Written Answers of 3 May 1990

TRANSPORT

  Vehicles
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest estimate of the number of private and commercial vehicles expected to be on the roads in 1990, 1995 and 1999.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department's low and high forecasts of the number of privately and commercially owned cars on the road are:

  Million

  11990

  19·9–20·0

  1995

  22·1–23·1

  1999

  23·7–25·5

  1 Average for year.

  Forecasts are not made for other vehicle types.

  Balloon Flights
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the carriage of passengers by hot air balloons is a recognised method of carriage as defined and regulated by the Civil Aviation Authority in schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order 20, November 1989, pursuant to the Civil Aviation Act 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Hot air balloons are classified in schedule 1 to the Air Navigation Order as a sub-group of aircraft, so they may be registered in the United Kingdom and flown for purposes specified under the order, including the carriage of passengers.

  To carry fare-paying passengers (other than in circumstances defined in the order as being private flights) a balloon must be certificated by the Civil Aviation Authority in the transport category (passenger) as set out in schedule 3 to the order, the operator must hold an air operator's certificate and the pilot must hold a valid professional balloon pilot's licence.

  There are currently 43 hot air balloons certificated in the transport category (passenger) in the United Kingdom, and 27 air operator's certificates have been granted.

  A6(M) Stockport Bypass
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will consider using the money saved by providing fewer than eight lanes for the A6(M) Stockport north-south bypass to lower the motorway alignment.

  Mr. Atkins
  The proposed motorway for much of its length would he significantly lower than the adjacent ground level. A further lowering of the alignment could 608
  not be justified. It would require more land, increase considerably the amount of surplus soil to be disposed of and cost some £6 million more.

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey,Official Report, 26 April, column 265, if he will estimate how many flights were carrying (a) medical isotopes, (b) reactor fuel and (c) radioactive material for military purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Of the approximately 8,000 flights per year which carry radioactive materials, I understand that over 99 per cent. carry isotopes for medical and industrial use. Radioactive materials transported for military purposes are a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the Radioactive Substance (Carriage by Road) (Great Britain) Regulations apply to the transportation of radioactive material for military purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Secretary of State for Defence is the competent authority in his own right for the transport of radioactive materials for military purposes. The Ministry of Defence uses containers which are designed, manufactured and tested in complete conformity with the appropriate International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) transport regulations.

  Shipping
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has made of the proportion of exports from and imports to the United Kingdom, excluding ferry operations, carried in British registered ships; and what approximate proportion of ships engaged in ferry services to and from the continent are registered in United Kingdom ports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [pursuant to his reply, 2 May 1990 c. 549]: About half the ships engaged in ferry services to and from the continent are United Kingdom-registered vessels.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Business Expansion Schemes
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will mount a full investigation into the delays by the Board of Inland Revenue relating to the Swan Valley Railway (Holdings) plc appraisal for a business expansion scheme.

  Mr. Lilley
  I shall write to my hon. Friend about the case.

  DTI Statistics
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how much warning was given to United Kingdom industry of the ending of the quarterly sales inquiry;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the value of short-term production statistics to British industry;
  609
  (3) what representations he has received from British industry calling for comprehensive replacement of the quarterly sales inquiry statistics;

  (4) what information he possesses on differences in the official collection of detailed short-term production statistics in the United Kingdom and in other Group of Seven countries;

  (5) what account was taken of the policies developed by the statistical office of the European Community in the decision made on the future of the quarterly sales inquiry;

  (6) whether he will now undertake (a) an assessment of the burden of form filling faced by British industry and (b) a review of the decision to curtail the quarterly sales inquiry.

  Mr. Lilley
  The outcome of the review of DTI statistics was announced by DTI Ministers on 10 May 1989. The main recommendations included a reduction in the volume of product sales statistics collected in official inquiries and released in the "Business Monitor" series. Most quarterly product inquiries were converted to an annual basis, and the number of headings for which information was collected was substantially reduced. The review also recommended a strengthening of the monthly sales inquiry used for compiling the index of production. Following enlargement of the Central Statistical Office in July 1989 to incorporate statistical inquiry work previously carried out by DTI, ministerial responsibility for implementing the review recommendations on product statistics fell to Treasury Ministers.

  The last of the full quarterly sales inquiries related to the second quarter of 1989. Announcements explaining this change were included in the "Business Monitors" appearing during June and July 1989, and a detailed article on the impact of the review appeared in British Business on 14 July 1989. Subsequently, explanatory material was sent to 82 interested trade associations. Central Statistical Office staff are aware of 22 complaints relating to the loss of quarterly product statistics. Most of these concern the loss of data for particular industries or individual products.

  The Government recognise the value of accurate and timely product statistics to both business men and official users. There is, however, a need to strike a balance between benefits to users of the information and the costs to business of completing statistical forms. The Government will ensure that statistical form filling is kept to a minimum, consistent with the information needs of government and business. Any unnecessary inquiries will be discontinued.

  International comparisons are difficult to draw due to differences in institutional structures, roles played by trade bodies, periodicity of inquiries, and so on. The following estimates of product counts for which sales or production information is collected are based on work carried out by the West German Statistical Office in 1987: UK 4,500 (since reduced to 3,000), France 10,000, West Germany 6,400, Italy 1,000, US 11,000 and Canada 3,800.

  When the review of DTI statistics was carried out, proposals for developments in EC product statistics, known as PRODCOM, were at an early stage. The first detailed statement of Eurostat proposals is expected in the form of a draft regulation later this year. Views of UK business men and trade bodies on the PRODCOM proposals are being sought to ensure that any resulting scheme takes account of UK industrial needs. Key features
  610
  of the scheme, including periodicity, variables to be collected, panel sizes and so on, are not yet known. Meanwhile, it would be premature to launch further assessments in this area.

  Real Take-home Pay
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much average real take-home pay has increased for (i) a single person and (ii) a married couple since 1978–79.

  Mr. Lilley
  Real take-home pay this year for a single person on average male earnings is estimated to be 40 per cent. higher than in 1978–79. For a married couple with non-earning wife and the husband on average male earnings the increase is estimated to be 38 per cent.

  Revaluation, Southwark
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a complete list of the rateable value, by property, of retail premises in Walworth road and Peckham road(a) before and (b) after the recent revaluation.

  Mr. Lilley
  No. Lists containing details of the 1973 and 1990 rateable values of all retail premises in Walworth road and Peckham road are available for inspection, free of charge, at the office of the London borough of Southwark and the Southwark valuation office.

  Affinity Credit Cards
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from charitable organisations about the value added tax and corporation tax implications of affinity credit card schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend has received various representations, including a submission from the Charities' Tax Reform Group (CTRG), since the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Richmond and Barnes (Mr. Hanley) on 7 December 1989, at columns 308–09. Customs and Excise and the Inland Revenue have also had discussions with the CTRG about the tax implications of charities' affinity card schemes. It has now been agreed that, with the appropriate contractual arrangements, VAT will be charged on the promotional and other services supplied by the charities, but will not apply to contributions made by the credit card companies for which the beneficiaries are not obliged to do anything in return. The corporation tax treatment of individual schemes will depend on the contractual arrangements, but schemes can be set up in such a way that the charity's income from them qualifies for exemption from corporation tax.

  Finance Bill
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the notes on those clauses of the Finance Bill to be taken in Committee of the whole House will be made available to hon. Members.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Yes. The appropriate notes on clauses were placed in the Vote Office earlier today.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Petrol Prices
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he has given to introducing regulations compelling petrol forecourts to display their petrol prices in both gallons and litres; and what representations he has had concerning those presenting high prices per gallon displaying prices only in litres.

  Mr. Forth
  Following consultation with interested parties, I laid an order in 1988 relaxing the requirements to display the price per gallon in addition to the price per litre. Under the recently adopted EC units of measurements directive, the United Kingdom will be required to phase out the use of the gallon for trade after 31 December 1994 at the latest. Although the gallon continues in the interim to be permitted to be used for trade, I understand that the overwhelming majority of garages already sell petrol by the litre. Accordingly, I do not consider it is now necessary to require petrol forecourts to display petrol prices in both gallons and litres. In the last year I have received four letters of complaint about this matter.

  Sea Food
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any proposals for the introduction of new labelling laws requiring manufacturers to declare the net defrosted weight of packed sea food.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department issued a consultation letter earlier this year proposing that legislation be introduced requiring packages of frozen prawns, shrimps and scampi to be marked with the weight net of ice-glaze. There was no opposition to this proposal which has now been notified to the EC Commission under the terms of directive 83/189/EEC. Subject to satisfactory completion of the notification, I intend to lay an order in Parliament to be debated by both Houses under the affirmative resolution procedure.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Beaconsfield of 28 March,Official Report, column 209, which self-regulatory organisations have membership requirements that go further than the vetting of individuals of significance to the shareholdings or management of the business that is making application for authorisation under the Financial Services Act.

  Mr. Redwood
  I understand that the Securities Association and FIMBRA have membership requirements that go further than those mentioned in my previous reply.

  Financial Times Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representation his Department had at the Financial Times conference on industry and the environment held in London on 23 and 24 April.
  612
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My Department was not represented at this event, but representatives of the Department of the Environment did attend it.

  Weights and Measures
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to make any changes to the previously announced arrangements for metricating the quantities in which whisky, gin, rum and vodka may be served for consumption on licensed premises; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  I announced on 14 December that I intended to lay in draft an order which would permit these spirits to be served in a single round metric quantity of 25 ml from the middle of this year and to end the use of the existing imperial measures by 31 December 1994. Having considered representations on these proposals, it remains my intention to lay an order shortly along the lines previously announced. However, in addition I propose to consult interested parties about the possibility at a later stage of permitting one further round metric quantity of 35 ml and of extending the requirement to use prescribed measures to cover other spirits.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what expertise his Department has made available to eastern European countries in toxic waste landfill disposal.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: My Department has organised bilateral seminars on atmospheric and water pollution control with representatives from Czechoslovakia and Bulgaria respectively. The seminars, which included advice on landfill were designed to identify areas of industrial technology which show potential for bilateral commercial development. Assistance to certain eastern European countries on a range of matters, including environmental problems, is also available under the Government's know-how fund and the European Community's PHARE programme.

ENVIRONMENT

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish data on urban development corporations showing both for 1988–89 and 1989–90, by individual urban development corporation(a) the area of land reclaimed, (b) the total area of land bought, (c) the area of land bought by compulsory purchase order, (d) the number of houses built or refurbished, (e) the area of industrial and commercial floorspace built or refurbished, (f) the miles of roads constructed or improved, (g) the value of public expenditure and (h) the value of private investment.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The latest available information is set out in the tables.
  613

  UDCs: 1989–90

  UDCs

  Land reclaimed (ha)

  Total land acquired (ha)5

  Land (ha) acquired by cpo6

  Housing refurbished or built

  Ind./comm. Floorspace (sq m)

  Roads (km) improved or built

  EFL (£ million)

  Private investment (£ million)

  Black Country

  71·7

  141

  0

  400

  220,000

  6·4

  38

  100

  Bristol

  5

  3·3

  0

  25

  n/a

  0

  5

  n/a

  Central Manchester

  3·8

  3·5

  0

  115

  6,400

  0

  11

  33

  Leeds

  18

  32·7

  0

  105

  82,000

  0

  10·05

  33·65

  London Docklands

  22·7

  35·58

  4

  1,9001

  290,000

  7·21

  253·508

  1,207

  Mersey side

  11·9

  56·93

  0

  206

  30,000

  2·5

  23

  37

  Sheffield

  50

  28·3

  0

  0

  2,850

  0·375

  9·5

  105

  Teesside

  94

  237

  3

  302

  50·800

  1·2

  35·9

  151

  603

  Trafford Park

  40·3

  11·6

  0

  0

  32,983

  0·5

  13·3

  173

  Tyne and Wear

  27·5

  62·7

  0

  255

  22,100

  1·6

  35·8

  36

  1 excludes refurbishment of existing homes.

  2 built or under construction.

  3 refurbished.

  4 not readily available.

  5 includes all land acquired by cpo, vesting or agreement.

  6 excludes land where a cpo has been confirmed but the land has not yet been acquired.

  UDCs: 1988–89

  UDCs

  Land reclaimed (ha)

  Total land acquired (ha)4

  Land (ha) acquired by cpo5

  Housing refurb. or built

  Ind/comm. floorspace (sq m)

  Roads (km) improved or built

  EFL (£ m)

  Private investment (£m)

  Black Country

  42

  122

  0

  288

  62,315

  5

  23·0

  95

  Bristol

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0·283

  0

  Central Manchester

  0

  0·2

  0

  140

  0

  0

  2·5

  35

  Leeds

  5

  0

  0

  0

  60,000

  0

  2,743

  25

  London Docklands

  46

  2·07

  3—

  12,695

  240,000

  12·13

  116·415

  2,450

  Merseyside

  43

  45·95

  0

  233

  24,000

  3·65

  21·0

  17·5

  Sheffield

  1

  30·3

  0

  0

  50

  0·25

  7·958

  2272·65

  Teesside

  28

  36

  0

  0

  8,000

  0·6

  21·003

  34

  Trafford Park

  8·3

  18

  0

  0

  42,372

  0·8

  15·5

  100·6

  Tyne & Wear

  15·8

  141·6

  0

  0

  13,500

  0

  24·016

  40

  1 Excludes refurbishment of existing homes.

  2 Includes Meadowhall development, begun before SDC was set up in June 1988.

  3 Not readily available.

  4 Includes all land acquired by cpo, vesting or agreement.

  5 Excludes land where a cpo has been confirmed but the land has not yet been acquired.

  Pollution
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are made by his Department to record the effects of pollution by aerial reconnaissance.

  Mr. Trippier
  Satellite and aircraft reconnaissance is used by my Department's contractors according to need. It has many applications but usually in conjunction with ground-based monitoring and surveillance techniques. Examples include surveys of vegetation cover change in the countryside, radiometry, tracking of air pollution plumes and trajectories, and detection of phytoplankton blooms in the seas around the United Kingdom. Applications to record the effects of pollution are more problematical although some experimental work on detection of environmental damage in forests due to air pollution and other stresses, for example, disease and drought, has been undertaken. Similar work is undertaken by other Departments and the Natural Environmental Research Council, according to need. The most notable example of the programme of aerial surveillance of marine oil pollution undertaken by the Department of Transport.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the minimum requirements for the 614
  National Rivers Authority to (a) record and (b) publish its investigation into pollution of (i) water and (ii) flood defences.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The duties of the National Rivers Authority in relation to both water pollution and flood defences are set out in the Water Act 1989. The NRA is required to prepare an annual report on its activities which must be laid before both Houses and published. The authority is also required to record information about its regular monitoring of water quality and related matters in public registers which are held in the authority's regional offices. The particulars which are to be contained in the registers are set out in the Control of Pollution (Registers) Regulations 1989.

  In addition, the authority publishes, from time to time, reports and other information on matters for which it is responsible.

  Rossall Point Sea Outfall
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has had any recent consultations with North West Water plc regarding the proposed Rossall Point long sea outfall; and if he will make a statement.
  615
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The applications for consent to discharge in connection with the proposed long sea outfall are still before my right hon. Friend, and it would not be proper for me to comment on them at this stage.

  Nature Conservancy Council Joint Committee
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what number of staff he expects will be employed by the proposed joint committee for the Nature Conservancy Council for the purposes of carrying out the quinquennial review of protected animals and plants under section 24 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department is currently discussing the staffing requirements of the proposed three new country councils—including those of their joint committee—with the chairmen-designate, the NCC and the Countryside Commission. Figures for the number of staff to be allocated to specific functions will not be available until these discussions are complete.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends the proposed joint committee for the Nature Conservancy Council to make a report under paragraph 17 of schedule 3 to the Nature Conservancy Council Act 1973 in respect of its functions under section 24 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  Provision for the Secretary of State to publish the advice he receives on the quinquennial review is already proposed in paragraph 14(5)(c) of schedule 7 to the Environmental Protection Bill. Recommendation 4.19 of the second report of the Select Committee on Science and Technology of another place (HL Paper 33—I) is also germane to this point. The Government are currently considering that report, and will announce their response shortly.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the two assessors appointed to the Nature Conservancy Council's joint committee to represent Northern Ireland's interests will have voting powers in relation to matters of United Kingdom or international importance.

  Mr. Trippier
  We have always made clear the intention that the interests of nature conservation in Northern Ireland should be represented on the joint committee. There are legal and constitutional considerations which may make it appropriate for the Northern Ireland representatives to be non-voting.

  Erasmus Centre
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has placed, or plans to place, any consultancy contract with the Erasmus centre for environmental studies in Rotterdam.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department of the Environment has placed no contracts with the Erasmus centre for environmental studies and has no immediate plans to do so.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans substantially to amend the poll tax legislation; and if he will make a statement.
  616
  Mr. David Hunt
  My right hon. Friend will make a statement if and when there is something to announce.

  Radiation
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to instigate a national survey to establish those properties where radiation levels are above acceptable levels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  A representative national survey of radon in houses has been carried out by the National Radiological Protection Board; the results are given in the publication "Natural Radiation Exposure in UK Dwellings, NRPB—R190, May 1988", a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House. A further programme of radon surveys by the NRPB is being funded by my Department.

  Rainham Marshes
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from British Urban Development and Music Corporation of America in respect of the proposed theme park at Rainham marshes in the London borough of Havering; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Among the numerous representations received either from or against the granting of planning consent for the proposed development my right hon. Friend received letters from both organisations.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) why the decision was taken not to call in the application for a theme park and related matters at Rainham marshes in the London borough of Havering;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the site of special scientific interest at Rainham marshes in the London borough of Havering.

  Mr. Trippier
  I can add nothing to what my right hon. Friend said in his announcement on 5 April. A copy of the press notice has been placed in the Library.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has undertaken regarding the environmental side-effects of burning Orimulsion and very heavy residual fuel oils in power stations.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is in consultation with PowerGen plc concerning the use of Orimulsion and very heavy residual fuel oils in power stations. Trials are to be undertaken this summer to assess the environmental effects and what measures might be needed to minimise such effects.

  Waste Paper
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals have been made for the disposal of surplus waste paper from Government Departments which has been collected during the current year.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Each Government Department at present makes its own arrangements for the disposal of
  617
  waste in the light of local circumstances and security and other considerations. We are currently reviewing the arrangements made across Departments both for the use of recycled materials and for the disposal of waste with a view to maximising recycling. In the case of Department of the Environment headquarters buildings in Westminister and Lambeth, waste paper and cardboard are collected for recycling by contractors. The Department is at the moment considering ways of separating out a higher proportion of office waste for recycling.

  Ministerial Visit
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to give a substantive reply to the question from the hon. Member for Leeds, Central on 18 April about the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities' visit to Leeds on 4 April.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I answered the hon. Member's question on Tuesday 1 May at column 506.

  ISS Servisystem
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, for how long cleaning services at Wellbar house, Gallowgate, Newcastle, have been provided by ISS Servisystem Ltd.; how many contract terms ISS Servisystem Ltd. has had; and what is the remaining period of the current contract.

  Mr. Chope
  Cleaning services at Wellbar house have been provided by ISS Servisystem Ltd. since March 1982; three contract terms have been awarded to it after competitive tender; and the current contract has two years to run, expiring in April 1992.

  Nature Conservancy
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the proposed joint committee for the successors to the Nature Conservancy Council will have responsibility for providing advice to the Government on the conservation implications of trade in endangered species or their products.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 27 April 1990]: Yes.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration has been given to the future ownership and holding of Great Britain's national nature reserves currently owned by the Nature Conservancy Council.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 27 April 1990]: The Government have no plans to change the ownership of national nature reserves.

  Local Government Revenue
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentages of English local government revenue for 1990–91 he has calculated will be received from(a) government grants, (b) the uniform business rate and (c) community charges.

  Mr. Chope
  The proportions of total local government revenue, including grants outside AEF and treating 618
  community charge rebates as central Government support, which are met from these three sources are as follows:

  Percentage

  Government grants

  48

  Business rates

  26

  Community charges

  26

  American Forces
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which Suffolk parish councils have indicated to him that they intend to cease providing certain local services on the grounds that the revenues they expect to receive from their British charge payers, following the cessation of rates from American service men, are insufficient.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [pursuant to his answer, 19 February 1990, c. 662.]: I now intend exceptionally to pay extra grant for 1990–91 only to parish councils which face particular difficulties as a result of the exemption from the community charge of United States service personnel living within their area. I understand that in some parishes where United States service men constitute a high proportion of the population, the parish council precept together with contributions to the area safety net has meant that some charge payers are bearing a heavy burden. I hope that this extra grant for 1990–91 will enable these parishes to continue to provide local services without an undue cost falling on charge payers in their area. This additional support will help those parishes most seriously affected by this problem in the first year of the new system.

  The grant system provides full compensation at district level for the fact that overseas service men—including those from the United States—are exempt from the community charge. District councils have powers to assist parish councils in meeting the cost of any function which they both may provide. From 1991–92 onwards I would expect district councils to make use of that power to assist parishes with a reduced number of charge payers as a result of the exemption of United States service personnel.

ENERGY

  Opencast Coal
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of United Kingdom opencast coal is washed.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a matter for the British Coal Corporation. However, it is generally true that opencast coal is cleaner than deep mine output and so requires less washing.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will impose a condition on the burning of Orimulsion or very heavy residual fuel oil in electricity power stations, that flue gas desulphurisation scrubbers must be installed in that power station.

  Mr. Baldry
  Control of emissions from power stations is a matter for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.
  619
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what approaches he has received about the burning of Orimulsion in oil-burning power stations.

  Mr. Baldry
  PowerGen advised me earlier this year of its intention to burn Orimulsion at the Ince B power station on a trial basis.

  Spent Nuclear Fuels (Imports)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what quantity of spent nuclear fuel has so far arrived at Sellafield from other countries for the purpose of reprocessing; in how many shipments this has arrived; from what country and on what dates; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Over the past 25 years British Nuclear Fuels plc and its predecessors have received some 4,000 tonnes of uranium as spent fuel from Canada, the Federal Republic of Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland. The origins, sizes and dates of arrival of individual consignments are matters for the company.

  Fluidised Bed Combustion
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on progress on the research being carried out at Grimethorpe into the benefits of fluidised bed combustion technology; and when this system is likely to be implemented nationally.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Preparations for the experimental work at Grimethorpe, which forms part of British Coal's topping cycle project, commenced in October 1989 and I understand that design work is progressing. British Coal is seeking alternative industrial funding following Ahlstrom's recent withdrawal from the project and the Department's offer of 50 per cent. support up to a maximum of £8 million remains on the table. The financing of the project will be reviewed when the position on industrial participation is clearer.

  Implementation of this technology would depend upon the success of its development programme. Exploitation of the topping cycle concept will also depend on sufficient confidence that it is economically competitive with other means of power generation.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Criminal Evidence
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will issue a code of practice to Government Departments on measures necessary to avoid prejudice to cases going through the courts; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  The Attorney-General
  No. The circumstances which may arise are too diverse for it to be useful to issue more specific guidance than is already available from the general law.

  Winchester Three
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the total costs of the trial of the Winchester Three.

  The Attorney-General
  The total amount expended on legal fees in the trial of this case was £215,287·81. To seek to quantify the administrative costs would involve disproportionate expense.

WALES

  Caerphilly Castle (Catering)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will review his policy in respect of the catering arrangements at Caerphilly castle in the light of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report in respect of monopoly services at exhibition halls.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  The document to which I believe the hon. Gentleman refers, the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on electrical contracting at exhibition halls in London, concerns the monopoly that existed in favour of restricted practices by electrical contractors tied to the major exhibition halls.

  The current catering contract at Caerphilly castle was awarded through open tender for a limited term up to 22 March 1991. Terms of a replacement contract are currently under review.

  Engineering Apprenticeships
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the numbers of engineering apprenticeships in Wales in 1979, 1984 and in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  This information is not held by the Department.

  East Europe (Investment)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to encourage Welsh companies to invest in east European countries.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I welcome the emergence of market economies in eastern Europe, which will be to the great benefit of the people of those countries. These developments may also bring investment and exporting opportunities for Welsh companies. But there will inevitably also be risks and uncertainties and these are therefore commercial decisions for Welsh companies themselves to consider.

  Deeside ITEC
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the future of Deeside ITEC.

  Mr. Roberts
  The future of the Deeside ITEC is a matter for the company itself. When the North East Wales training and enterprise council becomes operational the Deeside ITEC will be able to bid to the council to operate YT and ET schemes as it does with the Training Agency at present.
  621
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will meet the employees of Deeside ITEC.

  Mr. Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people have been trained in information technology by Deeside ITEC.

  Mr. Roberts
  This information is not held by the Department.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the premises of Deeside ITEC.

  Mr. Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Health Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the number of nurses required and the number expected to be available in the years 1991 to 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The aggregation of manpower resource plans submitted by district health authorities in 1989 indicates projected planned staffing levels (PSL) and staff in post (SIP) levels at 30 September 1991 to 1993 at the all-Wales levels as follows:

  1991

  1992

  1993

  General Nurses

  PSL

  9,832

  9,829

  9,846

  SIP

  9,744

  9,740

  9,749

  Children's Nurses

  PSL

  156

  157

  157

  SIP

  137

  138

  138

  Mental Illness Nurses

  PSL

  2,592

  2,778

  2,790

  SIP

  2,474

  2,606

  2,665

  Mental Handicap Nurses

  PSL

  871

  849

  822

  SIP

  840

  833

  809

  Midwives

  PSL

  1,421

  1,475

  1,482

  SIP

  1,339

  1,411

  1,440

  Manpower resource planning is an ongoing management process. These projections may have been revised in the light of developments since the plans were submitted. Revised projections will be available in the manpower resource plans to be submitted by authorities this year.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for the funding of a paediatric orthopaedic consultant post in the area of South Glamorgan health authority.

  Mr. Grist
  The Welsh Office has offered South Glamorgan health authority £170,000 a year to fund an additional orthopaedic consultant under the waiting times initiative. However, it is not currently envisaged that this post should be for a paediatric specialist.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit the Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar, near Cardiff.
  622
  Mr. Peter Walker
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Laura Ashley Company
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount of Government grant aid he has given annually to the Laura Ashley Company as expressed as a percentage of the moneys he has given to the Mid Wales Development Board for each of the years since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Walker
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as the information is available and I will place a copy of my answer in the Library of the House.

  Orimulsion
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution on the environmental side-effects of burning Orimulsion and very heavy residual fuel oil in Pembroke power station, with and without flue gas desulphurisation.

  Mr. Grist
  I understand that discussions have taken place betwen Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and National Power about the possibility of burning heavy residual fuel oil at Pembroke power station. I am told that no changes to the required standards of emissions for particulate matter (including smoke) or sulphur dioxide from those resulting from current fuel would be permitted by the inspectorate. The question of flue gas desulphurisation does not arise under these circumstances.

  No proposals to burn Orimulsion have been made to date.

  Health and Safety
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to improve health and safety in factories in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I have been asked to reply.

  Responsibility for maintaining and improving health and safety standards, and complying with legal obligations, rests with employers and others concerned at the workplace. The Government have increased financial provision for the Health and Safety Commission and Executive over previously agreed levels again in 1990–91. The additional provision is £7 million excluding money transferred from the Department of Energy for nuclear safety research.

  The commission's priorities for improving health and safety at work throughout Great Britain will be set out in its plan of work for 1990–91 and beyond.

PRIME MINISTER

  South Africa
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a further statement on her policies towards South Africa.

  The Prime Minister
  We want to see the end of apartheid by peaceful means, through negotiations. We shall continue to encourage all parties to take up the opportunity now presented to negotiate a new democratic
  623
  constitution for South Africa. Meanwhile, we are stepping up our aid programme to help prepare for the time when all South Africans can play their full part in the political and economic life of their country.

  Immigration
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will raise at the next meeting of the European Council the implications for immigration policy of European directives which permit citizens of the overseas territories of European Economic Community nations to settle in the European Economic Community.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The question of who are to be regarded as its nationals for the purposes of enjoyment of the rights of free movement given in the treaty of Rome, by reason of a connection either with its metropolitan or its overseas territories, is determined by each member of state in accordance with its nationality law.

  President Gorbachev
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Prime Minister when she next expects to meet President Gorbachev; and what subjects she expects to discuss with him on that occasion.

  The Prime Minister
  I expect to meet President Gorbachev when I visit the Soviet Union in June and to discuss with him the full range of international and bilateral issues.

  Telecommunications
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will give details of representations she has had from churches, community groups and individuals objecting to the provisions of sexual services via the public telecommunications systems; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a number of representations about premium-rate telephone services including a few from church organisations. This is a matter for the Director General of Telecommunications who has already taken firm action to control these services including the closure of two services in the Manchester area. He is keeping the matter under close review.

  Turkey (Human Rights)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions she had with members of the Turkish Government during her recent visit to Turkey in respect of their human rights abuses.

  The Prime Minister
  I discussed human rights with President Ozal when I saw him on 25 April. He stressed his Government's determination to eliminate abuses and told me that the Turkish Parliament was now in the process of setting up its own human rights commission.

  Policy Unit Staff
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister whether, further to her reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby on 1 March,Official Report, column 277, she will provide a list showing the names and business connections of the individuals with accountancy backgrounds who have joined her policy unit since 1979.
  624
  The Prime Minister
  Those who have accountancy qualifications are Mr. D. C. Hobson, who joined the policy unit from Coopers and Lybrand, Mr. P. T. Warry who joined from Aerospace Engineering plc and Mr. I. Whitehead who joined from the Bank of Montreal Capital Markets Ltd. London.

  Mr. Nelson Mandela
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans she has to meet Mr. Nelson Mandela in July.

  The Prime Minister
  I look forward to meeting Mr. Mandela on 4 July for talks on how the process of peaceful change in South Africa can be taken forward. Mr. Mandela will also meet my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  India
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to her reply to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas), of 26 April,Official Report, column 279, concerning her meeting with the Indian Prime Minister, whether any consideration was given to nuclear-proliferation control measures in the Indian subcontinent in the course of the discussions to which she makes reference.

  The Prime Minister
  The reply referred to by the hon. Member concerned my meeting with the Indian President during his visit to London in April. The subject of nuclear non-proliferation was not discussed.

  Lance Missile
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she continues to advocate replacement of the Lance missile.

  The Prime Minister
  I continue to support the alliance's position that, where necessary, all NATO's weapons, nuclear and conventional, should be kept up to date.

  Rainham Marshes
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations she has received from British Urban Development or the Music Corporation of America in respect of the proposed theme park at Rainham marshes in the London borough of Havering; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received recent representations on this subject. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has received numerous representations for and against the granting of planning consent for the proposed development.

  Short-range Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Prime Minister whether she continues to advocate modernisation of land-based short-range nuclear weapons on the mainland of Europe.

  The Prime Minister
  I continue to support the position of the alliance that we will continue to need an appropriate mix of adequate and effective conventional and nuclear forces which, where necessary, will need to be kept up to date.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 3 May.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 3 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Poland
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters in regard to(a) the nuclear non-proliferation treaty review conference in August and (b) the possibilities of environmental assistance to clean up polluted areas were raised during his recent visit to Poland.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  None.

  Iraq
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the meetings of the working group on nuclear nonproliferation of the European political co-operation committee held during 1990, the matter of the export of nuclear capable technology and technology and equipment usable in launching nuclear weapons to Iraq has been raised; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We raised our concern about the incident on 28 March, when a consignment of capacitors bound for Iraq was intercepted at Heathrow, at the meeting of the working group on 3 and 4 April. In subsequent discussion, partners agreed that all possible steps should be taken to ensure that barriers against proliferation are strengthened, and that export controls are adequate. The working group has also discussed the expansion of the missle technology control regime.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's knowledge of commercial interest in the Lear Fan factory in Northern Ireland expressed by Iraq or Iraq-backed companies.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 2 May 1990]: In the light of the charges laid against individuals, and of the continuing investigations by Customs and Excise, it would be wrong for me to comment on these matters.

  Antarctic Bases
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to what extent the proposed clear-up of abandoned Antarctic bases will be funded from the sale of British Antarctica stamps; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  There are no plans to finance the clean-up of abandoned British bases in the Antarctic from the sale of British Antarctic Territory stamps. I refer the 626
  hon. Member to a reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Education and Science on 18 April 1990.

  South Georgia
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) why it has been decided to leave in situ the shells of the buildings of the old whaling station in South Georgia; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what steps have been taken to remove wastes from the old whaling station on South Georgia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Following discussions between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and the leaseholders, Christian Salvesen plc, work is currently under way to clear up one of the stations. Further decisions will be taken following the completion of this year's work programme.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his Department details of the Australian and French proposals to declare Antarctica a wilderness reserve; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A joint paper on the French and Australian proposals was delivered to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office at 10·15 am today.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department will be represented at the forthcoming meeting of the Antarctic treaty parties to discuss measures to protect the Antarctic environment.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No decision has yet been taken by the Government on the composition of the United Kingdom delegation to the special consultative meeting of the Antarctic treaty parties to be held later this year in Chile.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  History Teaching
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the factual basis of history teaching.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The study of history at school should be grounded on a thorough knowledge of the past. That is not at issue. The question is how to ensure that children acquire the necessary foundation of historical information. The national curriculum working group on history made its recommendations, and my right hon. Friend is consulting widely on its published report. In the light of responses he will make his proposals for attainment targets and programmes of study for school history, which will then be the subject of the statutory consultation conducted by the National Curriculum Council.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to appoint a public relations adviser.
  627
  Mr. MacGregor
  I have no plans to do so. I already have a very satisfactory head of information at the Department of Education and Science. I have always consulted widely about education policy and presentation and shall continue to do so.

  Brighton CTC
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn, 30 April 1990, DES 87 and 92, when he was first informed of the discovery by the city technology college trust of the commission of £200,000 charged by Mr. Revere on the purchase of the site of the Brighton city technology college; what is the current valuation of the site; and what will now happen to the site.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The existence of the commission charged by Mr. Revere was first notified to my Department by the trust in a memorandum dated 8 December. The commission was repaid by Mr. Revere to the CTC trust on 12 December and forwarded to my Department on 13 December. The future of the site and its value are now under consideration.

  Academic Research Equipment
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he proposes to take action on the report of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on academic research equipment; what representations he has received on the report and from whom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from hon. Members and a petition organised jointly by the publication "Laboratory News", the Association of University Teachers and the British Laboratory Ware Association. My right hon. Friend announced on 15 November at columns 272–76 that an additional £61 million would be made available for the science budget in 1990–91, together with planning additions for the next two years of £58 million and £59 million. He announced the allocations to the five research councils on 10 January, Official Report columns 623–24. It is for the research councils to determine how to spend the additional funds made available to them. However, in their advice to the Secretary of State on the allocations, the Advisory Board for the Research Councils advised that a high proportion of these funds should be directed to preserving the quality of United Kingdom science. The ABRC also suggested that the research councils should deploy some of these additional funds to increase equipment provision through research grants, and that funding of new research programmes and interdisciplinary research centres would also include some provision for equipment.

  University Research
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Eduction and Science what is the effect on university research and the conditions of employment of university technicians and support staff of the consultation paper prepared by his Department; what funding will be made available for these purposes; and if the loss of funding to the Universities Funding Council will be replaced.
  628
  Mr. Jackson
  The Department is considering the responses to the consultative paper. The precise form of any new arrangements resulting from the consultation has yet to be decided. Whatever the decision, there will be no reduction in the total public funding of the dual support system.

HEALTH

  Mental Health Tribunals
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mental health review tribunals have been held since the Mental Health Act 1983 came into force, up to the latest available date; and how much they have cost.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information is not available in precisely the form requested. Between 1 January 1984 and 31 December 1989 17,192 cases were considered by mental health review tribunals. The total cost of the service in the financial year 1989–90, during which period 3,894 cases were considered, was approximately £2,335,000.

  Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations he has received regarding the privatisation of the centre for applied microbiology and research, Porton Down, Wiltshire;

  (2) what consultations he has carried out with the staff of the centre for applied microbiology and research, Porton Down, Wiltshire, regarding the proposal to privatise it.

  Mr. Freeman
  I met representatives of the staff side when I visited the centre for applied microbiology and research (CAMR) on 22 January, and I subsequently met representatives of the Manufacturing Science and Finance union in London on 21 February. I have also seen the results of a ballot of staff on the question of privatisation.

  Children's Spectacle Frames
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will take steps to ensure that information regarding free and low-price children's spectacle frames is made more generally available.

  (2) if opticians selling spectacles are under any form of obligation to (a) stock and (b) display free and low-price children's frames.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The sale of spectacles, including children's spectacles, is a private transaction and as a result no requirement is placed on opticians to stock, display or promote information on any particular brand of spectacle frame. In line with normal retail practice it is up to individual opticians to use their commercial judgment and provide a sufficiently wide range of products to meet all needs. Equally, individual patients can shop around for spectacles at the most competitive price which matches their optical prescription. All children under 16 are entitled to an optical voucher to help towards the cost of their spectacles. The voucher value varies depending upon the strength of the optical prescription.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department monitors what proportion of the cost of
  629
  children's spectacle frames goes towards meeting the copyright dues for commercial logos which are featured on them.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. The sale of spectacles, including children's spectacles, is a private commercial transaction. The Department of Health does not therefore collect this type of information. All children under 16 are entitled to an optical voucher to help towards the cost of their spectacles. The voucher value varies depending upon the strength of the optical prescription.

  Hospital Food
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wakefield of 26 April,Official Report, column 295, he will take steps to require health authorities to record the levels of food wastage within hospitals.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. Food wastage in hospitals is a matter for health authorities.

  Housing (Special Needs)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if, in the light of the recent High Court ruling in the case of C and G Homes ν. Bath district health authority, he intends to issue guidance to health authorities and local authorities regarding the future use of private housing for the accommodation of mentally ill and mentally handicapped people;

  £000s

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  HCHS Capital

  810,559

  826,339

  829,075

  823,718

  1,051,067

  HCHS Revenue

  9,477,389

  10,165,358

  11,235,675

  12,440,491

  13,294,668

  HCHS Total

  10,287,948

  10,991,697

  12,064,750

  13,264,209

  14,345,735

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the (i) capital, (ii) revenue and (iii) total expenditure on the National Health Service in England in each of the last five years and the last financial year.

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  11989–90

  NHS Capital

  928

  1,007

  1,042

  1,130

  1,259

  NHS Revenue

  13,957

  15,001

  16,574

  18,429

  19,951

  NHS Total

  14,885

  16,018

  17,616

  19,559

  21,210

  1Estimated outturn.

  Product Licences
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health in what manner applications for product licences to the Medicine Control Agency submitted before the recent changes and regulations will be treated.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: The level of fees for product licence applications are determined by the date of receipt of an application at the Medicines Control Agency. Any application, therefore, which was received before 5 March 1990 (the operative date of the Medicines (Fees Relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use) Amendment Regulations 1990 SI 1990 No. 210) would attract the rate of fee previously applicable.
  630
  (2) if, in the light of the recent High Court ruling in the case of C and G Homes v. Bath district health authority, he will introduce legislation to prevent discrimination against the mentally handicapped and mentally ill.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have noted the High Court's ruling, but it would be premature to come to any conclusion about its general effect before the health authority has decided whether or not to appeal.

  Public Relations Advisor
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to appoint a public relations advisor.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  No. I shall continue to consult widely about health policy and its presentation.

  Health Service Funding
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the (i) capital, (ii) revenue and (iii) total allocation made to the health authorities in England in each of the last five years and the last financial year.

  Mr. Freeman
  The table shows end-of-year permissible spends for health authorities in England from 1985–86 to 1989–90. These exclude revenue and capital receipts, including land sales.

  Mr. Freeman
  Expenditure information is available only for financial years; figures as requested for the past five years are set out in the table.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps were taken to advise applicants to the Medicine Control Agency for product licences of the recent changes in regulations.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 5 March 1990]: Licence holders are notified of changes in regulations by means of Medicines Act information letters (MAIL). The latest issue MAIL 62 was issued in March 1990 and gives details of the changes brought about by the Medicines (Fees Relating to Medicinal Products for Human Use) Amendment Regulations 1990 SI 1990 No. 210. Copies have been placed in the Library.

  Companies are also notified of changes via their trade associations.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Sectarianism
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the impact of the constitutional imperative of the Irish Government to work for a united Ireland on sectarianism in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The achievement of a united Ireland has been an acknowledged objective of successive Irish Governments. Article 1 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement formally records, however, the acceptance by the Irish Government that such unity would be achieved only with the consent of a majority of the people of Northern Ireland. That position has not been affected by the Irish

  Measure

  Budget (£m)

  Numbers helped

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Measures for the Young Unemployed

  Get Ready for Business Programme

  0·046

  0·042

  0·050

  64

  43

  39

  Graduate Attachment Programme

  0·120

  0·125

  0·155

  55

  30

  59

  Graduate Enterprise Programme

  0·108

  0·112

  0·118

  18

  17

  17

  Industrial Scholarship Scheme

  0·167

  0·179

  0·182

  68

  68

  66

  Junior Management Development Programme

  0·351

  0·378

  0·408

  108

  111

  126

  New Workers Scheme

  0·532

  0·240

  —

  682

  307

  —

  Skills Training Scheme

  1·211

  1·625

  0·994

  1,073

  1,406

  1,842

  Training Centre Courses

  7·215

  7·286

  7·531

  3,967

  4,276

  4,420

  Youth Training Programme

  49·989

  54·091

  56·062

  11,938

  12,303

  13,416

  Measures for the Long Term Unemployed

  Action for Community Employment

  28·840

  41·064

  50·688

  6,200

  8,600

  10,019

  Attachment Training Scheme

  1·977

  1·289

  0·493

  1,049

  658

  102

  Bridge Programme

  0·053

  0·064

  0·066

  78

  78

  81

  Enterprise Allowance Scheme

  4·947

  4·346

  2·548

  2,262

  1,942

  1,161

  Enterprise Ulster

  8·202

  8·584

  6·913

  1,383

  1,346

  1,028

  Jobclubs

  0·046

  0·060

  0·225

  767

  1,603

  3,250

  Jobstart Allowance

  0·262

  0·164

  0·169

  648

  381

  361

  Job Training Programme

  0·253

  1·530

  6·418

  400

  2,165

  7,574

  Management Retraining Course

  0·017

  0·018

  0·017

  12

  10

  9

  Management Extension Programme

  0·030

  0·076

  0·073

  9

  20

  21

  New Enterprise Programme (full-time)

  0·039

  0·070

  0·054

  11

  12

  12

  New Enterprise Programme (part-time)

  0·024

  0·051

  0·029

  24

  25

  28

  Overseas Marketing Programmes

  0·087

  0·198

  0·289

  14

  27

  41

  Restart Programme

  0·167

  0·107

  0·053

  89,072

  83,614

  81,794

  Sheltered Employment for Disabled People

  0·605

  0·730

  0·666

  100

  100

  100

  Sheltered Placement for Disabled People

  0·316

  0·648

  0·821

  150

  227

  301

  Training Centre Courses

  2·994

  2·681

  1·882

  5,008

  3,267

  2,472

  Vocational Training for Disabled People

  0·289

  0·223

  0·278

  29

  38

  37

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the average wage paid to action for community employment participants, excluding supervisors; and what is the average allowance paid to jobs training programme participants.

  Mr. Needham
  Participants in the action for community employment scheme are paid the accepted rate for the job in the area where the work is carried out. Information on the average wage paid is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Peat
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will ban all use of peat by his Department; whether he will formulate a national peatlands conservation policy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I have been asked for the use of peat by Northern Ireland Government Departments to be 632
  Supreme Court's judgment in the McGimpsey case. Sectarianism remains as unacceptable after the judgment as before it.

  Employment and Training Schemes
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the Government employment and training measures previously operated through the DED for young and long-term unemployed, the budget for each of the last three years, and the numbers who were helped each year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Details of the Government employment and training measures previously operated through the DED for young and long-term unemployed are as follows:

  reduced or for some purposes even eliminated. The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has a policy of declaring as areas of special scientific interest (ASSI) or of acquiring as nature reserves those peatland areas which are of highest nature conservation interest. To date, six raised bogs have been declared as ASSIs. A composite declaration including three further bogs will be made soon. Five sites are managed as national nature reserves. In Northern Ireland peat is used by domestic consumers, particularly in low-income rural areas, as a cheap fuel source. I shall promote research into alternative sources of material to fulfil some or all of the purposes to which irreplaceable peat is put.

  Criminal Evidence
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what consideration was given to the progress of the trial of John McCann, Finbarr Cullen and
  633
  Martina Shanahan when deciding to lay the Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order before the House on 20 October 1988.

  Mr. Brooke
  Ministers decided in the early autumn of 1988 that the law in Northern Ireland relating to the so-called right of silence be urgently amended and that the draft order to which the hon. Member refers should be laid before Parliament as soon as possible after the House of Commons returned from the summer recess. The House returned on Wednesday 19 October 1988 and the draft order was laid on 20 October. At that time it was not appreciated that the three defendants in the trial at Winchester had chosen to exercise their right of silence. It was not intended that the timing of the laying of the draft order before Parliament should be relevant to anything other than the timely introduction of that order into the law in Northern Ireland.

SCOTLAND

  Skye Bridge
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what planning procedures he intends to adopt in respect of the proposed Skye bridge.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  As indicated in "New Roads by New Means" (Cmnd. 698), it is proposed to introduce new procedures for the authorisation of privately financed roads which would, if adopted, amend and supplement the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. These proposals have been adjusted in the light of comments on the Green Paper which have been received from the private sector and from a wide range of organisations concerned with roads and transport. The adjustments are set out in the Government's response to the consultation. The new procedures will safeguard the environment and uphold the rights of individuals and local councils affected by such privately funded infrastructure developments.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends bringing into force part V of the Legal Aid (Scotland) Act 1986.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  Nature Conservation
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the 15 national nature reserves in Scotland currently owned by the Nature Conservancy Council are to be owned by the proposed Scottish Natural Heritage Agency on behalf of the Crown; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Yes. The proposed natural heritage agency will take over responsibility for all national nature reserves in Scotland whether managed by or under an agreement with the Nature Conservancy Council.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Nature Conservancy Council has 634
  estimated the proportion of land in the flow country of Sutherland and Caithness which is likely to meet the criterion for notification as a site of special scientific interest; what consideration has been given to limiting the area of land to be notified as a site of special scientific interest; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There is no precise definition of the flow country but the Nature Conservancy Council has estimated that up to 40 per cent. of Sutherland and Caithness might meet one or more of the criteria for notification as a site of special scientific interest. This estimate includes land already notified. The council is now carrying out detailed ground surveys to identify precise boundaries for peatland sites. The framework for this programme of work is provided by the Highland regional council working party report on forestry in Caithness and Sutherland. The report was agreed by all members of the working party and endorsed by the Secretary of State on 21 March 1989.

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last designated an area under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance; if he will indicate the area which is next to be designated and when he expects to designate it; how many sites meet the criteria for designation and protection under the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds and how many sites are so designated; and what is the name of the site next to be designated and the date he expects to designate it.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given in another place by my noble Friend the Minister of State on 25 April announcing the designation of four sites under the Ramsar convention. One other site has been proposed for designation by NCC: the Upper Solway flats and marshes site of special scientific interest. Further consultations are taking place about this site and no date for possible designation can be given at present.

  The NCC has identified 129 sites which potentially meet the criteria for designation as special protection areas under the European Community wild birds directive (79/409/EEC). Eighteen SPAs have been designated. Further consultations are taking place about our proposed SPAs, including the Upper Solway site also proposed as a Ramsar site. It is not possible to say which will be dealt with first or to give a date for possible designation.

  Prison Staff (Medical Qualifications)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what different types of medical qualification exists for prison staff involved in the medical care of prisoners; and what is the minimum level of such personnel available at all times in each prison.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The vast majority of nursing staff in the Scottish prison service hold one or more of the following nursing qualifications: state enrolled nurse (SEN), registered mental nurse (RMN), registered general nurse (RGN), or the Scottish Council of Midwives (SCM). Prison medical officers all hold recognised degrees.

  The table sets out the staff complements as regards medical-nursing staff at each establishment.
  635

  Complements (Medical Officers)

  Complements (Nurses)

  Establishment

  Senior Medical Officers

  Medical Officers

  P/T Medical Officers

  Governor

  Principal Officer

  Senior Officer

  Officer

  Aberdeen

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Barlinnie

  1

  3

  4

  1

  3

  6

  28

  Castle Huntly

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Cornton Vale

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  2

  4

  Dumfries

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Dungavel

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Edinburgh

  —

  1

  2

  —

  1

  1

  12

  Friarton

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Glenochil

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  1

  8

  Greenock

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  3

  Inverness

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  Longriggend

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  3

  Low Moss

  1

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  Noranside

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Penninghame

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Perth

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  8

  Peterhead

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  6

  Polmont

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  4

  Shotts

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  7

  Total

  1

  6

  23

  1

  11

  20

  96

  1 Covered by Barlinnie.

  Sports Grounds
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will now give details of the rates concessions for Scottish sports grounds.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. and learned Friend has been informed by the Scottish Assessors Association that as result of the simultaneous revaluations which took effect on 1 April the rateable values of sports grounds in Scotland and in England and Wales have been brought into line with each other. I understand that differences still exist in the methods employed in valuing these subjects north and south of the border and we are considering whether, in order to ensure a common method of valuation in future, subordinate legislation is required.

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many claimants in Scotland who have not paid their poll tax (i) have had their benefit deducted or (ii) are currently subject to procedures designed to reclaim poll tax arrears; and if he will provide whatever information is available to him for a breakdown by their(a) income level, (b) category of claimant and (c) amount of deduction of benefit.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest figure available of the number of claimants in Scotland who have had deductions made from their income support as a contribution towards their community charge arrears is 760. The maximum deduction which can be made is 5 per cent. of the personal allowance for either a single person or a couple. The other information requested is not held centrally.

  Hospital Advisory Service Reports
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to make the reports of the Scottish hospital advisory service more widely available.
  636
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Scottish hospital advisory service (SHAS) reports, in order to be effective, have always received wide circulation within health boards. Following a recent review of the role and operation of SHAS, undertaken in consultation with the director of SHAS, health boards and the chief executive, NHS, I have decided that SHAS reports should henceforth be available from SHAS as for sale publications as well as continuing to be made widely available to all health board staff with a direct interest in them.

  Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will make a statement on Scottish Office funding for designated places under the provisions of section 5 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980;

  (2) how many designated places have been created in Scotland since the passing of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980; and where these are located;

  (3) if he will make a statement on future plans for the number of designated places under section 5 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 in (a) Strathclyde and (b) Scotland;

  (4) what funding will be available from the Scottish Office for the establishment of designated places under section 5 of the Criminal Justice (Scotland) Act 1980 in Strathclyde in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: One designated place, at Aberdeen, is currently in operation. This received a grant from the Scottish Office under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Grant has also been approved for a designated place at Inverness on which construction is expected to start shortly, and was offered for another, at Dundee, which did not proceed because of local opposition.

  The provision of designated places is a matter for local statutory bodies and voluntary organisations. I understand that initiatives are in preparation in Strathclyde

  637
  and elsewhere in Scotland. Scottish Office financial assistance depends on the nature of the applications received and on other demands on available resources.

  Victim Support
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what Government funding is currently available to Victim Support in Strathclyde; and whether he has any plans to increase funding.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer Tuesday 1 May 1990]: The Scottish Office has assisted the Scottish Association of Victim Support Schemes for the past five years through a grant under section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968. Scottish Office funding for the victim support movement is in line with the Goverment's policy to improve services to victims of crime generally. Funding has risen from £600 in 1984–85 to £339,000 in 1990–91. In Strathclyde 10 co-ordinator posts in local schemes have been funded by this means.

  Apart from a special grant of £13,000 in March 1989 to meet a specific financial difficulty, no central Government grant has been paid to the Strathclyde Association, a regional body representing local schemes in Strathclyde. Strathclyde regional council provides significant funding to the Strathclyde Association and actively supports the objectives of the Scottish association.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number of YTS trainees with employed status(a) in total and (b) with disabilities.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number of YTS trainees with employed status(a) in total and (b) with disabilities are as follows:

  Great Britain

  West Midlands

  Trainees with employed status

  Disabled trainees with employed status

  Trainees with employed status

  Disabled trainees with employed status

  At 31 March 1987

  149,200

  2310

  14,400

  30

  At 31 March 1988

  195,300

  2720

  19,500

  70

  At 31 March 1989

  1118,500

  2930

  113,400

  90

  At 31 March 1990

  1117,300

  2720

  113,700

  80

  1 Rounded to nearest 100.

  2 Rounded to nearest 10.

  Figures for 31 March 1990 are provisional and subject to adjustment.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people over the age of 18 years on YTS with special training needs endorsements there are in the Easington constituency attending Peterlee development and training association training centre.

  Mr. Nicholls
  On 31 March 1990 there were two young people over the age of 18 with special needs endorsements 638
  undertaking YTS at Peterlee development and training association training centre from the Easington constituency.

  Textile and Footwear Industries
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are employed in the textile and footwear industries, giving the figure by month, since 31 January 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The number of employees in employment in Great Britain were as follows:

  Thousands (unadjusted for seasonal variations)

  Textile

  Footwear

  SIC

  SIC

  class 43

  group 451

  January 1990

  213·2

  44·9

  February 1990

  209·9

  45·1

  Employment Service Special Bonus Scheme
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give the estimated total maximum expenditure for the employment service's special bonus scheme in 1990–91;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the categories (a) exceptional achievements, (b) the maintenance of operational effectiveness in exceptionally difficult circumstances and (c) particularly meritorious enterprise or intiative, as used in the employment service special bonus scheme;

  (3) if he will give (a) the total number of employees who received an employment service special bonus scheme award, (b) the numbers by category and (c) the total expenditure involved for Great Britain and each standard region in the period 1989–90.

  Mr. Eggar
  The employment service became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service Agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Gentleman.

  Employment Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the names of those employment training agents and managers that have been given approved status since the inception of employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The names of those training managers awarded approved training organisation status by the Employment Department Training Agency at 30 April 1990 are:

  Birmingham Churches Managing Agency

  Borough of High Peak

  HPW Training Ltd. (Barnsley)

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he expects to grant approved training status to all employment training agents and managers.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Decisions on approved training organisation status for employment training, training agents and training managers are the responsibility of the Employment Department Training Agency, and where these are established, training and enterprise councils.
  639
  Those training agents and training managers who started employment training in September 1988 are due to achieve approved training organisation status by September 1990.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if the existing employment training expenditure levels are running within the 1990–91 budget and volume requirements.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Clydebank and Milngavie (Mr. Worthington) on 26 April,Official Report, column 318.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the national budget for employment training in 1990–91 for(a) each of (i) mainstream and (ii) non-mainstream clients and (b) each region.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In 1990–91 the budget, excluding trainee allowances, for new mainstream clients and existing trainees is £468 million and for new non-mainstream clients the budget is £52 million. Regional budgets are for internal management information purposes only.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for employment training based on output-related funding from training and enterprise councils the target percentage of positive outcomes for Great Britain and each standard region for(a) mainstream clients and (b) non-mainstream clients.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are no separate targets for achievement of positive outcomes by mainstream and non-mainstream clients on employment training.

  Agricultural Inspectorate
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the maximum recommended period between visits to(a) large and (b) small farm premises by the agricultural inspectorate of the Health and Safety Executive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There is no maximum recommended period between visits to farm premises whatever their size.

  The Health and Safety Executive's agricultural inspectorate's programme of preventive visits to work premises, including farm premises, is planned on the basis of an inspection rating system which ensures that inspector resources are directed to those premises where the need is greatest.

  Loan Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many small firms have received loans under the loan guarantee scheme since its inception; what is the total value so far of these loans; and if he will state the average value of the loans and the estimated cost per job created.

  Mr. Eggar
  Between 1981 and 31 March 1990 the loan guarantee scheme has guaranteed 24,797 loans to more than 21,000 small firms. The total value of this lending has been £812 million, and the average amount of each loan was £32,700. The net exchequer cost of the scheme per person leaving the unemployment count is estimated to be of the order of £450.

  Skill Needs
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the total expenditure in 1990–91 on(a) identifying the scale of national skill needs and (b) identifying at national level measures to provide such skills in the tourism and leisure sectors.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]Information about the total cost of identifying the scale of national skill needs in 1990–91 is not available. The work done by the Training Agency's skills unit will cost £680,000, including £240,000 for research. Work is also done by other bodies including industry training organisations. The identification of skill needs in the tourism and leisure sectors and the identification of appropriate measures to provide such skills is the responsibility of the industrial training organisations in that sector.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what statistics he has on the distribution of badgers in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  The most recent study of badger numbers was published in 1988 in the Mammal Review, Volume 18, No. 1, pages 1–9, a copy of which I am arranging to place in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if it is his intention to replace his present badger control strategy with a policy of vaccination and live testing.

  Mr. Maclean
  The availability of these measures in a form that could be used effectively in field conditions would enable the present control strategy to be comprehensively reconsidered.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy with regard to the destruction of badgers in those areas without a badger panel.

  Mr. Maclean
  Badger removal operations may be authorised by my Department's veterinary staff in those parishes where there is a recent history of confirmed tuberculosis breakdowns attributable to badgers.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what economic assessment his Department has made of the badger eradication programme.

  Mr. Maclean
  An assessment of the costs and benefits of the badger control policy in operation from 1975–6 to 1983–4 was published in 1987 as Government Economic Service Working Paper No. 96. A copy is in the Library of the House.

  Myxomatosis
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he records on the incidence of myxomatosis in wild and domesticated rabbits.
  641
  Mr. Maclean
  No data are available on myxomatosis in wild rabbits although we are aware that the disease is still prevalent.

  Among domestic rabbits, the veterinary investigation service recorded six outbreaks of the disease in 1989.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many warnings he has issued to poultry keepers on each of the salmonella control regulations; and how many prosecutions he has initiatied.

  Mr. Maclean
  Correspondence with poultry-keepers is dealt with largely from local Ministry offices throughout the country and it is not possible to say how many warnings have been issued. We can say however that replies to a number of letters have warned poultry-keepers of the consequences of non- compliance with the statutory salmonella controls. We will pass details of apparent contraventions to local authorities who are responsible for enforcement. We are not aware of any prosecutions having been undertaken to date.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has issued to local authority trading standards officers concerning the implementation of salmonella testing for poultry; and whether he has issued guidelines on the need for poultry keepers to maintain proper records.

  Mr. Maclean
  Our officials have discussed the implementation and enforcement of the testing and registration arrangements with representatives of the local authority associations, and have issued guidance on the orders to each authority. Information leaflets, which include guidance on record keeping, were circulated to 61 organisations including those representing poultry farmers when the present controls were introduced last October.

  Markets and Abattoirs
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any proposals to improve the level of inspection at markets and at non-European Economic Community approved abattoirs.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Farm Animal Welfare Council has made a number of recommendations relating to the enforcement of welfare legislation at markets and slaughterhouses. The Government are seeking views on these recommendations and will publish their response in due course. As regards meat inspection, rigorous post-mortem inspection requirements must be observed in both non-exporting and EC approved abattoirs. Ante-mortem inspection is to be introduced in non-exporting plants from 1 January 1991. Further measures to align arrangements in all plants will be developed having regard to decisions in Brussels on arrangements to be adopted for the completion of the single market.

  Cynox 425
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether he has set any safety levels for the presence of Cynox 425 in pigmeat;

  (2) what tests he has carried out on pigmeat to assess the levels of Cynox 425; and if he will publish the results of those tests;
  642
  (3) what action he has taken to ensure that pigmeat contaminated with Cynox 425 did not reach the consumer; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what assessment he has made of the risks of the consumption of pigmeat contaminated with Cynox 425;

  (5) when he first learned of the contamination of pig feed by Cynox 425 in Yorkshire and Hampshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Cyanox 425 was first detected in suspect imported grain screenings by the central veterinary laboratory on 20 April as part of an in-depth investigation covering many possible categories of contaminants to determine whether any of them could be the cause of symptoms detected in adult sows and a few adult boars earlier in the year. No fattening stock was affected. In cases where sows had to be culled for welfare reasons the meat did not go into the human food chain. Pigmeat and fat from affected sows was analysed using gas liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry plus thin layer chromatography. These investigations indicated that Cyanox 425, although present in the feedingstuff, was not detectable in pig meat or fat. The European Commission's scientific committee for food has set a tolerable daily intake for this chemical at 0·025 mg/kg body weight; there is therefore no need for a separate United Kingdom level.

  Investigations are continuing and we will consider publishing them when completed. I compliment my specialist staff on the remarkably successful detective work so far achieved.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total area in hectares designated under the ESA scheme in the south downs; what estimate was made upon the introduction of the scheme in the south downs of take-up; and what is the present take-up in(a) tier 1 and (b) tier 2; and if he has any plans to increase the levels of payment under the scheme in the south downs.

  Mr. Maclean
  The total area of the south downs ESA is 59,900 hectares. The initial estimates of potentially eligible land have been modified as more precise data have been obtained in monitoring the scheme. The targets for uptake are 75 per cent. of the 7,500 hectares of unimproved or semi-improved grassland (tier 1) and 10 per cent. of the 30,000 hectares of arable land (tier 2). The number of applications and agreements to date is 5,068 hectares under tier 1 and 3,034 hectares under tier 2. I have no plans at present to increase the payment levels under scheme.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what would be the cost of increasing the payment under tier 2 of the ESA scheme in the south downs from £160 to £225 per hectare(a) assuming no increase in uptake, (b) assuming an increase in uptake of 10 per cent. (c) assuming an increase in uptake of 20 per cent. and (d) assuming an increase in uptake of 30 per cent.

  Mr. Maclean
  The table shows the cost of tier 2 agreements and applications to date in the south downs ESA together with the effects of an increase in payments from £160 per hectare to £225 with the assumed variations in the level of uptake.
  643

  Uptake to date Tier 2 (Hectares)

  Annual payment £/Hectare

  Annual cost £

  Increase £

  3,034

  160

  485,440

  —

  3,034

  225

  682,650

  +197·210

  3,337 (+10 per cent.)

  225

  750,825

  +265·

  3,641 (+20 per cent.)

  225

  819,225

  +333·785

  3,944 (+30 percent.)

  225

  887,400

  +401,960

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the operation of the ESA scheme in the south downs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The environmental and economic impact of the south downs ESA scheme is being closely monitored. I will be evaluating the detailed reports early next year.

  Arabidopsis
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what studies have been undertaken by or on behalf of his Department into the use of arabidopsis in biotechnological research and development.

  Mr. Maclean
  None. A major research programme on plant molecular biology, including a focused programme on arabidopsis in biotechnological research and development is being undertaken by the Agricultural and Food Research Council with funds from the Department of Education and Science.

  North Yorkshire National Park
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much financial support he has given to the North Yorkshire national park for its recently announced conservation farm management scheme.

  Mr. Gummer
  This scheme is financed through the usual funding arrangements for national parks in which my Department has no involvement. However, farmers participating in the scheme will also be able to benefit from the farm and conservation grant scheme funded by my Department.

  Animal Imports Monitoring
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the number of(a) staff and (b) man years his Department's staff spent on monitoring the import of animals and animal products since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 27 April 1990]: The data set out in my Department's management information system (MINIM), indicate that the resources devoted to import controls of animals and animal products were as follows:

  Financial year

  Man years

  1983–84

  69

  1984–85

  72

  1985–86

  67

  1986–87

  70

  1987–88

  71

  644

  Financial year

  Man years

  1988–89

  84

  1989–90

  184

  1 Provisional.

  Data are not available before 1983–84. It is not possible to distinguish between number of staff and man hours.

  In addition, and according to circumstances, other Ministry staff may be engaged in monitoring duties. Relevant information is not held centrally and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  North York Moors Farms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the operation and funding of the North York moors farm scheme.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply. The North York moors farm scheme is managed by the North York moors national park authority and funded by £50,000 from its budget. Shell UK has made a contribution of £10,000. My Department provides 75 per cent. of this approved expenditure through NPSG which is paid to the national parks, the balance being met from local authority resources.

  Storm Damage (Financial Assistance)
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether owners of woodlands damaged in this year's storms will receive financial assistance towards their restoration.

  Mr. Gummer
  Immediately after the initial storm on 25 January 1990, the Forestry Commission set up a forest windblow action committee based on the model of the successful committee it established following the storm in October 1987. The action committee was given the task of assessing the full scale of the damage to woodlands in those areas badly affected by the 25 January storm and those which followed, in southern England, Wales and the midlands, and making recommendations to the commission. Although storms occurred at this time in other parts of Britain, the damage to woodlands in these areas was not of the same exceptional nature.

  In its recently published report, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House, the action committee has estimated that the volume of timber blown down in woodlands in the areas concerned was of the order of 1·3 million cubic metres. This compares with nearly 4 million cubic metres blown down in the October 1987 storm. Most of the damage (some 82 per cent. by volume) was sustained in conifer woodlands, 55 per cent. of which were in private ownership. The damage to broadleaved woodlands, over 90 per cent. of which were privately owned, mainly affected mature and over-mature trees, particularly beech. The action committee recommended that special assistance towards replanting should be made available to the owners of the storm-damaged woodlands in the form of supplements to the Forestry Commission's normal planting grants.

  In considering the action committee's recommendations, I have had regard to the effect that the additional volumes of timber arising from the recent storms are likely

  645
  to have on the market price of wood in the areas concerned. Following the storm in 1987, timber prices were severely depressed as a result of the glut of wood on the market. It is clear that the salvaging and sale of the broadleaved timber arising from this year's storms will, in the majority of cases, again fail to provide a sufficient return to cover the necessary replanting, bearing in mind the extraordinary expenses that owners will face both in the difficult task of preparing the sites for planting and in the planting itself. Against this background, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and I have decided to provide a special supplement of £400 per hectare for broadleaved replanting in those woodland areas damaged by the storms, to be paid on top of the Forestry Commission's normal planting grants, on the same basis as the effective arrangement we introduced after the 1987 storm. By contrast, the softwood market is not much affected on this occasion and the conifer woods can be expected to pay their own way with the help of the standard planting grants.

  The supplement for broadleaved planting, which is at the same level as that paid after the 1987 storm, will be available over the next four years for all eligible replanting carried out by applicants under the woodland grant scheme and by those who still qualify under the Forestry Commission's dedication schemes. Applications will be considered for those woodlands in the commission's East England, West England and Wales conservancies which were damaged in the succession of severe storms which occurred over the period from 25 January 1990 to the end of February 1990. The European Commission is being informed under the provisions of article 93 of the treaty of Rome.

  Full details of the administrative arrangements for the new supplement will be set out in a Forestry Commission leaflet to be published shortly, copies of which will be placed in the Library. Any owners who have already taken steps to secure the replanting of their storm-damaged woods with broadleaves under the commission's grant schemes will not be placed at a disadvantage as we have agreed that the supplement may be applied to them retrospectively.

  It is estimated that the total cost of the supplement will be £320,000 spread over the four-year period. This will be in addition to the estimated cost of the normal grants for replanting the damaged woodlands (including the conifer woodlands) of £1·68 million, also spread over four years. There will be no addition to the overall provision for public expenditure programmes set out in Cm. 1003.

  The storms have left a trail of devastation, and we hope that the supplement now on offer, taken with the Forestry Commission's normal planting grants, will serve to encourage the restoration of well-loved woodland landscapes.

DEFENCE

  Electromagnetic Interference
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has as to accidents caused to aircraft and other military equipment as a result of electromagnetic interference.

  Mr. Neubert
  All accidents involving United Kingdom military aircraft and other United Kingdom military 646
  equipments are fully investigated. None of the investigations so far has shown that electromagnetic interference was a contributory cause. I understand that other nations have lost aircraft in circumstances where the effect of electromagnetic interference was suspected. However, in the United Kingdom, there are strict rules which govern the minimum distances which must be observed when aircraft and other equipments approach emitters of high frequency radio transmissions.

  Foreign Tank Manufacturers
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what talks his Department has had regarding(a) offset arrangements or investments or (b) other topics with foreign tank manufacturers in the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Defence Export Services Organisation has negotiated an industrial participation (offset banking) memorandum of understanding with General Dynamics, the purpose of which is to encourage the US company to offer the British defence industry opportunities to bid for a share of the work on all General Dynamics' major defence programmes.

  We have also had discussions on industrial participation with foreign tank manufacturers bidding for the Army Chieftain replacement programme. A formal agreement with Krauss Maffei is already in place.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment (Unions)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he plans to impose restrictions on trade union membership to the atomic weapons establishment.

  Mr. Neubert
  No.

  Equipment (Environmental Impact)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what literature has been published by his Department on the environmental impact of equipment produced to his Department's specifications.

  Mr. Neubert
  The environmental impact of Ministry of Defence equipment is considered in a variety of departmental publications.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he takes to(a) evaluate the environmental friendliness of the production processes required to make equipment ordered by his Department and (b) set environmental pollution control conditions on the suppliers of equipment to his Department.

  Mr. Neubert
  The responsibility for ensuring that the production processes employed in making equipment for the Ministry of Defence meet the appropriate legislative and regulatory standards on environmental pollution control lies with the companies from which the equipment is procured.

  Cappagh (Incident)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide full details of any injuries sustained by civilians or members of the security forces as a result of the exchange of fire on the evening of 24 March in Cappagh, County Tyrone; and whether he will make a statement.
  647
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  On 24 March at Cappagh, County Tyrone, terrorists, without warning, opened fire on a member of the security forces in civilian clothes travelling in a civilian car. The Royal Ulster Constabulary is investigating the incident, including the possibility of any terrorist injuries. However, I can confirm that no member of the security forces or members of the public sustained injuries as a result of this attack.

  Turkey
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will meet the Turkish Defence Minister to discuss Turkey's defence capability in the light of the reduction in Bulgaria's defence forces; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend will meet his Turkish colleague at NATO meetings later this month. A range of current defence issues will be discussed, including progress on conventional arms negotiations which would lead to reductions in NATO and Warsaw pact force levels in certain categories.

  Longmoor Training Area (Hunts)
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will revoke the licences that allow the Goschen foxhounds, Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray foxhounds, and the Hampshire hunt to hunt on the site of special scientific interest Ministry of Defence training area at Longmoor.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is the Department's policy to permit access to Ministry of Defence land for recreational purposes, including hunting, wherever operational and safety considerations permit, where it is consistent with the interests of tenants and licensees and where it does not unreasonably affect local amenities and the environment. In the case of Longmoor, those criteria, including taking into consideration the site of special scientific interest, have been met.

  The site of special scientific interest was designated by the Nature Conservancy Council, whose staff closely monitor the area to ensure that users of the land do not damage the site. As this recreational pursuit is not causing any damage to the site of special scientific interest, we do not propose to revoke the licences that allow the Goschen foxhounds, Chiddingfold, Leconfield and Cowdray foxhounds, and the Hampshire hunt to hunt over this area.

  Shackleton Fleet
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last reviewed the age and airworthiness of the RAF Shackleton fleet; whether he has any plans for a further review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The airworthiness of the Shackleton is kept under regular review. Age is not in itself a material factor.

  Military Aircraft (Statistics)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many(a) crashes and (b) near misses have occurred for each year since 1960 in which military aircraft carrying radioactive material have been involved; and if he will make a statement;
  648
  (2) how many aeroplane flights occurred in 1989 in United Kingdom air space in which radioactive material for military purposes was carried; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our practice to give information of the kind requested on the transport of defence nuclear materials. I can confirm, however, that there has never been an accident involving transportation of defence materials in the United Kingdom which has led to the release or a serious risk of release of radiation or radioactive contamination.

  Narvik (Commemoration)
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why his Department refuses to provide support for veterans of the Narvik operation wishing to travel to Narvik for the 50th anniversary commemoration on 26 to 28 May.

  Mr. Neubert
  There is no provision in the defence budget to provide financial assistance to enable ex-service personnel to attend commemoration ceremonies and we are unable to offer any other assistance to veterans wishing to attend the Narvik 50th anniversary commemorations.

  Radiation
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will authorise a case control study in Fife to examine the possible link between nuclear radiation and the incidence of leukaemia or cancer.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 26 April 1990]: The Government base their policy on these matters on the independent advice of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). In its advice to Government on the Gardner report on 2 April 1990, COMARE said it did not wish to see multiple independent studies, which would cause undue inconvenience to the small number of individuals and families concerned. COMARE also recommended some forrn of co-ordination of research to ensure the best possible use of resources. Responsibility for that co-ordination, and for instituting any study of the sort proposed, is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Health, whose Department has set up a co-ordinating group on which the Ministry of Defence is represented.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average individual radiation dose, whole body equivalent, for all Rosyth dockyard workers involved or who have been involved in the nuclear programme.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 26 April 1990]: The average individual lifetime radiation dose for those workers currently registered as employed at Rosyth dockyard in the defence radiological protection service's record keeping system is 79·61 mSv. Data for employees who have previously ceased radiation work are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is reviewing the maximum permitted radiation dosages in milliSieverts for any one year.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 26 April 1990]: My Department takes radiation exposure matters very

  649
  seriously indeed and continues to operate a limit of 30 mSv, which is substantially below the statutory limit of 50 mSv. Radiation exposures are authorised only on the basis that they are justified, comply with Ministry of Defence and statutory limits, and are as low as reasonably practicable. The Ministry's policy over many years has been based on the recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total occupational whole body equivalent radiation exposure of Rosyth dockyard workers in milliSieverts, for each year since the onset of the nuclear programme.

  Mr. Neubert
  [holding answer 26 April 1990]: The cumulative radiation doses of all workers in Rosyth dockyard, for each of the years 1979 to 1989 inclusive, are shown in the following table. These figures include the cumulative radiation doses of employees monitored for exposure to ionising radiations by the local issue of direct reading dosimeters while employed under a written system of work. Figures for earlier years are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Cumulative radiation dose—Rosyth dockyard

  Year

  Cumulative dose (mSv)

  1989

  4,202

  1988

  2,738

  1987

  2,294

  1986

  2,670

  1985

  4,197

  1984

  6,478

  1983

  7,811

  1982

  5,288

  1981

  5,818

  1980

  6,793

  1979

  8,144

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Asbestosis
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the number of claims for asbestosis-related diseases made to each of the eight special medical boards during 1988 together with the respective numbers in which disease was diagnosed.

  Mr. Scott
  The available information is in the table.

  Initial references and diagnoses of asbestosis-related diseases 1988

  Medical boarding centre

  Initial references

  Positive diagnoses

  Cardiff

  174

  77

  Glasgow

  270

  131

  London

  400

  238

  Manchester

  261

  110

  Newcastle

  278

  126

  Sheffield

  169

  110

  Stoke

  69

  44

  Swansea

  33

  16

  All centres

  1,654

  852

  Notes: Prescribed diseases included are PD D1, D3, D8 and D9. Figures included for PD DI relate only to references when the claimant had worked in the asbestos industry.

  War Pensions
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement in respect of the application by Mr. HS, reference M8/221641, for war disablement pension, on the length of time it took the report from the war pensions committee of 28 October 1987 to be received by the social security central office, war pensions branch, in May 1989, and on the length of time it took to compile a report from the general surgeon concerning this case.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The war pensions committee which met on 28 October 1987 recommended that an independent medical examination should be carried out on Mr. HS and that his case should then be reviewed by the Department. The examination was arranged by the solicitors acting for Mr. HS and took place on 29 June 1988. A report of the examination was received by the Department in May 1989. As the report was inconclusive the Department's doctors decided in July 1989 that Mr. HS should be examined by a general surgeon. An examination was carried out in August 1989 but the surgeon's report was not received by the Department until February 1990. Unfortunately this, too, was inconclusive. The Department's doctors therefore requested a further consultant examination which took place on 4 April. As soon as this report is received it will be referred to the Department's doctors, and Mr. HS will be notified of the outcome as soon as possible afterwards. Of course, if Mr. HS's claim is successful payment will be backdated.

  Cohabitation Rule
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what advice he gives to local offices about determining whether a couple are living together for the purpose of assessing benefit entitlement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Secretary of State does not give advice on this matter. It is for the chief adjudication officer to issue such guidance, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Income Support
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the rise in real values of income support using the statutory uprating dates of September to September between 1988–89 and 1990–91 for (i) a single person aged 18 to 24 years, (ii) a single person aged 25 years, (iii) a couple, (iv) a couple with two children under 11 years, (v) a single parent with one child under 11 years and (vi) a pensioner.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is in the table.

  April 1988 rates

  April 1988 rates at September 1989 prices1

  Actual rates April 1990

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  Single aged 18 to 24

  26·05

  28·69

  28·80

  Single aged 25

  33·40

  36·79

  36·70

  Couple (one aged 18 or over)

  51·45

  56·67

  57·60

  Couple with two children under 11

  79·10

  87·12

  89·65

  651

  April 1988 rates

  April 1988 rates at September 1989 prices1

  Actual rates April 1990

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  Single parent (aged 18 or over) with one child under 11

  54·00

  59·48

  60·50

  Pensioner aged 60 to 74

  44·05

  48·52

  48·50

  Pensioner aged 75 to 79

  44·05

  48·52

  51·10

  Pensioner aged 80 or over/60 or over and disabled

  46·45

  51·16

  53·75

  1 Based on the movement in the index of retail prices less housing costs between September 1987 and September 1989.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the value of income support as a proportion of average net male earnings in 1990–91, using an estimate of average earnings for (i) a couple with two children aged under 11 years, (ii) a single person aged under 25 years, (iii) a single person over 25 years, (iv) a couple, (v) a single pensioner and (vi) a single mother with one child aged under 11 years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 1 February 1990 at column 347. Figures on which to provide estimates will not be available until July.

  Erythropoletic Porphyria
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in the United Kingdom are estimated to be suffering from the disease congenital erythropoletic porphyria.

  Mr. Scott
  This information is not available.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will consider the introduction of a graduated system of income support payments to persons in residential care, with higher levels of payment being made available to those in smaller homes, as a means of reducing the financial incentives which encourage the establishment of larger homes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Under the new funding arrangements for community care, taking effect from April 1991, local social services authorities will have discretion to determine the fees they are prepared to meet. Accordingly we see no need to consider changing the income support rules in the way proposed.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 36, he will provide such information as is available to him on a sample basis about the shortfall in residential and nursing home fees above the income support limits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to my replies to him on 4 April at column 682 and to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett) on 15 February at columns 376–78. Centrally held data on actual charges are not statistically reliable, but in the year ended August 1989 it is estimated that just over half all claimants in residential and nursing homes had fees at or below the appropriate limit.

  Social Security Spending
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the real rise in social security spending between 1978–79 and 1989–90 broken down into the different factors that have contributed to the rise.

  Mr. Scott
  Total social security spending increased in real terms between 1978–79 and 1989–90 by nearly £14,000 million, or around 35 per cent. There have been many reasons for this growth. While it is not possible to evaluate the exact effect of every factor, the Government's increased provisions for the elderly and for disabled people, and improved benefit schemes such as family credit, have been significant. So, too, have economic changes such as the increase in unemployment in the first half of the decade, and the rise in rents, and demographic changes such as the growth in numbers of lone parents and the steady reduction in the number of widows. The table shows, in real terms, spending on benefits for the various client groups, in 1978–79 and 1989–90.

  Real terms benefit spending in 1978–79 and 1989–90 by client group

  £ million at 1989–90 prices

  Client group

  1978–79

  1989–90

  Elderly people

  20,460

  25,550

  Sick and disabled people

  5,850

  9,520

  Family (including lone parents)

  5,875

  9,200

  Unemployed people

  3,210

  4,740

  Widows and orphans

  1,615

  1,240

  Total

  37,010

  50,250

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much is unemployment benefit for a single person and a couple as a proportion of average net male earnings in 1989–90; and if he will estimate similar figures for 1990–91.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information for April 1989 is available from table 6·1b of the Department's"Abstract of Statistics for Index of Retail Prices, Average Earnings, Social Security Benefits and Contributions." A copy of this publication is in the Library. The information for April 1990 cannot be estimated until the earnings figures for April 1990 are known.

  Family Credit
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much family credit rose in real terms using the statutory uprating dates of September to September between 1988–89 and 1990–91 for (i) a single parent with one child under 11 years and (ii) a couple with two children under 11 years old.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The family credit rates for 1990–91 represent increases over those for 1988–89 which exceed the rise in the RPI (excluding housing costs) over the two-year period to September 1989 by the following overall amounts:

  (1) for a couple or lone parent with one child under 11:£2·70 or 6·4 per cent.

  (2) for a couple or lone parent with two children under 11:£4·30 or 8·9 per cent.

  Employment (21-hour Rule)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to the reply of 30 April, what steps he will take to make available to the public instructions to be given to his officials about the application of the 21-hour rule.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Existing information given to officials concerning the application of the 21-hour rule is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in the "Adjudication Officer's Guide", volume 3, and in the "Income Support Manual", section 3, which are available in the Library. The clarification referred to in my reply of 30 April will be published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office in an income support circular.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the housing benefit entitlement of a widow aged 75 years, living alone, whose sole income is £46 per week with savings of less than £3,000 paying rent of(a) £20 per week, (b) £25 per week, (c) £30 per week, (d) £35 per week and (e) £40 per week.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  A 75-year-old widow, with this level of income and capital, would be entitled to maximum housing benefit because her personal allowance (applicable amount) of £51·10 is greater than her income. On the assumption that all the rent was eligible for housing benefit, and that the accommodation was not unreasonably expensive, this means that each of the rent levels quoted would be met in full. Such a claimant would also be well advised to apply for income support to bring her income up to the full amount of £51·10 provided for in the income support personal allowances.

  Family Incomes
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish an analysis of the composition of the lowest quintile of income in 1979 on the same basis as in "Households Below Average Incomes" identifying the proportion of families that are(a) married pensioners, (b) single pensioners, (c) married with children, (d) married without children, (e) single with children and (f) single without children; and whether he will publish separate data before and after housing costs.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]: The information requested is in the table.

  Lowest quintile of equivalised household income in 1979

  Persons by family type (percentages)

  Before housing costs

  After housing costs

  Married pensioner

  18

  18

  Single pensioner

  17

  16

  Married couple with children

  41

  42

  Married couple without children

  6

  6

  Single person with children

  10

  10

  Single person without children

  8

  8

  All family types

  100

  100

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment his Department has made of the success of community-based penalties in preventing juveniles from re-offending.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community-based penalties in preventing juveniles from re-offending.

  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community-based penalties in preventing juveniles from re-offending.

  Mr. Waddington
  The available information suggests that young offenders who receive community penalties are less likely to be reconvicted than those who receive custodial sentences.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to make parents more responsible for crimes committed by their children.

  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to make parents more responsible for crimes committed by their children.

  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are being taken to make parents more responsible for crimes committed by their children.

  Mr. John Patten
  The White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" sets out proposals for strengthening the statutory provisions relating to parents' attendance at court with their children; parents' payment of their children's fines; and the binding over of parents of convicted juvenile offenders.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to enable young offenders to complete day centre requirements of probation orders while undertaking youth employment training.

  Mr. Waddington
  We are concerned that young offenders' training needs and benefit entitlements should not be adversely affected by their attendance at day centre programmes as a condition of a probation order. To this end, we have agreed with the Training Agency that day centre attendance should be integrated with the youth training scheme. Arrangements for this were promulgated in January. This should ensure that 16 and 17-year-old offenders do not lose their eligibility for income support as a result of attending a day centre.

  Unemployed adult offenders attending day centres on weekdays remain eligible for benefit provided that they are seeking work at the same time as part of the day centre programme or on the days when they do not attend the day centre.

  Prison Statistics
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prison population; what it was one year ago; and what projections he has made for the prison population over the next five years.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current prison population; what it was one year ago; and what projections he has made for the prison population over the next five years.

  Mr. Waddington
  I refer my hon. Friends to the answer given earlier today to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox).

  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent representations he has received regarding the size of the prison population.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Home Office has answered a number of inquiries about the current, and expected future levels of the prison population.

  Her Majesty's Prison, Leicester
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning conditions in Her Majesty's prison, Leicester.

  Mr. Mellor
  Within the last 12 months we have responded to five parliamenary questions on conditions in Her Majesty's prison, Leicester. The governor of Her Majesty's prison, Leicester has also responded to a number of representations made by interested parties.

  Cocaine
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of seizures of cocaine, in the most recent years for which figures are available, was of cocaine entering the United Kingdom from member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of seizures of cocaine, in the most recent years for which figures are available, was of cocaine entering the United Kingdom from member states of the European Community.

  Mr. Mellor
  Of the total amount of cocaine seized by Customs in 1989, some 64 per cent. by weight—equivalent to 267 kgs—was known to have been consigned from or routed through other member states of the European Community. These are provisional figures.

  The corresponding final figures for 1988 and 1987 are 36 and 24 per cent. respectively.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now consulted the Lord Chief Justice on the Birmingham pub bombings case.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have not consulted the Lord Chief Justice on this case.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to prevent material in police archives relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case from being destroyed or tampered with.
  656
  Mr. Waddington
  I understand that the West Midlands police and the Devon and Cornwall constabulary have made arrangements to ensure that all material in their possession relating to the Birmingham pub bombings case is stored in secure conditions pending the outcome of further inquiries into the safety of the convictions of the Birmingham Six.

  Rape
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average sentence imposed for the crime of rape for the latest period for which figures are available and for 1979.

  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average sentence imposed for the crime of rape for the latest period for which figures are available and for 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  In England and Wales, the average sentence length for rape was 6·2 years in 1988, compared with four years in 1979.

  Car Security
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on efforts made by motor manufacturers in the last year to improve the quality of car security.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given earlier to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Fulham (Mr. Carrington).

  Violent Crime
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of violence against the person were reported to police forces in England and Wales in 1989; and by what percentage they changed over 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  A total of 177,000 offences of violence against the person were recorded in England and Wales in 1989, an increase of 12 per cent. compared with 1988. In Cleveland, the increase was 2 per cent.—40 more offences. Some of the increase in recorded figures is the result of more crimes being reported to the police.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of total crime is made up of violent and sexual crimes.

  Mr. John Patten
  Six per cent. Further information is given in Home Office statistical bulletin 10/90, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Neighbourhood Watch
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are now established in England and Wales.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are now established in England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of December 1989 there were estimated to be over 81,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales, compared to 64,000 at the end of December 1988, an increase of 26·5 per cent.
  657
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many neighbourhood watch schemes are now in operation; and what assessment he has recently made as to their effectiveness in crime prevention.

  Mr. John Patten
  At the end of December 1989 there were estimated to be over 81,000 neighbourhood watch schemes in England and Wales.

  Studies have shown that neighbourhood watch schemes, where carefully designed and implemented, have contributed to a reduction in crime and fear of crime in some areas. It has also been shown that members of neighbourhood watch schemes are more likely than others to take crime prevention measures and to report suspicious incidents to the police; and they appreciate a greater sense of security.

  Religious Cults
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue a direction to the BBC to refrain from the broadcasting of matters likely to promote religious cults or their associated training organisations.

  Mr. Mellor
  No. My power to impose broadcasting restrictions on the BBC under clause 13(4) of their licence and agreement is exercised only in extreme circumstances and when it is in the national interest to do so. In other circumstances, programme content is a matter for the broadcasting authorities which operate independently of Government. The BBC is aware of its impartiality obligations, which mean that programmes should not promote any particular viewpoint on religious or other subjects.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has received recent representations on Sunday trading legislation.

  Mr. Mellor
  Yes. Since last I answered a similar question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 16 March, 11 written representations broadly in favour of Sunday trading and nine against have been received.

  Dog Breeding
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the Breeding of Dogs Act 1973.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As I indicated during the Adjournment debate on puppy farms on 21 December, the Government are considering amendments to the 1973 Act which would improve the way in which the Act is enforced and so bring illegal and unlicensed dog breeding establishments under the control of the law.

  Prison Education
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much money was spent on(a) prison education generally and (b) prison education at Strangeways prison in the past two years; and if he will make a statement.
  658
  Mr. Mellor
  Total expenditure on education in(a) prison establishments generally and (b) HM prison Manchester for the two most recent years available was:

  Year

  Total £'000

  HM prison Manchester £'000

  1988–89

  25,200

  246

  1987–88

  21,400

  237

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time now spent by prisoners awaiting trial on remand in custody in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Mellor
  Provisional figures for 1989 indicate that the average time spent on remand in prison service establishments, prior to the finding of the court, is about 53 days for males and 45 days for females.

  Ms Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has any new proposals for the treatment of remand prisoners.

  Mr. Mellor
  Governors are to be given discretion to vary visits to unconvicted prisoners by relatives and friends. This will enable longer, less frequent visits to be allowed instead of brief daily visits, which often have to be limited to 15 minutes because of pressure on the facilities available.

  A pilot scheme to reduce routine censorship of the correspondence of unconvicted prisoners to a 5 per cent. sample started on 1 February in three local prisons. We shall soon be assessing the results of the trial and considering whether the change should be extended.

  Another pilot scheme is being established at Winchester prison to enable unconvicted prisoners to use cardphones subject to certain safeguards. If the scheme is successful, cardphones will be installed for such prisoners at other prisons and remand centres.

  Prison Conditions
  Mr. Gow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is satisfied with conditions in Her Majesty's prisons.

  Mr. Mellor
  While modern prisons are built and operated to high standards, the conditions in some establishments—particularly local prisons and remand centres where the problems are exacerbated by overcrowding—leave a lot to be desired. Unfortunately, one effect of the recent disturbances is to increase the pressures, and thereby worsen conditions, elsewhere in the prison system. We are determined to see improvements as soon as possible.

  We shall continue to tackle the problem of overcrowding by the dual strategy of encouraging the use of non-custodial sentences and prison building, which has proved successful to date. My right hon. and learned Friend has already announced his intention to place more emphasis on refurbishing existing prisons and, in particular, to speed up the provision of integral sanitation. At the same time, levels of regime activity are being improved, or where they are already good, sustained.
  659
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what date he will end the practice of slopping out in Her Majesty's prisons.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Government are committed to providing access to sanitation in prisons. Already the majority of prison places have such access. We are looking at ways of providing access for three quarters of all places within the next few years, and of ensuring that the remaining places are provided with access as quickly as possible thereafter.

  Police Pay and Conditions
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the issues on which he has, during the last year, declined to implement the results of arbitration on police pay and conditions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 4 January this year my right hon. and learned Friend declined to implement in full recommendations made to him on police rent allowance by the Police Negotiating Board after both sides of the board had gone to arbitration.

  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the real increase in a police constable's pay over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Medway (Dame Peggy Fenner) earlier today.

  Prisoners (Europe)
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has made any assessment of the treatment of prisoners in other European countries.

  Mr. Mellor
  The Home Office is regularly in touch with officials in other European countries, and views and information on the treatment of prisoners are exchanged.

  Reporting of Offences
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the change in offences reported to police forces in England and Wales in 1989(a) by total and (b) by percentage over 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  The total number of crimes recorded by the police in 1989 was 154,000 more than in 1988, an increase of 4 per cent.

  Prison Staffing
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on prison staffing levels.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 1 April 1990 there were more than 20,500 principal, senior and basic grade officers in post in establishments, an unprecedently high level. A total of 3,300 additional officers have joined the staff of the service in the past three years to enable new places to open and to meet in full management's commitment under the fresh start framework agreement. Plans are in hand to recruit up to 1,295 more in 1990–91.

  On 11 April my right hon. and learned Friend announced plans for the speeding up of the recruitment of
  660
  200 of the officers who were due to join later this year, in recognition of the stress which the prison service is suffering as a result of the disturbances at Strangeways and elsewhere. Lord Justice Woolf has the task of looking into all the background to these disturbances and staffing levels will no doubt be an element of his inquiry.

  Bill of Rights
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to enter into discussions with the political parties to discuss a Bill of Rights.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No.

  West Midlands Police
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the special branch document reference No. 10368/74; and what action he has taken.

  Mr. Jim Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the special branch document reference No. 10368/74; and what action he has taken.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given earlier to the hon. Member for Brent, East (Mr. Livingstone).

  Drugs Intelligence Unit
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the establishment figure for the police national drugs intelligence unit; and what was the figure five years ago.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Edmonton (Dr. Twinn) on 25 January 1990 at column 870.

  Firearms
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to reduce the incidence of crimes in which firearms are used with intent to injure.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have taken a number of steps to deter the use of firearms in crime and to prevent their availability to criminals which have continuing effect. These include the firearms amnesty in 1988 in which almost 43,000 firearms were removed from circulation; the stricter controls on the possession of firearms and shotguns, including the prohibition of the more lethal types of weapons, introduced under the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988; and, under the Criminal Justice Act 1988, increased penalties for the illegal possession of a shotgun and for possessing or carrying a firearm in the furtherance of crime.

  Criminal Damage
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of criminal damage were reported to the police forces in England and Wales in 1989; and by what percentage these changed over 1988.
  661
  Mr. John Patten
  A total of 630,000 offences of criminal damage were recorded by the police in 1989—6 per cent. more than in 1988.

  Special Constabulary
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to increase the number of applicants coming forward from the ethnic communities to join the special constabulary.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A number of forces are taking measures to encourage members of the ethnic minority communities to join the special constabulary. The Government will be undertaking a national advertising campaign later this year to supplement local recruitment efforts.

  Crack
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of the possession of the drug crack are known to the South Yorkshire police; and what further action he plans for South Yorkshire to deal with this potential threat.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Figures supplied to the national drugs intelligence unit, which may not be complete, show that the South Yorkshire police have made two seizures of crack. In addition, in the course of police investigations, a number of other people in South Yorkshire had admitted to the use of crack. The illicit supply and misuse of drugs will continue to be investigated by the police and, under the new drug prevention initiative announced last year, we are willing to consider the provision of assistance for the implementation of any local drug prevention measures.

  Prison Governors
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in restructuring prison department management what importance he intends to give to the need for an enhanced managerial role for prison governors.

  Mr. Mellor
  A number of changes in the prison service over the past few years have been specifically designed to enhance the managerial role of prison governors in their establishments, most notably the introduction of devolved budgeting and the fresh start package of reforms.

  Royal Commission on the Police
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will now establish a Royal Commission on the police to set guidelines for the force.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to do so.

  Rule 43 Prisoners
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners by establishment are currently held on rule 43; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information is given in the table.
  662

  Prisoners in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales on 28 February 1990 removed from association under Prison Rule 43 and Young Offender Institution Rule 46: by establishment

  Establishment and type

  Number

  Remand centres

  Brockhill

  8

  Cardiff

  6

  Dorchester

  1

  Exeter

  3

  Feltham

  6

  Hindley

  2

  Hull

  13

  Low Newton

  6

  Norwich

  1

  Pucklechurch

  2

  Swansea

  3

  Winchester

  10

  Local prisons

  Bedford

  41

  Birmingham

  25

  Bristol

  44

  Brixton

  33

  Canterbury

  39

  Cardiff

  23

  Chelmsford

  42

  Dorchester

  5

  Durham

  185

  Exeter

  36

  Gloucester

  44

  Holloway

  4

  Hull

  81

  Leeds

  187

  Leicester

  25

  Lewes

  23

  Lincoln

  76

  Liverpool

  226

  Manchester

  97

  New Hall

  9

  Norwich

  21

  Oxford

  11

  Pentonville

  60

  Preston

  2

  Reading

  11

  Risley

  16

  Shrewsbury

  13

  Swansea

  42

  Wandsworth

  430

  Winchester

  50

  Wormwood Scrubs

  51

  Training prisons

  Acklington

  2

  Albany

  7

  Blundeston

  9

  Bullwood Hall

  3

  Camp Hill

  20

  Channings Wood

  3

  Cookham Wood

  1

  Coldingley

  4

  Dartmoor

  32

  Frankland

  50

  Full Sutton

  108

  Garth

  4

  Gartree

  6

  Haverigg

  1

  Lindholme

  28

  Littlehey

  4

  Long Lartin

  7

  Maidstone

  4

  Nottingham

  5

  Northeye

  7

  Parkhurst

  14

  Preston

  3

  Ranby

  1

  Shepton Mallet

  4

  Stafford

  7

  Standforth Hill

  1

  Stocken

  3

  663

  Establishment and type

  Number

  Styal

  9

  Swaleside

  9

  Wakefield

  29

  Wayland

  9

  Wymott

  7

  Young offender institutions

  Aylesbury

  2

  Bullwood Hall

  3

  Feltham

  5

  Hollesley Bay

  16

  The Mount

  30

  Northallerton

  29

  Onley

  2

  Portland

  7

  Stoke Heath

  10

  Styal

  1

  Swinfen Hall

  3

  Wellingborough

  1

  Wetherby

  1

  Whatton

  1

  All establishments

  2,525

  Sir Charles Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on sexual and physical abuse of rule 43 offenders and of deliberate contamination of their food.

  Mr. Mellor
  Allegations of assault on rule 43 prisoners during the recent disturbances at Manchester prison are being investigated. No information is available centrally or at regional level about complaints from other rule 43 prisoners of sexual or physical abuse. In the past year, six rule 43 prisoners at different establishments have submitted petitions alleging contamination of their food by other prisoners. Prison staff are alert to this possibility and take precautions to obviate opportunities for such action.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many police force areas in England and Wales reported crime fell in 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  Six. The information is published in table 8 of Home Office statistical bulletin 10/90, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Northumbria to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he next plans to meet the Chief Constable of Dorset to discuss crime figures.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to do so at the present time.

  Drug Demand Reduction
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what drug demand reduction activities the Government plan to follow up the world ministerial drugs summit in London on 9 to 11 April.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced in her opening address to the world ministerial drugs summit our plans to establish a United Kingdom 664
  task force to advise other countries on ways of reducing the demand for drugs. This task force will draw on the fund of experience and expertise which is available in the United Kingdom on such measures as community drug prevention initiatives, drugs education and publicity and programmes for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug misusers.

  A detailed, 35-point political declaration, a copy of which is in the Library, was adopted unanimously at the conclusion of the summit. As well as committing all countries represented to give higher priority to demand reduction, the London declaration contains a host of useful practical guidance on specific measures which can or should be taken to reduce demand. We intend to honour fully the commitments undertaken on behalf of the United Kingdom, and we shall be looking to other countries and interested organisations represented at the summit to do the same. We are considering more specific ways in which the summit can be followed up.

  Police (Amendment) Regulations
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from police officers regarding the Police (Amendment) Regulations; and what reply he has sent.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend has received a large number of representations on this subject from police officers, from hon. Members on behalf of police officers and from police representative organisations. In response he has explained his reasons for setting aside certain aspects of the Police Negotiating Board agreement on rent allowance. He has also made a number of important changes to his original proposals to meet points which were raised.

  Child Pornography
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration is being given to tougher penalties for child pornography.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to increase the maximum penalties for child pornography offences. The maximum penalty for some offences is already three years' imprisonment. In addition, a new offence was introduced by the Criminal Justice Act 1988 of possession of an indecent photograph of a child with a penalty of a line of up to £2,000.

  Sound Broadcasting, London
  Mr. McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the prospective arrangements for competitive sound broadcasting in the London area.

  Mr. Mellor
  During the past few months six of the IBA's incremental radio contractors have come on air in London to provide alternatives to the existing BBC and IBA local radio stations. Four more are due to start later this year, one covering Heathrow and Gatwick. Under the Broadcasting Bill currently before Parliament the new Radio Authority will be able to advertise further licences in the future. The areas covered will depend on audience demand and frequency availability.

  Immigration
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the total number of citizens of Macao who will be entitled to settle in the United Kingdom; and what is the scope of dependants and relatives who will be permitted to join such persons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that, under Portuguese law, about 90,000 residents of Macao are entitled to Portuguese nationality. Under European Community law a national of a member state is entitled to enter and reside in any other member state for the purpose of exercising rights conferred by the treaty of Rome. In the case of Portuguese nationals, however, these rights do not include the right to take employment in this country until 1 January 1993. A person exercising treaty rights is entitled to be accompanied by his or her spouse, descendants under 21 years of age and dependants in the ascending and descending lines.

  Court Houses
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many new court houses have been open since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  Thirty-one, including the major improvement of existing buildings as well as new construction.

  Voluntary Sector Funding
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to implement the recommendations contained in the efficiency scrutiny report on Government funding for the voluntary sector.

  Mr. John Patten
  Home Office officials—and those in other Departments concerned—will be preparing action plans to review their grant programmes in the light of the principles set out in the statement of policy towards the voluntary sector given in my right hon. and learned Friend's answer to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Daventry (Mr. Boswell) on 4 April 1990 at column 639 and of the recommendations of the scrutiny report.

  Daylight Saving
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will introduce proposals to introduce daylight saving.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We are still considering the results of the consultation exercise.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement on the measures which are being taken to combat international terrorism.

  Mr. Waddington
  The Government remain fully committed to the fight against terrorism, and will continue to play a leading role in the various international bodies of which the United Kingdom is a member in order to 666
  strengthen and improve counter-terrorist co-operation. The Trevi group provides a forum in which information about terrorist threats and incidents can be passed rapidly between EC member states and agreement reached on effective, practical measures. The United Kingdom also conducts bilateral exchanges with a wide range of countries to strengthen further international co-operation. I recently had such meetings with the Ministers of the Interior for France and Czechoslovakia. I am meeting the Minister of the Interior for Portugal tomorrow, 4 May, and I shall be meeting European Community colleagues collectively at the next meeting of Trevi Ministers in Dublin in June.

  Sexual Violence
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many crimes of sexual violence were reported to the police forces in England and Wales in 1988.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is published in table 6 of Home Office statistical bulletin 10/90, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Drug Traffickers (Confiscation of Assets)
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the value of drug traffickers' assets ordered to be confiscated by the courts in 1988; and what estimate he has as to the likely figure for 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  The latest figures, which are in respect of confiscation orders made in 1987 and 1988, are given in table 7.25 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales 1988", a copy of which is in the Library. These show that £8·1 million was ordered to be confiscated in 1988. Data for 1989 will not be available until autumn 1990. The current estimate by the national drugs intelligence unit of the cumulative total of confiscation orders made since the Drug Trafficking Offences Act came into force in January 1987, is in excess of £16 million.

  Security Industry
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will place the July 1989 report of the working group on self-regulation of the security industry in the Library; and when his Department expects to complete its consideration of this report.

  Mr. John Patten
  I hope that consideration of the report will be completed in the near future.

  Commission for Racial Equality
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are members of the Commission for Racial Equality; and how many of them are of(a) black Caribbean, black African or other black, (b) Indian, (c) Pakistani and (d) Bangladeshi origin.

  Mr. John Patten
  There are 14 members of the Commission for Racial Equality, including the chairman and deputy chairmen, of whom three are of black Caribbean, black African or other black origin; two of Indian origin; one of Pakistani origin and one of Bangladeshi origin.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he hopes to reply to the letter dated 10 April from the hon. Member for South Hams concerning Laurent Derioz and his application for British nationality.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I wrote to the hon. Member on 1 May 1990.

  Security Services Commissioner
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when it is expected that the security services commissioner will be submitting his first report to the Prime Minister; and if he will indicate the information which the report is likely to contain.

  Mr. Waddington
  Section 4(5) of the Security Service Act 1989 requires the commissioner to make an annual report on the discharge of his functions under the Act to the Prime Minister: the format and content of the report are matters for the commissioner himself to determine. I understand that Lord Justice Stuart-Smith intends to make his first report as soon as is practicable after the end of this year.

  Winchester Three
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the total costs of the imprisonment of the Winchester Three.

  Mr. Mellor
  Based upon average weekly operating costs at each establishment in which they were held, the total cost of the imprisonment of the Winchester Three was £161,000.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) police officers and (b) law officers were involved in the initial detention, arrest and the preparations for trial of the Winchester Three; and what were the costs in each case.

  Mr. Waddington
  The information at(a) could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Prosecution costs are a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Attorney-General.

  Prison Management
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will postpone the implementation of the management structure review of the prison service pending Lord Justice Woolf s report on the riots in Strangeways.

  Mr. Mellor
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 11 January that changes to the organisation of the prison service would be made at the end of September along the lines recommended last August in the report of a study by a joint PA Consulting Group and prison service team. The work needed to give effect to those changes is on course. My right hon. and learned Friend received a request from the Prison Governors Association on 3 April that the reorganisation should be reconsidered in the light of the Manchester riot and he will respond to the association shortly.

  Fresh Start
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will name the public relations consultants employed by his Department in relation to the introduction of fresh start for prison officers.

  Mr. Mellor
  No public relations consultants were employed. Fresh start was developed and introduced by the prison service in consultation with PA Management Consultants.

  Prisoners (Police Cells)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of(a) men and (b) women being held in police stations cells in England and Wales on 30 April.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 30 April 1990 there were 496 prisoners in police cells in England and Wales. All were male.

  Public Relations
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to appoint a public relations adviser.

  Mr. Waddington
  My principal advisor on public relations is Mr. Adrian Moorey, director of information, who joined the Home Office on 17 April 1990 following the transfer of his predecessor to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. I shall continue to seek advice from other sources as and when the need arises.

  Parliament Square (Coach Parking)
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations have been received by the Metropolitan Commissioner from parliamentary authorities concerning coach parking in the vicinity of Parliament square; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The police devote considerable resources to enforcing the law on illegal parking. I understand that the Serjeant at Arms wrote to the Commissioner on 5 April about coach parking in the vicinity of Parliament square following a point of order raised by my hon. Friend. The assistant commissioner replied on 17 April.

  Prisoners (AIDS and HIV)
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) prisoners and (b) remand prisoners in England and Wales are known to (i) have AIDS and (ii) be HIV positive.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 25 April 1990 the prison population of England and Wales included 41 sentenced and six unsentenced prisoners reported as having been identified as HIV antibody positive.

  Hilda Murrell
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report on the progress of investigations into the murder of Hilda Murrell, of Shrewsbury, on 21 March 1984.
  669
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The investigation into the death of Miss Hilda Murrell is an operational matter for the police. However, I understand from the Chief Constable of West Mercia that a suspect has been identified and papers have been forwarded to the Crown prosecution service which is considering the matter.

  Police Recruitment Examinations
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to replace the police initial recruitment examinations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In February this year the Police Advisory Board standing committee on conditions of service agreed that a new initial recruitment test should be prepared. We hope shortly to be inviting tenders for a contract to devise the new test.

  Mentally Ill Prisoners
  Sir Charles Irving
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mentally ill offenders were given custodial sentences by magistrates courts in each year from 1985 to 1989; and what steps he is taking to reduce these figures.

  Deaths of persons detained at Prison Service establishments

  1 January 1989 to 31 March 1990

  Date

  Establishment

  Age

  Sex

  Status3

  Cause of death

  Inquest verdict

  1989

  1 January

  Manchester

  51

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  3 January

  Reading

  27

  M

  R

  Diabetes

  Natural causes

  4 January

  Brixton

  30

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Open

  11 January

  Castington

  19

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Accidental

  12 January

  Durham

  22

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  12 January

  Wellingborough

  19

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Accidental

  18 January

  Manchester

  60

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  21 January

  Canterbury1

  24

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Open

  27 January

  Winchester

  27

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  3 February

  Canterbury

  32

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  14 February

  Liverpool1

  55

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  16 February

  Leeds

  18

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  25 February

  Brixton

  45

  M

  R

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  25 February

  Stafford

  27

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Open

  25 February

  The Verne1

  48

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  25 February

  Liverpool1

  31

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  5 March

  Frankland

  34

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  9 March

  Durham

  31

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  15 March

  Wandsworth

  43

  M

  S

  Cut artery

  Suicide

  17 March

  Pentonville

  30

  M

  I

  Brain tumour

  Natural causes

  18 March

  Liverpool

  48

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  19 March

  Liverpool

  32

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  22 March

  Pentonville

  35

  M

  S

  Drug poisoning

  Misadventure

  23 March

  Gloucester1

  22

  M

  R

  Burns

  Misadventure

  25 March

  Risley

  19

  F

  R

  Hanging

  Open

  31 March

  Maidstone

  48

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  12 April

  Littlehey

  29

  M

  S

  Cut artery

  Suicide

  19 April

  Leeds1

  48

  M

  S

  Cancer

  Natural causes

  21 April

  Preston

  40

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  25 April

  Brixton

  52

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Open

  26 April

  Sudbury

  38

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  27 April

  Stafford1

  24

  M

  S

  Pneumonia

  Natural causes

  28 April

  Lewes

  19

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  30 April

  Brixton1

  23

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  8 May

  Dartmoor

  23

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  13 May

  Winchester

  23

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  15 May

  Manchester

  18

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  17 May

  Risley

  28

  F

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  25 May

  Stafford

  22

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  26 May

  Manchester1

  27

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  670
  Mr. John Patten
  Such information is not available centrally.

  Guidance to courts on avoiding sending mentally disordered offenders to prison is provided in "The Sentence of the Court" (HMSO), a new edition of which will be published shortly. This guidance has been revised to encourage courts to use their powers to remand to hospital under the Mental Health Act 1983 or making attendance at or admission to hospital a condition of bail. Statistical information on the use of such powers was published in Home Office statistical bulletin 28/88 "Statistics of Mentally Disordered Offenders, England and Wales, 1985 and 1986", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Prisons (Deaths)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all deaths during 1989 and the first quarter of 1990 of persons detained in prison department establishments, stating in each case the age and sex of the inmate, the cause of death, the inquest verdict, whether the inmate was sentenced or on remand, the establishment where the inmate was detained, and whether the death occurred there or in an outside hospital.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information is given in the table. Deaths occurred within the establishment unless otherwise indicated.
  671

  Date

  Establishment

  Age

  Sex

  Status3

  Cause of death

  Inquest verdict

  3 June

  Brixton

  39

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Accidental

  13 June

  Manchester

  47

  M

  R

  Not known

  Not yet held

  19 June

  Liverpool

  42

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  10 July

  Exeter

  25

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  10 July

  Brixton

  25

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Open

  19 July

  Lancaster

  22

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  19 July

  Ackington

  49

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Not yet held

  31 July

  Norwich1

  42

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  2 August

  Stafford

  46

  M

  S

  Cancer

  Not yet held

  4 August

  Leicester1

  28

  M

  R

  Kidney failure

  Natural causes

  5 August

  Rochester

  22

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  6 August

  The Verne

  35

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Not yet held

  14 August

  Birmingham

  25

  M

  s

  Asthmatic attack

  Natural causes

  18 August

  Brixton2

  41

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Open

  24 August

  Full Sutton

  33

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  26 August

  Brixton

  25

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  31 August

  Wormwood Scrubs

  29

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  13 September

  Garth

  28

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  26 September

  Cardiff

  25

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Accidental

  30 September

  Shepton Mallet

  21

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  1 October

  Rochester

  18

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  15 October

  Canterbury

  24

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  18 October

  Brixton

  35

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Accidental

  19 October

  Stafford

  50

  M

  S

  Lung disease

  Natural causes

  20 October

  Bristol

  26

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  22 October

  Norwich

  52

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  23 October

  Channings Wood

  26

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Natural causes

  24 October

  Rochester

  49

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Not yet held

  31 October

  Hindley

  19

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  2 November

  Brixton

  33

  M

  R

  Pneumonia

  Not yet held

  3 November

  Wandsworth

  69

  M

  S

  Not known

  Not yet held

  4 November

  Swansea

  18

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  13 November

  Leeds

  52

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Suicide

  19 November

  Stafford

  53

  M

  S

  Cancer

  Not yet held

  6 December

  Brixton

  58

  M

  R

  Heart attack

  Natural causes aggravated by lack of care

  10 December

  Long Lartin

  29

  M

  S

  Cut artery

  Suicide

  10 December

  Shepton Mallet

  31

  M

  S

  Influenza

  Natural causes

  23 December

  Manchester

  19

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  24 December

  Glen Parva

  19

  M

  s

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  28 December

  Liverpool

  39

  M

  R

  Brain haemorrhage/pheumonia

  Not yet held

  1990

  6 January

  Durham

  20

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  6 January

  Bristol

  22

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Suicide

  10 January

  Lincoln

  46

  M

  R

  Suffocation

  Open

  14 January

  Winchester

  69

  M

  R

  Unknown

  Not yet held

  25 January

  Manchester

  37

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  10 February

  Reading1

  35

  M

  S

  Brain haemorrhage

  Not yet held

  14 February

  Winchester

  19

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  21 February

  Camp Hill

  24

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  22 February

  Bedford

  29

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  28 February

  Hindley1

  18

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  2 March

  Brixton

  29

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  2 March

  Manchester

  37

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  3 March

  Pentonville

  34

  M

  R

  Asphyxiation

  Misadventure

  14 March

  Wakefield

  56

  M

  S

  Heart attack

  Not yet held

  16 March

  Durham

  27

  M

  S

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  23 March

  Bristol

  31

  M

  R

  Hanging

  Not yet held

  1 Inmate died in an outside hospital.

  2 Inmate died in a Crown court cell.

  3 Status: S—Sentenced; R—Remand; I—Immigration Act detention.

  Charity Mailing Lists
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to prevent registered charities' mailing lists from being used to tout for business from the members of such charities by banking service firms.
  672
  Mr. Mellor
  The Government have no present plans to do so. If there is any evidence of a breach of the Data Protection Act, it should be brought to the attention of the Data Protection Registrar.

  Prison Officers (Suicides)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prison officers are known to have committed suicide in each of the last 10 years.
  673
  Mr. Mellor
  Before 1 January 1990 no central records were kept of the causes of death among prison officers and this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since 1 January 1990 one prison officer is known to have committed suicide.

  Wakefield Prison
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the total additional days' leave granted to staff at Her Majesty's prison, Wakefield, arising from the temporary transfer of staff to Her Majesty's prison, Manchester;

  (2) if he will allocate additional staff at Her Majesty's prison, Wakefield to enable prison officers who have undertaken duties at Her Majesty's prison, Manchester, to take the special trauma leave that they have been granted;

  (3) what advice has been given by his Department to the governor of Her Majesty's prison, Wakefield, as to how staffing levels in the prison can be maintained at safe levels while (a) prison officers who have been temporarily deployed at Her Majesty's prison, Manchester, take leave that they have subsequently been granted and (b) other
  674
  officers who covered duties for those absent from Her Majesty's prison, Wakefield, take time off that is due to them.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 27 April 1990]The governor of Her Majesty's prison, Wakefield will assess locally the impact of both additional leave granted to staff attending the disturbance at Her Majesty's prison, Manchester (the amount of which is still being calculated) and additional hours accumulated at Wakefield by covering for colleagues on duty at Manchester. He will then, using this assessment and information from the staff planning and reporting system (SPAR), plan officers' leave and time off in lieu (TOIL). If he identifies any problems he will seek assistance from regional management. This process needs to be completed before regional management can assess whether additional staff might need to be sent to Wakefield on a temporary basis.

  On 11 April my right hon. and learned Friend announced that, in recognition of the stress which the prison service has suffered, he would be bringing forward the recruitment of 200 officers originally planned for later this year. When these officers are available they will be posted following an assessment by management of which establishments are under particular pressure.

  AFFINITY CARDS: TAX IMPLICATIONS FOR CHARITIES
  AFFINITY CARDS: TAX IMPLICATIONS FOR CHARITIES
  EMPLOYMENT APPEAL TRIBUNAL: APPEAL RESULTS 1989/90
  EMPLOYMENT APPEAL TRIBUNAL: APPEAL RESULTS 1989/90
  STORM DAMAGED WOODLAND: REPLANTING GRANTS
  STORM DAMAGED WOODLAND: REPLANTING GRANTS