Written Answers of 14 May 1990

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy that on each future occasion when he publicises the retail prices index he will also publicise the annual increase in the cost of living excluding mortgage rate and such taxes as the community charge.

  Mr. Lilley
  A series is already published in the monthly press notice for "all items excluding housing" which is very close to the index requested, since two thirds of the weight for housing is accounted for by mortgage payments and domestic rates/community charges.

  Inland Revenue Officers
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of Inland Revenue executive officers who resigned from the service in the years 1988 and 1989.

  Mr. Lilley
  One hundred and eighteen and 92 respectively.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Inland Revenue executive officers applied for the internal trawl for the AT-HEO`D' scheme in the months of May and June 1989; and how many were successful.

  Gas £000

  Electricity £000

  Solid/Liquid Fuel £000

  Government Offices, Great George Street, London, SW1

  38·6

  189·6

  4·4

  Chessington Computer Centre, Surrey

  0·3

  39·7

  10·3

  Alencon Link, Basingstoke, Hampshire

  0·2

  5·8

  2·6

  Grosvenor House, Basingstoke, Hampshire

  1·8

  3·1

  —

  Riverwalk House, London, SW1

  13·7

  73·3

  —

  Note: All figures reflect consumption in calendar year 1989.

  I regret that a figure given to the hon. Member in response to his previous question was incorrect. The figure for gas consumption for Chessington should be 1,000 therms not 71,000 as quoted.

THE ARTS

  Royal Opera House
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether the Royal Opera house has applied for additional funds.

  Mr. Luce
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]: The Royal Opera house has consistently argued for additional Government funding. At the end of last year it alerted the chairman of the Arts Council and me to the prospect of a £2 million deficit in the coming year. This was despite an 11 per cent. increase in its grant from the Arts Council and
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  Mr. Lilley
  Ten executive officers from the Inland Revenue applied for this scheme, of whom one was successful.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the annual cost to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise of administering the value added tax on the sale of gold coins and bars in the latest available year;

  (2) what was the annual value added tax revenue accruing from the sales of gold (a) coins and (b) bars in the latest available year;

  (3) what was the annual value added tax revenue accruing from the sale of Britannia gold coins in the latest available year.

  Mr. Ryder
  I regret that the information requested by my hon. Friend is not available.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letter dated 6 March referring to Mr. Allan Gear of the Henry Doubleday Research Association.

  Mr. Lilley
  I replied to my hon. Friend's letter on 11 May.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 444, 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. Ryder
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: The information, which covers major offices only, is as follows:

  a severe pruning of projected expenditure plans. I recognise the excellent record of the Royal Opera house in increasing its self-generated income but, in reply, I made it clear that all arts organisations must, like any other business, demonstrate a commitment to good housekeeping and to controlling costs. It is also an important part of Arts Council policy that all arts organisations receiving grant-in-aid should balance their books over a three year period. I expect the Royal Opera house to discuss with the Arts Council how that policy can be complied with.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Iraq (Arms Component Exports)
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when his Department first knew that Dr. Gerald Bull had a connection with SRC;
  275
  (2) to which Iraqi Government agency the order seized by Customs and Excise was being sent;

  (3) what action was taken in respect of the Iraqi armaments order after it was known that the Space Research Corporation was involved in the order;

  (4) what is now known of the destination of the Iraqi pipe order now in Iraq;

  (5) what information he has on the intended use of the armament being produced for the Iraqis;

  (6) what action was taken to investigate the Iraqi export order after the death was reported of Gerald Bull of the Space Research Corporation;

  (7) what information he has as to (a) the military purpose of the armaments order of Iraq and (b) the possible uses of the completed order.

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

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when his Department was first made aware of a meeting in Brussels between Sheffield Forgemasters and the Space Research Corporation in June 1988, and of additional meetings that took place in Brussels in July 1988 between those parties;

  (2) if he has any information on the fire-testing in Iraq of any equipment provided for Iraq by Sheffield Forgemasters and Walter Somers.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 26 April 1990]: In the light of the criminal charges laid against individuals and in the light of the continuing investigations by Customs and Excise, it would be inappropriate to give any further information on these matters.

  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he first received information about the activities of SRC Composites;

  (2) when he became aware of the project of SRC Composites to develop in Northern Ireland;

  (3) when he was first aware of SRC Composites' involvement with Iraq;

  (4) what investigations took place into Space Research Corporation after its involvement in the Iraqi export order became known.

  Mr. Ridley
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]: In the light of the criminal charges laid against individuals and in the light of the continuing investigations by Customs and Excise, it would be inappropriate to give any further information on these matters.

  Export Finance Scheme
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what further steps he will take to raise funds from the capital markets to reduce the costs of the fixed rate export finance scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  As part of a programme of measures to reduce the cost of ECGD's fixed rate export finance scheme, the Guaranteed Export Finance Corporation plc (GEFCO) issued a second £250 million bond issue on 8 May which again carried the guarantee of the Secretary of State. The previous issue was launched last July and further periodic issues are envisaged.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the working of(a) the Securities and Investments Board, (b) FIMBRA, (c) the Financial Services Act 1986 and (d) recognised professional bodies in the financial services industry; and from whom.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend and I regularly receive a variety of representations on these matters from a wide range of sources.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will visit the state of California to study its regulatory system in the financial services industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have any plans at present to visit California.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the nature and level of capital adequacy for firms involved in the small independent intermediary sector of the financial services industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received a number of representations from organisations and firms in the independent financial intermediaries sector about capital adequacy requirements. Their views will be taken into account during the forthcoming negotiations on the proposed capital adequacy directive.

  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out in the Official Report an outline of the nature of the stance he will be adopting with regard to any European Commission proposals in respect of the harmonisation of the financial services industry prior to 1992 with particular regard to the small independent intermediary sector.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government welcome proposals from the European Commission which are designed to create a single market in financial services and which are based upon mutual recognition of member states' competent authorities and agreement on key standards. Our response to such proposals will be based upon two principles: first, that such measures should not undermine the Community's international competitiveness and, secondly, that they should not erect unnecessary barriers to market entry.

  British American Tobacco
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received on the Hoylake bid for British American Tobacco; and from whom.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have received many representations from hon. Members and others about various aspects of Hoylake Investments' bid for BAT Industries, but none since Hoylake announced on 23 April that it would not renew its offer for BAT.

  South Africa
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number and value of grants made by the Export Credits Guarantee Department to South Africa for each year since 1985.
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  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: The ECGD has not made any grants to South Africa in the period in question.

  Since ECGD's normal fixed-rate export finance arrangements apply to medium and long-term export credits to South Africa, some grants to banks in Britain supporting such export credits will have been made as part of the overall arrangements.

  National Measurement Accreditation Service
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin),Official Report, 30 April, column 386, what steps he is taking to increase the number of laboratories accredited by the NAMAS scheme, in the north-east, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: The national measurement accreditation service, NAMAS, actively encourages laboratories to become accredited for calibration and testing measurements. In conjunction with the Department's regional offices, promotional seminars have already been held in the north-east, Wales and Scotland. A seminar in Northern Ireland is currently being planned.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken or has suggested that the National Physical Laboratory takes to increase the number of laboratories accredited with the national measurement accreditation service for radiological calibration; and if he will name the accredited laboratory.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: Discussions are taking place between the national measurement accreditation service (NAMAS), involved in the radiological field of measurements both for calibration and testing with the view of increasing the number of accreditations in this area. The laboratory currently accredited for radiological calibration is Amersham International plc. Three further laboratories are currently being assessed prior to accreditation.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what staff committment is devoted through the National Physical Laboratory to ensuring as wide as possible membership to the national measurement accreditation service; and how this staff commitment is broken down between accreditations awards to calibration laboratories and testing facilities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: The total number of staff currently employed in the national measurement accreditation service is 52. Of these, eight are directly involved in the accreditation of calibration laboratories and 25 in the accreditation of testing laboratories. In addition, three further staff are directly involved in accreditation of both calibration and testing laboratories.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 387, 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.
  278
  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: Expenditure on energy consumption in buildings occupied by the Department of Trade and Industry in 1988–89, the latest full year for which figures are available, was as follows:

  £ million

  Electricity

  2·3

  Gas

  0·7

  Oil

  0·3

  May I also apologise for an error in my answer to the hon. Gentleman on 30 April at column 387. The figure for gas consumption in the Department of Trade and Industry in 1988–89 should have read 2·3 million therms.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Perjury
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General what information he has on the number of prosecutions which have been initiated under the provisions of the Perjury Act of 1911 relating to persons wilfully making statements false in a material particular to judges or persons with the legal status of judges.

  The Attorney-General
  The only information available to me relates to convictions rather than proceedings instituted. Eighty-four persons were convicted for offences contrary to section 1 of the Perjury Act 1911 during 1988. All such convictions related to false statements made in judicial proceedings.

  Courts
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received recently about the operations of the courts.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor frequently receives correspondence from Members of this House, legal practitioners and members of the public about the operations of the courts. All these are responded to by the Lord Chancellor or his officials.

  Director of Public Prosecutions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the Director of Public Prosecutions to discuss prosecution policy.

  Mr. Greville Janner
  To ask the Attorney-General when he last met the Director of Public Prosecutions; and what matters were discussed.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer to the answer I gave today to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

  Covenants
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he plans to have any discussions with the Law Reform Committee on the length of time for which covenants should be in force; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no plans to refer any aspect of the law relating to covenants to the Law Reform Committee.

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement about the operation of the Crown prosecution service.

  The Attorney-General
  The operation of the Crown prosecution service has been the subject of very recent scrutiny and report by the Home Affairs Select Committee of this House. The Committee recognised the impressive progress made by the Crown prosecution service despite its initial difficulties and confirmed our confidence that by proper assertion of its independence the CPS has contributed to a fairer and more just prosecution system. The Government will be responding to its recommendations in the normal manner.

  Professor Wilhelm Feldberg
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he will prosecute Professor Wilhelm Feldberg for a contravention of section 1 of the Protection of Animals Act 1911.

  The Attorney-General
  A decision about the commencement of a prosecution could be properly taken only on the basis of evidence assembled through a criminal investigation. The investigation of an alleged criminal offence is a matter for the police service. The proper course for any person having evidence suggesting the commission of an offence is to make the evidence available to the police.

  It is to be noted that by virtue of section 1(3) of the Protection of Animals Act 1911 and section 27(2) and schedule 3 to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 the provision to which hon. Member refers does not apply to anything lawfully done in accordance with the 1986 Act.

  Criminal Law Jurisdiction
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions have been mounted in(a) the Republic of Ireland, (b) Northern Ireland and (c) Great Britain

  Offence

  Sentence

  John William Gilmour

  Counselling and Procuring and causing an explosion

  Convicted—16 years imprisonment

  Possession of Explosives with intent (1)

  Convicted—16 years imprisonment

  Possession of Explosives (2)

  Left on file

  Possession of firearm with intent (1)

  Convicted—10 years imprisonment

  Possession of Firearms (2)

  Left on file

  Carrying of Firearm with intent

  Convicted—10 years imprisonment

  The trials in the Republic of Ireland listed in my previous answer took place in the following years:

  1980

  Lynagh

  McGurk

  McNally

  1981

  Campbell

  Ryan

  280
  under the terms of the Criminal Law Jurisdiction Acts; and what is the outcome of each prosecution for each year since the passing of the legislation for 1990 until the earliest convenient date.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Orpington (Mr. Stanbrook) on 19 December 1988, at column 92. All the prosecutions listed in that answer as having taken place in the United Kingdom took place in Northern Ireland. Those trials took place in the following years:

  1978

  Fearon

  Morgan

  O'Rourke

  1981

  Gormley

  1982

  Smyth

  Hannigan

  Callaghan

  Ward

  Patterson

  1986

  McCormack

  1987

  Collins

  1988

  Ellis

  Orr

  Clements

  Verner

  McKenna

  Since my previous answer another person has been tried in Northern Ireland, in 1990, for offences allegedly committed in the Republic of Ireland:

  1982

  McKee

  Sloan

  Magee

  Fusco

  Tuite

  1983

  Flynn

  Soraghan

  One trial which took place in the Republic of Ireland in 1978 and was omitted from my previous answer was:
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  Offence

  Sentence

  John Brendan Brady

  Control of firearms and ammunition

  Convicted—2 years imprisonment

  Possession of explosive substances

  Convicted—6 years imprisonment

  Unlawful seizure of a vehicle

  Convicted—4 years imprisonment

  Since my previous answer four further persion have been tried in the Republic of Ireland for offences allegedly commited in the united Kingdom:

  Offence

  Sentence

  198922

  Gerard Michael Sloan

  Escape Lawful Custody

  Convicted—5 years imprisonment

  Gerald Bernard Hamilton

  Possession of Explosives

  Convicted—7 years imprisonment

  1990

  Damien Martin Harkin

  Possession of Explosives

  Acquitted

  Brian McQuade

  Causing an Explosion

  Convicted—3 years imprisonment

  Possession of Explosives

  Convicted—3 years imprisonment

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Sewage Sludge
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to allow the spreading on land of human sewage sludge for fertilisation purposes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  Sewage sludge is used as a fertiliser in Northern Ireland in accordance with the advice contained in the "Code of Practice for Agricultural Use of Sewage Sludge", published by the Department of the Environment in 1989.

  Police Liaison Committees
  Mr. Ashdown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the local councils which have police liaison committees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Cope
  The following councils have police liaison committees:

  Ards

  Antrim

  Ballymena

  Ballymoney

  Banbridge

  Belfast

  Carrickfergus

  Castlereagh

  Coleraine

  Craigavon

  Derry

  Down

  Dungannon

  Fermanagh

  Larne

  Limavady

  Lisburn

  Magherafelt

  Moyle

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  Newtownabbey

  North Down

  Strabane

  I understand that the Police Authority for Northern Ireland is hopeful that further committees will be established. But if this is not possible alternative arrangements will be considered to ensure that there is effective consultation between the RUC and the community.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will supply figures for the costs and earnings of United Kingdom fishing vessels in the Province for the period 1983 to 1989, broken down by vessel size(a) under 40 ft., (b) 40 to 79·9 ft., (c) 80 to 109·9 ft., (d) 110 to 139·9 ft., and (e) 10 ft. and over.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  The information requested is not readily available. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Meat and Livestock
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what percentage of the meat and livestock produce of Northern Ireland is required for Northern Ireland consumption;

  (2) what percentage of the meat and livestock produce of Northern Ireland is exported to (a) Great Britain, (b) other European Community countries and (c) countries outside the European Community.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: The table sets out the estimated utilisation of cattle, sheep and pig slaughterings in Northern Ireland in 1989.

  283

  Percentage

  Northern Ireland consumption

  Great Britain

  Exports Eropean Community

  Countries outside European Community

  Cattle

  25

  54

  19

  2

  Sheep

  4

  1

  95

  Nil

  Pigs

  45

  35

  20

  1

  1Negligible.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the Livestock Marketing Commission budget for advertising is used to promote the consumption of Northern Ireland meat and livestock produce in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: Approximately 30 per cent. of the commission's development budget is used for such promotion.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lithuania
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will make a statement on her discussions with the Prime Minister of Lithuania.

  The Prime Minister
  I had talks with Mrs. Prunskiene on 9 May. We stressed that the Lithuanian people have the right to self-determination. We also shared the view that the gains that have been made in east-west relations must be preserved and strengthened. The present situation should and can be resolved through discussion.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will identify the community charge regulation she referred to on 3 May,Official Report, column 1204, relating to the sending out and writing-off of small accounts.

  The Prime Minister
  The regulation I referred to on 3 May at column 1204 is regulation 61 of the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989, Statutory Instrument No. 438.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Learning Difficulties
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received on the subject of specific learning difficulties in reading, writing, and spelling, dyslexia, since 23 January; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department has received a number of such representations since the British Dyslexia Association began its dyslexia awareness campaign on 23 January. I shall be meeting representatives of the BDA shortly to discuss this important area of special educational needs.

  Under the Education Act 1981, it is the responsibility of LEAs to make appropriate provision for all pupils with special educational needs in their area. It is therefore for LEAs and schools to ensure that suitable provision is
  284
  made for children with specific learning difficulties, including the teaching of reading and writing by methods appropriate to their needs.

  Nuclear Engineering
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas),Official Report, 10 January, columns 621–22, what is the relationship between the nuclear engineering course which commenced at Queen Mary college in autumn 1989 and courses which closed in nuclear engineering in 1988.

  Mr. Jackson
  My reply to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 10 January reflected the position stated in the handbook for 1989 entry produced by the Universities Central Council on Admissions. I regret that this was incorrect. Further investigations have shown that Queen Mary and Westfield college, London university decided not to proceed with the indicated first-degree course in mechanical and nuclear engineering.

  Higher Education Statistics
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his Department's decision no longer to collect advanced courses early statistics, with the reasons for this decision; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this decision on planning for higher education provision on a regional basis.

  Mr. Jackson
  Some 80 per cent. of enrolments in higher education in England outside the universities are in institutions funded by the Polytechnic and College Funding Council. That body is planning its own early statistics survey for next October, which should enable trends in enrolments to be estimated within broad subject-groups.

  Displaced Persons
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local education authorities made applications for funding under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988 for displaced persons and refugees but were refused grants which(a) had reception centres-hostels for refugees and displaced people and (b) had a significant number of refugees in other accommodation; and on what grounds these applications were rejected.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The bids for funding in 1990–91 under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988 exceeded the total resources available. In accordance with the advice contained in the draft circular issued in July 1989 priority was given, as far as possible, to the maintenance of existing special provision. It was consequently not possible to allocate any grant in response to the applications from the London boroughs of Lambeth and Wandsworth in respect of new provision for displaced persons and refugees in reception centres-hostels and in other accommodation.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of funding
  285
  granted under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988 for displaced people and refugees was for (a) adults and (b) children; and what proportion was for (i) English language provision and (ii) advice and careers counselling.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  About half the funding in 1990–91 is for adults and about half for children. Some 90 per cent. of the funding is for teaching provision including English language provision. Advice and careers counselling account for the remainder.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of funding under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988 was made available for refugees as opposed to travellers for the year 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The proportion of funding to be made available for refugees in 1990–91 is some 4 per cent. of the total.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funding has been made available under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988 for newly arrived refugees and asylum seekers from all nationalities who are living in reception centres or other accommodation in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The London borough of Richmond-upon-Thames has been allocated grant to support expenditure of £54,100 in 1990–91.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what adjustments and flexibility he has approved in respect of the implementation of LMS; and if he will list those local education authorities where such adjustment or flexibility has been agreed.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Carlisle (Mr. Martlew) on 8 May,Official Report, column 11.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those local education authorities implementing LMS in(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of 87 local authorities' schemes for LMS were approved to start from 1 April 1990. The 87 authorities are:

  Avon

  Devon

  Barking and Dagenham

  Doncaster

  Barnet

  Dorset

  Barnsley

  Dudley

  Bedfordshire

  Durham

  Berkshire

  Ealing

  Bexley

  East Sussex

  Birmingham

  Enfield

  Bolton

  Essex

  Bradford

  Gateshead

  Brent

  Gloucestershire

  Bromley

  Hampshire

  Buckinghamshire

  Haringey

  Bury

  Harrow

  Calderdale

  Havering

  Cambridgeshire

  Hounslow

  Cheshire

  Humberside

  Cleveland

  Isle of Wight

  Cornwall

  Kent

  Coventry

  Kingston

  Cumbria

  Kirklees

  Derbyshire

  Knowsley

  286

  Lancashire

  Shropshire

  Leeds

  Solihull

  Lincolnshire

  Somerset

  Liverpool

  South Tyneside

  Merton

  Staffordshire

  Newcastle

  St. Helens

  Norfolk

  Suffolk

  North Tyneside

  Sunderland

  North Yorkshire

  Surrey

  Northamptonshire

  Sutton

  Northumberland

  Tameside

  Nottinghamshire

  Trafford

  Oldham

  Wakefield

  Oxfordshire

  Walsall

  Redbridge

  Waltham Forest

  Richmond

  Warwickshire

  Rochdale

  West Sussex

  Rotherham

  Westminster

  Sandwell

  Wigan

  Salford

  Wiltshire

  Sefton

  Wolverhampton

  Sheffield

  We shall continue to work with the 10 authorities, outside of inner London, that we were not able to approve this year, with the aim of getting approved schemes in place by April 1991. We want to keep delays to a minimum and will expect those authorities to phase in LMS according to the original timetable. Those 10 authorities are

  Croydon, Hereford and Worcester, Hertfordshire, Hillingdon, Isles of Scilly, Leicestershire, Manchester, Newham, Stockport, and Wirral.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those local education authorities which have submitted requests to defer the implementation of LMS by(a) six months; (b) a year, and (c) for any other period.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Of the 87 LEAs that have approved LMS schemes in force from 1 April 1990, we have received a representation from one seeking to defer implementation of the scheme.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements there are in cases where a school, under LMS, requires a teacher to accept redundancy to determine who is liable to pay the appropriate redundancy payments.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Section 46(5) of the Education Reform Act 1988 specifies that the costs incurred by a local education authority in respect of the dismissal or premature retirement, or for the purpose of securing the resignation, of any member of the staff of a school within the scope of an LMS scheme shall not be met from the school's budget except in so far as the authority. has good reason for deducting those costs, or any part of those costs, from that share.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the statutory provisions that relate to his duties in respect of implementation of a local management scheme by a local education authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The statutory provisions that relate to the duties of my right hon. Friend in respect of implementation of a local management scheme by a local education authority are:

  (i) to consider the approval of a scheme prepared by a local education authority under section 33 of the Education Reform Act which—

  287

  (a) replaces a previous scheme; or

  (b) makes a significant variation to a previous scheme;

  (ii) to determine within 2 months of notification, whether a variation proposed by a local education authority as a minor variation, falls within the description of a minor variation;

  (iii) to consult the local education authority in question before varying a scheme by direction;

  (iv) to consider any appeal made by a governing body against—

  (a) the imposition of any suspension of delegation;

  (b) the refusal of a local education authority to revoke any such suspension of delegation or any review required;

  (v) in the event of an appeal made by a governing body as described in (iv) above; a duty to;

  (a) allow or reject the appeal;

  (b) have regard to the gravity of the default on the part of the governing body and the likelihood of its continuance or recurrence;

  (vi) to make Regulations under section 42 of the Education Reform Act.

  British Airstrip, Antarctic
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the new British airstrip in the Antarctic will be used for purposes other than scientific research, except in cases of emergencies.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 11 May.

  Emphysema and Bronchitis
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent by the Medical Research Council on research into emphysema and bronchitis since 1988.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: The expenditure on research into respiratory diseases which is in whole or part relevant to bronchitis and emphysema was as follows:

  £

  1987–88

  1,845,301

  1988–89

  1,832,953

  Figures for the financial year 1989–90 will be available in July from the Medical Research Council.

WALES

  Gwynedd Health Authority
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he is satisfied with the financial control exercised by Gwynedd health authority in each of the two most recent financial years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Subject to submission of the authority's accounts for 1989–90, it would appear that the authority has continued to keep its cash spending within the sums allotted by my right hon. Friend. However, it would also appear from reports received from the authority that its underlying financial position, as measured in terms of the balance between its income and expenditure in accruals terms, is once again deteriorating, following the limited progress which was made towards restoring financial balance during 1987–88 and 1988–89. This is, of course,288
  disappointing; but my right hon. Friend will not be in a position to comment more substantially on the authority's performance in exercising financial control until (i) the authority has had an opportunity to consider the results of the study which its general manager is currently undertaking with the assistance of management consultants, (ii) the authority's response to that study has been discussed with Welsh Office officials as part of the next round of annual performance reviews and (iii) the statutory auditor's audit of the authority's 1989–90 accounts has been completed.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions his Department has had with Gwynedd health authority concerning the effects of the recent secretarial strike on the delivery of services in the county; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The effect of the secretarial strike on the delivery of health services in Gwynedd is a matter for the district health authority and Welsh Office officials have not been in discussion on this aspect.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the amount of capital expenditure on new facilities by Gwynedd health authority in 1988–89, 1989–90 and the projected level for such spending in 1990–91.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not centrally available in the form requested since neither the annual accounts nor the 10-year capital programmes prepared by health authorities provide expenditure figures under the heading of "new facilities".

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a list of the repayable loans made by the Welsh Office to Gwynedd health authority over the past five years indicating for each such loan the sum involved, the period for repayment and the interest charged.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is as follows:

  Date of loan

  Amount of loan £ million

  Date repaid

  1985–86

  0·200

  1986–87

  1986–87

  —

  —

  1987–88

  1·450

  1988–89

  1988–89

  0·738

  1989–90

  1989–90

  —

  —

  No interest was charged on any of these loans.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the terms of reference given to the current team of consultants appointed by the Welsh Office to study the problem facing Gwynedd health authority; and by what date they are required to present their report.

  Mr. Grist
  In common with other district health authorities in Wales, Gwynedd has been asked to submit a pathfinder procurement plan in June and has commissioned management consultants to help it prepare this plan. Together with other health authorities, Gwynedd has secured a measure of Welsh Office funding for this exercise.

  In addition to the procurement plan project, Gwynedd health authority has asked the management consultants to

  289
  assist in its review of its finances and services. I understand that the authority's report on the outcome of the review is likely to be considered by its members in June.

  As the study is being carried out by Gwynedd health authority, details of its management consultants' terms of reference should be obtained from the DHA.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what date Gwynedd health authority was due to attain a financial balance following the Welsh Office consultant's investigation undertaken in 1987; and if he will make a statement on progress to date.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The action plan 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 was aimed at bringing the authority back into financial balance by 1991–92. This action plan remains the basic strategy for the financial restructuring of the authority. However, in view of the length of time taken to realise some of the planned savings associated with service rationalisation measures within the action plan, some slippage on this target would seem inevitable. The question of a revised target date will be considered in due course in the light of the review of the authority's financial position which is currently being undertaken by the authority with the assistance of management consultants.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the(a) revenue budget and (b) capital budget allocated by the Welsh Office to Gwynedd health authority for each of the years 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90; and for each year what was the actual revenue and capital expenditure of the authority.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is as follows:

  Revenue cash limit £ million

  Revenue charge against cash limit £ million

  Capital cash limit £ million

  Capital charge against cash limit1 £ million

  1986–87

  49·905

  49·903

  1·388

  1·389

  1987–88

  55·855

  55·841

  3·433

  3·434

  1988–89

  62·614

  62·637

  1·860

  1·859

  1989–90

  65·436

  262·397

  2·829

  22·829

  1Source: Health Authority Annual Accounts

  2Source: Form FIS(HA)2 Cumulative Cash Flow Statement for period ending March 1990.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions during the past 12 months a minister of his Department has(a) visited Gwynedd for purposes related to Gwynedd health authority or (b) met the chairman or members of Gwynedd health authority at a location other than in Gwynedd.

  Mr. Grist
  Ministers have met the chairman of the authority on four occasions during the last 12 months in London and south Wales. In addition, senior officials of the Welsh Office have visited and met the authority's chairman and officers frequently, and briefed me comprehensively on the key issues involved.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether his Department approved the discontinuation by Gwynedd health authority of the nursing surveillance service.
  290
  Mr. Grist
  No approval was needed or sought.

  Sewage Discharges
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether the announcement made on 5 March that the discharge of new sewage into the sea would be stopped will apply with equal force to discharges from Wales;

  (2) whether he will make it his policy to ban the discharge of new sewage from Wales into the estuaries and seas round Wales and to set a timetable for completing the implementation of such a policy.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he will make it his policy to ban the discharge of new sewage from Wales into the estuaries and seas around Wales and to set a timetable for completing the implementation of such a policy;

  (2) whether the announcement made on 5 March that the discharge of new sewage into the sea would be stopped will apply with equal force to discharges from Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The policies set out by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 5 March will apply to discharges from Wales. Discussions will be held with the National Rivers Authority, the Office of Water Services and the sewerage undertaker to work out the detailed arrangements for implementing this policy as soon as is practicable.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that the new sewage outfall into the Severn estuary at Lavernock will include full secondary treatment works, and to require that design work takes into account this policy to avoid delay in the implementation of the scheme.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy that the new sewage outfall into the Severn estuary at Lavernock will include full secondary treatment works, and require that design work takes into account this policy to avoid delay in the implementation of the scheme.

  Mr. Ian Grist
  This is a matter for Dwr Cymru and the National Rivers Authority which are fully aware of and will take into account relevant Government policies.

  Red Slime, Blackpill
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek urgent advice on the occurrence of a red slime on the beach at Blackpill, Swansea, on 7 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  I am advised by the National Rivers Authority that it has analysed a sample of the slime which was found to comprise diatoms and flocs of iron particles. The iron flocs, which gave the slime an orange-brown colour, emanated from the River Clyne which receives a significant proportion of drainage from abandoned coal mines in the Dunvant and Killay areas and enters the sea at Blackpill. The ferruginous inputs from these mines are of relatively constant flow and thus have a much greater impact on the appearance of the river when river levels are low, as has been the case during the recent dry spell. The slime, though aesthetically unpleasant, does not in the opinion of environmental health officials threaten human or animal health.

  Optical Services
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will commission research into the identification of cases of glaucoma in Wales in the past five years, the effectiveness of measures taken by opticians, general practitioners and hospitals in preventing deterioration of eyesight in patients during the same period, and the effect of Government policy on these matters with particular reference to the period from 1 April 1989.

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

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded in each quarter of(a) 1986, (b) 1987 and (c) 1988 in Wales as a whole.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The following table shows the number of new ophthalmology out-patients recorded in NHS hospitals in Wales:

  Quarter Ended

  Number

  March 1986

  9,247

  June 1986

  9,905

  September 1986

  9,678

  December 1986

  10,383

  March 1987

  9,616

  June 1987

  9,825

  September 1987

  9,531

  December 1987

  10,263

  March 1988

  11,545

  June 1988

  10,280

  September 1988

  10,242

  December 1988

  10,771

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new out-patient attendances at ophthalmic clinics were recorded(a) in South Glamorgan and (b) in Wales in the last quarter of 1989.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not yet available.

  Mrs. Noreen Edwards
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date Mrs. Noreen Edwards was first appointed to the chair of Gwynedd health authority and for what period; on what subsequent dates and for what periods of time she was reappointed; and on what date her present appointment terminates.

  Mr. Grist
  Mrs. Edwards was first appointed to chair the authority on 1 August 1982 for four years. She was reappointed on 1 August 1986 for a further four years to 31 July 1990.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the acreage of land and the price realised for such land, arising from the sale of the land by each of the district health authorities in Wales since 1979.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is not immediately available in the form requested. I will write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible and will place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.
  292
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the actual cost of wage and salary increases for each of the district health authorities in Wales in the financial year 1989–90; and what was the financial provision made by the Welsh Office in his revenue funding of each authority to meet wage and salary inflation in that year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is for each authority to decide how much of its annual increase in discretionary cash provision should be set aside for pay settlements in the light of the Chancellor of the Exchequer's Industry Act forecast of general inflation in the economy for the year in question and in the light of the particular composition of its work force. For 1989–90 the forecast of general inflation was 5 per cent. and the initial percentage increase in cash provision of district health authorities in Wales (by comparison with their 1988–89 final allocations) were as follows:

  per cent. in-crease

  Clwyd

  6·5

  East Dyfed

  8·8

  Gwent

  5·8

  Gwynedd

  5·8

  Mid Glamorgan

  6·1

  Pembrokeshire

  6·8

  Powys

  8·6

  South Glamorgan

  5·8

  West Glamorgan

  5·8

  However, it should be noted that these initial discretionary cash increases were subsequently enhanced to take account of the contribution which the Government made towards the cost of meeting the recommendations of the pay review bodies covering doctors and dentists, nurses and professions allied to medicine. This supplementary funding was distributed by reference to paybill data for those categories of staff in authorities 1988–89 accounts and resulted in revised discretionary cash increases for Welsh district health authorities, prior to further enhancement in respect of White Paper requirements, as follows:

  Increase Per cent.

  Clwyd

  7·4

  East Dyfed

  9·6

  Gwent

  6·6

  Gwynedd

  6·6

  Mid Glamorgan

  7·0

  Pembrokeshire

  7·6

  Powys

  9·5

  South Glamorgan

  6·6

  West Glamorgan

  6·6

  It is not possible to estimate the actual cost of pay settlements in 1989–90 without details of the number, grades, and so on of staff employed by each of the district health authorities in Wales during that year. Acccounts data will be submitted to the Welsh Office in June but these will give only the increase in total expenditure on the various categories of staff and will not distinguish the increase in pay levels from changes in the number or composition of staff.
  293
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many established posts are currently frozen in each of the nine district health authorities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The information requested is not held centrally. Staffing levels are operational issues for health authorities.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve the reporting procedures which enable him to monitor the financial performance and delivery of services of district health authorities in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The main mechanism for monitoring the performance of individual district health authorities is the annual review undertaken each autumn by the executive committee of the Health Policy Board. This provides the opportunity for a rigorous central assessment of local management action and performance, and constitutes a key channel of accountability to the Secretary of State in relation to each health authority's stewardship of health care services and the public moneys which fund them.

  The annual review process is being developed to reflect the distinction between the purchaser and provider roles of district health authorities proposed in the White Paper "Working for Patients".

  In addition to the annual review, health authorities are required to submit a wide range of financial and service specific returns within the year. These are analysed carefully, and kept under continuous review to ensure that they remain fit for purpose.

  Discretionary capital allocations 1990–91 £ million

  Discretionary capital allocations 1982–83 expressed at 1990–91 prices £ million

  Percentage change in allocation in period 1982–83 to 1990–91 percentage

  Clwyd

  6·277

  1·520

  313

  East Dyfed

  3·205

  0·956

  235

  Gwent

  6·184

  1·924

  221

  Gwynedd

  1·710

  0·870

  97

  Mid Glamorgan

  8·054

  2·170

  271

  Pembrokeshire

  1·968

  0·306

  543

  Powys

  1·113

  0·454

  145

  South Glamorgan

  7·938

  2·574

  208

  West Glamorgan

  8·072

  1·483

  444

  Note:

  The methodology used since 1984–85 in the distribution of capital resources for the discretionary use of district health authorities (which is reflected in the table above) is not comparable to that used previously. Prior to 1984–85, the distribution of discretionary capital resources between authorities was pro rata to the distribution of their recurrent revenue allocations. Since 1984–85, authorities; discretionary capital allocations have been determined by reference to a formula which was specifically devised for this purpose. The formula, which is population based, also takes into account the distribution of NHS capital stock throughout Wales. The distribution of the resources available for 1990–91 reflects the implementation of the second update of this capital formula.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to meet jointly the chairman of a district health authority in Wales together with hon. Members whose constituencies are served by that health authority when circumstances justify; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  My right hon. Friend will continue to consider each request for a meeting on its individual merits.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the most recent figures
  294
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the salary or fee paid to each of the chair persons of district health authorities in Wales during 1989–90; and what were the expenses paid to each of these persons.

  Mr. Grist
  In 1989–90, the chairmen of district health authorities in Wales received a flat-rate taxable honorarium of £12,462. Information about other expenses which may have been drawn from their own authorities is not held centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the total sums paid by way of performance-related pay to senior managers in each of the new Welsh district health authorities in 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  No. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 15 March at column 346. Particulars of actual performance-related pay additions to salary made by employing authorities are confidential and information thereon is not held centrally.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if, pursuant to his answer of 18 April to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon (Mr. Morris),Official Report, columns 932–33, he will publish a table showing for each of the district health authorities in Wales the level of capital allocation in 1990–91 and the corresponding figure in real terms for 1982–83; and what has been the percentage change in each instance.

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

  available on the death rate for each district health authority in Wales with corresponding figures for five and 10 years previously.

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

  Crude death rate1

  Welsh district health authorities

  1988

  1983

  1978

  Clwyd

  12·6

  12·9

  13·6

  East Dyfed

  12·4

  14·2

  214·3

  Pembrokeshire

  11·8

  11·6

  Gwent

  11·7

  11·9

  11·9

  295

  Crude death rate1

  Welsh district health authorities

  1988

  1983

  1978

  Gwynedd

  12·5

  14·0

  14·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  11·6

  12·4

  12·8

  Powys

  12·2

  13·2

  13·4

  South Glamorgan

  10·7

  11·5

  11·6

  West Glamorgan

  12·2

  12·5

  13·4

  Wales

  11·9

  12·6

  13·0

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  1 Registered deaths of residents (excluding still-births) per 1,000 population.

  2Heatlh Authorities were reorganised into nine District Health Authorities in 1982. For 1978 Pembrokeshire figures are shown with East Dyfed.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each health authority area in Wales the number of cancer cases newly diagnosed in each of the last five years; and if he will show these figures as a proportion of the base population in each health authority district.

  Mr. Grist
  The most recently available information on cancer incidence rates in Wales is presented in "Cancer Registration in Wales, 1974–84" published in 1988. It is intended that full data in respect of the period 1984 to 1986 together with a commentary will be published during 1990.

  Felinheli Bypass
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales why the engineer from his Department who had agreed to attend a public meeting at Felinheli on Friday 4 May failed to arrive at that meeting; why the person who did attend was not authorised to inform the meeting of the Welsh Office's latest information on the Felinheli bypass; and if he will review the workings of his Department to avoid the public being let down in this manner in future.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The terms of reference for the attendance of an official at the meeting were explained to those who made the request.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest estimate of his Department of the date of commencement of work on the Felinheli bypass; by what date it is expected that land purchase will be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Felinheli bypass is programmed to start in the period April 1991 to March 1994 as shown in "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s". Land purchase is programmed to meet this timetable.

  Caernarfon Cottage Hospital
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of complying with each of the three conditions for closure of the Caernarfon cottage hospital laid down by the Welsh Office in its letter of 20 April, concerning alternative dental provision for the area; and by what date he expects each of these conditions to be met.

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

  Madog Memorial Hospital
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimated annual savings of closing the Madog memorial hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Following the issue of the Welsh Office's letters of 3 and 22 March 1989 which conveyed approval of Gwynedd health authority's proposals to close Madog memorial hospital, detailed issues relating to the closure are a matter for the health authority, subject to compliance with the relevant conditions set out in the letter of 3 March. The hon. Gentleman should therefore contact the health authority for further information.

  Charities
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will commission research into the effect of Government funding in the Health Service on(a) the approach of NHS managers to charitable contributions, (b) the degree to which fund-raising is attracted to different areas of need within the Health Service and (c) the attitudes of fund-raising and charitable groups.

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

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will take steps to ensure that in circumstances in which former trust hospitals are to be closed notwithstanding the provisions of section 88(2) of the National Health Service Act 1977, those hospital buildings will first be offered back to trustees, or acting trustees in the area, and that if such trustees wish to take over the hospital building, they shall not be required to pay more for them than was paid, if at all, by the National Health Service for them when they were taken over from the trustees.

  Mr. Grist
  No.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the hospitals and other units in Wales which have expressed an interest in seeking National Health Service trust status once the current legislation has reached the statute book.

  Mr. Grist
  No firm expressions of interest have been received to date.

  Hospital Travel Costs
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been his expenditure in each of the last five years on the National Health Service hospital travel costs scheme in each of the district health authority areas in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested was not identified separately in health authorities' accounts until 1985–86. The figures for the years since then are shown in the table:

  £000

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Clwyd

  26·7

  29·0

  28·7

  38·4

  East Dyfed

  13·4

  12·2

  12·0

  18·0

  Gwent

  31·4

  28·1

  28·3

  39·6

  297

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Gwynedd

  15·2

  17·0

  16·2

  20·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  40·3

  45·7

  35·8

  38·3

  Pembrokeshire

  6·5

  7·6

  7·9

  9·1

  Powys

  0·3

  0·3

  0·0

  0·9

  South Glamorgan

  61·6

  54·9

  60·2

  77·7

  West Glamorgan

  23·9

  31·1

  28·0

  34·9

  Wales

  219·3

  225·9

  217·1

  277·3

  Source: Health Authorities Annual Accounts.

  However, it should be noted that prior to 1 April 1988 when responsibility for administering the scheme transferred wholly to district health authorities in Wales, some of the claims made under this scheme were met by local offices of the DHSS. The figures for 1985–86, 1986–87 and 1987–88 are therefore not directly comparable with those for 1988–89.

  Hospital Services, Llangefni
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the average cost per in-patient day at(a) the Cefni hospital, Llangefni and (b) the Druid hospital, Llangefni, on the basis of the most recently available information.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information on average costs per in-patient day is not centrally available. However, the average treatment costs per day per patient using a bed (both in-patients and day cases) are given on page 208 of "Welsh Health Costing Returns 1988–89" a copy of which is in the Library of the House. These costs exclude general services—catering, laundry, cleaning, administration, and so on—it being not possible to distribute these costs between patients using a bed and out-patients.

  Sports Council for Wales
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who appoints the members of the Sports Council for Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  The members are appointed by the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Flooding, Towyn
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what help will be available to Towyn and the flood-affected areas to renovate their homes to a proper standard.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Owners of homes damaged by the floods will be eligible for up to 100 per cent. grants for approved expenditure subject to the test of resources under the new grant scheme to be introduced in seven weeks' time.

  The test of resources for owner-occupiers will be similar to that for housing benefit.

  Savings of £5,000 or less will be completely disregarded. Over £5,000 every £250 of savings will be treated as if it were £1 income. There will be no upper limit on capital or savings.

  Below a certain income an owner will qualify for 100 per cent. grant on eligible works. The threshold will depend on individual family circumstances—for example a couple with two children would have a different threshold from a single person. In every case this income threshold will be £20 per week higher than housing benefit levels.
  298
  Where income exceeds the threshold, 20p in the pound of that excess will be regarded as available to help finance the works through a notional loan. The amount of grant will be the excess of the cost of works over the notional loan.

  My Department has been holding discussions with Colwyn borough council to assist it in ensuring that the preparatory work is done now to enable applications to be processed and work to be undertaken immediately the scheme takes effect after 1 July 1990.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Incomes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the average income for each county in England and Wales.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Provisional estimates for 1987 were published by the Central Statistical Office in the July edition of "Economic Trends" (pages 116 and 117). Revised estimates for the same year will be published later this month in the April 1990 "Economic Trends".

  Social Security Appeals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the average interval, in each region, between a social security appeal tribunal's oral hearing at which a decision is made and the notification of the decision to the claimant; and how much of this is attributable to administrative delay.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The administration of social security appeal tribunals is the responsibility of the president of the Social Security Appeal Tribunals, His Honour Judge Holden, and the hon. Member may care to contact him direct.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list each of the(a) inquiries and (b) research products initiated by his Department into the housing benefit scheme.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 3 May 1990]: When the reformed housing benefit scheme was introduced in April 1988, the Department established, in conjunction with local authorities, the housing benefit management information system (HBMIS). This system enables the Department to collect information about housing benefit caseload on a regular basis. Caseload counts are carried out at quarterly intervals, and a survey of 1 per cent. of the housing benefit caseload is conducted on an annual basis.

  In addition, the Department's officials make regular visits to local authorities to obtain feedback about the operation of the housing benefit scheme, and meet representatives of the local authority associations quarterly at the housing benefit standing committee.

  In the period following the implementation of the reforms a number of research projects have been commissioned as follows:

  (i) the reform of housing benefit—a project commissioned in 1986 which resulted in the publication by the Housing Centre Trust entitled `Housing Benefit: A Discussion About Reform';
  299
  (ii) a special survey of amenity charges conducted by the social policy research unit at the university of York in 1986, the results of which formed part of the above mentioned publication and produced a working paper;

  (iii) research into the housing benefit review system, commissioned from the social policy research unit, university of York in 1988, and due to report in the autumn of 1990;
  300
  (iv) research recently commissioned from the Institute of Public Finance, in relation to the formula used for distributing housing benefit administration costs subsidy, and due to be completed in the summer.

HEALTH

  Hospital Catering
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of catering provisions per patient per day in each regional health authority in each year since 1979, expressed in cash and constant prices.

  Hospital costs—average cost of catering provisions per patient day

  £ cash

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Northern

  1·01

  1·10

  1·22

  1·27

  1·30

  1·36

  1·38

  1·43

  1·56

  Yorkshire

  1·00

  1·09

  1·18

  1·26

  1·26

  1·32

  1·33

  1·42

  1·53

  Trent

  1·03

  1·08

  1·16

  1·28

  1·31

  1·35

  1·41

  1·50

  1·59

  East Anglia

  1·02

  1·09

  1·17

  1·23

  1·27

  1·33

  1·32

  1·35

  1·46

  North West Thames

  1·05

  1·11

  1·21

  1·22

  1·29

  1·37

  1·44

  1·38

  1·51

  North East Thames

  1·01

  1·07

  1·17

  1·24

  1·28

  1·33

  1·41

  1·49

  1·58

  South East Thames

  10·3

  1·12

  1·21

  1·21

  1·25

  1·36

  1·41

  1·44

  1·62

  South West Thames

  1·02

  1·09

  1·16

  1·19

  1·24

  1·30

  1·37

  1·43

  1·55

  Wessex

  1·02

  1·07

  1·17

  1·23

  1·22

  1·36

  1·43

  1·49

  1·52

  Oxford

  1·10

  1·20

  1·29

  1·25

  1·30

  1·34

  1·36

  1·53

  1·68

  South Western

  1·00

  1·05

  1·14

  1·21

  1·22

  1·30

  1·31

  1·31

  1·50

  West Midlands

  1·00

  1·06

  1·15

  1·22

  1·20

  1·26

  1·28

  1·31

  1·42

  Mersey

  1·01

  1·07

  1·17

  1·23

  1·20

  1·26

  1·31

  1·33

  1·39

  North Western

  1·01

  1·11

  1·19

  1·26

  1·24

  1·27

  1·29

  1·35

  1·40

  SHAs

  1·29

  1·34

  15·3

  1·57

  1·64

  1·74

  1·68

  1·89

  1·96

  England

  1·02

  1·09

  1·18

  1·24

  1·26

  1·32

  1·36

  1·41

  1·52

  Hospital costs—average cost of catering provisions per patient day

  £ at 1989–90 prices

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  Northern

  2·02

  1·86

  1·88

  1·83

  1·79

  1·78

  1·72

  1·72

  1·78

  Yorkshire

  2·00

  1·85

  1·82

  1·81

  1·73

  1·73

  1·65

  1·71

  1·75

  Trent

  2·06

  1·83

  1·79

  1·84

  1·80

  1·77

  1·75

  1·80

  1·81

  East Anglia

  2·04

  1·85

  1·80

  1·77

  1·75

  1·74

  1·64

  1·62

  1·67

  North West Thames

  2·10

  1·88

  1·87

  1·76

  1·77

  1·79

  1·79

  1·66

  1·72

  North East Thames

  2·02

  1·81

  1·80

  1·78

  1·76

  1·74

  1·75

  1·79

  1·80

  South East Thames

  2·06

  1·90

  1·87

  1·74

  1·72

  1·78

  1·75

  1·73

  1·85

  South West Thames

  2·04

  1·85

  1·79

  1·71

  1·70

  1·70

  1·70

  1·72

  1·77

  Wessex

  2·04

  1·81

  1·80

  1·77

  1·68

  1·78

  1·78

  1·79

  1·73

  Oxford

  2·20

  2·03

  1·99

  1·80

  1·79

  1·75

  1·69

  1·84

  1·92

  South Western

  2·00

  1·78

  1·76

  1·74

  1·68

  1·70

  1·63

  1·57

  1·71

  West Midlands

  2·00

  1·80

  1·77

  1·76

  1·65

  1·65

  1·59

  1·57

  1·62

  Mersey

  2·02

  1·81

  1·80

  1·77

  1·65

  1·65

  1·63

  1·60

  1·59

  North Western

  2·02

  1·88

  1·84

  1·81

  1·70

  1·66

  1·60

  1·62

  1·60

  SHAs

  2·59

  2·27

  2·36

  2·26

  2·25

  2·28

  2·09

  2·27

  2·24

  England

  2·04

  1·85

  1·82

  1·78

  1·73

  1·73

  1·69

  1·69

  1·73

  Source: The annual costing returns (financial returns for 1987–88) of the district health authorities in England and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals. (Predecessor authorities prior to 1982–83).

  Hospital Beds (Statistics)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total available medical patient beds, not including beds for those with mental illness or mental handicap, for each year since 1979 for each Yorkshire and Humberside health authority.

  Average daily acute2 beds, NHS hospitals, Yorkshire and Humberside standard region, 1979 to 1988–89

  District code and health authority

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  B12 Hull

  1,058

  1,061

  1,061

  1,020

  1,045

  1,053

  1,039

  983

  1,012

  1,020

  B13 East Yorkshire

  657

  654

  627

  623

  649

  633

  630

  497

  481

  487

  B14 Grimsby

  471

  468

  473

  471

  483

  469

  477

  478

  450

  420

  B15 Scunthorpe

  450

  447

  430

  433

  443

  441

  446

  442

  399

  371

  B22 Northallerton

  276

  287

  287

  281

  247

  237

  239

  241

  259

  242

  B23 York

  763

  767

  771

  750

  743

  726

  725

  716

  691

  689

  B24 Scarborough

  391

  389

  368

  382

  387

  380

  371

  362

  351

  349

  B25 Harrogate

  679

  637

  656

  646

  633

  606

  577

  546

  501

  471

  B32 Bradford

  1,248

  1,238

  1,230

  1,226

  1,219

  1,201

  1,188

  1,183

  1,129

  1,105

  B33 Airedale

  513

  512

  512

  502

  489

  479

  451

  424

  425

  411

  302
  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested for the financial years 1979–80 to 1987–88 is shown in the table.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The tables set out the available information on bed availiability and in-patients treated.
  303

  District code and health authority

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  B42 Calderdale

  580

  591

  588

  581

  557

  539

  510

  501

  472

  458

  B52 Huddersfield

  592

  587

  593

  594

  586

  574

  525

  524

  445

  432

  B53 Dewsbury

  408

  406

  415

  387

  402

  406

  412

  411

  394

  358

  B62 Leeds Western

  1

  1

  1

  1,494

  1,425

  1,407

  1,388

  1,378

  1,337

  1,327

  B63 Leeds Eastern

  1

  1

  1

  1,301

  1,301

  1,273

  1,261

  1,231

  1,235

  1,203

  B72 Wakefield

  726

  680

  695

  661

  688

  659

  626

  593

  584

  540

  B73 Pontefract

  439

  452

  432

  433

  449

  469

  449

  413

  373

  358

  C09 Barnsley

  513

  532

  530

  480

  542

  535

  534

  525

  524

  521

  C10 Doncaster

  1

  1

  1

  739

  737

  745

  740

  763

  738

  743

  C11 Rotherham

  1

  1

  1

  556

  558

  558

  571

  569

  567

  575

  C12 Sheffield

  1

  1

  1

  2,144

  2,135

  2,143

  2,170

  2,206

  2,278

  2,020

  1 Comparable figures not available due to National Health Service restructuring in 1982.

  2 Units for the younger physically disabled included.

  Source: SH3 return, 1979–1986.

  KH03 return, 1987–88 onwards.

  In-patient cases treated, acute2 sector, Yorkshire and Humberside standard region, 1979 to 1988–89

  District health authority

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Hull

  31,919

  31,883

  32,954

  31,080

  35,794

  36,575

  37,012

  36,693

  40,966

  40,968

  East Yorkshire

  13,970

  15,181

  15,209

  14,427

  16,158

  15,932

  16,157

  15,982

  16,128

  17,811

  Grimsby

  13,878

  14,395

  15,735

  15,736

  16,744

  17,327

  18,859

  19,963

  19,585

  18,832

  Scunthorpe

  16,224

  17,057

  17,359

  15,864

  17,194

  17,627

  18,187

  18,508

  20,510

  20,878

  Northallerton

  6,242

  6,391

  6,456

  6,445

  6,382

  6,474

  6,844

  7,191

  8,028

  7,883

  York

  21,024

  21,752

  22,125

  20,879

  22,950

  23,034

  24,246

  25,033

  25,595

  27,221

  Scarborough

  15,117

  15,652

  15,856

  15,747

  16,318

  16,004

  16,983

  16,763

  17,034

  16,985

  Harrogate

  14,440

  15,571

  15,966

  16,076

  16,380

  15,538

  15,733

  15,661

  16,162

  15,621

  Bradford

  39,102

  42,582

  43,379

  40,815

  44,856

  45,506

  45,078

  45,688

  48,551

  48,374

  Airedale

  13,149

  13,342

  13,607

  14,163

  14,241

  14,895

  15,140

  15,700

  15,403

  16,844

  Calderdale

  15,982

  15,996

  16,293

  16,162

  17,152

  17,066

  16,781

  17,205

  17,867

  17,950

  Huddersfield

  14,817

  16,079

  16,614

  15,564

  17,328

  17,800

  18,703

  19,373

  21,434

  19,407

  Dewsbury

  11,810

  12,016

  12,133

  11,555

  12,856

  13,066

  13,853

  14,185

  13,764

  12,907

  Leeds Western

  1

  1

  1

  43,873

  43,992

  45,924

  47,182

  47,031

  47,440

  48,980

  Leeds Eastern

  1

  1

  1

  39,123

  45,131

  45,246

  46,515

  48,187

  48,452

  50,158

  Wakefield

  17,867

  17,930

  19,564

  17,465

  19,635

  19,970

  19,811

  20,135

  20,832

  20,621

  Pontefract

  14,554

  16,417

  15,702

  14,069

  15,935

  16,534

  16,856

  16,382

  16,512

  16,172

  Barnsley

  16,637

  17,972

  19,202

  16,852

  19,437

  19,463

  20,913

  20,766

  21,648

  22,383

  Doncaster

  1

  1

  1

  25,621

  29,332

  29,553

  29,973

  30,824

  32,554

  32,530

  Rotherham

  1

  1

  1

  17,268

  20,108

  20,581

  21,596

  21,946

  22,966

  24,177

  Sheffield

  1

  1

  1

  68,779

  75,181

  75,610

  77,820

  77,939

  87,878

  90,952

  Source: SH3 return, 1979–1986.

  SH3a return, 1987–88 onwards.

  1 Comparable figures not available due to National Health Service restructuring in 1982.

  2 GP maternity and younger physically disabled.

  Salmonella
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement regarding the ending of the practice of publishing weekly the salmonella food poisoning figures, by the communicable disease surveillance centre in the PHLS communicable disease reports.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The change to monthly reporting of gastro-intestinal illness in the communicable disease report is part of a programme of general operational changes designed to produce more detailed and comprehensive reports.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the figures for salmonella infections published in the PHLS-SVS update on salmonella infections are calculated; and whether the basis for calculation is different from that used for the communicable disease reports.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  To obtain the most complete picture possible, the public health laboratory service monitors the frequency of food poisoning in this country via a number of different surveillance systems. The figures published in the PHLS-SVS update on salmonella infection and those in the communicable disease report are both elements of PHLS surveillance. The two sets of 304
  figures are obtained in different ways. It is clearly noted in the "Update" that they cannot be directly compared. Moreover, trends cannot be deduced from any single set of figures but only by comparison of data over a prolonged period of time.

  The "Update" figures relate to human isolates of salmonella sent to the PHLS Division of enteric pathogens for detailed identification and phage typing. The data in the CDR are derived from reports sent to the PH LS communicable disease surveillance centre.

  Low Vision Clinics
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by region, those hospitals which have special low vision clinics.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Funding (South West Thames)
  Mr. Nelson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether he has received representations or discussed with the chairman of the South West Thames regional health
  305
  authority the redistribution of funds within the region to assist underfunded district health authorities such as Chichester;

  (2) whether he will list the financial allocations for current expenditure from the South West Thames regional health authority to each district health authority in the region for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have not received any representations or held discussions with the chairman of South West Thames regional health authority about these matters, although the chairman has kept the Department informed about Chichester health authority's financial position. The distribution of funds within the region is a matter for the regional health authority and information on the revenue allocations to individual districts is not held centrally. My hon. Friend may like to write to South West Thames regional health authority for this information.

  Ambulance Service
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to transfering responsibillity for emergency ambulance services to the fire service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has recently considered this suggestion but concluded that the emergency service is and must remain an integral part of the National Health Service.

  Maternity Care
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list in the Official Report the unit cost per birth for in-patient maternity care in (a) Bexley health district and (b) the South East Thames health region for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list in the Official Report the unit cost per birth for maternity services in (a) Bexley and (b) Dartford and Gravesham health districts for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I regret that the information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report the revenue expenditure on maternity services in (a) Bexley and (b) Dartford and Gravesham health districts for the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Revenue expenditure on maternity services (excluding general services overheads) for the financial year 1988–89 totalled £3·16 million for Bexley health authority and £3·74 million for Dartford and Gravesham health authority.

  I understand that, because of the pattern of hospital provision in this part of Kent, and resultant attendance patterns, the expenditure of these districts do not relate solely to their resident populations.

  Computer Costs
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether general practices which submit applications for the reimbursement of computer costs which meet Government criteria will automatically be paid in the current financial year if they submit their application in the next few months;
  306
  (2) how much money is in his 1990–91 budget for the reimbursement of computer costs for general practice; and what happens to applications for reimbursement if the budget is exhausted.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There has been made available £24 million in 1990–91 for direct reimbursement of general practice computing costs in England, the balance of expenditure being reimbursed indirectly through fees and allowances. Claims which meet the criteria will be paid in this financial year. Should funds become fully committed valid claims which are not paid in 1990–91 may be resubmitted in the next financial year. The resources available in Wales and Scotland are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Health how many general practice budgets qualify for the fund for the reimbursement of computer costs.

  Mr. Dorrell
  All GP practices are entitled to claim up to 50 per cent. reimbursement of the costs of purchasing, upgrading or leasing computers. In addition, those practices which formally commit themselves to participation in the practice funding scheme will be eligible for a further 25 per cent. reimbursement of these costs.

  Child Abase
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of children in England and Wales on the at risk register for each of the last 10 years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The regular collection of information about children on all child protection registers in England and Wales commenced in 1989. The provisional number on the registers at 31 March 1989 was 42,800. Final figures for 1989 will be published in the summer. An initial survey of all registers was carried out in March 1988. The estimated number on the registers was 41,100 but there is some evidence of under-reporting in this total.

  Cancer Patients, Yorkshire
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information his Department has on the number of people in the Yorkshire region who are registered on the Yorkshire regional cancer register for each of the health districts in the Yorkshire region.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is a matter for the Yorkshire regional cancer registry.

  Sugar
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to publicise the findings of the Health Education Authority and the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food report on sugar consumption; and what steps he is taking to promote the reduction of dental caries by restraining the promotion of sweet substances through television advertisements aimed at children.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food report "Dietary Sugars and Human Disease" published on 12 December 1989 was accompanied by a
  307
  press briefing and press release. Written answers to questions were given in both Houses and copies of the report were placed in the Library. Action on the report's recommendations is being taken forward by this and other Departments. The Health Education Authority has produced a detailed briefing paper for health professionals based on the report. The Health Education Authority is taking account of the recommendations in all its nutrition and dental education activities.

  The Committee on Medical Aspects of Food report did not make any recommendations regarding the advertising of sweet substances. Responsibility for television advertising lies with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department.

  Children (Employment)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to implement the Employment of Children Act 1973; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government have no plans to implement the Employment of Children Act 1973. All local authorities (except Isles of Scilly) have byelaws which regulate the hours and conditions of children's employment. The majority of byelaws follow departmental guidance of 1976 which is based on the proposed content of regulations under the 1973 Act.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letter dated 26 March referring to Mr. H. S. Richards of Harborough Magna near Rugby.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Ferrers replied to this letter on 4 May.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letter dated 28 March referring to PC 241 C. R. Hall of Rugby police station.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and noble Friend Lord Ferrers replied to this letter on 10 May.

  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 April,Official Report, column 401, when he intends to write to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton about Mrs. R. Sarwar, 209 Northmear road.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have written to the right hon. Member today.

  Mounted Police Officers
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many mounted officers were involved in the charge during the recent community charge riots in London; and how many of these were female officers.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that 49 mounted officers were deployed during the disturbances in central London on 31 March; nine of these officers were women.

  Police (Capital Allocations)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will clarify the definition of equipment needed by police authorities and provided by their capital allocations;

  (2) when he will publish a definition of the difference between revenue and capital in police authority spending on items costing less than £6,000.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Expenditure for capital purposes is defined by section 40(2) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. Neither the Act nor the regulations made under it contain any 'de minimis' provision under which items below a certain value can be excluded from the definition of expenditure for capital purposes.

  Consideration is being given to the need for further guidance to police authorities on police capital expenditure.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide police authorities with longer prior notice of their capital allocations than the period given to Gwent police authority in February in the current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Every effort will be made to provide this information as early as possible.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when funds for site acquisition for Monmouth police station will be received by the Gwent police authority;

  (2) when the capital approval for fees for the Abertillery police station will be made.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No application has been received from the Gwent police authority for approval to the acquisition of a site for Monmouth police station or for approval of the planning fees in respect of Abertillery police station.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the Home Office minor works cost limits for police authorities' budgets.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no present plans to review these limits.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to assist police authorities in their planned purchase of capital items in the current year, based on 1989 capital spending.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The provision made in the Government's expenditure plans for grant and credit approvals for police capital expenditure in the current financial year has been allocated to police authorities in proportion to their planned spending with full allowance made for expenditure which has been contractually committed.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to whom the inquiry by the Devon and Cornwall police into aspects of the Birmingham pub bombings inquiry will report in the first instance.

  Mr. Waddington
  The Devon and Cornwall constabulary will report the outcome of its inquiries into this case to
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  the chief constable of the West Midlands police, on whose behalf the inquiries are being undertaken. The chief constable of the West Midlands police will, in turn, report to me.

  Football Licensing Authority
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the Football Licensing Authority to be functioning; and what is the reason for the delay in setting it up.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. and learned Friend made a commencement order under the Football Spectators Act 1989 on 21 March providing for the Football Licensing Authority to be set up from 1 June 1990. Appointments to the authority in the light of its role following the final report by Lord Justice Taylor will be made as quickly as possible.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what powers he expects the proposed Football Licensing Authority to have with regard to the prevention of hooliganism.

  Mr. John Patten
  When considering the issue, renewal, suspension or revocation of a licence to admit spectators to a football ground the Football Licensing Authority will have regard to whether the equipment provided, procedures used and other arrangements in force on the premises are such as are reasonably required to prevent the commission or minimise the effects of offences at designated football matches held there.

  Sugar
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring forward proposals to restrict the promotion of sugary substances through advertising on television aimed at children.

  Mr. Mellor
  Responsibility for what is advertised on independent television is a matter for the Independent Broadcasting Authority, principally through its code of advertising standards and practice. It was drawn up in consultation with the IBA's medical advisory panel, and contains guidance on the advertising of confectionery and snack foods.

  Forensic Pathology
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has now received the working party report on forensic pathology to which he referred on 16 February 1989,Official Report, column 310.

  Mr. Waddington
  I have received the report and expect to announce my response to it shortly.

  Obscene and Threatening Phone Calls
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give immediate consideration to the value to crime prevention and nuisance prevention of the system operated in New Jersey which enables a customer to order the number of the last call to be recorded;

  (2) whether he has been able to consider American evidence on the reduction of crime as a result of the
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  operation of calling line identity systems particularly in relation to obscene and threatening phone calls; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will sponsor immediate research into the likely benefits to criminal investigation and crime prevention of calling line identity systems, particularly in respect to obscene and threatening phone calls in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are watching closely the latest technological advances aimed at curbing obscene or threatening telephone calls, and are aware of the recently published American research into caller-ID or call trace systems. The research has emphasised the importance of carefully monitoring the effects of the new technology on reducing obscene and threatening phone calls. The Home Office is planning appropriate action along precisely these lines, as part of the Hull safer cities project, where funding of over 19,000 has been approved for an assessment of the effects of a modest call-tracing system to be operated in Hull by Kingston Communications, the local telephone company. The work will start next year.

  Demonstrations
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what are the criteria that determine which organisations' marches and demonstrations are normally photographed by the police;

  (2) what is the policy of police forces on photographs being taken of those involved in peaceful marches and demonstrations; and if he will ensure that such practices cease unless there is overwhelming need on grounds of public security for such photographs being taken.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Guidelines issued by the Home Office on the use of equipment in police surveillance operations which are available in the Library make it clear that photographs and video surveillance equipment should he used by the police only when it is necessary for the efficient conduct of police operations and with due regard for the invasion of privacy which may result in particular circumstances.

  Subject to the advice given in the guidelines, the use of surveillance devices is an operational matter for the police.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 10 May, on how many occasions in each of the last five years his Department has requested a report from a police force about a public procession or assembly held in the force area.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Department has contracts at various levels within police forces which may be asked to provide information about public processions and assemblies where there is a risk of public disorder or where disorder has occurred. Reports may be obtained by phone or by correspondence depending on the circumstances. No central record is kept of the number of occasions when information about processions and assemblies has been requested from the police.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what were the numbers of people immigrating into and emigrating out of Hong Kong in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Maude
  According to Hong Kong Government statistics, the figures for immigration into Hong Kong in each of the last 10 years were as follows:

  For Settlement

  For other purposes1

  1980

  55,313

  42,440

  1981

  54,267

  31,035

  1982

  53,847

  36,121

  1983

  26,701

  23,361

  1984

  27,755

  23,454

  1985

  27,285

  28,475

  1986

  27,111

  30,559

  1987

  27,268

  34,394

  1988

  28,137

  44,009

  1989

  27,263

  54,055

  1 Employment, study, training, etc.

  The estimated figures for emigration from Hong Kong were as follows:

  Numbers

  1980

  22,400

  1981

  18,300

  1982

  20,300

  1983

  19,800

  1984

  22,400

  1985

  22,300

  1986

  19,000

  1987

  30,000

  1988

  45,800

  1989

  42,000

  Most of those who immigrated for settlement were family reunification cases from the mainland. Those who immigrated for employment were mainly unskilled and semi-skilled labour.

  By contrast, 50 per cent. of those who emigrated in the last five years were managerial, professional, administrative and technical staff and their families. There is, therefore, a net outflow of key staff.

  EC Voting
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which matters within the European Community Council of Ministers are decided by qualified majority vote and which by unanimity.

  Mr. Maude
  Certain articles of the treaty of Rome require unanimity—for example, article 99 on tax—others qualified majority—for example, article 100A on the single market or article 43 on agriculture. The Commission proposal should be based on whichever article is appropriate for the subject matter in question. The treaty base proposed by the Commission can be altered by the unanimous decision of member states.

  Soviet Union
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the oral answer of the right hon. Member for Bristol, West (Mr.312
  Waldegrave) of 4 April, Official Report, column 1187, which section of the Helsinki Accord recognises, de facto, the existing borders in the Soviet Union; and which section of the Accord states that any boundary changes should be conducted by negotiation.

  Mr. Maude
  The first of the principles guiding relations between participating states, the first substantive section of the Helsinki Final Act, states that the frontiers of participating states"can be changed, in accordance with international law, by peaceful means and by agreement".

  Principle III covers the inviolability of frontiers.

  Mark Kotlyar
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Russians about their repeated refusal to grant an exit visa to Mark Kotlyar of Kiev who first applied for an exit visa in 1978.

  Mr. Maude
  None. However, we shall in future include this case among those on which we press the Soviet authorities. We shall not let up until the case is resolved satisfactorily.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has received from(a) hon. Members and (b) others with regard to conservation policies for Antarctica; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Her Majesty's Government have received 485 letters from right hon. and hon. Members on behalf of constituents and a further 280 direct from members of the public. The Government share the widespread concern to ensure protection of the Antarctic environment and believe that the convention on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities will make an important contribution to this objective.

  Global and Technical Management Services
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if there was any contact between Her Majesty's embassy, Baghdad and Global and Technical Management Services (International) Ltd., registered in Edinburgh, regarding possible contracts.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In the light of the continuing investigations by Customs and Excise into certain exports to Iraq, it would be wrong for me to comment further.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Television Experiment
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the progress of the television experiment.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The televising experiment has now been under way for some five months and has so far proceeded with very few technical problems. The Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House,
  313
  which I chair, is currently reviewing the experiment and has sought the views of the broadcasters, the political parties represented in the House, Chairmen of Select and Standing Committees, and individual Members. The Committee will consider carefully all the evidence before coming to its conclusions. It is expected that the Committee's Report will be published in time to enable the House to reach a decision on the question of permanent televising before the start of the summer Adjournment.

  Payroll Giving
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, how many hon. Members currently take advantage of the payroll giving scheme by deduction from their parliamentary salaries.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  There are currently 51 Members who have authorised deductions from their parliamentary salaries under the payroll giving scheme.

  Stationery
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what urgent measures are being introduced to increase the recycled component of stationery in the House.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  A number of steps have already been taken to increase the use of recycled paper in stationery used by the House. Further measures are at present being considered by the Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee.

ENERGY

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received regarding price increases for electricity in England and Wales in 1990, 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have received a number of representations about prices.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what has been the average increase in electricity prices since 1979; what was the increase between 1974 and 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  For domestic customers the average increase since 1979 has been 8 per cent. a year and for industrial customers it was 6 per cent. a year. Between 1974 and 1979 the increases were 20 per cent. a year for domestic customers and 17 per cent. a year for industrial customers.

  The last five years of this Government have seen industrial prices decrease by some 7 per cent. in real terms. Under the last five years of Labour they increased by 1 per cent.

  Under the last five years of Labour domestic prices increased by 22 per cent. in real terms. Under the last five years of this Government—even after the April increase they will have fallen by approximately 4 per cent. in real terms.

  Home Energy Conservation
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what policies he has to encourage further progress in home energy conservation.
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  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Energy Efficiency Office is pursuing a number of initiatives to encourage the more efficient use of energy in the home.

  Rathbone
  40. Mr. To ask the Secretary of State forEnergy what representations he has received recently about Government plans to encourage energy conservation in existing housing in Britain.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I have received a number of representations, including responses to my Department's consultation paper on the proposals for the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Offshore Oil and Gas
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the stock of fixed capital investment in offshore oil and gas fields.

  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the stock of fixed capital investment on offshore oil and gas fields.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Some £65,000 million, at today's prices, has been invested in offshore oil and gas fields.

  Gas Prices
  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much gas prices for industrial customers have increased during the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My hon. Friend will be delighted to hear that in the last five years gas prices to industrial consumers are estimated to have fallen by 41 per cent. in real terms.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what contribution increases in energy efficency are expected to make to reducing the greenhouse effect and reducing the rate of depletion of fossil fuels.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Improvements in energy efficiency make a substantial contribution to the containment of the world's emissions of greenhouse gases and to limiting the rate of depletion of fossil fuels.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps have been taken to maximise energy efficiency measures within his Department.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Department's new headquarters, to which it moved in September 1989, has an up-to-date electronic building energy management system designed to optimise the operation of all the electrical and mechanical services. Staff in my Department, PSA building maintenance and their contractors have been trained to enable them to get the best out of the system and optimise energy efficiency within the building. In other buildings in which the Department is an occupant, energy managers have been appointed to identify cost-effective measures for improving energy efficiency.

  Colliery Employment
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of United Kingdom colliery employment in the year 2003; and if he will make a statement.
  315
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of United Kingdom colliery employment in the year 1998; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government do not make estimates of future manpower levels in the coal industry.

  Energy Sources
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next proposes to have discussions with the European Council of Ministers about alternative sources of energy.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend expects to attend the Council of Energy Ministers on 21 May. That Council will consider the Commission's communication on energy and the environment and the proposed Thermie scheme for promoting energy technology which is substantially concerned with alternative energy sources.

  Greenhouse Effect
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will obtain for his Department's library copies of the books, "The Greenhouse Trap" by John L. Daly and "Scientific Perspectives on the Greenhouse Problem", produced by the George C. Marshall Institute in Washington DC.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Primary United Kingdom responsibility for assessing the scientific basis of the greenhouse effect rests with the Department of the Environment, the Meteorological Office, and the Department of Education and Science. The main world forum for considering the implications of the enhanced greenhouse effect is the UN-based Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), whose science working group report is the most up-to-date assessment of the problem and is due to be finalised at the end of this month. The Department of the Environment and the Meteorological Office are aware of the Marshall Institute report, and have ensured that it was taken into account by the IPCC science working group. My right hon. Friend does not intend to obtain the books mentioned for his own Department's library.

  British Gas
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the principal regular subjects of discussion at meetings between himself and the chairman of British Gas on which he answers to Parliament.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the chairman of British Gas regularly to discuss a range of issues in relation to the gas industry.

  Pollutant Gases
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what plans he has to limit emissions of pollutant gases.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Emissions of acid gases by the electricity generators are governed by the requirement to comply with the European Community large combustion plant directive.

  Renewable Energy Sources
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a further statement on the projections contained within Energy Paper 55.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  As I told the Hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) on 19 February,Official Report, column 527, the projections for the long-term contributions to energy supply from different renewables contained in Energy Paper 55 are kept under review. As results from the Department's R and D programme become available and circumstances change estimates are revised.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of power generation he expects to come from renewable sources in 1995 and 1998.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Renewable energy technologies are at an early stage of development. No estimates are available for the 1990s. Estimates of the longer-term contribution that could be made by each renewable energy source in the year 2025 have been published in Energy Paper 55, copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what resources are being provided by his Department for 1990–91 for research into developing alternative and renewable sources of energy.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wyre (Mr. Mans) earlier today.

  Margam New Mine
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to see progress on developing the Margam new mine.

  Mr. Baldry
  The timing and priority of major coal industry projects such as the Margam new mine is a matter for British Coal in the light of the overall capital allocation available to it and the commercial objectives agreed with the Government.

  Sizewell B
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the cost of completing Sizewell B nuclear power station and the cost of electricity from it per kilowatt hour.

  Mr. Baldry
  The most recent estimate for the capital cost of Sizewell B, derived from evidence given to the Hinkley Point C inquiry in September 1989 by the CEGB, is £1,870 million at 1987 prices. The cost of electricity from the station is a matter for Nuclear Electric plc, which operates the station.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much public money to date has been spent on the Sizewell B project.

  Mr. Baldry
  A total of £841 million has been spent on the construction of Sizewell B to date and £1,496 million has been committed. Both figures are at April 1987 prices.

  Cornwall Hot Rocks Project
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made with the Cornwall hot rocks project.
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  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The research on geothermal hot dry rocks being carried out by the Camborne school of mines in Cornwall is progressing to schedule. The current programme is conducting experimental work on the existing reservoir at 2·5km depth and undertaking a conceptual design study for a 6km deep system which will be required to give the necessary temperatures for electricity generation.

  A review of progress of the programme and future possibilities is currently in train.

  National Power
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the name of the new chairman of National Power; and what remuneration he will have.

  Mr. Baldry
  I hope to make an announcement shortly. Remuneration will need to be appropriate for the post.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the appointment of a chairman of National Power; and what are his criteria for making the appointment.

  Mr. Baldry
  I hope to make an announcement shortly. Appropriate experience, leadership qualities and management skills are the main criteria for appointment.

  Homes Insulation
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many houses have been insulated since 1982 as a result of Government grants.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Some 3·5 million homes have benefited from grants to loft, tank and pipe insulation under the homes insulation scheme since 1982. Over the same period, community insulation projects, which provide a low-cost insulation—mainly draughtproofing —service for low-income households, have insulated over three quarters of a million homes.

  Nuclear Electric
  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to announce the conclusion of his review into the accounts of Nuclear Electric plc.

  Mr. Baldry
  This review is the responsibility of the company and its auditors, although the Department is, of course, involved in the discussions. The company's accounting policies will be explained in the annual report and accounts, which will be published in the summer.

  Lead-free Petrol
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what figures he has for sales of lead-free petrol(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in other European countries.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The latest figures available for the United Kingdom are for March 1990 and these show that about 31 per cent. of petrol sold was unleaded. The Department does not collect information on sales of unleaded petrol in other European countries. However, the July 1990 issue of Petroleum Review is expected to publish figures on the market share of unleaded petrol in member states of the European Communities in 1989.

  Sulphur Emissions
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received on his proposals to meet the EEC regulations for the reduction of sulphur emissions from large combustion plants.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have received a number of representations on the manner in which the electricity industry should meet its share of the reductions required by the directive.

  Oil Yard Platform Construction, Kishorn
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will assess the potential for the oil yard platform construction site at Kishorn, Wester Ross; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  It is not possible for me to assess the potential for individual yards as contracts will be won by those who meet the technical and commercial criteria of the operators. However, the prospects for the United Kingdom supplies industry, including the fabrication yards, look very good for the foreseeable future with new investment for 1990 alone estimated at £3·7 billion.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date assessment of the gross Exchequer cost of privatising the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Rutherglen (Mr. McAvoy) on 26 March 1990 at column 85.

  British Coal
  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairman of British Coal to discuss the coal industry.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend meets the chairman of British Coal regularly to discuss all aspects of the coal industry.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the members of the board of British Coal, giving in each case the date of their appointment and its duration.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The original dates of appointment of each of the members of the British Coal Corporation and the duration of their appointments are as follows:

  Sir Robert Haslam Chairman, 1 November 1985 to 31 December 1990 (five years).

  Mr. J. H. Northard CBE Deputy Chairman, 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1991 (five years).

  Mr. D. Kendall Deputy Chairman, 1 April 1989 to 31 December 1990 (one year, nine months).

  Mr. M. J. Edwards (full-time), 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1991 (five years).

  Mr. M. H. Butler (full-time), 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1991 (five years).

  Mr. K. Moses (full-time), 1 April 1986 to 31 March 1991 (five years).

  Mr. C. Barker (part-time), 13 February 1984 to 12 February 1991 (seven years).

  Sir Ronald Dearing (part-time), 1 June 1988 to 31 May 1991 (three years).
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  Dr. T. J. Parker (part-time), 1 September 1986 to 31 August 1992 (six years).

  Dr. D. Atterton (part-time), 1 September 1986 to 31 August 1992 (six years).

  Mr. D. Walker (part-time), 1 July 1988 to 30 June 1991 (three years).

  Mr. J. P. Erbe (part-time), 1 June 1989 to 31 May 1992 (three years).

  United Kingdom Continental Shelf
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the forecast level of drilling activity on the United Kingdom continental shelf during the coming year.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to my hon. Friends the Members for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) and for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot) on 26 March 1990, at columns 89–90.

  Mr. Boswell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of how much gas has been produced on the United Kingdom continental shelf since the first significant discoveries.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  The cumulative total production of gas from the United Kingdom continental shelf up to the end of 1989 was 735,724 million cu m, of which 170 million cu m have been produced onshore.

  Electrical Appliances
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has carried out of the progress being made towards more efficient home electrical appliances.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  My Energy Efficiency Office recently received the report of the study of the electrical appliances which it commissioned last year. The report is now being considered.

  Landfill Gas
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how large a United Kingdom market he now envisages for the use of landfill gas.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  At the present time, 35 landfill gas schemes are operational and a further 30 are at the planning stage. Of the existing schemes, 13 are generating electricity with a capacity of 16 MW. The additional schemes planned will increase such capacity to about 60 MW.

  Leukaemia, Sellafield
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has carried out on the Gardner report on the cause and effect of leukaemia at and around Sellafield and its implications for the electricity generation industry.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have discussed the results of the case control study by Professor Gardner with a number of representatives from the nuclear industry including British Nuclear Fuels plc and associated trade unions.

  In view of the importance of this complex matter the Government referred Professor Gardner's study to the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE). Its preliminary advice was
  320
  given on 2 April and I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health on that day to the question from the hon. Member for Copeland (Dr. Cunningham), at columns 430–34.

  Further studies following on from the Black report and from recommendations made by COMARE and accepted by Government are, I understand, currently under way or are being planned. The Health and Safety Executive and the nuclear industries, British Nuclear Fuels in particular, have also commissioned a series of other complementary studies.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he intends to introduce measures to amend the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 to extend the 30-year statute of limitation on claims for compensation for injury and for death caused by breach of duty by any site licensee under that Act, in the light of the Gardner report's indication that there may be a causal relationship between radiation doses received by workers at Sellafield and the excess of leukaemias among their children.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government have no plans to do so.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made in reducing the level of those emissions from power stations which are regarded as being damaging to the environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Latest available published information shows that for the period 1980 to 1988 SO2, emissions from coal-fired power stations in the United Kingdom fell from 3,007,000 tonnes to 2,618,000 tonnes. Similarly, NO2 emissions fell from 880,000 tonnes to 792,000 tonnes. In compliance with the European Community large combustion plants directive, further reductions in SO2, and NO2,levels can be expected.

  [Source: Digest of Environmental Statistics.]

  Electricity Supply Industry
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has yet appointed the advertising agency for the electricity supply industry flotation.

  Mr. Wakeham
  In conjunction with the regional electricity companies, I jointly appointed WCRS Mathews Marcantonio on 10 May 1990 to handle the advertising campaign to publicise the forthcoming flotations of the regional electricity companies, planned for November 1990.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list those electricity supply industry companies which have current Treasury guarantees, giving the amount guaranteed and the dates the guarantee was given in each case.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Guarantees, given under section 79(1) of the Electricity Act 1989, are as follows:

  Company

  Amount £ million

  Date

  PowerGen

  25

  30 March 1990

  50

  4 April 1990

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  Company

  Amount £ million

  Date

  Southern Electric plc

  5

  30 March 1990

  10

  30 March 1990

  South Western Electricity plc

  5

  18 April 1990

  5

  18 April 1990

  Eastern Electricity plc

  5

  18 April 1990

  South Wales Electricity plc

  10

  18 April 1990

  15

  18 April 1990

  3

  18 April 1990

  Manweb plc

  40

  30 March 1990

  10

  30 March 1990

  Norweb plc

  25

  25 April 1990

  25

  25 April 1990

  Nuclear Electric plc

  10

  4 April 1990

  Similar arrangements applied prior to vesting day and continue to apply to nationalised industries. The provision of a Government guarantee enables the borrower to negotiate finer terms and reduces the cost to the public sector as a whole. A list of public sector bodies whose borrowings are guaranteed by the Treasury is published each year in the supplementary statement to the Consolidated Fund and National Loan Fund accounts.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether the appointment of the advertising agency for the electricity supply industry flotation is the subject of competitive tender.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Yes.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit or running cost limit for 1990–91.

  Mr. Peter Morrison
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate, the cash limit for class V, vote 3 and the running costs limit for the Department of Energy will be reduced by £200,000 from £39,517,000 to £39,317,000 and from £42,170,000 to £41,970,000 respectively. The reduction follows recent agreement that the Department of Energy should no longer take financial provision for that part of the United Kingdom mission in Vienna which deals with the affairs of the International Atomic Energy Agency. Responsibility for these costs will in future rest with the FCO.

SCOTLAND

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office has monitored the development of this commercially produced information system, which is based on the exchange of information on prices paid by Government Departments and others for a range of specified products. Having regard to the range of items covered and the particular nature of 322
  Scottish Office purchasing, it concluded that subscription to the index was not a priority. The Scottish Office is however currently exploring the introduction of improved management information and operating systems for purchasing. As part of this, consideration will be given to the use of price indices, of which the Government supply index is one option.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the implications of the establishment of LECs for the opportunities for hon. and right hon. Members to refer matters relating to training provision to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration.

  Mr. Lang
  As private companies under the Companies Acts, local enterprise companies are outwith the jurisdiction of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration. Complaints about matters relating to training provision made by local enterprise companies should therefore be referred to the companies themselves, which will be obliged by the terms of their contracts to operate a complaints procedure, under which an individual with a complaint can be assured that his or her case will be duly considered by the chief executive of the local enterprise company, and if necessary by the chairman.

  Social Work Departments
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what reports he has received about the adverse performance of any regional social work departments; and whether they are publicly available.

  Mr. Lang
  The only reports received on the performance of regional social work departments are those of investigations carried out by staff and requested by authorities themselves. They are confidential to the local authority concerned.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what resources he has to monitor performance levels and standards of care in regional social work departments.

  Mr. Lang
  I have the services of 21 professional staff in the Scottish Office's social work services group for such advice on aspects of regional social work departments' performance as is required.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what powers he has to intervene in the operations of a regional social work department.

  Mr. Lang
  My right hon. and learned Friend has powers in the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 to make regulations governing the performance of local authorities' functions under that Act and for certain other purposes. In terms of section 5 of that Act local authorities are required to operate under his general guidance, and, finally, he has default powers under section 211 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 where a local authority fails to carry out its statutory functions.

  Training
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer of Tuesday 8 May, what considerations lead him to regard information about the number of placements with particular placement providers as commercially confidential.

  Mr. Lang
  Details of YTS and employment training placements are the subject of commercial contracts between the firms or organisations offering placements and managing agents or training managers. My right hon. and learned Friend is not a party to such contracts and he is therefore not at liberty to divulge the contents of these contracts without the consent of the contracting parties.

  Social Work Services Group
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the Social Work Services Group's inspection role; how it fulfils that role; and what publicly available reports it has produced.

  Mr. Lang
  Regular inspections of social work services are confined to those services directly registered with the Secretary of State (adoption agencies and secure accommodation for children). Reports on these services are confidential to the Secretary of State.

  Explosives (Clyde)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to his statement on the dumping of explosives in the Clyde,Official Report, 8 May, columns 28–32, when and how the cleaning up of the dumped explosives will take place; whom he expects to pay for the clear-up; what consideration he has given to arrangements for compensation to fishermen for loss of income due to abandoned catches; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  A DAFS research vessel has begun a survey of the Birch Point site, and its surrounding area. Any further action required will be determined in the light of the results of that survey.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the discovery of quantities of explosive devices and materials in areas of the Firth of Clyde not designated for dumping.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made on 8 May in response to a private notice question from the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes).

  A DAFS research vessel will begin a survey of the Birch Point dump site, and the surrounding area, on 14 May. Any further action required will be determined in the light of the results of that survey.

  Dumping of explosive material at Birch Point, under licence issued by my right hon. and learned Friend, ceased in 1989. No further licences will be issued.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if the Lord Advocate will institute inquiries into the disposal of explosive devices and materials in areas of the Firth of Clyde not designated for dumping.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: Evidence of dumping of explosive or other material in contravention of
  324
  the Food and Environment Protection Act 1985 should be referred to the appropriate procurator fiscal, but I am not aware of any such evidence.

  A DAFS research vessel will begin a survey of the Birch Point dump site and its surrounding area on 14 May. Any further action required will be determined once that survey and other investigations are completed.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has about the location and containment of explosive material dumped by ICI in the Firth of Clyde; if he will institute an inquiry into the circumstances of the dumping; if he will ensure that action is taken to remove the danger and that those responsible bear the cost of the clearing up; if he will now reconsider the arrangements for dumping of explosive material in the Clyde estuary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: I refer the hon. Gentleman to the statement I made in response to his private notice question on 8 May.

  A DAFS research vessel will begin a survey of the Birch Point dump site, and the surrounding area, on 14 May. Any further action required will be determined in the light of the results of that survey.

  Dumping of explosive material at Birch Point, under licence issued by my right hon. and learned Friend, ceased in 1989. No further licences will be issued.

  Scottish Council of Crafts
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider the creation of a Scottish Council of Crafts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  My officials are currently reviewing the question of future support for the crafts industry in Scotland in consultation with the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board. The possibility of creating a Scottish Council of Crafts is one of a number of options under consideration.

  Departmental Savings
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]: The Scottish Office pursues value for money in all its activities. So far as the costs of the Scottish Office itself are concerned, these were calculated on the basis that 1·5 per cent. efficiency gains would be delivered in 1989–90. These gains represent initiatives at every level to improve output and reduce costs.

  The Central Unit on Purchasing provides general advice and guidance and monitors progress. It also co-ordinates the Government purchasing initiative. While, in general, it is not possible to attribute particular value for money savings to specific advice from the unit, value for money improvements in purchasing are published each year in a report from the Central Unit on Purchasing to the Prime Minister. In the 1989 report, the Scottish Office showed improvements in value for money in 1988–89 (the latest year for which figures are available) amounting to £12·96 million or 6·6 per cent. of its total expenditure on procurement of £196·3 million.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the additional funding for poll tax staff made in Lothian region; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: The Government have taken full account in successive revenue support grant settlements of the costs incurred by local authorities in administering the community charge. Thereafter, it is the responsibility of local authorities to determine how the overall resources available to them should be deployed to carry out their statutory functions.

  Fish Farms (Disease)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the incidence of infectious haematopoietic necrosis within the salmon fish farming industry.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]:Infectious haematopoietic necrosis (IHN) has never been identified in the United Kingdom in either our farmed or wild salmonid fish stocks, despite extensive testing over many years. Moreover, IHN is a notifiable disease in the United Kingdom and its presence or any suspected outbreak would have to be reported to the appropriate fisheries department.

DEFENCE

  Explosives (Dumping)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will seek a meeting with the chairman of ICI Ltd. to discuss the dumping of surplus high explosives off the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde and the migration of explosives and detonators from this site.

  Mr. Neubert
  No.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will evaluate the current safety of surplus conventional explosives disposed of near Alderney in the Hurd deep channel.

  Mr. Neubert
  All military explosives material disposed of at sea is deposited in a manner which ensures that it sinks to the bottom and stays there. The depth of water and the fact that the dumping site is shown on published navigational charts ensure that the material constitutes no hazard to vessels.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evaluation he has made of the accident potential posed by the migration of surplus high explosives dumped off the Isle of Arran in the Firth of Clyde into sub-surface access channels for United Kingdom and United States nuclear submarines using the Coulport and Holy Loch facilities on the Clyde.

  Mr. Neubert
  The location of this and other commercial dumping grounds is well known, as is the possibility of occasional migration of small quantities of explosives. Instructions given to submarines which transit these areas are such that the risk of an accident is extremely low.
  326
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to investigate the disposal programme for surplus high explosives from his Department's stocks.

  Mr. Neubert
  The Ministry of Defence's policy on the disposal of high explosives is kept under constant review. The Department disposes of surplus high explosives by destruction in prescribed areas, dumping in carefully selected deep sea locations or through the use of contractors specialising in the non-explosive breakdown of these substances. There is no reason to believe that any of these methods poses a risk to the general public.

  Defence Research
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to set up a defence research organisation along the lines of the United States Defence Research Projects Agency.

  Mr. Neubert
  No.

  Devonshire Dock, Barrow
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what screening arrangements exist for the security clearance of persons employed at the Devonshire dock, Barrow in Furness;

  (2) how many persons subject to security clearance are employed at the Devonshire dock, Barrow in Furness.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not the policy of this or previous Administrations to release information on security clearance procedures.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if work relating to the Trident project is carried out at the Devonshire dock, in Barrow in Furness.

  Mr. Neubert
  Yes.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement about security at the Devonshire dock, Barrow in Furness.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Security at Devonshire dock is the responsibility of Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Limited and is maintained at a level appropriate to the nature of the work undertaken and the perceived threat.

  Dumping (Firth of Clyde)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will identify by category of materials the areas of the Firth of Clyde which are, or have been, used by his Department for dumping; and if he will identify the most recent dates in each instance on which dumping has occurred.

  Mr. Neubert
  There are no sites in the Firth of Clyde used by the Ministry of Defence for dumping.

  Military Bands
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish a table listing all military bands in Her Majesty's forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]: The information requested is as follows:
  327
  Royal Marine Bands

  The Royal Marines School of Music Band

  The Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command Band

  Her Majesty's Royal Marine Commandos Band

  The Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland Band

  The Commander-in-Chief Fleet Band

  The Britannia Royal Naval College Band

  The Flag Officer Plymouth Band

  Army Bands

  Major Staff Bands

  Grenadier Guards

  Coldstream Guards

  Scots Guards

  Irish Guards

  Welsh Guards

  Life Guards

  Blues and Royals

  Royal Artillery

  Royal Engineers

  Royal Signals

  Gurkhas

  Minor Staff Bands

  Royal Artillery (Alanbrooke)

  Royal Corp of Transport

  Royal Army Ordnance Corp

  Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

  Women's Royal Army Corp

  Large Infantry Bands

  Albuhera (Queens Regiment)

  Quebec (Queens Regiment)

  St. George's (Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)

  Duke of Kent's (Royal Regiment of Fusiliers)

  Corunna (Light Infantry)

  Salamanca (Light Infantry)

  Normandy (Royal Green Jackets)

  Peninsula (Royal Green Jackets)

  Pegasus (Parachute Regiment)

  Falklands (Parachute Regiment)

  Small Royal Armoured Car/Infantry Bands

  Queens Dragoon Guards

  Scots Dragoon Guards

  4/7 Dragoon Guards

  5 Inniskilling Dragoon Guards

  Queens Own Hussars

  Queens Royal Irish Hussars

  9/12 Lancers

  Royal Hussars

  13/18 Hussars

  14/20 Hussars

  15/19 Hussars

  16/5 Lancers

  17/21 Lancers

  1 Royal Tank Regiment

  2 Royal Tank Regiment

  3 Royal Tank Regiment

  Royal Scots

  Royal Highland Fusiliers

  King's Own Scottish Borderers

  Black Watch

  Queens Own Highlanders

  Gordon Highlanders

  Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

  1 Royal Anglian

  2 Royal Anglian

  3 Royal Anglian

  Kings Own Royal Border Regiment

  Kings Regiment

  Prince of Wales Own

  Green Howards

  1 Royal Irish

  2 Royal Irish

  Queens Lancashire Regiment

  Duke of Wellington's Regiment

  Devon and Dorset Regiment

  Cheshire Regiment

  Royal Welch Fusiliers

  Royal Regiment of Wales

  Gloucestershire Regiment

  Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment

  328

  Royal Hampshire Regiment

  Staffordshire Regiment

  Duke of Edinburgh's Royal Regiment

  Royal Air Force Bands

  The Central Band of the Royal Air Force

  The Band of the RAF College

  The Band of RAF Germany

  The Band of the RAF Regiment

  The Western Band of the Royal Air Force

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Bright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will make a statement on the report of the internal inquiry which he set in hand into how papers were overlooked in the case of Mr. Colin Wallace.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The report, by a senior official in the Department, analyses how inaccurate statements came to be made, and action on its recommendations is in hand. A copy of the conclusions and recommendations has today been placed in the Library of the House and one has also been sent to the Select Committee on Defence.

TRANSPORT

  EC Railways
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether subsidies to state railway companies in EEC countries contravene EEC competition policy.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are special rules under EC directives and regulations governing the payment of subsidies to railways. It is for the Governments of the countries concerned to comply with the relevant Community legislation and respect the competition rules of the EEC treaty and it is for the Commission to ensure that member states respect these obligations. I am satisfied that the grant paid to British Rail in respect of services carried out under the public service obligation fully complies with the relevant EC directive.

  Mirror Windows
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he has any information on incidents caused by pedestrians, cyclists or motorists being temporarily dazzled as a result of a bright reflection from mirror windows fitted to road vehicles;

  (2) whether he intends to introduce any regulations to govern the fitment or specification of any mirror windows fitted to motor vehicles, particularly to reduce danger from reflections causing other road users to be dazzled.

  Mr. Atkins
  My Department has no evidence of incidents of this kind. Regulations already specify the type of glass to be used in vehicle windows and the minimum visual transmission for light allowed through it. Mirror windows have to comply with this. I have no plans for the introduction of specific regulations relating to mirror windows, which would in any case require agreement within the European Community.

  Northampton Bypass
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to bring the Northampton north-west bypass within the categories of road for which his Department has responsibility.
  329
  Mr. Atkins
  No. Proposals for a north-west bypass of Northampton are the responsibility of Northamptonshire county council as highway authority.

  Freight
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what figures he has for the tonnage of freight carried by road and ferry to continental Europe from Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen, Liverpool and Newcastle.

  1989 (provisional)

  Net weight (tonnes)

  Port

  Powered road goods vehicles

  Unaccompanied trailers

  Total

  Forth (including Kirkcaldy, Leith and Grangemouth)

  1,362

  94

  1,456

  Clyde (including Glasgow, Ardrossan and Greenock)

  1,136

  19

  1,155

  Aberdeen

  516

  7

  523

  Liverpool (including Garston)

  1,549

  3,289

  4,838

  Tyne

  4,601

  31,668

  36,269

EMPLOYMENT

  Coal Mining (Accidents)
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his most up-to-date assessment of the progress being made in reducing the number of accidents in the United Kingdom coal mining industry.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The British coal mining industry is the safest in the world. The total accident rate continues to decline each year. The latest published British Coal "all accident rate" of 32·25 per 100,000 manshifts is the lowest figure ever recorded. This is the clearest indication of the continuing progress in reducing accidents achieved by British Coal in co-operation with the work force, workers' representatives and Her Majesty's mines inspectorate.

  There were two fatal and 25 major injuries at licensed mines in 1988–89. The annual figures have changed little in

  YTS: in-training by occupational classification and disabled status Great Britain at 31 March

  All trainees

  Disabled trainees

  Training occupation classification

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Administration and clerical

  60,027

  69,327

  69,498

  67,772

  1,086

  1,490

  1,553

  1,391

  Creative, educational and recreational services

  6,763

  8,120

  8,646

  8,893

  173

  213

  210

  149

  Health, community and personal services

  34,060

  41,888

  42,092

  40,553

  573

  728

  879

  672

  Selling and storage

  38,076

  42,553

  39,557

  34,642

  552

  714

  801

  559

  Scientific occupations

  1,699

  2,029

  1,931

  1,661

  17

  14

  25

  21

  Catering and food preparation and processing occupations

  13,549

  16,012

  14,635

  11,923

  606

  734

  694

  539

  Agricultural and related occupations

  15,772

  17,973

  16.402

  14.066

  628

  791

  762

  518

  Fishing occupations

  272

  391

  321

  278

  3

  2

  6

  0

  Transport operating occupations

  2,763

  4,591

  4,874

  5,171

  9

  12

  8

  15

  Construction and civil engineering occupations

  42,491

  58,271

  60,745

  58,071

  910

  1,169

  1,224

  997

  Mining, oil, quarrying

  175

  410

  314

  150

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering occupations

  12,604

  18,724

  19,447

  19,952

  99

  123

  108

  94

  Mechanical engineering and metal processing occupations

  25,242

  34,532

  33,815

  33,686

  245

  308

  313

  276

  Motor vehicle repair and maintenance occupations

  22,035

  28,268

  29,262

  30,177

  187

  263

  308

  304

  Non-metal processing and printing occupations

  5,356

  7,518

  8,518

  9,387

  273

  358

  452

  446

  Clothing and textiles manufacturing occupations

  7,620

  10,277

  9,609

  7,902

  279

  373

  342

  217

  330
  Mr. Atkins
  HM Customs and Excise figures for the tonnage of freight exported by sea in powered road goods vehicles or unaccompanied trailers from the ports of Forth, Clyde, Aberdeen, Liverpool and Tyne to continental Europe (excluding the Republic of Ireland) in 1989 are given in the table.

  recent years. The Health and Safety Executive's mines inspectorate has met the owners and operators and given advice on ways of improving safety in this sector.

  Youth Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish details for Great Britain and for the west midlands region, for each year from April 1986 to the most recent date, of the number of YTS trainees within each of the 18 training and occupational classifications and their sub-categories(a) in total and (b) with disabilities.

  Mr. Eggar
  The figures for the number of YTS trainees within each of the 18 training and occupational classifications for Great Britain and the west midlands in total and with disabilities for each year from April 1986 are as follows:
  331

  All trainees

  Disabled trainees

  Training occupation classification

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Security services occupations

  26

  90

  61

  86

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other

  17,139

  14,590

  16,895

  15,090

  3,691

  3,977

  4,361

  3,388

  Total in training

  305,676

  375,564

  376,622

  1359,460

  9,331

  11,269

  12,046

  19,586

  1 Subject to revision.

  YTS: in-training by occupational classification and disabled status West midlands at 31 March

  All trainees

  Disabled trainees

  Training occupation classification

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Administration and clerical

  8,450

  9,376

  9,061

  8,516

  100

  139

  141

  125

  Creative, educational and recreational services

  841

  962

  931

  998

  10

  11

  10

  8

  Health, community and personal services

  4,659

  5,212

  4,990

  4,427

  57

  58

  44

  36

  Selling and storage

  4,856

  5,141

  4,456

  3,779

  54

  47

  51

  35

  Scientific occupations

  140

  156

  141

  125

  1

  1

  2

  0

  Catering and food preparation and processing occupations

  1,644

  1,794

  1,544

  1,224

  35

  40

  36

  30

  Agricultural and related occupations

  2,058

  2,270

  1,931

  1,574

  55

  51

  50

  33

  Fishing occupations

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Transport operating occupations

  168

  291

  312

  391

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Construction and civil engineering occupations

  4,806

  5,625

  5,254

  4,851

  61

  61

  63

  50

  Mining, oil, quarrying

  1

  86

  77

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Electrical and electronic engineering occupations

  1,603

  2,046

  2,002

  2,047

  4

  9

  10

  9

  Mechanical engineering and metal processing occupations

  3,611

  4,647

  4,771

  4,976

  46

  57

  67

  64

  Motor vehicle repair and maintenance occupations

  2,727

  3,089

  3,010

  3,020

  16

  17

  26

  21

  Non-metal processing and printing occupations

  823

  989

  1,158

  1,358

  26

  32

  41

  28

  Clothing and textiles manufacturing occupations

  694

  895

  923

  781

  29

  62

  53

  37

  Security services occupations

  3

  60

  25

  53

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Other

  2,665

  2,006

  1,641

  1,274

  652

  679

  662

  486

  Total in training

  39,751

  44,647

  42,227

  139,394

  1,146

  1,264

  1,256

  1962

  1 Subject to revision.

  Figures relating to the sub-categories of the 18 training and occupational categories can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  New Businesses
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many new businesses are estimated to have been established and how many people were employed in them in the last five years; what are the comparable figures for 1974 to 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Between the end of 1983 and the end of 1988, the number of businesses registered for VAT in the United Kingdom increased by 182,000. This was the net result of 994,000 registrations and 812,000 deregistrations. Between the end of 1974 and the end of 1979, the number of VAT-registered businesses rose by 85,000, the net result of 809,000 registrations and 724,000 deregistrations.

  Direct estimates of employment in new firms are not available. However, a recent study indicates that between 1985 and 1987, new firms employing five or more people created 1·2 million additional jobs.

  Coal Mining (Employed Persons)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of persons employed in(a) British Coal deep coal mines, (b) licensed private deep
  332
  coal mines, (c) British Coal opencast mines and (d) licensed private opencast coal mines in 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The average number of persons employed during these years in British Coal deep coal mines as detailed in the Health and Safety Commission's annual report 1988–89 was:

  Number

  1986–87

  125,400

  1987–88

  104,400

  1988–89

  86,900

  Information on the numbers of persons employed in licensed private deep coal mines and opencast mines is not available to the Health and Safety Executive.

  Training Voucher Scheme
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to allow any participants in his training voucher scheme to operate their involvement in the scheme outside the auspices of the local TEC; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the prospectus "Training Credits for Young People" I invited training and enterprise councils (TECs) to submit proposals to implement pilot credit schemes on a local basis. Around 10 pilots will be selected, to run from April 1991.
  333
  It will be for the TEC to propose the arrangements for issue and encashment of the credit and to ensure that it is used in respect of approved training delivered by an approved training provider. I shall be looking for arrangements in general which offer young people wide scope for exercising choice. It will also be for the TEC to propose arrangements for young people who wish or need to train outside the TEC area.

  European Year of Tourism
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on United Kingdom participation in European year of tourism 1990.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The British Tourist Authority has taken the lead in co-ordinating the United Kingdom's participation in the European Year of Tourism. It has launched a number of campaigns to promote the interest and active involvement of the United Kingdom tourism industry and many events have been planned across the country throughout 1990. Thirty-nine United Kingdom projects have been accepted for co-funding by the European Commission.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. McAllion
  to ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage growth in(a) full-time employment and (b) part-time employment in the last year.

  Mr. Nicholls
  In the year to December 1989 full-time employment in Great Britain grew by 2·5 per cent. and part-time employment by 4 per cent.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) how many non-specialist Health and Safety Executive inspectors, by grade and discipline, were employed by the Health and Safety Executive technology division in each of the last five years;

  (2) how many trained specialist Health and Safety Executive inspectors, by grade and discipline, were employed by the Health and Safety Executive technology division in each of the last five years;

  (3) how many Health and Safety Executive inspectors, by grade and discipline, were in training in the Health and Safety Executive technology division in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholls
  HSE's technology division was set up in 1987. The table shows HSE inspectors within technology division by grade. Information on discipline is not readily available and records do not separately identify specialist inspectors in training before 1989.

  at 1 April

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Specialist inspectors

  Superintending Specialist Inspector (Band B)

  4

  9

  9

  9

  Superintending Inspectors (Band C)

  23

  20

  21

  21

  Principal Specialist Inspector

  102

  99

  101

  98

  Specialist Inspectors

  83

  75

  72

  74·5

  (of whom in training)

  (n/a)

  (n/a)

  (12)

  (16)

  334

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Factory Inspectors

  Deputy Chief Inspector of Factories

  2

  2

  2

  2

  Deputy Superintending Inspector

  3

  2

  2

  2

  Inspector 1B

  5

  2

  1

  —

  Nuclear Inspector

  Principal Inspector of Nuclear Installations

  2

  3

  2

  2

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the current estimated capital costs of the computer system which will replace the Health and Safety Executive shield system will be; and what cost-benefit evaluation has been carried out by the Health and Safety Executive or by any other organisation of the need for this new system.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The system (called FOCUS) being planned for HSE's new field operations division will supersede a number of existing systems, including SHIELD. The current estimated capital cost directly attributable to FOCUS is £.0·5 million.

  A preliminary cost-benefit analysis of the new system was carried out at the feasibility stage. Since then the scope of the project has been widened to reflect the structure of the newly established field operations division. A further investment appraisal will therefore be produced later this year.

  Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment on which dates since 1982 the Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances met; and which of the organisations with membership of ACTS was represented at each meeting.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The Advisory Committee on Toxic Substances met on the following dates:

  Year

  Dates

  1982

  22 January

  *10 May

  *30 November

  1983

  30 March

  *29 June

  29 September

  1984

  10 January

  8 May

  2 November

  1985

  *7 February

  *2 May

  22 August

  7 November

  1986

  5 February

  2 May

  7 November

  1987

  5 February

  *7 May

  5 November

  1988

  3 February

  19 May

  *2 November

  1989

  9 February

  11 May

  *3 November

  1990

  *5 February

  The CBI and TUC were represented at every meeting. Local authority representatives were not present at meetings marked with an asterisk.

  Factories
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many factory premises were newly registered with each of the Health and Safety Executive's area offices in 1989, 1988 and 1987, based on information contained in the Health and Safety Executive's shield database.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evidence the Heath and Safety
  335
  Executive possesses as to the proportion of factory premises which are not registered with the factory inspectorate and the proportion of factory employees who work in unregistered premises.

  Mr. Nicholls
  It is not possible to state the proportion of premises which are not registered or the proportion of factory employees who work in unregistered premises. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is aware that some firms fail to register their manufacturing premises with it as required under section 137 of the Factories Act 1961. HSE's factory inspectorate aims to spend a proportion of its resources each year on the identification and inspection of unregistered workplaces as part of its programme of preventive inspection.

  Skills Training Agency
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will make a further statement about the sale of the Skills Training Agency.

  Mr. Howard
  The business at Chesterfield skill centre will not now transfer to Astra Training Services Ltd. as originally planned. The transfer relied upon the assignment of the lease at the skill centre to Astra, but the landlord, Chesterfield borough council, has refused to make the premises available to Astra.

  As a consequence of the council's decision, there is no option but for the business to close. Ten jobs will be lost and a valuable training facility will disappear. Where possible staff at the skill centre will be redeployed; action will be taken to find alternative training provision for the trainees.

  Union Subscriptions
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to introduce legislation to change the position of union subscriptions being deducted by employers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  There are no present plans to introduce legislation relating to the payment of union subscriptions. The Government, however, keep all aspects of trade union and industrial relations law under review. We have always made it clear that we shall bring forward proposals for further legislation if we believe it is necessary.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will give the total number of(a) private, (b) voluntary sector and (c) employment service job clubs to be closed from Great Britain and each of the standard regions and the proposed timetable involved;

  (2) what is the total number of (a) private job clubs, (b) employment service job clubs and (c) voluntary sector job clubs currently in operation in Great Britain and for each of the standard regions.

  Mr. Eggar
  The employment service, which is responsible for job clubs, became an executive agency on 2 April 1990. Mr. Mike Fogden, the Employment Service Agency's chief executive, will be replying in writing to the hon. Member.

  International Labour Organisation
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he intends to publish the response of Her Majesty's Government to the conclusions of the committee of experts of the International Labour Organisation on the application by the United Kingdom of convention No. 87.

  Mr. Eggar
  As required by the International Labour Organisation, the Government will be responding to the conclusions of the committee of experts on the application by the United Kingdom of convention No. 87 in its next routine report on this convention. This report will cover the period 1 July 1988 to 30 June 1990 and will be considered by the committee of experts at their next meeting in March 1991.

  Nicholas Labour Hire Ltd.
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representation she has received in relation to Messrs. Nicholas Labour Hire Ltd. of Winckley square, Preston.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations about Messrs. Nicholas Labour Hire Ltd. of Preston.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what contracts his Department has arranged with Nicholas Labour Hire Ltd. of Winckley square, Preston.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are no records of my Department arranging a contract to purchase services from Nicholas Labour Hire Ltd. of Winckley square, Preston.

  Training Standards
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the training standards advisory service's second annual report for 1988–89 is to be published.

  Mr. Eggar
  A review of the activity and findings of the training standards advisory service covering the period 1 April 1988 to 30 September 1989 has recently been completed and the report will be published soon.

  Employment Training
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the annual budget allocated to each inner London area office for employment training since its inception; and what are the criteria used in determining the level of each office's budget.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Budgets for ET at regional level have been introduced in the current financial year, taking account of past performance and numbers of long-term unemployed people. Budgets for each area have been set by the operational director in each region taking account of these criteria and local needs. Information on budgets is for internal management purposes.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the percentage element for child care provision in the annual budget allocated by the
  337
  Department of Employment Training Agency for the inner London south office since the inception of employment training.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Area level budgets for ET have been set for the current financial year by operational directors taking account of past performance, long-term unemployment and local needs. Elements such as child care are not separately identified, although the requirement to make provision available for lone parents remains in place.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Oilseed Rape
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what acreage of oilseed rape has been sown in the current year; and how much was sown in the previous five years.

  Mr. Curry
  The latest estimate for the area sown to oilseed rape in the United Kingdom for harvesting this summer is 400,000 hectares. Figures for the previous five years are as follows:

  Thousand hectares

  1985

  296

  1986

  299

  1987

  388

  1988

  347

  1989

  323

  Contaminated Feed
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many pigs which have eaten contaminated feed have as a result(a) been slaughtered or (b) died of natural causes, over the most recent period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Gummer
  Precise figures are not available but we understand that up to 1,200 pigs which have consumed the contaminated feed since 1 January have been or are expected to be slaughtered for welfare reasons. This updates the figure given in my reply of 9 May. There have been no cases which I can confirm of pigs having died as a direct result of eating the contaminated feed.

  Livestock Medicines
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the number of veterinary surgeons dispensing medicines for livestock and the extent to which prescriptions are dispensed by pharmacists not associated with the prescribing veterinary practice.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department does not have this information.

  Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he first learnt that a domestic cat had contracted a sub-acute spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The school of veterinary science at Bristol university first consulted the Ministry's central 338
  veterinary laboratory on 1 May. A Ministry pathologist visited the university on the same day and collected samples for further investigation at the central veterinary laboratory, where the disease was confirmed on 8 May. We were informed on 9 May.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a reply to his letter dated 26 M arch referring to Mr. James Critchley and Mr. Dennis Clarke of Wolston and Harborough Magna.

  Mr. Curry
  A reply to the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth's letter was dispatched on 11 May.

  Infected Sheep Offals
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now ban the feeding of infected sheep offals to pigs and poultry.

  Mr. Maclean
  No: there is no evidence of a risk to these species from the feeding of sheep material.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Third World Economic Development
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department has sponsored any studies of the role of a social market economy in fostering economic development in the Third world.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My Department has sponsored a number of studies on the role of the market economy in fostering economic development in developing countries. We believe that it is only through sound market-oriented economic policies and encouragement of the private sector that these countries will achieve sustainable economic growth.

  Asian Development Bank
  Mr. Key
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about relations with the Asian Development Bank.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I attended the annual meeting of the board of governors in New Delhi from 2 to 4 May. I was able to discuss a range of issues with fellow governors and with Mr. Tarumizu, president of the bank. We enjoy excellent relations with the bank.

  Mr. Kirkhope
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the right hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) last met the director of the Asian Development Bank; and what was discussed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I met Mr. Tarumizu, President of the Asian Development Bank, at the bank's annual meeting of the board of governors, held in New Delhi from 2 to 4 May. We exchanged views on a range of policy issues, including the importance of environmental and population factors in the bank's work, and the forthcoming replenishment of the Asian Development Fund.
  339
  I extended an invitation to President Tarumizu to visit London in his official capacity should the opportunity arise. I also met the executive director who represents the interests of Germany, Austria and the United Kingdom on the board of directors, and expressed appreciation for his work on our behalf.

  Vietnam
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Government Ministers last discussed Vietnam with the United States Government.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government keep in regular touch, both at ministerial and official level, with the United States Government on the problem of the Vietnamese boat people. I last discussed matters in Washington on 23 April.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has considered the proposals recently put to him by a consortium of non-governmental organisations for aid to Vietnam; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I am still considering these proposals. I hope to make a statement shortly.

  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent contact Her Majesty's Government have had with the Government of Vietnam about the funding of an aid programme in that country.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 16 January at column 178. We have made it clear to the Vietnamese authorities that we expect them to meet their responsibilities towards their own people, including the boat people in Hong Kong, as a precondition for starting a Government-to-Government aid programme. I have since received proposals for NGO programmes in Vietnam, which are being considered.

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the development assistance committee of the OECD is expected to decide how to treat aid to eastern Europe in calculating official development assistance.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The development assistance committee has proposed that assistance to eastern Europe should not be included in its calculation of official development assistance as a proportion of GNP. The United Kingdom has supported this conclusion.

  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he plans to deploy aid and trade provision to eastern Europe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No. The aid and trade provision is part of the overseas aid budget for developing countries. Economic assistance to eastern Europe is provided from a separate ODA PES sub-programme.

  Debt Relief
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the debt relief gained by developing countries since the Brady plan was announced.
  340
  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government welcome progress under the strengthened debt strategy, most recently reaffirmed at the interim committee of the IMF on 7 May. The strategy, including the associated economic reforms, will have a significant impact on debt problems facing those countries which participate. But it is early days to reach any definite conclusion.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action the Government are taking to encourage the writing off of debt owed by developing countries to the European Investment Bank.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None. Like all the multilateral development banks, the European Investment Bank is a preferred creditor and we believe that it should be repaid on time.

  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the levels of debt relief provided under the Toronto plan for the poorer countries in Africa.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the levels of debt relief received by poorer African countries under the Toronto plan.

  Mrs. Chalker
  According to World Bank estimates, the first 12 concessional reschedulings of official debt obtained by the poorest countries under the Toronto plan reduced these countries' debt servicing obligations in 1989 by an additional $50 million relative to conventional Paris Club reschedulings. These benefits will increase over time as more eligible countries reschedule under the Toronto terms (16 have now done so), and as progressively more of the debt stock is covered in successive Toronto reschedulings.

  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what he perceives as the actual benefits gained by developing countries from the Brady plan.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government welcome progress under the strengthened debt strategy, most recently reaffirmed at the interim committee of the IMF on 7 May. The strategy, including the associated economic reforms, will have a significant impact on debt problems facing those countries which participate.

  Nicaragua
  Mr. Allen McKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to give bilateral aid to Nicaragua.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Brent, South (Mr. Boateng) on 2 April 1990,Official Report, column 415.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest information he has received concerning the famine in Ethiopia.

  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest information he has received on the famine in Ethiopia.
  341
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the latest information he has received on the famine in Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Military activities continue to pose a serious obstacle to the relief effort and attempts to secure agreement on the reopening of the port of Massawa have so far proved unsuccessful. Nevertheless, the southern line operation from Assab to northern Wollo and Tigray is proceeding, with the co-operation of the Ethiopian Government and the rebel side; an airlift of emergency items for vulnerable groups in the Eritrean capital of Asmara is under way; and recent reports indicate that cross-border operations from Sudan are making a significant contribution to the supply of food. This provides grounds for limited optimism that it may prove possible to avoid the worst problems of mass starvation and mass migration, but the situation remains delicately balanced.

  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Minister for Overseas Development discussed the situation in Ethiopia during her recent visit to the United States of America.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on Ethiopia following the discussions of the right hon. Member for Wallasey (Mrs. Chalker) in the United States of America.

  Mrs. Chalker
  During my visit to the United States I discussed the situation in Ethiopia with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, with senior members of the United States Administration, and with Ministers and senior officials of other major donor countries, as well as with the Ethiopian Minister for Planning and the Commissioner for Relief and Rehabilitation. Throughout I stressed the need for early peace negotiations, and for the full co-operation of all parties in ensuring that relief supplies reach people in need in all parts of Ethiopia.

  I welcomed the progress of the southern line operation for transporting food across the lines of conflict into northern Wello and Tigray. I emphasised, however, that this alone could not meet the full needs of northern Ethiopia, and that every effort should be made to negotiate arrangements for re-opening the port of Massawa for relief supplies. During my visit, I joined other donor Ministers in issuing the following statement of principles:

  Statement of principles for humanitarian relief efforts in Ethiopia

  We, the representatives of Canada, the European Community and its Member States, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the United States of America, do hereby call upon all parties to the conflict to observe strictly the following principles to ensure speedy and effective humanitarian relief to the victims of drought and conflict in Ethiopia in order to prevent large-scale starvation.

  We strongly urge all parties to the conflict:

  1. To suspend hostilities immediately to facilitate relief operations, bearing in mind that the situation of internal conflict is a major obstacle to the humanitarian relief effort;

  2. To guarantee the safe-passage and facilitate distribution of humanitarian relief supplies via land, sea and air through neutral channels such as international organisations, churches and other NGO's;

  3. To recognise the co-ordinating role of the United Nations in relation to the international humanitarian relief effort:

  342

  4. To ensure the availability of the relevant ports and airfields and the associated road links for humanitarian relief activities; and

  5. To refrain from military attack on aircraft, ships and road vehicles delivering humanitarian supplies, thus ensuring the safe passage of food deliveries through all possible channels.

  All humanitarian relief efforts by the international community will be undertaken fully respecting the principles adopted by the United Nations to govern such operations.

  We call upon all donors to respond generously to all elements of the humanitarian relief program, including measures necessary to re-establish normal functioning of port and airfield facilities and associated road links.

  Recalling that this situation of conflict is a major factor in the serious humanitarian situation in Ethiopia, we solemnly appeal most strongly to all parties to resume their efforts for peace and national reconciliation and to this end, to resolve outstanding procedural difficulties on the basis of flexibility, and to proceed to substantive negotiations with a view to achieving a lasting political settlement.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with Catholic Fund for Overseas Development and Save the Children Fund on the internal purchase programmes of the Relief Society of Tigray.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have regular and valuable discussions with the main agencies involved in famine relief in Ethiopia, including CAFOD and Save the Children Fund. These have included the issue of internal purchase of food in Tigray. The conclusion we have reached is that we should continue to concentrate our assistance upon alternative means of providing food for those in need.

  Namibia
  Mr. Mullin (Sunderland South)
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further aid the United Kingdom Government are planning to give to Namibia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 21 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Corby (Mr. Powell) at column 612.

  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what actions he will take to help relieve the pre-independence debts incurred by Namibia.

  Mr. Maude
  The handling of pre-independence debt is among the issues currently being negotiated between the Governments of South Africa and Namibia.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, if he will now publish a report on the visit of a British delegation to Cambodia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed (Mr. Beith) on 27 March at column 123.

  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has received concerning the need for medical aid in Cambodia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The needs for medical assistance in Cambodia are widespread, particularly in primary health
  343
  care and also to combat malaria and tuberculosis. We are assisting through UNICEF's programmes, and through the joint funding scheme for NGOs.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid Her Majesty's Government are giving to developing countries to assist in implementing the Montreal protocol on chlorofluorocarbons.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid Her Majesty's Government are giving to assist developing countries to implement provisions of the Montreal protocol.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are helping developing countries to assess the implications of their signing the Montreal protocol, and have committed more than £200,000 to a study of the options open to India for phasing out substances that deplete the ozone layer.

  We are ready to give further help to developing countries and are taking an active part in international meetings at which those countries' needs are discussed, one of which will be the second meeting of parties to the Montreal protocol, to be held in London next month.

  Mozambique
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what percentage of aid to Mozambique is programme rather than project aid.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1988–89, the last financial year for which we have firm figures, gross British bilateral aid to Mozambique amounted to £34·7 million, of which nearly 52 per cent. was accounted for by programme aid and over 22 per cent. by project aid.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the meeting of donors at the United Nations on the emergency situation in Mozambique.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer earlier today to the hon. Member for Midlothian (Mr. Eadie).

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on United Kingdom aid to Mozambique.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have for a number of years maintained a significant bilateral aid programme for Mozambique: in 1988–89 gross British bilateral aid to Mozambique amounted to over £34 million. This assistance has focused on three main areas: balance of payments finance in support of the Mozambian Government's IMF-backed economic reform programme; project aid, concentrating on rehabilitation of transport and energy infrastructure and associated technical assistance; and emergency relief and refugee assistance.

  Angola
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the drought situation in Angola.
  344
  Mrs. Chalker
  There are reports that during late March and early April late season rains have fallen in southern Angola, which is the worst affected area. We continue to monitor the situation, although this is not easy given the difficulties of internal travel in Angola. The European Community has provided £11·9 million in food aid since 1988, the United Kingdom share of which is £2·3 million. We have allocated £1·25 million in all in emergency aid bilaterally over the same period, including most recently a grant to the world food programme to provide secure storage facilities for emergency food aid in the Angolan port of Namibe.

  I am considering urgently our response to the 10 May appeal by the United Nations Secretary General.

  Maldives
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about Britain's support for the republic of the Maldives.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement about aid to the Maldives following the visit there by the Minister for Overseas Development.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I visited the Maldives from 4 to 6 May to mark the 25th anniversary of their independence. During the visit I reviewed our aid programme to the country. British aid to the Maldives is planned to increase to £700,000 in 1991–92. About half of the programme is allocated to financing training for Maldivian students in the United Kingdom and, during the visit, the Maldivian Government requested more training places.

  The rest of our assistance goes to support the establishment of an English language teaching centre to provide in-service teacher training from primary level upwards; and, secondly, to support the Maldivian Government's programme of monitoring and improvement of the marine environment. We have been asked to help with the establishment of an environmental research unit and our high commissioner will be providing my officials with full details for consideration.

  VSO is very active in the Maldives. We support a project run by Voluntary Service Overseas to manage an integrated development programme in an outer atoll called Shaviyani, two islands of which I visited. I was most impressed by the dedication and effectiveness of our volunteers there and elsewhere, and of our other aid officers in the Maldives.

  Clean Technology
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid the United Kingdom is giving developing countries to assist in developing and adopting clean technology for industry, particularly for the energy sector.

  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid the United Kingdom is giving for the development and transfer of environmentally clean technology for developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Projects funded through the bilateral aid programme are subject to scrutiny as set out in the ODA
  345
  "Manual of Environmental Appraisal" in order to ensure that they comply with national environmental standards and international protocols, conventions and codes of conduct, to which the United Kingdom is party, aimed at safeguarding the environment.

  Examples of projects intended to foster the introduction of environmentally clean technology include support for a Government of India study on a CFC-alternative strategy for India and support for a workshop in Malaysia to promote public awareness of the ozone problem.

  With reference to the energy sector we are, together with the World Bank and bilateral donor Governments, preparing an environmental manual for power development in order to assist the adoption of consistent international standards for aid-funded projects. We are assisting the Government of Bangladesh to identify energy conservation opportunities in a range of industries.

  South Africa
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with representatives from South Africa about assistance for projects to help black people in South Africa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I had a number of such discussions when I was in South Africa earlier this year, and representatives from South Africa are regular visitors to the ODA. I also refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 19 March, at column 431.

  Elephant Conservation
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has received any requests from African Governments for additional support for elephant conservation schemes.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are considering a recent request from the Government of Kenya to fund a new project, costing some £400,000, for the provision of equipment to improve the communication systems in Tsavo (east and west) and Meru national parks.

  Kashmir and Punjab
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of India about the denial of human rights in Kashmir and the Punjab.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We are in regular contact with the Indian Government who are well aware of our views on these issues.

  Global Environment Fund
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on discussions to set up a global environment fund at the World Bank-IMF meeting on 7 and 8 May.

  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is tin. Government's policy on setting up a global environment fund at the World Bank.
  346
  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave today to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Cummings).

  Global Warming
  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid Her Majesty's Government intend to give developing countries to adapt to the possibility of global warming and a rise in the sea level.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are aiming to help limit global warming and sea level rise by assisting developing countries through the aid programme in forestry, energy efficiency and CFC alternatives.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid he is planning to give developing countries to adapt to the possibility of global warming and sea level rise.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are aiming to help limit global warming and sea level rise by assisting developing countries through the aid programme in foresty, energy efficiency and CFC alternatives.

  Renewable Energy Sources
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid the United Kingdom is giving to developing countries to assist in developing renewable energy sources.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1988 expenditure from the bilateral aid programme on the development of renewable energy sources was some £15 million. In addition renewable energy components such as solar and wind-powered pumps, solar-powered refrigerators, solar water distillation and solar water heating have been incorporated in projects which are not primarily energy focused.

  Israel
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what financial help the Government are providing to the Palestinians in Israeli-occupied territories; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 8 May 1990 at columns 17–18.

  Health Education
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to increase assistance for health education in the developing world.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Health education is, and will continue to be, an essential component of many of our aid activities. Our bilateral health and population assistance is aimed at providing primary health care for the poorest people. Health education activities are an important part of these programmes. They also feature in other bilateral social sector programmes such as education; clean water and sanitation; and improved housing. We stand ready to do more if Governments ask for assistance in this important field.

  Rain Forests (Intellectual Property Rights)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the response made to the proposals sent to the Overseas Development Administration by, and the administration's contacts with, Dr. Darrel Posey and Professor Fittkau, on the need to protect the intellectual property rights of native peoples in relation to the sale of rain forest pharmaceuticals and rain forest ice-cream.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration has received no proposals from, or had contacts with, Dr. Darrel Posey and Professor Fittkau on this subject, though I understand Dr. Posey is in the United Kingdom this week and my officials may be able to contact him.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates his Department has made of by how much the average community charge would be reduced if the cost of police and fire services were removed from local authorities.

  Mr. Chope
  The effect of the average community charge on removing services from local authorities would depend upon the amount of revenue support grant that was removed at the same time.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his proposals to revise the operation of the standard community charge.

  Mr. Portillo
  We are collecting information from charging authorities on the use they have made of their discretion to set a standard charge of between 0 and 2 times the personal community charge for their area and to specify classes of property for special treatment in addition to those already prescribed by the Secretary of State. I shall consider this information.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 9 May to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East, if he will list all those grants which fall outside aggregate Exchequer finance.

  Mr. Chope
  The main current specific grants outside aggregate Exchequer finance are listed in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990–91 to 1992–93" chapter 21 table 21.4.4, published by HMSO in January 1990 (Cm. 1021). Other grants relating to the housing revenue account and all grants relating to capital expenditures are also outside aggregate Exchequer finance.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the amount the City of London is planning to spend above standard spending assessment in 1990–91 expressed both as a percentage and in pounds per head.

  Mr. Portillo
  The City of London is planning to spend £10,130 per adult or 63·1 per cent. above its 1990–91 standard spending assessment.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for (i) 1987–88, (ii) 1988–89, (iii)348
  1989–90 and (iv) 1990–91 his estimate of (a) total local government expenditure, (b) the moneys raised from domestic ratepayers-community charge payers, (c) the sum of Government grants, business rates and other grant income and (d) local authority income charged by local authorities, showing the percentage increase in nominal and real terms between years.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 5 April 1990]: I shall write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list(a) all those local authorities which were subject to rate capping in each of the years from 1985–86 to 1989–90, (b) the initial expenditure limitation proposed by the Secretary of State in each case, and (c) the actual expenditure limitation, where different from (b) in each case.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 8 May 1990]: I am placing in the Library tables showing the authorities designated for selective rate limitation by successive Secretaries of State for the Environment, the expenditure levels determined by the Secretary of State in each case and where appropriate that redetermined, and the rate limit proposed in each case and that finally set, where different, for each of the years requested.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the numbers and percentages of households which will move in any given year in each region of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement outlining his assessment of this movement on community charge collection systems and total local government revenue.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: My Department makes projections of the total number of households in each area, but the movement element is not separately identifiable. We plan to collect information on register changes later in the year when the system has been running for a reasonable period of time. I do not anticipate that the mobility of charge payers will have any significant effect on local government revenue and I am confident that local authorities will be able to maintain reliable, up-to-date registers.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he now has concerning the number of councils that are charging 0, 0·5, 1, 1·5, or 2 times the community charge on second homes.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 10 May 1990]: I am presently collecting this information.

  Tourism
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the value to date of grants given by the European regional development fund to tourism projects in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The value of European regional development fund grants awarded to tourism projects in England and Northern Ireland to date is 194–5 million. Similar information for Scotland and Wales is the responsibility of the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.
  349
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has issued any guidelines to local authorities on green belt policies when preparing local plans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 4 May 1990]: Relevant guidance is on planning policy guidance notes No. 2 on green belts and No. 12 on local plans, both issued in 1988, and in DOE circulars 14/84 and 12/87.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to ensure that planning applications from local authorities relating to the green belt are assessed by the same criteria as those emanating from individual or commercial sources.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Those who determine planning applications and appeals are statutorily required to consider each development proposal on its merits, regardless of the identity of the applicant.

  Hull District Council
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will be replying to the various correspondence and telephone calls he has received from Hull district council requesting a reply to the city inner area programme submission 1990 to 1993.

  Mr. Moynihan
  No such inquiries have been received. I have today approved Hull's urban programme for 1990–91.

  Travelling Show-people
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any proposals to ease travelling show-people's planning problems.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend has published today a consultation paper inviting views by 13 July on a proposed amendment to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988. This would enable up to five residential caravans inhabited by travelling show-people and their families to be stationed without planning permission on land which is the subject of an annually renewable certificate granted by an organisation authorised by my right hon. Friend. It would also enable the land to be used for the purpose of maintaining and storing fairground equipment used for their business. The consultation paper also invites views on a proposed amendment to the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, so that site licensing and planning requirements may be aligned. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales will be consulting on the same basis.

  Royal Navy Personnel (Poll Tax)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will reply to the letter of the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 12 March regarding Royal Navy service men being liable for payment of the poll tax.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Wells (Mr. Heathcoat-Amory), replied on 9 May.

  Mineral Plan Reviews
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many mineral plan reviews have been completed by local authorities in each year since 1981.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]: Section 3 of the Minerals Act 1981, which came into effect in May 1986, imposes a duty on mineral planning authorities to undertake reviews of mineral working sites in their areas and make such orders as they consider appropriate. There is no statutory requirement as to the timing, frequency and manner of conducting reviews, and no requirement to notify the Secretary of State when they commence or finish. However, I understand that some 35 mineral planning authorities had formally commenced their reviews by December 1989.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been given to local authorities by his Department relating to the resources required to carry out mineral plan reviews.

  Mr. Moynihan
  [holding answer 11 May 1990]: Guidance on the financial implications of the duty to review mineral workings was given in DOE circular 11/86. This said that the duty to review should not have significant manpower or expenditure implications for mineral planning authorities. Compensation arising from an authority's decision to make orders might give rise to additional expenditure, though provision is made for compensation to be abated in certain circumstances. Authorities are expected to accommodate any additional expenditure or manpower within the resources available. Further advice on reviews generally was given in minerals planning guidance note No. 4, published in September 1988.

  Brundtland Report
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has decided not to attend the ministerial follow-up to the Brundtland report in Bergen.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer, 11 May 1990]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment regrets that he is unable to attend the Bergen conference. There is a limit to the number of international environmental conferences he can attend personally and on this occasion he decided it was necessary to remain at home to deal with domestic issues. The Government are strongly committed to the success of the Bergen conference. We have made a substantial contribution to the preparations for the conference and I shall be leading the British delegation next week.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many agreements have been made by the Nature Conservancy Council under section 15 of the Countryside Act 1968, or section 16 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 which have not been subject to the financial guidelines produced as a result of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Mr. Trippier
  The majority of NCC payments under management agreements are made under the terms of
  351
  "Financial Guidelines for Management Agreements"—DOE Circular 4/83 published on 31 January 1983. Payments are also made in respect of national nature reserves to encourage the maintenance and enhancement of the scientific interest. Information on how many agreements have not been subject to the financial guidelines is not readily available and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  Company

  Area affected

  Dale of expiry of Order

  East Surrey Water Plc

  East Surrey

  9 August 1990

  Eastbourne Water Company

  Eastbourne

  22 February 1990

  Folkstone and District Water Company

  Folkestone

  14 March 1990

  Mid Kent Water Company

  Mid Kent

  25 January 1990

  Mid Kent

  25 July 1990

  Mid Sussex Water Company

  Mid Sussex

  16 July 1990

  Severn Trent Water Ltd.

  Buxton

  21 March 1990

  Derbyshire

  26 April 1990

  Nottinghamshire

  Leicestershire

  Southern Water Services Ltd.

  Kent and Sussex

  20 January 1990

  West and East Sussex

  21 May 1990

  West and East Sussex

  19 July 1990

  North and East Kent

  19 July 1990

  South West Water Services Ltd.

  Devon and Cornwall

  2 February 1990

  West Kent Water Company

  West Kent

  4 February 1990

  The following water companies introduced hosepipe bans under section 16 of the Water Act 1945 on 4 May:

  Company

  Area affected

  Mid Kent Water Company

  Mid Kent

  Southern Water Services Ltd.

  North Kent

  These are the first hosepipe bans to be introduced in 1990. I understand that none of those introduced in 1989 remains in force.

  Water use restrictions in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to increase the responsibilities of local authorities in their monitoring of domestic water supplies; what action he intends to take to record the number of samples taken that do not meet required standards centrally; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Section 56 of the Water Act 1989 places a general duty on local authorities to keep themselves informed about the wholesomeness and sufficiency of both public and private water supplies in their areas.

  For public supplies the primary monitoring is undertaken by the relevant water company, which is required by the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 to maintain a public record of the results of the analysis of samples and send information at least annually to each local authority in its area. This monitoring will provide the basis for the annual report on the quality of water supplied by each company which the drinking water inspectorate will prepare on behalf of the Secretary of State, although the inspectorate may also carry out some monitoring of its own. The results of any monitoring carried out by local authorities will also be taken into

  Water Supplies
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the areas in England and Wales which have water use restrictions applying in the current year.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The table lists the areas of England which have been affected this year by drought orders made by my right hon. Friend under section 131 of the Water Act 1989 to enable water companies to restrict the use of water:

  account, but we do not see any need for them to increase the effort they themselves devote to monitoring public supplies.

  In the case of private supplies, my right hon. Friend has it in mind to use the power in section 56(5) of the Water Act 1989 to make regulations covering the performance of local authority functions, particularly in relation to sampling and analysis and the associated charging arrangements. An advisory group, which includes representatives of the local authority associations, was established earlier this year to consider the content of the regulations. When we receive its conclusions, a consultation document will be issued.

  Sewerage
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to offer grants to properties that are not connected to a main sewer as a means of improving the environment in such areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The water service companies have a duty to ensure that their areas are effectively drained and to provide mains sewerage for properties in response to a valid requisition. Grants are available under the Rural Water Supplies and Sewerage Acts 1944 to 1971 towards the cost of requisitioned schemes providing first-time connections to mains sewers in rural areas.

  Drought Orders
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications have been made to his Department in the current year by water supply companies for extension of drought orders, or drought orders; and if he will list the companies.
  353
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department has received 12 such applications this year from the following companies:

  Company

  Number of applications

  East Surrey Water Plc

  2

  Mid Kent Water Company

  2

  Southern Water Services Ltd

  5

  West Kent Water Company

  11

  Yorkshire Water Services Ltd

  22

  1Withdrawn.

  2Of which one withdrawn.

  Tropical Forestry
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government towards the tropical forestry action plan 8; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave the hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, North (Ms. Walley) on 5 April, at column 733.

  River Diversions
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what rivers have been involved in a diversion scheme during the past 10 years; what was the length of any diversion of individual rivers and the cause of the diversions.
  354
  Mr. Curry
  I have been asked to reply.

  Neither my Department nor the Department of the Environment holds information on rivers in the form requested. My Department produces statistics on lengths of designated main rivers and I have placed a copy of the latest summary in the Library of the House. I am aware, through grant-aided schemes, that there may be minor diversions of rivers in connection with flood alleviation works.

  Pesticide Pollution
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received a copy of the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre's survey of pesticide pollution in Cornwall; what action he proposes to take to stop dieldrin passing up the food chain; and whether he will take steps to ensure that a copy of the above report is placed in the Library.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  I have received a copy of the Soil Survey and Land Research Centre's report dated June 1989 and will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library. As a result of high levels of dieldrin found in the River Newlyn, approval for aldrin, which breaks down into dieldrin, was withdrawn in May 1989. The National Rivers Authority continues to monitor Newlyn fish for residues of dieldrin; the results are encouraging.

  GERMANY AND THE BALTIC STATES: TREATY NEGOTIATIONS
  GERMANY AND THE BALTIC STATES: TREATY NEGOTIATIONS
  INHERITANCE TAX EXEMPTION LEVELS
  INHERITANCE TAX EXEMPTION LEVELS
  TAX CHANGES: COMMENCEMENT DATE
  TAX CHANGES: COMMENCEMENT DATE
  TAX RELIEF WITHDRAWAL: COMMENCEMENT
  TAX RELIEF WITHDRAWAL: COMMENCEMENT
  CROMWELL ROAD: ILLEGAL PARKING
  CROMWELL ROAD: ILLEGAL PARKING
  TRAINING AND ENTERPRISE COUNCILS: EC FUNDING
  TRAINING AND ENTERPRISE COUNCILS: EC FUNDING
  MULTI-PARTY ACTIONS: LEGAL AID PROPOSALS
  MULTI-PARTY ACTIONS: LEGAL AID PROPOSALS
  CLASS ACTIONS: REVIEW
  CLASS ACTIONS: REVIEW