Written Answers of 21 May 1990

TRANSPORT

  Pensioners (Travel Subsidy)
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any proposals to introduce a greater subsidy on internal travel for United Kingdom pensioners.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. Local authorities already have powers to provide for reduced fares or free travel for pensioners on local public transport services.

  London Assessment Studies
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to publish his Department's analysis of the public consultation response to the stage 2 options of the London assessment studies.

  Mr. Atkins
  The analysis has now been published. Copies are being placed in the Library.

  Radiation
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has regarding the effect of gamma and neutron radiation upon food stocks on board Pacific nuclear transport vessels carrying spent nuclear fuel.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Food is stored in the accommodation area situated at the stern of the ship, distant from the cargo. The design of these ships is such that there is no measurable difference in radiation from background levels where the food is stored.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will commission a study into the short, medium and long-term health effects of gamma and neutron radiation upon seafarers working on United Kingdom registered ships carrying spent nuclear fuel;

  (2) if he will commission a study of the potential adverse health effects of being crew members on board ships carrying spent nuclear fuel.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department commissioned the National Radiological Protection Board to study the radiation doses arising from the sea transport of radioactive materials, including spent fuel. The study was completed in 1988, and the main results presented during an international symposium on the packaging and transportation of radioactive materials held last year. These showed that the doses to which seafarers were exposed were well below recommended limits.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the emergency planning arrangements for ship-to-shore-to-ship communications in the event of a ship 2
  carrying spent nuclear fuel to the United Kingdom being involved in a serious incident involving the release of significant radiation.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Adequate arrangements already exist for distress communications within the United Kingdom search and rescue region, for ship-to-shore-to-ship communication. We keep in close touch with BNFL's emergency planning arrangements and I have no reason to doubt the adequacy of the modern systems that would be used to communicate with any ship involved in a more distant incident of this kind.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the radiation protection standards for workers handling spent nuclear fuel in transport in the United States of America.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The radiation protection standards for workers worldwide are based on the recommendations of the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP) publication No. 26. I understand that these apply to all classes of radiation workers in the United States of America.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the radiation protection standards for workers handling spent nuclear fuel in transport in Scotland.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Ionising Radiations Regulations and their approved code of practice apply to all workers handling radioactive materials and contain the requirements to ensure the necessary standards of safety.

  A52 (Noise)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will specify the exact place where the measuring equipment was put within the curtilage of Arnold Lodge, Belvoir road, Bottesford, when his departmental survey into noise from the A52 trunk road was carried out in May 1989.

  Mr. Atkins
  The microphone was 1·0m horizontally from the face of the building, approximately midway along the south-facing side, and 1·2m above ground level.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what specific date or dates the survey was carried out for his Department in May 1989 on noise arising from the A52 trunk road by-pass around Bottesford, Leicestershire; and what set of measuring equipment was used in each case.

  Mr. Atkins
  The noise survey was carried out between 8 and 23 May 1989. A CEL 162L environmental noise analyser was used throughout.

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what means his departmental survey of noise from the A52 bypass around Bottesford differentiated between(a) noise arising from the concrete surface of the road, (b) engine noise and (c) overall air displacement by traffic movement; and what allowances were made for variations in the direction of the prevailing wind.

  Mr. Atkins
  The survey did not differentiate between engine noise, noise from the road surface and air
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  displacement. It measured actual noise levels. Wind conditions were monitored during the survey. Surveys were abandoned and repeated when wind conditions were outside those specified in "Calculation of Road Traffic Noise (1988)".

  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his officials at the regional office in Nottingham intend to reply to the letter sent to them on 12 March by Mr. Colin Love of Arnold Lodge, Belvoir road, Bottesford, relating to the noise survey of the A52 road.

  Mr. Atkins
  My hon. Friend the Member for Rutland and Melton (Mr. Latham) wrote to me on 28 February with a similar letter from his constituent, Mr. Love. I met my hon. Friend on 27 March to discuss noise from Bottesford bypass and agreed to write to him about whether any further action could be taken. The regional office did not reply to Mr. Love pending this exchange, but will respond shortly.

  Marine Collision and Avoidance Systems
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give details of funding given by his Department to the polytechnic of the south-west in each of the last five years for research into marine collision and avoidance systems.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department has not funded any research by the polytechnic of the south-west on marine collision and avoidance systems in the last five years. Research into collision avoidance costing £158,500 was, however, commissioned from another research organisation and completed in 1986. The Department is committed to a policy of funding research work through open tendering procedures.

  Marine Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which marine pollution control unit ships were sent to the Rosebay incident; and(a) at what time each was ordered in, (b) at what time each arrived at the scene of the spillage and (c) at what time each began clean-up operations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  As part of the overall response to the spillage of oil from the Rosebay, arrangements were put in hand by the MPCU at 17.00 on 12 May to locate and charter from commercial sources the nearest specific types of vessel required to mount as soon as possible an operation to mechanically recover oil from the sea surface. Subsequently, a vessel to carry the recovery equipment, the Laila Viking, and a coastal tanker to receive recovered oil, the BP Warrior, located at Great Yarmouth and Milford Haven respectively, were taken on hire with effect from 00.01 on 13 May. A tug at Brixham, the Pendragon B, to deploy the boom associated with the recovery equipment, was taken on hire at 04.00 on 14 May.

  The three vessels, which had to work together as a team, arrived at the scene of the incident at 08.10 on 14 May, special heavy duty ship-separating fenders necessary for the operation were towed out from Kingswear and fitted in position by 19.00 on 14 May and final adjustments were then made to the system. Recovery operations began at first light on 15 May.

  Further arrangements were started at 11.35 on 14 May to contract another coastal tanker to provide reserve
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  storage space for recovered oil. Esso Tenby was taken on hire when she arrived on scene at 03.00 on 15 May; to date, it has not been necessary to use this vessel in operations.

  The Warren Spring laboratory research vessel, Seaspring, a small self-contained tank vessel with an MPCU oil recovery system on board, was activated at 19.38 on 13 May for inshore work. She arrived on scene from Ipswich at 07.45 on 16 May and commenced clean-up operations at 14.42 the same day.

  Motorcyclists
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to introduce legislation to make it obligatory for motorcyclists to use headlights or running lights during daytime.

  Mr. Atkins
  I have no plans at present. I do strongly advise motorcyclists to use dipped headlamps and to wear fluorescent material during the day to help make them more readily seen. This recommendation is included in the highway code.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the countries that now have legislation making obligatory the daytime use of motorcycle headlights.

  Mr. Atkins
  Comprehensive information is not readily available. However, I understand that the Scandinavian countries, the Netherlands, West Germany, France and New Zealand have such a requirement.

  Rail Electrification
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to ascertain how much grant could be paid by the European Commission towards the electrification of the Crewe to Holyhead main line.

  Mr. Freeman
  If an application for funds were made, yes.

  Helicopters (Safety)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will introduce regulations regarding the wearing of survival suits(a) by passengers, and (b) by crew, on helicopters operating on North sea rigs and platforms;

  (2) whether he will introduce standards for survival suits to be worn by passengers in helicopters travelling to and from North sea rigs and platforms;

  (3) if he intends to introduce regulations to ensure a standard lifejacket to be worn by helicopter passengers on North sea rigs and platforms.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority.

  I am advised by the authority that provisions already exist in the Air Navigation Order for the wearing of survival suits by crew members. The authority has no jurisdiction to legislate for the wearing of suits by passengers though I understand that the suits are normally so worn.

  The carriage of lifejackets for the use of passengers is governed by the provisions contained in the Air Navigation Order and such lifejackets must meet the standards specified by the CAA.

  Heavy Lorries (Pollution Control)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response his Department is giving to the EEC proposed new emission standards for heavy lorries.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Commission has made a press announcement about the likely content of its proposals, but the final document has yet to be published.

  From what I have seen, the proposals do not seem to go far enough. The Community's long-term aim should be to set a mid-1990s diesel standard based as closely as possible on the United States 1994 standard, both in limit values and test procedure. This is the strictest of all the diesel emission standards being considered worldwide. In particular, it would require substantial reductions in the amount of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) and particulates emitted by new vehicles.

  Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report those airlines that have been fined under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987, showing the number and total value of fines for the years for which statistics are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  Liability was incurred in 14,295 cases in the period from the introduction of the Act (4 March 1987) to 28 February 1990. This gave rise to charges totalling £14·295 million. The following carriers and agents incurred liability in that three-year period:

  Adria Airways

  Aer Lingus

  Aero Leasing

  Acro Transporti Italian

  Aeroflot Soviet Airlines

  African Safari Airlines

  Air 2000

  Air Algerie

  Air America

  Air Atlantis

  Air Canada

  Air Enterprise

  Air Europe

  Air France

  Air India

  Air Lanka

  Air Malta

  Air Mauritius

  Air New Zealand

  Air Seychelles

  Air UK

  Air Vendee

  Air Zimbabwe

  Air-Tours

  Aircraft Management Consortium

  Al-Anwae

  Alitalia Airlines

  American Airlines

  American Transair

  Anglo-Soviet Shipping Co. Ltd.

  Aravco Ltd.

  Arkia

  Austrian Airlines

  Austrian Charter

  Aviaco Airlines

  Aviogenex

  Balkan Bulgarian Airlines

  Bangladesh Biman

  Barrie & Nairn Ltd.

  Birgenair

  Birmingham Executive Airways

  Bogazici Airlines

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  Braathcns

  Brantford Int. Agencies Ltd.

  Britannia Airways

  British Air Ferries

  British Airways

  British Island Air

  British Midland

  British West Indian Air

  Brittany Air

  Brittany Ferries

  Burnett & Co. (Newcastle) Ltd.

  CAAC Main Line China

  Caledonian Airways Ltd.

  Cameroon Airlines

  Can Afrique

  Canada 3000 Airlines Ltd.

  Capital Airlines

  Captain W. F. Taylor

  Caribbean Airlines

  Cathay Pacific

  Christopher Massart-Weit

  Clay Lacy Aviation Ltd.

  Clearwater Holdings

  Conair

  Connect Air

  Consolidated Contractors

  Constantine Brantford Ltd.

  Continental Airways

  Cory Brothers

  Crownair Canada

  Cunard Line Ltd.

  Currig Line Agents

  Cutting & Co. (Humber) Ltd.

  Cyprus Air

  Czechoslovak Air

  Das Air

  DFDS Seaways

  Dalla Avco

  Dan Air

  Dantata

  Delta Air

  Denholm Ship Agency

  Egypt Air

  El-Al Israel Airlines

  Emirates

  Escombe Group

  Ethiopian Airlines

  Eurocommander SA

  Executive Aviation Services

  Falmouth Fishselling Co.

  Federal Express

  Finnair

  Forbes

  Fred Olsen Lines

  Funair

  Gambia Air Shuttle Ltd.

  Garuda Air

  GB Airways Ltd. (Gibraltar)

  Ghana Airways

  Gulf Air

  H. E. Kamal Adham

  Hamble Agency

  Handling Air

  Heinz Ltd.

  Highland Express

  Hill Dickinson & Co.

  Hispania Airlines

  Holidair

  Hoverspeed UK Ltd.

  Iberia Airlines

  Iceland Air

  International Business Air

  Interster SA

  Iran Air

  Iraqi Air

  Istanbul Airlines

  J. F. Marshall & Son Ltd.

  Japan Airlines

  John Cook & Son

  KLM

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  Kalair USA Corporation

  Kenya Airways

  Khalid Salem Bin Mahfooz

  Killick Martin & Co.

  Korean Airlines

  Kuwait Airlines

  Lot Polish Air

  Leafe & Hawkes Ltd.

  Lineas Aereas Canarias

  London City Airways

  London European

  Lufthansa

  Luxair Airlines

  Malaysian Airlines

  Maley Hungarian Air

  McAlpine Aviation Ltd.

  McGregor Gow & Holland Ltd.

  Messrs. Lovell, Hodder, Whitwill

  Middle East Airlines

  Midfly

  Miriao Air

  Misrair

  Mobil Oil Corporation

  Monarch Airlines

  Morline

  Mr. C. L. Szabo

  Mr. R. Hitchens

  Mr. Wojciech Kaliski

  N. Cutting Agencies Ltd.

  NLM Holland

  Nation Air

  National Iranian Tanker Corporation

  Netherlines BV

  Nigerian Airways

  Noble Air

  Norstar Shipping

  North Sea Ferries

  North West Air

  Norway Line

  Novair International Air

  Oasis Air

  Odyssey International

  Okada airlines

  Olau line Sheerness

  Olympic air

  Orion airways

  P & O

  Pakistan international air

  Pan Am

  Paramount airways

  Partnair

  Philippine airlines

  Piedmont airlines

  Pincervale Ltd.

  Pinecroft Ltd.

  Qantas air

  Regional Flug GMBH

  Resa

  Roxburgh Henderson & Co. Ltd.

  Royal air Maroc

  Royal Jordanian air

  Royal Nepal airlines

  Ryan air

  S Nayv

  SAS

  Sabena airlines

  Sally Line Ltd.

  Saudi Arabian air

  Saudi Oger services

  Scanair

  Scottish express international

  Sealink British ferries

  Sealink Dieppe ferries

  Seaport shipping

  Security Pacific national bank

  Servisair

  Singapore air

  Skylane air charter

  South African air

  Southern port services

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  Spanair

  Spantax SA

  Stelp & Leighton agencies Ltd.

  Sterling air

  Sudan air

  Swissair

  T & J Harrison Ltd.

  TAP

  TIA

  TWA Trans world airways

  T Ward shipping

  Talair

  Tarom Romanian airlines

  Thai international airlines

  Thames Orwell shipping

  The Brunei Darussalam High Com.

  Toros air

  Transfavia

  Transwede

  Tunis Air

  Turkish Airlines

  UK Wal Shipping

  Uganda Air Cargo

  Uganda Airways

  Uni Air

  Unifly Express

  US Air

  Varig Brazilian Airlines

  Viasa Venezuelan Air

  Viking Air Services

  Virgin Atlantic Air

  Ward Air

  West African Airways

  World Way Canada

  Worldways Canada

  Xenez Industries

  Yemen Air

  Yugoslav Airlines

  Zambian Airlines

  Zas Airline of Egypt

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will review the workings of the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  As I said in reply to my hon. Friend's question on 26 April at column 286, there are no plans to review the workings of the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act. My officials have however been conducting, with British Airways, a review of the individual cases in which it incurred liability to 30 June 1989, and consideration is being given to a number of general issues raised by British Airways as a result of that review. I will write to my hon. Friend about that review, when replying to his letter of 11 April.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Airlines
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Lord President of the Council which airlines were used during the last 12 months for each parliamentary Committee on official parliamentary business; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  It is not possible to provide accurately the information requested without disproportionate cost.

  British Beef
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will consider suspending the use of certain British beef products in the House Refreshment Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Refreshment Department accepts the advice given by the independent scientists appointed by the Government and by the EC in respect of the use of British beef and beef products. It is therefore satisfied there is no need to change its policy on the supply of these items in the House.

  "Manchester Evening News"
  Mr. Kaufman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make inquiries as to the reason why the Manchester Evening News has again become unavailable in the Tea Room and Smoking Room.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The free copies of the Manchester Evening News supplied to the House are being received irregularly. The authorities of the House have been in touch with the publisher, who will vary the delivery arrangements in an attempt to provide an improved service.

  Workplace Nursery
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what is the provisional timetable for establishment of a workplace nursery for staff working in the House.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  It is not possible at this stage to indicate any provisional timetable for the establishment of a workplace nursery. The Services Committee has, however, invited the Administration Department to prepare a feasibility study which it is hoped will be considered in the autumn.

  Select Committee on Procedure
  Sir Peter Emery
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he will publish the Government's response to the report by the Select Committee on Procedure on the scrutiny of European legislation.

  Sir Geoffrey Howe
  The Government's response to the report by the Select Committee on Procedure on the scrutiny of European legislation has today been laid before Parliament. The recommendations in the report covered a wide range of issues and the Government have accepted the majority of the Procedure Committee's recommendations. In particular:

  The Government have agreed in principle the central recommendation on the establishment of Special Standing Committees on European Community documents. These would be appointed for a whole Session. When the number of Committees has been decided, consideration will be given to the inclusion of Members who express particular interest or expertise in the subject areas covered by the relevant Committee. The Committees would also have the power to hear statements from Ministers and question them before debating the document under consideration. The Government have also accepted that there should be a significant shift of scrutiny debates away from the Floor of the House and into these new Committees.
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  On the timing of scrutiny debates, the Government have reaffirmed their intention to bring proposals rapidly before the Select Committee on European Legislation and arrange prompt debates where the Committee so recommends. The Government have accepted the recommendation that the six-monthly debates on the "Developments in the Community" White Papers should be made more forward-looking. The Government recognise the benefits to be gained from building up informal links with Members of the European Parliament and have asked the House of Commons Services Committee to consider some practical measures to achieve this.

  The Government believe that these changes and the other elements of their response will help to bring the scrutiny procedures up to date and allow Parliament to play its full and proper part in the consideration of Community legislation.

  The House will be given an early opportunity to express its views on the report and the Government response. Following this debate, the Government will bring forward detailed proposals, including any necessary amendments to Standing Orders with a view to operating the new arrangements from the start of next Session.

  Offices
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will purchase the office space currently available in the Sanctuary, Westminster for the use of hon. Members or their staff.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are no proposals to extend the parliamentary accommodation beyond the work currently under way to redevelop the Bridge street site.

ENERGY

  Deep-mined Coal
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has as to the average level of Government subsidy per tonne of deep-mined coal each year since 1987 in each European Economic Community country and in the United States of America.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to my predecessor's answer of 23 March 1989, at columns 764–65, to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas), which gave the European Commission's estimates of the subsidy per tonne in coal-producing member states for the years 1985 to 1987. The equivalent figures for 1988 have not yet been published by the Commission.

  The United States of America does not provide financial support to its coal industry.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on what dates ministerial meetings on energy efficiency, as referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Maidstone (Miss Widdecombe) of 13 November 1989,Official Report, column 95, have been held.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Meetings of Ministers with responsibility for energy use in Departments have been held on 19 October 1989, 31 January 1990 and 2 May 1990.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what provisions have been made for the disposal of radioactive waste arising from the newly agreed contracts to reprocess spent research reactor nuclear fuel from Berlin, Madrid and Petten, at Dounreay.

  Mr. Baldry
  In line with all overseas reprocessing contracts since 1976, these contracts will have to include options for the return of wastes arising. The Government intend that such options should be exercised and wastes returned.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what safeguards agreements will apply to the spent nuclear fuel to be imported from research reactors in Madrid, Petten in the Netherlands and the Hahn-Meitner Institute in Berlin for processing at Dounreay.

  Mr. Baldry
  All operations at Dounreay are subject to Euratom safeguards and to the terms of the UK-Euratom-IAEA safeguards agreement (INFCIRC/263).

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what evaluation he has made of the recent scientific report by the International Atomic Energy Agency criticising the adequacy of the scientific work conducted by Nirex in support of its repository research programme.

  Mr. Baldry
  UK Nirex Ltd. commissioned the independent review by the International Atomic Energy Agency of the Nirex research and development programmes on deep repository post-closure safety and site assessment.

  The report of the review was received in July 1989 and has been carefully studied. The IAEA panel of experts was impressed with the quality of the programme and the vast strides it had already made. They concluded that all major topics of interest were being addressed; that gaps in knowledge had been identified; and that R and D to fill those gaps had been initiated. They noted that the work could not be completed until site specific data were available and set down a number of areas in which such data would be required. With this qualification they expressed the view that the work being done by Nirex gave promise of a highly competent professional appraisal of the suitability of either or both the proposed two sites for intermediate and low-level waste disposal.

  The research programme on which the panel was asked to comment was on-going and incomplete; in particular Nirex was well aware before it commissioned the review that site specific data would be required before the work could be taken to a conclusion. Nirex welcomed the panel's suggestions and advice and where appropriate these have been incorporated in the future research programmes.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will call for an update of the report prepared in 1980 by the safety and reliability directorate of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority on the risk potential of a gas tank explosion and subsequent fire engulfing a ship docked at Barrow containing spent reactor nuclear fuel.

  Mr. Baldry
  The report referred to by the hon. Member was prepared in connection with a planning application 12
  which has since been granted. It is for those who commissioned the report to decide whether they wish to update it.

  Nuclear Material
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions in 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 to date, respectively, nuclear material has been withdrawn from safeguards under article 14 of the 1978 tripartite safeguards agreement between Euratom, the International Atomic Energy Agency and the United Kingdom; if the nuclear material involved in each case was plutonium, enriched uranium or natural uranium; and what was the purpose for each withdrawal.

  Mr. Baldry
  Details of withdrawals of material from safeguards under the tripartite safeguards agreement are supplied to the IAEA and Euratom on a strictly confidential basis. It would not be in the public interest to publish this information.

  British Nuclear Fuels
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will require British Nuclear Fuels plc to apply the best available technology not entailing excessive cost to its operations at Sellafield, Calder Hall and Chapelcross works, Capenhurst and Springfields.

  Mr. Baldry
  British Nuclear Fuels plc already uses the best appropriate technology to conduct its operations at these establishments in a safe and economical manner.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the budget for the advertising campaign to publicise the flotation of the regional electricity companies.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have nothing further to add to the answer I gave the hon. Member on this matter on I May 1990 at column 474.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total spent by his Department in 1989–90 on fees to organisations advising on electricity privatisation; and what is the budget for the current year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The latest forecast outturn for 1989–90 is £12·4 million. There may, however, be some end of year adjustments which remain to be taken into account. For the current year a provision of £34·5 million has been sought.

  Nuclear Electricity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the price at which Nuclear Electric is contracted to supply electricity to the public electricity suppliers for the next eight years.

  Mr. Wakeham
  This is a commercial matter for Nuclear Electric plc.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of the unit cost of electricity produced from nuclear sources is attributable to storage and physical protection charges for plutonium and used uranium.
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  Mr. Baldry
  This is a matter for Nuclear Electric plc.

  Office of Electricity Regulation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will call for a report from the Director General of Electricity Supply as to the cost of production of the first report from OFFER, broken down into(a) printing costs, (b) design costs and (c) photography.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have no plans to call for such a report from the Director General of Electricity Supply.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he will publish the updated cost estimates for Sizewell B which Nuclear Electric sent him on 16 May;

  (2) whether the estimates for the updated cost of Sizewell B which he has received from Nuclear Electric include provision for the costs associated with the intended follow-on pressurised water reactors.

  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) whether any new information has been received from Nuclear Electric regarding the costs of a single development of a pressurised water reactor; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will publish the most recent cost estimates for Sizewell B from Nuclear Electric; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Nuclear Electric plc has just sent to me its latest progress report on Sizewell B and will discuss it with my Department. The projected costs of the station are a matter for NE. It will decide what to publish when the discussions with my Department are complete.

  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he or another Minister in his Department last visited the Sizewell B nuclear power plant site; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I visited Sizewell on 10 April.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Tropical Forests Action Plan
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make it his policy to oppose the approval of the tropical forest action plan by the European Community until the comprehensive internal review has reported; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I will be discussing tropical forestry, including the tropical forestry action plan, at the European Development Council on 29 May. I shall be stressing the need for reform of the TFAP in the light of the independent review now under way. I set out my views on the TFAP in a speech to the Friends of the Earth "Rainforest Harvest Festival" on 17 May, copies of which I have placed in the Library and sent to the hon. Member.

  Third World
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to start an initiative to reduce the use of tobacco and other drugs in Third world developing countries.
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  Mrs. Chalker
  The health hazards of tobacco smoking are well established and the Government recognise that tobacco smoking is becoming an increasing health problem in developing countries. The reduction of tobacco consumption in developing countries is a matter for the Governments of the countries concerned. The United Kingdom, through its subscription to the WHO, is supporting that organisation's "Tobacco or Health" programme which helps countries develop tobacco control policies. In addition, the Government stand ready to draw on their wide experience of anti-smoking health education and the epidemiology of smoking-related diseases in order to advise Governments who request help to formulate their tobacco control policies.

  As the Prime Minister announced at the world ministerial drugs summit in London in April, the United Kingdom is setting up a demand reduction task force to provide expert advice to developing countries on ways of reducing the demand for drugs. It will draw in our expertise in community drug prevention initiatives, drugs education, treatment and rehabilitation.

SCOTLAND

  Fisheries
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information his Department has, by region, on the employment destination of ex-employees in the Scottish fish-catching sector who have left the industry since 1985.

  Mr. Lang
  My Department has no information on this.

  Lothian Health Board
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretaryof State for Scotland whether any additional money was provided to Lothian health board in each of the last five years to fund the doctors' and nurses' review body awards.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Additional money towards the pay review body awards was made available to health boards in each of the last three years.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been Lothian health board's annual budget over the last five years up to and including the year ended 31 March 1990; and by what percentage it has been over or under SHA RE parity in each of these years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  Final allocation

  Distance from SHARE parity Per cent. over

  1985–86

  218·997

  2·11

  1986–87

  234·032

  1·24

  1987–88

  253·031

  0·8

  1988–89

  281·406

  0·35

  1989–90

  299·951

  0·18

  Sight Tests
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the recent survey into sight test levels commissioned by the Department of Health also covers Scotland.
  15
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Yes.

  General Practices (Budgetary Status)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of patients in each health board in Scotland on the lists of the 41 practices in Scotland referred to in his answer of 20 March,Official Report, column 580, to have declared an interest in applying for budgetary status.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of practices in Scotland that have so far indicated an interest in the general practitioner funding scheme has subsequently risen to 46. The information is set out in the following table.

  Health board

  Expressions of interest

  Patients covered '000s

  Ayr and Arran

  4

  48·0

  Argyll and Clyde

  4

  35·6

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2

  21·2

  Forth Valley

  1

  10·2

  Grampian

  14

  149·6

  Lanarkshire

  3

  32·5

  Lothian

  6

  44·0

  Greater Glasgow

  4

  31·5

  Tayside

  8

  53·1

  Fife

  1

  8·0

  TOTAL

  46

  433·7

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he is giving to local education authorities about school meals in connection with bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: Education authorities have been advised of the range of measures adopted by the Government to protect the public from what is a remote and theoretical risk. They can continue to offer beef in school meals with complete confidence.

  Social Work Departments
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his written answer of 14 May on his powers to intervene in the operations of regional social work departments, if he will list the statutory functions that a local authority social work department should have failed to carry out before he uses his default powers under section 211 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973; and if he will make a statement as to the circumstances under which he would use those powers.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: Action under section 211 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 may be taken in respect of a local authority failing to carry out any of its statutory duties. A decision would be made in each case after careful consideration of the circumstances.

  Technical Education
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the criteria for funding Robert Gordon's institute of technology under
  16
  the engineering targeting scheme; what funds were allocated by the Scottish Education Department; what are the current criteria for funding the institute; and what Scottish Education Department funding has been allocated for the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]: Under the "switch to technology" initiative, additional recurrent and capital funding was provided to central institutions over a three-year period on the basis of an assessment of their proposals to increase intakes to courses in engineering and technology. During the period 1985–88, Robert Gordon's institute of technology received under the initiative additional recurrent grant of £0·731 million and additional capital funding of £2·858 million.

  All 17 grant-aided colleges now receive grant in aid towards their recurrent costs on the basis of target student numbers weighted by subject group and mode of attendance. Capital funding to meet approved building and equipment needs is allocated on the basis of an assessment of bids from the colleges. As I announced on 22 February 1990, at columns 869–70, grant in aid of £11·953 million has been allocated to the institute for the financial year 1990–91. In addition, capital funding of £0·520 million will be made available.

PRIME MINISTER

  Waddesdon Manor (Meeting)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Prime Minister what was the total cost to public funds of the recent meeting with the President of France at Waddesdon manor, Buckinghamshire; and if she will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The estimated cost to public funds is £56,500, of which £15,600 falls to my office.

  Iraqi Arms Purchase
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what consideration she is giving to the implications for the level of co-ordination between Customs and Excise, the Defence Export Services Secretariat and the Department of Trade and Industry of the Iraqi gun affair.

  The Prime Minister
  On the arrangements for co-ordination between the Department of Trade and Industry and Customs and Excise in this area, I refer to the reply given on 25 April by my hon. Friend the Economic Secretary to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) at column 239.

  There is also a high level of co-ordination, both formal and informal, between the Department of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Defence on matters relating to export control.

  All these arrangements are kept under regular review.

  Advisers
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Prime Minister if she will list in the Official Report the names and positions of her advisers who were not career civil servants; from which vote they were paid; and who made the decision on their salary level for each year since 1981.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is as follows:

  Year and Name

  1981

  17

  Professor A. Walters

  C. W. Monckton

  W. R. F. Mount

  P. Shipley

  D. C. Hobson

  O. Letwin

  D. L. Pascall

  J. Redwood

  R. Young

  C. E. Hartley-Booth

  P. T. Warry

  J. B. Wybrew

  Professor B. Griffiths

  N. R. Blackwell

  G. R. J. Guise

  Mrs. T. Gaisman

  A. J. O'Sullivan

  Mr. G. D. Bourne

  A. Dunlop

  I K. Whitehead

  G. R. J. Guise

  H. Harris-Hughes

  Mrs. A. Ponsonby

  Professor Sir Alan Walters

  R. Harris

  The advisers are paid from the Cabinet Office (OMCS) vote (class XIX, vote 1). Salary levels are negotiated with the individual by the Cabinet Office.

  Jordanian Defence Package
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Prime Minister whether her office approved the mix of moneys from Midland Montagu bank and the Ministry of Defence budget to service the Jordanian defence package.

  Ship

  Type

  Port

  Arrive

  Depart

  Iowa

  Battleship

  Portsmouth

  3 July 1989

  8 July 1989

  Preble

  Destroyer

  Loch Ewe

  4 July 1989

  4 July 1989

  Providence

  Submarine

  Portsmouth

  14 July 1989

  20 July 1989

  John Hall

  Frigate

  Greenock

  17 July 1989

  23 July 1989

  Spruance

  Destroyer

  Greenock

  17 July 1989

  23 July 1989

  Pawcatuck

  Oiler

  Greenock

  17 July 1989

  23 July 1989

  Aubrey Fitch

  Frigate

  London

  22 September 1989

  4 October 1989

  William V. Pratt

  Destroyer

  Portsmouth

  22 September 1989

  26 September 1989

  Mahan

  Destroyer

  Devonport

  23 September 1989

  15 October 1989

  Rosyth

  9 November 1989

  14 November 1989

  Rosyth

  24 November 1989

  28 November 1989

  Philadelphia

  Submarine

  Portsmouth

  16 October 1989

  20 October 1989

  18
  The Prime Minister
  The financial arrangements governing defence sales of this kind are a matter of commercial confidence.

THE ARTS

  Painters and Sculptors
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to introduce a scheme by which painters and sculptors may benefit financially from the proceeds of sales of their work subsequently to the initial sales of individual pieces of work.

  Mr. Luce
  No. The Secretary of State for Trade and Industry announced in the 1986 White Paper "Intellectual Property and Innovation" that he did not intend to introduce such a scheme because it would be complex to administer and the disadvantages would outweigh any benefit to the artist.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Materials (Transport)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has conducted any independent assessments or tests assessing the safety of transport containers used by his Department to move nuclear materials.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Yes. All containers used by the Ministry of Defence to transport nuclear materials undergo testing to standards laid down in the regulations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  US Warships
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list United States naval warship visits to British ports from 23 May 1989 to the present date; the time at which they visited; and the type of vessel involved.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:
  19

  Ship

  Type

  Port

  Arrive

  Depart

  L. Mendal Rivers

  Submarine

  Portsmouth

  15 November 1989

  20 November 1989

  Pargo

  Submarine

  Portsmouth

  12 March 1990

  19 March 1990

  Equipment (Environmental Impact)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Jones),Official Report, 3 May, column 646, he will publish in the Official Report a full list of the publications on environmental impact of equipment produced for his Department to which he refers.

  Mr. Neubert
  It would require disproportionate cost to identify and list all the publications by the Department which refer to the environmental impact of defence equipment. These range from the Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990 to, where appropriate, environmental impact assessments of individual projects.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ynys Môn (Mr. Jones),Official Report, 3 May, column 646, on the ordering of equipment for his Department, he will now make it his policy to make it a condition of purchase for his departmental suppliers that they conduct an environmental audit of their corporate operations.

  Mr. Neubert
  No, it is the responsibility of the individual companies concerned to make sure that their corporate operations meet the appropriate environmental legislation and regulations.

  Soldiers (Germany)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers serving in Germany in each of the last four years have been remanded for trial by district court martial; and how long was the period between each incident which led to the trial and the start of the court martial proceedings.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The number of soldiers serving in Germany who were remanded for trial by district court martial in each of the last four years was:

  Number

  1986

  404

  1987

  387

  1988

  417

  1989

  359

  Each case varies depending on its complexity, the degree of investigation required, the plea, availability of witness etc; a straightforward case might take three months, a complex case around 18 months. It would not be possible to give the further information requested without disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many soldiers serving in Germany in each of the last four years have been involved in incidents which have been the subject of Royal Military Police investigations; and how long it has taken in each case(a) for an initial report to be made, (b) for initial legal advice to be given, (c) for final legal advice to be received
  20
  for a commanding officer to decide on disciplinary action and (d) where relevant, for district court martial proceedings to begin.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The number of soldiers serving in Germany who were involved in incidents which were the subject of Royal Military Police investigations was:

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  12,997

  3,175

  2,947

  4,757

  1 Estimate.

  I am afraid that the detailed information requested could not be produced without disproportionate cost.

  Norton Manor Camp
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what inquiries he has made into the circumstances in which, on 15 May, a hole was cut in the perimeter fence of Norton Manor camp, near Taunton; if he is satisfied with the security arrangements at the camp; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  On 15 May a security patrol at Norton Manor camp noticed an irregularity in the perimeter fence which suggested that an unauthorised entry might have occurred. As a precautionary measure, a full search of the camp was carried out, but no evidence of entry by unauthorised persons was found. It now appears that the irregularity discovered by the patrol was a section of fence which had been repaired, although the repair had not been recorded in the usual way. I am satisfied that appropriate security arrangements are in place at Norton Manor camp, although these are kept under constant review.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he plans to publish accident rates for individual types of Royal Air Force aircraft;

  (2) if he plans to publish the results of the skyguard monitoring in the United Kingdom of low-flying aircraft on an annual basis;

  (3) if he plans to introduce an address and telephone number which people can contact if they wish to complain about low flying;

  (4) if he will publish the list of approved targets for Royal Air Force low-flying aircraft in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Neubert
  The points raised are recommendations by the House of Commons Defence Committee, whose report on low flying (HC 120) is currently being considered very carefully. There will be a response to all of the report's recommendations in the Government's reply to the Committee.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Home Ownership
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to assist home owners.

  Mr. Ryder
  Interest rates will continue to be kept as high as needed to reduce inflation. Everyone has far more to fear from a resurgence of inflation than from a period of higher interest rates.

  Interest Rates
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effect of the current level of interest rates on manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Ryder
  Inflation is the greatest threat to the prosperity of all manufacturing firms. The Government will therefore keep interest rates as high as necessary for as long as necessary as part of their firm anti-inflationary policy.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will next meet the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss interest rate policy.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he will next meet the Governor of the Bank of England to discuss interest rate policy.

  Mr. Ryder
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor meets the Governor of the Bank of England from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.

  European Monetary Union
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what contribution his Department will be making to the conference on monetary union in Europe, organised by the Federal Trust for Education and Research, to be held in London on 24 May.

  Mr. Lilley
  I will be addressing this conference.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply of 9 May, if he will make a statement on the anticipated effect upon the rate of inflation of the 30 per cent. by which 1989's domestic rate revenue would have had to be increased to meet the current anticipated local authority revenue from the community charge.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 16 May 1990]: Local authorities' spending decisions have added 1 percentage point to the inflation rate in April. The effect would have been very similar had that spending been financed by domestic rates.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his reply of 9 May, if he will make a statement on the anticipated effect upon the rate of inflation of the £2·5 billion real terms increase in local authority revenues in the current financial year over 1989.

  Mr. Ryder
  [holding answer 16 May 1990]: The average personal community charge in Great Britain is estimated
  22
  to be 34 per cent. higher than the analogous rates per head figure in 1989–90 for households covered by the RPI. This increase has added about 1 percentage point to the annual inflation rate.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of the total standard spending assessment for England for 1990–91 was designated to be raised from(a) business rate income, (b) community charge income at standard spending and (c) the revenue support grant; and what are the estimates for England for 1990–91 of actual sums raised from (i) business rate income, (ii) community charge income and (iii) the revenue support grant.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is as follows:(a) 35 per cent.; (b) 33 per cent.; (c) 32 per cent.; and (i) £10·4 billion; (ii) £12·7 billion; (iii) £9·4 billion.

  Local authority revenue expenditure is also funded by means of special grants and the use of balances or reserves.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what percentage net current spending by local authorities has risen in real terms since(a) 1978–79 and (b) 1984–85.

  Mr. Chope
  Local authority net current spending in England has increased in real terms by 20 per cent. and 10 per cent. between 1978–79–1989–90 and 1984–85–1989–90 respectively.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will add to the list of exemptions from poll tax women who have been made homeless because of domestic violence.

  Mr. Chope
  A person is subject to the personal community charge in respect of his or her sole or main residence. A period of residence within a women's refuge does not confer exemption from the community charge unless it is a night shelter or hostel. In general, women will not be registered at refuges for the community charge unless, exceptionally, they are solely or mainly resident there. In almost all cases women stay in refuges for short periods, during which they will be registered for the personal community charge at their previous address.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met representatives of the local authority associations to discuss changes to the poll tax; and if he will list other organisations he proposes to consult on the subject.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has not met with representatives of the local authority associations specifically to discuss changes to the community charge. He has no plans to change the principle of the charge. He did have a wide-ranging discussion when he met the leaders of the Association of County Councils, the Association of Metropolitan Authorities and the Association of District Councils on 27 March.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the cost of
  23
  collection under the old rates system in England for 1990–91; and what is the estimated cost of collecting poll tax for the year 1991–92.

  Mr. Chope
  The estimated cost of collecting rates in 1989–90 was £200 million. Our estimate of the total cost of collecting and administering the community charge in 1990–91 is £400 million. No estimate has yet been made of the costs of collecting the community charge in 1991–92, but they will be taken into account in the revenue support grant settlement.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the estimated cost in a full year of excluding non-earning spouses from liability to the community charge.

  Mr. Chope
  It is estimated that there are about 5 million spouses of taxpayers who do not themselves pay income tax. Assuming an average personal community charge of £363 the revenue lost from exempting them would be about £1·8 billion.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to ensure that residents of sheltered housing cannot be required to fund the community charge of a warden's spouse who plays no part in the management of the development.

  Mr. Chope
  The spouse of the warden of a sheltered housing scheme is liable for his or her own community charge and receives a separate bill. The charges to residents of such schemes are a contractual matter for agreement between residents and operators.

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were(a) the numbers of ratepayers and the average payment for each ratepayer in 1989–90 and (b) the numbers of community charge payers and the average payment for each community charge payer in 1990–91.

  Mr. Chope
  In 1989–90 there were 18 million domestic ratepayers paying an average of £516. In 1990–91 there are 36 million charge payers and the average charge bill in England at 1 April is £363.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a list in the Official Report of the amount of the poll tax adjustment in respect of forecast non-payment for each of the authorities in the northern region; and whether he will give the average national figure for such adjustments.

  Mr. Chope
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average level of community charge in London in boroughs that were(a) Conservative controlled and (b) Labour controlled before 3 May.

  Mr. Chope
  The level for Conservative controlled is £285 and for Labour controlled £445. The figures are based on charges at 1 April 1990.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for improving the implementation of CITES controls; and whether, in view 24
  of the letter from the head of the endangered species branch of his Department (WLF/2050/411) to the International Council for Bird Preservation, of 25 April, he will adopt a system of the reverse listing of birds.

  Mr. Trippier
  Since 1 January 1984 CITES controls have been applied in the United Kingdom and in the rest of the European Community by EC regulation 3626/82. The implementation of regulation 3626 is kept under constant review by the EC CITES committee, which is comprised of representatives of the CITES authorities of member states. A new regulation to replace regulation 3626/82 is to be prepared and will take account, inter alia, of decisions resulting from an independent study of the implementation of regulation 3626/82. It will be for the EC CITES committee to consider if the reverse listing of birds and other species is to be incorporated in the new regulation.

  The reverse listing of birds in the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 remains extant in the United Kingdom for species not covered by EC regulation 3626/82.

  Twin Towns (USSR)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the towns and cities in the United Kingdom which are currenty twinned with towns and cities in the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics; and if he will make a statement on his proposals for promoting such arrangements and increasing their effectiveness in developing people-to-people contact especially between young people.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The information requested is as follows:

  Overseas community

  British community

  Chimkent

  Stevenage

  Crimean Region

  Derbyshire

  Donetsk

  Sheffield

  Gatchina

  Monklands

  Gorlovka

  Barnsley

  Kiev

  Edinburgh

  Kostroma

  Durham

  Krasnya Presnya

  Hackney

  Kustany

  Kirklees

  Kutaisi

  Newport

  Leningrad

  Manchester

  Leningradsky District

  Hounslow

  Minsk

  Nottingham

  Moskvoretsky

  Lambeth

  Novgorod

  Watford

  Novorossiysk

  Plymouth

  October District

  Newham

  Odessa

  Liverpool

  Rostov-on-Don

  Glasgow

  Sochi

  Cheltenham

  Sukhumi

  Kilmarnock

  Tbilisi

  Bristol

  Vinnitsa

  Peterborough

  Vladimir

  Canterbury

  Volgograd

  Coventry

  Voroshilovgrad

  Cardiff

  Yalta

  Margate

  Yaroslavl

  Exeter

  Zaporozhye

  Birmingham

  The Government believe that twinning links can play an important role in breaking down barriers and developing mutual trust. To that end local authorities are encouraged through the local government international bureau to

  25
  develop twinning links with their east European counterparts, particularly where fully democratic local government is being established.

  Housing
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will make a statement on the future expansion of social housing, in terms of Government grant, private funding, local authorities funding and housing associations in(a) the United Kingdom as a whole and (b) Suffolk and Norfolk;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of social housing funding and grant aid to housing associations from 1991–92 onwards.

  Mr. Chope
  Housing associations are to be the main providers of new subsidised housing for the future; local authority expenditure on housing will increasingly be focused on renovation of their own stock. Gross expenditure by the Housing Corporation on grants and loans to housing associations in England is planned to rise from £938 million in 1989–90 to £1,736 million in 1992–93. In addition, associations can expect some continuing support from local authorities. By 1992–93, 90 per cent. of the housing association schemes for rent which the corporation approves for grant are expected to be on a "mixed funding" basis: that is, the proportion of scheme cost not met through grant will be financed by borrowing from the private sector; the programme of low-cost home ownership schemes is already wholly mixed-funded. Housing associations' output, in England and in Suffolk and Norfolk, should therefore increase greatly as a result of increased public expenditure provision and growing use of private finance. My Department is not responsible for housing in other parts of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on affordable rents in social housing; and what definition of affordability his Department uses in its policy.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 25 April 1990 to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms. Primarolo), at column 326.

  Inland Waters
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom inland river, broad and lake waters used extensively for bathing and water recreation passed the European Community mandatory and guideline parameters in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Information is held centrally only for those waters identified for the purposes of directive 76/160/EEC. No inland water has been found to meet the criteria for identification.

  Bathing Waters
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom coastal bathing waters passed the European Economic Community requirements for all mandatory parameters for the last year in which figures are available; and what percentage this number was of the total.
  26
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer my hon. Friend to the report on the quality of United Kingdom bathing waters for the 1989 bathing season which my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside placed in the Library on 25 January 1990 (Official Report, column 785).

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many United Kingdom bathing waters passed the European Economic Community 76/160 recommended guideline values in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The directive's very demanding guide value standards were met in 1989 for the coliform parameters by 179 (41 per cent.) of the 440 identified bathing waters; 76 per cent. of these waters complied with the mandatory values.

  Private Rented Accommodation
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many private rented sector units of accommodation there were in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 to date.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Information about the numbers of dwellings rented privately, or with a job or business and about the numbers of dwellings rented from housing associations, is shown in table 2.22 of "Housing and Construction Statistics Part 2", No. 39. These figures show numbers at December 1988 and September 1989; figures for later periods are not yet available. A copy of this publication is available in the Library.

  Assured Shorthold Tenancies
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the change in market rents since the introduction of assured shorthold tenancies.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  Detailed information is not yet available. However, my Department will shortly be seti:ing in hand studies to evaluate the effects of deregulation, including the impact on rent levels.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to exempt from the uniform business rate premises used by commercial fishermen, which are not used for processing, wholesaling or retailing, but simply for storing of equipment required for the work of providing fish for food consumption.

  Mr. Chope
  I have no plans to do so. Premises of this sort are liable to pay rates under the new business rate arrangements which came into force on 1 April, as they were under the previous rating system.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what grant was made by his Department in respect of homelessness to(a) the Bayswater Hotel Homelessness project, (b) the British Refugee Council, (c) the Central London Housing Advisory Service Id) CHAR, (e) Community House Information Centre, (f) Empty Property Unit, (g) Homes for Homeless People,

  27
  (h) Housing Debtline, (i) National Association of Voluntary Hostels, (j) National Council for One Parent Families, (k) Specialist Information and Training Resource Agency and (l) Resource Information Service for Work on Homelessness, in each of the last three years; and what grant he is giving for the 1990–91 financial year.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  This year we have trebled the funds available under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985 to £2 million. Comparing grants for individual bodies between this year and last is likely to be misleading because the nature of the programme has changed. In previous years, the emphasis was on providing core funding for voluntary bodies. This year, half the funds will go to a new national advice service based on citizens advice bureaux with specialist assistance from Shelter and SHAC; and half to specific projects providing direct assistance and practical help to single homeless people.

  Of the organisations funded under section 73 in previous years, substantial increases in the level of grant have been made to Shelter and SHAC. Shelter will receive a 400 per cent. increase from £144,490 in 1989–90 to £454,554 in 1990–91. SHAC will receive a 200 per cent. increase from £199,439 in 1989–90 to £407,236 in 1990–91. Increased grants are also being offered to Housing Advice Switchboard, the London Diocesan Fund and the Bristol Cyrenians but final details have yet to be agreed. Organisations receiving section 73 grant for the first time are: WECVS, Centrepoint, Riverpoint Single Homeless Ltd., the Hillingdon project, Portsmouth Housing Trust, St. Basil's centre, Birmingham, Newark (Nottingham) Young Single Homeless Trust, Leicester night shelter, Brighton Housing Trust, Housing Aid for Youth, National Foster Care Association, Lodgers, Chester lodging support project, Key House, The Passage, St. Martins-in-the-Fields social care unit, Thames Reach, Threshold, St. Vincent's hostel, North Lambeth day centre, London Connection, Coventry Day Centre for the Homeless Ltd., Reading emergency accommodation project and Resource Information Service. Detailed offers will shortly be agreed with these bodies.

  Grant in each of the last three years to the organisations listed by the hon. Member was:

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  £

  £

  £

  Bayswater Hotel Homelessness Project

  12,000

  13,840

  15,390

  British Refugee Council

  10,590

  21,400

  21,230

  Central London Housing Advisory Service

  12,760

  17,000

  16,865

  CHAR

  34,630

  36,200

  35,920

  Community House Information Centre

  11,870

  14,000

  13,890

  Empty Property Unit

  18,430

  27,300

  27,080

  Homes for Homeless People

  29,680

  31,000

  30,750

  Housing Debtline

  30,414

  32,500

  32,250

  National Association of Voluntary Hostels

  21,630

  22,600

  22,435

  National Council for One Parent Families

  21,990

  22,970

  23,010

  28

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  £

  £

  £

  Specialist Information and Training Resource Agency

  —

  25,000

  24,780

  Resource Information Service

  26,700

  34,000

  33,545

  Of these bodies, only Resource Information Service has been offered grant this year; details are yet to be agreed.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment by what amount funding to the Nature Conservancy Council has increased since 1979.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Grant in aid to the Nature Conservancy Council has risen from £7·9 million in 1979–80 to £44·069 million in 1990–91. This is an increase in real terms of 159 per cent. The council has also been allocated an additional £750,000 this year to meet its costs arising from the proposed reorganisation of the conservation agencies.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effects the European Council decision on waste management and reduction will have upon his present toxic waste policy.

  Mr. Trippier
  The European Council resolution of April 11 on waste policy sets a framework for the future development of Community policy in this area. It supports waste minimisation through the use of clean technology and clean products and the maximum possible use of recycling. For unavoidable waste arisings, it calls for pre-treatment and high environmental standards for final disposal. The resolution also refers to the desirability of members states aiming for self-sufficiency in waste disposal and calls for an adequate network of disposal facilities across the Community. As such, the resolution is generally consistent with the Government's policies on waste and consequently was strongly supported by the United Kingdom.

  Pollution
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when and where he expects the joint European Environment Council—eastern European COMECON Environment Ministers meeting on atmospheric pollution, nuclear safety and environmental protection to take place.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Irish Government, as President of the European Council, will be hosting a meeting of Community Environment Ministers with their counterparts in eastern and central European countries in Dublin on 16 June.

  County Hall
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to make an announcement on the development proposals for County hall.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  After I have carefully considered the inspector's report.

  Hedges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he is giving to introducing a statutory protection for valuable and ancient hedges, along the same lines as that recognised in relation to ancient monuments and trees.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Our current review of tree preservation policies and legislation is also considering matters relating to hedgerows.

  Rain Forest (Conference)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department will be represented at the International Timber Organisation conference on strategies to help save the rain forest to be held in Bali in May.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply.

  Officials from my Department and the Overseas Development Administration are representing the United Kingdom at this meeting.

  Fur Production
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what regulations exist in terms of(a) cage size, (b) access to natural light and (c) diet for animals in factory units for fur production; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have been asked to reply.

  There are at present no legal requirements relating specifically to the welfare protection of fur-bearing animals. However, the Agriculture (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1968 makes it an offence to cause livestock on agricultural land unnecessary pain or distress and the Protection of Animals Act 1911 makes it an offence to cause unnecessary suffering to any captive or domestic animal.

  Welfare standards for fur-bearing animals are currently being negotiated in the Council of Europe and are expected to be implemented subsequently within the European Community.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Training
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many young people received employment training in Northern Ireland during the years January 1987 to December 1988; and what percentage of those on completion of their training went to(a) jobs, (b) self-employment, (c) full-time education, and (d) full-time training other than employment training.

  Mr. Needham
  It is assumed that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the youth training programme (YTP).

  In 1987 12,076 and in 1988 12,067 young people entered full-time training under YTP. Information on YTP leavers, whose destinations were known, from full-time training provision is:
  30

  percentage to jobs

  percentage to full-time education and training

  percentage to unemployment

  1987

  54

  5

  41

  1988

  61

  5

  34

  These figures include the destinations of young people who leave YTP prematurely. Separate figures are not available for young people who went to self-employment and these are included in the percentage who went to jobs.

  Birth Control
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what development of family planning advisory facilities has taken place in the constituency of Strangford during the past five years.

  Mr. Needham
  There have been no developments of family planning services in Northern Ireland in the last five years due to fully comprehensive family services having been available free of charge throughout Northern Ireland. Since 1975 most family doctors and two community clinics in the Strangford constituency pro vide these services. In addition, patients can, if they wish, attend family planning clinics in other areas.

  Civil Service Premises
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who owns the premises at Maryfielld in which the Irish civil servants are based.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]The premises at Maryfield are the property of the Crown.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Cope
  [holding answer 10 May 19901 The information in respect of the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office for 1988–89 is as follows:

  £ million

  Electricity

  5·419

  Oil

  2·09

  Gas

  0·308

  Coal

  0·008

  TOTAL

  7·825

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department for the latest year available.

  Mr. Cope
  [holding answer 30 April 1990]The information in respect of the Northern Ireland Departments and the Northern Ireland Office for 1988–89 is as follows:
  31

  Gigajoules

  Electricity

  340,118

  Oil

  777,916

  Gas

  57,566

  Coal

  5,274

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Vietnamese Boat People
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list by detention centre in Hong Kong, the number of Vietnamese boat people held, on the latest date for which he has figures.

  Mr. Maude
  As at 17 May 1990, there are 11 detention centres in Hong Kong with a total population of 43,974.

  Centre

  Population

  Green Island

  299

  Hei Ling Chau

  3,290

  Chi Ma Wan

  1,878

  Whitehead

  22,185

  Cape Collinson

  323

  Argyle Street

  1,495

  High Island

  6,815

  Lowu

  399

  Shek Kong

  5,295

  Nei Kwu

  627

  32

  Centre

  Population

  Shek Kwu Chau

  999

  Victoria Prison and other Institutions

  369

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement in respect of the attempted escape by Vietnamese boat people at the Whitehead detention centre in Hong Kong on 3 May.

  Mr. Maude
  During the early hours of 29 April, 102 Vietnamese boat people, some armed, escaped from the Whitehead detention centre in a well-planned breakout. Five people were apprehended almost immediately and 39 were arrested within 24 hours of the escape. The police have continued to make arrests but a total of 56 people are still missing. On 4 May, police officers and correctional services staff conducted a large scale search of the Whitehead detention centre to find and remove dangerous weapons. More than 2,500 weapons were removed from the centre and 187 people moved to other institutions. The search took place against a background of intimidation by gangs of other boat people, assaults on staff, armed escapes and the widespread possession of offensive weapons. These are serious offences which could not be ignored. The Hong Kong Government are determined to maintain the rule of law inside the detention centres and searches at the centres will continue.

  El Salvador
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the findings of the Scotland Yard detectives sent to El Salvador to investigate the killings of six Jesuit priests; and when a full report will be made public.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Scotland Yard team went to El Salvador at the request of President Cristiani. Its report will be sent to the Government of El Salvador. It will be for the Salvadorean authorities to decide on future action, including publication.

  European Commission
  Mr. Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British citizens are currently employed by the European Commission; and if he will classify them by grade.

  Mr. Maude
  The latest information shows that the European Commission employs 990 British citizens—409 A (administrative) grade, 179 B (executive) grade, 217 C (clerical and secretarial) grade, nine D (manual) grade and 176 L (linguistic) grade. Similar information for other institutions is being sought and a further reply will be given as soon as possible.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government have any plans to use the bilateral mechanism under the CSCE process to discuss with the Soviet Government the applicability of principle VIII of the Helsinki Final Act "Equal Rights and Self-Determination of People" to the Baltic states; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  We have on several occasions made clear to the Soviet Government that a solution to the present dispute must be reached through dialogue. This should lead to a settlement acceptable to both sides, which will allow the Lithuanian people to decide their own future. We do not at present plan to raise Lithuania under the CSCE mechanism.

  Sri Lanka
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to the Government of Sri Lanka about the murder of one of the country's Members of Parliament and its implications for human rights.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We have not raised with the Sri Lankan Government the specific case of the murder of Mr. Sam Tambimuttu. But we have consistently made clear our concern at the level of violence and human rights abuses in Sri Lanka.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Magistrates
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for tht, Home Department, in relation to the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980 and offences committed under the Health and 34
  Safety at Work etc. Act and any of the relevant statutory provisions within the meaning of section 53 of the said Act, if he has any plans to amend the Magistrates' Courts Act to empower magistrates to refer corporations to a higher court for sentencing.

  Mr. John Patten
  Paragraph 3.15 of the White Pa per "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" (Cm. 965) states that the Government intend to amend section 38 of the Magistrates' Courts Act 1980, in line with the proposed new statutory framework for sentencing, so that the court's decision is based on the seriousness of the offence. That would replace the present provision whereby the decision of the court depends on information about the offender's character and antecedents, and which does not apply to corporations.

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether comprehensive ethnic monitoring is to be extended to prison officers and police officers along the lines of that proposed for the probation service, and broken down by grade.

  Mr. Mellor
  For the prison service, consideration is being given to a further statistical survey of ethnic origin, by grade, on broadly similar lines to that proposed for the probation service. Home Office circular 87/1989—"Equal Opportunities Policies in the Police Service"—recommended that ethnic monitoring arrangements should be established for police officers. Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary is monitoring the information provided in response to that recommendation.

  Parole System
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will delay the implementation of the recommended changes in the parole system outlined in "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public" until after the publication of Lord Justice Woolf s inquiry into the prison disturbances.

  Mr. Mellor
  No.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the annual crime detection rates for all crimes and for violent crimes for each year since 1978.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested for 1978 to 1988 is published in table 2.17 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1988" Cm 847, and for 1989 in table 6 of Home Office statistical bulletin 10/90. Copies of both these publications are available in the Library.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were(a) the total number of crimes and (b) the number of violent crimes in Wales in each year from 1978.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested for 1978 to 1988 is published in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", in table 32 for the years 1978 to 1979 and in table 2.5 for the years 1980 to 1988; and for 1989 in table 7 of Home Office statistical bulletin 10/90. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  Probation Orders
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will seek powers to enable day centres operated by the probation service to offer the initial introduction to employment training for persons subject to a section 11(4b) probation order.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have already agreed arrangements with the Training Agency for integrating day centre attendance with the youth training scheme. We are now considering whether similar arrangements might be extended to employment training. Home Office officials will be meeting the Training Agency in the near future to discuss this possibility.

  Ames Glover
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the steps being taken to solve the case of missing baby Ames Glover; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the police have assigned a full investigative team, consisting of 12 officers, to investigate this case. They will continue to make every effort to trace the whereabouts of Ames Glover.

  Immigration
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the present whereabouts of 670 immigrants detained on the Earl William in 1987 by(a) those granted permission to remain in the United Kingdom, (b) those returned to their state of origin, (c) those in the United Kingdom, case under consideration and (d) those whose whereabouts are unknown.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is not readily available in the form requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Trafalgar Square (Incident)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to how many of the mounted officers involved in the disturbances in London on 31 March were involved in the charge in Trafalgar square.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I am advised by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that 25 mounted officers were deployed to disperse the demonstrators in Trafalagar square during the disturbances on 31 March.

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have sought political asylum in the United Kingdom in each of the last 10 years; and how many have been granted asylum.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is given in the table. Further information on applications for, and grants of, refugee status in 1980–88 is published in Home Office statistical bulletin issue 25/89 "Refugee Statistics United Kingdom 1988", a copy of which is in the Library. The bulletin for 1989 will be published later in the summer.
  36

  Applications for refugee status in the United Kingdom, and grants for refugee status, 1980–89.

  Number of persons

  Year

  Applications received

  Grants1 of refugee status

  1980

  2,352

  1,147

  1981

  2,425

  1,473

  1982

  4,223

  1,727

  1983

  4,296

  1,185

  1984

  3,869

  649

  1985

  5,444

  915

  1986

  4,811

  565

  1987

  5,160

  439

  19882

  5,105

  960

  19892

  12,570

  1,550

  1Grants in a particular year do not necessarily relate to applications made in that year.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Prison Escapes
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list, in numerical order by prison, the number of escapes from each English prison in 1989.

  Mr. Mellor
  The following table shows the number of prisoners reported as having escaped from within closed prisons in England in 1989:

  Establishment

  Number

  Highpoint

  28

  Wymott

  13

  Ranby

  9

  Acklington

  6

  Aldington

  6

  Haslar

  6

  Featherstone

  5

  Northeye

  5

  Norwich

  5

  Stafford

  5

  The Verne

  5

  Channings Wood

  4

  Erlestoke House

  4

  Lindholme

  4

  Manchester

  4

  Canterbury

  3

  Dartmoor

  3

  Stocken

  3

  Durham

  2

  Haverigg

  2

  Oxford

  2

  Thorp Arch

  2

  Camp Hill

  1

  Hull

  1

  Leicester

  1

  Lewes

  1

  Nottingham

  1

  Pentonville

  1

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

  Mr. Waddington
  [holding answer 12 March 1990]The full cost of staff, accommodation and administration for the Home Office press office from 1979–80 to 1989–90 was:
  37

  £

  1979–80

  283,140

  1980–81

  392,532

  1981–82

  381,799

  1982–83

  424,290

  1983–84

  516,362

  1984–85

  560,512

  1985–86

  606,996

  1986–87

  548,136

  1987–88

  599,282

  1988–89

  674,945

  1989–90

  715,646

  The budget for 1990–91 is £822,471.

  Note: The costs for 1979–80 are based on figures supplied by Her Majesty's Treasury. From 1986–87 costs have been calculated departmentally following the adoption of a system of devolved budgeting.

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

  Mr. Mellor
  [pursuant to his reply, 3 May 1990, c. 667]: My right hon. and learned Friend has today written to the Prison Governors Association confirming that the reorganisation of the prison service will take place on the timetable which was announced on 11 January. A copy of his letter has been placed in the Library.

HEALTH

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing for the latest available date for each of the regions of England how many general practitioners are(a) men and (b) women.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 1 October 1989 the figures were as follows:

  Region

  Unrestricted principals

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Northern

  1,310

  299

  1,609

  Yorkshire

  1,548

  386

  1,934

  Trent

  1,905

  478

  2,383

  East Anglia

  883

  184

  1,067

  North West Thames

  1,393

  604

  1,997

  North East Thames

  1,531

  494

  2,025

  South East Thames

  1,521

  446

  1,967

  South West Thames

  1,151

  413

  1,564

  Wessex

  1,215

  345

  1,560

  Oxford

  1,025

  305

  1,330

  South Western

  1,561

  347

  1,908

  West Midlands

  2,193

  522

  2,715

  Mersey

  976

  288

  1,264

  North Western

  1,580

  419

  1,999

  National Health Service Reform
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has as to how many ballots of staff and patients on the question of the formation of self-governing trusts have resulted in majorities in favour.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are aware that ballots on the establishment of National Health Service trusts have 38
  taken place in a number of units, however, we have consistently made clear that it would not be appropriate or necessary for changes in management of National Health Service services to be subject to ballots. Applications for National Health Service trust status will not be invited until Parliament has approved the necessary legislation. Staff and the local community will then have an opportunity to express their views on individual proposals before any formal applications are made.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has of the views of National Health Service staff or patients for the formation of self-governing trusts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A total of 193 units have so far expressed an interest in NHS trust status, with some 80 indicating that they may seek trust status in 1991. This demonstrates the keen interest with which senior NHS staff, including members of the medical and nursing profession, view the prospect of establishing NHS trusts. However, applications for NHS trust status will not be invited until Parliament has approved the necessary legislation. Staff and the local community will then have an opportunity to express their views on individual proposals before any formal applications are made.

  Hospices at Home
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement of the funding of the Hospice at Home organisation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  For England, we have allocated an additional £8 million to health authorities this year to enable them to contribute more to voluntary hospices. The funding of individual projects is a matter for discussion between the organisations and authorities concerned. The funding of projects in Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Cataract Operations
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cataract operations were performed in 1989.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities in England reported 81,000 cataract operations in 1988–89.

  Nurses and Midwives
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on current consideration of the pay and conditions of nurses and midwives in the National Health Service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The pay of nurses and midwives is determined in the light of recommendations from the independent pay review body for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine. Conditions of service are a matter for the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council and the general Whitley council.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced the Government's decisions on pay for staff in the clinical and education grades in 1990–91 on 1 February at columns 260–62. The review body intends to make recommendations on pay levels for senior nurse managers in a supplementary report when the negotiating council has completed its review of the structure for these staff.
  39
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he has received any recent representations from within the midwifery profession or from other organisations about the need for a career structure for midwifery managers;

  (2) if he has made proposals regarding pay and grading structure for midwifery managers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received a small number of representations from senior midwives about the need for a new structure.

  A joint working group of the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council has recently concluded negotiations on a new structure for senior nurses and senior midwives. A final offer has been made to the staff side, who are currently consulting their members.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that local authorities have a duty to consult disabled people and their carers on their community care plans.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government are currently examining ways of incorporating into the National Health Service and Community Care Bill a requirement for local authorities to consult service users and their carers on community care plans.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's policy towards the role of small community hospitals as part of the community care policies of the Government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Small hospitals can play a valuable part in providing a range of services where it is needed locally. They can be more accessible to both patients and staff alike and foster closer relations between local people and primary care services than do larger hospitals. District health authorities in determining the best pattern of services to meet local needs must weigh these benefits against those of larger district hospitals which can provide a full range of specialised treatment and help avoid uneconomic duplication of services on a number of different sites.

  Ambulance Personnel, Cheshire
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the numbers of ambulance personnel employed in Cheshire in the years 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The available information is shown in the table. Figures for 1989, 1990 and 1991 are not available.

  Ambulance staff (including officers) in post at 30 September each year

  Cheshire county1

  Years

  Whole-time equivalent2

  1985

  330

  1986

  360

  1987

  360

  1988

  350

  Source: Department of Health (SM 13) annual census of non-medical manpower.
  40
  1 All staff are based in the Chester District Health Authority.

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

  Stepping Hill Hospital, Stockport
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the staffing levels on geriatric wards at Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The North Western regional health authority has set and published "Standards for Nursing Services" which includes standards for the management and staffing of wards and we understand that the Stockport health authority intends to apply all those standards. The authority continues to keep under review nurse staffing levels on the geriatric wards at Stepping Hill hospital, Stockport.

  Community Health Councils (Monitoring)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the changes proposed in monitoring by community health councils, once the National Health Service is reorganised into an internal market with providers and purchasers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The role of community health councils will remain fundamentally unchanged. District health authorities will be expected to take careful account of the views of their resident population on the overall pattern of service which they plan to secure through their contracts. CHCs will play an important role in this.

  Mr. George Pawsey (Eviction)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the result of the investigations carried out by his Department into how a terminally ill pensioner, Mr. George Pawsey of Chelmsford was left to live in a garden shed after being evicted from his flat by Essex county council.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I understand that an inquiry into Mr. Pawsey's case is being conducted by Essex county council. The need for any action by the Department will be considered in the light of the outcome of that inquiry.

  Sphygmomanometers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reviews or legislation he is undertaking to ensure that sphygmomanometers satisfy the accuracy requirements of international recommendation No. 16—manometers for instruments for measuring blood pressure (sphygmomanometers); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A recent limited local survey suggested a high risk of inaccuracy beyond the standard laid down in the OIML international recommendation 16. The Department has asked for details of the survey to be provided and we look forward to receiving them. On the evidence currently available, however, we believe that the inaccuracies reported by the survey are more likely to arise from user error or misuse, or from inadequate maintenance or recalibration, than from faulty design or manufacture. The Department is therefore planning to update and reissue standing guidelines on use and
  41
  maintenance of sphygmomanometers. In addition, the British standards for mercury and aneroid instruments have recently been updated as a further point of reference and now reflect the international recommendation. EC directives are planned for implementation from January 1993 which will set minimum standards of essential requirements for marketing medical devices of this kind within the single European market.

  Junior Hospital Doctors
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his recent discussions with representatives of the junior hospital doctors.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Members for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) and for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael) on 1 May at column 521.

  Charities
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which charities will receive assistance under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968 in the current financial year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  For awards in 1989–90, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health gave my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mrs. Gorman) on 24 April 1990 at columns 160–64.

  The full list of awards in 1990–91 will be published after the financial year has ended.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration his Department has given to the guide published by the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs and the Disabilities Study Unit entitled "Caring for Someone with AIDS"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department awarded the Research Institute for Consumer Affairs a grant of £8,000 towards the costs of compiling and editing this handbook for informal carers of people with AIDS or HIV infection. We value the role which informal carers play in the care of people with AIDS and hope that the handbook will help them in providing that care.

  Genetic Passports
  Mr. Dickens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give consideration to the introduction of genetic passports for babies, using the biotab technique of a palm print of mother and baby at time of birth, as a means of proving the identity of a baby put up for adoption.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to introduce such an arrangement. We are unaware of any difficulties arising in connection with uncertainties about the identity of children placed for adoption in the United Kingdom.

  Pharmaceuticals
  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what advice he has received from the standing pharmaceutical advisory committee, the standing medical 42
  advisory committee and the standing nursing advisory committee and their joint sub-committee on original pack dispensing on the introduction of original pack dispensing for parmaceuticals in general, and for generic pharmaceuticals;

  (2) whether it remains his policy to encourage the dispensing of pharmaceuticals in original packs; what action he proposes to take; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We consulted widely on the report and recommendations of the joint sub-committee and received a large number of comments. Progress on any systematic introduction of original pack dispensing has been delayed by the failure of the parties consulted to agree on any common standards for pack sizes.

  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will amend the Medicines Act to allow pharmacists to dispense pharmaceuticals in original packs of a size nearest to the quantity prescribed by the general practitioner.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have no present plans to issue a proposal for consultation since views expressed on the report of the joint sub-committee of the standing medical, nursing and midwives and pharmaceutical advisory committees have so far led to disagreement.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which district authorities in the financial year 1989–90 in the north-west had to cut services in order to remain within budget.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1989–90, additional cash resources were made available to the North Western regional health authority amounting to about £88 million, which represented an increase of about 8·4 per cent. over the previous year. Taken together with about £19 million efficiency savings, this increase enabled service developments of £19·2 million to go ahead and meant that no district health authority needed to cut services to maintain a balanced budget.

  British Generic Manufacturers Association
  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last formally met representatives of the British Generic Manufacturers Association; what issues were discussed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State met representatives of the association at their request on 8 November 1989. He discussed matters of mutual interest in relation to original pack dispensing. Any further action would now be a matter for the commercial judgment of individual companies.

  Accident Units (Closure)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward legislation to place a statutory duty on a health authority, which intends to close an accident or casualty unit, adequately to advertise the proposed closure.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Community Health Councils Regulations 1985 provide that a district health
  43
  authority considering a substantial variation in the provision of health services has a duty to consult the community health council. The exception to this is when the authority is satisfied that, in the interests of the health service, a decision has to be taken without allowing time for consultation. In such a case, however, the authority is required to notify the community health council immediately of the decision taken and the reason why no consultation has taken place.

  Guidance from the Department, in particular circular HC(IS)207, a copy of which is in the Library, sets out the procedures to be followed by health authorities in relation to the closure or change of use of health buildings. They are advised to consult a number of organisations including local authorities, recognised staff organisations, family practitioner committees, local advisory committees and local medical committees, as well as community health councils.

  We would expect a district health authority to satisfy itself that it had made adequate provision both for dealing with accidents and emergencies and for publicising locally any substantial changes to those arrangements.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Children's Rights
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take steps to ensure that the Government honour United Nations and European conventions on the right of all children to education.

  Mr. Jackson
  The legal obligations upon the Government, local education authorities and parents in this country are such as to ensure that the provisions of United Nations and European conventions to which we are party are met.

  Lip-reading Classes
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received concerning national provision for lip-reading classes; if he will list, by region, the authorities in England that provide lip-reading classes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend has not received any representations concerning national provision for lip-reading classes. It is for local education authorities to assess the local demand for lip-reading classes. The Government do not collect information centrally on the availability of classes in lip-reading.

  Civics
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about the provision of civics as part of the national curriculum.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The National Curriculum Council has identified citizenship as a major cross-curricular theme, and will shortly issue guidance to schools on its incorporation into the curriculum.

  School Pupils (Suspension)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education Science what information he has, by local education authority for the last 12 months, and by ethnic 44
  origin, on the number of pupils suspended from school distinguishing between (a) primary and (b) secondary schools.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not centrally available. Under the recently introduced national exclusions reporting system, the Department is requesting information on all cases of permanent exclusion from maintained schools over the next two years. The information being requested includes the ethnic origin of the pupils concerned, who will not be identified.

  Higher Education Corporations
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what monitoring his Department is conducting of appointments of(a) independent governors, (b) local authority nominees, (c) academic nominees and (d) others to higher education corporations.

  Mr. Jackson
  None. While initial appointments of higher education corporation governors were made by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State, all subsequent appointments are entirely a matter for the corporations themselves, or their independent members, within the comprehensive and carefully constructed provisions of schedule 7 to the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Assisted Places
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much has been spent on the assisted places scheme and for how many pupils in each year of the scheme from its inception, to the latest available year in cash, and in constant prices and with an index related to the expenditure in constant prices where the first year equals 100.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information requested is as shown in the table and relates to England only. The figures for Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Year

  Pupil numbers (academic year)

  Cash cost (£ million)

  Real cost (£ million)

  Real cost Index

  1981–82

  4,185

  3·0

  3·0

  100

  1982–83

  8,616

  8·7

  8·1

  271

  1983–84

  13,102

  15·0

  13·4

  446

  1984–85

  17,386

  22·2

  18·9

  629

  1985–86

  21,412

  29·6

  23·7

  791

  1986–87

  24,478

  37·9

  29·5

  982

  1987–88

  26,899

  46·0

  34·4

  1,146

  1988–89

  27,083

  50·9

  35·9

  1,196

  1989–90

  27,008

  56·5

  36·9

  1,232

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the average cost per pupil of an assisted place in each year of the scheme from its inception, to the latest available year.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The average cost per pupil of an assisted place is as follows:

  Financial

  Cost per pupil

  year

  £

  1981–82

  1,098

  1982–83

  1,267

  1983–84

  1,303

  45

  Financial

  Cost per pupil

  year

  £

  1984–85

  1,482

  1985–86

  1,603

  1986–87

  1,759

  1987–88

  1,952

  1988–89

  2,121

  1989–90

  2,329

  1 Subject to final adjustment.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table showing for each year of the scheme since its inception to the latest available year the number of assisted places available, the number taken up, and the percentage of those taken up which were free places.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information requested is given in the table:

  Academic year

  Places available

  Places taken up

  Percentage of free places

  1981–82

  5,446

  4,185

  37

  1982–83

  11,058

  8,616

  37

  1983–84

  15,866

  13,102

  36

  1984–85

  20,699

  17,386

  38

  1985–86

  25,210

  21,412

  37

  1986–87

  29,295

  24,478

  36

  1987–88

  33,228

  26,899

  34

  1988–89

  33,217

  27,083

  32

  1989–90

  33,268

  27,008

  31

  TEMPUS
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on United Kingdom participation in the TEMPUS scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 8 May 1990 at columns 41–42.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what assessment he has made of the effect of differences in policy and practice between publicly funded institutions of higher education in the United Kingdom and those in other European Community countries, in respect of tuition fees for non-European Community students, on opportunities for United Kingdom institutions of higher education to participate in the TEMPUS scheme;

  (2) what action he proposes to take to compensate United Kingdom institutions of higher education in respect of tuition fees for students from non-European Community countries under the TEMPUS scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  The United Kingdom is not alone among Community member states in charging tuition and other fees to non-EC students. Against that background the Government are discussing with the Commission how fees may best be dealt with under the TEMPUS programme, with a view to ensuring full participation in the programme by United Kingdom institutions.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on institutions of higher education in other European Community countries preparing courses of engineering 46
  and business management in English in order to meet the preferences of non-European Community students under the TEMPUS scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have no detailed information. But I understand that some institutions in member states such as the Netherlands have introduced courses for overseas students and their own nationals which are conducted in English. It may be expected that in future the number of such courses will increase, whether under the TEMPUS programme or otherwise. Such developments, recognising the growing status of English as a world language, are to be welcomed, though within the Community only by studying in the United Kingdom or the Republic of Ireland can students benefit from opportunities to study not only in English but alongside students whose language is English.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he has had with interested parties on the administration of the access funds established by the Student Loans Act; and when he expects to publish the details of the administration of the access funds.

  Mr. Jackson
  Access funds, which will be established by my right hon. Friend by virtue of his powers under the Education Reform Act 1988 and the Education Act 1944, were the subject of consultation papers issued to interested parties last year. Since then, officials have had discussions with representatives of the institutions, the Universities Funding Council, the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and local authorities. Additionally officials have participated in conferences and seminars organised among the institutions themselves.

  Statements of conditions of payment and notes of guidance have been sent to the chairmen of the governing bodies of maintained further education colleges and chief education officers, and to the two funding councils. Copies of these documents have been placed in the Library of both Houses. It falls to the two funding councils to draw up statements of conditions of payment and guidance notes on the access funds for their institutions.

  National Curriculum Council
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a list of the committees presently established by the National Curriculum Council, the number of members of each committee known to be practicing school teachers and the proportion of such members within the total membership of each committee.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is set out in the following table:

  Committee

  Number of practising teachers

  Proportion of such members to total Per cent.

  Whole curriculum

  3

  19

  National curriculum A

  5

  29

  National curriculum B

  4

  25

  Professional development

  3

  21

  Curriculum review

  2

  15

  47
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state his responsibilities and policy towards securing that practising school teachers are represented among the membership of(a) the National Curriculum Council and (b) committees established by the National Curriculum Council.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Section 14(2) of the Education Reform Act 1988 requires that appointments to the National Curriculum Council"shall include persons having relevant knowledge or experience in education".

  My right hon. Friend makes appointments on a personal, not a representative basis. He seeks to appoint members who between them have wide-ranging knowledge and experience in education. He is also concerned that there should be some members with knowledge and experience of the business world. Two of the current members are practising head teachers; others have had teaching experience.

  The National Curriculum Council is responsible for determining membership of its committees.

  Higher Education (Inspections)
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 15 May to the hon. Member for Bridgend,Official Report, column 363–64, if he will give details of each request received from the management of any independent institute of higher education for an inspection by Her Majesty's inspectors, showing the name of the institution, the purpose of the inspection, its result, its cost and by whom this was borne, for the period 1986 to date.

  Mr. Jackson
  There have been no such requests.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the banning by local education authorities of British meat from school meals in the interests of children's health in view of concern over bovine spongiform encephalopathy.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has circulated advice and guidance about bovine spongiform encephalopathy to all local authorities and the chief medical officer has clearly stated that British meat is safe. My right hon. Friend hopes that education authorities will take full account of that advice in considering the provision of British meat in school meals.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Central and Eastern Europe
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what the Government are doing to encourage investment in central and eastern European countries;

  (2) what special help the Government are giving through export guarantees or other means to encourage British exporters to central and eastern European countries.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Department of Trade and Industry is doing its best to keep up to date with changes in the legal 48
  and fiscal framework for business in each of the countries of central and eastern Europe and is disseminating this information to interested companies. In addition, the Department seeks to make available to British business information on specific export and investment opportunities in those countries; and to encourage them to take full advantage of the assistance offered by the United Kingdom know-how fund as well as schemes of assistance operated by the EC and multilateral institutions.

  The Export Credits Guarantee Department also assists and encourages exporters and investors. Export credit guarantees to encourage British exports to central and eastern Europe are available to the extent considered justifiable for particular markets within ECGD's normal underwriting criteria. The position is kept under regular review. Also, as recently announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, ECGD is prepared to consider applications to cover from United Kingdom concerns wishing to invest in those countries under its investment insurance scheme.

  Auditors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will seek to amend paragraph 2(a) of section 390 of the Companies Act 1985 to require that the auditor's notice of resignation, if accompanied by a statement of circumstances, be addressed to members, creditors and employees.

  Mr. Redwood
  I assume that the hon. Gentleman has in mind the statement of circumstances mentioned in section 394 of the Companies Act 1985, which has been inserted into that Act, in substitution for section 390, by section 123 of the Companies Act 1989.

  I have no plans for further legislation on these matters. Section 394 provides that the statement must be sent to the registrar of companies. If the statement concerns matters which the auditor considers should be brought to the attention of members or creditors of the company, then it must also—subject to provisions enabling the company to challenge such a statement in the courts—be sent to every person entitled under section 238 of the Companies Act 1985 to be sent copies of the accounts. These provisions enable appropriate publicity to be given to an auditor's statement.

  Unpublished Reports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby of 26 February,Official Report, columns 16–17, on unpublished reports, what was the cost of producing each report.

  Mr. Redwood
  Costs to date of investigations, other than those conducted by departmental officers, which are not separately identifiable, are as follows:

  Company name

  Date of report

  Cost (£)

  Euroseas Securities Limited

  5 Mar 1985

  399,741

  Alexander Howden Group plc

  130 December 1985

  226 June 1987

  1,055,700

  British Anzani plc

  28 November 1986

  184,353

  Medway Secondary Metals Limited

  21 October 1987

  88,934

  House of Fraser Holdings plc

  23 July 1988

  1,512,485

  Guinness plc

  124 November 1988

  1,699,008

  Aldermanbury Trust plc

  120 December 1988

  726,176

  49

  Company name

  Dale of report

  Cost (£)

  Consolidated Goldfields pic

  113 January 1989

  15 April 1989

  1,076,527

  Graylaw Holdings Limited

  Link Service Stations Limited

  28 November 1989

  287,083

  Bank Street Securities Limited

  28 November 1989

  157,088

  Pennine Commercial Holdings plc

  128 November 1989

  338,372

  The Animal Defence Society Limited

  31 December 1989

  55,562

  Minet Holdings plc

  216 January 1990

  WMD Underwriting Agencies Limited

  324 July 1986

  1,244,077

  1 Interim.

  2 Final.

  3 Interim published.

  USSR
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received concerning the effect of political reforms in the USSR on the textile trade in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  None. Textiles trade between the USSR and the EC is governed by a bilateral agreement negotiated last year and running till the end of 1992. This complements the general trade and co-operation agreement negotiated at the same time and replaces the previous regime, which imposed autonomous quotas on USSR exports.

  Pirate Radio
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the future of both offshore and land-based pirate radio in Britain in the light of the Broadcasting Bill.

  Mr. Forth
  It remains Government policy to take vigorous action against unauthorised broadcasters, whether based offshore or inland. It is essential to keep the airwaves clear for the emergency services and for the wider variety of legitimate broadcasting that we aim to foster. That is the purpose of the new enforcement provisions in the Broadcasting Bill.

  Iraq
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 15 May,Official Report, column 365, of the trade delegations that visited Iraq with Government support in 1989–90, 1988–89, 1987–88 and 1986–87, what size of companies, by Her Majesty's Government criteria of size, made up each delegation.

  Mr. Redwood
  Companies are separated into three groups by number of employees. The relevant figures (where available) are:

  1–49

  50–200

  200 +

  n/a

  Total

  1986–87

  4 groups

  13

  15

  53

  32

  113

  1987–88

  4 groups

  7

  5

  38

  4

  54

  1988–89

  50

  1–49

  50–200

  200 +

  n/a

  Total

  3 groups

  20

  11

  44

  7

  82

  1989–90

  6 groups

  26

  39

  88

  4

  157

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 15 May,Official Report, column 364, which sectors of Iraqi industry or Government Ministries participated in the British Government-supported inward missions in 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Redwood
  The 1988–89 inward mission organised by the Federation of British Electrotechnical and Allied Manufacturers Associations consisted of participants from the Iraq state organisation for electricity.

  The 1989–90 inward mission organised by the Association of British Healthcare Industries consisted of specialists from various hospitals and other medical services.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 15 May,Official Report, column 365, of the trade delegations that visited Iraq with Government support in 1989–90, 1988–89, 1987–88 and 1986–87, how many companies have been on more that one delegation; and how many on more than two delegations.

  Mr. Redwood
  During the years covered by the question 24 companies have been supported more than once and 42 have received support more than twice.

  Monopolies and Mergers Commission
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he proposes to publish the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the bid for Dixons plc by Kingfisher plc.

  Mr. Redwood
  The report will be published and the Secretary of State's decision announced as soon as is practicable.

  Exporters (Promotion Services)
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what changes have been made as regards the promotion services available to United Kingdom exporters.

  Mr. Redwood
  More than 21,000 people involved in exporting now hold DTI service cards. Our market research shows that the services we provide are much appreciated by exporters. The changes we are introducing will help us to provide those services in the ways that are most helpful to exporters by improving the presentation and content of reports and by making it easier to get access to our publications.

  The market information inquiry service provides reports from any of the 190 Foreign and Commonwealth Office posts around the world, in response to inquiries from United Kingdom exporters. Charges were introduced for this service for the first time on 1 April 1989. I recognise it is important to present reports in a fully professional way and to ensure that consistently high standards are met by our staff in answering inquiries.
  51
  The changes that are being made ensure that the minimum standards of presentation and content are met and that work is carried out within specified periods. This will mean that the business man knows what he is getting when he commissions a report from us. Changes have also been made to the charges for this and other services. Details of the charges that apply from 1 June are set out in the table.

  The aim of the changes to the market information inquiry service and the export representative service is to reflect more closely the work involved in answering inquiries. In some cases, for example where an export representative service case for certain countries can be completed with fewer than 24 hours' work, the charge will be less than at present. Some readily available information will be provided free. In other cases fees will increase.

  Charges from 1 June

  £

  Market information inquiries (inc VAT)

  Market information held by post (readily available information may be provided free Up to four hours work

  30

  Up to four hours work

  60

  More than four hours and up to eight hours work

  120

  More than eight hours work

  180

  Export representatives service (inc VAT)

  Up to 24 hours work

  300

  More than 24 hours work

  600

  New products service (inc VAT)

  Per article for 15 markets

  60

  Publications (not subject to VAT)

  "Hints to Exporters" visitor's guide

  5 each

  Country profiles

  10 each

  Sector reports

  30 each

  For the first time a catalogue of publications available from the Department, including those which attract a charge and those which are available free is being published. This will detail in full all the publications, notably sector reports, available to exporters containing invaluable information about overseas markets.

  The export publications catalogue will also list five publications jointly produced by the export promotion organisations of the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Italy and Belgium. The publications are in a new series called "Setting up in Business In……" which will guide firms in the five countries on the business and legal background to establishing a presence in five markets of the Pacific Rim: Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea. The series will be continued at the end of 1990 with similar booklets on five markets of South America.

  Recycling
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received expressing concern at the extension to textiles of the three arrow symbol used to denote recycled materials; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]: I have received letters from the International Wool Secretariat,
  52
  the Confederation of British Wool Textiles Ltd. and, more recently, from the chairman of the all-party wool textiles group about the three arrow symbol.

  I have no plans to force the use of the ISO-registered symbol on any product. Its use, or otherwise, is a matter for individual companies to decide for themselves.

WALES

  Ministerial Duties
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) which Ministers will deal with developments regarding hospital closures during the indisposition of the Under-Secretary;

  (2) how ministerial responsibility for the various subject areas will be shared within his Department during the period of indisposition of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No change in ministerial responsibility is necessary. My hon. Friend is continuing his duties from his sick bed. I have encouraging reports on his progress.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to impose a surcharge on local authorities levying a high poll tax in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  No.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he proposes to exempt from the poll tax elderly or infirm persons cared for by their families at home;

  (2) if he proposes to introduce banding upwards for the poll tax in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government are reviewing the operation of the community charge system. It is too early to say what changes might be made.

  Mayors
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to introduce directly elected mayors in local government in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  We have no plans for such a proposal.

  Capital Formation
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each year since 1979 the value of gross domestic fixed capital formation in cash and constant prices for(a) the Welsh economy as a whole, (b) energy and water supply, (c) manufacturing, (d) transport and communication and (e) dwellings.

  Mr. Grist
  Gross domestic fixed capital formation figures for the Welsh economy as a whole are not available. The information requested for industry groups(b) to (e) at current (cash) prices, is given in the following table. Constant price data are available only for the United Kingdom as a whole.
  53

  Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation

  (£ million)

  Energy and water supply

  Manufacturing

  Transport and communication

  Dwellings

  1979

  228

  442

  115

  322

  1980

  215

  384

  136

  385

  1981

  300

  365

  127

  358

  1982

  277

  344

  121

  358

  1983

  209

  334

  121

  436

  1984

  170

  437

  116

  494

  1985

  185

  548

  136

  468

  1986

  194

  514

  141

  547

  1987

  163

  652

  179

  653

  Source: Regional accounts, Central Statistical Office.

  River Taff (Pollution)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales who is responsible for cleaning up the banks of the River Taff in Cardiff; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  This is a matter for the riparian owners.

  Brymbo Steelworks Closure
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has proposals to assist the workers made redundant as a result of the closure of the Brymbo steelworks at Wrexham.

  Mr. David Hunt
  At Gwydyr house on Wednesday 16 May, I met with a delegation, led by the hon. Member for Wrexham (Dr. Marek), of representatives of the Brymbo work force, the community, and local authorities. I then met, separately, with the owners of Brymbo steelworks. As a result of the meetings, United Engineering Steel Ltd. has agreed to have immediate discussions with the Welsh Development Agency about the options open to the company for the future of the steelworks at Brymbo.

  Urban Aid
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce his decisions regarding all urban aid applications submitted to him in respect of the current financial year, listing for each county(a) all approvals given and the authority through which the application was made together with the figure offered and the figure applied for and (b) all applications refused and the figure applied for.

  Mr. Grist
  I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the capital grants to voluntary youth services, village halls and community centres programme.

  The programme for 1990–91 was notified to the local education authorities on 11 May. The table gives the information requested. All approved projects have been offered grant for the full amount sought.

  The time scale for the issue of invitations to local education authorities to submit applications and for the announcement of decisions is designed to meet the needs of applicants at all stages, but it is kept under review.

  For each project approved under the programme, the Welsh Office allows a period of three years for the work to be undertaken and grant claimed. The later announcement of approvals for 1990–91 should not therefore jeopardise completion of these projects within this timespan. But if there were problems carry-over arrangements exist and could be used in appropriate cases.
  54

  Clwyd local education authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  A. Youth projects

  Clwyd county girl guides—phase II of new training centre.

  25,000

  50,000

  1st Marchwiel and Pentre Maelor scouts—provision of new HQ.

  8,000

  16,000

  B. Community projects

  Llandegla memorial hall—new roof, toilets and extension.

  9,125

  18,250

  Trefnant village hall—rewiring, new roof, shower facilities

  3,000

  6,000

  Broughton war memorial hall—new heating system.

  1,500

  3,000

  Overton playgroup—remodelling of disused canteen for use as a community centre.

  4,750

  9,500

  Stiwt arts/leisure community centre—renovation of miners' institute.

  25,000

  50,000

  Totals

  76,375

  152,750

  Dyfed local education authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  A. Youth projects

  Llanelli centre project—purchase of building, extension and refurbishment.

  15,000

  30,000

  Carmarthen scout group—re-roofing of existing building.

  1,000

  2,000

  B. Community projects

  Talgarreg village hall—repairs to existing building.

  13,150

  26,300

  Ffynnonwen community centre—re-roofing of centre.

  4,198

  8,396

  Tysul village hall—refurbishments and repairs to hall.

  4,950

  9,900

  Simpsons cross activity group—erection of village hall.

  6,250

  12,500

  Carew memorial hall—provision of kitchen facilities.

  1,746

  3,492

  Whitland community centre—renovation of toilets, rendering and new windows.

  10,000

  20,000

  Boncath YMCA—erection of new hall.

  7,000

  14,000

  Cwmgwili welfare association—new roof, cladding and provision of kitchen/toilet facilities.

  2,950

  5,900

  Gwynfe community hall—renovation and extension to existing building.

  2,158

  4,316

  St. Dogmaels memorial hall—new extension and re-roofing of existing building.

  25,000

  50,000

  55

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  East Williamson hall—installation of toilet facilities.

  1,814

  3,628

  Alma community centre—new roof and windows.

  3,000

  6,000

  Llansaint village hall—erection of new hall.

  6,583

  13,165

  Totals

  104,799

  209,597

  Dyfed local education authority

  Rejected Projects

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  Community projects

  Eglwys Fach church hall—new roof.

  625

  1,250

  Tregaron hall—new roof and provision of fire exit.

  5,000

  10,000

  Llangadog community centre—new roof and windows.

  2,500

  5,000

  Camrose community centre—refurbishment and re-wiring.

  825

  1,650

  Newport memorial hall—repairs to stage and provision of exits.

  825

  1,650

  Rhydlewis village hall—rebuild exterior wall and interior decoration.

  1,094

  2,188

  Brynberian village hall—renovation of former school to provide community facilities.

  3,375

  6,750

  Coracle hall, Llechryd—new floor.

  2,362

  4,724

  Llanboidy market hall—new floor.

  2,775

  5,550

  Trelech community centre—new heating system.

  878

  1,756

  Amroth village hall—repairs and renovation to existing hall.

  5,000

  10,000

  Ddraig Goch village hall—new roof.

  1,875

  3,750

  Ferryside village hall—new roof and renovations to interior.

  2,145

  4,290

  Llangathan village hall—re-plastering exterior walls.

  375

  750

  Totals

  29,654

  59,308

  Gwent local education authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  A. Youth projects

  1st Gilwern scout group—new HQ.

  11,828

  23,656

  Ringland youth and boys' club—emergency lighting, fire doors and heating system.

  1,444

  2,888

  B. Community projects

  Sir John Herbert memorial hall, Llanover—new roof, kitchen extension and replace electrical system.

  4,906

  9,812

  Whitebrook village hall—new roof, windows, doors and electrical system.

  7,717

  15,434

  Totals

  25,895

  51,790

  Gwynedd Local Education Authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  A. Youth projects

  Aelwyd yr Urdd, Blaenau Ffestiniog—re-roofing.

  2,250

  4,500

  Caernarfon scouts—repairs to HQ.

  2,750

  5,500

  Bala guides—construction of HQ.

  4,250

  8,500

  Caernarfon guides—repairs to HQ.

  1,300

  2,600

  56

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  B. Community projects

  Penisarwaun community hall—phase II of building extension.

  17,750

  35,500

  Talwrn village hall—rebuilding hall entrance.

  550

  1,100

  Rhosirwaun village hall—new floor.

  1,125

  2,250

  Llanfairpwll village hall—replacement ceiling and new heating system.

  900

  1,800

  Llaingoch community hall—new windows.

  812

  1,624

  Maesywaen hall—new roof and windows.

  5,375

  10,750

  Penygroes memorial hall—last phase of refurbishment, including new toilets.

  6,000

  12,000

  Pwllheli community hall—new floor, heating system and windows.

  8,400

  16,800

  Llanfaelog community centre—toilet and kitchen facilities.

  3,500

  7,000

  Eglwysbach village hall—kitchen facilities/extension.

  5,000

  10,000

  Blaenau Ffestiniog community centre—eradication of dry rot.

  12,500

  25,000

  Totals

  72,462

  144,924

  Mid Glamorgan Local Education Authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  Miskin campsite (scouts)—phase II of sewerage works.

  1,290

  2,580

  Porth YMCA—refurbishment and remodelling interior to provide a modern youth club.

  23,142

  46,284

  Totals

  24,432

  48,864

  Powys Local Education Authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  A. Youth projects

  1st Presteigne scout group—new scout hut.

  5,335

  10,670

  B. Community projects

  Llanigon village hall—construction of new village hall.

  25,000

  50,000

  Llandeilo Graban village hall—conversion of old school into a village hall.

  7,500

  15,000

  Totals

  37,835

  75,670

  South Glamorgan Local Education Authority

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  A. Youth projects

  29th Cardiff scout group—new HQ

  25,000

  50,000

  Cardiff north west girl guides—new windows and facia boards.

  550

  1,110

  1st Llantwit Major girl guides—purchase of freehold.

  836

  1,672

  B. Community projects

  Llandough and Leckwith institute—extension to existing building.

  9,500

  19,000

  Cathays Methodist church—redevelopment to extend provision for youth and community facilities.

  7,000

  14,000

  57

  Project/work

  LEA Grant

  WOED Grant

  Totals

  42,886

  85,772

  Development Agencies (Property Sales)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate, for each year of the existence of the Welsh Development Agency and Mid Wales Development, the amount of cash raised in sales of property and factories.

  Mr. Grist
  The value of capital sales by the two development agencies since their inception has totalled £92·4 million (including land) at 31 March 1990.

  The table provides a breakdown of this figure in the form requested.

  Total value of capital sales (including land) as at 31 March 1990

  Year

  WDA

  DBRW

  Total

  £000

  £000

  £000

  1976–77

  200

  Nil

  200

  1977–78

  600

  10

  610

  1978–79

  646

  19

  665

  1979–80

  1·056

  12

  1·068

  1980–81

  1·328

  15

  1·343

  1981–82

  4·623

  763

  5·386

  1982–83

  4·651

  912

  5·563

  1983–84

  4·497

  582

  5·079

  1984–85

  11·318

  1·037

  12·355

  1985–86

  6·570

  1·625

  8·195

  1986–87

  8·544

  1·707

  10·251

  1987–88

  8·061

  2·635

  10·696

  1988–89

  8·134

  2·735

  10·869

  1989–90

  17·820

  2·352

  20·172

  Grand total

  £78·048

  £14·404

  £92·452

  Gwynedd Health Authority
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on how many occasions in the past 12 months the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State with responsibility for health has visited either the headquarters or one of the hospitals of Gwynedd health authority, on what duties and for what purpose.

  Mr. Grist
  I have not made any such visits during the past 12 months, though I have met the chairman of the authority on three occasions during that period in London and south Wales.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any items of expenditure of Gwynedd health authority during 1989–90 were met by his Department from funds other than those identified as provision for the revenue or capital expenditure of that authority.

  Mr. Grist
  Detailed information relating to the expenditure of the Gwynedd health authority in 1989–90 will not be available until after 30 June, which is the due date for the submission of the authority's annual accounts.

  In 1988–89, £315,266 of the expenditure recorded in the authority's accounts was incurred on an agency basis on behalf of the Department and funded as such rather than as part of the authority's revenue and capital provision. This comprised the following items:
  58

  £

  Health and personal social services research and development

  21,512

  Cost of free issue of dried baby milk and vitamins; the sale of baby milk at reduced prices, and the purchase of welfare vitamins

  82,488

  Patients travelling expenses

  20,427

  Payments for expenditure incurred for the mental handicap strategy

  190,839

  315,266

  Source: Gwynedd health authority accounts for 1988–89.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many members there will be of the Gwynedd health authority after the reorganisation planned for later this year and who will appoint these members.

  Mr. Grist
  The exact composition of the membership is dependent on Royal Assent being obtained to the National Health Service and Community Care Bill and the consequent laying of new membership regulations. It is proposed that the membership will include: a chairman and five members all appointed by the Secretary of State, one of whom will be drawn from the University of Wales; the chief officer of the authority; the director of finance, the chief administrative medical officer/director of public health medicine; and the chief administrative nursing officer. It is further proposed that the chairman, the chief officer and the five members appointed by the Secretary of State may appoint one additional officer of the authority if they wish.

  District Nurse Service
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the number of district nurse service contacts with persons aged 65 years and over in each district health authority area in Wales, per 1,000 population aged over 65 years in that area, together with the corresponding figure for Wales as a whole for the most recent available year.

  Mr. Grist
  The latest available information is given in the table:

  Number of persons treated by district nurses at least once during 1988, aged 65 and over per 1,000 population aged 65 and over.

  Health Authority

  Numbers

  Clwyd

  276·9

  East Dyfed

  148·0

  Gwent

  172·2

  Gwynedd

  196·4

  Mid Glamorgan

  408·8

  Pembrokeshire

  160·3

  Powys

  385·9

  South Glamorgan1

  381·1

  West Glamorgan

  235·7

  WALES

  272·9

  1 1987 figures have been used as 1988 data are not available and the available data used to calculate Wales figures.

  Casualty Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list for each district health authority in Wales the full casualty hospitals and the minor casualty hospitals/ clinics currently in use.
  59
  Mr. Grist
  The following hospitals, as at 31 December 1989, recorded attendances under the categories "Accident and Emergency Departments" and "Minor Casualty Units":

  Health Authority

  Accident and emergency departments

  Minor casualty units

  Clwyd

  Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

  HM Stanley

  Ysbyty Maelor

  Colwyn Bay community

  Denbigh infirmary

  Ruthin

  Holywell

  Flint

  Mold

  Chirk

  Llangollen

  East Dyfed

  Bronglais

  Aberaeron

  West Wales general

  Cardigan

  Llanelli

  Tregaron

  Llandovery

  Gwent

  Nevill Hall

  Abertillery

  Royal Gwent

  Blaenavon

  Blaina

  Ebbw Vale

  Monmouth

  Tredegar

  Pontypool

  County

  Mount Pleasant

  Gwynedd

  Llandudno

  Stanley Sailors

  Ysbyty Gwynedd

  Caernarfon Cottage

  Madoc

  Bryn Beryl

  Ffestiniog

  Dolgellau

  Tywn

  Mid Glamorgan

  Princess of Wales

  Bridgend general

  East Glamorgan

  Maesteg

  Llwynpia

  Aberbargoed

  Mountain Ash

  Aberdare

  Prince Charles

  Caerphilly Miners

  Redwood

  Pembrokeshire

  Whithybush

  Tenby

  South Pembrokeshire

  Powys

  Brecon War Memorial

  Llandrindod Wells

  Builth cottage

  Ystradgynlais

  Machynlleth chest

  Llanidloes

  Victoria Memorial

  Montgomery county

  infirmary

  South Glamorgan

  Cardiff royal infirmary

  Barry community

  West Glamorgan

  Morriston

  Singleton

  Gorseinon

  Neath

  Clydach

  Computerisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 11 May,Official Report, column 262, if he will give the reasons for the reduction by £500,000 of the contract with the IBM Corporation,
  60
  United Kingdom, agreed to in August 1986 for the computerisation of his Department's management information system.

  Mr. Grist
  There have been no reductions. It is anticipated that further payments for maintenance and services will be made during the lifetime of this project, bringing total payments to approximately £1·6 million.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether any software subcontractor employed by IBM UK for the computerisation of the Welsh Office management information system was removed from the contract between August 1986 and 1 April 1990;

  (2) which software subcontractors were employed by IBM UK under the contract of August 1986 with the Welsh Office for the computerisation of its management information system.

  Mr. Grist
  These are matters for IBM UK Ltd.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he has sent a report to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency on the final settlement of the contract awarded in April 1986 to IBM to computerise his Department's financial management system;

  (2) whether he has forwarded any advice to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency on the tendering procedure followed for the computerising of departmental financial management systems.

  Mr. Grist
  The CCTA has been fully informed of all matters relating to the contract with IBM UK Ltd.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will be making any further report to the National Audit Office on the conclusion of the contract awarded to IBM UK in April 1986 to computerise the financial management system in his Department.

  Mr. Grist
  We have made no reports to NAO as there is no requirement for us to do so. The Department's records are available for NAO's inspection in the normal way.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any payments were made to any software subcontractor employed by IBM UK for the completion of the contract of August 1986 for the computerisation of the Welsh Office management information system.

  Mr. Grist
  Our Department made no payments to software subcontractors employed by IBM UK Ltd.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the grants made by his Department to voluntary organisations working in the field of homelessness in Wales, in each of the last three years and (b) grants he is giving for the 1990–91 financial year.

  Mr. Grist
  Since 1987–88, the Department has given grant aid to three voluntary organisations in Wales, in pursuit of the Government's policy of tackling homelessness on a strategic level. Supplementary allocations from other housing programmes have been given in each of the last three financial years to these three bodies and to a number of smaller local projects in need of financial assistance.
  61
  The figures for 1987–88 to 1990–91 are given in the following table, with the additional allocations identified separately:

  Original allocation

  Supplementary grant

  1987–88

  Shelter

  36,180

  11,350

  Welsh Women's Aid (WWA)

  12,700

  57,000

  Swansea Accommodation for the Single Homeless (SASH)

  4,120

  29,000

  Shortlife Housing Association

  —

  1,500

  Cardiff Flatshop

  —

  1,500

  Welcare Llandaff

  —

  1,500

  Wallich Clifford Community

  —

  1,500

  Cardiff Cyrenians

  —

  1,500

  Cardiff Single Women's Housing Group

  —

  1,500

  1988–89

  Shelter

  37,600

  15,000

  Welsh Women's Aid (WWA)

  37,584

  19,827

  Swansea Accommodation for the Single Homeless (SASH)

  15,808

  —

  Cardiff Flatshop

  —

  1,983

  Cardiff Single Women's Housing Group

  —

  1,345

  1989–90

  Shelter

  59,115

  11,495

  Welsh Women's Aid (WWA)

  41,832

  29,027

  Swansea Accommodation for the Single Homeless (SASH)

  35,591

  2,515

  Cardiff Flatshop

  —

  3,347

  Cardiff Single Women's Housing Group

  —

  1,157

  Shortlife Housing Association

  —

  680

  Anastasia Housing Project

  —

  —

  Ty Glyn Housing Society Ltd.

  —

  3,344

  1990–91

  Shelter

  114,684

  —

  Welsh Women's Aid (WWA)

  63,286

  —

  Swansea Accommodation for the Single Homeless (SASH)

  71,150

  —

  Orthopaedic Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what have been the percentage trends in the latest available three successive quarters for the trading list for orthopaedic treatment for outpatients in Ysbyty Gwynedd.

  Mr. Grist
  The latest available information, which relates to outpatients seen in the specialty of traumatic and orthopaedic surgery, is given in the table:

  Outpatients seen at Ysbyty Gwynedd

  New

  Total

  Quarter ending 30 June 1989

  Number seen

  1,071

  3,210

  Percentage change over previous quarter

  -4·4

  -0·6

  Quarter ending 30 September 1989

  Number seen

  1,018

  3,251

  Percentage change over previous quarter

  -4·9

  + 1·3

  Quarter ending 31 December 1989

  Number seen

  999

  3,172

  Percentage change over previous quarter

  -1·9

  -2·4

  Community Hospital Beds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment has been made by his Department of the needs over the next 10 years for community hospital beds in each part of Wales; how this need will be met by the National Health Service and the private sector respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The requirement for community hospital beds is for district health authorities to determine in conjunction with family practitioner committees and other interests, and in the light of local needs and available resources. Local strategies for health, which are to be submitted to the Department by December 1991, will provide the context for a long-term review of requirements.

  Health Care Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for each of the district health authorities in Wales for the most recent available years, the total expenditure, capital and revenue, on health care services per head of population.

  Mr. Grist
  I would refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given to my hon. Friend the Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 30 January 1990.

  Health Visitors
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing for the most recent available date, the number of health visiting service contracts made with people per 1,000 population aged 65 years and over, in each of the district health authority areas of Wales, and for Wales as a whole, and if he will express the figure for each area as an index against the Welsh average taken as 100.

  Mr. Grist
  The latest available information is given in the table:

  Number of persons seen by the health visiting service at least once during 1988, aged 65 and over per 1,000 population aged 65 or over

  Health authority

  Number

  Index (Wales = 100 )

  Clwyd

  48·6

  65·6

  East Dyfed

  63·7

  86·0

  Gwent

  52·1

  70·3

  Gwynedd

  17·3

  23·3

  Mid Glamorgan

  98·3

  132·7

  Pembrokeshire

  44·6

  60·2

  Powys

  136·5

  184·2

  South Glamorgan1

  91·1

  122·9

  West Glamorgan

  114·3

  154·3

  Wales

  74·1

  100·0

  11987 figures have been used as 1988 data are not available and the available data used to calculate Wales figures.

  Casualty Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will seek to amend the law to ensure that statutory responsibility to deal with accident or casualty services rests clearly with district health authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  The provision of hospital staff, accommodation and ambulance services for use with accident and
  63
  emergency services is already the responsibility of district health authorities by virtue of section 3(1) of the National Health Service Act 1977 and the NHS Functions (Directions to Authorities and Administrative Arrangements) Regulations 1989.

  Health Authorities (Asset Sales)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of the capital receipts from the sale of their assets district health authorities can use for capital or revenue expenditure without requiring specific authorities from the Welsh Office.

  Mr. Grist
  District health authorities retain, without reference to the Department, income from the sale of vehicles and other equipment. They are entitled to receive the proceeds from the sale of land and buildings no longer needed by the Health Service except in those cases where the property has become surplus as a result of a closure following the provision of a centrally funded scheme. In such cases the sale proceeds will not be kept by the district health authority but will benefit the all-Wales provision. Health authorities may use the proceeds of sale for the provision of hospital and community health services for which they are responsible.

  Children's Hospital Services
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the closure of the children's ear, nose and throat hospital in Ely, Cardiff.

  Mr. Grist
  We have not received any representations about the possible closure of the children's ENT hospital in Ely, Cardiff, since we approved the broad thrust of South Glamorgan health authority's strategic plan in July 1989.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what are the most up-to-date guidelines for children requiring long-term orthopaedic treatment being accommodated in mixed-intake children's wards;

  (2) what proposals he has for the reduction of cross-infection risks in mixed-intake wards for children requiring long-term orthopaedic in-patient treatment.

  Mr. Grist
  These are matters for district health authorities within the general guidance that children should be nursed on paediatric wards.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to visit the children's ear, nose and throat hospital in Ely, Cardiff.

  Mr. Grist
  Not at present.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the current waiting list for ear, nose and throat operations for children within each Welsh health authority and within Wales as a whole for(a) out-patient treatment and (b) in-patient treatment;

  (2) what were the waiting lists for ear, nose and throat operations for children for each health authority within Wales and for Wales as a whole in 1984, 1986 and 1988;

  (3) what were the waiting lists for tonsil and adenoids removal operations for children for each health authority within Wales and for Wales as a whole in 1984, 1986 and 1988; and what is the current waiting list.
  64
  Mr. Grist
  Information both on the number of patients on waiting lists for individual operations and on the age of patients is not collected centrally. Total in-patient waiting lists figures for the ear, nose and throat specialty are given in the following table. Out-patient waiting lists relate only to appointments, and not to operations, and are not included in these figures.

  1984

  1986

  1988

  1989

  Pembrokeshire

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clwyd

  1,073

  998

  1,550

  1,066

  East Dyfed

  543

  967

  478

  562

  Gwent

  883

  681

  634

  702

  Gwynedd

  242

  275

  551

  848

  Mid Glamorgan

  2,731

  2,535

  1,997

  2,242

  Powys

  0

  0

  0

  0

  South Glamorgan

  1,449

  1,283

  930

  634

  West Glamorgan

  403

  815

  1,056

  1,099

  Wales

  7,324

  7,554

  7,196

  7,153

  Note:—At 30 September each year.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines for consultation on hospital closure proposals for those hospitals and specialised wards in which a high proportion of the patients come from outside the boundaries of the health authority and extend the consultation procedure to involve those community health councils from which significant numbers of their patients originate.

  Mr. Grist
  Appropriate guidance is already available in Welsh Office Health Service planning paper 5, appendix B.

  Hospices
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many hospices there are in each of the counties of Wales; and what is his policy regarding the expansion of the hospice provision in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  There is one voluntary hospice in Wales providing in-patient care, in south Glamorgan. The provision of hospice facilities and other care for the terminally ill is a matter for the voluntary sector and health authorities but we are considering what assistance we can give to aid this work.

  A487
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest information concerning the specification for a Llanllyfni bypass on the A487 trunk road; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  Gwynedd county council is carrying out a feasibility study of possible options for improvements between Caerau and Llanwnda which includes Llanllyfni and a draft report has been submitted to the Department for consideration.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is(a) the purpose and (b) the cost of the road reconstruction which has been undertaken over recent weeks on the A487 trunk road between Felinheli and Caernarfon, in the vicinity of Griffith's Crossing; and what criteria determined the timing of this work.
  65
  Mr. Grist
  The reconstruction works, costing £247,130 are necessary to strengthen the trunk road and maintain it in a safe condition. Timing was influenced by the need for reasonable weather conditions while avoiding the peak holiday months of July and August.

  Hospitals (Transitional Arrangements)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for transitional arrangements for the period 1 April 1991 to 1 April 1993 for health authorities in respect of those hospitals and specialised wards in which a high proportion of the patients come from outside the boundaries of the health authorities.

  Mr. Grist
  From 1 April 1991 district health authorities will be funded to meet the needs of their resident populations rather than those of the wider catchment areas they serve. The services provided by hospitals will be paid for under service agreements negotiated with health authorities and GP fund-holding practices on behalf of their patients. Thus hospitals receiving patients from outside the district in which they are situated will in future receive funds from the district health authorities or, where appropriate, the general practitioner fund-holding practices, covering the respective patients' areas of residence.

  In 1991–92, district health authorities will be funded to enable them to meet the costs of anticipated patient flows across boundaries. It is expected that these anticipated flows will broadly reflect the existing pattern of cross-boundary movements of patients and will in any case represent the agreements reached in the course of this year between health authorities, general practitioner fund-holding practices and the providing hospitals. We do not therefore expect to see patients disadvantaged, or individual hospitals or specialist services made unviable, simply because of the new funding arrangements that will be introduced next April.

  In clue course, district health authorities' revenue funding will reflect their weighted population share of available resources—which may be more or less than the shares based on their residents' use of services which, as I have described, will be the basis of funding in 1991–92. There will be a process of transition to weighted capitation funding in order to allow authorities and hospitals time to adjust—either by considering new ways of providing services or by improving efficiency. It is not yet possible to say how long this period of transition will take since the starting point for transitional arrangements will not be determined until authorities produce data on anticipated cross-boundary flows and since the methodology for calculating weighting population shares will not be determined until authorities have been consulted. These matters will be resolved during the autumn and transitional arrangements will then be mapped out when the district health authorities' allocations for 1991–92 and their resource planning assumptions for subsequent years are published in December and January respectively.

  Special Needs Housing
  Mr.Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he proposes to make changes to the funding arrangements for special needs projects undertaken by housing associations in Wales and if he will make a statement.
  66
  Mr. Grist
  [pursuant to his reply, 20 April 1990, c. 1057–58]: We have now reassessed requirements and expect to incur expenditure of £33,000 up to the end of June. Pending parliamentary approval of the necessary revised estimate for class XVII, vote 6, this expenditure will be met by repayable advances from the Contingencies Fund. Further advances may be required for expenditure in July.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment and Youth Training Initiatives
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has any plans to deregulate and privatise his Department's employment and youth training initiatives; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My aim is to ensure that the private sector has a leading role in training and enterprise programmes and that burdens on business are kept to a minimum. I have recently completed the sale of the Skills Training Agency and announced plans that private voluntary bodies will take the place of five of the statutory industry training boards. I am now establishing a network of training and enterprise councils (TECs) which will be private sector companies operating as employer-led partnerships in their local communities. TECs will run training and enterprise programmes, including ET and youth training, previously administered by the Department of Employment. TEC contracts will allow considerable flexibility to adapt programmes to meet the needs of local employers and individuals.

  Restart
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the purpose and status of current experiments with restart menus, including options courses; and if he will list which experiments are taking place in which areas.

  Mr. Nicholls
  The main opportunities offered at restart interviews remain:

  submission to a job vacancy

  a place on a job club

  a place on employment training

  a place on a restart course

  a place on the enterprise allowance scheme

  There are no plans to experiment with this range of opportunities, although additional opportunities may he available in particular localities. However, employment service managers may arrange for variations in the delivery of the main opportunities in order to meet local needs.

  Minimum Wage
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which member countries of the EC have no system of legally enforcing a minimum wage for their labour force.

  Mr. Eggar
  All EC member states have arrangements for enforcing minimum rates of pay in some or all sectors of their economies.

  TVEI
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether there are any plans to scale down the technical and vocational education initiative.

  Mr. Nicholls
  We are currently reviewing the timetable for entry of local education authorities into TVEI. The scale and long-term funding of the initiative remains the same.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, pursuant to the reply he gave to the hon. Member for Amber Valley (Mr. Oppenheim),Official Report, column 170 of 24 April, he will give the total estimated expenditure on TVEI in each of the years 1990–91 to 1997–98, inclusive, and for Scotland, England and Wales in both cash and real terms.

  Mr. Eggar
  As laid out in the public expenditure White Paper the Department plans to spend £134 million in 1990–91, £133 million in 1991–92 and £141 million in 1992–93 on TVEI.

  The remaining balance of around £393 million will be spent between 1993–94 and 1997–98.

  Liverpool
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Minister of State's recent official visit to Liverpool.

  Mr. Eggar
  I recently carried out a long-standing engagement to visit Liverpool, to see at first hand the Government's training schemes and initiatives for the long-term unemployed in operation.

  I paid a visit to a JIG (job interview guarantee scheme) pilot and was very impressed by the schemes being run by Post Office Counters Ltd.

  This was followed by a visit to Monks Ferry Training Trust, a provider of employment training and youth training, where I had discussions with representatives of the local community.

  Married Women
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has about the number of married women in the United Kingdom and regarding the number who undertake domestic duties in the home and have no paid employment.

  Mr. Nicholls
  Preliminary results from the labour force survey for spring 1989 show that there were in the United Kingdom, 11,241,000 married (or cohabiting) women of working age, 16–59 years old. Of these 3,903,000 had no paid employment, comprising 466,000 who were unemployed (using the international definition based on a four-week job search period) and 3,437,000 who were economically inactive. Among the latter group some 70 per cent. (an estimated 2,430,000 women) further reported that their main reason for not seeking work was that they were looking after the family or home.

  Skill Centres
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many copies of the information memorandum were issued by Deloitte Corporate Finance 68
  on the Skills Training Agency; how many organisations tendered for the skill centres either in part or in whole; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 15 May 1990]: Deloitte Corporate Finance issued more than 100 copies of the information memorandum about the Skills Training Agency (STA).

  The Government were pleased with the number of expressions of interest received, which covered every unit in STA.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have been or will be redundant from the network of skill centres due to the sale of the centres to Astra Training Services and other companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 15 May 1990]: I intend to close those parts of STA not included in the sale packages agreed with successful bidders and the staff in those parts will, as far as possible, be redeployed. I expect that there will be some redundancies among instructional and industrial grade staff, but the number is not yet known.

  Staffing levels in the parts of STA which have been sold to the private sector are a matter for the new purchasers, but most purchasers have made it clear that they will need to restructure the businesses so as to secure commercial viability. I understand that one purchaser, Merseyside Education Training and Enterprise Ltd. (METEL), has declared redundancies with effect from 15 May.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his meeting on 10 May with their employers about the deaths of workers on the channel tunnel project.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 15 May 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 15 May to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist), Official Report, columns. 403–4.

  Action Credit
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the changes made to the three action credit pilot schemes since their introduction.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: The weekly earnings limit for participants has been raised from £43 to £75 to allow greater flexibility and the pilot has been extended for three months.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what the role of training and enterprise councils and the employment service will be in promoting and administering action credit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: When the action credit pilots have been completed and evaluated it will be for each training and enterprise council to decide whether they wish to operate such a scheme in their area. They will be responsible for administering any scheme and for negotiating locally with the employment service about its role.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when a statement will be made on whether
  69
  action credit will be extended beyond its current pilot schemes; and what are the criteria by which the success of these pilots is being judged.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: The final evaluation report is due in November. The results will be made available to training and enterprise councils and it will be for them to decide whether to introduce schemes in their area.

  The evaluation includes interview surveys of actual and potential participants and of employers.

  Significant criteria for success will be the extent to which action credit is successful in helping ET leavers into full-time employment or self-employment, and in helping them to obtain a job reference.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give a detailed account of the moneys his Department and the employment service have spent, and are projected to spend, in connection with the piloting of action credit.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: To date expenditure on the pilot of action credit for those leaving employment training is £61,319·51. The projected total expenditure on administering and monitoring the pilots is £100,025. A further £24,725 is projected for the independent evaluation currently under way.

  The cost to the employment service of market research into the feasibility of an action credit pilot targeted at those unemployed for 12 months or more is £35,466. The employment service has no immediate plans to spend further money on action credit.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the percentage and number of action credit participants who on leaving the scheme have (i) found employment and received the bonus, (ii) have signed off without finding permanent work and received the bonus and (iii) have continued to claim income support.

  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: No. This information will be available after the action credit pilot is completed at the end of August.

  Employment Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received on the possibility of the Spastics Society withdrawing from employment training as a result of cuts in funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: The Spastics Society informed my Department on 2 May of its intention to withdraw from employment training with effect from the end of May 1990.

  Arrangements are being made to place its trainees with other providers.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received(a) on the possible closure of the major provider of special needs youth training in the Tower Hamlets and Newham area and (b) from the careers service concerning the youth training guarantee; and if he will make a statement.
  70
  Mr. Eggar
  [holding answer 18 May 1990]: I have received no representations on the particular case referred to by the hon. Member, nor from the careers service about the guarantee.

  Training Agency area offices are currently negotiating funding levels with training providers in respect of the youth training programme which commences on 29 May 1990. Under youth training, the Government's guarantee remains unaffected. All young people under the age of 18 who have left full-time education and who are unable to find a job, are guaranteed the offer of a training place on the programme.

  Training Organisations
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of applications from ET training managers for approved training organisation status which have been(a) rejected on the first five criteria, (b) rejected on the last four criteria and (c) rejected by the Training Agency.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 14 May 1990]: Only those training managers who are considered to have the potential to meet the stringent standards entailed in the award of approved training organisation status are given contracts to provide employment training. The approval process involves a constructive partnership between the Training Agency and the training manager to build provision which meets these standards. Rejections are made only when it becomes clear there is no prospect of achieving this.

  For those training managers who began operations at the start of employment training, the assessment process is under way and as at 30 April 1990, it has proved necessary for the Training Agency to reject only one training manager who failed on the first five criteria.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of applications from training agents for approved training organisation status which have been(a) rejected on the first five criteria, (b) rejected on the last four criteria and (c) rejected by the Training Agency.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 14 May 1990]: Only those training agents who have the potential to meet the stringent quality standards entailed in the award of approved training organisation status are given contracts to provide employment training. The approval process involves a constructive partnership between the Training agency and the Training Agent to build provision which meets these standards. Rejections are made only when it becomes clear there is no prospect of achieving this.

  For those training agents who began operations at the start of employment training, the assessment process is under way and as at 30 April 1990, it has not proved necessary for the Training Agency to reject any training agents.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of ET training managers who have received Training Agency approval for each of(a) the first five criteria and (b) the last four criteria set out in the approved training organisation process.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 14 May 1990]: The approved training organisation process involves a

  71
  constructive partnership between the Training Agency and the training manager to build provision which meets the stringent standards entailed in the approved training organisation award. Training managers have two years from the date of commencement of their employment training operation to meet these standards which are tested in two stages. The assessment process for those who began on 5 September 1988 is currently under way and as at 30 April 1990, 873 have received Training Agency approval for the first five criteria and three have received approval for the last four criteria.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the total number of ET training agents who have received Training Agency approval for each of(a) the first five criteria and (b) the last four criteria set out in the approved training organisation process.

  Mr. Nicholls
  [holding answer 14 May 1990]: The approved training organisation process involves a constructive partnership between the Training Agency and the training agent to build provision which meets the stringent standards entailed in the approved training organisation award. Training agents have two years from the date of commencement of their employment training operation to meet these standards which are tested in two stages. The assessment process for those who began on 5 September 1988 is currently under way and as at 30 April 1990, 153 have received Training Agency approval for the first five criteria. None so far has received approval for the last four criteria.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Eastham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many taxpayers face a marginal deduction rate of 70 per cent. or more as a result of the interaction of the tax and benefit system.

  Mr. Newton
  There are around 320,000 tax units paying income tax with a marginal deduction rate of over 70 per cent. The social security reforms and subsequent changes to national insurance have effectively eliminated the risk of facing combined deductions for taxes and benefits which exceed each extra pound earned.

  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of people who lose 90p or more in every pound of increased earnings as a result of the interaction of the tax and benefit system.

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of people who lose 90p or more in every pound of increased earnings as a result of the interaction of the tax and benefit system.

  Mr. Newton
  Before the reforms 70,000 families had marginal deduction rates over 100 per cent., and 130,000 had rates over 90 per cent. Now nobody has a rate of 100 per cent. or more, and the number over 90 per cent. has fallen to 40,000.

  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number of 72
  people who lose 90p or more in every pound of increased earnings as a result of the interaction of the tax and benefit system.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  It is estimated that there are about 40,000 benefit units where the head is in full-time employment and faces a combined marginal tax-benefit withdrawal rate of 90 per cent. or more.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many taxpayers face a marginal deduction rate of 70 per cent. or more as a result of the interaction of the tax and benefit system.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  It is estimated that there are about 320,000 benefit units where the head is in full-time employment, pays income tax and faces a combined marginal tax-benefit withdrawal rate of 70 per cent. or more.

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what new measures are being introduced to protect members of occupational pension schemes.

  Mr. Newton
  The current Social Security Bill includes measures to appoint a pensions ombudsman; reduce self-investment by schemes; extend the rights of early leavers; and provide, from a date to be appointed, for annual increases in respect of pension rights derived from future service and for scheme surpluses to be used to make increases in respect of existing rights. These are further important steps forward in safeguarding the position of the members of such schemes.

  Mr. Leigh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what powers the pensions ombudsman is proposed to have to resolve any grievances held by members of occupational pension schemes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Maidstone (Miss Widdecombe) on 2 April at column 488.

  Computerisation
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how he anticipates his Department's computerisation programme will benefit social security claimants.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Computerisation has improved the speed and accuracy with which benefit claims are handled. It provides a better service to the public on inquiries. It has enabled us to move benefit processing work out of London to areas where it is easier to recruit and retain good staff—and so provide a better service to our London customers.

  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made in implementing his Department's operational strategy.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Department's highly complex £1·7 billion strategy for the computerisation of the social security payment system is proceeding as planned. The pilot exercise in 23 local offices has been
  73
  completed and the systems are being introduced nationally office by office. By 4 May 1990, 226 offices had received the departmental central index (DCI) system; 225 the retirement pensions system; and 119 the income support system—out of an eventual target of 440 offices.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to assist lone parents living on benefits to be able to move into work or training.

  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to assist lone parents living on benefits to be able to move into work or training.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The benefit system already contains a number of special provisions to help lone parents who wish to work. Regular payments of maintenance can also provide a valuable stepping stone from benefit to work. We are currently reviewing the maintenance system to see what improvements are needed.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much a lone parent with two children would have to earn to be better off in work than on benefits, making an appropriate assumption about the costs of child care.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much a lone parent with two children would have to earn to be better off in work than on benefits, making an appropriate assumption about the costs of child care.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Members for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) and for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) earlier today.

  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to assist lone parents who are not living on benefits to obtain maintenance from the absent parent.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to assist lone parents who are not living on benefits to obtain maintenance from the absent parent.

  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to assist lone parents who are not living on benefits to obtain maintenance from the absent parent.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Absent parents have a clear legal responsibility to maintain their families wherever they can afford to. The Government have announced an inter-departmental review of the maintenance system to see what changes need to be made to the way in which maintenance is awarded and paid. A survey of the work in a sample of courts and DSS local offices is under way to provide full and up-to-date information as a basis for deciding on the best way forward, and this information will relate both to benefit and non-benefit cases. We are also examining systems in use in other countries to see what lessons can be learned from them. The Government aim to bring forward proposals later this year.
  74
  In the shorter term we have taken action to improve the payment and enforcement of maintenance under the current system. These measures will help lone parents who want to move from benefit to independence, since maintenance can provide valuable extra income to supplement earnings. Some two thirds of lone parents are dependent on income support. We have strengthened the basis on which local offices assess absent parents' ability to pay maintenance and have improved our instructions on interviewing lone parents about the identity of the absent father. We have also introduced a new clause to the current Social Security Bill to expand our ability to take action and address some of the problems lone parents have experienced with the current system. In particular the new clause will enable an order obtained by the Department to be transferred to the lone parent leaving benefit, removing the need for her to go to court to obtain a private maintenance order. DSS will also be able to enforce a lone parent's maintenance order for her when payments are not being made in full, if the lone parent is claiming income support for herself and her family. This will ensure that prompt action is taken in all cases and will reduce the chance of the absent parent getting into the habit of non-payment.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate he has as to the number of lone-parent families in receipt of income support; and how many also receive family credit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  At May 1988 some 722,000 lone-parent families were in receipt of income support of whom some 6,000 were also in receipt of family credit. (The figures do not include prisoners' partners). At December 1989 there were 120,000 lone-parent families in receipt of family credit; information is not available on the number also in receipt of income support. There is a limited overlap between income support and family credit because an award of family credit lasts for six months.

  Sources: Income Support Annual Statistical Inquiry 1988;

  Family Credit Statistical System.

  Absent Fathers
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures are being taken to make the arrangements for recovering maintenance from absent fathers more effective; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  I am currently examining the maintenance system and aim to bring forward proposals for change later this year. In the meantime I have taken a number of steps to improve the recovery of maintenance under the current system. This includes a new clause introduced to the present Social Security Bill which will improve our ability to pursue maintenance.

  Social Fund
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received on the operation of the social fund.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations on the operation of the social fund he has received.

  Mr. Scott
  Representations on all aspects of the social fund have been received from hon. Members, members of the public and various organisations.
  75
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications have been reviewed since the High Court's decision relating to his guidance on local office budgets; and how many additional payments have resulted.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications have been reviewed as a result of the High Court's decision on his guidance on local office budgets; and how many additional payments have resulted.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund applications have been reviewed since the High Court's decision on his guidance on local office budgets; and how many additional payments have resulted.

  Mr. Scott
  Between 1 March 1990 and 30 April 1990, a total of 27,000 applications for review were processed by local offices. A total of 593 were requests for a further review in the light of the High Court decision, and resulted in 473 full or partial awards totalling £144,400.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local social security offices have had their social fund budgets reduced in(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1989–90, in cash terms and in real terms.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local social security offices had their social fund budgets reduced in(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1989–90, in cash terms and in real terms.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is as follows:

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Cash terms

  184

  0

  Real terms1

  429

  252

  1 Real terms prices as reckoned by the gross domestic product deflator.

  The figures compare allocations at the beginning of the relevant financial year with those at the beginning of the preceding year.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much spending on income-related benefits for families with children has changed since April 1988.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Since April 1988 we have provided over £350 million extra help in real terms to families with children receiving income-related benefits.

  Income Support
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have occurred in the last year in the quality of service to claimants of income support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There have been significant improvements in the quality of service provided to claimants of income support during the past 12 months. For example, the average time taken to clear income support claims improved by 4 per cent. (to 4·7 days) whilst the error rate fell by 13 per cent. (from 9·1 per cent. to 7·9 per cent.).
  76
  In addition, the service provided in London is being improved by relocating work which does not require face-to-face contact away from 21 London offices to areas where recruitment and retention of staff is easier. There is already substantial evidence that significant improvements in accuracy, clearance times and quality of service are being made.

  The programme to computerise income support, which was implemented in 95 local offices in 1989–90, and will be extended to all offices by 1991, is bringing major improvements in service to the public enabling staff to process claims more accurately and quickly.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of pensioners are receiving income from(a) savings or (b) occupational pensions.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of those pensioners who have recently retired are receiving income from occupational pensions or savings; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that, in 1987 73 per cent. of recently retired pensioners had an occupational pension and 82 per cent. had income from savings. In the same year 83 per cent. of all pensioners and 90 per cent. of those recently retired had income from one or both of these sources.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the average increase in incomes since 1979 for those pensioners who receive all of their income from state benefits.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that between 1979 and 1987 pensioners who receive all of their income from state benefits had experienced a real terms increase of over 27 per cent.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the increase in pensioners' average net income for(a) 1974 to 1979 and (b) 1979 to date.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much pensioners' average net incomes have increased since 1979.

  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average annual increase in pensioners' total incomes(a) since 1979 and (b) between 1974 to 1979.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Between 1974 and 1979, pensioners' average total net incomes rose by an average of 0·6 per cent. per year in real terms or 3·0 per cent. over the whole period, whereas between 1979 and 1987 they rose on average by over 3 per cent. each year. In total they rose by over 31 per cent. in real terms in this Government's first eight years of office.

  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the most recent figures he has for the increase in pensioners' incomes from savings since 1979.

  Mr. Mills
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of(a) all pensioners and (b) recently retired pensioners is receiving income from savings.
  77
  Sir George Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much pensioners' incomes from savings changed between(a) 1979 and the latest date and (b) 1974 to 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that between 1979 and 1987 pensioners' average income from savings more than doubled in real terms. This compares favourably with the period from 1974 to 1979 when the value of pensioners' savings fell by 16 per cent. In 1987, 73 per cent. of all pensioners and 82 per cent. of recently retired pensioners received income from savings.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest available figures on the proportion of pensioners whose incomes fall in the lowest fifth of national income distribution.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The latest available figures show that in 1987 only 24 per cent. of pensioners had incomes in the lowest fifth of national income distribution; whereas, when we took office in 1979, 38 per cent. of pensioners fell into the lowest fifth.

  Low-paid workers
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many low-paid workers are entitled to claim means-tested benefits and also liable to pay income tax; and what was the number in 1985.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many low-paid workers are entitled to claim means-tested benefits and also liable to pay income tax; and what was the number in 1985.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Islington, North (Mr. Corbyn) earlier today.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations his Department has received from the Association of Directors of Social Services and the Disablement Income Group concerning the phasing out of the independent living fund.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received no representations from the Association of Directors of Social Services concerning the future of the independent living fund.

  We have consulted the Disablement Income Group and will continue to do so as the plans for the future of the ILF are being evolved.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received from local authorities concerning the phasing out of the independent living fund.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received representations from some local authority directors of social services concerning the future of the ILF.

  As was made clear in our report on disability benefits, "The Way Ahead", we shall be consulting local authorities on the future of the independent living fund in relation to the implementation of the proposals for care in the community to take effect in April 1991.

  Departmental Services
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures are being introduced to improve his Department's services to the public; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps have been taken to improve his Department's service to the public.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Since the Government reforms were introduced in 1988, the social security system has become simpler for claimants to understand and easier for staff to operate. As a result there have been very real all-round improvements in standards of service to the public. For example, in 1989–90 the average time taken to clear income support claims improved by 25 per cent. (to 4·7 days) compared with 1987–88, the last year before the reforms, and error rates fell by 31 per cent. (to 7·9 per cent.).

  There is still room for further improvement, particularly in inner London. This is being tackled by relocating work which requires no face-to-face contact away from 21 London offices to areas where recruitment and retention of staff is easier. There is already substantial evidence that significant improvements in accuracy, clearance times and quality of service are being made.

  By 1991 the programme to computerise social security operations will bring major improvements in service to the public to all offices and enable staff to process claims more accurately and quickly.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress is being made in implementing the recommendations contained in his Department's business of service report.

  Mr. Newton
  I have today placed in the Library the implementation report of the regional organisation scrutiny, the business of service, which I have approved.

  In January 1989, my predecessor approved and announced to Parliament an action plan for implementation and the business of service scrutiny of my Department's regional organisation, which was published in June 1988. This major and wide-ranging review addressed a number of improvements which might be made in the regional organisation's performance, and looked forward to improvements in the organisation and management of work to be achieved in the context of a benefits agency. The report's central thrust was towards devolution of authority to local office managers as the best means of improving service to the public. Other recommendations were for a shortening of the line of senior management, improvements in resource allocation and management, development of local service planning, improved training for managers to help them fulfil their new tasks, the development of a corporate image for the service, and the provision of improved management information for managers at all levels.

  Some important recommendations have already ben put into effect; a start has been made on the relocation of work from certain offices in inner London, and a national statement of good service was published in May last year, associated with targets for improvement by local offices in the delivery of key benefit outputs. A substantial programme of further work lies ahead, and is being carried forward as part of our preparations for setting up the

  79
  benefits agency. I am confident that if this work is carried through successfully, the benefits agency will be well placed to make further improvements in the services we deliver and in the way in which it is perceived by both public and staff.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much will be spent by his Department in 1990–91 in the form of benefit to those suffering from industrial diseases or injuries.

  Mr. Scott
  "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1990–91 to 1992–93", Cm. 1014, copies of which are available in the Library, indicate that an estimated £569 million will be spent on industrial injuries benefits in 1990–91. This includes expenditure of £64 million on industrial death benefit.

  Staff Relocation
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress has been made in relocating his Department's staff away from the London area.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given on 14 November 1989 to my hon. Friend the Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) at column 170, in which my right hon. Friend the former Secretary of State announced that a substantial amount of the Department's work in London was to be relocated to Leeds. A site for the new headquarters building in Leeds has been identified, and we hope that building work will commence by the end of this year. We expect that the relocation of posts from London will begin around the end of 1991 or early 1992.

  Community Charge Rebate
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the increase in community charge rebate for a married couple with capital of £6,000 or more if the £3,000 capital disregard applied to each partner.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  If the lower capital limit for a married or unmarried couple were raised to £3,000 for each partner, community charge benefit would increase by up to £1·80 a week. This assumes that the partners share their savings equally.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the average annual real increase in spending on the disabled between(a) 1974–75 and 1978–79 and (b) 1978–79 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Scott
  The average annual real increase, at 1989–90 prices, was as follows:

  £ million

  (a) 1974–75 to 1978–79

  220

  (b) 1978–79 to 1989–90

  375

  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures have been introduced to assist sick or disabled people; and if he will make a statement.
  80
  Mr. Scott
  We are currently spending £8·3 billion on benefits for long-term sick and disabled people. We announced 10 measures in October 1989 to provide extra help for disabled people and their carers, which include the extension of attendance allowance to disabled children under two and mobility allowance to people who are both deaf and blind; the increase over and above the normal annual increase, in the adult disability premium in income support and housing benefit, by £1 for a single person and £1·60 for a couple; and the more than doubling of the disabled child premium in income support and housing benefit from £6·50 to £15·40 per week.

  "The Way Ahead: Benefits for Disabled People" (Cm. 917), which I laid before Parliament on 10 January, details our major proposals for improving social security help for disabled people. Our proposals include increasing severe disablement allowance for nearly 250,000 disabled people later this year; a new disability allowance for people of working age and below to improve help with the extra costs of being disabled; and a new disability employment credit to make it easier for disabled people to take up jobs.

  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussion he has had recently with representatives of voluntary organisations for the disabled about benefit levels under the community charge.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have not recently discussed community charge benefit levels with representatives of the voluntary organisations for disabled people.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his proposals for improving the collection of national insurance contributions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have recently established a new unit within the Department to take responsibility for all the operational aspects of national insurance contributions work.

  The unit will place a high priority on compliance, and there will be improved training for national insurance inspectors. Their existing jobs will be reorganised so that they can spend more time visiting employers and investigating national insurance irregularities. By carrying out other contributions work more efficiently, it is intended that staff resources will be released to allow additional inspectors to be deployed.

  From April 1991, we propose that the unit should be given full agency status, thus increasing management accountability and encouraging the development of a more professional approach to contributions work.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if people found to be wrongly imprisoned are fully credited for national insurance contributions during their stay in custody.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no legislative provisions which allow national insurance credits to be awarded in these circumstances.

  Personal Pensions
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people he estimates are preparing for their retirement by taking out personal pensions.
  81
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate he has as to the number of people who have joined a personal pension scheme.

  Mr. Donald Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate of the number of people who have taken out appropriate personal pensions.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Just under 3·7 million people have so far taken out appropriate personal pensions.

  Carers' Premium
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people he estimates will benefit from the introduction of the carers' premium.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We expect the new £10 premium, being introduced in October, to help 30,000 carers through income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit.

  Benefit Uprating
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in which years during the 1980s the uprating of supplementary benefit or income support rates provided for an increase in their real value; and by what percentage.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) earlier today.

  Expenditure
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total expenditure by his Department in(a) 1978–79 and (b) 1989–90.

  Mr. Scott
  Total expenditure in 1978–79 was £16,437 million in cash terms, or £38,677 million in 1989–90 prices. Estimated total expenditure for 1989–90 is £52,583 million.

  Hostel Accommodation
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about payments of benefits to people in hostel accommodation.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  People living in hostels are able to claim housing benefit to help towards accommodation charges and income support to help towards other day-to-day living expenses. In my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 16 May at column 421 I announced that direct payments of income support for service charges are to be made available to all hostels from 21 May. This extends the existing arrangements which have hitherto applied only to night shelters.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the expenditure in each social security office area in Wales for the most recent available year, on paying for people to live in(a) private residential homes and (b) private nursing homes, respectively.
  82
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret the information requested is unavailable and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to provide housing benefit to those in local authority residential homes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  People in local authority residential homes are required to contribute to the cost of their care and accommodation according to their means. Those with insufficient resources to pay the statutory minimum contribution may be entitled to income support. Housing benefit is not payable in addition as there is no unmet liability for housing costs. We have no plans to change these provisions following the proposed introduction of the new arrangements for community care from April 1991.

  Pension Entitlement
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the cost of giving pension entitlement as of the day after a woman's 60th birthday and a man's 65th birthday.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The estimated cost in 1990–91 is £6 million.

  Shelter Report
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will obtain a copy of the report by Shelter, "Our Homes, Our Rights," for his departmental library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  A copy of the report has already been ordered for the departmental library. Its contents will be considered carefully after it is received.

  State Pensions
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will now instigate a scheme for the equalisation of state pension provision between sexes, with the provision of a basic state pension from the age of 60 years.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to harmonise age-related benefits and concessions at the age of 60 years, for both sexes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  Equalisation of state pension provision for men and women and the effect which it would have on other benefits and concessions is a complex issue requiring careful study. Consideration needs to be given to a number of factors. The Government will not be drawn into making hasty decisions and will bring forward proposals only when all the issues have been fully considered.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Eastern Europe
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement in respect of the notice to his Department's employees as to what
  83
  present potential hazards are to be experienced if they travel to (a) East Germany, (b) Czechoslovakia, (c) Hungary, (d) Poland and (e) Romania.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the public service it has long been the practice to advise staff of the problems that they may encounter when travelling to certain countries, particularly if the staff concerned may have access to classified information. This is for the protection of both Government information and the officers themselves. The guidelines are being reviewed in the light of recent changes in eastern Europe.

  Perrier
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement clarifying his Department's concerns about Perrier labelling.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have asked the European Commission whether the use of the description "naturally carbonated natural mineral water" on the label of Perrier meets the requirements of Council directive 80/777/EEC.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which animal species are currently, or have been, involved in experiments in the transmission of spongiform encephalopathy; and what have been the results to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 16 May,Official Report, column 464.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will cull all calves born of animals infected with bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 17 May 1990, Official Report, column 1009.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if bovine spongiform encephalopathy has been notified in cattle under two years of age; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  BSE has been confirmed in one animal under two years of age; a cow aged 22 months.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the transmissibility of bovine spongiform encephalopathy between mammals by biting or oral contact or any other non-experimental method, apart from ingestion.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no evidence of any natural means of transmission of BSE other than ingestion.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been reported to him to date in cattle first identified as bovine spongiform encephalopathy-suspect by veterinary inspection at(a) fatstock markets and (b) slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information up to 31 March 1990 is as follows:
  84

  Numbers

  (a) Markets

  Suspects reported

  133

  Cases confirmed

  92

  (b) Slaughterhouses

  Suspects reported

  203

  Cases confirmed

  149

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the(a) total cost and (b) cost per suspect head of testing cattle suspected as suffering from BSE.

  Mr. Maclean
  The full economic cost of conducting a histopathological examination on a brain for BSE diagnosis is £166. Since 21 June 1988, when BSE became notifiable, the veterinary investigation service has examined 14,253 brains at a total cost of £2,365,998.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many tests of cattle heads were conducted for BSE in the first four months of the current year; and how many were confirmed.

  Mr. Maclean
  In the first four months of this year 4,215 cattle were slaughtered as BSE suspects. Of those, BSE has been confirmed in 3,596. Results are pending on 186.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 16 May, what information he has concerning the number and distribution of calves born to cows subsequently confirmed as BSE sufferers.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 23 April,Official Report, column 80.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, whether it is his Department's practice to confirm by laboratory tests all notified cases of BSE.

  Mr. Maclean
  All cattle slaughtered as suspected cases of BSE are subject to diagnostic laboratory tests.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish a table showing the distribution of the total number of confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, by county, in the United Kingdom in the four weeks to 17 May.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information for Great Britain is as follows:

  County

  Number

  Avon

  27

  Bedfordshire

  4

  Berkshire

  3

  Borders

  1

  Buckinghamshire

  11

  Cambridgeshire

  5

  Central

  3

  Cheshire

  32

  Cleveland

  1

  Clwyd

  11

  Cornwall

  72

  Cumbria

  16

  Derbyshire

  11

  Devonshire

  94

  85

  County

  Number

  Dorset

  80

  Dumfries

  6

  Durham

  11

  Dyfed

  76

  Essex

  7

  Fife

  3

  Glamorgan M

  6

  Glamorgan W

  1

  Gloucestershire

  45

  Grampian

  7

  Gwent

  11

  Gwynedd

  3

  Hampshire

  50

  Hereford and Worcestershire

  23

  Hertfordshire

  5

  Highland

  5

  Humberside

  4

  Isle of Wight

  5

  Kent

  25

  Lancashire

  38

  Leicestershire

  27

  Lincolnshire

  10

  Manchester

  1

  Norfolk

  15

  Northamptonshire

  8

  Northumberland

  4

  Nottinghamshire

  8

  Oxfordshire

  20

  Powys

  13

  Salop

  28

  Somerset

  95

  Staffordshire

  28

  Strathclyde

  13

  Suffolk

  13

  Surrey

  18

  Sussex E

  21

  Sussex W

  22

  Tayside

  2

  Warwickshire

  10

  Wiltshire

  39

  Yorkshire N

  45

  Yorkshire S

  5

  Yorkshire W

  1

  Total

  1,148

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether any cattle infected by bovine spongiform encephalopathy have been buried in Lincolnshire.

  Mr. Maclean
  Yes; such carcases are buried on licensed tips owned by, and with the agreement of, the county council.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the development of diagnostic testing for the agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The nature of the BSE agent requires the application of molecular biology techniques for the development of a diagnostic test. Research is in hand, but cannot be expected to yield results for several years at least.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food at what stage in the development of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in the sub-clinically affected animal it is possible to identify bovine spongiform encephalopathy by histopathological examination.

  Mr. Maclean
  Research to establish this is being planned, but results will not be available for several years.
  86
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps his staff have taken to ensure that the heads and spinal columns of BSE-infected animals dumped at Attebridge, Norfolk, have been incinerated and that there is no evidence of the BSE virus leading into the River Wensum.

  Mr. Maclean
  Heads of suspect BSE cattle are removed for diagnosis and then destroyed by incineration. All carcases are buried in accordance with sound veterinary practices to ensure that none poses a risk of spreading disease.

  Veterinary Investigation Service
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future of the veterinary investigation service.

  Mr. Maclean
  The review of the veterinary investigation service commissioned by the Minister has now been completed and will shortly be submitted to Ministers for their consideration. No decisions have as yet been taken on any of the recommendations of this review.

  Zoonoses Order
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent representation he has received on the Zoonoses Order 1989.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have received a number of representations on the Zoonoses Order 1989 about the arrangements for the compulsory slaughter with compensation of salmonella-infected poultry flocks. These were taken into account when new compensation rates were announced on 13 February followed by provisions for the processing of carcases from infected flocks, under carefully controlled conditions, which I announced on 26 March.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will increase to 100 per cent. compensation paid to farmers whose poultry are slaughtered under the Zoonoses Order 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no plans to do so. The present compensation arrangements are in line with the requirements of the Animal Health Act 1981 and any producer who disputes the Ministry's valuation can take the matter to independent arbitration.

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his timetable for the implementation of the European Community requirement for the ante mortem veterinary inspection of livestock at all slaughterhouses.

  Mr. Maclean
  I regret that the reply which I gave to the hon. Member on 3 May,Official Report, column 641, contained a typing error. Ante mortem inspection is to be introduced in non-exporting plants from 1 January 1991, not 1 January 1993.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals concerning the slaughter of horses.
  87
  Mr. Maclean
  I am not aware of any European Commission proposals exclusively concerned with the slaughter of horses. However, Commission officials are working on a draft measure on the welfare of all animals, including horses, at slaughter. A formal proposal has not yet been made to the Council, but I welcome the Commission's intention to propose a strengthening of Community legislation in this important area.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the requirement for the high temperature processing of slaughterhouse waste before turning into cattle cake was relaxed; what scientific advice was taken; and if he has any proposals for restoring the regulations in the light of the transmission of scrapie to cattle.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) of 14 March,Official Report, column 241.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will take steps to ensure that red meat from cows is not contaminated by nervous tissue during the slaughtering process.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Specified Bovine Offal (Prohibition) Regulations 1989 make it an offence to use in food for human consumption any specified bovine offal. This is an ultra-precautionary measure applying to all cattle over six months of age designed to ensure that no material in which the BSE agent, if it is present, is most likely to occur enters human food. The enforcement of standards of practice in slaughterhouses, including the hygienic removal of specified bovine offal, is the responsibility of local authorities. The Ministry is ready to give advice if it is needed and we are considering the issue of guidance.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will supply the costs and earnings for the period 1983 to 1989 for United Kingdom fishing vessels broken down by vessel type:(a) beam trawlers, (b) pelagic trawlers, (c) otter trawlers, (d) demersal seiners, (e) purse seiners and (f) drifters;

  (2) if he will supply figures for the costs and earnings of United Kingdom fishing vessels in England and Wales for the period 1983 to 1989, broken down by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food category 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) 140 ft and over.

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

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has for improving conservation by decommissioning grants for fishing vessels; and what funds are available from the European Community for this purpose.

  Mr. Curry
  I have nothing to add to the replies which I gave to the hon. Member on 11 January, 22 February and 18 April, columns 1077–78, 901 and 954.

  Food and Wine Surpluses
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his latest estimate of the amount which will be spent each week by the EEC in 1990 on the disposal and destruction of food and wine surpluses; and if the figure has been reviewed in the light of the recent price settlement.

  Mr. Curry
  The European Commission's latest estimate of expenditure expected in 1990 on storage withdrawal and export refunds for agricultural products is 218 million ecu (£156 million) per week. A revised estimate has not been produced since the price-fixing settlement of 27 April, but we do not expect this expenditure to increase significantly in 1990 as a result of the price fixing.

  Research and Development
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will place a copy of the Barnes review report on research and development in the Library.

  Mr. Gummer
  No. The Barnes review was an internal exercise whose report, like all advice from officials to Ministers, is confidential.

  Government Supply Index
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about his Department's decision not to participate in the Government supply index.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department joined the Government supply index as a founder member in 1987 and has no plans to withdraw its participation.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has on the average earnings of employees in the United Kingdom fish-catching sector by salary grade.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has on the average earnings of employees in the United Kingdom fish-catching sector by(a) region and (b) Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food category vessel size bands.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information his Department has on the average number of employees per vessel in the United Kingdom fish-catching sector by Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food category vessel size bands.

  Mr. Curry
  Estimates of the average number of employees per vessel in the United Kingdom fish-catching sector are shown in the table. The information comes from records of crew size for each vessel held by Fisheries Departments.
  89

  Vessel length band

  Average crew size

  Under 10 metres

  1·8

  10 metres—39·9 ft

  2·5

  40–79·9 ft

  5·0

  80–109·9 ft

  7·9

  110 ft and over

  12·3

  Scrapie
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the earliest research was carried out in the United Kingdom concerning the infection under laboratory conditions of bovine brains by scrapie; and when was the first confirmation that such infection was possible.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Truro (Mr. Taylor) on 15 March,Official Report, column 325.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department first became aware of the ability to transmit under experimental conditions sheep scrapie to other animal species.

  Mr. Maclean
  The first report of the transmission of sheep scrapie to another species, in this case goats, was published in 1939. The first report of transmission to animals other than sheep and goats (mice) was published in 1961.

  Sugar Levy
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received any representations about the levy to be imposed on sugar by the intervention board; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I have not received any representations about the levies imposed on sugar other than general comments in the context of the EC review of the sugar regime.

  Pet Food
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his consultations with the Pet Food Manufacturers Association concerning the incorporation of bovine offals in pet food.

  Mr. Maclean
  My officials have discussed the matter with the Pet Food Manufacturers Association and made clear that there is no scientific justification for stopping the use of bovine offals in food.
  90
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the number of pet food manufacturers currently incorporating those bovine offals specified in the Bovine Offals Order in their pet food products.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is not available. However, the Pet Food Manufacturers Association, which represents 95 per cent. of pet food manufacturers, advises its members not to use the specified offals.

  Cricket Bats
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the makers of cricket bats regarding the supply of willow.

  Mr. Gummer
  None.

  Forestry
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he last met representatives of the Forestry Commission to discuss forestry in England.

  Mr. Gummer
  I met the chairman of the Forestry Commission on 14 November 1989 when we discussed a range of forestry topics. My noble Friend the Minister of State meets commission officials frequently.

  British Beef
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what advice he is giving to local authorities that are intending to ban or have banned British beef from their establishments; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) on how many occasions, and in which local authorities, members of his staff have met representatives from local authorities to discuss proposed or existing bans on British beef in establishments of the local authorities concerned;

  (3) if he will list the local authorities that are intending to ban or have banned British beef in their establishments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 17 May 1990]: All local authorities have been advised of the Department of Health's view that British beef can be eaten safely by everyone. This Ministry has issued comprehensive guidance to all local authorities, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  ASSISTED PLACES SCHEME
  ASSISTED PLACES SCHEME
  NORTH-SOUTH RESOURCE FLOWS
  NORTH-SOUTH RESOURCE FLOWS
  INFANT MORTALITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  INFANT MORTALITY IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
  EXPORT PROMOTION SERVICES
  EXPORT PROMOTION SERVICES
  FISHING VESSEL LICENSING: PROPOSED CHANGES
  FISHING VESSEL LICENSING: PROPOSED CHANGES