Written Answers of 8 February 1991

ENERGY

  Coal Industry (Competition)
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is considering measures to introduce further competition in the coal industry.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In the Coal Industry Act 1990 the first steps were taken to liberalise the coal industry, through the raising of limits on the number of men who could be employed to work underground in licensed mines, and by increasing the tonnage limits on the size of licensed opencast sites. Further competition will be introduced when the Government privatise the coal industry after the next general election.

  Coal Mining Subsidence
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the coal mining subsidence damage arbitration scheme that is administered by the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators has been approved by his Department.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The new arbitration scheme for resolving disputes arising from coal mining subsidence damage has been voluntarily put in place by the British Coal Corporation and the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators with the encouragement of my Department. The Department was consulted on the draft rules of the scheme.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Relief Agencies
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional funds have been allocated to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency consequent on recent hostilities in the middle east; and what additional sums have been sent by Her Majesty's Government to this and similar relief agencies.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Sir D. Steel) on 4 February at column 14. I also refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. and learned Friend the Member for Grantham (Mr. Hogg) to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) about assistance for the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United Nations relief agencies.

  Overseas Aid
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration has been given to the effects of oil price increases on the budget allocated to alleviate third-world poverty.
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  Mrs. Chalker
  The cost of imported oil is an important factor in the economies of many developing countries. We supported plans by the International Monetary Fund and the World bank, to which we contribute from our aid programme, to provide help to countries adjusting to the oil price increases in the second half of 1990. These plans will be kept under review in the light of changes in the oil price.

  Botswana
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any United Kingdom or EC funding has been made available towards the cost of the construction of a steel fence in the Okavango delta in Botswana.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No British or European Community aid funds have been made available for this purpose.

  Somalia
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to the Somalian authorities concerning(a) the detention of political prisoners and (b) alleged abuses of political detainees.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have repeatedly raised these issues with the Somali authorities including at ministerial level over a long period. Following the fall of the Siad Barre regime there is at present no established authority in Somalia and information about conditions inside the country is hard to come by.

  Tobacco
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the Government's policy on aid to the tobacco sector.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Tobacco remains an important crop and a source of export earnings and budgetary revenue in some developing countries. There is, however, increasing evidence that the health risks associated with tobacco consumption will affect developing countries most severely and place increasing burdens on their health budgets which in most cases are already inadequate.

  In these circumstances, the Government have decided that in future the aid programme should not be used for any purpose which identifiably supports the tobacco sector. With immediate effect, no new bilateral commitments will be undertaken. We shall also advocate that multilateral aid agencies to which we contribute should pursue a similar policy. In addition we shall continue to help developing countries reduce their tobacco consumption, and maintain our assistance to farmers dependent on tobacco crops to diversify into alternative activities.

  The same policy will apply to our assistance to eastern Europe.

TRANSPORT

  London Regional Transport
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make additional resources available to London Underground to prevent staff redundancies and cuts from being made in peak hour services; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will consider lifting current financial restraints imposed upon London Regional Transport.

  Mr. Freeman
  London Transport has requested additional funding this year and we are discussing its request with it. A statement will be made as soon as possible.

  Semtex
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to require the mandatory installation of security systems capable of detecting Semtex explosives for all airports in the United Kingdom handling international air traffic.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer Thursday 7 February]: The security arrangements already in place at our airports are capable of detecting explosive devices, including those containing Semtex. Our policy is to take all appropriate steps to improve those arrangements further and we will not hesitate to require the provision of any new equipment which would make a significant contribution whether developed under the Department's own aviation security research and development programme, or independently. It would, however, be a mistake to assume that any particular piece of equipment will guarantee 100 per cent. security.

  Cliffe Marshes, Kent
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice his Department has given to the Port of London Authority with regard to the disposal of dredgings on land at Cliffe marshes, Kent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer Thursday 7 February]: None. It is the responsibility of the PLA to investigate ways of disposing of silt dredged from the Thames and to seek any necessary statutory permissions.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Student Placements
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his estimate of the number of students from institutions of higher education in Northern Ireland who were not offered a placement on their year out of university or other institution by the start of the academic year in the current year and the last two years; and how many in each case never got a placement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 6 February 1991]: Placements are essentially a matter for the institutions, which have advised me that they do not hold information in the form requested. In the current academic year there are in Northern Ireland some 1,010 students on 50
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  separate courses involving year-long placements (compared with 980 in 1989–90 and 830 in 1988–89) and I have been assured that, through the combined efforts of the institutions and employers, the vast majority of this rapidly increasing group of students have always been placed for the full year.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Research Council
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the financial allocations to the research councils for 1991–92, identifying programmes and capital programmes earmarked in advance by Government; and what were the comparable allocations in the three previous years in real terms.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The allocations to the five research councils for 1991–92 announced on 24 January are as follows:

  £ million

  AFRC

  93·4

  ESRC

  35·5

  MRC

  200·4

  NERC

  122·6

  SERC

  451·3

  None of the additional amounts announced this year was allocated to particular programmes in advance. The sums so allocated to particular programmes for 1991–92 in earlier settlements were as follows; redundancy costs as a result of reductions in MAFF research commissions £6·0 million (AFRC), AIDS £8·5 million (MRC), British Antarctic Survey (BAS) £6·2 million (NERC), British Geological Survey (BGS) £7·0 million (NERC), CERN £7·3 million (SERC), ERS2 instruments £2·0 million (SERC).

  For the three preceding years the total grant to each council and the sums specifically allocated in earlier settlements (at 1991–92 prices) were as follows:

  £ million

  Council

  Grant in Aid

  Specific allocations

  1990–91

  AFRC

  91·8

  MAFF 4·0

  ESRC

  38·4

  —

  MRC

  196·8

  AIDS 8·5

  NERC

  114·2

  BAS 25·7, BGS 5 3

  SERC

  463·3

  CERN7·7, ERS2 2·1

  1989–90

  AFRC

  87·4

  MAFF 3·0

  ESRC

  36·6

  —

  MRC

  201·9

  AIDS 9·2

  NERC

  131·6

  BAS 10·5, BGS 3·4

  SERC

  460·5

  CERN 10·6

  1988–89

  AFRC

  71·1

  —

  ESRC

  33·7

  —

  MRC

  178·7

  AIDS 7·3

  NERC

  110·7

  BAS 10·5

  SERC

  446·2

  —

  Nuclear Physics
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future funding of nuclear physics by the Science and Engineering Research Council.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many representations he has received about the future funding of the nuclear structure facility at Daresbury; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I have received 120 representations about the nuclear structure facility at the Daresbury laboratory of the Science and Engineering Research Council.

  As part of a review of all its future activities, the council decided on 6 February to make plans for the possible closure of the nuclear structure facility. To assist its further consideration of this issue, the council is establishing a study to assess the importance of the nuclear structure science in the context of the council's work as a whole.

  Stratford School
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he received from Her Majesty's inspectors of schools on Stratford school, Stratford.

  Mr. Eggar
  Advice submitted to the Secretary of State on the application by Stratford school for grant-maintained status and on Newham local education authority's proposal under section 12 of the 1980 Education Act to cease to maintain the school took account of HMI advice derived from inspection visits to the school.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the dates and purpose of all visits made to Stratford school, Stratford by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools, since 1 January 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  The following visits have been made by HMI to Stratford school since 1 January 1990.

  13 February 1990: one day general visit.

  15 January 1991: one day general visit.

  1 2Net Institutional Expenditure per pupil 1988–89

  Proportion of leavers with 5 or more results at Grades A to C3

  LEA

  (£)

  as percentage of all school leavers

  rank

  ILEA

  2,505

  15·9

  91

  Waltham Forest

  2,435

  12·7

  94

  Brent

  2,305

  20·6

  78

  Ealing

  2,145

  22·5

  67

  Newham

  2,140

  14·9

  93

  Croydon

  2,040

  22·1

  70

  Knowsley

  1,990

  8·5

  96

  Barking

  1,970

  11·3

  95

  Coventry

  1,940

  21·2

  76

  Liverpool

  1,905

  19·4

  84

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  1,900

  32·2

  10

  Hounslow

  1,895

  25·2

  49

  Sandwell

  1,885

  15·5

  92

  Walsall

  1,885

  23·4

  59

  Hillingdon

  1,870

  22·7

  65

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  1,870

  21·6

  74

  Havering

  1,860

  24·4

  57

  Salford

  1,860

  23·2

  62

  Wigan

  1,845

  30·2

  18

  258
  In addition, HMI has made a small number of very short visits to talk to the acting head.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will place in the Library a copy of any reports on Stratford school prepared by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  No inspection report on Stratford school has been produced by HMI and published by the Secretary of State since 1983 when such reports were made public.

  First Aid
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to introduce the teaching of first aid as part of the national curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  First aid training is a matter for determination by individual schools. This will continue to be the case under the national curriculum. Some core and foundation subjects will however provide specific opportunities for such training. In addition, the National Curriculum Council's non-statutory guidance on health education, "Curriculum Guidance 5: Health Education", recommends that safety education, including a knowledge of basic first aid, should be a key component in schools' health education programmes.

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all local education authorities in England in rank order of expenditure per secondary pupil per year, starting with the higher spending authority, together with their position in the table Of examination results for school leavers achieving grades A to C at GCSE in 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Fallon
  The table gives the net institutional expenditure per secondary school pupil in the financial year 1988–89, and averaged examination results for three years 1986–87 to 1988–89. The purpose of averaging is to reduce sampling error within the derived percentages. Comparable information is not yet available for 1989–90.
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  1 2Net Institutional Expenditure per pupil 1988–89

  Proportion of leavers with 5 or more results at Grades A to C3

  LEA

  (£)

  as percentage of all school leavers

  rank

  Dudley

  1,840

  25·5

  47

  South Tyneside

  1,825

  22·2

  68

  Barnet

  1,820

  38·9

  2

  Sheffield

  1,810

  22·2

  68

  North Tyneside

  1,780

  27·5

  36

  Bromley

  1,770

  29·9

  19

  Gateshead

  1,770

  20·4

  80

  Cleveland

  1,770

  26·5

  43

  Leicestershire

  1,770

  25·1

  51

  Wirral

  1,755

  27·8

  31

  Derbyshire

  1,755

  24·6

  54

  Wolverhampton

  1,745

  19·9

  81

  Hertfordshire

  1,745

  31·9

  11

  Nottinghamshire

  1,745

  23·4

  59

  Harrow

  1,740

  38·6

  3

  Redbridge

  1,735

  25·5

  47

  Bury

  1,730

  27·7

  33

  Stockport

  1,730

  28·6

  25

  Enfield

  1,715

  26·9

  41

  Buckinghamshire

  1,715

  36·0

  5

  St. Helens

  1,710

  20·5

  79

  Trafford

  1,710

  30·7

  15

  Rochdale

  1,700

  20·9

  77

  Shropshire

  1,695

  30·3

  17

  Humberside

  1,690

  22·6

  66

  Bexley

  1,685

  28·5

  26

  Cumbria

  1,685

  28·0

  29

  Calderdale

  1,665

  21·5

  75

  Sunderland

  1,665

  21·8

  72

  Oxfordshire

  1,665

  27·7

  33

  Merton

  1,660

  24·6

  54

  Tameside

  1,660

  27·1

  39

  Doncaster

  1,655

  21·7

  73

  Solihull

  1,650

  31·7

  12

  Barnsley

  1,645

  19·7

  82

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  1,640

  32·4

  8

  Birmingham

  1,640

  19·1

  85

  Bolton

  1,635

  28·7

  24

  Rotherham

  1,635

  23·0

  63

  Bedfordshire

  1,635

  24·9

  52

  Essex

  1,635

  27·4

  37

  Surrey

  1,635

  38·0

  4

  Warwickshire

  1,635

  28·5

  26

  Sutton

  1,630

  39·1

  1

  Avon

  1,630

  27·8

  31

  Northumberland

  1,630

  30·7

  15

  Kirklees

  1,620

  25·6

  46

  Lancashire

  1,620

  26·8

  42

  Staffordshire

  1,610

  24·9

  52

  Bradford

  1,605

  16·9

  88

  Sefton

  1,600

  28·5

  26

  North Yorkshire

  1,595

  34·5

  7

  Oldham

  1,590

  18·1

  86

  Norfolk

  1,585

  24·5

  56

  Hampshire

  1,580

  29·6

  21

  Durham

  1,575

  23·4

  59

  Berkshire

  1,570

  32·3

  9

  Somerset

  1,570

  27·1

  39

  East Sussex

  1,565

  31·4

  13

  Wiltshire

  1,555

  25·9

  45

  Leeds

  1,545

  22·0

  71

  Cheshire

  1,545

  29·1

  23

  Gloucestershire

  1,545

  31·2

  14

  Northamptonshire

  1,545

  22·8

  64

  Devon

  1,535

  26·3

  44

  West Sussex

  1,530

  35·5

  6

  Cornwall

  1,525

  29·9

  19

  Isle of Wight

  1,495

  19·5

  83

  Dorset

  1,485

  27·6

  35

  Suffolk

  1,485

  24·2

  58

  Cambridgeshire

  1,480

  28·0

  29

  Kent

  1,475

  27·3

  38

  Lincolnshire

  1,475

  25·2

  49

  Hereford and Worcester

  1,440

  29·2

  22

  260 261

  1 2Net Institutional Expenditure per pupil 1988–89

  Proportion of leavers with 5 or more results at Grades A to C3

  LEA

  £

  as percentage of school leavers

  rank

  Haringey

  n/a

  16·6

  89

  Manchester

  n/a

  16·4

  90

  Wakefield

  n/a

  17·5

  87

  Notes to Table

  1. Net institutional expenditure includes the cost of salaries and wages, premises, and certain supplies and services. It does not include the cost of school meals, central administration, debt charges or revenue contributions to capital outlay.

  2. The expenditure figures are based on LEA expenditure returns to DOE and pupil number returns to DES. N/A denotes that an expenditure return has not been received from an LEA.

  3. The examination data are aggregated from the results of a sample survey for the academic years 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89. The survey is based on a 10 per cent. sample of pupils in maintained and independent schools (excluding special schools) who have reached the minimum school leaving age. The percentages quoted do not reflect the achievements of pupils at 0-level, CSE or GCSE after leaving school; nor their attainments in examinations leading to vocational or other qualifications at school or elsewhere. The data includes grades A-C at O-level and CSE grade 1.

  Primary Schools (Open Enrolment)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what are his reasons for setting the date of September 1992 for implementation of the open enrolment scheme for primary schools; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what was the reason for giving local education authorities seven weeks to respond to the circular on open enrolment in primary schools; on what date the circular was received by local education authorities; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what representations he has received from local authorities on the amount of time allowed for response to his circular on open enrolment in primary schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  More open enrolment is one of the key provisions of the Education Reform Act 1988, designed to remove artificial limits to parental choice of school. In announcing its implementation in secondary schools from September 1990, the then Secretary of State expressed the hope that all primary schools would also forthwith admit pupils on demand up to the limit of their physical capacity, and many already do so.

  September 1992 is the earliest practical date to bring these provisions into formal effect for all primary schools; the necessary procedures have been simplified and the consultation process carried out so as to meet that target. The draft circular and statutory order were dispatched to LEAs on 11 December.

  Some 65 responses have now been received; the majority of respondents have taken the opportunity to comment on the length of the consultation period. The final versions of both documents will be in schools and LEAs later this term so that any necessary adjustments can be made before admission limits for 1991–92 are published this autumn.

  Animals (Scientific Procedures)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what will be the capital cost to British universities of implementing the Home Office's code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures;

  (2) what financial provision has been earmarked for implementing the Home Office's code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures
  262
  in each of the next three financial years; and whether this provision is contained within block grant or capital provision.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 5 February 1991,Official Report, column 131.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 23 November 1990,Official Report, column 221, whether he has appointed any further non-executive directors to the board of the Student Loans Company.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland and I have today appointed Mr. Gavin Burnett as a second non-executive director of the board of Student Loans Company Ltd. This appointment will bring substantial experience of accountancy to the company's board.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Repair Agencies
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the support for 1990–91 and 1991–92 from his Department to all the housing repair agencies(a) nationally, (b) in Suffolk and (c) in Norfolk.

  Mr. Yeo
  The current estimated outturn for support by my Department to home improvement agencies in 1990–91 is £2,078,500. However, this sum is not paid directly to individual agencies. It is paid to Care and Repair Ltd., and the National Home Improvement Council, which are then responsible for allocating it to individual schemes. My Department does not therefore have any record of the amounts paid currently to schemes in individual counties, although this information will be available after the end of the financial year.

  The total amount which we have allocated in support of individual agencies in 1991–92 is £2,724,751; and I am pleased to be able to inform my hon. Friend that letters are being sent to local authorities informing them of the allocations to individual schemes. Of these, £19,483 has been offered in support of an agency in Suffolk and £22,032 in support of an agency in Norfolk.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the cost of providing exemption from the poll tax for all Gulf personnel for the financial year 1991–92.

  Mr. Portillo
  The revenue forgone from such exemptions would depend on how long British forces are stationed in the Gulf.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the provision of reimbursement of income forgone to those local authorities which are providing exemption from the poll tax for Gulf personnel.

  Mr. Portillo
  We are giving careful consideration to a number of representations on this point.

  Local Government
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those local authorities that have been issued, since 30 October 1990, with(a) section 13 notices, (b) section 14 notices, both under the Local Government Act 1988, (c) section 19a and (d) section 19b notices, both under the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980, giving dates of issue in each case.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) notices under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988:

  —London Borough of Haringey—12 December 1990

  —Eastleigh Borough Council—18 December 1990

  —Redditch Borough Council—18 January 1991.

  (b) directions under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988:

  —London Borough of Camden—31 October 1990

  —Woodspring District Council—8 November 1990

  —Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council—11 December 1990

  —Thurrock Borough Council—19 December 1990

  —Liverpool City Council—4 January 1991 (revised direction, replacing direction of 6 August 1990)

  —Leicester City Council-29 January 1991 (revised direction, replacing direction of 19 December 1990).

  (c) notices under section 19a of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980:

  —Tonbridge and Mailing Borough Council—10 October 1990

  —Wycombe District Council—12 December 1990

  —Eastleigh Borough Council—18 December 1990

  —Rochdale Metropolitan Borough Council—7 February 1991.

  (d) no directions have been made under section 19b of the Local Government, Planning and Land Act 1980 since 30 October 1990.

  Hazardous Waste (Transport)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to proposals for an international code for transport of hazardous waste.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government played an active part in the negotiations which led to the drafting of the global convention on the control of transboundary movements of hazardous wastes which was adopted at a conference in Basel, Switzerland in March 1989 convened by the United Nations Environment Programme. The Commission of the European Community has prepared a draft regulation 264
  on shipments of waste within, into and out of the Community which will inter alia allow EC member states to ratify the convention. Negotiations on the regulation have begun in the Environment Council and the Government have asked that they are completed as soon as possible.

  Cleaning Agents (Pollutants)
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to receive the results of his study of the problems caused by pollutants in cleaning and conditioning agents; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  A draft report has been received from CES (Consultants in Environmental Sciences Ltd.) and is currently being discussed with officials. We expect to receive a final report by the end of February. I will arrange for copies of the document to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority in England(a) the change in business rate poundage between the last year of the old system and the first year of the national non-domestic rate and (b) the percentage change in the average business rate bill over the same period.

  Mr. Heseltine
  In the old system each authority set its own rate poundage. Under the new system there is one poundage set nationally. However, poundages must be considered in conjunction with the relevant rateable values of properties before any inferences can be drawn of the effect of the new system. The highest poundage under the old system was 400·2p in Sheffield; the lowest was 122·2p in Kensington and Chelsea; and the average for England was 258·3p. The national poundage for England under the new system for 1990–91 was 34·8p. This was set so as to produce a yield equal in real terms to that from business in 1989–90.

  I am arranging for copies of a table showing the percentage change in average non-domestic rate bills in each local authority area between 1989–90 and 1990–91 to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Gulf Oil Slick
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give further details of the resources being made available by Her Majesty's Government to deal with the oil slick released from the Mina al-Ahmadi terminal in the Gulf.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Details of the action being taken by Her Majesty's Government to assist Saudi Arabia and other Gulf states to cope with the oil spills caused by Iraqi action are set out in my letter of 6 February which has been sent to all hon. Members, additional copies of which are being placed in the Library today.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what study he is making of the importance of coral islands in the replenishment of fish, and the role of fish larvae in coral atolls in the Gulf.
  265
  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 7 February 1991]: At the Government's request, an urgent study has been prepared by the Natural Environment Research Council on the biological effects of the Gulf oil spills. This and other assessments available to me confirm that coral reefs have a significant role in supporting fish larvae for certain species. Of even greater importance to fish stocks in the Gulf as a whole are likely to be the seagrass beds and mangroves which are major nursery grounds both for shrimps and fin fish. The Government unreservedly condemn the action of Iraq in deliberately placing these habitats at serious risk.

  Hazardous Waste (Africa)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the decision taken by Environment Ministers of member states of the Organisation of African Unity, in Mali, on 29 January, to ban the import of hazardous and nuclear wastes into Africa; and if he has discussed the implications of the OAU decision with his counterparts in the European Environment Council.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 7 February 1991]: The Government respect the decision of any country to ban the import of hazardous and nuclear waste and oppose in the strongest terms the export of such wastes to African and other developing countries. EC directive 84/631, as amended, prohibits the export of hazardous wastes from the European Community unless the country of destination gives its consent and the recipient disposal facility operates without risk to human health and the environment. The directive has been implemented in Great Britain by the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988. Nuclear wastes are not exported from the United Kingdom to Africa or to any other destination, except that in respect of post-1976 reprocessing contracts it is intended to return to the country of origin the waste component which may result from reprocessing spent nuclear fuel. The OAU decision has not been discussed in the EC Environment Council.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement in respect of the operation of the automated low-flying inquiry and notification system.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The planned automated low-flying inquiry and notification system (ALFENS) will enhance safety by improving the availability of timely and accurate information to aircrew and provide more flexible deconfliction arrangements at night.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information, advice and recommendations have been made by AEA Safety and Reliability and AEA Technology concerning the danger of reactor cracks and other faults in nuclear submarines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As I told the House previously,Official Report, 5 December 1990, columns 157–58, our nuclear submarines operate in accordance with rigorous
  266
  safety standards and with the endorsement of the nuclear-powered warship safety committee (NPWSC), which provides the Ministry of Defence with independent expert advice on the construction, operation and maintenance of these vessels. The Department also receives advice from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (AEA); the NPWSC, of which the United Kingdom AEA is an associate member, has access to this advice. It is not our practice to reveal details of the advice provided.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many New Zealand armed forces personnel have been seconded or temporarily transferred to work with the British Army in the middle east.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A total of 76 personnel from the New Zealand armed forces are currently serving with British forces in the Gulf.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest estimated replacement procurement cost for the equipment used or destroyed in the Gulf war.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  To date the value of equipment lost and ammunition consumed since hostilities began is approaching £200 million. No decisions have yet been taken on the replacement of lost equipment.

  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the extent to which the precision-guidance equipment fitted to RAF aircraft in the Gulf is capable of minimising deaths of civilians and others in locations close to the target.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Allied pilots have instructions to attack only military targets which could pose a threat to allied forces or facilities which are supporting Iraq's occupation of Kuwait. The precision which can be achieved with laser-guided weapons means that aircrews can be confident that those targets can be hit with a high degree of accuracy.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the minimum age below which British service men and women are not permitted to serve with the forces in the Gulf conflict.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The minimum ages for service in the Gulf with the British armed forces are as follows:

  Men

  Women

  Royal Marines

  17 years

  —

  Army

  17 years 3 months

  18 years

  Royal Air Force

  17 years 6 months

  18 years

  There is no minimum age for service in the Gulf in the Royal Navy. The minimum age for entry to the Royal Navy is 16 years for men and 17 years for women. In practice, men serving in the Gulf are normally at least 17 years of age and neither men nor women would be sent to the Gulf until they had received the appropriate training for their trade.

  Chieftain Tank
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether it is still his intention to place an order to replace the Chieftain tank for the British Army; and if he will make a statement.
  267
  Mr. Alan Clark
  I have nothing to add to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence on 1 November 1990,Official Report, Volume 178, column 770.

  "Middle East Defence News"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will arrange for his departmental library to subscribe to Middle East Defence News.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The MOD library has not yet received a sample copy of MEDNEWS from the French publishers, but will consider subscribing to the newsletter if it adds to the information already available to the Department.

HEALTH

  RHAs (Development Money)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the regional health authorities which are currently distributing development money to their districts according to a system based largely on(a) the weighted capitation formula and (b) the resource allocation working party formula; and for those still relying on the resource allocation working party formula, if he will indicate the transition periods envisaged by the regions.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Funding of district health authorities changes from 1 April 1991 and the RAWP formula will no longer be relevant. From this date they will be funded on the basis of resident populations rather than catchment population. In 1991–92 they will be funded to enable them to purchase broadly the same volume of services as is currently used by their population; but we have asked all regions to make a start in 1991–92 towards district allocations based on weighted capitation. The decision to give all regional health authorities a minimum cash increase of 10 per cent. should enable all regions to make demonstrable progress towards this objective.

  All regional health authorities have submitted details of their proposals for achieving funding based on weighted capitation at district level. We are analysing the method and pace of change proposed by regions and will be formulating a national policy and timetable shortly.

  Regional Health Authorities
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will rank the regional health authorities according to the amount by which their allocation per head for 1990–91 exceeds or is less than the national average figure per head.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Region

  Difference from National Average 1990–91 £s

  North East Thames

  111·83

  North West Thames

  9·83

  Mersey

  6·94

  Oxford

  2·73

  South West Thames

  2·72

  West Midlands

  0·88

  National Average

  0·00

  268

  Region

  Difference from National Average 1990·91 £s

  North Western

  -0·44

  South East Thames

  -1·83

  Northern

  -2·66

  Trent

  -4·37

  Yorkshire

  -4·95

  East Anglian

  -6·52

  South Western

  -7·06

  Wessex

  2-8·91

  Note: Based on initial allocations for resident population weighted for age structure and relative health, before additions for SIFTR, Supra-regional services and other specific to individual regions.

  1 Above average.

  2 Below average.

EMPLOYMENT

  Visually Handicapped People
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's total budget for 1991–92 for the employment training of visually handicapped people at specialist colleges.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Employment Department, through a central unit, contracts with four specialist providers for the training of visually impaired people in employment training.

  Nationally, on the basis of negotiations with these specialist providers, a budget of around £3·7 million will be set aside by the unit for the training of visually handicapped people in 1991–;92.

  Training and enterprise councils and local enterprise companies may also contract direct with local or other specialist providers. No forecast is available on this level of expenditure.

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the average fee per training week agreed by the Training Agency for the vocational training of visually handicapped people; how this fee is calculated; and what account is taken of inflation.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Employment Department, through a central unit, contracts with four specialist providers for the training of visually impaired people in employment training.

  Training and enterprise councils, local enterprise companies and Employment Department area offices may also contract direct with local or other specialist providers. Fees for the centrally run provision are negotiated separately with each provider each year, taking into account inflation. Levels of local fees may vary considerably. No information is therefore available on the average weekly fee for the vocational training of visually handicapped people.

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of(a) the proportion of visually impaired people of working age who are unemployed and (b) the proportion of unemployed visually impaired people who are long-term unemployed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, it has been estimated that in
  269
  1989, there were 194,000 economically active people—that is, people in or wanting work—of working age, who were visually impaired. Of these, 63,000 (32·5 per cent.) wanted work but were unemployed. No separate estimate is available of the proportion of economically active visually impaired people who were long-term unemployed.

  The Employment Department provides a wide range of help for visually impaired people. This includes rehabilitation and training, specialist assistance with finding a job, provision of special aids and equipment, and a personal reader scheme.

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has as to the level of expenditure in 1990–91 by the Training Agency to specialist colleges providing employment training for visually handicapped people.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Employment Department, though a central unit, contracts with four specialist providers for the training of visually impaired people in employment training. On the basis of current levels of trainees in training with these providers, it is expected that the total expenditure on training people with visual handicaps in 1990–91 will be £3·5 million.

  Training and enterprise councils, local enterprise companies and remaining TEED area offices may contract direct with local providers. Information on this expenditure is not held centrally.

  Programme

  Date announced

  Government Funding (£ million)

  Total commitment to projects (£ million)

  Molecular Electronics

  3 February 1988

  4·00

  5·00

  Advanced Semiconductors

  3 February 1988

  12·20

  7·55

  Industrial Measurement Systems

  3 February 1988

  10·80

  10·70

  Eukaryotic Genetic Engineering

  3 February 1988

  2·80

  4·20

  Nanotechnology

  3 February 1988

  7·75

  7·55

  Biotransformations

  15 April 1988

  2·00

  3·45

  Personal Communications

  13 June 1988

  6·35

  4·40

  Selective Drug Delivery and Targeting

  14 June 1988

  1·50

  1·65

  Construction Maintenance and Refurbishment

  14 June 1988

  1·50

  0·95

  Food Processing Sciences

  7 September 1988

  7·00

  5·45

  Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration

  17 April 1989

  1·50

  0·50

  Optoelectronic Systems

  26 April 1989

  15·00

  7·75

  Design of High Speed Machinery

  10 May 1989

  10·50

  2·65

  Structural Composites

  16 May 1989

  21·25

  1·45

  Protein Engineering

  12 June 1989

  4·85

  0·60

  Biochemical Engineering

  15 June 1989

  7·50

  4·25

  New Catalysts and Catalytic Processes

  19 June 1989

  2·50

  —

  Power Electronic Devices and Derived Systems

  27 July 1989

  7·00

  2·80

  Control of Plant Metabolism

  19 September 1989

  1·55

  —

  Molecular Sensors

  27 September 1989

  5·50

  1·00

  Technology for Analytical and Physical Measurement

  27 September 1989

  8·20

  0·55

  TOTAL

  141·25

  72·35

  Biotechnology
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the funds(a) allocated for and (b) committed to, support for biotechnology; if he will give for the last calendar year all grants approved and their size; and if he will provide a regional analysis of spending so far approved.

  Mr. Leigh
  During 1990 my Department provided support for 94 projects in biotechnology subjects involving

  South Glamorgan TEC
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 5 February, what discussions he has had with the chairman of South Glamorgan TEC regarding the length of time taken in bringing its new headquarters into operation.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have had no such discussions.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  LINK
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what sums have been allocated to each LIN K scheme for 1990–91; and what sums have so far been committed.

  Mr. Leigh
  During 1990–91, six new LINK schemes (programmes) have been announced, with allocations as follows: transport infrastructure and operations (£5·9 million); asymmetric synthesis (£3·5 million); crops for industrial use (£3·05 million); enabling technologies for advanced rotorcraft (£2·4 million); medical implants (£5·0 million); and agro-food quality (£8·0 million); the total sum allocated to these programmes by Government is £27·85 million.

  Previously, 21 programmes had been announced, with an allocation by Government of £141·25 million. Details of these programmes, and the £72·35 million so far committed to projects by Government and industry, are shown in the following table:

  a total commitment from the Department of £19 million. This figure includes the full commitment to both projects in progress and new projects which started during 1990. The estimated spend for this financial year (1990–91) relating to these projects is £6·3 million.

  These figures exclude significant sums spent by other Departments and research councils in support of biotechnology.
  271
  I regret that the information requested regarding regional analysis of spending is not available; we do not keep statistics on this basis.

  Iraq
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the full extent of all discussions conducted by the then Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster during his visit to Iraq in 1988.

  Mr. Lilley
  My right hon. Friend's discussions were concerned essentially with commercial and economic relations and a new medium-term credit line, details of which have already been made public. In addition to the discussions on matters of commercial interest my right hon. Friend also spoke of the strong feelings in Britain about the use of chemical weapons against Kurdish Iraqi nationals.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the turnover surpluses and/or deficits on(a) the insurance services and (b) the project group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 5 February 1991]: The information requested is in ECGD's trading accounts for the years 1986–87 to 1989–90, which have been laid in Parliament. For the years 1980–81 to 1985–86, the trading accounts were prepared in a different format which showed the results of the guarantees issued analysed between commercial account (section 1 of the Export Guarantees and Overseas Investment act 1978) and national interest account (section 2).

  The business included in these accounts as insurance services short-term business differs in some respects from that of the insurance services group which is to be privatised. The accounts are, therefore, not a guide to the profitability or otherwise of that business.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police, Kent
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the police areas which cover each parliamentary constituency in Kent.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A number of parliamentary constituencies covering London boroughs include areas which have Kent postal addresses. These constituencies are: Ravensbourne, Orpington, Chislehurst, Beckenham, Old Bexley and Sidcup, Bexleyheath and Erith and Crayford. All are within the Metropolitan police district. Constituencies in the county of Kent are all policed by the Kent constabulary.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) for each police area in Kent, what are the most recent recorded figures for(a) crimes of violence against the person, (b) property theft, including thefts from vehicles and (c) burglaries;
  272
  (2) for each police area in Kent, what were the recorded figures in 1979 for (a) crimes of violence against the person, (b) property theft, including thefts from vehicles and (c) burglaries;

  (3) for each police area in Kent what were the recorded figures in 1989 for (a) crimes of violence against the person, (b) property theft, including theft from vehicles and (c) burglaries.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information for the Kent police force area for 1979 is published in table 32 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1979", a copy of which is available in the Library. Figures for 1989 and the latest 12 months to the end of September 1990 have also been placed in the Library. Corresponding information for police areas in Kent is not collected centrally.

  Alan Lord
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Greater Manchester on the circumstances surrounding the escape in 1990 from Astley Bridge police station of Alan Lord; if he will ensure that a public statement is issued concerning the results of an internal police inquiry; and if he will make a statement concerning the wider implications of security for dangerous prisoners in remand cells.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable that the prisoner escaped after a set of keys went missing at the police station. The incident has been the subject of an internal inquiry by Greater Manchester police and appropriate action has been taken in the light of its findings. Such an inquiry is entirely a matter for the chief constable.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish a table showing for each relevant category(a) existing fees for civil business in magistrates courts and (b) proposed fees for 1991–92.

  Mr. John Patten
  The fees to be taken by clerks to justices in respect of civil business are as prescribed in schedule 6 to the Magistrates Courts Act 1980. The fees have not been increased for 60 years. Last year the Home Office consulted the magistrates courts service about new fee levels which would reflect the costs of providing the services concerned, but no decisions about uprating have yet been taken. We shall bring forward proposals shortly.

  Police Authorities
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the establishment by rank of each of the police authorities in England; and what is the number of vacancies in each rank in each authority.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is set out in the table.
  273

  Establishment

  Forces

  Chief Constable1

  Deputy chief Constable2

  Assistant Chief Constable3

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  Chief Inspector

  Inspector

  Sergeant

  Constable

  Avon and Somerset

  1

  1

  3

  13

  38

  70

  148

  479

  2,327

  Bedfordshire

  1

  1

  1

  5

  15

  20

  52

  148

  841

  Cambridgeshire

  1

  1

  1

  5

  13

  26

  58

  193

  907

  Cheshire

  1

  1

  2

  6

  22

  34

  107

  290

  1,425

  Cleveland

  1

  1

  2

  7

  20

  28

  94

  238

  1,111

  Cumbria

  1

  1

  1

  7

  18

  24

  70

  188

  865

  Derbyshire

  1

  1

  2

  8

  26

  35

  101

  263

  1,356

  Devon and Cornwall

  1

  1

  3

  13

  37

  47

  135

  458

  2,168

  Dorset

  1

  1

  1

  6

  17

  22

  68

  199

  956

  Durham

  1

  1

  2

  6

  17

  27

  78

  216

  1,027

  Essex

  1

  1

  3

  11

  32

  59

  128

  443

  2,195

  Gloucestershire

  1

  1

  1

  6

  15

  22

  54

  174

  890

  Greater Manchester

  1

  1

  6

  28

  92

  137

  408

  1,076

  5,270

  Hampshire

  1

  1

  3

  11

  33

  55

  130

  478

  2,461

  Hertfordshire

  1

  1

  2

  9

  25

  30

  90

  263

  1,248

  Humberside

  1

  1

  2

  8

  24

  38

  106

  324

  1,503

  Kent

  1

  1

  3

  11

  37

  48

  174

  443

  2,300

  Lancashire

  1

  1

  3

  13

  42

  70

  159

  522

  2,390

  Leicestershire

  1

  1

  2

  7

  22

  31

  104

  288

  1,357

  Lincolnshire

  1

  1

  1

  5

  12

  25

  66

  196

  890

  Merseyside

  1

  1

  4

  18

  60

  77

  252

  757

  3,531

  Norfolk

  1

  1

  1

  6

  18

  22

  67

  200

  1,092

  Northamptonshire

  1

  1

  1

  6

  13

  23

  69

  173

  854

  Northumbria

  1

  1

  3

  14

  48

  61

  189

  518

  2,717

  North Yorkshire

  1

  1

  2

  7

  17

  27

  77

  216

  1,060

  Nottinghamshire

  1

  1

  2

  9

  35

  41

  131

  339

  1,785

  South Yorkshire

  1

  1

  3

  11

  38

  47

  159

  456

  2,282

  Staffordshire

  1

  1

  2

  11

  31

  50

  121

  343

  1,642

  Suffolk

  1

  1

  1

  6

  17

  20

  59

  182

  917

  Surrey

  1

  1

  2

  7

  23

  22

  93

  259

  1,251

  Sussex

  1

  1

  3

  11

  35

  39

  174

  463

  2,236

  Thames Valley

  1

  1

  3

  12

  38

  46

  175

  510

  2,899

  Warwickshire

  1

  1

  1

  5

  14

  18

  61

  156

  750

  West Mercia

  1

  1

  2

  10

  30

  38

  128

  298

  1,515

  West Midlands

  1

  1

  5

  22

  80

  121

  367

  1,067

  5,229

  West Yorkshire

  1

  1

  5

  20

  69

  81

  289

  820

  3,993

  Wiltshire

  1

  1

  1

  6

  16

  21

  58

  172

  822

  City of London

  1

  1

  1

  6

  11

  20

  56

  127

  575

  Metropolitan

  6

  15

  35

  151

  255

  475

  1,480

  4,521

  21,527

  1 Includes ranks of Assistant Commissioner and above in the Metropolitan Police and Commissioner in the City of London Police.

  2 Includes Deputy Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police and Assistant Commissioner in the City of London Police.

  3 Includes Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police.

  Vacancies at 30 November

  Forces

  Chief Constable1

  Deputy Chief Constable2

  Assistant Chief Constable3

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  Chief Inspector

  Inspector

  Sargeant

  Constable

  Avon and Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  15

  Bedfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  35

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  21

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  15

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  14

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  5

  27

  Devon and Cornwall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  7

  Essex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  24

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  5

  10

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  —

  4

  —

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  12

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  8

  12

  Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  4

  11

  Kent

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  3

  6

  24

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  33

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  33

  Lincolnshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  52

  Norfolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  —

  Northumbria

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  48

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  1

  4

  14

  274 275

  Vacancies at 30 November

  Forces

  Chief Constable1

  Deputy Chief Constable2

  Assistant Chief Constable3

  Chief Superintendent

  Superintendent

  Chief Inspector

  Inspector

  Sargeant

  Constable

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  7

  8

  —

  —

  —

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  6

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  2

  Surrey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  8

  Sussex

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Thames Valley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  1

  Warwickshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  West Mercia

  —

  1

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  6

  West Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  83

  West Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Metropolitan

  1

  1

  —

  —

  4

  —

  50

  62

  208

  1 Includes ranks of Assistant Commissioner and above in the Metropolitan Police and Commissioner in the City of London Police.

  2 Includes Deputy Assistant Commissioner in the Metropolitan Police and Assistant Commissioner in the City of London Police.

  3 Includes Commanders in the Metropolitan Police and City of London Police.

  Juvenile Courts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he intends to take to require courts to(a) speed up the disposal of juvenile court cases and (b) cut down the period for which young people are remanded in custody or secure accommodation prior to a hearing.

  Mr. John Patten
  The consultation paper on juvenile remand urges all those involved to ensure that juvenile cases are dealt with without avoidable delay. Custody time limits apply to juveniles remanded in prison custody.

  Metropolitan Police (Car Chases)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been killed or injured in each of the last five years as a result of car chases involving vehicles of the Metropolitan police.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the number of fatalities in accidents following vehicle pursuits by police cars are as follows:

  Year

  Civilians

  Police

  1986

  4

  1

  1987

  8

  0

  1988

  8

  0

  1989

  12

  1

  1990

  6

  1

  The only figures available for injuries in similar circumstances are as follows:

  11988–89

  1990

  Officers injured

  84

  48

  Members of public injured

  93

  43

  1 Two years taken together.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if statistics are kept by the Metropolitan police of incidents involving the high-speed chase of vehicles by the police.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the force's statistical records of vehicle pursuits do not identify separately those which are conducted at high speeds.
  276
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the guidelines issued to Metropolitan police officers in respect of high-speed police car chases.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Metropolitan police instruction manual contains instructions for officers answering urgent calls or pursuing vehicles. In particular, officers are advised that no call is so urgent as to justify an accident which may cause injury; that calls received by crews of police cars must not as a matter of course be answered at high speed, or without regard for the ordinary rules of the road; and that it is far better to let a criminal escape than to kill or injure innocent people as a result of an accident.

  Metropolitan Police (Dismissals)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers have been dismissed from the Metropolitan police on disciplinary grounds in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This information is published annually by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis in his report.

  Female Prisoners
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of the female prison population were being held in prison for a first offence in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The available information is published in tables 3.4 and 5.1 of "Prison Statistics England and Wales 1989" (Cm 1221), a copy of which is available in the Library. On 30 June 1989 about 16 per cent. of the female population serving an immediate custodial sentence was known to have had no previous conviction.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of girls aged under 18 years in adult prisons were housed in mother and baby units in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On the most recent date for which such information is available, 31 October 1990, none of the approximately 25 females aged under 18 held in local and training prisons in England and Wales was housed in a mother and baby unit.
  277
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of the national female prison population had dependent children aged(a) under five, (b) between five and 10 and (c) between 10 and 18 years in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information on the children of women in custody is not regularly collected. However, a survey of 1,239 sentenced women in prison was conducted in December 1989. Of the 1,015 who responded to questions about dependent children, 600 said they had children or dependants under 18 years of age. More detailed information was given about the ages of 1,212 of the 1,321 children concerned. The figures are as follows:

  Age

  Number of children

  0–4 years

  380

  5–10 years

  496

  11–18 years

  416

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of female non-United Kingdom nationals currently serving sentences in United Kingdom prisons have dependent children.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many girls aged under 18 years were held in adult prisons for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, about 25 females aged under 18 were held in local and training prisons in England and Wales on 31 October 1990.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of girls aged under 18 years in adult prisons were pregnant at the time of sentencing in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not collected and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of sentence for women in prison in each year from 1980 to 1990.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information on the average sentence length for females received under an immediate custodial sentence is published annually in "Prison Statistics, England and Wales" (tables 3.14 and 5.12 of the latest issue, for 1989, Cm. 1221). Data for 1990 are not yet available.

  Policing, West Yorkshire
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the implications of the West Yorkshire police authority budget for 1991–92 on policing levels for the county.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Torfaen (Mr. Murphy) on 7 February 1991.

  Citizenship Applications
  Mr. Stern
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to increase the fee levels for citizenship applications.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Citizenship fees were last changed in April 1986 and some increases are necessary to recoup the forecast costs of dealing with citizenship applications. Regulations amending the British Nationality (Fees) Regulations 1984 are being laid before Parliament today with the intention that the following fee levels should come into operation on 1 March 1991:

  Present fees (£)

  New fees (£)

  Registration (adult or minor)

  60

  85

  Naturalisation on grounds of marriage

  60

  135

  All other naturalisations

  170

  170

  The opportunity has been taken to remove the element of cross-subsidisation between the various categories of case which has come to light since fee levels were last revised. Although this has led to a considerable increase in the fee for applicants for naturalisation on the grounds of marriage, there is no increase for other naturalisation cases —about one third of all applicants—and a more modest increase in the fee for registration cases.

  The existing arrangements for joint applicants will be unchanged: husbands and wives applying together for naturalisation will continue to pay one single fee, as will minor children of the same parent applying together for registration.

  The practice of charging a nominal fee in respect of applications which are subsequently withdrawn or refused has been reviewed. This fee, currently £10, falls far short of the costs of processing such applications and the balance of costs incurred is currently met by the taxpayer. The Government consider that nationality fees should be set so as to cover the full costs involved in processing applications; and unsuccessful applicants who apply on or after 1 March 1991 will pay the full cost of processing their applications. This will be £60 for registration, £130 for naturalisation on grounds of marriage and £135 for other naturalisation.

  The new regulations will also increase the fees payable to the Home Office for renouncing citizenship and for supplying copy certificates and other documents from £10 to £15. The fee for administering the oath of allegiance which is payable to the person administering the oath will be increased from £3 to £3·50 in order to bring it in line with fees for analogous work under the Commissioners for Oaths (Fees) Order 1988.

  It is expected that the revised fee levels will provide sufficient income to meet the costs of processing applications over the period March 1991 to March 1992.

WALES

  Juvenile Crime
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he intends to take to increase the resources available to social services authorities in Wales to divert young people from criminal activity.
  279
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The local authority financial settlement for 1991–92 allows for an 8 per cent. increase in local authorities' revenue expenditure over their budgets for 1990–91. Within the total for 1991–92, the notional amount available for social services is £224 million, an increase of 9 per cent. over the amount local authorities are planning to spend in the current year. The constituent element for diverting young people from crime is not separately identified.

  Additional resources are being provided, mainly under the urban programme, as grants for specific projects which directly or indirectly have the effect of diverting young people from criminal activity. The package for 1991–92 includes provision of £2·6 million for social schemes including holiday projects, community leisure and recreation facilities, youth education opportunities, crime prevention and miscellaneous self-help initiatives. Many of these projects will assist by helping to improve the environment in which young people grow up, and by giving them greater opportunities to pursue worthwhile activities; in so doing they will help to divert them away from any interest they might otherwise develop in criminal activity.

  As part of the funding for the voluntary sector, the National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders is currently receiving a grant of over £50,000 per year for a juvenile crime prevention unit. This works with local authorities and other agencies in south-east Wales to develop crime prevention strategies, which are to a large extent aimed at ensuring that young people are diverted away from crime.

  The responsibility for cultivating socially acceptable behaviour in young people is shared by many parts of society, with a particularly important role for parents and the family. Schools have a part to play in putting young people on the right road, and education support grants are being made available to local education authorities to support programmes with a wide range of activities within schools and the youth service which seek to reduce juvenile delinquency in schools, improve school attendance and promote social responsibility among young people. In 1990–91 this amounted to some £160,000 with a provision set for 1991–92 of £274,000.

  Finally, initiatives are being pursued to divert young people and others from drug and alcohol abuse. Some of these are funded from the central initiatives to combat drug and alcohol misuse where the provision for 1990–91 is £1·8 million and £150,000 respectively.

  Adoptions
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many children adopted from countries overseas in the last four years have been taken into the care of local authorities in Wales;

  (2) from which overseas countries, which have allowed children to be adopted in Wales, have such children subsequently been taken into local authority care in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Local authority statistical returns on children in care do not identify whether any such children were adopted from overseas.

  South Glamorgan Health Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what loans he has authorised or made to South Glamorgan health authority in(a) the third quarter and (b) the fourth quarter of the current financial year; and for what amount and over what period.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A short-term loan of £2 million was made in the third quarter of this financial year, to be repaid in 1991–92. None has been made to the authority in the fourth quarter.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy not to approve the South Glamorgan health authority strategic plan without the inclusion of firm guarantees relating to the neighbourhood hospital construction programme.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The broad thrust of the authority's plan was approved on 11 July 1989.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority in respect of statutory 90-day redundancy notices.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  My right hon. Friend has had no consultations with the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority in connection with any redundancy issues.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with(a) the chairmen of the health authorities and (b) the chairmen of the education committees of the five colleges to be directly funded from 1992 in Wales as regards the transfers of funding responsibility for higher education courses for paramedics from local education authorities to the national health service.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Consideration is still being given as to whether there should be a transfer of such funding responsibility in Wales. Appropriate consultation will be undertaken if a transfer is proposed.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Quality
  Mr. John Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what actions he has taken to ensure food quality since the passing of the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the report by the food safety directorate on "Comparison of Methods for the Detection of Added Substances in Orange Juice". This report includes results of analyses of samples of orange juice purchased in this country. Although there is no food safety issue involved, it indicates that a large proportion of samples of the orange juice purchased did not fully match the description on the packaging. Laboratory analysis of the samples revealed widespread addition of sugars and other ingredients in orange juice sold as pure and unsweetened. Following the results of this
  281
  survey and in co-operation with local trading standards officers, who are generally responsible for enforcement, my officials are now carrying out further investigations into the sources of these wrongly described products. Enforcement authorities generally have been informed so that they can consider follow-up action in due course. A copy of the report has been placed in the Library of the House.

  North-east Drift Net Fishery
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his Department first received the report of the committees set up under the Salmon Act 1986 to inquire into the north-east drift net fishery; and what is now delaying its publication.

  Mr. Gummer
  Section 39 of the Salmon Act 1986 requires the presentation of a review to Parliament. Scientists at the Scottish Office and from this Department have produced background material, which is now being studied. We hope to present the review to Parliament shortly.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  The Gulf
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 695, in relation to his letter of 28 January to the hon. Member for Linlithgow, what evidence there is that Iraq is falsely claiming damage to Samarra, Kerbek and Najaf by bombing; and what evidence he has that actual damage has been avoided.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend did not claim that Iraq was causing damage by bombing to Samarra, Kerbela and Najaf in his letter of 28 January. He merely said he would"be surprised if the Iraqis did not try to cause mischief by suggesting that they (the sites) have been bombed."

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the response of Her Majesty's Government to the proposals of the Nordic members of the United Nations organisation to dispatch a peace-keeping force to Kuwait to follow any Iraqi withdrawal.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We welcome the indication from the Nordic countries that they would be willing to participate in a United Nations initiative in the area following the withdrawal of Iraq from Kuwait. It is for the countries of the region to take the lead in devising arrangements for their future security. These may involve the United Nations.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will support calls for a debate in the United Nations Security Council on the Gulf crisis.

  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many times the United Nations Security Council has met to(a) review the conduct of the war in the Persian Gulf and (b) discuss peace proposals from Arab, Muslim and non-Security Council members.
  282
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Security Council has discussed the situation in the Gulf on numerous occasions since the crisis began on 2 August 1990. It has adopted 12 resolutions with overwhelming majorities designed to bring about Iraq's full and unconditional withdrawal from Kuwait. Until there is firm and unequivocal evidence of Iraqi compliance we see no need for the Security Council to take further steps. Meanwhile it remains seized of the matter.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what undertakings have been given to the Israeli Government arising from their non-retaliation to Scud missile attacks.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  None, but we have made clear our support for the courage and wisdom of the Israeli Government's policy of restraint.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional funding Her Majesty's Government are giving, or are planning to give, to(a) the Red Cross, (b) the United Nations High Commission for Refugees and (c) other organisations working with refugees to cope with refugees from the Gulf war; approximately how many refugees are expected from Iraq and Kuwait in the coming weeks; what other measures Her Majesty's Government are taking to deal with refugees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 28 January 1991]: In response to the United Nations relief agencies' first appeal, in September, for donations to assist the 850,000 people displaced by Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, Her Majesty's Government contributed some £11 million bilaterally and through the European Community. We gave a further $1 million bilaterally and $2 million through the European Community in response to the second appeal of 11 January.

  We will also be contributing £2·5 million to a separate appeal from the International Committee of the Red Cross for its humanitarian work in the Gulf. Pending approval of a supplementary estimate, urgent expenditure will be met by repayable advances of £2·5 million from the contingencies fund.

  We have kept in close touch with the Red Cross and the United Nations relief agencies as they have developed their contingency plans. These contingency plans provide for the welfare of 400,000 refugees fleeing of Jordan, Iran, Syria and Turkey and the rapid repatriation of developing country nationals.

  Soviet Union
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation he has made to the Soviet Union in respect of applications to leave by(a) Sergei Veprinsky, (b) Alexander Rogach and (c) Alexander Gomelshy, all of Kiev.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can certainly raise these cases with the Soviet authorities. We have details of the cases of Mr. Veprinsky and Mr. Rogach, but in order to make our representations most effective we shall need further details of Mr. Gomelshy's case.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations
  283
  he has made to the Soviet Union in respect of applications to leave by (a) Yakov Berlin of Leningrad, (b) Leopold Itkovitch of Novosibirsk and (c) Svetlana Myshkina of Moscow.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can certainly raise these cases with the Soviet authorities, but in order to make our representations most effective we shall need further details.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what arrangements are being made to evacuate British citizens in eastern Saudi Arabia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We do not think that the situation in eastern Saudi Arabia calls for the evacuation of British nationals. However, we have advised dependants to leave and while air services were suspended we arranged seats on aircraft organised by the Ministry of Defence. It is now possible to leave by commercial services from Riyadh and Jeddah, and travel by road between eastern Saudi Arabia and these cities is not a problem.

  UN Security Council
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library the text of the reports submitted by coalition Governments to the meeting of the United Nations Security Council held on 24 January.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House of reports submitted to the Security Council on or before 4 February on action taken pursuant to Security Council resolution 678.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which permanent member of the United Nations has vetoed most United Nations Security Council resolutions; and which country has vetoed the second highest number of resolutions since 1961.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The number of vetoes cast by each permanent member of the United Nation Security Council since (and including) 1961 is as follows:

  Number

  United States

  69

  United Kingdom

  28

  Soviet Union

  24

  France

  14

  China

  2

  Advisory Companies
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley of 24 January,Official Report, column 378, what experience Mr. E. R. I. Allan OBE has on international exhibitions; who else was considered when his appointment as consultant was made; and what other organisations were considered when the British Atlantic Committee and Peace Through NATO were appointed to advise him on the presentation of defence and disarmament issues.
  284
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Mr. Allan had worked for the Central Office of Information for a number of years as director of the exhibitions division and later a group director before his appointment as a consultant in 1987. Mr. Allan's role as a consultant involves attending the international exhibitions bureau as a British delegate. Since Mr. Allan was, and still is, a vice-president of that organisation he was uniquely qualified for this role. No one else was therefore considered.

  The British Atlantic Committee and Peace Through NATO offer informal and unpaid advice on the presentation of defence and disarmament issues. They are not appointed, nor have the Government considered appointing any consultants in this field. A wide range of non-governmental organisations, including the BAC and PTN, are invited to periodic meetings in the FCO to discuss current arms control and disarmament issues.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 378, what other organisations were considered when Hariri Page was commissioned to advise on methods of evaluating information work overseas when Moon Communications were appointed consultants on the management of FCO publications; and what other organisations were considered when Shandwick plc and Young and Rubicam were appointed to advise on public and media response to the Gulf crisis.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Richard Moon and Associates (later Moon Communications) were appointed consultants on the management of FCO publications after a competitive tender. This consultancy also identified the need for a further study on information work overseas. As Harari (later Harari Page) had been engaged by Moon Associates to assist in the publications consultancy it was the natural choice for the further study on information work overseas.

  Shandwick PLC and Young and Rubicam's advice has been informal and unpaid; they were not therefore formally appointed and the question of competitive tendering did not arise.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 24 January,Official Report, column 378, what other outside organisations are advising him on any aspect of public reaction to or presentation of the Gulf crisis; and whether it is his policy to employ competitive tendering when making appointments of consultants to advise him on public relations and allied matters.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No other outside organisations are advising the Government on public reaction to or presentation of the Gulf crisis. It is the FCO's policy to employ competitive tendering when making appointments of consultants except where there are strong reasons for single tender action.

  Children's Rights
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects Britain to ratify the United Nations charter on the rights of the child.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 18 December 1990, column 121, to my hon. Friend the Member for Bournemouth, East (Mr. Atkinson).

  Antarctica
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place with the Governments of Japan and South Korea on mining in Antarctica.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  None.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if any review is taking place of Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of mining in the Antarctic; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gard-Jones
  Following the outcome of the special consultative meeting in Chile, we are considering options to achieve a consensus, within the Antarctic treaty system, which is rational and scientifically based.

  Falkland Islands (Land Sales)
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the sale of land in the Falklands.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Falkland Islands Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of Anglo United plc, has offered its four remaining farms in the Falkland Islands for sale. Anglo's chairman has told me that his company remains firmly committed to the Falklands and will continue to develop its other existing and new interests in the islands.

  Saddam Hussein
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met President Saddam Hussein; for what purpose; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend has only once met Saddam Hussein, in Baghdad on 27 March 1983, as Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. They discussed regional and bilateral issues. His visit to Iraq was part of a wider middle east tour, including Kuwait, Jordan and Lebanon.

SCOTLAND

  Educational Institute
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met the Eduational Institute of Scotland to discuss educational issues; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend and I met representatives of the Educational Institute of Scotland on 28 January when we discussed with them issues of importance for education. The EIS raised a number of points to which my right hon. Friend and I responded as follows:

  National Testing. The tests have been drawn up with assistance from serving teachers and are designed to fit with the normal assessments already carried out in most primary schools. They have no pass/fail element; the results will be confidential; schools can select test materials most suited to pupil ability. We urged that the misleading information which the institute had circulated to schools be withdrawn.
  286
  Teacher Supply. The Government have taken a series of measures to anticipate possible teacher shortages in the years ahead, including national recruitment campaigns with radio and press advertising plus direct contacts with university undergraduates and with schools. A new campaign this year will be aimed at priority subjects in secondary schools. Pay and conditions are obviously relevant to the attractiveness of teaching as a career, but are a matter for local authorities to determine. We support the current review of the role of the teacher in the 1990s. Education authorities and teacher unions have their part to play in supporting and encouraging potential recruits to the teaching force.

  5–14 Development Programme. We welcomed the broad support from EIS for the programme. We pointed out that there had been recognition of a 10·8 per cent. increase in the overall assumed costs of education in local authority expenditure for 1991–92. We refuted claims that curriculum development within the programme was assessment dominated. Staff development had been identified as more pressing for some areas of the programme than for others.

  Staff Development and Appraisal. National guidelines for staff development and appraisal allowed authorities to tailor their schemes of implementation to suit local needs and circumstances. Appraisal is fully situated within staff development and will play a central role in identifying teachers' professional training needs. Career review is only one of the functions of appraisal, but we were interested to learn that EIS did not exclude evaluation of performance as part of career review. The extra resources being made available to authorities of £2 million and £4 million in the 1991 and 1992 aggregate external finance settlements respectively recognised the new tasks for authorities arising from the guidelines.

  Sandeels
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will decide on the ban on Shetland sandeel fishing proposed on 24 December 1990.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Comments on the consultation paper issued on 24 December have been requested by 15 February. My noble Friend hopes to make an announcement on the future management arrangements for the fishery shortly thereafter.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in which years since 1980 the spawning stock biomass of Shetland sandeels has fallen below 20,000 tonnes; and what measures have been taken or proposed to reduce exploitation of this stock in subsequent years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Estimates made in 1990 indicate that the spawning stock biomass was below 20,000 tonnes in 1986, 1989 and 1900. The 1990 figure of 16,000 tonnes is the lowest estimate made over that period. Measures taken so far to reduce exploitation of the stock have been to restrict access to the fishery through a licensing scheme and to close the fishery during the second half of the year. These measures resulted in a substantial reduction in fishing effort. We are currently consulting interested parties on a proposal to close the fishery until stock levels recover.

  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the latest estimate of the Shetland sandeel spawning stock biomass; and if he will make a statement.
  287
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The spawning stock biomass figure for 1990 is estimated to be 16,000 tonnes.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to eradicate enzootic abortion in ewes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend is undertaking no specific measures to eradicate enzootic abortion in ewes, but members of the sheep and goat health scheme, operated by the state veterinary service, may opt to have their flocks monitored for the presence of enzootic abortion.

  Wool
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to extend the guaranteed price system for wool for a further period of five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government's intention remains, as announced in October 1988, to end the wool guarantee as soon as possible.

  Health Visitors
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the establishment figures for the current year, and for each of the last three years, for health visitor posts in each health board in Scotland; and what are the actual numbers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information for establishment figures is available for the last two years only and is shown in the table:

  Health Visitors Funded Establishment

  Health Board

  11989

  21990

  Argyll and Clyde

  118·1

  121·7

  Ayrshire and Arran

  84·9

  103·9

  Borders

  21·1

  21·7

  Dumfries and Galloway

  28·8

  28·0

  Fife

  110·2

  96·1

  Forth Valley

  87·7

  89·6

  Grampian

  167·0

  167·0

  Greater Glasgow

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Highland

  53·0

  51·7

  Lanarkshire

  161·4

  n.a.

  Lothian

  217·5

  214·4

  Orkney

  7·0

  6·0

  Shetland

  8·0

  9·0

  Tayside

  95·2

  100·6

  Western Isles

  n.a.

  11·0

  SCOTLAND

  n.a.

  n.a.

  1 At 30 September.

  2 At 31 March.

  Health visitors in post at 30 September

  Health Board

  1987

  1988

  1989

  11990

  Argyll and Clyde

  111·8

  119·2

  118·1

  119·5

  Ayrshire and Arran

  95·9

  105·7

  119·1

  123·4

  Borders

  24·6

  261

  27·2

  26·2

  Dumfries and Galloway

  29·0

  37·3

  32·6

  31·4

  Fife

  113·8

  112·4

  110·2

  109·3

  Forth Valley

  93·1

  89·6

  89·6

  85·3

  Grampian

  162·9

  161·3

  165·0

  161·4

  Greater Glasgow

  318·9

  322·7

  333·3

  313·1

  Highland

  44·3

  46·0

  47·3

  50·6

  Lanarkshire

  148·8

  160·8

  160·9

  158·7

  288

  Health Board

  1987

  1988

  1989

  11990

  Lothian

  210·7

  217·9

  225·9

  219·8

  Orkney

  6·0

  7·0

  7·0

  6·0

  Shetland

  6·7

  8·0

  9·0

  9·0

  Tayside

  99·7

  90·9

  104·3

  104·0

  Western Isles

  12·0

  11·0

  10·0

  10·0

  Scotland

  1,478·2

  1,515·9

  1,559·5

  1,527·7

  1 At 31 March.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many students in the current year, and in each of the last three years, are training to become qualified health visitors; and, of these, how many are(a) seconded and (b) sponsored by health boards; and what are the numbers for each board.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is shown in the following table:

  Student Health Visitors by Health Board as at 30 September

  Health Board

  1987

  1988

  1989

  11990

  Argyll and Clyde

  4·0

  —

  9·0

  9·0

  Ayrshire and Arran

  11·6

  9·0

  7·0

  7·0

  Borders

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  Dumfries and Galloway

  4·0

  3·0

  2·0

  3·10

  Fife

  7·0

  5·0

  6·0

  7·0

  Forth Valley

  3·0

  3·0

  3·0

  3·0

  Grampian

  17·0

  23·0

  18·0

  16·0

  Greater Glasgow

  22·0

  26·0

  21·0

  22·0

  Highland

  4·0

  4·0

  3·0

  3·0

  Lanarkshire

  12·0

  11·0

  12·0

  11·0

  Lothian

  18·0

  20·0

  14·3

  19·0

  Orkney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland

  —

  —

  1·0

  2·0

  Tayside

  7·0

  10·0

  6·0

  6·0

  Western Isles

  —

  —

  —

  —

  SCOTLAND

  110·6

  115·0

  103·3

  109·0

  1 As at 31 March 1990.

  Information on the secondment or sponsorship of these students by health boards is not available centrally.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many qualified health visitors in Scotland are presently(a) unemployed and (b) not employed as health visitors.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  Thyroid Cancer
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many cases of thyroid cancer have been recorded in Scotland in each of the last five years; and how many deaths.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The numbers of new cases registered in each of the last five years and the number of deaths over the same period are shown in the table:

  Year

  Number of registrations

  Number of deaths

  1985

  122

  33

  1986

  100

  40

  1987

  89

  32

  1988

  97

  37

  1989

  92

  29

  MFV Antares
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the date of the opening of a fatal accident inquiry into the sinking of the MFV Antares; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The procurator fiscal at Kilmarnock is investigating the circumstances of the loss of this vessel and will report to Crown counsel. It is not yet possible to say when the application to the sheriff for the holding of a fatal accident inquiry will be made.

  Foresterhill Hospital
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the written answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 554, to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, North, what proportion of the total cost of services in preparation by Price Waterhouse for the preparation of direct management unit and NHS trust
  290
  status business places the £50,000 fee to Price Waterhouse represents; what was the total fee and which body or organisation funded the remainder of the fee.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 February 1991]: Revised figures provided by Grampian health board indicate that the total cost of the consultancy work carried out by Price Waterhouse was £156,000, of which £41,000 was met by Grampian health board directly and the remaining expenditure funded by the Scottish Office Home and Health Department and the university of Aberdeen.

  City Technology Academy
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was budgeted to be spent on a city technology academy in the current financial year; how much has actually been spent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 4 February 1991]: Estimated expenditure for 1990–91 was £3·3 million. In addition, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my answer of 17 January 1991.