Written Answers of 15 February 1991

ENERGY

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what estimates he has available to him of the effect on potential first-time share buyers of the use of well-known recent television series characters in the flotation advertising campaigns for the electricity(a) distribution and (b) generating companies.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No estimates of the effect of the advertising campaigns on first-time share buyers have been made. The purpose of the advertising campaigns has been to inform members of the general public about the flotations, whether or not they have bought shares before.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Letters)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to ensure that all prisoners writing to their hon. Members from any of Her Majesty's prison establishments give their home address in the letter in order that any hon. Member receiving the letter is immediately able to confirm that the writer is in fact a constituent.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Prison standing order 5D3, a copy of which is in the Library, states that prisoners should be advised that letters to hon. Members should show the home address, if the prisoner has one. This is now covered in the information booklets for prisoners. It is not generally practicable, however, to ensure that prisoners comply with the recommended procedure as the routine reading of prisoners' mail has been abolished for category D prisoners and reduced to a small sample for category C prisoners.

  Entry Refusals
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to decide what figures are kept for those from(a) India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and (b) non-EC Europe and North America who are refused entry into the United Kingdom under primary purpose rules.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The collection of data on persons outside the Indian sub-continent applying for entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom was terminated at the end of 1979 because it was considered that its usefulness did not justify the resources required to undertake it. Information continues to be collected on persons applying in the sub-continent because of the large number of applications there. Since 1983 this information has included the reason(s) for refusal for spouses and fiancé(e)s refused entry clearance.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what EC funds for 1991–92 have been allocated to assist(a) economic, (b) environmental, (c) social, (d) scientific, (e) technical and (f) cultural programmes in (i) Africa, (ii) Asia and (iii) Latin America.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The countries of Africa included in the Lomé convention have been allocated 4,685·5 million ecu (about £3,245 million) for the period 1990 to 1995. This figure is not allocated in advance as between individual years or categories of aid. The European Community's approved budget for 1991 does not distinguish between the categories of aid required. The total payments provision for 1991 for Asia is 175·9 million ecu (about £122 million), and for Latin America 111·2 million ecu (about £77 million).

  Know-how Funds
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to extend the scope of the know-how fund for central and eastern European countries to include the education and training of non-governmental organisations in the monitoring of human rights and the practical experience of international law; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The main priorities of the know-how fund are to facilitate the transition to a market economy and a plural democracy. We have no immediate plans to extend the scope of the know-how fund as the hon. Gentleman suggests.

TRANSPORT

  Falmouth Harbour
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State For Transport whether he will postpone the public inquiry into the proposed Falmouth Harbour Revision Order to allow fishermen's organisations time to make full representations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Not at this late stage. The National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations registered an objection to the proposed order on 12 November 1990 after it had been advertised, and were notified on 10 January 1991 that the inquiry would take place on 21 February 1991.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of alcohol tests on drivers each week and the numbers(a) above twice the legal limit, (b) above the legal limit but below twice the limit and (c) below the legal limit.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  Statistics of breath tests for England and Wales are published in Home Office statistical bulletins. The most recent detailed statistics, for 1989, were published in issue number 25/90. A copy of this bulletin is in the Library.
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  In 1989, in England and Wales, 540·9 thousand screening breath tests were reported and there were in addition 8,500 cases of persons arrested for impairment or required to provide an evidential sample for other reasons. The total requirement, 549·4 thousand, is equivalent to a weekly average of about 10,540 tests.

  Of the screening tests, 427,900 were negative, leaving a total requirement for evidential tests of 121,500. The final outcome of these evidential tests is given in table 9 of the statistical bulletin 25/90. The number of positive tests was 94,900 which is equivalent to a weekly average of about 1,820 tests. The remainder includes not only negative results but also cases where the test was refused or where a sample could not be obtained. For 37,700 of the positive tests, the outcome was more than twice the legal limit, which is equivalent to about 720 tests a week.

ENVIRONMENT

  Thesis Computer System
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the total costs of the Property Services Agency Thesis computer system.

  Mr. Yeo
  The net cost of the PSA Thesis computer system was £8·6 million.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate how many non-domestic properties in England had rate increases of(a) 10 per cent. and above and (b) 20 per cent. and above in each year from 1986–87 to 1991–92.

  Mr. Portillo
  Estimates of the number of non-domestic properties in England subject to increases in rate bills of 10 per cent. and over and 20 per cent. and over are shown in the table.

  Non-domestic properties with rate increases

  Thousands

  10 per cent. and over

  20 per cent. and over

  1986–87

  2,700

  660

  1987–88

  520

  70

  1988–89

  1,430

  20

  1989–90

  1,100

  70

  1990–91

  1,000

  890

  1991–92

  1,200

  720

  Due to a change in the definition of non-domestic properties, following the introduction of the new system of local government finance, estimates for 1990–91 and 1991–92 are not comparable with earlier years.

  The estimates for 1986–87 to 1989–90 take no account of increases in rate bills as a result of changes in rateable values following alterations of the valuation list in those years.

  1851 Exhibition
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the holder of his office last attended a meeting of the royal commissioners for the exhibition of 1851.
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  Mr. Heseltine
  No Secretary of State for the Environment has attended a meeting of the royal commissioners. The then Minister for Public Buildings and Works attended a meeting on 12 December 1962.

  Leisure Centres
  Sir Ian Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will publish a table showing, for each local authority, the impact on the rates and community charge of the net running costs of leisure centres as a percentage of the relevant sum for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Portillo
  The total of net current expenditure, debt charges and expenditure on other non-current items (such as flood defence payments to the National Rivers Authority) represents spending to be funded by revenue support grant, community charges, non-domestic rates, specific grants, interest receipts and appropriation from financial reserves in 1990–91; and by block grant, rates, specific grants, interest receipts and appropriation from financial reserves in 1989–90. Authorities are free to decide, within these constraints, how spending on individual services will be allocated. The impact on the rates and community charge of spending on leisure centres cannot therefore be quantified.

  The impact on net current expenditure of spending on swimming pools, sports and recreation grounds can however be shown by expressing it as a percentage of net current expenditure. I have arranged for the available information for individual authorities to be laid in the Library of the House.

  Radioactive Waste Conference
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he or officials of his Department received an invitation to attend the conference on radioactive waste issues for local authorities, on 12 February.

  Mr. Baldry
  No.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next plans to visit Sellafield; and for what purpose.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend plans to visit Sellafield on 26 February to open the Windscale vitrification plant.

  "Greening the Planet"
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to arrange a subscription for his departmental library for the new magazine "Greening the Planet".

  Mr. Baldry
  No. The contents of the first issue add nothing new to discussion on environmental matters.

  Kirklees Metropolitan Council
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what the housing investment programme allocation for Kirklees metropolitan council is for 1991–92; and what it was for each of the preceding five years.
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  Mr. Yeo
  The total housing investment programme allocation for Kirklees metropolitan council for 1991–92 is currently £10·690 million. This may increase if Kirklees is successful in attracting further targeted allocations from the estate action programme or from other targeted sources. The council has been invited to work up one estate action scheme which could attract an allocation of £0·300 million in 1991–92 and a continuation allocation of £0·860 million in 1992–93. The equivalent amounts, including all estate action and other supplementary allocations, for the financial years 1986–87 to 1990–91 were:

  £ million

  1986–87

  8·478

  1987–88

  9·067

  1988–89

  9·041

  1989–90

  9·323

  1990–91

  12·410

  East Newcastle Quayside Development
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what loan facilities or other financial assistance he has approved to enable the Newcastle urban development corporation to finance the public sector contribution to the east Newcastle quayside development.

  Mr. Portillo
  To date Tyne and Wear Development Corporation has been given approval for expenditure totalling £12·6 million in connection with the redevelopment of the east Quayside area of which it has so far spent about £5 million. In addition, land is being acquired through vesting orders approved by Parliament, on which it has spent £473,000. The Department is currently considering the full project submission.

  Bristol Channel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether an assessment has been made on the effects on the ecology of the Bristol channel resulting from the dropping of unused bombs from B52 bombers off the north Devon coast.

  Mr. Baldry
  No formal assessment has been made of the environmental effect of the aircraft emergency procedure for the jettisoning of unused B52 bombs in the military danger area of Hartland point. Such bombs would have been made safe before being jettisoned, and would be unlikely to have any significant environmental effect.

  Land Registers
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 932, if he will include in his review of ways of improving land registers, the various categories which exclude land from the register with a view to including them.

  Mr. Yeo
  I can confirm that our review covers how far the present exclusions might sensibly be reduced. Any detailed proposals would take account of the responses on this point to last year's consultation paper, and would be the subject of further consultation.

  Vacant Land
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the amount of vacant, derelict, dormant, underused and under-utilised land excluded from the register because of exceptions from the rule.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 14 February 1991]: There is no basis for making any such estimate. Whether a site falls within any of the exemptions will depend on circumstances peculiar to that site—for example, the timing of acquisition, planning decisions taken, or the site's physical characteristics.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 10 largest local authority owners of vacant, dormant, derelict, underused and under-utilised land on the register.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 14 February 1991]: Information on local authority holdings of unused and underused land is held on individual authorities' registers. Complete up-to-date information is not available centrally. Information on total local authority holdings of derelict land in each area is contained in the "Survey of Derelict Land in England 1988" but the total holdings of individual authorities are not identified.

  Severe Weather
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a one-off payment to local authorities for extra expenditure for the clearance of roads and for the provision of heating for the elderly and accommodation for the homeless during the present cold spell.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 14 February 1991]: At present, we have no intention to do so. Local authorities' standard spending assessments include an allowance for the costs of clearing snow and gritting roads, and we would expect authorities to budget for snow clearance. However, if any authority can demonstrate an unusual financial burden in relation to snow clearance or other costs incurred as a result of the cold spell, they should let my Department have the details so that we may consider whether special financial assistance is justified.

  The Government are meeting the costs of local authorities and voluntary bodies in relation to emergency shelters for 700 rough sleepers in London.

  Finally, as my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced in the House on 12 February, the waiver of the 0 deg C temperature to qualify for a social fund cold weather payment has been extended for a further week in respect of the seven days ending on 14 February.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Dundonald Ice Bowl
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern ireland what arrears in the values of rates are estimated as due for each of the past five years for Dundonald international ice bowl.

  Mr. Needham
  Rates for the years 1986–87 and 1987–88 have been paid in full. The total arrears due are £167,233·46 made up of £5,911·64 for 1988–89, £77,900·04 for 1989–90 and £83,421·78 for 1990–91.

  Housing
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many homes the Northern Ireland Housing Executive own at Windmills Gardens, Millisle, County Down; when these homes were built; how many of these homes are occupied by persons of pensionable age; how many of these homes have full or partial heating; and what proposals there are for the provision of central heating in these homes.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, but I have been advised by the chief executive that the Housing Executive owns nine dwellings at Windmill gardens, Millisle, County Down. These dwellings were built in 1965 and two are occupied by persons of pensionable age. Full central heating has been installed in two dwellings and all nine dwellings will be included in a comprehensive improvement scheme scheduled for early 1993 which will include the provision of full central heating.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list in the Official Report all chemical weapons precursors which are subject to United Kingdom export controls.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Chemical weapons precursors subject to control are listed in the Export of Goods (Control) (Amendment No. 6) Order 1990 made on 20 December. A copy is available in the Library.

  The export of any chemical is subject to control if the exporter knows or has grounds for suspecting that it is intended for, or likely to be used in, the production of chemical weapons.

  Export Control
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what orders he has made since 1979 in regard to Syria, Egypt, Israel, Libya, Iraq and Iran, in terms of a statutory instrument prohibiting the export of goods under the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 12 February 1991]: Export of Goods (Control) Orders were made in 1981, 1985, 1987 and 1989 under the powers of the Import, Export and Customs Powers (Defence) Act 1939, each order replacing the previous order. These orders were subject to amendment orders to add or delete goods from export control. The Export of Goods (Control) (Iraq and Kuwait Sanctions) Order 1990 (S.I. 1640) was also made under the powers of the Act. These orders prohibit the export of specified goods without a licence to all or certain destinations, including Syria, Egypt, Israel, Libya, Iraq and Iran, as appropriate.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the goods permitted for export under the open general export licence (chemicals) of 21 December 1990.
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  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 12 February 1991]: These goods are listed in the open general export licence (chemicals) which came into force on 31 December 1990. I am arranging for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will ensure that civil servants currently employed in the ECGD have freedom of choice as to whether they remain in the civil service or transfer to the proposed privatised company.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 12 February 1991]: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State on 18 December 1989 at cols 23–24:
  "ECGD staff will be asked whether they wish to remain within the Civil Service, or to transfer to the new company. ECGD will use its best endeavours to meet their wishes where these are consistent with the business needs of ECGD and the company."

  This remains the Government's intention.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what training and development opportunities he will make available to civil servants currently employed within the ECGD who decide that their future choice is to continue in the civil service rather than moving into a privatised company.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 12 February 1991]: All staff who remain within ECGD will continue to benefit from that Department's training and career development facilities, including appropriate training if any change of job is involved. Other civil service departments would provide similar facilities for anyone who might transfer from ECGD.

  Companies Act 1989
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many statutory instruments and codes of practice are provided for in the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 13 February 1991]: The Companies Act 1989 contains 46 powers exercisable by statutory instrument, and one provision recognising compliance with a code of practice as conduct expected of persons authorised to carry on investment business.

PRIME MINISTER

  Coastal Zone
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all Government Departments and non-departmental public bodies with an interest in the coastal zone.

  The Prime Minister
  All Government Departments may have an interest in the coast or coastal waters in the exercise of their normal duties. The same will apply to many non-departmental public bodies.

  Secure Accommodation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Prime Minister which Department will be responsible for funding the new Social Services Department secure units required under the proposals to abolish prison remand of juveniles.
  605
  The Prime Minister
  The Department of Health already has powers to make grants to local authorities to meet the capital cost of new secure units, and intends to meet the local authority associations to discuss the nature and extent of any further secure provision required for remanded juveniles.

HEALTH

  Mental Hospitals
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure that the rundown and closure of hospitals for the mentally ill does not proceed faster than the establishment of adequate resettlement and community care for the discharged patients; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In a recent circular HC(90)23/ HASSL(90)11, a copy of which is in the Library, health authorities were asked to ensure that any reduction in the number of hospital beds does not outpace the development of alternative community services. The White Paper "Caring for People", states that we"will not approve the closure of any mental hospital unless it can be demonstrated that adequate alternatives have been developed".

  Private Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what provisions are made by his Department to recompense local authorities social services departments for the cost implications of taking over the running of private care homes which are de-registered.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No separate central provision for such contingencies is made. The very few instances of local authorities assuming temporary responsibility for the management of private care homes seem to have occurred where deregulation has been ordered by a justice of the peace. Local authority returns show that only seven such orders were made in 1989.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his response to the recent Care and Counsel report on privacy in private and voluntary residential homes, a copy of which he has been sent.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Our community care proposals stress that frail and vulnerable people are entitled to a good quality of residential care and nursing home care. This includes the right to privacy and dignity. We aim to help ensure that this is achieved by the introduction in six weeks' time of inspection units which will monitor standards in both public and independent sector residential care homes, by the introduction of a new complaints system, and by the provision of a 25 per cent. increase in the training support grant for 1991–92. Community care purchaser contracts will further reinforce the requirement that good quality services are provided.

  Kirklees Metropolitan Council
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the standard spending assessment for social services for Kirklees metropolitan council for 1991–92; and what it was for 1990–91.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is as follows:

  £ million

  1990–91

  28·1

  1991–92

  34·2

  Neonatal Care
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each region and for England as a whole the number of(a) special and intensive care cots, (b) special and/or intensive care cots closed during 1990–91 for financial reasons, (c) vacancies for fully-trained neonatal nurses, (d) training places for neonatal nurses available in each year from 1987 and (e) training places for neonatal nurses filled in each year from 1987.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested at parts(b) to (e) is not collected centrally. The latest information on the daily average numbers of neonatal cots which are not in a maternity unit is set out in the table. It should be noted, however, that some health authorities also provide intensive care facilities within maternity units.

  Special and neonatal intensive care cots by regional health authority England, 1988–89 to 1989–90

  1988–89

  11989–90

  Regional health authority

  Northern

  260

  262

  Yorkshire

  282

  280

  Trent

  310

  302

  East Anglian

  135

  132

  North West Thames

  269

  249

  North East Thames

  291

  291

  South East Thames

  282

  278

  South West Thames

  188

  189

  Wessex

  182

  183

  Oxford

  193

  183

  South Western

  166

  168

  West Midlands

  402

  387

  Mersey

  175

  172

  North Western

  332

  334

  Special health authority

  Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte's

  46

  41

  ENGLAND

  3,513

  3,451

  1 Provisional.

  Source: KHO3 return (neonate cots not on maternity units).

  NHS Negligence
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will outline his plans for introducing an arbitration procedure for cases in which negligence must be proven; and if he will make a statement further to his remarks during the debate on second reading of the Health Service (Compensation) Bill.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  On 1 February I announced that I would be prepared to undertake consultations on whether an arbitration procedure could be established within the national health service which may provide quicker, cheaper and simpler avenues for the informal resolution of disputes. I shall bring forward proposals in due course.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will circulate a copy of his reply to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West on 22 January,Official Report, column 162, on anti-salmonella guidelines to all national health service district managers.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Correspondence
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average time his Department takes to answer letters from hon. and right hon. Members.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Twenty-nine days for the 7,600 letters dealt with in the last six months.

  Cyclosporin and AZT
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what sums of money have been provided by his Department towards funding Cyclosporin and AZT.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The costs of providing Cyclosporin and AZT within the health service are not available centrally. It is for health authorities to identify needs for the drugs and make suitable provision.

  Funds for treating AIDS patients are allocated to regions on the basis of the number of live AIDS cases within the region and the cost of AZT is met from those allocations. Unlike transplants, the treatment of AIDS has been concentrated in certain regions.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on his response to the contents of the recent report on the causes and consequences of the community care delays, published jointly by the King's Fund Institute, the Joseph Rowntree Foundation and the Nuffield Institute, a copy of which he has been sent.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I reaffirm the Governments commitment to the policy as set out in the White Paper "Caring for People". The timetable for its implementation will remain as stated to the House by my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State in July 1990. We welcome the continued enthusiasm of the authors of the report for our policy.

  Pasteurised Eggs
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he has given to national health service district general managers on the use of pasteurised eggs in recipes for lightly cooked egg products.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Guidance given in our press release of 21 November 1988 notifies the procedures that should be adopted when producing lightly cooked eggs. This coupled with our earlier advice, in our circular letter EL(88)P/136 of 29 July 1988, on storage and on the use of raw shell eggs in recipes is still extant, a copy is available in the Library.

  Incontinence Pads
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 February to the hon. Member for Wakefield,Official Report, column 96, if
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  health authorities are empowered to charge for the supply of incontinence pads to individual residents in private nursing homes.

  Mr. Dorrell
  While Departmental guidance to health authorities is that they should not supply incontinence pads to private nursing home residents, there is nothing in law to prevent it. If health authorities were to supply them, they would not be allowed to charge.

  Transplants
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people are currently awaiting a kidney transplant, a heart transplant, a heart and lung transplant, a lung transplant, a liver transplant and any other form of transplant; and what is the present supply situation for each of these categories.

  Mr. Dorrell
  According to information provided by the United Kingdom transplant service the number of patients awaiting transplants as at 11 February 1991 were:

  Number

  Kidney

  3,678

  Pancreas

  5

  Kidney and pancreas

  16

  Heart

  241

  Lung

  67

  Heart and lung

  225

  Liver

  69

  Cornea

  579

  The number of organs retrieved for transplant were:

  1989

  1990 (provisional)

  Percentage change

  Kidney

  1,923

  1,932

  <1

  Heart

  281

  305

  +9

  Heart and lung

  86

  95

  +10

  Lung

  31

  51

  +65

  Liver

  345

  406

  +17

  Cornea

  2,729

  2,966

  +9

  Kidney Patients
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will be replying to the letter from the hon. Member for Newbury of 16 January about a meeting with officers of the National Federation of Kidney Patients Associations.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  As my hon. Friend knows from my letter to him of 13 February, I never received his letter of 16 January.

  My office will, of course, be in touch with him about a meeting.

  Smoked Fish
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether there are any reported cases of poisoning as a result of the consumption of smoked fish sent through the post in the last 25 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave him on 21 January at column 76.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  International Institute for Democracy
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those member countries of the Council of Europe which have contributed to the International Institute for Democracy since its establishment in 1988, stating the total amount pledged to the most recent date.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  As at 12 February 1991 the following Council of Europe member states had contributed to the International Institute for Democracy:

  Belgium

  Cyprus

  Denmark

  Finland

  France

  Iceland

  Italy

  Liechtenstein

  Malta

  Netherlands

  Norway

  Portugal

  Spain

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  Turkey

  The total pledged to date amounts to FF563,072·64, including contributions from Australia and the Centre for Democracy, Washington.

  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government propose to contribute to the work of the International Institute for Democracy established by the Council of Europe in 1988; and what size of contribution he has in mind.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We have no plans to contribute to the work of this institute.

  Illegal Arms and Ammunition
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what provisions control the circumstances in which entry to a foreign mission in the United Kingdom can be authorised in order to check for the presence of illegal arms or ammunition.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Article 22 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations provides that the premises of the mission shall be inviolable, and that the agents of the receiving state may not enter them except with consent of the head of mission.

  The same article provides that the receiving state is under a special duty to take all appropriate steps to protect the premises of the mission against any intrusion or damage.

  Foreign Diplomats
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the limitations on the powers of the police to apprehend and search for arms and ammunition foreign diplomats leaving their foreign mission in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Article 29 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations provides that the person of a610
  diplomatic agent shall be inviolable and that he shall not be liable to any form of arrest or detention. Article 41 of the convention provides that it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state.

  We have made clear to all missions in London that it is the duty of the police to prevent the unauthorised carriage of firearms, and that persons suspected of carrying firearms are likely to be questioned.

  Diplomatic Relations
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether it is the practice when diplomatic relations have been terminated with a foreign country for Her Majesty's Government to accept the nomination of any other foreign country with a recognised mission in the United Kingdom as protector of the interests of the first country; and what freedom to decline to accept such arrangements is available to Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In accordance with articles 45 and 46 of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations, when diplomatic relations have been broken off with a foreign country, Her Majesty's Government as the receiving state, will consider the nomination by the sending state, of a third state to assume the role of a protecting power. It is for Her Majesty's Government alone to decide whether or not the nomination is acceptable.

  Nuclear Weapons Tests
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on what date the United Kingdom presented its statement to the plenary session of the recent amendment conference of states who are parties to the treaty banning muclear weapons tests in the atmosphere, in outer space and underwater; who led the United Kingdom delegation; what response was made to the United Kingdom statement by other participating delegations; to whom the statement has been circulated; what was the total cost of United Kingdom participation in the conference; what meetings were held with non-governmental organisations in attendance as observers; and what representations from non-governmental organisations were received by the United Kingdom delegation to the conference.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom statement to the plenary session was delivered on 11 January; the United Kingdom delegation was led by the deputy head of the United Kingdom delegation to the conference on disarmament at Geneva; the statement was the last to be delivered to the plenary session and produced no subsequent response in the committee of the whole; it was circulated to participating delegations, non-governmental organisations and the press; the total cost of United Kingdom participation was approximately £20,000; an informal session of the conference was allocated for NGOs to state their views; the United Kingdom delegation received several representations from NGOs and held informal meetings with as many as possible.

  Hadj
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he has had with the appropriate Saudi Arabian authorities concerning arrangements for British Muslims wishing to visit holy places during Hadj; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The question of pass quotas for pilgrims is a matter for the Saudi Ministry of the Hadj, who assess quotas on a country-by country basis. We have asked the British embassy in Riyadh to contact the Ministry to find out what plans have been made for this year's pilgrimage. I will tell the hon. Member of the outcome.

  Myanmar
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to prevent the supply of Rolls-Royce engines, via Yugoslavia, to the security forces in Myanmar.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have made representations to the Yugoslav authorities about the re-export of this equipment to Burma.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government have made to Hong Kong on the need to ensure that the existing de facto abolition of the death penalty in Hong Kong is confirmed in legislation for the territory before 1997.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are no plans to change the present situation.

  The Gulf (RSPCA)
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance was offered by his Department to the RSPCA team visiting the Gulf to assist in the cleaning of oil-damaged seabirds and mammals.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are pleased to say that this Department was able to pay the return air fares of the RSPCA experts vising Saudi Arabia and other countries in the Gulf affected by this monstrous act of environmental terrorism. In consultation with the Saudi authorities through the British embassy in Riyadh, this Department also assisted with a number of administrative arrangements prior to the team's departure.

  Nuclear Material
  Mr. Bob Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to the statement of October 1990 about a black market operating in nuclear materials outside of safeguards controls, if he will make it his policy to seek further information from the chairman of Argentina's Comision Nacional de Energia Atomica.
  612
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 31 January 1991]: Since 1985, it has been the declared policy of the Government of Argentina to insist that IAEA safeguards are applied to all nuclear material and equipment exported from Argentina.

SCOTLAND

  Fishing
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the effect of the recently introduced restrictions in catching opportunities imposed on the Scottish inshore fleet by the recent EC tie-up scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Monitoring of the uptake of the United Kingdom quotas is carried out by Fisheries Departments as a matter of course throughout the year. We will continue to monitor the effects of the requirement for vessels to remain in port for eight consecutive days per month. In addition, discussions have now been concluded successfully with the European Commission to enable fishermen to use more selective fishing gear as an alternative to remaining in port.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the special measures taken by Her Majesty's Government to protect homeless people in Scotland from the recent bad weather conditions; and if he will make it his policy to collect urgently and centrally information about the number of people sleeping rough.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Local authorities, with their statutory responsibilities for helping the homeless and for dealing with emergencies, are best placed to determine the measures needed in their areas and to take appropriate action. Local authority housing and social work departments have not given us evidence to indicate that sleeping rough is a significant problem in their areas; while precise figures on the number of people sleeping rough are not available, advice from local authorities and voluntary bodies is that the number in Scotland at any one time is very small. Arrangements are being made to enumerate those sleeping rough on census night, 21 April 1991.

  Housing
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the level of housing support grant paid by his Department to each local authority in Scotland in(a) cash terms, and (b) real terms at 1991–92 prices.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The housing support grant entitlements of individual local authorities, in cash terms and at 1991–92 prices, are shown in the following tables.
  613

  Housing Support Grant (in cash terms)

  1979–80 to 1984–85

  £

  Area

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  Scotland

  213,400,000

  228,200,000

  161,900,000

  104,632,870

  72,135,479

  67,211,241

  Berwickshire

  1,304,502

  1,306,875

  1,038,356

  686,226

  648,884

  486,805

  Etterick and Lauderdale

  1,725,856

  1,753,749

  1,154,679

  552,583

  373,420

  107,262

  Roxburgh

  1,734,338

  1,971,598

  1,537,295

  1,165,695

  1,260,321

  1,265,786

  Tweeddale

  289,209

  285,768

  109,055

  0

  0

  0

  Clackmannan

  1,850,234

  1,818,745

  1,283,981

  689,627

  45,021

  0

  Falkirk

  7,957,349

  7,479,143

  4,428,554

  1,494,309

  0

  0

  Stirling

  1,929,781

  1,916,151

  1,016,562

  1,335,195

  20,431

  0

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1,094,232

  1,452,108

  1,272,965

  1,387,048

  1,574,069

  1,673,013

  Nithsdale

  1,147,826

  905,200

  100

  0

  0

  0

  Stewartry

  548,774

  676,321

  542,539

  412,797

  414,643

  359,095

  Wigtown

  1,046,584

  1,154,830

  767,726

  452,325

  255,317

  200,315

  Dunfermline

  5,391,353

  6,079,270

  2,800,067

  683,115

  0

  0

  Kirkcaldy

  6,303,279

  6,500,216

  3,077,166

  696,260

  0

  0

  North East Fife

  1,586,114

  1,664,141

  979,538

  829,197

  309,583

  87,427

  Aberdeen

  9,749,391

  10,733,105

  9,533,966

  7,089,761

  3,724,702

  3,053,523

  Banff and Buchan

  4,966,010

  5,495,862

  4,343,622

  3,306,069

  2,437,206

  1,943,394

  Gordon

  2,857,278

  2,860,784

  2,379,107

  2,240,622

  1,709,877

  1,940,317

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1,304,661

  1,373,533

  933,388

  817,907

  972,194

  854,052

  Moray

  4,237,483

  4,402,062

  3,552,254

  2,301,798

  1,987,151

  1,790,081

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  413,089

  470,225

  435,542

  505,386

  515,570

  487,297

  Caithness

  1,231,796

  1,044,456

  876,132

  817,378

  819,544

  826,248

  Inverness

  2,461,414

  2,323,484

  1,631,231

  1,375,208

  1,241,308

  1,305,145

  Lochaber

  1,860,212

  1,825,267

  1,813,360

  1,383,564

  1,334,449

  1,225,916

  Nairn

  320,089

  351,660

  251,993

  206,063

  265,393

  227,117

  Ross and Cromarty

  3,889,456

  4,249,933

  4,199,542

  3,493,364

  3,091,946

  3,241,650

  Skye and Lochalsh

  342,729

  343,792

  316,747

  316,309

  323,325

  394,993

  Sutherland

  674,923

  729,163

  519,316

  477,942

  446,107

  467,987

  East Lothian

  4,723,964

  5,062,507

  3,155,554

  2,079,858

  1,050,527

  392,369

  Edinburgh

  11,269,405

  12,517,913

  7,869,440

  2,327,904

  0

  0

  Midlothian

  3,496,811

  3,334,405

  1,791,607

  906,746

  0

  0

  West Lothian

  4,655,453

  4,796,099

  2,182,016

  0

  0

  0

  Argyll and Bute

  3,410,909

  3,565,946

  2,811,692

  2,767,417

  2,554,514

  2,308,945

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  464,877

  458,385

  193,589

  0

  0

  0

  Clydebank

  3,548,652

  4,032,786

  3,285,203

  2,201,808

  1,855,408

  1,774,590

  Clydesdale

  1,842,814

  1,651,898

  578,477

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  677,835

  670,398

  117,762

  0

  0

  0

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  1,982,826

  1,812,670

  819,727

  167,191

  0

  0

  Cunninghame

  4,800,670

  4,656,897

  2,744,500

  745,237

  0

  0

  Dumbarton

  2,997,918

  2,805,151

  1,177,708

  0

  0

  0

  East Kilbride

  327,324

  340,284

  98,060

  0

  0

  0

  Eastwood

  282,503

  303,824

  15,462

  0

  0

  0

  Glasgow

  41,496,149

  49,487,984

  44,099,691

  37,292,928

  32,355,851

  32,269,404

  Hamilton

  4,960,259

  5,015,434

  3,243,635

  1,543,988

  119,816

  0

  Inverclyde

  5,602,776

  6,140,965

  4,443,201

  3,048,261

  1,865,250

  1,162,804

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  3,584,819

  4,168,590

  1,885,952

  298,335

  0

  0

  Kyle and Carrick

  4,422,325

  4,351,786

  2,807,798

  911,439

  447,952

  0

  Monklands

  4,601,208

  4,359,605

  4,252,050

  3,222,528

  1,705,278

  1,956,032

  Motherwell

  7,919,644

  8,193,225

  5,737,727

  3,296,551

  1,037,418

  0

  Renfrew

  6,486,220

  6,571,032

  2,186,158

  0

  0

  0

  Strathkelvin

  1,956,176

  2,401,186

  1,539,073

  1,198,935

  326,922

  2,775

  Angus

  4,236,548

  4,372,617

  2,499,757

  1,221,795

  181,321

  0

  Dundee

  7,740,698

  8,602,017

  5,285,879

  1,820,168

  0

  0

  Perth and Kinross

  3,502,848

  3,118,176

  1,309,294

  0

  0

  0

  Orkney

  1,074,091

  1,103,278

  1,082,222

  852,422

  731,864

  779,233

  Shetland

  2,099,598

  1,889,843

  2,624,591

  2,654,652

  2,409,052

  2,764,219

  Western Isles

  1,016,718

  1,247,658

  1,267,392

  1,358,959

  1,723,845

  1,863,547

  1985–86 to 1991–92

  £

  Area

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Scotland

  64,178,219

  44,469,760

  41,917,523

  54,631,469

  65,296,686

  57,963,694

  55,435,945

  Berwickshire

  446,429

  201,135

  225,306

  91,417

  48,841

  0

  0

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Roxburgh

  1,306,156

  951,730

  1,115,301

  1,124,908

  1,339,141

  1,321,472

  1,139,087

  Tweeddale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clackmannan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Falkirk

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  91,878

  Stirling

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  132,696

  Annandale and Eskdale

  1,759,500

  1,382,490

  1,337,917

  1,557,353

  1,684,048

  1,504,110

  1,288,127

  Nithsdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  614 615

  Area

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Stewartry

  343,400

  253,704

  386,158

  413,062

  509,240

  436,944

  175,842

  Wigtown

  95,565

  0

  265,382

  410,486

  551,246

  600,795

  455,431

  Dunfermline

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kirkcaldy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North East Fife

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Aberdeen

  2,260,303

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Banff and Buchan

  1,599,685

  558,241

  617,681

  246,862

  136,883

  0

  0

  Gordon

  1,800,235

  1,838,802

  2,723,337

  3,276,799

  3,788,264

  3,792,482

  3,808,288

  Kincardine and Deeside

  942,305

  779,199

  1,267,315

  1,617,844

  1,922,521

  1,882,382

  1,828,221

  Moray

  1,509,258

  682,537

  982,346

  614,211

  528,935

  0

  0

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  497,879

  388,218

  462,702

  384,299

  393,499

  386,736

  330,314

  Caithness

  750,997

  663,077

  759,297

  1,012,850

  1,229,421

  1,330,831

  1,249,076

  Inverness

  1,510,450

  1,033,853

  1,157,218

  1,370,584

  1,949,824

  1,934,977

  1,657,779

  Lochaber

  1,398,166

  1,441,327

  1,396,801

  1,800,599

  2,148,759

  2,398,530

  2,463,394

  Nairn

  218,689

  181,633

  209,500

  274,618

  344,628

  350,804

  306,917

  Ross and Cromarty

  3,474,516

  3,178,298

  3,339,315

  3,793,708

  4,154,244

  4,231,891

  4,159,560

  Skye and Lochalsh

  467,318

  586,754

  789,606

  985,932

  1,203,495

  1,303,836

  1,343,234

  Sutherland

  518,431

  522,874

  643,801

  796,808

  969,864

  1,006,044

  992,735

  East Lothian

  23,235

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Edinburgh

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  526,144

  Midlothian

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  West Lothian

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Argyll and Bute

  2,155,278

  1,373,972

  1,709,251

  1,586,284

  1,775,900

  1,041,664

  618,210

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  0

  0

  51,224

  124,971

  278,995

  317,125

  301,748

  Clydebank

  1,778,773

  804,237

  786,456

  1,031,201

  1,010,546

  650,646

  438,557

  Clydesdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cunninghame

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7,774

  Dumbarton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Kilbride

  0

  0

  63,514

  33,496

  0

  0

  61,626

  Eastwood

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8,108

  Glasgow

  32,675,646

  21,891,239

  15,116,893

  24,660,513

  30,697,621

  24,536,123

  22,687,417

  Hamilton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Inverclyde

  562,537

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  153,317

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2,382

  Kyle and Carrick

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Monklands

  328,169

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motherwell

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Renfrew

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  28,488

  Strathkelvin

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Angus

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dundee

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Perth and Kinross

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  29,303

  Orkney

  804,942

  684,343

  743,450

  850,377

  776,917

  783,399

  639,138

  Shetland

  2,778,672

  2,934,933

  3,172,405

  3,677,667

  4,112,702

  4,395,805

  4,603,666

  Western Isles

  2,171,685

  2,137,164

  2,595,347

  2,894,620

  3,741,152

  3,757,098

  3,907,490

  Housing Support Grant (at 1991–92 prices)

  1978–80 to 1984–85

  £

  Area

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–84

  Scotland

  489,898,990

  442,711,365

  286,432,072

  172,838,333

  113,889,733

  100,986,013

  Berwickshire

  2,994,725

  2,535,357

  1,837,050

  1,133,546

  1,024,478

  731,433

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  3,962,020

  3,402,299

  2,042,848

  912,787

  589,567

  161,163

  Roxburgh

  3,981,492

  3,824,929

  2,719,769

  1,925,559

  1,989,834

  1,901,865

  Tweeddale

  663,933

  554,394

  192,939

  0

  0

  0

  Clackmannan

  4,247,553

  3,528,392

  2,271,608

  1,139,164

  71,081

  0

  Falkirk

  18,267,560

  14,509,648

  7,834,959

  2,468,382

  0

  0

  Stirling

  4,430,168

  3,717,361

  1,798,493

  2,205,549

  32,257

  0

  Annandale and Eskdale

  2,512,011

  2,817,111

  2,252,119

  2,291,202

  2,485,189

  2,513,730

  Nithsdale

  2,635,046

  1,756,101

  177

  0

  0

  0

  Stewartry

  1,259,812

  1,312,073

  959,855

  681,881

  654,651

  539,546

  Wigtown

  2,402,626

  2,240,387

  1,358,254

  747,175

  403,102

  300,977

  Dunfermline

  12,376,843

  11,793,873

  4,953,854

  1,128,407

  0

  0

  Kirkcaldy

  14,470,337

  12,610,515

  5,444,095

  1,150,121

  0

  0

  North East Fife

  3,641,217

  3,228,458

  1,732,990

  1,369,713

  488,779

  131,361

  Aberdeen

  22,381,522

  20,822,382

  16,867,410

  11,711,257

  5,880,675

  4,587,969

  Banff and Buchan

  11,400,390

  10,662,053

  7,684,698

  5,461,147

  3,847,936

  2,919,982

  Gordon

  6,559,408

  5,549,963

  4,209,095

  3,701,183

  2,669,607

  2,915,359

  Kincardine and Deeside

  2,995,090

  2,664,674

  1,651,342

  1,351,064

  1,534,930

  1,283,227

  616 617

  Area

  1979–80 £

  1980–81 £

  1981–82 £

  1982–83 £

  1983–84 £

  1984–84 £

  Moray

  9,727,922

  8,540,065

  6,284,617

  3,802,237

  3,137,376

  2,689,627

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  948,322

  912,243

  770,557

  834,824

  813,998

  732,172

  Caithness

  2,827,815

  2,026,260

  1,550,045

  1,350,190

  1,293,922

  1,241,451

  Inverness

  5,650,629

  4,507,593

  2,885,960

  2,271,644

  1,959,816

  1,961.002

  Lochaber

  4,270,459

  3,541,045

  3,208,181

  2,285,447

  2,106,869

  1,841,809

  Nairn

  734,823

  682,226

  445,824

  340,386

  419,011

  341.247

  Ross and Cromarty

  8,928,962

  8,244,933

  7,429,793

  5,770,531

  4,881,660

  4,870.633

  Skye and Lochalsh

  786,798

  666,962

  560,386

  522,497

  510,476

  593.484

  Sutherland

  1,549,410

  1,414,587

  918,769

  789,491

  704,328

  703.158

  East Lothian

  10,844,729

  9,821,338

  5,582,779

  3,435,624

  1,658,605

  589,541

  Edinburgh

  25,870,994

  24,284,936

  13,922,545

  3,845,360

  0

  0

  Midlothian

  8,027,573

  6,468,795

  3,169,696

  1,497,813

  0

  0

  West Lothian

  10,687,449

  9,304,503

  3,860,404

  0

  0

  0

  Argyll and Bute

  7,830,370

  6,917,988

  4,974,421

  4,571,372

  4,033,146

  3,469.228

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  1,067,211

  889,274

  342,496

  0

  0

  0

  Clydebank

  8,146,584

  7,823,664

  5,812,153

  3,637,068

  2,929,376

  2,666,351

  Clydesdale

  4,230,519

  3,204,706

  1,023,436

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  1,556,095

  1,300,582

  208,344

  0

  0

  0

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  4,551,942

  3,516,607

  1,450,254

  276,175

  0

  0

  Cunninghame

  11,020,822

  9,034,449

  4,855,546

  1,231,023

  0

  0

  Dumbarton

  6,882,273

  5,442,034

  2,083,591

  0

  0

  0

  East Kilbride

  751,433

  660,156

  173,487

  0

  0

  0

  Eastwood

  648,538

  589,423

  27,355

  0

  0

  0

  Glasgow

  95,262,050

  96,007,419

  78,020,790

  61,602,511

  51,084,422

  48,485,319

  Hamilton

  11,387,188

  9,730,016

  5,738,611

  2,550,444

  189,169

  0

  Inverclyde

  12,862,204

  11,913,563

  7,860,873

  5,035,285

  2,944,915

  1,747,132

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  8,229,612

  8,087,126

  3,336,610

  492,806

  0

  0

  Kyle and Carrick

  10,152,261

  8,442,529

  4,967,532

  1,505,565

  707,241

  0

  Monklands

  10,562,920

  8,457,698

  7,522,690

  5,323,149

  2,692,346

  2,938,971

  Motherwell

  18,181,001

  15,894,977

  10,151,137

  5,445,424

  1,637,908

  0

  Renfrew

  14,890,312

  12,747,899

  3,867,732

  0

  0

  0

  Strathkelvin

  4,490,762

  4,658,336

  2,722,915

  1,980,467

  516,155

  4,169

  Angus

  9,725,776

  8,482,941

  4,422,548

  2,018,228

  286,275

  0

  Dundee

  17,770,197

  16,688,040

  9,351,731

  3,006,654

  0

  0

  Perth and Kinross

  8,041,433

  6,049,307

  2,316,392

  0

  0

  0

  Orkney

  2,465,774

  2,140,376

  1,914,658

  1,408,078

  1,155,490

  1,170,811

  Shetland

  4,820,014

  3,666,323

  4,643,404

  4,385,100

  3,803,486

  4,153,285

  Western Isles

  2,334,063

  2,420,475

  2,242,259

  2,244,803

  2,721,660

  2,800,011

  1985–86 to 1991–92

  £

  Area

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Scotland

  91,449,m321

  61,271,680

  54,771,953

  66,528,817

  74,751,220

  61,441,270

  55,435,945

  Berwickshire

  636,129

  277,129

  294,398

  111,325

  55,913

  0

  0

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Roxburgh

  1,861,178

  1,311,320

  1,457,319

  1,369,884

  1,533,040

  1,400,755

  1,139,087

  Tweeddale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clackmannan

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Falkirk

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  91,378

  Stirling

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  132,696

  Annandale and Eskdale

  2,507,160

  1,904,833

  1,748,203

  1,896,505

  1,927,887

  1,594,350

  1,288,127

  Nithsdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Stewartry

  489,320

  349,560

  504,577

  503,016

  582,975

  463,159

  175,842

  Wigtown

  136,173

  0

  346,764

  499,879

  631,063

  636,840

  455,431

  Dunfermline

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Kirkcaldy

  0

  b

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  North East Fife

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Aberdeen

  3,220,768

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Banff and Buchan

  2,279,435

  769,160

  807,099

  300,622

  156,703

  0

  0

  Gordon

  2,565,205

  2,533,553

  3,558,476

  3,990,403

  4,336,780

  4,020,015

  3,808,288

  Kincardine and Deeside

  1,342,716

  1,073,602

  1,655,950

  1,970,169

  2,200,890

  1,995,317

  1,828,221

  Moray

  2,150,584

  940,419

  1,283,592

  747,971

  605,521

  0

  0

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  709,442

  534,898

  604,594

  467,990

  450,475

  409,939

  330,314

  Caithness

  1,070,116

  913,606

  992,143

  1,233,423

  1,407,433

  1,410,675

  1,249,076

  Inverness

  2,152,282

  1,424,472

  1,512,091

  1,669,062

  2,232,146

  2,051,067

  1,657,779

  Lochaber

  1,992,285

  1,985,901

  1,825,144

  2,192,724

  2,459,885

  2,542,432

  2,463,394

  Nairn

  311,616

  250,259

  273,745

  334,423

  394,528

  371,851

  306,917

  Ross and Cromarty

  4,950,934

  4,379,148

  4,363,349

  4,619,881

  4,755,751

  4,485,787

  4,159,560

  Skye and Lochalsh

  665,894

  808,446

  1,031,747

  1,200,643

  1,377,753

  1,382,061

  1,343,234

  Sutherland

  738,727

  720,430

  841,229

  970,333

  1,110,294

  1,066,402

  992,735

  East Lothian

  33,108

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Edinburgh

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  526,144

  Midlothian

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  West Lothian

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  618 619

  Area

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Argyll and Bute

  3,071,115

  1,893,097

  2,233,410

  1,931,736

  2,033,039

  1,104,159

  618,210

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  0

  0

  66,932

  152,187

  319,392

  336,151

  301,748

  Clydebank

  2,534,623

  1,108,100

  1,027,631

  1,255,770

  1,156,866

  689,682

  438,557

  Clydesdale

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cumnock and Doon

  Valley

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cunninghame

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  7,774

  Dumbarton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  East Kilbride

  0

  0

  82,991

  40,791

  0

  0

  61,626

  Eastwood

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  8,108

  Glasgow

  46,560,433

  30,162,362

  19,752,640

  30,030,947

  35,142,436

  26,008,186

  22,687,417

  Hamilton

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Inverclyde

  801,575

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  153,317

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2,382

  Kyle and Carrick

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Monklands

  467,617

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Motherwell

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Renfrew

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  28,488

  Strathkelvin

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Angus

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Dundee

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Perth and Kinross

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  29,303

  Orkney

  1,146,984

  942,907

  971,436

  1,035,568

  889,410

  830,400

  639,138

  Shetland

  3,959,407

  4,043,833

  4,145,255

  4,478,570

  4,708,194

  4,659,535

  4,603,666

  Western Isles

  3,094,494

  2,944,644

  3,391,236

  3,524,995

  4,282,846

  3,982,508

  3,907,490

DEFENCE

  Research Grants
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total amount of money spent on the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985 and how much of this was spent specifically by the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The annual expenditure by the Ministry of Defence on the Joint Research Council/MOD research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985 is as follows:

  £

  1985–86

  nil

  1986–87

  110,559

  1987–88

  870,654

  1988–89

  2,078,082

  1989–90

  3,256,617

  1990–91

  15,250,000

  1 Estimate.

  The amount of research council commitment is a matter for the councils themselves.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the areas of research identified as high priority under the directed mode component of the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  To date the scheme has operated in responsive mode only.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many research grants currently exist under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme; how many universities and polytechnics currently hold these grants; and what is their total value.
  620
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There are currently 426 Joint RC/MOD research grants involving 61 universities and polytechnics. The total MOD contribution to these awards amounts to £20·5 million.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many research grants have been awarded under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985;

  (2) how many research grants have been awarded in each financial year since 1985 under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme specifically in conjunction with (a) the Science and Engineering Research Council, (b) the Medical Research Council, (c) Natural Environment Research Council (d) Agricultural and Food Research Council and (e) Economic and Social Research Council.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The figures requested are as follows. No joint grant awards have been made with the Agricultural and Food Research Council.

  Year

  SERC

  NERC

  ESRC

  MRC

  Total

  1985–86

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1986–87

  65

  5

  —

  —

  70

  1987–88

  35

  7

  —

  —

  42

  1988–89

  73

  6

  —

  3

  82

  1989–90

  141

  6

  5

  1

  153

  11990–91

  83

  1

  1

  1

  86

  1 To date.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money the Ministry of Defence originally planned to spend on the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme in each financial year since 1985.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It was envisaged that MOD funding to the scheme would build up progressively to some £5 million per annum.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which of the Science and Engineering Research
  621
  Council's interdisciplinary research centres his Department has providing funding; what amount of funding has been provided; and for what purpose.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence currently provides funding to one of the Science and Engineering Research Council's interdisciplinary research centres. It is not our policy to give further details of these arrangements.

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which of the Ministry of Defence's research establishments have been involved in the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The following have been involved:

  Admiralty Research Establishment

  Atomic Weapons Establishment

  Chemical Defence Establishment

  Royal Aerospace Establishment

  Royal Armament Research and Development Establishment

  Royal Signals and Radar Establishment

  Stores and Clothing Research and Development Establishment

  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what links there have been in the last three years between the Ministry of Defence and the research councils.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Contributions are made to grants for work of relevance to defence under the Joint Research Council/Ministry of Defence research grants scheme. Also the MOD and the Science and Engineering Research Council co-fund awards to certain students who are jointly supervised by their university and the defence research establishments. MOD staff sit as members or assessors on certain research council committees and panels.

  Machrihanish Air Base
  Mrs. Ray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding the future of the Machrihanish air base.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no plans to change the role of RAF Machrihanish for the foreseeable future. It is established to support United States Navy maritime patrol operations in war.

  Low Flying
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of low-flying activity over the United Kingdom since 1 October 1990 has been carried out by foreign air forces other than those of the United States.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Between 1 October 1990 and 31 December 1991 (the most recent date for which statistics are available) flights by foreign aircraft, other than those of the United States Air Force based in this country, represented under 1 per cent. of the total number of flights in the United Kingdom low flying system.

  AWE Aldermaston
  Sir Michaeal McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what amounts of untreated nuclear waste are currently being stored at atomic weapons establishment Aldermaston; how soon a safe disposal site will be found for it; and if he will make a statement.
  622
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  MOD policy is to dispose of radioactive waste via nationally available disposal routes wherever reasonably practicable. However for certain categories of waste, MOD, like the civil nuclear industry awaits the availability of a safe national disposal site such as the deep repository being planned by UK Nirex Ltd. for operation in 2005. Until that time, MOD is following the practice adopted by most nuclear sites in the United Kingdom of storing waste for which there is no current disposal route at the site where it is produced. About 2,000 cu m of untreated radioactive waste are currently stored at the atomic weapons establishment at Aldermaston, pending the availability of the deep repository. It is stored in closed containers in purpose-built facilities which are subject to regular monitoring and surveillance, and it constitutes no danger to the public, the work force or the environment. Treatment of waste is only performed when it is clear that this will result in a waste form which is likely to be acceptable for disposal.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the routine site management at atomic weapons establishment Aldermaston and particularly on safety checks; and if he will publish the manpower target for the establishment and its current staff total.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Since the implementation of the Interim Management Contract on 1 October 1990 management of the AWE Aldermaston site has been the responsibility of a new management team comprising experienced managers seconded from Hunting-BRAE and existing senior personnel who have long experience of AWE operations. This management team is tasked with ensuring the most effective overall management of AWE, concentrating initially on manufacturing work and site services, whilst complying with appropriate safeguards for health and safety and security. The routine safety checks carried out at AWE include the personal monitoring of individuals, the monitoring of their working environment and the monitoring of the public and general environment for radiation, radioactive, and other potentially dangerous substances, as appropriate. The frequency and intensity of such monitoring programmes are arranged to be capable of timely detection of exposures to hazards at levels very substantially below limits and constraints set by legislation. The monitoring data obtained confirm that such very low levels continue to be achieved.

  These procedures continue to demonstrate that a safe working and public environment is maintained at AWE sites and that the sites do not constitute dangers to the workers or the public.

  It is not our policy to release details of manpower figures.

  Ministry Employees (Northern Ireland)
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider providing financial compensation for Ministry of Defence employees working in Northern Ireland similar to that provided for civilians carrying out work under contract at Ministry of Defence locations in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I can confirm that officials are currently considering a scheme to alleviate the stress and strain experienced by MOD employees in Northern Ireland.

  B52 Bombers
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will ensure that unexploded bombs discharged into the Bristol channel by returning B52s from Iraq will be positioned sufficiently far from the north Devon coastline to cause no injury or trauma to people or animals on land or at sea.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no agreed arrangements for B52 aircraft returning from Iraq to discharge unexploded bombs into the Bristol channel. However, as I indicated in the House on 13 February at columns 849–52, an established military danger area off Hartland Point seaward of the Bristol channel has been activated full time, to be used in the unlikely event that a B52 from RAF Fairford encountered an emergency shortly after take-off which required it to jettison its weapons. Appropriate notices to mariners and airmen have been issued, and every step would be taken in an emergency to ensure that there was no risk to other aircraft, shipping or people.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what instructions the United States Air Force has given to the crews of B52 bombers on dropping unused bombs within United Kingdom territorial waters.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  B52 aircrews have been instructed that, in the unlikely event of an emergency after take-off from RAF Fairford which makes it necessary to jettison their weapons, they must declare an emergency on the radio frequency in use and then proceed, under air traffic control, to the established military danger area off Hartland Point. Before jettisoning ordnance the aircrew must ensure by the use of radar and visual checks that the area is clear of shipping and other aircraft, and must fully avoid the island of Lundy.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice he has given to seafarers using the Bristol channel of the possible danger of damaged B52 bombers dropping their unused bombs.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A radio navigation warning has been issued advising that the possibility of aircraft jettisoning weapons exists within an established military danger area to the west of Hartland Point and that warnings to leave the area may be issued at short notice on VHF radio. Action has been taken to ensure that this information is relayed to all seafarers who may use the area.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make arrangements to enable British forces serving in the Gulf to receive religious material; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Appropriate arrangements have been made for the pastoral and spiritual care of our forces in the Gulf.

  War Graves
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the work intended to be carried out under the agreement concerning the Mosul war cemetery replacement has been completed to the satisfaction of the agreement signed on 30 October 1989, as set out in Cm. 1399.
  624
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In July 1990 the Iraqi Government informed the Commonwealth War Graves Commission that the work at the Mosul war cemetery had been completed, but it has not been possible for Commission staff to visit Iraq to confirm this.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply, 31 January,Official Report, column 592, if he will set out (a) in calculating the average central cost component of annual maintenance grant for the existing grant-maintained schools, how many local education authorities were involved and (b) the average value expressed as a percentage of the direct spending commitment of central annual maintenance grant based on returns from local education authorities for which section 42 information is available.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are 50 existing grant-maintained schools situated in 34 local education authority areas. The calculation of the average central cost component of annual maintenance grant for 1990–91 was based on budget information from those 34 local education authorities. We have not calculated annual maintenance grant figures for local education authorities where there is no grant-maintained school. It would be disproportionately costly to do so.

  Outdoor Education Centres
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to amend the provisions for local management of schools so as to secure the funding of outdoor education centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Under local management of schools it is for individual local education authorities to decide whether to delegate the funding of outdoor education centres to schools. Delegation need not affect the future of the centres, provided that they offer schools good educational value for money.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the role of outdoor education centres in the provisions of the national curriculum.

  Mr. Eggar
  The delivery of the national curriculum is a matter for schools to determine. It would be open to schools to make use of outdoor education centres in delivering the national curriculum, but they could not be required to do so under the terms of the Education Reform Act.

  Kirklees Metropolitan Council
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the standard spending assessment for education for Kirklees metropolitan council for 1991–92; and what it was for 1990–91.

  Mr. Fallon
  The education component of the 1990–91 standard spending assessment for Kirklees metropolitan council is £128·823 million. The figure for 1991–92 is £148·29 million, an increase of 15 per cent.

  Research Councils
  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
  [pursuant to his reply, 8 February 1991, c. 256]: I regret that there were some errors in the figures given in the original answer.

  The corrected answer is as follows:

  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 4·2

  ESRC

  38·4

  —

  MRC

  196·8

  AIDS 8·5

  NERC

  114·2

  BAS 31·2, BGS 5·3

  SERC

  463·3

  CERN 7·7, ERS2 2·1

  1989–90

  AFRC

  87·4

  MAFF 3·4

  ESRC

  36·6

  —

  MRC

  201·9

  AIDS 9·2

  NERC

  131·6

  BAS 10·5, BGS 3·4

  SERC

  463·5

  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

  —

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Fuel Prices
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make it his policy to achieve a differential between diesel and petrol prices which is comparable with the differential experienced within European competitor countries.
  626
  Mrs. Gillian
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the increase in the standard rate of income tax which would be necessary to yield the same revenue as his estimate of the yield of the community charge in 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  For 1990–91 local authorities community charge yield (gross) is budgeted at £14 billion (GB). For 1991–92 budgeted figures are not yet available. However, if all authorities spend in line with standard spending assessments the estimated gross yield of the community charge would be £14·5 billion (GB).

  On this basis, the estimated yield net of community charge benefit, transitional relief and the community charge reduction scheme is £11·4 billion in 1990–91 arid £10·6 billion in 1991–92.

  To yield the same net revenue the standard rate of income tax would need to be increased by around 71/2p for 1990–91 and around 51/2p for 1991–92.

THE ARTS

  Departmental Achievements
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement on the principal achievements of his Department since June 1987.

  Mr. Renton
  The Government's achievements in the Arts since 1987 have been numerous and varied. Among the most important I would list:

  The growth in central Government support for arts activities. By 1991–92, planned expenditure will have increased in real terms by 16 per cent. since 1987–88.

  The establishment of a three-year programme of funding for the arts, and the introduction of measures to encourage greater self-reliance among arts institutions.

  Following a comprehensive review, key decisions have been announced on the reform of the structure of the funding of the arts. The new system, which will start to be introduced over the next year, will provide more effective co-ordination of overall funding policy and strengthened accountability over the use of large and growing sums of public money, to the ultimate benefit of both the arts and the taxpayer.

  The introduction and development of corporate planning for the national museums and galleries and other non-departmental bodies, linked to the three-year funding programme.

  The major expansion schemes at some national museums and galleries, including the Clore gallery at the Tate, the new Tate gallery in Liverpool, the redevelopment of the Imperial War Museum, and the new Sainsbury wing at the National Gallery, due to open in the spring.

  The setting up of the museums and galleries improvement fund—a joint initiative between Government and the Wolfson Charities, providing £4 million per year for the next three years towards the cost of priority renovation and refurbishment projects in United Kingdom museums and galleries.

  New marketing initiatives to encourage arts bodies to market themselves more professionally and improve the quality of their management.
  627
  The significant upsurge in, and continued success of, business sponsorship of the arts. The business sponsorship incentive scheme has brought over £38 million of new money to the arts.

  The development of incentive funding schemes for the performing arts and for public libraries, designed to encourage publicly-funded bodies to become more self-reliant in their development and growth.

  The substantial progress made with the British Library's St. Pancras project. The first phase is on schedule for occupation in 1993, within its cash budget of £300 million. Books will be moved into the basements from mid-1991. And detailed design is in progress on the second phase, which will be completed in 1996. The cost of the whole project will be £450 million in cash. When the building is fully occupied, the bulk of the British Library's London-based collections will have been brought together for the first time and in modern storage conditions.

  The publication of the consultative paper, "Financing our Public Library Service: Four subjects for debate", prompting possibly the widest debate on the service this century, and resulting in the protection of the core of the free public library service, through the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

EMPLOYMENT

  Claimant Statistics
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for the monthly statistical periods since April 1990; if he will show for each region, and for each

  Fatal

  Major

  Over three day

  Year (commencing 1 April)

  Total

  of which involving machinery

  Total

  of which involving machinery

  Total

  of which involving machinery

  1986–87

  7

  —

  29

  4

  27

  3

  1987–88

  4

  2

  34

  3

  51

  5

  1988–89

  12

  1

  45

  8

  50

  2

  1989–901

  7

  —

  34

  4

  54

  6

  1 Provosional.

  Information for earlier years was reported under different legislation and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Health and Safety (Agriculture)
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement concerning health and safety in the agricultural industry.

  Mr. Forth
  Responsibility for health and safety in the agricultural industry rests with employers and others at the workplace.

  The Health and Safety Executive is pursuing a number of strategies aimed at helping the industry to achieve reductions in the numbers of accidents.

  These include: targeting inspection at those workplaces that present the greatest risk to employees, the self employed, their families and the general public including children; carrying out advisory and publicity work to promote an increased awareness of health and safety in the industry; liaising with all sides of industry to improve the health and safety aspects of products.

  In seeking compliance with health and safety legislation, inspectors are using innovative inspection
  628
  adjudication section in London, and for Great Britain as a whole, the number of claimants who had (a) been issued with warning letters for not actively seeking work, (b) had their claims referred to an adjudication officer for not actively seeking work, (c) had their claims (i) allowed and (ii) disallowed, (d) had their claims referred to an adjudication officer for refusing suitable employment and (e) been disqualified for refusing suitable employment.

  Mr. Jackson
  Questions on operational matters in the employment service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Farm Accidents
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many (i) deaths and (ii) accidents there have been on farms in Wales involving machinery and farm practices for each of the years from 1983.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  The following table shows the number of fatal and other injuries occurring in the agriculture and horticulture industry in Wales from 1986–87 to 1989–90 (provisional) as reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985 to the Health and Safety Executive's factory and agricultural inspectorates:

  techniques including initiatives targeted at specific farming operations. They will also pay more attention to the management of health and safety.

  Inspectors pursue their enquiries and any enforcement action to the highest levels at workplaces which do not measure up to the standards expected of them.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate how many people with special needs will lose places in employment training schemes as a result of reductions in the employment training budget in the next financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department does not forecast the number of people with special training needs likely to enter employment training (ET).

  Restart
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update the information on Restart provided in response to the question by the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn),Official Report, 6 June 1990, column 666

  Mr. Jackson
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service Executive Agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Job Release Scheme
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will announce the results of the review of the rates of allowance payable under the job release scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  Although the job release scheme closed to new applicants on 31 January 1988, the allowance will continue to be paid to participants for up to five years. Following our annual review, the allowances payable from 8 April 1991 under the job release scheme will be as follows:

  Those who are married with a dependent wife whose net income from all sources does not exceed £16 a week; £90·70 taxable. Those who do not have a dependent wife or whose wife's income exceeds £16 a week: £74·70 taxable. The spouses earnings limit which affects whether the higher or lower rate is paid has been raised to £16 from £15.

  Social Action Programme
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the European Commission's proposals under the social action programme on(a) informing and consulting employees and (b) proof of employment relationship.

  Mr. Howard
  Proposals for directives on informing and consulting employees in Community-scale undertakings and on proof of employment relationship were adopted by the European Commission on 5 December and 28 November 1990 respectively. Consultation documents inviting views on both proposals are to be issued by my Department today. Copies have been placed in the library of the House.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what labour market and geographical criteria have been used in allocating budgets to individual training and enterprise councils; what weight was given to each of the criteria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Budget allocations to individual training and enterprise councils (TECs) are based broadly on historical spending levels in the geographical area covered by the TEC (80 per cent. of the weighting) and on the size of the client groups within the TEC's area for the programmes involved (20 per cent. of the weighting). Each TEC's budget may be adjusted according to local factors, which will be subject to negotiation between the TEC and the Department's regional director.
  630
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he first received the corporate plan of South Glamorgan TEC.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding reply 14 February 1991]: A draft of the corporate plan for South Glamorgan TEC was first received by officials on 24 September 1990.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Local Offices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what plans he has to alter the operation, or relocate workloads, from or to the Paisley or Johnstone offices of his Department;

  (2) what plans there are to reduce staffing levels in the Johnstone office of his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The operations and workloads of both offices are currently being considered by local management to identify the most appropriate arrangements to meet future local needs. The review of these offices is part of a much larger review involving all offices in Great Britain. It is not a device for closing them. Restructuring of the network will result in modest savings, mainly at grade 7 level. A voluntary redundancy scheme is in place for these staff.

  Sexual Equality
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security which benefits do not fall within the scope of EC directive 79/7/ regarding equal treatment of men and women within social security matters.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Article 3(1) of directive 79/7 EEC sets out what is covered by the terms of the directive, namely statutory schemes which provide protection against the risks of sickness, invalidity, old age, accidents at work and occupational diseases and unemployment. It also covers social assistance which is intended to supplement or replace those schemes.

  Articles 3(2) and 7 define what is or can be excluded; notably state pensionable age.

  Disability
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answer of 11 December 1990 at columns 37–77, if he will now review the mobility allowance provisions regarding the award of the benefit to the deaf-blind.

  Mr. Scott
  I assume that the hon. Member refers to the undertaking that I gave on 13 December 1990 at column 91 to analyse the way in which arrangements for deaf-blind people are working in practice and consider whether changes are necessary. This has now been done and immediate steps are being taken to overcome some problems which were discovered.

  We intend to issue revised guidance to examining doctors to resolve these difficulties and plan to consult both SENSE (the National Deaf-Blind and Rubella Association) and the RNIB (Royal National Institute for the Blind) to make this guidance as effective as possible. We shall continue to monitor the operation of the deaf-blind rules after these changes have been made.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the first severe weather payments, authorisied under the Prime Minister's announcement of 7 February 1991,Official Report, columns 408–9, will be made.

  Mr. Scott
  Some payments have already been made.

  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the locations where temperatures did not trigger off any cold weather payments in the week commencing 4 February.

  Mr. Scott
  The 24 weather stations listed in the table did not trigger. However, 7 February is deemed to be the trigger day for all weather stations which did not actually trigger, and all DSS offices have been instructed to action claims for cold weather payments.

  Weather stations deemed to have triggered

  Aberdeen airport

  Boulmer

  Carlisle

  Coningsby

  Culdrose

  Edinburgh airport

  Eskmeals

  Kinloss

  Kirkwall

  Leeds weather centre

  Leeming

  Lerwick

  Leuchars

  Machrihanish

  Mount Batten

  Mumbles

  St. Mawgen

  Southampton weather centre

  Stornoway

  Tynemouth

  Valley

  Whitby coastguard

  Whithorn

  Wick

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if money saved by a pensioner towards funeral costs is taken into account when pensioners on income support apply for the cold weather payment; and what discretion is given to DSS offices on this.

  Mr. Scott
  The first £1,000 savings of anyone aged over 60 or over (or who has a partner who is 60 or over) are ignored. Any savings above that figure, for whatever purpose, are taken into account. The treatment of savings is set out in the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations 1988 and DSS offices have no discretion in this area.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department is taking steps to advertise in the national and provincial press and on television and radio the cold weather payments available to those who are eligible.

  Mr. Scott
  Advertisements containing a form for eligible people to claim cold weather payments began to appear in Scottish local and regional newspapers in January and in England and Wales from 4 February. From Friday 15 February advertisements will also appear in appropriate national newspapers. Advertising space has not been taken on commercial television or radio but considerable publicity has been given to the payments through these media.
  632
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his estimate of the number of households who will receive a severe weather payment under the terms of the Prime Minister's announcement of 7 February 1991,Official Report, columns 408–9;

  (2) what is his estimate of the number of households who would be eligible to claim severe weather payments in a week in which the seven consecutive days' temperature requirement is waived.

  Mr. Scott
  We estimate that about 2·2 million households are eligible to receive a cold weather payment for a week in which all the weather stations trigger or are deemed to trigger. The number who will receive a payment depends on the number who claim. We are undertaking extensive advertising to ensure that eligible people are aware of the payments.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the number of DSS offices who have paid out cold weather payments; and what is this as a percentage of all offices.

  Mr. Scott
  All DSS offices have been instructed to make cold weather payments.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of pensioners who are likely to be eligible for the cold weather payments; and what percentage of total pensioners this is.

  Mr. Scott
  We estimate that nearly 1·5 million people of pensionable age1 are eligible to receive a cold weather payment, representing around 13 per cent. of the total number of people of pensionable age.

  1 Men aged 65 and over, and women aged 60 and over.

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry 1989.

  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security under what legislation the Prime Minister's announcement of 7 February 1991,Official Report, columns 408–9, on cold weather payments, will be enacted.

  Mr. Scott
  My right hon. Friend announced our intention to increase by £1 the weekly amount currently available under the Social Fund Cold Weather Payments (General) Regulations 1988. Amending regulations will be laid shortly.

  Where a local weather station has triggered, local offices are instructed to make payments of £6, of which £5 is within the current statutory framework and the additional £1 is on an extra statutory basis. In areas where the local weather station has not triggered, ex gratia payments of £6 will be made.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how long the current waiving of the cold weather payments regulations will endure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 12 February we shall continue to monitor the situation carefully and if the exceptionally cold weather continues we shall take similar measures.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the total number of pensioners who do not claim income support to which they would be entitled; and how many of these have savings below £1,000.
  633
  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available. Estimates of take-up for the income-related benefits introduced following the 1988 reforms will be published in due course from the 1989 family expenditure survey.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the number of pensioners claiming income support who have savings of less than £1,000.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We estimate that, including partners, there are nearly 1·5 million people of pensionable age1 claiming income support who have savings of less than £1,000.

  (Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry 1989)

  1 Men aged 65 and over, and women aged 60 and over.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance has been issued to local offices about the recipients of invalidity benefit undertaking voluntary work following the supplementary evidence submitted by his Department to the Public Accounts Committee subsequent to the appearance of the Permanent Secretary at the Public Accounts Committee on 7 February.

  Mr. Scott
  Revised instructions about the effect of voluntary work on entitlement to incapacity benefits were issued to the Department's social security offices in May 1990. The guidance gave examples of the type of voluntary work which could be ignored and stressed the need not to discourage claimants from taking on such work by delay in giving advice or decisions.

  Period

  Scheme

  Number of applications

  Project costs (application stage) (£'000)

  1 January to 31 March 1989

  RIG

  127

  11,979

  RIN

  36

  5,223

  1 April to 30 June 1989

  RIG

  87

  4,165

  RIN

  30

  4,485

  1 July to 30 September 1989

  RIG

  81

  4,920

  RIN

  18

  1,863

  1 October to 31 December 1989

  RIG

  82

  5,188

  RIN

  20

  2,975

  1 January to 31 March 1990

  RIG

  78

  4,209

  RIN

  19

  2,030

  1 April to 30 June 1990

  RIG

  60

  3,161

  RIN

  22

  2,548

  1 July to 30 September 1990

  RIG

  70

  4,787

  RIN

  26

  4,696

  1 October to 31 December 1990

  RIG

  61

  3,881

  RIN

  19

  1,082

  RIG = Regional investment grant.

  RIN = Regional innovation grant.

  Sheep Farming
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning sheep farming in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh sheep industry contributes about 24 per cent. of the total value of agricultural output.
  634
  As the supplementary evidence submitted to the Public Accounts Committee explained, decisions on entitlement to incapacity benefits, such as invalidity benefit, are made by the independent statutory adjudicating authorities.

WALES

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to amend the guidelines for implementing the all-Wales strategy for the development of services for people with a mental handicap.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The basic guidelines on implementing the all-Wales strategy remain unchanged and are set out in the original strategy document published in March 1983.

  Administrative guidance—covering for example the format and content of annual reports and of three-year forward plans under the strategy—is issued to county joint planning teams and updated each year. A copy of the latest version of the guidelines has been placed in the Library of the House. A comprehensive review of the strategy is in progress and involves wide consultation. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider, in the light of the review, what arrangements should be made to maintain and further develop services beyond the strategy's original 10-year term.

  Regional Enterprise Grants
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number and value of applications for regional enterprise grants in Wales by each quarter of 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  The breeding flock has expanded steadily—by nearly a million—over the last decade and now stands at 5·1 million head. In 1991, sheep producers in the LFA will benefit from substantial increases in the rate of HLCA payments and a supplement of 4 ecu to the sheep annual premium which together will increase the support payments to producers in Wales by £18 million.

  Cattle Rearing
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning cattle rearing in Wales.

  Dairy breeding herd (thousand head)

  Percentage change over previous years

  Beef breeding herd (thousand head)

  Percentage change over previous years

  Value of output (£ thousands)

  Percentage change over previous years

  1986

  364·9

  —

  172·9

  —

  207,754

  —

  1987

  352·8

  -3·3

  178·8

  3-4

  230,204

  10·8

  1988

  336·8

  -4·5

  182·3

  2·0

  231,118

  0·4

  1989

  329·9

  -2·1

  194·3

  6·6

  252,985

  9·5

  1990

  327·0

  -0·9

  203·9

  5·0

  234,299

  -7·4

  Pigs, Plants and Poultry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement concerning (i) pig rearing, (ii) horticulture and (iii) the poultry industry in Wales.

  Pig rearing

  Total breeding herd (Thousand head)

  Percentage change over previous year

  Value of Output £ (thousands)

  Percentage change over previous year

  1986

  16·2

  —

  18,804

  —

  1987

  15·5

  - 3·9

  19,738

  5·0

  1988

  14·6

  - 6·3

  12,181

  - 38·3

  1989

  12·7

  - 12·9

  14,794

  21·5

  1990

  120

  - 5·1

  14,136

  1 4·4

  1 Forecast.

  Poultry (excludes ducks, geese, turkeys and guinea fowl)

  Total fowls (thousands)

  Percentage change over previous year

  Value of output £ thousands

  Percentage change over previous year

  1986

  6,677·6

  —

  37,035

  —

  1987

  6,832·5

  2·3

  38,374

  3·6

  1988

  6,986·1

  2·2

  38,176

  -0·5

  1989

  6,767·0

  -3·1

  37,609

  -1·5

  1990

  6,708·7

  -0·9

  41,114

  9·3

  Horticulture

  Total area under horticulture (Thousand hectares)

  Percentage change over previous years

  Value of output £ thousands

  Percentage change over previous year

  1986

  1·6

  —

  17,102

  —

  1987

  1·6

  2·2

  18,271

  6·8

  1988

  1·6

  2·2

  19,476

  6·6

  1989

  1·5

  -7·5

  20,250

  4·0

  1990

  1·6

  6·9

  22,328

  10·3

  Dairy Industry
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his policy concerning the dairy industry in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I recognise the importance of the dairy industry to Welsh agriculture. I will continue to seek to ensure that the industry is able to compete effectively and on equal terms with its counterparts in other member states.
  636
  Mr. David Hunt
  Figures relating to the size of the cattle rearing herd in Wales since 1986 and the value of the output are shown in the table:

  Mr. David Hunt
  Figures for the number of pigs and poultry and for the area of horticulture crops together with the value of their output in Wales in each of the five years since 1986 are as given in the following tables:

  Training
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he proposes to give encouragement to individuals to improve their skills.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The seven training and enterprise councils in Wales are all developing proposals to encourage individuals to improve their skills and increase their commitment to their own training and self development. The investors in people standard will be the foundation for an action programme aimed at encouraging employers to plan, act and review the training needs of all their employees. Career development loans offer
  637
  valuable help to individuals who wish to train but lack the financial means to do so and the professional industrial and commercial updating programme recognises the need of employed people for training and aims to update the skills of the Welsh workforce. We have also introduced a new initiative to improve the literacy and numeracy skills of the unemployed and those in work which will be overseen by the adult literacy and basic skills unit and will involve a series of pilot projects in England and Wales.

  Our education reforms are designed to raise the standards of young people in schools and will ensure that all pupils follow a curriculum designed to encourage them to achieve their full potential and prepare them for work. Pupils of all abilities should have a full opportunity to have a vocational start to their studies. The vocational examining bodies have been invited to play a key part in this by offering qualifications relating to the whole of the national curriculum or relevant aspects of it. The training credit pilots should encourage young people to take responsibility for their own training. We will be monitoring the achievements of the pilot to assess their impact on young people's motivation.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet Sir Bryan Wolfson of the national training task force to discuss improved skills training in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Welsh Office Ministers regularly discuss skills training in Wales with Sir Melvyn Rosser, who is a member of the national training task force.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to meet members of the CBI and TUC to discuss training in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have already discussed training in Wales with both bodies and expect to do so again when next I meet them.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to the chairmen of the Welsh health authorities concerning capital expenditure dependent on hospital closures being initiated by them before he has made public his verdict on these proposed hospital closures.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  District health authorities are well aware of the need to be able to defend any investment decisions they make in both value for money and service terms.

  Glan Ely Hospital
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of the South Glamorgan health authority regarding expenditure on upgrading wards at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital Rhydlafar, to accommodate geriatric patients now at Glan Ely Hospital, prior to any announcement from him regarding the future at Glan Ely hospital.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None.

  NHS Property Holding Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the estimated cost of the national health service property holding agency for Wales in its first full year of operation.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave on 16 January 1991 at col.520 and to the letter sent to him on 16 January 1991 by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House.

  Since the principles have not yet been agreed on which to take forward consultation, it is not possible to provide the information requested.

  Health Service
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was(a) the number of cancelled operating sessions, (b) the number of operating sessions and (c) the average number of operations per session in each health authority in the latest available year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Education
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many qualified teachers of(a) art and (b) computer studies there are in the high schools of Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the numbers of teachers and their qualifications is given in the Welsh Education Statistics Bulletin: No. 7 Secondary School Staffing Survey (1989), copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. Table 5.5 provides an analysis of a teacher's highest qualification in any subject.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of Statt, for Wales what initiatives he has taken to assist local education authorities in Wales to provide computer studies courses; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A five-year strategy was introduced in 1988 to encourage the use of information technology across the whole curriculum. Funding under the education support grant and local education training grant (LEATGS) schemes for the purchase of computer hardware for schools, employment of advisory teachers and teacher training programmes has supported expenditure of £5·7 million since 1988. Further expenditure in excess of £2·3 million has been approved for 1991–92.

  Additionally since 1987 more than £200,000 has been made available to local education authorities under the LEATGS scheme to ensure that further education teachers are confident and competent in the use of information technology in their teaching.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set out the calculations underlying increasing Alyn and Deeside district council's revenue support grant for 1991–92 by £13,000; and if he will make a statement.
  639
  Mr. David Hunt
  Alyn and Deeside's entitlement to revenue support grant is based on the formula ([S — N — (P × C)]) which is set out in section C of the Welsh Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (No. 2) approved by the House on 29 January.

  The relevant values attributable to Alyn and Deeside for 1991–92 under the formula are:

  S (£000)

  7,960

  N (£000)

  2,243

  P × C (£000)

  2,109

  P

  56,125

  C

  37·57

  Revenue support grant is a component of overall aggregate external finance. Alyn and Deeside's aggregate external finance for 1991–92 is £5,851,619, an increase of 8·4 per cent. on 1990–91.

  Farm and Countryside Service
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he is making in Wales when the Farm and Countryside Service is established as a separate agency in April 1992.
  640
  Mr. David Hunt
  I have, in consultation with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture Fisheries and Food, considered carefully the future of the Agricultural Development and Advisory Service (ADAS). We looked at a number of proposals. Among the factors we took into account were the need for the new agency arrangements properly to reflect the respective responsibilities of my right hon. Friend and myself; the range and depth of the advisory services which could be offered; the interests of existing staff; and comparative costs. My principal concern was that the farming community in Wales should have access to the best possible advice in the years ahead. I have concluded that a joint England and Wales Agency having a distinctive Welsh management, with appropriate Welsh Office representation on its Ownership Board and responsible jointly to my right hon. Friend and me is the arrangement that would best meet the needs of the industry in Wales. Planning work is now therefore proceeding on that basis.