Written Answers of 20 December 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the organisations to which the consultative draft of the Asylum Appeals (Procedure) Rules was sent and the dates on which it was sent.

  The Attorney-General
  Copies of the consultation draft of the Asylum Appeals (Procedure) Rules were lodged on 1 November 1991 with the appropriate authorities in both Houses of Parliament and have since then been available to the public generally, upon request, from the Lord Chancellor's Department. I shall write to the hon. Member listing the organisations to which the consultation draft has been sent.

  Murder (Provocation Defence)
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Attorney-General what recent representations he has received about the use of provocation as a defence in murder cases involving women.

  The Attorney-General
  Any representations received by me about this subject would be referred to the Home Secretary since he has policy responsibility for the substantive criminal law.

  A full list of representations received and treated in this manner could be produced only at disproportionate cost, by searching all correspondence.

  Immigration Appeals
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average time between(a) a request for a hearing date and (b) a hearing date being set for immigration appeals in (i) Leeds and (ii) other immigration appeals centres in the United Kingdom.

  The Attorney-General
  The average time between a request for a hearing date and a hearing date being set at the individual centres of the immigration appellate authorities (IAA) is currently as follows:

  Place

  Time

  Leeds

  7 months

  Thanet House, London

  3–4 weeks

  Harmondsworth

  1–2 weeks

  Manchester

  1–2 weeks

  Birmingham

  3 months

  Glasgow

  3 months

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what action is being taken to reduce delays in hearing immigration appeals in(a) Leeds and (b) other immigration centres in the United Kingdom.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor's Department plans to make an additional hearing room 320
  available early in 1992 at the Leeds centre of the immigration appellate authorities (IAA) for the hearing of immigration appeals. This will enable the adjudicators at Leeds to sit more frequently and so reduce the current waiting times for cases to come before them. The Lord Chancellor's Department will also be exploring the feasibility of immigration appeals being heard at other locations in Leeds to help reduce the current backlog of cases.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department has plans to increase the number of sittings by adjudicators in 1992 at all of the hearing centres of the IAA and the number of staff will be increased. These measures will help the IAA to tackle more effectively their rising workload. Furthermore, a multi-terminal case-tracking computer system will be operational by January 1992. This will enable the IAA to monitor more accurately and frequently the progress of appeals.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average delay between the receipt of immigration appeal papers, received in London from British overseas posts, being forwarded to the representatives of the parties.

  The Attorney-General
  Upon receipt of immigration appeal papers from a British overseas post, the IAA is usually able to dispatch copies of the case papers to the parties' representatives in this country within two weeks.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General how many(a) staff and (b) adjudicators are retained in Leeds and other immigration appeal centres in the United Kingdom; and what proposals there are to increase staff and adjudicators, both part time and full time.

  The Attorney-General
  The staff and adjudicators currently in post at the individual hearing centres of the immigration appellate authorities are as follows:

  Adjudicators

  Hearing centres

  Staff

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Leeds

  8

  1

  13

  Thanet House

  64

  7

  19

  Harmondsworth1

  10

  3

  10

  Manchester

  5

  1

  11

  Birmingham

  8½

  2

  10

  Glasgow

  1½

  —

  5

  1 Includes Belfast and Cardiff.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department plans to recruit additional staff during 1992 and to deploy part-time adjudicators more frequently.

  Treaty of Rome
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list all items of United Kingdom legislation which have been or are being subjected to legal challenge in the European Court(a) on the grounds of an alleged conflict with article 30 of the treaty of Rome, (b) on the grounds of an alleged conflict with another article of the treaty or (c) on some other grounds, together with the date on which each challenge was instituted and the date of the court decision.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is not readily available. I will reply to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the occasions, since 1 November 1991, on which he has made official statements or appeals covering the attitude which retailers should adopt towards the laws on Sunday trading.

  The Attorney-General
  It is not my responsibility to advise retailers on the attitude that they should adopt towards the laws on Sunday trading, so I have not made any official statements or appeals about this.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Special Needs
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will specify the performance indicators to be used to measure the quality of education for pupils with special educational needs in England and Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  This is a matter for local education authorities, which have duties under the Education Act 1981 to ensure that provision is made to meet pupils' special educational needs.

  GCSE
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total number of pupils in the United Kingdom who sat GCSE examinations in the years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  The number of pupils who had attempted GCSE in England by the age of 16 in at least one subject in the academic year 1988–89 and 1989–90 were as follows:

  Total 16-year-olds

  Those attempting GCSE at age of 16 or earlier

  1988–89

  619,800

  581,300

  1989–90

  582,100

  544,400

  The figures for Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what action he proposes to take to ensure that publication of examination results will not deter schools from accepting pupils with special educational needs on to their rolls;

  (2) how he proposes to publicise the achievements of pupils with special educational needs in non-examined courses and public examinations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is my right hon. and learned Friend's intention that the statutory requirements governing the publication of schools' examination results should apply equally to all pupils, including those with special educational needs. This accords with the Government's322
  policy that pupils with special educational needs should be integrated as far as possible into ordinary educational provision, subject to the conditions set out in section 2 of the Education Act 1981 in respect of those pupils with statements of special educational needs.

  The achievements of pupils with special educational needs will not always be poorer than their peers; some of these pupils are academically very able. It is right that their results should be published in the same way as those of all other children.

  There is no reason to expect that the publication of examination results will deter schools from accepting pupils with special educational needs; indeed, under the law only selective grammar schools are allowed to discriminate on grounds of ability between applicants for places.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the total number of pupils with special educational needs in the United Kingdom who sat GCSE examinations in the years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested is not available centrally for pupils with statements of educational need in England. The figures for Scotland and Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales.

  Inspectors' Reports
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many Her Majesty's Inspectorate reports on average, per annum, are intended solely for internal readership by his Department.

  Mr. Eggar
  This information is not available centrally.

  LINC Project
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has now received the Her Majesty's Inspectorate report on the progress of the language in the national curriculum programme; and if he proposes to publish it.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Her Majesty's Inspectorate report is an interim document intended for internal use. It has not yet been seen by my right hon. and learned Friend.

  Primary Education
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the change in standards of reading and literacy in primary schools since 1979; and to what causes he attributes such change.

  Mr. Eggar
  There is at present insufficient evidence on which to base reliable conclusions about changes in the reading standards of younger primary pupils over the past decade. However, the introduction of the national curriculum and its associated testing arrangements at ages seven and 11 will provide reliable information for the future. My right hon. and learned Friend yesterday announced the results from the first round of these tests for seven-year-olds in 1991.

  School Assessments
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what qualifications he expects to be possessed by any team of inspectors engaged in the assessment of a school in his proposed arrangements.

  Mr. Eggar
  Under the arrangements proposed in the Education (Schools) Bill, it will be for Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools to determine whether applicants are fit to lead inspection teams as registered inspectors. It will be for registered inspectors to assemble teams with the appropriate qaulifications and experience, taking account of any conditions imposed or guidance offered by the chief inspector.

  Nursery Education
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to the reply to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham of 29 November,Official Report, column 700, if he will publish figures showing the numbers of free or subsidised places for children under statutory school age in nursery schools or similar in each country of the European Community; and if he will also show the numbers of places as precentages of the numbers of children in the relevant age group in each country.

  Mr. Fallon
  Information is not available centrally, in the form requested. The latest available participation rates in pre-compulsory schooling are given in the table.

  Participation in pre-primary education by age group, 1988

  Percentage of age group

  Country

  Age at which compulsory schooling starts

  Education 3 to 5

  1Day care 3 to 5

  Belgium

  6

  96

  —

  France

  6

  99

  —

  Germany (Fed. Rep.)

  6

  64

  —

  Ireland

  6

  51

  214

  Italy

  6

  76

  —

  Luxembourg3

  6

  65

  —

  Netherlands

  5

  66

  217

  Spain

  6

  71

  —

  United Kingdom

  5

  64

  427

  Sources:

  Table AA: Education Statistics for the United Kingdom.

  1Possible overlap with the education data. It is not advisable, therefore, to combine the two rates.

  2

  3

  41987. DES estimate avoiding double counting.

ENVIRONMENT

  Business Rates
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account will be taken in determining property values for the purposes of the uniform business rate and the council tax of the recent fall in the market price of property.

  Mr. Portillo
  New non-domestic rateable values will come into force on 1 April 1995. It is proposed that these rateable values be based on market rents as at 1 April 1993.
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  The valuation of domestic properties for the council tax is now under way. Properties will be valued on the basis of open market capital values as at 1 April 1991.

  Rates (Newcastle)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was, in 1991–92 prices,(a) the value of rate support grant paid to Newcastle city council in every year since 1979–80, and revenue support grant since 1990 and (b) the value of non-domestic rate revenue received by the city council in each year since 1979–80.

  Mr. Key
  The available information is as follows:

  Rate Support Grant £ million at 1991–92 prices

  Non-domestic rate revenue £ million at 1991–92 prices

  1979–80

  122·1

  n/a

  1980–81

  1122·6

  n/a

  1981–82

  288·5

  n/a

  1982–83

  64·6

  n/a

  1983–84

  67·5

  n/a

  1984–85

  62·6

  n/a

  1985–86

  358·0

  n/a

  1986–87

  27·0

  107·7

  1987–88

  54·7

  93·0

  1988–89

  68·4

  82·3

  1989–90

  64·7

  84·7

  Revenue Support Grant

  5Receipts from NDR pool

  1990–91

  485·5

  62·7

  1991–92

  75·2

  71·9

  Note:

  The information given is not available on a comparable basis for all years.

  1In 1979–80 and 1980–81, no Rate Support Grant (RSG) payments were made to Metropolitan County Council and Newcastle's RSG was correspondingly higher in those years.

  2 In 1981–82 to 1985–86 inclusive, RSG payments were made to Metropolitan Counties (and other upper tier authorities) and Newcastle's RSG was correspondingly lower.

  3 In April 1986, the Metropolitan County Councils were abolished and arrangements for paying grant changed accordingly.

  4 In April 1990, the new local authority finance system was introduced and Revenue Support Grant replaced Rate Support Grant as the main Central Government grant to local authorities. The 1990–91 figure is for Revenue Support Grant after the Safety Net Payment.

  5Under the local government finance system introduced in 1990, the level of Revenue Support Grant is affected, inter alia, by the amount of non-domestic rates distributed from the national pool. The decrease in non-domestic rate receipts between 1989–90 and 1990–91 was largely compensated for by the increase in Rate/Revenue Support Grant.

  Emissions
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the emissions in the years 1970 to 1979, 1980 to 1989 and 1990; and what are the projected figures for 1991 to 2005 for(a) the United Kingdom, (b) Wales, (c) Scotland and (d) Northern Ireland for (i) industrial carbon dioxide, (ii) land use change carbon dioxide, (iii) non-agricultural methane and (iv) agricultural methane.
  325
  Mr. Baldry
  Emission estimates for carbon dioxide and methane, covering the preceding 10 years, are published annually in the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House. Estimates for earlier years are available from Warren Spring laboratory which maintain the national emissions inventory on behalf of the Department. Data for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland separately and for carbon dioxide emissions due to land-use change are not available. Total emission estimates for the years 1970 to 1979 and 1980 to 1989 and for 1990 are as follows:

  1970–79

  1980–89

  1990

  Industrial CO21 (electricity supply, refineries and other industry)

  1,179

  967

  296

  Non agricultural methane3

  28·3

  33·5

  4—

  Agricultural methane3

  11·9

  11·7

  4—

  1 Expressed as millions of tonnes of carbon emitted.

  2 Provisional.

  3 Expressed as millions of tonnes of methane emitted.

  4 Not yet available.

  Projections for carbon dioxide and methane emissions were set out in energy paper No. 58 "UK Country Study for the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Response Strategies Working Group Energy and Industry Sub-Group", October 1989, copies of which are in the Library of the House. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secrtary of State for Energy to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) on 6 December 1991, Official Report, column 258, for the latest projections for CO2 emissions.

  The Government have set a target, if other countries take similar action, of returning emissions of CO2 to 1990 levels by 2005 and is taking steps to reduce emissions of methane.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many discharges of chemicals into the Merseyside environment have been notified to his Department in the past 12 months; if he will list these and the toxic chemicals involved; if he will specify whether the discharges were into the air, water, or land; whether he will extend the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure that annual levels of emissions are monitored and declared; and whether he will require disclosure of information about emissions to his Department.

  Mr. Baldry
  Dangerous occurances involving uncontrolled or accidental releases of chemicals must be notified to the Health and Safety Executive. Individual authorised releases of chemicals are not notified to my Department. However, the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Water Resources Act 1991 provide for monitoring information about releases to the environment which are reported to or obtained by the relevant enforcing authority or the National Rivers Authority to be placed in public registers.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans his Department has to include information on historical emissions of the following greenhouse gases(a) industrial carbon dioxide, (b) land-use change carbon dioxide, (c) non-agricultural
  326
  methane and (d) agricultural methane in his negotiations on the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Questions relating to past, present and future emissions of all greenhouse gases are included among the issues covered by the preparatory committee for the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what methodology he uses when assessing net greenhouse gas emissions in the United Kingdom in relation to gross emissions.

  Mr. Baldry
  Net greenhouse gas emissions are not currently estimated for the United Kingdom on a routine basis. To do so will require the development of methods for quantitatively assessing activities, such as afforestation, which remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Work to develop such methods is proceeding within the Department's own research programme and internationally through the work of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are his Department's estimates on how much local authorities have spent on publicity and advertising in connection with the poll tax.

  Mr. Key
  My Department has made no such estimates.

  Global Warming
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what amount has been spent to date on the global warming campaign in the press.

  Mr. Baldry
  The campaign, "Helping the Earth Begins at Home", which is being conducted jointly by my Department and the Department of Energy, placed advertisements in national newspapers between 5 November and 1 December 1991. The net cost of the advertisements was £393,045. This figure includes media buying and agency fees.

  Incinerators
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many incinerators there are in the United Kingdom which are capable of dealing with(a) hazardous and (b) toxic wastes; what is the total annual capacity of these plants; and what is the annual production of these wastes in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  Waste containing substances hazardous to life are classed as special wastes in the United Kingdom and local authority records showed 2·315 million tonnes arising for disposal in 1989–90. However, high temperature incineration of special wastes can take place within a wide range of factory premises, where so authorised, and special wastes dealt with in-house are not recorded. United Kingdom merchant incinerators available for disposal contract have a total annual capacity of about 200,000 tonnes and are:—

  ReChem at Fawley, Hampshire and Pontypool, Gwent

  Cleanaway at Ellesmere Port, Cheshire

  Leigh Industrial Services at Killamarsh, Sheffield

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  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the number and capacity of incinerators capable of dealing with hazardous and toxic wastes which are(a) under construction and (b) to be constructed over the next five years; what he expects the total annual capacity of those plants and the existing plants to be at the end of that time; and what are his projections as to the annual production of these wastes in the United Kingdom in (i) five years and (ii) 2000.

  Mr. Baldry
  Industry could have a variety of incinerator proposals at various stages of consideration. There is no central record of these and it would not be possible to say what the annual capacity of proposed plant might be until such proposals become definitely operative. Planning proposals for merchant incinerators in England and Wales of which the Secretary of State is aware are those currently before him for decisions:—Ocean Environment, Seal Sands, Cleveland Northumbrian Water/ITE, Portrack, Cleveland Northumbrian Water/ITE, East Howdon, Tyne and Wear. It is not possible to provide forward projections of any waste arisings which might he dealt with at existing or new plant.

  Skin Cancer
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain from the United Nations Environment Programme for his departmental library a copy of the panel study, chaired by Dr. Jan van der Leun of Utrecht university, on the risks of skin cancer increases resulting from ozone depletion.

  Mr. Baldry
  The departmental library holds a copy of the 1989 report of the United Nations Environment Programme's environmental effects panel, chaired by Dr. J. van der Leun. The most recent environmental effects assessment is in preparation and is expected to be published in the next few months. Copies will be obtained for my Department.

  Radiological Emergencies
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to communicate to the public and all relevant emergency service personnel information, the nature of any radiological emergency, its possible effects and emergency counter-measures.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has lead responsibility for the response to radiological emergencies resulting from overseas nuclear accidents. The arrangements for communicating details of the accident, its possible effects and counter-measures are set out in the HMSO booklet, "The National Response Plan and Radioactive Incident Monitoring Network (RIMNET). Phase 1", copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Energy Tax
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultations he has had with his opposite numbers in the other European Community member states regarding the Commission's proposals for a carbon tax or energy tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the 328
  Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 17 December 1991, Official Report, column 105.

  Building Maintenance (Date of Return)
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, what further action he proposes to take against the failure of Copeland borough council to make the statutory rate of return on building maintenance work undertaken in 1989–90.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has given careful consideration to the response of Copeland borough council to the notice served on it on 9 July 1991, and has today given a direction under section 19B of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 in respect of building maintenance work. The effect of the direction is to preclude the council from undertaking works of maintenance other than emergency work and works to the properties in the council's ownership.

  Mr. Burt
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further action he has decided to take against the failure of Rochdale metropolitan borough council to make the statutory rate of return on its building maintenance work in 1989–90.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has given careful consideration to the response of Rochdale metropolitan borough council to the notice served on the authority on 7 February 1991, and has today given a direction under section 19B of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 in respect of building maintenance work. The effect of this direction is to preclude the council from undertaking works of building maintenance other than emergency work and works to properties in the council's ownership. It also permits the authority to undertake a range of small building maintenance works with an individual value of less than £25,000.

  Ordnance Survey (Corporate Plan)
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the Ordnance Survey corporate plan for 1992 to 1995.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Ordnance Survey corporate plan has been published today and I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

  EC Environmental Legislation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list details of each of the cases in which the EC is taking action against the United Kingdom Government over alleged non-implementation of EC environmental legislation.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 12 December 1991]: The European Commission has made applications to the European Court of Justice against the United Kingdom for alleged non-compliance with EC environmental legislation in the following cases:

  Case 337/89 concerning various aspects of the implementation of directive 80/778/EEC on the quality of water for human consumption.

  Case 56/90 concerning implementation of directive 76/169/EEC on the quality of bathing water at Blackpool, Southport and Formby.

  329
  The court has not yet issued a judgment in either case.

  In addition, the Commission has delivered reasoned options under article 169 of the treaty of Rome to the United Kingdom in the following cases:

  Case 211/89 concerning implementation of directive 80/779/EEC on air quality limit values and guide values for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates.

  Case 212/86 concerning implementation of directive 82/884/EEC on a limit value for lead in air.

  Case 187/87 concerning compliance with directive 79/409/EEC on the conservation of wild birds in connection with the construction of a ski tow in part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest at Glas Maol, Glenshec, Scotland.

  Case 354/88 concerning compliance with directive 80/68/EEC on the protection of groundwater against pollution caused by certain dangerous substances in connection with discharges from a waste depot in Pakefield, Suffolk.

  Case 26/88 concerning compliance with directive 79/409/ EEC on the conservation of wild birds and Commission directive 85/411 /EEC replacing Annex I of directive 79/409/EEC in connection with the designation of habitats and other protection measures.

  Case 387/87 concerning the application of directive 80/779/EEC on air quality limit values and guide values for sulphur dioxide and suspended particulates in Sunderland.

  Case 147/90 concerning compliance with directive 85/337/EEC on assessment of the effects of certain public and private projects on the environment in connection with the disposal of waste material at Outlands Head Quarry, Derbyshire.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the chlorine loading potential of all CFCs and HCFCs for the time intervals of 10, 20 and 50 years.

  Mr. Baldry
  (pursuant to his answer, 10 December 1991, c. 363]: Chlorine loading potentials, calculated on a steady state emission basis, have been published in report No. 20 of the World Meteorological Organisation Global Ozone Research and Monitoring Project, "Scientific Assessment of Stratospheric Ozone: 1989," as follows:

  Species

  Chlorine loading potentials

  CFC-11

  1·0

  CFC-12

  1·5

  CFC-113

  1·11

  CFC-114

  1·8

  CFC-115

  2·0

  HFC-22

  0·14

  HCFC-123

  0·016

  HCFC-124

  0·04

  HFC-125

  0·0

  HFC-134a

  0·0

  HCFC-141b

  0·10

  HCFC-142b

  0·14

  HFC-143a

  0·0

  HFC-152a

  0·0

  CCl4

  1·0

  CH31CCl3

  0·11

  The Montreal protocol scientific assessment, due to be published early next year may provide some time-dependent values for either chlorine loading potential or the related ozone depletion potential.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Service College
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service (1) what is the annual cost of running the Civil Service college at Sunningdale Park, Ascot; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will consider relocating the Civil Service college to the north of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  These are operational matters for the Civil Service college and I have asked the chief executive to reply directly to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what plans he has to make places available at the Civil Service college for the induction of new Members after the general election; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  In 1988 the college arranged two briefing seminars on the civil service for hon. Members new to the House. I shall be delighted to ask the chief executive to make similar arrangements for new Members after the next general election, if there is sufficient demand. This will provide a welcome opportunity for the college to extend its already excellent reputation.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Free Markets
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department takes to promote free markets in the countries to which United Kingdom aid is sent.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We promote free markets through focusing our aid on support for economic reforms and sound policies, agreed with the IMF and the World bank, designed to create the environment in which private enterprise and initiative can flourish. We are ready to provide help with privatisation. The Commonwealth Development Corporation invests directly in commercially viable projects in the private sector.

  Kenya
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Government of Kenya on freedom of access and movement of Somalis in Kenya; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government have made no such representations. In our exchanges with the Government of Kenya. we have focused on the broader issue of respect for the human rights of all Kenyan citizens. We recognise that Kenya has faced a serious problem dealing with an influx of non-Kenyan Somali refugees and Somali bandits operating from outside her borders.

  Somalia
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the recent fighting in Somalia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  On Wednesday 18 December I issued the following statement:
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  "The British Government is deeply concerned at the continued fighting in the Somali capital, Mogadishu. Apart from the senseless destruction of the city, there arc distressing reports of heavy civilian casualties caused by indiscriminate shelling. The British Government particularly deplores the recent shooting of aid workers and the failure of those in charge of the warring factions to ensure that medical and relief supplies can safely enter the port and be distributed to innocent civilians.
  Along with its European Community partners, the United Kingdom has already called on all parties to reach a peaceful negotiated settlement. It reiterates that call and strongly urges all concerned, including the elders of the clans in Mogadishu, to implement an immediate ceasefire which will permit aid agencies to attend to the desperate needs of the Somali people. It appeals to all protagonists in this conflict to put an end to the iolence."

  Development Co-operation (Treaty of Rome)
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the inclusion of a text on development co-operation in the treaty of Rome, as agreed at the European Council in Maastricht.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I am pleased that for the first time the objectives of Community policy in development cooperation will be set out in the treaty. We welcome the aims of fostering sustainable economic and social development, especially in the most disadvantaged developing countries; integrating them into the world economy; alleviating poverty; and consolidating democracy, human rights and the rule of law.

  The text recognises the complementary nature of EC and bilateral aid programmes with emphasis on co-ordination and consultation. The United Kingdom has consistently supported such moves in order to enhance the efficient use of EC aid resources.

  Aid Budget
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in how many and in which cases arms deals have been linked to the overseas aid budget.

  Mrs. Chalker
  United Kingdom aid is provided in support of sustainable development and to alleviate poverty in developing countries. There is no question of linking aid and arms "deals".

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Emigration
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the net emigration of people from Northern Ireland over the past 10 years, giving a breakdown by age group.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  Year

  Total

  Under 1

  15–44

  45–64

  65 and over

  1980–81

  6,100

  1,049

  4,489

  269

  293

  1981–82

  9,900

  1,327

  7,650

  710

  213

  1982–83

  5,300

  1,360

  3,616

  191

  133

  1983–84

  4,000

  809

  2,893

  180

  188

  1984–85

  4,500

  328

  4,512

  1+ 193

  1+ 147

  1985–86

  3,600

  138

  3,578

  1+ 52

  1+ 64

  1986–87

  5,900

  995

  4,893

  60

  1+ 46

  332

  Year

  Total

  Under 1

  15–44

  45–64

  65 and over

  1987–88

  7,900

  857

  7,237

  1+ 42

  1+ 152

  1988–89

  6,400

  877

  5,726

  1+ 57

  1+ 146

  1989–90

  4,600

  1+ 104

  5,362

  1+ 323

  1+ 335

  1 Net inflow.

  Figures are derived from the mid-year estimates of population which cover the period 1 July in each year to 30 June in the following year.

  Capital Expenditure
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what capital projects in the areas for which he has responsibility, either directly or through the Eastern health hoard, have been postponed by the recently announced capital expenditure moratorium.

  Mr. Hanky
  No capital works projects in the Eastern board's area have been postponed as a result of the moratorium.

  Replacement of the ambulance service radio communications network in the four boards has been postponed and the installation of equipment costing about £0·5 million in the Eastern board's ambulance control centre will therefore be delayed.

  Replacement of aging medical equipment at a number of the board's hospitals, for which £2·1 million had been earmarked, may have to be postponed. Purchase of special high-cost medical equipment, for which £1·75 million had been earmarked, may also have to be deferred.

  Heart Bypass Operations
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people in Northern Ireland are on the national health service waiting lists for heart bypass operations; and what steps he is taking to reduce the period of waiting.

  Mr. Hanley
  I am advised by the Eastern health and social services hoard that at 30 November 1991 there were 758 people in Northern Ireland waiting for heart bypass operations.

  The recent completion of the.£1·5 million extension to the cardiac recovery area at the Royal Victoria hospital will permit an increase in the number of operations and I understand that the RVH has advertised for additional staff to support the extra workload. In addition health and social services boards are actively considering purchasing further operations from outside Northern Ireland. The Western board has already taken an initiative this year in arranging to buy additional cardiac operations for its resident population from hospitals in London.

  Benefits
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full-year cost of raising one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance by (i) £0·34 and (ii) £0·36 for (1) 1991–92 and (2) 1992–93, (x) including increases in means-tested benefits, and (y) without increases in means-tested benefits, in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The gross costs of increasing one-parent benefit, widowed mother's allowance and income-related
  333
  benefit by these amounts for each week in 1991–92 and 1992–93 are given in the table. It is not possible to estimate what the costs would be without increases in income-related benefits.

  Benefit

  Increase per week

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  One Parent Benefit

  34p

  468,000

  488,000

  Widowed Mothers Allowance

  34p

  58,000

  55,000

  One Parent Benefit

  36p

  496,000

  517,000

  Widowed Mothers Allowance

  36p

  61,000

  58,000

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full year cost of raising one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance by 32p (i) for 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93, (1) including increases in means-tested benefits and (2) without increases in means-tested benefits, in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 16 December 1991]: The gross costs of increasing one-parent benefit, widowed mother's allowance and income-related benefits by this amount for each week in 1991–92 and 1992–93 are given in the table. It is not possible to estimate what the costs would be without increases in income-related benefits.

  Benefit

  Increase

  1991–92

  1992–93

  per week

  £

  £

  One Parent Benefit

  32p

  441,000

  459,000

  Widowed Mothers Allowance

  32p

  54,000

  52,000

  State Earnings-related Pension
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the total cost to the national insurance fund in a full year in(a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93 of the 2 per cent. banded earnings offered as an incentive to opt out of SERPs, in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is as follows:

  2 per cent. Incentives in respect of personal pensions and 2 per cent. incentives for contracted-out schemes

  Northern Ireland (£ million)

  Paid in year

  In respect of year

  Personal pensions

  New schemes

  Total

  1991–92

  1990–91

  11·9

  2·4

  14·3

  11989–90

  0·2

  0·2

  0·4

  Total

  12·1

  2·6

  14·7

  1992–93

  1991–92

  13·6

  3·1

  16·7

  11990–91

  0·3

  0·1

  0·4

  Total

  13·9

  3·2

  17·1

  1 And earlier.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has for changes in the thresholds for criminal injuries compensation claims under the Criminal Injuries (Compensation) (Northern Ireland) Order 1988.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend intends in the near future to bring forward an order under article 23 of the 1988 order to raise the general lower limit for criminal 334
  injuries compensation claims from £400 to £1,000 and to raise the lower limit for nervous shock claims in the same proportion from £1,000 to £2,500

  Public Expenditure, Strangford
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which projects by the Eastern health and social services area board in the constituency of Strangford are now delayed by the moratorium on public expenditure.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 19 December 1991 ]: None.

PRIME MINISTER

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Prime Minister what response he has made to the letter of 6 November from the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Cardinal Archbishop of Westminster, the Chief Rabbi and the Moderator of the Free Church Federal Council asking him to make a public appeal to retail companies to obey the existing law on Sunday trading.

  The Prime Minister
  It is not my practice to release such information. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) on 28 November at column 1066.

  New Zealand (Royal Navy Visits)
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his policy regarding Royal Navy visits to New Zealand.

  The Prime Minister
  Following the Defence Secretary's announcement in September that our ships would not carry tactical nuclear weapons in normal circumstances, the New Zealand Prime Minister has agreed that there is now no reason for British warships not to visit New Zealand. The timing of any possible future visit by a British ship to New Zealand remains to be decided in the light of operational needs.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Racehorse Breeding
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the conclusions of the ECOFIN meeting on 12 June 1991 are applicable to the British racehorse breeding industry.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Yes. The conclusions apply to all industries of EC member states.

  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce value added tax rates on bloodstock sales similar to those charged in France on the basis of item 6 (Agricultural Inputs) in ECOFIN's list of services on which reduced value added tax rates may be charged.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Discussions on which goods and services will attract a reduced rate of VAT after 1992 are presently taking place in Brussels and no conclusions have been reached. Until these discussions are complete, it will
  335
  not be known whether any EC member states will be able to introduce or keep a reduced rate for bloodstock. The Commission's current view is that racehorses do not fall within the list of goods and services which will qualify for a reduced rate of VAT.

  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the stated policy of the European Commission as regards whether the breeding of racehorses is an agricultural activity for the purposes of levying value added tax.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The European Commission views the breeding, rearing and care of all animals, including racehorses, as an agricultural activity falling within the activities which can be included in an agricultural flat rate scheme. The Commission's current view is that racehorses do not fall within the list of goods and services which will quality after 1992 for a reduced rate of VAT.

  VAT
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the effect of the Maastricht treaties on the rates of value added tax which may be levied in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  They have no effect.

  Tax Allowances and Reliefs
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full-year revenue effect if all tax allowances and reliefs except the single person's allowance were restricted to the basic rate (i) in 1991–92 and (ii) in 1992–93, in Great Britain and Northern Ireland, giving the revenue from each separately and the total.

  Mr. Maude
  It is estimated that at 1991–92 levels of income the yield, in a full year, from restricting all tax allowances and reliefs—except the personal allowance—to the basic rate of tax would be about £900 million. The corresponding provisional figure for 1992–93 is £950 million under the illustrative assumption of 4 per cent. increases in allowances and the basic rate limit from table 4·2 of the autumn statement 1991.

  The combined effect of restricting these allowances and reliefs to the basic rate is greater than the sum of the effects of restricting each component separately. This is due to the cumulative effect of bringing more people into higher rate tax. For 1991–92 the estimated yields from the main components individually are:

  £ million

  All allowances except the personal allowance

  300

  Occupational pension contributions

  250

  Personal pension contributions

  150

  The effect on receipts in the first year would depend on the administrative arrangements for the restrictions.

  It is not possible to provide a detailed breakdown for the components in respect of 1992–93 with acceptable accuracy.

  Bus Companies
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is considering to encourage bus companies to be able to purchase new vehicles.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer on 19 December 1991]: No steps are being considered at present to encourage bus companies to be able to purchase new vehicles.

  Football Pools
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the rates of levy for football pools and the amount received by the Consolidated Fund, in 1991 prices, for each year since 1961.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer on 19 December 1991]: The table gives the rate of pool betting duty and the amount paid to the Exchequer between 1961 and 1991. All figures are approximately indexed to 1991 prices.

  Amount paid

  Duty rates

  (£'000s)

  per cent

  1961–62

  371,255

  30

  1962–63

  295,347

  33

  1963–64

  309,418

  33

  1964–65

  292,940

  331

  252

  1965–66

  289,592

  25

  1966–67

  293,494

  25

  1967–68

  276,346

  25

  1968–69

  314,464

  253

  33⅓4

  1969–70

  349,898

  33⅓

  1970–71

  320,068

  33⅓

  1971–72

  400,977

  33⅓

  1972–73

  417,410

  33⅓

  1973–74

  393,714

  33⅓

  1974–75

  407,398

  40

  1975–76

  353,823

  40

  1976–77

  332,827

  40

  1977–78

  317,320

  40

  1978–79

  309,207

  40

  1979–80

  307,001

  40

  1980–81

  304,562

  40

  1981–82

  306,240

  40

  1982–83

  323,811

  42½

  1983–84

  318,092

  42½

  1984–85

  322,085

  42½

  1985–86

  328,178

  42½

  1986–87

  343,698

  42½

  1987–88

  360,045

  42½

  1988–89

  342,061

  42½

  1989–90

  345,577

  42½

  1990–91

  315,256

  40

  1991–92

  (n.a.)

  37½

  1 To 2 August 1964.

  2 From 3 August 1964.

  3 To 24 March 1968.

  4 From 25 March 1968.

EMPLOYMENT

  Gas Heating Appliances
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action the Health and Safety Executive is taking regarding the monitoring, safety and regulation of home gas space heating appliances in Wales.

  Mr. Forth
  The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1984 set out detailed requirements for the safe
  337
  installation and use of applicances where the gas is supplied through pipes. The Gas Safety (Installation and Use) (Amendment) Regulations 1990 require all gas installation businesses working with piped gas to register with the Council for Registered Gas Installers (CORGI), which aims to ensure that all such businesses work in a competent manner. The Health and Safety Executive is reviewing both of these regulations with the aim of bringing into scope the installation and use of appliances which use liquefied petroleum gas supplied from a tank or cylinder located on the consumer's premises.

  HSE inspectors have powers under the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 to investigate any reported incident involving gas and to take any enforcement action which may be necessary.

  International Biosynthetics
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the operation of the emergency plans required under the Control of Industrial Major. Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 in dealing with the recent chemical emission at the International Biosynthetics plant on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement about the co-ordination of information and emergency services on Merseyside in the event of a chemical or radiation incident.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is investigating the accident at the International Biosynethetics plant. The investigation includes discussions with the Merseyside fire and civil defence authority to establish whether any changes are required to the off-site emergency plan for the site as required by regulation 11(1) of the Control of Industrial Major Accident Hazards Regulations (CIMAH) 1984.

  Emergency plans are usually drawn up locally; this is normally done by the local authorities at county level or the fire and civil defence authorities in the metropolitan areas. HSE is also involved as the enforcing authority for regulations requiring the preparation of off-site emergency plans for the limited number of sites subject to CIMAH regulation 11. Comprehensive emergency plans for civil nuclear installations are currently prepared by the licensee as a condition of the site licence. In October, the Health and Safety Commission published proposals to put off site planning at these installations on the same basis as the CIMAH regulations.

  HSE publishes advice to assist emergency planners in these areas in the form of two booklets "Arrangements for responding to nuclear emergencies" and "The Control of Major Accident Hazards Regulations 1984 (CIMAH): further guidance on emergency plans".

  BR Escalators
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many British Rail escalators, to which the public have access, have been examined by the Health and Safety Executive in the last five years; and what plans they have to examine the remainder.

  Mr. Forth
  The examination of escalators is primarily the responsibility of each railway undertaking. Her Majesty's inspecting officers of the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate check the general condition of escalators in the course of routine inspections of stations, and if they find a fault that might be considered 338
  hazardous to public safety, it would he brought to the notice of the operator. The major stations where most British Rail escalators are situated arc inspected at least once every two years. Her Majesty's railway inspectorate does not keep records of individual escalators.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what policy considerations govern the choice of 24 years as the upper age limit for the payment of child care costs for women seeking to re-enter the labour market under the aegis of employment training.

  Mr. Forth
  No such upper age limit exists. Training and enterprise councils (TECs) must meet or reimburse the support costs, including those of child care, to a level which is reasonable and necessary for training to take place, for all those entering employment training aged 18 to 24 who have been unemployed between six and 12 months—that is, those from the adult guarantee group. But others eligible to join employment training may also be helped with support costs at the discretion of the TEC.

  National Dock Labour Board
  Mr. Nicholls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement about the progress in winding up the affairs of the National Dock Labour Board.

  Mr. Forth
  Yes. The wind-up has been concluded successfully and all the board's properties have been sold. I have placed in the Library copies of the board's final accounts covering the period from 4 July 1989 to the board's dissolution on 30 June 1990.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Royal Commonwealth Society
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what approaches he has received concerning the future of the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In recent months a number of approaches have been made to FCO Ministers on the future of the library of the Royal Commonwealth Society. Ministers are well aware of the problems and of the measures being taken by the Royal Commonwealth Society to tackle them.

  Lt. Col. Partap Singh
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Lt. Col. Partap Singh (Retd), president of the Khalsa Raj party, applied to the British embassy in Washington for a visa to visit the United Kingdom; and when a decision is to be taken on his application.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Lt. Col. Singh applied to the embassy in Washington for a visit visa on 4 September. Subsequently. he withdrew his application at the embassy in Oslo on 24 September.

  Kenya
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to assist with the travelling arrangements of Somali refugees from camps to the British embassy in Nairobi to attend visa interviews; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None. We do not propose to assist with the travelling arrangements of Somali refugees in Kenya. The British high commissioner in Nairobi is not aware of any Somali refugees in Kenya who encounter difficulty in travelling to Nairobi to attend entry clearance interviews.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 December.

  Mr. Hurd
  My hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom at the Foreign Affairs Council on 16 December.

  The Council agreed in principle that a further 200 million ecu (£140 million) of food aid should be sent urgently to the Soviet Union and that a first tranche of 500 million ecu (£350 million) of the 1·25 billion ecu (£875 million) food and medical aid standby credit should be disbursed as soon as possible. The Foreign Affairs Council also decided to establish a task force, based in Moscow or St. Petersburg, to help with food distribution.

  The Council discussed the timetable for further technical work on the draft treaty on European union in order to ensure consistency between the provisions on political union and economic and monetary union and to prepare the text for signature. It considered reports on immigration and asylum presented by the Commission and invited Immigration Ministers to continue their work in this area on the lines agreed by the Maastricht European Council.

  The Council asked the Commission to draw up proposals for the denunciation of the Lome convention with respect to Haiti and to report to the Committee of Permanent Representatives on what steps might be taken to provide new humanitarian aid to Albania and to the Baltic states. It also agreed that the Commission should start exploratory talks with Romania on a possible association agreement. The Council adopted measures extending to countries of central America the generalised system of preferences concessions which it granted to the Andean pact countries last year.

  The Council considered the way forward on the European Economic Area (EEA) agreement in the light of the European Court of Justices's opinion that the proposed judicial mechanism to be established under the EEA was incompatible with the treaty of Rome. The Council asked the Commission to identify possible solutions with a view to signature early next year.

  Ministers discussed human rights in China, and agreed that the Political Committee should carry out a study. In the meantime, no new Community aid projects for China would be agreed.
  340
  In the margins of the Council, Ministers and the Commission signed EC association agreements with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia and a co-operation agreement with San Marino.

  Ministers issued a declaration on guidelines on the recognition of new states in eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union. They discussed the situation in Yugoslavia in the light of these guidelines. They agreed to recognise on 15 January 1992 the independence of those Yugoslav republics satisfying certain conditions. The Arbitration Commission of the EC conference on Yugoslavia will advise on whether conditions have been met.

  Tunisia
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about relations with Tunisia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  They remain good. I made a successful visit to Tunisia on 2–3 December. On 17 December British Gas signed a $600 million contract to develop an offshore gas field. This is the largest ever British investment in Tunisia. It marks a breakthrough for the British private sector and will, I hope, generate further export opportunities.

  Arms Transfers
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made towards establishing an international register of conventional arms transfers.

  Mr. Hurd
  On 9 December the United Nations General Assembly voted by an overwhelming majority to establish at the United Nations a universal and non-discriminatory register of conventional arms transfers, covering the transfer of specific major weapons systems. This follows directly from the initiative which my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister took at the Luxembourg European Council on 8 April. We played a leading part in drafting and lobbying for the United Nations resolution, whch we tabled with our European Partners and Japan. The register will introduce greater openness and make it easier for the international community to monitor excessive arms build-up in any one country. We expect all responsible governments to recognise the value and importance of the decision taken by the General Assembly, and provide the necessary information for the register.

  The register comes into effect from January 1992. It requests all participant states to record their imports and exports of certain major weapon systems and provide this information to the United Nations Secretary-General on an annual basis. The categories of weapon system affected are tanks, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, armoured combat vehicles, large-calibre artillery and missiles and missile systems. In Britain's case, the disclosure of such information will require additional powers. The Government intend to bring the necessary legislation before the House early in the next Parliament. The legislation will require disclosure of all exports and imports within the categories named above with effect from 1 January 1992.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many names, other than the criminal names category, are entered on the police national computer.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The names database on the PNC holds 5,634,424 records. These include 138,893 wanted or missing persons and 273,296 disqualified drivers, some of whom may also have been convicted of criminal offences. In addition, the PNC holds records of some 40 million vehicles. These records include the name of the registered keeper.

  Prisons (Mother and Baby Units)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the staffing complement of each of the mother and baby units in Her Majesty's prisons; and how many of these staff have appropriate qualifications in child care.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The staffing complement in each of the units is as follows:

  am

  pm

  Evening

  Nights

  HMP Holloway

  1 senior officer + 2 officers

  1 Senior officer + 2 officers

  2 officers

  2 officers

  HMP and YOI Styal

  1 officer

  1 officer

  1 officer

  1 night patrol

  HMP Askham Grange

  1 officer

  1 officer

  1 officer

  1 night patrol

  At present, the prison officers who work on the units do not have qualifications in child care. However, nursing cover is provided on a 24-hour basis and the local health visitor attends each unit regularly. Each unit is being encouraged to make use of the facilities available in the local community, so that where appropriate mothers can attend social service run family centres.

  Officers from each unit have attended week long courses at HM prison Holloway devised specifically for staff working on the units. A full staff training needs analysis is being undertaken by the Prison Service College. In addition, HM prison Styal is planning to recruit nursery nurses to work in its unit in the new year.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many women prisoners have applied in the last year to have their babies with them in prison mother and baby units; and how many have been successful.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The numbers of women prisoners who applied for admission to the units in 1991 were as follows:

  Askham Grange:

  Out of 25 applications received, only three were refused; in each case the mother had a history of child abuse.

  Styal:

  There have been 36 applications; one was rejected in view of her unsuitability for the mother and baby unit. Due to lack of space, two women have been put on a waiting list.
  342
  Holloway:

  There have been 65 applications. There have been no rejections but due to lack of space two women have been put on a waiting list.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many places have been available in prison mother and baby units in each of the past five years; and if there are plans to increase the number of such places in the future.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The total number of places available in the three prison mother and baby units in each of the past five years has been 39. With the arrival of older babies at Styal, it has been necessary to reduce the number of mother and baby places from 12 to 10. The current number of places available is therefore 37. Consultations are taking place at Styal to determine both the medium and long-term requirements of mothers with older babies.

  A new purpose-built unit, which will provide an additional closed facility for nine mothers and their babies, is planned at Her Majesty's prison New Hall. This unit should be ready for occupation by the spring of 1994.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his Department's estimates of the cost to the prison service and the police force in connection with the imprisonment of poll tax defaulters.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  There is no central record of the number of people proceeded against and imprisoned for failure to pay poll tax. It is not therefore possible to estimate the associated costs to the prison service or to the police.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are his Department's estimates of the costs of debt collection by local authorities, including court costs and legal aid fees, in conection with poll tax defaulters.

  Mr. Key
  I have been asked to reply.

  My Department has made no such estimates.

  Lotteries
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the Government have any plans to increase local authorities' powers to vet applications to hold lotteries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We keep the law governing the conduct and regulation of lotteries under review, but have no current proposals to increase local authorities' powers.

  Styal Prison Steering Group
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department further to the reply given by the Minister of State on 7 November at column 219, what is the membership of the Styal prison steering group; and how many times it has met.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The membership of the Styal prison steering group is as follows:

  Area manager, Trans-Pennine (Chairman)

  Governor, HM prison Styal

  Head of residence, HM prison Styal

  Principal nursing sister, HM prison Styal

  343

  Group manager, HM prison Styal

  Senior psychologist, HM prison Styal

  Probation officer, HM prison Styal

  A representative from DIP 1 division, prison service HQ

  Principal officer from Cheshire social services

  The steering group met for the first time on 12 December. Future meetings will be held on a quarterly basis.

  Complainant

  Date of complaint

  Programme

  Date of broadcast

  Nature of complaint

  Commission s adjudication

  Date

  Mr. Marc Ellington

  11 March 1991

  "Scottish Eye: Making History Pay" Hyndland Television Channel 4

  10 March 1991

  Unjust or unfair treatment

  Upheld in part

  23 October 1991

  Mr. Richard Emerson

  21 June 1991

  "Scottish Eye: Making History Pay" Hyndland Television Channel 4

  10 March 1991

  Unjust or unfair treatment

  Upheld

  23 October 1991

  However, I understand from the Commission that the two complaints considered did not arise from the payment of grants by historic buildings councils. No other complaints have been received.

  Closed-circuit Television
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to extending the use of closed-circuit television used for traffic management to such uses as crime prevention and detection; and what guidance he has issued on these matters.

  Mr. John Patten
  The use of surveillance systems is an operational matter for chief officers. The Home Office has, however, issued guidance that closed circuit television should he used by the police only when necessary for the proper and efficient conduct of police operations.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assistance he has given to pilot projects on the use of closed-circuit television as an instrument for tackling crime in city centres.

  Mr. John Patten
  The steering committees of a number of local safer cities projects have recommended giving financial support to a total of nine crime prevention schemes involving the use of closed-circuit television in city centre locations, including schemes confined to car parks. Home Office grant totalling £280,000 has been approved for these schemes. In the case of each scheme, the grant is a partial contribution only to the total cost.

  Somalia
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reviewed the working of the concession made in September 1988 to Somali refugees; if he has plans to extend it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The concession is kept under constant review in the light of circumstances both in Somalia itself and neighbouring countries. The original scheme was criticised on the grounds that those who could not reach

  Historic Buildings (Broadcasting Complaints)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list those cases considered by the Broadcasting Complaints Commission in 1991 concerning programmes which raised issues related to the payment of grants by historic buildings councils.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the Commission have considered two complaints arising from a single programme which looked at the work of the Historic Buildings Council for Scotland. The details are as follows:

  the relevant British diplomatic post to apply for entry clearance in person were denied the right of appeal (under section 13(2) of the Immigration Act 1971) which normally applies to applications made abroad. Earlier this year new arrangements were introduced to allow sponsors here to make written application direct to the post concerned in the event of an adverse decision by the Home Office, thus qualifying the applicant for appeal rights. We have no plans to extend the concession any further at present although I will look into the points the hon. Member raised with me when we discussed this matter on 18 December.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the number of requests from Somalis in the United Kingdom for the issue of visas to relatives abroad seeking asylum at the latest date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 29 November 1991 there were 1,371 outstanding visa applications from Somalis seeking to join relatives in the United Kingdom.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received over increases in the number of tests on live animals carried out in respect of food additives.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We are not aware of any such representations.

  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he will take to reduce the use of animals in experiments for food additive tests.

  Miss Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary is not one of the Ministers responsible for the national and international regulations under which the safety testing of food additives are required. His responsibility is for controlling the conduct of scientific procedures on living animals. We have no plans to refuse licences where my right hon. Friend is satisfied that the work is justified under section 5 of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986.
  345
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inspectors he employs to monitor tests on live animals; whether he has received representations to increase this number; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  There were 20 members of the Home Office animals (scientific procedures) inspectorate on 19 December. The Home Office receives representations from time to time to increase the number of inspectors, but I am satisfied that the present strength of the inspectorate is adequate.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received urging the amendment of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986; and whether he proposes any amendment or administrative action to end or reduce tests on live animals(a) for cosmetics and (b) for drugs similar to those already on the market.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Home Office receives a large volume of correspondence on a wide range of animal procedures matters, part of which will contain particular or general suggestions for changes to the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 or the way in which it is administered.

  Provided that the requirements of the 1986 Act are fulfilled, my right hon. Friend will continue to grant under section 5 project licences authorising particular programmes of work involving living animals. The modification of drugs to improve their efficacy or reduce their unwanted side effects is an important route of scientific and therapeutic advance. Any application for a project licence which clearly sought to develop a drug already on the market would not, however, be granted. The use of animals in the safety testing of cosmetics accounted for less than one quarter of a per cent. of all animal tests carried out in this country in 1990. Reductions in the number of tests on animals for whatever purpose depend heavily on scientific advances in the development of acceptable alternatives, their validation, and their acceptance by regulatory bodies.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what change there has been, since 1 January 1991, in his policy of counting the number of LD50 force feeding tasks on live animals; and what were the numbers of such tests in each of the last five years;

  (2) what representations he has received over (a) recent increases in the LD50 force feeding test on live animals and (b) the utility and possibility of replacement of this test; and if he will make a statement.
  346
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Substances administered in acute toxicity tests are not always given by means of a tube inserted into the stomach. The statistics do not differentiate between routes of administration.

  There has been encouraging progress in further reducing the need for formal LD50 tests. As a result of a British initiative led by the Department of Health and supported and part funded by the Home Office, a testing method which does not rely on lethality as an end point has been developed, validated and accepted by international regulatory bodies as a replacement of the LD50 test in many areas of toxicity testing. We understand that the new test will be incorporated into OECD guidelines next year.

  There has been no change since 1 January 1991 in the counting of LD50 tests. However, it is not possible to identify these tests separately in the statistics because they are included in the wider group of acute and subacute quantitative whole body lethal toxicity tests. The 1990 figures for this group are given in columns (8) and (9) of table 14 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1990" (Cm 1574), a copy of which is in the Library of the House. The descriptions of the classifications of toxicity tests were amended slightly for clarification in the 1990 statistics which means that this group now includes tests previously recorded in other columns of the tables. Taking all acute and subacute whole body toxicity tests together gives comparable figures for Great Britain as follows:

  Thousands of procedures

  Acute and subacute whole body toxicity tests

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Lethal

  234

  233

  176

  206

  Non-Lethal

  166

  148

  143

  139

  All

  400

  381

  319

  345

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what figures he has for each of the last three years of the number bred of(a) animals with a harmful genetic defect or (b) transgenic animals; and whether he will make a statement on trends indicated by these figures.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The number of scientific procedures started in 1990 using animals bred with harmful genetic defects (including transgenic animals as a separate category) is given in table 15 of "Statistics of Scientific Procedures on Living Animals, Great Britain 1990" (Cm 1574), a copy of which is in the Library. As explained in paragraph 19 of the introductory notes and paragraph 24(m) of the Commentary in the Command Paper, there are no comparable figures for earlier years.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the number of juvenile offenders(a) cautioned and (b) found guilty by a court in each year since 1980;

  (2) what (a) percentage and (b) number of incidents reported to police in each year since 1980 he estimates were committed by juveniles;

  (3) what was the source of figures on juvenile offending referred to in his oral statement on 12 December at column 1068.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information referred to in my oral statement at column 1097 on 12 December is published in the annual Command Paper (Cm. 1322) criminal statistics, England and Wales 1989, chapter 5, copies of which can be found in the Library.

  Information on the number of incidents committed by juveniles reported to the police is not collected centrally. the data from "Criminal Statistics 1989" given in the table below relate to the number of juveniles (persons aged 10 to under 17 years) cautioned and found guilty of indictable offences and as a percentage of all persons cautioned and found guilty.

  "Criminal Statistics 1990" will not be published until the spring of 1992.

  Number of juveniles (persons aged 10 to under 17) cautioned and found guilty of indictable offences and as a percentage of all persons cautioned and found guilty 1980–1989

  England and Wales

  Thousands

  All persons cautioned and found guilty

  Cautioned and found guilty

  Juveniles (10 to under 17)

  ( = 100 per cent.)

  No.

  Per cent.

  No.

  No.

  1980

  555·3

  175·8

  32

  85·5

  90·2

  1981

  567·3

  174·3

  31

  87·6

  86·7

  1982

  585·1

  174·5

  30

  93·0

  81·8

  1983

  574·5

  167·9

  29

  94·6

  73·4

  1984

  571·3

  169·2

  30

  99·0

  70·1

  1985

  587·0

  175·7

  30

  112·5

  63·1

  1986

  518·6

  141·5

  27

  93·5

  48·0

  1987

  533·8

  137·6

  26

  95·7

  42·0

  1988

  524·3

  119·3

  23

  82·9

  36·5

  1989

  472·7

  99·3

  21

  72·8

  26·4

  Sir Basil Feldman
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many times in the last 12 months he has met Sir Basil Feldman;

  (2) when was the last time he met Sir Basil Feldman; and what subjects were discussed;

  (3) when he last discussed Sunday trading with Sir Basil Feldman.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  To discuss Sunday trading, Sir Basil Feldman called on my right hon. Friend on 13 March 1991 and on me on 5 June.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that those shops that have been trading on Sundays in contravention 348
  of current English law do not retain the resulting profits, in the event of a European Court of Justice decision upholding that law.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has from police authorities and chief constables on the financial and manpower consequences for policing as a result of the opening of shopping facilities on the four Sundays before Christmas.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None. Deployment of police officers is a matter for the chief constables concerned.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring before Parliament a statutory instrument to amend schedule 4 of the Criminal Justice Act 1988 to include offences under section 47 of the Shops Act 1950.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 16 December to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Congleton (Mrs. Winterton) at columns 10–11.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when he received the Durham university business school report "Women and Work" on women's attitudes to working unsocial hours in the retail trade;

  (2) what conclusions he has drawn from the Durham university business school report "Women and Work" for any changes to the law on Sunday trading.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend and I received copies of the report on 27 and 26 November respectively. The report is currently being evaluated.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on changes to the Sunday trading laws in France.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  None.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the extent to which food superstores opening on Sundays are complying with the licensing laws in every respect.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Because the enforcement of the liquor licensing law in England and Wales is a local matter for the police, no such assessment is called for.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what account he has taken of the Robert George industrial tribunal decision on Sunday working in considering his policy on the reform of the law on Sunday trading.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Policy implications, if any, of decisions of industrial tribunals are primarily for the Department of Employment. In developing policy on reform of the law on Sunday trading, we work closely with them on the interests of those who do and do not wish to work in retailing on Sundays.

  Operation Container
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his reply of 13 December,Official Report, column 580, what representations he has received from people and organisations in Lancashire outside Greater Manchester about Operation Container.
  349
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Representations have been received from Lancashire county council and from other sources in respect of the use of police cells in Lancashire. On 18 December the Lancashire constabulary held 100 adult prisoners who should be in prison. As my earlier reply explained, this use of police cells is unacceptable and my right hon. Friend and I are determined that it should be brought to an end in the shortest possible time.

  Foundation for Business Responsibility
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the organisation Foundation for Business Responsibility is recognised as a legitimate charity by the Charity Commission.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Foundation for Business Responsibilities was registered by the Charity Commission on 17 April 1967. Its objects are the promotion of education in industrial and commercial affairs.

  BBC Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what will be the pay for the new chairman-elect of the board of governors of BBC Wales, including the pay for being on the BBC main board of governors; and what is the basis of days worked per week or month on which the appointment has been made of Dr. Gwyn Jones.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The BBC board of governors comprises 12 governors, of whom one is chairman, another vice-chairman and three more are respectively national governors for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. As part of their duties, the national governors also serve as chairmen of their respective national broadcasting councils. The BBC national governor for Wales is therefore chairman of the Broadcasting Council for Wales.

  The remuneration of the BBC national governor for Wales (and that of the national governors for Scotland and Northern Ireland) is £14,150 per annum on the basis of one and a half days per week. Dr. Gwyn Jones' appointment as the new national governor for Wales is therefore on the basis of one and half days per week.

  Immigration
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many visas were granted at United Kingdom posts abroad for the purpose of entering the United Kingdom to seek asylum in(a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1990 and (d) 1991 to the nearest available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information, which may understate, is of grants of asylum to principal applications which were made overseas. The recorded figures are shown in the table.

  Grants1 2 of asylum to principal applications received by British posts abroad and referred to the Home Office for decision

  Year

  Number

  1988

  15

  1989

  15

  31990

  5

  3 41991

  10

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Figures rounded to the nearest 5.

  350
  3Provisional figures, which may understate because of delays in recording.

  4 (January to June).

  Miscarriages of Justice
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many applications for compensation for miscarriages of justice he received in the last year for which figures are available;

  (2) how many applications for ex-gratia payments for compensation for miscarriages of justice he received in the last year for which figures are available; how many were successful, and what were the highest and lowest payments made.

  Mr. John Patten
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has received for ex-gratia payments from women who were wrongly convicted under byelaws at RAF Greenham Common; how many have been successful; and what has been the average level of award.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have received eight applications for compensation from women who were convicted under the RAF Greenham Common byelaws 1985. None of these applications has been granted.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications he has turned down for ex-gratia payments from women who were wrongly convicted under byelaws at RAF Greenham Common; and for what reasons he has refused these payments.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have refused five ex-gratia payment applications from women who were convicted under the RAF Greenham Common byelaws 1985. The applications were refused because they did not meet the criteria of the ex-gratia scheme for compensation.

  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to pay the first instalment of compensation to John McGranagan following his wrongful conviction.

  Mr. John Patten
  Mr. McGranaghan's application for compensation was received last month. My right hon. Friend hopes to be in a position to reach a decision soon.

  Sexual Offences
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of male homosexual rape have been recorded in Her Majesty's prisons in each of the years for which numbers have been recorded; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I regret that the information requested is not recorded centrally.

  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to amend the law so as to make sexual offences under United Kingdom law but committed outside the United Kingdom actionable in the British courts, particularly in respect of minors.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have no plans to extend the jurisdiction of our courts in this way.

  Drugs
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of drug-related projects which have received financial support from his Department during 1991; and how much support they have been given.

  Mr. John Patten
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the lower limit for eligibility for compensation under the criminal injuries compensation scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  A guiding principle in considering the allocation of available resources for the compensation for victims of crimes of violence is that compensation should go to the more serious cases. The Government are committed to upholding that principle.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have decided that to ensure the maintenance of this principle, applications for compensation received by the board on or after 6 January 1992 will be met only where the injury sustained would attract an award of at least £1,000.

  The 27th annual report of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board recently announced a record annual payment to the victims of crimes of violence of £109·3 million in 1990–91, 50 per cent. more than the previous year.

  Total spending on the CICB scheme in England, Wales and Scotland is set to rise to £144 million in 1992–93, £157 million in 1993–94 and £161 million in 1994–95.

  The increase in funding from £48 million in 1987–88 to £144 million in 1992–93, £96 million amounts to a rise of 300 per cent.

  Trevi and Immigration Ministers
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the meetings of Trevi and European Community Immigration Ministers in The Hague on 2 and 3 December.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The meeting of Ministers concerned with immigration was the 11 th in the series of meetings held towards the end of each presidency since 1986. The Minister of State, my right hon. Friend the Member for Oxford, West and Abingdon (Mr. Patten), attended on my behalf.

  Immigration Ministers approved a report for submission to the European Council on the harmonisation of immigration and asylum policies, as requested at the Luxembourg European Council. The report contained a detailed work programme for implementation over the next few years. The report made by Immigration Ministers has subsequently been endorsed by the European Council meeting at Maastricht.

  In the asylum field, Ministers agreed that every effort should be made to ensure ratification of the Dublin convention by the end of 1992 at the latest.

  Ministers also agreed that everything possible should be done to resolve the outstanding problem (concerning Gibraltar) which has prevented signature of the draft external frontiers convention.
  352
  The meeting of Trevi Ministers endorsed measures to strengthen practical police co-operation. These include: the establishment of national contact points for public order matters; guidelines having the aim of strengthening the mutual assistance in criminal cases; recommendations on the controlled delivery of drugs; and police co-operation in common frontier zones. The Ministers agreed to submit a report to the European Council, prepared by the ad hoc working group chaired by the United Kingdom, recommending the establishment of a central European criminal investigation office, "Europol", with a drugs unit as its first stage. Ministers also agreed, at the United Kingdom's suggestion, that car crime be placed on Trevi's agenda and that the United Kingdom should convene an ad hoc seminar of experts on this subject during the Portuguese presidency.

  Visas
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will lift visa restrictions for Polish citizens.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to do so.

HEALTH

  Children's Homes
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he has in hand to ensure the proper protection of children in residential homes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that my right hon. Friend gave to a private notice question from my hon. Friend the Member for Leicestershire, North-West (Mr. Ashby) on 2 December at columns 23–29.

  Leicestershire county council is today announcing the appointment of Mr. Andrew Kirkwood QC to chair the inquiry to be conducted by the council into matters arising from the recent criminal trial of child care officers formerly employed in the council's children's homes. He will be assisted by two assessors who have yet to be appointed.

  Skin Cancers and Cataracts
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimates he has made of the number of cases of(a) skin cancer broken down into melanoma and non-melanoma and (b) cataracts as a result of ozone depletion in the United Kingdom in (i) 1995, (ii) 2000, (iii) 2005 and (iv) 2010.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Any assessment of long-term health effects resulting from depletion of the ozone layer, with a concomitant increase in ground levels of ultraviolet radiation, would be influenced strongly by assumptions made about global future releases of various pollutants, particularly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs). The United Kingdom strongly supports the Montreal protocol on the phasing out or reduction in emissions of the most harmful of these pollutants. In addition, increased awareness of the dangers of excessive exposure to sunlight will influence public behaviour in relation to sunbathing habits. It is therefore not possible to predict with any confidence the incidence of skin cancer or cataracts in the future. However, trends in the incidence rates of these diseases will continue to be monitored.
  353
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many cases of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, squamous cell and basal cell, have been reported in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for each of the years 1980 to 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Registrations of cases of malignant melanoma of skin (ICD1 172), and other malignant neoplasm of skin (ICD1173) for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland for each of the years 1980 to 1990, the latest year for which figures are available, are as follows.

  Malignant melanoma of skin

  Year

  England

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  1980

  1,827

  93

  285

  37

  1981

  1,952

  96

  261

  47

  1982

  1,990

  116

  285

  36

  1983

  2,080

  168

  333

  35

  1984

  2,083

  148

  251

  46

  1985

  2,494

  162

  429

  39

  1986

  2,635

  167

  444

  50

  1987

  n.a.

  n.a.

  404

  51

  1988

  n.a.

  n.a.

  500

  44

  1989

  n.a.

  n.a.

  478

  35

  1990

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  58

  Other malignant neoplasm of skin2

  1980

  18,965

  1,250

  2,531

  536

  1981

  20,035

  1,234

  2,653

  530

  1982

  19,742

  1,108

  2,650

  529

  1983

  20,981

  755

  2,816

  512

  1984

  20,892

  1,362

  2,880

  486

  1985

  21,994

  1,349

  3,127

  484

  1986

  25,265

  1,502

  3,221

  483

  1987

  n.a.

  n.a.

  3,223

  549

  1988

  n.a.

  n.a.

  3,718

  551

  1989

  n.a.

  n.a.

  3,956

  510

  1990

  n.a.

  n.a.

  n.a.

  538

  1 International Classification of Diseases code (ninth revision)

  2 Registration of cancers from these sites are well known to be particularly difficult and liable to incompleteness.

  It would not be possible to distinguish between squamous cell and basal cell carcinomas without disproportionate cost.

  It was recognised by the working party chaired by Professor Eva Alberman which reported last year on the national cancer registration scheme (Series MB1 No. 17) that better and more timely figures were required. Many of the working party's 17 recommendations are currently being taken forward by the cancer registries in the regional health authorities and by the NHS information management group in the Department. At OPCS, the large and complex computer system is being completely redeveloped. This will not be ready until 1994, but results for England and Wales for 1987 should be published by spring next year and those for 1988 by the end of the year.

  Ozone Depletion
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many staff are working in his Department full-time on the human health effect of ozone depletion in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No staff are employed full-time on this specific area. A number of officials are engaged on work relating to health aspects of radiation in the environment, including ultraviolet and other non-ionising radiations. The National Radiological Protection Board also employs scientific staff on work in these areas.
  354
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list any studies his Department has undertaken or commissioned on the human health impacts of ozone depletion over the United Kingdom; and if it has any plans to do any further studies.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The predominant health effects which might arise as a result of the depletion in the ozone layer would be as a consequence of an increased exposure to solar ultraviolet radiation. The National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) has three stations in the United Kingdom which constantly monitor levels of ultraviolet light from the sun. The data obtained from these monitoring stations is published annually.

  The NRPB and other research groups in the United Kingdom and abroad have undertaken a number of studies into the health effects of ultraviolet radiation and further research is either under way or planned.

  In addition, the NRPB has established an advisory group which will, among other things, review these studies and will advise on the need for further research when its review is complete. The Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) is also being kept informed of development in this area.

  Refugee Children
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider providing special funding for the local authorities caring for unaccompanied refugee children.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We recognise that the cost of caring for these children bears heavily on a small number of local authorities. The authorities concerned are mostly in London where the standard spending assessments are higher than the national average because they face additional pressures such as this. For 1992–93 the children's personal social services standard spending assessment for London is over twice the national average and that for Inner London nearly four times the national average. It is for the authorities themselves to make their own decisions on priorities for local services.

  London Hospitals
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the numbers of empty beds at the Charing Cross hospital, Hammersmith; what is the current waiting list for operations in the North West Thames regional health authority; and if he has any changes planned for the hospital functions in the future.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested for North West Thames regional health authority is given in the table. Information on the number of empty beds is not collected centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. Ian Dixon, the chairman of Riverside health authority, for details. There are no current plans for changes in the hospital functions.

  North West Thames RHA: Latest waiting times

  Waiting time

  Total in September 1991

  Total in October 1991

  Percentage change

  Over 2 years

  5,687

  5,025

  -12

  1–2 years

  11,684

  11,471

  -2

  Under 1 year

  44,816

  42,933

  -4

  Total

  62,187

  59,429

  -4·4

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health further to his answer to the hon. Member for Bury, North (Mr. Burt) of 12 December,Official Report, columns 484–85, if he will extend the application in principle of the conscience clause in the Abortion Act 1967 to (a) pharmacists who are asked to participate in abortions by dispensing abortifacient drugs for that purpose, (b) medical secretaries who are asked to participate in abortions by processing administrative details required for abortions and (c) other medical and ancillary staff required to assist in the process of abortion except where their assistance is purely for the purpose of caring for mother and baby.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Section 4 of the Abortion Act 1967 makes provision for conscientious objection to participation in treatment authorised by the Act. Its operation cannot be extended except by primary legislation. However, in recognition of the particular concern expressed about the position of those ancillary staff in hospitals who are involved in the handling of fetuses and fetal tissue, hospital managers have been asked to apply the principle of section 4 to any ancillary staff who express a conscientious objection to participation in that activity. We have no plans to ask managers to apply the principle to other personnel who are not directly concerned with the handling of fetuses and fetal tissue.

  Arachnoiditis
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work has been carried out by his Department on arachnoiditis, including investigations of its cause, symptoms and the prognosis for suffers; what research he has funded into treatments and possible cure; and what information his Department has about claims for compensation by sufferers whose condition is alleged to have been caused by the administration of Myodil.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research is the Medical Research Council (MRC) which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. The MRC is not currently supporting any research specifically into arachnoiditis.

  We are aware that litigation is proceeding on behalf of people who claim damage through the administration of myodil.

  General Medical Services
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what resources will be made available for the cash limited general medical services in 1992–93.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) on 19 December.

  RHAs (Capital Spending)
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the amounts to be allocated to regional health authorities for capital spending in 1992–93.
  356
  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Bolton, North-East (Mr. Thurnham) on 19 December.

  NHS Trusts
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will announce National Health Service trusts' external financing limits for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Birmingham, Northfield (Mr. King) on 19 December.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether it is possible for a national health service trust to merge with non-trust health services without(a) public consultation or (b) without application to the Secretary of State for Health.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We will be issuing detailed guidance on NHS trust mergers and acquisitions early in the new year. Where an NHS trust plans to merge with non-trust health services and this requires an amendment to the original statutory instrument formally establishing the trust the regional health authority will consult in accordance with section 5 of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 under an order made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In any other case the district health authority in question will consult the community health council.

  Hospital Eye Service
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many referrals to the hospital eye service of persons above the age of 60 years took place in each year since 1987;

  (2) how many referrals to the hospital eye service there were of (a) glaucoma, (b) cataract and (c) age-related maculopathy, in each year since 1987.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Complex Lenses
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the values of the complex lens entitlements within the spectable voucher scheme of the national health service for patients who have had a national health service eye examination on grounds of their complex lens eligibility only, and for patients who have had a national health service eye examination on grounds of insufficient income and who are found to require a prescription for complex lenses; and what information he has on the prevailing market prices of the cheapest available complex lenses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The value of the complex lenses "supplement" for patients who are entitled to vouchers on the grounds of complex lens eligibility is £3·70 for single vision spectacles and £19·70 for bifocals. Patients who are otherwise entitled under the voucher scheme and who have prescriptions for complex lenses will receive a C voucher (£49·00) for single vision spectacles or an F voucher (£104·20) for bifocals. The Department's annual survey of voucher values indicates that spectacles with complex lenses are available within voucher values.

  Spectacles
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provision is made for people claiming attendance allowance to meet the cost of spectacle lenses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  People in receipt of attendance allowance can claim help with their spectacle lenses under the NHS low income scheme.

  North East Thames RHA
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the procedures leading up to the recent appointment of North East Thames regional health authority's general manager followed good practice in equal opportunities employment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Individual appointments to NHS posts are a matter for the relevant employing authorities. The NHS is committed to equal opportunities in employment. Normally, we would expect all NHS posts, including those at senior management level, to be advertised and openly competitive. However, there may be exceptional circumstances in which the adoption of other procedures is justified.

WALES

  Trawsfynydd Power Station
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the results and conclusions of the recent radiation monitoring programme carried out on the environment around Trawsfynydd power station by the fisheries radiological inspectorate on behalf of the Welsh Office.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On behalf of the Welsh Office, the fisheries radiological inspectorate regularly monitors levels of radioactivity in a variety of materials in the aquatic environment around Trawsfynydd power station. The results of this monitoring are pubished annually in the report "Radioactivity in Surface and Coastal Waters of the British Isles", copies of which are placed in the Library of the House.

  In addition to this regular monitoring of fish and sediments at Trawsfynydd an enhanced programme of analysis was set up earlier this year by the inspectorate to measure radioactivity in sediment profiles at Trawsfynydd lake. This work has recently been completed and the results have been made available to the local community liaison committee. They are broadly consistent with earlier readings obtained by Nuclear Electric. The radioactivity present in the sediments is at a low level.

  In terms of overall exposure to radioactivity by the public, the most highly exposed group are people who fish the lake and consume their catch. Expert advice is that the total radiation dose likely to be received by this group is no more than 10 per cent. of the internationally recommended limit of 1 mSv per year, i.e. well within the recognised safety limit.

  Roads
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cost, expected start and completion date of the Deeside Park to Drove Corner road scheme.
  358
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The scheme is expected to start between April 1994 and March 1997 at a cost of around £17 million. Construction is likely to take two years.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the cost and expected start and completion date of the Woodbank Junction to Deeside Park road scheme.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This scheme is planned to start between April 1994 and March 1997 at a cost of around £16 million. Construction is likely to take about one and a half years.

  Disabled Employees
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of people registered as disabled in each grade in his Department and Cadw.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Number

  Grade 6

  2

  SEO

  1

  HEO

  4

  EO

  6

  AO

  7

  AA

  15

  Support grades

  6

  The grade categories shown include equivalent professional grades.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's policy on the employment of people registered as disabled; and what initiatives he has taken to increase the number of people registered as disabled employed by his Department.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department is fully committed to an equal opportunities policy which states that no job applicant or employee should receive less favourable treatment on the grounds of disablement. I have placed a copy of my Department's "Guide to Equal Opportunities" in the Library of the House.

  The initiatives my Department has taken include the appointment of a departmental disabled persons officer; close liaison with the Department of Employment, disablement advisory services and disablement resettlement officers, particularly on recruitment of disabled staff; the establishment of a work experience scheme for clients of the Cardiff employment rehabilitation centre; and the provision of special aids and equipment to disabled officers to enable them to carry out their duties effectively.

  A further programme of action to achieve equality of opportunity in the Welsh Office for disabled people is to be issued to staff early in 1992. This will contain details of current practice and areas for future development with measurable objectives and target dates for their achievement.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the coalfield communities concerning RECHAR funds.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received a significant number of representations from hon. Members, including the hon.
  359
  Gentleman himself, local authorities and other bodies about RECHAR and have discussed the matter with a number of them. I have consistently made it clear that I am extremely concerned that these EC resources remain blocked by Commissioner Milian and I hope that the whole matter can be resolved as soon as possible.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what action he is taking to release RECHAR funds for Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am concerned that Commissioner Milian has not yet approved the RECHAR programme for industrial south Wales and I discussed this matter with his director general when I was in Brussels last month.

  Run-Down Mining Areas (Grants)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what European funds have been received by his Department for (i) factory units, (ii) small businesses, (iii) promotion of tourism, (iv) training, (v) retraining and (vi) infrastructural and environmental improvements in run-down mining areas.

  Mr. David Hunt
  For the period 1989–91, £88 million from the European structural funds was committed to the Clwyd and industrial south Wales integrated development operation programmes, which cover Welsh coalfield areas. The operational programmes allocate the funding as shown in the table:

  1989–91 structural funds commitments to industrial south Wales and Clwyd IDOP areas

  ESF1

  ERDF £

  £ million

  £ million

  Industrial South Wales IDO

  Industrial infrastructure

  —

  14·03

  Communications

  —

  13·31

  Business development

  9·87

  2·61

  Environment

  0·84

  4·17

  Tourism

  3·42

  9·73

  Research and development

  3·30

  4·46

  Total

  17·43

  48·31

  Clwyd IDO

  Productive Activities

  —

  7·37

  Communications

  —

  3·19

  Business development

  1·49

  0·60

  Regional Image

  0·13

  3·38

  Tourism

  0·47

  5·18

  Technology

  0·50

  0·20

  Total

  2·59

  19·92

  1 European social fund.

  2 European regional development fund.

  Children's Homes
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his policy to encourage local authorities in Wales to appoint mature women who have brought up a family to run children's homes.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A review of children's homes in Wales has recently been completed by social services inspectorate, Wales, and a report is currently under consideration. While its recommendations are designed to secure improvements in the management and running of all children's homes in Wales, and it discusses in particular 360
  the need to develop the existing skills of mature and experienced staff in order best to meet the needs of the children, the selection of staff is, and will remain, the responsibility of local care authorities.

  BBC Wales
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what changes there will be in the pay and terms and conditions of employment of Dr. Gwyn Jones as chairman of the Welsh Development Agency subsequent to his appointment as chairman-elect of the BBC Wales board of governors.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The pay and terms and conditions of Dr. Jones's commitment to the WDA will now be reviewed.

  Swansea College
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if the revised articles of government for Swansea college have been approved by the Welsh Office; and what are the current articles in force for the college.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Using powers vested in him under the Education Reform Act 1988 my right hon. Friend approved the revised articles of government for Swansea college submitted by West Glamorgan local education authority subject to amendments in August. I understand that the authority has accepted the amendments and will shortly be making the necessary order to bring the articles into effect. Until this is done the articles in force are those which were made by the authority under the Education (No. 2) Act 1968 which came into effect in March 1976.

  Training (Cardiff)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his reply of 16 December,Official Report, column 73, if he will make it his policy to meet representatives of the South Glamorgan training and enterprise council, the South Glamorgan women's workshop and the Cardiff information technology centre, to consider alternative locations for a training centre of excellence; if he will meet the chairman of the Cardiff Bay development corporation to consider alternative uses for the previously earmarked training centre of excellence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The location of the proposed training centre is a matter for the development corporation and the other bodies concerned in the first instance and it would be inappropriate for me to intervene at this stage.

  House Repossessions
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with Tai Cymru regarding the resources required by Welsh housing associations to acquire mortgaged properties at risk of repossession for rent to occupants eligible for housing benefit as sitting tenants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The statement yesterday by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, about the package agreed between the Government and mortgage lenders to tackle mortgage repossessions, explained that mortgage lenders would be providing the
  361
  resources for housing associations to acquire mortgaged properties at risk of repossession. We and Housing for Wales are having discussions with mortgage lenders in Wales about the implementation of their scheme.

  Third Dee Crossing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will convene a conference at shire hall, Mold, of Clwyd county councillors, Alyn and Deeside councillors, town and community councils of Deeside, employers and trades unionists to discuss plans for a third Dee crossing.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  No. A meeting has been arranged in London on 28 January to discuss the third Dee crossing with the hon. Member and a delegation from the Alyn and Deeside district council.

  Groundwater
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of representations he has received since 6 December in connection with his groundwater consultations.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since 6 December I have received 77 letters about groundwater-related matters, 61 of which were in identical terms; 59 of those 77 letters were included in the total figure that I gave the hon. Gentleman in my answer on 13 December.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of the correspondence between him and the Welsh Region of the National Rivers Authority referred to in the December 1991 National Rivers Authority position statement on the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill, relating to the National Rivers Authority and the Secretary of State's general environmental duty and the assurances sought by the authority that the conservation implications of the barrage had been taken into account in arriving at the decision to promote the Bill.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The correspondence referred to was between officials of the NRA and my Department. It would not be appropriate for it to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what policy considerations were taken into account in removing in the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill the right conferred by paragraphs 52(1) and (2) of the Cardiff Bay Barrage Bill for householders outside the protected property line to make a claim for remedial work against damage caused by rising groundwater, irrespective of whether that householder had previously commissioned a pre-impoundment survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Bill provides for properties within the protected property line to be surveyed before and after impoundment in order to determine whether there have been any effects from rising groundwater. Owners and occupiers of properties outside the protected property line but within Cardiff, Penarth and Llandough who choose to have pre- and post-impoundment surveys undertaken are also entitled to benefit from the scheme. By an anomaly, cause 52 of the private Bill also entitled householders in 362
  Cardiff, Penarth and Llandough but outside the protected property line to a survey and remedial works even if they had not opted for the initial surveys.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the intake of new patients per million population in Wales in 1990 for kidney treatment.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  There were 80·6 new patients accepted for treatment of end stage renal failure per million population in Wales in 1990.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has taken to assist kidney patients in Wales; and what new measures he proposes to help kidney patients in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave on 12 November 1991.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the rate of(a) female unemployment, (b) male unemployment and (c) long-term unemployment in Dyfed.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In November 1991 the unemployment rates for men and women in Dyfed were 11·3 per cent. and 5·6 per cent. of the work force respectively.

  The latest available long-term unemployment data are for October, when 1·8 per cent. of the Dyfed work force had been unemployed for more than one year.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to assist the unemployed in Dyfed.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department, the Welsh Development Agency and other Government agencies operate a wide range of measures aimed at combating unemployment. The Welsh Office and all the other bodies will continue to look for and respond swiftly to opportunities that arise which have the potential to reduce unemployment.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to assist the unemployed in the Fishguard area.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department, the Welsh Development Agency and other Government agencies operate a wide range of measures aimed at combating unemployment. The Welsh Office and all the other bodies will continue to look for and respond swiftly to opportunities that arise which have the potential to reduce unemployment. I have, in particular, asked the Welsh Development Agency and West Wales TEC, in association with the local authorities and employment services, to consider what action needs to be taken to alleviate the effects of the proposed closure of RNAD Trecwn.

  Naval Base, Trecwn
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will visit the Royal Navy base at Trecwn, Dyfed.
  363
  Mr. David Hunt
  At present, I have no plans to do so.I met a deputation from the depot on 9 September.

  Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his written answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West, of 17 December,Official Report, column 137, what was the average annual rate of increase in national health service expenditure in Wales as measured in input unit costs (a) from 1974–75 to 1978–79 and (b) from 1979–80 to 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The average increases were as follows:

  a. 2·8 per cent. pa

  b. 2·3 per cent. pa

  However, I was interested in why the hon. Gentleman chose these dates and asked for input unit costs. Taking the dividing year as 1979–80 (the last year of the Labour Government spending programme) the figures are:

  a. 1·7 per cent. pa

  b. 2·4 per cent. pa

  As I pointed out in the answer that I gave the hon. Gentleman on 17 December, changes in input volumes are an inadequate guide to the level of services the NHS can be expected to achieve since they do not reflect the continuing success of NHS management in increasing the efficiency with which it uses resources.

  In two of the five years of the last Labour Government NHS spending adjusted by the GDP deflator actually fell. The increase in the five years of the last Labour Government in real terms was 9 per cent. compared with about 60 per cent. in 12 years under this Government No amount of mathematical ingenuity on the part of the hon. Gentleman can hide the fact that real terms increases in spending under the Government is double that of the last

  Table 1

  Cost per patient using a bed

  Unit cost—£ per day

  Hospital type B—acute general hospitals: group 1

  Low

  Average

  High

  Number of hospitals

  Medical specialties:

  Paediatrics

  74·37

  124·38

  179·81

  13

  Geriatrics

  51·29

  64·44

  312·39

  9

  Other

  58·82

  83·25

  103·09

  15

  Surgical specialties:

  General surgery

  Urology

  102·74

  113·51

  141·21

  15

  Orthopaedics

  58·76

  95·68

  123·30

  13

  ENT

  68·10

  128·44

  250·80

  11

  Opthalmology

  67·34

  123·27

  158·96

  10

  Gynaecology

  79·39

  111·71

  134·26

  13

  Dental Specialties

  105·52

  200·76

  279·88

  10

  Neurosurgery

  151·45

  151·45

  151·45

  1

  Other surgical

  104·40

  113·43

  113·58

  2

  Maternity function

  Obstetrics

  109·59

  147·64

  543·97

  11

  GP

  109·71

  124·56

  125·11

  2

  Psychiatric specialties

  Mental handicap

  106·85

  106·85

  106·85

  1

  Other

  41·97

  63·39

  108·65

  5

  Other specialties:

  GP (excluding maternity)

  1·61

  1·61

  1·61

  1

  Radiotherapy

  80·86

  80·86

  80·86

  1

  Patheology-radiology

  8·20

  82·42

  113·81

  4

  364
  Labour Government—a Labour Government who cut the hospital building programme and reduced the pay of doctors and nurses in real terms.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he will respond to the fourth report of the Welsh Affairs Committee, Session 1990–91, "Rail Services in Wales (HC Paper 262).

  Mr. David Hunt
  I am pleased to announce that the response has been published today as Cm 1785.

  Operations
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what variations may be found between the costs of each type of operation carried out under the national health service in Wales; what is the average cost; and what are the highest and lowest costs.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 5 December 1991]: Information regarding the costs of each type of operation carried out under the national health service in Wales is not collected centrally.

  Data relating to specialty costs are available in the booklet "Welsh Health Costing Returns" and the latest version of this, for 1989–90, is available in the Library of the House. However, for ease of reference the following tables provide some information from the booklet giving high and low costs, and average costs by specialty within the least heterogeneous group of Welsh hospitals—acute general hospitals group I (i.e. those which are the main general acute hospitals providing a wide range of in-patient and out-patient specialist services together with the necessary support services)—illustrating:

  (i) cost per patient using bed (in-patients) Table 1

  (ii) cost per day care attendance (day cases) Table 2

  (iii) cost per out-patient attendance. Table 3

  365

  Low

  Average

  High

  Number of hospitals

  Anaesthetics

  35·73

  170·56

  1,161·90

  3

  A and E

  10·24

  38·28

  74·36

  2

  Table 2

  Cost per day care attendance

  £ unit cost

  Hospital type B—acute general hospitals: group 1

  Low

  Average

  High

  Number of hospitals

  Medical specialties:

  Paediatrics

  33·64

  33·64

  33·64

  1

  Geriatrics

  22·20

  27·75

  35·37

  7

  Psychiatric specialties:

  Other

  8·92

  18·09

  24·42

  5

  Other specialties:

  Radiotherapy

  26·63

  26·63

  26·63

  1

  Table 3

  Cost per out-patient attendance

  £ unit cost

  Hospital type B—acute general hospitals: group 1

  Low

  Average

  High

  Number of hospitals

  Medical specialties:

  Paediatrics

  28·37

  42·05

  69·40

  14

  Geriatrics

  22·72

  38·34

  60·88

  11

  Other

  10·13

  25·75

  42·14

  15

  Surgical specialties:

  General surgery/urology

  23·36

  27·83

  37·34

  15

  Orthopaedics

  13·42

  24·83

  37·14

  14

  ENT

  14·64

  29·72

  44·22

  14

  Ophthalmology

  8·40

  20·32

  28·42

  12

  Gynaecology

  18·20

  27·09

  46·34

  13

  Dental specialties

  11·24

  22·46

  52·50

  13

  Neurosurgery

  3·02

  29·59

  169·22

  8

  Plastic surgery

  4·89

  10·61

  19·13

  10

  Other surgical

  7·93

  23·64

  29·22

  3

  Maternity function:

  Obstetrics

  15·87

  26·49

  229·36

  11

  GP

  18·87

  30·02

  35·96

  2

  Psychiatric specialties:

  Mental handicap

  26·87

  31·26

  40·17

  2

  Other

  13·63

  32·75

  95·64

  14

  Other specialties:

  Radiotherapy

  1·97

  41·41

  96·87

  13

  Path/Radiology

  2·70

  12·65

  43·81

  6

  Anaesthetics

  19·05

  46·96

  69·97

  4

  A& E

  12·78

  26·66

  27·06

  2

  Specialty costing in its current form was introduced in 1987–88 and represents the average cost of treating a broad range of conditions within each specialty grouping. This costing is undertaken annually by disaggregating total costs via a process of direct allocation and cost apportionment.

  Whilst it represents an improvement on the sort of "whole hospital" costing available prior to 1987–88, caution should be taken when using this information for comparison purposes since it does not take account of (i) differences in the case mix (in terms of condition, complexity and severity) within each specialty as between different hospitals which have an impact upon the levels and type of staffing and equipment necessary to provide appropriate care and (ii) differences in the range, age and
  366
  condition of the hospital accommodation which have an impact upon the pattern and overhead costs of service delivery. The averages shown should not therefore be regarded as normative standards against which efficiency or quality of service can be judged, since it must be recognised that a wide and complex range of factors need to be taken into account when making such assessments. However, authorities are encouraged when analysing their costs to explore those areas of service delivery where costing figures suggest significant differences between authorities.

  The specialty costing booklet for 1990–91 is due to be published in the new year, and it will be the last produced regarding the period prior to the NHS reforms. From 1991–92 onwards one of the benefits, indeed an imperative

  367
  of the NHS reforms, is that service providers will be obliged to cost their services more frequently, more accurately and in greater detail. To this end a major programme of investment in better information systems for resource management and case-mix costing purpose is currently under way. When fully implemented throughout Wales, these new systems will enable service providers to identify costs to sub-specialty levels—for example to "Diagnosis Related Groups" and, where necessary, to particular operations and procedures or even to individual patients, depending on the nature of the service contracts with purchasing authorities or GP fundholders.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Anthrax
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what review he has undertaken of the anthrax regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Following an outbreak in north Wales in 1989, the agriculture departments reviewed our arrangements for dealing with this disease. It was concluded that while the existing provisions were effective for the protection of animal and public health, the legislation should include some additional powers. These include powers to restrict the use of feedingstuffs, to require vaccinations where necessary and to move healthy animals to another place.

  The Anthrax Order 1991, which comes into force on 1 January 1992, incorporates these changes and clarifies responsibilities for dealing with anthrax, bringing the arrangements more into line with those for other diseases.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the changes made to the national insurance retirement pension since 1979, noting the date of implementation, the numbers affected and the full-year savings or cost, gross and net of savings or cost in other benefits.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The major changes and the effect of those changes made to the national insurance retirement pension since 1979 are as follows:

  1. November 1980—pensions uprating

  Alteration of statutory up-rating requirement to increase by prices, rather than whichever was the higher of prices or earnings. Affected all in receipt of retirement pension. Gross savings £65 million (1980–81).

  2. December 1984—married women's half-test

  Abolition of married women's half-test for those women who reached age 60 before 6 April 1979. Affected 25,000 women. Gross cost £30 million—net £25 million (1985–86).

  3. December 1984—hospital in-patients

  Husbands of married women in hospital treated as dependants for hospital downrating purposes in all cases. Implemented retrospectively April 1989. Actual numbers affected and costs not known.

  4. April 1988—time limits

  Time limits for claiming Retirement Pension extended from 3 to 12 months. Delayed claims can be backdated up to a 12 month absolute limit. Affected 27,000 potential cases. Gross cost estimated to be £2·5 million
  368
  in first year (1988–89).

  5. October 1989—earnings rule

  Abolition of retirement pensions earnings rule for men between age 65–69 and women between age 60–64. Resulted in 115,000 new claims and increased the rate of pension for a further 2,500 pensioners whose pension was reduced on account of the earnings rule. Gross cost £300 million (1990–91).

  Notes:

  1) Estimates of the net cost and savings on other benefits are not available, except for item 2.

  2) Records of ongoing costs are not retained for most benefits due to the expense of collating the information. The amounts quoted therefore apply to the information available at the time the change was implemented.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full year cost of raising the retirement pension by £5 per week for a single person and by £8 per week for a married person (i) in 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93, including increases in means-tested and national insurance benefits for Great Britain.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The gross cost would be £3·0 billion in 1991–92 and provisional estimates suggest that the gross cost will be the same in 1992–93.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the statutory instrument which links benefits to the category A basic retirement pension; and what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full year cost, net of tax, of raising by £5 per week for a single person and by £8 per week for a married person the retirement pension and (i) each linked benefit, (ii) each linked and means-tested benefit so that all of the people on linked benefits receive the increase, (iii) each of the linked benefits at the same level as the retirement pension, (iv) each of the linked benefits at the same level as the retirement pension and means-tested benefits so that all of the people on these linked benefits receive the increase, (1) for 1991–92 and (2) 1992–93, in each case including and excluding those below retirement age;

  (2) What would be the numbers of people affected above and below retirement age by raising by £5 per week for a single person and by £8 per week for a married person, the retirement pension and (a) each benefit linked by statute to the Category A Basic Retirement Pension, (b) each linked and means-tested benefit so that all of the people on linked benefits receive the increase, (c) each of the linked benefits at the same level as the retirement pension and (d) each of the linked benefits at the same level as the retirement pension and means-tested benefits so that all of the people on these linked benefits receive the increase, for Great Britain in 1991–92, listing separately the numbers on each benefits, including and excluding those below the retirement age.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 3 December 1991]: The following statutory provisions link the rate of other contributory benefits with the category A retirement pension: sections 14, 15, 25, 26 and 29 of the Social Security Act 1975 and sections 6, 7, 8, 13 and 14 of the Social Security Pensions Act 1975.

  The full-year net benefit cost of raising the category A, B, C and D basic retirement pensions by £5 for a single person and £3 for a category BL pension would be £1·84 billion in 1991–92 and £1·64 billion net of income tax. Detailed estimates for 1992–93 are not yet available.

  The full year costs of the other options in 1991–92 are as follows:
  369

  Table 1—Those at or above state pension age

  £ billion

  Net benefit cost

  Net of tax cost

  RP

  IVB

  WB

  RP

  IVB

  WB

  (i) Each linked benefit

  1·84

  0·07

  0·01

  1·64

  0·07

  0·01

  (ii) Each linked and income related benefit increased too

  2·47

  0·09

  0·01

  2·27

  0·09

  0·01

  At this level of rounding the costs of options (iii) and (iv)—which cover only linked benefits paid at the same rate of category A retirement pension—are the same as (i) and (ii) respectively.

  Table 2 Those below state pension age.

  £ billion

  Net benefit cost

  Net of tax cost

  IVB

  WB

  IS

  IVB

  WB

  IS

  (i) each linked benefit

  0·25

  0·05

  0·00

  0·25

  0·04

  0·00

  (ii) each linked and income related benefit increased too

  0·33

  0·07

  0·05

  0·33

  0·06

  0·05

  (iii) each linked benefit at same level as RP

  0·25

  0·03

  0·00

  0·25

  0·02

  0·00

  (iv) linked benefits at same level income related benefits increased too

  0·33

  0·04

  0·05

  0·33

  0·03

  0·05

  10 million people would be affected by raising the Category A, B, C and D Basic Retirements Pension by £5 for a single person and £3 for a Category BL Pension in 1991–92. 1·15 million benefit units would receive less Income Support as a result of this increase; 1·6 million benefit units would receive less housing benefit and 2·35 million benefit units would receive less Community Charge Benefit (some of these benefit units would receive less from both benefits). The numbers of people (benefit units for income related benefits) affected by the other options are as follows:

  Table 3: Those at or above state pension age (millions)

  RP

  IVB

  WB

  IS

  HB

  CCB

  (a) Benefits linked to category A RP

  10·00

  0·25

  0·05

  1·15

  1·65

  2·40

  (b) Linked benefit plus income related benefits increased too

  10·00

  0·25

  0·05

  —

  —

  —

  Note: In option (a) those on IS, HB and CCB see reductions in their income related benefits when they receive the increase in their contributory benefit; this does not happen in option (b) At this level of rounding options (c) and (d)—which cover only linked benefits paid at the same rate of Category A Retirement Pension—the numbers are the same as (a) and (b) respectively.

  Table 4 those below state pension age (millions)

  IVB

  WB

  IS

  HB

  CCB

  (a) Benefits linked to category A RP

  1·10

  0·30

  0·10

  0·25

  0·35

  (b) Linked benefit plus income related benefits increased too

  1·10

  0·30

  10·15

  10·05

  10·00

  (c) Linked benefits at same level as category A RP

  1·10

  0·20

  0·10

  0·15

  0·30

  (d) Linked benefits at same level as category A RP plus income related benefits increased too

  1·10

  0·20

  10·15

  10·15

  10·00

  Notes:

  In table (4) numbers shown on IS, HB or CCB as affected by the changes for options (a) and (c) are those who would not receive the full £5 or £8 per week due to reductions in income related benefits. Those cases marked with a ' are those men aged 60 to 64 who gain from the increase in the pensioner premium for income related benefit of £5 and £8 per week.

  Unemployment benefit and sickness benefit paid to those over state pension age are linked statutorily to the basic category A retirement pension but the numbers of people in receipt of these benefits are comparatively very small and are not included in these estimates.
  370

  RP is all categories of retirement pension.

  IVB is invalidity benefit.

  WB is widows benefit.

  IS is income support.

  HB is housing benefit.

  CCB is community charge benefit.

  Local Offices (Regrading)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proposals are being considered for the regrading of the DSS offices covering Cunninghame, North constituency.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Operational matters concerning Benefits Agency offices are a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost of extending receipt of invalid care allowance for a further eight weeks to carers after the death of their dependant; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The estimated cost would be £2·4 million in a full year.

  Carers
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost of restoring the right to claim unemployment benefit for carers who have ceased to care; and whether he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The cost of preserving entitlement to unemployment benefit for the estimated 2,600 former carers who seek work and who satisfied the contribution conditions prior to caring would be about £2 million in a full year.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will break down the real increases or decreases at 1991 prices in expenditure for all benefits from 1979 to 1991 showing what amount and proportion is
  371
  attributable to (a) a rise or fall in the real level of benefit, (b) a rise or fall in the numbers claiming benefits and (c) other factors.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Earnings and Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the level of national average earnings for each year since 1979, the level of supplementary benefit/income support for a single unemployed adult aged over 25 years for each of these years, and the percentage the latter represents of the former for each year.

  A

  B

  C

  D

  Date of uprating

  Benefit date

  Average weekly earnings

  Percentage of column B/column C

  November 1979

  18·30

  114·10

  16·0

  November 1980

  21·30

  135·10

  15·8

  November 1981

  23·25

  149·50

  15·6

  November 1982

  25·70

  160·60

  16·0

  November 1983

  26·80

  175·30

  15·3

  November 1984

  28·05

  187·40

  15·0

  November 1985

  29·50

  199·50

  14·8

  July 1986

  29·80

  210·90

  14·1

  April 1987

  30·40

  224·00

  13·6

  April 1988

  33·40

  245·80

  13·6

  April 1989

  34·90

  269·50

  12·9

  April 1990

  36·70

  295·60

  12·4

  April 1991

  39·65

  318·90

  12·4

  Explanatory Notes:

  Column A: Date of each uprating.

  Column B: Supplementary benefit scale rate for a 25-year-old householder from 1979 to 1987. From April 1988, this is the income support rate for a single person aged 25 or over.

  Column C: Average earnings of all adult males (Source: New Earnings Survey).

  Column D: Percentage of the benefit rates (Column B) compared to the average weekly earnings (Column C).

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total expenditure over the last 12 months in benefits paid to unemployed persons to assist with mortgage repayments; and what is the total number of individuals who have claimed mortgage relief over this period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Help with mortgage interest is given through income support. The estimated amount included in income support for unemployed persons for mortgage interest in 1990, the latest year for which information is available, is £207 million, paid to some 88,000 claimants.

  Note: The estimates are rounded to the nearest 1 million and 1,000 claimants.

  Source: Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry, May 1990.

  Crisis Loans
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidelines he issues as to whether the inability to repay should take precedence over the crisis need when refusing a crisis loan.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No guidelines are necessary. The Secretary of State's directions require social fund officers to decide whether a crisis need exists before looking at the question of an applicant's ability to repay.
  372
  Miss Widdecombe
  The figures requested are in the following table.

  The table lists supplementary benefits rates for a single householder aged 25 up to 1987. This rate is not however the one paid to all of the client group. Across all age groups, approximately 52 per cent. of single unemployed claimants were non-householders (May 1987 annual statistical inquiry). This group received a lower rate of benefit. Separate figures relating to the over-25 age group are not available.

  It should be noted that in the period from April 1988 (when income support was introduced) to April 1991, the average weekly earnings of all adult males rose by 30 per cent.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his Department's estimates of the costs of deducting poll tax payments from benefits in each of the years 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Richard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  State Earnings-related Pensions
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the total cost to the national insurance fund in a full year in(a) 1991–92 and (b) 1992–93 of the 2 per cent. banded earnings offered as an incentive to opt out of SERPs, for Great Britain.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is contained in appendix 7 of the report by the Government Actuary on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Uprating Order and the Social Security (Contributions) Rerating Order which was laid before the House on 4 December.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent consultations he has had concerning the operation of the advance warning system available to
  373
  inform potential recipients of special cold weather payments that the temperature trigger points had been reached; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Regular consultations on the cold weather payments scheme take place between the Meteorological Office and the Department. The new elements of the scheme are being monitored particularly closely.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people will receive cold weather payments from the social fund following the recent spell of cold weather;

  (2) how many people who would have been eligible for payment will not receive the £6 payment because the area of the country they lived in did not fully meet the temperature criteria of the scheme during the recent spell of cold weather.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Following the recent spell of cold weather 1,432,044 cold weather payments have been authorised out of an estimated total of 2,600,000 people, who would have been entitled to a payment if every area of the country had met the temperature criteria.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by United Kingdom standard region, and by Benefits Agency administrative division, the numbers of recipients of cold weather payments in the week commencing 9 December.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following table sets out, by individual weather station, the number of cold weather payments authorised during the recent cold spell. The information is not held by Benefits Agency administrative division, and could be obtained in this form only at disproportionate cost.

  Cold Weather Payments

  Station

  Period

  Payments

  Bedford RAE

  5–11 December

  46,879

  Birmingham AP

  5–11 December

  192,901

  Boscombe Down

  6–12 December

  6,165

  Brize Norton

  6–12 December

  36,036

  Coningsby

  6–12 December

  8,234

  Dumfries/Drungans

  5–11 December

  3,456

  Easthampstead

  6–12 December

  21,696

  Eskdalemuir

  3–9 December

  3,530

  Finningley

  5–11 December

  68,911

  Gatwick AP

  6–12 December

  21,474

  Honington

  6–12 December

  8,078

  Leeming

  5–11 December

  86,012

  Lyneham

  6–12 December

  13,394

  Marham

  6–12 December

  10,165

  Shawbury

  5–11 December

  68,611

  Stansted

  6–12 December

  70,865

  Watnall

  6–12 December

  113,978

  Wyton

  6–12 December

  18,807

  Clifynydd

  8–14 December

  18,336

  Coltishall

  7–13 December

  25,222

  Cwmbargoed

  7–13 December

  20,838

  Heathrow AP

  8–14 December

  382,487

  Leeds WC

  7–13 December

  93,812

  Waddington

  7–13 December

  55,445

  Wattisham

  8–14 December

  22,161

  Yeovilton

  8–14 December

  14,551

  Total

  1,432,044

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy to waive the seven-day qualifying period for cold weather payments to ensure that all those eligible under the scheme receive a £6 payment.
  374
  Miss Widdecombe
  Seven days of cold weather is a fair representation of a sustained period which is likely to lead to extra heating costs. We have no plans to reduce the qualifying period.

  Over-80s
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to uprate the basic state pensions for people over the age of 80 years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Basic state pensions for those over 80 will be uprated next April in line with prices. In addition, expenditure on income-related benefits for pensioners over 80 and for disabled low-income pensioners will be increased by £60 million in a full year over and above the normal uprating.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what earnings rule currently applies to unemployment benefit; and whether he plans any changes.

  Mr. Scott
  Unemployment benefit is not payable for any day on which earnings exceed £2, or for any week in which earnings exceed the lower earnings limit for national insurance contributions (currently £52 a week).

  The daily earnings rule does not apply to payments made to individuals for certain special purposes notably allowances paid to members of the Territorial Army, coastguards, lifeboatmen and part-time firemen. We intend shortly to consult the Social Security Advisory Committee on extending exemption to local authority councillors in respect of their basic and special responsibility allowances.

  Pension Schemes (Fraud)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action he intends to take to deal with the potential for fraud in pension schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 6 December 1991]: Safeguards already exist in trust law to protect the interests of members of occupational pension schemes. Trustees have a duty to act at all time in the interests of all the beneficiaries of the scheme in accordance with the trust deed.

  In addition, the Government will bring forward, early next year, regulations to restrict to 5 per cent. the level of self-investment. Action is in hand to produce a booklet for pension fund trustees, setting out their role and legal responsibilities. Regulations extending the existing disclosure requirements to include information as to whether each trustee has received a copy of the booklet, will be introduced.

  Benefits
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full year cost of raising one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance by 32p, (i) for 1991–92 and (ii) 1992–93, (1) including increases in means-tested benefits and (2) without increases in means-tested benefits, in Great Britain.
  375
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be(a) the first year and (b) the full-year cost of raising one-parent benefit and widowed mother's allowance by (i) £0·34 and (ii) £0·36 for (1) 1991–92 and (2) 1992–93, (x) including increases in means-tested benefits, and (y) without increases in means-tested benefits, in Great Britain.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 16 December 1991]: The cost of increasing these benefits by these amounts for each week in 1991–92 and 1992–93 is given in the table:

  £ million

  1991–92

  1992–93

  32 pence per week

  (1) Including increases in income related benefits

  One parent benefit

  23

  24

  Widowed mother's allowance

  1

  1

  (2) Excluding increases in income related benefits

  One parent benefit

  7

  8

  Widowed mother's allowance

  1

  1

  34 pence per week

  (1) Including increases in income related benefits

  One parent benefit

  24

  25

  Widowed mother's allowance

  1

  1

  (2) Excluding increases in income related benefits

  One parent benefit

  8

  8

  Widowed mother's allowance

  1

  1

  36 pence per week

  (1) Including increases in income related benefits

  One parent benefit

  25

  27

  Widowed mother's allowance

  1

  1

  (2) Excluding increases in income related benefits

  One parent benefit

  8

  9

  Widowed mother's allowance

  1

  1

  Note:

  The first year benefit cost is the same in this case as the full-year cost for 1991–92.

ENERGY

  River Wyre Barrage
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to consult the farming community and environmental groups over the proposed barrage across the River Wyre in Lancashire when he considers the feasibility study of this project.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Yes. All interested parties will be consulted on the results of the preliminary feasibility study of a proposed barrage across the River Wyre.

  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to publish the results of the feasibility study into the proposed barrage across the River Wyre in Lancashire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A report on a preliminary feasibility study of a proposed barrage across the River Wyre has been received by my Department. This report is now being considered and will be published in due course.

  Oil Drilling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he has on recent technological developments on long-reach horizontal drilling for oil; how many horizontal wells are currently operational off the coast of the United Kingdom; what information he has on future plans for horizontal wells; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Most fields in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea have been developed with a proportion of the wells deviated to angles between 30 and 75 degrees from the vertical. Over the last three years improved understanding of the technical factors relevant to high angle drilling has enabled an increasing number of wells to be drilled into the productive areas of reservoirs at angles of up to 90 degrees. It is estimated that to date about 40 such wells, have been drilled or are currently drilling in the UKCS. Since, depending on circumstances, economic recovery from horizontal wells can be significantly higher than from conventional wells, I would expect the incidence of such drilling to increase in the future as knowledge and experience of the techniques involved improve further.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has yet received the report from Dr. Wyn Llewelyn into the disappearance of a quantity of enriched uranium at Dounreay; if the findings of his report will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A report on the investigation into the accountancy discrepancy at Dounreay has not been received by my Department. I will consider what information might be provided when I have received the report and have studied its findings.

  Coal Mining Subsidence
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects to table the statutory instruments necessary to implement aspects of the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Secretary of State has made the following statutory instruments under powers granted by the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991:

  The Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 (Commencement) Order 1991 (SI 1991/2508)

  The Coal Mining Subsidence (Notices and Claims) Regulations 1991 (SI 1991/2509)

  The Coal Mining Subsidence (Preventive Measures and Rates of Interest) Order 1991 (SI 1991/2510)

  The commencement order brought the Act into force on 30 November 1991. The other two instruments also came into force on that date.

  The Government have no plans to make any further instruments at present, but will keep the need for further instruments under review.

  Electricity Supply
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what discussions he has had with the director general of OFFER regarding his report on the distribution and transmission system performance in the electricity supply
  377
  industries of England. Wales and Scotland 1990–91, the league table of relative interruptions per 100 customers included in it and the powers available to the director general to improve the performance of the poorest performing distribution companies;

  (2) what consultations he has had with the director general of the Office of Electricity Regulation concerning the level of supply interruptions to electricity consumers in the South Wales Electricity company area; and what remedial actions have been proposed by the director general.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the Director General of Electricity Supply from time to time and we discuss a range of issues.

  We welcome the publication of information of the kind included in the director general's report on the reliability of the electricity supply industry's transmission and distribution systems. This is a good illustration of the openness of the new regulatory regime. The director general has already stated that he will consider this information carefully as part of the transmission and distribution price control reviews that he will be undertaking.

  Caminus Energy Consultants
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the director general of OFFER regarding the recent study commissioned by OFFER from Caminus Energy Consultants of Cambridge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the Director General of Electricity Supply from time to time and discuss issues of mutual interest. The investigation into pool prices is a matter for the director general.

  Coal Mining Consortium.
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the Coal Mining Consortium about its proposals to apply for all or part of a privatised coal industry and to enable employees in the industry to become shareholders.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I met representatives of the Mineworkers Consortium specifically to listen to their proposals concerning British Coal's Monktonhall colliery. We will be considering a number of options for the privatisation of the coal industry; however, no decisions will be taken on the form or timing of the sale until after the next general election.

  Electricity Generation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the director general of the Office of Electricity Regulation concerning the impact on the promotion of competition in electricity generation in England and Wales of National Power's purchase of the Deeside power station project at Shotton, Clwyd from ASEA Brown Boveri; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the Director General of Electricity Supply from time to time and discuss issues of mutual interest. The 378
  implications of mergers in the electricity generating industry are a matter for the Office of Fair Trading in consultation with OFFER.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Fax Paper
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the supply of House of Commons fax paper to hon. Members.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee has previously concluded that the present range of stationery items held in the Serjeant at Arms Stores should not be extended beyond the primary function of supplying writing paper and envelopes identified by the crowned portcullis. Facsimile paper is not held in the stores.

  Written Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will publish a table showing in descending order the 30 Members who tabled the most written questions in Session 1990–91, indicating how many were tabled.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The precise information requested, on questions tabled, is not available. The Members receiving the most answers to written questions, as recorded on the House of Commons Library's POLIS database, were as follows:

  Number of questions

  1. The hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn)

  928

  2. The hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond)

  646

  3. The hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson)

  593

  4. The hon. Member for Cardiff, West (Mr. Morgan)

  560

  5. The hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen)

  527

  6. The hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen)

  465

  7. The hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell)

  429

  8. The hon. Member for Wakefield (Mr. Hinchliffe)

  393

  9. The hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. S. Hughes)

  384

  10. The hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. D. Clark)

  359

  11. The hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Austin Mitchell)

  353

  12. The hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill)

  345

  13. The hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley)

  339

  14. The hon. Member for Alyn and Deeside (Mr. B. Jones)

  329

  15. The hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. R. Davies)

  314

  16. The hon. Member for Cardiff, South and Penarth (Mr. Michael)

  301

  17. The hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster)

  275

  18. The hon. Member for Gower (Mr. Wardell)

  242

  19. The hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood)

  237

  20. The hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside (Mr. Blunkett)

  230

  21. The hon. Member for Ncwham, North West (Mr. T. Banks)

  218

  22. The hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd)

  216

  379

  Number of questions

  23. The hon. Member for Newcastle Upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins)

  216

  24. The hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow (Dr. Godman)

  212

  25. The hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. John D. Taylor)

  210

  26. The hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion)

  209

  27. The hon. Member for Coventry, South East (Mr. Nellist)

  205

  28. The hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden)

  203

  29. The hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn)

  197

  30. The hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle)

  191

  Disabled People (Access)
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects work to begin on the installation of a chairlift on the staircase leading to the Grand Committee Room and the Jubilee Room to facilitate access for elderly and disabled people.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Work has already begun on the detailed planning required to install a stairlift on the staircase leading to the Grand Committee Room. I would expect the design work consultations and tendering to be complete by March 1992 allowing the contractor to begin by April.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when his office last scheduled a meeting with Viscount Brentford concerning Sunday trading; when he last met Viscount Brentford; when he next expects to meet Viscount Brentford; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have had requests for meetings both from Lord Brentford in his capacity as chairman of the Keep Sunday Special Campaign and from the director of the Shopping Hours Reform Council. I have already made it clear that the Government see no prospect for legislation on Sunday trading in this Session of Parliament, and it would be inappropriate for me to enter into any discussions with either organisation as the issues are for my right hon. Friend the Minister of State at the Home Office. I therefore declined both requests at this stage.

  Mrs. Eleanor Laing
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will publish a list of the previous employers of his special adviser, Mrs. Eleanor Laing.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information requested is as follows:

  Lindsays W. S., solicitors

  Herbert Smith and Co., solicitors

  Lane and Partners, solicitors

  George Wimpey PLC

  Shopping Hours Reform Council

  Palace of Westminster (Occupation)
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many rooms at the House of Commons and its outbuildings and how many square feet have been occupied by(a) media staff and (b) hon. Members over the last three years.
  380
  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 17 December 1991]: Information in the form requested is not readily available.

  However, work commissioned last year by the New Building Sub-Committee as part of its work to prepare the brief for phase II of the New Parliamentary Building indicates that Members occupy some 10,000 sq metres, the media about 1,500 sq metres. Further information is available in the Services Committee's Second Report 1990–91 "New Parliamentary Building (Phase II): The Initial Brief (HC 551) memorandum 3.

  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Lord President of the Council how many security passes have been issued in each of the last three years for(a) members of staff at the House of Commons, (b) the media and (c) allied departments.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 17 December 1991]: I regret that this information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Office Costs Allowance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to receive the Top Salaries Review Body report on the office costs allowance.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 19 December 1991]: The conduct of the review is a matter for the Top Salaries Review Body, but I understand that it is proceeding according to the agreed timetable.

DEFENCE

  Submarines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence(a) what will be the cost, (b) when work will commence and (c) how long it will take, to correct a major design fault on the submarines HMS Upholder, HMS Unseen, HMS Ursula and HMS Unicorn; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Houghton and Washington (Mr. Boyes) on 13 December at column 590.

  Simulated Attacks on Shipping
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the pre-flight briefing of the crew of the Tornado aircraft which crashed in the North sea on 16 August 1990 included plans for simulated attacks on shipping.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the specified minimum horizontal and vertical separation distances between an attacking aircraft and a target vessel doing simulated low-level attacks on civilian shipping targets of opportunity.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The specified minimum separation distance from civilian shipping for aircraft in low level flight over the sea is 250 ft both horizontally and vertically.

  Weapons Exchange
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list, by year for the last four years, and for 1991 to date, the countries with which his Department has carried out weapons exchanges for testing purposes, showing in his answer(a) those that his Department have received from other countries and (b) those that his Department have sent to other countries.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Such information is not held centrally and could not be assembled without disproportionate cost.

  Buster Crabb
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the files and information on the Buster Crabb affair will be released for public scrutiny.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Any files and information held by the Ministry of Defence on the Buster Crabb affair will be considered for release at the appropriate time, under the criteria of the Public Records Acts of 1958 and 1967.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he proposes to investigate the claims for compensation made by the service men exposed to radiation during the Christmas Island tests.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence will pay appropriate compensation whenever the Crown's legal liability is established. There is, however, no firm evidence to show that any ill-health suffered by those who attended the test was caused by their participation. This is supported by the last report on the subject by the National Radiological Protection Board—which continues to accumulate data and will produce a further report.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many special studies on(a) the safety in storage, (b) the safety in transport, (c) the safety in deployment and (d) the mechanics of dismantlement of nuclear weapons have been conducted by his Department since 1979; and what has been the respective cost of such studies.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The safety of our nuclear weapons is under continuous review to ensure that stringent safety standards are maintained in all such areas. It is not possible to identify separately the costs of studies from the general costs of work on safety.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether United Kingdom citizens are permitted access(a) to board Polaris submarines, (b) to visit the Faslane royal naval base and (c) to the Trident nuclear submarine base under construction at Coulport; whether any foreign nationals of countries (i) which are NATO member states and (ii) which are outside NATO have been permitted to visit British nuclear submarines and bases during the past month; and what criteria are adopted to permit visits to such submarines and bases.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Visits by both United Kingdom and foreign non-entitled personnel to service units and 382
  establishments, including vists to nuclear submarines and their shore support facilities, are considered on a case by case basis. The only visit by non-NATO nationals to the Clyde submarine base, including a visit to an alongside Polaris submarine, in the last month was by General Lobov. The criterion by which requests for all visits is judged is whether such a visit will assist in meeting defence or foreign policy objectives.

  M25 (Military Vehicle Breakdown)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the number of accidents caused by motorists rerouted from the M25 on 1 December as a result of the closure of the motorway because of the breakdown of a military transport vehicle.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Defence Equipment
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide an approximate in-service date for(a) the GWS MOD 1 Sea Wolf vertical launch ship system/missile, (b) Sonar 2093, (c) the type 23 frigate command system, (d) the AS90 self-propelled howitzer, (e) the high-velocity missile, (f) the Rapier field standard C system, (g) the Trigat medium-range system, (h) the counter battery radar, (i) the European fighter aircraft, (j) the Blue Vixen radar and (k) the Harrier T10.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Approximate in-service dates are as follows:

  Approximate in-service date

  (a) GWS MOD 1 Sea Wolf vertical launch ship system/missile

  In-service

  (b) Sonar 2093

  Early 1990s

  (c) Type 23 frigate command system

  Mid 1990s

  (d) AS90 self-propelled howitzer

  Early 1990s

  (e) High-velocity missile

  Early 1990s

  (f) Rapier field standard C system

  Mid-1990s

  (g) TRIGAT medium-range system

  Mid-1990s

  (h) Counter battery radar

  Late 1990s

  (i) European fighter aircraft

  Mid-1990s

  (j) Blue Vixen radar

  Early 1990s

  (k) Harrier T10

  Mid-1990s

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the present estimated total cost of the procurement programme for(a) the GWS MOD 1 Sea Wolf vertical launch missile/ship system, (b) the Sonar 2093, (c) the Challenger improvement programme, (d) TOW thermal imaging, (e) the Rapier field standard C system, (f) the Trigat medium range system, (g) the Tornado GR1 mid-life update, (h) the RN EH 101 helicopter and (i) the Blue Vixen radar.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to my answer to him on 28 November at column 648. The other figures requested are classified and commercially confidential apart from that for the Tornado GR1 mid-life update programme, where the estimated total procurement cost—at 1990–91 average outturn prices, not including in-service support costs—is £550 million.

  Hydrographic Office
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is the annual income generated by the Hydrographic Office through chart sales in each year since 1980; and what proportion are exports;

  (2) what resources will be dedicated to the metrification of maritime charts within the Hydrographic Office:

  (3) whether the metrification of maritime charts will be completed by 1999.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  These are matters for the chief executive of the Hydrographic Office Defence Support Agency. I have asked him to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Walter Somers Ltd.
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will now state the dates on which the two telephone conversations between Walter Somers Ltd. and his Department's metallurgical expert took place; what was established by the conversations; what advice was provided by his Department's expert to Walter Somers Ltd.; and how the expert identified himself or herself to Walter Somers Ltd.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The telephone conversations took place on 16 and 22 June 1988. On the basis of the available information they established that the steel tubes which Walter Somers Ltd. proposed to export to Iraq were almost certainly pressure vessels of some kind whose function was unclear. No advice was provided to Walter Somers Ltd. by the Department's expert. At this distance in time it is not possible to say how the expert identified himself to Walter Somers Ltd. other than be name, though his normal practice was to indicate that he worked for the Ministry of Defence.

  Resettlement
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service resettlement officers are currently in post; and what is the establishment level for service resettlement officers.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Strength

  Establishment

  Royal Navy

  Naval Resettlement Information Officers (civilian)

  8

  8

  Education and Resettlement Officers1

  27

  27

  Army

  Senior Resettlement Advice Officers

  7

  7

  Resettlement Advice Officers2

  16

  11

  RAF

  Professionally Qualified Education Officers 3

  86

  86

  Notes:

  1 Seven of these are at sea; in addition, every ship which does not have a full-time education and resettlement officer on its establishment appoints an officer to undertake these responsibilities on a part-time basis.
  384
  2 In addition, 27 resettlement advice officers are deployed on a part-time basis.

  3 This figure relates to the number of RAF professionally qualified education officers who have resettlement as a significant element of their responsibilities.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment is made of the effectiveness of the current programmes of retraining and resettlement for service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The resettlement centres carry out regular surveys of personnel who have attended their courses, to try and establish the relevance to their subsequent employment of the training they have received. Some of the results were summarised in the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short) on 29 November at columns 683–86.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes have occurred to his resettlement policy for service personnel in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It remains our policy to provide a comprehensive resettlement service and we are making provision to extend this service to cater for the increased numbers who will be leaving over the coming years. A temporary post of director general resettlement has been established within the Ministry of Defence to direct and coordinate this activity over the months ahead.

  Service Accommodation
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) of 5 November,Official Report, column 96, how many houses are in the process of being sold; and what is the average length of time for which these houses have been empty.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No later figures than those previously given are yet available for the total number of houses in the process of being sold. The average length of time these houses have been vacant could only be calculated at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how much surplus service property will be made available to housing associations to give temporary help to service personnel in severe housing need;

  (2) pursuant to his reply of 22 November, Official Report, column 355, if he will list each announcement made to date about the transfer of service married quarters to housing associations.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Discussions with housing associations are continuing and announcements will be made in due course.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have purchased their homes through the services' discount scheme in each(a) year and (b) quarter since its inception.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since the services discount scheme was introduced, the following numbers of service personnel have purchased their homes at a discount:
  385

  Financial year

  Quarter 1

  Quarter 2

  Quarter 3

  Quarter 4

  Total

  1984–85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  153

  1985–86

  —

  —

  —

  —

  308

  1986–87

  —

  —

  —

  —

  438

  1987–88

  —

  —

  —

  —

  452

  1988–89

  —

  —

  —

  —

  562

  1989–90

  —

  —

  —

  —

  610

  1990–91

  200

  247

  138

  141

  726

  11991–92

  124

  158

  —

  —

  282

  1 To 30 September 1991.

  In addition, some 500 properties are in the process of being sold through the discount scheme.

  Quarterly figures are available only from financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current backlog of anavoidable and essential repairs for service accommodation at Tidworth garrison.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current backlog of maintenance for service accommodation at Tidworth garrison amounts to £8·7 million on unavoidable repairs and £2·3 million on essential repairs. An extensive modernisation programme is planned.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the location of those service properties that are currently being irregularly occupied.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Most service establishments throughout the United Kingom have some married quarters irregularly occupied, but the information is not held centrally.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the backlog of unavoidable and essential repairs for(a) single accommodation, (b) married quarters and (c) empty accommodation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave on 14 November at column 671.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for East Lothian, (Mr. Home Robertson),Official Report, column 96, if he will publish the number and location of vacant married quarters that are awaiting (a) unavoidable and essential repairs and (b) urgent repairs.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current expenditure to date on the work of the service housing task force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  To date, expenditure on the work of the service housing task force, including stall costs, amounts to £173,500.

  Auxiliary Oiler Replenishment Vessels
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many orders for(a) type 23 frigates and (b) auxiliary oiler replenishment vessels will be placed in the next 10 years; and in which years they will be ordered.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We hope to make an announcement on the outcome of the recent tender 386
  exercise for type 23 frigates early next year. We plan further orders of auxiliary oiler replenishment vessels, but no decisions have been taken on their size or timing. It is not our practice to disclose details about the longer-term internal planning assumptions for equipment orders.

  Homelessness
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with local authorities regarding the acceptance by them of a certificate of impending discharge as evidence of impending homelessness.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The code of guidance on homelessness issued by the Department of Environment provides advice to local authorities on the acceptance of certificates of impending homelessness for service personnel who are shortly to leave the services. It is not normal practice to produce separate certification of impending discharge, but certification will be provided if it is requested by individual local authorities.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether officers and men discharged from the Army as a result of "Options for Change" outside the United Kingdom will be required to be responsible for the costs of their own furniture and movements expenses.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  When United Kingdom based service personnel and their families return from an overseas station on discharge they will do so at public expense. Their personal possessions will also be conveyed at public expense within the same limits as those returning on normal posting.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the final civilian establishment of his Department once the proposals contained in "Options for Change" have been fully implemented.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  By 1997, the number of United Kingdom-based and locally entered civilians will be about 134,000.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the differences in the terms of redundancy offered to civilians as a result of the implementation of "Options for Change" from those that are offered to officers and men of the Army.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Redundancy payments to civil servants and military personnel are made under two quite separate arrangements, the principal civil service pension
  387
  scheme and the armed forces pension scheme. With both schemes, the benefit varies according to pay and length of service.

  The two schemes are different and, within each, different criteria apply. A direct comparison cannot, therefore, be made. The principal differences affecting benefits relate to the entitlement qualifications, the age at which pensions benefits come into payment and the relationship between benefits and earnings.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the costs of redundancy as a result of the reduction in the civilian establishment of his Department once the proposals contained in "Options for Change" are fully implemented.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is too early to say what the scale, and therefore the costs, of redundancy arising from our plans to reduce civilian numbers will be.

  Rattan Cane Fenders
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will reconsider his Department's decision to terminate on 13 January the contract under which the workshop at Cardiff Institute for the Blind has provided rattan cane fenders for the use of the Navy worldwide.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The current contract for the supply of rattan fenders will continue and action is in hand to let a replacement contract with the Cardiff Institute for the Blind.

  Magnetic Treatment Facility, Faslane
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence why the magnetic treatment facility at Faslane has not been proceeded with; how much has been spent on it; and how degaussing will now be carried on.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 26 June at column 496. Work to define a more cost-effective solution to the requirement is under way. Approximately £15 million had been spent on the contract at the time of cancellation.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Beer
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to implement section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985.

  Mr. Leigh
  I have fought hard in Europe to retain the traditional British pint. I want to ensure that a liquid pint is what consumers get, in full. My view on consumer protection is that people should get what they think they are getting and what they pay for.

  In 1988 my Department made regulations on the measures to be used for serving beer with the aim of encouraging licensees to use the glass most appropriate to the type of beer they served and to help ensure a fair deal for the consumer. However, since then I have continued to receive reports from local authority trading standards departments showing that a significant proportion of the draught beer they have checked comprised considerably less than a pint of liquid beer. I have also received complaints from the public about this issue.
  388
  Accordingly, I now propose to implement section 43 of the Weights and Measures Act 1985 which provides that, in ascertaining the quantity of beer or cider under the Act the gas comprised in any form shall be disregarded. I shall be consulting consumers, the trade and the enforcement authorities about a timetable for this. This should be cheering news for beer drinkers everywhere.

  Swiss Research Policy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the speech delivered by Professor H. Ursprung to the Royal Society on 27 November on Swiss research policy.

  Mr. Leigh
  A copy of Professor Ursprung's speech on Swiss research policy delivered to the Royal Society in November this year has been placed in the departmental library and also in the Library of the House of Commons.

  Japanese-owned Manufacturing
  Sir Tom Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has made of the number of people employed in Japanese-owned manufacturing industry within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Leigh
  From information available to my Department, based on announcements by the companies at the time of the investment, it is estimated that some 45,000 direct jobs have been created by Japanese manufacturing investment in the United Kingdom.

  EC-EFTA Agreement
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what provision has been made in the EC/EFTA agreement to establish the European economic area to provide grants and loans to(a) the Republic of Ireland, (b) Greece, (c) Portugal and (d) Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Under the terms of the European economic area agreement, EFTA would set up a fund to assist the development of Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Greece, Portugal and specified regions of Spain. The fund would be managed by EFTA and comprise 500 mecu in grants over five years and an interest rate subsidy of 3 per cent. on 1·5 becu of loans to be repaid within 10 years.

  Credit Marketing
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what effect he expects his proposals for new legislation on credit marketing to have on the housing market.

  Mr. Leigh
  People considering a mortgage would be given more information about the obligations involved and the consequences of not meeting those obligations.

  House of Fraser
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 4 December,Official Report, column 178, about the takeover of the House of Fraser, what steps he is taking to ensure that further relevant information is available.
  389
  Mr. Redwood
  My officials are in touch with regulators.

  Steel Production
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to his answer of 17 December,Official Report, column 113, what assessment he has made of the production performance at (a) Llanwern and (b) Ravenscraig before the closing of the hot strip facility.

  Mr. Leigh
  None. This is a matter for the board of British Steel.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to his answer of 17 December,

  '000 tonnes

  end of:

  Steel stocks

  March 1989

  June 1989

  September 1989

  December 1989

  March 1990

  June 1990

  September 1990

  December 1990

  March 1991

  June 1991

  Plate1 held by:

  producers

  103

  95

  99

  103

  94

  101

  82

  110

  73

  116

  steel stockholders

  425

  410

  396

  419

  416

  417

  384

  340

  319

  288

  consumers

  121

  136

  150

  150

  165

  156

  151

  156

  156

  149

  Total

  649

  641

  645

  672

  675

  674

  617

  606

  548

  553

  Tubes and pipes held by:

  producers

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  2—

  steel stockholders

  126

  119

  111

  112

  92

  83

  88

  114

  81

  60

  consumers

  306

  347

  395

  407

  418

  391

  344

  319

  296

  267

  1 Plate in lengths, 3mm thick or over.

  2 Tonnage not available.

  Source: Producers' stocks information from the Iron and Steel Statistics Bureau. Stockholders' and consumers' information from the Central Statistical Office's Business Bulletin on the Steel Stocks and Consumption Inquiry.

  Iraq
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) of 12 December,Official Report, column 501, if he will set out (a) the end-use stated by Iraq for bismuth exports in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985 and 1988, respectively, and (b) the reason for commercial confidentiality covering the sale of bismuth to Iraq in 1986.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  End user information is required to be submitted to DTI only 'for licensable exports.

  Information used to compile the Overseas Trade Statistics (OTS), is taken from Customs entries which importers, exporters or declarants on their behalf are required to render under sections 37 and 53 to 54 of the Customs and Excise Management Act 1979. Under common law information compulsorily required may only be used for the purposes for which it was obtained.

  Although the OTS does not provide names of importers or exporters, statistics for certain commodities may easily be attributed to specific traders by anyone knowledgeable in that market area; this is particularly a problem where the statistics are broken down by country of consignment or destination. In such circumstances the public release of information may give valuable commercial information to competitors. It is therefore treated in confidence.
  390
  Official Report, column 113, what is the average cost of production of an average tonne of steel at (a) Llanwern, (b) Teesside, (c) Dalzell and (d) Scunthorpe.

  Mr. Leigh
  This is a matter for the board of British Steel.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the size of the steel stockpiles in the United Kingdom in the last two years of(a) steel pipes, (b) heavy plate and (c) light plate; and what proportion of each stockpile was imported.

  Mr. Leigh
  Available information is shown in the following table. Comprehensive information about light and heavy plates, an the proportion of stocks imported, is not collected.

  Mahogany
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action he will take to prevent the further importation of mahogany from the Philippines; and how many such imports there have been since 1988.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Government attach importance to the sustainable management of tropical forests. Imports from the Philippines are subject to the same controls as imports from other countries.

  Available statistics of imports since 1988 of mahogany from the Philippines are:

  m3

  metric tonnes

  £000

  1988

  980

  566

  252

  1989

  74

  40

  21

  1990

  308

  131

  126

  11991

  18

  12

  7

  1 January to October.

  Some other imports may have been accounted for under the residual codes within the SITC headings 247.52 and 248.5.

  Cumbria Action Team
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the proportion of the budget of the north-west regional office spent on administrative costs for the Cumbria action team.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 17 December 1991]: The Cumbria action team is involved in the co-ordination of a

  391
  wide range of Government initiatives, most of which are administered either from Manchester or London. 'These are not costed on a geographical basis and are in addition to the direct administrative costs of the action team. This is an inter-departmental body, led by DTI and the costs fall across participating Departments. The DTI direct cost element represents about 2 per cent. of the total DTI-North West's running costs.

  DTI schemes and services for business development

  Scheme

  Eligibility

  Level and type of assistance

  Innovation

  LINK

  Minimum one United Kingdom industrial partner and one United Kingdom science base partner. Pre-competitive, collaborative research.

  Up to 50 per cent, grant of eligible project costs.

  EUREKA

  Companies undertaking high technology R & D with at least one other company from a different EUREKA country.

  Up to 50 per cent, grant of eligible project costs.

  ATP (Advanced Technology Programmes)

  At least two firms or research organisations in collaboration. Pre-competitive research.

  Up to 50 per cent, grant of eligible project costs.

  Club R & D

  A group of companies RTOs, REs, in pre-competitive, collaborative research undertaken by a host organisation.

  Up to 50 per cent, of eligible project costs.

  SMART (Small Firms Merit Award for Research and Technology)

  Single United Kingdom firms with fewer than 50 employees. High risk innovative ideas.

  75 per cent, grant of project costs; max. £45,000.

  SPUR (Support for Projects Under Research)

  Single companies up to 500 employees. For new product and process development.

  Fixed 30 per cent, grant; max. £150,000.

  TAL (Technical Action Line)

  Single independent firms or groups with up to 500 employees. Some exclusions as in CI. Immediate technical problems.

  Tapering support for operation by RTCs and support of consultancy.

  MPT (Manufacturing Planning and Implementation Studies programme)

  Single companies up to 500 employees for planning the introduction of modern manufacturing systems.

  Fixed 50 per cent, grant for external advice up to £50,000 maximum.

  ROTTP (Regional Office Technology Transfer Programme)

  Public and private sector. Technology transfer

  Grant, underwriting, subsidy for SMEs to attend conferences.

  OTIS (Overseas Technical Information Service)

  United Kingdom Government and industry. Technology transfer

  Firms pay only variable cost arising from their use of service at present.

  OSTEMS (Overseas Science and Technology Expert Missions Scheme)

  United Kingdom industry, science base, research association. Technology transfer

  Approximately 50 per cent, grant.

  Regional Technology Centres

  RTCs are intended to provide technology transfer and training services to SMEs.

  Pump-priming. £75,000 over three years tapered funding DES pay 60 per cent.; DTI 40 per cent.

  AIT3 (Advanced IT Technology Transfer)

  Mainly contract work carried out by competitive tendering.

  100 per cent, funding.

  OSTT (Open Systems Technology Transfer)

  A variety of activities carried out by specialist consultants on short-term contracts.

  100 per cent, funding.

  Materials Matter

  Increasing awareness and transfer knowledge of new material technologies.

  Attendance at technology transfer events free for SMEs, but industrial contributions sought for clubs, support likely to be up to 50 per cent, funding.

  Other miscellaneous technology transfer activities under innovation budget

  United Kingdom organisations, especially those with up to 500 employees. Miscellaneous technology transfer projects.

  Up to 50 per cent, grant.

  Single European Market

  Single Market Campaign (info service/publicity and promotional materials)

  All firms, business support organisations intermediaries and HEIs.

  Free info service on single market related matters; includes literature, quarterly newsletter, telephone enquiry point, access to Government officials, signposting to business support organisations/intermediaries.

  Small Firms
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many schemes his Department runs to provide help or finance for small firms; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 18 December 1991]: My Department runs or supports 40 schemes which provide help or finance and for which small firms are eligible. Of these, some are exclusive to small firms whilst others are open to companies of all sizes.
  393

  Scheme

  Eligibility

  Level and type of assistance

  Single Market Campaign (Help for representative organisations)

  Independent business support organisations, such as trade associations and chambers of commerce, whose principal activity is the provision of services to firms.

  Up to 50 per cent, of costs for two years of recruiting extra member of staff; applications closed 31 March 1991. Fifty per cent, of costs of attending single market related training courses; database; and help with specialist seminars/workshops.

  Managing into the 90s

  Managing into the '90s

  All firms.

  Spread of best practice mainly directed at smaller and medium sized firms. Advice/info on self-help to improve management practices.

  The Environment

  Environmental Enquiry Point

  All Businesses

  Advice on environmental issues. Free if answers involves four hours work or less. At WSL charge out rates if more.

  DEMOS (DTI Environmental Management Options Scheme)

  Companies (single or consortia) demonstrating best environmental practice.

  Grant aid up to 50 per cent, of eligible costs.

  ETIS (Environmental Technology Innovation Scheme)

  Normally consortia of United Kingdom companies, research organisations or HEIs looking to research and develop new environmental technology.

  Grant aid up to 50 per cent, of eligible costs.

  Euroenviron

  At least one United Kingdom company looking to research and develop new environmental technology with at least one EC or EFTA partner.

  Grant aid up to 50 per cent, of eligible costs.

  Regional

  Regional Selective Assistance (RSA)

  Available to manufacturing and some service sector projects in Assisted Areas. Project must create or safeguard jobs, and satisfy other scheme criteria including viability, need and national and regional economic benefits.

  Grant, payable in instalments. Amount offered is negotiated as the minimum necessary for the project to proceed.

  Regional Enterprise Grants

  Available to businesses employing fewer than 25 for manufacturing and some service sector projects in the Development Areas and the Intermediate Areas in South Yorkshire, Derbyshire, Plymouth and Fife.

  Grants for investment and innovation projects investment grants: 15 per cent, cost of fixed assets (max. £15,000) innovation grants: 50 per cent, of project costs (max. £25,000). Only one innovation and one investment grant per business (or group).

  Exports

  Export Intelligence Service

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  Market Intelligence available world-wide at commercial rates.

  Market Information Enquiry Service

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  Provision of customer specific information from overseas posts. Charges according to time taken to complete work.

  Export Representative Service

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  Provision of customer specific information from posts on overseas contacts. Charged according to time taken to complete work.

  Overseas Status Report Service

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  Provides a report on an overseas organisation. Charged according to time taken to complete work.

  Export Marketing Research Scheme

  Available to producers of goods or services of mainly United Kingdom origin with less than 200 employees.

  DTI pay up to half the cost, up to a grant of £20,000, for the commissioning of professional consultants to undertake research, support for "in-house" studies and DTI pay up to one-third of the cost of purchasing published research. Support is also available to Trade Associations on a sliding scale.

  New Products from Britain Service

  Products and processes must be British and new to target markets.

  Service helps test and promote new products overseas. Charge £60 for first market, thereafter £30 per market targeted.

  Overseas Trade Fairs

  United Kingdom manufactured goods.

  Subsidy—Exhibitors charged 50 per cent, of DTI costs at a maximum of three participations in each market (five in Germany, USA and Japan). Thereafter payment is at full DTI cost. Also travel grant available for events outside western Europe.

  394 395

  Scheme

  Eligibility

  Level and type of assistance

  Outward Missions

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  Subsidy—Support of first three occasions in a market and half the rate for the fourth visit (Japan full rate up to five visits). Also travel grant for one company representative. Note: Scheme not available for western Europe.

  Overseas Seminar Scheme

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  Subsidy—Participants charged 55 per cent, of estimated costs. Travel grants available outside western Europe.

  Store Promotions

  United Kingdom producers of goods and services.

  DTI supports overseas stores with financial assistance towards costs of expenses incurred in promoting the event.

  Inward Missions

  The host should be a group of United Kingdom companies who represent their industry.

  Subsidy—Travel to the United Kingdom (50 per cent, or 75 per cent.), travel in the United Kingdom 50 per cent., interpreters 50 per cent., accommodation and a reception 50 per cent.

  Consultancy Help

  Consultancy Help

  Firms with fewer lhan 500 employees.

  A free business review and up to 15 days subsidised consultancy. DTI pays 50 per cent., or two thirds is Assisted Areas and Urban Programme Areas.

  Enterprise and Education

  Teaching Company Scheme

  All companies, no restrictions on size.

  TCS helps to stimulate collaboration between industry, academia, provides industry based graduate training and facilitates technology transfer. Companies contribute between 30 per cent, and 75 per cent, of direct costs depending on size, with public sector funding making up the balance.

  Inner Cities

  Task Force Development Fund (TFDF)

  Firms should be within a task force area and have up to 25 employees; funding is on a "last resort" basis.

  Grants of up to £4,000 and loans of up to £10,000. £1·1 million levered in from private sector.

  Bus Building Industry
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration he is giving to promote assistance to the British bus building industry.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 19 December 1991]: The British bus building industry has, in common with manufacturing industry in general, been hit by the world economic climate. It has suffered from excess capacity and is currently undergoing a period of restructuring.

  We have recently been in close contact with the main company in this field but have not been asked for and are not considering any direct assistance. The Government are continuing their policy of creating the right conditions for business and investment as we believe that this yields greater and longer lasting benefits.

  "The Two-edged Sword"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the transcript and a video cassette of the programme, "The Two-edged Sword", on international arms trading, broadcast on BBC2 on 13 December.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 19 December 1991]: No.

TRANSPORT

  Mobility Allowance
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to reply to letters from the hon. Member for Harborough of 15 March 1991 and 30 September 1991, forwarded to him by the Department of Social Security, about the concern of the hon. Member's disabled constituent of Northleigh grove, Market Harborough, about the effect of vehicle excise duty changes on mobility allowance.

  Mr. Chope
  I received a letter from my hon. Friend, dated 5 March 1991, in which he raised a question on behalf of his disabled constituent about the effect that abolition of vehicle excise duty (VED) would have on disabled people who are currently exempt from paying this duty. I replied to that letter of 15 April 1991. I am sending my hon. Friend a copy of my earlier reply.

  Railways (Noise)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will undertake to examine the feasibility of introducing thresholds on noise levels for new railways.

  Mr. Freeman
  We plan to draw up noise insulation regulations for new railway lines. I gave details of our proposals in my answer to the hon. Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 28 November at column 577 about the recommendations of the Mitchell committee.

  Diesel Fumes
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements exist to monitor the exhaust emission levels from diesel vehicles in general and London taxi-cabs in particular; and what further checks he proposes to control the exhaust emissions from diesel engines.

  Mr. Chope
  Large diesel-powered vehicles are inspected annually and at roadside checks for the cleanliness of their exhaust emission by the Department's vehicle inspectorate. This is at present a subjective assessment of the level of smoke emitted. Testing using smoke measuring instruments will be introduced in 1992.

  Taxis are subject to a roadworthiness test after one year from new. Taxis are usually submitted not to an annual MoT roadworthiness certificate but to an alternative test, conducted by the licensing authority, which is generally more stringent than the MoT test.

  The licensing authority, which for taxis in London is the Public Carriage Office, has the power to carry out spot checks on a taxi at any time during the licensed year and can prohibit use of the vehicle until faults, which may include excessive smoke, are rectified. The Public Carriage Office is also currently liaising with Westminster council to set up a complaints hot-line for, among other vehicles, taxis which smoke excessively.

  For the future, studies are under way to determine the extent to which smoke measuring instruments can be adapted or modified for use on diesel-powered cars, taxis and light vans.

  Road Improvements, East Sussex
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations have been undertaken between his Department and East Sussex county council on the proposed improvements to the A26 at Beddington Itford Farm and to the A27 from Lewes to Polegate.

  Mr. Chope
  East Sussex county council is being consulted as part of the current public consultation on both these schemes. County, district and parish councillors were invited to a presentation about the schemes at a preview of the consultations exhibition.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the impending decision on the alignment to the proposed A27 Polegate bypass.

  Mr. Chope
  A small number of objections and representations have been received following publication of draft orders under the Highways Act for the A27 Polegate bypass. They are currently being assessed. The objection period ends on 29 February.

  Motorways
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the proposed southern and western motorway and the proposed slip road linking it with the A59; what consultations he has had with Lancashire county council on the proposals; and what environmental matters he has taken into consideration in planning the motorway alignment.
  398
  Mr. Chope
  Several hundred representations have been received so far. Consultations with Lancashire county council have taken place throughout the development of the scheme and are continuing. In proposing a route for consultation full account has been taken of all environmental matters including the effects on people and property and on special landscape areas.

  Heavy Goods Vehicles
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will examine the feasibility of introducing a maximum speed limit for heavy goods vehicles.

  Mr. Chope
  Vehicle speed limits are already contained in the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The speed limit for goods vehicles over 7·5 tonnes gross weight is 60 mph on motorways, 50 mph on dual carriageways and 40 mph on other roads, subject to any lower road speed limits.

  Lorry and Bus Speeds
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason Her Majesty's Government agreed to the directive on Euro speed limits for lorries and buses on 16 December; and if he will make a statement outlining the costs of the proposal and the benefits which will stem from it.

  Mr. Chope
  Commission proposal 8046/91 was subject to qualified majority voting and the United Kingdom was the only member state opposed to the inclusion of set speeds in the directive. The Government support the principle that speed limiters should be fitted to lorries and coaches. Moreover, the directive will be of benefit to the United Kingdom because, for the future. EC-registered vehicles, as well as those which are subject to the national construction and use regulations, will have to be fitted with limiters. The restrictions on speed will add to gross operating costs but there will be savings in fuel to set against these.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reason Her Majesty's Government agreed to the directive on Euro speed limits for lorries and buses being considered as a majority voting measure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The proposal for a directive on the fitment of speed limiters including speeds at which the limiters must be set was presented under article 75 of the European treaty as a measure in pursuance of a common transport policy. Voting under this article is required to be by qualified majority.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if there are any exemptions in any member state from the restrictions on speed limits for lorries and buses agreed in the Council on 16 December; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The proposed directive on the fitment of speed limiters will not provide any exemptions to permit member states to set limiters above the prescribed speeds.

  Midland Metro
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the Midland metro.
  399
  Mr. Freeman
  I announced in October that development funding of £1·5 million was being made available for further work to be done on the project. I have now decided that extra resources, in addition to this sum, should be provided in 1992–93 so that more preparatory work can be carried out. Full funding will be considered in due course.

  Rail Electrification (West Yorkshire)
  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the West York shire electrification project.

  Mr. Freeman
  The passenger transport authority has now informed me that the rolling-stock will as agreed be acquired through an operating lease. I welcome this, and we are allocating credit approvals to allow work to begin as soon as possible on the infrastructure for the project.

  Transport Council
  Mr. Grist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the outcome of the meeting of the European Transport Council on 16 and 17 December.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The meeting of the European Council of Transport Ministers was held in Brussels on the 16 and 17 December. Due to the incident on the morning of the 16 December at Clapham Junction, which resulted in serious and regrettable delay to British Rail services, I was unable to attend the Council. Officials represented the United Kingdom on both days.

  The Council agreed in principle that speed limiters should be fitted to heavy goods vehicles and coaches throughout the Community. The requirement will apply to all new vehicles registered after 1 January 1994. Existing vehicles registered after 1 January 1988 will have to have limiters fitted by 1 January 1995 where they are used in international transport, and by 1 January 1996 where they are used exclusively on domestic journeys. The Council also agreed that limiters should be set so as to restrict the road speed of HGVs to 90 kph (56 mph), and that limiters on coaches should be set at 100 kph (62 mph). In addition, there will be restrictions on who can fit and set limiters in order to safeguard against incorrect calibration and tampering.

  The Council took note of the Commission's interim report on road safety and requested the Commission to produce a final report by May 1992, including consideration of the establishment of a standing advisory committee on road safety.

  Agreement was reached on the definition of technical equivalence to road friendly (air) suspension with a firm commitment to take forward the proposal on maximum authorised drive axle weights.

  The Council reached agreement in principle on proposals for an EC road hauliers licence. These would be put before the next Transport Council for adoption subject to receipt of the European Parliament's opinion.

  The Council made progress towards Community rules for the single market on international road passenger transport, paving the way for further simplification of the procedures and for abolition for all authorisations as the next step.

  A resolution was agreed on transport and disabled people. The Commission have agreed to submit a report by September 1992.
  400
  The Commission introduced a paper on transport infrastructure networks which would take account of the Maastricht agreement on networks and the cohesion fund. The Council also reached agreement on its resolution on research and development under the fourth framework programme, with a Council declaration that transport research be
  "taken into account in a coherent way".

  The Council noted the presidency's report and agreed to ask the Economic and Financial Council to continue to examine fiscal harmonisation in the road haulage sector.

  The Council agreed a regulation to liberalise inland waterway cabotage.

  On aviation matters, a directive phasing out the operation of older, noisier aircraft between 1995 and 2002 was agreed in principle, subject to further examination of the annex listing certain aircraft from developing countries eligible for exemptions until 2002. The Council had a useful first debate on the third aviation package, agreeing with the main principles and scope of the Commission's proposals whilst noting that more work was needed on the details, particularly as to how and when cabotage and 'seventh freedom' services should be introduced.

  On maritime issues, the Council agreed a regulation enabling the Commission to work up a detailed block exemption from the competition rules of the treaty for shipping consortia. The Council also agreed a decision on radionavigation systems. No final decisions were reached on the liberalisation of shipping cabotage but there was general support for the phased approach by the presidency and the proposal was remitted to the Portuguese presidency for further discussion.

  Public Transport, London
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to make public transport in London more affordable to travellers.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since 1984, real fare increases for London Transport have averaged 2½ per cent. per year, somewhat less than London earnings have risen, which means that public transport in London is that much more affordable. In its response to the MMC report on London Underground, the Government made it clear that they did not see a case for much steeper real fare increases than those in the past six years.

  River Policing
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he is making for the specialist policing at riverside wharves, jetties, piers, depots, warehouses and other marine installations on the River Thames within the port of London, but not within the designated port of Tilbury.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None. The places mentioned by the hon. Member are, and will continue to be, policed by the Thames division of the Metropolitan police if they are within the Metropolitan police area or, if they are outside it, by the appropriate county force.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the future policing of the port of Tilbury; and if he will place copies of such representations and his respective responses in the Library.
  401
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have received representations from my hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Sir T. Taylor), who is parliamentary spokesman for the PLA Police Federation, and from the chairman of the federation itself. In addition, hon. Members have forwarded to me letters from 15 members or former members of the PLA police force.

  Rail Coaches
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the longitudinal crushing strength of the pacer, sprinter, type 144, HST and 225 type coaches in use on British Railways; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The longitudinal loads specified for mainline and multiple unit coaches at various heights above rail level are set out in the table. All new design of body shell are tested to verify their performance before entering service.

  Load (tonnes)

  Height

  Mainline1 coaches

  Multiple2 units

  Buffer-coupler height

  200

  150

  Waist height (below windows)

  30

  30

  Cant height (join between body sides and roof)

  30

  30

  1 Includes HST (Mark III) and C225 (Mark IV) coaches.

  2 Includes Pacers (including Class 144) and Sprinters.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total cost of(a) the electrification of the railway between Edinburgh and London, including costs of locomotives and rolling stock and (b) the electrification of the railway between Glasgow and Euston at constant prices, including costs of locomotives and rolling stock.

  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is not immediately available. I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport regarding the overhead catenary on(a) the east coast route into King's Cross and (b) the west coast route into Euston, if he will list (i) the diameter of the copper traction current wire, (ii) the weight of the type of pillar and arm supporting the wire in both systems and (iii) the reliability of the locomotives on each system in failures per 10,000 miles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Department does not hold the information requested. Operational details are matters for British Rail.

  East Coast Line
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information the Health and Safety Executive has on the problems being experienced with signal failures on the east coast railway route between Leeds and London.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand from BR that signals have been thrown to red, and other equipment has been disabled, as a result of serious problems of vandalism on the east coast main line in recent weeks. Such incidents were not reportable to the Health and Safety Executive since they did not involve a safety risk.

  Road Pricing Schemes
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the introduction of road pricing schemes in order to reduce traffic levels in city centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Last year my right hon. and learned Friend announced a wide ranging study into urban congestion, its causes and cures including a specific research programme into the potential for road pricing in London. On 24 October he announced the appointment of Programme Consultants for the London programme and work started on 2 November. It will take about two and a half years. Outside London it is for local highway authorities to consider. Cambridge is developing specific proposals, and others, such as Edinburgh and Oxford, are examining the general implications. My Department and the Scottish Office are keeping in touch with these studies. My right hon. and learned Friend made it clear in his original announcement that the Government have an open mind on the desirability of urban road pricing and will await the results of the research before making a decision.

  Port of London Authority Police
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from the Port of London Police Federation about reviewing his proposals to privatise the Port of London Authority police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The federation has expressed to me its concern about the proposed transfer of the PLA police force to the company set up for the port of Tilbury under section 21 of the Ports Act 1991. I have considered their representations very carefully but remain of the view that the transfer of the PLA police to the Tilbury Company is in the best interests of the PLA, of the future owners of the port of Tilbury and of the PLA police alike.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what employment and pension protection has been afforded to police officers serving in the Port of London Police Authority who are nearing retirement age; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The provisions of paragraph 10 of schedule 2 to the Ports Act 1991 make it clear that the transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 1981 will apply to the whole of the PLA's undertaking which is to be transferred to the new Tilbury Company. The effect of these regulations will be to protect at the time of transfer the employment contracts of all PLA employees who transfer, including police officers.

  The pension rights of those employees who transfer and as a result cease to belong to the PLA pension fund will be protected by the PLA's scheme of transfer for the Tilbury undertaking, as required by section 23(2) of the Act.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what instructions or guidance he has given to prevent elected officers of the Port of London Police Authority from making their views known on the proposals for privatising the police authority.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have issued no guidance.

  127–129 Fillebrook Road, Leytonstone
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport why the decision was made to demolish Nos. 127 arid 129 Fillebrook road, Leytonstone, rather than secure them for safe occupation; who was consulted; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The decision was taken on grounds of public safety: these properties became dangerous after thieves rendered them structurally unsound by systematically removing the bricks over large parts of their rear facades. The decision was endorsed by an officer of the building control department of the London borough of Waltham Forest. Adjoining landowners, including London Underground Ltd., were also consulted.

  Car Safety
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will provide information by make and model of new cars which have any of the following features designed along the lines of the United Kingdom proposals currently under discussion in the European Community(a) safer steering wheels, (b) front end protection for pedestrians and (c) side impact protection.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is not available.

  Proposals for safer steering wheels, frontal protection for pedestrians and side impact protection are currently under discussion in the European Community with strong support from the United Kingdom. These features do not, however, form part of the United Kingdom national type approval scheme for motor vehicles and are therefore not checked and recorded by make and model as part of that process.

  Pollution and Congestion, London
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he intends to take to reduce air pollution in London caused by motor vehicles.

  Mr. Chope
  From 31 December 1992, we shall require new standards to be met by all cars and light goods vehicles, both petrol and diesel-engined. New requirements for diesel emissions will also apply to heavy duty 404
  trucks and buses from 1 October 1993, with further reductions from 1 October 1996. So far as London in particular is concerned, record sums are already being invested in public transport to improve the quality of choice for those who might otherwise use private motor cars. Traffic management projects, such as red routes, are intended to enable traffic to flow more smoothly, and thus give off less emissions than when moving in a "stop-start" manner. The pilot red route scheme in north London has already demonstrated the success of this strategy.

  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whart measures he intends to take to relieve traffic congestion in London.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government have several initiatives designed to tackle urban road congestion, a principal one of which is to continue to make public transport more attractive, reliable and efficient.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to reduce the concentration of private traffic on London's roads.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 19 December 1991]: The Government have several initiatives designed to tackle urban road congestion, a principal one of which is to continue to make public transport more attractive, reliable and efficient.

  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made concerning the further development and adoption nationally of a car secondary safety rating system, to improve consumer information about the relative crashworthiness merits of new cars through technical inspection and impact testing methods.

  Mr. Chope
  We are currently developing the methodology used in producing the statistics in the publication "Car and Driver: Injury Accident and Casualty Rates Great Britain". The information in the next edition will be further refined to try to isolate secondary safety; if this is successful it could be used as a measure of the secondary safety of cars. In addition we are co-operating with the Consumers Association in the further development of its secondary safety rating system to include some destructive testing.

SCOTLAND

  Scottish Development Agency
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies which have received funding from the Scottish Development Agency have become insolvent.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Information readily available from the records of the former Scottish Development Agency is limited to cases where funding was provided in the form of investment assistance. It is available for cases where the amount provided exceeded £50,000 in the years before 1986–87; but is available for all cases for the financial years 1986–87 to 1990–91. On that basis, the number of companies is 1,028, of which 176 are known to have gone into receivership or liquidation, or to have suffered sequestration.

  Salmon
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what sums he is making available for research into the effect farmed salmon escapees are having on nature stocks in the present and next three financial years; and if he will list the projects and establishments on which the money is being expended.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In the current financial year, 1991–92, the Department expects to spend about £210,000, at full economic cost, on studies of the genetic component of population structure and genetic variation in performance of farmed and wild salmon. The work will continue, but detailed plans, or costs, for 1992–93 and later financial years have not yet been finalised.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the source of the brood fish used in the production of farmed salmon in Scotland; what research he has carried out into the genetic differences between them and the salmon in Scottish rivers; and what information he has on how many brood fish came from each source in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the numbers of sources of broodstock used by salmon farmers is not obtained or collected centrally.

  Studies on the genetic constitution of farmed fish compared with wild salmon have been undertaken by scientists of the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department over the past three years. The findings have been published in specialist papers. Copies of Scottish fisheries working paper No. 4/89 and Scottish fisheries research report 42, published by the Department, have been placed in the Library. The most recent findings have been published this year in the specialist journal "Aquaculture", Vol. 98 Nos. 1–3.

  Harbours (Accounts)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by region, the statutory harbour undertakings which are required by section 42(2)(b) of the Harbours Act 1964 to send him a copy of their annual accounts, stating in each case the names of the harbour or harbours covered by the undertaking, and the financial year for which accounts were most recently submitted.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  All statutory undertakings which fall within the responsibility of the Scottish 406
  Office are excluded from the need to submit annual accounts to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State by virtue of section 42(11)(b) of the Harbours Act 1964, as amended by schedule 6 to the Transport Act 1981. Details of statutory harbour undertakings in Scotland which are the responsibility of my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport will be provided separately by him.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of(a) hospital beds and (b) acute beds for each health board and the total for Scotland in each year since 1979, and the percentage change from 1979 to 1989.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the number of all NHS hospital beds in Scotland and those beds used for acute specialities, for Scotland and for each health board in Scotland for the years ending 31 March 1979 to 1991 are shown in the table.

  The table shows information on the average available staffed beds and indicates the number of beds which are staffed and are available for the reception of inpatients and day cases. Borrowed and temporary beds are included.

  The acute specialty group comprises the following main specialty classifications: general surgery, orthopaedic surgery, ENT surgery, ophthalmology, urology, orthodontics and paediatric dentistry, oral surgery and medicine, restorative dentistry, general medicine, dermatology, rehabilitation medicine, respiratory medicine, surgical paediatrics medical paediatrics, gynaecology, GP acute, acute mixed and other acute.

  The acute specialty group does not include those specialty classifications attributed to the supra-area specialty group, ie specialties: neurosurgery, cardiothoracic surgery, plastic surgery, neurology, radiotherapy and spinal paralysis.

  Average available staffed beds in NHS hospitals in Scotland for all and acute specialties: by health board: years ending 31 March 1979–1991 1979

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  58,788

  19,005

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,623

  1,372

  Ayr and Arran

  2,847

  981

  Borders

  906

  319

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,707

  437

  Fife

  2,966

  801

  Forth Valley

  3,617

  733

  Grampian

  5,384

  1,752

  Greater Glasgow

  14,078

  4,867

  Highland

  2,470

  810

  Lanarkshire

  5,560

  1,680

  Lothian

  8,432

  3,210

  Orkney

  124

  50

  Shetland

  160

  62

  Tayside

  5,698

  1,846

  Western Isles

  216

  85

  1980

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  58,334

  18,948

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,561

  1,330

  Ayr and Arran

  2,822

  975

  407

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Borders

  897

  311

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,626

  423

  Fife

  2,928

  791

  Forth Valley

  3,610

  708

  Grampian

  5,398

  1,758

  Greater Glasgow

  14,068

  4,908

  Highland

  2,433

  810

  Lanarkshire

  5,515

  1,735

  Lothian

  8,393

  3,200

  Orkney

  120

  46

  Shetland

  159

  62

  Tayside

  5,588

  1,808

  Western Isles

  216

  84

  1981

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  58,150

  18,755

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,499

  1,263

  Ayr and Arran

  2,827

  977

  Borders

  910

  322

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,589

  428

  Fife

  2,912

  784

  Forth Valley

  3,614

  727

  Grampian

  5,387

  1,709

  Greater Glasgow

  14,078

  4,859

  Highland

  2,424

  811

  Lanarkshire

  5,540

  1,728

  Lothian

  8,408

  3,175

  Orkney

  131

  58

  Shetland

  160

  62

  Tayside

  5,465

  1,771

  Western Isles

  207

  82

  1982

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  57,928

  18,649

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,484

  1,259

  Ayr and Arran

  2,818

  970

  Borders

  931

  337

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,559

  428

  Fife

  2,971

  791

  Forth Valley

  3,570

  727

  Grampian

  5,429

  1,711

  Greater Glasgow

  13,919

  4,811

  Highland

  2,417

  809

  Lanarkshire

  5,543

  1,733

  Lothian

  8,419

  3,171

  Orkney

  131

  57

  Shetland

  160

  62

  Tayside

  5,375

  1,698

  Western Isles

  202

  83

  1983

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  57,119

  18,092

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,455

  1,258

  Ayr and Arran

  2,795

  947

  Borders

  934

  345

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,538

  424

  Fife

  3,001

  797

  Forth Valley

  3,426

  688

  Grampian

  5,477

  1,694

  Greater Glasgow

  13,348

  4,326

  Highland

  2,337

  815

  Lanarkshire

  5,518

  1,696

  Lothian

  8,452

  3,142

  408

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Orkney

  131

  58

  Shetland

  160

  62

  Tayside

  5,367

  1,754

  Western Isles

  209

  85

  1984

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  57,342

  18,079

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,433

  1,255

  Ayr and Arran

  3,051

  1,080

  Borders

  925

  325

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,538

  421

  Fife

  3,106

  804

  Forth Valley

  3,465

  690

  Grampian

  5,571

  1,729

  Greater Glasgow

  13,206

  4,204

  Highland

  2,288

  797

  Lanarkshire

  5,442

  1,715

  Lothian

  8,505

  3,124

  Orkney

  131

  57

  Shetland

  159

  62

  Tayside

  5,312

  1,731

  Western Isles

  208

  84

  1985

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  56,802

  17,753

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,437

  1,248

  Ayr and Arran

  3,026

  1,082

  Borders

  927

  333

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,552

  435

  Fife

  3,139

  795

  Forth Valley

  3,401

  678

  Grampian

  5,568

  1,725

  Greater Glasgow

  13,079

  4,151

  Highland

  2,279

  766

  Lanarkshire

  5,338

  1,627

  Lothian

  8,358

  2,999

  Orkney

  129

  56

  Shetland

  159

  63

  Tayside

  5,197

  1,711

  Western Isles

  210

  85

  1986

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  55,955

  17,384

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,386

  1,245

  Ayr and Arran

  2,988

  1,058

  Borders

  933

  339

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,510

  443

  Fife

  3,229

  785

  Forth Valley

  3,418

  683

  Grampian

  5,567

  1,722

  Greater Glasgow

  12,746

  4,045

  Highland

  2,131

  686

  Lanarkshire

  5,271

  1,587

  Lothian

  8,163

  2,910

  Orkney

  106

  57

  Shetland

  160

  62

  Tayside

  5,137

  1,678

  Western Isles

  211

  85

  409

  1987

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  55,338

  17,223

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,312

  1,236

  Ayr and Arran

  2,951

  1,052

  Borders

  944

  348

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,493

  445

  Fife

  3,290

  811

  Forth Valley

  3,410

  682

  Grampian

  5,513

  1,707

  Greater Glasgow

  12,559

  3,987

  Highland

  2,165

  695

  Lanarkshire

  5,042

  1,570

  Lothian

  8,047

  2,840

  Orkney

  131

  58

  Shetland

  158

  60

  Tayside

  5,109

  1,648

  Western Isles

  216

  85

  1988

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  54,487

  17,005

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,307

  1,233

  Ayr and Arran

  2,952

  1,074

  Borders

  939

  347

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,505

  445

  Fife

  3,254

  811

  Forth Valley

  3,151

  643

  Grampian

  5,457

  1,693

  Greater Glasgow

  12,242

  3,933

  Highland

  2,142

  687

  Lanarkshire

  4,961

  1,552

  Lothian

  8,008

  2,761

  Orkney

  131

  61

  Shetland

  159

  62

  Tayside

  5,057

  1,615

  Western Isles

  221

  88

  1989

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  54,487

  17,005

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,307

  1,233

  Ayr and Arran

  2,952

  1,074

  Borders

  939

  347

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,505

  445

  Fife

  3,254

  811

  Forth Valley

  3,151

  643

  Grampian

  5,457

  1,693

  Greater Glasgow

  12,242

  3,933

  Highland

  2,142

  687

  Lanarkshire

  4,961

  1,552

  Lothian

  8,008

  2,761

  Orkney

  131

  61

  Shetland

  159

  62

  Tayside

  5,057

  1,615

  Western Isles

  221

  88

  1990

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  52,121

  16,270

  Argyll and Clyde

  4,103

  1,275

  Ayr and Arran

  2,925

  1,087

  Borders

  927

  335

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,439

  417

  Fife

  3,062

  805

  Forth Valley

  2,878

  604

  Grampian

  5,276

  1,428

  410

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Greater Glasgow

  11,918

  3,854

  Highland

  1,968

  690

  Lanarkshire

  4,790

  1,529

  Lothian

  7,578

  2,442

  Orkney

  131

  61

  Shetland

  162

  63

  Tayside

  4,743

  1,593

  Western Isles

  220

  86

  1991

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  50,640

  15,883

  Argyll and Clyde

  3,976

  1,257

  Ayr and Arran

  2,886

  1,071

  Borders

  917

  339

  Dumfries and Galloway

  1,389

  420

  Fife

  2,987

  791

  Forth Valley

  2,853

  592

  Grampian

  5,155

  1,391

  Greater Glasgow

  11,482

  3,716

  Highland

  1,918

  695

  Lanarkshire

  4,773

  1,521

  Lothian

  7,207

  2,312

  Orkney

  144

  61

  Shetland

  151

  53

  Tayside

  4,578

  1,578

  Western Isles

  224

  87

  Percentage change 1979–89

  All specialties

  Acute specialties

  Scotland

  -9·1

  -12·7

  Argyll and Clyde

  -10·7

  -7·0

  Ayr and Arran

  4·4

  10·9

  Borders

  3·7

  6·0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  -11·9

  0·2

  Fife

  4·7

  -0·5

  Forth Valley

  -14·8

  -15·8

  Grampian

  0·8

  -17·2

  Greater Glasgow

  -13·9

  -20·6

  Highland

  -17·7

  -15·2

  Lanarkshire

  -11·7

  -8·6

  Lothian

  -6·1

  -16·4

  Orkney

  5·5

  20·8

  Shetland

  0·3

  0·3

  Tayside

  -15·8

  -12·6

  Western Isles

  2·4

  2·7

  Small Firms
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many schemes his Department runs to provide help or finance for small firms; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My right hon. Friend's Department runs or supports seven schemes providing help or finance for small firms. These are:

  Managing Into the 90s1

  Export Market Research Scheme1

  Regional Enterprise Grant for Investment

  Regional Enterprise Grant for Innovation

  Regional Office Technology Transfer Programme1

  Small Firms Merit Award For Research and Technology (SMART) 1

  Support for Products Under Research (SPUR) 1

  1Administered by Scottish Office Industry Department but funded by DTI

  411
  In addition small firms also benefit from more generally available schemes run by my Department, including regional selective assistance and the full range of schemes operated by Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the local enterprise companies are also available to assist small firms development. Some of these are aimed specifically or primarily at small firms. The local enterprise companies and other agencies also have flexibility to develop their own schemes designed to meet the particular needs of enterprises, including small firms, in their area.

  Marine Fish Farms
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will issue for consultation guidance on the location of marine fish farms in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My Department issued today a draft of this guidance which seeks to clarify policy and to balance concern for environment with a sustainable future for marine fish fanning. It is being issued for consultation to a wide range of interested parties in Scotland and comments are invited by mid February. A copy has been placed in the Library of the House. I look forward to considering all the comments received once the consultation period is completed.

  Gifts in Lieu of Inheritance Tax
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if any works of art accepted in lieu of inheritance tax have been allocated since he last made an announcement.

  1998–89

  1989–90

  Region

  (a) Serious irregularity

  (b) Minor breach

  (c) Payment withheld

  (a) Serious irregularity

  (b) Minor breach

  (c) Payment withheld

  in full

  in part

  in full

  in part

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  3

  —

  3

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Grampian

  —

  27

  3

  24

  —

  30

  1

  29

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Lothian

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Tayside

  —

  8

  1

  7

  —

  5

  —

  5

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  —

  37

  4

  33

  —

  41

  1

  40

  Full information in respect of the 1990–91 set-aside year is not yet avilable, as claims are still being checked and processed.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farmers have received payment under the set-aside scheme, for each year since 1988, in each

  Payments for 1988–89 (set-aside agreements entered into in 1988)

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  Region

  Horse-based activities

  Golf courses

  Game cover (commercial)

  Sports grounds

  Other recreational facilities

  Other

  Borders

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  17

  —

  6

  2

  3

  1

  412
  Mr. Lang
  I am particularly pleased to announce that I am allocating the following pre-eminent works of art accepted in lieu of inheritance tax to the Royal Scottish Academy, Edinburgh, on permanent loan.

  Items

  Amount of tax satisfied

  Portrait of Selina Thistlethwayte by Thomas Gainsbourgh

  £6,650,000

  Portrait of Robert Thistlethwayte of Norman Court by Thomas Gainsbourgh

  Portrait of Pierre Pecquius by Sir Peter Paul Rubens

  View of Wageningen by Hercules Seghers

  The Royal Scottish Academy is making arrangements for a short exhibition of the paintings in the Academy building early in 1992. I have agreed that they will then go on loan to the Aberdeen art gallery while preparations are made for their permanent display at the Royal Scottish Academy.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the figures for each region in Scotland for each year since 1988 of(a) the number of serious irregularities of the set-aside scheme, (b) the number of minor breaches of the scheme and (c) the number of cases where payments were withheld in full or in part; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 December 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

  region in Scotland for (a) horse-based activities, (b) golf courses, (c) game cover for commercial shoots, (d) sports grounds, (e) other recreational facilities and (f) other; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 December 1991]: The information requested is as follows:
  413

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  Region

  Horse-based activities

  Golf courses

  Game cover (commercial)

  Sports grounds

  Other recreational facilities

  Other

  Highland

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  2

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  Tayside

  16

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  39

  1

  7

  2

  3

  2

  Payments for 1989–90 (set-aside agreements entered into in 1988 and 1989)

  Region

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  Borders

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Fife

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  23

  —

  6

  2

  5

  2

  Highland

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Lothian

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  Strathclyde

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Tayside

  18

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Total

  52

  1

  7

  2

  5

  6

  Payments for 1990–91 (set-aside agreements entered into in 1988, 1989 and 1990)

  Region

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  (d)

  (e)

  (f)

  Borders

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Fife

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Grampian

  29

  1

  9

  2

  5

  2

  Highland

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Lothian

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  Strathclyde

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Tayside

  19

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Others

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  62

  3

  11

  2

  7

  7

  The information provided in respect of payments for the 1990–91 set-aside year, ending 30 September 1991, is provisional, pending completion of the processing of claims. As the scheme provides for five-year undertakings, the third table represents the cumulative position.

  Scottish Arts Council
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any proposals for a supplementary financial allocation to the Scottish Arts Council and Edinburgh district council in order to allow the meeting of the Council of Ministers in Edinburh to be marked by a range of cultural events; and if he will make a statement.
  414
  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 12 December 1991]: I have no such proposals. These and other bodies may however be eligible to receive limited support for particular projects from funds set aside to promote events associated with the United Kingdom's presidency of the Community. I hope that a wide range of cultural events will be included in the celebrations of Edinburgh's prominent role as the city which is to host the meeting of the European Council of Ministers in December 1992. My officials will be meeting representatives of relevant Scottish organisations early in the new year for further discussions on the part which these organisations intend to play.