Written Answers of 10 May 1990

ENVIRONMENT

  Tenants' Choice
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to take further powers to prevent undue pressure on tenants of a local authority in relation to their right to determine whether to transfer to alternative landlords; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so. Although some local authorities have sought to dissuade public sector tenants from pursuing their statutory rights under tenants' choice unbiased information and advice is already available to tenants from the Housing Corporation. Next week I will be launching a series of four explanatory videos which the corporation will be ready to show to interested tenants' groups.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of expenditure by Shrewsbury and Atcham and Shropshire county council will be raised by the uniform business rate; and what were the Government's original estimates if councils had kept to spending guidelines;

  (2) what proportion of expenditure by Shrewsbury and Atcham and Shrophire county council will be raised by the community charge for the area; and what were the Government's original estimates if councils had kept to spending guidelines.

  Mr. Chope
  Business rates formed 36 per cent. and community charges 41 per cent. of the income required to finance Shrewsbury and Atcham district council's demand and its share (23 per cent.) of Shropshire county council's aggregate precepts. Had the authorities spent at the level of their standard spending assessments, the proportions would have been 38 per cent. and 37 per cent. respectively. Charge yield is gross of community charge benefits and transitional relief grant.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discretion is given to local authorities to vary the level of community charge in those areas where the cost of some local services is borne directly by local residents.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: Authorities have no discretion to vary the level of community charge in those areas where the cost of some local services is borne directly by local residents, but they can vary the level of charge so that their special expenses are borne only by those charge payers of the area to which the expenses relate. An authority may treat the following as its special expenses:
  —the expenses of meeting a levy or special levy issued to it;
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  —the expenses incurred by it in performing in a part of its area a function performed elsewhere in its area by a body with power to issue a levy or special levy to it, provided that it has also resolved to treat the expenses of meeting that levy or special levy as its "special expenses";
  —expenditure which it incurs in performing in a part of its area a function performed elsewhere in its area by the sub-Treasurer of the Inner Temple, the under-treasurer of the Middle Temple, a parish or community council or the chairman of a parish meeting;
  —expenditure relating to a property held in trust for part of its area.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of(a) the amount of staff time and (b) the total cost of recent exercises by his Department attempting to exemplify systems of local government finance favoured by the opposition parties.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: When hon. Members table questions asking for exemplifications of different systems of local government finance, these are provided when the costs of doing so are not disproportionate bearing in mind the normal guidelines for preparing answers to parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of local authority revenue expenditure in 1990–91 will be met by (i) central Government grant, (ii) national non-domestic rate, and (iii) poll tax expressed both in £ million and percentage terms.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: The figures for England are:

  £ million

  per cent.

  Government grants

  12,700

  35

  National non-domestic rate

  10,400

  29

  Community charges

  12,700

  35

  The above table understates central Government support, as it excludes community charge rebates, and other grants outside aggregate Exchequer finance. If these amounts are included within Government grants the figures are:

  £ million

  per cent.

  Government grants

  19,700

  48

  National non-domestic rate

  10,700

  26

  Community charges

  10,400

  26

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a seaman is exempt from the community charge if his period of service on board a ship is continuous for eight months or amounts to a total of eight months in a year.

  Mr. Portillo
  In the first instance, this is a matter for the community charges registration officer for the area in which the seaman lives. It is open to any charge payer to appeal to his local valuation and community charge tribunal against a decision by his registration officer.

  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those English local authorities which have offered single household payment arrangements to householders for payment of the community charge; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Chope
  My Department does not hold this information, but I understand that many local authorities are offering this arrangement.

  Waste Disposal Seminar
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he or officials of his Department have been invited to participate in the seminar "Dealing with Waste: the Emerging Regulatory Framework" organised by the Centre for International Environmental Law, to be held in London on 5 June.

  Mr. Trippier
  Officials have received an invitation, but I regret that, owing to other commitments, it is not possible for the Department to supply a speaker on this occasion.

  Council House Sales
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount, in 1990 prices, was spent to promote the right to buy in England and Wales in each full year of operation.

  Mr. Chope
  Expenditure incurred by the Department on specific publicity to draw the attention of tenants in England and Wales to their right to buy their homes is set out in the table, at 1989–90 prices:

  £ thousands

  1980–81

  1,109

  1981–82

  369

  1982–83

  121

  1983–84

  —

  1984–85

  1,710

  1985–86

  373

  1986–87

  805

  1987–88

  29

  1988–89

  80

  1989–90

  —

  In addition, costs have been incurred on the on-going projects of printing the booklet "Your right to buy your home", and in distributing the video "Buying your council home"; in 1989–90, these are estimated at about £66,000.

  Pollution Control Regulations
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to introduce regulations relating to the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 makes provision for the registration of carriers of controlled waste and extends the powers available to regulation authorities to deal with vehicles used in the illegal disposal of waste. The registration of carriers is closely related to the new duty of care in the Environmental Protection Bill and the 1989 amendment Act as a whole will greatly assist the deterrence, detection and prosecution of fly-tippers. It is our intention to implement all of the measures in the 1989 Act at the earliest possible date. The regulations necessary to bring the Act into force are therefore being prepared and will be issued for consultation as soon as possible.

  Housing Act 1988
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the implementation of the Housing Act 1988.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The Housing Act 1988 laid the foundations for a revitalised independent rented sector and enabled an expansion of housing association activity using private finance. It gave public sector tenants new opportunities to choose their landlord or become home owners, and required local authorities to make annual reports to their tenants on their housing management performance. The main effects have been as follows:

  (a) there are clear indications of a revival of activity in the private rented market: some £480 million has so far been invested in rented property under the business expansion scheme, which should produce an additional 8,000 homes for letting;

  (b) new grant arrangements for housing associations were introduced in April 1989. Massive increases in public funding, together with the growing use of private loan finance, should come close to doubling the annual output of new housing association homes by 1992–93;

  (c) the introduction of tenants' choice has already had an important effect on local housing authorities' attitudes to, and readiness to communicate with, their tenants, and the Housing Corporation is helping many tenants' groups up and down the country to explore the new opportunities now available to them;

  (d) tenants of public sector housing designed or adapted for disabled people have been able to exercise the right to buy and tenants have made good use of a new sanction against reluctant or inefficient landlords who delay sales;

  (e) local authorities have used their new power to pay cash incentives to help existing tenants to buy homes of their own and so release vacancies for reletting to homeless families: 44 authorities had schemes approved in 1989–90, and in the current year 80 schemes have been approved with the potential to release 2,555 homes.

  Housing Transfers
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many tenants' choice transfers of housing stock have been agreed under the Housing Act 1989; and where they are located;

  (2) how many tenants' choice transfers of housing stock have been attempted unsuccessfully under the Housing Act 1985; and where they are located;

  (3) how many tenants' choice transfers of housing stock have been attempted unsuccessfully under the Housing Act 1988; and where they are located;

  (4) how many tenants' choice transfers under the Housing Act 1988 are pending.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  The term "tenants' choice", is used to refer only to transfers of housing stock under part IV of the Housing Act 1988, as amended by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. One formal application has been made to acquire property under those provisions, on the Walterton and Elgin estate, Westminster. That application is still in progress.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many transfers of housing stock have been made made under the Housing Act 1985; and where they are located.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Sections 32 and 43 of the Housing Act 1985 give powers to local authorities to dispose of
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  housing and housing land and relate to a wide range of disposals. Where a disposal takes place under a general consent, the authority is under no obligation to inform the Department that the disposal has taken place.

  Among the disposals to which consent has been given under these powers are voluntary transfers by five authorities of most or all of their housing. The authorities are: Broadland district council; Chiltern district council; Newbury district council; Sevenoaks district council; and Swale borough council.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many transfers under the Housing Act 1985 are pending.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is currently considering six applications from local authorities to transfer tenanted housing to new landlords.

  Rivers
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the National Rivers Authority has told his Department which 20 rivers in England and Wales it is giving priority to investigating, in order to formulate solutions to low flows during the summer months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Department would not expect to be involved in the detail of the National Rivers Authority's work on this or other of its statutory responsibilities until the authority was in a position to put forward specific proposals. I am sure, however, that the authority would be happy to provide my right hon. Friend with the information he requires.

  Bench Mark Levels
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is planning to discontinue the system of revision of bench mark levels in the British Isles.

  Mr. Trippier
  Bench marks established by Ordnance Survey in Great Britain are maintained at predetermined levels which are dependent on the type of terrain and degree of land development. Levelling policy is kept under periodic review.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to the answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 383, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available.

  Mr. Chope
  The latest estimate of expenditure on energy for buildings occupied by my Department for 1989–90 is:

  £

  Electricity

  1,593,562

  Gas

  831,377

  Liquid Fuel

  362,696

  Solid Fuel

  4,003

  Sewage
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has reached a decision about the scheme proposed by the North West water company to discharge sewage via a long sea outfall into the Lune deep.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Secretary of State has given careful consideration to the applications submitted by the then North West water authority, to the representations received and to the benefits of the proposed scheme. He has also had regard to his policy announcement on 5 March that all substantial discharges of sewage should be treated. In the light of these considerations, he has decided not to give his consent to the proposed scheme which does not incorporate treatment and where there is no guarantee that a suitable site for a treatment works will become available. Letters have gone today to the North West Water plc and to the National Rivers Authority informing them of this decision. All those who made representations about this scheme will be informed in due course.

  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has reached a decision about the scheme proposed by the South West water company to discharge sewage via a long sea outfall into the sea at Gwithian.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Secretary of State has given careful consideration to the applications submitted by the then South West water authority, to the representations received and to the benefits of the proposed scheme. He has also had regard to his policy announcement on 5 March that all substantial discharges of sewage should be treated. In the light of these considerations he has decided that he can give his consent to the proposed scheme on the conditions that it be modified to incorporate primary treatment and that there must be scope for the addition of secondary treatment later should this prove necessary. Letters have gone today to South West Water plc and to the National Rivers Authority informing them of this decision. All those who made representations about this scheme will be informed in due course.

  Members' Tea Room
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that the unclean areas within the Members' Tea Room are properly and urgently cleaned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: Discussions are taking place about possible changes in the arrangements for cleaning the Members' Tea Room.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  War Widows Pensions
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will take steps to extend the conditions for the payment of war pensions which apply to the widows of officers to the widows of other ranks.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The basic condition for entitlement to a war widows pension, namely, that the husband's death was due to or substantially hastened by service in the armed forces, applies to the widows of officers and the widows of other ranks alike.
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  The hon. Member may be referring to the different provisions which apply to the widows of officers and those of other ranks if they remarry. All war widows pensions cease on remarriage and the widows of other ranks receive a gratuity equal to one year's pension. The widow of an officer does not receive a gratuity but, if she is widowed again, her war widows pension may be restored in whole or in part, subject to her other income. These long-standing provisions have been discussed with organisations representing the interests of war widows, with a view to change, but no consensus emerged on what that change should be.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to the answer of 30 April.Official Report, column 419, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, for the latest year available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures are for the financial year 1988–89. The division of the administration of Department of Health and Social Security was not completed at that time and the figures therefore reflect the cost of consumption of both Departments.

  £ million

  Gas

  2·78

  Electricity

  6·51

  Solid fuel

  0·27

  Liquid fuel

  0·41

  Erythropoletic Porphyria
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he has assessed the effect of erythropoletic porphyria on the mobility of children;

  (2) if he will widen the criteria for mobility allowance so as to include those unable to walk in daylight because of the disorder congenital erythropoletic porphyria.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answers 3 May 1990]: We are aware of the recent representations made on behalf of a child suffering from this disorder. Apart from the recent extension we have made to deaf-blind people, the current criteria for award of mobility allowance do not provide for people who are able to walk but are restricted in the extent to which they can use this ability. We have no current plans to extend these criteria to meet the effects of particular disorders. I have written to the right hon. Member about the particular case which I believe underlies his concern.

WALES

  Departmental Savings
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what value for money savings have been achieved by his Department in the last year; and how much of this was as a result of advice from the Central Unit on Purchasing.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In the year 1989–90 the Welsh Office expenditure on purchasing totalled £155 million against 192
  which it achieved value for money savings of £14·4 million. It is not possible to attribute particular value for money savings to advice from the Central Unit on Purchasing. The role of the unit is to provide advice and guidance on best purchasing practice; it provides overall support and guidance and encourages value for money across all Departments.

  Health Service, Gwynedd
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when the Gwynedd health authority last provided his Department with strategic plans concerning Health Service provision in the Caernarfon area; and at what date he expects updated plans to be made available to him.

  Mr. Grist
  Gwynedd health authority submitted its last service-wide strategic plan to the Welsh Office in 1986. It is currently proposed to ask health authorities to submit their next long-term plans by December 1991.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the chairman of Gwynedd health authority has informed him as to whether revenue resources provided by the Welsh Office to that authority, are adequate for the maintenance of current standards of health care by that authority in Gwynedd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to him on Wednesday 9 May which indicated that neither my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State nor his predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Walker), had received any recent representations from the chairman of the Gwynedd health authority concering the adequacy of that authority's current level of revenue provision.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any changes have been instituted following the report of Welsh Office consultants on the financial position of Gwynedd health authority in September 1987, concerning the budgetary control procedures of that authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Gwynedd health authority's budgetary control procedures, along with those of all other health authorities in Wales, were examined by the statutory auditor during the course of his 1987–88 audit round. The auditor found that the criticisms of such procedures as had been made previously by Deloitte Haskins and Sells in its 1987 report on the authority's financial position were being addressed and, in keeping remedial action under review, he did not find cause to report on progress during his 1988–89 audit round. Indeed, I would expect all of the weaknesses in the authority's control procedures that were identified in 1987 to have been remedied by now, particularly since my right hon. Friend's predecessor, my right hon. Friend the Member for Worcester (Mr. Walker) wrote to all DHA chairmen in 1989 stressing the need for strict budgetary control and received an assurance from each chairman that this need was well appreciated. However, the apparent further deterioration in Gwynedd health authority's financial position during 1989–90 suggests that action taken to date by the authority to restore budgetary control has not been sufficient. My right hon. Friend and I therefore await the findings of the further study by Coopers and Lybrand, Deloitte which has recently been commissioned by the authority together with
  193
  any further reports which the statutory auditor may choose to issue during the course of his current audit round.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the names of those appointed by him to the Gwynedd health authority currently serving on that authority; and, for each member, what was the date of appointment and the date on which the appointment terminates or comes up for re-appointment.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is as follows:

  Date current appointment made

  Date current appointment expires

  Mrs. N. L. Edwards CBE (Chairman)

  1 August 1986

  31 July 1990

  Dr. J. B. T. Griffiths

  22 August 1986

  31 July 1990

  Mr. G. Hulse

  19 August 1988

  31 July 1992

  Mr. G. W. Jones

  1 August 1986

  31 July 1990

  Dr. J. H. Jones

  1 August 1988

  31 July 1992

  Mr. R. H. P. Oliver

  1 August 1988

  31 July 1992

  Lt. Col. Prescott Walker

  1 August 1986

  31 July 1990

  Lady Jane Stanley

  1 August 1986

  31 July 1990

  Mr. T. Thomas

  19 August 1988

  31 July 1992

  Mrs. M. P. Wiliam

  1 August 1986

  31 July 1990

  Mr. J. L. Williams

  1 August 1988

  31 July 1992

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has given the Gwynedd health authority permission to plan a reduction in services to the public during 1990–91 involving increasing hospital waiting lists; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The permission of my right hon. Friend is not required for planned changes in health services solely on the basis that they might affect hospital waiting lists.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each of the past 10 years the expenditure funded by his Department for current account spending of Gwynedd health authority in terms of(a) current money figures and (b) constant money figures.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is shown in the table:

  Revenue charge against cash limit

  At outturn prices (£000)

  At constant 1988–89 prices (£000)1

  1979–80

  23,169

  43,602

  1980–81

  30,153

  47,949

  1981–82

  34,023

  49,277

  1982–83

  37,212

  50,267

  1983–84

  39,146

  50,522

  1984–85

  44,250

  54,407

  1985–86

  47,794

  55,775

  1986–87

  49,903

  56,323

  1987–88

  55,841

  59,818

  1988–89

  62,637

  62,637

  1 Outturn prices adjusted by reference to the gross domestic product index of general inflation.

  Source: Health authority annual accounts.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether Welsh Office approval was sought or needed by Gwynedd healh authority for the reduction in services in the Arfon area caused by the reduction of four nursing posts in the Arfon unit community service; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Grist
  No approval was needed or sought.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by items, the proposed annual revenue savings of the action plan proposed by Welsh Office consultants in September 1987 for cost reduction by Gwynedd health authority; and for the last recent available date what is the extent to which each of these items has been achieved or will be achieved in the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Grist
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps under the default powers of section 85 of the National Health Service Act 1977 to remove every nominated member of Gwynedd health authority from their office in favour of new appointees.

  Mr. Grist
  No.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied that the Gwynedd health authority acted within its statutory powers and responsibilities during the financial year 1989–90.

  Mr. Grist
  I have no reason to believe that the Gwynedd health authority did not act within its statutory powers and responsibilities, but in common with all other health authorities in Wales the authority will be subjected to an annual review of its performance in 1989–90 conducted by the executive committee of the health policy board.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he still accepts the report of Deloitte Haskins and Sells, on the financial position of the Gwynedd health authority, as the guiding document for the financial restructuring of the Gwynedd health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The action plan aimed at bringing the Gwynedd health authority back into financial balance which was drawn up by the general manager of the authority early in 1988 with the help of the management consultants, Deloitte Haskins and Sells remains the agreed strategy for the financial restructuring of the authority. However, in the light of the apparent further deterioration in its financial position, the authority, with some Welsh Office financial assistance, has re-engaged the consultants to help review the situation, to identify whatever further action is necessary to restore financial balance, and to produce a pathfinder business plan for the contractual provision of services from 1 April 1991.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table for each of the district health authorities in Wales showing how much(a) capital work was funded from revenue and (b) revenue work was funded from capital receipts, for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is set out in the following table and relates to the virement exercised by district health authorities between their discretionary capital and revenue allocations:
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  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  District Health Authority

  Capital to revenue1

  Revenue to capital

  Capital to revenue1

  Revenue to capital

  Capital to revenue1

  Revenue to capital

  Capital to revenue1

  Revenue to capital

  Capital to revenue1

  Revenue to capital

  Clwyd

  —

  1·200

  1·000

  1·936

  —

  1·150

  —

  1·450

  0·044

  —

  East Dyfed

  —

  0·250

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·147

  —

  —

  1·700

  Gwent

  0·125

  0·391

  —

  1·994

  —

  2·050

  0·150

  1·889

  1·230

  0·021

  Gwynedd

  0·142

  —

  0·170

  —

  —

  0·392

  0·019

  —

  1·350

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  2·280

  0·434

  0·960

  —

  0·988

  —

  0·254

  —

  —

  —

  Pembrokeshire

  0·126

  0·748

  —

  0·815

  —

  1·250

  —

  1·170

  —

  0·970

  Powys

  —

  0·100

  —

  0·289

  0·087

  0·070

  —

  0·053

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  0·269

  2·045

  0·400

  2·456

  —

  1·397

  1·355

  0·231

  1·916

  3·458

  West Glamorgan

  —

  3·625

  —

  5·148

  —

  4·000

  —

  3·956

  —

  2·976

  1 It is not possible to identify separately, revenue work funded from capital receipts. The information provided relates to the totality of DHAs' discretionary capital allocations and receipts.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each of the past five years the level of capital expenditure of each of the nine district health authorities in Wales.

  £000's

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Clwyd

  4,474

  7,354

  5,966

  6,061

  6,610

  East Dyfed

  2,204

  1,818

  2,561

  1,980

  2,658

  Gwent

  4,101

  4,029

  6,970

  6,910

  7,198

  Gwynedd

  2,811

  936

  1,248

  3,457

  2,066

  Mid Glamorgan

  3,013

  7,955

  5,198

  5,738

  6,268

  Pembrokeshire

  1,260

  1,734

  2,386

  2,668

  2,705

  Powys

  949

  1,257

  1,186

  971

  1,037

  South Glamorgan

  6,245

  3,614

  6,441

  4,619

  5,160

  West Glamorgan

  5,258

  8,348

  10,835

  11,225

  12,654

  Total DHAs Wales

  30,315

  37,045

  42,791

  43,629

  46,356

  Source: Health authorities annual accounts.

  Cottage Hospital, Caernarfon
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what are the estimated annual savings of closing the Cottage hospital, Caernarfon; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many minor casualty cases were treated by the Cottage hospital, Caernarfon during 1989; and what proportion of such cases (a) will be dealt with by local general practitioners, and (b) is expected to travel to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor for casualty treatment, following the closure of the Cottage hospital;

  (3) what was the average number of available beds and the percentage bed occupancy at the Cottage hospital, Caernarfon during 1989; and what were the assumptions made in the public consultation document on the proposed closure of that hospital, published by the Gwynedd health authority in 1987;

  (4) what alternative new provision is being made at other hospitals in Caenarfon to replace facilities that have hitherto been provided at the Cottage hospital, Caernarfon.

  Mr. Grist
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply of 9 May 1990.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 427, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, for the latest year available.
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  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  Mr. David Hunt
  Expenditure on energy consumption in buildings occupied by my Department in 1988–89 was as follows:

  £

  Electricity

  367,407

  Gas

  88,509

  Liquid fuel

  24,198

  Solid fuel

  2,431

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisons (Isle of Wight)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he will take to ensure that the recent incidents at Isle of Wight prisons will be fully investigated and the necessary steps taken to ensure the maintenance of secure conditions at Parkhurst, Albany and Camp Hill.

  Mr. Mellor
  All serious incidents are investigated, and steps are taken, as appropriate, to guard against a recurrence and to ensure that security at the establishment is maintained.

  Probation Service
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current number of probation officers in the probation service; and what is the average number of cases an officer deals with in a year.
  197
  Mr. John Patten
  The number of probation officers in post in 1988 was 6,604 (whole-time equivalents) and the average number of persons under supervision by a maingrade officer on general duties (that is, excluding community service orders) was 29 (tables 10.1 and 11.1 of "Probation Statistics, England and Wales, 1988"). In 1989, the number of probation officers was 6,750.

  Dogs
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what statistics are centrally maintained on the incidence of attacks by dogs on people; and what information he has on the level of attacks and the types of breeds involved in the past decade.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is not available centrally.

  Immigration and Nationality Division
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the cost of the immigration and nationality division in the years 1987 to 1989;

  (2) what revenue was generated by the immigration and nationality division in the years 1987 to 1989.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Immigration and Nationality Department expenditure and receipts

  £ million

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Pay running costs

  42·9

  49·9

  57·8

  Non-pay running costs

  13·4

  14·3

  16·6

  Non-running costs

  4·5

  4·4

  5·3

  Total gross expenditure

  60·8

  68·7

  79–8

  Receipts

  16·8

  7·9

  4–2

  Immigration1 (Carriers' liability) Act receipts

  1·8

  2·2

  2·1

  1 These receipts are not appropriated-in-aid to the IND budget and Home Office vote, but are paid direct into the Consolidated Fund.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the financial contribution made to the immigration and nationality division by Commonwealth citizens in the years 1987 to 1989.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is not readily available, and could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 400, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, for the latest year available.

  Mr. Waddington
  The information is as follows:198

  Expenditure on energy consumption in 21 Home Office buildings in 1989–90

  Site

  Gas £

  Electricity £

  Oil £

  Solid £

  Abell house

  18,182

  115,827

  0

  0

  Branston

  1,172

  62,983

  0

  186,098

  Cleland house

  17,605

  108,322

  0

  0

  Clive house

  10,881

  44,357

  0

  0

  Corby

  4,043

  16,071

  4,122

  0

  Cowley

  3,266

  8,561

  0

  0

  Dunkeswell

  0

  7,896

  434

  0

  Easingwold

  0

  19,435

  9,489

  0

  Fire Service college

  124,259

  123,895

  73,567

  0

  Harmondsworth

  3,407

  38,020

  19,472

  0

  Horseferry house

  0

  53,696

  10,376

  0

  Horsham

  2,128

  9,889

  0

  0

  Inverness

  0

  6,474

  0

  0

  Langhurst

  0

  12,135

  1,200

  0

  Leeds

  18,739

  13,812

  0

  0

  Lunar house

  0

  134,396

  31,706

  0

  Olympia

  0

  10,580

  5,390

  0

  Queen Anne's gate

  31,342

  309,392

  37,895

  0

  Sandridge

  0

  32,165

  9,655

  0

  Steventon

  0

  27,480

  28,184

  0

  Woking

  20,123

  14,184

  0

  0

  1Expenditure on liquid petroleum gas.

  Marches and Demonstrations
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of state for the Home Department if it is the practice for police forces to make a report to him of marches and demonstrations which have occurred in their area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A report from a police force to the Department about a public procession or assembly which had been held in the force area would normally be made only if one was requested by the Department.

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made by local authorities in fulfilling their civil defence obligations during the third year of the planned programme for implementation of the Civil Defence (General Local Authority Functions) Regulations 1983.

  Mr. John Patten
  Copies of a report on implementation of the 1983 regulations by 30 September 1989 have today been placed in the Library. The report discusses local authorities' progress in meeting their civil defence obligations since the last such report, which covered the period up to 1 October 1988.

  The planned programme for implementation was introduced in 1986 to monitor local authority progress under the 1983 regulations. It provides a broad framework within which the work can be developed and enables the Government to assess whether the civil defence duties of local authorities are being adequately discharged and thus whether grant can properly be paid.

  It is clear that the planned programme for implementation has been an effective means of developing the planning process. A circular is therefore being issued to local authorities today announcing the Government's decision to extend the planned programme for implementation into a sixth year covering the period from October 1991 to September 1992.

  The Government will continue to monitor local authority activity and the value for money in the grant

  199
  paid by calling for annual progress reports and costed programmes of work which will be the subject of individual discussion.

  Manchester Prison
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the inquiry into the serious disturbances at Her Majesty's prison, Manchester and other establishments.

  Mr. Waddington
  I understand that Lord Justice Woolf envisages the inquiry falling into two parts. The first part of the inquiry will examine the facts of the disturbances and evidence will be taken in public. The second part of the inquiry will involve consideration of the wider issues which may, in Lord Justice Woolf's view, underlie the recent serious prison disturbances. Lord Justice Woolf considers that it would be helpful if he was assisted in this second part of the inquiry by Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons, Judge Tumin, with his wide experience and independent view of prison matters. On the advice of Lord Justice Woolf and after consultation with Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons, I have therefore decided that once the first part of Lord Justice Woolfs inquiry has been completed Judge Tumin should join with him in the second part of the inquiry.

  Immigration Control (Heathrow)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what reports he has received of airline passengers arriving at Heathrow being detained airside by officials of the carrying company and compelled to board departing aircraft without access to immigration officials; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what involvement immigration officials had in the refusal of entry to Tamils who arrived at Heathrow on 9 April as passengers of Egyptair and British Airways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: I understand that a group of seven Sri Lankans arrived at Heathrow on 5 April on an Egyptair flight, and a further group of three on 9 April by British Airways. None of the passengers was presented at the immigration control and none was refused entry. Later inquiries established that the airlines concerned had returned the groups to Cairo and Rome respectively. It is being made clear to representatives of the two airlines that any passenger who wishes to seek entry to the United Kingdom must be presented at the immigration control on arrival.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 406, if he will give the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by the Privy Council Office for the latest year available, in kilowatt hours and therms.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The figures given in my answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 406, represent 195,414 kWh and 9,100 therms of electricity and gas respectively.

ENERGY

  Spent Nuclear Fuel
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has concerning the behaviour of spent fuel and storage facility components during long-term storage programmes co-ordinated by the International Atomic Energy Agency; what information and assistance has been afforded to the BEFAST II secretariat; and what benefits to the medium and long-term financial planning of Nuclear Electric and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority spent fuel management programmes will accrue from the BEFAST II programme.

  Mr. Baldry
  The International Atomic Energy Agency's BEFAST II programme has studied three major aspects of spent fuel storage: long-term behaviour of spent fuel in wet and dry storage; surveillance mechanisms; and the handling and transport of spent fuel after storage. The programme will not be completed until 1991.

  Nuclear Electric and British Nuclear Fuels have participated in the programme and have played a key part in the working groups set up to study the problems and prepare reports. The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority is not directly involved. However, participation in the BEFAST II programme provides access to worldwide experience of the storage of spent oxide fuel and to related R and D activity. The knowledge acquired through this participation, supplementing the United Kingdom's own domestic expertise, should allow the longer-term spent fuel storage requirements of the United Kingdom's continuing nuclear power programme, including the Sizewell B PWR station, to be met in the most cost-effective manner.

  Oil and Coal Exploration
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if his Department intends to license any explorations for(a) oil or (b) coal, in the county of Essex;

  (2) when his Department last licensed trials in Essex for (a) oil and (b) coal mining;

  (3) if his Department intends to license any exploratory boring for (a) oil and (b) coal measures in the areas of (i) Harwich, (ii) Weeley in the county of Essex, or (iii) along the banks of the River Lea in the vicinity of Enfield lock.

  Mr. Wakeham
  There are no current petroleum licences in respect of areas in the county of Essex or any area near the River Lea in the vicinity of Enfield lock and no petroleum licences have been awarded in the past 25 years in respect of these areas. The Petroleum (Production) (Landward Areas) Regulations 1984 set out the arrangements for making applications for petroleum licences.

  The Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946 vested the ownership of almost all coal deposits in Great Britain in the British Coal Corporation. At present the corporation also has exclusive right to search and bore for coal in Great Britain and is the licensing authority.

  Electrical and Gas Appliances
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take steps to require sellers of electrical or gas appliances to label each item to indicate the approximate fuel consumption or running cost.
  201
  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) at column 275 on 26 April 1990.

  Almost all gas appliances sold in the United Kingdom are already marked with their rating (ie. the maximum rate of gas consumption) under voluntary agreements.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 414, if he will give the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available in kilowatt hours, therms and litres.

  Mr. Wakeham
  In 1989–90 my Department is estimated to have consumed 3,292,605 kWh of electricity and 59,647 therms of gas. My Department has no fuel oil or electricity consumption figures for its former headquarters building as the cost of these fuels was included in the overall accommodation charge levied by the Property Services Agency.

  Thermal Insulation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give, for each type of thermal insulation measure, and each other type of energy efficiency measure, where the payback period is 10 years or less(a) the number of homes occupied by claimants of means-tested benefits which would gain from the measure, (b) the cost per home and (c) the total cost of installing the measure in all homes occupied by claimants of means-tested benefits.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The infonnation requested is not available. However, surveys indicate that the proportion of households in social classes D and E where the following thermal insulation measures were appropriate which have them installed in whole or in part are:

  Per cent.

  Loft insulation

  83

  Hot water tank jacket

  90

  Draughtproofing

  33

  Cavity wall insulation

  14

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Auditors
  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 in the past formulated rules on professional independence but failed to offer any way of monitoring compliance with such rules.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is a requirement of the Act that before a supervisory body may be recognised it must appear to the Secretary of State to have adequate arrangements and resources for the effective monitoring and enforcement of compliance with its rules. The question of whether a body had such arrangements in the past is not directly relevant to that requirement.
  202
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) whether he will provide a list of all the cases which he has referred to the joint disciplinary scheme since 1979;

  (2) whether he will provide a list showing the conclusions of the disciplinary hearings held by the joint disciplinary scheme as a result of his referral of the cases to the joint disciplinary scheme.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is for individual accountancy bodies to decide whether to refer cases made to them to the joint disciplinary scheme. Completed inquiries under the scheme are reported in the annual reports of the Joint disciplinary scheme, copies of which are in the Library.

  Financial Services Act
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies or firms which have ceased to be members of FIMBRA are known to have engaged in unauthorised investment business subsequently.

  Mr. Redwood
  I am aware of only one instance recently. The Securities and Investments Board has prime responsibility for action in relation to firms believed to be engaged in unauthorised investment business.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will amend the Financial Services Act to give FIM BRA access to the client base of those companies whose licences it withdraws.

  Mr. Redwood
  No; FIMBRA's rules are a matter for that body, subject to meeting the provisions of schedule 2 of the Financial Services Act.

  Electrical Goods (Imports)
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the amount of electrical goods imported in each of the years 1979–89 from(a) Japan, (b) Taiwan, (c) Korea and (d) Singapore.

  Mr. Redwood
  The figures are as follows:

  United Kingdom imports of electrical goods 1979–89

  Japan £ million

  Taiwan £ million

  South Korea £ million

  Singapore £ million

  1979

  88

  17

  5

  16

  1980

  115

  17

  6

  25

  1981

  180

  21

  5

  30

  1982

  200

  18

  4

  38

  1983

  310

  32

  7

  44

  1984

  470

  42

  22

  45

  1985

  506

  46

  41

  46

  1986

  594

  51

  60

  59

  1987

  694

  68

  99

  77

  1988

  784

  83

  138

  98

  1989

  886

  108

  131

  142

  Note: Figures relate to Division 77 of the Standard International Trade Classification (Revision 3).

  Source: Overseas Trade Statistics.

  Steel
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many tonnes of steel per man were produced in the United Kingdom in(a) 1981 and (b)

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Crude steel production per man rose from 159 tonnes in 1981 to 344 tonnes in 1989.

  India and Indonesia
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on continued Export Credits Guarantee Department cover for exports to India and Indonesia.

  Mr. Redwood
  ECGD is currently reviewing its policy towards those markets on which, in portfolio terms, its exposure is heavily concentrated. India and Indonesia are two such markets. The importance of these markets to United Kingdom exporters is recognised and this will be taken fully into account in the review.

  Atlantic Computers Company
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will establish an inquiry into the accounting policies of Atlantic Computers Company and their implications for public accountability of public limited companies.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. Any such implications are primarily for the accountancy profession to address and I therefore welcome the recent decision of the research board of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales to support a research study into accounting for the residual value of leased assets.

  Thatching
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the dumping in the United Kingdom from eastern Europe of combed wheat reed for thatching; and if he will make a statement on the state of the United Kingdom thatching industry at present.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received no representations about the dumping of combed wheat reed. The thatching industry is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. I understand, however, that business is generally good, particularly because of work needed after the storms that occurred earlier this year, although there are obviously regional variations.

  GATT Textile Negotiations
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list those parts of the United Kingdom that will be visited by Ministers responsible for the general agreement on tariffs and trade negotiations prior to the textile committee meeting in June.

  Mr. Redwood
  Ministers in this Department responsible for the general agreement on tariffs and trade negotiations plan to visit the following parts of the United Kingdom before 12 June, the start of the next GATT textiles negotiating group meeting:Cheltenham; Derby; Edinburgh; Kettering; Manchester; Slough; Wales; Yorkshire.

  Environment
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any new proposals to encourage British industry to be environmentally friendly.

  Mr. Forth
  I shall continue to encourage British industry to respond positively to the challenges and opportunities presented by environmental issues.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Bulgaria
  Mr. Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Bulgaria.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Romania
  Mr. Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Romania.

  Mr. Hurd
  I have no immediate plans to do so.

  Departmental Savings
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what value for money savings have been achieved by(a) the diplomatic wing and (b) the Overseas Development Administration in the last year; and how much of this was as a result of advice from the Central Unit on Purchasing.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  A table of value for money savings made in 1989–90 by the diplomatic wing of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office has been presented to Parliament in the committee proceedings of the Foreign Affairs Committee. These savings include some made under the purchasing initiative.

  Savings on the purchase of goods and services in 1989–90 were:
  Diplomatic wing—£13·1 million on an expenditure of £146 million
  ODA—£8·48 million on an expenditure of £121 million

  It is not possible to attribute particular value for money savings to advice from the Central Unit on Purchasing. The role of the unit is to provide advice on best purchasing practice; it provides overall support and guidance and encourages value for money across all Departments.

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

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office considered joining the Government supply index in 1989. It was decided, at that time, that membership would not be cost effective.

  This Department will look again at this question as the range of products and services covered by the index expands.

  Central and Eastern Europe
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will provide updated figures on assistance to countries of central and eastern Europe from the group of 24, in similar form to the tables in his Department's supplementary memorandum submitted to the Foreign Affairs Committee, printed in HC 58-i.

  Mr. Maude
  The G24 countries are now considering how to extend co-ordinated assistance to the countries of
  205
  central and eastern Europe in addition to Poland and Hungary. As far as G24 assistance to those two countries is concerned, the European Commission has continued to compile a "scoreboard" of contributions by participating states. This was most recently published on 24 April, and a copy is being placed in the Library of the House. This provides the most comprehensive review available of G24 aid to Poland and Hungary.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much emergency relief and humanitarian assistance has been provided to eastern Europe so far in the current year; how much more is promised; and from which budget the funds are drawn.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  In 1990, we have allocated £500,000 for a donation to the World Health Organisation's programme of aid to the Romanian health service. Details were given by my right hon. Friend the Minister for Overseas Development on 26 April, at column 283. We have also allocated a total of £223,000 for various humanitarian projects for Romania, including donations of disposable syringes, treatment in the United Kingdom for victims of the fighting and a family planning project. These allocations were from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office class II, vote 2. No further aid of this nature is planned at present.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much food aid has been provided to eastern Europe in 1989 and 1990; what further food aid has been promised; and from which budget the food aid is taken.

  Mr. Maude
  In 1989 the European Community provided £97 million of food aid to eastern Europe. Since January 1990 it has provided a further £53 million. Funding has come from the "other policies" provisions within the Community's budget and from the FEOGA guarantee fund.

  No further food aid has been requested or therefore promised.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 405, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In the financial year 1988–89, expenditure on fuel and utilities in Foreign and Commonwealth Office buildings was:

  £

  (1) Electricity

  925,600

  (2) Gas

  104,500

  (3) Fuel oil

  146,200

  Overseas Development Administration expenditure was contained in our answer of 30 April, at column 405.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give details of the current stocks of animal tusks, skins, antlers and 206
  other products held by the Hong Kong authorities arising from confiscation; and what plans are being considered for disposal of the items.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 23 April 1990]: The following stocks of confiscated CITES specimens were held by the Hong Kong authorities as at 15 April 1990:

  Specimen

  Quantities

  Mammals

  Bear

  paw

  22 pc

  skin

  1 pc

  Felidae (Cat family)

  skin

  759 pc

  skin scrap

  7·3 kg

  stuffed

  11 hd

  Red Deer

  antler

  24 pc

  stuffed head

  1 hd

  Antelope

  horn

  9 pc

  Chinchilla

  skin

  45 pc

  Elephant ivory

  worked ivory

  133·85 kg

  raw ivory

  506·5 kg

  Skunk

  skin

  3 pc

  Rhino

  horn

  130·7 kg + 6 pc

  hide

  25 pc

  Genet

  skin

  5 pc

  Guanaco

  skin

  1 pc

  Seal

  skin

  20 pc

  Musk Deer

  musk grain

  5 kg

  musk pod

  6·17 kg + 17 pc

  Otter

  skin

  18 pc

  Pangolin

  stuffed specimen

  5 hd

  scale

  10 kg

  skin

  312 pc

  Cetacean

  skull

  1 pc

  Avea

  Hornbill

  oasque

  47 pc

  Bird of Paradise

  stuffed specimen

  4 hd

  Bird of Prey

  stuffed specimen

  23 hd

  Reptiles

  Crocodile/Alligator

  stuffed specimen

  43 hd

  skin

  1,717 pc

  stuffed head

  1 pc

  Lizard

  stuffed specimen

  19 hd

  skin

  17 kg + 678 pc

  Python

  stuffed specimen

  2 hd

  skin

  301 pc

  Sea Turtle

  stuffed specimen

  258 hd

  scale

  27·45 kg + 399 pc

  shell

  7 pc

  Turtle

  skeleton

  1 set

  Invertebrates

  Black Coral

  skeleton

  5 pc

  Butterfly

  mounted specimen

  34 pc

  Plant

  American Wild Ginseng

  root

  17·3 kg

  The specimens may be offered to scientific arid educational institutions, museums and management authorities. The Hong Kong Government have no intention of offering the items for sale for the foreseeable future.

HEALTH

  Pharmaceutical Industry
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 70-plus trade associations in the pharmaceutical industry referred to in a departmental letter of 6 April to the hon. Member for Erewash.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The reference is to the number of organisations that have asked to be included on the Medicines Control Agency's circulation list to receive details of any proposed changes in regulations to be made under the Medicines Act 1968. The list is as follows:

  Acupuncture Association

  Advertising Association

  Advertising Standards Authority Limited

  Agricultural Research Council

  Animal Health District Association

  Anthroposophical Medical Association

  Associated Health Foods Limited

  Association for the Advancement of British Pharmacy

  Association of Anaesthetists Great Britain and Ireland

  Association of Contact Lens Manufactuers Limited

  Association of County Councils

  Association of Independent Hospitals

  Association of Manufacturers of Medicinal Preparations

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Association of Optical Practitioners

  Association of Public Analysts

  Association of Public Analysts of Scotland

  Association of Veterinarians in Industry

  Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

  BMA Belfast

  BMA Edinburgh

  Bio-Chemical Society

  British Acupuncture Association and Register

  British Aerosol Manufacturers' Association

  British Agrochemicals Association

  British Association for Chemical Specialities

  British Association of Dermatologists

  British Association of Feed Supplement Manufacturers Limited

  British Association of Pharmaceutical Physicians

  British Chemical and Dyestuffs Traders Association

  British Chiropractic Association

  British College of Optometrists

  British Committee on Natural Therapeutics

  British Contact Lens Association

  British Dental Association (Scottish Branch)

  British Dental Trade Association

  British Distributors of Animal Medicines Association

  British Herbal Medicine Association

  British Herbalists Union Limited

  British Homoeopathic Manufacturers Association

  British Institute of Regulatory Affairs

  British Insulin Manufacturers

  British Medical Association

  British Naturopathic and Osteopathic Association

  British Paediatric Association

  British Pharmacological Society

  British Poultry Federation Limited

  British Standards Institution

  British Universities Committee Ophthalmic Optics

  British Veterinary Association

  British and European Osteopathic Association "CHEMIST and DRUGGIST"

  Chiropodists Board, and Council for Professions Supplementary to Medicine

  Clinical Genetics Society

  Cocoa Chocolate and Confectioners Alliance

  College of Osteopaths

  College of Osteopathy

  Company Chemist Association Limited

  Conference of Medical and Surgical Adhesive Plaster Manufacturers

  Consumer Council

  Contact Lens Study Group

  208

  Convention of Scottish Local Authorities

  Coroners Society

  Cosmetic Toiletry and Perfumery Association Limited

  English National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting

  European Federation of the Contact Lens Industry Limited

  Faculty of Homoeopathy Royal London Homoeopathic Hospital

  Farmers Union of Wales

  Federation of Dressings, Plaster and Feminine Hygiene Industries

  General Council and Register of Consultant Herbalists Limited

  General Council and Register of Osteopaths

  General Dental Council

  Guild of British Dispensing Opticians

  Guild of Hospital Pharmacists

  Guild of Natural Medicine Practioners

  Health and Safety Executive

  Herb Society

  Homoeopathic Joint Committee

  Homoeopathic Research and Education Trust Homoepathic Association

  Huntingdon Research Centre

  Incorporated Society of British Advertisers Limited

  Independent Broadcasting Authority

  Independent Television Companies Association Limited

  Institute of Biology

  Institute of Chiropodists

  Institute of Packaging

  Institute of Practitioners in Advertising

  Institute of Trichologists

  Joint Consultant's Committee—BMA House

  Lister Institute of Preventive Medicine

  Meat and Livestock Commission

  Medical Biology Centre

  Medical Contact Lens Association

  Medical Defence Union

  Medical Research Council "MIMS"

  Multiple Food and Drink Retailers Association

  NAFPD

  National Association of Local Councils

  National Association of Pharmaceutical Distributors

  National Biological Standards Board

  National Chamber of Trade

  National Egg Producer Retailers' Association

  National Farmers Union of Scotland

  National Farmers Union

  National Federation of Consumers Groups

  National Federation of Wholesale Grocers and Provision Merchants

  National Federation of Women's Institutes

  National Food and Drink Federation

  National Institute of Medical Herbalists

  National Office of Animal Health

  National Organisation of Animal Health

  National Pharmaceutical Association Limited

  National Union of Small Shopkeepers

  National Union of Townswomen's Guilds

  Natural Medicines Group

  Newspaper Publishers Association Limited

  Newspaper Society

  North of Ireland Veterinary Association

  Ophthalmic Group Committee—BMA House

  Osteopathic and Naturopathic Guild Limited

  Periodical Publishers Association Limited

  Pharmaceutical General Council Scotland

  Pharmaceutical Journal

  Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating Committee

  Pharmaceutical Society for Northern Ireland

  Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain (Scottish Department)

  Proprietary Association of Great Britain

  Radiochemical Centre

  Register and Council of Homoepathics

  Royal College of General Practitioners

  Royal College of Midwives

  Royal College of Nursing

  Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

  209

  Royal College of Pathologists

  Royal College of Physicians

  Royal College of Physicians Edinburgh

  Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow

  Royal College of Psychiatrists

  Royal College of Radiologists

  Royal College of Surgeons, Edinburgh

  Royal College of Surgeons of England

  Royal College of Surgeons of England—Faculty of Dental Surgery

  Royal College of Surgeons of England—Faculty of Ophthalmology

  Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons

  Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain

  Royal Society of Chemistry

  Scottish Consumer Council

  Scottish Grocers' Federation

  Scottish Health Education Group

  Scottish National Committee of Ophthalmic Opticians "SCRIP"

  Service Scientifique

  Soap and Detergent Industries Association

  Society of Chiropodists

  Society of Homoepaths

  Society of Occupational Medicine

  Area

  Local government electors

  Percentage increase 1975 to 1990

  1975

  1990

  English non-metropolitan counties

  Buckinghamshire

  351,504

  475,158

  35·2

  Cambridgeshire

  381,110

  490,772

  28·8

  Shropshire

  253,104

  313,440

  23·8

  Berkshire

  449,704

  556,817

  23·8

  Hereford and Worcester

  424,697

  523,945

  23·4

  Northamptonshire

  355,625

  437,262

  23·0

  Somerset

  297,443

  364,569

  22·6

  Wiltshire

  352,599

  429,013

  21·7

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  304,921

  369,663

  21·2

  Lincolnshire

  377,351

  456,118

  20·9

  Dorset

  435,987

  524,559

  20·3

  Hampshire

  998,035

  1,196,718

  19·9

  Suffolk

  403,004

  480,869

  19·3

  West Sussex

  470,217

  560,031

  19·1

  Norfolk

  491,796

  584,449

  18·8

  Bedfordshire

  330,691

  390,840

  18·2

  North Yorkshire

  475,467

  555,662

  16·9

  Gloucestershire

  352,358

  411,466

  16·8

  Isle of Wight

  87,454

  101,841

  16·5

  Oxfordshire

  362,422

  421,008

  16·2

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 30 English non-metropolitan districts which have shown the greatest percentage growth in the electorate since 1975; and what have been the percentage growth and actual figures in each case.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is as follows:

  Area

  Local government electors

  Percentage Increase

  1975

  1990

  1975–90

  English non-metropolitan county districts

  Milton Keynes

  57,136

  126,345

  121·1

  Redditch

  33,868

  56,881

  67·9

  Tamworth

  33,256

  51,049

  53·5

  Bracknell

  46,439

  70,016

  50·8

  Wokingham

  72,089

  106,107

  47·2

  Peterborough

  77,627

  112,375

  44·8

  Huntingdonshire

  70,823

  101,348

  43·1

  East Dorset

  44,664

  63,875

  43·0

  Hart

  44,946

  64,041

  42·5

  Selby

  51,421

  71,619

  39·3

  The Wrekin

  75,271

  104,277

  38·5

  Basingstoke and Deane

  79,049

  109,487

  38·5

  Eastleigh

  58,651

  80,433

  37·1

  East Hampshire

  57,583

  77,460

  34·5

  210

  Society of Osteopaths

  Sterilised Suture Manufacturers Association

  Steripak Limited

  Sussex Clinical Research Consultants Limited

  Technical Committee White Oils Association

  The Co-op Union Limited

  The Patients' Association

  Traditional Acupuncture Society

  Ulster Farmers' Union

  United Kingdom Agricultural Supply Trade Association Limited

  Veterinary Record

  Wholesale Confectioners Alliance Limited

  Wholesale Grocers' Association of Scotland

  Electorates
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the 20 English non-metropolitan counties which have shown the greatest percentage growth in electorate since 1975; and what have been the percentage growth and actual figures in each case.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is as follows:

  Area

  Local government electors

  Percentage Increase

  1975

  1990

  1975·90

  Aylesbury Vale

  81,127

  108,734

  34·0

  Northampton

  101,164

  135,434

  33·9

  Newbury

  77,739

  103,786

  33·5

  South Staffordshire

  61,930

  82,558

  33·3

  South Cambridgeshire

  68,444

  90,906

  32·8

  Fareham

  58,415

  77,297

  32·3

  Caradon

  45,332

  59,899

  32·1

  Basildon

  93,724

  123,794

  32·1

  Crawley

  50,753

  66,777

  31·6

  Thamesdown

  99,042

  129,175

  30·4

  Test Valley

  58,961

  76,806

  30·3

  Woodspring

  107,924

  140,519

  30·2

  Breckland

  62,820

  81,270

  29·4

  Ryedale

  56,135

  72,620

  29·4

  Northavon

  76,910

  99,108

  28·9

  Cherwell

  64,818

  83,429

  28·7

DEFENCE

  Defence Procurement
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent discussions he has had with the defence industries on future economic prospects.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence recently chaired a meeting of the National Defence Industries Council at which I was also present, and a number of issues were discussed. In addition, we have frequent informal contacts with the defence industry.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what economies he is making in defence procurement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Department continues to seek value for money in procurement through the increased use of competition and taut contracting. This strategy has achieved substantial savings although these cannot be precisely quantified. Chapter 3 of volume 1 of the 1990 Statement on the Defence Estimates (Cm. 1022-I) gives more information on the ways in which we seek to make our procurement activities more cost effective.

  Nuclear Weapons Policy
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent consideration he has given to a review of Government policy on nuclear weapons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We keep our policy on nuclear weapons under constant review.

  Conference on Economic Development and Defence Expenditure
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representation his Department will have at the conference on economic development and defence expenditure to be held in Sheffield on 24 May.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am not aware of any invitations having been issued to officials of the Ministry of Defence.

  SGL Defence Ltd.
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his contacts with SGL Defence Ltd. since 3 April.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My right hon. Friend has had no such contacts.

  Arms Statistics
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish a table in the Official Report showing, for the last five years for which data are available, in real and cash terms (a) the value of trade in arms betweeen the United Kingdom and (i) Burma, (ii) China, (iii) India, (iv) Indonesia, (v) Jordan, (vi) Malaysia, (vii) Phillipines, (viii) Sri Lanka, (ix) Thailand and (x) the Yemen Republic correlated in each year against (b) domestic United Kingdom arms production in cash and real terms and (c) United Kingdom procurement of domestically produced arms.
  212
  Mr. Alan Clark
  It has been the practice of successive Administrations not to publish such detailed information for reasons of commercial confidentiality and national security. However, statistics of United Kingdom defence sales from 1984–89 by broad geographic areas are set out in volume 2 of the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990.

  Compensation (Upper Heyford)
  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households within the 83 dbn contour around RAF Upper Heyford have sold their properties to his Ministry; and what has been the total amount of compensation paid under this particular scheme.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has completed the purchase of 15 homes within the 83db(A) noise contour at RAF Upper Heyford at a total cost of £1,966,507. A further 15 properties are subject to negotiations with the local district valuer.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households, around RAF Upper Heyford, have applied for injurious effects in compensation following the change of flight path; how many so far have received compensation; and what is the total amount paid out to date under this scheme.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Claims have been submitted by 591 households seeking compensation for a depreciation in property value resulting from an increase in noise following the change in fight path on 1 June 1988. The district valuer's assessment of the basis for compensation is nearing completion but no payments have yet been made.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many households received compensation in the vicinity of RAF Upper Heyford for injurious effects in respect of the tank squadron at RAF Upper Heyford; and what has been the total amount of compensation paid under this particular scheme.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There is no tank squadron at RAF Upper Heyford, although armoured personnel carriers have been deployed during exercise periods. Injurious affection compensation under the Land Compensation Act 1973 relates to the adverse effect of new works.

  Polish Resettlement Act 1947
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Isle of Wight of 3 April on the Polish Resettlement Act 1947.

  Mr. Neubert
  I refer my hon. Friend to my noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State's letter of 24 April 1990. Our researches into this complex topic are continuing, as are consultations with the other Government Departments involved. My noble Friend will write to my hon. Friend again in due course.

  Tritium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps his Department is taking to safeguard future sources of tritium.
  213
  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 18 January 1990 at column 421.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects outstanding issues affecting the European fighter aircraft's development phase to be resolved.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 8 May at columns 33–34.

  Military Radar Base
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he gave any consideration to developing the over-the-horizon military radar base site outside the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Among the objectives of the planned two-year trial of an over-the-horizon radar in the United Kingdom are to determine whether the system is capable of functioning satisfactorily in British latitudes and to assess whether it could constitute a worthwhile permanent addition to the United Kingdom's early warning capability. It would not be possible to achieve these objectives if the system were to be situated outside the United Kingdom.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the full list of sites considered for developing the latest over-the-horizon military radar base; and how many of these sites were located in(a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is not the practice to reveal such details.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has received any representations from Churches in Wales concerning the construction of a radar base in the St. David's area.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department has received representations from the honorary secretary and the honorary treasurer of the Friends of St. David's cathedral about the proposed construction of an over-the-horizon radar transmitter at St. David's airfield.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the text of the memorandum of understanding signed by the United Kingdom and United States Governments on 20 April concerning St. David's military radar base.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I shall be writing to the hon. Member on this and related issues.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 429, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, for the latest year available.

  Mr. Neubert
  The gross expenditure (without allowing for appropriations in aid) on energy consumption in the defence estate for the financial year 1988–89, broken down by fuel, is as follows:214

  £ thousands

  Furnace fuel oil

  31,053

  Other Liquid fuels

  4,762

  Electricity

  150,368

  Gas

  39,043

  Solid fuel

  8,165

  Utilities

  1,886

  Total

  235,277

  The expenditure on energy consumption in the civil estate for the financial year 1988–89, broken down by fuel, is as follows:

  £ thousands

  Liquid fuel

  505

  Electricity

  3,537

  Gas

  510

  Solid fuel

  1

  Utilities

  485

  Total

  5,038

  Iraq (Arms Sales)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contact he has had with Ordnance Technology Ltd. over sales of arms to Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  None.

SCOTLAND

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 453, if he will give the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available measuring electricity in kilowatts, gas in therms, liquid fuel in litres and solid fuel in tonnes.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The figures for 1989–90 are:

  Electricity—25,807,925 kilowatt hours

  Gas—98,215 therms

  Liquid fuel—126,048 litres

  Solid fuel—170 tonnes

  These figures exclude prisons and the minor Scottish Departments.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 453, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The figures for 1989–90 are:

  £

  Electricity

  508,977

  Gas

  82,576

  Liquid fuel

  59,290

  Solid fuel

  15,237

  These figures exclude prisons and the minor Scottish Departments.

TRANSPORT

  Manchester Ship Canal
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, during the reconstruction of the Thelwall viaduct on the M6, he will conduct negotiations with the Manchester Ship Canal Company to suspend the tolls on the Warburton toll bridge.

  Mr. Atkins
  No. We expect to keep three lanes open in each direction on the M6 during construction of the new viaduct and the reconstruction of the existing structure.

  "The Road User and the Law"
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what administrative action has so far been taken to implement the proposals contained in the White Paper "The Road User and the Law"; what remains to be done; and what timetable has been set to complete such actions.

  Mr. Atkins
  The extended high-risk offenders scheme will operate from 1 June. We are studying the comments made in response to consultation on retesting, prohibition and enforcement technology which cover both the legislative framework and detailed administrative arrangements of the proposals. We look forward to receiving comments on our papers on drivers' physical fitness and rehabilitation of drink-drivers by 12 June and 29 June respectively. Copies of all the consultation papers have been placed in the Library.

  Discussions are continuing with the police and other interested organisations on the use of warnings, the operation of vehicle defect rectification schemes and the use of the Bail Acts. We aim to press ahead as speedily as possible to complete the development of our proposals arising from the North report.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Cheadle (Mr. Day),Official Report, 7 March, column 665, if he is now in a position to make a further statement on his intention to bring forward legislation to implement the proposals in "The Road User and the Law".

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to introduce legislation based on the contents of "The Road User and the Law".

  Mr. Atkins
  The proposals contained in the White Paper, "The Road User and the Law", are an important part of our strategy to achieve a one third reduction in road accident casualties by the year 2000 and I intend to introduce legislation at the earliest opportunity.

  Paddington to South-West Railway Services
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the number of occasions in the first four months of 1990 the railway service from Paddington to the south-west has been seriously disrupted by(a) the weather, (b) flooding, (c) damage to bridges, (d) damage to cables controlling the signalling at Paddington and (e) other factors; whether he has received any request for financial assistance from British Rail with the aim of avoiding repetition of such disruption; and if he will make a statement.
  216
  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that railway services from Paddington to the south-west were disrupted by a number of factors on a total of seven days in the first four months of this year. These are operational matters for British Rail and my right hon. Friend has received no special request from BR for financial assistance.

  Loran C Station, County Kerry
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans there are for the provision of a Loran C base station in County Kerry; whether its services will be available to fishermen from the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland; how the provision of this station will be financed; and whether any financial contribution towards this new service will be required from United Kingdom and Irish Republic fishermen.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The proposals for a north-west European Loran C system currently envisage a new transmitter station in south-west Ireland, but I understand that no site has yet been chosen. The system, if established, would be available for all marine users around the British Isles. Subject to an international agreement being reached, the participating countries would share the cost of establishing and running the system. The United Kingdom's cost-sharing obligations would be a charge against the general lighthouse fund through the light duties levied on shipping, including fishing vessels liable to such dues. The financial obligations of the Republic of Ireland are a matter for the Irish Government, as also is the determination of light dues charges in the Republic.

  Air Passengers
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many United Kingdom airports with an annual throughput of over 750,000 passengers have passenger forecast levels to the year 2005 at the same or within 10 per cent. of that level forecast by the Civil Aviation Authority.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Individual airports forecast their own levels of traffic, in some cases to 2005. Where forecasts are supplied to the Department, they are provided in confidence, and my hon. Friend should approach the airports themselves for information about them.

  Any comparison with the CAA forecasts in CAP 548, published in January 1989, would need to take account of the variety of scenarios considered by the CAA for 2005.

  King's Cross
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list his responsibilities in relation to the development of the King's Cross railway lands.

  Mr. Freeman
  Apart from the general policy objective of encouraging the British Railways Board to dispose of non-operational land on a proper commercial basis, my right hon. Friend has a responsibility to consider the possible impact which the development may have on the public transport system and the adjacent trunk road.

  East London Assessment Study
  Mr. Sedgemore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish details of his junction schemes at the Old street roundabout and in the Shoreditch one-way system arising out of his decisions on the east London assessment study.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department will be discussing with the boroughs concerned a co-ordinated approach to the improvement of the inner ring road which, at the points mentioned, is not a trunk road. It is too soon to say if those discussions will lead to the publication of possible schemes.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 434, if he will give the expenditure on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available.

  Mr. Atkins
  Expenditure on energy consumption by the Department of Transport in 1989–90 is calculated to have been:

  £ (thousands)

  Electricity

  1,698

  Gas

  559

  Liquid fuel

  335

  Solid fuel

  10

  Total

  2,602

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to the answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 392, if he will give the expenditure for the latest year available on energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested by the hon. Member is as follows:

  Expenditure on energy consumption for calendar year 1989

  £

  Electricity

  268,252

  Gas

  33,953

  Liquid Fuel

  32,473

  This information relates to the Department's headquarters premises and all Her Majesty's inspectorate's local offices.

EMPLOYMENT

  Youth Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for each of the standard economic regions within Great Britain for each 218
  year from April 1986 to the most recent date, the number of contracted YTS places (a) in total and (b) contracted to schemes specifically catering for trainees with disabilities.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Details for each of the standard economic regions within Great Britain for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, the number of contracted YTS places(a) in total; and (b) contracted to schemes specifically catering for trainees with disabilities are as follows:

  11987

  11988

  11989

  11990

  Scotland

  55,384

  63,285

  62,493

  60,989

  Northern

  35,155

  42,288

  39,781

  37,490

  North West

  78,406

  90,069

  81,112

  76,962

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  53,592

  60,987

  61,469

  60,197

  Midlands

  68,136

  77,342

  68,962

  62,067

  Wales

  31,061

  32,311

  29,019

  29,326

  South West

  36,427

  46,363

  43,397

  41,282

  South East

  59,266

  66,301

  58,907

  58,722

  London

  37,249

  36,320

  30,383

  32,699

  East Midlands and East

  58,510

  68.455

  61,533

  60,679

  Great Britain

  513,186

  583,721

  537,056

  520,413

  1 To the 31 March

  The figures showing the number of YTS places contracted to schemes specifically catering for trainees with disabilities are not available.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list and make available any research on young people with disabilities and YTS undertaken or commissioned by the Manpower Services Commission, the Training Commission and the Training Agency.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Reports of relevant research are listed and include reports on young people with special training needs in YTS where disability issues are a major component of the research concerned. I will place copies of these documents in the Libraries of both Houses—Going on YTS: The recruitment of young people with disabilities;
  —Note on YTS experience of young people with special training needs;
  —Young people with special training needs: the survey report;
  —Employer involvement in special training needs training.

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has estimated the number of new jobs that will be created by the development of biotechnology.

  Mr. Nicholls
  No.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state the total number of persons engaged in (i) agriculture, (ii) steel industry, (iii) coal mining, (iv) the car industry, (v) the electrical goods industry, (vi) local government and (vii) the National Health Service in 1979 and 1989, showing the percentage increase or decrease in each case.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Department's estimates of employment are categorised according to the 1980 standard industrial classification (SIC80). This classification does not specifically identify the industries requested.
  219
  Medical and other health services (SIC80 groups 951, 952, 953 and 954) covers the National Health Service along with other employers.

  Employees in employment—Great Britain

  Thousands (unadjusted for seasonal variation)

  Industries (SIC80)

  June 1979

  June 1989

  Change

  Percentage change

  Agriculture and horticulture (class 01)

  339

  263

  -77

  -22·6

  Coal extraction and manufacture of solid fuels (group 111)

  299

  102

  -198

  -66·0

  Manufacture of motor vehicles and parts (class 35)

  464

  268

  -196

  -42·2

  Electrical and electronic engineering (class 34)

  752

  548

  -204

  -27·1

  Local government service not elsewhere specified (activity 9112)

  662

  570

  -91

  -13·8

  Medical and other health services (group 951, 952, 953 and 954)

  1,170

  1,386

  216

  18·5

  Coal Mines (Inspectors' Visits)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of(a) British Coal deep coal mines, (b) licensed private deep coal mines, (c) British Coal opencast mines and (d) licensed private opencast coal mines visited by Her Majesty's mines inspectors in (i) 1986–87, (ii) 1987–88, (iii) 1988–89 and (iv) 1989–90.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The numbers of British Coal deep coal mines in operation for the years given are 110, 94, 86 and 73 respectively. Each mine was visited by the Health and Safety Executive's inspectorate of mines.

  The number of operating licensed coal mines is normally between 170 and 180 and all major sites are visited at least once a year.

  The numbers of opencast coal mines in operation for the years given are 186, 194, 179 and 178 respectively. All sites would normally be visited at least once a year.

  Tourism
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many United Kingdom workers in the tourism industry have been assisted by the European social fund's training programmes.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is not available.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he next expects to terminate contracts with training providers including TECs.

  Mr. Eggar
  Training providers are currently renegotiating contracts with the Training Agency or with training and enterprise councils (TECs) where these are now operational. As further TECs become operational they will take over contracts with training providers in line with their approved corporate and business plans. Termination of contracts with training providers will depend on the terms of individual contracts and on operational requirements.

  Sheltered Places Scheme
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make more funds available to the sheltered place scheme to increase the number of new places on that scheme.
  220
  Estimates for the steel industry are available only from periodic censuses of employment, the results of which are published in the Employment Gazette.

  The available information is given in the table.

  Mr. Eggar
  An additional £4·2 million has been made available towards the cost of expenditure on sheltered employment by local authorities and voluntary bodies this year, an increase of 14 per cent. over 1989–90. I do not at present expect that it will be possible to add further resources, but I shall keep the matter under review.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to the answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 448, why figures for energy consumption by unit of consumption are not available for his Department.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The nature of the Department of Employment group estate and the methods by which energy bills were paid is such that overall records by unit of consumption are not available. Where PSA was responsible for payment of energy bills information by unit of consumption is available. Where the Department has paid energy bills direct, only the cost element of the bill has been recorded and information by unit of consumption is not available.

  Unemployed Claimants
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate for 1988 and 1989(a) the number of claimants without paid jobs who wanted full-time jobs, (b) the number who wanted part-time jobs, (c) the number who had no preference and (d) the number who did not want a job who (i) had not looked for a job in the last week, (ii) had not looked for a job in the last four weeks, (iii) were not available for work within the next two weeks, (iv) were in categories (i) and (iii), (v) were in categories (ii) and (iii), breaking the estimates down by sex and according to whether the main reason for not seeking work in the last week was (1) looking after family/home, (2) long-term sick/disabled, (3) believed no jobs available, (4) retired, (5) temporarily sick, on holiday, awaiting results of job applications or waiting to start a job already obtained, (6) did not want/need work, (7) studying, (8) not yet started looking, (9) other reasons/no reply/not applicable and (10) all reasons.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]: The available information is given in the tables. It is not possible to provide a reliable analysis of these figures by reason for not seeking work in the last week.
  221

  Claimants (aged 18 and over) not in employment, Spring 1988 Great Britain

  (i) Not looked for work in reference week '000s

  (ii) Not looked for work in last four weeks '000s

  (iii) Not available to start work '000s

  (iv) Both (i) and (iii) '000s

  (v) Both (ii) and (iii) '000s

  All persons

  (a) Would like a full-time job

  260

  150

  60

  50

  40

  (b) Would like a part-time job

  100

  60

  20

  20

  20

  (c) No preference

  40

  30

  10

  2

  2

  (d) Does not want a job

  290

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Men

  (a) Would like a full-time job

  200

  120

  40

  30

  30

  (b) Would like a part-time job

  40

  20

  2

  2

  2

  (c) No preference

  30

  20

  2

  2

  2

  (d) Does not want a job

  190

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Women

  (a) Would like a full-time job

  50

  30

  20

  10

  10

  (b) Would like a part-time job

  70

  40

  20

  20

  10

  (c) No preference

  20

  2

  2

  2

  2

  (d) Does not want a job

  100

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1 Not asked.

  2 Less than 10,000.

  Notes: Table excludes people who said they would like work as self employed.

  Figures are individually rounded to the nearest 10,000.

  The reconciliation of the claimant count with the claimant figures obtained from the 1989 Labour Force Survey has been affected by an improvement in the design of the questionnaire and also by the change in benefit regulations for under 18 year in September

  1988. As a result the reconciliations for both 1988 and 1989 have been restricted to claimants aged 18 and over to enable valid comparisons to be made between the two years.

  Source: Derived with reference to both the claimant count and the 1988 Labour Force Survey results.

  Claimants (aged 18 and over) not in employment. Spring 1989 Great Britain

  (i) Not looked for work in reference week '000s

  (ii) Not looked for work in last four weeks '000s

  (iii) Not available to start work '000s

  (iv) Both (i) and (iii) '000s

  (v) Both (ii) and (iii) '000s

  All persons

  (a) Would like a full-time job

  190

  110

  50

  30

  30

  (b) Would like a part-time job

  50

  30

  20

  10

  10

  (c) No preference

  30

  20

  10

  2

  2

  (d) Does not want a job

  130

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Men

  (a) Would like a full-time job

  140

  80

  30

  20

  20

  (b) Would like a part-time job

  20

  2

  2

  2

  2

  (c) No preference

  20

  10

  2

  2

  2

  (d) Does not want a job

  80

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Women

  (a) Would like a full-time job

  40

  20

  20

  10

  2

  (b) Would like a part-time job

  30

  20

  10

  10

  2

  (c) No preference

  10

  2

  2

  2

  2

  (d) Does not want a job

  60

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1 Not asked.

  2 Less than 10,000.

  Notes: Table excludes people who said they would like work as self employed.

  Figures are individually rounded to the nearest 10,000.

  The reconciliation of the claimant count with the claimant figures obtained from the 1989 Labour Force Survey has been affected by an improvement in the design of the questionnaire and also by the change in benefit regulations for under 18 year in September

  1988. As a result the reconciliation has been restricted to claimants aged 18 and over.

  Source: Derived with reference to both the claimant count and the 1989 Labour Force Survey results.

  Coal Mining (Fatal Injuries)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of fatal injuries in(a) British Coal deep coal mines, (b) licensed private deep coal mines, (c) British Coal opencast mines and (d) licensed private opencast mines in 1989–90.
  222
  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 4 May 1990]: This information is not yet available.

  Education Business Partnerships
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what will be the total level of financial support made available by his Department for the initial funding of the local education business partnerships and the maximum receivable by each partnership.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: I refer my hon. Friend to the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 24 April 1990 at column 116.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to introduce a tax relief for contributions by businesses to local enterprise companies in Scotland.

  Mr. Lilley
  Yes. As was foreshadowed in the Inland Revenue's Budget day press release, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer is today tabling amendments to clause 68 of the Finance Bill to extend to local enterprise companies in Scotland the proposed new tax relief for business contributions to training and enterprise councils in England and Wales on the same terms and for the same period.

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what swap arrangements are available to the United Kingdom from other central banks in the European monetary system; and what additional funds are available to those European monetary system members that are also members of the exchange rate mechanism.

  Mr. Major
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: Since 1984, a mobilisation mechanism has existed which allows EMS members to obtain dollars in exchange for the ecu provided by the European monetary co-operation fund (EMCF) against the deposit of 20 per cent. of gold and 20 per cent. of dollars in official reserves.

  In addition, some credit facilities are available to EMS members. All members have access to medium-term financial support (MTFS), which is an inter-governmental facility to help member states with balance of payments difficulties, and short-term monetary support (STMS), which is a central bank facility providing support for temporary balance of payments difficulties. ERM members also have access to the very short-term financing facility (VSTF) to enable interventions to be made in Community currencies.

CIVIL SERVICE

  COSH Regulations
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service, pursuant to his answer of 20 April,Official Report, column 1042–43, whether assessments under the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations have been undertaken for all workplaces used by civil servants in the Department for which he has responsibility.
  224
  Mr. Luce
  With professional guidance from the civil service occupational health service, assessments are now under way in all the Cabinet Office buildings, which will concentrate particularly on areas where chemicals are used as part of the work. Staff have been encouraged to comment on anything which they regard as hazardous.

PRIME MINISTER

  Edinburgh
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make an official visit to Edinburgh.

  The Prime Minister
  I hope to visit Edinburgh shortly.

  European Union
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her proposals for presentation to European Community Heads of Government to develop United Kingdom participation in aspects of European union.

  The Prime Minister
  As I made clear in the House on 1 May, we shall be putting forward a series of constructive ideas for strengthening the Community by making its institutions more effective and efficient.

  West German Chancellor
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Prime Minister when she will next meet the Chancellor of West Germany; and what matters she will discuss with him.

  The Prime Minister
  I meet Chancellor Kohl frequently. We met at the Anglo-German summit on 30 March and at the special European Council meeting in Dublin on 28 April. I expect that there will be further contacts soon. Subjects for discussion include EC and NATO issues, east-west relations and German unification.

  Engagements
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 May.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 May.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list her official engagements for Thursday 10 May.

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

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Eastern Europe
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff of the Overseas Development Administration worked full time on matters concerning eastern Europe in each month in the current year; and how many staff worked part time on east European issues in each month.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The numbers of Overseas Development Administration staff who have worked full time on assistance to eastern Europe in each month of the current year are:
  225

  Staff

  January

  3

  February

  3

  March

  5

  April

  6

  The number of staff who spend some part of their time on bilateral or multilateral matters concerning eastern Europe varies greatly from day to day. It is not possible to provide a breakdown of the numbers involved in each month.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff with the Overseas Development Administration have been relocated from work on development issues with the Third world to work on assistance to eastern Europe: and if they have been replaced.

  Mrs. Chalker
  To date, six ODA staff have been assigned to posts exclusively concerned with assistance to eastern Europe. All of them have been, or will be, replaced in their previous jobs.

  Budgetary provision has been made for a further six such posts to be filled by the ODA in 1990–91.

  European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the planned United Kingdom contribution to the European bank for reconstruction and development; and whether this will come from existing budgets.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Subject to parliamentary approval and the deposit of an instrument of ratification, it is envisaged that the United Kingdom will subscribe to 85,175 shares of the initial authorised capital stock of 1 million shares. The cost per share will be 10,000 ecu. Thirty per cent. of each shareholding would be for paid-in shares, with payment in five equal annual instalments; half of each instalment being paid in cash, and half in non-negotiable, non-interest-bearing promissory notes. On this basis, the current annual cost to the United Kingdom of taking up the full shareholding allocated would be about £19 million, depending on the sterling/ecu exchange rate at the time of payment. Provision of such sums for the years to 1993–94 will be discussed in this year's public expenditure survey.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the benefits to the farming, fishing and food processing industries of the development of biotechnology.

  Mr. Maclean
  Biotechnology offers a wide range of opportunities within the farming, fishing and food processing industries for the development of safer, more effective and less costly products and processes, for the benefit of consumers, producers and the environment generally.

  British Horse Society
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next expects to meet the president of the British Horse Society.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department is regularly in touch with the British Horse Society on matters of mutual interest, but I have no immediate plans to meet its president.

  Beef and Butter
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received complaining that the distribution scheme for surplus EC beef and butter is too complex; and how long was allowed from notification date to submission of applications to become a distributor.

  Mr. Curry
  Since my announcement on 19 March that the EC surplus food scheme should operate for one further year, I have received two representations critical of the administrative arrangements for the operation of this scheme. Charitable and other non-profit-making organisations interested in participating in the scheme were allowed nearly seven weeks—until 4 May—in which to apply.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many organisations have co-operated with the scheme to distribute surplus EC butter and beef in 1990 and in previous years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Some 127 organisations were originally designated to distribute surplus EC produce during 1988 and 1989. There has been a large response to the invitation to charitable and other non-profit-making organisations to participate in the distribution during 1990. Applications are currently being considered and I will make a statement once decisions have been taken.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 458, why figures for energy consumption by unit of consumption are not available for his Department.

  Mr. Maclean
  For the 1989–90 financial year the Department was billed for energy use by the Property Services Agency in financial terms. MAFF has some 300 properties throughout the country, many of which are shared premises without separate meters, where an agreed proportion of the energy cost is paid. The total number of energy units, even if it could be worked out in detail, could be compiled only at disproportionate cost.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much he has either spent or allocated on bovine spongiform encephalopathy(a) research or (b) compensation for each year from 1985 to 1992 in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply, 30 April, 1990, column 456.]: The amount given for expenditure on BSE

  227
  compensation in the financial year 1989–90 was incorrect and should read £4,028,063. I should also make clear that the information provided refers to expenditure in Great Britain only.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of inward investment.

  Mr. Needham
  The Industrial Development Board will shortly be announcing its results for 1989–90 and the inward investment achievements will show a further improvement on the very encouraging figures of the previous year.

  House Prices
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the average price of a house in the Province in each of the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The average price of second-hand dwellings sold on the open market in the Province during 1987 was £27,750. In 1988 this rose by 7 per cent. to £29,730.

  During the first three quarters of 1989 the average price was £30,840, a 3·7 per cent. increase on 1988.

  The average price of new-build properties was £31,060 in 1987 and, after a 2·2 per cent. rise, £31,740 in 1988. No figure is yet available for 1989.

  The lower cost of housing means that more people can buy. At a given level of income, many people in Northern Ireland can be better housed or better off than in parts of Great Britain.

  Debenhams plc
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what financial assistance was given by his Department to Debenhams plc to assist in setting up its Belfast store; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  No financial assistance was given to Debenhams plc to assist in setting up its Belfast store.

  Security
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the security situation in the Province.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the current security situation in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement about the security situation in the Province.

  Mr. Brooke
  Since I answered a similar question on 29 March 1990, the Chief Constable issued on 26 April a warning that PIRA was intent on a campaign of bombing and shootings. This warning was justified by the attempts to bomb police and Army bases, as well as numerous other 228
  explosions. Fortunately, vigilance prevented the serious loss of life and damage to property which would otherwise have occurred. Since 29 March there have been 10 deaths arising from the security situation in Northern Ireland. Four full-time members of the Ulster Defence Regiment and two civilians were murdered by Republican terrorists, two civilians are believed to have been murdered by so-called "Loyalists" and one member of the Regular Army was murdered by paramilitaries unknown. One civilian, since claimed as a member of IPLO on active service, was killed by the security forces.

  Stevens Report
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how he intends to respond to the Stevens report.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his response to the Stevens report.

  Mr. Ernie Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the Stevens inquiry.

  Mr. Cope
  This inquiry was commissioned by the Chief Constable of the RUC and I understand that Mr. Stevens delivered his report to him on 5 April. The Chief Constable is still considering it. It is at present too early to say what response by Government may be necessary.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons normally resident in the constituency of Antrim, East are currently being held in custody in Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin road, Belfast, and denied bail pending charges being preferred as a result of the Stevens inquiry.

  Mr. Cope
  I understand that two people from the constituency of Antrim, East are now in custody on remand, after being charged with offences following the investigations led by DCC Stevens. I also understand that one person currently held in custody has refused to give details of his address.

  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons normally resident in the constituency of Belfast, North are currently being held in custody at Her Majesty's prison, Crumlin road, Belfast, and denied bail, pending charges being preferred as a result of the Stevens inquiry.

  Mr. Cope
  I understand that three people from the constituency of Belfast, North, are now in custody on remand after being charged with offences following the investigations led by DCC Stevens. I also understand that one person currently held in custody has refused to give details of his address.

  Extradition
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a further statement on the current arrangements with the Republic of Ireland regarding the extradition of convicted or suspected terrorists.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on extradition arrangements.
  229
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has had discussions with the Irish Government on the obstacles in Irish law to extradition from the Republic of those convicted of crimes in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Cope
  I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Member to the answer which I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett).

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will outline his policy on extradition.

  Mr. Cope
  We remain committed to ensuring that the arrangements between the authorities in the United Kingdom and in the Republic of Ireland for bringing fugitive offenders to justice are made fully effective. To that end, British and Irish officials have been instructed to undertake a review of the situation and report to a future meeting of the Anglo-Irish Intergovernmental Conference.

  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people wanted for questioning or trial in respect of alleged offences in Northern Ireland are currently awaiting the conclusion of extradition proceedings in the Irish Republic.

  Mr. Cope
  Three cases, all concerning individuals who are wanted to complete outstanding prison sentences for offences committed in Northern Ireland, are currently being actively considered by courts in the Republic of Ireland.

  NHS Reform
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what guidance has been given to health and social service boards in the purchase of services under the proposed National Health Service reforms.

  Mr. Needham
  Since "Working for Patients" was published there has been a continual flow of information to boards about the purchase of services. The main guidance has been Northern Ireland working paper No. 2, a paper on purchasers and providers published last November and a paper on the operational principles of contracting published in February.

  Drink-driving
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the statistics for drinking and driving in the Province.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  In Northern Ireland there has been a downward trend over the last 10 years in road deaths due to alcohol or drugs, from 53 in 1980 to 35 in 1989.

  While this trend is welcome, any death caused by drinking and driving is entirely avoidable.

  We shall continue to work with the drink industry, hoteliers, publicans and club organisers in order to influence public attitudes towards the unacceptability of drinking and driving.

  We each have responsibilities: as hosts to provide a range of alcohol-free drinks for our guests; as drivers to refrain from drinking and driving; as passengers to choose a non-drinking driver.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many small businesses have started up in Northern Ireland over the last three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  There is no comprehensive system of measuring small business start-ups in Northern Ireland, although there are several useful proxy indicators. One of the most widely used is the number of businesses (of all sizes) registering for VAT, of which there were an estimated 10,000 in three years ending in 1988. The figure for 1989 is not yet available.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the operation of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Government remain committed to the Anglo-Irish Agreement and the principles it embodies. However, we remain willing to examine any proposals concerning the agreement, particularly if they are likely to command widespread support.

  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his discussions with the Irish Government within the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Brooke
  The last meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference was on 19 April. Copies of the joint statement issued afterwards were placed in the Library and the Vote Office. I expect another meeting to be held within the next few weeks.

  Mr. Flannery
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference will take place.

  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next expects the Anglo-Irish Conference to meet.

  Mr. Brooke
  I expect the Intergovernmental Conference to meet in the next few weeks.

  Irish Foreign Minister
  Mr. Duffy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he will next meet the Irish Foreign Minister; and what matters he proposes to discuss.

  Mr. Brooke
  I expect to meet the Irish Foreign Minister at an Intergovernmental Conference in the next few weeks and that we shall discuss a range of matters including the political situation in Northern Ireland, security cooperation and cross-border economic and social co-operation.

  Health Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much was spent on health per head of the population in Northern Ireland in 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Spending on health and personal social services in Northern Ireland per head of the population in 1989–90 was about £608.
  231
  This remains substantially above levels in England and Wales and is a continued recognition of the Province's need for additional health and social services care, despite other pressures on resources.

  Economy
  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the state of the Northern Ireland economy.

  Mr. Cope
  The state of the Northern Ireland economy is reflected by a range of indicators. The latest available economic data for Northern Ireland show that compared with a year earlier the number unemployed in March 1990 has fallen by 10,600 and manufacturing output in quarter four, 1989 has risen by 7 per cent.

  Education
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of integration in education in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 29 March, at column 310.

  Capital Value Rates
  Mr. Neil Hamilton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has received any representations to introduce capital value rates in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  No such representations have been received. Payments for Debt

  Mr. Clifford Forsythe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to repeal the Payments for Debt Emergency Provisions Act (Northern Ireland) 1971.

  Mr. Cope
  There are presently no plans to repeal the Act. However, the need for the legislation is kept under review in the light of prevailing circumstances and developments.

  Irish Language (Schools)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to how many schools in Northern Ireland the Northern Ireland Curriculum Council sent consultative documents on Irish as a medium; and how many responses have been returned.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Copies were sent to all grant-aided schools in Northern Ireland. The council received a total of 165 responses.

  Road Deaths
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on road deaths in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Since my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced the road casualty reduction programme on 31 October 1989, 86 people have been 232
  killed on the roads of Northern Ireland up to the end of April 1990. This includes three people killed in the Slaght level crossing accident and compares with 98 killed in the corresponding period last year.

  While this shows a significant improvement, we are still behind our target of a reduction to 140 by 31 October 1990. The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland will continue to work closely with the other statutory and voluntary agencies in the road casualty reduction field.

  The key to reducing the number of deaths is effective promotion of involvement and participation by all road users. That requires constant efforts to promote effective media coverage.

  Neither advertising nor enforcement can be a full answer. We need drivers to drive skilfully and in accordance with the Highway Code even when a marked police car is not in sight.

  Advertising is not available on BBC radio and television.

  Death and injury is newsworthy. The news and current affairs coverage by broadcasters and journalists has contributed to the drop in deaths. I am grateful.

  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many pedestrians, drivers and passengers died in the six months from 1 November 1989 and in the six months from 1 November 1988.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  There has been a 20 per cent. fall to 76 from 94 in the numbers of deaths in these major categories since the start of the casualty reduction campaign.

  1 November—30 April

  Deaths

  1989–90

  1988–89

  Pedestrians

  28

  38

  Drivers

  31

  36

  Passengers

  17

  20

  Total

  76

  94

  The numbers of cyclist and motor cyclist fatalities have, sadly, risen.

  We shall continue to pursue our objective of making Northern Ireland's roads the safest in Europe.

  Belfast Stamp Office
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what were the responsibilities of his Department in the decision to transfer the stamp office for deeds from Belfast.

  Mr. Cope
  None.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what consultation there was with the staff of the Belfast stamp office for registration of deeds and with the legal profession before the decision to transfer its work to Scotland and England;

  (2) what is the income and expenditure of the stamp office for deeds in Belfast; if he will make a statement on its cost to the public Exchequer; and what savings he estimates arising from its closure;

  (3) how many people are presently employed in the stamp office for deeds in Belfast; how many will be offered posts (a) elsewhere in Northern Ireland and (b) at the stamp offices in England and Scotland when the Belfast stamp office is closed;
  233
  (4) how long there has been a stamp office for deeds in Belfast;

  (5) by what means he announced the proposed closure of the stamp office for deeds in Belfast;

  (6) what arrangements are being made to acquaint the staff in the stamp office in Scotland and England with the differences in property law between Northern Ireland and elsewhere in Great Britain.

  Mr. Major
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Board of Inland Revenue's intention to close the Belfast stamp office in 1992 was notified to the staff on Budget day; the Law Society of Northern Ireland was informed by letter. Prior consultation would have been incompatible with Budget confidentiality for my decision to abolish stamp duty on shares.

  There has been a stamp office in Belfast since about 1922, but with a revenue of about £12 million and costs of about £190,000 in 1989–90, the cost of collecting stamp duty in Northern Ireland is now more than three times greater than the average cost in similar offices throughout the United Kingdom. Closure is expected to save about £160,000 a year at current prices.

  The office currently employs eight staff. Apart from one person on secondment, all staff will, wherever possible, be offered jobs in line with their preferences. Any necessary guidance to staff in England and Scotland on differences between the property law of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom will be given nearer the time of closure.

  Non-denominational Nurseries
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has for assisting nondenominational nurseries attached to schools in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Given constraints on resources, I have no plans at present to grant-aid nurseries attached to integrated schools.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to visit Portadown or Lurgan before 17 May.

  Mr. Brooke
  It is not the custom to give details of ministerial programmes in advance.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received from consumer groups in Northern Ireland about the effects of the privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland has submitted the results of a survey of consumers' views on electricity privatisation. No other consumer groups have made formal representations so far, but there will be ample opportunity to do so when Government's proposals are published in a White Paper later this year.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with trade unions in Northern Ireland over the proposed privatisation of NI Electricity; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Needham
  There have been several discussions between Northern Ireland Ministers and the trade unions over the past 18 months. There will be an opportunity for all interested parties to comment on the Government's proposals which it is planned to publish in a White Paper later this year. In the meantime, it is open to the trade unions to bring forward further views on the subject at any time.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the number of occasions dwelling houses were repossessed by building societies in Northern Ireland, due to default in mortgage payments, in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Building society repossession statistics are not available on a regional basis. National totals are published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders in its quarterly publication "Housing Finance".

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the number of occasions housing applications were received by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive from applicants whose homes were subject to repossession due to non-payment of mortgage levies.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  I understand from the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that during the year ended 31 March 1990 a total of 532 applications were received from people who claimed mortgage default as their reason for needing to be rehoused.

  Information is not available on the number of applicants whose homes were repossessed.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of local government expenditure to Northern Ireland is raised from(a) domestic ratepayers, (b) business ratepayers, and (c) Government grant.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information sought is not available in the precise form requested because of the structure of the rating system in Northern Ireland.

  Of planned gross expenditure of £177·4 million by district councils in 1990–91, it is estimated that £106·3 million or 60 per cent. will be raised from domestic and business ratepayers, £36·1 million or 20·3 per cent. from Government grants and £35·0 million or 19·7 per cent. from fees, charges and other income.

  It may be noted that, in Northern Ireland, local government is not responsible for roads, education or social services.

  Consultancies
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total amount spent by his Department in 1989 on management and computer consultancy contracts; excluding hardware and software purchases; if he will list each management or computer consultancy contract awarded by his Department in 1989, giving in each case the name of the consultancy firm and
  235
  the subject of the assignment; and what is the total amount that his Department has budgeted to spend in the current year.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 28 March 1990]: The total amount spent on management and computer consultancy by the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments in 1989 was £5,747,531; the amount budgeted to spend in the current year is £4,543,300; the remainder of the information is as follows:

  Firm and subject of assignment

  Aims Ireland—Assistance to IT Strategy Planning.

  Aims Systems—Project Support (SSADM).

  Aspinwall and Co. Ltd.—Review of waste disposal arrangements in Northern Ireland.

  D. E. Barnard Systems—To derive a common IT strategy for the Department of Environment's Countryside and Wildlife Branch and Historic Monuments and Buildings Branch.

  Belmin Systems Ltd.—Preparation of presentation to the Confederation of Irish Industry Conference in Dublin.

  BIC Systems—ITD MIS Project.

  Bis Beecom (International) Ltd.—To advise the Department of Environment's Roads Service on specialised communication aspects of its Integrated Computer System.

  To prepare incentive bonus schemes to improve the efficiency of the directly employed labour in the Department of Environment's Works Service.

  Support for design of equal opportunities monitoring system for public sector.

  Feasibility study for an Information Technology Centre in West Belfast.

  British Telecom—Support for NICS Integrated Telecoms Project.

  Business and Economic Initiatives—Market Testing of Computer Bureau assistance with in-house bid.

  Training for small businesses in Belfast.

  CAPITA—To provide a management accountant, acceptance testing managers and scriptwriters to advise the Department of Environment's Roads Service on appropriate aspects of its Integrated Computer System.

  Market testing of Training Centre Stores.

  Capita, Muir and Addy—LAN Procurement, Newforge NIHPSS Superannuation System Implementation of IT Strategy.

  Capstan, London—Computerised post-coding.

  Mr. M. Carmel—Assistance on DHSS/QUB JWP on Library Services.

  CCTA—Animal Health System, Options for Market Systems.

  Charted Instute of Public Finance and Accountancy Ltd—To advise on the management accounting aspects of the Water Service's integrated computer project.

  Cheltonian International

  Assistance to Planning Project Management.

  CHKS, London

  International Classification of Diseases coding.

  Common Services Agency, Edinburgh.

  Pharmacists final balance sheet.

  Coopers and Lybrand
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  Girocheque Reconciliation Project.

  Assistance to Project Support Office.

  Assistance to Operational Strategy planning.

  Assistance to IT Strategy planning.

  Assistance to OVB Project.

  Pensions Data Conversion Project.

  IT Management Support.

  Mainframe maintenance/support function.

  Strategy study on benefit computing.

  Project Support Office assistance.

  Review to roles in systems delivery.

  Options Appraisal for Census 1991 processing.

  General Ledger System.

  NI Emigration Database.

  Professional services carried out on proposal for Textile Technology Centre.

  Coopers and Lybrand Associates

  To review privatisation options for vehicle inspection. To assist the Department of Environment's Transport Division to supervise and monitor the affairs of the NI Transport Holding Company and the three subsidiary transport operating companies.

  Audit of Market Testing Exercise in the Department of Environment's Water Service.

  Coopers Lybrand and Deloitte—Market Testing of Computer Bureau assistance with evaluation of suppliers' proposals.

  Review of the information service of the NI Technology Service.

  Full economic costing assessment and selection of computerised management system.

  IDB Market Research: Attitude of NI Business towards IDB.

  Evaluation of the Youth Training Programme.

  Dearden Management Consultants—Resources Management.

  Department of Finance and Personnel—Study of credit and debt.

  DPP (UK) Ltd.—Animal Health System, Options for Market Systems.

  Employment Services—Specialised training for jobclub leaders.

  EOSYS, Slough—Cabling Study.

  Framework, Leicester—Evaluation of the Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action.

  Evaluation of the Volunteer Development Resources Unit.

  Gilpin Black Associates—Advice on the introduction of BS 5750.

  Victor Hausner Associates—Belfast Special Action Group/ Belfast Initiative.

  Targeted training in Belfast.

  Peter Hyde—To advise Department of Environment's Road Service on the organisation, management and job design changes required as a result of its Integrated Computer System.

  Industrial Society—Examination of typing services in Northern Ireland Office London.

  Industrial Training Services—Specialised training for Community Projects Branch.

  Institute of Manpower Studies—Advise on appropriateness and adequacy of an analytical approach to the monitoring of equal opportunities in the Northern Ireland Civil Service.
  237
  ICL—Mainframe support.

  Girocheque Reconciliation Project.

  VME to service 39 machines.

  D. MacRitchie—Review of trading performance and financial position of the beef and sheepmeat processing sector.

  R. A. McLaughlin—Department of Economic Development consultant on Management of STAR programme.

  Melrow, Somerset—Equipment performance monitoring.

  Mindworks—Business Analysis Seminar.

  Quality assurance on the use of business analysis methodology in compiling an Information Technology strategy.

  MMM Consultancy Group—To advise on the management of Transport and Mobile Plant.

  Dr. T. Morris—Assistance to Operational Strategy projects.

  New University of Ulster—Accounting Project Technical and Scoping Advice.

  Noble and Lund—Specialised Training Centre instructional staff.

  Oracle, Surrey—Maternity System.

  Oracle Corporation—Support for projects using Oracle.

  Oracle (UK) Ltd.—To provide advice and support during design and development of the Department of Environment's Works Service Management Accounting and Information System Project using the ORACLE relation database and toolset.

  PA Consulting Group—To develop a telecommunications strategy for the expansion of the Ordnance Survey for NI topographical database system into a multi-user Province-wide network. Typing Services.

  PE Computer Services—Market Testing support.

  Peat Marwick McClintock—To undertake an efficiency study of the Roads Service's Quarry undertaking.

  Policy Research Institute of Queen's University—The community impact of the Action for Community Employment Scheme.

  Richard Fellowship—Development work related to a therapeutic community for 14–16 year olds.

  Mr. B. J. Rusbidge—Social Work Staff Project linkages.

  Skytronics—Assistance to Operational Strategy Projects.

  Software Ireland—Computerisation of Valuation and Lands Office.

  Stoy Hayward—Preliminary review of administration of Manpower Training Scheme.

  J. W. Struthers—Crown Car Lease Hire Scheme.
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  J. C. Stutt—Effect of Government Purchasing on smaller firms in the Single European Market.

  Touche Ross—Interim Accounting Systems Feasibility Study.

  Quality Assurance of Telecoms Statement of Service Requirement (SSR).

  Monitoring—Shorts Privatisation—Shorts.

  Monitoring—Harland and Wolff Privatisation—Harland and Wolff.

  Audit of Southern Health and Social Services Board.

  Audit of Eastern Health and Social Services Board Trust Funds.

  Consultancy Advice on Computer Audit.

  Ulster Marketing Surveys Limited—Awareness and attitudes to the Youth Training Programme.

  University of Keele—Community Study.

  University of York—Study in Dynamics of Lone Parent Families.

  Various consultants—Advice to companies under the Fair Employment Support Scheme.

  Price Waterhouse—Banking Research Project. Fees incurred re review of wastage in the STS scheme.

  Audit of Northern Ireland Health and Social Services Board.

  Project Frontline Management Ltd.—Feasibility of a Remote Working/Training Centre in Belfast.

  Queen's University, Belfast—Mediation service by Policy Research Institute.

  Revaluation of Northern Ireland Family Mediation Service.

  Wang (UK)—Use of an existing word processing system and its capacity for development.

  Fish Stocks
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Londonderry, East of 24 April,Official Report, columns 111–13, indicate how many of the pollution incidents referred to in each of the years 1987, 1988 and 1989 which involved sewerage and water treatment works resulted in fish kills; which lakes and rivers were affected in each year; and what was the cost to public funds of restocking each of the waters affected.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: There were two incidents in 1987, two in 1988 and six in 1989.

  In 1987 the rivers affected were the Callan and Creggan, in 1988 the Callan and Cusher, and in 1989 the Maine, Blackwater, Creggan, Quigger, Ballinderry and Cusher.

  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland has agreed to pay £3,000 to restock the Callan, £12,000 to restock the Creggan and £100 for the Quigger.

  COAL BOARD PENSION FUND
  COAL BOARD PENSION FUND
  COAL INDUSTRY: PRIVATISATION PLAN
  COAL INDUSTRY: PRIVATISATION PLAN
  NORTH SEA POLLUTION CONTROL
  NORTH SEA POLLUTION CONTROL
  WOOL PRICE
  WOOL PRICE
  CIVIL DEFENCE REGULATIONS: IMPLEMENTATION
  CIVIL DEFENCE REGULATIONS: IMPLEMENTATION
  PRISON VIOLENCE INQUIRY
  PRISON VIOLENCE INQUIRY