visit to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and what duties he performed.
  406
  The Prime Minister
  The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster accompanied me for part of my visit to the Soviet Union, and did so as a member of Her Majesty's Government. The principal reason for my right hon. Friend's visit was to attend the opening of the Lord Byron school in Armenia, a gift from the British people following the Armenian earthquake tragedy of December 1988. My right hon. Friend was Secretary of State for Education and Science when the offer to build the school was made. The idea was his.

  There was no cost to the taxpayer for my right hon. Friend's visit.

  Economic Advisers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her(a) paid and (b) unpaid economic advisers.

  The Prime Minister
  The provision of economic advice is primarily a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, and other ministerial colleagues and their staff. In addition, members of my policy unit also provide economic advice. There is no shortage of unpaid economic advice which comes from a wide variety of sources.

  Soviet Studies
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her statement of 12 June,Official Report, column 138, concerning the establishment of new lectureships in Soviet studies at British universities, whether any of the lectureships will be established in Bradford university; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The British Council will be given funds for the financial years 1991–92 to 1993–94 inclusive to enable it to contribute to the cost of additional lectureships in Soviet and east European studies in this three-year period. The aim is to establish 10 posts, the costs to be shared with the universities, polytechnics and other sources including the private sector. A committee of leading academics will be set up by the British Council to help decide how the funds should be used.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Contributions
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to ensure that information is provided by his Department when someone returns to employment as to their entitlement to make up full contributions for any missing time.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Department writes automatically to relevant groups of contributors following the end of any year in which their contribution record is insufficient to count towards basic retirement pension. Full information is always provided to contributors on request. No change to these arrangements is proposed.

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to rename income support refugee support in cases where it is awarded to non-British nationals claiming political asylum in the United Kingdom.
  407
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans to make such a change.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will raise the level of funding for the independent living fund to £20 million per year.

  Mr. Scott
  Provision for the fund in the current year was already set at £24 million. Following my announcement to the House on 3 April, a further £8 million is to be made available bringing the provision for the fund to £32 million in 1990–91.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement as to the reasons for the subtraction of the state earnings-related pension scheme from the entitlement of persons in receipt of invalidity benefit when they reach 65 years of age.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Where an invalidity pensioner who reaches pension age—65 for men, 60 for women—chooses not to retire, the amount of invalidity benefit payable is determined by the amount of retirement pension that would have been payable had he retired.

  The earnings-related additional pension—AP—element of retirement pension can be paid either by the state or through an occupational pension scheme, which is contracted-out of the state scheme. Persons in contracted-out schemes and their employers pay a lower national insurance contribution and in return the employer is required to provide a guaranteed minimum pension— GMP—to the employee from age 65—or 60. Up to pension age, AP is paid with invalidity benefit, but thereafter the amount of any AP payable is reduced by the amount of the GMP received from the employer. This ensures that people contracted out of the state scheme are not treated more favourably than those who are not.

  Income Support
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many refugees from overseas are currently in receipt of income support.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  People from other countries who have been granted a right of abode in the United Kingdom are not separately identifiable for income support purposes. People arrived in the United Kingdom whose applications for refugee status are under consideration are eligible for income support at a reduced rate. We estimate that there are approximately some 8,000 such claimants at present.

  Wath upon Dearne Local Office
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what moneys were provided as grant allowances, pensions or loans through the Wath upon Dearne office of his Department in 1989–90.

  Mr. Scott
  Information regarding the numbers of and amounts paid as community care grants and budgeting loans for each local office is placed in the Library. I regret that neither information about the numbers of, nor the amount paid to, pensioners residing in a particular locality is recorded.

  Private Residential Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances his Department contributes towards the costs of the care of a person in an unregistered private home.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Some independent residential care homes are not required to be registered under the Registered Homes Act 1984. Adjudication officers may decide to treat claimants for income support purposes in such homes in the same way as those in registered homes if the accommodation has fewer than four residents and provides board and personal care and satisfies certain conditions defined by regulation, or is run by the Abbeyfield Society, or is managed or provided by a body set up by Act of Parliament or incorporated by royal charter, or in Scotland is run by a housing association registered with the Housing Corporation.

  Attendance and Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many doctors are employed by his Department for the purpose of assessing attendance allowance and mobility allowance claims in each region; on what basis they are employed; what salaries or fees they receive; and whether such payments are affected by the number of claimants they see.

  Mr. Scott
  On average there are between 600 and 700 doctors in each region who carry out examinations in connection with attendance allowance and mobility allowance claims. The work is of a casual nature, the available cases being allocated among the doctors who are available and have been trained in the work. Payment is from a scale of fees agreed between the Treasury and the medical profession's representatives. A fee is paid for each case completed, individual case fees depending on the time taken to deal with that case.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the fraudulent use of national insurance numbers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Department makes every effort to ensure that members of the public have correctly issued national insurance numbers and that others cannot use them to make fraudulent claims to benefit.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for the last available year the number of(a) national insurance numbers used by more than one person and (b) credits made by employers to false or non-existent national insurance numbers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information regarding the misuse of NI numbers is not available. Employers cannot credit NI accounts. Contributions paid by employers on behalf of themselves and their employees are subject to strict accounting controls.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Lambeth are entitled to community charge rebate based on claims for refund of
  409
  rebate received from Lambeth council; what percentage of charge payers this represents; and what was the percentage of ratepayers who received housing benefit for rates in 1989–90.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information in the detail requested for community charge benefit is not yet available from the local authority. However, approximately a quarter of domestic ratepayers received rate rebates in 1989–90.

  Leaflet Shortage
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps his Department is taking to rectify the shortage of leaflets and benefit application forms in offices; and how widespread and severe this problem is.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We are aware that difficulties have been experienced this year in obtaining bulk supplies of some benefit application forms. The Department has been in discussion with HMSO to remedy this. However, we are satisfied on information available that local offices in all areas have sufficient supplies of benefit application forms and leaflets to meet the needs of our customers.

  Incomes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to reply to the questions of the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 23 April and 17 May relating to further information pursuant to an answer of 4 April, and to the question of the hon. Member for Oldham, West of 17 May concerning the estimated income rises of the poorest tenth of the population.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave to him today and on Thursday 14 June.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if, further to his reply of 4 April,Official Report, columns 689–90, he will (a) provide a breakdown of tables 1 and 2 differentiating SERPS as a separate source of income, (b) indicate what is covered in table 2 by related benefits and other benefits, (c) state the average annual percentage increase implied in the last two columns of tables 1, 2 and 3 and (d) provide whatever similar information is available for 1988–89;

  (2) if he will set out the actual incomes in pounds sterling and pence which underlie his answer to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 4 April, Official Report, columns 689–90, table 2, which lists the percentage increase in components of pensioners' income from 1974 to 1979 and 1979 to 1987; what is the source of

  Table 3

  Components of pensioners' income by decile 1974 at 1987 prices

  Decile

  RP. Supplementary Benefit and Housing Benefit

  Other SS benefits

  Occupational pensions

  Investment income

  Earnings

  Tax and National Insurance

  Total net

  Lowest

  27·81

  1·56

  0·31

  0·94

  0·64

  0·12

  31·14

  2

  34·52

  1·19

  0·63

  1·66

  0·60

  0·16

  38·44

  3

  38·56

  1·61

  0·95

  2·07

  0·67

  0·24

  43·61

  410
  each of these items of data; and if he will list exactly which benefits are covered by RP and related benefits and other benefits;

  (3) what are the actual income levels on which table 2 is based in his answer on 4 April, Official Report, columns 689–90, regarding the percentage increase in the components of pensioners' incomes in 1974, 1979 and 1987.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answers 23 April and 6 June 1990]: The source for the figures used in this and the previous reply is the family expenditure survey. The information on SERPS is not available; it is not separately identified from state retirement pension in the source data. Information is not available beyond the latest available family expenditure survey data of 1987.

  The term "RP and related benefits" in table 2 refers to the state retirement pension, supplementary benefit and housing benefit. The term "Other benefits" refers to all other social security benefits than those listed above.

  The annual average percentages implied in the last two columns of table 1 of the reply given to the hon. Member on 4 April, Official Report, columns 689–90, are set out in table 1; the same figures in respect of tables 2 and 3 are set out in table 2.

  The figures requested, which underlie the percentage movements at table 2, are set out in tables 3, 4 and 5.

  Table 1

  Pensioners' Incomes: 1974, 1979 and 1987—Percentage Increase and Average Annual Increase

  Pensioners' Income

  Real increase 1974–79 per cent.

  Annual rate per cent.

  Real increase 1979–87 per cent.

  Annual rate per cent.

  Total Social Security Benefits

  12

  1·5

  17

  2·0

  Occupational Pensions

  12

  1·5

  77

  7·3

  Savings Income

  -16

  -2·2

  130

  11·0

  Earnings

  -27

  -3·8

  -20

  -2·9

  Total Gross Income

  2

  0·3

  34

  3·8

  Total Net Income

  3

  0·4

  31

  3·5

  Table 2

  Pensioners total net incomes: Percentage increases 1974–79 and 1979–87

  Decile

  Increase 1974–79 per cent.

  Annual rate of increase per cent.

  Increase 1979–87 per cent.

  Annual rate of increase per cent.

  Lowest

  14

  2·7

  18

  2·1

  2

  12

  2·3

  20

  2·3

  3

  10

  2·0

  23

  2·6

  4

  7

  1·4

  24

  2·8

  5

  5

  0·9

  24

  2·7

  6

  5

  0·9

  24

  2·8

  7

  4

  0·8

  25

  2·9

  8

  4

  0·7

  27

  3·1

  9

  5

  1·0

  29

  3·3

  Highest

  -6

  -1·3

  53

  5·4

  Overall

  3

  0·6

  31

  3·5

  411

  Decile

  RP, Supplementary Benefit and Housing Benefit

  Other SS benefits

  Occupational pensions

  Investment income

  Earnings

  Tax and National Insurance

  Total net

  4

  41·45

  1·02

  2·66

  3·35

  1·25

  0·56

  49·18

  5

  45·93

  0·89

  4·32

  3·84

  2·68

  1·64

  56·03

  6

  48·58

  1·20

  6·45

  5·03

  4·28

  1·75

  63·79

  7

  50·37

  1·09

  10·83

  7·15

  6·97

  3·47

  72·94

  8

  54·95

  3·23

  13·50

  7·54

  9·76

  4·61

  84·38

  9

  50·05

  3·35

  22·59

  14·53

  26·00

  12·60

  103·93

  Highest

  39·08

  3·34

  55·55

  61·65

  83·11

  48·41

  194·33

  Overall

  43·13

  1·83

  11·77

  10·77

  13·59

  7·35

  73·76

  Table 4

  Components of pensioners' income by decile 1979 at 1987 prices

  Decile

  Retirement pension, supplementary benefit and housing benefit

  Other statutory state benefits

  Occupational pensions

  Investment income

  Earnings

  Tax and National Insurance

  Total net

  Lowest

  33·02

  1·02

  0·27

  0·91

  0·80

  0·51

  35·50

  2

  40·07

  0·85

  0·56

  1·67

  0·11

  0·25

  43·01

  3

  43·66

  0·37

  2·19

  2·01

  0·37

  0·44

  48·17

  4

  45·07

  2·63

  2·80

  2·56

  0·18

  0·50

  52·74

  5

  47·17

  2·14

  4·87

  3·43

  2·36

  1·39

  58·60

  6

  51·23

  2·85

  6·65

  5·56

  2·62

  2·19

  66·72

  7

  58·85

  2·17

  7·69

  5·92

  3·49

  2·33

  75·79

  8

  55·34

  5·85

  15·71

  5·12

  10·45

  4·96

  87·51

  9

  55·23

  3·59

  30·43

  11·70

  19·54

  11·39

  109·10

  Highest

  50·08

  4·25

  61·30

  51·60

  59·41

  44·47

  182·17

  Overall

  47·97

  2·57

  13·24

  9·04

  9·93

  6·84

  75·92

  Table 5

  Components of pensioners' income by decile 1987 at 1987 prices

  Decile

  Retirement pension, supplementary benefit and housing benefit

  Other statutory state benefits

  Occupational pensions

  Investment income

  Earnings

  Tax and National Insurance

  Total net

  Lowest

  39·20

  0·59

  0·45

  1·98

  0·24

  0·64

  41·82

  2

  44·54

  1·29

  2·87

  3·49

  0·25

  0·93

  51·51

  3

  52·79

  0·38

  3·36

  3·45

  0·37

  1·28

  59·07

  4

  55·24

  1·76

  5·31

  4·20

  0·59

  1·54

  65·55

  5

  56·85

  3·49

  8·58

  4·67

  1·17

  2·36

  72·40

  6

  60·37

  4·39

  12·28

  7·59

  1·69

  3·35

  82·96

  7

  64·08

  7·61

  16·59

  8·98

  2·03

  4·29

  95·01

  8

  62·17

  8·34

  26·80

  17·11

  5·81

  8·78

  111·45

  9

  58·67

  7·75

  47·50

  27·05

  17·53

  17·22

  141·28

  Highest

  56·99

  5·52

  109·14

  130·16

  49·07

  72·99

  277·88

  Overall

  55·09

  4·11

  23·28

  20·86

  7·87

  11·33

  99·88

  Note:

  All tables source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security. pursuant to his answer of 4 April,Official Report, columns 687–92, what information is available on the contribution of state earnings-related pension to the real rise in pensioner incomes since 1979.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]: Information is not available in the family expenditure survey on the state earnings-related pension scheme.
  412
  However, data from the Department's biannual statistical inquiry of retirement pension and widows benefit1 shows that between 1979 and 1987 the average amount2 of net additional component in payment rose from £0·65 to £2·713.

  Figures from the family expenditure survey show that pensioners' average net incomes rose from £75·90 in 1979 to £99·903 in 1987.

  1Copy available in the Library.
  413
  2Average is for those pensioners receiving an additional pension.

  3All amounts are £s per week at 1987 prices.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  International Monetary Fund
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the recent quota increase for the International Monetary Fund.

  Mr. Ryder
  The interim committee of the board of governors of the International Monetary Fund met in Washington DC on 7 to 8 May and agreed that the present total of fund quotas should be increased by 50 per cent. to SDR135 billion. This decision has to be ratified by the board of governors.

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is(a) the monthly market value of North sea oil for the purposes of petroleum revenue tax from 1984 onwards and (b) the number of relevant transactions that were used as the base for each month.

  Mr. Lilley
  There is no single, overall monthly market value of North sea oil for petroleum revenue tax purposes and I cannot disclose the tax position of individual taxpayers. The other information requested could not be provided without disproportionate effort.

  Taxation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on how many occasions the Inland Revenue has used section 772 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  The power at present contained in section 772 of the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988 has only once been formally invoked. Companies almost invariably supply the information in response to informal requests.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the level of manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom in 1979 and 1989 on a constant value basis, by regions;

  (2) if he will publish a table, using 1979 at a value of 100, of investment in real terms in manufacturing in the north-west for each of the last 11 years.

  Mr. Lamont
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to him on 16 May,Official Report, column 442. Constant price estimates are not made because there are no regional price indices.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give for each year from 1979 to date manufacturing investment, including leased assets, at 1985 and current prices(a) including and (b) excluding company cars as defined for the purposes of taxation by the Inland Revenue.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Estimates of manufacturing investment from 1979 to 1989 are given in the following table:414

  Manufacturing investment, including leased assets

  (£ million)

  Year

  Current prices

  1985 prices

  1979

  7,154

  11,150

  1980

  7,309

  9,911

  1981

  6,235

  7,735

  1982

  6,521

  7,603

  1983

  6,822

  7,516

  1984

  8,427

  8,934

  1985

  10,265

  10,264

  1986

  9,982

  9,654

  1987

  11,014

  10,142

  1988

  12,652

  11,334

  1989

  13,920

  12,043

  Estimates excluding company cars are not available.

  VAT
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will remove value added tax on repairs and maintenance and impose zero rating; and impose 15 per cent. value added tax on extensions to listed buildings.

  Mr. Ryder
  No. Our obligations under the EC sixth VAT directive prevent such extensions of zero rating.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost, in each case, of extending business relief for capital gains tax so that(a) there was no age limit, (b) there was a share qualification of 5 per cent. and (c) there was no limit on the amount of the gain.

  Mr. Lilley
  I regret that appropriate information on which to base reliable estimates is not available.

ENVIRONMENT

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he intends to take to control or regulate contractors involved in the disposal of chlorofluorocarbons; and if he will introduce a licensing system for such contractors.

  Mr. Trippier
  Waste chlorofluorocarbons from industry, commerce or households are controlled waste, the disposal of which already requires a licence from a waste disposal authority. Under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989, persons carrying any controlled waste will be obliged to register. The Environmental Protection Bill will also impose a duty of care on any person who produces, carries or disposes of controlled waste.

  Waste into Energy
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of industrial and municipal refuse is currently converted into useful energy by combustion in the United Kingdom, each of the EEC and Scandinavian countries.

  Mr. Trippier
  The World Health Organisation has made the following estimates of percentages by weight:
  415

  Country

  United Kingdom

  3

  Belgium

  7

  Denmark

  30

  France

  25

  Italy

  4

  Netherlands

  30

  Spain

  4

  W. Germany

  30

  Norway

  15

  Sweden

  40

  The United Kingdom's low proportion is partly explained by the ready availability of landfill.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the reduction in greenhouse gas release he expects from combustion of waste into energy projects, as a contribution to the Government's declared target by 2005.

  Mr. Trippier
  Power generation by waste incineration or the combustion of methane from landfill sites results in no net addition of CO2 to the environment. Indeed, in replacing power generated by fossil fuel burning, it may actually help to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions.

  Estimates of the contribution of such technologies to reduction in greenhouse gas release are under development. Overall Government strategy to stabilise CO2 emissions at 1990 levels by 2005 will be presented in the environment White Paper to be published in the autumn.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the incineration plants currently operational in the United Kingdom, identifying those that convert waste into useful heat or electricity; how much such energy is produced: and which incinerators currently meet the agreed proposed EEC pollution standards.

  Mr. Trippier
  There are 35 incinerators, as follows:

  Location

  Energy produced (megawatts)

  Alloa

  —

  Altrincham

  —

  Basingstoke

  —

  Belfast

  —

  Bolton

  —

  Bristol

  —

  Coventry

  40

  Derby

  —

  Dudley

  —

  Dundee

  —

  Edmonton, north London

  40

  Exeter

  —

  Havant

  —

  Huddersfield

  —

  Jersey

  3

  Lichfield

  —

  Mansfield

  —

  Marchwood, Fawley, Hants

  —

  Nottingham

  28

  Portsmouth

  —

  Renfrew

  —

  Rochdale

  —

  Scillies

  —

  Sheffield

  24

  South Shields

  —

  Stoke on Trent

  —

  Sunderland

  —

  Swindon

  —

  Teesside

  —

  416

  Location

  Energy produced (megawatts)

  Tynemouth

  —

  Tysley, Birmingham

  —

  Winchester

  —

  Wolverhampton

  —

  Upton-upon-Severn, Worcestershire

  —

  York

  —

  None yet meets the standards which will be required in 1996.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the increased proportion of waste he expects will be combusted into useful energy, as a result of the Environmental Protection Bill; and if he will seek to amend the Bill in order to provide stronger incentives or regulation, to achieve the potential.

  Mr. Trippier
  The waste disposal provisions in the Bill, aimed at improving standards, will undoubtedly have the effect of increasing landfill costs, thus improving the competitiveness of incineration as a disposal option. In tandem with this, the Bill also requires the waste disposal authority, when framing the terms of disposal contracts, to have regard to the desirability of including conditions designed to maximise the recycling of waste under the contract. These measures should have the effect of encouraging energy-from-waste schemes. The Government have no intention of further amending the Bill in the way my hon. Friend suggests.

  Questions
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many written and oral questions on pollution and the protection of the environment by the hon. Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) he has answered in the current year.

  Mr. Trippier
  In this Session the Department has replied to five questions from my hon. Friend on environmental matters.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to introduce any United Kingdom legislation in addition to Community regulation 3322/88 relating to chlorofluorocarbons and halons in order to achieve the agreed target for reductions in chlorofluorocarbons.

  Mr. Trippier
  Community regulation 3322/88 on chlorofluorocarbons and halons is due to be replaced by the end of the year, to reflect the changes which we expect to be made to the Montreal protocol at the end of the month. Any more stringent action which member states consider can be implemented within the Community.

  Common Land
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has yet made a decision regarding the Government's intention to legislate to protect common land.
  417
  Mr. Trippier
  No. I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 12 June,Official Report, column 157.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest have been established since 1981 and are protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  I am advised by the NCC that by 30 April 1990 it had notified 5,283 sites under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. This included 3,329 sites which had previously been notified under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 and have now been renotified.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what evidence he received(a) from ballots, (b) from opinion surveys made available to him and (c) otherwise, in respect of tenant attitudes towards the proposed designation of housing action trusts in (i) Tower Hamlets, (ii) Lambeth, (iii) Southwark, (iv) Sandwell, (v) Leeds and (vi) Sunderland.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  In Sunderland, the Electoral Reform Society conducted a ballot on the proposal to designate a housing action trust. In Leeds, Leeds polytechnic ran a ballot for the tenants on the issue of continuing the discussions about the HAT proposal. I am also aware of a MORI poll in Lambeth. In addition, the Department has used consultants, chairmen designate and meetings between Ministers and tenants' representatives to inform themselves of tenants' views.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make a statement on his intentions in respect of the housing action trust proposed in Southwark; and what measures he proposes to take in respect of housing within the areas previously considered for housing action trusts in(a) Tower Hamlets, (b) Lambeth, (c) Leeds, (d) Sunderland and (e) Sandwell.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Consultations are continuing with tenants and Southwark council with the intention of proceeding to a ballot later this year. Tenants can then decide whether they want the improvements that a HAT would bring. In the other areas local authorities will doubtless be preparing plans for dealing with their housing problems.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much has been spent by his Department(a) on consultants' fees and expenses and (b) otherwise, on the proposed housing action trusts in (i) Tower Hamlets, (ii) Lambeth, (iii) Southwark, (iv) Sandwell, (v) Leeds and (vi) Sunderland.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Expenditure on those six housing action trust proposals is shown in the following table:418

  (a) expenditure related to consultancies £000

  (b) expenditure related to the Department's information material and to ballots £000

  Tower Hamlets

  182

  3

  Lambeth

  182

  12

  Southwark

  933

  12

  Sandwell

  191

  17

  Leeds

  161

  13

  Sunderland

  613

  23

  Diesel Pollution, Firle
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to review the Water Supply and Sewerage Services (Customer Service Standards) Regulations 1989 (No. 1159) following the recent diesel pollution incident in Firle.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Secretary of State may amend the regulations only on application from the Director General of Water Services. I understand that the director is considering whether to propose any amendments in the light of the circumstances of the Firle case.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the public inquiry resulting from the site investigations undertaken by Nirex include full consideration of national policy on radioactive waste management.

  Mr. Trippier
  Decisions have yet to be taken as to the matters to be considered at the public inquiry into Nirex's planned respository for low and intermediate-level radioactive waste. Before the inquiry begins, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will set out the matters which appear to him to be relevant to his consideration of the application based on the information available to him at the time. The inspector appointed to preside over the inquiry will also have discretion to consider any other factors which he feels to be relevant.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require Nirex to implement the recommendations made by the panel on the evaluation of the UK Nirex Ltd. programmes on deep repository post-closure safety research and development and site assessment that met in June 1989.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy gave the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes) on 21 May 1990,Official Report, column 11.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to consider(a) alternative methods of radioactive waste management, and (b) alternative sites, as part of the environmental impact assessment of the proposed Nirex repository.

  Mr. Trippier
  This is a matter for UK Nirex Ltd. The requirements for an environmental assessment with which Nirex will need to comply are set out in the Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988.

  Architects
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when proposals were adopted in the EEC to enable qualified architects to operate in professional practice in other member states, if he has any record of the number of Community nationals who have been accepted to practise in the United Kingdom under these arrangements; and if he has figures on the numbers of United Kingdom architects who have been provided with the opportunity to practise in each of the other member states.

  Mr. Tripier
  The architects directive was adopted on 10 June 1985. Since that date 230 Community nationals have been registered by the Architects Registration Council of the United Kingdom as qualified to practise under the title architect in the United Kingdom. No figure is currently available for the number of United Kingdom architects registered to practise elsewhere in the European Community.

  Energy Use (Government Buildings)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if, pursuant to the answer of 6 June,Official Report, columns 648–49, he will list the information collected by the Property Services Agency for its own energy management purposes concerning the use of energy in Government buildings;

  (2) if he will list the information which was collected by the Property Services Agency about the use of energy in Government buildings in the period up to 30 March.

  Mr. Chope
  The information collected by the PSA for its own energy management is the monthly consumption and cost of all fuels and water used in buildings in the United Kingdom where PSA is the major occupier.

  Similar information was maintained for the great majority of buildings on the Government civil estate, for which the PSA used to pay the bills. The MOD has always paid its own bills. With the untying of Departments from the PSA, Departments pay their own bills and the PSA no longer has access to this information.

  Norman Shaw North (Heating)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Warwick and Leamington (Sir D. Smith) of 17 May,Official Report, column 513, if he will improve the sensitivity and responsiveness of the central heating system to external temperatures.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 6 June 1990]: Work to modernise the system in the Palace of Westminster will continue during the summer recess.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the ratio of payment from central funds to the personal community charge in each local authority in England.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: The available information for 1990–91 is given in the table. The ratio of central funds to community charge income has
  420
  been calculated for individual local authority areas since some payments from central funds are made to charging authorities on behalf of both charging and precepting authorities in the area. Complete information for all authority areas will not be available until all authorities' budget returns for 1990–91 have been made to my Department.

  Ratio of Payments from central funds to community charge income

  Area

  Central funds1

  Community charge income2

  Central funds plus community charge income

  Buckinghamshire

  63

  37

  100

  Cleveland

  76

  24

  100

  Derbyshire

  67

  33

  100

  Devon

  70

  30

  100

  Durham

  75

  25

  100

  Gloucestershire

  64

  36

  100

  Isle of Wight

  67

  33

  100

  Kent

  70

  30

  100

  Lincolnshire

  72

  28

  100

  Northamptonshire

  70

  30

  100

  Suffolk

  65

  35

  100

  West Sussex

  64

  36

  100

  Wiltshire

  69

  31

  100

  Notes:

  1 Payment from central funds comprise Revenue Support Grant including safety net adjustments, special grants, amounts distributed from the NNDR pool and specific and supplementary grants both inside and outside AEF. Community charge benefit and transitional relief payments are included.

  2 Community charge income net of community charge benefit and transitional relief grant.

  Insulation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of loft insulation jobs completed so far this year and completed in the equivalent periods of 1987, 1988 and 1989; and what were the full-year figures for 1987, 1988 and 1989 for each region and England as a whole.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: The information is not available.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of loft insulation jobs completed so far in the current year and completed in the equivalent periods of 1987, 1988 and 1989 for(a) the London borough of Camden and (b) the London borough of Islington; and what were the full-year figures for 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]:The information is not available.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an estimate of the current number of homeless in the United Kingdom, and of those how many suffer from(a) alcoholism or drug dependency, (b) AIDS and (c) mental illness.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: Latest estimates of households accepted as homeless in England appear in table 1(a) of "Local authorities" action under the homeless provisions of the 1985 Housing Act:England. Results for the fourth quarter 1989. Supplementary Tables", which is in the Library.
  421
  My Department has no estimates of how many of those accepted were suffering from alcoholism, drug dependency or AIDS. Estimates, in percentage terms, of those who were accepted because of mental illness appear in table 3 of the same publication.

  For information about Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Northern Ireland and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the total number of properties being renovated or built by housing associations in the last five financial years.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: The figures for housebuilding starts and completions and dwellings renovated by housing associations in England are as follows:

  Thousands

  New dwellings

  Starts

  Completions

  Completed renovations1

  1985–86

  10·3

  10·8

  11·5

  1986–87

  10·4

  9·9

  13·6

  1987–88

  9·6

  10·4

  11·7

  1988–89

  10·7

  9·0

  10·9

  1989–902

  10·9

  9·0

  10·8

  1 Work funded by grants under specific housing association legislation and local authority loans. Includes improvement For sale but excludes hostels.

  2 Provisional.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Cattle Crushes
  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 provision of cattle crushes at each agricultural holding in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  While a number of suggestions have been made to the Department of Agriculture about the introduction of assistance for various items including cattle crushes, no formal discussions have taken place.

  School

  Admissions number

  Additional places requested

  Additional places granted

  Admissions

  Grade

  Other

  Total

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Laurel Hill high school

  180

  3

  3

  —

  17

  27

  77

  61

  182

  Lisnagarvey high school

  150

  —

  —

  —

  8

  12

  29

  40

  89

  St. Patrick's high school

  100

  —

  —

  —

  7

  17

  51

  11

  86

  Friends' School

  132

  1

  1

  117

  11

  3

  —

  2

  133

  Wallace high school

  168

  —

  —

  139

  27

  1

  —

  1

  168

  Forthill high school

  180

  —

  —

  —

  6

  26

  64

  40

  136

  Rathmore grammar

  175

  64

  41

  186

  30

  —

  —

  —

  216

  Hunterhouse college

  95

  2

  2

  29

  41

  20

  4

  1

  95

  Dunmurry high school

  150

  —

  —

  —

  3

  14

  41

  16

  74

  Suction Dredgers
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received about the fishing operation of suction dredgers in Strangford lough.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Representations have been received from the National Trust and Queen's university, marine biology station, Portaferry about the presence of a suction dredger in Strangford lough. The Department of Agriculture was approached informally by a number of individuals and organisations including representatives of the fishing industry about this vessel.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action will be taken to prevent suction fishing dredgers from operating within inland waters.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I was appalled by reports that a suction dredger may have entered Strangford lough.

  I am determined that there will not be fishing in the lough that would be damaging to its ecology.

  The people most at risk from fishing which damages the lough are those in the fishing industry. I am glad that the vast majority of trawlermen agree that damaging the lough is wrong.

  The responsibilities of the Department of Environment and the Department of Agriculture will be carried out so that all the interests of the lough, both in the short term and in the long term, are protected.

  Schools
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the intake enrolments for September, additional places requested and granted, if any, together with the number of pupils in each of grade one, two, three and four selected according to the respective admission criteria of(a) Laurel Hill school, (b) Lisnagarvey high school, (c) St. Patrick's high school, (d) Friends high school, (e) Wallace high school, (f) Forthill high school, (g) Rathmore grammar school, (h) Hunterhouse college and (i) Dunmurry high school.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Company Directors
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to seek to amend the law relating to company directors who open, close and reopen similar companies with great frequency.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. The Insolvency Act 1986 and the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 contain provisions concerning the conduct of directors.

  Consumer Affairs Council
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what items were discussed at the European Community Consumer Affairs Council on 13 June.

  Mr. Forth
  The following items were discussed: the package travel directive, the proposed general product safety directive, the system for the rapid exchange of information on consumer products, the European home and leisure accident surveillance system, and the Commission's three-year plan for consumer policy in the EC.

  Research
  Sir Gerard Vaughan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what procedures his Department uses for determining the priorities for investment in scientific and technological research in Europe;

  (2) if he will outline his Department's responsibilities, and the procedures used, for allocating funds from this country for national, European and international research projects in science and technology.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Department of Trade and Industry's responsibilities include support of firms through longer-term national collaborative research programmes and EUREKA—and for small firms, through the small firms' merit award for research and technology (SMART). The Department of Trade and Industry also plays a key role in the definition of European Community research and development framework programmes, and other international research programmes of interest to United Kingdom industry.

  With regard to resource allocation for support of industrial innovation, the Department consults widely with industry, and with research councils and universities on areas of research and technologies which are likely to be most beneficial, both at the national and international level. Hence during the recent negotiations on the framework programme, careful attention was paid to advice from the Advisory Council on Science and Technology and the Confederation of British Industry, and from industry through our own advisory committees. In this way the Department plays an active role in defining the priorities and objectives of the framework programme and in identifying appropriate areas of national expenditure. However, with a maximum of 50 per cent. support from the Department or the European Community, the key decisions are those of the individual firms participating in the programmes.

  The Department's policy is to ensure that expenditure is directed towards well-justified programmes of all types which represent good value for money. Framework
  424
  programmes should have a clear European rationale and be complementary to national programmes and other international activities.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the number of companies which have announced inward investment projects in the United Kingdom over the past 12 months; and which regions have most benefited from the projects.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the latest figures readily available to the Invest in Britain Bureau, in the 12 months ending March 1990, 304 inward investment decisions were made to locate in the United Kingdom. These included the establishment of a new business, expansion or acquisition of an existing business and involvement in joint venture. The figures are based on information provided by the companies themselves at the time of the investment and do not take into account subsequent developments. The table sets out the number of inward investment decisions broken down on a regional basis.

  Regional breakdown of inward investment decisions in the 12 months to March 1990

  Number

  Scotland

  35

  Wales

  31

  Northern Ireland

  23

  North East

  36

  North West

  43

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  14

  East Midlands

  12

  West Midlands

  86

  South East

  16

  South West

  6

  United Kingdom (undefined region)

  2

  TOTAL

  304

  Bar Codes
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce regulations to require that shops using bar code equipment to register the price of goods also ensure that the price is printed on the products; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I expect to introduce an order later this year under the Prices Act 1974 as amended implementing an EC directive requiring prices to be shown for goods on sale to private consumers. Having considered views expressed during consultations on the proposed order, my present intention is to allow traders the freedom to indicate prices on the goods themselves, on the shelf edge, or on notices, as they choose, provided that the indication is clear and legible.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice his Department is giving retailers on the use of bar codes following the European Commission's directive.

  Mr. Forth
  I am not aware of any European Commission directive relating to bar coding.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has sought the views of the
  425
  National Consumer Council and the Consumers Association about the European Commission's directive on bar codes.

  Mr. Forth
  I am not aware of any such directive.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he proposes to take to ensure that bar code equipment manufactured or supplied in the United Kingdom is accurate in recording the price charged;

  (2) what regulations he proposes to introduce to ensure that bar code equipment used in shops is free from errors in recording the price of items purchased.

  Mr. Forth
  A trader who gives a misleading price indication commits an offence under the Consumer Protection Act 1987. That and competition between suppliers should be sufficient to ensure that suitable equipment is used.

  Personal Computers
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many personal computers his Department estimates are sold annually.

  Mr. Forth
  There is no agreed definition of personal computers, and official statistics are not compiled on a basis which would enable any departmental estimate of the United Kingdom market to be given. The Department is, however, aware of market research estimates for United Kingdom personal computer sales in 1989, ranging from approximately 500,000 to 1,500,000.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the total of the reduction in his Department's expenditure on research and development achieved by taking advantage of the additionality principle when grants have been awarded to United Kingdom companies by the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not possible to identify the specific impact of European Community support of United Kingdom companies under the various Framework programmes, on the applications for support received by the DTI. However, we ensure as far as possible that European programmes reflect the views of United Kingdom industry, and that they are complementary to national programmes and other international activities and continue to provide good value for money. It is up to companies themselves to judge which activities suit their needs best. Manufacturing industry is now receiving support for collaborative research and development from the Community comparable to that from the DTI, and it is likely that this trend will become more pronounced in future.

  Rainham Marshes
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what requests he has received for financial assistance in respect of the development of Rainham marshes.
  426
  Mr.Douglas Hogg
  My Department has had discussions with the promoters of this major inward investment project, but I have not received any application for specific financial assistance.

  Radio
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he intends to take in response to the recommendations of the review committee which examined civil use of the radio spectrum from 470 to 3,400 MHz.

  Mr. Forth
  The report of the stage 1 civil spectrum review committee, which was published in April last year, has been widely welcomed as making a major contribution towards our commitment to make more efficient use of the radio spectrum and to provide more information regarding current use.

  Since receiving the report, I have had the opportunity to consider the findings in detail and assess the comments of industry and users. The report emphasises that frequency planning ought to maintain a long-term perspective and that in many areas, our freedom for action is limited by international treaty obligations. However, within these confines, the committee found that there remained considerable scope for improvements in the way in which the radio spectrum is managed in the frequency range concerned, and I am pleased to announce today that measures will be taken to follow up all the recommendations. A detailed schedule of the steps being taken to implement each of the recommendations has been published and is available from the DTI's radio communications agency.

  I should like to take this opportunity to announce that, in consultation with my right hon. and right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State for Defence, the Home Department and Scotland, I have accepted the Committee's recommendation that the next stage of the review process should be a combined assessment of defence and civil use of the radio spectrum from 3,400 MHz to 30 GHz. I am also delighted to announce that Sir Kenneth Corfield, who chaired the first stage review of defence spectrum usage, has accepted the invitation to become chairman of the combined stage 2 review committee.

  The stage 1 civil spectrum and defence spectrum review reports have stimulated widespread discussion of the future requirements and options for the key frequency range of 1–3 GHz and I am confident that this new review will likewise reveal fresh challenges for the United Kingdom to ensure that we continue to lead the field in making effective and efficient use of this scarce natural resource at these higher frequencies.

  Industrial Development
  Mr. Crowther
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions since the Industrial Development Act 1982 came into force expenditure has been incurred under section 3(2)(a) of the Industry Act 1980 on projects which otherwise fully satisfied the criteria of either section 7 or section 8 of the Industrial Development Act 1982.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: The sum of £547 million was paid to Rover Group plc on 12 August 1988 under section 3(2)(a) of the Industry Act 1980

  427
  as the consideration for a special security ("The Instrument") which formed part of the agreement of 14 July 1988 between the Secretary of State, Rover Group plc and British Aerospace. The cash injection included £78 million in respect of projects in the assisted areas which met the standard conditions set out in section 7 of the Industrial Development Act 1982.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Community Service
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, further to his reply of 15 May,Official Report, column 375, to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley) (a) which officers from his Department are involved in the joint examination with the Department of Employment into training and enterprise provision for offenders in the community, (b) whether a report will be produced by his Department presenting the findings of the examination and (c) whether he intends to consult relevant outside bodies during the course of the examination.

  Mr. John Patten
  There is regular contact and discussion between the Home Office, the Training Agency, the employment service and relevant voluntary organisations, in particular the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders and the APEX Trust, about training and enterprise provision for offenders in the community.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of administering community service orders in England and Wales in the last year for which figures are available; how many orders were made per 100,000 of the population in that year; and what was the average cost per order.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on the expenditure of the probation service is published in "Probation Statistics England and Wales 1988" (table 12·3). In 1987–88, the probation service cost of administering community service orders was approximately £18 million and the average cost per completed order in that year was estimated at approximately £500. Using a mid-year population estimate of 40·3 million people aged 16 years and over, 87 orders were made per 100,000 of the population in 1988.

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on contact between members of police forces in Great Britain and the police in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus; and if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on visits by police force in London to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus in the past four weeks.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Members of British police forces maintain operational contacts with the Turkish Cypriot police among many other forces. Officers from the City of London police visited northern Cyprus on 5 June in connection with the recent theft of securities worth £300 million in London.

  Probation Service
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many probation orders have been made by the courts in England and Wales in each of the last five years; how many orders were made per 100,000 of the population in the latest available year; and what was the cost of administering probation orders in that year.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of persons given probation per 100,000 of the population aged 17 or over was 106 in 1988. Information on the expenditure of the probation service is published annually in chapter 12 of "Probation Statistics England and Wales". The probation service cost of administering probation orders in 1987–88 is estimated at approximately £50 million.

  Persons placed on probation orders by the Courts

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  40,900

  42,400

  40,100

  42,200

  43,600

  Source: Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1988.

  Romanian Orphans
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Chelmsford of 30 April,Official Report, column 409, what information he has of the average delay for British couples wishing to adopt an orphan from Romania, from first notifying his Department of their intention and obtaining his Department's approval; what action his Department takes in respect of those couples and the child concerned if the procedure is not followed; and if he plans to review the procedure.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Where a child adopted in Romania is to be brought to live in the United Kingdom an application for entry clearance must be made at the British embassy in Bucharest before the child leaves Romania. The entry clearance officer will first obtain information about the child's background and the circumstances of the adoption. The application is then referred to the immigration department of the Home Office which will normally seek advice from the Department of Health on the welfare aspects of the case and the likelihood of a United Kingdom court granting an adoption order before deciding whether to grant the application. The time taken to complete the necessary inquiries depends on the individual circumstances, but in the four recent cases where applications for Romanian children have been referred to the Home Office approval has been given in three weeks or less. Children adopted in Romania who are brought to the United Kingdom without entry clearance are liable to be refused admission and removed to Romania. The immigration, officer, however, has discretion to admit them temporarily while further inquiries are made. We are reviewing the procedures for dealing with overseas adoptions to see whether they can be streamlined further while continuing to provide proper protection for the children involved.

  Prison Conditions
  Mr. Tony Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 5 June,Official Report, column 421, how many hours on average each week prisoners spend on regime activities.
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  Mr. Mellor
  In 1989–90 each prisoner spent on average 20·87 hours per week on structured regime activities such as work, education, training courses and physical education. The calculation excludes time spent on other out-of-cell activities, for example, exercise, visits and association, of an essentially personal or recreational kind.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the voluntary organisations to which he has given headquarter grants in each of the last three years; what percentage the grant is of each body's total expenditure; and what percentage the Government grant is in relation to the funds received from private sources.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not immediately available centrally for the 400 or so voluntary organisations which the Home Office funds. I will, therefore, write to my hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Mr. Kevin Taylor
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester about the action he intends to take subsequent to the Director of Public Prosecutions' letter to him of 19 January about the outcome of the trial of Mr. Kevin Taylor.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. These are matters for the chief constable who has asked an independent senior officer from another police force to investigate the issues raised by the Director of Public Prosecutions.

  Sunday Trading
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in view of recent cases over Sunday trading when he proposes to bring forward a Bill to align United Kingdom legislation with the treaty of Rome.

  Mr. Mellor
  Although a European Court judgment last year has presented the courts with questions of interpretation, it did not find United Kingdom legislation to be in breach of the treaty of Rome. Nevertheless, the Government continue to hold the view that the Shops Act 1950 is in need of reform and are prepared to consider any practicable proposal from interested parties if they can reach agreement on a way forward which is likely to command parliamentary support.

  Tear Gas
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what regulations and guidelines he issues governing the use of tear gas in cases of civil disorder;

  (2) what information he has as to which constabularies hold supplies of tear gas and as to what standing orders govern its use.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  For guidance on the use of CS by the police in situations of serious public disorder I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary to a question from my hon. Friend for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 19 May 1986 at columns 15–16. This explained that revised guidelines on the use of CS and baton rounds to deal with serious public
  430
  disorder had been issued to all chief officers of police in England and Wales and that they covered the following points:
  CS or baton rounds are to be used only with the express authority of the chief officer of police (or in his absence his deputy) under the direction and control of a designated senior officer, and by police officers who have been trained in the use of the equipment and know its characteristics.
  CS or baton rounds are to be used only as a last resort where conventional methods of policing have been tried and failed, or must from the nature of the circumstances be unlikely to succeed if tried; and where there is risk of loss of life, or serious injury (or widespread destruction of property such that there is, or is judged to be, a sufficiently serious risk of loss of life or serious injury to justify the use of baton rounds or CS); and where the use of CS and baton rounds is judged as necessary because it is likely to reduce the risk. An oral warning is to be given to the crowd to disperse before CS or baton rounds are used. Once the use of baton rounds has begun the need to continue use is to be assessed continuously. Particular caution is to be taken over the use of baton rounds for offensive purposes.
  If a chief officer is not present at the scene, he must be satisfied from reports that the criteria for use set out above have been met. In such circumstances, before the chief officer's authority for use is put into effect, a designated senior officer should satisfy himself at the scene that the criteria are met.
  After each operational firing of baton rounds, a report on the circumstances of the incident in which they were fired is to be made to the Home Secretary.
  Only CS equipment and baton rounds and launchers of a type authorised by the Home Office are to be used for these purposes.
  Nothing in the guidelines affects the principle, to which section 3 of the Criminal Law Act 1967 gives effect, that only such force as is reasonable in the circumstances must be used. The degree of force justified will vary according to the circumstances of each case.

  These guidelines remain in force.

  I understand that the following police forces in England and Wales hold CS for public order purposes:

  Avon and Somerset

  Leicestershire

  Bedfordshire

  Merseyside

  City of London

  Metropolitan

  Cleveland

  Norfolk

  Derbyshire

  North Wales

  Durham

  Nottinghamshire

  Dyfed-Powys

  South Yorkshire

  Essex

  Staffordshire

  Greater Manchester

  Sussex

  Gwent

  Warwickshire

  Hertfordshire

  West Midlands

  Humberside

  Wiltshire

  Kent

  Lancashire

  Energy Costs
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, columns 399–402, if he will give for each of the 21 buildings, for the 21 buildings all together, and for his Department as a whole, the spending on (a) electricity, (b) gas, (c) solid fuel and (d) oil in the latest available year.

  Mr. Waddington
  For expenditure in each of the 21 buildings I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to his question on 10 May at columns 197–98. The total spent in these buildings in 1989–90 was as follows:

  431

  £

  Gas

  155,147

  Electricity

  1,169,570

  Oil

  231,490

  Solid fuel

  186,098

  As I said in my reply to the hon. Gentleman's question on 30 April at columns 399–402, the information requested for the Department as a whole is not readily available and could he obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will abolish the use of the primary purpose rule in considering applications for entry clearance to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. We believe that the primary purpose rule continues to be necessary.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants over 18 years, supporting their applications with positive DNA results, have(a) been granted entry clearance to the United Kingdom and (b) been refused entry clearance since June 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since June 1989, when my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary announced the circumstances in which we would be prepared to waive the normal requirements of the Immigration Rules and admit reapplicants aged over 18 who could now establish their relationship by means of DNA evidence, entry clearance has been authorised in 34 such cases and refused in 76.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet a deputation from Bangladesh Porishad, at Bradford, accompanied by hon. Members from Bradford, to discuss the matters contained in a letter to him from Bangladesh Porishad, dated 11 June.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The president of Bangladesh Porishad accompanied the right hon. Member for Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley) and the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Central (Mr. Darling) to discuss immigration issues with my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary and my right hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Sussex (Mr. Renton) in June 1989. Bangladesh Porishad has been offered a further meeting with officials.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for all individual cases of entry clearance refusal submitted by Bangladesh Porishad in its letter to him of 11 June to be urgently considered.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Those cases where an entry clearance application is outstanding will be considered and decided as soon as possible.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what charges will be made to Hong Kong residents seeking to take advantage of the provisions in section 1 of the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Bill; and if he intends to give guidance to the Governor on what his powers to fix charges will be.
  432
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The level of fees would be a matter for the Governor. Detailed work on the administration costs has yet to be completed, but on the basis of a preliminary estimate, the Hong Kong Government expect that the fees would not differ substantially from those currently prescribed in regulations under the British Nationality Act 1981—that is, £10 for application and £50 for registration.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the entitlement to United Kingdom benefits of Portuguese nationals from Macau coming to the United Kingdom after 1 January 1993.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  Portuguese nationals from Macau coming to the United Kingdom after 1 January 1993 will have the same social security benefit rights, and be subject to the same eligibility conditions, as other EC nationals coming to the United Kingdom taking account, where appropriate, of regulation (EEC) No. 1408/71—co-ordination of EC member states' social security schemes for migrant workers and their families moving within the EC.

ENERGY

  Waste into Energy
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the waste combustion into energy proposals submitted to date for the initial renewable energy tranche and their proposed output.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The details of individual proposals submitted for inclusion within the non-fossil fuel obligation are commercially confidential.

  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will estimate the increase in the proportion of waste likely to be converted into useful energy by combustion as a result of proposals being submitted for consideration under the renewable energy tranche.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  This information will not be available until the number of waste projects to be contracted within the non-fossil fuel obligation has been established.

  Offshore Installations
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list his sources of independent expert advice on the design and removal of oil and gas rigs and their related undersea installations.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Secretary of State has appointed six certifying authorities to carry out independent assessments of both the design and method of construction of offshore installations before certificates of fitness are issued. No installation can be operated on the United Kingdom continental shelf without a certificate of fitness.

  An abandonment programme for the removal of an offshore installation on the United Kingdom continental shelf requires the approval of the Secretary of State under the Petroleum Act 1987. Those required to submit an abandonment programme will be asked to include independent advice from a certifying authority as to the safety and feasibility of the programme to assist the Secretary of State in his assessment of the programme.
  433
  The six certifying authorities are:

  Lloyd's Register of Shipping

  Det Norske Veritas

  Bureau Veritas

  American Bureau of Shipping

  Germanischer Lloyd

  Offshore Certification Bureau.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are his funding plans for research into wave power for the financial years 1990–91 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Provision for wave energy research is currently £200,000 per year. Future funding will depend on the results of the review of wave energy being carried out by the Department and on the progress of the Department's wave energy project on the island of Islay in Scotland.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to increase the cap on the premium price for renewables entering the non-fossil fuel obligation from 6p per unit per kilowatt hour, to 8p per unit.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The terms on which projects are contracted within the non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO), including the level and timing of payments, are a matter for the public electricity suppliers (PES). However, I am confident that the legislation provides the public electricity suppliers with a fair degree of flexibility which will allow a significant number of renewables projects to be included within the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he proposes to take to protect the development of renewable energy sources after the removal of the fossil fuel levy after 1998; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Government do not expect to take a view on the future of the non-fossil fuel obligation beyond 1998 until the time of the nuclear review in 1994. The strategy for research and development into renewable energy was published as Department of Energy paper No. 55.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has made an assessment of the implication for the viability of renewable energy development of the European Community decision to limit the future of the fossil fuel levy to eight years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 18 April to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) at column 853.

  Bradwell Power Station
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what steps are being taken to prevent a recurrence of the incident that took place at Bradwell nuclear power station on 30 March or any of the other Magnox stations; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what was the quantity of carbon dioxide released during the incident at Bradwell nuclear power station on 30 March; to what extent this gas was radioactively contaminated; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what was the source of the carbon dioxide that was released during the incident at Bradwell nuclear power station on 30 March; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The quantity of carbon dioxide which was released from the leak in the reactor's gas circuit was estimated to be no more than 250 kg and was well within operating limits. No radioactive contamination was detected as a result of the incident.

  The source of the leak was traced to an incorrectly set valve in the gas circuit blowdown room, which is a closed area containing equipment for reducing reactor pressure. The leak was isolated and the carbon dioxide was cleared from the area.

  Nuclear Electric has taken corrective action to prevent a recurrence by tightening control procedures. The investigation into the incident is almost complete and the results will be made known to the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.

  Hinkley Point C
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to receive the inspector's report on the public inquiry into the Hinkley Point C proposed pressurised water reactor nuclear power station.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot) on 14 June 1990 at column 287.

  Hawkshurst Moor (Coal Mine)
  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any responsibility in relation to the planning inquiry on the proposal for a new coal mine at Hawkshurst moor in Berkswell near Coventry.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Magnox Reactors
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will now set a maximum operational life for the Magnox reactors.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a matter for the operators, subject to the safety requirements of the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate.

DEFENCE

  Cruise Missiles
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on any negotiations he has entered into with regard to the future control of cruise missiles on board United States warships and submarines.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have entered into no such negotiations.

  Trident
  Mr., John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the study ordered by the United States Energy Secretary, Mr. James D. Walters, on the cost and feasibility of redesigning the Trident W88 warhead in order to enhance its safety; and what action he proposes to take.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The study which the United States Energy Secretary, James D. Watkins, has ordered is an internal matter for the United States.

  Polaris
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the British Polaris nuclear warheads use insensitive high explosives.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish on 14 June,Official Report, column 325.

  Nuclear Warheads (Transport)
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the recently published report by Large and Associates on the safety and risks involved in the transport of nuclear warheads in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I understand that the report was commissioned by the national steering committee of "nuclear free" local authorities; it contains no contribution by the Ministry of Defence. We have obtained a copy.

  Short-range Nuclear Warheads
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to prohibit the deployment in, storage in or transit through or over the United Kingdom of W69, W79 and W88 warheads until such time as faults in them have been thoroughly investigated and eliminated; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We neither confirm nor deny the presence of nuclear weapons at particular places and times. We do, however, maintain regular contact with the US Government on safety matters and are satisfied with US assurances on the safety of their nuclear weapons.

  Military Ranges, Pembrokeshire
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on any proposals he has to privatise the organisation, maintenance or administration of the Penally, Manorbier and Castlemartin ranges in Pembrokeshire.
  436
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are presently no plans to contractorise the administration of any of these ranges. However the MOD is constantly exploring options to increase efficiency, and such a course could not be ruled out if it could be demonstrated to offer better value for money.

  Arms Sales, Iraq
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide details of the value of arms sales by the United Kingdom to Iraq for each of the years from 1980 to 1989 inclusive in the same form as that provided in his answer to the hon. Member for Eccles (Miss Lestor) on 19 June 1989,Official Report, column 59.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It has been the normal policy of successive Administrations not to provide details of arms sales to specific countries as this is a commercially confidential matter between the customer and the supplier. I see no reason to make a further exception in this case. However, since the beginning of the Iran-Iraq conflict in September 1980 the United Kingdom has refused to allow the supply of any lethal equipments to Iraq in accordance with the guidelines applying to the export of such equipments to both countries.

  WE177 Free-fall Bomb
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the WE177A B and C nuclear warheads use insensitive high explosives.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 14 June,Official Report, column 325.

  Royal Ordnance Factory, Nottingham
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contracts his Department has with the royal ordnance factory at Nottingham.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Department currently has an order of 300 direct and indirect contracts with the royal ordnance factory at Nottingham, mainly for guns and small arms and their spares support.

  Military Training
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South (Mr. Griffiths) of 26 February,Official Report, column 75, if he will list where this military training takes place; on which training sites live firing is permitted; and what is the range of the weapons involved.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Military training takes place at the following locations which are in Ministry of Defence ownership:

  Region and Location

  Central

  Cambusbarron

  Grampian

  Blackdog1

  Rosehearty

  437

  Highland

  Cape Wrath and Garvie

  Island1

  Fort George1

  Kinlochleven

  Tain

  Lothian

  Dreghorn1

  Kirknewton

  Strathclyde

  Dundonald

  Garelochhead1

  Tayside

  Arbroath

  Barry Buddon1

  Rannoch Forest

  Tighnablair1

  Western Isles

  South Uist1

  St. Kilda

  1Locations at which live firing takes place.

  Military training also takes place at the following locations over which the Ministry of Defence has training rights:

  Region and location

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Galloway

  Grampian

  Auchallater

  Blackdog

  Highland

  Tain

  Lothian

  Dreghorn

  Strathclyde

  Dundonald

  Tayside

  Barry Buddon

  Tighnablair

  Western Isles

  South Uist

  It would not be possible to give details of the ranges of all the weapons involved in training in Scotland, some of which are classified. In any event the practice of live firing of weapons can constitute a danger at distances greater than would normally be the range in combat use. The theoretical range of a particular weapon can, if considered alone, give a misleading impression of the practical implications of firing live rounds. All service weapons have an associated safety template which governs the minimum requirement for land where live rounds are to be fired. These templates also take account of the design of the range concerned and the topography of the surrounding land and therefore vary. Live firing is permitted only in locations where sufficient land is available to accommodate the safety templates in full.

WALES

  Health Service
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from health authorities in Wales.
  438
  Mr. David Hunt
  I receive many representations from health authorities in Wales on a wide variety of issues.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department refused to allocate capital resources for any projects submitted by Gwynedd health authority in 1988–89.

  Mr. Grist
  In common with other health authorities in Wales Gwynedd health authority submitted bids for the central funding of a number of capital developments in 1988–89. Of the seven bids submitted by the authority, three were successful and four were rejected.

  In addition a request from the chairman of Gwynedd health authority in July 1988 that consideration be given to the development of a new hospital for Ynys Môn under the Secretary of State's programme for the valleys initiative was turned down since the initiative was restricted to a defined geographical area in south Wales.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 10 May,Official Report, columns 193–94, what information he has on the reasons why Gwynedd health authority's level of capital expenditure in 1988–89 comprised 4 per cent. of the Welsh total for district health authority capital spending.

  Mr. Grist
  I would refer the hon. Member to my reply of 10 May at columns 193–94, which identified the levels of virement between district health authorities' revenue and capital allocations in the period 1985–86 and 1988–89, which influence both the respective levels and proportions of their capital expenditure in each of these years.

  Private Water Supplies
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many private sources of water supply in Wales will be subject to licensing by the National Rivers Authority after September.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are at present more than 4,000 licensed abstractions in the National Rivers Authority's Welsh region. It is not possible to predict how many applications for new licences will be made in the next few months.

  Education (Mid Glamorgan)
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met the director of education in Mid Glamorgan to discuss education in Mid Glamorgan.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend met the chairman of Mid Glamorgan education committee, accompanied by the assistant director for further education and the deputy county clerk, on 4 June.

  Community Councils
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce legislation to protect local democratic representation through elected community councils in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Present legislation already confers such protection, as each individual community is entitled to decide whether to have a council or not.

  Project 2000
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to enable the health service in Wales to meet the original 1990–91 deadline for implementing the Project 2000 nurse training initiative.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My policy is to ensure that Project 2000 is implemented in Wales as soon as resources and planning considerations allow.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest unadjusted figures for unemployment in(a) Newport, (b) Gwent and (c) Wales; and if he will give the equivalent figures for 1979 on the most nearly comparable basis.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On May 10 1990 the number of unemployment claimants in the Newport district, Gwent and Wales were 4,446, 13,136 and 81,194 respectively. Unadjusted figures for 1979 are not available on a basis which enables a valid comparison to be made.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the reduction in employment training funding in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Individual budgets are still being discussed but the fall in unemployment means that Government funding at previous levels is no longer required.

  National Curriculum
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on progress on the implementation of the national curriculum within Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We have made good progress in the implementation of the national curriculum in Wales commencing with mathematics, science and primary English in autumn 1989; to be followed this year by secondary English, technology and Welsh in schools where Welsh is taught already. In preparation for the introduction of history and geography in 1991 I have published recently my proposals for geography in the national curriculum and the report of the history committee for Wales.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision he is making within the national curriculum for teaching Welsh history in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The report of the history committee for Wales was published on 12 June. The report sets out recommendations for the history course for pupils from age five to 16 in schools in Wales and a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

  We will publish proposals for attainment targets and programmes of study for history within the national curriculum in the schools of Wales in due course.

  Argoed High School
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received against the proposed closure of Argoed high school.
  440
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Some 140 letters have been received since March 1990 about the proposed closure of Argoed high school.

  Floods (Compensation)
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will now make an assessment of the total contribution which the Government will have made to compensate individuals and local authorities for losses caused by the flooding in February; and what calculation he has made of the additional community charge which will be payable in Colwyn and in Rhuddlan in 1991 as a direct consequence of the floods.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I acknowledge the speed with which the authorities concerned are undertaking all the work arising from the emergency. The Government, too, responded swiftly. We immediately activated the Bellwin arrangements and contributed to the funds established by the mayors. Subsequently we set up a working party to co-ordinate the Government's efforts in support of the local authorities and the people affected. Throughout, my Department has been in close touch with the local authorities concerned. Priority has been given to restoring confidence especially through ensuring the provision of the best possible sea defences.

  An early estimate based in part on information provided by the local authorities is that the total Government contribution could exceed £4 million. The local contribution to the community charge to expenditure arising from the emergency should not be significant.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received about the effect of the poll tax on young people on low incomes in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received various representations about community charge, some of which have been about the position of young people.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the implications of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill for the future role of East Dyfed health authority and the other health authorities in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The implications of the Bill for all health authorities are explained in the Welsh Office National Health Service directorate's paper, "Developing Roles in NHS Wales", published in April 1990, copies of which were sent to all Welsh Members and placed in the Library of the House.

  Opencast Coal
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on present planning procedures as they affect Welsh opencast coal sites.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Procedures for handling mineral planning applications, including opencast coal sites, are set out in the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 (S.I. 1988, No. 1813). Advice on
  441
  handling specific development proposals is given in minerals planning guidance note No. 3, "Open Cast Coal Mining", issued in May 1988.

  Ophthalmic Services
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply of 15 May,Official Report, column 371, regarding glaucoma cases, when he expects to provide the information.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my letter of 18 June 1990, a copy of which is also in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people on family credit or income support received free eye tests in Wales(a) in each quarter in 1988–89 and (b) in each quarter in 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  The data requested were not collected centrally prior to 1 April 1989, since when they have been collected on a six-monthly basis. The available information is given as follows:

  Estimated1 number of sight tests paid for by family practitioner committees in the six months ending

  30 September 1989

  31 March 1990

  Adults receiving family credit or income support

  33,420

  35,700

  1 Estimates based upon a 2 per cent, sample of all such sight tests.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how the amount of the financial allocation for the new system of home improvement grants for the financial year 1991–92 will be determined.

  Mr. Grist
  This is a matter to be determined in the current public expenditure survey.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the new system for home improvement grants will come into operation.

  Mr. Grist
  The new area renovation arrangements and minor works assistance were introduced on 1 April this year. The remainder of the new renovation grant system will be brought into effect on 1 July 1990.

  Housing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he proposes to have on the housing needs of the elderly in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The Department is currently consulting statutory and voluntary bodies on the future of home improvement agencies in Wales. The housing needs of elderly people will also be considered by Welsh district councils and officials in the context of authorities' housing strategies for 1991–92.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will call for a report from the chairman of Tai Cymru on its supervision of the financial affairs of Corlan Housing Association;
  442
  (2) when he expects to receive the report of the inquiry instituted under the Housing Association Act 1973 into the financial difficulties of Corlan Housing Association;

  (3) if he will publish the report of the inquiry into the financial affairs of Corlan Housing Association; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) whether he has any plans to issue new guidelines to Tai Cymru on the supervision of the financial affairs of Welsh housing associations.

  Mr. Grist
  Under the Housing Associations Act 1985 Housing for Wales has various powers and responsibilities in respect of registered housing associations and under section 28 of the Act has instituted an inquiry into the affairs of Corlan Housing Association. A report is expected within about six weeks. Housing for Wales will then decide what further action needs to be taken in the light of the inquiry's findings. My right hon. Friend and I are, of course, in touch with the situation.

  The board of Housing for Wales is already considering the wider implications of the situation and will be discussing these with me.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what consideration he has given to the independent technical report prepared for Newport borough council by Ove Arup, consulting engineers, on the structural soundness of houses at Ringwood hill, Newport, Gwent;

  (2) if he will vary or revoke the designation of properties at Ringwood hill, Newport, Gwent, as being defective within the terms of section 528 of the Housing Act 1985;

  (3) if he will now reply to a letter dated 9 May from the hon. Member for Newport, East concerning the designation of houses at Ringwood hill, Newport, Gwent, as being defective within the terms of section 528 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Mr. Grist
  I have not received any recent correspondence from the hon. Gentleman about houses at Ringwood hill, Newport. However, we have very recently written to Newport borough council to say that my right hon. Friend is not prepared to revoke or vary the designation of Hawksley SGS houses under section 528 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the policy outlined in his reply of 11 June,Official Report, column 25, applies to properties owned by Douglas Haig Memorial Homes.

  Mr. Grist
  As a landlord body, Douglas Haig Memorial Homes will be able to apply for financial assistance under the renovation grant being introduced from 1 July.

  Communicators for the Deaf
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on future funding for the Communicators for the Deaf course at Barry college.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Training Agency funded the course on a 12-month contract which ends in July. There are no plans to extend funding.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how he proposes to provide training for communicators for the deaf in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department recognises the need for and value of training in this field. A three-year grant
  443
  was awarded to the Wales Council for the Deaf in 1989–90 to set up a pilot project with the aim of increasing the number of people with advanced qualifications in sign language.

  Bathing Beaches
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 13 June, if he will make it his policy to provide the financial resources necessary to fully implement the display of information on water quality at all bathing beaches in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 13 June at column 226, to which there is nothing that I can add.

  Engineering
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will call for a report on the supply and demand for engineering skills and training facilities in Wales arising from(a) new investment projects and (b) existing firms, including small enterprises.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A labour market assessment covering the whole of Wales is undertaken annually by the Training Agency for Wales. In addition, the Training Agency carries out specific research exercises such as the "Valley Skills" study. At a local level the developing training and enterprise councils are undertaking local labour market research for their corporate and business plans. The supply and demand for engineering skills and training feature as subjects in these studies. Known inward investment projects are taken into account and firms of all sizes are considered.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what public funds have been made available towards the cost of a regional freight terminal linking Welsh industry and commerce with the channel tunnel.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No specific amount has been set aside for freight terminals. British Rail is proposing to spend over £1 billion to enable freight and passenger services to be in place when the tunnel opens. This includes expenditure on freight terminals. British Rail is currently negotiating to obtain the best commercial deals on terminals in partnership with the private sector.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has undertaken on the demand for a regional freight terminal in south Wales to link with the channel tunnel.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None. This is a matter for British Rail, which has identified south Wales as a possible location for a major terminal for channel tunnel freight services.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make an assessment of the demand in Wales for regional freight terminals to link with the channel tunnel.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. British Rail has already assessed the demand in Wales for freight terminals in drawing up its published plan for channel tunnel services. It is now up to businesses in Wales to consider their requirements and make these known to British Rail.

TRANSPORT

  M6 (Road Works)
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report (a) the number of occasions when major road works have taken place on the M6 motorway between junction 8 (M5 Ray Hall) and junction 9 (Bescot), (b) the type of work carried out and (c) the total cost of such work since that portion of the M6 motorway was completed.

  Mr. Atkins
  Since the M6 opened, there has been one major road maintenance scheme on this section, in 1979, when major reconstruction and resurfacing of the carriageways between junctions 8 and 10 was undertaken at a cost of £3 million. Further major maintenance works between junctions 8 and 9 will start this month. In addition there is an ongoing programme of structural maintenance to the viaducts themselves.

  Bedford Bypass
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he proposes to publish Her Majesty's Government's recommendations about the line of route for linking the projected southern relief road at Elstow in the county of Bedford with the A428.

  Mr. Atkins
  Such a link would form a western bypass of Bedford. The Department is discussing its preferred inner route with the local authorities, which favour alternative proposals further to the west. Technical analyses of traffic data will take a number of months to complete and I do not expect to make any announcements before the autumn.

  Dial-a-Ride
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements are made to fund dial-a-ride and similar services for disabled people outside London; if he will list the amounts paid in support of such services in shire county and metropolitan areas in the years 1988–89 and 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Shire councils and passenger transport authorities and executives in the metropolitan areas have a duty to have regard to the transport needs of members of the public who are elderly or disabled, and may fund dial-a-ride and other special needs services. We do not have comprehensive figures on local authority spending in this area, but a recent assessment by the local authority associations put provision by the PTAs in the metropolitan areas at £4·4 million in 1988–89 and £8·2 million in 1989–90.

  East London Rail Study
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what representations he has received concerning the release of any economic evaluation of the east London rail study; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish any cost/benefit analysis of the east London rail study commissioned by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  A small number of representations have been received about the release of details of the economic
  445
  evaluation of the Jubilee line extension including some from hon. Members. This material was not released at the time the east London rail study report was published last July as it might have prejudiced negotiations with developers about their contributions to the cost of the line. However, now that agreement has been reached about the level of these contributions, I can now release this information. The cost benefit analysis which lay behind the ELRS report was as follows.
  Present value of costs and benefits for the Jubilee line extension from Green Park via (inter alia) Waterloo, Canary Wharf and Greenwich Point to Stratford

  1988–89 prices discounted to 1989

  £ million

  Capital costs

  (690)

  Operating cost

  (90)

  Additional revenue

  290

  Funding gap

  (490)

  Passenger benefits

  730

  Road user benefits

  200

  Net benefit

  440

  Benefit: cost ratio

  1·56:1

  London Underground
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received advocating the extension of the London underground to Thamesmead; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department has received a small number of representations in support of an extension of the Jubilee line to Thamesmead. The east London rail study showed that the capital costs (estimated at £420 million in 1989 prices) and operating costs would greatly exceed the revenues and benefits.

  Channel Ferries (Fire Drills)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply,Official Report, 7 June, column 696, what fire drill practice passengers on cross-channel ferries undergo on each voyage; and what fire drill information they are given in case of fire.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Fire drills are directed at the crew and passengers are not required to participate. A fire in a space used by passengers should be detected by automatic fire detection systems or by fire patrols required by the SOLAS convention. This will activate the measures provided on the vessel for fighting a fire—including the provision of trained crew. In the event of a fire passengers would be instructed on the public address system to muster at specified positions on the vessels in the same way as in any other emergency. These instructions are also required to be posted in cabins and in other spaces used by passengers.

SCOTLAND

  Lead Contamination
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research his Department has conducted into the effects of lead in water; and if he will make a statement.
  446
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Home and Health Department has provided funding for a number of long-running major projects over the past 18 years:

  Studies in Environmental and Industrial Lead Intoxification.

  Studies on the Biological Effects of Lead and Cadmium in the Environment.

  The Evaluation of Certain Aspects of Lead and Cadmium Exposure in Terms of Biochemical Effects and Consideration of Bio-Analytical Indices of Exposure.

  Developmental Behavioural and Neurochemical Aspects of Lead Exposure in Man and Experimental Animals.

  Neuropsychological Function in Children Exposed to Low Levels of Lead in the Environment (in conjunction with
  the Medical Research Council).

  Community Service Orders
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost of administering community service orders in Scotland in the last year for which figures are available; how many orders were made per 100,000 of the population in that year; and what was the average cost per order.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The gross expenditure incurred by local authorities in the financial year ended 31 March 1989 in respect of community service schemes was estimated to be £3·2 million. There were 3,492 orders made during the same period, representing 69 per 100,000 population. On the basis of these figures, the average cost per order was about £920.

  Security Firms
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the private security firms presently employed by his Department, the buildings at which they operate and the date of expiry of each contract.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The information relating to the Scottish Office and associated departments is set out in the table:

  Company

  Location

  Expiry date of contract

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Middleton Hall, by Gorebridge

  13 July 1990

  Wackenhut (UK) Ltd.

  Marine Laboratory, Aberdeen

  1 December 1990

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Brandon Street, Edinburgh

  31 March 1992

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Saughton House, Edinburgh

  31 March 1992

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Jeffrey Street, Edinburgh

  31 March 1992

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Supreme Courts, Edinburgh

  31 December 1991

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Edinburgh Sheriff Court

  31 December 1991

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Glasgow Sheriff Court

  25 April 1992

  Group 4 Total Security Ltd.

  Ladywell House, Edinburgh

  1—

  Group 4 Total Security Ltd.

  GRO Building, Station Road, Edinburgh

  1—

  1 These buildings are covered by an ongoing contract which may be terminated following one month's notice.

  Probation Orders
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many probation orders have been made by the courts in Scotland in each of the last five years; how many orders were made per 100,000 of the population in the latest available year; and what was the cost of administering probation orders in that year.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The number of persons placed on probation in each of the past five years for which figures are available is published in the Scottish Home and Health Department statistical bulletin No. 1/1990, "Criminal Proceedings in Scottish Courts, 1988", which is available in the Library.

  In 1988, 68 persons per 100,000 of the population aged eight or over were placed on probation. (If a person is placed on probation more than once in the same year, each occasion is counted separately.)

  1. Contracts awarded for Management Consultancies

  Firm

  Subject of Assignment

  19861

  BP International Limited

  Scottish Office Procurement Manual

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates Limited

  Marketing Awareness, Historic Buildings and Monuments

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates Limited

  Investment Function, Scottish Development Agency

  Ernst and Whinney

  Management Organisation and Procedures, Scottish Legal Aid Board

  Hay—MSL Management Consultants Limited

  Grading Review—Nursing Services

  Inbucon Management Consultants Limited

  Financial Management Scottish Development Agency

  Inbucon Management Consultants Limited

  NHS Linen Services in Scotland

  SCICON Limited

  Patient Administration System

  19871

  Frank Griffiths Associates Limited

  Overview of Roads Procurement Procedures

  CIPFA Services

  Community Charge

  19881

  PIEDA

  Dounreay rundown

  Deloitte, Haskins and Sells

  Scottish Homes

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates Limited

  Scottish Homes (several projects)

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates Limited

  New Towns industrial and commercial assets

  Gilpin Black Associates

  Scottish Homes

  Firn, Crichton Roberts Limited

  Strathclyde Integrated Development Operation

  Open College

  Open Learning

  University of Warwick

  Performance measurements in Further Education

  Dr. S. Clarke

  Evaluation and quality of learning and teaching in Further Education

  Dundee College of Technology

  Investigation of the administrative arrangements in Jordanhill School

  1989–902

  A. Fegent

  Procurement (2 Projects)

  Touche Ross

  Health Education Review

  Peat, Marwick McLintock

  Lothian Health Board

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates Limited

  HBM Executive Agency proposals

  Price Waterhouse

  Creche facilities

  British Institute of Management

  Network analysis on probation court services and parole

  Peat, Marwick McLintock

  Further Education development planning

  Edinburgh University

  Interpretation of a new statistical method

  CSL Group Limited

  Financial Regulations for School Boards

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  Education Finance

  1 Calendar year.

  2 Financial year.

  (2) Expenditure on management consultancies1

  £

  1985–86

  491,864

  1986–87

  569,038

  1987–88

  198,338

  1988–89

  1,162,108

  21989–90

  300,000

  1 Expenditure in a particular year does not necessarily relate exclusively to contracts awarded in that year.

  2 Estimated figure.

  448
  Local authorities are unable to identify separately within the social work budget the cost of supervision of persons subject to probation orders.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Rifkind
  Comprehensive records of all studies for the period requested are not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. Details of contract costs cannot be disclosed because of commercial confidentiality. The following information is readily available:

  Urban Aid
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures showing total urban aid funding disbursed to new projects in the area of the Govan Initiative in 1988–89 and 1989–90; and how much of this went to projects submitted through the Govan Initiative.

  Mr. Lang
  There were 11 additional urban programme approvals in 1988–89 for the area of the Govan Initiative amounting to £1·340 million in total capital and annual
  449
  running costs of which £1–311 million was for nine new projects. Three of this number, representing £0·264 million of the total, were submitted through the Govan Initiative.

  There were 11 additional urban programme approvals in 1989–90 for the area of the Govan Initiative amounting to £0·682 million in total capital and annual running costs of which £0·537 million was for six new projects. Four of this number, representing £0·490 million of the total, were sponsored by the Govan Initiative.

  The additional approvals in 1989–90 brought total approved expenditure for the Govan Initiative area for the year to £1·708 million on 28 projects.

  Mr. Siliars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if, when considering urban aid allocations to economic initiatives in Strathclyde, he treates this aid as supplementary to the urban aid disbursed to non-initiative projects, and therefore not prejudicial to the non-initiative applicants.

  Mr. Lang
  In arriving at the dedicated urban programme budgets which have been offered for Castlemilk, Drumchapel and Easterhouse in Glasgow and for Ferguslie Park in Paisley, account was taken of each area's share of the worst deprivation, and its track record of success in securing urban programme resources.

  The budgets offered for Castlemilk and Ferguslie Park also took into account the fact that urban programme resources had been increased in order to allow additional priority to be given to urban partnerships areas without reducing the Government's commitment to other eligible areas. There is therefore no reason to believe that the provision of dedicated budgets should cause other areas to lose out.

  Community Service Orders
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many community service orders have been made by the courts in Scotland in each of the last five years; and if he will break down the figure in the last available year according to the number of hours of service specified in the order.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The information is set out in the tables.

  Community Service Orders made by Courts

  Year

  Number of Orders

  1985

  2,889

  1986

  3,453

  1987

  3,508

  1988

  3,590

  1989

  4,190

  Number of Hours of Service Specified in the Order 1989

  Number of Hours

  Number of Orders

  40–95

  802

  100–140

  1,429

  150–190

  991

  200–240

  968

  Total

  4,190

  Forestry Commission
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much Forestry Commission land was sold in each of England, Scotland and Wales in the 12 months to 1 April; and how much of this land was subject to agreement securing future public access.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows. The figures given are provisional at this stage.

  Area of Forestry Commission land sold in the year to 31 March 1990

  Hectares

  England

  1,699

  Scotland

  4,689

  Wales

  1,276

  None of the land was subject to specific agreements concerning future public access.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what policies he has adopted to secure continuing public access to Forestry Commission land sold to the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government are concerned that the general public should continue to enjoy access to those forests to be disposed of by the Forestry Commission in a way which is compatible with their management for forestry and other purposes. We are giving careful consideration to ways of achieving this objective, but a number of complex issues is having to be addressed. In the meantime, the commission is deferring the sale of woodlands that are particularly sensitive from the point of view of public access, except in those cases where the sale is to an environmental body under the sponsorship arrangements.

  Secondary Education
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is able to announce the membership of the committee which he has established to review courses and examinations in the fifth and sixth years of Scottish secondary education.

  Mr. Lang
  I am glad to be able to announce that the following have accepted my right hon. and learned Friend's invitation to serve on the committee to be chaired by Professor John Howie:

  Mr. David Alexander, Depute Director of Education, Strathclyde Regional Council.

  Mr. Richard Bisset, Headteacher, Kemnay Academy, Aberdeenshire.

  Mr. Thomas Burness, Principal, Glenrothes and Buckhaven Technical College, Fife.

  Mr. Ronald Crawford, Academic Registrar, University of Strathclyde and Executive Secretary, Universities of Scotland Standing Conference.

  Mrs. Dorothy Dalton, Chief Executive, Scottish Community Education Council.

  Dr. John Gow, Secretary General, The Royal Society of Chemistry.

  Mrs. Deirdre Hutton.

  Professor Ian Lockerbie, Department of Educational Policy and Development, University of Stirling.

  Mr. James McVittie, Headteacher, St. Ninian's High School, Eastwood, Renfrewshire.

  Professor Ian Marrian, Director of Education, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland.

  451

  Mr. David Meek, Assistant Headteacher, Boclair Academy, Bearsden.

  Mr. Robert Nimmo, Rector, High School of Dundee.

  Mrs. Jennifer Rees, Head of Management Studies Department, Scottish College of Textiles, Galashiels.

  Mr. David Semple, Director of Education, Lothian Regional Council.

  Mr. James Thompson, Principal Teacher of Mathematics, High School of Stirling.

  Sir John Thomson, former member of Her Majesty's Diplomatic Service.

  Dr. Gordon Wilson, Principal, Craigie College of Education.

  Professor John Woodward, Vice Principal, Paisley College of Technology.

  HIV
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority in Scotland the number of persons infected with HIV; and if he will separately distinguish these numbers by age.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: The following table gives a breakdown by health board area of the total number of positive HIV antibody test results in Scotland which have been reported to the communicable diseases (Scotland) unit up to 31 March 1990. Where the total number of results in each board area is under 10, the figure, in accordance with established practice, is not published so as not to jeopardise medical confidentiality.

  Health board

  Number of positive results

  Argyll and Clyde

  14

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1

  Borders

  1

  Dumfries and Galloway

  13

  Fife

  26

  Forth Valley

  60

  Grampian

  40

  Greater Glasgow

  278

  Highland

  12

  Lanarkshire

  27

  Lothian

  1,053

  Orkney

  Nil

  Shetland

  1

  Tayside

  233

  Western Isles

  Nil

  TOTAL (SCOTLAND)

  1,769

  1 Under 10.

  The age distribution of results by health board area is not readily available and could not, in any event, be given where the number involved is under 10. The age distribution, where known, of the total number of results is shown in the table.

  Age

  Number of positive results

  Under 14 years

  116

  15 to 24 years

  723

  25 to 34 years

  624

  35 to 44 years

  158

  Over 45 years

  44

  Not known

  104

  452
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the correlation coefficient between the incidence of HIV infection and the incidence of tuberculosis in Scotland over the period 1980 to 1990.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: As the respective relevant data on HIV antibody positive results reported to the communicable diseases (Scotland) unit and on the notification of tuberculosis in Scotland are not compatible, any attempt at a correlation coefficient using the data would not be valid. No evidence exists of a correlation in Scotland between the incidence of HIV infection and the incidence of tuberculosis, although tuberculosis has occurred in a small proportion of persons with AIDS.

  The annual number of positive reports of HIV infection and notifications of tuberculosis in Scotland from 1980 to 1989 inclusive are given in the following table:

  HIV positive results

  Tuberculosis

  1980

  0

  1,138

  1981

  2

  972

  1982

  9

  902

  1983

  42

  829

  1984

  169

  738

  1985

  314

  707

  1986

  472

  756

  1987

  373

  560

  1988

  197

  534

  1989

  151

  1540

  1 provisional.

  Farm Pollution
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details about steps taken by his Department in order to quantify the damage to health and safety of people and environment caused by cases of farm pollution in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 June 1990]: The Scottish farm waste liaison group compiles records of pollution incidents and publishes information on the numbers and types of such incidents. The group, which was established in 1981, comprises representatives of river purification boards, the Scottish agricultural college and the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland.

  Reports on specific incidents are made in the annual reports of the river purification authority concerned. There are very few recorded cases of direct damage to health arising from specific farm pollution incidents.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding the role of his Department in the care and protection of the health and safety of the Scottish people and environment from farm pollution.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 8 June 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 8 June, Official Report, Vol. 173, column 737. The Government aim by a policy of education, regulation and enforcement to reduce farm pollution at source in the interests of safeguarding public health and protecting the environment.

  The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland, together with other Departments, keeps the use

  453
  and effectiveness of pesticides under review. Where it is justified on scientific grounds action is taken to ban substances whose continued use is found to be unacceptable. The Department was associated with the preparation of a code of practice for the safe use of pesticides on farms and holdings published earlier this year. Guidance has also been issued on the operation of intensive livestock units and on the control of slurry spreading.

  The safeguarding of public health is one of the objectives of the Sludge (Use in Agriculture) Regulations 1989, a measure introduced recently to protect the environment, and in particular the soil, when sewage sludge is used in agriculture.

  The Scottish Development Department sponsors the seven Scottish river purification boards which, along with the three islands councils, are responsible under the Control of Pollution Act 1974 for controlling pollution of the water environment. Their powers were recently improved and strengthened in the Water Act 1989. Where pollution of water occurs, whether from farm or other sources, it falls on these authorities both to take action to safeguard health by notifying water authorities and the public likely to be affected and to assemble evidence against the possibility of offenders being prosecuted.

  All employers and the self-employed, including farmers, have a general duty under section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to ensure, so far as reasonably practicable, the health and safety of persons who may be affected by their work activities.

  The specific obligations relating to the protection of employees' health imposed on employers by the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations also extend so far as reasonably practicable to non-employees both on and off the employer's premises.

  Disabled People
  Mr Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people with disability are on employment training placements with employers; and what percentage this is of placements for people with disabilities.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: The information requested is not collected by the Training Agency. However, I can say that 2,822 (3·5 per cent. of the total) disabled people joined employment training in Scotland in the period end September 1988 to March 1990 and that overall within that period 22 per cent. of all employment training placements have been with employers.

  Hepatitis B
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of medical and nursing staff in Scotland who have contacted hepatitis B in each of the last 10 years; and how many medical nursing staff have died from contracting hepatitis B in these years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: This information is not held centrally. National statistics about the incidence of hepatitis B do not separately identify particular occupational groups.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total expenditure by the Scottish 454
  Home and Health Department over the past 10 years in advertising risks to medical staff of contracting hepatitis B as a result of their work.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: The Scottish Home and Health Department does not incur specific expenditure on advertising the occupational risks of hepatitis B to medical staff. The Department does, however, issue to health boards the memorandum "Immunisation against Infectious Disease", which is prepared and regularly revised for the health departments by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation. The memorandum, the latest edition of which has just been sent to health boards, identifies the occupational groups, including medical staff, particularly at risk from hepatitis B and gives advice on those to whom vaccination should be offered. Further advice is contained in "Guidance for Clinical Health Care Workers: Protection against Infection with HIV and Hepatitis Viruses". This booklet, which was issued by the Department to health boards recently, contains guidance on measures for the protection of health care workers in hospital and the community against occupational infection with HIV and hepatitis viruses.

  The occupational health services within health boards will also give advice to medical staff about the risks of contracting hepatitis B and on the protective measures which can be taken.

  Salmon
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to publish the results of the inquiry into the east coast salmon fishery.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: The analysis of scientific data is almost complete. Once this is submitted, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food will then have to consider the implications. A report to both Houses will be submitted as soon as possible thereafter.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Capital Allocations
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the 1990–91 capital allocations to each local education authority, indicating in each case the bid submitted and the allocation as a percentage of the bid and indicate which local education authorities have made representations for additional resources.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested on annual capital guidelines for education is set out in the table. Local education authorities are free to augment their annual capital guidelines within the flexibilities of the capital finance system by the use of capital receipts and other sources of income. The following LEAs have made formal representations for additional resources:

  Berkshire

  Bolton

  Bradford

  Buckinghamshire

  Cornwall

  Coventry

  455

  Devon

  Dorset

  Dudley

  East Sussex

  Essex

  Gateshead

  Hackney

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  Hampshire

  Humberside

  Leeds

  Leicestershire

  Lincolnshire

  Manchester

  Newham

  Norfolk

  Northumberland

  Nottinghamshire

  Oldham

  Rochdale

  Rotherham

  St. Helens

  Sheffield

  Stockport

  Sunderland

  Surrey

  Sutton

  Tower Hamlets

  Westminster

  Wiltshire

  Education plans and annual capital guidelines for 1990–91

  LEA

  1990–91 Plans (cash)

  1990–91 Annual capital guideline (ACG) (cash)

  1990–91 Initial ACG percentage of plans

  Barking

  1,415

  485

  34

  Barnet

  4,484

  888

  20

  Bexley

  4,892

  1,242

  25

  Brent

  6,332

  687

  11

  Bromley

  6,612

  1,684

  25

  Croydon

  19,319

  1,061

  5

  Ealing

  14,683

  889

  6

  Enfield

  30,222

  1,315

  4

  Haringey

  5,245

  1,132

  22

  Harrow

  3,345

  1,073

  32

  Havering

  8,589

  5,881

  68

  Hillingdon

  7,692

  1,140

  15

  Hounslow

  7,000

  539

  8

  Kingston

  4,475

  268

  6

  Merton

  11,257

  3,608

  32

  Newham

  16,733

  5,572

  33

  Redbridge

  5,787

  1,577

  27

  Richmond

  7,290

  1,390

  19

  Sutton

  14,161

  2,974

  21

  Waltham

  11,771

  6,661

  57

  City of London

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  5,369

  1,421

  26

  Westminster

  5,613

  380

  7

  Greenwich

  10,823

  3,849

  36

  Hackney

  9,218

  2,605

  28

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  3,662

  1,047

  29

  Islington

  8,670

  1,079

  12

  Kensington

  9,172

  2,145

  23

  Lambeth

  4,858

  1,480

  30

  Lewisham

  8,762

  1,232

  14

  Southwark

  17,740

  5,429

  31

  Wandsworth

  17,305

  1,677

  10

  Tower Hamlets

  33,246

  7,778

  23

  Birmingham

  15,407

  10,494

  68

  Coventry

  12,758

  1,962

  15

  Dudley

  6,308

  3,608

  57

  Sandwell

  8,493

  1,647

  19

  Solihull

  6,365

  1,511

  24

  Walsall

  4,911

  1,369

  28

  456

  LEA

  1990–91 Plans (cash)

  1990–91 Annual capital guideline (ACG) (cash)

  1990–91 Initial ACG percentage of plans

  Wolverhampton

  3,353

  783

  23

  Knowsley

  6,594

  2,080

  32

  Liverpool

  16,861

  9,742

  58

  St. Helens

  6,610

  5,066

  77

  Sefton

  7,111

  4,176

  59

  Wirral

  7,099

  3,354

  47

  Bolton

  5,619

  802

  14

  Bury

  1,476

  815

  55

  Manchester

  29,168

  3,062

  10

  Oldham

  7,707

  3,429

  44

  Rochdale

  12,529

  4,078

  33

  Salford

  6,461

  3,899

  60

  Stockport

  3,385

  1,300

  38

  Tameside

  2,438

  1,410

  58

  Trafford

  11,268

  9,448

  84

  Wigan

  7,748

  4,378

  57

  Barnsley

  2,276

  1,883

  83

  Doncaster

  1,269

  860

  68

  Rotherham

  3,712

  1,589

  43

  Sheffield

  6,068

  2,428

  40

  Bradford

  28,814

  9,731

  34

  Calderdale

  2,845

  1,514

  53

  Kirklees

  6,876

  1,216

  18

  Leeds

  15,768

  2,562

  16

  Wakefield

  6,860

  5,394

  79

  Gateshead

  8,776

  1,082

  12

  Newcastle

  8,438

  1,564

  19

  North Tyneside

  5,138

  1,265

  25

  South Tyneside

  10,019

  1,894

  19

  Sunderland

  10,205

  1,883

  18

  Isles of Scilly

  300

  221

  74

  Avon

  20,049

  5,653

  28

  Bedfordshire

  12,767

  2,409

  19

  Berkshire

  15,932

  4,500

  28

  Buckinghamshire

  14,902

  4,544

  30

  Cambridgeshire

  34,854

  13,229

  38

  Cheshire

  15,935

  5,814

  36

  Cleveland

  7,761

  3,329

  43

  Cornwall

  18,786

  6,522

  35

  Cumbria

  13,051

  7,930

  61

  Derbyshire

  26,701

  14,653

  55

  Devon

  28,679

  12,984

  45

  Dorset

  11,414

  3,853

  34

  Durham

  19,564

  4,924

  25

  East Sussex

  23,967

  8,613

  36

  Essex

  42,364

  13,895

  33

  Gloucester

  18,734

  7,917

  42

  Hampshire

  37,095

  13,325

  36

  Hereford and Worcester

  12,740

  6,248

  49

  Hertford

  16,526

  6,526

  39

  Humberside

  17,795

  9,004

  51

  Isle of Wight

  6,275

  1,912

  30

  Kent

  33,849

  16,210

  48

  Lancashire

  36,022

  18,524

  51

  Leicestershire

  16,794

  11,154

  66

  Lincolnshire

  23,274

  7,387

  32

  Norfolk

  10,044

  2,880

  29

  North Yorkshire

  7,735

  4,105

  53

  Northamptonshire

  10,076

  6,182

  61

  Northumberland

  5,601

  1,961

  35

  Nottinghamshire

  12,952

  3,716

  29

  Oxfordshire

  15,443

  3,751

  24

  Shropshire

  10,272

  6,319

  62

  Somerset

  13,498

  4,837

  36

  Staffordshire

  16,421

  6,375

  39

  Suffolk

  15,754

  7,921

  50

  Surrey

  11,805

  3,718

  31

  457

  LEA

  1990–91 Plans (cash)

  1990–91 Annual capital guideline (ACG) (cash)

  1990–91 Initial ACG percentage of plans

  Warwickshire

  6,355

  1,507

  24

  W. Sussex

  12,754

  3,633

  28

  Wiltshire

  19,214

  6,256

  33

  Notes:—All figures are in £000's and in cash terms.

  Students
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of(a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate students studying in universities in England and Wales; and what are the estimated targets for undergraduate and postgraduate student numbers for each year up to 1995.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information published by the universities statistical record for the 1988–89 academic year, shows that there 223,311 undergraduates and 82,713 postgraduates studying at universities in England and Wales.

  Future levels of admissions are for individual universities to decide.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of(a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate students in the university of Wales; and what targets have been set for (i) undergraduate and (ii) postgraduate numbers for each university college in each year up to 1995.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information published by the universities statistical record for the 1988–89 academic year, shows that there 17,618 undergraduate and 5,549 postgraduate students in the university of Wales. Future levels of admissions are for the individual constituent colleges to decide.

  Teacher Training
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will instigate an experimental period of payment for teachers who undertake training during holiday periods.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend agrees with the interim advisory committee's view that it would not be helpful to distinguish training which takes place within the 1,265 hours from training which takes place outside directed time.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the increase in cost of paying teachers for holiday training periods during the 1990–91 school year.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  If such payments were made available, the cost would depend on a variety of factors including the amounts of holiday training undertaken and the extent to which it replaced the training currently undertaken in directed time, as well as rates of pay. Given these variables, an estimate is impossible.

  Assessment
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he circulated to the teacher unions for consultation the draft document entitled the Education (National Curriculum) (Assessment Arrangements in English, Mathematics and Science) Order 1990.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Copies of the draft document were dispatched to relevant teacher associations on 18 May with the exception of two of the associations which, by error, were not sent copies. The Department has since sent copies to these two associations.

  Community Work Training
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what plans he has for the future of community work training;

  (2) what representations he has received about the future of community work training; and if he will place them in the Library.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  On 5 April my right hon. Friend announced that from 1 April 1991, he would channel funding to the national level youth service bodies through a single national youth agency. The agency will be based on the existing youth service bodies, in particular the National Youth Bureau (NYB) and the Council for the Education and Training of Youth and Community Workers (CETYCW). One of the functions of the agency will be the development, endorsement, accreditation and, in some circumstances, the provision of youth and community worker training and I shall look to the agency to build upon the work currently undertaken by CETYCW.

  My right hon. Friend has received a number of general representations about the establishment of the agency.

  School Buildings (Access)
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he gives to local education authorities on the standards of access for people with disabilities for new designs for and adaptations to school and college buildings; and whether he will consult interested parties regarding statutory provision for standards of access for new school and college buildings.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Guidance to those responsible for making educational buildings accessible to disabled people and for adapting ordinary school buildings for pupils with special needs is given in design note 18 (1984) and building bulletin 61 published by DES architects and building branch. The design note is based on the recommendations of a working party including representatives of Her Majesty's inspectorate, local authorities and interested central Government Departments.

  Access for disabled people to new school and college buildings is required to be confirmed under the arrangements for obtaining the Secretary of State's approval to capital building projects.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nursery, primary and secondary schools are fully accessible to pupils and teachers with disabilities; what are these figures as percentages of the total number of schools; and if he will make a statement.
  459
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what specific funding has been available to local education authorities to enable access to school and college buildings for pupils and teachers with disabilities in each of the last 10 years; and if he has any plans to make specific grants available to local education authorities to carry out necessary capital works to facilitate physical access for people with disabilities.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  None. It is for local education authorities to decide their priorities for capital expenditure on schools and colleges, taking account of their responsibilities under section 8 of the Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970.

  Special Educational Needs
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many appeals were received under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981 by each local education authority; and what were the decisions taken by the appeals tribunal for each of the years from April 1983.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Appeals under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981 are made directly to my right hon. Friend. Appeals to local appeal committees are made under section 8(2) of the 1981 Act. Information concerning the number and outcome of such appeals is not collected centrally.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many appeals were received under section 5(6) of the Education Act 1981 by each local education authority; and what were the decisions taken by the appeals tribunal for each of the years from April 1983.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Appeals under section 5(6) of the Education Act 1981 are made directly to my right hon. Friend. Since April 1983 he has received 164 such appeals. The following table lists by year the number of such appeals and the number of appeals under section 5(6) which resulted in my right hon. Friend directing the LEA to reconsider its decision not to make a statement of special educational needs.

  Year

  Appeals received

  LEA directed to reconsider

  1983

  3

  0

  1984

  19

  0

  1985

  19

  1

  1986

  21

  3

  1987

  31

  6

  1988

  17

  3

  1989

  12

  7

  There are 42 such appeals upon which my right hon. Friend has yet to reach a decision.

  Student Teachers
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of students with disabilities who have entered initial teacher training for each of the last 10 years; and what percentage of the total number of student teachers this represents.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  These data are not available centrally.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total of the reduction in his Department's expenditure on research and development achieved by taking advantage of the additionality principle when grants have been awarded to United Kingdom universities by the European Economic Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  None. The European Community's requirements in respect of additionality arise in relation to the structural funds rather than to research and development, and the principle applies to the setting of levels of expenditure by public bodies, including Government Departments, rather than to universities which are private sector bodies.

EMPLOYMENT

  National Insurance Credits
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been disallowed national insurance credits for not being available or not actively seeking work in each quarter since January 1987; how many have appealed against those disallowances and with what result; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The employment service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service Agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage change in employment in manufacturing industry for each region of the United Kingdom from 1979 to the latest figures available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest employment estimates are for December 1989. The information is as follows:

  Employees in manufacturing in the United Kingdom Percentage changes June 1979 to December 1989, unadjusted

  Percentage

  South East including London

  -30

  East Anglia

  -14

  South West

  -14

  West Midlands

  -32

  East Midlands

  -18

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  -31

  North West

  -29

  North

  -29

  Wales

  -21

  Scotland

  -30

  Great Britain

  -27

  Northern Ireland

  -29

  United Kingdom

  -27

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage change in the north-west of employment in(a) the service sector, (b) self-employment and (c) manufacturing industry between 1979 and 1990.
  461
  Mr. Nicholls
  Latest employment estimates are for December 1989. In the north-west region, between June 1979 and December 1989, employment in the service sector rose by 10 per cent., self-employment rose by 50 per cent. and employment in manufacturing industries fell by 29 per cent.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing a ward-by-ward breakdown of the numbers of unemployed in the constituencies of(a) Burnley and (b) Pendle for the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The following table shows a ward-byward breakdown of unemployment in the constituencies Burnley and Pendle as at May 1990, the latest available date. The figures are not seasonally adjusted.

  Ward Unemployment—May 1990

  Ward

  Total

  Burnley

  Barclay

  232

  Briercliffe

  52

  Brunshaw

  109

  Burnley Wood

  172

  Calder

  366

  Cliviger

  30

  Coal Clough

  169

  Daneshouse

  301

  Deerplay

  12

  Fulledge

  120

  Gawthorpe

  120

  Hapton

  59

  Heasandford

  130

  Lanehead

  101

  Lowerhouse

  83

  Park

  117

  Queensgate

  88

  Rosehill

  114

  Simonstone Hill

  12

  Trinity

  185

  Whittlefield

  119

  Worsthorne

  20

  Pendle

  Barrowford

  51

  Boulsworth

  42

  Bradley

  193

  Brierfield

  143

  Clover Hill

  68

  Coates

  91

  Craven

  55

  Earby

  68

  Fence

  18

  Foulridge

  10

  Horsfield

  101

  Marsden

  98

  Pendleside

  14

  Reedley

  55

  Southfield

  104

  Vivary Bridge

  185

  Walverden

  84

  Waterside

  132

  Whitefield

  172

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently in work in(a) the east midlands and (b) Derbyshire; and how many people were in work in these areas in 1979.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information relating to counties is available only from censuses of employment. The latest data relate to September 1987 and the earliest comparable to September 1981.

  The available estimates are as follows:
  462

  (a)EAST MIDLANDS

  Civil work force in employment

  December 1979 1,687,000

  December 1989 1,850,000

  (b) DERBYSHIRE

  Employees in employment

  September 1981 335,000

  September 1987 343,000

  Employment Protection
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to seek to change the law so that women with less than two years' service have the same protection against dismissal for pregnancy as women with a minimum of two years' full-time service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  We have no plans to reduce the qualifying periods of service for unfair dismissal on grounds connected with pregnancy. To do so would add to the burdens of employers and thereby threaten employment opportunities.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what research he has commissioned into the effectiveness of the wages councils.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The councils are empowered to set minimum rates of pay in certain industries. The extent of compliance with these rates is regularly assessed by reference to information collected by wages inspectors. This information shows that compliance with wages council orders is running at a very high level.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 13 June, what period is given to any hon. Member who is informed of the possible closure of a local part-time employment office to make representations regarding the proposal; by what mechanism such representations are considered; and whether the chief executive of the Employment Services Agency requires ministerial approval for a closure decision.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is not the practice to undertake a consultation process as part of considering the closure of a part-time local employment service office.

  Any plans that the employment service has to close a full-time local office which involves the withdrawal of its services from a local community are subject to a consultation process in which the views of the appropriate hon. Members, local authorities, civil service trade unions and any other interests are sought and taken into account.

  I refer the hon. Member again to section 6 of the agency framework document which sets out the terms under which the chief executive has the authority to manage the employment service office estate.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many part-time benefit signing offices were operative in 1985; and what is the most recent figure available, giving the figures on a regional basis.

  Mr. Eggar
  The employment service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service Agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Member.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he intends to introduce legislation for a minimum wage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so. A national minimum wage would raise employers' costs and destroy jobs.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a statement on the relationship between youth training allowances and the community charge following the meeting between the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State and the hon. Member for Hertfordshire, West on 6 June.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations about the relationship between liability to pay a proportion of the community charge and the minimum level of training allowance to young people aged 18 years or over who are on youth training. These representations have been referred to the Secretary of State for the Environment, who is reviewing the operation of the community charge to see if there are any anomalies which need to be addressed.

  TVEI
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, by local education authority, the amount of money made available or planned for the technical and vocational education initiative in 1989–90, 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: Below is a table showing by LEA the budgets available or planned for TVEI extension in 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  The additional information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Extension budgets 1989–90

  £

  Barking

  233,438

  Barnet

  377,91

  Bexley

  223,125

  Bromley

  499,979

  Croydon

  675,951

  Ealing

  607,368

  Enfield

  826,943

  Harrow

  78,173

  Havering

  712,951

  Kingston

  56,285

  Richmond

  171,174

  London total

  4,123,283

  Berkshire

  1,888,050

  Buckinghamshire

  1,556,313

  Essex

  3,963,826

  Hampshire

  4,089,115

  Hertfordshire

  2,915,486

  Isle of Wight

  273,423

  Kent

  3,549,967

  Oxfordshire

  1,235,000

  Surrey

  1,463,191

  East Sussex

  1,817,018

  West Sussex

  1,511,363

  South East total

  24,262,752

  464

  £

  Cornwall

  1,310,463

  Devon

  1,145,950

  Gloucestershire

  1,298,761

  Somerset

  1,192,075

  Wiltshire

  1,296,233

  South West total

  6,243,482

  Bedfordshire

  1,648,399

  Cambridgeshire

  1,114,039

  Derbyshire

  1,017,900

  Leicestershire

  2,994,284

  Norfolk

  1,818,302

  Northamptonshire

  1,677,071

  Nottinghamshire

  175,382

  Suffolk

  1,143,000

  East Midlands Total

  11,588,377

  Birmingham

  2,551,091

  Coventry

  1,018,000

  Dudley

  945,878

  Hereford

  2,293,950

  Sandwell

  754,630

  Shropshire

  851,000

  Solihull

  629,350

  Staffordshire

  4,475,150

  Walsall

  286,500

  Warwickshire

  1,586,291

  West Midlands Total

  15,361,840

  Bolton

  755,425

  Bury

  479,751

  Cheshire

  1,289,000

  Cumbria

  789,146

  Manchester

  841,964

  Rochdale

  475,000

  Salford

  515,500

  Stockport

  825,125

  Tameside

  399,991

  Wigan

  635,700

  Wirral

  822,910

  North West Total

  7,829,512

  Bradford

  1,990,934

  Calderdale

  510,000

  North Yorkshire

  1,845,205

  Sheffield

  271,030

  Wakefield

  541,400

  Doncaster

  91,680

  Humberside

  175,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside Total

  5,425,249

  Cleveland

  1,213,434

  Durham

  1,725,826

  Gateshead

  285,908

  Newcastle

  652,571

  North Tyneside

  504,592

  Northumberland

  1,106,328

  South Tyneside

  411,289

  Sunderland

  1,112,234

  Northern Total

  7,012,182

  Clwyd

  1,021,139

  Dyfed

  392,557

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,558,613

  South Glamorgan

  442,653

  West Glamorgan

  452,940

  Gwent

  712,013

  Gwynedd

  931,219

  Powys

  265,039

  Wales Total

  5,776,193

  465

  £

  Ayr

  104,239

  Borders

  206,025

  Central

  9,500

  Dumbarton

  70,800

  Dumfries

  420,250

  Fife

  899,376

  Glasgow

  1,487,372

  Lothian

  2,883,473

  Renfrew

  1,188,631

  Tayside

  82,882

  Scotland total

  7,352,598

  Great Britain total

  94,975,448

  Extension Budgets 1990–91

  Barking

  366,973

  Barnet

  232,000

  Bexley

  341,685

  Bromley

  683,274

  Croydon

  732,384

  Ealing

  750,794

  Enfield

  826,620

  Harrow

  216,000

  Havering

  791,663

  Hillingdon

  230,000

  Kingston

  215,026

  Merton

  97,000

  Newham

  224,000

  Redbridge

  165,000

  Richmond

  298,905

  Sutton (Development funding 1990–91, only)

  150,000

  London total

  6,171,324

  Berkshire

  1,908,986

  Buckinghamshire

  1,892,778

  Essex

  4,992,371

  Hampshire

  4,274,138

  Hertfordshire

  2,724,450

  Isle of Wight

  323,289

  Kent

  4,712,424

  Oxfordshire

  1,340,700

  Surrey

  2,234,785

  East Sussex

  1,524,934

  West Sussex

  1,772,089

  South East total

  27,700,994

  Avon

  910,000

  Cornwall

  1,343,225

  Devon

  2,458,501

  Dorset

  325,000

  Gloucester

  1,395,947

  Somerset

  1,392,574

  Wiltshire

  1,647,498

  South West Total

  9,472,745

  Bedfordshire

  1,449,300

  Cambridgeshire

  1,946,225

  Derbyshire

  1,738,300

  Leicestershire

  2,853,760

  Lincolnshire

  433,000

  Norfolk

  2,123,000

  Northamptonshire

  1,715,939

  Nottinghamshire

  418,000

  Suffolk

  1,932,125

  East Midlands/Eastern Total

  14,609,649

  Birmingham

  4,023,579

  Coventry

  917,195

  Dudley

  942,583

  466

  £

  Herefordshire

  2,293,861

  Sandwell

  955,280

  Shropshire

  1,554,925

  Solihull

  694,027

  Staffordshire

  4,800,305

  Walsall

  821,996

  Warwickshire

  1,653,847

  West Midlands Total

  18,657,598

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the relative advantages which follow from the practice of requiring inspection of slaughterhouses by prior arrangement with the proprietor as against unannounced inspections; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Local authorities (district councils) are responsible for the enforcement of hygiene and welfare legislation in slaughterhouses. Visits made by officers of the state veterinary service are for the purpose of providing advice to the local authority and are made in the company of local authority personnel. It is usual for visits to be arranged with the plant concerned as their purpose is served best if representatives of plant management are present. Unannounced visits may be made, however, in response to reports of problems at a plant.

  Countryside Premium Scheme
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many landowners have entered the agricultural set-aside scheme; and how many are receiving additional payments under the countryside premium scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  Almost 3,100 farmers in the United Kingdom have entered the set-aside scheme. Of these, 115 have been accepted into the premium scheme run by the Countryside Commission in the seven eastern counties of England.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to which areas he has considered extending the countryside premium scheme beyond the existing pilot area in the east of England to other parts of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply. The countryside premium scheme was launched by the Countryside Commission in June 1989 and initially covers seven counties in eastern England. Arrangements are in hand for monitoring the effectiveness of the scheme. It is too early yet to consider extending the scheme to other areas in England. Decisions on application of the scheme in other areas of the United Kingdom rest with the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what provisions exist to help ensure that land entered into the set-aside scheme, but not attracting countryside premium payments, is managed to a satisfactory standard of husbandry.
  467
  Mr. Maclean
  On land set aside to fallow under the scheme, a green cover crop must be established and maintained throughout the set-aside period, and must be cut at least once a year. Though there is a general prohibition on the use of pesticides, certain herbicides may be used with the permission of Agriculture Departments to cope with difficult weeds. The use of fertilisers is not permitted except in specific circumstances, and the land may not be used as a dumping ground for any kind of organic or inorganic material. We are considering in the light of the operation of the scheme so far whether the management requirements are adequate.

  Crabs
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the numbers of crabs identified as showing levels of toxic contamination from the current shellfish closure area on the north-east coast; and if he will give the levels registered and the origins of the crabs concerned.

  Mr. Maclean
  Of the 190 crab samples from the north-east coast tested up until 8 June, 16 showed levels of paralytic shellfish poison toxin. These are as follows:

  Units of toxin per l00g in brown meat (digestive gland) of crabs

  Location

  Units of toxin

  Craster, Alnwick

  243

  Eyemouth

  206

  Eyemouth

  222

  Anstruther

  317

  Inshore Anstruther

  176

  Inshore Anstruther

  171

  Seahouses

  257

  North East Fife coast

  197

  Staithes Wyke

  244

  Financial year

  Aggregated Annual cost (£)

  Management consultancies

  Subject

  1984–85

  27,110

  (i) Binder Hamlyn

  Dairy Crest Foods

  (ii) Coopers and Lybrand

  Dairy Crest Foods

  (iii) Arthur Young McClelland Moores and Co.

  Financial management

  (iv) Dr. Goodwin

  ADAS work-time database

  (v) Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co.

  Decentralised budgetary control

  1985–86

  174,724

  (i) Dr. Goodwin

  Work-time database: continuation of above

  (ii) Peat Marwick Mitchell and Co.

  Decentralised budgetary control: continuation of above

  (iii) Touche Ross

  Dairy Crest Foods

  (iv) Touche Ross

  Milk quotas

  (v) B. R. Parkinson

  ADAS marketing plan

  (vi) R. B. L. Ltd.

  ADAS marketing plan

  (vii) Black Rod Ltd.

  ADAS marketing plan

  1986–87

  135,279

  (i) Dr. Goodwin

  Work-time database: continuation of above

  (ii) Touche Ross

  Milk quotas: continuation of above

  (iii) Special Research Unit

  ADAS marketing plan

  (iv) Coopers and Lybrand

  Reorganisation of MAFF's regional structure

  1987–88

  44,015

  (i) Touche Ross

  Dairy Crest Foods: continuation of above

  (ii) Mr. P. W. Cunliffe

  Review of animal medicines licensing

  1989–90

  162,114

  (i) Touche Ross

  Dairy Crest Foods: continuation of above

  (ii) Agro-Economic Services Ltd.

  Impact of Single Market on agricultural R and D priorities

  (iii) Deloitte, Haskin and Sells

  Fees to local veterinary inspectors

  (iv) Deloitte, Haskin and Sells

  Relocation of Ministry work

  1989–90

  143,150

  (i) Touche Ross

  Dairy Crest Foods: continuation of above

  (ii) Deloitte, Haskin and Sells

  Fees to local veterinary inspectors: continuation of above

  (iii) Deloitte, Haskin and Sells

  Relocation of Ministry work: continuation of above

  (iv) Agro-Economic Services Ltd.

  Impact of Single Market on agricultural R and D priorities: continuation of above

  468

  Location

  Units of toxin

  Staithes Wyke

  210

  Staithes Wyke

  255

  Whitley Bay

  260

  Off Beadnell Bay

  265

  Off Beadnell Bay

  260

  Hartlepool (1 mile)

  198

  Hartlepool (1 mile)

  229

  In addition, trace levels of toxin were found in a further eight of the 190 samples tested.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are in force to ensure that bovine spongiform encephalopathy-infected material is not fed to mink and foxes.

  Mr. Maclean
  There have been no recorded cases of spongiform encephalopathies in foxes or, in this country, of mink. All carcases of known or suspected cases of BSE are burned or buried.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food 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. Maclean
  The management consultancies, excluding computer consultants, engaged by my Department since 1984–85 are listed in the table. The annual costs have been aggregated so as to preserve commercial confidentiality.
  469

  Financial year

  Aggregated Annual cost (£)

  Management consultancies

  Subject

  (v) Deloitte, Haskin and Sells

  Review of veterinary manpower needs in the United Kingdom

  1990–91

  125,198 (Estimate)

  (i) Touche Ross

  Dairy Crest Foods: continuation of above

  (ii) Deloitte, Haskin and Sells

  Relocation of Ministry work: continuation of above

  (iii) Mr. R. S. Crespi

  Intellectual Property Rights and their exploitation

  (iv) Prof. Righelato (Ashbourne Biosciences)

  LINK programme on agro-food quality

  (v) K. P. M. G. Peat Marwick McLintock

  Training needs analysis

  The outcome of such studies is not recorded centrally. This information and data for earlier years can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Earth-banked Slurry Compounds
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement outlining the effect of BS 5502 on the future use of earth-banked slurry compounds;

  (2) whether he has any plans to prohibit the use of earth-banked slurry compounds.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government have no plans to prohibit the use of earth-banked slurry compounds. The proposals for regulations issued by the Department of the Environment would set minimum constructional standards for new earth-banked compounds and other effluent containment facilities (which the National Rivers Authority could, by notice, extend to include existing facilities where there is a significant risk of pollution). These standards would be based on BS5502 which is a British standard code of practice for the design of buildings and structures for agriculture including earth-banked compounds. The effect of the proposed regulations should be that the facilities are designed and constructed to a standard which minimises the risk of pollution.

  EC Surplus Food
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the names of the organisations in the Normanton constituency which are involved with the distribution of European Community surplus food;

  (2) what organisations are involved with the distribution of European Community surplus food in the area of the Wakefield metropolitan district council.

  Mr. Curry
  More than 500 applications to participate in the 1990 EC surplus food scheme have been received from charitable and other non-profit-making organisations throughout the United Kingdom. These applications are currently being considered and I will make a statement once a decision has been reached.

  Ewe Premium
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he hopes to pay the ewe premium; and if he will explain the reasons for the delay in making this payment to farmers.

  Mr. Curry
  We cannot make payments of sheep annual premium until the rates are published in the Official
  470
  Journal of the European Communities. The final rate of premium in respect of the 1989 scheme was published on 19 May 1990 and we have paid over 98 per cent. of claims received. The small number of outstanding cases are those for which our administrative checks have not been completed.

  Suckler Cows
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to raise the premium on suckler cows.

  Mr. Curry
  Ministers are currently considering the rate of suckler cow premium which should apply in the 1990–91 scheme year and will make an announcement in due course.

  Flood Relief Scheme, Maidenhead
  Dr. Glyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in implementing the flood relief scheme for Maidenhead.

  Mr. Curry
  The proposed scheme is planned to commence in mid-1992, although consideration is being given to ways of bringing this date forward. The National Rivers Authority (NRA) Thames region is currently consulting interested parties with the aim of reaching agreement prior to seeking planning approval early in 1991. This timetable has been agreed with the planning authorities. Detailed design of the scheme will be completed once planning consent has been obtained. The NRA also proposes to apply for grant from the Department towards the costs.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will obtain a copy of the report by the Institute of Economic Affairs, "Chickengate—an independent analysis of the salmonella in eggs scare"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  My hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) has kindly sent me a copy of the book "Chickengate" and I have noted its contents. The Government's policy in relation to salmonella in eggs and poultry has been set out in evidence provided to the Agriculture Select Committee.

  Pigs
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list by county, for each week, the number of pigs slaughtered as a result of contaminated feed since the present incident was first discovered.
  471
  Mr. Maclean
  This information on a week-by-week basis is not readily available.

  North-east Drift Net Fishery
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet received the report of the inquiry into the north-east drift net fishery; and when he now expects to publish this report.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer my right hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 26 April at col.317.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what specific research was considered by the Southwood committee into the transmissibility of BSE to household pets through pet food;
  472
  (2) what specific research further to that considered by the Southwood committee into the transmissibility of BSE to household pets through pet food (a) has been undertaken, (b) was in progress and (c) was under consideration by his Department (i) before the first suspected case of BSE-related disease in a cat and (ii) since.

  Mr. Maclean
  No specific research into the transmissibility of BSE to household pets through pet food was considered by the Southwood committee. No such research has been undertaken or is planned by my Department. Investigations are being carried out into the cause of the recent cases in cats. This includes the cats' breeding and feeding history. There is no evidence at present that the source of the recent cases of spongiform encephalopathy in cats was pet food or that the disease is related to BSE.

  UK IMMIGRANTS ADVISORY SERVICE: DOVER OFFICE
  UK IMMIGRANTS ADVISORY SERVICE: DOVER OFFICE
  MIGRANTS DETAINED UNDER IMMIGRATION ACT
  MIGRANTS DETAINED UNDER IMMIGRATION ACT
  SPECIAL CONSTABLES
  SPECIAL CONSTABLES
  NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS: LICENSEES' LIABILITY
  NUCLEAR INSTALLATIONS: LICENSEES' LIABILITY
  PRISONERS' EDUCATION
  PRISONERS' EDUCATION
  PRISON EDUCATION PROVISION
  PRISON EDUCATION PROVISION
  ELECTORAL RIGHTS: OVERSEAS RESIDENTS
  ELECTORAL RIGHTS: OVERSEAS RESIDENTS
  LIFE SENTENCES: AVERAGE DURATION
  LIFE SENTENCES: AVERAGE DURATION
  LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS: CATEGORY AND LOCATION
  LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS: CATEGORY AND LOCATION
  YEAST: SCIENTIFIC APPRAISAL OF GENETIC MODIFICATION
  YEAST: SCIENTIFIC APPRAISAL OF GENETIC MODIFICATION
  WEATHER FORECASTING SERVICE: COST
  WEATHER FORECASTING SERVICE: COST
  WALES: ARMY COMMAND STRUCTURE
  WALES: ARMY COMMAND STRUCTURE
  SEA LEVEL: PREDICTED RISE
  SEA LEVEL: PREDICTED RISE