Written Answers of 23 April 1991

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Driving Offences
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made towards introducing a penalty points system for offending drivers.

  Mr. Needham
  A first draft of a Road Traffic (Offenders) (Northern Ireland) Order to introduce a penalty points scheme has been prepared. The draft order will be finalised following the conclusion of discussions with the Northern Ireland court service and the RUC on the practical implications of the scheme. These discussions are at an advanced stage. It is hoped that formal consultation will take place over the summer months and that the draft order will be laid before Parliament by the end of 1991.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of BSE have been identified to date in 1991; what is the trend; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  There have been 50 confirmed BSE cases in Northern Ireland in 1991 to date. Incidence of the disease continues to increase and is expected to do so for some time until the ban on feeding of ruminant-derived protein takes effect.

  Water
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland—what was the public response to the consultations document describing the options for development of a new source of water for the eastern part of Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  There was considerable interest in the document from councils other Government Departments, public bodies, commercial concerns, various recreational, environmental and other interests, as well as individual members of the public.

  Their comments were most useful and taking these into account, together with cost considerations, the Department of the Environment has decided to reduce the options to be examined in the environmental assessment to the following three:

  (i) Abstraction from Lough Neagh at Hog Park Point, treatment at Hog Park Point, delivery to the existing Purdysburn service reservoir.

  (ii) Abstraction from Lough Neagh at Hog Park Point, treatment at Forked Bridge, delivery to the existing Purdysburn service reservoir.

  (iii) Impoundment of the Glenwhirry River, treatment adjacent to the dam, delivery to the existing Oldpark service reservoir.

  The environmental assessment is expected to commence within the next three months.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if, for each of the last four years, he will list the sums of money that have been paid by his Department as compensation on an ex-gratia basis where there has been misconduct or default by the police or some other agency of the criminal justice system other than cases involving wrongful imprisonment; and if for each such sum he will briefly summarise the circumstances.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Compensation on an ex-gratia basis where the police and probation services are concerned is a matter for the police authority or in the Metropolitan police district the receiver, or probation committee concerned.

  Ex-gratia payments made in respect of the prison service cover a range of circumstances and the information requested could not be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Fox Hunts
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of people arrested in the past two years prior to the commencement of a fox hunt and then released without charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Operational policing is the responsibility of the chief officer concerned. I understand that the information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average length of time asylum seekers have to wait for their application to be decided.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to a question by the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 4 March 1991 at column 10.

  Fox Hunting
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the number of persons charged with offences arising from activities surrounding fox hunting in the past year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the number of people who are charged is not collected centrally. It is also not possible from information held centrally to identify the number of prosecutions for offences arising from activities surrounding fox hunting.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to privatising the fire service in England and Wales.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Government have no plans to change the public service basis on which the fire service is provided in this country.
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  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action has been taken by the London Fire and Civil Defence Authority to implement recommendations 119 and 29 of the Fennell inquiry report on the London fire brigade.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  London fire and civil defence authority training deals with incidents at underground stations in firefighters' own and adjacent fireground territories. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 22 March at column 251 with regard to recommendation 119.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance has been promulgated by his Department to local fire authorities and brigades on the wearing and use of extended duration breathing apparatus by firefighters.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  None so far, since trials by a small number of brigades in the use of extended duration breathing apparatus are at an early stage.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the level of criminal offences committed by juveniles who have absconded from local authority care; if such offences constitute a significant part of reported crime in relation to auto-crime and burglary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Information on the number of offences committed by juveniles who have absconded from local authority care is not collected centrally.

  Probation Service
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what indicators or measures of performance are applied to probation service civil work; and what results have been obtained from such assessment.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  These are the responsibility of the management of local probation areas. Consideration is, however, being given to the establishment of national measures as part of the response to HM inspectorate of probation's recently completed thematic inspection of civil work.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average weekly cost per case in the provision of family conciliation work by the probation service in England and Wales, including local and central costs, in the last year for which records are available.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Information on the costs of conciliation work is not held centrally.

  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the total cost to the probation service in England and Wales, including local and central costs, of family conciliation work in the last year for which records are available; and how many such cases were handled in that year by probation officers.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Information is not available separately for the cost of conciliation work. The number of 374
  conciliation cases on which the probation service began work in 1989 was 10,510—table 9.3 of "Probation Statistics England and Wales 1989".

  Immigration (Iraqis)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any proposals to review the prohibitions imposed on Iraqi nationals under the immigration rules; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend has removed the prohibitions in the "Statement of Changes in the Immigration Rules" which was published on 12 April—Cm 1491. All applications by Iraqi nationals for visas, admission or extensions of stay now fall to be determined in accordance with the normal requirements of the rules.

  Joan Harrison (Murder)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask for a report from the chief constable of Lancashire on the progress of the investigation into the murder of Joan Harrison who died on 23 November 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The death of Joan Harrison has been the subject of a major investigation. A number of suspects have been interviewed, but no one has been arrested and charged; to date 2,320 statements have been taken. The case is reviewed regularly and any new information is fully investigated.

  North Yorkshire Police
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many policemen there were in the North Yorkshire police in 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  When the Government took office in May 1979 the strength of the North Yorkshire police was 1,337 officers. At the end of February 1991 this had increased to a strength of 1,383 officers. The force had 25 vacancies in February.

  Immigration
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will list the countries the nationals of which currently need visas or entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The countries whose nationals require visas to enter the United Kingdom are listed in the appendix to the Immigration Rules—HC 356. Nationals of other countries, except European Community member states, require entry clearance to enter the United Kingdom for the following purposes:

  (i) permit-free employment as a minister of religion, missionary or member of a religion; representative of an overseas newspaper, news agency or broadcasting organisation; or sole representative of an overseas firm;

  (ii) as a businessman, self-employed person or person of independent means;

  (iii) as a writer or artist;

  (iv) as a dependant of a person in categories (i) to (iii) above or of a work permit holder;

  (v) as the fiancé(e), spouse or other dependant of a person settled here.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any new measures have recently been introduced to expedite the handling of drink driving cases.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I am pleased that following discussions between representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers, the Crown prosecution service and the Justices Clerks' Society, agreement has been reached on the way in which alleged offences of drink driving should be handled to ensure that they are dealt with as expeditiously as possible. The agreement, which is now in operation, provides that where an evidential breath test is in excess of the legal limit, and there is no subsequent blood or urine test, the person should be charged immediately rather than being released without charge and summoned at a later date. The agreement further provides that for cases where the documentation is complete and no further inquiries are required, the defendant should be bailed to appear at court seven days after his release from a police station. Where there are outstanding inquiries about documents, he should be bailed to attend court 14 days after release from the police station. Where inquiries are necessary for other driving offences, he should be bailed for 21 days. These procedures should ensure that most cases take no longer than 21 days from offence to the defendant's first court appearance at which we anticipate a substantial number of cases will be completed. The target days are of course without prejudice to any more expeditious handling which may be achieved locally. In some cases, where it is not the defendant's first drink driving offence he may well be brought to court within days so that the court can consider whether or not it is appropriate to impose a no driving condition on his bail. These arrangements represent a further significant step forward in dealing with drink drivers. Their operation will be reviewed in 12 months' time.

  BBC2 (Reception)
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department why television viewers in south-west Scotland cannot receive the Scottish regional programme broadcast on BBC2; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  In order to receive television programmes, viewers in south-west Scotland depend upon the broadcasts from the main transmitter at Caldbeck in Cumbria which also services that area of England. When BBC2 offers regional programmes, the Caldbeck transmitter broadcasts the programmes appropriate to north-west England. As a result, viewers in south-west Scotland cannot see the programmes appropriate to their region on occasions and they therefore miss broadcasts of a number of significant programmes including major political, cultural and sporting events. To rectify this problem, the BBC has proposed adding a further channel to the output from Caldbeck as it has already done for BBC1.

  We have given this matter very careful consideration. Frequency spectrum is a limited resource. The intensive use of this resource in order to bring four national programme services—soon to become five—to most of this country, means that in some areas, very few channels remain available. Technical studies indicate that, after taking account of the likely needs of Channel 5, only one
  376
  more channel could be used at Caldbeck. We have a responsibility to ensure that this channel is used effectively in the public interest. Under the BBC proposal, the channel would most of the time broadcast the same programmes viewers already have available on BBC2 North West; Scottish regional programmes would only be broadcast for a few hours each week on average. Nevertheless' we recognise the importance of these programmes for viewers in south-west Scotland and we have therefore decided to allocate channel 67 to the BBC for this purpose. But in view of the consideration already outlined, we have to make two provisos. First, we shall need to keep the position under review. Once the current licensing round for Channel 3 has been finalised the independent television company serving south-west Scotland may be able to offer a wider use of channel 67 bringing significantly more choice to viewers in that area. We shall therefore look at the use which the BBC is making of this channel in 1993. If, at that point, we should decide to reallocate the frequency to Channel 3 it would be expected to compensate the BBC for the investment made in re-engineering the transmitters.

  Secondly, the BBC's efforts to introduce the new service should not interfere with its programme of building new transmitters for these communities in other parts of the country who still have no television service at all.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing Benefit
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report the total number of public sector housing tenants who where in receipt of (a) full housing benefit in 1989–90 and 1990–91 and (b) partial housing benefit in 1989–90 and 1990–91; and what estimate has been made of the numbers who will be recipients of (i) full and (ii) partial housing benefit in 1991–92.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the following table.

  Scottish rent rebate caseload

  Thousands

  11989–90

  21990–91

  31991–92

  Full rebate4

  270

  259

  270

  Partial rebate

  208

  205

  220

  1 Average of four quarterly stock counts.

  2 Derived from November 1990 stock count (latest available).

  3 Derived from family expenditure survey based analysis.

  4 Data shown relates to rent rebates granted on the basis of receipt of income support. Some people not getting income support may also get a full rent rebate, but their numbers are not readily available and they are thus included under partial rebates.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report the total amount of direct housing benefit subsidy made available to each district council in (a) 1989–90 and (b) 1990–91; and if he will give a projection of estimated direct housing benefit subsidy payable to each district council for 1991–92.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table.
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  Direct housing benefit subsidy—Scottish district councils

  £ million

  Councils1 2

  1989–903

  1990–914

  1991–925

  Aberdeen

  14·29

  14·74

  14·06

  Angus

  4·95

  5·26

  5·58

  Annandale and Eskdale

  2·08

  2·23

  2·30

  Argyll/Bute

  4·72

  4·83

  4·76

  Badenoch

  0·62

  0·62

  0·66

  Banff and Buchan

  4·56

  4·78

  5·20

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  0·83

  0·93

  0·92

  Berwickshire

  1·12

  1·16

  1·24

  Caithness

  1·62

  1·81

  1·84

  Clackmannan

  3·59

  4·04

  4·51

  Clydebank

  6·75

  7·45

  7·69

  Clydesdale

  3·14

  3·69

  3·73

  Cumbernauld

  2·05

  2·12

  2·81

  Cumnock and Doon

  3·30

  3·57

  4·28

  Cunninghame

  10·22

  11·00

  11·83

  Dumbarton

  6·54

  7·69

  7·83

  Dundee

  22·88

  25·70

  27·93

  Dunfermline

  8·54

  9·23

  9·91

  East Kilbride

  0·90

  1·04

  1·22

  East Lothian

  5·93

  6·60

  7·24

  Eastwood

  0·80

  0·87

  0·94

  Edinburgh

  52·68

  53·08

  62·76

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  1·47

  1·76

  1·84

  Falkirk

  11·00

  11·68

  12·52

  Glasgow

  129·04

  137·14

  150·17

  Gordon

  2·07

  2·20

  2·43

  Hamilton

  8·74

  9·20

  9·80

  Inverclyde

  9·09

  10·35

  11·62

  Inverness

  4·07

  4·52

  4·38

  Kilmarnock

  6·48

  7·48

  7·58

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1·03

  1·18

  1·22

  Kirkcaldy

  12·01

  13·06

  14·69

  Kyle and Carrick

  8·13

  7·33

  9·73

  Lochaber

  1·16

  1·32

  1·53

  Midlothian

  3·98

  3·81

  3·82

  Monklands

  11·65

  12·27

  13·79

  Moray

  4·86

  5·15

  5·13

  Motherwell

  13·55

  14·56

  14·22

  Nairn

  0·67

  0·57

  0·56

  Nithsdale

  3·08

  3·37

  3·70

  North East Fife

  3·64

  3·62

  3·95

  Perth and Kinross

  6·02

  6·87

  7·35

  Renfrew

  14·59

  17·42

  20·41

  Ross and Cromarty

  3·23

  3·39

  3·93

  Roxburgh

  2·34

  2·49

  2·71

  Skye and Lochalsh

  0·67

  0·72

  0·75

  Stewartry

  1·12

  1·20

  1·32

  Stirling

  5·61

  6·85

  7·12

  Strathkelvin

  3·80

  4·29

  6

  Sutherland

  0·74

  0·81

  0·88

  Tweedale

  0·76

  0·80

  0·89

  West Lothian

  7·21

  7·56

  8·07

  Wigtown

  2·61

  2·65

  3·24

  Notes:

  1 The date in the table reflect rent rebate and rent allowance expenditure only.

  2 Subsidy is paid to local authorities on a monthly basis At the beginning of each financial year payments are based on authorities initial estimates They are adjusted as necessary in the light of mid year estimates and final subsidy claims The latter are externally audited.

  3 Based on 47 final claims and 6 mid year estimates.

  4 Based entirely on mid year estimates.

  5 Based entirely on initial estimates.

  6 Estimates awaited.

  Industrial Deafness
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will introduce legislation to provide compensation for those people suffering loss of hearing from industrial processes, including the textile industry, and remove the limit of less than five years ago that the damage was inflicted; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Scott
  From October 1974, occupational deafness was prescribed as an industrial disease in respect of a number of occupations. In 1979 the regulations were amended to include cover for processes in textile manufacturing and other occupations, and they were further extended in 1983.

  We are currently evaluating the feasibility of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council's recent recommendations on the administration and operation of provision for occupational deafness—Cm 1245. A response will be made shortly.

  A time limit on claiming for industrial deafness has existed ever since the condition was first prescribed. There are no plans to change the five-year limit.

PRIME MINISTER

  Public Holidays
  Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring forward proposals to abolish the May day holiday in England and declare St. George's day a public holiday instead.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so, though I recognise that this is a holiday that many people disapprove of.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 23 April.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy in relation to long-term coalition presence in the Gulf.

  The Prime Minister
  We have made it clear that it is for the states of the region to take the lead in establishing lasting security arrangements for the Gulf, We stand ready to play our part in underpinning such arrangements, if requested, but we have no intention of maintaining a permanent ground force presence in the Gulf.

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to bring war charges against Iraqi leaders; and if he will make a statement on British policy on this issue.

  The Prime Minister
  Iraqi leaders bear personal responsibility under international law for their actions. This principle was reiterated in United Nations Security Council Resolution 674. In the case of both the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Genocide Convention of 1948, Iraqi leaders can, in law, be brought to trial before a national court or international tribunal. We and our EC partners have asked the United Nations Secretary-General to investigate how this might be achieved.

DEFENCE

  Tornados
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce arrangements for the return to Britain of Tornado aircraft at present deployed to NATO bases in Germany; and if he will consider joint use by the RAF and the United States Air Force of facilities at RAF Lakenheath.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Local station announcements are to be made shortly on the reductions in the RAF Tornado force in Germany foreshadowed in the statement by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 25 July 1990. There are no plans for the joint use by the RAF and the United States Air Force of facilities at RAF Lakenheath.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effects of the Gulf conflict on the procurement of equipment for the British Army.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We are considering the outcome of the campaign and the conclusions to be drawn from it in this as in other areas.

  Defence Estate
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library a list of all sites on the United Kingdom defence estate in excess of 500 acres stating their location, name of establishment and county.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I shall do so shortly.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library a list of the number of civilian employees at each of the sites on the United Kingdom defence estate in excess of 500 acres.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No. The information requested is not held in this form. It could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Heckler and Koch
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the effect of the purchase of Heckler and Koch by Royal Ordnance on the ability of the United Kingdom defence industrial base to meet the long-term requirements of the armed forces.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We provided confidential advice on the proposed acquisition to the Office of Fair Trading in the usual way.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his German counterpart regarding the purchase of Heckler and Koch by Royal Ordnance.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  None.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the management of Royal Ordnance regarding their purchase of Heckler and Koch.
  380
  Mr. Alan Clark
  None.

  Defence Support Agency
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on defence support agency status for the service children's schools, north-west Europe.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Service Children's Schools (North West Europe), within the British Army of the Rhine, will be launched formally as a defence support agency of the Ministry of Defence on 24 April. The agency comprises 86 schools in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Sardinia. It is currently staff by some 1,300 teachers and educational administrative staff, and 1,200 other full and part-time employees; for the financial year 1991–92 it has a projected operating budget of some £40 million cash and over £60 million full cost. The agency's chief executive, appointed through open competition from outside the civil service, is Mr. I. S. Mitchelson.

  The role of Service Children's Schools (North West Europe) is to provide an efficient and effective education service, comparable to good local education authority practice, for the dependant children of MOD personnel in north-west Europe. It must respond not only to the changes in the size and disposition of British forces in Europe as the result of the changing political climate, the Gulf situation and "Options for Change", but also to the requirements of the Education Reform Act and current developments in the management of education.

  I am confident that the chief executive and his staff will meet those challenges, and will maintain the high-quality educational service that SCS(NWE) has traditionally provided. As an agency, SCS(NWE) will have greater executive and managerial freedoms, and there will be increased opportunities for the chief executive to improve the efficiency and value for money of his organisation.

  Accordingly, the chief executive has been set the following key targets for the first year of operation as an agency:
  in 1991–92, to maintain at least current rates of pupil success at GCSE and A-levels;
  by 1 April 1992, to develop and introduce systems which will provide a comprehensive measure of pupil performance, in terms of both examination results and other school activities; to formulate policies which aim for a progressive improvement in pupil performance; and to formulate work and activity programmes designed to make residence in NW Europe an educationally beneficial experience;
  by 1 April 1992, to develop appropriate measures of the level of qualification and training of teachers, and to set targets both for the match between teacher qualification and post and for the further training of teachers;
  to establish, by 1 September 1991, a two-year cycle of teacher appraisal;
  to plan and provide, by 1 April 1992, a co-ordinated support service both to voluntary groups catering for under-age school children and children with special educational needs;
  to develop, and introduce by 1 September 1991, a system for assessing parental satisfaction, and to seek progressive improvements in the level of parental satisfaction;
  to develop, and implement by 1 April 1992, processes both to allow parents to take a more active involvement in agency activities and to inform them of relevant educational developments;

  381
  to adhere to the statutory timetable for implementing the requirements of the Education Reform Act;
  by 1 September 1991, to introduce improved management planning and information systems, including development plans for corporate services within the agency and school development plans;
  to keep within the agreed budget;
  by 1 April 1992, to develop a financial information system which captures the full cost of agency activities; permits in-year forecast, monitoring and reporting of expenditure; and allows publication of accounts to Treasury requirements;
  to achieve continuing improvements in efficiency over the next five years by making, in 1991–92, cash releasing efficiency savings equivalent to 1 per cent. of cash costs, and by developing, by 1 April 1992, plans for achieving further efficiency improvements over the following four years;
  by 1 April 1992, to develop and begin to implement plans for the restructuring of the agency and its services, in light of ministerial decisions on "Options for Change" and changes in the deployment of British forces in north-west Europe.

CIVIL SERVICE

  St. John Ambulance Brigade
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what facilities he is making available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

  Mr. Renton
  The payroll giving to charity scheme operates in my Department, and, if they wish, staff may use this facility to contribute to the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

THE ARTS

  St. John Ambulance Brigade
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what facilities have been made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

  Mr. Renton
  The Office of Arts and Libraries has not been canvassed but staff may certainly use the payroll giving to charity scheme which is in operation—to contribute to the St. John Ambulance Brigade appeal.

  Educational Theatre Companies
  Mr. Wells
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what guidelines the Government have given to the Arts Council on the priority to be given in the allocation of Government funds in respect of educational theatre companies.

  Mr. Renton
  The Arts Council's current three-year plan, which my Department has endorsed, specifically identifies the development of theatre for young people as a drama department objective.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Unquoted Companies (Employee Participation)
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many schemes have been approved by the Inland Revenue for profit sharing and share option 382
  schemes under the Finance Act 1988, sections 185–87 and schedules 9 and 10 for employees of unquoted companies; and how many such employees are covered.

  Mr. Maude
  Schemes approved by the Inland Revenue up to March 1991, under legislation now contained in the Income and Corporation Taxes Act 1988, including 4,721 discretionary share option schemes and 1,934 all-employee share schemes. Of the latter, 962 were profit-sharing schemes and 972 were savings-related share options schemes. It is estimated that about 200,000 and 2·25 million individual employees had participated in these discretionary and all-employee schemes, respectively, up to the end of March 1990.

  These schemes, many of which include several companies, relate to both quoted and unquoted companies. I regret that information about the numbers of unquoted companies and their eligible employees covered by these approved schemes could not be obtained without disproportionate cost.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many employee trusts established by unquoted companies the Inland Revenue have accepted as qualifying employee share ownership trusts under the Finance Act 1989, section 74 and Schedule 5; and how many employees are now potential beneficiaries under such trusts.

  Mr. Maude
  The Inland Revenue may not learn of the establishment of employee share ownership trusts as defined in the Finance Act 1989 until claims for tax relief are received. Such claims may be made up to two years after the end of the period of account in which the relevant company contributions are made. One trust established by an unquoted company has been accepted as a qualifying employee share ownership trust; it covers about 25 employees. Further trusts are likely to be accepted as qualifying shortly.

  Gross Domestic Product Deflator
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the gross domestic product deflator, quarter by quarter, starting with the first quarter of 1978.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest quarterly estimates of the gross domestic product deflator for 1978 onwards are as follows:

  Implied gross domestic product deflators based on expenditure data

  At market prices

  At factor cost

  1978

  Q1

  50·5

  52·6

  Q2

  52·0

  53·5

  Q3

  52·9

  54·8

  Q4

  54·2

  55·6

  1979

  Q1

  56·0

  57·8

  Q2

  57·6

  59·2

  Q3

  62·0

  62·2

  Q4

  64·3

  64·7

  1980

  Q1

  67·3

  68·1

  Q2

  70·4

  70·6

  Q3

  73·2

  73·8

  Q4

  75·8

  76·6

  383

  At market prices

  At factor cost

  1981

  Q1

  77·6

  78·5

  Q2

  79·0

  78·3

  Q3

  80·3

  79·7

  Q4

  82·4

  81·7

  1982

  Q1

  84·0

  83·0

  Q2

  85·0

  84·4

  Q3

  86·5

  85·7

  Q4

  88·1

  87·5

  1983

  Q1

  89·2

  88·7

  Q2

  89·3

  88·5

  Q3

  90·8

  90·4

  Q4

  92·3

  92·1

  1984

  Q1

  92·6

  92·6

  Q2

  94·2

  94·5

  Q3

  95·0

  95·1

  Q4

  96·4

  97·1

  1985

  Q1

  97·8

  98·5

  Q2

  99·4

  99·4

  Q3

  100·7

  100·4

  Q4

  102·1

  101·7

  1986

  Q1

  102·2

  101·8

  Q2

  103·2

  102·2

  Q3

  103·7

  102·6

  Q4

  105·1

  104·0

  1987

  Q1

  106·4

  105·8

  Q2

  107·9

  107·0

  Q3

  109·4

  108·4

  Q4

  111·1

  110·4

  1988

  Q1

  112·2

  111·4

  Q2

  114·7

  113·5

  Q3

  117·0

  115·9

  Q4

  120·2

  119·7

  1989

  Q1

  121·5

  121·0

  Q2

  123·7

  123·3

  Q3

  124·0

  123·7

  Q4

  127·0

  127·2

  1990

  Q1

  128·5

  128·4

  Q2

  130·0

  132·1

  Q3

  132·4

  134·5

  Q4

  135·5

  138·4

  Winter Letting
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has received any representations from the holiday flat and self-catering industry concerning the restrictions on winter letting contained in section 50 of the Finance Act 1984; and if he will make a statement.
  384
  Mr. Maude
  I have not received any such representations.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated cost, per capita, in respect of the recent Gulf dispute.

  Mr. Mellor
  The latest estimate for additional defence costs, spread over several years, is of the order of £45 per capita. However, I expect the bulk of costs to be covered by cash contributions generously pledged by other governments.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the difference in tax revenue raised if the 75 per cent. of subcontractors paying schedule D tax, but providing labour only for hire, were on pay-as-you-earn instead.

  Mr. Maude
  This information is not available.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of total central Government revenue is raised by value added tax in(a) the United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) Germany.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: Figures for tax revenues disaggregated by tax for the United Kingdom, France and Germany on a comparable basis are published in "Revenue Statistics of OECD Member Countries" which can be found in the Library.

  Statistics
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, for each quarter from the first quarter of 1979 to the first quarter of 1991, the annual percentage increase on the following indices: the retail prices index, the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, the retail prices index excluding mortgage interest payments, rates and the community charge, the tax and prices index, the TPI excluding mortgage interest payments, the TPI excluding mortgage interest payments, rates and the community charge, producer output prices, the gross domestic product deflator, average earnings, whole economy, underlying, and the Institute for Fiscal Studies inflation index.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: The table gives the available information. The tax and price index is not available excluding mortgage interest payments or the community charge rates. I refer my right hon. Friend to the written answer I gave to him today for the gross domestic product deflator.
  385

  Percentage increase on a year earlier

  Date

  Retail prices index

  RPI excluding mortgage interest payments

  RPI less MIPs and community charge/rates

  Tax and price index

  Producer output prices

  Average earnings whole economy underlying

  RPI using new measure of housing costs (IFS)

  1979 Q1

  9·6

  8·7

  8·6

  6·4

  8·7

  —

  —

  Q2

  10·7

  9·5

  9·4

  12·9

  10·1

  —

  —

  Q3

  16·0

  15·1

  15·0

  13·6

  11·6

  —

  —

  Q4

  17·2

  16·5

  16·5

  14·9

  12·8

  —

  —

  1980 Q1

  19·1

  18·0

  17·9

  16·9

  14·9

  20¼

  —

  Q2

  21·5

  20·5

  20·3

  18·1

  15·5

  21¾

  —

  Q3

  16·4

  15·3

  15·0

  17·9

  13·7

  21¼

  —

  Q4

  15·3

  14·2

  13·8

  16·6

  12·3

  18¼

  —

  1981 Q1

  12·7

  12·7

  12·4

  13·5

  10·3

  16

  —

  Q2

  11·7

  12·2

  11·8

  15·3

  9·5

  13¼

  —

  Q3

  11·3

  11·8

  11·4

  14·7

  8·9

  11½

  —

  Q4

  11·9

  12·1

  11·4

  15·5

  9·5

  11¼

  —

  1982 Q1

  11·1

  10·7

  10·4

  14·6

  9·5

  10¾

  —

  Q2

  9·4

  9·0

  8·8

  9·7

  7·6

  10

  —

  Q3

  8·0

  7·7

  7·4

  8·7

  7·4

  9

  —

  Q4

  6·2

  6·8

  6·8

  6·6

  6·5

  8½

  —

  1983 Q1

  5·0

  6·3

  5·9

  5·2

  5·3

  8

  —

  Q2

  3·8

  4·6

  4·6

  3·2

  5·7

  7½

  —

  Q3

  4·6

  5·0

  5·0

  3·6

  5·4

  7¾

  —

  Q4

  5·1

  4·9

  4·8

  4·1

  5·6

  8

  —

  1984 Q1

  5·2

  4·5

  4·5

  4·3

  5·3

  7¾

  —

  Q2

  5·1

  4·9

  4·9

  4·1

  5·8

  7¾

  —

  Q3

  4·7

  4·2

  4·2

  3·5

  5·6

  7½

  —

  Q4

  4·8

  4·1

  4·0

  3·6

  5·5

  7½

  —

  1985 Q1

  5·5

  4·8

  4·7

  4·4

  5·6

  7½

  —

  Q2

  7·0

  5·3

  5·2

  6·4

  5·3

  7½

  —

  Q3

  6·3

  5·4

  5·2

  5·7

  5·2

  7½

  —

  Q4

  5·5

  5·2

  5·0

  4·4

  5·1

  7½

  —

  1986 Q1

  4·9

  4·5

  4·4

  3·8

  4·7

  7½

  —

  Q2

  2·8

  3·3

  2·9

  0·9

  4·3

  7½

  —

  Q3

  2·6

  3·3

  2·9

  0·7

  4·1

  7½

  —

  Q4

  3·4

  3·4

  3·0

  2·0

  4·0

  7½

  —

  1987 Q1

  4·0

  3·7

  3·3

  2·7

  4·0

  7½

  —

  Q2

  4·2

  3·6

  3·4

  2·5

  3·6

  7¾

  —

  Q3

  4·3

  3·6

  3·5

  2·6

  3·8

  7¾

  —

  Q4

  4·1

  4·0

  3·8

  2·4

  4·1

  8¼

  —

  1988 Q1

  3·4

  3·7

  3·5

  1·4

  3·8

  8½

  4·3

  Q2

  4·2

  4·4

  4·3

  2·1

  4·3

  8¾

  5·1

  Q3

  5·4

  5·1

  4·9

  3·4

  4·9

  9¼

  6·2

  Q4

  6·5

  5·1

  5·0

  4·6

  4·9

  8¾

  6·4

  1989 Q1

  7·7

  5·6

  5·5

  5·9

  5·2

  9¼

  6·8

  Q2

  8·2

  6·0

  5·9

  8·4

  5·0

  9

  6·9

  Q3

  7·7

  5·8

  5·6

  7·8

  5·1

  9

  6·4

  Q4

  7·6

  6·1

  5·9

  6·3

  5·2

  9¼

  6·3

  1990 Q1

  7·8

  6·2

  6·0

  6·5

  5·4

  9½

  5·9

  Q2

  9·7

  8·1

  6·8

  7·9

  6·3

  9¾

  6·5

  Q3

  10·4

  9·0

  7·7

  8·8

  5·9

  10

  7·1

  Q4

  10·0

  9·2

  8·0

  9·7

  5·9

  9¾

  7·3

  1991 Q1

  8·7

  8·5

  7·4

  8·2

  6·3

  —

  6·8

  The Gulf
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the contributions from other countries to the costs of Her Majesty's Government relating to the Gulf war received in the financial year 1990–91 or received or expected in the financial year 1991–92.

  Mr. Mellor
  The following countries have made or pledged cash contributions towards these costs:

  £ million

  Received in 1990–91

  Received or expected in 1991–92

  United Arab Emirates

  85

  1901

  Kuwait

  110

  5502

  Germany

  275

  —

  Japan

  25

  1583

  Saudi Arabia4

  —

  580

  386

  Received in 1990–91

  Received or expected in 1991–92

  Belgium

  —

  15

  Hong Kong

  15

  —

  Denmark

  8

  —

  South Korea5

  —

  17

  Total

  518

  1,5106

  1 Two payments of $166 million; one received 2 April and the other expected about the end of April.

  2 £110 million received 15 April. Four further payments of £110 million are expected in the middle of each month, May-August inclusive.

  3 Received 2 April.

  4 A payment of $200 million made on 2 April. A further $800 million has been pledged.

  5 $30 million, subject to Korean Parliamentary approval.

  6 The sterling value of payments not yet received and denominated in US dollars will depend on the exchange rate prevailing at the time.

  387
  In addition, some 16 countries have provided assistance in kind.

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  'To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list in descending order of balance of payment performance(a) cereals, (b) agricultural products as a whole, (c) agricultural products minus cereals, (d) oil, (e) chemicals, (f) iron and steel, (g) coal, coke, and so on, (h) motor vehicles, (i) electricals, (j) visibles and (k) invisibles for the years 1979, 1986 and the latest date available.

  Crude balances1

  £ billion

  1979

  1986

  1990

  SITC2

  5

  Chemicals

  +1·5

  +2·3

  +2·3

  33

  Petroleum and petroleum products

  –1·1

  +3·7

  +1·2

  67

  Iron and steel

  —

  +0·1

  +0·4

  04

  Cereals and cereal preparations

  –0·4

  +0·4

  +0·3

  32

  Coal, coke and briquettes

  –0·1

  –0·3

  –0·5

  716, 75–77

  Electrical machinery

  —

  –2·8

  –3·3

  78

  Road vehicles

  –0·8

  –4·0

  –5·3

  Agriculture3

  –4·3

  –6·0

  –6·4

  Agriculture3 less cereals and cereal preparations

  –4·7

  –5·6

  –6·1

  1 Exports cif less imports fob.

  2 Standard International Trade Classification (Rev. 3)

  3 There is no generally accepted definition of agriculture in the SITC. The figures used cover food and live animals, feed, beverages and other agricultural products (SITC Sections 0 and 4; Divisions 11 and 22 and parts of Divisions 21, 26, 29, 51, 53 and 59).

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what considerations of public policy and public finance follow from the decision that local authorities in exceeding their powers are not required to meet their banking commitments.

  Mr. Mellor
  The House of Lords has ruled that local authorities have no power to undertake interest rate swaps. The Government are studying the full implications of the judgment. The case raises a number of complex issues including the effect on local authorities and their charge payers as well as on banks.

ENVIRONMENT

  London Zoo
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of payments made from central Government to all organisations associated with London Zoo since 1979.

  Mr. Trippier
  During this period central Government has paid grants worth about £31 million to the Zoological Society of London and the Institute of Zoology. This figure includes about £5·4 million for the institute's research work.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any checks were made by his Department on the use of funds provided by Her Majesty's Government to London Zoo.

  Mr. Trippier
  During the period that the society was in receipt of revenue subsidy and contributions to capital investment, its finances and activities were closely monitored. The £10 million endowment in November 1988
  388
  Mr. Maples
  Figures for total trade are available on a balance of payments basis:

  Balances

  £ billion

  Visible trade

  Invisible trade

  1979

  –3·3

  +2·9

  1986

  –9·5

  +9·4

  1990

  –17·9

  +5·1

  The following table shows crude trade balances1 on an overseas trade statistics basis with the categories listed in the order of their 1990 surplus or deficit.

  was a once-for-all payment, and severed the financial relationship with my Department completely as well as the system of monitoring.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what conditions were attached to funds provided by Her Majesty's Government to London Zoo.

  Mr. Trippier
  The £10 million endowment in 1988 was given to the Zoological Society of London on the understanding that the society had established a subsidiary operating company with a strong management team to run the zoos; this management team had drawn up a master development plan for the zoos to secure their future, and with this endowment the Government's financial commitment to the zoos was at an end.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what financial requests have been received in the last three months from the London Zoo authorities; and what response has been made.

  Mr. Trippier
  Over the last few months I have discussed with the Zoological Society of London its general financial situation and have reminded it that the Government's financial commitment to its zoos ended in 1988.

  House Prices
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing an index of house prices in real terms, for each quarter from the first quarter of 1979 to the latest available quarter.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The following index has been derived by deflating my Department's mix-adjusted dwelling price index by the retail prices index.
  389

  Mix-adjusted index of United Kingdom house prices in real terms

  (Index: Q1 1979 = 100)

  Index

  1979 Q1

  100

  Q2

  104

  Q3

  106

  Q4

  110

  1980 Q1

  109

  Q2

  108

  Q3

  108

  Q4

  108

  1981 Q1

  105

  Q2

  103

  Q3

  103

  Q4

  98

  1982 Q1

  95

  Q2

  96

  Q3

  98

  Q4

  98

  1983 Q1

  100

  Q2

  102

  Q3

  104

  Q4

  104

  1984 Q1

  105

  Q2

  105

  Q3

  109

  Q4

  109

  1985 Q1

  107

  Q2

  107

  Q3

  110

  Q4

  113

  1986 Q1

  115

  Q2

  118

  Q3

  123

  Q4

  126

  1987 Q1

  127

  Q2

  132

  Q3

  137

  Q4

  144

  1988 Q1

  149

  Q2

  155

  Q3

  173

  Q4

  180

  1989 Q1

  181

  Q2

  182

  Q3

  186

  Q4

  179

  1990 Q1

  174

  Q2

  163

  Q3

  163

  Q4

  158

  Source: Based on prices at completion stage collected in the building society mortgage survey and weighted to reflect a standard mix of sales by dwelling type, size and region.

  Hedgehogs
  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if the export of live hedgehogs is governed by the CITES agreement; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many licences were issued for the export of live hedgehogs in 1990; and if he will make it his policy to discontinue the issuing of such licences.
  390
  Mr. Trippier
  The export of the European hedgehog is not controlled by the provisions of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; the controls that apply were set out in my earlier answer to the hon. Member of 25 February, at column 353.

  No licences to export live hedgehogs were issued in 1990. All licence applications are treated on their own merits, following consultation with our scientific advisers, the joint nature conservation committee.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government grant in 1990–91 per head of relevant population in the London boroughs of Hackney, Newham, Redbridge and Waltham Forest.

  Mr. Key
  The information is as follows: Government grants in 1990–91, consisting of revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant, per head of relevant population are £1,415 in Hackney, £960 in Newham, £396 in Redbridge and £678 in Waltham Forest.

  Benzene
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the maximum level of benzene permissible in petrol(a) in the United Kingdom and (b) in the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Five per cent. by volume, in both cases.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to permitting development on green belt sites in the East Thames corridor; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Any proposals for development on green belt sites in the east Thames corridor are considered in the light of the planning criteria which apply everywhere in the green belt.

  Irrigation, East Anglia
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many licences for extracting water from bore holes have been granted in each of the past two years to the horticultural industry in East Anglia; and what was the average amount of water permitted for extraction under each licence;

  (2) whether he will make it his policy to conserve water in East Anglia by restricting the amount of water permitted for extraction by bore holes by the horticultural industry;

  (3) what assessment he has made of the effect on water conservation by the horticultural industry in East Anglia of (a) limiting times of the day when water extraction is permitted, (b) limiting the total quantity of water permitted to be extracted by each user and (c) encouraging night-time use of water to reduce evaporation;
  391
  (4) what restrictions have been imposed by the National Rivers Authority on extraction of irrigation water from bore holes by horticultural undertakings in East Anglia;

  (5) whether he will issue a direction to the National Rivers Authority to conserve water in East Anglia by restricting the amounts extracted by horticultural undertakings.

  Mr. Baldry
  These are all matters for the National Rivers Authority. The chairman will write to my hon. Friend. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has no plans to issue a direction to the National Rivers Authority.

  Conifer Planting
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the outcome of the consultation exercise on the proposal to exempt parts of the industrial Pennines from the Government's general policy not to grant-aid predominantly conifer planting in the English uplands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Our consultation exercise last year gave rise to a large number of detailed responses and we have given careful consideration to these. Although there was support for some planting within the areas identified by the joint Department of the Environment-Forestry Commission working group, the general view was that the present policy adequately caters for the types and scale of new planting which will be appropriate and that the proposed exception would not be helpful. In recognition of this, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have decided not to proceed with the proposal.

  Local Authorities (Finance)
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the budgeted revenue expenditure and sources of income for local authorities in England, and their implication for community charge levels, in 1990–91 and 1991–92, before and after the enactment of the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991.

  Mr. Portillo
  Following the Community Charges (General Reduction) Act 1991, the average community charge actually paid in 1991–92, taking account of assistance received via income support, is estimated to be £172; charges will account for just less than 15 per cent. of authorities' revenue spending. The corresponding figures before the Act were £274 and 23·6 per cent. respectively; for 1990–91 they were £285 and 26·6 per cent. Full details are given in the table.

  Sources of finance for local authority expenditure: England 1990–91 and 1991–92

  1990–91

  1991–92 before £140 reduction

  1991–92 after £140 reduction

  Estimated expenditure/income (£ billion)

  Gross revenue/budgeted expenditure

  36·48

  39·82

  39·82

  Use of balances

  0·80

  0·62

  0·62

  Budgeted income

  35·68

  39·19

  39·19

  Less Aggregate Exchequer Finance

  23·29

  26·05

  30·88

  392

  1990–91

  1991–92 before £140 reduction

  1991–92 after £140 reduction

  Plus/minus adjustments1

  0·14

  0·35

  0·35

  Raised from gross charges

  12·25

  13·49

  8·66

  Percentage of expenditure

  33·60

  33·90

  21·70

  HEADLINE CHARGE (£)

  357·00

  392·00

  252·00

  Less: Reduction scheme grant

  0·26

  1·70

  1·25

  Estimated community charge benefit subsidy

  1·83

  1·92

  1·06

  Raised from net charges

  10·16

  9·87

  6·35

  Percentage of expenditure

  27·90

  24·80

  15·90

  Less income support2

  0·40

  0·43

  0·43

  Actual charges paid

  9·76

  9·44

  5·92

  Percentage of expenditure

  26·60

  23·70

  14·90

  AVERAGE CHARGE ACTUALLY PAID (£)

  (taking into account income support)

  285

  274

  172

  Aggregate Exchequer Finance (£ billion)

  Business rates

  10·428

  12·408

  12·408

  Specific grants

  3·189

  3·413

  3·413

  Special grants

  0·187

  0·555

  0·555

  Revenue Support Grant

  9·490

  9·674

  9·674

  Community charge grant

  —

  —

  4·830

  Total grants

  12·866

  13·642

  18·472

  Total AEF

  23·294

  26·050

  30·880

  Chargepayers (million)

  Relevant population3

  35·65

  35·54

  35·54

  Equated population4

  34·37

  34·50

  34·50

  1 Adjustments include RSG grants to specified bodies (which are part of AEF but do not go to local authorities); net interest payments by the Collection Fund; the proportion of non-domestic rates collected by the City of London which is retained by the authority's collection fund; the estimated deficit on the Collection Fund in 1990–91; and the budgeted surplus on the Collection Fund in 1991–92.

  2 This amount represents the allowance in income support to cover 20 per cent, of the average charge.

  3 Relevant population indicates the number of chargepayers subject to a full community charge, plus one fifth of students subject to a charge, plus the number of people liable to pay collective community charges.

  4 Equated population is the equivalent number of personal charges which local authorities expect to receive from personal, standard and collective chargepayers.

  Local Government Boundary Commission
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what will happen to the work of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England during the consultation period on the Government's proposals on local government.

  Mr. Heseltine
  We consider that the commission should continue with its current programme of work. Decisions on the implementations of their proposals can then be taken on the merits of those proposals and in the context of the wider proposals for change in local government.

  Norwich City Council
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out details of the basis of calculation which has led him to require Norwich city council to limit its spending to £15 million in 1991–92, and set out the representations he has had asking him to impose this limit.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: We have received a number of representations to cap excessive budgets. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has designated Norwich city council for capping because he considered that its budget was excessive on the basis of the principles which he has adopted for capping for 1991–92. The maximum budget or "cap" of £15 million proposed by my right hon. Friend represents his view of what is reasonable, achievable and appropriate in the light of the authority's particular circumstances, on the basis of all the information available to him.

  Transport Privatisation
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consultations his Department has had with local authorities over the proposed privatisation of municipal airports, ports and harbours and bus companies; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when the Government intend to bring forward proposals for the privatisation of municipal airports, ports and harbours and bus companies; and if he will make a statement;

  Local government staffing in England Selected service breakdown (December data)

  Service

  Total (FT+PT)

  Year-on-year change per cent.

  Change since 1975 per cent.

  Full-time equivalent

  Year-on-year change per cent.

  Change since 1975 per cent.

  1975 (See Note 1)

  Education (L/T)

  653,020

  —

  —

  529,937

  —

  —

  Education (other)

  677,999

  —

  —

  410,972

  —

  —

  Construction

  132,715

  —

  —

  132,385

  —

  —

  Social Services

  265,150

  —

  —

  182,512

  —

  —

  Other general services

  595,540

  —

  —

  546,120

  —

  —

  Police (all ranks)

  100,364

  —

  —

  100,364

  —

  —

  1988

  Education (L/T)

  651,728

  –0·4

  –0·2

  502,838

  –0·7

  –5·1

  Education (other)

  649,222

  –1·0

  –4·2

  382,571

  –0·7

  –6·9

  Construction

  101,072

  –5·0

  –23·8

  100,676

  –5·0

  –24·0

  Social Services

  336,756

  0·7

  27·0

  229,675

  1·0

  25·8

  Other general services

  578,597

  –0·4

  –2·8

  518,460

  –0·7

  –5·1

  Police (all ranks)

  118,249

  0·9

  17·8

  118,249

  0·9

  17·8

  1989

  Education (L/T)

  628,414

  –3·6

  –3·8

  481,407

  –4·3

  –9·2

  Education (other)

  627,822

  –3·3

  –7·4

  364,315

  –4·8

  –11·4

  Construction

  97,435

  –3·6

  –26·6

  97,037

  –3·6

  –26·7

  Social Services

  341,366

  1·4

  28·7

  233,953

  1·9

  28·2

  Other general services

  584,767

  1·1

  –1·8

  523,606

  1·0

  –4·1

  Police (all ranks)

  119,605

  1·1

  19·2

  119,605

  1·1

  19·2

  1990

  Education (L/T)

  614,908

  –2·1

  –5·8

  477,204

  –0·9

  –10·0

  Education (other)

  624,957

  –0·5

  –7·8

  363,124

  –0·3

  –11·6

  Construction

  91,118

  –6·5

  –31·3

  90,687

  –6·5

  –31·5

  Social Services

  343,508

  0·6

  29·6

  237,401

  1·5

  30·1

  Other general services

  592,456

  1·3

  –0·5

  529,909

  1·2

  –3·0

  Police (all ranks)

  120,593

  0·8

  20·2

  120,593

  0·8

  20·2

  Notes:

  1. 1975 is the earliest year for which data is available.
  394
  (3) what representations he has received from private sector companies interested in bidding for the municipal airports, ports and harbours and bus companies that the Government intend to privatise; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the scope for privatisation of local authority ports, airports, and public transport companies but has reached no conclusions. A company which is in negotiation with a local authority to take a lease of part of their port has been in touch with my Department; no other representations from prospective purchasers have been received.

  Local Government
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the total number of local government staff in the following categories(a) education (lecturers and teachers), (b) education (others), (c) construction, (d) social services, (e) other general services and (f) police in the United Kingdom giving figures for (i) total number of staff and (ii) full-time equivalents for each of the years 1968, 1988 and 1990, or the latest date available showing the percentage increase/decrease in each case.

  Mr. Key
  The information for England is as follows:
  395
  2. Education figures are affected by the transfer of polytechnics from the local authority sector in April 1989.

  3. Other general services figures are affected by the transfer of municipal bus and airport undertakings from the local authority sector in 1986 and 1987.

HEALTH

  Ethnic Monitoring
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the department of psychological medicine of the City and Hackney health authority keeps records of the racial origins of in-patients and out-patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A contact register is being developed for all patients receiving care from the department of psychological medicine at City and Hackney health authority. Patients are asked to identify their own ethnic origin. Where this is not possible, that particular section will be left blank. The register has a security mechanism whereby information relating to ethnic origin is kept confidential and can be checked by the patient on request.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to encourage social service departments to monitor girls from the relevant ethnic communities referred to in the answer to the hon. Member for Broxbourne (Mrs. Roe) on 22 February,Official Report, columns 304–5.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 25 March at columns 322–24.

  Staphylococcus Infection
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the closure of ward 3X at the Royal Liverpool University hospital, following contagion from multi-resistant staphylococcus; and how many other hospitals in the United Kingdom are affected by this bacterium.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A patient recently admitted to the hospital was found to be carrying the organism. Before this was identified, cross-infection occurred in two small units in the hospital. Conventional infection control methods, including the temporary closure of ward 3X, brought the outbreak under control. Ward 3X was reopened on Monday 22 April.

  There are no national figures for the number of affected hospitals. Infection with multi-resistant staphylococcus—MRSA—is not among the diseases which are statutorily notifiable. However, a survey of the incidence of MRSA from 1986–90 is being prepared by the public health laboratory service and will be available shortly.

  Cancer Services
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what matters are currently being considered by the advisory committee on cancer services; and when its next report is expected.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Standing Medical Advisory Committee, which advises my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, has a standing sub-committee on cancer which advises it on the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of cancer and, where relevant, on education.396
  The sub-committee keeps all these topics under regular review. It has recently prepared a manual on quality assurance in radiotherapy.

  Nurses' Pay
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the increase of pay in real terms for nurses in the employ of the health service since 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Basic pay rates for nursing and midwifery staff and health visitors have increased by almost 45 per cent. on average in real terms since 1979.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 22 March,Official Report, column 256, what reasons have been given by Dr. Nicolaides for the late notification to the chief medical officer of the abortion of the King's College baby, under ground 2, by selective reduction at 27½weeks gestation, notified to his Department on 11 April 1990.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is not the Department's practice to disclose information provided in relation to individual cases of termination of pregnancy.

  NHS Reforms
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how man copies of the March 1991 letter from the chief executive of the national health service about the 1 April national health service reforms have been distributed; and at what total cost.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The letter from the NHS chief excutive marking the implementation of the NHS reforms on 1 April has been distributed to all 970,000 employees of the NHS in England. The cost of printing and distributing the letter to health authorities was £127,000.

  Drug and Alcohol Addiction
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend drug and alcohol addiction advice centres.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The provision of local services to advise drug and alcohol misusers is a local responsibility. The Government's objective is to ensure that a comprehensive and integrated network of appropriate services is established to help these clients, and to this end has provided the following assistance to local agencies active in this field:since 1986–87, regional health authorities have received additional allocations rising to nearly £16·5 million in 1991–92 for the expansion of services for drug misusers including HIV prevention aspects. This builds upon the network of local services set up by the central funding initiative which made available £17·5 million for 188 local drug projects between 1983 and 1989;
  £4 million has been allocated to the national voluntary organisation Alcohol Concern for the three years starting in 1990–91, for disbursement to local voluntary organisations to support the improvement and expansion of alcohol advisory and counselling services;

  397
  awards totalling £1·4 million have been made to local authorities under the alcohol and drugs specific grant introduced by the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990. This grant will support expenditure of £2 million in 1991–92. The specific grant is available to local authorities to support voluntary sector organisations providing services for alcohol and drug misusers. This grant should help local authorities prepare for the new responsibilities placed upon them by the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990;
  grants are made to help meet the national headquarters expenses of Alcohol Concern, the Standing Conference on Drug Abuse and Turning Point, all of which support local agencies providing advice for alcohol and/or drug misusers.

  Prestwich Hospital, Manchester
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the patients of Pinfold, Troy and Tottington wards at Prestwich hospital, Manchester, will be evacuated as advised by the health advisory service/social services inspectorate in its report dated October 1990 No. (90) M1/E.12.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that Clifton house at Prestwich hospital, Manchester, will close by August 1991. Troy ward will close in May, Pinfold in June and Tottington in July.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by each regional health authority the amount of money that was made available to meet the costs of receiving casualties from the Gulf dispute; and how much was actually spent by each regional health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Regional health authorities have incurred only minimal treatment costs, but did incur costs making preparations to treat casualties. Provisional cash limit adjustments were made at the end of 1990–91 based on regions' estimates of their expenditure and are given in the table. Adjustments cannot be finalised until the Department has received and validated final figures.

  £

  Northern

  546,000

  Yorkshire

  542,000

  Trent

  597,000

  East Anglia

  479,000

  North West Thames

  1,249,000

  North East Thames

  325,000

  South East Thames

  670,000

  Wessex

  868,000

  Oxford

  478,000

  South Western

  733,000

  West Midlands

  1,336,000

  Mersey

  739,000

  Numbers of contracts with capitation and continuing care patients

  Region

  Total number of contracts

  None registered

  1–499 registered

  500–999 registered

  1000+registered

  Capitation only

  Northern

  1,288

  136

  466

  302

  384

  15

  Yorkshire

  1,551

  96

  528

  401

  526

  11

  Trent

  1,865

  164

  672

  382

  647

  37

  East Anglian

  803

  46

  263

  160

  334

  24

  North West Thames

  1,855

  222

  997

  407

  229

  51

  North East Thames

  1,610

  185

  810

  338

  277

  29

  South East Thames

  1,691

  164

  767

  392

  368

  36

  South West Thames

  1,530

  171

  712

  349

  298

  37

  Wessex

  1,141

  76

  343

  253

  469

  19

  Oxford

  1,037

  121

  377

  244

  295

  30

  398

  £

  North Western

  763,000

  National Blood Transfusion Service

  75,000

  London postgraduate hospitals (SHAs)

  104,000

  Total

  9,504,000

  St. John Ambulance Brigade
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what facilities he has made available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was informed of the "Over to you, John" appeal at a meeting with national representatives of St. John Ambulance in March, and wished it well. The Department would consider how best to involve its staff in the appeal on receipt of a formal request to participate.

  Chemical Agents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines his Department has given to doctors on defence against chemical agents.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Specific guidance on the treatment of patients affected by chemical agents was issued to the health service on 28 December 1990, in the context of the Gulf crisis. The same advice was also given to the national poisons information service to ensure a consistent response to inquiries from the health service. In addition various publications on the subject are available.

  Dentists
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (i) how many dentists in each regional health authority had registered no adult or child patients under the new contract by the end of February;

  (2) how many dentists for each regional health authority had registered adult or child patients under the new contract by the end of February in the ranges (a) less than 100, (b) between 101 and 500, (c) between 501 and 1,000 and (d) over 1,001;

  (3) how many dentists had registered patients under 18 years of age only, in total and in respect of each regional health authority, as at the end of February.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table gives information regarding dentists' contracts, rather than individual dentists, as of 31 March 1991. Many dentists have more than one contract.
  399

  Numbers of contracts with capitation and continuing care patients

  Region

  Total number of contracts

  None registered

  1–499 registered

  500–999 registered

  1000+registered

  Capitation only

  South Western

  1,551

  122

  506

  330

  593

  26

  West Midlands

  1,909

  152

  610

  470

  677

  15

  Mersey

  1,088

  80

  435

  287

  286

  12

  North Western

  1,716

  146

  604

  440

  526

  43

  TOTAL

  385

  Source: Dental Practice Board.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists had registered adults who were exempt from charges by the end of February.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The precise number of dentists who are accepting adults exempt from charges into continuing care arrangements under the new general dental services contract is not known. Recent information from family health services authorities suggests that the vast majority of dentists are doing so.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of estimates scheduled to dentists in respect of the categories(a) adults over 18 years and (b) children under 18 years for each of the five months from October 1990 to the end of February 1991.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information is not available in the form requested. Most treatment of children is now covered by capitation fees paid to dentists, and is not claimed by submitting estimates. The table sets out the total number of claims for remuneration for item-of-service treatment of adults. It does not include claims for continuing care payments where no item-of-service treatment has been provided.

  Date .scheduled for payment

  Old contract

  New contract

  Adult Estimates (Item of Service)

  Child Estimates (Item of Service)

  Adults accepted into continuing care

  Adult Item of Service

  Entry payments for children before acceptance into capitation

  Child Item of Service

  Total number of children accepted into capitation

  October 1990

  2,061,768

  895,837

  —

  58,274

  16,233

  3,965

  —

  November 1990

  892,818

  298,824

  2,878,836

  987,973

  164,080

  44,899

  842,628

  December 1990

  411,261

  122,800

  2,267,407

  1,485,230

  250,962

  69,185

  938,317

  January 1991

  226,596

  69,582

  1,736,821

  1,775,067

  216,178

  77,189

  633,040

  February 1991

  140,816

  47,911

  1,617,834

  1,701,166

  227,495

  88,374

  713,169

  Source: Dental Practice Board.

  NHS Internal Market
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether tertiary referrals will be treated in the same way as emergencies for the purpose of payment in the national health service internal market;

  (2) what are the arrangements for paying for tertiary referrals.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Tertiary referrals will normally be paid for in the same way as referrals by a GP: district health authorities will contract directly with the units receiving tertiary referrals. The same arrangements
  400

  Total number of adult item-of-service claims

  Date

  Total

  October 1990

  2,120,042

  November 1990

  1,880,791

  December 1990

  1,896,491

  January 1991

  2,001,663

  February 1991

  1,841,982

  Source: Dental Practice Board

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of estimates scheduled to dentists in respect of the categories (i) under the old contract,(a) adults and (b) children under 18 years and (ii) under the new contract (1) adults for registration only and excluding treatment, (2) adults with both registration and treatment, (3) adults for occasional treatment only, (4) children with entry payment claimed and (5) children with no entry payments claimed for each of the five months from October 1990 until the end of February 1991.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information is not available in the form requested. The table gives information on estimates under the old contract and claims for remuneration under the new contract, for England and Wales. It is not possible to give separate figures relating to the following categories under the new contract: (i) claims for continuing care payments for adult patients where no treatment fees are claimed; and (ii) claims for occasional treatment.

  as for other kinds of referrals will apply to emergency and non-emergency tertiary referrals not covered in advance by a contract.

  Harrogate Hospitals
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many new beds have been provided in the Harrogate district and general hospitals since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. I. Lester, the chairman of the Harrogate health authority, for details.

  Stillbirth
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 30 November 1990,Official Report, column 507, to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton), what consideration has now been given to revising the definition of stillbirth.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) on 1 March at columns 632–33.

  Wheelchair Patients
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that all doctors' surgeries and all doctors' consulting rooms are accessible to patients in wheelchairs,(a) in private sector surgeries and consulting rooms in London to which NHS patients are referred and (b) elsewhere.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: It is the Department's policy to ensure that facilities are accessible to patients in wheelchairs. Building regulations require reasonable provision to be made for the access of disabled people into and within buildings. These regulations are legally enforceable on both the National Health Service and the private sector. In 1989 the Department published "Health Building Note 40, Common Activity Spaces Volume 4—Designing for Disabled People", a copy of which is available in the Library. The building note gives guidance on designing health care facilities to meet the needs of disabled people. The Department is about to publish building guidance on general medical practice premises which includes specific recommendations on designing for wheelchair access.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Cricket Coaching
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he is considering further initiatives to promote the coaching of cricket in schools.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am very keen to encourage cricket in schools both within the curriculum and as part of extra-curricular sport. I am today holding a conference on "Sport and Young People" to which a wide range of physical education and sporting organisations have been invited. Many useful and interesting issues are being raised and I will be considering these further as part of my current review of sports policy.

  Grammar Schools
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give consideration to an expansion of grammar school provision.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The organisation of school provision is a matter for individual local education authorities. I will consider any proposals by LEAs to reorganise schools, including proposals for introducing grammar schools, on their merits.

  School Playing Fields
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department intends to carry out a survey of the availability of school playing fields; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  The provision of school playing fields is the responsibility of LEAs and others in charge of the schools in the light of the standards in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981. However, the Sports Council will begin to draw up a register of playing fields during the course of this year. The register will include details of school playing fields.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he is considering regarding change of character of schools when approving grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Schools may not propose a significant change of character in applying for GM status. Inevitably, however, they will wish in the course of time to assess whether their provision reflects local parent demand and changing circumstances. Where they decide to publish change of character proposals I will consider them and any objections on the merits of each case.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in Shropshire have applied for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Eggar
  Three. Shropshire has one grant-maintained school. A further two schools have submitted applications which will reach my right hon. and learned Friend for decision shortly.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will estimate the number of grant-maintained status schools he expects to be operating from 18 September 1991 and 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The future number of grant-maintained schools in operation cannot be accurately predicted, but there are more schools seeking grant-maintained status now than ever before. For example, there are currently 80 schools with grant-maintained ballots pending. This time last year there were seven. In the last three months alone, 48 schools have voted to seek grant-maintained status.

  Reading
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last received an Her Majesty's inspectorate report on the training of students in teacher training colleges in the methods of teaching reading; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Ministers receive regular advice from Her Majesty's inspectorate on teacher training as on other aspects of the education system. Her Majesty's inspectorate will be providing advice to Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education in connection with the inquiry we have asked the council to conduct, and this will be included in their report at the end of the year.

  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the teaching of reading skills in schools.
  403
  Mr. Eggar
  It must be a priority of every primary school to enable children to read. Advice on good practice was offered in the report on reading by Her Majesty's inspectorate which was circulated to all primary schools in January. The main message was that reading has to be taught, in a structured way, and the most effective teachers used a mix of methods to teach initial reading, invariably including phonics. School reading policies, well organised classrooms, good teaching and regular testing and recording were other important factors in fostering reading skills. The national curriculum for English provides an effective framework for the teaching and assessment of reading skills.

  Swimming Lessons
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about Derbyshire county council's proposals to cut swimming lessons in the county's schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations from pupils, parents and schools in Derbyshire about the effect of budget reductions on the education service in the county, including provision of swimming.

  The education element of Derbyshire's standard spending assessment has risen by nearly 15 per cent. between 1990–91 and 1991–92. That is a substantial increase which should enable the authority to finance an education service of high quality if it manages its affairs well.

  Education, South Cumbria
  Mr. Franks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received regarding higher and further education in south Cumbria.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no representations in recent months regarding higher and further education in south Cumbria.

  Citizenship
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has reviewed the effectiveness of the teaching of citizenship within the curriculum.

  Mr. Eggar
  The National Curriculum Council issued guidance on education for citizenship last November. Her Majesty's inspectorate will report on the effectiveness of the teaching of citizenship to my right hon. and learned Friend in the course of their inspections.

  Pupil Assessment
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statment on the introduction of pupil assessment in conjunction with the national curriculum in schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  The first national assessments of seven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science will take place this summer. The statutory arrangements for assessing seven-year-olds in other subjects at key stage 1 and for assessing other age groups will be phased in over the coming years.

  Seven-year-olds (Testing)
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what decisions he has made about the publication of the tests of seven-year-olds this summer.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Heeley (Mr. Michie).

  Teachers (Career Changes)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what provision exists for retraining and redeployment within the education service for teachers or lecturers who(a) wish or (b) are required through redundancy, to change careers.

  Mr. Fallon
  The deployment and redeployment of teachers are matters for individual LEAs and schools, as is responsibility for in-service training. The Department is providing substantial support through grants for education support and training for in-service training, including retraining to teach new phases and subjects.

  Science and Engineering Research Council
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next proposes to meet the chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council; and whether he proposes to discuss the funding of pay awards.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets the chairman of the Science and Engineering Research Council from time to time; he has no plans at present for a further meeting.

  Sport
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on Saturday sport in schools.

  Mr. Atkins
  I am currently considering ways of encouraging more Saturday sport in schools, including greater partnerships between local sports clubs and schools. The Department is also revising its proposed guidance booklet on the community use of school sports facilities to reflect the recently identified need to amend section 42 of the Education (No. 2) Act 1986.

  St. John Ambulance Brigade
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what facilities he is making available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

  Mr. Eggar
  None. Staff are encouraged to join the give-as-you-earn scheme which enables them to support the charity of their choice through regular deductions from salary.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects the National Curriculum Council to publish guidelines for the teaching of religious education in schools.
  405
  Mr. Eggar
  There are no plans to issue guidance as to the content of individual agreed syllabuses for religious education. This is a matter for each local education authority to determine in the light of the statutory requirements. The National Curriculum Council has, however, a remit to advise at local request on the mechanics of constructing a syllabus taking account of the national curriculum approach of setting clear learning objectives through attainment targets and programmes of study. I understand that the National Curriculum Council is considering the issue of some collated advice of this nature for local education authorities. The timing would be a matter for the National Curriculum Council.

  Graduate Teacher Training Registry
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now publish the telephone numbers of his Department's graduate teacher training registry.

  Mr. Fallon
  The graduate teacher training registry is neither funded nor controlled by the Department of Education and Science.

  Oil Fires
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on oil fire-related research in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Science and Engineering Council is currently supporting 17 projects concerned with the controlled combustion of oil, at a total cost of some £2 million. In addition, the Natural Environment Research Council is undertaking much work on atmospheric pollution, a significant percentage of which is on pollutants resulting from fossil fuel combustion and their effects on the environment.

  Truancy
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what recent consultations he has had with local authorities about truancy from schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend, in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, last week issued to local education authorities and others a consultative circular and draft regulations on school attendance. Consultees have been invited to comment on the proposals by 17 June.

  Primary Schools (Administration)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to reduce the burden of administration within primary schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend has already taken a number of steps to make the Government's reforms manageable for primary schools and to minimise paper work. We shall continue to look for opportunities further to reduce administration.

  Pupil-Teacher Ratio, Harrogate
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the pupil-to-teacher ratio of Harrogate schools in 1979 and the latest date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Fallon
  Information on Harrogate schools is not available centrally. The pupil-teacher ratio for North Yorkshire local education authority, which includes Harrogate schools, was 19 in January 1979 and 17·3 in January 1990 the latest date for which figures are available.

  School Inspections, Tower Hamlets
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place a copy of the recent Her Majesty's inspectorate report on Culloden primary school, Tower Hamlets, in the Library.

  Mr. Fallon
  Copies of all Her Majesty's inspectorate reports are sent to the Libraries of both Houses on the Friday of the week in which they are published. A copy of the report on Culloden school was sent on 19 April.

  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science on which date he ordered Her Majesty's inspectorate to investigate standards of reading by pupils at Culloden primary school, Tower Hamlets; by what date the report was completed; on what date he first received the completed report; on what date the principal and chairman of governors at the school were first informed of the findings of the report(a) orally and (b) in writing; and on what date the media were first informed by his Department of the findings.

  Mr. Fallon
  On 6 March 1991, my right hon. and learned Friend asked the senior chief inspector—SCI—for information about the standards of reading in Culloden primary school, Tower Hamlets. Since no recent and relevant information was available the SCI took the decision to inspect the school.

  The school was inspected on 18 to 22 March 1991. The report was completed on 10 April and my right hon. and learned Friend received it on the same day. It was printed on 12 April 1991.

  The headteacher was informed orally of the findings of the inspection on the last day of the inspection as is customary. Copies of the report were sent to the headteacher and chairman of governors early on 16 April prior to its release to the press on the same day. HMI met the chairman and governors' body to discuss the report on the evening of 18 April 1991.

  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will detail the extent of Her Majesty's inspectorate's investigation at Culloden school, Tower Hamlets, enumerating the number of Her Majesty's inspectorate visiting the school, the duration of the investigation and the total cost of the inquiries.

  Mr. Fallon
  Her Majesty's inspectorate inspected Culloden primary school in the week 18 to 22 March 1991. Five inspectors each spent four and a half days in the school and were joined for one and a half days by one other inspector. The total cost of the inspection was £5,760. In addition to the actual inspection, HMI made preliminary visits, attended meetings of the governing
  407
  body and were involved in preparing and writing the report. The total cost was, therefore, approximately £7,680.

  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide details of all Her Majesty's inspectorate inspections of primary and secondary schools in Tower Hamlets since 1 April 1990, and a list of all subsequent reports that have been published.

  Mr. Fallon
  During the year in question, 23 inspection visits have been made to primary schools in Tower Hamlets and three to secondary schools; a further three were visited in February 1990. Three special schools were also visited. Although there was feedback to the schools in question during the visits themselves, none of the inspection visits to secondary or special schools were reporting inspections. Consequently they did not lead to published reports. The report on one of those inspection visits to primary schools, Culloden, was published on 16 April 1991. Since 1 April 1990 a report has also been published on Hague primary school, which was inspected prior to that date.

  London Hospital Schools
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received in respect of the Hospital Schools in London Bill.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received letters from three London hospitals about the Hospital Schools in London Bill.

WALES

  Education (Science Teachers)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of qualified science teachers in each county who teach in each of the years in (i) the primary schools of Wales and (ii) the high schools of Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his Department's responsibility regarding animal welfare in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  High standards of farm animal welfare on farms, during transport, at markets and at the place of slaughter are matters of major importance. The Government are committed to promoting the maintenance and improvement of farm animal welfare standards, and have taken many positive measures in this regard.

  Pharmacists (Advice)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the written advice of his Department to retail pharmacists regarding the methods of disposal for unwanted medicines and poisons returned to them by their customers.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain gives advice to community 408
  pharmacists on the disposal of returned medicines. The Department has not issued any written advice in addition to this.

  DUMP Campaign
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what level of funding his Department has deemed appropriate for the financing of the Welsh Pharmaceutical Committee disposal of unwanted medicines and poisons (DUMP) campaign, during the autumn of 1991.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department will be providing approximately £28,000 in respect of contractor costs for the all-Wales DUMP campaign proposed for the autumn of 1991.

  Teachers (Qualifications)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is satisfied with the qualifications of teachers in Wales who take classes in the physical sciences.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I am pleased that the latest secondary school staffing survey showed that, taken together, about 95 per cent. of teachers teaching biology, chemistry and physics at GCSE level have a qualification in that subject or in a related science subject. At A-level, at least 95 per cent. have a qualification in the science subject they teach.

  I wish to see an improvement and that is why we have widened the scope of the shortage subject bursary scheme to include all sciences and thus attract more science teachers into the profession.

  Probation Teachers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the teaching force in each of the local education authorities in Wales are probationers.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested, based at September 1990, is as follows:

  Percentage of the teaching force who are qualified and on probation

  Primary

  Secondary

  Clwyd

  2·6

  2·3

  Dyfed

  4·4

  2·5

  Gwent

  2·9

  2·3

  Gwynedd

  2·7

  2·5

  Mid Glamorgan

  2·2

  2·5

  Powys

  2·7

  1·6

  South Glamorgan

  8·0

  3·4

  West Glamorgan

  2·7

  1·4

  WALES

  3·6

  2·4

  Science Teaching
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of non-specialist supply teachers or people with no training in the national curriculum, who take science lessons in(a) the primary schools and (b) the high schools of Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No reliable information is available.

  Broadcasting in Wales
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his role and functions regarding broadcasting in Wales.
  409
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Broadcasting is the statutory responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. We liaise closely with the Home Secretary on the particularly Welsh features of broadcasting policy. We also advise the Home Secretary on broadcasting appointments related to Wales.

  Pupil Assessment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what initiatives he will take to assist(a) head teachers and (b) teachers who must assess pupils under the national curriculum.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Government have made available considerable assistance to support head teachers and teachers in Wales in preparation for this year's first statutory assessment of seven-year-olds. This includes:approval of specific grant aided expenditure up to £2·3 million in 1991–92 for training and in support of administrative arrangements;
  an extra day's school closure specifically for primary school teachers involved in the assessment of seven-year-olds;
  a computer-based system, developed jointly with LEAs, to cut down the burden of teachers in calculating the detailed assessment results;
  comprehensive guidance material and training seminars provided through the School Examination and Assessment Council and LEAs.

  North Wales Expressway
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the north Wales expressway Conwy tunnel to open; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The A55 Conwy crossing scheme is expected to be opened in the autumn of this year as indicated in the 1991 supplement to "Roads in Wales".

  Chester-Bangor Expressway
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the Chester-Bangor expressway to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  £ million

  Rate rebates1

  Gross rate income

  Domestic rate relief grant

  Housing and disabled

  Enterprise zones

  Net rate income

  Net domestic rate income

  Net non-domestic rate income

  column 1

  column 2

  column 3

  column 4

  column 52

  column 6

  column 7

  1975–76

  195

  41

  3

  —

  151

  47

  104

  1976–77

  220

  43

  4

  —

  173

  58

  115

  1977–78

  236

  44

  5

  —

  187

  63

  124

  1978–79

  276

  45

  6

  —

  225

  80

  145

  1979–80

  308

  46

  8

  —

  254

  92

  162

  1980–81

  388

  47

  12

  —

  329

  125

  204

  1981–82

  441

  48

  13

  —

  380

  148

  232

  1982–83

  457

  25

  18

  —

  414

  174

  240

  1983–843

  461

  25

  44

  —

  392

  149

  243

  1984–854

  501

  25

  53

  2

  421

  166

  255

  1985–86

  545

  25

  56

  2

  462

  185

  276

  1986–87

  614

  26

  63

  3

  522

  214

  308

  1987–88

  673

  26

  68

  3

  576

  237

  338

  1988–89

  737

  27

  56

  4

  650

  281

  369

  1989–905

  826

  27

  65

  4

  730

  316

  414

  1 Expenditure by local authorities on rate rebates.

  2 Column 5 = column (1–2–3–4) = column (6+7).

  3 In 1983–84 there was a change in Housing Benefit payments, some payments previously paid by DHSS to recipients of supplementary benefits and classed as "Rates" were from 1983–84 paid by the local authorities and classed as "Rate Rebates". Thus figures from 1983–84 are not strictly comparable with those for previous years.

  410
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Fifty-one of the 60 miles of the A55 between Chester and Bangor are already dualled and open to traffic; eight miles are under construction. Work on the final section, the Aber improvement scheme, is planned to start before April 1994 and to take about 18 months.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many cattle in Wales were confirmed to have had BSE last year(a) under the age of five years and (b) over the age of five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The number of cattle in Wales confirmed in 1990 to have had BSE is as folows:

  Number

  (a) Cattle with an age at onset of up to and including five years

  574

  (b) Cattle with an age at onset of greater than five years

  433

  (c) Cattle for whom the age at onset is unknown

  37

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis for the years 1966–67 to 1990–91, otherwise identical in format to table 1.1 of "Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics No. 14", 1990, of rate fund services revenue account but which also distinguishes (a) non-domestic rate revenue from domestic rate revenue and (b) gross rates, net rates and rate rebate grant.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 28 March 1991]: The historical tables referred to are available in Welsh Local Government Financial Statistics (in table 1) for each year since 1975–76. The additional information requested, where available, is shown in the following table.
  411
  4 Figures shown for Rate Income in the L.G.F.S. publications prior to 1984–85 are net of rate rebates and domestic rate relief. From 1984–85 onwards, figures are gross of rate rebates and net of domestic rate relief.

  5 Provisional.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many grade 2 listed buildings have been demolished in Gwent and the Glamorgan counties in the last three years; and what information is held on the circumstances of such demolitions.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: Before a listed building can be lawfully demolished listed building consent must be obtained. Local planning authorities consider such applications against the detailed guidance issued by my Department. This is contained in Welsh Office circular 61/81, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House. Where a local authority is minded to grant consent for demolition the papers must be referred to my Department for the case to be examined. In the past three years, in line with this process, two grade II listed buildings have been demolished in Gwent and the three Glamorgan counties with the benefit of listed building consent. In addition, my Department is aware of the demolition of a further grade II structure. An application for retrospective consent for this case is being considered.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Antarctica
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the progress of international negotiations towards achieving a consensus on the regulation of Antarctic mineral resource activities.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The second session of the XIth special consultative meeting of Antarctic treaty parties began in Madrid on 22 April.

  Discussion on mineral activities and environmental protection in Antarctica will be taken forward at this meeting and we hope a consensus can be reached.

  St. John Ambulance Brigade
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what facilities he is making available to staff in his Department to contribute to the appeal that has been launched for people with the name of John to help raise £5 million for the St. John Ambulance Brigade.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  This Department has received no official approach about this appeal. No special facilities have therefore been offered, but there would be no objection to officers making collections on their own initiative.

  Cyprus
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the number of non-Cypriots now living in(a) northern Turkish Cyprus and (b) southern Greek Cyprus.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We do not have reliable information on the number of non-Cypriots in Cyprus.

  China
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has made any representations to the Chinese Government about the denial to local people of the right to attend masses said by foreign priests at the chapel and tomb of St. Francis Xavier on Sancian island; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  No.

  Thailand
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to make United Kingdom attendance at the World bank annual meeting in Bangkok, later in the current year, conditional on the setting of a timetable for elections and a return to democracy in Thailand.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The site of the World bank's annual meeting is chosen by the membership as a whole some years in advance. We have expressed our regret at the overthrow of the democratically elected government in Thailand and our hope for the speedy restoration of democracy. However, the provisional constitution announced on 1 March has set a timetable for elections and a return to democracy.

  Kurds and Shias
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, in his efforts to provide the Kurds and Shias in Iraq with safe havens, he will approach the International Committee of the Red Cross and other signatories of the four international conventions of 1949, to which Iraq is a signatory, to bring these conventions, including the creation of protected neutral and safety zones as set out in the Red Cross conventions, Draper 1958, into operation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The provisions of the fourth Geneva convention, such as article 15 which provides for the setting up of neutralised zones in regions where fighting is taking place, are applicable only to international conflicts. During non-international armed conflict, article 3 of the fourth Geneva convention sets out the minimum humanitarian standards which are to be applied.

  The ICRC is, of course, providing humanitarian assistance to those in need in Iraq. We fully support its efforts in this respect.

  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intends to take any initiative in association with the International Committee of the Red Cross and other signatories of the four international conventions of 1949 in respect of grave breaches, referred to in section 1 of the Geneva Conventions Act 1957, such as those against Kurds and Shias, including the convention relating to civilians in Iraq.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Individual Iraqis bear personal responsibility under international law for any grave breaches of the Geneva conventions they order or commit. This principle is reiterated in United Nations Security Council resolution 674.
  413
  We are already in regular contact with coalition allies in connection with the collation of evidence which might support criminal charges against Iraqis or others who are in their custody as a result of the conflict. We understand that the Kuwaiti authorities intend to start such trials in the near future.

  Sudan
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there are any proposals to create a safe haven for the Christian peoples of south Sudan.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have no such plans. Our efforts are directed instead towards averting the impending famine in Sudan through the despatch of substantial amounts of humanitarian aid and to urging on both sides in the long-running civil war the need to settle their differences. We wish to see all religious communities in Sudan play a full part in the country's affairs. This would involve the Government of Sudan providing adequate safeguards for Christians living in the south of the country.

  Iraq
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment was made of the effect of calls for insurrection by radio stations on(a) the Kurds and (b) the Shias during February and March.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Following the end of the Gulf conflict those oppressed by Saddam Hussein in the Kurdish north and the Shia south of Iraq decided to rise up against the Iraqi regime. Those concerned took this decision for themselves.

  Border Controls
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place in the Library an English language translation of the Schengen agreement.

  Mr. Garel Jones
  The United Kingdom is not a party to the Schengen agreement, but we have asked the Schengen secretariat whether copies may be transmitted to the parliaments of non-signatories.

  Bahurutshi Tribespeople
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the President of South Africa as a matter of urgency to aid the Bahurutshi tribespeople who were displaced from their homes in Braklaagte on 8 January.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have raised the problems facing dispossessed communities with the South African authorities on a number of occasions. Staff from our embassy have visited the Braklaagte area to see the situation for themselves.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Iraq
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when and how he was consulted by the US office of foreign assets control before it issued its list of specially designated nationals of Iraq on 1 April.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I refer to the answer my right hon. Friend gave to the hon. Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field) on 15 April 1991,Official Report, columns 30–31.

  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what recent inquiries he has undertaken to enable him to decide whether the claim made on 1 April by the United States Government that Sollatek UK Ltd. is acting or purporting to act directly or indirectly on behalf of the Government of Iraq is correct; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what information he supplied to the US office of foreign assets control about Sollatek UK Ltd. following the meeting between his officials and that company on 9 April;

  (3) what recent inquiries he has undertaken to enable him to decide whether the claim made on 1 April by the United States Government that Sollatek UK Ltd. is owned or controlled by Iraqis is correct; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what information he supplied to the US office of foreign assets control about Sollatek UK Ltd. prior to I April;

  (5) what evidence he was supplied with by the US office of foreign assets control when it consulted him about its plans to include Sollatek UK Ltd. in its list of specially designated nationals of Iraq.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  DTI officials met representatives of Sollatek on 9 April. The company provided my officials with commercially confidential information which, with Sollatek's permission has been passed to our embassy in Washington to use when making representations to the US Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control, DTOFA. No other information has been supplied to the US DTOFA prior to this.

  Kuwait Oil Field Fires
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if British equipment and personnel are available to assist the extinguishing of oil field fires in Kuwait; how much has been accepted by the Kuwait Government; and what action he is taking to encourage British firms to offer such assistance of Kuwait.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 18 April 1991]: A number of British companies has put forward proposals to the Kuwait Oil Company for assistance in extinguishing oil field fires. The Prime Minister wrote to the Crown Prince on 27 March offering the services of a consortium of British companies and the fire services, and I was able to discuss these proposals with the Crown Prince, the Minister for Oil and the chairman of the Kuwait Oil Company during my visit to Kuwait on 9–10 April. I hope the Kuwaitis will soon be in a position to respond positively.

  Tourism
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what level of support he has given to the tourist industry for the Northumbrian region in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have been asked to reply.

  The English tourist board, which is grant-aided by my Department, has made the following subventions to the Northumbria tourist board in the past five financial years:

  £

  1986–87

  206,000

  1987–88

  204,000

  1988–89

  212,000

  1989–90

  235,000

  1990–91

  385,000

TRANSPORT

  MV Pescado
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the circumstances in which the Pescado, whose wreckage was found on 8 March was lost; whether that vessel was previously involved in any incident since 1980; and if he will set up a public inquiry into the incident.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The loss of MV Pescado is the subject of a full inspectors' inquiry, which is at present in progress. The circumstances of the loss are, at the moment, still unclear. To the inspectors' knowledge, the only previous incidents concerning this vessel were two injuries sustained by crew members while fishing. With the inquiry in hand it would be wrong for me to make any further statement at this stage.

  When the inquiry is complete, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State will consider, in the light of its conclusions, whether a public inquiry should be ordered. If he decides against this, the report of the chief inspector of marine accidents will be published. This will be based on that of the inspectors' inquiry and will include the inspectors' findings in full.

  Marine Accident Investigation Unit
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were the staffing levels in the marine accident investigation unit for each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The hon. Lady will, of course, be aware that the marine accident investigation branch was set up by Parliament two years ago. Therefore. I am unable to answer the question as submitted.

  When the marine accident investigation branch was set up, the initial staff level was set at 15, and this was achieved by February 1990. The present level has increased to 21.

  Unadopted Roads
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reform the legislation on unadopted roads.

  Mr. Chope
  None, at present.
  416
  Following a review in 1983, it was decided that the basic principles of private street works law should remain unchanged.

  M11
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all those who made representations to him and his Department in relation to Mallards Plot 815 along the route of the M11 link road.

  Mr. Chope
  Forest housing association made representations prior to the 1989–90 public inquiry; the Bushberry road and Benn street residents association has raised the matter following the decision of 26 March.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has assessed whether the common land at Quartermile lane, next to Hackney marshes, which it proposes to take for the M11 link road, is capable of use for sporting and recreational purposes; whether the proposed exchange strip of land in front of the new Spitalfields development is capable; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Land in front of the new Spitalfields site is being offered in exchange for a length of roadside verge on Quartermile lane; plot 15 in the draft compulsory purchase Order. The exchange land and plot 15 could accommodate comparable recreational activities. The majority of the existing common land at Quartermile lane will not be required by the scheme proposals, but for those other areas which are to be taken, exchange land will be given elsewhere.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make available to the hon. Member for Leyton his Department's M 11 link road construction drawings of the Lea bridge interchange, giving an indication of where they differ from the plans his Department placed before the recent public inquiry.

  Mr. Chope
  The construction drawings are not yet available. They will be drawn at a larger scale than the order plans and with appropriate detail.

  Road Building
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment is made by his Department of the quality of land, to replace other land required for road building, for its environmental benefit to the local community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Land is required to be given in exchange only for open space, common or allotment land. My Department assesses potential exchange land against the statutory criteria. The land must be not less in area and equally advantageous. Area, condition, location and use are taken into account. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment decides whether the land is suitable only after consideration of any representations and objections in response to his advertisement of the proposal.

  Road Casualties
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how and when he expects to respond to, or comment on, the European Commission report by experts on the ways to reduce road casualties.
  417
  Mr. Chope
  The report to the European Commission by the Committee chaired by Monsieur Gerondeau was published by the Commission on 19 February. I welcome the report as providing the basis for the development of a Community strategy for road safety from which to identify priorities for Community action to reduce casualties. Following our representations, the report is to be considered at the June Transport Council.

  Exxon Valdez
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration has been given to the reports and recommendations of the several inquiries into the Exxon Valdez disaster in Alaska on 24 March 1989 with a view to ascertaining any lessons relevant to the protection of the marine and coastal environment around British waters; and whether Her Majesty's Government propose any practical measures or improvements to environmental control procedures in the light of such reports and recommendations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The US national transportation safety board marine accident report on the Exxon Valdez oil pollution disaster has made a number of recommendations. Many deal with local conditions and operations, but others, in particular those covering double bottoms and oil spill response, are actively being considered by the International Maritime Organisation: fatigue, manning, drug and alcohol abuse were issues already under consideration at IMO. The Department is participating and contributing to these international activities and will support such measures and improvements to international regulations which are seen to be beneficial and practicable.

  On the domestic front, contingency arrangements to deal with pollution at sea in United Kingdom waters are kept under constant review by the Department's marine pollution control unit.

  A thorough examination covering United Kingdom counter pollution responsibilities, communications and resources was carried out following the Exxon Valdez incident. The result, as I announced in the House on 6 March last year, is that the capability of the MPCU to deal with major oil spills has been increased by doubling its contracted dispersant spraying capacity by the use of larger aircraft. The MPCU's ability to detect oil slicks at sea has also been doubled by increasing to two its complement of remote sensing aircraft, which are used to control and direct counter pollution operations. Additionally, this enhanced remote sensing capability has

  £'000

  Actual cash costs

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Total Her Majesty's Coastguard costs

  21,762

  23,990

  25,853

  28,584

  29,630

  Auxiliary Coastguard pay, allowances and equipment

  1,956

  2,069

  12,732

  2,078

  2,007

  Auxiliary accommodation costs

  2—

  2—

  2—

  407

  388

  Assuming constant 1986–87 prices

  Inflation factor (per cent.)

  100

  105·45

  113·14

  120·36

  129·98

  Equivalent total Her Majesty's Coastguard costs

  21,762

  22,750

  22,850

  23,748

  22,795

  1 Costs include two years spend on vehicles and boats.

  2 Not available.

  418
  been used to increase by 60 per cent. regular aerial surveillance patrols of United Kingdom waters to deter and detect ships making illegal operational discharges of oil.

  Emergency Services
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what rescue equipment, communications equipment and vehicles he plans to make standard issue for the new limited response teams; and what steps he will take to encourage greater use of private vehicles on coastguard duties.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: The concept of initial response teams along with their number, location, and equipment requirements necessary to meet the recommendations of the review is still being discussed and assessed. As far as the vehicular requirements of individual teams are concerned the use of private vehicles will be considered where this would provide the most suitable and cost-effective method of meeting the response criteria recommended in the review.

  Coastguard Review (Humber)
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have been held between senior management and local interests in the Humber district of the coastguard review.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: Following my announcement of the coastguard review, the district controller at Humber maritime rescue sub centre made a direct approach to all interested local authorities in his district advising them of the review and inviting written comments. Subsequently, most of these bodies replied. I am satisfied that all local interests have had the opportunity to comment and their views are being taken into account in the draft proposals to implement the recommendations of the review.

  Coastguard Service (Annual Budgets)
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the annual budget for the coastguard service for each of the past five years in cash and real terms; and what proportion of that budget is spent on the auxiliary service.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: The figures requested are as follows:

  Vehicle Emissions
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions he has given to his regional traffic area offices with regard to complaints from the public about smoky vehicles; how many such complaints have been received since the publication of the leaflet "Wake up to what you can do for the Environment"; and what action has been taken, or is planned, in respect of such complaints.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 19 April 1991]: If a complaint is about a smoky vehicle subject to operator licensing, which means most buses and lorries and sufficient details of the vehicle and the incident are provided, the Department will write to the operator. The letter will ask him to have the vehicle checked and to report to the Department, within 10 days of the date of the letter, on the action taken. The letter will also warn that excessive smoke emission is an offence under regulation 61 of the Construction and Use Regulations. As these arrangements have only recently come into force, it is too soon to estimate their impact on numbers of complaints.

  Goole Railway Bridge
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the names of pilotage companies which, over the last 10 years, or the nearest practicable equivalent time span, have been licensed, or otherwise authorised or entitled, to pilot river craft on the Rivers Humber and Ouse up to the point near Goole railway bridge where pilotage ceases to be compulsory.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: Associated British Ports has been responsible for pilotage services in this area both as competent harbour authority since 1 October 1988 under the Pilotage Act 1987 and prior to that as pilotage authority for the district under previous pilotage legislation. Only those pilots authorised by Associated British Ports may act as authorised pilots in this area.

  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the occasions over the last 10 years, or the nearest practicable equivalent time span, on which Goole railway bridge over the River Ouse has been struck in collision by river craft to the extent of causing appreciable bridge damage; and on how many such occasions the bridge has had to be closed to rail traffic.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: Since 1981, collisions causing appreciable damage to the bridge structure or its protective fenders and piles have occurred on the following dates:

  Year

  1981

  24 February

  1984

  26 August

  1985

  20 January

  29 November

  1986

  30 May

  13 June

  1987

  27 April

  23 October

  1988

  12 September

  6 November

  21 November

  23 November

  5 December

  420

  Year

  1989

  28 April

  16 October

  1990

  29 January

  20 April

  22 August

  30 August

  12 September

  3 October

  5 October

  After any collision involving the main bridge structure, rail traffic is stopped until an examination is completed by BR's area engineer. The incident on 23 November 1988 was the only one to cause an extended closure of the line.

  Public Transport (Environmental Impact)
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what weight is given in cost-benefit analyses to environmental criteria in assessing road and rail schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 15 April 1991]: In reaching a decision on a particular transport infrastructure scheme, we take great care to ensure that full weight is given to the environmental as well as the economic consequences. Where a scheme may give rise to significant environmental effects, an environmental assessment is prepared and the impacts quantified, where practical. The full range of evidence on economic, environmental and other effects is gathered to inform decision making, whether or not it can be quantified or expressed in monetary values.

EMPLOYMENT

  Social Affairs Council
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which other European community countries supported the United Kingdom's position on Commission proposals at the Social Affairs Council meeting on 26 November 1990.

  Mr. Howard
  At the Social Affairs Council on 26 November, the Council unanimously adopted the health and safety directive on biological agents and similarly agreed a common position on a directive to control the use of asbestos in the work place. There was also unanimous agreement on an action programme in favour of the elderly and on a resolution on the comparability of vocational training qualifications.

  A large majority of delegations agreed with the United Kingdom that rapid progress could be made towards agreeing the proposed directive on the health and safety of temporary workers. A majority of member states including the United Kingdom had significant difficulties with the substance and proposed treaty base of the Commission's proposals for directives concerning the employment of part-time and temporary workers. A minority of other member states also had difficulties with proposals to amend the regulations concerning free movement of labour and social security entitlements for migrant workers; and it was agreed that the proposals should he remitted for further consideration by officials.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people there are outside the guarantee and aim groups on employment training.

  Mr. Jackson
  A total of 62 per cent. of people on employment training were outside the aim and guarantee groups, as at October 1990, the latest date for which information is available.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of employment training schemes that will be required to close as a result of cuts in the training budgets for training and enterprise councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The awarding of contracts for the provision of employment training is now the responsibility of training and enterprise councils in England and Wales, and local enterprise companies in Scotland. The Employment Department does not keep figures on the withdrawal or participation of training providers in employment training.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he is proposing any new initiative for training provision for special needs groups; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Local enterprise companies in Scotland and training and enterprise councils in England and Wales have been given the responsibility and flexibility to innovate and arrange the delivery of training to meet the varying needs of unemployed people in their area. I have no plans to set up any new initiatives for training provision for special needs groups.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what current steps he is taking to pursue the objective set out in "Training and Employment" of attracting returners to the labour market.

  Mr. Jackson
  Local enterprise companies in Scotland and training and enterprise councils in England and Wales have a contractual requirement to ensure equality of opportunity in all their activities. Returners to the labour market may enter employment training without being registered as unemployed, providing they have been out of employment for at least two years for domestic reasons. The framework within which local enterprise companies and training and enterprise councils operate gives them the flexibility to tailor their training with their domestic commitments—for example, with part-time participation—the use of distance learning material and support with childcare costs.

  Periods of Unemployment
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the average lengths of time that individuals are unemployed; and whether this varies as between different levels of income before and after the period of unemployment.

  Mr. Jackson
  In January 1991, the latest date for which information is available, the median duration of unemployment in the United Kingdom was 21·7 weeks. Information relating to income is not available.

  Training Schemes
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what recent changes and reforms he has made in respect of Government training schemes; what is the financial impact of the changes; and what is the basic purpose of these changes.

  Mr. Jackson
  The most important recent change is that responsibility for planning and delivering training programmes at a local level has been given to the new employer-led training and enterprise councils. TECs have considerable flexibility, within a national framework set by Government, to tailor their training to meet local needs, and to evolve innovative approaches to developing skills and supporting business growth. Other significant changes include:Training credits, which are being piloting by 10 TECs, and one local enterprise company in Scotland. This initiative will expand and improve training for young people by giving them the power to choose and buy training to approved standards:
  the development of youth training, which assists young people to achieve nationally recognised vocational qualifications;
  the investors in people initiative, designed to encourage employers to improve performance through effective development to their people;
  education business partnerships, which are joint ventures between TECS and local education authorities involving employers, educationalists and others in the local community.

  The creation of TECs and the flexibilities they have will ensure that programmes are more effective and responsive to both business and individuals. This will in turn lead to improved value for money. The purpose of these changes is to help ensure that our economy has the skills it needs.

  Kilbarchan Quarry
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many times in the past 12 months the quarry in Kilbarchan, Renfrewshire, has been examined by health and safety inspectors.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Health and Safety Executive's quarries inspectorate has carried out two inspections at Kilbarchan quarry, Renfrewshire, during the past 12 months.

  Employment Office Closures
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidelines he has issued to the Employment Service Executive Agency in connection with the closure of employment offices in the Yorkshire and Humberside region.

  Mr. Jackson
  The employment service's roles and responsibilities for the management of its estate are outlined in section 6 of the agency framework document, a copy of which is held in the House of Commons Library. When considering the closure of an office, account will be taken of the comprehensiveness of the service available in the office concerned, business volumes, accessibility to other offices and whether resources are being best used.

  Strikes, Yorkshire
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many days were lost through strikes in Yorkshire in each of the past 12 years.
  423
  Jackson
  Industrial disputes data are only available by standard region. The data for Yorkshire and Humberside are given below:

  Year

  Working days lost

  (thousands)

  19901

  89

  1989

  325

  1988

  244

  1987

  339

  1986

  250

  1985

  2,076

  1984

  9,354

  1983

  415

  1982

  575

  1981

  449

  1980

  2,832

  1979

  3,115

  1 1990 data are provisional.

SCOTLAND

  Enterprise Initiative
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what evaluation he has undertaken of the enterprise initiative in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The enterprise initiative is a national initiative. Consequently, all evaluations of it have been undertaken by the Department of Trade and Industry on a United Kingdom basis, taking account of, but not evaluating separately, Scottish participation.

  January

  February

  March

  April (1 to 15)

  Ullapool

  47

  100

  19

  —

  Peterhead

  —

  —

  190

  69

  No calls were made to Scrabster, Stornoway, Aberdeen or Shetland as these were not designated offices during the period specified.

  Child Care
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children have been taken into care in each Scottish local authority to protect them from abuse within their family, in each year since 1979.

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Community placement1

  Residential placement2

  Community placement1

  Residential placement2

  Community placement1

  Residential placement2

  Borders

  8

  0

  4

  2

  4

  0

  Central

  18

  6

  27

  0

  21

  3

  Dumfries/Galloway

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Fife

  24

  5

  31

  6

  19

  3

  Grampian

  29

  5

  32

  0

  48

  6

  Highland

  11

  0

  8

  2

  27

  2

  Lothian

  0

  0

  1

  0

  16

  3

  Strathclyde3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  260

  81

  Tayside

  4

  9

  25

  6

  29

  6

  Orkney

  0

  0

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Shetland

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Western Isles

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  SCOTLAND

  94

  25

  129

  16

  424

  105

  1 Include at home, with relatives or friends, and foster parents.

  2 Include children's homes or hostels, residential schools, and assessment centres.

  3 Breakdown by individual grounds not available for Strathclyde in 1987 and 1988.

  424
  The following evaluations have been published and copies are available in the Libraries of the House:

  Evaluation of the Consultancy Initiatives

  Segal Quince Wickstead

  HMSO ISBN 0 11 514677 6;

  Evaluation of the Consultancy Initiatives—Second Stage

  Segal Quince Wickstead

  HMSO ISBN 0 11 515269 5;

  Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grants

  Leslie Hays Consultants Ltd.

  HMSO ISBN 0 11 515236 9;

  Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grants

  Segal Quince Wickstead

  HMSO ISBN 0 11 515273 3.

  Fishing Vessels (Callings)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the number of reported callings by fishing vessels for each month from, and including, January into the ports of Scrabster, Stornoway, Ullapool, Aberdeen and Shetland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  United Kingdom fishing vessels intending to cross the 4° west line of longitude to the north of the Scottish mainland are required to contact a designated office of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department. The designated offices were Ullapool, 1 January to 4 March 1991, and Peterhead, 5 March to date. The number of calls received at these offices were as follows:

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The available information relates to 1987, 1988 and 1989.

  The following figures show the number of children who have received compulsory measures of care in relation to grounds (d), (dd) and (e) of section 32(2) of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968, that is, as victims of offence, in the same households as schedule 1 offenders, and in the same households as incest victims.
  425
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the expenditure figures for each local authority area in social work each year since 1979 and the percentage of such expenditure on child care.

  Gross expenditure of social work (£000s), 1978–79 to 1988–89.

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Borders

  2,732

  3,406

  4,099

  4,698

  5,137

  5,418

  5,881

  6,284

  6,744

  7,563

  8,440

  Central

  6,300

  7,938

  9,992

  11,594

  12,584

  13,939

  15,346

  16,727

  18,012

  19,984

  22,632

  Dumfries/ Galloway

  3,102

  3,812

  4,725

  5,318

  5,642

  6,297

  6,876

  7,566

  8,415

  9,263

  10,680

  Fife

  7,963

  10,451

  13,182

  15,411

  17,140

  18,497

  22,114

  23,433

  25,193

  28,681

  32,255

  Grampian

  11,528

  13,969

  17,706

  19,883

  22,014

  23,838

  25,859

  28,329

  30,388

  35,281

  39,505

  Highland

  4,398

  5,461

  6,942

  8,202

  9,063

  10,233

  11,210

  12,191

  12,458

  13,888

  15,313

  Lothian

  27,688

  36,451

  48,669

  53,111

  54,391

  55,770

  55,531

  59,676

  64,828

  71,844

  77,364

  Strathclyde

  78,713

  97,613

  121,651

  133,324

  144,962

  153,966

  163,267

  178,206

  180,271

  205,669

  230,846

  Tayside

  12,476

  15,764

  19,443

  21,914

  23,634

  25,129

  26,932

  29,553

  30,923

  34,264

  38,318

  Orkney

  723

  902

  1,624

  1,137

  1,221

  1,304

  1,459

  1,675

  1,745

  1,851

  2,172

  Shetland

  755

  958

  1,446

  1,852

  2,075

  2,284

  2,464

  2,691

  2,771

  3,029

  3,245

  Western Isles

  1,284

  1,771

  2,262

  2,686

  3,034

  3,370

  3,295

  3,578

  3,806

  3,875

  4,408

  SCOTLAND

  157,662

  198,496

  251,741

  279,130

  300,897

  320,045

  340,234

  369,909

  385,554

  435,192

  485,178

  Percentage of gross social work expenditure on child care, 1978–79—1988–89

  Percentages

  1978–79

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  Borders

  11·8

  13·7

  11·9

  11·8

  11·9

  12·3

  11·3

  10·6

  11·9

  10·5

  9·7

  Central

  22·9

  22·3

  21·8

  21·2

  21·1

  21·1

  20·1

  19·6

  20·1

  17·8

  16·7

  Dumfries/Galloway

  14·5

  14·8

  12·3

  13·7

  14·1

  16·3

  14·0

  13·2

  12·3

  12·6

  14·3

  Fife

  19·8

  20·5

  20·1

  18·2

  18·8

  19·6

  16·1

  15·8

  12·2

  11·1

  9·5

  Grampian

  18·1

  17·3

  17·0

  16·1

  13·4

  15·4

  14·5

  14·5

  16·1

  15·0

  14·7

  Highland

  15·3

  15·1

  14·1

  15·4

  14·2

  13·7

  14·4

  14·4

  14·9

  12·4

  11·5

  Lothian

  22·3

  22·1

  22·0

  22·5

  21·6

  22·4

  19·9

  18·3

  19·9

  19·8

  20·1

  Strathclyde

  23·6

  23·6

  23·2

  23·0

  22·2

  22·5

  21·3

  20·1

  18·3

  19·9

  19·6

  Tayside

  21·6

  22·1

  12·5

  21·8

  21·4

  21·6

  18·7

  18·5

  19·2

  18·5

  16·2

  Orkney

  3·5

  2·9

  2·3

  3·2

  3·4

  3·9

  4·2

  3·6

  3·9

  3·3

  3·9

  Shetland

  6·1

  4·2

  3·5

  4·2

  4·7

  7·0

  7·3

  7·4

  8·1

  6·7

  6·9

  Western Isles

  3·8

  4·2

  3·5

  3·2

  3·3

  3·4

  2·7

  3·3

  3·3

  3·1

  3·3

  SCOTLAND

  21·6

  21·6

  20·4

  21·0

  20·2

  20·7

  19·1

  18·1

  17·5

  17·8

  17·4

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement of Government policy towards provision for the profoundly mentally handicapped.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's policy on care for all people with mental handicaps is that where possible they should be enabled to live in the community with appropriate support.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the statutory obligations of central and local government towards the provision of care for the profoundly mentally handicapped.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:
  426
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The social work gross expenditure figures for the years 1978–79 to 1988–89 and the percentage of expenditure attributed to child care are set out in the tables below.

  Chronically Sick and Disabled Persons Act 1970

  Section (2)1

  Duty to provide, where need is established material assistance

  Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984

  Section 8

  Duty to provide after-care

  Section 9

  Duty to appoint mental health officers

  Section 11

  Duty to secure training and occupation for persons suffering from mental handicap

  Section 39(3)

  Duty to consider taking people into guardianship

  Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986

  Section 8

  Duty to consider carer's needs

  Section 13

  Duty to assess needs of young people leaving special care, for social work services

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is his estimate of the numbers of profoundly mentally handicapped persons in each region outwith Strathclyde and within each district council area within Strathclyde;

  (2) what is his estimate of the numbers of profoundly mentally handicapped aged 16 years and over.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Mentally Handicapped People

    SECRETARY OF STATE'S DUTIES DISCHARGED THROUGH HEALTH BOARDS
    National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978

    Section 1(1)

    Duty to promote in Scotland a comprehensive and integrated health service

    DUTIES OF LOCAL AUTHORITIES
    Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968

    Section 5A

    Duty to prepare and publish community care plans

    Section 12

    Duty to promote social welfare

    Section 14

    Duty to provide or arrange home help services

    Section 61

    Duty to register establishments providing social care

    Section 68

    Duty to visit people in social care establishments

  Arson
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many arson attacks there were on Scottish schools in 1990; how many prosecutions resulted from such attacks; and what was the total cost to each Scottish education authority from arson.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In 1989, the latest year for which figures are available, fire brigades attended 322 fires in educational establishments in Scotland, of which 176 were recorded as deliberate or possibly deliberate. Separate figures are not available for the numbers of such fires in schools. Information on prosecutions resulting from wilful fire-raising does not identify the type of property involved. Information on the cost to education authorities from such attacks is not collected centrally.

  Scottish Council on Alcohol

  Albyn House Aberdeen

  Sunnybrae Christian Centre

  Glasgow Council on Alcohol

  Drinkwise Orkney

  Inverness, Designated Place

  Renfrew Council on Alcohol

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1979–80

  50,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1980–81

  50,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1981–82

  57,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1982–83

  64,000

  150,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1983–84

  68,325

  119,000

  5,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1984–85

  70,100

  109,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1985–86

  94,658

  109,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986–87

  117,045

  70,000

  2,155

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1987–88

  124,500

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1988–89

  143,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1989–90

  142,190

  —

  —

  39,646

  13,363

  6,750

  —

  1990–91

  128,875

  —

  —

  —

  3,350

  153,350

  25,000

  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children have been reported to children's panels for alcohol-related offences each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on referrals to reporters to children's panels for alcohol-related offences is available for only three regions and for the years 1987, 1988 and 1989. The figures are as follows:

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Central

  9

  17

  16

  Grampian

  6

  9

  7

  Strathclyde

  134

  139

  91

  Non-court proceedings

  Reports received

  No proceedings

  No further proceedings1

  Warning letters

  Conditional offers

  Fiscal fines

  Diversions

  Balance resulting in court proceedings

  Court proceedings as percentage of total

  1980

  301,030

  36,324

  n/a2

  2,526

  n/a3

  n/a4

  n/a5

  262,180

  87·09

  1985

  339,317

  65,580

  n/a2

  20,123

  42,269

  n/a4

  n/a5

  211,345

  62·29

  1990

  366,472

  40,813

  12,303

  13,645

  99,791

  16,985

  1,403

  181,532

  49·54

  1 Proceedings discontinued.

  2 Not separately recorded.

  3 Conditional offers were introduced in 1984.

  4 Fiscal fines were introduced in 1988.

  5 No figures are available for the numbers of diversions in 1980 and 1985. Such disposals would have been recorded as "no proceedings".

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total Scottish local authority(a) current expenditure and (b) capital expenditure as a percentage of Scottish gross domestic product in real terms in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply of 16 April to a similar question.

  Alcohol-related Crime
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funding is provided by his Department to charities relating to alcohol abuse and related problems; and if he will specify(a) the charity and (b) the amounts given each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Financial assistance under section 16B of the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and section 10 of the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 has been provided in the period concerned to the charitable bodies set out in the table.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of crime reports submitted to the procurators fiscal by the police resulted in court proceedings in 1980, 1985 and 1990.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information which is set out in the table below refers to court proceedings as a percentage of all reports submitted to procurators fiscal, whether by the police or other reporting agency. The first column details the number of reports received in each of 1980, 1985 and 1990. The subsequent columns detail the disposals for each of those years, although some of the disposals may relate to reports received in the preceding year.

  Health Service
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many national health service hospital beds were available and how many patients received hospital treatment in East Lothian in the first three months of 1981 and 1991, respectively.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The figures for the first quarter of 1981 are not available. At that date statistics relating to bed numbers and hospital treatment were recorded on an annual basis only. While statistics are now kept on a monthly basis, the figures for 1991 are not yet available.

  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent contact he has had with Arthritis Care; what issues were dealt with; and if he will make a statement about the development of rheumatology services.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There has been no recent contact with Arthritis Care. The development of rheumatology services is a matter for health boards to determine.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the remuneration given to each health board chairman and members.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Friday 6 July 1990 to my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker),Official Report, Vol. 175, column 733.

  Fife Social Work Department
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish his report by Sheriff Kearney into Fife social work department; and if he will give details of the total costs of the inquiry.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The chairman of the inquiry into child care policies in Fife has finished hearing evidence from the parties concerned. My right hon. Friend is in correspondence with Sheriff Kearney about the likely date for submission of his report. I hope that we shall have his report by early summer. Pending completion of the inquiry, it is not possible to estimate its final costs.

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what arrangements he is making to publish the management statement for Highlands and Islands Enterprise.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The Highlands and Islands Enterprise management statement sets out the financial, managerial and operational framework within which Highlands and Islands Enterprise will operate.

  I am arranging for copies to be laid in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament.

  Language Disorders
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the specialist schools for children with speech and language disorders in England at which pupils from Scotland are being educated with support from Scottish public funds.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: The information requested is not held centrally.

  Play Areas (Accidents)
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children have been reported hurt in serious accidents in local authorities' play areas in each district in Scotland during the past 12 months.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 22 April 1991]: This information is not held centrally.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what plans the Government have to put forward proposals calling for a higher status to be given to animal welfare in the treaty of Rome in the context of the inter-governmental conference;

  (2) whether he intends to support the proposal which would give a higher status to animal welfare in the treaty of Rome, tabled by the German Government in the context of the inter-governmental conference.

  Mr. Maclean
  The treaty already provides power for action to be taken on animal welfare in areas which the Government consider appropriate for Community action, notably the protection of farm animals. We will participate constructively in any discussions on proposals to give a stronger emphasis to animal welfare.

  Growth Promoters
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the prevalence of the use of hormones and other illegal growth promoters in other countries of the European Community.

  Mr. Maclean
  Under the Residues Directive 86/469, EC member states are required to carry out a programme of surveillance for residues of veterinary drugs, including hormones and other illegal growth promoters. Details of results are required to be sent annually to the EC Commission, which has responsibility for making an assessment of the position. Results for 1990 are still being submitted to the Commission.

  Private Water Supplies
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment his Department has made of the cost to farmers of the plans to charge for the monitoring of private water supplies.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government's consultation paper on private water supplies was circulated to interested parties earlier this year. Comments received including those covering farmers' interests are currently the subject of inter-departmental consideration.

  Irrigation, East Anglia
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received from the horticultural industry in East Anglia about National Rivers Authority restrictions on the extraction of irrigation water from bore holes.
  431
  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry has received a number of letters and telephone calls from, and held meetings with, farmers and growers and their representatives in East Anglia. Their main concern is the possible restriction by the authority of abstraction for irrigation to the hours beween 6 am and noon.

  Whaling
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his current policy concerning whaling for scientific and research purposes.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government oppose any whaling for scientific and research purposes unless the International Whaling Commission is satisfied that it would not endanger the whale stocks in question and would provide valuable information that could not be obtained through non-lethal methods. The United Kingdom has taken the lead in sponsoring or co-sponsoring IWC resolutions calling upon the Governments of Japan, Norway, Iceland and Korea to reconsider their research programmes which did not fully meet these criteria. Iceland and Korea are not now carrying on scientific research, and programmes by Japan and Norway involve much lower numbers than was originally planned. We shall continue our firm policy against unjustified scientific whaling.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to meet his(a) Japanese, (b) Norwegian and (c) Icelandic counterpart to discuss the moratorium on commercial whaling.

  Mr. Curry
  The Governments of Japan, Norway and Iceland are kept well aware of our views on the moratorium on commercial whaling. I have also raised it in my recent meeting in Norway with the Norwegian Fisheries Minister. The moratorium will be discussed again at the forthcoming meeting of the International Whaling Commission in Reykjavik at the end of May.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will continue to support a moratorium on commercial whaling; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Yes: the conditions for lifting the moratorium are not met.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has sought any scientific advice on new whaling techniques.
  432
  Mr. Curry
  Developments in techniques have been reported to the International Whaling Commission each year and we shall be seeking a further evaluation of these at the forthcoming meeting of the International Whaling Commission.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received about the moratorium on commercial whaling.

  Mr. Curry
  We have received a great many representations about the moratorium on commercial whaling, many of which recognise the leading role the United Kingdom has played in working for the conservation of whales. We shall continue this work.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which environmental groups he has consulted about the moratorium on commercial whaling.

  Mr. Gummer
  My officials have recently discussed the moratorium on commercial whaling with representatives of Wildlife Link, the liaison body for the following major voluntary organisations in the UK concerned with wildlife: Care for the Wild, the Environmental Investigation Agency, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace UK, the International Fund for Animal Welfare, the International League for the Protection of Cetaceans, the Marine Conservation Society, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, the World Society for the Protection of Animals and the World Wide Fund for Nature. I shall be meeting them myself shortly.

  Screwworm Parasite Fly
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how much money the United Kingdom contributes to the United Nations attempt to eradicate the American screwworm parasite fly in Libya.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have been asked to reply. The United Kingdom has given full and early support to the screwworm eradication campaign, having contributed £ 1 million to a Food and Agriculture Organisation multi-donor trust fund. As further results of the programme become known, we will consider additional funding.

  AIDS AND WORK: EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT LEAFLET
  AIDS AND WORK: EMPLOYMENT DEPARTMENT LEAFLET
  BARKESTONE CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
  BARKESTONE CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
  SALE OF CLOSED SCHOOLS: PROCEEDS ARRANGEMENTS
  SALE OF CLOSED SCHOOLS: PROCEEDS ARRANGEMENTS
  EDUCATION ACT 1981: IMPLEMENTATION
  EDUCATION ACT 1981: IMPLEMENTATION
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION: FUTURE ROGRAMME
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT BOUNDARY COMMISSION: FUTURE ROGRAMME
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: LOCAL AUTHORITY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
  COMMUNITY CHARGE: LOCAL AUTHORITY INCOME AND EXPENDITURE
  DRINK DRIVING CHARGES: EXPEDITING PROCEDURES
  DRINK DRIVING CHARGES: EXPEDITING PROCEDURES
  CONIFER PLANTING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PENNINES: GRANT-AID DECISION
  CONIFER PLANTING IN THE INDUSTRIAL PENNINES: GRANT-AID DECISION