Written Answers of 22 June 1990

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Nursery Nurses
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many Nursery Nurses Education Board graduates there have been in each of the last 10 years;

  (2) how many graduates there have been in B.Tec nursery nursing.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Teacher Training
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what support his Department is giving to the in-service training of teachers of children with severe learning difficulties and the national curriculum.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department is making grants available through the local education authority training grants scheme to support some £70 million expenditure on training related to the national curriculum in 1990–91. The Department has made it clear, in guidance to local education authorities, that all aspects of training in the basic curriculum should apply to pupils with special educational needs. The scheme is also supporting over £2·2 million expenditure on specialist training in severe learning difficulties, which may also include aspects of national curriculum training.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students have graduated from the initial teacher training course at Westhill college, specialising in training to work with children with severe learning difficulties, in the last five years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Numbers of students graduating from the initial teacher training course at Westhill college, specialising in training to work with children with severe learning difficulties, in the last five years are shown in the table. Related figures for in-service provision in this area are also shown.

  Academic Year

  4 year BEd

  Full-time (1 year) In-service1

  Part-time (2 year) In-service2

  1989–90

  18

  11

  0

  1988–89

  18

  17

  0

  1987–88

  22

  9

  3

  1986–87

  21

  10

  4

  1985–86

  19

  13

  9

  Notes:

  1 The last entry to the four year primary BEd with a major subject option in mental handicap was in September 1987 and the final cohort of students will graduate in 1991.

  2 The college offered a diploma in special education (mental handicap) prior to September 1987 and a B. Phil. Ed. in severe learning difficulties after this date.
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  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for initial teacher training and the education of children with severe learning difficulties.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Initial training in this field is now provided mainly through long in-service courses, which are eligible for support at the higher rate of grant under the local education authority training grants scheme. We are currently reviewing the way in which this and other areas of training in special educational needs are organised and funded, with a view of establishing whether the effectiveness of the current arrangements could be improved. The outcomes of this review will not be determined until later in the year.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many bachelor of education graduates had specialist training in work with children with special educational needs in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  All initial teacher training courses have been required since 1984 to include training in the recognition of children with special educational needs and strategies for developing all children's potential. Training for specialist teachers of children with special educational needs is now provided through post-experience training.

  The following table shows the numbers of students recruited to bachelor of education courses which provided specialist training for teachers of children with special educational needs from 1983 until 1987, the last year in which such courses recruited.

  Entrants to bachelor of education special needs courses 1983 to 1987

  Year

  Students

  1983

  56

  1984

  56

  1985

  41

  1986

  43

  1987

  48

  Source: Department of Education and Science survey of recruitment to initial teacher training.

  City Technology Colleges
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) in respect of each city technology college what amount of annual per capita grant he has agreed to pay for the financial year beginning in September 1991; what unit of cost per pupil has been used in calculating the amount of annual per capital grant; how this unit cost has been determined; and what enhancement of annual per capita grant has been allowed under the terms of paragraph 11 of the model funding agreement;

  (2) what amount of earmarked annual grant he has agreed to pay in the financial year beginning in September 1991; and for what purpose each element of earmarked annual grant has been approved.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The level of recurrent expenditure for city technology colleges for the academic year beginning September 1991 has not yet been agreed.

  Creches
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what sources of external funding are available to support nursery, creche and playcare
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  schemes held at education establishments attended by numbers of women returners and retainees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department does not collect information on the extent to which employers or others support the provision of child-care facilities at educational institutions.

  REPLAN, funded jointly by the Department and the Welsh Office to promote educational opportunities for the adult unemployed, last year carried out a survey of childcare provision in institutions of higher education. I am placing copies in the Library.

  Under the education support grants scheme administered by the Department, expenditure totalling £2 million will be available to local education authorities in each of the years 1990–91 and 1991–92 to support the development of measures to increase the recruitment of former teachers and mature entrants to teaching. These measures may include the provision of creche and other child-care facilities, as well as more flexible working practices. Out of 45 successful bids supported, 17 LEAs will receive funding for child-care initiatives amounting to nearly £150,000.

  I am sure that employers will wish to explore every avenue when considering ways to encourage women back into the work-force, including the possibilities of co-operating with educational institutions in the provision of child-care facilities.

  Haberdashers' Aske's CTC
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will initiate consultations, similar to those for the proposed city technology colleges at Derby, Telford and Wandsworth, with relevant local education authorities, local schools and other interested parties on the pupil numbers and catchment area proposed for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college in Deptford.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The consultation on "Securing the Future of the Schools" undertaken by the then governing body of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham girls' and boys' schools in July 1988 provided an opportunity for interested parties to consider three options, including that of establishing a city technology college (CTC). A majority of parents of pupils at the schools voted for the option of a CTC opening in September 1991.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what catchment area and pupil numbers are proposed for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college; and what additional measures will be taken to ensure that admissions to the college focus on pupils drawn from the disadvantaged parts of its catchment area;

  (2) if he will consider imposing a condition on the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college that a minimum proportion of its pupils should be drawn from the areas of the Deptford and North Peckham inner city task forces and other disadvantaged parts of its catchment area.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is for the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college trust, when established, to submit proposals to my right hon. Friend relating to pupil numbers and catchment area. None has so far been submitted and my right hon. Friend would not wish to anticipate his response.

  Anglia Institute
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to make an announcement as to whether the Anglia institute is to be granted polytechnic status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The chairman of the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council (PCFC) wrote to my right hon. Friend on 13 June with the council's advice on the designation of new polytechnics. In his letter he indicated that the council had deferred consideration of the case submitted to it by Anglia higher education college pending accreditation of the college by the CNAA, which is one of the criteria established for designation as a polytechnic. My right hon. Friend will respond to the PCFC advice as soon as possible.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  World Population (United Nations Report)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he received the United Nations report, "The State of the World Population 1990".

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration received an advance copy of the UNFPA report on 10 May and attended the UNFPA's executive director's press conference to launch the report in London on 14 May.

  We welcome the report and strongly support the urgent need for reduction in global population growth rates. Population will continue to be a priority issue in Britain's aid programme. Our spending on activities directly related to population concerns has increased from £6·5 million in 1981 to over £17 million in 1989. We are considering ways of increasing this assistance, but much depends on the willingness of recipient Governments to give population concerns a high priority in their own spending and action plans.

TRANSPORT

  London Underground (Passenger Safety)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what new plans he has to improve the safety of women and other passengers on London Underground; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  London Underground Ltd is currently implementing a programme of new measures to improve passenger security with the aid of a £15 million Government grant. These measures, include trained staff with radios; help-point booths; passenger talkback alarms; closed-circuit television; safe waiting areas; and mirrors and improved lighting in passageways. They have been introduced at selected stations on the Northern and Central lines and at Oxford Circus station, in order to assess their effectiveness, and are now being installed at stations between Hammersmith and Paddington on the Metropolitan line. London Underground Ltd is also considering additional anti-crime features, such as the use of closed-circuit television in carriages. The new generation of rolling stock, now on order, incorporates a
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  number of security features, including alarms allowing communication with the driver, and greater visibility between carriages.

  MV Derbyshire
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from relatives of those who died on the MV Derbyshire, following the publication of the wreck commissioner's inquiry into the ship's loss.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The report of the court of formal investigation into the loss of MV Derbyshire was published on 15 January 1990. Since that date I have received one written representation from a relative of one of those lost in the Derbyshire tragedy.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evidence he has received concerning the sinking of the MV Derbyshire since the conclusion of the inquiry of the commissioner for wrecks.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have received no fresh evidence concerning the sinking of the MV Derbyshire since the court of formal investigation concluded in March 1988.

  Roll on/Roll off Ferries
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the specialist sub-committee on stability matters to report to the maritime safety committee of the International Maritime Organisation on the adoption of a higher standard of residual stability for existing roll on/roll off ferries; and whether he intends to take any action to impose higher standards of residual stability on existing roll on/roll off ferries using British ports in the meantime.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The specialist sub-committee has been requested to report back to the maritime safety committee in May 1991.

  In addition, a number of European Ministers for Maritime Affairs have been invited to send their officials to a meeting in London on the 24 July. The aim of this meeting will be to obtain European agreement on the application and timing of a higher standard of residual stability to existing roll on/roll off passenger ferries.

ENERGY

  Energy Saving
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to substantially reduce energy consumption.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The Government's policy is to promote improvements in energy efficiency through the programmes of the Energy Efficiency Office and by other means.

  Nuclear Energy (Joint Ventures)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what role the United Kingdom plays in providing expertise and information in support of the joint venture programme, the international nuclear event scale project,718
  by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's nuclear energy agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom has played a key role in the establishment of the international event scale (INES). This scale was developed under the joint auspices of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the OECD's Nuclear Energy Agency by an international committee chaired by a United Kingdom expert from Nuclear Electric. All operators of the United Kingdom's civil nuclear installations have been consulted throughout the development of the scale.

  The United Kingdom has agreed to participate in a trial period of application of INES which will begin this autumn and will last for around 12 months. When in full use, INES will provide a means for promptly communicating to the public, in consistent terms, the safety significance of events reported at nuclear power plants. By putting events into proper perspective, the scale can facilitate a common understanding between participating countries, the nuclear industry, the media and the public. It should significantly reduce the risk of misunderstandings and help to pre-empt speculation in the media and elsewhere.

  I am arranging for further details of the scale to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Redundant Mineworkers Pension Scheme
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the inquiries of complaints he has had in each month over the last two years on behalf of redundant miners who are unable to transfer their pension in the redundant mineworkers pension scheme because of the cut-off date; what were the sources of the complaints in each case; and what consideration he is now giving to a review of the position.

  Mr. Baldry
  Ministers in this Department have received six letters from right hon. and hon. Members and six letters from mineworkers and ex-mineworkers on this subject. The transfer of accrued pension entitlement prior to 1 January 1986 is a matter for the trustees of the pension schemes concerned.

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he received a copy of the 1989 safeguards implementation report of the International Atomic Energy Agency; and if he will make a statement on its implications for his Department's current policies.

  Mr. Baldry
  My officials received a copy of the IAEA's safeguards implementation report in May. The agency concluded that the nuclear material under its safeguards in 1989 remained in peaceful nuclear activities. There are no new implications for the policies of my Department arising from the report. A summary of the report will be contained in the agency's 1989 annual report, which will be placed in the Library of the House when it becomes available.

  International Atomic Energy Agency
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he intends to table at the 34th regular session of the International Atomic Energy Agency general conference to be held in Vienna on 17 to 21 September; and if he will make a statement.
  719
  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom delegation will play a full and active role in the International Atomic Energy Agency's 34th general conference. However, in the light of the provisional agenda, I do not expect any new initiatives to be launched.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce his decision on flotation of the generating boards by(a) placing (b) tender or (c) general sale to the public.

  Mr. Baldry
  Decisions have yet to be taken on the precise structure of the sale of National Power and PowerGen. I announced on 28 February that the sale would take place in February 1991 subject to market conditions.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce what proportion of the shares of the electricity(a) distribution and (b) generating companies will be sold to (i) United Kingdom, (ii) other European community and (iii) foreign investors and institutions.

  Mr. Baldry
  Decisions have yet to be taken on the precise structure of the sale of the 12 regional electricity companies, National Power and PowerGen. These will be determined by a number of factors, notably market conditions, nearer the time of the sales.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what estimate he has made of the savings in public expenditure resulting from placing of the shares in the electricity supply industry companies.

  Mr. Baldry
  The cost to the taxpayer of privatising the electricity supply industry is being kept to the minimum commensurate with maximising the proceeds from the sales and achieving a successful privatisation. No final decisions have yet been made on the structure of the offers.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the total cost of the advertising budget to publicise the privatisation of(a) the electricity distribution companies and (b) the generating companies, in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 1 May and 6 June 1990.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the name of the advertising agency that has been commissioned to publicise the privatisation of the electricity generating companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  A number of advertising agencies have been invited to apply for the job of providing the pre-flotation advertising campaign for the privatisation of the generating companies. An announcement will be made when the decision on the appointment has been made.

DEFENCE

  Lavington Research Establishment
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to investigate allegations that secrets related to the latest generation of weapons were missing from the research establishment at Lavington, Wiltshire; if he will indicate the nature of the weapons involved; what progress has been made in the investigation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  I am aware of a recent newspaper article which contained such an allegation. However, while I can confirm that an Army warrant officer serving at West Lavington was arrested last September and charged with the theft of official documents; these concerned equipment which has been in service for many years. Ministry of Defence police investigations of this matter have now been concluded.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research contracts his Department has with the research establishment at Lavington, Wiltshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  None. The proof and experimental establishment at Lavington is part of the Ministry of Defence.

  Service Personnel (Security)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the cost of providing an allowance to armed forces personnel towards the cost of installation of bullet-proof glass in their personal cars; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All proposals, including the installation of bullet-proof glass, are considered in relation to the threat and their cost-effectiveness. It is not our policy to divulge the details of our security precautions.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice is offered to armed forces personnel on personal security when off duty.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have a comprehensive security education programme aimed at reducing the security risk to all service personnel and Ministry of Defence-employed civilians. The intention is to provide sensible and practical advice in a number of different formats (for example, videos and lectures). The type of advice provided includes the need to avoid clothing or luggage which could identify an individual as a member of the services; the importance of checking vehicles for bombs and booby traps and the need to be aware of the danger of any unnecessary gathering in a group in a public place. The central message of the programme is that personal awareness is the key to security.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has assessed the potential security risk of the Royal British Legion selling mailing lists of ex-service men and women.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has no responsibility for the Royal British Legion. However, the Royal British Legion has sought and accepted the Department's advice on the security arrangements for its mailing lists.

  Cruise Missiles
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the role of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles in employment plans for NATO theatre nuclear forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The details of NATO's operational plans are classified.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if his Department is participating in NATO action to examine how to integrate the use of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles into NATO theatre nuclear force targeting, command, control and employment plans; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if his Department is participating in the development of a military concept of operations for the use of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launched cruise missiles in support of NATO military operations.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No, the examination of the potential contribution of sea-launched cruise missiles to European security is principally a matter for NATO and United States authorities.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement concerning progress by NATO in developing concepts of military operations for the employment of United States Navy Tomahawk nuclear sea-launch cruise missiles in conjunction with dual, nuclear/conventional weapon, capable aircraft.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since 1984, the United States has deployed nuclear-armed sea-launched cruise missiles (SLCMs) on United States naval vessels as an integral part of its worldwide deterrent forces. In 1988 NATO Defence Ministers instigated, as part of a larger force restructuring programme, an examination of the potential contribution of SLCMs to European security.

  With this remit, United States and NATO military authorities are continuing to develop the necessary arrangements that would permit the United States to make SLCMs available to NATO in wartime.

  RAF Shackletons
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will deposit in the Library the reports or summaries of the reports of the completed boards of inquiry into the crash of RAF Shackletons since the end of 1967.

  Mr. Neubert
  The decision that military aircraft accident summaries would be published following service boards of inquiry into major military aircraft accidents was announced by my right hon. Friend the Member for Chertsey and Walton (Sir G. Pattie) on 15 January 1980 at column 686. There are no such summaries for accidents occurring before that date and, as my right hon. Friend made clear, the proceedings of service boards of inquiry are, and must remain, privileged.

  There have been three major aircraft accidents involving RAF Shackleton aircraft since the end of 1967, two before 1980 (on 1 and 19 April 1968 respectively) and
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  one on 30 April this year. A military aircraft accident summary in respect of this last accident will be published and a copy placed in the Libraries of both Houses as soon as it is available.

  Armaments Depot, Beith
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilian and military personnel have been employed at the royal naval armaments depot, Beith, in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Neubert
  No military personnel are employed at the royal naval armaments depot, Beith. The figures for civilian personnel employed over the past 10 years are shown in the table:

  Personnel

  1981

  537

  1982

  523

  1983

  506

  1984

  523

  1985

  496

  1986

  511

  1987

  444

  1988

  469

  1989

  499

  1990

  563

  Information prior to 1981 is not available.

  Deal Explosion
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now proposes to make available the conclusions of the inquiry into the explosion at Deal on 22 September 1989; and what is the reason for the delay.

  Mr. Neubert
  I regret that the information requested is not available.

  Stoney Castle Ranges
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department first initiated action to establish the status of access across Ministry of Defence land at Stoney Castle ranges, Pirbright, for the illegal tipping of waste.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My Department first initiated action to establish the status of the access across Ministry of Defence land at Stoney Castle ranges, Pirbright, on 6 March 1987.

  Defence Exports
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of total visible exports was accounted for by defence exports for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Taking account of some defence goods which are not readily identifiable as such in the Customs tariff, it is estimated that United Kingdom exports of defence equipment have fluctuated around an average of 3 to 4 per cent. of total visible exports during the period from 1985. Because of changes in the coverage of the statistics, it is not possible to give a consistent annual series of figures over the period.

  Mooring Buoys, Loch Linnhe
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the function of the mooring buoys located in Loch Linnhe, off Onich; who paid for their installation; who pays for their upkeep; and what use has been made of them in the past 10 years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply as these moorings are the responsibility of the Department of Transport. They form one of a number of sets of moorings maintained by the Department for emergency use. The cost of installation and maintenance is met by the Department. These moorings have not been required for emergency use over the past 10 years but have occasionally been hired out for short-term use by private barge operators.

EMPLOYMENT

  Action for Jobs
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much of the total expenditure on the action for jobs campaign in 1988–89 was spent on outdoor advertising.

  Mr. Eggar
  A total of £63,000 was spent on outdoor advertising on the action for jobs campaign in 1988–89.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the number of parents unable to accept employment training because of inability to pay for nursery, creche or play care for their children while undertaking employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what help he provides for parents taking employment training to place their children in nursery, creche or play care schemes or assistance in meeting the costs of placing their children in private schemes.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Lone parents participating in assessment or training in ET are entitled to receive the costs of caring for children under 16. They can train on a part-time basis if full-time child care facilities are not available. Training providers are encouraged to help parents generally, for example by offering creche facilities, flexible hours of training and distance learning materials.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to reply to the letter dated 14 May from the hon. Member for South Hams concerning Mr. Paul Hill of Furzehill, Moult road, Salcombe, Devon, and Mrs. Jean Rolfe of South Africa.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I wrote to my hon. Friend on 19 June.

  Birmingham Prison
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the extent of the shortages of shirts, pants, socks, shoes and towels discovered at Birmingham prison during the special stocktaking in March.

  Mr. Mellor
  The shortages were as follows:

  Item

  Scale holding for population of 9601

  Actual holding

  Shortfall March 1990

  Shirts

  9,600

  6,474

  3,126

  Pants

  6,720

  1,858

  4,862

  Socks

  9,600

  1,910

  7,690

  Shoes

  1,680

  1,008

  672

  Towels

  5,760

  2,777

  2,983

  1 The scales provide for articles actually in inmates' possession, in the laundry and in store awaiting laundering or issue.

  Following the stocktaking substantial additional supplies were issued to the prison, and new control procedures were introduced to ensure that the issue and re-issue of clothing to prisoners is carefully monitored in future.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his investigations into the evidence supplied to him by Advocates for Animals regarding experiments carried out by Professor Feldberg and John Stean.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government have considered the recommendations in the report on the National Institute for Medical Research by Advocates for Animals, a copy of which has been sent to him; and whether there are any plans to implement their proposals.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The matters raised in this document are being studied and a report has been made to the Animal Procedures Committee. The Medical Research Council has set up an inquiry, which is expected to report in December.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many scientists licensed to carry out animal experiments under the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are aged(a) 65 to 70, (b) 70 to 75, (c) 75 to 80, (d) 80 to 85 and (e) 85 to 90 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is as follows:(a) 65 to 69, 69 (b) 70 to 74, 24 (c) 75 to 79, 15 (d) 80 to 85, four. There are no licences over 85.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors of the animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate are currently in post; how many inspections they carried out in the past 12 months; and how many laboratories are registered for animal experimentation by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is published annually in the "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals" (1988, Cm 743). Information for 1989 will be published in July. A total of 375 places are designated as scientific procedure establishments under the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.

  Policing, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report a borough-by-borough breakdown of the Metropolitan police precept and the standard policing costs in each of the same boroughs.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The precept for Metropolitan police purposes is £112·79 per head of relevant population on the community charge registers maintained by each charging authority within the Metropolitan police district. Information on policing costs in each of the boroughs is not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Mirza Sabir Hussain
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when a decision is to be taken on the application for British citizenship made by Mr. Mirza Sabir Hussain (Ref: IMP H257707/5); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Mr. Hussain's application was approved on 11 May. A letter about the remaining formalities was sent to him on 16 May but to an address from which it was subsequently realised he had moved. A further letter to his new address was sent on 21 June.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list any circulars and advice documents he has circulated on the subject of cautioning juvenile offenders during the last five years.

  Mr. John Patten
  Home Office circular 14/1985 is the only one about cautioning which has been issued in this period. It is soon to be superseded by new guidance.

  Independent Television
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to meet the chairman of the IBA to discuss movements in the ownership of equity in companies which hold current independent television franchises.

  Mr. Mellor
  We have frequent meetings with the chairman of the IBA, at which a wide range of broadcasting policy questions are discussed. But it is for the IBA, and not Government, to operate the ownership provisions in section 20 of the Broadcasting Act 1981.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give for(a) 1974, (b) 1979 and (c) the latest available year (i) the number of crimes reported in each police force area in England and Wales, (ii) the number reported as cleared up, (iii) the number which were reported as cleared up as a result of other offences taken into consideration, (iv) the percentage cleared up in each of the three years and (v) the percentage which was reported as cleared up as a result of offences taken into consideration; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr.. John Patten
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: The information requested on the total number of crimes
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  recorded and cleared up is published annually in tables 2.4, 2.18 and 2.19 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", copies of which are available in the Library. The latest information on crimes cleared up by being taken into consideration is for 1989 and is given in the table:

  England and Wales 1989

  Crimes cleared up by TIC

  Police force area

  Number

  Percentage

  Avon and Somerset

  5,617

  6

  Bedfordshire

  3,381

  8

  Cambridgeshire

  3,272

  9

  Cheshire

  3,900

  9

  Cleveland

  2,918

  5

  Cumbria

  2,505

  9

  Derbyshire

  2,885

  6

  Devon and Cornwall

  4,060

  5

  Dorset

  2,893

  7

  Durham

  1,262

  3

  Essex

  3,417

  5

  Gloucestershire

  3,181

  9

  Greater Manchester

  13,779

  5

  Hampshire

  5,477

  6

  Hertfordshire

  4,119

  10

  Humberside

  4,870

  6

  Kent

  4,017

  5

  Lancashire

  5,064

  7

  Leicestershire

  4,326

  8

  Lincolnshire

  3,250

  9

  London, City of

  61

  1

  Merseyside

  3,649

  3

  Metropolitan police district

  8,255

  1

  Norfolk

  3,181

  7

  Northamptonshire

  2,493

  7

  Northumbria

  6,851

  4

  North Yorkshire

  1,758

  5

  Nottinghamshire

  8,357

  8

  South Yorkshire

  4,499

  5

  Staffordshire

  3,361

  6

  Suffolk

  905

  3

  Surrey

  1,665

  5

  Sussex

  3,877

  5

  Thames Valley

  9,048

  8

  Warwickshire

  1,367

  5

  West Mercia

  2,581

  5

  West Midlands

  8,534

  4

  West Yorkshire

  6,721

  4

  Wiltshire

  1,187

  4

  Dyfed-Powys

  140

  1

  Gwent

  766

  3

  North Wales

  2,189

  7

  South Wales

  2,007

  2

  England and Wales

  167,645

  5

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the average number of crimes directly apprehended by each police officer in each police force in England and Wales in(a) 1974, (b) 1979 and (c) the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: The available information on crimes cleared up by the primary means of charge, summons and caution is given in the table. The equivalent information is not available for 1974 and 1979.

  727

  Number of crimes cleared up by charge/summons/caution per police officer

  England and Wales 1989

  Police force area

  Number

  Avon and Somerset

  7

  Bedfordshire

  9

  Cambridgeshire

  7

  Cheshire

  7

  Cleveland

  10

  Cumbria

  8

  Derbyshire

  6

  Devon and Cornwall

  7

  Dorset

  8

  Durham

  9

  Essex

  5

  Gloucestershire

  6

  Greater Manchester

  7

  Hampshire

  7

  Hertfordshire

  8

  Humberside

  10

  Kent

  6

  Lancashire

  6

  Leicestershire

  7

  Lincolnshire

  7

  London, City of

  2

  Merseyside

  5

  Metropolitan Police District

  4

  Norfolk

  8

  Northamptonshire

  7

  Northumbria

  9

  North Yorkshire

  6

  Nottinghamshire

  11

  South Yorkshire

  8

  Staffordshire

  8

  Suffolk

  10

  Surrey

  5

  Sussex

  6

  Thames Valley

  6

  Warwickshire

  6

  West Mercia

  7

  West Midlands

  6

  West Yorkshire

  7

  Wiltshire

  8

  Dyfed-Powys

  7

  Gwent

  11

  North Wales

  8

  South Wales

  9

  ENGLAND AND WALES

  6

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average number of arrests per year in(a) 1974, (b) 1979 and (c) the latest year for which figures are available for each police officer in each police force in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 11 June 1990]: The available information is for 1979 and 1989 and relates to arrests for all types of offence. Figures are given in the table:

  Number of arrests per police officer by police force area

  England and Wales 1989

  Police force area

  Number of arrests per police officer

  1979

  1989

  Avon and Somerset

  10

  13

  Bedfordshire

  15

  13

  Cambridgeshire

  14

  14

  728

  Police force area

  Number of arrests per police officer

  1979

  1989

  Cheshire

  10

  13

  Cleveland

  16

  17

  Cumbria

  10

  16

  Derbyshire

  9

  13

  Devon and Cornwall

  7

  11

  Dorset

  9

  13

  Durham

  10

  19

  Essex

  10

  14

  Gloucestershire

  9

  23

  Greater Manchester

  13

  17

  Hampshire

  14

  20

  Hertfordshire

  11

  14

  Humberside

  14

  18

  Kent

  12

  16

  Lancashire

  11

  17

  Leicestershire

  12

  14

  Lincolnshire

  10

  15

  London, City of

  4

  6

  Merseyside

  13

  13

  Metropolitan Police District

  15

  1—

  Norfolk

  0

  14

  Northamptonshire

  14

  15

  Northumbria

  17

  18

  North Yorkshire

  7

  13

  Nottinghamshire

  13

  18

  South Yorkshire

  14

  14

  Staffordshire

  12

  17

  Suffolk

  10

  11

  Surrey

  11

  12

  Sussex

  11

  13

  Thames Valley

  13

  16

  Warwickshire

  6

  13

  West Mercia

  11

  14

  West Midlands

  12

  17

  West Yorkshire

  11

  15

  Wiltshire

  7

  12

  Dyfed-Powys

  7

  13

  Gwent

  14

  17

  North Wales

  7

  15

  South Wales

  9

  17

  ENGLAND AND WALES2

  12

  15

  1 The total number of arrests in 1989 is not available but the number of arrests for notifiable offences in 1989 in the MPD was 4 per police officer.

  2 Excluding MPD.

  Child Sex Abuse
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress his Department has made since March 1989 on reducing re-offending by child sex abusers and identifying predicting factors.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: A number of initiatives have been put in hand since March 1989.

  A working group has been established to review existing arrangements for the treatment of sex offenders in prison service establishments and consider ways in which they can be developed and better co-ordinated, with the object of reducing the likelihood of re-offending upon release. The aim of the group is to co-ordinate and develop

  729
  better arrangements for the care and treatment of sex offenders in custody to reduce the likelihood of re-offending after release.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate of probation is currently undertaking an inspection of the probation service's treatment of sex offenders. Its report should be available later this year. This will give a much clearer idea of the range of existing programmes and will contribute to decisions on how best to develop the supervision and treatment of sex offenders in the community.

  The proposals in the White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" (Cm. 965) for the supervision by the probation service of offenders following their release from custody are aimed at reducing re-offending. The probation service has a key role to play in making offenders, including sex offenders, face up to what they have done; this is often the first step in preventing further offences.

  The Home Office contributes to the work of the inter departmental group on child abuse and a sub-group on working with offenders has recently been established so that the various Departments can develop a framework for a strategic central approach.

  On the question of predicting factors, the Institute of Psychiatry has been carrying out a study of sex offenders in prisons. The purpose of the study is to try to identify factors in sex offenders' histories which appear to distinguish them from other types of offender and non-offender populations and which may help in making decisions about which types of sexual offender are likely to benefit from treatment and which may not. The institute is also carrying out a study of convicted rapists. The purpose of the study is to describe the offenders and their offences in detail and to assess their treatment needs.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Iraq
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much of the £100 million arrears of Iraqi debt is underwritten by the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  It has been the policy of successive Governments not to publish the details of ECGD's exposure on individual markets for reasons of commercial confidentiality, but it is no secret that there are some payments overdue as far as Iraq is concerned.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Internal Market Council on Wednesday 20 June.

  Mr. Redwood
  I attended the Internal Market Council in Luxembourg on 20 June. A series of decisions was reached in the insurance sector. Ministers agreed a common position on the life insurance services directive which confirmed the political agreement of last December. This will allow the measure to go before the European Parliament again under the co-operation procedure. A common position was reached on the motor insurance services directive, enabling insurers to sell motor insurance across borders to consumers in other member states, though subject to a number of restrictions. A progress report was also made on the insurance accounts directive,730
  the entry into force of which will partially determine the full application of the motor services directive. Agreement in principle, subject to the opinion of the European Parliament, was reached on a measure permitting the Commission to grant a block exemption from article 85 of the treaty of Rome (prohibition of restricted agreements) for certain kinds of insurance agreement.

  Common positions were reached on two company law directives. The first relates to small and medium-sized enterprises, and the second will improve transparency in disclosures made by certain types of partnership, especially GMBH and Co KG in Germany. It will not affect ordinary United Kingdom partnerships.

  A common position was reached on a regulation on Community transit which will ease the movement of Community goods across internal frontiers post-1992. A further 11 measures in the area of customs procedures and industrial standards were adopted without discussion.

  Progress reports were made on trans-European networks, biotechnological inventions and recognition of vocational training and education, and further work was discussed in the area of food irradiation. Further consideration on the use of certain dangerous substances was postponed until the next Internal Market Council.

  Three measures concerning rights of residence for economically inactive persons were agreed subject to the view of the Danish Folketing.

  Holiday Accommodation (Safety)
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to ensure that United Kingdom tour operators carry out proper safety checks on holiday accommodation offered to United Kingdom citizens.

  Mr. Forth
  In the event of injury, United Kingdom citizens might be able, in the absence of adequate safety checks by tour operators in certain circumstances, to sue the tour operator in contract or in tort. In addition the recently strengthened ABTA code of practice and the EC package travel directive adopted on 13 June will extend the liabilities of those who organise package holidays. I understand that the United Kingdom travel industry is currently examining ways of ensuring adequate standards of holiday accommodation.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Funerals
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidance he gives to local offices on the cost criteria to be applied to funerals conducted at crematoria as against church funerals and as to what weight to give to these relative costs when asked to provide assistance with meeting these costs;

  (2) what guidance his Department gives to local offices about the financing of church funerals when the deceased dies in a state of destitution.

  Mr. Scott
  None. Social fund funeral payments are made under regulations. Decisions on claims are taken by independant adjudication officers. The chief adjudication officer provides guidance to them in the adjudication officers' guide, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list any circulars and advice documents he has circulated on the subject of cautioning juvenile offenders during the last five years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Within the last five years, as a result of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, all staff employed on fraud investigation duties have been issued with a copy of the code of practice for the treatment and questioning of persons. Additional instructions on dealing with young people are contained in the Department's fraud investigator's guide.

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Number of awards

  Number of awards

  Loans

  Grants

  Loans

  Grants

  Pensioners

  28,320

  33,920

  30,350

  59,130

  Lone parents (without disability premium)

  278,390

  36,600

  380,160

  58,390

  Others with family premium1

  140,280

  18,240

  171,690

  25,100

  Disabled2

  65,190

  22,920

  45,330

  38,440

  Others3

  369,280

  40,740

  403,120

  48,890

  Total

  881,460

  152,420

  1,030,650

  229,950

  Note: Figures are rounded to nearest 10.

  1 Includes couples with children. It is not possible to identify separately this group.

  2 Applicants receiving a disability premium. It is not possible to identify applicants who are sick but not receiving a disability premium.

  3 Includes crisis loan payments to couples with children not in receipt of income support.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the proportion of pensioners, couples with children, lone parents, sick and disabled people and others on income support who received (i) community care grants and (ii) loans from the social fund in 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Number of awards expressed as a percentage of income support caseload for the relevant client group

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Loans

  Grants

  Loans

  Grants

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Pensioners

  1·7

  2·1

  1·8

  3·6

  Lone parents (without disability premium)

  37·3

  4·9

  50·9

  7·8

  Others with family premium1

  27·4

  3·6

  34·4

  5·0

  Disabled2

  22·8

  8·0

  14·6

  12·4

  Others3

  28·2

  3·4

  29·1

  3·8

  1 Includes couples with children. It is not possible to identify separately this group.

  2 Applicants receiving a disability premium. It is not possible to identify applicants who are sick but not receiving a disability premium.

  3 Includes crisis loan payments to couples with children not in receipt of income support.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Bailiffs
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General how many bailiffs were employed in 1987, 1988 and 1989 and during the current year to date to enforce county court judgments.

  The Attorney-General
  All bailiffs as part of their duties enforce county court judgments. In 1987, 1988 and 1989 the number of bailiffs employed in the county courts was, respectively, 898, 930 and 921. For the current year the number of bailiffs employed is, at 20 June, 910.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General what educational requirements are required from persons wishing to be employed as county court bailiffs; and what form of training they are given.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the total number of (i) community care grants and (ii) loans from the social fund made in 1988–89 and 1989–90 broken down into pensioners, couples with children, lone parents, sick and disabled people and others.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 21 June 1990]: The information available is set out in the table:

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 21 June 1990]: Information is not available on the number of individuals receiving an award in each client group. The available information set out in the table relates to the total number of awards made to the relevant client groups:

  The Attorney-General
  There are no educational qualifications required to be employed as a bailiff. Bailiffs are trained by their line managers at the court or group of courts where they are employed. This training is supplemented by a five day departmental procedural and job skills training course.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report the criteria needed to pass the Certificated Bailiffs Association examination.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor's Department is not responsible for the criteria needed to pass the Certificated Bailiffs Association examination. Under the Distress for Rent Rules 1988 those seeking certification must apply to a county court and are required to supply two references, one of which may be from the
  733
  applicant's employer or an approved officer of the Certificated Bailiffs Association of England and Wales, together with a certificated copy of the result of a serach of the register of county court judgments and confirmation that he is able to provide a security totalling £10,000.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General how many county court bailiffs there are in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.

  The Attorney-General
  The number of county court bailiffs employed in England and Wales is 839 and 71 respectively. There are no county court bailiffs in Northern Ireland. There is, however, an analogous post of enforcement officer and there are 16 officers in post at present.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General how many bailiffs operating under section 7 of the Law of Distress Amendment Act 1888, certificated by a county court judge, are operating in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.

  The Attorney-General
  There are currently 889 certificated bailiffs operating in England and 40 in Wales. There is no certificated bailiff system in Northern Ireland. The number of certificated bailiffs on the register maintained by the Lord Chancellor's Department does, however, frequently change as fresh applications for general certificates are granted by the county courts.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General how many certificated bailiffs there are operating within the county courts in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Northern Ireland.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no certificated bailiffs operating within the county courts in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. All bailiffs operating within the county courts in England and Wales are employees of the Lord Chancellor's Department.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Agencies
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what assessment he has made of the extent to which the objectives of the agency system are being fulfilled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The central aim of the "next steps" initiative is to improve management in the civil service, and so bring

  (a) These figures show excise and VAT on 20 cigarettes in the most popular price category as at 18 June 19901

  Country

  RSP2

  Factor cost3

  Total duty4

  VAT4

  Total tax

  Total tax as percentage of RSP

  (pence)

  (pence)

  (pence)

  (pence)

  (pence)

  Belgium

  114

  32

  76

  6

  82

  72

  Denmark

  240

  34

  163

  43

  206

  86

  France

  108

  35

  56

  17

  72

  67

  Germany

  148

  40

  90

  18

  108

  73

  Greece

  48

  14

  21

  13

  34

  71

  Ireland

  187

  50

  102

  35

  136

  73

  Italy

  90

  25

  51

  14

  66

  72

  Luxembourg

  82

  23

  50

  9

  59

  72

  Netherlands

  105

  31

  58

  16

  75

  70

  Portugal

  60

  15

  36

  9

  45

  75

  734
  about lasting improvements in the quality and efficiency of Government services. Each agency is set clear targets covering both efficiency and quality of service. and the results so far show that these targets are being met. As I told the House on 2 April, we propose to publish annually, starting later this year, a general report on the initiative overall including summaries of developments and results in individual agencies.

  Staff Secondments
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what interchange of staff there has been in the last 12 months between Government Departments and the business sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  As I announced on 23 May,Official Report, column 190–91, we have had considerable success in increasing the interchange of staff between Government Departments and the business sector. In 1989, the latest period for which figures are available, there were 627 secondments lasting more than three months between the civil service and industrial or commercial organisations. This is 24 per cent. higher than in the previous year. There were also some 550 shorter-term secondments and increases in the attachments arranged under the Whitehall and industry and non-executive directorship schemes.

  Details of these activities are included in my Department's report "Interchange of Staff between the Civil Service and Other Organisations—1989" which has been placed in the Library. This interchange is an essential ingredient in the fostering of greater understanding between Government and business. We hope to build further on the success of these arrangements in future years.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Tobacco
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the proportion of the retail price of an average packet of cigarettes which is taken by public sector taxation in each of the European Economic Community member states and (b) the total revenue, in £ sterling at the latest convenient exchange rates, which each European Economic Community member state obtains from taxation on tobacco products.

  Mr. Ryder

  735

  Country

  RSP2

  Factor cost3

  Total duty4

  VAT4

  Total tax

  Total tax as percentage of RSP

  (pence)

  (pence)

  (pence)

  (pence)

  (pence)

  Spain

  34

  14

  16

  4

  19

  59

  United Kingdom

  165

  45

  98

  22

  120

  73

  Notes:

  1 Rates of exchange as at 18 June 1990.

  2 Retail selling price.

  3 Cost exclusive of duty and VAT.

  4 Rounded to whole number.

  Source: EC Excise Duty Tables.

  (b) This information is not readily available.

  VAT
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received since 1979 calling for the abolition of value added tax on tampons and sanitary towels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government have received a number of such representations since 1979. There are no plans to zero rate sanitary products or other essential items of personal hygiene.

  Gilts
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many gilts have been issued by the Treasury in the current financial year.

  Mr. Ryder
  The Government have issued no new stock so far this year.

  Iraq
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what checks are used to ensure that consignments sent to Iraq described as milk powder are not explosives for military use; and what assessment he has made of the efficacy of these checks in recent shipments.

  Mr. Ryder
  Milk powder exported to Iraq is presently liable to monetary compensatory amounts (MCAs) which are export charges under the common agricultural policy (CAP) of the European Community. It may also be eligible for CAP export refunds. Customs and Excise regularly spot-checks and samples a proportion of such consignments as part of its normal responsibilities for the controls

  Students on higher education courses

  Resident Welsh students1 on higher education courses

  Resident Welsh students as a percentage of HE students

  The Polytechnic of Wales

  5,897

  3,183

  54

  South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education

  3,452

  2,426

  70

  Gwent College of Higher Education

  3,365

  2,657

  79

  North East Wales Institute of Higher Education

  2,728

  1,709

  63

  West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education

  2,659

  2,131

  80

  Trinity College

  643

  443

  69

  Normal College of Higher Education

  577

  482

  84

  Carmarthen College of Technology and Art

  353

  314

  89

  College of Librarianship, Wales

  314

  48

  15

  Welsh College of Music and Drama

  310

  111

  36

  Bridgend College of Technology

  209

  208

  100

  Gwynedd Technical College

  167

  166

  99

  Llandrillo Technical College

  157

  127

  81

  Newport College of Further Education

  98

  91

  93

  Welsh Agricultural College

  71

  45

  63

  Pontypridd Technical College

  64

  64

  100

  736
  of CAP exports. Given the high level of CAP export refunds involved, Customs has in recent times given greater prominence to milk products in its sampling campaigns. This involves checks and sampling at premises where loading for export takes place. Customs also conducts spot checks on export freight generally for a variety of preventive purposes.

  None of these checks has revealed the presence of explosives of any kind.

WALES

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he intends to implement to increase the level of the suckler cow premium following the recent meeting of European Community Agriculture Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My agriculture colleagues and I are considering the suckler cow premium rate for 1990–91 and will make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Higher Education
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of students currently studying at each public sector higher education college in Wales; and how many of the students are normally resident in Wales, both in terms of total numbers and as a percentage of the main student body.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information for the academic year 1988–89 is as follows:
  737

  Students on higher education courses

  Resident Welsh students1 on higher education courses

  Resident Welsh students as a percentage of HE students

  Ebbw Vale College of Further Education

  62

  60

  97

  Pembrokeshire College of Further Education

  56

  56

  100

  Aberdare College of Further Education

  48

  48

  100

  Neath College

  43

  43

  100

  Merthyr Tydfil Technical College

  13

  13

  100

  Afan College

  13

  13

  100

  Crosskeys Tertiary College

  8

  8

  100

  Ceredigion College of Further Education

  7

  7

  100

  Total Wales

  21,314

  14,453

  68

  1Students whose home (grant-awarding) local authority is in Wales.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list any circulars and advice documents he has circulated on the subject of cautioning juvenile offenders in Wales during the last five years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  "Handling Juvenile Crime in Wales" published in November 1986 and "Juvenile Crime in Wales" published in October 1989 both contain relevant information.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he intends to implement the Children Act 1989 in Wales in whole or in phases.

  Mr. Grist
  Some minor provisions of the Children Act 1989 are already in force. We expect to implement all the remaining provisions in October 1991.

ENVIRONMENT

  Research
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was spent on research by his Department in 1988–89; and how much was allocated for expenditure in 1989–90.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Full details of my Department's expenditure on research in 1988–89 and the financial provision for research in 1989–90 are given in the 1989 Cabinet Office review of Government funded research and development, copies of which are held in the Library of the House.

  Environmental Audit
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to conduct an environmental audit of all civil service departments.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Government's environmental policies, including the implications for Government Departments, will be set out in the Environment White Paper, to be published in the autumn.

  Polychlorinated Biphenyls
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will call in a planning application over proposals by Leigh Environmental to build incinerators in Nash road, Trafford Park, Manchester, for the burning of chemical waste.
  738
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will institute a public inquiry over plans to build two incinerators to process polychlorinated biphenyl chemicals in Nash road, Trafford Park, Manchester, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have no present plans to do so. The planning application is still being examined by the local planning authority, Trafford Park urban development corporation.

  Departmental Research (Expenditure)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total identifiable expenditure on research by his Department in each year since 1979; what proportion was awarded on a customer-contractor basis; and what proportion of his total departmental budget was expended on research for each year.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Expenditure by my Department on research since 1979 is as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  33·4

  1980–81

  39·0

  1981–82

  35·8

  1982–83

  32·2

  1983–84

  31·5

  1984–85

  34·9

  1985–86

  41·4

  1986–87

  54·0

  1987–88

  56·1

  1988–89

  56·6

  The proportion of this research commissioned on a customer-contractor basis was in excess of 97 per cent. for each of the above years. The proportion of my Department's total budget spent on research is as follows:

  Per cent.

  1984–85

  0·75

  1985–86

  0·98

  1986–87

  1·37

  1987–88

  1·48

  1988–89

  1·63

  Homelessness
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for dealing with the problem of people sleeping rough in London.
  739
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Government are seriously concerned about people sleeping rough on the streets of London and other cities. The problem of rough sleeping in small but concentrated numbers is one that has begun to affect major cities throughout the western world. It has developed for complex reasons, involving in particular the break-up of families and other social ties.

  This is placing substantial new pressures on hostel accommodation, especially in London, despite the Government's hostels initiative which has created nearly 25,000 hostel spaces throughout the country since 1981 and the availability in London of 23,000 hostel spaces. Most hostel dwellers in the past have moved on to ordinary accommodation in the private sector, and will continue to do so. We are already encouraging householders to offer lodgings and we have put a number of new policies in place to help revitalise the private rented sector. We are considering what further initiatives to take in this field.

  In addition, I am announcing today that we are bringing forward a special programme of resources to provide additional subsidised accommodation for single homeless people. This will take the form of direct access accommodation for people on the streets, and of "move-on" accommodation to provide longer-term housing for people in hostels.

  We will allocate £15 million for these new initiatives in the present financial year; the provision of resources for future years will be discussed in the public expenditure survey process in the next few months. Effective use of these new resources requires close co-operation between a number of Government Departments and other agencies. Police officers working on the streets will point those sleeping rough towards the new accommodation being made available.

  The success of the strategy also depends very much on the co-operation of the voluntary bodies active in dealing with single homeless people and on co-operation with housing associations and the local authorities. We have had informal preliminary discussions with the voluntary groups and we will now talk to them and to the London boroughs urgently about the provision of both direct access and "move-on" accommodation. It is essential that we should ensure that any additional accommodation provided is well directed and meets acceptable standards, but that we do not create a magnet to attract more people into sleeping rough.

  We also intend to discuss with the voluntary groups concerned the possibility of establishing a special fund to enable people living in hostels to get over the first hurdle of finding a deposit to gain access to rented accommodation. I hope that we will be able to secure the co-operation of voluntary groups in providing more counselling for people who have been sleeping on the streets. I hope, too, that it will be possible to enlist the support of the private sector in providing advice and support to help single homeless people to obtain jobs, making full use of the range of employment services and training provision which can be made available.

  Those resources are additional to the allocation of £250 million that we have provided for local authorities and housing associations to house homeless families this year and next and to this year's programme of £2 million for voluntary bodies which provide advice and practical help to homeless and potentially homeless people. These special programmes in turn supplement £3 billion a year support
  740
  for local authority housing revenue accounts and a programme of expenditure on housing associations which is rising over the next two years to almost £1·7 billion a year.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health is announcing a separate initiative today. It is designed to address the particular needs of young people who are sleeping rough or might be tempted to do so. He will also announce soon an initiative to help homeless mentally ill people.

  The Government are determined that there should be no excuse for sleeping out on the streets. Emergency accommodation will be made available. Sleeping rough is unacceptable. It is unhealthy and often dangerous. We must see an end to the concentrations of people sleeping out in city centres.

  Drinking Water Inspectorate
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many professional staff are currently employed by the drinking water inspectorate.

  Mr. Trippier
  The complement of the drinking water inspectorate is 23 posts, of which 16 will be held by professional staff. Currently, eight professional staff are employed in the inspectorate, including two on secondment from the Water Research Centre. Recruitment of other professional staff is in progress.

  Migrating Birds (Italy)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what efforts he is making to strengthen EEC regulations on the slaughter of migrating birds in Italy.

  Mr. Trippier
  Member states are already required to protect migratory birds by EC directive 79/409 EEC on the conservation of wild birds. It is the responsibility of the EC Commission to ensure that effective measures have been taken to comply with the terms of the directive.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority the voluntary organisations in receipt of funds from his Department; and if he will make a statement concerning his policy towards the funding of such groups.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 5 June to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley)—Official Report, column 481—in which I provided a complete list of organisations and persons in receipt of direct grants from my Department in 1989–90 and the size of each grant. Many of those organisations are national rather than local. For local organisations information broken down by local authority area is not readily available.

  My policy towards the funding of voluntary groups follows the line set out by my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary, on 4 April 1990, Official Report, column 639, when he announced publication of the report of the efficiency scrutiny of Government funding of the voluntary sector.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the implication for research relating to the development of policies on the environment of the reduction of the Aculeate Hymonoptera section of the natural history museum.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: None. My Department is not responsible for the development of policies on stinging insects.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Armenia
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster by what means he travelled to and from Armenia during his recent visit to the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I flew privately with Sir Jeffrey Sterling, one of the sponsors of the Lord Byron school.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will give the expenditure during 1988–89 on solid fuels and liquid fuels of the buildings occupied by the Privy Council Office and the consumption of solid fuels in tonnes and of liquid fuels in litres.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Privy Council incurred no expenditure during 1988–89 on solid fuels and liquid fuels.

SCOTLAND

  Railways
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the grants paid and the projects or rolling stock grant-aided by him to British Rail since 1968, at outturn prices.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There was none.

  Project details

  Section 56 grant (out-turn prices) £ million

  Period

  Modernisation of Glasgow underground including signalling and 33 new sets of Electrical Multiple Units (EMUs)

  32·0

  1974–75 to 1980–81

  Clyderail—re-opening, electrification, signalling and 16 new sets of EMUs

  27·2

  1974–75 to 1987–88

  EMU Life Extension—modematisation of 50 EMU sets

  14·2

  1983–84 to 1987–88

  Ayrshire Electrification—modification/modernisation of 11 EMUs and purchase of 9 new EMU sets

  10·3

  1985–86 to 1986–87

  Ardrossan/Largs Electrification—purchase of 1 new EMU set

  0·7

  1987–88

  New Rolling Stock—purchase of 22 new sets of EMUs and 14 new sets of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs)

  118–8

  1988–89 to 1989–90

  1A further £10·5 million is still to be paid.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Brian Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action is taken against livestock producers who send cattle suffering from bovine spongiform encephalopathy for slaughter without declaration of the disease.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Bovine spongiform encephalopathy is a progressive disease of cattle which was made notifiable under the Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (No. 2) Order 1988 and failure to notify the divisional veterinary officer is an offence against the Animal Health Act 1981. However, there is at present no blood or other tissue test available for detecting the disease in the live animal; a presumption that the disease may be present can therefore only be made on the basis of clinical symptoms as observed. Confirmation can be made only after slaughter on the basis of analysis of brain tissue.

  Stress appears to cause exacerbation of clinical symptoms in some animals, particularly, for example, if transported. In some cases, therefore, it is possible that little or no evidence of the disease may be apparent on the farm and the disease may not be recognised until after transportation and arrival at the abattoir.

  The question of whether a prosecution should be undertaken in such cases must be decided in the light of the individual circumstances relating to the case.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in how many cases bovine spongiform encephalopathy has been identified(a) on farms and (b) in abattoirs in Scotland, in each of the past six months.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy identified on farms in Scotland between 8 December 1989 and 8 June 1990 is 230.

  The requirement separately to record cases found in abattoirs was introduced on 1 February 1990 and since that time four cases have been reported.

  Transport Grant
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give details of all section 56 grants paid to Strathclyde regional council, or Greater Glasgow passenger transport authority or executive since its creation at out-turn prices, including the nature of the infrastructure works or the numbers of electric units grant-aided on each occasion.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested on section 56 grants is set out in the table:

  Geriatric Day Hospitals
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of geriatric day hospitals in Scotland, their location and the numbers of patients seen annually by each.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There were 68 day hospitals—that is, day care facilities—with geriatric day patients attending in the year ending 31 March 1990. These hospitals are listed in the table together with the numbers of new patients attending. Information on the number of patients seen annually is not available centrally.

  New day patients in geriatric day care facilities year ending March 1990 (provisional)

  Hospital

  Number of new patients

  Argyll and Clyde

  Calton Hospital, Campbeltown

  10

  Dalintart Hospital, Oban

  28

  Dunoon and District General Hospital, Dunoon

  36

  Braeholm Hospital, Helensburgh

  3

  Dumbarton Joint Hospital, Dumbarton

  116

  Vale of Leven District General Hospital, Alexandria

  179

  Victoria Infirmary, Helenburgh

  3

  Ravenscraig Hospital, Greenock

  252

  Royal Alexandra Hospital, Paisley

  97

  Health Board Total

  714

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Ayrshire Central and Maternity Hospital, Irvine

  117

  Kirklandside Hospital, Kilmarnock

  45

  Brooksby House Hospital, Largs

  1

  Holmhead Hospital, Cumnock

  40

  Davidson Cottage Hospital, Girvan

  20

  Biggart Hospital, Prestwick

  221

  Health Board Total

  444

  Borders

  Knoll Hospital, Duns

  33

  Drumlanrig Hospital, Hawick

  10

  Inch Hospital, Kelso

  75

  Hay Lodge Hospital, Peebles

  26

  Borders General Hospital, Melrose

  188

  Health Board Total

  322

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Castle Douglas and District Hospital, Castle Douglas

  2

  Nithbank Hospital, Dumfries

  25

  Thomas Hope Hospital, Langholm

  8

  Lochmaben Hospital, Lockerbie

  4

  Moffat Cottage Hospital, Moffat

  10

  Newton Stewart Hospital, Newton Stewart

  12

  Dalrymple Hospital, Stranraer

  12

  Thornhill Hospital, Thornhill

  14

  Annan Hospital, Annan

  26

  Health Board Total

  13

  Fife

  Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy

  126

  Randolph Wemyss Memorial Hospital, Buckhaven

  92

  Glenrothes Hospital, Glenrothes

  105

  West Fife District General Hospital, Dunfermline

  180

  Health Board Total

  503

  Forth Valley

  Falkirk and District Royal Infirmary, Falkirk

  286

  Bonnybridge Hospital, Bonnybridge

  94

  Orchard House Hospital, Stirling

  498

  Health Board Total

  878

  744

  Hospital

  Number of new patients

  Grampian Health Board

  Woodend General Hospital, Aberdeen

  642

  Health Board Total

  642

  Greater Glasgow

  Lightburn Hospital, Glasgow

  554

  Lenzie Hospital, Kirkintilloch

  170

  Ruchill Hospital, Glasgow

  78

  Stobhill Hospital, Glasgow

  275

  Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

  351

  Southern General Hospital, Glasgow

  275

  Blawarthill Hospital, Glasgow

  222

  Drumchapel Hospital, Glasgow

  190

  Knightswood Hospital, Glasgow

  228

  Health Board Total

  2,343

  Highland

  Dunbar Hospital, Thurso

  3

  Caithness General Hospital, Wick

  8

  Lawson Memorial Hospital, Golspie

  22

  Migdale Hospital, Bonar Bridge

  1

  County Hospital, Invergordon

  107

  Health Board Total

  141

  Lanarkshire

  Coathill Hospital, Coatbridge

  469

  Red Deer Day Centre/Hospital, East Kilbride

  193

  Health Board Total

  662

  Lothian

  Eastern General Hospital, Edinburgh

  153

  East Fortune Hospital, North Berwick

  181

  Royal Victoria Hospital, Edinburgh

  166

  City Hospital, Edinburgh

  538

  Southfield Hospital, Edinburgh

  180

  Bangour General Hospital, by Broxburn

  235

  St. Michael's, Linlithgow

  3

  Whitburn Day Hospital, Whitburn

  114

  Health Board Total

  1,570

  Tayside

  Royal Victoria Hospital, Dundee

  430

  Perth Royal Infirmary, Perth

  81

  Aberfeldy Cottage Hospital, Aberfeldy

  3

  Irvine Memorial Hospital, Pitlochry

  9

  Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital, Blairgowrie

  17

  Stracathro Hospital, by Brechin

  23

  Health Board Total

  563

  Western Isles

  Lochmaddy Hospital, North Uist

  10

  Health Board Total

  10

  1 There are geriatric day patient attendances for all day care facilities listed, although some may not have new patients during the year.

  Schools, Angus
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was spent on running costs for(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in Angus.

  Mr. Lang
  The information on expenditure provided to my Department by education authorities is not broken down to district level.
  745
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money has been spent on funding school boards in Angus's primary and secondary schools; and on what basis the allocation of funds was made.

  Mr. Lang
  Information for the first year of the school board system will be contained in local financial returns for 1989–90 which we expect from authorities in the autumn. The returns do not break down information to district level.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the poll tax of each official residence of Cabinet Ministers; and who is the responsible person.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The only ministerial residence in Scotland is Bute house in Edinburgh. Lothian region's community charge registration officer has determined that, with the exception of the caretaker's flat in the basement, the property is non-domestic in nature and is therefore subject to non-domestic rates. There is therefore no responsible person except in respect of the caretaker's flat.

  Sheriff Officers
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sheriff officers there are in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of commissions issued by sheriffs principal authorising individuals to act as sheriff officers was 191 on 1 January 1990, the latest date for which figures are available centrally.

  Aquagard
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the findings of research carried out by scientists of his Department on the effects of Aquagard sea lice treatment.

  Mr. Lang
  Scientists of the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland's marine laboratory have carried out the following studies on the use and the effects of dichlorvos (the active ingredient of Aquagard).

  1. Toxicity of dichlorvos to larvae of the common lobster (Homarus gammarus L.) and herring (Clupea harengus L.).

  2. Comparative toxicity of dichlorvos to marine invertebrates.

  3. Toxicity of dichlorvos to stage 4 Homarus gammarus larvae.

  4. Effects of repeated short exposures to dichlorvos on lobster larvae.

  5. Effects of dichlorvos treatment at fish farms upon lobster larvae and mussels maintained in cages.

  6. Survey of invertebrate communities in the vicinity of salmon farm cages in Scottish west coast sea lochs.

  7. Toxicity of insecticides to larvae of the common lobster (Homarus gammarus L.).

  8. Fate of dichlorvos (DDVP) in sea water following treatment for salmon louse Lepeophtheirus salmonis infestation in Scottish fish farms.

  I have arranged for copies of reports on these studies to be placed in the Library and they will also be made available as Scottish fisheries working papers.

  Toxic Waste (Scottish Ports)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the Scottish ports that received toxic waste in 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively; and what was the quantity of such waste imported, the composition of the waste and the country of origin and ultimate destination of the waste.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 June 1990]: There is no requirement under the legislation on waste disposal for specific ports to be registered for imports. Returns made by Scottish local authorities indicate that the total amounts of waste imported into Scotland in 1987 and 1988 were as follows:

  Country of origin

  Amount (tonnes)

  Destination (District Council)

  Nature of waste

  1987

  Holland

  15

  Strathkelvin

  Sub-soil

  1988

  Sweden

  2

  Inverness

  Sodium metal

  Eire

  451

  Edinburgh

  Solvent and contaminated methylated spirits (for recycling)

  Information is not yet available for 1989.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he hopes to reply to the letter dated 24 May from the hon. Member for South Hams concerning South Devon Shellfisherman Ltd. and gear losses; and if he will meet the hon. Secretary of South Devon Shellfisherman Ltd. with the hon. Member for South Hams.

  Mr. Curry
  I shall be writing to my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams shortly.

  Quota Hopping
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on measures to deal with quota hopping.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government are firmly committed to the view that quotas allocated to this country under the 1983 agreement on the common fisheries policy should be for the benefit of British fishing communities. The measures that we have taken to deal with the problem of quota hopping uphold the common fisheries policy and its essential components—national quotas and relative stability.

  The action that we have taken to seek to ensure that the quota system operates for the benefit of the genuine United Kingdom fishing fleet has been on two fronts. First, we have imposed operating conditions to ensure that fishing vessels entitled to fly the United Kingdom flag have a real economic link with this country, through licence conditions imposed under powers contained in the Sea Fish (Conservation) Act 1967. Secondly, we have gone to the heart of the problem by enacting the provisions of part

  747
  II of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988, as amended, where we require British- registered fishing vessels to be mainly owned, managed and controlled by people resident in Britain.

  These provisions have been attacked in our courts by representatives of Spanish interests and questions have been referred to the European Court of Justice. The Commission has also taken proceedings, and is considering further proceedings, in the European Court of Justice.

  We have defended, and will continue to defend, these cases before the Court of Justice. The recent judgments of the court in the Agegate and Jaderow cases, although critical of some aspects of our licence conditions concerned with the nationality and residence of crews, upheld our right to require fishing vessels to operate in a way which would ensure that vessels fishing against our national quotas should have a real economic link with this country. We will continue to enforce these conditions vigorously.

  The substantive question whether the fishing vessel registration requirements of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 are compatible with Community law has still to be considered by the European Court of Justice. The recent judgment of the court in case 213/89 Factortame means that our national courts now have jurisdiction to grant interim protection of Community rights in appropriate cases, pending a final decision of the European Court. But it will be for our domestic courts to decide, on a case-by-case basis, whether interim protection should be given to individual quota hoppers and, if so, what conditions or limitations should be imposed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will continue to contest vigorously the grant of interim relief in the circumstances of this case.

PRIME MINISTER

  Armenian School Infrastructure
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Swansea, West,Official Report, column 405, 18 June, how much of the funding for the Armenian school infrastructure comes from Government sources.

  The Prime Minister
  The total cost to public funds of the British school at Leninakan will be about £4·6 million.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will give the 1989–90 consumption of solid fuel by the Cabinet Office in tonnes and in expenditure.

  The Prime Minister
  The Cabinet Office consumed no solid fuel in 1989–90.

  Official Visit (USSR)
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the cost to public funds of her official visit to the USSR, and if she will list(a) those covered by and (b) those making a contribution towards the cost.

  The Prime Minister
  The details of the total cost of my visit to the USSR are not yet available. I was accompanied by four officials and 17 support staff, mostly security and communications personnel, whose costs are met from 748
  public funds. In addition, 24 media representatives travelled with the official party. Their travel costs will be recovered from their employers.

  Science and Technolgy
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list the recommendations contained in reports from the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology during the 1988–89 Session, which have been accepted wholly or in part by Her Majesty's Government, indicating which have already been implemented.

  The Prime Minister
  The reports of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology during the 1988–89 Session, together with Government responses, are available in the Library of the House, with the exception of the Government response to the report on agricultural and food research which will be published early next month.

HEALTH

  Steroids
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce free eye tests for long-term users of steroids to bring them into line with other glaucoma high-risk groups; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to extend the current national health service exemption categories to include long-term users of steroids. Patients receiving such treatment are normally under continual medical care where examination of the lens for symptoms of eye disease by the doctor or hospital clinician involved would be routine.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the professional organisations which were sent invitations to take part in the consultation on working paper 11 "Framework for Information".

  Mr. Dorrell
  The following professional organisations were sent invitations to take part in consultations on working paper 11:

  Association of Anaesthetists

  Association of British Paediatric Nurses

  Association of Chief Ambulance Officers

  Association of Clinical Biochemists

  Association of Cytogeneticists

  Association of Clinical Pathologists

  Association of District Medical Officers

  Association of District and Superintendent Chartered Physiotherapists

  Association of Domestic Management

  Association of Health Care Information and Medical Record Officers

  Association of Microbiologists

  Association of National Health Service Supplies Officers

  Association of National Health Service Officers

  Association of Occupational Therapists

  Association of Professions for the Mentally Handicapped

  British Association of Operating Department Assistants

  British Dental Association

  British Dietetic Association

  British Institute of Radiology

  British Medical Association

  British Paediatric Association

  British Psychological Society

  749

  Chartered Society of Physiotherapy

  College of Occupational Therapists

  College of Speech Therapists

  Community Psychiatric Nurses Association

  District Nursing Association

  English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting

  Faculty of Community Medicine of the Royal College of Physicians

  General Medical Services Committee of the BMA

  Health Care Financial Management Association

  Health Visitors Association

  Hospital Consultants and Specialists Association

  Hospital Physicists Association

  Institute of Child Health

  Institute of Chiropodists

  Institute of Health Services Management

  Joint Committee of Professional Nursing, Midwifery and HVAs

  Mental Handicap Nurses Association

  National Association of Family Planning Nurses

  National Association of Health Service Personnel Officers National Association of Theatre Nurses

  Psychiatric Nurses Association

  Royal College of General Practitioners

  Royal College of Midwives

  Royal College of Nursing in the United Kingdom (RCN)

  Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

  Royal College of Pathologists

  Royal College of Physicians of London

  Royal College of Psychiatrists

  Royal College of Radiologists

  Royal College of Surgeons of England

  Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

  Society of Administrators of Family Practitioner Services

  Society of Chiropodists

  Society of Community Medicine

  Society of Family Practitioner Committees

  Society of Nurse Advisers, Child Health

  Society of Radiographers

  Drug Reaction
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to improve the yellow card reporting system for drug reaction; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Adverse reactions to medicinal products are reported to the Committee on Safety of Medicines (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. A new improved computer system is currently being developed to support the scheme.

  Reporting by prescribers is encouraged in a number of ways, for example by organising lectures to doctors on adverse reactions, exhibitions and a video to publicise the scheme, and by including yellow cards in publications used regularly by prescribers, for example, the British National Formulary, the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry data sheet compendium and MIMS—the monthly index of medical specialities.

  Specialist yellow cards are produced for anaesthetists; these are to be included in the drug administration record books used in operating theatres. The format of the yellow card is in the process of being revised in order both to help and improve reporting; CSM will undertake a publicity drive to promote the yellow card scheme once the revision has been completed.

  CSM regional monitoring centres have also been set up in a number of national health service regions to encourage adverse reaction reporting locally and to
  750
  improve follow-up. There is a freefone service available to all parts of the United Kingdom for doctors seeking advice and information on adverse reactions.

  Corwin
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been given by his Department to doctors concerning the prescribing of the heart drug Corwin.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir M. McNair-Wilson) on 21 June.

  Tampons
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether his Department has any plans to provide tampons and sanitary towels free of charge to all women;

  (2) how many representations his Department has received since 1979 calling for the provision of tampons and sanitary towels free of charge through national health service clinics.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Figures on the number of representations made on this subject are not available. We have not recently received any representations from organisations on this matter, although it has been raised from time to time in correspondence from Members of Parliament and members of the public.

  It would not be appropriate to provide sanitary protection products through the national health service free of charge. We are satisfied that it is more appropriate to assist disadvantaged people through income support and other similar measures, which are the responsibility of the Department of Social Security.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he is taking to tackle the problem of homelessness among young people and people with a mental illness.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has today announced a number of initiatives to address the problem of people sleeping rough in London. My Department is also initiating a number of measures specifically to address the needs of two particularly vulnerable groups of homeless people—young people, and those with a mental illness. We hope to be in a position to make a further announcement on plans that we are developing for this latter group in central London as soon as possible.

  It is important that young people who arrive in London without adequate support have somewhere to go where they can receive help and advice in a safe place, and where efforts can be made to pave the way for a return home. For a number of years, my Department has provided funding for the Children's Society to run a refuge of this kind for runaway children in London, and this year we have agreed a further grant totalling around £200,000 over three years for it to run a short-stay annex attached to this refuge.

  I am particularly keen to develop work with young people outside London who are at risk of becoming roofless and possibly heading for the capital. This requires close working between a number of local agencies and

  751
  voluntary bodies. I intend to make funds available to help establish a number of projects in towns outside London run by voluntary organisations in collaboration with local agencies. We will allocate £250,000 from my Department's budget to start up these projects in the present financial year, and the provision of resources for future years will be discussed in the public expenditure survey process over the next few months. The projects will be targeted at young people who are, or are at risk of becoming, roofless. Their specific aim will be to help these young people find a stable environment which enables them to stay in their home community. The details of the scheme will be discussed with the voluntary sector and local authorities, and I hope that it will yield valuable lessons for service providers more generally.

  A significant proportion of young runaways appear to have been at some time in local authority care, and there is clearly scope for improving the arrangements that local authorities make for children in their care, particularly in preparing them for leaving it. The Children Act 1989 gives local authorities enhanced duties and powers, and my Department will shortly be issuing draft guidance on how they should fulfil their leaving care responsibilities under the Act. I have also this year agreed a grant of £118,000 to a voluntary organisation, First Key, to provide authorities with advice on good practice in leaving care; and research has been commissioned from Leeds university to assess various approaches to leaving care policy and practice which should help local authorities to develop and improve their services.

  Taken together, these measures will make an important contribution to overall Government policies aimed at reducing the risks of young people leaving home or care and coming to live in our cities without adequate protection or support.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has identified any candidates within his Department for agency status under the "next steps" initiative.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Following a detailed feasibility study, I have identified my Department's estates directorate as a candidate for possible executive agency status.

  Agency status could enable the directorate to operate with greater freedom and clearer responsibility within an agreed framework of objectives, performance targets and resources, and to respond more readily to the needs of the Department, the NHS management executive and the NHS.

  The agency proposal and other options, including extending the scope of contracting out, will be considered further. Detailed discussions, which will include the preparation of a draft agency framework document have been set in hand. I will be considering other candidates for agency status in due course.

  NHS Laboratories
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps national health service management has taken to improve staffing levels in national health service laboratories and the pay and conditions of service of the staff who work in them.
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  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Since 1979 the number of qualified medical laboratory and scientific officers (MLSOs) in post has increased by 38 per cent. NHS management also undertook an extensive pay review and grade restructuring for this group of staff in 1988–89 to make a career in NHS laboratories attractive and to reward increased levels of skills and responsibilities. As a result of this review, the salary of the basic grade of qualified MLSOs, which includes 44 per cent. of all qualified MLSOs, increased by 11 per cent. in that year. Many MLSOs received substantially greater increases on assignment to the new grade structure. Current pay scales for qualified staff range from £7,897 to £20,244. These are currently under review in the Whitley council. In addition, about 25 per cent. of MLSOs now receive up to £2,527 extra through the discretionary local pay supplements for special skills or responsibilities. Many MLSOs also earn allowances relating to "out of hours" duties averaging 15 per cent. of their basic pay.

  Local NHS management has not reported any significant difficulties in recruiting and retaining laboratory staff except in some places mainly in the south-east. Essential patient services are not affected.

  In order to overcome local staffing difficulties NHS management, through the Whitley council management side has proposed a system of local pay supplements of up to 30 per cent., which could mean increases of up to £3,647 for basic grade MLSOs, greater flexibility in the way hours are worked and extra duty paid for and further local discretion on starting pay. These have all so far been rejected by the trade unions.

  NHS management has taken positive steps in recent years to improve the pay and conditions of service of MLSOs and to resolve local recruitment and retention problems. Partial, inadequate and misleading surveys of the type recently published by the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) serve only to undermine NHS management and the laboratory service.

  Births (Registration)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he will take to ensure that babies born in hospitals outside Wales but which serve people within Wales, can be registered in the Welsh language.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government's White Paper "Registration: proposals for change" (Cm. 939), a copy of which is available in the Library, has proposed new arrangements whereby, provided that a declaration is made at a registration office in Wales of a birth or death taking place in an English hospital, it will be possible to register that event in both languages. However, introducing such a procedure requires amendment to the present law; it is therefore one of the measures which the Government will bring forward when an opportunity arises to legislate on registration matters.

  Cot Deaths
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration is being given to making the care of the next infant programme available nationwide, in order to support families who have experienced cot death.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths has developed this programme for use by health authorities. The Department helped with the
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  printing costs of guidance leaflets. I understand that there is already widespread take-up and the foundation's promotion of the programme is continuing. We will monitor use of the CONI programme, but believe the initiative is best taken forward through collaboration with the voluntary sector.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he intends to implement the Children Act 1989 in whole or in phases.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Some provisions of the Children Act 1989 are already in force. We plan to implement the remaining provisions in October 1991.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all working papers, implementation documents, departmental circulars, and other publications whether in draft or final form that have been issued to date arising from the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, "Working for Patients", "Caring for Patients" and associated Government initatives.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The main documents issued in England include: "Working for Patients" and Discussion Documents:

  "Self-Governing Hospitals" (Working Paper 1) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Funding and Contracts for Hospital Services" (Working Paper 2) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Practice Budgets for General Medical Practitioners" (Working Paper 3) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Indicative Prescribing Budgets for General Medical Practitioner" (Working Paper 4) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Capital Charges" (Working Paper 5) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Implications for Family Practitioner Committees" (Working Paper 8) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Capital Charges: Funding Issues" (Working Paper 9) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Education and Training" (Working Paper 10) (HMSO; 1989)

  "Framework for Information Systems: Overview" (Working Paper 11)

  "Self-Governing Hospitals: An Initial Guide" (HMSO; 1989)

  "Contracts for Health Services: Operational Principles" (HMSO; 1989)

  "Funding General Practice" (DOH; 1989)

  "Contracts for Health Services: Operating Contracts" (DOH; 1990)

  "Improving Prescribing" (DOH; 1990)

  Interim Report of the Steering Group on the "Undergraduate Medical and Dental Education" ("First France Report")

  Second Report of the Steering Group on the "Undergraduate Medical and Dental Education" (France Report) (June 1990)

  "Caring for people"—Implementation and Discussion

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  Documents

  Community Care—Caring for People:

  Independent Inspection Units (consultation paper)

  Care in the Community

  Community Care Planning—Review of Past Experience and Future Imperatives (consultation paper)

  Contracts for Community Care (consultation paper)

  The Specific Grants for Provision of Social Care for People with Mental Illness (draft guidance)

  Community Care—Caring for People Implementation Documents—Draft Guidance:

  Planning

  Purchasing and Contracting

  Assessment and Case Management

  Inspection Units

  Complaints Procedures

  Circulars Relating to "Working for Patients" and "Caring for People"

  Reference and Title

  Date of Issue

  EL(89)S/1;LASSL(89)1

  NHS Review: White Paper "Working for Patients"

  31 January 1989

  EL(89)MB/41

  Planning in the Light of the NHS Review White Paper

  14 February 1989

  EL(89)S/2

  NHS Review: Working Papers

  21 February 1989

  EL(89)S/3

  NHS Review: Working Papers on Main Issues

  21 February 1989

  EL(89)S/4

  General Practice: A New Contract

  14 March 1989

  EL(89)MB/58

  Self-Governing Hospitals: Identification of Potential Candidates (Information for RHAs & DHAs)

  14 March 1989

  EL(89)MB/64

  Self-Governing Hospitals: Identification of Potential Candidates (Information for SHAs)

  14 March 1989

  EL(89)MB/59

  "Working for Patients" Delegating Responsibilities on Regions and Districts

  21 March 1989

  EL(89)P/61

  NHS Review: 100 Consultant Posts

  5 April 1989

  EL(89)MB/96

  Self-Governing Hospitals

  8 May 1989

  EL(89)MB/114

  NHS Review: Working Paper 9 Capital Charges: Funding Issues

  19 June 1989

  EL(89)MB/119

  Quality

  22 June 1989

  EL(89)MB/118

  Additional Funds for White Paper Implementation: Personnel and Training

  22 June 1989

  EL(89)MB/124

  Self-Governing Hospital: An Initial Guide

  7 July 1989

  EL(89)P/119

  Capital Charges Update No. 2

  14 July 1989

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  Reference and Title

  Date of Issue

  EL(89)MB/130

  Pricing of Contracts

  19 July 1989

  EL(89)MB/137

  Secretary of State's letter to Medical Profession: Letter to NHS Chairman Managers and Medical Officers

  31 July 1989

  EL(89)MB/148

  Self-Governing Hospitals: Outline Application Document

  16 August 1989

  EL(89)MB/156

  The White Paper In Yorkshire: The Future Role of the DHA

  August 1989

  EL(89)P/157; FPCL 180/89

  Planning: National Priorities

  14 September 1989

  EL(89)MB/160

  Capital Charges: Asset Groups

  15 September 1989

  EL(89)MB/171

  Discussion Document on Pricing And Openness in Contracts For Health Services

  28 September 1989

  EL(89)MB/169

  Contracts for Health Services Operational Principles

  29 September 1989

  EL(89)MB/142

  Use of Private Sector Capital In the NHS (Unconventional Finance): Revised Guidance

  2 October 1989

  EL(89)P/164; FPCL 188/89

  Preparing RHAs for New FPC Accountability Arrangements

  3 October 1989

  HC— (89)

  Medical Audit in the FPS (Draft Consultation Document Only)

  6 October 1989

  EL(89)MB/172

  Capital Charges Updates 89/3 and 89/4

  9 October 1989

  EL(89)MB/168

  Education and Training Working Paper

  16 October 1989

  EL(89)MB/176

  Capital Charges: Costing Of Health Buildings

  October 1989

  EL(89)P/169

  Indicative Prescribing Budgets and GP Practice Budgets

  10 October 1989

  EL(89)P/181

  NHS Review: 100 Consultant Posts Allocation of first 35 Posts

  30 October 1989

  EL(89)P/189

  Financial Matters—October 1989

  31 October 1989

  EL(89)MB/193

  Capital Charges: Beacon Buildings

  7 November 1989

  EL(89)P/186

  Caring for People: Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond

  November 1989

  EL(89)MB/201

  Government Response to Social Services Committee Report on "Working for Patients"

  15 November 1989

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  Reference and Title

  Date of Issue

  EL(89)MB/199

  Service Increment for Teaching—SIFT

  16 November 1989

  EL(89)MB/202

  Community Care

  16 November 1989

  EL(89)MB/208

  Capital Charges Update 89/5

  29 November 1989

  EL(89)P/194

  Financial Matters—November 1989

  30 November 1989

  EL(89)P/199; FPCL 266/89

  Practice Funding Scheme: Issue of Programme to GPs

  13 December 1989

  EL(89)MB/223

  NHS Review Costs

  14 December 1989

  EL(89)MB/219

  The Role of District HAs

  19 December 1989

  EL(90)MB/7

  "Working for Patients" Information and IT

  11 January 1990

  EL(90)MB/9; FPCL 6/90

  "Working for Patients" Briefing for Managers—January Update

  12 January 1990

  EL(90)MB/10

  Capital Charges Update: 90/1

  16 January 1990

  EL(90)MB/13

  Training for Income Generation

  15 January 1990

  EL(90)MB/16

  Resource Management Extension Programme 1990/91

  January 1990

  EL(90)MB/17

  Quality Funds 1990/91

  23 January 1990

  EL(90)P/14

  Trauma Evaluation Centre Accident and Emergency Demonstration Projects

  23 January 1990

  EL(90)MB/19

  Capital Charges Update: 90/2

  24 January 1990

  EL(90)MB/21

  Funding of Medical Audit in 1990/91

  January 1990

  FPCL 16/90

  Care in the Community

  January 1990

  EL(90)P/13

  Financial Matters—January 1990

  31 January 1990

  El(90)MB/20

  NHS Trusts—Originating Capital Debt

  5 February 1990

  NHS Review/Community Care Bill Invitation to talks on Clinical Audit

  6 February 1990

  El(90)MB/18

  Care in the Community

  6 February 1990

  El(90)P/28

  Medical Audit in HCHS—Draft Health Circular

  7 February 1990

  EL(90)MB/26

  Contract Pricing: Cost Allocation Principles

  7 February 1990

  FPCL 22/90

  Financial Matters (FPC)—January 1990

  7 February 1990

  757

  Reference and Title

  Date of Issue

  EL(90)MB/22

  District Allocations

  9 February 1990

  EL(90)MB/29

  NHS Audit: Report of Directors of audit 87/88

  13 February 1990

  EL(90)MB34

  Capital Charges Update: 90/3

  14 February 1990

  EL(90)P/36

  Child Health Surveillance Implementation of the New GP Contract

  16 February 1990

  EL(90)P/46

  NHS Review: 100 Consultants

  27 February 1990

  EL(90)MB/24 FPCL 18/90

  "Operating Contracts"

  27 February 1990

  EL(90)P/21

  Improved Joint Working Between Universities and the NHS

  28 February 1990

  EL(90)MB/46

  Contract Pricing: Donated Resources

  12 March

  EL(90)MB/66

  Capital Charges: Accounting Work Book

  30 March 1990

  EL(90)MB/48

  NHS Manual for Accounts

  23 March 1990

  EL(90)MB/73

  RGM's Meeting of 30 March 1990

  26 March 1990

  EL(90)MB/57 FPCL 67/90

  Internal Audit in the NHS: Minimum Standards

  29 March 1990

  HC(90)9

  Disciplinary Procedure for Hospital and Community Medical and Dental Staff

  March 1990

  EL(90)MB/74

  NHS Reforms: Pilot Projects

  4 April 1990

  EL(90)MB/68

  Capital Charges Update: 90/4

  6 April 1990

  EL(90)MB/77

  NHSME Goals and 1990–91 Operational Programme

  6 April 1990

  EL(90)MB/70

  Working for Patients: Briefing for Managers—April Update

  10 April 1990

  EL(90)MB/83

  Service Support for Research in Non SIFT Hospitals

  20 April 1990

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  Reference and Title

  Date of Issue

  EL(90)MB/94

  Working Paper 10—Education and Training—Interim Guidance

  30 April 1990

  EL(90)P/77

  Financial Matters—April 1990

  30 April 1990

  EL(90)MB/86

  The Role of the District

  April 1990

  EL(90)MB/75

  Use of Information Technology In Medical Audit

  April 1990

  EL(90)MB/78

  NHS Register of Computer Applications: The Online Database

  1 May 1990

  EL(90)P/84

  GP Practice Funds Management Allowance 1990–91

  9 May 1990

  EL(90)MB/101

  London Postgraduate SHAs: Funding Arrangements from April 1991

  21 May 1990

  EL(90)P/93

  Indicative Prescribing Scheme Issue of Working Paper

  23 May 1990

  EL(90)MB/61

  NHS Stock Valuation and Control

  23 May 1990

  EL(90)MB/107

  Capital charges Update: 90/5

  31 May 1990

  HC(90)16

  Consultants Contracts and Job Plans

  May 1990

  EL(90)MB/105

  Treatment of the Cost of Providing Common Services

  4 June 1990

  FPCL 119/90

  Financial Matters (FPC)—May 1990

  4 June 1990

  HC(FP)0/8 HC(90)15

  Medical Audit in FPS

  18 June 1990

  EL(90)MB121 FPCL 132/90

  Framework for Information Systems

  19 June 1990

  National Health Service and Community Care Bill—Policy Papers
  "The Government's Plans for the Future of the National Health Service: The Government's Reply to the Eighth Report from the Social Services Committee, Session 1988/89".
  "Priorities in Medical Research": Government Response to the Third Report of the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology: 1987/88 Session.

  Notes on Clauses

  The National Health Service and Community Care Bill.

  AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION: FUTURE
  AGRICULTURAL MORTGAGE CORPORATION: FUTURE
  SHEEP SCAB: CONTROL MEASURES
  SHEEP SCAB: CONTROL MEASURES
  DEER
  DEER
  STERLING-DEUTSCHMARK: EXCHANGE RATES
  STERLING-DEUTSCHMARK: EXCHANGE RATES
  EUROPEAN MONETARY SYSTEM
  EUROPEAN MONETARY SYSTEM
  CUSTOMS AND VAT RECORDS: DOCUMENTATION
  CUSTOMS AND VAT RECORDS: DOCUMENTATION