Written Answers of 17 January 1991

TRANSPORT

  Disability
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to make it a road traffic offence for able-bodied motorists to park in bays designated for special use by disabled people which are situated either on public highways or car parks serving public buildings.

  Mr. Chope
  It is already an offence for an able-bodied person to use a parking place reserved for an orange badge holder on the public highway or in a local authority off-street car park which has been designated by an Order made under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The offence carries a maximum penalty of £400.

  My Department has no jurisdiction over spaces in private car parks reserved for disabled people. It is for individual operators of these car parks to take whatever steps they consider necessary to see that these spaces are not misused.

  Civil Aviation Authority
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Civil Aviation Authority to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand that my hon. Friend has proposed such an exhibition, which I warmly welcome.

  "Vital Transport Statistics 1990"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report "Vital Travel Statistics 1990" prepared for Transport 2000 in December 1990.

  Mr. Chope
  Yes.

ENVIRONMENT

  Hong Kong
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will instigate a study of the work of the independent commission against corruption in Hong Kong; and if he will bring forward proposals to create a similar body to monitor corruption in local Government.

  Mr. Key
  We consider the existing powers and responsibilities of the Audit Commission and local authority auditors to be adequate.

  Radioactive Substances
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of departmental circular 1990/21 on local authority responsibilities for public 542
  access to information under the Radioactive Substances Act 1960, as amended by the Environmental Protection Act 1990, have been printed; and to which individuals and organisations it has been distributed.

  Mr. Baldry
  A total of 5,500 copies of the circular have been printed. Copies have been distributed to all local authorities at county and district level and to local authority associations in England and Wales.

  County Hall, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the future use of County hall, London, SE1.

  Mr. Key
  Following my answer to the hon. Member on 23 November 1990 at column 226, we announced on 6 December the reopening of the public inquiry on 15 January 1991. The inquiry is in progress.

  Housing Investment (Liverpool)
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amounts allocated to Liverpool's housing investment programme in each year from 1979 to 1991 inclusive, indicating the change as a percentage each year in real terms.

  Mr. Yeo
  Liverpool's housing investment programme allocations since 1979–80 are as follows. The percentage changes reflect 1990–91 as the base year for real term calculations.

  Actual allocation £ million

  Percentage change in real terms

  1979–80

  42·430

  —

  1980–81

  47·172

  -6·125

  1981–82

  39·788

  -23·079

  1982–83

  49·337

  +15·774

  1983–84

  41·853

  -18·918

  1984–85

  38·499

  -12·460

  1985–86

  31·000

  -23·636

  1986–87

  27·500

  -14·222

  1987–88

  24·800

  -14·476

  1988–89

  19·653

  -26·144

  1989–90

  15·240

  -27·101

  1990–91

  27·677

  +68·155

  1991–92

  23·400

  -20·238

  The actual allocations exclude the £24·267 million Liverpool have received from the estate action programme since 1988–89.

  Since 1981 authorities have also been able to spend substantial resources generated through the right to buy programme.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the housing investment programme for Liverpool in the light of that city's commitments under the defective housing legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have no plans to review Liverpool's housing investment programme allocation. We have taken account of the city's commitments under the housing defects legislation in determining the allocation.

  "Greening the Machinery of Government"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Evironment when he received a copy of the report "Greening the Machinery of Government"; and whether he intends to make any response to the proposals contained in the report.

  Mr. Baldry
  The director of Friends of the Earth wrote to my right hon. Friend on 20 December enclosing a copy of the report. He will reply to the letter shortly.

  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he is ready to issue a response to the Countryside Commission's policy statement on areas of outstanding natural beauty.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is grateful to the Countryside Commission for revising and updating their policy statement on AONBs and for the opportunity it gives the Government to restate our policies towards the protection and promotion of these valuable areas. Copies of the full text of our response to the Commission's statement have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  AONBs are an important element in this Government's commitment to protect the countryside—for the sake of its beauty, for its diversity of landscape and the wealth of its natural resources, and for its ecological, agricultural and recreational value. The Commission's statement is an important step forward in the protection and enhancement of the countryside and we look forward to seeing it positively applied by all involved.

  The formal recognition of the national importance of the natural beauty of an area conferred by AONB designation should be reflected by local authorities in their preparation of structure and local plans and in the exercise of their development control functions. We support the Commission's proposals for statements of intent further to clarify the role and purpose of designation for new AONBs and for management plans to be prepared for existing areas.

  We also endorse the Commission's proposals for joint advisory committees and for the appointment of officers to co-ordinate and promote local policies towards each AONB. Following the Government's very generous increase in the commission's grant-in-aid for 1991–92 announced in the Chancellor's autumn statement, we expect to see its programme to appoint AONB officers in 1991–92 expanded and plans for future years brought forward.

  Buying Agency
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the future of the Buying agency, the Liverpool-based public procurement agency.

  Sir George Young
  Following last summer's announcement of the closure of the Crown Suppliers contract furnishing division, we have reviewed the prospects for the Buying agency and concluded that it should become a "next steps" agency as soon as practicable after 1 April 1991.

DEFENCE

  Irradiated Food
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what advice or guidance he intends to give to the forces about the use of irradiated food; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  To date the Ministry of Defence has not knowingly procured food treated by ionising radiation. Of the classes of food which, under the Food (Control of Irradiation) Regulations 1990, may now be irradiated we do not envisage large scale procurement of such products, given the current high cost involved in processing food in such a way. However, if we were to purchase permitted irradiated foods, we would follow the requirements detailed in the Food Labelling (Amendment) (Irradiated Food) Regulations 1990.

  Armed Forces (Equipment and Manpower)
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will impose a moratorium for the time being on any further rundown in equipment or manpower for the armed forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are continuing to refine the detail of the broad proposals announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State in July. In doing so we are mindful of the need to sustain both the effectiveness and morale of British forces in the Gulf.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current approximate daily cost of British involvement in the Gulf area.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 16 January the approximate full daily operating cost of our forces in the Gulf area was estimated to be £3·6 million per day.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Meteorological Office has assessed the possible environmental impacts of oil wells in Kuwait being set alight during any hostilities in the Gulf.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Meteorological Office has produced a note for the Government on the possible environmental impacts of burning oil wells in Kuwait. I am placing a copy of this note in the Library of the House. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will be taking forward further work on this subject.

  Chemical Weapons
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) of 30 November,Official Report, column 537, if he has any further information on decisions taken by the Supreme Soviet on methods of destruction of chemical weapons; and whether the United Kingdom offered the Soviet Union any technical assistance in the matter.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I understand that the subject of chemical weapons destruction is still under discussion within the Supreme Soviet with no final decision having yet been made on the nature and location of chemical weapons destruction facilities.
  545
  The United States-Soviet bilateral agreement signed on 1 June 1990 allows for exchange of destruction technology between the State parties. In the past the United Kingdom has described to the Soviet Union the methods that we have used to destroy our chemical weapons.

  Operation Granby
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the total cost to date of British involvement in Operation Granby.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The total full operating cost to 16 January of the United Kingdom's military involvement in the Gulf is estimated to be in excess of £900 million.

  Medical Reservists
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the response to his call up of medical reservists; how many of those who volunteered were accepted and how many compulsory call out notices were issued; how many reservists compulsorily called up did not respond and what action is being taken against them; what are the skills of those who have volunteered or been called up; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am pleased to be able to report that the call-out of medical reservists was successful and that the requirement was met in full. In the case of the Army, 894 vacancies were filled by volunteers. Compulsory call-out notices were sent to a further 408 medical personnel, and 126 personnel were compulsorily called out.

  A total of 94 Army reservists failed to respond to the call-out notice. We are still investigating the reasons. Some will have been ill or out of the country. However, we cannot rule out the possibility that legal action may be brought against the few who cannot provide an adequate explanation of their failure to attend.

  The Army reservists are medical specialists with a variety of skills, including surgeons, doctors, anaesthetists, dentists, nurses, physiotherapists and medical technicians.

  Turning to the RAF, I am also pleased to say that the compulsory call-out of No. 4626 aeromedical evacuation squadron of the Royal Auxiliary Air Force was successful. Call-out notices were issued to all squadron personnel who all responded and made themselves available at their unit. The squadron comprises doctors, nurses, medical assistants and support staff.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Offices, Essex
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what employment offices he has plans to close in Essex; and if he will give in each case grounds.

  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.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Civil Defence
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each civil defence region(a) the name of the current chief regional scientific adviser, (b) the date of appointment of the current chief regional scientific adviser, (c) the age of the current chief regional scientific adviser, (d) the employment of the current chief regional scientific adviser at the time of his appointment as chief regional scientific adviser and (e) the amounts paid to each chief regional scientific adviser in each of the last five years in the form of salary, retainer and expenses.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Home Office has responsibility for appointing a chief regional scientific adviser (CRSA) for the nine home defence regions in England and Wales. The Scottish Home and Health Department and Northern Ireland Office have similar responsibilities for their own home defence regions.

  CRSAs are not paid either a salary or a retainer as part of their civil defence duties. They are paid expenses as professional lecturing fees together with costs for travel and subsistence in the course of civil defence activities.

  A table giving the details requested for each of the CRSAs in England and Wales has been placed in the Library.

  Satellites
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future ownership and use of the Marco Polo satellite.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  British Sky Broadcasting operates five television channels on DBS frequencies via the Marco Polo satellite, which it owns. Under the terms of an agreement to be entered into between the Independent Television Commission and BSkyB, the DBS programme contract originally entered into between the Independent Broadcasting Authority and British Satellite Broadcasting Ltd. would be allowed to run until 30 December 1992. From 30 June 1991 the ITC would be able to withdraw all or any or part of any of the DBS channels for use by domestic satellite licensees appointed by it under the terms of the Broadcasting Act 1990. BSkyB would make capacity on the Marco Polo satellites available to such licensees until the end of 1992 and beyond.

  Child Refugees
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if it is the considered policy of Her Majesty's Government to admit child refugees from Eritrea and elsewhere who have no means of supporting themselves in Britain; what representations he has received from London local authorities about the cost of their support; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  All applications for asylum in the United Kingdom from individuals claiming to be refugees are assessed against the criteria of the 1951 United Nations convention on refugees. Age is no bar to qualifications for refugee status and applications from children are considered individually on their merits. Child applicants, like adult asylum seekers, may remain here while their
  547
  applications are determined. With regard to representations made by London local authorities, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him by my hon. Friend the Minister for Health on 17 December 1990 at column 62.

  Mr. Michael Thynne
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he now expects the Parole Board to carry out the review of the life sentence passed upon Mr. Michael Thynne, currently detained in Her Majesty's prison, Bristol.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Mr. Thynne's case will be referred to the local review committee at the prison where he is then detained in February 1992 as the first stage of a further review by the Parole Board.

  Magistrates Courts
  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether proposals for changes to the magistrates courts system will extend beyond administrative improvements to existing arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We have not yet reached decisions on the reorganisation proposals in the report of the scrutiny of magistrates courts. We are still considering the views expressed by interested bodies in the light of the assessment by independent consultants last year of the costs of implementation.

  Mr. Bermingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to ensure that savings obtained through the cash limiting of the magistrates courts in England and Wales will not reduce the efficiency of the magistrates courts system or prolong judicial processes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are consulting the representative bodies of the magistrates courts service and the local authority associations about the mechanics of cash limiting current grant. The proposals underpinning the consultations envisage the allocation of grant to magistrates' courts committee areas by a formula based on variables including the number of weighted cases completed in those areas and which is intended not only to reflect the different needs of different committees in providing a standard level of service but also to create incentives for the more effective and efficient management of court business without interfering with the courts' independent judicial functions.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the chief constables of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Northumbria, South Yorkshire, West Midlands and West Yorkshire about the effects of plans to cap the community charge in their areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The chief constables of Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Northumbria, South Yorkshire and West Midlands, and the deputy chief constable of West Yorkshire, wrote to the then Home Secretary before Christmas about their financial concerns. My noble friend 548
  Lord Ferrers met the chief constable of West Midlands among other members of a delegation from the Association of Metropolitan Authorities on 18 December to discuss these issues.

  Breath Tests
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report (a) the total number of breath tests conducted by each of the police forces in England and Wales during the period covering the recent festive season and (b) the number which proved positive.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The official breath test statistics for 1990 will not be available until later this year. The Association of Chief Police Officers has, however, collected provisional figures for the number of screening breath tests, along with the positive results, carried out in each police force area between 19 December 1990 and 1 January 1991. These are given in the table:

  Police force area

  Number of breath tests

  Total positive breath tests

  Avon and Somerset

  754

  113

  Bedfordshire

  962

  54

  Cambridgeshire

  1,600

  47

  Cheshire

  1,032

  106

  City of London

  98

  10

  Cleveland

  794

  52

  Cumbria

  611

  56

  Derbyshire

  818

  67

  Devon and Cornwall

  1,830

  152

  Dorset

  527

  47

  Durham

  750

  72

  Dyfed Powys

  612

  52

  Essex

  3,107

  148

  Gloucestershire

  383

  59

  Greater Manchester

  5,799

  425

  Gwent

  1,319

  53

  Hampshire

  1,762

  164

  Hertfordshire

  613

  74

  Humberside

  1,168

  95

  Kent

  2,101

  134

  Lancashire

  1,764

  131

  Leicestershire

  1,413

  86

  Lincolnshire

  1,294

  50

  Merseyside

  697

  149

  Metropolitan Police

  18,075

  838

  Norfolk

  2,992

  53

  Northamptonshire

  1,097

  50

  Northumbria

  470

  157

  North Wales

  2,235

  87

  North Yorkshire

  925

  60

  Nottinghamshire

  3,462

  114

  South Wales

  1,395

  150

  South Yorkshire

  1,271

  133

  Staffordshire

  947

  98

  Suffolk

  1,235

  51

  Surrey

  1,411

  81

  Sussex

  1,100

  95

  Thames Valley

  4,620

  199

  Warwickshire

  527

  50

  West Mercia

  891

  100

  West Midlands

  2,254

  304

  West Yorkshire

  1,493

  230

  Wiltshire

  975

  60

  Total

  79,183

  5,297

  Broadcasting (Programme Information)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has held with the chair and members of the Independent Television Commission
  549
  regarding the intention of the television and radio franchise holders to charge newspapers for programme information; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend has not held any discussions with the chairman or members of the Independent Television Commission on this issue. The use of programme information is a matter for commercial arrangements between broadcasters and those who wish to publish the information. The Broadcasting Act 1990 makes provision for adjudication by the copyright tribunal if a publisher considers that the fee being charged by the broadcaster is unreasonable.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Agricultural Efficiency
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North dated 18 December 1990,Official Report, column 132, if he will show the efficiency in terms of gross value added per annual labour unit of agriculture and all other major sectors of industry in Britain.

  Mr. Curry
  Information on gross value added per head in other sectors of industry in the United Kingdom is contained in pages 10–37 of the "Business Monitor: Report on the Census of Production—Summary Volume, 1988", available in the Library of the House. These estimates are not fully comparable with those for agriculture contained in my reply of 18 December: they relate to total numbers employed whereas, for agriculture, the denominator is annual labour units (reflecting full time worker equivalents). Furthermore, comparisons between sectors should be interpreted cautiously because of the differing degrees of support and protection embodied in the value added of each sector and because of different deployments of labour and capital.

  Food Safety
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has given to local authorities about the operation of the new food safety regulations which implement the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Gummer
  Under section 40 of the Food Safety Act Ministers may issue codes of practice for local authorities on the enforcement of the Act and regulations made under it. Seven codes of practice on a range of enforcement aspects were issued to come into operation on 1 January 1991. Copies of the codes have been placed in the Library of the House. Further codes are in preparation.

  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will publish the outcome of his examination of the relationship between the new committees on microbiological safety of food and the existing committees in the food area.

  Mr. Maclean
  Yes. I have concluded a change in the terms of references is required in order to take account of the new committees. Consequently the revised terms of reference for the Food Advisory Committee are:"To assess the risk to humans of chemicals which are used or occur in or on food and to advise Ministers on the exercise
  550
  of powers in the Food Safety Act 1990 relating to the labelling, composition and chemical safety of food. In exercising its functions the Food Advisory Committee will take the advice and work of the Committee on Toxicity and other relevant advisory committees into account."

  In addition, the Steering Group for Food Surveillance is to be renamed the Steering Group on Chemical Aspects of Food Surveillance and its revised terms of reference are:
  "to identify through surveillance the need for action to ensure the chemical safety and nutritional adequacy of food".

  Fisheries Council
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the outcome of the EC Fisheries Council meeting, held on 19 and 20 December 1990.

  Mr. Curry
  The United Kingdom secured a good package consistent with conservation at the December Council.

  Irradiated Food
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what estimate he has of when irradiated food will be on sale in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Since the possibility of licensing under the Food (Control of Irradiation) Regulations 1991 was introduced only on 1 January it is too early for any meaningful estimate to be made.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of farmers who have received payment under the set-aside scheme for(a) tourist facilities, (b) football ptiches, (c) golf courses, (d) game reserves and (e) nature reserves; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. However, the following breakdown of set-aside undertakings under the non-agricultural use option may be of assistance:

  Total number of undertakings relating to land set aside under the non-agricultural use option in England in the first two years of the scheme

  Number

  Per cent.

  Horse-based activities (including livery stables, riding schools, stud farms, etc)

  536

  (76)

  Golf courses

  46

  (7)

  Game cover for commercial shoots

  32

  (5)

  Sports grounds

  24

  (3)

  Recreational facilities (including camping sites, nature trails, etc)

  15

  (2)

  Other

  54

  (7)

  Total

  707

  (100)

  Note: Set-aside entrants may enter more than one non-agricultural use option.

  Veterinary Investigations Service
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to announce his plans following his review of the veterinary investigations service; and if he will make a statement.
  551
  Mr. Gummer
  The review has been a very thorough one and its implications needed to be considered in detail. Those considerations are now in their final stages and I expect to be able to make an announcement shortly.

  Milk Imports
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the dates when China, Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Tunisia, Turkey and the USSR restricted imports of milk; if he will list the quantities of milk imported from the United Kingdom for the full year prior to the restriction being imposed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The dates when the countries in question restricted imports of milk and milk products from the United Kingdom were:

  Date

  China

  1precise date unknown

  Egypt

  1 July 1990

  Jordan

  229 July 1990

  Syria

  329 August 1990

  Tunisia

  20 January 1990

  Turkey

  25 May 1990

  USSR

  10 April 1990

  1 Notification received 30 October 1990.

  2 Notification received 3 September 1990.

  3 Notification received 14 January 1991.

  The quantities of milk and milk products imported from the United Kingdom for the previous full year (1989) were, in tonnes:

  Milk, cream and other milk products (other than butter or cheese)

  Butter and other fats and oils derived from milk

  Cheese and curd

  China

  2,718

  —

  —

  Egypt

  1,334

  175

  141

  Jordan

  550

  34

  26

  Syria

  —

  —

  —

  Tunisia

  —

  —

  —

  Turkey

  118

  2

  39

  USSR

  —

  1

  —

  We have been in frequent contact with all the countries which have imposed restrictions. Both the European Community and the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) have clearly stated that milk and milk products present no risk from BSE.

  With the help of these bodies we shall continue to make every effort to have these unjustified restrictions lifted.

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to set a final date for the notification of milk quota transfers in England and Wales in 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  Following consultations with the industry and in exercise of powers provided by the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations I have decided that milk quota transfers notified after 22 April will have no effect on the calculation of supplementary levy liability for 1990–91, even if they are notified as having occurred during that year.

  Intervention Stores
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what quantities of(a) grain and (b) butter were held in intervention stores in (i) Humberside and (ii) Lincolnshire at the latest available date and the equivalent date one year ago.

  Mr. Curry
  Since the question concerns matters which are the direct responsibility of the chief executive of the Intervention Board, I am asking him to write directly to the hon. Member.

  Wildlife and Landscape Conservation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the dates and locations of(a) national and (b) regional training courses on wildlife and landscape conservation that have been held for Agricultural Development Advisory Service officers in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  National and regional training courses on landscape and wildlife conservation held in 1990 for Agricultural Development and Advisory Service advisers were as follows:

  Location

  Date

  National courses

  Worcestershire

  February

  London

  March

  Shropshire

  June

  Shropshire

  September

  Shropshire

  September

  Shropshire

  November

  Regional courses

  Yorkshire

  May

  Yorkshire

  May

  Worcestershire

  May

  Warwickshire

  June

  Warwickshire

  June

  Somerset

  June

  West Sussex

  July

  Dyfed

  September

  Cambridgeshire

  November

  This programme of training courses proved sufficient in practice to ensure that all ADAS officers received appropriate training in landscape and wildlife conservation. For this reason two of the proposed regional training courses referred to in an earlier answer to the hon. Member did not take place.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Expenditure
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North dated 23 November 1990,Official Report, column 217, if he will show the total expenditure on State education in actual and 1989 prices, in 1961, 1970, 1980 and 1989, showing the per cent. increase at 1989 prices; and the amount spent on teachers' salaries and related costs in each case, in actual 1989 prices and in per cent. terms, and also the per cent. increase in each case since 1980.

  Mr. Eggar
  Data for 1961 are not readily available. The earliest year for which data are available on a comparable
  553
  basis is 1968–69. The data for that and the subsequent years on total education spending, and on spending on school teachers' salaries in England, are as follows:

  Total education spending

  Cash terms

  1989–90 prices

  Increase over previous year

  Increase since 1980

  £ billion

  £ billion

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  1968–69

  2·1

  15·2

  —

  —

  1970–71

  2·6

  16·5

  9

  —

  1980–81

  12·9

  21·9

  33

  —

  1988–89

  22·0

  23·4

  7

  7

  1989–90

  24·1

  24·1

  3

  10

  Teachers' salaries

  Cash terms

  1989–90 prices

  Increase over previous year

  Increase since 1980

  £ billion

  £ billion

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  1968–69

  0·5

  3·7

  —

  —

  1970–71

  0·6

  4·1

  11

  —

  1980–81

  3·7

  6·3

  54

  —

  1988–89

  6·6

  7·0

  11

  11

  1989–90

  n/a

  n/a

  —

  —

  Notes to tables:

  1. The total education spending figures are drawn from the education tables of the relevant Public Expenditure White Papers.

  2. The figures for spending on teachers' salaries are drawn from local authority spending returns. Data for 1989–90 are not yet available. Spending on teachers' salaries includes on-costs such as superannuation. No account is taken of changes in teacher numbers over the period shown.

  3. The columns headed "increase over previous year" show the increase in spending at 1989–90 prices over the previous year.

  4. The figures at 1989–90 prices have been calculated using latest GDP deflators.

  Iraqi Students
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his reply of 14 January, if he will give a breakdown of the courses taken by the 900 Iraqi postgraduate students who attended British universities during 1986–87;

  (2) how many students from Iraq are enrolled on postgraduate courses at British universities and colleges of higher education during the current university year; and if he will give a breakdown of the courses they are attending.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Under-fives
  Ms. Hilary Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 30 November 1990,Official Report, columns 491–92, when he expects the information for 1990 on the percentage of under-fives in nursery schools, nursery classes and infant classes by local education authority in England to be available.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information requested for January 1990 is given in the following table:554

  Percentage of under fives in maintained nursery and primary schools in rank order in each local education authority—January 1990

  All under Fives

  Nursery schools

  Nursery classes

  Primary classes

  South Tyneside

  94

  21

  37

  36

  Walsall

  91

  11

  46

  34

  North Tyneside

  91

  6

  50

  35

  Salford

  87

  15

  38

  34

  Liverpool

  86

  4

  46

  36

  Sandwell

  76

  2

  42

  32

  Cleveland

  75

  1

  54

  20

  Knowsley1

  74

  —

  42

  31

  Tameside

  74

  5

  35

  33

  Doncaster1

  74

  —

  41

  33

  Wolverhampton

  72

  12

  45

  15

  Durham

  71

  17

  23

  31

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  70

  9

  31

  30

  Manchester

  70

  4

  51

  16

  Hounslow1

  70

  —

  66

  3

  Barking1

  69

  —

  35

  34

  Wakefield

  69

  6

  42

  22

  Solihull1

  69

  —

  35

  35

  Bolton

  68

  7

  30

  31

  Sunderland

  68

  12

  24

  32

  Barnsley

  67

  3

  47

  17

  Haringey

  67

  4

  34

  28

  Gateshead

  67

  1

  33

  32

  Oldham1

  67

  —

  34

  33

  St. Helens

  65

  2

  31

  32

  Sefton

  65

  4

  28

  33

  Bury

  63

  3

  26

  33

  Birmingham

  63

  8

  24

  31

  Northumberland

  63

  2

  28

  32

  Sheffield

  62

  6

  39

  18

  Rochdale

  62

  14

  17

  31

  Calderdale1

  61

  —

  28

  32

  Merton1

  60

  —

  40

  21

  Leeds

  60

  2

  40

  19

  Derbyshire

  60

  7

  31

  22

  Ealing

  60

  7

  28

  26

  Nottinghamshire

  58

  2

  46

  10

  Brent

  57

  4

  28

  26

  Bradford

  57

  3

  32

  21

  Kingston upon Thames

  57

  7

  24

  26

  Coventry

  57

  5

  20

  32

  Wirral

  57

  3

  21

  33

  Kirklees

  57

  6

  32

  20

  Wigan

  57

  2

  23

  32

  Humberside

  56

  5

  30

  22

  Rotherham

  56

  5

  35

  16

  Cumbria

  56

  7

  16

  33

  Newham

  55

  13

  41

  1

  Cheshire

  54

  3

  18

  32

  Barnet

  54

  7

  22

  25

  Northamptonshire

  54

  4

  16

  33

  Hillingdon

  51

  2

  47

  2

  Enfield1

  50

  —

  20

  30

  Dudley

  49

  4

  30

  16

  Warwickshire

  49

  6

  11

  32

  Inner London

  49

  7

  29

  13

  Avon

  48

  7

  10

  31

  Staffordshire

  48

  7

  15

  26

  Lancashire

  48

  9

  8

  31

  North Yorkshire

  48

  2

  18

  28

  Stockport

  48

  11

  6

  31

  Hertfordshire

  47

  6

  23

  17

  Waltham Forest

  47

  5

  30

  12

  Cornwall3

  45

  1

  13

  31

  Cambridgeshire

  45

  4

  7

  33

  Richmond upon Thames

  45

  2

  17

  26

  Harrow1

  45

  —

  16

  29

  Isle of Wight1

  43

  —

  7

  36

  Havering1

  39

  —

  4

  35

  Leicestershire

  38

  0

  22

  16

  Bedfordshire

  38

  8

  23

  7

  East Sussex

  38

  2

  6

  30

  555

  All under Fives

  Nursery schools

  Nursery classes

  Primary classes

  Dorset1

  38

  —

  6

  33

  Croydon

  35

  5

  2

  28

  Norfolk

  34

  2

  3

  28

  Shropshire

  34

  2

  11

  22

  Somerset1

  33

  —

  1

  33

  Lincolnshire

  32

  2

  6

  23

  Suffolk

  31

  1

  15

  15

  Sutton

  31

  6

  25

  0

  Gloucestershire1

  31

  —

  —

  31

  Bexley

  30

  3

  12

  14

  Trafford1

  30

  —

  22

  7

  Devon

  28

  1

  10

  16

  Redbridge1

  27

  —

  13

  14

  Berkshire

  26

  10

  15

  1

  Surrey

  24

  2

  9

  13

  Hereford & Worcester1

  22

  —

  7

  15

  Hampshire

  21

  1

  4

  16

  Essex

  21

  1

  5

  15

  Buckinghamshire

  18

  3

  7

  9

  Wiltshire1

  18

  —

  3

  16

  Oxfordshire

  18

  6

  9

  4

  Kent

  17

  0

  5

  12

  Bromley1

  17

  —

  2

  15

  West Sussex

  10

  3

  1

  6

  ENGLAND

  46

  4

  21

  22

  Note:—

  1 Have no Nursery Schools

  2 Have no Nursery Schools or Nursery Classes

  3 Includes Isles of Scilly

  Special Schools
  Ms. Hilary Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the number of pupils belonging to each local education authority attending special schools maintained by other local education authorities in January 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  The number of pupils belonging to local education authorities attending special schools maintained by other local education authorities as recorded on returns made to the Department of Education

  January 1989

  January 1990

  City of London

  6

  5

  Camden

  125

  123

  Greenwich

  119

  115

  Hackney

  222

  213

  Hammersmith

  103

  100

  Islington

  167

  149

  Kensington

  208

  196

  Lambeth

  273

  240

  Lewisham

  195

  194

  Southwark

  237

  236

  Tower Hamlet

  114

  111

  Wandsworth

  206

  181

  Westminster

  161

  151

  Barking

  32

  31

  Barnet

  77

  89

  Bexley

  81

  75

  Brent

  76

  74

  Bromley

  34

  25

  Croydon

  56

  55

  Ealing

  71

  74

  Enfield

  117

  101

  Haringey

  92

  91

  Harrow

  52

  46

  Havering

  47

  47

  Hillingdon

  43

  42

  Hounslow

  25

  26

  556

  January 1989

  January 1990

  Kingston

  18

  17

  Merton

  78

  64

  Newham

  59

  61

  Redbridge

  61

  74

  Richmond

  36

  35

  Sutton

  52

  49

  Waltham Forest

  23

  19

  Birmingham

  42

  30

  Coventry

  18

  18

  Dudley

  71

  72

  Sandwell

  76

  74

  Solihull

  40

  38

  Walsall

  20

  23

  Wolverhampton

  11

  13

  Knowsley

  38

  23

  Liverpool

  35

  26

  St. Helens

  33

  33

  Sefton

  25

  22

  Wirral

  28

  20

  Bolton

  77

  64

  Bury

  77

  75

  Manchester

  48

  47

  Oldham

  20

  23

  Rochdale

  45

  61

  Salford

  33

  25

  Stockport

  55

  41

  Tameside

  78

  76

  Trafford

  34

  37

  Wigan

  41

  31

  Barnsley

  27

  18

  Doncaster

  16

  8

  Rotherham

  44

  39

  Sheffield

  7

  5

  Bradford

  20

  47

  Calderdale

  23

  25

  Kirklees

  47

  46

  Leeds

  15

  20

  Wakefield

  63

  32

  Gateshead

  21

  29

  Newcastle

  26

  17

  North Tyne

  31

  30

  South Tyne

  27

  32

  Sunderland

  15

  12

  Avon

  34

  21

  Bedfordshire

  30

  21

  Berkshire

  62

  65

  Buckinghamshire

  83

  84

  Cambridgeshire

  19

  13

  Cheshire

  108

  85

  Cleveland

  16

  18

  Cornwall

  18

  18

  Cumbria

  12

  10

  Derbyshire

  61

  46

  Devon

  13

  9

  Dorset

  10

  12

  Durham

  68

  65

  East Sussex

  57

  46

  Essex

  166

  205

  Gloucestershire

  16

  12

  Hampshire

  100

  86

  Hereford and Worcester

  32

  18

  Hertfordshire

  82

  63

  Humberside

  43

  38

  Isle of Wight

  3

  6

  Kent

  74

  56

  Lancashire

  110

  100

  Leicestershire

  22

  27

  Lincolnshire

  26

  31

  Norfolk

  22

  20

  North Yorkshire

  70

  58

  Northamptonshire

  47

  36

  557

  January 1989

  January 1990

  Northumberland

  31

  42

  Nottinghamshire

  43

  33

  Oxfordshire

  19

  17

  Shropshire

  30

  28

  Somerset

  21

  13

  Staffordshire

  58

  49

  Suffolk

  30

  35

  Surrey

  103

  67

  Warwickshire

  84

  79

  West Sussex

  33

  32

  Wiltshire

  36

  43

THE ARTS

  London Arts Board
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he expects to announce the chairman for the London Arts Board; and if he will make a statement on the future of the London Arts Board.

  Income tax, NICS, and indirect taxes as multiples of average earnings, 1990–91

  Multiples of average earnings

  0·50

  0·75

  1

  1·5

  2

  3

  4

  5

  7

  10

  20

  Single

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  24·04

  43·28

  62·53

  101·91

  163·49

  286·65

  409·81

  532·97

  779·29

  1,148·77

  2,380·37

  NICS

  10·64

  17 56

  24·49

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  VAT

  —

  11·65

  15·60

  24·22

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  17·22

  21·50

  30·85

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  34·68

  89·71

  124·12

  185·26

  191·77

  314·93

  438·09

  561·25

  807·57

  1,177·05

  2,408·65

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  15·6

  18·7

  20·3

  22·1

  26·5

  31·0

  33·3

  34·6

  36·2

  37·3

  38·7

  NICS

  6·9

  7·6

  8·0

  6·1

  4·6

  3·1

  2·3

  1·8

  1·3

  0·9

  0·5

  VAT

  —

  5·0

  5·1

  5·2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  7·5

  7·0

  6·7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  22·5

  38·8

  40·4

  40·1

  31·1

  34·1

  35·6

  36·4

  37·5

  38·2

  39·2

  Married, no children

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  15·77

  35·01

  54·26

  92·75

  150·26

  273·42

  396·58

  519·74

  766·06

  1,135·54

  2,367·14

  NICS

  10·64

  17·56

  24·49

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  VAT

  —

  10·77

  15·07

  24·53

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  19·07

  23·36

  32·81

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  26·41

  82·41

  117·18

  178·37

  178·54

  301·70

  424·86

  548·02

  794·34

  1,163·82

  2,395·42

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  10·2

  15·2

  17·6

  20·1

  24·4

  29·6

  32·2

  33·8

  35·5

  36·9

  38·4

  NICS

  6·9

  7·6

  8·0

  6·1

  4·6

  3·1

  2·3

  1·8

  1·3

  0·9

  0·5

  VAT

  —

  4·7

  4·9

  5·3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  8·3

  7·6

  7·1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  17·1

  35·8

  38·1

  38·6

  29·0

  32·7

  34·5

  35·6

  36·8

  37·8

  38·9

  Married, both working

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  1·32

  20·57

  39·81

  78·30

  116·79

  203·55

  313·75

  436·91

  683·23

  1,052·71

  2,284·31

  NICS

  7·42

  14·34

  21·27

  35·13

  47·23

  56·56

  56·56

  56·56

  56·56

  56·56

  56·56

  VAT

  —

  12·27

  16·93

  26·27

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  21·97

  25·81

  33·49

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  8·74

  69·15

  103·82

  173·19

  164·02

  260·11

  370·31

  493·47

  739·79

  1,109·27

  2,340·87

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  0·9

  8·9

  12·9

  17·0

  19·0

  22·0

  25·5

  28·4

  31·7

  34·2

  37·1

  NICS

  4·8

  6·2

  6·9

  7·6

  7·7

  6·1

  4·6

  3·7

  2·6

  1·8

  0·9

  VAT

  —

  5·3

  5·5

  5·7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  558
  Mr. Tim Renton
  I expect to receive proposals concerning the London Arts Board from the Arts Council in due course.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxes and Benefits
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish in the Official Report up-to-date figures, using 1990–91 prices, but otherwise on the same basis as those provided in his answer to the hon. Member for Hornchurch (Mr. Squire) of 10 January 1989, Official Report, columns 624–47.

  Mr. Maude
  Updated figures for 1990–91 are given in the table. For earlier years, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 5 July 1990 jat column 699. The figures given in that reply at 1988–89 prices may be converted to 1990–91 prices in line with the Autumn Statement forecast by multiplying by a factor of 1·19.
  559

  Multiples of average earnings

  0·50

  0·75

  1

  1·5

  2

  3

  4

  5

  7

  10

  20

  Other indirect

  —

  9·5

  8·4

  7·3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  5·7

  29·9

  33·7

  37·6

  26·7

  28·1

  30·1

  32·1

  34·3

  36·0

  38·0

  Married, two children

  Amounts, £ per week

  Income tax

  1·27

  20·51

  39·76

  78·25

  135·76

  258·92

  382·08

  505·24

  751·56

  1,121·04

  2,352·64

  NICS

  10·64

  17·56

  24·49

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  28·28

  VAT

  —

  10·58

  15·45

  26·16

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  18·55

  21·99

  29·54

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  11·91

  67·20

  101·69

  162·23

  164·04

  287·20

  410·36

  533·52

  779·84

  1,149·32

  2,380·92

  Percentage of earnings

  Income tax

  0·8

  8·9

  12·9

  17·0

  22·0

  28·0

  31·0

  32·9

  34·8

  36·4

  38·2

  NICS

  6·9

  7·6

  8·0

  6·1

  4·6

  3·1

  2·3

  1·8

  1·3

  0·9

  0·5

  VAT

  —

  4·6

  5·0

  5·7

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Other indirect

  —

  8·0

  7·1

  6·4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  7·7

  29·1

  33·0

  35·2

  26·6

  31·1

  33·3

  34·7

  36·1

  37·3

  38·7

  Notes to tables

  (1) Income tax payments are calculated on the assumption that the households receive no tax relief other than the standard allowances and only have income from employment. All earners, including wives, are assumed to pay class 1 NI contributions at the contracted rate. The figures for NI contributions are financial year averages.

  (2) From 1990–91 husbands and wives will be taxed independently. Previously the tax liability of couples depended on their joint income. To permit comparisons with earlier years the table therefore shows income tax and National Insurance Contributions paid by a married couple in 1990–91 as a proportion of their joint income, assuming, as in the earlier years, that where both partners are earners, the husband and wife share the relevant multiple of earnings in the ratio 60:40.

  (3) In order to provide comparability with 1978–79, when support for children was given partly through child tax allowances, child benefit is treated as a negative income tax for the married couple with two children.

  (4) Average earnings are taken to be the average gross weekly earnings of all full-time males on adult rates with pay unaffected by absence. These are estimated to be £307·90 per week in 1990–91, using the Government Actuary Department's assumption of 10 per cent. growth over 1989–90 as published in the 1990 autumn statement.

  (5) The estimates of indirect taxes are derived from the 1985 family expenditure survey, and are based on the illustrative assumption that 10 per cent. of disposable income is saved. There are wide variations in spending patterns between households with the same composition and similar incomes and estimated payments of VAT and other indirect taxes are therefore approximate, even within the income range for which figures are shown. Outside this range the margin of error is even higher and reliable estimates cannot be made. Because of sampling variation, there can be substantial differences between the estimates obtained from family expenditure surveys for different years.

  Football Clubs
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Football League clubs took advantage of the Inland Revenue's amnesty on illegal payments to players; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  There was no such amnesty.

  Exchange Rate Mechanism
  Mr. D. N. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made with the Bank of England inquiry into developments both before and after the announcement of Britain's entry into the exchange rate mechanism on 5 October.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have nothing to add to the answer that my right hon. Friend the then Chancellor gave to the hon. Gentleman on 23 October 1990 at column 196. If the hon. Gentleman has any evidence that the decision to join the ERM was prematurely disclosed, he should declare it to the appropriate authorities.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a further statement on the public expenditure planning total for 1991–92.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Secretaries of State for the Environment, Scotland and Wales have today announced increases in central Government expenditure on a new scheme for community charge reduction and other forms of support for local authorities of some £1·1 billion in 1991–92, net of savings on community charge benefit.

  The £1·1 billion net increase in central Government support for local authorities will be added to next year's public expenditure planning total. There will, however, be no change in projected local authority expenditure as a result of this switch in financing, and therefore no increase in total public expenditure as measured by general government expenditure (GGE). Local authority expenditure will continue moreover to be subject to capping.

  On financing, the Government's strategy remains to balance the budget over the medium term. The decisions announced today do not alter that policy and will be taken into account in framing the Budget proposals.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Management Training (Czechoslovakia)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will place in the Library a copy of the report of the sector reconnaisance mission on management training to Czechoslovakia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have today placed copies in the Library.

  Educational Projects (Czechoslovakia)
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the cash value of the know-how fund for educational projects in Czechoslovakia; and whether he will list those United Kingdom organisations who have been awarded contracts under it, giving the purpose and duration of each project and its pound sterling value.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Expenditure under the know-how fund for Czechoslovakia in 1990–91 is estimated at £2 million. Projects designed to transfer know-how to Czechoslovakia are listed below by sector, including the name of the United Kingdom organisation responsible for project implementation.

  FINANCIAL SERVICES AND MACROECONOMIC ADVICE

  Title: Assistance for Privatisation
  Description: A team of privatisation advisers will undertake a six month assignment to advise the Czechoslovak Privatisation Agency.

  Contract: Ernst & Young, Shroders and Denton Hall.

  Status: September 1990-March 1991.

  Cost: £450,000.

  Title: Banking Training
  Description: A visit to assess the training needs of the Czechoslovak banking sector.

  Contract: Grayson-Bennett Associates.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £12,000.

  Title: Banking Training
  Description: A programme of six two week seminars for senior managers of various banks in Czechoslovakia. Contract: Grayson-Bennett Associates.

  Status: January to May 1991.

  Cost: £70,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Ceskoslovenska Obchodnoi Banka
  Description: Two consultants will work alongside bank staff as part of a team finalising the evaluation of an integrated software package.

  Contract: IDOM.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £14,500.

  Title: Assistance to the Komercni Banka
  Description: The placement of ten Czechoslovak bankers, selected by the Komercni Banka, with British clearing banks, mainly in their documentary credits departments in order to obtain practical, working experience of international commercial banking business.

  Contract: Chartered Institute of Bankers.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £35,000.

  Title: Assistance to the Investicni Banka
  Description: Barclays Bank to provide a three day training course to two employees of the Investicni Banka in the issue of Certificates of Deposit.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £900.

  562
  Title: Accountancy Training
  Description: The placement of eight Czechoslovak accountants selected by the Ministry of Finance with British accountancy firms.

  Contract: Institute of Chartered Accountants of England and Wales.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £13,000.

  Title: Workshops on Tax Structure and Public Finance
  Description: A programme of workshops to examine tax requirements and procedures resulting from the changes in Czechoslovakia. In addition there will be inward and outward visits by researchers and the provision of computer equipment.

  Contract: Institute of Fiscal Studies.

  Status: September 1990 to September 1992.

  Cost: £25,000.

  Title: Insurance Sector
  Description: To help establish a new insurance company.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £140,700.

  Title: Advice to the Federal Minister of Economy and the Chairman of the State Bank
  Description: The payment of air fares for up to fifteen visits per year to Prague by Mr. Stanley Rudcenko, Vice President and Chief Economist at the Bankers Trust and one of an informal group of advisers to the Chairman of the State Bank and Federal Ministry of Economy.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £6,000.

  Title: Secondment to the Federal Ministry of Economy
  Description: The secondment of Dr. Drabek of the World Bank to act as a Principal Economic adviser to both the Ministry of Economy and the Czech Ministry of Strategic Planning.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £50,000.

  Title: Economics for Senior Officials
  Description: A programme of lectures and seminars to introduce senior Czechoslovak officials to market economics, and in particular the contemporary economic issues affecting government policy.

  Contract: Birbeck College.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £9,500.

  Title: Support for World Bank Structural Adjustment Mission
  Description: Covering the costs of two United Kingdom experts taking part in a World Bank mission looking at the social safety net in Czechoslovakia as a precursor to a major structural adjustment loan.

  Status: January 1991.

  Cost: £20,000.

  EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

  Title: Development of Employment Services in Slovakia
  Description: A short visit by two Employment Service officials to Slovakia to ascertain needs in the employment sector.

  Contract: Department of Employment.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £3,000.

  Title: Training for Employment Services Managers
  Description: The Employment Service are to provide a number of courses for the Czechoslovak equivalent of Jobcentre managers.

  Contract: Department of Employment.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £53,000.

  563
  Title: Training and Retraining of Adults
  Description: Up to ten Czechoslovak officials will visit the United Kingdom for two weeks to look at adult training facilities and policy.

  Contract: Department of Employment.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £39,300.

  Title: Development of Employment Services
  Description: A visit by United Kingdom Employment Service officials to Czechoslovakia to look at existing arrangements for dealing with unemployment and a return visit by officials from the Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs to discuss with institutions in the United Kingdom the handling of unemployment issues.

  Contract: Department of Employment.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £19,600.

  Title: Secondment to the Prime Minister's Office
  Description: The Department of Employment have seconded an official to the Czechoslovak Prime Minister's to advise on the employment and other implications of the economic reform programme.

  Contract: Department of Employment.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £50,000.

  Title: Secondment to Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs
  Description: An official will be seconded to the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs for a nine month period to co-ordinate and develop the programme of assistance in the labour field under KHF auspices.

  Contract: Department of Employment.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £20,000.

  MANAGEMENT TRAINING

  Title: Management Training in the Telecommunications Sector
  Description: The training of ten senior executives in the Czechoslovak Federal Ministry of Posts and Telecommunications.

  Contract: British Telecom.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £58,800.

  Title: Management Training in the Construction Sector
  Description: A pilot management training course for the construction sector.

  Contract: Intrinsic Marketing.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £57,950.

  ENVIRONMENT

  Title: Study of Environmental Problems of North Bohemia
  Description: A programme of visits by environmental scientists aimed at producing a report for the Czechoslovak government to better understand the environmental problems of north Bohemia and to develop a realistic programme for their solution, including sources of finance.

  Contract: Department of the Environment.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £12,000.

  Title: Establishment of an Industry and Conservation Association in Bratislava
  Description: A programme of visits and consultancy advice aimed at improving the handling of environmental problems in the local political economy by developing partnerships between industry, environmental NGO's and local government.

  Contract: Nature Conservancy Council.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £28,000.

  EDUCATION AND ELT

  Title: Prince of Wales Scholarships
  Description: Two Czechoslovak students will be sponsored to attend courses at Atlantic College, Wales.
  564

  Status: The two students took up their courses in October 1990.

  Cost: £9,300.

  Title: Book Sector Study
  Description: A study to consider all factors relevant to educational book development which will form the basis for a more detailed book development programme to be linked to an IBRD contribution to this sector.

  Contract: International Book Development.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £44,500.

  Title: English Language Teaching In-Service Seminar
  Description: A two week seminar in Bratislava to prepare teachers for the introduction of new English teaching materials and methodology.

  Contract: British Council.Status: Completed.

  Cost: £10,500.

  Title: Russian Teachers' Conversion Course
  Description: The British Council are to organise a three month intensive teacher training/conversion course for Czech and Slovak teachers of Russian to prepare them for English teaching duties in state primary and secondary schools.

  Contract: Bell Educational Trust.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £195,000.

  Title: English Language Training for the State Bank.
  Description: A three-month intensive course in general and specialised English for senior staff of the Czechoslovak State Bank

  Contract: Regent school.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £65,000.

  OTHER PROJECTS

  Title: Data Envelopment Analysis Programme
  Description: The London School of Economics ran a short computer programming course based at the Ecole Polytechnique de Brno. A computer has been installed at the Polytechnique to enable them to undertake further courses.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £10,000.

  POLITICAL PROJECTS

  Title: Anglo-Czechoslovak Law Seminar
  Description: Four Czechoslovak lawyers attended a seminar in London organised by the Anglo-Czechoslovak Law Association.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £2,000.

  Title: Training for personnel of Czechoslovak TV
  Description: VISNEWS have arranged a short visit for personnel from Czechoslovak TV News to enable them to see how news coverage is approached in Britain and to look at United Kingdom equipment and production techniques.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £5,000.

  Title: Media Training for Czechoslovak Radio
  Description: A group of journalists from Czechoslovak Radio undertook a two day training session with an individual consultant looking at ways of improving presentation and content.

  Status: Completed.

  Cost: £200.

  Title: Legal Education
  Description: The Jan Hus Foundation is to advise Czechoslovak Universities on the reform of their system of legal education.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £5,000.

  565
  Title: Broadcasting Training
  Description: The BBC World Service is to provide a six week course for Czechoslovak broadcasters on the methods and techniques of broadcasting and journalism in a plural society.

  Status: To start February 1991.

  Cost: £250,000.

  CZECHOSLOVAKIA, HUNGARY AND POLAND

  Title: Assistance for Environmental NGOs
  Description: A programme of visits, exchanges and consultancy advice aimed at strengthening the network of environmental NGOs in all three countries.

  Contract: Ecological Studies Institute.

  Status: Under way.

  Cost: £125,000 over two years.

ENERGY

  Power Failures, Fast Midlands
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) when he next expects to meet the chair of the East Midlands Electricity Consumer Committee to discuss the blizzard of 8 December 1990 and the number of supply interruptions and the rate of reconnections;

  (2) when he next expects to meet the chairman of the East Midlands Electricity Company to discuss the impact of the 8 December 1990 blizzard and the response thereto.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to meet either at present. My Department monitored the situation throughout the restoration of supplies. The East Midlands Electricity Consumer Committee has not requested a meeting.

  Spent Nuclear Fuel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if, pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) 12 December,Official Report, column 397, he will set out the definition of civil spent nuclear fuel as used in the context of international nuclear safeguards to which he makes reference.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The expression "civil spent nuclear fuel" used in my answer to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer) on 12 December 1990 at column 397 referred to irradiated fuel arising from the operation of reactors in the United Kingdom civil nuclear industry and irradiated fuel from overseas, stored in the United Kingdom before reprocessing.

  Kuwaiti Oilfields
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what studies have been conducted by his Department or consultants to his Department on the effects of the mining or bombing of the Kuwaiti oilfields, in terms of(a) oil resource depletion, (b) the stability of crude oil prices and (c) environmental pollution, including effects on global warming.

  Mr. Wakeham
  My Department has not carried out any detailed studies on the possible effects of the mining or bombing of the Kuwaiti oilfields for oil resource depletion or the stability of crude oil prices. However, it seems unlikely that there would be any significant short term consequences for oil supplies, bearing in mind that crude from Kuwait is not at present available to world markets.

  The Meteorological Office has conducted a preliminary study into the environmental effects. This concludes that
  566
  even in the worst case scenario the effects on global warming would be almost negligible. Arrangements have been made for a copy of their note to be placed in the Library of the House.

WALES

  Welsh Development Agency
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the gross provision for the Welsh Development Agency in every year since 1979 and the provision intended for 1991–92; expressed at 1990–91 price levels.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is as follows:

  Gross Mainstream Provision

  (£ million

  Cask

  1990–91 Prices1

  1979–80

  35·1

  76·0

  1980–81

  65·7

  120·2

  1981–82

  54·4

  90·8

  1982–83

  62·4

  97·2

  1983–84

  61·9

  92·2

  1984–85

  70·0

  99·2

  1985–86

  63·5

  85·4

  1986–87

  72·0

  93·6

  1987–88

  98·6

  121·5

  1988–89

  115·1

  132·2

  1989–90

  133·4

  144·1

  1990–91

  150·0

  150·0

  21991–92

  160·0

  150·9

  1 Adjusted using latest GDP deflator.

  2 Planned budget provision.

  In addition to the mainstream budgets shown above the Agency was provided with special resources to help mitigate the effects of the steel closures in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The resources involved are as follows:

  £ million

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  Cash

  27·5

  22·3

  33·7

  13·8

  6·0

  1990–91 prices1

  59·6

  40·8

  56·3

  21·5

  8·9

  1 Adjusted using latest GDP deflator.

  The Laurels, Bronllys
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the amount spent by Powys health authority on refitting The Laurels, Bronllys, as office accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None. This is a matter for Powys health authority.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes an urgent review concerning the teaching of maths and the teaching of science, after the age of 14 years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We intend to review the structure of the attainment targets for both maths and science for pupils of all ages in conjunction with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Educationa and Science.

  School Subjects
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has for the introduction of a more feasible range of subjects for pupils after the age of 14 years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We intend to make a statement shortly.

  Reading Standards
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what assessments he has made in each of the years since 1980 of reading standards in Wales; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what policies he has followed to increase the standard of reading in local education authority schools in Wales;

  (3) what action he has taken in each of the local education authorities in Wales to encourage improved standards in reading; if he will list the measurements and assessments he has made of reading standards in Wales in each of the years since 1980; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what initiatives he will take to improve reading standards in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the replies given to him on 10 July 1990.

  An assessment of reading standards is carried out as part of all Her Majesty's inspectors inspections of primary schools and, since 1983, I have arranged for all reports to be published. In addition to these reports, which recently have numbered around 40 per year, the assessment and performance unit (APU) published the results of their survey into language performance of pupils in 1981 and 1982. These assessments have been further supplemented throughout the period by Her Majesty's inspectorate (England and Wales) discussion and advisory papers in the "Curriculum Matters" series and "Aspects of Primary Education". Her Majesty's inspectorate Wales also published its own report "Aspects of Reading in English in the Junior Schools" in February 1989.

  The teaching of English as a core foundation subject within the national curriculum was introduced into primary schools (pupils aged 5 to 7) from September 1989. Development of pupils' reading skills forms an essential element of the national curriculum programmes of study for English and sets out clear standards for achievement. As from this summer term, the individual achievement of all seven-year-old pupils will, for the first time, be assessed by law.

  Since April 1989 the Welsh Office has grant funded the appointment of additional specialist English advisers with the WJEC and in each of the local education authorities to support classroom teachers to introduce the national curriculum requirements for English and also from September 1989, Welsh.

  A summary of the latest Her Majesty's inspectorate Wales findings on reading standards is being made available to all directors of education and chairpersons of education committees in Wales. I have asked that high priority be given to the follow-up of all reports of schools with less than satisfactory performance as noted in Her Majesty's inspectorate inspections, the local education authorities own monitoring procedures or the national
  568
  curriculum assessment arrangements. I have asked Her Majesty's inspectorate to continue to report to me regularly on reading standards.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate is organising a conference in July which will be attended by headteachers of primary schools, senior staff, advisers, advisory teachers and teacher trainers. Reading will be featured as part of the conference.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the standard of reading at the age of seven years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The latest available evidence, based on a comprehensive programme of Her Majesty's inspectorate school inspections over the past 18 months, shows that the teaching of reading in about 83 per cent. of primary schools in Wales is good or satisfactory. I am still very concerned about the 17 per cent. that are not satisfactory. I am therefore, asking local education authorities to give high priority to following up reports on schools with less than satisfactory performance, and I will be receiving regular reports from Her Majesty's inspectorate on reading standards.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lithuania
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Her Majesty's Government will convene a meeting of the United Nations Security Council to discuss the use of force by the Soviet armed forces in Lithuania.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. We do not believe that raising this matter in the UN Security Council at this stage would contribute to a resolution of the present crisis. We can best help by working bilaterally and with our partners and allies to persuade the Soviet authorities to cease the use of force and return to negotiation with the elected authorities of Lithuania and the other Baltic states. We have raised the Baltic states in the current CSCE meetings at Vienna and Valletta, and are considering how best to pursue the matter further within the CSCE framework.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to impose economic sanctions and to withdraw technological aid to the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics until the Soviet troops are withdrawn from Lithuania.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Kaufman) on 16 January. The EC has decided not to implement its economic assistance to the Soviet Union if the situation which prevails in Lithuania is prolonged in any way or extended to the other Baltic states.

  Test Ban Treaty Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the United Kingdom delegation to the partial test ban treaty amendment conference being held at the United Nations
  569
  in New York from 7 to 18 January; and if he will indicate the status of all civil servants and diplomats participant in the conference.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom delegation to the PTBTAC consists of the deputy head and one member of the United Kingdom delegation to the conference on disarmament in Geneva and two members of the United Kingdom mission to the United Nations in New York.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on developments to date at the partial test ban treaty amendment conference being held at the United Nations in New York from 7 to 18 January.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The partial test ban treaty amendment conference has been an opportunity for informed and responsible discussion of the issues surrounding nuclear testing. We hope that a consensus outcome will be possible.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals have been submitted by the United Kingdom delegation to the partial test ban treaty amendment conference being held at the United Nations in New York from 7 to 18 January.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom delegation has played a full part in the partial test ban treaty amendment conference general debate. No proposals have been submitted by the United Kingdom to the conference.

  Advisory Companies
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what public relations, public affairs, advertising and marketing companies are retained to advise him; on what basis they are each appointed; what is the cost, tenure and purpose of their appointment in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hurd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office seeks the advice of a wide range of groups on presentational aspects of policy. Most advice given is on an informal and unpaid basis. Austin Knight Advertising UK Ltd., however, is retained by the Overseas Development Administration to advertise vacancies for overseas personnel. Their contract started on 1 June 1988 and expires on 31 March 1991. The contract was awarded following a competitive tendering exercise. The ODA does not pay a fee to Austin Knight but pays only for the advertising space.

  EC Audiovisual Support Fund
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the United Kingdom will join the European support fund for the co-production and distribution of creative cinematographic and audiovisual works.

  Mr. Leigh
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government believe that it is for the film industry to decide which European initiatives best serve its interest. We are about to consult industry on the structure of the European co-production fund which was announced by the Government last year. Possible options include using part of this fund for a contribution to EURIMAGES.

PRIME MINISTER

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Prime Minister if he raised with the Saudi Arabian Government during his recent visit the issue of British citizens missing since the tunnel disaster of 2 July 1990.

  The Prime Minister
  No. The British embassy in Riyadh remain closely in touch with the Saudi authorities who are continuing their investigations to try to trace the three British pilgrims still missing. We have provided finger prints of two of the pilgrims for comparison with those taken of victims before burial.

  Departmental Budgets
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Prime Minister by how much the budget for the Department of Social Security will be decreased and the budget of the Department of the Environment will be increased for 1991–92 in respect of(a) hostels, (b) housing and community charge benefit subsidy and (c) care in the community.

  The Prime Minister
  For the 1991–92 financial year there will be no transfer of funds between the Department of Social Security and the Department of the Environment in respect of care in the community; but in drawing up the proposed local government financial settlement for England for that year full account was taken of some £16·35 million in respect of hostels. Similarly, the effect of the £86 million reduction in direct subsidy for housing benefit and community charge benefit in 1991–92 was fully taken into account in drawing up the proposed local government financial settlements for that year.

  Nuclear Arms
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will now reconsider Her Majesty's Government's refusal to commit the United Kingdom to negotiate a complete ban on nuclear tests and to accept annual mini-reviews on the progress of effective reduction of nuclear weapons, as proposed by Mexico and other non-aligned nations at the review conference on the nuclear non-proliferation treaty in 1990.

  The Prime Minister
  We have made clear that we support a comprehensive test ban as a long-term goal to be reached on a step-by-step basis. Because our security will depend for the foreseeable future on deterrence based in part on the possession of nuclear weapons, we have a continuing need to test our nuclear weapons to ensure they remain effective and up-to-date. We believe that the conference on disarmament at Geneva provides the most appropriate forum for discussion of progress on nuclear testing issues.

  European Community
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Prime Minister what treaty amendments beyond those in the conclusions of the Rome European Councils are being considered by Her Majesty's Government for submission to the European Community.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have already tabled draft treaty amendments on EMU. My right hon.
  571
  Friend the Foreign Secretary referred in his speech to the House on 6 December to a number of areas in which the Government would seek improvements in the treaties in the context of the inter-governmental conference on political union. All these are covered by the conclusions of the Rome European Councils.

  Iraq
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the policy of the allies towards Iraq should the present regime be militarily defeated in the event of war.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the remarks made by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary in the debate on 15 January at column 814. I have nothing further to add.

  Public Records Office
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the findings of the report on the future of the Public Records Office prepared by the civil service efficiency unit published in December 1990.

  The Prime Minister
  I understand that my noble Friend the Lord Chancellor has received the report of the efficiency scrutiny of the Public Record Office. The report has not yet been published. I understand that the Lord Chancellor intends to make a statement very shortly.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list in full the military objectives of the allies if war occurs in the Gulf.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's objectives since the invasion of Kuwait on 2 August 1990 have been and remain those of the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

  Advertising
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister whose responsibility it is to ensure that departmental Ministers observe Government conventions on the use of paid publicity and advertising; what process of scrutiny is currently in operation; and by what process departmental Ministers are held to account for the actions of their Departments in this regard.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: It is the responsibility of individual Ministers to ensure that the conventions on Government publicity and advertising are observed by their Department. Ministers are accountable to Parliament for the actions of their Departments.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Security
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he plans next to meet Ministers of the Government of the Republic of Ireland to discuss security in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Brooke
  Security matters will be discussed at the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference. I expect this to take place shortly.

  UDR Four
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of his consideration of the case of Winston Allen, Noel Bell, James Hegan and Neill Latimer, known as the UDR Four.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Last Thursday the hon. Gentleman presented my right hon. Friend with a dossier regarding these cases. It is being carefully examined.

  Empty Council Housing
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the most recent figure for empty local authority housing for up to six months, 12 months and over one year, respectively; if he will list the local authorities concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The chief executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has advised that at 30 November 1990 they had 1,955 unoccupied dwellings of which 1,176 had been unoccupied for up to six months; 292 had been unoccupied for between six and 12 months and 487 had been unoccupied for more than 12 months. Those figures exclude unoccupied properties which are not available for letting.

  Anglo-Irish Conference
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the last meeting of the Anglo-Irish Conference.

  Mr. Brooke
  The last meeting of the conference took place on 30 November. Matters discussed included the prospects for political talks, security co-operation and economic and social topics. The joint statement issued after the conference was placed in the Library.

  Housing Repossessions
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many writs were lodged before the courts for the repossession of houses in the latest year for which figures are available; how many repossessions occurred over that same period, together with comparable figures for 1980; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Exact information is not available but it is believed that approximately 700 orders to repossess either domestic or commercial mortgaged properties were issued in 1990 compared with about 200 in 1982.

  It should also be remembered that orders do not always lead to actual repossession, and therefore the total number of repossessions is not known.

  Power Station Emissions
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to what extent present energy policy in Northern Ireland is intended to enable European Community directives on emissions from power stations to be complied with.

  Mr. Hanley
  Existing power stations in Northern Ireland will be contributing to the United Kingdom programme, announced on 20 December 1990, for
  573
  achieving the cuts in emissions required by the Large Combustion Plants Directive. As for future power stations, they will have to comply with separate limits given in the directive.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received regarding Sunday trading.

  Mr. Hanley
  Apart from the hon. Member raising the matter in the House on 10 May, no representations have been received in recent years regarding Sunday trading in Northern Ireland.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the latest figure for the level of unemployment in Northern Ireland; and what proposals he has to reduce that level.

  Mr. Hanley
  At 13 December 1990 (the latest date for which figures are available) there were 95,570 unemployed claimants in the Province. The Government's economic development strategy for Northern Ireland aims to improve the competitiveness of the Northern Ireland economy and thereby bring about increased profitability and employment.

  Government
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress is being made in creating institutional and political structures of government in the Province which would command broad public support.

  Mr. Brooke
  I am continuing to seek agreement among the main constitutional parties in Northern Ireland on a basis for talks which would address all key relationships to everyone's satisfaction.

  Rheumatoid Arthritis
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he hopes to announce an appointment in the regional orthopaedic unit at Musgrave Park hospital of a specialist combining treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is the responsibility of the Eastern health and social services board to decide on the requirement for orthopaedic consultants at Musgrave Park hospital and for the Department of Health and Social Services to approve the appointment. No submission for approval to the appointment of a consultant combining treatment of rheumatoid arthritis has yet been received in the Department.

  Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his response to the most recent representations he has had from Colin Wallace.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Mr. Wallace's most recent letter to my right hon. Friend was replied to on 16 August 1990.

  Film Industry
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funding there is for the film industry in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Support for the film industry in Northern Ireland is provided on the same basis as support to industry generally. In addition modest levels of financial assistance are provided by the Arts Council for Northern Ireland and through the business sponsorship incentive scheme administered by the Association for Business Sponsorship of the Arts (ABSA) on behalf of the Department of Education.

  Elderly People
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if any extra resources are being made available specifically for the elderly within the budget of the Eastern health and social services board.

  Mr. Hanley
  Health and social services boards in Northern Ireland will have resources of £830 million available to them in 1991–92, an increase of almost £84 million on the current year. Individual allocations will be announced shortly and it will be for the Eastern board to determine the distribution of resources across the various programmes of care, including the elderly.

  Further Education
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when decisions will be made regarding further education in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The closing date for responses to the Government's consultative document, "Signposts for the 90s—A Review of Further Education", was 31 December 1990. The views received are being carefully considered and an announcement on the way forward will be made in the early summer.

  Security
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the latest security situation.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer to the answer that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, Leith (Mr. Brown).

  Tourist Board
  Mr. Mackay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of the Northern Ireland tourist board.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Northern Ireland tourist board is being restructured and strengthened to enable it to implement the strategy for tourism introduced in 1989 for achieving sustained growth of tourism to and within Northern Ireland.

  Irish Republic
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what subjects he expects to discuss at his next meeting with representatives of the Government of the Republic of Ireland.
  575
  Mr. Brooke
  I expect to discuss political matters, security co-operation and economic and social topics among others at the next meeting of the Anglo-Irish intergovernmental conference.

  Nursery Education
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of three and four-year-olds have a full-time nursery place.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Eight per cent.

  Fallen Animals
  Rev. William McCrea
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the burial of fallen animals.

  Mr. Hanley
  I am aware of the problems associated with the disposal of fallen animals and I am very concerned about the particular difficulties arising from the cessation of collection services by the two major rendering

  Member

  Period of Appointment

  Length of Service

  The Duke of Abercorn (Chairman)

  Since inception on 14 June 1989 to 13 June 1992

  14 June 1989 to date

  Mr. J. B. McGuckian (Deputy Chairman)

  Mrs. M. Spence

  Mr. J. Carson, CBE

  Dr. B. Feeney

  Mr. J. Fitzpatrick

  Dr. R. B. Henderson, CBE

  Mr. F. Cobain

  1 August 1989 to 13 June 1992

  1 August 1989 to date

  Mr. D. Moreland, CBE

  Since inception on 14 June 1989 to 13 June 1992

  14 June 1989 until resignation on 31 March 1990

  Mr. G. R. Irwin

  1 May 1990 to 13 June 1992

  1 May 1990 to date

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of all Government-appointed nominees to the Northern Ireland Fire Authority since its formation, giving the year of appointment and the length of service in each case.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: The information is as follows:

  Name

  Year of appointment

  Length of service

  Mr. F. Proctor

  1973

  14½ years

  Mr. F. McGibbon

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. J. Stewart

  1973

  16 years

  Mr. T. R. Gildea

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. C. J. Boomer

  1977

  5 years

  Mr. W. H. Jeffrey

  1977

  4 years

  Mr. W. T. Annon

  1981

  2 years

  Mr. J. Burchill

  1981

  1 year

  Mr. J. Foster

  1982

  3 years

  Mr. A. C. Walker

  1982

  6 months

  Mr. A. Cairns

  1984

  1 year

  Mr. W. Morrison

  1983

  2 years

  Mr. H. Smyth

  1985

  3 years

  Mr. J. Parkes

  1985

  1½ year

  Mrs. M. Clarke

  1985

  1½ year

  Mr. H. Montgomery

  1989

  1 year

  576
  plants. I have had useful discussions with one of the rendering plants who are considering providing a disposal service.

  I will be meeting next week representatives of district councils in Northern Ireland led by the hon. Member for Fermanagh and South Tyrone (Mr. Maginnis) to discuss the general question of disposal of fallen animals.

  Government Appointees
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of all Government-appointed nominees to the board of Laganside corporation since its formation, giving the year of appointment and the length of service in each case.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: The following members have been appointed by the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland to serve on the board of Laganside Corporation since its inception on the 14 June 1989:

  Name

  Year of appointment

  Length of service

  Mr. J. Walker

  1989

  1 year

  Mr. A. E. S. Barr

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. J. Higgins

  1973

  5 years

  Mr. E. McVeigh

  1973

  8 years

  Mr. N. R. Wilson

  1973

  1 year

  Mr. A. C. McFarland

  1975

  15 years

  Mr. A. N. Creswell

  1979

  2 years

  Mr. S. R. Cameron

  1977

  1 year

  Mr. I. Hunter

  1979

  10 years

  Mr. J. Scott

  1981

  4 years

  Mr. S. Semple

  1981

  8 years

  Mr. T. P. Benson

  1985

  5 years

  Mrs. J. Baird

  1989

  1 year

  Mr. A. Kane

  1989

  1 year

  Mr. A. Keery

  1989

  1 year

  Mr. T. V. Clarke

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. F. Guckian

  1973

  11/2 years

  Mr. R. Price

  1973

  4 years

  Miss C. MacMahon

  1973

  12 years

  Mr. J. Crosby

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. J. J. Cole

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. J. Woods

  1973

  4 years

  Mr. D. Connolly

  1973

  17 years

  Mr. B. Flannery

  1975

  10 years

  Mrs. M. Craig

  1977

  13 years

  Mr. F. Gilligan

  1977

  13 years

  577

  Name

  Year of appointment

  Length of service

  Mr. J. G. Grindle

  1977

  3 months

  Mr. J. Hanna

  1977

  21/2 years

  Mr. P. McCartan

  1981

  8 months

  Mr. J. A. Cathcart

  1973

  91/2 years

  Dr. F. Pinkerton

  1977

  4 years

  Mrs. D. Gharbaoui

  1978

  3 years

  Mrs. R. Forster

  1981

  8 months

  Mr. J. E. Dowling

  1982

  3 years

  Mr. P. Devlin

  1981

  5 months

  Mr. J. Hall

  1983

  2½ years

  Mr. R. W. Hamilton

  1982

  2 years

  Mr. E. Haughey

  1984

  5 years

  Mr. L. Hasson

  1985

  5 years

  Mr. W. Keys

  1985

  5 years

  Mr. L. Thompson

  1985

  5 years

  Mr. K. Spence

  1985

  4 years

  Mrs. E. McMichael

  1989

  1 year

  Mrs. J. Neill

  1989

  1 year

  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the names of all Government-appointed nominees to each health and social services board since its formation, giving the year of appointment and the length of service in each case.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

  Year of appointment

  Length of service to 1991

  Eastern Board

  Mr. N. G. D. Ferguson

  11988

  3 years

  Mrs. B. M. McLaughlin

  1988

  3 years

  Sir Edward Archdale

  1989

  2 years

  Alderman J. S. D. Gilmore

  21989

  2 years

  J. Walker

  21989

  2 years

  A. Maginness

  1989

  2 years

  S. I. G. Adamson

  1989

  2 years

  T. M. Campbell

  1989

  2 years

  Alderman F. R. Kane JP

  31989

  2 years

  J. J. Ritchie

  1981

  10 years

  G. Morrison

  1989

  2 years

  C. Braniff

  1989

  2 years

  Dr. D. Burrows

  1988

  3 years

  Dr. J. R. Hayes

  1982

  9 years

  Dr. W. P. McMillin

  1981

  10 years

  Dr. J. B. White

  1988

  3 years

  Mrs. A. T. Colgan

  1988

  3 years

  Mrs. A. R. Bagnall

  1988

  3 years

  Mr. J. Black

  1990

  1 year

  Mr. T. I. O'Rourke

  1989

  2 years

  Professor A. H. G. Love

  1981

  10 years

  Professor I. C. Benington

  1989

  2 years

  Professor R. G. Shanks

  1982

  9 years

  Mr. J. J. Eccles

  1984

  7 years

  Mr. D. G. G. Moloney

  1984

  7 years

  Mr. J. T. Poldermans

  1984

  7 years

  Mrs. D. E. Field

  1986

  5 years

  Mr. J. C. Morton

  1982

  9 years

  R. Blaney

  1986

  5 years

  Miss E. Irwin

  1983

  8 years

  Northern Board

  Mr. R. J. Hanna (Chairman)

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. B. M. Smyth

  1984

  7 years

  Mr. R. Stinson

  1988

  3 years

  Mr. W. Brownless

  1989

  2 years

  Alderman R. McComb

  1985

  6 years

  Mr. S. C. Dickson

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. W. H. King

  1979

  12 years

  Mr. R. J. K. Loughrin

  1990

  1 year

  Mr. J. W. Fulton

  1988

  3 years

  Mr. P. J. Sweeney

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. M. O'Cleary

  1985

  6 years

  578

  Year of appointment

  Length of service to 1991

  Alderman Mrs. B. J. Gilliland

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. R. P. Agarwala

  1988

  3 years

  Dr. B. A. Sims

  1983

  8 years

  Dr. B. G. Patterson

  1986

  5 years

  Dr. R. E. Henderson

  1983

  8 years

  Mrs. L. R. McCausland

  1986

  5 years

  Mr. J. Currie

  1980

  11 years

  Dr. J. G. Swanton

  1986

  5 years

  Mr. M. E. H. Connolly

  1982

  9 years

  Professor W. Thompson

  1985

  6 years

  Mr. D. J. Clement

  1987

  4 years

  Lady J. P. Brett

  1984

  7 years

  Ms. M. E. Fiddis

  1984

  7 years

  Mrs. E. F. Glover

  1988

  3 years

  Mr. J. JD. McMullan

  1984

  7 years

  Mr. J. R. McGuigan

  1986

  5 years

  Southern Board

  Mr. J. D. Thompson

  41986

  5 years

  Mr. D. J. Ryan

  1988

  3 years

  Mr. J. A. Doogan

  1989

  2 years

  Mrs. J. Baird

  1989

  2 years

  Alderman S. Cairns

  51989

  2 years

  Mr. S. McKavanagh

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. K. Maginnis MP

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. T. D. Kennedy

  1985

  6 years

  Mr. J. V. McCart

  61985

  6 years

  Mr. W. J. H. Graham

  1987

  4 years

  Dr. B. T. McNamee

  1982

  9 years

  Dr. D. E. Dorman

  1984

  7 years

  Dr. R. B. Flood

  71986

  5 years

  Miss R. A. Calvert

  1984

  7 years

  Mrs. E. Steele

  1982

  9 years

  Mr. W. S. Vaughan

  1982

  9 years

  Mr. J. H. Fairleigh

  1981

  10 years

  Professor R. W. Stout

  1982

  9 years

  Mrs. E. McCabe

  1988

  3 years

  Mrs. A. McNutt

  1986

  5 years

  W. F. Gillespie

  1990

  1 year

  P. Quinn

  1990

  1 year

  Mr. T. Moore

  1986

  5 years

  Mr. M. G. Toal

  1986

  5 years

  Western Board

  Mr. R. G. Toland

  41984

  7 years

  A. C. V. Maltby

  1982

  9 years

  Mr. D. F. McQuillan

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. C. O. McClaughry

  1985

  6 years

  Mr. R. Cartwright

  1985

  6 years

  Mrs. A. Courtney

  1985

  6 years

  Alderman J. R. Guy

  1985

  6 years

  Mr. J. McNickle

  1980

  11 years

  Mr. D. C. D. Anderson

  1989

  2 years

  Mr. J. J. O'Kane

  1983

  8 years

  Dr. J. G. McElroy

  1989

  2 years

  B. St. J. McCartie

  1986

  5 years

  Mr. P. T. Darcy

  1990

  1 year

  Mrs. I. McGowan

  1982

  9 years

  Mr. N. W. Bell

  1986

  5 years

  Professor Jennifer R. P. Boore

  1984

  7 years

  Mr. G. W. Odling-Smee

  1982

  9 years

  Mr. W. S. Donaghey

  1984

  7 years

  Mr. K. Cradden

  1986

  5 years

  Mr. F. G. Hughes

  1987

  4 years

  Mr. A. Reid

  1988

  3 years

  Mrs. M. R. Cooper

  1989

  2 years

  1 Chairman from 1989.

  2 Previous service: 1985–87.

  3 Previous service: 1975–82 and 1985–87.

  4 Chairman from 1990.

  5 Previous service: 1977–88.

  6 Previous service: 1977–84.

  7 Previous service: 1972–81.

  579
  The details for board membership from 1972, when the present boards were established, can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

SCOTLAND

  Homelessness
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of homeless persons in Scotland aged 16 and 17 years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information held centrally does not enable such an estimate to be made. Information based on the number of applications received by local authorities under the homelessness legislation for all age groups was given in a reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Cathcart on 1 November 1990 at columns 714–15.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the number of civil penalties imposed in 1989–90 by each community charge registration officer in Scotland in respect of non-return of annual statutory poll tax forms;

  (2) if he will list the numbers per thousand liable poll tax payers of civil penalties imposed in 1989–90 by each community charge registration officer in Scotland in respect of non-return of annual statutory inquiry forms.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many amendments were made during 1990 to each poll tax register in each registration area in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  This information is not held centrally.

  Electoral Rolls
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all parliamentary constituencies in Scotland which will have fewer electors registered in the electoral rolls coming into effect in February 1991 than the number of electors registered for 1990.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information will not be available until the registers are completed in February. I shall write to the hon. Member in due course and place a copy of the information in the Library.

  Wheelchair Access
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the capital sums spent by each local authority in Scotland on(a) improving access to public buildings by people in wheelchairs, (b) improving access to public roads and footpaths by lowering kerb heights and (c) improving access to specially adapted public toilets for use by people in wheelchairs for the most recent years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information in the form requested is not available centrally.

  Housing
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce his approval of a grant by Scottish Homes for the LINK housing scheme at Melrose.

  Mr. Lang
  I have not yet received any application from Scottish Homes to approve payment of grant in respect of the proposed project by LINK housing.

  Forestry
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has required an environmental impact assessment of the proposed forestry plantation at Glen Dye, Grampian region.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. The woodland grant scheme application for Glen Dye was submitted to the Forestry Commission before the Environmental Assessment (Afforestation) Regulations 1988 came into force.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the percentage change in the population of Scotland during(a) the 1970s and (b) the 1980s.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The published estimates show that the population of Scotland fell by 0·1 per cent. between 30 June 1969 and 30 June 1979, and by 2·2 per cent. between 30 June 1979 and 30 June 1989, the most recent date for which information is available.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will express the Scottish unemployment rate as a percentage of the United Kingdom unemployment rate for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  A comparison of Scottish and United Kingdom seasonally adjusted annual average unemployment rates in the period since 1979 is set out in the table. The latest position (December 1990) is such that Scotland's unemployment rate is closer to the United Kingdom average in absolute terms (1·5 percentage points) than it was at any time since January 1979.

  Unemployment rates1

  Scotland

  United Kingdom

  Scottish rate as a percentage of United Kingdom rate

  per cent.

  per cent.

  1979

  5·7

  4·0

  142·5

  1980

  7·0

  5·1

  137·3

  1981

  9·9

  8·1

  122·2

  1982

  11·3

  9·5

  118·9

  1983

  12·3

  10·5

  117·1

  1984

  12·6

  10·7

  117·8

  1985

  12·9

  10·9

  118·3

  1986

  13·3

  11·1

  119·8

  1987

  13·0

  10·0

  130·0

  1988

  11·2

  8·1

  138·3

  1989

  9·3

  6·3

  147·6

  21990

  8·0

  5·8

  137·9

  2December

  8·0

  6·5

  123·1

  1Rates expressed as a percentage of the workforce.

  2 Provisional.

  Private Landlords (Grants)
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number and value of housing authority grants made to private landlords under sections 24 to 26 of the Local Government Act 1988 for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90; and if he will provide a breakdown of the total cost of such grants to individual local authorities in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  In 1989–90, Scottish local authorities applied for and received consent from my right hon. and learned Friend to make section 24 grants on four occasions, in each case to housing associations. The authorities concerned and the amounts were:

  Local authority

  Amount £

  Shetland Islands council

  24,000

  Lochaber district council

  7,000

  North-East Fife district council

  43,000

  Perth and Kinross district council

  25,000

  No consents were applied for in 1988–89.

  Pollution Control
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether grant aid is available under the farm and conservation grant scheme to cover the costs incurred as a result of reinforcement of the electricity supply due to the installation of new pollution control equipment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The provision or upgrading of electricity supply as such is not eligible for grant under the farm and conservation grant scheme, as the hon. Member will know from the reply to a similar question put by him to the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on 3 December.

  There was, however, one exceptional instance some 12 months ago when the Scottish Office allowed grant on the installation of a discrete three-phase electricity supply to power farm waste handling equipment. In that case the provision of a new supply was cheaper and more efficient than the conversion of individual pumps (which are themselves eligible for grant), to run on the existing supply.

  Glasgow City Technology Academy
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was spent from public funds on the proposed city technology academy in Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: Information on the total expenditure incurred is not available and depends in part on negotiations between the GTA and its professional advisers.

HEALTH

  The Gulf
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds have been earmarked for personnel suffering injuries in a possible war in the Gulf in the area health authorities for(a) Sunderland, (b) Durham and (c) Hartlepool; and what assessment has been made on the consequential effects upon local waiting lists.
  582
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if Wythenshawe and Withington hospitals, the Manchester Royal infirmary and Stockport infirmary are included in contingency plans for the treatment of air-lifted casualties to the United Kingdom in the event of international conflict in the Gulf; what effect this emergency use of hospitals will have on local patients; if extra resources are being or will be made available to the hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the current number of closed beds in national health service hospitals in the Greater London area; and how many are now available for casualties arising from a war with Iraq;

  (2) if he will identify the national health service hospitals, number of wards and number of beds in Greater London earmarked for possible casualties in the event of a war with Iraq;

  (3) how many beds currently closed in Newham health district have been earmarked for use by casualties in the event of war with Iraq; and who will pay for such beds being brought back into use in such circumstances.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has, by region, to ensure that the contingency plans for the national health service dealing with casualties of the Gulf crisis in the event of war have no adverse effect on existing waiting lists.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The reception of Gulf casualties will inevitably increase the emergency workload of the National Health Service. We are confident that the health authorities can deal adequately with the increased emergency workload, though some non-emergency admissions may need to be deferred. We do not expect this to be a long term affect and we hope to restore normal level of service as soon as possible.

  Health authorities' plans for dealing with casualties from hostilities in the Gulf involve hospitals throughout the NHS. It is for health authorities to allocate cases to particular hospitals and information on which hospitals are being used is not available centrally.

  As my right hon. Friend announced yesterday, we will provide extra money to meet the full costs of any Gulf casualties. We have told health authorities that they should spend what is necessary and we are giving guidance on how to account for and reclaim Gulf costs. This means that health authorities will be able to continue to use all the money in their normal allocations for their normal workload.

  The Department does not routinely collect information on bed closures, as this is not a good indicator of levels of service in the NHS.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what extra resources will be made available to health authorities dealing with casualties of the Gulf crisis in the event of war.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional resources he is making available to the national health service in the event of war with Iraq.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Health authorities will be given extra money to cover the full cost of treating any casualties from war in the Gulf. We are sending health authorities guidance on how to account for this.
  583
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give, by region, the number of national health service beds to be made available in proposals to deal with casualties of the Gulf crisis in the event of war.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We would make available such beds as are needed. Our plans envisage that all 14 regions, and at regional discretion a number of hospitals within each region, should share in the treatment of casualties.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received on the likely number of casualties to be handled by the national health service arising from a war with Iraq.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Casualty estimates are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many private hospitals have(a) offered assistance and (b) been earmarked to receive casualties in the event of war with Iraq.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities will take whatever action they think appropriate, including using private hospitals, to ensure that any Gulf casualties can be treated quickly and effectively.

  Dental Practitioners
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the impact on the public of the new contract for general dental practitioners.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The new contract for general dental practitioners means better all-round care for patients, including preventive treatment, under national health service arrangements. Patients now also receive more information about their dental care and the choices open to them. Forty-one per cent. of the population are exempt from dental changes. At present, those patients who are not exempt are charged a fixed proportion (75 per cent.) of the fee paid to the dentist for the treatment given. I have no plans to increase the proportional charge in the foreseeable future.

  Food Safety
  Dame Jill Knight
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the terms of reference of the advisory committee and steering group on the microbiological safety of food.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The terms of reference of the advisory committee are:"To assess the risk to humans of micro-organisms which are used or occur in or on food and to advise Ministers on the exercise of powers in the Food Safety Act 1990 relating to the microbiological safety of food."

  The terms of reference of the steering group are:
  "To identify through surveillance the need for action to ensure the microbiological safety of food."

  General Practitioners (Additional Payments)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to using enumeration districts instead of wards when calculating the Jarman 8 index of deprivation to calculate additional payments to general practitioners in areas of deprivation.
  584
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Using enumeration districts instead of wards as the basis for calculating these payments has been suggested to us by general practitioners and others, but it would raise practical problems, for example of sample size, that would require careful consideration. Such a change would be made only if we could be satisfied that it would achieve better targeting of resources.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received regarding the use of the Jarman 8 index of deprivation when calculating additional payments to general practitioners in areas of deprivation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received a number of letters on the use of the Jarman index from general practitioners, hon. Members and various interested groups. Although the representations welcome the introduction of deprivation payments they make a number of comments and criticisms which we are studying carefully.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his current estimate of people in the London borough of Newham waiting for hospital treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is provided in the following table:

  March

  March

  Decrease

  1989

  1990

  Number

  Per cent.

  Total number of list

  1,122

  871

  251

  -22

  Number waiting over one year

  345

  136

  209

  -60

  Note: Excludes self-deferred cases.

  Coronary Heart Disease
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list the health districts in England and Wales with standardised death rates from coronary heart disease more than 30 per cent. higher than the national average for women;

  (2) if he will list the health districts in England and Wales with standardised death rates from coronary heart disease more than 25 per cent. higher than the national average for men.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The figures are as follows:

  Coronary heart disease standardised mortality rate (all ages)

  District health authority

  SMR

  Males

  North Manchester

  137

  Dewsbury

  136

  Wigan

  133

  Bradford

  130

  South West Durham

  130

  Sunderland

  130

  Scunthorpe

  129

  Burnley/Pendle

  128

  Bury

  127

  Hartlepool

  127

  Durham

  126

  Oldham

  126

  Barnsley

  126

  585

  District health authority

  SMR

  Females

  Sunderland

  147

  Barnsley

  145

  South West Durham

  143

  South Tees

  141

  Wigan

  140

  Dewsbury

  140

  Hartlepool

  137

  West Lancashire

  136

  Bradford

  134

  Durham

  134

  Oldham

  133

  North West Durham

  133

  Burnley/Pendle

  133

  Rochdale

  132

  Warrington

  131

  Pontefract

  131

  Bury

  131

  Source:

  Public Health Common Data Set 1990 (Based on data for years 1985–1989).

  Surgery Buildings
  Mr. Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether, under the cost rent scheme, value added tax on the cost of a site, required under the new EEC regulation to be paid on the cost of the site on completion of a surgery building, even when value added tax was not payable when the site was actually purchased before the operation of the EEC regulation, will be calculated as included in the total cost to be covered by the scheme, as if the new regulation had been in force when the land was actually purchased before commencement of the building.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes. We plan to amend the statement of fees and allowances payable to general medical practitioners to allow any VAT liability on site costs to be fully taken into account in assessing the total cost to be covered by the cost rent scheme.

  HIV (Diets)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what communications his Department has received from Anita McDonald concerning the interpretation of her research relating to the cost of diets for people with AIDS or HIV infection; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received no such communications.

  Deprivation Index
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the impact of altering the banding arrangements to include wards with Jarman scores of 10 or over.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of wards (1981 boundaries) which have a Jarman score of 10 or more in England is 1,954. If deprivation payments were to be made at the level (10 or more) the cost would have to be met by reducing other fees and allowances within the remuneration system to ensure that the average net income incurred by general practitioners did not exceed the level recommended by the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body and accepted by the Government. If the payment rate for 586
  the band 30–39 was extended down to 10, some £60 million at January 1991 rates would have to be found by reducing other fees and allowance.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Crisis Loans
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have been awarded crisis loans due to a period of compulsory unpaid holidays under paragraph 4161 of the social fund manual(a) in 1988–89 and (b) 1989–90 by (i) amount paid and (ii) length of time awarded.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available.

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security to what level the limit above which occupational pension is deducted from unemployment benefit would have to be raised in order to restore its April 1981 value as a proportion of average earnings; and whether he will increase it accordingly.

  Mr. Jack
  Against a background in which occupational pensions have been rising, we have no plans to increase the limit; but had it been raised in line with earnings increases since 1981, it would now be £76 at an annual cost of £14 million.

  Income Support
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the percentage fall over the period since the end of April 1987 in the real value of the incomes of persons then receiving supplementary benefit and now receiving income support with transitional protection, assuming that they have no disregarded income.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 20 November at column 108.

  Disabled People (Extra Costs)
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will specify the table in the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys reports which supports the statements of Ministers in Standing Committee E that the average extra costs of people who are not independently mobile are less than half of the average extra costs of those who are unable or virtually unable to walk; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not contained in the tables published in the OPCS reports but is derived from a detailed analysis of the survey data. That analysis indicates that those people already in receipt of mobility allowance had extra costs, on average, of some £13 per week; the group of people who are not independently mobile, whom we expect to receive the new lower rate mobility component, had extra costs, on average, of £6 per week.

  Family Credit
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families employed in farming have been receiving family credit for each year since 1988; and if he will make a statement.
  587
  Mr. Jack
  Separate information about people employed in farming is not available. The total number of people in "farming, fisheries and related occupations", which would include all categories of farming, is as follows:

  At 30 April

  Number

  1989

  10,320

  1990

  11,240

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether employees who pay national insurance are eligible for unemployment benefit during compulsory unpaid holidays.

  Mr. Jack
  Under regulation 7 (1)(h) of the Unemployment, Sickness and Invalidity Benefit Regulations 1983, unemployment benefit cannot be paid while an employee is on a holiday which is recognised or customary in his employment. The only exceptions are

  1. where the employee has been laid off work for an indefinite period which started more than a week before the holiday, or

  2. where the employee has used up his whole year's holiday entitlement between the previous 1 March and the date of the holiday.

  Column 1

  Column 2

  Column 3

  Column 4

  Column 5

  UR date

  Value of CHB + CDI £

  ARV at April 1990 prices over the period £

  RV at April 1990 prices at UR date £

  Value as a percentage of AGWE £

  November 1979

  11·10

  21·31

  23·05

  9·7

  November 1980

  12·25

  20·91

  22·06

  9·1

  November 1981

  12·95

  20·15

  20·82

  8·7

  November 1982

  13·80

  20·50

  20·88

  8·6

  November 1983

  14·10

  19·94

  20·35

  8·2

  November 1984

  14·50

  19·36

  19·94

  7·7

  November 1985

  15·05

  19·44

  19·63

  7·5

  July 1986

  15·15

  19·12

  19·44

  7·2

  April 1987

  15·30

  18·64

  18·80

  6·8

  April 1988

  15·65

  17·99

  18·50

  6·4

  April 1989

  16·20

  17·27

  17·73

  6·0

  April 1990

  1690

  —

  16·90

  5·7

  Abbreviations:

  UR =Uprating.

  CHB =Child benefit.

  CDI =Child dependency increase.

  ARV =Average real value.

  RV =Real value.

  AGWE=Average gross weekly earnings.

  Notes:

  Column 1: Uprating dates refer to the child dependency increases. For all but the first date they are also the uprating dates for child benefit.

  Column 2: The rate of child benefit plus child dependency increase is the same for a widow or an invalidity pensioner.

  Column 3: The average real value (using the general index of retail prices) of the amounts in column 2 over the period between the urprating dates in column 1.

  Column 4: The real value at April 1990 prices (using the general index of retail prices) of the amounts in column 2 at date of uprating in column 1.

  Column 5: The value of the amount in column 2 as a percentage of average gross weekly earnings. The source of the earnings is the new earnings survey and the estimates used up to November 1982 are those for adults aged over 21 in full-time employment whose earnings are unaffected by absence. From November 1983 the source remains the new earnings survey but in respect of all full-time workers on adult rates of pay whose earnings are unaffected by absence.

  The differential between the present combined weekly rate of child benefit and child dependency increase and that payable in 1979 expressed in terms of April 1990 prices has been caused by the method by which child dependency increases are uprated. Both the child benefit
  588
  It is for the independent adjudicating authorities to decide whether a particular holiday is recognised or customary.

  Children (Benefits)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the percentage increase will be in April in the combined value of child dependency increase and child benefit payable to a widow or invalidity pensioner for the first child and each subsequent child in the family.

  Mr. Jack
  The total amount payable to a widow or invalidity pensioner by way of child benefit and child dependency increase will be increased by 6·2 per cent. from £16·90 to £17·95 per child from April.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the combined value of child dependency increase and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1991 prices and as a percentage of average earnings, in November 1979 and at each subsequent uprating date; and what was the reason for any fall in real value since November 1979.

  Mr. Jack
  The values of child dependency increase and child benefit for the child of a widow or invalidity pensioner at current and April 1990 prices (the latest April figure available) and as percentage of average earnings are shown in the table.

  legislation and that governing the uprating of benefits provide for the rate of child benefit to be taken into account when determining the levels of child dependency increases of benefits. The method of doing this is to

  589
  calculate what the child dependency increase would be if the general uprating percentage were applied, and then to deduct any cash increase in child benefit.

  Child Poverty
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie), of 20 December 1990,Official Report, column 318, if he will publish in the Official Report his response to the National Children's Bureau concerning its report into child poverty conducted by Professor Jonathan Bradshaw for publication by UNICEF.

  Mr. Jack
  The response of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is as follows:Thank you for your letter of 7 December enclosing a copy of the report on "Child Poverty and Deprivation in the UK". The Prime Minister has also asked me to thank you for your letter to him dated 11 December. I would like to comment on some aspects of the report which fall within the remit of my Department.
  I read the report with considerable interest, and can assure you that the Government fully agrees with the conclusion that "a key determinant of children's lives is the state of the economy." That is why we have pursued policies aimed at creating a competitive and thriving economy—because we believe that is the best way of helping all the people of this country.
  I was also pleased to see that the author recognises the danger of attempting to define a "poverty line", with poor people on one side and people who are not poor on the other. As you know, we have often drawn attention to the fact that
  590
  no Government in this country—irrespective of political persuasion—has ever accepted that a single "poverty line" can be drawn.
  As the author of your report demonstrates, a line fixed at, or around, the benefit level has the paradoxical effect of increasing the number of "poor" people whenever the benefits are increased. I was therefore rather surprised to see him dismiss one "poverty line" on grounds of "intuition" in favour of another equally arbitrary one at 110 per cent. of the supplementary benefit level.
  I think the report is rather disingenuous in stating that "only" 45 per cent. of the increase in numbers with incomes below this level are accounted for by real increases in benefit levels. Looked at another way, the report is confirming precisely what we have always argued—that a very substantial proportion (nearly half) of the increase in numbers is attributable to real increases.
  I would not dispute that unemployment also played a part in increasing the numbers receiving benefit—but unemployment has virtually halved since the period in question; and the Government has responded to another factor which has also undoubtedly come into play—namely, the growth in lone parenthood, to which we have responded by developing a comprehensive strategy including proposals for enforcement and collection of child maintenance, benefit improvements for lone parents, and better work incentives.
  I was also disappointed to notice that the report, in commenting on the growth in numbers of children living in households with incomes below the average, or below half average, has ignored the very significant growth in average income itself. Any statement about the numbers living on incomes below a proportion of the average is simply incomplete without any reference to the overall growth in the average—which rose by some 23 per cent. between 1979 and 1987. Indeed, a careful examination of tables B3 of Households Below Average Income will demonstrate that between 1979 and 1987 the proportion of children below half average income (1979 level expressed in real terms) actually fell.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Anti-dumping Measures
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many items or products are subject to EC anti-dumping duties, import quotas, secret or otherwise, or price maintenance agreements, including those concluded as a result of anti-dumping investigations; and if he will list the products and items concerned, together with an estimate of the effect on the price of these products.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  At 31 December 1990 definitive anti-dumping remedies were in force on a total of 56 products imported into the European Community from certain exporting countries. A further 5 products are currently subject to provisional anti-dumping duties imposed by the Commission pending a definitive decision by the Council of Ministers. I have placed in the Library of the House a list of all remedies in force on 31 December. This shows not only duties but undertakings given by exporters to observe minimum price levels.

  All products requiring an individual licence for import into the United Kingdom are listed in the open general import licence of 4 December 1987, as amended, which is published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office. The great majority of products subject to quantitative restrictions are textile and clothing products covered by the Multi-Fibre Arrangement. In addition the United Kingdom maintains quotas on bananas from the dollar area and on a variety of products from the remaining state trading countries. I have placed in the Library of the House notice to importers No. 2291 of 3 January which sets out the 1991 quota levels for restricted textiles and Notice to Importers No. 2293 of the same date which gives the provisional 1991 arrangements for the state trading area.

  In addition a number of products are subject under Community regulations to surveillance licensing. This does not amount to a quantitative restriction but can allow voluntary restraint arrangements negotiated or accepted by the Commission to be monitored. Such arrangements cover certain textile and clothing products imported from Egypt, Malta, Morocco, Tunisia and Turkey, most types of footwear from Korea and Taiwan and certain iron and steel products from (in 1990) Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania and Brazil. (This in addition to the United Kingdom quota on iron and steel products from the USSR). Iron and steel products from all sources are subject to surveillance licensing so that a check can be made on the prices at which the products are traded.

  There are no official restrictions on the import of motor vehicles but an inter-industry voluntary restraint arrangement limits the share of the United Kingdom market taken by exports from Japan.

  Anti-dumping remedies are designed to raise the price of dumped products by an amount which reflects either the dumping margin or the margin of injury suffered by EC industry whichever is the lower. The rates of anti-dumping duty applied to each product at the point of import are contained in the list I have placed in the Library. Whether the full effect is felt at retail level will depend on the extent to which margins are adjusted after the point of import.

  The exact effect of quota restrictions is very difficult to estimate but those set at levels that effectively restrict trade can be expected to raise prices to the consumer. A number
  592
  of academic studies have attempted to estimate the price effects in the main sectors. Professor Silberston of Imperial College for instance estimated in 1989 that the ending of the multi-fibre arrangement would lead to a fall of 8 per cent. in average import prices of clothing. In a 1988 study of the cars VRA Professor Alistair Smith of Sussex university estimated that it raised the price of Japanese cars in the United Kingdom by 7·5 per cent. There are no studies covering the whole of the United Kingdom's current restrictions. Estimates are particularly difficult to make where the situation can change from year to year or even more rapidly and earlier studies relating to eastern Europe are now out of date.

  Ford Vehicles (Export)
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has been notified of any significant increase in motor vehicle exports from the Dagenham plant of the Ford Motor Company; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  I was personally notified by the chairman and chief executive of Ford at the start of the export programme from Dagenham. I have written congratulating both management and work force at Dagenham on their behalf.

  Racing
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to investigate the allegations of price rigging and fixing of odds on racecourses and greyhound tracks.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave on 14 January 1991 at col.353.

  Recycling
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer on 26 November,Official Report, columns 276–77, on the importance his Department places on providing outlets for recycled materials in order to achieve the Government's recycling targets, what is his Department's advice to those companies developing markets for refined refuse derived fuels; how they will be helped by current derogation arrangements; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department's advice to all manufacturers of refuse-derived fuel (rdf) would be to work closely with potential users to ensure that the product meets their requirements on, amongst other things, calorific value and burn and emission characteristics. I understand that those companies engaged in developing rdf are already doing this to a large extent, but my department has available two schemes of financial assistance (ETIS, the environmental technology innovation scheme—and DEMOS, DTI's environmental management options scheme) which may be used to aid that process.

  The matter of derogation arrangements is one for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  DAF/Leyland
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has about the numbers of jobs shed by DAF/Leyland in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Holland.

  Mr. Leigh
  Leyland DAF's total employment in the United Kingdom fell from 6,997 at the end of 1989 to 6,471 at the end of 1990. Of this 526 net reduction, 120 jobs were not lost but transferred out of Leyland DAF with the sale of part of the company's business to VDL group. I have no information on the company's employment figures in the Netherlands.

  Exports to Brazil
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will extend Export Credits Guarantee Department cover to British machine manufacturers exporting to Brazil;

  (2) if he will take steps to enable British knitting machine manufacturers to offer extended credit terms of up to five years, with low rates of interest on supplies of such machines to Brazil.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  ECGD cover for export contracts in Brazil on credit terms of up to five years is currently suspended. Brazil is in arrears on debts which have already been rescheduled. These arrears must be settled and an IMF economic programme implemented before .ECGD can consider restoring extended credit arrangements.

  If and when ECGD is able to resume medium cover, finance will be made available by United Kingdom banks at interest rates permitted under the OECD consensus arrangements.

  Terrorism (Insurance)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he intends to issue guidelines to insurance companies about damage resulting from Iraqi terrorist acts in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Association of British Insurers has issued a statement on this matter. Their guidelines deal with the impact of possible Iraqi terrorist action on existing policies. I am arranging for a copy of the ABI's statement to be placed in the Library.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Land Sales
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what process of consultation with land users is followed when church land is sold for development.

  Mr. Alison
  The consultation procedure depends on the category of Church land to be sold. In the case of glebe land, the relevant diocesan board of finance is the owner and, under the Endowments and Glebe Measure 1976, they are legally required to notify the incumbent (or, if the 594
  living is vacant, the churchwardens) who may make representations to the Commissioners. It would also be usual for the board to consult tenants, though they are not required by the measure to do so.

  The local planning authority will follow its own consultation procedures in relation to any application for planning permission.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, how much land has been sold by the Lincoln Diocese Board in each of the latest three available years; and how much was raised by the sales.

  Mr. Alison
  Details of glebe sales in Lincoln diocese for 1988–90 are:

  Acres

  Proceeds (£)

  1988

  429

  794,874

  1989

  558

  1,349,604

  1990

  433

  1,641,834

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, how much land has been sold by the Church Commissioners in each of the three latest available years; how much was raised in each of the three years by sales; and how much was reinvested in land.

  Mr. Alison
  Sales and purchases of agricultural land for 1987–89 are shown in the following table. They reflect the Commissioners' stated policy of releasing capital for reinvestment in other sectors, through sales of vacant farms as opportunities arise.

  Acres sold

  Net sale proceeds £ million

  Acres purchased

  Net cost of purchases £

  1987

  835

  4·2

  Nil

  Nil

  1988

  3,121

  11·9

  65

  147,000

  1989

  4,791

  16·1

  14

  9,000

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what representations the Church Commissioners have received from residents and allotment holders about the sale of church land on the Boulthness Glebe in Lincoln; and what action they propose to take to meet representatives of the allotment holders and local councillors to discuss the sale.

  Mr. Alison
  I believe that the property that the hon. Member has in mind is at Boultham. The Commissioners have not received any representations about the sale of church land there and have no plans to meet allotment holders or local councillors.

  I understand, however, that the Lincoln diocesan board of finance has submitted a planning application for residential development of part of the glebe land and the creation of a wildlife habitat on the remainder. The board will forward any consequent sale proposals to the Commissioners, whose consent is required under the Endowments and Glebe Measure 1976.

  THE GULF: USE OF ARMED FORCE
  THE GULF: USE OF ARMED FORCE
  GULF CRISIS FINANCIAL CO-ORDINATION GROUP
  GULF CRISIS FINANCIAL CO-ORDINATION GROUP
  INCOME GENERATION UNIT
  INCOME GENERATION UNIT
  MEDICAL SCHOOLS: FUNDING
  MEDICAL SCHOOLS: FUNDING
  CALEDONIAN MACBRAYNE LTD: SUPPORT
  CALEDONIAN MACBRAYNE LTD: SUPPORT
  SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN YEAR-OLDS: SEVERE HARDSHIP SUPPORT
  SIXTEEN AND SEVENTEEN YEAR-OLDS: SEVERE HARDSHIP SUPPORT
  REFUGEES: INCOME SUPPORT
  REFUGEES: INCOME SUPPORT
  PUPILS OVER 16 IN SCHOOLS: INCOME SUPPORT/PARENTAL SUPPORT DATA
  PUPILS OVER 16 IN SCHOOLS: INCOME SUPPORT/PARENTAL SUPPORT DATA
  PUPILS OVER 16 IN SCHOOL: HOUSING/MAINTENANCE DATA
  PUPILS OVER 16 IN SCHOOL: HOUSING/MAINTENANCE DATA
  AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY
  AREAS OF OUTSTANDING NATURAL BEAUTY