Written Answers of 14 March 1990

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Open University
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the cost of Open university foundation courses in constant prices over the past 21 years.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is not available at this stage in the form requested. The table provides information at constant 1989 prices (using the GDP deflator) on the average total cost of a full credit course, broken down by the cost to the Exchequer from grant, and the cost to the student from the undergraduate tuition fee and the summer school fee.

  Cost of an Open University full credit course

  1989 prices

  Total cost

  Exchequer grant

  Undergraduate tuition fee

  Summer school fee

  Year

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1971

  1,884·9

  1,621·5

  117·1

  146·3

  1972

  1,391·3

  1,147·7

  108·3

  135·3

  1973

  1,460·8

  1,182·8

  126·4

  151·6

  1974

  1,469·6

  1,210·0

  110·0

  149·6

  1975

  1,309·3

  1,089·6

  86·5

  133·2

  1976

  1,515·1

  1,247·6

  120·2

  147·3

  1977

  1,498·8

  1,250·8

  118·7

  129·3

  1978

  1,433·7

  1,192·0

  123·2

  118·5

  1979

  1,426·9

  1,205·3

  113·9

  107·7

  1980

  1,566·2

  1,342·7

  116·1

  107·4

  1981

  1,641·1

  1,372·0

  152·4

  116·7

  1982

  1,594·3

  1,309·5

  173·5

  111·3

  1983

  1,516·7

  1,229·8

  174·3

  112·6

  1984

  1,515·1

  1,225·2

  174·5

  115·4

  1985

  1,488·9

  1,197·1

  175·1

  116·7

  1986

  1,504·8

  1,203·6

  182·4

  118·8

  1987

  1,454·6

  1,155·9

  180·8

  117·9

  1988

  1,378·0

  1,082·4

  178·4

  117·2

  1989

  1,396·0

  1,088·0

  186·0

  122·0

  Student Loans
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total expenditure to date on and by the Student Loans Company Ltd.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Student Loans Company Ltd. has spent some £3,127,000 inclusive of VAT on preparatory work on the student loans scheme since its formation on 20 November 1989. This expenditure has been funded by the Department of Education and Science in accordance with the estimate approved by Parliament.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the increase in numbers recruited to the university education departments of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and 220
  Swansea in each of the past five years, expressed in numbers and percentage terms; and in which subject areas the increase has taken place.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The tables show intakes to courses in column(a) and in columns (b) and (c) the relative yearly increase in numbers recruited, expressed in numbers and percentage terms, respectively, for the university education departments of Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea for the academic years 1985–86 to 1989–90.

  Initial teacher training recruitment (1985 to 1989) to university education departments Aberystwyth, Bangor, Cardiff and Swansea 1985

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  Aberystwyth

  Primary

  36

  4

  12·5

  Secondary:

  Drama

  8

  3

  60·0

  History

  11

  2

  22·2

  Music

  5

  -2

  -28·6

  RE

  7

  0

  0

  English

  10

  -5

  -33·3

  Languages

  26

  1

  4·0

  Geography

  7

  -5

  41·6

  Mathematics

  3

  -9

  -75·0

  Biology

  10

  -2

  -16·6

  Chemistry

  6

  3

  100·0

  Physics

  10

  7

  233·3

  Other Science

  4

  -1

  -20·0

  Total Secondary

  107

  -8

  -6·9

  Bangor

  Primary

  38

  8

  26·6

  Secondary:

  History

  11

  1

  10·0

  RE

  6

  -1

  -14·3

  English

  2

  -9

  - 81·8

  Languages

  11

  -3

  -21·4

  Geography

  8

  -5

  -33·3

  Mathematics

  13

  1

  8·3

  Biology

  12

  1

  9·1

  Chemistry

  10

  -2

  -16·6

  Physics

  6

  2

  50·0

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  TEFL

  15

  2

  15·4

  PE

  8

  8

  —

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  102

  -7

  -6·4

  Cardiff

  Primary

  30

  4

  15·4

  Secondary:

  Art

  0

  0

  0

  History

  8

  3

  60·0

  Music

  10

  2

  25·0

  RE

  7

  4

  133·3

  English

  15

  2

  15·4

  Languages

  17

  -3

  -15·0

  Geography

  7

  1

  16·6

  Mathematics

  19

  0

  0

  Biology

  7

  -3

  -30·0

  Chemistry

  11

  3

  37·5

  Physics

  10

  4

  66·6

  Home Economics

  24

  -3

  -11·1

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  135

  10

  8·0

  Swansea

  Primary:

  19

  -1

  -5·0

  Secondary:

  History

  16

  3

  23·1

  RE

  0

  -7

  -100·0

  221

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  English

  9

  -2

  -18·2

  Languages

  15

  -9

  -37·5

  Geography

  16

  -1

  -5·9

  Mathematics

  15

  4

  28·6

  Biology

  15

  -5

  -50·0

  Chemistry

  5

  -5

  -50·0

  Physics

  10

  7

  233·3

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  104

  -5

  -4·6

  1986

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  Aberyslwyth

  Primary

  32

  2

  6·6

  Secondary:

  Drama

  5

  -1

  -16·6

  History

  9

  0

  0

  Music

  7

  -1

  -12·5

  RE

  7

  1

  16·6

  English

  15

  0

  0

  Languages

  25

  -6

  -19·3

  Geography

  12

  0

  0

  Mathematics

  12

  -6

  -33·3

  Biology

  12

  2

  20·0

  Chemistry

  3

  -2

  -40·0

  Physics

  3

  -2

  -40·0

  Other Science

  5

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  115

  -15

  -11·5

  Bangor

  Primary

  30

  -1

  -3·2

  Secondary:

  History

  10

  -1

  -9·1

  RE

  7

  4

  133·3

  English

  11

  -1

  -8·3

  Languages

  14

  -3

  -17·6

  Geography

  15

  2

  15·4

  Mathematics

  12

  0

  0

  Biology

  11

  -3

  -21·4

  Chemistry

  12

  1

  9·1

  Physics

  4

  -4

  -50·0

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  TEFL

  13

  -5

  -27·7

  PE

  0

  0

  0

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  109

  -10

  -8·4

  Cardiff

  Primary

  26

  -1

  -3·7

  Secondary:

  Art

  0

  -8

  -100·0

  History

  5

  -2

  -28·6

  Music

  8

  -10

  -55·5

  RE

  3

  1

  25·0

  English

  13

  -1

  -7·1

  Languages

  20

  -1

  -4·8

  Geography

  6

  0

  0

  Mathematics

  19

  1

  5·5

  Biology

  10

  3

  42·8

  Chemistry

  8

  0

  0

  Physics

  6

  -3

  -33·3

  Home Economics

  27

  -5

  -15·6

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  125

  -27

  -17·8

  Swansea

  Primary

  20

  -2

  -9·1

  Secondary:

  History

  13

  -3

  -18·7

  RE

  7

  -4

  -36·4

  222

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  English

  11

  -4

  -26·6

  Languagess

  24

  -6

  -20·0

  Geography

  17

  5

  41·6

  Mathematics

  14

  1

  7·7

  Biology

  10

  -2

  -16·6

  Chemistry

  10

  -2

  -16·6

  Physics

  3

  -2

  -40·0

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  109

  -17

  -13·5

  1987

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  Aberystwyth

  Primary

  45

  9

  25·0

  Secondary:

  Drama

  7

  -1

  -12·5

  History

  12

  1

  9·1

  Music

  10

  5

  100·0

  RE

  2

  -5

  -71·4

  English

  12

  2

  20·0

  Languages

  19

  -7

  -26·9

  Geography

  12

  5

  71·4

  Mathematics

  8

  5

  166·6

  Biology

  4

  -6

  -60·0

  Chemistry

  8

  2

  33·3

  Physics

  11

  1

  10·0

  Other Science

  6

  2

  50·0

  Total Secondary

  111

  4

  3·7

  Bangor

  Primary

  48

  10

  26·3

  Secondary:

  History

  11

  0

  0

  RE

  9

  3

  50·0

  English

  8

  6

  300·0

  Languages

  10

  -1

  -9·1

  Geography

  9

  1

  12·5

  Mathematics

  11

  -2

  -15·4

  Biology

  6

  -6

  -50·0

  Chemistry

  7

  -3

  -30·0

  Physics

  10

  4

  66·6

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  TEFL

  13

  -2

  -13·3

  PE

  8

  0

  0

  Other

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  102

  0

  0

  Cardiff

  Primary

  39

  9

  30·0

  Secondary:

  Art

  0

  0

  0

  History

  8

  0

  0

  Music

  15

  5

  50·0

  RE

  8

  1

  14·3

  English

  15

  0

  0

  Languages

  15

  -2

  -11·7

  Geography

  8

  1

  14·3

  Mathematics

  19

  0

  0

  Biology

  9

  2

  28·6

  Chemistry

  9

  -2

  -18·2

  Physics

  10

  0

  0

  Home Economics

  16

  -8

  -33·3

  Other

  5

  5

  —

  Total Secondary

  137

  2

  1·5

  Swansea

  Primary

  28

  9

  47·4

  Secondary:

  History

  14

  -2

  -1·6

  RE

  6

  6

  —

  223

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  English

  13

  4

  44·4

  Languagess

  15

  0

  0

  Geography

  15

  -1

  -6·2

  Mathematics

  16

  -2

  -11·1

  Biology

  15

  0

  0

  Chemistry

  10

  5

  100·0

  Physics

  14

  4

  40·0

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  Total Secondary

  118

  14

  13·5

  1988

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  Aberystwyth

  Primary

  68

  23

  51·1

  Secondary:

  Drama

  8

  1

  14·3

  History

  11

  -1

  -8·3

  Music

  10

  0

  0

  RE

  3

  1

  50·0

  English

  11

  -1

  -8·3

  Languages

  19

  0

  0

  Geography

  12

  0

  0

  Mathematics

  8

  0

  0

  Biology

  13

  9

  225·0

  Chemistry

  2

  -6

  -75·0

  Physics

  6

  -5

  -45·4

  Other Science

  4

  -2

  -33·3

  Total Secondary

  107

  -4

  -3·6

  Bangor

  Primary

  0

  -48

  -100·0

  Secondary:

  History

  0

  -11

  -100·0

  RE

  2

  -7

  -77·7

  English

  6

  -2

  -25·0

  Languages

  17

  7

  70·0

  Geography

  7

  -2

  -22·2

  Mathematics

  9

  -2

  -18·2

  Biology

  11

  5

  83·3

  Chemistry

  8

  1

  14·3

  Physics

  10

  0

  0

  Other Science

  0

  0

  0

  TEFL

  19

  6

  46·1

  PE

  8

  0

  0·0

  Other

  0

  0

  0·0

  Total Secondary

  97

  -5

  -4·9

  Cardiff

  Primary

  38

  -1

  -2·6

  Secondary:

  Art

  0

  0

  0·0

  History

  12

  4

  50·0

  Music

  15

  0

  0·0

  RE

  4

  -4

  -50·0

  English

  16

  1

  6·6

  Languages

  25

  10

  66·6

  Geography

  8

  0

  0·0

  Mathematics

  20

  1

  5·3

  Biology

  11

  2

  22·2

  Chemistry

  11

  2

  22·2

  Physics

  9

  -1

  -10·0

  Home Economics

  18

  2

  12·5

  Other

  0

  -5

  -100·0

  Total Secondary

  149

  12

  8·8

  Swansea

  Primary

  30

  2

  7·2

  Secondary:

  History

  13

  -1

  -7·1

  RE

  3

  -3

  -50·0

  224

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  English

  13

  0

  0·0

  Languages

  13

  -2

  -13·3

  Geography

  15

  0

  0·0

  Mathematics

  12

  -4

  -25·0

  Biology

  11

  -4

  -26·6

  Chemistry

  5

  5

  -50·0

  Physics

  14

  0

  0·0

  Other Science

  10

  0

  0·0

  Total Secondary

  99

  -19

  -16·1

  1989

  a

  b

  c

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  Aberystwyth

  Primary

  116·0

  48·0

  70·6

  Secondary:

  Drama

  8·0

  0

  0·0

  History

  11·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Music

  4·0

  -6·0

  -60·0

  RE

  3·0

  0·0

  0·0

  English

  10·0

  -1·0

  -9·1

  Language

  15·0

  -4·0

  -21·1

  Geography

  13·0

  1·0

  8·3

  Mathematics

  7·0

  -1·0

  -112·5

  Biology

  14·0

  1·0

  7·7

  Chemistry

  5·0

  3·0

  150·0

  Physics

  3·0

  -3·0

  -50·0

  Other Science

  3·0

  -1·0

  -25·0

  Total Secondary

  96·0

  -11·0

  -10·3

  Bangor

  Primary

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Secondary:

  History

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  RE

  5·0

  3·0

  150·0

  English

  9·0

  3·0

  50·0

  Language

  13·0

  -4·0

  -23·5

  Geography

  0·0

  -7·0

  -100·0

  Mathematics

  7·5

  -1·5

  -16·6

  Biology

  10·5

  -0·5

  -4·5

  Chemistry

  11·5

  3·5

  43·7

  Physics

  4·5

  -5·5

  -55·0

  Other Science

  7·0

  7·0

  —

  TEFL

  17·0

  -2·0

  -10·5

  PE

  0·0

  -8·0

  -100·0

  Other

  8·0

  8·0

  —

  Total Secondary

  93·0

  -4·0

  -4·1

  Cardiff

  Primary

  46·0

  8·0

  21·0

  Secondary:

  Art

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  History

  7·0

  -5·0

  -41·6

  Music

  11·0

  -4·0

  -26·6

  RE

  9·0

  5·0

  125·0

  English

  17·0

  1·0

  6·2

  Language

  17·0

  -8·0

  -32·0

  Geography

  9·0

  1·0

  12·5

  Mathematics

  13·0

  -7·0

  -35·0

  Biology

  7·0

  -4·0

  -36·4

  Chemistry

  9·0

  -2·0

  -18·2

  Physics

  8·0

  -1·0

  -11·1

  Home Economics

  23·0

  5·0

  27·7

  Other

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Total Secondary

  130·0

  -19·0

  -12·7

  Swansea

  Primary

  44·0

  14·0

  46·6

  Secondary:

  History

  14·0

  1·0

  7·7

  RE

  8·0

  5·0

  166·6

  225

  a

  b

  c

  Intake

  +/-

  Per cent

  English

  18·0

  5·0

  38·5

  Languages

  21·0

  8·0

  61·5

  Geography

  15·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Mathematics

  13·0

  1·0

  8·3

  Biology

  13·0

  2·0

  18·2

  Chemistry

  10·0

  5·0

  100·0

  Physics

  5·0

  -9·0

  -35·7

  Other Science

  4·5

  4·5

  —

  Total Secondary

  121·5

  22·5

  22·7

  Columns b and c show the increase/decrease in intakes, as compared with the previous year's figures.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on University college, Swansea's recruitment for its 1990–91 teacher training course.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  These data will not be available until after the beginning of the academic year 1990–91.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his best estimate of the additional costs which will fall on local education authorities in(a) England and (b) Devon in the financial year 1990–91 arising from his Department's circular 22/89 concering children with special educational needs; and on what date such additional costs were first calculated and passed to the Department of the Environment.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The purpose of circular 22/89 is to review, and advise local education authorities (LEAs) and others on, the implementation of the provisions in the Education Act 1981 on the making of assessments and statements of special educational needs, in the light of subsequent experience and events. The circular does not of itself impose substantial new burdens on LEAs; and, as paragraph 2 of the circular states, the new elements it contains are not intended to require additional expenditure.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Rates
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the percentage increase in the district rates for each of the 26 councils in Northern Ireland for the years 1990–91 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information is set out in the table:

  District council

  Percentage increase in 1990–91

  Percentage increase in 1989–90

  1. Antrim BC

  2·83

  3·92

  2. Ards BC

  13·04

  6·48

  3. Armagh DC

  7·95

  7·32

  4. Ballymena BC

  6·82

  2·68

  5. Ballymoney BC

  7·46

  6·91

  6. Banbridge DC

  7·65

  0·00

  7. Belfast CC

  4·91

  0·00

  8. Carrickfergus BC

  5·70

  5·20

  9. Castlereagh BC

  17·12

  5·01

  10. Coleraine BC

  0·00

  3·77

  226

  District council

  Percentage increase in 1990–91

  Percentage increase in 1989–90

  11. Cookstown DC

  8·38

  11·70

  12. Craigavon BC

  4·89

  6·50

  13. Derry CC

  9·38

  5·86

  14. Down DC

  2·94

  4·62

  15. Dungannon DC

  8·52

  0·00

  16. Fermanagh DC

  3·60

  3·74

  17. Lame BC

  13·97

  1·79

  18. Limavady BC

  7·45

  8·05

  19. Lisburn BC

  3·71

  0·00

  20. Magherafelt DC

  5·74

  6·53

  21. Moyle DC

  8·51

  4·43

  22. Newry & Mourne DC

  0·00

  2·85

  23. Newtownabbey BC

  0·92

  6·73

  24. North Down BC

  5·15

  3·38

  25. Omagh DC

  9·91

  6·36

  26. Strabane DC

  10·70

  6·58

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the research carried out into the possible introduction of the poll tax in Northern Ireland, and the conclusions reached.

  Mr. Cope
  The arrangements for local government finance in Northern Ireland are significantly different from those in the rest of the United Kingdom. Since 1973, the services provided by local government account for only some 10 per cent. of total spending in Northern Ireland on services similar to those provided by local authorities in Great Britain. The remaining 90 per cent. is administered by central Government or their agencies subject to the scrutiny of Parliament. The circumstances in Northern Ireland are, therefore, different from those in Great Britain and there are no plans at present to replace the existing rating system in Northern Ireland.

  Suicides
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many suicides in Northern Ireland occurred during 1989 at(a) prison establishments, (b) remand establishments and (c) young offenders centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  During 1989 there was one suicide in a Northern Ireland prison establishment. There was none at young offenders centres and there are no remand establishments.

  Suicide prevention in the Northern Ireland prison service establishments is being examined by a working group and as a result of the group's deliberations a comprehensive suicide prevention manual is in the course of preparation and will be issued shortly.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what grade is his Department's equal opportunities officer.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The equal opportunities unit of the Northern Ireland Civil Service is headed by a grade 7. The Home civil service group of the Northern Ireland Office also has an equal opportunities unit, headed by a grade 7.

  Internal Audit
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many internal auditors are employed in his office and the 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. Cope
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: The following information covers the Northern Ireland Office and the Police Authority (NI) as well as the six Northern Ireland Civil Service departmental internal audit groups. The full staffing complement at 1 March 1990 was 90. Departmental running costs for 1989–90 are £1,315,000.

  There were 190 internal audit reports produced in 1989, of which one was brought to the attention of a Minister.

  No internal audit work has been subcontracted to the private sector. However, one department has made extensive use of consultants in an advisory capacity at a cost of £54,000 in 1989.

  Gaelic Athletic Association
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what level of grant in financial terms has been provided for the Gaelic Athletic Association in each of the last three years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: Grants paid by the Department of Education and Sports Council for Northern Ireland to the Gaelic Athletic Association and its affiliated clubs were as follows:

  Financial year

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  Department of Education capital grant to affiliated GAA clubs

  59,642

  48,650

  35,337

  Sports Council for Northern Ireland

  Club equipment grants

  6,428

  4,600

  4,467

  Administration coaching grants

  13,979

  21,966

  18,995

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average length of time a person is unemployed in Northern Ireland; and how many are at present unemployed for less than (1) one year, (2)

  Known NPUs for County Council TSG schemes

  Authority and scheme

  TSG support in

  NPU (£ million)

  Base year

  Avon—Newfoundland Street Bristol

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·700

  1979

  Avon—Avon Ring Road (IA): Hambrook-Badminton Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  5·410

  1979

  Avon—Avon Ring Road (IV): Marsham Way-A4 Bath Road

  —

  1990–91

  6,400

  1979

  Avon—Avon RR (IB1): Badminton Road-Westerleigh Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  5·410

  1979

  Avon—Avon RR (IB2): Westerleigh Road-Shortwood Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  26·100

  1979

  Avon—Avon Ring Road (III): A120 Warmley-Marsham Way

  1989–90

  1990–91

  26·100

  1979

  Avon—M5-Town Centre Link Weston Super Mare Stage 1

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·866

  1979

  Avon—Urban Traffic Control

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·540

  1979

  Avon—Weston Super Mare PDR Stages VA & VB

  —

  1990–91

  3·866

  1979

  Bedfordshire—Stagsden Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  1·157

  1988

  Bedfordshire—Shefford/Clifton/Henlow Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  4·610

  1979

  Berkshire—Sandhurst Crowthorne Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  27·884

  1988

  Berkshire—Slough Bath Road Montem Lane-Wellington Street

  —

  1990–91

  11·114

  1988

  Buckinghamshire—Wing-Milton Keynes Fenny Stratford Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·738

  1979

  228
  two years, (3) three years, (4) four years, (5) five years and (6) more than five years; and, in each group, how many are (a) male and (b) female.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: The estimated average durations of unemployment for those unemployed at 11 January 1990 were as follows:

  Average duration in weeks1

  Male

  76

  Female

  34

  Overall average

  60

  1 Average duration is taken as the median duration i.e. the spell of unemployment which divides the unemployed into two halves; one half with durations greater than the median and the other half with durations less than the median.

  Unemployment by sex and duration at 11 January 1990:

  Duration of unemployment

  Male

  Female

  Total

  One year or less

  32,066

  15,225

  47,291

  Two years or less2

  42,397

  18,758

  61,155

  Three years or less2

  48,706

  20,404

  69,110

  Four years or less2

  53,599

  21,555

  75,154

  Five years or less2

  57,759

  22,432

  80,191

  Over five years

  17,808

  2,414

  20,222

  2 These figures are not mutually exclusive. For example, the numbers unemployed three years or less are included in the numbers unemployed four years or less.

TRANSPORT

  Transport Supplementary Grant
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report for each county highway authority the total net present value of those road projects qualifying for transport supplementary grants in the financial years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Atkins
  The table below lists all county council highway schemes supported by transport supplementary grant (TSG) in 1989–90 and 1990–91 for which a net present value is available. It is not possible to produce an aggregate total for each authority because the costs and benefits are often based on, and discounted to, different years. A number of other schemes for which economic costs and benefits are not available is also supported with TSG.
  229

  Authority and scheme

  TSG support in

  NPU (£ million)

  Base year

  Cambridgeshire—Elton/Chesterton Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  23·200

  1988

  Cheshire—Diversion (Phase 2) Warrington

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·980

  1979

  Cheshire—Station Road Bypass Winsford

  1989–90

  —

  0·472

  1979

  Cheshire—Chester Western Bypass Phase 1

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·192

  1979

  Cheshire—Haslington Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·322

  1979

  Cleveland—Durham Road Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·320

  1976

  Cleveland—South Bank Link Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·000

  1986

  Cleveland—Thornaby Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  18·760

  1986

  Cleveland—Guisborough Road Improvement

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·448

  1979

  Cornwall—Penzance Primary Distributor

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·219

  1979

  Cornwall—Truro-Devoran T (Carnon Downs Bypass)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·680

  1979

  Cornwall—Newquay Gannel Link Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  12·970

  1979

  Cornwall—Sticker Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·356

  1979

  Cornwall—Liskeard Industrial Distributor Road

  —

  1990–91

  5·560

  1979

  Cumbria—Staveley Bypass

  1989–90

  —

  0·698

  1979

  Cumbria—Papcastle Diversion

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·283

  1979

  Cumbria—Romney Road Link

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·309

  1979

  Derbyshire—Ilkeston Inner Relief Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  5·272

  1979

  Derbyshire—Tapton Bypass Chesterfield (Stages 1 and 2)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·117

  1979

  Devon—Plymouth-St Budeaux Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  6·972

  1985

  Devon—Milehouse Junction Improvement Plymouth

  —

  1990–91

  28·603

  1988

  Devon—Torbay Ring Road Stage 2

  —

  1990–91

  34·836

  1988

  Devon—Thorns Cross—Eagle Farm St l(Olchard Lane-Eagle farm)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·354

  1979

  Devon—Thorns Cross to Eagle Farm Stage 4

  —

  1990–91

  6·806

  1988

  Devon—Western Approach/Union Street Junction IMP Plymouth

  —

  1990–91

  34·170

  1988

  Dorset—Gillingham Internal Relief Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·600

  1979

  Dorset—A37 Improvement-Section A

  —

  1990–91

  0·076

  1979

  Durham—Canney Hill Bypass

  1989–90

  —

  4·750

  1979

  Durham—Wheatley Hill Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·097

  1979

  Durham—Coundon Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·774

  1979

  Durham—Metal Bridge to Bowburn

  —

  1990–91

  3·518

  1988

  East Sussex—Boarshead to Eridge

  —

  1990–91

  10·013

  1988

  East Sussex—Maresfield Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  5·992

  1986

  East Sussex—Mayfield Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·964

  1986

  Essex—Dovercourt Bypass Stage 2 Phase 2

  —

  1990–91

  2·881

  1979

  Essex—Canes Lane Improvement (Final Stage)

  —

  1990–91

  1·837

  1979

  Essex—Maldon Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·616

  1979

  Essex—Braintree Bypass Stage 1

  1989–90

  1990–91

  17·693

  1979

  Gloucestershire—Eastington to Stroud 3 Ebley Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  4·737

  n.a.

  Gloucestershire—Eastington-Stroud-Ebley Bypass

  1989–90

  —

  1·834

  1979

  Gloucestershire—Eastington-Stroud 3A-Ebley Bypass-Dudbridge

  1989–90

  —

  3·249

  1979

  Gloucestershire—Eastington-Stroud 3B-Byeford-Dudbridge

  1989–90

  —

  3·837

  1979

  Hampshire—Blackwater Valley Route

  1989–90

  1990–91

  24·462

  1988

  Hampshire—West Totton Bypass(3)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  32·469

  1988

  Hampshire—Hook Bypass Underbridge

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·310

  1979

  Hampshire—M3 Link Minley

  —

  1990–91

  15·663

  1988

  Hereford-Worcester—Roman Road Hereford Phase 4 Stage 2

  —

  1990–91

  -0·252

  1988

  Hereford-Worcester—A44–A422 Link Worcester Road-Whittington Road Marl Bank

  —

  1990–91

  71·260

  1988

  Hertfordshire—Stanstead Abbotts Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·471

  1979

  Hertfordshire—Waltham Cross Relief Road Phase II

  1989–90

  —

  0·905

  1979

  Hertfordshire—Tonwell Bypass

  1989–90

  —

  0·399

  1979

  Hertfordshire—Watford M1 Link and Southern Junction System

  1989–90

  1990–91

  27·858

  1979

  Hertfordshire—Stanstead Abbotts to Harlow

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·975

  1979

  Humberside—Hull North Orbital Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  4·900

  1979

  Humberside—Hull Drypool Link

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·680

  1979

  Humberside—Hull Wilmington Link

  1989–90

  —

  5·430

  1985

  Humberside—Long Riston Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·365

  1979

  Humberside—Grimsby New Baxtergate

  1989–90

  —

  0·600

  1985

  Humberside—Castle Hill to Bentley

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·390

  1979

  Humberside—Hull Stoneferry Bridge

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·383

  1979

  Humberside—Humber Bridge Northern Approach Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·085

  1979

  Humberside—Hedon Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·603

  1979

  Humberside—Hull Ennerdale Link

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·621

  1979

  Kent—Faversham Western Link Road

  1989–90

  —

  1·495

  1979

  Kent—Albion Place-Mote Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·227

  1979

  Kent—Thanet Way Dualling

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·365

  1979

  Kent—Ashford Southern Orbital

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·400

  1979

  Kent—Beaver Road Diversion

  1989–90

  1990–91

  8·000

  1979

  Kent—Hamstreet Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -1·123

  1979

  Kent—Denton Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·459

  1979

  Kent—Whitfield Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·374

  1979

  Kent—Sturry Road to Military Road Link Canterbury

  1989–90

  —

  1·087

  1979

  Kent—Dartford Northern Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  68·312

  1988

  Kent—Whitfield to Eastry

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·059

  1979

  Kent—Lord of the Manor

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·024

  1979

  Kent—Eastry Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·552

  1979

  230 231

  Authority and scheme

  TSG support in

  NPU (£ million)

  Base year

  Kent—Densole-Hawkinge Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·159

  1979

  Kent—South Ashford to Hamstreet

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·059

  1979

  Kent—Stockbridge to Brenzett

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·091

  1979

  Kent—Maidstone Spine Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  30·350

  1979

  Kent—Somerhill Park Link Tonbridge

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·924

  1979

  Kent—Thames-side Industrial Route(TIR) Stage 1

  —

  1990–91

  21·292

  1988

  Lancashire—Shuttleworth Hall Link Road

  1989–90

  —

  10·548

  1979

  Lancashire—Kirkham and Wesham Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  15·508

  1988

  Lancashire—Burnley Inner Relief Road (Phase II)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  34·641

  1988

  Lancashire—Penwortham Bypass Ext to Preston

  1989–90

  1990–91

  72·971

  1988

  Lancashire—Nelson-Colne (Main Works)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  32·829

  1979

  Lancashire—ChorleyTown Centre Bypass (Phase I)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·298

  1988

  Lancashire—Blackburn Inner Relief Road (Phase I)

  —

  1990–91

  13·892

  1988

  Lancashire—North Valley Link Road Colne

  1989–90

  1990–91

  9·325

  1979

  Lancashire—Squires Gate Lane Blackpool Dualling

  —

  1990–91

  6·374

  1988

  Lancashire—Accrington Town Centre Relief Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  14·432

  1988

  Lancashire—Freckleton Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  29·567

  1988

  Lancashire—Park Road-St Helens Road Link Ormskirk

  —

  1990–91

  7·602

  1988

  Lancashire—Lancaster—Morecambe Bypass (Phase I)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  36·168

  1988

  Leicestershire—Asfordby Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·819

  1979

  Leicestershire—Syston Northern Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·468

  1979

  Leicestershire—Ashby-Loughborough Coleorton improvement

  —

  1990–91

  0·178

  1979

  Leicestershire—Redland Quarry to Quorn/Mountsorrel Bypass Link

  —

  1990–91

  0·264

  1979

  Lincolnshire—Wainfleet Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  7·414

  1988

  Lincolnshire—Donington Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·165

  1979

  Norfolk—Dersingham/Snettisham Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  7·718

  1979

  Norfolk—Trowse Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·400

  1979

  Norfolk—Kirby Cane/Geldeston Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·333

  1979

  Norfolk—Outwell Bends

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·154

  1979

  Norfolk—Watton Inner Relief Road

  —

  1990–91

  5·937

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Oundle Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -2·541

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Brigstock Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·352

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Wollaston Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·369

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Yardley Gobion Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·551

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Raunds and Stanwick Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  6·705

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Ringstead and Denford Bypass (including MI/A1 junction)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  6·705

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Thrapston Eastern Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  6·705

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Bozeat Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·447

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Middleton Cheney Bypass and Overthorpe Hall Improvement

  —

  1990–91

  13·753

  1988

  Northamptonshire—Brixworth Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  -0·769

  1979

  Northamptonshire—River Tove Bends

  —

  1990–91

  2·664

  1988

  Northamptonshire—Staverton Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·054

  1979

  Northamptonshire—Nene Valley Way 1 Crawler Lane

  —

  1990–91

  1·384

  1988

  Northumberland—Prudhoe Northern Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  23·182

  1988

  Northumberland—Swinburne Quarry to Fourlaws Stage 1

  —

  1990–91

  1·308

  1988

  North Yorkshire—York Outer Ring Road

  1989–90

  —

  10·824

  1976

  North Yorkshire A658/A59 Harrogate Knaresborough Southern Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  9·698

  1979

  North Yorkshire—Green Hamerton Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·016

  1979

  North Yorkshire—Bar Laithe to Pacegate

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·292

  1979

  North Yorkshire—Sherburn-in-Elmet and South Milford Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  7·358

  1988

  Nottinghamshire—Hucknall Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  4·543

  1979

  Nottinghamshire—Manvers Street Link Nottingham

  —

  1990–91

  3·781

  1979

  Oxfordshire—Banbury Inner Relief Road

  —

  1990–91

  37·360

  1988

  Shropshire—English Bridge Gyratory

  1989–90

  1990–91

  16·582

  1988

  Shropshire—Reabrook to Telford Way Link

  1989–90

  1990–91

  8·237

  1979

  Shropshire—Whitchurch Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  5·523

  1988

  Shropshire—Ironbridge Bypass Extension

  —

  1990–91

  3·746

  1988

  Somerset—Ashill to Southfields Roundabout (A303)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·693

  1979

  Staffordshire—Tutbury Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·482

  1988

  Staffordshire—Himley Bypass

  1989–90

  —

  1·177

  1979

  Staffordshire—Uttoxeter to Combridge

  1989–90

  1990–91

  10·033

  1988

  Staffordshire—Burton Southern Primary Route

  1989–90

  1990–91

  6·137

  1979

  Staffordshire—Keele Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·602

  1988

  Staffordshire—Cannock Eastern Primary Route

  1989–90

  1990–91

  30·723

  1988

  Staffordshire—Hawkins Lane Link Burton-upon-Trent

  1989–90

  1990–91

  3·207

  1988

  Suffolk—Stowmarket Relief Road

  —

  1990–91

  10·144

  1988

  Suffolk—Long Melford Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  8·587

  1988

  Suffolk—Kessingland Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·001

  1979

  Suffolk—Mutford Bridge

  —

  1990–91

  0·545

  1988

  Surrey—Ewell Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·914

  1987

  Warwickshire—Stratford Southern Relief Road

  1989–90

  1990–91

  4·754

  1979

  Warwickshire—Bedworth Bypass Extension (Hen Lane-M6)

  1989–90

  1990–91

  9·010

  1985

  Warwickshire—Wellesbourne Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  ·24

  1979

  West Sussex—Cuckfield Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·720

  1979

  West Sussex—Bewbush

  1989–90

  1990–91

  0·630

  1979

  232 233

  Authority and scheme

  TSG support in

  NPU (£ million)

  Base year

  West Sussex—Rustington Bypass

  1989–90

  1990–91

  2·080

  1979

  West Sussex—Littlehampton Bypass (main scheme)

  —

  1990–91

  24·708

  1988

  West Sussex—Crawley South Western Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  15·067

  1988

  Wiltshire—Chippenham Relief Road Stage 1

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1·636

  1984

  Wiltshire—Burbage Bypass

  —

  1990–91

  2·581

  1988

  Rail Travel Improvements
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the progress made on the plans to improve rail travel outlined in his answer of 16 November 1989,Official Report, column 398, in respect of the Westminster area.

  Mr. Portillo
  The LRT has now deposited a Bill in respect of the extension of the Jubilee line from Green Park to dockands and Stratford. The Bill provides for a Jubilee line station to be constructed at Westminster with a new ticket hall and interchange links to the existing District and Circle Lines. Detailed discussions are in progress with all relevant authorities and interested parties on this proposal and the impact of the construction works on the surrounding area.

  My right hon. Friend recently gave the go-ahead for a contract worth over £50 million to refurbish 101 trains on London's Underground including all 44 on the Victoria line. London Underground also has an enormous programme of improvements which will increase the capacity and improve the environment of many of its stations, including Victoria.

  Departmental Property
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many houses are in the ownership of his Department in each district in Greater Manchester; and what percentage of them are empty.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information is as follows:

  District

  Number of houses

  Percentage empty

  Wigan

  9

  44

  Stockport

  56

  9

  Manchester

  43

  2

  Rochdale

  53

  5

  Tameside

  38

  10

  Oldham

  108

  16

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the additional expenditure schemes earmarked for Channel tunnel related roads in the county of Kent.

  Mr. Atkins
  Following are local road schemes, proposed by Kent county council in the context of the Channel tunnel, which my Department is supporting under the transport supplementary grant system with grant over and above that attracted by the county council's ordinary road building programme:

  A2070 Ashford South Orbital

  A2070 Beaver Road Diversion

  A2070 Hamstreet Bypass

  A2070 South Ashford to Hamstreet

  A2070 Stockbridge to Brenzett

  234

  A256 Whitfield Bypass

  A256 Whitfield to Eastry

  A256 Eastry Bypass

  A260 Denton/Selsted Bypass

  A260 Densole/Hawkinge Bypass

  Our very substantial trunk road programme in Kent, valued at about £678 million (November 1987 prices) would be necessary with or without a Channel tunnel.

  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the Channel tunnel working group's forecasts and report on traffic data and the effects of the Channel tunnel on traffic demand, together with the assumptions upon which they are based.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am making arrangements for copies of the Channel tunnel traffic working group's report, dated June 1986, to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies are being undertaken in his Department on estimating road traffic growth following the Channel tunnel opening in summer 1993.

  Mr. Atkins
  The net extra traffic resulting from the completion of the Channel tunnel is not expected to be significant compared with forecast traffic growth generally. Therefore, no specific studies relating to the opening of the tunnel are planned. However, my Department has established the cross-Channel traffic group to produce an up-to-date estimate of all cross-Channel traffic in 1993 and beyond on the main road network in the south-east. General traffic growth will continue to be monitored in the normal way.

  Traffic Counts
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines his Department issues for the inclusion of cyclists in traffic counts.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: For the purposes of the national traffic census the Department's standard rules on traffic counting are those published in statistics bulletin (88)32 "Description of Vehicles for Traffic Counting Purposes"—a copy is in the Library. Pedal cycles and motor cycles are included as separate categories of vehicle.

  The same guidelines are used in the Department's traffic appraisal manual, though for most cost-benefit analyses prepared for the Department data on cycle and motor cycle traffic are not required and, therefore, may not be collected.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department undertakes traffic counts at weekends.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: Yes. In particular, regular weekend counts classified by type of vehicle are carried out at 163 sites throughout Great

  235
  Britain for the national traffic census. A number of other sites are monitored at weekends by automatic traffic data counting systems which collect unclassified data on the total flow of vehicles.

THE ARTS

  Art Treasures
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give details of items currently included on the decided list of art treasures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to my answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, Central (Mr. Fisher) on 28 February 1990, Official Report, column 200.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many Government Departments ensure that at least 3 per cent. of their employees are registered disabled people.

  Mr. Luce
  All Government Departments aim to employ at least a 3 per cent. quota of people who are registered as disabled. On 1 June 1989 five Departments had met this target. A further four Departments employed over 2·5 per cent. of people registered as disabled. Figures showing the proportion of staff who are registered as disabled in each Department are presented annually in the civil service magazine Independent, copies of which I am placing in the Libraries of the House.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Property Law
  Mr. French
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received about the effects of section 2 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has received four representations from practitioners and an academic about the effect of section 2 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989. In general terms these raised the following matters: (1) options (2) security documents (3) equitable charges (4) contracts by exchange of correspondence. The Lord Chancellor is satisfied that no amendment to section 2 is required in the light of these representations.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will bring forward amendments to section 2 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989 so that it does not apply to the exercise of an option on property granted after 27 September 1989.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has no plans to bring forward amendments to section 2 of the Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Poland
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now list the projects so far approved from the know-how fund for Poland.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information is as follows:

  Activities approved under the know-how fund for Poland as at 8 March 1990

  Title:

  Foreign Investment agency

  Description:

  Four seminars on corporate finance, and financial and management accounting

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £56,000

  Title:

  Bank Handlowy

  Description:

  Two seminars on Treasury management and an introduction to capital markets

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £34,000

  Title:

  Banking and finance sector mission

  Description:

  Project identification

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £10,000

  Title:

  Finance and the City of London

  Description:

  Course in financial institutions for 20 Polish visitors

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £61,000

  Title:

  Accountancy sector mission

  Description:

  Project identification

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £19,000

  Title:

  Privatisation conference

  Description:

  Conference

  Status:

  Completed:

  Cost:

  £33,000

  Title:

  Job Ownership

  Description:

  Study tour of United Kingdom employee-owned businesses

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £10,000

  Title:

  Warszawskie Zaklady Telewizyjne (WZT)

  Description:

  Pilot consultancy on employee ownership

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £12,000

  Title:

  Management Study tour

  Description:

  Directors of Polish management education schools to undertake two-week United Kingdom study tour

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £31,000

  Title:

  Management seminars

  Description:

  Seminars on marketing and export promotion

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £20,000

  Title:

  Young management graduates

  Description:

  Two month programme at British Institute of management plus attachments

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £222,000

  Title:

  Management educators

  Description:

  Training of trainers at various institutions

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £251,000

  237

  Title:

  Visiting lecturers

  Description:

  Tours of Polish management schools by invited British specialists

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £56,000

  Title:

  Fishery management

  Description:

  Three month programme at Hull for Polish fishery managers plus study tour by senior managers

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £133,000

  Title:

  Farmer/Co-operatives training

  Description:

  Identification and implementation of training programme for managers of cooperatives

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £20,000

  Title:

  English for management

  Description:

  Project identification

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £10,000

  Title:

  Management libraries

  Description:

  Provision of management books and videos to key Polish educational institutions

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £125,000

  Title:

  Industrial consultancy

  Description:

  Assessment of potential productivity improvements at three Polish plants and substantive work at FSO car manufacturing plant

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £75,000

  Title:

  Financial seminars

  Description:

  Increasing awareness of how Western financial institutions and markets work

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £172,000

  Title:

  Translation of key management texts

  Description:

  Two consultants to identify needs in relation to the translation and publication of selected texts and the potential establishment of a publishing house

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £10,820

  Title:

  Electricity sector

  Description:

  Reconnaissance mission

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £10,000

  Title:

  IBRD social security mission

  Description:

  Secondment of three United Kingdom experts to an IBRD mission to look at the social aspects of economic adjustment

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £39,000

  Title:

  Blood plasma

  Description:

  Feasibility study for establishment of a blood fractionation plant

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £154,000

  Title:

  Data Processing

  Description:

  Adaptation of Polish econometric model to meet IMF specifications

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £22,000

  Title:

  Economic Adviser

  Description:

  Appointment of a macro-economic adviser to the Ministry of Finance

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £60,000

  238

  Title:

  Equipment for Ministry of Finance

  Description:

  Provision of office machinery

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £20,000

  Title:

  Equipment for Ministry of Education

  Description:

  Provision of office machinery to the Task Force for co-ordination

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £20,000

  Title:

  Coal industry training

  Description:

  Training in colliery management techniques

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £49,000

  Title:

  Cracow tourism study

  Description:

  Recommendation of immediate measures to help Cracow cope with the coming tourist season, and development of longer-term proposals

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £37,000

  Title:

  Agros dried vegetables

  Description:

  Recommendations for productivity improvements

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £55,000

  Title:

  Company doctor training

  Description:

  Seven courses in training Polish consultants in techniques of company analysis

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £97,000

  Title:

  Conference on demonopolisation

  Description:

  Discussion of methods and experiences of demonopolisation in relation to the process of economic and political decision taking

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £11,000

  Title:

  Book industry training

  Description:

  Pilot project to assess the training needs of the Polish book industry

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £17,200

  Title:

  Post-experience training for journalists

  Description:

  Four courses including academic and practical attachments

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £240,000

  Title:

  Local government assistance

  Description:

  Project to combat environmental pollution involving Carlisle and Slupsk

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £30,000

  Title:

  Seminars for Polish MPs

  Description:

  Introduction to British parliamentary concepts

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £15,000

  Title:

  Media training

  Description:

  Seven courses organised by BBC World Service

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £225,000

  Title:

  Establishment of capital markets

  Description:

  Familiarisation trip by Ministry of Finance officials to the London Stock Exchange

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £7,600

  Title:

  AIDS training

  Description:

  Training for Polish doctors and nurses on how to handle AIDS patients

  Status:

  To be implemented

  239

  Cost:

  £21,500

  Title:

  Railway training

  Description:

  Attendance at signalling and telecommunications course for three railway engineers

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £15,800

  Title:

  New banks mission

  Description:

  Technical assistance for the establishment of new banks

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £25,000

  Title:

  Agricultural sector mission

  Description:

  Project identification

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £25,000

  Title:

  Pharmaceutical sector

  Description:

  Mission to assess pharmacy training needs and joint venture possibilities

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £2,300

  Title:

  Foreign trade training

  Description:

  Secondment from the Polish Chamber of Foreign Trade to the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £2,200

  Title:

  Scholarships programme

  Description:

  Non project-related training awards administered by the British Council

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £500,000 per year

  Title:

  Academic links programme

  Description:

  Finance to allow two-way exploratory visits between institutions which will be administered by the British Council

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £100,000 per year

  Title:

  IBRD banking mission

  Description:

  Secondment of two United Kingdom experts to an IBRD mission to look at project preparatory work in the banking sector

  Status:

  Completed

  Cost:

  £16,900

  Title:

  Assistance to local government

  Description:

  Provision of equipment for the Foundation of Local Democracy centre in Lodz

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £20,000

  Title:

  Research Programme

  Description:

  Assessment of the competitiveness of the industrial sector in Poland

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £27,000

  Title:

  Privatisation and market research centre in

  Gdansk

  Description:

  Assistance to the Centre

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £38,000

  Title:

  Legal training

  Description:

  Three month placements for 13 Polish lawyers with United Kingdom firms

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £40,000

  Title

  Energy Audit

  Description:

  Detailed analysis of the Power and Brown Coal Board by a team of 12 United Kingdom utility personnel

  240

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £403,000

  Title:

  Economic Adviser

  Description:

  Appointment of a second Economic Adviser to the Ministry of Finance

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £7,000

  Title:

  Financial Markets Adviser

  Description:

  Appointment of an Adviser to the Ministry of Finance

  Status:

  Underway

  Cost:

  £70,000

  Title:

  Assistance to local government

  Description:

  Three courses for newly elected local government councillors and officials based at Leicester Polytechnic

  Status:

  To be implemented

  Cost:

  £190,000

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Atrazine
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he will take to limit the use of the chemical atrazine.

  Mr. Maclean
  The use of atrazine is already restricted under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. The Advisory Committee on Pesticides is at present reviewing atrazine and could if necessary recommend to Ministers that these conditions should be amended.

  Poultry Flocks
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department will be issuing details of the regulations for registration by poultry flocks; and what is the date by which registration is required.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Poultry Laying Flocks (Testing and Registration etc.) Order 1989 and the Poultry Breeding Flocks and Hatcheries (Registration and Testing) Order 1989 came into operation on 26 October 1989 apart from the registration requirement which applies from 2 April. Details of the arrangements were circulated on a wide scale in October, registration application forms have been circulated and a reminder about registration will be issued shortly.

  Mineral Water
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the accuracy of the description of Perrier water as a naturally carbonated mineral water.

  Mr. Maclean
  The conditions which have to be met by water labelled as naturally carbonated natural mineral water are laid down in annex I, part III, of Council directive 80/777/EEC. Information which came to light during the recent Perrier contamination incident raises a number of questions on the labelling of this natural mineral water and I have asked my officials to write to the European Commission seeking clarification.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the
  241
  provision in the European Communities directive which permits bottled water not to have the full chemical analysis printed on the label.

  Mr. Maclean
  Article 7(2) of directive 80/777/EEC requires labels on natural mineral waters either to bear a declaration of the water's analytical composition or to state that the composition is in accordance with the results of the official analysis. A proposal to require the mandatory declaration of information on the analytical composition has already been made and the United Kingdom Government will press for such a proposal as being more informative to consumers.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will raise with the European Communities Commission the question of mineral water purity and labelling.

  Mr. Maclean
  The European Commission has already indicated that it intends to review Council directive 80/777/EEC and has asked member states for comments. Purity and labelling issues will likely be part of the review.

  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether describing the practice of the removal of carbon dioxide from water, its cleaning and then reinjection under pressure as naturally carbonated complies with the labelling rules; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Council directive 80/777/EEC defines naturally carbonated natural mineral water as"water whose content of carbon dioxide from the spring after decanting, if any, and bottling is the same as at source, taking into account where appropriate the reintroduction of a quantity of carbon dioxide from the same water table or deposit equivalent to that released in the course of those operations and subject to the usual technical tolerances".
  I have asked my officials to write to the European Commission to seek clarification on exactly how this provision operates when gas and water are extracted separately at the source and subsequently mixed during bottling.

  Rabies
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any contingency plans for the use of vaccinations of wild animals acting as vectors of rabies in the event of an outbreak in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Oral vaccination of wildlife is not appropriate in a rabies-free country. In the unlikely event of an outbreak in wildlife in the United Kingdom control measures would concentrate on the destruction of foxes in the infected area.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he proposes to report on his review of maneb, mancozeb and zineb.

  Mr. Maclean
  The report on immediate concerns was published on 31 January. The report of the ongoing review of remaining areas will be published as soon as possible.

  Animal Waste
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what changes have been made in the temperature levels defined as appropriate for the heat treatment of animal waste since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government have strict controls which apply to animal protein processors' handling of animal waste, principally to minimise the risk of salmonella contamination, but it has never laid down specific heat treatment requirements.

  Commercial technological developments led to a move away from batch processing to continuous rendering. Both batch and continuous systems operate at a range of temperatures; batch between 100 and 150 deg. C, and continuous between 100 and 145 deg. C.

  Livestock (Transit Care)
  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the trade in horsemeat between the United Kingdom and Europe in respect of the care of horses and other livestock in transit, and on any breaches of standards of care of animals; and if he has any proposals under consideration to bring this trade to an end.

  Mr. Maclean
  In 1989 the United Kingdom exported 1,932 tonnes of meat derived from horses and other equines, valued at £2·85 million. There is no reason to end this trade. In Community negotiations we shall, however, press to retain existing controls designed to prevent the export of live horses and ponies for slaughter.

  Artificial Flavourings
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 28 February,Official Report, column 242, if he will introduce legislation to replace the legal term "flavour" with the term "artificial flavour" to assist consumers seeking to avoid the use of artificial flavourings.

  Mr. Maclean
  No. I believe that the term "artificial flavour" instead of "flavour" would not necessarily help consumers and might be misleading. While the term "strawberry flavour," for example, indicates that the flavour does not come wholly or mainly from strawberries, some of it may come from strawberries and the rest might come from other natural flavourings. The European Commission is, however, expected to make proposals on the labelling of flavourings in food and I shall be pressing for terminology which enables consumers to make an informed choice.

  Fish and Cetaceans (Disease)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if there is any evidence of a change in the levels of disease suffered by fish or cetaceans in British coastal waters.

  Mr. Curry
  Disease levels in marine fish populations have been found to fluctuate from year to year and in some cases seasonally, but there is no clear evidence of a long-term trend of changing levels of disease in fish. There
  243
  has been no comprehensive collection of data on the incidence of disease in cetaceans, but I understand that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment is considering new research projects on cetaceans and marine mammals, including post-mortem analysis for stranded cetaceans and other marine animals found on our shores.

  Salmonella
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many laying breeding flocks in Britain have now been found to have been carrying salmonella enteritidis, and in what regions of the United Kingdom these flocks were found.

  Mr. Maclean
  Salmonella enteritidis has been isolated from one layer breeder flock located in south-west England.

  Eggs
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the production and sale by month over the last 12 months of British eggs; and what was the level of importation and sale month by month of eggs from overseas during the same period.

  Mr. Curry
  The latest monthly data for throughput at packing stations in Great Britain (that is excluding Northern Ireland) and in the United Kingdom and for imports into the United Kingdom are as follows. Figures are not collected on sales of eggs.

  thousand boxes (of 360 eggs)

  Great Britain Packing station throughput

  United Kingdom Packing station throughput

  Imports into United Kingdom

  1989

  February

  2,060

  2,202

  21

  March

  2,093

  2,231

  22

  April

  12,711

  12,889

  111

  May

  2,227

  2,367

  78

  June

  2,250

  2,393

  72

  July

  12,681

  12,843

  63

  August

  2,117

  2,256

  98

  September

  2,148

  2,296

  161

  October

  12,659

  12,847

  106

  November

  2,041

  2,203

  207

  December

  2,035

  2,186

  150

  Children who received a statement of special educational need1

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Number

  Per cent.

  Clwyd

  377

  0·5

  187

  0·3

  213

  0·3

  Dyfed

  160

  0·3

  104

  0·2

  121

  0·2

  Gwent

  272

  0·4

  235

  0·3

  463

  0·6

  Gwynedd

  80

  0·2

  70

  0·2

  99

  0·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  537

  0·6

  575

  0·6

  643

  0·7

  Powys

  17

  0·1

  16

  0·1

  30

  0·2

  South Glamorgan

  217

  0·3

  201

  0·3

  174

  0·3

  West Glamorgan

  274

  0·5

  234

  0·4

  304

  0·5

  1 The figures shown indicate the number of children, in each calendar year, for whom statements of special education need were made for the first time.

  244

  Great Britain Packing station throughput

  United Kingdom Packing station throughput

  Imports into United Kingdom

  1990

  January

  12,681

  12,882

  105

  1 5 week months.

WALES

  Cancer Treatment
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many responses in total have been submitted to date on the review of the provision of cancer treatment services for the people of north Wales; and how many favour option 4.

  Mr. Grist
  Of the 18 responses to consultation received by 9 March, eight have specified a preference for a radiotherapy unit in north Wales (option 4).

  Roads
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received from the local highway authority and others concerning the provision of a pedestrian crossing on the A487(T) at Tremadog; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Three. The request for a pedestrian crossing was refused but Gwynedd county council has been asked to prepare a scheme to improve pedestrian safety by widening the footpath and reducing the width of the carriageway thus making crossing easier.

  Special Educational Needs
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children received a statement of special educational needs in each year from 1984 to 1989 in each local education authority in Wales; and what is each figure as a percentage of all pupils in maintained schools in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Data for 1989 are not yet available. Prior to 1986 information in the form requested was not collected centrally. Information for 1986, 1987 and 1988 is shown in the table:

  Storm Damage
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional finance he will give to borough councils, additional to the Bellwin formula, in north Clwyd consequent upon the February storms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The Bellwin scheme represents an entirely appropriate and adequate Government response to the additional costs incurred by local authorities in dealing with emergencies. In view of the scale of the emergency, and the very high expenditure being incurred by the local councils directly affected by the recent flooding in north Wales, I am pleased to say that the rate of grant payable has, exceptionally, been increased to 85 per cent. of eligible expenditure. I have, in addition, announced a Government contribution of £150,000 to the appeal funds launched locally.

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide help to farmers in north Wales whose land has been affected by sea water.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  It is too early to assess the full extent of the damage to farms in the affected areas. However, it is clear that immediate steps must be taken to counter the damaging effects of prolonged sea water flooding of agricultural land by the application of gypsum. In these wholly exceptional circumstances my Department will meet the costs of this measure and ADAS will provide free advice. Farmers will also be advised of the assistance available under existing grant schemes to help meet the costs of other work that may be necessary.

  Parliamentary approval to this exceptional measure will be sought in a revised estimate for the agricultural services, support for the fishing industry, regional and industrial development, Wales vote 2 (class XVI vote 2, 1990–91).

  Cash limits
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes making any further cash limits changes.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  Yes. Provision for regional enterprise grants on class XVII, vote 2, is being reduced by

  Table 1 Documents issued pursuant to the White Paper "Working for Patients" CM 555, January 1989

  Date

  Reference number

  Consultation

  Title

  1. January 1989

  —

  Final

  The NHS in Wales: Proposals for Action

  2. August 1989

  —

  Final

  "Working for Patients", text of the Secretary of State letter of 1 August 1989 to Health Authority and Family Practitioner Committee Chairmen

  DOH working papers

  3. March 1989

  Working Paper 1

  Final

  Self-governing Hospitals

  4. March 1989

  Working Paper 2

  Final

  Funding and Contracts for Hospital Services

  5. March 1989

  Working Paper 3

  Final

  Practice Budgets for General Medical Practitioners

  6. March 1989

  Working Paper 4

  Final

  Indicative Prescribing Budgets for General Medical Practitioners

  7. March 1989

  Working Paper 5

  Final

  Capital Charges

  8. March 1989

  Working Paper 6

  Final

  Medical Audit

  9. March 1989

  Working Paper 7

  Final

  NHS Consultants: Appointments, Contracts and Distinction Awards

  10. March 1989

  Working Paper 8

  Final

  Implications for Family Practitioner Committees

  11. July 1989

  Working Paper 9

  Final

  Capital Charges: Funding Issues

  12. November 1989

  Working Paper 10

  Final

  Education and Training

  Resource Allocation

  13. February 1990

  RAWG(90)5

  Final

  Implications for Resource Allocation Working Group (RAWG) of the Government White Paper

  246
  £500,000 and the cash limit reduced from £86,448,000 to £85,948,000. This reduction will provide the necessary public expenditure cover for a temporary borrowing facility required by the Development Board for Rural Wales to meet its expenditure commitments during the remainder of the current financial year. The facility will not add to the board's overall resources but will ease its cash flow position pending the settlement of a substantial claim for repayment of VAT from Her Majesty's Customs and Excise not now expected until the next financial year.

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

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 8 March,Official Report, column 799.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from companies about the additional burden of cost and administration to be placed on them under the terms of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement Regulations) 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have received no such representations.

  Community Care
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all working papers, implementation documents, consultative documents, departmental circulars, and other publications, whether in draft or final form, that have been issued to date in respect of Wales regarding(a) National Health Service matters and (b) care in the community matters arising from the National Health Service and Community Care Bill, the Government's White Papers on these topics, and associated Government initiatives.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: Relevant publications issued by the Department in Wales are shown in the tables:
  247

  Date

  Reference number

  Consultation

  Title

  14. July 1989

  RAWG(89)9

  Final

  RAWG further work

  15. July 1989

  RAWG(89)11

  Final

  RAWG Resident Population Resourcing Sub-Group Progress Report: Setting up an experiment to test the feasibility of involving GPs in the planning and development of DHA provided services.

  16. January 1990

  RAWG(90)l

  Final

  Capital Charges and Capital Allocations: A discussion paper

  17. January 1990

  RAWG(90)2

  Final

  Weighted Capitation Funding: Revenue Formula

  18. January 1990

  RAWG(90)3

  Final

  Implementing the White Paper: Contractual Arrangements

  Capital Charging and Asset Accounting

  19. March 1989

  EL(89) MB60 Department of Health (DOH) letter

  Final

  Capital Charges and Asset Registers: Report of Pilot Exercises

  20. July 1989

  —

  Final

  Capital Charges update 1989/1: Basis of valuation of land and buildings

  21. July 1989

  —

  Final

  Capital Charges update 89/2

  22. August 1989

  —

  Final

  Capital Charges update 89/3

  23. October 1989

  —

  Final

  Capital Charges update 89/4

  24. October 1989

  —

  Final

  Department of Health Booklet: "The Costing of Health Buildings for Capital Charging Purposes"

  25. November 1989

  —

  Final

  Asset Registers: Pro forma on Progress Report—covering letter

  26. November 1989

  —

  Final

  BCIS Cost Analyses for Wales—covering letter

  27. November 1989

  —

  Final

  Letter with sets of cost beacons

  28. December 1989

  —

  Final

  Capital Charges Update 89/5

  29. January 1990

  DGM(9O)5

  Final

  Capital Asset Registers: Valuation of Land and Buildings

  30. January 1990

  —

  Final

  Capital Charges Update 90/1 and 90/2

  Financial Management

  31. October 1989

  DGM(89)103

  Final

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

  32. October 1989

  DGM(89)108

  Final

  Contracts for Health Services—Operational Principles

  33. October 1989

  DGM(89)108

  Final

  Discussion document on Pricing and Openness in Contracts

  34. December 1989

  —

  Final

  Consultation on Charging for WHCSA Services

  35. January 1990

  DGM(90)11

  Final

  Study of the feasibility of recording and reviewing patients' need for and use of hospital and community health services in general practice

  36. February 1990

  DGM(90)16

  Final

  Contracting for services and funding arrangements in 1991–92 and beyond

  37. February 1990

  —

  Consultation

  DOH paper: Contracts and Cash Limits

  Family practitioner services

  38. April 1989

  FPCL(W)22/89

  Final

  FPC Management Structures

  39. June 1989

  WHC(89)39

  Final

  Pay and Conditions of Service: FPC Managers

  40. October 1989

  WHC(89)62

  Final

  FPC Managers: Remuneration and Conditions of Service

  41. December 1989

  FPCL(W)97/89

  Final

  Practitioner Funding Scheme: Issue of Programme to GPs

  42. January 1990

  —

  Final

  Funding General Practice—booklet issued to all GPs

  Quality assurance

  43. August 1989

  WHC(89)47

  Consultation

  Quality Patient Care

  Information technology

  44. December 1989

  —

  Final

  Information and Information Technology strategic direction for the NHS in Wales

  45. May 1989

  —

  Consultation

  All-Wales Health Service IT Strategy: Impact of White Paper Draft for discussion

  46. July 1989

  —

  Final

  IT strategy: comments

  47. February 1990

  DOH Working Paper 11

  Final

  Framework for Information Systems

  NHS trusts and contracts

  48. September 1989

  —

  Final

  Self-Governing Hospitals: An Initial Guide

  49. September 1989

  DGM(89)94

  Final

  Self-Governing Hospitals: Outline Application document

  50. March 1990

  DGM(90)23

  Consultation

  Implementing the White Paper: Operating Contracts

  Health strategy

  51. July 1989

  —

  Final

  Strategic Planning in the NHS after the White Paper "Working for Patients"

  52. (a) November 1989

  Consultation

  Welsh Health Planning Forum (WHPF) Consultation Documents "Local strategies for health: a New Approach to Strategic Planning"; and "Strategic Intent and Direction for the NHS in Wales"

  (b) February 1990

  —

  Final

  Executive summaries of the documents in (a) above

  53. October 1989

  DGM(89)107

  Final

  Development of Business Plans 1990/91

  54. November 1989

  DGM(89)120

  Consultation

  Business Planning 1990/91: Draft Guidance

  55. January 1990

  DGM(90)l

  Final

  Business Planning 1990/91: Final Guidance

  CHCs

  248 249

  Date

  Reference number

  Consultation

  Title

  56. November 1989

  —

  Consultation

  Review of Community Health Councils in Wales: A consultation paper

  Manpower

  57. December 1989

  —

  Final

  The Health Service in Wales—Towards 2000 Manpower Planning, Education and Training

  58. November 1989

  DGM(89)115

  Consultation

  NHS: Medical and Dental Staff—Amendment of NHS (Appointment of Consultants) Regulations

  Table 2 Documents issued pursuant to the white paper "Caring for People: Community Care in the next decade and beyond" CM 849, November 1989

  Date

  Reference

  Consultation/ Final

  Title

  1. December 1989

  —

  Final

  Caring for People: Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond—The Proposals for Wales

  2. 26 January 1990

  —

  Consultation

  Draft Planning Guidance

  3. 16 February 1990

  —

  Consultation

  Community Care: Caring for People Independent Inspection Units

  4. 22 February 1990

  —

  Consultation

  Community Care—Future Central Funding of the Development of Services for the Elderly

  5. 29 December 1989

  —

  Consultation

  Services for People with Physical and/or Sensory Disabilities

  6. 8 March 1990

  —

  Consultation

  Community Care White Paper: Caring For People—Proposed Development Projects—Assessment and Case Management

  5. 29 December 1989

  —

  Consultation

  Services for People with Physical and/or Sensory Disabilities

  6. 8 March 1990

  —

  Consultation

  Community Care White Paper: Caring For People—Proposed Development Projects—Assessment and Case Management

  Health Service
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy that all working papers, implementation documents, consultative documents, departmental circulars and other publications in regard to the implementation of(a) the National Health Service aspects and (b) the care in the community aspects of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill and the associated White Papers in Wales shall be numbered sequentially and shall be available in the Vote Office and the Library, together with a comprehensive list of all such publications which is brought up to date from time to time.

  Mr. Grist
  [holding answer 6 March 1990]: The Department's policy of providing the Vote Office and Library with copies of all major consultation documents, circulars, and other papers on National Health Service and community care issues will continue. Lists of such documents together with any other associated publications will be available in the Library and updated quarterly. The documents are not produced in a single series, so sequential numbering would not be appropriate.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish up-to-date figures for Great Britain and each Training Agency region for each month since November 1989 and the cumulative numbers of(a) referrals to ET from the employment service to training agents, (b) agreed ET action plans of training agents, (c) starts with ET training managers, (d) the number in training on ET each month and (e) the number on continuation training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information on referrals, action plans, starts and numbers in training is provided in the tables. Information is not separately available for those on continuation training.
  250

  Table 1 Employment training Referrals from employment service to employment training December 1989 to January 1990 (cumulative )

  Employment service region

  December

  January

  London and South East

  12,900

  29,900

  South West

  3,000

  7,300

  West Midlands

  5,800

  14,600

  East Midlands and Eastern

  4,600

  10,700

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  6,500

  14,900

  North West

  8,700

  21,300

  Northern

  4,600

  11,200

  Wales

  3,800

  9,200

  Scotland

  9,100

  20,600

  Great Britain

  59,100

  139,700

  Note:

  Regional figures may not equal Great Britain total because of rounding.

  Figures for February are not yet available.

  Table 2 Employment training Agreed action plans at training agents December 1989 to February 1990 (cumulative)

  Training agency region

  December

  January

  February

  South East

  2,400

  5,400

  9,300

  London

  3,900

  7,800

  12,500

  South West

  1,800

  3,900

  6,300

  West Midlands

  3,400

  7,600

  13,100

  East Midlands and Eastern

  2,500

  4,900

  8,200

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,600

  9,400

  15,000

  North West

  4,400

  9,700

  16,400

  Northern

  3,400

  7,600

  12,300

  Wales

  1,900

  4,400

  8,000

  Scotland

  4,300

  8,800

  14,300

  Great Britain

  32,600

  69,500

  115,400

  Note:

  Regional figures may not equal Great Britain total because of rounding.
  251

  Table 3 Employment training Starts with training managers December 1989 to February 1990 (cumulative)

  Training agency region

  December

  January

  February

  South East

  1,500

  4,300

  6,900

  London

  2,600

  6,500

  10,600

  South West

  1,400

  3,400

  5,200

  West Midlands

  2,900

  6,500

  10,900

  East Midlands and Eastern

  2,100

  4,600

  7,700

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  3,700

  8,000

  13,200

  North West

  3,600

  9,000

  14,900

  Northern

  2,900

  6,200

  10,300

  Wales

  1,900

  4,400

  7,500

  Scotland

  3,500

  7,400

  12,700

  Great Britain1

  26,100

  60,500

  100,100

  1 Great Britain total includes small number of starts at Residential Training Colleges and Large Contractors not inlcuded in regional totals.

  Table 4 Employment training Filled places: December 1989 to February 1990

  Training agency region

  December

  January

  February

  South East

  14,300

  14,700

  14,900

  London

  21,000

  21,800

  22,300

  South West

  11,900

  12,100

  11,800

  West Midlands

  22,500

  21,900

  22,400

  East Midlands and Eastern

  16,600

  16,400

  16,400

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  25,100

  24,700

  25,000

  North West

  28,800

  28,900

  29,000

  Northern

  24,200

  23,700

  23,300

  Wales

  16,100

  15,900

  16,100

  Scotland

  26,100

  25,900

  26,300

  Great Britain1

  208,000

  207,000

  209,000

  1 Great Britain total includes small number of trainees at Residential Training Colleges and Large Contractors not included in regional totals.

  Acute Myeloid Leukaemia
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has made an assessment of the incidence of acute myeloid leukaemia among telegraph, radio and radar operators; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  A limited review undertaken in 1988 suggests that there may be a small increase in relative risk of acute myeloid leukaemia for telegraph, radio and radar operators. I am not aware of any current studies on this topic.

  Gateshead Garden Festival
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assistance his Department is making available to NGF(90)Ltd., organisers of the Gateshead

  Table 1 Establishments covered by wages councils on register—as at January 1989

  Wages councils

  Divisions London

  South East

  Eastern

  South West

  Midlands

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  Aerated waters

  7

  14

  57

  16

  111

  25

  24

  22

  66

  342

  Clothing manufacture

  3,006

  159

  306

  301

  1,282

  937

  452

  214

  307

  6,964

  Boot and shoe repairing

  764

  255

  258

  345

  373

  406

  111

  70

  130

  2,878

  Button manufacturing

  18

  4

  4

  4

  18

  4

  3

  1

  1

  57

  Coffin furniture and cerement making

  1

  —

  —

  2

  8

  2

  5

  —

  2

  20

  Cotton waste reclamation

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  28

  8

  3

  2

  42

  Flax and hemp

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  6

  8

  Fur

  147

  8

  8

  7

  14

  28

  11

  3

  36

  262

  252
  garden festival, for the employment and training of unemployed people during the festival; and if he will snake a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I am making arrangements so that the organisers may employ and train up to 1,140 unemployed people during the festival from public funds. Parliamentary approval to this provision will be sought in a supplementary estimate for the Department of Employment's training and enterprise programmes vole (class VI vote 1). Pending that approval, urgent expenditure estimated at £2·7 million will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many nationalised industries and public authorities ensure that at least 3 per cent. of their employees are registered disabled people.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures showing the quota position of a range of individual public sector employers are published with their agreement in the Employment Gazette. In June 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, 26 of these firms employed 3 per cent. or more registered people with disabilities.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many prosecutions there have been in the last 15 years against employers who fail to fulfil their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been three prosecutions in the last 15 years against employers who have failed to fulfil their obligations under the Disabled Persons (Employment) Act 1944. The policy of successive Governments has been to use education and persuasion to secure and improve the policies and practices of all employers in relation to the employment of people with disabilities and to bring prosecutions only as a last resort.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish in the Official Report the statistics on wages council employment and compliance with wages council rates in 1989, in the same format as in the reply given on 1 March 1989, Official Report, columns 201–06.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information requested is given in the following tables:
  253

  Divisions Wages councils

  London

  South East

  Eastern

  South West

  Midlands

  North West

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  North

  Scotland

  Great Britain

  General waste materials reclamation

  124

  74

  107

  151

  291

  308

  240

  99

  137

  1,531

  Hairdressing undertakings

  4,482

  3,181

  3,302

  4,106

  5,362

  5,171

  3,029

  1,968

  2,840

  33,441

  Hat, cap and millinery

  25

  2

  44

  5

  12

  14

  8

  11

  2

  123

  Lace finishing

  —

  —

  —

  1

  73

  —

  —

  —

  —

  74

  Laundry

  215

  281

  79

  114

  105

  68

  67

  35

  122

  1,086

  Linen and cotton handkerchief

  2

  1

  3

  3

  10

  80

  9

  1

  5

  114

  Made up textile

  34

  13

  36

  31

  51

  34

  42

  18

  33

  292

  Ostrich and fancy feather

  12

  1

  6

  4

  —

  —

  —

  4

  3

  30

  Perambulator and invalid carriage

  3

  2

  5

  3

  11

  4

  6

  1

  1

  36

  Retail bespoke tailoring

  180

  55

  52

  38

  42

  52

  39

  14

  37

  509

  Rope, twine and net

  —

  1

  5

  12

  5

  20

  18

  5

  19

  85

  Sack and bag

  20

  —

  7

  5

  14

  20

  12

  2

  6

  86

  Toy manufacturing

  17

  16

  45

  30

  35

  40

  32

  15

  9

  239

  Retail non-food trades

  20,069

  11,990

  9,840

  12,085

  19,457

  13,350

  8,712

  4,495

  8,840

  108,838

  Retail food and allied trades

  11,770

  13,100

  10,066

  12,853

  13,339

  15,891

  10,018

  7,199

  10,881

  105,117

  Licensed non-residential

  6,263

  5,962

  6,363

  9,323

  12,406

  9,540

  6,452

  4,001

  5,429

  65,739

  Licensed residential and restaurant

  5,023

  3,901

  3,595

  6,842

  3,591

  3,355

  2,013

  1,418

  3,890

  33,628

  Unlicensed place of refreshment

  4,143

  2,049

  1,540

  2,585

  1,746

  1,977

  1,324

  851

  1,497

  17,712

  Total

  56,325

  41,069

  35,728

  48,867

  58,357

  51,354

  32,801

  20,451

  34,301

  379,253

  Table 2 Establishments checked and underpayments found in wages council trades—1989

  Wages Councils

  Establishments checked by all methods

  Percentage of register checked

  Establishments checked by visit

  Percentage of register checked by visit

  Establishments found underpaying

  Percentage of all establishments checked underpaying

  Percentage of establishments visited underpaying

  Aerated Waters

  22

  6·4

  17

  4·9

  1

  4·5

  5·8

  Clothing Manufacture

  486

  6·9

  436

  6·2

  111

  22·8

  25·4

  Boot and Shoe Repairing

  216

  7·5

  91

  3·1

  11

  5·0

  120

  Button Manufacturing

  5

  8·7

  5

  8·7

  1

  20·0

  20·00

  Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making

  3

  15·0

  3

  15·0

  —

  —

  —

  Cotton Waste Reclamation

  3

  7·1

  3

  7·1

  —

  —

  —

  Flax and Hemp

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fur

  12

  4·5

  11

  4·1

  3

  25·0

  27·2

  General Waste Materials Reclamation

  100

  6·5

  59

  3·8

  2

  2·0

  3·3

  Hairdressing Undertakings

  2,633

  7·8

  1,517

  4·5

  319

  12·1

  21·0

  Hat, Cap and Millinery

  11

  8·9

  6

  4·8

  —

  —

  —

  Lace Finishing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Laundry

  95

  8·7

  66

  6·0

  16

  16·8

  24·2

  Linen and Cotton Handkerchief

  14

  12·2

  14

  12·2

  3

  21·4

  21·4

  Made-up Textile

  27

  9·2

  24

  8·2

  5

  18·5

  20·8

  Ostrich and Fancy Feather

  6

  200

  4

  13·3

  —

  —

  —

  Perambulator and Invalid Carriage

  3

  8·3

  3

  8·3

  —

  —

  —

  Retail Bespoke Tailoring

  40

  7·8

  33

  6·4

  3

  7·5

  90

  Rope, Twine and Net

  11

  12·9

  10

  11·7

  —

  —

  —

  Sack and Bag

  6

  6·9

  5

  5·8

  —

  —

  —

  Toy Manufacturing

  18

  7·5

  16

  6·6

  3

  16·6

  18·7

  Retail Non-Food Trades

  9,551

  8·7

  3,993

  3·6

  1,108

  11·6

  27·7

  Retail Food and Allied Trades

  10,111

  9·6

  6,228

  5·9

  2,289

  22·6

  36·7

  Licensed Non-Residential

  5,310

  8·0

  2,963

  4·5

  847

  15·9

  28·5

  Licensed Residential and Restaurant

  2,781

  8·2

  1,882

  5·5

  475

  17·0

  25·2

  Unlicensed Place of Refreshment

  2,164

  12·2

  1,050

  5·9

  331

  15·2

  31·5

  Total

  33,628

  8·8

  18,439

  4·8

  5,528

  16·4

  29·9

  254 255

  Table 3 Workers covered by wages councils and results of checks—1989

  Wages Councils

  Number of workers covered by Wages Order (Est. 1988)

  Workers whose pay was checked by all methods

  Workers whose pay was checked by visit

  Workers found underpaid

  Per cent, underpaid of alt workers checked

  Per cent, underpaid of all workers checked by visit

  Arrears paid

  Arrears not pursued at workers request

  Arrears not pursued for other reasons

  Total arrears assessed as due

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Aerated Waters

  5,500

  848

  421

  1

  1

  0·2

  280

  —

  —

  280

  Clothing Manufacture

  147,000

  10,875

  10,025

  356

  3·2

  3·5

  30,306

  2,283

  3,039

  35,628

  Boot and Shoe Repairing

  5,000

  477

  209

  12

  2·5

  5·7

  3,650

  3,165

  —

  6,815

  Button Manufacturing

  1,000

  133

  133

  1

  0·7

  0·7

  164

  —

  —

  164

  Coffin Furniture and Cerement Making

  200

  12

  12

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cotton Waste Reclamation

  300

  25

  25

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Flax and Hemp

  500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fur

  1,500

  55

  46

  3

  5·4

  6·5

  323

  —

  —

  323

  General Waste Materials Reclamation

  13,000

  967

  556

  7

  0·7

  1·2

  5,091

  —

  —

  5,091

  Hairdressing Undertakings

  64,000

  8,245

  4,784

  403

  4·8

  8·4

  47,191

  14,062

  4,540

  65,793

  Hat, Cap and Millinery

  4,000

  320

  288

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lace Finishing

  900

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Laundry

  26,000

  3,100

  1,606

  36

  1·1

  2·2

  5,756

  —

  270

  6,026

  Linen and Cotton Handkerchief

  2,500

  717

  717

  8

  1·1

  1·1

  366

  —

  —

  366

  Made-up Textile

  3,000

  348

  330

  18

  5·1

  5·4

  2,123

  —

  —

  2,123

  Ostrich and Fancy Feather

  500

  123

  113

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Perambulator and Invalid Carriage

  2,000

  263

  263

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Retail Bespoke Tailoring

  4,000

  138

  108

  6

  4·3

  5·5

  62

  2,030

  —

  2,092

  Rope, Twine and Net

  2,500

  1,287

  1,283

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sack and Bag

  1,000

  96

  81

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Toy Manufacturing

  11,000

  615

  609

  14

  2·2

  2·2

  818

  133

  22

  973

  Retail Non-Food Trades

  745,000

  68,184

  15,788

  1,820

  2·6

  11·5

  177,515

  74,696

  17,320

  269,531

  Retail Food and Allied Trades

  465,000

  120,911

  23,793

  4,421

  3·6

  18·5

  360,350

  229,397

  38,788

  628,535

  Licensed Non-Residential

  492,000

  41,774

  19,599

  2,178

  52

  11·1

  147,060

  34,066

  9,100

  190,226

  Licensed Residential and Restaurant

  379,000

  40,962

  23,028

  1,092

  2·6

  4·7

  83,128

  8,991

  5,648

  97,767

  Unlicensed Place of Refreshment

  96,000

  25,460

  6,094

  690

  2·7

  11·3

  45,936

  16,860

  2,683

  65,479

  TOTAL

  2,472,400

  325,935

  109,911

  11,066

  3·3

  10·0

  910,119

  385,683

  81,410

  1,377,212

  Table 4 Checks carried out and underpayments found in Wages Inspectorate divisions—1989

  Division

  Estabs checks by all methods

  Percentage of register checked

  Estabs checked by visit

  Percentage of register checked by visit

  Estabs found underpaying

  Percentage of all estabs checked underpaying

  Percentage of estabs visited underpaying

  London

  2,545

  4·9

  1,399

  2·1

  229

  8·9

  16·3

  South East

  4,462

  10·3

  1,815

  4·2

  478

  10·7

  26·3

  Eastern

  2,809

  7·1

  1,866

  4·7

  432

  15·3

  23·1

  South West

  4,297

  7·6

  2,531

  4·5

  960

  22·3

  37·9

  Midlands

  4,801

  7·8

  2,369

  3·8

  822

  17·1

  34·6

  North West

  4,939

  9·2

  3,161

  5·9

  1,104

  22·4

  35·0

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,494

  12·8

  1,804

  5·1

  569

  12·6

  31·5

  Northern

  1,989

  9·2

  1,306

  6·0

  387

  19·4

  29·6

  Scotland

  3,292

  9·5

  2,188

  6·3

  547

  16·6

  25·0

  Great Britain

  33,628

  8·8

  18,439

  4·8

  5,528

  16·4

  29·9

  All branches of multiple firms are recorded under the division in which the Head Office is located. Account has to be taken of this when comparing divisional figures.

  Table 5 Workers whose pay was checked in wages inspectorate divisions—7959

  Division

  Workers whose pay was checked by all methods

  Workers whose pay was checked by visit

  Workers found underpaid

  Percentage underpaid of all workers checked

  Percentage underpaid of all workers checked by visit

  Arrears paid

  Arrears not pursued at workers request

  Arrears not pursued for other reasons

  Total arrears assessed as due

  £

  £

  £

  £

  London

  21,262

  10,540

  509

  2·3

  4·8

  54,330

  3,234

  3,522

  61,086

  South East

  44,799

  11,551

  833

  1·8

  7·2

  92,785

  27,520

  15,673

  135,978

  Eastern

  16,641

  11,419

  883

  5·3

  7·7

  82,643

  27,469

  2,568

  112,680

  South West

  38,613

  15,006

  1,691

  4·3

  11·2

  107,893

  45,899

  10,546

  164,338

  Midlands

  34,650

  14,908

  1,607

  4·6

  10·7

  85,734

  65,298

  9,795

  160,827

  North West

  35,515

  16,537

  2,272

  6·4

  13·7

  219,648

  114,988

  16,622

  351,258

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  88,437

  8,910

  1,172

  1·3

  13·1

  77,352

  56,277

  4,339

  137,968

  Northern

  16,693

  6,417

  846

  5·0

  13·1

  69,315

  13,731

  3,453

  86,499

  256 257

  Division

  Workers whose pay was checked by all methods

  Workers whose pay was checked by visit

  Workers found underpaid

  Percentage underpaid of all workers checked

  Percentage underpaid of all workers checked by visit

  Arrears paid

  Arrears not pursued at workers request

  Arrears not pursued for other reasons

  Total arrears assessed as due

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Scotland

  29,325

  14,623

  1,253

  4·2

  8·5

  120,419

  31,267

  14,892

  166,578

  Great Britain

  325,935

  109,911

  11,066

  3·3

  10·0

  910,119

  385,683

  81,410

  1,377,212

  Note: The numbers of workers in branches of multiple firms are recorded under the division in which the Head Office is located. Account has to be taken of this when comparing divisional figures.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the information given in his answer of 1 March 1989,Official Report, columns 201–02, with the levels of employment in each wages council for 1988 and 1989; and if he will explain the methodology behind the collation of these statistics.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No new estimates have been made. The figures given in the answer of 1 March 1989, as in earlier answers, were based essentially on data collected by wages inspectors in the course of inspections, supplemented where appropriate by other information obtained from employers in the trades concerned and such published material as is relevant.

  Employees in full or part-time employment, by age and industry—Great Britain Spring 1989

  Thousand

  Industry (Sic 1980)

  Full-time1 Age

  Part-time1 Age

  Divisions

  Classes

  Groups

  16 or 17

  18 to 20

  21 or over

  16 or 17

  18 to 20

  21 or over

  20–9

  —

  —

  296

  1,416

  15,339

  365

  217

  4,413

  0

  —

  —

  3—

  19

  193

  3—

  3—

  42

  1–5

  —

  —

  130

  524

  5,955

  18

  12

  525

  2–4

  —

  —

  99

  391

  4,488

  16

  10

  430

  —

  43

  —

  3—

  14

  157

  3—

  3—

  21

  —

  45

  —

  3—

  37

  207

  3—

  3—

  50

  6–9

  —

  —

  161

  872

  9,167

  333

  215

  3,841

  6

  —

  —

  73

  349

  2,202

  283

  155

  1,319

  —

  64/65

  —

  42

  196

  1,105

  209

  102

  803

  —

  —

  4651/2

  3—

  28

  174

  3—

  3—

  36

  —

  66

  —

  14

  62

  342

  66

  49

  406

  —

  —

  661

  3—

  24

  98

  40

  20

  87

  —

  —

  662

  3—

  3—

  46

  3—

  17

  112

  —

  —

  663

  3—

  3—

  24

  3—

  3—

  47

  —

  —

  664

  3—

  3—

  71

  3—

  3—

  107

  —

  —

  665

  3—

  20

  90

  12

  3—

  49

  —

  —

  667

  3—

  3—

  12

  3—

  3—

  3—

  8

  —

  —

  49

  236

  1,724

  3—

  3—

  344

  —

  91

  —

  3—

  54

  1,263

  3—

  3—

  169

  —

  92

  —

  3—

  3—

  133

  3—

  3—

  74

  —

  93

  —

  3—

  11

  970

  3—

  3—

  635

  —

  95

  —

  3—

  45

  675

  3—

  3—

  517

  —

  96

  —

  3—

  20

  404

  3—

  12

  403

  —

  97

  —

  3—

  26

  287

  12

  13

  128

  —

  98

  —

  3—

  30

  84

  3—

  3—

  48

  1 Based on the respondent's own assessment, not on the number of hours usually worked.

  2 Includes those who inadequately described their industry.

  3 Sample size too small for reliable estimate.

  4 Other groups in classes 64/65 are not separately identified.

  Source: 1989 LFS, preliminary results.

  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the January unemployment percentage figure in the Ashford travel-to-work area for each of the last 10 years.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the number of employees, broken down into full-timers and part-timers who are(a) under 18 years, (b) 18 years and over and (c) 21 years old and over in the following standard industrial classifications (i) zero to nine, (ii) one to five, (iii) two to four, (iv) six to nine, (v) zero, (vi) 43, (vii) 45, (viii) 6, (ix) 64 and 65 and their subgroups, (x) 66 and its subgroups, (xi) eight, (xii) 91, (xiii) 92, (xiv) 93, (xv) 95, (xvi) 96, (xvii) 97 and (xviii) 98.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Preliminary results from the 1989 labour force survey, as requested, are shown in the table.

  Mr. Nichols
  The information in the following table is available from the Library and is affected by seasonal influences, changes to the count, and a redefinition of travel-to-work areas.
  259

  "Narrow-based" unadjusted unemployment rates in Ashford travel-to-work area1: January each year

  Ashford Jobcentre based TTWA

  Ashford ward based TTWA

  Percentage rate

  Percentage rate

  1980

  4·5

  —

  1981

  8·5

  —

  1982

  12·0

  —

  1983

  11·9

  —

  1984

  11·3

  10·6

  1985

  —

  11·7

  1986

  —

  12·2

  1987

  —

  11·2

  1988

  —

  7·9

  1989

  —

  4·9

  1990

  —

  4·2

  1 The definition of travel-to-work areas changed in 1984. Earlier data are given for the old Ashford travel-to-work area.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total sum paid out in fees to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by his Department in 1979–80 and in each subsequent year; and what is his estimate for 1990–91.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: There were no fees paid to outside organisations in the furtherance of privatisation by the Employment Department Group (excluding the Training Agency) in the financial period from 1979–80 to 1987–88 inclusive.

  Fees to the value of £369,000 were incurred in 1988–89.

  Costs incurred by the Employment Department Group in connection with the privatisation programme in 1989–90 and 1990–91 will be reported to Parliament in due course in the usual way.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total fees paid out by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990–91.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: Expenditure on management consultancy in the Employment Department Group (excluding the Training Agency) in each year from 1984–85 to 1988–89 was as follows:

  £ thousands

  1984–85

  237

  1985–86

  174

  1986–87

  629

  1987–88

  415

  1988–89

  783

  The estimated outturn for the current year (1989–90) is £1,412,000 and the budget for 1990–91 is expected to be around £1·3 million.

SCOTLAND

  Homelessness
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has recently gathered regarding the total number of homeless people who(a)
  260
  have no home or family to go back to, (b) have been forced to leave home by an adult member of the family, (c) left home after being abused or fearing abuse by another member of the family and (d) could safely return to their families; and what use he makes of this information in shaping his (1) housing and (2) social security policies.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The homelessness statistics collected by the Scottish Development Department relate to households which apply to local authorities under the provisions of part II of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. For each applicant, the returns record information including the reason given for becoming homeless. Information in the detail requested is not available. However, on the basis of the returns, in 1988–89, 37 per cent. of applicants gave as their reason for homelessness that friends or relatives were no longer willing or able to accommodate them; 14 per cent. said they had had a violent dispute with the spouse or co-habitee.

  The Government take account of all relevant available information in formulating their policies. Social security matters are the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Social Security.

  Ticket Touts
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to increase the powers of the police to deal with ticket touting.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Ticket touting can in certain circumstances already lead to an offence in Scotland under section 55 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982. The Government are currently considering whether existing powers under the 1982 Act are adequate.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce legislation to make ticket touting illegal.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A review of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 is already under way arid the Government are currently considering whether the existing powers under this Act relating to the activity of ticket touting are adequate.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will commission a study into ticket touting at major sporting events.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss ticket touting at major sporting events when he next meets the chief constables of Strathclyde and of Midlothian and the Borders.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will discuss ticket touting when he next meets the chairman of the Scottish Sports Council.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have no plans to do so

  White Fish
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total value at first sale of the main species of white fish landed into Scotland by United Kingdom vessels in January 1990 and the corresponding figure for January 1989.

  Mr. Lang
  The provisional value of cod, haddock, whiting and saithe landed by United Kingdom vessels in Scotland in January 1990 was £7·4 million, compared with £7·1 million in January 1989. The value of these landings therefore increased by 4 per cent. despite the reduction of 26 per cent. in the volume landed. Unit prices increased by as much as 57 per cent. in the case of whiting and 53 per cent. in the case of haddock.

  Operations for ruptured aortic aneurysm 1981–88 Scotland

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Total

  Inverclyde Royal

  Episodes

  3

  3

  1

  3

  1

  2

  2

  1

  16

  Episodes where outcome known1

  3

  3

  1

  3

  1

  2

  2

  1

  16

  Deaths

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  2

  1

  1

  10

  Percentage deaths over known outcome

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  62·5

  All Scotland

  Episodes

  99

  108

  94

  124

  122

  143

  140

  140

  970

  Episodes where outcome known1

  56

  52

  47

  58

  45

  57

  53

  58

  426

  Deaths

  31

  27

  34

  43

  32

  41

  33

  41

  282

  Percentage deaths over known outcome

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  66·2

  1 Patients at Inverclyde Royal suffering from Aortic Aneurysm are not transferred to other facilities but elsewhere in Scotland they are. The records of transferred patients could only be correlated at disproportionate cost; therefore numbers of deaths have been compared in each case with the known outcomes of patients being discharged from or dying in the same unit.

  Heart Disease
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the research projects on heart diseases carried out or sponsored by his Department for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 9 March 1990]: The information is as follows:

  Year and Project Title

  1975

  Correlation of certain pathological findings in the heart and coronary arteries, obtained by a post mortem investigation including sterioarteriography with clinical observations made before death.

  Fibroblast viability in allograft heart valve leaflet.

  1977

  ECG interpretation by computer.

  Genetic variation in the regulation of cholestrol synthesis in relation to coronary heart disease.

  Computer assisted radionuclide cardiovascular diagnosis

  1978

  Computer assisted reporting on electrocardiograms

  Computer analysis of instantaneous pressure and velocity signals to assess ventricular contractility power and output impedance in patients with coronary and valvular heart disease before and after surgical heart treatment.

  1980

  A study of cardiac and respiratory rate and rhythm in the new born to determined (i) their relationship to each other, (ii) whether or not this changes during the first few months of life, (iii) if recordings at home differ from those in hospital and (iv) their possible roll in sudden infant death.

  Comparison of nuclear angiography and echocardiography (M-mode and phased array) in the investigation of left ventricular performance

  Surgery (Fatalities)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the death rate for ruptured aortic aneurysm operations in (a) the Inverclyde Royal hospital, Greenock, for each of the past eight years and (b) other hospitals in Scotland for the same years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 9 March 1990]: The death rate for ruptured aortic aneurysm operations in both Inverclyde Royal hospital, Greenock and other hospitals in Scotland over the past eight years is shown in the table. In Scotland 66·2 per cent. of cases result in death, compared with 62·5 per cent. in the Inverclyde royal hospital at Greenock.

  1981

  A study of biochemical origins and prevention of lethal ventricular arrythmias during acute myocardial ischaemia.

  1983

  Metabolic electrophysiological and epidemiological aspects of sudden cardiac death: purchase of fast analyser.

  Acute experimental myocardial ischaemia—the role of substances derived from arachidonic acid.

  1983

  Myocardial effects of prolonged exposure to lead ethanol.

  1984

  Investigations into mechanisms of serious ventricular arrhythmias during the early hours of acute myocardial infarction in man.

  1985

  Strategy for screening for risk of coronary heart disease.

  1986

  The role of the neutrophil in acute myocardial infarction.

  Acute experimental myocardial ischaemia—possible role of locally released coronary vasoconstrictor and platelet aggregating agents, with particular reference to substances derived from membrane phospholipids.

  The activity of antiarrhythmic drugs in myocardial ischaemia

  The importance of neuropeptide Y in the central control of blood pressure and heart rate.

  1987

  The effect of physiological and pathological factors and of xenobiotics on the distribution of high density lipoprotein subspecies in relation to coronary heart disease.

  Non-invasive recording of small signals from the conduction system of the heart.

  The development and evaluation of a self-help manual for use in the rehabilitation of myocardial infarct patients.
  263
  1988

  A prospective evaluation of the Bjork-Shiely Hancock and Carpentier-Edwards Heart Valve Prostheses.

  1989

  Application of Stable Isotope Technology to the study of lipoprotein metabolism.

  1990

  Sympathetic and parasympathetic interaction and the development of serious arrhythmias during acute myocardial ischaemia.

  In addition, the Scottish Home and Health Department has, since 1981, provided core funding for the programme of research of the cardiovascular epidemiology unit at Dundee university. It is also providing funding for the Scottish centre of the World Health Organisation MONICA project: a multinational long-term study to monitor trends and determinants in cardiovascular disease.

  Also the Scottish Hospital Endowments Research Trust has supported the following projects:

  Year and Project Title

  1976

  Electrophysiological evaluation of the Wolff-ParkinsonWhite syndrome and post-operative conduction abnormalities in patients with congenital heart disease.

  1977

  The effect of anaesthetic agents and techniques on myocardial blood flow during acute experimental myocardial ischaemia.

  Investigation of the experimental basis of surgery for coronary artery stenosis.

  1978

  Experimental study of methods for assessment and prevention of myocardial injury during cardiac surgery.

  The effects of six months physical training on plasma lipoprotein distribution echocardiography and exercise cardiography in male survivors of myocardial infarction.

  1983

  An experimental study of left ventricular assistance.

  1984

  An investigation into sudden death in Glasgow.

  A study of metabolism of atherogenic lipoproteins in the plasma.

  1986

  Investigation into the cellular mechanisms underlying arrhythmias in cardiac cells and into the action of antiarrythmic drugs.

  A population study of blood viscosity, plasma viscosity, haematocrit and fibrinogen in relation to cardiovascular risk factors.

  1987

  Membrane vesicles from cardiac muscle.

  Prospective study of the effect of intravenous insulin infusion in diabetics with acute myocardial infarction.

  The effects of hypothermia on postoperative energy expenditure in cardiac surgical patients determined by the doubly labelled water and indirect calorimetry techniques.

  Normal limits of the paediatric electrocardiogram and echocardiogram.

  1988

  The role of vascular endothelium as a target in renal allograft rejection.

  Protection of the ischaemic myocardium: a clinical and experimental evaluation of the influence of ionised calcium during cardiopulmonary bypass.

  The plasma high density lipoprotein profile as an index of coronary status: a comparison of lipoprotein and clinical data in coronary patients.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have made any representations to the Government of Iraq about the refusal to permit the editor of The Observer to attend the trial of Farzad Bazoft in Baghdad.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Yes.

  Deputy Secretaries
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the responsibilities of each of the deputy secretaries in his Department and the numbers and grades of staff reporting to each.

  Mr. Maude
  There are seven deputy secretaries in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, six in the diplomatic wing and one in the ODA. Broad areas of responsibility are as follows. A full range of diplomatic service grades (senior grade to DS10), specialist staff, secretaries and certain home civil service grades report to each diplomatic. wing deputy secretary. Numbers of staff in London reporting to each are indicated in brackets.

  (i) Europe and the United Nations (129);

  (ii) Commercial and certain functional areas including scientific environmental departments (129);

  (iii) Public related (e.g. consular, migration and visa) and administration departments (2,717);

  (v) Geographical departments covering the Americas, Asia and the Pacific (144);

  (v) Geographical departments covering Africa and the Middle East (113);

  (vi) Remaining political departments including areas such as security and defence (97).

  A few specialist departments are not under the remit of a deputy secretary, for example legal advisers. Others are under the direct authority of the permanent undersecretary, for example research and economic advisers. Staff in these total 251.

  The ODA's one deputy secretary is responsible for all expenditure, both bilateral and multilateral, under the aid programme. The ODA's operations are managed by 625 staff at home and 52 staff overseas across a full range of grades.

  Guatemala
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary with the Foreign Minister of Guatemala.

  Mr. Maude
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mr. Rivera on Monday 19 February. They discussed bilateral relations, human rights and Belize.

  West Bank and Gaza
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Israel concerning the continued closure of six universities in the West Bank and Gaza strip; and what response he has received.
  265
  Mr. Waldegrave
  We take every opportunity to urge the Israelis to allow all higher education institutions in the occupied territories to reopen. I reiterated our concern to the Israeli Minister without Portfolio, Mr. Olmert, on 5 March.

  Katyn Massacre
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress on his Department's studies into the responsibility for the Katyn massacre.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We are following developments closely. There is substantial circumstantial evidence pointing to Soviet responsibility for the Katyn massacre. We urge the Soviet authorities to help establish the facts quickly.

  South Africa
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the British companies that have invested in South Africa for each of the past 10 years; and how much investment in pounds sterling that has amounted to.

  Mr Redwood
  I have been asked to reply.

  Under the Statistics of Trade Act 1947, the names of United Kingdom companies which furnish such information are confidential. The most recent estimate (end of 1987) of the book value of United Kingdom direct investment in South Africa is £1,821 million.

ENVIRONMENT

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the impact of the unified business rate on small business growth in the midlands.

  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the impact of the unified business rate on small business growth in the midlands.

  Mr. Chope
  The uniform business rate and the non-domestic revaluation do not come into effect until 1 April 1990, but when they do, average non-domestic rate bills will fall in real terms by 6 per cent. in the west midlands and 4 per cent. in the east midlands in 1990–91 and, once transition to the new system is complete, by 28 per cent. and 15 per cent. respectively. This will be a stimulus to business growth.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much of the new money recently announced for inner cities is to go to the London borough of Newham.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Spending on the programmes which come within the "Action for Cities" initiative is planned to increase by £500 million in 1990–91 to a total of around £4 billion. It is not possible to estimate the amount which will be spent in any individual local authority's area.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reform the community charge 266
  system in England to enable the amount of revenue support grant attributable to county and district councils respectively to be separately identified either on the basis that it is currently separately identified in Wales or on the basis that it is currently separately identified for regional and district councils in Scotland.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: No.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will reproduce in the Official Report the full calculation underlying his reply to the right hon. Member for Tonbridge and Mailing on 12 February, Official Report, column 58, that under the community charge system about 15 times as much will be contributed to the cost of local government by the top 10 per cent. of householders by income compared with the poorest 10 per cent.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: I will write to my right hon. Friend.

  Council Rents
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have to alleviate the effects of recent increases in council rents.

  Mr. Chope
  It is for local authorities to determine their own rent levels. The Government allocate sufficient HRA subsidy to enable council rents to be set at reasonable levels. Rent rebates give assistance to those who need it.

  Electromagnetic Fields
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce controls relating to exposure levels within electromagnetic fields.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have no plans at present to introduce specific controls relating to the exposure to electromagnetic fields.

  USSR (Exposure Levels)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has made an assessment of the permitted exposure levels to microwave and RF EM fields in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics.

  Mr. Trippier
  I understand that the NRPB is currently assessing all the available biological and epidemiological evidence and will be publishing an assessment during the year.

  Water Flotation (Cost)
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the full cost of the flotation of the water industry including(a) the total cost to public funds of advertising and (b) the total cost to public funds in fees to City advisers, will be available to Parliament.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Figures for overall costs to the Government are being compiled and will be reported shortly.

  Acid Mist (Lincolnshire and Norfolk)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has investigated the causes of the acid mist that blighted acres of hawthorn trees in Lincolnshire and Norfolk on 9 September 1989.
  267
  Mr. Trippier
  My Department commissioned the scientists who were working on the Halvergate marshes at the time to collect all available information and to report on the acid mist incident. The report is expected soon and I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Energy Conservation
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are being taken to alert builders erecting or converting homes of the need to conserve energy; and whether he intends to introduce any regulations to ensure that builders respond to such needs.

  Mr. Chope
  The Building Regulations 1985 already include requirements relating to energy conservation measures in new buildings and extensions. The Building Regulations (Amendment) Regulations 1989, which are due to come into force on 1 April, will make the existing requirements more stringent, and the changes have been widely publicised.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which voluntary organisations he consulted on "Local Government and Housing Act 1989: Implementation of Part VIII, House Adaptations for Disabled People".

  Mr. Chope
  We made copies of a draft of a circular entitled "House Adaptations for Disabled People" generally available, and welcomed comments from any organisation or individual with an interest. We specifically sought the views of:

  The British Council of Organisations of Disabled People

  The Royal Association of Disability and Rehabilitation "Panel of Four" c/o Royal National Institute for the Deaf

  Royal National Institute for the Blind

  Access Committee for England

  The Centre on Environment for the Handicapped

  MIND

  MENCAP

  The Disability Income Group

  National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux Shelter

  Age Concern

  Sewage Disposal
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to prohibit the use of long sea outfalls for sewage disposal in the Bristol channel and set a date for this prohibition.

  Mr. Trippier
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced to the House on 5 March, the Government have decided that in general municipal sewage should receive secondary treatment, but that primary treatment would be more appropriate for discharges to coastal waters, where it can be shown that this does not adversely affect the environment,Official Report, volume 168, column 452.

  It will be for the National Rivers Authority to implement this policy by using its powers to consent discharges.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to conduct a survey, similar to the one initiated by his Department called "Survey of Local Authority Domestic Waste Recycling Activity", directed at the recycling industry, 'to assess its view of waste recycling capability and potential.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: Yes.

  Leeds Development Corporation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply of 5 March,Official Report, column 448, how many display signs were purchased by the Leeds development corporation for the £26,500 referred to in that reply; and how many of those signs are still in place.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: Leeds development corporation's expenditure on display signs of £26,500 since designation in June 1988 covers design work, materials and erection costs. Some 40 signs have been purchased and erected during that period, including 10 replacements. Thirty are currently in place, of which two have recently been blown down and two affected by storm damage. Work is in hand by the corporation to reinstate these signs.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the main items of expenditure by the Leeds development corporation under the budget heading of £320,000 in 1989–90 and £480,000 in 1990–91 for promotion and publicity.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: The key objective of Leeds development corporation's promotion and publicity budget is to promote the economic regeneration of the Leeds urban development area. The main items of expenditure are the promotion and marketing of the urban development area and of Leeds in general; the promotion and marketing of specific sites; exhibition material; keeping the local community informed of the development corporation's activities, including a bi-annual newspaper; community sponsorship; and the production of an annual report.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those properties currently vested in the London residuary body for which he has refused consent to its sale to the relevant London borough under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972; and if he will state the date and the reasons for refusal in each case.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  An application by the London residuary body for consent to the sale of 67–69 Cowcross street, London EC1 to the London borough of Islington was refused on 26 February 1990 for the reasons given in my letter of the same date to the hon. Member. No other properties currently vested in the London residuary body have been refused for disposal under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972.

  Lakes
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment has been made of the effects of agricultural uses of fertiliser on British lakes in increasing nitrogen and phosphate contents;

  (2) what assessment has been made of the effects of eutrophication on species diversity in British lakes; and what steps are being taken to reduce eutrophication;

  (3) what studies his Department has made into the eutrophication of British lakes; and what causes of eutrophication have been identified.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: A number of surveys have been carried out in recent years by the water authorities into the eutrophication of British waters. These have concluded that eutrophication is not increasing in the United Kingdom and is limited to a small number of areas, for example, the Norfolk Broads, Loch Leven and Lake Windermere. In nearly all cases it is phosphorus which is the cause of eutrophication. To reduce eutrophication action is best taken at local level because the sources contributing to excess nutrients vary from place to place. Phosphorus stripping at sewage works is nearly always an effective control option.

  Coniferous Afforestation
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information his Department has about the acidification of upland soils and waterways by coniferous afforestation.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: A number of recent reviews and reports on the relationship between coniferous afforestation and possible acidification of upland soils and waterways have been placed in the Library of the House. They include;

  (i) The United Kingdom Acid Waters Review Group Second Report "Acidity In United Kingdom Freshwaters" December 1988.

  (ii) "Lake Acidification in the United Kingdom" prepared for the Department of the Environment by the Paleoecology Research Unit, University College of London.

  (iii) "Acidification in Scotland" Symposium Proceedings, 8th November 1988, published by the Scottish Development Department, December 1989.

  (iv) "Acid Waters in Wales" by Edwards, Stoner and Gee, Welsh National Rivers Authority, March 1990.

  (v) "Forests and Surface Water Acidification", Forestry Commission Bulletin No. 86, March 1990.

  Additional information on this issue is also available from a number of research projects being funded by the NERC, DOE and CEGB.

  NATIONAL FINANCE
  Increase in income after tax1 (£ per week) compared with indexation2 in 1990–91 for married man3 with two children.

  Multiple of average earnings4

  ½

  ¾

  1

  1½

  2

  5

  10

  Increased derived from

  (i) 1p cut in basic rate

  0·61

  1·37

  2·13

  3·65

  4·29

  4·29

  4·29

  (ii) 7·5 per cent increase in main income tax allowances

  1·59

  1·59

  1·59

  1·59

  2·54

  2·54

  2·54

  (iii) Increase in child benefit

  (a) £3·15 per week per child5

  6·30

  6·30

  6·30

  6·30

  6·30

  6·30

  6·30

  (b) £2·45 per week per child6

  4·90

  4·90

  4·90

  4·90

  4·90

  4·90

  4·90

  (iv) reduced rate band of 20 per cent, on first £1,450 of taxable income

  1·40

  1·40

  1·40

  1·40

  1·40

  1·40

  1·40

  (v) reduced rate band of 15 per cent, on first £700 of taxable income

  1·35

  1·35

  1·35

  1·35

  1·35

  1·35

  1·35

  1 Disregarding any change to entitlement to social security income-related benefits except in item (iii) (b).

  2 Calculations based on the standard assumption that 1989–90 allowances and the basis rate limit have been indexed by 7·7 per cent, for 1990–91.

  3 Assumed to have no reliefs and allowances other than the personal allowance and the married couple's allowance.

  4Average earnings assumed to be £303·8 per week, an increase of 8·5 per cent, on 1989–90 in line with the assumptions used by the Government Actuary for reviewing national insurance contributions (paragraph 3·02 of the Autumn Statement 1989).

  5 Assuming no change in income support and family credit children's rates.

  6 Assuming corresponding changes in income support and family credit children's rates.

  Productivity
  Mr. Beaumont-Dark
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the trends of manufacturing industry productivity over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Lamont
  Indices of United Kingdom manufacturing productivity can be found on the CSO databank, which is accessible through the House of Commons Library.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of interest rates on manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of interest rates on manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of interest rates on manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of interest rates on manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the impact of interest rates on manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Interest rates have been set at their current level to put downward pressure on inflation. Inflation is the greatest threat to the future prosperity of manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent representations he has received from small businesses on interest rates.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations have been made to him concerning the effect of the present level of interest rates on the costs of manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of such representations.

  Exchange Rate
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from small businesses on the exchange rate.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on the trade deficit.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  My right hon. Friend receives a few letters each month from members of the public concerning the trade deficit.

  Imports
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest trends in imports.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In the three months to January, import volumes (less oil and erratics) were 1 per cent. lower than in the previous three months, and only 2 per cent. higher than in the same period a year earlier. This is clear evidence that imports are responding to the tightening of policy.

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 21 December 1989,Official Report,

  271
  columns 368–69, on mortgage interest tax relief and investment income, whether he will provide for 1989–90 the numbers in each range of income with investment income of more than £200 and less than £500, and those with investment income of more than £500.

  Mr. Lilley
  The information requested is in the table. These estimates are provisional and subject to revision.

  Single People and Married Couples Receiving Mortgage Interest Relief:

  Range of total income (£)

  Numbers with annual investment income of

  more than £200, but less than £500

  more than £500

  (thousands)

  (thousands)

  0–4,999

  30

  20

  5,000–9,999

  90

  260

  10,000–14,999

  260

  290

  15,000–19,999

  300

  350

  20,000–29,999

  280

  450

  30,000 +

  140

  490

  Total

  1,100

  1,860

  Manufacturing Investment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the level of manufacturing investment.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Manufacturing investment reached a record level in 1989 after six years of growth averaging 8 per cent.

  Foreign-owned Companies
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what profits and other capital payments have been remitted back to the host country from Britain from foreign-owned concerns for each of the last 10 years.
  272
  Estimates are based on the 1987 family expenditure survey and the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes projected to 1989–90.

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the table in the answer to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 10 January 1989,Official Report, columns 632–34, stating the effects at different income levels of alternative policies based on Exchequer expenditure equal to a 1p cut in income tax.

  Mr. Lilley
  The effects of the various changes to income tax and child benefit on a married man with two children are shown in the table. Each of the changes would cost £1·7 billion a year, that is the cost in a full year of a 1 p cut in the basic rate of income tax. Estimates are based on projections of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes in line with forecasts in the Autumm Statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest available information on profits and capital flows remitted back to the host country by foreign-owned concerns in the United Kingdom is given in table 2·1 of Business Monitor MA4 "Overseas Transactions 1987". The relevant items in net earnings and net direct investment are:

  (i) interest paid to, net of interest received from, overseas parent companies;

  (ii) dividends paid to overseas parent companies;

  (iii) net profits from United Kingdom branches;

  (iv) disposals of United Kingdom companies' share and loan capital.

  In addition, the categories "increase in amount due to overseas parent on inter company account" and "increase in indebtedness to overseas parent companies on branch head office account" may include indistinguishably certain capital flows from United Kingdom subsidiaries, associates and branches to their overseas direct investors.

  Inflation
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to align with the practice in other European Community countries in calculating inflation.
  273
  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor has no plans to do so at present. The practices followed in compiling consumer prices indices vary between Community countries. The United Kingdom regularly joins in discussions with other members with a view to understanding the differences in methodology. When changes in the retail prices index have been proposed they have always been considered by the RPI advisory committee and due account taken then of practice elsewhere.

  Capital Gains Tax
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers paid capital gains tax in 1987–88.

  Mr. Lilley
  The number of individuals and trusts who have a liability to pay capital gains tax from gains on disposals made in 1987–88 is provisionally estimated at 170,000.

  Investment
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the business fixed investment figures in the United Kingdom for the last five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest annual data for business investment are:

  £ billion

  1985 prices

  1984

  36·9

  1985

  39·7

  1986

  39·5

  1987

  43·7

  1988

  51·4

  In the five years to 1988 (1983–88) business investment grew by over 50 per cent. in real terms.

  Currency
  Mr. Robert Sheldon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any plans to introduce a £100 note.

  Mr. Major
  The Bank of England is responsible for the note issue. It has no plans to introduce a £100 note.

  Capital Investment
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest figures on capital investment by business.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Business investment was 12¼ per cent. higher in real terms in the first three quarters of 1989 than in the same period in 1988. In the two years to 1988 business investment grew by over 30 per cent.

  Taxation
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer(a) whether he will raise the income limits which govern the Inland Revenue's practice for remitting arrears of tax where information provided to the Revenue had not been used within a reasonable time and (b) what are the implications of independent taxation for the income limits.
  274
  Mr. Lilley
  I am pleased to announce that limits are to be increased from today. From 6 April 1990 the income scale will apply separately to the incomes of husbands and wives.

  (a) The Inland Revenue's practice of remitting tax in cases where the Department has not made timely use of information available is set out in a White Paper of July 1971 (first report from the Select Committee on the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration: Session 1970–71: Cmnd 4729). The proportion of arrears collected varies according to the size of the taxpayer's gross income; the balance of the arrear is remitted.

  The new scale of limits will apply to arrears of tax, the actual of likely amount of which is first notified to the taxpayer of his agent on or after today.

  New scale Gross income

  Percentage of arrears remitted

  Old scale Gross income

  £

  £

  0 to 12,000

  All

  0 to 8,500

  12,001 to 14,500

  0·75

  8,501 to 10,500

  14,501 to 18,500

  0·50

  10,501 to 13,500

  18,501 to 22,000

  0·25

  13,501 to 16,000

  22,001 to 32,000

  0·10

  16,001 to 23,000

  Over 32,000

  None

  Over 23,000

  For taxpayers aged 65 or over or who are in receipt of the national insurance retirement or widows' pension each of the bands is increased by the following:

  Pensioners addition to each band

  New scale

  Old scale

  £

  £

  3,300

  2,500

  If a taxpayer in this category has gross income of £15,300 or less the whole of the arrear will be remitted, whilst some remission will be allowed on gross income up to £35,300.

  (b) At present income limits for the purposes of the concession apply equally to a single person or the joint incomes of a husband and wife. With the introduction of independent taxation the income scale will apply only to the spouse assessed.

  This new rule will apply to arrears of tax, the actual or likely amount of which is notified to a taxpayer on or after 6 April 1990.

  ECOFIN
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Ryder
  The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 12 March. Before the formal meeting of the Council, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer attended the lunch at which prospects for Germany monetary union were discussed. The Chancellor also stressed the importance of making good progress in establishing the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and emphasised the attractions of London as its location.

  During the formal Council, I represented the United Kingdom. A common position was established on the proposal to revise the financial perspective which sets out EC budgetary ceilings. A Council declaration identifying

  275
  areas in which further measures against EC budget fraud are needed was also agreed. I stressed the importance of simplifying the relevant EC legislation, improving reporting by member states and agreeing on administrative sanctions. The Court of Auditors' annual report for 1988 formed the basis of an agreed opinion on the discharge of the 1988 budget.

  Revised Council decisions on the promotion of economic convergence and co-operation between central banks during stage I of EMU were formally adopted, and the Council took note of reports on multilateral surveillance of member states' economies during stage 1 from the monetary committee, the economic policy committee and the committee of central bank governors. I also stressed the need for early proposals from the Commission and a discussion in the Council on technical VAT and statistics systems after 1992.

  Consumer Spending
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the retail price index takes full account of the increase since 1979 in (i) imputed rent and (ii) mortgage interest given in the reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 19 February,Official Report, column 524–25, concerning consumer's expenditure detailed in table 1.6 of the Monthly Digest of Statistics.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: Imputed rents have not been used as a measure of owner-occupiers' housing costs in the retail prices index since 1975. They were then replaced by mortgage interest payments following a standardised formulation recommended by the Retail Prices Index Advisory Committee.

  Female Earnings
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many women in work, and how many of those with children under five, have earnings below £8,500.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 7 March 1990]: Information on the distribution of weekly earnings of women in employment is published in the 1989 new earnings survey report and information on dependent children of women in work is given in chapter 9 of the report on the 1987 general household survey. Further information is not available.

  Public Sector Asset Creation
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will extend the series of total public sector asset creation as given in table 21.2.15 of the public expenditure White Paper, Cm. 1021, as far back as possible both in cash and in 1988–89 prices.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 8 March 1990]: Information on total public sector asset creation is available for the years since 1978–79 and is given in table 21.2.16 of chapter 21 of the 1990 public expenditure White Paper in both cash and real terms (1988–89 prices).

  Pay Figures
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide the pay figures for the financial year 1983–84, and as far back as is possible, on 276
  the same basis as those figures given in table 21.02.13 of Cm. 1021; if these figures, are available on a quarterly basis; and where both sets of data are published.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 9 March 1990]: Figures on a consistent basis with those given in table 21.2.13 are not readily available for earlier years. Calendar years figures for general government expenditure on wages and salaries and so on, consistent with table 9.4 of the 1989 edition of the "United Kingdom National Accounts" (the CSO Blue Book), are given in the table. These data are not on exactly the same basis as that provided in the public expenditure White Paper.

  £ million

  1961

  2,534

  1962

  2,722

  1963

  2,929

  1964

  3,161

  1965

  3,473

  1966

  3,778

  1967

  4,083

  1968

  4,382

  1969

  4,690

  1970

  5,402

  1971

  6,372

  1972

  7,460

  1973

  8,423

  1974

  10,556

  1975

  14,815

  1976

  16,907

  1977

  18,281

  1978

  20,377

  1979

  23,258

  1980

  29,469

  1981

  33,577

  1982

  35,773

  1983

  39,060

  1984

  41,271

  1985

  43,695

  1986

  46,896

  1987

  50,914

  1988

  55,219

  The CSO figures are higher than those in the public expenditure White Paper mainly because the former include with wages and salaries and so on, the pension increase elements of pensions paid to members of the teachers' and NHS superannuation schemes and payments to community programme participants engaged by local authorities.

  Quarterly figures on either basis are not available.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990–91.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: The expenditure for 1988–89 is £548,264, the estimated expenditure for the current year is £550,525 and the budget provision for 1990–91 is £599,680. Comparable figures for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88 are not available because of the machinery of Government changes, and could be given only at disproportionate cost.

  Advertising Expenditure
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the figures for the spending by his Department on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising,
  277
  (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990–91.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: The expenditure for 1988–89 is £49,310 and the estimated expenditure for 1989–90 is £52,486, none of which is on television or radio advertising; the 1990–91 budget is £49,313, none of which is likely to be on television or radio advertising.

  Comparable figures for the years 1979–80 to 1987–88 are not available because of the machinery of Government changes, and could be given only at disproportionate cost.

  Management Consultants
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the total fees paid out by his Department to management consultants in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his latest estimate for the current year and budget for 1990–91.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: For 1979–80 and each ensuing year up to and including 1987–88, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given on 17 March 1989, Official Report, column 383, by my right hon. Friend the then Paymaster General. The fees paid in 1988–89 were £2,334,613, the estimated fees for the current year are £2,757,110 and the budget provision for 1990–91 is £3,157,489.

  National Income
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage, in the latest available year, of the national income of the United Kingdom was made up of interest, dividends and private rents.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: Interest and dividends are redistributive transactions which have no net impact on national income. The share of rent in total domestic income is given in table 16.3 of the CSO publication "United Kingdom National Accounts", 1989 edition.

  In-patient cases treated, by district health authority. Northern RHA, 1983 to 1988–89

  Health authority

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Hartlepool

  16,096

  16,315

  16,876

  18,845

  18,825

  18,857

  North Tees

  22,670

  23,887

  24,491

  24,777

  24,338

  23,833

  South Tees

  47,035

  48,450

  51,246

  54,262

  56,389

  55,464

  East Cumbria

  22,508

  22,908

  22,217

  23,483

  24,503

  25,764

  South Cumbria

  17,744

  18,194

  19,736

  20,245

  22,088

  22,483

  West Cumbria

  14,702

  15,400

  15,819

  15,616

  16,019

  15,682

  Darlington

  16,656

  17,321

  18,126

  17,977

  19,066

  18,858

  Durham

  16,725

  16,858

  17,409

  17,470

  18,756

  18,991

  North West Durham

  13,220

  13,449

  13,459

  13,295

  13,020

  12,603

  South West Durham

  14,846

  14,905

  15,533

  16,293

  16,969

  17,620

  Northumberland

  25,303

  25,767

  27,018

  27,713

  29,236

  28,433

  Gateshead

  19,927

  20,004

  21,050

  21,105

  21,729

  20,685

  Newcastle

  79,645

  80,748

  82,086

  84,769

  92,352

  92,094

  North Tyneside

  17,304

  18,031

  19,329

  19,102

  20,265

  20,387

  South Tyneside

  15,509

  16,898

  17,626

  17,323

  17,055

  17,604

  Sunderland

  49,225

  50,945

  51,110

  48,820

  52,156

  51,675

  Northern RHA

  409,115

  420,080

  433,131

  441,095

  462,766

  461,033

  Income Tax
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of income tax payers are currently paying tax at the higher rate.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: About 7 per cent. of taxpaying single people and married couples are liable at the higher rate in 1989–90. The estimate is based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and is, therefore, provisional.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the name and status of the report of the working party which reported to the Council of Ministers of the European Economic Community, referred to by the Economic Secretary in his speech on 27 February,Official Report, column 243, the date of the Council meeting at which the report was considered, and the action then agreed; and if he will place a copy of the report in the Library.

  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The working party referred to by my hon. Friend was an expert group chaired by the European Commission, whose report was sent to the Council of Ministers in June 1989. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library. Subsequently the Council adopted regulation 3757/89 introducing compulsory physical stock checks in intervention stores. The Commission has also made regulations adjusting the flat-rate systems for financing storage and interest costs, and adopted other measures to improve the management of public storage.

HEALTH

  Northern RHA (Statistics)
  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each district of the Northern regional health authority the number of(a) in-patients, (b) qualified nursing staff and (c) consultants for the latest available year; and if he will give figures for the five previous years.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the tables.
  279

  (b) Qualified nursing and midwifery staff at 30 September 1983–1988 (Excludes agency staff)

  Whole-time equivalents1

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Northern RHA

  15,730

  16,040

  16,590

  16,910

  17,230

  17,410

  Northern HQ

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  10

  Hartlepool

  500

  490

  520

  540

  570

  580

  North Tees

  700

  700

  700

  750

  820

  820

  South Tees

  1,740

  1,710

  1,770

  1,780

  1,860

  1,870

  East Cumbria

  930

  920

  940

  960

  980

  990

  South Cumbria

  670

  710

  730

  730

  730

  740

  West Cumbria

  680

  710

  710

  710

  700

  700

  Darlington

  790

  800

  810

  800

  780

  730

  Durham

  700

  710

  760

  750

  760

  770

  North West Durham

  450

  450

  460

  470

  470

  470

  South West Durham

  890

  930

  950

  950

  950

  970

  Northumberland

  1,500

  1,610

  1,640

  1,670

  1,750

  1,730

  Gateshead

  800

  800

  810

  870

  870

  870

  Newcastle

  2,750

  2,740

  2,960

  3,050

  3,090

  3,280

  North Tyneside

  580

  640

  640

  660

  670

  660

  South Tyneside

  560

  610

  600

  620

  620

  620

  Sunderland

  l,490

  1,490

  1,560

  1,590

  1,600

  1,610

  Source DH (SM13C) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.

  1 All figures are rounded to the nearest ten (10) whole-time equivalent.

  2Excludes midwifery students and health visitor students.

  (c) Hospital medical and dental consultants at 30 September each year

  Northern region

  Newcastle district health authority (teaching)

  1983

  908

  289

  1984

  922

  291

  1985

  954

  297

  1986

  973

  302

  1987

  1,000

  308

  1988

  1,003

  277

  Note: Includes permanent paid and honorary staff.

  Contracts for consultants in non-teaching district health authorities are held by the regional health authorities. Districts where these staff work cannot be identified centrally, and are therefore included with the regional total.

  Kidney Transplants
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the latest conveniently available figures for the shortage of kidneys to transplant.

  Mr. Freeman
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 20 February at column 720.

  Health Authorities (Land Sales)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what contribution he expects land sales to make to the revenue of health authorities in London during the coming financial year.

  Mr. Freeman
  In the coming financial year surplus property with an estimated value of £163 million will be available for disposal by the four Thames regional health authorities. However, the need to obtain planning permission, and the depressed and uncertain state of the property market, preclude a reliable forecast of what receipts will actually be received.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the representatives of community health councils; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has not met representatives of community health councils (CHCs). However, I met the chairman and officers of the Association of Community Health Councils for England and Wales on 23 November 1989 to discuss the role of CHCs. Questions arising from the meeting are still being considered.

  Dental Staff
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he plans to issue guidance on changes to disciplinary procedures for hospital and community medical and dental staff.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A circular containing guidance on new and revised disciplinary procedures for hospital doctors and dentists, and for community doctors, has been published today. This follows negotiations with the professions on the basis of recommendations from a. joint working party. A copy of the circular, HC(90)(9), is: being placed in the Library.

  The circular amends the procedure for holding inquiries into doctors' alleged serious professional misconduct or incompetence—the HM(61)112 procedure—as well as the right of appeal against dismissal. Improvements include setting time limits to help reduce the cost and delay of these procedures.

  Two new procedures are being introduced: professional review machinery, a peer group approach for reviewing the conduct of hospital consultants said to have failed repeatedly to honour their contractual commitments, and an intermediate procedure, which deals with allegations of professional misconduct or incompetence which are sufficiently serious to warrant disciplinary action but are unlikely to lead to dismissal.
  281
  These changes should result in a more comprehensive disciplinary framework for medical and dental staff and should make it easier for health authorities to take appropriate action where necessary.

  NHS Reform
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioner practices have registered their interest in becoming fund holders under the Government's proposed reforms for the National Health Service set out in "Working for Patients".

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I announced this morning that 850 GP practices have so far registered their interest in becoming fund-holding practices. The response so far is a clear endorsement of the attractiveness of the scheme. It shows that significant numbers of GPs recognise the advantage of being able to choose to take control of some NHS funds to finance a range of local services for their patients and to having more influence over the quality of hospital services.

  South Western RHA
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the position of the chairman of the South Western regional health authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Sir Vernon Seccombe's appointment as chairman of South Western regional health authority ends on 31 July. After seven years as regional health authority chairman, Sir Vernon has told me that he would like to continue in the National Health Service but in a position which is much nearer to his home. I have therefore asked if he would be willing to take over the chairmanship of Plymouth health authority after the current chairman retires on 31 March. I am pleased to say that Sir Vernon has accepted. I am grateful to him for all that he has achieved during his successful period of office as regional health authority chairman and glad that he will continue as a district health authority chairman. The precise date for Sir Vernon to take up his new responsibilities will be announced shortly. Sir Vernon's successor as regional health authority chairman will also be announced shortly.

  Salmonella
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of salmonella infection in human beings have been proved absolutely to have arisen from the consumption of eggs; and in how many cases it was impossible to trace back to an egg or to an egg farm such infection and assumptions made that it originated in this manner.

  Mr. Freeman
  The evidence linking eggs and salmonella infection in man is based on many different kinds of information. It is not often possible to prove absolutely the cause and effect in individual cases—any more than individual cases of cancer of the lung can be proven as due to cigarettes.

  Since the beginning of 1988, the PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre (CDSC) has investigated 11 outbreaks (involving at least 759 people) of salmonella infection in which a statistical association with eggs was
  282
  found. In five of these (involving at least 341 people) there was supporting microbiological evidence. Most of these investigations have been published in the medical literature.

  In 1988 and 1989, public health professionals reported to CDSC 76 outbreaks (involving at least 1,257 people) which they attributed to eggs or foods which contained egg.

  Egg packaging is required to show certain information, for example, the packaging station number which will assist investigations to trace back eggs implicated in food poisoning outbreaks. However, the packaging may not always be available and, when it is, it is not always possible to identify a producer particularly in those cases where a packing station is handling eggs from more than one source.

  Storm Damage
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what insurance cover is provided to district health authorities for the protection of hospitals and other buildings against storm damage; what estimates he has received of the damage inflicted by storms in January and February on property belonging to district and regional health authorities; and what funds will be made available to repair the damage caused.

  Mr. Freeman
  NHS property is not covered by commercial insurance. Authorities are therefore expected to make some provision within their allocations to meet such contingencies. Information is not held centrally on the total damage to NHS property in January and February. Initial provisional estimates from regions which suffered damage arising from the storm on 25 January amount to about £12 million.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Dogs (Hunting)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to prohibit hare coursing and deer hunting with dogs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government believe that participation in field sports is a matter for the conscience of the individual and have no plans for legislation to prohibit or restrict such activities.

  Grants to Local Government
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the main purposes for which grants under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 are paid to local authorities.

  Mr. Waddington
  [pursuant to the reply, 7 December 1989, c. 395]: I have today published my proposals for the improved administration of section 11 grant in the form of a draft circular to local authorities on which I am inviting comments. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  The new arrangements are the outcome of the Government's consideration of the scrutiny report into the workings of the grant. Some £89 million section 11 grant was paid out in 1988–89 (the latest year for which figures are available); provision of £110 million has been secured for 1990–91.
  283
  Our ethnic minorities make a substantial contribution to this country. The Government are committed to equality of opportunity and good community relations. Barriers which prevent ethnic minorities from making their full contribution to the life of the country must be broken down. The reforms that we propose are designed to enable section 11 to make a major contribution to this objective. The grant has an important role in enabling people from the ethnic minorities to participate fully in the mainstream of British life. This is the Government's prime objective in the reforms proposed for the policy and administration of the grant in the light of the scrutiny report.

  The scrutiny report shows that new legislation will be needed for any fundamental reform of section 11.

  The Government agree that it is desirable to make the existing legislation more relevant to current needs, but believe that much can be done, in advance of any possible legislative change, to improve the way in which section 11 funding is administered. The main changes in funding arrangements set out in the draft circular are:
  the emphasis of the grant in future will be put on practical projects working to identified needs, such as a lack of English language or low achievement in schools and local authorities will in future bid for funding for projects to be judged against such specific criteria;
  all projects will have to be regularly monitored and reviewed against recognisable performance targets;
  in advance of formal legislative change arrangements are being made for some section 11 funding to be redirected to innovative projects that tackle ethnic minority need, to be sponsored by the new training and enterprise councils (TECs), with task forces and city action teams in support;
  local authorities will be strongly encouraged to work with voluntary organisations and to identify a proportion of projects for the voluntary sector;
  new administrative arrangements would come into effect on 1 October 1991. Bids for funding will be invited on an annual basis to a fixed timetable.

  The new arrangements will allow for wider and more innovative proposals, but existing projects will still be able to continue if they are brought within the new criteria. To increase effectiveness, all projects, whether local authority or voluntary sector-based, will need to set clear objectives for achievement. For example, specific objectives for section 11 funding in education are:
  to give school age children whose mother tongue is not English a command of English and to help them achieve at the same level as others in their age group in all areas of the curriculum;

  Number of income support applicants

  Lone parents

  Disabled1

  Pensioners

  Unemployed

  BRADFORD EAST

  Budgeting loans 1989

  January

  885

  386

  70

  35

  337

  February

  963

  429

  74

  33

  367

  March

  1,012

  448

  72

  39

  392

  April

  1,066

  470

  70

  45

  418

  May

  1,101

  490

  70

  48

  433

  June

  1,160

  516

  74

  49

  456

  July

  1,208

  535

  73

  50

  479

  August

  1,170

  528

  71

  47

  458

  September

  1,193

  532

  65

  40

  490

  October

  1,167

  540

  56

  34

  472

  November

  1,212

  572

  50

  38

  483

  December

  1,181

  559

  47

  39

  471

  Crisis loans 1989

  January

  89

  17

  2

  1

  58

  February

  127

  29

  5

  2

  82

  284 to strengthen ties between schools and the parents of ethnic minority pupils, where those ties are hard to establish because of parents' lack of English or because of cultural factors;to give ethnic minority adults, who have an inadequate command of English or who lack numeracy or literacy skills, sufficient knowledge and skills to compete for jobs and participate fully in the mainstream of national life.
  Some specific objectives in the area of employment, training and enterprise are:
  to increase the awareness and take-up of the range of educational and employment opportunities by young people from ethnic minorities and to advise employers and community groups on the potential and training needs of such people;
  to secure better take-up by ethnic minorities of small business support services to promote the creation and growth of small firms and self-employment.

  The grant can help ethnic minorities in need in a number of ways by providing or aiding the provision of:
  Services that cater for the particular problems faced by ethnic minority women and their children, for example, family and women's refuges and maternity social workers.
  Social workers able to give help to ethnic minorities who are isolated, speak and write little or no English and experience cultural barriers to full use of services of the elderly; advice on fostering and adoption and help in the case of mental and physical illness.

  The proposals in the circular will encourage the widest take-up in grant while at the same time ensuring that grant-seekers do not become wholly dependent on funding.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits, Bradford
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide for the Bradford social security offices the information on social fund budget and crisis loans provided in his reply to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) of 25 January,Official Report, columns 809–12.

  Mr. Scott
  The information given in the table represents the number of loans being repaid on the last day of each month.
  285

  Number of income support applicants

  Lone parents

  Disabled1

  Pensioners

  Unemployed

  March

  124

  26

  1

  3

  82

  April

  115

  28

  0

  3

  79

  May

  129

  34

  1

  5

  82

  June

  139

  33

  1

  2

  98

  July

  141

  23

  3

  1

  101

  August

  422

  29

  5

  2

  79

  September

  143

  39

  3

  4

  88

  October

  158

  40

  2

  4

  100

  November

  167

  49

  3

  1

  102

  December

  143

  40

  4

  0

  91

  BRADFORD SOUTH

  Budget Loans 1989

  January

  771

  402

  48

  27

  256

  February

  833

  428

  46

  32

  290

  March

  894

  463

  42

  38

  312

  April

  982

  506

  42

  35

  353

  May

  1,075

  534

  48

  38

  410

  June

  1,149

  595

  50

  39

  413

  July

  1,178

  608

  51

  48

  414

  August

  1,171

  606

  47

  39

  414

  September

  1,210

  639

  48

  43

  418

  October

  1,217

  642

  52

  46

  416

  November

  1,202

  634

  52

  44

  411

  December

  1,192

  635

  54

  47

  393

  Crisis Loans 1989

  January

  96

  26

  2

  2

  55

  February

  108

  25

  3

  3

  66

  March

  118

  25

  5

  1

  76

  April

  101

  23

  3

  2

  65

  May

  116

  19

  3

  2

  84

  June

  113

  21

  4

  2

  77

  July

  120

  26

  4

  2

  77

  August

  134

  35

  3

  1

  86

  September

  147

  28

  3

  2

  103

  October

  162

  28

  5

  1

  112

  November

  159

  36

  3

  1

  106

  December

  156

  36

  4

  3

  103

  BRADFORD WEST

  Budget Loans 1989

  January

  826

  312

  76

  46

  327

  February

  879

  346

  71

  49

  351

  March

  929

  358

  77

  56

  373

  April

  951

  375

  73

  62

  380

  May

  979

  377

  71

  63

  405

  June

  1,015

  403

  70

  64

  419

  July

  1,024

  411

  67

  63

  426

  August

  990

  405

  67

  57

  406

  September

  967

  399

  62

  59

  395

  October

  977

  396

  71

  64

  390

  November

  1,002

  412

  70

  62

  402

  December

  984

  416

  64

  55

  402

  Crisis Loans 1989

  January

  91

  19

  3

  0

  55

  February

  93

  22

  2

  1

  57

  March

  90

  25

  3

  0

  52

  April

  92

  25

  2

  1

  57

  May

  92

  21

  4

  1

  54

  June

  88

  26

  4

  1

  45

  July

  101

  29

  3

  0

  60

  August

  116

  32

  7

  1

  62

  September

  105

  38

  1

  0

  55

  October

  95

  29

  3

  1

  52

  November

  99

  24

  3

  3

  58

  December

  100

  30

  3

  3

  56

  1 Applicants receiving a disability premium. It is not possible to identify separately applicants who are sick and not receiving a disability premium.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide for the Bradford social security 286
  offices the information on the proportion of income support claimants repaying budget and crisis loans

  287
  provided in the manner of his reply of 25 January to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley), Official Report, columns 811–12.

  Mr. Scott
  Information about the local income support caseload is collected on a quarterly basis and the percentage of loans being repaid on the last day of each quarter is shown in the table.

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Bradford East

  February 1989

  7·390

  0·975

  May 1989

  8·526

  1·000

  August 1989

  8·800

  0·918

  November 1989

  9·600

  1·323

  Bradford West

  February 1989

  7·530

  0·797

  May 1989

  8·570

  0·805

  August 1989

  8·349

  0·978

  November 1989

  8·464

  0·836

  Bradford South

  February 1989

  7·215

  0·935

  May 1989

  9·244

  0·998

  August 1989

  9·775

  1·119

  November 1989

  10·254

  1·356

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide for the Bradford social security offices the information on budgeting and crisis loans provided in his reply of 25 January to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley),Official Report, columns 812–13.

  Mr. Scott
  The information given in the table represents the provisional amounts outstanding on the last day of each calendar month.

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  £

  £

  Bradford East

  1989

  January

  140,942·21

  14,687·02

  February

  160,510·33

  15,047·83

  March

  179,816·99

  16,159·13

  April

  200,618·34

  18,989·92

  May

  212,374·59

  22,085·93

  June

  221,129·65

  23,728·09

  July

  221,455·57

  27,380·30

  August

  212,477·88

  28,356·86

  September

  209,111·24

  31,752·55

  October

  200,938·20

  31,795·34

  November

  210,934·55

  34,952·49

  December

  205,800·39

  36,913·19

  Bradford West

  January

  159,897·95

  13,646·82

  February

  172,273·28

  15,293·81

  March

  188,264·30

  16,729·69

  April

  198,362·53

  19,359·65

  May

  213,301·91

  21,475·74

  June

  220,080·00

  23,300·79

  July

  221,823·79

  26,507·36

  August

  n/a

  n/a

  September

  208,432·73

  30,134·77

  October

  207,862·58

  32,164·37

  November

  218,004·89

  32,627·23

  December

  214,927·04

  33,851·43

  Bradford South

  January

  127,454·88

  11,808·44

  February

  149,906·97

  14,365·61

  March

  176,022·78

  16,381·78

  April

  188,297·91

  18,135·07

  288

  Budgeting loans

  Crisis loans

  £

  £

  May

  200,714·97

  19,250·12

  June

  210,627·92

  19,429·18

  July

  215,742·32

  22,417·17

  August

  208,884·30

  24,592·56

  September

  214,962·19

  27,549·72

  October

  215,997·96

  30,741·48

  November

  217,045·99

  34,157·41

  December

  210,550·69

  34,192·18

  Community Care Grants
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many refusals of community care grants one of the grounds for refusal has been insufficient funds.

  Mr. Scott
  In the period April 1989 to January 1990 43,000 community care grants were refused on the grounds that they were of insufficient priority for an award to be made.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the application forms and leaflets on benefits produced in the Welsh language with their reference numbers; and if his Department has any plans to produce any other leaflets or application forms in the Welsh language between the present date and the beginning of April.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: Social fund claim forms SF100 (maternity payments) and SF200 (funeral payments) have been translated and are in use.

  We have no plans to produce any more leaflets in Welsh before April 1990. However, recommendations of a working party for additional Welsh language material have been made and will be implemented as soon as practicable.

  Claimants, Scotland
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security ( 1) how many people in Scotland depend entirely on state benefits for their income;

  (2) how many people in the area covered by his Department's office in Cumbernauld depend entirely on state benefits for their income.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information on the number of people depending entirely on state benefits is not available. However, in November 1989 there were 505,052 people in Scotland claiming income support, 9,179 of whom are claiming income support from Cumbernauld local social security office.

  Note:

  Data is derived from a 100 per cent. count of cases in action, which includes a number where benefit payment has ceased but other action is continuing.

DEFENCE

  Lieutenant Commander Taylor Scott
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence he asked British Aerospace to provide for the official inquiry into the causes of the accident involving Lt. Cdr. Taylor Scott on 22 October 1987.
  289
  Mr. Alan Clark
  Following the accident the director of quality assurance of the Ministry of Defence took possession, under the terms of the Ministry of Defence's contract with British Aerospace, of all documents known to be of relevance and these were presented to the board of inquiry. The board was also able to have access to additional documents which subsequently appeared relevant in the light of its inquiries.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what statutory powers he had to obtain evidence for his inquiry into the causes of the accident involving Lt. Cdr. Taylor Scott on 22 October 1987;

  (2) what was the statutory basis of his inquiry into the causes of the accident involving Lt. Cdr. Taylor Scott on 22 October 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is the standard practice of the Ministry of Defence to hold formal boards of inquiry into the causes of all serious accidents involving military aircraft in the United Kingdom but these boards have a basis in statute, and statutory powers to obtain evidence, only when the pilot is a serving member of Her Majesty's armed forces. Since Lt. Cdr. Taylor Scott had retired from the Royal Navy and was employed by British Aerospace the board of inquiry did not have a basis in statute or statutory powers to obtain evidence.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to seek further evidence from British Aerospace into the causes of the accident involving Lt. Cdr. Taylor Scott on 22 October 1987.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No. The British Aerospace memorandum which has recently been reported in the press was not available to the board of inquiry that investigated the accident but has now been examined thoroughly by Ministry of Defence experts. It contains two main points, the first of which is that British Aerospace had identified a problem whereby a foul between the aircraft structure and seat linkage caused an automatic eject of the top portion of the personal equipment connector when the seat was raised and lowered. Ministry of Defence experts have found that a modification needed to overcome this problem was carried out on Lt. Cdr. Taylor Scott's aircraft, Harrier GR5 ZD325, some five weeks before the accident occurred. This particular problem could not have caused the accident on 22 October 1987. The second main point in the British Aerospace memorandum is that documentation was inadequate. The board of inquiry independently expressed a number of concerns over British Aerospace's documentation and certification of work and recommended corrective action. This action has since been taken.

  In the light of these findings, I am satisfied that there is no need to seek further evidence from British Aerospace.

  AWACS
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made in the Boeing/AWACS offset arrangements.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Boeing has to date submitted five progress reports listing contracts placed with United Kingdom companies to the value of $1,176 million, of which we have so far agreed some $672 million to count for offset credit purposes.

  NATO Weapons Systems
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy in respect of the redistribution to other NATO Governments of weapon systems removed by NATO nations as the result of a CFE treaty.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We need to ensure that, while complying fully with a CFE treaty to reduce certain categories of equipment holdings in both alliances, NATO retains an effective defence capability. NATO is consequently examining the scope for reallocating equipment between allies so that the less efficient items currently in service would be destroyed first. Any such reallocations would have to be fully compliant with CFE treaty obligations.

  Harrier GR5
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the nature of the contractual arrangements for development of the Harrier GR5.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Ministry of Defence placed a target cost incentive contract with a maximum price on British Aerospace for the development and initial production of the Harrier GR5.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Steel
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his assessment of the United Kingdom's need for high-integrity founding plants such as that at the Atlas steel works at Armadale, West Lothian.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  High integrity castings are of crucial importance to customer industries which depend upon a high quality and high performance product. British foundries can expect to achieve a share of that market if they can satisfy customers on price, delivery and quality.

  Post Office
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Post Office; and what will be discussed.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Post Office; and what will be discussed.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Post Office; and what will be discussed.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State expects to meet the chairman of the Post Office, Sir Bryan Nicholson, on 27 March. They will discuss various matters on mutual interest.

  Exporters
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new plans to help British exporters.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new plans to help British exporters.
  291
  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Hillhead (Mr. Galloway) earlier today.

  Recycling
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he expects the Recycling Advisory Group to report on its consideration of recycling of domestic and industrial waste.

  Mr. Forth
  The group is expected to complete the current phase of its work before the end of May.

  Product Liability
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last discussed product liability with(a) consumers' associations, (b) the Confederation of British Industry, (c) trading standards officers and (d) the European Commission.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last discussed product liability with(a) consumers' associations, (b) the Confederation of British Industry, (c) trading standards officers and (d) the European Commission.

  Mr. Forth
  The European product liability directive was implemented in part I of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 and came into force on 1 March 1988. The consumers' associations, the Confederation of British Industry and the Local Authority Co-ordinating Body on Trading Standards were included in the consultation exercise.

  I have had no meetings with these organisations or the European Commission on this subject in the last 12 months.

  East Germany
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the United Kingdom's trade deficit with East Germany in 1989.

  Mr. Redwood
  In 1989 the crude deficit in United Kingdom visible trade with East Germany was £63 million.

  Balance of Trade
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will consider direct action by his Department to improve the United Kingdom's trade deficit figures with other advanced economies.

  Mr. Redwood
  Exports from the United Kingdom are running at record levels. The present deficit has been caused mainly by excessive growth in domestic demand in relation to domestic industrial capacity. It is therefore a macro-economic problem which will be resolved by the sound macro-economic policies which the Government are pursuing. The Government administer a number of schemes to help promote exports.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the east and west European countries with which the United Kingdom has a trade surplus in manufactures.
  292
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the east and west European countries with which the United Kingdom has a trade surplus in manufactures.

  Mr. Redwood
  The European countries with which the United Kingdom in 1989 had a crude surplus in trade in manufactured goods are, in decreasing size of surplus:

  Irish Republic

  Spain

  Soviet Union

  Greece

  Malta

  Gibraltar

  Bulgaria

  Turkey

  Hungary

  Iceland

  Yugoslavia

  Andorra

  Faroe Islands

  Vatican City

  Albania

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the United Kingdom's balance of trade with the EEC(a) in 1972 and (b) currently, in (i) the manufacturing sector and (ii) the financial services sector.

  Mr. Redwood
  In 1972 United Kingdom exports of manufactures to the countries currently comprising the EC exceeded imports by £168 million. The same comparison for 1989 shows that exports were exceeded by imports by £14·4 billion. Corresponding information on trade in financial services is not available.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further representations he has made to retail outlets on the rates of interest being charged to customers for credit.

  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. Friend has made no such representations. In a competitive market each retailer decides what credit terms to offer and consumers have a choice between alternative sources of credit.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further representations he has made to retail outlets on the rates of interest being charged to customers for credit.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further representations he has made to retail outlets on the rates of interest being charged to customers for credit.

  Mr. Forth
  I have made no such representations. In a competitive market each retailer decides what credit terms to offer and consumers have a choice between alternative sources of credit.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his Department's policy on the training of senior staff in the application of information technology.

  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his Department's policy on the training of senior staff in the application of information technology.
  293
  Mr. Forth
  The Department's policy is to ensure that sufficient training on the application of information technology is available to meet departmental needs. To this end, a great deal of training on and about IT is available for all departmental staff, incuding senior members.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has had from the information technology sector on the subject of skill shortages.

  Mr. Forth
  There have been representations from the information technology sector in the past with regard to IT skills shortages. My Department supports a number of programmes aimed at increasing skills in this sector.

  Mr. Buchan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has had from the information technology sector on the subject of skill shortages.

  Mr. Forth
  There have been representations from the information technology sector in the past with regard to IT skills shortages. In recognising this, my Department announced support of up to £440,000 over three years for the recently launched Women into Information Technology (WIT) campaign, where this support is appropriately matched by industry. My Department supports a programme aimed at stimulating the production of distance learning video courses on subjects directly relating to skills in micro-electronics, information technology, and their applications. Support is also being given to an industry-further education collaborative programme aimed at producing interactive video courses relating in the main to IT skills.

  My Department also has an Information Technology Advisory Board (ITAB) with representatives from industry commerce, and academia. One of ITAB's support committees advises specifically on education and training and comments on IT skills issues.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the level of regional development grant and regional selective assistance(a) between May 1978 and May 1979 and (b) in the last financial year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In the period 1 May 1978 to 30 April 1979 expenditure in Great Britain on regional development grants and regional selective assistance was £422·2 million and £112·9 million respectively while in 1988–89 expenditure was £297·3 million and £216 million respectively.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the level of regional development grants and regional selective assistance in(a) 1978–79 and (b) the last financial year.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In 1978–79 expenditure in Great Britain on regional development grants and regional selective assistance was £416·9 million and £104·5 million respectively while in 1988–89 expenditure was £297·3 million and £216 million respectively.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the most recent meeting of the EEC Internal Market Council.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the most recent meeting of the EEC Internal Market Council.

  Mr. Redwood
  The most recent meeting of the Internal Market Council was held on 22 February 1990. The Council reached a satisfactory agreement on the main agenda item: a directive on public procurement in the water, transport, telecommunications and energy sectors. This represents an important step towards the liberalisation of public procurement in the Community. The Council also received a progress report from the Commission on further work in this area.

  The Council also agreed a timetable for future work towards liberalisation of the insurance market in the Community, and discussed amendments to the fourth and seventh company law directives.

  This was a satisfactory first Council under the Irish presidency, which maintains the momentum on the single market.

  European Commission
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met his counterparts in the European Commission; and what topics were discussed.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met his counterparts in the European Commission; and what topics were discussed.

  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met his counterparts in the Europan Commission; and what topics were discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  I keep in close contact with the European Commission on a whole range of issues.

  Stock Exchange
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet the chairman of the stock exchange; and what will be discussed.

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet the chairman of the stock exchange; and what will be discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  Ministers meet the chairman of the stock exchange whenever appropriate to discuss topics of mutual interest.

  Competition Policy
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to review his policy on competition.

  Mr. Sean Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to review his policy on competition.

  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to review his policy on competition.
  295
  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Product Safety
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further measures his Department is taking to improve the safety of retail goods.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further measures his Department is taking to improve the safety of retail goods.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further measures his Department is taking to improve the safety of retail goods.

  Mr. Forth
  Safety of retail goods will continue to be a high priority for my Department. Arrangements exist for the collection and analysis of accident statistics and for the promotion of effective safety campaigns. The Consumer Protection Act 1987 makes it a criminal offence to supply any consumer product that is not reasonably safe. This is supported by safety regulations, where necessary, and by the promotion of safety standards. This framework facilitates the promotion of reasonable standards of safety in the marketing of consumer goods.

  GATT
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on current progress in the general agreement on tariffs and trade negotiations concerning clothing imports.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on current negotiations concerning the multi-fibre arrangement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The GATT negotiating group on textiles and clothing is discussing how best to return trade in textiles and clothing to GATT rules after the MFA expires next year. There is general agreement that a transitional period will be necessary, but its length has not yet been determined nor has the exact nature of the transitional arrangements. The Community continues to argue that integration of the sector into GATT rules must be paralleled by the strengthening of GATT rules and disciplines, particularly in relation to safeguards, intellectual property, unfair trade and access to raw materials coupled with a greater commitment to market opening, especially from the newly industrialised economies. The group is now meeting more frequently with the aim of making more rapid progress.

  Investment
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has as to the amount of inward investment that has taken place in the north-west of England over the past five years; and what steps he is taking to encourage further such investment.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the latest figures readily available to the Invest in Britain Bureau, in the five years from 1985 to 1989, a total of 150 inward investment decisions were made to locate in the north-west of the United Kingdom. These included the establishment of a new business, expansion or acquisition of an existing business and involvement in joint venture. The projects 296
  were expected to create about 8,400 new jobs and to have safeguarded a further 11,900. The figures are based on information provided by the companies themselves at the time of the investment and do not take into account subsequent developments.

  In addition to the activities of my Department's Invest in Britain bureau, which promotes the attractions of all parts of the United Kingdom, the Department is the major source of funds for Inward (the regional development body for the north-west). To assist Inward in its activities, I announced on 8 March that it would be offered grant of £840,000 in 1990–91. This is a very large uplift on the 1989–90 grant of £541,000 and will allow Inward to devote extra resources towards encouraging inward investment.

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the real value of his Department's total expenditure in(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the real value of his Department's total expenditure in(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the real value of his Department's total expenditure in(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92.

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the real value of his Department's total expenditure in(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92.

  Mr. Forth
  The estimated outturn for total Department of Trade and Industry expenditure in 1989–90 (including public corporations) is £1,363 million. Department of Trade and Industry expenditure plans for 1990–91 and 1991–92 total £1,247 million and £1,000 million respectively (the 1991–92 figure is rounded to the nearest £10 million). These planned levels of expenditure are equivalent to £1,187 million (1990–91) and £920 million (1991–92) at 1989–90 prices, based on the GDP deflator assumed for the public expenditure plans.

  Japan
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will discuss with his EEC counterparts the possibility of introducing trade sanctions against Japan.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. Imposing trade sanctions against Japan would contravene the international obligations of both the United Kingdom and our Community partners under the general agreement on tariffs and trade. In 1989, United Kingdom exports to Japan increased by 30·1 per cent. to £2·3 billion compared with 1988, a growth rate over three times faster than Japan's exports to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding access for British exporters to the Japanese market.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government attach great importance to Britain's trade with Japan. Representations on
  297
  market access are received from British companies from time to time and, where appropriate, we take them up vigorously with the Japanese authorities, both directly and through the European Commission.

  In January our exports to Japan increased in value by 27·4 per cent. compared with the same month last year.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his future plans for regional policy.

  Mr. Lambie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his future plans for regional policy.

  Mr. Leadbitter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his future plans for regional policy.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Regional policy is kept under continuing review.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last reviewed the regulations to deal with insider dealing.

  Mr. Redwood
  As I told the House on 8 December, the Government that day published a consultative document on proposals to change the law on insider dealing. A copy is in the Library. I am grateful to all those who responded; careful consideration is being given to their comments.

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current best estimate of the balance of trade in biotechnology products.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the current best estimate for the balance of trade in biotechnology products.

  Mr. Redwood
  Biotechnology is just emerging from the research phase. It will find expression in such sectors as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, diagnostics, food, agriculture and process equipment. Data on trade in biotechnology are not identified separately in statistics for these sectors.

  Grants to Industry
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effect of grants in aid to industry on those enterprises which are not eligible.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The likely effects of grant on non-eligible businesses and also on non-recipients are considered in the appraisal of all applications under schemes where grant amounts might be substantial (for example, regional selective assistance). These effects are also studied as part of the evaluation of all industrial support schemes.

  Exports
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on his future plans for his Department's export programme.
  298
  Mr. Redwood
  The British Overseas Trade Board's forward plan, published on 23 January, sets out the priorities for the use of the resources available for official export promotion—over £120 million a year—in 1990–91 and provides a basis for their use in the next two years. This will ensure that resources are used where they will have the greatest effect on our exports.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Financial Services Act is being operated to the benefit of the investor.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Financial Services Act is being operated to the benefit of the investor.

  Mr. Redwood
  I believe that the Financial Services Act has already brought benefits for investors, not least the SIB compensation scheme. However, investors also benefit financially when regulation of the firms with which they deal is least burdensome, and the amendments introduced in the new Companies Act should make the system of investor protection more flexible and cost-effective.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms were permitted to trade on the basis of interim authorisation by SIB and FIMBRA 18 months after their applications under the Financial Services Act; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Only applications received by 27 February 1988 were given interim authorisation. Eighteen months later 120 applications to FIMBRA and seven to SIB were still operating under interim authorisation.

  Government Support for Business
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much has been spent in real terms on Government support for business in(a) 1979, (b) 1984 and (c)

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Total DTI expenditure (including expenditure in respect of public corporations) was £2,257 million in 1979–80 and £1,814 million in 1984–85: it is now expected to be £1,363 million in 1989–90. The levels of expenditure in 1979–80 and 1984–85 are equivalent to £4,548 million and £2,387 million respectively in 1989–90 prices, based on the GDP deflator.

  Advice Centres
  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding he proposes to give citizens advice bureaux and consumer advice centres for 1990–91.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funding he proposes to give citizens advice bureaux and consumer advice centres for 1990–91.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department does not provide any funds specifically for consumer advice centres or directly to citizens advice bureaux. Details of the DTI grant in aid for
  299
  the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and Citizens Advice Scotland in 1990–91 will not be available until after the Chancellor's annual statement on 20 March.

  Car Manufacturers
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the major car manufacturers; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the major car manufacturers; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the major car manufacturers; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department has regular contacts with the major car manufacturers on a range of issues of interest to the industry.

  Procurement Markets
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the implications for British industry of the opening up of public procurement markets within the European Community.

  Mr. Redwood
  The opening up of EC public procurement markets will provide important new opportunities for British industry in markets in other member states which are closed at present. The British market, unlike some others, is already more open.

  To put this into context, the annual value of EC public procurement is around £430 billion at 1989 prices. About half this amount is under contracts which are, or will soon be, subject to Council directives. Purchasers affected are Government Departments, regional and local authorities and public utilities. Also covered will be private sector firms in the energy, water, telecommunications and energy sectors operating on the basis of special or exclusive rights granted by public authorities. Suppliers harmed by infringements will be able to seek remedies from judicial or administrative review bodies.

  Confederation of British Industry
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters he intends to discuss.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters he intends to discuss.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I look forward to a continuation of constructive dialogue with the president of the CBI on matters relevant to the well-being of British business.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the Confederation of British Industry; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I met the director general of the CBI on 1 February to discuss industrial representation and services to business.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next plans to meet the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board; and what will be discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board to discuss issues of mutual interest as frequently as is necessary. No date has been fixed for the next such meeting.

  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board; and what matters were discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend last met the Chairman of the Securities and Investments Board on 7 November and I saw him on 17 January. On each occasion a range of topics was discussed.

  Trading Standards Officers
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met representatives of local authority trading standards officers to discuss consumer matters.

  Mr. Forth
  I met representatives of local authority trading standards offices on three occasions in 1989 to discuss consumer matters and my officials have frequent meetings with trading standards officers.

  Departmental Structure
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on his plans for the future structure of his Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 February,Official Report, column 783–84.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about his plans for the future structure of his Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 February,Official Report, column 783–84.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on his plans for the future structure of his Department, pursuant to his answer of 21 February,Official Report, column 783–84.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None, as of 13 March 1990.

  Shipbuilding
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the future of the shipbuilding industry in Britain.

  Mr. Orme
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a further statement on the future of the shipbuilding industry in Britain.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The future of the shipbuilding industry in the United Kingdom will depend on the level of demand and on its ability to obtain orders in the face of
  301
  international competition. The Government provide substantial support to the industry to assist its return to normal competitive conditions.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the reply by the hon. Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg) to the hon. Member for Sunderland, North, 28 February,Official Report, column 207, which sentences in the statement by the right hon. Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton), 14 November 1988, Official Report, column 748, state the reasons why his Department rejected the bid by Mr. Nat Puri to acquire North-East Shipbuilders Ltd.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  References to the reasons for the rejection of the original bids received for NESL are contained in the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Member for Braintree (Mr. Newton) on 14 November 1988,Official Report, column 748.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions his Department has held with the European Commission as to the implications for the sixth directive on shipbuilding arising from the amalgamation of the West German Shipbuilders Association and the German Democratic Republic Shipbuilders Association.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None.

  Rechar Initiative
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much funding he expects the objective 2 areas of the east midlands in Retford, Worksop and Mansfield to receive from the Rechar initiative for coal mining areas from the European Commission.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is too early to say. The European Commission has first to determine and publish a list of eligible coal mining areas for the purpose of Rechar and then to consider programmes of measures for such areas. I hope that its decisions on the amounts of Rechar grants will be reached before the end of this year.

  Batteries
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to manufacturers and retailers about the lead content of batteries.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to manufacturers and retailers about the lead content of batteries.

  Mr. Forth
  Most lead-containing batteries are covered by the scope of a draft EC directive which aims to reduce the amounts of that metal going in spent batteries to landfill or incineration for disposal. Negotiations on the draft directive have recently begun in Brussels. Officials in my Department have been in regular contact with representatives of the lead and battery industries over the past months.

  Industry Council
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what matters he expects to discuss at the next meeting of the EEC Industry Council.
  302
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave earlier to the hon. Member for Renfrew, West and Inverclyde (Mr. Graham).

  FIMBRA
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the role of FIMBRA in regulating the investment company C. J. How.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department has received a number of such representations.

  Liquidation
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many firms have gone into voluntary liquidation during 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  A total of 10,840 companies in Great Britain went into voluntary liquidation in 1989. Of these, 6,633 were creditors voluntary liquidations and 4,207 were members voluntary liquidations. Figures of company liquidations in Northern Ireland are not available for the whole of 1989, but in the 10 months up to October, 92 companies went into voluntary liquidation; of these, 47 were creditors voluntary liquidations and 45 were members voluntary liquidations.

  National Economic Development Council
  Mr. John Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the director general of the National Economic Development Council; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met the director general of the National Economic Development Council; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department has frequent contacts with the director general of NEDO and his staff on a wide range of business matters and I look forward to continuing these when I chair the council on 4 April.

  West Germany
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he last met his West German counterpart; and what was discussed.

  Mr. Redwood
  My colleagues and I keep in close contact with our West German counterparts on a range of issues.

  Aerospace Industry
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the contributions being made by British companies to the aerospace industry in Europe and the United States of America.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am well aware of the significant contribution made by United Kingdom companies to the aerospace industry worldwide; indeed the United
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  Kingdom has a large trade surplus in aerospace products. United Kingdom firms are prominent in all areas of the industry—as aircraft and aero-engine manufacturers, as partners in international collaborative programmes such as Airbus, EFA and the V2500 engine, and as major suppliers of equipment and components to other European and United States manufacturers such as Fokker, Boeing and McDonnell Douglas.

  Electronics
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has had from the electronics industry on the subject of skills shortages.

  Mr. Forth
  There have been no direct representations from the electronics industry on skills shortages during the past two months, but there have in the past been approaches with regard to IT skills shortages. My Department supports a number of programmes aimed at increasing skills in the sector.

  Mr. Allan Roberts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the latest annual estimate of the balance of trade in electronic components.

  Mr. Forth
  Estimates based on figures published by the Central Statistical Office suggest that the United Kingdom had a crude trade deficit' in electronic components2 of Eli billion in 1989.

  Notes:

  1 Imports (cif) less Exports (fob).

  2 Principal Products of Activity Headings 3444 and 3453 of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980).

  Financial Regulations
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of self-regulation of the financial regulations.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Securities and Investments Board is responsible for ensuring that the appropriate standard of protection for investors is provided by the self-regulating bodies recognised under the Financial Services Act.

  Rover Group
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to meet representatives of the Rover Group concerning the future of Cowley.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I have no plans to meet representatives of the Rover Group concerning the future of its operation at Cowley.

  Fur Exports
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the export of British furs and pelts.

  Mr. Redwood
  Available statistics show that exports (including re-exports) of furs and pelts (group 212 of the SITC) from the United Kingdom amounted to £53 million in 1989.

  Bankruptcy
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the latest figures for the level of bankruptcies.

  Mr. Redwood
  A total of 8,115 bankruptcy orders were made in England and Wales in 1989. In the same year, 2,294 sequestrations (the equivalent of bankruptcy orders in England and Wales) were awarded in Scotland and 146 bankruptcy adjudication orders were made in Northern Ireland.

  Hulme and Moss Side Development Projects
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of(a) the present membership of the Hulme and Moss Side community economic development trust and the means by which they were selected and (b) the mechanism by which elections will take place for the trust board including details of how voting will be conducted.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The information requested is a matter for the trust itself.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give details of projects assisted by the Hulme and Moss Side task force which involve a training element and which do not involve employment training.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Since the introduction of employment training the task force has assisted the following projects for unemployed adults involving a non-ET training element:Roots Oral History—20 trainees—Basic editorial skills in producing a book
  Community Computing—30 trainees—Equipment for a "drop-in" training centre for Information Technology (re) familiarisation.

  In both cases, the training offered is of an informal nature and aimed at unemployed people who are not yet ready to follow an ET training course.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in what way the Hulme and Moss Side task force makes applicants for assistance aware of Department of Trade and Industry encouragement of the use of employment training.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Employment training is recommended to applicants as a source of funding whenever it seems appropriate.

  Company Accounts
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the checks which Companies house staff perform upon receipt of annual company accounts.

  Mr. Redwood
  The basic checks carried out by the Registrar of Companies vary according to the type of accounts filed. For full accounts, these include confirmation that the accounts comprise the company's profit and loss account and balance sheet, the directors' report, the auditors' report and, where appropriate, the company's group accounts. The basic checks are supplemented by such other checks as the registrar considers are appropriate. Companies house is not responsible for the contents of the accounts.
  305
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, prior to formulating section 15 of the Companies Act 1989, his Department estimated the average cost of printing a full set of accounts which are normally circulated to shareholders.

  Mr. Redwood
  No, but my Department's customary prior consultations showed that the proposal to give listed companies the option of providing summary financial statements instead of full reports and accounts was endorsed by a range of public companies and representative organisations.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if persons who lose money on the basis of advice from persons with interim authorisation from FIMBRA or SIB have their interests protected in any way by these organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  Interim authorised persons are treated as though they had been granted authorisation and are effectively subject to the appropriate rules of FIM BRA or SIB. Interim authorised persons are not included in the investors' compensation scheme of SIB.

  Mr. Adrian Ward
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will undertake discussions with the Securities and Investments Board on the trading as a financial adviser of Mr. Adrian Ward.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. The day-to-day operation of the regulatory system under the Financial Services Act is the responsibility of the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating bodies.

  Statistical Divisions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the latest figures for the number of staff presently employed, and the full complement of staff, including vacant posts, by grade, in the statistical divisions in his Department; if he will differentiate between staff in statistical posts and staff in administrative posts; and if he will give the staffing complements by grade, and differentiated between statistical and administrative posts, proposed for 1990–91.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: A major part of the Department's statistical work and associated staff were transferred to the Central Statistical Office on 31 July 1989. The remaining statistical work was distributed among a number of divisions within the Department. The following figures for 1989–90 relate to the statistics sections of these divisions. The manpower allocation for 1 April 1991 will be set later this month in the light of the Department's annual activity and resource management review.

  SIP 1 March 1990

  Allocation 1 April 1990

  Statistical posts

  G5

  1

  1

  G7

  11

  11

  Senior assistant statistician

  3

  6

  Assistant statistician

  1

  —

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  SIP 1 March 1990

  Allocation 1 April 1990

  Administrative posts

  HEO

  5

  5

  EO

  13

  15

  AO

  14

  17

  AA

  3

  3

  PS

  1

  1

  Support grade 2

  1

  1

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what response he has had from the Bank of England to the submission to it of the House of Fraser report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: None. The Bank of England is not accountable to the Secretary of State.

  Garston Amhurst
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, in view of the Garston Amhurst case, he will introduce legislation making the organisations appointing representatives liable for all the actions of these representatives, whether in the course of conducting authorised business or not; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: Under the Financial Services Act, a principal is responsible for its appointed representatives' actions in carrying on investment business for which the principal has accepted responsibility in writing. It is for the Securities and Investments Board and the self-regulating bodies to consider what requirements should be imposed on principals in relation to the activities of their appointed representatives. I have no plans to amend the Financial Services Act in this regard.

  Multi-fibre Arrangement
  Mr. Henderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the quotas covered by the multi-fibre arrangement and indicate the proportion of each quota used.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 13 March 1990]: Details of current quotas for the United Kingdom under the European Community's bilateral multi-fibre arrangement agreements with third countries are set out in the notice to importers 2249 published in Lloyd's List International on 4 January 1990. This is available in the Library of the House.

  Quota utilisation records for 1989 will not be finalised for some time yet. The DTI is currently preparing a summary of quota utilisation in 1988, a copy of which will be placed in the Library of the House when it is ready.

  Enterprise Initiative Scheme
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what examination he makes in considering a company's eligibility for assistance under the enterprise initiative scheme of(a) previous name changes by the company, (b) its record of payment of liabilities to redundant workers and (c) its record of payment of rates.
  307
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: The eligibility of companies applying for consultancy assistance under the enterprise initiative is the responsibility of my Department. Applicants are approved only after a visit by an enterprise counsellor who, after a broadly
  308
  based review of the firm's business activities, is required to identify whether the firm would benefit from consultancy assistance and whether it has the resources to pay its share of a consultancy project.

  ECOFIN MEETING, 12th MARCH
  ECOFIN MEETING, 12th MARCH
  BREATH TESTING LEGISLATION: REVIEW
  BREATH TESTING LEGISLATION: REVIEW