Written Answers of 20 June 1990

CIVIL SERVICE

  Research and Development
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he intends to reply to the report of the Select Committee on Science and Technology entitled "Definitions of Research and Development"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he intends to reply to the report of the Select Committee on Science and Technology entitled "Definitions of Research and Development"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The Government welcome the Select Committee's report on definitions of research and development and will be making a considered response in due course.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Gerald Howarth
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what his Department is doing to promote equality of opportunity in the civil service for people with disabilities.

  Mr. Luce
  A revised code of practice on the employment of people with disabilities in the civil service will be published tomorrow. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Smoking
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to institute a no-smoking regulation in the telephone kiosks and lifts of the House.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Services Committee resolved in February 1987 that smoking should not be allowed in lifts and instructed that notices to that effect should be displayed. The question of imposing such a ban in telephone kiosks has not yet been addressed and I shall arrange for it to be referred to the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will consider taking up the case brought by Torfaen borough council regarding Sunday trading by B and Q, in the forthcoming appeal.

  The Attorney-General
  In the event of any such invitation to me from Torfaen borough council my 552
  response would have to be determined in the light of the fact that Parliament has made it the duty of local authorities to enforce the provisions of the Shops Act 1950.

  Petty Officer John Black
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Attorney-General whether, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton on 8 May,Official Report, column 22, he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in setting a date for the hearing into his application for a fresh inquest into the death of Petty Officer John Black; and when he expects to write to the hon. Member.

  The Attorney-General
  I have today been informed that the case will be heard tomorrow.

ENERGY

  Offshore Oil Industry
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the potential of the Single European Act and 1992 for the United Kingdom oil fabrication and offshore supply sectors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Two factors have been responsible for the growth of this industry: (1) the enterprise and competitive performance of British companies and (2) the fair commercial opportunity provided for companies operating on the United Kingdom continental shelf. The Single European Act and progress in GATT negotiations should enlarge the opportunities for our competitive companies. We shall continue to ensure fair opportunity in the home and overseas markets after 1992.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Payments for Debt
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to repeal the Payments for Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (Northern Ireland) 1971.

  Mr. Brooke
  [pursuant to the reply, 10 May 1990, c. 230–31]: It is our practice regularly to review the need for these emergency provisions. I have decided, following the most recent review, that the continuation of the Act is not required by present circumstances and I will therefore shortly sign an order declaring the emergency which gave rise to the provisions is now at an end. The Act will cease to be in force after a period of six months. The efficient collection of public debt nevertheless remains a priority and we intend to review procedures for recovering debt owed to public bodies to establish whether further legislative provision has a role to play.

HEALTH

  Long-stay Patients
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will commend to all health authorities the Mersey regional health authority's guidelines for use of money held by health authorities on behalf of long-stay patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We do indeed commend the guidelines that Mersey regional health authority has developed. We are currently awaiting a report from regional chairmen on the situation on patients' moneys in each region. When we have reviewed this we will ensure that all regions are conversant with the initiatives that Mersey has taken.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 30, whether the final cost of military assistance in respect of the ambulance dispute is yet known.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The final cost of military assistance was £7·2 million.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on whether disabled people should have the right to representation in community care services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Our draft guidance on assessment and case management instructs local authorities to ensure that their assessment procedures accommodate any communication difficulty due to disability. The National Health Service and Community Care Bill, as amended by the Government in the House of Lords, will allow a person acting on behalf of a disabled person to make representations, including complaints, about the social services that the local authority provides.

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

  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-monthly basis. A total of 752,130 or 8 per cent. of children in England received sight tests paid for under the new regulations. A further 1,624,220 sight tests were also paid for in the period but conducted prior to 1 April 1989; an unknown proportion of these would have been for children.

  AIDS
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for(a) the Mersey region and (b) the Wirral health authority the sums for each of the last three years given to groups giving practical and emotional support to people suffering from AIDS.
  554
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 6 June 1990]: The amounts allocated to Mersey regional health authority for the last three years as a contribution towards the costs incurred in helping prevent the spread of HIV infection and providing treatment, counselling and support for those affected by HIV are as follows. Allocations to the Wirral health authority are a matter for Mersey regional health authority to determine.

  Mersey Regional Health Authority

  Year

  Allocation (£'000)

  1988–89

  534

  1989–90

  3,430

  1990–91

  3,602

  In addition, £588,000 AIDS support grant has been allocated to local authorities in the Mersey area in the last two years towards the cost of care and support for people suffering from AIDS.

  The amount within these allocations which has so far been passed to groups giving practical and emotional support to AIDS sufferers is not identified separately. However, reports providing details of expenditure for each health and local authority for 1989–90 will be available by August.

  Under-fives Initiatives
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what(a) action has been taken and (b) further steps he will take in respect of the van der Eyken report on the under-fives initiatives.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: The final report of the national monitoring survey of the under-fives initiative by Willem van der Eyken was sent out in 1988. Copies went to local authorities, health authorities and relevant voluntary organisations.

  The Department grant-aids 10 national voluntary organisations active in the under-fives field, including the Pre-school Playgroups Association, National Childminding Association and Home Start Consultancy.

  Under-fives groups benefit from centrally funded initiatives such as the small grants scheme, which builds on the one operated during the earlier initiative. They also received funding from the lone parents element of the retail prices index error scheme.

  The new under-fives initiative was launched in September 1989. It takes forward some of the recommendations in Mr. van der Eyken's report. Twenty-one national and local voluntary organisations are managing 25 local projects. The projects are intended to help families in temporary accommodation; improve partnerships between local authorities and the voluntary sector; extend knowledge about impact of day care services on the circumstances of lone parents; and improve understanding about ways of supporting carers.

  The Children Act will be implemented in October 1991. It introduces provisions for local authorities to regulate private and voluntary day care services and childminding, to have a general duty to provide day care services for children in need and a power to do so for other children. A duty is also placed on local social services and education departments to review and publish a report on day care services in their area. The Department is undertaking extensive consultation on draft guidance on these subjects.

  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
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 June 1990, c. 401]: The answer to the question should read as
  follows:
  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.

  The steering group's report offers the prospect of a successor group to carry forward further work in these areas, including involvement with the review of SIFT which is to be completed in 1992. It also proposes that the remit of the successor body should be extended to cover
  "the arrangements for clinical research with service implications, including health services research".
  We welcome the establishment of such a successor, and look forward to receiving its advice in due course.
  556
  We commend the present report to all those who should be guided by its recommendations and proposals.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  St. Helens
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when he next plans to visit St. Helens.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have no plans to visit St. Helens in the immediate future.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what the output of manufacturing industries was in 1979 in the north-west; and what the comparable constant value basis figure is for the latest year for which figures are available;

  (2) what are the figures in constant value of the output in manufacturing industries in the north-west (a) in 1979 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Current prices estimates for manufacturing gross domestic product in the north-west are £6,763 million in 1979 and £12,381 million in 1988; the latest year for which they are available. There is no comparable constant value figure for this year because there are no regional price indices.

  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures on productivity of manufacturing industry in Birmingham and the west midlands.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Regional productivity figures are not compiled.

  Exports
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average growth rate in the volume of United Kingdom exports of goods and services between 1979 and 1989.

  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average growth rate in the volume of United Kingdom exports of goods and services between 1979 and 1989.

  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average growth rate in the volume of United Kingdom exports of goods and services between 1979 and 1989.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Information on movements in the volume of United Kingdom exports of goods and services between 1979 and 1989 is available on the CSO database (series HHCX), which can be accessed by the House of Commons Library.

  West Germany
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the current trade deficit with West Germany.
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  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In the three months to April, the "crude" balance of trade with West Germany was a deficit of £2·1 billion.

  Inflation
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last met the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the level of inflation.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend addressed the CBI's annual dinner on 17 May, at which a wide range of topics were discussed.

  Region

  Average new mortgage1

  Weekly payment2

  Increase

  June 1988 9·8 per cent, interest rate

  June 1990 15·3per cent. interest rate

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Northern

  26,800

  37·88

  59·14

  21·26

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  30,500

  43·35

  67·67

  24·33

  East Midlands

  35,900

  53·52

  83·56

  30·04

  East Anglia

  40,700

  62·57

  97·68

  35·12

  Greater London

  58,000

  95·17

  148·59

  53·41

  South East

  53,500

  86·69

  135·35

  48·65

  South West

  42,700

  66·34

  103·57

  37·23

  West Midlands

  35,100

  52·02

  81·21

  29·19

  North West

  33,200

  48·43

  75·62

  27·18

  Wales

  31,700

  45·61

  71·20

  25·60

  Scotland

  25,900

  36·61

  57·15

  20·55

  Northern Ireland

  22,600

  31·94

  49·87

  17·93

  United Kingdom

  39,000

  59·37

  92·68

  33·32

  1 Building Society mortgages, first quarter 1990.

  2 Assuming endowment mortgage.

PRIME MINISTER

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what actions she has taken in respect of the maintenance of the taxonomic and palaeontological collections in the natural history museum in south Kensington.

  The Prime Minister
  I understand that within the overall objectives set out in the natural history museum's corporate plan 1990–95, the museum's taxonomic and palaeontological collections will continue to be maintained. These collections are central to the museum's scientific work, and scientific and public visitors will continue to enjoy access to the collections. The Government increased the museum's grant in aid by 16·5 per cent. this year to over £25 million.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on European Economic Community proposals for ethical standards in biotechnology.

  Mr. Lambie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on European Economic Community proposals for ethical standards in biotechnology.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the average increase in repayments per week on the average mortgage in each region between 1 June 1988 and today.

  Mr. Lilley
  The figures in the table do not allow for the fact that interest rate payments on many mortgages are adjusted annually and do not reflect each adjustment in the vote. Consequently average movements in amounts actually paid will be less than shown.

  The information is as follows:

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on European Economic Community proposals for ethical standards in biotechnology.

  Mr. Jackson
  No formal proposals have been made within the European Economic Community for ethical standards in biotechnology. The Government would look carefully at any such proposals on their merits.

  Pupil Testing
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how the pilot studies on testing at age seven years are to be evaluated; and when he will inform Parliament of his decision regarding the nature of the test to be used in schools in 1991;

  (2) what reports he has received from the organisations using pilot SATs for seven-year-olds; and if he will place them in the Library.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The three agencies which developed the standard assessment tasks used in this summer's pilot assessments will shortly submit evaluation reports to the School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC). SEAC will in turn advise my right hon. Friend about the outcome of the pilot assessments. In addition Her Majesty's inspectorate, in collaboration with SEAC and the Department, will host conferences later this month for the teachers who took part in the pilot exercise.

  In the light of this work, a revised specification for the standard assessment tasks for use in the first national assessments of seven-year-olds in 1991 will be issued in the autumn.
  559
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools took part in each of the pilot studies for SATs at seven years of age; and how many children were involved.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Just over 21,000 pupils in 619 schools in England and Wales participated in this summer's pilot assessments of seven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science.

  City Technology Colleges
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the implications of his announcement of 8 June of changes in the criteria considered in approving city technology colleges on the proposal for a city technology college in Corby.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The criteria for establishing city technology colleges have not changed. The plans for a city technology college in Corby are well advanced, and it is on course to open in September 1991.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science at what stage are the plans for a city technology college in Corby; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Plans for the establishment of the city technology college are now well advanced. Detailed designs for the college building have been agreed and submitted to Corby district council for full planning consent. Management contractors have been appointed and a start on site is programmed for early July with completion planned to allow for a September 1991 opening.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the money raised from the private sector for the city technology college in Corby.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  To date a total of £1·6 million of private sector sponsorship has been pledged; £1·1 million of this is in the form of a donation of land from the lead sponsor, Mr. Hugh de Cappell Brooke. A further £0·5 million has been pledged from other private sector sponsors, who wish to remain anonymous for the time being. The principal sponsor has agreed to underwrite any shortfall in the £1·99 million that is required from the private sector should further sponsorship not prove forthcoming.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the effect of the city technology college in Corby on surrounding schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A city technology college in Corby will introduce healthy competition for pupils—as will any independent school. However, the sponsors' intentions are that the city technology college's catchment area should be drawn as wide as is practicable to minimise the impact on individual schools.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the administrative costs of the student loans scheme.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Student Loans Company's provisional budget for the financial year 1990–91 is £14·25 560
  million, exclusive of VAT. The figure includes both pre-operational and operational costs. On present estimates, total pre-operational costs will amount to some £10 million, consisting of expenditure of £4·3 million in 1989–90 and £5·8 million in the first five months of 1990–91.

  The Government have said throughout the passage of the Education (Student Loans) Bill and subsequently that the administration costs of the loans scheme in the first year of its operation were expected to be in the range £10 million to £20 million. I am pleased to confirm that the outcome is a figure well below the maximum of that range.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Saudi Arabia
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters he discussed during his recent visit to Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  During his visit to Saudi Arabia my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs had very useful discussions with King Fand and Saudi Ministers on a wide range of regional and bilateral issues. They agreed in particular on the urgent need for progress towards a settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute. My right hon. Friend signed a bilateral agreement on the confiscation of drug-trafficking assets.

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the occasions at international conferences or meetings within the last five years when Her Majesty's Government have formally rejected or objected to the territorial claim of the Republic of Ireland over the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Hurd
  I am not aware of any occasions in the last five years where the Government of the Republic of Ireland have raised a territorial claim over the United Kingdom at an international conference or meeting.

  United Kingdom sovereignty over Northern Ireland, as a matter of international law, is clear. Our sovereignty is manifested, day by day, by acts of legislation, Government and the courts. Further, in article 1 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, both Governments affirmed
  "that any change in the status of Northern Ireland would only come about with the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland".

  Israel
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in his message to Mr. Yasser Arafat, conveyed by Her Majesty's ambassador in Baghdad on 8 June, he asked Mr. Arafat to condemn the attempted attack on beaches near Tel Aviv on 30 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Yes. All deliberately planned acts of violence must be condemned unequivocally.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what protests have been conveyed by Her Majesty's consul-general in Jerusalem to prominent local Palestinians regarding the terrorist bomb explosion in the Mahane Yehuda market on 28 May.
  561
  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have no reason to associate any prominent local Palestinian with the Mahane Yehuda explosion, which was immediately condemned by one of their number, Mr. Feisal Husseini.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, at his meeting with Bassam Abu Sharif on 5 June, the Minister of State expressed concern about the reported threat by Abu Al Abbas to carry out more terrorist attacks on Israel; and what further protests are intended by Her Majesty's Government to the Palestine Liberation Organisation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Yes, I told Mr. Abu Sharif of our deep concern about the PLF raid on Israel on 30 May and urged the PLO to continue to adhere to its commitment to renounce terrorism.

  Iran
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what attempts were made by British officials to meet Iranian representatives in Dublin on or about 16 May; and with what result.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  It was our understanding that the Iranians wanted a meeting. We had told them that we were willing to have a brief contact in Dublin. In the event they did not take up our offer.

  Burma
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Burmese Government urging them to respect the results of the recent election there; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  On 29 May we urged the SLORC to give effect to the clearly expressed wish of the people of Burma and called for the early release of the imprisoned leaders of the democratic parties and for the unconditional lifting of martial law. On 6 June the European Community called on the military regime to respect the results of the elections by handing over power to a Government chosen by the newly elected Parliament without delay and to release political leaders in detention immediately.

  We are now considering what further representations might be made and when.

  Taiwan
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards Taiwan.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Since 1950, when we ceased to recognise the nationalist authorities as the Government of China, it has been the policy of successive Governments to have no formal dealings with the authorities in Taiwan. We do, however, seek to promote unofficial trade and cultural links between the United Kingdom and Taiwan.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Disabled People (Aid)
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of funds provided by the British Government for development in 562
  the third world is given to schemes which promote the interests and welfare of disabled people; and what percentage of the support (a) was categorised as (i) medical, (ii) employment, (iii) education and (iv) social improvement and (b) is allocated through (1) national Governments, (2) international statutory agencies and (3) voluntary organisations.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Much of our aid directly and indirectly benefits disabled people along with other groups and it is not possible to quantify the proportion which assists disabled people specifically. Nor is it practicable to divide such aid into medical, employment, education and social categories, as these very often overlap in the same projects.

  Under ODA's bilateral programme however there are a number of projects which can be identified as being designed to benefit disabled people specifically; for example, assistance to speech therapy for children and transport for the Disabled People's Association in Fiji was about £20,000 and in India we spent about £180,000 on helping to improve the physiotherapy services provided by local spastics societies and about £70,000 for the benefit of disabled children in slums.

  In addition, the joint funding scheme, which helps to finance the work of United Kingdom voluntary organisations in developing countries, provided over £651,000 in financial year 1989–90 on projects designed specifically to benefit disabled people; that was approximately 4 per cent. of the scheme's total expenditure for the year. There are many other JFS projects which benefit disabled people without being specifically targeted on them, because they seek to meet needs of those identified as having special difficulties in life.

  Several of the international agencies which we support, such as WHO, UNHCR and UNIDO undertake projects which promote the welfare of disabled people.

TRANSPORT

  Jet Cockpit Window Incident
  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the air accidents investigation branch will conduct a formal investigation into the circumstances in which the forward cockpit window of a British Airways BAe 1–11 was secured by means of non-specified bolts; what information he has as to whether the Civil Aviation Authority intends to investigate the incident; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The accident is the subject of a formal investigation by the Department's air accidents investigation branch. The role of accident investigation is deliberately separated from that of safety regulation, for which the Civil Aviation Authority has the statutory responsibility, to avoid a conflict of interest.

  The AAIB will keep the CAA informed of any relevant findings. On 12 June, as a result of the AAIB investigation, the CAA issued a notice to owners-operators of BAe 1–11 aircraft concerning the windscreen attachment bolts.

  Underground Trains
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 May,Official Report, column 152, if he will call for a report from the chairman of London Underground Ltd. into the death of Mr.

  563
  Raymond Knight and the implications for public safety of one-person-operated underground trains; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  At the recent inquest into Mr. Knight's death, Her Majesty's coroner recorded a unanimous verdict of accidental death and that he intended to send a report to the railway inspectorate. The report has not yet been received but when it is, I will consider any recommendations that may be made. I will also write to the hon. Member.

  Smoke Hoods
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has as to how many applications to the Civil Aviation Authority for the approval of smoke hoods meeting CAA specification No. 20 are still current.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand that three applications are still current.

  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many smoke hoods submitted for approval under CAA specification No. 20 are being subjected to development tests; and if he will make a statement on the current position.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The CAA does not carry out tests on items submitted to it for approval against a specification. It is for the developer of the item to submit evidence of compliance, which the CAA then evaluates.

  I understand that no applicant so far has satisfied the CAA that the specification has been met.

  Rail Services
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many rail passenger service journey miles there were in England, Wales and Scotland, respectively, in 1979; and what were the comparable figures for 1989.

  Mr. Freeman
  Statistics of rail passenger journeys are not broken down by geographical area.

  Departmental Staff
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees of his Department are concerned with(a) roads, (b) rail transport, (c) civil aviation and (d) cycling.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: My Department has about 2,300 staff concerned with roads and traffic, 135 with rail transport and 145 with civil aviation; about 40 staff in the Department spend some part of their time on cycling-related work.

  The substantially greater numbers concerned with roads reflect the Department's direct responsibility for the national roads programme, whereas provision of infrastructure for other transport modes is the concern of other bodies, for example, British Rail and the British Airports Authority.

ENVIRONMENT

  Business Rents
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has any plans to introduce measures to curb increases in business rents above inflation.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to investigate the problem of rising business rents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will undertake a study on increases in urban business rents and their impact on local communities.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government have no plans to introduce measures to control business rents. These are matters for negotiation between landlord and tenant. Information about changes in rental levels is already available; in addition we monitor the situation under the main legislation for business tenancies—part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954.

  World Recycling Conference
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department will be represented at the world recycling conference in Baltimore. United States of America, on 27 to 29 June.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No.

  Insulating Materials (Waste Disposal)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what guidance he gives on the disposal of(a) high-temperature insulating materials such as asbestos, ceramic spray and fibre, and calcium silicate and (b) waste from the manufacturing plants which produce such materials;

  (2) what guidance he gives on the disposal of (a) low-temperature insulating materials such as polystyrene, polyurethane and phenolics and (b) waste from the manufacturing plants which produce such materials.

  Mr. Trippier
  Guidance on the disposal of asbestos is given in "Waste Management Paper 18", and advice on the other materials and the wastes from their manufacture is to be found in a number of other WMPs published by my Department.

  Football Trust
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange to have deposited in the Library the minutes of the Football Trust meetings.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Football Trust 1990 is a discretionary trust and it is for it to decide whether or not to publish the minutes of its meetings.

  Housing, Merseyside
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the median fair rent set by the rent officer service on Merseyside; what is the median for the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
  565
  Mr. Chope
  The median of the fair rents registered in Merseyside in the last six months of 1989 was £18 per week. The corresponding figure for England and Wales was £25·27 per week.

  Land Registers
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the annual cost of maintaining the register of derelict land.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the amount of land currently on the land register; and what is the cost to the taxpayer each year in keeping it up to date.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Currently some £6,000 per year. This relates largely to the storage of the information on computer. Since the introduction of owners' registers last autumn maintenance of my right hon. Friend's land registers has been concentrated on sites where the use of his powers to direct disposal is in question, for example, in connection with the public request to order disposal scheme.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for opencast development, having gone to appeal, have been refused by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Since April 1987, the first date from which comprehensive data are available, 62 opencast mining appeals have been under consideration with the Secretary of State. During that time, 22 appeals have been upheld and 20 dismissed. One appeal has been withdrawn and 19 appeals have yet to be decided.

  Tenants' Choice
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will next meet the chairman of the Housing Corporation to discuss tenants' choice.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend has no immediate plans to do so.

  Local Government
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he, has received in favour of reintroducing all-purpose county boroughs.

  Mr. Portillo
  Several: to which we have replied that major structural change in English local government is not on the agenda.

  Community Forests
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the establishment of new community forests surrounding urban areas.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend has welcomed this project launched jointly by the Countryside and Forestry Commissions in July last year. We look forward to the successful establishment of the three forests of this type which the Government have authorised: at 566
  Tyne and Wear, south Staffordshire and east London. In due course we will consider proposals for such forests elsewhere in England and Wales.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the European Court of Justice to present its preliminary verdict on the infringement procedures initiated by the Commission against the United Kingdom Government and other member states concerning the implementation of directive 76/160 on bathing water quality and directive 80/778 on drinking water quality.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Her Majesty's Government have received no indication from the European Court of Justice of when it intends to take further action on the cases currently before the court in relation to these two directives.

  Tyneside Enterprise Zone
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional contribution to the uniform business rate pool the Government propose to make in respect of the(a) Gateshead and (b) Newcastle sections of the Tyneside enterprise zone.

  Mr. Chope
  None. As I explained in my reply to the hon. Member of 7 June,Official Report, column 688, under the new local government finance system business properties in enterprise zones are exempt from rating. A figure broadly equivalent to the amount of rates that would have been paid but for this exemption was added to the revenue support grant for England for 1990–91.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many man years of inspection were devoted to the task of supervising and monitoring licensed radioactive waste disposal sites by Her Majesty's Government's inspectorate of pollution in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information is not available in the form requested. Available information on the inspection effort devoted to premises regulated under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and prior to that by Her Majesty's radiochemical inspectorate in the past five years is contained in the Department's management information system returns MINIS 6–10 available in the Library of the House. The MINIS 11 report covering 1989–90 will be placed in the Library in due course.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the licence holders and sites licensed for radioactive waste disposal under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, together with the date the licence was issued and the term it has to run.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the Department's "List of Premises in England and Wales currently authorised under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960 (RSA60) to dispose of radioactive waste" a copy of which is in the Library of the House. It is not normal practice for authorisations under RSA60 to have a
  567
  termination date although all are subject to periodic review. Information relating to the date of issue of each authorisation can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) of 19 March,Official Report, column 490, he will identify those small, localised inshore locations where evidence of eutrophication has been found; what evidence he has of trends in nutrients in coastal and estuarial waters of the United Kingdom; and what examination of fluxes of nutrients, through which estuaries, and by whom, is, or is proposed to be, undertaken.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The inshore locations where evidence of eutrophication has been found are the Norfolk Broads, Langstone harbour, Poole harbour, Tywi estuary, inner Moray Firth and Loch Neagh. Nutrient levels in coastal and estuarial waters have been monitored since 1960 by the International Council for the Exploration of the Sea: it reports no sign of a rising trend in levels. Monitoring of nutrients in coastal and estuarial waters in England and Wales is now the responsibility of the National Rivers Authority.

  Isle of Sheppey
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to make a decision on the inquiry into the Lionhope scheme on the Isle of Sheppey.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The inquiry will open on 25 September and is expected to last for four weeks. A decision will be issued as soon as possible after the inspector's report has been received.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the president of the Linnean Society on the effects of cuts in research on palaeontological reference collections at the natural history museum on scientific research to underpin the development of current policies on the environment.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Secretary of State for the Environment has received no such representations from the president of the Linnean Society.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the HOTCHA scheme to provide grants for house purchase for tenants of housing associations ceased; and what plans he has to replace the scheme.

  Mr. Chope
  The winding up of the home ownership scheme for tenants of charitable housing associations—HOTCHA—was announced on 14 December 1988. No new applications were accepted by the Housing Corporation after that date but existing applications were honoured provided the applicant could secure the necessary approvals and exchange contracts by 31 March 1990.
  568
  The Housing Corporation is in the process of introducing a new scheme, known as the tenants' incentive scheme—TIS—under which registered housing associations, whether or not charitable, may give grants to assist their tenants to move out and buy homes of their own. A total of £33 million is being made available for TIS grants in 1990–91 under the Housing Corporation's approved development programme. Of this, £12 million will be for tenants of charitable housing associations who applied under the HOTCHA scheme, but did not complete their purchase in time. The balance of £21 million will be for new applicants for TIS grants. In total up to 2,500 housing association tenants stand to benefit from the tenants' incentive scheme in 1990–91.

  Green Belt Areas
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what criteria his Department uses when approving re-designation of green belt land as an employment area.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Planning policy guidance note 2 sets out the Government's planning policy on green belts. Once the extent of a green belt has been established it should be altered only in exceptional circumstances.

  Leeds Development Corporation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received any representations from the Leeds development corporation about the level of funding for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The resource requirements of the corporation are under review as part of the normal annual discussions which form part of the public expenditure survey cycle. No other representation about either current or future financial years have been received.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities responsible for recycling have installed magnetic separators for reclaiming reusable steel.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on Thursday 26 April 1990,Official Report, column 296.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government's new legislation on the environment will allow local authorities to enter into index-linked contracts to supply waste to private companies seeking to recycle and reclaim that waste, on a joint venture basis where the private partner is covering all capital costs whilst simultaneously allowing the local authority a minority position on the board of directors of the joint venture company.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Yes. We expect that local authorities will want to enter into long-term contracts for waste disposal, in which index-linking may well be appropriate. Authorities will also be encouraged to enter into joint ventures with private sector disposal companies, as a means of securing private sources of finance for capital schemes.
  569
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will outline the regulations and intentions that govern the consideration of proprietary technologies in a competitive tendering process for the disposal of domestic waste; and how he will assess those technologies that emerge offering the ability to recycle and reclaim domestic waste.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: There are no plans to issue regulations governing the consideration of proprietary technologies for the disposal of waste. Individual disposal authorities will make their own decisions about awarding contracts having regard to the potential of new technologies that are developed for disposal and recycling.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require disposal or other authorities to give a value to waste recycled or reclaimed, by volume, at the competitive tendering stage; and what steps he will take to ensure that tendering contractors are not disadvantaged by cheap landfilling during the consideration of such tenders.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Disposal authorities will be encouraged, through the provisions of the Environmental Protection Bill, to maximise recycling and waste minimisation. Contractors will be able to estimate the potential value of waste to be recycled and will adjust their contract price accordingly. It will then be for disposal authorities to consider tenders on their respective merits having regard to environmental factors. There will be no requirement to accept the lowest bid.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require the real costs of landfill to be considered, as opposed to gate fees, when competitive tenders for waste disposal are made.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The introduction of competitive tendering, under the provisions in the Environmental Protection Bill, will force all disposal contractors to bid on the basis of the full costs of waste disposal, including the restoration and after-care of landfill sites.

  Cricket Grounds
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to improve safety at cricket grounds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.

  All cricket grounds which have been identified as providing accommodation for more than 10,000 spectators have been designated as sports grounds requiring safety certificates under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975. Stands or other accommodation which can hold at least 500 spectators for viewing under cover at grounds which are not designated under the 1975 Act are subject to safety certification by local authorities under part III of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sport Act 1987. Local authorities have, in consequence wide powers to secure the safety of spectators.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Civil Defence
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures are available to him to deal with local councils that(a) have not submitted a design for an emergency control centre, (b) have not identified a site for an emergency control centre and (c) have stated that they will not comply with the latest civil defence regulations;

  (2) what is the deadline set by his Department for local councils to agree to comply with the latest civil defence regulations; and by what date councils will have to identify a site and complete a design for an emergency control centre;

  (3) what reasons have been given by local councils for not implementing the civil regulations set by the Government.

  Mr. John Patten
  No local authority has refused to discharge its responsibilities under the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983. There are many reasons why individual authorities may not yet have fully implemented the regulations and the planned programme for implementation of the regulations ensures that the Home Office is in touch with them all. The regulations do not provide for the setting of a deadline for compliance.

  The Civil Defence (General) Regulations 1949 contain sanctions which are available to the designated Minister if he is satisfied that any local authority has failed or refused properly to discharge any of the civil defence functions conferred on it; alternatively the Civil Defence (Grant) Regulations 1953 provide for the withholding of grant.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a list of local councils that(a) have so far failed to comply with the latest civil defence regulations, (b) have not chosen a site for an emergency centre and (c) have not yet submitted designs for an emergency centre.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 10 May at column 198.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to implement the Pigot report on the giving of legal evidence by children in child abuse cases; whether he has received representations on this subject since 10 June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are still considering, with the benefit of the favourable comments received upon the Pigot report. what proposals we should make on video-recording children's evidence. We receive occasional letters in support of making it easier for children to give evidence.

  Cautions
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether it is the practice of the Metropolitan police to release to the press details of cautions given under the Attorney-General's guidelines.
  571
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Upon request the Metropolitan police will(a) make available statistics of cautions given over a period and (b) confirm that an unnamed person arrested or reported for an offence has been dealt with by way of a caution. They will not disclose the identity of anyone who has been cautioned.

  Poaching
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions there were for poaching in 1988 and 1989; and how many of those convictions were associated with assault.

  Mr. John Patten
  In 1988, there were 980 convictions for the offence of poaching. The 1989 data will not be available until the autumn. It is not possible from the information held centrally to identify the number of poaching convictions which are also associated with offences of assault.

  Immigration
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action is being taken to trace the 33 Chinese student democracy activists who failed to meet a bus sent by the immigration service to take them for interview at Harmondsworth on 11 May;

  (2) if he will reconsider his Department's decision that Panama affords sufficient protection to be considered a country of third settlement;

  (3) if it is the intention to return 33 Chinese nationals, formerly members of the student democracy movement, to Panama; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The 33, who have failed to comply with the terms of their temporary admission, are now in this country illegally, and no decision on any aspect of their applications can be made until they report to an immigration officer to regularise their position. Any representations then made on their behalf will be considered fully and carefully. Their representatives have been informed of the position.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Waddington
  Information on management consultancy awarded before 1985, and the outcome of studies conducted over the last 10 years is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The cost of individual management consultancy contracts is a matter of commercial confidentiality which it would not be proper to disclose. For details of studies carried out in 1985 I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by my right hon. Friend the then Home Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Hampshire, East (Mr. Mates) on 14 July 1986 at column 333 and for 1986 to 1989 to the replies given to my hon. Friend the Member for Beaconsfield (Mr. Smith) on 18 February 1987 at column 643, 26 April 1988 at column 86, 4 April 1989 at column 30, and 3 April 1990 at column 557. The following studies have been commissioned in the current year:
  572
  Price Waterhouse

  Financial Advice on the Privatisation of the IBA Transmission Network.

  NERA

  Advice on the economic regulation of the privatised IBA Transmission Network.

  Norton Rose

  Legal Advisers on the Privatisation of the IBA Transmission Network.

  PA Consultants

  Review of the Prison Service Management Information System Requirements.

  Jones Lang Wooton

  "City Search" for the proposed relocation of the Prison Service HQ.

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Nottingham Crime Audit.

  BBN Matching

  Consultancy on Multi-ethnic name.

  PPCR

  Survey of Community Safety.

  Talisman

  Public Relations Consultancy (launch of Rochdale Safer Cities Project).

  Reginald Watts

  Consultancy Assistance to develop Marketing Plan.

  Sudbury Consultants Ltd.

  Study of Command, Leadership and Management.

  Coopers Lybrand Deloitte

  Study and Estimate of Costs of the setting up and running of a Magistrates Courts Agency.

  Ernst and Young

  Privatisation of the IBA Terrestrial Transmission System: Reporting Accountants.

  Greaves and Co.

  Accountancy Advice.

  Vista Communications

  Communication Audit for the Prison Service.

  Touche Ross

  Assistance with Passport Office Agency.

  Police Cells
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give particulars of each escape from police cells in England and Wales since 11 June 1987, including the charges faced by each escaped prisoner; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state his policy on the use of police cells to house remand prisoners.

  Mr. Mellor
  In present circumstances there is no practical alternative to the use of police cells where prisoners cannot be received into an appropriate prison. My right hon. and learned Friend and I very much regret the need to hold remand prisoners in police cells at all. The current level of use is a result largely of disruptive industrial action or lack of good will on the part of staff in some establishments and I can assure the hon. and learned
  573
  Member that every effort is being made to resolve the difficulties. We are most grateful to the police for their assistance.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners are held in police cells in Wales at the latest available date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  By Tuesday 19 June the number of prisoners having to be held in police cells in south Wales as a direct result of industrial action by prison officers at Her Majesty's prison Swansea had been reduced to four. While the dispute has not been resolved, sufficient good will exists to have enabled this reduction to be brought about.

  We very much regret the necessity to have recourse to police cells at all.

  Summer Time
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the responses to the Green Paper "Summer Time—A Consultation Document," Cm. 722.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A total of 30,867 responses have been received following publication of the Green Paper, of which 26,029 were in the form of signatories to petitions. Excluding signatories to petitions, 50 per cent. were in favour of moving into central European time—single "summer" time in the winter, double "summer" time in the summer until the beginning of October—46 per cent. were in favour of the status quo, and 4 per cent. were in favour of harmonising summer time along with other EC countries—in effect finishing summer time one month early. Of the signatories to the petitions, 22,684 were in support of central European time and 3,345 were against change. The response in England and Wales was very different from that in Scotland. A total of 59 per cent. of letters and 100 per cent. of signatories to petitions from England and Wales supported central European time; 90 per cent. of letters and 80 per cent. of signatories to petitions from Scotland supported the status quo. Only 10 responses were received from Northern Ireland. A detailed breakdown of the responses is being placed in the Library.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement in regard to the letter sent to him from Dr. Raine Roberts, the forensic physician and clinical director of the sexual assault referral centre in Manchester, by the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe.

  Mr. John Patten
  Dr. Roberts' concern is that children giving evidence in criminal trials of alleged sexual abuse can be identified by members of the public in court, and could be subject to unwelcome attention from them.

  The courts already have power, under section 37 of the Children and Young Persons Act 1933, to exclude from the court anyone not directly concerned with the case except a bona fide representative of the press, who may be prevented from publishing identifying details of a person under 17 who plays any part in the proceedings. In addition, if there is fear of interference with any witness, the witness's name and address may be given in writing instead of orally.
  574
  Use of these powers would seem the appropriate way to deal with the problem.

  Naturalisation
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the length of time currently being taken to process naturalisation cases and the expected time scale for new applications.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Present waiting times for naturalisation cases stem from the exceptional level of citizenship applications of all kinds received at the end of 1987. The increase in naturalisation applications seems to have resulted from a mistaken belief on the part of many applicants that the then ending of certain rights of registration applied also to naturalisation. Many applied after long previous residence in the United Kingdom without apparently experiencing either inconvenience over travelling or earlier desire to assume citizenship. All have been warned that their applications would be subject to considerable delay.

  In May 1990, the average waiting time for all citizenship applications completed in that month was 26 months; for naturalisation alone it was 29 months. These long waiting times result from the large number of applications—almost 300,000—submitted in 1987. The number of applications received from January 1988 was much smaller, and when the end-1987 cases are cleared the position will begin to improve.

  My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 31 January, in answer to a question by my hon. Friend the Member for Westminster, North (Sir J. Wheeler), that nationality work would be transferred to Liverpool by 1991. That transfer is proceeding. Earlier forecasts of performance are, however, having to be revised in the light of new information about intake of new applications, the disruption caused by the process of transfer, and lower levels of output on the more difficult naturalisation casework than on registration. It is now clear that we shall not be able to reduce waiting times as quickly as we had hoped, and although we continue to expect an improvement later in this financial year and next, they are likely to remain above 20 months until some time after April 1991.

  We regret waiting times of this length and are giving urgent consideration to the priority that should be given to nationality work as against other functions of the immigration and nationality department. Close account will also be taken of the report of the Home Affairs Committee published today. It is, however, relevant to note that those awaiting the determination of citizenship applications are not prevented from continuing to enjoy residence rights or from travelling on the passports of their current nationality.

  Prisoners (Disciplinary Offences)
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number and proportion of prisoners appearing before disciplinary hearings of boards of visitors who were legally represented in the most recent available year.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: The centrally held data relate to the numbers of offences on which boards of visitors adjudicate. The latest data are for

  575
  1988 when applications for legal representations were granted in respect of hearings for 33 offences, that is, 0·8 per cent. of the number of offences on which boards of visitors adjudicated.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were found guilty of disciplinary offences by boards of visitors in the most recent available year; how many were deprived of remission; and what was the breakdown of lengths of remission forfeited.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 15 June 1990]: The centrally held data relate to the numbers of punishments awarded. From 1 April 1989 the maximum penalty available to boards of visitors was reduced to 120 days' forfeiture of remission. The most recent data were for 1988 when boards of visitors awarded 5,180 unsuspended punishments. A total of 3,108 of these were forfeiture of remission and were broken down as follows:

  Number of days remission forfeited

  Number of punishments

  1–7

  78

  8–14

  65

  15–28

  177

  29–30

  141

  31–60

  1,479

  61–90

  928

  91–120

  168

  Over 120

  72

  Football Licensing Authority
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the reason for the delay in setting up the Football Licensing Authority.

  Consultant and cost

  Subject

  Outcome

  1988–89 (£39,187)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Monitoring payment arrangements for Urban Development Grants.

  Report accepted by Department and where appropriate recommendations were implemented.

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Evalution of Regional Selective Assistance.

  As at 1 above.

  Pieda (Planning and economic development consultants)

  An impact study of the development of rural initiative venture and enterprise (DRIVE).

  Modifications suggested were adopted in relaunched scheme.

  Leslie Hays and Asses.

  Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grant Scheme.

  As at 1 above.

  Frank Griffiths

  Purchasing in the Welsh Office.

  Recommendations implemented.

  HMSO

  Review of the organisation of Welsh Office Print Room.

  Recommendations implemented.

  1989–90 (£44,725)

  Leslie Hays Consultancies Ltd.

  Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grant.

  As at 1 above.

  Price Waterhouse

  Training needs Analysis.

  Report received in April 1990 Recommendations are under consideration.

  Touche Ross

  Management Review of NHS Directorate.

  All the key recommendations have been implemented.

  576
  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: It has been necessary to review the proposed role of the Football Licensing Authority in the light of Lord Justice Taylor's report on the Hillsborough stadium disaster, and the Government's subsequent decision not to proceed with the national football membership scheme and the Football Membership Authority. As a result of that review, responsibility for the authority was formally transferred to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department in May. It has been necessary to consider carefully how the authority's powers could best be used to bring about all-seated accommodation at football grounds, as proposed by Lord Justice Taylor, and the sort of qualities and experience which would be required among its members and staff to equip it for its revised role. This work has taken longer than had been hoped, but is now largely completed. I hope that an announcement about appointments to the authority can be made before the start of the next football season. In the meantime, my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State has already met the football authorities, and officials are in close touch with them, to ensure that there is no avoidable delay in implementing the important safety measures recommended in Lord Justice Taylor's report.

WALES

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. David Hunt
  The information requested for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90 is given in the table:
  577
  It would be disproportionately costly to provide the information required for the earlier years.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list for each area covered by TECs in Wales the payments granted by the Training Agency in Wales for 1990–91 per trainee for each of the courses; and whether such payments included the travelling costs of trainees.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Details of unit costs are confidential to the Training Agency and individual course managers. Payments under YT and ET include trainees' travelling costs in excess of £3 and £4 per week respectively.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people with glaucoma and diabetes received free eye tests in each district health authority area in Wales(a) in each quarter in 1988–89 and (b) in each quarter in 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  Estimates of numbers of sight tests for different types of patient are based on a 2 per cent. sample. This sample is not sufficient to make robust estimates by patient type within district health authority areas.

  Ferry Services, Fishguard
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met both chairman and chief executive of Sealink to discuss passenger ferry services at Fishguard; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There has been no meeting between my right hon. Friend and Sealink to discuss services from Fishguard. No such meeting has been requested.

  Mid-Wales Development Board
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much capital was invested by the mid-Wales development board in Ceredigion in 1989; what were the corresponding figures for the last 10 years: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Expenditure by the Development Board for Rural Wales in Ceredigion in the financial year 1989–90 was £1·3 million. The corresponding figures for the previous 10 years are as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  0·75

  1980–81

  0·61

  1981–82

  0·73

  1982–83

  0·78

  1983–84

  1·25

  1984–85

  1·50

  1985–86

  1·74

  1986–87

  0·98

  1987–88

  0·70

  1988–89

  0·98

  The figures confirm the continuing commitment by the DBRW to sustaining social and economic development within the district of Ceredigion.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he will list the managing organisations currently operating youth training schemes in each area covered by the TECs; and whether he will list the courses each organisation was running prior to the issuing of new training contracts indicating(a) how many places each organisation had contracted for under each course, (b) how many places had actually been filled in 1989 and (c) what was the total contribution to each managing organisation for the Training Agency in 1988–89 and 1989–90;

  (2) whether he will list in each area covered by the TECs in Wales the managing organisations operating youth training schemes under the new contracts issued by the Training Agency indicating (1) how many places have been allocated to each organisation and each course under the new contracts and (2) the percentage increase or decrease in places and financial contribution to each managing organisation estimated by the Training Agency under the new contracts.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 8 June 1990]: The training agencies have now provided the details requested. However, due to the volume and format of this information I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of the reply in the Library of the House.

  Bathing Beaches
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 13 June on bathing waters, if he will make it his policy to encourage the display of information on water quality on beaches which do not currently have European Community designation.

  Mr. Grist
  As I said in my answer of 13 June, we will be encouraging local authorities to make this information more readily available but it is for them to decide where in their areas such notices should be placed.

  Flexi-ownership
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received concerning the flexi-ownership scheme; how many were(a) in favour and (b) against the scheme; how many of these representations are from (i) individuals, (ii) organisations and (iii) local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  No representations have been received against flexi-ownership. Seventeen individuals and one local authority have written expressing interest.

  The Development Board for Rural Wales, which administers the scheme, has received 116 inquiries from tenants.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide the latest available figures for spending and the number of participants on each of his Department's training and employment measures in Wales in(a) the last three years, (b) the current year and (c) projections for the next three years.
  579
  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: The information requested for 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 is shown in the table. Actual figures for 1990–91 and projections for the next three years are not available.

  Training agency and employment services programmes

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Volume3

  Spend

  Volume3

  Spend

  Volume3

  Spend

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Voluntary Project Programme

  6,024

  0·91

  4None

  0·86

  —

  —

  New Job Training Scheme

  4,535

  1·1

  4None

  1·1

  —

  —

  Access to Information Technology

  1,244

  0·05

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Job Training Scheme

  3,959

  8·6

  1,570

  4·43

  —

  —

  Training for Enterprise

  6,816

  1·03

  4,869

  0·66

  —

  —

  Local Grants to Employers

  8,141

  1·79

  8,253

  1·86

  —

  —

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme

  7,062

  n.a.

  6,865

  n.a.

  5,489

  8·954

  Wider Opportunities Programme

  5,485

  1·78

  3,767

  1·25

  —

  —

  Community Programme

  119,865

  75·35

  4None

  40·67

  —

  —

  Residual Adult Training

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1·754

  Business Growth Training (Option 2)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,426

  0·467

  YTS/YT

  19,079

  51·77

  18,758

  52·66

  17,781

  50·746

  Employment Training

  —

  —

  17,564

  13·67

  32,766

  32·741

  Non-ET Business Enterprise

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,398

  0·195

  RESTART

  Data not available due to changes in budget procedures

  2,866

  22·2

  2,602

  0·314

  Job Clubs

  4,768

  4,621

  1·219

  Travel to Interview Scheme

  2,168

  1,777

  0·036

  Jobstart

  1,015

  1,313

  0·444

  Programme Development Fund

  —

  286

  0·019

  Job Interview Guarantee

  —

  191

  0·003

  1 In training at 31 March 1988.

  2 Total expenditure only available.

  3 Key to Employment Service Volume Data:

  Restart = numbers completing courses.

  Job clubs = number of job entries.

  Jobstart = applications accepted.

  Programme Development Fund = numbers involved in projects.

  Job Interview Guarantee = numbers placed in employment.

  For Training Agency Programmes Volume = starts.

  4 There were no starts on VPP, NJTS and CP in 1988–89 as these programmes were replaced by ET. Expenditure relates to residual costs for trainees who had commenced training in the previous year.

  n.a.—Not available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Japan
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in manufactured goods with Japan.

  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in manufactured goods with Japan.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in manufactured goods with Japan.

  Mr. Ridley
  In the four months to the end of April 1990, the United Kingdom trade deficit in manufactured goods with Japan was £1·4 billion, a decrease of 9 per cent. compared with the same period last year.

  Environmental Proposals
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new proposals to encourage British industry to be environmentally friendly.

  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new proposals to encourage British industry to be environmentally friendly.
  580
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new proposals to encourage British industry to be environmentally friendly.

  Mr. Forth
  I shall continue to encourage British industry to respond positively to the challenges and opportunities presented by environmental isssues. A new environment unit has been established in my Department to focus on the impact of environmental issues on business efficiency and competitiveness and in particular to encourage and advise on the development of improved environmental technology, waste management and recycling.

  Patents
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average time for the completion of processing a patent application.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The average time is estimated at three years and 10 months.

  Insider Trading
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on plans to improve the detection of insider trading.
  581
  Mr. Forth
  No. I am not aware that there is a significant amount of insider dealing which goes undetected. If the hon. Gentleman has evidence to the contrary, I should be grateful if he would give it to me.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects to receive the report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on an inquiry involving oral evidence on 5 June from Mr. Nigel Harris of the AUEW, Mr. Alan Harris, Mr. Bill Menzies and the hon. Member for Linlithgow.

  Mr. Ridley
  I expect to receive the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report by 3 August.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many takeover bids have been referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  Since 1979, 104 merger situations qualifying for investigation under the merger provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973, and three merger situations between water enterprises qualifying for investigation under the provisions of the Water Act 1989, have been referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. In addition, there have been 14 references to the commission under the newspaper merger provisions of the Fair Trading Act 1973.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for trade and Industry if he will make a statement as to his policy, on referring acquisitions and mergers to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission against the recommendation of the Director General of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Ridley
  Under the Fair Trading Act 1973, the Director General of Fair Trading makes a recommendation to me as to whether a merger should be referred to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission. It is for me alone to decide whether or not to accept the director general's recommendation. I treat each case on its merits. However, in the vast majority of cases, I agree with the recommendation made by the director general.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the levels of Government-funded research and development for(a) Japan, (b) the United States of America and (c) the United Kingdom for the years 1985 to 1989.

  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the levels of Government-funded research and development for(a) Japan, (b) the United States of America and (c) the United Kingdom for the years 1985 to 1989.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Government-funded R and D as a percentage of GDP was between 1·3 per cent. and 1·0 per cent. for the United Kingdom in the period 1985 to 1988. For the United States of America, the corresponding figures were between 1·3 per cent. and 1·2 per cent. For Japan, the percentage was constant at 0·5 per cent. No figures are yet available for 1989.

  Debt Advice
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase spending on debt advice work.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to increase spending on debt advice work.

  Mr. Forth
  None. My Department does not specifically fund debt advice much of which is provided by citizens advice bureaux, as part of their general service. DTI grant in aid to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and Citizens Advice Scotland, which provide the support services for individual citizens advice bureaux will amount to more than £11 million in 1990–91, compared with some £10 million last year. Individual bureaux are funded mainly by local authorities.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take to reduce the balance of payments deficit in information technology.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take to reduce the balance of payments deficit in information technology.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he proposes to take to reduce the balance of payments deficit in information technology.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government's policy is to create the right climate for profitable investment. The success of that policy is shown by the substantial investments being made in the United Kingdom by many of the world's leading companies in the IT industry.

  Plessey
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the subject of the GEC/Siemens takeover of Plessey.

  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the subject of the GEC/Siemens takeover of Plessey.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the subject of the GEC/Siemens takeover of Plessey.

  Mr. Ridley
  Ministers have received four recent representations about the GEC/Siemens takeover of Plessey.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Allen Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the future of the steel industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received about ensuring the future of the steel industry in the United Kingdom.
  583
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the future of the steel industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have received a number of representations on the future of the steel industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to encourage the development of specialised steel making.

  Mr. Ridley
  It is for the industry to take whatever steps it considers appropriate.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he is taking to ensure that the steel and special steel industries maintain their internationally competitive position.

  Mr. Ridley
  It is for the industry itself to ensure that it is competitive.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the chairman of British Steel; and what subjects were discussed.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with British Steel about its decision to close Ravenscraig hot strip mill.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the chairman of British Steel to discuss the Ravenscraig steel plant.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next intends to meet the chairman of British Steel to discuss the future of the Scottish steel industry.

  Mr. Ridley
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Banff and Buchan (Mr. Salmond) earlier today.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received any correspondence from British Steel plc explaining, with financial details, the decision to close the hot strip mill at Ravenscraig, Lanarkshire; and if he will make a statement about the implications for the steel industry in general.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have received a copy of a letter from the chairman of British Steel to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland concerning the company's proposal to close the Ravenscraig hot strip mill. The contents of the letter are confidential.

  Single European Market
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many of the legislative measures needed to establish the single European market the Council of Ministers has(a) now adopted, (b) reached a common position on and (c) secured agreement in principle to; and what proportion this constitutes of the total programme.

  Mr. Ridley
  Of the 282 legislative measures set out in the European Commission's White Paper, "Completing 584
  the Internal Market", 148 have now been adopted by the Council of Ministers, a common position has been reached on seven, and agreement in principle has been secured on six. Seven measures have also been partially adopted. This constitutes 59 per cent. of the total programme.

  Departmental Reorganisation
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect the reorganisation of his Department will have on the regions.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect the reorganisation of his Department will have on the regions.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of the reorganisation of his Department on the regions.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Policy towards the regions is not affected by the reorganisation of my Department.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the performance of the British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussion he has recently had with the president of the Confederation of British Industry about the performance of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has recently had with the president of the Confederation of British Industry about the performance of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Radice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has recently had with the president of the CBI about the performance of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Ministers and officials of my Department keep in touch with the CBI on a range of issues relevant to business.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have no immediate plans to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will indicate, for each year since 1979, whether the United Kingdom had a surplus or a deficit in manufactured goods with other European Community countries.

  Mr. Ridley
  The information requested is shown in the table.
  585

  Crude balance of trade in manufactured goods

  £ million

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  France

  -727

  -439

  -595

  -535

  -1,082

  -1,154

  -1,222

  -1,510

  -1,151

  -1,152

  -967

  Belgium-Lux

  -403

  -168

  -380

  -525

  -499

  -558

  -518

  -357

  -528

  -608

  -695

  Netherlands

  84

  184

  -191

  -466

  -803

  -844

  -747

  -1,128

  -1,117

  -1,914

  -2,157

  FR Germany

  -2,523

  -2,001

  -2,152

  -3,314

  -4,926

  -5,069

  -5,833

  -6,713

  -7,465

  -8,676

  -9,631

  Italy

  -796

  -368

  -498

  -826

  -1,175

  -1,302

  -1,387

  -1,590

  -1,553

  -1,787

  -2,087

  Irish Republic

  954

  793

  690

  547

  471

  495

  548

  584

  484

  491

  698

  Denmark

  147

  114

  -5

  -1

  -71

  -81

  -21

  -1

  -58

  -140

  -197

  Greece

  184

  140

  137

  137

  172

  163

  167

  149

  152

  173

  222

  Portugal

  14

  79

  49

  39

  -74

  -236

  -238

  -217

  -98

  -49

  -77

  Spain

  -78

  -79

  -71

  -80

  -84

  -257

  -294

  -54

  251

  257

  442

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom.

  Manufactured goods have been defined as Sections 5 to 8 of the Standard International Trade Classification Revision 3 (SITC (Rev 3)).

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have received a number of representations on the competitiveness of British manufacturing industry.

  Exporters
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new plans to help exporters.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to help exporters.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to help exporters.

  Mr. Ridley
  The volume of United Kingdom exports has continued to grow, reflecting the strong position of United Kingdom industry. Excluding oil and erratic items, the volume of exports in the three months to April was 11 per cent. higher than a year earlier. There is a wide range of advice and support available from my Department to assist United Kingdom exporters and of which many firms make use.

  Post Office
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has recently had with private companies about the Post Office's letter monopoly.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has recently had with private companies about the Post Office letter monopoly.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has recently had with private companies about the Post Office's letter monopoly.

  Mr. Forth
  Naturally, the Department has discussions with a wide range of private companies in the areas in 586
  which it has an interest. Discussions have been held with a number of companies with postal service interests, but on a basis of confidentiality.

  Harrods
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if any efforts are being made to recover the costs of his Department's investigation into the Harrods takeover from the present owners.

  Mr. Ridley
  No. Provision for the recovery of the expenses of and incidental to Companies Act inspections is contained in section 439 of the Companies Act 1985, as amended by section 59 of the Companies Act 1989. These provisions are not applicable in the case of House of Fraser Holdings plc.

  Juno Project
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to provide sufficient funds to ensure the participation of a British astronaut in the Juno project.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The organisers of the Juno project have requested Government funding. Juno was conceived as a private sector venture to put a British astronaut into space on the basis of commercial and media sponsorship. I could not justify diverting resources from the Government's own space programme which has quite different goals, notably earth observation and telecommunications.

  Consumer Affairs
  Mr. Eadie
  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. Frank Field
  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 EEC.
  587
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of local authorities' trading standards officers to discuss consumer affairs.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of the local authorities' trading standards officers to discuss consumer affairs.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of the local authorities' trading standards officers to discuss consumer affairs.

  Mr. Forth
  I met representatives of local authority trading standards officers on three occasions in 1989 to discuss consumer matters and my officials have frequent meetings with trading standards officers.

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

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

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentlemen to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Brown) on 14 June 1990, at column 305.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last attended a meeting of the European Council of Industry Ministers at which the subject discussed was steel.

  Mr. Ridley
  I attend meetings of the European Council of Industry Ministers whenever necessary. The last meeting I attended at which steel was discussed was on 14 November 1989.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the discussions on steel at the European Industry Council.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the outcome of the discussions on steel at the European Industry Council.

  Mr. Ridley
  At the 28 May meeting of the Industry Council the European Commission presented its view of the Community steel market over the next five years. There was an exchange of views, but no decisions were taken because the Commission's view is not subject to Council agreement or approval. The Commission also informed the member states that it had started preliminary work examining options for the future of the treaty of Paris which is due to expire in 2002.

  Investment
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the Confederation of British Industry to discuss investment levels.
  588
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Ministers and officials of my Department keep in touch with the CBI on a range of issues relevant to business.

  Financial Regulation
  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he expects to discuss financial regulation at his next meeting with the chairman of the stock exchange.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to discuss financial regulation at his next meeting with the chairman of the stock exchange.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he intends to discuss financial regulation at his next meeting with the chairman of the stock exchange.

  Mr. Ridley
  I meet the chairman of the stock exchange as frequently as necessary for discussion on a range of topics.

  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his Department's latest assessment of the effectiveness of City regulation.

  Mr. Ridley
  Regulation of investment business is for the most part the responsibility of the Securities and Investments Board, which is the designated agency under the Financial Services Act 1986. Other aspects of City activity are regulated under other arrangements, such as the Insurance Companies Act 1982 and the Banking Act 1987. I am generally satisfied with this regulatory structure. No regulatory system can prevent all fraud and malpractice.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the regulation of financial services.

  Mr. Ridley
  I receive a considerable number of representations on a variety of topics relating to the regulation of financial services. We consider very carefully those which relate to the scope or the framework of the regulatory system or to the powers under the Financial Services Act which the Government retain. Those which relate to matters which are the responsibility of the SIB or another regulatory authority are passed to the appropriate body.

  Shipbuilding Industry
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received seeking further investment in the shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received seeking further investment in the shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.
  589
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Various representations have been received relating to investment associated with a resumption of shipbuilding at North East Shipbuilders Ltd's former shipyards in Sunderland. These proposals have not been accepted because of restrictions imposed by the European Communities' sixth directive on aid to shipbuilding.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many vessels, in excess of 500 gross registered tonnes, were built in United Kingdom shipyards in each of the past three years; and what financial assistance was provided for their construction by way of the European Community's shipbuilding fund.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information is not available in the form requested. The number of vessels, in excess of 500 grt, built in the United Kingdom during the last three years
  is as follows:

  1987

  1988

  1989

  14

  11

  23

  Under the shipbuilding intervention fund, assistance is provided to United Kingdom shipyards, for the construction of vessels of over 100 gt, to enable them to quote break-even prices against non-EEC competition. Data are not available specifically on vessels over 500 grt. Total expenditure over the last three financial years is as follows:

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  £18·8m

  £39·4m

  £39·9m

  The IF is not an EC fund but a subsidy arrangement operated by the Government in accordance with the requirements of the sixth directive on aid to shipbuilding.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about further Government investment in the shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department has not recently received any significant representations.

  Safety-critical Software
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the setting up of a standard for safety-critical software.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the setting up of a standard for safety-critical software.

  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what progress has been made towards the setting up of a standard for safety-critical software.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government are encouraging the development of standards and guidelines for all systems incorporating software, the failure of which might endanger the safety of people or property. This is being done at both national and international levels. The activity is being co-ordinated by a working group of the 590
  interdepartmental committee on software engineering (ICSE) on which a number of relevant Government Departments and agencies are represented.

  On 8 June 1990 ICSE publicly launched "SafeIT", a consultative document on the safety of computer-controlled systems. This includes a proposed standards framework. The period for consultation lasts until 30 September 1990 and we are actively seeking the views of users and suppliers in industry and academia as well as Government. DTI and the Health and Safety Executive, which jointly provide the secretariat to ICSE, are co-ordinating the consultative process.

  One of the main purposes of the document is to influence the standards-making process. The document emphasises that in order to achieve the full benefits of standardisation, sector standards should develop from an overall generic approach. Once such an overall framework is in place, the speed at which sector standards can be developed by the British Standards Institution will be greatly enhanced. Thus draft defence standards 00.55 and 00.56, now available for public comment, are examples of draft sector-specific standards which are expected to fall within the generic framework being developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission.

  The SafeIT document also urges United Kingdom companies of all sizes and from all sectors to contribute actively to the development of international and European standards.

  Textiles
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in textiles.

  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in textiles.

  Mr. Forth
  Latest available figures show that imports of textiles exceeded exports by £1,564 million in the 12 months to March 1990.

  Devon and Cornwall
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to promote the level of inward investment in Devon and Cornwall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department is the major source of funds for the Devon and Cornwall Development Bureau (DCDB), the regional development body for Devon and Cornwall. To assist DCDB in its activities, I announced on 8 March that it would be offered grant of £510,000 in 1990–91. This is an increase of 21 per cent. on the 1989–90 grant of £422,000 and will allow DCDB to devote extra resources towards encouraging inward investment. This grant provides 72 per cent. of DCDB's total funding.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on regional policy.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on regional policy.
  591
  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on regional policy.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government remain committed to an effective regional policy and will continue to make the necessary resources available.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the level of regional development grant and regional selective assistance in(a) financial year 1978–79 and (b) the last financial year.

  Mr. Michael J. Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the level of regional development grants and regional selective assistance in(a) 1978–79 and (b) the last financial year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1978–79 expenditure in Great Britain on regional development grants and regional selective assistance was £416·9 million and £104·5 million respectively while in 1989–90 expenditure was £203·9 million and £197·8 million respectively in current prices.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies have announced inward investment projects in the United Kingdom over the past 12 months; and which regions have most benefited from the projects.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  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 British 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 following 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

  Packaging
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to encourage industry to reduce the amount of packaging used for products.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to encourage industry to reduce the amount of packaging used for products.

  Mr. Forth
  The promotion of waste minimisation in general is a key focus of my Department's environmental programme. The need to minimise packaging and, where essential packaging is concerned, to use materials which lend themselves to recycling, is being promoted through my Department's participation in relevant seminars and conferences and through meetings with representatives from the packaging industry. In March my Department was co-organiser with the Institute of Metals of an international conference which discussed all aspects of the design of products so as to avoid harm to the environment, including the minimisation of packaging. An example of a product designed with reduced packaging in mind is included in the booklet "Design for the Environment" which my Department has produced with assistance from the Design Council.

  National Economic Development Council
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will next meet the director general of the National Economic Development Council to discuss the impact of Government policies on British industry.

  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will next meet the director general of the National Economic Development Council to discuss the impact of Government policy on British industry.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will next meet the director general of the National Economic Development Council to discuss the impact of Government policies on British industry.

  Mr. Ridley
  My Department has frequent contacts with NEDO officials on a wide range of business matters and I last chaired the council on 4 April. I have no plans to meet the director general again at present.

  Advice Agencies
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the implications of the poll tax on the workload of the citizens advice bureaux and other advice-giving agencies.

  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment his Department has made of the implications of the poll tax on the workload of the citizens advice bureaux and other advice-giving agencies.

  Mr. Forth
  No such assessment has been made. Independent advice on matters related to the community
  593
  charge will be given by local citizens advice bureaux, which are primarily funded by local authorities. My Department provides funding to the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) which provide support services to individual citizens advice bureaux including training and information materials. The Department of the Environment has agreed to provide £36,000 to NACAB this year to help with the costs involved in providing training for bureaux workers on the community charge and the Scottish Office has given CAS £36,000 over the last two years for the same purpose.

  North East Shipbuilders Ltd.
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many former employees of NESL are currently in work.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Of the 1,755 former employees of NESL and associated British Shipbuilders' companies in Sunderland who have registered to date with Sunderland Enterprise and Training Ltd., 1,354 (77 per cent.) are now in new jobs or working on fixed-term contracts of 12 weeks or more. SETL does not monitor casual employment of short duration. A further 105 people are currently on training courses.

  Furniture and Furnishings
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assurance he has sought from the European Commission that legislation concerning the flammability of furniture and furnishings will meet the highest safety standards for British consumers.

  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assurance he has sought from the European Commission that legislation concerning the flammability of furniture and furnishings will meet the highest safety standards for British consumers.

  Mr. Forth
  The European Commission is engaged in discussions with member states about a proposed directive on the fire behaviour of furniture and furnishings. The Government will be consulting interested parties on the proposal in the near future.

  We will press stongly for our requirement for ignition resistance of foam and other fillings at forthcoming meetings with the Commission and at parallel European standards meetings on the test standards.

  West Germany
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in manufactured goods with West Germany.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current balance of trade in manufactured goods with West Germany.

  Mr. Ridley
  In the four months ended April 1990 the United Kingdom trade deficit in manufactured goods with West Germany was £3·1 billion.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will next meet with the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the future development of the ECGD.
  594
  Mr. Ridley
  I have no current plans to discuss the future of ECGD with the CBI. The memorandum submitted by the CBI to the Trade and Industry Select Committee—see third special report, 1988–89 Session—shows the CBI to be broadly supportive of the Government's decision on the future status and organisation of ECGD which I announced on 18 December 1989.

  Engineering, West Yorkshire
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received recently from people engaged in the engineering industry in west Yorkshire about the future of their jobs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None; no.

  Competition
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has plans to take any new initiatives on competition policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  The recommendations for legislative change in the 1988 review on mergers policy have now been implemented. Mergers policy focuses primarily on competition and I continue to apply it vigorously. We announced last year in the White Paper "Opening Markets: New policy on Restrictive Trade Practices", Cm. 727, proposals for new legislation governing anticompetitive agreements. We also indicated in that White Paper that we are reviewing the provisions in the Fair Trading Act 1973 and Competition Act 1980 dealing with the position of the individual anti-competitive firm.

  Mining Engineering
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet representatives of the mining engineering industry to discuss exports.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no immediate plans to meet representatives of the mining engineering industry.

  Computer Components
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the components of computers assembled in the United Kingdom are of(a) British and (b) European Economic Community origin.

  Mr. Forth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Hartlepool (Mr. Leadbitter) earlier today.

  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the components of computers assembled in the United Kingdom are of(a) British and (b) European Economic Community origin.

  Mr. Forth
  Official statistics do not indicate the end uses of electronic components produced in the United Kingdom or the European Community. It is not possible therefore to give the information requested by the hon. Member.

  Solvents
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to regulate the sale to minors of certain forms of toxic correcting fluid and general solvents.

  Mr. Forth
  The Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act prohibits the sale of solvent-based products to youngsters who appear to want to sniff them. I am not prepared to go further than this to restrict the sale of these useful products to legitimate users.

  Footwear and Textile Industries
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on Government support for the footwear and textile industries.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Companies in the footwear and textile industries are eligible for, and have received, assistance under a range of Government schemes of financial assistance.

  Company Legislation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to make any further changes to company legislation.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have no plans at present for further primary legislation in the field of company law; but I expect to bring forward a number of items of secondary legislation over the coming months to implement the Companies Act 1989, and to make the necessary provision to implement EC company law directives.

  Cars
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met his European counterparts to discuss the treatment of cars manufactured in the United Kingdom by Japanese-owned companies.

  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met his European counterparts to discuss the treatment of cars manufactured in the United Kingdom by Japanese-owned companies.

  Mr. Ridley
  I discussed the subject yesterday at the Foreign Affairs Council. I have insisted that cars manufactured in the EC by Japanese-owned companies should continue to enjoy unlimited free circulation throughout the Community, and I believe that this has now been accepted.

  Regulatory Bodies
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to establish any new bodies to oversee particular sectors of industry.

  Mr. Ridley
  I have no plans to establish any new bodies to oversee particular sectors of industry.

  Iraq
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Tirade and Industry if the latest extension of credit of £250 million to Iraq via Midland bank is supported by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  Yes. The financial protocol for £250 million of new medium-term credit to be guaranteed by ECGD was agreed between the United Kingdom and Iraq Governments in the course of the joint commission held in London in November last year.

  Shopping Visits
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what restrictions each of the other 11 European Community members impose on their residents who make day-trip shopping visits to the United Kingdom; and which of these countries have had their restrictions approved by the European Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  Restrictions approved by the European Community are contained in the travellers allowances directive (69/169/EEC). They are as follows:Greece, Denmark and Ireland may exclude from allowances to travellers goods the unit value of which exceeds 310 ecu, 340 ecu and 85 ecu respectively.
  Ireland may also exclude from the allowances for travellers under 15 years old goods the unit value of which exceeds 85 ecu.
  Denmark may apply the following quantitative limits for the importation of goods by travellers resident in Denmark after a stay of less than 48 hours in another country:
  Cigarettes—80
  Smoking tobacco where the tobacco particles have a width of less than 1·5 mm—150 gr
  Distilled beverages and spirit drinks of an alcoholic strength by volume of more than 22 per cent. volume—Nil

  National Front
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consultations he carried out, and with whom, before he extended limited liability status to the National Front.

  Mr. Redwood
  No limited liability status has been extended to the National Front as a political organisation.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations, and from whom, he has received following the extension of limited liability company status to the National Front.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: No limited liability status has been extended to the National Front. Representations were received from four Members of Parliament on behalf of constituents prior to the registration of National Front (Printers) Ltd. The local trade unions in Companies House also expressed concern on behalf of their members. No representations have been received subsequent to the registration of the company.

  GATT Textile Committee
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the GATT textile committee meeting held in Geneva on 12 June.

  Mr. Ridley
  Last week's meeting of the GATT negotiating group on textiles and clothing in Geneva
  597
  continued discussions on arrangements for phasing out the multi-fibre arrangement (MFA) after its expiry next year. The European Community tabled a paper further elaborating its ideas for the reintegration of the textile trade into GATT. The paper reiterated the Community's support for a solution based on phasing out the MFA and dealt with amongst other things product coverage, the process of phasing out restrictions, and the length and nature of transitional safeguards.

  Shoes
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had concerning the importation of shoes from third-world countries, tariffs raised against British shoes in those countries and the Uruguay round of the GATT negotiations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have been in regular contact with the footwear industry over the past year about the issues raised in the current round of GATT negotiations, and have passed to the European Commission the details the industry has given us of both tariff and non-tariff barriers in all third countries, including a number of third-world countries. We will make every effort to ensure that these issues are properly addressed during the detailed bilateral phase of the negotiations between now and the end of the year.

  Computers
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what steps he is taking to ensure that all personal computers pass safety tests prior to sale to the public;

  (2) what safety tests his Department requires to be undertaken on personal computers; and who is responsible for carrying out the tests.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: The safety of most electrical equipment including personal computers traded throughout the European Community is set by the EC low voltage directive, implemented in the United Kingdom through the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1989. I would certainly encourage all manufacturers to carry out tests on their products or have them independently tested, and I believe this is the normal practice. However, neither method is mandatory. the fundamental requirement is for the product to be safe.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department first learned about possible dangers of electrocution from personal computers; when it issued a public warning; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Personal computers are required to comply with the requirements of the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1989. The Department was notified on 29 May of tests carried out by a testing company and subsequently received reports showing, inter alia, that four models did not fully meet the relevant standard. In accordance with normal practice the trading standards authorities responsible for enforcing the safety regulations for electrical equipment including personal computers
  598
  have been or will be informed of the reports received. It is for them to establish the facts and to take the appropriate action.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure that unsafe personal computers are recalled without delay.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: This is a matter for the local trading standards authorities, which are responsible for enforcing the safety regulations for electrical equipment including personal computers.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what circumstances his Department permits personal computers to go on sale without testing for safety.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: There is no obligation under the EC low voltage directive, which has for a number of years dictated the safety of electrical products, including personal computers, for products to be formally tested prior to sale. It is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure that products are safe and the regulations provide for heavy penalties for those who market unsafe equipment.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure the application of British safety standards to computers and computer peripherals sold in or imported into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: All electrical products including computers and peripherals are required to comply with the EC low voltage directive which is implemented into United Kingdom legislation through the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1989. One means of conforming with these regulations is through compliance with British standards. This is not, however, the only means of conformity; the fundamental requirement is that they be safe.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to make British safety standards mandatory for computers and computer peripherals used in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: No. Where products fall under the requirements of European legislation as in this case with the EC low voltage directive, individual member states cannot insist on mandatory compliance with national standards as this would be regarded as a barrier to trade.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are maintained to ensure the safety of computers and computer peripherals imported into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: The safety of computer equipment marketed to consumers in the United Kingdom is subject to enforcement by the local trading standards authority.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimates he has of computer products being sold in the United Kingdom which do not meet British standards of safety codes; and what steps he is taking to monitor and change this situation.
  599
  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Records are not kept on the extent to which computer equipment sold in the United Kingdom complies with British safety standards and I do not believe it would be practicable to introduce such a system.

  Electrical Equipment (Safety)
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to make testing of electrical products under the Low Voltage Electrical Equipment (Safety) Regulations 1989 mandatory before these products are sold.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: No. Any additional requirements in excess of those contained in the EC low voltage directive would be regarded by the European Commission as barriers to trade.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce a system whereby proof of satisfactory testing to recognised standards will be mandatory upon all manufacturers of electrical equipment.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: No. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answers I gave to his questions earlier today

  Appointments
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all beneficial appointments and non-governmental paid positions for which officials and former officials of his Department sought, and were granted, permission to accept since June 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Civil servants are required to seek approval for any paid appointment for which they apply within two years of leaving Crown employment. The rules are centrally laid down by the Cabinet Office. Statistics of applications which have been made by ex-employees of my Department are readily available only from 1987 to date: 337 applications were made; all were approved; of those, 34 were approved subject to certain conditions being met. Details of the positions for which approval was being sought are confidential to the individuals concerned and I regret that I cannot divulge details of specific cases.

  Twenty most visited attractions in the North West, 1989

  Rank

  Attraction

  Number of visits (thousands)

  Change 1988–89 per cent.

  1.

  Blackpool Pleasure Beach

  16,500

  —

  2.

  Albert Dock

  15,100

  +46

  3.

  Blackpool Tower

  1,495

  +1

  4.

  Frontierland, Morecambe

  11,200

  +20

  5.

  Stapeley Water Gardens

  11,270

  +27

  6.

  Chester Zoo

  904

  +1

  7.

  Croxteth Country Park

  1750

  —

  8.

  Chester Cathedral

  1750

  +20

  9.

  Tate Gallery, Liverpool

  687

  +37

  10.

  Granada Studios Tour

  600

  +158

  11.

  Sandcastle, Blackpool

  1580

  -17

  12.

  Liverpool Museum

  549

  -6

  13.

  Knowsley Safari Park

  501

  -2

  14.

  Heaton Park

  1500

  —

  15.

  Blackpool Zoo

  382

  +6

  Limited Liability Status
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry under what authority he is able to refuse limited liability status, and registration as a company with the benefit of limited liability.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Decisions on the registration of companies are for the Registrar of Companies, who will consider whether applications meet the requirements of the Companies Acts. However, under section 26 of the Companies Act 1985, the approval of the Secretary of State is required for the registration of certain names.

  Toxic Waste
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications have been received for export licences to send toxic waste to Romania since 1987.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under regulations in force since 1988, the Secretary of State must be notified of proposed hazardous waste exports for disposal in non-EC countries and he can prohibit the export by raising an objection. No such notifications have been made for exports to Romania or any other non-EC country.

EMPLOYMENT

  New Businesses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate he has of new businesses started up in the past five years; how many jobs have been created thereby; how many businesses have been closed in the same period; what were the comparable figures in 1974 to 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer on 14 May at column 331.

  Tourism
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the top 20 tourist attractions in the north-west in numbers visiting or attending; and if he will indicate(a) the attendance in each instance for 1989 and (b) the percentage change from the previous year's figures.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The table gives the information.
  601

  Rank

  Attraction

  Number of visits (thousands)

  Change 1988–89 per cent.

  16.

  Chester Visitor Centre

  1380

  +10

  17.

  Lyme Park

  1350

  +17

  18.

  Merseyside Maritime Museum

  302

  -26

  19.

  Etherow Country Park

  296

  n/a

  20.

  Cheshire Candle Workshops

  1269

  —

  1 = Estimated attendance.

  n/a=Not available.

  —= No change.

  Sheltered Placement Scheme
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many applications have been received for vacancies on the sheltered placement scheme in each of the last 12 months;

  (2) how many vacancies there have been on the sheltered placement scheme in each of the last 12 months.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Employment Service, which is responsible for the sheltered employment programme, became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service Agency's chief executive will be replying in writing to my hon. Friend.

  Social Charter
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress has been made on implementations of measures already agreed in the European social charter.

  Mr. Eggar
  The European Community social charter, which the United Kingdom was unable to agree, was a political statement of intent. The European Commission's proposals for implementing the provisions in the charter are outlined in its social action programme. The first detailed draft proposals under the programme have recently been published. Negotiations on the individual proposals in the programme can now begin in the Council of Ministers in the usual way.

  Self-employment
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were self-employed in(a) June 1979, (b) December 1988 and (c) December 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is as follows:

  Self Employed Persons in the United Kingdom

  Number

  June 1979

  1,906,000

  December 1988

  3,113,000

  December 1989

  3,311,000

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the current level of unemployment.

  Mr. Eggar
  In May 1990, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom was 1,611,000, about half the July 1986 level.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing(a)
  602
  employment by industry and ethnic origin, (b) employment by broad occupation, ethnic origin and sex and (c) unemployment rate by ethnic origin for the earliest available date on a comparative basis with tables 4, 5 and 8 in the Employment Gazette, March 1990.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Earlier labour force survey analyses by ethnic origin and industry and by ethnic origin, sex and broad occupation are available for 1985–87 and 1984–86 in Employment Gazette, December 1988, pages 637–8 (tables 4 and 5) and March 1988, pages 168–9 (tables 4 and 5). Unemployment rates by ethnic origin are given since 1984 on a consistent basis, using the ILO definition of unemployment with a four-week job search period, in table 8 quoted; but information for 1984, 1983 and 1981, using the previous labour force definition of unemployment with a one-week job search period is given in Employment Gazette, March 1988, page 173 (table 8) and June 1984, page 263 (tables 1 and 3). Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the most recent unemployment figures for the Colne Valley constituency; and what were the comparable figures in the same month five years earlier.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990, on an adjustable basis, there were 1,819 unemployed claimants in the Colne Valley parliamentary constituency, a fall of 2,154, or 54 per cent. compared with May 1985.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the latest unemployment figures; what were the figures in May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom was 1,611,000, compared with 1,088,500 in May 1979. There are now over 1½ million more jobs than in 1979 and unemployment is about half of what it was at its peak in July 1986.

  Benefit Claimants
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether, if a claimant adviser offers a vacancy to a claimant which they have obtained from a local newspaper or other source, other than a jobcentre, the claimant has to show good cause if they do not wish to pursue it, or decide to reject it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Employment Service, which is responsible for the claimant adviser service, became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the chief executive of the Employment Service, will be replying in writing to the hon. Lady.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to meet the chief executive of the Training Agency to discuss the provision of employment training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets the director general of the Training Agency on a regular basis to discuss all of the Department's programmes including employment training. About 700,000 unemployed people to date have taken advantage of the help ET offers them to obtain the skills and experience they need to get jobs.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what number of trainees on employment training had to leave the scheme last year because no suitable training placement could be found for them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available. There is a plentiful supply of work placement opportunities for trainees on employment training. At any one time 72 per cent. of trainees are on project or employer-based placements.

  Wages
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the median wage was received by the lowest paid 10 per cent. of male manual workers in each year between 1986 and 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The available information is published in table 15 of part A of the 1989 new earnings survey report, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of adult workers earning below £157 per week in each of the years between 1986 and 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The estimated number of full-time adult employees earning below specified weekly amounts are published in table 14 of part A of the 1989 report and in table 29 of part B of the new earnings survey reports for 1986 to 1988. Copies of the reports are in the Library.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many business men have promised to serve on the boards of training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Eggar
  Over 1,000 business leaders have been involved so far in setting up training and enterprise councils.

  Of the 15 TECs that have now become fully operational, there are 138 private sector board members.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals the Health and Safety Commission has to increase health and safety protection in the workplace.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Commission's proposals are set out in its plan of work for 1990–91 and 604
  beyond. The plan has been submitted to my right hon. and learned Friend for his approval and it is hoped that it will be published in July.

  Clothing Industry
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many jobs have been lost in the clothing industry in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of employees in employment in the clothing industry, including hats, gloves and fur goods, in Great Britain decreased by 4,000 between December 1988 and December 1989.

  Cancer
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether his Department has conducted or commissioned any research into cancer of the larynx resulting from asbestosis, explosives or industrial substances.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Health and Safety Executive continues to sponsor programmes of research into aspects of the toxicity and carcinogenity of industrial substances. It has commissioned no specific research into cancer of the larynx.

  Ex-offenders
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Employment, further to the answer to the right hon. Member for Birmingham, Sparkbrook (Mr. Hattersley) of 15 May,Official Report, column 375, on training for ex-offenders, whether a report will be produced by his Department presenting the findings of the examination referred to; and whether he intends to consult relevant outside bodies during the course of the examination.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are frequent contacts and discussions between the Training Agency, Home Office, probation services and voluntary bodies such as NACRO and Apex Trust about training and enterprise provision for ex-offenders. The recent White Paper on punishment in the community is included in those discussions. My Department does not publish reports on such on-going contacts.

  TVEI
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those local education authorities participating in the technical and vocational education initiative extension and set out their budgets for 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given on 19 June, at columns 463–66.

  Migrant Workers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the statement by the Minister of State in reply to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow,Official Report, 21 May, columns 122–23, regarding the movement of migrant workers among Community countries, what is the expected date of

  605
  publication of the relevant directive; if its terms will be decided by qualified majority or unanimity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Revisions to the Community legislation on free movement of EC nationals are under discussion following proposals put forward by the Commission. It is not yet known when these will be agreed.

  The proposed revisions do not cover workers who are non-Community nationals, except as dependants of EC nationals: such workers are not within Community competence.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  National Insurance
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot) of 21 May,Official Report, column 81, whether he has estimated any cost to business in requiring employers to spend more time with national insurance inspectors.
  606
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There is of course a certain cost to businesses in carrying out the task of calculating and paying the correct amounts of national insurance contributions for their employees; this is an inescapable responsibility for them if their employees are to receive correct amounts of social security benefits and pensions. Most employers carry out this task conscientiously and effectively and thus keep the burden on their business to the minimum. However, there is a minority of employers who, for whatever reason, are performing this task less than effectively and from whom the collection of NICs needs to be improved.

  Contributions unit inspectors will be concentrating their efforts on these employers. Their aim will be to help educate such employers (some of whom may be relatively inexperienced). If employers can be assisted to get the task right first time, they will in fact reduce the burden on their business which flows from having to take corrective action. This will help ensure that their employees' NIC records are correct and up to date, and that less staff time in the contributions unit needs to be spent on such corrective activity.

  One of the main aims of the contributions unit is to ensure that burdens on businesses are kept as low as is practicable.

  Supplementary Benefit
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the number of(a) claimants and (b) benefit units, identifying (i) families and (ii) pensioners on supplementary benefit who received (1) one single payment, (2) two single payments, (3) three single payments and (4) four or more single payments in the year 1985–86 expressed in each as a total and as a proportion of supplementary benefit caseload.

  Mr. Scott
  Information on the number of pensioners receiving different numbers of single payments is in the Library, in table 19·1 of the supplementary benefit annual statistical inquiry, 1986. The other information is not available.

  Widowed Mother's Allowance
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women receive widowed mother's allowance in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that at March 1989, 64,000 women were receiving widowed mother's allowance in England and Wales.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was(a) the projected and (b) the actual value of loans repayments to the social fund in 1989–90; and whether he will make a statement on the practice in many social fund offices of setting repayments rates at or about the maximum recommended level of 15 per cent. of applicable benefit levels.

  Mr. Scott
  Loan repayments to the social fund in 1989–90 totalled £108 million against the forecast of £104 million. The rate of repayment of a loan depends on the individual's circumstances. Where there are no existing commitments, it may be as high as 15 per cent. of the income support applicable amount. But it could be set at 10 per cent., 5 per cent. or less than 5 per cent. An applicant's ability to repay a loan is taken into account before an offer is made. In appropriate cases, rescheduling is considered and money advice is offered.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the extra funds allocated to the social fund by recycling from loan repayments to loans and grants budgets between December 1989 and March 1990, are regarded for expenditure purposes as a call on 1984–90 social fund expenditure or on some other budget head; and if he will make a statement on the implications of this for future social fund budgets.

  Mr. Scott
  Expenditure arising from the additional allocations made to local offices in 1989–90 has been treated as expenditure from the social fund in that year. Account was taken of the additional allocations in December 1989 and January 1990 in calculating the allocations for 1990–91 which I announced on 26 March. Decisions on the allocation of social fund budgets for future years will be taken nearer the time.

  Community Care Grant
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women have submitted claims for a community care grant in the past 12 months; and, of those, how many were turned down due to already receiving widowed mother's allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  One of the conditions for eligibility for community care grants, (as with the previous single payments system) is being in receipt of income support (supplementary benefit). Receipt of widowed mother's allowance is relevant only in so far as it plays a part in determining eligibility to income support.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people with severe mental handicap and severe behaviour problems have been refused mobility allowance because their walking problems cannot be attributed to a physical cause;

  (2) how many people with severe mental handicap whose behaviour problems interrupt their walking progress are in receipt of mobility allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Money Purchase Pension Schemes
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he sees any need to amend contracting-out arrangements for money purchase schemes following the European Court of Justice judgment in the case of Barber v. Guardian Royal Exchange.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  While there remain uncertainties about the legal implications of this judgment for occupational pension schemes, it is clear that there is a specific problem for contracted-out money purchase schemes (COMPS). This arises from the conflict between the European Court's ruling in the Barber case that such schemes must equalise the age at which pensions come into payment for men and women, and the current requirement that such schemes may contract out of the state pension scheme only if they pay protected rights to their members at the age of 60 for women and 65 for men. We have therefore today tabled in another place an amendment to the Social Security Bill to enable these schemes to pay pensions deriving from protected rights from the date on which the member attains an age not earlier than 60 and not later than 65. This will ensure that such schemes can continue to meet the legal requirements of contracting out while complying with the equal treatment requirements of the European Court of Justice judgment. The same conflict does not arise in the case of schemes based on final salary and therefore they will not be affected by the amendment.

  State Pension
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the British state retirement pension in line with other EEC pensions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 16 March 1990]: Comparisons with other EC members are highly misleading and are complicated by the wide variety of pension provision in different states.
  609
  We will continue to maintain our commitment to increase the state retirement pension fully in line with movements in prices.

DEFENCE

  HMS Southampton
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated cost of repairs to HMS Southampton following its collision in 1988.

  Mr. Neubert
  Following the collision, it was decided to combine the repairs with the ship's 1989 refit. The contract was placed with Swan Hunter Ltd. after a competition. The estimated total cost of the repair and refit (including equipments procured separately by the Ministry) is £45 million.

  Pensions
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what adjustments were made to comparator earnings by the armed forces pay review body to reflect its judgment on the additional pension benefit received by members of the armed forces compared with that available for civilian schemes for each of the years from its inception in 1971;

  (2) what adjustments were made to comparator earnings by the armed forces pay review body in each of the years since 1971, to reflect its judgment on the additional widows' pension benefit received by members of the armed forces compared with that available for civilian schemes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Between 1971 and 1980 the adjustments made by the AFPRB in respect of the value of pension benefits (including widows' pension benefits) were based on the adjustments used in the context of negotiated pay in the home civil service: details were not published by the AFPRB. From 1981 to 1985, the AFPRB made a downward adjustment of 11 per cent. to comparator earnings. From 1986 onwards, the downward adjustment was reduced to 10 per cent.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what adjustments were made to comparator earnings by the armed forces pay review body in each of the years(a) 1985, (b) 1986, (c) 1987, (d) 1988 and (e) 1989 to reflect its judgment on the additional widowers' pension benefit received by female members of the armed forces compared with that available for civilian schemes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None. Adjustments to comparator earnings are currently made on the basis of male pension benefits only.

  Armed Forces Pay
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what procedures operated for each of the years from 1960 to set levels of pay for the armed forces; what consideration was given to pension benefits then available to members of the armed forces in setting such levels in each subsequent year; and what decisions were taken.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Between 1960 and 1968 pay in the armed forces was reviewed every two years. Pay was 610
  determined by reference to changes in civil service pay (for officers) and to changes in average earnings in manufacturing and other industries (for other ranks). In 1968, armed forces pay was made the subject of a standing reference to the National Board for Prices and Incomes. The AFPRB was established in 1971 to advise the Prime Minister on pay and allowances in the armed forces. Until 1980 adjustments for pension benefits were linked to those agreed for the home civil service.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many, and what types of aircraft will take part in overland low-flying activity during Exercise JMC 90/2; on what dates and between which times in what areas any such low flying will take place; and what is the minimum height for overland low-level flights in Exercise JMC 90/2.

  Mr. Neubert
  The majority of air activity in support of this exercise will be carried out over the sea, but some overland low flying may occur in daylight hours on Friday 22, Monday 25 and Tuesday 26 June, north of Scapa Flow in the Orkney Islands and in north-west Scotland. Buccaneer, Tornado, Jaguar, Canberra and Hunter aircraft are expected to participate, as well as some air defence aircraft. The exact numbers of aircraft will depend on prevailing weather conditions and operational considerations. Some helicopter activity is also planned. The minimum height authorised for fixed-wing aircraft over land during the exercise will be 250 ft.

  JENOA
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the meaning of the term JENOA in relation to Exercise JMC 90/2; and if he will make a statement on the nature and purpose of the activities to be conducted in the JENOA area in Exercise JMC 90/2.

  Mr. Neubert
  JENOA is an acronym for general operations area. It is a term used by exercise managers and refers to any one of a series of pre-defined areas of sea forming a grid within the exercise area.

  Stornoway Airport
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the vertical separation provided to aircraft operating under the control of Royal Air Force radar controllers at times of military activation of Stornoway airport.

  Mr. Neubert
  The minimum vertical separation provided to aircraft operating under the control of Royal Air Force radar controllers at times of military activation of Stornoway airport is normally 1,000 ft, but this may be reduced to 500 ft in certain defined circumstances.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what use will be made of Stornoway airport during Exercise JMC 90/2.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is planned to deploy six Tornado F3 aircraft and one Sea King helicopter to Stornoway airport during part of Exercise JMC 90/2.

  Nuclear Accidents
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to ensure that the facilities at Coulport for the handling and storage of Trident warheads will be adequate to contain any potential plutonium dispersal that could be caused by a nuclear warhead accident.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The likelihood of an accident to a nuclear weapon involving dispersal of plutonium is extremely remote, and safety is fully taken into account both in weapon design and operating procedures at handling and storage depots. Comprehensive plans exist for accident response at naval bases including Coulport; these are kept under review to ensure that they are adequate to deal with all accident scenarios.

  MOD Police
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence police were employed at Royal Ordnance, Bishopton until the disbandment of the police force in June; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Ministry of Defence police (MDP) complement for Bishopton provided for a detachment of 39 officers, prior to its withdrawal from 1 June 1990. The present position is as stated in my written answer to the hon. Member for Renfrew, West and Inverclyde (Mr. Graham) on 15 May, at column 392.

  RAF Quedgeley
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether there are any plans to release any part of land currently at RAF Quedgeley for purposes other than his Department's use;

  (2) what representations he has received on the potential development of land at RAF Quedgeley;

  (3) if he has any plans to hold consultations with local residents about alternate uses for land at RAF Quedgeley;

  (4) if he will make a statement on the future use of RAF Quedgeley other than for his Department's purposes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: We do not yet have any specific plans to dispose of land at RAF Quedgeley. However, as a result of requests from Gloucester city council, Stroud district council, and private sector interests, we have identified some 248 acres as likely to become surplus to defence requirements, and as suitable therefore for inclusion in the local plan currently in preparation.

  The future use of any such land would be a matter for consultation with the local planning authority and other interested parties, in line with normal planning procedures.

SCOTLAND

  Roads
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to improve the roads between Glasgow and the Mull of Kintyre.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The road between Glasgow and the southern end of the Mull of Kintyre 612
  comprises the A82 and A83 which stretches from Glasgow to Lochgilphead forming part of the trunk road network; and the A83 (non-trunk) from Lochgilphead to Campbeltown and B842 Campbeltown to Keil Point on the Mull of Kintyre which are part of the local road network for which Strathclyde regional council has
  responsibility.

  Major improvement schemes in progress or currently planned relating to the A82 and A83 trunk road section of the route are as follows:

  A82 Luss bypass; work commenced in March this year.

  A82 Hollybank-Tarbet; the preferred line order for this scheme is expected to be published soon.

  A83 Inveraray bypass; a preferred line has yet to be established.

  Minor schemes on the A82 involve the installation of central reserve safety fencing between Erskine and Balloch and improvement of the junctions with the A8014 and A814.

  On the non-trunk section Strathclyde regional council has three road schemes planned or in progress.

  Religious Education
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of responses so far received to his draft circular on religious education and religious observance in primary schools, listing the names of the organisations involved; and when he intends to issue a definitive policy on this matter.

  Mr. Lang
  Responses have been received to date from the organisations listed. In addition 13 individuals have commented. Further responses will be accepted until the end of June. It is intended to issue a circular when these
  responses have been fully considered.

  Organisations responding to Draft Circular on Religious Education and Observance

  The Baptist Union of Scotland.

  The Church of Scotland.

  The Congregation Union of Scotland.

  The Free Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

  The Scottish Episcopal Church.

  The Professional Association of Teachers in Scotland.

  The Catholic Education Commission.

  The Association of Teachers of Religious Education in Scotland.

  The Scottish Association of Advisers in Religious Education.

  Association of Directors of Education in Scotland.

  The Educational Institute of Scotland.

  The Scottish Joint Committee on Religious Education.

  The Scottish Humanist Council.

  The Catholic Head Teachers Association of Scotland. Education Alert.

  Christian Education Movement in Scotland.

  The Scottish Parent Teacher Council.

  The Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum.

  The Association of Christian Teachers.

  The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities.

  Education Expenditure
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the expenditure per pupil in real terms for each year from 1979, by eduation authority, in(a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

  Mr. Lang
  The information available is given in the table, which has been compiled from local authority financial returns. Expenditure on primary and secondary schools in Highland region was not separately identified in 1979–80.
  613

  Expenditure per pupil in primary and secondary schools adjusted to 1988–89 prices using the GDP deflator

  Region

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Borders

  1,022

  1,366

  1,129

  1,458

  1,182

  1,458

  1,197

  1,476

  1,181

  1,510

  Central

  841

  1,460

  932

  1,533

  996

  1,593

  1,051

  1,637

  1,076

  1,670

  Dumfries and Galloway

  858

  1,502

  968

  1,531

  999

  1,547

  1,055

  1,553

  1,063

  1,635

  Fife

  918

  1,472

  1,040

  1,568

  1,099

  1,638

  1,071

  1,648

  1,128

  1,675

  Grampian

  956

  1,571

  1,003

  1,738

  1,072

  1,729

  1,112

  1,764

  1,123

  1,769

  Highland

  n.a.

  n.a.

  983

  1,546

  1,014

  1,647

  1,074

  1,652

  1,092

  1,687

  Lothian

  958

  1,656

  1,091

  1,811

  1,121

  1,855

  1,054

  1,802

  1,085

  1,837

  Strathclyde

  922

  1,498

  1,010

  1,571

  1,096

  1,663

  1,140

  1,709

  1,174

  1,777

  Tayside

  847

  1,532

  932

  1,627

  1,017

  1,721

  1,043

  1,736

  1,067

  1,803

  Orkney

  1,376

  1,543

  1,473

  1,519

  1,419

  1,705

  1,327

  1,760

  1,341

  1,908

  Shetland

  1,022

  2,166

  1,245

  2,404

  1,377

  2,516

  1,521

  2,587

  1,535

  2,459

  Western Isles

  1,073

  1,859

  1,201

  1,899

  1,233

  1,907

  1,259

  2,005

  1,304

  2,124

  n.a.—Not available.

  Expenditure per pupil in primary and secondary schools adjusted to 1988–89 prices using the GDP deflator

  Region

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Primary

  Secondary

  Borders

  1,177

  1,590

  1,169

  1,643

  1,231

  1,807

  1,253

  1,902

  1,333

  2,188

  Central

  1,068

  1,687

  1,046

  1,729

  1,085

  1,863

  1,160

  2,039

  1,224

  2,114

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,059

  1,715

  1,006

  1,686

  1,068

  1,933

  1,147

  2,112

  1,204

  2,273

  Fife

  1,071

  1,709

  1,095

  1,743

  1,152

  1,925

  1,221

  2,134

  1,302

  2,251

  Grampian

  1,102

  1,830

  1,074

  1,776

  1,152

  1,947

  1,179

  2,078

  1,192

  2,281

  Highland

  1,107

  1,671

  1,090

  1,700

  1,166

  1,831

  1,257

  2,003

  1,284

  2,095

  Lothian

  1,080

  1,822

  1,084

  1,885

  1,166

  2,083

  1,192

  2,192

  1,175

  2,282

  Strathclyde

  1,167

  1,837

  1,161

  1,864

  1,203

  2,017

  1,255

  2,157

  1,262

  2,252

  Tayside

  1,082

  1,782

  1,071

  1,816

  1,115

  1,995

  1,187

  2,177

  1,215

  2,331

  Orkney

  1,198

  2,315

  1,439

  2,054

  1,410

  2,265

  1,676

  2,276

  1,380

  2,991

  Shetland

  1,509

  2,554

  1,549

  2,649

  1,570

  2,825

  1,661

  3,079

  1,655

  3,544

  Western Isles

  1,241

  2,101

  1,208

  2,193

  1,235

  2,413

  1,502

  2,582

  1,580

  2,814

  Water Pollution
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest information concerning the presence of toxic or noxious algae or other such contaminated substances generated by the dumping of sewage sludge and chemicals in the Firth of Clyde; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  There are no reports at present of toxic algal blooms in the Firth of Clyde. Such events are rare and naturally occurring and I am not aware of any scientific evidence to show a connection with the dumping of sewage sludge and chemicals in the sea and toxic or noxious algae or other such contaminated substances.

  The dumping of sewage sludge at Garroch Head in the Firth of Clyde is controlled by licences issued by my right hon. and learned Friend and carefully monitored both as a condition of the licence and by detailed surveys by DAFS.

  Voluntary Bodies
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the effects upon grant aid to local voluntary associations of regional and island authorities being unable to recover the level of poll tax expected when preparing their budget.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The collection of community charges and decisions by local authorities to provide funding for voluntary organisations from within their financial resources are entirely the responsibility of the authorities themselves.
  614
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he has adopted to assess the effects of the poll tax on grant aid to voluntary associations; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. It is for individual local authorities to decide whether to make funding available to voluntary organisations from within their financial resources.

  Rural Housing
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to make additional funds available to local authorities for projects designed to encourage low-cost housing development to meet local needs in rural areas.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Resources for housing capital expenditure in 1990–91 were allocated to local authorities in March on the basis of their relative housing needs and with reference to their capital programmes and housing plans. It is for local authorities to determine their own priorities for the use of these allocations in the light of local circumstances, including the need for low-cost housing projects if this is seen as a priority in their area.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals to secure the release of land for low-cost housing development to meet local needs in rural areas.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Scottish Homes has been asked to formulate a rural housing strategy and ways of making available more low-cost housing to meet local needs is one issue that it is considering. Work on the strategy is well in hand and I look forward to receiving its final report.

  Traffic, Gateside
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will pay an official visit to Gateside to inspect the prevailing road traffic arrangements, including the effects of the 40 mph speed limit.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No.

  NHS Reform
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether his officials have held recent discussions with interested parties regarding the possibility of any part of the national health service seeking self-governing status in the parliamentary constituency of Greenock and Port Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My officials have held discussions with numbers of employees in the national health service throughout Scotland on the implications of self-governing status.

  Rents to Mortgages
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many representations he has received concerning the rents into mortgages scheme; how many were(a) in favour and (b) against the scheme; how many of these representations are from (i) individuals, (ii) organisations and (iii) local authorities; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects the rents into mortgages experiment to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have had no formal representations about this scheme since I first announced it in May 1989.

  Scottish Homes was asked to introduce the scheme on an experimental basis for a trial three-year period beginning in October 1989. This arrangement still stands. During its first eight months of operation, Scottish Homes has received 154 firm applications to purchase. The scheme is being closely monitored and early indications are that it is attracting the interest of the intended target group and others.

  Any extension or modification to the scheme which appears appropriate in the light of experience will be introduced as soon as practicable.

  Explosives
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will identify those areas in British coastal waters which are designated for the dumping of explosive materials and devices.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: The following areas in Scottish coastal waters are shown on Admiralty navigation charts as dumping grounds for explosive materials:

  Area

  Chart

  Position

  Firth of Clyde

  2220

  55° 37' 00" N 4° 59' 30" W

  Beauforts Dyke

  2198

  54° 54' 00" N 5° 23' 00" W

  Beauforts Dyke

  2093

  54° 35' 00" N 5° 05' 00" W

  Beauforts Dyke

  2198

  54° 45' 00" N 5° 15' 00" W

  Sound of Mull

  2390

  56° 30' 00" N 5° 37' 00" W

  Inner Sound

  2498

  57° 19' 00" N 5° 51' 00" W

  616

  Area

  Chart

  Position

  Isle of May, Firth of Forth

  734

  56° 10' 45" N 2° 30' 15" W

  Isle of May, Firth of Forth

  734

  56° 11'24'N 2" 29'00" W

  East of Aberdeen

  1446

  57° 09' 00" N 1° 58' 30" W

  None of these dump sites is now used for disposal of explosive material or devices.

  Archaeological Surveys (Radar)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what preliminary conclusions he has reached about the usefulness of radar surveys in establishing archaeological data about what went on in the outer precincts of great abbeys; and for establishing archaeological precautions on disburbance of ground levels.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Ground-probing radar has been primarily developed for use on building sites where it has been used to detect voids in standing buildings. It works by bouncing electromagnetic waves off boundaries between deposits of different electrical properties. Thus in suitable conditions it can detect stone walls, volumes of disturbed ground such as pits or wells, and some archaeological layers. Simple large features can be identified and interpreted easily. It will not, however, detect features in completely waterlogged soils, and it shares the limitation with other geophysical techniques that strong surface features can mask underlying ones. An advantage over magnetometry particularly relevant in Scotland is that it is not so vulnerable to igneous and metamorphic rocks with strong magnetic fields. Its advantage over other geophysical techniques is that it gives a three-dimesional picture.

  Ground-probing radar has not yet been extensively tested and does have limitations. Thus failure to identify physical evidence of underlying structures does not necessarily mean that such evidence has not survived: it may be merely obscured. It is in the nature of archaeological deposits that intrusive methods of archaeological investigation, that is, excavation, remain the only satisfactory method of determining what lies beneath ground level.

  It is clear that many of the great abbeys of Scotland had substantial precincts beyond the main nucleus of church and conventual buildings. In Scotland these are almost entirely unexplored. In managing properties in care, the aim of Historic Buildings and Monuments, Scotland (HBM) is the preservation of archaeological deposits in situ. Where this is not possible, HBM will continue to take advantage of modern technology including techniques such as ground-probing radar. This has been used in Scotland at Wardend of Durris and at Whithorn. Increased experience of comparisons between radar traces and features revealed by excavation should allow sampling strategies to replace full excavation, better planning of full excavation, and reduction in exploratory trenching with greatly increased efficiency and reduced costs.

  Metal Detectors
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an assessment of the effectiveness or otherwise of legislation relating to metal detectors in areas such as Roxburgh castle.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: The use of metal detectors on scheduled ancient

  617
  monuments, and the removal from a scheduled monument of any artefacts recovered by use of a metal detector, require the consent of the Secretary of State for Scotland under the terms of section 42 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. This requirement is being generally publicised through a leaflet recently published by Historic Buildings and Monuments, Scotland. On monuments where there has been a particular problem (in Borders and Dumfries and Galloway regions) signs have been erected warning anyone who might be intending to use a metal detector that the area is protected by law. These vulnerable sites also receive more frequent visits from Historic Buildings and Monuments' monument wardens and the local police have been asked both to monitor the sites and to assist the wardens as necessary.

  Training
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what particular requirements he is placing on LECs to ensure that appropriate training opportunities will be made available to mentally handicapped and/or mentally ill individuals; what level of funding he has assessed as being appropriate for such work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Local enterprise companies will be provided with appropriate levels of resources and obliged by the terms of their contract to meet performance targets relating specifically to provision for trainees with special needs including the mentally handicapped and people with mental health problems.

  Inverclyde (Development)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the latest information he has as to how many jobs in Inverclyde have been created by the activities of the Inverclyde initiative from its inception;

  (2) what steps he has taken to assess the accuracy of job creation forecasts for Inverclyde, given to him by the Inverclyde initiative since its inception.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The total number of jobs created by projects which have been assisted by the Inverclyde initiative between March 1985 and May 1990 is approximately 3,840.

  This figure is based on information provided to the initiative by the companies it has assisted and its own records of placements under the training and employment grants scheme. The figures have been checked to exclude any element of double counting. Responsibility for monitoring and evaluation of integrated area initiatives led by the Scottish Development Agency is primarily a matter for the agency.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all groups and organisations within the Inverclyde district council area which have received urban aid or programme support in(a) 1988–89, (b) 1989–90 and (c) 1990–91; and if he will identify the level of grant received in each case and the conditions attached to each award.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The information requested is set out in the table. A number of
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  applications for approval of additional expenditure in 1990–91, including some relating to the Inverclyde area, are still under consideration. Details of conditions attached to projects could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Inverclyde district council area:

  Urban programme approved expenditure on projects run by local groups

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Name of group/organisation

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  £

  £

  £

  Port Glasgow Community Enterprise Ltd.

  30,395

  21,276

  —

  Port Glasgow Upper East Community Council

  4,552

  5,534

  5,811

  Glenbrae Advisory Group

  76,901

  60,643

  2,717

  Quarrier's Homes

  54,979

  59,826

  15,154

  Greenock Employment Action Group

  47,002

  49,353

  30,228

  Inverclyde Drugline

  26,658

  43,879

  43,813

  Gibshill/Weir Street Community Council

  28,136

  32,494

  34,119

  Inverclyde Tutoring Project Executive Committee

  34,702

  42,480

  37,170

  Ravenscraig Youth Action Group

  49,280

  131,424

  80,585

  Threshold Printing Project Steering Group

  —

  —

  42,759

  St. Kenneth's Day Centre Committee

  18,410

  7,833

  8,225

  Bow Farm Community Council Caraven Project

  41,799

  49,288

  51,753

  South West Greenock Employment Group

  41,841

  47,426

  49,797

  Octavia Tenants Hall

  81

  —

  —

  Inverclyde Resources Ltd.

  6,021

  14,127

  33,342

  Larkfield Youth Action Management Committee

  51,616

  36,976

  64,368

  Strone/Maukinhill Forum

  43,932

  55,787

  51,652

  Second Chance Learning Management Group

  44,126

  67,639

  68,706

  Greenock East Credit Union

  36,857

  11,900

  12,495

  Larkfield Community Council

  17,664

  4,985

  5,234

  Inverclyde Womens Aid

  38,700

  43,839

  56,441

  Venture Group Inverclyde Initiative

  11,205

  20,932

  22,853

  The Westburn Centre (Community and Enterprises) Ltd.

  60,000

  —

  —

  Gibshill Youth Club

  14,029

  3,682

  —

  Larkfield Community Newspaper Group

  —

  13,247

  —

  Bluebird Family Centre Parents Committee

  —

  3,000

  —

  Port Glasgow Association of Tenants Groups

  86,592

  109,406

  101,737

  Inverclyde Targeted Training and Employment Initiative

  —

  —

  46,760

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his current estimate of the cost to Her Majesty's Government of the Inverclyde enterprise zone; broken down into(a) rate relief and (b) capital allowances.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The initial estimate of the overall cost to the Government of developing the Inverclyde enterprise zone was given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in Greenock on 30 March 1988 when she announced agreement to the designation of the zone. That estimate of £25 million excluded any selective financial assistance. The costs of both rate relief and capital allowances are dependent on the scale, timing and type of developments in the zone during its 10-year life span.

  Social Workers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to improve social workers' knowledge of social work law and the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Approval of qualifying training in social work and of training of mental health officers are matters for the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW). The council has reviewed teaching of law to social workers in qualifying training and will be issuing guidance later in the year with a view to improving social workers' competence in this area. The council is at present also monitoring the content and quality of mental health officer training programmes in Scotland.

  Bathing Beaches
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities have the resources to maintain accurate information on pollution levels on beaches.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The monitoring of the quality of bathing waters identified under directive 76/160/EEC is the responsibility of the river purification boards. The boards are funded by precept on the regional councils in their areas and their funding already takes account of the need to maintain accurate information for this purpose. I believe that the boards will be willing to transmit their monitoring results free of charge to local authorities.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to arrange for the display of information on beaches to show accurately the level of pollution recorded for such beaches; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: I wrote on 15 June to the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities to seek the participation of local authorities in a voluntary scheme to display, in a standard form and at locations convenient to the public, the results of the monitoring of bathing waters identified under directive 76/160/EEC. The Government believe in making information on the environment more freely and easily available and I hope that the local authorities will be able to help in this way.

  GP Budgets
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many general practitioners or general practitioner practices have expressed an interest in becoming practice budget holders within each health board in Scotland;

  (2) how many general practitioners or general practitioner practices will be eligible to become practice budget holders within each health board;

  (3) if he will publish the names of the general practitioners or practices which have expressed an interest in becoming practice budget holders.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: It is not possible to say how many practices are eligible to become budget holders. The initiative is limited to
  620
  practices with a list size of at least 9,000 patients, but smaller practices can link together in order to meet the list size criterion. Moreover, eligibility is dependent on the practices being able to demonstrate that they have adequate management skills to administer the fund, and will have suitable computer support systems up and running by the operative date. There are approximately 147 practices which could meet the list size criterion. Expressions of interest have been received from 46 practices to date.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many general practitioner practices are now eligible to become budget holders; how many have expressed an interest in budget holding; and if he will name those practices.

  Mr. Rifkind
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: It is not possible to say how many practices are eligible to become budget holders. Practices with list sizes of over 11,000 patients will be eligible, while those with 9,000 to 11,000 patients will be considered on an individual basis. Moreover, it is possible for smaller practices to link together and so meet the minimum list size criterion. In all cases the practice must demonstrate that it has the managerial capacity to administer the fund, and will have adequate computer support systems up and running by the operative date.

  To date a total of 46 practices in Scotland have expressed an interest in becoming fund holders. Detailed information on the practices concerned is not held centrally.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Avoparcin
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether Avoparcin can legally be fed to dairy cattle in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Yes. Such use has been permitted since 16 March this year, following a decision by the EC Standing Committee on Additives in Feedingstuffs to extend its authorisation.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will summarise the research evidence that BSE is not transmissible to pigs.

  Mr. Maclean
  No naturally occurring sub-acute spongiform encephalopathy has been reported in pigs anywhere in the world. Experimental transmission of kuru to pigs has been attempted but failed to result in disease or a spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many dairy herds there are in Britain; and how many of these have been affected by BSE.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are nearly 41,000 dairy herds in Britain. Up to 15 June, 5,532 of these had at least one confirmed case of BSE.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many farms in
  621
  Britain have experienced (a) one case, (b) two cases,(c) three cases, (d) four to 10 cases and (e) over 10 cases of BSE.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information up to 15 June is as follows:(a) 4,751; (b) 1,428; (c) 594; (d) 769; (e) 62.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the number of BSE-affected cows that have entered the human food chain(a) prior to the introduction of compulsory slaughter of suspect animals and (b) since the introduction of compulsory slaughter.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is as follows:(a) This is not known; (b) none.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider introducing regulations requiring the incineration of all beef offal.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any research work has been carried out to allow pigs that have been fed infected meat and bone meal and cattle offal to live their full natural life span to see whether any develop spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Maclean
  Experiments to determine whether pigs are susceptible to a scrapie like disease as a result of parenteral or oral exposure to brain from confirmed cases of BSE are in progress. The former has been running since February 1989 and so far no clinical or pathological evidence of a scrapie like disease has resulted. It is intended that these pigs will be kept, subject to welfare considerations, for at least five years.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there is any evidence of hazard arising from the milk of cows with sub-clinical BSE.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no evidence and neither is any expected. Scientific studies of natural scrapie have shown that the agent is not found in udder colostrum and milk.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the possible dangers of feeding offal from cows with sub-clinical BSE to pigs and poultry;

  (2) if he will review the practice of feeding beef offal to pigs and poultry.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no evidence to suggest that BSE poses any risk to pigs or poultry.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possible danger to vermin and birds from the burial of the carcases of BSE-affected cattle in domestic refuse tips; and whether he will make it his policy to require the incineration of all BSE-affected carcases.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is the Ministry's intention to secure incineration facilities for all BSE-suspected carcases, although progress towards this goal has been slowed by 622
  local opposition to most proposals to build incinerators. Until there is sufficient incineration capacity, a proportion of carcases will continue to be buried in accordance with sound veterinary practice and under the supervision of the state veterinary service. These procedures ensure that there is no risk of spreading the disease through this method of disposal.

  Meat and Bone Meal
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of the meat and bone meal produced by the rendering industry in Britain is used for feeding to(a) pigs and (b) poultry.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not available.

  Scrapie
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there is any evidence that scrapie can cause spongiform encephalopathy in animals other than cows by direct ingestion of infected food.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is concluded that at least some outbreaks of transmissible mink encephalopathy were caused by feeding scrapie-infected material and it is probable that five antelope in British zoos contracted a scrapie like disease from eating scapie-infected material.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will introduce higher standards in the rendering industry to prevent the scrapie agent getting into meat and bone meal.

  Mr. Maclean
  Consideration of such a policy must await the results of research, currently in hand, into the rendering processes required to inactivate the scrapie like agents.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there is yet any evidence that scrapie can be transmitted horizontally in a flock via(a) the faeces, (b) bedding and (c) scratchings of scrapie-affected sheep.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is as follows:

  (a) No.

  (b) No.

  (c) No.

  Slaughterhouses
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place the latest reports by his veterinary officers on slaughterhouse standards in the Library.

  Mr. Gummer
  Advice on individual premises is offered by my veterinary officers, in confidence, to the enforcement authority (district council) concerned. The release of the advice would be a matter for the enforcement authority.

  Food Advisory Committee
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the recommendations of the Food Advisory Committee in the past year together with the actions taken by him on each recommendation.
  623
  Mr. Maclean
  In the past year I have announced our acceptance of the Food Advisory Committee's recommendations for stricter controls on colours in food and proposals for legislation are currently in preparation for public comment and notification to the European Commission. I also announced acceptance of committee advice that the use of potassium bromate as a flour improver should no longer be permitted. Regulations prohibiting this use came into effect on 1 April this year. I published and sought comments on the committee's report on old compositional orders and I shall be considering the responses before reaching decisions.

  In the area of labelling, I accepted the committee's revised guidelines on the use of "natural" in food labelling and advertising, which were published in June last year. I also accepted its recommendations for detailed controls on the use of certain nutritional claims for which draft legislation is in preparation for public consultation and notification to the European Commission.

  At present I am considering advice from the committee on the use of mineral hydrocarbons on cheese, in chewing
  624
  gum and on food contact materials and on a request for the use of sodium benzoate as a preservative for grey mullet roe. I shall make separate announcements on these matters in due course.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make an assessment of the consequences for research underpinning the work of his Department in relation to insect and aphid control and beekeeping, of the reductions proposed by the natural history museum in its collections and research.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department's entomologists at the ADAS central science laboratory use the extensive and unique collections at the natural history museum in order to solve difficult identification problems.

  We have been assured that the natural history museum's entomology collections will continue to be maintained and that access will continue to be provided to us.

  SCHOOLS BUDGETS
  SCHOOLS BUDGETS
  NORTHERN IRELAND: RAIL LINK IMPROVEMENTS
  NORTHERN IRELAND: RAIL LINK IMPROVEMENTS
  ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT: DIVORCE AND ABORTION
  ANGLO-IRISH AGREEMENT: DIVORCE AND ABORTION
  LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS: RELEASE BEFORE RECOMMENDED PERIOD
  LIFE SENTENCE PRISONERS: RELEASE BEFORE RECOMMENDED PERIOD
  SUMMER TIME: RESPONSES TO GREEN PAPER
  SUMMER TIME: RESPONSES TO GREEN PAPER