Written Answers of 23 November 1990

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Welsh Students
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the figures for the number of students in each university college in Wales who were normally resident in Wales for both 1989 and 1990; and if he will publish the figures in percentage form of the total number of students attending each college.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The numbers of students in academic year 1989–90 in each university college in Wales of Welsh domicile, and as expressed as percentages of the total numbers of students attending each college, are given in the table. The data cover all students whether full time, part time, undergraduate or postgraduate.

  The numbers for 1990 are not yet available.

  Total education spending

  Teachers' salaries

  Cash terms

  1989–90 prices

  Increase

  Cash terms

  1989–90 prices

  Increase

  £ billion

  £ billion

  Per cent.

  £ billion

  £ billion

  Per cent.

  1970–71

  2·6

  16·5

  —

  0·6

  4·1

  —

  1980–81

  12·9

  21·9

  33

  3·7

  6·3

  54

  1988–89

  22·0

  23·4

  7

  6·6

  7·0

  11

  1989–90

  24·1

  24·1

  3

  n.a.

  n.a.

  —

  Notes:

  1. The total education spending figures are drawn from the relevant Public Expenditure White Papers.

  2. The figures for spending on teachers' salaries are drawn from local authority spending returns. Data for 1989–90 are not yet available. Spending on teachers' salaries includes on-cost such as superannuation. No account is taken of changes in teacher numbers over the period shown.

  3. The "increase" column shows the increase in spending at 1989–90 prices over the previous year shown.

  4. The figures at 1989–90 prices have been calculated using latest GDP deflators.

  Teachers
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state on the same basis as his reply of 12 November,Official Report, column 46, the actual number of pupils being educated by local education authorities in 1960, 1970, 1980, 1989 and 1990, together with the pupil-teacher ratio in each case, based on actual numbers, showing also the change between 1970 and 1989 in actual and percentage terms.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested for local education authority-maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools is given in the table.

  January each year

  Actual teacher numbers (thousands)

  Actual pupil numbers (thousands)

  Ratio of actual pupil numbers to actual teacher numbers

  19601

  —

  —

  —

  1970

  347·8

  7,537·2

  21·7

  1980

  455·7

  8,275·5

  18·2

  1989

  421·0

  6,900·5

  16·4

  19902

  424·6

  —

  —

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  University of Wales—1989

  Total students all domiciles

  Welsh domicile

  Percentage Welsh domicile

  Aberystwyth

  3,929

  1,099

  28

  Bangor

  3,606

  913

  25

  Cardiff

  9,300

  3,302

  36

  Lampeter

  897

  180

  20

  Swansea

  5,725

  1,677

  29

  UWCM

  1,120

  439

  39

  Total

  24,577

  7,610

  31

  Source: Universities Statistical Record.

  State Education
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will show the total expenditure on state education in actual and 1989 prices in 1960, 1970, 1980 and 1989, showing the percentage increase in 1989 prices, and also the amount spent on teachers' salaries and related costs in each case in actual and percentage terms.

  Mr. Eggar
  Data for 1960 are not readily available. The available data for subsequent years on total United Kingdom education spending, and on spending on school teachers' salaries in England, are as follows:

  1 Not readily available.

  2 Data on pupil numbers are not yet available.

  Teacher numbers increased by 73,200, or 21 per cent., between 1970 and 1989. Pupil numbers decreased by 636,700 or 8 per cent. and the ratio of actual pupil numbers to actual teacher numbers also decreased by 24 per cent. over the same period.

  Council for National Academic Awards
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to be in a position to respond on behalf of the Government to the conclusions reached by the report of the review of the Council for National Academic Awards.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I cannot yet say. The Government recognise the support for some change revealed by the consultations on the report's recommendations. However, the right for institutions to award their own degrees cannot be taken as an issue on its own. The report also raises important questions about which institutions should have this right, and about the nature of future quality assurance arrangements. We need to consider these further.
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  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will set out the criteria currently required of those who seek to qualify for Council for National Academic Awards status; and whether any changes are proposed in future;

  (2) if he will make a statement as to how the estimated numbers likely to secure Council for National Academic Awards status as set out in paragraph 10.7 of his Department's review of the Council for National Academic Awards were arrived at;

  (3) what representations he has received from those institutions which may be denied Council for National Academic Awards status as proposed by the conclusions of the committee reviewing the Council for National Academic Awards.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Any educational institution or training organisation may apply to the Council for National Academic Awards for validation of its courses. If successful it is granted "associated" status and may later seek "accredited" status. The departmental policy review of the CNAA recommended that associated status should be phased out over a period, and that associated institutions should either seek to become accredited or should look to other educational institutions to validate their courses. Around half the 80 responses to the review have been from institutions with associated status, or from bodies whose membership includes such institutions. The Government are still considering their response to the review in the light of the consultations.

  The estimate in the policy review of the number of institutions which might neither want, nor qualify for, accredited status was a matter for the review team.

  Illiteracy
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what current plans he has to combat illiteracy in adults.

  Mr. Eggar
  Local education authorities are the main providers of basic literacy tuition for adults; central Government support is provided to the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, which acts as the central focus for adult literacy and basic skills work in England and Wales.

  The Department will continue to work closely with the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit to promote improvements in adults' basic literacy skills. We are continuing to provide support through the education support grant programme to enable local education authorities to establish open learning centres and are encouraging the development of workplace tuition by employers. The training of tutors to teach adult literacy and related basic skills is currently a national priority area in the local education authority training grant programme. We will also continue to co-operate with the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit, the BBC and the Employment Department on the basic skills accreditation initiative.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what resources are being devoted to combat illiteracy among adults in the current financial year; and what increase is proposed for the next three years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department of Education and Science and the Welsh Office support the Adult Literacy and Basic 220
  Skills Unit: the Department's grant for the current financial year is £3,030,000. The Department is also supporting expenditure of £1·7 million this year in the education support grant programme to enable local education authorities to establish open learning centres. Training in adult literacy is a national priority area under the local education authority training grants scheme and we are supporting expenditure of £700,000 this year.

  Local education authorities are the main providers of adult literacy and other basic skills tuition. The Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit estimates that local education authorities in England and Wales are spending about £26·3 million a year on adult basic education. The Employment Department funds training and enterprise councils, which provide training programmes taking account of local labour market needs, including the requirements of unemployed people with literacy difficulties. The Home Office also makes provision for those with inadequate literacy skills in prisons.

  The Government are not yet in a position to announce what funds will be available in the next three years for those programmes which it funds directly. The expenditure of local education authorities is for them to decide in the light of available resources.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are currently employed in the Government's efforts to tackle illiteracy.

  Mr. Eggar
  Comprehensive figures are not available. Local education authorities provide annual returns to the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit. These include the numbers of staff involved in teaching adult literacy and related basic skills. In November 1989, 751 full-time tutors and 8,514 part-time tutors were employed by local education authorities. In addition, there were 3,925 volunteer tutors.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will conduct a survey to establish the extent of illiteracy in adults in the United Kingdom at the present time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have no plans to conduct such a survey at present. Our best estimate, based on evidence from the national child development study survey in 1981, suggests that about 13 per cent. of adults may have some problems with literacy and numeracy. I understand that a further survey for this study is currently taking place.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what agencies, voluntary and statutory, are involved in the Government's efforts to tackle adult illiteracy.

  Mr. Eggar
  A number of voluntary sector providers have a substantial involvement in adult basic education, for example, the National Association for the Care and Rehabilitation of Offenders, but a comprenhensive list is not available. The main statutory agencies involved in improving adult literacy and related basic skills include the following: the Department of Education and Science and the Welsh Office which support the Adult Literacy and Basic Skills Unit; the Employment Department through its training, enterprise and education directorate; the Home Office; local education authorities; and other organisations such as the BBC and the library service.

  Refugees
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider making additional earmarked grants available to local education authorities for provision of English courses for refugees newly arrived in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Fallon
  It is open to local education authorities in England and Wales to apply for grants paid under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988 to meet the educational needs, including the need for English language teaching, of those who are for the time being resident in a camp or other accommodation or establishment provided for refugees or for displaced or similar persons. Provision for English language teaching for other refugees is a matter for the local education authority concerned. However, if the refugees are from the Commonwealth, local education authorities in England and Wales may apply for grant paid by the Home Office under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to support the cost of English language teaching.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science if he will consider making additional resources available to asylum seekers to meet the fees sought by British universities or colleges to which they may apply.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government do not regard it as appropriate to provide resources to meet the course fees of applicants for asylum, since there is no presumption that they will be allowed to remain in this country. Those granted asylum are eligible to apply for mandatory awards, or to pay fees at the home rate if they do not qualify for such an award.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Hanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if non-executive directors will be appointed to the board of the Student Loans Company.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The board of the Student Loans Company met on 1 November and, with the approval of the then holder of my office and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, appointed Mr. Ralph Kanter as non-executive director. This appointment will bring additional commercial expertise to the board of a successful and efficient company.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Child Care Cases
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps have been taken by the Lord Chancellor to nominate members of the judiciary to deal with child care cases in the higher courts under the Children Act 1989; and whether the location at which these hearings will take place have been determined.

  The Attorney-General
  The Children Act 1989 is due to be implemented on 14 October 1991. Central to the philosophy of the Act is the principle that children's cases in the higher courts should be heard by judicary who, by reason of their experience and training, are specialists in family work.
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  Under the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990, the Lord Chancellor will have the power to nominate such judiciary, with the concurrence of the president of the family division. The nomination process is expected to extend over a period of months, but as a first step the Lord Chancellor has, with the approval of the right honourable Sir Stephen Brown, president of the family division, named 47 circuit judges who will be known as "designated family judges". This group of judges will be based at the network of county court "care centres" and will have the primary responsibility for hearing the child care cases transferred to those centres from the magistrates courts.

  Each centre will also provide the focus for a local implementation committee which will be chaired by the designated family judge and which will play a major role in developing implementation plans based on local circumstances. It is envisaged that these committees will begin their work well before October 1991.

  The location of the "care centres" which were announced on 2 August have been confirmed following widespread consultation with justices' clerks, local authorities and other interest groups. The 50 locations, together with the name of the designated family judge assigned to each one, are as follows:

  Location

  Judge

  South Eastern circuit

  Brighton

  His Honour Judge Hammerton

  Chelmsford

  His Honour Judge Groves TD RD

  Guildford

  His Honour Judge Main QC

  Ipswich

  His Honour Judge Barnett QC

  Luton

  His Honour Judge Hamilton

  Medway

  His Honour Judge Russell Vick QC

  Milton Keynes

  His Honour Judge Tyrer

  Norwich

  His Honour Judge Hyam

  Reading

  His Honour Judge Kenny

  Watford

  His Honour Judge Stockdale

  Midland and Oxford circuit

  Birmingham

  His Honour Judge Wilson Mellor QC

  Coventry

  His Honour Judge Harold Wilson

  Derby

  His Honour Judge Morrison

  Leicester

  His Honour Judge Young

  Lincoln

  His Honour Judge Hutchinson

  Northampton

  His Honour Judge John Wilson

  Nottingham

  His Honour Judge Heald

  Oxford

  His Honour Judge Peter Crawford QC

  Peterborough

  His Honour Judge Astill

  Stoke

  His Honour Judge Kenneth Taylor

  Telford

  His Honour Judge Shand

  Wolverhampton

  His Honour Judge Stuart-White

  Worcester

  His Honour Judge Roy Ward QC

  Western circuit

  Bristol

  Her Honour Judge Counsell

  Taunton

  His Honour Judge Willcock QC

  Plymouth

  His Honour Judge Sir Jonathan Clarke

  Truro

  His Honour Judge Cox

  Bournemouth

  Her Honour Judge McKinney

  Portsmouth

  His Honour Judge Wroath

  Wales and Chester circuit

  Cardiff

  His Honour Judge Norman Francis

  Chester

  His Honour Judge Roy Woolley

  Caernarfon and Llangefni

  His Honour Judge Eifion Roberts QC

  Warrington and Rhyl

  (to be appointed)

  Swansea

  His Honour Judge Michael Evans QC

  Newport

  His Honour Judge David Glyn Morgan

  Merthyr Tydfil

  His Honour Judge Graham Jones

  Northern circuit

  Manchester

  His Honour Judge Lees

  Liverpool

  Her Honour Judge Ebsworth

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  Location

  Judge

  Carlisle

  His Honour Judge Bell

  Blackburn

  His Honour Judge Lockett

  Lancaster

  His Honour Judge Mahon

  North Eastern circuit

  Hull

  His Honour Judge Barker

  Leeds

  His Honour Judge Geoffrey Baker QC

  Newcastle

  His Honour Judge Paling

  Middlesbrough

  His Honour Judge Peter Fox QC

  Sheffield

  His Honour Judge Fricker

  Sunderland

  His Honour Judge Carr

  York

  His Honour Judge Coles QC

  The principal registry of the family division will act as the centre for child care cases in London. Mrs. Justice Bracewell, whose appointment as family division liaison judge for London was announced on 27 September, will be assigned special responsibility for this centre.

  Drumcree Church Parade
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Attorney-General whether any proceedings have been taken against spectators of the church parade to Drumcree parish church, County Armagh, on 8 July, in respect of their threatening, abusive and insulting language or in respect of their display of flags and posters likely to provoke a breach of the peace.

  Mr. Cope
  I have been asked to reply.

  This is a matter for the chief constable, but I understand that no arrests were made by police during the parade and no proceedings are pending.

ENVIRONMENT

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many civil servants are currently employed(a) full time and (b) part time by his Department on civil defence; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties were in 1989–90; what the total costs of employing staff on civil defence duties are expected to be in 1990–91; and whether he has any plans for these staff to be transferred to work on other duties.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of full-time staff employed on 16 November 1990

  Number of part-time staff employed on 16 November 1990

  Total cost 1989–90 £

  Estimated total cost 1990–91 £

  Nil

  34

  261K

  230K

  My right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary announced on 16 October that he had initiated a review of the options for the future of civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations. Future levels of expenditure in civil defence will depend on the outcome of that review.

  Vehicle Emissions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the emission standard for carbon monoxide for motor vehicles which would be necessary to achieve the environmental aims set out in his White Paper, "This Common Inheritance".

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is our assessment that the strict car exhaust emissions standards for which we are pressing within the European Community will enable us to achieve the Environmental White Paper aims for CO.

  Avian Pests
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with the European Commission concerning the birds directive's provisions for avian pest species.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There have been many meetings with the Commission in recent years, at both ministerial and official level, at which ways of accommodating pest control practices within the directive's protective framework for birds and their habitats have been discussed.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he intends to put to the European Community for a control scheme for avian pest species following his decision not to amend the Wildlife and Countryside Act.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Only the European Commission may submit proposals to the Council for amending Community law. In the Government's view, however, there is a case for amending the EC birds directive so that where member states can show that control of avian pest species is necessary and would not endanger the survival of those species, they may authorise appropriate measures without having to operate unnecessary bureaucratic procedures. The Commission is aware of the Government's views.

  Smoke Controls
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support will be offered by his Department to implement the extension of Clean Air Act controls to areas of dense smoke.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Local authorities which designate smoke control areas under the Clean Air Acts are eligible for Exchequer grant of 40 per cent. of the cost of adapting heating and cooking appliances to burn fuel smokelessly. Since 1979–80, grants totalling more than £15 million have been awarded to local authorities in England and Wales.

  The Mall
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why The Mall in London SW1 is closed to traffic on Sundays.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Mall is closed on Sundays to facilitate pedestrian access to St. James's park and to improve the amenity of the area for visitors.

  Government Offices (Furnishing)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his assessment of the relative costs of furnishing Government offices(a) from Crown Suppliers and (b) from (i) German and (ii) other foreign suppliers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Since 1987 Government Departments have been individually responsible for purchasing furniture wherever value for money can be obtained. The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is(a) the Government assistance per head in the North Devon district council area and (b) the community charge in the same area.

  Mr. Key
  External support to the North Devon district council area is £470 per adult in 1990–91. External support consists of revenue support grant, receipts from the national non-domestic rate pool, receipts from the safety net and low rateable values grant. The average community charge in the area is £319.

  Charge payers in the North Devon area also receive additional Government assistance through community charge benefits and the transitional relief scheme.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the reasons he gave the Nature Conservancy Council for not providing it with additional funding to assist in the purchase of fenns and whixhall mosses.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We expect the Council to make the safeguarding of important sites a top priority when disbursing the grant in aid it receives from my Department each year. Its grant in aid was increased by almost £4 million to £44·069 million this year and should have been more than sufficient for the purchase of the fenns and whixall mosses. We do not retain funds within the Department for site acquistion.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library the report commissioned by his Department to examine the feasibility of alternatives to reprocessing of nuclear waste.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to DOE report No. DOE RW89/089 entitled "Packing, storage and direct disposal of spent AGR fuel". The report was submitted to the Department in November 1989. A copy was also sent to the national lending library in Boston Spa, where it is available to the public on request. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the House Library.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment his Department has made of the use of dry storage of nuclear waste from advanced gas-cooled reactors as an alternative to reprocessing or subterranean disposal; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No such assessment has been made by my Department. The hon. Member is aware of 226
  the report commissioned by my Department on the feasibility of dry storage of spent fuel. Spent fuel is not nuclear waste unless it is designated for direct disposal. The storage of nuclear fuel is a matter for the nuclear industry.

  County Hall (London)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why the bid from the County Hall Development Group for county hall was formally rescinded by the London residuary body; and what the impact on capital receipts for the London boroughs will be.

  Mr. Key
  The County Hall Development Group failed to complete the purchase of county hall as required by the London residuary body. LRB notified London boroughs on 25 October that there would be no general distribution of Greater London capital receipts this year.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future of county hall, London, SE1.

  Mr. Key
  My Department's letter of 24 July invited the London residuary body and the County Hall Development Group to submit amendments to the planning and associated applications that were the subject of a public inquiry in the autumn of 1989. Amendments were submitted by the London residuary body on 7 November and copies sent to all parties to the public inquiry. My Department has invited comments on the proposed amendments. I will be considering whether the inquiry should be reopened.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the £23·1 million deposit that appears on page 16 of the London residuary body accounts for 1989–90 relates to; and what has happened to this deposit.

  Mr. Key
  The sum of £23·1 million relates to the deposit on the purchase of county hall. It is now held by the London residuary body and reserved from distribution in 1990–91 in accordance with the terms of the 1990 London capital money order.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to appoint a Labour party nominee to membership of the London residuary body.

  Mr. Key
  No.

  Spencer House
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what items were transferred from Kenwood to Spencer house; and what was the basis of the transfer.

  Mr. Trippier
  A suite of furniture comprising five chairs and two sofas, which had been on loan from Spencer house to Kenwood house since 1958, was returned to the painted room at the newly restored Spencer house when it was reopened on Monday 19 November. The furniture was purchased by the Victoria and Albert museum in 1977 and remained on loan to Kenwood house until its recent
  227
  removal. This is consistent with the V and A's policy of reinstating furniture and works of art to their original locations wherever possible. The furniture will continue to be available for public view.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the basis of calculation that resulted in Wandsworth receiving the highest cash payment of inner London boroughs from the London residuary body in respect of capital receipts in 1989–90 and Barnet receiving the highest cash payment of the outer London boroughs.

  Mr. Key
  The distribution of capital receipts by the London residuary body is based on population. The London borough of Croydon received the largest cash payment of the outer London boroughs.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has made to the recommendations in the report of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux "Coping with the Community Charge".

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 22 November 1990]: Officials in my Department discussed with the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux the detail of the report last July. Substantial assistance has also been given to the association towards the creation of an office manual on the community charge for advice bureaux officers.

  Langbaurgh District Council
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his recent meeting with representatives of Langbaurgh district council.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 22 November 1990]: I met my hon. Friend the Member for Langbaurgh (Mr. Holt) and representatives of the district council on 21 November. The delegation made a number of points about the proposals for the revenue support grant settlement which will be considered before final decisions are taken. They also raised the question of charge capping.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Water Projects, India
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when the water project in Orissa state will be going ahead; and if the Government will fund the training rig programme;

  (2) what is the current position regarding talks between the Overseas Development Administration and (a) Save the Children, (b) UNICEF and (c) the People's Rural Education Movement in respect of the water projects in Orissa state, Uttar Pradesh, Rajastan and Gujarat, respectively.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have submitted to the Government of India a detailed proposal for a mission to formulate an integrated rural water supply project in southern Orissa, to tackle engineering, health and social issues jointly. The organisations to be involved in the project, which may include those referred to by the hon. Lady, will depend on the mission's findings.
  228
  We have confirmed to UNICEF in writing our interest in funding British rigs for certain villages, in a number of Indian states, as part of its next five-year programme. We have discussions with it next week. The need for a training rig programme will depend on UNICEF's response.

HEALTH

  Mentally Ill People
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans his Department has to extend the grant made available to care for the mentally ill, to cover mentally handicapped people in general.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The specific mental illness grant was introduced because, in comparison with other client groups, local authorities had not been able to give sufficient priority to the mentally ill. In contrast, local authority expenditure on services for mentally handicapped people has been rising steadily in real terms over a sustained period, increasing by 72 per cent. between 1979–80 and 1988–89 to £358 million.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on local authorities being empowered to make payments directly to disabled people to make their own care arrangements.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There have been a number of representations on the subject.

  Snapethorpe Hospital, Wakefield
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that any moneys accruing to Yorkshire regional health authority from the proposed sale of Snapethorpe hospital, Wakefield, are made available to Wakefield district health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  To encourage district health authorities to identify surplus property it is our policy that district health authorities should benefit from the proceeds of sales. Regional health authorities are instructed, therefore, to pass a significant proportion of sale proceeds to the district health authority which initiates the sale. Regarding the proposed sale of Snapethorpe I suggest the hon. Member contacts the regional health authority chairman, Sir Bryan Askew.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether teacher training colleges have any latitude in interpreting the recommendations of the committee for course accreditation for teacher education.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  In order to be approved by the Department of Education, courses of initial teacher training in Northern Ireland must meet criteria laid down by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

  Some of these criteria prescribe specific requirements which must be met; but others are not so prescriptive,

  229
  seeking rather to establish a framework within which courses should be organised. Thus under the criteria relating to the selection and admission of students to postgraduate courses, it is for the institution to determine how appropriate the content of the entrant's initial degree is to the primary or secondary curriculum.

  The colleges in Northern Ireland have exactly the same degree of latitude in this respect as their counterparts in England and Wales.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a list of those colleges whose graduates' training and qualifications are(a) likely to be acceptable and (b) unlikely to be acceptable for course accreditation for teacher education and entry to a recognised teacher training course.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This information is not available in the form requested. However, I can reassure the hon. Gentleman that all courses provided by Northern Ireland's two colleges of education meet the criteria laid down by the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether any discussions have been held between the Department of Education (Northern Ireland) and education and library boards in relation to retraining for teachers or training for alternative careers for teachers experiencing difficulty coping with education reforms and curriculum changes; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department of Education for Northern Ireland regularly discusses all aspects of the in-service training of teachers with the area boards. These have embarked on major training programmes in fulfilment of their statutory responsibility to ensure that all teachers in grant-aided schools in their areas have the necessary skills to implement the various aspects of education reform, including the common curriculum.

  To assist the boards to implement such a programme, substantial additional resources, both money and additional staff training time have been made available to each board.

  I am very pleased with the way in which Northern Ireland's teachers are responding to these changes.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Late Sittings
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how much it cost to keep the House of Commons open after midnight in Sessions 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. MacGregor
  It is not possible to identify such costs.

  Broadcasting of Parliament
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the statutory provisions that apply to the broadcasting of the proceedings of Parliament.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The broadcasting of the House's proceedings is carried out under the authority of the resolutions of the House of 26 July 1977 (sound broadcasting) and 19 July 1990 (televising). In the latter case, a further resolution will be required to provide authority for the continued televising of the House's230
  proceedings after 1 October 1991 on the basis of permanent arrangements to be recommended to the House in due course by the Select Committee on Broadcasting.

  The only statutory provisions which directly relate to the broadcasting of the House's proceedings are those contained in the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988. Section 165(4)(b) of the Act provides that
  "any sound recording, film, live broadcast or live cable programme of the proceedings"
  of either House is protected by copyright. Section 167 states that the functions of the House of Commons as owner of copyright are to be performed by Mr. Speaker. In exercise of these powers in relation to the broadcasting of proceedings, Mr. Speaker has granted a licence to House of Commons Broadcasting Unit Ltd., a company formed by the BBC and independent television, for the purposes of producing and distributing the signal.

  As for the inclusion within programmes of extracts from, or live transmissions of, parliamentary proceedings, the broadcasters are, of course, subject to the same legal obligations and standards in such areas as political balance as apply under the various Broadcasting Acts to all their other activities. Responsibility for the operation and administration of the relevant legislation lies, in the first instance, with my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary.

TRANSPORT

  Footbridges
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the approximate range of costs of footbridges with sloping ramps suitable for installation over six-lane trunk roads.

  Mr. Chope
  Typical construction costs for such a footbridge are currently estimated at between £200,000 and £350,000. The total cost could be higher depending on factors such as location, land and foundation costs, and the angle to the carriageway.

  Public Service Vehicles
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to monitor the operation of the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am keeping various aspects of these regulations under review.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions have been brought under the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990: and of those prosecutions, how many were in respect of clause 4.

  Mr. Freeman
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the number of complaints that have been made by members of the public to the police in respect of clause 4 of the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990; and if he will undertake a review to assess the effectiveness of the enforcement of the above clause.
  231
  Mr. Freeman
  Information on such complaints is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. We have no plans to review the enforcement of the regulations.

  Midland Main Line
  Mr. Ashby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about British Rail's longer-term plans for the midland main line.

  Mr. Freeman
  The midland main line is, and will continue to be, an important line for british Rail. Over £150 million at cash prices has been invested in the line since 1979, £40 million on rolling stock and the rest on signalling, infrastructure and improvements to passenger facilities. British Rail's investment will continue and it will also be developing plans and taking key decisions over the next two to three years about the longer-term future of the line. These plans will assess the options available when the existing high-speed trains are ready for renewal. I can assure my hon. Friend that electrification of the line will be an option.

  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will ask British Rail to undertake further investment to cut travelling time on the midland main line from London to Leicester.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that InterCity is considering spending a further £5 to £10 million on the infrastructure of the midland main line in the mid-1990s to improve journey times. Depending on the availability of finance it might be possible for British Rail to advance some, but not all, of this investment.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the European Commission about the environmental impact of the east London river crossing on Oxleas woods.

  Mr. Chope
  I have not received any representation from the European Commission on this subject.

  Toll Roads
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) why his Department did not allow the Staffordshire forum of district councils to make a presentation on the proposed toll road;

  (2) if he will name each of the six companies which are currently bidding to win the contract from his Department in respect of the toll road alternative to the Birmingham-Manchester M6;

  (3) if he will place in the Library alternative proposed routes for the proposed toll road alternative to the M6.

  Mr. Freeman
  In April this year, we invited outline proposals from the private sector for new privately funded road capacity between Birmingham and Manchester. The following four groups responded:

  Balfour Beatty

  Tarmac

  Trafalgar House/Italstat

  Western Parkway Consortium: led by Manufacturers Hanover and Cofiroute.

  In addition, the following two groups expressed an interest in participating in the project:
  232

  W. S. Atkins Consultants,

  Mitsubishi Bank.

  The proposals that we have received are being carefully evaluated and, at this stage, remain commercially confidential. The Department is currently discussing various aspects of the proposals with the respondents. It is still too early to give details of any of these proposals as it is not certain yet which—if any—would be acceptable to the Government. When we are clear about a favoured proposal, consultations will take place with all interested parties—including the Staffordshire forum of district councils—in the normal way.

  M6
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will estimate the volume of traffic currently using the M6 motorway and for each of the next five years until 2030.

  Mr. Freeman
  On some weekdays, 24-hour flows exceeding 100,000 vehicles have been recorded between junctions 11 and 16. A detailed breakdown of M6 traffic flow figures is given in "Information for Prospective Bidders" for the Birmingham-Manchester road competition. A copy is in the House Library. The "1989 National Road Traffic Forecasts" forecasts traffic demand to grow between 83 and 143 per cent. by the year 2025.

  Local influences may mean that traffic demand could differ from the national road traffic forecasts.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Corporation Tax
  Dr. Moonie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will break down the 1989 figure of corporation tax paid by industrial and provident societies given in his answer of 23 October,Official Report, column 107, in the eight classes of such societies listed by the Registrar of Friendly Societies in his annual report.

  Mr. Maude
  Building societies account for the great bulk of the total, but the full breakdown requested could be prepared only at disproportionate cost.

  Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Maude
  The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 19 November. The Minister of State for Corporate Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom. Further progress was made in discussions on the investment services directive. The arrangements for VAT controls after 1992 were also discussed and I explained the importance to the United Kingdom of further consultations with industry. I also stressed the importance of setting thresholds so as to minimise the impact of VAT requirements on small businesses. The presidency gave a brief report on progress in developing a system for controlling movements within the Community of goods subject to excise duties. Discussion of travellers' allowances for duty-paid goods was postponed.

  The Council discussed a report from the presidency on negotiations with the European Parliament about

  233
  revisions to the financial perspective of the Community budget arising from German unification and the Gulf crisis.

  The Commission reported on the Community's offer in the financial services negotiations in the Uruguay round. This offer received general support.

  Capital Asset Information Systems
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the development of proposals for improved capital asset information systems in Government.

  Mr. Maples
  An interdepartmental working group has now completed a study into these systems and has made recommendations. The report of the group has now been published and copies have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Controlled Drugs
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement as to the way in which Her Majesty's Customs and Excise assesses the street value of controlled drugs for the purpose of preparing evidence of value for courts.

  Mr. Ryder
  When called upon to provide a street value of controlled drugs Her Majesty's Customs and Excise use the national average street price as calculated by the national drugs intelligence unit from information provided by the police.

  Privatisations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras of 13 November,Official Report, column 112, (1) if he will publish the list of appointments various companies have held in advising on past privatisations;

  (2) whether the performance of any adviser on privatisation has been such as to cause them to warn Departments before considering them for a further privatisation.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answers 22 November 1990]: I have placed a copy of the list the hon. Member requested in the Library. Obviously, past performance is one of the factors taken into account in considering an adviser for a further appointment.

DEFENCE

  Chemical Weapons
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his policy as to the most appropriate response to a chemical weapon attack by Iraq;

  (2) what is his policy as to the most appropriate response to the use of chemical weapons by Iraq.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government would take the gravest view of any Iraqi attack using chemical weapons. I am not prepared to indicate in advance what our response to such an attack might be.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if the Government will invest further resources in chemical weapons research following the developments in the Gulf;
  234
  (2) if the Government will invest further resources in biological weapons research following the developments in the Gulf.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that my predecessor the hon. Member for Romford (Mr. Neubert), gave to her questions on 8 February 1990,Official Report, columns 775–76.

  Porton Down
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the funds allocated to Porton Down chemical weapons research establishment in 1990; and what will be the level of funding in 1991.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The budget of the chemical defence establishment, Porton Down for the financial year 1990–91 is some £24 million. Budgets for 1991–92 will be determined in due course.

  Signal Tower, Brizlee Wood
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is planned to demolish the existing signal tower and dishes at Brizlee wood, Northumberland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. The station is expected to remain operational for the foreseeable future.

  Service Personnel (Insurance)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions have been held with the insurance industry in order to ensure appropriate mechanisms to ensure that service personnel are not disadvantaged in the housing market or in respect of life insurance and to ensure that they are compensated for any extra financial burden; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Department keeps in close touch with the insurance industry through the Association of British Insurers and through insurance brokers with traditional links with the services.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received regarding incidents where members of the armed services, including individuals neither under orders nor on standby, have been asked to pay a surcharge or otherwise disadvantaged before being accepted for life insurance cover, due to the Gulf crisis.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I understand that one letter has been received by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he will take to ensure that members of the armed services who are charged a surcharge in respect of life insurance due to the Gulf crisis, even when neither under orders nor on standby, are compensated for such additional costs.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not yet clear whether such steps are necessary, but we are keeping the matter under review.

EMPLOYMENT

  Demographic Changes
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the members of the interdepartmental working group set up to consider ways of alleviating the effects of forecast demographic change to the work force in the 1990s;

  (2) if he will publish the recommendations made by the working group set up to consider ways of alleviating the effects of the forecast demographic change to the work force in the 1990s.

  Mr. Jackson
  An ad-hoc interdepartmental working group of officials was set up in 1987 to consider the implications of the decline in the number of young people entering the labour market. The working group consisted of officials from the Department of Employment, which chaired the group, the Department of Education and Science, the Manpower Services Commission, the Department of Health and Social Security, the Manpower and Personnel Office and the Ministry of Defence.

  The working group's findings were summarised in an article entitled "New Entrants to the Labour Market in the 1990s", which was published in the May 1988 edition of Employment Gazette, and in chapter 1 of the Government White Paper "Employment for the 1990s" (Cm 540).

  Labour Statistics
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many were employed in the(a) agricultural industry, (b) coal mining industry, (c) shipbuilding and ship repair industries and (d) steel industry as at June 1990.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is given is the table.

  Employees in employment industries (SIC 1980): Great Britain

  Thousands June 1990

  Agriculture and horticulture (Class 01)

  260·2

  Coal extraction and solid fuels (Group 111)

  85·5

  Iron and steel (Group 221)

  25·3

  Shipbuilding and ship repairing (Group 361)

  41·2

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the numbers and rate of unemployment in Great Britain and the United Kingdom using(a) the International Labour Office definition and (b) the claimant count in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 20 November 1990]: The information requested is contained in the following table. Levels of unemployment based on the International Labour Office definition are not available before 1984.

  Standardised unemployment rates in selected OECD countries

  Annual Data

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Canada

  5·3

  6·9

  7·1

  8·0

  8·3

  7·4

  7·4

  7·5

  10·9

  11·8

  11·2

  10·4

  9·5

  8·8

  7·7

  7·5

  United States

  5·5

  8·3

  7·6

  6·9

  6·0

  5·8

  7·0

  7·5

  9·5

  9·5

  7·4

  7·1

  6·9

  6·1

  5·4

  5·2

  Japan

  1·4

  1·9

  2·0

  2·0

  2·2

  2·1

  2·0

  2·2

  2·4

  2·6

  2·7

  2·6

  2·8

  2·8

  2·5

  2·3

  Australia

  2·6

  4·8

  4·7

  5·6

  26·2

  6·2

  6·0

  5·7

  7·1

  9·9

  8·9

  8·2

  8·0

  8·0

  7·2

  6·1

  New Zealand1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3·9

  4·0

  5·6

  7·1

  Belgium3

  3·0

  5·0

  6·4

  7·4

  7·9

  8·2

  8·8

  10·8

  12·6

  12·1

  12·1

  11·3

  11·2

  11·0

  9·7

  8·1

  Finland

  1·7

  2·2

  3·8

  5·8

  7·2

  5·9

  4·6

  4·8

  5·3

  5·4

  5·2

  5·0

  5·3

  5·0

  4·5

  3·4

  France

  2·8

  4·0

  4·4

  4·9

  5·2

  5·9

  6·3

  7·4

  8·1

  8·3

  9·7

  10·2

  10·4

  10·5

  10·0

  9·6

  Germany (Federal Republic)

  21·6

  23·6

  23·7

  23·6

  23·5

  23·2

  3·0

  4·4

  6·1

  8·0

  7·1

  7·2

  6·4

  6·2

  6·1

  5·5

  236

  Thousands

  1 Total claimant count (annual average unemployment) (seasonally adjusted)

  Total ILO unemployed2 (spring each year)

  Year

  Level

  Rate

  Level

  Rate

  United Kingdom

  1974

  518·3

  2·0

  —

  —

  1975

  796·2

  3·1

  —

  —

  1976

  1,091·3

  4·2

  —

  —

  1977

  1,160·8

  4·4

  —

  —

  1978

  1,144·0

  4·3

  —

  —

  1979

  1,074·3

  4·0

  —

  —

  1980

  1,364·4

  5·1

  —

  —

  1981

  2,172·2

  8·1

  —

  —

  1982

  2,544·9

  9·5

  —

  —

  1983

  2,788·0

  10·5

  —

  —

  1984

  2,916·3

  10·7

  3,206·0

  11·8

  1985

  3,027·9

  10·9

  3,0740

  11·2

  1986

  3,097·9

  11·1

  3,073·0

  11·2

  1987

  2,806·5

  10·0

  2,979·0

  10·7

  1988

  2,274·9

  8·1

  2,469·0

  8·8

  31989

  1,784·4

  6·3

  2,063·0

  7·2

  Great Britain

  1974

  492·5

  2·0

  —

  —

  1975

  761·6

  3·0

  —

  —

  1976

  1,046·2

  4··

  —

  —

  1977

  1,111·5

  4·3

  —

  —

  1978

  1,091·0

  4·2

  —

  —

  1979

  1,021·4

  3·9

  —

  —

  1980

  1,301·1

  5·0

  —

  —

  1981

  2,086·3

  8·0

  —

  —

  1982

  2,447·8

  9·4

  —

  —

  1983

  2,681·3

  10·3

  —

  —

  1984

  2,806·1

  10·6

  3,094·0

  11·7

  1985

  2,915·2

  10·8

  2,968·0

  11·1

  1986

  2,975·3

  11·0

  2,969·0

  11·1

  1987

  2,684·4

  9·8

  2,879·0

  10·6

  1988

  2,161·7

  7·8

  2,376·6

  8·7

  31989

  1,678·8

  6·0

  1,978·0

  7·1

  1 The seasonally adjusted series has been revised in November 1990 to allow for the changes in conditions of the Redundant Mineworkers Payment Scheme, effective from July 1989. The seasonally adjusted series takes into account changes in the unemployment count consistent with the current definition of unemployment to make assessment of trends over time possible.

  2 ILO definition levels of unemployment for United Kingdom and Great Britain only available from 1984.

  3 Preliminary estimates only 1989.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the rates of unemployment in each country in the OECD using the International Labour Office definition in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Jackson
  Following is the information for all the OECD countries for which standardised unemployment rates are available. The table is taken from the OECD publication "Quarterly Labour Force Statistics". OECD figures provide the nearest comparable data to the ILO definition.
  237

  1974

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  13·7

  15·4

  16·8

  17·1

  16·9

  16·3

  215·7

  Italy

  5·3

  5·8

  6·6

  7·0

  7·1

  7·6

  7·5

  7·8

  8·4

  8·8

  9·4

  9·6

  10·5

  10·9

  11·0

  10·9

  Netherlands

  22·7

  5·2

  5·5

  5·3

  5·3

  5·4

  6·0

  8·5

  11·4

  12·0

  11·8

  10·6

  9·9

  9·6

  9·2

  8·3

  Norway

  1·5

  2·3

  1·7

  1·4

  1·8

  2·0

  1·6

  2·0

  2·6

  3·4

  3·1

  2·6

  2·0

  2·1

  3·2

  4·9

  Portugal

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7·9

  8·4

  8·5

  8·5

  7·0

  5·7

  5·0

  Spain

  2·6

  3·6

  4·6

  5·2

  6·9

  8·5

  11·2

  13·9

  15·8

  17·2

  20·0

  21·4

  21·0

  20·1

  19·1

  16·9

  Sweden

  2·0

  1·6

  1·6

  1·8

  2·2

  2·1

  2·0

  2·5

  3·2

  3·5

  3·1

  2·8

  2·7

  1·9

  1·6

  1·4

  United Kingdom

  2·9

  4·3

  5·6

  26·0

  25·9

  25·0

  26·4

  29·8

  2ll·3

  212·4

  11·7

  11·2

  11·2

  10·3

  8·5

  26·9

  OECD Total

  23·5

  5·2

  5·3

  25·3

  25·2

  25·1

  5·8

  6·7

  28·1

  8·6

  8·0

  7·8

  7·7

  7·3

  6·7

  26·2

  1 The data are not seasonally adjusted.

  2 Secretariat estimates (or preliminary-figures).

  3 Revised series.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Refugees
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will conduct a review of the social security provisions which are currently applied to refugees newly arrived in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the resources made available to publicise the availability of social security assistance available to refugees newly arrived in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  We have no plans to do so. Adequate information is already available to newly arrived refugees and their advisers. All those refugees who do not already have contacts in the United Kingdom can turn for advice to the numerous refugee agencies, many of which receive Government funding.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what savings are made to the social security budget by reducing income support available to asylum seekers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  None. The income support budget takes into account the provision for asylum seekers allowed under the rules.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will issue new guidelines to his Department's local offices authorising the award of social fund grants to bona fide refugees newly arrived in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Scott
  No. There is already guidance to local offices on social fund provision for refugees. They can apply for a crisis loan when they first arrive in the United Kingdom. If they receive income support they can apply for a community care grant. In both cases the social fund officer will consider the full circumstances of their claim before making a decision.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will make the full income support rate of payment available to asylum seekers newly arrived in the United Kingdom;

  (2) if he will increae the rates of income support presently offered to asylum seekers under the age of 25 years.
  238
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no plans at present for changes in the relevant income support rules.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if Price Waterhouse was asked to evaluate the quality of care offered when undertaking its recent survey into residential and nursing homes.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The objective of the survey was to identify the range of costs of caring for people with different types and levels of dependency in homes of varying size and staff-resident ratios in different parts of Great Britain. All the homes in the survey would be subject to registration and inspection by the relevant statutory authority to ensure appropriate standards under legislation made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

WALES

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce the results of his consultation about exemptions from Welsh in the national curriculum.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have carefully considered the views of the Curriculum Council for Wales, local education authorities and others on the issues set out in the consultation document published by my predecessor on 28 February.

  There was general approval for the proposal to waive the provision that schools not yet teaching Welsh should teach it for a "reasonable time" until the national curriculum requirements come into effect. I laid regulations to implement this on 12 November.

  There was also widespread though not unanimous approval for the proposal to exempt from the national curriculum requirement for Welsh pupils from outside Wales who enter a school in Wales for the first time in the final year of key stage 3 or during key stage 4. I shall therefore be issuing for consultation draft regulations to implement this exemption for such pupils provided they have not studied Welsh in the school curriculum for at least one academic year in any of the preceding three academic years.

  The consultation document indicated a preparedness to consider proposals from LEAs for an extension of up to a further two years of the period for phasing in Welsh, where this was necessary and formed part of an LEA plan for the full introduction of Welsh in the national curriculum.
  239
  Clwyd, Gwynedd, Mid Glamorgan and West Glamorgan LEAs have not sought any extension and I propose to accept that.

  Gwent LEA, which starts from a position of very limited provision in its schools, put forward a detailed plan for implementation which would require some exemptions for up to two years. I welcome the positive approach the authority has taken and I am making proposals in line with its implementation plan.

  Powys and South Glamorgan LEAs also put forward implementation plans which I accept and which provide for deferment in some schools for up to two years.

  Dyfed LEA has not sought any exemptions in general, but drew attention to the secondary schools of South Pembrokeshire with which it had agreed a proposal to extend the implementation of key stage 3 so that it would be taught to the end of key stage 3 by 1997. I accept this proposal.

  I am now proceeding to consultation on proposals to implement the necessary limited period exemptions.

  Dyfed LEA also takes the view that it would not be appropriate in the secondary schools in south Pembrokeshire to implement the national curriculum requirement for Welsh in key stage 4 at present. In view of the LEA's policy and of the distinctive historical and linguistic character of the south Pembrokeshire area, I shall be consulting interested bodies on a proposal to exempt the south Pembrokeshire secondary schools from Welsh at key stage 4. However, I do not think it would be right for any pupil in Wales to be deprived of the chance to choose to study Welsh in key stage 4. I would therefore propose that the exempted schools should make arrangements for Welsh to be an option for those pupils who choose it. Subject to that, I would propose to exempt the following schools from Welsh at key stage 4:

  Greenhill School, Tenby

  Milford Haven Comprehensive School

  Pembroke School

  Sir Thomas Picton School, Haverfordwest

  Tasker-Millward VC Comprehensive School, Haverfordwest

  The consultation exercise addressed the issue of flows of pupils across the border with England. Neither the CCW nor any LEA considered it sensible to make exemption regulations which would single out children who live in England but who are in classes in schools in Wales. I do not propose to do so. Nevertheless there are schools which take in numbers of pupils from England. Some schools with catchment areas or potential catchment areas which cross the English border have expressed concerns about possible losses of pupils if they were required to study Welsh, particularly at key stage 4. I therefore propose to respond to those concerns by consulting on proposals to exempt the following schools from the national curriculum requirements for Welsh at key stage 4. I propose that the exempted schools should make arrangements for Welsh to be available as an option at key stage 4 for those pupils who choose it:

  Clwyd

  Darland High School

  Hawarden High School

  The Maelor School, Wrexham

  St. Richard Gwynn High School, Flint

  St. David's High School, Saltney

  St. Joseph's High School, Wrexhyam

  Gwent

  Monmouth Comprehensive School

  Patient Care, Dyfed
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives are being taken to promote a better quality of care for patients in Dyfed, Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Grist
  The quality strategy "A Quality Health Service for Wales", published in April 1990, is not intended to be prescriptive but to provide a framework within which individual health authorities can develop their own quality programmes in the context of their own strategic intent. Health authorities are required to consider how best they could progress quality within their own areas, using the strategy as a working framework.

  Within the context of the Department's annual review East Dyfed health authority has confirmed its commitment to the development of total quality management (TQM) and the pursuance of quality care as a key task for the health authority within the district's overall philosophy of being consumer responsive. The authority is also developing explicit statements on quality standards for the contracting process. Detailed information on initiatives in East Dyfed is, however, a matter for the authority.

  Welsh Speakers, Ceredigion
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh speakers there are in Ceredigion; what were the corresponding figures for 1960, 1970 and 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The most recent data available are from the 1981 census. Information on Welsh speakers in earlier years is also related to the dates of the census. The number of people aged three and over who were recorded as speaking Welsh in the 1961, 1971 and 1981 censuses was as follows:

  Enumerated population speaking Welsh1

  1961

  238,500

  1971

  235,800

  1981

  35,200

  1 The enumerated population consists of persons present at midnight on census night whether or not they were usually resident there.

  2 Cardiganshire.

  Farmers' Unions
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) when he last met the National Farmers Union; what representations it made to him; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he last met the Farmers Union of Wales; what representations it made to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend had a joint meeting with representatives of the National Farmers Union and the Farmers Union of Wales on 25 October 1990 to discuss the state of the agriculture industry in Wales.

  Sheepmeat Producers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he has taken to assist sheepmeat producers.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We were able to bring forward the timing of the two advance payments of sheep annual premium. Most, if not all, producers in Wales will, by now, have received the first payment of £2·40 per eligible ewe and will shortly receive the second instalment of £2·45 per head. This represents a cash flow benefit of some £25 million for producers in Wales. In addition, sheepmeat producers in the LFA can look forward to a 4 ecu per head (currently about £3·12) supplement to the sheep annual premium for 1991 as a result of this year's price-fixing agreement. The benefits of the green pound devaluation negotiated at the price fixing will also accrue from the beginning of the 1991 marketing year.

  Hill Farmers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what policy initiatives he proproses to safeguard and to enhance the incomes of hill farmers; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Farmers in our less-favoured areas benefit directly from a number of special measures that are already in place, including the hill livestock compensatory allowances, enhanced rates of capital grants and for 1991 the maximum permitted payment under EC rules of the suckler cow premium. For the future we shall continue to seek to ensure that hill farmers in Wales are able to compete effectively and on equal terms with the rest of Europe.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from hill farmers; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  During his recent visits to a number of hill farms my right hon. Friend discussed with farmers a wide range of issues affecting the agricultural industry in the less-favoured areas of Wales.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many times he has visited European Community institutions on the continent to discuss upland farmers in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In line with long-established practice, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food takes the lead in European Community discussions and negotiations. We are in regular contact with him and we know that he is fully apprised of the needs of the upland farmers in Wales.

SCOTLAND

  Second Homes
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of registered second homes by district council area as at(a) 1 April 1980, (b) 1 April 1988 and (c) 1 April 1990.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is held centrally only on the estimated numbers of second and 242
  holiday homes in each district council area at 30 June 1988. These are given in the table. Comparable figures for 1980 and 1990 are not available.

  Estimated number of second and holiday homes, 30 June 1988 Scotland

  Area

  Number

  Scotland

  28,308

  Borders

  Berwickshire

  295

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  321

  Roxburgh

  497

  Tweeddale

  258

  Central

  Clackmannan

  39

  Falkirk

  216

  Stirling

  287

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Annandale and Eskdale

  317

  Nithsdale

  379

  Stewartry

  704

  Wigtown

  575

  Fife

  Dunfermline

  120

  Kirkcaldy

  210

  North East Fife

  925

  Grampian

  Aberdeen

  567

  Banff and Buchan

  599

  Gordon

  489

  Kincardine and Deeside

  639

  Moray

  735

  Highland

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  946

  Caithness

  260

  Inverness

  679

  Lochaber

  700

  Nairn

  110

  Ross and Cromarty

  1,180

  Skye and Lochalsh

  715

  Sutherland

  670

  Lothian

  East Lothian

  697

  Edinburgh

  1,034

  Midlothian

  55

  West Lothian

  75

  Strathclyde

  Argyll and Bute

  3,809

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  6

  Clydebank

  43

  Clydesdale

  188

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  41

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  78

  Cunninghame

  2,492

  Dumbarton

  441

  EAst Kilbride

  57

  Eastwood

  26

  Glasgow

  1,071

  Hamilton

  70

  Inverclyde

  112

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  86

  Kyle and Carrick

  677

  Monklands

  82

  Motherwell

  33

  Renfrew

  181

  Strathkelvin

  48

  Tayside

  Angus

  679

  Dundee

  296

  Perth and Kinross

  1,543

  Islands Council

  Orkney Islands

  202

  Shetland Islands

  244

  Western Isles

  510

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in each local authority area in Scotland have received a payment under the community charge special payments scheme; and what is the total sum paid out by each authority.

  Mr. Lang
  No local authority has yet provided details of the numbers of people receiving special payments in its area or of the amounts involved.

  Sand Eel Catches
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the numbers of 0-group, 1-group and older fish in the sand eel catches in International Council for the Exploration of the Seas division VIa in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The estimated numbers are as follows:

  Thousands

  0-Group

  1-Group

  2 Group and older

  1985

  3,260,010

  152,092

  1,240,938

  1986

  3,065,660

  1,845,060

  873,010

  1987

  700,070

  1,196,780

  518,460

  1988

  967,187

  258,855

  2,352,518

  1989

  444,595

  225,564

  1,284,771

  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the size of the sand eel catches in International Council for the Exploration of the Seas division VIa in 1990, (b) the amount of fishing effort directed towards sand eel fishing and (c) the home ports of vessels concerned.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) The sand eel catch in International Council for the Exploration of the Seas area VIa in 1990 up to and including October was 16,515 tonnes.

  (b) 2,065 hours' fishing.

  The data available are up to and including October 1990 and are therefore subject to revision.

  (c) Eleven vessels have recorded sand eel catches from area VIa to date. The districts of the vessels concerned are:

  Number

  Fraserburgh

  3

  Stornoway

  2

  Aberdeen

  1

  Ayr

  1

  MacDuff

  1

  Mallaig

  1

  Orkney

  1

  Shetland

  1

  Child Care, Fife
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if anyone involved in the inquiry into child care policy in Fife region has been given immunity from prosecution by the Crown Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 November 1990]: I am advised that one witness was granted limited immunity in respect of one incident not involving children.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Medical Care)
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the normal arrangements for providing medical care for prisoners who are seriously ill; and under what circumstances treatment is normally arranged outside prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The medical officer of a prison is statutorily responsible for the health care of its prisoners and has clinical discretion to make whatever arrangements are deemed appropriate to meet the health needs of those who become ill. In general the medical officer will arrange for treatment to be received outside when the treatment required is such that it cannot be provided by a prison service hospital or medical centre.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what form of transport is normally used to convey a prisoner when medical treatment is thought to be necessary outside a prison; and what security arrangements are made.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Such matters are determined at the time according to the circumstances of the particular case, including the security classification of the prisoner.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in the last 12 months have been permitted to receive medical care outside prison; and what are the criteria for deciding if private medical care is appropriate in a particular case.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In the 12 months ended 31 March 1990 prisoners attended out-patient departments of NHS hospitals on 18,740 occasions. During the same period there were 1,988 temporary removals of prisoners to NHS hospitals for in-patient observation or treatment. The number of prisoners involved is not recorded. More recent information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Instances of prisoners being allowed to receive private medical treatment outside prison are not statistically recorded. A prisoner may receive in-patient treatment privately only in exceptional circumstances. The medical officer must be satisfied that the treatment should be carried out during the period in which the prisoner is likely to be in custody; that it cannot be provided in a prison service hospital; and that either the prisoner should be treated significantly earlier privately than under NHS arrangements or the prisoner had received an appointment for private in-patient treatment before coming into prison. Prisoners are not normally allowed to receive out-patient treatment on a private basis, but individual cases are considered on their merits.

  Freemasons
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will hold an inquiry into the operation of freemasonry within the Prison Department and the prison system.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We have no plans to do so, but if the hon. Member has any specific cause for concern, perhaps he could let me know.

  Mr. Paul Malone
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he is going to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Broadgreen regarding the findings of the two-year inquiry into the matter of the incarceration of Paul Malone.

  Mr. John Patten
  I wrote to the hon. Member about Mr. Malone's case on 21 November.

  Controlled Drugs
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many(a) male and (b) female prisoners were serving prison sentences on 1 September for offences of importing controlled drugs;

  (2) if he will enumerate by nationalities the prisoners serving sentences on 1 September for offences of importing controlled drugs, and the prisons in which they are serving their sentences.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The only readily available information on the types of drugs offence does not separately distinguish females or nationality; it is published annually in "Prison Statistics England and Wales" (table 1(a) of the latest volume, for 1989, Cm. 1221), copies of which are in the Library.

  Prisons (Education)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many GCSE examinations were sat by prisoners in Her Majesty's prisons in the last academic year; if the national curriculum is to be applied to education in prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of 666 GCSE examinations were sat by prisoners in 1989–90. Prison service establishments will, as far as possible, apply the national curriculum.

  Forensic Scientists
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the numbers of forensic scientists available for police work.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are currently 588 staff in post in the forensic science service of whom 527 are scientific and technical staff who, directly or indirectly, provide scientific support to the police.

  Mr. Charles McGhee
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer for review by the Court of Appeal the case of Charles McGhee, who was convicted and sentenced on 17 May 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Representations from Mr. McGhee which have been submitted on his behalf are being considered to decide whether there are any grounds to justify our intervention.

  Remand
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to increase the number of remand places available for female defendants remanded into custody from Welsh courts.
  246
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Female prisoners committed into custody by courts in north Wales are at present received at Risley remand centre and those committed by courts in south Wales are received at Pucklechurch. The provision of remand places for female prisoners at these establishments is kept under constant review and there are currently plans to create a further 60 places for females at Risley by the mid-1990s.

  Deportation Orders
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders he has signed in the last 10 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The numbers of deportation orders made in each year since 1980 are published in table 18 of the annual Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration Statistics, United Kingdom, 1989" (Cm.1124), a copy of which is in the Library.

  Immigration
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the backlog of immigration cases in each category for October.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of outstanding cases relates to casework in B1 division in the immigration and nationality department and is as follows:

  Outstanding Cases—October

  Number

  General Immigration Casework12

  20,910

  Asylum and Related Casework13

  29,936

  1 Does not include applications received in the Department but which await allocation to caseworkers.

  2 Includes referred entry clearance applications, and enquiries submitted by letter, as well as variation of leave cases. Includes both general and Eastern European casework (the latter was absorbed into general casework in July 1990).

  3 These figures are a total of all work outstanding in the Refugee Unit.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many times the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State has visited(a) Lunar house and (b) the Liverpool passport office.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have paid three visits to Lunar house and one to Liverpool passport office since November 1989.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passports are held at(a) Lunar house and (b) the Liverpool passport office.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that the information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Refugees
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will take steps to amend existing regulations to allow newly arrived refugees who have children to apply for family reunion as of the date of their arrival in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Once a person is recognised as a refugee, his or her spouse and minor children may be admitted to the United Kingdom immediately.
  247
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will amend the employment regulations to allow newly arrived asylum seekers to qualify for work permits as soon as they arrive in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no present plans to change our practice in allowing asylum seekers to work. The issue will be considered in the current review of asylum arrangements.

  Visitors
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of visitors to the United Kingdom admitted in each quarter in 1988 and 1989, showing the numbers by country of embarkation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 14 November 1990]: The available information is by nationality and is given in the tables.

  Table 1

  Ordinary and business visitors admitted to the United Kingdom by nationality, 1988

  Total visitor admissions in 1988

  Geographical region/Nationality

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  4th quarter

  Western Europe (excluding EC)

  Austria

  21,500

  24,800

  46,500

  21,900

  Cyprus

  5,350

  6,730

  9,600

  7,710

  Finland

  19,800

  28,900

  29,200

  24,600

  Malta

  6,860

  5,750

  9,980

  7,770

  Norway

  49,800

  59,400

  65,100

  59,800

  Sweden

  80,700

  113,000

  117,000

  104,000

  Switzerland

  43,400

  62,400

  77,700

  63,800

  Turkey

  9,740

  10,300

  13,300

  11,500

  Yugoslavia

  6,000

  7,760

  10,800

  8,200

  Western Europe (excluding EC)

  243,000

  319,000

  379,000

  309,000

  Eastern Europe

  Bulgaria

  450

  950

  1,310

  890

  Czechoslovakia

  2,480

  4,770

  5,900

  3,710

  GDR

  900

  1,510

  1,670

  1,160

  Hungary

  2,780

  4,920

  7,420

  3,730

  Poland

  5,600

  9,480

  16,700

  7,470

  Romania

  650

  730

  940

  700

  USSR

  1,090

  1,860

  2,580

  2,310

  Eastern Europe

  14,000

  24,200

  36,500

  20,000

  Europe (excluding EC)

  257,000

  343,000

  416,000

  329,000

  Americas

  Argentina

  2,710

  3,390

  4,000

  2,330

  Barbados

  410

  1,200

  3,050

  820

  Brazil

  9,960

  13,300

  22,000

  12,000

  Canada

  51,800

  111,000

  150,000

  73,800

  Chile

  1,340

  2,060

  2,240

  1,360

  Colombia

  1,570

  3,500

  4,090

  2,360

  Cuba

  80

  170

  120

  90

  Guyana

  380

  640

  1,540

  710

  Jamaica

  1,790

  3,710

  6,820

  2,860

  Mexico

  2,520

  5,740

  16,200

  5,130

  Peru

  1,190

  1,620

  1,820

  1,150

  Trinidad and Tobago

  1,260

  1,990

  4,690

  1,860

  United States of America

  294,000

  530,000

  676,000

  424,000

  Uruguay

  680

  1,320

  1,170

  620

  Venezuela

  1,080

  1,550

  3,000

  1,660

  Americas

  371,000

  681,000

  897,000

  531,000

  248

  Total visitor admissions in 1988

  Geographical region/Nationality

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  4th quarter

  Africa

  Algeria

  2,790

  2,800

  5,450

  2,740

  Egypt

  4,910

  6,250

  11,300

  5,800

  Ethiopia

  530

  710

  1,060

  750

  Ghana

  3,640

  4,580

  7,880

  4,700

  Kenya

  2,950

  5,130

  8,250

  4,600

  Libya

  470

  660

  930

  480

  Mauritius

  1,750

  3,180

  5,280

  2,200

  Morocco

  2,000

  2,580

  4,550

  3,360

  Nigeria

  17,200

  17,600

  25,500

  19,800

  Sierra Leone

  980

  960

  2,320

  1,260

  Somalia

  170

  230

  320

  200

  South Africa

  13,000

  22,900

  29,800

  19,400

  Sudan

  1,420

  3,900

  3,590

  1,850

  Tanzania

  1,360

  2,200

  3,060

  1,680

  Tunisia

  1,350

  1,340

  1,550

  1,400

  Uganda

  960

  1,620

  2,090

  1,200

  Zambia

  1,450

  2,010

  2,110

  2,550

  Zimbabwe

  3,110

  4,860

  5,900

  4,480

  Africa

  60,000

  83,500

  121,000

  78,400

  Asia

  Indian sub-continent

  Bangladesh

  1,670

  3,040

  3,860

  2,400

  India

  19,200

  50,900

  51,500

  28,000

  Pakistan

  9,560

  20,000

  27,900

  12,000

  Indian sub-continent

  30,400

  73,900

  83,300

  42,400

  Middle East

  Iran

  4,070

  4,000

  6,640

  4,750

  Iraq

  1,510

  1,770

  2,820

  1,630

  Israel

  17,600

  16,400

  49,100

  21,100

  Jordan

  2,900

  3,910

  5,080

  2,810

  Kuwait

  4,060

  5,820

  12,400

  3,670

  Lebanon

  3,290

  4,370

  5,430

  3,580

  Saudi Arabia

  5,620

  5,510

  15,900

  4,420

  Syria

  350

  450

  860

  430

  Middle East

  39,400

  42,200

  98,200

  42,400

  Remainder of Asia

  China

  2,070

  3,140

  3,740

  2,910

  Indonesia

  1,120

  3,610

  3,720

  1,730

  Japan

  102,000

  76,900

  110,000

  88,200

  Malaysia

  5,390

  9,940

  10,800

  9,860

  Philippines

  1,960

  5,030

  6,810

  2,740

  Singapore

  3,780

  10,700

  7,260

  5,860

  Sri Lanka

  1,970

  3,660

  5,480

  2,640

  Thailand

  1,970

  6,540

  4,290

  3,040

  BDTC Hong Kong

  6,300

  7,730

  13,100

  6,300

  Remainder of Asia

  127,000

  127,000

  165,000

  123,000

  Asia

  197,000

  243,000

  346,000

  208,000

  Australasia

  Australia

  33,500

  71,400

  92,200

  55,300

  New Zealand

  7,400

  21,200

  25,900

  12,100

  Australasia

  40,900

  92,600

  118,000

  67,400

  British Overseas Citizens

  1,140

  1,880

  2,920

  1,640

  Other countries not elsewhere specified

  22,000

  31,800

  54,500

  29,200

  Stateless

  7,040

  11,200

  19,200

  8,510

  249

  Total visitor admissions in 1988

  Geographical region/Nationality

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  4th quarter

  All Nationalities (excluding EC)

  955,000

  1,490,000

  1,980,000

  1,250,000

  Table 2

  Ordinary and business visitors admitted to the United Kingdom by nationality, 1989

  Total visitor admissions in 1989

  Geographical region/Nationality

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  4th quarter

  Western Europe (excluding EC)

  Austria

  20,900

  29,600

  51,200

  22,900

  Cyprus

  6,150

  7,290

  9,620

  8,470

  Finland

  24,500

  38,700

  38,000

  28,000

  Malta

  7,820

  5,930

  9,610

  8,840

  Norway

  46,300

  61,500

  63,000

  66,700

  Sweden

  79,600

  118,000

  114,000

  106,000

  Switzerland

  43,900

  69,600

  78,600

  63,500

  Turkey

  11,100

  11,100

  9,960

  9,880

  Yugoslavia

  6,980

  9,370

  11,300

  9,870

  Western Europe (excluding EC)

  247,000

  351,000

  385,000

  324,000

  Eastern Europe

  Bulgaria

  660

  1,230

  1,450

  2,200

  Czechoslovakia

  2,570

  4,740

  7,310

  4,280

  GDR

  890

  1,680

  1,720

  1,300

  Hungary

  3,040

  5,090

  7,620

  4,580

  Poland

  8,040

  12,400

  15,500

  7,540

  Romania

  400

  490

  870

  620

  USSR

  2,420

  4,860

  7,880

  6,790

  Eastern Europe

  18,000

  30,500

  42,400

  27,300

  Europe (excluding EC)

  265,000

  382,000

  427,000

  351,000

  Americas

  Argentina

  3,660

  3,860

  4,050

  2,760

  Barbados

  450

  1,350

  2,580

  900

  Brazil

  10,900

  18,500

  25,700

  14,500

  Canada

  61,500

  133,000

  105,000

  79,200

  Chile

  1,610

  2,430

  2,520

  1,460

  Colombia

  1,760

  3,880

  4,350

  2,410

  Cuba

  50

  100

  90

  210

  Guyana

  450

  870

  1,540

  770

  Jamaica

  2,330

  4,880

  7,140

  3,220

  Mexico

  3,290

  7,760

  18,200

  6,110

  Peru

  900

  1,390

  1,690

  1,270

  Trinidad and Tobago

  1,020

  2,330

  3,770

  1,980

  United States of America

  311,000

  624,000

  686,000

  431,000

  Uruguay

  560

  1,230

  1,260

  550

  Venezuela

  1,030

  1,520

  3,090

  1,720

  Americas

  400,000

  807,000

  927,000

  548,000

  Africa

  Algeria

  2,960

  3,3007

  6,180

  3,410

  Egypt

  4,710

  5,940

  11,500

  5,520

  Ethiopia

  620

  870

  1,500

  850

  Ghana

  3,750

  4,880

  7,610

  5,200

  Kenya

  3,160

  5,180

  8,4909

  4,990

  Libya

  470

  620

  800

  550

  Mauritius

  1,800

  3,640

  5,470

  2,410

  Morocco

  2,300

  2,860

  5,350

  3,560

  Nigeria

  14,400

  20,600

  25,800

  18,300

  Sierra Leone

  980

  1,200

  2,560

  1,470

  Somalia

  240

  360

  460

  280

  South Africa

  15,400

  27,300

  29,600

  19,100

  Sudan

  1,350

  3,270

  3,480

  1,850

  Tanzania

  1,470

  2,190

  2,920

  1,940

  250

  Total visitor admissions in 1989

  Geographical region/Nationality

  1st quarter

  2nd quarter

  3rd quarter

  4th quarter

  Tunisia

  1,410

  1,460

  1,500

  1,570

  Uganda

  1,130

  1,720

  2,480

  1,790

  Zambia

  1,730

  2,600

  3,380

  2,520

  Zimbabwe

  3,430

  5,550

  4,870

  4,900

  Africa

  61,300

  94,200

  124,000

  80,200

  Asia

  Indian sub-continent

  Bangladesh

  1,840

  3,100

  4,380

  2,480

  India

  20,700

  54,400

  50,900

  28,000

  Pakistan

  9,820

  19,400

  27,900

  12,800

  Indian sub-continent

  32,400

  76,900

  83,200

  43,300

  Middle East

  Iran

  4,250

  4,470

  7,340

  4,660

  Iraq

  1,500

  2,150

  4,630

  3,370

  Israel

  18,500

  21,100

  47,400

  24,500

  Jordan

  2,480

  3,130

  4,880

  2,680

  Kuwait

  4,170

  6,230

  15,100

  3,800

  Lebanon

  3,090

  3,610

  5,630

  3,430

  Saudi Arabia

  5,020

  6,080

  16,400

  4,230

  Syria

  380

  640

  900

  470

  Middle East

  39,400

  47,700

  102,000

  47,100

  Remainder of Asia

  China

  2,210

  3,000

  3,250

  2,280

  Indonesia

  1,150

  3,810

  4,480

  2,090

  Japan

  124,000

  102,000

  143,000

  119,000

  Malaysia

  5,310

  10,700

  12,300

  10,800

  Philippines

  1,900

  5,600

  7,330

  2,930

  Singapore

  3,570

  12,000

  8,450

  7,340

  Sri Lanka

  1,770

  3,360

  4,890

  2,960

  Thailand

  2,470

  7,030

  5,080

  3,940

  BDTC Hong Kong

  7,660

  9,060

  15,200

  7,440

  Remainder of Asia

  150,000

  157,000

  204,000

  159,000

  Asia

  222,000

  282,000

  389,000

  249,000

  Australasia

  Australia

  41,700

  93,600

  111,000

  63,500

  New Zealand

  8,220

  23,800

  27,500

  15,400

  Australasia

  49,900

  117,000

  138,000

  78,900

  British Overseas Citizens

  1,160

  2,770

  3,990

  1,990

  Other countries not elsewhere specified

  25,000

  37,000

  60,800

  30,500

  Stateless

  8,520

  14,700

  31,900

  10,800

  All nationalities (excluding EC)

  1,030,000

  1,730,000

  2,100,000

  1,350,000

ENERGY

  Low-energy Light Bulbs
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received about the inclusion of low-energy light bulbs in the home energy efficiency scheme; and what has been his response.
  251
  Mr. Baldry
  One respondent to the consultation paper on the home energy efficiency scheme (HEES) published earlier this year sought to have the provision of low-energy light bulbs brought within the scheme. HEES is being introduced under powers taken in section 15 of the Social Security Act 1990, which do not enable the scheme to be extended to cover grant for provision of low-energy lighting.

  PowerGen
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what compensation has been awarded to Mr. Malpas, the ex-chairman of PowerGen; and how many years' salary it is equivalent to.

  Mr. Baldry
  The question of compensation is under discussion between PowerGen and Mr. Malpas.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what long-term assessment he has made(a) of the consequences of current rundown at Dounreay for the United Kingdom's fuel requirements in the 21st century and (b) of Sir Frederick Warner's and Dr. Eric Vocie's evidence to the Select Committee on Energy in relation to Dounreay.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my predecessor on 21 July 1988 about the Government's review of the fast reactor programme. That review took full account of the position on uranium supplies in the next century.

  North Sea Installations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether there are any platforms on North sea installations on which full emergency shutdown valves have still to be fitted on risers as near to sea level as practicable.

  Mr. Wakeham
  My Department has identified 181 pipeline risers which require the fitting or relocation of emergency shutdown valves to comply with the Offshore Installations (Emergency Pipeline Valve) Regulations 1989. A total of 72 valves remain to be fitted or relocated.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what was the ratio of injuries, excluding fatal injuries, suffered by operators' staff to those suffered by contractors' staff on North sea installations in each year since 1978;

  (2) what was the ratio of fatal accidents suffered by operators' staff to those suffered by contractors' staff on North sea installations in each year since 1978.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The information requested by the hon. Member can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many risers on platforms in the North sea it is intended to retrofit subsea isolation valves; and how many of these have been fitted to date.

  Mr. Wakeham
  A total of 35 subsea isolation systems have been fitted retrospectively to existing pipelines and plans have been made for a further six systems to be so installed.
  252
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the platforms in the North sea which have control systems of the same age as that on Piper Alpha.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Control systems on offshore installations may be modified as technology develops. Such modifications are a matter for the operators and the certifying authorities.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Katyn Massacres
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on ascribing responsibility for the Katyn massacres; and to whom he currently ascribes responsibility for the massacres.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Soviet authorities' admission in April that the NKVD (forerunner of the KGB) was responsible for the massacre was very welcome.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to persuade the signatories to the Antarctic treaty to institute controls on the quantities of krill removed from Antarctic waters.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Fishing in Antarctic waters is controlled by the convention on the conservation of Antarctic marine living resources (CCAMLR). Since 1980 CCAMLR has applied catch restrictions on certain fish stocks in Antarctica, and has closed some areas to protect depleted stocks. CCAMLR has been successful in achieving protection of the most threatened species and we shall continue to work towards reaching an agreement to limit krill catches in Antarctic waters.

  Dalai Lama
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will meet the Dalai Lama when he comes to visit the United Kingdom in March.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no plans to do so.

  Sudan
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what correspondence he has received from Amnesty International concerning(a) detention without trial, (b) incidences of torture and (c) extra-judicial executions in Sudan; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are aware of Amnesty International concerns about the abuse of human rights in Sudan. We share those concerns and have made our views known to the Sudanese authorities bilaterally, through the European Community and within the UN framework.

  China
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department's library will obtain a copy of the Amnesty International report concerning the treatment of pro-democracy leaders by the Chinese authorities, published on 14 November.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A copy of this report is already held by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office library.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with his counterparts in China concerning treatment of pro-democracy leaders by the Chinese authorities.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We regularly raise the question of human rights with the Chinese authorities. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs expressed our concern to the Chinese Foreign Minister in September, as did the EC Troika.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his present policy in respect of(a) mining activities and (b) tourism in Antarctica; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We remain committed to achieving the best possible environmental protection for Antarctica from all forms of environmental damage. We do not support mining in Antarctica and wish to see the question of mineral activity resolved as soon as possible, by a return to consensus among the Antarctic treaty parties.

  We think tourism and environmental protection can be compatible, but there is a need for regulation to avoid adverse environmental impact. The Antarctic treaty parties agreed to discuss tourism within the development of comprehensive measures for the protection of the Antarctic environment. A conference on this issue is currently taking place in Chile.

  European Political Union
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress was made during last month's European Council meeting in drawing up an agenda for the forthcoming EC intergovernmental conference on political union.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Dublin European Council in June agreed that the intergovernmental conference on 254
  political union should adopt its own agenda. The 27–28 October European Council in Rome discussed the preparations for that IGC. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister made a statement on the outcome of that meeting to the House on 30 October.

  Coventry (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about the visit to Coventry on 10 November of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I attended a meeting of the Gulf support group in Coventry on 10 November for friends and relatives of those whom Saddam Hussein is preventing from leaving Kuwait and Iraq.

  Following the meeting I attended evensong in Coventry cathedral at which prayers were said for the hostages and their families.

  Mercenaries
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any proposals to implement the international convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries adopted by the United Nations in December 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are examining carefully the convention against the recruitment, use, financing and training of mercenaries against the background of current United Kingdom legislation. We hope to reach a decision soon.

  Nuclear Test Ban
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy in respect of negotiating the establishment of a comprehensive ban on all nuclear tests when they attend the conference in New York in January 1991.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A comprehensive test ban remains a long-term goal to which progress will be made by only a step-by-step approach. This must take account of technical advances in verification as well as progress elsewhere in arms control and the attitudes of other states.