Written Answers of 16 April 1991

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Imprisonment (Remission)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those offences, other than relating to non-payment of the poll tax, for which there is no remission in cases of imprisonment.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In addition to those imprisoned for non-payment of the community charge, inmates in custody in the following circumstances are not eligible for remission.

  (i) non-payment of: rates; a maintenance order; any civil debt; sums due under legal aid contribution orders; sums due on forfeiture of a recognisance; costs ordered to be paid by a magistrates' court; debts under the Debtors' Act 1869;

  (ii) non-compliance with court orders other than financial penalties;

  (iii) most civil offences.

  Full details of the terms of imprisonment that do not attract remission are set out in prison standing order 12, a copy of which is in the Library. A revised version of the standing order, to be published in a few months' time, will include reference to the community charge.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about ultra high frequency television coverage and the future of the relay programme in the light of the prospective privatisation of the transmission operation system previously owned and operated by the Independent Broadcasting Authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The announcement made on 4 July 1989 by the then Home Secretary, my right hon. Friend the Member for Witney (Mr. Hurd), confirmed that it was our intention to privatise the transmission networks owned and operated by the BBC and the IBA as soon as we were in a position to do so. The IBA welcomed the proposal and the Broadcasting Act provided for the IBA's replacement by two new regulatory bodies—the Independent Television Commission (ITC) and the Radio Authority—and a transmission company which is to be privatised. The transmission company, National Transcommunications Limited (NTL), started trading on 1 January this year. The position of the BBC's transmission operation will be reviewed in the run-up to the expiry of its royal charter at the end of 1996.

  The existing BBC and independent television services currently reach about 99·4 per cent. of the United Kingdom population. The BBC and the IBA have shared responsibility for a rolling programme of relay station construction. The current policy on the relay programme was announced on 20 May 1980 by the then Home Secretary, Lord Whitelaw, who said that approval had been given to proposals to extend UHF coverage to groups
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  of fewer than 500 whenever it was reasonably practicable to do so. Because of the varied nature of these small groups, there could be no obligation on the BBC and the IBA to provide a service to them and a precise lower limit could not be specified. In practice, groups of fewer than 200 have not benefited from the programme.

  In addition, the 1980 statement announced new arrangements for self-help television schemes, generally serving groups not qualifying under the relay programme. There are now over 300 groups covered by the scheme. The BBC and the IBA have provided advice on the new schemes which are continually being established.

  It is our aim to see existing UHF television coverage of the four main terrestrial channels maintained and increased where appropriate. We have agreed that the existing programme of up to 25 relay stations a year should be maintained until 1996 when we will reconsider the position, including alternative forms of delivery. We have also agreed that the BBC and the ITC should continue to be responsible for providing advice on new self-help schemes, with assistance from NTL.

  The BBC will continue its part of the relay programme as at present. The ITC will work with the BBC to determine the order and rate at which the stations are to be constructed, co-ordinating with the ITV companies or Channel 3 licensees, Channel 4 or S4C as appropriate. Responsibility for the IBA's share of relay planning and construction will fall to NTL. Until 1993 the necessary additional coverage requirements will be implemented by means of the contracts between the ITC and the ITV companies, and the contracts between those companies, Channel 4, S4C and NTL. From 1993, the Broadcasting Act provides for the ITC to set technical standards of quality, coverage and reliability in the Channel 3 and 4 licences and for the Welsh Authority to provide S4C to high technical standards. NTL will be obliged by its own Telecommunications Act licence to provide services enabling the ITV, Channel 3 and Channel 4 companies and S4C to meet the required standards of coverage which will include the continuation of the relay programme until 1996, or as then further decided.

  Fire Service
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans the Government have for the Fire Service College.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has decided that the Fire Service College should become a candidate for executive agency status under the Government's "Next Steps" initiative. The projected launch date is 1 April 1992.

  The college, established under the Fire Services Act 1947, is the principal provider of training to officers in local authority fire brigades. It provides technical training in firefighting and fire safety and courses on command and management for all grades of fire officer. It also trains students from the private sector and from overseas. The recent introduction of direct charging of brigades commensurate with their use of the college's facilities enables the college to be more responsive to the individual needs of its customers. Executive agency status will provide the college with the flexibility and control necessary to deliver high-quality training more cost-effectively and responsively.
  133
  My right hon. Friend fully appreciates the close interest taken by the local authorities and the fire service in maintaining high professional standards through training at the college and there will be full discussions with the constituent members of the Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council and other interested parties over the coming months.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is making any changes in the membership of the Police Complaints Authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The right hon. Roland Moyle is retiring from his post as deputy chairman of the Police Complaints Authority when his term of appointment expires on 28 April. I wish to take this opportunity to thank him for his service with the authority. His knowledge and experience have made an outstanding contribution to the establishment of the authority as a key part of the police complaints system.

  Peter Moorhouse, who has been a member of the authority since July 1988, has accepted my invitation to succeed to the vacant deputy chairman post on 29 April.

  Interception of Communications
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements have been made following the expiry of the terms of appointment of the members of the interception of communications tribunal on 10 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Sir Cecil Clothier, KCB, QC, Mr. David Calcutt, QC, Mr. Ivor Guild, CBE and Mr. Peter Scott QC have been reappointed for a further five years as members of the tribunal established under the Interception of Communications Act 1985. Their new terms of office commenced on 11 April.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the expected outturn for British Rail's external financing for the 1990–91 financial year.

  Mr. Rifkiind
  British Rail's external financing requirement for 1990–91 was £1,016 million. This represents an overshoot of £316 million on the revised limit of £700 million. British Rail will publish full details of the 1990–91 financial year in the annual report and accounts in July.

  Road and Rail Expenditure
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the planning totals of Department of Transport expenditure on road and rail, respectively, for each of the three decades from 1960 to 1989.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Consistent information in terms of planning totals is not available. However, road and rail investment in Great Britain for the three decades is as follows:
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  Road and rail investment: Great Britain1

  £ million in cash prices

  Road2

  Rail3

  1960–69

  2,330

  1,190

  1970–79

  7,440

  2,190

  1980–89

  16,850

  6,220

  1 Because of definitional changes, figures can only be used to give broad comparisons.

  2 Expenditure by central and local government on new construction and improvement on all roads, and major structural maintenance on motorway and trunk roads.

  3 Investment in rolling stock and infrastructure by British Rail, London Underground Limited, Dockland Light Railway and Manchester Light Rapid Transit. British Rail channel tunnel investment is included but not investment by Eurotunnel plc.

ENERGY

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what evidence he has that privatisation of electricity in Great Britain has led to a reduction in electricity prices to consumers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is too early to assess the full impact of privatisation and the introduction of competition on electricity prices. However, since April last year consumers have, for the first time, been protected by price controls against unjustified increases and, under the phased arrangements for the transition to full competition, large users, outside the franchise, have been able to negotiate the keenest available terms from potential suppliers.

  Gas Turbine Power Stations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, pursuant to his answer of 11 March,Official Report, column 359, to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson), he has any proposals to change the criteria he uses in considering the granting of consent for new gas-fired combined cycle power stations under (a) section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 or (b) the Energy Act 1976; if he will consult the Director-General of Ofgas in such considerations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  There are currently no proposals to change the criteria for the Secretary of State for Energy's consent under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 to construct new gas-fired generating stations. The Government are aware that the EC directive restricting the use of gas in generating stations was repealed on 18 March 1991. We therefore intend to repeal the powers relating to the use of natural gas in power generation contained in section 14 of the Energy Act 1976 at the earliest legislative opportunity. In the interim period, the Government will continue to exercise those powers in a manner consistent with previous practice.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Finsbury Park and Highgate Offices
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many staff are currently employed at Finsbury Park and Highgate DSS offices; how many were employed in March 1990; how much of the work has been transferred to other offices in the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The numbers of staff employed in Finsbury Park and Highgate offices are as follows:

  Finsbury Park

  Highgate

  1 March 1990

  191·5

  202

  1 April 1991

  31·5

  33

  All work which did riot require face-to-face contact with the public has been relocated to the Euston district office and the Glasgow social security centre as was recommended in the Business of Service report, a copy of which is available in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  HMS Endurance
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to continue the deployment of HMS Endurance in the south Atlantic including South Georgia and Antarctica; and if he will make a statement on the replacement of the present vessel by the mid-1990s

  The Prime Minister
  Endurance will return from her current deployment in the south Atlantic in May, which is the end of the Antarctic summer. Studies into the best way of fulfilling the role currently undertaken by Endurance are continuing.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what requests Her Majesty's Government have had for air cover from anti-Saddam forces in(a) northern Iraq and (b) southern Iraq.

  The Prime Minister
  We have received a number of representations requesting the coalition forces in the Gulf to prevent the Iraqi air force from flying missions. Security Council resolution 688 demands that the Iraqi Government should end their repression of their own people. We are working urgently to create safe havens for Iraqi refugees. The United States has warned Iraqi aircraft not to fly north of the 36th parallel.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the United States Government about a permanent(a) United States, (b) United States/British and (c) coalition presence in Iraq.

  The Prime Minister
  We have no intention of establishing a permanent coalition presence in Iraq. Our recent contacts with the Americans have focused on the need for urgent humanitarian aid to Iraqi refugees both in the north and south of the country. We shall continue to maintain close contacts with the United States on the way ahead.
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  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his oral answer to the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller) of 14 March,Official Report, column 1095, what discussions he has had with the allies on the subject of the use of chemical weapons in Iraq.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: The use of chemical weapons by Iraq is a matter of great concern and has been discussed on many occasions with our allies. We have no firm evidence that such weapons were used during or after the Gulf conflict. At our instigation United Nations Security Council resolution 687, which has been accepted by the Iraqi Government, sets out the United Nations terms for the destruction of Iraq's chemical weapons capability and affirms that grave consequences would follow any use by Iraq of such weapons.

WALES

  Welsh Agricultural College
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to finance the Welsh agricultural college, Aberystwyth, in the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Arrangements have been made for officials to discuss the future of the Welsh agricultural college with officers of the WAC joint education committee later this week.

  EC Wild Birds Directive
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the Countryside Council for Wales regarding the implications of the Leybucht Bay judgment of the European Court of Justice on 28 February in Luxemburg on the proposals for development in Welsh estuaries in special protection areas or candidate special protection areas under the wild birds directive 1979.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

  Science Base
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policies to encourage the growth of a science base in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 27 March 1991]: The Government's policy with regard to science is designed to operate on a United Kingdom basis. The aims of the Government's science programme are to advance knowledge and technical capability; to train scientific manpower at postgraduate level; and in these and other ways to contribute to the realisation of economic, social and cultural benefits for the United Kingdom. Financial support is channelled through the research councils and other funded bodies. Higher education institutions in Wales can and do receive support from these funds for research activity in Wales.

  In addition, many projects in Wales are funded by the Department's own research and development programme which covers the whole range of its responsibilities. The Welsh Office estimated expenditure on research and development in 1991–92 is £3·1 million.
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  The Department also specifically seeks to promote and develop the science base within the NHS in Wales. To this end the provision of training for clinical scientists is currently under review. The Department also sponsors the Welsh scheme for the development of health and social research which specifically supports the career develop-ment of research workers. In addition Welsh Office-sponsored projects account for some £1·1 million of the £22·9 million held by the Department of Health for the combined England and Wales health and personal social services research programme for 1991–92.

  Some of the Department's industrial policies also have a direct effect in strengthening the more commercially oriented aspects of our science base. For example there are the activities of WDA Technology Marketing, the WDA support for various major centres of excellence within the university of Wales, the proposed Imperial science park at Newport and our promotion of relevant Government and European schemes such as LINK, the teaching company scheme and the collaborative research and development grant support at both the United Kingdom and European level including through the pan-European EUREKA programme.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Local Management of Schools
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 234, on the implications of local management of schools, what system has been established to ensure that recoupment charges payable to the providing authority are earmarked for the specific school concerned rather than absorbed in the overheads of that providing authority.

  Mr. Fallon
  As I had intended to make clear to my hon. Friend in my answer of 22 March, formula allocations to schools under an LEA's scheme of local management are calculated on the basis of the number of pupils in schools, regardless of where those pupils live. Schools will automatically receive funding for out-county pupils at the same level as for pupils who live within the authority. In this way schools receive in their budgets credit for the pupils whom they have attracted from another authority.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Sub-Post Offices
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list, by region, the number of sub-post offices which have(a) opened and (b) closed since 1979.

  Mr. Leigh
  Decisions on the provision of post office services in particular areas are an operational matter for the Post Office. As the hon. Gentleman will be aware, the period mentioned has seen considerable organisational change in the Post Office and I understand that the information is not available in the form requested.

  The Post Office has, however, told me that the overall number of post offices has fallen from 22,639 in 1979 to 20,401 in 1991. Within this total the number of agency
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  offices—which includes both rural and sub-post offices, community offices and restricted hours offices—has fallen from 21,056 to 19,160 over the same period.

  Chief Executives
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy on the employment as chief executive of a company of a person who has held a similar position in a company that has failed.

  Mr. Lilley
  In general there is no legal impediment to the appointment of the chief executive or any other officer of a failed company to a similar position in another company. However, any company considering such an appointment would wish to consider carefully the prospective appointee's performance record. Moreover, there are safeguards provided in the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 which requires every liquidator, administrative receiver or administrator to submit a report to the Secretary of State if he considers that the conduct of a director of an insolvent company has been such as to make him unfit to be concerned in the management of a company. An application may be made to the court for such a person to be disqualified from acting as a director or from being involved in the management of a company. During the year ended 31 March 1991 the Secretary of State directed that 499 such applications be made to the courts.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy to obtain from his counterpart in the United States a copy of the Commerce Department's latest assessment of countries capable of producing chemical weapons and export control guidance given to industry.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  We work with other like-minded countries, including the United States, in taking harmonised international measures to prevent the proliferation of chemical weapons.

  There are regular meetings at which information is exchanged on new controls and procedures.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the potential value to British industry of contracts to reconstruct parts of Kuwait and Iraq following the Gulf war.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Department has not sought to estimate the value of Kuwait reconstruction work to British industry. Various estimates of the total cost of reconstruction work have been made, most commonly in the region of US $50 billion.

  Company Projects
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list grant funding available to United Kingdom companies undertaking feasibility studies for projects in Europe, both inside and outside the European Community.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 27 March 1991]: The overseas projects fund operated by my Department

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  provides assistance to the pre-contractual expenses, including feasibility studies in certain circumstances, of British companies seeking contracts for major projects outside the European Community. Information on grant funding from other sources could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Middle East
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what communications he has had in the current year with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in regard to the middle east region.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We receive regular reports from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees on its activities in the middle east region, and we are in very close touch over the current Iraq crisis.

  Honduras
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current aid programme to Honduras and the equivalent figure for each of the last 10 years; what participation the United Kingdom takes in the EC programmes that affect Honduras; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The bilateral country programme runs at about £1 million a year; we provide disaster relief when appropriate; the Commonwealth Development Corporation invests in Honduras. Gross United Kingdom bilateral aid expenditure (including CDC) and the United Kingdom share of EC aid from 1980 to 1989 were as follows:

  Gross United Kingdom bilateral aid £,000

  United Kingdom share of EC aid £,000

  1980

  335

  510

  1981

  5,002

  780

  1982

  2,272

  1,350

  1983

  6,670

  980

  1984

  3,446

  1,880

  1985

  3,653

  480

  1986

  1,258

  520

  1987

  811

  520

  1988

  1,166

  640

  1989

  701

  1

  1 Not available.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Honduras
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what meetings have been held by Her Majesty's ambassador and staff in Tegucigalpa with human rights organisations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Her Majesty's ambassador in Tegucigalpa meets periodically representatives of the main 140
  Honduran human rights organisation. He is also in regular contact with Ministers and officials on human rights questions.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Honduras concerning their treatment of trade unionists; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  None. No issue has been brought to our notice either directly affecting British interests or giving sufficient grounds for general concern such as to merit representations.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxation
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many letters have been received by his Department on the subject of tax simplification since 1 September last year from industrial and commercial companies; and how he proposes to respond to these representations.

  Mr. Maude
  A total of 113 letters have been received on the subject of tax simplification, following my hon. Friend's circular to finance directors of industrial and commercial companies. I have assured all those who have written that I very much share the concern that the tax system should avoid unnecessary complexity and that we shall continue to introduce simplifications wherever possible.

  European Community
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community Economic and Finance Council, the meeting of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union and the interinstitutional meeting with the European Parliament.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The ECOFIN Council met in Brussels on 8 April. The intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union met that morning when there was also an interinstitutional meeting of Ministers with the European Parliament. The Minister for Corporate Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom at ECOFIN and I attended the IGC and the meeting with the European Parliament.

  A Commission initiative concerning the debt owed to the Community by the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries linked by the Lomé convention was discussed, but it was agreed that the proposal was inconsistent with the international debt strategy. A modified proposal may be discussed by a future Council.

  The Council reached agreement in principle to provide guaranteed loans to Romania equal to the amount offered by the non-EC members of the G24 up to a maximum of 375 million ecu.

  Ministers also discussed agricultural price fixing. I made clear the Government's determination not to increase the agricultural guideline calculated in accordance with the 1988 budget discipline decision; and emphasised the importance which the Government attach to respect for budgetary discipline.

  The future taxation of road transport was also discussed, but without agreement. The Commission made

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  a brief presentation of two company tax measures which are currently before the Council and which concern the taxation of cross-border interest payment and royalties and the treatment of tax relief for losses within groups of companies. There was no discussion of these measures.

  There was a brief discussion of the proposed takeovers directive but no significant progress towards an agreement. Several member states, including the United Kingdom, expressed major reservations about the Commission's proposals.

  On the investment services directive, the Council discussed a compromise text from the Presidency on the issue of regulated markets. The Commission proposed a further compromise for discussion at a future Council.

  The ministerial meeting of the intergovernmental conference on EMU focused on the transition from stage 1 to stage 2 of EMU. Differing views emerged on the degree of economic convergence necessary before a move to stage 2. I argued that it was necessary to determine the content of stage 2 before taking any decision on when it should start; and that economic convergence was a key element in making further progress towards economic and monetary integration. The United Kingdom proposals would establish, in stage 2, a mechanism to encourage convergence on the best inflation performance.

  I also attended the inter-institutional meeting held with the European Parliament to allow Members of the European Parliament to put their views on the EMU IGC to Finance Ministers. Members of the European Parliament expressed a range of views. The meeting was purely consultative in nature.

  Overseas Investment
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 268, on overseas investment, if he will provide a similar table for investment from outside the EC only.
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  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Complete information on inward investment in the European Community from outside the EC is not available. However, the Statistical Office of the European Communities, in a recent study, made estimates of foreign direct investment in EC member states, adjusted to exclude intra-EC flows. These estimates exclude reinvested profits because a number of member states do not compile such information. The figures for the United Kingdom given in the table below are therefore on a different basis from those published by the CSO. The information is as follows:

  Inward net foreign direct investment (excluding reinvested profits) in the EC (Excluding intra-EC investments)

  million ECU

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  In EC

  6,177

  5,637

  6,840

  12,578

  14,278

  of which:

  In United Kingdom

  1,995

  623

  3,324

  4,986

  4,562

  United Kingdom as percentage of EC Total

  32

  11

  49

  40

  32

  Source: Eurostat estimates.

  Civil Servants (South Dorset)
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants work in south Dorset now; and how many of these jobs are currently subject to active review to be either removed or relocated.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: There were around 4,900 non-industrial civil servants in south Dorset at 1 January 1991. Equivalent data for industrial staff are not available.

  No information is collected centrally about Departments' plans for the removal and relocation of posts in particular regions, so it is not possible to give figures for those posts in south Dorset under active review.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Beef Imports
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has about the use of drugs in beef imports from the Republic of Ireland; and if he will make a statement on the safety of imported beef from the Republic of Ireland.

  Mr. Maclean
  Beef from the Republic of Ireland is routinely monitored as part of the extensive programme of surveillance of veterinary drugs residues carried out by the Ministry. A total of 400 imported samples of beef muscle, liver and kidney were taken during 1990, of which about one fifth are estimated to have been from the Republic of Ireland. To date, within the hormone and beta-agonist groups, only one positive from Ireland has been found. This was for the hormone Zeranol, and did not pose a threat to human health. Full results of the Ministry's programme of veterinary drug surveillance for the years 1986–90 are to be published in a food surveillance paper which is now in preparation.

  Veterinary Medicines
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what performance targets he has set for the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in 1991–92.

  Mr. Gummer
  The chief executive of the Veterinary Medicines Directorate (VMD) and I have agreed the following targets for 1991–92:full cost recovery for the three business activities of licensing, policy work and residues monitoring;
  100 per cent. of new licence applications to be issued within 120 clock days;
  an overall efficiency gain of 2 per cent.

  These are more demanding targets than those set in 1990–91 and they reflect the good progress being made by the VMD as a "Next Steps" agency.

  Microwave Ovens
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will publish his response to the Agriculture Committee's first report of 1990–91 on microwave ovens.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Government's response has been published today and copies are being placed in the Library of the House. The Government response endorses many of the conclusions reached by the Committee. In particular, it endorses the Committee's conclusions that there is nothing inherently unsafe about microwave ovens, that efforts to improve the performance of microwave ovens should be regarded as sensible precautionary measures, and that it is incumbent on oven manufacturers and retailers to ensure that consumers are furnished with the necessary instructions to enable them to cook food properly. These principles underlie what MAFF is seeking to achieve through its microwave working party.

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ridley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the proportion of local authority revenue expenditure paid in rate or revenue support grant in 1979–80, 1989–90 and 1990–91 respectively; and what was the total of the grant in each of those years expressed in 1989–90 prices.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The information for the English local authorities is as follows:

  Rate/revenue support grant as a proportion of local authority expenditure

  Rate/revenue support grant expressed in 1989–90 prices

  £ million

  1979–801

  0·49

  15,792

  1989–90

  0·29

  9,577

  1990–91

  0·26

  8,807

  1 England and Wales.

  Glass Fittings
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce higher mandatory standards for the quality of glass fitted in new homes, rather than an advisory code.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department has issued a consultation paper proposing that requirements controlling the glazing used in critical locations in new houses and other buildings should be included in the Building Regulations 1985. Such requirements would have legal force, and would be supported by detailed practical guidance about ways in which they could be met including guidance on the quality of glass to be used. Responses to the consultation paper are currently being considered, and it is hoped that final decisions can be taken later this year.

  Prestwich Hospital, Salford
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he turned down the planning application from Salford health authority relating to the redevelopment of part of the Prestwich hospital, Salford, site; and when he received this application.

  Sir George Young
  Permission was refused on 23 August 1989 for the proposals called in on 2 September 1987.

  An appeal for a new scheme is currently before my right hon. Friend.

  Hazardous Waste (US Bases)
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on shipments of hazardous waste to England for disposal from United States military bases in Turkey, Greece, the Azores and Iceland during the last 10 years(a) reported under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations and (b) not so reported; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Baldry
  The consignment note system under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 is designed to ensure that waste is disposed of safely at suitable facilities. It does not require consignees to identify the source of the hazardous waste. There have been very few shipments of waste from these countries and none of these has been consigned directly by the United States forces.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with his opposite numbers in the European Community Council of Ministers concerning the further European Community directives on the protection of endangered, valuable or rare plant and animal species.

  Mr. Baldry
  The proposed Council directive on the conservation of natural habitats and wild fauna and flora has been discussed at several meetings of the European Community Council of Environment Ministers. At the meeting held on 18 March my hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Environment and Countryside welcomed the significant progress achieved by the Presidency and said that the United Kingdom was fully committed to the objectives of the proposed directive.

  EC Wild Birds Directive
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with the Environment Commissioner of the European Community regarding the implications of the Leybucht Bay judgment of the European Court of Justice on 28 February, for the development proposals currently affecting Britain's estuarial special protection areas and candidate special protection areas designated or to be designated according to the European Community wild birds directive of 1979.

  Mr. Baldry
  None.

  Landfill Gas
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish the results of the survey into the incidence of landfill gas production at landfill sites undertaken by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  In December 1987 HM inspectorate of pollution asked all waste disposal authorities in England and Wales to provide details of all landfill sites producing landfill gas.

  In order to update the information obtained from the first survey, HM IP issued further requests for information in August 1988 and May 1989. The responses to these have been considered by the inspectorate and their conclusions are set out in a recently published report which has been sent to all waste disposal authorities in England and Wales. Copies have also been placed in the Library of the House.

  The Government allocated £33 million in 1990–91 to enable local authorities to carry out remedial works to such sites, and further resources are available in future years. So far take-up by authorities of these resources has been slow with less than £12 million expected to be spent
  146
  in 1990–91. I hope that the publication of this report will encourage authorities to put forward new proposals for remedial works at gassing landfill sites.

  Tarmac Plant, Derbyshire
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is now in a position to reply to the letter sent to him by Mr. J. Cooper, Clock Cottage, Spinkhill, Derbyshire, at the start of February, concerning the operation of the Tarmac plant at Renishaw, Derbyshire.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 27 February 1991]: I am now in a position to reply and Mr Cooper will receive a letter within a few days.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his latest estimate of the number of people who will benefit from the community charge reduction scheme(a) nationally and (b) in the area covered by Kirklees council.

  Mr. Key
  [pursuant to the answer, 27 March 1991, Official Report, c. 456]: Our estimate of the number of charge payers in England who will benefit from a community charge reduction in 1991–92 is about 16 million.

  Mr. Andrew Mackay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the workings of the community charge reduction scheme in relation to properties which were not individually rated.

  Mr. Key
  [pursuant to the answer, 27 March 1991, Official Report c. 456]: The effect of the recent changes which we have made to the community charge reduction scheme is that the calculation of reductions must be based on the total number of eligible charge payers resident in a property or a group of properties which formed one hereditament. Under transitional relief the calculation was limited to two community charges where there were two or more eligible charge payers. This change will help in particular people living in larger households or houses of multiple occupancy and people living in groups of properties which shared one rateable value only.

HEALTH

  National Health Services Practices
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from representatives of health authorities in the north as to practices within the national health service.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I meet, and receive correspondence from, health authorities in the north on a wide variety of matters concerning the national health service.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of persons currently on waiting lists for hospital in-patient treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 31 March 1990, the latest available date, there were 710,253 people waiting for
  147
  in-patient treatment in England, excluding those who had asked for their admission to be deferred. This is 6 per cent. less than in 1979. Furthermore, in the 12 months to March 1990 the number waiting over a year for in-patient treatment fell by 9 per cent. and 5 per cent. fewer people now wait over a year than in 1979.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of persons currently on waiting lists for hospital in-patient treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 30 September 1990, the latest available information, there were 705,706 people waiting for in-patient treatment, excluding those who had asked for their admission to be deferred. It is the time individual patients wait that matters, not the total number on the list. In the 12 months to March 1990 the number waiting over one year for in-patient treatment fell by 9 per cent. and by a further 2 per cent. in the following six months to September 1990.

  Psychotherapy
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations have been received by his Department concerning the conduct towards their clients of private psychotherapists, counsellors, hypotherapists and analysts.

  Mr. Dorrell
  One; the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) wrote to me on 28 January 1991 drawing attention to a potentially distressing case.

  NHS Administrative Costs
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the cost of administration and organisation within the national health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The cost of headquarters administration at regional and district health authorities in the national health service in England for 1989–90 was £730 million, which represents 4 per cent. of total revenue expenditure.

  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his latest estimate of the additional administrative costs to the national health service of the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have provided more than £380 million to the national health service in 1991–92 to meet in full the additional costs of implementing the national health service review. This includes over £80 million for the introduction of additional consultant posts and for the development of audit for general practitioners and nurses, as well as funds for developments outside the area of direct patient care.

  Divorce (Conciliation Services)
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what responsibilities his Department has for the provision of conciliation services for couples pending divorce.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The lead responsibility for conciliation lies with the Lord Chancellor's Department. The Department of Health has no direct responsibility.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has of pressure being put on employees against participating in the formation of NHS trusts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend has written recently to the right hon. Member for Islwyn (Mr. Kinnock) about a letter issued by the hon. Members for Coventry, South-East (Mr. Nellist) and Coventry, North-East (Mr. Hughes), to the manager of a hospital which is in the process of applying for NHS trust status. The letter effectively threatened him with dismissal unless he agreed to withdraw the application. I am pleased to say that the right hon. Member for Islwyn dissociated himself from these bullying tactics and I hope that the hon. Member for Livingston (Mr. Cook) will do likewise.

  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his assessment of how NHS trusts will improve the local nature of the health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  NHS trusts will be better able to respond to patients' needs through greater freedoms and flexibility. They will also encourage greater local involvement and pride.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the progress towards establishment of NHS trust hospitals.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Feltham and Heston (Mr. Ground) earlier today.

  Lung Cancer, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the percentage rate of lung cancer in Liverpool among women and men; and what the Liverpool mortality rate is in comparison with the United Kingdom rates.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest figures available show that in 1985 the incidence among males was 0·18 per cent. and 0·07 per cent. among females. The mortality rate in 1989 was for males 13·8 per 10,000 of the population compared with 9·8 nationally and for females 7·8 per 10,000 of the population compared with 4·2 nationally.

  Health Care (Ethnic Minorities)
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to improve access to health care for people from ethnic minorities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government are committed to promoting equality of opportunity for ethnic minorities in the provision of health services. This involves positive action to take account of differences in the incidence of disease, and in language and culture.

  We have launched a number of initiatives to improve the quality of health care for ethnic minorities and to promote access to information on health promotion and the health services available: Some examples are: funding a report by the National Association of Health Authorities to advise health authorities on how to improve services for ethnic minorities; funding a seminar in 1988 for NHS senior managers on delivering services for ethnic

  149
  minorities; piloting, through the Asian mother and baby campaign, the use of link workers to help overcome language and cultural barriers to communication; spending £500,000 a year to produce materials to improve access to health services; funding projects to develop good practice guidance to help improve access to services; and recently funding a compendium of good practice in family health service work.

  The NHS reforms establish each health authority's responsibility to secure appropriate health care for all its population. Each health authority will assess the health needs of its population and plan services accordingly, ensuring that the services available are both relevant, and accessible, to the whole local population including members of ethnic minorities.

  The 1991 census will include, for the first time, a question on ethnic origin and it is proposed to include equivalent information on patients in the data collected by health authorities. This will enable health authorities to plan and target services effectively. The Department is also funding the establishment of a database on ethnic minority health which will gather information on good practice, on developments in services for ethnic minorities, and epidemiological data. These sources of information taken together will help health service planners to assess the health needs of ethnic minorities, to plan appropriate services, and to monitor the effectiveness of services.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many prescription items were dispensed free in the last year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In 1990 276·9 million items were dispensed free in the national health service.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of a prescription in 1979 in current prices; and what is it now.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In 1989–90, the latest year for which information is available, the average cost of a prescription in the family health service in England was £6·36. In 1979–80 the cost at 1989–90 prices was £4·92.

  Huddersfield Resource Management Scheme
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the resource management scheme operated by Huddersfield health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Huddersfield health authority has made excellent progress with the implementation of resource management at Huddersfield royal infirmary, since the hospital was named as a resource management pilot site in 1986. The work at Huddersfield and the other five pilot sites has provided valuable information about resource management, and is being used to support the extension of resource management to all other large acute hospitals in the country.

  Mentally Ill People
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to monitor and evaluate the continuing care of mentally ill people resident in the community.
  150
  Mr. Dorrell
  We will continue to monitor and evaluate services for mentally ill people through the established arrangements for reviewing health authorities' performance and inspection of social services provision by the social services inspectorate. Provision for the mentally ill is also subject to review by the health advisory service.

  General Practitioner Budgets
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those general practitioners' practices in the Sunderland, Hartlepool and Durham health authorities intending to hold their own budgets as from April in the current year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Carr, the chairman of the Northern regional health authority, for details.

  District Health Authorities
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will arrange for a copy of the financial profile produced by the Audit Commission for each district health authority to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The health authority audit profiles are drawn up to assist the Audit Commission in its examination of the health authorities. A copy is made available to each of the authorities concerned. The Audit Commission's reports on the accounts of the health authorities, and certain other reports, are made public but there are no plans for working documents such as audit profiles to be made more widely available.

  Nicotine Chewing Gum
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when nicotine chewing gum will be given pharmacist-only status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  An order amending SI 1983 No. 1212, The Medicines (Products other than Veterinary Drugs) (Prescription Only) Order, was laid on 10 April and is due to come into operation on I May. This will give effect to changes in the legal status of a number of medicines, including allowing the 2mg strength of a nicotine chewing gum, licensed as an aid to smoking cessation, to be supplied from pharmacies without a precription.

  NE Thames RHA
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the projected 1991–92 central programme for the North East Thames regional health authority; and how much of it will be funded from anticipated capital receipts.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that North East Thames regional health authority is planning a capital programme for 1991–92 of £ 103·4 million. The region expects to receive £8·4 milion from previous land sales and hopes to achieve further sales during the year.

  Friern Barnet Hospital
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total number of patients in Friern Barnet hospital, what plans he has to ensure that on closure they will all be in satisfactory accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that there are currently 477 patients in Friern Barnet hospital. The satisfactory transfer of these patients and the provision of associated new residential and day facilities on the hospital's closure, is a matter for North East Thames regional health authority. Since 1 April all psychiatric patients who are discharged, or are being considered for discharge, are subject to the care programme approach contained in circular HC(90)23/LASSL(90)11, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Hospital Safety
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about safety in hospitals in Stockport.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In any workplace the responsibility for complying with health and safety legislation rests with the employers and others in the workplace. This also applies to hospitals in Stockport. The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for enforcing health and safety legislation in hospitals.

  Joint Finance
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the total expenditure on joint finance for each year since 1983–84, in(a) cash and (b) real terms.

  Number of registered dentists on Greater London FHSA lists at 30 September 1989, 30 September 1990 and 28 February 1991

  30 September 1989

  30 September 1990

  28 February 1991

  Barking and Havering

  114

  107

  118

  Barnet

  204

  203

  182

  Brent and Harrow

  222

  229

  222

  Bromley

  144

  140

  145

  Camden and Islington

  240

  230

  205

  City and East London

  238

  232

  212

  Croydon

  153

  151

  150

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  323

  329

  311

  Enfield and Haringey

  218

  238

  216

  Greenwich and Bexley

  166

  167

  158

  Hillingdon

  97

  101

  97

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  404

  366

  325

  Kingston and Richmond

  149

  149

  157

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  332

  328

  323

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  283

  282

  282

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  182

  167

  167

  Revised Table: Changes to the number of registered dentists on FHSA lists since 30 September 1990 (England only)

  FHSA

  Total at 30 Sep 90

  Total at 28 Feb 91

  Net change

  Cleveland

  157

  155

  -2

  Cumbria

  146

  145

  -1

  Durham

  161

  155

  -6

  Northumberland

  100

  100

  0

  Gateshead

  69

  73

  4

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  126

  115

  -11

  North Tyneside

  74

  75

  1

  South Tyneside

  44

  42

  -2

  Sunderland

  86

  85

  -1

  Humberside

  215

  220

  5

  152
  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 8 March 1991]: The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities in England record total expenditure on projects jointly financed with local authorities as:

  Expenditure (at cash)

  Expenditure (real terms—using GDP deflator)

  £ million

  £ million

  1978–79

  31·2

  31·2

  1979–80

  39·8

  34·1

  1980–81

  60·1

  43·5

  1981–82

  72·8

  48·1

  1982–83

  83·1

  51·3

  1983–84

  85·6

  50·5

  1984–85

  93·7

  52·6

  1985–86

  105·6

  56·2

  1986–87

  112·5

  57·9

  1987–88

  118·5

  57·8

  1988–89

  121·7

  55·3

  1989–90

  119·2

  50·9

  Dentists
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists were registered with each FHSA covering the Greater London area on 1 October 1989, 1 October 1990 and 28 February 1991, respectively.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 21 March 1991]: The information requested is shown in the following table. In addition, the tables set out in my previous replies on the same subject on 14 March 1991, c. 643–44 and on 21 March 1991, c. 197–200 have been revised for purposes of ease of interpretation and consistency of response and they are also presented as follows.
  153

  FHSA

  Total at 30 Sep 90

  Total at 28 Feb 91

  Net change

  North Yorkshire

  257

  259

  2

  Bradford

  182

  187

  5

  Calderdale

  65

  67

  2

  Kirklees

  115

  119

  4

  Leeds

  290

  288

  -2

  Wakefield

  97

  96

  -1

  Derbyshire

  269

  277

  8

  Leicestershire

  245

  244

  -1

  Lincolnshire

  121

  133

  12

  Nottinghamshire

  292

  296

  4

  Barnsley

  68

  69

  1

  Doncaster

  85

  93

  8

  Rotherham

  80

  83

  3

  Sheffield

  188

  188

  0

  Cambridgeshire

  195

  193

  -2

  Norfolk

  225

  225

  0

  Suffolk

  202

  201

  -1

  Bedfordshire

  136

  141

  5

  Hertfordshire

  436

  429

  -7

  Barnet

  203

  182

  -21

  Brent and Harrow

  229

  222

  -7

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  329

  311

  -18

  Hillingdon

  101

  97

  -4

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  366

  325

  -41

  Essex

  438

  443

  5

  Barking and Havering

  107

  118

  11

  Camden and Islington

  230

  205

  -25

  City and East London

  232

  212

  -20

  Enfield and Haringey

  238

  216

  -22

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  167

  167

  0

  East Sussex

  294

  293

  -1

  Kent

  523

  513

  -10

  Greenwich and Bexley

  167

  158

  -9

  Bromley

  140

  145

  5

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  328

  323

  -5

  Surrey

  485

  496

  11

  West Sussex

  299

  300

  1

  Croydon

  151

  150

  -1

  Kingston and Richmond

  149

  157

  8

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  282

  282

  0

  Dorset

  233

  231

  -2

  Hampshire

  527

  526

  -1

  Wiltshire

  175

  169

  -6

  Isle of Wight

  50

  49

  -1

  Berkshire

  271

  274

  3

  Buckinghamshire

  242

  247

  5

  Northamptonshire

  154

  150

  -4

  Oxfordshire

  215

  213

  -2

  Avon

  367

  372

  5

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  151

  147

  -4

  Devon

  364

  367

  3

  Gloucestershire

  206

  202

  -4

  Somerset

  147

  148

  1

  Hereford and Worcester

  222

  221

  -1

  Salop

  134

  132

  -2

  Staffordshire

  268

  264

  -4

  Warwickshire

  141

  141

  0

  Birmingham

  346

  344

  -2

  Coventry

  90

  85

  -5

  Dudley

  95

  94

  -1

  Sandwell

  101

  104

  3

  Solihull

  76

  78

  2

  Walsall

  73

  76

  3

  Wolverhampton

  68

  66

  -2

  Cheshire

  350

  351

  1

  Liverpool

  172

  170

  -2

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  107

  106

  -1

  Sefton

  111

  110

  -1

  Wirral

  130

  134

  4

  Lancashire

  427

  437

  10

  Bolton

  82

  82

  0

  Bury

  75

  77

  2

  Manchester

  234

  238

  4

  Oldham

  86

  91

  5

  Rochdale

  68

  65

  -3

  Salford

  91

  91

  0

  Stockport

  125

  126

  1

  Tameside

  79

  74

  -5

  154

  155

  FHSA

  Total at 30 Sep 90

  Total at 28 Feb 91

  Net change

  TrafTord

  103

  103

  0

  Wigan

  106

  108

  2

  TOTAL

  17,246

  17,131

  -115

  Revised table Changes to the number of registered dentists on FHSA lists between 30 September 1989 and 30 September 1990 England only

  FHSA

  Total at 30 September 1989

  Total at 30 September 1990

  Net change

  Cleveland

  153

  157

  4

  Cumbria

  146

  146

  0

  Durham

  157

  161

  4

  Northumberland

  99

  100

  1

  Gateshead

  70

  69

  -1

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  119

  126

  7

  North Tyneside

  69

  74

  5

  South Tyneside

  47

  44

  -3

  Sunderland

  90

  86

  -4

  Humberside

  210

  215

  5

  North Yorkshire

  254

  257

  3

  Bradford

  172

  182

  10

  Calderdale

  60

  65

  5

  Kirklees

  115

  115

  0

  Leeds

  291

  290

  -1

  Wakefield

  96

  97

  1

  Derbyshire

  261

  269

  8

  Leicestershire

  246

  245

  -1

  Lincolnshire

  120

  121

  1

  Nottinghamshire

  278

  292

  14

  Barnsley

  67

  68

  1

  Doncaster

  86

  85

  -1

  Rotherham

  74

  80

  6

  Sheffield

  195

  188

  -7

  Cambridgeshire

  196

  195

  -1

  Norfolk

  214

  225

  11

  Suffolk

  197

  202

  5

  Bedfordshire

  148

  136

  -12

  Hertfordshire

  442

  436

  -6

  Barnet

  204

  203

  -1

  Brent and Harrow

  222

  229

  7

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  323

  329

  6

  Hillingdon

  97

  101

  4

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  404

  366

  -38

  Essex

  444

  438

  -6

  Barking and Havering

  114

  107

  -7

  Camden and Islington

  240

  230

  -10

  City and East London

  238

  232

  -6

  Enfield and Haringcy

  218

  238

  20

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  182

  167

  -15

  East Sussex

  294

  294

  0

  Kent

  498

  523

  25

  Greenwich and Bexley

  166

  167

  1

  Bromley

  144

  140

  -4

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  332

  328

  -4

  Surrey

  487

  485

  -2

  West Sussex

  297

  299

  2

  Croydon

  153

  151

  -2

  Kingston and Richmond

  149

  149

  0

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  283

  282

  -1

  Dorset

  225

  233

  8

  Hampshire

  521

  527

  6

  Wiltshire

  170

  175

  5

  Isle of Wight

  47

  50

  3

  Berkshire

  266

  271

  5

  Buckinghamshire

  239

  242

  3

  Northamptonshire

  145

  154

  9

  Oxfordshire

  213

  215

  2

  Avon

  365

  367

  2

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  146

  151

  5

  Devon

  363

  364

  1

  Gloucestershire

  204

  206

  2

  Somerset

  152

  147

  -5

  Hereford and Worcester

  214

  222

  8

  Salop

  133

  134

  1

  156

  157

  FHSA

  Total at 30 September 1989Total at 30 September 1990

  Net change

  Staffordshire

  257

  268

  11

  Warwickshire

  142

  141

  -1

  Birmingham

  357

  346

  -11

  Coventry

  90

  90

  0

  Dudley

  93

  95

  2

  Sandwell

  99

  101

  2

  Solihull

  71

  76

  5

  Walsall

  71

  73

  2

  Wolverhampton

  67

  68

  1

  Cheshire

  343

  350

  7

  Liverpool

  171

  172

  1

  St. Helens and Knowsley

  103

  107

  4

  Sefton

  109

  111

  2

  Wirral

  124

  130

  6

  Lancashire

  412

  427

  15

  Bolton

  79

  82

  3

  Bury

  70

  75

  5

  Manchester

  208

  234

  26

  Oldham

  77

  86

  9

  Rochdale

  67

  68

  1

  Salford

  88

  91

  3

  Stockport

  118

  125

  7

  Tameside

  74

  79

  5

  Trafford

  106

  103

  -3

  Wigan

  100

  106

  6

  Total

  17,060

  17,246

  186

  Note: The figures in all three tables are derived from information on the number of registered dentists on an FHSA list as notified by FHSAs to the Dental Practice Board. Since some dentists practise in more than one FHSA, the total number of dentists is less than the sum of the dentists who have contracts with individual FHSAs. As the DPB calculates this information at the end of each month, the figures provided are for 30 September 1989 and 30 September 1990, rather than 1 October 1989 and 1 October 1990.

EMPLOYMENT

  Clothing Manufacturing (Easington)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on how many workers have been made redundant and how many are on short time in the clothing manufacturing industry in the Easington constituency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  In January 1991 (the latest month for which data are available) there were no confirmed redundancies in the footwear and clothing manufacturing industries (SIC(80) 45) in the Easington constituency. Estimates on short-time working are not available at constituency level.

  European Social Fund
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all payments to each training project in Greater London from the European social fund due for each of the last five years, the date on which each payment was made and the total number of payments still outstanding for each project.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. I am, however, writing to the hon. Member.

  Disability
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has for developing the Employment Service's special services for people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.
  158
  Mr. Howard
  Helping people with disabilities is an agreed priority for the Employment Service agency. In 1989–90 it placed 76,900 people with disabilities into jobs.

  Following consideration of comments on the consulta-tive document, "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities", I have now agreed with the agency major improvements in the special help which it currently provides through disablement resettlement officers, the disablement advisory service and the employment rehabilitation service.

  New local teams will be set up, over the next 12 to 18 months, to provide more accessible, professional and integrated special help to individuals and employers. The teams will offer to individuals specialist advice, assessment and help in finding and keeping jobs, and to employers encouragement and help in applying good practice. Staff training will be strengthened.

  The Employment Service will now implement the plans for improved employment rehabilitation announced in the consultative document. These will involve more use of voluntary and other agents. Nine Employment Service centres—in West London, Bristol, Birmingham, Nottingham, Leeds, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff and Glasgow—will be developed as centres of excellence. The Employment Service expects to be able to phase out the others over up to five years as adequate agency provision is put in place. Access to residential rehabilitation will be assured for those who require it.

  Following those changes, local coverage of specialist assessment and rehabilitation will be substantially increased, the Employment Service's own service will be more coherent, professional and effectively managed, and have a higher profile; and sources of expertise and commitment in the wider community will be more effectively harnessed. They represent major improvements

  159
  in the quality of service to both individuals and employers and will help more people with disabilities to get and keep suitable jobs.

  I will take decisions on possible developments in other forms of help provided by the Employment Service to people with disabilities after relevant comments on "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities" and the "Evaluation of the Special Schemes for People with Disabilities" have been fully considered.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total Scottish local authorities'(a) current expenditure and (b) capital expenditure in real terms as a percentage of Scottish gross domestic product in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The available information is given in the table.

  Current expenditure as a percentage of the Scottish gross domestic product per cent.

  Capital expenditure as a percentage of the Scottish gross domestic product per cent.

  1971–72

  10·0

  5·6

  1972–73

  10·3

  5·9

  1973–74

  10·0

  6·8

  1974–75

  12·5

  7·4

  1975–76

  14·2

  6·2

  1976–77

  13·4

  5·3

  1977–78

  12·8

  4·9

  1978–79

  13·1

  4·3

  1979–80

  14·5

  4·4

  1980–81

  15·1

  3·9

  1981–82

  15·3

  4·0

  1982–83

  15·0

  3·9

  1983–84

  14·5

  4·2

  1984–85

  14·7

  3·8

  1985–86

  14·0

  3·5

  1986–87

  13·7

  3·4

  1987–88

  13·7

  3·7

  1988–89

  13·2

  3·5

  1989–90

  13·0

  3·5

  Figures on the Scottish gross domestic product are not available for 1970 and are not yet available for 1990. The interim years' figures were supplied by the Central Statistical Office.

  Local Authority Child Care
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children in Scotland were received into local authority care where the specific cause was family homelessness, in every year since 1979 until the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The numbers of children admitted into care primarily because of family homelessness were as follows:

  Number

  1979

  167

  1980

  165

  1981

  241

  160

  Number

  1982

  320

  1983

  222

  1984

  213

  1985

  41

  1986

  26

  1987

  21

  1988

  18

  1989

  7

  Footnote:

  1 excludes Glasgow

  2 excludes Strathclyde

  3 excludes Glasgow, Ayr and Lanark.

  Health Boards
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland from what date health boards will be responsible for their capital charges.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The capital charging system came into operation on 1 April 1991 and health boards have become responsible for the capital charges on their assets from that date.

  Agriculture
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future organisation of the agricultural scientific services of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

  Mr. Lang
  I have decided that under the "next steps" initiative the agricultural scientific services should be a candidate for executive agency status within the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department.

  Environment
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement concerning the amount of grant aid being made available under the special grants (environmental) programme in 1991–92 to voluntary bodies in Scotland working in the environmental field.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I am pleased to announce that the grant aid totalling £239,250 has been offered to the following voluntary bodies in the financial year 1991–92, to assist them in carrying out environmental conservation, improvement or educational work in Scotland:

  (£)

  APRS

  2,250

  Buchan Countryside Group

  2,250

  Centre for Human Ecology

  5,000

  Council for Scottish Archaeology

  13,000

  Community Service Volunteers

  7,000

  Environment Centre

  5,250

  Friends of the Earth (Scotland)

  13,800

  Highland Forum

  9,000

  John Muir Trust

  4,500

  Locus

  1,750

  National Society for Clean Air

  3,860

  Royal Zoological Society of Scotland

  3,500

  Rural Forum

  15,000

  Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  10,000

  Scottish Community Woods Campaign

  6,250

  Scottish Conservation Projects

  27,750

  Scottish Ecological Consultants

  2,000

  161

  (£)

  Scottish Environmental Education Council

  27,150

  Scottish Field Studies Association

  7,500

  Scottish Historic Buildings Trust

  13,000

  Scottish Rights of Way Society

  5,000

  Scottish Scenic Trust

  2,000

  Scottish Wildlife and Countryside Link

  9,500

  Scottish Wildlife Trust

  23,000

  Strathclyde Building Preservation Trust

  7,000

  Venture Scotland

  2,165

  Water of Leith Conservation Trust

  5,000

  West Galloway Fisheries Trust

  1,275

  Woodland Trust

  4,500

  A further £35,750 is being held in reserve to support suitable projects which will further the aims of the Government's White Paper, "This Common Inheritance".

  The experience of the schemes has been generally very good. I am satisfied that the grants now offered will, as they have done in the past, greatly assist the voluntary organisations to increase the level of their activity and do much useful work.

  Forestry
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will arrange for the Forestry Commission's regional advisory committees to publish an account of their meetings held to consider disputed grant aid and felling applications and of the advice they give to the Forestry Commission in such cases.

  Mr. Lang
  We addressed the question of publicising the work done by the Commission's regional advisory committees in their consideration of disputed grant aid and felling proposals when we responded to the Agriculture Committee's report on land use and forestry last May. We concluded that it would not be practical or conducive to the committees' conciliation role in such cases to throw open their discussions with the applicant and the objecting authority or authorities to anyone who wished to attend. We did, however, ask the Forestry Commission to look at the possibility of an account of such meetings and of the regional advisory committee's subsequent advice to the Forestry Commissioners being published. I am pleased to say that such information will be provided in all future cases in the form of a press release to be issued at the stage that the committee reports to the commissioners.

  This is an important change which I am sure will be widely welcomed. It will make the work of the committees in this area more open and serve to demonstrate the value and objectivity of their contribution.

  Household Statistics
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown of the numbers of households in Scotland according to whether they contain one, two, three or more adults aged over 18 years and the percentage this represents in each category of the total number of households.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: The available information gives the number of persons aged 16 and over rather than over 18 years old in the household. Estimates of the numbers of households containing one, two, three
  162
  and four or more persons aged 16 and over (either living alone or with children under the age of 16) in Scotland are given in the following table.

  Estimated number of households in 1991 containing:

  Number ('000s)

  Per cent of total house-holds

  1 person aged 16 and over

  583

  29

  2 persons aged 16 and over

  1,005

  50

  3 persons aged 16 and over

  281

  14

  4 persons aged 16 and over

  141

  7

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the latest available estimate of the number of households in Scotland which consist of one adult only and of the likely number in five, 10 and 20 years' time, respectively;

  (2) what is his latest available estimate of the number of households in Scotland and of the number in five, 10 and 20 years' time, respectively.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Projections of the numbers of households in Scotland are at present available for the years to 2005 only. Figures for that year and the others requested are set out in the following table. Projections of the numbers of households consisting of one adult rather than one person are not available.

  Total households

  Households containing one person

  1991

  2,009,330

  535,770

  1996

  2,072,750

  589,680

  2001

  2,111,070

  638,140

  2005

  2,134,760

  676,180

  Source:

  1987 based household projections.

  The Scottish Office Environment Department.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what estimate he can make of the cost to his Department in 1991–92 of payments to local authorities to reduce individual liability for the poll tax under the reduction scheme announced in the Budget; and what will be the net cost after allowing for the clawback on the rebate scheme, community charge reduction scheme and other savings;

  (2) what he estimates will be the net benefit to poll tax payers in Scotland in 1991–92 of the reduction scheme announced by the Chancellor in the Budget.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: The general reduction of charges in Scotland will cost about £490 million. After taking into account consequent reductions in the amounts paid by way of community charge benefit and community charge reduction and the enhancements that have been made to the community charge reduction scheme, additional resources of some £380 million will be available.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many poll tax payers in Scotland in 1991–92 he estimates will have their liability in that year reduced by £28 as a result of the poll tax reduction scheme announced in the Budget.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: About 600,000.
  163
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people are registered in Scotland for poll tax purposes at the latest available date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: As at 1 July 1990, 3,834,410 people were included in the community charge registers in Scotland. This figure includes full-time students (who are liable only for 20 per cent. of the community charge) but excludes those liable for collective or standard charges.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the cost to his Department of paying compensation to local authorities for their administrative losses arising from the poll tax reduction scheme announced in the Budget.

  Mr Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Local authorities will be compensated for the additional administrative costs associated with the issuing of revised community charge bills for 1991–92. We will be consulting the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities about the detailed arrangements.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland will benefit from the poll tax transitional relief scheme in 1991–92; and how that figure will be varied when the community charges reduction scheme is in operation.

  Mr. Lang [holding answer 15 April 19911
  The personal community charge reduction scheme has replaced the personal community charge relief scheme with effect from 1 April 1990. It is expected that about 1 million people will benefit from the reduction scheme in respect of the financial year 1990–91 and about 600,000 in 1991–92, following the reduction of charges under the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many poll tax payers in Scotland will benefit in 1991–92 to the full extent of £140 under the reduction scheme announced in the Budget.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: At least 2·25 million.

  Tenants
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of public and private sector tenants, respectively, in Scotland at the latest available date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Estimates of the stock of dwellings by tenure are published quarterly in the Scottish Office Statistical Bulletins on housing. Copies are sent to Members representing Scottish constituencies and are available in the House Library. These give the numbers of dwellings rented privately or with a job or business, and rented from local authorities, new town corporations or Scottish Homes. Estimates of the number of tenants who occupy these dwellings are not available.

  Dwelling Units
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he can give an estimate of the number of domestic dwelling units in Scotland at the latest date for which figures are available.
  164
  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Estimates of the stock of dwellings in Scotland are published quarterly in the Scottish Office Statistical Bulletins on housing. Copies are sent to Members representing Scottish constituencies and are available in the House Library.

DEFENCE

  Submarines (Movement Limitation)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many representations he has received for limiting the presence of submarines in intensive fishing areas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In the past six months the Ministry of Defence has received some 70–80 such representations from hon. Members, borough councils and members of the public.

  Nuclear Reactors, Tuwaitha
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the appropriate Soviet and French authorities were contacted in regard to the design details of the nuclear reactors at Tuwaitha before the authorisation of an attack on the facility; and what attempts have been made subsequent to the bombing of the reactors to ascertain the extent of the damage inflicted.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As the design and construction of the two reactors at Tuwaitha were well known prior to the Gulf conflict, there was no need to approach the Soviet or French authorities before the attack on the facility by coalition forces. It is very unlikely that there has been any significant radioactive contamination outside the immediate area of the site, because of the nature of the reactors and local topographic features. Inspections of Iraq's nuclear facilities to be carried out in accordance with Security Council resolution 687 adopted on 3 April should provide an opportunity to determine the effects of the allied attacks.

  Honduran Service Men
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether training facilities have been provided to service men from Honduras in the current year and in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  According to available records, no United Kingdom military training has been provided to Honduras during this period.

  Weapon Storage Vaults
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what further information he has on United States proposals to build new weapon storage vaults at their bases in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Agreement has now been reached on a programme to instal the new weapon storage and survivability system at certain airbases operated by the United States air force in the United Kingdom, as part of a wider NATO-funded infrastructure programme.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ulster People's College
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what proposals he has to provide core funding for the Ulster People's college as part of the cross-community education initiative;

  (2) what funds have been received by the Ulster People's college from his Department since 1982; and for what purposes;

  (3) what request he has received from the Ulster People's college for funding for full-time staff for community relations work.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department of Education has made available to the college grants totalling £153,132 as follows:£65,132 from 1982 to 1988 in respect of the salary and other costs, including the production of learning materials, of a tutor-organiser undertaking a project on "Culture and Political Education";
  £60,000 from 1985 to 1988 in respect of a community area education project; and
  £30,000 in 1990 in respect of a contribution towards the purchase of the college premises.

  In 1989, the college requested the Department of Education to provide an annual grant of approximately £160,000 for community relations activities. No offer of annual grant was made and the Department has no plans to provide core funding grant aid to the college at the level sought.

  Prospective investors

  Japan

  Other EC countries

  District council areas

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Antrim

  —

  1

  2

  8

  —

  1

  3

  2

  7

  1

  Ards

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Armagh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Ballymena

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  3

  —

  Ballymoney

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Banbridge

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Belfast

  3

  3

  2

  7

  2

  10

  2

  4

  16

  15

  Carrickfergus

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Castlereagh

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Coleraine

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  1

  —

  Cookstown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Craigavon

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  4

  —

  1

  4

  —

  Derry

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  6

  2

  Down

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  Dungannon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  —

  Fermanagh

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  —

  Larne

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  Limavady

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lisburn

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  3

  —

  2

  2

  Magherafelt

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Moyle

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newry and Mourne

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  Newtownabbey

  1

  1

  4

  3

  1

  —

  1

  3

  3

  1

  North Down

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  —

  Omagh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Strabane

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Prospective investors

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  District council areas

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Antrim

  1

  6

  11

  25

  7

  7

  4

  6

  11

  7

  Ards

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Armagh

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  Ballymena

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  Ballymoney

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Banbridge

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  166
  In 1990, the Department undertook to make a £25,000 grant, initially in 1991–92 and in 1992–93, for the development of a community relations project among young people.

  Investors
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the number of prospective investors from(a) the United Kingdom, (b) the United States of America, (c) Japan and (d) other European Community countries which (i) his Department, (ii) the Industrial Development Board and (iii) the Local Enterprise Development Unit have taken to each council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The number of prospective investors from Great Britain, the United States, Japan and other European Community countries who have been taken by the Industrial Development Board to each council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years is detailed in the table. The information relates to first-time visits only and in some instances these visits concentrated on detailed discussions with the Industrial Development Board and were confined to IDB house, Belfast. In addition a number of inward investment missions, comprising groups of companies, visited Northern Ireland over the period.

  The Department of Economic Development and the Local Enterprise Development unit have not taken any prospective investors from those countries to district council areas during that period.
  167

  United Kingdom

  United Stales of America

  District council areas

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Belfast

  15

  9

  13

  60

  37

  39

  11

  1

  28

  31

  Carrickfergus

  7

  4

  2

  3

  3

  1

  —

  4

  5

  Castlereagh

  2

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Coleraine

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  2

  2

  Cookstown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Craigavon

  2

  2

  2

  8

  6

  2

  2

  2

  3

  Derry

  —

  1

  —

  1

  3

  2

  3

  1

  5

  8

  Down

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Dungannon

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Fermanagh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  Lame

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  5

  3

  1

  1

  —

  Limavady

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Lisburn

  3

  3

  4

  8

  8

  2

  1

  6

  4

  Magherafelt

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Moyle

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Newry and Mourne

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Newtownabbey

  1

  2

  6

  5

  7

  5

  3

  10

  7

  North Down

  2

  —

  3

  3

  2

  7

  3

  —

  4

  2

  Omagh

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Strabane

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Council Clerks
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many clerks to a council in Northern Ireland are members of(a) an education board and (b) a health board.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  None.

  Traffic Lights
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will provide a filter system at the traffic lights at the junction of Regent street and William street, Newtownards, for the use of traffic turning right from Regent street into William street.

  Mr. Needham
  A survey will be carried out within the next few weeks to ascertain whether a filter system is necessary at this location.

  Belfast Action Team Programme
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Northern Ireland what is the extent of the Belfast action team programme in(a) Braniel estate and (b) Belvoir estate in the borough of Castlereagh.

  Mr. Needham
  The Belfast action team initiative does not extend to these estates.

  Strangford Lough
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when was the last inspection of the sea walls and water defences around Strangford lough; and what is the programme for maintenance of these walls.

  Mr. Needham
  The sea walls and water defences around Strangford lough were last inspected during January 1991. A programme of routine maintenance costing approximately £20,000 is carried out every year. In the current financial year an extra £50,000 has been allocated for this purpose.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the number of civil servants in each branch
  168
  who are to be moved to Castle Court in Belfast; what are the numbers of (a) Roman Catholics, (b) Protestants and (c) others in each branch so moved; how many new posts and at what levels are to be created by this movement; what area is to be taken into account in assessing whether fair employment exists in the staff so transferred; and what effect the transfer of these staff to Castle Court is expected to have on the proportions of Roman Catholics, Protestants and others employed in the civil service in Castle Court.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There are currently 308 civil servants located within Castle Court. A further 406 civil servants are to be transferred to Castle Court as follows:

  Branch

  Number of staff

  Central Benefits

  288

  Disability and Incapacity Benefits

  69

  Industrial Injuries

  32

  Ancillary

  17

  The number of new posts being created as a consequence of the move to Castle Court is:

  Grade

  Number of staff

  Staff Officer

  1

  Executive Officer I

  2

  Executive Officer II

  2

  Administrative Officer

  2

  Administrative Assistant

  1

  Support Manager Grade 3

  1

  Support Grade Band 1

  5

  Support Grade Band 2

  19

  The Northern Ireland civil service has an equal opportunities monitoring system which contains information on the sex, community background and disability of its staff. However disclosure of information on the community background of Northern Ireland civil service staff is governed by a code of practice which stipulates that no statistical summaries will be produced which fall outside the categories of analyses agreed with the equal opportunities Whitley committee.

  The Northern Ireland civil service recruits on a wide basis. The community background of successful can-didates plays no part in determining the office to which

  169
  such candidates are posted. Consequently there is no reason why a particular office in terms of its community background should represent the local community in which it is located. An assessment of fair employment for the staff in question is thus inappropriate and has not been undertaken. Fair employment considerations are addressed for the Northern Ireland civil service and details of the community background of staff together with their sex and any disability is given in the series of reports published by the NICS's equal opportunities unit which is based in the Department of Finance and Personnel of the Northern Ireland civil service; copies of these reports are placed in the Library.

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the male employment rate in Northern Ireland as at 1 January in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Needham
  Estimates of the civilian work force are produced on a quarterly basis and relate to March, June, September and December of each year. Estimates of the

  Department

  1985–86 £ million

  1986–87 £ million

  1987–88 £ million

  1988–89 £ million

  1989–90 £ million

  Agriculture

  9·043

  10·024

  12·332

  11·418

  15·795

  Economic development

  11·375

  11·817

  13·793

  15·011

  15·904

  Education

  36·800

  49·500

  55·800

  60·100

  71·800

  Environment (Northern Ireland)

  217·000

  180·000

  181·000

  200·000

  199·000

  Finance and personnel

  NIL

  NIL

  NIL

  1·810

  1·540

  Health and social services

  19·281

  16·499

  22·517

  23·342

  23·901

  Employment Prospects
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums he has expended in each travel-to-work area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years in order to increase the prospects of employment in each of the areas.

  Mr. Needham
  Information in the form requested is not readily available and can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he intends to take during the current year to increase the employment prospects of(a) men and (b) women in (i) the Coleraine council area, (ii) the Limavady council area, (iii) the Magherafelt council area, (iv) the Londonderry council area and (v) the Strabane council area.

  Mr. Needham
  The full range of financial assistance and advice provided by the Department of Economic Development, the Industrial Development Board and the Training and Employment Agency and their associated public bodies is available to increase the employment prospects of both men and women in the five district council areas listed.

  In addition, employment opportunities will be increased as a result of a number of Government-sponsored special initiatives. These include the
  170
  male civilian work force and the proportion in employment at December in each of the last three years are as follows:

  December

  Male civilian workforce in employment1 (number)

  Male civilian work force (number)

  Males in employment as a percentage of male civilian work force

  1988

  340,340

  419,960

  81·0

  1989

  343,350

  417,720

  82·2

  1990

  348,090

  421,260

  82·6

  1 Including the self-employed and those involved in work-related Government training schemes.

  Capital Works
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show the sums expended by his Department on capital works in each council area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years(a) in total, (b) per elector and (c) per capita.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is not available in the form requested; departmental expenditure is not disaggregated by district council area. Total capital works expenditure by Department for 1985–86 to 1989–90 is as follows:

  Londonderry initiative and the CRISP programme (funded by the Department of the Environment and the International Fund for Ireland) which seeks to bring economic and environmental benefits to disadvantaged areas.

  Job Creation
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show(a) the number of jobs created in each local government area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years by (i) the Local Enterprise Development Unit and (ii) the Industrial Development Board, (b) the cost per job created in each case, (c) the total expenditure and (d) the employment sector in which such jobs were created.

  Mr. Needham
  The information cannot be supplied in the form requested as figures on job creations are not available. However, table A shows the number of jobs promoted by LEDU and IDB in each local government area in Northern Ireland in each of the last five years. Tables B to D also show for the same period the average cost per job promoted, the financial assistance offered by LEDU and IDB to promote these jobs and the employment sectors in which the jobs were promoted. The figures in tables B to D relate to Northern Ireland as a whole as this information is not available by local government area.
  171

  Table A Jobs promoted by LEDU in Northern Ireland according to local government area

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Antrim

  26

  112

  80

  127

  220

  Ards

  118

  214

  55

  107

  100

  Armagh

  105

  91

  122

  107

  297

  Ballymena

  105

  77

  143

  100

  160

  Ballymoney

  7

  11

  30

  39

  48

  Banbridge

  27

  37

  10

  67

  66

  Belfast

  789

  828

  938

  1,108

  1,510

  Carrickfergus

  113

  157

  246

  207

  103

  Castlereagh

  32

  26

  70

  60

  13

  Coleraine

  185

  140

  168

  61

  123

  Cookstown

  84

  98

  61

  126

  40

  Craigavon

  197

  325

  218

  281

  232

  Down

  139

  222

  172

  120

  190

  Dungannon

  267

  336

  201

  311

  252

  Fermanagh

  101

  196

  62

  164

  200

  Larne

  34

  37

  42

  85

  46

  Limavady

  44

  23

  28

  80

  28

  Lisburn

  152

  163

  112

  115

  256

  Londonderry

  273

  248

  361

  326

  540

  Magherafelt

  152

  111

  116

  87

  108

  Moyle

  13

  57

  13

  10

  16

  Newry and Mourne

  276

  300

  347

  440

  425

  Newtonabbey

  135

  161

  103

  115

  189

  North Down

  300

  105

  139

  137

  154

  Omagh

  89

  83

  87

  136

  163

  Strabane

  125

  86

  123

  65

  31

  Total

  3,888

  4,244

  4,047

  4,581

  5,510

  Table A (Continued) Jobs promoted by IDB in Northern Ireland according to local government areas

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Antrim

  30

  477

  364

  712

  798

  Ards

  155

  247

  298

  164

  67

  Armagh

  28

  137

  51

  110

  34

  Ballymena

  71

  8

  187

  90

  206

  Ballymoney

  17

  35

  35

  16

  40

  Banbridge

  24

  15

  —

  99

  —

  Belfast

  94

  279

  92

  303

  601

  Carrickfergus

  21

  15

  103

  452

  100

  Castlereagh

  141

  168

  124

  95

  404

  Coleraine

  185

  88

  254

  115

  127

  Cookstown

  28

  —

  —

  16

  70

  Craigavon

  506

  434

  808

  169

  417

  Down

  10

  67

  108

  318

  24

  Dungannon

  94

  102

  400

  108

  136

  Fermanagh

  162

  35

  245

  296

  76

  Lame

  —

  22

  127

  148

  78

  Limavady

  75

  —

  80

  —

  —

  Lisburn

  232

  255

  123

  1,039

  85

  Londonderry

  650

  227

  393

  432

  827

  Magherafelt

  —

  21

  101

  155

  53

  Moyle

  —

  52

  —

  —

  —

  Newry and Moume

  70

  28

  446

  82

  32

  Newtownabbey

  198

  1,178

  523

  720

  743

  North Down

  74

  75

  108

  14

  147

  Omagh

  20

  32

  —

  —

  36

  Strabane

  25

  190

  330

  —

  30

  Total

  2,910

  4,187

  5,300

  5,653

  5,131

  Table B The average cost per job promoted

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  LEDU

  4,758

  4,461

  4,505

  4,504

  4,115

  IDB

  15,263

  11,418

  11,637

  15,393

  16,177

  172

  173

  Table C Total assistance offered £(000)

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  LEDU

  18,499

  18,933

  18,233

  20,634

  22,674

  IDB

  44,418

  47,809

  61,676

  86,886

  76,533

  Table D Jobs promoted by employment sector

  LEDU

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Engineering

  731

  639

  722

  765

  740

  Wood/furniture

  347

  237

  324

  457

  507

  Clothing/Textiles

  356

  364

  441

  320

  461

  Food/fish/drink

  690

  467

  560

  706

  597

  Other

  1,764

  2,537

  2,000

  2,333

  3,205

  IDB

  Engineering

  465

  1,678

  836

  2,720

  1,528

  Textiles

  391

  570

  1,029

  612

  1,164

  Clothing

  803

  507

  810

  616

  256

  Food processing

  401

  540

  1,452

  618

  507

  Other manufacturing

  785

  714

  1,121

  1,017

  999

  Tradeable services

  65

  178

  52

  70

  677

  Census
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a validation survey will be carried out in relation to the Northern Ireland census on similar lines to the validation survey planned for the Great Britain census; and whether the same confidentiality rules will apply.

  Mr. Hanley
  Yes. In line with the plans for Great Britain, a voluntary validation survey on the Northern Ireland census will be carried out to check both the accuracy of the information and the completeness of coverage. Information gathered in the survey will be treated in the same strict confidence as information given on the census form itself. The confidentiality of information collected in the survey will be covered by the Census Act (Northern Ireland) 1969 as amended by the Census Confidentiality (Northern Ireland) Order 1991. The results of the survey will be laid before Parliament and published as soon as possible after the census.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many claims for cold weather payments were received by the Department of Health and Social Services since 1 January; and how many claims were (i) approved, (ii) refused and (iii) still outstanding at 31 March.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: The following table gives the information requested.

  Claims for cold weather payments 1 January 1991 to 31 March 1991

  Number

  Received

  63,889

  Approved

  50,415

  Refused

  11,512

  Outstanding

  1,962

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  CAPITAL PUNISHMENT IN THE DEPENDENT TERRITORIES: ABOLITION
  CHINA AND HONG KONG:FOREIGN SECRETARY'S VISIT
  CHINA AND HONG KONG:FOREIGN SECRETARY'S VISIT
  PREMIUM BONDS
  PREMIUM BONDS
  THE GULF WAR: ATTACK ON RETREATING FORCES
  THE GULF WAR: ATTACK ON RETREATING FORCES
  COMMUNITY CHARGE INCOME: ADVANCES TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
  COMMUNITY CHARGE INCOME: ADVANCES TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES
  LISTED BUILDING CONTROLS: PENALTIES FOR BREACH
  LISTED BUILDING CONTROLS: PENALTIES FOR BREACH