Written Answers of 8 March 1990

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Preventable Loss
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list the number of professionally qualified loss prevention staff employed by his Department and the qualifications held by such staff, excluding qualifications obtained during police or military service.

  Mr. Cope
  The Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office are aware of the need to prevent loss and rely on a series of control mechanisms, systems and procedures which are undertaken by various groups of staff, including internal auditors.

  Currently within the Northern Ireland Departments, the Northern Ireland Office and the Police Authority for Northern Ireland, there are 31 fully qualified members of the Institute of Internal Auditors, (MIIA) and 23 more are under training.

  Thirty one other members of staff hold professional accountancy and auditing qualifications.

  Sewage Discharges
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will introduce the necessary legislation to prohibit the discharge of inadequately treated sewage into coastal waters, rivers and inland waterways and to require that full treatment plants are provided in future for dealing with sewage in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  A proposal for a European Council directive on municipal waste water treatment is at present being considered. Among other matters, the proposed directive lays down minimum requirements for the collection and treatment of domestic, industrial and drainage waters entering the sewerage system. The Government are carrying out a study of the environmental implications and the likely costs associated with this directive. If the directive is adopted, any legislation necessary to implement its requirements will be introduced.

  (a) The regional rate increases were:

  1985–86 (pence)

  1986–87 (pence)

  1987–88 (pence)

  1988–89 (pence)

  1989–90 (pence)

  Regional rate

  100·87

  110·38

  113·53

  122·59

  138·07

  Increase from previous year

  7·54

  9·51

  3·5

  9·06

  15·48

  Percentage increase

  8·1

  9·4

  2·9

  7·98

  12·63

  Computers
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the number of persons employed by his Department in systems, programming and computer operation, including the major operations carried out.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 27 February 1990]: The number of computer staff employed on information technology in Northern Ireland Departments, the Northern Ireland Office and Police Authority for Northern Ireland is as follows:

  Numbers

  Senior systems analyst

  71

  Systems analysts

  144

  Programmer analysts

  133

  Programmers

  129

  Operations and data processing

  116

  Total

  593

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to ensure parity in valuation for rating purposes throughout the district council areas in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: Parity of treatment in valuation for rating purposes throughout district council areas in Northern Ireland is long established. Parity is achieved through periodic general revaluations which establish for the Province as a whole, patterns and levels of valuations—a tone, which is preserved throughout the life of the valuation list. Revisions of valuation which arise between revaluations are performed within the comprehensive and detailed provisions of the Rates (Northern Ireland) Order 1977 by the valuation and lands office. The Commissioner of Valuation, by the direction of policy and its application through a district valuer office network across Northern Ireland, ensures consistent treatment under this order. A comprehensive system of appeal exists for aggrieved ratepayers with first appeals to the Commissioner of Valuation and thereafter to the Lands Tribunal for Northern Ireland and, if appropriate, Court of Appeal and House of Lords.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing(a) increases in regional rate levied in cash and percentage terms, (b) each district council rate increase in cash and percentage terms and (c) domestic and non-domestic rates charged to ratepayers in each district council area in cash percentage charge terms, in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The information is as follows:
  737

  (b) The district council increases were:

  1985–86

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  42·00

  1·50

  +3·70

  Ards

  50·00

  —

  —

  Armagh

  34·50

  1·00

  +2·99

  Ballymena

  36·35

  0·85

  +2·39

  Ballymoney

  42·25

  1·25

  +3·05

  Banbridge

  44·93

  4·26

  +10·47

  Belfast

  69·04

  41·9

  +6·46

  Carrickfergus

  55·00

  2·25

  +4·27

  Castlereagh

  33·00

  1·00

  +3·13

  Coleraine

  45·00

  2·25

  +5·26

  Cookstown

  35·85

  3·30

  +10·14

  Craigavon

  54·93

  2·01

  +3·80

  Derry

  59·50

  4·40

  +8·00

  Down

  45·00

  —

  —

  Dungannon

  38·00

  3·00

  +8·57

  Fermanagh

  42·75

  2·75

  +6·88

  Larne

  45·00

  1·50

  +3·45

  Limavady

  35·00

  3·00

  +9·38

  Lisburn

  46·24

  0·64

  +1·40

  Magherafell

  33·04

  2·94

  +9·77

  Moyle

  59·75

  5·00

  +9·30

  Newry and Bourne

  49·00

  3·00

  +6·52

  Newtownabbey

  52·60

  4·60

  +9·58

  North Down

  51·50

  4·50

  +9·57

  Omagh

  43·00

  2·00

  +4·88

  Strabane

  43·50

  2·00

  +4·82

  1986–87

  Rate

  Increase

  Percentage increase

  pence

  pence

  Antrim

  45·75

  3·75

  +8·93

  Ards

  53·00

  3·00

  +6·00

  Armagh

  38·00

  3·50

  +10·14

  Ballymena

  38·00

  1·65

  +4·54

  Ballymoney

  45·25

  3·00

  +7·10

  Banbridge

  47·97

  3·04

  +6·77

  Belfast

  76·36

  7·32

  +10·60

  Carrickfergus

  57·50

  2·50

  +4·55

  Castlereagh

  39·08

  6·08

  +18·42

  Coleraine

  49·00

  4·00

  +8·89

  Cookstown

  39·75

  3·90

  +10·88

  Craigavon

  60·21

  5·28

  +9·61

  Derry

  67·00

  7·50

  +12·61

  Down

  53·00

  8·00

  +17·78

  Dungannon

  41·50

  3·50

  +9·21

  Fermanagh

  48·75

  6·00

  +14·04

  Larne

  49·25

  4·25

  +9·44

  Limavady

  39·00

  4·00

  +11·43

  Lisburn

  48·80

  2·56

  +5·54

  Magherafelt

  36·56

  3·52

  +10·65

  Moyle

  65·75

  6·00

  +10·04

  Newry and Mourne

  54·30

  5·30

  +10·82

  Newtownabbey

  55·11

  2·51

  +4·77

  North Down

  56·90

  5·40

  +10·49

  Omagh

  47·00

  4·00

  +9·30

  Strabane

  50·50

  7·00

  +16·09

  1987–88

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  48·50

  2·75

  +601

  Ards

  53·00

  —

  —

  Armagh

  38·00

  —

  —

  Ballymena

  39·85

  1·85

  +4·87

  Ballymoney

  46·00

  0·75 1 At

  +1·66

  Banbridge

  50·98

  3·01

  +6·27

  Belfast

  80·03

  3·67

  +4·81

  Carrickfergus

  59·41

  1·91

  +3·32

  Castlereagh

  41·00

  1·92

  +4·91

  Coleraine

  50·00

  1·00

  +2·04

  Cookstown

  43·00

  3·25

  +8·18

  738

  1987–88

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Craigavon

  63·35

  31·4

  +5·22

  Derry

  69·50

  2·50

  +3·73

  Down

  60·00

  7·00

  +13·21

  Dungannon

  44·00

  2·50

  +6·02

  Fermanagh

  50·75

  2·00

  +4·10

  Larne

  52·55

  3·30

  +6·70

  Limavady

  40·95

  1·95

  +5·00

  Lisburn

  49·75

  0·95

  +1·95

  Magherafelt

  41·05

  4·49

  +12·28

  Moyle

  65·75

  —

  —

  Newry and Mourne

  59·70

  5·40

  +9·94

  Newtownabbey

  57·24

  2·13

  +3·86

  North Down

  60·90

  4·00

  +7·03

  Omagh

  51·65

  4·65

  +9·89

  Strabane

  54·00

  3·50

  +6·93

  1988–89

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  51·00

  2·50

  +5·15

  Ards

  54·00

  1·00

  +1·89

  Armagh

  41·00

  3·00

  +7·89

  Ballymena

  42·85

  3·00

  +7·53

  Ballymoney

  47·00

  1·00

  +2·17

  Banbridge

  50·98

  —

  —

  Belfast

  83·96

  3·93

  +4·91

  Carrickfergus

  62·50

  3·09

  +5·20

  Castlereagh

  39·90

  -1·10

  -2·68

  Coleraine

  53·00

  3·00

  +6·00

  Cookstown

  42·75

  -0·25

  -0·58

  Craigavon

  63·35

  —

  —

  Derry

  72·55

  3·05

  +4·39

  Down

  65·00

  5·00

  +8·33

  Dungannon

  44·00

  —

  —

  Fermanagh

  53·50

  2·75

  +5·42

  Larne

  55·75

  3·20

  +6·09

  Limavady

  43·50

  2·55

  +6·23

  Lisburn

  53·57

  3·82

  +7·68

  Magherafelt

  43·50

  2·45

  +5·97

  Moyle

  65·50

  -0·25

  -0·38

  Newry and Mourne

  59·70

  —

  —

  Newtownabbey

  60·06

  2·82

  +4·93

  North Down

  63·70

  2·80

  +4·60

  Omagh

  55·00

  3·35

  +6·49

  Strabane

  57·00

  3·00

  +5·56

  1989–90

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  53·00

  2·00

  +3·92

  Ards

  57·50

  3·50

  +6·48

  Armagh

  44·00

  3·00

  +7·32

  Ballymena

  44·00

  1·15

  +2·68

  Ballymoney

  50·25

  3·25

  +6·91

  Banbridge

  50·98

  —

  —

  Belfast

  83·96

  —

  —

  Carrickfergus

  63·75

  3·25

  +5·2

  Castlereagh

  37·90

  -2·00

  -5·01

  Coleraine

  55·00

  2·00

  +3·77

  Cookstown

  47·75

  5·00

  +11·7

  Craigavon

  67·47

  4·12

  +6·5

  Derry

  76·80

  4·25

  +5·86

  Down

  68·00

  3·00

  +4·62

  Dungannon

  44·00

  —

  —

  Fermanagh

  55·50

  2·00

  +3·74

  Larne

  56·75

  1·00

  +1·79

  Limavady

  47·00

  3·50

  +8·05

  Lisburn

  53·57

  —

  —

  Magherafelt

  46·34

  2·84

  +6·53

  Moyle

  68·40

  2·90

  +4·43

  Newry and Mourne

  58·00

  -1·70

  -2·85

  Newtownabbey

  64·10

  4·04

  +6·73

  North Down

  65·85

  2·15

  +3·38

  739

  1989–90

  Rale pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Omagh

  58·50

  3·50

  +6·36

  Strabane

  60·75

  3·75

  +6·58

  (c) (i) the overall domestic rates were:

  1985–86

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  130·87

  9·03

  +7·41

  Ards

  138·87

  7·53

  +5·73

  Armagh

  123·37

  8·53

  +7·43

  Ballymena

  125·22

  8·38

  +7·17

  Ballymoney

  131·12

  8·78

  +7·18

  Banbridge

  133·80

  11·79

  +9·66

  Belfast

  157·91

  11·72

  +8·02

  Carrickfergus

  143·87

  9·78

  +7·29

  Casttereagh

  121·87

  8·53

  +7·53

  Coleraine

  133·87

  9·78

  +7·88

  Cookstown

  124·72

  10·83

  +9·51

  Craigavon

  143·80

  9·54

  +7·11

  Derry

  148·37

  11·93

  +8·74

  Down

  133·87

  7·53

  +5·96

  Dungannon

  126·87

  10·53

  +9·05

  Fermanagh

  131·62

  10·28

  +8·47

  Larne

  133·87

  9·03

  +7·23

  Limavady

  123·87

  10·53

  +9·29

  Lisburn

  135·11

  8·17

  +6·44

  Magherafelt

  121·91

  10·47

  +9·40

  Moyle

  148·62

  12·53

  +9·21

  Newry and Mourne

  137·87

  10·53

  +8·27

  Newtownabbey

  141·47

  12·13

  +9·38

  North Down

  140·37

  12·03

  +9·37

  Omagh

  131·87

  9·53

  +7·79

  Strabane

  132·37

  9·53

  +7·76

  1986–87

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  144·13

  13·26

  +10·13

  Ards

  151·38

  12·51

  +9·01

  Armagh

  136·38

  13·01

  +10·55

  Ballymena

  136·38

  11·16

  +8·91

  Ballymoney

  143·63

  12·51

  +9·54

  Banbridge

  146·35

  12·55

  +9·38

  Belfast

  174·74

  16·83

  +10·66

  Carrickfergus

  155·88

  12·01

  +8·35

  Castlereagh

  137·46

  15·59

  +12·79

  Coleraine

  147·38

  13·51

  +10·09

  Cookstown

  138·13

  13·41

  +10·75

  Craigavon

  158·59

  14·79

  +10·29

  Derry

  165·38

  17·01

  +11·46

  Down

  151·38

  17·51

  +13·08

  Dungannon

  139·88

  13·01

  +10·25

  Fermanagh

  147·13

  15·51

  +11·78

  Larne

  147·63

  13·76

  +10·28

  Limavady

  137·38

  13·51

  +10·91

  Lisburn

  147·18

  12·07

  +8·93

  Magherafeit

  134·94

  13·03

  +10·69

  Moyle

  164·33

  15·51

  +10·44

  Newry and Mourne

  152·68

  14·81

  +10·74

  Newtownabbey

  153·49

  12·02

  +8·50

  North Down

  155·28

  14·91

  +10·62

  Omagh

  145·38

  13·51

  +10·24

  Strabane

  148·88

  16·51

  +12·47

  1987–88

  Rate

  Increase

  Percentage increase

  pence

  pence

  Antrim

  150·03

  5·90

  +4·09

  Ards

  154·53

  3·15

  +2·08

  Armagh

  139·53

  3·15

  +2·31

  740

  1987–88

  Rate

  Increase

  Percentage increase

  pence

  pence

  Ballymena

  141·38

  5·00

  +3·67

  Ballymoney

  147·53

  3·90

  +2·72

  Banbridge

  152·51

  6·16

  +4·21

  Belfast

  181·56

  6·82

  +3·90

  Carrickfergus

  160·94

  5·06

  +3·25

  Castlereagh

  142·53

  5·07

  +3·69

  Coleraine

  151·53

  4·15

  +2·82

  Cookstown

  144·53

  6·40

  +4·63

  Craigavon

  164·88

  6·29

  +3·97

  Derry

  171·03

  5·65

  +3·42

  Down

  161·53

  10·15

  +6·70

  Dungannon

  145·53

  5·65

  +4·04

  Fermanagh

  152·28

  5·15

  +3·50

  Larne

  154·08

  6·45

  +4·37

  Limavady

  142·48

  5·10

  +3·71

  Lisburn

  151·28

  4·10

  +2·79

  Magherafelt

  142·58

  7·64

  +5·66

  Moyle

  167·28

  3·15

  +1·92

  Newry and Mourne

  161·23

  8·55

  +5·60

  Newtownabbey

  158·77

  5·28

  +3·44

  North Down

  162·43

  7·15

  +4·60

  Omagh

  153·18

  7·80

  +5·37

  Strabane

  155·53

  6·65

  +4·47

  1988–89

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  161·59

  11·56

  +7·71

  Ards

  164·59

  10·06

  +6·51

  Armagh

  151·59

  12·06

  +8·64

  Ballymena

  153·44

  12·06

  +8·53

  Ballymoney

  157·59

  10·06

  +6·82

  Banbridge

  161·57

  9·06

  +5·94

  Belfast

  194·55

  12·99

  +7·15

  Carrickfergus

  173·09

  12·15

  +7·55

  Castlereagh

  150·49

  7·96

  +5·58

  Coleraine

  163·59

  12·06

  +7·96

  Cookstown

  153·34

  8·81

  +6·10

  Craigavon

  173·94

  9·06

  +5·49

  Derry

  183·14

  12·11

  +7·08

  Down

  175·59

  14·06

  +8·70

  Dungannon

  154·59

  9·06

  +6·23

  Fermanagh

  164·09

  11·81

  +7·76

  Larne

  166·34

  12·26

  +7·96

  Limavady

  154·09

  11·61

  +8·15

  Lisburn

  164·16

  12·88

  +8·51

  Magherafelt

  154·09

  11·51

  +8·07

  Moyle

  176·09

  8·81

  +5·27

  Newry and Mourne

  170·29

  9·06

  +5·62

  Newtownabbey

  170·65

  11·88

  +7·48

  North Down

  174·29

  11·86

  +7·31

  Omagh

  165·59

  12·41

  +8·10

  Strabane

  167·59

  12·06

  +7·75

  1989–90

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  179·07

  17·48

  +10·82

  Ards

  183·57

  18·98

  +11·53

  Armagh

  170·07

  18·48

  +12·19

  Ballymena

  170·07

  16·63

  +10·84

  Ballymoney

  176·32

  18·73

  +11·89

  Banbridge

  177·05

  15·48

  +9·58

  Belfast

  210·03

  15·48

  +7·96

  Carrickfergus

  191·82

  18·73

  +10·82

  Castlereagh

  163·97

  13·48

  +8·96

  Coleraine

  181·07

  17·48

  +10·69

  Cookstown

  173·82

  20·48

  +13·36

  Craigavon

  193·54

  19·60

  +11·27

  Derry

  202·87

  19·73

  +10·77

  Down

  194·07

  18·48

  +10·52

  Dungannon

  170·07

  15·48

  +10·01

  741

  1989–90

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Fermanagh

  181·57

  17·48

  +10·65

  Larne

  182·82

  16·48

  +9·91

  Limavady

  173·07

  18·98

  2·32

  Lisburn

  179·64

  15·48

  +9·43

  Magherafelt

  172·41

  18·32

  +11·89

  Moyle

  194·47

  18·38

  +10·44

  Newry and Mourne

  184·07

  13·78

  +8·09

  Newtownabbey

  190·17

  19·52

  +11·44

  North Down

  191·92

  17·63

  +10·12

  Omagh

  184·57

  18·98

  +11·46

  Strabane

  186·82

  19·23

  +11·47

  (c)(ii) The overall non·domestic rates were:

  1985–86

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  142·87

  9·03

  +6·75

  Ards

  150·87

  7·53

  +5·25

  Armagh

  135·37

  8·53

  +6·73

  Ballymena

  137·22

  8·38

  +6·50

  Ballymoney

  143·12

  8·78

  +6·54

  Banbridge

  145·80

  11·79

  +8·80

  Belfast

  169·91

  11·72

  +7·41

  Carrickfergus

  155·87

  9·78

  +6·69

  Castlereagh

  133·87

  8·53

  +6·81

  Coleraine

  145·87

  9·78

  +7·19

  Cookstown

  136·72

  10·83

  +8·60

  Craigavon

  155·80

  9·54

  +6·52

  Derry

  160·37

  11·93

  +8·04

  Down

  145·87

  7·53

  +5·44

  Dungannon

  138·87

  10·53

  +8·20

  Fermanagh

  143·62

  10·28

  +7·71

  Larne

  145·87

  9·03

  +6·60

  Limavady

  135·87

  10·53

  +8·40

  Lisburn

  147·11

  8·17

  +5·88

  Magherefelt

  133·91

  10·47

  +8·48

  Moyle

  160·62

  12·53

  +8·46

  Newry and Mourne

  149·87

  10·53

  +7·56

  Newtownabbey

  153·47

  12·13

  +8·58

  North Down

  152·37

  12·03

  +8·57

  Omagh

  143·87

  9·53

  +7·09

  Strabane

  144·37

  9·53

  +7·07

  1986–87

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  156·13

  13·26

  +9·28

  Ards

  163·38

  12·51

  +8·29

  Armagh

  148·38

  13·01

  +9·61

  Ballymena

  148·38

  11·16

  +8·13

  Ballymoney

  155·63

  12·51

  +8·74

  Banbridge

  158·35

  12·55

  +8·61

  Belfast

  186·74

  16·83

  +9·91

  Carrickfergus

  167·88

  12·01

  +7·71

  Castlereagh

  149·46

  15·59

  +11·65

  Coleraine

  159·38

  13·51

  +9·26

  Cookstown

  150·13

  13·41

  +9·81

  Craigavon

  170·59

  14·79

  +9·49

  Derry

  177·38

  17·01

  +10·61

  Down

  163·38

  17·51

  +12·00

  Dungannon

  151·88

  13·01

  +9·37

  Fermanagh

  159·13

  15·51

  +10·80

  Larne

  159·63

  13·76

  +9·43

  Limavady

  149·38

  13·51

  +9·94

  Lisburn

  159·18

  12·07

  +8·20

  Magherafelt

  146·94

  13·03

  +9·73

  Moyle

  176·13

  15·51

  +9·66

  Newry and Mourne

  164·68

  14·81

  +9·88

  Newtownabbey

  165·49

  12·02

  +7·83

  North Down

  167·28

  14·91

  +9·79

  Omagh

  157·38

  13·51

  +9·39

  Strabane

  160·88

  16·51

  +11·44

  742

  1987–88

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  162·03

  5·90

  +3·78

  Ards

  166·53

  3·15

  +1·93

  Armagh

  151·53

  3·15

  +2·12

  Ballymena

  153·38

  5·00

  +3·37

  Ballymoney

  159·53

  3·90

  +2·51

  Banbridge

  164·51

  6·16

  +3·89

  Belfast

  193·56

  6·82

  +3·65

  Carrickfergus

  172·94

  5·06

  +3·01

  Castlereagh

  154·53

  5·07

  +3·39

  Coleraine

  163·53

  4·15

  +2·60

  Cookstown

  156·53

  6·40

  +4·26

  Craigavon

  176·88

  6·29

  +3·69

  Derry

  183·03

  5·65

  +3·19

  Down

  173·53

  10·15

  +6·21

  Dunganoon

  157·53

  5·65

  +3·72

  Fermanagh

  164·28

  5·15

  +3·24

  Larne

  166·08

  6·45

  +4·04

  Limavady

  154·48

  5·10

  +3·41

  Lisburn

  163·28

  4·10

  +2·58

  Magherafelt

  154·58

  7·64

  +5·20

  Moyle

  179·28

  3·15

  +1·79

  Newry and Mourne

  173·23

  8·55

  +5·19

  Newtownabbey

  170·77

  5·28

  +3·19

  North Down

  174·43

  7·15

  +4·27

  Omagh

  165·18

  7·80

  +4·96

  Strabane

  167·53

  6·65

  +4·13

  1988–89

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  173·59

  +11·56

  +7·13

  Ards

  176·59

  +10·06

  +6·04

  Armagh

  163·59

  +12·06

  +7·96

  Ballymena

  165·44

  +12·06

  +7·86

  Ballymoney

  169·59

  +10·06

  +6·31

  Banbridge

  173·57

  +9·06

  +5·51

  Belfast

  206·55

  +12·99

  +6·71

  Carrickfergus

  185·09

  +12·15

  +7·03

  Castlereagh

  162·49

  +7·96

  +5·15

  Coleraine

  175·59

  +12·06

  +7·37

  Cookstown

  165·34

  +8·81

  +5·63

  Craigavon

  185·94

  +9·06

  5·12

  Derry

  195·14

  +12·11

  +6·62

  Down

  187·59

  +14·06

  +8·10

  Dungannon

  166·59

  +9·06

  +5·75

  Fermanagh

  176·09

  +11·81

  +7·19

  Larne

  178·34

  +12·26

  +7·38

  Limavady

  166·09

  +11·61

  +7·52

  Lisburn

  176·16

  +12·88

  +7·89

  Magherafelt

  166·09

  +11·51

  +7·45

  Moyle

  188·09

  +8·81

  +4·91

  Newry and Mourne

  182·29

  +9·06

  +5·23

  Newtownabbey

  182·65

  +11·88

  +6·96

  North Down

  186·29

  +11·86

  +6·80

  Omagh

  177·59

  +12·41

  +7·51

  Strabane

  179·59

  +12·06

  +7·20

  1989–90

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Antrim

  191·07

  +17·48

  +10·07

  Ards

  195·57

  +18·98

  +10·85

  Armagh

  182·07

  +18·48

  +11·30

  Ballymena

  182·07

  +16·63

  +10·05

  Ballymoney

  188·32

  +18·73

  +11·04

  Banbridge

  189·05

  +15·48

  +8·92

  Belfast

  222·03

  +15·48

  +7·49

  Carrickfergus

  203·82

  +18·73

  +10·12

  Castlereagh

  175·97

  +13·48

  +8·30

  Coleraine

  193·07

  +17·48

  +9·96

  Cookstown

  185·82

  +20·48

  +12·39

  Craigavon

  205·54

  +19·60

  +90·54

  Derry

  214·87

  +19·73

  +10·11

  743

  1989–90

  Rate pence

  Increase pence

  Percentage increase

  Down

  206·07

  +18·48

  +9·85

  Dungannon

  182·07

  +15·48

  +9·29

  Fermanagh

  193·57

  +17·48

  +9·93

  Larne

  194·82

  +16·48

  +9·24

  Limavady

  185·07

  +18·98

  +11·43

  Lisburn

  191·64

  +15·48

  +8·79

  Magherafelt

  184·41

  +18·32

  +11·03

  Moyle

  206·47

  +18·38

  +9·77

  Newry and Mourne

  19607

  +13·78

  +7·56

  Newtownabbey

  202·17

  +19·52

  +10·69

  North Down

  203·92

  +17·63

  +9·46

  Omagh

  196·57

  +18·98

  +10·69

  Strabane

  198·82

  +19·23

  +10·71

TRANSPORT

  Kilkiel Harbour
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on which dates, during the past six months, boats registered in the Republic of Ireland have entered Kilkiel harbour; and whether these boats have now paid light dues to the Commissioners of Irish Lights.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This is a management matter for the Commissioners of Irish Lights as the collecting authority for light dues.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he will take to improve the lateral stability of heavy goods vehicles with particular reference to loading and wind impact.

  Mr. Atkins
  We are aware of the problems caused by wind impact on heavy goods vehicles. That is why warnings are issued to all drivers of high-sided vehicles in windy conditions. It is up to the drivers and operators to heed these warnings, to load their vehicles appropriately, to drive carefully, to avoid particularly dangerous sections of road and, if necessary, to stop in a suitable place until conditions improve.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of London Regional Transport to discuss the specifications for technical performance of the docklands light railway that were laid down when the original finance was approved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him yesterday at column 665.

  Graffiti
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information he has(a) on the annual cost of cleaning off graffiti from London Underground premises and (b) on the extra annual cost of policing relating to the prevention of graffiti in each of the last five years for which statistics are available;

  (2) whether he will publish a table showing the cost of removing graffiti on each of the London Underground lines.
  744
  Mr. Portillo
  The cost to London Underground Ltd. of cleaning graffiti from trains and stations has increased substantially over the past five years to an estimated £2·5 million in 1989. Figures for individual Underground lines are not readily available since depot and cleaning facilities are often shared between lines. The cost to London Buses Ltd. of cleaning graffiti from buses and garages has increased from about £1·5 million in 1986 to over £2 million in 1989.

  A special British Transport police graffiti squad has been set up to combat graffiti vandalism on the Underground. This is estimated to have cost about £250,000 in 1989. British Transport police officers are also expected to prevent graffiti vandalism as part of their normal duties. Crime on London Buses, including vandalism and graffiti, is dealt with by the Metropolitan police.

  Coastal Rescue Services
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce additional measures to improve the efficiency of the coastguard and other search and rescue services along the north Devon coast and Bristol channel.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am satisfied that the current facilities for co-ordinating and actioning maritime search and rescue operations in this area are fully adequate.

THE ARTS

  "Allée à Chantilly"
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has yet decided where the Cézanne work of art, "Allée à Chantilly", received by his Department in lieu of Inland Revenue debts for the year 1988–89 is to be displayed.

  Mr. Luce
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Stroud (Mr. Knapman) on 14 February 1990,Official Report, column 239.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxation
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in rank order the total revenue raised from the 21 different forms of taxation for each year from 1979 to the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lilley
  Recent years' figures can be found in tables 3.13, 3.14 and 3.15 in "Financial Statistics", published by the Central Statistical Office. Earlier years' figures can be found using the CSO database and the identifiers given in the tables. The database can be accessed on line by the House of Commons Library.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much tax in pounds per week at 1989–90 prices a married couple with one earner on average earnings, with two children paid, treating child benefit as negative income, in 1978–79 and in 1989–90.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of gross earnings a couple with one earner on average earnings, with two children, paid in tax, treating child benefit as negative income tax, in 1978–79 and in 1989–90.
  745
  Mr. Lilley
  Figures for 1978–79 have been placed in the Library of the House, as noted in the Official Report, 13 April 1989, column 624, and estimates for 1989–90 were given in reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East ( Mr. Brown) on 8 January 1990 at column 559.

  Rented Property
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the level of revenue forgone by the Exchequer through the tax incentives to landlords investing in the business expansion scheme since April 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  The cost of BES tax relief on residential property in 1988–89 is provisionally estimated as £110 million. Information for 1989–90 is not yet available.

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of manufacturing investment made each year since 1979 by(a) foreign direct investors in the United Kingdom and (b) indigenous manufacturers; and what are the percentage annual changes these figures represent.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Comparable information relates to capital expenditure on fixed assets by foreign owned manufacturing businesses and by United Kingdom-owned manufacturing businesses. It is available, on the current definition of manufacturing in the 1980 standard industrial classification, only from 1981. Information on foreign ownership is available biennially up to 1985 and annually up to 1987. The data are given from 1981 in the table.

  Net capital expenditure of manufacturing1 private sector businesses in the United Kingdom

  Foreign owned businesses2

  United Kingdom owned businesses3

  Total

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1981

  1,402

  4,091

  5,493

  1983

  1,397

  4,664

  6,061

  1985

  1,844

  6,579

  8,423

  1986

  1,715

  6,683

  8,398

  1987

  1,989

  7,340

  9,329

  Percentage increase from 1981 to 1987

  41·9

  79·4

  Source: Censuses of production.

  1 Divisions 2–4, Standard Industrial Classification, revised 1980.

  2 Foreign owned businesses are defined as those controlled or owned by companies incorporated overseas.

  3Includes privatised businesses from the year of privatisation.

  Fiscal Incentives (Women)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the need for fiscal incentives to enable more women to return to work.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a number of representations on this subject.

  Budget
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about his forthcoming financial statement and budget report.
  746
  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has received a variety of representations from a number of individuals and organisations.

  Bank of England
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he next plans to meet the Governor of the Bank of England; and what he expects to discuss.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer meets the Governor of the Bank of England from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.

  Company Dividends
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what proportion dividend distribution by companies increased between 1979 and 1989.

  Mr. Lilley
  The latest estimates of dividend payments on ordinary and preference shares may be obtained from the CSO databank—a collection of macro-economic time series in computer readable form to which the House of Commons Library has direct access. Data are currently available for the period up to third quarter 1989.

  Investment
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) by what proportion investment in manufacturing industry fell in the second half of 1988 and in the first half of 1989; and if he is able to provide an estimate of the change in investment in the second half of 1989;

  (2) what was the level of investment in manufacturing industry in 1989 and 1979.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Expressed at 1985 prices, investment by manufacturing industry in fixed assets including leasing, is estimated to have been £12 billion in 1989, compared to £11·2 billion in 1979.

  Such investment seasonally adjusted barely changed between the first and second halves of 1988. The first half of 1989 showed an increase of 6 per cent. followed by a fall in the second half provisionally estimated to be 1 per cent.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the proportion of capital investment in the service sector which has been devoted to the importation of goods and materials.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest year for which it is possible to compile estimates of the import content of investment is 1985, the last year for which comprehensive input-output tables exist.

  The import content of purchases calculated in the process of compiling the input-output tables is based upon approximate commodity flow methods—there is no statistical inquiry which establishes the import content of capital investment directly. The cases of goods and materials including and excluding vehicles, ships and aircraft (VSA), and capital investment including and excluding investment in new buildings and works (NBW), are given in the table.
  747

  Capital investment of the Services sector

  including NBW Per cent.

  excluding NBW Per cent.

  Import content from goods and materials (including VSA)

  18

  47

  Import content from goods and materials (excluding VSA)

  13

  35

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in what sectors of commerce and industry investment was higher in 1989 than 10 years earlier;

  (2) what was the level of investment between 1979 and 1989 in those areas of industry and commerce in which there is or was public involvement and in those which are wholly within the private sector.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest estimates of gross domestic fixed capital formation, by industry (other than manufacturing), may be obtained from the CSO databank —a collection of macroeconomic time series in computer readable form to which the House of Commons Library has direct access. For manufacturing, figures up to end 1989 were published by the CSO in a press notice "Capital Expenditure: Provisional Estimates for Q4 1989" on 15 February. The latest estimates of investment by other industries cover the period up to end 1987 or, where possible, 1988. The estimates cover investment by the private sector, and, where appropriate, include investment by public sector bodies. The CSO's "United Kingdom National Accounts", 1989 edition, shows which industry estimates are available.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of companies investing in the United Kingdom are wholly owned by Japan or the United States of America; and what is the ratio of investment by these companies to that by companies which are in United Kingdom ownership.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The available information relates to capital expenditure on fixed assets by manufacturing companies based within the United Kingdom. The annual census of production provides such an analysis by country of ownership. The latest follows:

  Net capital expenditure by manufacturing companies2 in the United Kingdom by country of ownership1

  Net capital expenditure in 1987

  Country of ownership

  Number of businesses

  £ million

  as percentage of United Kingdom

  United States of America

  1,161

  1,180·1

  16

  Japan

  34

  86·7

  1

  All other foreign owned businesses

  1,088

  722·3

  10

  United Kingdom owned business

  143,210

  7,339·7

  100

  Total

  145,493

  9,328·8

  1 Foreign owned business are defined as those controlled or owned by companies incorporated overseas.

  2 Divisions 2–4: Standard Industrial Classification, Revised 1980.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate for 1990–91, assuming no 748
  change in company behaviour and assuming a 50 per cent. increase in investment in plant and machinery (a) the capital allowances claimable by companies in respect of plant and machinery assuming that first year allowances of: (i) 50 per cent., (ii) 40 per cent., (iii) 35 per cent. and (iv) 30 per cent. were available, (b) corporation tax payments forgone in 1991–92 as a result of such claims and (c) the increase in the rate of corporation tax which would be required to replace the revenue foregone under (b).

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: I regret that the requested estimates could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a breakdown for table 8.7 of Inland Revenue Statistics 1989 of capital allowances described as other, giving figures separately for each type of allowance subsumed in this heading.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: The only breakdown of these capitial allowances that can be reliably estimated is provided in tables 8.8 and 8.9 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1989" and in similar tables in earlier editions.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the current levels of interest rates in each member state of the European Community and in Japan and the United States of America.

  Mr. Ryder
  Following is the information requested:

  Short term nominal interest rates in the EC, United States and Japan

  Latest figures1

  United Kingdom

  15·3

  United States

  8·3

  Japan

  7·3

  Germany

  8·6

  France

  10·8

  Italy

  13·3

  Belgium

  10·6

  Denmark

  12·0

  Greece

  17·0

  Ireland

  12·0

  Luxembourg

  10·6

  Netherlands

  9·0

  Portugal

  13·8

  Spain

  15·6

  1 Interest rates refer to close 5 March, except Denmark (8 March), Ireland and Portugal (January), and Greece (December).

  Internal Audit
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many internal auditors are employed in those departments for which he is responsible and at what cost; how many internal audit reports were produced in 1989; how many of these were drawn to the attention of a Minister in his Department; and what internal audit work is subcontracted to private firms and at what cost.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: A total of 180 internal auditors are employed in departments for which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor is responsible. Their direct costs amount to £3·767 million

  749
  per annum. A total of 272 reports were produced in 1989 or in the nearest convenient accounting period. One of these was drawn to the attention of a Minister.

  Internal audit work in three departments was sub-contracted to private firms. In two of these, the whole internal audit function was contracted out; in the other department specialist expertise was obtained. The total cost of these sub-contracts amounted to £65,000.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Rothamsted Experimental Station
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the reasons for Mrs. Clark's dismissal from her post at Rothamsted experimental station, Hertfordshire.

  Mr. Jackson
  Mrs. Clark was an employee of the Lawes Agricultural Trust, the governing body of the Rothamsted experimental station which is grant-aided by the agricultural and food research council (AFRC). The staff of the Rothamsted experimental station are employed on terms and conditions of service laid down by the AFRC.

  I understand that Mrs. Clark was dismissed following a disciplinary hearing conducted in accordance with the council's rules and procedures. An appeal to the Civil Service Appeal Board is pending and therefore I am unable to comment further.

  All1 discretionary awards made under Section 1(6) and Section 2 of the 1962 Education Act (as amended).

  1983–84 £000's

  1984–85 £000's

  1985–86 £000's

  1986–87 £000's

  1987–88 £000's

  Sheffield

  2,040·8

  2,216·7

  2,346·4

  2,281·8

  2,309·2

  Bradford

  1,582·7

  1,713·1

  1,740·6

  1,752·8

  2,284·7

  Calderdale

  349·7

  313·8

  373·4

  320·1

  465·2

  Kirklees

  1,356·1

  1,396·1

  1,663·6

  1,733·6

  1,967·9

  Leeds

  1,113·5

  1,255·8

  994·4

  1,520·8

  2,067·9

  Wakefield

  638·9

  793·7

  785·6

  818·0

  1,023·4

  Gateshead

  198·0

  247·2

  345·6

  281·6

  309·3

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  736·7

  640·3

  692·0

  681·4

  720·9

  North Tyneside

  631·1

  679·3

  623·3

  848·3

  1,002·2

  South Tyneside

  245·2

  243·1

  285·7

  260·6

  340·9

  Sunderland

  774·8

  999·6

  1,242·2

  1,328·8

  1,202·9

  Isles of Scilly

  63·3

  69·5

  79·3

  75·7

  85·3

  Avon

  2,456·5

  2,275·4

  2,335·1

  3,179·5

  3,280·8

  Bedfordshire

  933·3

  822·4

  1,670·8

  1,286·3

  1,917·6

  Berkshire

  1,402·9

  1,279·8

  1,293·3

  1,061·3

  1,330·4

  Buckinghamshire

  927·4

  932·0

  964·4

  862·9

  979·5

  Cambridgeshire

  990·5

  1,048·4

  891·8

  1,020·0

  1,169·5

  Cheshire

  2,452·0

  3,139·0

  3,408·2

  3,763·0

  3,955·6

  Cleveland

  1,382·4

  1,639·9

  1,538·0

  1,477·5

  1,527·9

  Cornwall

  997·0

  1,130·9

  1,309·1

  1,377·2

  1,308·5

  Cumbria

  1,841·5

  1,768·8

  1,821·6

  2,219·1

  2,306·8

  Derbyshire

  2,201·5

  2,430·6

  2,559·6

  2,732·1

  2,586·7

  Devon

  3,008·1

  3,387·7

  3,365·2

  3,870·6

  4,282·0

  Dorset

  1,836·5

  1,499·5

  1,559·4

  1,733·9

  1,898·6

  Durham

  1,016·0

  878·1

  896·3

  881·3

  788·5

  East Sussex

  1,918·1

  1,838·7

  1,430·1

  1,303·7

  1,353·9

  Essex

  4,066·1

  4,326·6

  4,558·0

  5,113·9

  4,902·7

  Gloucestershire

  2,000·4

  2,334·2

  2,354·1

  2,436·4

  2,266·7

  Hampshire

  4,818·4

  4,801·1

  7,269·1

  8,383·3

  8,503·9

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,063·9

  1,137·8

  1,016·5

  1,061·1

  1,007·0

  Hertfordshire

  2,096·2

  1,650·3

  1,612·4

  1,789·7

  2,111·0

  Humberside

  2,798·0

  2,949·0

  3,226·2

  3,234·6

  3,481·4

  Isle of Wight

  315·0

  351·2

  356·8

  396·6

  411·2

  Kent

  5,017·5

  4,912·4

  3,990·2

  5,193·9

  5,221·5

  Lancashire

  4,110·7

  5,302·5

  4,887·7

  5,284·8

  5,323·5

  Leicestershire

  2,494·3

  2,997·5

  3,289·2

  3,581·1

  4,086·2

  Lincolnshire

  1,382·8

  1,496·5

  1,504·9

  1,567·7

  1,496·6

  Avon County Council
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will be meeting Councillor Maureen Wheadon of Avon county council; and what is the purpose of the meeting.

  Mr. MacGregor
  No such meeting has been arranged.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to appeal against the judgment of Mr. Justice Hutchinson concerning his decisions in respect of Beechen Cliff school, Bath and the proposals of Avon county council; and if he will make a statement about that judgment.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I propose to reconsider the application from Beechen Cliff school, Bath and the statutory proposals from the Avon county council in the light of Mr. Justice Hutchinson's judgment. The judgment concerned the handling of a particular set of proposals. The principle of the grant-maintained option being available to schools is not in question.

  Discretionary Grants
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide the statistics relating to discretionary grants made by local education authorities for full-time and sandwich courses, broken down for each individual local education authority in England and Wales by monetary amount and for the last five years.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The data requested are listed in the table:
  751

  1983–84 £000's

  1984–85 £000's

  1985–86 £000 's

  1986–87 £000 's

  1987–88 £000 's

  Norfolk

  1,465·0

  1,587·4

  1,672·0

  1,746·3

  1,854·9

  North Yorkshire

  3,385·0

  3,603·5

  4,070·4

  4,448·9

  4,910·8

  Northamptonshire

  912·3

  954·9

  875·7

  1,231·1

  960·3

  Northumberland

  864·9

  932·6

  956·6

  1,332·1

  1,370·3

  Nottinghamshire

  1,672·9

  2,018·5

  2,624·3

  2,890·3

  3,054·4

  Oxfordshire

  629·4

  694·3

  908·3

  1,093·5

  956·7

  Shropshire

  1,047·8

  1,003·4

  1,125·1

  1,260·7

  1,362·9

  Somerset

  791·4

  708·3

  469·6

  955·9

  1,180·9

  Staffordshire

  1,422·4

  1,443·2

  1,423·8

  1,597·6

  2,094·2

  Barking

  231·0

  246·0

  323·5

  412·3

  400·6

  Barnet

  788·6

  704·8

  708·3

  732·2

  585·7

  Bexley

  410·0

  511·1

  401·0

  405·4

  329·3

  Brent

  2,148·8

  1,951·8

  2,825·3

  3,702·8

  3,376·6

  Bromley

  444·2

  474·0

  532·3

  657·8

  698·9

  Croydon

  515·7

  484·4

  508·4

  517·4

  587·5

  Ealing

  556·5

  549·1

  663·1

  910·0

  1,102·1

  Enfield

  347·4

  331·9

  261·4

  367·3

  431·8

  Haringey

  587·5

  632·2

  694·5

  780·3

  711·8

  Harrow

  346·6

  320·8

  336·9

  308·7

  258·3

  Havering

  399·7

  390·5

  447·3

  315·7

  458·9

  Hillingdon

  437·8

  307·6

  294·6

  562·0

  465·7

  Hounslow

  260·8

  196·4

  254·5

  334·3

  347·3

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  148·3

  181·9

  174·5

  239·0

  204·1

  Merton

  130·5

  164·3

  187·7

  283·2

  234·2

  Newham

  372·3

  491·7

  486·2

  638·8

  676·9

  Redbridge

  396·6

  329·7

  348·2

  337·5

  341·3

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  366·6

  387·0

  413·9

  364·2

  391·5

  Sutton

  283·1

  254·2

  158·8

  222·0

  259·4

  Waltham Forest

  510·2

  557·6

  609·8

  629·9

  855·0

  ILEA

  13,637·4

  16,151·4

  18,470·5

  19,569·3

  22,010·4

  Birmingham

  975·8

  1,245·0

  1,280·3

  1,262·6

  1,296·3

  Coventry

  591·5

  640·1

  526·5

  575·5

  680·6

  Dudley

  484·6

  342·5

  340·3

  340·6

  488·3

  Sandwell

  322·2

  514·2

  515·2

  748·2

  774·2

  Solihull

  147·0

  148·7

  198·0

  222·5

  215·5

  Walsall

  329·4

  670·6

  695·0

  844·5

  949·9

  Wolverhampton

  0·0

  221·4

  196·3

  178·4

  210·7

  Knowsley

  921·3

  1,200·4

  1,136·2

  1,192·8

  1,313·2

  Liverpool

  1,518·3

  1,887·0

  2,021·8

  2,158·4

  2,475·8

  St. Helens

  508·7

  504·2

  546·6

  618·1

  604·1

  Sefton

  313·9

  294·7

  328·8

  477·0

  455·4

  Wirral

  1,330·6

  1,220·4

  1,240·1

  1,111·8

  1,277·3

  Bolton

  703·1

  696·4

  961·3

  999·9

  1,030·0

  Bury

  585·1

  738·6

  660·6

  796·2

  941·1

  Manchester

  1,413·0

  1,478·7

  1,701·5

  2,116·8

  2,271·4

  Oldham

  398·1

  413·7

  605·9

  480·9

  522·7

  Rochdale

  442·3

  429·0

  449·7

  474·6

  430·2

  Salford

  670·5

  714·2

  629·4

  644·2

  630·7

  Stockport

  779·9

  708·7

  722·8

  703·4

  748·2

  Tameside

  380·7

  379·3

  353·4

  399·1

  388·3

  Trafford

  172·6

  376·6

  491·2

  491·1

  591·7

  Wigan

  705·6

  689·7

  1,002·4

  1,093·2

  980·8

  Barnsley

  412·8

  507·7

  492·7

  634·9

  835·8

  Doncaster

  505·5

  611·6

  522·2

  562·2

  596·5

  Rotherham

  493·8

  509·6

  512·2

  600·4

  739·6

  Suffolk

  1,626·2

  1,651·8

  1,879·6

  1,923·7

  1,918·9

  Surrey

  1,621·2

  1,382·8

  1,569·6

  1,622·4

  1,685·5

  Warwickshire

  1,209·8

  1,224·2

  1,228·2

  857·8

  1,410·8

  West Sussex

  862·3

  733·1

  812·6

  836·1

  801·6

  Wiltshire

  1,150·6

  1,130·9

  1,344·6

  1,532·2

  1,478·3

  Clwyd

  973·0

  1,238·5

  1,515·8

  1,218·5

  1,268·9

  Dyfed

  1,227·9

  1,234·9

  1,230·8

  1,388·4

  1,324·4

  Gwent

  1,744·2

  1,944·8

  2,012·4

  2,000·6

  2,258·6

  Gwynedd

  714·8

  686·1

  818·5

  926·1

  855·7

  Mid-Glamorgan

  402·4

  353·4

  331·6

  420·9

  363·9

  Powys

  597·1

  702·5

  575·2

  566·1

  575·3

  South Glamorgan

  1,063·0

  1,036·4

  1,038·3

  1,108·7

  1,140·3

  West Glamorgan

  865·0

  816·6

  804·6

  761·7

  767·0

  England and Wales

  127,932·4

  136,741·7

  146,799·2

  160,451·6

  171,048·6

  1 Excludes fee payments made to sandwich students in their industrial year.

  752

  Teacher Vacancies
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library a table of full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools for(a) January 1987, (b) January 1988 and (c) January 1989, broken down by school type and subject area for (i) England and Wales, (ii) the regions and (iii) individual local education authorities, in a manner consistent with the answer given to the hon. Member for Fylde (Mr. Jack), Official Report, 15 February, column 318.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 26 February 1990]: The information is given in the tables. Data on primary vacancies were not collected prior to 1988. In 1987 secondary heads and deputies were not identified

  Table 1

  Vacancies as a percentage of full-time teachers in post

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Secondary

  Nursery and Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Nursery and Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Gateshead

  0·5

  0·5

  0·4

  0·5

  2·0

  1·5

  1·8

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1·4

  0·6

  0·5

  0·5

  3·1

  1·5

  2·3

  North Tyneside

  1·0

  0·4

  0·6

  0·5

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  South Tyneside

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Sunderland

  0·5

  0·5

  0·4

  0·4

  0·6

  0·4

  0·5

  Cleveland

  0·0

  0·1

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  Cumbria

  1·0

  0·1

  0·1

  0·1

  0·6

  0·5

  0·6

  Durham

  0·2

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·5

  0·1

  0·3

  Northumberland

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·7

  0·3

  0·4

  North

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  0·8

  0·4

  0·6

  Barnsley

  0·4

  0·3

  0·2

  0·3

  0·5

  0·1

  0·3

  Doncaster

  0·3

  0·7

  0·6

  0·6

  1·1

  0·6

  0·8

  Rotherham

  0·1

  1·5

  0·3

  0·9

  1·4

  1·4

  1·4

  Sheffield

  1·2

  0·4

  0·3

  0·3

  0·5

  0·2

  0·3

  Bradford

  0·5

  0·4

  0·3

  0·4

  1·0

  0·4

  0·6

  Calderdale

  0·7

  0·9

  1·3

  1·1

  0·6

  1·7

  1·2

  Kirklees

  0·9

  0·3

  0·4

  0·3

  0·6

  1·1

  0·9

  Leeds

  4·0

  1·3

  1·0

  1·1

  1·5

  0·7

  1·0

  Wakefield

  2·5

  4·0

  2·3

  3·0

  3·0

  2·4

  2·6

  Humberside

  0·6

  0·5

  0·3

  0·4

  0·7

  0·2

  0·4

  North Yorkshire

  0·1

  1·1

  0·8

  0·9

  1·4

  0·5

  0·9

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  0·7

  0·9

  0·6

  0·8

  1·1

  0·7

  0·9

  Knowsley

  1·1

  0·8

  1·2

  1·0

  0·4

  0·9

  0·6

  Liverpool

  0·2

  0·5

  0·1

  0·3

  0·9

  0·0

  0·4

  St. Helens

  0·5

  1·1

  1·0

  1·1

  0·4

  0·6

  0·5

  Sefton

  0·2

  0·5

  0·2

  0·3

  0·1

  0·2

  0·1

  Wirral

  1·9

  0·9

  0·6

  0·7

  0·6

  0·8

  0·7

  Bolton

  0·2

  0·8

  0·2

  0·5

  0·9

  0·1

  0·5

  Bury

  0·0

  0·5

  0·0

  0·2

  1·0

  0·9

  1·0

  Manchester

  1·0

  0·9

  1·4

  1·2

  1·5

  1·3

  1·4

  Oldham

  0·5

  1·3

  0·3

  0·7

  0·6

  0·1

  0·3

  Rochdale

  0·4

  2·0

  0·9

  1·4

  2·7

  0·8

  1·7

  Salford

  2·1

  2·5

  1·9

  2·2

  3·5

  2·1

  2·8

  Stockport

  0·5

  0·5

  0·5

  0·5

  0·7

  0·6

  0·6

  Tameside

  1·4

  0·2

  0·1

  0·2

  2·5

  1·8

  2·1

  Trafford

  0·2

  0·8

  0·2

  0·5

  1·1

  0·1

  0·6

  Wigan

  0·0

  0·2

  0·3

  0·3

  0·6

  0·1

  0·3

  Cheshire

  0·7

  0·7

  0·7

  0·7

  0·3

  0·3

  0·3

  Lancashire

  1·0

  1·4

  1·2

  1·3

  2·1

  1·6

  1·8

  North West

  0·8

  0·9

  0·7

  0·8

  1·2

  0·8

  1·0

  Derbyshire

  1·9

  1·0

  0·9

  0·9

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  Leicestershire

  1·5

  0·4

  1·0

  0·7

  0·5

  0·7

  0·6

  Lincolnshire

  1·3

  1·6

  1·0

  1·3

  1·4

  1·1

  1·2

  Northamptonshire

  0·2

  0·1

  0·2

  0·1

  0·3

  0·1

  0·2

  Nottinghamshire

  1·3

  1·1

  0·9

  1·0

  1·7

  1·0

  1·3

  East Midlands

  0·7

  0·8

  0·8

  0·8

  1·0

  0·8

  0·9

  Birmingham

  1·7

  2·3

  1·6

  1·9

  1·8

  2·6

  2·2

  Coventry

  0·9

  1·9

  0·3

  1·0

  1·1

  0·7

  0·9

  754
  separately but included within the subject breakdowns. An index to the subject breakdowns used in tables 4 to 6 follows.

  Secondary vacancies subject guide

  Column heading

  Subject

  H & D

  Heads and deputies

  Maths

  Mathematics

  Sci.

  Sciences

  Lang.

  Languages

  Engl.

  English

  H,G,SS

  History, geography or social studies

  CDT, C or A

  Craft design and technology (CDT), craft or art

  Music

  Music

  P.E.

  Physical education

  Rem.

  Remedial

  Others

  Other subjects

  755

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Secondary

  Nursery and Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Nursery and Primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Dudley

  0·9

  2·0

  0·4

  1·1

  3·4

  0·5

  1·9

  Sandwell

  0·9

  0·9

  1·2

  1·1

  0·8

  1·0

  0·9

  Solihull

  1·8

  1·6

  0·5

  1·0

  3·2

  0·3

  3·6

  Walsall

  1·0

  0·4

  0·4

  0·4

  0·2

  0·1

  0·2

  Wolverhampton

  1·1

  0·6

  0·6

  0·6

  0·8

  1·1

  1·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  0·6

  0·7

  0·9

  0·8

  0·9

  1·1

  1·0

  Shropshire

  0·1

  0·8

  0·3

  0·5

  0·5

  0·3

  0·4

  Staffordshire

  0·8

  1·5

  0·6

  1·0

  0·3

  0·9

  0·6

  Warwickshire

  0·7

  1·3

  0·8

  1·1

  0·1

  1·7

  0·8

  West Midlands

  1·2

  1·4

  0·3

  1·1

  1·1

  1·2

  1·1

  Cambridgeshire

  0·3

  0·9

  0·7

  0·8

  0·9

  0·7

  0·8

  Norfolk

  0·8

  0·5

  0·2

  0·4

  0·4

  0·8

  0·6

  Suffolk

  0·8

  0·5

  0·9

  0·8

  0·8

  0·8

  0·8

  East Anglia

  0·5

  0·7

  0·6

  0·6

  0·7

  0·8

  0·7

  Table 2

  Vacancies as a percentage of full-time teachers in post

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Secondary

  Nursery and primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Nursery and primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Barking

  3· 0

  6·6

  3·5

  5·0

  6·4

  1·6

  4·0

  Barnet

  4·2

  3·1

  3·7

  3·4

  3·2

  4·4

  3·9

  Bexley

  2·2

  1·8

  2·1

  2·0

  1·4

  2·4

  1·9

  Brent

  1

  1·9

  2·2

  2·0

  1·6

  1·5

  1·6

  Bromley

  5·0

  1·4

  1·7

  1·6

  0·7

  0·4

  0·6

  Croydon

  1·4

  2·0

  0·8

  1·3

  1·8

  1·7

  1·7

  Ealing

  1·6

  5·3

  2·0

  4·3

  7·7

  2·1

  5·5

  Enfield

  3·1

  3·6

  2·9

  3·2

  5·2

  2·2

  3·6

  Haringey

  2·3

  6·3

  3·0

  4·8

  12·9

  3·2

  8·5

  Harrow

  1·5

  0·6

  2·8

  1·5

  1·1

  1·4

  1·2

  Havering

  2·3

  0·1

  1·0

  0·6

  5·2

  0·8

  2·7

  Hillingdon

  1·1

  3·4

  2·7

  3·0

  3·9

  3·1

  3·5

  Hounslow

  0·9

  1·2

  0·5

  0·8

  1·9

  1·1

  1·5

  Kingston

  1·3

  0·9

  1·1

  1·0

  1·6

  0·4

  0·9

  Merton

  1·2

  2·4

  1·0

  2·0

  4·7

  3·7

  4·1

  Newham

  4·8

  14·0

  4·6

  9·1

  11·7

  4·8

  8·2

  Redbridge

  1·6

  2·0

  2·5

  2·3

  3·7

  1·2

  2·3

  Richmond

  3·8

  1·4

  0·9

  1·2

  0·0

  0·2

  0·1

  Sutton

  2·2

  2·3

  2·3

  2·7

  2·8

  1·2

  1·9

  Waltham Forest

  0·3

  1

  1

  1

  6·0

  2·6

  4·2

  ILEA

  4·1

  4·9

  3·3

  4·2

  6·8

  6·2

  6·5

  South East Greater London1

  3·6

  4·0

  2·5

  3·2

  5·3

  3·4

  4·3

  Bedfordshire

  1·5

  1·3

  1·4

  1·4

  3·6

  2·2

  2·8

  Berkshire

  0·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  2·2

  1·3

  1·7

  Buckinghamshire

  2·2

  0·3

  1·2

  1·0

  1·6

  1·6

  1·6

  East Sussex

  0·7

  0·3

  0·9

  0·6

  2·2

  1·7

  1·9

  Essex

  0·8

  1·3

  1·2

  1·2

  1·1

  1·2

  1·1

  Hampshire

  1·0

  1·1

  0·9

  1·0

  1·6

  1·0

  1·3

  Hertfordshire

  1·0

  1·2

  1·3

  1·2

  1·7

  1·2

  1·4

  Isle of Wight

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Kent

  1·4

  0·9

  1·2

  1·1

  1·8

  2·3

  2·1

  Oxfordshire

  0·4

  0·3

  0·0

  0·4

  0·1

  0·4

  0·3

  Surrey

  1·2

  1·4

  0·9

  1·1

  2·8

  1·4

  2·2

  West Sussex

  0·9

  1·4

  1·2

  1·3

  2·2

  1·1

  1·7

  Other South East

  0·9

  1·1

  1·0

  1·1

  1·8

  1·4

  1·6

  Avon

  1·0

  0·6

  0·9

  0·8

  0·5

  0·2

  0·3

  Cornwall

  0·8

  1·6

  0·5

  1·0

  1·6

  1·1

  1·4

  Devon

  1·1

  2·1

  1·5

  1·8

  2·0

  1·8

  1·9

  Dorset

  0·1

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·6

  0·0

  0·3

  Gloucestershire

  0·3

  0·5

  0·2

  0·4

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Somerset

  0·8

  1·3

  1·1

  1·4

  2·5

  2·2

  2·4

  Wiltshire

  2·0

  1·5

  1·1

  1·2

  1·9

  1·5

  1·7

  South West

  1·0

  1·2

  0·8

  1·0

  1·2

  1·0

  1·1

  Clwyd

  0·1

  0·6

  0·1

  0·3

  1·2

  0·5

  0·8

  Dyfed

  0·5

  0·4

  0·3

  0·3

  0·2

  0·2

  0·2

  Gwent

  0·1

  3·0

  1·2

  2·0

  2·6

  0·8

  1·6

  Gwynedd

  0·7

  0·1

  0·9

  0·6

  0·8

  1·4

  1·1

  Mid-Glamorgan

  1·2

  2·7

  1·2

  1·9

  3·6

  1·3

  2·4

  Powys

  0·0

  1·2

  1·9

  1·6

  1·0

  2·0

  1·5

  756

  757

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Secondary

  Nursery and primary

  Secondary

  Total

  Nursery and primary

  Secondary

  Total

  South Glamorgan

  0·0

  0·1

  0·1

  0·1

  0·7

  0·2

  0·5

  West Glamorgan

  0·7

  0·0

  0·3

  0·2

  0·0

  0·7

  0·4

  Wales

  1·1

  1·2

  0·7

  0·9

  1·5

  0·8

  1·2

  Total England and Wales

  1·2

  1·4

  1·0

  1·2

  1·8

  1·2

  1·2

  1 Regional totals include estimated figures in respect of Brent and Waltham Forest LEAs who did not provide vacancies data in 1987 and 1988 respectively.

  Table 2

  (1) Nursery and Primary Vacancies 1988 (Numbers)

  Nursery

  Infant

  Junior

  More than one group

  Total

  Gateshead

  1

  1

  2

  0

  4

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  0

  1

  4

  1

  6

  North Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  2

  1

  0

  4

  7

  Cleveland

  1

  0

  0

  2

  3

  Cumbria

  0

  1

  1

  0

  2

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North

  4

  4

  7

  10

  25

  Barnsley

  0

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Doncaster

  0

  0

  1

  7

  8

  Rotherham

  3

  3

  9

  1

  16

  Sheffield

  1

  6

  1

  0

  8

  Bradford

  1

  5

  1

  0

  7

  Calderdale

  1

  3

  3

  0

  7

  Kirklees

  0

  1

  2

  2

  5

  Leeds

  2

  3

  6

  21

  32

  Wakefield

  1

  27

  8

  11

  47

  Humberside

  1

  1

  9

  4

  15

  North Yorks

  3

  6

  4

  12

  25

  York and Humberside

  13

  56

  46

  58

  173

  Knowsley

  1

  0

  5

  0

  5

  Liverpool

  1

  6

  3

  1

  11

  St. Helen's

  0

  3

  4

  1

  8

  Sefton

  0

  2

  3

  0

  5

  Wirral

  0

  6

  5

  1

  12

  Bolton

  0

  5

  3

  0

  8

  Bury

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Manchester

  5

  4

  3

  6

  18

  Oldham

  0

  4

  5

  3

  12

  Rochdale

  0

  0

  0

  18

  18

  Salford

  2

  3

  5

  13

  23

  Stockport

  0

  0

  0

  5

  5

  Tameside

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  Trafford

  1

  3

  2

  0

  6

  Wigan

  1

  2

  0

  0

  3

  Cheshire

  2

  17

  4

  0

  23

  Lancashire

  4

  18

  26

  20

  68

  North West

  17

  73

  70

  71

  231

  Derbyshire

  0

  17

  5

  13

  35

  Leicestershire

  0

  0

  1

  11

  12

  Lincolnshire

  0

  5

  4

  22

  31

  Northamptonshire

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  4

  17

  8

  11

  40

  East Midlands

  4

  39

  18

  59

  120

  Birmingham

  6

  37

  49

  9

  101

  Coventry

  1

  5

  12

  5

  23

  Dudley

  2

  6

  16

  0

  24

  Sandwell

  1

  5

  1

  4

  11

  Solihull

  1

  3

  8

  0

  12

  Walsall

  0

  2

  1

  2

  5

  Wolverhampton

  0

  2

  3

  2

  7

  Hereford and Worcester

  0

  9

  1

  3

  13

  Shropshire

  0

  1

  1

  10

  12

  Staffordshire

  3

  12

  11

  26

  56

  Warwickshire

  1

  7

  9

  8

  25

  West Midlands

  15

  89

  112

  69

  285

  758 759

  Nursery

  Infant

  Junior

  More than one group

  Total

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  12

  9

  0

  21

  Norfolk

  0

  6

  6

  1

  13

  Suffolk

  1

  3

  6

  0

  10

  East Anglia

  1

  21

  21

  1

  44

  (2) Nursery and primary vacancies 1988 (numbers)

  Nursery

  Infant

  Junior

  More than one group

  Total

  Barking

  5

  22

  15

  0

  42

  Barnet

  2

  15

  14

  1

  12

  Bexley

  0

  4

  1

  8

  13

  Brent

  2

  11

  9

  0

  22

  Bromley

  0

  8

  4

  0

  12

  Croydon

  0

  10

  12

  0

  22

  Ealing

  1

  35

  16

  21

  73

  Enfield

  0

  12

  19

  2

  33

  Haringey

  8

  28

  13

  9

  58

  Harrow

  0

  0

  5

  0

  5

  Havering

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Hillingdon

  3

  19

  5

  0

  27

  Hounslow

  2

  2

  4

  2

  10

  Kingston

  0

  1

  1

  2

  4

  Merton

  3

  4

  2

  1

  10

  Newham

  17

  55

  73

  0

  145

  Redbridge

  1

  6

  6

  1

  14

  Richmond

  0

  1

  3

  2

  6

  Sutton

  3

  2

  10

  0

  15

  ILEA

  30

  145

  185

  79

  439

  South East Greater London1

  77

  383

  399

  129

  988

  Bedfordshire

  8

  5

  6

  4

  23

  Berkshire

  1

  16

  7

  0

  24

  Buckinghamshire

  0

  7

  5

  7

  19

  East Sussex

  0

  1

  4

  0

  5

  Essex

  1

  22

  31

  11

  65

  Hampshire

  1

  21

  25

  11

  58

  Hertfordshire

  2

  17

  14

  8

  41

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kent

  2

  10

  11

  18

  41

  Oxfordshire

  0

  6

  9

  0

  15

  Surrey

  0

  11

  34

  0

  45

  West Sussex

  0

  14

  13

  2

  29

  Other South East

  15

  130

  159

  61

  365

  Avon

  1

  10

  4

  4

  19

  Cornwall

  1

  10

  9

  5

  25

  Devon

  1

  11

  44

  8

  64

  Dorset

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gloucestershire

  0

  2

  1

  6

  9

  Somerset

  0

  10

  3

  12

  25

  Wiltshire

  0

  4

  5

  18

  27

  South West

  3

  47

  66

  53

  169

  Clwyd

  0

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Dyfed

  0

  1

  5

  0

  6

  Gwent

  1

  13

  24

  14

  52

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Mid-Glamorgan

  5

  25

  36

  3

  69

  Powys

  0

  2

  1

  3

  6

  South Glamorgan

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  West Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wales

  6

  42

  67

  29

  144

  Total England and Wales1

  155

  884

  965

  540

  2,544

  1 Regional and national totals include estimated figures in respect of Waltham Forest LEA who did not provide vacancies data for this year.

  760 761

  Table 3

  (1) Nursery and Primary vacancies 1989 (numbers)

  Nursery

  Infant

  Junior

  More than one group

  Total

  Gateshead

  0

  1

  3

  13

  17

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  5

  5

  4

  18

  32

  North Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  0

  0

  2

  6

  8

  Cleveland

  2

  2

  0

  2

  6

  Cumbria

  1

  3

  3

  4

  11

  Durham

  2

  2

  3

  5

  12

  Northumberland

  0

  4

  0

  2

  6

  North

  10

  17

  15

  50

  92

  Barnsley

  0

  3

  0

  1

  4

  Doncaster

  1

  2

  0

  11

  14

  Rotherham

  0

  4

  6

  5

  15

  Sheffield

  2

  4

  3

  0

  9

  Bradford

  2

  4

  0

  11

  17

  Calderdale

  0

  0

  4

  1

  5

  Kirklees

  0

  4

  1

  4

  9

  Leeds

  0

  2

  3

  32

  37

  Wakefield

  2

  15

  11

  7

  35

  Humberside

  0

  14

  6

  2

  22

  North Yorkshire

  1

  11

  8

  13

  33

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  8

  63

  42

  87

  200

  Knowsley

  1

  0

  2

  0

  3

  Liverpool

  0

  14

  3

  2

  19

  St. Helens

  0

  1

  2

  0

  3

  Sefton

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Wirral

  0

  4

  4

  0

  8

  Bolton

  1

  5

  4

  0

  10

  Bury

  0

  3

  0

  4

  7

  Manchester

  4

  5

  2

  19

  30

  Oldham

  0

  5

  1

  0

  6

  Rochdale

  0

  0

  0

  24

  24

  Salford

  0

  15

  13

  8

  36

  Stockport

  0

  3

  4

  0

  7

  Tameside

  1

  11

  6

  3

  21

  Trafford

  0

  3

  3

  2

  8

  Wigan

  0

  1

  4

  3

  8

  Cheshire

  1

  10

  0

  0

  11

  Lancashire

  7

  34

  37

  27

  105

  North West

  16

  114

  85

  92

  307

  Derbyshire

  5

  8

  11

  11

  35

  Leicestershire

  3

  3

  4

  6

  16

  Lincolnshire

  0

  3

  3

  21

  27

  Northamptonshire

  0

  3

  3

  0

  6

  Nottinghamshire

  3

  11

  24

  18

  61

  East Midlands

  11

  26

  50

  56

  145

  Birmingham

  5

  24

  50

  2

  81

  Coventry

  1

  6

  5

  2

  14

  Dudley

  2

  20

  18

  2

  42

  Sandwell

  0

  2

  3

  5

  10

  Solihull

  1

  13

  5

  5

  24

  Walsall

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  Wolverhampton

  1

  2

  2

  5

  10

  Hereford and Worcester

  1

  12

  0

  5

  18

  Shropshire

  1

  1

  2

  4

  8

  Staffordshire

  0

  2

  6

  2

  10

  Warwickshire

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  West Midlands

  12

  82

  92

  36

  222

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  6

  8

  7

  22

  Norfolk

  0

  2

  7

  2

  11

  Suffolk

  0

  3

  7

  4

  14

  East Anglia

  1

  11

  22

  13

  47

  762 763

  (2) Nursery and Primary Vacancies 1989 (Numbers)

  Nursery

  Infant

  Junior

  More than one group

  Total

  Barking

  2

  13

  17

  9

  41

  Barnet

  1

  14

  17

  0

  32

  Bexley

  0

  4

  6

  0

  10

  Brent

  5

  6

  3

  4

  18

  Bromley

  0

  2

  3

  1

  6

  Croydon

  0

  7

  13

  0

  20

  Ealing

  1

  31

  35

  31

  98

  Enfield

  1

  23

  25

  0

  49

  Haringey

  18

  41

  46

  1

  106

  Harrow

  0

  4

  4

  0

  8

  Havering

  0

  16

  7

  19

  42

  Hillingdon

  2

  16

  13

  0

  31

  Hounslow

  2

  6

  6

  1

  15

  Kingston

  0

  3

  3

  1

  7

  Merton

  3

  9

  4

  5

  21

  Newham

  23

  48

  65

  0

  136

  Redbridge

  0

  9

  15

  2

  26

  Richmond

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sutton

  0

  3

  3

  7

  13

  Waltham Forest

  5

  16

  16

  13

  50

  ILEA

  45

  208

  218

  105

  576

  South East Greater London

  108

  479

  519

  199

  1,305

  Bedfordshire

  14

  28

  10

  10

  62

  Berkshire

  3

  22

  10

  19

  54

  Buckinghamshire

  1

  14

  16

  9

  40

  East Sussex

  0

  16

  23

  0

  39

  Essex

  0

  9

  16

  29

  54

  Hampshire

  0

  32

  39

  13

  84

  Hertfordshire

  4

  24

  21

  11

  60

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kent

  1

  23

  39

  21

  84

  Oxfordshire

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  Surrey

  3

  33

  48

  7

  91

  West Sussex

  0

  20

  5

  22

  47

  Other South East

  26

  223

  227

  141

  617

  Avon

  0

  7

  4

  3

  14

  Cornwall

  1

  8

  16

  1

  26

  Devon

  1

  19

  27

  13

  60

  Dorset

  0

  6

  4

  0

  10

  Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Somerset

  0

  7

  2

  26

  35

  Wiltshire

  0

  12

  5

  19

  36

  South West

  2

  59

  58

  62

  181

  Clwyd

  1

  5

  2

  9

  17

  Dyfed

  0

  1

  3

  0

  4

  Gwent

  1

  8

  14

  23

  46

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  0

  8

  8

  Mid-Glamorgan

  0

  29

  26

  35

  90

  Powys

  0

  2

  1

  2

  5

  South Glamorgan

  1

  1

  3

  6

  11

  West Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Wales

  3

  46

  49

  83

  181

  Total England and Wales

  197

  1,122

  1,159

  819

  3,297

  Table 4

  (i)

  Secondary Vacancies 1987 (Numbers)

  Maths

  Sci

  Lang

  Engl

  H.G.SS

  CDt. C&A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Gateshead

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Newcastle Upon Tyne

  1

  4

  0

  1

  4

  0

  0

  1

  2

  6

  19

  North Tyneside

  1

  2

  0

  2

  2

  0

  0

  2

  1

  2

  12

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  2

  3

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  8

  Cleveland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbria

  1

  2

  3

  2

  3

  3

  1

  0

  0

  7

  22

  Durham

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  5

  764 765

  Maths

  Sci

  Lang

  Engl

  H.G.SS

  CDt. C&A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North

  7

  15

  4

  5

  10

  4

  1

  4

  3

  18

  71

  Barnsley

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  5

  Doncaster

  0

  2

  3

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  11

  Rotherham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Sheffield

  4

  2

  4

  4

  3

  2

  1

  0

  3

  5

  28

  Bradford

  1

  5

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  14

  Calderdale

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  2

  7

  Kirklees

  2

  3

  0

  3

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  5

  17

  Leeds

  12

  22

  12

  15

  12

  11

  8

  21

  14

  27

  154

  Wakefield

  5

  4

  1

  6

  2

  0

  0

  4

  1

  17

  40

  Humberside

  5

  3

  2

  2

  2

  5

  1

  2

  1

  5

  28

  North Yorkshire

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  30

  44

  23

  34

  21

  20

  13

  32

  20

  70

  307

  Knowsley

  2

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  2

  1

  1

  1

  10

  Liverpool

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  5

  St. Helens

  1

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Sefton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  Wirral

  4

  3

  2

  5

  3

  3

  1

  1

  1

  4

  27

  Bolton

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Bury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Manchester

  2

  7

  2

  3

  0

  1

  2

  0

  1

  5

  23

  Oldham

  1

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  5

  Rochdale

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Salford

  3

  3

  2

  1

  3

  1

  2

  1

  0

  7

  23

  Stockport

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  7

  Tameside

  4

  5

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  15

  Trafford

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Wigan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cheshire

  2

  4

  3

  3

  0

  8

  3

  1

  1

  6

  31

  Lancashire

  9

  7

  5

  4

  7

  8

  2

  1

  0

  14

  57

  North West

  35

  35

  20

  18

  15

  26

  14

  9

  4

  43

  219

  Derbyshire

  7

  7

  3

  9

  3

  9

  2

  8

  3

  28

  79

  Leicestershire

  4

  8

  7

  7

  5

  6

  0

  5

  0

  19

  61

  Lincolnshire

  1

  6

  4

  4

  1

  3

  1

  3

  1

  5

  29

  Northamptonshire

  1

  2

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  Nottinghamshire

  8

  5

  5

  7

  6

  4

  6

  6

  1

  11

  59

  East Midlands

  21

  28

  20

  27

  16

  24

  9

  22

  5

  63

  235

  Birmingham

  10

  4

  7

  8

  4

  6

  4

  5

  1

  30

  79

  Coventry

  3

  1

  2

  2

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  14

  Dudley

  1

  2

  1

  1

  3

  0

  1

  1

  1

  2

  13

  Sandwell

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  3

  0

  1

  7

  14

  Solihull

  2

  3

  2

  3

  3

  1

  0

  1

  0

  3

  18

  Walsall

  0

  1

  0

  1

  2

  1

  3

  2

  0

  5

  15

  Wolverhampton

  1

  3

  0

  4

  1

  1

  2

  1

  0

  2

  15

  Hereford and Worcester

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  0

  2

  2

  3

  19

  Shropshire

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Staffordshire

  7

  4

  2

  1

  3

  1

  2

  9

  0

  9

  38

  Warwickshire

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  4

  12

  West Midlands

  28

  22

  18

  23

  21

  13

  17

  22

  7

  68

  239

  Cambridgeshire

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  4

  0

  1

  8

  Norfolk

  1

  3

  4

  3

  5

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  21

  Suffolk

  4

  3

  3

  4

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  3

  24

  East Anglia

  5

  7

  7

  8

  8

  3

  1

  5

  1

  8

  53

  Secondary Vacancies 1987 (Numbers)

  Maths

  Science

  Language

  English

  N.G.SS

  CDT. C and A

  Music

  P.E.

  Remedial

  Others

  Total

  Barking

  5

  2

  0

  0

  0

  3

  1

  3

  2

  3

  19

  Barnet

  4

  9

  2

  3

  7

  3

  1

  6

  1

  14

  50

  Bexley

  2

  4

  1

  4

  1

  1

  0

  2

  0

  6

  21

  Bromley

  4

  7

  1

  9

  5

  7

  0

  6

  1

  12

  52

  Croydon

  2

  3

  5

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  17

  Ealing

  6

  1

  0

  0

  0

  5

  0

  0

  0

  2

  14

  766 767

  Maths

  Science

  Language

  English

  N.G.SS

  CDT. C and A

  Music

  P.E.

  Remedial

  Others

  Total

  Enfield

  6

  5

  3

  2

  4

  3

  0

  2

  0

  10

  35

  Haringey

  3

  6

  0

  1

  1

  3

  0

  2

  1

  2

  19

  Harrow

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  3

  10

  Havering

  3

  2

  2

  6

  2

  2

  1

  2

  0

  7

  27

  Hillingdon

  2

  2

  1

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  10

  Hounslow

  1

  0

  1

  2

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  8

  Kingston

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  7

  Merton

  0

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  9

  Newham

  9

  9

  4

  5

  5

  5

  1

  4

  1

  13

  56

  Redbridge

  3

  3

  0

  3

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  2

  14

  Richmond

  1

  4

  1

  0

  1

  4

  0

  2

  1

  2

  16

  Sutton

  3

  3

  2

  2

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  2

  14

  Waltham Forest

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  4

  ILEA

  30

  48

  20

  36

  42

  43

  15

  22

  26

  99

  381

  South East Greater London1

  90

  117

  46

  83

  76

  90

  21

  58

  35

  197

  813

  Bedfordshire

  8

  3

  4

  1

  3

  3

  1

  6

  0

  9

  38

  Berkshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Buckinghamshire

  5

  9

  4

  0

  1

  4

  6

  3

  1

  16

  49

  East Sussex

  3

  2

  0

  2

  1

  3

  1

  0

  1

  3

  16

  Essex

  9

  4

  1

  7

  5

  4

  1

  5

  4

  10

  50

  Hampshire

  8

  9

  2

  1

  2

  9

  2

  2

  4

  18

  57

  Hertfordshire

  7

  3

  5

  2

  4

  7

  2

  7

  1

  6

  44

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kent

  21

  14

  6

  12

  9

  13

  2

  3

  2

  9

  91

  Oxfordshire

  1

  1

  1

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  8

  Surrey

  5

  8

  5

  5

  1

  4

  2

  2

  0

  4

  36

  West Sussex

  4

  4

  0

  1

  0

  4

  0

  1

  2

  7

  23

  Other South East

  71

  57

  28

  31

  28

  52

  17

  29

  16

  83

  412

  Avon

  4

  7

  4

  0

  4

  2

  3

  3

  3

  5

  35

  Cornwall

  1

  3

  2

  2

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  7

  18

  Devon

  4

  3

  6

  2

  5

  5

  2

  3

  1

  10

  41

  Dorset

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  3

  Gloucestershire

  2

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  6

  Somerset

  2

  1

  1

  3

  1

  1

  1

  0

  2

  2

  14

  Wiltshire

  10

  10

  2

  1

  1

  3

  1

  2

  5

  7

  42

  South West

  23

  27

  15

  9

  13

  11

  8

  8

  13

  32

  159

  Clwyd

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Dyfed

  0

  2

  2

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  8

  Gwent

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  3

  Gwynedd

  2

  3

  0

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  9

  Mid-Glamorgan

  2

  5

  3

  3

  2

  2

  2

  1

  5

  9

  34

  Powys

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  West Glamorgan

  0

  0

  3

  3

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  4

  13

  Wales

  7

  10

  8

  10

  5

  2

  3

  3

  6

  15

  69

  Total England and Wales1

  317

  362

  189

  248

  213

  245

  104

  192

  110

  597

  2,577

  1 Regional and national totals include estimated figures in respect of Brent LEA who did not provide vacancies data for this year.

  Table 5

  (1)

  Secondary vacancies 1988 (Numbers)

  H &D

  Maths

  Sci.

  Lang.

  Engl.

  H.G. SS

  CDT C&A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Gateshead

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  4

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  6

  North Tyneside

  0

  2

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  7

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  1

  5

  Cleveland

  2

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  4

  Cumbria

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Durham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North

  4

  4

  2

  4

  2

  1

  2

  3

  1

  7

  2

  32

  Barnsley

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  768 769

  (1)

  Secondary vacancies 1988 (Numbers)

  H &D

  Maths

  Sci.

  Lang.

  Engl.

  H.G. SS

  CDT C & A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Doncaster

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  1

  8

  Rotherham

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  4

  Sheffied

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  2

  6

  Bradford

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  4

  1

  9

  Calderdale

  2

  1

  1

  2

  2

  0

  1

  1

  0

  2

  0

  12

  Kirklees

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  7

  Leeds

  2

  5

  1

  5

  2

  5

  0

  2

  2

  5

  6

  35

  Wakefield

  4

  2

  0

  4

  3

  2

  3

  4

  0

  10

  3

  35

  Humberside

  2

  3

  0

  2

  1

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  12

  North Yorkshire

  2

  3

  3

  0

  0

  1

  2

  4

  1

  5

  2

  23

  York and Humberside

  14

  18

  6

  17

  11

  10

  8

  11

  6

  36

  16

  153

  Knowsley

  0

  2

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  10

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  3

  St. Helens

  0

  2

  1

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  10

  Sefton

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  Wirral

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  3

  0

  8

  Bolton

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  3

  Bury

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Machester

  3

  4

  3

  5

  1

  0

  1

  2

  2

  9

  0

  30

  Oldham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  3

  Rochdale

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  11

  Salford

  3

  2

  1

  1

  1

  4

  0

  1

  2

  3

  2

  20

  Stockport

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  6

  Tameside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Trafford

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  Wigan

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  5

  Cheshire

  1

  6

  2

  1

  2

  4

  1

  2

  1

  8

  3

  31

  Lancashire

  7

  13

  10

  8

  3

  5

  0

  4

  1

  12

  5

  68

  North West

  21

  33

  21

  19

  11

  16

  6

  16

  7

  41

  22

  213

  Derbyshire

  3

  3

  0

  6

  5

  2

  3

  3

  0

  5

  7

  37

  Leicestershire

  3

  6

  4

  0

  4

  3

  3

  2

  2

  9

  2

  38

  Lincolnshire

  2

  3

  2

  2

  2

  1

  2

  1

  0

  3

  5

  23

  Northamptonshire

  1

  1

  0

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  5

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  2

  3

  5

  2

  1

  4

  6

  2

  11

  6

  43

  East Midlands

  10

  15

  9

  15

  14

  7

  12

  12

  4

  28

  20

  146

  Birmingham

  2

  7

  5

  9

  6

  2

  3

  2

  7

  21

  9

  73

  Coventry

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Dudley

  0

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  Sandwell

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  11

  0

  18

  Solihull

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  5

  Walsall

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  6

  Wolverhampton

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  2

  2

  0

  8

  Hereford and Worcester

  3

  3

  4

  2

  3

  1

  1

  4

  0

  3

  2

  26

  Shropshire

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  5

  Staffordshire

  4

  2

  10

  4

  0

  0

  0

  8

  0

  1

  0

  29

  Warwickshire

  0

  3

  1

  1

  2

  1

  0

  1

  1

  3

  1

  14

  West Midlands

  11

  20

  26

  23

  11

  5

  6

  18

  13

  47

  13

  193

  Cambridgeshire

  3

  2

  1

  1

  1

  2

  3

  1

  1

  1

  1

  17

  Norfolk

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  1

  6

  Suffolk

  0

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  2

  5

  3

  7

  2

  26

  East Anglia

  3

  4

  3

  2

  3

  4

  6

  7

  4

  9

  4

  49

  Secondary vacancies 1988 (numbers)

  (2)

  H and D

  Maths

  Science

  Lang.

  English

  H.G. SS

  CDT. C and A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Barking

  2

  3

  1

  6

  2

  0

  1

  4

  0

  3

  0

  22

  Barnet

  5

  11

  2

  3

  2

  4

  1

  2

  1

  14

  0

  45

  Bexley

  1

  5

  1

  1

  1

  3

  1

  1

  0

  5

  0

  19

  Brent

  2

  3

  3

  4

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  5

  24

  Bromley

  2

  2

  0

  3

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  3

  3

  17

  Croydon

  1

  4

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  9

  Ealing

  1

  3

  2

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  2

  6

  0

  17

  Enfield

  8

  5

  0

  2

  2

  4

  0

  1

  1

  10

  0

  33

  Haringey

  1

  5

  1

  2

  1

  3

  0

  1

  1

  8

  1

  24

  770 771

  Hand D

  Maths

  Science

  Lang.

  English

  H.G. SS

  CDT. C and A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Harrow

  2

  0

  2

  2

  1

  6

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  15

  Havering

  3

  1

  0

  3

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  11

  Hillingdon

  2

  3

  3

  3

  1

  3

  2

  2

  0

  5

  0

  24

  Hounslow

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  4

  Kingston

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  3

  6

  Merton

  0

  0

  1

  3

  1

  3

  0

  1

  2

  2

  0

  13

  Newham

  5

  8

  4

  5

  3

  7

  2

  5

  0

  12

  2

  53

  Redbridge

  4

  5

  1

  1

  2

  3

  0

  2

  0

  3

  0

  21

  Richmond

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  4

  Sutton

  2

  6

  2

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  15

  ILEA

  29

  22

  15

  15

  23

  34

  11

  18

  17

  75

  21

  280

  1South East Greater London

  71

  90

  39

  57

  49

  73

  19

  39

  27

  157

  39

  660

  Bedfordshire

  6

  9

  4

  3

  2

  3

  0

  1

  0

  4

  5

  37

  Berkshire

  1

  4

  0

  5

  6

  5

  0

  0

  1

  5

  2

  29

  Buckinghamshire

  2

  2

  4

  3

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  8

  26

  East Sussex

  3

  3

  1

  2

  1

  3

  2

  0

  1

  3

  0

  9

  Essex

  8

  14

  8

  5

  7

  3

  2

  2

  3

  13

  4

  69

  Hampshire

  9

  5

  3

  10

  3

  3

  2

  3

  1

  9

  0

  48

  Hertfordshire

  9

  4

  6

  5

  3

  3

  5

  3

  0

  13

  3

  54

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kent

  15

  11

  3

  11

  3

  7

  4

  7

  0

  9

  5

  75

  Oxfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Surrey

  2

  5

  0

  3

  6

  0

  1

  3

  0

  5

  0

  25

  West Sussex

  1

  6

  3

  2

  1

  4

  0

  0

  1

  5

  4

  27

  Other South East

  56

  63

  32

  49

  33

  31

  16

  19

  7

  72

  31

  409

  Avon

  2

  0

  2

  3

  2

  3

  3

  3

  0

  4

  8

  30

  Cornwall

  1

  0

  0

  5

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  10

  Devon

  6

  7

  4

  3

  4

  2

  5

  5

  1

  12

  3

  52

  Dorset

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Gloucestershire

  0

  1

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  5

  Somerset

  1

  4

  4

  3

  2

  2

  0

  1

  3

  0

  0

  20

  Wiltshire

  5

  4

  1

  3

  0

  3

  0

  2

  1

  3

  1

  23

  South West

  15

  16

  12

  18

  9

  12

  8

  12

  5

  20

  13

  140

  Clwyd

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Dyfed

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  4

  Gwent

  0

  3

  3

  5

  0

  4

  1

  0

  1

  4

  4

  25

  Gwynedd

  3

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  2

  0

  11

  Mid-Glamorgan

  3

  6

  5

  5

  4

  2

  0

  2

  3

  2

  0

  32

  Powys

  0

  1

  1

  2

  1

  3

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  11

  South Glamorgan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  West Glamorgan

  0

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  5

  Wales

  6

  14

  14

  14

  5

  11

  2

  3

  5

  13

  4

  91

  1Total England and Wales

  211

  277

  164

  218

  148

  170

  85

  140

  79

  430

  164

  2,086

  1 Regional and national totals include estimated figures in respect of Waltham Forest LEA who did not provide vacancies data for this year.

  Table 6

  Secondary vacancies 1989 (numbers)

  (1)

  H and D

  Maths

  Science

  Lang.

  English

  H.G.SS.

  CDT. C and A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Gatehead

  2

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  7

  0

  14

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  1

  0

  1

  2

  4

  1

  2

  0

  1

  3

  2

  18

  North Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Tyneside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Sunderland

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  5

  Cleveland

  0

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  6

  Cumbria

  0

  5

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  11

  Durham

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Northumberland

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  3

  0

  5

  North

  3

  10

  6

  5

  5

  2

  3

  3

  2

  16

  7

  62

  Barnsley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  772

  773

  H and D

  Maths

  Science

  Lang.

  English

  H.G.SS.

  CDT. C and A

  Music

  P.E.

  Rem.

  Others

  Total

  Doncaster

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  1

  0

  1

  1

  8

  Rotherham

  2

  2

  2

  2

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  4

  1

  17

  Sheffield

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  3

  Bradford

  1

  1

  1

  4

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  1

  11

  Calderdale

  0

  2

  0

  1

  2

  3

  2

  2

  0

  2

  1

  15

  Kirkless

  0

  2

  1

  1

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  7

  6

  21

  Leeds

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  0

  3

  1

  0

  5

  9

  24

  Wakefield

  1

  3

  3

  4

  8

  2

  1

  4

  0

  6

  3

  35

  Humberside

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  7

  North Yorkshire

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  2

  0

  4

  2

  13

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  7

  14

  9

  15

  14

  12

  11

  12

  2

  34

  25

  155

  Knowsley

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  St. Helens

  0

  4

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  6

  Sefton

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Wirral

  2

  3

  1

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  11

  Bolton

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Bury

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  3

  0

  7

  Manchester

  1

  3

  2

  2

  1

  2

  0

  3

  1

  4

  6

  25

  Oldham

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Rochdale

  1

  3

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  9

  Salford

  2

  3

  2

  3

  2

  1

  0

  0

  0

  9

  0

  22

  Stockport

  3

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  7

  Tameside

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  12

  17

  Trafford

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Wigan

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Cheshire

  1

  5

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  1

  13

  Lanchashire

  8

  7

  9

  15

  6

  9

  2

  5

  6

  9

  12

  88

  North West

  20

  33

  18

  26

  12

  16

  8

  13

  8

  30

  35

  219

  Derbyshire

  2

  2

  7

  2

  5

  0

  1

  3

  8

  7

  4

  41

  Liecestershire

  3

  4

  3

  1

  4

  2

  0

  1

  0

  6

  4

  28

  Lincolnshire

  3

  3

  3

  3

  2

  2

  2

  2

  0

  1

  4

  25

  Northamptonshire

  0

  l

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  4

  Nottinghamshire

  4

  5

  4

  7

  3

  2

  4

  3

  2

  7

  6

  47

  East Midlands

  12

  15

  17

  13

  14

  6

  7

  9

  10

  23

  17

  145

  Birmingham

  10

  9

  5

  14

  1

  5

  0

  6

  0

  31

  26

  107

  Coventry

  0

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  0

  1

  1

  10

  Dudley

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  0

  2

  0

  6

  Sandwell

  2

  0

  4

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  5

  0

  15

  Solihull

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  3

  Walsall

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Wolverhampton

  0

  1

  2

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  6

  3

  14

  Hereford and Worcester

  5

  6

  3

  4

  1

  3

  0

  4

  0

  6

  0

  32

  Shropshire

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Staffordshire

  7

  8

  7

  0

  5

  2

  2

  3

  0

  5

  1

  40

  Warwickshire

  0

  1

  0

  2

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  3

  20

  29

  West Midlands

  26

  27

  25

  23

  8

  12

  6

  21

  3

  59

  52

  262

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  4

  2

  4

  3

  3

  17

  Norfolk

  2

  2

  1

  0

  4

  1

  2

  1

  1

  5

  1

  20

  Suffolk

  1

  4

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  3

  3

  4

  1

  22

  East Anglia

  4

  6

  2

  2

  5

  2

  7

  6

  8

  12

  5

  59

  agesages

  Secondary vacancies 1989 (numbers)

  H. and D.

  Maths.

  Science

  Languages

  English

  E. G. SS

  CDT. C&A

  Music

  P.E.

  Remedial

  Others

  Total

  Barking

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  3

  0

  1

  1

  3

  0

  10

  Barnet

  1

  10

  6

  5

  5

  5

  1

  2

  0

  14

  4

  53

  Bexley

  2

  3

  2

  3

  2

  2

  0

  0

  1

  5

  1

  21

  Brent

  0

  2

  1

  1

  0

  1

  2

  1

  0

  3

  3

  14

  Bromley

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  4

  Croydon

  3

  7

  1

  0

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  6

  1

  19

  Ealing

  3

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  3

  0

  7

  2

  18

  Enfield

  7

  5

  1

  0

  0

  2

  2

  0

  0

  6

  0

  23

  Haringey

  1

  3

  1

  3

  1

  3

  3

  3

  1

  2

  1

  22

  774 775

  H and D.

  Maths.

  Science

  Languages

  English

  E. G. ss

  CDT. C&A

  Music

  P.E.

  Remedial

  Others

  Total

  Harrow

  0

  2

  0

  2

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  8

  Havering

  0

  1

  2

  1

  3

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  9

  Hillingdon

  6

  2

  4

  5

  2

  2

  0

  1

  1

  4

  0

  27

  Hounslow

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  3

  9

  Kingston

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Merton

  2

  2

  1

  2

  7

  3

  0

  2

  3

  3

  1

  26

  Newham

  4

  10

  6

  4

  3

  6

  1

  3

  5

  13

  3

  58

  Redbridge

  4

  0

  0

  3

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  10

  Richmond

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Sutton

  1

  3

  1

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  8

  Waltham Forest

  2

  0

  5

  4

  2

  6

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  25

  ILEA

  50

  62

  53

  53

  32

  27

  16

  32

  20

  82

  25

  452

  SE Gt. London

  89

  111

  86

  89

  62

  64

  29

  53

  34

  157

  45

  819

  Bedfordshire

  10

  11

  3

  2

  4

  7

  1

  8

  0

  5

  4

  55

  Berkshire

  5

  3

  2

  4

  2

  5

  1

  1

  0

  11

  3

  37

  Buckinghamshire

  4

  2

  5

  4

  3

  1

  2

  2

  2

  1

  7

  33

  East Sussex

  7

  2

  5

  3

  3

  4

  3

  1

  4

  3

  0

  35

  Essex

  7

  11

  9

  7

  6

  7

  1

  6

  1

  8

  6

  69

  Hampshire

  7

  5

  5

  5

  3

  5

  1

  2

  3

  8

  6

  50

  Hertfordshire

  4

  7

  8

  6

  1

  3

  2

  2

  1

  9

  6

  49

  Isle of Wight

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kent

  22

  16

  6

  13

  16

  12

  9

  7

  6

  18

  15

  140

  Oxfordshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  4

  7

  Surrey

  6

  5

  6

  3

  3

  5

  2

  4

  0

  6

  0

  40

  West Sussex

  5

  2

  7

  2

  2

  1

  1

  0

  1

  3

  3

  27

  Other South East

  77

  64

  56

  49

  45

  50

  24

  33

  18

  72

  54

  542

  Avon

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  4

  7

  Cornwall

  3

  1

  7

  3

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  4

  1

  21

  Devon

  5

  5

  9

  6

  3

  2

  2

  3

  1

  23

  3

  62

  Dorset

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  Gloucestershire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Somerset

  5

  5

  5

  5

  2

  3

  3

  6

  0

  4

  0

  38

  Wiltshire

  4

  3

  1

  5

  0

  3

  1

  1

  2

  10

  2

  32

  South West

  17

  15

  23

  19

  5

  8

  6

  12

  4

  41

  11

  161

  Clwyd

  2

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  2

  9

  Dyfed

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  3

  Gwent

  0

  2

  3

  1

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  3

  2

  15

  Gwynedd

  2

  3

  2

  2

  1

  0

  1

  0

  0

  3

  2

  16

  Mid-Glamorgan

  1

  4

  4

  5

  5

  3

  0

  3

  0

  8

  2

  35

  Powys

  1

  1

  4

  2

  0

  0

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  11

  South Glamorgan

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  4

  West Glamorgan

  1

  1

  4

  2

  0

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  12

  Wales

  8

  15

  19

  12

  10

  8

  2

  3

  1

  16

  11

  105

  Total England and Wales

  263

  310

  261

  253

  180

  180

  103

  156

  90

  460

  264

  2,529

ENERGY

  Atomic Energy
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with officials of the European Atomic Energy Agency in advance of the setting of the safeguards budget set out in chapter 71 of the Official Journal of the European Communities, volume 33.

  Mr. Baldry
  The established procedures involving both the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament provide ample opportunity for consultation on all aspects of the EC budget, including safeguards.

  Nuclear Electric
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the reason for the allocation to Nuclear Electric of sites at Pembroke, Druridge bay, Denver, and the Maentwrog hydroelectric station in north Wales.

  Mr. Baldry
  Under section 66 of the Electricity Act 1989, the CEGB is required to make a scheme for the 776
  allocation of all its assets to its successor companies. The scheme, presently being prepared by the CEGB, will include unused sites.

  I am advised that only part of the site at Pembroke is to be allocated to Nuclear Electric. Maentwrog hydro-electric station is to be allocated to Nuclear Electric for operational reasons associated with the use of cooling water from the adjacent reservoir of Trawsfynydd power station.

  Nuclear Waste Transport
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to ensure that no foreign nuclear waste or spent fuel is transported through Leeds; and if he will make it his policy to prohibit the import of foreign nuclear waste or spent fuel into the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  The movement of all radioactive materials must be made in compliance with national and international regulations which require safety both in
  777
  normal operations and in the event of any transport accident. Safety does not depend on the choice of route used, which is a matter for the carrier.

  Nuclear wastes are not imported into the United Kingdom. As regards the import of spent fuel, I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member on 26 February 1990 at column 98.

  Energy Conservation
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what amount of the energy conservation budget he allocates to the promotion of competition in the market for production of methods of conserving energy.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The market in energy efficiency goods and services is already highly competitive. Hence the Energy Efficiency Office does not allocate funds for the specific purpose of promoting competition.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras of 5 February,Official Report, column
  778
  457, when he wrote to the Electricity Council and the Central Electricity Generating Board drawing the question to their attention.

  Mr. Wakeham
  An official from my Department wrote to the Electricity Council and the CEGB on 5 February 1990.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which stations have been fitted with low-sulphur electrostatic precipitators and for what reasons.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I am advised that all National Power and PowerGen coal fired power stations have electrostatic precipitators fitted which enable their plant to burn a proportion of low-sulphur coal.

  The CEGB have been working for many years with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on a programme to enhance the performance of their precipitators. This programme is being continued by National Power and PowerGen.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. leuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Stockton, South (Mr. Devlin),Official Report, 26 February, column 96, he will publish the dates and places for the planned regional CHP marketing to which he refers.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The following is a preliminary and provisional list of planned CHP marketing events.

  Year 1990–91

  Month

  Region

  May

  Yorkshire and North West

  June

  Scotland and West Midlands

  July

  South East

  September

  Scotland and South West

  October

  South West and Not Decided

  November

  Yorkshire and Not Decided

  December

  West Midlands

  January

  Wales

  February

  South East

  Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the total in megawatts capacity of renewable sources of energy, under the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Mr. Baldry
  Bids from sponsors of renewables-sourced generating projects for contracting under the non-fossil fuel obligation amount to between 1 and 2 GW of capacity. However, the level of the obligation in respect of renewables will not be determined until it is clear, in the light of consultations, how many of these projects are ready to go forward.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Land (Access Rights)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General how many representations he has received on the issue of the non-existence of general rights of access to neighbouring land.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor receives approximately 40 representations each year from the public and members of Parliament on the subject of rights of access to neighbouring land.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he intends to implement the findings of the Law Commission published in December 1985 on the rights of access to neighbouring land in Law Commission paper No. 151.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government have accepted the recommendations of the Law Commission in its report on rights of access to neighbouring land. It is intended to implement them when resources and parliamentary time allow.

  Law Commission
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report a list of the reports published by the Law Commission for each year since 1979, indicating whether any recommendations in each report have been implemented.

  The Attorney-General
  Appendix 3 to the "Law Commission's Twenty-fourth Annual Report for 1989" (Law Com. No. 190), published on 28 February 1990, contains a complete list of all the commission's reports, including those published since 1979 to date. The right-hand column of appendix 3 shows the extent to which the recommendations in each report have been implemented by legislation.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish in the Official Report the costs incurred by the Law Commission for each year since 1979.

  The Attorney-General
  The figures for the cost of the Law Commission prior to November 1982 could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The Law Commission has published a table showing the cost of the commission in each annual report since its 18th annual report for 1982–83. The figures are as follows:

  £

  1982–1983

  1,819,600

  1983–1984

  1,889,800

  1984–1985

  1,886,200

  1985–1986

  1,986,600

  1986–1987

  2,062,300

  1987–1988

  2,034,600

  1988

  2,123,500

  1989

  2,248,200

  Notes:

  1. The first six of these figures relate to the period from 1st November in one year to 31st October in the following year. The figures for 1988 and 1989 are for the calendar years.

  2. Each of these figures includes an element for the cost incurred by the Lord Chancellor's Department in the administration of the Law Commission.

  3. These figures do not include the salary of the chairman of the Law Commission who, as a High Court judge, is paid directly out of the Consolidated Fund.

  4. The cost for 1984–85 is the amended figure given in the annual report for 1985–86, and excludes the pensions of former Law Commissioners. They are also excluded from the figures for subsequent years. They are however included in the figures for 1982–83 and 1983–84.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Africa
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the flow of gains and losses in income for Africa, taking account of development assistance, private lending, debt service payments and commodity price changes, for each year since 1985 to the current year.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Figures for the whole of Africa are not available, as north Africa and the middle east are treated as a single region by the main organisations compiling such data. Figures for sub-Saharan Africa are as follows:
  781

  A. Net resource flows1

  $ billion

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Official development finance2

  12·1

  15·4

  18·1

  20·4

  Export credits

  1·1

  -0·1

  -0·2

  0·6

  Private flows3

  1·6

  4·2

  4·0

  4·2

  Total net resource flows

  14·8

  19·5

  21·9

  25·2

  Interest payments4

  2·9

  2·6

  3·1

  3·5

  Net financial transfer

  11·9

  16·9

  18·8

  21·7

  Source: OECD: 1988 survey of finance and external debt of developing countries.

  B. Trade5

  $ billion

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Exports

  31·9

  28·3

  28·5

  n/a

  Imports

  28·0

  29·2

  32·5

  n/a

  Source: World Bank World Development Reports, 1987, 1988, 1989.

  1 Total gross resource flows less capital repayments.

  2 Bilateral and multilateral official development assistance (ODA), plus other official development finance.

  3 International bank lending, direct investment, grants by non-governmental organisations, plus other private investment.

  4 Interest payments on long- and short-term credit (but not including capital repayments).

  5Includes intra-regional trade.

  All figures exclude South Africa which is not regarded by OECD as a developing country.

  COCOM
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the recent COCOM meeting.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The COCOM executive committee met on 14 and 15 February. It noted that the political and military environment for which the COCOM controls were devised is changing, and agreed to adapt COCOM's procedures and to accelerate streamlining of the controls, particularly in the sectors of machine tools, telecommunications and computers.

  The executive committee agreed that the time limits for consideration of cases submitted to COCOM should be reduced from 12 weeks to eight weeks; that working groups should prepare recommendations for liberalisation of the controls on machine tools, telecommunications and computers to be ready by the next COCOM policy meeting in June 1990; that that meeting would consider further priority sectors for changes to the controls; and that, separately, considerations would be given to whether relaxation could be introduced in return for reassurances against the diversion of strategically sensitive goods and technologies.

  Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Overseas Development Administration's future funding of the Liverpool school of tropical medicine.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As the authorities of the Liverpool school have been told, we are prepared to make a substantial increase in the level of financial support which the school receives from the aid programme. Its provision is subject to an agreement with the school on a set of work 782
  programmes to replace the present system of providing aid finance to cover the costs of the salaries of specific individuals and of specific units in the school.

  The work programmes are being designed by the school and will aim to make maximum use of their capacity to help address key health issues and problems in developing countries.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ynys Môn,Official Report, 28 February, column 210, he will set out the dates on which the European Political Co-operation Committee's working group on nuclear non-proliferation met in each year since 1985.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The working group on non-proliferation met on the following dates:

  7–8 February 1985

  9–10 May 1985

  15–16 October 1985

  7–8 November 1985

  26–27 March1986

  17–18 June 1986

  8–9 September 1986

  6–7 November 1986

  5–6 February1987

  21–22 May 1987

  10–11 September 1987

  18–19 November 1987

  18–19 February 1988

  19–20 May 1988

  14 September 1988

  12 December 1988

  16 February 1989

  26 May 1989

  8 September 1989

  15 December 1989

  31 January–1 February 1990

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ynys Môn,Official Report, 28 February, column 210, on grant in aid provision for non-proliferation matters, he will set out the specific purposes to which he refers for which funding has been made available to the programme for promoting nuclear non-proliferation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Funding has been made available to the programme for promoting nuclear non-proliferation (PPNN) to meet part of the cost of a conference on issues likely to arise during the 1990 non-proliferation treaty review conference, and to assist with the production of documentation on the non-proliferation regime.

  UN Fund (Women)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the United Kingdom contribution to the United Nations development fund for women in real and monetary terms, for every year since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The information is as follows:
  783

  United Kingdom contributions to UN Development Fund for Women1 1975–1988

  £ thousand

  Year

  In current prices

  In constant 1988 prices

  1975

  10

  32

  1976

  200

  560

  1977

  —

  —

  1978

  —

  —

  1979

  200

  386

  1980

  200

  323

  1981

  —

  —

  1982

  —

  —

  1983

  —

  —

  1984

  —

  —

  1985

  100

  116

  1986

  50

  56

  1987

  50

  53

  1988

  50

  50

  21989

  50

  47

  1 Before to 1986 known as the Voluntary Fund for UN Decade for Women.

  2 Provisional.

  Women Staff
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply on 13 February,Official Report, column 131, if he will give a breakdown of the jobs held by the 18 per cent. of overseas Overseas Development Administration staff who are women; and what percentage of technical specialists working for the Overseas Development Administration overseas, and what percentage of agriculturalists, are women.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development's reply of 13 February noted that currently there are nine women members of the ODA
  serving overseas. They occupy the following positions:

  British Development Division in the Caribbean:

  Senior Economic Assistant

  Executive Officer

  British Development Division in Eastern Africa:

  Senior Economic Assistant

  British Development Division in Southern Africa:

  Head of Division (Grade 5)

  Senior Health and Population Adviser

  Senior Economic Assistant

  British Development Division in the Pacific:

  Head of Division (Grade 5)

  Executive Officer

  South East Asia Development Division:

  Higher Executive Officer

  Twenty-eight of the ODA's own staff overseas are technical specialists of whom four are women (14·3 per cent.). Within this group there are eight ODA agricultural specialists; none are women. One woman natural resources adviser from the ODA is currently on secondment to a technical co-operation assignment in Bangladesh.

  Overseas Projects (Women Beneficiaries)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the number and percentage of overseas projects supported by the Overseas Development Administration in which 50 per cent. of intended beneficiaries are women.
  784
  Mr. Maude
  Assuming that the project area has a normal gender balance, about 50 per cent. of the beneficiaries, either directly or indirectly, of most overseas projects are women. The Overseas Development Administration has an integrated policy on women in development which takes account of the role of women in all aid activities.

  The ODA will be introducing the new statistical reporting system of OECD for women in development in 1990. This system has rigorous criteria for classifying projects which assist women but even this will not provide the data necessary to give a precise answer to this question.

  Training Programmes (Women Participants)
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the number and percentage of women participating in the Overseas Development Administration training prgrammes in developing countries, in the United Kingdom, and in total, for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Maude
  Gender-differentiated statistics on training in the United Kingdom under the aid programme are readily available from 1986 only. They show:

  Students and Trainees Financed in United Kingdom 1986–88

  Total

  Allocable by sex

  Total

  of which women

  Per cent, women

  Financed During:

  1986

  11,534

  11,070

  1,816

  16·4

  1987

  13,144

  13,144

  2,373

  18·1

  1988

  13,541

  13,541

  2,480

  18·3

  Equivalent data are not available for training provided in developing countries. From limited information for 1988–89, the proportion of women receiving in-country training appears to be significantly greater than the proportion receiving training in the United Kingdom under the aid programme.

  Ethiopia
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, in the light of the fall of the port of Massawa, Her Majesty's Government will make it their policy to use the distribution network of the Relief Society of Tigray to distribute famine relief in those areas of Ethiopia under rebel control.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The fall of the port of Massawa is a serious blow to the relief effort and donors, including ourselves, are urgently considering the scope for maintaining and increasing the flow of relief supplies through all available channels.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 2 February,Official Report, column 404, if he will provide a breakdown by country, type and quantity of the ivory exported from Hong Kong since 1 June 1989.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 22 February 1990]: Between 1 June 1989 and 14 January 1990 the Hong Kong authorities issued licences for the export of ivory as follows:

  785

  Country

  Raw ivory (tonnes)

  Worked ivory (tonnes)

  China

  12·56

  —

  Macau

  0·42

  —

  India

  0·06

  —

  Taiwan

  5·12

  0·87

  Singapore

  6·11

  0·11

  Japan

  26·36

  —

  Korea

  —

  0·02

  Spain

  —

  3·56

  Mexico

  —

  0·17

  Total

  50·63

  4·73

  Licences were also granted for exports to the Federal Republic of Germany and Thailand but have not yet been used. They have therefore been deleted from the above summary.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 1 February,Official Report, column 308, how much ivory has now been exported from Hong Kong since he announced the six-month exemption.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 22 February 1990]: Two hundred and twenty-five kilogrammes of worked ivory have been exported between 17 January and 26 February. Destinations were South Korea (208 kg) and Taiwan (17 kg).

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 15 February,Official Report, column 326, when he expects the entire commercial stocks of ivory in Hong Kong to be entered into the computer system.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 22 February 1990]: Mid-March 1990.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 2 February,Official Report, column 404, if he will provide a breakdown by country of origin of the seizures made by the Hong Kong authorities of elephant ivory and rhino horn.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 22 February 1990]: The Hong Kong authorities have not been able to determine the countries of origin of confiscated ivory and rhino horn. The only indication from shipping documentation is of the immediately previous country of export from which consignments have arrived in Hong Kong. On this basis the Hong Kong authorities have compiled the following list of figures in the six months to 22 January 1990:

  Country of export to Hong Kong

  Quantity in Kilogrammes

  Elephant Ivory, 27 seizures

  Japan

  13·25

  Taiwan

  12·8

  India

  3·4

  Thailand

  16·65

  Korea

  11

  China

  1,231·15

  Philippines

  2·4

  United States of America

  105·7

  Spain

  55

  France

  4

  Dubai

  1·6

  786

  Country of export to Hong Kong

  Quantity in Kilogrammes

  Singapore

  702

  Total

  2,158·95

  Rhino Horn, two seizures

  Singapore

  21·2

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 2 February,Official Report, column 404, if he will state the last recorded date of ivory export covered by the reply.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [Holding answer 22 February 1990]: 14 January 1990.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 2 February,Official Report, column 404, what access is being given by the Hong Kong authorities to those organisations involved in animal welfare and conservation to enable them to monitor the trade in ivory during the six-month exemption period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 22 February 1990]The Hong Kong Management Authority maintain close and regular contact with organisations involved in animal welfare and conservation, particularly with the Hong Kong branch of the World Wide Fund for Nature. The authority is arranging for relevant statistical material to be supplied to these organisations.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  German Democratic Republic
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to encourage the expansion of trade with the German Democratic Republic.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department continues to encourage the expansion of trade with the GDR and to make available the full range of its assistance to British exporters. We are taking particular care to ensure that up to date information is available to British industry about the economic changes in the market and about opportunities for business and investment. Recent and future events include: (i) an important seminar on 6 February organised with the CBI, at which the GDR deputy Trade Minister outlined the proposed legislative changes to enable the country to move towards a free economy. This was attended by over 60 British business men, who also had the opportunity of discussions with representatives of 10 industrial enterprises accompanying their Minister; (ii) participation by 100 companies in the Leipzig spring fair, which my noble Friend the Minister for Trade will visit; (iii) substantial participation of British companies in the annual meeting of the United Kingdom-GDR joint commission, which will take place in the GDR.

  Rechar
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the European Commission to decide on his application to give Bulwell East, Bulwell
  787
  West and Byron wards in the Nottingham, North constituency objective 2 area status under the Rechar scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The whole of the city of Nottingham is already eligible for general "Objective 2" grants from the European Community structural funds. The Government's recent proposal to the European Commission was that Bulwell East, Bulwell West and Byron wards should be included among the coal-mining areas to benefit also from grants from the funds under the Rechar initiative.

  The Commission has stated that it will determine and publish a list of eligible coal-mining areas for the purpose of Rechar by 27 April 1990.

  Programmes of Rechar measures for the areas selected by the Commission will then be prepared, and I hope the Commission's decisions on these programmes, and on the amounts of Rechar grants, will be reached before the end of this year. The Commission's decisions on general "Objective 2" grants, for Nottingham city and other areas, will be taken separately.

  Mail Order Catalogues
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will initiate a campaign to encourage companies issuing mail order catalogues to include the country of origin in their descriptions of the products offered for sale;

  (2) if he will introduce legislation to require companies publishing and with responsibility for mail order catalogues to include the country of origin in the description of products.

  Mr. Ridley
  No. Such action would not be consistent with our obligations under the treaty of Rome. But catalogue issuers are free to include country of origin information if they wish.

  Regional Development
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of financial support he is offering to the regional development organisations in England for 1990–91.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have offered the five English regional development organisations £4 million in grant in support of their inward investment promotion activities for 1990–91, nearly £1 million more than in 1989–90: an increase of 33 per cent.

  This increase in funding is to enable the United Kingdom to remain competitive in promoting its locational advantages in the face of increasing competition from the rest of Europe for mobile inward investment in the single European market.

  In addition, I am pleased to announce that 1990–91 is the first year of a revised funding policy. In future the Department will fund up to 100 per cent. of qualifying United Kingdom-based inward investment activity and up to 50 per cent. of overseas-based activity.

  As well as giving greater certainty to the longer term planning of inward investment promotion, it also means that regional development organisations will be able to spend any additional locally raised funds on non-inward investment activities, like regional regeneration or intra-United Kingdom promotion.
  788
  The allocation of grant is as follows:

  £'000

  1990–91 grant

  Increase on 1989–90

  Northern Development Company (in the North East)

  1,180·0

  198·3

  Yorkshire and Humberside Development

  850·0

  190·0

  INWARD Ltd. (in the North West)

  840·0

  299·0

  West Midlands Development Agency

  620·0

  220·0

  Devon and Cornwall Development Bureau

  510·0

  88·0

  Less Developed Countries
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to assess the implications for United Kingdom trade policy and relations with the less developed countries from the introduction of arrangements for traded imports or raw materials and finished goods from less developed countries not to be fixed by the futures markets.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 2 March 1990]: The futures markets are of benefit to producers and to those who supply or process raw materials by providing the opportunity for them to reduce the risks associated with future price volatility due to market conditions. Developing countries do not have to deal in these markets if they choose not to. Futures markets themselves do not establish commodity prices. Rather, they provide an estimate of likely future prices which may or may not subsequently turn out to be correct. Prices should be determined by supply and demand in the market. I therefore see no need for the assessment called for by the hon. Member.

  I would also refer the hon. Member to a statement on United Kingdom commodity policy made by my hon. Friend the then Minister for Trade, on 21 July 1988, Official Report, columns 781–82.

  Vehicle Write-offs
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review the laws governing the subsequent refurbishment and sale of vehicles which have been written off by insurance companies.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have been asked to reply.

  Road traffic law is reviewed regularly with vehicle safety in mind. Many vehicles that are written off by insurance companies are capable of satisfactory repair. If they are not repaired properly, there are offences of using and of selling an unroadworthy vehicle. A prospective purchaser should consider having a vehicle inspected by an expert before buying it.

PRIME MINISTER

  St. George's Hospital, Tooting
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans she has to make an official visit to St. George's hospital, Tooting.

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

  German Unification
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she will make a statement on her most recent discussions with the three other former victorious allied powers, and also with the governments of West and East Germany, regarding German unification.

  The Prime Minister
  I have had separate discussions recently with senior representatives of all our major allies, and of the Soviet Union, on various aspects of German unification. The framework for discussion agreed at Ottawa last month is welcome and will allow for further close consultation among those concerned.

  Social Fund
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government have any proposals to alter the Social Security Act 1986 as a result of the judgment, made in the High Court on Wednesday 21 February, on the administration of the social fund; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies from my right hon. Friend the Minister for Social Security to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 26 February 1990 at column 58 and on 1 March 1990 at column 319.

  Bed and Breakfast Hotels
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Prime Minister if she has any plans to visit any of London's bed and breakfast hotels.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 13 February 1990 at column 136.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent representations she has received on homelessness in London.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a wide range of representations on aspects of homelessness in London. Following our review of the homelessness legislation, the measures announced in November by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment include the allocation of additional resources to relieve and reduce homelessness pressures in London. We are now looking at the way in which the responsibilities of different Government Departments work in the prevention and relief of homelessness among single people. Further announcements will be made in due course.

  Women
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister what official activities she has undertaken in the past year in her capacity as honorary president of Women in the World; and if she will make a statement on the achievements of Women in the World in raising funds for projects administered by United Nations development fund for women.

  The Prime Minister
  The hon. Lady may be referring to the "Women of the World Campaign" administered by the NGO, Women Aid. I have no connection with the organisation, nor am I its honorary president.

  Engagements
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 March.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 March.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 8 March.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. After my duties in the House, I shall depart for a visit to Scotland.

ENVIRONMENT

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the planned manpower levels for each of the next three years from 1 April for(a) Property Holdings and (b) for Property Services Agency services; and what were the manpower levels for the Property Services Agency over each of the previous three years.

  Mr. Chope
  Manpower in Property Holdings is currently planned to remain at the present level of 670 non-industrial and 1,060 industrial posts in the coming year, unless its responsibilities are altered. Future manpower levels in PSA Services will depend on the success of its component businesses.

  The manpower levels in the agency in the last three years were as follows:

  Non-industrials

  Industrials

  1 April 1987

  14,621

  9,852

  1 April 1988

  14,339

  9,210

  1 April 1989

  13,555

  7,902

  Figures exclude staff in the Crown Suppliers and include staff on work for United States forces.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions apply to the setting-up of the Property Services Agency as a Government-owned company; and what is the earliest date that such a company could be formed.

  Mr. Chope
  The establishment of a Government-owned company is an important step in the process of PSA privatisation. No decision has been taken on the timing of the establishment of such a company.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total cost of employing Price Waterhouse to advise on the commercialisation and privatisation of the Property Services Agency.

  Mr. Chope
  The total cost of employing Price Waterhouse since it was commissioned in August 1988 has been £7·41 million.

  Algae
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley on 17 January,Official Report, column 246, concerning blue-green algae, if he is yet in a position

  791
  to list (a) the 53 locations, (b) the water companies and (c) the results of any successful prosecutions; and if he will make a statement in respect of the investigations carried out by the National Rivers Authority.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The 53 sites at which toxic algae blooms were identified by the NRA during 1989 are as follows:

  Anglian

  *Blickling Lake

  *Fritton Lake (Lound Run)

  *Barton Broad

  Cadney Reservoir

  Covenham Reservoir

  *Cransley Reservoir

  *Denton Reservoir

  *Eyebrook Reservoir

  Pitsford Reservoir

  Rutland Water

  *Sywell Lake

  *Whisby Nature Reserve Lake

  Grafham Reservoir

  *Meadow LakeSt. Ives

  *Mount Farm Balancing Lake

  *Scouton Mere, Scoulton

  *Wyboston Lake, South Lagoon

  *Hoverton Great Broad

  *Lake Meadow, Billericay

  *Seamere

  *South Walsham Broad

  *Aldwicle Pit, (Merchant Venturers)

  Hollowell Reservoir

  *Hughes & Sons Lake, Skellingthorp

  *Overstone Lower Lake

  Ravensthorpe Reservoir

  *Teals Pit, Lincoln

  Abberton Reservoir

  Alton Water

  *Ardleigh Reservoir

  *Broome Pit (No. 4)

  *Filby Broad

  *Hanningfield Reservoir

  *Flomersfield Lake

  *Ormsby Broad

  *Rollesby Sailing Club

  *Toft Newton Reservoir

  Severn Trent

  Rudyard Lake

  Wessex

  Hawkridge Reservoir

  South West

  Old Mill Reservoir

  Port Reservoir Bussow Reservoir

  *The Lake, Bicton

  *Ornamental Pond, Bicton

  *Meldon Pool

  Drift Reservoir

  *Langarth lake

  *Main Pond, Bradley

  *Stafford Moor

  Yorkshire

  Silsdon Reservoir

  Beaver Dyke Reservoir

  John O'Grants Reservoir

  *Welton Water

  Note:

  Those waters marked with a * are not owned by the water company

  Prosecutions are not being considered at this stage as there is no evidence that these were a consequence of specific polluting incidents. The National Rivers
  792
  Authority is currently carrying out a thorough investigation into the subject; its report will be completed this summer.

  Boundary Commission
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the final recommendations from the Boundary Commission over the future of county boundaries; and when he expects to legislate on any recommended changes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Local Government Boundary Commission for England is under a statutory duty to complete its review of county boundaries by 31 March 1992. Within this overall requirement, the timetable is a matter for the commission. My right hon. Friend may not make any order within six weeks of receiving a report (to permit time for further representations) but aims to complete his consideration within, a reasonable period after that. Orders to give effect to recommendations are usually made to take effect on 1 April after my right hon. Friend reaches his decision.

  Building Maintenance Contracts
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the percentage of local authority contracts for day-to-day building maintenance which(a) are currently let to private contractors and (b) were let to private contractors in 1985.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  For the 342 local authorities required to report to the Secretary of State for the financial year 1985–86, the reported value of building maintenance work let to private contractors amounted to 45 per cent. of the total expenditure on building maintenance work by those authorities.

  Information for 1989–90 is not available at present. The relevant annual reports are due to be submitted by 31 October of this year. Since the implementation of the relevant provisions of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 however, the proportion of work undertaken by private contractors has increased on average by about 1 per cent. per year. Recent changes in the legislation mean that more authorities with small direct labour organisations will come within scope of the Act, which may have the effect of increasing the proportion of work reported as allocated to private contractors.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate his Department has of the number of people employed in the assessment and collection of(a) the domestic rates in 1988–89 and (b) the community charge in 1990–91.

  Mr. Chope
  Information on the number of people employed on domestic rates is not separately distinguishable in the available statistics. An assessment by Price Waterhouse in June 1988 commissioned by the Department suggested local authorities in England might employ between 10,500 and 13,100 staff on the community charge in 1990–91. Actual figures are not yet known.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will modify the administrative
  793
  arrangement for the community charge so that individual local authorities collect only that part of the charge which relates to their own expenditure.

  Mr. Chope
  No. Apportioning collection to each of district, county, fire and police authorities could only increase bureaucracy and costs.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is taking action to ensure that the levying of the poll tax is ratified by the Cornish Stannary Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  No, because such action is unnecessary.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish all poll tax figures known to his Department throughout the United Kingdom where local authorities have to date settled the level for their area; and by how much each figure diverges from the Government's proposed level.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe) on 21 February,Official Report, column 741.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will update the answer about the relationship of rates and community charge to net household income given to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) of 12 January 1989,Official Report, column 732–34.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is not at present available.

  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidelines his Department issues as to whether people who choose to pay their community charge by monthly instalments and are themselves paid at the end of each month are able to opt to pay the community charge at the end of the month; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Advice to charging authorities on the collection of the community charge is contained in practice note No. 12, copies of which are in the Library of the House. Section 4 of that note deals with the exercise of the charging authority's discretion to enter into flexible payment arrangements for chargepayers. There is nothing to prevent charging authorities and chargepayers entering into agreements to pay in the way suggested by my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, if he will assist local government authorities in England and Wales to issue their final and authoritative accounts for community charge payments by listing his decisions for and against community charge capping for each precepting authority.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend has made it clear that he will not hesitate to cap any authorities in England budgeting excessively for 1990–91. We are now looking at the precepts authorities have issued, but it would not be right for me to speculate on which authorities would be capped were we to introduce such a scheme. Welsh authorities are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at what level of current rate payment will a794
  pensioner couple residing in Birmingham be eligible for transitional protection on a community charge of £406 per adult.

  Mr. Chope
  In a property occupied by two chargepayers the community charge transitional relief scheme provides assistance where two assumed community charges are more than £156 above the current rates bill (defined as the rateable value multiplied by the average poundage). In Birmingham the assumed community charge is £248·14. This means that in a property occupied by two chargepayers transitional relief is payable where the current rates bill is less than £340·36. If a pensioner couple has not previously paid rates or rent, transitional relief is payable on the difference between the threshold of £156 and the assumed community charge.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his reply of 5 March,Official Report, column 440, he will list the small minority of authorities for which he has information about the level of personal community charges.

  Mr. Chope
  Over two thirds of the 366 charging authorities in England have yet to provide this information to the Department. I intend to place a summary of the information returned in the Library of the House when information has been received from all authorities.

  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to amend the transitional arrangements for the community charge to take account of the actual charge set; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The community charge transitional scheme provides protection against increases in bills which would otherwise arise as a result of the structural change from the domestic rating system to the community charge. It is not designed to protect people from changes arising from individual authorities' spending decisions for which they are accountable to their electorates. The scheme therefore uses as a reference for the calculation of relief assumed community charges which are consistent with total standard spending of £32·8 billion in 1990–91. I have no plans to amend the scheme.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the 1990–91 standard spending assessment per head of population for the Kent county council.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The standard spending assessment for Kent county council in 1990–91 is £671 per adult.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make the assumed personal community charge in 1990–91 for each charging authority for the purposes of the community charge transitional relief scheme the same as its standard spending assessment figure per head where this is currently higher.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: I have already set out the assumed community charges to be used in the transitional relief scheme in the community charge transitional relief report (England) laid before the House on 15 February.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received in support of the principle that appellants should meet the costs of planning appeals and how many in opposition to this proposal.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Department's consultation paper "Efficient Planning", issued last July, included a proposal to introduce fees for planning appeals. This proposal attracted 127 responses in favour and 185 against. We are now considering all the responses to the paper.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth's letter of 25 January referring to Mr. Dennis Haylock of Rugby.

  Mr. Chope
  I have written to my hon. Friend today.

  Water Companies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the water companies that have hon. Members on their boards.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This is a matter for individual companies and individual hon. Members.

  Women's Refuges
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if women's refuges are exempted from collective community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Any building may be designated for the purposes of the collective community charge if, in the opinion of the registration officer, it is used wholly or mainly as the sole or main residence of individuals most of whom stay for shot periods, and it would, accordingly, be difficult to register them individually. Whether a women's refuge could be designated, therefore, would depend on whether the majority of residents were considered to have changed their sole or main residence on moving into the refuge, or whether, in most cases, they had a sole or main residence elsewhere, from which they were only temporarily absent while in the refuge. It is for individual registration officers to take decisions on designation in the light of the facts of each case.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce)Official Report, 28 February, column 194, what are the reasons why low-level radioactive waste from outside the nuclear industry is stored for interim periods at Harwell; what storage charges per kilogramme of waste are made; and whether these vary over time of store.

  Mr. Trippier
  Low-level radioactive waste is currently stored at Harwell as part of the commercial activities of AEA Technology. Such storage is not subject to regulation 796
  by this Department. Questions relating to storage costs at Harwell are matters for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for the Environment, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce),Official Report, 28 February, column 194, whether the data received by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the volume of wastes accumulated are publicly available; and what plans there are to update the 1987 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory to which he refers.

  Mr. Trippier
  This Department does not maintain a central record of local accumulations of radioactive waste authorised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960. Records of such accumulations are kept by individual operators and are subject to scrutiny by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution inspectors but are not publicly available.

  The 1989 United Kingdom radioactive waste inventory is in preparation and expected to be issued in about three months. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  Commercial Development, Avebury
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the cost of the public inquiries into the proposed commercial development at Ave bury; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The payroll cost to the Department of providing an inspector to hold a public inquiry into various appeals against planning and listed building enforcement notices served by Kennet district council and involving land at Avebury Manor was £2,094. There were also costs incurred by the Department on administration and by other public bodies that were involved in the inquiry.

  City of London Heliport
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 21 December 1989,Official Report, column 437, what progress he has made in considering the implications of the planning application for the proposed City of London heliport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  There has been no change in my position since my answer of 21 December, Official Report, column 437. The application is being considered by the Corporation of the City of London.

  Drinking Water
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the EEC countries which add artificial fluorides to drinking water.

  Mr. Trippier
  I understand that fluoridation of public water supplies is permissible in a number of European Community countries and is mandatory in Ireland. It is also currently carried out in the United Kingdom and Spain.

  Benzene
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to reduce the emission of benzene from industrial sources along the lines of the rules introduced by the United States Environmental Protection Agency.

  Mr. Trippier
  The major potential industrial sources of benzene are already tightly controlled by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974; as and when more effective controls become available British industry is required to use them. In this regard, we are co-operating closely with our partners in the European Community to identify the best available techniques not entailing excessive costs to minimise benzene emissions from a number of industrial sectors.

  Earth Day 1990
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what preparations Her Majesty's Government propose to undertake to celebrate and publicise the Earth Day 1990 campaign on 22 April.

  Mr. Trippier
  Organisation of events relating to Earth Day in this country is being handled by a range of environmental groups, including Friends of the Earth. We welcome all genuine efforts to improve public understanding of environmental issues, but we have no plans for direct Government involvement in Earth Day events.

  Water Supplies
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the grant payment from central Government was under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts 1944 to 1970 and the Industrial Development Act 1982 for water supplies to England in the last and current financial years.

  Mr. Trippier
  The amounts paid under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts in respect of water supply schemes are as follows:

  1988–89 £

  1 1989–90 £

  215,403

  84,989

  1 to 5 March 1990

  The majority of schemes supported by the Department under the Industrial Development Act 1982 contain both water supply and sewerage works and it is not possible to separate out the amounts paid in respect of water supply. The total amounts paid by the Department under the Act are as follows:

  1988–89 £

  11989–90 £

  1,245,864

  1,713,972

  1 to 5 March 1990

  Customer Services Committees
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who is the chairman of the customer services committee for the area of the West Kent company; and what is the address at which he can be contacted in that capacity.
  798
  Mr. Trippier
  The Director General of Water Services has announced that he has allocated the West Kent Water Company to the Southern customer services committee and has appointed Professor Judith Rees to be chairman of this committee. She can be contacted at the offices of the committee at the following address:

  Fourth Floor,

  30–34 Albert Embankment,

  London SE1 7TL

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why he decided not to direct the Director General of Water Services to establish customer services committees under the Water Act 1989 prior to his announcing his proposals for the K factors for the statutory water companies on 7 February.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have no powers to direct the director general in such matters.

  Nature Conservation
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what criteria are used when deciding whether or not revocation or discontinuance orders should be made in respect of planning permissions which give rise to conflict with national policy on nature conservation;

  (2) what guidance is available to local planning authorities on the use of revocation or discontinuance powers in cases where planning permission affects important nature conservation interests.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: The Government's policy on the use of powers to revoke planning permission was given in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Gainsborough and Horncastle (Mr. Leigh) by my right hon. and learned Friend the Member for Folkestone and Hythe (Mr. Howard), then Minister for Housing and Planning, on 20 December 1989, Official Report, columns 329–30.

  Guidance on the use of discontinuance orders is given in planning policy guidance note 1 (PPG1), "General Policy and Principles", a copy of which is in the Library. Discontinuance orders and opposed revocation orders require the confirmation of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for limiting the timescale between revised planning applications relating to planning applications previously refused and which relate to a site of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: The Department's consultation paper "Efficient Planning", issued last July, included a proposal to give local planning authorities the right to refuse to determine any application on the grounds that it was made within two years following an unsuccessful appeal and there had been no material change in circumstances. The responses to the consultation paper are being considered.

  Internal Audit
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many internal auditors are employed in those departments for which he is responsible and at what
  799
  cost; how many internal audit reports were produced in 1989; how many of these were drawn to the attention of a Minister in his Department; and what internal audit work is sub-contracted to private firms and at what cost.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: In 1989 there were 17 internal auditors in DoE (Central) together with three other staff at a cost of £356,000. The internal audit unit produced 28 reports, none of which was drawn to the attention of Ministers. No internal audit work was sub-contracted to private firms.

  During the same period there were 72 auditors in the Property Services Agency and four support staff at a cost of £1,481,000. The internal audit unit produced 253 reports, none of which was drawn to the attention of Ministers. The PSA employed consultants for 244 days at a cost of £46,000.

  North Sea Dumping
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent communications he has received from his Danish counterpart concerning United Kingdom policies over the disposal of industrial toxic waste in the North sea.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: I received a letter from the Danish Environment Minister last week. The points raised by Ms. Dybkjaer have been covered in recent Government announcements which have been conveyed to her.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he intends to meet the objective that, by the end of 1992, no young person should be employed in a job without training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Training and enterprise councils will be able to use youth training funding to develop partnerships between local businesses, education and training providers with the aim of ensuring that no young person should be employed in a job without training.

  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to ensure that by the end of 1992, two thirds of young people have achieved National Council for Vocational Qualifications level 2 and one quarter have reached National Council for Vocational Qualifications level 3.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The new youth training arrangements to be introduced in May offer all young people in the labour market the opportunity to achieve qualifications which at a minimum are at or equivalent to level 2 in the framework established by the National Council for Vocational Qualifications. Targets will be agreed annually for progressive increases in the skills attainment of young people.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the objectives stated in the speech by his predecessor of 6 December 1989 remain the policy of Her Majesty's Government.
  800
  Mr. Howard
  My predecessor offered a framework of objectives for the development of training in the 1990s. Progress on meeting the objectives depends primarily on action by organisations outside Government; they cannot be specific Government targets. I will be considering with those concerned the steps that need to be taken. With falling numbers of young people and increasing international competition, training is a key priority for the 1990s. That is why we are establishing training and enterprise councils across the country to improve our training effort and our competitive position.

  Bellwin Scheme
  Mr. Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will consider widening the current provisions of the Bellwin scheme in respect of flood damage to reimburse local authorities for essential repairs and maintenance work in addition to that required to safeguard lives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Bellwin scheme already encompasses work to safeguard property or prevent severe inconvenience in addition to work required to safeguard lives. It is not, however, our practice to include losses which are normally insurable.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what discussions he has had with his European Community counterparts about forms of assistance provided to encourage the employment of disabled people.

  Mr. Eggar
  Officials are in regular contact with their European counterparts in the disability field and have access to information about provision in all EC countries. In addition, my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment, has recently had informal discussions with Belgian Sécrétaire d'Etat for Public Health and Disablement Policy Mr. Roger Delizée.

  Training Vouchers
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent representations he has received about training vouchers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  My right hon. Friend has received various representations on this subject.

  TEC (West Lancashire)
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken to establish a training and enterprise council in west Lancashire.

  Mr. Eggar
  Development funding has been approved to establish a training and enterprise council in west Lancashire.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the rate of unemployment and the number of unfilled vacancies in Southend-on-Sea at the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  In January 1990 the unemployment rate for the Southend travel-to-work area was 4·7 per cent. and the
  801
  number of unfilled vacancies at jobcentres was 2,090. Vacancies at jobcentres do not represent the total number of vacancies in the economy. The latest research shows that nationally only about one third of vacancies are notified to jobcentres.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are his minimum and maximum estimates of the percentage of the British work force that is engaged in more than one job and is subsequently counted twice in the employment totals.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer on 13 February 1990,Official Report, column 203. No further information on persons counted twice in the employment totals is available.

  Work Placements
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the latest figures for the number of action credit work placements which have been completed for each of the three pilot sites of Chatham, Sunderland and Bristol; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested will not be available until after the end of the action credit scheme pilot, which is due to finish at the end of August 1990.

  Action Credit
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment why he decided to launch the action credit scheme before the three pilot schemes have finished; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No decision has been taken to launch an action credit scheme nationally. At present the Training Agency is running a small pilot in three areas of the country for ET leavers.

  Construction Industry Training Board
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what factors he considered in deciding to continue to make it compulsory for construction firms to participate in the operations of the construction industry training board.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to her on 22 November 1989.

  Benefit Claimants
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by standard region of Great Britain, including Greater London, what is the current average length of time between a claimant's referral for adjudication and an adjudication officer's decision on grounds of restricted availability and non-availability for work.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the speed with which adjudication officers make decisions—the time between their receiving a referral and reaching a decision—is monitored in a 5 per cent. sample of cases. The sample shows that for the three month period ending 31 December 1989, the percentage of restricted availability and 802
  availability questions decided within four weeks of referral to an adjudication officer, for each employment service region, was as follows:

  Availability Percentage

  Restricted availability Percentage

  Southern

  90·9

  81·1

  Eastern

  98·1

  91·2

  Western

  79·2

  68·8

  West Midlands

  96·7

  97·3

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  87·1

  79·3

  South West

  85·2

  81·5

  Northern

  95·8

  100·0

  East Midlands

  83·8

  78·9

  Wales

  96·1

  100·0

  Scotland

  89·2

  87·8

  North West

  80·7

  76·0

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for the three-month period to the end of(a) September 1989 and (b) December 1989, if he will give the decisions of adjudication officers on doubtful fresh claims, renewal claims and reviewed claims for unemployment benefit showing the numbers allowed, disallowed, referred to a local tribunal, revised in favour of claimants, revised adversely to claimants and not revised in the following categories of questions: (a) employed to full normal extent, (b) engaged in employment, (c) availability, (d) restricted availability, (e) leaving voluntarily, (f) for misconduct, (g) neglecting to avail of employment, (h) refusal of employment, (i) refusal or premature termination of training, (j) refusal to carry out written recommendations and (k) restart.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the letter I sent her on 29 December 1989 enclosing details of the various decisions requested for the three month period ending 30 September 1989.

  Figures for the period ending 31 December 1989 are not yet available but I will write to the hon. Member when they are to hand.

  Analysis of adjudication officer's decisions are published quarterly by the Department of Social Security, under the title "Unemployment Statistics, Quarterly Analysis of Decisions of Adjudication Officers". This shows the number of adjudication officer's decisions in each category of question of doubt together with the number of cases allowed, disallowed, or disqualified. These publications are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by standard region of Great Britain, including Greater London, what is the current average length of time between an unemployed claimant receiving an adjudication officer's decision on grounds of restricted availability and non-availability for work and a subsequent appeal.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 23 October 1989,Official Report, column 326.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claimants have gained a bridging allowance; and, of these, how many have been awarded to pregnant claimants under 18 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  A total of 277,769 young people have made successful applications for bridging allowance from its
  803
  introduction on 11 September 1988 to 8 February 1990. Information on the number of awards made to pregnant claimants is not available.

  Earnings
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the proportion of female part-time workers in Great Britain, in April 1989, whose hourly earnings, exclusive of overtime, fell below(a) £2·80, (b) £3·00, (c) £3·20, (d) £3·60, (e) £4·00 and (f) £4·50.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The estimated percentages of part-time adult female employees earnings below specified amounts in the new earnings survey sample in April 1989 were:

  Hourly earnings less than £

  Percentage

  2·80

  39

  30·0

  48

  3·20

  57

  3·60

  69

  4·00

  77

  4·50

  83

  Hourly earnings excluding overtime; earnings not affected by absence.

  Greece (Exhibition)
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to traditional settlements in Greece to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Maude
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 26 to 30 March.

WALES

  Official Visits
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those parliamentary constituencies in Wales that he has visited in an official capacity since being appointed to his present post.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Information on constituencies visited is not collected centrally, but I have, of course, visited all the main areas of the Principality since taking up office as Secretary of State for Wales.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount of public expenditure is spent(a) by his Department, (b) by Welsh county councils, in total and separately and (c) by Welsh district councils, in total and separately.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The total of the Department's central Government expenditure was £1,730 million in 1988–89 compared with £1,546 million in 1987–88. The full 804
  information requested for county councils and district councils in Wales is only available for 1987–88 because a small number of authorities have yet to make complete returns to the Department for 1988–89. The information for 1987–88 is shown in the table:

  1987–88 outturn expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility

  £000

  Current spending

  Capital spending

  Total spending

  County Councils:

  Clwyd

  154,193

  20,833

  175,026

  Dyfed

  138,415

  15,363

  153,778

  Gwent

  169,319

  22,470

  191,789

  Gwynedd

  96,949

  8,791

  105,740

  Mid Glamorgan

  219,819

  25,076

  244,895

  Powys

  51,815

  7,728

  59,543

  South Glamorgan

  142,813

  38,472

  181,285

  West Glamorgan

  145,538

  25,777

  171,315

  Total

  1,118,861

  164,510

  1,283,371

  District Councils:

  Alyn and Deeside

  4,185

  3,768

  7,953

  Colwyn

  3,293

  2,372

  5,665

  Delyn

  4,112

  2,293

  6,405

  Glwyndwr

  2,963

  1,427

  4,390

  Rhuddlan

  4,299

  2,763

  7,062

  Wrexham Maelor

  8,830

  7,842

  16,672

  Carmarthen

  3,809

  2,827

  6,636

  Ceredigion

  3,833

  3,283

  7,116

  Dinefwr

  2,272

  2,256

  4,528

  Llanelli

  6,466

  4,343

  10,809

  Presceli/Pembrokeshire

  3,629

  3,100

  6,729

  South Pembroke

  2,773

  4,398

  7,171

  Blaenau Gwent

  7,090

  14,697

  21,787

  Islwyn

  4,625

  10,947

  15,572

  Monmouth

  4,437

  3,840

  8,277

  Newport

  10,557

  14,405

  24,962

  Torfaen

  7,036

  6,986

  14,022

  Aberconwy

  4,014

  650

  4,664

  Arfon

  4,540

  4,155

  8,695

  Dwyfor

  2,031

  2,464

  4,495

  Meirionnydd

  2,539

  1,281

  3,820

  Ynys Mon

  5,320

  5,829

  11,149

  Cynon Valley

  5,288

  9,170

  14,458

  Merthyr Tydfil

  6,532

  6,762

  13,294

  Ogwr

  9,151

  8,440

  17,591

  Rhondda

  8,456

  14,523

  22,979

  Rhymney Valley

  8,627

  10,666

  19,293

  Taff-Ely

  6,183

  4,910

  11,093

  Brecknock

  2,967

  2,553

  5,520

  Montgomeryshire

  2,363

  2,454

  4,817

  Radnor

  1,252

  670

  1,922

  Cardiff

  19,545

  26,167

  45,712

  Vale of Glamorgan

  6,425

  3,717

  10,142

  Port Talbot

  4,340

  3,852

  8,192

  Lliw Valley

  3,506

  4,560

  8,066

  Neath

  4,492

  5,879

  10,371

  Swansea

  16,189

  14,577

  30,766

  Total

  207,966

  224,826

  432,792

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make an assessment of the pollution effects of eutrophication on Bosherton Lakes in Pembroke.

  Mr. Grist
  It is for the National Rivers Authority to consider what action may be necessary.

  Leukaemia
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will institute a study to make recommendations as to whether workers at nuclear power stations in Wales run any risk of passing leukaemia on to their offspring; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: In its second and third reports, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) recommended that studies of the health of the offspring of radiation workers should be instigated. The Government have accepted these recommendations in full and are urgently considering a number of relevant research proposals.

SCOTLAND

  Woodland
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total acreage of broadleaved woodland planted in the last five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is given in the table, which covers broadleaved planting undertaken or grant-aided by the Forestry Commission in the years concerned.

  Category

  Penal establishments listed by Security Category

  Inmate population at 27 November 1979

  Inmate population at 24 November 1989

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Aberdeen

  181

  132

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Barlinnie

  956

  814

  B

  Her Majesty's Special Unit, Barlinnie

  6

  7

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison and Young Offenders Institution, Cornton Vale

  162

  127

  B

  Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution, Dumfries

  144

  122

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Edinburgh

  648

  544

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison and Young Offenders Institution, Glenochil1

  536

  428

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Greenock

  24

  188

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Inverness

  109

  85

  B

  Her Majesty's Remand Institution, Longriggend

  278

  208

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Perth

  539

  429

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Peterhead

  244

  124

  B

  Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution, Polmont2

  294

  398

  B

  Her Majesty's Prison, Shotts

  58

  448

  C

  Her Majesty's Prison, Dungavel

  108

  117

  C

  Her Majesty's Prison, Friarton

  71

  44

  C

  Her Majesty's Prison, Low Moss

  315

  311

  C

  Her Majesty's Young Offenders Institution, Castle Huntly2

  82

  108

  D

  Her Majesty's Prison, Noranside1 2

  62

  114

  D

  Her Majesty's Prison, Penninghame1

  49

  72

  Total

  4,866

  4,820

  1 Glenochil was a Young Offenders Institution and Detention Centre in 1979.

  2 Polmont, Castle Huntley and Noranside were Borstal Institutions in 1979. Female Borstal inmates were accommodated at Cornton Vale.

  Housing (Glasgow)
  Mr. Siliars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the capital programme expressed at constant prices available to Glasgow district council for housing in each year from 1975 to the nearest available year.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Block allocations have been issued in respect of housing capital expenditure only since 1978–79. Gross allocations issued to Glasgow district council, incorporating the estimate of capital receipts made at the start of each year and any supplementary allocations made during the year, are set out in the table, expressed in 1989–90 prices.
  806

  Year ended 31 March

  New planting hectares

  Restocking hectares

  Total hectares

  1985

  656

  1,188

  1,844

  1986

  905

  1,798

  2,703

  1987

  1,618

  2,593

  4,211

  1988

  2,868

  3,151

  6,019

  1989

  3,035

  2,953

  5,988

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of unemployment in Scotland at the most recent date.

  Mr. Lang
  The level of unemployment in Scotland on 11 January 1990 stood at 219,176.

  Prisons
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the penal establishments in Scotland, by security category, giving the number of inmates in each at a convenient date in(a) 1979 and (b)

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The categories of the penal establishments in Scotland, together with the number of inmates in each in November 1979 and November 1989 are set out in the table.

  City of Glasgow district council—HRA and non-URA gross allocations (1989–90 prices)

  HRA (£ million)

  Non-HRA (£ million)

  1978–79

  126·2

  28·6

  1979–80

  121·9

  26·5

  1980–81

  104·6

  28·7

  1981–82

  92·4

  29·6

  1982–83

  82·6

  39·1

  1983–841

  88·4

  39·4

  1984–85

  60·5

  104·3

  1985–86

  71·2

  48·6

  1986–87

  79·7

  48·8

  1987–88

  95·8

  61·5

  1988–89

  94·2

  53·8

  1989–90

  96·1

  54·7

  807
  1 Special arrangements applied in 1983–84 when authorities were allowed to exceed consent subject to certain conditions.

  Policing (Strathclyde)
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what financial resources were available for policing in Strathclyde region in each year since its inception; and what was the proportion of central and local government expenditure in each year;

  (2) what is his estimate of the financial resources available to Strathclyde regional council for police services in each financial year since its inception; and if he will express the figures in each year from the second year onwards as a percentage increase or decrease on the previous year and also show against each year the annual rate of inflation;

  (3) what policies the Government intend to pursue to offset shortfall in the Strathclyde police force;

  (4) what recent representations he has received from Strathclyde regional council about the need to direct more resources to filling the shortfall in police officers;

  (5) when was the latest assessment made of manpower level needs for Strathclyde police.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Assessment of the manpower needs of Strathclyde police is a matter for Strathclyde regional council, subject to the establishment of the force authorised by the Secretary of State in the light of advice from Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary. The police establishment of the force was last determined in 1982. The allocation of resources to eliminate the current shortfall of actual strength as compared with authorised establishment is the responsibility of the regional council. My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has received no recent representations in this matter but he stands ready to pay police grant on all approved net expenditure on the police. Since 1986–87 grant has been at the rate of 51 per cent. of net approved expenditure; previously the rate was 50 per cent.

  Net approved expenditure on Strathclyde police from 1975–76 is given in the table, together with information about percentage increases and the rate of inflation.

  Year

  Net approved expenditure £

  Percentage increase

  Inflation per cent.

  1975–76

  41,001,332·03

  —

  —

  1976–77

  51,474,235·92

  25·5

  15·3

  1977–78

  53,767,471·29

  4·5

  14·0

  1978–79

  63,745,604·37

  18·6

  8·2

  1979–80

  78,076,467·41

  22·5

  15·9

  1980–81

  93,141,224·46

  19·3

  16·3

  1981–82

  108,631,863·32

  16·6

  11·5

  1982–83

  118,244,193·93

  8·8

  7·1

  1983–84

  128,569,888·26

  8·7

  4·7

  1984–85

  138,692,064·65

  7·9

  5·1

  1985–86

  140,293,517·96

  1·2

  5·9

  1986–87

  150,396,918·13

  7·2

  3·2

  1987–88

  168,779,970·33

  12·2

  3·9

  1988–89

  1177,522,187·88

  5·2

  6·0

  1 Provisional.

  Criminal Law
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the Law Commission last examined the criminal law and the protection it offers to people aged over 60 years.
  808
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission has not examined this issue.

  Housing
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the housing developments in the Highlands and Islands Development Board area which have been given approval by Scottish Homes since its inception on 1 April 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Such information is not held by the Scottish Development Department as approval of individual housing developments is a matter for Scottish Homes itself. I have asked that body to forward the information requested directly to the hon. Member.

  Schools (Safety)
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the safety laws and regulations which apply to schools in Scotland.

  Mr. Lang
  The Education (Scotland) Act 1980 requires education authorities to ensure that the premises and equipment of all educational establishments under their management are maintained in a condition conducive to the good health and safety of everyone on the premises. The Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 also applies in schools. In addition, there is an extensive range of regulations relating to safety considerations which could apply to schools as to other institutions in particular circumstances.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether schools in Scotland are exempted from fire regulations requiring buildings to have a fire certificate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Schools are not required to have fire certificates. Only a limited number of types of premises is designated as requiring fire certificates under section 1 of the Fire Precautions Act 1971. The Government have no plans to extend the range of designation. The question of fire safety in schools is the subject of guidance to education authorities issued in 1982.

  Crossroads Scheme
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received about funding of Crossroads by the Greater Glasgow health board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Officials of the Scottish Office met the chairman of Crossroads (Scotland) care attendant schemes on 8 December 1989 when the funding of a number of local Crossroads schemes, including schemes in Strathclyde, was discussed. It is for the Greater Glasgow health board to decide whether and to what extent it wishes to support Crossroads.

  Water Authorities
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current amount of debt owed to the Exchequer by Scottish water authorities; and what the. amount was in the previous year.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Information on the source of local authority borrowing for specific services is not readily
  809
  available. Figures on the total outstanding debt of Scottish water authorities at 31 March 1989 were given on 13 February 1990, Official Report, column 189. Corresponding figures for 31 March 1988 are given in the table.

  Capital debt outstanding at 31 March 1988: Water account

  Region/Islands area

  £'000

  Borders

  8,859

  Central

  20,416

  Dumfries and Galloway

  11,772

  Fife

  30,159

  Grampian

  57,196

  Highland

  15,576

  Lothian

  85,038

  Strathclyde

  119,324

  Tayside

  25,546

  Orkney

  2,412

  Shetland

  719

  Western Isles

  2,511

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if all United Kingdom ballistic missile nuclear submarines have now been checked, in home port, for possible cracks in reactor coolant pipes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Members for Liverpool, Garston (Mr. Loyden) and for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion) on Tuesday 6 March,Official Report, columns 614–15.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if a special safety plan for areas adjoining a Z-berth would be introduced in cases where local councils refuse to co-operate in establishing such a plan.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what role and actions would be required of a local council in the event of an incident requiring activation of a special safety plan in the vicinity of a Z-berth.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the event of an incident requiring activation of a special safety plan in the vicinity of a Z-berth, as in any other civil emergency, the local authorities would act in support of the emergency services and carry out their normal functions in the light of the situation and of technical advice from the Ministry of Defence and the National Radiological Protection Board.

  Trident
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all outside contracts issued by the Atomic Weapons Establishment managment in connection with the Trident programme, including dates and costs.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information that the hon. Member requests is classified.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which establishments work on the Trident programme has been transferred from the Atomic Weapons Establishment Aldermaston.
  810
  Mr. Alan Clark
  AWE Cardiff is undertaking some non-fissile manufacturing work transferred from AWE Aldermaston.

  Combat Body Armour
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give a full description of combat body armour; and which units of the armed services have been provided with it.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Combat body armour is a lightweight vest covering the torso, designed to protect the wearer against fragmenting munitions. It is a front-opening garment with side vents and adjustable straps to ensure a proper fit. It will be available in six sizes, the medium size weighing 2·5 kg.

  No combat body armour has yet been issued, but it will be supplied to service men as an item of personal equipment as supplies become available.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost in both cash and in man hours to his Department in providing alternative civilian cover during the ambulance dispute(a) to the most recent convenient date and (b) projected for the period from the commencement and termination of the period of cover.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Up to 31 January 1990, extra costs in the region of £3·5 million arising from service participation in the provision of accident and emergency cover during the ambulance dispute have been identified for recovery from the Department of Health, the Scottish Home and Health Department and the Welsh Office. Up to 6 March 1990 a total of about 1·1 million service man hours had been deployed.

  It would not be practicable to make projections either of extra costs or of man hours because the timing of the final withdrawal of service assistance will depend on the outcome of the ballot of ambulance staff and, if the decision is to accept the management offer, the arrangements which are made in different areas for a return to normal working.

  Ammunition Contracts
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions are placed upon manufacturers of ammunition in the United Kingdom that wish to bid for Her Majesty's Government ammunition contracts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No restrictions are placed on manufacturers in the United Kingdom who wish to bid for ammunition contracts offered in open competition. Certain natures of ammunition for delivery up to 31 March 1993 are procured under the agreement with Royal Ordnance plc which was announced to the House on 27 July 1988 by my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury), the former Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement. In addition, there may be restrictions when a nature of ammunition is procured under collaborative arrangements or is a proprietary item.

  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what restrictions are placed upon manufacturers of ammunition in the United States that wish to bid for Her Majesty's Government ammunition contracts.
  811
  Mr. Alan Clark
  No restrictions are placed upon manufacturers in the United States who wish to bid for ammunition contracts offered in open competition. Certain natures of ammunition for delivery up to 31 March 1993 are procured under the agreement with Royal Ordnance plc which was announced to the House on 27 July 1988 by my hon. Friend the Member for Hove (Mr. Sainsbury), the former Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement. In addition, there may be restrictions when a nature of ammunition is procured under collaborative arrangements or is a proprietary item.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Wandsworth Prison Gallows
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the name and address of the company contracted to maintain the gallows that are kept at Wandsworth prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The gallows are maintained by the prison's works department.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations his Department has received calling for the repeal of existing legislation imposing specific civil defence duties on local authorities; and if he will list them.

  Mr. John Patten
  During the las six months the Home Office has received 16 representations from Members of Parliament, local authorities and other organisations calling specifically for the repeal of existing legislation imposing civil defence duties on local authorities.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations his Department has received calling for the preparation of a new Act of Parliament which would impose duties upon appropriate public and private sector organisations to undertake comprehensive emergency planning for peacetime disasters and accidents; and if he will list them.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend has asked the civil emergencies adviser to assess local authority requirements for effective peacetime emergency planning. I understand that the adviser has received a number of representations, which are being treated in confidence.

  Detainees' Medical Records
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what procedures exist for passing medical information on detained persons from the police to the prison service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The relevant procedures are set out in paragraph 4.33 and appendix 13 of the consolidated circular to the police on crime and kindred matters. They require the police to complete a form (POL/1) in respect of every prisoner handed over to prison custody or transferred between police forces who is considered to present special risks, including physical illness or mental disturbance.

  Motorists (Video Evidence)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police forces in the United Kingdom are currently using video equipment to monitor the driving habits of motorists in order to furnish the courts with specific evidence for the prosecution of offenders.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Nine forces in England and Wales and five in Scotland are using in-car video equipment to record evidence of motorists' poor driving behaviour. Recordings are used either to educate the motorist or may be presented in court to support a police officer's evidence that an offence has been committed. I understand that a further four forces in England and Wales are shortly to acquire similar equipment.

  Prison Inmates
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department which London prisons have an inmates committee.

  Mr. Mellor
  Brixton, Downview, Feltham, Holloway and Wormwood Scrubs have inmate committees.

  Forensic Pathology
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give, in respect of the report on the working party on forensic pathology(a) the date on which he announced the setting up of the working party, (b) the date on which the report was published, (c) the period of consultation on the report's proposals, (d) the date when he received Mr. Wasserman's comments and (e) the expected date when he will announce his response; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The establishment of the working party on forensic pathology was announced on 17 July 1984 and its report published on 25 July 1989. A period until 31 October 1989 was allowed for comments but this was later extended until the end of the year. These are now being considered and we expect to announce our response shortly.

  Cable Television
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cable television systems are operating at present in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I understand from the Cable Authority that 15 broadband cable systems are operational. In addition, I understand there are 58 licensed upgrade systems and 153 licensed satellite master antenna television (SMATV) systems operational.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by district, the companies that have applied for cable television franchise in South Yorkshire.

  Mr. Mellor
  I understand from the Cable Authority that three franchises have been advertised in South Yorkshire covering Rotherham and Doncaster; Sheffield and Barnsley. The following seven companies applied for the Rotherham and Doncaster franchise:
  813

  (i) Britannia Cable Systems South Yorkshire;

  (ii) Cable Communications (Rotherham and Doncaster) Ltd.;

  (iii) Comment Cable Vision South Yorkshire Ltd.;

  (iv) Doncaster Telecommunications Complex Ltd. and Rotherham Telecommunications Complex Ltd.;

  (v) Don River Cable Teleplus Ltd.;

  (vi) South Yorkshire Cablevision Ltd.; and

  (vii) South Yorkshire Cablevision (UK) Ltd.

  The Cable Authority hopes to award the franchise in mid-May.

  The following eight companies have applied for the Sheffield franchise:

  (i) Britannia Cable Systems Sheffield;

  (ii) Cable Communications (Sheffield) Ltd;

  (iii) General Cable Ltd;

  (iv) Sheffield Cable Teleplus Plc;

  (v) Sheffield Cable Media Ltd;

  (vi) Sheffield Cablevision Ltd;

  (vii) Sheffield Television and Communications Ltd; and

  (viii) Telecable of Sheffield Ltd.

  The Cable Authority hopes to award the franchise in early June. Applications for the Barnsley franchise close on 16 March.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his earliest estimate of the date at which all of the United Kingdom has access to cable television coverage.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Cable Authority has awarded or advertised franchises potentially covering 14·5 million homes, which is approximately two thirds of the total number of homes in the United Kingdom. It has always been recognised it was unlikely that all homes would ever be cabled.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the initial application fee charge requested by the Cable Authority for a cable television franchise; what proportion is returnable to unsuccessful applicants; and if he will make a statement as to what the application fee charge is used for.

  Mr. Mellor
  I understand from the Cable Authority that application fees are charged according to the following tariff:

  Number of homes in franchise area

  Application fee £

  Up to 50,000

  5,500

  50,001 to 150,000

  12,000

  150,001 to 250,000

  18,000

  250,001 to 350,000

  25,000

  Over 350,000

  30,000

  Application fees are not returnable to unsuccessful applicants.

  This application fee is levied in accordance with section 6(1) of the Cable and Broadcasting Act 1984. Under section 18(1) of that Act the authority is under a duty to ensure that its revenues are sufficient to enable them to meet their obligations and to discharge its functions under the Act. A copy of the Cable Authority's annual report and accounts is available in the Library.

  Electoral Registration
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much is to be spent by central Government in 1989–90 and 1990–91 on advertising campaigns in connection with electoral registration in(a) Great Britain and (b) overseas.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows:

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Great Britain

  486,000

  486,000

  Overseas

  —

  760,000

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) fatalities and (b) injuries have resulted from drink-driving offences for which there were convictions each year since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many convictions for drink-driving offences there have been in each year since 1979; and how many of these resulted in a custodial sentence.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is published under offence group 3 in tables 10 and 15 of the Home Office statistical bulletin, issue 34/89. A copy of the bulletin is in the Library.

  West Midlands Police Force
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of the West Midlands police force as to what action was taken against former Detective Inspector Paul Matthews regarding his activities on behalf of Amway International while a serving member of the West Midlands police force.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that in 1984–85 an internal inquiry was carried out by officers from the West Midlands police into allegations that Mr. Matthews was engaged in business activities involving the company Amway United Kingdom. There was no evidence to justify disciplinary proceedings, but following the inquiry Mr. Matthews was seen by the deputy chief constable and given words of advice.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Police Complaints Authority as to what steps they have taken to interview former Detective Inspector Paul Matthews in connection with the authority's investigation into allegations made by Martin Foran.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The course of any investigation which is being supervised by the Police Complaints Authority is a matter for them to arrange with the officer appointed to conduct the investigation. Home Office Ministers have no authority to intervene in the process, although I have no doubt that all relevant steps will be taken to ensure that Mr. Foran's allegations are fully investigated.

  Ambulance Dispute
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many hours of police manpower time were expended by Britain's police forces in providing alternative emergency cover during the ambulance dispute; and what are his projected probable costs for the exercise both in cash and in man-hours(a) to the most recent convenient date and (b) projected for the period from the initial commencement to the final withdrawal of cover.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the total number of man-hours which forces have provided in assisting ambulance services in England and Wales up to and including 5 March has been about 1·5 million.

  As police authority, my right hon. and learned Friend is aware that up to 4 February the Metropolitan police have charged the South West Thames regional health authority £5·8 million for police assistance during the ambulance dispute. I am unaware of the charges which other forces have made of their relevant health authorities.

  To make projections is not practicable because the timing of the final withdrawal of police assistance will depend on the outcome of the ballot of ambulance staff and, if the decision is to accept the management offer, the arrangements which are made in different areas for a return to normal working.

  Police Consultative Groups
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will meet the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to discuss means to ensure that police consultative groups continue to receive up-to-date information in the detail that has been available in the Metropolitan police divisional reports;

  (2) if he will take steps to ensure that copies of each Metropolitan Police division's annual management report are made available to the relevant police consultative groups;

  (3) what consultation was undertaken with police consultative committees and others prior to the Metropolitan police replacing divisional reports with the document entitled "Policing."

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner that a different format is to be adopted for the divisional reports available to police consultative groups this year, with the aim of making them more accessible and readable and thus reach a wider audience. The change is being made after consultation with every consultative group in the Metropolitan area, and a pilot project in Wandsworth. Any information previously contained in a divisional report which is absent from this year's report will be available on request from the division concerned. The divisional management report is an internal working document concerned with the management of the division itself, and there is no intention to make it available publicly.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, for the latest date available, what percentage of parole applications from(a) white and (b) black prisoners were successful in England and Wales.
  816
  Mr. Mellor
  The present central computer system on parole does not hold information on the ethnic origin of prisoners and it is not, therefore, possible to produce the figures requested. However, a new system is scheduled for 1991 which will make such analyses possible and these are planned.

  Parole Board
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parole dossiers the Parole Board dealt with in each year from 1985; and what percentages of prisoners were granted parole.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested, taken from the most recently published report of the Parole Board, is as follows:

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Board caseload

  6,401

  7,655

  7,508

  7,703

  Percentage of Board caseload granted parole

  51

  46

  47

  48

  Status of Women
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who is representing Her Majesty's Government at the current review of forward-looking strategies held by the United Nations Commission in Vienna on the status of women.

  Mr. John Patten
  Dr. Susan Atkins of the Home Office and Mr. Robin Gwynn of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  War Crimes Inquiry
  Mr. John L. Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have for responding to the war crimes inquiry.

  Mr. Waddington
  The Government have now had the opportunity to consider the implications of the parliamentary debates held last December, and have concluded that legislation should be introduced to enable war crimes trials to be held in this country. I am introducing the Bill today. It gives effect to the principal recommendation of the war crimes inquiry that British courts should be given jurisdiction over offences of murder, culpable homicide and manslaughter committed as war crimes in Germany or German-occupied territory during the period of the Second World War, by persons who are now British citizens or resident in the United Kingdom. The Bill also provides, as the inquiry recommended in paragraph 9.43, for the use in war crimes trials of the procedure for transfer to the Crown Court without committal proceedings, which is already available in respect of serious fraud cases; the Bill mirrors the provisions for fraud trials by providing for the Crown Court to dismiss a charge prior to trial, where it appears to the judge that there would be insufficient evidence to convict. Finally, the Bill provides authority for central government to meet the costs of war crimes investigations in England and Wales.

  The War Crimes Bill contains no other provisions. In respect of the other procedural recommendations in the war crimes report, the Government have reached the following conclusions:

  817

  (i) Live Television Evidence (paragraph 9.34). Section 32 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 already provides for the admissibility of live television evidence from abroad in proceedings in England and Wales. The Government intend to bring the provision into effect in the first instance in respect of homicide trials and trials of serious and complex fraud with further areas becoming covered as resources allow. No provision for live television evidence from abroad yet exists in Scottish law: appropriate amendments are to be tabled in the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill.

  (ii) Powers to request evidence to be taken on commission abroad and the admissibility of video recordings of evidence taken abroad by letters of request (paragraphs 9.37 and 9.38). Clause 3 of the Criminal Justice (International Co-operation) Bill, now before Parliament, provides for the issuing of letters of request seeking the taking of evidence abroad. This will include a facility by which evidence can be taken on commission. The admissibility of documentary evidence, subject to appropriate safeguards as to the circumstances in which the evidence was taken and the fairness of its use in trials, was provided for in England and Wales by Part II of, and Schedule 2 to, the Criminal Justice Act 1988. This would mean, for example, that video recordings of evidence taken as a result of a letter of request could be introduced where it would be safe to do so. The position in Scottish law concerning the admissibility of documentary evidence is to be clarified by amendments to the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Bill.

  (iii) Admissibility of evidence from persons now dead (paragraph 9.41). The Government believe that the courts can admit such evidence (where it is safe to do so) and that no change in the law is required in this respect.

  (iv) Authentication of archives without oral testimony (paragraph 9.42). The Government have decided that no change to the law should be made to accommodate this proposal.

  Young Offenders
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of males under the age of 17 years remanded in custody in remand centres from Welsh courts during 1988;

  (2) what was the total number of males under the age of 17 years who were made subject to an unruly certificate from Welsh courts during 1988.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 1 March 1990]: Information on certificates of unruliness is not recorded centrally. The information available relates to 15 and 16-year-old boys initially received on remand into prison service establishments. A certificate is required for such boys received as untried and for some of those received as convicted unsentenced; it is not required for those committed in custody to the Crown Court for sentence under section 37 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980. In 1988, it is estimated that about 50 boys aged under 17 were initially remanded by courts in Wales to prison service establishments.

HEALTH

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of food poisoning were recorded in England in each year from 1984 to 1989.
  818
  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Food poisoning

  Year

  OPCS formally notified

  OPCS otherwise ascertained

  Totals

  1984

  13,247

  7,455

  20,702

  1985

  13,143

  6,099

  19,242

  1986

  16,502

  7,446

  23,948

  1987

  20,363

  8,968

  29,331

  1988

  27,826

  11,887

  39,713

  1989

  39,125

  15,588

  54,713

  1 Provisional.

  The OPCS collates notifications of food poisoning and publishes them weekly for England and Wales. The statutory notifications of food poisoning sent to OPCS are based on clinical diagnosis or suspicion of food poisoning—clinical specimens for laboratory investigation may not have been taken.

  Reasons for the increase in 1989 are unclear, but may be explained in part by the unusually long warm summer and in part by greater interest in identifying and reporting infections consequent upon considerable professional and public attention to food safety issues.

  Hospital Laundering
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the value of the successful tender for the laundry contract awarded in each health authority in 1987 and 1988; and what was the actual cost of the service in 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Freeman
  Information is not held centrally on the value of successful tenders for laundry contracts awarded by health authorities in 1987 and 1988, nor on the actual cost of these services in 1988 and 1989.

  However, the table shows that total expenditure on laundry services in 1988–89 for health authorities that have awarded laundry contracts in 1987 and 1988.

  Total expenditure on laundry services in 1988–89 for health authorities who have awarded laundry contracts in 1987 and 1988

  Health Authority

  Expenditure £

  Northern Region

  Northumberland

  596,918

  South Tees

  588,437

  South West Durham

  329,178

  Sunderland

  447,903

  South Cumbria

  206,035

  West Cumbria

  247,695

  Yorkshire Region

  Airedale

  323,719

  Bradford

  443,366

  Calderdale

  332,447

  Harrogate

  183,910

  Northallerton

  80,067

  Pontefract

  227,805

  Scarborough

  149,857

  Wakefield

  212,378

  Trent Region

  Nottingham

  1,198,670

  East Anglia Region

  Cambridge

  672,789

  Peterborough

  356,332

  819

  Health Authority

  Expenditure £

  North West Thames Region

  North Bedfordshire

  216,130

  North East Thames Region

  Hampstead

  671,779

  South East Thames Region

  Camberwell

  391,839

  Dartford

  293,698

  Hastings

  327,957

  Lewisham

  645,017

  Maidstone

  367,927

  Medway

  321,097

  South East Kent

  447,080

  West Lambeth

  509,814

  South West Thames Region

  Merton and Sutton

  667,806

  Richmond

  275,181

  East Surrey

  497,094

  Mid Surrey

  445,542

  Worthing

  212,877

  Wessex Region

  Salisbury

  289,601

  Southampton

  576,908

  West Dorset

  319,672

  Oxford Region

  West Berkshire

  562,153

  South Western Region

  Cornwall

  780,596

  Frenchay

  512,874

  West Midlands Region

  Coventry

  671,923

  Dudley

  521,880

  Hereford

  333,752

  Mid Staffordshire

  440,312

  North Staffordshire

  836,470

  South East Staffordshire

  435,638

  North Birmingham

  241,903

  Rugby

  76,332

  Sandwell

  327,961

  Shropshire

  652,163

  Wolverhampton

  358,047

  North Western Region

  Blackburn

  384,252

  Bolton

  398,554

  Burnley

  508,649

  Bury

  204,670

  Lancaster

  477,389

  North Manchester

  350,322

  South Manchester

  630,832

  Oldham

  224,026

  Preston

  413,010

  Rochdale

  201,677

  Tameside

  230,469

  Wigan

  286,925

  Special Health Authorities

  Eastman Dental Hospital

  9,153

  Hospitals for Sick Children

  148,465

  National Hospitals for Nervous Diseases

  66,713

  Incontinence
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he plans to take steps to improve the delivery of incontinence advice and supplies across the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement;
  820
  (2) what advice he has issued to health authorities on the need to provide a continence service; and how this will be affected by National Health Service and Community Care Bill;

  (3) what information he has for each district health authority on (a) any restrictions that apply to the supply of incontinence pads to people living in (i) their own homes and (ii) residential homes (b) how much each district health authority spent on incontinence pads for the previous three years and how much for 1988 and 1989, (c) whether the district health authority has a written policy on continence drawn up in co-operation with the social services department and (d) how many continence advisers are employed by each district health authority;

  (4) what training is required for prospective continence advisers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The advice given to health authorities on the provision of services to people suffering from incontinence was given in health notice (88) 26, a copy of which is in the Library. This advised health authorities to agree strategies with social services departments and to appoint continence advisers. This advice is unaffected by the National Health Service and Community Care Bill. Detailed information on local service provision is not held centrally.

  Both health authorities and local authorities have discretionary powers to provide incontinence supplies and aids. The extent to which they exercise that discretion varies in the light of local needs and circumstances. There is no formal training requirement for continence advisers. the majority of them are registered general nurses. There is an English National Board training course (No. 978 "An introduction to the promotion of continence and management of incontinence") which a large proportion of continence advisers have taken either before or after taking up appointment.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the authorities replacing the district health authorities can be mandated to hold their business in public as currently.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  District health authorities will not be replaced. Our proposals aim to reform their membership. District health authority meetings will continue, as now, to be subject to the provisions of the Public Bodies (Admission to Meetings) Act 1960.

  North West RHA
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases were dealt with by Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley district health authority from 1979 to 1989 in(a) general medicine, (b) paediatrics, (c) geriatric medicine and (d) general surgery.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Cases treated, Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley District Health Authority, 1979–1988–89

  General surgery

  General medicine

  Paediatrics1

  Geriatric medicine

  In-patient case.

  1979

  6,088

  5,634

  1,916

  1,015

  1980

  6,259

  5,854

  2,038

  1,328

  821

  General surgery

  General medicine

  Paediatrics1

  Geriatric medicine

  1981

  6,160

  6,385

  2,710

  1,636

  1982

  6,136

  6,145

  2,904

  2,013

  1983

  6,577

  6,563

  2,974

  2,439

  1984

  6,740

  7,035

  2,919

  2,255

  1985

  6,772

  7,352

  3,060

  2,385

  1986

  6,487

  7,064

  2,806

  2,267

  1987–88

  6,473

  8,319

  3,224

  2,509

  1988–89

  6,181

  8,026

  3,523

  2,396

  Day case admissions

  1979

  397

  553

  2

  0

  1980

  560

  553

  9

  0

  1981

  650

  920

  1

  0

  1982

  570

  1,154

  1

  0

  1983

  553

  1,037

  5

  0

  1984

  698

  1,266

  4

  0

  1985

  708

  1,365

  6

  0

  1986

  715

  1,314

  3

  0

  1987–88

  986

  1,108

  4

  0

  1988–89

  1,096

  964

  38

  0

  New out-patients

  1979

  4,356

  2,238

  739

  94

  1980

  4,547

  2,200

  688

  123

  1981

  5,059

  3,388

  1,058

  131

  1982

  4,989

  4,050

  946

  119

  1983

  4,738

  3,904

  989

  91

  1984

  4,855

  3,968

  1,085

  114

  1985

  5,011

  4,857

  1,102

  95

  1986

  5,034

  4,951

  1,147

  100

  1987–88

  5,376

  5,432

  1,165

  105

  1988–89

  5,458

  5,289

  1,065

  115

  Total out-patient attendances

  1979

  13,731

  15,428

  5,327

  345

  1980

  14,217

  15,341

  5,385

  508

  1981

  14,806

  20,001

  6,976

  773

  1982

  14,848

  21,453

  7,708

  1,054

  1983

  14,004

  23,382

  8,168

  1,089

  1984

  14,546

  23,797

  7,668

  1,382

  1985

  14,338

  25,402

  7,218

  1,745

  1986

  13,753

  26,708

  6,723

  1,812

  1987–88

  15,029

  26,253

  6,216

  2,159

  1988–89

  15,314

  27,335

  6,495

  2,262

  Source: 1979–1986 SH3 return.

  1987–88 onwards, sH3a, KHO9 and KP70 returns.

  1Including special care baby unit(s).

  Childhood Immunisation
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the most recent rates of uptake for childhood immunisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am pleased to say that the uptake rates for childhood immunisations in England continue to improve. In 1988–89, the overall uptake for measles increased to 80 per cent. (from 76 per cent. in 1987–88), and whooping cough reached 75 per cent. (from 73 per cent.). Uptake for diphtheria, tetanus and polio remained at 87 per cent. We believe that the actual improvement has been better than these figures indicate, because the 1987–88 returns included a small percentage of children above the age of two years, while those for 1988–89 are confined to those under that age.

  A total of 85 English districts have now reached an average of 90 per cent. or more for diphtheria, tetanus and polio uptake, and 20 have done so for measles. A total of 56 districts have achieved 80 per cent. or more for whooping cough. Notifications for measles are at their
  822
  lowest levels since records began, while the peak of the current whooping cough upsurge is likely to be very much lower than its predecessors.

  We are planning to maintain this pace of improvement in 1989–90 and subsequent years. Renewed efforts will be made to ensure that immunisation uptake for 1989–90 and 1990–91 (the first two full years in which MMR vaccine has been available) achieves the target of 90 per cent. coverage sought by the World Health Organisation. Ninety per cent. is also the upper target for general practitioners in their new contract, which commences in April.

  General Practitioner Contract
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will allow general practitioners to subtract contra-indications from target figures for cervical cytology and immunisation programmes under the new contract arrangements;

  (2) if he will allow general practitioners to subtract informed dissenters from target figures for cervical cytology and immunisation programmes under the new contract arrangements;

  (3) what consideration he has given to the effect on general practitioner-patient relationships of not allowing general practitioners to subtract informed dissenters and contra-indications from target figures for cervical cytology and immunisation programmes under the new contract arrangements;

  (4) what information his Department has on the potential numbers of (a) informed dissenters and (b) contra-indications who will not take part in cervical cytology and immunisation programmes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The prevention of childhood diseases and cancer of the cervix is a high priority for the Government. We believe that the new target payment system will encourage GPs to improve levels of immunisation and screening and thereby reduce the incidence of these distressing diseases. The coverage levels at which target payments will be made have been set below 100 per cent. to allow for patients who, for any reason, do not wish to take advantage of these services. No data are available about the numbers of such patients but the experience of practices with high levels of cover suggests that the numbers are not great and that the higher level targets are achievable. The number of children who show contra-indications is small—less than 2 per cent. overall. The Government are satisfied that the new arrangements will have no deleterious effect on the relationship between patients and general practitioners.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will alter the general practitioner contract to allow a peer group of medical practitioners and not family practitioner committees to scrutinise cervical smear exclusion data.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We see no need for such arrangements. Family practitioner committees have a clearly defined management function in handling payment claims from doctors who are in contract with them.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will anonymise patient data from women who have undergone hysterectomies for the purpose of ensuring confidentiality under the new general practitioner contract target arrangements.
  823
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The final details of the information that GPs will need to supply to family practitioner committees (FPCs) when claiming target payments have yet to be settled. No more information than is absolutely necessary for checking and audit purposes will be required by FPCs to approve the appropriate payments. All clinical information is treated on a confidential basis.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will exclude from general practitioner target payment figures nuns, virgins and women who do not wish to undergo a cervical smear.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. To exclude women who do not wish to be screened would not be consistent with the objective of the target payments scheme, which is to encourage GPs to point out the benefits to their patients of screening for cancer of the cervix. We believe it is a sensible precaution to include within the target scheme all women in the vunerable age group who have not had hysterectomies.

  RU486 Drug
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any application has yet been received for a product licence in connection with the abortifacient drug RU486.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  For reasons of commercial confidentiality, it is not usual practice to disclose information about whether or not an application for a product licence has been received or to give information about the progress of any such application.

  Cook-Chill Food
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make public the full report of his Department's audit inquiry into the financial arrangements relating to Wakefield district health authority's cook-chill system of catering;

  (2) when he expects his Department's director of audit to complete the audit of Wakefield district health authority's revenue and capital expenditure on the introduction of a cook-chill catering system.

  Mr. Freeman
  The director of audit expects the preliminary statutory audit visit to Wakefield district health authority, at which the cook-chill catering system is to be reviewed, to be completed in early April 1990.

  We do not intend to make public any report that may be made by the Department's statutory auditor.

  Wakefield DHA
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will require a report from the chairman of Wakefield district health authority as to the reasons for and full cost of the recent meeting held by him, the authority's district general manager and commercial manager with Tillery Valley Foods in south Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is a local issue for the health authority concerned. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of Wakefield health authority, Mr. Hayward, for further information.

  Nurses (Training)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses have received(a) basic training and (b) post-graduate training in the private sector in (i) 1980, (ii) 1987, (iii) 1988 and (iv) 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  In 1989 representatives from the English National Board, the Department of Health and the independent sector established a working group to identify the extent of the sector's input to pre-registration and post-registration nurse training; and to agree action to increase this input consistent with its demand for staff. The working group should report by the summer.

  Preliminary findings by the group are that the independent sector does make a contribution to post-registration nurse training, placing some 200 nurses a year on about 23 different approved courses. In addition, at any one time, around 200 pre-registration NHS nurses are undergoing a short (anything from one to 12 weeks) placement in an independent hospital, generally free of charge.

  Most training takes place in the National Health Service.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how often hospital waiting lists are collected; and if he will publish them.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information about hospital in-patient waiting lists is collected quarterly from health authorities. Booklets summarising the information arid bulletins commenting on trends are published for the March and September quarters, maintaining a series of comparable figures back to September 1975.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the hospital in-patient waiting lists for 30 September 1989 will be published within six months of the collection date.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We plan to publish the waiting list statistics by early April.

  Patients (Treatment)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of in-patients treated immediately by referral and not recorded as waiting for treatment, and give this as a percentage figure of all patients treated.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information readily available indicates that in 1987–88 some 3 million (54 per cent.) of all acute admissions were not recorded as already waiting for in-patient treatment.

  Agency Staff
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the amount spent on(a) agency nurses and (b) agency clerical and administrative staff for the latest available year for each district health authority, special health authority and regional health authority and England as a whole.
  825
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I shall let the hon. Member have such information as is available as soon as possible.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the amount spent on agency staff for 1983, 1987, and the latest available year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is derived from the summarised annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in Engand together with those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals:

  Total revenue expenditure on non-national health service (agency, etc.) staff

  Year

  £000 (cash)

  1983–84

  59,822

  1987–88

  211,436

  11988–89

  252,167

  1 Latest available.

  Notes:

  1. The figures for 1987–88 and 1988–89 excludes £2·4 million and in million respectively being similar costs charged to capital expenditure and which were not specifically identified in the accounts for earlier years.

  2. The figure for 1983–84 includes a minor element from the administrative expenses of family practitioner committees (FPCs) which is not separately identifiable but is excluded from the figures for the more recent years.

  As a result of various initiatives achieved or pending including: nurse clinical grading and improved London allowances; administrative and clinical local pay flexibility; flexible grading in scientific and professional staff groups and local pay flexibility for other staff groups the amount spent on agency staff should reduce in future.

  The expenditure remains predominately in the Thames regions, which together with the London postgraduate SHAs accounted for some 76 per cent. of the national total (£252 million).

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the numbers of agency nurses used on the latest date for which figures are available and on comparable dates for the two preceding years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is as follows:

  Number of agency nursing and midwifery staff (whole-time equivalent) in England

  Number

  30 September 1988

  6,240

  30 September 1987

  6,130

  30 September 1986

  5,450

  Health and Social Service Statistics
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish, for the latest available year, the figures given in table 3.1 of "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics, 1989".

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is shown in the table:826

  Health and personal social services manpower summary1

  England

  Unit

  As at 30 September 1988

  Health service staff and practitioners, and local authority social services staff: Total

  1,077,894

  Health service staff and practitioners: Total

  842,090

  Directly employed staff: Total

  Wte

  793,391

  Medical and dental staff1: Total

  44,749

  Hospital medical and dental staff:

  Total

  Wte

  40,643

  Medical staff

  37,559

  Medical locum staff

  1,852

  Dental staff

  1,183

  Dental locum staff

  48

  Community health service medical and dental staff: Total

  Wte

  4,106

  Medical staff

  2,789

  Medical locum staff

  45

  Dental staff

  1,262

  Dental locum staff

  10

  Nursing and midwifery staff: Total

  Wte

  403,883

  Nursing staff: Total

  Wte

  380,265

  Administrative staff

  2,601

  Centrally based services

  1,854

  Blood transfusion service

  1,145

  Hospital staff

  330,669

  Primary health care services2

  37,295

  Health visitor students

  786

  Agency nursing staff

  5,915

  Midwifery staff: Total

  Wte

  23,618

  Administrative staff

  198

  Hospital staff

  18,993

  Community health services

  4,106

  Agency midwives

  321

  Professional and technical staff (excluding works): Total

  Wte

  79,775

  Health authorities staff

  78,203

  Other statutory authorities staff

  1,572

  Works professional staff: Total

  Wte

  5,323

  Health authorities staff

  5,301

  Other statutory authorities staff

  22

  Maintenance staff (building and engineering): Total

  Wte

  17,331

  Health authorities staff

  17,224

  Other statutory authorities staff

  107

  Administrative and clerical staff3: Total

  Wte

  115,951

  Health authorities staff

  112,312

  Other statutory authorities staff

  3,639

  Ambulance officers and control assistants

  Wte

  2,980

  Ambulancemen/women

  15,781

  Ancillary staff: Total

  Wte

  107,618

  Health authorities staff

  107,051

  Other statutory authorities staff

  567

  Family practitioner committee service:

  Practitioners: Total

  No.

  48,699

  General medical practitioners: Total4

  No.

  27,419

  Unrestricted principals

  25,322

  Restricted principals

  159

  827

  Unit

  As at 30 September 1988

  Assistants

  253

  Trainees

  1,685

  General dental practitioners: Total

  No.

  15,070

  Principals

  14,840

  Assistants

  230

  Ophthalmic medical pratitioners5

  No.

  832

  Ophthalmic opticians

  5,378

  Local authority social services staff:

  Total

  Wte

  235,804

  Senior directing, managing, professional and advisory staff

  5,846

  Field social work staff

  27,867

  Other headquarters, area office and field staff

  21,903

  Home help service staff

  59,968

  Day care staff for adults

  18,481

  Day care staff for children

  9,526

  Residential care staff for adults

  70,346

  Residential care staff for children

  18,292

  Other staff

  3,575

  Note: Headquarters, blood transfusion centre and mass radiography unit staff are included in the group of staff to which they relate eg "Medical".

  1 Includes all full time, part-time, honorary, locum and agency locum staff, but excludes medical practitioners participating in hospital staff funds and occasional sessional staff in community health services.

  2 Includes District nurse students.

  3 Exludes ambulance officers and includes general managers.

  4 At 1 October.

  5At 31 December. Dispensing opticians FPC contracts terminated 30 June 1986.

  6All figures are provisional.

  Hepatitis B
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how he seeks to ensure that no member of the hepatitis B high risk group, as defined by the joint committee on vaccination and immunisation, or their family, is denied vaccination; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will institute a Government information and monitoring programme on hepatitis B and add hepatitis B to the screening study currently in progress on the incidence of AIDS and HIV; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) whether the Health Education Authority has any plans to conduct an education campaign on hepatitis B targeted at specific groups and their families as well as prescribing physicians; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Health Education Authority is currently reviewing all its publications on sexually transmitted diseases, including information on hepatitis B.

  Viral hepatitis B is a notifiable disease and the public health laboratory service continues to monitor its incidence. The Department does not believe additional monitoring or screening procedures are required. Reported cases to the PHLS for the last five years for which figures are available are shown in the table:

  Acute hepatitis B; laboratory reports 1985–89

  Year

  Reported cases

  1985

  1,785

  1986

  1,329

  1987

  785

  828

  Year

  Reported cases

  1988

  644

  1989

  1608

  1 Figure provisional.

  Note: Acute hepatitis B reported from laboratories in England, Wales and Ireland includes all illnesses with or without jaundice, diagnosed as acute hepatitis and confirmed as type B by positive hepatitis B surface antigen tests or other serological markers of current or recent infection.

  These figures show a welcome decline in the incidence of the disease.

  A new edition of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation's memorandum, "Immunisation against Infectious Disease", to be issued shortly, will remind doctors of the high risk groups. However, the responsibility for ensuring vaccination is for occupational health services and for individual doctors, as appropriate.

  Census
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the proposed forms of questionnaire which people will be required to complete in next year's census of the population.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have today laid before the House the Census Regulations 1990, which include reduced-size facsimilies of each of the census forms to be completed by the public in England and Wales. The regulations provide for the detailed arrangements necessary for the conduct of the census.

  Corresponding Census (Scotland) Regulations 1990 have been laid before the House today by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Cancer and Leukaemia
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the incidence of cancer and leukaemia confirmed in children in Great Britain.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The data cover the years 1980–85, later data for Great Britain as a whole not yet being available.

  Number of cases of (a) all malignant neoplasms1 (b) leukaemia2 ages 0–14 years, Great Britain, 1980–85

  (a) All malignant neoplasms

  (b) Leukaemia

  Year

  Males

  Females

  Males

  Females

  1980

  666

  515

  204

  161

  1981

  640

  553

  208

  183

  1982

  625

  502

  204

  173

  1983

  681

  525

  241

  188

  1984

  670

  549

  217

  181

  31985

  619

  472

  197

  152

  1 Assigned to the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9th revision codes 140–208.

  1 Assigned to the 9th revision ICD codes 204–208.

  3 Provisional.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many people in the area of the Pontefract health authority have been diagnosed or treated for cancer or cancer-related diseases including leukaemia over the past five years; and if he will make a statement;
  829
  (2) how many people in the area of the Wakefield health authority have been diagnosed or treated for cancer or cancer-related diseases including leukaemia over the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The exact information requested is not available.

  The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (OPCS) publishes annual cancer statistics using data collected by the 11 regional cancer registries and the Welsh cancer registry. Data concerning newly diagnosed cases of (a) malignant neoplasms and (b) leukaemias for Pontefract and Wakefield district health authorities (DHAs) are shown in the table, which covers the years 1982 (when DHAs were established) to 1985 (the latest year available):

  Newly diagnosed cases of (a) malignant neoplasms1 and (b) leukaemias2 in Pontefract and Wakefield DHAs 1982–85

  Wakefield DHA

  Pontefract DHA

  Year

  Malignant neoplasms

  Leukaemias

  Malignant neoplasms

  Leukaemias

  1982

  571

  4

  660

  12

  1983

  535

  7

  621

  16

  1984

  509

  9

  695

  8

  19853

  503

  11

  693

  6

  1 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9th revision codes 140–208.

  2 International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 9th revision codes 204–208.

  3 Provisional data.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensions
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many persons have benefited from a home responsibilities protection for retirement pension since 1978.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that information is not available in the form requested. Records are not kept of the number of persons whose awards of retirement pension had periods of home responsibilities protection taken into account.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will end the transitional payments scheme to people on pensions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans to do so.

  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on this subject on 12 February at column 89.

  Benefits
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what specific financial efficiency and quality of service targets he has approved for(a) contributory national insurance benefits, (b) non-contributory national insurance benefits, (c) means-tested benefits and (d) the social fund.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In a statement to the House on 17 May 1989, my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State announced the publication of a definition of the service to be provided to the public and said that the definition would be backed up by specific targets for performance.
  830
  Subsequent to the statement on 17 May, national performance targets for the years 1989–90 to 1991–92, in terms of clearance times in working days (unless otherwise indicated) and percentage error rates, were lodged in the Library.

  Targets for 1990–91 to 1992–93 are currently being reviewed.

  There are no specific financial efficiency targets for individual benefits at present.

  Administration Costs
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the unit cost of administering(a) contributory national insurance benefits, (b) noncontributory national insurance benefits, (c) means-tested benefits and (d) the social fund.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest information available is for the 1987–88 financial year. The unit cost of administering the following benefits in that year were:

  £

  (a) Contributory national insurance benefits

  66

  (b) Non-contributory non-income-related benefits

  14

  (c) Income-related benefits

  111

  The social fund was introduced in a limited way in 1987–88 for funeral and maternity payments only, but no separate figures are available—the costs for 1987–88 are included in the overall income related benefits figure.

  The unit costs are calculated by dividing the estimated administrative costs of the benefits involved by the average number of beneficiaries.

  Hostels
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had from hon. Members regarding the effects on claimants of different levels of housing benefit payable to residents in Salvation Army hostels in Nottingham, Grimsby and Leeds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Hostel dwellers on income support became eligible for housing benefit from 9 October 1989. Since that date we have received a small number of representations about the level of housing benefit in Salvation Army hostels generally.

  Benefit Payments (Part-weeks)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to pay, by direct payment, part-weeks of benefit(a) general and (b) where claimants are resident in hostels and are transient.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Part-week deductions from benefit for direct payment to third parties would be administratively complex and are not generally warranted. However, part-week deductions are available for claimants in night shelters.

  Claimants
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young claimants have so far gained extensions of benefit in order to prevent severe hardship; and how many who were pregnant.
  831
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The number of awards of income support to 16 and 17-year-olds on grounds of severe hardship for the period 12 September 1988 to 23 February 1990 is 16,206. Figures on the number of severe hardship directions made to those 16 and 17-year-olds who are pregnant have not been collected for this period. However, we are looking more closely at the situation of young pregnant girls.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people depended entirely on state benefits for their income in each of the years 1978 to 1989(a) nationally, (b) regionally and (c) in each local Department of Social Security area.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Hackney, South and Shoreditch (Mr. Sedgemore) on 5 March at column 520.

  Cash—£ million

  (1988–89 prices in brackets)

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Unemployment benefit abatement for occupational/personal pension reduced from age 60 to 55

  -15

  (-15)

  -63

  (-59)

  —

  (—)

  Weekly earnings rule introduced for unemployment benefit

  —

  (—)

  -21

  (-20)

  -49

  (-44)

  Unemployment benefit "full extent normal" rule—de minimis provision

  "Actively seeking work" test for unemployment benefit

  Abolition of pensioners' earnings rule

  —

  (—)

  190

  (178)

  375

  (334)

  Widows: revised entitlement conditions for women widowed before April 1988

  —

  (—)

  122

  (21)

  13

  (12)

  1 First year expenditure included payments of arrears from April 1988.

  Employers' National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what is his estimate of the total which should be collected and which has been collected in employers' national insurance contributions for the latest five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The table shows the national insurance fund income expected from class 1 contributions (employees and employers schemes) compared with the contributions received from employers during the financial years from 1984–85 to 1988–89. The estimates were contained in the Government Actuary's reports which were laid before Parliament together with the draft Contributions Re-rating Orders for those years and exclude the SSP, SMP and abatement of contributions on SSP and SMP that employers were expected to recover from the Class 1 contributions they were due to remit.

  (£ Thousands)

  Year

  Estimated income from class 1 contributions

  Total contributions received from employers

  1984–85

  20,291,000

  21,380,595

  1985–86

  22,687,000

  22,564,779

  1986–87

  23,571,000

  24,254,179

  1987–88

  25,577,000

  26,522,035

  1988–89

  28,349,000

  29,759,614

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many visits by his Department's national

  Benefit Changes
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, in pursuance of the reply to the hon. Member for Birkenhead,Official Report, 20 February, column 675–76, he will detail the number affected by the changes to national insurance benefits over the 1981 to 1988 period and give the cash effect and the cash effect in 1988 prices for each of the changes during 1988 to 1990.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  As stated in my reply to the hon. Member of 20 February 1990, details of the numbers affected by changes prior to 1988 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Details of the cash effect of the changes set out in the reply of 20 February are given in the table. All the changes were, in whole or in part, introduced part way through the year and details are therefore given for both the year of introduction and the year following.

  insurance inspectors were planned to employers' premises in each of the last 10 years; how many were made; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  National insurance inspectors conduct several thousand visits to employers each week to resolve inquiries and to investigate recording errors. In addition, inspectors conduct more searching visits in order to ensure compliance with social security legislation. Such visits are part of combined survey which, since 1986, has been undertaken in cooperation with Inland Revenue. No firm target was set for the overall number of visits because the time taken to complete them can vary widely but the expectation was to undertake around 100,000 each year. The actual number of these visits in each of the last three years was as follows:

  Year

  Number

  1986–87

  103,630

  1987–88

  92,034

  1988–89

  80,568

  Figures for comparable visits undertaken in earlier years are not readily available.

  Social Security Spending
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the expenditure change in real terms between 1979–80 and 1989–90 for each of the beneficiary groups in table 14.9 of the public expenditure White Paper; and what is the total expenditure change on benefits in real terms during the same period.
  833
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The information is given in the table.

  £ million

  1979–80 cash

  1979–80 at 1989–90 prices

  1989–90

  Percentage increase

  Elderly people

  10,130

  20,411

  25,550

  25

  Sick and disabled people

  2,780

  5,601

  9,520

  70

  Family

  3,570

  7,193

  9,200

  28

  Unemployed people

  1,470

  2,962

  4,740

  60

  Widows and orphans

  760

  1,531

  1,240

  -19

  Total benefit expenditure

  18,780

  37,837

  50,246

  33

  Commercial Consultants
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department observes a ceiling for charge-out rates for work commissioned from commercial consultants.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The Department of Social Security does not observe a ceiling for charging-out rates for work commissioned from commercial consultants. The Department pays the appropriate commercial rate for the grade and quality of work to be undertaken.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total number of studies and reports commissioned from commercial consultants in each year 1978–79 to 1989–90, giving their total cost for each year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The total number of reports and studies on social security matters commisssioned from commercial consultants from 1986–87 onwards and their cost is in the table:

  Year

  Number of reports and studies commissioned

  Total cost of such work in that year (£ million)

  1986–87

  12

  0·620

  1987–88

  15

  0·853

  1988–89

  21

  1·372

  1989–90

  40

  2·993

  Records were not maintained in a form that enables information to be provided prior to 1986–87.

  Expenditure up to and including the 1988–89 financial year has been from a joint health and social security budget. When the work involved both social security and health aspects the cost of the report or study has been apportioned accordingly.

  Income Support
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants aged under 18 years are claiming income support in their own right; and if he will give details of each month's figures since the 1988 changes in entitlement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  As indicated in my reply to the hon. Member for Birmingham., Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 26 October 1989 at col.539–40 the total number of 16 and 17-year-olds claiming in their own right ceased to be collected after October 1988 and could now be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  834
  Monthly figures are available on the number of awards of income support under the severe hardship provision. These are shown in table A.

  Our monitoring of the changes introduced in July 1989 gives monthly figures on the number of awards of income support to 16 and 17-year-olds other than under the severe hardship provisions. These are shown in table B.

  Table A

  Period ending

  Awards made

  30 September 1988

  234

  28 October 1988

  311

  25 November 1988

  435

  30 December 1988

  647

  27 January 1989

  705

  24 February 1989

  760

  31 March 1989

  1,012

  28 April 1989

  799

  26 May 1989

  952

  30 June 1989

  1,133

  28 July 1989

  1,173

  25 August 1989

  1,250

  29 September 1989

  1,291

  27 October 1989

  795

  24 November 1989

  791

  29 December 1989

  895

  26 January 1990

  1,437

  23 February 1990

  1,386

  Totals

  16,206

  Table B

  Month Ending

  Awards made

  31 July 1989

  645

  31 August 1989

  1,012

  30 September 1989

  1,008

  31 October 1989

  910

  30 November 1989

  753

  31 December 1989

  566

  31 January 1990

  868

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Apples and Pears
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the new arrangements made by apple and pear growers to organise research into their crops.

  Mr. Curry
  The new research body for apples and pears, the Apple and Pear Research Council, which came into being at the end of last year, has got off to an energetic start. It has already held an open meeting to which all
  835
  growers were invited in order to ensure that growers' views are fully taken into account in assessing the council's research priorities.

  Farming (New Entrants)
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what policies he is pursuing to encourage new entrants into farming.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actions he is taking to assist young farmers wishing to enter agriculture.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to assist young farmers wishing to enter agriculture.

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department gives grants to young farmers under the farm and conservation grant regulations at rates 25 per cent. higher than for other farmers.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new evidence he has on the vertical transmission of bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Gummer
  There is no evidence so far that maternal, that is dam to calf, transmission can take place. It does of course in sheep but not in any of the other species which may be affected by spongiform encephalopathy. We are conducting a major study, costing over £5 million, to determine the answer to this question.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what precautions his Department has taken relating to the offspring of bovine spongiform encephalopathy-stricken cattle.

  Mr. Gummer
  Despite the fact that there is no evidence of maternal transmission, as a precautionary measure any suspect animal that is pregnant must be isolated during and for 72 hours after calving and the placenta and other material burnt or buried. The accommodation used must then be cleaned and disinfected. In addition, as part of the comprehensive epidemiological inquiry into every case of BSE, data are collected in relation to calves of BSE-affected cattle.

  More generally, the consumer is fully protected because all suspect animals are slaughtered and destroyed and those offals which are most likely to harbour the BSE agent are banned from human consumption even in animals where there is no indication of the presence of BSE.

  Fruit
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the contribution of the Kingdom scheme to the marketing of English top fruit.

  Mr. Curry
  From its formation in 1980 the Kingdom scheme made a valuable contribution to both the promotion and marketing of top fruit.

  Agriculture Workers
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest average weekly wage for full-time agriculture workers.
  836
  Mr. Curry
  Average weekly earnings including benefits for full-time agricultural workers for the 12 months ending in June 1989 were £161·40. These are the latest figures which are available.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time hired workers were employed in agriculture in Worcestershire during 1989.

  Mr. Curry
  County figures for 1989 are not yet available. The 1988 figures for Hereford and Worcester, taken from the June 1988 agricultural census, are as follows:

  Hired workers

  Number

  Full-time

  2,949

  Part-time

  1,293

  Moorland Burning
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had about burning of moorland to regenerate heather.

  Mr. Curry
  We have had a number of discussions on conservation and agricultural practice on moorlands.

  Ruminant Rations
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what opinions his Department has expressed to other European Community member states concerning the incorporation of meat and bonemeal in ruminant rations.

  Mr. Gummer
  We have kept our EC partners fully and regularly informed about the probable role of ruminant meat and bonemeal in the development of BSE and the measures we have taken to deal with the problem.

  Food Irradiation
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representations he has received against the introduction of food irradiation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I continue to receive letters about aspects of food irradiation, but no new considerations have arisen that are relevant to the Government's decision. The various issues have been thoroughly analysed and summarised with great clarity in the recent report from the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities.

  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what major food manufacturers or supermarket chains have approached his Department requesting that the present ban on the sale in this country of irradiated foodstuff be lifted.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have received no such representations direct from food manufacturers or retailers. However, I am aware that the Food and Drink Federation was among those scientific, health, consumer and trade bodies that commend favourably on the introduction of food irradiation in evidence to the recent inquiry by the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities. The report of this inquiry is in the Library of the House.
  837
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reports from independent scientific committees he has received regarding the safety of food irradiation.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin).

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of the correspondence on food irradiation he has received has been in favour of its introduction.

  Mr. Maclean
  The nature of the correspondence does not lend itself to this sort of analysis since many of the letters either raise, or seek information about, particular aspects of the subject.

  Green Pound
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are followed to achieve changes in green currency values.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what procedures are followed to achieve changes in green currency values.

  Mr. Gummer
  Changes to green currencies are proposed by the Commission and agreed by qualified majority in the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next be discussing the green pound in the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Gummer
  The green pound will next be discussed at the meeting of the Council of Ministers on 26–27 March.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he will be taking to secure support in Europe for his proposals on the green pound.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have made it clear to the Commission and the Council that I am seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound and I will continue to pursue this objective in future negotiations, both in the Council of Ministers and elsewhere.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with other European Community Ministers concerning the future of green currencies.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent discussions he has had with other European Community Ministers concerning the future of green currencies.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have regular discussions with other Community Agriculture Ministers, in the Council of Ministers and elsewhere. At these meetings I make it clear that I am seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm price review.

  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what issues he will raise during his next European Council negotiations on the green pound.
  838
  Mr. Gummer
  I shall be pressing for a substantial devaluation at the next meeting of the Council of Ministers.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the president of the National Farmers Union on the current state of the green pound; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The president of the National Farmers Union has made his views on the green pound clear to me on a number of occasions. I have told him that I seek to secure a substantial devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm prices review.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what commitments he has given to the National Farmers Union about his negotiating stance on the green pound.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have indicated to the House and to the National Farmers Union that I am seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm price review, and that I am committed to the complete removal of the difference between the green and market rates of exchange of the pound by the end of 1992 at the latest.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received against Britain being granted a devaluation of the green pound.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have received representations from various organisations drawing attention to the consequences of a devaluation of the green pound on food prices.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will tabulate, for each month since British accession to the European Community, the amount of divergence between British green pound rates weighted according to the value of production of each commodity group and overall exchange rates and the overall weighted impact to date of each divergence on British producer prices.

  Mr. Curry
  The information, in the form requested, is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask idle Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to achieve(a) a devaluation and (b) the abolition of the green pound.

  Mr. Gummer
  I expect to secure a devaluation of the green pound at this year's farm price review. The Council and Commission are agreed that all monetary gaps, including the gap between the green and market rate for the pound, should be eliminated by 1992 at the latest.

  Commercial Whaling
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received regarding the future of commercial whaling.

  Mr. Curry
  At present there is a moratorium on commercial whaling. The Department continues to receive many letters about the conservation of whales. We continue to work hard to safeguard this.

  Rhizomania
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on rhizomania.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government remain determined to prevent the introduction and spread of rhizomania, which presents a serious threat to the sugar beet industry. We operate a range of import controls and carry out extensive annual surveys of beet fields. The disease was first identified in 1987 at a farm in Suffolk and two further outbreaks were identified last year in Norfolk. These farms are subject to strict control measures designed to prevent the spread of the disease.

  Food Inspectorate
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he intends to take to improve the food inspectorate.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the context of the requirements of the European Community directive on the official control of foodstuffs and of the Food Safety Bill, currently before Parliament, discussions will be held with representatives of enforcement authorities on any changes needed in the present arrangements for the inspection of foodstuffs.

  Equine Exports
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress of his efforts within the European Community to prevent the export of equines below set minimum values after 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Negotiations on the Community's proposals on welfare conditions for animals in transit are still at a preliminary stage.

  We have emphasised the importance that we attach to securing proper controls on trade in horses but it is clear that these will be difficult negotiations.

  Eggs
  Mr. Lord
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to assist in the marking of British-produced eggs.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have informed the industry that it is free to put origin terms on egg packs. As hon. Members will be fully aware, there are comprehensive measures in force in the United Kingdom to combat salmonella. I hope that similar measures will be taken throughout the EEC in the near future. Until then British eggs are subject to the toughest safety regulations in the Community.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any intention of banning the use of melange as a component which is included in raw liquid egg which is pasteurised for industrial use.

  Mr. Maclean
  Under European Community Council directive 89/437 of 20 June 1989 on hygiene and health problems affecting the production and the placing on the market of egg products, member states are required,840
  before 31 December 1991, to bring into force regulations that, inter alia, will prohibit the use of broken eggs in products intended for human consumption.

  Animal Feed
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures are being taken to provide more information concerning the ingredients in animal feed.

  Mr. Maclean
  A recent amendment to the European Community directive on the marketing of mixed feeds will oblige manufacturers to declare the materials used, though further work is necessary within the Community before this provision can be implemented by the member states.

  The present regulations already permit manufacturers to give full information about ingredients and farmers who want this information should seek it from their suppliers.

  Salmonella
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he is taking to assist egg producers whose flocks are found to be infected with salmonella.

  Mr. Maclean
  As announced in the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Mr. Alexander) on 13 February,Official Report, column 200, the scales of values for calculating compensation, where infected flocks are compulsorily slaughtered, have been revised to reflect increases in commercial prices and will be kept under regular review in future.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to visit eastern Europe.

  Mr. Gummer
  I visited Poland between 25 and 28 February 1990, and plan to go to Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria this month.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what initiatives he is taking to assist in increasing food production in eastern European countries.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer my hon. Friend to the replies I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) and the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) on 8 February (Official Report, columns 1000–01). I have just returned from a visit to Poland, and shall be visiting Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria next week. Opportunities for visits to other eastern countries are being kept under review.

  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of ways in which United Kingdom agriculture can respond to the food needs of eastern Europe.

  Mr. Gummer
  It is clear that British experience and expertise in the agriculture and food sectors can be of great benefit in enabling eastern Europe to meet its food needs. The previous Socialist economies were particularly damaging to food production and I am determined that
  841
  Britain should play its full part in their transformation into the free market. We are already working closely with Poland and Hungary and I hope to visit Bulgaria and Czechoslovakia shortly with a small specialist team. We are also encouraging British business men and farmers to make the most of the opportunities offered by these welcome changes.

  Silage
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what efforts he is making to reduce pollution risks from silage.

  Mr. Curry
  The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service provides free initial advice to farmers on ways to minimise pollution from silage; grants of 50 per cent. are available under the farm and conservation grant scheme for the construction and improvement of silage effluent facilities; and the Government are at present consulting on regulations that would set minimum construction standards for new and substantially reconstructed silage installations and which would provide a power to the National Rivers Authority to require improvements to existing installations; and the Government will shortly be introducing regulations setting minimum standards for new silage installations.

  Beef
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the present state of the beef industry.

  Mr. Curry
  The 1989 June agricultural census showed an increase in the beef breeding herd to its highest level for a decade, for the first time fully offsetting the fall in the dairy herd. The December 1989 census showed a continuation of this trend, with a rise of 9 per cent. over the previous year. These figures indicate that producers' expectations remain high.

  Consumer Panel
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his consumer panel will have its first meeting.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the operation of his consumer panel.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure that consumer opinion is fully taken into account in formulating future food safety policy.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent arrangements he has made to improve the representation of consumer interests towards his Department.

  Mr. Gummer
  Following my announcement of 2 November 1989 (Official Report, columns 317–18) we have established a consumer panel made up of ordinary consumers nominated by the main consumer bodies but appointed in an individual capacity. Its terms of reference are:
  "To review matters relating to the implementation of food safety policies and to examine particular issues of concern to consumers".
  842
  The first meeting of the panel will take place in London on 12 March 1990. The names of the members are:

  Mr. Phillip Bell, Edinburgh

  Mrs. Dorothy Craig, Newcastle upon Tyne

  Mrs. Harriet Kimbell, Guildford

  Mrs. Susan Leather, Exeter

  Mr. Patrick McCoy, Armagh

  Mr. Gareth Morgan, Llanfairpwll, Gwynedd

  Mrs. Wilma Mulliner, Weymouth

  Mrs. Susan Payne, Bromley

  Mrs. Noelle Whamond, Newton Stewart

  I expect the panel to lead to a useful dialogue between consumers and Ministers on food safety issues.

  We also wish to initiate periodic meetings in which we can bring together the leaders of consumer groups to consider a wide range of complex policy issues going much wider than the food safety issues on which the consumer panel will be concentrating. I am therefore writing today to 15 consumer bodies inviting them to a meeting in the Ministry next month.

  We expect that these arrangements will strengthen contacts and enable Ministers to hear a wide range of consumer views directly. They supplement the well-established arrangements for consulting consumer bodies on particular issues and listening to their views.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received concerning organophosphorous sheep dips.

  Mr. Maclean
  A number of hon. Members and others have sought information from me and my Department about organophosphorous sheep dips.

  As I told the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 25 January (Official Report, columns 821–22), my Department will begin this year a review of ectoparasiticide product licences which will include licenced organophosphorous sheep dips.

  Bottled Water
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on nitrate levels in(a) imported bottled water and (b) home-produced bottled water.

  Mr. Maclean
  No specific limits for nitrates are laid down under the EC natural mineral waters directive. Information available suggests that levels of nitrates in both imported and home-produced bottled water are below the maximum concentration of 50 mg/l set by the EC drinking water directive.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to improve conditions of animal welfare throughout the European Community.

  Mr. Day
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken to improve conditions of animal welfare throughout the European Community.

  Mr. Maclean
  In his written answer of 7 February to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) (Official Report, column 712), my right hon. Friend

  843
  explained that the community has already taken some action on animal welfare. However, he made it clear that further action is needed in a number of areas so that all countries in the Community operate to the same high standards for the keeping and transport of farm anumals.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on common European standards for animal welfare after 1992.

  Mr. Maclean
  As explained in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hereford (Mr. Shepherd) on 7 February,Official Report, column 712, I am determined that high standards of animal welfare should be adopted throughout the European Community.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the implications of the single European market for animal welfare.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Commission has made a number of proposals to harmonise standards of animal welfare in the Community, and will be making further proposals in due course. The implications will depend on the outcome of the negotiations, in which we shall be pressing for improved safeguards for animal welfare in a number of important areas.

  Arable Farmers
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what policy he is adopting towards the European Community price fixing which would be of advantage to arable farmers.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what policies he is adopting at European Community price-fixing negotiations which would be of advantage to arable farmers.

  Mr. Curry
  We are seeking a substantial devaluation of the green pound; we are pressing for the basic cereals co-responsibility levy to be replaced by matching price cuts; and we are strongly supporting the Commission's proposals to maintain the present definition of double-low rapeseed for a further year.

  European Community Agriculture Ministers
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met with European Community Ministers of Agriculture; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart) on 7 March.

  Dairy Sector
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next intends to meet the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board to discuss the dairy sector.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with the chairman of the Milk Marketing Board, and with other industry leaders, to discuss the dairy sector.

  Milk Marketing Board
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what marketing opportunities he envisages being created by reforming the Milk Marketing Board.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not for Government to identify marketing opportunities. But I am concerned that the milk marketing arrangements should encourage innovation and enable the industry to take advantage of changing market opportunities. I am encouraging the Milk Marketing Board and the Dairy Trade Federation to pursue their discussions with a view to devising arrangements suited to the 1990s.

  Tyrell Committee
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to implement any more of the recommendations of the Tyrell committee.

  Mr. Gummer
  Work is already in hand or planned on all the projects recommended by the Tyrell committee as urgent or of high priority. It is essential to devote expertise and resources to the priority work but we will keep the recommended research of a lower priority under review. In total the Government will be spending over £12 million in the next three years on BSE-related research.

  Farmers (Countryside Custodians)
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what policies he is pursuing in order to emphasise to farmers their role as custodians of the countryside.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department provides a range of incentives including the environmentally sensitive areas, farm and conservation grants and farm woodland schemes, together with general and specialised athice on conservation aimed at encouraging farmers to protect and enhance the countryside.

  Overseas Food Fairs
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which overseas food fairs and exhibitions his Department has attended since July 1989.

  Mr. Curry
  Since July 1989, the following fairs and exhibitions have been attended by Ministers and officials of my Department:

  16 October 1989—Anuga food fair, Cologne

  25 January 1990—Berlin green week

  6 February 1990—ISM Sweets and biscuits fair Cologne

  I regard it as most important that British companies should receive maximum encouragement in their efforts to penetrate overseas markets.

  Herrings
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the volume of herrings landed in England and Wales last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Provisional figures for the volume of herrings landed in England and Wales in 1989 are 1,324 tonnes by United Kingdom and foreign vessels.

  Veterinary Product Licensing
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the average British fees for veterinary product licensing; and what are the comparable level of fees levied in other EC countries.

  Mr. Maclean
  A wide range of fees is charged for veterinary medicines licensing based on an estimate of the full economic cost of assessing each type of application. I do not have sufficient information to make a useful comparison with fees charged in other EC countries or the basis on which they are set.

  Covent Garden Market Authority
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the chairman of the Covent Garden Market Authority; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Curry
  I last met the chairman of the Covent Garden Market Authority on 1 March when we discussed a number of matters of mutual interest on the present and future operation of the market. I am now able to announce my conclusions following the study commissioned last year into the future of the Covent Garden market.

  I have decided that in principle legislation should be presented, at a suitable opportunity, to dispose of the assets of the authority.

  As foreshadowed in my reply to the hon. Member's question on 27 February, [Official Report, column 108], I am today arranging for a summary of the report to be placed in the Library of the House.

  I am also today writing to the chairman of the Market Tenants Association to inform him of this decision and will see that tenants' views are taken into account in framing detailed proposals.

  The authority will be shortly opening negotiations with the tenants about new leases to replace those that expire in March 1991.

  Horticultural Research
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what restructuring of horticultural research he has achieved in the last six months.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department is working closely with the Department of Education and Science and the Agricultural and Food Research Council, in consultation with representatives of the horticulture industry, to set up a new unified organisation for horticultural research based on a reconstituted British Society for Horticultural Research. The new BSHR will be the principal contractor for horticultural research and development in the United Kingdom and will carry out the bulk of Government-funded horticultural research. We believe the new organisation will provide both Government and industry with a more efficient and effective R and D service while maintaining the highest scientific standards.

  Poultry Health Regulations
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has recently received about the Poultry Health Regulations.
  846
  Mr. Maclean
  I have received representations on various aspects of the salmonella control measures, including the cost of testing, the effect on rare breed flocks and the level of compensation paid when flocks are compulsorily slaughtered. There has been recognition of the steps which the Government have been able to take in response to these concerns. Representations have also been received on the European Commission proposal for a Council regulation laying down health rules for the production and placing on the market of fresh poultry meat to replace European Community directive 71/118. Most of the representations have expressed concern about the need for the on-farm production of poultry meat and for uneviserated poultry.

  Stubble Burning
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had about his intention to end stubble burning.

  Mr. Curry
  There have been discussions with the National Farmers Union and the Country Landowners Association. These consultations, which are continuing, are focused on the scope of the limited exemptions foreseen in my right hon. Friend's statement of 30 November 1989 and on the strengthening of the National Farmers Union's code of practice in the period leading up to the proposed prohibition.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Department's response to the recommendations in the report of the committee on the microbiological safety of food.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health to my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox) on 15 February,Official Report, columns 398–99.

  Wheat and Bread
  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends answering the question from the hon. Member for Leicestershire, North-West put down for answer on 18 January, asking for the comparative prices of wheat and bread over the last five years.

  Mr. Curry
  A reply was sent to my hon. Friend on 28 February 1990,Official Report, column 242.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his review of pesticides.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) on 8 February,Official Report, column 728.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Advisory Committee on Pesticides last met; and what matters were discussed.
  847
  Mr. Maclean
  The Advisory Committee on Pesticides last met on 25 January. The main items discussed were: requests for approval of three new pesticides; reviews of four existing approvals; a draft code of practice for the use of pesticides on farms and holdings and two survey reports on pesticides usage in Scotland.

  Beef Exports
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the amount of beef being exported to western Europe; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The amount of beef exported from the United Kingdom to western Europe1 in 1989 was 111,998 tonnes.

  1 EC and EFTA countries, Malta, Cyprus and Gibraltar.

  Reconstituted Meat
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is taking with regard to meat reconstituted with blood plasma gel.

  Mr. Maclean
  Should a company decide to use this technique for the preparation of meat products it would need to ensure that the product was safe and labelled in accordance with the Food Labelling Regulations 1984. This would apply equally to home-produced and imported products. In particular, those regulations require that food labels carry details of any process which the product has undergone where the omission of such detail would mislead the consumer, details of any ingredients used in the product which would include blood enzymes, and a name for the food which would distinguish it from any other foodstuff with which it might be confused.

  Misleading labelling of food is an offence under the Food Act 1984. It is not for me to suggest particular forms of words for labels. A company would need to decide what description of this or any similar process would adequately explain to its intended customers the exact nature of the foodstuff. Trading standards officers are responsible for enforcing the law: I expect that they were already aware of the development of this process but my officials have drawn the matter to their attention.

  The labelling rules apply equally to catering supplies as they do to retail sales. As part of its current labelling review I have already asked the Food Advisory Committee to look at the difficult matter of information provided to customers in restaurants, cafes or other catering outlets.

  I was made aware only recently of the process that has been developed in the Netherlands but I have no indications that it produces a foodstuff which is unsafe.

  The process has been developed by a very reputable Dutch institute and the data available so far to my Department do not indicate any need for us to enage in our own research.

  It would be a commercial decision for a British company to choose to use this technique in the production of its meat products. I am not aware of any company that has so decided nor is it my understanding that any such products are currently being marketed in the United Kingdom, or in the Netherlands.

  However, my Department is monitoring developments closely and I will take any further action that seems appropriate in the interests of either food safety or consumer protection.

  National Farmers Union AGM
  Mr. Michael Latham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on his recent visit to the annual general meeting of the National Farmers Union at Kensington town hall.

  Mr. Gummer
  I was very glad to have the opportunity to address the annual general meeting of the National Farmers Union. Copies of my speech are in the Library of the House. I underlined the vital role which farmers play in our national life: as an efficient and competitive industry, as the guarantors of our food supply and as the guardians of our countryside. I also made plain our determination to ensure that United Kingdom farmers have a fair deal in Europe, in particular through a substantial devaluation of the green pound.

  Consumers Association
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met the Consumers Association to discuss food-related issues; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Maclean
  My right hon. Friend last met the Consumers Association on 15 January 1990. They discussed a wide range of issues including the Food Safety Bill, food irradiation and the Department's consumer panel.

  Milk Quota
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he will he seeking EC approval for in respect of the distribution of additional milk quota in 1990.

  Mr. Gummer
  My proposals were that quota should be allocated to producers who received awards from the dairy produce quotas tribunal which were scaled hack and have not yet been fully implemented; to smaller producers; to producers in remote areas, principally the islands of Scotland and the Scilly Isles; and to new entrants. The Commission raised a number of points in connection with these proposals. With one exception, which concerns my proposal to loan quota to new entrants rather than grant it outright, all points of difficulty have now been satisfactorily resolved and I am awaiting formal Commission agreement. Regulations will then he laid before Parliament and the majority of the quota issued before the end of the current quota year.

  Farmers' Unions
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met leaders of the farmers' unions; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Gummer
  I meet leaders of the farmers' unions frequently to discuss various agricultural matters.

  I met the presidents of the National Farmers Union, the Scottish National Farmers Union and the Ulster Farmers Union on 30 January to discuss the state of the agriculture industry and the European Community's farm price proposals.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much land has been included in the set-aside scheme; and what is the cost to the most recent practicable date.

  Mr. Curry
  A total of 110,000 hectares of land has so far been set aside in the United Kingdom. The cost of payments in the current financial year is about £11 million.

  Industrial Wastes
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to require industrial wastes presently being dumped in the North sea to be stored on land until land-based disposal facilities have been developed.

  Mr. Curry
  No. As my right hon. Friend announced on 22 February,Official Report, column 899, it is our intention that, with two possible short-term exceptions, industrial wastes will not continue to be dumped at sea after 1992. In certain circumstances short-term storage may have a useful part to play in waste management, but in general it is neither practicable nor environmentally desirable for the industrial wastes which are currently dumped at sea.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many licences to dump chemical industrial wastes in the North sea will be terminated by 31 December 1992; and how many will continue to be in force:

  (2) what percentage of chemical industrial wastes dumped in the North sea will be terminated by 31 December 1992; and what percentage will continue.

  Mr. Curry
  It is my intention that all licences to dispose of industrial wastes in the North sea covered by the 1987 North sea declaration will be terminated by 31 December 1992. For two of the wastes, however, involving 77 per cent. of the current total annual licensed tonnage, it might not be technically feasible to meet this deadline. I will extend the licences for these last two wastes into 1993 only if absolutely necessary on technical grounds and for the shortest possible part of that year.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the continued use of organophosphorous sheep dips.

  Mr. Maclean
  As I told the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) on 25 January Official Report, column 821 my Department will begin this year a review of ectoparasiticide product licences which will include licensed organophosphorous sheep dips.

  Veterinary Surgeons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are his Department's future plans for training veterinary surgeons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The arrangement of courses for those wishing to obtain veterinary degrees is a matter for the 850
  veterinary colleges. My Department ensures that the veterinary surgeons which it employs are properly trained for their duties. The action which the Government are taking in response to the Page committee's report on the review of veterinary manpower and education was announced in a reply given to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 31 January.

  Poultry (Slaughter)
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate what the total value of the birds compulsorily slaughtered under the provisions of the Zoonoses Order 1989 and the Animal Health Act 1981 would have been had they been sent to processors for use as cooked poultry meat.

  Mr. Maclean
  Estimates relating to this hypothetical situation are not available.

  Mr. J. J. Cato
  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the man hours taken by officials in his Department in their administrative, clerical and legal functions relating to Mr. J. J. Cato's application for a decommissioning grant and the subsequent legal actions and appeals.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total cost of his Department's legal expenses to date in the case of J. J. Cato v. Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Mr. Maclean
  Payments of stationery costs and counsel's fees in the case brought by Mr. J. J. Cato were £6,058.

  Spent Hens
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the typical sale price for a spent hen currently paid to an egg producer by a processor.

  Mr. Curry
  We estimate that the typical selling price for an end-of-lay hen is currently between 55p and 60p.

  Fish Catches
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what reasons he ascribes to the substantial drop in volume of fish catches off the Tyneside coast; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The fall in landings in the first two months of 1990 at the main north-east coast ports compared with the same period in 1989 largely reflects the recent bad weather. During 1990 as a whole another factor will be that as North sea round fish stocks, in particular of cod and haddock, are lower total allowable catches in 1990 have been reduced to assist the recovery of such stocks.

  Food Advisory Committee
  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the Food Advisory Committee last met; and what matters were discussed.
  851
  Mr. Maclean
  The independent Food Advisory Committee last met on 25 January 1990 when it discussed matters concerned with its review of food labelling; the use of the preservative thiabendazole; the presence of tin in canned foods and the second food surveillance group report on plasticisers levels in food contact materials in food. Subsequently it held a joint meeting with the Advisory Committee on Novel Foods and Processes to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  North Sea Haddock
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements are being made to reduce United Kingdom fishing for North sea haddock in 1990.

  Mr. Curry
  At its meeting last December, the EC Council of Fisheries Ministers and the Commission agreed that, because of the seriously depleted state of the North sea haddock stock, any member state with a quota exceeding 10 per cent. of the Community share of the stock should reduce its fishing for that stock in 1990 by 30 per cent. The United Kingdom's 1990 quota is 87 per cent. of the Community's share of the stock.

  Following consultations with fishing industry organisations, we have decided that United Kingdom vessels over 10 m overall length which in 1989 landed more than 40 tonnes of North sea haddock and more than 10 per cent. of whose total landings in 1989 consisted of North sea haddock should either not fish in the North sea on more than 92 days during the remainder of this year or be limited, when fishing for demersal fish in the North sea, to using and carrying gear with 110 mm mesh and of specified conformation designed to ensure that it is substantially more selective than the 90 mm mesh nets normally permitted for demersal fisheries in the North sea.

  Landings of North sea haddock by vessels not covered by these new arrangements will be subject to restrictions designed to avoid any increase in effort against this stock. Producer organisations (POs) with sectoral allocations of North sea haddock are also being asked to regulate their members' landings so that they do not take more than 60 per cent of their allocations by 1 July and no more than 85 per cent. by 1 October: fishing by the non sector will be regulated similarly.
  852
  To maximise the effectiveness of these arrangements, we are laying before Parliament a statutory instrument to extend licensing to fishing in the North sea for any species by United Kingdom vessels of over 10 m.

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I believe that fishermen will accept that these controls are necessary in the longer-term interests of all those who rely on the North sea haddock fishery. The reduction in the 1990 total allowable catch (TAC) and quotas for this stock needs to be supplemented with reductions in effective effort in order to ensure that the intended gains from reducing the TAC are achieved. Without such action there would be a serious risk of a total collapse in the North sea haddock stock. The paramount importance of conserving our fish stocks was supported by both sides of the House in recent debates.

  Compound Feedstuff's
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans he plans he has to require the manufacturers of compound feedingstuffs to show all raw materials used on the labelling of their products;

  (2) what requirements control the labelling of the raw materials for compound feedingstuffs; and what substances are permitted under the generic descriptions oil, protein, fibre and ash.

  Mr. Maclean
  holding answer 5 March 1990]: The current Feedingstuffs Regulations 1988 permit manufacturers to give full declaration of raw material ingredients in compound feedingstuffs and farmers who want this information should seek it from their suppliers. A recent amendment to the EC directive on the marketing of mixed feeds will make it obligatory for all manufacturers to declare the materials used. Analytical declarations of protein, oil, fibre and ash are already required for the total feedingstuff regardless of the individual ingredients and provide indications of feeding value (protein), digestible energy content (oil and fibre) mineral or non-assimilable content (ash). Procedures for determining these parameters are laid down in the Feedingstuffs (Sampling and Analysis) Regulations 1982.

  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, BRUSSELS, 5TH MARCH
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCIL, BRUSSELS, 5TH MARCH
  ERITREA AND TIGRAY: RELIEF AID
  ERITREA AND TIGRAY: RELIEF AID
  PSA TENDERING
  PSA TENDERING
  IPCC: GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
  IPCC: GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
  GRADUATES: LIFETIME EARNINGS COMPARISON
  GRADUATES: LIFETIME EARNINGS COMPARISON
  ROAD SAFETY: RESEARCH PROJECTS
  ROAD SAFETY: RESEARCH PROJECTS
  WAR CRIMES: LEGISLATION
  WAR CRIMES: LEGISLATION
  NORTH SEA HADDOCK STOCKS
  NORTH SEA HADDOCK STOCKS