Written Answers of 26 November 1990

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Forces in Europe Treaty
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will publish a simplified, edited version of the treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe in booklet form.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A booklet describing the main provisions of the treaty on conventional armed forces in Europe is being placed in the Library of the House. Further copies will be made available to hon. Members on request.

  Israel
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made by Her Majesty's Government to the Government of Israel concerning the effect of the intifada upon British public opinion concerning Israel; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government of Israel are well aware of the effect of the intifada, and their handling of it, on British public opinion. We make frequent representations to them on the need for them to meet their obligations under international law in administrating the occupied territories.

  Romania
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will reconsider his policy of aid to eastern European countries to include family planning assistance to Romania.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our policy towards aid to Romania for humanitarian purposes is unaffected by our policy towards long-term economic aid. We believe humanitarian aid should be unrestricted and have ourselves provided some £6·5 million directly and through the European Community. Our bilateral aid has included a family planning programme implemented by Marie Stopes International.

  Estonia
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he made to the visit of Mr. Lennart Meri, Foreign Secretary of Estonia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Mr. right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I held separate talks with Mr. Meri on 5 and 6 November. We emphasised that we had never recognised de jure the incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR and that 256
  we continued to support the right of the Estonian people to decide their own future. As we told Mr. Meri, we believe that a negotiated outcome would be in the interests of both sides and hope that serious negotiations between Soviet and Baltic representatives will be resumed urgently. We agreed on the importance of developing and strengthening contacts between Britain and the Baltic states.

  Lithuania
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he made to the visit of Mr. Landsbergis, President of Lithuania; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had talks with Professor Landsbergis on 13 November. She emphasised that we had never recognised de jure the incorporation of the Baltic States into the USSR and that we continued to support the right of the Lithuanian people to decide their own future. She referred in her speech to the CSCE Paris summit to the particular position of the Baltic republics and to the need for a nogotiated settlement acceptable to both sides. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and Professor Landsbergis agreed on the importance of developing and strengthening contacts between Britain and the Baltic states.

  Bulgaria
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to make an award for humanitarian aid to the people of Bulgaria.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are contributing to humanitarian aid for Bulgaria through the European Community's PHARE aid programme.

  The European Community has recently approved a maternal and child health care support programme for Bulgaria worth approximately £3·5 million. We have encouraged the Commission to consider urgently Bulgarian requests for food assistance. These will be discussed during the meeting of the EC-Bulgaria joint commission on 30 November.

  United States Nuclear Test Site (Arrests)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's ambassador in Washington made any representations on behalf of Juley Howard, Jane Gregory and Lorna Richardson, each a British citizen, arrested in the United States Department of Energy research and test facility in Nevada on 14 November.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No representations have been made: the case is a matter for the United States authorities.

ENVIRONMENT

  Homelessness
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for action in relation to homeless single people in London, additional to that announced in his reply of 22 June,Official Report, column 738–40.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  In his autumn statement on 8 November, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the
  257
  Exchequer announced that, in addition to this year's provision of £15 million, a further £81 million would be provided over the next two years for single homeless people in London. The resources will meet the costs of additional short-term hostels for people currently on the streets and move-on accommodation for people in existing hostels.

  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what Government financial help is to be given this year to Crisis at Christmas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  We give no direct financial help to Crisis at Christmas and it has made no application for any from my Department. However, several of the voluntary organisations assisting Crisis at Christmas with the "Open Christmas" project receive grant from my Department under section 73 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will amend the homelessness provisions to allow newly arrived single refugees to qualify for priority housing status on local authority waiting lists; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: No. It is for each local housing authority to decide its own priorities in the selection of its tenants, subject to the requirements of section 22 of the Housing Act 1985. It is also for authorities to decide whether single refugees applying as homeless under part III of that Act are vulnerable, and thus in priority need for accommodation.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make arrangements to ensure that housing authorities that experience higher than average numbers of housing requests from asylum seekers arriving in the United Kingdom are provided with additional financial resources to cope with any extra demand.

  Mr. Michael Spicer
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: Where a local housing authority in England experiences special needs which call for additional housing capital expenditure these needs will be taken into account by my Department in allocating housing investment programme (HIP) resources.

  House Renovation Grants
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect of the new house renovation grant scheme on(a) the number of applications for house renovation grants, (b) the number of grants awarded and (c) the size of the grants awarded.

  Mr. Key
  From a sample survey of activity in 40 local housing authorities under the new grants system it is estimated that up to the end of September in England as a whole.

  (a) 5,810 grant applications have been submitted, sub-divided as follows:

  Grant applications

  Mandatory renovation grants

  480

  Discretionary renovation grants

  60

  Mandatory disabled facilities grants

  230

  258

  Grant applications

  Discretionary disabled facilities grants

  230

  Houses in multiple occupation grant

  10

  Minor works assistance

  4,800

  (b) 4,450 grants have been awarded.

  (c) The average size of minor works grant awarded is £620. The sample size is, as yet, too small to allow reliable estimates to be made of the average size of renovation or disabled facilities grants.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the relevant population for community charge purposes for each charging authority(a) calculated under the provisions of the Population Report (England) laid before the House on 11 January and (b) calculated under the provisions of the draft Population Report (England) (No. 2) laid before the House on 31 October; if he will list the percentage difference between the figures outlined in (a) and (b) above; if he will give the reasons for any percentage difference which exceeds 5 per cent.; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list for each local authority (a) the relevant population for community charge purposes for each charging authority calculated under the provisions of the Population Report (England) laid before the House on 11 January, (b) the relevant population for community charge purposes for each charging authority calculated under the provisions of the draft Population Report (England) (No. 2) laid before the House on 31 October and (c) the percentage difference between the figures in (a) and (b) above; if he will give the reasons for any percentage difference over 5 per cent.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  I am arranging for the information to be placed in the Library of the House. The population figures are based on information about the number of persons on the community charges register for each authority, as supplied and certified by the relevant community charges registration officer except in the case of the City of London and Welwyn Hatfield district council, where under the provisions of the Population Report (England) the 1990–91 relevant population was based on information from the Registrar General and other sources. Differences reflect differences in the figures supplied except for those two authorities.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the total number of community standard charge payers for 1990–91 for each local authority in England.

  Mr. Key
  The available information was placed in the Library on 24 October.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current poll tax payment rates in each local authority area in England, as percentage figures; and if he will indicate the numbers who have paid only one poll tax instalment in each instance.

  Mr. Key
  I am arranging for the information reported to the Department about the percentage of community charge payers in each authority who had made a payment
  259
  by 30 September, to be placed in the Library of the House. No information is available about the numbers of instalments paid.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 20 November,Official Report, column 62, when he expects to be in a position to give the same information as to the rate of collection of the poll tax for Birmingham.

  Mr. Key
  I understand that the council hopes to be able to provide the information shortly.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 20 November to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East,Official Report, column 62. if he will now list for each local authority in England and Wales the available information as to the numbers of people who (a) have or (b) have not begun paying the poll tax and the percentage of the number of adults liable that represents.

  Mr. Key
  I am arranging for the information for England to be placed in the Library of the House. Figures for Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 20 November,Official Report, column 62, if he will now make it his practice to collect from local authorities information as to the numbers of people seriously in arrears with the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  I have no plans to collect this information.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the budget for the Nature Conservancy Council for 1989–90 and the proposed budget for 1990–91;

  (2) how much of the Nature Conservancy Council's budget for 1989–90, both in absolute and percentage terms, was spent in Scotland; and if he will give the same amounts for the proposed budget for 1990–91.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The grant-in-aid provided to the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC) in 1989–90 and 1990–91 was £40·15 million and £44·819 million (including £750,000 to cover initial reorganisation costs) respectively.

  In 1989–90 £5·161 million—12·8 per cent.—of the grant-in-aid was spent by the NCC's Scottish Directorate. The proposed spend by the Scottish Directorate in 1990–91 is £4·999 million, 11·1 per cent. of total grant-in-aid. These figures do not include either the salaries of any permanent staff working on Scottish matters or funds spent by NCC Directorates which serve Great Britain as a whole, as these cannot be identified easily.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of grant made by the Nature Conservancy Council under section 38 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to voluntary conservation bodies for the purposes of land purchase in each of the last five years in 1989–90 prices.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: The figures requested are as follows:
  260

  £ million

  1985–86

  0·69

  1986–87

  1·297

  1987–88

  1·289

  1988–89

  1·180

  1989–90

  0·586

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money was spent by the Nature Conservancy Council for the purchase of national nature reserves in each of the last five years in 1989–90 prices.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: The figures requested are as follows:

  £ million

  1985–86

  2·564

  1986–87

  1·756

  1987–88

  1·353

  1988–89

  1·102

  1989–90

  0·182

  Birds (Protected Species)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of permits issued to falconers to take protected species of birds as quarry during 1989 and 1990 to date; what were the species in respect of which such permits were issued; and what were the number of each species so taken.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In the 1989–90 season, 66 licences were issued to falconers in England, Scotland and Wales to take the following species: blackbird, skylark, black-headed gull, song thrush, mistle thrush, redwing, fieldfare and meadow pipit. The number of birds reported as taken are: blackbird 59, skylark 278, black-headed gull 1, song thrush 2, redwing 8 and fieldfare 10.

  To date, 60 licences have been issued in the 1990–91 season to take the following species: blackbird, skylark, black-headed gull, song thrush and meadow pipit; the numbers of birds taken are not yet available.

  National Gypsy Council
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library audited accounts of the National Gypsy Council for the years 1979 to 1989.

  Mr. Key
  No. My Department receives copies of the National Gypsy Council's audited accounts, for monitoring purposes, as a condition of the grant which we pay to the council; but it is not for us to make those accounts public.

  Oxleas Wood, London
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what communications he has recently received from the European Environment Commissioner concerning the future of Oxleas wood in south-east London.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None.

  Mountain Hare
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures are currently being proposed by the European Community for the protection of the species and habitat of lepus timidus; how he has responded to such measures; and whether he proposes any relevant changes to United Kingdon legislation.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The lepus timidus is one of the species listed on annex III of the European Commission's proposal for a directive on the protection of natural and semi-natural habitats and of fauna and flora. Under the draft directive, any exploitation of lepus timidus would therefore be subject to a management plan. Negotiations on the directive in Brussels are currently stalled, but when they resume we expect to press the Commission to clarify what is expected of member states under this provision. It is therefore premature to consider whether changes to United Kingdom legislation would be appropriate.

  Birds of Prey
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the number of licences issued in each of England, Scotland and Wales to possess birds of prey; and what were the numbers of birds of each species currently held under such licence.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Since the beginning of 1989, the Department has issued 11 licences to possess birds of prey which were either found abandoned or which had been seized by enforcement authorities after being taken illegally from the wild.

  Only one bird, a golden eagle, is currently held under such a licence.

  Bracken
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on current research into biological methods of controlling bracken.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department is aware of research by Professor Lawton of Imperial college at Silwood Park with a non-indigenous moth, Conservula cinsigna, which has a bracken-feeding caterpillar. Professor Lawton has applied for a licence under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, to release the moth in outdoor cages on the college premises. The application is under consideration.

  Fire Regulations
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment for what reasons the Fire Brigades Union, the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association, and the National Association of Fire Officers were not included in the list of bodies to whom the consultation letter was sent by his Department in respect of the Fire and Building Regulations proposed procedural guidance document of 17 October; what alternative arrangements were made to consult these bodies; and if any response has yet been received from them.

  Mr. Key
  All the member bodies of the joint fire prevention committee of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council, which includes those bodies referred to 262
  by the hon. Member, were sent a copy of the Fire and Building Regulations proposed procedural guidance document by the Home Office. I understand that to date no response has been received from any of them.

  Nature Conservancy Agencies
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) when he expects to make a public decision on the resources available to the new nature conservancy agencies;

  (2) what resources he estimates will be required by the new agencies of the Nature Conservancy Council to commence operations; and what resources he is making available to fill these posts.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 8 November that grant-in-aid for the new Nature Conservancy Council for England (NCCE) for 1991–92 has been set provisionally at £32·411 million. This will allow the NCCE not only to undertake the full range of conservation activities inherited from the Nature Conservancy Council but also to add to them or intensify them significantly.

  Announcements about the grant-in-aid to be provided to the new Councils in Scotland and Wales are matters for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales respectively.

  The staffing resources needed by the three new councils in 1991–92 were described by the noble Lady Blatch in a statement made during Report stage of the Environmental Protection Act in another place on 17 October 1990 at columns 895–97. It is primarily the responsibility of the new councils to ensure that sufficient staff are in post when they assume their full functions and duties.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the terms of reference of the Joint Committee on Nature Conservation.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The statutory functions of the three new country agencies which are to he discharged through the joint nature conservation committee are set out in section 133 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. It is for the JNCC in the first instance to develop its detailed programme within the provisions of the Act.

  Bailiffs
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what plans he has to amend the Community Charges (Administration and Enforcement) Regulations 1989 to bring the controls on bailiffs enforcing the community charge into line with those applying to distress for rent; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will monitor items recovered by bailiffs in pursuit of debts owed to local authorities to ensure that items subject to hire purchase or credit sales agreements are not included in such actions; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what plans he has to ensure that before bailiffs take action to recover debts owed to local authorities from mentally or physically disabled people, or from people in hospital or with a language difficulty, they report first to the local authority concerned;

  (4) what plans he has to introduce a code of practice governing the manner in which local authorities use bailiffs; and if he will make a statement;
  263
  (5) what steps he takes to ensure that bailiffs used by local authorities make reasonable efforts to contact debtors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My Department has no plans to change existing regulations on the employment of bailiffs by local authorities. We have issued a practice note to all charging authorities advising them to check the reputation, qualifications and expertise of private firms and to issue guidelines to them on procedures. I understand that the Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation (IRRV) will shortly be incorporating this advice in a revised practice note which contains additional guidance on property and rights of entry. The Institute of Revenues, Rating and Valuation is also preparing a code of practice for discussion amongst local authority associations and the Certified Bailiffs Association which I welcome.

  Spent Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the report which he received several months ago concerning the management and disposal of radioactive spent nuclear fuel.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Two reports have been produced over the last three years concerning the management and disposal of spent nuclear fuel. These are DOE RW87/125 entitled "Magnox fuel dry storage and direct disposal", and DOE RW89/089 entitled "Packaging, storage and direct disposal of spent AGR fuel". Both reports are available from the National Lending Library.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he received the official advice that spent fuel from nuclear reactors would be better put into long-term dry storage then sent for reprocessing; and what account he took of the advice.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have received no such advice.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the net additional cost to local authorities of the changes to employers' national insurance contributions and reimbursement announced in the autumn statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  We do not collect the data which would enable us to predict with any accuracy the extent to which the changes in the level of statutory sick pay reimbursement and reductions in employers' national insurance contributions will cancel each other out for individual authorities. However, the reduction in reimbursements of statutory sick pay represents less than 0·1 per cent. of the total of employers' labour costs.

  Proposed/designated SPA/RAMSAR sites in England

  Site

  Designated SPA

  Designated RAMSAR

  Proposed SPA

  Proposed RAMSAR

  Upper Solway Flats and Marshes

  P 1 October 1986

  P 1 October 1986

  P yes

  P yes

  Irthinghead Mires

  n.a.

  17 July 1985

  —

  —

  Esthwaite Water

  n.a.

  —

  yes

  —

  Leighton Moss

  28 November 1985

  28 November 1985

  —

  —

  Bowland Fells

  —

  n.a.

  yes

  —

  Ribble Estuary

  31 August 1982

  n.a.

  —

  —

  Alt Estuary

  28 November 1985

  28 November 1985

  —

  —

  Martin Mere

  28 November 1985

  28 November 1985

  —

  —

  Lindisfarne

  —

  P 5 January 1976

  yes

  P yes

  Farne Islands

  17 July 1985

  n.a.

  —

  —

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any current proposals for housing action trusts still under discussion.

  Mr. Key
  Discussions are proceeding with the Council and tenants in the London borough of Waltham Forest and Hull city council are consulting tenants about the council's proposal for a housing action trust for the North Hull estate.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money in total his Department has spent on promoting housing action trusts.

  Mr. Key
  No expenditure has been incurred on promoting housing action trusts. In pursuance of the statutory duty under the Housing Act 1988 to hold a ballot of tenants and the need to ensure that the tenants are fully informed of the proposals expenditure of £93,000 has been incurred relating to information material and to ballots.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list any proposals for housing action trusts which have been the subject of a ballot of tenants and the results.

  Mr. Key
  The Electoral Reform Society ran ballots on behalf of the Secretary of State in Sunderland and Southwark.

  The results were as follows:

  In favour of the HAT

  Opposed to the HAT

  Sunderland

  862

  3,506

  Southwark

  496

  1,164

  Wild Birds
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those sites in England which have been either designated or proposed for designation as(a) special protection areas under the EC directive on the conservation of wild birds or (b) Ramsar sites under the convention of wetlands of international importance.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: The following table lists all those sites in England which have to date been formally proposed to Government as either special protection areas or Ramsar sites (or both), indicating where appropriate the date of designation.
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  Site

  Designated SPA

  Designated RAMSAR

  Proposed SPA

  Proposed RAMSAR

  Coquet Island

  17 July 1985

  n.a.

  —

  —

  Holburn Moss

  17 July 1985

  17 July 1985

  —

  —

  Moor House

  31 August 1982

  n.a.

  —

  —

  Derwent Ings

  17 July 1985

  17 July 1985

  —

  —

  Humber Flats, Marsh and Coast

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Mersey Estuary

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Rostherna Mere

  n.a.

  24 July 1981

  —

  —

  Walmore Common

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Rutland Water

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Ouse Washes

  —

  5 January 1976

  yes

  —

  The Wash

  31 March 1988

  31 March 1988

  —

  —

  North Norfolk Coast

  20 January 1989

  20 January 1989

  —

  —

  Bure Marshes

  n.a.

  5 January 1976

  —

  —

  Hickling Broad and Horsey Mere

  n.a.

  5 January 1976

  —

  —

  Redgrave and South Lopham Fens

  n.a.

  —

  —

  yes

  Minsmere-Walberswick

  —

  P 5 January 1976

  yes

  —

  Orfordness-Havergate

  P 31 August 1982

  n.a.

  —

  —

  Chippenham Fen

  n.a.

  —

  —

  yes

  Stour and Orwell Estuary

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Abberton Reservoir

  —

  24 July 1981

  yes

  —

  Benfleet and Southend Marshes

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Exe Estuary

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Chew Valley Lakes

  17 July 1985

  n.a.

  —

  —

  Chesil Beach and The Fleet

  17 July 1985

  17 July 1985

  —

  —

  New Forest

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  Chichester and Langstone Harbours

  28 October 1987

  28 October 1987

  —

  —

  Pagham Harbour

  30 April 1988

  30 April 1988

  —

  —

  Medway Estuary and Marshes

  —

  —

  yes

  yes

  The Swale

  17 July 1985

  17 July 1985

  —

  —

  Dee Estuary

  17 July 1985

  17 July 1985

  —

  —

  Bridgewater Bay

  n.a.

  5 January 1976

  —

  —

  Severn Estuary

  P 5 February 1988

  P 5 February 1988

  P yes

  P yes

  Notes:

  n.a.—Not applicable.

  P—Part of site.

  London Residuary Body
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will assess the likely impact on 1991 levels of poll tax in London boroughs due to the inability of the London residuary body to make available the promised £155·5 million arising from the sale of county hall; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: The effect on the community charge will depend on decisions taken by London boroughs in the light of the failure of the County Hall Development Group to complete the purchase of county hall. In setting their budgets it is for boroughs to decide what account, if any, they should take of capital receipts not yet to hand.

  Crookston Station
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made to date on the consideration by his Department's inquiry reporter of the appeal against planning refusal for the demolition of the listed building known as Crookston Station.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply.

  The papers in connection with this appeal are presently with the Scottish Office inquiry reporters unit and in common with most planning appeals it is proposed that this case be determined by a reporter acting under delegated powers. This appeal is due to be heard at public local inquiry along with an associated planning appeal in respect of proposed residential development on the site of the old station.
  266
  As Glasgow has many appeal cases, it is not possible to fix an inquiry date before February.

  It is expected that a suitable date can be arranged towards the end of February 1990.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Libel
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Attorney-General when the recommendation in the Faulks committee report 1977 that the defence of innocent dissemination should be available to printers in libel cases will be implemented.

  The Attorney-General
  In a consultation paper published in July 1990 the Lord Chancellor invited views on whether the defence of innocent dissemination should be made available to printers. The consultation period has recently ended, and he is now considering the responses he has received.

  Law Centres
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Attorney-General what consideration he has given to providing national funding for law centres.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has asked the Legal Aid Board to consider the position of law centres in the context of improving access to legal services generally.

  Bailiffs
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will set upper limits on the expenses which bailiffs may claim against debtors; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell on 21 November 1990 at column 125. There are at present no plans to increase the fees, charges and expenses which may be recovered under the Distress for Rent Rules 1988.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will establish a unit to receive complaints against private bailiffs and advertise its address and telephone number to the public;

  (2) what steps he takes to consult consumers' organisations and advice agencies before agreeing to changes in the charges imposed by bailiffs; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 21 November 1990 at column 125.

  Belmarsh Prison (Court Complex)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Attorney-General when he now expects the court complex associated with Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh to be in operation.

  The Attorney-General
  The contractor's programme, together with a period for fitting out the building, provides that the Crown court at Woolwich will be in operation in October 1992.

TRANSPORT

  Public Transport, London
  Mr. Ground
  To ask Secretary of State for Transport what measures are planned to improve public transport in London.

  Mr. Parkinson
  We have set the public transport operators two challenges. To improve every aspect of their existing services; and to achieve historic increases in capacity. To these ends we have set tough quality of service objectives; massively increased the resources available for investment; and approved the building of major new lines. And we have announced legislation designed to create the clear roads needed to run attractive bus services.

  New Motorways
  Mr. Knox
  To ask Secretary of State for Transport how much has been spent on new motorway construction in each of the past four years at constant prices.

  Mr. Chope
  Capital expenditure on motorways, at 1990–91 prices, was £466 million in 1986–87, £398 million in 1987–88, £459 million in 1988–89 and £576 million in 1989–90.

  Road Safety
  Mr. David Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures are being taken to educate children in road safety.
  268
  Mr. McLoughlin
  We believe all schools should teach road safety as an integral part of the national curriculum. We have a wide range of teaching material and are developing guidelines to help local authorities organise road safety education in schools.

  Official Visits
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will pay an official visit to Southend-on-Sea by train.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have written to my hon. Friend that I should be happy to do so.

  Transport Expenditure
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by how much expenditure on transport will increase over the next three years.

  Mr. Parkinson
  In the areas where I have responsibility investment on transport will increase from some £9½ billion in the three years to April 1991 to nearly £16 billion in the three years to April 1994.

  Bus Services
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding bus services in rural areas and off-peak hours.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have received very few representations about bus services in rural areas and in off-peak hours. Bus mileage overall has increased by 19 per cent. and local authorities are able to subsidise those socially necessary services which are not provided by operators on a commercial basis.

  Rail Freight
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent discussions he has had with British Rail on rail freight infrastructure.

  Mr. Freeman
  We are continuing to encourage British Rail to build on the strengths of rail freight, which are primarily in bulk trainload traffic. Where there are sound commercial prospects, we are backing the necessary investment. In the autumn statement we have endorsed over £600 million of investment in rail freight over the next three years.

  Light Rapid Transit (Nottingham)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assistance his Department has given to the proposal for a light rapid transit system in Nottingham.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Officials in the Department of Transport have had a number of discussions with the promoters of this project on how best to work up their proposals.

  Bedford Bypass
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are his current plans for bypassing Bedford; and if he will make a statement on the timetable.
  269
  Mr. Chope
  My Department has two schemes for bypassing Bedford—Bedford southern bypass and Bedford western bypass.

  Tenders for the construction of Bedford southern bypass are programmed to be invited in 1992. The scheme is due to be completed in 1995, following a two-year construction period. The programme for a Bedford western bypass depends largely on the outcome of our consideration of the results of Bedfordshire county and North Bedfordshire borough council's public consultation exercise on an outer western option, together with analysis of recent traffic survey data. We expect to announce the results of that consideration early next year.

  Transport Investment
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what he estimates will be the total level of transport investment in the United Kingdom, in real terms, over the next three years; and what were the comparable figures for the last three years.

  Mr. Parkinson
  In the areas where I have responsibility, approximately 14 billion pounds at 1990–91 prices is planned in the next three years compared with some 10 billion pounds in the last three years.

  Humber Bridge
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest estimate he has as to the current level of debt being carried by the Humber bridge board.

  Mr. Chope
  The debt on the Humber bridge at 31 March 1990 was about £373 million.

  British Rail (West Midlands)
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the public subsidy to the British Rail provincial network in the west midlands sector in 1979 and 1989.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The public service obligation grant payable to British Rail is a block grant, and cannot be attributed to any individual area of service. Services in the area covered by the west midlands passenger transport authority are subsidised by them under section 20 of the Transport Act 1968. In 1989–90 this subsidy totalled more than £12 million.

  Bus Routes, London
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next plans to meet the chair of the London Buses board to discuss bus routes in London.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend and I have regular meetings with the chairmen of London Transport and London Buses Limited. Both the Government and London Transport believe that buses have a major contribution to make to meeting London's public transport needs, and we frequently discuss ways of furthering this goal.

  Road Casualties
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to meet his road casualty reduction target of a reduction in road casualties by one third by the year 2000.

  Mr. Chope
  I set out in the road safety debate on 16 November the wide range of measures which we have in hand for reducing road accident casualties.

  British Rail (Investment)
  Mr. Holt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much British Rail will invest over the next three years; and what were the comparable figures for the previous three years.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have given British Rail an investment ceiling of £4 billion cash over the next three years. This represents £3·65 billion at 1990–91 prices, a 58 per cent. real increase on the comparable figure, £2·3 billion, for the previous three years.

  London Transport (Investment)
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much London Transport will invest over the next three years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Approaching £3 billion. That is equivalent to well over £400 per head for every man, woman and child in the greater London area.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has of the average speed of(a) passenger and freight trains running between Glasgow and the continent once the channel tunnel is open and (b) TGV trains between Lille, Lyon and Paris running to Britain.

  Mr. Freeman
  The average speed for the proposed Glasgow to Paris night sleeper will be about 65 mph. Convenient departure and arrival times will matter more than speed. The average speed of passenger trains between Lille and London will be 90 mph, between Paris and London 100 mph, and on the daytime through service between Paris and Edinburgh will be 85 mph. SNCF do not propose to run direct services from Lyon to London. International freight trains will be able to travel both in the United Kingdom and in France at a maximum speed of 75 mph.

  Regional Airports
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on his policy towards greater use of regional airports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government encourage the maximum use of regional airports, both to meet local demand and to relieve pressure on the London airports.

  Over the past decade some £450 million of capital expenditure has been facilitated through special borrowing approvals for the development of local authority airports. Special borrowing approvals totalling £59 million are available for 1990–91, facilitating investment which the

  271
  airports concerned estimate could total some £149 million this year. For 1991–92 £87 million worth of special borrowing approvals will be available, facilitating investment which the airports concerned estimate could total some £179 million in that year.

  We also very much welcome the contribution to the development of local authority airports which the private sector already makes through direct investment and joint venture schemes; and we continue to look to the airports concerned and their local authority owners to take full account of the opportunities for private sector involvement as they formulate their plans for further expansion.

  The working group now being established to take forward the Civil Aviation Authority's recent advice on long term United Kingdom airport capacity is to examine regional airports, role in meeting overall growth in demand into the next century.

  We are continuing to pursue liberalisation policies, both in the European Community and in bilateral negotiations, which increase further the scope for services from our regional airports.

  Black Country Spine Road
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has yet concluded his financial review of the black country spine road between West Bromwich and Wednesbury; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The review is making good progress but is not yet complete. A decision will be announced as soon as possible.

  Road Casualties
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in tabular form the number of road deaths for each year from 1970 to 1989, inclusive, showing(a) total figures and (b) by category of (i) car drivers, (ii) car passengers, (iii) lorry drivers, (iv) lorry passengers, (v) motor cyclists, (vi) motor cycle passengers, (vii) other occupants of motor vehicles, (viii) cyclists, (ix) pedestrians, (x) bus drivers and (xi) bus passengers.

  Mr. Chope
  I have placed a copy of the information requested in the Library.

  RAF Bentwaters
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will indicate the cost of road realignments and improvements which affect access to RAF Bentwaters in Suffolk.

  Mr. Chope
  Improvements planned in the vicinity of the base are on the A1152 road for which Suffolk county council is the local highway authority.

  My Department will ask the council to provide the hon. Member with the information requested.

  Dock Workers
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many dockers are employed in handling coal produced in Britain.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No information is collected centrally about the number of dock workers handling specific commodities. In 1989, there were five ports at which 272
  British coal accounted for over 40 per cent. by weight of goods loaded in the port: Tyne, Blyth, Ayr, Garston and Workington. These ports accounted for 84 per cent. of the coal shipped from all British ports. The latest available survey of port manpower, carried out in March 1989, showed that 308 dock workers were employed in these ports.

  Public Service Vehicles
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to publicise clause 4 of the Public Service Vehicles (Conduct of Drivers, Inspectors, Conductors and Passengers) Regulations 1990.

  Mr. Freeman
  Regulation 4 was fully publicised in the Press Notice issued on 11 May 1990 when the regulations were laid before Parliament. Publicity was also given in the trade press. I have no plans for further publicity.

  Fishing Boat Antares
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make an urgent statement on the incident involving the fishing boat Antares and a royal naval submarine off the coast of Arran in the early morning of 22 November; if he will institute an inquiry into the incident; and what action he is now taking to ensure there are no further similar incidents.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces made a statement to the House on 23 November about this incident. An inspector from the marine accident investigation branch commenced an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the loss of the fishing vessel Antares on the same day. A separate inquiry is being carried out by the Royal Navy. The results of these inquiries will be given urgent consideration to see what lessons can be learnt.

  Airports, South-East
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps have been taken towards identifying possible locations for additional runway capacity to serve the south-east, following the publication by the Civil Aviation Authority in CAP 570 of advice on the adequacy of airport capacity in the longer term.

  Mr. Parkinson
  I announced in July my intention to establish a working group to examine the wider implications of development at airports identified by the Civil Aviation Authority in CAP 570 as likely to be able in air traffic control terms to accommodate additional air traffic. Work has since been going forward on the group's terms of reference, structure and membership.

  I have concluded that the terms of reference for the group should be:
  "To evaluate the wider implications of developing additional runway capacity at the sites identified by the Civil Aviation Authority in Cap 570 as likely to be feasible for such development in air traffic control and airspace terms;
  "To have regard to the considerations, including the environmental considerations, which led the Government in 1985 to the view that second runways should not be built at either Gatwick or Stansted; and to the relevance of those considerations at Heathrow and at other airports;

  273
  "To test the Authority's conclusions in CAP 570 on the contribution of regional airports, and to gauge the extent to which these airports can play a part in meeting the overall demand into the next century;
  "And in the light of these considerations to advise the Secretary of State on the possible courses".

  I intend that the group should be chaired by a senior official from my department, and that it should be assisted by four subgroups addressing, for each of the locations identified in CAP 570, the implications for regional development and the environment; for aircraft noise; for surface access; and capital costs, lead times and other practical and technical considerations. The first of these subgroups will be chaired by the Department of the Environment, the second and third by my own department and the last by the CAA.

  Invitations to join the working group or one of its subgroups have today been sent to a variety of organisations. We have asked SERPLAN to co-ordinate the local authority input, and have also sought the involvement of the Kent Economic Development Board. To represent the interests of airports we have issued invitations to the Airport Operators Association, BAA plc and the Joint Airports Committee of Local Authorities. We have in particular asked JACOLA to take the lead in assessing the contribution of regional airports. The International Air Transport Association, the International Air Carrier Association and the British Air Transport Association have been invited to represent airlines.

  We have asked the Association of British Travel Agents, the British Tourist Authority and the Air Transport Users Committee to represent, respectively, the interests of the travel and tourism industries and of consumers of air services (passenger and cargo).

  To ensure a thorough examination of the important environmental implications of airport development we have extended invitations to a number of bodies and organisations. These are the Federation of Heathrow Anti-Noise Groups; the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign, the North West Essex and East Herts Preservation Association; and the Airfield Environment Federation. We have also invited the participation of the chairmen of the consultative committees at each of the airports in question.

  The local management of the different airports have been asked to contribute to the work of the airport technical subgroup, and British Rail and London Regional Transport have been invited to join the subgroup which will consider surface access. Finally, the working group will involve officials from the CAA and from the trade and industry, employment, defence and agriculture departments, as well as from my own department and the Department of the Environment.

  I am confident that the expertise of those we have invited will enable the group to engage fully with the many issues it will address. Inevitably, it has not been possible to offer places to all of those wishing to participate. I hope that many of those not included will be able to put views forward through the various representative organisations on the group. I also intend to initiate shortly a wider, written consultation, to ensure the group has access to the views of others with an interest in the issues. The results of this consultation will be an important contribution to the group's work.

  Once we have heard from those invited to join the group arrangements can go forward for the first of the meetings. I expect this to take place early next year.

  London Underground (Crime)
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide the figures for the number of violent crimes committed on the London underground for the years 1989 and 1990; and if he will list the initiatives that have been taken by London Underground to reduce the incidence of violent crime.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand from the British Transport Police that in 1989 there were 1,755 crimes of violence on the London underground. During that time some 765 million passenger journeys were made. In the 10 months to 31 October 1990, the number of crimes of violence was 1,137. This represents a 22 per cent. reduction compared with the same period for 1989 and continues the downward trend for such crimes. Crimes of violence have been defined as robbery and assaults on passengers, staff and police.

  A programme of passenger security measures has been introduced at thirteen pilot scheme stations on the Northern line, Central line and at Oxford Circus to assess the effectiveness of various anti-crime measures at different types of station. These involve:

  —trained staff with personal radios

  —help-point booths

  —passenger help-point alarm panels

  —closed circuit television and video monitoring

  —supervised safe waiting areas

  —mirrors and improved lighting

  Similiar measures will be implemented in 1991 at stations between Hammersmith and Paddington on the Hammersmith and City line. London Underground is also planning to extend these measures to other stations throughout the network. In addition a new communication network is being provided at 123 stations which will enable the police to use radios underground. The complement of the British Transport Police's (BTP) London Underground division has been increased to 400 and area police stations established. These enhancements enable the BTP to mount increased numbers of patrols which, together with the new culture of co-operation between staff and the BTP, will improve the effectiveness of community policing on the Underground.

  London Underground (Grant)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total Government grant to London Underground in the current financial year; how much it will be in 1991–92; and how much of this grant has been set aside for the repair of escalators.

  Mr. Freeman
  Total grant to London Transport, in 1990–91 will be £474 million. In 1991–92 it will be £669 million. It is for London Transport to decide how that grant should be distributed to its subsidiaries, and it is for London Underground to decide how much to spend on the repair of escalators. The Government do not earmark specific amounts of grant for specific purposes. I understand that in 1990–91 London Underground will spend approximately £11 million on the repair of escalators.

  Winchester Bypass
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the fatality figures, including major injuries, over the last 10 years on the Winchester bypass.
  275
  Mr. Chope
  The number of recorded accidents, in the stated categories, on the A33 Winchester bypass from its junction with the A27 (M3) to A31 Compton in each of the last six years were:

  Year

  Fatal injuries

  Serious injuries

  1984

  2

  8

  1985

  3

  8

  1986

  0

  12

  1987

  1

  5

  1988

  1

  3

  1989

  1

  3

  Figures for years before 1984 are not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  M3
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current approximate date for the completion of the entire M3 motorway; and if he will take steps to prevent any further delays.

  Mr. Chope
  The section of M3 at present under construction between Compton and Bassett is expected to be completed in autumn next year. Subject to completion of the remaining statutory procedures we will start work on the final section at Winchester as soon as possible which unfortunately cannot now be until 1992.

  Road Journey Times
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the average time taken on a daytime car journey between central London and central Birmingham; what was the corresponding time in 1975, 1980 and 1985; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  My Department does not have estimates of these journey-times, for 1990 or for the earlier years mentioned.

  Roadside Crash Cushions
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his policy on the use of roadside crash cushions and the development of an appropriate performance specification for roadside crash cushions.

  Mr. Chope
  The policy for crash cushions, as for any road safety equipment, is to provide such equipment where it can be shown to be cost-effective to do so, to a performance specification consistent with our international obligations and agreements.

  Air Traffic Controllers
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if any action has been taken following the report of the committee looking into the control of fatigue amongst air traffic controllers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation rests with the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). I am advised by the CAA that all air traffic control units within the United Kingdom have been informed that a scheme to regulate controllers' hours based on the CRATCOH report, will be implemented on 1 October 1991. A letter of intent to 276
  implement such regulations was despatched by the CAA in September 1990. One year has been allowed in order that ATC may bring their staff levels up to the strength recommended in the report.

  British Rail Hotels
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if British Rail has any plans to sell its remaining hotel interests; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail still owns the freeholds of 11 hotels. Nine, all at stations, are leased to the private sector on 125-year leases. British Rail considers it essential to retain the freeholds in case it becomes necessary to carry out work on the stations. The other two hotels are the Great Northern at King's Cross and the Great Eastern at Liverpool Street both in London. Management of both these hotels is contracted to the private sector. British Rail's plans for the passenger concourse at King's Cross would require the demolition of the Great Northern hotel. British Rail does not consider it opportune to dispose of the Great Eastern hotel at present, but will be looking carefully at the possibility of doing so as development work is completed at Liverpool Street station and on the Broadgate site.

  Kuwaiti Aircraft
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made the necessary arrangements to seize any of the Kuwaiti transport aircraft which have been taken from Kuwait by the Iraqi Government if they enter United Kingdom air space or territory; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Arrangements have been made for any such aircraft found at an airport in this country to be detained and returned to its owners.

  British Airways Aircraft, Kuwait
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has made to the International Civil Aviation Organisation about the hijacking of the British Airways 747 aircraft and its passengers and crew by the Iraqi Government at Kuwait airport on 2 August.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The British delegation to the International Civil Aviation Organisation raised this matter at the October ICAO Assembly. The delegation called on the Iraqis to release the passengers and crew of the British Airways flight. In a resolution adopted condemning the plunder of Kuwait international airport the delegation secured the inclusion of wording calling upon Iraq to facilitate the early recovery by their owners of foreign-registered aircraft stranded at the airport.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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;

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  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. Leigh
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of staff employed full-time 16 November 1990

  Number of staff employed part-time 16 November 1990

  Total estimated cost 1989–90

  Total estimated cost 1990–91

  £

  £

  1

  6

  247,300

  112,000

  The lower estimated costs for 1990–91 result from reductions both planned and already made in the staffing provision for civil defence work. The staff concerned have been or will be transferred to other work. Further consideration will be given to staffing and expenditure on this work when my right hon. and learned Friend the Home Secretary has completed the review, which he announced on 16 October, of the options for civil defence arrangements in the light of east-west relations.

  Recycling
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what incentives he will bring forward to persuade industry to use recyclable materials.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department fully recognises the importance of providing outlets for recycled materials, and that industry should use materials which are themselves recyclable, in order to ensure the achievement of the Government's recycling targets. We have taken, and are continuing to take, a wide range of initiatives to this end. These include conferences and literature to encourage businesses to design products with recycling in mind; assisting the development of new industry standards to encourage the use of recyclable and recycled products; and, as my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 27 September, the introduction of new schemes of support for businesses in the environmental area which embrace recycling technology. In addition, we are commissioning research activity to identify the scope for greater use and application of recyclable materials, and we are in active discussion with many industrial sectors to identify ways to stimulate recycling.

  Audit Procedures
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward legislation to require firms auditing a public limited company to file information with regulatory bodies.

  Mr. Redwood
  We have no such plans. However, I expect that all applications for recognition from supervisory bodies for auditors under the Companies Act 1989 will include requirements as to the filing of information with them by audit firms.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department makes any financial contribution towards the running of the Auditing Practices Committee.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  ECGD
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to ensure that Export Credits Guarantee Department's claims outstanding from small and medium sized firms as a result of the Gulf crisis are dealt with as fast as possible.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  ECGD is examining claims as fast as possible within the terms of its guarantees with the objective of making payments in respect of valid claims to exporters at the end of the appropriate claims waiting period.

  Children's Clothing (Safety)
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what safety regulations apply to children's nightdresses and pyjamas; and what recent cases there have been whereby injury has been caused to children due to the lack of flame retardants in these articles of clothing.

  Mr. Leigh
  Under the Nightwear (Safety) Regulations 1985 (as amended in 1987) children's nightdresses must pass a test for low flammability. Pyjamas do not have to comply with the flammability standard, but they must carry a permanent label showing whether or not they meet that standard. Garments can achieve low flammability through use of fabrics which are inherently fire resistant or by adding a fire retardant treatment to the fabric.

  My Department's home accident surveillance system (HASS) monitors accidents receiving attention at the accident and emergency departments of 22 hospitals in England and Wales. HASS statistics for 1988 (the latest year for which data is complete) record two accidents in which children required hospital treatment for burn injuries after their nightwear caught fire. In one case the child was wearing pyjamas and in the other a nightdress was being worn. There is no record in these particular cases whether or not the garments were flame retarded.

  Motor Vehicle Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle manufacturing industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

  Mr. Leigh
  The number of people employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle manufacturing industry is shown in the table.

  Government policy for the motor industry, as for industry as a whole, is to set the framework for free and fair competition and the encouragement of enterprise.

  Numbers employed in the United Kingdom motor vehicle manufacturing industry 1979–90

  Year

  Employees (Thousands)

  June

  1979

  466·3

  1980

  437·1

  1981

  365·7

  1982

  318·0

  1983

  299·0

  1984

  280·8

  1985

  274·0

  1986

  265·8

  279

  Year

  Employees (Thousands)

  1987

  260·0

  1988

  269·1

  1989

  270·8

  1990

  268·3

  Note:

  The employment figures are those under the Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) heading 35, "Motor vehicles and their parts". Thus the figures include employees in the large automotive components sector. However, the actual employment figure will be higher when taking into account the manufacture of components not separately identifiable as specific to the motor industry.

  Steel Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom steel industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Department of Employment estimate the number of people employed in the United Kingdom steel industry in each year since 1979 as:

  Year

  Employees (Thousands)

  June

  1979

  422·1

  1980

  383·6

  1981

  314·0

  1982

  284·9

  1983

  284·4

  1984

  240·2

  1985

  231·6

  1986

  215·1

  1987

  206·3

  1988

  209·5

  1989

  215·7

  1990

  216·0

  The figures above are the sum of the Department of Employment's estimates for the following industries, classified according to the 1980 Standard Industrial Classification: iron and steel industry (group 221); ferrous metal foundries (activity heading 3111); forging, pressing and stamping (group 312); and industrial plant and steelwork (group 320). There are, in addition, various industries associated with the manufacture and processing of steel for which separate estimates for the dates specified are not available.

  Government policy towards the steel industry, as for industry as a whole, is to set a framework for free and fair competition and the encouragement of enterprise.

  Industry Council
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the matters expected to be discussed at the next meeting of the European Community Industry Council on 26 November.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 November 1990]: The Industry Council on 26 November, which Lord Hesketh will attend on behalf of the United Kingdom, is expected to discuss a Commission communication to the Council on industrial policy, a draft directive on aid for the Community shipbuilding industry, and a Commission proposal to extend the patent term for pharmaceuticals.
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  The Commission are also expected to make statements on the industrial impact of the Uruguay round, on the European semi-conductor industry, on the arts and crafts industry, on small and medium sized enterprises and on the future of the ECSC treaty.

  Company Accounts (Environmental Information)
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what studies his Department has commissioned, or intends to commission, on what proportion of companies in the United Kingdom carry out an environmental audit or publish environmental information in their annual accounts; and if he intends to publish the results of any studies.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 November 1990]: The Government encourage companies to use the management technique of environmental audit as part of comprehensive action to assess and improve their environmental performance. The Government also welcome the growth in the number of companies voluntarily publishing more information about their environmental performance. I am aware of a number of reports by commercial and other organisations which include information about environmental auditing and reporting by business. However, my Department has not commissioned—nor are there any plans to commission—a systematic study of the number of companies in the United Kingdom which are using environmental audits or publishing environmental information, for example in their annual report and accounts.

  Department Inspectors (Unpublished Reports)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any unpublished reports of his Department's inspectors criticise any of the auditors, solicitors, bankers, brokers underwriters or other advisers involved in the matters on which the reports have been produced.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 22 November 1990]: I cannot disclose details of unpublished reports.

WALES

  "How Green was my Valley"
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department's library will obtain a copy of "How Green was my Valley", published by the Council for the Protection of Rural Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department's library already holds a copy of this report.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current poll tax payment rates in each local authority area in Wales, as percentage figures; and if he will indicate the numbers that have only paid one poll tax instalment in each instance.

  Mr. Grist
  Information relating to numbers of community charge payers making payments is not available centrally.

  Green Belts and National Parks
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to designate green belt areas in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  Green belts are established through development plans. As responsibility for preparing such plans rests with local planning authorities so too does the initiation of Green Belts. My right hon. Friend has recently invited the Assembly of Welsh Counties, in collaboration with other bodies, to assess the potential role which green belts might play in the proper planning of Wales and to report to him. To launch this exercise my right hon. Friend is convening a conference to be held in January 1991.

  Higher Education
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of students at each public sector higher education college in Wales during 1989–90; and how many of these students were normally resident in Wales, in total numbers and as a percentage of the main student body.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information for the academic year 1989–90 is shown in the following table:

  Students on higher education courses in Wales

  Resident Welsh students1 on higher education courses

  Resident Welsh students as a percentage of higher education students

  The Polytechnic of Wales

  6,219

  3,388

  54

  South Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education

  3,618

  2,533

  70

  Gwent College of Higher Education

  3,618

  2,863

  79

  North East Wales Institute of Higher Education

  2,962

  1,875

  63

  West Glamorgan Institute of Higher Education

  2,825

  2,277

  81

  Trinity College

  691

  487

  70

  Normal College of Higher Education

  643

  534

  83

  Carmarthen College of Technology and Art

  392

  336

  86

  Welsh College of Music and Drama

  293

  98

  33

  Bridgend College of Technology

  231

  230

  100

  Gwynedd Technical College

  181

  181

  100

  Llandrillo Technical College

  143

  122

  85

  Newport College of Further Education

  110

  102

  93

  Pontypridd Technical College

  107

  106

  99

  Ebbw Vale College of Further Education

  92

  92

  100

  Welsh Agricultural College

  78

  43

  55

  Merthyr Tydfil Technical College

  63

  63

  100

  Neath College

  52

  52

  100

  Pembrokeshire College of Further Education

  41

  41

  100

  282

  Students on higher education courses in Wales

  Resident Welsh students1 on higher education courses

  Resident Welsh students as a percentage of higher education students

  Crosskeys Tertiary College

  32

  32

  100

  Aberdare College of Further Education

  31

  31

  100

  Afan College

  14

  14

  100

  Ystrad Mynach College of Further Education

  10

  10

  100

  Ceredigion College of Further Education

  9

  9

  100

  Total Wales

  22,455

  15,519

  69

  1 Students whose home (grant-awarding) local authority is in Wales.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with British Rail concerning the need to upgrade rail services between(a) Newport and Shrewsbury, (b) Shrewsbury and Wrexham, (c) Wrexham and Bidston and (d) Chester and Wrexham; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I consult regularly with the chairman of British Rail on a wide range of rail issues. However, the upgrading of services is a matter for determination by British Rail.

  Education Authorities (Land Sales)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the property and land sold by each of the local education authorities of Wales, giving the moneys realised at each transaction for each year since 1980.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Green Belts and National Parks
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning his policy towards the retention of existing green belts and national parks in Wales.

  Mr. Grist
  In December 1989 the Countryside Commission announced a major review of the means by which national parks' purposes are pursued. The review, which was endorsed by my right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, is expected to make recommendations on the way forward for the parks into the next century. There are no green belts in Wales.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines are issued by his Department to local education authorities in Wales concerning the optimum size of any new primary schools, and as to whether these should, in any circumstances, have a capacity in excess of 500 pupils.
  283
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Abattoirs
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the abattoirs in Wales currently available for the slaughter of lambs for export to mainland Europe; if he has any proposals to provide part or full funding for new abattoirs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The following abattoirs in Wales are currently available for the slaughter of lambs for export to mainland Europe: Fairfield Meat Co, Maelor Abattoir, Marchwiel, Wrexham, Clwyd; Oriel Jones and Son Ltd, Teifi Park Abattoir, Llanybydder, Dyfed; and United Meat Packers (Wales) Ltd, Gaerwen Industrial Estate, Anglesey, Gwynedd.

  Schemes for new abattoirs may be assisted by way of regional enterprise grants (if they are located in development areas and employ fewer than 25 people), or they could qualify for regional selective assistance (essentially if they create or safeguard employment and offer a distinct regional or national benefit). However, there are EC restrictions on the granting of support towards projects which increase United Kingdom slaughter capacity unless compensating reductions in capacity can be demonstrated.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals to widen the role of the Development Board for Rural Wales to include strategic planning and support for the agriculture industry in north and mid Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no such proposals. These responsibilities are a matter for my agriculture department.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what information he has about the number of renal patients who satisfy the criteria of the Renal Association of Great Britain, and approved by the Department of Health, for treatment with Erythropoietin; and what percentage is receiving it;

  (2) how much additional money he has made available to health authorities for the newly approved drug Erythropoietin to be prescribed; and what estimate he has made of the number of renal patients who will be treated as a result.

  Mr. Grist
  Information on the number of renal patients who satisfy the criteria for treatment with Erythropoietin is not held centrally, nor is information on the number of patients receiving it. Recurrent funding of £390,000 per annum has been made available to health authorities in Wales which manage the regional main renal units to support the provision of Erythropoietin. However, the prescription of Erythropoietin is a matter of clinical judgment and I am unable to estimate the number of patients who will be treated.

  Educational Psychologists
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what considerations led him to discontinue national priority status for the training of educational psychologists in the 1991–92 grants for educational support and training programme.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  All Welsh LEAs were invited in a letter from the Department dated 18 October 1990 to bid for the initial training of educational psychologists in 1991–92. Several bids have been received which are being considered.

  Asthma
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will commission research on the health effects of fine dust particulates from industrial and extracting industries and as to any relationship between the presence of certain types of dust in the atmosphere and the incidence of asthma.

  Mr. Grist
  Health and safety matters are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the totals of planning appeals heard by his inspectors in each of the past eight years, and the totals of their decisions to approve or reject.

  Mr. Grist
  The information is set out in the table:

  Heard

  Approved

  Rejected

  1982

  678

  183

  495

  1983

  620

  231

  389

  1984

  610

  222

  388

  1985

  581

  244

  337

  1986

  811

  335

  476

  1987

  747

  263

  484

  1988

  1,007

  321

  686

  1989

  1,177

  367

  810

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales on what date he received an expression of interest from Pembrokeshire health authority in reconstituting the whole authority as a national health service unit.

  Mr. Grist
  An initial submission was received on 8 October. Further information was submitted on 16 November.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he proposes for the full review of the mental handicap strategy in 1991–92 proposed in the Welsh chapter of the White Paper, "Caring for People—Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond."

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Office has today issued a letter setting out the arrangements for the review and invited comments on key issues which are set out in a detailed paper. Copies of these documents have been
  285
  placed in the Library. The review will enable me to take decisions about the next steps in ensuring the maintenance and development of quality services for people in Wales with mental handicaps before the end of the strategy's initially programmed 10 years in March 1993.

ENERGY

  Coal Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom coal industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

  Mr. Baldry
  British Coal is by far the largest single employer in the United Kingdom coal industry, and the numbers employed by the Corporation since 1979 are set out in the annual report which is available in the Library of the House.

  Decisions on British Coal manpower levels are a commercial matter for the corporation.

  Multiple Share Applications
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 21 November, what is his estimate of the likely completion date of the investigations into multiple share applications for British Gas.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Investigations into multiple share applications for British Gas shares are a matter for the police.

  Coal Supplies
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects next to discuss with the chairman of National Power an increase in the coal price to be paid to members of the South Wales Small Mines Association by National Power.

  Mr. Baldry
  My discussions with the chairman of National Power are confidential.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy on how many occasions he has requested the competition directorate of the European Commission to expedite its adjudication of the discrimination complaint regarding coal supplies to the electricity industry made by the South Wales Small Mines Association.

  Mr. Baldry
  The handling of the complaint made by the South Wales Small Mines Association is a matter for the Commission.

  PowerGen
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what severance payment is to be paid to Robert Malpas on his resignation as chairman of PowerGen; and whether he was consulted on the sums involved.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan) on 23 November at column 251.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the salary of the new chairman of PowerGen; how 286
  many days a week Sir Graham Day will be working for PowerGen; and what terms have been agreed for fixing his salary after the privatisation of PowerGen.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Sir Graham Day's salary as chairman of PowerGen is £110,000 per year.

  Sir Graham will be devoting around two days a week to PowerGen over the year as a whole. Greater calls on his time in the period up to flotation are expected to be balanced by a reduced involvement later on.

  No terms have been agreed for fixing his salary after the privatisation of PowerGen.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the salary of the former chairman of PowerGen; how many days a week Robert Malpas worked for PowerGen; and what terms had been agreed for fixing his salary after the privatisation of PowerGen.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Mr. Malpas's salary was £157,321 per year. He worked three days per week at PowerGen. No terms had been agreed for fixing his salary after the privatisation of PowerGen.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he was consulted on the appointment of the new chairman of PowerGen;

  (2) what information he has on the reasons for the resignation of the chairman of PowerGen.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 22 November at column 177.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received in recent weeks from PowerGen regarding a management-led employee buyout.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Energy Conservation (Schools)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what advice on energy conservation he has given to education authorities and school governors operating local financial management.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am writing shortly to all headteachers in the United Kingdom with advice on how to bring down energy costs in schools. The Department of Education and Science has already contributed to a number of seminars for headteachers on energy efficiency in schools and plans are being drawn up for further seminars next year.

  THORP Plant
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be(a) the additional cost or (b) savings to (i) domestic and (ii) commercial users of electricity when the THORP is commissioned in 1992; and what is his estimate of its effect on the national economy.

  Mr. Baldry
  The commissioning of the THORP plant will have no effect on the price of electricity charged to consumers. The facility will support work for about 1,400 people and British Nuclear Fuels plc has ensured THORP's profitability by winning some £6,000 million in orders for its first 10 years of operation, including some £4,000 million from overseas customers.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what will be the cost of the incentive electricity vouchers and alternative bonus shares issued to purchasers of shares in the electricity distribution companies.

  Mr. Baldry
  The cost will depend on the number of people applying for shares and on the number who hold on to their shares.

  Low-energy Light Bulbs
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he has taken to encourage Government Departments and other public authorities to install low-energy light bulbs in their buildings.

  Mr. Baldry
  As part of the Government's initiative to improve energy efficiency on the Government estate my energy efficiency office gives advice, and encourages Departments to take all cost-effective energy efficiency measures available. In my Department's Palace street building low-energy light bulbs have been fitted, and other Departments have taken similar measures.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Disabled Students
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students confined to a wheelchair are currently enrolled in primary and secondary schools; and what information he has on the number unable to be offered places due to lack of funds or facilities.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not collected centrally. It is for local education authorities to determine their own policies to accomplish the integration of pupils with physical disabilities in ordinary schools.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many deaf-blind students are currently enrolled in primary and secondary schools; what provisions have been made for them; and what plans for improvement are to be implemented in the near future.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Precise identification of deaf-blind students is difficult because the degrees of deafness and blindness vary and may be combined with learning difficulties and physical disabilities. These make accurate diagnosis difficult. The latest information available to the Department is that some 800 deaf-blind pupils are currently enrolled in all maintained, including special, schools. Responsibility for educational provision for deaf-blind students rests with local education authorities.

  In 1989 the Department issued a policy statement on the educational needs of these children, which is intended to provide a framework within which local education authorities and bodies responsible for non-maintained schools will be able to plan services and make suitable provision for deaf-blind students. We have undertaken a consultation exercise with local education authorities to follow up the policy statement, and are proposing, a joint seminar with SENSE early in 1991 to disseminate the results of that exercise.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the estimated figures of 288
  primary or secondary age blind-deaf students on waiting lists to be admitted to special schools and how long is the average wait for admittance.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Educational Psychologists
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what considerations led him to maintain national priority status for the training of educational psychologists in the 1991–92 grants for educational support and training programme.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Local education authorities employ educational psychologists to undertake a range of important functions including the fulfilment of their statutory obligations, under the Education Act 1981, relating to the assessment of, and provision of education for, children with special educational needs. The specific funding for local education authorities under the grants for educational support and training programme for the training of educational psychologists is designed to encourage and assist the maintenance of a national stock of suitably qualified people.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the latest estimates of current expenditure on the student loans scheme, disaggregated into (i) administrative costs, (ii) advances to students and (iii) expenditure on access funds; what were the original public expenditure forecasts for these items; and what are the reasons for the variations.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  There has been no change in the approved Estimates provision for 1990–91 of a total of £147·6 million for student loans. This provision is for the United Kingdom and comprises £130·6 million for loans to students and £17·0 million for the establishment and administration of the student loans scheme. Total United Kingdom provision for access funds is £25·5 million. This provision includes an additional £10 million approved by Parliament in March 1990, to give higher education institutions greater scope for extending discretionary assistance to students.

  Council of Europe
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many nations within the Council of Europe were represented by Ministers at the third conference of Ministers responsible for youth, in Lisbon on 19 to 22 September; which Ministers represented the United Kingdom; and what action the Government intends to take to implement the decisions of the conference.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Eighteen member states of the Council of Europe were represented by Ministers at the Lisbon conference on youth mobility. The United Kingdom, which was represented by officials, abstained from voting on the conference resolutions. The United Kingdom Government recognise the potential benefits of freedom of movement in Europe, and will explore how best to mitigate or overcome specific barriers to youth
  289
  mobility within existing legal provisions. We do not consider however that formal international legal instruments provide the best means to achieve this. I have placed in the Library a copy of the conference's final text which includes a declaration by the United Kingdom.

  Teachers' Salaries
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what would be the additional cost to central Government expenditure if the total cost of the teachers' salaries were borne exclusively by central Government.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Estimated spending by LEAs in England on teachers in 1990–91 is some £8 billion. The net additional cost to central Government of transferring the responsibility for that spending would depend on the extent to which there was a reduction in the grant paid to local authorities.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines he has issued to education authorities and school governors operating local financial management regarding the optimum use of energy within their school buildings; and whether he has any proposals to update them.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department has co-operated with the Department of Energy in the preparation of guidance on the optimum use of energy within school buildings. A booklet in reducing energy costs in schools was produced in September. Further guidance on energy savings measures in schools and education authorities is in preparation.

PRIME MINISTER

  Emperor of Japan (Coronation)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister what expenditure from public funds was incurred in connection with Her Majesty's Government's representation at the coronation of the Emperor of Japan; from what departmental budgets it was funded; and if she will provide a breakdown of the expenditure.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 21 November 1990]: Her Majesty's Government were represented at the coronation of the Emperor of Japan by Her Majesty's Ambassador in Tokyo. The costs involved were minimal.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Humanitarian Aid
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the criteria used to assess whether an award of humanitarian aid is made to a foreign country.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Humanitarian aid is provided, within available resources, on a case-by-case basis according to need.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Asylum
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigration officers are currently engaged in the processing of applications for political asylum in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None. Such applications are processed in the asylum and special cases division of the immigration and nationality department.

  Prisons (Creches)
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of creche or child facilities at prisons in England and Wales which can be used by people visiting inmates; if he will list the prisons; and how such facilities are funded.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  According to the latest available information, 66 prison service establishments have a play area for use by the children of people visiting inmates, either in the visits room or in the visitors' reception centre. These establishments are listed in the table. In some cases a supervised creche is provided. Play areas and creches are usually financed by the establishment's own general purpose fund, with support in some cases from voluntary organisations. We particularly welcome the contribution made by the Butler Trust to the setting up and running of creche facilities.

  HM prison service establishments with a play area for the children of visitors.

  Acklington

  Albany

  Aldington

  Ashwell

  Askham Grange

  Birmingham

  Blantyre House

  Blundeston

  Bristol

  Brockhill

  Bullwood Hall

  Camp Hill

  Cardiff

  Castington

  Coldingley

  Cookham Wood

  Deerbolt

  Durham

  Erelstoke

  Featherstone

  Ford

  Frankland

  Full Sutton

  Garth

  Gloucester

  Grendon

  Hindley

  Hull

  Kingston

  Lancaster

  Leicester

  Lewes

  Leyhill

  Lindholme

  Littlehey

  Long Lartin

  Maidstone

  Manchester

  Morton Hall

  The Mount

  New Hall

  291

  North Sea Camp

  Norwich

  Nottingham

  Onley

  Oxford

  Parkhurst

  Portland

  Preston

  Rudgate

  Send

  Shepton Mallet

  Spring Hill

  Stafford

  Stocken

  Swaleside

  Swansea

  Swinfen Hall

  Thorn Cross

  Thorp Arch

  Usk

  The Verne

  Wakefield

  Wayland

  Winchester

  Wymott

  Privacy
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he proposes to bring forward legislation to protect the individual against intrusion by journalists as recommended by the report of the Committee on privacy and related matters.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As the hon. Gentleman will recall, on 21 June at columns 1123–24, my right hon. and learned Friend announced the Government's acceptance in principle of the proposals for new criminal offences which the Calcutt committee had put forward. We have been examining these proposals and the various representations, mainly from press interests, which we have received about them. We will inform the House of the Government's considered response to these proposals as soon as that consideration is completed.

  Fire Stations
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number of fire stations in each fire brigade area in the United Kingdom; and on average, how many people are served by each fire station according to each fire brigade area.

  Mr. John Patten
  The statistics for England and Wales, based on the annual returns by fire authorities of the fire brigade establishment scheme in force in their areas on 1 January 1990, are as follows:

  Fire brigade

  Fire stations

  Population

  Average population served

  Avon

  23

  956,200

  41,573

  Bedfordshire

  14

  530,700

  37,907

  Berkshire

  19

  752,900

  39,626

  Buckinghamshire

  25

  640,000

  25,600

  Cambridgeshire

  28

  652,740

  23,312

  Cheshire

  24

  951,900

  39,662

  Cleveland

  15

  553,400

  36,893

  Clwyd

  18

  407,000

  22,611

  Cornwall

  32

  460,000

  14,375

  Cumbria

  38

  487,000

  12,815

  292

  Fire brigade

  Fire stations

  Population

  Average population served

  Derbyshire

  31

  918,720

  29,636

  Devon

  58

  1,010,000

  17,413

  Dorset

  26

  655,700

  25,219

  Durham

  18

  586,700

  32,594

  Dyfed

  25

  348,400

  13,936

  East Sussex

  24

  712,800

  29,700

  Essex

  51

  1,521,800

  29,839

  Gloucestershire

  20

  527,500

  26,375

  Gwent

  20

  445,500

  22,275

  Gwynedd

  26

  238,000

  9,153

  Hampshire

  55

  1,615,000

  29,363

  Hereford and Worcester

  26

  650,773

  25,030

  Hertfordshire

  32

  996,198

  31,131

  Humberside

  31

  846,500

  27,306

  Isles of Scilly

  5

  2,000

  400

  Isle of Wight

  10

  132,000

  13,200

  Kent

  65

  1,520,400

  23,390

  Lancashire

  40

  1,386,300

  34,658

  Leicestershire

  19

  885,500

  46,605

  Lincolnshire

  37

  590,000

  15,946

  London

  114

  6,764,074

  59,334

  Greater Manchester

  41

  2,585,200

  63,053

  Merseyside

  28

  1,448,139

  51,719

  Mid Glamorgan

  24

  534,700

  22,279

  Norfolk

  40

  752,100

  18,803

  Northamptonshire

  22

  575,000

  26,136

  Northumberland

  19

  304,850

  16,044

  North Yorkshire

  36

  713,100

  19,808

  Nottinghamshire

  26

  1,007,700

  38,758

  Oxfordshire

  24

  600,400

  25,017

  Powys

  18

  112,500

  6,250

  Shropshire

  23

  400,800

  17,426

  Somerset

  24

  457,700

  19,071

  South Glamorgan

  8

  403,400

  50,425

  South Yorkshire

  27

  1,315,000

  48,704

  Staffordshire

  30

  1,039,900

  34,663

  Suffolk

  35

  643,900

  18,397

  Surrey

  24

  999,752

  41,656

  Tyne and Wear

  19

  1,135,900

  59,784

  Warwickshire

  20

  484,200

  24,210

  West Glamorgan

  12

  362,800

  30,233

  West Midlands

  41

  2,617,242

  63,835

  West Sussex

  28

  708,000

  28,286

  West Yorkshire

  52

  2,056,600

  39,550

  Wiltshire

  24

  564,000

  23,500

  Population is just one factor among many—fully explained in fire service circular No. 4/1985, copies of which are in the Library—used in categorising risk and thus determining the number, location and staffing of fire stations.

  Open Prisons
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish a table showing the numbers of prisoners transferred to open prisons in the last year, their categorisation, the number transferred to
  293
  open prisons in the first week of their sentence and the period of their sentences which the remainder served prior to their transfer to the open prison;

  (2) what are the current arrangements for deciding whether a prisoner is transferred to an open prison; and whether he has any plans to change those arrangements.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A judgment is made in each case, based on information about the prisoner including any previous convictions for violent or sex offences, as to whether he or she can reasonably be trusted in open conditions. In some cases sufficient relevant information takes time to acquire. In general, the prison service seeks to transfer suitable prisoners to open conditions as soon as possible after sentence. There are no plans to alter these arrangements.

  Details of the number of prisoners transferred to open prisons, including those who are transferred in the first week of their sentences, are not collected centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Deportation
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women currently serving prison sentences he currently plans to deport upon completion of their sentence; what crimes they have committed; and what are their countries of origin.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners were held in police cells on 1 November; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On 1 November, a total of 1,044 prisoners, the majority of whom were remand prisoners, were held in police cells. It is not possible to identify separately a precise total for the number of remand prisoners because at the time in question this information was not available centrally for all police areas.

  Seizure for Debt Rules
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the Magistrates' Courts Rules 1981 in order to bring the categories of goods exempt from seizure for debts into line with the provisions of the courts and Legal Services Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are actively considering, and will be consulting the Justices Clerks Society and others about amendments to the 1981 rules which would have this effect.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the capacity of the Independent Broadcasting Authority to provide adequate supervision and influence in the situation which has developed in regard to the future of British Satellite Broadcasting and of the D-MAC television technology.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Independent Broadcasting Authority has the powers conferred on it by Parliament in 294
  broadcasting legislation. Having considered the merger between British Satellite Broadcasting and Sky Television plc, it has announced its decision to terminate the contract it held with British Satellite Broadcasting. The new company, British Sky Broadcasting, will require a non-domestic satellite service licence under the Broadcasting Act 1990, and the Independent Television Commission has full powers to draw up and award such a licence and enforce its conditions.

  The Government do not seek to impose new technology where it is not commercially viable. EC directive 86/529 requires all DBS services to be broadcast using the MAC transmission standard. The directive thus governed British Satellite Broadcasting but not Sky transmissions, and will apply to any future user of the DBS channels. It will be reviewed in 1991 and the Government are considering their attitude to a replacement directive in the light of recent events.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action his Department's inspectors have taken to ensure that the provisions of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 are observed in the conduct of experiments on animals at the National Institute for Medical Research laboratories, Mill Hill, London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  All establishments in Great Britain designated under the Act, including the National Institute for Medical Research at Mill Hill, are subject to visits, mainly without notice, by the animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate to ensure that the controls of the Act and the terms and conditions of licences issued under it are being observed.

  Prisoners (Compassionate Leave)
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why Delroy Showers was not allowed to attend his mother's funeral from prison, following representations from the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Mr. Showers' request to attend the funeral of his mother was considered in the light of all the circumstances but was not allowed for security reasons.

  "Charity and the National Health"
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy on those recommendations which relate to his responsibilities contained in the report, "Charity and the National Health" (Directory of Social Change research paper No. 1), a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have not received a copy of the report, "Charities and the National Health," which was sent to the Department of Health. We will gladly consider any points which may be relevant to the Home Office if my hon. Friend cares to draw them to my attention.

HEALTH

  Asthma and Eczema
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total annual cost of treatment for asthma and eczema, respectively(a) through the family practitioner service and (b) through the hospital service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The estimated annual cost of treating asthma is £44 million through hospital in-patient treatment and £200 million through the family health services. It is not possible to estimate the hospital out-patient cost of asthma from information collected centrally. Eczema covers a range of conditions not separately identified in the information collected, and therefore information on costing is not available.

  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of national health service patients being treated for asthma and eczema, respectively; and what is the number of new cases in each category every year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally.

  South London Hospital for Women
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are for the future use of the South London hospital for women; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that the future use of the hospital is still being considered; the hon. Member may like to contact Sir Peter Baldwin, the chairman of South East Thames regional health authority for further information.

  Salmonella Enteritidis
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table showing for each county of England and Wales the number of outbreaks of salmonella enteritidis PT4 in 1990 to date.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Provisional figures for the first nine months of 1990 (weeks one to 39) show tht 315 outbreaks (including two or more people) of infection with salmonella enteritidis PT4 were reported to the PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre from England and Wales.

  The distribution of these outbreaks by regional health authority is as follows:

  Number

  Northern

  4

  Yorkshire

  62

  Trent

  36

  East Anglia

  13

  North West Thames

  15

  North East Thames

  7

  South East Thames

  18

  South West Thames

  18

  Wessex

  23

  Oxford

  10

  South Western

  43

  West Midlands

  22

  Mersey

  9

  North Western

  21

  Wales

  14

  Total

  315

  Child Care
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department's library will obtain a copy of "Caring for Children; the 1990 Report," produced by the family policy studies centre.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. A copy of the report was ordered by the Department's library service on 13 November 1990.

  Day Nurseries
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps are being taken by his Department to increase the availability of day nursery places.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of places in clay nurseries in England increased by nearly 14 per cent. in the year to 31 March 1989 to over 75,000.

  The tax concession for employer-managed child care facilities in the 1990 Budget will encourage further development. The new review duty introduced in the Children Act 1989 (to be implemented in October 1991) will require local authorities regularly to look at local services used by young children and publish reports. This will ensure more coherent use and development of services.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which outside agency is undertaking the analysis of national health service trust applications; and at what cost.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The financial assessment of national health service trust applicants has been undertaken by Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte managament consultants. The total budget for this exercise is £536,000.

  Custard
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what European regulations exist or are proposed concerning the production and use of custard; what representations he has received; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No European regulations exist concerning the production and use of custard and we are not aware that any are proposed. Representations have been received concerning the implications of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 for custards and custard tarts which we are currently considering.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the net additional cost to the national health service of the changes to employers' national insurance contributions and reimbursement announced in the autumn statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No central estimate has been made of the effect on the NHS of the changes in national insurance rates.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has about the number of renal patients who satisfy the criteria of the Renal Association
  297
  of Great Britain, and approved by his Department for treatment with Erythropoietin; and what percentage are receiving it.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much additional money he has made available to health authorities for the newly approved drug Erythropoietin to be prescribed and what estimate he has made of the number of renal patients who will be treated as a result.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities are expected to finance Erythropoietin from their main allocations. Like other new treatments, it is being introduced progressively across the health service and spending throughout the NHS is, of course, increased to cover such new treatments, and services. It is for each region to assess their patients' requirements for the drug and make appropriate plans to ensure that need is met.

  Graham Gaskin Case
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) on what date the judgment of the Government of the European court was given in the Graham Gaskin case;

  (2) if he will list what steps the Government have taken to implement the European court ruling of the Graham Gaskin case, listing dates and times of meetings, and those present;

  (3) what are the reasons for the length of time taken in completing consideration of the implementation of the ruling given in the European court on the Graham Gaskin case;

  (4) if he will place in the Library all the documents relating to the Graham Gaskin case held by his Department;

  (5) how many members of his Department's staff are engaged in the study to examine the implications of the Graham Gaskin case; when the study was opened; what the terms of reference of the study are; and when the study will be completed.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The decision of the European Court of Human Rights in the Graham Gaskin case was given on 7 July 1989. The court held, by a majority vote, that there had been a violation of article 8 of the convention for the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms in the handling of Mr. Gaskin's request for access to case records relating to the period he spent in care as a child, and that the United Kingdom should pay damages to Mr. Gaskin. Payment was made to Mr. Gaskin in 1989.

  As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 30 October at column 446 the implications of the decision in respect of policy on access to personal records are being studied. Progress is being made and I will write to the hon. Member once decisions have been taken. Copies of the judgment of the European Court in Mr. Gaskin's case are held in the Library.

  Terminal Care
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the £8 million made available in England in 1990–91 for hospices and terminal care; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A number of letters concerning the detailed implementation of this year's298
  arrangements have been received. We are seeking information from health authorities and will be discussing with them any problems that arise.

  Adoption
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which countries' adoption orders are recognised by the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Adoption orders made under the law of any country specified in the Adoption (Designation of Overseas Adoptions) Order 1973 are recognised as valid under United Kingdom statutory law. A copy of the order is available in the Library.

  Adoption orders made in countries which have ratified the Hague convention on jurisdiction, applicable law and recognition of decrees are also recognised. Like the United Kingdom, Austria and Switzerland have ratified the convention.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that adoption orders made in Romania will be recognised in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virgina Bottomley
  Adoption orders made in Romania are not recognised as valid under United Kingdom statutory law. People who adopt a Romanian child are required, as part of the entry clearance procedures, to undertake to apply to adopt the child in the United Kingdom. The recognition of foreign adoption orders is being considered in the current adoption law review.

  Census Information
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether information gathered during the completion of the census will remain private and confidential from community charge registration officers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes. It would be an offence under section 8 of the Census Act 1920 for anyone employed on the census to pass personal information from the completed census returns to community charge registration officers, or anyone else outside the census offices, and any breach of confidence in this respect would also be treated as a serious disciplinary offence.

  "Charity and the National Health"
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on those recommendations which relate to his responsibilities contained in the report, "Charity and the National Health" (Directory of Social Change Research Paper No. 1) a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The management and use of NHS trust funds is a matter for the appointed trustees in accordance with general trust and charity law. Trustees should have regard to the terms of individual trusts in deciding how funds are spent.

  The Government encourage fund raising and ask health authorities to consult widely with voluntary groups in planning their fund-raising activities.

  Nurse-bed Ratios
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of nurses employed by the national health service in 1960 , 1970, 1980 and 1990, or the latest date available and the number of occupied national health service hospital beds for each date, showing the nurse to occupied bed ratio in each case.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 12 November 1990]: The available information is given in the table. Figures for the earlier years cannot be provided on a comparable basis. There is no direct comparison between the manpower and the occupied bed information. The manpower figures relate to the total numbers of nursing and midwifery staff employed in the NHS hospital and community services. However, occupied beds relate to the hospital service only and are not a particularly meaningful measurement of service provision.

  NHS nursing and midwifery staff and average number of beds occupied daily—England

  Number and wholetime equivalents1

  Year

  Nursing and midwifery at September2

  Average number of beds occupied daily

  1980

  370,100

  289,500

  1986

  402,700

  254,600

  1989

  405,300

  3—

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower and SH3 Returns.

  1All figures are independently rounded to the nearest hundred (100).

  2Includes all qualified nurses and midwives, learners and unqualified nursing staff and agency staff.

  3Information not available centrally beyond 1986.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Kilroot Power Station
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the capital outlay for equipment which is already obsolete for phase 2 of Kilroot power station.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None of the equipment for Kilroot phase 2 has been classed as obsolete.

  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total outlay expended to date on equipment already purchased for phase 2 of Kilroot power station.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Northern Ireland Electricity estimates this to be £65 million.

  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the approximate date when the decision will be reached regarding the commencement of phase 2 of Kilroot power station.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Decisions on Kilroot 2 will be taken as soon as possible. A number of options which affect the timing are under consideration at present, in particular the possibility of developing an electricity interconnector with Scotland and the possibility of piping natural gas to Northern Ireland for electricity generation. Both issues are being progressed as a matter of urgency.
  300
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he last met British Coal representatives to discuss Kilroot 2 power station; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I last met British Coal representatives on 14 November 1990. The discussion covered a number of topics including Kilroot 2.

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assessment he has made of the effect Kilroot 2 power station will have on transport jobs in Northern Ireland if it is not coal fired; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Over the past year I have had representations on this issue from Northern Ireland Electricity, the trade unions, Members of Parliament, Carrickfergus borough council and British Coal.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Training
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the impending closure of employment training schemes initiated by the Allen Graham Trust for disabled and other disadvantaged young people; and what action he is prepared to take to save these schemes.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: The financial difficulties of the Allen Graham Trust were first brought to my attention early last week. Because of the valuable work done over a period of years by the trust, I asked my officials to meet immediately with representatives of the trust to explore what might be done to assist them. During this meeting, it was established that the trust had become insolvent. In those circumstances, it would be wrong to put at risk further substantial sums of taxpayers' money. The main concern now is to ensure that everything possible is done to provide alternative opportunities for trainees and others as quickly as possible and with the minimum amount of disruption for the people concerned.

DEFENCE

  Community Charge
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have been prosecuted to date for non-payment of the community charge.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Non-payment of the community charge is a civil rather than a criminal matter, so the question of prosecutions as such does not arise. I am aware of about 190 court appearances by Service personnel in connection with non-payment of the community charge.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many times bailiffs employed by local authorities have visited service accommodation in connection with non-payment of the community charge.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Twice, so far as I am aware.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy regarding the admission of bailiffs employed by local authorities on to Ministry of Defence property.
  301
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Bailiffs employed by local authorities may be admitted to Ministry of Defence property, but they must be accompanied at all times by Service personnel when within unit boundaries.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many attachment of possessions orders have been served on service personnel to date due to non-payment of community charges.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Liability orders for non payment of the community charge give local authorities a number of recovery options, including distraint. I am not aware that this latter option has been used against any Service personnel.

  Attachment of Earnings
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether he will place in the Library copies of directives or documents distributed to regimental paymasters relating to the exemption of service personnel from attachment of earnings orders;

  (2) if he will place a copy of Ministry of Defence directive D/PSA/11/1/11 PS4 (A) in the Library.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A copy of the directive sent to commands regarding the enforcement of liability orders and the exemption of service personnel from attachment of earnings orders is being placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice has been given to service personnel regarding their liability to attachment of earnings orders served on them by local authorities in respect of community charges.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Personnel have been advised of the possible consequences of non-payment, including deductions at source from pay to recover arrears.

  Accommodation Charges
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the percentage of each of the accommodation charges listed for quarters outside Scotland on page 29 of the 19 report of the review body on armed forces pay (Cm 936) that was paid in lieu of rates.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Domestic rates elements as a percentage of accommodation charges introduced with effect from 1 April 19891

  Percentages

  Standard of quarter

  Type of quarter

  Grade 1

  Grade 2

  Grade 3

  Grade 4

  Married quarters (except in Scotland)

  Officers

  I

  31·3

  31·3

  31·3

  31·3

  II

  31·3

  31·3

  31·3

  31·3

  III

  31·8

  31·9

  31·8

  31·8

  IV

  30·7

  30·7

  30·7

  30·7

  V

  31·6

  31·7

  31·6

  31·6

  Other ranks

  D

  30·2

  30·2

  30·3

  30·3

  C

  30·0

  30·0

  30·0

  30·0

  B

  28·3

  28·3

  28·3

  28·3

  A

  23·4

  23·4

  23·5

  23·4

  Single quarters (except in Scotland)

  Rank

  Major and above

  27·1

  27·1

  27·4

  27·0

  Captain and below

  29·3

  29·4

  29·3

  28·7

  302

  Standard of quarter

  Type of quarter

  Grade 1

  Grade 2

  Grade 3

  Grade 4

  Warrant Officer and senior NCO

  27·3

  27·3

  27·5

  27·0

  Corporal and below

  25·4

  25·5

  25·8

  25·6

  Young servicemen

  24·7

  24·9

  25·2

  25·0

  1Payable to 31 March 1990.

  Gulf Forces
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many free airmail letters can be sent and received per week by service personnel stationed in the Gulf region.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There is no restriction on the number of forces free airletters that can be sent and received per week by service personnel stationed in the Gulf region.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the average length of time taken for an airmail letter to reach service personnel in the Gulf region from(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Germany.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  All letters addressed to service personnel in the Gulf region are transported by air. At present, letters posted in the United Kingdom arrive within about five days and those from Germany within about four days.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest posting date for parcels and letters to be sent to service personnel in the Gulf region in time for Christmas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The latest recommended posting dates for parcels and letters to be sent to service personnel in the Gulf region in time for Christmas are:

  1 December

  All classes of surface mail including economy service parcels.

  13 December

  Airmail 2nd class letters, cards, packets and standard service (airmail) parcels.

  14 December

  Airmail 1st class letters, cards and forces free airletters.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he will make to ensure that Christmas parcels can be sent out to those serving in the Gulf in time for Christmas free of charge.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Forces free airletters are delivered to the Gulf region free of charge. Parcels can be sent at forces concessionary rates, which are roughly in line with United Kingdom inland postage rates.

  Nuclear Arms Testing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report all unclassified studies undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment and its predecessor since 1979 on (a) the United States nuclear test site at Nevada and (b) the Soviet nuclear test sites at Semipalatinsk and Novaya Zemla; and how many classified studies have been undertaken at the Atomic Weapons Research Establishment or the Atomic Weapons Establishment on these test sites over the same period.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The unclassified seismological studies undertaken by the Atomic Weapons Establishment
  303
  and its predecessor since 1979 on the United States nuclear test site at Nevada and the Soviet sites at Semipalatinsk and Novya Zemlya are as follows:

  Journal Publications

  Pooley, C. I. Douglas, A. and Pearce, R. G. (1983). The Seismic Disturbance of 1976 March 20, East Kazakhstan: earthquake or explosion?

  Geophys J. R. astr Soc, 621–631.

  Douglas, A. and Hudson, J. A. (1983). Comments on "Time Functions Appropriate for Nuclear Explosions" by L. J. Burdick and D. V. Helmberger and "Seismic Source Functions and Attenuation from Local and Teleseismic Observations of the NTS Events Jorum and Handley" by D. V. Helmberger and D. M. Hadley.

  Bull Seism Soc Am, 73, 1255–1264.

  Douglas, A. (1984). Teleseismic Observations of Aftershocks immediately following an underground explosion.

  Geophys J. R. astr Soc, 77, 503–515.

  Bache, T. C., Marshall, P. D. and Bache, L. B. (1985). Q for Teleseismic P waves from Central Asia.

  J. Geophys Research, 98, 3575–3587.

  Douglas, A. (1987). Differences in Upper Mantle Attenuation between the Nevada and Shagan River Test Sites: Can the effects be seen in P-wave seismograms?

  Bull Seism Soc Am, 77, 270–276.

  Stewart, R. C. and Marshall, P. D. (1988). Seismic P-waves from Novaya Zemlya explosions: seeing double! Geophysical Journal, 92, 335–338.

  Douglas, A. and Rivers, D. W. (1988). An explosion that looks like an earthquake.

  Bull Seism Soc Am. 78, 1011–1019.

  Marshall, P. D. Stewart, R. C. and Lilwall, R. C. (1989). The seismic disturbance on 1986 August 1 near Novaya Zemlya; a source of concern?

  Geophysical Journal, 98, 565–573.

  AWE O Reports

  Douglas, A., J. A. Hudson, B. J. Barley, (1981). Complexity of Short Period P Seismograms: What does Scattering Contribute?

  AWRE Report No. O 3/81.

  Bache, T. C. Marshall, P. D. and J. B. Young, (1984). Q and its Effect on Short Period P Waves from Explosions in Central Asia.

  AWRE Report No. O 17/84.

  Marshall, P. D., T. C. Bache and R. C. Lilwall, (1984). Body Wave Magnitudes and Locations of Soviet Underground Explosions at the Semipalatinsk Test Site.

  AWRE Report No. O 16/84.

  Marshall, P. D., R. C. Lilwall and Jean Farthing, (1986). Body Wave Magnitudes and Locations of Underground Nuclear Explosions at the Nevada Test Site, 1971–1980. AWRE Report No. O 21/86.

  Lyman, N. S., A. Douglas, P. D. Marshall and J. B. Young, (1986). P Seismograms Recorded at Eskdalemuir, Scotland from Explosions in Nevada, USA.

  AWRE Report No. O 10/86.

  Lilwall, R. C. and P. D. Marshall, (1986). Body Wave Magnitudes and Locations of Soviet Underground Explosions at the Novaya Zemlya Test Site.

  AWRE Report No. O 17/86.

  Lilwall, R. C., P. D. Marshall and D. W. Rivers, (1988). Body Wave Magnitudes of some Underground Nuclear Explosions at the Nevada (USA) and Shagan River (USSR) Test Sites.

  AWE Report No. O 15/88.

  Stewart, R. C., (1988). P-wave Seismograms from Underground Explosions at the Shagan River Test Site Recorded at Four Arrays.

  AWE Report No. O 4/88.

  Gillbanks, T. G. A., P. D. Marshall and R. C. Stewart, (1989). P-wave Seismograms Recorded at Yellowknife, Canada from Underground Nuclear Explosions in Nevada, USA. AWE Report No. O 26/88.

  Lilwall, R. C. and J. B. Young, (1989). Broad-band P Wave Seismograms of 6 Underground Explosions in the USA Recorded at a Selection of LRSM Stations.

  AWE Report No. O 2/89.

  304

  Porter, Mrs. D. and Mrs. P. Peachell, (1990). Some Seismic Results from the US-USSR Joint Verification Underground Nuclear Explosions.

  AWE Report No. O 6/90.

  Marshall, P. D., R. C. Lilwall and Miss J. Farthing, (1990). Estimates of the Teleseismic Magnitudes of some Early Nevada Test Site Explosions.

  AWE Report No. O 13/90.

  Lilwall, R. C. and Miss J. Farthing, (1990). Joint Epicentre Determination of Soviet Underground Nuclear Explosions 1973–89 at the Semipalatinsk Test Site. AWE Report No. O 12/90.

  It would not be in the national interest to reveal how many classified studies have been undertaken.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people in Wales are receiving community charge benefit; what assessment he has made of the level of awareness among potential beneficiaries of the availability of this benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Full information from the Department's statistical surveys is not yet available, but it is estimated that currently nearly 600,000 individual charge payers in Wales are receiving community charge benefit. Most local authorities undertook publicity to ensure that potential claimants were aware that they might be entitled to benefit, and the Government have publicised the benefit scheme through television and newspaper advertisements and leaflets. Awareness of community charge benefit is generally high.

  Statistical Surveys
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to receive the results of the statistical surveys being carried out by his Department on family credit and community charge benefit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Information from statistical surveys about family credit claimants who are, or are not, also receiving community charge benefit should be available in the early summer of 1991.

  Pensions
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the comparable level of pension and contributions towards pensions in(a) Luxembourg, (b) Belgium, (c) the Netherlands, (d) Denmark and (e) the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In general, it is very difficult to make meaningful comparisons between pension schemes in different countries because there are many fundamental differences in the way they are run. It is also very misleading to compare only the weekly rate of state pension payable, as there are many other factors to take into account.

  For example, most other EC countries operate fully earnings-related state pension schemes—Luxembourg and Belgium fall into this category. This means that the rate of pension payable depends on the individual pensioner's earnings level during working life, and consequently there is a wide variation in the rate of pension paid from one person to another.
  305
  In making a comparison of the situation in the countries mentioned, such factors as the other benefits covered by the contribution, the employee—employer contribution split, the provision of pensions for dependent spouses and the availability of additional pensions must be taken into account, and the cost of living.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the maximum state earnings additional pension payable in each year since 1978; and if he will give a projection for each year to 1999 consistent with his answer of 5 April 1990,Official Report, column 788–89.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is set out in the table. The amounts apply to a person in full-time employment who has received earnings at or above the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions and retires on 6 April in each year, assuming price rises of 5 per cent. per year and average earnings increasing by 7 per cent. per year effective from April 1991.

  Year of retirement

  Additional pension at retirement (£pw)

  1978

  nil

  1979

  1·30

  1980

  2·90

  1981

  5·25

  1982

  8·45

  1983

  11·70

  1984

  15·10

  1985

  19·10

  1986

  23·25

  1987

  28·50

  1988

  34·00

  1989

  40·45

  1990

  48·65

  1991

  56·00

  1992

  63·95

  1993

  72·75

  1994

  82·50

  1995

  93·10

  1996

  104·70

  1997

  117·40

  1998

  131·30

  Test Claim Procedure
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many special payments were made to people who were prevented from making a claim during the 1985 miners' strike owing to the test claim procedure and did not follow up with a claim within a year, in the latest available year;

  (2) how many special payments were made to people who were prevented from making a claim owing to the test claim procedure and did not follow up with a claim within a year, in the latest available year.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Following a decision of the social security commissioners in 1989, a number of claims from canteen workers and cleaners involved in the 1985 miners' strike were reviewed. Extra-statutory payments relating to arrears of benefit were made as follows:

  Unemployment benefit cases = 220 payments

  Supplementary benefit cases = 5 payments

  During the last five years, no other special payments of benefit have been made to claimants who were prevented from making a claim owing to the test claim procedure.

  Female Employment
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give a breakdown of female employment in his Department by grade, giving salary bands.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The table shows the number of women in each grade. To give the salary bands would be disproportionately expensive. A copy of the "Civil Service Pay and Conditions of Service Code", which gives salary details, is in the Library.

  Number of female staff by grade in DSS

  Grade

  Number

  Grade 1

  —

  Grade 2 and equivalent

  —

  Grade 3 and equivalent

  5

  Grade 4 and equivalent

  —

  Grade 5 and equivalent

  23

  Grade 6 and equivalent

  40

  Grade 7 and equivalent

  82

  SEO and equivalent

  221

  HEO and equivalent

  1,824

  EO and equivalent

  12,943

  AO and equivalent

  28,886

  AA and equivalent

  10,638

  Secretarial/typing

  2,217

  Support

  763

  Others

  29

  Total

  57,671

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people who would be denied housing benefit if the Housing Benefit (General) Amendment No. 3 Regulations were implemented; and what is his estimate of the net savings.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The indications are that relatively few people in residential care and nursing homes are currently receiving housing benefit to help with their accommodation costs. Under the proposals, all those in a registered residential care or nursing home who were entitled to housing benefit on 29 October, or who had submitted a claim on or before that date which is subsequently determined in their favour, would retain entitlement under the current rules and, consequently, there would be no financial saving. Any potential savings from possible future claims can only be a matter of speculation.

  Direct Credit Transfers
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he intends making any changes to the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987, regulation 21(1), allowing for payment into a claimant's account by way of automated or other direct credit transfer;

  (2) if he will give the number of direct credit transfers made for income support and for invalidity benefit, for the latest available year;

  (3) what instructions his Department issues to staff receiving a request for a direct credit transfer where an automated credit transfer cannot be made.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no proposals to change the Social Security (Claims and Payments)
  307
  Regulations 1987 affecting payment of benefit by credit transfer. Arrangements are not yet available for payments of income support or invalidity benefit to be made by credit transfer which is at present restricted to beneficiaries paid by computer. The Department's staff are aware of these arrangements.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the net additional cost to his Department of the changes to employer's national insurance contributions and reimbursement announced in the autumn statement.

  Type of deduction

  Claimant's agreement needed?

  Current maximum amount of weekly arrears deduction

  Date of coming into force

  1. ACCOMMODATION AND UTILITY COSTS

  (a) Housing costs

  Yes

  £1·85

  April 1988—carried forward from Supplementary Benefit

  (b) Miscellaneous accommodation costs

  Yes

  Nil

  (c) Service charges for fuel and rent not falling within (a)

  Yes

  £1·85

  (d) Fuel charges

  Yes

  £1·85 (£3·70 if only one fuel deduction)

  (e) Water charges

  Yes

  £1·85

  2. Community Charge

  No

  £1·85 (£2·90 for a couple)

  8 April 1989—Scotland 1 April 1990—England and Wales

  3. Overpayment Recovery

  No

  £5·55 (£7·20 in cases of proven fraud)

  April 1988—carried forward from Supplementary Benefit

  Notes:

  1. Deductions for community charge are made following a court order. Overpayment recovery is initiated on behalf of the Secretary of State.

  2. Deductions for current charges may be made under item 1 in addition to deductions for arrears. The claimant's written consent is sought before the total of deductions for arrears and current use of utilities is allowed to exceed 25 per cent. of the Income Support applicable amount (excluding housing costs) for the family.

  3. Deductions may also he made to recover a social fund loan. The rate of recovery is determined after taking into account existing deductions and other known debts.

  4. Deductions from income support for fines are proposed in the Criminal Justice Bill now before the House. They would be made by order of a court and, at current rates, would be £1·85 per week.

  5. The White Paper "Children Come First" published on 29 October 1990 proposes deduction of 5 per cent. of the income support of an unemployed claimant who is liable to maintain a child.

  Child Care
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many whole-time equivalent child care places are provided for staff in his Department; and how many places are provided per 100 employees.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  As at 1 November 1990 the Department of Social Security has 80,486 staff, and provides 67 full-time places for pre-school children and access to over 1,400 places on holiday play schemes for children of school age.

  Industrial Disputes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what leaflets are produced providing benefits advice for people involved in or affected by an industrial dispute.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The claim form for people affected by an industrial dispute (form B71D) contains an information page. Additionally, the guide to income support (leaflet IS20) contains a section which gives information to people involved in or affected by an industrial dispute.
  308
  Mr. Scott
  No net additional cost is expected.

  Direct Deductions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the reasons for which direct deduction from income support can be made, including those announced but not yet in force, indicating in each case(a) whether it can be made without the claimant's agreement, (b) the maximum rate level of deduction and (c) the date on which it came into force.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is in the table.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the totals and categories of families who will face clawbacks in other benefits as a result of the planned increase in child benefit for the first born.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  It is estimated that the planned adjustment of benefit paid for a child for whom the higher rate of child benefit is payable would affect approximately 192,000 families in the categories shown in the table. The effect of the adjustment is that the benefits and increases of benefit payable for the child for whom the higher rate of child benefit is payable would be increased to £9·70 per week from April 1991.

  Number of families

  Child dependency increases of:

  Industrial death benefit

  1,333

  Invalid care allowance

  3,778

  Severe disablement allowance

  1,222

  Invalidity benefit

  106,111

  Retirement pension

  18,308

  Widow's benefit

  59,200

  309

  Number of families

  Benefit

  Guardian's allowance

  2,023

  Child's special allowance

  346

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state by what means his Department intends to effect the forthcoming uprating of child benefit; and whether additional staffing resources will be made available to do so.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Child benefit is paid by credit transfer or order books produced by computerised processes at our central office in Newcastle. The reprogramming necessary to put the increase into effect can be contained within existing staff resources.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the cost of disregarding child benefit in the calculation of income support and family credit.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 20 November 1990]: Child benefit is taken into account in the assessment of income support just as it always was in the
  310
  assessment of supplementary benefit. It is also taken into account in the assessment of housing benefit and community charge benefit. Although it is not treated as income in the assessment of family credit, child benefit is taken into account when the credit levels are set.

  The net cost of disregarding child benefit in the assessment of income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit is estimated to be around £1·1 billion a year. The cost of ignoring child benefit when setting the credits for family credit would be around £360 million a year, including the knock-on effect of increased family credit on other income-related benefits.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment he has made of the particular effect of the Family Credit (General) Amendment Regulations 1990 (S.I., 1990, No. 574) upon families in Scotland due to the earlier conclusion of the school term; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The amendment had no practical effect on families in Scotland or elsewhere since its purpose was merely to clarify the existing legislation and no change in policy or practice was involved.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what assessment his Department has made of the situation of carers of pensionable age who did not initially qualify for invalid care allowance on age grounds and therefore do not now qualify for the carers premium.; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Invalid care allowance is an income maintenance benefit for those who have to forgo the opportunity of full-time employment because they spend at least 35 hours per week caring for a severely disabled person who receives attendance allowance or constant attendance allowance. Although entitlement to invalid care allowance established before pension age may be carried forward after age 60–65, it would in general be true that those over retirement age are not forgoing full-time employment. We are nevertheless keeping the situation of carers under consideration. We have already announced the increase of the earnings limit for invalid care allowance recipients from £20 to £30 with effect from April 1991 which we expect will help 5,000 carers. We introduced the carer premium from October in the income-related benefits—income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit—which we expect will assist a further 30,000 claimants, many of whom did not qualify for any premium before its introduction. In common with others on income-related benefits, people who start caring after reaching pensionable age have access to one of the three pensioner premiums. We are extending the carer premium from October next year so that it can be paid for up to eight weeks after caring ceases.

SCOTLAND

  House Sales
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sales Scottish Homes completed under(a) right to buy, (b) rent to mortgage, (c) portable discount and (d) vacant possession in each month from April to the latest available date.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the following table:

  Number of sales: 1990

  Right to buy

  Rent to mortgage

  Portable discount scheme

  Vacant possession sales

  1990

  April

  198

  1

  15

  23

  May

  82

  0

  1

  8

  June

  120

  0

  4

  5

  July

  210

  0

  9

  5

  August

  234

  3

  6

  10

  September

  211

  19

  9

  15

  October

  n/a

  59

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a—Not available.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what income Scottish Homes received in capital receipts from house sales in the first quarter of 1990–91, and in the second quarter of 1990–91.
  312
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The element of Scottish Homes income from capital receipts relative to house sales was £5·744 million in the first quarter of 1990–91 and £9·053 million in the second quarter of 1990–91.

  Tenancies
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report any statutory rights that tenants will lose as a result of the ownership of their public sector or former Scottish Special Housing Association tenancies being transferred by the exercise of tenants' rights to voluntary transfer to an alternative public sector landlord.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Tenants who wish to exercise the statutory right under part III of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 and transfer to a new landlord would give up their secure tenancy and transfer on an assured tenancy basis.

  Tenants transferring by this route would lose their statutory right to buy but could enter a contractual agreement with their new landlord to preserve a form of RTB.

  Tenants including new town development corporation tenants transferring to Scottish Homes would transfer as secure tenants.

  Countryside Commission
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the budget for the Countryside Commission (Scotland) for 1989–90, and what is the proposed budget for 1990–91.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Grant-in-aid to the Countryside Commission for Scotland for these years is as follows:

  £ million

  1989–90

  5·785

  1990–91

  6·358

  Families
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will review his policies towards protection of the family unit in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The protection of the family in Scotland is a key feature of Government policy and is kept under constant review. In the field of family law, the Scottish Law Commission is engaged in a major project on the law of children. This includes the scope of parental rights and duties, the custody and guardianship of children, and the legal capacity and responsibility of young people.

  Tenancies
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report those sections of housing statutes which determine the power and procedures whereby alternative private sector landlords may acquire a heritable title to former public sector or Scottish Special Housing Association properties.
  313
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The provision whereby private sector landlords are able to acqure a title to public sector housing stock are contained primarily in part III of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

  Local authorities also have a general power of disposal in section 12 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 and Scottish Homes have a similar power in section 2(2)(h) of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

  New town development corporations have a general power of disposal under section 3(2) as read with sections 18–18C of the New Towns (Scotland) Act 1968.

  Divorce
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost of legal aid for actions of divorce in each of the last five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Sheriff court

  Court of session

  Total

  Cost £

  Cost £

  £

  1985–86

  2,297,092

  6,254,678

  8,551,770

  1986–87

  3,901,527

  5,402,408

  9,303,935

  1987–88

  5,367,722

  3,931,564

  9,299,286

  1988–89

  5,330,902

  2,223,971

  7,554,873

  1989–90

  5,271,029

  1,309,665

  6,580,694

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what quantity of(a) low and (b) intermediate level nuclear waste has been generated by Scottish nuclear power stations annually since 1985.

  Mr. Lang
  Questions about operational aspects of nuclear power stations in Scotland are a matter for the operators concerned.

  Government Researchers
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide to all Government-commissioned researchers a written undertaking of their right to publish completed work after three months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My Department strongly supports the principle of disseminating research findings. Every opportunity is taken to encourage the communication of these findings to those who might benefit. Practice varies according to the needs and circumstances applying in individual cases. For instance, it may be necessary to take steps to safeguard the confidentiality of information relating to identifiable individuals or institutions which may be obtained in the course of a research project. It is my intention that this policy should continue.

  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list research projects commissioned by his Department which remain unpublished one year or more after completion; and if he will make a statement in respect of each.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The publication of the reports of research projects is governed by contracts between researchers and my Department. The general policy of the Scottish Office 314
  is to encourage the dissemination of research findings by publication of reports or by other means. In no case is my Department standing in the way of publication of the finding of research projects which have been completed for more than one year.

  Local Enterprise Companies
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the representation of(a) women, (b) representatives of service industries and (c) persons representative of the wider community on steering groups preparing business plans for local enterprise companies.

  Mr. Lang
  Local enterprise companies are private organisations and individual appointments are a matter for the companies themselves, subject only to the requirement that at least two-thirds of the members of the board of each company are to be drawn from the private sector.

  Local Government Finance
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will print in the Official Report the criteria used to determine the revenue grants for the next financial year for each of the regional councils in Scotland, including the population levels used in determining the grant-aided expenditure figure.

  Mr. Rifkind
  There are basically two stages in the procedure for distributing aggregate external finance to local authorities. First, an amount is distributed among authorities to equalise differences in their grant aided expenditure (GAE). The GAE of each authority is determined by the client group assessment approach which is agreed with COSLA and kept under regular review by the distribution committee of the working party on local government finance. Secondly, the rest of the support is distributed on a per capita basis.

  Details of the population estimates used in the calculation of the 1991–92 GAE figures are contained in the booklet "Grant Aided Expenditure 1991–92" (the so-called green book) published by my Department. A copy of this publication is in the House Library.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest available information, for each local authority in Scotland, as to the numbers of people for 1989–90 and 1990–91 who(a) have or (b) have not begun paying the poll tax and the percentage of the number of liable adults that represents.

  Mr. Lang
  The information requested is not held centrally. It is understood however that most levying authorities have already collected or expect to collect over 90 per cent. of the total community charges due to them for 1989–90 and that their collection rates for 1990–91 are at present following broadly the same pattern as last year.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on what principles he allocated the access funds to each of the colleges under his control.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 22 November 1990]: The access fund were allocated on the basis of the

  315
  number of eligible students in attendance at the Scottish colleges of education and central institutions during session 1989–90.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money he has allocated in access funds to each of the colleges under his control.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 22 November 1990]: The information requested is set out below and relates to Session 1990–91.

  Institution

  £

  Craigie college of education

  9,551

  Duncan of Jordanstone college of art

  46,871

  Dundee institute of technology

  78,147

  Edinburgh college of art

  50,229

  Glasgow college of technology

  107,359

  Glasgow school of art

  42,421

  Jordanhill college of education

  46,097

  Moray House college of education

  43,419

  Napier polytechnic

  201,953

  Northern college of education

  35,063

  Paisley college of technology

  107,770

  Queen Margaret college

  49,826

  Queens college, Glasgow

  37,014

  Robert Gordons institute of technology

  135,745

  Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

  21,897

  St. Andrew's college of education

  19,283

  Scottish agricultural colleges

  17,628

  Scottish College of Textiles

  23,291

  Dounreay
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evidence his Department has received of nuclear-related dangers in the Dounreay area.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: My right hon. and learned Friend has recieve no evidence of any nuclear-related dangers in the Dounreay area. All activities at nuclear establishments have to meet the requirements of the regulatory authorities. Permitted levels of radioactive discharges are very low and well within internationally agreed limits. Regular monitoring reveals no evidence of harm to the surrounding environment as a result of these discharges.

  While there is no evidence of a causal link between the incidence of childhood leukaemia and nuclear installations, the Committee on the Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment has prompted a number of medical studies and these will be published as they become available.

  Development Corporation Houses
  Mr. Norman Hogg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are his most recent proposals for the handover of development corporation houses to other housing authorities prior to the wind-up of the Scottish new towns; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 23 November 1990]: The Government's proposals on the transfer of development corporation houses remain unchanged from those set out in the White Paper "The Scottish New Towns: The Way Ahead" (Cm. 711). That states:
  "The position in each town will be carefully considered once an order for dissolution has been made, and formal consultations will be held with development corporations, district councils and representative tenant groups to review
  316
  the position and to determine to what extent transfers might take place, be it to housing associations, co-operatives, district councils, private or other landlords. Those tenants who have not transferred to other landlords will be transferred to Scottish Homes at wind-up, with a view to pursuing further diversification with the small residual number of houses".

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Mink
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether Pentobarbitone is authorised for the killing of farmed mink.

  Mr. Maclean
  Pentobarbitone is an approved drug for use in the euthanasia of all species of farm livestock.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the environmental needs of farmed mink; and if he will make the amendments necessary to the existing orders to make provision for such needs.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have received a statement on fur farming from the Farm Animal Welfare Council, and the Council of Europe has recently agreed a recommendation concerning the welfare of fur-bearing animals under the convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes.

  Contracting parties must implement this recommendation and for member states of the European Community it is likely that the Commission will propose Community legislation. Existing legislation in this country relates to security on mink farms and would not be a suitable vehicle for welfare matters.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to ensure the proper qualifications of those involved in the killing of farmed mink; and what records he keeps of such personnel.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no requirement for any farmers to receive training in the methods of killing their own livestock. Nevertheless, when this is done it must be undertaken with due care and humanity.

  Mr. Maclean
  The minimum specifications for the guard fence of a mink enclosure are laid down in Schedule 2 paragraph 2 of the Mink (Keeping) Regulations, 1975 (as amended). This states "enclosures shall be bounded by a guard fence consisting of wire netting of not less than 19 gauge with a mesh size not greater than 26mm or, alternatively, welded mesh of not less than 15 gauge with a mesh size not greater than 26mm x 40mm. The fence shall be not less than 1·20m high above ground level. The base of the fence shall be buried in the ground to a depth of at least 300mm and turned outwards at the bottom at right angles for at least 150mm or shall be embedded in a trench of the same depth the bottom of which shall be provided with a foundation at least 150mm wide on each side and at least 150mm deep of either concrete or of consolidated hard core of brick or concrete rubble or of similar or solid and durable material. At the top of the fence there shall be flat sheet metal at least 300mm deep securely attached to the inside of the wire netting and to any fence post inside the enclosure so as to form a continuos baffle leaving no gap between the wire and the sheet metal."

  Agricultural Support
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total level of expenditure on agricultural support in each of the last 10 years; and what level is forecast for each of the next three years.

  Mr. Curry
  Details of agricultural support in the United Kingdom for the 1985–86 to 1989–90 (forecast) are set out in the publication "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1989". Figures for preceding years are contained in the Annual Review of Agriculture White Papers. These publications are available in the Library of the House.

  The final outturn for 1989–90 and forecasts for the next three years (rounded to the nearest £10 million) are as follows:

  £ million

  1989–90 (outturn)

  1,260

  1990–91 (forecast)

  1,960

  1991–92 (plans)

  1,910

  1992–93 (plans)

  2,030

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he intends to compensate farmers for income lost as a result of the 30 per cent. cut in farm support agreed at the recent meeting of European Community Agriculture Ministers.

  Mr. Curry
  The EC Commission has undertaken to make proposals for Community measures to accompany any agreement reached in the current GATT negotiations to reduce levels of agricultural support worldwide. The Council of Ministers will discuss the Commission's proposals under its normal procedures.

  Drainage Authorities
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the grant earning ceiling determined for internal drainage boards in England and Wales for 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  Grant earning ceilings, which determine the amount of flood defence expenditure in a financial year on which grant will be paid, are allocated to the National Rivers Authority, who undertake each year a substantial number of schemes. For internal drainage boards, of whom only a proportion will promote schemes in a single financial year, grant expenditure is constrained within an overall provision for all boards, and grant is paid when schemes have been approved by my Department. In 1990–91 in England grant provision to IDBs is £1·7 million.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales can provide information on the position in Wales.

  Livestock Payments
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total level of livestock payments in the United Kingdom for each of the last five years; if he will list the payments made under each scheme; and what proportion of each scheme is financed by the European Community.

  Mr. Curry
  Information on payments under the various measures that benefit the United Kingdom livestock sector 318
  is contained at table 9.1 of "Agriculture in the United Kingdom 1989" a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  The market support measures generally attract 100 per cent. funding by the European Community, except that the suckler cow premium scheme payments include an element of national funding that does not attract an EC contribution; and the Community contribute only 25 per cent. of eligible expenditure in Great Britain (30 per cent. in Northern Ireland from 1990) under the hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme.

  Flood Defences
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria are used in determining the eligibility of a proposed coastal protection, fluvial flood and sea defence scheme for grant aid.

  Mr. Curry
  For coast protection and flood, including sea, defence schemes to qualify for grant aid, they must be technically sound, economically worthwhile (i.e. provide sufficient benefit to justify the cost), and environmentally sympathetic. To satisfy the last of these criteria, in general, proposals must be acceptable to the Nature Conservancy Council, and have satisfied the requirements of either S.I. 1217 The Land Drainage Improvement Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 or S.I. 1199 The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988, whichever is applicable.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the reasons for the grant available to individual regions or local districts of the National Rivers Authority for fluvial flood and sea defence schemes being lowest in primarily urban regions and highest in primarily agricultural regions.

  Mr. Curry
  The amount of grant available to an individual region or local district of the National Rivers Authority depends on the size of its programme of priority work, and its financial resources. These factors are taken into account in setting the grant earning ceiling and the basic grant rate.

  In the past three years, the number of schemes approved for grant is about 270, and their total estimated cost is around £110 million. Of these schemes, less than 40 will afford protection to agricultural land alone, and their estimated cost is just over £7 million. The majority, in both number and value, are schemes providing urban benefits alone.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether, since his reply to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 18 December 1987,Official Report, column 878, he has become aware of any environmentally damaging land drainage or sea defence scheme going ahead in the face of objections from conservation bodies.

  Mr. Curry
  The environmental implications of land drainage and sea defence schemes submitted for grant aid are examined carefully and confirmation is sought that the Nature Conservancy Council are content with the proposals and that the requirements of either S.I. 1217 The Land Drainage Improvement Works (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988, or of S.I. 1199
  319
  The Town and Country Planning (Assessment of Environmental Effects) Regulations 1988 as appropriate, have been satisfied. In respect of all land drainage or sea defence schemes, grant-aided or not, drainage authorities have a duty under the Water Act 1989 to further conservation, and they are also obliged to fulfil the requirements of S.I. 1217 or S.I. 1199 for, respectively, improvement works and new works.

  These statutory requirements are intended to ensure that consultation takes place prior to works being undertaken, and that environmentally damaging works are avoided. I am not aware that any environmentally damaging land drainage or sea defence scheme has gone ahead in the face of objections from conservation bodies.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what levels of service drainage authorities are expected to provide when assessing the need for or designing new schemes to protect urban areas and agricultural land from fluvial and sea flooding.

  Mr. Curry
  Drainage authorities are aware that their proposals for flood defence schemes must satisfy Ministry criteria, namely be technically sound, economically worthwhile and environmentally sympathetic; the Ministry's consideration involves a judgment of the appropriate level of service as well as priority and need for works. The Ministry does not prescribe levels of service, nor is a national prescription considered appropriate. However we are encouraging further work to establish the methodology for setting levels of service, which are expected to be a more prominent feature of judgments about the timing and nature of works, and hence to play a greater part in planning programmes. We are aware, for instance, that the National Rivers Authority are addressing the question as part of the corporate planning process.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the rates of grant for fluvial flood and sea defence schemes available to individual regions or local districts of the National Rivers Authority.

  Mr. Curry
  In undertaking fluvial flood defence schemes individual regions or local districts of the National Rivers Authority may attract grant at one of four rates: 15 per cent., 35 per cent., 45 per cent., 55 per cent. Allocation of these rates takes account of a region's or district's facility to raise finance and the programme of grant aided works being undertaken. If one or both of these factors change, a region or district may qualify for a higher or lower grant rate.

  Additionally, sea and tidal defence schemes attract a supplement which, in April of this year, was increased from 15 per cent. to 20 per cent. I have no current plans for a further review of the present rates of grant, which offer support up to 75 per cent. of the cost of a scheme.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the continued viability of farm businesses in the light of the subsidy cuts agreed by the European Community's submission to the GATT round.

  Mr. Curry
  The Community offer on agricultural reform remains under negotiation in the GATT Round. It is premature to forecast the final agreement or its impact.
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  The Commission has given an undertaking to make proposals for changes in agricultural support, consistent with a GATT agreement, aimed at ensuring a viable future for Community farmers.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will indicate the priority given in the allocation of grant aid to drainage authorities between the classes of(a) urban sea defence, (b) rural sea defence, (c) urban flood relief, (d) the preservation of existing rural drainage schemes, (e) new rural drainage schemes and (f) flood warning schemes.

  Mr. Curry
  In the main the order of priority given in the allocation of grant provision to the National Rivers Authority (and their predecessors, the Water Authorities) is: flood warning schemes; urban sea defence; urban flood relief; rural sea defence; the preservation of existing rural drainage schemes; new rural drainage schemes. This order of priorities is also kept in mind in allocating grant to schemes undertaken by local authorities and internal drainage boards, but no scheme would be rejected for grant solely because of its position in the above order of priorities.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on how many occasions over the last six-year period an application for a licence for a mink farm has been refused; and if he will give for each case the relevant reason.

  Mr. Maclean
  No licences for mink farms have been refused over the last six years in Great Britain.

  Quarantine (Dogs)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there are any special provisions made by his Department, in the context of the six-month mandatory quarantine provision for dogs entering the United Kingdom, in order to enable guide dogs for blind people to enter accompanying a blind person, and not to be restricted by quarantine.

  Mr. Maclean
  There are no special provisions for the import of guide dogs. Having considered all the evidence, including that from the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association, the Waterhouse committee recommended that no exemptions to general rabies quarantine requirements should be permitted.

  Bananas
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards trade preferences for Caribbean bananas after 1992.

  Mr. Curry
  The European Commission is currently considering the arrangements to apply to bananas post-1992 but has not yet come forward with proposals. We are encouraging the Commission and other member states to ensure that any new arrangements fulfil our commitments to Commonwealth Caribbean suppliers and that they take account of consumer interests, trade policy considerations and the competition and efficiency objectives of the single market initiative.
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  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the minimum acceptable specifications for the perimeter guard fences of mink farms.

  Foxes
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actual expenditure is incurred by his Department in controlling the numbers of the wild fox population.

  Mr. Maclean
  The responsibility for fox control rests with the occupiers of land.

  Agricultural Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an estimate of the number of people earning their living in the United Kingdom agriculture industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

  Mr. Curry
  The number of persons recorded as being engaged in agriculture in the United Kingdom are shown in the table.

  Total number engaged in agriculture (thousand)

  of which whole-time (thousand)

  1979

  740·3

  402·6

  1980

  725·1

  388·1

  1981

  709·9

  379·2

  1982

  705·6

  374·5

  1983

  699·3

  370·5

  1984

  691·2

  363·2

  1985

  690·6

  356·0

  1986

  679·9

  346·3

  1987

  666·2

  336·0

  1988

  658·5

  327·5

  1989

  644·9

  318·1

  11990

  638·4

  307·7

  1 Provisional.

  Food Manufacturing and Processing Industry
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give an estimate of the number of people employed in the United Kingdom food manufacturing and processing industry in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement concerning Government policy towards that industry.

  Mr. Curry
  Our main objective is, through for example financial and other support for Food From Britain, to encourage the food industry to take the fullest advantage of the opportunities being opened up by the completion of the Single European Market at the end of 1992.

  Available figures of numbers of people employed in the industry are shown below.

  Food manufacturing and processing industry1

  Numbers of persons employed: Great Britain2

  Year3

  Number of persons

  1979

  4554,000

  1980

  4554,000

  1981

  515,000

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  Year3

  Number of persons

  1982

  494,000

  1983

  466,000

  1984

  454,000

  1985

  456,000

  1986

  448,000

  1987

  450,000

  1988

  453,000

  1989

  460,000

  1990

  466,000

  Source: Department of Employment.

  1 Figures exclude drink manufacture.

  2 Detailed figures not available for Northern Ireland nor for self-employed persons.

  3 Totals shown relate to June of each year.

  4 The standard industrial classification for this industry was amended with effect from 1981, and statistics for 1979 and 1980 are thus not strictly comparable with those for subsequent years.

  Advisory Committee (Food)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans to establish the implementation advisory committee on food as a permanent committee.

  Mr. Maclean
  The implementation advisory committee's sole terms of reference are to advise Government Departments on draft codes of practice to be issued for consultation under section 40 of the Food Safety Act 1990. The committee will have completed its task when any necessary codes of practice have been prepared.

  Foodstuffs (Inspection)
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what consultation there has been between his Department and local government organisations concerning the implementation of the European Community directive on the official inspection of foodstuffs.

  Mr. Maclean
  Our officials are in regular contact with local authority organisations about the implementation of the EC directive on the official control of foodstuffs. In particular, they were consulted about the costs if implementing the directive. As a result, the Government are providing an additional £30 million to implement the Food Safety Act 1990 and the directive. Most recently, local authority organisations have been consulted about the statistics on food law enforcement that the Government will collect from local authorities in order to comply with the directive.

  Upland Sheep Farmers
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proposals he has to improve the level of incomes among upland sheep farmers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Sheep farmers in the less favoured areas (LFA) already benefit from a wide range of support measures, including particularly hill livestock compensatory allowances and sheep annual premium. Next year they will benefit additionally from the special 4 ECU per ewe supplement to be paid to producers in the LFA, and from the devaluation of the green pound effective from 7 January 1991.

  Bottled Water (Labelling)
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from Caithness Spring Water Company Ltd. about the labelling of bottled water; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have received representations about the need to avoid confusion between the labelling of natural mineral waters and other bottled waters. The views of Caithness Spring Water Company Limited will be taken into account when drawing up regulations on drinking water in containers and in forthcoming discussions on the revised Council directive on the exploitation and marketing of natural mineral waters.

  Plaice Quota
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to consult the Lowestoft Fishing Vessel Owners Association along with other interested parties on all North sea fisheries matters and in particular plaice swaps.

  Mr. Curry
  The more fragmented the representation of the fishing industry the more difficult it is for the industry to give effective expression to its views on matters about which it is consulted. Moreover, for practical reasons, Fisheries Departments are unable to consult every organisation and individual on every point of fisheries policy. The principal channels of consultation with the fishing industry are therefore through the primary representative organisations. However, the Lowestoft Fishing Vessel Owners Association are provided with copies of all consultation papers on general fisheries policy matters and are able to attend the monthly area IV and VI meetings at which North sea non-sector fisheries matters are discussed. Moreover, we recognise that the association has a major interest in North sea plaice and, if it seemed that a proposed quota swap might lead to restrictions having to be imposed on their members fishing, we would consult the association.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect of the year by year conceding of United Kingdom plaice quota to European competitors on the plaice fishermen of Lowestoft.

  Mr. Curry
  Quota exchanges between member states are always entered into without prejudice to the distribution of quotas in future years.

  Tuberculosis
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how he estimates the cost-effectiveness of the tuberculosis eradication scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  An economic assessment of badger control policy was undertaken as part of the Dunnet review and was published in 1987 as Government economic service working paper No. 96. It is too early to make such an assessment of policy in relation to deer and action in relation to cattle is dictated by the need to maintain this country's officially tuberculosis-free status under Community rules.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the suckler cow premium for the current year will be paid.

  Mr. Curry
  Payments of suckler cow premium cannot be made until a claim has been received and checked, and the rate of premium has been determined. This year, the rate of premium in the less favoured areas was increased to the maximum possible. The necessary implementation arrangements were announced on 12 November. Payments have now begun and will be completed as quickly as possible.

  Tuberculosis
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the strategy and methods of the control of tuberculosis in respect of(a) cattle and (b) badgers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Over the years there has been a significant reduction in the incidence of tuberculosis in cattle. This has been achieved by tuberculin testing the national herd and monitoring slaughterhouses, knackers yards and hunt kennels. Most of the country is now virtually free from the disease, although it is proving more difficult in the south west because of infection in the local badger population. Badger control is based upon the interim strategy recommended by Professor Dunnet. Thought is now being given by the Ministry and the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis as to how the live test developed for use in badgers can best be deployed in any revised strategy.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  European Monetary System
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish the prediction on the Treasury models of the effect on output and employment in manufacturing industry and in the rest of the economy over the next three years of tying the pound sterling to the Deutschmark at a central rate of 2·95 dollars.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Forecasts of total output and manufacturing output up to 1991 can be found in the autumn statement. We have not published forecasts beyond that, nor do we publish forecasts of employment.

  Trusts and Settlements
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the findings of the review he authorised the Inland Revenue to set up in 1988 to look into the taxation of trusts and settlements as a whole.

  Mr. Maude
  I am considering the next steps.

  Deeds of Covenant
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he proposes to bring forward proposals to amend the provisions of the Finance Act 1988 which abolished tax
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  relief for non-charitable deeds of covenant with a view to taking into consideration long-stay disabled relatives who require support.

  Mr. Maude
  I have no plans to do so.

THE ARTS

  Christmas Arts Festivals
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has any plans to attend any specifically Christmas arts festivals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have no plans to do so at present.

  East Midlands
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what recent discussions he has had with representatives of the arts from the east midlands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last met representatives of East Midlands Arts to discuss funding for the arts in the east midlands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I met the chairman of East Midlands Arts on 26 September, along with the chairmen of the other regional arts associations, to discuss the proposals for further changes in the structure of the new regional arts boards that I had announced on 24 September.

  Enhancement Fund
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what criteria he will employ when distributing his new enhancement fund.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer the hon. Member to my earlier reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle-under-Lyme (Mrs. Golding).

  Business Sponsorship
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how much has been raised to date under the business sponsorship incentive scheme.

  Mr. Mellor
  Since its inception in October 1984, the business sponsorship incentive scheme has raised over £37 million new money for the arts. Almost £25·5 million has come from business sponsors, to which the Government have added £12·28 million in awards. This is a tremendous achievement.

  Nottingham
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next plans to visit Nottingham to review the extent of artistic and cultural facilities.

  Mr. Mellor
  I had great pleasure in visiting the excellent Nottingham Playhouse last month. I plan to travel widely 326
  in coming months to visit arts organisations around the country and I look forward to a further visit to Nottingham.

  British Library
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is the total number of subscriptions to scientific periodicals that has been suspended by the British Library; and if he will give a breakdown showing the number suspended and the amount of money saved thereby in each major subject area.

  Mr. Mellor
  The British Library has suspended subscriptions to a total of 200 scientific periodicals. A breakdown by subject area and the savings expected are:

  Number

  £

  Agriculture

  4

  1,290

  Biology

  17

  6,515

  Biomedicine

  9

  3,628

  Biochemistry/chemistry

  49

  20,017

  Computing (including automation)

  7

  2,466

  Ecology/environment

  4

  1,356

  Electronics/communications

  6

  2,535

  Engineering

  19

  8,612

  Mathematics

  28

  11,821

  Physics

  37

  16,295

  Other (geology, metallurgy, mining, etc.)

  20

  7,425

  200

  81,960

  The library is arranging alternative access where possible to the scientific journals and hopes to reinstate them in 1992. Most of them will continue to be taken by the library's document supply centre in Yorkshire.

CIVIL SERVICES

  Agencies
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he last met representatives of the civil service trades unions to discuss the purpose of agency arrangements.

  Mr. Mellor
  The "next steps" project manager meets representatives of the Council of Civil Service Unions on a regular basis to discuss progress on the initiative.

  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement about progress towards the creation of agencies.

  Mr. Jack
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on the achievements of his agency initiative.

  Mr. Mellor
  I refer my hon. Friends to the oral answer I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Portsmouth, South (Mr. Martin).

  Museum Employees
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he last met civil service trade union leaders to discuss matters relating to employees in museums and central Government heritage bodies.

  Mr. Mellor
  I intend to meet representatives of the various civil service trade unions when appropriate to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Morale
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received on the question of morale in the Civil Service.
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  Mr. Mellor
  I have not received any representations about morale in the civil service.