Written Answers of 22 February 1991

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Schools (Minor Works)
  Mr. Peter Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many bids for minor works were made by aided schools in the Hereford and Worcester county council area for the year 1991–92; and how many have been approved.

  Mr. Fallon
  In its capital expenditure plans for 1991–92, Hereford and Worcester county council bid for 11 minor works projects at aided schools. None were approved. For work at county and controlled schools and colleges, the council received a total annual capital guideline of £6·8 million.

  Schools (Capital Expenditure)
  Mr. Peter Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he plans to increase the level of grants agreed for capital expenditure at aided schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  Capital grants to aided schools have almost doubled in real terms since 1978–79. The following table shows the level of grant available for capital expenditure, excluding repairs, in cash terms for the last five years.

  £ million

  1987–88

  31·6

  1988–89

  43·5

  1989–90

  57·5

  1990–91

  71·0

  1991–92

  84·2

  My right hon. and learned Friend hopes to continue increasing the level of funds available for capital expenditure at aided schools subject to the constraints of overall policy on public expenditure.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when his Department first considered whether schools might have to register under the Data Protection Act; when he expects to issue guidance to school governors about the Data Protection Act; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The implications of the Data Protection Act for schools have been kept under review since the Act first came into force. The possible need for schools to register on their own account was first considered in 1989 in the light of increasing use of computer systems in schools involving personal data. Following discussion with the Data Protection Act Registrar and the local authority associations draft guidance was issued for consultation in October 1990 and guidance will be issued to schools when the consideration of comments received has been completed.

  Major Works
  Mr. Peter Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the bids made by educational authorities for major works for 1991–92; and what proportion of these bids has been agreed.

  Mr. Fallon
  Local authorities submitted 521 bids for new major projects in voluntary aided and special agreement schools to start in 1991–92, which would require grant aid of £54 million. Of these, 67 were placed on the starts list and 31 on the design list, involving a grant of £12·5 million in 1991–92, or 23 per cent. of the grant bid for. A further 93 bids were made for projects which require statutory proposals. Additional funds will be allocated as necessary for any such project for which associated statutory proposals are approved in the course of the year.

  Secondary School Education
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the cost of educating a secondary school pupil in Hillingdon and in each contiguous local education authority.

  Mr. Fallon
  In 1988–89, the latest year for which information is available, expenditure per secondary pupil derived from information supplied by authorities was a s follows:

  Authority

  £

  Hillingdon

  1,870

  Buckinghamshire

  1,715

  Ealing

  2,145

  Harrow

  1,740

  Hertfordshire

  1,740

  Hounslow

  1,895

  Surrey

  1,635

  University of Wales
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the total numbers of(a) males and (b) females in 1989–90 within the university of Wales studying (i) languages (ii) social sciences, (iii) multi-disciplinary studies, (iv) medicine and dentistry, (v) biological sciences, (vi) humanities, (vii) physical sciences, (viii) studies allied to medicine, (ix) mathematical sciences, (x) business and financial studies, (xi) engineering and technology, (xii) veterinary sciences, agricultural and related, (xiii) creative arts, (xiv) education and (xv) architecture, librarianship and information science.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Information for 1989–90 will be published by the Universities' Student Record in University Statistics Volume I—Students and Staff' on 24 February 1991, a copy of which will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Female Circumcision
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions for illegal female circumcision have taken place in the United Kingdom since 1985; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Records available centrally show no prosecutions in the United Kingdom between 1985 and 1989 under the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985.

  Jet Skis
  Mr. Higgins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what enabling powers are available to him as the confirming authority for local authority byelaws relating to jet skis, as outlined in his answer of 25 October 1990,Official Report, column 262.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Secretary of State for the Home Department is the confirming authority for byelaws made under the following provisions which permit the regulation of jet skis:Section 76 of the Public Health Act 1961 for the regulation of seaside pleasure boats.
  Section 90 of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949, for the regulation of the use of waterways in National Parks, areas of outstanding natural beauty and areas where an access agreement has been made.
  Sections 13 and 41 of the Countryside Act 1968, for the regulation of the use of lakes in National Parks and waterways in country parks.
  Provisions under certain Local Acts.
  Section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972, which permits regulation and suppression of nuisances by district and borough councils where no other powers are available.

  Public Order Act
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether he intends to publish full results of his Department's review of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986 in due course;

  (2) if he will make a statement on any interim conclusions reached from his Department's review of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We propose to announce shortly the substantive conclusions of our evaluation of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986.

  Travellers
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from farmers concerning the swiftness and effectiveness of their legal sanctions against travellers trespassing on their land.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We received two representations from farmers' organisations in response to the publicly announced evaluation of section 39 of the Public Order Act 1986, which deals with aggravated trespass on land. Simple trespass is a matter for my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor.

  Firearms
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many chief constables are demanding that every applicant for the grant or renewal of a shotgun certificate provides proof of a good reason for requiring such a shotgun; whether this is required by law and whether he will issue further guidance to chief police officers to clarify the matter and confine such a practice to firearms.
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  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The administration of the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1988 is a matter for individual chief officers of police who are empowered under section 28 (1A) of the Firearms Act 1968 as amended by section 3 of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 to refuse the issue or renewal of a shotgun certificate if they are satisfied that an applicant does not have a good reason for purchasing, acquiring or possessing a shotgun.

  Information about the practical operation of firearm controls within each force area in England and Wales is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Practical guidance on the proper and efficient administration of firearms controls has been issued to the police service in the document "Firearms Law: Guidance to the Police", a copy of which was placed in the Library on publication in 1989. At our request the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) has written to chief officers drawing their attention to the guidance given on this matter to help ensure consistency of practice between police forces.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to encourage the European Commission to adopt adequate standards of data protection; and whether he has any plans to propose the establishment of a Commissioner for data protection for Europe.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We support any move by the Commission to ensure that all Community states ratify the European convention on data protection and introduce national implementing legislation. We have no plans to propose the establishment of a European data protection Commissioner.

  Greater London Council
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of staff numbers in his Department involved in full or part-time work arising from responsibilities transferred from the Greater London council.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  [holding answer 19 February 1991]: None.

  Annual Report Costs
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much the Home Office annual report 1991 cost to produce and distribute.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  [pursuant to his reply of 14 February 1991, column 549]: Costs of £32,500 for design and artwork were borne by the Home Office.

ENERGY

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he expects the combined heat and power schemes database being compiled by the Office of Electricity Regulation to be completed; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Work is continuing on gathering information for the combined heat and power schemes database, and it is expected that it will begin to come on line during the second half of this year. That part of the database which is not commercially in confidence will be available to members of the public and to interested parties.

  Energy Efficiency Grant
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any plans to expand the energy efficiency grant aid scheme for low-income households.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The home energy efficiency scheme was introduced on 1 January 1991 and early indications are that it has been well received. My Department will monitor its progress carefully, but it would be premature to take decisions on possible expansion of the scheme.

  Expenditure
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage of total United Kingdom energy expenditure was accounted for by(a) transport, (b) buildings and (c) other industries in (i) 1989 and (ii) 1990.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is estimated that, in 1989, 44 per cent. of total United Kingdom energy expenditure, inclusive of taxes, was accounted for by transport; 42 per cent. was spent on heating buildings and 13 per cent. was accounted for by industry for purposes other than the heating of buildings and for transport. Data for 1990 are not yet available.

  Data derived from table 9 of the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics 1990" and building research establishment publications.

  Housing
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has any plans to ensure that United Kingdom housing stock achieves a higher rating on the national home energy rating; what targets he has set for developing energy efficiency in the housing stock up to the year 2000; and whether he has made any estimate of the effect of energy efficiency in housing stock on(a) the potential savings on energy expenditure and (b) emissions of carbon dioxide.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government promote energy efficiency in housing through information programmes, such as the EEO best practice programme and its current publicity campaign targeted on those moving or improving their homes, including promotion of home energy labelling; through thermal requirements in building regulations; and through financial support targeted on those on low incomes, including the new home energy efficiency scheme, house renovation grants, the local government housing demonstration programme and estates action. Whilst targets are set for individual programmes as appropriate, no targets have been set for the housing stock as a whole, where the rate of improvement in energy efficiency depends upon the decisions and choices of individual householders in the light of their own particular circumstances.

  Assessments of the prospects for achieving reductions in energy expenditure and carbon dioxide emissions in the
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  domestic sector are contained in the paper submitted by the United Kingdom to the energy and industry sub-group of the response strategies working group of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in November 1989, and subsequently published in January 1990 as energy paper No. 58 under the title "An Evaluation of Energy Related Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Measures to Ameliorate Them".

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department has any plans to use the national homes energy rating as a means of setting performance targets both for new build and for the improvement of existing homes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department considers that home energy labelling is an important means whereby individual householders and those responsible for building and managing housing stock can become better informed about the scope for improving the energy efficiency performance of their dwellings. I therefore welcome the initiatives taken by the National Energy Foundation and MVM-Starpoint to launch home energy labelling schemes based on the building research establishment's domestic energy model (BREDEM).

  My Department and the Department of the Environment are working with both organisations to help promote the concept of home energy labelling more widely. As explained in the Government's White Paper "This Common Inheritance", our intention is that energy labelling should be sufficiently developed to be incorporated into the building regulations when they are next amended. We are also examining what part home energy labelling can play to achieve energy efficiency improvements in the existing housing stock.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he proposes to hold with the Director General of the Office of Electricity Regulation concerning the application of the clawback provision in 1991–92 arising from under-provision for inflation in 1990–91 to the price increases permitted to the electricity distribution companies to run from 1 April.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he next expects to meet the Director General of OFFER to discuss the formula for prospective increases in the price of electricity for domestic consumers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend meets the Director General of Electricity Supply from time to time to discuss a range of electricity matters. It will be for the director general, when he has fully considered the proposals by regional electricity companies for their 1991–92 tariff proposals, to satisfy himself that any changes are consistent with the price controls in their licences.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what proposals he has to strengthen the protection of tariff electricity consumers against price rises greater than the rate of retail prices index inflation in respect of the financial year starting on 1 April;

  (2) if he will revise the basis on which the month is chosen for the calculation of retail prices index inflation to

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  trigger the clawback provision for domestic electricity prices in the year subsequent to the year for which RPI inflation has been under-estimated.

  Mr Heathcoat-Amory
  Modifications to any of the conditions in the public electricity supply licences issued to the regional electricity companies are a matter for the Director General of Electricity Supply in accordance with the procedures set out in the Electricity Act 1989 and in the licences.

ENVIRONMENT

  Green Belts
  Mr. Brando-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on his policy regarding the revision of existing green-belt areas.

  Sir George Young
  Planning policy guidance note No. 2 sets out the Government's policy on green belts. Once the extent of a green belt has been established it should be altered only in exceptional circumstances.

  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on his policy towards green-belt development proposals which are supported by local planning authorities.

  Sir George Young
  Paragraph 13 of planning policy guidance note No. 2 lists the limited types of development which may be appropriate in the green belt. Very special circumstances are needed to justify other types of development. Local planning authorities should inform the Secretary of State if they are minded to approve proposals that materially depart from the provisions of an approved development plan. The Secretary of State may decide to call in proposals for his own determination if planning issues of more than local importance are involved.

  Surplus Land
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the success of his policies in encouraging public sector bodies to sell their surplus land.

  Mr. Yeo
  There is some evidence that, in general—against the background of the encouragement, incentives and penalties provided—public sector bodies have in recent years been taking steps to improve their property management. However, there is still too much unused and underused land and, in the light of the responses to last year's consultation paper, we are considering what further action should be taken to improve the position.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he proposes to issue a further circular to charging authorities clarifying the statutory extent of their discretion in seeking the payment of community charge by military personnel serving in the Gulf; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I refer my right hon. Friend to my statement to the House on Tuesday 19 February, in which 280
  I announced that it was the Government's intention that no service personnel or associated civilians posted to the Gulf should have to pay the community charge for the duration of their posting. When the judgment in the Anderton case is received, we shall be considering ways of ensuring that this objective can be achieved and I shall present details to the House as soon as I can.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost per chargepayer of collecting the community charge in respect of each collecting council in Kent.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is as follows:

  Community charge collection costs per head of relevant population

  Budget estimates 1990–91

  £

  Ashford

  9·64

  Canterbury

  10·48

  Dartford

  10·77

  Dover

  10·61

  Gillingham

  7·66

  Gravesham

  9·44

  Maidstone

  9·20

  Rochester on Medway

  7·10

  Sevenoaks

  6·44

  Shepway

  14·92

  Swale

  9·64

  Thanet

  10·62

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  9·67

  Tunbridge Wells

  6·95

  Fire Regulations
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans there are to ensure that the building regulations in respect of fire, when modified, for England and Wales will be consistent with those related to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Yeo
  When decisions are taken on the proposals for amendments to part B of the Building Regulations 1985 relating to safety in fire, and to the related practical guidance, the desirability of greater technical consistency between the Building Regulations for England and Wales, and those for Scotland and Northern Ireland, will be an important consideration. At the same time, full weight will also be given to the undertaking in the White Paper "Lifting the Burden" that the Government will examine carefully the possibilities of reducing the level of regulation in this area, where this would not lead to increased risk to personal safety.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects the Property Services Agency to be placed on a commercial accounting basis.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave to his question on 14 February 1991 at column 538.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to ensure that Property Services Agency divisions other than TCS have all complied with all EC/GATT regulations relating to the actions of the Property Services Agency.
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  Mr. Yeo
  As part of preparations for operation as the agent of other Government Departments requiring work services, all PSA services divisions have been reminded of the EC/GATT rules.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what arrangements are being made for the valuation of the Property Services Agency and its assets prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Yeo
  Financial advisers, appointed in connection with the privatisation of the Property Services Agency, will value the business and its assets prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guarantees or conditions he is applying to the contract for sale of the divisions of the Property Services Agency to ensure that terms of conditions of service that currently apply to civil servants in that department are retained.

  Mr. Yeo
  All employees' terms and conditions of service are protected by law against unilateral changes. The contract for sale is likely to refer to redundancy and pension terms, because those arrangements are subject to technical changes. Negotiations are taking place with the relevant trade unions about those changes.

  Drinking Water Inspectorate
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the number of officials in his Department employed in the drinking water inspectorate; and if he will arrange for the results of the inspectorate's monitoring to be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Baldry
  The full complement of the drinking water inspectorate is 26 posts of which 20 are filled, including one by a secondee from the Water Research Centre. Recruitment of the remaining staff for the Inspectorate is currently in progress.

  The chief inspector's report for the calendar year 1990 is due to be published in the summer. Copies will be placed in the Library of both Houses.

  Sleeping Rough
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will provide a borough-by-borough breakdown of his Department's estimate of about 2,000 to 3,000 people sleeping rough in central London, referred to by the Minister for Housing and Planning in an oral answer on 30 January 1991 at column 926;

  (2) on what date the estimate of people sleeping rough in central London referred to in his oral answer of 30 January 1991 Official Report, column 926, was arrived at; and who was involved in making the estimate;

  (3) what differences there are between the areas covered by the estimate for people sleeping rough given by the Minister for Housing and Planning in an oral answer on 30 January 1991, Official Report, column 926, and those covered by the oral answer by the Under-Secretary of State on 8 February 1991, Official Report, column 543.

  Sir George Young
  The estimate given in the oral answer on 30 January related to the whole of London and was based on discussions that my Department had during 1990 with voluntary organisations working in the field, in the light of the findings of the Salvation Army survey in 282
  April 1989 of rough sleepers in 17 London boroughs. This estimate was not broken down on a borough by borough basis. The figure quoted by my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State on 8 February reflects an estimate made by voluntary organisations in seven locations in central London at the end of January 1991.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to ensure funding is available to continue the facilities made available recently to the homeless during the recent cold weather; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer, 21 February 1991]: Yes. We have offered funding to the voluntary bodies and local authorities who provided emergency shelters for rough sleepers in London during the very cold weather to enable them to remain open for longer; 470 places are available at present and we are pursuing the possibility of further short-term emergency shelters. These are additional to the 2,000 direct access hostel places permanently provided in London.

  Leeds Development Corporation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has made any assessment of the impact on employment of the work of the Leeds development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  Between June 1988 and March 1990, 5,241 permanent jobs were created in Leeds Development Corporation's area with a further 885 expected in the year to 31 March 1991. This is a significant contribution towards employment opportunities in Leeds.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total funding for each financial year of the Leeds development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  The amount of grant in aid provided to Leeds development corporation was £2·743 million in 1988–89 and £8·75 million in 1989–90; £14 million is available in 1990–91 and £12 million in 1991–92.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the record of the Leeds development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  Since designation in June 1988, Leeds development corporation has made excellent progress in stimulating the regeneration of its area. By the end of this financial year more than 1·5 million square feet of industrial and commercial floor space will have been completed or be in the course of construction, creating over 1,700 construction and 6,100 permanent jobs. Further planning permissions have been granted for developments totalling 2·5 million square feet.

  The corporation has published planning frameworks for eight of its fourteen sub-areas. The remaining six will be available by June. Major road improvement works have been completed to open up the proposed new 50 acre Hunslet business park which will provide accommodation for new businesses and allow existing firms to expand. Developers have been selected for three major joint development competitions with Leeds city council, British Waterways and British Gas for key inner city sites. The proposed developments include housing, community, leisure, industrial and commercial uses. The corporation

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  places a high priority on minimising disruption to existing businesses and assisting with relocation. Two major relocation sites totalling 32 hectares have been acquired are being serviced.

  Assistance to businesses is being provided under various grant schemes. Six city grants, five sites and property grants and twenty environmental improvement grants have been offered. The corporation's community sponsorship grant scheme is also proving popular with nineteen grants having been taken up.

  In the Calls conservation area, sensitive new developments and pedestrian thoroughfares are linking the city centre with the riverside, where new developments are taking place alongside existing buildings for which new uses are being found. The corporation is working closely with Leeds city council, British Waterways and the Leeds-Bradford city action team to enhance the potential of the River Aire and the Leeds-Liverpool canal. At these and other gateway sites, 28 environmental improvement schemes involving nearly 100,000 sq m of planting/ landscaping, stonecleaning of walls and bridges, repairs and re-paving works have been implemented.

  Leeds development corporation is to be congratulated on its achievements to date and the efforts it is making to ensure progress is maintained.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects assisted with financial support by the Leeds development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  Between designation in 1988 and January 1991 Leeds development corporation has provided financial support for projects as set out in the following table:

  £'000s

  Environmental and landscaping works

  2,125

  Land assembly including acquisitions for relocation of displaced business

  11,744

  Site servicing

  1,588

  City grant schemes

  839

  Industrial sites/property improvement grants

  123

  Community sponsorship grants

  19

  Highways

  730

  The Gulf
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his assessment of the environmental impact of military operations conducted in the Gulf region by(a) Iraqi forces and (b) those forces seeking to implement United Nations resolutions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Government did not want this conflict, but Saddam Hussein's intransigence in the face of all peaceful pressures left no other course. Iraqi action has already led to damage to the environment as indicated by the deliberate release of oil into the Gulf. The Government together with the countries of the OECD has condemned this action as a violation of international law and a crime against the environment. As part of the Government's assistance to the Gulf states responding to the spill we have commissioned reports by the National Environment Council into the biological effects of the oil slicks. We have also commissioned and published a study by the Meteorological Office to examine the effects on the environment should Kuwaiti oil installations be fired.284
  Copies of these reports are in the Library. Environmental factors are taken into account by the coalition forces as far as possible in the planning and conduct of military operations as part of the policy of ensuring that collateral damage from those operations is minimised.

  Construction Materials
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the figures for exports, imports and the resulting trade balance for construction materials in each of the years 1988, 1989 and 1990.

  Sir George Young
  The figures requested are as follows:

  £ million

  1988

  1989

  11990

  Imports

  4,171

  4,695

  3,570

  Exports

  1,590

  1,845

  1,591

  Trade balance

  2,581

  2,850

  1,979

  1 The first three quarters' figures only. Figures for the full year have yet to be published.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the figures in each of the years 1988, 1989 and 1990 for exports, imports and resulting trade balance for the entire construction sector, excluding construction materials but including the overseas remittances of contractors and consultants.

  Sir George Young
  No figures are available for 1990. Those for 1988 and 1989 are given in the table.

  £ million

  1988

  1989

  Work done by contractors overseas

  1,994

  1,426

  Consulting engineers1

  400

  440

  Chartered surveyors1

  100

  110

  Architects

  Not separately identified.

  1 These earnings are recorded net of their overseas expenses. The work done by overseas companies within the United Kingdom is not separately identified.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish advice on the new arrangements for waste disposal operations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including the introduction of competition and the establishment of local authority waste disposal companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department and the Welsh Office today issued a draft circular to local authorities for consultation. It gives guidance on the new arrangements for waste disposal operations under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, including the introduction of competitive tendering, and advice on the creation of local authority waste disposal companies (LAWDCs).

  From May this year, local authorities will have to arrange for waste disposal contracts to be awarded only after competitive tendering. In choosing which tenders to accept they will, of course, have to consider value for money, but will also be able to seek environmental improvements in the form of reduced pollution and increased recycling. They must not discriminate unduly between different types of waste disposal contractor.
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  Moreover, under the Act local authorities will no longer be able to carry out waste disposal operations themselves. They can contract the work out to the private sector, set up joint venture companies or establish a LAWDC. If they do not make satisfactory arrangements for waste disposal themselves, the Secretary of State will direct them to form a LAWDC.

  The draft circular includes guidance on setting up a LAWDC and advice on drawing up a scheme to transfer the authority's waste disposal undertaking to the new company. Each transfer scheme must be approved by the Secretary of State.

  Setting up the new arrangements for waste disposal will be a major cooperative exercise between central and local government. Individual timetables will be set for each authority reflecting its particular circumstances and the Secretary of State's wish to implement this policy as soon as possible.

  These changes with other provisions of the Act, will separate local authority waste disposal options from regulation, providing the basis for higher standards and fair competition. They will, encourage the provision of improved services for the collection, keeping, treatment and disposal of waste. Competition for local authority waste disposal contracts will increase efficiency and identify the full cost of waste disposal, allowing rational choices to be made on achieving the environmental improvements which we all desire.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East of 5 February,Official Report, column 101, whether similar allowance for losses has been made in respect of the collection of the poll tax; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 15 February 1991]: No. It would not be appropriate to make such an allowance in respect of the collection of the community charge.

  Disabled Facilities Grant
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details for each local authority of take-up of the disabled facilities grant.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 21 February 1991]: The new system of grants to private owners and tenants under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, including the disabled facilities grant, commenced on 1 July 1990. The information so far available relates to the first quarter of operation of the new system and, not surprisingly, the numbers of grants approved and paid were low. A table listing the numbers of grants reported by English local authorities has been placed in the Library. Figures for the fourth quarter will shortly become available and will also be placed in the Library.

PRIME MINISTER

  Housing Renovation Grants
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will repeal the Housing Renovation Etc. Grants (Reduction of Grant) Regulations 1990.
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  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Extra-statutory Expenditure
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the expenditure items and cost of each item which his Government have undertaken on an extra-statutory basis since he became Prime Minister.

  The Prime Minister
  Spending by the Government is undertaken in accordance with arrangements which have been accepted by Parliament. The normal practice is to ensure that for continuing functions there is a specific statutory authority for the expenditure.

  Ministerial Travel
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the total number of international flights paid for by Her Majesty's Government for its Ministers and officials in each class of ticket since 28 November 1990.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not held centrally and can be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Armed Forces Allowances
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what effect the changes since 1978 in the rates of children's allowances, children's pensions and child benefit, payable by the Departments of Defence and Social Security, to the widows of members of the armed forces have had on their combined value.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is not available in the form requested. For the Department of Social Security war widows' children's allowances and child benefits I refer the hon. Member to the replies given to him on 28 January 1991 at columns 440–42 and on 14 February 1991 at columns 580–82.

  As regards children's pensions payable by the Ministry of Defence under the provisions of the armed forces pensions schemes these are initially awarded by reference to circumstances, including rates of pay, applicable at the time of their fathers' service ended. Awards are therefore individually assessed. They are subsequently increased in line with the retail prices index.

  The combined value of war pensions and allowances, child benefit and Ministry of Defence pensions for the widow and two children of a corporal killed in service today would be about £276 per week. Lump sum payments amounting to more than £20,000 would also be payable.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  British Standards
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the increase in the cost of subscribing to a full set of British standards in printed form; and if he will make a statement on future proposed charges for this service.

  Mr. Leigh
  We have received representations on this matter, directly or through right hon. and hon. Members, from one county council and one chamber of commerce and industry.
  287
  The charge made for this service is a matter for the British Standards Institution.

  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received over the recent decision by the British Standards Institute library not to loan out copies of foreign standards; and if he will make a statement on the availability of such information for business in preparation for the single European market.

  Mr. Leigh
  We have received representations on this matter, directly or through right hon. and hon. Members, from one county council.

  Whether to lend, as well as to sell, copies of such standards is a matter for the British Standards Institution.

  Postage Stamps
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish in the Official Report the information available to him about the number of outlets for the sale of postage stamps, which are not post offices (a) in England and (b) in the counties of Somerset, Devon, Dorset and Wiltshire, and any information he has about the change in the number of such outlets in recent years.

  Mr. Leigh
  The provision of postage stamps is an operational matter for the Post Office Board. However, I understand that the numbers of non-post-office outlets selling postage stamps in the areas mentioned are as follows:

  Number

  England

  40,500

  Somerset

  330

  Devon

  1,250

  Dorset

  560

  Wiltshire

  380

  Waste disposal licence appeals

  Appellant

  Waste disposal authority

  Date

  Wistech plc

  Blaenau Gwent borough council

  31 January 1989

  Brisco Waste Disposal Ltd.

  Swansea city council

  30 October 1989

  Cribarth Waste Disposal

  Brecknock borough council

  12 March 1990

  Max Recovery (Holdings) Ltd.

  Swansea city council

  30 April 1990

  Euromet Ltd.

  Rhymney Valley district council

  16 May 1990

  Shanks and McEwan (Midlands) Ltd.

  Wrexham Maelor borough council

  21 August 1990

  One appeal has been determined in the past six months.

  Prince of Wales Hospital, Rhydlafar
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had with the chairman of South Glamorgan health authority relating to the contract given to constructors TERN to upgrade ward 8 and part of ward 9 at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar to the standards required for the accommodation of geriatric patients.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to debar the South Glamorgan health authority from undertaking any capital investments
  288
  It must be noted that these figures are approximate as the Post Office's records are held in post town order rather than by county and some post towns fall into more than one county according to postcode. It should also be noted that the Post Office's records include all those retailers who have ever sold postage stamps. I understand that the Post Office has no way of identifying those retailers actively selling postage stamps.

  I understand that there is no information available about the change in the number of such outlets in recent years.

  "The Man who Made the Supergun"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the transcript and videocassette of the BBC2 "Timewatch" programme on "The Man who Made the Supergun", broadcast on 13 February.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 20 February 1991]: I do not propose to obtain a copy of the transcript and videocassette of the BBC2 "Timewatch" programme for the departmental library.

WALES

  Pollution
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the appeals under section 10 of the Control of Pollution Act 1974 currently under consideration, showing the dates when they were first lodged; and how many such appeals have been determined in the last six months.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The appeals under consideration are as follows:

  which anticipate his decisions on the hospital closure proposals of that health authority not yet publicly announced.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave him on 15 February 1991 at col.635.

  Health Service Budgeting
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what arrangements he has made with the chairmen of the South Glamorgan, Mid Glamorgan and Gwent health authorities concerning a smoothing mechanism to operate after 1 April in respect of the new budgeting system and the new charging system for cross-border flows of patients to hospitals and clinics.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The 1991–92 revenue allocations to district health authorities in Wales take account of the cost of maintaining cross-boundary flows of patients
  289
  within the new contractual framework. It is therefore expected that the initial contracts to run from 1 April 1991 will provide for the maintenance of these flows. However, in subsequent years, as the contracting process rolls forward, authorities will have the opportunity of reviewing the existing pattern of services in the light of services available elsewhere and the progressive transition of revenue funding towards weighted capitation formula shares. Authorities were recently consulted about the structure and implementation of a weighted capitation formula and my right hon. Friend plans to make an announcement shortly about its introduction.

  Fishing
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much of the total grant to Milford Haven fishing concerns has been specifically allocated to indigenous local non-sector vessels in each year since 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Since 1979 the Department has offered regional selection assistance towards three projects in respect of non-sector fishing vessels based at Milford Haven—£60,000 in 1984, and £75,000 in 1986.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the progress made on fishing trawler decommissioning in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government have no plans to introduce a decommissioning scheme.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Leicester Local Office (Refurbishment)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the refurbishment works at Yeoman street, Leicester have been completed; what is his latest estimate of the outturn cost of the refurbishment works; what was the estimate for the cost before the refurbishment work started; and how many staff were employed at Yeoman street, Leicester in(a) January 1990 and (b) January 1991.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Refurbishment is due for completion by the end of next month at a current estimated works cost of £720,000; the estimated cost in October 1990 before work started was £625,000. On 2 January 1990 196 staff were in post and on 2 January 1991 there were 159. The reduction in staffing levels is accounted for by a drop in workloads and the introduction of computerisation. Twenty staff were moved to the newly established contributions unit.

  Pensioners (European Travel Card)
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 13 December 1990,Official Report, columns 500–1, to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East (Mr. Barnes), whether the Government has yet responded to the European Commission on its proposals for a European travel card for British pensioners.

  Mr. Jack
  The EC recommendation asks for a response by 1 March. We shall he responding shortly to the Commission about its recommendation dealing with the provision of an EC over-60s card.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people in(a) Nottingham and (b) the United Kingdom have claimed community charge benefit based on claims for reimbursement by his Department;

  (2) what is the proportion of those receiving poll tax rebates in the United Kingdom expressed as a percentage of the total number of poll tax payers.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Our latest estimates indicate that the number of people in(a) Nottingham and (b) Great Britain receiving community charge benefit is 57,000 and 8·9 million respectively. The latter figure is 21 per cent. of those liable for the charge.

  The figures are likely to understate the current position, as some authorities had a number of unprocessed claims when the data on which the estimates are based was submitted.

  War Widows
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the impact uprating the war widows' children's allowance by the increase in the retail prices index and deducting any increase in child benefit will have on the combined value of these benefits.

  Mr. Jack
  The result of uprating war widows' children's allowances by the increase in the retail price index and deducting the proposed increase in child benefit would be a combined weekly benefit value of £22·10 per child.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answers of 15 February,Official Report, columns 583–84, in what newspapers and on what dates the social security local offices in the county of south Glamorgan advertised the availability of qualifying conditions and the application forms for special cold weather payments.

  Mr. Scott
  Offices in the county of South Glamorgan placed an advertisement in both Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan editions of the Cardiff Post on 14 February 1991.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the period for the cold weather payments announced by the Prime Minister has finished.

  Mr. Scott
  The period covered by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's announcements ended on 14 February.

  Benefit Take-up
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the estimates on take-up for income-related benefits from the 1989 family expenditure survey.

  Mr. Jack
  Estimates of take-up of benefits cannot be produced until some time after the relevant data from the family expenditure survey has first become available. We hope to publish the 1987 take up estimates within the next few months, and those for 1989 will follow in due course.

  Disability Premium
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applicants in Nottingham for severe disability premium are awaiting the decision of the appeal tribunal.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The responsibility for appeal tribunals lies with the president of social security and medical appeal tribunals, his honour Judge Derek Holden, who has advised me that his records show that there are no appeals relating to severe disability premium outstanding in Nottingham itself.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Low-energy Light Bulbs
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to encourage the use of low-energy light bulbs in his Department's offices and other buildings.

  The Attorney-General
  In the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, advice is, being sought as to the cost-effectiveness of replacing the existing bulbs with low-energy bulbs. Some fluorescent tubes have been removed as the installations provide more light than is required in some locations.

  In the Treasury Solicitor's Department the majority of its lighting is of the fluorescent type which is more energy efficient than lighting by ordinary lamp bulbs.

  All Crown Prosecution Service offices have been encouraged to consider energy saving schemes including lighting. New or replacement lighting installations use low energy light sources where this is practicable.

  The Serious Fraud Office has recently replaced halogen bulbs in the lift lobbies with low wattage long-life bulbs. Existing fluorescent tubes are of a variety which is considered to be energy and cost effective. The Serious Fraud Office is considering further energy savings by the introduction of new generation low-energy bulbs.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to make an annual publication of the funding, payments on account, and the hourly rates paid to solicitors by the Legal Aid Board.

  The Attorney-General
  Details of payments made by the Legal Aid Board including details of payments made on

  Gross value added per employee in manufacturing industry by standard region of the United Kingdom from 1976 to 1988

  North

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands

  East Anglia

  South East

  South West

  Orders III—XIX, Standard Industrial Classification (1968)1

  1976

  5,607

  4,994

  4,886

  5,470

  5,655

  5,070

  1977

  6,206

  5,719

  5,464

  6,432

  6,667

  5,746

  197,8

  7,017

  6,391

  6,202

  7,001

  7,555

  6,665

  1979

  8,343

  7,634

  6,911

  8,227

  9,236

  7,852

  Divisions 2–4, Standard Industrial Classification (1980)1

  1979

  8,030

  7,305

  6,934

  8,277

  8,660

  7,943

  1980

  8,941

  8,031

  7,906

  9,551

  9,760

  9,182

  1981

  10,631

  9,191

  8,775

  10,629

  10,976

  10,326

  1982

  11,091

  10,265

  9,944

  12,749

  12,373

  12,041

  1983

  13,688

  11,855

  11,100

  13,865

  14,166

  12,935

  1984

  15,544

  12,933

  12,172

  14,968

  15,155

  14,282

  1985

  16,521

  13,991

  13,479

  16,240

  16,694

  15,370

  292
  account to solicitors appear in the annual report of the Legal Aid Board. The most recent report (HC 489) for the year 1989–90 appeared in June 1990.

  Details of the remuneration rates payable to solicitors appeared most recently in the legal aid handbook 1990 which is also prepared by the Legal Aid Board.

  Social Security Appeals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the reasons for the delay for the case on social security commissioner's file CSB/370/1989 to reach the stage of being referred by the commissioner to another appeal tribunal for determination; and what steps he has taken to ensure that adequate steps have been taken to prevent similar delays in other cases.

  The Attorney-General
  The late surge of appeals prior to the April 1988 social security benefit legislation gave rise to a significant increase in workload at the office of the social security commissioners (OSSC) as cases worked their way up the appeal system. Additionally, the OSSC experienced difficulties with the recruitment and retention of staff in 1989 and early 1990. The case on the social security commissioner's file CSB/370/89 was regrettably delayed in the ensuing backlog of appeals awaiting determination by the commissioners.

  The commissioners are empowered to expedite cases in exceptional circumstances but received no representations on the appellants behalf or concerning her personal circumstances.

  The Lord Chancellor's Department has been concerned about continuing long waiting times for commissioners' determinations and, following a manpower audit, local management at the OSSC, took in May 1990 a series of measures which have resulted in a reduction in delays. I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 18 June 1990 at column 389.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was manufacturing output per head in each United Kingdom region in each year since 1976.

  Mr. Mellor
  The table gives the available information at current prices. Constant price estimates can not be calculated because there are no regional price deflators. Differences between regions may be due to differences in their industrial mix.
  293

  North

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands

  East Anglia

  South East

  South West

  1986

  16,382

  15,695

  14,538

  17,269

  18,158

  15,891

  1987

  19,305

  17,344

  16,354

  18,326

  20,114

  17,297

  1988

  21,260

  18,975

  17,856

  20,414

  22,112

  19,128

  1 Results of the Annual Census of Production for 1978 and for earlier years are available only for industries defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1968). For 1980 and later years, results are available only for industries defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). To provide a link between the two classifications, results for 1979 are available on both bases.

  West Midlands

  North West

  Wales

  Scotland

  Northern Ireland

  United Kingdom

  Orders III-XIX, Standard Industrial Classification (1968)1

  1976

  4,854

  5,438

  5,776

  5,437

  4,727

  5,316

  1977

  5,455

  6,247

  5,895

  6,011

  4,909

  6,042

  1978

  6,271

  7,138

  6,582

  6,808

  5,062

  6,845

  1979

  7,128

  8,369

  9,043

  7,988

  6,461

  8,154

  Divisions 2–4, Standard Industrial Classification (1980)1

  1979

  7,136

  8,078

  7,199

  7,915

  6,399

  7,838

  1980

  7,739

  9,159

  7,835

  8,921

  7,089

  8,796

  1981

  8,874

  10,069

  9,415

  10,701

  9,070

  10,027

  1982

  10,078

  11,594

  11,134

  12,087

  9,229

  11,342

  1983

  11,409

  13,176

  13,353

  13,745

  10,938

  12,947

  1984

  12,474

  14,266

  14,660

  14,693

  11,627

  14,052

  1985

  13,928

  15,705

  15,395

  16,317

  12,323

  15,375

  1986

  15,346

  17,254

  18,410

  16,232

  13,720

  16,595

  1987

  16,594

  18,746

  21,235

  19,153

  14,287

  18,412

  1988

  17,995

  21,025

  24,368

  20,814

  15,054

  20,261

  1 Results of the Annual Census of Production for 1978 and for earlier years are available only for industries defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1968). For 1980 and later years, results are available only for industries defined in terms of the Standard Industrial Classification (Revised 1980). To provide a link between the two classifications, results for 1979 are available on both bases.

  Duty-free Goods
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Her Majesty's Government policy towards the continuation of duty-free goods in the EEC after the end of 1992.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The European Commission has made clear its view that, as a consequence of the completion of the single market, duty-free shopping for intra-Community travellers should cease.

  The Government understand the Commission's view, but equally are aware of the significance of the duty-free trade in the United Kingdom. The Government will examine all the arguments carefully before a decision is made.

  Mortage Tax Relief
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost to Her Majesty's Treasury of higher-rate mortgage tax relief in 1985, 1988 and 1990.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates for financial years are as follows:

  Direct revenue cost of mortgage interest relief at a rate in excess of the basic rate of income tax

  Year

  £ million

  1985–86

  260

  11988–89

  310

  11990–91

  470

  1 Provisional.

  Energy Costs
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the total amount spent by United Kingdom consumers, inclusive of taxes, on energy in(a) 1989 and (b) 1990; and what proportion of total expenditure that was in each instance.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  In 1989 expenditure on energy in the United Kingdom (inclusive of taxes) was £42,150 million. This represents 8·0 per cent. of total domestic expenditure (at current market prices), or alternatively 8·3 per cent. of gross domestic product (average measure at current market prices). Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Appointees
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of all Government-nominated members and the names of all district council nominated members of(a) the Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners and (b) the Warrenpoint Harbour Authority, in each year since 1979 giving the year of appointment and length of service in each case.

  Mr. Needham
  Appointments are as follows:

  Name

  Year of appointment

  Length of service

  Nominated by

  Londonderry Port and Harbour Commission

  Mr. J. A. Allen

  1977

  9

  Council

  Captain P. J. Collier

  1977

  9

  Government

  Mr. J. T. Eaton

  1977

  14

  Government

  Mr. E. F. McCambridge

  1977

  4

  Government

  295

  Name

  Year of appointment

  Length of service

  Nominated by

  Mr. P. J. O'Doherty OBE

  1977

  12

  Government

  Dr. R. F. Keys

  1978

  5

  Government

  Mr. T. Gallagher

  1977

  9

  Government

  Mr. F. Donnelly

  1982

  1

  Council

  Mr. J. M. Spence

  1983

  8

  Government

  Mr. J. Tierney

  1983

  5

  Council

  1989

  Captain H. Stewart

  1986

  2

  Government

  Mr. P. Devine

  1986

  3

  Council

  Mr. S. Keys

  1986

  5

  Government

  Mrs. R. Mackenzie

  1986

  5

  Government

  Captain T. Wright

  1988

  3

  Government

  Mr. C. Murray-Cavanagh

  1989

  2

  Government

  Mr. J. Doherty

  1989

  2

  Government

  Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

  Mr. A. Shiells, CBE

  1977

  6

  Government

  Mr. W. V. Hogg, MBE

  1977

  9

  Government

  Mr. J. D. Fisher

  1977

  9

  Government

  Councillor J. V. McCart

  1977

  14

  Council

  Mr. J. McAleavey

  1977

  3

  Government

  Mr. J. C. O'Hare

  1977

  9

  Government

  Mr. W. R. Bryan

  1978

  13

  Government

  Mr. G. P. Duffy

  1978

  11

  Government

  Mr. M. King

  1980

  2

  Government

  Mr. T. McAteer

  1983

  6

  Government

  Mr. J. L. O'Hagan, OBE

  1983

  8

  Government

  Mr. E. Gaynor

  1986

  5

  Government

  Mr. E. Haughey

  1986

  5

  Government

  Mr. J. Wright

  1986

  5

  Government

  Mr. H. Armstrong

  1989

  2

  Government

  Mr. S. Fearon

  1989

  2

  Government

  Miss H. Rolston

  1989

  2

  Government

  The lists include all persons who have served since 1979 although in some cases the date of appointment is earlier.

  Refuse Collection
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest estimate of local authority spending on refuse collection in each of the district councils.

  Mr. Needham
  The information, which also includes the estimated cost of refuse disposal because figures are not recorded separately, is set out in the table:

  Estimate of Local Authority spending on Refuse Collection and disposal—1990–91

  Council

  Amount

  £

  Antrim

  980,794

  Ards

  767,700

  Armagh

  569,000

  Ballymena

  664,720

  Ballymoney

  215,271

  Banbridge

  393,697

  Belfast

  7,717,660

  Carrickfergus

  505,454

  Castlereagh

  812,874

  Coleraine

  601,752

  Cookstown

  412,150

  Craigavon

  1,088,279

  Derry

  1,566,300

  Down

  741,196

  Dungannon

  494,792

  Fermanagh

  534,460

  Lame

  621,015

  Limavady

  413,611

  Lisburn

  1,057,510

  Magherafelt

  423,453

  Moyle

  233,298

  Newry and Mourne

  831,044

  296

  Council

  Amount

  £

  Newtownabbey

  1,214,582

  North Down

  1,296,035

  Omagh

  717,019

  Strabane

  411,245

  Totals

  25,284,911

  Magherafelt Bypass
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the commencement date of the Magherafelt bypass; when he expects the bypass to be completed; and at what cost.

  Mr. Needham
  There are no plans to build a bypass of Magherafelt within the foreseeable future.

  Hospital Beds
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many beds have been closed in Northern Ireland hospitals in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not available in the form requested. The information in the table shows the average number of available beds in Northern Ireland hospitals for 1985 to 1989–90.

  Year

  Total

  1985

  16,959

  1986

  15,962

  1987

  15,411

  1988–89

  14,686

  1989–90

  14,154

  Over this period, the number of patients treated increased by 15 per cent. to 315,962. Considerable progress has also been made in providing long-stay patients with more appropriate forms of care in the community in line with the Government's policy of ensuring that people are cared for in a way which promotes their quality of life and provides them with the type of care best suited to their individual needs.

  Claimants
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland for the monthly statistical periods since April 1990, if he will show the number of claimants in Mid-Ulster 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. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The following information relates to claimants in the areas served by Cookstown, Omagh and Strabane social security offices. The office in Magherafelt was badly damaged as a result of a recent terrorist attack and records for the area are not immediately available.

  Between April 1990 and January 1991 almost 2,000 unemployed claimants were interviewed specifically about their efforts to find work. As a result, three claims were

  297
  referred to the adjudication officer of which one was allowed and two were disallowed. No claims were referred for refusing suitable employment.

  RUC Stations (Security)
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will consider compensation for tenants and owner-occupiers of houses affected by security measures taken in relation to RUC stations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is already provision in Article 18 of the Land Compensation (Northern Ireland) Order 1982 for the payment of compensation where property is unjuriously affected by such measures. There is also provision in Article 4 of the Land Acquisition and Compensation (Northern Ireland) Order 1973 for the payment of compensation in respect of depreciation in an interest in property as a result of environmental and physical factors caused by security measures. Claims for such compensation should be made against the Police Authority for Northern Ireland.

  In addition, there is provision under section 28 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1978 for the payment of compensation by the Secretary of State where under the Act any real or personal property is taken, occupied, destroyed or damaged, or any other act is done interfering with private rights of property.

  Traffic Volume, Newry
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many traffic volume surveys have been carried out by the Department of Environment at Canal street, New street, and the Armagh road in Newry in the past five years; and what were the results of each survey.

  Mr. Needham
  Five traffic volume surveys were carried out at Canal street, Newry and one each at New street and the Armagh road. The results of the surveys were:

  Location

  Date

  Total vehicles

  Canal street

  2 June 1988

  889

  Canal street

  2 November 1988

  934

  Canal street

  8 February 1990

  1,045

  Canal street

  10 April 1990

  1,055

  Canal street

  30 October 1990

  991

  New street

  30 October 1990

  682

  Armagh road

  4 June 1987

  940

  Rural Development
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the developments arising from the report of the interdepartmental committee on rural development.

  Mr. Brooke
  The Inter-Departmental Committee on Rural Development reported in December 1990, and I was pleased to be able to announce on 15 February that Ministers had endorsed the broad thrust of the Committee's recommendations.

  Accordingly, I have allocated ministerial and departmental responsibility for rural development to the agriculture portfolio and have asked that Department to take forward urgently the establishment of an advisory body and resource centre outside Government and under the management of a broad spectrum of rural interests. I
  298
  am also establishing under the Department of Agriculture a small team of co-ordinators to integrate the responses from statutory agencies to locally developed regeneration plans.

  A further statement giving more detail of the mechanisms and structures to be put in place to assist the process of rural development in the most deprived rural areas of Northern Ireland will be issued shortly.

  Noise Insulation
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what assistance is available for the purposes of insulating homes against excessive noise in the vicinity of(a) motorways, (b) heavily trafficked roads, (c) civil airports, (d) low-flying zones and (e) military bases and installations; and in each case at what level of noise the assistance is made available.

  Mr. Needham
  No such assistance is currently available in the case of motorways, or heavily trafficked roads. In the case of civil airports the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland may direct the operation of a civil airport to take measures to limit or mitigate the effect of noise from aircraft. Where it appears to the Department that these measures do not give adequate protection to nearby housing, the Department may, by order, make a scheme requiring the airport operator to make grants towards the cost of sound proofing the affected dwellings. Questions in relation to low-flying zones and military bases lie within the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many traffic noise surveys have been carried out by his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will give details of the results of such surveys.

  Mr. Needham
  Exercises to calculate the level of traffic noise have been undertaken at a number of locations in the past five years but the results of these studies are not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give details of the assistance available to householders who need to insulate their homes against noise pollution; and what conditions must be met to qualify for assistance.

  Mr. Needham
  No such assistance is available.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the threshold noise levels above which his Department assesses there may be injurious effects on the health and welfare of individuals(a) at work and (b) at home.

  Mr. Needham
  The Noise at Work Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1990 provide for the protection of workers from exposure to noise at work.

  Where any employee is likely to be exposed to a daily personal noise exposure of between 85 and 90 dB (A), the regulations require that the employee is provided with suitable and efficient personal ear protectors, but if the daily exposure is 90 dB (A) or above the employer is required to reduce, so far as is reasonably practicable, the exposure to noise other than by the provision of personal ear protectors.
  299
  No threshold noise levels are prescribed for determining injurious effects on the health and welfare of individuals at home.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the role of training and enterprise councils in combating long-term unemployment.

  Mr. Jackson
  The fundamental role of every training and enterprise council (TEC) is to contribute to the regeneration of the community it serves. This clearly includes help for the long-term unemployed.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those training agencies which have been downgraded or removed from the new list of licensed providers and approved trainers by the Devon and Cornwall TEC; and if he will list the successful groups and the criteria used in their assessment.

  Mr. Jackson
  Contractual arrangements with training providers are commercial in confidence and are the responsibility of the Devon and Cornwall TEC.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what meetings to discuss training policy were held between Devon TEC and the individual TABs in Devon before the announcement of the revised list of licensed providers and approved trainers.

  Mr. Jackson
  Negotiations with training providers are a matter for the Devon and Cornwall TEC.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what decisions have been made regarding licensed providers and approved trainers for Devon; and which TEC and TAB members were involved in the consultative process.

  Mr. Jackson
  Consultations with training providers and contractual arrangements are a matter for the Devon and Cornwall TEC.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursant to his parliamentary answers of 18 February,Official Report, column 57, how many drafts of the South Glamorgan TEC corporate plan his Department received; and on what dates.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department has received four draft plans. The first was received on 24 September 1990, the second on 2 November 1990, the third on 7 December 1990 and the fourth on 7 January 1991.

  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the chairmen of each training and enterprise council and TEC advisory board in Devon and Cornwall.

  Mr. Jackson
  The chairman of Devon and Cornwall TEC is Mr. Eric Dancer. Information on the chairmen of TEC sub-groups is not held centrally.

  Expenditure (Regional Distribution)
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what procedures his Department has for keeping itself informed of the regional distribution of its 300
  expenditure; and whether it is his policy to correct any significant and unintended regional imbalances which appear.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department uses a number of systems for keeping itself informed. Regional expenditure is monitored regularly and officials will either reallocate funds as appropriate within their responsibilities or will advise me of any redistribution which may be needed. I will decide on any adjustments to be made.

  Retail Businesses
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list in the Official Report the measures taken by Her Majesty's Government since June 1987 which are of assistance to small retail businesses.

  Mr. Forth
  There is a wide range of Government-supported assistance to small firms generally, including small retail businesses. This assistance includes free and widely available advice and business counselling, easily accessed training suitable for the widely varying circumstances of small firms, subsidised consultancy, help with finance and premises.

  Specific measures taken of particular relevance to small retail businesses since June 1987 include:
  reduction of small companies' corporation tax rate to 25 per cent. and increases in the relevant thresholds
  major reductions in personal tax rates which have benefited unincorporated businesses
  extension of capital gains tax retirement relief
  substantial increases in personal pension contribution limits and simplication of pension rules
  a package of measures to lighten VAT administration: cash accounting and annual accounting systems, and simpler schemes for small and medium sized retailers
  revision of VAT registration thresholds to enable small businesses to stay out of the VAT net longer
  improvement and simplication of the loan guarantee scheme
  with effect from 1 April 1991, limiting of business rate increases for small business owners who live above the shop to 10 per cent. in real terms during the transitional period
  establishment of the new training and enterprise councils, responsible among other things for activities designed to strengthen local economic growth

  Noise
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the threshold noise levels above which there may be injurious effects on the health and welfare of individuals(a) at work and (b) at home.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Noise at work

  The Noise at Work Regulations 1989 set a daily personal noise exposure of 85 dB(A) as the first action level. This is a level of regular personal exposure which, over a period of years, may result in damage to hearing. There is a small but discernible risk of hearing damage from exposure levels below this.

  Other health effects from noise exposures have been reported in scientific literature. The Health and Safety Executive has sponsored a review into the state of knowledge of these effects of noise and hopes to publish a report of the findings later this year.

  For other effects on the welfare of people, the threshold will depend on the nature of the noise and the individual circumstances.
  301
  (b) Noise at home

  Responsibility for noise in the home rests with my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment who has advised me that under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 local authorities in England and Wales are under a duty to take such steps as are reasonably practicable to investigate complaints of statutory nuisance. If noise emitted from premises of any category is considered to be prejudicial to health or a nuisance, local authorities are empowered to issue a notice requiring the abatement of the nuisance. Non-compliance without reasonable excuse is an offence. There is no fixed level of noise which constitutes a statutory nuisance; individual circumstances differ and each case needs to be judged on its merits by local authorities. Factors to be taken into account include loudness, frequency and duration of the noise.

  Redundant Mineworkers
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many individuals covered by the redundant mineworkers pension scheme have left the Wakefield and Dewsbury travel-to-work area unemployment register since the commencement of this scheme.

  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.

  Tameside
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what measures he intends to take to improve employment prospects in Tameside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department, the employment service, and the training and enterprise councils operate a range of employment, enterprise and training programmes designed to improve the employment prospects of the unemployed. These measures are available in Tameside as elsewhere.

  The employment service is expanding the help available through job clubs; and also has in place a five-point job help package, which provides comprehensive counselling and advice for the unemployed.

  In the period April 1990 to January 1991, in the Manchester East employment service area, over 23,600 unemployed people 'had the benefit of a Restart interview and almost 900 were helped to find employment through attendance at job clubs.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what action he intends to take to improve training opportunities in Tameside.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. and learned Friend has recently contracted with Manchester TEC to provide training and enterprise opportunities in the Tameside area. Manchester TEC is working closely with the local authority in Tameside both through the TEC consultative group and by working with the local authority on its own economic development strategy.

HEALTH

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the adult population of Great Britain.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The estimated resident population of Great Britain aged 18 years and over as at 30 June 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, was 42·97 million.

  Drug Dispensing
  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the professional organisations and associations which have declared support for original pack dispensing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We consulted more than 40 organisations representing the interests of the medical and pharmaceutical professions on the report and recommendations of the joint sub-committee. Widely conflicting views on the benefits of original pack dispensing were received. Whilst most supported the principle, all had reservations about the details of implementation.

  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends to implement the recommendation of the joint standing committee on original drug pack dispensing that pharmacists should invariably dispense drugs in whole numbers of original packs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A formal consultation exercise is needed for changes to orders under the Medicines Act 1968, section 129(6). Consultations following the report of the Sub-Committee appointed by the Standing Medical, Nursing and Midwifery and Pharmaceutical Advisory Committees to consider original pack dispensing, suggest that agreement on such changes would be difficult to achieve. We intend to institute a new round of consultation with the medical and pharmaceutical professions and the pharmaceutical industry shortly.

  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to assure himself that patients' interests are safeguarded when pharmaceuticals are dispensed from bulk packs; and what information he has on the extent to which the absence of manufacturers' details has caused risk of contamination or error.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The British National Formulary shows the cautionary and advisory labels that pharmacists are recommended to apply to containers. These include all the information required by the prescriber and necessary for the patient. Dispensing from bulk packs into smaller packs is supervised by pharmacists to ensure that the patient receives the exact quantity the doctor has prescribed.

  Female Circumcision
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evidence he has on the number of illegal female circumcisions that have taken place in the United Kingdom since 1985; what action he has taken to prevent this practice; and if he will make a statement.
  303
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since the passage of the Prohibition of Female Circumcision Act 1985, which the hon. Member introduced, any female circumcision which took place in the United Kingdom would be illegal. I understand that there have been no prosecutions under the Act. The Act, which was supported by the Government, was intended to prevent the practice. In addition, the Department gives financial assistance to organisations which work to educate and inform the relevant ethnic communities in this country.

  Social Work
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work has sufficient staffing resources to process diploma in social work course submissions in accordance with its own published timetables.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are satisfied that the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) has adequate resources to fulfil its statutory remit under Section 10 of the Health and Social Services and Social Security Adjudication Act 1983. CCETSW's annual budget from the Department has increased from £16 million in 1989–90 to almost £23·5 million in 1991–92.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to introduce an appeal mechanism against decisions by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work on submissions for courses for diplomas in social work.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Within the procedures for the course approvals there already exists an explicit appeal mechanism to enable programme providers to appeal against any refusal by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work to approve a DipSW programme.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if common criteria are being applied in the evaluation of all submissions for diploma in social work courses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Approval of programmes of study for the diploma in social work is the responsibility of the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work (CCETSW) and all decisions are based on training rules, approved by the Privy Council, and detailed guidelines which were published as CCETSW paper 30, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Medical Practitioners
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many full-time medical practitioners are in post in his Department: and what was the corresponding figure for 1980.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The number of full-time medical practitioners in post in the Department as at 1 February 1991 was 111. At 1 February 1980 there were 125.

  Hip Operations
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which district health authority has the shortest waiting list for hip operations.
  304
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is not available centrally. Waiting list information is collected according to the specialty of intended treatment, not by specific diagnosis or methods of intended treatment.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Favell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any changes will be made to the cash limits and running cost limits of his Department in 1990–91.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [pursuant to the answer 1 February 1991, col. 683]: Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary revised Supplementary Estimates, the following changes will be made:

  The cash limit for class XIII vote 1 (hospital and community health services, family health services (part) and other services, England) will be increased by £14,504,000 from £14,193,539,000 to £14,208,043,000. This increase represents expenditure incurred by health authorities in preparation for the contingency of treating military casualties from operations in the Gulf (£9·504 million) and a transfer of resources from class XIII, vote 3 to offset partially lower than expected land sales receipts by health authorities (£5 million).

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be reduced by £5,000,000 from £734,508,000 to £729,508,000. This provides for the transfer of resources to class XIII, vote 1, noted earlier. The Department's running cost limit remains unchanged at £197,693,000.

  The increase is within the forecast outturn for the planning total published in the statistical supplement to the 1990 autumn statement.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail (Investment)
  Mr. Channon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the main investment proposals by British Rail that he has approved for 1991–92 and subsequent years.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have approved the following specific major British Rail investment schemes which are expected to come into service in 1991–92 and subsequent years:

  Network SouthEast

  48 coaches for south London suburban services out of Victoria and Charing Cross.

  400 coaches for south London and north Kent inner suburban services out of Victoria/Charing Cross/ Cannon Street/St. Paul's to Sevenoaks/Orpington/ Hayes/Gillingham.

  180 coaches for Marylebone-Aylesbury/Banbury and Paddington-Oxford.

  69 coaches for Waterloo-Exeter line.

  20 coaches for Waterloo-City line.

  Cambridge-King's Lynn electrification.

  Various infrastructure works such as platform extensions for the inner suburban Networker programme.

  Freight

  100 diesel locomotives.

  700 container carrying wagons.

  InterCity

  InterCity east coast main line electrification, 31 locomotives and 314 coaches.

  305
  Channel tunnel

  30 high speed passenger trains.

  30 electric freight locomotives.

  Waterloo terminal; Tonbridge-Redhill electrification; other track and signalling improvements.

  Regional railways

  334 diesel coaches for inter-urban express routes.

  111 electric coaches for commuter services in Birmingham and Lancashire.

  Leeds-Bradford electrification including the commuter lines from Skipton and Ilkley to Leeds.

  Birmingham cross-city line electrification.

  Manchester airport link; new line to airport.

  Hooton-Chester electrification; extension of commuter services.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 699, if he will give the total rail length and percentage electrified for each country in Europe, and for Japan, and the USSR.

  Mr. Freeman
  The UICC's International Railway Statistics 1988 gives the following figures:

  Total route Kms

  Electrified route as per cent of total

  Austria

  5,630

  57

  Belgium

  3,554

  64

  Bulgaria

  4,300

  60

  Czechoslovakia

  13,104

  29

  Denmark

  2,476

  9

  Finland

  5,884

  28

  France

  34,564

  35

  Germany

  41,308

  37

  Great Britain

  16,599

  26

  Greece

  2,479

  0

  Hungary

  7,614

  27

  Ireland (Northern)

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Ireland (Republic)

  1944

  2

  Italy

  16,015

  58

  Japan

  21,270

  52

  Luxembourg

  272

  60

  Netherlands

  2,828

  69

  Norway

  4,174

  58

  Poland

  26,545

  40

  Portugal

  3,608

  13

  Rumania

  n.a.

  n.a.

  Spain

  12,550

  50

  Sweden

  11.076

  63

  Switzerland

  2,990

  99

  USSR

  244,000

  22

  Yugoslavia

  9,349

  40

  Road Fund Licence Concession
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what would be the current cost of extending the road fund licence concession to those who are made immobile after their 66 birthday.

  Mr. Chope
  I regret the information is not available. There is no record of the number of people who have become immobile after reaching the age of 66.

  Green Issues
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport who in his Department has been appointed to oversee and develop green issues; how many civil servants have been allocated new or additional responsibilities to 306
  deal with the management and development of green issues; and what additional allocation of resources has been made to support programmes related to green issues in his Department.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Secretary of State oversees the development of policies on environmental matters in transport. In 1989 the Department set up a transport policy unit; one key objective for the unit was to co-ordinate policy advice on environmental issues, including the follow-up to the Environment White Paper. The unit reports to a steering group chaired by the permanent secretary and has a staff of 10. Environmental issues have long concerned the Department and resources have been allocated to tackling environmental problems by such means as vehicle regulation and the better design of roads. The total manpower and resources used to support environmental aspects of transport policies and programmes cannot be separately identified.

  Air Freight
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussion he is having with officials of British Airways to encourage them to send freight to the continent by air rather by road.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None.

  Noise Insulation
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assistance is available for the purposes of insulating homes against excessive noise in the vicinity of(a) motorways, (b) heavily trafficked roads, (c) civil airports; and in each case at what level of noise the assistance is made available.

  Mr. Chope
  Secondary glazing or grant is made available in England and Wales under the Noise Insulation Regulations (1975–88) in respect of eligible dwellings affected by new or altered roads but not for unaltered roads. For new roads the noise criterion is that the estimated noise level, within 15 years after road opening, will be at least 68 decibels on the A-weighted L10 (18 hour) scale. Similar provisions apply on a discretionary basis for altered roads.

  There is a statutory requirement for the principal London airports to provide sound insulation to surrounding homes within a specified boundary—equivalent to the provision for roads. Elsewhere insulation is discretionary but all the major airports (which are largely owned by local authorities) run similar schemes.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many traffic noise surveys have been carried out by his Department in each of the last five years; and if he will give details of the results of such surveys.

  Mr. Chope
  Noise surveys carried out by my Department in the last five years, commencing 1 April 1986, in association with road proposals, are estimated as follows:

  Number

  1986–87

  47

  1987–88

  49

  1988–89

  41

  1989–90

  40

  1990–91

  47

  307
  The surveys are generally carried out in order to plan the optimum scheme design, at reasonable cost, to avoid unnecessary environmental impact and, specifically, to ascertain those properties that will be eligible for noise insulation or grant. Those properties eligible in accordance with the Noise Insulation Regulations 1975/88 are notified individually, publicly displayed, and appeals against ineligibility are invited.

  Cannon Street Rail Crash
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include the performance of the London ambulance service in his Department's inquiry into the Cannon street rail crash.

  Mr. Freeman
  The deputy chief inspecting officer of railways, who is conducting the inquiry, expects to hear evidence from each of the emergency services.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Soviet Union
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet Government in respect of Yan Satanovsky of Moscow who has been unsuccessfully applying to leave the Soviet Union.

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

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet Government by Alexander Safyan, Solomon Smolyar and Bratislava Shtibina of Leningrad who have been unsuccessfully applying to leave the Soviet Union.

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

  Founding Treaties
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to amend the founding treaties of the European Community so that they refer to residents as opposed to nationals.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No proposal on these lines has been tabled in the political union inter-governmental conference. We do not intend to table one ourselves.

  Israel
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the numbers killed by military action in the areas administered by the Israeli Government, including Israel, setting out whether the victims are Arab or Israeli and by whose military forces they have been killed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We estimate that 11 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli defence forces in the Occupied Territories this year and none in Israel.
  308
  According to the Israeli Government, two Israelis have died as a direct result of Iraqi missile attacks, and a further 11 as an indirect result.

  Occupied Territories
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his assessment of the number of Palestinians that have been prevented from returning to the occupied territories since the commencement of the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the Jordanian figures, some 2,000 of the Palestinians trying to return to the West Bank since 16 January have been prevented from doing so. We have raised the issue with the Israelis and expressed the hope that the normal pattern of crossings will soon be restored.

  Kuwait
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration is being given to the imposition of conditions on the Kuwaiti Government concerning human rights, democracy and the Palestinians in return for continuing protection subsequent to the cessation of hostilities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is not for us to prescribe how Kuwait should be governed. We welcome the Kuwaiti Crown Prince's public reiteration on 13 and 20 February of his Government's commitment to popular participation and its adherence to the 1962 constitution, including new elections for the national assembly after Kuwait's liberation.

SCOTLAND

  Housing
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the amount of public expenditure on public sector housing, excluding Scottish Homes, its predecessor and housing associations, in Scotland in each year since 1979, and the contribution made by central Government.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The table sets out public expenditure (including expenditure funded by receipts) and the central Government contribution in respect of local authority and new towns housing since 1979–80:

  £ million

  Public expenditure (including expenditure funded by receipts)1

  Central Government contribution2

  1979–80

  503·0

  487·6

  1980–81

  532·7

  505·0

  1981–82

  467·8

  406·4

  1982–83

  421·2

  305·0

  1983–84

  433·6

  266·9

  1984–85

  379·3

  225·1

  1985–86

  421·1

  275·2

  1986·87

  449·7

  292·3

  1987–88

  557·9

  337·5

  1988–89

  584·9

  268·9

  1989–90

  623·6

  255·2

  31990–91

  603·6

  285·4

  1 Gross capital allocations, housing support grant, and new towns deficit grant.

  309
  2 Expenditure directly provided or controlled by central Government: net capital allocations, housing support grant and new towns deficit grant.

  3 Estimated outturn.

  Development Agencies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what contribution the Government made to(a) Renfrew Development Company and (b) Paisley and Renfrew Enterprise Trust in each of the financial years since they were established; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Government support for Renfrew Development Company and Paisley and Renfrew Enterprise Trust is channelled through the Scottish Development Agency. The financial support for the years in question was as follows:

  Renfrew Development Co.

  (November 1987-January 1991 inclusive)

  Actual spend

  £

  Support programmes £000

  Core funding £000

  1987–88

  13,390

  13

  —

  1988–89

  66,880

  22

  45

  1989–90

  203,400

  159

  45

  1990–91

  128,000

  83

  45

  Total

  411,670

  277

  135

  Paisley and Renfrew Enterprise Trust

  (February 1986—January 1991)

  Core funding

  £000

  1985–86

  0

  1986–87

  23

  1987–88

  9

  1988–89

  35

  1989–90

  31

  1990–91

  35

  Total

  133

  Exports
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1985,(a) the agricultural and (b) the manufacturing goods exported from Scotland to each of the countries in the (i) Gulf region and (ii) the Maghreb and their value in 1990 moneys.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  There is no information available on the specific goods exported from Scotland to the Gulf region and Maghreb.

  There is no information available on Scottish agricultural exports. Information on Scottish manufacturing exports comes from the annual surveys conducted by the Scottish Council (Development and Industry). Information for the years 1985 to 1989 on the value of Scottish manufacturing exports (at both current and 1990 prices) for each of the states in the Gulf region are given in the tables below.

  The Scottish Council survey for the years 1985–86 does not include estimates of Scottish manufacturing exports to the Maghreb region. However, exports to Libya were £11 million in 1985 and 1989 and less that £10 million in 1986–88 (current prices). Exports to the other Maghreb countries between 1985–89 were too small to be recorded separately.
  310

  Scottish manufacturing exports to the Gulf states

  £ million, current prices

  Country

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Saudi Arabia

  52

  22

  25

  34

  36

  United Arab Emirates

  25

  23

  14

  22

  19

  Iran

  42

  24

  15

  12

  1(—)

  Iraq

  15

  18

  10

  16

  28

  Gulf States2

  134

  87

  64

  84

  83

  Scottish manufacturing exports to the Gulf states

  £ million, 1990 prices

  Country

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Saudi Arabia

  66

  27

  29

  38

  38

  United Arab Emirates

  32

  28

  16

  24

  20

  Iran

  53

  29

  17

  13

  1(—)

  Iraq

  19

  22

  12

  18

  30

  Gulf States2

  170

  106

  74

  93

  88

  1(—) Denotes exports of less than £10 million (current prices).

  2 Excludes exports to the other Gulf states (Kuwait, Oman, North Yemen, South Yemen, Qatar and Bahrain) whose exports are individually less than £10 million (current prices).

  Health Boards (Capital Charges)
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the capital charges for each health board in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The capital charging system does not commence until 1 April 1991. Health boards have, however, submitted forecasts of their likely capital charges for 1991–92, as shown in the table below. Actual capital charges for the year will be included in boards' annual accounts. Each board is receiving full reimbursement for its capital charges in 1991–92, so that the introduction of capital charging in that year will be entirely neutral in funding terms.

  Health Board

  £ million

  Argyll and Clyde

  25·6

  Ayr and Arran

  18·0

  Borders

  6·8

  Dumfries and Galloway

  9·3

  Fife

  20·0

  Forth Valley

  17·8

  Grampian

  30·0

  Greater Glasgow

  91·6

  Highland

  14·6

  Lanarkshire

  24·2

  Lothian

  58·1

  Orkney

  1·0

  Shetland

  1·3

  Tayside

  36·0

  Western Isles

  1·2

  Total

  355·5

  Nurses
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give, as from 1 January, for each health board in Scotland(a) the number of nurses employed as (i) nursing assistants, (ii) enrolled nurses, (iii) staff nurses and (iv) charge nurses and (b) the grades in absolute and percentage terms at which the nurses are employed in each category.
  311
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The latest information available centrally for the number of nurses employed at 30 September 1990 for each health board in Scotland, by qualification and grade, is as follows:

  Selected nursing staff groups by grade whole time equivalent at September 19901

  Whole time equivalent

  Scotland

  CSA

  Argyll and Clyde

  Ayrshire and Arran

  Selected staff groups

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Auxiliaries

  10,816

  —

  139

  —

  962

  —

  629

  —

  Scale A

  10,333

  95·5

  115

  83·2

  939

  97·6

  563

  89·6

  Scale B

  483

  4·5

  23

  16·8

  23

  2·4

  66

  10·4

  Scale C

  1

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  Assistants

  5,845

  —

  0

  —

  543

  —

  326

  —

  Scale A

  5,063

  86·6

  0

  —

  521

  95·9

  273

  83·5

  Scale B

  780

  13·4

  0

  —

  22

  4·1

  54

  16·5

  Scale B

  780

  13·4

  00·0

  —

  22

  4·1

  54

  16·5

  Scale C

  1

  00·0

  0

  —

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  Enrolled Nurses

  9,389

  —

  13

  —

  652

  —

  440

  —

  Grade C

  3,009

  32·0

  13

  100·0

  231

  35·4

  167

  38·0

  Grade D

  5,833

  62·1

  0

  00·0

  404

  61·9

  272

  61·8

  Grade E

  547

  5·8

  0

  00·0

  18

  2·7

  1

  0·2

  Staff Nurses

  13,368

  —

  3

  —

  769

  —

  962

  —

  Grade D

  2,794

  20·9

  0

  00·0

  180

  23·4

  166

  17·3

  Grade E

  9,650

  72·2

  3

  100·0

  511

  66·4

  560

  58·2

  Grade F

  924

  6·9

  0

  00·0

  78

  10·1

  236

  24·6

  Ward Sisters/Charge Nurses

  5,955

  —"

  4

  —

  560

  —

  222

  —

  Grade F

  1,267

  21·3

  1

  18·9

  155

  27·6

  12

  5·6

  Grade G

  4,507

  75·7

  2

  54·1

  381

  68·1

  210

  94·4

  Grade H

  182

  3·1

  1

  27·0

  24

  4·3

  0

  00·0

  1 Provisional.

  Whole time equivalent

  Borders

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Fife

  Forth Valley

  Selected staff groups

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Auxiliaries

  215

  —

  346

  —

  492

  —

  574

  —

  Scale A

  213

  99·1

  307

  88·9

  464

  94·3

  538

  93·7

  Scale B

  2

  0·9

  38

  11·1

  28

  5·7

  36

  6·3

  Scale C

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  Assistants

  106

  —

  185

  —

  359

  —

  598

  —

  Scale A

  92

  86·9

  180

  97·5

  205

  57·1

  512

  85·6

  Scale B

  14

  13·1

  5

  2·5

  154

  42·9

  86

  14·4

  Scale C

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  Enrolled Nurses

  153

  —

  231

  —

  700

  —

  598

  —

  Grade C

  72

  47·4

  57

  24·5

  225

  32·1

  132

  22·1

  Grade D

  79

  51·5

  164

  71·0

  425

  60·7

  449

  75·1

  Grade E

  1

  0·7

  10

  4·5

  50

  7·1

  17

  2·8

  Staff Nurses

  236

  —

  458

  —

  704

  —

  767

  —

  Grade D

  34

  14·6

  118

  25·8

  106

  15·0

  157

  20·5

  Grade E

  182

  77·0

  270

  58·9

  583

  82·8

  598

  77·9

  Grade F

  20

  8·5

  70

  15·3

  15

  2·2

  12

  1·6

  Ward Sisters/Charge Nurses

  130

  —

  154

  —

  280

  —

  320

  —

  Grade F

  64

  49·4

  30

  19·5

  36

  12·8

  46

  14·3

  Grade G

  65

  49·8

  116

  75·3

  241

  86·2

  255

  79·6

  Grade H

  1

  0·8

  8

  5·2

  3

  1·0

  20

  6·1

  Whole time equivalent

  Grampian

  Greater Glasgow

  Highland

  Lanarkshire

  Selected staff groups

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Auxiliaries

  1,085

  —

  2,660

  —

  348

  —

  779

  —

  Scale A

  1,055

  97·2

  2,535

  95·3

  345

  99·2

  754

  96·9

  Scale B

  30

  2·8

  125

  4·7

  3

  0·8

  25

  3·1

  Scale C

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  Assistants

  532

  —

  1,241

  —

  201

  —

  499

  —

  Scale A

  487

  91·6

  1,147

  92·4

  172

  85·4

  456

  91·3

  Scale B

  45

  8·4

  94

  7·6

  28

  14·1

  43

  8·7

  312 313

  Grampian

  Greater Glasgow

  Highland

  Lanarkshire

  Selected staff groups

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Percentage

  Scale C

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  1

  00·5

  0

  00·0

  Enrolled Nurses

  1,083

  —

  1,810

  —

  308

  —

  1,082

  —

  Scale C

  406

  37·5

  462

  25·5

  41

  13·3

  430

  39·8

  Scale D

  616

  56·9

  1,317

  72·8

  162

  52·6

  570

  52·7

  Scale E

  61

  5·6

  31

  1·7

  105

  34·1

  81

  7·5

  Staff Nurses

  1,264

  —

  2,977

  —

  593

  —

  1,086

  —

  Scale D

  465

  36·8

  650

  21·8

  96

  16·3

  175

  16·1

  Scale E

  717

  56·7

  2,272

  76·3

  425

  71·6

  900

  82·8

  Scale F

  82

  6·5

  55

  1·8

  72

  12·1

  11

  1·0

  Ward Sisters/Charge Nurses

  514

  —

  1,562

  —

  193

  —

  472

  —

  Scale F

  97

  18·9

  402

  25·7

  51

  26·1

  91

  19·2

  Scale G

  400

  77·8

  1,110

  71·1

  141

  72·8

  374

  79·1

  Scale H

  17

  3·3

  50

  3·2

  2

  1·0

  8

  1·7

  Whole time equivalent

  Lothian

  Orkneys

  Shetland

  Tayside

  Western Isles

  Selected staff groups

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Auxiliaries

  1,469

  —

  45

  —

  46

  —

  961

  —

  68

  —

  Scale A

  1,407

  95·8

  39

  86·3

  45

  97·0

  949

  98·7

  65

  95·3

  Scale B

  62

  4·2

  6

  13·7

  1

  3·0

  12

  1·3

  3

  4·7

  Scale C

  1

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  0

  00·0

  Assistants

  718

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  536

  —

  0

  —

  Scale A

  572

  79·7

  0

  —

  0

  —

  446

  —

  0

  —

  Scale B

  146

  20·3

  0

  —

  0

  —

  90

  —

  0

  —

  Scale C

  0

  00·0

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  0

  —

  Enrolled Nurses

  1,162

  —

  75

  —

  51

  —

  993

  —

  40

  —

  Grade C

  257

  22·1

  35

  47·2

  45

  88·6

  414

  41·6

  22

  55·7

  Grade D

  801

  68·9

  24

  32·2

  5

  9·4

  52·8

  53·2

  18

  44·3

  Grade E

  105

  9·0

  15

  20·5

  1

  2·0

  52

  5·2

  0

  00·0

  Staff Nurses

  2,101

  —

  22

  —

  44

  —

  1,311

  —

  70

  —

  Grade D

  335

  15·9

  5

  24·1

  12

  28·4

  284

  21·7

  10

  13·6

  Grade E

  1,609

  76·5

  5

  20·5

  19

  43·8

  940

  71·6

  57

  81·3

  Grade F

  157

  7·5

  12

  55·4

  12

  27·8

  88

  6·7

  4

  5·1

  Ward Sisters/Charge Nurses

  890

  —

  18

  —

  17

  —

  595

  —

  24

  —

  Grade F

  149

  16·7

  1

  3·3

  0

  00·0

  133

  22·3

  2

  6·2

  Grade G

  715

  80·4

  17

  91·3

  15

  88·5

  444

  74·6

  22

  89·7

  Grade H

  26

  2·5

  1

  5·5

  2

  11·5

  19

  3·1

  1

  4·1

  Health Boards
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for the last three years the attendance record at health board meetings for ail the members reappointed as from 1 April.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Self-governing Schools
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the cost of the Scottish Office publication "How to Become a Self-Governing School—Guidance for School Boards"; and from which budget this cost was met;

  (2) if any school boards in Scotland requested the Scottish Office to send them copies of the Scottish Office publication "How to Become a Self-Governing School—Guidance for School Boards";

  (3) how many copies were printed of the Scottish Office publication "How to Become a Self-Governing School—Guidance for School Boards"; and to whom those copies were distributed;
  314
  (4) whether the Scottish Office publication "How to Become a Self-Governing School—Guidance for School Boards" was sent to all Scottish school boards unsolicited.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The booklet, "How to Become a Self-Governing School," gives guidance to school boards on statutory procedures. Copies were therefore issued to all school boards. Copies, for information, were also sent to chief executives of regional and islands councils and to directors of education. In all, 12,000 copies of the guidance were printed at a cost of £12,510, which was part of planned expenditure for 1990–91 on self-governing schools.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Fur Farmers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food what is his policy on offering free veterinary and nutritional advice to fur farmers; and on how many occasions in each of the last five years this advice has been sought.
  315
  Mr. Maclean
  Welfare advice is provided free by the state veterinary service, but I would expect a farmer to obtain advice from his private veterinary surgeon on detailed matters such as the treatment of individual sick animals. Advice on nutrition is available on a chargeable basis from ADAS.

  Information on the number of times advice has been provided in the last five years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mink Farms
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many licences were issued for mink farms for each county of England and Wales for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  This information is available only for the last three years. No licences have been issued for mink farms during this period in Wales. Details are as follows:

  England

  As at 31 March 1989

  As at 20 February 1990

  As at 20 February 1991

  Northern

  16

  13

  6

  Humberside

  2

  2

  2

  Northumberland

  1

  1

  1

  North Yorkshire

  1

  1

  —

  South Yorkshire

  1

  1

  1

  West Yorkshire

  11

  8

  2

  Midlands and West

  18

  15

  11

  Cheshire

  2

  1

  1

  Lancashire

  14

  12

  9

  Staffordshire

  1

  1

  1

  Greater Manchester

  1

  1

  —

  Eastern

  7

  7

  4

  Hertfordshire

  1

  1

  —

  Lincolnshire

  1

  1

  —

  Norfolk

  1

  1

  1

  Suffolk

  4

  4

  3

  South Eastern

  5

  4

  2

  Buckinghamshire

  1

  1

  —

  Hampshire

  2

  2

  1

  Isle of Wight

  1

  1

  1

  West Sussex

  1

  —

  —

  South Western

  6

  4

  2

  Cornwall

  2

  2

  1

  Dorset

  1

  1

  1

  Gloucestershire

  1

  —

  —

  Wiltshire

  2

  1

  —

  Total

  52

  43

  25

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he can report on negotiation within the European Council towards a single standard of animal health and welfare, particularly in respect of the production of eggs, pigmeat and veal.

  Mr. Maclean
  Following pressure from my right hon. Friend the Minister, the Agriculture Council agreed this month to resume discussions as soon as possible on proposals for minimum welfare standards for pigs and calves. Further proposals are expected on the welfare of hens following the Commission's review of the existing battery hens directive. We are continuing to press for Community measures to control salmonella in poultry flocks.

  Animal Transport
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many inspectors are responsible for enforcing transport regulations in the United Kingdom and overseas for live animals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding reply 21 February 1991]: Details of numbers of inspectors employed on this work, which in this country is largely the responsibility of local authorities, could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

DEFENCE

  Submarine Incident
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give full details of the incident involving a fishing vessel and a submarine which took place on 13 February; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  At approximately 0930 on 13 February, a fishing vessel in the Firth of Clyde reported being passed by a submarine at periscope depth at an estimated distance of 100 yards. Following usual practice, this report has been fully investigated and it has been established that the closest approach made by the submarine in question was 1,500 yards. Notification of dived submarine operations in the area had been broadcast, in accordance with recently established practice.

  Admiralty Research Establishment
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to approve the pinger designs currently being tested by the Admiralty Research Establishment.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is hoped to undertake further trials of prototype pinger devices in late March or early April. Design specifications for possible commercially produced devices will be issued on completion of these trials.

  Crown Immunity
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now give further consideration to the setting up of an ex gratia compensation scheme to assist armed forces personnel who suffered loss or injury but who were prevented from taking legal action against the Crown by virtue of section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1949 when it was in force.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Nuclear Test Veterans
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many cases of leukaemia, other than chronic lympocytic leukaemia, and of multiple myeloma have been diagnosed amongst veterans of British nuclear tests since the publication of the National Radiological Protection Board report in 1988.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not held by the Ministry of Defence and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.
  317
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to review the claims for compensation by veterans of British nuclear tests.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government's policy is based on the National Radiological Protection Board's (NRPB) report, published in January 1988, which did not establish a causal link between participation in the test programme and cancer.

  A follow-up study by the NRPB, to include data accumulated since 1 Janaury 1984—the cut-off date of the previous study, has been commissioned by the Government and is due to be published next year.

  We have no plans to review the nuclear test veterans' compensation claims.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Ministry of Defence first received representations from the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association; what it has done to assist the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association since that time; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence first received representations from the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association in 1983. Subsequent dealings with the association have involved correspondence and a meeting in which Ministers and officials heard the Association's case and explained the Government's view of it.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met representatives from the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The British Nuclear Test Veterans Association met my noble Friend the then Minister of State for Defence Procurement on 4 July 1989.

  Operation Desert Storm
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the supply of sunglasses to troops serving in Operation Desert Storm is adequate.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave him on 21 February. The requirement for further supplies is kept under constant review.

  Decommissioned Ships
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the operational peacetime tasks of HMS Cormorant and HMS Hart; and how those tasks will be carried out after the decommissioning of those ships.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HM ships Cormorant and Hart are search and rescue craft based in Gibraltar. When they are paid off it is planned that they will be replaced by two of the Archer class craft, HMS Ranger and HMS Trumpeter.

  Noise Insulation
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance is available for the purposes of insulating homes against excessive noise in the vicinity of(a)
  318
  low-flying zones and (b) military bases and installations; and in each case at what level of noise the assistance is made available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No grant assistance is available for the sound insulation of properties subject to noise from low-flying fixed or rotary wing aircraft. Noise insulation grant schemes around military airfields and helicopter landing sites provide for the installation of acoustic secondary double glazing at homes subject to the qualifying noise level of 70dB(A) averaged over a 12-hour period.

  In addition, where a significant amount of night flying takes place (more than 20 movements per night regularly) the boundary of the scheme is extended to include dwellings subject to recurring maximum noise levels of 82dB(A) or greater.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will place in the Library copies of all press releases issued by his Department relating to the "Options for Change" study.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Press releases issued by this Department are available in the Library, where they are routinely provided through the Central Office of Information.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what alterations have occurred to either operational or procurement policy that have resulted from work carried out as part of the "Options for Change" study.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State indicated on 21 January 1991 at column 103, we are continuing to study the proposals announced last July, including the implications for our future equipment needs.

  Scottish Regiments
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of Army personnel in the Gulf are from Scottish regiments; what proportion Scottish regiments form of the regular army; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Approximately 9 per cent. of the regular army soldiers currently in the Gulf are from Scottish regiments. There are of course other personnel of Scottish origin serving in the Gulf in units with country wide recruitment areas. Some 5 per cent. of the units making up the British Army are Scottish, though again, there are personnel of Scottish origin serving in other units. The selection of units to serve in the Gulf was based on purely military criteria and without regard to region of origin. I am pleased to see that Scottish regiments are well represented in the Gulf where I am confident that they will serve with distinction.

  "The Universe"
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the Roman Catholic church concerning the circulation of the newspaper "The Universe" in the Gulf area by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence has not received any representations from the Roman Catholic
  319
  church on this subject. We have offered to make appropriate arrangements for the distribution of the newspaper.

  Armed Forces Pension Scheme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will seek to amend the armed forces pension scheme to compensate widows of members of the armed forces for the loss in the value of war widows' children's allowances since 1978.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  The Gulf
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the monetary value of the assistance provided by the Saudi Government for Operation Granby; and if he will make a statement.
  320
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The value of the host nation support provided by Saudi Arabia for United Kingdom forces is continually increasing. On 6 February we estimated the value to be between £120 million and £150 million, and that it will be around £200 million by the end of March.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list the targets in Kuwait over which the United States air force exploded fuel-air-explosive weapons;

  (2) whether the British Government and other coalition partners were consulted by the United States on their intention to drop fuel-air-explosive bombs on Kuwait.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not our practice to comment in detail on the types of weapon employed against particular targets. Allied policy is to attack only military targets and facilities which support Iraq's illegal occupation of Kuwait.