Written Answers of 26 June 1990

WALES

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

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

  Schools (Mid Glamorgan)
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he has any plans to help fund the replacement of dilapidated temporary classrooms with permanent structures in Mid Glamorgan;

  (2) what plans the Welsh Office has for helping Mid Glamorgan county council to meet its ongoing annual commitment on repairs and maintenance of the county's schools;

  (3) if any provision will be made for the captial building programme to provide funds to replace any of the Mid Glamorgan schools.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Local education authorities are responsible for the provision, repair and maintenance of their schools. As in previous years the level of potential capital investment for 1990–91 is sufficient to enable all Welsh education authorities, including Mid Glamorgan county council to continue to meet their obligations according to their own priorities. Nationally the 1990–91 capital settlement included an allowance of £53.7 million

  Consultants in post as at 30 September1

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  19893

  No.

  WTE

  No.

  WTE

  No.

  WTE

  No.

  WTE

  No.

  WTE

  No.

  WTE

  Clwyd

  6

  5·4

  6

  5·9

  6

  5·9

  6

  5·9

  6

  5·9

  7

  6·9

  East Dyfed

  7

  3·2

  7

  3·3

  8

  3·9

  8

  4·3

  8

  3·7

  7

  4·1

  Gwent

  6

  5·7

  7

  7·0

  7

  7·0

  7

  7·0

  7

  7·0

  7

  7·0

  Gwynedd

  6

  3·0

  6

  3·2

  7

  3·1

  7

  3·1

  7

  3·1

  7

  3·2

  Mid Glamorgan

  9

  8·5

  8

  7·8

  9

  8·8

  10

  9·8

  11

  10·8

  11

  10·4

  Pembrokeshire

  2

  2·0

  2

  2·0

  2

  2·0

  2

  2·0

  3

  3·0

  3

  3·0

  Powys

  5

  0·5

  5

  0·5

  5

  0·8

  5

  0·5

  4

  1·0

  8

  0·3

  South Glamorgan

  8

  6·4

  8

  6·6

  8

  6·6

  8

  6·6

  9

  7·6

  10

  8·2

  West Glamorgan

  6

  4·6

  6

  5·5

  6

  5·5

  6

  5·5

  6

  5·5

  7

  7·0

  Wales2

  44

  39·3

  44

  41·8

  46

  43·7

  47

  44·7

  50

  47·7

  53

  50·1

  1Excluding locums.

  2Individual authority numbers will not add to Wales total as consultants working in more than one authority are counted in each.

  3Provisional.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what criteria have been used by his Department to determine how sums of money allocated to support the all-Wales strategy for mental illness should be distributed.
  124
  for education, a 60 per cent. increase over the equivalent 1985–86 figure. Mid Glamorgan had its fair share of that allowance.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the circulars and other documents of guidance he has issued on the workings, implementation or interpretation of the Children Act 1989 in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The following documents have been issued in Wales:

  Circulars
  Welsh Office Circular 62/89: the Children act 1989: Notice of Royal Assent and the provisions to take immediate or early effect.
  Welsh Office Circular 10/90: Training Support Programme 1990–91—Children Act 1989.
  Welsh Office Circular 12/90: The children Act (Admission of Hearsay Evidence) Order—Statutory Instrument 143/90.

  Other Documents
  Children Act 1989: Training Together—Training and Curriculum Model.
  An Introduction to the Children Act 1989.
  The Care of Children: Principles and Practice in Regulations and Guidance.
  Consultation Paper No. 1—Secure Accommodation (Guidance and Regulations.)

  Obstetricians
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many consultant obstetricians are employed by the national health service in Wales; and what is the number on a full-time equivalent basis(a) in Wales and (b) in each district health authority in Wales in the current year and in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Grist
  The available information, which relates to consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology, is given in the following table:

  Mr. Grist
  Allocations are made on the basis of individual county plans, having regard to their quality and the extent to which they are in line with the principles of the all-Wales strategy. Allocations for the current year have been targeted particularly to help establish the
  125
  essential infrastructure for the new patterns of services, including the development of community mental health teams, the provision of accommodation and of community-based services such as drop-in centres.

  Determined

  Dismissed

  Undetermined

  1989

  1990

  1989

  1990

  1989

  1990

  Snowdonia NP

  Meirionnydd

  18

  11

  14

  8

  2

  7

  Dwyfor

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Arfon

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Aberconwy

  6

  6

  2

  6

  0

  6

  Montgomery

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Brecon Beacons

  Dinefwr

  1

  2

  1

  2

  0

  5

  Brecknock

  13

  17

  10

  13

  0

  11

  Cynon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Merthyr Tydfil

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blaenau Gwent

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  Torfaen

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Monmouth

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  4

  Pembrokeshire Coast

  South Pembrokeshire

  10

  9

  6

  6

  2

  9

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  7

  7

  5

  7

  2

  10

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Poverty
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of United Kingdom bilateral aid was allocated to poverty alleviation, for the most recent three years available, using the same criteria used for the figures supplied by the Overseas Development Agency in the NAO report, "Bilateral Aid to India", fig. 2, page 10.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Figures for expenditure on poverty alleviation for the bilateral aid programme overall are not available. The figures for India supplied to the NAO by the Overseas Development Administration related to specific projects in the housing, welfare, education and renewable natural resources sectors which were regarded as being for direct poverty alleviation.

  Poverty alleviaton is an important objective of the aid programme and is pursued indirectly through support for sustainable economic growth and by direct action. Projects and programmes supported with aid vary in the extent to which they contribute directly to poverty alleviation. It is not possible to collate meaningful statistics on expenditure that can be categorised as concerned with poverty alleviation and that which cannot.

  European Development Fund
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has as to how many ecologists are employed at the European development fund and as to how many administrative staff are employed to deal specifically with environmental issues.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There are seven staff in the environmental unit within DG VIII, which is responsible for the

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 16 May,Official Report, column 472, if he will give for each year and each district the number of planning appeals (a) determined, (b) dismissed and (c) undetermined.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is set out in the following table:

  administration of the European development fund. There are two administrators responsible for environmental policy; an ecologist with responsibility for the relevant budget line; two foresters (both seconded to the Commission as "national experts", one from the United Kingdom); and two support staff. The unit is able to call on additional assistance as required from DG XI, which has responsibility within the Commission for environmental matters.

  Climate Change
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the contributions by the United Kingdom and other Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development donors to assist developing countries to participate in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

  Mrs. Chalker
  According to the report of the IPCC special committee on the participation of developing countries (June 1990), the following contributions were received in 1989 from OECD members other than the United Kingdom:

  Equivalent in Swiss francs

  Australia

  $ 15,175

  24,963·05

  Canada

  C$ 11,000

  14,519·50

  Denmark

  $ 5,000

  7,550·00

  Finland

  $ 5,000

  7,950·00

  France

  FF 100,000

  25,303·00

  Federal Republic of Germany

  SFr 43,750

  43,750·00

  Japan

  $ 50,000

  75,500·00

  Netherlands

  $ 25,000

  40,250·00

  Norway

  $ 15,000

  25,050,00

  Switzerland

  SFr 55,000

  55,000·00

  United States of America

  $ 120,000

  199,500·00

  127
  The United Kingdom paid £50,000 (approximately equal to SFr 129,400), making us the second largest contributor in 1989. This year, we have offered a further £25,000.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will discuss with the Governments of France and West Germany the means of continuing taxonomic support for teams working in Malaysia and Cameroon in the light of staff reductions at the natural history museum.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: In common with many other Government-funded institutions, including national museums and galleries, the natural history museum is now expected to develop its ability to attract non-Exchequer revenue. The work referred to in Malaysia and Cameroon yields no financial remuneration to the museum, and the museum authorities consider that it will be more appropriate to develop research projects in those countries in collaboration with the ODA's executive agency—the Natural Resources Institute—and with other external funding agencies. I shall be keeping in view the museum's progress to that end, but I have no plans at present to discuss the matter with the French and West German Governments.

  Mr Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the implications of reductions in the Heteroptera section of the natural history museum for work sponsored by his Department(a) in Surinam on shield-bugs as transmitters of agricultural diseases and (b) coccid research and its agricultural implications for United Kingdom supported agricultural development programmes.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: My Department is not funding any work in Surinam on shield-bugs, nor is it commissioning any research on coccids. There are specialists on both insect groups working at the natural history museum for the Commonwealth Agricultural Bureaux International's institute of entomology, without any duplication of effort as the range of insect species is so vast. I do not anticipate that the planned staff reductions at the museum will have a serious impact on agricultural development programmes supported by the United Kingdom. However ODA's Natural Resources Institute will be continuing to discuss with the museum and the institute of entomology the future of taxonomic and identification needs in support of agricultural development and pest management programmes funded by my Department.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Iraq
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether trade protocols one, two and three with Iraq contained any military components, explosives or propellants.

  Mr. Redwood
  The British exporters supplying goods to Iraq under the 1983–1986 financial protocols were of course responsible for applying for obtaining export 128
  licences for controlled goods in the normal way, and were required to confirm that the relevant Government approvals had been obtained.

  Film Industry
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on assistance to the British film industry.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government provide support of £1.5 million a year through British Screen Finance Ltd. for feature film production, together with a further £0.5 million a year for short films and script development. Our present five-year commitment to British Screen is due to expire at the end of this year, but we announced in July 1989 that funding will continue at the present level of £2 million a year for a further three years, until the end of 1993.

  We announced on Friday 15 June that the Government would in addition provide £5 million over the next three years to provide pump-priming finance to support producers seeking to enter European co-production. We also announced a range of other measures including the setting up of a working party to be chaired by my Department to look at the structure of the film industry and how to attract greater private sector finance into United Kingdom film production, and to report back in the autumn.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received in opposition to the Exchequer subsidising the British film industry.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department has received no representations in opposition to the Exchequer subsidising the film industry.

  Civil Servants (Workplaces)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken at all workplaces used by civil servants in his Department.

  Mr. Forth
  My officials have carried out the assessments required under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations in all workplaces occupied by the Department, in accordance with the guidance issued by the Health and Safety Executive.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has anything to add to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 387, in respect of solid fuels.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department does not use solid fuels.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 383, about energy consumption, if he will give the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The energy consumption figures relate to the total space of 5.8 million square feet occupied by the Department, including office space, specialised and storage buildings.
  129
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: In past years, responsibility for such investment has been divided between the Property Services Agency and the Department, with the result that this information could be assembled only at disproportionate cost. However, it is being collected for future years.

  Stock Group (Channel Islands) Ltd.
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what authorisations were granted by his Department for the activities of Stock Group (Channel Islands) Ltd.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Stock Group (Channel Islands) Ltd. has never received authorisations from the Department. It has carried on stockbroking business in the United Kingdom by virtue of its membership of the international stock exchange until the entry into force of the Financial Services Act on 29 April 1988 and thereafter through authorisation from the Securities Association.

  Dunsdale Securities
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether Dunsdale Securities made annual returns of audit certificates for each year it had business authorisation from his Department.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Under the Prevention of Fraud (Investments) Act 1958, audit certificates in support of an application for a licence to deal in securities were not required until Aptil 1983 when revised licensing regulations were introduced. After that date each application and monitoring return submitted by Dunsdale Securities was duly verified by an auditor.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  School Closures
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in respect of each of those local education authority-maintained single-sex schools in South and West Yorkshire which have been closed since 1985, he will list (i) the gender of pupils, (ii) the maintaining local authority and (iii) the number of pupils on roll and physical capacity of the school at the most recent convenient date before closure.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is given in the table. Information on school capacity is not available centrally. There have been no closures of single-sex schools in South Yorkshire since 1985.

  Pupils on roll in January preceding closure date

  Local education authority

  Boys

  Girls

  Calderdale

  The Heath School

  345

  —

  The Princess Mary School

  —

  368

  Brighouse Girls Grammar School

  —

  712

  Hipperholme Grammar School1

  377

  1

  130

  Pupils on roll in January preceding closure date

  Local education authority

  Boys

  Girls

  Rastrick Grammar School

  339

  6

  Leeds

  Moor Grange Boys High School

  98

  —

  West Park Girls High School

  —

  93

  St. Michael's RC College

  364

  —

  Notre Dame High School

  —

  396

  1 Became an independent school in September 1985.

  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if, in respect of each of those local education authority-maintained single-sex schools in(a) the former county of West Midlands and (b) Tyne and Wear which have been closed since 1985, he will list (i) the gender of pupils, (ii) the maintaining local authority and (iii) the number of pupils on roll and physical capacity of the school at the most recent convenient date before closure.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is given below. Information on school capacity is not available centrally. There have been no closures of single-sex schools in Tyne and Wear since 1985.

  Pupils on roll in January preceding closure date

  Local education authority

  Boys

  Girls

  Birmingham

  Erdington School1

  —

  529

  Alderlea School

  55

  —

  Longmeadow School

  —

  73

  Selly Oak School

  97

  —

  Coventry

  Cardinal Wiseman Roman Catholic Secondary School for Boys1

  717

  —

  Cardinal Wiseman Roman Catholic Secondary School for Girls1

  —

  961

  Dudley

  Old Swinford Hospital School2

  544

  —

  1 Closed for the purposes of amalgamation.

  2 Became a grant-maintained school in September 1989.

  Scientists
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the meeting of the hon. Member for Wantage (Mr. Jackson) with Professor Duff and representatives of British scientists abroad.

  Mr. Jackson
  I met Professor Michael Duff on 20 June. The main points which I made at our meeting were set out in Department of Education and Science press notice 202/90, dated 20 June, in which I pointed out that:Science is international, and it is highly desirable that scientific careers should include experience of working abroad.
  No single country in the modern world can afford first class facilities in every branch of science—and the British Government are actively promoting the development of first-class research facilities in selected areas in Britain, through:

  (a) an overall increase in the science budget—up 27 per cent. in real terms since 1979;

  (b) the development of specialist "interdisciplinary research centres"; and

  (c) the more selective allocation of university research funding by the UFC.

  The "brain drain" is a field in which anecdotes are drawn upon for lobbying purposes, but in which facts are hard to

  131
  come by. The only overall statistics which are available are those collected by the universities and published in the Universities Statistical Record. These show (a) that there has been a net inflow of academic staff into British universities from abroad in every year since 1983; and (b) that there tends to be a net inflow at the professional level, indicating a net gain in quality. This conforms with the finding of the 1987 Royal Society study of the brain drain, that there was a broad balance between the outflows and inflows of scientists from Britain.
  The Government accept that the Universities Statistical Record data may not provide a complete picture. This is why I asked the CVCP last year to conduct a review. In the meantime, however, I stressed that, in determining public policy it is better to make use of such information as is available rather than simply to ignore it.
  Not all British post-doctoral scientists can, or should, expect to find jobs in British higher education. At least a third of those whose council-funded research studentships ended in 1988 proceeded to work in British industry and public service—and more should do so. Meanwhile, the proportion of "Post Docs" going abroad has fallen from 35 per cent. in 1963 to 12 per cent. in 1988. Recent data from the United States National Science Foundation show that, while the numbers of scientists immigrating into the United States from abroad increased by 19 per cent. between 1984 and 1987, the numbers from the United Kingdom decreased by 6 per cent. during that period.
  The USR statistics do not support recent suggestions that there is an "internal" brain drain from the universities into other employment within Britain. They indicate that, in each year since 1983, there was a net inflow of university staff from industry/commerce and public service.
  Finally, I suggested to BSA that they should reflect on the implications of their statements for the image and self-image of British science. International comparisons of scientific publications suggest that Britain remains second only to the United States in world science—a position it has maintained throughout the 1980s. I suggested that there is something profoundly wrong with a style of lobbying for public expenditure that leads self-appointed spokesmen for British science to run down their country's scientific achievements and prospects.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the applications for grant-maintained school status notified to his Department from within the seven counties of the south-west.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Of the 54 proposals for GM Status that have so far reached my right hon. Friend for a decision, he has approved 44 schools. The approvals include seven schools in the south-west. Three schools in that area had their applications rejected. The list of applications is as follows.

  List of schools in the seven counties of the south west who have applied for grant-maintained status

  County and School

  Application Details

  Avon

  Beechen Cliff School, Bath

  Approved, now incorporated.

  Dorset

  Bournemouth Grammar School

  Approved for incorporation on 1 September 1990.

  Foster's Grammar School for Boys' Sherborne

  Rejected.

  Lord Digby's School for Girls, Sherborne.

  Rejected.

  Devon

  Colyton Grammar School

  Approved, now incorporated.

  Gloucestershire

  Ribston Hall High School, Gloucester

  Approved, now incorporated.

  132

  County and School

  Application Details

  Marling School, Stroud

  Approved for incorporation on 1 September 1990.

  Stroud Girls' High School

  Approved for incorporation on 1 September 1990.

  Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham

  Approved for incorporation on 1 September 1990.

  Highwood, School, Nailsworth

  Rejected.

  Currently, no schools in Cornwall, Somerset and Wiltshire have applied for GM status.

  Computers
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of the school timetable on average English school pupils spend using computers.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is not available.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has anything to add to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 392, in respect of solid fuel.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No. The Department does not occupy any accommodation which consumes solid fuel.

  Assessment Tests
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what restrictions he has placed on the circulation within the National Foundation for Educational Research of its work on standard assessment tests commissioned by his Department.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  None.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cost of each of the pilot assessments for seven-year-olds.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Separate figures for the costs of the pilot assessments are not available. However, the pilots were mounted by the three agencies undertaking the development of standard assessment tasks for seven-year-olds in the core subjects as one aspect of their contracts for this work with the School Examinations and Assessment Council. The total provision made in the School Examinations and Assessment Council's published corporate plan for the continuation of these contracts in 1990–91 is £2.5 million.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by individual subject the key phases of the national curriculum which will be introduced in September 1990.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  National curriculum subject requirements will be introduced with effect from 1 August 1990 for key stages as follows:

  Key stage

  Pupils aged

  Subject

  1

  ⅚

  Technology

  2

  ⅞

  English

  133

  Key stage

  Pupils aged

  Subject

  Mathematics

  Science

  Technology

  3

  11/12

  English

  Technology

  Last year, English, mathematics and science were introduced at key stage 1, starting with five to six-year-olds. Mathematics and science were also introduced at key stage 3 last year, starting with 11 to 12-year-olds.

  In addition, national curriculum subjects must be taught for a reasonable time as follows:

  Key stage

  Pupils aged

  Subjects

  With effect from

  1

  ⅚–⅞

  All

  1 August 1989

  2

  ⅞–11/12

  3

  11/12–13–14

  English

  1 August 1990

  4

  14/15

  Mathematics

  Science

  Assessment Tests
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 20 June,Official Report, column 558, what assessments of each of the pilot studies of standard assessment tests at age seven years are to be made by bodies which are independent of the agencies which developed the pilot studies.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Responsibility for evaluation rests with the School Examinations and Assessment Council which will collect common data about the performance of the SATs used in the pilot assessments from each of the SAT development agencies, and which will report to my right hon. Friend in due course.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Servants (Appointments)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what civil service guidelines lay down concerning civil servants becoming company directors prior to the termination of employment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The civil service pay and conditions of service code states that civil servants may not accept a directorship, except as a nominee of the Government or with the express permission of the permanent head of their Department, in any company holding a contract with their Department. More generally, the code provides that civil servants must not subordinate their public duties to their private interests, and must avoid conflicts of interest.

THE ARTS

  Film Industry
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what responsibilities fall to him with regard to the British film industry; and if he will make a statement.
  134
  Mr. Luce
  My Department funds both the British Film Institute and the national film and television school. I also take the lead in co-ordinating Her Majesty's Government's views on the Commission's proposals for a MEDIA programme designed to strengthen the European audio-visual industry.

  Theatres (Audio-description)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps his Department is taking to encourage audio-description in theatres.

  Mr. Luce
  The Arts Council is committed to improving access to the arts for disabled people. As part of its arts and disability initiative, it is encouraging audio-description in all its theatres. From October, the council will be monitoring how its clients are implementing this initiative.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has had about the circumstances of the redundancy payments to long-employed scholars in the service of the natural history museum in South Kensington.

  Mr. Luce
  I have received no formal representations from trade unions about redundancy payments at the natural history museum. However, I understand that, at a recent meeting between the Office of Arts and Libraries and union representatives, officials of the Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists outlined their concerns about the museum's proposals, including the nature of redundancy arrangements. My officials have subsequently briefed me on the outcome of this meeting and have discussed a number of the points with the museum's management.

  All questions of staff management such as the circumstances of redundancy payments are the responsibility of the natural history museum's director and trustees.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has anything to add to his answer of 6 June,Official Report, column 607, in respect of solid fuel.

  Mr. Luce
  No. No solid fuel is used.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts, pursuant to the answer of 1 May,Official Report, column 475, about energy costs, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The figures given in the answer of 1 May relate to 14,261.6 sq. ft. of floor space.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Unitary Taxation
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he last raised the issue of unitary taxation at a European Council of Finance Ministers meeting.
  135
  Mr. Lilley
  The European Community continues to take an active interest in unitary taxation and last June, the Government played a prominent part in the Community demarche on unitary tax to the United States Treasury. In response, the United States Treasury said that the issue of unitary taxation remained of serious concern to the Administration of President Bush and that further progress was required before federal concerns on this matter could be put to rest.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the joint Government and United States administration review on unitary tax will be completed.

  Mr. Lilley
  It is anticipated that the joint review with the United States Treasury on unitary tax will be completed this summer.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what direct action Her Majesty's Government will take to support the efforts of British business with regard to legislation being considered by the Californian legislature on unitary tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government are fully aware of the difficulties which unitary tax still causes for British businesses and fully support further legislative reform in California. In this connection, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer wrote earlier this year to Secretary Brady at the United States Treasury and Governor Deukmejian in advance of a small delegation of senior Government officials to California to assess the situation as part of the unitary tax review.

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made in negotiating an amendment to the United Kingdom-United States double taxation treaty on unitary tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  The United Kingdom sought such an amendment in the 1970s, only for the United States Senate to refuse to ratify such a provision. The United States authorities have in the last few years made it clear that they were looking for progress towards resolving the unitary tax issue in California rather than at federal level. They have, however, equally made it clear that further progress is required before federal concerns on the issue can be put to rest.

  Save As You Earn
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when save as you earn will be extended to the banks; and on what terms.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer proposed in his Budget that, in addition to the Department for National Savings and building societies, banks may offer SAYE contracts. Provision has accordingly been included in the Finance Bill. Subject to Royal Assent, approved banks will be able to offer SAYE contracts later in the year. The terms of new SAYE contracts associated with approved employee share option schemes, which enable participants to save up to £150 a month to purchase shares in their company, are to be improved at the same time. The bonus paid on completed contracts will be increased from 12 times to 15 times the monthly contribution (when proceeds are taken after five years) and from 24 to 30 times that contribution (when proceeds are taken after seven years).

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Eastern Europe
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much food aid has been provided to eastern Europe by the EC and member states so far in the current year.

  Mr. Maude
  The amount of food aid given by the Community to the countries of central and eastern Europe remains as set out in my answer to the hon. Lady's question of 10 May at column 205. In addition, four member states (Belgium, Spain, France and Luxembourg) have together provided some 2,200 tonnes of food aid for Romania, according to information available to the Commission who are co-ordinating western aid to eastern Europe.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the EC Commission's scoreboard of assistance from the G24 countries to Poland and Hungary has been updated since 24 April.

  Mr. Maude
  Yes. The Commission updated the (324 scoreboard of assistance provided by the G24 countries to Poland and Hungary on 18 May. A new version is expected in advance of the G24 ministerial meeting on 4 July and this and any future versions will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has anything to add to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 405, in respect of solid fuel.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No solid fuel is used in office buildings either in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office or the Overseas Development Administration.

  Immigration
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the posts at which delays of more than nine months elapse between receiving applications for entry clearance and first interview taking place.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As at 30 April 1990, overseas posts with estimated waiting times to first interview of nine months or longer are:

  Post and category

  Waiting time (months)

  Bombay

  Settlement reapplicants

  10.0

  Islamabad

  Fiancé(e)s

  10.0

  Settlement reapplicants

  19.0

  Dubai

  Non-resident applicants1

  9.5

  1 Mainly Iranians.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the latest estimated
  137
  waiting times for interviews in all categories of applicants for entry clearance at posts on the Indian subcontinent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As at 30 April the estimated waiting times (in months) are:—

  Settlement

  Q1

  Q2

  Q3

  Q4

  Islamabad

  3

  6

  10

  19

  Karachi

  1

  3

  3

  6

  Dhaka

  3

  3

  3

  9

  New Delhi

  0

  3

  5

  8

  Bombay

  1

  6

  9

  10

  Madras

  All settlement applicants 2 months.

  Calcutta

  No settlement queues.

  Setlement queues are organised as follows:

  Q1. Persons with a claim to the right of abode, dependent relatives over 70 years, special compassionate cases.

  Q2. All spouses, and all children under 18 years.

  Q3. Fiancé(e)s and others applying for the first time for settlement.

  Q4. Re-applicants.

  Visitors
  Due to seasonal high demand applicants for visit visas in Islamabad requiring a full interview can expect to wait up to five days. Elsewhere they are dealt with on day of application.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on the present estimates, when he expects the main queues of those applying for entry clearance to the United Kingdom from the Indian sub-continent will be cleared; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  It is not possible to forecast how many applicants will apply for settlement entry clearance in future years nor therefore to predict the length of settlement queues.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he takes to ensure that claimants of social security benefits are fully informed as to their entitlements.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Government's policy on take-up of benefits is set out in the White Paper on the Government's expenditure plans 1990–91 to 1992–93, chapter 14, paragraph 27, which is in the Library.

  B1 Form
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what mistakes were found in the revised and printed B1 form which led his Department not to issue it; how much was spent on the withdrawn B1 form; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No mistakes were found in the April 1990 version of form B1, and it was distributed in the normal way. No stocks have been withdrawn.

  Benefit Claimants
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what type of assistance would be available to a claimant who, about to start work and unable to manage 138
  until they get their first week's wages, approaches a local social security office, as suggested in the revised UB40/UBL18, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Since income support is normally paid fortnightly in arrears, an unemployed person has two weeks' benefit on which to manage until he receives his first wage. Nevertheless, if a person runs out of money and there is serious risk to his or his family's health or safety, a crisis loan from the social fund may be made.

  Pensioners
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those pensioners who have recently retired are receiving income from occupational pensions or savings.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that in 1987, 90 per cent. of those pensioners who had recently retired1 had income from either occupational pensions or savings or from both of these income sources.
  Source: 1 Family expenditure survey.
  "recently retired" includes those pensioners within five years of pensionable age.

  EC Citizens
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if any record is maintained of the sums paid out from his Department's offices to EC nationals and the citizens of overseas territories of EC member states.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No record is kept of the total sums paid by the Department to EC nationals and the citizens of overseas territories of EC member states.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many executive officers there are in his Department's office in(a) Caernarfon and (b) Porthmadog; how many of these, respectively, are Welsh-speaking; how many new appointments have been made during the past 12 months to such posts in each office; and how many of these new appointments are Welsh-speaking.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Caernarfon local office has 16 executive officers in post, of whom 10 are Welsh-speaking. No new executive officer appointments were made during the past 12 months.

  The Porthmadog local office has 14 executive officers in post, all Welsh-speaking. One new appointment was made during the past 12 months.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will instruct his Department's office at Clarence road, Manchester, to reply to the letters of 28 February, 2 April and 3 May from the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton, with regard to Mr. B. P. Madden, 4 Barnesdale close, Manchester.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The manager of Longsight local office has written to the right hon. Member on 25 June in reply to his letters of 28 February, 2 April and 3 May on behalf of Mr. B. P. Madden of 4 Barnesdale close, Manchester. I very much regret the uncharacteristic delays by the local office in responding to the correspondence.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether a person who deprives himself of a substantial amount of capital is entitled to receive an income-related benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Where the independent adjudicating authority decides that a person has deprived himself of capital for the purpose of receiving an income-related benefit, regulations provide for him to be treated as notionally still possessing that capital, Benefit may be payable, however, if the total capital, including any notional capital, that he possesses does not exceed the capital limit for that benefit. As my noble Friend Lord Henley announced in another place on 25 June, regulations are to be introduced into all the income-related benefits from October to provide for the phased reduction of the national capital according to the circumstances of the particular case.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will break down into the different benefits the extra £100 million which is being spent in real terms on income-related benefits in comparison with the old scheme.

  Individuals in lowest quintile of income distribution showing proportion living in households receiving benefits by family type of benefit unit 1979

  A. Lowest quintile before housing costs

  Percentage receiving:

  Supplementary benefit

  Other income-related benefit

  Other benefit (mostly retirement pension and child benefit)

  No benefit

  Total

  Married pensioners

  25

  50

  25

  0

  100

  Single pensioners

  45

  35

  20

  0

  100

  Married with children

  15

  15

  70

  0

  100

  Married without children

  20

  25

  20

  35

  100

  Single with children

  65

  10

  20

  0

  100

  Single without children

  40

  15

  25

  20

  100

  TOTAL

  29

  25

  41

  5

  100

  B. Lowest quintile after housing costs

  Percentage receiving:

  Supplementary benefit

  Other income-related benefit

  Other benefit (mostly retirement pension and child benefit)

  No benefit

  Total

  Married pensioners

  25

  55

  20

  0

  100

  Single pensioners

  55

  30

  15

  0

  100

  Married with children

  15

  15

  70

  0

  100

  Married without children

  20

  25

  20

  35

  100

  Single with children

  75

  10

  15

  0

  100

  Single without children

  40

  15

  25

  20

  100

  TOTAL

  31

  25

  39

  5

  100

  Notes:

  1. Figures for individual family types are rounded to nearest 5 per cent. Figures may not add to 100 per cent. because of rounding.

  2. SB: Supplementary Benefit; RP: Retirement Pension; CB: Child Benefit.

  3. Benefit receipt is to the household as a whole. Thus, for example, where two or more benefit units are sharing a household, all household members would be shown in the supplementary benefit column if any of them was receiving supplementary benefit.

  4. Figures are according to the definitions used in "Households Below Average Income".

  5. People receiving more than one relevant benefit appear in the first appropriate column.
  140
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Government's estimates of expenditure in April 1988 suggest that overall expenditure on weekly benefit payments in the pre and post-reform schemes was broadly the same. However, owing to the very different nature of the two schemes, and subsequent improvements in the benefit system, straightforward comparisons between overall expenditure on income-related benefits under the old and new schemes have become less meaningful with the passage of time.

  Family Incomes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field)Official Report, 3 May, column 653, what proportion of the lowest quintile were dependent on social security benefits broken down by family type and type of benefit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is set out in the tables.

  The tables show the proportion of people in the lowest quintile in 1979 who were in households receiving the various benefits. The tables do not show what other sources of income may have been received by these households.

  Social Security Benefits
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are currently receiving family credit or income support in(a) Greenock and Port Glasgow, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland as a whole.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 20 June 1990]: The figures requested are set out in the table.

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  Strathclyde

  Scotland

  Income Support1

  16,076

  275,812

  490,067

  Family Credit2

  883

  14,995

  36,000

  1 Data are derived from a 100 per cent. count of cases in action in May 1990, which include a number where benefit payment has ceased but other action is continuing and are provisional and subject to amendment.

  2 Number of families receiving Family Credit in Greenock, Port Glasgow and Strathclyde on 1 June 1990 ie excludes awards on claims made before that date but not decided at that stage. For Scotland caseload is as at the end of March 1990, including backdated awards and is therefore provisional. Information on this basis is available only for Scotland as a whole.

  Home Visits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many home visits, excluding those made for the purpose of investigating suspected fraud, were made per 1,000 claimants for the latest year available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: In the year 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990, 149–34 home visits were made per 1,000 income support claimants. Specialist visits, including those for the purpose of investigating suspected fraud, have been excluded from the calculation.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Immigration Appeals
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Attorney-General how many cases awaited determination before the immigration appeal tribunal as at 31 May or the nearest available date.

  The Attorney-General
  As at 22 June 1990, 237 cases awaited determination before the immigration appeal tribunal.

  Factortame
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the juridical implications of the ruling of the European Court of Justice in Factortame.

  The Attorney-General

  The Context

  Owners and operators of certain fishing vessels formerly registered as British have claimed that some of the registration conditions contained in part II of the Merchant Shipping Act 1988 are incompatible with Community law. They have applied to the High Court for judicial review.

  The divisional court has referred the relevant questions of Community law to the European Court of Justice for a ruling. But the applicants also asked the divisional court for interim relief to protect their claimed rights in the meantime, by disapplying the relevant provisions of the Act pending final judgment.
  142
  The Secretary of State for Transport has opposed this application strongly.

  The divisional court decided to grant the interim relief that was asked for. It ordered that the relevant part of the 1988 Act should be disapplied, so as to allow all previous registrations to remain in effect pending the European Court's ruling.

  The Secretary of State appealed. The Court of Appeal reversed that order, and the House of Lords upheld the Court of Appeal. It held that, as a matter of national law, the divisional court had no jurisdiction to make any such order.

  The House of Lords itself, however, referred to the European Court the separate question whether in the circumstances of the case Community law either obliged the national court to grant interim relief by suspending the application of a national measure, or alternatively gave it power to grant such interim protection of the rights claimed; and, if so, upon the application of what criteria.

  The immediate effect

  The United Kingdom argued before the European Court that Community law neither obliged nor enabled a national court to grant interim relief suspending the application of a national measure where the national court was debarred by national law from doing so. The court has, however, ruled that, where a national court would have granted such interim relief in order to protect directly effective Community law rights had it not been for a rule of its national law prohibiting it from so doing, it must as a matter of Community law set aside that rule.

  In consequence the application for judicial review now returns to the English courts for decision as to whether interim relief should now be granted and, if so, on what terms. The Secretary of State will make submissions as to the general criteria to be applied and will argue strongly that interim relief ought not to be granted in the present case; but since the matter is sub judice it would be wrong to say more. Meanwhile, the practical position as regards fishing rights remains unchanged pending resolution of this issue.

  The juridical significance

  When a country joins the Community it is obliged to reconcile its constitution, whether written or unwritten, with Community membership. It has to provide for the application of Community law within its territory, which means providing for Community law to have supremacy over any conflicting provisions of its own national law.

  Community law requires that directly effective Community law rights must be fully and uniformly applied in all the member states. If the provisions of any national law might prevent, even temporarily, Community rules from having such force and effect as Community law requires, national courts shall be able to set them aside. This requirement derives from article 5 of the treaty of Rome. It is Parliament that has given effect to requirements such as this, by means of the provisions of section 2(1) of the European Communities Act 1972:
  "All such rights, powers, liabilities, obligations and restrictions from time to time created or arising by or under the Treaties, and all such remedies and procedures from time to time provided for by or under the Treaties, as in accordance with the Treaties are without further enactment to be given legal effect or used in the United Kingdom shall be recognised and available in law, and be enforced, allowed and followed accordingly; …"

  In Factortame the Court of Justice held that the full effectiveness of Community law would be impaired if a

  143
  jurisdictional rule in the law of a member state prevented its national courts from granting interim relief so as to preserve directly effective rights claimed under Community law, where the national courts would otherwise consider it appropriate to do so. The House of Lords is accordingly now under a Community law obligation to give effect to the ruling, because that ruling is automatically brought into English law by the operation of section 2(1) of the 1972 Act. Moreover, by virtue of section 2(4) of the Act, Parliament has provided that an Act of Parliament such as the 1988 Act is to be construed and have effect subject to the obligations and powers which arise under section S2(1):
  "[S2(4)] … and any enactment passed or to be passed, other than one contained in this Part of this Act, shall be construed and have effect subject to the foregoing provisions of this section …"

  Finally, it is important to note that the ruling of the Court of Justice applies equally to the national courts of every member state.

SCOTLAND

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how his Department intends to monitor the quality of training provided by LECs.

  Mr. Lang
  It will be for Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise respectively to monitor—through regular data returns and visits—the quality of training delivered by the local enterprise companies in their areas. The Scottish Office will monitor the performance of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise in carrying out this task.

  Trials (Angus Sheriff Courts)
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases did not proceed to trial on the day allocated in Angus sheriff courts; and what assessment he has made of the ability of Scottish courts to cope with the volume of business they are currently undertaking.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  During May 1990, 29 summary trials did not proceed on the day allocated, seven due to lack of court time and 22 for other reasons. The ability of Scottish courts to cope with business is kept under continuous review.

  Brook Advisory Centres
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make additional funds available to the Brook advisory centres in Scotland.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Brook advisory centre in Scotland receives grant assistance from the Scottish Home and Health Department towards the administrative costs of its all-Scotland education activities. For 1990–91 the centre has been awarded a grant of £6,700. No representations have been received regarding the level of grant and all the available resources have been fully allocated.

  Civil Servants (Workplaces)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken at workplaces used by civil servants in his Department.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Responsibility for undertaking these assessments in the Scottish Office and for acting on the results has been delgated to heads of divisions and professional units. Because the performance of many diverse tasks is relevant, and because the responsibilities often in practice overlap with other management responsibilities no attempt is made to maintain central records of the issues that have arisen.

  Rents-to-mortgages Scheme
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if there are any plans to extend the rents-to-mortgages scheme to new town properties in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The rents-to-mortgages scheme has been available to tenants of development corporations and Scottish Homes since its introduction in 1989.

  Privacy
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement in respect of his response to the recommendations of the committee on privacy and related matters so far as they affect Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In his statement on 21 June, at columns 1123–24, my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary expressed the Government's warm welcome for the general approach taken in the report of the committee. The committee concluded that existing civil law remedies against press intrusion offences were adequate in Scotland, and it endorsed the Scottish position on the identification of victims of crime. The committee noted that some of the most serious forms of press intrusion might be subject to criminal proceedings under Scots common law. As recommended by the committee, we shall consider whether any extension of the law of Scotland is required in respect of the three new criminal offences proposed by them.

  Sheriff Officers
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sheriff officers operating under section 7 of the Law of Distress Amendment Act 1888, and certificated by a sheriff principal, are operating in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None. The Law of Distress Amendment Act 1888 does not extend to Scotland.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many certificated sheriff officers are operating within the courts in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Sheriff officers are not certificated. They hold commissions from sheriffs principal and as at 1 January 1990 there were 191 individuals with commissions. An individual can hold commissions for more than one sheriff court area.

  Capital Assets
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the regions which have now completed their register of capital assets; and if he will give the number of entries made on each register.

  Mr. Rifkind
  All health boards are currently working towards the completion of asset registers.

  Sewerage
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he proposes to make any funds available to Scottish regional and islands councils for expenditure on sewerage improvements.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Government are committed to further improving the quality of our rivers and coastal waters. There are pressing needs for new and upgraded sewage treatment and disposal facilities to meet European Community bathing water and other environmental standards and Scotland is disproportionately affected. Accordingly, I have decided, subject to the necessary legislation and in due course the approval by Parliament of funds, to make available to regional and islands councils a capital grant of £130 million over three years for works on sewerage, sewage treatment and disposal to reduce pollution or otherwise benefit the environment. The amounts available, at a grant rate of 75 per cent. on eligible works, would be £30 million in 1991–92, £45 million in 1992–93 and £55 million in 1993–94.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the new system for home improvement grants will come into operation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: No date has been set for the introduction of a new improvement grant system in Scotland. The Government's proposals for reform of the present system were set out in a consultation paper which received many constructive comments. These are being considered fully as details of the proposed new system are developed. It is our intention that a further consultation paper will be issued before legislation to reform the system is placed before Parliament.

  Table 1: Training Measures

  (a) Spending £ million

  (b) Number of participants1

  (i)

  (ii)

  (i)

  (ii)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimate)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimate)

  Youth Training Scheme2

  93·416

  102·445

  102·690

  96·570

  37,102

  39,543

  35,497

  n/a

  Adult Training3

  20·094

  12·379

  3·242

  —

  43,406

  37,845

  n/a

  —

  Community Programme4

  138·600

  n/a

  —

  —

  37,182

  12,903

  —

  —

  New Job Training Scheme4

  2·490

  n/a

  —

  —

  11,600

  6,946

  —

  —

  Employment Training5

  —

  46·777

  124·100

  145·000

  —

  28,528

  55,311

  n/a

  Business Enterprise Programme (outwith Employment Training)6

  —

  —

  0·331

  0·265

  —

  —

  1,802

  1,876

  Community Industry

  5·591

  6·275

  6·425

  6·625

  1,441

  1,577

  1,560

  1,550

  n/a=not available

  1 Number of participants means number of entrants to the programmes or number of starts in training as appropriate.

  2 This covers YTS, and in 1990–91 Youth Training. The expenditure figures do not include elements of National Providers Unit expenditure paid for from a GB budget.

  3 Adult Training includes the original Job Training Scheme, Training for Enterprise, Access to Information Technology, Self Standing Work

  Social Workers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has as to how many extra social workers and support staff are being appointed and what training provisions have been made to implement the community care programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: No information is kept centrally as to the number of extra social workers or support staff being appointed by local authorities specifically for community care, but the total number of staff on a whole-time equivalent basis employed by local authority social work departments increased from 32,453 in October 1987 to 35,228 in October 1989.

  In order to ensure that local authorities and other agencies will be equipped to undertake their new responsibilities anticipated in the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, the Scottish Office has funded the university of Dundee to provide a training programme for key members of staff in the social work departments and the other agencies involved in community care for a three year period from 1990, with a possible extension to five years. Discussions are also being held with officials of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Dundee university and the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work on ways of providing short-term training for the staff immediately involved in establishing the new community care procedures and the production of a training pack for use by local authorities in training the wide variety of staff involved in community care.

  Training
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the spending and (b) the number of participants in each of his training and employment measures in (i) the last three years, (ii) the current year and (iii) projections for the next three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Information about projected numbers and spending on training and employment measures in Scotland for the next three years is not available. For the last three years and the current year, it has not been possible to provide all the information requested in precisely the form required. In so far as data are available, they are set out in the tables:
  147
  Preparation and Training linked to the Community Programme. The 1989–90 expenditure is residual and includes Community Programme and New Job Training Scheme.

  4 The Community Programme and New Job Training Scheme ended in August 1988 and 1988–89 expenditure cannot be broken down below GB level. Numbers of participants for 1988–89 are until the end of August 1988.

  5 This programme took over from Adult Training, Community Programme and the New Job Training Scheme on 2 September 1988. The expenditure figures do not include elements of National Providers Unit expenditure paid from a GB budget but do include expenditure on Community Opportunities. These figures include an element for trainee allowances.

  6 This programme started at the same time as Employment Training.

  Table 2: Training Measures

  (a) Number of starts/projects

  (b) Expenditure £ million

  Financial year

  Options

  2 (Business skills seminars)

  2 (Growth programme

  3

  4

  5

  Business Growth Training

  i 1987–88

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1988–89

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1989–90

  6,704

  43

  207

  10

  2

  0.913

  ii 1990–91 (estimate)

  7,137

  60

  133

  13

  10

  4.408

  Notes:

  This programme started on 11 April 1989

  Option 1: Business Kits—no separate Scottish figure available. Paid for from GB budget.

  Option 2: Business Skills Seminars and Growth Programme.

  Option 3: Managing Business Change Projects.

  Option 4: Joint action on Skills Programme.

  Option 5: Innovation and Technology Programme.

  Table 3: Employment measures

  (a) Spending (£ million)

  (b) Numbers of participants1

  (i)

  (ii)

  (i)

  (ii)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimate)

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimate)

  Jobclub

  1·000

  1·961

  2·192

  2·319

  14,568

  18,733

  20,820

  n/a

  Restart courses

  1·262

  0·710

  0·735

  0·710

  7,113

  6,957

  7,362

  n/a

  Jobstart

  0·682

  0·453

  0·685

  0·455

  1,493

  1,466

  1,890

  n/a

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme

  17·417

  17·234

  14·834

  13·349

  9,689

  8,494

  6,972

  6,606

  Sheltered Employment

  3·369

  3·752

  4·497

  5·971

  2,373

  2,457

  2,598

  n/a

  n/a=Not available.

  Note:

  1 Number of participants means entrants for the Enterprise Allowance Scheme, starts for Restart courses, acceptances for Jobstart, throughflow for Jobclubs and filled places for Sheltered Employment.

  Disabled Students
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to ensure that access funds are sufficient to meet the applications of all entitled students.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990,]: As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science announced on 26 March 1990, Official Report, column 34, the Government have increased to £20 million the access funds available for higher education, making a total provision—including £5 million for the further education access fund—of £25 million in 1990–91. The purpose of this increase is to give the higher education institutions greater scope for extending discretionary assistance on a flexible basis to their students, notably those facing relatively high accommodation costs.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much of each of the access funds associated with the student loans scheme has been allocated to him to disperse.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: My right hon. and learned Friend has made provision for a total of £2.1 million to be distributed to non-university institutions of higher and further education in Scotland in 1990–91.
  148
  The breakdown of this figure between the three funds is as follows:

  £ million

  Postgraduate Fund

  0·26

  In Scope of Loans Fund

  1·10

  Further Education Fund

  0·76

  12·1

  1 Rounded.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what guidelines about entitlement he has established for access funds in Scotland;

  (2) whether any categories of application for access funds will have priority funding.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Subject to the terms of the necessary regulations, a statement of the terms and conditions for the payment of access funds, together with associated guidance notes, will be prepared. It is intended to issue these to grant-aided colleges, education authorities and further education colleges in Scotland during July. Individual institutions will be entirely free to manage the administration of their share of the access

  149
  funds in accordance with those terms and conditions and to determine the priority to be afforded to any particular category of applicant.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions have been held between the Scottish Education Department and education institutions about access funds; and what was the outcome of the talks.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Officials of the Scottish Education Department have held discussions with representatives of the Conference of Scottish Centrally Funded Colleges on the proposal to introduce access funds, with particular reference to the position of the Scottish grant-aided colleges. Similar discussions have been held with representatives of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland in relation to further education colleges in Scotland. These discussions were necessarily of a preliminary nature. It was made clear that the detailed provisions of the access funds would be set out formally in advance of their introduction in Session 1990–91.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what administrative procedures he has established to allocate access funds in Scotland;

  (2) what action he is taking to ensure that access funds are available at the start of the academic year.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The level of resources for access funds to be allocated to each grant-aided college in Scotland will be determined by my right hon. and learned Friend, broadly on the basis of the number of full-time students in attendance at that institution. A similar allocation system will apply to each further education college in Scotland, taking account of the numbers of full-time students aged 19 and over.

  Subject to the terms of the necessary regulations, payment of access funds' allocations will be made so that they are available for distribution by institutions with effect from 1 September 1990.

  Lord Advocate (Overseas Visits)
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the dates when the Lord Advocate was abroad on official business during the present parliamentary Session.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: My noble and learned Friend the Lord Advocate was abroad on official business on the following dates:

  21 to 26 January 1990

  4 to 6 March 1990

  12 to 27 April 1990

TRANSPORT

  Aircraft Fleets
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to amend the system of certification for work on existing aircraft fleets to deal with new acquisitions.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Civil Aviation Authority has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation, and the certification of aircraft is part of the regulatory process. There is no reason for the Department to interfere.
  150
  I understand that any aircraft coming on to the United Kingdom register of aircraft has to meet the full requirements of the air navigation order for both initial issue and renewal of its certificate of airworthiness. Aircraft not on the United Kingdom register which are used by British operators may be leased only from states which are signatories to the convention on international civil aviation and which thus comply with the requirements of the International Civil Aviation Organisation.

  Bus Companies (Subsidies)
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Hazel Grove of 19 June on subsidies to bus companies, what is the present annual cost to public funds of subsidies to bus companies in Greater Manchester.

  Mr. Freeman
  We estimate that some £6.6 million in fuel duty rebate was paid to bus companies in Greater Manchester in 1988–89, and some £30,000 in rural bus grant. In addition, the passenger transport executive made direct subsidy payments to bus companies for running socially necessary services of £10.7 million; they also gave support to the bus industry in other ways such as the provision of bus stations and publicity for timetables.

  Aircraft (Counterfeit Parts)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a study of the use of counterfeit parts in commercial and private aircraft with landing rights in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It would be quite impracticable to investigate the service history of the thousands of aircraft which may land in the United Kingdom in order to study the possible use of counterfeit parts; it would be a gross intrusion into the responsibilities of the states of registry of the aircraft concerned; the industry is well aware of the problem and is taking effective steps to combat it; and the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the regulation of civil aviation, is also aware of the problem.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the relationship between civil aircraft accidents in the United Kingdom, or over United Kingdom airspace, and the use of bogus or faulty replacement parts.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand from the safety data analysis unit of the Civil Aviation Authority, which has been keeping the relevant statistics since 1976, that there have been no accidents to public transport aircraft in any way related to unauthorised parts.

  There have been seven accidents to private aircraft after which the investigation discovered unauthorised parts, but these were not directly the cause of the accidents. Three of the aircraft involved were light aeroplanes, three were microlight aeroplanes and one was a light helicopter.

  Airport Maintenance Engineers
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority to discuss the resources being devoted
  151
  to the Civil Aviation Authority inspectorate for work on monitoring the qualifications and resources of maintenance engineers at British airports and the effectiveness of the certification process.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority from time to time and discusses, among other things, the Civil Aviation Authority's resources. However, the detailed allocation of those resources is a matter for the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of civil aviation.

  Roads
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he has taken since the publication in November 1989 of the National Audit Office report on road maintenance and building.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department has completed preliminary consideration of the recommendations made by the NAO and the accounting officer has given evidence to the Public Accounts Committee. It has already reviewed its quality control reporting procedures. The Department will decide whether further action is necessary when it has received and considered the committee's report.

  A40 Western Avenue
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the estimated cost of the A40 Western avenue improvement scheme in November 1987; and what is the latest estimate for these works.

  Mr. Atkins
  I presume that my hon. Friend is concerned with the scheme to improve the A40 Western avenue at its junction with Long lane. The estimated cost quoted in the Secretary of State's decision letter of November 1987 was £18.2 million (1986 prices). The latest published estimate was £4.1 million (1987 prices). The cost of the scheme has been reassessed, in accordance with the Department's usual practice, before tenders are invited this summer for the first of two major construction contracts. For commercial reasons it is not the Department's practice to reveal such estimates at this stage. An indication of the size of the contract will be given when notice of intention to invite tenders is published in the EC'sOfficial Journal.

  Driving Tests
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what conclusions have been reached about conducting heavy goods vehicle and public services vehicle driving tests on Saturdays.

  Mr. Atkins
  The recent 12-month trial has confirmed that Saturday vocational testing is a practical proposition and provides a service that is welcomed by customers. During the year some 4,300 Saturday tests were conducted and the number of centres where the waiting times for vocational tests were at or below four weeks doubled. I have decided to continue the service on a permanent basis and to make it available at all centres where Saturday testing is feasible and there are examiners available.

  EC Transport Council
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of the meeting of the European Community Transport Council on 18–19 June.
  152
  Mr. Parkinson
  I attended the meeting of the European Council of Transport Ministers which was held in Luxembourg on 18 to 19 June. My hon. Friend the Minister for Aviation and Shipping was also present.

  I am particularly pleased that the Council adopted a second package of measures which seals the commitment to the liberalisation of air transport in the European Community by the end of 1992.

  The new package builds on the first set of measures agreed in 1987. It contains arrangements for setting fares which introduces an element of double disapproval and simplifies the existing zonal system; further relaxes the limits on capacity sharing; and eases access to the market. The Council accepted the need to deal quickly with predatory practices; agreed principles against which air cargo services should be further liberalised; and agreed to open aviation negotiations with the EFTA countries.

  The Government welcome this second package. We have taken the lead in pressing for maximum progress, and the agreement which we have won will give airlines greater scope to respond to market demands. The way is open for airlines to offer greater choice to consumers.

  On shipping matters, the Council adopted resolutions highlighting the importance of safety on ferries, in the light of recent tragic accidents; and on pollution at sea. It was agreed that a regulation on block exemptions for consortia should be adopted by the end of the year. There were discussions, but no agreements, on cabotage, and on the transfer of vessels between EC registers. The Commission gave a report on implementation of the 1986 measures on liberalisation.

  A conditional agreement was reached by the Council on a further ad-hoc programme to December 1992 to support the development of certain transport infrastructure projects. This is subject to the resolution of outstanding questions on the scope of the programme and the way in which it will be operated.

  On inland transport the Council agreed to abolish minimum hire periods for vehicles without drivers and restrictions on hire of vehicles under 6 tonnes by own account operators. Discussions were held on measures in the event of a crisis in road haulage; road haulage quotas for 1991 and 1992; the maximum length of road trains; road safety; and fiscal harmonisation and the proposed German lorry tax. The Commission reported the state of play in the negotiations between the Community and Switzerland, Austria and Yugoslavia over third country transit.

  Among the items discussed briefly under "Other Business" were air traffic control, transport relations between the two Germanies, European high-speed railways and the alignment of Community and AETR (the European agreement concerning the work of crews of vehicles engaged in international road transport) rules on drivers hours. The Commission responded favourably to a United Kingdom request for regular reports on implementation of EC transport legislation.

  Noise Insulation
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what regulations govern the eligibility of householders for grants to cover the cost of insulation when traffic noise levels exceed 68 decibels.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 govern eligibility for an offer

  153
  of insulation or grant to owners or tenants of dwellings and other buildings used for residential purposes. The criteria in the regulations apply in respect of new or altered roads. There is no provision for insulation against increased traffic noise from existing roads.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of insulation work carried out and grants made(a) as a duty under regulation 3 of the Noise Insulation Regulations 1975 and (b) as a power under regulation 4 of those regulations, since 1985.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Information on expenditure for noise insulation is not held in the form requested. Since 1985 the total value of insulation work carried out and grants made in respect of the trunk road programme in England is estimated at £7 million. This figure includes insulation provided under regulations 3 and 4 and under regulation 5 against construction noise.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answers of 10 May,Official Report, column 217, and 30 April, Official Report, column 434, about energy consumption, what is the square footage of office space to which these figures relate.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Energy consumption and expenditure figures quoted in the answers of 10 May, Official Report, column 217, and 30 April, Official Report, column 434, relate to the total of 3,619,718 sq ft of accommodation occupied by the Department of Transport.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much was invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in the latest available year.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Of the order of 10 per cent. of its expenditure on energy is estimated to have been invested by the Department of Transport in energy efficiency measures in 1989–90.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Social Security
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many children claimed under the community grant heading of the social fund from 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990; and of these how many received payment at each of the social security offices in South Down.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  Social Fund Community Care Grants 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990

  Social Security Office

  Number of applications

  Number of awards

  Ballynahinch

  294

  103

  Banbridge

  734

  433

  Downpatrick

  858

  386

  Kilkeel

  255

  192

  Newcastle

  383

  216

  Newry

  2,432

  1,211

  Total (South Down)

  4,956

  2,541

  Teachers
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is made under local management of schools for cover teachers in the case of illness; what representations he has received concerning the relationship between this provision and the present practice of employing a substitute teacher on the third day of absence; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Under local management of schools the cost of substitute cover after the 20th day of a teacher's absence because of illness will not be a charge on a school's budget but will be met centrally. The cost of illness cover before this will fall to be met from the school's budget. Where substitute cover would not apply under the normal arrangements and the board of governors of a school has delegated responsibility for managing teacher costs, it is, of course, open to the school to use some of its budget to fund such cover.

  I have received one representation on this matter and have no plans to change the arrangements.

  Privacy
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement in respect of his response to the recommendations of the committee on privacy and related matters so far as they affect Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The terms of reference of the committee did not extend to Northern Ireland. We are considering whether the proposals might be appropriate for introduction in Northern Ireland.

  Terrorist Bomb Damage
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how payments to loss adjusters are calculated in Northern Ireland in respect of terrorist bomb damage.

  Mr. Cope
  Payments made to loss adjusters are in respect of fees. These are calculated in accordance with scales agreed with representatives of companies which act for the Northern Ireland Office in criminal damage claims. The fee payable in each case depends on the amount of compensation determined.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the report he has received from the Standing Advisory commission on Human Rights on religious and political discrimination and equality of opportunity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I am publishing the report today as a command paper (Cm. 1107) and copies have been laid before Parliament.

  The report "Religious and Political Discrimination and Equality of Opportunity in Northern Ireland: Second Report" concluded a major review by the commission of the laws and institutions dealing with religious and political discrimination and equality of opportunity in Northern Ireland. The commission's first report "Report on Fair Employment" was published as a command paper (Cm. 237) in 1987.
  155
  I am grateful to the commission for the considerable effort which has been devoted to the preparation of the report which I regard as a valuable one and a welcome contribution to how human rights might be further protected in Northern Ireland. It would be inappropriate of me to commit the Government to accepting the commission's recommendations before there has been an opportunity for these to be fully considered, but I am firmly committed to eradicating discrimination and ensuring equality of opportunity for everyone in Northern Ireland whatever their religious background. I shall therefore be giving the report and its detailed recommendations the very careful consideration they deserve before reaching any conclusions.

  Maternity Services
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy on the application of the reports of the maternity services advisory committee by health boards.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 19 June 1990]: The four health and social services boards in Northern Ireland have been asked to ensure that the recommendations made in the maternity services advisory committee reports are taken into account in the planning and organisation of maternity services in their areas.

  Bangor Post-primary School
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for what reason the South Eastern education and library board excluded all-ability, co-educational and integrated status for the proposed post-primary school for the Bangor area, in their current consultations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: It is a matter in the first instance for the South Eastern education and library board to decide the character and type of post-primary provision which will meet the best

  Percentage of planning decisions made within eight weeks, by planning authority

  Percentages

  Quarter of Decision

  Local Authority

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  4th

  1st

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  1st

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  1st

  2nd

  3rd

  Cannock Chase

  80

  73

  73

  82

  74

  74

  83

  82

  80

  75

  80

  60

  East Staffordshire

  88

  88

  88

  87

  89

  87

  90

  82

  74

  70

  75

  68

  Lichfield

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  54

  66

  53

  73

  66

  59

  57

  63

  57

  Newcastle Under Lyme

  92

  88

  97

  89

  92

  90

  91

  93

  85

  90

  86

  75

  South Staffordshire

  71

  72

  74

  56

  63

  60

  54

  48

  35

  40

  41

  37

  Stafford

  85

  86

  88

  90

  85

  81

  85

  78

  39

  22

  52

  71

  Staffordshire Moorlands

  39

  37

  45

  40

  42

  62

  63

  55

  48

  40

  29

  10

  Stoke on Trent

  74

  68

  76

  64

  67

  66

  73

  70

  69

  63

  63

  22

  Tamworth

  75

  76

  77

  79

  80

  81

  78

  77

  69

  68

  56

  68

  Peak Park1

  55

  54

  59

  58

  57

  68

  55

  49

  49

  51

  54

  38

  n/a=not available.

  1=This includes figures for areas outside Staffordshire.

  Lincolnshire County Council (Planning)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to change the regulations that allow local authorities to give themselves deemed planning consent.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Yes. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for South
  156
  educational interests of secondary age children in the Bangor area. The consultation which it carries out in this issue is a matter for the board.

ENVIRONMENT

  Nursery Schools
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have reduced nursery school places by more than 10 per cent. as a result of community charge capping.

  Mr. Portillo
  Although I have no information about whether authorities have reduced their nursery school places, I can say that the Government have proposed to cap only those councils which are budgeting to spend well in excess of what we believe it would be appropriate for them to spend.

  Searches
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the average length of time taken by each of the district councils in Staffordshire to undertake searches for solicitors in the four most recent three-month periods for which figures are available.

  Mr. Chope
  None.

  Planning Decisions
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the percentages of planning decisions made in four weeks, eight weeks, and 12 weeks by each of the district councils in Staffordshire and in the Peak District national park in the 12 most recent three-month periods for which figures are available.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Information on planning decisions made by local authorities is not collated in the format requested. The information which is available is listed in the table.

  Hams (Mr. Steen) on 7 February, Official Report, volume 166, column 638. I am currently considering responses to the consultation paper referred to in that reply.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to intervene in the case of Lincolnshire county council and its plan to grant planning permission contrary to structure plan policy, at
  157
  Surfleet near Spalding without any determination from South Holland district council.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My Department has issued a direction to Lincolnshire county council under article 14 of the Town and Country General Development Order 1988, preventing the council from deeming itself planning permission for this proposed development without special authorisation from the Secretary of State. A decision will be made in due course on whether to require the council to apply to the Secretary of State for planning permission for the development.

  Councillors (Pecuniary Interests)
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to amend circular 105/73 so as to dispense only those councillors who are not in rent arrears from the obligations and disabilities arising from the pecuniary interest provisions of the Local Government Act 1972.

  Mr. Portillo
  None. We consider that the general dispensation under circular 105/73 does not extend to councillors who are in rent arrears voting on questions relating to such arrears. There is, however, no reason why the existence of arrears, for which there may be a good explanation, should disable a councillor from speaking or voting on other questions of general housing policy.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when and in what manner he expects the London Docklands development corporation to publish its budget for the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The corporation will provide details of its expenditure programme for 1990–91 in its corporate plan to be published in September.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress his Department has made in its re-examination, in relation to the grant-related expenditure assessment for 1989–90, of the standard spending assessment for 1990–91 for Torbay.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has made it clear that he is willing to consider any fresh evidence on standard spending assessments before making decisions for 1991–92. Officials are currently discussing with the local authority associations the evidence which has been brought forward.

  Threatened Species
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will seek to secure an EC ban on the transit of threatened species through the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Trippier
  No. Such a ban would be inconsistent with the provisions of the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora and regulation EEC No. 3626/82.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the achievement of target completion dates in respect of BATNEEC notes for prescribed processes and scheduled processes under the Environmental Protection Bill.

  Mr. Trippier
  The production of BATNEEC notes is proceeding according to the programme for introducing integrated pollution control, a copy of which was placed in the Library on 26 April 1990.

  Particle and Fibre Board Industry
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment(a) if he will list the membership of the working party concerned with the particle and fibre board industry, indicating which members are (i) representatives of HMIP, (ii) representatives of local authorities, (iii) representatives of environmental or community groups and (iv) employed with the particle and fibre board industry; and (b) what criteria he used to determine the membership of the working party.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  (a) The membership of the working party is as follows:

  Dr. M. G. Bigg, HMIP

  Mr. A. S. Fidling, Glyndwr District Council

  Representatives of the particle board and fibre board industry

  Mr. T. Allison

  Mr. K. H. Bryant

  Mr. D. G. Duke-Evans

  Mr. N. F. Hodnett

  Mr. C. P. Towl

  Mr. R. Kenworth

  Mr. A. F. Kerr

  Mr. R. N. Stewart

  Mr. A. Twitchett

  In addition to the working party meetings discussions have taken place between Dr. M. G. Bigg and the following representatives of local authorities whose residents are affected by particle board and fibre board processes:

  Mr. A. Millie, North Devon District Council

  Mr. A. Fuller, Alyn and Deeside District Council

  Mr. S. Fraser, Cullinghame District Council

  Mr. D. Hubbick, Tynedale District Council

  Mr. N. Findlay, Coleraine District Council

  Mr. T. Rose, Sterling District Council

  Mr. A. Fidling, Glyndwr District Council

  In addition a meeting has been held with representatives of the following community groups:

  Central Scotland Environmental Action Group (CSEAG)

  The National Association for the Control of Chipboard Industry Pollution

  Chirk Residents Environmental Group (CREG)

  Mr. A. Fidling, Glyndwr District Council was also present at this meeting.

  (b) HMIP invited the local authority associations, local government professional institutions, and the industry to nominate members to serve on the working party. All the members nominated were appointed.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the terms of reference of the working party concerned with the particle and fibre board industry.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A group is preparing the first draft of the guidance for local authority air pollution
  159
  control of the manufacture of particle board and fibre board. The terms of reference of this group are to determine the appropriate techniques to meet the objectives set down in section 7(2)(a) of the Environmental Protection Bill.

  The objectives are: ensuring that in carrying on a prescribed process, the best available techniques not entailing excessive cost will be used:

  (i) for preventing the release of substances prescribed for air into air or, where that is not practicable by such means, for reducing the release of such substances to a minimum and for rendering harmless any such substances which are so released; and

  (ii) for rendering harmless any other substances which might cause harm if released into any environmental medium.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the re-appointment of the chairman of the London residuary body.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend has today re-appointed Sir Godfrey Taylor as chairman of the London residuary body for a further term from 12 August until 31 March 1993.

  The bulk of the London residuary body's remaining GLC-related property, rights and liabilities were transferred by order to the London boroughs and other functional successors on 30 March. This marked the virtual completion of the residuary body's highly

  Average weekly council rent (£)

  Rent as percentage of average male earnings2

  Rent as percentage of retirement pension

  single person

  married couple

  April 1987

  17·20

  8

  44

  27

  April 1988

  18·82

  8

  46

  29

  April 1989

  20·70

  8

  47

  30

  April 1990

  123·36

  8

  50

  31

  1 Provisional figure.

  2 Full time adult males whose pay is unaffected by absences.

  Frogs
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made so far in Leicester polytechnic's study of the population levels of frogs; when it expects to complete its research; and what assessment he has made of the implications for policy.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The Nature Conservancy Council advises me that it has contracted Leicester polytechnic to update a survey made in the early 1980s into the population status and trends of nine widespread species of amphibians and reptiles, including the common frog. Questionnaires have recently been circulated and the polytechnic is due to report to the Nature Conservancy Council in October.

  World Cup
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with his counterparts in other countries in connection with the monitoring of the behaviour of football fans in Italy for the World Cup competition; and if he will make a statement.
  160
  successful role in relation to the abolition of the GLC. Its main task now is to discharge the responsibilities which it has inherited as a consequence of the abolition of the ILEA.

  The re-appointment reflects the confidence of my right hon. Friends, the Secretaries of State for the Environment and for Education and Science, in Sir Godfrey's and his board's ability to complete the residuary body's new tasks by 31 March 1993.

  Council Rents
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the average English council rent level as a percentage of(a) average male earnings and (b) the national insurance retirement pension for a single pensioner and a pensioner couple in each of the years since 1987 for which figures are available.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 18 June 1990]: Average council rents expressed as a percentage of average earnings and national insurance retirement pension levels are notional calculations. In particular, it should be emphasised that council tenants whose sole income is a national insurance retirement pension would usually qualify for rent assistance through housing benefit and others with incomes from other sources may also qualify. For example, in 1988, 1.3 million retirement pensioners were receiving rent rebate from their local authority; the average value was £17.81 a week for pensioners receiving housing benefit and income support and £12.54 for pensioners receiving housing benefit only.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: I have held a number of discussions with the Italian authorities to assist them in making safety and security arrangements for England's participation in the tournament and for the appropriate monitoring of the behaviour of English supporters.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when officials or Ministers in his Department plan to meet officials of the Football Supporters Association in Italy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Officials from my Department have had meetings with the Football Supporters Association in connection with the World Cup both in England before the tournament began and in Italy during the England team's stay in Sardinia.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department has requested from the Football Supporters Association for use in assessing the behaviour of English football supporters at the World Cup tournament.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I have today given

  161
  to the hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing). My Department has not found it necessary to seek such information from the Football Supporters Association, as officials in Italy during the World Cup are able to provide me with a first-hand assessment.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what aid his Department has granted to the Football Supporters Association towards establishing its football embassy in Italy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: My Department welcomed the setting up of the Football Supporters Association advice centre in Sardinia in connection with England's participation in the World Cup. The question of Government financial assistance for the centre has not arisen.

  Geographic Information
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what actions have been taken by his Department following the receipt of the report by the Chorley committee on the handling of geographic information in 1987.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The Government's response to the report of the committee of inquiry chaired by Lord Chorley was published in February 1988. This document sets out the Government's reponse to each of the recommendations made by the Chorley committee and where these relate to the Department of the Environment my officials are actively engaged in carrying them forward.

  One of the key responses to the report of the Chorley committee has been the establishment of the Association of Geographic Information (AGI), the launch of which was attended by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Lewisham, East (Mr. Moynihan). The Department is a sponsor member of the AGI and is represented on its council.

  Environmental Assessment
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received concerning the relationship between article 1.5 of Council directive 85/337/EEC, on the environmental assessment of certain projects, and the private Bill procedure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: A number of representations have been received in the last two years about article 1.5 of directive 85/337/EEC on environmental assessment which provides that the directive shall not apply to projects, the details of which are adopted by a specific act of national legislation. The Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedures included in its 1988 report (HC 625 Session 1987–88) a recommendation that promoters of works Bills must deposit either an environmental statement or a certificate from the appropriate Secretary of State saying that an assessment is not necessary as the project does not fall within the scope of the directive. The Government have welcomed this recommendation and are consulting the authorities in both Houses about its implementation.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contacts he has had with the 162
  Commission of the European Communities concerning compliance by the United Kingdom with the requirements of Council directive 85/337/EEC on the assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment, in respect of works intended to be authorised by the private Bill procedure.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: In the case of the King's Cross Railway Bill currently before Parliament the EC Commission forwarded a complaint in January this year alleging that directive 85/337/EEC was being infringed. The Commission was advised in response on 27 February that, although those proposals were exempt from the provisions of the directive because they were contained in a private Bill, British Rail—the promoters—had produced an environmental statement voluntarily. The Commission was advised of the recommendation of the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedures in so far as it related to environmental assessment and the Government's acceptance of that particular recommendation.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any proposals for further regulations to implement Commission directive 85/337/EEC on environmental assessment.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: As indicated in the recent consultation document on "Private Bills and New Procedures" (Cm. 1110) environmental assessment requirements would be included in the new procedure proposed in that document. Apart from some regulations which are currently in preparation to complete implementation of directive 85/337/EEC in Northern Ireland, the Government have no proposals at present for further regulations relating to environmental assessment.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend paragraph 68 of "Environmental Assessment: A Guide to the Procedures", to give guidance to persons who could have obtained authorisation for proposed works by procedures under legislation to which the requirements of Council directive 85/337/EEC on environmental assessment have been applied by regulations, that private Bill procedure should not be seen as a possible means to avoiding the submission of an environmental statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: No. As the Joint Committee on Private Bill Procedures made clear in its report (HC 625), the private Bill procedure is not an alternative which is generally available to every developer since the purpose of the Bill must be one which cannot be effected without parliamentary authority. The procedure cannot therefore be chosen simply to avoid the need for environmental assessment. Paragraph 68 of the booklet "Environmental Assessment: a Guide to the Procedures" makes clear the Government's view that the promoter of a private Bill should provide an environmental statement if his project would otherwise require one.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to issue a revised statement of view as to legal requirements in connection with Council directive 85/337/EEC on environmental assessment published by his Department.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: I see no need for such a revision at present.

  Rented Housing
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the percentage of rented housing in the United Kingdom and other OECD countries.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer as 25 June 1990]: The available information is as follows:—

  Percentage of rented housing

  Year

  Australia

  32

  1986

  Austria

  50

  1981

  Belgium

  39

  1981

  Canada

  38

  1986

  Denmark

  44

  1987

  Finland

  39

  1980

  France

  49

  1984

  Germany

  59

  1985

  Greece

  28

  1982

  Iceland

  not available

  Ireland

  24

  1981

  Italy

  36

  1986

  Japan

  38

  1983

  Luxembourg

  40

  1981

  Netherlands

  56

  1985

  New Zealand

  29

  1980

  Portugal

  44

  1981

  Spain

  24

  1980

  Sweden

  43

  1985

  Switzerland

  70

  1980

  Turkey

  38

  1979

  United States

  36

  1987

  Yugoslavia

  not available

  Corresponding estimates for the United Kingdom are 42 per cent. for 1982 and 35 per cent. for 1988.

  Figures for the various countries are not all compiled on a comparable basis and should be interpreted with caution.

PRIME MINISTER

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

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has at present no plans to do so.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she is satisfied with co-ordination between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the Department of the Environment, the Department of Education and Science, and the Office of Arts and Libraries on the future of science at the natural history museum in south Kensington.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is satisfied with the degree of co-ordination between Government Departments over the future of science at the natural history museum.

  I understand that the museum is in discussion with the Government's chief scientific adviser and the Office of Arts
  164
  and Libraries about its position in relation to the United Kingdom science base. The Minister for the Arts has indicated that he will be calling a further meeting with the chairman of trustees and the museum's director to discuss the natural history museum's corporate strategy and these wider issues.

  European Community
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government plan to put proposals to other European Community states concerning the structure of the relationship between the European Parliament and the Commission of the European Community and the relationship of these two with national legislatures within the European Community.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  We are participating fully in the Community debate on institutional reform. In particular we believe the Commission should be more accountable to the European Parliament, especially on financial issues, and that closer links should be established between national and European Parliaments, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs explained to the House on 11 June.

  Boxley
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to make an official visit to Boxley.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has at present no plans to do so.

  Engagements
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 June.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 June.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 June.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 June.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 26 June.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is attending the European Council meeting in Dublin.

HEALTH

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

  Mr. Dorrell
  A list giving details of consultancies and projects for the years 1986–87 to 1989–90 has been placed in the Library.
  165
  Details prior to 1986–87 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The amount paid to individual consultants is subject to commercial confidentiality. Information on the outcome of each consultancy is not collated centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Studies prior to April 1989 were undertaken on behalf of the then Department of Health and Social Security; therefore some projects listed do not relate solely to health matters.

  Inequalities in Health
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he has taken to implement the recommendations of the Black report on inequalities in health; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since the publication of the Black report in 1980, a copy of which is available in the Library, a number of preventive and health promotion measures have been introduced. These have contributed to an overall improvement in the health of the nation and life expectancy and a reduction in infant mortality to an all-time low. Programmes for breast and cervical screening and vaccination and immunisation have been important factors along with targeted health promotion schemes by the Health Education Authority, such as the "Look After Your Heart Campaign". The Government will continue to promote the equitable distribution of health services throughout the country and ensure these are available to all.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research has been sponsored by his Department into social inequalities in health since the publication of the Black report by(a) the Medical Research Council, (b) the Economic and Social Research Council and (c) any other research body.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is the main public body funding research in this area. A major programme of work has been funded by the council at the centre for health economics, York, which covers studies on:intergenerational inequalities in health;
  gender and race inequalities;
  use of health status as an indicator of social position;
  and the role of health status in the process of social mobility.

  Other projects funded by ESRC include:
  development of new techniques for measuring inequality in health;
  an econometric technique to examine the relationship between individuals' states of health and socioeconomic factors such as housing conditions, income, occupation, education, employment status, and so on;
  restructuring health care provision in England: its spatial implication;
  and distributional consequences of changes in United Kingdom health policy.

  Maternity Services
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to advise district health authorities in England and Wales to take full account of the reports of the maternity services advisory committee when drawing up contracts for the maternity services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The maternity services advisory committee reports remain the basis of our 166
  policies for the delivery of maternity services. They should be used by health authorities to help them draw up contract specifications for these services. There is evidence that this is already happening.

  School Health Statistics
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what school health statistics are routinely gathered relating to the results of tests of hearing, vision and measures of height and weight; and if he will publish a list of data published as school health statistics.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There is a standard health authority school medical examination form on which height and weight are recorded with the results of tests and assessments of vision, hearing, locomotion, manipulation, speech/language and behaviour. It is for local health authorities to decide what aggregate statistics to publish from this information. Information of this detail is not collected centrally.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which persons or bodies may initiate the process to apply for the self-government of a hospital; and what measures are taken to seek to obtain the opinion of the majority of those affected by a decision to make an application.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Initial expressions of interest in NHS trust status may be made by any individual or group with links with an NHS unit. When applications for NHS trust status are submitted, following parliamentary approval of the necessary legislation, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will direct regional health authorities to consult such other bodies as the authority considers appropriate in addition to community health councils. In all cases this should include health authorities, staff, patients, GPs and the local community as well as other groups with a particular interest in the application.

  Royal National Institute for the Deaf
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman)Official Report, 24 April, columns 160–64, if he will provide details of the grant awarded to the Royal National Institute for the Deaf under section 64.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The grant was for the administrative expenses of the National Rubella Council (NRC) for which the director of finance of the Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) acts as honorary treasurer.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the health implications for humans of chronic exposure to pesticides.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Pesticides are approved for use by Ministers after receiving the advice of the Advisory Committee on Pesticides, which considers all relevant data including the possible effects of chronic exposures. If any significant adverse health effects are a possibility, approval is not recommended.

  Menopausal Clinics
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in England have menopausal clinics.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make extra funds available to regional health authorities to meet the costs of military assistance provided during the ambulance workers' dispute.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have no plans to make extra funds available. Regional health authorities are aware that contingencies of this nature must be met from within existing resources.

  Chrysoidine
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if chrysoidine has been investigated by the carcinogenic substances committee.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Committee on Carcinogenicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment has considered chrysoidine, a dye which has been used to colour maggots used by coarse fishermen, on a number of occasions in the past. At its meeting on 29 October 1985 when it was last reviewed the committee reaffirmed earlier advice that it would be prudent for anglers who wanted to use chrysoidine to avoid skin contact with the dye by, for example, using gloves when handling the dye or when baiting hooks with the dyed maggots. The Government conveyed this advice to the National Federation of Anglers and the angling press at the time.

  Civil Servants (Workplaces)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessments under Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken at all workplaces used by civil servants in his Department.

  Mr. Dorrell
  An initial assessment of potentially hazardous substances was made to comply with the regulations. This assessment is subject to continual review.

  Hospital Laundering
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health authorities that purchased their laundry services from other health authorities during 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply on competitive tendering on 1 March,Official Report, column 301, if he will explain how the figures relating to the savings generated by competitive tendering are calculated.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The detailed basis of calculating the annual saving made in consequence of tender action was left to district health authorities to determine. Generally 168
  previous annual costs were compared with the new costs following tender action inclusive of any redundancy or other similar additional costs averaged over the contract period.

  Liverpool RHA
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions his Department has had with Mr. G. R. Scaife, regional general manager of Liverpool regional health authority, on the subject of community health councils; and if he will list dates and any correspondence between his Department and Mr. Scaife on this subject.

  Mr. Dorrell
  As part of the process of planning for the NHS review, an official wrote to Mr. Scaife on 22 September 1989 about the future role of community health councils. Mr. Scaife discussed the subject very briefly with the Department on 5 October 1989 before responding constructively to this letter on 9 October. The Department's subsequent reply to Mr. Scaife was dated 22 November. We know of no other discussion between Mr. Scaife and the Department of Health on the subject of CHCs.

  Helicopter Emergency Services
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the progress of the study being conducted by regional ambulance officers into helicopter-borne emergency medical services;

  (2) if he intends to publish the results of the study into helicopter-borne emergency medical services.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The regional ambulance officers' working party on helicopter transport has reported. The report will be made available to the NHS.

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

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Statistics prior to 1April 1989 were not broken down by patient group. Since then family practitioner committees have collected data on sight tests paid for under the general ophthalmic services on a six-monthly basis. A total of 65,050 national health service sight tests for relatives of glaucoma sufferers were paid for in England during the period 1 April to 30 September 1989. This figure is based on a 2 per cent. sample of NHS sight test application forms processed by family practitioner committees. It does not take into account sight tests paid for after 1 April but conducted before that period.

  NHS Land Disposal
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the proceeds from the disposal of national health service land in the Trent region, and in each of the district health authorities in the Trent region for each of the past 11 years; and if he will list the reasons given for the disposal of that land.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested on disposal proceeds has been placed in the Library. The land and
  169
  property sold was surplus to requirements as a result of changes in service provision determined by local health authority management.

  The land sales exclude sites of less than an acre or £50,000 in value.

  Blood Supplies
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what information he has on hospitals which are currently short of blood supplies; and if he will list the name of the health authority in which they are located;

  (2) what steps he is taking to improve the supplies of blood to hospitals;

  (3) how much money is spent on advertising the need for blood donors to national health service hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Blood supplies can fluctuate but are at present satisfactory and there is no need for any hospital to cancel elective surgery due to shortage of blood.

  To maintain blood supplies the national blood transfusion service (NBTS) has been allocated a central publicity budget of £627,000 for the current financial year. This central funding is supplemented by regional health authorities for local publicity campaigns.

  The NBTS is constantly seeking better ways of matching supply and demand for blood. These include improved communications with blood donors to encourage more recruitment, retention and response to call-up; improved arrangements through the national directorate of the blood transfusion service to transfer blood when needed between regions; and improved communications between hospitals and transfusion centres so that demand may be foreseen and the level of supply planned in advance. However, the availability of blood ultimately depends on the good will and generosity of our blood donors. We are grateful to them.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the savings to each health authority within the Trent region which have resulted from each hospital closure during the last five years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is not held centrally.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the circulars and other documents of guidance he has issued on the workings, implementation or interpretation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The following documents which are available in the Library have been issued:Local Authority Circular LAC(89)/16: The Children Act 1989: Notice of Royal assent and the provisions to take immediate or early effect;
  Local Authority Circular LAC(89)/17: Social Services Training Support Programme: Financial Year 1990–91;
  Local Authority Circular LAC(90)/3: The Children Act 1989 (Admission of Hearsay Evidence) Order—Statutory Instrument 143/1990;
  Children Act 1989: Training Together—A Training and curriculum Model;
  An Introduction to the Children Act 1989;
  The Care of Children: Principles and Practice in regulations and Guidance:
  Children Act 1989 Consultation Paper No. 1—Secure Accommodation (Guidance and Regulations).

  Consultation paper No. 2—Policy and Standards of Day care and Educational Services (Guidance)—will be issued later this week; further consultation papers are being prepared, and will be issued shortly.

  In addition, the Department of Health produces "Implementation News", a monthly newsletter which provides a forum for the exchange of information about courses, conferences and seminars, training material, progress on implementation, news from the regions, and initiatives by local authorities and voluntary and other agencies. "Implementation News" is widely distributed to local authorities, voluntary and professional agencies and other relevant organisations.

  Bone Marrow Transplants
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the total number of bone marrow transplants carried out in the latest year for which figures are available at the Royal Marsden, Hammersmith, Westminster, Royal Free and Great Ormond Street hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally.

  Outcome Assessments
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he has any proposals to standardise outcome assessment in national health service trust hospitals;

  (2) whether he has any proposals to standardise outcome assessments in district health authority-managed hospitals.

  Hospital consultants in obstetrics and gynaecology showing numbers and whole time equivalents as at 30 September each year

  Year

  1988

  1987

  1986

  1985

  1984

  1983

  No.

  Wte.

  No.

  Wte.

  No.

  Wte.

  No.

  Wte.

  No.

  Wte.

  No.

  Wte.

  England

  753

  697·4

  747

  693·0

  743

  687·0

  729

  674·1

  721

  663·3

  703

  649·

  Northern

  63

  58·5

  63

  56·1

  64

  57·8

  64

  58·8

  60

  55·4

  60

  55·5

  Yorkshire

  59

  55·5

  57

  53·8

  63

  54·5

  60

  52·3

  56

  48·3

  53

  48·2

  Trent

  70

  60·3

  67

  58·6

  66

  57·5

  65

  57·1

  65

  56·6

  64

  55·2

  East Anglia

  31

  29·9

  31

  30·1

  31

  29·5

  32

  30·9

  32

  30·9

  31

  29·9

  North West Thames

  60

  50·6

  58

  51·5

  58

  50·5

  59

  49·2

  63

  51·3

  61

  49·3

  North East Thames

  79

  67·1

  79

  63·2

  78

  67·8

  76

  65·8

  79

  66·3

  81

  67·5

  South East Thames

  55

  50·2

  60

  53·8

  57

  50·9

  58

  51·6

  59

  51·6

  56

  49·3

  South West Thames

  42

  38·7

  42

  37·4

  43

  37·9

  44

  37·0

  42

  37·0

  44

  38·6

  Wessex

  42

  37·2

  40

  36·8

  40

  37·7

  37

  34·5

  38

  35·3

  37

  33·6

  Oxford

  38

  34·9

  36

  33·8

  35

  32·8

  35

  31·9

  33

  30·8

  30

  28·4

  South Western

  45

  39·7

  45

  39·8

  46

  38·0

  45

  39·2

  41

  35·7

  40

  34·4

  West Midlands

  74

  71·9

  76

  73·9

  71

  68·6

  68

  65·9

  67

  64·9

  62

  60·6

  Mersey

  38

  34·0

  39

  34·1

  35

  31·7

  35

  31·2

  35

  31·2

  36

  32·2

  North Western

  65

  62·2

  66

  63·7

  67

  63·3

  65

  61·2

  65

  61·2

  64

  60·4

  SHAs

  16

  6·9

  15

  6·3

  18

  8·5

  17

  7·3

  17

  6·8

  15

  7·0

  Source: Medical and Dental Census.

  (1) Includes permanent paid and honorary staff.

  (2) From 1987 Senior hospital Medical Officers (with allowance) are excluded. These are included with Other Staff.

  (3) Staff holding two or more appointments with the same of different regions are counted only once. Differences in the sum of numbers of staff for all regions is due to the duplication of staff holding appointments in more than one region. Such staff are included separately in each region. This duplication does not occur in the WTE component.

  GPs (Operations)
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any assessment has been undertaken on the benefits to out-patients' departments of requiring general practitioners to undertake all minor surgery operations, rather than a selection of such operations.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No, but it is a reasonable expectation that the more minor surgery that GPs can carry out in their own surgeries, the fewer visits patients will have to make to the out-patients' department (OPD) and the more time OPD doctors will have to respond to other patient care needs. There is a practical difficulty in assessing with any accuracy the effect of the new arrangements on out-patient departments. Once on the minor surgery list, a GP is not required to undertake every procedure in which he or she is competent every time a patient presents with the relevant condition. It has to be a matter of clinical judgment on the part of the GP as to what action to take in the light of the particular circumstances. Arrangements for monitoring the GPs'
  172
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Health authorities will he expected to assess outcomes in monitoring the contracts they make with providers of health services. The new purchasing role will give district health authorities strong incentives to move from specifying input to developing measures of health outcome. The Department is developing a methodology for outcome assessment, and guidance for health authorities to equip them to monitor outcome effectively.

  Obstetricians
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultant obstetricians are employed by the national health service in each regional health authority in England; and what is the number on a whole-time equivalent basis in the current year and in each of the past five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is given in the table:

  new contract will, in time, provide helpful information on the extent to which minor surgery has expanded in general practice.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the operations in which general practitioners are now required to have competence to qualify for inclusion in the minor surgery list; and whether there have been any changes from the original list in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The procedures in which GPs must be competent before gaining admission to the minor surgery list are set out in the table. There have been no changes to the original list which appeared as schedule 1B of the NHS (GMPS) Regulations 1974 (as amended). However, we have recently agreed to amend the list of procedures by removing ligation of varicose veins.

  Minor surgery procedures

  Injections

  intra articular

  peri articular

  varicose veins

  haemorrhoid

  173
  Aspirations

  joints

  cysts

  bursae

  hydrocele

  Incisions

  abcesses

  cysts

  thrombosed piles

  Excisions

  sebaceous cysts

  lipoma

  skin lesions for histology

  intradermal naevi, papilloma, dermatofibroma and similar conditions

  warts

  ganglions

  removal of toe nails (partial and complete)

  Currette cautery and cryocautery

  warts and verrucae

  other skin lesions (eg molluscum contagiosum)

  Other

  ligation of varicose veins

  removal of foreign bodies

  nasal cautery

  Family Planning
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will give the total number of family planning cases seen by general practitioners in 1982 and in the latest year for which figures are available in Greater London;

  (2) if he will give the total number of family planning cases treated at family planning clinics in 1982 and in the latest year for which figures are available in each health district in Greater London.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In 1982, a total of 295,383 women received contraceptive services from general practitioners in Greater London compared with 374,560 in 1988.

  In 1982, the number of people seen in family planning clinics in Greater London was 353,320 compared with 294,629 in 1988–89. The breakdown for each district health authority in Greater London is shown in the following table:

  Number of family planning cases seen at family planning clinics

  1982

  1988–89

  Barnet

  14,355

  8,586

  Harrow

  9,599

  7,699

  Hillingdon

  10,701

  4,460

  Hounslow and Spelthorne

  14,903

  12,584

  Ealing

  8,572

  11,887

  Riverside

  20,694

  15,224

  Parkside

  22,490

  18,658

  Barking/Havering/Brentwood

  14,826

  12,830

  Hampstead

  3,992

  3,080

  Bloomsbury

  26,915

  27,393

  Islington

  11,653

  10,383

  City and Hackney

  10,453

  6,712

  Newham

  6,379

  3,936

  Tower Hamlets

  6,659

  4,953

  Enfield

  10,253

  3,987

  Haringey

  10,341

  10,819

  Redbridge

  6,193

  5,382

  Waltham Forest

  7,017

  6,049

  Dartford and Gravesham

  5,529

  960

  Bexley

  9,301

  5,182

  Greenwich

  8,256

  5,878

  174

  1982

  1988–89

  Bromley

  10,529

  9,316

  West Lambeth

  2,001

  6,796

  Camberwell

  6,911

  10,687

  Lewisham and North Southwark

  25,283

  23,287

  Croydon

  16,783

  12,132

  Kingston and Esher

  7,690

  4,613

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  11,715

  8,210

  Wandsworth

  16,659

  16,529

  Merton and Sutton

  14,745

  16,417

  Hammersmith special health authority

  1,923

  0

  GREATER LONDON TOTAL

  353,320

  294,629

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds were closed in each region for 1989–90, 1988–89 and for the latest six months.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Centrally held statistics record only beds available at the end of each financial year. Comparing year-end figures does not provide a measure of beds closed because the published figures are also affected by new beds opening or reopening during the year. The information requested is therefore not available centrally.

  Cervical Smear Test
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the total number of cervical smear tests carried out in the latest year for which figures are available in each of the four Thames regions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the number of smears examined by NHS laboratories in each of the Thames regions is given in the table. Smears taken from women in a particular region are sometimes analysed by laboratories in other regions.

  Cervical Cytology—Number of Smears Examined

  Regional Health Authority

  1987–88

  1 1988–89

  North West Thames

  317,000

  375,000

  North East Thames

  325,000

  326,000

  South East Thames

  317,000

  326,000

  South West Thames

  248,000

  267,000

  1 Provisional

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the number of general practices and general practitioners in each district health authority area within the Northern region; and what is the number of such general practices and general practitioners that have expressed an interest in becoming practice budget holders.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on numbers of general practices in each district health authority is not available centrally. The latest figures for the numbers of practices and general practitioners in Northern region by family practitioner committee are given in the table. A total of 65 practices in Northern region expressed their interest in the fund holding scheme and the regional health authority announced on 27 March 1990 that 31 practices which met the eligibility criteria will be undertaking the necessary preparatory work for the fund holding scheme.
  175

  Breakdown of the number of practices and unrestricted principals by family practitioner committee in the Northern region as at 1 October 1987

  Family practitioner committee

  Number of practices

  Number of general practitioners

  Cleveland

  83

  273

  Cumbria

  100

  269

  Durham

  83

  289

  Northumberland

  50

  165

  Gateshead

  34

  109

  Newcastle

  50

  156

  North Tyneside

  34

  102

  South Tyneside

  31

  79

  Sunderland

  53

  142

  518

  1,584

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 May,Official Report, column 535, whether the discussions with Ordnance Survey concerning general practitioners' practice leaflets have yet been concluded.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. A circular clarifying the position will be issued to all family practitioner committees shortly

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the necessary computer software packages for the management of general practitioner practice budgets will be available; and what Government subsidies will be paid to computer companies for the development of appropriate software packages.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 25 June.

  Coronary Heart Disease
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the standard mortality ratios for coronary heart disease for(a) women and (b) men aged 15 to 64 years in each district health authority area and each regional health authority in England.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information covering the years 1983–87, for men and women aged 15 to 64 years, has just been published in a report from the Health Education Authority, "Mapping the Epidemic—Coronary Heart Disease". Copies are available in the Library.

  Family Practitioner Committees
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the existing membership of family practitioner committees will be kept in place with full responsibility until 31 March 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is our intention that regulations ending family practitioner committees and commencing family health services authorities will be laid shortly after the National Health Service and Community Care Bill receives Royal Assent.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money is likely to be spent in each of the next five years in administering the indicative prescribing scheme under the proposed national health service reforms.
  176
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The indicative prescribing scheme should lead to more effective and efficient prescribing by GPs, the cost of which is currently £1.8 billion per annum. The scheme will require a "one-off" capital investment of around £7 million and have a recurring cost of around £7.5 million per annum at current prices.

  Capital Assets
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all district health authorities which have now completed their register of capital assets; and if he will give the number of entries made on each register.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Most district health authorities had completed their asset registers by the end of May 1990. The few authorities which had not achieved completion of registers by that date are expected to have done so by the end of June. The number of entries made on each register cannot be given as this information is not held centrally.

  Erythropoietin
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if it is his intention to make Erythropoietin, when it receives a full licence, freely available to doctors to prescribe for any patient for whom it is appropriate.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Erythropoietin has received a licence, as announced in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller) on 11 June at column 39.

  Responsibility for funding hospital prescribing of this product is for the health authorities concerned. General practitioners are also free to prescribe erythropoietin provided they are content to accept clinical responsibility for that aspect of the patient's care.

  Encephalopathies
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has yet established if the infective agent responsible for human encephalopathies can be transferred subcutaneously; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A small number of cases of the human spongiform encephalopathy, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease, can be attributed to inadvertent transmission by transplantation of nervous tissue and corneas and the use of dura mater and human growth hormone. Similar information is not available for kuru, another human spongiform encephalopathy that at one time was common in certain tribes in New Guinea.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being undertaken to establish any possible connections between Alzheimer's disease and human spongiform encephalopathies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department of Health has not commissioned any such research. The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main Government agency for the promotion of medical and biomedical research in the United Kingdom. The MRC receives its grant in aid from the Department of Education and Science.

  Drug Expenditure
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health wht is the expenditure figure allowed for drug expenditure in the family practitioner service in real terms in 1991–92 as stated in paragraph 3.1 of the document, "Improving Prescribing—Working for Patients".

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The public expenditure White Paper shows that gross expenditure on the family practitioner services as a whole in 1991–92 will be £6,520 million, an increase of 3.9 per cent. in real terms over the previous year.

  The numbers given for 1991–92 onwards are planning figures only and are subject to revision. To quote disaggregated figures, for example, for drugs alone, would therefore be misleading. Firm expenditure plans for 1991–92 are being discussed in this year's public expenditure survey, and the outcome will be published in due course.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the financial implications in terms of dispensing fees of the Boots monitored dosage system.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Monitored dosage systems have no financial implications in terms of dispensing fees.

  Medicines Resource Centre
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the anticipated annual cost of the medicines resource centre.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The medicines resource centre cost £250,000 in 1989–90. We expect costs of the same order annually for the following three years up to 1992–93.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people will be employed by the medicines resource centre.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The medicines resource centre employs four staff—three pharmacists (including the director) and one secretary.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the first medicines resource centre bulletin will be issued; and how often they will appear.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The first medicines resource centre bulletin was issued during the week commencing 11 June. All GPs should by now have received a copy. The medicines resources centre bulletins will be issued monthly.

  Leeds University (Prescribing Unit)
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the anticipated annual cost of the prescribing unit at the department of general practice at Leeds university.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The detailed scope of the work to be undertaken by the prescribing unit and the costs are still under discussion.

  Regional Health Authority Budgets
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings each regional health authority is having to make in the current year in order to have the required balanced budget for financial year 1991–92.
  178
  Mr. Dorrell
  It is essential for health authorities to establish a sound financial position in 1991–92. Elimination of underlying deficits has been made a priority in the current financial year. Measures to be taken by individual health authorities are for agreement between the region and district concerned.

  Cervical Cancer Tests
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for every month in each of the last two years the district health authorities not meeting the one-month target for cervical cancer test turnround time; and if he will state the time taken in each of those authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 12 June 1990]: Health authorities must aim to return the results of cervical smear tests to the doctor who undertook them within one month. Since December 1989 around 80 per cent. of districts have been meeting the target. A table of district health authorities not meeting this target over the past two years has been placed in the Library. The average processing times are shown in weeks. Since June 1988 this information has been collected on a quarterly rather than a monthly basis.

  Blood Supplies
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if operating costs of the blood transfusion service are currently covered by a standard national charge for each unit.

  Mr. Dorrell
  At present in 12 of the 14 English regions no charges are made by the national blood transfusion service (NBTS) to national health service hospitals for operating costs. The remaining two regions have introduced arrangements by which the operating costs are recovered in proportion to the district's demands on the regional transfusion centre (RTC) for blood supplies. The reimbursement to the RTCs will not include any element for the blood itself. This is freely donated by voluntary donors to whom we are all indebted.

  There are, however, standard national blood handling charges designed to recover the costs incurred in supplying non-NHS hospitals with blood and blood derivatives. Again, these charges do not include any element for the blood itself which is donated free of charge to the NBTS for use where needed.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Discipline
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to bring to the attention of prisoners the alteration in prison rule 47 made in 1989; and when the booklet made available to prisoners concerning matters relating to discipline was last revised.

  Mr. Mellor
  Circular instruction 25/1989, issued in June 1989, advised governors that information should be made available to prisoners about the change made to the disciplinary rules on 1 April 1989 and asked them to consider what steps they needed to take for this purpose. An extract from the new rules was also sent to prison establishments in March 1989 for inclusion in the manual on the conduct of adjudications, a copy of which is
  179
  available to prisoners in every prison library and which they may purchase if they wish. A revised prisoner information booklet containing details of the new code of offences will be circulated shortly; the booklet was previously revised in 1986.

  Departmental Research (Expenditure)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Waddington
  Details of the proportion of research awarded on a customer-contractor basis are not held centrally and could not he obtained without disproportionate cost. The information shown in the table relates to research and development. Variations in the percentages shown in column 3 are attributable in part to changes in the scope and classification of departmental expenditure.

  (1)

  (2)

  (3)

  Year

  Amount spent on research and development

  (2) as percentage of total Home Office cash limited expenditure or equivalent

  £ million

  1979–80

  6·1

  1·43

  1980–81

  8·7

  1·48

  1981–82

  11·2

  1·75

  1982–83

  12·2

  1·77

  1983–84

  12·7

  1·59

  1984–85

  13·2

  1·56

  1985–86

  13·7

  1·50

  1986–87

  13·3

  1·28

  1987–88

  14·2

  1·24

  1988–891

  13·3

  0·98

  1 Provisional.

  Police (Training and Promotion)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review methods of training and promotion in the police forces in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Over the past three years there has been a comprehensive review of police training in England and Wales, which has led to the introduction of new training courses for recruits, experienced constables, sergeants and inspectors. The programme of command and carousel courses at the police staff college has also been revised and updated.

  The system of qualifying examinations for promotion to the ranks of sergeant and inspector has recently been reviewed by the police promotion examinations board. The main recommendation of that review is that the existing system of examinations should be replaced by a two-part examination, consisting of a factual written paper and a series of performance-related tests.

  Promotion to the ranks of chief inspector, superintendent and chief superintendent is a matter for the chief officer of the force concerned. For the most senior appointments the Government share the Home Affairs Committee's view that it would be desirable for all officers appointed to chief officer rank to have attended the senior command course or to have had acceptable equivalent
  180
  training such as the chief police officer course which is to be held at the police staff college in 1991 and 1992. We intend to introduce this as a general policy when sufficient numbers have pased through the senior command course and chief police officer course to provide a good field of qualified candidates.

  Prisoners (Drugs)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest information available to him about the prevalence of the illegal taking of drugs by injection in Her Majesty's prisons.

  Mr. Mellor
  Reports of finds of needles and syringes and of substances such as heroin and cocaine suggest that the incidence of drug misuse by injection in establishments is relatively low. Over 90 per cent. of finds of substances involve cannabis and only 3 per cent. heroin and cocaine. The results of research studies which have been conducted, including those recently reported in the British Medical Journal, need to be treated with some caution because of the small size of the samples. But we are studying the findings. As my hon. Friend is aware, we are considering whether some form of screening, whether for clinical or control purposes, should be introduced, and we are looking at other means to assist in assessing the scale of misuse.

  Immigration and Nationality Department
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to introduce(a) computerised file tracking in the immigration and nationality department and (b) computerisation of the immigration appellate authorities.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The immigration and nationality department plans to start implementation of the file tracking system in December 1990. Responsibility for the immigration appellate authorities rests with my right hon. and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports and letters were awaiting acknowledgement in the B1 division of the immigration and nationality department on(a) 28 March, (b) 27 April and (c) 31 May.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of passports and letters in IND awaiting acknowledgement was 3,471 on 30 March; 5,134 on 27 April; and 4,437 on 1 June. On 1 June the waiting period before acknowledgement was two working days for passports and four for letters.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the standard cost of processing applications in respect of citizenship applications.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Fees for citizenship applications are set at a level intended to cover processing costs. The present fees, set in 1986, are:

  £

  Registration

  60

  Naturalisation on grounds of residence

  170

  Naturalisation as the spouse of a British citizen

  60

  These fees are under review to take account of prevailing cost levels.
  181
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to review staffing levels at the immigration and nationality department in Lunar house; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Staffing levels at the IND in Lunar house are reviewed regularly in the light of up-to-date workload, staffing and financial information. In the process of review the Government will also be taking account of the recommendations about staffing levels at IND made by the Home Affairs Committee in its fifth report on "Administrative Delays in the Immigration and Nationality Department", published on Wednesday 20 June. The Government's formal response to these, and the other recommendations in the committee's report, will be made in due course.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time between receipt of application for naturalisation in the immigration and nationality department and determination of such applications as at 31 May or the nearest available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Stretford (Mr. Lloyd) on 20 June at column 574.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many letters currently await acknowledgement by the immigration and nationality department; what is the comparable figure for each quarter since 1 January 1988; what is the average time taken by the immigration and nationality department to acknowledge correspondence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 15 June the number of items of mail awaiting acknowledgement in IND was 4,850. The comparable figures for each quarter since 1988 were:

  Items of mail awaiting acknowledgement

  1988

  1989

  1990

  January

  181,892

  1,228

  5,622

  April

  122,546

  4,523

  3,774

  July

  1,086

  2,165

  —

  October

  3,126

  5,844

  —

  On average letters are being acknowledged within three days and citizenship applications within seven days of receipt in the Department.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many cases in the past year the immigration and nationality department has admitted to the loss of a case file; in how many cases applicants in all categories have been asked to re-submit documents when the originals were lost or mislaid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the categories of application received by the immigration and nationality department and (b) the number of applications, in each category, which are currently (i) unopened, (ii) allocated to a caseworker, (iii) subject to inquiry, (iv) decision recommended and (v) awaiting dispatch; and if he will make a statement.
  182
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The principal categories of applications received by IND are:

  Variation of leave

  Refugee status

  Political asylum

  Referred entry clearance

  Travel documents

  Re-entry visas

  Citizenship applications

  The information requested at (b) is not fully or readily available. I shall reply as soon as possible providing such information as is available.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is now able to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East enclosing one from Mrs. C. D. Scott sent to him on 11 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A number of right hon. and hon. Members have written to my Department on behalf of Mrs. Scott and all have received a reply. However, we have no record of a letter being received, on behalf of Mrs. Scott, from the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist).

  I have today received a facsimile copy of the hon. Member's letter, and enclosure, and will reply promptly.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for the latest date available what percentage of sentenced female prisoners had been convicted of an offence which involved violence, robbery, sex or drug trafficking;

  (2) how many and what percentage of male and female prisoners in England and Wales are accused of, or have been convicted of, drug-related offences.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The latest readily available information relates to the sentenced population and is published in table 8 of "The Prison Population in 1989", Home Office statistical bulletin 12/90, copies of which are in the Library. Offences of drug trafficking are not separately identified.

  Female Prisoners
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for the latest date available how many female prisoners in England and Wales were serving a prison sentence that was(a) less than six months and (b) between six but less than 12 months;

  (2) for the latest date available how many female prisoners in England and Wales were serving their sentences because of a fine default.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The latest readily available information is given in the table.
  183

  Population1 of females under sentence in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 30 June 1989: by sentence length and type of sentence

  Type of sentence

  Length of sentence

  Immediate custodial

  In default of payment of fine

  All types

  Under 6 months

  82

  24

  106

  6 months and under 12 months

  143

  —

  143

  12 months and over

  1,030

  —

  1,030

  All lengths

  1,255

  24

  1,279

  1 Provisional figures.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the latest date available; how many probation psychiatric voluntary hostel places were available in England and Wales for female offenders.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: There are 91 beds funded by the Home Office for use by the probation service in voluntary after-care hotels dealing with ex-offenders with histories of mental illness or personality disorder. Only two of these beds are designated specifically for female offenders, but the remainder would be available to them.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for the latest date available what was(a) the weekly cost for a female probation hostel place and (b) the average weekly cost of a female prison place.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: There are no hostels taking only women on probation, although there are two probation-bail hostels designated for women offenders and defendants. Other probation-bail hostels accept men and women, but the costs relating to women cannot be disaggregated.

  From information available for 1988–89 for those hostels which took women only the average weekly cost per occupied place was £152. This compares with an average weekly cost in 1988–89 of £155 per occupied place in all probation-bail and bail hostels. The average weekly cost of a place at a women's prison establishment in 1988–89 was £399.

EMPLOYMENT

  Pre-entry Closed Shop
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects the provisions contained in the Employment Bill to outlaw the pre-entry closed shop to take full statutory effect.

  Mr. Howard
  The Employment Bill, which is currently being considered in another place, includes provisions which will make it unlawful for an employer to refuse to employ a person because he is, or is not, a member of a trade union. We expect the Bill to become law before the end of this Session and intend that individuals seeking employment should have the benefit of this important protection as soon as is practicable after Royal Assent.

  Work Permits
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he intends to bring forward as a result of his Department's review of the work permit scheme.
  184
  Mr. Nicholls
  I am discussing with colleagues the implications of my Department's review of the work permit scheme before making proposals.

  Industrial Training
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary for State of Employment what plans he has to improve the quality of industrial training.

  Mr. Howard
  Employer-led training and enterprise councils (TECs) are being set up all round the country with the primary responsibility of improving training performance within their local labour market. In addition, industry training organisations have a major role in establishing recognised standards and promoting them within their sector.

  Labour Statistics
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the total unemployment figures and the rate of unemployment in May 1990, and May 1980.

  Mr. Howard
  In May 1990, the seasonally adjusted level of unemployment in the United Kingdom was 1,611,000 or 5.7 per cent. of the work force, compared with a level of 1,224,400 in May 1980 or 4.6 per cent. of the work force.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of unemployed in 1979; and what it is now.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990 the level of unemployed, seasonally adjusted, in the United Kingdom, was 1,611,000 or 5.7 per cent. compared with 1,088,500 or 4.1 per cent., in May 1979 on the consistent basis.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the unemployment rate in the northern region in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990, the rate of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the north region was 8.5 per cent., compared with 10.4 per cent. in May 1989 and 12.4 per cent. in May 1988.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people in Lambeth below the age of 18 years are unemployed and not in training or in full-time education.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990 the number of unemployed claimants aged under 18 in the Lambeth local authority district was three.

  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the figure for unemployment in the west midlands in(a) 1980 and (b)

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990 the level of unemployment, seasonally adjusted, in the west midlands, was 149,300 or 5.8 per cent., compared with 119,000 or 4.7 per cent. in May 1980 on the consistent basis.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are employed in the Rugby-Daventry travel-to-work area; and what was the figure three years ago.
  185
  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest available employment estimates for travel-to-work areas are from the September 1987 census of employment. There were then 46,200 employees in employment in the Rugby and Daventry travel-to-work area. This compares with a figure of 46,100 in September 1984 when the previous census of employment was taken. The figures exclude the self-employed and members of Her Majesty's forces.

  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by how much unemployment has fallen in Cumbria since June 1987.

  Civilian work force in employment in each standard region of the United Kingdom

  Thousands1

  June 1979

  December 19892

  Males3 total

  Females total

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Males3 total

  Females total

  Full-time

  Part-time

  South East

  4,839

  3,285

  2,006

  1,279

  5,019

  4,152

  2,659

  1,492

  East Anglia

  481

  300

  178

  122

  537

  405

  243

  162

  South West

  1,032

  712

  417

  295

  1,151

  926

  538

  388

  West Midlands

  1,452

  920

  550

  370

  1,357

  1,055

  616

  439

  East Midlands

  1,013

  658

  393

  265

  1,024

  826

  474

  352

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1,302

  842

  480

  362

  1,189

  966

  530

  436

  North West

  1,700

  1,190

  719

  471

  1,571

  1,295

  754

  541

  North

  802

  522

  314

  208

  714

  573

  313

  260

  Wales

  716

  441

  276

  165

  686

  528

  311

  217

  Scotland

  1,333

  929

  597

  332

  1,254

  1,027

  618

  410

  Great Britain

  14,677

  9,803

  5,789

  4,015

  14,504

  11,752

  6,705

  5,047

  Northern Ireland4

  359

  239

  n/a

  n/a

  329

  262

  n/a

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  15,036

  10,042

  n/a

  n/a

  14,833

  12,014

  n/a

  n/a

  1 Unadjusted for seasonal variation.

  2 Latest available.

  3 Regional full-time and part-time breakdown for males is not available.

  4 Figures for full and part-time employment are not available for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent initiatives he has implemented to reduce unemployment.

  Mr. Tim Eggar
  My Department's aim is to support economic growth through promoting a competitive, efficient and flexible labour market. As a result many of the initiatives that we implement will help to reduce unemployment either directly—through giving more effective help to unemployed people to help them find work, or improve their chances of doing so—or indirectly, by improving the working of the labour market in other ways and removing barriers to employment.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his estimate of the proportion of new jobs created during the last five years which are of part-time and low-paid character.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Between December 1984 and December 1989, part-time employment in Great Britain rose by 965,000. This represented 37 per cent. of the increase in the work force in employment.

  There is no official definition of low pay.

  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the latest unemployment figures for Sheffield expressed as a percentage; and what is the national average.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In May 1990, the unemployment rate for the Sheffield travel-to-work area was 8.1 per cent. on the unadjusted basis. The comparable figure for the United Kingdom was 5.5 per cent.
  186
  Mr. Nicholls
  Since June 1987, the number of unemployed claimants in the county of Cumbria has fallen by 9,292 or 48 per cent. on the unadjusted basis. Direct comparisons are slightly affected by the change in benefit regulations for under 18-year-olds in September 1988.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and how many women(a) full and (b) part-time there were in employment in each standard planning region in the United Kingdom in June 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is as follows:

  Tourism
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the provision of accommodation within the tourist industry after the introduction of the poll tax.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of representations from a wide cross-section of the tourism industry on the possible effects of the introduction of the community charge and the uniform business rate.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many tourists from the United States of America have visited the United Kingdom for each year since 1985.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The estimated number of visits to the United Kingdom by residents of the United States of America for the years 1985–89 are as follows:

  Number of visits

  1985

  3,166,000

  1986

  2,288,000

  1987

  2,800,000

  1988

  2,620,000

  1989

  2,814,000

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to reinstate section 4 grants in England.
  187
  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no such plans.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the chairman of the Heart of England tourist board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not met the chairman of Heart of England tourist board, but my noble Friend Lord Strathclyde, the Minister with responsibility for tourism, has met members and officers of the Heart of England board during visits to the region, and hopes shortly to have an opportunity of a discussion with its chairman.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many holidays in the United Kingdom were taken by United Kingdom citizens in 1989.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The latest estimates show that United Kingdom residents took 64.5 million holidays in the United Kingdom in 1989.

  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to promote tourism in Essex.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the year beginning 1 April 1990 the East Anglia tourist board will receive a subvention of £410,000 from the English tourist board, 66 per cent. more than in the previous year. The East Anglia tourist board is working on a number of initiatives, in partnership with local authorities and the private sector, which will benefit tourism in Essex.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Government's review of tourism.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply of 28 November 1989 by the then Secretary of State to my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Yardley (Mr. Bevan),Official Report, column 212.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has recently met the chair of the British Tourist Authority and English tourist board to discuss tourism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and my noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for tourism regularly meet the chairman to discuss matters relating to tourism. The two boards are implementing the outcome of the review of tourism policy and their total grant in aid has increased by 10 per cent. compared to the amount in the last financial year.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many overseas visits to the United Kingdom were made in the first quarter of 1990.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Overseas residents made an estimated 3,510,000 visits to the United Kingdom during the first three months of 1990, 4 per cent. higher than in the equivalent period of 1989.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were self-employed in tourism-related industries in(a) 1983 and (b)

  Mr. Nicholls
  The available information is published in the footnote to table 8.1 of the June 1990 issue of Employment Gazette.
  188
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of overseas visitors to the United Kingdom, and the income generated from such tourist activity, during the first three months of 1990; and what were the comparable figures for 1989.

  Mr Nicholls
  It is estimated that overseas residents made 3,510,000 visits to the United Kingdom during the first three months of 1990, 4 per cent. higher than in the equivalent period of 1989. Spending in the United Kingdom by overseas visitors in the same period is estimated to be £1,305 million, 10 per cent. higher than in 1988.

  Industrial Action
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those years since 1960 with a greater number of stoppages due to industrial action than 1989.

  Mr Howard
  The year 1989 had the lowest number of stoppages for over half a century.

  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals to alter the legislation concerning secondary industrial action.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The March 1989 Green Paper "Removing Barriers to Employment" (Cm. 655) proposed changes to the present law to make it unlawful to induce industrial action by workers of an employer not party to a trade dispute except in the case of lawful picketing. The current Employment Bill, which had its Second Reading in another place on 15 June, contains provisions which will bring those changes into effect.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of stoppages due to industrial action in(a) 1977, (b) 1978, (c) 1979, (d) 1987, (e) 1988 and (f)

  Mr. Nicholls
  The recorded number of stoppages due to industrial action is given in the table:

  Year

  Number of stoppages

  1977

  2,737

  1978

  2,498

  1979

  2,125

  1987

  1,016

  1988

  781

  1989

  701

  Jobcentre, Hackney
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to visit the jobcentre on Mare street, Hackney.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no such plans at present.

  Employee Share Ownership
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to help promote among his European Community counterparts the introduction on a European Community-wide level of employee share ownership trusts.
  189
  Mr. Howard
  Our publication "People and Companies" has been widely distributed round the European Community to draw the attention of our counterparts to the merits of our approach to employee involvement, including employee share ownership trusts.

  Part-time Work
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement concerning the proposals for a European Community directive concerning part-time work.

  Mr. Howard
  The proposed directives on part-time and temporary work are misguided and unnecessary. They would damage job prospects in Britain and right across Europe. They are in conflict with the well-established principle of European Community legislation that issues which are best dealt with at national level should be left to member states to decide. We shall oppose the directives vigorously.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Lee
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training and enterprise councils have now signed their operational contracts.

  Mr. Howard
  Fifteen training and enterprise councils have now signed operating contracts.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what role the Government envisage within the training and enterprise councils for those agencies in the voluntary sector which have participated in Government-initiated training schemes.

  Mr. Eggar
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are free to contract with the training providers they feel are best placed to deliver their plans, based on the needs they have identified. Training providers from the voluntary sector are likely to continue to have an important role in the delivery of programmes such as youth training (YT) and employment training (ET), particularly in relation to trainees with special needs.

  Newspaper Industry (Disputes)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received regarding current disputes in the newspaper industry.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Representations have been received from the National Union of Journalists about various disputes in the newspaper industry concerning trade union recognition.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Health and Safety Commission's annual report 1988–89.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Members for Edinburgh, East (Mr. Strang) and for Barnsley, West and Penistone, (Mr. McKay),Official Report, 13 March 1990, cols. 147–48 and 149–50.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with the Health and Safety Executive on resources.
  190
  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. and learned Friend has had no such discussions. Officials keep in regular contact with the staff of the Health and Safety Executive over a variety of matters including resources.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take steps to improve the employment prospects of disabled people.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new measures he intends to introduce to enable people with disabilities to participate fully in the work force.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department already maintains a comprehensive framework of services to help people with disabilities find and retain jobs. The adequacy of current measures to help people with disabilities to participate fully in the work force has been considered in the review of services for people with disabilities which my Department has just undertaken. We will be publishing the consultative document giving the results of the review within the next few days.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any plans to alter the 3 per cent. quota provision for the employment of people with disabilities.

  Mr. Eggar
  All aspects of the quota scheme have been considered in the review of services to people with disabilities which my Department has just undertaken. We will be publishing the consultative document giving the results of the review within the next few days.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his proposals for the future of the quota system in respect of the employment of people with disabilities.

  Mr. Eggar
  All aspects of the quota scheme have been considered in the review of services to people with disabilities which my Department has just undertaken. We will be publishing the consultative document giving the results of the review within the next few days.

  Civil Servants (Buy-outs)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what buy-outs by civil servants in his Department are currently being considered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I have taken no decision to privatise any further areas of my Department's activities. Therefore, I am not considering any buy-outs by civil servants.

  Long-term Unemployed (Training)
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further measures he intends to introduce to enable the long-term unemployed to receive training.

  Mr. Eggar
  Employment training already provides a full range of opportunities for all long-term unemployed people to acquire the skills and experience they need to
  191
  compete for jobs. The flexibilities available to training and enterprise councils in delivering employment training will ensure that training provision will be even more responsive to local needs.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of employment training.

  Mr. Eggar
  The flexibilities which training and enterprise councils in England and Wales and local enterprise companies in Scotland will have in delivering employment training will make it even more responsive to the training needs of both individuals and employers in local labour markets and further reinforce its success in helping long-term unemployed people to get jobs.

  Training (Young People)
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends further to encourage training for young people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The new youth training arrangements which build on the success of YTS will deliver relevant vocational training for young people to enable them to achieve recognised qualifications. The training credits pilot schemes announced on 27 March 1990 will have the potential of strengthening the motivation of young people to seek continued education and training after leaving school. The compact initiative is helping to encourage training for young people in urban programme authority areas by guaranteeing a job with training or training leading to a job to all young people who meet their locally agreed goals.

  Construction Industry (Safety)
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to improve safety in the construction industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Prime responsibility for health and safety rests with employers and employees in the workplace. As part of a continuing process to promote long-lasting change in the industry, the Health and Safety Commission has proposed regulations to:

  (a) strengthen management of health and safety on construction sites;

  (b) require all employers with more than five employees to obtain relevant safety advice.

  The Health and Safety Executive is also targeting inspection activity where it will be most effective. Inspectors will focus on more hazardous activities like roofwork and demolition and on the quality of site management and its ability to manage health and safety.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees have been killed and injured on construction sites in the past five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is set out in the following table:
  192

  Injuries to employees in the construction industry reported to all HSC/E enforcing authorities 1984 to 1988–891 3

  Date of accident

  Fatal

  Major4

  Over three day

  1984

  100

  2,288

  2—

  1985

  104

  2,239

  2—

  51986–87

  99

  2,736

  16,468

  51987–88

  103

  2,767

  16,622

  2 51988–89

  100

  2,865

  16,240

  1 Provisional.

  2 Not available.

  3 Reported to HSE's Factory and Agricultural Inspectorates and all other relevant enforcing authorities, under the Notification of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1980 (NADOR) and the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985 for later years.

  4 As defined in NADOR for the years 1984 to 1985. The introduction of RIDDOR widened the definition of the major injury category thereby making direct comparison of figures with those for earlier years impossible.

  5 Years beginning 1 April.

  Czechoslovakia
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of his last visit to Czechoslovakia.

  Mr. Howard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Swindon (Mr. Coombs) on Tuesday 5 June,Official Report, columns 457–58.

  Women Returners
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to encourage women back into the workplace after having children.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Salford, East (Mr. Orme) on 13 March,Official Report, column 214.

  YTS (Scotland)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many YTS trainees there were in Scotland at the latest date.

  Mr. Nicholls
  At 31 March 1990, there were about 45,100 young people undertaking YTS training in Scotland.

  Inner-city Areas
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the estimated expenditure of his Department in inner-city areas in 1990–91.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department will spend about £1.1 billion during 1990–91 in the 57 areas on which the Government's action for cities measures are targeted.

  Scottish Conservative Party Head Office
  Mr. Harry Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will set up an official inquiry into employment practices and industrial relations at the Scottish Conservative party head office, Chester street, Edinburgh.
  193
  Mr. Howard
  No.

  Labour and Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment under which articles of the treaty of Rome the decisions were made at the Labour and Social Affairs Council meeting in Brussels on 29 May.

  Mr. Eggar
  Based on the articles of the treaty of Rome, the following decisions were made in Brussels on 29 May.Article 118A, adoption of the Council directive on the minimum health and safety requirements for handling heavy loads.
  Article 118A, adoption of the Council directive on the minimum health and safety requirements for work with display screen equipment.
  Article 118A, agreement of a common position on the Council directive on the protection of workers from the risks related to exposure to biological agents.
  Article 128, adoption of the council directive for a proposal for action programme on continuing training (FORCE).
  Article 235, adoption of the Council decision for a third joint programme to encourage the exchange of young workers within the Community.
  Other decisions taken, for which no treaty basis is required, were: adoption of resolutions on the dignity of women and men at work, long-term unemployment and the fight against racism and xenophobia.

  Female civilian work force in employment in the European Community: 1987

  Thousands

  Females

  Civilian workforce in employment

  Percentage of civilian workforce in employment

  United Kingdom

  10,729

  24,755

  43

  Germany

  10,042

  25,440

  39

  France

  8,822

  20,976

  42

  Italy

  7,065

  20,584

  34

  Netherlands

  1,829

  5,251

  35

  Belgium

  1,419

  3,621

  39

  Luxembourg

  58

  169

  34

  Ireland

  346

  1,067

  32

  Denmark

  1,201

  2,663

  45

  Greece

  1,236

  3,597

  34

  Spain

  3,477

  11,383

  31

  Portugal

  1,724

  4,169

  41

  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proportion of the projected growth in the labour force between 1989 and 2001 is female.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information required is contained in the article "Labour force outlook to 2001" published in Employment Gazette, April 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  EC Commissioner for Social Affairs
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the European Commissioner for Social Affairs to discuss employment legislation.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the trend of full-time employment in the agriculture industry has been over the past five years; and what assessment he has been able to make of future trends.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of full-time employees in employment in the agriculture industry over the past five years is shown in the table. The Department does not make forecasts of future trends in employment.

  Full-time employees in employment in the agriculture industry Great Britain: Thousands

  Number

  December 1984

  253·7

  December 1985

  247·1

  December 1986

  237·6

  December 1987

  231·5

  December 1988

  220·6

  December 1989

  208·1

  Women in Work
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the member states of the European Community with a greater number of women in work than the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In 1987, the latest date for which comparable data are available, the United Kingdom has more women in civilian employment than any other member state.

  Mr. Howard
  I last met the European Commissioner at a formal Council of EC Labour and Social Affairs Ministers in Brussels on 29 May.

  Hungary (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the outcome of his visit to Hungary.

  Mr. Howard
  I visited Hungary from 3 to 5 June. During my stay I met the newly appointed Minister of Labour, Mr. Sandor Györivanyi, and other members of the Government. I also had discussions with Hungarian business men and entrepreneurs, and visited a factory.
  195
  Discussions focused on the importance of ensuring that the climate is right for small firms to flourish, and the more immediate practical help and advice my Department can give.

  On 5 June Mr. Györivanyi and I signed a joint statement on co-operation between our two countries in the labour market area. We agreed a programme of immediate assistance which will include advice and practical help in the development of training and retraining, including open learning, employment services, and small firms and enterprise.

  In addition, I invited the Hungarian Government to send officials to Britain for an extended visit to study the relevance of our conciliation and arbitration systems.

  I am pleased that the Hungarian Government have asked my Department for assistance and that we have been able to agree a programme of co-operation. I look forward to the development of a rewarding and beneficial relationship between our respective Ministries.

  Trade Unions (Injunctions)
  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has any proposals to alter the liability of trade unions to ex parte injunctions.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No. The law gives an employer threatened with an unlawful call to take industrial action the right to seek an injunction against the relevant union in order to protect his business. The procedure for obtaining an injunction against a trade union is no different from the procedure for obtaining an injunction to stop unlawful behaviour by any other organisation, and my right hon. and learned Friend has no intention of changing that.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has received any representations calling for the introduction of a national statutory minimum wage.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Since 1 December 1989 my right hon. and learned Friend has received 21 representations on this subject.

  Employment Medical Advisory Service
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the staffing of the employment medical advisory service within the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 1 April 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 134 staff in post in the Health and Safety Executive's employment medical advisory service (EMAS). In addition, there were 21 staff in post performing headquarters functions for EMAS in HSE's medical services headquarters.

  Job Creation
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will monitor the effectiveness of job creation programmes by category of sector in which the jobs are created, examining specifically those related to infrastructure.
  196
  Mr. Eggar
  The Government do not run job-creation programmes as such. Our approach has been to develop an economic and labour market framework which encourages competition, flexibility and enterprise and thus frees business to create new jobs. The success of this policy is demonstrated by the fact that, at over 27 million, employment is now at its highest level ever, and has grown by more than 3.5 million since March 1983. Within this approach, my Department operates a range of programmes designed to help unemployed people back into work, through training, counselling and help with job search.

  Home Workers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number of home workers employed within the Greater London area.

  Mr. Eggar
  A survey conducted in 1981 found about 37,500 homeworkers in the Greater London council area.

  No later estimates are currently available.

  Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received on the 100-day rule and the provision of bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A number of representations has been received from across the industry reflecting a wide range of views. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is fully aware of the tourism industry's concerns on this issue.

  TVEI, Kirklees
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what amount of money was made available, or planned, for the technical and vocational education initiative in 1989–90 and 1990–91 for Kirklees metropolitan council area.

  Mr. Eggar
  Kirklees was given £284,630 in 1989–90 for its TVEI preparatory project. The planned expenditure in its preparatory project in 1990–91 is £278,820.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he proposes to make any changes in the financial arrangements for those undertaking employment training to place their children in nursery, creche or playcare.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 22 June 1990]: The former £50 limit on weekly payments to childminders has been abolished. Training and enterprise councils and training agency area offices have discretion over the means by which they ensure the provision of child care support for lone parents on employment training.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state in real terms the amount to be spent on employment training for each of the financial years 1989–90 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: The following table shows, in real terms, the amount spent on employment training in 1989–90 and the amount expected to be spent in 1990–91 to 1992–93.
  197

  Expenditure at constant (1988–89) prices

  £ million

  11989–90

  1,030

  21990–91

  1,034

  21991–92

  993

  21992–93

  976

  1 Actual expenditure.

  2 Planned spend.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training contracts with training providers for(a) YTS and (b) ET have not been renewed for the present financial year, listing in each case the name of the training provider, the reason for non-renewal and the number of training places involved for both YTS and ET.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: Information in the format requested would be available only at disproportionate cost. The process of renegotiating YT and ET contracts for this year is nearly complete. The latest information is that of about 3,450 YT contracts to be renegotiated, 105 have not been renewed, and of about 1,300 ET contracts, 15 have not been renewed.

  Skills Training Agency
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the future of the privatised Skills Training Agency and its contribution to the tackling of long-term skill needs.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 25 June 1990]: A key objective of the sale was to transfer as much of the Skills Training Agency to the private sector as was possible.

  The Government are highly satisfied with the successful sale of 51 skill centres, together with other STA training services.

  The terms agreed for the sales were designed to give purchasers a good prospect of long-term viability as training businesses. All purchasers have indicated their intention to develop skills training that meets market needs.

  Retirement Pensions
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, in light of the recent decision by the House of Lords in the case of James v. Eastleigh Borough Council, what advice he is now offering to employers in respect of age eligibility for retirement pensions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  The James case deals with concessions for people over state pension age. It does not extend to social security or occupational pension schemes.

DEFENCE

  Radar
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the facilities provided at the proposed military radar base at St. David's, Dyfed, could be used as part of a guidance system for either the tactical air-to-surface missile or Tomahawk missiles.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The over-the-horizon radar transmitter proposed for a two-year trial at St. David's airfield,198
  Dyfed, will be a long-range, very early warning installation, and will not have the accuracy necessary for use in conjunction with TASM or Tomahawk missiles. There are therefore no plans to utilise the OTHR as part of a missile guidance system.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give consideration to using the former United States navy base at Benbradagh mountain at Dungiven, County Londonderry, as a site for the radar installation currently proposed for Brawdy, Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The site at Dungiven is too far north to be a suitable location for the proposed two-year trial of an over-the-horizon radar in the United Kingdom.

  "Open Verdict"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of "Open Verdict" by Tony Collins.

  Mr. Neubert
  The MOD library already possesses a copy of this work.

  Holy Loch
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information he has on the planned retirement date for the Poseidon missile-equipped submarines currently deployed at Holy Loch;

  (2) what discussions have been held between his Department and the United States authorities concerning United States Navy use of the Holy Loch base after the retiral of the Poseidon missile from United States navy service.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Denton and Reddish (Mr. Bennett) on 20 March 1990 at column 521.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional duties at the Holy Loch base will be performed by United States personnel to be accommodated in the new houses to be leased by the United States navy in the Dunoon-Sandbank areas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None. The United States Navy's requirement for additional housing is to alleviate a longstanding shortfall.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current number of military and civilian personnel assigned to the United States navy base at Holy Loch; and what changes are planned in these levels over the next three years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Approximately 2,000 personnel work at the Holy Loch facility. No significant changes in numbers are currently envisaged by the United States navy.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what provision is made for(a) firefighting, (b) nuclear emergencies and (c) maintenance support of submarines at the Holy Loch facility during periods of absence of the USS Simon Lake.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In periods of absence of the submarine tender, the United States navy has alternative
  199
  arrangements to cover emergencies, of which Her Majesty's Government are aware. The provision of maintenance support for its submarines is solely a matter for the United States Government.

  Air Defences
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current assessment of the threat to United Kingdom air defences.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The principal potential threat to United Kingdom air defences is that posed by the medium bombers of the Soviet Air Force based in the western USSR.

  This force has been—and continues to be—steadily modernised by the deployment of the supersonic Backfire, which is replacing the older Badger and Blinder.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current assessment of the need for(a) ground attack aircraft, and (b) air defence aircraft; and what was the assessment one year ago.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The assessed need for combat aircraft has been reflected in the plans described in successive statements on the defence estimates. We are currently reassessing our defence requirements as part of the "Options for Change" study.

  Defence Review
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what communications have taken place with the defence industry regarding the economic and industrial implications of the study of options for change;

  (2) what communications have taken place with the defence industry regarding future equipment requirements of the armed forces as part of the study of options for change.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I am in constant touch with industry and the whole range of procurement matters is discussed. The issues which arise are being taken into account during the current exercise.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fishing Quotas
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet representatives of the fishing industry to discuss quotas.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet representatives of the fishing industry to discuss quotas.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet representatives of the fishing industry to discuss quotas.

  Mr. Curry
  I and my noble Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office will be representing the United Kingdom at the next Fisheries Council in Luxembourg on 27 June. I expect to meet representatives of the fishing industry on that occasion.

  Shellfish
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now consider introducing a scheme of compensation for losses incurred in the course of the recent shellfish health warnings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 12 June, column 131.

  "Chickengate"
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has yet completed his consideration of the conclusions reached in the book entitled "Chickengate", co-authored by the hon. Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) and Mr. Richard North.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 18 June,Official Report, column 471.

  Bovine Somatotropin
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce the results of the experiments with bovine somatotropin.

  Mr. Maclean
  The companies conducting field trials using BST will decide on the announcement of the result of their work.

  Bees
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the impact upon the spread of bee diseases of the decision to reduce the numbers and scope of bee inspectors.

  Mr. Curry
  There is no evidence to suggest that the change in policy for inspections by bees officers had led to any change in the incidence of bee diseases in the United Kingdom.

  Live Animals (Transport)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to bring forward legislation or orders to improve the transportation of live animals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We intend to amend our legislation regarding the transport of unfit animals. We shall seek to negotiate high welfare standards in the context of proposed EC measures on the protection of animals in transit.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the discussions on the directive relating to the controls operated by Her Majesty's Government on the export of live horses and ponies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Only one Community meeting has been held to discuss the Commission's proposals on protection of animals during transport. We will be pressing to retain our controls on the export of horses and ponies.

  Food Distribution
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his Department is taking to encourage investment in fresh food distribution facilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government give top priority to food safety and consumer protection as indicated by the Food Safety Bill. However, investment in particular sectors of the food industry is a matter for commercial judgment. The food industry can take advantage of DTI-funded aid schemes and other general Government measures towards this end, and may be eligible for EC-funded grant schemes designed to promote rational marketing and simple processing of primary produce.

  Fur Farms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what foodstuffs are approved for consumption by mink and foxes.

  Mr. Maclean
  The safety and final quality of feed sold for feeding to fur livestock animals, including mink, are governed by the Agriculture Act 1970 and the Feeding Stuffs Regulations 1988, as amended. Foxes are not included in the definition of livestock animals.

  Farm Animal Welfare Council
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports he is awaiting from the Farm Animal Welfar, Council.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) on 19 April 1990,Official Report, Vol. 170, column 1543.

  Consumer Panel
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his consumer panel last met; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Maclean
  The last meeting of the consumer panel took place on 2 May 1990. It discussed a wide range of issues including water quality, food labelling, BSE, hygiene training for food handlers and food irradiation. The minutes of this meeting are publicly available.

  Food Safety
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the Consumers Association to discuss food safety.

  Mr. Maclean
  On 3 April 1990 representatives of the Consumers Association attended the first of the periodic meetings set up by my right hon. Friend with representatives of consumer organisations; a further meeting is planned for 12 July.

  Farmers' Incomes
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the National Farmers Union to discuss farmers' incomes.

  Mr. Curry
  I frequently meet representatives of the National Farmers Union to discuss farm incomes and other issues.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the Tyrrell committee on the question of the removal of bovine brains.

  Mr. Gummer
  As I indicated during the debate on bovine spongiform encephalopathy on 21 May, I asked the advisory committee on spongiform encephalopathies to consider slaughterhouse practices. I received verbal advice from the committee on 13 June that the recovery of head meat from bovine skulls should not be undertaken after the removal of the brain. I have accepted this advice and have issued appropriate guidance to local authorities. I shall, of course, take account of any further advice that the committee offers in formulating future action on slaughterhouse procedures.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures he has introduced to protect farmworkers who handle cattle placenta from the possibility of cross-infection with the agent responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Patrick Nicholls
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAFF) has recently produced an advisory note on bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) for farmers. This includes advice on calving animals suspected to be suffering from bovine spongiform encephalopathy, including the handling of placentae.

  This advice has been discussed with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and reinforces the executive's advice on the procedures needed to minimise the risks of transmission of all infections from animals to man. The Health and Safety Executive is closely watching research developments in this field and will produce further advice as and when necessary.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what precautions are in force to protect workers in abattoirs who handle animal tissue deemed unfit for human consumption and bovine offals banned for human consumption from the possibility of cross-infection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Health and Safety Executive's field staff is available to give advice on work activities to employers and employees when necessary on any health risks associated with cattle, their carcases and their products which may be infected with BSE. The HSE has produced a free leaflet entitled "BSE and carcase disposal" which sets out hygiene precautions that will protect workers from diseases of cattle known to affect man. It has also agreed guidance that has been published by the British Meat Manufacturers Association which is being distributed to all slaughterhouses, and meat preparation and butchery sectors.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the possibility of the subcutaneous transference of the infective agent responsible for bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The risk to human health from such transmission is remote, but the Health and Safety
  203
  Executive has issued advice to guard against occupational exposure by cuts and abrasions. Experimental studies are in progress to determine the transmissibility of BSE to various host species by parenteral and oral routes of exposure.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculure, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the distribution of the total number of confirmed cases of BSE, by county, in the United Kingdom in the four weeks to 17 June.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information for Great Britain is as follows:

  County

  Number

  Avon

  20

  Bedfordshire

  4

  Berkshire

  7

  Buckinghamshire

  10

  Cambridge

  4

  Cheshire

  30

  Cleveland

  1

  Clwyd

  8

  Cornwall

  46

  Cumbria

  11

  Derbyshire

  23

  Devon

  97

  Dorset

  103

  Dumfries

  7

  Durham

  7

  Dyfed

  47

  Essex

  3

  Fife

  5

  Glamorgan Mid

  4

  Glamorgan South

  2

  Gloucestershire

  26

  Grampian

  15

  Gwent

  5

  Hampshire

  39

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  18

  Hertfordshire

  5

  Highland

  2

  Humberside

  4

  Isle of Wight

  9

  Kent

  23

  Lancashire

  18

  Leicestershire

  28

  Lincolnshire

  4

  London

  1

  Lothian

  1

  Manchester

  1

  Norfolk

  20

  Northants

  8

  Northumberland

  7

  Nottinghamshire

  5

  Orkney

  1

  Oxon

  13

  Powys

  5

  Salop

  24

  Somerset

  106

  Staffordshire

  26

  Strathclyde

  9

  Suffolk

  14

  Surrey

  4

  Sussex East

  15

  Sussex West

  22

  Tayside

  1

  Warwickshire

  13

  Wiltshire

  64

  Yorkshire North

  33

  Yorkshire South

  5

  Yorkshire West

  8

  Total

  1,041

  204
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what circumstances cattle may be awarded a veterinary certificate stating they are free from BSE; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no test for BSE in the live animal, so no such certificate can be given.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ascertain whether BSE or a related condition is present in Holsteins of north American origin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  BSE has been confirmed in most breeds, including Holsteins. I am not aware that any of these originated in north America. The epidemiological survey carried out into BSE discounts imported cattle as being the cause.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if the infective agent responsible for BSE has been detected in cattle placenta; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  No, but transmission experiments are in progress using placenta from BSE-affected cattle.

  Cattle and Sheep Exports
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy in respect of the export from Britain of scrapie-infected sheep.

  Mr. Maclean
  It is up to importing countries to determine what conditions they wish to impose upon sheep exported from Great Britain.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those countries which have banned imports from Britain of(a) live cattle and (b) live sheep, giving the date of the introduction of such ban in each case.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  Country

  Date

  (a) Live cattle

  Australia

  December 1988

  Austria

  May 1990

  Canada

  February 1990

  Finland

  January 1989

  Israel1

  New Zealand

  December 1988

  Saudi Arabia

  February 1990

  Sweden

  October 1988

  Tunisia

  February 1990

  Turkey

  June 1990

  United States of America

  July 1989

  USSR

  March 1990

  (b) Live sheep

  Austria

  May 1990

  Canada

  May 1990

  Sweden

  October 1988

  Turkey

  June 1990

  USSR

  March 1990

  1 Not applicable—no health certification agreed.

  Southwood Committee
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to avoid a potential conflict of interest resulting from the presence of the Southwood committee of members operating in practice in the embryology research area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I am fully confident that the Southwood working party's recommendations were made after an objective assessment of all the scientific data available.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those members of the Southwood committee who are expert in the scrapie family of diseases giving in each case their relevant qualifications.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 5 June,Official Report, column 497.

  Tyrrell Committee
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the members of the Tyrrell committee who have received any financial remuneration, other than as expenses as members of the committee, from his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  One member of the Tyrrell committee, Dr. Richard Kimberlin, who is an independent consultant with over 30 years' experience in the field of spongiform encephalopathies, provides expert advice to my Department.

  Nitrate Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he has made an assessment of the percentage of farmers in the 10 designated nitrate sensitive areas who will have to reduce their fertiliser use in order to qualify for payment under the nitrate sensitive area scheme; and if he will make a statement;
  206
  (2) what reductions in the use of nitrate fertilisers he anticipates as a result of the introduction of 10 nitrate sensitive areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  One of 18 obligations within the basic payment scheme is a requirement to apply no more than the economic optimum amount of inorganic nitrogen fertiliser for any crop, not more than 25 kgN/ha below that optimum for winter wheat or barley, and not more than 50 kgN/ha below for oilseed rape. I would expect the latter reductions to result in lower applications for most participants with arable land. More definitive information will be provided through the evaluation of the pilot scheme.

  Notifiable Diseases
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food under what circumstances animal diseases for which there exist no practicable diagnostic tests are made notifiable; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are a number of factors to be considered in determining whether a disease should be made notifiable, including any implications it may have for public and or animal health and whether it is amenable to diagnosis, either in the field or in the laboratory.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to extend the countryside premium for set-aside land to new areas of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 18 June, Official Report, volume 174, column 467.

  EC TRANSPORT MINISTERS COUNCIL, 18th–19th JUNE
  EC TRANSPORT MINISTERS COUNCIL, 18th–19th JUNE
  HMT "DUNERA": TREATMENT OF JEWISH REFUGEES
  HMT "DUNERA": TREATMENT OF JEWISH REFUGEES
  "AFTER SCREENING": REPORT ON BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
  "AFTER SCREENING": REPORT ON BREAST CANCER DIAGNOSTIC SERVICES
  SHIPPING INDUSTRY STUDY: WORKING PARTY MEMBERSHIP
  SHIPPING INDUSTRY STUDY: WORKING PARTY MEMBERSHIP
  LONDON SIGHTSEEING BUSES: TRAFALGAR SQUARE STOP
  LONDON SIGHTSEEING BUSES: TRAFALGAR SQUARE STOP
  AIR TRANSPORT NEGOTIATIONS: EC COMMISSION COMPETENCE
  AIR TRANSPORT NEGOTIATIONS: EC COMMISSION COMPETENCE
  GATT NEGOTIATIONS: EC POSITION ON RESTRAINTS ON TRADE
  GATT NEGOTIATIONS: EC POSITION ON RESTRAINTS ON TRADE
  CHURCH SCHOOL CLOSURES
  CHURCH SCHOOL CLOSURES
  PUPILS' ATTAINMENT IN ENGLISH: ASSESSMENT
  PUPILS' ATTAINMENT IN ENGLISH: ASSESSMENT
  SAYE: AVAILABILITY THROUGH BANKS
  SAYE: AVAILABILITY THROUGH BANKS
  UK CITIZENS ABROAD WITH VOTING RIGHTS
  UK CITIZENS ABROAD WITH VOTING RIGHTS