Written Answers of 2 March 1990

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will outline the effect of the financial arrangements for the capital requirements of grant-maintained schools on the capital spending budget for the local education authority.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend pays 100 per cent. grant to a grant-maintained school for approved expenditure on capital projects. There is no recovery of such payments from the local education authority. In addition, the Department sets annual capital guidelines for education for each LEA. These guidelines do not take account of capital grant to GM schools in an authority's area. It is for each LEA to decide capital spending on its schools in the light of local needs and circumstances, and LEAs are free, within the flexibilities of the Local Government Acts, to spend above the level of their annual capital guidelines from capital receipts and other resources.

  Books (Romania)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has received any requests from Romania(a) to replace historic and academic books lost in fires during the Romanian revolution and (b) to supply textbooks for schoolchildren learning English as a second language.

  Mr. Jackson
  Any such requests would normally be directed to the British Council.

  The British Council received an appeal for replacement books from the director of the central university library, Bucharest, but the following action was already being taken:

  i. Following an appeal by four British academics Richard Crampton, Richard Clogg, Dennis

  National curriculum timetable

  Introduction of attainment targets and programmes of study Autumn

  Pupils aged

  5 years

  7–8 years

  11–12 years

  14–15 years

  1989

  Mathematics

  —

  Mathematics

  —

  Science

  Science

  English

  1990

  Technology

  Mathematics

  English

  —

  Science

  Technology

  English

  Technology

  1991

  History

  History

  History

  —

  Geography

  Geography

  Geography

  336

  i.Deletant and Stevan Pavlowitch, 250,000 books have been donated by the general public and publishers, and the British Council is paying for the transportation of the books to Romania. The British Council is also supplying books and library equipment direct to the central university library and other university libraries.

  ii. No specific requests for books for schoolchildren learning English as a second language have been received but among the books going out are English language books. A main area of activity for the British Council in Romania has always been support for English language teaching, in particular lo university English language departments. It is hoped that this can be expanded in the future.

  GCSE
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consult the representatives of headmasters in the state and independent sectors in order to hear their assessment of the effect of GCSE examinations taking place earlier in the academic year.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has already received a number of representations from head teachers on this matter. The joint council for the GCSE is itself considering a consultation of all centres offering the GCSE. My right hon. Friend will expect to discuss with it the outcomes of that consultation.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consult the GCSE examining groups, the joint council for the GCSE and other relevant bodies with a view to ending the practice whereby GCSE examinations are taking place earlier in the summer term.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend is asking for a meeting with the joint council to discuss this matter.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will outline the phases to which he referred in his reply of 21 February,Official Report, column 796, covering the implementation of the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The phases of implementation of the national curriculum and related assessment arrangements are set out in the table:
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  Pupils aged

  5 years

  7–8 years

  11–12 years

  14–15 years

  1992

  Art

  Art

  Modern foreign language

  Mathematics

  Music

  Music

  Science

  Physical education

  Physical education

  Art

  English

  Music

  Physical Education

  1993

  —

  —

  —

  Technology

  1994

  —

  —

  —

  History

  Geography

  1995

  —

  —

  —

  Modern foreign language

  Art

  Music

  Physical education

  Timetables for history, geography, modern foreign language, art, music, and physical education are provisional.

  None of the attainment targets and programmes of study in maths, science and English will be a requirement for pupils with statements of special educational needs until autumn 1990. This gives time for their statements to be revised if necessary.

  First national assessments Summer

  Pupils aged

  7 years

  11 years

  14 years

  16 years

  1991

  Mathematics

  —

  —

  —

  Science

  English

  1992

  Technology

  —

  Mathematics

  —

  Science

  1993

  History

  English

  —

  Geography

  Technology

  1994

  Art

  Mathematics

  History

  Mathematics

  Music

  Science

  Geography

  Science

  Physical education

  English Technology

  English

  1995

  —

  History

  Modern foreign language

  Technology

  Geography

  Art

  Music

  Physical education

  1996

  —

  Art

  —

  History

  Music

  Geography

  Physical education

  1997

  —

  —

  —

  Modern foreign language

  Art

  Music

  Physical education

  Individual pupils' results in any statutory assessments or public examinations will have to be reported to their parents from 1991 onwards. Schools will not be required to publish statistics of key stage I assessments, though they will be encouraged to do so. They will be required to publish statistics of key stage 2 and 3 assessments, but only from the second year of operation onwards. For key stage 4, they will already be under a requirement to publish GCSE results.

TRANSPORT

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of passenger traffic to the continent he estimates will eventually use the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  Eurotunnel expects 43·9 million passengers to use the tunnel in 2003, 36 per cent. of passenger traffic to and from the continent.

  London Roads Assessment
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (I) how many letters he had received by 23 February from residents living in London(a) in support and (b) opposed to the London roads assessment options; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what has been, for the latest available date, the number of letters that his Department has received (a) in favour and (b) in opposition to the London roads assessment options; and if he will make a statement.
  339
  Mr. Atkins
  It will take a little time to collate and analyse the responses received. The outcome will be announced as soon as possible.

  Quarterly Statistics
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what considerations informed the decision to discontinue bus and coach data from quarterly transport statistics and replace them by information on United Kingdom-registered goods vehicles carried on roll-on roll-off ferries from Great Britain to mainland Europe.

  Mr. Portillo
  As part of the Government's continuing objective of lessening the burden on industry of responding to surveys, it has been decided that the quarterly monitoring of bus and coach operators' performance is no longer required for Department of Transport purposes. The decision to include in the quarterly transport statistics information on United Kingdom-registered goods vehicles carried on roll-on roll-off ferries to mainland Europe was made by the editor.

  The performance of the bus and coach industry will continue to be monitored on an annual basis, and will be included in the Department's annual publication, "Transport Statistics Great Britain". More detailed information will be available in the annual specialised publication, "Bus and Coach Statistics".

  Train Accidents
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total number of train accidents caused by technical defects in 1989; and what was the comparable number for(a) 1979, (b) 1983 and (c)

  Mr. Portillo
  The number of train accidents caused by technical defects in 1989 is not yet available. For 1979, 1983 and 1987 the numbers were respectively 244, 276 and 268.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Inflation
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the underlying rate of inflation in each member state of the European Community at the latest available date.

  Mr. Ryder
  The inflation rates given in the table exclude estimates of home owners' costs and are, therefore, more comparable across countries:

  12-month growth rate of consumer prices in the European Community

  December 198911

  United Kingdom2

  6·1

  Germany

  2·6

  France

  3·6

  Italy

  6·4

  Belgium

  3·6

  Denmark

  4·8

  Greece

  14·8

  Ireland

  4·2

  Luxembourg

  3·9

  Netherlands

  1·0

  Portugal

  11·6

  Spain

  6·6

  340
  1 Except United Kingdom, Germany and Italy (January 1990), and Ireland (1989, 4th quarter).

  2 United Kingdom figure is for RPI excluding mortgage interest payments (MIPs). Where other countries include estimates of home owners' housing costs, these have been excluded to put figures on a more comparable basis.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Poland
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Government have so far committed from the £50 million know-how fund for Poland; and how much they expect to spend in the current financial year.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Possible commitments on projects financed under the £50 million know-how fund for Poland now stand at around £18·3 million. We expect to spend approximately £2·3 million in the current financial year.

  Oban-Korup National Park
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of the Cameroons on the need to prevent commercial logging companies logging in the Oban-Korup national park.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he is making to the Governments of France and Germany about French and German timber companies logging in and near the Korup rain forest in Cameroon; and if he will make a statement on the consequences of such action for Her Majesty's Government's aid policy.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No logging is permitted in Korup national park itself. The recent press reports have been about licences granted for logging in the buffer zone around Korup. Under Cameroonian law these licences should not have been granted without prior consultation with local government leaders and village chiefs in the interests of preserving economically important trees, water supplies and traditional hunting zones in the vicinity of each village. We share the concern of the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) that recent logging activities may not have been subject to this condition and may be detrimental to the WWF's Korup project, which is being partly funded from the British aid programme.

  The British embassy in Yaounde has already expressed its concern to the Cameroonian Ministry of Agriculture and the ambassador is being instructed to raise the matter formally at ministerial level. Meanwhile we are assured by the Cameroon authorities that existing licences for exploitation within the Korup buffer zone were issued before the establishment of the national park and that no new licences will be issued for exploitation within the zone.

  We are now considering whether it would be desirable to make demarches to the Governments of countries whose logging companies are active in the vicinity of Korup, bearing it in mind that the powers of those Governments in respect of private companies may be strictly limited.

  Children (Vaccination)
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contributions Britain has made in the last year to the vaccination of children in developing countries against the main killer diseases.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We support immunisation programmes through the United Nations Children's Fund, to which we contributed £8·4 million in 1989–90. In the same period we provided £200,000 to the Polio Plus Campaign run by Rotary International and £64,000 to the WHO Cold Chain Support Unit. In addition, many of the bilateral primary health care projects we fund and the 315 health projects run by non-governmental organisations, which we support under our joint funding scheme, include an immunisation component.

  International Organisations
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those international organisations to which the United Kingdom is affiliated which grant or lend money, giving the United Kingdom's latest annual contributions where applicable in each case.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The international organisations and the United Kingdom contributions paid for from the overseas aid programme showing the amounts paid in 1988 (the latest year for which full data are available), are as follows:

  United Kingdom contribution in 1988

  Organisation

  £'000

  UN Agencies1

  International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

  2,564

  UN Development Programme (UNDP)

  24,500

  UN Children's Fund (UNICEF) General Programme

  3,750

  UNICEF Special Appeals

  8,473

  UN Agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA)

  5,250

  UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR)

  3,500

  UNHCR (Special Appeals)

  15,970

  UN Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO)

  2,804

  UN Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA)

  5,250

  World Food Programme (WFP)

  4,856

  World Health Organisation (WHO) Research Programmes

  11,407

  Other UN development agencies

  2,561

  World Bank Group

  International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD)

  6,561

  International Development Association (IDA)

  207,000

  International Finance Corporation (IFC)

  3,558

  Regional Development Banks

  African Development Bank

  329

  African Development Fund

  6,374

  Asian Development Bank

  1,172

  Asian Development Fund

  13,045

  Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)

  200

  CDB Special Development Fund

  3,517

  Inter-American Development Bank (IADB)

  1,491

  IADB Fund for Special Operations

  3,002

  International Monetary Fund2

  Enhanced Structural Adjustment Facility

  8,500

  European Community3

  European Development Fund

  119,004

  342

  Organisation

  £'000

  International research organisations

  Agricultural and medical research

  6,915

  Other international organizations4

  9,772

  1 Excludes UN bodies whose activities benefit both developing and developed countries and where United Kingdom subscriptions relate only partly to developmental activities.

  2 Contributions to the IMF's general resources account form part of the United Kingdom reserves.

  3 Excludes overseas aid paid for from the EC budget and from European Investment Bank's own resources.

  4 Includes such Commonwealth programmes as the Commonwealth Fund for Technical Co-operation and Commonwealth Youth Programme; and contributions to South Pacific Commission.

  Source: British Aid Statistics 1984–1988, Table 8 (a copy of which is in the Library of the House).

THE ARTS

  Museums
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what provision he has made for the refurbishment of museums in the current year.

  Mr. Luce
  The grant in aid in 1989–90 for the building and maintenance programme of the national museums and galleries which I sponsor was £48 million. I announced on 16 November 1989 that the provision would rise to £57 million in 1990–91; in 1992–93 the provision will be £64 million, a rise of 34 per cent. over the three years.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  The Three Graces
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will further defer a decision on the application for a licence to export Antonio Canova's The Three Graces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  After consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister for the Arts, I have decided to extend the present period of deferral for the application for a licence to export The Three Graces until Wednesday 4 April.

  Export control procedures affecting heritage items have been under review, including the policy of deferring a decision on an export licence application to enable a United Kingdom public institution to make an offer to purchase. As a result, I propose henceforth to take account of an offer from any source, whether public or private. I am ready to consider any representations by persons affected by this change of policy, which will apply both to new applications and to outstanding applications such as The Three Graces; other deferrals, including those for interim review, due to expire before 4 April will also be extended to that date.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North of 20 February,Official Report, column 781, and to the hon. Member for Sunderland, South (Mr. Mullin) of 20 February, Official Report, column 783, if he will list which organisations or

  343
  individuals within the borough of Sunderland made representations to him opposing the recommencement of shipbuilding at the Southwick shipyard.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 27 February 1990]: Representations have been made in private discussions questioning whether a return to shipbuilding some years hence, and the uncertainties that must be inherent in such a proposal, represents the best prospect for the long-term development of Sunderland and of the sites in question.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what legal basis the European Commission has to approve or disapprove the sale of land within the United Kingdom to companies within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 27 February 1990]: Article 222 EEC states that
  "This Treaty should in no way prejudice the rules in Member States governing the system of property ownership".

  However, the Commission of the European Communities, acting under articles 92–93 EEC and any relevant Community legal instruments, may include conditions on the use of land as part of the terms on which it approves state aid where such use is material to the case concerned. Thus, for example, the payment of closure aid for shipbuilding allows the Commission to impose conditions on the use of the site concerned, and that would need to be reflected in any subsequent disposal of that land.

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to control the purchase of biotechnology companies by agrochemical companies.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 28 February 1990]: There are no grounds for intervention to distort market mechanisms in the purchase of biotechnology companies. Small, research-based firms in biotechnology cannot take ideas through to commercial production alone; purchase by an established company can provide the significant extra resource needed.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to ban the patenting of genetically manipulated animals.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 28 February 1990]: As I indicated to the hon. Gentleman in my answer of 16 January 1990 (Hansard, column 187, Vol 165, No 31), a European Community proposal for a directive on the legal protection of biotechnological inventions would, if adopted, confirm that patent applications for inventions concerned with genetically manipulated animals would be granted, provided other patentability criteria were met.

  Discussions on this proposal are continuing, however, and the Government will take a view on it at the appropriate time.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to assess the chlorofluorocarbon recycling technology developed by Volvo in Sweden to evaluate its applicability to British industry.
  344
  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: The DTI commissioned a major study in 1989 to assess the options for CFC recovery, recycling and disposal. This study will provide us with an assessment of commercially proven recycling technologies and their applicability to the United Kingdom industry.

WALES

  Health Care
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 6 February,Official Report, column 551, whose budget any follow-up treatment will be under if a patient who has been referred to a treatment centre outside his/her own health authority to receive initial treatment, is examined at facilities other than the said treatment centre following the agreement of the referring consultant; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  If, with the agreement of the referring consultant, a patient from a treatment centre receives follow-up treatment in his or her home health authority, then the cost will be charged to that authority. This will still leave the referring authority with a net financial benefit in most instances since the cost of operating on the patient will have been borne by the treatment centre.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what plans there are with regard to the non-geriatric care currently provided to patients from Wales by the five community hospitals in Shropshire health authority, following their being sold off and converted to private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what will happen to patients from Wales who are receiving care at the five hospitals in the Shropshire health authority when those hospitals are sold off and converted into private nursing homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the answer given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health on 23 February. If Shropshire health authority should decide to proceed with its proposals to change the use of some of its cottage hospitals, it will be required to consult all interested parties, including those Welsh health authorities whose residents may have cause to use the facilities. Welsh health authorities would need to consider what alternative provision might need to be made in the light of any such consultation exercise being undertaken.

  Kidney Transplants
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to increase the funding for kidney transplants at Cardiff royal infirmary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Proposals from South Glamorgan health authority to increase kidney transplant provision at Cardiff royal infirmary are presently being considered by the Welsh Office.

  Education Grants
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the grants made in Wales under section 21 of the Education Act 1980, since that Act came into force,
  345
  indicating the year in which each grant was made, the amount of each grant, the local authority to whose area each grant applied, and the specific purpose to which each grant was to be directed.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman with the information requested and place a copy of my reply in the Library of the House.

  Sewage
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the amounts of raw sewage that were returned to land during the recent coastal storms in north Wales; and what steps have subsequently been taken to decontaminate areas polluted by such sewage.

  Mr. Grist
  The area of Towyn, Rhyl, Kinmel bay and Abergele is sewered by short sea outfalls and it is estimated that some 50,000 litres of sewage is produced per day. Until tidal surges penetrated the sea wall at Towyn, the sewage flow continued to discharge to the sea. Soon after the wall was breached, power supplies were lost and any sewage pumping would have ceased. Gravity discharges would also have ceased because there was no longer any free discharge. After the majority of the population from the affected parts of Towyn was evacuated to dry areas, sewage generation would largely have stopped in that area. Sewage from surrounding areas would have continued to flow, however, and this sewage would have been mixed with the incoming sea water. It is not possible to say whether the sewage discharged through the outfalls or escaped into the mass of flood water through drains and manholes but it is probable that quantities of sewage are present in the flood water and the proportion of sewage will increase the longer the flood waters remain. The sewage will have been diluted both by the rainfall during the period and, to a much greater extent, by the invading sea water. A small number of properties are on cesspits and septic tanks and the contents of these tanks will by now have mixed with the flood water.

  Responsibility for the possible public health consequences of the flood and therefore for the clean-up operation rests with the appropriate environmental health officer who has powers to take such action as he deems fit to reduce any risk to human health.

ENERGY

  Plutonium
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Newport West,Official Report, 23 February, column 933, regarding the export criteria set out, since 1979, whether any plutonium has been exported to (a) the United States of America from the United Kingdom not kept under safeguards, and (b) to Japan from the United Kingdom which was not produced in the United Kingdom or an EEC member state; how much plutonium was exported to Canada in 1983; and from which reactor or reactors this came.

  Mr. Baldry
  Exports of unsafeguarded plutonium are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.
  346
  During the period mentioned by the hon. Member, plutonium from the reprocessing of irradiated fuel from a Japanese reactor has been returned to Japan.

  The plutonium returned to Canada in 1983 was produced from the reprocessing of irradiated fuel from the Calder Hall and Chapelcross reactors. The plutonium was brought under safeguards after extraction from the irradiated fuel and prior to its export to Canada for civil purposes. The amount involved cannot be disclosed for reasons of commercial confidentiality but is included in the overall total given in the reply by my hon. Friend the Member for Worcestershire, South (Mr. Spicer) to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 17 January 1989 at column 157.

  South Africa (Oil Imports)
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish his report on whether the tanker Almarc Terza broke the guidelines on oil exported to South Africa.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have nothing to add to the answers given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 11 January 1990, at columns 693–94.

  Nuclear Energy (Safeguards)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assistance the United Kingdom has afforded the International Atomic Energy Agency in developing safeguards expertise under the provisions of article 12 of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom carries out a safeguards research and development programme in support of the International Atomic Energy Agency. The programme is carried out by AEA technology and currently costs approximately £1 million per year; the costs are borne by my Department.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if Her Majesty's Government have ever made available details of technical studies conducted on safeguards implementation at United Kingdom nuclear reprocessing plants to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  Yes. BNFL and the UKAEA provide technical studies to the IAEA when agreeing safeguards approaches for their facilities; these naturally include reprocessing issues. A safeguards research and development programme is carried out for the IAEA by the UKAEA and this involves some work on plant reprocessing studies. In addition, the international study group on large scale commercial plant reprocessing (LASCAR), in which the United Kingdom is involved, provides technical guidance to the IAEA.

  The information given to the IAEA on reprocessing plant safeguards is either commercially sensitive or has security implications.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. John Harker
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has received the file of information relating to the case of Mr. John Harker, a prisoner in Her Majesty's prison, Kirkham; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he intends to notify the hon. Member for Stockton, South about the outcome of his Department's inquiry into the case of Mr. John Harker.

  Mr. John Patten
  A reply was sent on 26 January to my hon. Friend acknowledging recent representations from Mr. Harker. The representations are under consideration and a further letter will be sent as soon as the examination of the case is complete.

  Deportation
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations his private office has received requesting arbitration on a decision of the Chief Immigration Officer to deport individuals from the United Kingdom since the introduction of the system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available. The "Guidelines on the handling of representations by Members of Parliament in immigration cases" describe the way in which Home Office Ministers exercise their responsibilities for implementing an effective and efficient immigration control. A copy of the guidelines is available in the Library.

  Electoral Law
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to reform election law to give homeless persons the right to vote.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under the Representation of the People Act 1983, to be entitled to vote a person must be resident at an address in a constituency or electoral area on the qualifying date and must be registered there. We have no plans to change this requirement.

  Crime Victims
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amend existing legislation to enable victims of crimes or their representatives to exercise the same right to a hearing for a retrial in the Court of Appeal as that given to a convicted criminal when new evidence is produced and a miscarriage of justice has been established.

  Mr. John Patten
  The victim's charter we published on 22 February—a copy of which is in the Library—sets out some questions for discussion including whether the victim could or should be given some opportunity to be heard in court. As the charter explains, we have no immediate proposals for change, but would welcome views. We could not however support a change which would enable the victim to call into question an acquittal, which would violate the principle that a person who has been acquitted should not he tried a second time.

  Members' Inquiries
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how long he expects to take to answer questions from hon. Members about constituents in prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waddington
  We aim to answer all correspondence from hon. Members as quickly as possible. At present, the average time taken to reply to hon. Members' letters on prison issues, including those about constituents in prison, is 31 days.

  Football
  Miss. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis showing(a) when the national football intelligence unit of the Metropolitan police will be fully operational, (b) what is the staffing level of the unit and (c) what is its annual budget.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The national football intelligence unit's staff (one superintendent, one inspector, one sergeant, three constables and one typist) has been at work since December 1989. Its computer support is expected to be operational shortly. Its budget for the financial year 1990–91 is £300,000. These matters do not fall within the responsibility of the Commissioner.

  Romania
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to provide easier methods for the fostering in the United Kingdom of children orphaned in the Romanian revolution.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no provision in the immigration rules for children from overseas to come to the United Kingdom to be fostered. However, children adopted in Romania, or coming to the United Kingdom from Romania for adoption, may be admitted provided that careful inquiries into the circumstances of both the child and the prospective parents show that the proposed adoption is in the child's best interests. These inquiries are necessary to ensure that children adopted from overseas are protected in the same way as children adopted in the United Kingdom.

  Hepatitis B
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of hepatitis B infection in prisoners have been reported since 1979.

  Mr. Mellor:
  Cases have been reported for statistical purposes only since 1984. The latest information is given in the table:

  Hepatitis B: Prisoners requiring treatment or special precautions

  Reporting period

  Acute cases

  Chronic cases (carriers)

  1 January 1984 to 31 March 19851

  152

  240

  1 April 1985 to 31 March 1986

  165

  295

  1 April 1986 to 31 March 1987

  150

  285

  1 April 1987 to 31 March 1988

  155

  198

  1 April 1988 to 31 March 1989

  105

  242

  1 15 months.

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  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if prisoners are informed of or offered vaccination against hepatitis B; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  Vaccination policy for prisoners is modelled on practice in the general community. Prison medical officers decide which prisoner patients should be offered vaccination, using their clinical judgment and having regard to guidelines issued by the director of prison medical services. The guidelines recommend that medical officers consider offering vaccination to those prisoners who are identified as belonging to a high risk behaviour group and who are expected to remain in the prison system long enough to complete the six-month course.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what action his Department has taken to prevent the spread of hepatitis B in prison;

  (2) what instructions his Department issues to prison governors regarding combating the spread of hepatitis B.

  Mr. Mellor
  Our measures include medical inquiry and examination at the reception stage, selective vaccination on a voluntary basis, education and counselling, and limited regime restrictions for identified hepatitis B carriers at the discretion of the prison medical officer.

  Governors have an important part to play in facilitating educational initiatives within the resources available to them. They have been encouraged to make wide use of the prison service education package "AIDS Inside and Out", which provides a context for the delivery of important messages relevant to the prevention of hepatitis B infection.

  Broadcasting
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make a statement about the transitional arrangements to be made in the Broadcasting Bill for existing cable systems other than broad band cable franchise holders.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd) announced our proposals on the future licensing arrangements for local delivery systems, including SMATV systems, on 27 April last year. The transitional arrangements we are envisaging are to be seen against the background of those proposals.

  As those proposals made clear, systems covering fewer than 1,000 homes will not need to be licensed by the Independent Television Commission under the new arrangements. This proposal will be implemented, subject to parliamentary approval, by the making of a designation order under the provisions of clause 65(1) of the Broadcasting Bill. Accordingly, any existing SMATV licences for systems covering fewer than 1,000 homes will lapse when the relevant provisions of the Bill are brought into force. Any existing unlicensed systems covering fewer than 1,000 homes will be able to continue in operation. Any system covering fewer than 1,000 homes, whether previously licensed by the Cable Authority or not, will be able to carry BBC services, services regulated by the ITC, S4C and services originating from a Council of Europe or convention country.

  SMATV systems licensed to cover 1,000 homes or more, and which fall wholly or partly within a cable franchise area (ie an area covered by a prescribed diffusion
  350
  service licence issued by the Cable Authority by the time the relevant provisions of the Bill are brought into force), will continue to be able to operate under their existing licences while they remain in force. The ITC will be empowered to extend those licences if necessary until such a time as it is satisfied that the broad band cable operator is able to offer an alternative service to the homes passed by the SMATV system.

  SMATV systems licensed to cover more than 1,000 homes, which fall wholly outside any cable franchise area, will be deemed to have a local delivery licence starting from the date on which the relevant provisions of the Bill are brought into force. This licence will last for five years, and will be renewable under the provisions of clause 71 of the Broadcasting Bill after three years. The percentage of qualifying revenue for the purposes of clause 67 will be deemed to be zero. Licensees will not be granted the use of MVDS frequencies.

  Systems covering more than 1,000 homes which carry only the four terrestrial channels, and which are in consequence unlicensed at present, will continue to be able to operate without the need for an ITC licence while they carry only those channels.

  Other unlicensed systems covering more than 1,000 homes (including systems carrying the IBA's DBS services) which have not previously been licensed as SMATV systems by the Cable Authority will, if they fall wholly or partly within a cable franchise area, be deemed to have a SMATV licence under the terms of the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984. This licence will be deemed to start on the day when the relevant provisions of the Bill are brought into force, and to last for five years. The ITC will be empowered to extend the licence until such a time as it is satisfied that the broad band cable operator is able to offer an alternative service to the homes passed by the system.

  Unlicensed systems meeting the same criteria which fall wholly outside cable franchise areas will be deemed to have a local delivery licence starting from the date on which the relevant provisions of the Bill are brought into force. The terms of this licence will be the same as those described outlined above in relation to SMATV systems which will be deemed to have local delivery licences.

  The provisions necessary to implement these proposals will be included in the Broadcasting Bill. Subject to parliamentary approval, we are planning that the proposals will come into effect on 1 January 1991.

  Blundeston Prison
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on current staffing levels at Her Majesty's prison, Blundeston, in the light of the 1988 fresh start agreements.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 19 February 1990]: There are at present 140 officers (including senior and principal officers) in post; regional management's target level is 146 for 1989–90 and it plans to post a further six officers to Blundeston this month.

PRIME MINISTER

  Regional Development
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received about regional development in the United Kingdom.

  The Prime Minister
  The Secretaries of State for Trade and Industry, for Scotland and for Wales receive regular representations on regional industrial development.

  Zoonoses
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received about zoonoses.

  The Prime Minister
  I have not received any such recent representations. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health keeps these diseases under review.

  Heritage
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on built heritage.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. Friend and I receive representations frequently. The built heritage makes a particularly important contribution both to the quality of life within our communities and to the tourism industry. The Government are concerned to ensure that the nation's wealth of important buildings, monuments and sites are preserved wherever possible.

  Global Warming
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister what current involvement the United Kingdom has in(a) the international geosphere-biosphere project and (b) the world climate research programme, in regard to research conducted into global warming and the greenhouse effect.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology's report on the greenhouse effect which gives full details of the important contribution the research councils and the Meteorological Office are making to these international research programmes.

  Clockwork Orange
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister, further to her reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 27 February, when General Sir Frank King made it clear to her that he did not recall any project specifically named Clockwork Orange.

  The Prime Minister
  General Sir Frank King and General Sir Peter Leng gave that information to officials on Saturday 17 February.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister, further to her reply of 27 February, whether any projects not specifically named Clockwork Orange but of a similar intent or nature were known to Her Majesty's Government or military officers.

  The Prime Minister
  I have nothing to add to the information given by the Minister of State for the Armed Forces during the Adjournment debate on 6 February at columns 866–68.

  Environment (International Co-operation)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter),Official Report, 22 February, columns 872–73, how the figures of (a) £3 million United Kingdom annual contribution to the United Nations environment programme and (b) £100 million United Kingdom contribution over three years to the conservation of tropical forests were reached.

  The Prime Minister
  The United Kingdom more than doubled its contribution to UNEP in 1989 in recognition of the increasing awareness and importance of international environmetal issues and the need to strengthen UN EP's capacity to meet these challenges.

  In deciding to commit a further £100 million of bilateral aid over the next three years as part of Britain's help to conserve tropical forests we took account of the global significance of the issue, the way in which we judge the United Kingdom is equipped to help effectively in this field, the scope for contribution from other aid donors and other pressures on our aid programme resources.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what policies she has formulated in regard to(a) aid to promote democratic development, (b) aid to support educational development, (c) aid to support environmental improvement and (d) aid to support energy efficiency and security in the countries of eastern Europe following political changes in these states in the past six months.

  The Prime Minister
  On 22 January, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs announced a single know-how fund for eastern Europe. This included our existing commitments to Poland (£50 million) and Hungary (£25 million), and new money would be made available to finance help to other eastern European countries once they are fully committed to reform.

  So far we have made detailed plans in respect of Poland, where we expect to spend some £2·3 million in the current financial year. Proposals are being worked out for assistance in the energy sector, and will look, among other things, at the issues of energy efficiency and the reduction of environmental pollution from power stations. The Polish authorities have also asked for assistance with the creation of new language teacher training institutes, for advice on educational reform, and an exploratory mission will be visiting Poland this month. We have also enabled groups of politicians from Poland and Hungary to participate in seminars on the United Kingdom's parliamentary system organised by the Great Britain/east Europe centre, training in media techniques, and training directly relevant to the local government elections to be held in Poland in April.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Tourism
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the review of tourist policy in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  Following the publication of the tourism policy document "Tourism in Northern Ireland—A View
  353
  to the Future" in June last year, considerable work has been undertaken to implement the proposals it contained. A number of the measures, including a new scheme of financial assistance, have already been introduced and work is in hand on the preparation of the new legislation which will be required to give effect to the full range of the proposals.

  Public Houses
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grants are available for the provision of accommodation in public houses.

  Mr. Needham
  A new scheme of selective financial assistance will be available from 2 April 1990 to private sector projects providing additional tourist accommodation or upgrading existing facilities. Assistance in the form of interest relief grants or loans will be offered to projects which can demonstrate the potential to achieve more holiday visitors to Northern Ireland, leading to additional revenue and/or employment. Public house developments which meet those criteria will be considered. Projects in Belfast and Londonderry may also qualify for urban development grant in appropriate cases.

  Prisoners
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in Northern Ireland are presently serving sentences of detention at the pleasure of the Secretary of State; of these how many are for(a) murder and (b) other serious offences; and of these how many were admitted members of (i) the Ulster Defence Association, (ii) the Ulster Freedom Fighters, (iii) the Ulster Volunteer Force, (iv) the RUC, (v) other loyalist paramilitary groups, (vi) the Official Irish Republican Army, (vii) the Provisional Irish Republican Army, (viii) the Irish National Liberation Army, (ix) other Roman Catholic paramilitary groups, (x) any junior wing by each category of the foregoing and (xi) none of the above, at the time the crime was committed.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 27 February 1990]: The sentence of detention at the pleasure of the Secretary of State can be imposed only in cases of murder. Twenty-five prisoners are currently serving such sentences. At the time of conviction, their paramilitary affiliation was as follows:

  Paramilitary affiliation

  Number convicted

  Ulster Defence Association

  3

  Ulster Volunteer Force

  1

  Provisional Irish Republican Army

  16

  None

  5

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons serving(a) a life sentence for murder, (b) a life sentence for other serious crime and (c) a sentence at the pleasure of the Secretary of State have been released from prison in Northern Ireland in each of the last 10 years; of these, how many were admitted members of each paramilitary or terrorist group or their junior wing when the crime was committed; if he will indicate the periods served; and if he will set out the information in a table.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 27 February 1990]: The information requested is as follows:
  354

  Indeterminate sentence prisoners released by affiliation and years served (1 January 1980–31 December 1989) Numbers released by years served Less than 10 years

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  1

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  1

  1

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  None

  —

  1

  —

  1982

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1983

  UVF

  —

  1

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  2

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  —

  —

  3

  UVF

  —

  —

  1

  PIRA

  1

  —

  —

  OIRA

  1

  —

  1

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  3

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  2

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  —

  —

  1

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  1

  PIRA

  1

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  7

  4

  15

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  10 years

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  355

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1982

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  1

  1983

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  1

  —

  1

  PIRA

  —

  —

  1

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  2

  PIRA

  1

  —

  1

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  1

  —

  PIRA

  1

  1

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  UDA

  —

  —

  1

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  PIRA

  1

  —

  —

  OIRA

  1

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  Total

  10

  2

  7

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  11 years

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1982

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  1

  —

  1983

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  356

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  1

  —

  1

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  2

  —

  1

  UDA

  —

  —

  1

  PIRA

  —

  —

  3

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  1

  —

  1988

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  1

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  6

  2

  6

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  12 years

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1982

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  1

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  2

  —

  1

  UDA

  1

  —

  —

  357

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  PIRA

  —

  —

  3

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1988

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  2

  PIRA

  1

  —

  1

  OIRA

  2

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  1

  1

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  1

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  11

  1

  8

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  13 years

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  1

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1982

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1983

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  1

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  1

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  2

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  1

  1

  1

  OIRA

  1

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  UDA

  2

  —

  —

  UVF

  3

  —

  1

  PIRA

  —

  —

  1

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  2

  1

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  358

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  PIRA

  1

  —

  1

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  1

  —

  —

  Total

  16

  2

  5

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  14 years

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1982

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  1

  —

  —

  OIRA

  1

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  UDA

  3

  —

  —

  UVF

  3

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  1

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  6

  —

  —

  UDA

  4

  —

  —

  PIRA

  1

  —

  1

  OIRA

  1

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  20

  —

  2

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  359

  15 Years plus

  Year and affiliation

  A

  B

  C

  1980

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1981

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1982

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1983

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1984

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  1985

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  1986

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1987

  UVF

  —

  —

  —

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  UDA

  —

  —

  —

  UVF

  1

  —

  —

  PIRA

  —

  —

  —

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  1989

  UVF

  4

  —

  —

  UDA

  5

  —

  —

  PIRA

  3

  —

  2

  OIRA

  —

  —

  —

  None

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  15

  —

  2

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  Indeterminate sentence prisoners released by affiliation and years served (1 January 1980–31 December 1989)

  Year and affiliation

  Total

  1980

  PIRA

  1

  None

  1

  1981

  PIRA

  2

  UVF

  1

  None

  1

  360

  Year and affiliation

  Total

  1982

  UVF

  1

  None

  6

  1983

  UVF

  1

  UDA

  2

  None

  1

  1984

  UVF

  2

  1985

  UDA

  4

  UVF

  3

  PIRA

  2

  OIRA

  2

  1986

  UDA

  4

  UVF

  2

  OIRA

  3

  PIRA

  4

  None

  2

  1987

  UVF

  9

  UDA

  3

  PIRA

  12

  OIRA

  2

  None

  2

  1988

  UDA

  6

  UVF

  12

  PIRA

  6

  OIRA

  3

  None

  2

  1989

  UVF

  16

  UDA

  9

  PIRA

  11

  OIRA

  1

  None

  2

  Total

  141

  A—Murder

  B—Other

  C—SOSP

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the cost of keeping a prisoner in a prison and other places for the detention of criminals by category of establishment(a) per week and (b) annually in Northern Ireland; and what comparable information is available to him on prisons in (i) Scotland and (ii) England and Wales.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 27 February 1990]: Prison establishments in Northern Ireland are not categorised in the same way as in Great Britain and direct comparisons are therefore not meaningful. This is mainly because of the additional security measures required in Northern Ireland in relation to custody of large numbers of paramilitary-type prisoners. The average cost of keeping a prisoner in Northern Ireland in 1988–89 was £1,046 per week and £54,406 annually.

  Roads
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the total expenditure each year on maintenance of(a) motorway and trunk roads

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  11989–90

  Motorways

  1·8

  1·7

  1·8

  1·5

  3·3

  Class I and class II roads

  17·2

  16·0

  14·8

  18·5

  21·7

  Other roads

  27·8

  30·3

  32·6

  31£7

  32·6

  1 Estimated

  Present plans are better to meet by spending some £60 million in 1990–91.

  Portavogie Harbour
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any plans to enlarge Portavogie harbour to accommodate the present fishing fleet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: The Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority has no plans to enlarge Portavogie harbour.

  The authority has submitted proposals for extra shelter at Ardglass which could add to capacity there. There are doubts about whether fish stocks can sustain the expansion in the local fleets during the last two years.

  Security Forces (Dwellings)
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings have been searched by the security forces in each year since 1968.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 21 February 1990]: The available information on searches of premises under section 15 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 is as follows:

  Army

  RUC

  year

  Occupied

  Unoccupied

  1984

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  1985

  104

  58

  n/a

  1986

  137

  41

  1,818

  1987

  393

  72

  2,474

  1988

  751

  278

  4,136

  1989

  1st quarter

  217

  89

  1,144

  2nd quarter

  115

  79

  559

  Most searches involve both the Army and RUC and are registered in their respective records. Both figures therefore are shown separately since there is an element of double counting.

  Army Helicopter, County Tyrone
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the make, rate of fire calibre and range of the weapon or weapons used by the IRA against the Army helicopter destroyed in County Tyrone recently or as much of such information as is available to him.
  362
  and (b) other roads in each of the last five years; and what are his projections for the current and next calendar or financial year.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  This information is not available in the precise form requested. Expenditure details on road maintenance are as follows:

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 23 February 1990]: The incident is under investigation. No further information is available.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Disability
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has received to his proposals for helping disabled people who are not able to work full time.

  Mr. Scott
  We have sent copies of "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" (Cm. 917) to a wide range of disability organisations and other interested bodies inviting their comments on our proposals to improve the balance and structure of social security help for people with disabilities. We have now received comments from seven organisations and six individuals on our proposals to introduce a disability employment credit for people who are partially capable of work. The Social Security Advisory Committee has also written to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State describing our proposals as a significant improvement to the system of benefits for disabled people. The committee particularly welcomed the introduction of a disability employment credit.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to improve disability benefits in order to give assistance with communication costs.

  Mr. Scott
  The Command Paper "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" published on 10 January contains several proposals that will give financial help to disabled people with communication costs. The introduction of an age-related addition for severe disablement allowance will assist many disabled people who have communication needs who have been disabled early in life or at birth. People with communication needs will be eligible for the new disability allowance in the same way as other disabled people. The introduction of a disability employment credit will also help people with communication needs who are partially capable of work. In addition, people who are both deaf and blind will, from April of this year, be able to receive mobility allowance at a rate of £26·25 per week.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the additional numbers of(a) disabled people aged 60 to 79 years and (b) people aged 80-plus years who became entitled to and were awarded (i) income support and (ii) housing benefit as a result of the increases to the premiums introduced in October 1989.
  363
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead (Mr. Field) on 23 February at column 937.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of(a) single men, (b) married men, (c) single women and (d) married women who will qualify for each rate of the proposed addition to severe disablement allowance and the number in each category who will not qualify for any addition.

  Mr. Scott
  The available estimates are in the table:

  Men

  Married women

  Single women

  Higher rate

  80,000

  15,000

  65,000

  Middle rate

  10,000

  25,000

  15,000

  Lower rate

  10,000

  25,000

  10,000

  No addition

  2,500

  —

  —

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many officials in his Department are involved in investigating benefit fraud.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Precise figures are not available, but it is possible to estimate the number of full-time equivalent posts on the basis of records of staff time expended on benefit fraud work. In 1988–89, the last year for which figures are available, the number of full-time equivalent posts was 2,940. Benefit savings achieved in 1988–89 were £262 million.

  Charities
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the role played by charities in the provision of welfare benefits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Charities play no role in the provision of social security benefits. In the income-related benefits, however, we have recently announced improvements which will enable charities to increase the additional help they give to people without affecting their benefits.

  Benefits (Overpayments)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in what circumstances overpayments of social security benefits are recovered at common law; how many such actions were brought in the last year for which records are available; which benefits were concerned; and how much was recovered.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Certain overpayments are not subject to a determination by the adjudicating authorities under section 53 of the Social Security Act 1986, for example, where duplicate payments of benefit have been made. Where the circumstances indicate that the claimant should have been aware of duplicate payments and taken appropriate action, repayment is sought on the common law principle that money paid under a mistake of fact should not be retained.

  No central records are kept on which an answer to the second part of the question could be based.

  Regulations
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the draft regulations of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 8 February at column 787.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the amendment to regulation 72 of the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1990 will be referred to the Social Security Advisory Committee.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Social Security Advisory Committee has agreed that the Social Security (Miscellaneous Provisions) Amendment Regulations 1990 should not be referred to it.

  Family Incomes
  Mrs. Beckett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish a table showing the level of gross earnings in April 1990 at which(a) a single householder, (b) a married couple, (c) a married couple with two children aged four and six years and (d) a single parent with one child aged three years will lose in housing benefit, assuming full take-up of family credit, average rent and rates and other assumptions, as in his reply to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North (Mr. Clay), Official Report, 1 December 1987, columns 565–66;

  (2) if he will publish figures, similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table, showing net weekly spending power for a lone mother with two children aged four and six years under the benefit system as uprated in April 1990 and in each of the following circumstances: (a) not working, after one year on benefits, (b) earning £20 a week from part-time working and (c) working full time and earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110 and (vii) £120 per week;

  (3) if he will publish tables similar to those in his Department's tax/benefit model table showing net weekly spending power for each of a single-wage married couple (a) with two children aged four and six years and (b) with three children aged three, eight and 11 years, earning (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110, (vii) £1 20, (viii) £130, (ix) £140, (x) £150, (xi) £160, and (xii) £170 under the benefit system as uprated in April.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested will not be available until after the Budget. I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible after the Budget.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide as much information as is available to him regarding the take-up of poll tax benefit, with a local breakdown showing the number of successful applicants in each local area and the range of benefit levels awarded.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Estimates of levels of take-up of community charge benefit can be obtained only when data from the relevant family expenditure survey become available. Figures for the numbers of benefit recipients in each local authority area will be available in due course but it will not be possible to provide a breakdown of the range of benefit levels awarded.
  365
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to give a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Northampton, North about community charge rebate for pensioners, tabled for priority written answer on 15 February.

  Mrs Gillian Shephard
  I have answered my hon. Friend's question today.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the increased cost of community charge rebate if the rebates available to pensioners were unaffected by their savings which would not be taken into account.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 15 February 1990]: Information is not available to make precise estimates, but it seems probable that expenditure on community charge benefit would increase by between £175 million and £225 million if the capital limit were abolished for pensioners and no income was assumed to be derived from their capital holdings.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there have been any changes to the cash limit of his Department for 1989–90.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The cash limit for class XV vote 7 will be reduced by £87,000 from £1,594,692,000 to £1,594,605,000.

  This reduction represents the Department of Social Security's contribution towards the scheme for providing temporary shelters by certain health authorities, local authorities and voluntary organisations in the event of a spell of exceptionally severe weather to safeguard the health of people sleeping rough in central London, as announced by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on 20 February.

  There will be a corresponding increase on administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social Services, England vote, class XIV, vote 3.

HEALTH

  Northern Ireland Students
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a list of courses at universities and colleges in England for which his Department refuses to pay tuition fees for students from Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are none. If a student successfully competes for a place tuition fees will be paid provided the student fulfils the EC residency requirements of the award scheme.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to establish whether any discrimination exists against Northern Ireland students academically eligible to enrol on courses at universities or colleges in England for which the Department of Health normally pays tuition fees.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. Northern Ireland students can compete for places on courses for which the Department of Health normally pays tuition fees.
  366
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the Department of Health pays tuition fees on behalf of students from the Republic of Ireland and other European Community states accepted for courses at universities and colleges in England.

  Mr. Freeman
  Tuition fees are payable on behalf of students from Republic of Ireland and other European Community countries provided they fulfil the EC residency requirements of the award scheme.

  Tranquillisers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why his Department stopped its grant to the tranquilliser withdrawal group TRANX; and what other similar groups his Department now supports.

  Mr. Freeman
  TRANX was grant-aided under the Department's central funding initiative for drug misuse for the maximum three-year period. Following this, TRANX obtained further funding from local statutory authorities. As TRANX continued to experience funding difficulties negotiations took place with the local statutory authorities but no agreement could be reached whereby funding could continue.

  It is Government policy that support and planning for direct client services should be the responsibility of the local statutory authorities which are best placed to decide, which organisations best fit in with local service plans and budgets. In order to help regions develop such services for drug misuse, substantial amounts of earmarked funding have been allocated each year since 1986–87. This funding totalled nearly £15 million in 1989–90.

  When the North West Thames regional health authority and the London borough grants unit decided not to continue to support TRANX the Department wrote in December 1989 explaining that because of this and given the constraints on central funds no further grant aid was available from the Department.

  The Department is supporting MIND to produce a national directory of local tranquilliser services and public information material on tranquillisers.

  Nursing Homes
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of places currently provided by(a) private and (b) voluntary registered residential homes in each local authority area in England.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of places provided by(a) private and (b) voluntary registered residential homes in each local authority, as at 31 March 1987 is published in "Residential Accommodation for Mentally Ill and Mentally Handicapped People: Number of local authority, voluntary and private homes and places at 31 March 1987 England" and "Residential Accommodation for Elderly and Younger Physically Handicapped People: All Residents in Local Authority, Voluntary and Private Homes Year Ending 31 March 1987 England". Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Tuberculosis Vaccine
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give details of the supplies of tuberculosis vaccine that are available to children.
  367
  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Hodge Hill (Mr. Davis) on 1 March at columns 304–5.

  Cervical Cytology
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to issue guidance to the Devon family practitioner committee to the effect that women who have had hysterectomies and those who, at their own request, do not wish to be placed on the cervical cytology recall system will not cause their general practitioner to be placed at financial disadvantage with regard to the calculation for new target payments under the new contract for general practitioners.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. The method of calculating target payments for cervical cytology is set down in paragraph 28 of the revised statement of fees and allowances. The population used in the calculations includes all women aged 25 to 64 save those who have had full hysterectomies. The Devon family practitioner committee is well aware of these arrangements.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will set out the authority under which non-medical personnel may request information from general practitioners as to why patients on their lists are not on the cervical cytology recall system.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  HC(88)1, a copy of which is in the Library, states that all women aged 20 to 64 should be invited for cervical screening, unless their general practitioner has indicated that they should be excluded. The detailed operation of computerised call and recall systems for cervical screening is a matter for family practitioner committees on behalf of district health authorities.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are registered as requiring speech therapy in Liverpool; how many currently receive such help; how many speech therapists are employed by the health authority; how many vacancies remain unfilled; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Liverpool health authority has had difficulty recruiting qualified speech therapists and is currently examining, with the help of an expert adviser, how the situation can be improved. A report is due at the end of March. For detailed information, the hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Liverpool health authority.

  Schizophrenia
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the provision of facilities for sufferers of schizophrenia on Merseyside; how many acute admission wards, day hostels and day hospitals exist for the care of schizophrenics on Merseyside; how many trained psychiatric staff are employed by the health authority; and how many schizophrenics are registered with the health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  We do not hold this information centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Mersey regional health authority.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will review compensation payments for HIV patients who contracted the AIDS virus as a direct result of blood transfusions made during the course of surgery; what are the latest estimates of the number of patients involved; what would be the total cost if they were treated on a par with haemophiliac HIV victims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The additional ex-gratia payment made to the Macfarlane Trust enabling lump sum payments of £20,000 to each haemophiliac with HIV was not compensation.

  It recognised the wholly exceptional circumstances which haemophiliacs and their families face, that their insurance, employment and mortgage prospects were already affected by their serious disability, and the hereditary nature of haemophilia can mean that more than one member of a family may be affected. The situation of someone who has contracted HIV as the result of a blood transfusion is, therefore, not directly comparable.

  The position at the end of January 1990, as reported to the communicable disease surveillance centre, is that in England, Wales and Northern Ireland there have been 18 cases of AIDS in people known to have been transfused in the United Kingdom, of whom 13 are known to he dead (not necessarily directly as a result of AIDS). The comparable figure on HIV seropositive transfused in the United Kingdom was 17.

  Compensation is a matter for the courts.

  Durham Health Authority
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to reply to the question tabled by the hon. Member for City of Durham for answer on 9 February concerning spending by Durham health authority.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 28 February at columns 226–27.

  Yorkshire Regional Health Authority
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total cost involved in the running of the Yorkshire regional health authority headquarters and administration for 1990–91 and for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 25 January 1990]: Figures for headquarters administration expenditure in the Yorkshire region for the years 1983–84 to 1988–89 (the latest year available) are shown in the table:

  Headquarters administration expenditure—Yorkshire region

  £ thousand (cash)

  Regional health authority

  District health authorities

  Total

  1983–84

  4,926

  22,444

  27,370

  1984–85

  5,924

  23,741

  29,665

  1985–86

  7,113

  23,199

  30,312

  1986–87

  7,997

  24,218

  32,215

  1987–88

  8,675

  28,113

  36,788

  1988–89

  8,962

  30,479

  39,441

  Source: Annual accounts of the Yorkshire regional health authority (RHA) and the district health authorities (DHAs) comprising the

  369
  Yorkshire region.

  Notes:

  1. Expenditure on headquarters administration includes all current expenditure on the pay and pay related costs of staff of all disciplines (for recent years including general managers) employed at headquarters levels and their office costs and overheads. It excludes the cost of clerical and secretarial support staff employed in departments at hospital and unit level: such costs are regarded as operational.

  2. Prior to 1 April 1985 some districts had an associated family practitioner committee (FPC). Those authorities' expenditure for the years before that date include small elements relating to FPCs administrative expenses which are not separately identifiable.

  3. Regions are managed in an integrated way and total expenditure by the Yorkshire region is more meaningful than that for the Yorkshire RHA in isolation from the districts within the region.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  BBC External Services
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in the light of developments in eastern Europe, he will review the level of provision of English language teaching of the BBC external services in those countries.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We regularly review with the BBC World Service the hours of English language teaching (ELT) for eastern Europe and other regions. ELT in English to Europe and the Soviet Union increased by 50 per cent. to 26·5 hours a week between 1986 and 1989. In addition, 4·5 hours a week are broadcast in eastern European and Russian vernaculars.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the elections in Nicaragua.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to my hon. Friend the Member for Shipley (Sir M. Fox) on 27 February.

  NATO Arms Definitions
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are NATO's current definitions of (i) main battle tanks, and (ii) combat aircraft currently being discussed at the conventional forces in Europe talks in Vienna; and how these differ from NATO's previous definitions.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Copies of the NATO texts tabled on 8 February for a new definition of tanks/armoured combat vehicles and for a revised proposal on combat aircraft are being placed in the Library of the House.

  The new texts reflect western efforts to meet Warsaw pact concerns. On tanks the weight limit has been reduced to capture more vehicles (13 tonnes for tracked tanks; 20 tonnes for wheeled) and a limit of 1,500 has been introduced on heavy armoured combat vehicles (the category into which less heavy but comparably armed vehicles would fall). On combat aircraft a new ceiling of 4,700 has been set (to include medium bombers and land-based naval aircraft); aircraft whose primary function is training have been excluded and an additional 500 limit is set on air defence interceptors. The 30 per cent. sufficiency rule will still apply.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the total withdrawal of Soviet short-range nuclear forces from eastern Europe outside the terms of a multilateral disarmament agreement between NATO and the Warsaw pact.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  NATO has repeatedly called on the Soviet Union to reduce the number of its short-range nuclear missile systems, in which it enjoys a substantial numerical superiority vis-a-vis the West.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the total withdrawal of Soviet armed forces from eastern Europe(a) at the request of east European Governments and (b) as part of the conventional forces in Europe talks in Vienna.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The CFE agreement will set limits on participating states' armed forces in the area of application (from the Atlantic to the Urals). The western treaty text (tabled on 14 December) envisages that it will be for each alliance to determine how these residual forces will be apportioned among its members. Soviet armed forces are already being withdrawn from certain east European countries as a result of bilateral agreements. The future of Soviet forces in the GDR has yet to be agreed. But we could imagine the continued presence of Soviet troops for a transitional period.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy with regard to states that are capable of producing chemical weapons having signed a chemical weapons convention before the transitional period for the implementation of a chemical weapons convention can be deemed to have been concluded.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We shall encourage all states to sign and ratify a chemical weapons convention at the earliest possible time after it has been agreed.

  Conventional Force Talks
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government on the time scale for the resumption of further conventional force reduction talks in Europe upon completion of the current conventional forces in Europe talks in Vienna.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This was set out in the speech by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to the Ottawa open skies conference on 12 February.

  He said:
  "I believe that we should launch immediately after the CSCE Summit later this year continuing consultations among all the countries concerned, with a view to new negotiations on an agreed basis as soon as possible. We should focus on both types of dividend—on the political, as well as the military, goals of arms control. Those negotiations should be closely supervised at the political level and involve participation by Ministers, where necessary."

  Warsaw Pact
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the Warsaw pact's armed forces in the Atlantic to the Urals region in the categories of (i) main battle tanks, (ii) other armoured vehicles, (iii) artillery, (iv) anti-tank weapons, (v) combat aircraft and (vi) personnel belong to member states other than the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Updated data on armed forces (which corresponds to agreed definitions) will be exchanged formally on signature of a CFE agreement. Until this is done, it is not possible to say precisely what proportion Soviet forces form of total Warsaw pact forces, but as the figures provided in the NATO booklet "Conventional Forces in Europe: The Facts" show, it is substantial.

  Under the sufficiency rule in the CFE negotiations, individual country holdings will be limited to a fixed proportion of total equipment holdings in the area. Under the West's envisaged 30 per cent. limit, the Soviet Union would be entitled to 60 per cent. of the Warsaw pact entitlements (under the eastern 35–40 per cent. limit, 70–80 per cent.). As this sufficiency rule would take effect after parity, it implies the Soviet Union holds more than that proportion now.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in light of non-proliferation goals set by the European Community, he will make it his policy to make representations to his French counterpart concerning the agreement made on 21 February by France with Pakistan to sell a nuclear plant.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  If the sale to which the hon. Member refers goes ahead, we are confident, in view of the stated French position, that it will be subject to adequate guarantees that no nuclear material can be diverted to non-peaceful uses. Such guarantees would include the application of safeguards by the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any member state of the 1968 nuclear non-proliferation treaty has notified Her Majesty's Government over its concern with Anglo-French technical collaboration on air-launched nuclear missile systems, in the context of United Kingdom commitments under the nuclear non-proliferation treaty article 1.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No. Article 1 of the non-proliferation treaty would be relevant to possible Anglo-French collaboration on an air-launched missile only if that collaboration were to involve the transfer of a nuclear warhead, which it would not.

  Diplomatic Immunity
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have made any representations since May 1979 to any other Government following the violation of diplomatic immunity of an embassy or ambassadorial residence by forces not representing the Government of the state where the embassy was based.
  372
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  UN Disarmament literature
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has any commitment to the United Nations for the responsibility of distribution in the United Kingdom and dependent territories of United Nations disarmament literature.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  No.

  Romania
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to assist:n the provision of books, journals and academic literature to Romania.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Following the destruction of Bucharest university central library during the Romanian revolution, the British Council has agreed to pay for the transport to Romania of more than 250,000 academic books collected from the public and publishers by Professors Deletant, Crampton, Clogg and Pavlovitch.

  Diplomatic Personnel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what requirements are placed on United Kingdom diplomatic personnel based al Her Majesty's embassies abroad with regard to keeping within the law of the state where they are based; and what guidance is given to diplomatic personnel concerning their actions under conditions when the Government of the country in which they are based are removed by a revolution.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In accordance with article 41 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, staff a missions overseas are expected to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state. Guidance on this point, but not on the specific circumstances of a Government being removed by revolution, was issued to all posts and to staff in London in October 1989.

  HIV
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the United States Government concerning that Government's practice of requiring disclosure of the HIV status of visitors to the United States of America.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In January the United Kingdom made an official approach to the United States Department of State on the question of United States immigration policy in relation to people with HIV and AIDS. The United States authorities recognised the difficulties caused by the present rules, which they have undertaken to apply flexibly and sympathetically, but they pointed out that a change in policy would require new legislation by the United States Congress.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what advice his Department offers to United Kingdom citizens on questioning about their HIV status by United States of America immigration authorities.
  373
  Mr. Sainsbury
  No United Kingdom citizens have sought advice from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on how to respond to questions regarding HIV status from the United States immigration authorities.

EMPLOYMENT

  Advice Interviews
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether a claimant attending employment service counselling interviews with either(a) a new client adviser, (b) a restart counsellor or (c) a claimant adviser who feels they are being treated unfairly or harshly can ask for the interviewer to be changed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  If a client wishes to see a different counsellor or adviser this can be arranged.

  If no other suitable counsellor or adviser is available the client may see the office manager instead.

  Review Interviews
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether an unemployed claimant at a review interview whom an employment service councillor thinks is refusing suitable employment either before or after the interview and completes a UB195 and UB195A, or his or her representative can ask for and receive copies of both documents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Form UB195 is a report of a claimant who fails to take the chance of a job or training offered by an employment service counsellor. It contains details of the job vacancy or training opportunity offered and the submission to, and decision of, the statutory adjudication officer. Copies of this form are not available to the claimant.

  Form UB195A, which is issued to the claimant as a matter of course, includes an exact copy of the details of the vacancy/training opportunity from the UB195. The UB195A offers space for the claimant to comment on their refusal, to assist the independent adjudicaton officer in deciding whether there was "good cause" for their refusal. Claimants may keep a copy of the UB195A; or retain the original form and submit their comments on a separate sheet of paper. They may, as an alternative, ask the unemployment benefit office for a copy of the UB195A.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will ensure that the operation plans of each TEC are available in the Library; and if he will also place copies in the main libraries of the areas covered by the TECs.

  Mr. Eggar
  The contract between my Department and each TEC will require the publication of a summary of the TEC's corporate and business plans. I shall arrange for these summaries to be placed in the Library as they become available. The contract will also provide that a full copy of the corporate plan must be made available to the public at the registered office of the TEC. TECs will be free to choose whether to place copies of their plans in local libraries.

  Workplace Nurseries
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all workplace nurseries known to him, by county, together with the number of places in each.

  Mr. Nicholls
  This information is not collected, but indications are that the provision of such facilities is growing.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on which occasions and for what reasons the Health and Safety Executive sought outside assistance from Her Majesty's inspectors of mines with reference to health and safety issues raised during construction of the Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of mines is an integral part of the Health and Safety Executive, not an outside agency, and is involved as appropriate on health and safety matters relating to the Channel tunnel.

  Radiation
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if, in the light of the Gardner report on radiation risks, he will review current radiation exposure limits at facilities in Scotland licensed to handle radioactive materials;

  (2) if, in the light of the Gardner report on radiation risks, he will review current radiation exposure limits at facilities in England licensed to handle radioactive materials;

  (3) if, in the light of the Gardner report on radiation risks, he will review current radiation exposure limits at facilities in Wales licensed to handle radioactive materials.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 28 February 1990]: The radiation exposure limits for all workers are set out in schedule 1 of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985. These regulations are based on internationally accepted recommendations from the International Commission on Radiological Protection which are currently being reviewed in the light of revised estimates of risk from radiation.

  On 5 February the Health and Safety Commission published a consultative document inviting comments on additional interim guidance on dose limitation pending receipt of revised international recommendations.

  In view of the importance of the Gardner report it is to be referred to the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) for immediate consideration. In addition, HSE, subject to the agreement of the individuals concerned, will be investigating in co-operation with BNFL whether other common factors were relevant in the Sellafield study cases. This may help to identify further measures to protect employees.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Industrial Waste
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the licences for dumping industrial waste including the substances, companies and
  375
  amounts involved which have been (a) submitted to him, (b) submitted to the Oslo commission and (c) approved by him since 1 December 1989 giving the dates in each case.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is as follows:

  Sterling Organics

  Aqueous residue from preparation of paracetamol 42,000 tonnes.

  Submitted to Oslo Commission: 19 September 1989.

  Application for renewal received: 18 December 1989. Licence approved: 23 February 1990.

  Fisons

  Wash waters from synthesis of Intal—a treatment for asthma and allergies 4,000 tonnes.

  Submitted to Oslo Commission: 19 September 1989.

  Application for renewal received: 18 December 1989.

  Application rejected: 16 January 1990.

  Orsynetics

  Salt solution from manufacture of o-tolyl-biguanide 3,000 tonnes.

  Submitted to Oslo Commission: 5 October 1989.

  Application for renewal received: 14 December 1989.

  Licence approved: 22 February 1990.

  Fine Organics

  Wash waters from synthesis of antibiotic and anti-ulcer medicines 8,000 tonnes.

  Submitted to Oslo Commission: 21 December 1989.

  Application awaited.

  Tate and Lyle

  Chalk solution from sugar refining 30,000 tonnes.

  Submitted to Oslo Commission: 16 February 1990.

  Application awaited.

  I also refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 22 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans), Official Report, column 899, in which I stated that it is the Government's intention that none of these wastes will continue to be dumped at sea after the end of 1992.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields of 4 December 1989,Official Report, columns 105–8, if he will list the licence applications for dumping industrial waste which in 1990 he expects to (a) renew, and (b) refuse; if he will list those for which alternative methods of disposal will be found: and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have renewed licences held by Orsynetics and Sterling Organics. I expect to renew licences held by Fine Organics, Tate and Lyle, National Power and ICI. I have refused a licence to Fisons. Other licences will not be renewed if alternative means of disposal of the wastes concerned are available at the time existing licences expire.

  Alternative means of disposal will be implemented for all the wastes concerned. As I stated in my written answer of 22 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) Official Report, column 899, it is the Government's intention that none of these wastes will continue to he dumped at sea after the end of 1992. For several of those licences to be renewed in 1990 an alternative means of disposal is expected to be in place within a year.

  I also expect to renew licences held by British Coal for dumping stone from colleries.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon.376
  Member for South Shields of 4 December 1989, Official Report, columns 105–8, if he will list the applications for dumping industrial waste which he approved in 1989, listing the substances, quantities and companies involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 4 December (Official Report, columns 105–8), which lists the applications received. All except the solid waste from boric acid production were approved.

  I also refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 22 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) (Official Report, column 899) in which I stated that it is the Government's intention that none of these wastes will continue to be dumped at sea after the end of 1992.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will place the details in the Library of the applications for dumping industrial waste to include the chemical components, the amounts involved and the companies involved for(a) wash waters from the synthesis of antibiotic and anti-ulcer medicines and (b) chalk solution from sugar refining.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am arranging to place in the Library copies of the information sent to the Oslo Commission about these wastes.

  I also refer the hon. Member to my written answer of 22 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans), Official Report, column 899, in which I stated that it is the Government's intention that none of these wastes will continue to be dumped at sea after the end of 1992.

  Pesticides
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will list the pesticides which have been reviewed since 16 March 1989; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list those pesticides which are currently being reviewed which are undergoing (a) a full review and (b) a partial review; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list those pesticides which have been reviewed that have (a) been subject to a full review and (b) been subject to a partial review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The following pesticides approved by my Department have been reviewed by the advisory committee on pesticides:

  Reviews concluded by the ACP before 16 March 1989

  Review

  Amitrole (Aminotriazole)

  Partial

  Aldicarb

  Partial

  Binapacryl

  Full

  Biologicalagents

  Partial

  Bitertanol

  Full

  Cyhexatin

  Partial

  Dinoseb

  Full

  Dinoseb-Acetate

  Full

  Dinoterb

  Full

  DNOC

  Full

  Ethylene Dibromide

  Full

  Maleic Hydrazide

  Full

  Mercury Compounds

  Full

  Persistent Organochlorine Insecticides

  Full

  Synthetic Pyrethroids

  Full

  2, 4, 5-T

  Full

  Triazophos

  Partial

  377

  Reviews concluded by the ACP since 16 March 1989

  Review

  Captafol

  Full

  Daminozide

  Partial

  Dimethoate

  Partial

  Fenbutatin oxide

  Partial

  Fentin acetate

  Partial

  Fentin hydroxide

  Partial

  Iprodione

  Partial

  Reviews currently in progress

  Review

  Alachlor

  Full

  2-aminobutane

  Partial

  Benomyl

  Full

  Bromoxynil

  Full

  Captan

  Full

  Carbendazim

  Full

  2, 4-D

  Full

  Dimeton-s-methyl

  Full

  Demeton-s-methyl-sulphone

  Full

  Diazinon

  Full

  Dichlorvos

  Full

  Dinocap

  Full

  Ferbam

  Full

  Ioxynil

  Full

  Lindane

  Full

  Linuron

  Full

  Mancozeb

  Full

  Maneb

  Full

  Methyl bromide

  Partial

  Mevinphos

  Full

  Monolinuron

  Full

  Nabam

  Full

  Oxydemeton-methyl

  Full

  Propineb

  Full

  Sulfonyl ureas

  Partial

  Tecnazene

  Full

  Thiabendazole

  Full

  Thiram

  Full

  Thiophanate methyl

  Full

  Zineb

  Full

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list those pesticides for which a review is planned that will be subject to(a) a full review and (b) a partial review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The advisory committee on pesticides will consider the most appropriate form of review for each active ingredient, listed in the reply given on 11 December,Official Report, column 512.

  Sea Wall Defences
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make an assessment of the adequacy of sea wall defences along the north Wales, Lincolnshire and Somerset coastlines following the extensive flooding from the storms on 25 to 27 February.

  Mr. Gummer
  The state of flood defences, including sea walls, is continually monitored by the responsible authorities, and close liaison is maintained by my river and coastal engineers with authorities, in particular the National Rivers Authority, which undertake most of the works. Increases in grant provision following the public expenditure surveys in 1988 and 1989 resulted from our review, in close consultation with the National Rivers Authority and other responsible authorities, of current and future coastal and flood defence needs.

  On the Lincolnshire coastline, where some £9 million has been invested since 1984 in the improvement of the
  378
  defences between Mablethorpe and Skegness and an accelerated programme of works of the order of £20 million is planned over the next three years, the defences have successfully resisted two recent surge tides.

  On the Somerset coastline the defences, which were constructed following the serious floods of 1981 at a cost of some £16 million, have in general resisted the extreme conditions, although there has been some flooding as a result of the unusual combination of high tide, surge, and wind. Among those locations where flooding has been experienced, schemes at Shirehampton and Pill are already programmed.

  Authorities responsible for defences are assessing the effects of the storms, and we have asked for an early indication of changes to programmes. Grant at rates up to 70 per cent. (rising to 75 per cent. in 1990–91) from my Department will be available for schemes which satisfy our technical, economic and environmental criteria.

  Government responsibility for the north Wales coastline rests with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  National Fruit Collection
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the latest position in relation to the proposed move of the national fruit collection from Brogdale to Wye college.

  Mr. Curry
  The transfer of the national fruit collection from Brogdale to Wye college is proceeding on schedule. Wye college is due to take over management of the collection on 1 April, and the detailed arrangements for its transfer and maintenance are being finalised.

  All the rootstocks for the first phase of fruit trees have been obtained and some have been planted. The remainder will be planted as soon as weather and soil conditions permit. Some cuttings of soft fruit have also been taken. The rootstocks will be budded in late July/August and the first fruit trees will be established at Wye in the winter of 1991–92.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with representatives of the Scotch whisky industry.

  Mr. Curry
  I have nothing to add to my reply of 8 February 1990,Official Report, column 726.

  Bottled Water
  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what responsibilities the food safety directorate has in the analysis of bottled water purity.

  Mr. Maclean
  The responsibility for the routine analysis of bottled water rests with local authorities. The food safety directorate undertakes analysis of food and drink as part of the Government's food surveillance programme or if there is a more general safety concern. The rapid response to the recent problem experienced by Perrier is an example of the latter role.

  Fish Farming
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's policy towards the development of fish farming.

  Mr. Curry
  Our policy is to encourage the development of an efficient fish farming industry within the framework of statutory controls relating to fish disease and environmental considerations.

  Eggs
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many eggs were imported from the continent in 1989.

  Mr. Curry
  The latest figures supplied by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise show that 1,129,347 cases of eggs were imported in 1989, of which 1,109,706 cases came from countries on the European mainland.

  Alar
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now order a full review of alar.

  Mr. Gummer
  The advisory committee on pesticides reviewed consumer safety aspects of daminozide and concluded that the margins of safety are extremely large. Further data would be required for assessment if food uses were to continue.

  Mink Farm
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his replies to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 22 February,Official Report, columns 896–97, whether there is a mink farm at Stansted in Essex; and if he will make a statement about his method of compiling statistics on the numbers and locations of mink farms.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is a licensed mink farm at Stansted, Essex. Applications for licences to operate mink farms in England are received at the Ministry's divisional offices, which record locations and numbers of licences issued. The other agricultural departments are responsible for compiling statistics relating to farms in their regions. My answer of 22 February, column 897 contained a typographical error; the table showing numbers of mink farms should have shown a total as at 20 February 1990 of 50, not 51.

  Battery Hens
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what area would be required for a caged hen to allow her to perform all natural functions without hindrance; what is the area designated within the battery system per hen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Recent research has indicated that the activity demanding most space for a single bird (wing flapping) requires a considerably greater area than the minimum space allowance of 450 sq cm laid down in the Economic Community battery hens directive. In the review of the directive which is due to commence this year we will press for the minimum space to be increased.

DEFENCE

  Savings
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has given any recent consideration to possible defence savings.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given at column 596 on 6 February 1990 to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan).

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last discussed deployment of short-range nuclear weapons in Europe with his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation counterparts.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend met his NATO counterparts at the NATO nuclear planning group meeting in Armansil, Portugal on 24–25 October 1989, where the planning group confirmed its long-standing commitment to keep NATO's nuclear forces responsive, survivable and effective across the required spectrum of ranges.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now answer questions seeking to establish the countries in eastern Europe on which British and NATO nuclear weapons are targeted.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no grounds for any departure from the long-established practice of successive Administrations of not commenting on targeting policy.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he had with the United States defence authorities regarding the stockpiling of unassembled nuclear missiles in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Military Sufficiency
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence his Department has on the policy of the Soviet General Staff towards the doctrine of military sufficiency.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We have taken careful note of the statements by Soviet leaders on the shift in their military doctrine towards a more defensive posture, and the impact this is having on the structure of their armed forces. The unilateral force reductions and withdrawals from eastern Europe have provided some practical evidence of this shift, as have recent Soviet exercise patterns, although enhancements in the capability of remaining Soviet forces continue. We will continue to keep this under close examination and look forward to a CFE agreement which will bring about further reductions in Soviet forces in Europe.

  Information (Access)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make it his policy to compare the access to information available to hon. Members in respect of the various responsibilities of his Department with the
  381
  equivalent access available to elected representatives in the United States of America and consider widening the scope and detail of the former.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is our policy to make available as much information as possible while preserving the confidentiality essential to national security and the effective working of the Department.

  Aircraft (Alnwick)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any near miss report was made in respect of two Tornado aircraft and a Harrier flying over Alnwick at 14.32 on Tuesday 9 January; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Neubert
  No such airmiss report has been filed.

  SA80 Rifle
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to make further adaptations to the SA80 rifle.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Modifications have already been trialled and tested, and will be introduced this year into production and as a retrofit.

  Free-fall Bomb
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the parameters of range requirement of any new tactical air-to-surface missile being considered by his Department as a possible successor to the WE177 free-fall bomb.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our practice to comment on the detailed specifications for weapons systems under consideration as possible future replacements for the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether formal consultation procedures exist within NATO for the use of chemical weapons by the United States of America in Europe in time of conflict.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave the hon. Member on 11 December 1989 at column 526.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether recent assessments by United States intelligence agencies regarding the Soviet stockpile of chemical weapons will lead to any reassessment by his Department of the size of the Soviet stockpile of chemical weapons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 14 November,Official Report, column 188.

  Forces Levels (Europe)
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1989," volume 1, pages 46 and 47, what will be the balance of total ground forces(a) in the central region
  382
  and (b) in the region from the Atlantic to the Urals as a result of President Bush's recent proposal to limit the number of United States and Soviet troops to 195,000 on each side being implemented.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A limit of 195,000 for United States and Soviet ground, air and air defence personnel to be stationed in a central area, comprising Belgium, Denmark, Federal Republic of Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Czechoslovakia, German Democratic Republic, Hungary and Poland, was agreed in Ottawa earlier this month. I am not aware that either side has yet decided what effect this limit will have on ground forces.

  D Notices
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to introduce any new D notices.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  D notices are not issued by the Secretary of State for Defence but by the defence press and broadcasting committee. I understand that currently there are no proposals for the issue of any new D notices.

  Nuclear Materials (Military Use)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the mutual defence agreement 1959 between the United Kingdom and United States of America on the mutual provision of nuclear materials for military uses is still in force; and what amendments have been made to the agreement since it entered into force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I can confirm that the "Agreement between the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and the Government of the United States of America for Co-operation on the Uses of Atomic Energy for Mutual Defence Purposes" of 1958 remains extant.

  The original text may be found in Cmnd. 537 (1958) whilst the amendments—which have generally served to extend the duration of the agreement, provide for the continued supply of materials and take account of developments in the technology being exchanged—may be found in Cmnd. 859 (1959), Cmnd. 4119 (1969), Cmnd. 4384 (1970), Cmnd. 6017 (1975), Cmnd. 7976 (1980) and Cmnd. 9336 (1984).

ENVIRONMENT

  Cheshire Councils (Expenditure)
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set out a table showing for each year since 1979 the expenditure of Cheshire county council, Macclesfield borough council and Vale Royal borough council in(a) cash terms, (b) constant price terms and (c) cash terms per head;

  (2) if he will publish details for each year since 1979 of the direct revenue grants made to Cheshire county council, Macclesfield borough council and Vale Royal borough council in (a) cash terms, (b) constant price terms and (c) cash terms per head of population.

  Mr. Chope
  The available information is as follows:
  383

  Net current expenditure

  Cash terms (£ million)

  Constant price terms—1989–90 prices1 (£ million)

  Cash terms per head2 (£)

  Cheshire County Council

  1981–82

  283·141

  439·038

  305

  1982–83

  309·508

  447·610

  332

  1983–84

  324·020

  447·698

  347

  1984–85

  340£138

  447·724

  363

  1985–86

  358·189

  447·450

  380

  1986–87

  384·486

  464·651

  406

  1987–88

  422·813

  485·220

  444

  1988–89

  461·458

  493·760

  483

  1989–9033

  488·977

  488·977

  512

  Macclesfield Borough Council

  1981–82

  5·301

  8·220

  35

  1982–83

  5·896

  8·527

  40

  1983–84

  6·465

  8·933

  44

  1984–85

  6·056

  7·972

  40

  1985–86

  6·288

  7·855

  42

  1986–87

  6·923

  8·366

  46

  1987–88

  6·774

  7·774

  45

  1988–89

  7·448

  7·969

  49

  1989–903

  8·320

  8·320

  55

  Vale Royal Borough Council

  1981–82

  4·175

  6·474

  37

  1982–83

  4·276

  6·184

  38

  1983–84

  4·491

  6·205

  40

  1984–85

  4·539

  5£975

  40

  1985–86

  4·896

  6·116

  43

  1986–87

  4·770

  5·765

  42

  1987–88

  5·021

  5·762

  44

  1988–89

  5·206

  5·570

  46

  1989–903

  6·072

  6·072

  54

  1 Using GDP deflator to covert cash values to constant prices.

  2 Using Office of Population Censuses and Surveys mid-year estimates of total population to calculate per capita values.

  3 Budget estimates.

  Direct revenue grants1

  Cash terms £ million

  Constant price terms 1989–90 prices2 £ million

  Cash terms per head3 £

  Cheshire County Council

  1981–82

  163·027

  252·790

  175

  1982–83

  156·280

  226·012

  168

  1983–84

  158·541

  229·282

  170

  1984–85

  162·094

  213·364

  173

  1985–86

  148·348

  185·316

  157

  1986–87

  133·437

  161·259

  141

  1987–88

  140·049

  160·720

  147

  1988–89

  150·041

  160·544

  157

  1989–90

  129·752

  129·752

  136

  Macclesfield Borough Council

  1981–82

  3·010

  4·667

  20

  1982–83

  2·972

  4·298

  20

  1983–84

  3·568

  5·160

  24

  1984–85

  3·214

  4·231

  21

  1985–86

  2·655

  3·317

  18

  1986–87

  3·086

  3·729

  20

  1987–88

  3·109

  3·568

  20

  1988–89

  2·867

  3·068

  19

  1989–90

  2·978

  2·978

  20

  Vale Royal Borough Council

  1981–82

  2·151

  3·335

  19

  1982–83

  2·118

  3·063

  18

  1983–84

  2·328

  3£367

  21

  1984–85

  2·424

  3·191

  22

  1985–86

  2·143

  2·677

  19

  1986–87

  2·099

  2·537

  18

  1987–88

  2·220

  2·548

  20

  384

  Cash terms £ million

  Constant price terms 1989–90 prices2 £ million

  Cash terms per head3 £

  1988–89

  2·094

  2·241

  18

  1989–90

  2·018

  2·018

  18

  1 Comprising block grant and specific and supplementary grants.

  2 Using GDP deflator to convert cash values to constant prices.

  3 Using Office of Population Censuses and Surveys mid-year estimates of total population to calculate per capita values.

  Bradshaw Brook (Sewage Discharges)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many instances of excessive sewage discharge into Bradshaw brook, in the North West water authority area, have been recorded during periods of wet weather, in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No records are held of the frequency of operation of storm sewer overflows which primarily act as emergency outlets during periods of heavy rainfall. We have recently brought many of these overflows under the pollution control system for the first time, thereby ensuring that planned programmes of improve-ments will be carried out where necessary. I understand that North West Water Limited is undertaking a major resewerage scheme which should alleviate problems associated with unsatisfactory overflows into the lower Bradshaw brook at Bolton.

  Local Authority Spending
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate local authority spending for 1990–91 per head of population in(a) Westminster, (b) Brent, (c) Wandsworth, (d) Humberside and (e) South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Chope
  I have as yet no firm information on local authority spending in 1990–91.

  Shropshire County Council
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the total spending by Shropshire county council during each of the past five years; and what has been the corresponding amount of Government grants.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is as follows:

  Shropshire County Council

  Net current expenditure (£ million)

  Direct revenue Grants1 (£ million)

  1985–86

  141·981

  81·087

  1986–87

  157·148

  88·607

  1987–88

  173·019

  93·063

  1988–89

  190·483

  98·747

  1989–902

  201·141

  95·655

  1 Comprising block grant and specific and Supplementary grants.

  2 Budget estimates.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a person with dual sensory impairment, such as deaf-blindness, but mentally alert, can
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  gain exemption from the poll tax; what are the procedures for claiming exemptions; whether homes for such people qualify residents for the collective community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Disability will qualify an individual for exemption from the community charge if it involves severe mental impairment as defined in the legislation. People with other disabilities may qualify for rebates and transitional relief, the detailed rules of which contain special thresholds and allowances for disabled people. People resident as patients in NHS hospitals or in residential care homes, nursing homes, mental nursing homes or certain hostels (again, as defined in the legislation) are exempt from the community charge. Exemption is claimed by giving the registration officer details of the ground on which it is sought. The collective community charge applies only to the residents of buildings where turnover is so frequent that it appears to a registration officer that individual registration and collection of the charge would be impracticable.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the rebates and reductions obtainable under the community charge system that are in real terms(a) more generous and (b) less generous than the rebates and reductions currently obtainable under the domestic rate system.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: Rebates of, and reductions in, the community charge are available through community charge benefit and transitional relief. There is no rates equivalent of transitional relief, which is therefore a generous addition to the existing provisions. Community charge benefit is based on the same income and capital criteria as housing benefit, under which rate rebates are paid; but the rate at which benefit is withdrawn as income rises is lower, which means that community charge benefit is available at higher levels of income, and is higher for any given level of income. There is no equivalent under the community charge of rate rebates under the Rating (Disabled Persons) Act 1978; but those rebates were intended to prevent disabled people having to pay higher rates as a result of necessary alterations which increased the rateable value of their home. They are not necessary under a system which is not based on property values.

  Coastal Protection
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received about conflict between local authorities' duties under the Coast Protection Act 1949 and the Nature Conservancy Council's responsibilities for sites of special scientific interest in respect of coastline protection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  While I am aware of a number of cases where the interests of nature conservation have seemed at variance with the need for coastal protection under the Coast Protection Act 1949, I am pleased to be able to report that these are generally resolved by agreement between the parties involved.

  Tenants' Choice
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to promote tenants' choice; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Tenants' choice came into force in April last year and gives public sector tenants the opportunity to seek a new landlord for their homes. Many tenants are currently looking at the possibilities with the Housing Corporation. The spur of competition has also encouraged many local authorities to seek to improve the service they provide to their tenants.

  We propose, with the Housing Corporation, to provide local publicity to raise awareness of the possibilities under tenants' choice in areas where it is relatively low. Advertisements will be placed in local newspapers and with local radio stations operating from the following centres: Manchester, Bradford, Huddersfield, Halifax, Leeds, Birmingham, Leicester, Nottingham, Bristol, Plymouth and Southampton. These areas were selected on the advice of the Housing Corporation. The publicity will run for three weeks from mid-March and will cost approximately £130,000. We are considering further publicity later this year in other areas where awareness of tenants' choice is currently low.

  The Department, with the Housing Corporation, commissioned four videos which explain tenants' choice in detail. They should be completed by the end of March at a cost of approximately £120,000. They will be available to tenants through the Housing Corporation which has power to provide information, advice and assistance to tenants who are interested in tenants' choice.

  Contracts for the publicity and the videos were awarded according to the conditions laid down by the Government information service.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce tenants' choice to Nottingham council estates; if he has made any estimate of the cost of such proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway).

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list those areas of the United Kingdom to be targeted in his Department's campaign on the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988;

  (2) what budget has been set for his Department's campaign on the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988; and whether any contracts have been awarded to outside bodies for preparation of such a campaign;

  (3) whether he has any plans to jointly launch a campaign with the Housing Corporation to promote the tenants' choice provisions of the Housing Act 1988.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope), today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ryedale (Mr. Greenway).

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many inquiries have been received from tenants or groups of tenants concerning tenants' choice.
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  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: At 30 January 1990 the Housing Corporation had had 766 inquiries from tenant groups or individual tenants.

  Local Government Finance
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the 1990–91 revenue support grant entitlements of all local authorities in Kent in the same format as in the reply given to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing by the Secretary of State for Wales on 22 February,Official Report, columns 862–3.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The entitlements for revenue support grant (ie after allowing for safety net adjustments) for the local authorities in Kent are listed in the following table:

  Name

  Revenue support grant entitlement £

  Ashford

  11,426,620

  Canterbury

  16,979,259

  Dartford

  12,254,297

  Dover

  14,848,572

  Gillingham

  13,255,746

  Gravesham

  12,357,886

  Maidstone

  16,868,067

  Rochester Upon Medway

  20,461,365

  Sevenoaks

  11,966,395

  Shepway

  11,640,754

  Swale

  16,228,029

  Thanet

  18,493,602

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  13,492,043

  Tunbridge Wells

  12,060,160

  Total for all districts

  202,332,795

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales in his reply on 22 February gave figures for the revenue support grant entitlements for Welsh county councils. It is not possible to calculate such figures for English county councils as although revenue support grant is paid to district councils in support of services provided by both the district and county council, there is no amount separately identified as being attributable to the county council.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his written reply dated 14 February,Official Report, column 222, concerning the amount of poll tax payable in 1990–91 per adult for each region and so on, (1) whether he will provide in each case the amount of the average rate bill per adult as a percentage of the median full-time adult male earnings;

  (2) whether he will provide in each case the amount of the long-run community charge per head as a percentage of the median full-time adult male earnings.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 28 February 1990]: I have no information on median full-time adult male earnings in 1990–91.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the relevant notional amount for each charging and precepting authority which is the amount which would have been calculated by each charging and precepting authority in relation to the financial year 1989–90 on the assumption that 1989–90 was a chargeable year; and if he will show what other assumptions he has made in arriving
  388
  at the relevant notional amount, using his powers under part VIII of the Local Government and Finance Act 1988 for community charge capping.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: I have made it clear that I shall not hesitate to cap authorities which insist on budgeting excessively for 1990–91, but it would not be right for me to speculate on any aspects of the operation of any capping scheme which might be needed.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of non-domestic properties in each English region and in Wales will be treated as small properties for the purposes of the business rate transitional arrangements.

  Mr. Chope
  The percentage of non-domestic properties in each English region and in Wales with a rateable value in the draft local rating lists which are to take effect on 1 April 1990 of £500 or more which have a value below the thresholds of £15,000 in Greater London and £10,000 elsewhere is as follows:

  Percentage

  Northern

  80

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  79

  East Midlands

  77

  East Anglia

  73

  Inner London

  62

  Outer London

  74

  Rest of the South East

  65

  South West

  76

  West Midlands

  76

  North West

  79

  Welsh Valleys

  83

  Wales, except Valleys

  82

  All properties

  74

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the fullest breakdown available to him of the 1990–91 standard spending assessment figures for Tonbridge and Mailing of £5·364 million and £0·466 million in his reply to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing of 26 February,Official Report, column 22.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The sub-components of the service elements of the standard spending assessment for Tonbridge and Malling are:

  £ million

  Other services—district level

  5·328367

  Other services—county level

  0·060166

  Flood defence

  0·133639

  Interest receipts

  -0·158585

  Total other services

  5·363586

  Debt charges

  0·696891

  Capital expenditure charge to revenue account

  0·043102

  Interest on capital receipts

  -0·273607

  Total capital financing

  0·466386

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 1990–91 standard spending assessments per head of population, before safety net. adjustments, for each borough and district council in Kent in descending order of magnitude.
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  Mr. David Hunt
  There is no safety net adjustment to standard spending assessments. The standard spending assessment per adult for each charging authority in Kent is shown in the table:

  1990–91 Standard Spending Assessments per Adult

  SSA per adult £/ adult

  Thanet

  106

  Rochester upon Medway

  105

  Gillingham

  99

  Dover

  95

  Shepway

  94

  Canterbury

  92

  Gravesham

  92

  Ashford

  90

  Swale

  90

  Maidstone

  88

  Tunbridge Wells

  88

  Dartford

  84

  Tonbridge and Malling

  76

  Sevenoaks

  73

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the approximate public expenditure cost in 1990–91 of limiting the amount that ratepayers and ratepayer couples in England need pay in community charge to £3 a week over their 1989–90 rates bill, through the transitional relief scheme to individuals that he announced in October 1989, if local authorities in England spend(a) not more than 10 per cent. above their standard spending assessment and (b) not more than 15 per cent. above their standard spending assessment.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The transitional relief scheme gives relief based on the lower of the assumed charge or the actual charge. If the scheme operated in the way described, relief in many authorities would therefore be based on actual charges rather than assumed charges. I have no firm information on planned spending in most authorities and I am therefore unable to estimate the cost of the schemes described.

  International Garden Festival Site (Liverpool)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future of the international garden festival site, Liverpool.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Merseyside development corporation is currently negotiating terms for the disposal of the site to a private company for development of leisure facilities.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond),Official Report, 23 February, column 929 (a) how many copies of the consultation paper on the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980 issued on 25 January, to which he makes reference, have been published, (b) to which organisations and individuals the consultations have been distributed and (c) when he expects to collate and analyse comments received on the paper.

  Mr. Trippier
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) 1,800 copies of the consultation paper have been printed;

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  (b) the organisations to which the paper was initially distributed are listed in the annex to the Department's consultation letter of 25 January, copies of which have been placed in the Library. Since then copies of the consultation paper have been sent on request to 330 organisations and individuals; and

  (c) comments on the proposals in the consultation paper have been invited by 30 April 1990 and I will consider those received as soon as possible after that date.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond),Official Report, 23 February, column 930, if he will make it his policy to ask Her Majesty's chief inspector of pollution to compile a list of all firms known to (a) have imported toxic wastes since 1979 and (b) be currently importing toxic wastes.

  Mr. Trippier
  There is no central record of firms known to have imported toxic waste since 1979. From November 1988, information arising from the consignment notes required under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988, which includes the identity of importers of waste for disposal in Great Britain, has been collected by HMIP and the waste disposal authorities concerned.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any further information from the United States authorities or from any other source concerning the problem of toxic waste in Wath upon Dearne.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Sewage
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the amounts of sewage that were returned to land during the recent coastal storms; and what steps have been taken to decontaminate areas polluted by such sewage.

  Mr. Trippier
  It is unlikely that more than minimal amounts of sewage were returned to land during the recent storms, and consequently there should have been no pollution of land requiring treatment. Any decontamination which might have been needed would be a matter for local authorities.

  Water Charges
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he took into account, other than those from the West Kent water company, before he announced his proposals for that company's K factor on 7 February.

  Mr. Trippier
  Under section 14(5) of the Water Act 1989 the requirement for the Secretary of State to consider representations before determining a company's initial K factor relates only to representations by the company.

  Change of Landlord Applications
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications have been received by public sector landlords under section 96 of the Housing Act 1988.
  391
  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Southampton, Itchen (Mr. Chope) on 27 February 1990, to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen), Official Report, column 174.

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many preliminary procedures under part IV of the Housing Act 1988 have commenced.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: At present, 20 tenant groups have been introduced to potential tenants' choice landlords by the Housing Corporation.

  Fifty-eight other tenant groups are involved in preliminary discussions with the Housing Corporation.

  Flood Protection
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the 1990–91 standard spending assessment for flood protection for the London borough of Westminster calculated on the same basis as the 1990–91 levy from the National Rivers Authority.
  392
  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: The flood defence element of the standard spending assessment for Westminster is £7·271 million. I have no information for Westminster on the 1990–91 levy from the National Rivers Authority.

  Palace of Westminster
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make it his policy to floodlight the river frontage of the Palace of Westminster.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 28 February 1990]: The river frontage of the Palace of Westminster is floodlit during the summer recess only, mainly because at other times the bright lights would disturb those working in the rooms on that side of the building.

  I have no plans to change the current practice.