Written Answers of 8 May 1990

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Economic Development
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list by year for the last five years, the economic development that has been made available in South Yorkshire by(a) the EEC and (b) by central Government.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The question as drafted calls for a major exercise of economic impact assessment which could only be provided at disproportionate cost. The hon. Member may have a more specific query in mind, in which case he may wish to rephrase the question.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, in a manner consistent with the reply to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) of 31 March 1988,Official Report, columns 604–6, for each privatisation

  Company

  Date of sale

  Government Merchant Bank Adviser

  Government Broker

  Reporting Accountant

  Advertising Agency

  Solicitors

  (Joint appointment unless otherwise stated)

  Professional and Executive recruitment

  1988

  Lloyds

  —

  Coopers and Lybrand

  —

  Field, Fisher Martineau

  Rover Group

  1988

  Barings Brothers

  —

  —

  —

  Slaughter and May

  British Steel

  1988

  Samuel Montagu

  Rowe and Pitman

  Coopers and Lybrand

  Saatchi and Saatchi

  Norton Rose

  General Practice Finance Corporation

  1988

  Hambros

  —

  Peat, Marwick McLintock

  —

  McKenna and Company

  Harland and Woolff

  1989

  Lazards

  —

  —

  —

  Lovell White Durrant

  Short Brothers

  1989

  Kleinwort Benson

  —

  Deloitte Haskins ad Sells

  —

  Norton Rose

  Water Companies

  1989

  Schroders

  Rowe and Pitman

  Touche Ross1

  Collett Dickenson Pearce

  Clifford Chance

  Skills Training Agency

  1990

  Deloitte Corporate Finance

  —

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells

  —

  Field, Fisher Waterhouse

  Tax Share (Northern Ireland)
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the formula used to calculate Northern Ireland's attributed share of United Kingdom taxes.

  Mr. Lilley
  The ways in which certain taxes are collected means that, for Northern Ireland, a share of the revenue yield must be attributed by applying a set formula. These are set out in Statutory Instruments 1975/1313, 1977/1879, 1983/1599 and 1988/1667, made under section 15 of the Northern Ireland Constitution Act 1973.
  2
  measure since 1987, the Government's merchant bank advisers, brokers, reporting accountants and solicitors and details of any advertising agency involved; and whether any form of competitive tendering was undertaken in each case.

  Mr. Lilley
  The Government's merchant bank advisers, brokers and solicitors in each privatisation 1987 are listed below. Reporting accountants and advertising agencies employed in the sales were usually joint appointments with the company, and are also listed. In addition, a number of sales of subsidiaries were carried out by nationalised industries. Details of the advisers for these sales are not held centrally.

  In each of the privatisations the appointment of merchant bank advisers, brokers and advertising agencies was subject to competition.

  The appointment of reporting accounts was subject to competition in all except two of the cases listed. In the case of Short Brothers the company's auditors were appointed without obtaining alternative tenders, to take advantage of their existing knowledge as this was expected to give rise to worthwhile savings in terms of time and costs. In the case of the Skills Training Agency, Deloitte, Haskins and Sells were appointed on a single tender basis, following the appointment of Deloitte Corporate Finance as merchant bank advisers. In each case a competitive rate was negotiated.

  The appointment of solicitors was subject to competition in all cases except Rover, where Slaughter and May were appointed jointly with Barings Brothers.

  Oil Taxation
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates were used by the Inland Revenue in concluding in paragraph 9 of a press release of 20 March, entitled "Oil Taxation", that the longer-term revenue effects of the taxation charges discussed in the press release are expected to be broadly revenue-neutral overall.

  Mr. Lilley
  Costings of this sort, involving many projections well into the future, are inevitably extremely uncertain. Estimates of abandonment expenditure are
  3
  based on surveys of industry intentions. The revenue effects of the measures referred to in this part of the press release also depend on a wide range of other assumptions, such as about oil prices and production levels and about other expenditure.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the longer-term annual revenue effects of the measures proposed in(a) clause 52 and clause 53, (b) clause 54, (c) clause 55 and clause 56, (d) clause 96 and (e) clause 97 of the Finance Bill.

  Mr. Lilley
  I have nothing to add to the aggregate estimates in the annex to chapter 4 of the Financial Statement and Budget Report 1990–91 and, as far as clauses 55 and 56 are concerned, in the 22 January 1990 Inland Revenue press release entitled, "North Sea Oil—Restriction of Capital Losses".

  United States (Foreign Investment)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the latest available figures for (1) annual and (2) total direct foreign investment in the United States by(a) Great Britain, (b) Japan, (c) the Netherlands, (d) West Germany and (e) France.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: Information is published by the Central Statistical Office on United Kingdom outward foreign direct investment by United Kingdom companies in the United States. Figures are also published by the United States Department of Commerce on inward foreign direct investment into the United States by a number of countries. Because of differences in coverage, country attribution, accounting practices and methods of compilation, figures for United Kingdom direct investment in the United States from these two sources will not correspond. The latest available information from both sources is as follows:

  United Kingdom information

  United Kingdom direct investment in the United States

  Net outflow 1988

  Book value of investment end-1987

  £ million

  9,854

  30,635

  (equivalent to $ million)

  (17,536)

  (57,808)

  Source: CSO Business Bulletin Overseas Direct Investment (28/90).

  United States information

  Direct investment in the United States by:

  Net inflow 1988

  Net investment position end-1988

  United States $ million

  United States $ million

  United Kingdom

  18,774

  101,909

  Japan

  17,838

  53,354

  Netherlands

  4,766

  48,991

  West Germany

  2,306

  23,845

  France

  962

  11,364

  Source: United States Department of Commerce: Survey of Current Business.

  European Monetary Union
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, following the meeting of the 12 Finance Ministers in Galway on 31 March and 1 April, what proposals have been made for the timetable of introducing phase 2 and phase 3 of European monetary union.
  4
  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: No such proposals have been made. It was agreed at the special meeting of the European Council on 28 April that the preparations for an intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union which will begin in December this year should be intensified with the objective of finishing the work of that conference in time to permit ratification of the results before the end of 1992. It is too early to say how feasible such a target will be.

THE ARTS

  British Museum (Research)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what responsibilities he has in respect of the level and type of academic research carried out by the British Museum (Natural History); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Luce
  The day-to-day running of the Natural History museum, and decisions on the museum's research programme, are matters for the director and trustees of the museum.

  I understand, however, that the Natural History museum fully intends to continue to undertake a wide range of academic research work, but that it plans to concentrate research effort primarily into important scientific programmes relevant to contemporary needs and issues such as the environment and human health.

CIVIL SERVIE

  Administration Trainees
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service in 1989 what percentages of successful applicants for the Civil Service administration trainee direct entry scheme were(a) educated at Oxford and Cambridge, (b) arts graduates and (c) attended fee-paying schools.

  Mr. Luce
  Of the 65 candidates recommended for appointment as administration trainees/higher executive officers (development), 55 per cent. were educated at either Oxford or Cambridge and 56 per cent. were arts graduates. The identity of schools attended by candidates is not recorded for statistical or other purposes.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will obtain for his Departmental library a copy of the Consumers Association's report on British Rail services dated March 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend received a copy of the Consumers Association's report on 1 March. He will be meeting representatives of the Consumers Association on 24 May to discuss the article.

  Driving Tests
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which driving test centres had(a) the 10 highest percentage pass rates and (b) the 10 lowest percentage pass rates per annum for each of the last five years; and how many people these figures represent.

  Mr. Atkins
  It is not the Department's policy to publish comparative pass rates for test centres.

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1987–88

  1988–89

  North Eastern (Newcastle)

  47

  49

  51

  55

  54

  North Eastern (Leeds)

  46

  46

  48

  48

  51

  North Western

  50

  50

  52

  54

  54

  West Midland

  48

  47

  49

  48

  49

  Eastern (Nottingham)

  50

  50

  51

  51

  52

  Eastern (Cambridge)

  47

  48

  50

  51

  53

  South Wales

  49

  50

  50

  51

  53

  Western

  51

  51

  52

  52

  54

  South Eastern

  49

  48

  49

  50

  51

  Scotland

  50

  50

  53

  53

  54

  Metropolitan

  47

  47

  48

  50

  50

  National average

  49

  49

  50

  51

  52

  Noise Pollution
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review procedures for dealing with complaints from those whose personal environment has been badly affected by noise from new motorways.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am satisfied with the procedures for dealing with complaints from those affected by noise from new motorways and that the Department handles these complaints sympathetically.

  Motorways
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will outline his Department's policy on the provision of ribbed edgelines on motorways;

  (2) what regional differences of policy exist in his Department on the provision of ribbed edgelines on motorways to reduce the number of accidents on motorway hard shoulders;

  (3) what plans he has to introduce ribbed edgelines onto all motorways in the United Kingdom as standard carriageway markings.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department has encouraged the use of ribbed edgemarkings on motorways since 1987 following experience earlier on. The extent of installation in each region is influenced by the need for replacement and maintenance of existing lining systems. We are shortly to offer advice to English regional offices which should encourage further installation of ribbed edgemarkings on motorways and appropriate all-purpose dual carriageway trunk roads.

  It is our intention to include these markings in our consultation document on the traffic signs regulations and general directions, due to be circulated in the early autumn.

  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the success of experimental schemes to fit ribbed edgelines on motorways in reducing the number of accidents on motorway hard shoulders.
  6
  The average percentage pass rates for the Driving Standards Agency regions for the last five years for which figures are available were:

  Mr. Atkins
  The Transport and Road Research Laboratory is encouraged by the results of earlier experience and trials conducted so far. On the basis of the available evidence it is not possible to establish the likely balance of costs and benefits across the network as a whole. Conclusive research would take many years to yield results. Operationally these lines appear to offer benefits in terms of enhancing visibility and driver awareness of the edge of the carriageway. Both these factors help to reduce the risk of accidents.

  Driving Offences
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he proposes to create any new categories of driving offences.

  Mr. Atkins
  Our proposals for the reform of road traffic law are set out in the White Paper, "The Road User and the Law" (Cm. 576). These include the creation of a new offence of"causing death by careless driving while unfit through drink or drugs"
  and the reformulation of the reckless driving offences.

  Legislation to implement these proposals will be introduced at the earliest opportunity.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his approval was required for the exemption given to the helicopter companies operating over the North sea from the new rules against excessive fatigue for pilots.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). I understand that of the 540 pilots employed on offshore helicopter operations on 1 May 1990, the date of the new requirements, 10 were in excess of the new limit of 800 hours flying time in any 12-month period. Of these, the highest had completed 835 hours and was inside the old limit of 900 hours maximum.

  In order to avoid grounding these pilots for approximately three months, the authority has issued

  7
  exemptions valid until the end of August 1990 when all 10 will be within the new reduced maximum 12-monthly flying hours limit.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with British Rail and the developers of the King's Cross site about the choice of the London terminal for the channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Freeman
  The choice of preferred location for the second London terminal for channel tunnel rail services was made by British Rail. My approval to British Rail's investment plans for the station will be required before they can proceed. The terms of the agreement with the developers and other land owners are a matter for British Rail; but this Department has had discussions with British Rail and the developers on the implications for the road and public transport networks in the King's Cross area.

  Traffic Forecasts
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give a geographical breakdown of the traffic forecasts which have produced the average estimates for 2025 of 83 per cent. to 142 per cent. increase in road traffic.

  Mr. Atkins
  The national road traffic forecasts 1989 (NRTF) apply to Great Britain as a whole. Local forecasts, consistent with the NRTF, are made where necessary when particular problems and improvements are considered. These forecasts take into account local differences and can be lower or higher than the national forecast.

  London Underground
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the closure of the Circle line at Liverpool Street station on Wednesday 2 May.

  Mr. Freeman
  London Underground Ltd (LUL) tell me that Liverpool Street Underground Station was closed and evacuated on Wednesday 2 May between 09.45 and 10·20 whilst the London fire brigade attended following a report of smoke. The current was discharged to allow the firemen on to the track. The cause of the smoke was found to be burning paper, probably ignited by a train "arcing". The fire brigade extinguished the burning paper, the "all clear" was given and the station was reopened.

  I understand that LUL is currently carrying out a programme of improved cleaning measures, in particular, to remove litter from the track. It is also looking of eliminating or minimising arcing of trains.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many fires have been reported on London underground in each of the last 12 months; for how many the fire brigade was in attendance; and how many required evacuation of the premises.

  Mr. Freeman
  London Underground Ltd. (LUL) tells me that the latest 12-month period for which details of fires are available is April 1989 to March 1990. The record consists of four-week periods rather than calendar months. The figures are as follows:8

  Period

  No. of Fires Reported

  129.4.89

  464

  127.5.89

  584

  124.6.89

  456

  122.7.89

  436

  119.8.89

  385

  116.9.89

  398

  114.10.89

  370

  111.11.89

  276

  19.12.89

  393

  16.1.90

  1259

  13.2.90

  303

  13.3.90

  339

  131.3.90

  424

  1 Four weeks ending

  The London fire brigade was in attendance at all fires. LUL do not keep records of evacuations of stations as a result of fires, though in 540 cases the train service either did not stop at the station or was suspended, which suggests that the station was evacuated.

  It was not necessary for LUL to report all fires to the Secretary of State. Those which had to be reported fell into the categories at Schedule 1, Sections 6(d), 6(e), 7(e) and 7(f) of the Railway (Notice of Accidents) Order 1986. This was set out in the answer to the hon. Member on 23 March 1990, Official Report, c.774–75.

  Supply Index
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about his Department's decision not to participate in the Government supply index.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department makes use of GSI by sharing facilities with DOE. The driver and vehicle licensing agency in Swansea has its own subscription.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles (First Aid Kits)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department proposes to introduce legislation to compel heavy goods vehicles to carry first aid kits; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: Knowing the right thing to do when serious injury occurs can make the difference between life and death. I welcome the steps taken by responsible employers and by individuals themselves to spread this knowledge. Carrying a first aid kit is something that many road users sensibly already do, but it is no substitute for human common sense and knowledge and I do not propose to make it compulsory.

  Nuclear Waste (Transportation)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has concerning the draft code on nuclear waste transboundary transport drawn up by the experts panel of the International Atomic Energy Agency; how the United Kingdom was represented on the experts panel; and how the report will affect current safety regulations for nuclear materials transport in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Trippier
  I have been asked to reply.

  An official of the Department of the Environment attended the meeting of the expert panel which drew up the

  9
  draft code of practice. Current safety regulations for the transport of all radioactive materials in the United Kingdom comply with the recommendations of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). Any proposed changes to these recommendations resulting from the adoption of the code of practice will need to be agreed by the IAEA before they are embodied into United Kingdom law.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Rural Regeneration
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what work has been undertaken by the inter-departmental committee on rural re-generation under the chairmanship of the permanent secretary in the Department of Agriculture; and when it will report its findings, proposals and recommendations.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The inter-departmental committee on rural development has been in operation since January 1990. It continues to work to its general remit of preparing advice for Ministers on how best to carry forward action to tackle the social and economic problems in the most deprived rural areas.

  Discussions have taken place with district councils, the rural action project and the promoters of rural development projects. Following a recommendation from the committee it was agreed to fund the rural action project for a further year to 31 March 1991.

  The committee will report to Ministers as soon as possible commensurate with a comprehensive review and positive recommendations.

  Natural Gas
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the estimated cost of providing the necessary infrastructure in Northern Ireland to ensure maximum availability of natural gas in the main centres of population in Northern Ireland;

  (2) what is the estimated cost of linking Northern Ireland by pipeline to the national gas grid of Great Britain.

  Mr. Needham
  No information is available on these costs which could only be obtained through detailed and expensive financial and technical studies.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what evidence exists of the likelihood of natural gas reserves in(a) Northern Ireland and (b) off the coastal areas of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  Small amounts of natural gas have been encountered in hydrocarbon exploration wells in County Fermanagh but work on enhancing the yields to commercial levels was not considered warranted by the prospecting companies as gas shows were so small. Elsewhere in Northern Ireland some geological features exist which control the formation and accumulation of hydrocarbons but to date exploration has not confirmed the presence of any significant traces of natural gas or oil. Exploration is continuing under three prospecting licences for areas in Co. Antrim.
  10
  Little is known of the geology of the off-shore area but from what evidence is available the prospectivity of the off-shore area in the vicinity of Rathlin and East Antrim is similar to the adjacent on-shore area.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the nearest identified source of natural gas in Great Britain to Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  Previous studies of the options for the supply of natural gas from Great Britain to Northern Ireland indicated that the most convenient route would be a supply via the west coast of Scotland. The studies also concluded that such a supply would not provide the basis of a viable gas industry for the Province.

  DNA Profiling
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any scientist at the Northern Ireland forensic science laboratory has published articles in peer-reviewed journals on the subject of DNA profiling.

  Mr. Cope
  No such articles have been published.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many samples have been taken from how many persons suspected of(a) scheduled offences and (b) non-scheduled offences, distinguishing between (i) samples taken with the consent of the suspect and (ii) samples taken without the consent, and further distinguishing between intimate, and non-intimate, excluding mouth samples, and mouth swabs as defined in schedule 14 to the Criminal Justice Act 1988, under the terms of schedule 14 to the Criminal Justice Act 1988, and subsequently under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order 1989, since the commencement of schedule 14 to the Criminal Justice Act 1988.

  Mr. Cope
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will publish in the Official Report the administrative guidelines for records of DNA samples taken from persons acquitted or not proceeded against in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  Guidance to the police on the identification, by body samples, swabs and impressions, of persons detained under the general criminal law has already been published in the codes of practice issued under the Police and Criminal Evidence (NI) Order 1989 (copies of which are in the Library of the House). Guidance on the identification, by similar means, of persons detained under emergency legislation will be published shortly.

  Second-level Students
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many students in second-level education reached their 19th birthday and completed their courses in each year since 1980.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  School year

  Number of 19-year-old leavers

  1979–80

  542

  1981–82

  615

  1983–84

  705

  11

  School year

  Number of 19-year-old leavers

  1985–86

  789

  1986–87

  672

  1987–88

  695

  Figures are not available for the school years 1980–81, 1982–83 and 1984–85 and not yet available for 1988–89.

  Irish Language Teaching
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many copies of the proposals for the teaching of Irish in Irish-medium schools were sent out by the Northern Ireland Curriculum Council; how many schools were consulted; how many questions there were in the consultative proposals to be answered; weeks each school was given to reply to the consultative proposals; what was the closing date for replies; how many schools replied to the consultative proposals; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Copies were sent to all grant-aided schools and to other bodies. A total of 7,800 copies were issued and 165 responses were received, of which 50 were from teachers or schools. The copies were issued on 19 February and schools were asked to reply by 30 March, a total of six weeks. To assist the analysis of comments, the council issued a proforma which contained 25 questions but respondents were at liberty to comment also on other matters.

  Extradition
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applications relating to terrorist offences have been made for extradition from the Irish Republic to Britain(a) between 1972 and 14 November 1985 and (b) since 15 November 1985; how many have been refused; how many have been granted; and for how long any outstanding cases have been under consideration.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 23 March 1990]: The information is as follows:

  Application submitted (persons)

  Persons returned

  Extradition refused

  Other1

  1 January 1972 to 14 November 1985

  80

  3

  38

  238

  15 November 1985 to date

  32

  4

  3

  226

  1 The category "other" includes cases where warrants were returned or withdrawn for a variety of reasons; or where the person sought was found to be deceased (2 cases) or was subsequently arrested in the United Kingdom (15 cases). There were 19 applications outstanding as at 3 April 1990; since the majority of these persons have not so far been arrested, an account of time spent by each under consideration would not be appropriate.

  2 The figures within each category do not tally because in one pre-15 November 1985 case the individual concerned was returned after that date.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Maginnis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which organisations were responsible for the 37 terrorist killings which have been carried out in the constituency of Fermanagh and South Tyrone since 15 November 1985; and in how many of these killings(a) someone has been convicted for murder by the courts, (b) there is a murder charge presently outstanding and (c) there has been a failure to charge anyone with murder.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 23 March 1990]: Republican terrorist groups are believed to have been responsible for each of the 37 terrorist murders about which the hon. Gentleman has asked. One person has been convicted in respect of two of them; and five persons are awaiting trial charged with two additional murders, as well as related serious offences. Police inquiries still continue in respect of the remaining 33 murders, but to date no-one has been charged.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the target reductions for energy consumption in the buildings occupied by his Department.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]: The target reduction for energy consumption over the period April 1990 to March 1995, on buildings occupied by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments, is 15 per cent. of the total energy bill for the year 1989–90.

  EC Energy Development Programme
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what applications for European Community funding under the Valoren energy development programme in respect of lignite mining or peat extraction for fuel use are currently under consideration; and if he will indicate the project name, site location, date and level of European Community funding sought.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: No such applications are under consideration.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list for each of the last three years those projects which have received European Community funding under the Valoren programme in respect of lignite mining or peat extraction for fuel use, and in each case indicate the project name, site location, date and level of European Community funding.

  Mr. Needham
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: Since the Northern Ireland Valoren programme commenced in May 1986, £23,411·35 of European Community funding has been provided to LEDU in respect of financial assistance paid to two investment projects involving the extraction and processing of peat for fuel.
  13

  Name and address of project

  Amount of European funding £

  Period of claim

  1. Cam Peat Ltd., 84 Ringsend Road, Leek, Limavady

  14,260·50

  1 May 1986–31 December 1987

  5,238·35

  1 January 1988–31 December 1988

  Site: Cam, Macosquin, Coleraine

  2. Biofuel Products (NI), The Cutts, Dunmurry, Belfast

  3,912·50

  1 May 1986–31 December 1987

  No lignite mining projects have been assisted under the Valoren Programme.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what arrangements have been made to permit the BBC to broadcast a radio programme from a Committee Room of the House; on what terms; and whether he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  Arrangements have been made for a radio programme to be recorded in the Grand Committee Room. The authority for any direct broadcast from the House, other than of Proceedings of the House, is the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services); it is permissible, however, to record a meeting sponsored by an hon. Member, for broadcasting at a later date.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith), as representing the House of Commons Commission, whether any House of Commons staff are involved in the arrangements for a BBC programme to be recorded in a Committee Room of the House on 8 May; and whether any reimbursement is being made by the BBC to the Commission for staff or other costs.

  Mr. Beith
  Staff of the House are available to administer Committee Rooms with regard both to sittings of Committees of the House and private meetings sponsored by hon. Members; in the case of the meeting arranged in the name of the Leader of the House on 8 May no additional costs have been identified and the question of reimbursement does not arise.

  Select Committees (Advisers)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list for the current year by Committee the names, qualifications, experience and remuneration of advisers to Select Committees of the House.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The appointment of specialist advisers is a matter for the Select Committee concerned. The names of the specialist advisers who assisted Select Committees during the 1988–89 Session of Parliament can be found in the most recent Sessional Return (HC(1989–90)110). During the current Session, the following advisers have also assisted Select Committees:

  Defence Committee

  Mr. A. Preston

  Education, Science and Arts Committee

  Mr. J. Fish

  Dr. D. B. Thomas

  Professor J. M. Ziman

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  Employment Committee

  Professor A. Likierman

  Energy Committee

  Professor Sir Herman Bondi

  Environment Committee

  Professor J. N. Bell

  Professor R. Y. Cartwright

  Mr. D. Gould

  Mr. R. B. Macrory

  Professor R. Perry

  Mr. A. J. Rosenfeld, CB

  Foreign Affairs Committee

  Dr. J. Barber

  Sir Patrick Moberly

  Mr. R. Pollock

  Dr. A. Pravda

  Dr. P. Sabin

  Social Services Committee

  Dr. B. Castleton

  Dr. D. Hunter

  Mr. D. Plank

  Professor D. Piachaud

  Mr. D. Willetts

  Professor J. Wing

  Mr. G. Wistow

  Miss J. Young

  Committee on the Televising of Proceedings of the House

  Mr. R. Wright

  Trade and Industry Committee

  Dr. C. Preston

  Dr. B. Rider

  Transport Committee

  Professor D. Heald

  Mr. E. Humphreys

  Mr. F. Taylor

  Mr. G. Wilkinson

  Welsh Affairs Committee

  Professor P. J. Cloke

  Miss M. Constable

  Dr. R. W. Vickerman

  Dr. R. William

  Advisers currently retained by select commitees have a wide range of experience and qualifications and include retired civil servants and service officers, university academics and consultants.

  Specialist advisers are remunerated on a per diem basis, plus travelling expenses, on the same scale as that used within the civil service for comparable appointments, which ranges between £38 and £115 per day. Details of individual remuneration are not disclosed. The total cost of specialist advice for each select committee in the financial year 1988–89 can be found in the most recent Sessional Return (HC(1989–90)110).

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Zimbabwe
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's bilateral aid to Zimbabwe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given to the hon. Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 24 July 1989 at column 454 and 4 December 1989 at column 9. Figures for expenditure in 1989 should be available later this month.

  Poland
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, column 282, what plans exist to increase the £2·3 million so far provided for Poland under the know-how fund.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We expect that expenditure under the know-how fund for Poland in 1990–91 will be considerably higher than the £2·3 million spent in 1989–90. It is too soon to predict an exact figure.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, column 282, what plans exist to increase the size of the know-how fund.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Much of the £50 million know-how fund for Poland has yet to be committed to specific projects, and

  United Kingdom bilateral aid 1984–1988 at current prices

  £ Thousands

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Burma

  821

  983

  2,945

  4,717

  2,222

  China

  561

  1,201

  2,190

  4,011

  28,383

  India

  146,537

  106,466

  143,481

  78,464

  101,045

  Indonesia

  28,292

  33,649

  8,898

  12,223

  17,365

  Jordan

  6,105

  2,332

  5,641

  4,809

  4,091

  Malaysia

  4,992

  7,454

  55,494

  9,779

  10,057

  Philippines

  3,803

  1,840

  205

  262

  1,042

  Sri Lanka

  26,203

  17,316

  15,981

  18,690

  21,718

  Thailand

  20,036

  7,437

  4,215

  5,358

  23,244

  Yemen Arab Republic

  3,103

  3,104

  3,775

  5,168

  6,603

  United Kingdom bilateral aid 1984–1988 at constant 1988 prices

  £ Thousand

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Burma

  1,003

  1,137

  3,291

  5,029

  2,222

  China

  686

  1,390

  2,447

  4,276

  28,383

  India

  179,095

  123,180

  160,344

  83,657

  101,045

  Indonesia

  34,578

  38,932

  9,944

  13,032

  17,365

  Jordan

  7,461

  2,698

  6,304

  5,127

  4,091

  Malaysia

  6,101

  8,624

  62,016

  10,426

  10,057

  Philippines

  4,648

  2,129

  229

  279

  1,042

  Sri Lanka

  32,025

  20,034

  17,859

  19,927

  21,718

  Thailand

  24,488

  8,605

  4,710

  5,713

  23,244

  Yemen Arab Republic

  3,792

  3,591

  4,219

  5,510

  6,603

  Percentage of aid and trade provision to gross bilateral aid 1984–1988

  Per cent.

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Burma

  30·7

  31·9

  69·0

  79·4

  29·1

  China

  —

  —

  —

  27·1

  80·8

  India

  16·7

  8·3

  6·0

  0·1

  9·4

  Indonesia

  20·7

  58·6

  0·6

  8·5

  6·6

  16
  there are no plans to increase the size of the overall fund. As already announced, know-how funds have been extended to Hungary, East Germany and Czechoslovakia.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, columns 282–83, what is his estimate of the number of people who have benefited from the specific training provided for potential local joint venture partners with Poland.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The initiative under the know-how fund relating to the training of potential local joint venture partners has been introduced only recently and detailed arrangements are being worked out. A number of companies have registered their interest in the initiative in respect of Poland and we are looking carefully at their proposals.

  Bilateral Aid
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table in the Official Report correlating for the last five years for which data are available (a) United Kingdom bilateral aid to (i) Burma, (ii) China, (iii) India, (iv) Indonesia, (v) Jordan, (vi) Malaysia, (vii) the Philippines, (viii) Sri Lanka, (ix) Thailand, (x) the Yemen Arab Republic in real and cash terms and (b) the proportions in each case of this aid tied to trade deals involving United Kingdom companies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The answer is as follows:
  17

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  Jordan

  56·3

  —

  —

  2·7

  9·8

  Malaysia

  1·1

  22·3

  90·3

  59·3

  19·3

  Philippines

  0·8

  4·5

  —

  —

  —

  Sri Lanka

  10·7

  2·6

  48·8

  28·1

  20·8

  Thailand

  1·1

  3·1

  9·6

  4·7

  2·5

  Yemen Arab Republic

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18·2

  Occupied Territories
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will update figures for the occupied territories in his answer of 20 April 1989 to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist),Official Report, columns 241–2, on Overseas Development West Bank and Gaza Strip; and if he will give a project breakdown between (a) the territories and (b) projects with Israel.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Updated details of our assistance to the West Bank and Gaza are as follows:

  £

  NGO projects

  Order of St. John

  Outreach programme based on St. John ophthalmic hospital

  615,000 (1984–90)

  Support for surgery, nurses training, clinical trials

  80,000 (1987–88)

  Oxfam

  Mennonite central committee land reclamation and water system construction

  24,539 (1988)

  Bethlehem arab society for the physically handicapped

  26,703 (1988–90)

  Annahda women's association centre for the mentally handicapped

  17,800 (1988)

  Oxfam (ex-progressive action for childhood education)

  Early childhood resource centre

  63,042 (1986–90)

  Quaker Peace and Service

  Middle East placement programme

  51,576 (1985–89)

  Action around Bethlehem, children with disability

  Water catchment project

  23,800 (1987–88)

  Solar energy project

  31,300 1987–88)

  Save the children fund

  Resource centre

  85,500 (1988–89)

  Physiotherapy training

  97,300 (1988–91)

  Rafah sewerage project

  44,600 (1987)

  Revolving loan fund

  46,875 (1990)

  Drinking water development project

  100,000 (1990)

  Small scale sewage treatment project

  50,000 (1990)

  Primary Health care project

  25,000 (1990)

  Small enterprises project

  18,750 (1990)

  Co-operation for development

  Small enterprise revolving credit funding programme

  813,700 (1987–90)

  Women's education and training programme

  74,140 (1985–89)

  Gaza enterprise training scheme

  28,816 (1987–88)

  Universities educational fund for Palestinian refugees (UNIPAL)

  English language teaching project

  37,000 (1984–89)

  War on Want

  Zababdeh early childhood resource center

  58,636 (1988–89)

  Abasan biscuit factory project

  20,920 (1988)

  Baby food production project

  17,200 (1989)

  Mobile clinic Gaza

  8,960 (1989–90)

  18

  £

  Appropriate health resources technologies group (AHRTAG)

  Bir Zeit community health unit

  62,235 (1988–92)

  United Nations association international

  service (UNAIS)

  Seed propagation/botanist project

  20,328 (1990–92)

  Food technician project

  20,328 (1990–92)

  Business administrator

  20,328 (1990–92)

  Development research project

  20,328 (1990–92)

  Women's cooperative worker

  6,940 (1989)

  Medical aid for Palestinians (MAP)

  A1 Rajaa centre for special education

  20,975 (1989)

  Physiotherapy centres

  98,736 (1989–90)

  Christian aid

  YMCA affected children project

  22,670 (1989)

  Y care international

  Relief for victims of the uprising, dependants, and training

  83,000 (1987–90)

  British Red Cross—ICRC

  Provision of tents for emergency housing

  38,000 (1988)

  World vision of Europe

  Emergency relief to dependants of victims of the uprising

  24,000 (1988)

  Request from NGOs for additional funds amounting to over £1 million are under consideration.

  1989–90 £

  Training programme

  200,000

  Book presentation programme

  12,000

  The sum of £5·5 million is being contributed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestinian Refugees in 1990. About £0·7 million was attributable to the United Kingdom in 1989 of the European Community programme for the West Bank and Gaza. In addition £3 million of the Community's contribution to UNRWA was attributable to the United Kingdom.

  The United Kingdom does not support any projects either with or in Israel.

PRIME MINISTER

  Iraq (Arms Component Exports)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what information the Defence Export Services Secretariat had about the export to Iraq of steel equipment for use in weapon construction.
  19
  The Prime Minister
  In the light of the charges laid against individuals on 25 April, and in the light of the continuing investigations by Customs and Excise, it would be inappropriate to give any further information.

  Departmental Savings
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Prime Minister what value for money savings have been achieved by the Cabinet Office in the last year; and how much of this was as a result of advice from the central unit on purchasing.

  The Prime Minister
  Final figures for 1989–90 are not yet available. Provisional figures prepared for the central unit on purchasing show value for money improvements of £1,510,000 achieved by the Cabinet Office during 1989–90.

  It is not possible to attribute particular value for money savings to advice from the CUP. The role of the unit is to provide advice and guidance on best purchasing practice.

  Government Supply Index
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement about the Cabinet Office's decision not to participate in the Government supply index.

  The Prime Minister
  Because the Cabinet Office spends only a comparatively small amount on items covered by the Government supply index, full membership would not represent good value for money for the Department.

  Training (Scotland)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will seek to amend the Parliamentary and Health Service Commissioners Act 1987 to include training matters in Scotland among those subject to the ombudsman's scrutiny.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Scottish Office, on 2 May at column 587.

  Engagements
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. Wood
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Tuesday 8 May.
  20
  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others, including Chancellor Vranitzky of Austria and received a delegation representing the Eisenhower centennial committee led by Vice-President Quayle of the United States of America. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today. This evening I hope to have an audience of Her Majesty the Queen.

ENERGY

  Power Generation
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated contribution to power generation in the 1990s of(a) wind power, (b) tidal power, (c) estuary barrages and (d) geothermal power.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Renewable energy technologies are at an early stage of development and there is great uncertainty about future projections. No estimates are available for the 1990s. Longer term estimates for 2025 have been published in Energy Paper 55, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  British Coal
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his intervention of 4 December 1989,Official Report, column 41, what was the value of British Coal on 31 March 1990.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The value of British Coal as at 31 March 1990 will depend on a detailed assessment of the earnings potential of each mine over its remaining life. I expect this work to be completed by late summer. I cannot prejudge in the meantime what this final figure will be. I have, however, satisfied myself that under any likely scenario over half the Corporation's collieries are likely to show a negative cash flow over their remaining lives, and that this will lead to the write-off of at least half the industry's £4 billion fixed assets. On this basis, and taking into account the losses incurred in 1989–90 and earlier years, I have in accordance with section 1(3)(b) of the Coal Industry Act 1990, paid British Coal an interim sum of £3 billion in deficiency grant. This sum was paid on 29 March 1990 and allowed an immediate and corresponding repayment of outstanding debt.

  UKAEA
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement on the chairmanship of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have today appointed Mr. John Maltby as part-time chairman of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority from 1 July 1990 in succession to Mr. John Collier. This appointment is for three years.

  Dr. Brian Eyre's appointment as a full-time member of the UKAEA which was due to expire on 31 July 1992 will now expire on 30 April 1995. The UKAEA has appointed Dr. Eyre as chief executive and deputy chairman.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Fraud
  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the practice of the prosecution authorities in cases of fraud involving sums of money in excess of £1 million; what is the Director of Public Prosecution's policy where culprits are over the age of 67 years; what consideration is given to the length of time a crime has remained undetected; and what consideration is being given to the implications for prosecution policy in respect of the War Crimes Bill of these policies.

  The Attorney-General
  The principles set out in the code for Crown prosecutors promulgated by the Director of Public Prosecutions under section 10 of the Prosecution Offences Act 1985, govern all decisions taken by the Crown prosecution service including those relating to alleged fraud. First, the evidence must be sufficient to afford a realistic prospect of conviction; second, the circumstances must be such that the public interest requires a prosecution.

  The factors referred to in the hon. Members question are relevant to assessment of the public interest which can arise only if the evidential criterion is satisfied. The sum involved goes directly to the seriousness of the offence which, together with any aggravating features, for example, persistence or breach of trust, must be balanced against other factors militating against prosecution such as advanced age. So far as time elapsing since the commission of a crime is concerned, the Crown prosecution service is slow to prosecute if the last offence was committed three or more years before the probable date of trial, unless, despite its staleness, an immediate custodial sentence of some length is likely to be imposed. Less regard will be paid to staleness, however, if it is contributed to by the accused himself, the complexity of this case has necessitated lengthy police investigation or the particular characteristics of the offence have themselves contributed to the delay in its coming to light. Generally, the graver the allegation the less significance will be attached to the element of staleness.

  If Parliament enacts the War Crimes Bill currently before it, the same principles will apply to the offences made justiciable by that legislation.

  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Attorney-General what progress has been made in the investigations into allegations of a £1 million fraud by Mr. Alex Swern and Mr. Laurence Rosen; whether the police have now completed their investigations; when a decision with regard to prosecution will be made by the Director of Public Prosecutions; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  A report relating to the case to which the hon. Member refers was submitted to the Crown prosecution service on 30 March 1990. Having considered the report and had the benefit of advice from counsel, the Crown prosecution service concluded that the criteria set out in the code for Crown prosecutors were not satisfied. The Metropolitan police were advised that no proceedings should be instituted against either proposed defendant.

  PO John Black, RN
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Attorney-General when he anticipates that he will be heard by the court on his application for a fresh inquest into the death of Petty Officer John Black, RN in Spain in December 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The case is in the warned list for hearing during the current law term, but no date has yet been fixed for the hearing. I will write to my hon. Friend informing him of the hearing date as soon as it is fixed.

  Social Security Commissioners
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average delay between a social security commissioner's oral hearing and notification of the decision to the claimant; and how much of this is ascribable to administrative delay.

  The Attorney-General
  The average time taken between the oral hearing by a commissioner and the despatch of the decision to the parties for the quarter ending March 1990 was 105 days, of which it is estimated that the time taken in processing decisions by administrative staff, including typists, was 50 days.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department and the Office of the Social Security Commissioners are actively considering ways of reducing delay in this area.

  Lottery Tickets
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General what consideration has been given by the Crown prosecution service to initiating proceedings in relation to the posting of lottery tickets to the United Kingdom from West German state and institutional lottery groups; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  No such case can be identified within the Crown prosecution service from the information that is given. If the hon. Gentleman will write to me setting out more details about the alleged offence, I will cause further inquiries to be made.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Poland
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, column 282–83, how many companies have taken advantage of the investment protection and promotion agreement which exists for Poland; and what is the value of such contracts.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  This information is not held centrally, since companies are not obliged to notify the Government in order to benefit from the existence of an IPPA.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth dated 25 April, what plans exist to increase the £150,000 currently made available by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office under the scholarships and awards scheme to enable Polish students to study in Britain.
  23
  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are looking at ways of increasing the overall provision for students from eastern Europe, including Poland, to study in the United Kingdom under the Foreign and Commonwealth Office scholarships and awards scheme.

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people refused refugee status by the Hong Kong authorities have been accepted by the UNHCR under its own mandate.

  Mr. Maude
  The UNHCR has chosen to exercise its mandate on behalf of 106 refugees so far. This is less than 1 per cent. of cases decided by the Hong Kong Immigration Department and the refugee status review board (RSRB).

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the reasons why refugee status review boards sit in closed private session when reviewing cases of Vietnamese boat people refused refugee status.

  Mr. Maude
  The refugee status review board (RSRB) perform an administrative rather than a judicial function. It replaces a function originally performed by the Executive Council which also sits in closed private sessions during its deliberations. Although the refugee status review board make its final decisions in private session, a representative of the UNHCR is allowed to be present when a board interviews an asylum seeker. UNHCR and its operating partner, the agency for volunteer service (AVS), also have the opportunity to make representations on individual cases, before the final decision is taken, at their weekly meeting with the chairman of the board.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide for Vietnamese boat people's legal representatives to be allowed to attend screening interviews and sessions of the refugee status review boards.

  Mr. Maude
  The purpose of the screening interview is to record and assess the facts relating to an asylum seeker's claim to refugee status. The presence of a legal representative would serve little purpose in this context. The refugee status review board does invite UNHCR legal counsellors to be present during its interviews and a copy of the record is made available for comment.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide for a legal adviser to be assigned to each Vietnamese boat person applying for refugee status before screening.

  Mr. Maude
  The provision for legal services to asylum seekers is not the responsibility of the Hong Kong Government. Under the statement of understanding agreed between UNHCR and the Hong Kong Government in September 1988, UNHCR accepted responsibility for providing legal advice to asylum seekers at all stages of the screening and review procedures. Legal aid is not available in Hong Kong except in the High Court and the district court.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give the figures for 24
  the number of cases regarding the refusal of refugee status to Vietnamese boat peope by refugee status review boards that have been decided (a) unanimously or (b) by a majority.

  Mr. Maude
  An application for review of a negative decision can be rejected only if all members of the review panel decide that the review should not be allowed. If one member of the panel decides in favour of the asylum seeker, the director of immigration's decision will be overturned. Any decision against the asylum seeker must therefore be unanimous.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take steps to ensure that Vietnamese boat people awaiting screening for refugee status receive a written description of the nature and conduct of the process in Vietnamese before interview.

  Mr. Maude
  Under paragraph 6 of the comprehensive plan of action agreed at the UN conference in Geneva last June, provision of information about screening is the responsibility of UNHCR. They have distributed in all centres an information book describing the status determination procedures.

  Refugee Law
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has held with the UNHCR, the Law Society and the Bar Association regarding the possibility of lawyers from outside Hong Kong with expertise in refugee law being allowed to practise in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Maude
  UNHCR employs lawyers from outside Hong Kong as full-time legal counsellors to monitor the screening procedures. In addition, UNHCR provides individual legal representation at the review stage through its operating partner the agency for voluntary services (AVS). The AVS has, with the approval of the Law Society, been allowed to recruit lawyers from outside Hong Kong for this purpose.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Vietnamese boat people have escaped from Hong Kong detention camps; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 4 May 1990]: In 1989, 2,033 Vietnamese boat people escaped from the camps. The figure so far this year is 2,254. In most cases, the motive for escaping is to visit relatives in other camps or often simply to walk about Hong Kong, rather than to try to escape from the territory. Most of those who escape are returned to their camps.

  Ivory
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current size of ivory stocks in Hong Kong; and on what date it was assessed.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: The current size of commercial ivory stocks in Hong Kong was 472 tonnes (to the nearest tonne) as at 21 April 1990.
  25
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 5 April,Official Report, column 765, if he will state the amount of ivory involved in each of the recent seizures; from whom it was seized; and what was the country of origin of the ivory and the current whereabouts of the ivory together with his proposals for its disposal.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: The following seizures of ivory were made by the special task force of the Customs and Excise Department in Hong Kong between 1 June 1989 and 22 March 1990:

  Quantity (kg)

  Seized from

  Country of Export

  58·9

  raw ivory

  Kim Ki Woo

  Korea

  15

  raw ivory (powder)

  Au Kin Choi

  China

  8·5

  raw ivory

  Tsai Shin Sheng

  Taiwan

  11·7

  worked ivory

  Abandoned by Choi Don-soo

  Korea

  7·55

  worked ivory

  Lau Ming Hei

  Thailand

  0·2

  worked ivory

  Yue Hwa Chinese Product Emporium Ltd.

  Japan

  2·9

  worked ivory

  Lam Kin Pui

  Taiwan

  7·19

  raw ivory

  Kwong Fat Cheung Ivory and Mahjong

  Japan

  700

  raw ivory

  Pei Lei Lai Kai

  Singapore

  15·5

  mammoth ivory

  Lee Chor Mui

  Japan

  2·3

  worked ivory

  Andrew Stephen Yuen

  Thailand

  100

  worked ivory

  Sun Hung Ngai Trading Company

  USA

  55

  worked ivory

  Wong Wing Shing

  Spain

  4

  worked ivory

  Unclaimed baggage

  France

  26·3

  worked ivory

  Art of Sea Ivory Company

  China

  3·1

  worked ivory

  Liu Shih Haiao

  Taiwan

  3·8

  worked ivory

  Shih Shia Loon

  Taiwan

  1·3

  worked ivory

  Fang Tsu Chick

  Thailand

  2·5

  worked ivory

  Chang Lin Kuei Chuo

  Taiwan

  17·5

  worked ivory

  Left by Transit Passenger

  Thailand

  The confiscated ivory is kept in the Hong Kong Government stores. The Hong Kong Government have no plans at present to dispose of the confiscated items.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 5 April,Official Report, column 765, if he will state (a) the period covered from 26 February during which 35 kg of ivory was exported from Hong Kong, (b) how much ivory has been exported since that date; and to which countries it was exported.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: The period covered was from 26 February to 30 March 1990. The Hong Kong CITES management authority has not been notified of any ivory exports since 30 March 1990.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is going to happen to the 116 tonnes of ivory currently held in Hong Kong without CITES documentation.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: The owners may continue to keep the ivory under possession licence or to dispose of it locally. But export licences will not be issued for any exports.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to apply isotope analysis to ivory stocks in Hong Kong to ascertain their place of origin.
  26
  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: We do not propose to take a view on whether to apply isotope analysis to ivory stocks in Hong Kong until the technique has been properly evaluated. As my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment, stated in his reply of 13 November to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell), the proposals concerning this technique were not discussed in any of the formal sessions at the CITES conference in October 1989. But we will study any information which may be forthcoming about these techniques in consultation with our scientific advisers.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his reply of 5 April,Official Report, column 764, if he will give details of the items which led to 92 prosecutions being initiated by the Hong Kong authorities.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: Ninety-two prosecutions were initiated by the Hong Kong authorities in the second half of 1989 as a result of confiscation of the following items:

  Item

  Amount

  Monkey

  2hd

  Slow Loris

  8hd

  Musk Deer

  6 pc pod

  10·2 g grain

  Ivory:

  Raw ivory

  769·9 kg

  Worked ivory

  123·62 kg

  Rhino Horn

  20 kg

  Felidas (cat family):

  (a) Stuffed specimen

  1 hd

  (b) Live

  2hd

  (c) Skins

  226 pc

  Pangolin:

  (a) Live

  2hd

  (b) Scale

  0·68 kg

  (c) Meat

  5·4 kg

  (d) Meat and scale

  1·4 kg and 20 pc

  Cetacean spp Meat

  0·4 kg

  Owl:

  (a) Dead

  1 hd

  (b) Live

  6 hd

  Birds of prey:

  (a) Stuffed specimen

  3 hd

  (b) Live

  2 hd

  Parrots

  64 hd

  Yellow Tortoise

  11 hd

  Sea turtle:

  (a) Stuffed specimen

  13 hd

  (b) Egg

  40 pc

  (c) Shell

  1 pc

  Lizards:

  (a) Live

  1 hd

  (b) Skins

  8,231 pc

  Crocodile Meat

  0·79 kg

  27

  Item

  Amount

  Python Skin

  15pc

  Giant Salamander

  6 hd

  Asiatic Bony Tongue

  21 tails

  Coral

  15 pc

  Giant Clam

  14 pc

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what criteria are used to determine the location, number and frequency of restaurant inspections in Hong Kong to ensure that no rare and endangered species of animals and plants are offered for sale as food; and what information he has on the number of restaurants in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: The criteria used to determine the location, number and frequence of restaurant inspections in Hong Kong, for the purpose of ensuring that no rare and endangered species of animals and plants are offered for sale as food, include known black spots, reports and intelligence from various sources and the type of restaurant and menu served. Random checks are made as a deterrent. There are approximately 7,400 restaurants in Hong Kong.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many overstayers were deported in the latest available year where evidence has been brought forward that they were in stable marriages to British citizens with the right of abode.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the results of the police and immigration officers' investigation carried out at weddings being held on 21 April at(a) Hackney and (b) Walthamstow and (i) how many people were detained, (ii) how many have since been charged and (iii) with what offence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In a joint Metropolitan police/immigration service operation on 21 April, eight persons were arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to contravene the Immigration Act 1971. Three persons were arrested at Hackney register office; four in a simultaneous visit to an address in Walthamstow; and one further arrest was made at a separate address later that day.

  Three of those arrested were subsequently released without charge and two persons have been given bail to return to the police station on 15 May. Three persons have been charged with conspiracy to contravene the Immigration Act 1971 contrary to section 1(1) of the Criminal Law Act 1977 (as amended)—two remanded in custody, the third released on bail.

  Television Licences
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received over the past 12 months about concessionary television licences for retirement pensioners and disabled people.

  Mr. Mellor
  In the year ending 21 March 1990 we received four petitions and 696 letters calling for reduced price or free television licences for pensioners or disabled people. A total of 385 of the letters were cyclostyled, and clearly sent as part of a local campaign. Of the rest 139 were from hon. Members, and three of the petitions were submitted through them.

  Police Houses
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police houses are vacant in(a) Cardiff and (b) South Glamorgan; and what proportion this is of the total police housing stock in (a) the city and (b) the county.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is not held centrally, but I understand from the South Wales constabulary that there are currently 11 vacant police houses in south Glamorgan which represent 14 per cent. of the total police housing stock in the county. Six of these vacant police houses are in Cardiff and represent 11 per cent. of the total police housing stock in the city.

  Strangeways Prison
  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of Strangeways prison, Manchester.

  Mr. Waddington
  As I said on 3 May in exchanges following the question from my hon. Friend the member for Staffordshire, Moorlands (Mr. Knox), an assessment of the structural damage to the wings at Manchester is being made. When it is completed, we shall review the various options for the prison's future. I can see the attractions, and the importance to the staff, of bringing at least part of the prison back into use as soon as possible.

  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to ensure that the costs of policing the Strangeways riot will be met fully by central Government.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Greater Manchester police authority has asked for a meeting to discuss the financial implications of policing the Strangeways disturbance. We will listen carefully to its points but any request for special assistance would have to be judged against the normal criteria of exceptional and unforeseen expenditure of a scale that threatens the efficiency of the force.

  Mr. Litherland
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is satisfied that the governor of Strangeways prison, Manchester was given every facility necessary to quell the riot at that prison.

  Mr. Waddington
  Considerable support was afforded to the governor of Manchester under contingency arrangements. The available support will be among the matters which Lord Justice Woolf's inquiry will address.
  29
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations took place in the first 24 hours of the riot at Strangeways prison about the use of force.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]: The Governor of Manchester prison, the acting regional director and the deputy director general of the prison service were in frequent consultation about the tactics to be adopted in dealing with the disturbance.

  Detentions (Manchester Airport)
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give figures for the number of people arriving at Manchester airport over the last three months who have been detained.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A total of 22 people who arrived at Manchester airport during the first three months of this year were detained for one or more nights.

  Deportations
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of deportations of permanent residents arising out of criminal convictions in England and Wales in the last six months; and if he will give the proportion of those which were not recommended by the courts.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  In the second six months of 1989, a total of 164 persons were removed from the United Kingdom under the deportation process on the recommendation of a court following conviction for a criminal offence (section 3(6) of the Immigration Act 1971). A further 32 were deported on the ground that deportation was conducive to the public good following a criminal conviction (section 3(5)(b)). Separate information is not readily available for those who were settled in the United Kingdom.

  Football licensing Authority
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken towards establishing the Football Licensing Authority.

  Mr. John Patten
  Responsibility for the establishment of the Football Licensing Authority has been transferred to the Home Office. My right hon. and learned Friend made a commencement order under the Football Spectators Act 1989 on 21 March providing for the Football Licensing Authority to be set up from 1 June 1990.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the chairman and members of the Football Licensing Authority will be appointed.

  Mr. John Patten
  Appointments to the Football Licensing Authority will be made as soon as possible.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what date has been set for the commencement of operation of the Football Licensing Authority.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Football Licensing Authority will begin its operation as soon as possible.

  Lottery Tickets (Germany)
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions he has raised with the West German authorities the practice of sending lottery tickets from Germany to the United Kingdom in breach of the Lotteries and Amusements Act; what assurances he has had on each occasion; and what action he now proposes in light of the continued posting of such tickets to United Kingdom citizens from West German state and institutional lottery groups.

  Mr. John Patten
  At our request, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office last year initiated exchanges with authorities in the Federal Republic of West Germany about the postal promotion here of two lotteries based in West Germany, contrary to the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976, and these exchanges are continuing. Most recently, the director of each lottery has undertaken to draw to the notice of its agents that the mass promotion of the lottery in another country where that is unlawful is contrary to the rules under which the agents operate.

  Together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we will consider what other effective action may be taken if the mass postal promotion of these lotteries continues. The promotion here of these and other foreign lotteries is already inhibited by steps which have been taken domestically. Among these is that HM Customs and Excise have impounded, for subsequent destruction, very substantial quantities of promotional material for them.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement providing guidance to United Kingdom citizens about the appropriate action to take with lottery tickets sent to them by West German state and institutional lotteries and about the legal position over the sale of such tickets in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. John Patten
  The promotion or conduct of public foreign lotteries in Great Britain is unlawful under the Lotteries and Amusements Act 1976. It is not an offence under the Act to purchase tickets in such lotteries. But the Act defines a range of activities connected with unlawful lotteries which are themselves unlawful. These activities include the bringing into Great Britain of foreign lottery material; its sale, distribution or advertisement in this country; and the sending or attempted sending out of money or other valuables received in connection with such a lottery. Together, where appropriate, with the Gaming Board for Great Britain, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, we take action to prevent or curtail the promotion of foreign lotteries contrary to the Act.

  We already explain this in reply to correspondence from Members of Parliament and of the public who write to us about the unlawful promotion here, by post, of foreign lotteries, including some based in West Germany.

  Immigration (Carriers' liability) Act 1987
  Mr. Maclennan (Caithness and Sutherland)
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20th April,Official Report, column 1030, what were the departure points of those passengers without proper documentation which led to airlines being tined under the carriers' liability legislation since its introduction in March 1987.
  31
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information before 1 July 1989 is not readily available. In the last six months of that year airline passengers giving rise to charges under the Carriers' Liability Act arrived in the United Kingdom from almost 200 primary ports of embarkation. I will write to the hon. Member enclosing the full list. Listed are the 42 airports from which more than 50 such passengers departed for the United Kingdom.

  Bombay

  New York

  Paris

  Jedda

  Moscow

  Lagos

  Nairobi

  Colombo

  Frankfurt

  Cairo

  Mogadishu

  Tehran

  Dubai

  Hong Kong

  Singapore

  Amsterdam

  Los Angeles

  Lusaka

  Istanbul

  Delhi

  Abu Dhabi

  Bangkok

  Accra

  Dhaka

  Zurich

  Brussels

  Geneva

  Toronto

  Addis Ababa

  Copenhagen

  Madras

  Larnaca

  Bahrain

  Warsaw

  Rome

  Karachi

  Budapest

  Johannesburg

  Stockholm

  Riyadh

  Manila

  Muscat

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 1030, how many passengers whose arrival without proper documentation resulted in fines under the carrier liability legislation claimed refugee status.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Women Prisoners
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average outstanding fine of those women prisoners serving sentences for non-payment of fines.

  Mr. Mellor
  The amount of fine outstanding is not recorded centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the average weekly earnings of women prisoners.
  32
  Mr. Mellor
  Inmates' pay schemes and the calculations made of average earnings make no distinction between male and female prisoners. For details of average earnings for all prisoners, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the right hon. Member for Morley and Leeds, South (Mr. Rees) on 18 April at column 910.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what proportion of women in prison were convicted of crimes involving violence;

  (2) if he will list the numbers of women in prison according to the category of their offence.

  Mr. Mellor
  The readily available information relates to the sentenced population and was published in table 8 of "The Prison Population in 1989", Home Office statistical bulletin 12/90.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the daily average number of women in prison(a) in 1980, (b) in 1985 and (c) in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Mellor
  The average number of females in prison service establishments in England and Wales, including those held in police cells, was 1,536 in 1980, 1,540 in 1985 and 1,768 in 1989. This information is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (table 1.5 of the latest report (Cm 825)), copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost per inmate of running a women's prison.

  Mr. Mellor
  The average weekly cost per inmate in a female establishment during 1988–89 (the latest year for which information is available) was £399.

  Prisoners (Dependent Children)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of(a) men and (b) women prisoners have dependent children under the age of 16 years.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested is not available.

  IBA (Transmission Functions)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the ownership restrictions which are to be placed upon the transmission company which is to take over the Independent Broadcasting Authority's transmission functions.

  Mr. Mellor
  Our announcement of 4 July last year recognised that the private transmission company which takes over the IBA's transmission operation will have a powerful market position, and that economic as well as technical regulation would be necessary. This will be achieved through the licensing regime of the Telecommunications Act 1984. A working draft of a licence to be issued under the Act for this purpose was circulated during the Broadcasting Bill's Committee stage. The licence will enable regulation to be carried out by the Director General of Telecommunications in order to ensure that the transmission market operates fairly and that transmission standards are maintained.
  33
  We also consider that the transmission company should be subject from the outset to certain ownership restrictions in order to promote greater competition in broadcasting and telecommunications. It is intended that the total holdings of Channel 3 and Channel 5 licensees (or the ITV franchise holder before 1993) should not exceed 20 per cent., so as to guard against excessive vertical integration and to ensure that competition for these services is not restricted when the BBC's system enters the market. Because it already has a significant hold over the broadcasting communications market we also propose to limit any BT shareholding to no more than 20 per cent. The necessary provisions will be included in the new company's Telecommunications Act licence. In addition, whilst the BBC's transmission system remains in public hands, it will not be allowed any holding in the private transmission company.

  Our long-term aim is to remove the ownership restrictions on BT and the Channel 3 and 5 franchisees when the market allows. We will therefore review the need for either of these restrictions when we consider that circumstances have changed in such a way as to call for the position to be reassessed. If the need for either restriction has not already been reviewed prior to the privatisation of the BBC's transmission system, it will be reviewed at that point.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of cases awaiting settlement under the criminal injuries compensation scheme as at 31 March 1988, 31 March 1989 and 31 March 1990 or the latest available date identifying the numbers of prisoners and police staff included in those totals; and if he will provide a similar analysis for cases awaiting settlement under the scheme involving residents of the Northern region.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 2 May 1990]: The published figures for cases awaiting settlement under the scheme are 78,000 on 31 March 1988 and 82,000 on 31 March 1989. These figures reflect the difference between he board's cumulative record since 1964 of the number of cases received and settled. On that basis over 100,000 cases would now be outstanding whereas a physical count of cases showed that on 31 March 1990, the number outstanding was about 87,000. I am pleased to be assured by the board that this lower figure accurately reflects the caseload on that date.

  The board does not record numbers of applications received from separate categories of applicant, or on a regional basis.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Expenditure, Wigan
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Wigan; and if he will make a statement.
  34
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received in the last month two representations about expenditure on education in Wigan.

  Schools (Ethnic Composition)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the freedom of parents to withdraw children from schools on the basis of racial mix.

  Mr. Macgregor
  Under section 6 of the Education Act 1980, parents have the right to express a preference as to the school they wish their child to attend. Such preferences can be expressed at any time. Local education authorities and school governors must comply with a parent's preference if the school concerned has a suitable place available. If there is competition for places, authorities and governors cannot allocate them on racial grounds.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if parents' rights to choose educational establishments on grounds of ethnic composition is to apply to nursery provision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if parents' rights to choose educational establishments on grounds of ethnic composition applies to nursery provision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill (Mrs. Fyfe).

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of primary school pupils in the constituency of Richmond and Barnes in each of the past five years belong to non-white racial communities.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is not available centrally but my right hon. Friend announced in circular No. 16/89 that ethnic statistics will be collected by local education authorities from schools from September 1990 and the first aggregated LEA returns will be made to the Department in June 1991.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further action he proposes to take regarding local management of schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Brandon-Bravo).

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about local financial management of schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from local education authorities and others. Many of these welcome the opportunities which delegated budgeting brings to governing bodies and headteachers.
  35
  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to introduce flexibility for schemes for the local management of schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew).

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the evidence from the pilot schemes which have been in operation for the local management of schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The evidence from pilot schemes is that governors and headteachers have experienced considerable benefits from delegated budgets and local decision making.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he proposes to take regarding local management of schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what further action he proposes to take regarding local management of schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Brandon-Bravo).

  Teachers (Public Standing)
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had recently with the National Union of Teachers concerning the public standing of teachers.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This issue has arisen in a number of separate discussions that my right hon. Friend has had with the National Union of Teachers. Its leaders know how much we value the professionalism and hard work being shown by the great majority of teachers and understand our concern that the growing public recognition of this could easily be undermined by action which disrupts children's education and which lowers the standing of the teaching profession.

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of(a) English and (b) Cornish children go into further and higher education.

  Mr. Jackson
  Twenty-nine per cent. of all English school leavers go on the full-time courses in further and higher education; whereas 37 per cent. of Cornish school leavers do so. However, 29 per cent. of children in Cornwall choose to stay on in school at 16, as opposed to 33 per cent. in the country as a whole.

  Education Standards, London
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the recent transfer of the responsibility for education in 36
  London to the individual borough; and what assessment he has made of the likely effect of this transfer on educational standards.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The recent transfer of responsibility for education in inner London to the 13 new local education authorities took place satisfactorily on 1 April. The transfer has provided the basis on which to secure improvements in the standards and responsiveness of the education service.

  West Sussex Education Committee
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next intends to meet the chairman of West Sussex county council education committee.

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

  Morale
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the morale of teachers in public sector schools.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he will take to improve teachers' morale.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the morale of teachers and pupils in(a) grant-maintained schools and (b) local authority schools.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions foresees substantial gains in the self-confidence of teachers as the Government's education reforms are successfully introduced. The recommendations of the committee should significantly increase the attractiveness of teaching as a profession. My right hon. Friend announced on 5 April that he had decided to accept all the committee's recommendations, subject to some minor modifications. They will be implemented in full by 1 January 1991.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on teachers' pay.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced on 5 April that he had decided to accept the recommendations contained in the third report of the interim advisory committee on school teachers' pay and conditions, subject to some minor modifications. They will be implemented in full by 1 January 1991.

  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will be making an announcement before 1 August about new arrangements for determining teachers' pay; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced his proposals for new permanent pay negotiation machinery in his reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Hertfordshire, West (Mr. Jones) on 26 April 1990 at columns 267–70.

  Education Expenditure, Hammersmith and Fulham
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Hammersmith and Fulham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received in the last month or so a small number of representations about expenditure on education in Hammersmith and Fulham.

  Education Expenditure, Brent
  Mr. Boateng
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has regarding expenditure on education in Brent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received in the last month or so a small number of representations about expenditure on education in Brent.

  Pupil Testing
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his plans for testing at seven years.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his plans for testing at seven years.

  Sir Hal Miller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on the testing and assessment of children at the various stages of their study of the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) on 6 March (Official Report, column 578) and to my right hon. Friend's published letter of 9 April to the chairman and chief executive of the School Examinations and Assessment Council.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received recently about his plans for introducing assessment of pupils undertaking the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Department has received this year a number of representations about the implementation of the national curriculum assessment arrangements, including from headteachers, teachers, parents and other interested individuals and organisations.

  Teacher Shortages
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding teacher shortages in mathematics, science and technology.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend and I have received a number of representations about teacher shortages in these subjects and more generally. We shall continue to monitor the situation and to take the action necessary to ensure an adequate supply of teachers.
  38
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to meet leaders of the teaching unions to discuss ways of reducing the problem of teacher shortages in the south-east.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend meets representatives of the various teacher unions from time to time to discuss a wide range of concerns in education. He will be addressing the annual conference of the National Association of Headteachers next month.

  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out his latest estimate of teacher shortages in inner London.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Inner London education authority estimated in March that there were 200 uncovered teacher vacancies in inner London. These posts were being filled by the use of supply teachers and by other short-term measures.

  The new inner London education authorities are taking steps to improve teacher supply in inner London. My right hon. Friend is supporting their efforts and will continue to monitor the position.

  Education Expenditure, Islington
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Islington; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn).

  Education Expenditure, Derbyshire
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Derbyshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

  Computer Equipment in Schools
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received concerning the adequacy of computer equipment in schools to meet the requirements of the national curriculum.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  A number of representations were received both in response to the consultation exercise on the draft orders for technology and subsequently. The Department's education support grant programme makes provision for a substantial increase in the numbers of microcomputers in schools.

  Education Expenditure, Lambeth
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Lambeth; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received no recent representation about expenditure on education in Lambeth.

  Education Expenditure, Southwark
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Southwark; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received no recent representations about expenditure on education in Southwark.

  Drug Abuse
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the role his Department is taking in the fight against drug abuse by young people.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Under the national curriculum, all maintained schools in England are now required to provide education about drug misuse. In 1990–91 the Department is supporting a £7 million programme of LEA expenditure on preventive health education. This will include education about drugs. The Department has also funded the development of curriculum materials for use in schools, and has issued bulk copies of a fact sheet on the drug "crack" to be used in the light of local circumstances.

  Education Expenditure, Haringey
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Haringey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received no recent representations about expenditure on education in Haringey.

  Education Expenditure, Rotherham
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Rotherham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Crowther
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Rotherham; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received in the last month or so a small number of representations about expenditure on education in Rotherham.

  Elton Report
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what progress is being made in implementing the recommendations contained in the Elton report on school discipline.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 2 May 1990 at column 572.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Yeo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received regarding the national curriculum.
  40
  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that my right hon. Friend gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Buckley).

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent representations he has received regarding the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Hemsworth (Mr. Buckley).

  School Allocation Procedures
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to take steps to change the law in the light of the Greenwich decision for school allocation procedures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend is not at present contemplating a change in the law in the light of the recent judicial decisions in the case R.v London Borough of Greenwich, ex parte the Governors of John Ball primary school. The law has been stated, and local education authorities and governors will in future have to take account of it in their school admission policies. The Department will, however, continue to keep the situation under review.

  Graduate Tax
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals to discuss the committee's suggestion for a graduate tax.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. Friend most recently discussed support for students' living costs with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals on 19 February. Discussions with officials are continuing.

  Publications
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to stop the publication of works of low educational quality aimed at assisting with GCSE studies.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend does not have, nor does he seek, the power to control the publication of educational material. It is for individual publishers to make their own decisions on what they publish; and for purchasers to decide what materials best meet their needs.

  Education Expenditure, Doncaster
  Mr. Michael Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Doncaster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Doncaster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received no recent representations about expenditure on education in Doncaster.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the state of preparations for paying loans to university students.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Education (Student Loans) Act 1990 received Royal Assent on Thursday 26 April. The Student Loans Company is continuing to make good progress with preparations to provide loans to students for autumn 1990, subject to Parliament's approval of the regulations. Arrangements are in hand for publicising the loans and explaining the application procedure.

  16 to 19-year-olds (Curriculum)
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has regarding the curriculum for 16 to 19-year-olds.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has regarding the curriculum for 16 to 19-year-olds.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has regarding the curriculum for 16 to 19-year-olds.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government are actively considering improvements to the curriculum for 16 to 19-year-olds. My right hon. Friend commissioned work in November 1989 from the National Curriculum Council (NCC) and the Schools Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC) on the core skills which should be included in the programmes of study of 16 to 19-year-olds taking A and AS levels. He recently received a report from the NCC, which he is now considering, and will announce his conclusions shortly.

  Education Spending, Barnsley
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding expenditure on education in Barnsley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has received in the last month two representations about expenditure on education in Barnsley.

  Polish Students
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will make a statement on the TEMPUS (trans-European mobility scheme for university studies) programme;

  Spanish

  French

  German

  Other modern languages

  Number of full-time teachers teaching the language

  1,800

  17,400

  6,300

  900

  Of which, the number for whom this was their main teaching subject

  600

  11,800

  2,800

  300

  The numbers of teachers of Italian within the figures for "other modern languages" are too small to estimate reliably.
  42
  (2) what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the European Community to increase numbers of Polish students studying in western centres of advanced education.

  Mr. Jackson
  As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Employment made clear in the House on 3 May in the debate on the Commission's proposal, the Government welcomes and supports increased opportunities for Polish students to study in the Community under the TEMPUS programme. The United Kingdom has supported the proposed programme since it was originally discussed by the European Council in Strasbourg on 8–9 December 1989 and has worked actively for its adoption.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply of 27 April,Official Report, column 337, what plans exist to increase further the number of full-time students from Poland taking higher education courses in universities, polytechnics and other publicly funded colleges.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Government welcome students from Poland, as from any other country, who wish to study in the United Kingdom, but it is for individual universities, polytechnics and colleges to determine how many such students to provide for. The Government are looking at ways of increasing publicly-funded support to enable such students to study here.

  Foreign Languages
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many people in the United Kingdom are estimated to have a workable knowledge of two, three or more than three European Community languages.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Of the 656,000 pupils who left school in England in 1987–88, 260,200 had a graded result at GCSE (or O level/CSE) in at least one European Community language other than English. Of these, 216,700 had a graded result in only one such language, 41,800 had graded results in two and 1,700 had graded results in three or more.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers of Spanish, French, German and Italian there are in the United Kingdom at the secondary level.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The numbers of modern language teachers in maintained secondary schools in England in March 1988 were as follows:

  Information on teachers in the rest of the United Kingdom is the responsibility of my right honourable Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  43
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science at what age schoolchildren begin to study a foreign language.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Under the national curriculum, all pupils will be required to study a modern language from the age of 11 and will continue such study throughout the five years of compulsory secondary schooling. Primary and middle schools are free to provide foreign language teaching outside the national curriculum to pupils aged under 11, if they have the necessary staffing and other resources to do so.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many places there are in universities for students to learn Spanish, French, German and Italian.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information about the numbers of places available for students to study specific subjects is not held centrally. The data below show the numbers of full and part-time students, both undergraduates and postgraduates of both home and overseas domicile, studying at United Kingdom universities during the academic year 1988–89.

  Language

  Number

  French

  4,096

  German

  1,802

  Italian

  371

  Spanish

  664

  Source:

  Universities Statistical Record.

  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the initiatives to promote the study of a foreign language in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 27 March 1990 at column 172. We set up last August a national curriculum working group for modern foreign languages which is expected to recommend, by July 1990, attainment targets and programmes of study for modern foreign languages based on current best practice, in order to raise standards and to promote a stimulating and worthwhile challenge to pupils of all abilities during their period of compulsory secondary schooling. We aim to start implementing the attainment targets and programmes of study in schools from autumn 1992. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of the working group's initial advice which was published on 15 March. The national curriculum applies to England and Wales.

  The teaching of modern foreign languages in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is the responsibility, respectively, of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, for Wales and for Northern Ireland.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what have been the percentage cuts in the university departments teaching oriental and African languages in the last five years in respect of(a) undergraduate and (b) postgraduate provision.

  Mr. Jackson
  Following the 1986 Parker report on Oriental and African language and area studies in universities, the University Grants Committee allocated £1·5 million to strengthen teaching and research in these subjects.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the numbers of 44
  students in British universities studying oriental and African languages for the years 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information covers university full-time and part-time students, undergraduates and postgraduates. Information for the academic year beginning in 1989 is not yet available centrally.

  Students at universities in Great Britain studying oriental and African languages

  Academic year beginning

  Chinese

  Other/Oriental/Asian/African

  1986

  Home

  270

  389

  Overseas

  26

  124

  Total

  296

  513

  1987

  Home

  268

  505

  Overseas

  28

  176

  Total

  296

  681

  1988

  Home

  289

  561

  Overseas

  37

  183

  Total

  326

  744

  Source: Universities Statistical Record.

  ECCTIS 2000 Ltd.
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the contractual connection between the Department of Education and Science and ECCTIS 2000 Ltd;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the practice of his Department to refer inquiries about university courses to the firm ECCTIS 2000 Ltd.

  Mr. Jackson
  The education counselling and credit transfer information service (ECCTIS) is a database of courses in further and higher education which has been developed by the Department to provide a comprehensive source of computerised information for students and others inquiring about the availability of courses in particular subjects. Following a limited tender exercise, ECCTIS has been managed and operated since 1 January 1990 on behalf of the Department by ECCTIS 2000 Ltd., under a contract which runs until 31 December 1994.

  The Department does not itself hold details of all courses available and it is its practice to refer inquirers to ECCTIS where the circumstances of the inquiry suggest that this would be appropriate.

  School Closures, Richmond and Barnes
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools were closed in each of the past five years within the constituency of Richmond and Barnes.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Information at constituency level is not available centrally. The number of schools which have closed in each of the last five years in the Richmond local education authority area was as follows:
  45

  Number of schools closed

  1985

  2

  1986

  0

  1987

  0

  1988

  12

  1989

  23

  1 Closed for the purpose of amalgamation.

  2 Two schools closed for the purpose of amalgamation.

  Conflict Resolution
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what action his Department is taking to encourage the national curriculum council to examine ways of integrating the teaching of non-violent conflict resolution into specific subject or project ideas;

  (2) what measures he is taking to ensure that human rights education takes place throughout the schools system;

  (3) what account Her Majesty's inspectors of schools are taking of the recommendation contained in the report "Violence and Conflict Resolution in Schools" concerning the implementation of human rights education.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The requirement for a balanced and broad based curriculum which promotes the spiritual, moral, cultural, mental and physical development of pupils, as set out in section 1 of the Education Reform Act, represents an effective framework for the provision of human rights education. HMI will, as a priority, be looking at all pupils' access to the whole curriculum. The National Curriculum council proposes to issue curriculum guidance to schools covering a range of cross-curriculum themes, including citizenship, which contribute to the personal and social education of all pupils.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps his Department is taking to ensure that teacher training courses in classroom management include aspects relating to problem solving, interpersonal relations, conflict resolution and mediation.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has provided that as regards in-service training the management of pupil behaviour has been designated as a national priority area within the local education authority training grants scheme, attracting the higher rate of grant on expenditure of up to £1·7 million in 1990–91. In addition, the revised criteria for the approval of initial teacher training courses which he introduced with effect from 1 January 1990 provide that all such courses should include compulsory and clearly identifiable elements of practical training in the management of pupil behaviour. It is for the course providers to decide on the content of these courses with the objective of achieving good standards of classroom behaviour.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he received the report "Violence and Conflict Resolution in Schools" published by the council for cultural co-operation of the Council of Europe in July 1989, and what response he proposes to make to the recommendation on the teaching of non-violent conflict resolution as part of the curriculum;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the contribution to the recommendations of the report "Violence and Conflict Resolution in Schools" by the council of cultural
  46
  co-operation of the Council of Europe 1989 could make to tackling the problems of aggression, violence and vandalism in schools.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend received a copy of the report last January. The report has not been forwarded formally to Governments, but is still under study within the Council of Europe. The report will contribute to the continuing debate on this important matter and my right hon. Friend will be interested to see the Council's comments once its work has been completed.

  Parental Rights
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps have been taken to increase parents' rights to choose a school for their child; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This Government have done more than any other to increase parents' chances of getting the school they want for their child. Under the Education Act 1980, parents have the right to express a preference as to the school at which they want their child educated and, unless certain specified reliefs apply, that preference has to be met by the local education authority and governors concerned. The more open enrolment provisions of the Education Reform Act build on this solid foundation and, by taking account of the physical capacity of schools, will give to all parents an even better chance of getting the school that they want for their child.

  Student Statistics
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out for 1979–80, 1984–85 and 1989–90 or the latest available figures the number of students (i) in secondary education, (ii) entered for(a) CSE and (b) GCE O levels in (1) drama, (2) music and (3) art, (iii) entered for GCE A levels in each of the above subjects, (iv) receiving individual tuition in a musical instrument and (v) entering (1) drama school, (2) music college and (3) art school.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Not all the information is available in the requested form. The numbers of school leavers attempting public examinations in music and art were as follows:

  Thousands

  1979–80

  1984–85

  1987–88

  Music

  A level

  2·92

  3·27

  2·65

  GCSE

  —

  —

  10·77

  O level (but not GCSE)

  14·73

  16·49

  2·34

  CSE (but not GCSE/O level)

  10·31

  10·22

  12·08

  All GCSE/O level/CSE

  25·04

  26·70

  25·18

  Art

  A level

  13·01

  13·76

  13·29

  GCSE

  —

  —

  44·12

  O level (but not GCSE)

  78·34

  81·36

  8·24

  CSE (but not GCSE/O level)

  74·20

  59·52

  113·68

  All GCSE/O level/CSE

  152·54

  140·88

  166·03

  All school leavers

  750·73

  736·21

  655·96

  Source: School Leavers Survey.
  47
  The numbers of students under 20 years of age on their first year of a course in colleges in the public sector were as follows:

  1985–86

  1988–89

  Colleges of Art/Art and Design

  9,710

  11,318

  Colleges of Music

  716

  998

  Source: Further Education Statistical Record.

  Note: These figures include full-time and part-time students; they exclude students following similar courses in other public sector and private establishments.

  Teacher Vacancies
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table of full-time teacher vacancies in maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools for January 1990, broken down by aggregate total, school type and subject area for England.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information is not yet available.

  Contraception
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research is being undertaken on contraception; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The main agency through which the Government support medical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC), which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science.

  The Medical Research Council is funding major research projects into contraception at the following establishments:

  (a) MRC establishment
  1. MRC reproductive biological unit, Edinburgh Project title:

  (i) Identification and characterisation of gamete specific antigens. Immunological infertility and contraceptive vaccines.

  (ii) Clinical evalulation of new methods of contraception and menstrual induction, and new treatments for menstrual disorders and impotencey.

  (b) Grant holders in University Departments etc.

  1. Dr. C. R. Kay, Royal College of General Practitioners, Manchester: Study of oral contraception

  2. Profesor M. P. Vessey, Social and community medicine, Oxford university: Joint perspective study of the effects of different methods of contraception

  3. Dr. K. McPherson, community medicine and general practice, Oxford university: Investigation of oral contraceptive use in early life and subsequent breast cancer risk

  Subject Group 1987–88

  University

  Education

  Medicine Dentistry and Health

  Engineering and Technology

  Agriculture Forestry and Veterinary Science

  Biological and Physical Sciences

  Administrative Business and Social Studies

  Architecture and other professional and vocational subjects

  Language Literature and other area studies

  Arts other than languages

  Total

  Aberdeen

  0

  77

  2

  0

  5

  7

  0

  1

  4

  95

  Dundee

  0

  281

  29

  90

  18

  49

  0

  449

  0

  917

  Edinburgh

  10

  239

  6

  1

  21

  133

  1

  13

  17

  442

  Glasgow

  0

  0

  0

  1

  37

  21

  0

  2

  23

  84

  Heriot-watt

  0

  0

  0

  0

  53

  50

  0

  0

  0

  104

  St. Andrews

  1

  59

  90

  0

  35

  49

  9

  57

  1

  300

  Stirling

  8

  80

  36

  0

  3

  5

  0

  2

  0

  133

  Strathclyde

  0

  0

  39

  0

  0

  55

  7

  8

  0

  109

  Scotland

  19

  736

  202

  91

  172

  370

  17

  533

  45

  2,185

  Subject Group 1988–89

  Aberdeen

  0

  64

  1

  5

  0

  9

  0

  5

  0

  84

  Dundee

  4

  262

  35

  21

  62

  53

  0

  163

  1

  601

  48
  In addition, the Medical Research Council supports the following range of projects which are related to, or include in part, studies of contraception.

  (a) MRC establishments

  1. Clinical research centre, section of medical statistics, Harrow
  Project title

  (i) Provision of statistical collaboration and support to clinical research centre (and other) research programmes

  2. MRC child psychiatry unit, London
  Project title

  (i) Childhood experiences as predictors of life events in early adulthood

  3. MRC laboratories, Kingston, Jamaica
  Project title

  (i) Effects of oral contraceptives on haematological and clinical features of sickle cell disease

  4. MRC reproductive biology unit, Edinburgh
  Project titles

  (i) Role of neuropeptides, inhibin and gonadal steroids in the differential secretion of pituitary gonado-trophins

  (ii) Lactational amenorrhoea in women. Implications for contraception and family planning

  (iii) Application of neuropeptide analogues and steroid antagonists in the regulation of the pituitary gland

  (iv) Endocrine, paracrine and autocrine regulation of the ovary, with reference to physiology of the follicle and corpus luteum

  (v) Sexuality and wellbeing of women. Relationship to the menstrual cycle, lactation, contraception and disorders thereof

  (vi) Prostaglandin biosynthesis in the female reproductive tract. Interactions with steroid hormones and their antagonists.

  5. Institute of Cancer Research, London
  Project title

  (i) Epidemiology and biostatistics in cancer research

  (b) Grant holder in University Department

  1. Dr. E. Chantler, obstetrics and gynaecology, Manchester university: Spermicides as a local control for HIV type I transmission.

  PICKUP
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide, for the universities located in Scotland, disaggregated PICKUP full-time equivalents by vocational category for the academic years 1985–86 to 1988–89.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: Information on PICKUP courses in universities is not available before 1987–88. Figures for 1987–88 and 1988–89 are as follows:
  49

  University

  Education

  Medicine Dentistry and Health

  Engineering and Technology

  Agriculture Forestry and Veterinary Science

  Biological and Physical Sciences

  Administrative Business and Social Studies

  Architecture and other professional and vocational subjects

  Language Literature and other area studies

  Arts other than languages

  Total

  Edinburgh

  4

  81

  6

  1

  14

  86

  2

  91

  4

  290

  Glasgow

  6

  0

  0

  0

  110

  21

  2

  5

  2

  146

  Heriot-Watt

  0

  0

  0

  0

  34

  66

  0

  118

  0

  217

  St. Andrews

  1

  76

  78

  6

  49

  111

  14

  66

  0

  400

  Stirling

  0

  452

  47

  0

  3

  33

  0

  0

  0

  535

  Strathclyde

  0

  0

  59

  0

  16

  57

  2

  18

  0

  152

  Scotland

  15

  936

  225

  33

  288

  437

  19

  465

  7

  2,425

EMPLOYMENT

  Departmental Expenditure
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total amount spent for each standard region and for Great Britain as a whole, in both cash and real terms, by his Department, the employment service and the Training Agency, formerly Manpower Services Commission, in each year since 1979–80; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is not available for standard economic planning regions.

  The total amount spent in cash terms by the Department of Employment is available from the appropriation accounts for the relevant year. (Volume 2, class IV for 1979–80, volume 4, class IV for each of the years 1980–81 to 1985–86 and volume 5, class VII for 1986–87 to 1988–89).

  Real-terms expenditure can be derived by applying the GDP deflator to the cash total for the year in question.

  Vocational Training
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the contribution made to employment in the United Kingdom by the European Communities European centre for the development of vocational training.

  Mr. Eggar
  The chief purpose of the European centre for the development of vocational training (CEDEFOP) is to support the work of the European Commission and others in promoting training at Community level. It does this through a programme to co-ordinate initiatives, by disseminating research and information and by proposing innovative means of tackling training issues across the Community. It therefore does not have a direct effect on employment in the United Kingdom beyond promoting the benefits of training.

  Social Fund
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether there have been any delays by his Department in the allocations of the European social fund; when decisions will be made in these allocations and whether allocations to the non-statutory sector will be equal to their funding from this source in 1989.

  Mr. Eggar
  The reform of the European Community's structural funds imposes an entirely new procedure for deciding ESF allocations in 1990, with many new tasks falling to Member States. My Departmment has been 50
  working with applicants to revise operational programmes according to the requirements set out in the European Commission's community support frameworks, so that the agreement of the Commission can be obtained. I will shortly be making proposals about allocations. As the European Commission is providing the United Kingdom with less money in 1990 than in 1989, no sector can be guaranteed the same allocation as last year.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment in what month ESF programme funding has been paid out to voluntary organisations in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Eggar
  ESF payments have been made to voluntary organisations during the following months:

  1987: July, August, September, October, November and December.

  1988: Payments made in every month.

  1989: Payments made in every month.

  1990: January, February, March, April, to date.

  These payments were for activities started in the same year, and for those completed in preceding years.

  The same information in respect of earlier years before records were computerised, can only be provided at a disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what conclusions he has drawn about the action of those voluntary organisations which have continued to run training programmes since January 1990 before being told whether they had ESF funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My department informs all applicants to the European social fund that because of the European Community procedures for handling applications many applicants may need to start their projects without certainty of any ESF support. This has always been the case, and remains so following the reform of the Community's structural funds.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training places with Scottish voluntary organisations supported by ESF funding are being provided in the current years.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been no decisions announced regarding individual organisations' ESF support for 1990. Therefore I cannot say how many training places will be funded for the Scottish voluntary organisations this year.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when (1) he will issue application forms to voluntary organisations for the European social fund programme starting in 1990;
  51
  (2) whether he has any proposals for improving the administration of ESF applications from voluntary organisations.

  Mr. Eggar
  This is the first year of operation of the major reform of the Community's structural funds including the European social fund, and entirely new application procedures are being developed. My Department has been working with the European Commission and applicant organisations to determine these new procedures and hopes to be able to issue project application forms and guidance within the next month. As the new procedures are implemented, they will be reviewed in the light of experience.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if ESF money is used by the Government to subsidise benefit payments on the employment training programme.

  Mr. Eggar
  The ESF supports additional training places on the employment training programme. Of the various types of expenditure eligible for funding a small proportion is claimed for trainee allowances, which are over and above benefit entitlement.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response he intends to make to the resolution sent to him by 40 voluntary member organisations in Scotland protesting about his administration of ESF funding to voluntary organisations.

  Mr. Eggar
  I will be responding in due course to the resolution sent by the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he anticipates he will pay money out to voluntary organisations for ESF programmes which started in January 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is expected that first payments from the European social fund to projects will be available to all applicants during the summer, as has been the case in previous years prior to the reform of the Community's structural funds. The timing will however depend in large part on when the European Commission gives approval to operational programmes.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how much money has been allocated by him to voluntary organisations for the ESF programme starting in January 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  No decisions have been taken yet on the amounts of ESF to be allocated to any organisation in 1990.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many voluntary organisations withdrawing from training work have given reasons for their withdrawal; and in how many cases the way the ESF funding is administered by his Department has been mentioned.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no means of being able to establish comprehensive information about the numbers of voluntary organisations withdrawing from training work nor the reasons why. Any information which is available can only be extracted at a disproportionate cost and relates only to Government training schemes.
  52
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to guarantee to approve the training programmes of those voluntary organisations who have operated on the assumption that they will receive ESF money for programmes starting in January 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  No guarantee of funding can be offered to individual applicants in advance of the approval by the European Commission of operational programmes and decisions about the eligibility of individual projects. No such guarantees have been given in previous years. Once projects are approved, however, expenditure from 1 January 1990 will be eligible for support.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training places were provided by Scottish voluntary organisations supported by ESF funding in 1989.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1989, ESF assistance was approved for Scottish voluntary sector organisations to provide 3,272 training places. I cannot say how many of these places were taken up as the final claims for payment from all these organisations have yet to be received.

  Training Projects, Lambeth
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are(a) the total number of trainee places cut for each employment training project in Lambeth, (b) the unit allocation per trainee to each employment training project under the new guidelines in Lambeth and (c) the unit allocation per trainee paid to each employment training project under their previous contracts and the amount claimed by each project in respect of child care and travel costs in the last financial year.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Information on employment training in respect of(a) is not available. Details of (b) and (c), unit allocations and amounts claimed in respect of child care and travel costs, are confidential to the Training Agency and individual ET training managers.

  Training
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when training matters in England and Wales were brought within the ambit of the Parliamentary Commissioner.

  Mr. Eggar
  Training programmes in England and Wales run by the Government came within the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration when the office was established in 1967.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make it his policy to inform hon. Members of the amount that is being spent on the mainstream and non-mainstream of the employment training budget.

  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish) on 3 May 1990 at column 639.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make it his practice to inform hon. Members of how much use is being made of day care funding on the employment training scheme.
  53
  Mr. Nicholls
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Fife, Central (Mr. McLeish) on 13 February 1990 at column 204.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence he has of industry's response, in areas where TECs, are established, to the Government's incentives for financial contributions by companies to TECs.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have been greatly encouraged by the enthusiastic response that we have had from business leaders to setting up training and enterprise councils. The Government have offered matching funding up to £125,000 in a TEC's first operational year and will provide tax relief on company donations. I am confident that these measures will ensure that TECs are able to attract financial contributions.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for employment training, output-related funding for training and enterprise councils, the target percentage of positive outcomes for Great Britain and each standard region in 1990–91 set out by the Training Agency.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The target percentage of positive outcomes for those leaving employment training for Great Britain and each training agency region in 1990–91 is shown in the following table.

  Percentage

  South-East

  50

  London

  46

  South-West

  46

  West Midlands

  43

  East Midlands

  45

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  46

  North-West

  46

  Northern

  39

  Scotland

  41

  Wales

  47

  Great Britain

  44

  Benefit Claimants
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what powers unemployment benefit officers have to suspend claimants' unemployment benefit and/or income support once an employment service councellor

  Table A

  Assisted places scheme: Payment to schools Financial years 1981–82 to 1989–90

  School

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Christ College, Brecon

  7,986·23

  21,443·90

  36,063·63

  48,289·45

  62,116·51

  95,473·37

  131,470·78

  155,404·79

  189,033·43

  Howell's School, Denbigh

  11,011·65

  37,883·95

  70,107·35

  96,156·03

  132,971·98

  179,033·86

  225,465·70

  243,740·40

  237,474·63

  Howell's School, Llandaff

  17,774·38

  57,094·30

  106,799·85

  144,940·27

  209,858·38

  274,274·74

  314,274·85

  319,099·95

  334,290·42

  Llandovery College

  3,737·60

  9,217·81

  19,615·84

  31,013·22

  38,279·65

  454,407·00

  55,732·49

  75,308·91

  92,650·75

  Monmouth School (for Boys)

  18,515·90

  52,035·40

  92,610·93

  134,170·47

  181,642·40

  233,684·75

  307,291·19

  277,352·49

  323,194·26

  Monmouth School (for Girls)

  9,644,70

  21,677·09

  37,072·44

  52,598·51

  68,760·75

  90,225·23

  109,297·62

  114,422·49

  128,010·24

  Penrhos College, Colwyn Bay

  5,108·80

  21,973·10

  38,489·50

  62,843·75

  81,089·97

  99,399·15

  140,459·21

  136,944·07

  156,617·49

  Rydal School, Colwyn Bay

  4,194,13

  38,206·67

  53,896·86

  56,864·75

  67,768·55

  93,274·00

  110,254·91

  112,767·80

  128,121·05

  Lowther College1

  23,709·08

  15,244·92

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  101,742·47

  274,777·14

  455,156·40

  626,876·45

  842,488·19

  1,519,772·10

  1,394,246·75

  1,435,040·90

  1,589,392·27

  1 Lowther College closed in July 1982.

  54
  has raised doubts about the claimant (i) being available, (ii) actively seeking work or, (iii) the claimant is suspected of voluntary unemployment, prior to the decision of an adjudication officer.

  Mr. Eggar
  Employment service officials have the power to make arrangements for payment only where there is no doubt about entitlement. Where doubts arise, they must refer the matter to an independent adjudication officer for a decision on whether unemployment benefit should be paid. Pending the adjudication officer's decision, it would be wrong to pay benefit if entitlement is in doubt. The only exception concerns cases where doubts arise about the availability for work of claimants already being paid unemployment benefit; regulations provide specifically for payment to continue under those circumstances. Entitlement to income support is a matter for the Department of Social Security.

WALES

  National Curriculum (Pupil Testing)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the testing and assessment of children in Wales concerning the national curriculum.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  The Secretary of State for Education and Science and the Secretary of State for Wales wrote to the Chairman of the School Examinations and Assessment Council on 6 March and 9 April setting out the Government's views on the arrangements for assessing pupils at age seven, 11 and 14. Copies of this correspondence are available in the Library of the House.

  At age 16, the main instrument of assessment will be the GCSE. Decisions on the arrangements to assess music, art and physical education will be made at a later date.

  Private Schools
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what amount was paid in grants by his Department to each of the private schools in Wales in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  Payments made to independent schools for fee remissions under the assisted places scheme are set out in the following table A. The scheme did not commence until 1981–82. In addition, the Department has paid grant under the direct grant scheme as set out in table B.
  55

  Table B

  Grant to direct grant schools

  £

  1979–80

  1125,000

  1980–81

  168,000

  1981–82

  167,000

  1982–83

  120,000

  1983–84

  10,000

  1984–85

  10,000

  1985–86

  11,000

  1986–87

  19,000

  1987–88

  13,000

  1988–89

  15,000

  1989–90

  16,000

  1Included grant to former direct grant schools which subsequently become independent.

  The only direct grant school remaining is TS Indefatigable, Anglesey.

  Wales

  (000's)

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Civilian work force in employment in June1

  1,157

  1,125

  1,054

  1,027

  1,014

  1,040

  1,044

  1,055

  1,073

  1,117

  1,200

  Persons employed in more than one job2

  17

  —

  17

  —

  19

  21

  22

  28

  33

  40

  45

  Persons on work-related government training schemes in June3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  10

  13

  18

  21

  31

  1 Defined as employees in employment, the self-employed and, from September 1983 onwards, participants on work-related government training schemes.

  2 Spring labour force survey estimates produced biennially to 1983, and annually thereafter. These data are subject to large sampling errors and are not directly comparable with published employment estimates.

  3 Included in 1; not applicable before September 1983.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many job clubs there are in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There are currently 62 job clubs in Wales.

  Welsh Office Financial Management
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any further payments were made to the contractor responsible for the August 1986 contract to install in his Department a computerised management information system following the £1 million payment referred to in paragraph 3.25 of the National Audit Office report on the Welsh Office: Financial Management.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A payment was made to the contractor in January 1990 following delivery, installation, testing and acceptance of the finance systems which were the final component of the contract with the Welsh Office.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales for how long the period of dual running of the manual and computerised financial management information systems persisted prior to the introduction on 1 April of the operational management system; and whether the manual financial information system has now ended.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The new computerised financial information system was comprehensively tested between November 1989 and March 1990. During this period, its output was compared and reconciled with the partially computerised system which has now been superseded.

  Government Training Schemes
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many young people are currently engaged on Government training schemes in Wales.

  Mr. Wyn Roberts
  At the end of March 1990 there were 22,665 young people participating in the youth training scheme in Wales.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what was(a) the total civilian work force in employment in Wales, (b) the number of people employed in more than one job and (c) the number on Government-funded work-related training schemes for the years 1979–89.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is given in the following table:

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any further contractor was brought in to complete the contract originally awarded in August 1986 to install a computerised management information system into his Department referred to in paragrapn 3.24 of the NAO report, Welsh Office: Financial Management.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No further contractors were brought in to complete the contract referred to in the question.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning the name, address and other details of the contractor submitting the lowest tender to computerise his Department's management information system in August 1986 referred to in paragraph 3.24 of the NAO report, Welsh Office: Financial Management.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The company concerned was IBM United Kingdom Ltd., whose address is PO Box 41, Portsmouth.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the cost impact of the delay in the installation of a computerised management information system to his Department.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The financial consequences of the delay in the installation of a computerised management information system were taken fully into account during negotiations with the contractor and were reflected in the settlement which was agreed with my Department. The details of that settlement are in confidence for commercial reasons.

  Welsh Office, Cardiff (Security)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when he anticipates completion of the high-security entrance porch to his Department's Crown building at Cathays park, Cardiff;

  (2) what is the estimated cost of the new high-security entrance porch to his Department's Crown building at Cathays park, Cardiff.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Cabinet Office has advised a number of Government Departments, including the Welsh Office, on the security necessary to protect Government employees and property. It was recommended that the new Cathays park building of the Welsh Office, which is occupied by 2,000 members of staff of the Welsh Office and the Export Credits Guarantee Department, should have installed an electronic access control system. The installation is underway and I am informed that the anticipated cost will be £594,000 plus VAT, which will be met by Property Holdings (DoE).

  The hon. Member has suggested in public statements that this security expenditure is being made to protect Ministers from public demonstrations, but I am sure that he will be aware that Welsh Office Ministers are located in the old Cathays park building, not the new one. Normally, such demonstrations as there are take place outside the old building, to which none of this expenditure relates.

  I am informed by Property Holdings (DoE) that the completion date of these security works will be July 1990.

  Health Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the name and full title of the new general manager of the Clwyd family health services authority;

  (2) if he will list the names of the new family health services authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek) on 22 January 1990, at column 512. Family health services authorities will come into being later this year following passage of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill currently before the House and will replace the existing network of family practitioner committees.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the salary scale of the administrator of the Clwyd family practitioner committee;

  (2) what is the salary scale of the general manager of the Clwyd family health services authority.

  Mr. Grist
  The current salary scale of the administrator of Clwyd family practitioner committee is as follows:

  £22,404

  £23,301

  £24,233

  £25,202

  £26,210

  £27,258

  The flat rate salary of the general manager of Clwyd family practitioner committee is £31,750.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many female administrators of family practitioner committees in Wales there were in 1988.

  Mr. Grist
  One.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the current position 58
  in the Clwyd family health services authority of Mrs. Jennifer Jackson, formerly administrator of Clwyd family practitioner committee.

  Mr. Grist
  This is a matter for the family practitioner committee as the employing authority.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many female general managers of family health services authorities there are in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  No female general managers were selected during the recent recruitment exercise.

  Medical Research
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the effects on medical research in Wales of the proposal to create the post of chief of research and development.

  Mr. Grist
  The White Paper "Priorities in Medical Research" (Command 902) identified the need for a full review of the arrangements for managing and funding medical research in Wales in parallel with developments in England. This review is currently in progress.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how cases of glaucoma were recorded in each of the years 1986, 1987, 1988 and 1989 in Wales;

  (2) how many cases of glaucoma diagnosis were recorded in each of the years (a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and (d) 1989 in South Glamorgan health authority area.

  Mr. Grist
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many eye tests were carried out in the six months from(a) 1 April 1986, (b) 1 April 1987, (c) 1 April 1988 and (d) 1 April 1989 in South Glamorgan;

  (2) how many eye tests were carried out in the six months from (a) 1 April 1986, (b) 1 April 1987, (c) 1 April 1988 and (d) 1 April 1989 in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Since April 1989, many sight tests will have been private transactions, and statistical information on these is not available centrally. The Government have commissioned a survey of sight tests to cover the first quarter of 1990. The report on the survey results will be placed in the Library of the House of Commons, some time in the early summer.

  The available information, which relates to eye tests paid for by family practitioner committees, is given in the following table:

  South Glamorgan

  Wales

  Six months from 1 April 1986

  48,279

  310,371

  Six months from 1 April 1987

  54,071

  325,474

  Six months from 1 April 1988

  52,882

  329,925

  Six months from 1 April 1989

  26,708

  170,073

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many referrals were made to ophthalmic surgeons in(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988 and (d) 1989 in (i) South Glamorgan health authority and (ii) Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The available information, which relates to new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics is given in the following table. This information is collected on a quarterly basis.
  59

  South Glamorgan

  Wales

  Year ending:

  1986

  7,907

  39,235

  1987

  8,493

  39,213

  1988

  8,286

  42,838

  Quarter ending:

  March 1989

  2,221

  11,596

  June 1989

  2,182

  12,050

  September 1989

  1,956

  11,270

  Parliamentary Answers (Cost)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost of the reply given to the question by the hon. Member for Pembroke (Mr. Bennett) on 1 May seeking a list of achievements during his period of office as Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The cost was £169, including an estimated £44 for printing in Hansard.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Nuclear Technology
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation along the lines of the United States Export Administration Regulations, part 778, concerning the special control of nuclear technology.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government have no plans to introduce new legislation to control the export of nuclear-related goods and technology. The United Kingdom's obligations under the nuclear nonproliferation treaty are given effect through the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 (SI 1989 No. 2376), as amended, under which a licence is required to export sensitive nuclear-related goods and technology. It is not our practice to license exports which give rise to proliferation or other concerns.

  Auditors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the information that his Department collects about auditors and audit reports.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department obtains copies of the lists of members published by the bodies recognised under section 389 of the Companies Act 1985, supplementing the information as necessary by consulting the body concerned. The Department also maintains a record of auditors who have been individually authorised by the Board of Trade or the Secretary of State. Audit reports delivered to the registrar of companies with company accounts are made available by Companies house for public inspection. In addition, my Department collects information about auditors and audits from a wide variety of sources, including the investigation of complaints, press reports, research studies, and contacts with the profession and users of accounts.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will take steps to ensure that the organisations seeking recognition as qualifying bodies under the Companies Act 1989 are required to have student observers on their councils.
  60
  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will announce the date by which any member of the public may object to the granting of supervisory status to any accountancy body.

  Mr. Redwood
  This will depend on when the supervisory body applies for recognition under part II of the Companies Act 1989, and how long it takes to determine the application, but I would expect the consideration of a body's application to take several months, which should give members of the public ample opportunity to make representations.

  Mr. Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the steps he is taking to reduce the influence in auditing policy-making bodies of accountancy firms criticised by the Department of Trade and Industry and the joint disciplinary scheme.

  Mr. Redwood
  If, as I assume, the hon. Member has in mind the Auditing Practices Committee, I refer him to the answers I gave to his questions on 27 November at columns 92–93, 18 December at columns 22–23, 21 December at columns 392–93, and 10 January at columns 634–35, when I explained that membership of that committee is a matter for the Consultative Committee of Accountancy Bodies.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the membership of the United Kingdom accountancy bodies incorporated by royal charters.

  Mr. Redwood
  Details of members are published by the chartered bodies of accountants, from whom up-to-date membership numbers are freely available on application.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will create a single independent organisation to regulate both accounting and auditing standards.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. The Government's attitude to this proposition has not changed since it was debated during the Committee stage of the Companies Bill last year.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the steps his Department is taking to bridge the expectation gap in auditing.

  Mr. Redwood
  In so far as the public expects auditors to safeguard their interests, the Government's legislation on the financial services sector (including insurance and banking) has already removed an obstacle which was seen as inhibiting auditors from reporting direct to the various regulatory authorities information relevant to the functions of those authorities. The forthcoming imple-mentation of part II of the Companies Act 1989 will introduce a new regulatory regime for auditors which will help to underpin the quality of auditing.

  It is, however, primarily a matter for the auditing profession to consider how to respond to the public's expectations, and my Department welcomes and supports the relevant initiatives which the profession has taken (for example, its guidance on dealing with fraud) and is developing. It is equally incumbent on the public to inform itself of what auditors can and should reasonably expect to accomplish.
  61
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will take steps to ensure that all auditing firms auditing large companies would be required to participate in peer reviews;

  (2) whether he will make it his policy to deny supervisory body status to any organisation under the Companies Act 1989 unless it offers arrangements for peer reviews.

  Mr. Redwood
  Under the Companies Act 1989, the Secretary of State may recognise a supervisory body only if, among other things, the body apears to him to have adequate arrangements and resources for the effective monitoring and enforcement of compliance with its rules. It will he for each supervisory body to set out the precise arrangements and resources through which it proposes to meet this criterion.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, under the Companies Act 1989, he will refuse to grant supervisory status to any accountancy body which has continued to nominate individuals from the accountancy firms sued by the Government for negligence, criticised by the Department of Trade and Industry and the joint disciplinary scheme on audit policy-making organisations.

  Mr. Redwood
  No applications for recognition from supervisory bodies have yet been made. When applications are received they will be considered on their merits and in the light of the requirements laid down in part II of the Act, including the requirement that a recognised supervisory body must be able and willing to promote and maintain high standards of integrity in the conduct of company audit work.

  Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will introduce legislation to require any organisation seeking recognition as a supervisory body to ensure that the membership of its major policy-making committees is elected.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Language Training
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what talks have been undertaken with the chambers of commerce and related commercial interests on the training of business men in oriental and African languages.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend and I believe it is important for business men to be able to communicate in the languages used by their customers. We have therefore encouraged business men to learn appropriate foreign languages, including oriental languages and those spoken in Africa. We would be happy to discuss the subject with representatives of chambers of commerce or other business organisations, if they wished to do so.

  Also, my noble Friend the former Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, Lord Young, announced on 2 March 1989, a Japanese language training initiative. Financial support from my Department and the private sector is currently being given to four universities with the aim of doubling the number of graduates who have Japanese language ability allied to a commercially relevant skill.
  62
  An important initiative aimed at business men has been the establishment of the network of language-export (LX) centres, which have received pump-priming funding from the Department of Education and Science under the PICKUP programme. LX centres provide language courses tailormade to meet the needs of business men.

  Alexander Howden Group
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will list the reasons for his decision not to publish the inspector's report on Alexander Howden Group plc which was completed on 26 June 1987.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have come to no such decision. The question of whether the inspectors' report into the affairs of Alexander Howden Group plc should he published is under consideration following the conclusion of criminal proceedings in relation to that company.

  Product Safety
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with trading standards officers on product safety.

  Mr. Forth
  I have met trading standards officers and members of their representative organisations on several occasions at which product safety was one of the issues discussed. Officials of my Department keep in regular contact with trading standards officers.

  Accounting Standards Board
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how the priorities of the Accounting Standards Board will he determined.

  Mr. Redwood
  This is a matter which the Financial Reporting Council and the proposed Accounting Standards Board will need to consider.

  Investment Services
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has made to the European Commission and the Council of Ministers on the EC investment services draft directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department made a number of representations to the European Commission before its formal proposal for an investment services directive was submitted to the Council, and continues to press the United Kingdom interest in achieving an effective, liberalising directive in subsequent discussions in the Council working group. The directive has not yet been discussed at ministerial level in the Council.

  Accounting Standards Board
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps have been taken to ensure that the Accounting Standards Board is not dominated by the professional associations in accountancy; and whether he proposes to refer this matter to the Office of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that the
  63
  employing organisations of members of the Accounting Standards Board do not exercise influence over its proceedings; and whether he proposes to refer this matter to the Office of Fair Trading.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. These are matters which the Financial Reporting Council and the proposed Accounting Standards Board will not doubt consider. At this stage, therefore, no question of reference to the Director General of Fair Trading arises.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to seek views on the membership of the Accounting Standards Board from(a) the Equal Opportunities Commission and (b) the Race Relations Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the criticisms of the firm of the chairman-designate of the Accounting Standards Board by Department of Trade and Industry inspectors.

  Mr. Redwood
  As far as I am aware, no firm of which the chairman-designate of the Accounting Standards Board was a partner at the time has been criticised in reports of inspectors.

  Financial Advice Services
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how much money was provided in grant aid for money advice services and debt counselling services(a) from his own Department and other Government sources and (b) from private sector sources in each of the financial years 1983–84 to 1989–90.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department does not provide funds specifically or directly for money advice and debt counselling services. However, my Department does fund the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux (NACAB) and Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) to enable them to support local bureaux, who provide money advice and debt counselling services. Total grant-in-aid paid by my Department to NACAB and CAS during the last seven years is as follows. I am not able to five figures for private sector funding of money advice, nor am I able to provide figures for other Government Departments.

  Year

  NACAB and CAS £

  1983–84

  6,041,000

  1984–85

  7,093,617

  1985–86

  7,993,445

  1986–87

  8,604,088

  1987–88

  8,954,000

  1988–89

  9,404,962

  1989–90

  10,044,071

  Aircraft Industry
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure that the United Kingdom aircraft industry is in a competitive position in respect of high speed propeller technology.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am pleased to announce that the Department has awared a grant of £3·146 million for a64
  major project to research into the problems associated with the design and operation of civil aircraft powered with advanced high-speed propeller (or open rotor) propulsion systems.

  In line with current Government policy the project is collaborative; British Aerospace (Commercial Aircraft) Ltd. and Dowty Aerospace Ltd. are the lead companies, with the Aircraft Research Association as a major sub-contractor.

  The overall objective of the project is to ensure that United Kingdom firms are ready to embody into new civil aircraft projects these radically different power plants in the event that they become a viable alternative to conventional turbojet engines. The considerably lower fuel consumption (around 20 per cent.-30 per cent. less) of the open rotor could, after allowing for higher initial cost and maintenance costs, save some 5 per cent. to 10 per cent. on aircraft direct operating costs, depending on movements in fuel costs. The reduced fuel consumption could also give environmental benefits from reduced exhaust emissions.

  Most of the early work has been done in the United States of America, and has been largely concerned with power plants mounted on the rear fuselage. The present project will consider wing-mounted open rotors which are likely to be chosen for aircraft in the 80-to-100—seat category, a market in which the United Kingdom and Europe have been relatively successful.

  Iraq (Arms Component Exports)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of inquiries by his Department into contacts between the hon. Member for Bromsgrove and his Department on behalf of Walter Somers Ltd. over export orders for Iraq.

  Mr. Ridley
  In the light of the criminal charges laid against individuals, and in the light of the continuing investigations by Customs and Excise, it would be inappropriate to give any further information on these matters.

  Waste Paper
  Mr. Crowther
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the impact of state-subsidised imports of waste paper from North America on the United Kingdom waste paper market; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  It is not possible separately to identify the volumes of waste paper imports derived from mandatory collection schemes in North America, whether subsidised or not. However, the following information is available: during 1989, the United Kingdom imported 80,357 tonnes of waste paper; 23,069 tonnes of which came from the United States of America and Canada. In the same year, the United Kingdom exported 479,385 tonnes.

  In the period up until the end of March this year, the United Kingdom imported 19,665 tonnes of waste paper (including 8,676 tonnes from the United States of America and Canada) and exported around 114,000 tonnes.

  Matrix-Churchill Plant
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he took to satisfy himself that the die-forging plant to be built by Matrix-Churchill would
  65
  not be used in producing parts for ballistic missiles or the supergun project Babylon before he issued an export licence.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing matters. Exports for Iran and Iraq are subject to the ministerial guidelines on defence sales announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the House on 29 October 1985.

  600 Services
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration was given to the site at which, and the purposes for which, the lathes produced by 600 Services of Colchester for al-Hillal were to be used before he issued an export licence.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]: It has been the practice of successive Governments not to comment on individual licensing matters. Exports for Iran and Iraq are subject to the ministerial guidelines on defence sales announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the House on 29 October 1985.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which areas have been granted designated territory status under the Financial Services Act 1986; on what dates and after satisfying which criteria; how many firms from each designated territory have now become members of self-regulatory organisations; how many members of each self-regulatory organisations are drawn from areas with designated territory status; and whether self-regulatory organisations have refused membership to any firms from designated territories.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The countries and territories designated by order under section 87 of the Financial Services Act in respect of specified classes of collective investment schemes are: the Isle of Man (12 December 1988); the Bailiwick of Guernsey (30 December 1988); the Bailiwick of Jersey (30 December 1988); Bermuda (19 January 1989). The criteria applied are those set down in section 87(2) of the Act.

  The countries and territories designated by order under section 130 of the Act in respect of certain insurance business are: the Bailiwick of Guernsey (5 April 1988); the Isle of Man (5 April 1988); the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania (1 February 1990). The criteria applied are those set down in section 130(4) of the Act.

  Questions concerning membership of the self-regulatory organisations are matters for the particular bodies concerned.

  Scientific Equipment
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what the estimated level of investment in scientific equipment was, both in total and per capita, during the years 1985 to 1989; and what comparable figures he has for other OECD countries.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The information is not available in the form requested.

  Deregulation Unit
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has completed his review of the work of the deregulation unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The review foreshadowed in the White Paper on "Releasing Enterprise" (Cm. 512, November 1988) is being completed, but it is too soon to make a statement.

SCOTLAND

  Wetlands
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 18 April,Official Report, column 930, how many of the estuarine sites of special scientific interest which have been listed for possible designation under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds are national nature reserves; shellfish harvesting is controlled through byelaws; which local authorities have made byelaws to control access to the foreshore; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The area of a national nature reserve may not always extend to the whole area of a site of special scientific interest. Of the 11 estuarine sites covered by the EC directive, four contain national nature reserves. The information requested about byelaws is not available.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 18 April,Official Report, column 930, what proposals he has considered to control or prohibit damaging operations below low-water mark for the purposes of meeting Her Majesty's Government's obligations under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance and under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Damaging operations below the low water mark in any area, whether or not designated under the Ramsar convention or the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds, can be controlled or prohibited through byelaws under section 37 and schedule 12 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 after designation as a marine nature reserve. It is for the Nature Conservancy Council to propose suitable areas for designation to the Secretary of State under section 36 of the 1981 Act.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 18 April,Official Report, column 930, what information he has on the mechanical harvesting of inter-tidal organisms, such as cockles, on sites of special scientific interest; and where this harvesting is being undertaken by persons who are owners or occupiers of the sites, what steps he proposes to take in order to fulfil Her Majesty's Government's obligations under the Ramsar convention on the conservation of wetlands of international importance and under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Nature Conservancy Council has informed me of mechanical
  67
  shellfish harvesting on various inter-tidal areas of the upper Solway flats and marshes site of special scientific interest. I await the council's views and advice once it has considered the recently completed research report on the impact of cockling. At common law, the public have a right to take small shellfish including cockles from the foreshore. Access to the foreshore for mechanical vehicles may be controlled by byelaws and I have encouraged the council to consider how such control might be applied.

  Feudal Superiors
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he intends to legislate to abolish the powers of feudal superiors in Scotland to attach conditions to the use of land.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission is considering land tenure law reform with a view to completion of the reform of feudal tenure. Its report will provide a basis for considering what legislation will be appropriate.

  Training
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he will make it his practice to make information on(a) the undertakings given by local enterprise companies about training, (b) expenditure per head on YT and ET programmes and (c) the amount to be spent in various training agencies in Scottish Enterprise areas, available on request to hon. Members;

  (2) what information about training that is currently available he will cease to make available to hon. Members when Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise are operational.

  Mr. Lang
  Final decisions have yet to be taken on the range of information about training programmes which local enterprise companies will be required to collect. When these decisions have been taken I shall write to the hon. Member with a detailed list of information which will be collected centrally. My right hon. and learned Friend will make such information available to hon. Members provided that it is not commercial in confidence or personal information about individual trainees.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether when the Training Agency has re-negotiated employment training and youth training contracts, he will inform hon. Members of the results of those renegotiations.

  Mr. Lang
  When the current recontracting exercise has been completed I will be glad to provide general information about the outcome for hon. Members. However details of individual contracts remain commercial in confidence and will not be made available.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make it his practice to make information on(a) the amount of unused capacity on ET and YT schemes, (b) the extent to which expenditure on ET and YT schemes in Scotland exceeded budgets and (c) the steps taken to investigate complaints about the workings of YT and ET schemes, available on request to hon. Members.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on the investigation of complaints about employment training and youth training 68
  will be made available so far as this does not involve matters which must be considered to be commercial in confidence or personal information about individual traineess.

  I do not provide information on matters relevant to the contracts with individual training providers. Information about unfilled places on both employment training and youth training is currently available for Scotland and for each Training Agency area office. Information about expenditure on these programmes is already available for Scotland.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail the type of information about employment training and youth training schemes which he is(a) prepared and (b) not prepared to give to hon. Members.

  Mr. Lang
  I am always ready to supply to hon. Members any reliable information about employment training and youth training schemes which is collected by the Training Agency provided that information is not commercial in confidence or personal information about individual trainees.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make it his practice to inform an hon. Member of the number of employment training and youth training places being offered by particular firms or organisations.

  Mr. Lang
  Information about the employment training and youth training places offered by particular placement providers is and will remain commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will make it his practice to make information on(a) the number of places being offered on YT and ET schemes in particular skills, (b) the number of places for trainees with special needs being offered on YT and ET and by which organisations and (c) the instructions being given to Training Agency staff on the principles by which they negotiate training contracts with training agents and training managers available on request to hon. Members.

  Mr. Lang
  I am happy to provide hon. Members with details of any general instructions issued to Training Agency staff on the principles by which they negotiate training contracts where such general instructions exist. However, the new flexibilities introduced for youth training and employment training mean that the basis on which training contracts are negotiated will vary from contract to contract as dictated by local circumstances.

  I do not provide information on matters relevant to contracts with individual training providers. General information about numbers of people in training by occupational categories and on trainees with special needs is not currently available because the Training Agency is presently modifying the computer systems used to collect training data.

  Fast Transport
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last discussed the need for fast passenger and freight transport to the continent from Scotland after 1 January 1993 with representatives of the(a) Scottish business community and (b) British Rail.
  69
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On a number of recent occasions my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State and my hon. Friend the Minister of State have discussed with the Scottish business community the provision of through passenger and freight services to the continent through the channel tunnel, and they have urged all Scottish businesses to make known now, to assist British Rail's planning, the full extent of the services to Europe they expect to require when the tunnel opens.

  As part of our regular and useful contacts with British Rail, my right hon. and learned Friend and I discussed links to the channel tunnel and various other topics relating to rail transport when we met the former chairman of British Rail, Sir Robert Reid, and the former general manager of ScotRail, Mr. John Ellis, on 31 October 1989.

  A1 (Improvement)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make an early announcement of the date of commencement of the construction of the Tower to Dunglass improvement scheme on the A1.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am pleased to be able to inform the hon. Member that the Scottish Development Department will be issuing tender documents for the scheme later this month. I can assure the hon. Member that we will start this important improvement at the earliest possible date thereafter and I anticipate that the start to construction will be made in late summer.

  Foreign Language Training
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what special financial incentives Her Majesty's Government are giving to Scottish students in order to increase their training in foreign languages.

  Mr. Lang
  Financial incentives are not offered specifically to encourage students to undertake language courses, but the normal student support arrangements apply to a wide range of language courses and to courses which include a language together with another subject.

  In addition, Scottish domiciled students wishing to undertake part of their course abroad, with the associated foreign language training, may participate in the European Community action scheme for the mobility of university students (ERASMUS). This programme provides specialist assistance for that purpose, in addition to the general assistance available under the students' allowances scheme.

  Lothian and Greater Glasgow Health Boards
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement regarding the financial situation of the Lothian and Greater Glasgow health boards.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Lothian health board has allowed commitments to exceed its income and has been asked to bring forward proposals to bring its expenditure and income into balance. Management consultants are helping the board to assess the scale of the deficit, and are advising on ways to provide their existing services more efficiently. The management team's report and recommendations on these crucial matters is not yet complete and I understand that it is to be presented at the next meeting of the board on 24 May.
  70
  Only at that stage will the board be able to assess whether changes to the present pattern of service will be required.

  In common with the remaining health boards Greater Glasgow health board is operating within the budget allocated through the Scottish health authorities revenue equalisation (SHARE) process.

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The information is as follows:

  1984–85

  £ million

  Health board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  13·215

  91·463

  104·678

  Ayrshire and Arran

  3·374

  65·902

  69·276

  Borders

  8·084

  19·088

  27·172

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1·923

  33·734

  35·657

  Fife

  6·510

  62·329

  68·839

  Forth Valley

  7·023

  59·960

  66·983

  Grampian

  5·271

  113·677

  118·948

  Greater Glasgow

  20·333

  346·301

  366·634

  Highland

  7·442

  47·849

  55·291

  Lanarkshire

  6·666

  104·996

  111·662

  Lothian

  18·099

  207·852

  225·951

  Orkney

  0·240

  3·475

  3·715

  Shetland

  0·638

  4·341

  4·979

  Tayside

  5·781

  122·978

  128·759

  Western Isles

  0·759

  6·508

  7·267

  Total

  105·358

  1,290·453

  1,395·811

  1985–86

  £ million

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  12·136

  96·811

  108·947

  Ayrshire and Arran

  4·011

  70·447

  74·458

  Borders

  10·059

  20·163

  30·222

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2·382

  35·642

  38·024

  Fife

  5·373

  67·720

  73·093

  Forth Valley

  11·499

  63·634

  75·133

  Grampian

  7·421

  120·189

  127–610

  Greater Glasgow

  24·288

  360·693

  384·981

  Highland

  7·458

  51·552

  59·010

  Lanarkshire

  6·951

  111·060

  118·011

  Lothian

  21·655

  218·430

  240·085

  Orkney

  0·273

  3·674

  3·947

  Shetland

  0·657

  4·523

  5·180

  Tayside

  6·719

  128·462

  135·181

  Western Isles

  0·871

  6·998

  7·869

  Total

  121·753

  1,359·998

  1,481·751

  1986–87

  £ million

  Health Board Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  8·889

  105·779

  114·668

  Ayrshire and Arran

  3·931

  77·304

  81·235

  Borders

  5·716

  21·815

  27·531

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2·516

  37·925

  40·441

  Fife

  3·765

  72·509

  76·274

  Forth Valley

  12·466

  69·112

  81·578

  Grampian

  6·954

  130·395

  137·349

  Greater Glasgow

  18·519

  384·189

  402·708

  Highland

  5·804

  56·033

  61·837

  Lanarkshire

  5·829

  119·060

  124·889

  71

  Health Board Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Lothian

  15·973

  235·556

  251·529

  Orkney

  0·205

  3·961

  4·166

  Shetland

  0·564

  4·807

  5·371

  Tayside

  5·819

  136·722

  142·541

  Western Isles

  0·505

  7·476

  7·981

  Total

  97·455

  1,462·643

  1,560·098

  1987–88

  £ million

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  7·789

  112·982

  120·771

  Ayrshire and Arran

  7·323

  83·268

  90·591

  Borders

  6·391

  24·472

  30·863

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2·035

  40·802

  42·837

  Fife

  4·579

  77·921

  82·500

  Forth Valley

  10·108

  74·587

  84·695

  Grampian

  7·740

  143·425

  151·165

  Greater Glasgow

  20·216

  410·551

  430·767

  Highland

  6·015

  59·791

  65·806

  Lanarkshire

  8·054

  129·067

  137·121

  Lothian

  18·776

  252·411

  271·187

  Orkney

  0·658

  4·443

  5·101

  Shetland

  0·686

  5·226

  5·912

  Tayside

  5·101

  145·895

  150·996

  Western Isles

  0·484

  8·189

  8·673

  Total

  105·955

  1,573·030

  1,678·985

  1988–89

  £ million

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  7·450

  125·235

  132·685

  Ayrshire and Arran

  10·900

  93·940

  104·840

  Borders

  4·650

  27·248

  31·898

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2·235

  45·258

  47·493

  Fife

  4·000

  87·817

  91·817

  Forth Valley

  9·932

  82·157

  92·089

  Grampian

  9·332

  161·965

  171·297

  Greater Glasgow

  21·365

  456·646

  478·011

  Highland

  4·787

  66·494

  71·281

  Lanarkshire

  7·790

  144·336

  152·126

  Lothian

  18·600

  282·518

  301·118

  Orkney

  1,642

  4·934

  6·576

  Shetland

  1·642

  6·077

  7·719

  Tayside

  7·184

  162·295

  169·479

  Western Isles

  0·865

  9·078

  9·943

  Total

  112·374

  1,755·998

  1,868·372

  1989–90

  £ million

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  Argyll and Clyde

  7·510

  132·698

  140·208

  Ayrshire and Arran

  18·074

  103·515

  121·589

  Borders

  2·241

  30·051

  32·292

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2·251

  49·440

  51·691

  Fife

  3·518

  95·192

  98·710

  Forth Valley

  7·933

  89·628

  97·561

  Grampian

  11·812

  172·032

  183·844

  Greater Glasgow

  28·031

  478·163

  506·194

  Highland

  3·631

  72·575

  76·206

  Lanarkshire

  8·601

  152·518

  161·119

  Lothian

  29·819

  296·825

  326·644

  Orkney

  1·069

  5·562

  6·631

  Shetland

  1·597

  6·572

  8·169

  Tayside

  11·980

  172·003

  183·983

  Western Isles

  5·332

  9·937

  15·269

  Total

  143·399

  1,866·711

  2,010·110

  72
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the (i) capital, (ii) revenue and (iii) total expenditure on the National Health Service in Scotland in each of the last five years and in the last financial year.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The information requested is readily available only in financial years and is set out in the following table:

  £ million cash

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total

  1984–85

  118

  1,782

  1,901

  1985–86

  132

  1,882

  2,015

  1986–87

  116

  2,027

  2,144

  1987–88

  120

  2,208

  2,328

  1988–89

  131

  2,460

  2,591

  11989–90

  189

  2,663

  2,852

  1 Supply Estimate Provision.

  Health Board Expenditure
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the (i) capital, (ii) revenue and (iii) total allocation made to each of the Scottish health boards in each of the last five years and in the last financial year in constant prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The information requested for the years 1984–85 to 1988–89 is set out in the table. Details of expenditure for the year ended 31 March 1990 are not yet available.

  1984–85

  £ million

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total expenditure

  Argyll and Clyde

  14,251

  122,476

  136,727

  Ayrshire and Arran

  3,511

  93,278

  96,789

  Borders

  8,209

  25,961

  34,170

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,028

  43,952

  45,980

  Fife

  6,170

  84,194

  90,364

  Forth Valley

  8,488

  77,091

  85,579

  Grampian

  5,371

  145,281

  150,652

  Greater Glasgow

  19,176

  418,859

  438,035

  Highland

  7,596

  62,140

  69,736

  Lanarkshire

  6,680

  144,256

  150,936

  Lothian

  16,757

  259,340

  276,097

  Orkney

  266

  4,969

  5,235

  Shetland

  331

  6,130

  6,461

  Tayside

  5,079

  151,120

  156,199

  Western Isles

  639

  8,864

  9,503

  Total

  104,552

  1,647,911

  1,752,463

  Note: Information obtained from Health Board Annual Accounts.

  1985–86

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total Expenditure

  Argyll and Clyde

  11,794

  129,570

  141,364

  Ayrshire and Arran

  4,348

  99,938

  104,286

  Borders

  10,005

  27,942

  37,947

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,399

  46,628

  49,027

  Fife

  4,968

  90,634

  95,602

  Forth Valley

  12,665

  83,294

  95,959

  Grampian

  7,887

  155,405

  163,292

  Greater Glasgow

  23,199

  439,391

  462,590

  Highland

  7,136

  66,538

  73,674

  Lanarkshire

  7,007

  152,553

  159,560

  Lothian

  19,653

  274,017

  293,670

  Orkney

  269

  5,252

  5,521

  Shetland

  566

  6,271

  6,837

  73

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total Expenditure

  Tayside

  5,399

  158,053

  163,452

  Western Isles

  798

  9,587

  10,385

  Total

  118,093

  1,745,073

  1,863,166

  Note: Information obtained from Health Board Annual Accounts.

  1986–87

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total expenditure

  Argyll and Clyde

  11,593

  143,013

  154,606

  Ayrshire and Arran

  4,992

  110,308

  115,300

  Borders

  5,638

  30,777

  36,415

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,562

  51,147

  53,709

  Fife

  2,929

  101,184

  104,113

  Forth Valley

  13,519

  92,049

  105,568

  Grampian

  8,130

  169,085

  177,215

  Greater Glasgow

  16,308

  471,470

  487,778

  Highland

  5,366

  74,090

  79,456

  Lanarkshire

  5,917

  167,522

  173,439

  Lothian

  15,244

  303,157

  318,401

  Orkney

  189

  5,664

  5,853

  Shetland

  458

  6,975

  7,433

  Tayside

  5,874

  171,565

  177,530

  Western Isles

  454

  10,656

  11,110

  Total

  99,173

  1,908,753

  2,007,926

  Note: Information obtained from Health Board Annual Accounts.

  1987–88

  Health board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total expenditure

  Argyll and Clyde

  8,771

  155,616

  164,387

  Ayrshire and Arran

  8,692

  121,593

  130,285

  Borders

  6,178

  34,126

  40,304

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,866

  55,219

  57,085

  Fife

  3,647

  108,893

  112,540

  Forth Valley

  10,607

  98,872

  109,479

  Grampian

  7,911

  184,021

  191,932

  Greater Glasgow

  16,968

  499,824

  516,792

  Highland

  6,660

  79,846

  86,506

  Lanarkshire

  8,030

  178,702

  186,732

  Lothian

  17,710

  324,308

  342,018

  Orkney

  676

  6,321

  6,997

  Shetland

  629

  7,353

  7,982

  Tayside

  4,348

  183,110

  187,458

  Western Isles

  453

  11,517

  11,970

  TOTAL

  103,146

  2,049,321

  2,152,467

  Note: Information obtained from Health Board annual accounts.

  Gastroenterology

  Few or no in-patients waiting more than one year for treatment.

  Rheumatology

  Urology

  General surgery

  IACC is examining waiting lists for these specialties, and advised that the appointment of a new consultant was not a high priority compared with other districts.

  Orthopaedics

  Ophthalmology

  Relatively small impact predicted on waiting lists compared with other districts and specialties.

  ENT

  Audiological medicines

  Consultant would work in out-patient and Community clinics and hence have no impact on in-patient waiting lists.

  Last year north Staffordshire received £92,000 from the sum reserved from the waiting list fund for districts with particular waiting problems. This sum was earmarked for the T&O, ophthalmology, ENT and gynaecology specialties. This enabled an additional 950 patients to be
  74

  1985–86

  £ million

  Health Board

  Capital

  Revenue

  Total Expenditure

  Argyll and Clyde

  6,881

  173,351

  180,232

  Ayrshire and Arran

  10,283

  134,837

  145,120

  Borders

  3,076

  39,640

  42,716

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,143

  61,245

  63,388

  Fife

  3,755

  120,383

  124,138

  Forth Valley

  11,376

  110,116

  121,492

  Grampian

  11,452

  208,343

  219,795

  Greater Glasgow

  24,778

  559,196

  583,974

  Highland

  4,914

  89,552

  94,466

  Lanarkshire

  7,713

  199,522

  207,235

  Lothian

  18,628

  362,302

  380,930

  Orkney

  1,441

  6,902

  8,343

  Shetland

  1,387

  8,439

  9,826

  Tayside

  7,415

  204,749

  212,164

  Western Isles

  381

  12,642

  13,023

  Total

  115,623

  2,291,219

  2,406,842

  Note: Information obtained from Health Board Annual Accounts.

HEALTH

  Consultants
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, further to the answer to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North, of 25 April, what criteria were not met by each of the nine unsuccessful bids for consultant posts made by north Staffordshire district health authority under the 100 consultants scheme.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The criteria for this scheme were set out in my reply to the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North on 25 April at columns 216–17.

  We received about 250 bids for the 100 available posts, and a large number of these bids met the criteria, they were assessed within each specialty according to the extent to which they would reduce long waiting lists and times.

  In assessing North Staffordshire's need for the limited number of posts available, we took account of the applications for the West Midlands region as a whole and consulted Inter-Authority Comparisons and Consultancy (IACC), which is examining this district's waiting lists as part of the waiting list initiative.

  North Staffordshire's bid for a consultant gynaecolo-gist was successful. We were unable to give priority to the district's other bids for the following reasons:

  treated from the waiting lists. The district's waiting lists are being examined again this year, and it may qualify for a further allocation from the £12 million set aside for the longest lists.

  Mental Health Tribunals
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average delay between a detained patient's request for a mental health review tribunal under sections of the Mental Health Act, other than section 2, and the holding of the tribunal.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In relation to tribunals held during the first quarter of 1990, patients subject to restriction orders had waited on average 26·5 weeks for a tribunal hearing while patients not subject to restriction orders had waited an average of 12 weeks. There are a number of factors which influence the length of time taken to mount tribunals. These include the time taken to obtain medical and social services reports, and medical second opinions when the patient or the patient's solicitor considers these would be helpful. Officials have been asked to carry out an urgent review of the methods and procedures involved to identify any scope for improvements.

  Helicopters
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) of 8 February,Official Report, column 764, if he will list by regional health authority (a) how many helicopters are currently in service in the ambulance service and (b) what is their annual upkeep cost, including air and maintenance crews.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Romsey and Waterside (Mr. Colvin) on 23 January at columns 656–57. No information is available centrally on the annual operating costs of helicopter ambulances in use in the NHS.

  Head Lice
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, columns 293–94, (1) what advice is available to local education authorities which would assist them further to reduce the incidence of head lice;

  (2) what advice is available to health authorities which would assist them further to reduce the incidence of head lice.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Health Education Authority has published guidance including a booklet, "What to do about Head Lice", copies of which have been placed in the Library, which is widely available to both health and local education authorities, as well as to the general public. Pharmaceutical companies also publish information on the use of their products in the treatment and prevention of head lice infestation.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, columns 293–94, about head lice, if certain geographical areas are more affected than others.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the number of infestations with vermin among children aged five to 14 in each of the regional health authorities for 1987–88.
  76

  Infestation with vermin: 1987–88 Number examined (thousands):

  Number found to be infested (thousands):

  Number of infested pupils as a percentage of 5–14 population

  England

  Individual examinations

  Individual pupils found to be infested

  Infested pupils as a percentage of 5–14 population

  England

  4,546·3

  91·4

  1·6

  Northern

  427·6

  6·3

  1·7

  Yorkshire

  586·1

  10–8

  2·4

  Trent

  577·3

  9·2

  1·6

  East Anglia

  60·9

  3·2

  1–3

  North West Thames

  200·1

  4·7

  1·1

  North East Thames

  176·8

  8·2

  1–8

  South East Thames

  92·2

  3·6

  0·8

  South West Thames

  147·6

  3·4

  1·0

  Wessex

  81·2

  2·4

  0·7

  Oxford

  17·5

  1·1

  0·3

  South Western

  303·7

  8·1

  2·1

  West Midlands

  812·8

  16·4

  2·5

  Mersey

  348·3

  3·5

  1·1

  North Western

  714·2

  10·5

  2·1

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth of 26 April,Official Report, columns 293–94, about head lice, if the incidence of infection is greater among primary or secondary pupils.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Data on incidence of the conditions listed in the reply of my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 26 April at columns 293–94 is held centrally only for the age group 5–14.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on(a) the present and (b) the expected future relationship between his Department and the medicines control agency; and what staff have been seconded to the agency from his Department.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Medicines Control Agency (MCA) is an agency within the Department of Health (DH). It took over the functions and staff (medical, pharmaceutical, and administrative) of the former medicines division of DH. A single director was appointed, after advertisement and competition, from outside the civil service. The director is reorganising MCA in pursuit of greater effectiveness and efficiency in decisions about the licensing of medicines. The present priority is to implement and exploit these changes. Further change would be considered in the light of experience of the operation of the new organisation.

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the improvements in health care arising from the developments in biotechnology.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Advances in biotechnology have made available novel or improved treatments for a wide range of diseases. It is now possible to produce a number of therapeutic compounds in large quantities that were hitherto very difficult to obtain. The following list,
  77
  which is by no means exhaustive, gives an indication of biotechnology-derived products already on the market; human insulin for the treatment of diabetes; vaccines for hepatitis B; human growth hormone for the treatment of dwarfism; and alpha-interferon for the treatment of, for example, certain leukaemias.

  Other improvements in health care include the development of more rapid, sensitive tests for the diagnosis of a wide variety of microbial diseases. Also, there are increasing applications in the area of clinical genetics for the greater precision that is now possible in the detection of those at risk from genetic diseases. In addition, we now have a real prospect of providing treatment for certain of the inherited diseases, although this is still some time away.

  RHA Newspapers
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual cost of "Health View", the newspaper of the Yorkshire regional health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is a matter for the regional health authority. The hon. Member may like to contact Sir Bryan Askew, chairman of Yorkshire regional health authority for further information.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance is given by his Department to regional health authorities regarding the publication of information sheets or newspapers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  All health authorities are expected to keep their local populations informed of service achievements, developments and proposals for change. How they do this is a matter for them.

  Income Support
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the benefits for which he is responsible which are provided free for families whose head of the household is receiving income support.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Income support families can obtain the following benefits for which the Department is responsible provided they satisfy any additional qualifying conditions:

  Free prescriptions

  Free dental treatment

  Free sight tests

  Full-value vouchers for glasses

  All hospital travel costs

  Free wigs and fabric supports

  Free milk and vitamins

  Help from the family fund

  Birth Control
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the provision of contraceptive services for teenagers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department asks health authorities, in organising contraceptive services for young people, to consider separate, less formal arrangements than those for older age groups, with staff experienced in dealing with young people and their problems. However, the level of such provision is a matter for individual health authorities to determine in the light of local needs and 78
  priorities. A number of health authorities provide services for young people through Brook advisory centres. On 4 April I announced increased central support for Brook of £65,000 per annum.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the voluntary organisations funded by the Department of Health involved in(a) family planning and (b) abortion;

  (2) if he will specify the amount spent by his Department on voluntary organisations involved in family planning and abortion in each of the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department provides funding towards the headquarters administrative costs of the following voluntary organisations involved in family planning:

  Family Planning Association

  Brook Advisory Centres

  Catholic Marriage Advisory Council

  SPOD (The Association to Aid the Sexual and Personal Relationships of People with a Disability)

  The amount given in section 64 core grant funding to these organisations in total, in each of the last five years, is as follows:

  £

  1986–87

  222,250

  1987–88

  248,500

  1988–89

  248,500

  1989–90

  251,000

  1990–91

  308,200

  A further £64,550 has been given in additional grants for one-off projects and capital equipment.

  Grants are not provided to voluntary organisations involved in abortions.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the availability in the National Health Service of male and female sterilisation for non-medical reasons.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Health Authorities are asked to make both male and female sterilisation operations available as an NHS service both for medical reasons and on family planning grounds, and to ensure that persons with a priority need for the operation are enabled to receive it quickly. The priority which can be given to these operations generally is a matter for clinical judgment and local decision.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will mount a public information campaign on availability of family planning services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Guidance issued by this Department to health authorities stresses the importance of widespread publicity about the availability of family planning services and gives advice on the type of information that should be provided and the various publicity methods that may be used.

  The Family Planning Information Service, which receives substantial Government funding through the HEA, produces a series of leaflets, available to the public, about the various methods of contraception. These leaflets also contain information about how to find a family planning doctor or clinic.

  In addition, family practitioner committees and general practitioners themselves are required to publish, and make

  79
  available to the public, information about whether individual general practitioners provide contraceptive services.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the number of doctors currently in general practice who(a) hold and (b) do not hold qualifications issued by the joint committee on Contraception.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is not held centrally. Advice from the joint committee on contraception indicates that up to 14 March 1990 a total of 27,077 certificates have been issued to doctors in the United Kingdom. However, within this total, no breakdown is readily available for general practitioners.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the number of unplanned and regretted pregnancies in each of the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the number of unplanned and regretted pregnancies is not available.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the training provided for general practitioners both initial and in-service on contraception.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  All medical students receive instruction in the principles of human reproduction and family planning.

  GP trainees are instructed by their trainers at practice family planning clinics and may also attend theoretical and practical family planning courses provided by health authorities to obtain the family planning certificate. Updating courses on contraception are also provided for established principals by health authorities and medical institutions.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the help available to women to assist them in avoiding unplanned pregnancies.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Free NHS family planning advice and services are available from specialist clinics and from general practitioners. Some 4 million people make use of these services each year. A wide range of information and help on contraception and planned

  Family planning clinic services: 1983–1987/88

  Number of sessions held at family planning clinics

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  England

  200,129

  197,127

  196,075

  195,700

  190,935

  Northern

  10,791

  11,113

  10,436

  10,870

  10,667

  Yorkshire

  12,106

  11,998

  11,966

  11,908

  11,952

  Trent

  15,099

  15,286

  14,994

  14,367

  14,019

  East Anglia

  5,848

  5,853

  5,674

  5,326

  5,428

  North West Thames

  20,200

  20,069

  20,048

  21,064

  17,704

  North East Thames

  20,638

  20,363

  21,970

  22,422

  21,962

  South East Thames

  19,944

  19,920

  19,024

  18,316

  17,994

  South West Thames

  16,452

  16,041

  15,346

  15,385

  15,154

  Wessex

  9,952

  10,006

  10,500

  10,375

  10,511

  Oxford

  8,627

  7,704

  7,739

  7,557

  8,357

  South Western

  11,233

  10,541

  10,454

  10,337

  10,036

  West Midlands

  23,172

  22,225

  21,338

  21,491

  21,135

  Mersey

  10,101

  9,965

  9,850

  9,964

  9,857

  North Western

  15,966

  16,043

  16,736

  16,318

  16,159

  80
  parenthood is also available from voluntary bodies like the Family Planning Association, Brook advisory centres, the Catholic Marriage Advisory Council and the Association to Aid the Sexual and Personal Relationships of People with a Disability, all of which receive a departmental grant. In addition the Family Planning Information Service, which receives financial support from the Government-funded Health Education Authority, also provides information and material to the public, professionals and media on family planning methods and services and related areas of health care.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the change in the availability of family planning clinic services in the last three years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are aware that a number of health authorities have made or propose to make reductions in the number of sessions offered by their family planning clinics, often as part of a rationalisation of services to make more effective use of available resources. About two thirds of the 4 million people who make use of the NHS family planning services each year go to their GP. The day to day management of health services such as this is a matter for individual authorities since they can best judge local circumstances and needs. However, guidance issued by this Department makes clear that we expect health authorities to strike a balance between services provided by specialist clinics and those provided by GPs.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state for each regional and district health authority the number of sessions of family planning clinics held in each of the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of sessions held in each regional health authority, in the five years up to 1987–88 is shown in the table. Over the same period the number of people seeing GPs for family planing services increased by 8 per cent. Data for 1987–88 are for the financial year, those for earlier years are for the calendar year.

  Figures for district health authorities for the five-year period are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Sex Education
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the provision of sex education.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Subject to the requirements of the National Curriculum, governing bodies are responsible for determining their school's policy on the content and organisation of sex education.

  In the wider sphere, the Health Education Authority's strategic plan 1990–95, published last November, announced the extension of the authority's work on AIDS public health education to include the maintenance of good sexual health, with the aims of educating the public and promoting a supportive climate of social opinion, and to support workers and agencies concerned with sexual health. The authority's family and child health programme will continue to provide information on pregnancy, parenting and the care of young children generally. Education for schools on family life and personal responsibility is also promoted through the authority's extensive programme for young people.

  Sex education is also a central part of the work of the Family Planning Association and Brook advisory centres.

  Foetal Monitoring
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) for approximately what percentage of births there is electronic foetal monitoring;

  (2) how many obstetric units routinely use electronic foetal monitors.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information on the location of monitors or the extent of their use is not collected centrally, but I understand that research studies show that they are in regular use in virtually all NHS maternity units.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research studies there have been into the benefits of electronic foetal monitors; and what conclusions were reached;

  (2) what evidence is available as to whether foetal monitoring has affected (a) perinatal mortality or (b) the percentage of births which require a caesarean section.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I understand that studies have established that electronic foetal monitoring gives a more detailed measurement of foetal heart rate than the intermittent use of foetal stethoscope. Clinical practice on the interpretation of the readings from electronic monitors varies and evidence that they reduce the risk of perinatal mortality is not conclusive. The studies show that the caesarian section rate is up to one third higher where there has been electronic foetal monitoring, but the incidence is lower if there is complementary monitoring by foetal scalp blood sampling.

  Midwives
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwives have been employed by the National Health Service; how many births there have been; and what has been the ratio of births to midwives in the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The requested information is shown in the table.
  82

  NHS midwives in post,1 total births1 and ratio of births to midwives —England

  Year

  Midwives at 30 September2 wholetime equivalent

  Total births

  Number of births per midwife

  1984

  22,790

  604,000

  26·5

  1985

  23,070

  622,730

  27·0

  1986

  23,330

  626,950

  26·9

  1987

  23,550

  646,550

  27·5

  1988

  23,620

  657,550

  27·8

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of NHS non-medical manpower and office of population censuses and surveys.

  1 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10). Unrounded figures are used to calculate ratios.

  2 Includes agency staff and students.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many midwife posts are currently vacant in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if any action is planned to increase the number of midwives in the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to determine the level of midwives required to run local maternity services, both in hospitals and the community. At 30 September 1988, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of midwives (whole time equivalent) employed in the National Health Service was 19,090, an increase of 3,060 (19·1 per cent.) since 1981.

  We are continuing to take steps to improve staffing in this vital area. Rates of pay have increased; in 1988, 9 out of 10 staff midwives were graded E or above under the new clinical grading structure and receive average pay increases on assimilation of 23 per cent. Since 1979 their pay has increased by over 50 per cent. in real terms.

  We are proposing an increase in the numbers of those undertaking three-year pre-registration training and in the advance diploma in midwifery by distance learning.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report the number of NHS eye tests carried out between 1 April and 30 September 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of NHS sight tests paid for by FPCs and health boards between 1 April 1989 and 31 September 1989 was as follows:

  Million

  England

  3·380

  Wales

  0·170

  Scotland

  0·282

  Great Britain

  3·832

  Of these 1·813 million were conducted before 1 April and 2·018 were conducted after 1 April and paid for before the end of September.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will release the results of the survey commissioned by his Department into the number of eye tests in the first quarter of 1990 compared with previous years; and what
  83
  allowance will be made when analysing the figures for the £1 million advertising campaign encouraging people to have eye tests.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The results of the survey commissioned by the Department into the number of sight tests in the first quarter of 1990 will be available by the early summer. A summary of the findings will be placed in the Library. No special allowance will be made when analysing the figures for the advertising campaign encouraging people to have sight tests, which took place in the summer and autumn of 1989.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will give a detailed breakdown of how the saving from the imposition of eye test charges has been reallocated to other areas of primary health care;

  (2) if the estimated saving to the National Health Service budget arising from the imposition of eye test charges has been reallocated within primary health care as new additional funds on top of last year's budgetary allocations.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The saving from restricting the National Health Service sight-test to certain priority groups with effect from January 1989 was taken into account in setting budget plans for 1989–90 and subsequent years. Estimated total net expenditure on family practitioner services including administration in 1989–90 was £294 million higher than the total spend in 1988–89, an increase of nearly 7 per cent., and is planned to increase further in subsequent years. In budget planning the total available resources are distributed according to service need; savings in one area are not directly earmarked to specific expenditure in another.

  Abortion
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the availability of abortion services in the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The level of gynaecological provision including abortion, like other provision within the National Health Service, is decided by individual health authorities. The Government believe that such decisions are best taken locally in the light of authorities' first-hand knowledge of local needs and priorities and competing claims on resources.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the abortion rate for the last year for which figures are available in the United Kingdom and other EEC countries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The abortion rate for Great Britain2 and other EEC countries for the latest year for which figures are available is shown in the table.

  Country

  Year

  Rate (per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44)

  Great Britain

  1988

  316·0

  Denmark

  1986

  17·7

  Germany, Federal Republic

  1986

  6·4

  France

  1985

  14·5

  Greece

  1985

  10·1

  Netherlands

  1985

  15·1

  Italy

  1984

  118·6

  Belgium

  4

  84

  Country

  Year

  Rate (per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44)

  Irish Republic

  4

  Luxembourg

  n/a

  Portugal

  n/a

  Spain

  n/a

  Note: n/a =Not available.

  1 Provisional.

  2 The 1967 Abortion Act does not apply to Northern Ireland.

  3 Great Britain data was prepared from OPCS sources and the General Registrar Office, Scotland.

  4 Not applicable.

  The hon. Member may also be interested in the research report by Jennifer Gunning on "Human IVF, embryo research, foetal tissue for research and treatment, and abortion, International Information", published in February 1990, which provides additional information and is available in the Library.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the causes of late abortion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In 1988, the latest year for which data are available, there were 22 abortions in England and Wales after 24 weeks gestation. Eighteen of these were carried out on the grounds of suspected serious foetal abnormality whilst the other four were as a result of a serious risk to the pregnant woman should the pregnancy continue having been identified.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many abortions in the last year were carried out on (i) an in-patient and (ii) and out-patient basis.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In 1988, the latest complete year for which data are available, there were 77,455 abortions carried out where the woman did not stay overnight. A further 105,796 abortions were performed where the duration of stay was one or more nights, (which would include any planned day cases where the woman stayed overnight). There were 547 notifications received on which this information was not recorded.

  Porton Down
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Salisbury,Official Report, 19 April, column 990, when he expects to announce the name of the successful bidder for the centre for applied microbiology and research, Porton Down, Wiltshire.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have nothing to add to the reply my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) on 19 April at column 990.

  Hospital Incinerators
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what criteria he lays down for the temperature at which hospital incinerators operate; and whether any analysis of the output of chlorinated dibenzodioxins (dioxins) and dibenzofurans from such incinerators has been made.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Hospital clinical waste incinerators are required to conform with British Standard 3316—that is,
  85
  to operate at a temperature of 800°C. The monitoring of flue-gas emissions is a matter for individual health authorities.

  New, higher standards for the operation of such incinerators will be introduced following the enactment of the Environmental Protection Bill. These will include new operating temperatures and more stringent flue-gas emission controls.

  Erythropoetin
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newbury, (Sir M. McNair-Wilson),Official Report, 9 March, column 902, whether any decision has yet been reached on licensing of the drug erythropoetin.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am not yet able to add to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newbury (Sir M. McNair-Wilson) on 9 March at column 902.

  Tinnitus
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to increase the level of funding for research into tinnitus.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  It is for the Medical Research Council (MRC) to decide on the balance of funding for the areas of research within its responsibility. It is currently funding research into tinnitus and, although no major new initiative is planned in this field, the MRC is always willing to consider sound proposals for research which will be considered in competition with other applications.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 18 April,Official Report, column 890, how much the average poll tax in Scotland would be in 1990–91 if the rebate scheme was financed by poll tax payers and not central Government; and if he will give the figure for each district and region in Scotland.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that it is not possible to answer the hon. Member's question. If the community charge benefit scheme was financed by the authority's charge payers, the community charge level itself would rise and rebates would rise accordingly. This spiral effect should eventually level out but it is not possible to estimate at what point.

  Youth Training Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what regulations govern the assessing of the applicable amount for a youth training trainee for community charge purposes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Many YTS trainees will complete their course before they are 18 and so will not be liable for the personal community charge. Those trainees who are liable to pay the personal community charge may 86
  claim community charge benefit. The applicable amount relevant to a claim depends, besides age, upon the claimant's personal circumstances, for example whether or not he or she is married. The applicable amounts are set out in schedule 1 of the Community Charge Benefits (General) Regulations 1989, as uprated by the Social Security Benefits Up-Rating Order 1990.

  Retirement Pension
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if there are any proposals to amend the day on which state retirement pensions are paid to the qualifying date rather than the following Monday.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no proposals to do so. Under current provisions an individual is entitled to a full weeks pension by the seventh day following the date of their claim. Retirement pension is a regular weekly payment and not payable for part weeks.

  Income Support
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the benefits for which he is responsible which are provided free for families whose head of the household is receiving income support.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Families receiving income support are entitled to maximum help with eligible rent through housing benefit and maximum community charge benefit. They may also get help from the social fund. Such families are also automatically entitled to various other benefits (including exemption from National Health Service charges, free school meals and free welfare milk and vitamins) for which my right hon. Friends in other Departments are responsible.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers Department of Social Security officers have to stop or suspend a claimant's income support if notified by an unemployment benefit office that the claimant is suspected of being voluntarily unemployed, but the adjudication officer's decision is still awaited; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Under regulation 22 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, as amended, an unemployed person claiming income support, whose claim for unemployment benefit has not been determined because a question of disqualification arises for being voluntarily unemployed, is entitled to income support at a reduced rate only. The reduction, which is applied to the claimant's personal rate of benefit, ensures that he does not receive the same benefit as someone who clearly satisfied all the conditions, but at the same time he is not left without financial support while the question is investigated.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers Department of Social Security officers have to stop or suspend a claimant's income support if notified by the unemployment benefit office that the claimant's (i) actively seeking work or (ii) availability has been called into question but the adjudication officer's decision is still awaited; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Under section 20 of the Social Security Act 1986, as amended, an unemployed person
  87
  claiming income support has to be actively seeking employment and available for employment. In specific circumstances he may be treated as fulfilling these conditions. Otherwise, where there is a doubt, normal benefit cannot be paid.

  Regulation 8 of the Income Support (General) Regulations 1987, as amended, however, excuses a claimant from these requirements if an adjudication officer is satisfied that he or a member of his family will suffer hardship if income support is not paid. In such a case regulation 22 of the same regulations provides for payment of benefit at a reduced rate.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, if he will provide information as to the proportion of (i) income support and (ii) unemployment benefit claimants successfully claiming reduced income support under the hardship rules following(a) disqualification or (b) disallowance of benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  A claimant disqualified from receipt of unemployment benefit because of voluntary unemployment can receive income support at a reduced rate without needing to show hardship.

  From October 1989 to March 1990 there were 1,860 such awards and 733 refusals. These figures are provisional and are subject to amendment.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims and awards of family credit were made in each month since April 1988; and how many claims were outstanding at the end of each month.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is in the table:

  Claims

  Awards

  Outstanding

  1988

  April

  96,505

  40,213

  n/a

  May

  41,721

  June

  52,293

  36,145

  July

  46,100

  37,912

  63,836

  August

  46,376

  40,249

  49,501

  September

  47,759

  24,158

  64,888

  October

  56,373

  44,944

  57,560

  November

  57,850

  46,234

  50,001

  December

  44,834

  35,797

  45,672

  1989

  January

  63,638

  42,712

  48,701

  February

  60,318

  45,180

  45,111

  March

  68,637

  47,184

  47,096

  April

  96,752

  43,300

  78,214

  May

  123,038

  39,178

  120,781

  June

  107,276

  73,778

  86,440

  July

  66,075

  50,004

  70,116

  August

  62,397

  48,158

  57,472

  September

  80,792

  54,498

  54,355

  October

  80,670

  50,510

  59,084

  November

  85,530

  55,077

  61,305

  December

  70,996

  43,694

  61,071

  1990

  January

  78,122

  50,225

  57,953

  February

  76,049

  51,772

  53,052

  March

  89,088

  57,961

  52,081

  April

  77,080

  42,794

  65,697

  Notes:

  1. The figures are for the four or five weeks ending on the last Friday of the month.
  88
  2. The figures for claims received include those made to renew existing awards and those made more than four weeks before the expiry of an existing award (and therefore invalid).

  n/a = Not available.

  Departmental Advertising
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the figures for the spending by his Department on(a) newspaper advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) television advertising, and (d) all other promotional material relating to the community charge proposals (i) since its inception and (ii) in each respective year; what is his latest estimate for the current year; and what is the budget for 1990–91.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There has been no newspaper, radio or television advertising of community charge benefit in the 1988–89 or 1989–90 years by the Department.

  The costs of promotional material in 1988–89 was £34,817 and in 1989–90 was £75, 682,

  There will be a press campaign publicising the importance of claiming community charge benefit starting on 6 May. The total budget for 1990–91 is £750,000.

  Assessment
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his estimates of the additional costs of assessing individuals separately for(a) community charge benefit, (b) housing benefit and (c) income support.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that it is not possible to provide the hon. Member with the information requested. It is a fundamental principle of the income-related benefit system that married and unmarried partners are assessed together. The wide range of assumptions needed to estimate the additional costs of assessing all individuals separately for all the income related benefits means that any estimates would be both arbitrary and uncertain.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Terry Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local Department of Social Security offices in the midlands region received an extra allocation for their social fund grant budget in 1989–90.

  Mr. Nicholas Scott
  Details of local offices that received additional social fund budget allocations in the financial year 1989–90 were placed in the Library.

  Government Actuary (Report)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the reasons for the delays in the production and publication of the Government Actuary's quinquennial report; when he received the report; and when it will be published.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have not yet received the Government Actuary's report. We are informed by the Government Actuary that the delay has been due to heavy work demands and recruitment difficulties which have now been resolved. However, we understand that the report is now almost completed and that the Government Actuary expects to submit the report within the next few weeks.

  Reduced Earnings Allowance
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to abolish the reduced earnings allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The policy intention, as explained in "The Way Ahead", Cm. 917, January 1990 (copies of which are in the Library), is to provide for no new entitlements to reduced earnings allowance from the autumn of 1990.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the annual expenditure on the industrial injuries scheme in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is set out in the table.

  Industrial Injuries Benefits1 out-turn expenditure2

  £ million

  1987–88

  513

  1988–89

  514

  31989–90

  535

  1 Source: Table 14.1, Cm. 1014, "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990–91 to 1992–93."

  2 Includes industrial death benefit.

  3 Provisional.

  Benefits
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was (i) the total number of recipients and (ii) the total sum spent in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90 on(a) disablement benefit, (b) reduced earnings allowance, (c) retirement allowance, (d) constant attendance allowance and (e) exceptionally severe disablement allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The available information is in the table.

  Industrial injuries benefit recipients1 2

  April 1988

  April 1989

  Disablement benefit

  189,000

  185,000

  Reduced earnings allowance

  151,000

  147,000

  Constant attendance allowance

  2,000

  2,000

  Exceptionally severe disablement allowance

  700

  500

  1 The table shows the numbers of awards of each benefit on 2 April 1988 and 1 April 1989. These figures, and especially those for April 1989, have less than complete coverage, for example, because of late claims.

  2 The corresponding financial year expenditure figures are not available.

  Savers (Interest)
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what rate of interest is imputed to savers under community charge calculations; and if he will give the statutory basis for this rate.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information required is shown in the table.

  The calculation of tariff income from capital is laid down in regulation 35 of the Community Charge Benefit (General) Regulations 1989.
  90

  Tariff income assumed from capital Lower Limit £3,000.00

  Capital not more than £

  Weekly tariff income £

  Tariff income as annual percentage of capital

  Maximum effect of tariff income on CCB £ p

  Reduction of CCB as annual percentage of capital

  3,000

  0

  0·0

  0·00

  0·0

  3,250

  1

  1·6

  0·15

  0·2

  3,500

  2

  3·0

  0·30

  0·4

  3,750

  3

  4·2

  0·45

  0·6

  4,000

  4

  5·2

  0·60

  0·8

  4,250

  5

  6·1

  0·75

  0·9

  4,500

  6

  6·9

  0·90

  1·0

  4,750

  7

  7·7

  1·05

  1·1

  5,000

  8

  8·3

  1·20

  1·2

  5,250

  9

  8·9

  1·35

  1·3

  5,500

  10

  9·5

  1·50

  1·4

  5,750

  11

  9·9

  1·65

  1·5

  6,000

  12

  10·4

  1·80

  1·6

  6,250

  13

  10·8

  1·95

  1·6

  6,500

  14

  1·12

  2·10

  1·7

  6,750

  15

  11·6

  2·25

  1·7

  7,000

  16

  11·9

  2·40

  1·8

  7,250

  17

  12·2

  2·55

  1·8

  7,500

  18

  12·5

  2·70

  1·9

  7,750

  19

  12·7

  2·85

  1·9

  8,000

  20

  13·0

  3·00

  2·0

  8,250

  21

  13·2

  3·15

  2·0

  8,500

  22

  13·5

  3·30

  2·0

  8,750

  23

  13·7

  3·45

  2·1

  9,000

  24

  13·9

  3·60

  2·1

  9,250

  25

  14·1

  3·75

  2·1

  9,500

  26

  14·2

  3·90

  2·1

  9,750

  27

  14·4

  4·05

  2·2

  10,000

  28

  14·6

  4·20

  2·2

  10,250

  29

  14·7

  4·35

  2·2

  10,500

  30

  14·9

  4·50

  2·2

  10,750

  31

  15·0

  4·65

  2·2

  11,000

  32

  15·1

  4·80

  2·3

  11,250

  33

  15·3

  4·95

  2·3

  11,500

  34

  15·4

  5·10

  2·3

  11,750

  35

  15·5

  5·25

  2·3

  12,000

  36

  15·6

  5·40

  2·3

  12,250

  37

  15·7

  5·55

  2·4

  12,500

  38

  15·8

  5·70

  2·4

  12,750

  39

  15·9

  5·85

  2·4

  13,000

  40

  16·0

  6·00

  2·4

  13,250

  41

  16·1

  6·15

  2·4

  13,500

  42

  16·2

  6·30

  2·4

  13,750

  43

  16·3

  6·45

  2·4

  14,000

  44

  16·3

  6·60

  2·5

  14,250

  45

  16·4

  6·75

  2·5

  14,500

  46

  16·5

  6·90

  2·5

  14,750

  47

  16·6

  7·05

  2·5

  15,000

  48

  16·6

  7·20

  2·5

  15,250

  49

  16·7

  7·35

  2·5

  15,500

  50

  16·8

  7·50

  2·5

  15,750

  51

  16·8

  7·65

  2·5

  16,000

  52

  16·9

  7·80

  2·5

  Community Charge
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his best estimates of the amount that will be saved in community charge benefit through the operation of the community charge transitional relief scheme.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 19 March 1990]: The community charge transitional relief scheme will reduce the total cost of community charge benefit by around £100 million to £2·5 billion on a full year basis and at 1990–91 benefit levels and prices.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure the independence of veterinary officers charged with safeguarding animal welfare at abattoirs.

  Mr. Maclean
  Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the legislation to safeguard the welfare of animals at abattoirs. In addition, officers of the State Veterinary Service visit all abattoirs to monitor welfare standards and to give advice.

  In so far as veterinary surgeons may have responsibilities in abattoirs, they are subject to the code of professional ethics of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

  New Jobs, Newcastle
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether the staff presently employed by the agricultural intervention board at Kenton Bar, Newcastle, are included in the 350 new jobs announced for Newcastle; and whether they will be expected to apply competitively for those jobs.

  Mr. Curry
  The work which is now being carried out at Kenton Bar will remain there and other functions will be transferred to the total of 350 jobs. The existing staff, who are employed on a temporary basis, will be invited to apply for these permanent jobs which will be advertised in the local newspapers in line with civil service rules on open and fair recruitment.

  Farmers, Northumberland
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what benefit farmers in Northumberland will receive from the recent price fixing agreed by the EEC Agriculture Council of Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The settlement reached in Brussels last month was a very good one for the United Kingdom. In particular, we secured a substantial devaluation of the green pound which will increase sterling support prices for crops by 10·7 per cent., for beef by 8·5 per cent., for milk by 6·8 per cent. and for sheepmeat by 11 per cent.

  Pigs
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the chemical components of recent contaminated pig feed.

  Mr. Gummer
  It is not possible to list all the components of the feed concerned. My Department has, of course, investigated those components which might be implicated in recent pig health problems.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the number of pigs which had been given feed contaminated with CYNOX 425 which had entered the food chain.

  Mr. Gummer
  My estimate would be none, on the basis that these pigs were adult sows newly weaned and some 92
  adult boars. The sows were between lactations and would only have been slaughtered for welfare reasons. The feedingstuffs company has confirmed that animals slaughtered for welfare purposes have not entered the food chain.

  Intervention Board
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total number of posts to be transferred from the intervention board in Reading to Newcastle upon Tyne excluding posts already located in that city.

  Mr. Curry
  The work of the agency's external trade division, together with some common service support, will be transferred. The additional number of posts involved, excluding the 136 already located at the agency's Kenton Bar office, is expected to be about 220 jobs.

  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what site or sites have been identified to accommodate staff transferred from the intervention board in Reading to Newcastle upon Tyne.

  Mr. Curry
  The intervention board is interested in a new building in the Newcastle business park but is considering a number of other office development sites.

  Mineral Water
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he is taking to ensure mineral water is correctly labelled.

  Mr. Maclean
  European Community rules on the labelling of natural mineral waters are contained in the Natural Mineral Waters Regulations 1985. Recent information that we have received regarding Perrier water has raised a number of questions about the labelling of this particular natural mineral water and whether it complies with the EC rules. I believe that the labelling does not comply with EC requirements and so we have raised the question with the European Commission and await its reply. The Government are firmly committed to the principle that labelling of any product should not be misleading to the consumer.

  Whales
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the Government's current policy on the hunting of whales and the Norwegian proposal to recommence the killing of Minke whales;

  (2) what approaches he has had from the Norwegian authorities on their proposals to recommence the hunting of Minke whales;

  (3) if he will make it his policy to block at the next international whaling conference the proposals by Norway to recommence the hunting of Minke whales; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) if he will make a statement on his contacts with the Government of Norway over whaling.

  Mr. Gummer
  The United Kingdom played a leading role in achieving the current moratorium on commercial whaling agreed by the International Whaling Commission (IWC). In my view there can be no question of the
  93
  moratorium being lifted unless and until the scientific advice is that whale stocks can be sustained at healthy levels and there is no likelihood of a species being endangered. I also consider that before there can be any consideration of resumption of commercial whaling, the IWC must develop a new management procedure to guarantee that there would be no repeat of the past history of over-exploitation. The moratorium is to be reviewed at the IWC's annual meeting this summer. If the assessments of the scientific committee, which are to be prepared for this IWC meeting, cannot confirm that the whale stocks are in a satisfactory position we will work hard for the moratorium to be continued.

  Norway's recent action has been to request that the agenda of the forthcoming IWC meeting formally includes reconsideration of the protection stock classification of the north east Atlantic minke whale. The stock is already in
  94
  the programme for a detailed comprehensive assessment at this year's meeting of the scientific committee of the IWC. The current classification means that even if there were no moratorium, this stock should not be exploited. A change in classification requires detailed assessment and evaluation by the scientific committee of the IWC in order for advice to be put to the Commission. This has yet to take place. As with the moratorium, I consider that no changes should be made without clear scientific advice as to the safety of the stock.

  The Norwegian government are very aware of our views on whaling. My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary made our position very clear when he met the Norwegian Fisheries Minister earlier this year. In addition we also have frequent contacts at official level under the umbrella of the work of the International Whaling Commission.

ENVIRONMENT

  Environment Protection
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of centrally funded information proposed by his Department or by the Central Office of Information on his Department's behalf in each year since 1983 in respect of environment protection and countryside matters.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  Since 1983 my Department has funded, either directly or through COI, several hundred items of publicity and information on environmental protection and countryside matters. The main items are as follows:

  1983

  "Lead in Paint" leaflets; "Lead in Paint" TV fillers; "Asbestos in Housing" leaflet1:

  1984

  "Endangered Plants" leaflet1.

  1985

  Bothered by Noise" leaflet1.

  1986

  "Conservation and Development" booklet; "Tree Preservation Orders" leaflet1; "Endangered Species" (Cites) leaflet1; European Year of the Environment leaflet; Two anti-litter TV fillers ("Motorist" and "Domestic"); stand at "International Pollution Abatement Exhibition".

  1987

  "Wildlife in Danger" (CITES) bookmark1 and wallchart; "Radon in Houses" leaflet1; HMIP introductory leaflet; "Towards a Cleaner North Sea" broadsheet; Unleaded Petrol leaflet; Two anti-litter TV fillers ("Sceptered Isle" and Beaches); publicity material for North Sea conference; "Contaminated Land" leaflet.

  1988

  "Protecting Britain's Wildlife" leaflet1; "Protecting Your Environment" booklet; "Conservation and Business Sponsorship" booklet1; "Adjust to Unleaded" booklet1 and poster; Two TV anti-litter fillers "Lethal Weapon" and "Excuses"); exhibition stand at "Enprotec"; "Campaign for the Countryside" touring exhibition; Radioactive Waste Video.

  1989

  Unleaded Petrol press and TV advertising; Endangered Species (CITES) display cabinets at Gatwick airport; Environment in Trust packs containing leaflets and broadsheets on "Air Quality", "Cleaner Seas", "Radioactive Waste Management", "The Countryside", "Pollution Control Systems", "One World", and "River Quality"; Clean Technology booklet, North Sea Report leaflets 1 and 2; "Global Climate Change" booklet; Anti-litter TV filler ("Clanger"); publicity and exhibition material for the International Ozone Conference; exhibition stand at CBI conference.

  1 These items have been revised and/or reprinted in later years.

  1990

  Stand at "Green Show" at NEC in June; "Citizen and the Environment" leaflet.

  During the same period my Department has produced several hundred items of information concerning environmental protection and countryside matters in the form of statutory instruments, circulars and priced publications, in addition to the publicity/information items already mentioned. The DOE's HQ Library already produces a comprehensive list of these in its annual list of publications.

  Included in the publications category are parliamentary publications (such as Command Papers and House of Commons Papers), pollution papers, waste management papers, methods for the examination of waters and associated materials (MEWAM's), and annual publications such as the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" and the reports of the radioactive waste management advisory committee.
  96
  In addition to the regular items mentioned in paragraph 2 above, there are numerous ad hoc publications; an indication of which is given below:

  1983

  "Manual of Environmental Appraisal", "Disposal Facilities on Land of Low and Intermediate Level Radioactive Waste".

  1984

  "Independent Review of Disposal of Radioactive Waste at Sea", "Sponsored Research on Radioactive Waste", "Rayner Review on the Nature Conservancy Council", Circulars on "Green Belts", "Water and the Environment", and "Clean Air Acts".

  1985

  "Conservation on the Harp Seal and Hooded Seal", "Convention of the Conservation of European Wildlife and Natural Habitats", "Farm and Forestry Development in the National Parks", "Asbestos on Contaminated Land", "The Control of Organotins in Antifouling Paints", "The Control and Use of Marine Antifouling Paints", "Lead intakes of Young Children from Dust and Other Sources", "Monitoring of Beach Contamination following incident at BNFL Sellafield, Cumbria in November 1983".

  1986

  Levels of Radioactivity in the UK from the Accident at Chernobyl", "River Quality in England and Wales 1985", "Conservation and Development: The British Approach", "Protecting the Countryside", "Acidity in UK Fresh Waters", "Air Pollution Control in Great Britain", "UK 2000: Working For A Better Environment", "The Water Environment: The Next Steps".

  1987

  "Ozone in the UK", "Acid Deposition and its Effects", "Unleaded Petrol: Fuel of the Future", "Air Pollution and You", "Green Belts 1980–1987", "Towards a Cleaner North Sea", "Development involving Agricultural Land", "Rural Enterprise and Development".

  1988

  "The Effects of Acid Deposition on the Terrestial Environment in the UK", "Air Pollution in Great Britain", "The Effects of the Great Storm", "Protected Trees: A Guide to Preservation Procedures", "Possible impacts of Climate Change on the Natural Environment in the UK".

  1989

  "Endangered Species of Flora and Fauna", "Dioxins in the Environment", Command Paper on the Greenhouse Effect, "Our Common Future", "Keeping and Use of Radioactive Materials", "Radioactive Waste Management and Radioactivity in the Environment", "Guidance on Safeguarding the Quality of Public Water Supplies".

  In addition to all items listed above, there are numerous reports resulting from research funded by the Department but not necessarily published by them; these are also listed in the Library's annual list.

  Arrangements are being made for the House of Commons Library to receive future and back copies of the "Annual List of Publications" which is, at present, distributed to university libraries, local authorities, metropolitan councils and private sector companies.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a list of all sites of special scientific interest and areas of outstanding natural beauty, their exact reason for designation and their geographical location.

  Mr. Trippier
  A list of all areas of outstanding natural beauty, plus a map showing their geographical locations, can be found in the publication "Countryside Commission Annual Report 1988–89" which is already placed in the Library of the House.

  This publication does not however, contain the criteria for designation, which is set out under section 87 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 —also to be found in the Library of the House.
  97
  A list of SSSIs in England and Wales by county, was placed in the Library in August 1989. There are currently over 5,000 and it would be impracticable to place the reasons for their individual designation in the Library. The criteria for the designation of biological sites can be found in "Guidelines for Selection of Biological SSSI" which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what have been the annual figures for toxic or hazardous waste arising in each of the last five years in

  tones

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Arisings within the waste disposal area

  Cleveland

  119,178

  136,310

  137,292

  239,550

  451,600

  Tyne and Wear

  222,000

  n/a

  282,701

  80,732

  62,959

  Exports out of the waste disposal area

  Cleveland

  11,723

  11,310

  26,407

  57,759

  1206,100

  Tyne and Wear

  29,000

  n/a

  228,409

  72,469

  48,095

  Imports into the waste disposal area

  Cleveland

  1,918

  3,430

  929

  12,540

  800

  Tyne and Wear

  26,000

  n/a

  219,668

  12,741

  4,905

  Disposals within the waste disposal area

  Cleveland

  109,373

  128,430

  111,814

  194,331

  246,300

  Tyne and Wear

  219,000

  n/a

  273,960

  21,004

  10,769

  1 Includes 147,300 tonnes for sea disposal.

  2 Estimated figures; source HMIP.

  Specific figures for disposal by type of facility are not held centrally. Waste disposal under licence at sea is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food. However, Cleveland county council informs us that in 1988–89, 147,300 tonnes of waste were exported from the county for sea disposal.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing how much toxic and hazardous waste was produced in the north-east region in each of the last five years, how much was disposed of locally, and how much was moved out of the region for disposal.

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  (1) Arisings within the region (tonnes)

  169,922

  n.a.

  270,050

  368,293

  583,724

  (2) Deposits within the waste disposal area (tonnes)

  209,367

  n.a.

  318,779

  316,741

  401,097

  (3) Net export (difference between (1) and (2)) (tonnes)

  -39,445

  n.a.

  -48,729

  51,552

  182,627

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report a list of local district councils indicating the multiplier that they are using for standard community charge on second properties.

  Mr. Chope
  This information is not yet available.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to end the exemption from charge capping for local authorities with budgets of less than £15 million.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  I am reviewing the operation of all aspects of the community charge and will make an announcement when decisions have been reached.
  98
  (a) Tyne and Wear and (b) Cleveland; and in each case how much waste of this nature was disposed of (i) within the county, and by what means and (ii) by sea dumping.

  Mr. Trippier
  The figures on arisings and disposal of dangerous or difficult waste, which correspond to "special wastes" as defined by the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980, are provided annually to the Department by waste disposal authorites. For Cleveland and Tyne and Wear these are as follows:

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter).

  The figures on arisings and disposal of dangerous or difficult waste, which correspond to "special wastes" as defined by the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980, are provided annually to the Department by waste disposal authorities. For the purposes of this question I shall take the North East region to comprise the administrative areas of Cleveland, Durham, Northumberland and Tyne and Wear. The figures are as follows:

  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will deposit in the Library, in respect of each charging authority, information on(a) the charging authority's demand on the collection fund, (b) the appropriation from and to their financial reserves, (c) income from specific and supplementary grants, (d) income from sales, fees, charges and other income, (e) gross revenue expenditure showing (i) capital charges net of capital financing grants, (ii) levies and (iii) unallocated contingencies, (f) estimated general and city fund revenue reserves at 1 April, (g) aggregate parish precepts and (h) other precepts, using the information provided by authorities on forms DAP1 and DAP2, corrected by his Department where necessary;

  (2) if he will place in the Library information in respect of each collection fund on (a) total demands and precepts, (b) revenue support grant, (c) payments from NNDR

  99
  pool, (d) safety net adjustment and special grants, (e) other adjustments, (f) amount of community charge income and (g) the average charge, using the information provided by authorities on forms DAP1 and DAP2, corrected by his Department where necessary;

  (3) if he will place in the Library information in respect of each precepting authority on (a) aggregate of precepts on the collection funds, (b) appropriation from and to financial reserves, (c) net revenue expenditure, (d) income from specific and supplementary grants, (e) income from sales, fees, charges, interest receipts and other non-grant income, (f) gross revenue expenditure including (i) capital charges net of capital financing grants, (ii) levies and (iii) unallocated contingencies and (g) estimated general and county fund revenue reserves at 1 April, using the information provided by authorities on forms DAP1 and DAP2, corrected by his Department where necessary.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  [holding answer I May 1990]: I am arranging for copies of the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Information for some authorities is incomplete because not all authorities were required to complete lines 2 to 10 of the DAP1 and DAP2 returns, and in the event a number elected not to do so. The missing information will not be available until budget returns are received. When those later returns are received the information in these tables may need to be revised.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of total community charges in England will be raised by(a) personal, (b) standard and (c) collective charges, respectively; and if he will list those English local authorities whose percentage raised by (b) and (c) jointly diverges up or down from the average by a factor of two or more.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: This information is not yet available.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local authorities which have community charge levels below £300, which have standard spending grants and other direct standard spending grants which exceed £400 per capita.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The following authorities have set average community charges below £300 and receive more than £400 per head of relevant population in revenue support grant (net of the area safety net) and special grants (inner London education grant and low rateable value areas grants):

  Barking and Dagenham

  Bradford

  Calderdale

  City of London

  Isles of Scilly

  Kirklees

  Lewisham

  Tower Hamlets

  Wandsworth

  Westminster

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will list in order of highest to lowest the poll tax charges levied by non-metropolitan district councils.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 4 May 1990]: I am arranging for this information to be placed in the Library of the House.
  100
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing 20 per cent. of the poll tax in each local authority.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 4 May 1990]: I am arranging for this information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the reasons for the delay in providing his written answer of 3 May for the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East on local government revenue.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to the hon. Member on 3 May explaining the position.

  Monkton Cokeworks
  Mr. Dixon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to provide a substantive response to the complaints made to him in November 1988 about the activities of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution in relation to Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department received a letter from the environment services officer of South Tyneside metropolitan borough council on 23 November 1988 expressing the concern of the council's environmental health and control committee about Monkton cokeworks. This received a full and detailed reply on 10 February 1989. If the hon. Member wishes to refer me to further correspondence on this matter I shall be happy to look into it.

  Mr. Dixon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why flue gas desulphurisation equipment is not required for battery No. 4, Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn.

  Mr. Trippier
  The fitting of flue-gas desulphurisation equipment has never been part of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution's requirements for pollution control of emissions from coke works, nor does the EEC place any requirement on the United Kingdom to control such emissions. The costs involved are considered to be disproportionate to the environmental improvements which would result from the removal of the relatively small quantities of sulphur dioxide. The height of the chimney at the works is sufficient to prevent adverse local effects from any emissions.

  Mr. Dixon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution had with National Smokeless Fuels about the delay in installing cokeside arrestment equipment at battery No. 4, Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn;

  (2) what factors Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution took into account when deciding not to take legal action against National Smokeless Fuels for non-installation of cokeside arrestment equipment at battery No. 4, Monkton cokeworks, Hebburn.

  Mr. Trippier
  Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution engaged in a series of meetings with National Smokeless Fuels to discuss the arrestment of dust associated with discharging coke from the ovens at Monkton cokeworks.
  101
  These meetings involved management at all levels within the company culminating in a meeting between the chief inspector and the chairman of British Coal. The installation of cokeside arrestment equipment was agreed in principle following the miners' strike although the actual installation was delayed as a result of proving trials of a prototype system at the coke works at Cwm. The equipment was eventually installed and commissioned in 1989.

  Football Pools
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he proposes to hold on how the extra income from the football pools will be allocated on a divisional basis.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My officials have had discussions with the Football Trust 1990 and the Pool Promoters Association about the arrangements for the distribution of the extra money that will be available to football as a result of the proposed reduction in pool betting duty announced in the Budget statement. It is the intention that the Football Trust 1990 should distribute the money fairly, having regard to the differing needs and resources available to the clubs in the Football League and Scottish League and to the three national stadia, Wembley, Hampden park and Windsor park. The Football Trust has proved a most effective means of channelling funds to where they are most needed in football.

  Waste Management
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has received any invitation to contribute to, or participate in, the European summer school on environmental decision making on waste management, at Vrije university in Brussels, on 26 to 29 June.

  Mr. Trippier
  No such invitation has been received by my Department.

  Neighbourhood Notification Schemes
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans further to encourage or make compulsory the use by local planning authorities of advance neighbourhood notification schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No. The Department's advice to local planning authorities on publicity for planning applications is set out in appendix B to circular 22/88, and I have no evidence that those arrangements are not generally working satisfactorily.

  Right to Buy, Barnsley
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the outstanding debt repayments of Barnsley metropolitan borough council in respect of council houses sold under the right-to-buy legislation; and if he will consider freeing the local authority from such debts on its former assets.
  102
  Mr. Chope
  Authorities generally manage their housing debt on a collective basis, so it is not possible to attribute a specific amount of debt to former council houses sold under the right-to-buy legislation. However, any outstanding debt in Barnsley's housing revenue account will be taken into account in the calculation of the authority's entitlement to housing revenue account subsidy.

  County Halls (Sales)
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he estimates the savings on capital account would be if county halls were sold off following the merger of their functions with the district councils.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government have no plans for such a merger and my right hon. Friend has made no such estimates.

  Football Stadiums
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when planning policy guidelines to local authorities in respect of applications by football clubs for relocation of their stadiums will be issued.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend is considering planning policy guidance on the considerations relevant to new and redeveloped stadiums for Football League clubs and on other issues. He hopes to issue a draft document for consideration soon.

  Uniform Business Rate (Fishermen)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to treat premises used by commercial fishermen in the same way as those of farmers in terms of the levying of uniform business rate.

  Mr. Chope
  Under the Local Government Act 1988 (which in this respect broadly restated the equivalent provisions of the General Rate Act 1967), agricultural and market gardening land and buildings which are used for the production of food for consumption are exempt from non-domestic rates. However, premises used for ancillary activities including the processing of food, wholesaling and retailing are not exempt. Similarly, fish farms and certain fishing rights are exempt from non-domestic rates. But premises occupied by commercial fishermen, which are commonly used for the processing of the catch or for purposes connected with servicing the fleet, are not exempt.

  Gas Emissions
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give constant emission factors for nitrogen oxides for each of the emission sources listed in table 2.6 of the latest "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics".
  103
  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: Summary of emission factors used to estimate emissions of nitrogen oxides in 1988.

  Solid fuels (kg/tonne)

  Coal

  Anthracite

  Coke

  SSF

  Petroleum coke

  Domestic

  1·5

  1·5

  1·5

  1·5

  —

  Commercial/public service

  4·8

  —

  4·8

  4·8

  —

  Power stations

  9·0

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4·8

  Agriculture

  4·8

  —

  4·8

  —

  —

  Other industry

  4·8

  —

  4·8

  4·8

  —

  Railways

  4·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source: Warren Spring laboratory.

  Oils (kg/tonne)

  Burning oil

  Fuel oil

  Gas oil

  Miscellaneous

  Naphtha

  Domestic

  2·1

  7·4

  4·5

  —

  —

  Commercial/public service

  2·1

  7·4

  4·5

  —

  —

  Power stations

  —

  10·71

  11·37

  —

  —

  Refineries

  —

  7·4

  4·5

  7·4

  7·4

  Agriculture

  2·1

  7·4

  4·5

  —

  —

  Other industry

  2·1

  7·4

  4·5

  —

  —

  Railways

  2·1

  7·4

  50·6

  —

  —

  Shipping

  —

  6·3

  3·2–80

  —

  —

  Source: Warren Spring laboratory.

  Gases (kg/million therms)

  LPG

  Natural gas

  OPG

  Town gas

  Others1

  Domestic

  5,275

  5,275

  —

  5,275

  —

  Commercial/public service

  —

  10,550

  —

  10,550

  —

  Power stations

  —

  26,380

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  10,550

  10,550

  10,550

  —

  —

  Agriculture

  —

  10,550

  —

  —

  —

  Other industry

  10,550

  10,550

  10,550

  10,550

  10,550

  1 Others gases includes blast furnace gas, coke oven gas and colliery methane.

  Source: Warren Spring laboratory.

  Non fuel

  Incineration (kg/tonne of waste)

  (kg/tonne production)

  Domestic

  1·5

  —

  Agricultural

  1·5

  —

  Industrial

  1·0

  —

  Acid production

  —

  3–12

  Source: Warren Spring laboratory.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give constant emission factors for methane for each of the emission sources listed in table 2.12 of the latest "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics."

  Solid fuels (kg/tonne)

  Coal

  Anthracite

  Coke

  SSF

  Petroleum coke

  Domestic

  676·6

  813·4

  803·6

  774·2

  —

  Commercial/public service

  659·6

  —

  796·5

  766·3

  —

  Power stations

  588·2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  —

  —

  —

  —

  800

  Agriculture

  659·6

  —

  796·5

  —

  —

  Other industry

  659·6/710

  —

  796·5/820

  766·3/790

  —

  Railways

  659·6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Oils (kg/tonne)

  Burning oil

  DERV

  Fuel oil

  Gas oil

  Miscellaneous

  Naptha

  Petrol

  Domestic

  859

  —

  850

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Commercial/public service

  859

  —

  850

  857

  —

  —

  —

  Power stations

  —

  —

  850

  857

  —

  —

  —

  104
  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: Summary of emission factors used to estimate emissions of carbon dioxide, as carbon, in 1988:
  105

  Burning oil

  DERV

  Fuel oil

  Gas oil

  Miscellaneous

  Naptha

  Petrol

  Refineries

  —

  —

  850

  857

  800

  940

  —

  Agriculture

  859

  —

  850

  857

  —

  —

  —

  Other industry

  859

  —

  850

  857

  —

  —

  —

  Railways

  859

  —

  850

  857

  —

  —

  —

  Road transport

  —

  857

  —

  —

  —

  —

  855

  Shipping

  —

  —

  850

  857

  —

  —

  —

  Gases (kg/million therms)

  LPG

  Natural gas/colliery methane

  OPG

  Town/Coke oven gas

  Blast furnace gas

  Domestic

  1,874,000

  1,537,000

  —

  1,599,000

  —

  Commercial/public service

  —

  1,537,000

  —

  1,599,000

  —

  Power stations

  —

  1,537,000

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  1,874,000

  1,537,000

  1,627,000

  1,599,000

  —

  Agriculture

  —

  1,537,000

  —

  —

  —

  Other Industry

  1,874,000

  1,537,000

  1,627,000

  1,599,000

  6,274,000

  Non-fuel

  Incineration (kg/tonne of waste)

  Domestic

  200

  —

  Agriculture

  200

  —

  Industrial

  194

  —

  Cement

  —

  1137·3

  Gas flaring

  —

  21,537,000

  Gas Production

  —

  21,537,000

  Source:

  Warren Spring laboratory.

  1kg/tonne.

  2 kg/million therms.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give figures for sulphur dioxide concentrations recorded by each of his Department's 287 sites and each of Warren Spring Laboratory's seven sites in the latest available year.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: Data on the annual average concentration of sulphur dioxide measured

  Solid fuels (kg/tonne)

  Coal

  Anthracite

  Coke

  SSF

  Petroleum coke

  Domestic

  0·125

  0·015625

  0·015625

  0·015625

  —

  Commercial/public service

  0·000875

  —

  0·000875

  0·000875

  —

  Power stations

  0·001875

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·000875

  Agriculture

  0·000875

  —

  0·000875

  —

  —

  Other industry

  0·000875

  —

  0·000875

  0·000875

  —

  Railways

  0·000875

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Oils (kg/tonne)

  Burning oil

  Fuel oil

  Gas oil

  Miscellaneous

  Naptha

  Domestic

  0·000875

  0·00075

  0·000875

  —

  —

  Commercial/public service

  0·000875

  0·00075

  0·000875

  —

  —

  Power stations

  —

  0·001125

  0·000875

  —

  —

  Refineries

  —

  0·00075

  0·000875

  0·00075

  0·00075

  Agriculture

  0·000875

  0·00075

  0·001625

  —

  —

  Other industry

  0·000875

  0·00075

  0·000875

  —

  —

  Railways

  0·000875

  0·00075

  0·165625

  —

  —

  Shipping

  —

  0·001875

  0·001875-0·1125

  —

  —

  106
  at the 287 sites of the EC Directive network for April 1988-March 1989 have been published by Warren Spring Laboratory in Report No. LR 763 entitled "UK Smoke and Sulphur dioxide monitoring networks: summary tables for April 1988-March 1989". A copy has been placed in the Library.

  The seven other sites referred to are part of Warren Spring Laboratory's automatic monitoring network. The location of the sites is shown in figure 2.1 of the Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics, No. 12, 1989. Results for a full year are not yet available.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give constant emission factors for carbon dioxide for each of the emission sources listed in table 2·11 of the latest "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics."

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: Summary of emission factors used to estimate emissions of methane in 1988:
  107

  Gases (kg/million therms)

  LPG

  Natural gas

  OPG

  Town gas

  Others1

  Domestic

  10·5625

  4·3125

  —

  4·3125

  —

  Commercial/public service

  —

  1·9125

  —

  1·9125

  —

  Power stations

  —

  1·9125

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  1·9125

  1·9125

  1·9125

  —

  —

  Agriculture

  —

  1·9125

  —

  —

  —

  Other industry

  1·9125

  1·9125

  1·9125

  1·9125

  1·9125

  Non-fuel

  Incineration (kg/tonne of waste)

  Domestic

  0·009375

  —

  Agriculture

  0·08125

  —

  Industrial

  0·09375

  —

  Gas leakage

  —

  1807·25kg/million therms

  Landfill

  —

  —2

  Cattle

  —

  —2

  Other animals

  —

  —2

  Flaring and venting

  —

  —2

  Coal mines

  —

  —2

  1 Others include blast furnace gas, coke oven gas and colliery methane.

  2 No simple factor.

  Source: Warren Spring laboratory.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give constant emission factors for sulphur dioxide for each of the emission sources listed in table 2.3 of the latest "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics".

  (kg/tonne)

  Coal

  Anthracite

  Coke

  SSF

  Petroleum coke

  Solid fuels

  Domestic

  19·36

  16·00

  16·00

  16·00

  —

  Commercial/public service

  26·60

  —

  19·00

  19·00

  —

  Power stations

  28·88

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  —

  —

  —

  —

  19·00

  Agriculture

  26·60

  —

  19·00

  —

  —

  Other industry

  22·60–28·00

  —

  19·00

  19·00

  —

  Railways

  26·60

  —

  —

  —

  —

  (kg/tonne)

  Burning oil

  DERV

  Fuel oil

  Gas oil

  Miscellaneous

  Naphtha

  Petrol

  Oils

  Domestic

  0·20–0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  Commercial/public service

  0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  Power stations

  0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  Refineries

  0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  38·904

  38·904

  —

  Agriculture

  0·62

  ·

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  Other industry

  0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  Railways

  0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  Road Transport

  —

  3·8

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·8

  Shipping

  0·62

  —

  38·904

  5·0

  —

  —

  —

  (kg/million therms)

  Gases

  Coke oven gas

  Other industry

  143,000

  (kg/tonne product)

  Non-fuel

  Acid production

  3·28–13·33

  Source: Warren Spring laboratory.
  108
  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 1 May 1990]: Summary of emissions factors used to estimate emissions of sulphur dioxide in 1988:

  Danish Technology Institutes
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to invite to a meeting with him(a) the cleaner technology centre at Taastrup in Denmark, to discuss environmentally friendly technology and (b) the Jutland technological institute, Denmark, to discuss product substitution and design for environmental improvement.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet these organisations. The Department of the Environment is, however, keen to participate in the international exchange of information on the subject of low-waste or clean technology as part of its efforts to promote greater awareness of cleaner methods of production in the United Kingdom industry. The Department is hosting a UNEP seminar in September 1990 on "Cleaner Production" and I am pleased that senior officials from the Danish National Agency of Environmental Protection have accepted invitations to attend.

  Treasury (Fire Certificate)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether there is a valid fire certificate for the Treasury building in Parliament street.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: The work required to obtain one has been identified and tenders are being invited for it to be carried out.

  Mr. Gordon Blower (Correspondence)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he hopes to reply to the letter written on 29 December by Mr. Gordon Blower of Kingsland, Brownston Street, Modbury, I vybridge about the property blight resulting from uncertainty regarding the future of the Darenth Park hospital site, Dartford; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 4 May 1990]: A reply to Mr. Blower's letter of 29 December 1989 was sent by the Department on 2 May 1990. My right hon. Friend is currently awaiting information from the South East Thames regional health authority about their future intentions for the Darenth Park hospital site, but I hope that a decision can be taken soon on the authority's proposals for residential development at the site.

  Government Housing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Government houses are vacant in(a) Cardiff and (b) South Glamorgan; and what proportion this is of the total Government housing stock in (a) the city and (b) the county.

  Mr. Chope
  There are no vacant houses in Cardiff or South Glamorgan for which my right hon. Friend has responsibility. The hon. Member should inquire direct of other Government Departments in respect of any houses for which they have responsibility.

  69 Cowcross Street, EC1
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what instructions or guidance he has given to the London residuary body in relation to the proposed disposal on the open market of 69 Cowcross street, London EC1.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None, apart from general guidance on property vested in residuary bodies, issued in August 1986.

  Glass Recycling
  Mr. Crowther
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance the Government have given towards the industry target for glass recycling; and what figures he has for the number of bottle banks in operation in(a) 1986, (b) at the present time and (c) estimated for 1995.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The industry's target of 5,000 bottle banks by July 1991 was agreed at a conference organised by the Department of Trade and Industry on 2 July 1986. Following that conference, and with the support of the glass manufacturing industry, my Department and the local authority recycling advisory committee (LARAC) set up a series of regional seminars, held between November 1986 and April 1987, with the aim of increasing the number of bottle banks in local authority areas, and LARAC subsequently produced a booklet entitled "Expanding Glass Recycling". Figures from the British Glass Manufacturers Confederation show that there were 2,842 public bottle bank sites in 1986 and 4,330 at the most recent count. The industry target of 5,000 banks by 1991 should comfortably be reached.

DEFENCE

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dumbarton (Mr. McFall) of 23 April,Official Report, column 75, when, and in what form, he expects to make the conclusions of Mr. David Heyhoe's report on Mr. Colin Wallace available to the House.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend hopes to make copies of the report's conclusions available shortly to the Select Committee on Defence and in the Library of the House.

  Sports
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of each rank is currently registered to play each of the sports listed by the combined services sport board.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All service men and women are eligible to take part in sports recognised by the combined services sport board. Information is not held in the form requested.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel are currently registered to play each of the sports recognised by the combined services sport board.
  111
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All service men and women are eligible to take part in sports recognised by the combined services sport board. Specific registration is not required by the combined services sport board.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total grant aid paid to each of the sports recognised by the combined services sport board for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The combined services sport board does not receive any public money and does not give grants in aid. The services themselves receive funds in the form of grants for sports equipment and for recreational travel. Information is not readily available on how this is apportioned between sports.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which sports are listed by the combined services sport board for the purpose of receiving grant aid.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There is no combined services sport board list of recognised games and sports for the purpose of receiving grant aid.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of recruits to the armed forces from each of the three ridings of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not possible to provide the information in the precise form requested.

  For the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force it is not possible to give figures for the number of recruits who originated from a particular area without checking each recruit's personal file. However, the following figures show the number of non-commissioned recruits enlisted at individual careers information offices in the counties that now make up the three ridings of Yorkshire, Lancashire, Cumbria and Cheshire, following the Local Government Act, 1972. It is possible though that some recruits did not live in the area from where they were recruited.

  Careers information office

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Royal Navy/Royal Marines

  North, South and West

  Yorkshire/Humberside

  Barnsley

  24

  16

  1—

  Hull

  103

  138

  127

  Leeds

  149

  143

  133

  Sheffield

  143

  127

  132

  York

  45

  45

  37

  Lancashire/Greater Manchester/Merseyside

  Blackburn

  88

  91

  90

  Liverpool

  184

  217

  281

  Manchester

  82

  134

  152

  Preston

  54

  55

  70

  St. Helens

  102

  102

  155

  Cumbria Carlisle

  80

  74

  64

  Royal Air Force

  North, South and West Yorkshire Bradford

  58

  38

  68

  112

  Careers information office

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Huddersfield

  37

  56

  62

  Leeds

  159

  127

  147

  Sheffield

  117

  116

  192

  York

  55

  65

  79

  Lancashire/Greater Manchester/Merseyside

  Blackpool

  43

  68

  76

  Liverpool

  134

  183

  283

  Manchester

  263

  252

  347

  Oldham

  56

  87

  96

  Preston

  97

  135

  148

  St. Helens

  87

  69

  91

  Cumbria Carlisle

  43

  61

  43

  Note: There are no RN or RAF CIOs in Cheshire (although there are CIOs in neighbouring counties).

  1 Now closed.

  It is not possible to give comparable figures for officer applicants to the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, as these are handled centrally.

  The following figures for the Army include officers and soldiers.

  County

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  North Yorkshire

  283

  293

  312

  South Yorkshire

  450

  592

  618

  West Yorkshire

  596

  759

  791

  Lancashire

  882

  944

  525

  Greater Manchester

  1,107

  964

  812

  Merseyside

  710

  708

  728

  Cumbria

  190

  212

  477

  Cheshire

  483

  533

  550

  Low Flying
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will give details of the type of aircraft involved in a low-flying air defence exercise which flew over Mintlaw academy in the Banff and Buchan parliamentary constituency at 9.42 am, 9.52 am and 9.54 am on Thursday 26 April;

  (2) if he will give details of the starting point and destination of the exercise in which the aircraft which flew over Mintlaw academy, in the Banff and Buchan constituency, on Thursday 26 April were involved and the aircraft involved.

  Mr. Neubert
  It is likely that the aircraft concerned were F-16 aircraft of the Royal Danish Air Force participating in exercise Elder Forest 90 which were tasked to carry out simulated attacks against the RAF radar station at Buchan and continue to Tain range in Ross-shire.

  Equipment Co-operation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what decisions were reached at the recent meeting between the United Kingdom and France on defence equipment co-operation.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My right hon. Friend reviewed a wide range of defence equipment co-operation issues with Mr. Chevenement on 4 May. A copy of the statement issued after the meeting has been placed in the House Library.

  Naval Frigates
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the decision by France and the United Kingdom to study the possibility of working together on naval frigate programmes.

  Mr. Neubert
  The primary role of the Royal Navy's planned replacement for the Type 42 Anti-Air Warfare (AAW) destroyers at the turn of the century will be to deploy a naval support defence missile system (SDMS). We have already announced our intention of joining, subject to the satisfactory conclusion of negotiations, the Franco/Italian family of anti-air missile systems (FAMS) programme to meet the SDMS requirement and these negotiations are underway. We are also holding a series of meetings at official level with our French colleagues to identify the elements of our two ship programmes where further collaboration appears to offer mutual advantage. It is too early to say what the outcome will be.

  Nuclear Warheads
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the cost of replacing Tritium in nuclear warheads.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  For security reasons, and in accordance with the practice of successive Governments, details and costs of procurement of special nuclear materials cannot be disclosed.

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  October

  7

  3

  8

  3

  7

  13

  November

  15

  7

  10

  2

  6

  6

  December

  4

  7

  5

  4

  5

  4

  January

  5

  12

  2

  13

  7

  6

  February

  16

  8

  16

  11

  17

  8

  March

  8

  12

  9

  20

  11

  15

  April

  11

  6

  11

  16

  16

  14

  Total

  66

  55

  61

  69

  69

  66

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to publish the results of his review of search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There has been no such review.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he intends to carry out any review of the terms and conditions applied to dependent locally entered civilians in Cyprus.

  Mr. Neubert
  The pay and conditions of service of dependant locally entered civilians (LECs) in Cyprus, are the subject of regular reviews. Revised pay and conditions awards were implemented for this group of staff in early 1989, following the settlement of awards for MOD's Cypriot work force and teachers employed by the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. These reviews have as the basis local "good employer practice" and pay trends in the Cypriot economy.

  RAF Leuchars
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence1 if he is continuing to review search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars;

  (2) if he has any proposals for the resumption of 24-hour flying for search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on 21 February 1990 at column 820.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many aircraft are deployed and how many RAF personnel, and of what ranks, are engaged in search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Member for Kettering (Mr. Freeman) on 14 July 1988 at col.321. There are currently two Wessex aircraft at RAF Leuchars available for search and rescue duties.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by month the number of search and rescue missions flown from RAF Leuchars since 24-hour flying was discontinued and the number flown in the equivalent months in each of the last five years for which information is available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The search and rescue service at RAF Leuchars was reduced to daylight hours only from 1 October 1989. The figures therefore cover search and rescue missions flown from RAF Leuchars from 1 October to 30 April in each of the years from 1984–85 to 1989–90 inclusive.

  I can confirm that these arrangements will continue to apply in the future; however, I cannot be specific as to the particular timing of pay and conditions reviews or the resulting awards.

  Germany
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the special review of the terms and conditions applied to dependent locally entered civilians in Germany has been completed; and whether there are any implications for locally entered teachers.

  Mr. Neubert
  The special review of the terms and conditions of dependent locally entered civilians has been completed. As a result, a number of changes are to be implemented and those affecting the majority of dependant employees will be announced in May.

  Locally entered teachers (LETs) will receive a pay increase with effect from 11 May 1990, as will all dependant employees. The review highlighted areas in which improvements to LET conditions could be made

  115
  and work is in hand to define new procedures and introduce them at the earliest opportunity. They will be aimed at providing greater security of employment and improving the status of LETs.

  Royal Artillery Museum
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his Department's current plans for the provision of a permanent site for the Royal Artillery museum.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Royal Artillery museum is already accommodated in Ministry of Defence property at Woolwich and the Department has no plans to change these arrangements.

  Royal Artillery, Woolwich
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consideration he has given to the future of the Royal Artillery garrison at Woolwich; and with what result.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  One disposal which has been in hand for some time is that of Connaught barracks, Woolwich, which is due for completion of contract in July this year. No further major disposals are envisaged at present.

  National Sports Centre, Cardiff
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what investigations were made into the standard of maintenance of the shooting range at the national sports centre, Cardiff, prior to the incident of a bullet passing through the backstop wall in July 1989.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Army does not conduct safety inspections at civilian maintained ranges unless specifically requested to do so by the owners. Prior to the incident in July last year, no such request had been received as regards this particular range since its certification in July 1972.

  Departmental Housing
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence houses are vacant in(a) Cardiff and (b) South Glamorgan; and what proportion this is of the total Ministry of Defence housing stock in (a) the city and (b) the county.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 31 March 1990, the latest date for which complete figures are available, there were three vacant Ministry of Defence housing properties in Cardiff, amounting to 6·5 per cent. of the total stock; the figures for south Glamorgan as a whole (including Cardiff) are 171 and 19·5 per cent. respectively. The majority of these vacant properties are either undergoing or awaiting major modernisation work, while the remainder have all been allotted to service families who will be moving in shortly.

  Training
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) regular, (b) territorial and (c) cadet forces were training in each United Kingdom land force district in 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not readily available. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to my hon. Friend.

  Ranges (Manorbier and Penally)
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the annual usage of (i) Manorbier range, Pembrokeshire and (ii) Penally range, Pembrokeshire including the types of unit using each range, the numbers, frequency and the main uses for which the ranges are used.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Manorbier range is used mainly by Royal Artillery units for practice firings of low-level air defence weapons including Javeline and Blowpipe. In 1989, regular and Territorial Army use totalled 11,067 and 11,294 man training days respectively.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) regular Army personnel and (b) civilian personnel are employed (i) full time and (ii) part time at Manorbier and Penally ranges in Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Two regular Army and eight civilian personnel are employed full time at Manorbier ranges and eight civilian personnel are employed at Penally. No part-time staff are employed at either range.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of (i) Manorbier range, Pembrokeshire and (ii) Penally range, Pembrokeshire; and if he will break down the annual costs into their main components.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Manpower costs alone total £98,000 for Manorbier and £69,225 for Penally. Further detail is not readily available in the form requested.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many beds are available at (i) Manorbier range, Pembrokeshire and (ii) Penally range, Pembrokeshire for visiting troops.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There is accommodation for 600 visiting troops at Penally range; there are no beds available for visiting troops at Manorbier range.

  Personal Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of (i) regular Army personnel, (ii) territorial army personnel and (iii) civilian personnel in(a) each United Kingdom land forces district and (b) each United Kingdom land forces district headquarters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Approximate numbers are:
  117

  Headquarters

  Whole district

  Regular

  TA

  Civilian

  Regular

  TA

  Civilian

  Scotland

  70

  30

  70

  2,800

  9,800

  2,100

  South East

  100

  40

  70

  26,300

  10,100

  9,900

  North East

  80

  30

  50

  10,600

  12,300

  3,400

  East

  60

  40

  100

  7,700

  8,000

  2,900

  London

  140

  20

  120

  9,200

  11,100

  2,100

  South West

  80

  30

  120

  16,500

  4,700

  5,600

  Wales

  30

  20

  90

  1,200

  4,900

  2,200

  Western

  50

  20

  50

  4,700

  5,800

  4,100

  North West

  60

  30

  90

  1,600

  6,900

  1,300

  Total

  670

  260

  760

  80,600

  73,600

  33,600

  Landforce Districts
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the annual cost of each United Kingdom landforce district headquarters; and if he will break down the costs into their main components.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the rank of the senior officer in each United Kingdom landforces district.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Except for Scotland, Northern Ireland and South-East district which are each commanded by a lieutenant-general, Army districts in the United Kingdom are commanded by officers of major-general rank.

  Army Recruits
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give the percentage and number of entrants to the regular army recruited in each United Kingdom landforce district in 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information is not available in the precise format requested. The table gives details of entrants to the regular Army (excluding officers), by district, for the last four financial years.

  Enlistments to the Army by United Kingdom landforce districtfinancial years 1986–87 to 1989–90 for servicemen (including YoungSoldiers and Juniors) and servicewomen (WRAC and QARANC)

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percentage

  1986–87

  North East

  2,695

  212

  2,907

  16·3

  Western

  1,311

  125

  1,436

  8·1

  Eastern

  2,314

  137

  2,451

  13–8

  South East

  1,934

  104

  2,038

  11·4

  London

  814

  31

  845

  4·7

  South West

  1,459

  102

  1,561

  8·8

  North West

  2,981

  99

  3,080

  17·3

  Scotland

  1,881

  124

  2,005

  11·3

  Wales

  1,031

  77

  1,108

  6·2

  Northern Ireland

  374

  10

  384

  2·2

  Total

  16,794

  1,021

  17,815

  100·0

  1987–88

  North East

  3,156

  201

  3,357

  17·4

  Western

  1,457

  98

  1,555

  8·0

  Eastern

  2,594

  146

  2,740

  14·2

  South East

  1,868

  111

  1,979

  10·2

  London

  807

  37

  844

  4·4

  South West

  1,543

  80

  1,623

  8·4

  118

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Percent age

  North West

  3,299

  114

  3,413

  17·7

  Scotland

  1,995

  103

  2,098

  10·9

  Wales

  1,125

  84

  1,209

  6·3

  Northern Ireland

  491

  14

  505

  2·6

  Total

  18,335

  988

  19,323

  100·0

  1988–89

  North East

  3,369

  253

  3,622

  18·5

  Western

  1,659

  125

  1,784

  9·1

  Eastern

  2,396

  193

  2,589

  13·2

  South East

  1,699

  125

  1,824

  9·3

  London

  720

  27

  747

  3·8

  South West

  1,525

  104

  1,629

  8·3

  North West

  3,267

  157

  3,424

  17·5

  Scotland

  2,084

  150

  2,234

  11·4

  Wales

  1,125

  101

  1,226

  6·3

  Northern Ireland

  448

  35

  483

  2·5

  Total

  18,292

  1,270

  19,562

  100·0

  1989–90

  North East

  3,593

  339

  3,932

  19·8

  Western

  1,766

  157

  1,923

  9·7

  Eastern

  2,438

  179

  2,617

  13·1

  South East

  1,586

  132

  1,718

  8·6

  London

  762

  40

  802

  4·0

  South West

  1,492

  124

  1,616

  8·1

  North West

  3,031

  195

  3,226

  16·2

  Scotland

  2,079

  168

  2,247

  11·3

  Wales

  1,310

  123

  1,433

  7·2

  Northern Ireland

  366

  23

  389

  2·0

  Total

  18,423

  1,480

  19,903

  100·0

  Army Units, Wales
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regular army units are permanently stationed in Wales.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Though many units visit Wales to train and significant numbers of personnel are employed on numerous duties such as managing training establishments and ranges, there are no formed units permanently stationed there.

  Planning Decisions
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what occasions since 1960 his Department has initiated an application under the planning laws and subsequently claimed Crown immunity to overide an adverse planning decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  None. My Department follows the planning procedures as laid down in the appropriate DOE,
  119
  Scottish Office and Welsh Office circulars. Where the local planning authority concerned raises objections to an application for development by my Department, it would be for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence to decide whether or not to refer that proposal to the Secretary of State for the Environment, the Secretary of State for Scotland or the Secretary of State for Wales, as appropriate.

  Army Costs
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the relative annual costs of(a) a regular Army private based in the United Kingdom and (b) a Territorial army private.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Relative full annual costs of a regular Army private based in the United Kingdom and a Territorial Army private are as follows:

  £ per annum

  (a) Regular Army private

  17,870

  (b) TA private

  1,471

  The cost of a regular private is based on a full year of 365 days whereas the annual cost of a TA private is based on an average number of 20 training days each year.

  Radar Installations
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there are any plans to site additional radar installations in west Wales in addition to the over the horizon radar installation proposed for the former St. David's airfield, Pembrokeshire.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  There are no current plans for additional radar sites in west Wales, beyond the planned two-year trial of an over the horizon radar at St. David's airfield.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any evidence as to whether the operation of over the horizon radar installation proposed for the site of the former St. David's airfield could cause cancer or AIDS to people living in the near vicinity.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  Faslane
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what regulations, guidelines or criteria have been used to assess the safety of the proposed shiplift facility at Faslane; and in what circumstances he envisages the shiplift being used during the trials of the Trident submarines.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The shiplift at the Clyde submarine base, Faslane is being designed and built to stringent nuclear safety standards, comparable with those in the civil nuclear power industry. The facility will not be approved for use until its safety has been independently assessed. There is no planned usage of the shiplift during submarines' sea trials, but should a defect occur which requires a submarine to be docked, then the shiplift would be one possible option to meet this contingency.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he anticipates that the construction of the shiplift at Faslane will be completed(a) on schedule and (b) without cost increases.
  120
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The shiplift at the Clyde submarine base, Faslane is expected to be ready within the timescale required for Trident and other submarine programmes. It is not our policy to discuss estimated costs of individual projects but there has been some increase because of the need to meet stringent nuclear safety requirements.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any changes to the contract with Cementation Construction Ltd. for the construction of the shiplift at Faslane have been negotiated since the signing of the original contract.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The contractual arrangements with the main contractor for the shiplift are commercially confidential.

  Tanks
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of Defence what re-assessment has been made in the last 12 months of the number of tanks that will be required to replace the Chieftain tank.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the answer which I gave the hon. Member on 30 March 1990 at col.331.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make a statement to the House announcing his decision regarding orders for the European fighter aircraft.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence made earlier today.

  Ghurka (Community Charge)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the average community charge for Ghurka service personnel stationed in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The average community charge for Ghurka personnel stationed at the four major locations in the United Kingdom is about £364 per annum.

  Chieftain Tank
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications have taken place between his Department and Vickers regarding the economic and industrial consequences of decisions regarding the replacement of the Chieftain tank.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  None.

  Reserves
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will be increasing the role of reserves in(a) the Army, (b) the Royal Navy and (c) the Royal Air Force over the next 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The role of the reserves is continually reviewed in the light of prevailing conditions, including international developments.

  CGT DEPENDENT RELATIVE RELIEF
  CGT DEPENDENT RELATIVE RELIEF
  CGT INDEXATION RELIEF WITHDRAWAL
  CGT INDEXATION RELIEF WITHDRAWAL
  FOSSIL FUEL LEVY REGULATIONS 1990
  FOSSIL FUEL LEVY REGULATIONS 1990
  TRAINING AND ENTERPRISE COUNCILS: FUNDING
  TRAINING AND ENTERPRISE COUNCILS: FUNDING
  EC SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAMME: EMPLOYMENT IMPLICATIONS
  EC SOCIAL ACTION PROGRAMME: EMPLOYMENT IMPLICATIONS
  PRISONS: DISTURBANCES
  PRISONS: DISTURBANCES
  MANCHESTER PRISON: FUTURE
  MANCHESTER PRISON: FUTURE
  MANCHESTER PRISON: YOUNG OFFENDERS
  MANCHESTER PRISON: YOUNG OFFENDERS
  DURHAM PRISON: YOUNG OFFENDERS
  DURHAM PRISON: YOUNG OFFENDERS
  PRISONS: OFFICER/INMATE RATIO 1950–90
  PRISONS: OFFICER/INMATE RATIO 1950–90