Written Answers of 21 June 1990

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Haberdashers' Aske's CTC
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's current estimate of the total capital costs of establishing a Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college; and what part of these costs is represented by the value of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham schools premises or of the proposed lease under which those premises will be made available for the city technology college.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has agreed with the Haberdashers' Company to contribute at least £4 million to the initial capital costs of the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college. The Haberdashers' Company has agreed that its contribution will be the value of the sites of the two schools, and that it will also underwrite sponsorship of £1 million. A cash limit for the project will be decided following the completion of detailed building feasibility studies.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if grants will be paid by his Department toward the capital costs of establishing a Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college prior to the advertising of a new scheme for the Robert Aske's Charity and the Charity Commissioners' consideration of any public representations on proposals for such a scheme.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has not yet determined the phasing for his contribution to initial capital expenditure on the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college. His decision will be made after the completion of current building feasibility studies, in the light of all the circumstances, including the Haberdashers' Company's progress in agreeing a new scheme for the Robert Aske's Charity with the Charity Commissioners.

  Inner London (Education Spending)
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what the total expenditure on education by the Inner London education authority was in its final year before abolition.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Figures for the outturn expenditure of the Inner London education authority in 1989–90 are not yet available.

  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total projected expenditure on education by the 12 inner London boroughs and the City of London for the year 1990–91.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  According to figures supplied by the inner London boroughs and the City of London to the Department, the current expenditure budgets for education for these authorities in 1990–91 amount in total to £1,068 million.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Private Bills
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he has any plans to reform the private Bill procedure; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Government have been examining this whole subject following the report of the Joint Committee on Private Bill procedure and the debates on that report held in the House, and in another place, last year. Subject to consultation, we propose to build on the thinking behind the report by establishing new procedures so that railway and light rapid transit works which at present have to be authorised by private Bill could in future be authorised by order. The legislation would also increase the use of orders for amending and extending harbour legislation so that in future very few harbour measures would be promoted by private Bills. These proposals would lead to a reduction of about 50 per cent. in the number of private Bills promoted each year. It is also proposed to legislate so that the order-making procedure could be extended at a later date to other works proposals which would otherwise require a private Bill.

  The proposed procedures would involve a tiered approach so that minor matters might be dealt with locally; the majority would come within a ministerial order-making procedure with provision for a public inquiry; while for the most important projects after the inquiry and ministerial stages, the proposal would have to be approved by Parliament, but without further detailed examination. We would thus reduce the volume of private Bills significantly while ensuring that matters of genuinely national importance still came to Parliament for decision. No radical changes are planned for the separate and different system in Scotland—the private legislation procedure—which is generally satisfactory in the particular circumstances there.

  Together with my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment, I have today published a consultation paper which sets out our proposals in greater detail and invites comments on them. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. The changes would involve primary legislation and in the light of consultation the Government will look for an early opportunity to bring this forward.

  The procedure for those matters which would remain to be dealt with by private Bills will be reformed along the lines suggested by the Joint Committee and as broadly accepted by the Government in the debates on the report.

  The Government believe that these proposals, taken as a whole, will provide a more appropriate way to deal with infrastructure projects in the modern age while protecting the interests of all those involved.

TRANSPORT

  Smoke Hoods
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what progress has been made by the EUROCAE working group in developing a European standard for smoke hoods since the group was created in December 1989; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what progress has been made in discussions between the EUROCAE working group set up in December 1989

  627
  and the federal aviation authority in the United States of America in developing an international standard for passenger smoke hoods.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The initial working draft of the EUROCAE specification is expected to be issued in July. The draft will be sent to the United States Federal Aviation Administration, which is expected to issue its draft specification shortly thereafter. It is not possible at this stage to say how closely the FAA specification will match the EUROCAE specification, but the Civil Aviation Authority does not expect any significant differences.

  Ships (Registration)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those ports of registry in independent territories where he is proposing to reduce the ability to register ships or limit their tonnage; and if he will tabulate the proposed regulations port by port.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The territories which are to be required to restrict the type and size of ship which they will be allowed to register are the following dependent territories:

  Anguilla

  British Virgin Islands

  Montserrat

  Falkland Islands

  St. Helena

  Turks and Caicos Islands

  There is only one port of registry in each territory. The registrations will be the same in each case and will ensure that no new restrictions will be allowed for ships subject to international convention safety standards. The territories concerned are preparing legislation to implement the relevant conventions—so that the Department of Transport's surveyors have a legal basis on which to inspect those few ships currently registered in the territories to which the international convention safety standards apply—and to restrict new registration to non-convention ships.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those independent territories whose driving licences(a) are and (b) are not recognised in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  Under international agreements, the holder of any valid foreign driving licence is permitted to drive in this country for up to 12 months as a visitor or new resident. In addition, holders of valid licences issued by member states of the European Community and by Australia, Austria, Barbados, Finland, Japan, Kenya, Malta, New Zealand, Norway, Republic of Cyprus, Singapore, Sweden, Switzerland, the territory of the British Virgin Islands, the territory of Hong Kong or Zimbabwe may exchange their licences for a United Kingdom licence within 12 months of becoming resident here. Valid Northern Ireland licences may be used indefinitely for driving in Great Britain. Holders of valid Channel Islands and Isle of Man licences may exchange them for United Kingdom licences within 10 years of their date of expiry.

  A696 (Improvements)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects proposals to be finalised for improvements to the A696 south of Ravenscleugh farm, Northumberland.

  Mr. Atkins
  If there are no land entry problems, improvements could be implemented before next winter. More than one landowner is involved and CPO procedures will be required. Should there be objections to a draft CPO considerably more time may be required for implementation.

  Railway Services
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what financial authority he has given British Rail to order rolling stock to carry passengers on cross-channel railway services to destinations beyond London; when such authority was given; and how many such vehicles have been ordered.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail published its plans for services beyond London on 14 December and I refer to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Pendle (Mr. Lee) on that date, at column 767. British Rail has not yet submitted its investment proposals.

  London Underground (Police)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to increase uniformed police presence on London underground; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The complement of the division of the British Transport police responsible for the underground was increased in December 1988 to 400 officers. The division is now up to establishment. The increased number of officers will allow the home beat system to be extended throughout the network. This will result in a higher uniformed police presence on the underground. Police response times are being improved by opening new area police stations and by the installation of a new radio system to allow communication below ground. The Department of Transport is considering amendments to the force scheme governing the British Transport police which would allow the introduction of special constables.

  Rail Routes (Subsidies)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the current subsidies for rail routes; what were the comparable figures for the previous three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Claims for 1990–91 have not yet been settled. Figures for central Government support paid to the British Railways Board are given in the table. They include both the public service obligation grant under EC regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, which compensates British Rail for maintaining loss-making passenger services on Network SouthEast and Provincial—InterCity services were removed from the obligation on 1 April 1988—and level crossings grant under EC regulation 1192/69. Final claims for 1988–89 have yet to be agreed; no final claims have been received for 1989–90.
  629

  £ million

  Cash

  1990–91 prices

  1986–87

  689

  882

  1987–88

  783

  951

  1988–89

  557

  632

  1989–90

  511

  544

  Blind Pedestrians
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what signals are available to assist blind pedestrians at pelican crossings on dual carriageway roads.

  Mr. Atkins
  A new type of audible signal—"bleep and sweep"—has been installed at 25 trunk road pelican crossings following successful trials over the past few years. This new signal has been developed to overcome the problem at dual carriageway crossings where the normal "bleeper" sound from one crossing could be mistaken by a blind person as the signal to cross at the adjacent crossing. The new sound units have been welcomed by organisations representing blind and partially sighted people.

  Section 36–37 Planning Appeals

  National Park/Year

  Decided

  Allowed

  Dismissed

  Withdrawn

  In hand at 31 March 1990

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Peak District

  1988–89

  47

  4

  8·5

  43

  91·5

  4

  —

  1989–90

  55

  19

  34·5

  36

  65·5

  5

  42

  Lake District

  1988–89

  68

  22

  32·4

  46

  67·6

  15

  —

  1989–90

  104

  41

  39·4

  63

  60·6

  7

  63

  Exmoor

  1988–89

  10

  3

  30·0

  7

  70·0

  4

  —

  1989–90

  17

  5

  29·4

  12

  70·6

  0

  2

  Dartmoor

  1988–89

  46

  10

  21·7

  36

  78·3

  5

  —

  1989–90

  62

  19

  30·6

  43

  69·4

  10

  46

  Yorkshire Dales

  1988–89

  28

  12

  42·9

  16

  57·1

  1

  —

  1989–90

  32

  12

  37·5

  20

  62·5

  0

  16

  Yorkshire Moors

  1988–89

  22

  5

  22·7

  17

  77·3

  0

  —

  1989–90

  41

  8

  19·5

  33

  80·5

  1

  11

  Northumberland

  1988–89

  0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  1989–90

  0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many planning applications were submitted in each of the English national parks in the last

  Planning Applications Decided and Numbers and Percentage Granted by English National Parks 1987–88 and 1988–89

  National Park1

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Total Decisions

  Granted

  Percentage2

  Total Decisions

  Granted

  Percentage2

  Lake District S.P.B. 3

  1,013

  798

  79

  702

  503

  73

  Peak Park J.P.B.

  901

  699

  79

  961

  707

  74

  North Yorkshire Moors

  627

  501

  82

  669

  525

  80

  Marchioness (Report)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the marine investigations branch final report into the sinking of the Marchioness; and when he expects to be able to make the report publicly available.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend has received the report of the chief inspector of marine accidents into the sinking of the Marchioness. He is considering publication of the report in full, as soon as is practicable, in the light of the decision to prosecute the master of the Bowbelle.

ENVIRONMENT

  National Parks
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of planning appeal decisions(a) allowed, (b) dismissed, (c) withdrawn and (d) undetermined in each of the English national parks in each of the last two years for which figures are available; and if he will express the numbers allowed and dismissed as a percentage of those determined.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The information requested is as follows:

  two years for which figures are available; how many were determined; and how many of those determined, in numbers and as proportions, were successful.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The readily available information is given in the table:
  631

  National Park1

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Total Decisions

  Granted

  Percentage2

  Total Decisions

  Granted

  Percentage2

  Yorkshire Dales

  498

  365

  75

  585

  419

  73

  Dartmoor

  621

  490

  80

  917

  683

  76

  Exmoor

  360

  306

  85

  410

  348

  85

  1 Figures for the Northumberland National Park are unavailable.

  2 Based on total excluding 'other' decisions for which a granted or refused decision is not given.

  3 Figures for 1987–88 are for three quarters only and 1988–89 for two quarters.

  Ozone-Destroying Chemicals
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to statutory restrictions of production of ozone-destroying chemicals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on Thursday 14 June 1990 to my hon. Friend the Member for Bedfordshire, North (Sir T. Skeet), at column 295.

  Housing, Merseyside
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the future of the Housing Corporation office in Liverpool;

  (2) how much revenue deficit grant is paid by the Housing Corporation to Merseyside housing associations;

  (3) what capital allocations have been made to Co-operative Development Services (Liverpool) Ltd. and to Pierhead housing association, Liverpool, in 1990–91; and if he will make a statement about the implications of funding arrangements for Merseyside housing associations for their 1991–92 programmes;

  (4) when he expects a decision to be made on the funding of the Gable housing association's application to construct a scheme for disabled people in Liverpool;

  (5) if he will list the expenditure made by housing associations on Merseyside in 1989–90 and 1990–91; how much has been allocated for the following two years; what are the average figures for regions of England; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) what discussions his Department has had with the Housing Corporation about the suspension of the next phase of a Servite housing association project on Merseyside; and if he will consider bringing forward cash from the 1991–92 allocation to enable the completion of the 1990–91 programme.

  Mr. Chope
  These are matters for the Housing Corporation rather than for this Department. I have therefore asked the Housing Corporation to respond to the hon. Member direct.

  Council Tenants (Home Purchases)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the reasons for subsidies for council tenants to buy homes on the private market.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Section 129 of the Housing Act 1988 gives local authorities power to pay grants, under approved schemes, to assist their tenants to obtain homes of their own. Cash incentive schemes provide an important and cost-effective means by which local authorities can help their tenants into home ownership while securing vacancies for reletting to homeless families.

  City Grants
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on city grants made up to the most recent practicable date in the current year.

  Mr. Moynihan
  During the current financial year to date, 23 projects have received offers of city grant totalling £22 million. These projects are expected to lead to some £106 million of private sector investment in inner city areas.

  Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received a copy of the report prepared for the European Parliament's environment committee on the Commission's proposal for a directive on the disposal of polychlorinated biphenyls and terphynyls, document A3—84/90 SYN161, dated 4 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have received a copy of the report mentioned by the hon. Member. The report has been adopted by the European Parliament and it is now for the Commission to decide whether, in the light of this, to make a revised proposal to the Council.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has reassessed the safety of incineration as a means to dispose of polychlorinated biphenyls; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what research his Department has commissioned into the effects of incineration of polychlorinated biphenyl chemicals in (a) residential areas and (b) non-residential areas;

  (3) which specific dangers there are during the process of incinerating polychlorinated biphenyls; which dangerous chemicals can be produced during the incineration of polychlorinated biphenyls and at what level; and what danger they pose to people and the environment.

  Mr. Trippier
  Uncontrolled burning of polychlorinated biphenyls—PCBs—can produce traces of dioxins and furans. Properly designed and operated incinerators for disposing of PCBs, however, should not produce emissions harmful to the environment. The Department's pollution paper No. 27, "Dioxins in the Environment", published last year, found that in well-managed incinerators used for the combustion of waste, including PCBs, emissions of dioxins and furans were reduced to negligible levels. The paper assesses the health hazards from these compounds and sets out the steps and research undertaken by the Government to reduce human and environmental exposure. Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is investigating the occurrence of PCBs, dioxins and furans
  633
  in soil in urban and rural areas and issued a report in November last year. Copies of these documents are available in the Library.

  Sewage Disposal
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the Government fund any research toward clean technology and alternative sewage disposal methods; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Department's environmental protection technology—EPT—scheme offers shared funding for research in defined priority areas which could lead to improvements in environmental standards. Two of the current EPT scheme priority areas concern reduction of polluting substances in industrial waste water. Sewage disposal methods are not at present within the scope of the scheme. The Department has however recently funded research, jointly with the water industry, on sewage sludge treatment processes and the safe disposal of sewage sludge on agricultural land. It is also open to companies and research establishments to come forward with proposals for collaborative research and development in any field of clean technology under the Department of Trade and Industry's research and technology initiatives.

  Drinking Water Inspectorate
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the responsibilities of the drinking water inspectorate.

  Mr. Trippier
  The drinking water inspectorate was established on 2 January 1990 under section 60 of the Water Act 1989 which empowers my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Wales to appoint persons to act on their behalf as technical assessors in relation to their powers and duties concerning the quality and sufficiency of water supplied by water undertakers.

  Its principal task is to check the quality of water supplied by water undertakers in England and Wales for compliance with the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989. If water undertakers are found not to be meeting their statutory requirements the inspectorate will advise my right hon. Friends, as appropriate, on enforcement action and if water is supplied which is unfit for human consumption will advise on possible prosecution.

  The inspectorate will also provide advice to my right hon. Friends on objections made to them against enforcement notices served by local authorities relating to private water supplies. It also provides technical and scientific advice to my right hon. Friends on drinking water quality standards and other issues including negotiations within the European Community.

  The inspectorate will produce an annual report which will be published.

  Threatened Species
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to seek an extension of EEC rules to cover the seizure of threatened species in transit.
  634
  Mr. Trippier
  Adequate provision exists for the seizure of unauthorised shipments of endangered species whilst in transit through the United Kingdom.

  Water Metering
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the report of the water metering trials which have been carried out in various parts of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Trippier
  Information on the national water metering trials has been collected by the water industry. I understand that the national water metering trials co-ordinating committee intends to publish a second interim report on the trials early in July. A copy of the report will be placed in the Library.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent carriers of toxic waste or operators of plants or sites where such waste is disposed of are required to insure themselves against the costs of potential environmental damage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  There are no specific requirements for either carriers of special waste or operators of facilities for the disposal of special waste to insure themselves against the costs of potential environmental damage. However, there are provisions in the Environmental Protection Bill which require the holder of a waste management licence to satisfy his waste regulation authority that he has sufficient resources to meet the obligations of his licence including the costs of remedying any pollution that might occur.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans there are for legislation to ban the trade in toxic waste to and from the United Kingdom following the agreement by EC Environment Ministers on 7 June for each member state to become self-sufficient in waste disposal.

  Mr. Trippier
  Clause 131 of the Environmental Protection Bill contains powers to prohibit or restrict import or export of waste of any description and the EC Commission is preparing proposals to amend the existing directive on transfrontier shipment of hazardous waste. The United Kingdom is already self-sufficient in waste disposal.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what date he expects the London residuary body to have completed its work.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The bulk of the London residuary body's remaining GLC-related property, rights and liabilities were transferred by order to the London boroughs and other functional successors on 30 March. As a consequence of the abolition of the ILEA on 1 April, the residuary body inherited certain of that authority's ongoing responsibilities.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Education and Science expect the residuary body to have completed both its GLC and ILEA tasks by 31 March 1993.
  635
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what fixtures and fittings have been removed from the principal floor of county hall by the London residuary body.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None, apart from some fittings that the London residuary body has removed for safe keeping.

  New Homes
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new homes were built in 1989; what were the comparable figures for the previous three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Figures for housebuilding starts and completions in England for 1986 to 1989 appear in table 2 of my Department's press release No. 352 issued on 7 June 1990, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Water Treatment
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy in respect of the use of aluminium sulphate in water treatment works; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Aluminium sulphate is a very effective coagulant which has been used for many years in the treatment of drinking water. It is listed in the 15th statement of the committee on chemicals and materials of construction for use in public water supply and swimming pools and because of this is authorised for use by water undertakers by virtue of regulation 25(1)(d) of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989. The policy of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is that levels of residual aluminium and sulphate in drinking water shall not exceed the standards set in these regulations.

  Councils (Allocation of Seats)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has had any representations about the allocation of committee seats by councils as being contrary to section 15(5)(c) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take to ensure that councils fulfil their duty under section 15(5)(c)—allocation of seats—of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  If a local authority fails to comply with such a duty, it is for the authority's monitoring officer—under section 5 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989—to draw its attention to the failure.

  Mortgage Repossession
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the number of people accepted as homeless by local authorities in England due to mortgage repossession for(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e) 1990 (first quarter); for each English region and class of authority;
  636
  (2) if he will make a statement on the number of mortgage repossessions being made in Greater London and the effect on the use of expensive temporary accommodation by local authorities.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: Local authorities report the number of households accepted under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act where the main immediate reason for homelessness is mortgage arrears, but do not distinguish those who were actually subject to repossession. Estimates by class of authority are as follows:

  London Authorities

  Other Metropolitan Authorities

  Non-Metropolitan Authorities

  All England

  1986

  630

  3,100

  6,340

  10,070

  1987

  600

  3,620

  6,240

  10,460

  1988

  540

  3,320

  4,480

  8,340

  1989

  840

  3,370

  4,150

  8,360

  19901

  350

  1,140

  1,600

  3,090

  1 First quarter.

  Corresponding estimates by region are not readily available.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the number of mortgage repossessions being made in Greater London and the effect on the use of expensive temporary accommodation by local authorities.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 13 June 1990]: Information is not available centrally on the number of dwellings in Greater London that have been taken into possession by mortgage lenders. According to local authority returns the proportion of households accepted as homeless as a direct consequence of mortgage arrears is only some 3 to 4 per cent. of all households accepted in London under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985. The effect on the use of temporary accommodation is therefore likely to be small.

  Boundary Commission Reports
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the local government boundary commission reports he is currently considering, stating the date he received each and setting out reasons for any delay in making a decision.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The reports under consideration are:

  Reviews of Counties

  Commission's Report Number

  Date of Receipt

  Bedfordshire: boundaries with Buckinghamshire and Cambridgeshire

  566

  114 November 1988

  Berkshire: boundaries with Buckinghamshire, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Surrey

  558

  131 August 1988

  Buckinghamshire: boundaries with Hertfordshire, Northamptonshire and Oxfordshire

  571

  15 May 1989

  637

  Reviews of Counties

  Commission's Report Number

  Date of Receipt

  Hampshire: boundaries with Dorset, West Sussex and Wiltshire

  580

  1 February 1990

  Leicestershire: boundaries with Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire and Warwickshire

  577

  19 October 1989

  South Yorkshire: boundaries with Doncaster (North Yorkshire) and Bassetlaw (Nottinghamshire)

  585

  4 June 1990

  Staffordshire: boundaries with Cheshire, Derbyshire, Hereford and Worcester, and Warwickshire

  582

  1 12 February 1990

  Surrey: boundary with Hampshire

  578

  19 January 1990

  Reviews of Parishes within districts/boroughs

  Chorley

  —

  1 May 1990

  Northampton

  —

  2 January 1990

  Woodspring

  —

  12 February 1990

  1 Decision to be announced shortly.

  Rents into Mortgages Scheme
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authority areas in England which have applied to be considered for any extension of the rents into mortgages scheme to England.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]:No such applications have been received.

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

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]: My hon. Friend and 25 members of the public have made representations in favour of a rent to mortgages scheme.

  Tenants Incentive Scheme
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to increase the participation rate in the tenants incentive scheme;

  (2) if he will list, for each local authority participating in the tenants incentive scheme (a) the amount offered to tenants, (b) how many council houses have been vacated and (c) the total number of tenants applying to take part in the scheme; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many local authorities are participating in the tenants incentive scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]: The table sets out details of 89 local authorities which have been given approval to operate cash incentive schemes in 1990–91, the maximum expenditure to be incurred, and the grants to be made available to households. Details of
  638
  vacancies created by these schemes and of grant applicants will be supplied to my Department by the local authorities concerned at the end of the year.

  Cash incentive schemes can be very valuable in helping existing tenants to move into homes of their own while releasing vacancies for reletting to homeless families. The Department encourages local authorities whose areas would benefit from a cash incentive scheme to bring forward proposals for approval. Once a scheme has been approved, details are published by the local authority and tenants are invited to make applications for grant.

  Local authority cash incentive schemes approved 1990–91 83 schemes; maximum expenditure £40·4 million; maximum number of vacancies 2,597

  Local authority

  Maximum expenditure 1990–91 £

  Maximum number of households assisted

  Maximum grant for each household £

  London

  Barnet

  600,000

  30

  20,000

  Brent

  1·8 million

  150

  13,000

  Bromley

  1·5 million

  120

  13,000

  Camden

  200,000

  20

  20,000

  Croydon

  500,000

  33

  22,000

  Ealing

  2·2 million

  140

  25,000

  Enfield

  1 million

  55

  20,000

  Hackney

  1 million

  50

  20,000

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  540,000

  30

  18,000

  Haringey

  1·5 million

  100

  20,000

  Harrow

  1 million

  50

  25,000

  Havering

  150,000

  10

  16,000

  Hillingdon

  2·25 million

  150

  15,000

  Hounslow

  150,000

  20

  15,000

  Islington

  1 million

  50

  25,000

  Kensington and Chelsea

  750,000

  70

  13,000

  Lambeth

  400,000

  25

  20,000

  Lewisham

  1 million

  70

  15,000

  Merton

  2 million

  140

  15,000

  Redbridge

  3·92 million

  140

  28,000

  Richmond

  300,000

  30

  10,000

  South wark

  300,000

  34

  10,000

  Wandsworth

  1·95 million

  100

  22,000

  Westminster

  2 million

  100

  20,000

  Eastern

  Aylesbury Vale

  400,000

  20

  20,000

  Harlow

  150,000

  15

  10,000

  Huntingdon

  150,000

  12

  13,000

  Luton

  200,000

  15

  13,000

  Maldon

  100,000

  8

  12,000

  Peterborough

  100,000

  20

  5,000

  Rochford

  100,000

  9

  11,250

  South Bucks

  40,000

  4

  11,000

  St. Albans

  150,000

  6

  25,000

  Watford

  200,000

  15

  13,500

  East Midlands

  Charnwood

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  East Northants

  102,000

  17

  6,000

  South Kesteven

  500,000

  62

  8,000

  South East

  Adur

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  Arun

  50,000

  5

  10,000

  Basingstoke and Deane

  250,000

  10

  25,000

  Brighton

  301,500

  15

  20,000

  Canterbury

  300,000

  14

  22,000

  Cherwell

  300,000

  25

  12,500

  Dover

  220,000

  10

  22,000

  East Hampshire

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  Elmbridge

  240,000

  12

  20,000

  Fareham

  107,475

  5

  21,495

  Gillingham

  70,000

  5

  15,000

  Hart

  200,000

  8

  25,000

  639

  Local authority

  Maximum expenditure 1990–91 £

  Maximum number of households assisted

  Maximum grant for each household £

  Hastings

  200,000

  20

  10,000

  Havant

  150,000

  10

  15,000

  Horsham

  250,000

  14

  17,000

  Hove

  500,000

  50

  10,000

  Lewes

  250,000

  25

  10,000

  Maidstone

  500,000

  20

  25,000

  Oxford

  500,000

  33

  15,000

  Portsmouth

  1,000,000

  50

  20,000

  Reading

  300,000

  15

  20,000

  Reigate and Banstead

  300,000

  15

  20,000

  Rother

  400,000

  17

  23,000

  Runnymede

  100,000

  8

  14,000

  Rushmoor

  100,000

  14

  8,000

  Shepway

  200,000

  9

  21,600

  Southampton

  200,000

  14

  15,000

  Spelthorne

  200,000

  8

  24,000

  Tandridge

  252,000

  20

  12,000

  Test Valley

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  Tonbridge and Malling

  500,000

  20

  25,000

  Tunbridge Wells

  250,000

  11

  24,000

  Vale of White Horse

  150,000

  10

  15,000

  Wealden

  200,000

  10

  20,000

  West Oxfords

  100,000

  5

  20,000

  Woking

  135,000

  10

  13,000

  Worthing

  240,000

  16

  15,000

  South West

  Exeter

  50,000

  5

  10,000

  Kennet

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  Purbeck

  75,000

  10

  10,000

  North Cornwall

  45,000

  6

  7,500

  Salisbury

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  South Somerset

  100,000

  10

  10,000

  Teignbridge

  7,500

  1

  7,500

  West Midlands

  Stafford

  300,000

  40

  10,000

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Hambleton

  100,000

  12

  10,000

  House Renovation Grants
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the new system of house renovation grants provided in part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 will be brought into effect in England and Wales.

  Mr. Chope
  [pursuant to his answer, 22 February 1990, c. 888]: A booklet "House Renovation Grants" has been issued by my Department today and I am sending a copy to all hon. Members in England. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is sending copies to all hon. Members in Wales. The booklet provides a simple guide for the public on the new grants and assistance which may be available from local authorities towards the cost of home repairs and improvements. Copies of the booklet will be available free of charge from local authorities, citizens advice bureaux and local social security offices. Two circulars containing detailed guidance on the new grants have also been sent to local authorities.

  Compulsory Purchase Orders
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many compulsory purchase orders were approved by the Department (i) in the latest 640
  year for which figures are available and (ii) five years ago for (a) residential property and (b) empty residential property;

  (2) what proportion of compulsory purchase orders approved by his Department are associated with purchase for rehabilitation and resale (a) in the latest year for which figures are available and (b) five years ago.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The main compulsory purchase powers for residential properties are contained in parts II and VIII of the Housing Act, 1985. A total of 128 compulsory purchase orders were confirmed in 1989 and 238 in 1984. Orders are considered on their merits and statistics on the numbers of properties affected and their proposed use are not kept.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to increase the powers and resources available to those bodies charged with the duty of enforcing legislation aimed at preventing insider dealing.

  Mr. Redwood
  I am satisfied that the available powers are appropriate at present. The level of resources is kept under review with a view to ensuring efficient operation.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider legislation to enable the use of civil remedies by law enforcement agencies and those who can establish loss in alleged cases of insider dealing.

  Mr. Redwood
  The recent report "Company Investigations" by the Select Committee on Trade and Industry recommended changes in this area. The Government's response will be made in the normal fashion.

  Eureka Programme
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the most recent decisions taken at the ministerial meeting in Italy considering the Eureka programme in regard to investment in environmental protection projects.

  Mr. Forth
  At the ministerial conference in Rome ealier this month, five EUREKA environmental protection projects involving United Kingdom organisations were announced. Their combined value is £66·2 million.

  Technology Transfer
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the main components of Government spending on technology transfer in the United Kingdom; how the level of spending has changed in the period 1979 to 1990; and what is the predicted level of spending in the future.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The DTI supports the widespread adoption of new technologies and current best practice through a range of specific technology transfer programmes which currently include advanced information
  641
  technology, "open systems" standards for IT equipment and modern materials technology. In addition, the Department provides support for a number of other activities which contribute to technology transfer—particularly technology-based consultancies and the teaching company scheme. Total outturn and planned expenditure figures—which are available on a consistent basis only from 1984–85—are as follows:

  Year

  £ million

  1984–85

  80

  1985–86

  74

  1986–87

  99

  1987–88

  93

  1988–89

  96

  1989–90

  97

  1990–91

  112

  1991–92

  114

  1992–93

  113

  Technology transfer is also encouraged in the United Kingdom through the R and D programmes supported by the Department and the European Community.

  Development Areas (Innovation)
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the Government's main programmes to promote innovation in the United Kingdom's development areas; what is the current annual level of spend; and how this level has changed in the period 1979 to 1990.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The only scheme to promote innovation projects specifically in the development areas of Great Britain over the last 10 years is the innovation element of the regional enterprise grant scheme which started in April 1988; the expenditure for this scheme in the development areas—DAs—of Great Britain is listed in the table.

  A number of other schemes have promoted innovation projects in Great Britain over this period on a national basis.

  The product and process development scheme was introduced in 1977. This scheme was renamed support for innovation—SFI—in 1982 and in January 1988 the research and technology initiative was launched. It is not possible to detail expenditure for these schemes in the development areas.

  The small firms merit award for research and technology—SMART—was introduced on a pilot basis in 1986. A further competition was held in 1988 and a three-year programme of annual SMART competitions commenced in 1989. SMART is available throughout Great Britain, including the DAs. It is not possible to detail expenditure in those areas in the time available.

  Questions concerning Northern Ireland should be referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Regional Innovation Grants Expenditure

  Year

  £ million

  1988–89

  0·3

  1989–90

  2·1

  Tour Operators (Holiday Accommodation)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to ensure that the European Commission's package travel directive will make British tour operators liable for defective holiday accommodation abroad offered to their customers.

  Mr. Forth
  The European Commission directive on package travel, package holidays and package tours was adopted by the Council of Ministers on 13 June this year. Under this measure, member states are required to ensure that the organiser and/or retailer of packages is liable to the consumer for the proper performance of obligations arising under the contract.

  Dunsdale Securities
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date and through what channel his Department first became aware of problems at Dunsdale Securities.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: On the morning of 6 June, when FIMBRA's decision to ban Dunsdale Securities Ltd from carrying on investment business became public knowledge.

  Professional Liability
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he has taken, and pro-poses to take, on the recommendations of the Likierman review of professional liability.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement I made in answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Banbury (Mr. Baldry) on 31 October 1989, at columns 106–08. Of the two recommendations of the auditors study team which fall to my Department, the proposal to clarify the law on directors' insurance, to enable a company to reimburse a director for his liability insurance, has been implemented in section 137 of the Companies Act 1989. However, as my statement made clear, we decided against the recommendation that an auditor should, by agreement with a company, be able to limit his liability. As to the recommendation of the other surveyors study team on the implementation of section 22 of the Estate Agents Act 1979, my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Consumer Affairs stated on 29 November, in answer to a question from the hon. Member for Knowsley, South (Mr. Hughes), at columns 284–85, that we had decided against implementation. Other recommendations are for other Departments and my right hon. Friend has no proposals for further action.

  Companies House Agency
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice the Companies House Agency offered to the National Front before extending limited liability status to it.

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

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Stamp Issues
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those countries and territories for which stamp issues have been handled by the Crown Agents during the last two years; if he will list the stamp printers used; and if he will tabulate the fees earned from stamp issues.

  Mrs. Chalker
  This information concerns the Crown Agents' commercial relations with its clients and it would not therefore be appropriate for me to provide it.

  Aid Spending (United Kingdom)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of the aid budget was spent within the United Kingdom for each year from 1980; and if he will give details of this expenditure for 1989.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Data are not collected on the amount of aid actually spent in the United Kingdom. However, an approximation can be obtained for bilateral aid expenditure by reference to the tying status of the original commitment and estimates of local costs. The proportion of tied to total financial aid has been as follows:

  Year

  Per cent

  1980

  59

  1981

  59

  1982

  61

  1983

  53

  1984

  46

  1985

  47

  1986

  60

  1987

  52

  1988

  52

  1989

  1

  1 Not yet available.

  Technical co-operation is by its nature mainly tied as its major components are financing of students from developing countries to study in the United Kingdom, consultancies, experts and volunteers from the United Kingdom and research in United Kingdom institutions.

  Multilateral aid is not tied to United Kingdom purchases; but those multilateral aid agencies we support procure goods and services from the United Kingdom equivalent to about £1·75 for each £1 we contribute.

  Refugees and Displaced Persons (Aid)
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the British level of multilateral aid and (b) the level of British bilateral aid to refugees and displaced persons in each member state of the Southern African Development Co-ordination Conference and South Africa for each year from 1987 to 1990.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information is as follows:644

  (a) British contribution to multilateral aid for refugees and displaced persons in SADCC countries and South Africa

  £ million

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990 (to date)

  Angola

  —

  —

  0·71

  —

  Botswana

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lesotho

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Malawi

  0·33

  2·6

  3·3

  3·0

  Mozambique

  0·69

  1·05

  0·2

  —

  Namibia

  —

  —

  0·5

  —

  Swaziland

  0·8

  0·5

  —

  —

  Tanzania

  —

  0·5

  —

  —

  Zambia

  0·8

  0·5

  —

  —

  Zimbabwe

  0·8

  0·5

  —

  —

  South Africa

  —

  —

  —

  —

  (b) British bilateral aid to refugees and displaced persons in SADCC countries and South Africa

  £ million

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990 (to date)

  Angola

  0·08

  0·05

  0·045

  0·4

  Botswana

  0·25

  —

  0·1

  —

  Lesotho

  —

  0·004

  —

  —

  Malawi

  0·09

  0·3

  0·4

  —

  Mozambique

  4·31

  5·81

  1·99

  1·83

  Namibia

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Swaziland

  0·04

  0·02

  0·04

  —

  Tanzania

  0·04

  —

  0·036

  —

  Zambia

  —

  —

  0·03

  —

  Zimbabwe

  0·02

  0·01

  0·07

  —

  South Africa

  0·25

  0·34

  0·17

  0·05

CIVIL SERVICE

  Agencies
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many agencies(a) have been set up over the past two years and (b) are currently expected to be set up.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: A total of 31 executive agencies employing 69,000 staff have been set up over the past two years, and a further 25 activities employing some 125,000 staff have been announced as candidates for agency status. Departments are currently considering how "next steps" might be applied to a range of other activities, and I would expect announcements to be made on a number of these in due course. The project manager anticipates a total of around 50 agencies established by the end of July next year, and I expect to see "next steps" applied to at least half the civil service by the end of 1991, with still further progress after that.

THE ARTS

  Traditional Music
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what help his budget afforded to the development and playing of traditional types of British music.

  Mr. Luce
  Direct support for the arts is the responsibility of the Arts Council and the regional arts associations. I understand that both provide support for traditional types of British music in the form of help with recordings and general education work.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Foreign Courts (Legal Redress)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Attorney-General what assistance the Government provide for British citizens to seek legal redress in foreign courts.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government provide assistance for British citizens seeking legal redress in foreign courts in a number of ways.

  Under the terms of the European agreement on the transmission of applications for legal aid any person who resides permanently in a contracting country and who wishes to apply for legal aid in civil, commercial or administrative matters in another contracting country may submit his application to the legal aid authority in the country in which he resides for transmission to the other contracting country.

  Where children are abducted from the United Kingdom to a country which is a party to either The Hague or European conventions of 1980 on international child abductions, the Lord Chancellor's Department acts as the central authority for the United Kingdom and communicates with central authorities in other contracting countries to facilitate the return of or access to the child.

  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and diplomatic and consular missions hold copies of lists of local lawyers which can be provided to inquirers on request.

DEFENCE

  Helicopter Noise, County Armagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he received the preliminary report of the noise survey carried out by Dr. Gerry McCullagh of the university of Ulster into noise levels in the vicinity of the helicopter landing site at Bessbrook, County Armagh; when the findings of the survey will be available; what representations he has received from residents of Bessbrook, County Armagh, about noise levels in the vicinity of the helicopter landing site in the village; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The report was received on 1 June and one additional item of data is expected shortly. The report is currently being studied and my noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces expects to be in a position to write to the hon. Member in the near future. We have received very few representations specifically relating to helicopter noise levels from residents in the Bessbrook area since the noise insulation grant scheme was introduced in June 1988.

  RAF Flights
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the cost to the public purse of taking the Bishop of Ripon on a flight in a Tornado jet fighter from the RAF base at RAF Leeming on 5 June;

  (2) what was the cost of taking (a) a journalist and (b) the hon. Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway) on flights in Jet Provost trainers from the RAF base at Linton-on-Ouse.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Such flights are undertaken as routine training sorties, and the carriage of a passenger involves no additional cost to public funds.

  Air Experience Flights
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for the last 12 months, and by cost to the public purse, the number of air experience flights given to(a) hon. Members of Her Majesty's Government, (b) hon. Members of Her Majesty's Opposition and (c) other non-armed service persons, excluding those provided at air shows and air displays, in Royal Air Force jet aircraft.

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

  Holy Loch
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the termination date of the current agreement between Her Majesty's Government and the United States Government on the use of Holy Loch as a United States navy submarine facility.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The agreement has no termination date; it will continue for as long as both parties require it.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) on what date the Poseidon ballistic missile submarines are due to be withdrawn from the United States navy facility at Holy Loch;

  (2) when he last discussed the future of the United States facilities at Holy Loch with the United States authorities.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer given to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 20 March 1990 at column 521.

  Royal Fleet Auxiliary
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his intentions for the current Fort class Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels following the introduction of the new Fort Victoria class.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The two Fort class Royal Fleet Auxiliary replenishment vessels are planned to remain in service until they reach the end of their useful operational lives. The new Fort Victoria class auxiliary oiler replenishment vessels will provide further support to the Royal Navy in the form of a one-stop liquids-solids replenishment facility.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements exist for anti-submarine warfare helicopter support of Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels following the disbandment of No. 824 squadron.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Anti-submarine warfare helicopter support for Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels continues to be provided by Sea King aircraft of No. 826 squadron. No. 824 squadron was disbanded following the completion of the Sea King Mk 6 trials on which it was engaged. Its aircraft and manpower have been redeployed within the fleet.

  Vessels (Decommissioning)
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned decommissioning date of(a) HMS Valiant, (b) HMS Warspite and HMS Churchill.
  647
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No decisions have yet been taken on the decommissioning of the vessels to which the hon. Member refers.

  Nuclear Depth Bombs
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the progress of plans to replace the Royal Navy's nuclear depth bombs; and when he expects to make a decision on their replacement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave on 24 October 1989,Official Report, column 434.

  Hospitality
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what review his Department is carrying out of the rules under which hospitality can be accepted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Ministry of Defence is currently engaged in a routine review of its hospitality rules involving all interested parties within the Department and in consultation with the trade unions. This review is concerned with clarifying the instructions and guidance which are currently given to all staff within the framework of existing policy.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people associated with his Department have logged, according to the Defence Council instruction, that they have been offered hospitality since the procedure was established; what investigations have, and are currently, taking place that the system has not been complied with; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is departmental policy that all offers of hospitality accepted by MOD staff should be registered in hospitality books. These books are the subject of regular review by senior management. The total number of invitations is not collated centrally. There is no evidence to suggest that the procedure is not being followed.

  Corruption
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) civil servants and (b) armed forces personnel, both current and formerly serving, are under investigation following allegations of bribery and corruption; if he will list the weapons, projects or circumstances involved in each case and the value of each project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  An official of my Department has been arrested and charged with an offence contrary to the Prevention of Corruption Act 1906. A retired Army officer has also been arrested in connection with a similar offence but has not so far been charged. The investigation is still in progress and other individuals will be interviewed as and when the police consider it appropriate.

  Air-to-Surface Missiles
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money is currently being spent on research and development for a tactical air-to-surface missile with a range of 400 km, at the atomic weapons research establishment, Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement on the progress of this project.
  648
  Mr. Alan Clark
  Research and development of missiles does not take place at the atomic weapons establishment.

  NATO (Japanese Delegation)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the purposes and terms of reference of a high-level military and diplomatic delegation to NATO from Japan.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A Japanese delegation, led by the deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, attended a seminar in Belgium, jointly organised by the NATO information service and the United States delegation to NATO from 17 to 19 June. The subject of the seminar was "Security—North American, European and Japanese Interdependence in the 1990s". Such contact between NATO nations and Japan on security matters of mutual interest is useful, and I welcome the fact that the Japanese were able to participate.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Aquagard
  Sir Fergus Montgomery
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recommendations he has received from the Veterinary Products Committee regarding the licensing of Aquagard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  A product licence for Aquagard sea lice treatment for use in treating farmed salmon was first issued in June 1989, for a period of one year, following advice from the Veterinary Products Committee—VPC. The committee has recently met to review Aquagard in the light of a programme of further research, and has recommended that a two-year extension of the licence be granted subject to some modifications of the label warning and a further environmental impact report from the manufacturers in one year. I have decided to accept this recommendation, and a licence will therefore be issued subject to the conditions set by the VPC being met. Efforts will continue to be made to develop an alternative strategy to control sea lice in farmed salmon within this two year period.

  It is however imperative that an alternative strategy to control sea lice in farmed salmon be developed as soon as possible. The Government are determined to meet their commitment at the North sea conference to reduce by 50 per cent. the inputs of certain substances to the marine environment by 1995, including dichlorvos, the active ingredient of Aquagard. Any application for extension to the licence for Aquagard beyond 1992 will need to be considered in the light of this commitment, and the presumption will therefore be to replace it with satisfactory alternative methods of treatment.

  The VPC's original recommendation that the licence should be limited to one year's duration took account of the full range of Medicines Act considerations on product safety, quality and efficacy. The further review recently carried out did not therefore address matters on which the VPC was already satisfied, but took into account the following:

  (a) target species safety; and

  (b) environmental impact

  All the aquatic toxicology studies considered by the VPC suggested that lobster larvae were the candidate

  649
  species to utilise in calculating a provisional annual average environmental quality standard—EQS—and also to derive a 24-hour EQS. These studies will also be used by the Department of the Environment in confirming EQSs for use by the appropriate water and river authorities. As all sea lochs differ in their tidal flushing characteristics, clearly this factor will also need to be taken into account in the calculation.

  Sheep Scab
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on control arrangements for sheep scab.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have undertaken a review of their policy for dealing with sheep scab, following a five-year programme involving two compulsory annual dips. As a result, single dips were announced for 1989 and 1990. Sheep scab is a skin condition which, if neglected, may lead to an animal welfare problem but has no human health implications.

  Since the industry's rejection of a proposal for the introduction of movement controls in south-west Great Britain, discussions have continued to try to find a solution which achieves our objective of dealing effectively with sheep scab while avoiding unnecessary burdens on the industry. We believe we have now achieved this and we aim to have the new arrangements in place as soon as possible.

  Details of the new arrangements are as follows:

  (i) The disease will remain notifiable;

  (ii) Local Authorities will maintain the right to supervise the annual dip, but the key enforcement measure will be a compulsory declaration by the owner that all sheep on his holding have been dipped;

  (iii) When the disease occurs, MAFF veterinary staff wil continue to confirm its presence and place movement restrictions on the infected premises. Restrictions will normally be lifted on the basis of the farmer's own declaration that the action necessary to eradicate the disease has been taken. In cases where a recrudescence of infection occurs, restrictions will not normally he lifted until the farmer's own veterinary surgeon certificates (at the farmer's cost) that no clinical signs of the disease are present in the flock concerned. MAFF staff will have the right to supervise dipping on infected premises. Controls on contiguous premises will be operated flexibly, in accordance with the needs of each case;

  (iv) Tracings to find the origin of an outbreak will be initiated in each case, but will be abandoned where they seem likely to involve excessive resources; and

  (v) The present arrangements for tracing the potential spread of infection by movements of sheep off infected premises will generally be replaced as follows. A letter will be sent to every recipient of sheep from the infected flock since the end of the preceding national dip, informing the recipient that sheep scab had been confirmed on the premises of origin, reminding him of the need to inspect the sheep and report any suspicion of disease, and advising him to dip his sheep. He will also be advised that if the purchased sheep had been sold on, the information should be passed to subsequent purchasers. However, the State Veterinary Service will retain the option of imposing restrictions on premises which have received sheep from those where infection has been found until the sheep there have been dipped if this is considered appropriate.

  These arrangements will come into force as soon as the necessary legislative changes can be made. There will be a
  650
  further compulsory national dip in 1991 and these arrangements will be reviewed next year to consider options for control measures thereafter.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the work of the Agricultural Mortgage Corporation in offering financial services required by the agricultural industry.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Agricultural Mortgage Corporation presently operates within statutory constraints which limit the range of financial services that it can offer. I believe that the time has come to review its position to take account of moves to complete the EC internal market by 1992, and the changing circumstances and needs of the agricultural industry. I am, therefore, starting a process of consultation in order to identify what, if any, changes in present legislation might be desirable.

  Animal Imports (Diseases)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the diseases that have been introduced into the United Kingdom by imported animals since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Apart from caseous lymphadenitis, which may have been introduced by goats imported from West Germany, no diseases are known to have been introduced into the United Kingdom by imported animals since 1980.

  Caseous Lymphadenitis
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is proposing to eradicate caseous lymphadenitis from sheep and goats in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  We are currently considering options for control of the disease. All farms where the disease has been confirmed or suspected have been subjected to movement restrictions and contacts have been traced.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answers of 12 June,Official Report, columns 77–78, whether goats infected with caseous lymphadenitis were imported into the United Kingdom with inaccurate certification documents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The recent outbreak of caseous lymphadenitis appears to be associated with a consignment of goats imported from West Germany. Investigations are continuing and it would not be appropriate for me to prejudge their outcome.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answers of 12 June,Official Report, columns 77–78, whether the goats imported from West Germany with caseous lymphadenitis underwent a period of quarantine; whether they were examined by veterinarians during that period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  All animals susceptible to foot and mouth disease—FMD—including goats imported from
  651
  West Germany are subjected to a period of post-import quarantine as a precaution against FMD, during which they are routinely examined by official veterinarians.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the dates on which the samples of shellfish were taken, (b) the sample points and (c) the number of samples which showed danger levels of toxins on which the decision to impose a shellfishing ban was based.

  Mr. Curry
  Details of the mussel samples on which a decision was taken to issue the warning on 26 May about the consumption of shellfish from the north-east coast are as follows:

  Date of sample

  Sample site

  Units of toxin per 100g

  19 May

  Loch Elisor

  Not detected

  21 May

  Whitby

  848

  21 May

  Berwick Harbour

  903

  22 May

  Trow Rocks

  19,881

  22 May

  Redcar

  909

  22 May

  Saltburn

  255

  22 May

  Coquet Estuary

  1,119

  22 May

  Cresswell

  5,900

  22 May

  Holy Island

  386

  22 May

  Montrose

  Not detected

  22 May

  Scarborough

  300

  The World Health Organisation recommends that action should be taken to protect consumers from consuming shellfish containing more than 400 units of toxin per 100g of flesh.

  National Fruit Collection
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's role in securing the future of the national fruit collection at Brogdale.

  Mr. Curry
  My first concern has always been to provide a secure and stable home for the national fruit collection. This was the basis on which the decision was made last year to transfer the collection to Wye college, part of the university of London. Moreover, Wye college offers the scientific and academic expertise fully to develop and utilize the collection for educational and scientific purposes.

  I was conformed last week of the duchy of Cornwall's interest in purchasing the Brogdale site. The duchy's involvement offers the degree of stability which such a collection demands and I have therefore instructed my officials to look at the possibility of keeping the national fruit collection at Brogdale under Wye college's management.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Irish Residents (Shopping)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has made any representations to the European Community about the proposal by the 652
  Government of the Republic of Ireland to impose a 36-hour restriction on its residents shopping in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Major
  Her Majesty's Government are urgently considering the implications of the proposal which has just been tabled by the Government of the Republic of Ireland. The Government continue to support the Commission's proposals for significant increases to the travellers' allowances in the period up to 31 December 1992.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total value to the Treasury in each of the last 10 years of(a) domestic excise duty levied on Scotch whisky and (b) export earnings from Scotch whisky.

  Mr. Ryder
  Figures are not directly available for Scotch whisky. The estimated excise duty accruing on all whisky, including small amounts produced outside Scotland, and the value of all United Kingdom whisky exports in each of the 10 years, is as follows:

  Year

  Excise duty £ million

  Export value1 £ million

  1980

  570

  747·5

  1981

  620

  787·2

  1982

  630

  875·4

  1983

  670

  863·9

  1984

  670

  937·3

  1985

  720

  1,001·0

  1986

  720

  1,075·3

  1987

  700

  1,142·4

  1988

  710

  1,297·6

  1989

  680

  1,479·5

  1 Source: Overseas trade statistics; includes bourbon.

  Whisky
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what current negotiations he is holding with his European counterparts to ensure equal tax treatment for whisky(a) in the European Community and (b) in Japan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  There are no current Community negotiations relating to equal tax treatment for whisky. Member states apply their own rates of duty equally to home-produced and imported spirits.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry continues to watch developments in the Japanese whisky market to ensure that the beneficial effects of the tax changes introduced last year are not undermined. The Government will make representations to the Japanese authorities as appropriate about any problems which arise from the remaining tax differentials.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will be putting forward further ideas on ways of moving towards economic and monetary union to his counterparts in the European Community.

  Mr. Major
  I have deposited in the Library of the House copies of a speech I made yesterday to the German Industry Forum in the United Kingdom, in which I
  653
  suggested further practical steps beyond stage 1. These would promote convergence, low inflation and stable exchange rates by building up the Community's existing common currency, the ecu. I will be discussing these ideas further with my colleagues in the European Community in the coming weeks.

  Mileage Allowances
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any proposals for changing the tax rules for motor mileage allowances paid by employers to employees who use their own cars for work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  Two new clauses to the Finance Bill are being tabled today, and the Inland Revenue is announcing changes to its administrative arrangements for taxing mileage allowances.

  In many cases the Inland Revenue collects any tax due on mileage allowances through administrative arrangements known as the fixed profit car scheme—FPCS. The tax-free mileage rates used under the FPCS to calculate liability are intended to reflect the tax-allowable costs of using a private car for business purposes. But over the years they have got out of line with the relief strictly due under existing law, and have become too generous. The Revenue is under an obligation to apply the tax law Parliament has enacted. Present practice does not achieve that. The Revenue has concluded that it must bring present arrangements into conformity with the law. But changes to bring the FPCS into line with the strict legal position would mean that many employees who receive mileage allowances from their employers would face much bigger tax bills.

  The Government have therefore reviewed the present tax regime and has concluded that changes in the law are appropriate to make the statutory tax reliefs more generous. In addition, the Revenue will be changing the FPCS so that it reflects business motoring costs more closely. The proposed new rules will take effect from 6 April 1990, and will produce a fairer system under which employees who use their own cars for work will be able to claim tax relief for the business proportion of all their motoring expenses.

  Many employees' tax bills will not be affected by these changes, but some will be reduced and some increased. The reductions will apply from 6 April 1990. But the Government propose transitional arrangements which will

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Day care assistants, Aberystwyth

  2,549

  2,549

  2,549

  2,549

  2,549

  2,549

  Area Mental Health Team, Ceredigion

  —

  10,737

  10,737

  10,737

  10,737

  10,737

  Team Co-ordinator, Area Mental Health Team

  —

  5,225

  5,225

  5,225

  5,225

  5,225

  Residential rehabilitation centre, Rhoserchan

  —

  —

  —

  10,200

  23,286

  1—

  Area Mental Health Team, Aberystwyth

  —

  —

  —

  1,568

  1,568

  1,568

  Peripatetic Care Assistant, Aberystywth

  —

  —

  —

  3,600

  3,600

  3,600

  Social Worker, Aberystwyth

  —

  —

  —

  8,501

  8,501

  8,501

  IT investment Bronglais General Hospital and Cardigan Hospital2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  63,000

  —

  Computing Laboratory systems with links to FPC records cervical cytology, Bronglais Hospital

  —

  —

  —

  —

  31,250

  4,460

  1 Unit accepts referrals from Wales and occasionally from England. A new bid for this unit for 1990–91 will be considered by the Welsh Office in September.

  2 This funding is specific to the Ceredigion area. The funding does not reflect the level of investment in district wide developments from which Ceredigion will have benefited nor the investment in all Wales IT systems which are also of benefit to the Ceredigion area.

  654
  ensure that no one who received mileage allowances in 1989–90 has more tax to pay as a result of these proposals for 1990–91; and that any increases as a result of the changes will be phased in gradually over subsequent years.

  An Inland Revenue press release is being issued today giving full details of all the proposed changes.

WALES

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many relatives of glaucoma sufferers in Wales received free eyesight tests in each quarter of 1988–89 and in each quarter of 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  The data requested were not collected centrally prior to 1 April 1989, since when they have been collected on a six-monthly basis.

  The available information (on an all-Wales basis) is as follows:

  Estimated1 number of sight tests paid for by Family Practitioner Committees in the six months ending

  30 September 1990

  31 March 1990

  People with glaucoma or diabetes

  5,050

  8,860

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

  Health Services, Ceredigion
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what new investments and improvements his Department has made to health services in Ceredigion so far in the current year; what were the corresponding figures for the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The East Dyfed health authority is responsible for determining any developments in hospital and community health services in the Ceredigion area which are funded from the authority's discretionary revenue and capital resources. However, so far as centrally funded developments are concerned, the following bids from the authority in respect of developments in the Ceredigion area have been successful in recent years and to date in the current financial year:

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of school children in Ceredigion of primary school age who are fluent in the Welsh language; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  At September 1989, there were 2,654 school children in Ceredigion of primary school age who were fluent in the Welsh language.

  Teachers' Salaries
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage change there has been in teaching salaries in Wales in 1989–90; what were the comparable figures in the previous three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The estimated rise in the salaries of full-time teachers in nursery, primary and secondary schools in England and Wales in the last four years is as follows:

  Per cent.

  1989–90

  18·9

  1988–89

  7·8

  1987–88

  4·3

  1986–87

  16·8

  1 The 1989–90 increase is estimated to include only the first Phase of the 1990 staged pay award.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average teaching salary in Wales for(a) primary school, (b) secondary school and (c) high school teachers.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Estimates of average teachers' salaries are available only for 1989 on an England and Wales basis, and are as follows:

  Estimated average teachers' salary at 1 April 19891

  £

  Nursery/Primary Schools

  14,100

  Secondary Schools

  15,240

  1 Refers to all full-time teachers.

  Toxic Waste (Welsh Ports)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the Welsh ports that received toxic waste in each year since 1987, the quantity of such waste imported, the composition of the waste and the country of origin and ultimate destination of the waste.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is available in the detail requested only since the introduction of the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988. Provisional figures for imports of hazardous wastes through Welsh ports in the year to 31 March 1990 are as follows. Figures for types of waste imported through individual ports are not readily available in a concise form.

  Imports of hazardous waste 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 via ports in Wales

  By country of origin

  Tonnes

  Holyhead Ireland

  156

  Newport

  656

  By country of origin

  Tonnes

  Austria

  53

  Germany

  146

  Ireland

  468

  Spain

  239

  Switzerland

  409

  Total Newport

  1,314

  Swansea

  Greece

  5

  Total

  1,475

  Imports of hazardous waste 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 via ports in Wales

  Waste disposal authority of destination

  Tonnes

  Holyhead

  Cheshire CC

  54

  Greater Manchester

  92

  Torfaen BC

  10

  Total Holyhead

  156

  Newport

  East Sussex CC

  48

  Greater Manchester

  357

  Hampshire CC

  108

  Nottinghamshire CC

  22

  Torfaen BC

  779

  Total Newport

  1,314

  Swansea

  Torfaen BC

  5

  Total

  1,475

  Imports of hazardous waste 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 via ports in Wales

  By type of waste

  Tonnes

  Organic acids and related compounds

  44

  Alkalis

  116

  Toxic Metal Compounds

  23

  Metal Oxides

  182

  Inorganic Compounds

  83

  Organic Compounds excluding PCBs

  74

  PCBs/PCB contaminated material

  484

  Polymeric material and precursors

  36

  Fine Chemicals and Biocides

  99

  Miscellaneous Chemical Waste

  252

  Filter Materials, Treatment Sludge and Contaminated Rubbish

  9

  Interceptor Wastes, Tars, Paint, Dyes and Pigments

  63

  Miscellaneous Wastes

  8

  Total

  1,475

ENERGY

  North Sea Gas
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent permissions have been given for new developments in gas gathering in the North sea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  In May this year I approved a development plan from Mobil North Sea Ltd. to lay a gas export pipeline between the Beryl field and the St. Fergus gas terminal.

  Non-fossil Fuel Purchasing Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the establishment of the proposed non-fossil fuel purchasing agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  The non-fossil purchasing agency is an agent of the regional electricity companies through which they contracted for non-fossil capacity to meet the non-fossil fuel obligation. It has already been established by them.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what are the estimated quantities of low and intermediate level waste arising from the decommissioning of the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield;

  (2) what is his estimate of the cost of decommissioning the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield.

  (3) how the costs of decommissioning the thermal oxide reprocessing plant at Sellafield will be met.

  Mr. Baldry
  The work of decommissioning plant operated by British Nuclear Fuels plc and estimates of the costs of that work are matters for the company.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the number and percentage share of wind energy projects to be approved in the first tranche of renewable energy projects to be approved by the non-fossil fuel purchasing agency.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  This information will not be available until it is known which projects have been contracted within the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the first tranche of renewable energy projects to be approved by the non-fossil fuel purchasing agency.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend expects to make the first order setting the level of the non-fossil fuel obligation, in respect of renewables-sourced generation projects, in the late summer.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has made any approaches to the Energy Commissioner of the European Commission for approval of contract terms beyond 1 April 1998 for renewable energy projects.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  No. The legislation provides the public electricity suppliers—PESs—with a sufficient degree of flexibility to enable a significant number of renewables projects to be contracted within the non-fossil fuel obligation.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Concessionary Television Licences
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide concessionary television licences for all pensioners living on their own or with another pensioner in Northern Ireland.
  658
  Mr. Mellor
  No. We have no plans to extend the present concessions.

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

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is given in the tables. The figures for court orders differ slightly from the figures published in probation statistics because they are compiled on a slightly different basis.

  Persons sentenced to community service orders by the courts

  Year

  Number

  1984

  37,900

  1985

  38,300

  1986

  35,100

  1987

  35,900

  1988

  35,300

  Source:

  Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1988.

  Persons commencing community service orders by hours specified, 1988

  Hours specified

  Number

  40 and less than 100

  7,490

  100 and less than 150

  13,670

  150 and less than 200

  7,850

  200 to 240 inclusive

  5,900

  Total

  34,900

  Source:

  Probation Statistics England and Wales 1988.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes there were in the Chelmsford local authority area in June 1983, June 1984, June 1987 and the latest available date.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand from Essex police that there were no neighbourhood watch schemes in June 1983 or June 1984 in the area covered by the Chelmsford sub-division of Essex police, which covers very nearly the same area as the local authority area. The first scheme in this area was set up on 31 October 1984. There were 128 neighbourhood watch schemes at the beginning of June 1987 and at the beginning of June 1990 there were estimated to be 217 schemes in the area.

  Chelmsford Prison
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures his Department is taking to reduce overcrowding at Chelmsford prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government's overall strategy of reducing the number committed to custody while increasing the number of places available is, notwithstanding the recent disturbances, well on the way to drastically reducing overcrowding in prisons in the next two or three years. Meanwhile Chelmsford, along with other local
  659
  prisons and remand centres, many of which are similarly overcrowded, must hold those whom the courts commit to custody. The current industrial action by the local branch of the Prison Officers Association at Chelmsford is not the way to solve the problem. It simply means that prisoners have to be held in even less suitable conditions in police cells.

  Correspondence
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will reply to the letter dated 11 March from the Central Council of Physical Recreation on the subject of a single agency licensing authority for sports centres.

  Mr. John Patten
  A reply has been sent.

  Colombia
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people from Colombia, seeking to visit friends and family in Britain, have been refused leave of entry to the United Kingdom in the six month period(a) from January 1990, (b) between June 1989 and January 1990 and (c) between January 1989 and June 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The centrally available information is as follows:

  Period

  Number of Colombian nationals refused leave to enter and removed

  January to June 1989

  312

  July to December 1989

  327

  January to April 1990

  212

  From this information persons seeking to visit friends and family in Britain cannot be distinguished. More specific information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Royal Prerogative of Mercy
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available the number of cases in which the royal prerogative of mercy was exercised(a) on grounds affecting the original conviction and (b) on other grounds, where the following actions were taken: (i) free pardon, (ii) remission of imprisonment, (iii) remission of borstal training, (iv) remission of detention and (v) remission of fine; if he will list separately the number of these cases that involved road traffic offences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The tables give details of the information requested.

  Table I

  Free Pardons (including those relating to road traffic offences)

  Years

  Total number of pardons

  Pardon granted on grounds affecting the original conviction

  Pardon granted for other reasons

  Number of pardons relating to road traffic offences

  1980

  282

  270

  12

  268

  1981

  168

  161

  7

  155

  1982

  84

  75

  9

  72

  660

  Years

  Total number of pardons

  Pardon granted on grounds affecting the original conviction

  Pardon granted for other reasons

  Number of pardons relating to road traffic offences

  1983

  143

  133

  10

  131

  1984

  60

  60

  —

  42

  1985

  92

  38

  54

  85

  1986

  28

  26

  2

  20

  1987

  41

  35

  6

  29

  1988

  39

  32

  7

  29

  1989

  50

  37

  13

  39

  TOTAL

  987

  867

  120

  870

  Table II

  Remission of imprisonment

  Years

  Total number of remissions

  Remission granted on grounds affecting the original conviction

  Remission granted for other reasons

  Number of remissions involving road traffic offences1

  1980

  180

  2

  178

  13

  1981

  131

  1

  130

  12

  1982

  129

  —

  129

  14

  1983

  103

  —

  103

  12

  1984

  60

  —

  60

  8

  1985

  78

  —

  78

  5

  1986

  91

  —

  91

  13

  1987

  70

  —

  70

  7

  1988

  69

  —

  69

  12

  1989

  71

  —

  71

  11

  TOTAL

  982

  3

  979

  107

  1 Includes cases where a road traffic offence form part of the conviction.

  Table III

  Remission of borstal training/youth custody/ detention in a young offenders institution

  Years

  Total number of remissions

  Remission granted on grounds affecting the original conviction

  Remission granted for other reasons

  Number of remissions involving road traffic offences2

  1980

  7

  —

  7

  —

  1981

  7

  —

  7

  3

  1982

  4

  —

  4

  1

  1 1983

  173

  —

  73

  9

  1984

  24

  —

  24

  4

  1985

  31

  —

  31

  4

  1986

  21

  —

  21

  2

  1987

  18

  —

  18

  2

  1988

  19

  —

  19

  1

  1989

  17

  —

  17

  3

  TOTAL

  221

  —

  221

  29

  1 Fifty-two cases involved the use of the Royal Prerogative of Mercy in order to avoid any change to the release date brought about by the change from Borstal Training to Youth Custody.

  2 Includes cases where a road traffic offence form part of the conviction.

  661

  Table IV—Remission of Detention

  Years

  Total number remissions

  Remission granted on grounds affecting the original conviction

  Remission granted for other reasons

  Number of remissions involving road traffic offences1

  1980

  3

  —

  3

  1

  1981

  2

  —

  2

  —

  1982

  4

  —

  4

  —

  1983

  2

  —

  2

  1

  1984

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1985

  1

  —

  1

  1

  Total

  13

  —

  13

  3

  1 Includes cases where a road traffic offence forms part of the conviction.

  Table V—Remission of Fines

  Years

  Total number remissions

  Remission granted on grounds affecting the original conviction

  Remission granted for other reasons

  Number of remissions involving road traffic offences

  1980

  83

  75

  8

  76

  1981

  79

  57

  22

  56

  1982

  92

  87

  5

  89

  1983

  14

  3

  11

  13

  1984

  13

  —

  13

  12

  1985

  31

  8

  23

  26

  1986

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1987

  9

  8

  1

  4

  1988

  4

  4

  —

  2

  1989

  2

  1

  1

  2

  Total

  328

  244

  84

  280

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the total number of criminal convictions arising out of criminal charges which arose out of cases(a) supervised and (b) unsupervised by the Police Complaints Authority in each of the last four years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr.john Patten
  Information relating to the numbers of police officers convicted of offences, following complaints made by members of the public, are published each year in the annual reports of Her Majesty's chief inspector of constabulary (for all forces in England and Wales other than the Metropolitan police) and of the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, copies of which may be found in the Library. Information distinguishing those cases where the investigation was supervised by the Police Complaints Authority is not available.

  Court of Appeal (References)
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list separately for each of the last 10 years for which figures are available the number of cases referred by him to the Court of Appeal under section 17(1)(a) of the Court of Appeal Act 1968 in respect of conviction; and for each such year (a) the number of defendants involved, (b) the number of appeals allowed and (c) the number of appeals dismissed; and if he will make a statement.
  662
  Mr. John Patten
  The table gives details of the cases referred to the Court of Appeal under section 17(1)(a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 in respect of conviction since 1980.

  References by the Home Secretary to the Court of Appeal under Section 17(1) (a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968 in respect of conviction

  Years

  Number of cases referred

  Number of defendants involved

  Appeals

  Allowed

  Dismissed

  1980

  3

  3

  1

  2

  1981

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1982

  4

  7

  4

  —

  1983

  3

  3

  3

  —

  1984

  1 12

  14

  3

  6

  1985

  4

  4

  2

  2

  1986

  4

  4

  1

  3

  1987

  6

  13

  3

  3

  1988

  22

  2

  —

  1

  1989

  33

  6

  2

  —

  Total

  42

  57

  19

  18

  1 3 cases abandoned.

  2 1 case abandoned.

  3 1 case to be heard by the Court of Appeal.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations were made to his Department to curtail or end the work of Professor Feldberg at the National Institute of Medical Research.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None, before the publicity which was given to Professor Feldberg's work in May this year.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department specifically gave its approval for the use by Professor Feldberg of an anglepoise lamp as a heat source on experiments involving rabbits.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Authority was given for a lamp to be used as a heat source, but the type of lamp was not specified.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions over the past two years the Home Office inspectorate visited Mill Hill laboratories; and what were the dates of such visits.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Twelve visits were made to this establishment in 1988, 11 in 1989 and five this year. Many of these visits were announced. The dates were as follows: in 1988, 13 January, 10 June, 22 June, 11 July, 19 July, 24 August, 5 September, 26 September, 20 October, 7 November, 28 November and 19 December; in 1989, 6 February, 22 February, 21 March, 21 April, 8 June, 21 July, 3 August, 23 August, 18 October, 28 November and 14 December; in 1990, 10 January, 8 February, 29 March, 9 April and 3 May.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether any complaints or observations were received from people within the National Institute of Medical Research regarding Professor Wilhelm Feldberg's state of competence while he held a licence to perform animal experiments;

  (2) how many animals by species were used by Professor Wilhelm Feldberg at the National Institute for Medical Research, London in (a) 1988, (b) 1989 and (c) the current year.
  663
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: Professor Feldberg is a very distinguished scientist who for over 50 years held licences issued under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 and subsequently the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. Over this time, there is no record of any complaints or observations from within the establishment having been made about the professor's state of competence. It is not our practice to provide details of the numbers or species of animals used by individual licence holders.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps were taken to ensure that the holder of the certificate of designation within the National Institute of Medical Research ensured that all checks and monitoring were undertaken.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Inspectors routinely seek interviews with the holders of certificates of designation, or their representatives, to discuss their visits and any issues which may have arisen. A number of such interviews have taken place with the director of the National Institute of Medical Research.

  Chief Officers of Police
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report details of the guidance he gives to chief officers of police in dealing with correspondence from Members of Parliament, when a constituent has alleged assault.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No general guidance is given to chief officers of police on handling correspondence from Members of Parliament.

  Guidance on complaints and discipline procedures refers to correspondence from Members of Parliament with respect to the interpretation of section 84(4) of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, which provides that a complaint may be made on behalf of a member of the public with his written consent. The guidance advises chief officers that, when a complaint is referred to the force by a third party, such as a Member of Parliament, any words which may reasonably be taken as indicating the complainant's willingness for his complaint to be so passed on should be taken as sufficient to indicate his consent for the purposes of section 84(4).

  Police Rent Allowances
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make further changes to the regulations on police rent allowances in the light of the representations which he has received.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have already announced substantial amendments to the original draft regulations which will be of significant benefit to officers who were serving on 31 March 1990. In the course, however, of implementing the new arrangements, the need has been identified for further changes, which will be made as soon as possible after consultation with the police negotiating board. They are as follows:

  (i) provisions for transitional rent allowance for officers serving on 31 March 1990 to include any compensatory grant which would have been due to them in 1990–91 on tax paid in previous years.

  (ii) provision for police officers serving on 31 March 1990 whose wives, if also police officers, go on unpaid maternity leave, to move from flat rate to maximum transitional rent allowance; and

  664

  (iii) provision for police officer wives living in police houses or quarters on 31 March 1990 who go on unpaid maternity leave to recover their entitlement to provided accommodation allowance from the date on which they return from that leave.

  Prison Officer Training
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the expected financial savings in respect of the anticipated downgrading of training tutors from principal officer to senior officer level following the recommendations of the staff inspection report on new entrant prison officer training.

  Mr. Mellor
  The staff inspectors estimated that the savings from regrading tutor posts from principal officer to senior officer level would be around £73,000, although part of this would be used to finance other recommendations in the report which would involve increased expenditure.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when policy decisions are expected on the recommendations received by his Department in respect of new entrant prison officer training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Under the normal arrangements for handling staff inspection reports, comments on the report on new entrant prison officer training, which was issued in April, have been sought from all those with an interest. These have just been received and are now being considered. It is likely to be several weeks before any decisions are taken on the inspectors' recommendations.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any further discussions are planned with the Prison Officers Association in respect of probable future decisions in respect of new entrant prison officer training.

  Mr. Mellor
  At the meeting between members of the national executive committee of the Prison Officers Association and senior prison service officials on 16 May, the Prison Officers Association representatives gave a full account of their position. No further meetings on the subject are currently planned, although there will be the opportunity for further discussion at the next regular meeting of the relevant national Whitley sub-committee.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions have taken place with the Prison Officers Association on a local and national basis in relation to new entrant prison officer training.

  Mr. Mellor
  There are regular opportunities, both nationally and locally, for discussions between management and the Prison Officers Association about new entrant prison officer training generally. In the case of the recent staff inspection of new entrant prison officer training the inspectors gave local representatives of the Prison Officers Association the opportunity to comment on their emerging findings before completing their report. The full report was issued in April and the views of all those with an interest, including the Prison Officers Association, were sought. Members of the national executive committee of the Prison Officers Association attended a meeting with senior prison service officials on 16 May at which the staff inspection report was discussed.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what exercises have been conducted to
  665
  evaluate the possible consequences of downgrading training tutors in new entrant prison officer training establishments from principal to senior officer rank.

  Mr. Mellor
  The staff inspection team, which was led by an experienced prison governor, considered carefully the qualities, experience and expertise required of the tutorial staff. It was their considered judgment that the quality of training given to new prison officers would not suffer if their recommendation to regrade tutor posts to senior officer level were implemented.

  Prisons (Crown Immunity)
  Sir Charles Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the effect of the Food Safety Bill on Crown immunity in prisons and on the inspection of prisons by local authority environmental health officers; and when the relevant provisions will come into effect.

  Mr. Mellor
  The provisions of the Bill will allow local authority environmental health officers the right of entry to prison establishments to carry out inspections of the catering facilities and make recommendations for improvement by way of Crown notices. When a decision is taken on the date of introduction of the relevant provisions a formal announcement will be made.

  Traffic Wardens
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what period of training traffic wardens undergo before starting work in the Metropolitan police area;

  (2) how many traffic wardens are employed by the Metropolitan police; and how many of them are women;

  (3) what are the main educational qualifications required for people joining the Metropolitan police area traffic warden force;

  (4) what is the level of payment received by Metropolitan police area traffic wardens, giving (a) starting salaries and (b) average earnings.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 30 April 1990 there were 1,312 traffic wardens employed in the Metropolitan police district. The Commissioner does not collect statistics about what sex wardens are but he estimates that there are more women than men in the service.

  While specific qualifications are not sought, entry to the service is by means of a testing selection process aimed at finding candidates with common sense and good communications skills.

  Once appointed, wardens undergo three weeks and four days training. They are accompanied by an experienced traffic warden for several weeks after being posted to a unit.

  The starting salary of the basic grade traffic warden is £7,254 per annum. In addition, the job attracts London weighting of either £1,750, £1,000 or £725, depending on the work location. A boot allowance of £40·64 per annum and sock allowance of £32·28 per annum (women only) is also payable.

  Average gross earnings inclusive of overtime and allowances are as follows:
  666

  £

  Traffic Warden (basic grade)

  10,490·84

  Traffic Warden Supervisor

  11,852·80

  Traffic Warden Controller

  13,150·12

  Senior Traffic Warden Controller

  14,725·52

  Area Traffic Warden Controller

  16,405·28

  Passports
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to introduce 0898 numbers to provide information on passport matters to the public, either before or after agency status.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The telephone service provided by passport offices is kept under review and a survey of demand is currently being conducted. There are no present plans for the introduction of an 0898 number.

  Merseyside Police Authority
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received about the funding of Merseyside police authority;

  (2) if he will increase the supplementary level of approval for Merseyside police authority for 1990–91;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the level of central funding for Merseyside police authority and on the funding shortfall faced by Merseyside police authority in 1990 to 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend discussed the funding of capital expenditure with the chief constable and members of the police authority during a recent visit to Merseyside.

  Under the provisions of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, the Government issue grants and credit approvals for capital expenditure by police authorities. The provision for grant and credit approvals for 1990–91, which is subject to cash limits, has been fully allocated to police authorities. No extra funding will be made available this year. It is, however, open to police authorities to incur capital expenditure above the level implied by allocation, but such expenditure would not attract grant.

  Merseyside police authority will receive £1·194 million in capital grant, and credit approvals for £0·336 million in 1990–91. This will support capital expenditure of £2·130 million compared with the police authority's proposals for capital expenditure of £6·324 million.

  No decisions have yet been made about the level of funding for 1991–92.

  Notting Hill Carnival
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to what police manpower and financial resources have been used in preparation of the task force report on the Notting Hill carnival.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: No. I understand that no police resources have been used in any recent report on Notting Hill carnival prepared by North Kensington task force.

PRIME MINISTER

  Zimbabwe
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has made recently to the President of Zimbabwe regarding the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe.

  The Prime Minister
  None. Our assessment, which is shared by Amnesty International and other independent human rights organisations, is that Zimbabwe's human rights performance has significantly improved in recent years. The Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Zimbabwe annual report for 1989 says that the situation in the country was generally good with only a few areas of concern. We take every suitable opportunity to encourage the Zimbabweans to reinforce this improvement.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she plans to make a further statement on the progress of the Government's review of the community charge.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government are continuing their review of the operation of the community charge and will announce the results in due course.

  Finchley
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to make an official visit to Finchley.

  The Prime Minister
  I do not visit Finchley in my official capacity but as the local Member of Parliament.

  Rainham
  Mr. squire
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit Rainham in Essex.

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

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

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

  Food Prices
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the extra cost per family of food prices caused by the common agricultural policy; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have frequently raised at the European council the consequences of the common agricultural policy for the Community's consumers and taxpayers, and have pressed for reforms to be made. I am glad to say that a significant measure to reform has been achieved. I shall certainly continue to stress to my Community partners the importance of continuing this process of reform, particularly in the context of the current GATT negotiations.

  Polaris
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the current status of the 1958 Polaris agreement.

  The Prime Minister
  The 1958 United Kingdom-United States agreement for co-operation in the uses of atomic energy for mutual defence purposes, as contained in Cmnd. 537, and amended by Cmnds. 859, 4119, 4383, 6017, 7976 and 9336, remains extant. The 1963 Polaris sales agreement was adapted in October 1982 to cover the purchase of the Trident-II weapon system, and remains extant.

  Overseas Visits
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister if, further to her reply to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 14 June,Official Report, column 270, she will give the cost of each of the trips she has undertaken overseas since 1979 and the number of staff who have accompanied her on each occasion.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 270–1, to the hon. Member for The Wrekin listing her official visits abroad, she will indicate in each case the cost of the visit.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not available in the form requested except at disproportionate cost. The total cost of my overseas travel, and of those accompanying me, for each year since 1979 is as follows:

  £

  1979–801

  151,864

  1980–81

  133,206

  1981–82

  556,000

  1982–83

  523,587

  1983–84

  216,146

  1984–85

  414,259

  1985–86

  457,483

  1986–87

  447,066

  1987–88

  341,880

  1988–89

  637,096

  1989–902

  387,040

  1 From May 1979.

  2 Expenditure to date. Billing delays mean that some of the services used in 1989–90 have not yet been paid for.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Prime Minister if, pursuant to her answer on 14 June to the hon. Member for The Wrekin,Official Report, column 270–71, listing her 74 official visits abroad, she will list the criteria which determine whether or not oral statements are considered appropriate.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing further to add to the reply that I gave the hon. Member on 14 June.

  Engagements
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.
  669
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 21 June.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today, including one with the mayor of Paris, M. Jacques Chirac, and this evening I shall preside at a dinner in honour of the Crown Prince of Morocco.

EMPLOYMENT

  Skill Centres
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how, in each individual case, the 61 potential bidders for the skill centres, who agreed that their identities might be disclosed, were assessed under appendix IV, principal lease terms, of the Deloitte information memorandum issued on his behalf; which bidders were informed of the possibility of grant being available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The 61 organisations that the hon. Member describes as potential bidders were those which had expressed an interest in the sale, and had agreed to have their identities disclosed to STA staff and trade unions. Not all those organisations submitted an initial bid.

  Bidders had the choice of acquiring the Government's freehold or long leasehold interest in the properties or of taking a short lease, under the terms referred to in appendix IV of the information memorandum. Whichever option was chosen was up to the bidder and, provided that the main lease terms were met, no other element of assessment attached to appendix IV.

  There were no grants available to bidders and none was paid. Most bids involved a negative consideration, which reflected factors such as the nature of leasehold, and estimated costs of turning the business round. All the bids received were evaluated by our professional advisers on a common basis. The Government chose the mix of bids which best met the objectives for the sale, a copy of which was placed in the Vote Office on 13 February 1990.

  Employment Training
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to reduce the drop-out rate from his Department's employment training programme.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My Department is already pursuing a range of initiatives to ensure that those who express an intial interest in training receive appropriate information and help to enable them successfully to take up a training place and complete their agreed training. In addition, the recent efficiency scrutiny of take-up of my Department's programmes has produced its report. My right hon. and learned Friend is presently considering its findings and recommendations and plans to make it publicly available before the recess.

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the reduction in expenditure on the technical and vocational education initiative extension for Blackburn and Darwen.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have agreed that Lancashire education authority, which includes Blackburn and Darwen, should start the extension phase of the technical and vocational education initiative (TVEI) in September 1990. The authority will receive its full share of funding over the lifetime of the programme. Lancashire will receive £870,000 for the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table giving the expenditure on the technical and vocational educational initiative and its extension for Blackburn and Darwen for each year since its inception and that planned for future years.

  Mr. Eggar
  Blackburn and Darwen did not take part in Lancashire preparatory TVEI project. Development funding of £22,000 was spent by the Blackburn and Darwen consortium in 1989–90. Funds allocated to Blackburn and Darwen during the extension phase of TVEI will depend upon resources available and on Lancashire education authority's plan.

  Tourism
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment approximately how many people are currently employed in jobs related to tourism within the United Kingdom; and what was the figure five years ago.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There were an estimated 1,330,000 employees employed in tourism-related industries in Great Britain in December 1989, the last available date, compared with 1,146,000 in the corresponding month of 1984. Employment in these industries is seasonal and in September 1989 there were 1,390,000 employees compared with 1,205,000 in September 1984.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his best estimate of the value of the unemployment benefit office network.

  Mr. Eggar
  The unemployment benefit office network, formerly wholly owned and managed as part of the civil estate by the Property Services Agency, is now divided into two separate estates. These are:The common user estate—owned and managed by DoE Property Holdings;
  The departmental estate—owned and managed by the Employment Department.

  Information as to the value of the unemployment benefit office network is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to rationalise the unemployment benefit network.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployment benefit offices were in operation on 1 April.
  671
  Mr. Eggar
  The Employment Service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Gentleman.

HEALTH

  Immunisation
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure that the level of take-up of vaccines is consistent nationally.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that Britain reaches the World Health Organisation's target of 90 per cent. for Europe for vaccination uptake.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has funded the Health Education Authority to mount a joint nationwide immunisation campaign later this year which will provide health professionals with advice and training materials and the public with information on the benefits of immunisation. The campaign will include television advertising, posters and leaflets aimed at responding to the questions most frequently raised by parents of 0 to 5-year-olds.

  We have accepted the World Health Organisation's 90 per cent. target for vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, poliomyelitis, whooping cough, measles, mumps and rubella. Departmental officials hold regular meetings with district immunisation co-ordinators to advise them of national developments, identify areas of difficulty and exchange information on local initiatives.

  The new contract for general practitioners which applies from 1 April 1990 provides for bonus payments if 90 per cent. of patients are immunised as recommended.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the awareness of health professionals of the contra-indications to measles and whooping cough vaccines.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Clear advice on contra-indications and false "contra-indications" is given in the new edition of the memorandum "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease", a copy of which has been issued to all doctors and to other health professionals involved in immunisation. Copies of the memorandum have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records his Department holds of the number of deaths which have occurred through non-vaccination.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Reports are made to the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys of deaths from diseases for which vaccination is recommended, but it is not possible to say that all those deaths occurred in unvaccinated individuals.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what records his Department holds of the number of cases of disablement caused through non-vaccination.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to monitor the effects of the new general practitioner's contract on immunisation uptake in inner city areas.
  672
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Immunisation uptake rates in all areas are monitored routinely. The target payment system introduced in the new contract is one of a number of current initiatives aimed at increasing uptake rates. It will therefore not be possible to measure the impact of the new contract arrangements in isolation. The Government are satisfied that the target system provides a powerful incentive for GPs to undertake immunisations in all areas including inner cities.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to encourage immunisation uptake among ethnic minority groups.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Public information leaflets on immunisation, funded by the Department and prepared by the Health Education Authority, including new leaflets for use in the national campaign later this year, are produced in a number of ethnic languages. In addition, health authorities with substantial ethnic minority populations mount local initiatives.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to improve the level of take-up of vaccines in inner city areas.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department arranged a three-day immunisation seminar last September for the 25 lowest achieving districts in England. These districts were mainly but not exclusively "inner city". The seminar analysed the reasons for low uptake. One of these was failure by parents to bring their babies for the full course of vaccinations against diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and polio, which were recommended at three, four to five and eight to 11 months. This finding contributed to the decision to accelerate the schedule from 1 May this year to two, three and four months, when mothers and babies are still attending the doctor's surgery for other reasons. In addition posters on immunisation produced by the Health Education Authority have been targeted on low uptake areas, which include the inner cities.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received concerning the levels of immunisation uptake.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Frequent representations on immunisation uptake are received from hon. Members, and from members of the public and the health professions.

  Subjects raised recently have included the publication of a new edition of the handbook "Immunisation Against Infectious Disease" (issued to all doctors) a copy of which is available in the Library; the target levels we have urged general practitioners to aim for; immunisation record cards and compulsory immunisation.

  We are pleased to say that our present policy of providing the health professionals with the fullest possible information on immunisation—to enable them to persuade parents of its benefits—is leading to steady improvement in uptake, with the latest estimates showing 88 per cent. coverage for diphtheria, tetanus and polio, 85 per cent. for measles and 80 per cent. for whooping cough.

  Labour Force Survey
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will publish a table from the latest Labour Force Survey showing the population resident in each metropolitan county broken down by ethnic origin, showing both the number resident and the proportion of each ethnic group.
  673
  Mr. Dorrell
  The tables give the information requested from the Labour Force Survey. To improve their reliability the data are presented as averages from three year's surveys (1986, 1987, and 1988); nevertheless, the data are still subject to sampling errors. The volumes for

  Estimated private household population resident in metropolitan counties by ethnic group, Great Britain, 1986–88

  (a) Number of people (thousands)

  Ethnic group

  Metropolitan county of residence

  Greater London

  Greater Manchester

  West Midlands

  West Yorkshire

  Other Metropolitan counties

  All Metropolitan counties

  Great Britain

  White

  5,462

  2,397

  2,256

  1,856

  3,736

  15,707

  51,470

  All ethnic minority groups

  1,100

  134

  326

  162

  77

  1,820

  2,577

  West Indian or Guyanese

  288

  20

  77

  18

  7

  410

  495

  African

  77

  2

  3

  2

  6

  91

  112

  Indian

  333

  36

  130

  38

  8

  546

  787

  Pakistani

  72

  47

  70

  80

  13

  282

  428

  Bangladeshi

  51

  4

  17

  5

  7

  84

  108

  Chinese

  51

  5

  1

  2

  9

  69

  125

  Arab

  31

  3

  4

  3

  6

  48

  73

  Mixed

  104

  13

  18

  11

  15

  160

  287

  Others

  92

  3

  5

  4

  6

  110

  163

  Not stated

  78

  29

  18

  13

  32

  170

  472

  All groups

  6,640

  2,560

  2,600

  2,031

  3,845

  17,675

  54,519

  (5) Percentages of population of each county

  Percentages of totals

  Ethnic group

  Metropolitan county of residence

  Greater London

  Greater Manchester

  West Midlands

  West Yorkshire

  Other met counties

  All met. counties

  White

  82

  94

  87

  91

  97

  89

  All ethnic minority groups

  17

  5

  13

  8

  2

  10

  West Indian or Guyanese

  4

  1

  3

  1

  0

  2

  African

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Indian

  5

  1

  5

  2

  0

  3

  Pakistani

  1

  2

  3

  4

  0

  2

  Bangladeshi

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Chinese

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Arab

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mixed

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  Others

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Not stated

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  All groups

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  Source: 1986, 1987, and 1988 Labour Force Surveys—estimates are subject to sampling error.

  Northumberland Health Authority
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on what date the existing members of Northumberland health authority will cease to hold office and carry out the duties of their office; on what date new members of the authority will take office; and whether he will list both the retiring members and the new members who will serve on the authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Subject to parliamentary approval for the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, it is proposed that the terms of office of existing district health authority members will be brought to an end approximately 11 weeks after Royal Assent. New members of the reconstituted health authority will take office on the following day. Responsibility for appointing the current members of Northumberland health authority rests with Northern regional health authority and certain local authorities. The new non-executive members of Northumberland health authority would be appointed similarly by Northern regional health authority. Lists of district health authority members are not held centrally.
  674
  1986 and 1987 have both been published and copies are available in the library. The 1988 volume is expected to be published in1991. A similar table will also be published in Regional Trends 25, later this year.

  Drugs
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any proposals to change the procedures followed by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in licensing new drugs; and whether he will bring forward proposals for an interim procedure before full licensing while medical data about side-effects are established.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The internal procedures of the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) are a matter for CSM itself under schedule 1, paragraph 4 of the Medicines Act 1968. We respect and value the independent scientific judgments made by the CSM on the information laid before it and have no plans to amend schedule 1, paragraph 4.

  Measures are already in place and are already used to assess safety and efficacy before a licensing decision is taken. Applicants for licences are required to report

  675
  information and data derived from tests laid down in detail by directive 75/318 EEC, including toxicity tests and clinical trials.

  After licensing, data sheets communicate to doctors the licensed uses of medicines and precautions, warnings, and necessary information about side-effects. Newly introduced medicines are subject to the black triangle scheme on product literature for at least two years after initial marketing. This is to alert doctors to report all adverse reactions (side-effects) to these medicines to CSM. Also, CSM monitors them intensively and takes appropriate action for example, by special "current problem" communication to all doctors, if new adverse reactions are identified. In addition, there is a legal requirement on companies to report adverse reactions to their own products. Since 1986, the CSM has recommended that companies carry out post-marketing surveillance studies on new medicines for widespread long-term use.

  The existing system is therefore comprehensive in its scope to the objects of making the best scientific judgment before licensing and for monitoring after licensing. It is in line with present European Community pharmaceutical directives.

  Corwin
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions have been held between the medical profession and the Committee on Safety of Medicines about withdrawing the heart drug Corwin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the quality, efficacy and safety of Corwin was rigorously assessed by the Committee on Safety of Medicines (CSM) prior to the granting of a product licence. It was placed on the market in May 1988, licensed for the treatment of mild to moderate heart failure. It was clearly recommended that the drug should not be used in severe heart failure as it had not shown benefit in these patients.

  Corwin has been carefully monitored since its introduction on to the market and the CSM has collected and assessed extensive information on the effects of the product. In 1989 the findings of a clinical trial showed that the drug could cause deterioration in patients with severe heart failure; other information from the yellow card adverse drug reaction monitoring scheme indicated that it was sometimes being used inappropriately in such patients. A letter from ICI Pharmaceuticals, which markets the product, was sent to all doctors in August 1989 warning them of the dangers of the use of the product in severe heart failure, clearly defining those patients who should not be given the drug. The product's data sheet was amended accordingly.

  In January 1990, on the basis of further information, the CSM made recommendations severely restricting the use of Corwin. Doctors were informed of this advice in a letter from ICI Pharmaceuticals and in the CSM bulletin "Current Problems" No. 28 of May 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library. The CSM is satisfied that the product can be used safely if these recommendations are followed, but will continue to monitor the situation.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of prescriptions involving use of the drug Corwin.
  676
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Available figures relate to the issue of prescriptions in England, in 1988, and are based on a sample of all prescriptions. Prescriptions issued for Corwin were 3,800 and for Xamoterol the generic equivalent were 1,420.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on deaths connected with the use of the drug Corwin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines CSM has received 29 spontaneous reports under the yellow card scheme of deaths occurring in patients receiving treatment with Corwin. The report of a suspected reaction does not necessarily imply a causal association with the drug. In the case of patients treated with Corwin, the majority of those who died were critically ill and receiving a number of concurrent drugs.

  In a clinical trial carried out in severe heart failure, the findings suggested a 2·5-fold greater mortality in association with Corwin compared to the group given no drug treatment.

  As a result of this study's findings the CSM has recommended restrictions on the use of Corwin to ensure it is not used in patients with moderate to severe heart failure but only in patients with mild heart failure who benefit from treatment. Doctors and pharmacists were informed of these restrictions by the CSM's "Current Problems" bulletin distributed in May 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Steroids
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of drug reaction were reported in each year of operation of the yellow card reporting system; what percentage of the cases reported each year were steroid related; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of reports received in each year were:

  Year

  Reports

  1964

  1,414

  1965

  3,987

  1966

  2,600

  1967

  3,500

  1968

  3,466

  1969

  4,463

  1970

  3,601

  1971

  2,837

  1972

  3,638

  1973

  3,619

  1974

  4,818

  1975

  5,052

  1976

  6,490

  1977

  11,255

  1978

  11,873

  1979

  10,840

  1980

  10,179

  1981

  13,032

  1982

  10,922

  1983

  12,689

  1984

  12,163

  1985

  12,652

  1986

  15,527

  1987

  16,431

  1988

  19,022

  1989

  19,246

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  Information on the numbers of these reports which are steroid related is not readily available; to prepare percentage figures per year for such reports would incur disproportionate costs.

  Adverse reactions to medicinal products are reported to the CSM on a voluntary basis by doctors and dentists under the yellow card scheme and there is a statutory requirement for pharmaceutical companies to submit reports. The more reports received the better the system works. We have encouraged reporting in a number of ways over the years.

  Smoking
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many health authorities in England and Wales provide counselling services for people trying to reduce cigarette smoking.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We do not hold information centrally about the provision of such services in England. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of the regional health authorities. Responsibility for the provision of health services in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

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

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 June.

  Northern Region
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the remuneration of(a) the chair of the Northern regional health authority, (b) members of the Northern regional health authority, (c) the chairs of every district health authority in the Northern region, (d) the members of each district health authority in the Northern region. (e) the chair of every family practitioner committee in the Northern region and (f) the members of each family practitioner committee in the Northern region on 1 April; and what he now proposes it to be in each case.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Until 1 April 1990 the chairman of Northern regional health authority and the chairmen of each district health authority received £12,462 per annum.

  New rates authorised with effect from 1 April for the chairmen of the regional health authority and district health authorities are:

  £

  Regional health authority

  Northern

  18,921

  District health authority

  Darlington

  13,674

  Durham

  13,674

  East Cumbria

  15,503

  Gateshead

  13,674

  Hartlepool

  13,674

  Newcastle

  17,437

  Northumberland

  15,503

  North Tees

  13,674

  678

  £

  North Tyneside

  13,674

  North West Durham

  13,674

  South Cumbria

  13,674

  South Tees

  15,503

  South Tyneside

  13,674

  South West Durham

  13,674

  Sunderland

  15,503

  West Cumbria

  13,674

  Until 1 April 1990 FPC chairmen received £5,000 per annum.

  New rates authorised for 1 April 1990 for FPCs in Northern region are:

  £

  Cleveland

  10,600

  Cumbria

  10,600

  Durham

  10,600

  Gateshead

  9,805

  Newcastle

  10,600

  North Tyneside

  9,805

  Northumberland

  10,600

  South Tyneside

  9,805

  Sunderland

  10,600

  At present members of health authorities and FPCs do not receive remuneration, although they are eligible to claim expenses for travel and subsistence. Subject to parliamentary approval for the NHS and Community Care Bill, non-executive members of the reconstituted RHAs, DHAs and family health services authorities will receive remuneration at the rate of £5,000 per annum.

  Water (Aluminium)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has made an assessment of the health implications of the presence of aluminium in water; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Aluminium and its salts are of low toxicity, and no disease is known to be caused by aluminium naturally present, or as a result of approved use, in drinking water.

  Aluminium in water used for haemodialysis is a recognised cause of degenerative diseases of the bone and brain in patients with chronic renal failure. To avoid this possibility it is standard practice to ensure that water used for dialysis has low levels of aluminium.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the possible connection between aluminium in water and the onset of Alzheimer's disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The cause or causes of Alzheimer's disease are unknown. However, the question of a possible relationship with aluminium is one of several hypotheses under investigation. The independent expert scientific and medical advisory Committee on Medical Aspects of the contamination of air, soil and water advised in November 1988 that,"it has not been established that a reduction in the aluminium intake of the general population would be likely to reduce the incidence of Alzheimer's disease. The association between Alzheimer's disease and aluminium concentrations in drinking-water, suggested by recent studies in Norway and the United Kingdom, was too tentative to justify changes in the use of aluminium sulphate in water treatment,"

  679
  and therefore,
  "further research is important, particularly on the bioavailability of aluminium from all sources".

  Research on the bioavailability of aluminium from food and water is in progress at the trace metabolism unit at Southampton with funding from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. Further epidemiological and neuropathological research is in progress at the Medical Research Council units in Southampton and Newcastle. Research into Alzheimer's disease in general, and into the aluminium hypothesis in particular, is expanding nationally and internationally. This research will be kept under review.

  Ambulance Dispute (Costs)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he now has the bills from the Army and the police incurred during the ambulance dispute; if he will detail the total costs from both the sources; and how they are being divided between each health region.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The bill for the provision of military assistance during the ambulance dispute was £7·2 million. The cost, which stemmed partly from the training and general preparations needed to achieve a state of readiness across the country, is being shared between all regional health authorities in proportion to their share of main hospital and community health service revenue allocations. Information is not held centrally on the costs of assistance by police and other organisations which are being met directly by the health authorities concerned.

  Baby Milk Food
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the restrictions on mothers' choice of baby milk formulas resulting from some health authorities' financial arrangements with manufacturers of infant formula;

  (2) if he will list, so far as the information is available to him, the district health authorities in England and Wales which have made financial arrangements with manufacturers of infant formula to stock only one brand of baby milk food.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Other than infants formulas supplied under the welfare food scheme, health authorities are free to purchase from the full range of available infant formulas. Purchases by authorities are determined on the advice of relevant health professionals. Information about purchases by individual district health authorities in England is not collected centrally. However, authorities are aware of problems that may arise by purchasing from only one manufacturer. Information about purchases in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

SCOTLAND

  Transport to Europe
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken in respect of the availability of transport of passengers and manufactured goods from Scotland to Europe after 1 January 1993.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Our plans to upgrade the A74 to motorway, together with the completion of the 680
  M40 and the proposed widening of the M6, M1 and M25, will substantially increase road capacity to Europe. In addition, the Scottish Development Department is undertaking a major review to ensure that the strategic Scottish trunk and key principal road network will meet future demands. We are encouraging potential Scottish rail customers to make known to British Rail their requirements for services to Europe via the channel tunnel. The Government's policy of liberalising air services will assist operators to provide improved services where demand exists.

  Local Government Finance
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the average cost per person of collecting the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On the basis of local authorities' budget estimates, the cost of collecting the community charge in 1990–91 will be £13·86 per personal charge payer. This figure includes the cost of the registration work but excludes the cost of operating the rebate and transitional relief schemes. Full account has been taken in successive revenue support grant settlements of the costs incurred by local authorities in collecting the community charge.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of the number of people who have not so far paid the poll tax for 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not held centrally but we understand that in most regions 85 to 95 per cent. of those eligible for the community charge have made some payment, with a figure of 98 per cent. in one area. Payment levels are increasing as local authorities employ procedures for recovering arrears.

  Employment Training
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the amount of money in real terms for employment training for each of the years from 1979 including the current year and the proposed amount for 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  As employment training started in September 1988, the information requested is available from that time only. At constant 1988–89 prices, details (inclusive of training allowances and income support) are as follows:

  Financial Year

  £ million (1988–89 prices)

  1988–891 (actual expenditure)

  46·8

  1989–90 (actual expenditure)

  116·8

  1990–91 (estimated expenditure)

  130·0

  1 (Half-year September to March only)

  Registers
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether following the conversion of the Registers of Scotland to agency status, he intends to(a)

  681
  increase the levels of recording dues and registration dues and (b) introduce charges for provision of any services which are at present provided free of charge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave her on 11 June. The fees order referred to there makes relatively minor adjustments to the main fee scales, leaving most recording dues and registration dues unchanged. Some new fees are to be introduced so that increasingly each service is paid for by its users. The fees order will increase income so that extra staff can be recruited to provide a better service.

  A full-scale review of fees is to take place this year as provided for in the framework document for the Department of the Registers of Scotland, which was published on 6 April when the department became an agency.

  Shellfish Ban
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to compensate fishermen for losses resulting from the shellfish ban.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No ban was imposed. The Government issued a warning to the public on 26 May that consumption of locally caught shellfish taken from the coast between Montrose and the Humber could cause illness. The risk arose from a natural cause and the Government acted to safeguard public health. In such circumstances compensation would not be appropriate.

  Handicapped Prisoners
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has commissioned any research studies into the experiences and needs of prisoners with mental and/or physical handicaps in prisons.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The Scottish Home and Health Department has recently commissioned two studies which are concerned with the needs of mentally disturbed people in prison.

  The first, under the direction of Dr. David Cooke of the Douglas Inch clinic, Glasgow, is designed to examine the prevalence of various forms of mental illness among the prison population and to develop training packages to assist prison personnel in dealing with these groups of offenders. The second is being conducted by Dr. James McManus of Dundee university, and is concerned with the possible impact which regime factors may have in the creation and exacerbation of mentally disturbed behaviour.

  Both studies began in January 1989 and are scheduled to report in December 1991.

  In addition, the Scottish Home and Health Department is currently in discussion with a Scottish university over the possibility of conducting work on the problems faced by physically handicapped persons while in prison.

  Adult Education
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what steps he has taken to monitor the provision by education authorities in Scotland of community-based adult basic education and English as a second language service; what criteria he has used to 682
  determine whether or not those are adequate (a) in terms of scale and (b) in terms of quality; and what conclusions he has drawn from the application of these criteria;

  (2) what plans he has to ensure that all those leaving long-stay institutions without essential skills in literacy and numeracy receive adult basic education tuition;

  (3) what guidance he has issued to Scottish education authorities in order to ensure the development of an educational dimension to care in the community; and what steps has he taken to ensure that these guidelines have been implemented;

  (4) what steps he has taken to assess (a) increases in volume and (b) improvement in quality in community-based adult education over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 12 June to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) at columns 123–24.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total amount of funds made available in each of the past five years to train and accredit adult basic education practitioners in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]: The funding of adult basic education practitioners in Scotland is primarily the responsibility of education authorities to determine in the light of local needs and with regard to their own priorities and the total resources available to them, including the resources provided by central Government.

  In addition to revenue support grant, the Government have made available to education authorities in both 1989–90 and 1990–91 specific grant of £30,000 towards the costs of in-service training for adult basic education practitioners.

  Railways
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of the grant aid paid by central Government to British Rail for(a) the restoration of double track and related modernisation of the Perth to Inverness line and (b) the resignalling of the Perth to Inverness line since 1970; what grant, other than section 56 grant, was paid towards these two projects; and what was the economic rate of return, both before and after grant, for each project, or the project as a whole, on the basis of which grant was paid.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply.

  Detailed information on these schemes is not held in the Department. However, public service obligation grant is paid towards the difference between the costs and revenues of the subsidised sectors of British Rail. It is not hypothecated to particular costs or individual projects.

  A rate of return would not have been calculated in assessing these projects, because there is no requirement for investment which renews existing assets of services supported by public service obligation grant to earn a specific rate of return. The option chosen is that which maintains services at least net cost.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many states have acceded to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty since the last review conference of the treaty; how many states have withdrawn from the treaty since it came into force; and what information he has on how many states have threatened publicly to withdraw but declined to carry out the threat.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Five states have acceded to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty since the 1985 review conference, and four others have ratified the treaty. In addition, North Korea, which we do not recognise as a state, acceded in 1985. No state has withdrawn from the treaty since it entered into force on 5 March 1970. As regards the last part of the question I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 11 June 1990 to the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme) at column 43.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received on the current year's review of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The United Kingdom is a depositary power of the non-proliferation treaty and, as such, we have received several communications about the fourth review conference from other states' parties from non-governmental organisations and from members of the public.

  Oman
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Government of Oman regarding their refusal to adhere to CITES.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We hope that countries not at present party to CITES, such as Oman, will in due course sign the convention, and we fully support any effort by the CITES secretariat to encourage wider participation in CITES.

  British Citizens Abroad (Deaths)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many deaths of British citizens abroad his Department is aware of in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There is no requirement for the death of a British national overseas to be registered at a British consulate. Many such deaths are not reported. The numbers of deaths overseas in circumstances requiring the assistance of British consular officials are available only for the past three years. They are:

  number

  1987

  751

  1988

  833

  1989

  852

  Some of these deaths were registered at British consular offices. The total numbers of deaths of British citizens registered by British consular officers during the period under reference were:
  684

  number

  1985

  1,052

  1986

  1,231

  1987

  1,295

  1988

  1,193

  1989

  1,029

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what procedures are followed by his Department to assist relatives of British citizens who have died abroad;

  (2) if he will review the procedures followed by his Department to assist relatives of British citizens who have died abroad.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There are no set procedures. Each case is dealt with as the circumstances demand. Consular officers provide all the help they properly can. They have no powers to undertake inquiries of a police nature. Their help is normally restricted to ensuring that the next-of-kin is informed, assisting relatives and friends in organising the repatriation of the remains or arranging local burial or cremation, obtaining information from the local authorities and giving any other general assistance they can.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes to accurately record the cause of death abroad of British holiday-makers.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There is no requirement for the death of a British national overseas to be registered at a British consulate. Many such deaths are not reported. Consular registers record the fact that a death has taken place. There is no requirement under the regulations for the cause of death to be entered on death certificates.

  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes to ensure that official reports by foreign authorities on the deaths of British citizens in European Community countries are received by relatives in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Official reports on such deaths received by consular officers are made available direct to relatives in the United Kingdom or to Her Majesty's coroners when an inquest is being held.

  Dall's Porpoises
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Japanese Government over the slaughter of Dall's porpoises; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have already raised this matter with the Japanese Government who have assured us that they are committed to the responsible management of small cetaceans, including the Dall's porpoise, which live within 200 nautical miles of Japan's coast. In 1989 the Japanese Government introduced new regulations which will reduce the numbers of Dall's porpoises caught.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 18 and 19 June.
  685
  Mr. Hurd
  The Foreign Affairs Council met in Luxembourg on 18 and 19 June. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry and I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council discussed preparations for the Dublin European Council on 25 and 26 June. Ministers agreed their report to the European Council on political union, and briefly discussed economic and monetary union, co-operation against drugs trafficking and on the environment, and recent developments on frontiers issues.

  The Council approved directives for negotiations with EFTA for the extension of the single market to EFTA countries through the creation of a European economic area. The first round of negotiations with EFTA on the basis of this mandate were held in Brussels on 20 June.

  In the light of recent violence against opposition demonstrators in Romania, the Council deferred a decision on the signature of the EC/Romania trade and commercial and economic co-operation agreement. There was also broad support for freezing G24 economic aid to Romania and withholding an invitation to Romania to attend the G24 ministerial meeting on 4 July. The Commission announced its intention to table proposals on aid to the other central and eastern European countries after that meeting. The Council also asked the Commission to conduct exploratory talks on association agreements with those countries in eastern Europe implementing economic and political reform most quickly and effectively.

  The Commission reported to the Council on preparations for the Houston economic summit. The three main issues were likely to be east-west, the environment and the GATT Uruguay round.

  The Commission put forward proposals for strengthening the Community's relations with Yugoslavia and Turkey, and for new Mediterranean policy. These were referred for further detailed work at official level.

  The Council finalised the internal financing agreement for the fourth Lomé convention allowing the Community and its member states to proceed to ratification of the convention. The House will have the opportunity to debate this in the autumn.

  The Council discussed progress in the GATT Uruguay round, with a view to the Houston economic summit on 9 to 11 July and the GATT trade negotiations committee —TNC—in Geneva in the week beginning 23 July. Ministers reaffirmed their strong commitment to a successful outcome to the round.

  In the margins, Ministers discussed the treatment of imports of Japanese cars after 1992. The Commission reported progress in contacts with Japan. There was also discussion in European political co-operation of eastern Europe, the Soviet Union, South Africa, middle east, Lithuania and Ethiopia. Statements were issued on Ethiopia and Romania.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much ivory has been exported from Hong Kong since 30 March; and what amounts to which countries.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: Between 30 March 1990 to 31 May 1990 the Hong Kong CITES Authority has been notified of the following ivory exports.
  686

  Destination

  Quantity kilograms

  Taiwan

  1·9

  South Korea

  6·6

  Mexico

  9·8

  China

  3,268·6

  Saudi Arabia

  8·8

  United Kingdom (personal affects for which the United Kingdom CITES management authority has issued licences)

  5·4

  Andorra

  9·1

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by the Hong Kong authorities to ensure that none of the 116 tonnes of ivory without CITES certification leaves the territory.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: The Hong Kong authorities have made it clear that export licences will not be issued for any commercial exports of ivory without CITES certificates. The special task force set up by the Hong Kong Customs and Excise service in June 1989 is responsible for enforcing these controls.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken by the Hong Kong authorities to monitor the movement of the 116 tonnes of ivory in the territory without CITES documentation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: All commercial ivory in Hong Kong, including stocks without CITES documentation, has to be registered. Those holding stocks are required to have possession licences. These licences have to be amended whenever ivory is transferred between traders. Spot checks are made to ensure that these regulations are enforced.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the ivory seized by the special task force in Hong Kong since 22 March according to amount; from whom it was seized; what was the country of origin; and what is the current stock of confiscated ivory now held by the Hong Kong authorities.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: Since 22 March 1990, the Customs and Excise special task force has seized five consignments of worked ivory totalling 75·35 kg. Three consignments were illegal exports from Hong Kong not permitted into the destination country and confiscated from the returning travellers. One was an illegal export from the United Kingdom. The remaining item was found in a piece of unclaimed baggage so its origins remain unknown. The Hong Kong authorities now hold 2·4 tonnes of confiscated ivory.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much elephant ivory was exported to South Korea from Hong Kong in 1988 and 1989; and how much has been exported since the reservation entered on behalf of Hong Kong by the United Kingdom to the CITES ban.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 7 June 1990]: The following amounts of raw elephant ivory were exported from Hong Kong to the Republic of Korea (South Korea):

  687

  Kg

  1988

  Nil

  1989

  1460

  1 Value HK dollars 407,596.

  In addition, Hong Kong exported worked ivory—including tooth products of animals other than elephants —to South Korea as follows:

  Value in HK dollars

  1988

  1,066,021

  1989

  747,742

  In the period 18 January to 31 May, 214·6 kg of raw and worked elephant ivory have been exported to South Korea.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Energy Policy
  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's energy policy for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  Energy policy in Northern Ireland is aimed at reducing dependence upon oil both for electricity generation and as an energy source for industry and commerce; and at promoting the efficient use of energy in all sectors of the economy.

  Belfast Prison (Fights)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what recent steps have been taken to reduce the level of fights at Her Majesty's prison, Belfast.

  Mr. Cope
  The governor is taking all the steps available to him in the management and supervision of movement within the prison to reduce the opportunities for conflict.

  Extradition
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a statement on the arrangements for extradition from the Republic of Ireland to the United Kingdom; and when he last raised this matter at the Intergovernmental Conference.

  Mr. Cope
  United Kingdom Government concern that extradition arrangements between the Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom be fully effective was raised at the last Intergovernmental Conference on 19 April when Ministers commissioned officials to undertake a review of the situation and report back to a future conference.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what further applications have been made for the extradition of terrorist suspects from the Irish Republic to Northern Ireland since he last answered questions in the House.

  Mr. Cope
  It is not the practice to disclose what warrants have been sent to the Republic of Ireland. However, no new application for the return of fugitive 688
  offenders to Northern Ireland has been heard in the courts in the Republic of Ireland since I last answered questions in the House.

  Poaching
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the extent of illegal netting and poaching on salmon and dollaghan rivers in Northern Ireland and in Lough Neagh.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The total amount of illegal netting seized in Northern Ireland by the Fisheries Conservancy Board and the Foyle Fisheries Commission for the two years 1988 and 1989 was 17,839m and 15,620m respectively while the netting seized in Lough Neagh was 11,142m and 6,400m respectively. In the same two years the total number of prosecutions taken in Northern Ireland for illegal netting and poaching related offences was 427 and 372 respectively.

  Mr. Gerard Slane
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will call for a report from the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary on the current state of investigations into the death of Mr. Gerard Slane.

  Mr. Cope
  No. This is a matter for the Chief Constable of the RUC. However, I understand that the investigation into the murder of Mr. Gerard Slane is continuing.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the level of employment in Northern Ireland at present and in June 1986.

  Mr. Needham
  At December 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, there were an estimated 518,640 employees in employment. This estimate is 17,200 higher than the corresponding figure for June 1986 and employment in Northern Ireland is now at its highest level for nine years.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many visits abroad have been made by Northern Ireland Ministers in the last two years in which inward investment into the Province was promoted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Since April 1988, Northern Ireland Ministers have made 15 visits overseas to encourage inward investment contributing to the promotion of almost 4,000 new jobs.

  Stevens Report
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in giving effect to the recommendations of the Stevens report.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to give effect to the recommendations contained in the Stevens report.

  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the recommendations contained in the Stevens report are being acted upon.
  689
  Mr. Cope
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State indicated in his statement to the House on 17 May, at column 1027, action in relation to many of the matters to which Mr. Stevens drew attention in his recommendations has already been taken, or is in hand. All his other recommendations are now being followed up by the appropriate authorities.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary about the Stevens report since the limited publication of the report.

  Mr. Cope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and I regularly meet the Chief Constable and other senior RUC officers when we discuss a range of issues with which we are jointly concerned. Naturally, these issues have included the results of Mr. Stevens' inquiry. We are at one in our desire that a positive response should be made to his valuable report.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claimants in Northern Ireland, as a result of replacement of supplementary benefit by income support, have had a net reduction in benefits received between April 1988 and April 1990.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is not available but, because of transitional additions, it must be very few.

  Health Provision
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of the Northern Ireland health boards to discuss health provision.

  Mr. Needham
  My noble Friend Lord Skelmersdale last met board chairmen on 13 June and has had regular meetings with other representatives of the board. His discussions with them have covered a wide range of issues dealing with the policy and management of the health and personal social services, including progress on the reforms in "Working for Patients" and the proposals in "People First" to achieve improved provision of community care.

  Ulster Defence Regiment
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Ulster Defence Regiment soldiers have been killed in terrorist attacks(a) in the current year so far and (b) since the regiment was founded.

  Mr. Cope
  Six members of the Ulster Defence Regiment have been killed in terrorist attacks this year. A total of 187 serving members of the regiment have been killed since it was founded.

  Debenhams Store, Belfast
  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from the Burton group concerning the opening of the Debenhams store in Belfast; and if he will make a statement.
  690
  Mr. Needham
  No such representations have been received.

  Community Relations Council
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the role of the Community Relations Council.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Community Relations Council was established in January 1990 to provide support, facilites and recognition for organisations operating at local level which are concerned with the development of community relations, awareness of cultural diversity and conflict resolution. The council aims to increase mutual respect and understanding, increase public awareness of activities which improve community relations and promote constructive debate about community relations and cultural diversity.

  Around £100,000 will be available to the council in 1990–91 to develop new project work. The council will also have responsibility for a number of funding programmes previously carried out by central Government, the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Voluntary Trust. These programmes are concerned with supporting cross-community contact and widening understanding of and respect for the different cultural traditions in Northern Ireland.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received any expressions of interest from hospitals wishing to become self-governing trusts in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Formal applications to become a self-governing trust can be invited only after Parliament has approved the necessary Northern Ireland legislation. However, to date the following have expressed an interest in exploring the implications of self-governing status:

  1. Downe Hospital, Downpatrick

  2. The Royal Group of Hospitals

  3. The Ulster, North Down and Ards Hospitals Unit of Management.

  4. Craigavon Area Hospital Group

  The management executive for the health and personal social services will be discussing expressions of interest with the hospitals concerned with a view to identifying which candidates should be encouraged to develop formal business plans.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Northern Ireland what progress has been made on the implementation of the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action has been taken to implement the Fair Employment (Northern Ireland) Act 1989.

  Mr. Needham
  I refer the hon. Members to the answer I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden).

  Arts
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to promote the contribution of the arts to education in Northern Ireland.
  691
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Government recognise the importance of the arts as part of the educational development of young people. Elements of creative and expressive studies have been included as a compulsory part of the Northern Ireland school curriculum. In addition, the Arts Council for Northern Ireland has established a range of programmes—for example, young arts, youth dance and youth drama—designed to expose children to the influence of professional artists as creators and performers.

  "Shoot to Kill"
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will obtain a copy of the transcript of the ITV programme "Shoot to Kill" for his departmental library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  I watched the programme and was concerned because I did not think that it showed an appropriate degree of balance and because the drama-documentary technique used was an unsatisfactorary approach to the serious issues at stake. On the events in question, there is nothing I can add to the statement made by the Attorney-General in the House on 25 January 1988 at column 21.

  Community Relations
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much his Department spent on community relations in 1989–90; what he is proposing to spend in 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Measures directed at improving the relationships between the different parts of the community in Northern Ireland have a high priority in Northern Ireland public expenditure plans.

  In 1989–90 around £2·6 million was spent on community relations programmes supported by the central community relations unit and the Department of Education. In 1990–91 it is proposed to spend £3·984 million.

  In addition, all Northern Ireland Departments are required to take account of the impact of their policies and programmes on community relations in the Province. As such, many mainline expenditure programmes make an important contribution to healing community divisions.

  The main objectives of community relations programmes are:

  —to ensure that all sides of the community enjoy equality of opportunity and equity of treatment;

  —to develop cross-community contact and co-operation;

  —to encourage the development of mutual respect and understanding.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to bring Protestant and Catholic schools together to foster better community relations; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In October 1987 I introduced the cross-community contact scheme to stimulate cross-community schools and youth and community groups to undertake projects on a cross-community basis.

  Since its introduction some 400 schools—about one third of all schools in Northern Ireland—and 300 youth community clubs have applied for assistance under the scheme which has a budget in 1990–91 of £500,000.
  692
  In addition, and in support of this scheme, I am providing funds to the Ulster folk and transport museum for residential and teaching facilities in which groups from both communities can meet and work together.

  As part of education reform in Northern Ireland I have also included education for mutual understanding and cultural heritage as compulsory cross-curricular themes. These will not only improve the awareness of all children of the various strands in our cultural heritage but provide a framework within which opportunities for contacts between schools can be increased.

  Constitutional Developments
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his discussions with Northern Ireland political parties regarding the constitutional developments.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how he intends to inform Parliament about progress with his talks with the political parties in the Province relating to some form of devolved administration.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of his talks with political groups in the Province.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have had useful preparatory talks with leaders of the main political parties in Northern Ireland, and with others, on the possibility of embarking on collective discussions. I am encouraged by the constructive approach of party leaders to believe that the basis for such discussions exists. It is common ground that the resolution of such talks would need to comprehend the transfer of power to locally accountable political institutions, the relationship between such institutions and the Irish Government and the implications for the relationship between the British and Irish Governments.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will seek to include representatives of the Conservative party in Northern Ireland in his talks on constitutional developments in the Province.

  Mr. Brooke
  In exploring the scope for political progress in Northern Ireland, I and my colleagues, take soundings from a wide range of political opinion, not excluding representatives of the Conservative party in Northern Ireland.

  Community Workshops
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to ensure that community workshops receive payments as promised.

  Mr. Needham
  Promised payments are being made.

  Security
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will next meet Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Ireland to discuss security matters.

  Mr. Brooke
  Security matters will be discussed at the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference, which is likely to take place within the next few weeks.
  693
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on security in the Province.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer the hon. Members and the right hon. Member to the answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Brown).

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met Ministers from the Irish Republic; what discussions took place on security matters; and what subsequent action has followed.

  Mr. Brooke
  I met the Irish Foreign Minister, Mr. Collins, on 11 June to discuss political development. Security matters were not raised on that occasion; they were last discussed at the Intergovernmental Conference meeting on 19 April. My hon. Friend would, for obvious reasons, not expect me to comment publicly on the details of security co-operation.

  RUC (Shoot-to-Kill Allegations)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to hold a judicial inquiry into the allegations of a shoot-to-kill policy by the Royal Ulster Constabulary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  These allegations have already been the subject of an exhaustive inquiry led first by John Stalker, deputy chief constable of Greater Manchester police and then by Colin Sampson, chief constable of West Yorkshire whose report was considered in full by the DPP(NI). There is not, and never has been, a so-called shoot-to-kill policy and I see no justification for a further inquiry.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much, by volume, toxic and other hazardous waste material passes through Northern Ireland en route from Eire to the mainland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In the 12 months to 31 May 1990, the weight of toxic and other hazardous waste material authorised for passage through Northern Ireland from the Republic of Ireland en route to disposal facilities in Great Britain was 2,386 tonnes. Although the volume of each consignment is not necessarily recorded, its weight is specified in the prescribed documentation.

  Conservation
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to appoint a director of conservation; and if he will make a statement.
  694
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Yes. We shall combine the functions of the conservation and environmental protection divisions of the Department of Environment Northern Ireland within an expanded directorate of environmental services. It will be headed by a new post at grade 4 level.

  Two further senior appointments, at grade 5 and grade 6 level, will be made. A successor to the director of conservation, who retired on 11 June 1990, will be appointed as soon as possible. This will continue the process of enhancing the profile of conservation and environmental protection in Northern Ireland and of strengthening the resources directed to that end.

  Human Rights
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the protection of human rights in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. Ross).

  Debt
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average amount of debt per head of the adult population in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  Information is not available in the form requested, but, according to a recent study undertaken by the Policy Studies Institute, the average amount of problem debt in 1989 was approximately £36 per head of the adult population. The PSI study defined a problem debt as a regular commitment, including a credit agreement or household commitment, which satisfied both the following conditions:

  (a) respondents had fallen behind or failed to make a payment during the previous 12 months, and

  (b) respondents were worried about the arrears or stated that making payments was a difficulty.

  The figure therefore does not include all moneys owed; it does not cover credit agreements or household commitments where there is no problem making repayments.

  Nurses
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the conversion courses available to nurses in Northern Ireland; if he will indicate commencement dates for each course and the number of places available annually; and what assistance has been given to the health boards in Northern Ireland by the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting.

  Mr. Needham
  Conversion courses, approved by the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland, are presently available at three colleges of nursing in Northern Ireland as follows:—
  695

  Name of College

  Conversion to Part of the Register

  Number of Intakes per annum

  Number of Places available

  Commencement Date

  Length of Course

  Northern Area

  1

  One

  Minimum 12

  5 March 1990

  Full-time course

  Maximum 15

  of 55 weeks duration minimum

  Southern Area

  1, 3 or 5

  One

  Minimum 8

  13 November 1989

  Full-time course

  Maximum 12

  of 44 weeks duration minimum

  Western Area

  1 and 3

  One

  Minimum 6

  28 August 1988

  Full-time course

  Maximum 10

  Part I and 20 February 1989 Part 3

  of 48 weeks duration minimum

  A proposal to provide a conversion course to part 6 of the professional register at the Eastern area college of nursing, Northside, is presently under consideration by the National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting for Northern Ireland. If approved, this course will offer at least one intake of up to 20 students. It is hoped to introduce a second intake later this year. The Eastern area college of nursing, Southside, is presently developing a conversion course which is expected to be available early next year. It is also proposed to provide a conversion course to part 5 of the register at the Western area college of nursing in the near future.

  Health and social services boards may second "second level nurses", previously referred to "state enrolled nurses", in their employment to the national board's colleges of nursing to undergo a period of further training for registration as a "first level nurse" or parts 1, 3 or 5 or the professional register. The health and social services boards liaise with the colleges of nursing about the numbers of nurses requiring training.

  In addition to the traditional conversion courses available, there is also a proposal to enable conversion through an open learning inititative. This is being organised jointly by the Open university and an independent nursing publication and is scheduled for launch in October 1990. The Northern Ireland national board will be responsible for approving the open learning courses made available in the Province.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northen Ireland what is the present status of the secretariat of the Anglo-Irish Agreement in Belfast.

  Mr. Brooke
  The secretariat services the Intergovernmental Conference and provides a useful channel of communication between the two Governments on issues of mutual concern under the agreement.

  Road Fatalities
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on levels of road fatalities at the present time and in 1980.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Too many people are dying in crashes and collisions. In 1980, a total of 229 people died on the roads in Northern Ireland compared with 181 in 1989 and a provisional figure of 73 in the first five months of 1990.
  696
  These figures show an encouraging downward trend in road fatalities over the last 10 years. Much remains to be done if we are to achieve our target of a 30 per cent. reduction in fatalities by 31 October 1990.

  The approaching summer months are frequently a time of high risk for road users. Sadly, children figure high amongst the victims. Looking forward to summer activities, drivers need to take extra care to ensure that our thoughtlessness does not lead to ruined holidays and wrecked lives.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the religious education syllabus was last updated; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is no prescribed religious education syllabus in Northern Ireland, apart from those offered by recognised examining bodies. The recent Education Reform Order contains provision whereby the Department of Education may designate a "core syllabus" for religious education where such has been prepared and consulted upon by a drafting group. The main churches, in their capacity as trustees and transferors of schools, have been invited to collaborate in taking forward this task.

  Beef
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he is able to estimate the value of beef traded between Northern Ireland and the Republic.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In 1989 exports of beef from Northern Ireland to the Republic of Ireland had an estimated value of £67 million. Imports from the Republic were estimated at £8·3 million.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make a further statement on the operation of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Government remain committed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the principles it embodies, but would operate it sensitively in the interests of bringing about talks between the political parties. I remain willing to examine any proposals concerning the agreement, particularly if they are likely to command widespread support.

  Republic of Ireland
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what subjects he expects to be raised at his next meeting with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Brooke
  I expect matters discussed at the next Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference to include the prospect for political development in Northern Ireland, cross-border security co-operation, arrangements for dealing with fugitive offenders, the Stevens report and cross-border economic and social co-operation.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will consider introducing proposals to remove charges for eyesight tests.

  Mr. Needham
  Children, those on low incomes, people with certain special medical needs and other vulnerable groups continue to be entitled to free health service sight tests. There are no plans to extend this entitlement.

  Electricity
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met representatives of the Northern Ireland electricity board to discuss the provision of electricity.

  Mr. Needham
  I last met the chairman, the chief executive and other representatives of Northern Ireland Electricity on 7 November 1989.

  DHSS Offices
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for the years (a) 1969, (b) 1972, (c) 1979, (d) 1985 and (e) the current year for the month of April in each case the number of persons on his best estimate (i) unemployed and (ii) employed in the areas covered by the DHSS offices in (1) Londonderry, (2) Strabane, (3) Limavady, (4) Coleraine, and (5) Magherafelt.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]: Information is not available on the number of people employed by SSO area. Nor are records of the number of unemployed people held for longer than 10 years. However, the number of people registered as unemployed at these social security offices in April 1985 and April 1990 was as follows:

  Social Security Office

  April 1985

  April 1990

  Londonderry

  9,840

  8,231

  Strabane

  3,535

  3,043

  Limavady

  2,240

  1,895

  Coleraine

  3,647

  3,228

  Magherafelt

  2,799

  2,349

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much the poll tax rebate scheme would cost in Scotland in 1990–91 if everyone presently receiving an 80 per cent rebate received a 100 per cent. rebate.
  698
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The estimated cost of increasing maximum community charge benefit for all benefit recipients in Scotland from 80 per cent. to 100 per cent. of the community charge set by the local authority would be about £80 million in 1990–91.

  Source Modelled using data drawn from the 1985–6–7 Family Expenditure Survey.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many retirement pensioners have ceased to be eligible for exemption from community charge benefit as a result of S.I. 1990, No. 142, introduced in April.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  None. As far as we are aware, the Companies Act 1989 (Commencement No. 2) Order 1990 did not affect retirement pensioners' entitlement to community charge benefit.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has issued any guidelines to local offices concerning disregarding mobility and attendance allowance when assessing eligible income for entitlement to community charge benefit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Local authorities are responsible for administering community charge benefit on a day-to-day basis, in accordance with the provisions in the Community Charge Benefit Regulations. The housing benefit and community charge benefit guidance manuals provide local authorities with guidance on how to disregard both mobility allowance and attendance allowance when assessing community charge benefit. Copies of both manuals are in the Library.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish figures showing the community charge in each London borough and with it the gross weekly income levels at which(a) single pensioners, (b) pensioner couples, (c) lone parents with one child under five years and (d) married couples with two children under 11 years lose entitlement to community charge benefit and/or family credit as appropriate.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]: The table shows the level of net income at which entitlement to community charge benefit or family credit is lost. Entitlement to all income-related benefits is determined by comparing net income with the relevant applicable amount. The relationship between net and gross income depends on the personal circumstances of the individual taxpayer; my right hon. Friend's question has therefore been answered by reference to net income alone.

  Net income at which full community charge is payable Pensioners

  Community charge

  Single pensioner aged 60–74

  Couple aged 60–74

  Greater London

  City of London

  288·00

  74·69

  131·20

  Camden

  534·00

  99·85

  181·52

  Greenwich

  408·00

  86·96

  155·75

  Hackney

  499·00

  96·27

  174·36

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  424·22

  88·62

  159·06

  Islington

  498·62

  96·23

  174·28

  Kensington and Chelsea

  380·15

  84·12

  150·05

  Lambeth

  547·89

  101·27

  184·36

  Lewisham

  297·00

  75·61

  133·04

  Southwark

  390·00

  85·12

  152·06

  297·00

  75·61

  133·04

  699

  Community charge

  Single pensioner aged 60–74

  Couple aged 60–74

  Wandsworth

  149·59

  60·53

  102·88

  Westminster

  195·00

  65·18

  112·17

  Barking and Dagenham

  280·00

  73·87

  129·56

  Barnet

  338·00

  79·81

  141·43

  Bexley

  280·00

  73·87

  129·56

  Brent

  498·00

  96·17

  174·16

  Bromley

  283·00

  74·18

  130·18

  Croydon

  287·00

  74·59

  130·99

  Ealing

  435·00

  89·73

  161·27

  Enfield

  329·00

  78·88

  139·59

  Haringey

  572·89

  103·83

  189·48

  Harrow

  322·00

  78·17

  138·15

  Havering

  350·00

  81·03

  143·88

  Hillingdon

  366·91

  82·76

  147·34

  Hounslow

  396·00

  85·74

  153·29

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  345·07

  80·53

  142·87

  Merton

  279·74

  73·85

  129·51

  Newham

  449·00

  91·16

  164·13

  Redbridge

  290·00

  74·90

  131·61

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  395·00

  85·64

  153·09

  Sutton

  381·00

  84·20

  150·22

  Waltham Forest

  438·00

  90·03

  161·88

  Net Income at which Entitlement to Family Credit Runs Out Lone parent with one child under 5 £120·60 Married couple with two children under 11 £132·38

  Note: Excludes Child Benefit and One Parent is Payable

  Net Income at which Full Community Charge is Payable Working Families

  Community Charge

  Couple two children under 11

  Lone parent one child under 5

  £

  £

  £

  Greater London

  City of London

  288·00

  155·30

  107·29

  Camden

  534·00

  205·62

  132·45

  Greenwich

  408·00

  179·85

  119·56

  Hackney

  499·00

  198·46

  128·87

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  424·22

  183·16

  121·22

  Islington

  498·62

  198·38

  128·83

  Kensington and Chelsea

  380·15

  174·15

  116·72

  Lambeth

  547·89

  208·46

  133·87

  Lewisham

  297·00

  157·14

  108·21

  South wark

  390·00

  176·16

  117·72

  Tower Hamlets

  297·00

  157·14

  108·21

  Wandsworth

  149·59

  126·98

  93·13

  Westminster

  195·00

  136·27

  97·78

  Barking and Dagenham

  280·00

  153·66

  106·47

  Barnet

  338·00

  165·53

  112·41

  Bexley

  280·00

  153·66

  106·47

  Brent

  498·00

  198·26

  128·77

  Bromley

  283·00

  154·28

  106·78

  Croydon

  287·00

  155·09

  107·19

  Ealing

  435·00

  185·37

  122·33

  Enfield

  329·00

  163·69

  111·48

  Haringey

  572·89

  213·58

  136·43

  Harrow

  322·00

  162·25

  110·77

  Havering

  350·00

  167·98

  113·63

  Hillingdon

  366·91

  171·44

  115·36

  Hounslow

  396·00

  177·39

  118·34

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  345·07

  166·97

  113·13

  Merton

  279·74

  153·61

  106·45

  Newham

  449·00

  188·23

  123·76

  Redbridge

  290·00

  155·71

  107·50

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  395·00

  177·19

  118·24

  Sutton

  381·00

  174·32

  116·80

  Waltham Forest

  438·00

  185·98

  122·63

  Note: Net income includes net earnings, Child Benefit, any One Parent Benefit and Family Credit.
  700
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much he estimates it would cost his Department to abolish the 20 per cent. contribution to the community charge presently being paid by climants on income support.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: The estimated cost in terms of community charge benefit of increasing the maximum benefit, for income support recipients alone, from 80 to 100 per cent. of the community charge set by the local authority is about £330 million in 1990–91.

  Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1985–6–7 Family Expenditure Survey.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has made of the cost of granting married couples the equivalent joint income and savings limit for community charge rebate purposes as would be available to two individual adults.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 5 June 1990]: The estimated cost for community charge benefit of granting to all couples (i) a personal allowance double the single person's personal allowance for the income-related benefits and (ii) lower and upper savings limits double the current limits of £3,000 and £16,000 respectively is around £230 million in 1990–91.

  Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1985–6–7 Family Expenditure Survey.

  Retired Women
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of women over retirement age; and what number are in receipt of means-tested benefits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In mid-1988 there were about 6·7 million women aged 60 or over in Great Britain. Of these an estimated 2·8 million were in receipt of an income-related benefit. The estimate relates to all women aged 60 or over including those who are the partners of claimants.

  Retirement Pension
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of average net male earnings the retirement pension is in 1988–90; and if he will provide an estimate for 1990–91 for a single person and a couple.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is set out in the table. The figures are not yet available to provide a 1990–91 estimate.

  Basic State Pension as a percentage of average net male earnings

  Uprating date

  Male manual workers

  All males

  Single

  Couple

  Single

  Couple

  April 1988

  28·4

  43·3

  23·5

  36·2

  April 1989

  27·7

  42·4

  22·8

  35·1

  Source:

  Abstract of statistics for index of retail prices, average earnings, social security benefits and contributions. DSS August 1989.

  Employment Gazette, DE.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Details of the studies conducted from 1986–87 are shown in the tables. The costs of individual studies are not given, as that could breach commercial confidentiality. Information on the outcome of studies is not collected centrally, and this and information on studies prior to 1986–87 could be provided at disproportionate cost. As the studies prior to April 1989 were undertaken on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Security, some do not relate solely to social security matters.

  1986–87

  Consultancy Firm and Subject of the Assignment

  Arthur Young

  Planning Support to DS Division

  Cooper and Lybrand

  Unit Costs at NFCO

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Activity Sampling in Social Security Offices

  Ernst and Whinney

  Study of Private and Voluntary Residential Accommodation

  Ernst and Whinney

  Consultants for Audit and Computer Work

  Hay MSL

  Internal Talent Scrutiny Evaluation Programme

  Institute of Manpower Studies

  Staffing Implications of Social Security Review

  Logica

  Research into Forms

  MMM Consultancy Group

  Leaflets Unit Canons Park

  PA Consulting Services

  Whole Unit Concept

  PA Consulting Services

  Management Information Systems for Regional Directorate

  Pactel

  Joint DHSS/Post Office Study of Payment Methods

  PHH Ltd.

  Transport Fleet Management and Information System

  R. H. Rawlinson

  Pensions Consultant to Social Security Policy Division

  Research Associates

  Survey of Employers Reactions to Design of National Insurance Contribution Tables

  Research Surveys of GB Ltd.

  Social Security Communications Strategy

  Sir G. Mosely

  Review of Senior Open Structure

  Social and Community Planning Research

  Communications in HQ

  Wolff Olins Ltd.

  Social Security Communications Strategy

  702
  1987–88

  Consultancy Firm and Subject of the Assignment

  Arthur Young

  Review of Forecasting, Planning and Control Systems for Local Office Network

  Arthur Young

  Whole Unit Concept: Internal Staffing Factors

  Cocking and Drury

  Operational Strategy—Implementation

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny

  DEGW

  Accommodation Study for Occupation of Richmond Yard

  Delgat

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny

  Enator

  Review of Forecasting, Planning and Control Systems for Local Office Network

  Ernst and Whinney

  Computer Audit Consultancy

  Gallup

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny

  Institute of Manpower Studies

  Manpower Management Model

  Institute of Manpower Studies

  Proteus

  Linklaters and Paines

  Personal Pension Scheme Model Rules

  Logica

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny

  Logica

  Aggregate Performance Indicators

  PA Consulting Services

  Whole Unit Concept

  PA Consulting Services

  DHSS Information and IT—Framework Study

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Review of Forecasting, Planning and Control Systems for Local Office Network

  Price Waterhouse

  Financial Controls

  Richmond Associates

  Consultancy on Accommodation

  Rowe and Maw

  Personal Pension Scheme Model Rules

  Sigma

  Regional Organisation Study

  Social and Community Planning Research

  Headquarters Communication Project

  Systems Design

  Review of Forecasting, Planning and Control Systems for Local Office Network

  Touche Ross

  Recovery of Benefits from Tort Damage Awards

  703
  1988–89

  Consultancy Firm and Subject of the Assignment

  Arthur Young

  Performance Based Systems

  Arthur Young

  Integrated Complementing System

  Arthur Young

  Efficiency Scrutiny of Fraud: Consultancy Support

  Arthur Young

  Quality Assurance Package for Social Security Offices

  Brook Carmichael

  North West Region Accommodation

  Cavendish Tricorne

  Overbearing Model

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny (Follow Up)

  Coopers and Lybrand

  DSS Agency Study

  D. E. Bernard

  DHSS printing and Publications

  Enator

  Performance Based Systems

  Enator

  Integrated Complementing System

  Gallup

  Staff Attitude Survey in Headquarters

  INI Systems

  OSD Manpower Model

  INI Systems

  Operational Strategy: Manpower Planning

  Hoskyns Group PLC

  Information Centre for Social Security

  Jones Lang Wootton

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny (Follow Up)

  Logica

  Regional Organisation Scrutiny (Follow Up)

  M. N. & P. E. Pickett

  Accommodation Policy

  Oxford Centre for Management Studies

  Workload Experiment

  PA Consulting Services

  Whole Unit Concept

  PA Consulting Services

  Framework Study for Information and IT

  PA Consulting Services Ltd.

  Future Rewards Strategy

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Scrutiny of Overseas Branch and Study of Conts/ Compliance: Analysis of Questionnaires

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Performance Based Systems

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Integrated Complementing System

  Platt White

  North West Region Accommodation

  Price Waterhouse

  Integrated Complementing System

  1988–89

  Consultancy Firm and Subject of the Assignment

  Price Waterhouse

  Integrated Complementing System—Management Group

  704

  Price Waterhouse

  Financial Controls

  Price Waterhouse

  Career Development

  Richmond Associates

  North West Region Accommodation

  Rowe and Maw

  Model Rules for Guaranteed Minimum Pensions in Occupational Pensions Schemes

  Slaughter and May

  Model Rules for Guaranteed Minimum Pensions in Occupational Pensions Schemes

  Systems Designers plc

  Review of Forecasting. Planning and Control Systems for Local Office Network Field Trials

  Task Force

  Monitoring Income Support

  Touche Ross

  Performance Based Systems

  Touche Ross

  Recovery of Social Security Benefits from Tort Damage Awards

  Touche Ross

  Financial Information Strategy Study

  Touche Ross

  Integrated Complementing System

  1989–90

  Consultancy Firm and Subject of the Assignment

  Andersen Consulting

  Contributions Unit (Agency) Project

  Andersen Consulting

  Director of Social Security's Central Unit (DSSO/CU)

  Andersen Consulting

  Agency Planning for the Information Technology Services Directorate (ITSD)

  Andersen Consulting

  Agency Implementation for ITSA

  Andersen Consulting

  Senior Management Information Systems

  Andersen Consulting

  Executive Reporting System for the Board of Benefits Agency

  Applied Learning

  Establishment of an Open Learning Centre for ITSD

  Arthur Allwright Associates

  DPSD Purchasing Consultancy

  Arthur Young

  Integrated Complementing System

  Arthur Young

  Efficiency Scrutiny of Fraud: Consultancy Support

  BDO Binder Hamlyn

  Central Accounting System Study

  CAS Marketing Services

  DPSD Purchasing Consultancy (Engagement of New Director)

  Cavendish Tricorne

  Local Pay Addition Hazard

  705

  Cavendish Tricorne

  Over bearing Model

  Cavendish Tricorne

  Local Pay Addition Model

  Cavendish Tricorne

  Secondment on various projects

  Central Computer and Telecommmunications Agency

  Departmental Information Systems Strategy—Scoping Study

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  Social Security Agency Study: Future Work

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  Senior Management Structure—Organisational Analysis and Design

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  Purchasing Information System

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  Property Consultancy for HQ Relocation

  Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte

  Benefit Agency Implementation Team—Development of Project Timetable. Critical Path and Monitoring

  D. Chislett

  Review of Computer Security

  Dun and Bradstreet

  DPSD Ad Hoc Purchasing Consultancies

  Easymove

  Provision of Advice on Information Guides for Staff

  Enator

  Integrated Complementing System

  Ernst and Young

  Lone Parenthood Consultancy

  Ernst and Young

  Departmental Debt Scrutiny

  Ernst and Young

  Integrated Complementating System

  Handley Walker

  Post Office Counters—Fee Negotiation

  King's Fund College

  Director of Social Security's Central Unit (DSSO/CU)

  Kinsley Lord

  Social Security Policy Group Consultancy

  Korn Ferry International

  Benefits Agency Chief Executive—Consultancy to Assist Selection

  Lloyd Northover

  Corporate Image and House Style for DSS Property

  Logica UK Ltd.

  Integrated Monitoring System

  M. Pickett

  Accommodation Policy

  Modulus

  Consultancy Support for the Staff Suggestions Working Party

  MORI Human Resource Research

  Headquarters Relocation Preference Exercise

  706

  Nationwide Anglia Relocation

  General Relocation Services for Staff

  PA Consulting Group

  Review of Management Formula

  PA Consulting Group

  Enhancement of the MMD-BMD Data Base at Nottingham Staff Resource Unit

  PA Consulting Group

  Pay Flexibilities for the Benefit Agency

  PA Consulting Group

  Review of Central Office Management

  PA Consulting Group

  Pay Arrangements for ITSA

  PA Consulting Group

  Reward Arrangements for the Benefits Agency

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Centralised Receipts Collection System

  Peat Marwick McLintock

  Efficiency Scrutiny of Management of the Departmental Debt—consultancy support

  P-E Inbucon

  Survey of Local Authorities (Preparations for Community Charge Benefit)

  Price Waterhouse

  Administrative Resource Management System

  Price Waterhouse

  Integrated Complementing System

  Price Waterhouse

  Future Career Development for Staff within ITSD/ITSA

  Price Waterhouse

  Forecasting Social Security Expenditure

  Price Waterhouse

  Financial Planning and Control

  Price Waterhouse

  Performance Measurements for ITSA and CUIT

  Professor Geoffrey Woodroofe

  DPSD Purchasing Consultancy (Post Office Counters Fee)

  Purchasing and Supply Consultants

  DPSD Ad Hoc Purchasing Consultancies

  Sema Group

  Consultancy Support for Integrated Complementing System Project

  Simmons Relocation Services

  Advice on Relocation Package

  The McNeil Robertson Partnership

  Departmental Personnel Management (DPM) Survey

  Touche Ross

  Adminstrative Resource Management System (Phase 1)

  Touche Ross

  Integrated Complementing System

  Touche Ross

  Finance Information Strategy

  Touche Ross

  Benefit Agency Implementation Work (MIS and Fiinance)

  707

  Touche Ross

  Patterns of Business Study

  Touche Ross

  Adminstrative Resource Management System (Phase 2)

  Widowed Mother's Allowance
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many women who receive widowed mother's allowance also receive income support.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that at May 19881 some 6,000 women getting widowed mother's allowance—approximately 8 per cent of the total —were in receipt of income support.

  Source: annual statistical inquiry, May 1988

  Local Offices (Visits)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many visits were made by his Department's local office staff to(a) retirement pensioners, (b) families, (c) young people and (d) single people in (1) Leeds, West, (2) West Yorkshire and (3) England in each year from 1979 to 1990.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information about visits is not held in the form required. The table records total numbers of benefit visits made since 1985 by (1) Leeds West local offices, (2) West Yorkshire local offices, and (3) local offices in England and Wales.

  Year ending March

  Leeds West local office

  West Yorkshire

  England and Wales

  1985

  6,464

  104,564

  2,535,148

  1986

  5,171

  91,326

  1,988,934

  1987

  2,141

  54,775

  1,351,712

  1988

  1,655

  41,576

  1,058,051

  1989

  1,616

  34,676

  870,642

  1990

  1,774

  33,493

  911,046

  Income Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants in Scotland have had deductions made from their income support for payment of the poll tax each month since it was introduced; how many have had deductions in each case of 5 per cent. of their personal allowance as(a) single persons and (b) married couples; and how many in each case had deductions of their income support for other reasons as well.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The most recent count of income support cases in Scotland with a community charge deduction, completed in May 1990, identified a total of 2,434 with deductions in place. The further information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Carr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the income support live load cases for his Department's offices covering Sefton, Knowsley and St. Helens, for the years 1979 and 1990.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information from 1979 is unavailable. The information for May 1990 is as follows:708

  Area

  Number of Income Support claimants1

  Sefton

  30,214

  Knowsley

  30,484

  St. Helens

  16,005

  1100 per cent, count of cases in action which include a number where payment has ceased but other action is continuing. Data are provisional and subject to amendment.

  Disability Allowance
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will give his estimate of the number of people with mental illness who will benefit from the new lower mobility component of the proposed disability allowance;

  (2) if he will give estimates of the number of people with severe mental handicap, with moderate mental handicap and with mild mental handicap who will benefit from the new lower mobility component of the disability allowance; and what are the criteria used to define these groups.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 9 February at column 800.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the basis of his estimate of 150,000 disabled people being entitled to the new lower level of the mobility component of the proposed disability allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The estimate which has to be regarded as tentative was derived by examining data from the OPCS surveys of disability to identify the number of people in the relevant age group whose responses to the survey questions indicated they were not independently mobile and did not otherwise fulfil the current criteria for mobility allowance.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to increase the £3,000 disregard on capital in assessing entitlements to income-related benefits;

  (2) what plans he has to revise regulations relating to assumed tariff income from capital;

  (3) what plans he has to increase from £250 the amount of capital assumed to yield an income of £1 per week in calculating entitlement to income-related benefits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans for changing capital rules beyond those announced by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his Budget statement, but, of course, all such issues are considered periodically.

  Minister for the Disabled
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he is considering any change in the title of the Minister for the Disabled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I am pleased to announce that with effect from today, my departmental title will be "Minister for Social Security and Disabled People".

  I have become increasingly aware of the concerns expressed both by people with disabilities and the

  709
  organisations which represent them about the use of the term "the disabled". I believe that the new ministerial title will be more appropriate.

  Fraud
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the results of the efficiency scrutiny of social security fraud; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I have today placed a copy of the report in the Library.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment and I have carefully considered the recommendations contained in the report. On the major organisational issue raised by the report we have considered that it would not be right to establish a unified fraud investigation agency separate from the normal benefit administration of either Department. In our view action on fraud must be seen as an integral part of each Department's overall responsibilities to ensure that benefits go to those properly entitled to them. All benefits staff need to be alert to the risk of fraud and those investigating it need to understand the detail of benefits and be able to work in close co-operation with staff delivering them.

  Instead, we propose to adopt the alternative approach recommended by the report, reorganising fraud resources within DSS into sector teams and reaching a liaison agreement between the two Departments to strengthen co-operation between them in preventing and detecting fraud.

  A number of the report's other recommendations will also be implemented, with particular emphasis on those which seek to increase efficiency and effectiveness and to improve the monitoring of performance. Officials of the two Departments will prepare a joint action plan with a view to having the new organisational arrangements in place by the end of the year.

  Industrial Deafness
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many civil servants within his Department deal with industrial deafness cases; and if this number is expected to increase in expectation of individuals who are now eligible for benefits after the abolition of the five-year rule governing claims for industrial deafness benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  It is not possible to identify the number of staff currently engaged on industrial deafness cases as this type of work is dealt with alongside wider disablement benefits work. In the light of the additional claims and applications for review received so far following the Court of Appeal decision on the five-year rule for occupational deafness, we consider that these can be accommodated within existing local office resources.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals who have been rejected for claims as a result of the five-year rule governing claims for industrial deafness benefit have now been notified of the recent change as a result of the ruling by the Law Lords in October 1989.

  Mr. Scott
  None.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many individuals who suffer from 710
  industrial deafness have reapplied for benefits now that the five-year restriction has been removed; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many people who were previously denied benefits under the former five-year rule governing claims for industrial deafness benefit have reapplied since the ruling of the Law Lords in October 1989 on good cause grounds.

  Mr. Scott
  This information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why his Department has excluded the glass industry from its list of recommended industries for claims for industrial deafness.

  Mr. Scott
  The list of prescribed occupations for industrial deafness is based on recommendations by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The council has made no specific recommendations concerning the glass industry.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many offices providing public access for the purpose of claiming benefit, including unemployment benefit, were in operation in Great Britain on 1 April.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The total number of offices giving public access for the purpose of claiming benefits in operation on 1 April was 1,825. These figures can be broken down as follows.

  Number

  Integrated Social Security Local Offices

  432

  National Insurance Offices (Contributory Benefits only)

  22

  Area Offices (Income Support and Social Fund only)

  19

  District Offices

  1

  Branch Offices

  4

  Full-time Caller Offices

  67

  Part-time Caller Offices

  176

  Unemployment Benefit Offices

  764

  Unemployment Benefit Offices (sharing premises with Job Centres)

  209

  Employment Service integrated offices (combining Unemployment Benefit Offices and Job Centres)

  131

  Total

  1,825

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many integrated local offices were in operation on 1 April this year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  On 1 April there were 432 integrated local offices in operation.

  Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State For Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 11 June,Official Report, columns 52–53 relating to social security benefits, if he will specify the further information that is required by his Department in order to enable it to provide an answer to the question.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Entitlement to income-related benefits can be established only once certain, quite precise, personal details are known.
  711
  Even if the value of benefit in respect of housing costs were excluded, information would still be required to enable an assessment to be made of what additional requirements each beneficiary may have received under the supplementary benefit scheme, for example, the exact ages of claimant, partner and children, their state of health and whether this meant they had to follow any special diet, needed extra baths or wore out their clothing unusually quickly, what laundry facilities were available and the size and condition of the accommodation. This list is by no means exhaustive but serves to illustrate the complexities of the old scheme and the intrusive questioning necessary to determine entitlement.

  Further information would also be required to determine whether each individual satisfied the conditions for the receipt of other social security benefits such as attendance allowance, mobility allowance, retirement pension, and unemployment benefit and, if so, at what level.

  Debt Recovery
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer on 11 June,Official Report, column 53, what action has resulted from the efficiency scrutiny on the recovery of money owed to the Department; and whether he will place a copy of the scrutiny report in the Library.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Following completion of the scrutiny, officials have been preparing a draft action plan for consideration. When final decisions have been taken we shall announce them and also decide what supporting material should be published.

  Resettlement Units
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his best estimate of the value of the existing resettlement units.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are 22 resettlement units throughout Great Britain. Two of the units are leasehold and one is owned by a health authority. From 1 April 1990 all the properties, except the one owned by the health authority became part of the Department of Social Security departmental estate under the aegis of the Resettlement Agency which has directed responsibility.712
  Valuation of 12 units has been undertaken by the PSA. The value of those units at 1988 prices was just under £9 million.

  Benefit Entitlement
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the basis of calculation under the income support and housing benefit regulations which produced the result that the claimant who was the subject of commissioner's decision CIS/236/1989 was £2·49 per week worse off as a result of the £2·82 increase in her pension in April 1989; in how many cases similar losses have occurred; and whether he will amend the regulations to restore the total benefit entitlement in such cases retrospectively.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Prior to the uprating in April 1989, the claimant concerned was in receipt of retirement pension in excess of the appropriate income support level. But income support was payable in the form of a transitional addition of £1·49, to protect the value of the claimant's total benefit income at April 1988 on the introduction of income support. This addition entitled the claimant to maximum housing benefit that is rent and rates rebates of 100 per cent. and 80 per cent. respectively. After meeting the net liability for housing costs of £0·70 a week, the claimant's disposable income was £48·23 for each week in which rent was due.

  The increase in retirement pension of £2·82 a week in April 1989 more than overtook the need for the transitional addition of £1·49. The claimant was no longer entitled to income support, the transitional addition, or maximum housing benefit. As income was in excess of the appropriate level, the rent and rates rebates were reduced by 65p and 15p respectively for every pound above the level. After meeting liability for housing costs of £4·62 a week, the claimant's disposable income was £45·64 for each week in which rent was due.

  It is estimated that some 30,000 people on income support receiving a transitional addition lost entitlement to maximum housing benefit in a similar way in April 1989. But an estimated 95 per cent. of all those floated off maximum housing benefit at the uprating—some 550,000 —gained or were no worse off. The transitional additions were intended as a temporary cushion in April 1988. We have no plans to reinstate them in this situation.

  POLICE RENT ALLOWANCES
  POLICE RENT ALLOWANCES
  PRIVATE BILL PROCEDURE
  PRIVATE BILL PROCEDURE
  NATURE CONSERVATION BODIES: STAFFING AND OBLIGATIONS
  NATURE CONSERVATION BODIES: STAFFING AND OBLIGATIONS
  NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL: CONSULTATIONS ON SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT
  NATURE CONSERVANCY COUNCIL: CONSULTATIONS ON SELECT COMMITTEE REPORT
  ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE: EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSAL, ARTICLE 3
  ECONOMIC CONVERGENCE: EUROPEAN COMMISSION PROPOSAL, ARTICLE 3
  FRAUD IN THE EC: PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS
  FRAUD IN THE EC: PREVENTIVE MECHANISMS
  EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION
  EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND MONETARY UNION
  PERSONAL COMPUTERS: ELECTRICAL SAFETY
  PERSONAL COMPUTERS: ELECTRICAL SAFETY
  NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT COMPANY
  NORTHERN DEVELOPMENT COMPANY