Written Answers of 21 January 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Access to Dwellings
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Attorney-General how many kinds of orders or warrants give courts, the police, bailiffs or solicitors access to private dwellings without permission of the resident.

  The Attorney-General
  There are no orders or warrants which grant the courts access to private dwellings without the permission of the resident other than through a bailiff. There are four situations in which bailiffs have such powers. First, a bailiff may force re-entry to premises from which he has been forcibly ejected when levying distress. Secondly a bailiff may force an entry to premises to which goods have been removed in order to avoid distress. Thirdly, a bailiff may force entry to premises in order to give possession to the plaintiff. Fourthly, a bailiff may force entry in order to execute a warrant of restitution.

  A solicitor may gain access to a private dwelling without permission only when attending a defendant's premises with a plaintiff in order to execute an Anton Piller order.

  Initial examination has identified some 21 categories of offence in relation to which the police have specific statutory powers of entry to private dwellings without permission of the resident. These are listed alphabetically in the table.

  Categories of offence in relation to which the police have powers of entry to private dwellings without consent

  By warrant or court order

  Animals

  Children

  Copyright

  Criminal Damage

  Drugs

  Entertainments

  Explosives

  Forgery and Fraud

  Gaming

  Immigration

  Incitement to Racial Hatred

  Liquor Licensing

  Mental Health

  National Security and Terrorism

  Obscenity and Indecency

  Offensive Weapons

  Poaching

  Scrap Metal

  Sexual Offences

  Stolen Goods

  Without warrant or court order

  Road Traffic

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps he is taking to ensure that there is no misuse of Anton Piller orders.

  The Attorney-General
  Since the Court of Appeal laid down the preconditions for the granting of such orders in 2
  Piller KG v. Manufacturing Processes (1976), case law has prescribed numerous safeguards in the granting and execution of Anton Piller orders.

  An additional safeguard recommended by the civil justice review is that the power to grant Anton Piller orders should, subject to certain exceptions, be reserved to High Court judges. My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor is presently considering the terms in which tills should be included in regulations, a draft of which is presently being consulted upon.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Attorney-General how many Anton Piller orders have been issued in each year since they came into existence.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government do not maintain statistics on the number of Anton Piller orders issued by the courts.

  Women Judges
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to equalise the number of women circuit judges, recorders and assistant recorders; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has repeatedly made clear his wish to appoint more women to judicial office. Steps have been taken to make this widely known, and thus to encourage more suitably qualified women to put themselves forward for consideration. The composition of the bench at any one time is, however, dependent on the composition of the legal profession in the age groups with the necessary experience to be suitable. At the moment, there are relatively few women in the legal profession in the appropriate age groups with the right experience. It is expected that the number will increase significantly over the next 10 years, and that this will result in more women judges, recorders and assistant recorders.

ENERGY

  Oil Well Fires
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what percentage of the crude oil is converted into soot when an oil well burns out of control;

  (2) when crude oil burns out of control in an oil well fire, what proportion of the oil is converted into soot; and how effective the atomic carbon so released is at absorbing sunlight.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer the hon. Member to the note produced by the Meteorological Office on the possible environmental impacts of burning oil wells in Kuwait, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  The worst case scenario considered in the Meteorological Office's note is based on the assumption that 6 per cent. of the oil would be converted to black smoke. The note, however, records that the amount of smoke could be significantly less. The effectiveness of a smoke plume in absorbing sunlight depends on the details of combustion and dispersal.

  North Sea Standby Vessels
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement about the future safety regime he plans for North sea standby vessels.
  3
  Mr. Moynihan
  In his report on the Piper Alpha disaster, Lord Cullen made a number of recommendations aimed at improving the quality of standby vessels, including a need for new regulations. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear to the House in his statement of 12 November, the Government accept all of Lord Cullen's recommendations, and work is in progress to implement them as quickly as possible.

  Oil Production
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the normal level of oil production offshore for (i) Kuwait, (ii) Saudi Arabia and (iii) in total for all the oil-producing states in the Persian Gulf.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The normal approximate output levels of offshore oil production are:

  (i) Kuwait: 0·024 million barrels/day.

  (ii) Saudi Arabia (incl. neutral zone): 2 million barrels/day.

  (iii) Total Persian Gulf states: 4 million barrels/day.

  The data are largely from the "Arab Oil and Gas Directory 1990".

  Public Utilities
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the benefit that could be achieved for energy consumers through closer collaboration between electricity suppliers and other utilities, particularly the water companies.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This is a matter for the companies concerned, within the relevant statutory and regulatory provisions.

  Tidal Barrages
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what help he will give to promote the construction of tidal barrages in the Severn and the Mersey estuaties.

  Mr. Moynihan
  As part of our on-going research programme on renewable energy technologies, my Department is making funds available to assist feasibility studies for tidal energy barrages on the Severn and Mersey estuaries. As I announced on 30 August 1990, £456,000 is to be contributed to new environmental studies by the

  Male establishments

  Female establishments

  Young offender institutions

  Granted

  Failed to return on time

  Granted

  Failed to return on time

  Granted

  Failed to return on time

  1987

  6,095

  330

  226

  20

  1,458

  56

  1988

  10,472

  712

  435

  28

  1,559

  69

  1989

  14,611

  1,092

  411

  14

  2,611

  129

  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was spent on home leave and temporary release for prisoners in 1987–88, 1988–89 and 1989–90, respectively.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Figures collected centrally do not distinguish between expenditure on home leave and other forms of temporary release. The table details payments made to prisoners on all forms of temporary release 4
  Severn Tidal Power Group. Also, up to £1–5 million is being made available for a third phase of feasibility studies by the Mersey Barrage Company.

  In regard to the Mersey barrage, a ministerial committee has been established under my chairmanship with the following terms of reference and departmental membership:

  To consider the proposed Mersey barrage and, in particular, to address key issues such as:

  the value of the project

  the role of non-energy costs and benefits

  the evaluation of the effects of barrage construction and operation on regional development and other legitimate interests.

  To explore ways in which the various government departments which might be involved in or affected by such a project can best co-operate in order to ensure that all the necessary information is brought to bear in the most effective way during such consideration.

  Departmental Membership:

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  Employment

  Energy

  Environment

  Social Security

  Trade and Industry

  Transport

  Treasury

  Welsh Office

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prisoners (Home Leave)
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) male and (f) female prisoners were granted home leave each year from 1986 to 1989; and how many of these failed to return on time.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information for 1986 is not available. The information available for 1987–89 should be regarded as approximate, since it is collected on the basis of overall numbers at individual establishments. Establishments holding more than one type of offender—that is, male, female and young offenders—do not provide returns that distinguish between them.

  The figures relate to the number of leaves taken. Many prisoners are entitled to more than one leave a year, so the number of individuals will therefore be lower.

  The available information is as follows:

  including home leave. The principal costs of the scheme derive from payments for travel and subsistence for the inmates concerned.

  £

  1987–88

  286,928

  1988–89

  423,303

  1989–90

  548,293

  Drug Misuse
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of people convicted of drug misuse in the area governed by the Seaham and Peterlee magistrates courts by year since 1985.

  Mr. John Patten
  The number of persons convicted by the Peterlee and Seaham—now the Easington, and Houghton-le-Spring division of Sunderland metropolitan district—magistrates' courts in each year since 1985 for offences relating to drug misuse is given in the table.

  Number of persons

  1985

  7

  1986

  5

  1987

  3

  1988

  5

  1989

  9

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Huddersfield, (Mr. Sheerman) on 19 December 1990,Official Report, columns 203–4, whether he will (a) list all the items of data to be held on the new police national computer that will be linked to those data that relate to driver licensing (b) list all the items of data to be held on the new police national computer that will be linked to those data that relate to driver records, (c) indicate whether there will be any free text fields or warning signals associated with any driver licensing or driver records. (d) indicate the anticipated number of driver licensing and driver records held, (e) indicate the estimated number of access to these records as compared with routine vehicle checks and (f) describe the circumstances when it is anticipated that these new records will be used by police;

  (2) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Huddersfield on 19 December 1990, Official Report, columns 203–4, whether he received advice from, or had meetings with, the Data Protection Registrar before deciding on the nature of the closer links between the new police national computer and the DVLA in Swansea.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The proposal to provide information relating to driver records and licensing on PNC2 is still at the planning stage. The items of data that would be held have yet to be determined. To meet the needs identified in the road traffic law review, the following information would need to be kept:

  Name and address

  Date of birth

  Driver number

  Licence issue number

  Type of licence

  Categories of vehicles covered and expiry dates

  Whether duplicate licence has been issued

  Any current disqualification

  Total number of penalty points

  It is proposed to keep the information as a separate PNC file and not to include free text fields or warning signals. I understand that there are some 46 million driver licence records. It is not possible to estimate with any accuracy the number of inquiries which may be made of the file, but it is reasonable to assume that it could be between 50 to 100 per cent. of vehicle accesses. About 21 million vehicle inquiries are currently made each year.
  6
  The application will enable a police officer to establish immediately whether a person has a valid licence to drive and the appropriateness of the fixed penalty procedures when an offence has been committed.

  I recognise the need to keep the Data Protection Registrar informed of our proposals for PNC2. A meeting was held last July with his staff to discuss PNC2 developments and we shall consult further as our plans for new applications proceed.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Department's computers in-house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by his civil servants outside his Department's offices.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  A range of security measures have been developed to protect computers and the data that they process, according to the assessed risk to each system. These include physical, personnel and electronic controls as well as guidance to staff on secure handling procedures. It is not Government policy to disclose details of these measures, since to do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and thereby reduce the effectiveness of the measures. The measures are kept under review.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the role, and its activities to date, of the broadcasting unit in his Department in relation to the crisis in the Gulf.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The broadcasting department of the Home Office has no specific role in relation to the crisis in the Gulf.

  Taylor Report
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards implementation of the proposals of the Taylor report.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to a question from the hon. Member for Pontypridd (Dr. Howells) on 14 January at column 375.

  Traffic Wardens
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current strength of the traffic co-ordination and support branch of the Metropolitan police (TO14), and the current number of traffic wardens in London.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 31 December 1990 the strength of TO14 branch of the Metropolitan police was 120 police officers, 36 civil staff and 31 vehicle removal officers; and the strength of the traffic warden service was 1,416.

  Belmarsh Prison
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are expected to be accommodated at Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh when it opens in April 1991; and what is the planned maximum number of inmates.
  7
  Mrs. Rumbold
  It is expected that Belmarsh prison will hold about 180 prisoners when it opens in April 1991 and will gradually take more prisoners until it reaches its operating capacity of 841 in September.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the posts of Her Majesty's prison Belmarsh have so far been filled in(a) unified prison grades and (b) for civilian workers.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The number of unified prison grades in posts on 15 January 1991 was 75 and the number of civilian staff was 97 full time and one part time.

  Postal and Proxy Votes
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make the application form to vote by post or proxy due to physical incapacity No. RPF 7B available in Braille;

  (2) if he will list the languages in which his Department's form RPF 7B for application to vote by post or proxy in respect of physical incapacity is available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Form RPF 7B is available in English and Welsh language versions. There are no plans to make it available in Braille.

  Feltham Young Offenders Institution
  Mr. Thornton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he expects the provision of education in the remand wing of Feltham young offenders institution to be restored in the near future; and if he will make a statement on the recent visit by the Minister of State the right hon. Member for Mitcham and Morden (Mrs. Rumbold).

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Education classes in the remand wing at Feltham young offenders institution are currently being prevented by a dispute between management and the local branch of the Prison Officers Association over staffing levels. A meeting will take place next month at which I hope the dispute will be resolved.

  I visited Feltham on 8 January as part of a programme of visits I am undertaking to prison service establishments.

  Private Security Industry
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is now in a position to place a copy of the Home Office's report on the private security industry in the Library; and if he will outline the Government's response to this.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We are considering a range of options for improving the regulation of the private security industry. When consideration of this issue has been completed, we will decide what circulation to give to the working group's report.

  Charities
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress he is making with the Government's review of charity law, following the reports of the National Audit Office and the Public Accounts Committee.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Government's proposals for the reform of charity law are set out in the White Paper 8
  "Charities: A framework for the Future" which was presented to Parliament on 16 May 1989. The Government hope to introduce legislation to give effect to these proposals within the lifetime of this Parliament.

  Immigration Rules
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he intends to make changes in the immigration rules.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has reviewed the immigration arrangements currently in force in relation to Iraqi nationals in the light of the outbreak of hostilities in the Gulf. He has concluded that it is now necessary to suspend the normal immigration facilities for Iraqis wishing to come to the United Kingdom or to extend their stay, and to extend the requirement on Iraqis remaining here to register with the police. The following changes took effect on Saturday, 19 January.

  A "Statement of Changes in the Immigration Rules" was laid before Parliament on 18 January and this will provide for applications by Iraqi nationals for visas, for leave to enter, whether or not a visa has previously been issued, or for extensions of stay to be refused. Discretion exists to grant applications outside the immigration rules, but this will be exercised only sparingly in compassionate circumstances where we are satisfied that no threat to national security is involved.

  The concession under which Iraqi nationals are permitted to pass through the United Kingdom as airside transit passengers without a visa is being withdrawn.

  My right hon. Friend has made an order requiring all Iraqi nationals who are in the United Kingdom on limited leave to register with the police if they are not already subject to such a requirement.

  These measures will not affect Iraqi nationals who possess British citizenship or who are nationals of European Community member states exercising treaty rights in the United Kingdom.

THE ARTS

  Museum Collections, Derbyshire
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he intends to intervene in the proposed sale of items from the collections of Derbyshire county council museums and galleries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I have no statutory powers in relation to museums and galleries run by local authorities.

  The use of any proceeds from the disposal of items from the collection of a museum for purposes other than the purchase of additional items, is contrary to the codes of practice of the Museums Association. I understand that the Museums Association has warned Derbyshire county council that its membership of the association will be reconsidered if the proposed sale goes ahead. The county has also been warned that its eligibility for awards through the Museums and Galleries Commission would be at risk in this event. I hope very much that Derbyshire county council will take notice of the strong protests aroused by its proposed action and rescind its intention to sell these items.

  Works of Art (Exports)
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list the items for which the issuing of export licences was withheld on the recommendation of the reviewing committee on the export of works of art during the half year ended 31 December 1990, specifying in each case the valuation and whether an item was eventually exported or retained, with particulars in the latter event of the acquiring institution; whether he will list any items for which licences have been withheld but the final disposal of which is not yet decided, specifying in each case(a) the valuation and (b) the relevant time limit; and whether a press notice will be issued from the Office of Arts and Libraries covering the information given in his reply, including that relating to the outcome in individual cases.

  Mr. Renton
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry accepted my recommendation, following consideration by the reviewing committee on the export of works of art, to defer making for a specified period a decision on an export licence application in respect of the items listed. Details of the items on which decisions were deferred were given in press notices issued at the time the Secretary of State decided to accept the recommendation, and a further press notice will now be issued.

  Description of Item

  Valuation £

  Outcome

  A pair of George II armchairs by William and John Linnell

  200,700

  Purchased by the Victoria and Albert

  The Badminton Cabinet

  8,697,000

  Decision deferred until 17 March 1991

  Drawing by Bomberg "Family bereavement"

  54,000

  Application withdrawn by applicant

  Item

  To whom allocated

  Condition/Wishes expressed

  "Farm Cart with Horse in Harness" by Constable

  Ipswich borough council

  Wish to go to Ipswich museum

  Kirckman Harpsichord

  Manchester city council, for use and display at Heaton Hall

  Wish to go to the Fitzwilliam museum

  "Richmond pres Londres" by Corot

  Orleans House, Richmond

  Wish to go to a London gallery

  Items awaiting allocation

  Date of acceptance

  Collection of works by and relating to John Piper

  31 October 1990

  "Girl at a window, Little Rachel" by W.R. Sickert

  15 November 1990

  It has not been considered worthwhile, in this instance, to issue a press notice since the only material contained in this answer which has not been the subject of previous press notices is the detailing of wishes expressed with each offer.

  Welsh National Opera
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make it his policy to ensure that Welsh National Opera is funded securely for the future; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I have no direct involvement in decisions relating to levels of public subsidy for individual arts organisations. The Welsh National Opera is funded jointly
  10

  Description of Item

  Valuation £

  Outcome

  Painting by Ribera "Martyrdom of Saint Bartholomew"

  2,787,500

  Export licence granted

  Two Bronze trumpet fibulas

  1,560

  Purchased by Leeds city council

  Red enamel brooch

  815

  Purchased by the British museum

  Items in Lieu of Tax
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will list the allocations made to public institutions in the United Kingdom during the half year ended 31 December 1990 of individual works of art and museum objects pre-eminent for national, scientific, historic or artistic interest which have been accepted in satisfaction of inheritance tax or capital transfer tax, together with information, where applicable, as to conditions or wishes expressed in the matter of allocation by testators or executors; whether he will list the works of art and museum objects which are still awaiting allocation, with the respective dates of their acceptance in satisfaction of inheritance tax or capital transfer tax; and whether a press notice will be issued from the Office of Arts and Libraries in the event of any information being given in his reply which has not previously been announced.

  Mr. Renton
  The information that the hon. Gentleman requests is as follows:

  by the Arts Council of Great Britain and the Welsh Arts Council. I understand that the funding bodies and WNO are currently working together constructively to find a mutually acceptable solution to the company's present financial difficulties. I very much hope that there will be a successful outcome.

  Museums and Galleries (Attendances)
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1990 reported by national museums and galleries in England for which he is responsible, broken down into the individual institutions, but including their outstations, with figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1989.

  Mr. Renton
  The estimated number of visitors during 1990 to the 11 national museums and galleries for which I am responsible are as follows:
  11

  Estimated Attendance in 1990

  Percentage Change from 1989

  British Museum

  5,079,472

  +8·4

  Imperial War Museum

  1,257,277

  +4·4

  National Gallery

  3,682,233

  +9·3

  National Maritime Museum

  595,353

  +40·5

  National Museums and Galleries on Merseyside

  1,292,590

  -4·2

  National Portrait Gallery

  602,069

  -3·7

  Natural History Museum

  1,459,100

  -5·8

  Science Museum

  2,683,349

  +2·9

  Tate Gallery

  2,210,254

  +13·9

  Victoria and Albert Museum

  1,356,944

  -1·6

  Wallace Collection

  135,866

  +5·3

  Total

  20,354,507

  +5·7

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Income Tax
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in the 1991–92 financial year of introducing a reduced rate tax band of(a) 20 per cent. and (b) 15 per cent. on the first £2,000 of taxable income; and what would be the effect on the net income of (i) a single person, (ii) a couple where the wife is not working and (iii) a couple where the wife is working and paying tax.

  Mr. Maude
  The direct revenue cost of a reduced rate of 20 per cent. on the first £2,000 of taxable income in 1991–92 would be about £2·4 billion in a full year. A reduced rate of 15 per cent. of the same band of taxable income would cost about £4·8 billion in a full year. These estimates are based on a projection of the 1988–89 survey of personal incomes and are provisional. The increases in income after tax of the different types of family would be as follows:

  Increase in income after tax1

  £ per week

  (a) Reduced rate of 20 per cent. On first £ 2,000 of taxable income

  (b) Reduced rate of 15 per cent. on first £2,000 of taxable income

  Family type

  (i) Single person

  1·92

  3·85

  (ii) Married couple with wife not working

  1·92

  3·85

  (iii) Married couple with wife working and paying tax

  3·85

  7·69

  1 Illustrative calculations assume taxpayers have enough income to use the whole of the reduced rate band; in line (ii) the wife's income is assumed to be less than the personal allowance.

  Fraud
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much money Her Majesty's Government estimate has been lost in the latest year for which comparable figures are available as a result of fraudulent tax claims and fraudulent social security claims; and how many persons have been successfully prosecuted, respectively, in Scotland.

  Mr. Maude
  Reliable estimates are not available of the cost of fraudulent tax or social security claims.
  12
  In the year 1989–90 in Scotland the number of persons successfully prosecuted by the Inland Revenue in respect of false accounts or returns, and false claims to personal allowances, deductions for expenses or repayments, was three.

  In the year 1989–90 in Scotland the number of persons successfully prosecuted by the Department of Social Security for social security fraud was 906.

  Incomes
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what was the income per capita in Northern Ireland as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year;

  (2) what was the income per capita in Wales as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year;

  (3) what was the income per capita in Scotland as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year;

  (4) what was the income per capita in each of the regions of England as a percentage of the United Kingdom level in the latest available year.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest estimates of personal and household income for the regions of the United Kingdom are provisional estimates for 1988. They were published in "Regional Accounts 1988 Part 2" in the April 1990 issue of Economic Trends—page 115 onwards. The data are also held in computer readable form in the Library of the House. Estimates consistent with the 1990 national accounts and the recently issued regional GDP figures will be published in the April 1991 issue of Economic Trends.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross domestic product of the United Kingdom is attributable to London and the south-east.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest estimates of regional gross domestic product were published in "Regional Accounts 1989 Part 1" in the November 1990 issue of Economic Trends (page 98 onwards). This includes provisional estimates for 1989 which suggest that 36.6 per cent. of the gross domestic product of the United Kingdom, excluding the continental shelf, is attributable to London and the south-east. Regional GDP is estimated at factor cost and at current prices using the income approach.

  Taxation
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will provide figures for 1979 and 1987 showing, on an equivalent income basis, the proportion of each of the following household types in each quintile of(a) original and (b) post-tax income, as defined in the annual articles in Economic Trends on the effects of taxes and benefits, (i) one adult with children, (ii) two adults with children, (iii) non-retired without children and (iv) retired.

  Mr. Maude
  The information is not available in the precise form requested because there is now only one
  13
  method of ranking used to produce the annual article in Economic Trends, and this uses equivalised disposable

  Percentages of household types within each quintile group of equivalised disposable income, 1979 and 1987

  Quintile groups of equivalised disposable income

  Household type

  Bottom

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  Top

  All households

  1979

  1 adult with children

  6

  3

  2

  2

  1

  3

  2 adults with children

  16

  32

  43

  33

  18

  28

  Non-retired without children

  11

  23

  33

  51

  73

  38

  Retired

  65

  33

  10

  4

  4

  23

  3 or more adults with children

  2

  8

  12

  10

  5

  8

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  1987

  1 adult with children

  9

  6

  2

  1

  4

  2 adults with children

  19

  21

  33

  29

  20

  24

  Non-retired without children

  19

  22

  38

  52

  70

  40

  Retired

  48

  46

  18

  11

  8

  26

  3 or more adults with children

  5

  5

  8

  7

  3

  5

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  100

  Source: Central Statistical Office based on Family Expenditure Survey.

  House Purchase (VAT)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to ensure there is no discrimination as far as value-added tax is concerned between those people buying a purpose-built holiday home and those purchasing from current housing stock a dwelling for use as a second home; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There is, and should he, a distinction drawn for VAT purposes between second homes which are capable of being occupied throughout the year and which may be treated as principal private residences—and purpose-built holiday homes which the buyers cannot occupy lawfully throughout the year or as their principal private residences. There is no reason why the latter should not be taxed under a broad based consumption tax such as VAT when other forms of holiday accommodation are taxed. Failure to do so would conflict with European Community law.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total income from privatisation sales since 1979.

  Mr. Maude
  Net privatisation proceeds up to 1989–90 amount to some £281/2 billion.

PRIME MINISTER

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister on what occasions since May 1979 he, or his predecessor, has met(a) the President of Iraq, (b) the Foreign Minister of Iraq and (c) the Defence Minister of Iraq; and what matters were discussed.

  The Prime Minister
  My predecessor met the then Foreign Minister of Iraq, Dr. Sa'dun Hammadi, on 914
  income. The figures for 1987 are the first to use this new methodology, and the data for 1979 have been reworked on to the new basis. The figures are given in the table.

  March 1981. She also met Mr. Tariq Aziz in May 1985 when he came as a member of an Arab League delegation and again on 4 December 1985. A number of regional issues were discussed.

  Ministers (Overseas Visits)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Prime Minister which Ministers have visited Japan since 1983.

  The Prime Minister
  The following Ministers have visited Japan since 1983:

  1983

  18 to 23 January

  Mr. Jenkin, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 5 to 12 March

  Mr. Blaker, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence

  1984

  26 to 27 May

  Sir Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs

  26 September to 6 October

  Mr. Morrison, Minister of State, Department of Employment

  1 to 13 October

  Mr. Edwards, Secretary of State for Wales 6 to 9 October

  Mr. Luce, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office

  28 October to 2 November

  Mr. Butcher, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry

  1985

  15 to 19 April

  Mr. Tebbit, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

  2 to 9 June

  Mr. Pattie, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  2 to 14 June

  Mr. Brooke, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Education and Science.

  10 to 14 September

  Mr. Hunt, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Energy.

  1 to 5 October

  Mr. Ridley, Secretary of State for Transport.

  25 October to 2 November

  Mr. Younger, Secretary of State for Scotland.

  15
  1986

  11 to 19 March

  Mr. Edwards, Secretary of State for Wales.

  1 to 5 April

  Mr. Howard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  4 to 6 May (Tokyo Economic Summit)

  Mrs. Thatcher, Prime Minister, Sir Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs Mr. Lawson, Chancellor of the Exchequer.

  24 to 30 May

  Mr. Trippier, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment.

  22 July

  Mr. Raison, Minister for Overseas Development.

  17 to 20 September

  Mr. Spicer, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Ministry of Transport.

  23 to 25 September

  Mr. Morrison, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  13 to 16 October

  Lord Trefgarne, Minister of State, Ministry of Defence

  24 to 28 November

  Mr. Channon, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

  10 to 12 January

  Mr. Clarke, Paymaster-General, Department of Employment.

  16 to 19 January

  Mrs. Rumbold, Minister of State, Department of Education and Science.

  16 to 19 January

  Mr. Needham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office.

  5 to 8 April

  Mr. Howard, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  20 to 24 April

  Mr. Shaw, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  17 to 21 October

  Mr. Rifkind, Secretary of State for Scotland

  15 to 20 November

  Mr. Walker, Secretary of State for Wales

  9 to 13 January

  Mr. Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  10 to 17 March

  Lord Young, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. 5 to 8 July

  Mr. Patten, Minister for Overseas Development.

  27 August to 2 September

  Mr. Bottomley, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Transport.

  12 to 16 September

  Mr. MacGregor, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  30 September to 1 October

  Mr. Morrison, Minister of State, Department of Energy.

  1 to 8 October

  Mr. Roberts, Minister of State, Welsh Office.

  15 to 18 October

  Lord Glenarthur, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  23 to 26 October

  Mr. King, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  12 to 19 November

  Mr. Lang, Minister of State, Scottish Office.

  14 to 19 January

  16

  Mr. Maude, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  23 to 25 February

  Sir Geoffrey Howe, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  2 to 6 April

  Mr. Moore, Secretary of State for Social Security.

  18 to 24 May

  Lord Young, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

  13 to 21 June

  Mr. Lee, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Employment.

  10 to 14 September

  Mr. Rifkind, Secretary of State for Scotland.

  19 to 21 September

  Mrs. Thatcher, Prime Minister.

  24 September to 4 October

  Mr. Jackson, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department of Education and Science.

  27 to 30 September

  Mr. Walker, Secretary of State for Wales.

  5 to 7 October

  Mr. Howard, Minister of State, Department of the Environment.

  15 to 18 November

  Lord Trefgarne, Minister of State, Department of Trade and Industry.

  26 November to 2 December

  Lord Sanderson, Minister of State, Scottish Office.

  4 to 8 December

  Mr. Needham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office.

  1990

  10 to 15 May

  Mr. Ridley, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. 24 to 29 June

  Mr. Eggar, Minister of State, Department of Employment. 15 to 18 July

  Mrs. Chalker, Minister for Overseas Development.

  9 to 11 September

  Mr. Hurd, Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs.

  11 to 14 September

  Mr. Howard, Secretary of State for Employment.

  15 to 19 September

  Mr. Patten, Secretary of State for the Environment.

  28 September to 4 October

  Mr. Mellor, Minister for the Arts.

  2 to 7 November

  Mr. Lang, Minister of State, Scottish Office.

  13 to 22 November

  Mr. Hunt, Secretary of State for Wales.

  25 November to 1 December

  Mr. Needham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Northern Ireland Office.

  9 to 12 December

  Lord Caithness, Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  1991

  17 to 19 January

  Mr. Liffey, Secretary of State for Trade and Industry.

  Kincora Boys' Home
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will review all official papers on the Kincora boys' home;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the Kincora boys' home affair;

  (3) if he will institute a new inquiry into events surrounding the Kincora boys' home.
  17
  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received since taking office to the present date, concerning the Kincora boys' home.

  The Prime Minister
  None.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to obtain for the library of No. 10 Downing street a copy of the BBC2 "Public Eye" programme entitled "Kincora—An MI5 Connection" transmitted in June last year; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have no plans to do so.

  Security and Intelligence Services
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to review the activities of the security and intelligence services.

  The Prime Minister
  I intend to follow the practice of my predecessors by not commenting on these matters.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister when he last met the staff counsellor for the security and intelligence services; and what issues were discussed.

  The Prime Minister
  The arrangements for the staff counsellor for the security and intelligence services were set out by my predecessor in reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Wycombe (Mr. Whitney) on 2 November 1987 at column 512. It is not the practice to give details about how he discharges his responsibilities.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the allegations made by Mr. Colin Wallace about events involving the security services and forces in Northern Ireland.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Mr. John McCarthy
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Prime Minister how many representations he has received since his appointment calling on the Government to press for the release of John McCarthy; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  We continue to receive a great many representations on behalf of John McCarthy. The plight of our citizens held hostage in Lebanon is high among our concerns and our efforts to secure their release remain unremitting. Hostage releases last year showed that Iran can exert decisive influence. The Iranians have undertaken publicly to use their humanitarian influence to achieve them to live up to this assurance. We are also urging Syria to continue its strenuous efforts to secure the release of western, including British, hostages in Lebanon.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Further Education
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of the further education budget delegated to colleges by each local education authority.

  Mr. Eggar
  This information is not held centrally.

  School Pupils
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is available to his Department on the number of pupils in each local education authority who receive education in schools maintained, or formerly maintained, by another local education authority.

  Mr. Fallon
  Every year each local education authority submits to the Department a return listing pupils who belong to its area but who are attending local authority-maintained or grant-maintained schools outside that area on the third Thursday in January. The pupil numbers as at January 1990 for each LEA are listed in the table.

  The number of pupils belonging to local education authorities attending schools maintained or formerly maintained by other local education authorities

  Number

  City of London

  116

  Camden

  3,475

  Greenwich

  2,364

  Hackney

  5,207

  Hammersmith

  2,470

  Islington

  4,221

  Kensington

  2,377

  Lambeth

  8,045

  Lewisham

  4,197

  Southwark

  3,954

  Tower Hamlet

  2,930

  Wandsworth

  3,887

  Westminster

  2,751

  Barking

  949

  Barnet

  2,315

  Bexley

  1,586

  Brent

  6,102

  Bromley

  1,579

  Croydon

  2,847

  Ealing

  3,197

  Enfield

  2,024

  Haringey

  3,509

  Harrow

  2,258

  Havering

  978

  Hillingdon

  1,308

  Hounslow

  2,300

  Kingston

  1,279

  Merton

  1,926

  Newham

  1,078

  Redbridge

  1,952

  Richmond

  1,112

  Sutton

  1,861

  Waltham Forest

  1,517

  Birmingham

  3,630

  Coventry

  314

  Dudley

  1,130

  Sandwell

  1,331

  Solihull

  785

  Walsall

  773

  Wolverhampton

  1,193

  Knowsley

  2,680

  Liverpool

  1,329

  St. Helens

  1,391

  19

  Number

  Sefton

  466

  Wirral

  270

  Bolton

  918

  Bury

  1,540

  Manchester

  3,046

  Oldham

  752

  Rochdale

  1,217

  Salford

  1,053

  Stockport

  881

  Tameside

  884

  Trafford

  1,505

  Wigan

  1,378

  Barnsley

  614

  Doncaster

  410

  Rotherham

  255

  Sheffield

  734

  Bradford

  2,324

  Calderdale

  543

  Kirklees

  689

  Leeds

  916

  Wakefield

  299

  Gateshead

  609

  Newcastle

  1,020

  North Tyne

  790

  South Tyne

  226

  Sunderland

  429

  Isles of Scilly

  4

  Avon

  676

  Bedfordshire

  936

  Berkshire

  2,228

  Buckinghamshire

  4,612

  Cambridge

  1,220

  Cheshire

  1,235

  Cleveland

  134

  Cornwall

  351

  Cumbria

  132

  Derbyshire

  1,536

  Devon

  713

  Dorset

  328

  Durham

  827

  East Sussex

  1,244

  Essex

  3,538

  Gloucestershire

  500

  Hampshire

  2,597

  Hereford and Worcs

  2,151

  Hertfordshire

  1,272

  Humberside

  554

  Isle of Wight

  18

  Kent

  1,074

  Lancashire

  2,638

  Leicester

  667

  Lincolnshire

  1,889

  Norfolk

  1,023

  North Yorks

  1,291

  Northants

  384

  Northumberland

  455

  Nottinghamshire

  1,069

  Oxfordshire

  551

  Shropshire

  561

  Somerset

  1,044

  Staffordshire

  2,095

  Suffolk

  588

  Surrey

  4,395

  Warwickshire

  1,264

  West Sussex

  1,184

  Wiltshire

  1,278

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools have(a) become committed to hold a ballot on grant-maintained status, (b) voted yes and (i) had the proposal approved, (ii) had the proposal rejected and (iii) await determination of the proposal and (c) voted no; how many in each category
  20
  were the subject of (1) closure or (2) reorganisation proposals; and whether, for schools in categories (b) (ii) and (c), the proposals have been approved or rejected.

  Mr. Eggar
  A total of 179 schools have been or are committed to holding a ballot on GM status. There have been 98 votes in favour, 33 votes against and 51 results are still awaited. Four schools have embarked on the process twice and one application lapsed.

  Of the schools that voted in favour of applying for GM status, 58 applications have been approved and the Secretary of State is minded to approve a further two. Twelve have been rejected and 16 have yet to be decided. Applications from a further 10 schools are awaited.

  The number of schools in each category which have been the subject of closure or reorganisation proposals were:

  Number subject to closure/reorganization proposals

  GM proposals:

  approved

  58

  18

  minded to approve

  2

  1

  rejected

  12

  11

  not yet decided

  16

  4

  still to be published

  10

  3

  Voted no

  33

  19

  Lapsed applications

  1

  1

  Ballot result pending

  51

  5

  Total number of embarkations

  183

  62

  Eight of the 11 reorganisation proposals involving schools with rejected GM applications were eventually approved. Eleven of the 19 reorganisation proposals involving schools who voted not to apply for GM status were approved.

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average length of time taken and the average cost involved of officials' time in his Department preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Eggar
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in this Department. Estimates are however made where there is a likelihood of exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold—currently £250. However, following an interdepartmental exercise in 1972 an assessment was made of the average cost throughout all Departments of answering an oral question. This assessment was based on staff time, using average rates of pay and associated costs for the grades concerned, together with a share of the cost of parliamentary sections and any substantial non-staff costs such as computer usage. This assessed figure is regularly updated and currently stands at £99.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what savings his Department would make were no notice given of oral questions to Ministers and they were answered without civil service time being used on briefings.
  21
  Mr. Eggar
  No savings would be made and costs would almost certainly increase significantly. If the oral question is known in advance briefing can be tightly focused, thus avoiding the cost of producing a detailed brief, covering all subjects that could possibly arise.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what is the projected amount to be repaid by a student taking out the maximum available loan(a) studying in London and (b) studying outside London to the Student Loans Company by a graduate who was living away from the parental home, does not defer repayments, and was on a (i) three-year and (ii) four-year course commencing October 1990;

  (2) if he will give a breakdown of monthly repayments over the standard five-year repayment period to be repaid by a student taking out the maximum available loan (a) studying in London and (b) studying outside London to the Student Loans Company by a graduate who was living away from the parental home, does not defer repayments, and was on a (i) three-year and (ii) four-year course commencing October 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Borrowers repay in real terms the amount that they borrowed. The loan outstanding at the start of repayment depends on the maximum loan available in successive academic years; on the rates of indexation applicable during the period of the loan, and on when in each academic year the borrower draws down the loan. These factors also affect the size of the monthly repayments, as does the length of the standard repayment period.

  The table shows, to the nearest pound, the expected loan outstanding at the start of repayment and the monthly cash instalments due in each case. The figures take account of the GDP deflator assumptions given by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer in his autumn statement. They assume that the borrowers draw down the loan at the start of each academic year and that repayments will take place over five years, starting in April 1994 where the course has lasted three years and in April 1995 where it had lasted four years. The Government will review annually the length of the standard repayment period, in order to ensure that repayments are manageable.

  Loan outstanding at start of repayment £

  Monthly instalment£

  (a) Borrower who had studied in London and lived away from home:

  (i) On a three-year course

  1,967

  36

  (ii) On a four-year course

  3,010

  35

  (a) Borrower who had studied outside London and lived away from home:

  (i) On a three-year course

  1,741

  32

  (ii) On a four-year course

  2,638

  48

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a detailed breakdown of how his Department arrived at the student loans repayment figures given in table 3 of the leaflet "Loans for Students: A brief guide 1990–91" published in August 1990.
  22
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The figures in table 3 are purely illustrative. They provide for borrowers to repay in real terms the amount that they borrow.

  The table shows the expected monthly cash instalments due from a student who starts a course in the academic year 1990–91 and borrows the maximum loan facility each year at the "elsewhere" rate of loan. It assumes that the value of full year student support from grant and loan will increase by 6 per cent. in the academic year 1991–92, by 3·5 per cent. in the academic year 1992–93 and by 3 per cent. thereafter.

  The loan outstanding at the start of repayment is the sum of the maximum loan facilities for the relevant years plus an amount resulting from the indexation of the amount outstanding each year. The indexation rates a re assumed to be 9·8 per cent. for the year beginning 1 September 1990, 4·75 per cent. for the year beginning 1 September 1991, 3·5 per cent. for the year beginning 1 September 1992 and 3 per cent. from 1 September 1993 onwards.

  Regulation 7(2) of the Education (Student Loans) Regulations 1990 determines the number of monthly instalments. Regulation 7(1) determines the date when repayments start, which depends on the length of the borrower's course. Regulation 7(3) determines the amount of the monthly instalments.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the cost to the Exchequer of the error made by the Student Loans Company in its calculations in its leaflet "Student Loans: Are You in the Picture?" ref. PO5 143/90.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I am informed by the Student Loans Company that the cost of producing a second edition of its brochure was £120,907, which was met from within the company's approved budget.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the amounts by which the loan facilities will be uprated for the academic year 1991–92 for students in(a) London and (b) outside London.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to announce shortly the maximum loan facilities for the academic year 1991–92.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the amounts each individual college will receive in access funds under the Education (Further and Higher Education Institutions Access Funds) Regulations 1990.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Access fund grants have been paid to more than 400 institutions in England and Wales under the regulations. I am arranging for the figures requested to be placed in the Library. In addition, access fund grants have been paid to universities, polytechnics and colleges by the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council under sections 131(4) and 132(4) of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Full-time Education and Training
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the latest available year how many 16 to 18-year-olds in England participated in full-time education and training.

  Mr. Eggar
  The number of 16, 17 and 18-year-olds, including overseas students, at annual census dates between November 1989 and January 1990, participating in full-time education or YTS in England was 1,040,000.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to ensure that where comprehensive schools decide to become grant maintained they will not be favoured by local authority funding in preference to primary schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  Recurrent grant for the direct costs of grant-maintained schools is calculated mainly by reference to the levels of provision that individual LEAs set for their own schools. The additional funds that grant-maintained schools receive in lieu of services previously provided centrally by their former LEA are not intended to be biased towards either primary or secondary schools.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools in the south-west are balloting parents on the question of grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are at present four schools in the south-west holding ballots on whether to apply for grant-maintained status. Seven GM schools are already operating in the region. A further four schools have either published proposals or are committed to doing so.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the latest available year what percentage of all schoolchildren taking GCSE in England sat the examination in mathematics; and of those who sat the examination in mathematics what percentage obtained grades C and above.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the academic year 1988–89, 91·6 per cent. of 16-year-old pupils attempting GCSE sat an examination in mathematics, and of these 39·9 per cent. gained grades C and above.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in the latest available year, what percentage of all pupils taking the A-level examination in England took the examination in mathematics.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the academic year 1988–89, 37·2 per cent. of school leavers who had attempted at least one A-level had attempted mathematics.

  King Edward VI College, Totnes
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the ballot of parents of King Edward VI college, Totnes on grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Eggar
  The parental ballot is due to close on Friday 25 January. We would expect the Electoral Reform Society to publish the result on the following Monday.

  International Baccalaureate
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the number of people who received higher education and training and gained qualifications in universities outside this country during the period 1987–90 and the proportion of them who had gained the international baccalaureate in this country before commencing their course.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will provide details of the availability of access to the international baccalaureate within the education system.

  Mr. Eggar
  It is for school and college authorities to decide whether to offer the international baccalaureate.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students have been entered for the international baccalaureate; and what proportion of those entered have been successful in passing the examination during each year from 1987–90

  Mr. Eggar
  Information published by the International Baccalaureate Organisation shows that, in all countries taken together, there were 9,685, 11,286 and 12,217 candidates registered for the international baccalaureate as at May 1987, 1988 and 1989 respectively. Some 74 per cent. of candidates examined for the diploma achieved the qualification.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools provide the opportunity for sixth formers to take the international baccalaureate.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information provided by the International Baccalaureate Organisation indicates that 13 maintained and independent schools currently offer this examination.

  Bedfordshire Schools
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much was spent per pupil at secondary schools in Bedfordshire in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure in 1978–79 at constant prices.

  Mr. Fallon
  Bedfordshire spent £535 per secondary pupil in 1978–79 and £1,635 per secondary pupil in 1988–89, the latest year for which figures are available. At 1988–89 prices, those figures are £1,175 and £1,635 respectively.

  Merit Awards
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the largest merit award given to an individual member of staff of the Science and Engineering Research Council during 1989–90.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  During the financial year 1989–90, the largest merit award paid to an individual member of staff of the Science and Engineering Research Council was £700.

  Nursery Schools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial support will be available for nursery provision in a primary school with grant-maintained status; and if he will make a statement.
  25
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whose responsibility it will be to fund nursery classes attached to primary schools which opt for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Eggar
  Funding for nursery provision that forms an integral part of a grant-maintained primary school would be provided, as with other aspects of funding at that school, by the Secretary of State under the relevant Education (Grant-maintained schools) (Finance) Regulations. The financial support available would be related to LEA support for pupils of that age group.

  City Technology College, Lincoln
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has had any discussions with(a) possible sponsors and (b) Lincolnshire local education authority about the development of a city technology college in Lincoln; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend is aware that Lincolnshire LEA and a group of local industrialists are considering making proposals to him for the establishment of a school with many of the characteristics of a city technology college. The City Technology Colleges Trust has held discussions with those involved and an architect from the Department has visited the possible site of the school.

  World Student Games
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has given any consideration to the relationship between a successful outcome of the world student games in Sheffield and the prospects for the United Kingdom of hosting similar international sporting events in the future.

  Mr. Atkins
  I hope that the world student games, like the other major international events to be held in the United Kingdom, will proceed successfully. However, the prospects for hosting major events in the United Kingdom depend primarily upon the strengths of each individual case.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the support from public funds of the world student games and similar international sporting events held in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Atkins
  The policy for major international sports events in this country is to provide appropriate promotional and diplomatic support, if requested, but not direct funding. Funds specifically for sport are channelled through the Sports Council which has made available £3 million for the world student games.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out his Department's policy towards an individual local education authority using its own resources towards funding a city technology college; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend is delighted that a number of local education authorities are 26
  considering involving themselves in initiatives to make the benefits of the city technology colleges more widely available. This is further evidence of the success of the city technology colleges programme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Computer Software
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his Department's policy towards competition in computer software from functionally similar but non-infringing programmes.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Government wish to encourage competition in the market in computer programs and the move to open systems. At the same time, we wish to encourage innovation and investment in research and development in this field and this requires a proper level of intellectual property protection. The market in the United Kingdom is both innovative and competitive and is evidence that our law provides a balance, giving strong protection without stifling competition. This balance is also to be seen in the directive on the legal protection of computer programs.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has received from British and European computer users over the purpose of his Department's late amendment to the EC draft directive on the subject of software copyright;

  (2) what representations he has received from computer manufacturers regarding the EC draft directive on software copyright; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what representations he has received from British and European computer users over his Department's position regarding the draft EC directive on the legal protection of computer programs;

  (4) what technical advice and consultation his Department has drawn on, particularly with regard to open systems and the views of computer users, prior to determining their position on the draft EC directive on software copyright;

  (5) what representations he has received from the United States concerning software copyright protection.

  Mr. Leigh
  Throughout the period leading up to the agreement on a common position on the draft directive on the legal protection of computer programs, my Department received numerous representations from hardware manufacturers, software producers, users and others. These were principally from the United Kingdom, but also from other Community countries and the United States, and covered legal, technical and economic aspects of the issue. Representations were also made by the United States Government. In addition to a large number of individual meetings with interest groups and organisations, my Department held regular consultation and information meetings to which all the various interests involved were invited.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his policy on the extension of patent protection to software.

  Mr. Leigh
  Under the present law, the primary protection for computer software is copyright. The Patents Act 1977 excludes computer programs per se from
  27
  patenting, but an invention concerning an apparatus or method in which a novel and non-obvious computer program is applied in the achievement of a new technical result is patentable. I have no plans to change the law, which accords with the European patent convention.

  Software Copyright
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how his Department categorises computer programmes with respect to copyright.

  Mr. Leigh
  Computer programs are specified as a category of literary work by section 3 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (I) what procedures his Department intends to put in place to monitor and report on the effect of the EC draft directive on software copyright once it has been enacted;

  (2) what levels of increased annual costs his Department assesses as acceptable, as a result of the draft EC directive on software copyright, in the sectors of (a) central Government, (b) local government, (c) retail, (d) banking and insurance, (e) manufacturing and (f) services;

  (3) whether his Department has made any analysis of the potential costs to all public and private sector computer users of the draft EC directive on software copyright.

  Mr. Leigh
  A common position was agreed at the Internal Market Council in December on the draft directive on the legal protection of computer programs. We consider that the text as agreed will not result in substantial changes to existing United Kingdom copyright law and so will not impose any new costs on computer users or any need to introduce formal procedures to monitor the effects of any such changes.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the EC draft directive on software copyright would permit users to engage in the analysis of programs as necessary in order to maintain them.

  Mr. Leigh
  The directive would allow users to engage in the analysis of programs and permit maintenance, although not upgrading, of computer programs, subject to certain conditions. The lawful acquirer of a program may do what is necessary for the use of the program, including error correction. He may also decompile the program to the extent necessary to achieve interoperability of an independently created program with other programs.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry to what extent he has assessed the European Community draft directive on software copyright specifies that interfaces and access protocols, as distinct from their implementation in specific programs, are not themselves properly monopolised under contract.

  Mr. Leigh
  The text of the directive on which a common position was agreed in December specifies that"ideas and principles which underlie any element of a computer program, including those which underlie its interfaces, are not protected by copyright under this directive".
  28
  The principle that copyright does not protect ideas, but only the expression of ideas, is inherent in our law and so this statement, which was included for avoidance of doubt, will not require implementation when the directive is finally adopted.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to ensure the European Community Draft directive on software copyright gives adequate protection to United Kingdom companies which develop and market IBM-compatible PCs.

  Mr. Leigh
  The directive will require member states to give a proper level of copyright protection to computer programs produced by United Kingdom companies. Those engaged in producing IBM compatible PCs will receive protection for their software on exactly the same basis as any other United Kingdom software producer. Moreover, article 6 of the directive will ensure that interoperability between computer programs can always be achieved, so that compatibility and the move to open systems is not obstructed.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the protection offered under the draft EC directive on software copyright to the computer suppliers proprietary architectures and on his assessment of the consequences in respect of impeding the development of open standards.

  Mr. Leigh
  The directive will require member states to give copyright protection to computer programs as literary works. This is already the case in the United Kingdom. When the directive is implemented, the protection afforded will not change to any significant degree and so there is no reason to fear that the move to open systems will be impeded.

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average length of time taken and the average cost involved of officials' time in his Department preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Leigh
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in the Department of Trade and Industry. Estimates are however made when there is a likelihood of exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold—currently £250. However following an interdepartmental exercise in 1972, in which the DTI participated, an assessment was made of the average cost throughout all Departments of answering an oral question. This assessment was based on staff time, using average rates of pay and associated costs for the grades concerned, together with a share of the cost of parliamentary sections and any substantial non-staff cost as computer usage. This assessed figure is regularly updated and currently stands at £99.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what savings his Department would make were no notice given of oral questions to Ministers and they were answered without civil service time being used on briefings.

  Mr. Leigh
  No savings would be made and costs would almost certainly increase significantly. If the oral question
  29
  is known in advance briefing can be tightly focused, thus avoiding the cost of producing a detailed brief, covering all subjects that could possibly arise.

  Israeli Investment
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what estimate he has of the level of Israeli investment in Britain and of British investment in Israel.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The net book value of United Kingdom direct investment—in branches and subsidiary and associated companies—in Israel as at end 1987, the latest available information, was £24 million. Information on the net book value of direct investment by Israel in the United Kingdom is not available. Information on the level of United Kingdom portfolio investment in Israel or on Israeli portfolio investment in the United Kingdom is also not available.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Crawfordsburn Hospital
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the district valuer placed a valuation on the land and buildings at Crawfordsburn hospital; what was this value; to whom it was communicated; and when.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The district valuer was asked by the DHSS on 5 November 1990 to provide a valuation of the premises and also advise on a disposal strategy, should the premises be declared surplus. The district valuer replied on 15 November 1990 to the DHSS advising that, if declared surplus, the premises should be marketed widely throughout the United Kingdom. I am advised that it could be prejudicial to any future sale if the DV's valuation, which may become an effective reserve price, were made known at this time.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether his Department received any requests for information on Mr. Colin Wallace from the Defence Select Committee.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  No.

  Acute Beds
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many acute beds were available on a daily basis in hospitals in each of the health and social services board areas in 1979; and how many were available in 1990.

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

  Health and social services board

  Average available acute beds

  1979

  1989–90

  Eastern

  4,199

  3,288

  Northern

  1,159

  999

  Southern

  1,023

  859

  Western

  928

  703

  30
  Over the period the number of patients treated rose from 189,678 in 1979 to 218,313 in 1989–90.

  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 General Consumer Council for Northern Ireland 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:

  Name

  Mrs. M. Donaghy

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mr. R. E. Gaw

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mrs. N. Douglass

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mr. V. McGahie

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Miss C. Macmahon

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mrs. 0. Marshall

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mrs. M. P. E. O'Hara

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mrs. B. M. H. Shiel

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1987

  Mr. J. H. Allen

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mr. B. St. J. Collins

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mrs. A. L. Dickson

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mr. P. McCoy

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mr. E. O'Brien

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mr. J. L. Courtney-Thompson

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mrs. P. Walker

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mrs. J. Whiteside

  1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  Mrs. B. Hanna1

  1 January 1985

  Mr. R. J. Hanna1

  1 January 1985

  Mrs. G. H. J. Beveridge1

  1 January 1988

  Mr. W. D. Clements1

  1 January 1988

  Mrs. I. A. Colvin1

  1 January 1988

  Mr. M. F. L. Joyce1

  1 January 1988

  Mrs. L. M. Leonard1

  1 January 1988

  Lady McCollum1

  1 January 1988

  Mrs. J. C. Hopkirk

  1 January 1988 to 31 December 1990

  Mr. P. Dolan

  1 January 1988 to February 19902

  Mr. J. A. Gallagher1

  27 July 1990

  Mr. G. A. Mills1

  1 January 1991

  Mrs. B. McErlane1

  1 January 1991

  Mr. N. J. McLaughlin1

  1 January 1991

  Miss M. J. McGrane1

  1 January 1991

  Mr. D. J. McGuinness1

  1 January 1991

  Mrs. J. McVitty1

  1 January 1991

  Mrs. N. P. O'Loan1

  1 January 1991

  Mrs. J. M. Trewsdale1

  1 January 1991

  1 Still serving.

  2 Resigned.

  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 Drainage Council for Northern Ireland since its formation, giving the year of appointment and the length of service in each case.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 16 January 1991:] All members of the Drainage Council for Northern Ireland are appointed by Government. The following is a list of all those who are or have been members of the Drainage Council as constituted under the Drainage (Northern Ireland) Order 1973.
  31

  Name

  Year of Appointment

  Length of Service (Years)

  Mr. F. Hamilton

  1974

  3

  Mr. J. Hadden

  1974

  7

  Mr. J. Bamford

  1974

  7

  Mr. T. J. McCaughey

  1974

  3

  Mr. J. Stewart

  1974

  3

  Mr. H. McKeag

  1974

  11

  Mr. W. McCombe

  1974

  3

  Mr. J. Murphy

  1974

  3

  Mr. D. Magee

  1974

  3

  Lieutenant Colonel J. Sleator

  1974

  3

  Mr. P. F. McGovern

  1974

  15

  Mr. R. A. Brown

  1974

  3

  Mr. S. O. Hicks

  1974

  7

  Professor P. J. Newbould

  1974

  11

  Mr. J. Scott

  1974

  3

  Mr. W. P. Richardson

  1974

  7

  Mr. A. E. McKelvie

  1974

  3

  Mr. J. McMahon

  1974

  3

  Mr. S. Rogers

  1977

  4

  Mr. R. J. White

  1977

  4

  Mr. A. McDonnell

  1977

  4

  Mr. W. Brown

  1977

  4

  Mr. P. J. McMahon

  1977

  4

  Mr. J. Higgins

  1977

  4

  Mr. T. A. Daly

  1977

  4

  Mr. D. Robinson

  1977

  Expires 1993

  Mr. G. L. Auret

  1977

  4

  Mr. E. Whiteside

  1977

  4

  Mr. E. Mayne

  1977

  4

  Mr. R. Allen

  1981

  8

  Mr. M. S. Bailey

  1981

  4

  Mr. J. Gaston

  1981

  8

  Mr. S. Gault

  1981

  8

  Mr. W. H. King

  1981

  4

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. A. P. McConaghy

  1981

  8

  Mr. A. C. McFarland

  1981

  4

  Mr. C. Noble

  1981

  4

  Mr. J. Savage

  1981

  8

  Dr. S. Cochrane

  1981

  Expires 1993

  Mr. J. Brennan

  1981

  4

  Mr. S. D. Rahilly

  1981

  4

  Mr. C. C. Fox

  1981

  4

  Mr. J. S. D. Gilmore

  1986

  3

  Mr. J. S. Hamilton

  1986

  3

  Mr. D. C. G. Irwin

  1986

  Expires 1993

  Mr. L. McQuaid

  1986

  Expires 1993

  Mr. W. F. O'Connell

  1986

  3

  Mr. R. E. Parker

  1986

  Expires 1993

  Mr. S. Rusk

  1986

  Expires 1993

  Dr. J. Parsons

  1986

  Expires 1993

  Mr. C. E. Ronaldson

  1986

  Expires 1993

  Mr. I. C. Henderson

  1986

  1

  Mr. N. E. Morrison

  1987

  Expires 1993

  Mrs. M. Clarke

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. M. Curran

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. E. Hetherington

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mrs. A. Kelly

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. S. McCartney

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. J. McNickle

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. H. Nicholl

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Mr. M. McCaldin

  1990

  Expires 1993

  Kincora Boys' Home
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his policy towards reopening an inquiry into the Kincora boys' home.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  This matter has been investigated first by the RUC, then by Sir George Terry and finally by his honour Judge Hughes. I can see no benefit in holding a further inquiry.
  32
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the inquiries concerning events at the Kincora boys' home.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: This matter has been investigated first by the RUC, then by Sir George Terry and finally by his honour Judge Hughes.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the individual identified as James in a television programme referred to in his answer to the hon. Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) of 11 June 1990,Official Report, column. 29 was interviewed about any role of the security and intelligence services concerning inquiries into the Kincora boys' home; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: I have nothing to add to the reply that my right hon. Friend, the Member for Northavon (Mr. Cope) gave to the Member for Linlithgow (Mr. Dalyell) on 11 June 1990, Official Report, column 29.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has received concerning the Kincora boys' home from January 1990 to current date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: I have received 16 letters related to this subject during the period.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether he will re-examine all papers on the Kincora boys' home to ascertain the role of the security and intelligence services in decisions relating to an inquiry into Kincora in 1976;

  (2) if he will place copies of all correspondence received from January 1990 to the present date concerning the Kincora boys' home, and his replies, in the Library.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: No.

TRANSPORT

  Maritime Security
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to make directions under the provisions of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990 requiring the maritime industries to take security measures.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. and learned Friend today made directions which will require the industry to take specified measures to improve its counter-terrorist protective security precautions. These directions will be served on the industry as soon as can be arranged. Copies of the directions have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Roads, Cheshire
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what is the level of the transport supplementary grant allocated to the Cheshire county council for 1991–92; and what was the comparable figure in cash and percentage terms for each of the preceding three years;
  33
  (2) what provision was made in the announcement of the transport supplementary grant for 1991–92 for the Cheshire county council to commence work on the Wheelock bypass.

  Mr. Chope
  The net level of transport supplementary grant allocated to Cheshire county council and the percentage change on the preceding years are:

  Transport supplementary grant£ million

  Per cent. change from previous year

  1988–89

  1·364

  -28·4

  1989–90

  2·766

  103·5

  1990–91

  4·154

  49·6

  1991–92

  5·501

  32·4

  No provision has been made for the Wheelock bypass in Cheshire county council's transport supplementary grant for 1991–92. The main works for this scheme are scheduled to start in 1993–94 and it will therefore be considered for support in that and subsequent years.

  North Sea Standby Vessels
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the use of former fishing vessels as standby vessels in the North sea.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Most fishing vessels have good sea-keeping qualities and when properly converted have had no difficulty meeting the requirements of the Department's code for the assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations. Some fishing vessels properly maintained and converted may meet the new requirements for standby vessels which are to be drawn up in the light of Lord Cullen's report into the Piper Alpha tragedy.

  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received about North sea standby vessels; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Since 1988, a number of representations have been received. Nearly all of them centre principally on improvements to the Department's code for the assessment of standby vessels and when the new standards will be implemented.

  Railway Maintenance
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what responsibilities are laid by him on Her Majesty's inspectors of railways to lay down or monitor their, or other bodies, standards of general maintenance of track, rolling stock or other operational equipment other than those recommended consequential on specific activities related to accidents.

  Mr. Freeman
  Her Majesty's railway inspectorate sets non-statutory standards for fixed works and rolling stock, but does not lay down standards for maintenance work, which are matters for railway operators in accordance with their responsibilities for safe operation. The inspectorate has powers under the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 to require operators to conduct their undertaking in such a way as to ensure, so far as is reasonably practical, that the safety of passengers and staff is not compromised.

  Rail Subsidy
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the total amount of subsidy paid in the last financial year to Network SouthEast;

  (2) what was the total amount of subsidy paid in the last financial year to British Rail in respect of its operations in Wales.

  Mr. Freeman
  Subsidy is paid by the Government to the British Railways Board in the form of the public service obligation grant under EC regulation 1191/69 and section 3 of the Railways Act 1974, which compensates BR for maintaining loss-making passenger services, and level crossing grant under EC regulation 1192/69. The BR board received £498·6 million of PSO grant and £19·7 million of level crossings grant in the last financial year, 1989–90. Both grants are paid as totals to the board and the Government do not specifically allocate them between sectors or geographical areas, but some £95 million of the PSO grant related to Network SouthEast and the rest to the provincial sector.

  London Transport
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the total amount of subsidy given in the last financial year to London Transport distinguishing between bus operations and underground services.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government do not pay grant separately in respect of bus and underground services. London Transport receives a block grant covering the totality of its external financial requirement. In 1989–90, grant to London Transport totalled £287 million.

  InterCity Services
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will discuss with the chairman of British Rail representations he has received about the improvement of Liverpool-London InterCity services by the use of a South Liverpool station as a stopping place for InterCity trains and the financial implications arising therefrom.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have received no representations on this matter.

  BR Stations (Improvements)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has had with the chairman of British Rail about financial assistance to improve the condition of the cuttings and make environmental improvements between Liverpool Lime Street and Edge Hill stations.

  Mr. Freeman
  No. These are operational matters for British Rail. However, I understand that preliminary discussions have taken place between BR and Merseyside development corporation and the Merseyside task force to create a partnership to carry out an environmental improvement scheme at Edge Hill station.

  Coopers and Lybrand Report
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the Coopers and Lybrand report on non-channel tunnel traffic on railways.
  35
  Mr. Freeman
  Coopers, Lybrand Deloitte are not undertaking any such work for my Department. It is for British Rail to decide whether to publish any reports that the firm produces for it.

  Channel Tunnel link
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the report on the alternative routes for the rail link to the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that British Rail expects to have in the spring the results of the further studies into possible routes for the rail link to the channel tunnel.

  No decisions have yet been taken by BR or the Department on the timing or form of publication of the results.

  Concessionary Travel
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) whether he will establish a nationwide scheme of assistance for retirement pensioners to free travel on road and rail transport at off-peak hours;

  (2) whether he will establish a nationwide scheme of assistance for retirement pensioners to travel at concessionary rates of 75 per cent. or 66 per cent. on road and rail transport in off-peak hours.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  We have no plans to change the present arrangements. Local authorities already have powers to provide free or cheap travel for pensioners on local public transport, and do so in some 90 per cent. of areas. Both British Rail and the long-distance coach operators also have their own travel concessions arrangements for the elderly.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in how many cases signals from taxi radios or mobile telephones have been implicated in road accidents through interference with car computers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department has no evidence of any road accidents that have resulted from electromagnetic interference—from whatever source—to electrical or electronic equipment fitted to vehicles.

  There are already strict rules controlling the use of radio transmission and reception equipment on vehicles. There is a general European Community directive due to enter into force on 1 January 1992 that covers electromagnetic compatibility of all electrical and electronic equipment, both mobile and static.

  We nevertheless need to ensure that, with the development of sophisticated electronic systems for vehicles, the satisfactory and safe operation of those systems will be maintained.

  Draft proposals are now being formulated by the European vehicle industry for a Community directive intended specifically to cover electromagnetic compatibility of vehicles. This will set standards to control the emission of interference from vehicles and ensure their immunity to emissions from external sources. We support these proposals.

  M40
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the total outturn cost of the M40 Waterstock to Umberslade, including the A43 Wendlebury-North Oxford and the widening of the M40 in the Chilterns(a) for preparation, design and supervision, (b) construction and contract costs and (c) land and compensation costs.

  Mr. Chope
  Outturn figures are not yet available. Total expenditure to date on the M40 Waterstock to Umberslade section, the Peartree Hill to Wendlebury section of A43 (now A34) and the widening of the M40 under each of the headings requested are:

  (a) £41·11 million.

  (b) £434·70 million.

  (c) £11·38 million.

  Interchange, Shrewsbury
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what would be the additional cost of improving the proposed interchange between the A49 and A5/M54 extension bypass currently under construction in Shrewsbury.

  Mr. Chope
  No estimate is available.

  Second Severn Bridge
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received on the desirability of constructing the approach road to the second Severn bridge on the English side to three-lane capacity.

  Mr. Chope
  Northavon district council, the Automobile Association and Thornbury town council are among those who consider that the link from the second Severn crossing to the M4 in England should be built as a dual three-lane motorway, rather than as the proposed dual two-lane motorway.

  The two proposed approach roads in England will together provide four lanes in each direction while the new bridge itself will have three lanes in each direction. All the proposed capacity is additional to that provided by the existing bridge and M4 motorway.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Food Safety Act
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what additional funds will be made available to local authorities for the financing of the enforcement of the Food Safety Act 1990.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government are making available an additional £30 million per year from 1991–92 onwards to cover the additional cost for local authorities enforcing the Food Safety Act and the EC directive on the official control of foodstuffs.

  Cattle Subsidies
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has any plans(a) to change and (b) to abolish the £30 headage subsidy on the first 90 male cattle on any holding numbers.
  37
  Mr. Curry
  No.

  Eastern Sea Fisheries Committee
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the duties and powers of the Eastern sea fisheries committee and its financial structure; and what changes he is planning.

  Mr. Curry
  The powers and duties of local fisheries committees are laid down in the Sea Fisheries Regulation Act 1966, as amended. These principally concern the management and regulation of sea fisheries and shellfish fisheries and undertaking the necessary related enforcement.

  The Eastern sea fisheries committee is one of 12 such committees in England and Wales and its district extends from Donna Nook in Lincolnshire to Dovercourt in Essex and seawards between these two points for three miles. Forty per cent. of its funding comes from Norfolk county council and 30 per cent. each from Lincolnshire and Suffolk county councils.

  We have no plans to change these arrangements. However, we are considering the results of consultation on a proposal from the Association of Sea Fisheries Committees for a general extension of the seaward limit of sea fisheries committee jurisdiction from three to six miles.

  Sole
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to press his counterparts in Europe to agree that the Dutch overfishing of 13,000 tonnes of sole in 1990 should be deducted from the 1991 quota allocated to the Netherlands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Most member states, including the United Kingdom, fully or overfished their quotas before the Commission closed the North sea sole fishery on 21 December 1990. Latest provisional landings data indicate that the Netherlands has exceeded its quota by fewer than 200 tonnes, not 13,000 tonnes. The Commission has already set in train compensation proceedings because under the common fisheries policy a mechanism already exists whereby member states which overfish at the expense of others are required to provide appropriate compensation to those prejudiced.

  Fishing Industry
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he has taken to ensure that the United Kingdom fishing industry will be competing on equal terms with all other EC member states after 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Ever since we negotiated the common fisheries policy in 1983, when we secured 37·3 per cent. of the quotas for the seven main edible species and very restricted access for other member states vessels to our coastal waters, a package which was acknowledged as a good one by our industry, we have consistently defended the position of our industry. As recently as the last December Fisheries Council we again secured a good package of fishing opportunities including additional 38
  quantities through the Hague preference and also a greater flexibility to catch western mackerel east of the 4°W line. We will continue to work to secure good arrangements.

  Smoked Meat and Fish
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many businesses are involved in smoking and curing meat and fish products.

  Mr. Maclean
  The smoking and curing of meat and fish is mainly undertaken by businesses in two industries: activity heading 4122—bacon curing and meat products; and activity heading 4150—fish products. There are 822 local units recorded in the former of these industries and 354 in the latter, but only a small proportion of these units are known to undertake smoking or curing.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many people are employed in the smoked meat and fish industry; and what estimates have been made of the effect on employment of the implementation of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations.

  Mr. Maclean
  The smoking and curing of meat and fish is mainly undertaken by businesses in two industries: activity heading 4122—bacon curing and meat products; and activity heading 4150—fish products. It is estimated that there are about 53,000 persons employed in the former of these industries and 17,000 in the latter. Only a very small proportion of these are known to be involved in smoking or curing. Temperature controls are necessary to ensure the safety of certain foods as they reach the consumer. Where the processing of the food or the method of packaging can be shown to prevent the growth of pathogenic micro-organisms at ambient temperatures chill controls are not required. Industry will itself want to consider how its products can meet these food safety demands.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimate of how much smoked meat and fish is delivered by post each year.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not available.

  Hill livestock Compensatory Allowances
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the hill livestock compensatory allowance payments for 1991; when these amounts were initially paid out to farmers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller) on 18 January,Official Report, column 616.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  ODA Staffing Levels
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has regarding ODA staffing levels over the next five years.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have no plans to make any significant changes to ODA staffing levels. The annual figures in the current public expenditure survey period will be given in the Departmental report to be published next month.
  39
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many ODA staff are women at or above grade 7; and what is the percentage of women as a total of such staff.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Thirty-five ODA staff at G7 or above are women. The number includes eight women who are on secondment to other aid organisations. This represents 10·94 per cent. of all ODA staff at those levels, including seconded staff.

  Africa (Famine)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his estimate of the number of people in Africa currently threatened by famine.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Nations World Food Programme estimates that at least 20 million people are currently under threat.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the United Kingdom currently doing to help Bangladesh to prevent or to mitigate the effects of flooding.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Following the serious flooding in Bangladesh in 1988 we hosted an international conference in London on 11 and 12 December 1989 which reviewed and endorsed a rolling five-year flood action plan prepared for the Bangladesh Government by the World bank.

  Britain agreed to undertake four of the 26 activities proposed in the plan, which are aimed at establishing ways to control and alleviate the effects of flooding. These are a major regional study on how to address the flooding problem in north-west Bangladesh; supporting studies to evaluate the effectiveness of previous flood control schemes and to assess ways of improving their operation and maintenance; and a study on fisheries, designed to ensure that the relationship between flood alleviation measures and fishery resources is properly understood. Consultants undertook feasibility work in Bangladesh in 1990 on the regional and fisheries studies and the main study teams for all four activities have now begun to arrive in Bangladesh.

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will commission an independent survey on the effectiveness of the United Kingdom aid programme.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We regularly commission independent outside evaluators to work alongside our own evaluation department on studying the effectiveness of particular aspects of the aid programme. The results of around 50 studies completed over the last three years are available.

  The development assistance committee—DAC—of the OECD also reviews the aid programmes of its members on a regular basis. A review of the United Kingdom aid programme is currently under way and the conclusions of the DAC will be announced in April.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was United 40
  Kingdom per capita aid in each of the last five years to (a) Sudan, (b) Ethiopia, (c) Angola, (d) Mozambique and (e) Liberia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information is as follows:

  United Kingdom gross bilateral aid (including emergency relief aid) per capita (£ actual) 1985–89 to Angola, Ethiopia, Liberia, Mozambique and Sudan

  19851

  1986

  1987

  1988

  19892

  Angola

  0·02

  0·03

  0·03

  0·05

  0·14

  Ethiopia

  0·67

  0·22

  0·21

  0·40

  0·25

  Liberia

  0·50

  0·40

  0·39

  0·36

  0·26

  Mozambique

  0·62

  0·52

  1·63

  2·01

  1·50

  Sudan

  1·98

  1·15

  0·88

  1·09

  1·32

  1 Based on 1984 population figures.

  2 Based on 1988 population figures.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total of aid from the United Kingdom since 1987 to(a) each Latin American nation and (b) each (i) north, (ii) west, (iii) southern, (iv) central and (v) eastern African nation.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Following are the available figures:

  Total Gross Bilateral United Kingdom Aid 1987–1989

  Country

  £,000s

  AFRICA: North

  Algeria

  1,160

  Egypt

  37,471

  Morocco

  1,313

  Tunisia

  2,062

  AFRICA: Sub-Saharan

  Angola

  2,077

  Benin

  808

  Botswana

  27,924

  Burkina Faso

  752

  Burundi

  358

  Cameroon

  17,205

  Cape Verde Islands

  152

  C.A.R.

  85

  Chad

  658

  Comoros

  8

  Congo

  701

  Djibouti

  383

  Equatorial Guinea

  306

  Ethiopia

  39,523

  Gabon

  64

  Gambia

  18,491

  Ghana

  103,335

  Guinea

  1,564

  Guinea-Bissau

  122

  Ivory Coast

  20,496

  Kenya

  132,291

  Lesotho

  14,854

  Liberia

  2,383

  Madagascar

  1,310

  Malawi

  114,603

  Mali

  3,437

  Mauritania

  515

  Mauritius

  26,723

  Mozambique

  76,410

  Namibia

  4,545

  Niger

  675

  Nigeria

  77,768

  Rwanda

  799

  Sao Tome and Principe

  16

  Senegal

  5,637

  Seychelles

  4,580

  Sierra Leone

  9,115

  Somalia

  19,201

  South Africa

  10,637

  Sudan

  77,889

  Swaziland

  14,692

  Tanzania

  101,156

  41

  Country

  £,000s

  Togo

  679

  Uganda

  69,556

  Zaire

  4,437

  Zambia

  52,100

  Zimbabwe

  57,880

  AMERICA: Central

  Costa Rica

  10,151

  Cuba

  5

  Dominican Republic

  173

  E1 Salvador

  709

  Guatemala

  61

  Haiti

  10

  Honduras

  2,678

  Mexico

  3,055

  Nicaragua

  241

  Panama

  1,777

  AMERICA: South

  Bolivia

  8,848

  Brazil

  4,559

  Chile

  799

  Colombia

  4,554

  Ecuador

  5,209

  Paraguay

  1,105

  Peru

  3,461

  Surinam

  17

  Uruguay

  57

  Venezuela

  56

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the level of United Kingdom bilateral aid since 1987 to the 20 poorest nations as measured by GDP: and what information he has as to the percentage this aid represents of the total aid received by that nation in each case.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information for 1987 and 1988 is as follows:

  United Kingdom bilateral ODA £'000

  Percentage of total ODA receipts (including multilateral aid)

  Cambodia

  100

  0·6

  Afghanistan

  1,932

  2·8

  Vietnam

  0

  0·0

  Mozambique

  51,478

  5·7

  Ethiopia

  27,413

  3·0

  Bhutan

  682

  1·4

  Guinea·Bissau

  81

  0·1

  Tanzania

  59,194

  5·3

  Chad

  431

  0·2

  Malawi

  49,541

  13·1

  Bangladesh

  75,656

  4·0

  Zaire

  3,709

  0·5

  Nepal

  20,817

  4·7

  Somalia

  13,906

  2·4

  Madagascar

  994

  0·3

  Laos

  162

  0·2

  Burma

  6,909

  1·4

  Gambia

  12,559

  5·8

  Mali

  2,281

  0·5

  Burundi

  206

  0·1

  Total

  328,051

  3·4

  Notes:

  (1) These figures are for net official development assistance (oda).

  (2) The figures in the left-hand column are for United Kingdom bilateral aid only, and thus do not include the United Kingdom share of multilateral aid to these countries, which is included in the total oda receipts figure which forms the basis of the right-hand column.
  42
  (3) The figures include official development assistance recorded in 1987 and 1988: figures for other donors for 1989 are not yet available in this form.

  Sources: British Aid Statistics: United Kingdom aid.

  OECD: Total oda receipts.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the total level of aid, broken down by continent, formally requested of the United Kingdom over the past 12 months; and how much of this total was agreed to.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Formal requests for specified amounts of British aid are rarely received. We are in regular consultation with the main recipients of bilateral aid about the amounts of British aid that might be made available and the purposes for which it might be used.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which countries in Asia and the middle east were beneficiaries of funds from the aid and trade provision in the last year.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1990, spending under the aid and trade provision took place in respect of projects in the following countries:

  Asia

  Burma

  China

  India

  Indonesia

  Malaysia

  Pakistan

  Philippines

  Sri Lanka

  Thailand

  Middle East

  Jordan

  Yemen Arab Republic

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the secretary of state for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current level of the bilateral aid to Sri Lanka.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Total United Kingdom bilateral aid to Sri Lanka was £23·552million in 1989, the latest year for which figures are available, and comprised:

  £ million

  Capital aid

  6·391

  Technical co-operation

  8·222

  Aid and trade provision

  4·158

  Commonwealth development corporation

  3·114

  Debt relief

  1·589

  Disaster relief

  0·078

  Expenditure is expected to have been substantially less in 1990, due in part to the security situation

  Poland
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he intended to make further significant aid available to Poland during 1991.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We shall continue to help Poland from the know-how fund for eastern Europe. I expect that the level of expenditure in 1991–92 will be similar to that in 1990–91—about £10 million.

  Physically and Mentally Handicapped People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds are made available by the ODA specifically to assist the physically and mentally handicapped.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Funds specifically to assist physically and mentally handicapped people are made available from our geographical programmes, through our joint funding scheme—JFS—with British charities and through international aid agencies. Examples of our geographical activities are:—In India we have supported Indian Spastic Societies in Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta since 1979. We currently have under consideration a programme of further support to these societies, plus another in Madras at a cost of around £1·6 million.
  —In Fiji we are spending £40,000 on a project with the Disabled Peoples' Association.
  —In Malawi we are sponsoring 15 ophthalmic technicians from the region to be trained and equipped to return to their countries to work as peripatetic operators. The cost of this project is £73,000.

  In the financial year 1989–90 over £651,000 was provided under the JFS for projects specifically intended to benefit disabled people. International agencies supported by the ODA which undertake projects to promote the welfare of disabled people include the WHO, UNCHR and UNIDO.

  Illiteracy
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional resources have been made available by his Department to help combat illiteracy in developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I am ready to give additional help, but the ODA must take account of the plans and priorities of developing country Governments.

  I hope that the world conference on education for all which was held in Thailand last year will encourage governments to give greater priority to combating illiteracy. We currently spend £3·7 million of capital and technical co-operation funds specifically on primary education and adult literacy. We are making £20 million available this year to the joint funding scheme for non-governmental organisation work which includes a number of literacy projects.

  Least-developed Countries
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid his Department is giving to help the least-developed countries develop more effective governmental, legal and commercial structures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Effective governmental, legal and commercial structures are essential to economic and social development in least developed countries, as elsewhere. We provide assistance under our aid programme in many least developed countries through technical cooperation and training. Our aid also provides financial support for economic reform programmes linked to strengthening of these structures.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all projects and programmes funded by the Commonwealth Development Corporation in the last five years.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The following is the list of the projects in which the Commonwealth Development Corporation made an investment during the years 1986 to 1990.

  Projects receiving CDC investment in 1986

  Country

  Project

  Belize

  Belize Hotel Ltd.

  Botswana

  Water Utilities Corporation

  Botswana

  Botswana Housing Corporation

  Botswana

  Botswana Telecom

  Botswana

  Botswana Development Corporation

  Cameroon

  Cameroon Development Corporation

  Cameroon

  Societe Hevea Cameroun (La)

  Cayman Islands

  Caribbean Utlities Co. Ltd.

  Costa Rica

  Inst Costa de AYA

  Costa Rica

  Inst Costa de Elect

  Costa Rica

  Inst Costa de AYA

  Fiji

  Fiji forest Industries Ltd.

  Ghana

  Twifo Oil Palm

  Honduras

  Division Municipal de Aguas

  Indonesia

  Nucleus Estate and Smallholders Project VI

  Indonesia

  Nucleus Estate and Smallholders Project VII

  Ivory Coast

  Societe pour le Development des Plantations Forestieres (Hardwood)

  Ivory Coast

  Rubber Outgrowers Project II—Cavally

  Ivory Coast

  Rubber Outgrowers Project II—Smallholder

  Ivory Coast

  Societe pour le Development des Plantations Forestieres I (Hardwood)

  Ivory Coast

  Palmindustrie

  Jamaica

  Coffee Industry Board

  Kenya

  Smallholder Coffee

  Kenya

  Kenya Power Co. Ltd.

  Kenya

  Oil Crop Development

  Malawi

  Mandala Ltd.

  Malawi

  Kawalazi Estates

  Malawi

  Blantyre Water Board

  Malawi

  Mandala Ltd.

  Malaysia

  Darabif Sdn Bhd

  Malaysia

  Aluminium Industries Sdn Bhd

  Mauritius

  Mauritius Housing Corporation

  Papua New Guinea

  Electricity Supply Commission

  Sri Lanka

  Pelwatte Sugar

  Sri Lanka

  Samanala Wena

  St. Lucia

  St. Lucia Model Farms

  Sudan

  Sudanese Fermentation Industry Ltd.

  Tanzania

  Tanganyika Wattle Co.

  Tanzania

  Kibo Match

  Thailand

  World Aquaculture

  Thailand

  Thailand Rubber Replanting Aid Fund

  Uganda

  Sugar Corporation of Uganda Ltd.

  Vanuatu

  Metensel Estates Ltd.

  Zambia

  Zambia Sugar Co. Ltd.

  Zambia

  Mpomgwe Development Co. Ltd.

  Zambia

  Zambia Oxygen Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Rusitu Valley Development Co. (Pvt) Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Low Cost Housing

  Projects receiving CDC investment for first time in 1987

  Country

  Project

  Barbados

  Caribbean Financial Services Corporation

  Botswana

  Botswana Power Corporation

  Cameroon

  Societe Hevea Cameroun (La)

  Cameroon

  Cameroon Development Corporation II

  Ecuador

  Palmoriente SA

  Indonesia

  Smallholder Rubber Development Project II

  Ivory Coast

  Societe Africaine de Plantations d'Heveas

  Jamaica

  Forest Industries Development Co. Ltd.

  Jamaica

  St. Mary Bananas Est. Ltd.

  Kenya

  Kulalu Ranching Co. Ltd.

  45

  Country

  Project

  Malawi

  Blantyre Netting Co. Ltd.

  Malawi

  Malawi Government

  Malawi

  Kavuzi Tea Co.

  Malawi

  Investment and Development Bank of Malawi Ltd.

  Malaysia

  Palong Cocoa Sdn Bhd

  Malaysia

  Palong Cocoa Sdn Bhd

  Mauritius

  Mauritious Export Development & Investment Authority

  Mauritius

  Bonair Fashion Ltd.

  St. Lucia

  St. Lucia Electricity

  Swaziland

  Langa National Brickworks (Pty) Ltd.

  Swaziland

  Shiselweni Forestry Co. Ltd.

  Swaziland

  Natex Swaziland Ltd.

  Tanzania

  Tanzania Government

  Thailand

  Thailand Rubber Replanting Aid Fund

  Uganda

  Toro and Mityana Tea Co. Ltd.

  Vanuatu

  South Santo Cattle Co.

  Zambia

  Kafue Textiles of Zambia Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Zimbabwe Development Bank

  Projects receiving CDC investment for first time in 1988

  Country

  Project

  Belize

  Belize Electricity Board

  BVI

  BVI Electricity Corporation

  Ecuador

  Empresa Nacional de Energia Eletrica

  France

  Tropiclone SA

  Ghana

  Volta River Authority

  India

  Shipping Credit and Investment Company of India

  India

  Industrial Credit and Investment Corporation of India

  Indonesia

  PT Coklat Ransiki

  Ivory Coast

  Serebou Seed Project

  Jamaica

  Jamaica Telephone Co.

  Kenya

  Development Finance Co. of Kenya Ltd.

  Kenya

  Kulalu Ranching Co. Ltd.

  Malawi

  Capital Developments Ltd.

  Malawi

  Investment and Development Bank of Malawi Ltd.

  Malawi

  Impala Farming Co. Ltd.

  Malawi

  Sable Farming Co. Ltd.

  Malawi

  Malawi Government

  Malaysia

  Desa Tea Sdn Bhd

  Mauritius

  Mauritius Export Development and Investment Authority

  Mauritius

  Woventex Ltd.

  Mauritius

  Development Bank of Mauritius

  Pakistan

  Mubarik Dairies Ltd.

  Papua New Guinea

  PNG Venture Fund (Pty) Ltd.

  Papua New Guinea

  Poliamba pty Ltd.

  Papua New Guinea

  New Guinea Plantation Ltd.

  Papua New Guinea

  Milne Bay Estates Pty Ltd.

  Solomon Islands

  Solomon Islands Plantations Ltd.

  Thailand

  Thai Factory Development Co. Ltd.

  Thailand

  Industrial Finance Corporation of Thailand

  Uganda

  Development Finance Co. of Uganda Ltd.

  Vanuatu

  Tanna Coffee Development Co. Ltd.

  Vanuatu

  South Santo Cattle Co.

  Zimbabwe

  Cold Storage Commission

  Zimbabwe

  Southdown Holdings Ltd

  Projects receiving CDC investment for first time in 1989

  Country

  Project

  Bangladesh

  United Leasing Company Ltd.

  Bangladesh

  New Dhaka Refractories (Bangladesh) Ltd.

  Bangladesh

  Padma Textile Mills Ltd.

  Cameroon

  Socatral

  Costa Rica

  Cooperativa Agroindustrial de Productores de Palma Aceitera R. L.

  Cote D'Ivoire

  Rubber Outgrowers Project V

  Fiji

  Fiji Development Bank

  India

  Sakthi Soyas Ltd.

  India

  Credit Capital Venture Fund (India) Ltd.

  India

  Asian Coffee Ltd.

  46

  Country

  Project

  India

  Shipping Credit and Investment Company of India

  India

  Rane Power Steering Ltd.

  Indonesia

  PT Kewalram

  Jamaica

  Jablum (Jamaica) Ltd.

  Jamaica

  Caribbean Housing Finance Corporation Ltd.

  Kenya

  African Management Services Ltd.

  Kenya

  Koma Rock Housing Project

  Malawi

  National Seed Co. of Malawi Ltd.

  Malawi

  Malawi Hotels Ltd.

  Malawi

  The Match Co. Ltd.

  Malawi

  Sable Farming Co. Ltd.

  Mauritius

  Development Bank of Mauritius

  Mauritius

  Shape Fabrics Ltd.

  Mauritius

  Maunex (Mauritius) Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Hala Spinning Ltd.

  Papua New Guinea

  MacGregor Property Pty. Ltd.

  Philippines

  H & Q Philippine Ventures Inc.

  Sudan

  Sudan Rural Development Finance Co. Ltd.

  Swaziland

  Swaziland Meat Industries Ltd.

  Swaziland

  Inyoni Yami Swaziland Irrigation Scheme

  Swaziland

  Swaziland Industrial Development Co. Ltd.

  Tanzania

  East Usambara Tea Company Ltd.

  Tanzania

  Chrismill Farms Ltd.

  Thailand

  Mongkolwat Company Ltd.

  Uganda

  Uganda Electricity Board

  Vanuatu

  Metenesel Estates Ltd.

  Zambia

  National Hotels Development Corporation

  Zambia

  Masstock (Zambia) Ltd.

  Zimbabwe

  Zimbabwe Development Bank

  Projects receiving CDC investment for first time in 1990

  Country

  Project

  Bangladesh

  Karnaphuli Fertilizer Company

  Belize

  Big Falls Plantations Ltd.

  Belize

  Toledo Enterprise Ltd.

  Botswana

  Water Utilities Corporation

  Costa Rica

  Cooperation Agroindustial de Productores de Palma aceitera R.L.

  Cote d' Ivoire

  Project Serebou

  Ecuador

  Instituto Ecuatoriano de Telecommunicaciones

  Ecuador

  Pamoriente SA

  India

  Andhra Petrochemicals Ltd.

  India

  Apollo Tyres Ltd.

  India

  Modi Threads Ltd.

  Indonesia

  PT Tasik Raja Palm Oil Mill

  Jamaica

  Caribbean Housing Finance Corporation

  Jamaica

  Ciboney Villas Ltd.

  Jamaica

  Dr. Ian Sangster and Co. Ltd.

  Jamaica

  Trafalgar Development Bank Ltd.

  Kenya

  Galsheet (Kenya) Ltd.

  Kenya

  South Nyanza Sugar Co.

  Malawi

  Impala Farming Co. Ltd.

  Malaysia

  Wembley Rubber Products (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd

  Pakistan

  Fauji Fertiliser Co. Ltd.

  Pakistan

  Pakistan Industrial Leasing Co.

  Papua New Guinea

  Papua New Guinea Electricity Commission

  Philippines

  Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co.

  PNG

  New Guinea Plantations Ltd.

  Solomon Islands

  Kolombangara Forest Products Ltd.

  Tanzania

  East Usambara Tea Co. Ltd.

  Thailand

  Mah Boonkrong Sirichai 25 Company

  Thailand

  Phansriviat Company Ltd.

  Uganda

  Development Finance Co. of Uganda Ltd.

  Vanuatu

  National Housing Corporation

  Zambia

  National Hotels Development Corporation

  Zimbabwe

  Zimbabwe Electricity Services

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Souvenir Kiosk
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what was the total turnover from the House of Commons souvenir kiosk during November and December; and what estimated profit after deducting wages and administration charges the authorities will receive.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The total turnover of the Refreshment Department kiosk during November and December 1990 including VAT, was £109,786 and £213,318, respectively. Equivalent gross profits were £34,368 and £66,778, respectively. After the deduction of £5,261·53 for direct payroll costs during the two-month period, the net operating surplus for both months combined was £95,884·47.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what were the takings of the House of Commons kiosk(a) in the four weeks to Christmas and (b) over the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The takings, or turnover, of the Refreshment Department souvenir kiosk during the four weeks to Christmas 1990 and for the previous 12 months to Christmas—including VAT—were £246,472 and £701,404, respectively.

  Members of the European Parliament
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what proposals he has to improve liaison between the House and Members of the European Parliament.

  Mr. MacGregor
  At its next meeting the Services Committee will be asked to consider measures designed to facilitate contacts between this House and Members of the

  Number of days

  Motion

  Session 1987–88

  Session 1988–89

  Session 1989–90

  Session 1990–911

  Total

  (a) Select Committee on Legal Affairs

  71

  —

  287

  —

  158

  (b) Procedure

  69

  122

  132

  23

  346

  (c) Sittings

  69

  123

  132

  23

  347

  (d) Facilities

  —

  115

  132

  23

  270

  1 Up to 31 December 1990.

  2 The figure given in the Official Report on 14 June 1990, column 298 was incorrect.

  Committee Rooms
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what plans there are for House of Commons Committee Rooms to be fitted with the audio loop.

  Mr. MacGregor
  With the exception of three rooms, where the installation of an electronic loop to enhance audibility for the hard of hearing was not considered practical, all other rooms on the Committee Corridor are equipped with that facility. So too is the Great Committee Room, Westminster Hall.

  Reception of proceedings by means of these loops requires the attendance of an operator and so is not available for those Select Committees, the proceedings of which are not recorded by sound or for television broadcast, nor for private meetings.
  48
  European Parliament. Proposals will also be presented for the introduction of free postage and telephone calls with EC institutions.

  Procedural Changes
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he is now in a position to announce any proposals for procedural changes for the House of Commons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The House will be considering important changes to the European Standing Committees tomorrow.

  Notices of Motions
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Lord President of the Council on how many days between 1 July 1987 and 31 December 1990 the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) has tabled notices of motions relating to each of(a) the Select Committee on Legal Affairs, (b) reform of House of Commons procedure, (c) sittings of the House and (d) Members' facilities; and what estimate he has made of the total cost to public funds and the volume of newsprint that have been involved in the printing of the motions.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The total cost to public funds of printing and publishing notices of motions relating to(a) a Select Committee on Legal Affairs, (b) the reform of the House of Commons procedure, (c) sittings of the House and (d) Members facilities, tabled by the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) in Sessions 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90 and in the current Session to 31 December 1990 is estimated as £68,000. The volume of paper consumed was about 345,000 sheets of A4 paper. The number of days on which the notices of motions were tabled in each Session are as follows:

  The system is compatible with most modern hearing aids and with portable receivers available on loan from the Serjeant's staff on duty in the Committee Corridor.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Economic Sanctions
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the nations against which the United Kingdom is currently operating economic sanctions, giving the reason in each case.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are implementing a variety of restrictive measures on our trade and other relations with a number of countries. These include:
  49

  (a) controls, operated for strategic reasons, through COCOM on the export of high technology equipment which could be used for military as well as civil purposes to a number of proscribed destinations, including the Soviet Union, eastern Europe and China. COCOM comprises the NATO countries, less Iceland, as well as Japan and Australia;

  (b) a variety of restrictive measures on our economic relations with South Africa, implemented within the EC and by agreement with the Commonwealth, as a signal of our disapproval of apartheid. For details of these measures I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer my right hon. Friend the then Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave to the hon. Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) on 15 February 1990 and to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on 19 February 1990. Since then, we have lifted the ban on new investments and the Commonwealth voluntary ban on the promotion of tourism to South Africa (on 23 February 1990) and the European Council has lifted the ban on new investments Community-wide (on 15 December 1990);

  (c) restrictions not aimed at particular countries, such as those of the missile technology control regime, and those resulting from our commitment to nuclear non-proliferation, and controls on the export of material used in production of chemical and biological weapons;

  (d) special restrictions applied to arms exports to certain countries, for example, in the middle east, reflecting our wish not to fuel or prolong conflicts in the region, and our determination to take a firm line on state-sponsored terrorism. The embargo on trade in arms with China, introduced by the European Community in June 1989 to mark their concern about the repression of the democracy movement, remains in place;

  (e) economic sanctions imposed on Iraq and occupied Kuwait, in accordance with our obligations under UNSCR 661, following Iraq's illegal invasion of Kuwait and subsequent refusal to withdraw.

FCA

  Military Aid
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total level of British military aid to the 20 poorest nations, measured by GDP, since 1987.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Excluding the cost of the garrison in Belize, the figures are as follows:

  £ million

  1987–88

  2·1

  1988–89

  1·8

  1989–90

  2·7

  1990–91

  2·6

  Katyn Massacre
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether there will now be a statement to correct official information regarding the Polish Government in exile's claims concerning the responsibility for Katyn.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have in the past issued no statement or official comment on the Polish Government in exile's claims about Katyn. As we have said before, the Soviet authorities' admission last April that the NKVD was responsible for the massacre was very welcome.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance has been afforded to AEA Fuel Services by British embassies to assist in the promotion of Dounreay.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  AEA Fuel Services has not sought our help in providing the services that it offers.

  Technology Exports
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to brief exporters of militarily sensitive technologies of their responsibilities in such exports.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  This is a matter for the Department of Trade and Industry. There are regular consultations among Whitehall departments on the enforcement of export controls. When necessary officials from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office participate in briefings organised by the DTI for business men.

  Khmer Rouge
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent the Khmer Rouge from returning to power in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A comprehensive political settlement that enables the Cambodian people to choose their own government free from the fear of Khmer Rouge atrocities, civil war and invasion is the best way to bring durable peace to Cambodia and prevent the Khmer Rouge from returning to power. That is the purpose of the document drawn up in November 1990 by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the co-chairmen of the Paris conference on Cambodia and the United Nations Secretary General's representative. As one of the permanent five, the United Kingdom will continue to work for the acceptance and implementation of this document.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs further to his reply of 12 November 1990,Official Report, columns 54–55, what information he has on the number of tanks the Khmer Rouge possess, and who supplied them; and what efforts he is taking as a member of the United Nations Security Council to restrain Khmer Rouge military aggression in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We understand that the Khmer Rouge has acquired a number of tanks of Chinese origin.

  As a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, Britain is playing an active role in diplomatic efforts to resolve the Cambodian conflict. Acceptance by all Cambodian parties of the draft comprehensive settlement document agreed in Paris on 23 to 26 November by the permanent five, the co-chairmen of the Paris conference and the United Nations Secretary-General's representative would be the best way to bring the fighting to an end. The Five have repeatedly called on all parties to stop fighting and co-operate to the full in helping to implement the settlement document.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if, in his discussions with the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, while drafting the United Nations framework for Cambodia, he sought a commitment from them to end supplies of military aid to the Cambodian parties;

  (2) if he will now seek a commitment from the other permanent members of the United Nations Security Council to end supplies of military aid to the Cambodian parties.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A commitment has already been given in the framework document a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House endorsed by the United Nations Security Council in resolution 668 of 20 September 1990.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what efforts he is making to ensure the cessation of arms supplies to the warring parties in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie) of 14 January, at column 382.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what role he envisages for the international control mechanism to monitor military action in Cambodia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under the United Nations peace plan, the international control mechanism proposed at the Paris conference on Cambodia in August 1989 is replaced by the military component of the United Nations transitional authority—UNTAC. Its functions are set out in the draft settlement document agreed by the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, the co-chairmen of the Paris conference on Cambodia and the United Nations Secretary-General's representative in Paris on 23 to 26 November 1990.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Government policy concerning the development of democratic self-government for Lithuania and other Baltic states within the Soviet Union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We fully support the right of the Baltic peoples to determine their own future, and welcome the progress made in the last two years towards this goal. We have strongly urged the Soviet authorities not to reverse that process. To do so would contravene the Soviet Union's commitment to strengthen democracy, under the charter for a new Europe signed in Paris on 21 November 1990. Only free negotiation based on democratic principles can provide a solution to the problems of the Baltic peoples.

  Lithuania
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet the Lithuanian Foreign Minister; and if he will make a statement.
  52
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I met the Lithuanian Foreign Minister, Mr. Algirdas Saudargas at the Foreign Office on 15 January. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs met Mr. Saudargas on 16 January. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State told the right hon. Member for Manchester, Gorton (Mr. Kaufman) in reply to his question later that day, we shared Mr. Saudargas's anxiety about the continuing threat of repression in Lithuania and other republics.

  Albania
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will bring forward a programme of bilateral and European Community advice and aid to the Government and people of Albania following their elections.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We shall not take a decision on this before the election.

  Mr. Jonathan Moyle
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if his Department has been informed officially of the latest court decision in Chile of the circumstances of Mr. Jonathan Moyle's death;

  (2) if he will make a statement regarding inquiries carried out by his Department into the circumstances in Jonathan Moyle, met his death in Chile;

  (3) if his Department has any details of the information Mr. Jonathan Moyle, found dead in Chile, had come across in relation to arms being exported from Chile to Iraq.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [holding answer 17 January 1991]: The circumstances of Mr. Jonathan Moyle's tragic death are still under investigation by the Chilean autborities; no decision has yet been reached. Her Majesty's coroner for Exeter and East Devon has opened and adjourned an inquest. It is for these authorities to determine the cause of death.

  The British embassy in Santiago, has been, and remains in close and regular touch with the Chilean authorities and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office is in contact with Mr. Moyle's family. Neither the Foreign and Commonwealth Office nor the British embassy at Santiago has ever taken an official position on the cause of Mr. Moyle's death. I have looked into media reports that Mr. Moyle may have come across information about Chilean arms sales to Iraq, but I have no evidence to substantiate this.

DEFENCE

  Civilian Employees
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many serving members of the Royal Air Force and civilians working ancillary to the Royal Air Force are employed in Wales; and if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Air Force in Wales;

  (2) how many serving members of the Army and civilians working ancillary to the Army are employed in Wales; and if he will make a statement on the future of the Army in Wales.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are currently 4,646 established RAF posts and 2,643 civilians employed at
  53
  RAF units in Wales, while the Army presence comprises some 650 trained service personnel and 550 civilian employees. A strengthening of this presence in future would be consistent with wider Government policy on relocation; and certainly we shall take account of the natural advantages offered by Wales, especially for training, in our planning for any redeployments. We are, however, contemplating a significant reduction in the long-term size of our forces under "options for change", and the impact of this is bound to be felt to some degree in Wales as in other parts of the United Kingdom.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government will undertake a public survey of the problems of toxic waste pollution in and around United States overseas bases as it affects United States bases in Britain, including bases closing or closed.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There are no plans to undertake such a survey.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what information Her Majesty's Government has or intends to seek on the problems of toxic waste pollution in and around United States bases in Britain;

  (2) whether Her Majesty's Government will seek binding agreements with the United States Government to ensure the clean-up, at United States expense, of all United States bases in Britain and surrounding areas which have been affected by toxic waste pollution.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Such bases are bound by the same environmental legislation as military establishments occupied by our own armed forces. Any particular occurrence of pollution, either governed by such legislation or otherwise notifiable, are dealt with in the appropriate manner. There are in addition general agreements, on basing responsibilities already in existence.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government intends to examine the United States congressional report on the problems of toxic waste pollution in and around United States overseas bases, due to be published at the end of 1990.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I understand that no such report exists.

  Body Bags
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has placed orders for body bags with firms in Halifax and the Calder Valley during the last six months.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Ammunition
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the provision of ammunition by the United Kingdom's European partners for the United Kingdom Gulf force, including who is financing such ammunition and the reasons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  During the build-up of the British contribution to the multinational force in the Gulf 54
  we sought additional ammunition of certain types from our European allies. Most of the ammunition required was provided either on loan—that is on a replacement or repayment basis—or for a nominal price, although some was procured at the market price.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Visual Handicap
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people receive mobility allowance whose main disabling condition is listed as blindness or disease of the eye;

  (2) how many people receive mobility allowance solely on the basis of visual impairment.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  Benefits and Allowances
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action his Department intends to take regarding the Court of Appeal judgment in July 1990, Secretary of State v. Thomas, Cooze, Beard, Murphy and Morley v. Secretary of State, regarding discriminatory upper age limits for severe disability allowance and invalid care allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, has appealed to the House of Lords against the decision of the Court of Appeal.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much his Department will save through the restriction of paying back-dated benefits arising from test cases, introduced by the Social Security Act 1990.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Savings for the current financial year are estimated to be of the order of £2 million.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Department's computers in house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by his civil servants outside his Department's offices.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures. These measures are kept under review. The Department of Social Security does not process classified information on its mainframe or lap-top computers.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, for the Doncaster area, how many(a) pensioner households, (b) families with children and (c) other households who are tenants of (i) Doncaster local authority, (ii) housing associations and (iii) other landlords, are estimated to be receiving (1) maximum housing benefits with no deduction for non-dependants,

  55
  (2) maximum housing benefit but with deductions for non-dependants and (3) a lesser amount of housing benefit towards their rent payments currently and over the periods 1988–89 and 1989–90; and what proportions of the total numbers of tenants in each category they represent.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available.

  Loans and Grants
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state(a) the amounts available and (b) the amounts taken up by each Department of Social Security office in Scotland for (i) crisis loans, (ii) budgeting loans and (iii) community care grants in each year since the system was introduced, including the current year until the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is available in the Library.

  Supplementary Benefit and Income Support
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing how many people were provided for by supplementary benefit or income support in Scotland in each year since 1974 separately identifying the number of children.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table:

  Thousands

  Year

  Total claimants, partners and dependants

  Of which children (0–15 years)

  1974

  n/a

  n/a

  1975

  449

  115

  1976

  n/a

  n/a

  1977

  473

  120

  1978

  468

  120

  1979

  451

  109

  1980

  482

  119

  1981

  608

  154

  1982

  705

  183

  1983

  713

  177

  1984

  772

  195

  1986

  832

  212

  1987

  862

  216

  1988

  827

  226

  1989

  799

  223

  Source: Annual Statistical Inquiries.

  Notes:

  (a) Information for 1974 is not available in the form requested.

  (b) The Annual Statistical Inquiries for 1976 is incomplete. It does not contain details of unemployed cases.

  (c) There was no Annual Statistical Inquires in 1985; the one due in December that year was deferred until February 1986.

  Income Support Deductions
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many, and what percentage of, income support claimants in Scotland(a) aged over 60 years and (b) aged under 60 years are repaying social fund budgeting loans or crisis loans by deductions from their benefit payments.

  Mr. Scott
  The table shows the number and the percentage of income support claimants in Scotland(a)
  56
  aged over 60 and (b) aged under 60 repaying social fund budgeting loans or crisis loans from their benefit payments at the end of November 1990.

  Number of Recoveries November 1990

  Percentage of IS Recipients repaying via benefit

  (a) Aged over 60

  3,860

  2·6

  (b) Aged under 60

  82,803

  24·3

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support deductions are currently being made, in Scotland for(a) poll tax arrears, (b) social fund loan payments, (c) fuel payment arrears and (d) any other purposes; and what proportion of income support claimants are having such deductions made from benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest available information is shown in the tables. The number of income support customers having one or more deductions made from their benefit is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Table 1

  Deductions from income support (Social fund loan repayments, community charge, accommodation and fuel charges)

  Purpose

  Number of deductions1

  Community charge arrears

  17,556

  Social fund loan repayments

  86,663

  Fuel

  59,1282

  Other purposes

  9,739

  1Number at 30 November 1990 derived from the Department's management information system which, with the exception of social fund loan repayments, is obtained from a quarterly count of deductions in action. Data on social fund loan repayments are collected monthly.

  2Some deductions for fuel charges cover current consumption costs only because the arrears have been cleared. It is not possible to identify only those cases with continuing arrears.

  Table 2

  Recovery of overpaid benefit, voluntary unemployment deductions

  Purpose

  Number of deductions

  Recovery of overpaid benefit

  10,288

  Voluntary unemployment deductions

  3,590

  Note

  The information is not collected routinely and derives from table 10 of the annual statistical inquiry in May 1989, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in how many cases each year, including the current year to the latest convenient date, since the social fund was introduced, the Social Fund Commissioner has referred appeals back to the local offices in Scotland; and in how many such cases the local office has then(a) approved and (b) refused payment.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is as follows:
  57

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–911

  Cases referred back by social fund inspectors to Scottish social fund offices for redetermination

  213

  582

  713

  Cases in which no payment was made as a result of redetermination

  100

  361

  429

  1 April to December

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make it his policy for applications for attendance allowance to be dealt with directly by Department of Social Security staff at local and regional level instead of through his Department's offices in Blackpool.

  Mr. Scott
  Claimants currently send attendance allowance—AA—claim forms to nine regional centres where initial processing is done. Claims are passed to the attendance allowance unit in Blackpool for award and payment. After the introduction of disability living allowance, DLA and AA claim forms will be sent to regions boths for processing and award, but, for AA only, payments and notifications will be issued from the AA unit in Blackpool. DLA initial awards will be paid from the appropriate regional centre. These arrangements will be reviewed in the light of experience.

  All renewal claims and reviews for DLA and AA will be dealt with centrally at the AA and DLA units in Blackpool.

  Claimants will be able to obtain general information about DLA and AA from the benefits inquiry line or their local benefit offices. The new DLA computer system will enable the unit's staff to give prompt details about individual claims from telephone inquiries.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the hon. Member for Rugby and Kenilworth will receive a response to his letter of 9 November 1990 referring to Mrs. R. Tunnicliffe.

  Mr. Jack
  I replied to my hon. Friend on 17 January.

  Community Care
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action his Department is taking to follow up recommendation 25 of the fifth report 1989–90 of the Social Services Select Committee, "Community Care: Carers."

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the Government's response to recommendation 25 of the fifth report of the Social Services Select Committee published in the Government's "Plans for the Future of Community Care"— CM 1343 at page 17.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will separately list for each of the last 10 years the sums of money paid by his Department to private and publicly owned residential homes for the elderly in support of their occupants.
  58
  Miss Widdecombe
  The Department does not pay money to private or publicly owned residential homes for the elderly in support of their occupants.

  The Department has paid the following amounts of income support or supplementary benefit to claimants in residential care homes.

  Year

  Annual expenditure (nearest £ million)

  1981

  23

  1982

  39

  1983

  104

  1984

  200

  1985

  259

  1986

  328

  1987

  438

  1988

  556

  1989

  658

  1990

  740

  Notes:

  1. The figures before 1985 include claimants in nursing homes.

  2. Figures are not sufficiently reliable for the totals to be subdivided into elderly residents and others.

  Information regarding amounts paid to people in publicly owned homes—part III—is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Income Support
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are now in receipt of income support, paid to them for the purpose of sustaining mortgage repayments.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table.

  Income support claimants with mortgage interest included in assessment

  Year

  Total

  1989

  281,000

  Source: Annual statistical inquiry.

  Note: Figures rounded to the nearest thousand.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total sum paid by his Department in 1990, and each of the preceding five years, to assist claimants with mortgage repayments.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Estimates of figures are given in the table.

  Annual equivalent mortgage interest included in assessment of income support

  Year

  Total £ million

  1989

  355

  1988

  285

  1987

  335

  1986

  350

  1984

  220

  Source: Annual statistical inquiry.

  Note:No annual statistical inquiry was undertaken in 1985; data for 1983 are not available. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the highest sum, known to his Department, paid per week to assist any individual claimant with mortgage repayments.
  59
  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not routinely collected. The 10 highest amounts added in the assessment of income support for mortgage interest identified by a 1 per cent. sample of cases are listed in the table in descending order:

  Weekly amount (£)

  176·17

  174·98

  162·26

  160·63

  159·18

  157·58

  157·06

  148·43

  143·31

  142·01

  Source: Annual Statistical Inquiry, May 1989.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what discussions his Department has had with organisations representing disabled people and carers concerning the impact of the community charge on disabled people and their carers.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We keep in close touch with representatives of disabled people and their carers about all social security issues. Additional help is focused on disabled people and their carers through the special premiums in the income-related benefit schemes, including community charge benefit.

  Christmas Bonus
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the Christmas bonus to pensioners for Christmas 1991 to reflect the movement in the retail prices index since 1972.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no plans to do so.

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received concerning the impact of the community charge on disabled people and their carers.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Since April 1990, the Department has received over 3,000 items of correspondence about the community charge benefit scheme: it is not possible to identify the number relating particularly to the impact of the community charge on disabled people and their carers.

  Benefits
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost in 1991–92 of raising income support, community charge benefit and housing benefit personal allowances for people under 25 years to the level for those 25 years and over.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not available, but I shall write to the hon. Member when it is.

  Residential and Nursing Home Care
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to increase the limits paid for residential and nursing home care; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the uprating statement my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State made to the House on 24 October 1990 at columns 351–52.

  Pensioners (Income)
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the number of pensioners in the United Kingdom who have an income of up to(a) £5,000 annually, (b) £4,500, (c) £4,000 and (d) the number under this figure and the total percentage of pensioners whose income does not exceed £5,000 a year.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 6 December 1990: In 1987, The latest year for which analyses are available, the number of pensioner family units where the total net income was below the specified levels is estimated to be:

  Single Pensioner

  Pensioner couples

  (a) below £5,000 per annum

  3·8 million

  0·8 million

  (b) below £4,500 per annum

  3·6 million

  0·5 million

  (c) below £4,000 per annum

  3·4 million

  0·2 million

  The total number of pensioner units in the United Kingdom is estimated to be:

  Million

  Single pensioners

  4·4

  Pensioner couples

  2·5

  Total

  6·9

  Note: The estimates are based on the net income of benefit units before housing costs. No account has been taken of the size of the family unit, nor of any income received by those living in separate benefit units in the same household.

  The total percentage of pensioner units whose income does not exceed £5,000 a year is around 67 per cent.

  Low Incomes
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state the number of adult people in the United Kingdom who have an annual income of up to(a) £5,000, (b) £4,500 and (c) £4,000.

  Mr. Jack
  [holding answer 6 December 1990]: In 1987, the latest year for which analyses are available, the number of family units where the total net income was below the specified levels is estimated to be:

  Single adults million

  Couples million

  (a) below £5,000 per annum

  10·9

  1·8

  (b) below £4,500 per annum

  10·0

  1·2

  (c) below £4,000 per annum

  8·7

  0·7

  Note: The estimates are based on the net income of benefit units before housing costs. No account has been taken of the size of the family unit, nor of any income received by those living in separate benefit units in the same household.

  Incomes
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he intends to make a substantial reply to the priority written questions of the hon. Member for Walsall, North of 6 December about pensioner and other adult incomes.

  Mr. Jack
  I have replied to the hon. Member today.

  Disability Living Allowance
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the tables in the OPCS reports which indicate that people who need special diets will be likely to qualify for the lower care component of the disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 20 December 1990]: The estimates of the eligible populations for the new components of the disability living allowance were derived from a detailed secondary analysis of the OPCS survey data; the eligible groups cannot be identified from the tables published in the OPCS reports. Our estimates do, however, suggest that around a quarter of those expected to qualify for the lower rate of the self-care component —some 60,000 people in all—need a special diet.

EMPLOYMENT

  Sheltered Employment
  Mr. Blair
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what new money will be made available for the sheltered employment budget in the next year; and what was the number of(a) permits issued to employers, (b) inspections carried out by his Department under the quota scheme in each of the last five years, and (c) attempts to prosecute for failure to meet the quota, since 1960.

  Mr. Robert Jackson
  The 1990 public expenditure survey provides an additional £4·6 million for 1991–92 for the sheltered employment programme compared with the corresponding provision in last year's plans. With regard to the quota scheme:

  (a) my Department does not keep information in the form requested. However, the number of employers issued with permits during the 12-month period ending 1 June was:

  Employers

  1990

  18,036

  1989

  18,530

  1988

  18,594

  1987

  18,577

  1986

  18,840

  (b) The number of quota inspections carried out during the 12-month period ending in April was:

  Number

  1990

  1,903

  1989

  2,050

  1988

  2,273

  1987

  2,553

  1986

  2,360

  (c) There have been six prosecutions for failure to meet quota since 1960: three in 1975 and one each in 1964, 1973 and 1974.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of unemployed claimants are dealt with by a caseload approach.

  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.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of clients on employment training referred to training managers are not accepted and are referred back to training agents.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of current employment training trainees in training are on employer placements.

  Mr. Jackson
  It is estimated that at 30 September 1990, the latest date for which information is available, about 25 per cent. of trainees were on practical training placements with employers.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps are being taken to improve the quality of provision of training agents on employment training; and whether any extra resources are being provided for this.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training agents which contract direct with my Department are required to meet the exacting arid stringent standards of the approved training organisation (ATO) criteria. I am satisfied that the resources provided are sufficient to meet these quality standards.

  Training agents who contract with a training arid enterprise council are required to meet the standards which the TEC sets out in its quality management strategy which are no less stringent than those of the approved training organisation criteria. The quality management strategy is an integral part of the training and enterprise council's corporate and business plans which are agreed with my Department and form the foundation of the contractual arrangements between the training and enterprise council and my Department. Training and enterprise council's also determine what resources are needed to maintain standards and provide value for money.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the percentage of training and enterprise council staff who were formerly civil servants.

  Mr. Jackson
  A total of 46 training and enterprise councils were operational at 14 January 1991. The number of staff who have resigned from the civil service to take up direct employment with their training and enterprise councils is four (0·2 per cent.). This compares with 2,455 (94 per cent.) seconded civil servants who are working for these training and enterprise councils.

  Unskilled Workers
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the industrial work force is unskilled.

  Mr. Jackson
  Estimates from the 1989 labour force survey indicate that 5.2 per cent. of all people in employment in Great Britain were in unskilled occupations.

  Mentally Ill People
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many mentally ill people are(a) unemployed, (b) in part-time employment and (c) in full-time employment, by sector.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is not available in the form requested. A report of research commissioned by my Department's Employment Service and undertaken by Social and Community Planning Research contains some information on mentally ill people who are in employment or want work. A copy of the report, "Employment and Handicap", is in the Library.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement regarding his Department's policy on training and promotion of employment for the mentally ill.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department provides a service for all people with disabilities treating each as an individual and identifying the most appropriate action. People who are mentally ill can use the full range of Employment Department services available to anyone with a disability who is capable of employment. The consultative document, "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities", contains proposals and intentions to improve the effectiveness of these services.

  My Department seeks to encourage employers to adopt and implement good policies and practices in the employment of people with disabilities. Through means such as the "Code of Good Practice on the Employment of Disabled People" and our two videos, "It Can Be Done" and "It Worked Fine", which are promoted to employers by the Disablement Advisory Service, we offer employers advice and guidance on employing all people with disabilities, including those who are mentally ill. In October 1990 my right hon. and learned Friend launched a new symbol which can be used by employers to show publicly that they are committed to good practices and to encourage people with disabilities in seeking and keeping employment. In addition, my Department has, in conjunction with the National Association for Mental Health (MIND), prepared a leaflet for employers advising how people with mental illness can be successfully integrated into the work force.

  Civilian work force in employment3

  1979

  1989

  Civilian employment in the service sector

  Civilian employment in manufacturing industries

  Civilian employment in the service sector

  Civilian employment in manufacturing industries

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  United Kingdom

  58·7

  29·5

  68·4

  20·9

  France

  54·8

  26·1

  63·5

  121·6

  Federal Republic of Germany

  50·0

  34·5

  56·5

  232·2

  64
  Employment opportunities for people with severe mental health problems are provided under my Department's sheltered employment programme and the Employment Service's employment rehabilitation network already includes a number of agencies which specialise in mental health.

  In training, our objective is to encourage integrated provision where this is possible, but we also recognise that sometimes very particular expertise is necessary to make training a success.

  That is why my Department, with the help of specialist organisations, has produced a guide for training people with disabilities which includes specific advice on the needs of people with mental health problems and how to respond to them. We have also sponsored a number of projects aimed at creating or enhancing training and assessment facilities at the local level. The job of further developing this provision is now primarily the responsibility of training and enterprise councils.

  Job Clubs
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of participants in the past 12 months left job clubs without a positive outcome.

  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.

  Tourists
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to improve the quality of welcome to incoming tourists at airports and seaports.

  Mr. Forth
  The British Tourist Authority is pursuing the recommendations made in a recent study by Countess Spencer of the reception facilities at ports of entry.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of employed workers were employed in the service sector in(a) 1979 and (b) 1989 in the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany;

  (2) what percentage of employed workers are employed in manufacturing industries in (a) 1979 and (b) 1989 in the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Mr. Jackson
  The available information is shown in the table.
  65

  1 Latest figures available are for 1988.

  2 Latest figures available are for 1986.

  3 Civilian work force in employment consists of employees in employment, the self-employed and participants on work related Government training schemes. Major divisions of economic activity are defined in the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 (for the United Kingdom) and in the International Standard Industrial Classification (for France and the Federal Republic of Germany).

  Source: OECD Labour Force Statistics 1968–1988 and OECD Quarterly Labour Force Statistics No. 4, 1990 except United Kingdom (ed.)

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of employees in the service sector are married women in the(a) United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) the Federal Republic of Germany.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information is shown in the table.

  Employees in employment1

  Per cent. of married women employed in the service sector in 19882

  United Kingdom

  38·3

  France

  31·7

  Federal Republic of Germany

  26·3

  Source: Eurostat Labour Force Survey Results 1988

  1 Major divisions of economic activity are defined in the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 (for the United Kingdom) and in the International Standard Industrial Classification (for France and the Federal Republic of Germany).

  2 Latest comparable figures available are for 1988

WALES

  Water Quality
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has plans to improve the quality of Welsh water.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next proposes to meet the chairman of Welsh Water plc to discuss its targets for capital expenditure and compliance with statutory environmental limits.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Department is regularly in touch with Welsh Water plc on a wide range of matters including its performance, and my right hon. Friend will certainly discuss these issues at any meeting with the company.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met leaders of local authorities in Wales to dicuss the community charge.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I met the Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, together with representatives of individual authorities on 7 January, for a very useful discussion on the finance, structure and functions of Welsh local government.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the present number of unemployed males and females and the numbers recorded in May 1979; and what are his plans to reduce the figures.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In May 1979, on a seasonally adjusted basis, there were 49,800 male and 19,000 female 66
  unemployed claimants in Wales. In December 1990, these figures were 73,100 and 21,100 respectively. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) about the Government's plans to ameliorate the situation.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest number of people out of work(a) in the Merthyr and Rhymney constituency and (b) in Wales; and what action he proposes to create new job opportunities for those unemployed.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In December 1990, there were 3,360 and 95,662 unemployed claimants in the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency and Wales respectively. I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which my hon. Friend the Minister of State gave to the hon. Member for Clwyd, South-West (Mr. Jones) about the Government's plans to ameliorate the situation.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many men and women, full-time and part-time, were in employment in June 1979 at the latest date for which figures are available in(a) Wales and (b) Mid Glamorgan.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The latest available figures show that there are more people in employment in Wales than ever before with a record 1,239,000 civilian work force in employment. In June 1979, there were 618,000, 250,000 and 165,000 male, full-time female and part-time female employees respectively in employment in Wales. A breakdown of numbers of full-time and part-time males is not available. By September 1990, totals were 525,000, 279,000 and 206,000 respectively. County data are not available for the period requested.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next intends to meet the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency to discuss future levels of unemployment in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have regular discussions with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency about a range of matters concerning the development of the Welsh economy.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the(a) percentage fall and (b) fall in actual numbers of eye tests carried out under the NHS in Wales in the year following the introduction of charges for such tests over the previous year.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information is not available in the form requested. Statistics are available only in respect of sight tests for which no charge is made to the patient.

  Hospital Incinerators
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures are to be taken to eradicate harmful emissions from the chimneys of hospital incinerators in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Hospital incinerators currently in operation in Wales will lose Crown immunity from 1 April 1991, and will be subject to local authority control under the arrangements to be introduced by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Family Farms
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on his policy for the future of family farms in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I recognise the importance of family farms within the structure of agriculture in Wales and their significance in social terms. I will continue to seek to ensure that these farms, along with others, are able to compete effectively and on equal terms within the single European market.

  Brussels Office
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to establish a permanent Welsh office base in Brussels.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The Welsh Office is already in close and sustained contact with the European Commission and with the office of the United Kingdom permanent representation in Brussels, which represents the interest of all Government Departments. The present arrangements work well and are the most cost-effective means of representing Welsh interests in the Community.

  Economy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on prospects for the Welsh economy during 1991.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The progress of the Welsh economy in 1991 will be affected by world and United Kingdom conditions, which may lead to a fall in output and a rise in unemployment during the early part of the year. But this will be accompanied by a sharp fall in inflation and the successes of recent years mean that Wales is far better placed to cope with temporary difficulties and resume the growth path later in the year.

  Local Government
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake a review of the structure of local government in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Yes, I am.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Department's computers in-house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by civil servants outside his Department's offices.
  68
  Mr. David Hunt
  It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and would therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures. These measures are kept under review.

  Historic Monuments
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will update the figures in his answer to the hon. Member for Caerphilly of 9 February 1990,Official Report, columns 809–10, concerning CADW, providing the outturn for 1989–90 and the latest estimates for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is in the table:

  £'000

  1989–90 outturn

  1990–91 estimate

  1991–92 estimate1

  Historic buildings grants

  2,779

  3,138

  3,027

  Ancient monuments grants:

  Grants to owners

  169

  250

  275

  Grants to archaeological trusts

  633

  715

  730

  Royal Commission on Ancient and Historical Monuments (Wales)

  810

  830

  900

  Civic Trust for Wales

  25

  25

  25

  1 The provision for 1991–92 is subject to Treasury and Parliamentary approval.

  Polytechnic of Wales
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce any changes in the structure of the Polytechnic of Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We expect to announce our decision on the recommendations of the Price Waterhouse report concerning the future status of the Polytechnic of Wales in the near future.

  Community Charge Registers
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is the estimated cost for each change in poll tax registers; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many changes there have been to poll tax registers in Wales as a result of population movement;

  (3) if he will list in order the number of districts and boroughs in which there have been changes in poll tax registers;

  (4) how much it costs to keep poll tax registers up to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The table shows the entries recorded by each authority in respect of the community charge register as at 1 December 1989 and as at 15 November 1990. These show the overall changes to the register rather than the number of changes there have been to community charge registers in Wales as a result of population movement.

  The estimated cost for each change and the costs of updating the community charge register are not held centrally.
  69

  Total entries on the community charge register1

  Local authority

  As at 1 December 1989

  As at 15 November 1990

  Alyn and Deeside

  56,482

  56,615

  Colwyn

  45,525

  44,516

  Delyn

  51,758

  51,845

  Glyndwr

  33,728

  33,472

  Rhuddlan

  45,200

  45,266

  Wrexham Maelor

  92,437

  90,111

  Carmarthen

  45,015

  44,097

  Ceredigion

  53,190

  55,941

  Dinefwr

  30,399

  30,644

  Llanelli

  58,552

  59,585

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  54,152

  54,111

  South Pembroke

  33,329

  33,420

  Blaenau Gwent

  60,113

  59,560

  Islwyn

  50,668

  51,348

  Monmouth

  60,217

  60,180

  Newport

  103,309

  103,609

  Torfaen

  69,720

  69,162

  Aberconwy

  42,778

  42,806

  Arfon

  45,529

  44,972

  Dwyfor

  24,319

  23,868

  Meirionnydd

  29,649

  29,168

  Ynys Mõn

  52,699

  53,965

  Cynon Valley

  50,690

  51,095

  Merthyr Tydfil

  45,111

  45,902

  Ogwr

  104,800

  104,226

  Rhondda

  61,460

  61,095

  Rhymney Valley

  78,780

  78,346

  Taff Ely

  73,805

  74,608

  Brecknock

  33,025

  32,515

  Montgomeryshire

  41,867

  42,282

  Radnor

  18,501

  18,974

  Cardiff

  223,133

  222,050

  Vale of Glamorgan

  84,975

  85,847

  Port Talbot

  40,384

  39,756

  Lliw Valley

  47,818

  48,286

  Neath

  51,248

  51,239

  Swansea

  142,003

  142,917

  TOTAL WALES

  2,236,368

  2,237,399

  1 Includes personal community chargepayers, students, persons subject to the collective community charge and standard community charge properties.

  National Museum of Wales
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1990 reported by the National Museum of Wales, including its outstations, with the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1989.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  A total of 672,064 people visited the National Museum of Wales during 1990, an increase of 39 per cent. on the attendance reported for 1989.

  Education and Training
  Mr. Denzilk Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the latest available year how many 16 to 18-year-olds in Wales participated in full-time education and training.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There were 68,885 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education and training in the 1989–90 academic year.

  Mathematics
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the latest available year what percentage of all school children taking GCSE in Wales sat the examination in mathematics; and what percentage of those sitting the examination in mathematics obtained grades of C and above.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In the summer examinations of 1990, a total of 81 per cent. of Welsh Joint Education Committee GCSE candidates sat an examination in mathematics at centres in schools. Of these, 38·4 per cent. achieved grades A to C.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in the latest available year, what percentage of pupils taking the A-level examinations in Wales took the examination in mathematics.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In the summer examinations of 1990, a total of 26·2 per cent. of candidates sitting Welsh Joint Education Committee A-level examinations at centres in schools sat an examination in mathematics.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all documents of advice or guidance, all consultative documents, all circulars and all other publications produced by his Department since 1 April 1990 in respect of(a) the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Act, (b) the implementation of other aspects of Government policy towards the national health service and (c) any other matters relating to the health service in Wales; and if he will also list any such documents produced jointly with other Departments and any such documents which have been produced by other Government Departments, but which have any application to Wales, during the same period.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the comprehensive list of working papers and associated material pursuant to the NHS and Community Care Act 1990, which is updated quarterly and placed in the Vote Office and Libraries. The further information could be collated only at disproportionate cost.

  Welshpool Bypass
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the Welshpool bypass to be(a) started and (b) completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Start of work on the Welshpool scheme has been delayed by statutory procedures. Information on the timing of this scheme will be included in the Welsh Office departmental report and the supplement to "Roads in Wales" to be published shortly.

  Newtown Bypass
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any proposals for the construction of a Newtown bypass; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We have carried out a study of traffic in the Newtown area and the information obtained will be carefully considered to assess the need for a bypass.

  Countess of Chester Hospital
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of patients from north Wales who used the Countess of Chester hospital annually for(a) surgery and (b) physiotherapy.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A total of 5,834 episodes of in-patient and day case care were received by residents from Clwyd and Gwynedd in the Countess of Chester hospital in 1989–90. Information on whether or not these episodes involved surgery is not held centrally. Information on the number attending that hospital for physiotherapy is not available.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what body will be responsible for the purchase of health services for the people of Pembrokeshire if the Pembrokeshire district health authority is turned into a national health service trust.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This will be for consideration if Pembrokeshire health authority decides to submit an application to form a Pembrokeshire health service trust.

  Travel Concessions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) whether he will establish a scheme in Wales of assistance for retirement pensioners to travel free on road and rail transport at off-peak hours;

  (2) whether he will establish a scheme in Wales of assistance for retirement pensioners to travel at concessionary rates of 75 per cent. or 66 per cent. on road and rail transport in off-peak hours.
  72
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We have no plans to change the present arrangements. Local authorities already have adequate powers to provide travel concessions in their areas and most local authorities in Wales operate concessionary fares schemes for travel on local public transport. Both British Rail and the main long-distance coach operators have their own travel concession arrangements.

  Leukaemia Patients
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make extra financial provision available to consultants at the bone marrow transplant unit at the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, to fund the prescription of the drug Alpha Interferon to leukaemia patients.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  South Glamorgan health authority is already appropriately funded for the cost of drugs for the approved regional bone marrow transplant programme.

  Jobs
  Sir Anthony Meyer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had during the past two months with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency about the provision of new jobs for the safeguarding of existing jobs in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have regular discussions with the chairman of the Welsh Development Agency about a range of matters concerning the development of the Welsh economy.

HEALTH

  Abortions
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest figures he has received for abortions as a percentage of all conceptions(a) in England and Wales, (b) for each Thames regional health authority and (c) for each London district health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest available information, for 1988, is shown in the table. The figures show the proportion of conceptions terminated by abortion under the 1967 Abortion Act; those which led to an illegal or a spontaneous abortion are excluded. Figures for district health authorities are not available centrally.

  Percentage of conceptions terminated by abortion under the 1967 Abortion Act

  Area of usual residence of women

  Number

  England and Wales

  19·7

  Regional Health Authorities

  North West Thames

  25·8

  North East Thames

  27·5

  South East Thames

  24·4

  South West Thames

  23·0

  Health Expenditure
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will provide(a) the total gross allocation to England for health expenditure in the year 1991–92, (b) a breakdown of the revenue and capital allocation components of the total gross allocation and (c) a breakdown of the total gross allocation, and the revenue and capital allocation components of it, for each of the English regional health authorities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is not yet available in the form requested. The table sets out the main revenue and capital allocations to regional health authorities for 1991–92.

  £ millions

  Region

  Revenue allocation

  Capital allocation

  Total allocation

  Northern

  985·3

  76·5

  1,061·8

  Yorkshire

  1,121·0

  89·1

  1,210·1

  Trent

  1,406·5

  112·3

  1,518·8

  East Anglian

  595·7

  49·1

  644·9

  North West Thames

  1,097·2

  75·7

  1,172·9

  North East Thames

  1,295·5

  86·2

  1,381·7

  South East Thames

  1,221·2

  89·0

  1,310·2

  South West Thames

  946·8

  69·4

  1,016·2

  Wessex

  872·1

  73·9

  946·0

  Oxford

  675·4

  55·0

  730·4

  South Western

  1,000·0

  81·6

  1,081·6

  West Midlands

  1,566·8

  131·4

  1,698·2

  Mersey

  775·2

  60·0

  835·2

  North Western

  1,295·0

  104·1

  1,399·1

  All RHAs

  14,853·7

  1,153·5

  16,007·2

  Notes:

  1. Totals may not add due to rounding.

  2. The table shows allocations for resident populations and excludes allocations for special purposes, some which will be made later.

  3. An adjustment will be made to regions' capital allocation in respect of the NHS trust programme.

  Breast Cancer
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the average waiting period for women being screened for breast cancer and the average period of time for the results to be made known in(a) Sunderland, (b) Durham and (c) Hartlepool.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairmen of the health authorities concerned.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Department's computers in-house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by his civil servants outside his Department's offices.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures. These measures are kept under review.

  National Health Service Laundries
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will request the Audit Commission to carry out a study of the true costs of laundry services provided by national health service laundries.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We will bear the suggestion in mind in discussions with the Audit Commission on its future programme.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what savings his Department would make were no notice given of oral questions to Ministers and they were answered without civil service time being used on briefings.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No savings would be made and costs would almost certainly increase significantly. If the oral question is known in advance briefing can be tightly focused, thus avoiding the cost of producing a detailed brief, covering all subjects that could possibly arise.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average length of time taken and the average cost involved of officials' time in his Department preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Dorrell
  the time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in the Department of Health. Estimates are made where there is a likelihood of exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold (currently £250). Following an inter-departmental exercise in 1972, an assessment was made of the average cost throughout all Departments of answering an oral question. This assessment was based on staff time, using average rates of pay and associated costs for the grades concerned, together with a share of the costs of parliamentary sections and any substantial non-staff costs. This figure is regularly updated and currently stands at £99.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for any variation in the designation or standards relating to Orcon levels of response for ambulance services.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Response times have always been recommended rather than mandatory and will remain so. The management executive recently issued a guide to good practice in the ambulance service which included a re-classification of services which are now termed urban or rural dependent upon population density. New emergency response standards for urban services have been slightly relaxed in recognition of increased traffic density; standards for rural services have been slightly tightened because of improved road networks. Non-emergency transport standards are now for local discretion based on the requirements of clinicians and unit managers. The guide to good practice is available in the Library.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many environmental health officers are currently in post; what is his estimate of the cost; how many additional environmental health officers he estimates will be required to implement the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1991; and what is the estimated additional cost;

  (2) how environmental health officers were consulted before the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations were drafted; and what responses were received;

  (3) how the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations will be enforced; and what is his estimate of the cost to central and local government.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information on numbers of environmental health officers in post is not collected centrally. It is for local authorities to consider how best to deploy their resources to enforce food safety requirements. In doing so they will take into account priority areas of concern. No funds have been made available centrally specifically for the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990. The Government have made available to local authorities £30 million for extra enforcement responsibilities placed on them under the Food Safety Act 1990 dealing with improvements in food safety generally.

  A draft of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 was issued for consultation in July 1989 to a wide range of organisations including local authorities. Many comments were received on various aspects of the regulations, including their enforcement. The regulations were made in July 1990.

  Guidelines on how the regulations affect industry and on how they will be enforced have also been widely consulted upon and will be issued in final form very shortly.

  Smoked Meat and Fish
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the definitive draft of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations will be available; and when guidelines for the smoked meat and fish industry will be issued.
  76
  Mr. Dorrell
  The regulations were made on 16 July 1990 and laid before Parliament on 18 July 1990. They come into force in stages from 1 April 1991. Copies are available in the Library.

  A consultation exercise on guidelines describing the implications of the regulations for all sectors of industry and for enforcement officers has just been completed. Final guidelines will be issued very shortly.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to smoked salmon in the past three years; and in how many cases had the smoked salmon been delivered by post;

  (2) how far negotiations concerning the implementation of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations have progressed with the smoked meat and fish industry; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to smoked meat and fish delivered by post in the last five years;

  (4) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to smoked meat and fish in the last three years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Most cases of food poisoning are sporadic and it is not usually possible to identify a vehicle of infection for a specific case. Routine statistics on sporadic cases are therefore unhelpful in identifying particular foods as vehicles of infection—whether they have been in the post or not.

  The Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 introduce temperature controls for foods which should be kept chilled because they may contain pathogenic micro-organisms which, if not controlled by chilling, can grow rapidly and become a threat to health.

  Research is taking place to see how the mail order trade, including smoked fish, can best adapt to the new regulations and we expect to be in a position to consider results with colleagues in MAFF, Scottish Office and the Welsh Office shortly.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the latest estimate of the population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest estimate of resident population in the United Kingdom (relating to mid 1989) is 57·2 millions.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the projections, by percentage, of the population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for the years (i) 2000, (ii) 2010 and (iii) 2020 for those(a) aged 101 or over, (b) aged between 91 and 100 years, (c) aged between 81 and 90 years, (d) aged between 71 and 80 years and (e) aged between 61 and 70 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The available information based on the 1989-based projections of resident population produced by the Government Actuary's Department is as follows:

  Age last birthday

  Percentage of projected United Kingdom population in the year

  2000

  2010

  2020

  61 to 70

  9·0

  10·5

  10·8

  71 to 80

  7·0

  6·6

  7·9

  81 to 89

  2·8

  3·2

  3·2

  90 and over

  0·6

  0·7

  0·8

  77
  Population figures for the United Kingdom cannot be reliably projected by single years of age beyond the age of 90.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the total population of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is(a) aged 101 years and over, (b) aged between 91 and 100 years, (c) aged between 81 and 90 years, (d) aged between 71 and 80 years and (e) aged between 61 and 70 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information available, based upon mid 1989 estimates of resident population, is as follows:

  Age

  Percentage of total resident United Kingdom population

  61 to 70

  9·9

  71 to 80

  6·7

  81 to 89

  2·7

  90+

  0·4

  Population figures by single year of age cannot be estimated reliably above the age of 90.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the district health authorities in England which have expressed an interest in opting out to become a national health service trust on an all-authority basis and indicate which of these he is allowing to proceed into the process of public consultation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has agreed that 123 hospitals and other units can proceed to work up applications to become trusts on 1 April 1992. These expressions of interest will only proceed to public consultation if a formal application for trust status is submitted. Of these expressions of interest, 12 provide all the services currently managed within their respective health authorities. They are;

  Darlington health services.

  North Tees acute and community services.

  North West Durham hospital and community services.

  Airedale Health Services.

  Harrogate Health Services.

  Northallerton Health Services.

  Scarborough Health Services.

  East Hertfordshire Acute, Priority and Community Services.

  Hastings Provider Services.

  Wycombe Health Services.

  Oldham Acute and Community Services.

  Rochdale Acute and Community Services.

  St. Paul's Hospital, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many ophthalmic cases have been dealt with at St. Paul's eye hospital, Liverpool, over the past decade; from what radius they are drawn; what are the annual running costs of the hospital; and if he will make a statement on the future of the hospital.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We do not hold this information centrally. The Liverpool health authority is at present consulting on the proposed closure of the hospital and the future provision of eye services in Liverpool. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Michael Emberton, the authority chairman, for details.

  Social Work
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Health what steps he has taken to increase recruitment of social workers and to promote social work as a career; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The primary responsibility for ensuring an adequate, suitably trained work force rests with employers. There is no legislative basis for ministerial involvement in a recruitment campaign for social workers, where the major employers are local authorities. However, the Department has taken steps to assist interested parties to develop better work force analysis systems and, following a meeting with the Association of Directors of Social Services last year, the Department will be funding a one day seminar this spring to bring together all those with work force interests, to identify key issues and discuss future action.

  GPs (Home Visits)
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what right an NHS patient has to seek a home visit by their general practitioner; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Where, in a GP's clinical judgement, a patient's condition is such that a home visit is needed then the GP is required to make such a visit under the terms of service.

  Since 1 April 1990, a GP visiting his or her patient between the hours of 10 pm and 8 am may claim a fee of some £45. If such a visit is delegated by the GP to a deputy then £15 may be claimed.

  GPs, Barnsley
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the practices covered by the Barnsley family practitioner committee have met the general practitioners' new contract for(a) cervical cytology and (b) child immunisation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  On 30 September 1990, 100 per cent. of the GPs, and therefore all of the practices, covered by Barnsley family health services authority qualified for either a higher or lower target payment in respect of both cervical cytology and childhood immunisation. My congratulations to all concerned for this excellent achievement.

  Eyesight Tests
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the impact of charging for eyesight tests in Trent regional health authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of national health service sight tests paid for in 1988–89 and 1989–90 by family health services authorities in Trent regional health authority was as follows:

  NHS sight tests

  1988–89: 1,166,700

  1989–90 (after entitlement was restricted to certain groups): 514,960

  After 1 April 1989, many patients in Trent, as elsewhere, will have had a private eye examination.

  Departmental statistics are not kept on private sight tests. An independent NOP survey commissioned by the

  79
  Department indicated that the national total number of sight tests (private and national health service) during the first quarter of 1990 was at the level that would have been expected if trends up to 1987 had been projected forwards.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many aged people were living in residential homes in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the number of residents aged 65 and over in local authority and registered homes for elderly and for younger physically handicapped people as at 31 March.

  Year

  England total

  1981

  160,965

  1982

  165,675

  1983

  172,208

  1984

  180,578

  1985

  193,487

  1986

  204,382

  1987

  209,801

  1988

  219,175

  1989

  232,527

  1990

  1232,025

  1 Provisional data.

SCOTLAND

  Smoked Fish
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the results of research into the processing of smoked fish and how the industry might comply with the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations affecting the sending of smoked salmon and trout through the post; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The results of research commissioned by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food are expected shortly. Together with colleagues in MAFF and the Department of Health, we shall consider the results and any implications for the food hygiene regulations.

  Civil Penalties
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the number of civil penalties imposed during the last year for which figures are available by each assessor in Scotland in respect of non-return of land valuation schedules prior to the abolition of the domestic rating system.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Assessors have no powers to impose civil penalties in these situations. Any person failing to furnish a return to the assessor is liable to a penalty not exceeding £400, following prosecution at the instance of the procurator fiscal. Information on the number of such cases is not held centrally.

  Health Service
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what communication he has received from Greater Glasgow south-west local health council concerning the 80
  local health council scheme submitted to him by Greater Glasgow health board; what consideration he has given to the issues raised; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The local health council wrote to me on 20 December asking me to ensure that Greater Glasgow health board was aware of the need for a strong local voice on the NHS. This point is well understood by the board, which has submitted a scheme for restructuring local health councils in their area. This is being considered.

  Data Sales
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will describe the circumstances, and the charges involved, when the sale of names and addresses from publicly available community charge information is allowed; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Section 20(6) of the Abolition of Domestic Rates Etc. (Scotland) Act 1987 provides that a person shall be entitled to obtain a copy, or a copy certified by or on behalf of the community charges registration officer, of any entry in the register which he is entitled to inspect. A fee of £1 per register entry is prescribed for this purpose.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Department's computers in-house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by his civil servants outside his Department's offices.

  Mr. Lang
  It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures.

  These measures are kept under review.

  Physiotherapy
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the number of whole-time equivalent physiotherapists under contract to each of the health board areas in Scotland shown as a rate per 100,000 head of population.

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

  Physiotherapists in post by health board; whole time equivalent as at 30 September 1990 (provisional)

  Health board

  Whole time equivalent

  Rate per 100,000 population1

  Argyll and Clyde

  77·5

  18

  Ayrshire and Arran

  93·2

  25

  Borders

  27·3

  27

  Dumfries and Galloway

  23·6

  16

  Fife

  79·0

  23

  Forth Valley

  57·4

  21

  Grampian

  115·7

  23

  Greater Glasgow

  307·5

  33

  Highland

  51·6

  26

  Lanarkshire

  110·4

  20

  Lothian

  217·1

  29

  Orkney

  5·0

  26

  Shetland

  6·0

  27

  81

  Health board

  Whole time equivalent

  Rate per 100,000 population1

  Tayside

  92·0

  23

  Western Isles

  10·6

  35

  1 Based on estimated population figures at 30 June 1989.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of whole-time equivalent physiotherapy aides under contract to the Borders health board for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

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

  Physiotherapy aides in post in the Borders health board; whole-time equivalents as at 30 September

  Year

  Whole time equivalents

  1986

  3·6

  1987

  2·6

  1988

  2·9

  1989

  2·9

  1990

  13·0

  1 Provisional.

  Rural Health Boards
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what assistance is planned to enable health boards in rural areas of Scotland to provide adequate levels of service in all medical areas covered by the professions allied to medicine.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A manpower steering group for the professions allied to medicine was established in June 1990 with the task of advising on the development of manpower planning at local level and at national level for the professions allied to medicine.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of whole-time equivalent professionally qualified physiotherapists under contract to the Borders health board for each of the last five years for which figures are available.

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

  Physiotherapists in post in the Borders health board; whole-time equivalents as at 30 September

  Year

  Whole time equivalents

  1986

  19·8

  1987

  20·8

  1988

  27·0

  1989

  24·9

  1990

  127·3

  1 Provisional.

  Education and Training
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in the latest available year, how many 16 to 18-year-olds participated in full-time education and training.
  82
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There were 76,100 16 to 18-year-olds in full-time education and 42,600 on the youth training scheme in Scotland in 1989.

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he intends to amend the statutory notes within the Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) (No. 2) Regulations 1988 (S.I. 1988, No. 1539) to give effect to the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, which extended exemption from the community charge to those who are severely mentally impaired by reason of degenerative conditions.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  These notes are amended by the Community Charges (Registration) (Scotland) (No. 2) Amendment Regulations 1991 which were made on 14 January and which will be laid before Parliament on 28 January. The notes have no bearing upon the operation of the changes to the arrangements for exempting the severely mentally impaired which came into force on 29 December 1989 with backdated effect, by virtue of the Personal Community Charge (Exemption for the Severely Mentally Impaired) (Scotland) Regulations 1989.

  Scotland Europa Ltd.
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what public relations advisers and management consultants are retained by his office in relation to Scotland Europa Ltd.; what fees they are paid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  No public relations advisers or management consultants are retained by the Scottish Office in relation to Scotland Europa.

  Destiny
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to examine the question of safety arid implement any recommendations arising from the inquiry into the Destiny disaster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Sheriff's determination following a fatal accident inquiry into the drowning accident involving the Destiny on 16 December 1989 was issued on 14 November 1990. A report by the Department of Transport marine accident investigation branch has also been prepared and a summary of that report will be published shortly. The recommendations contained in both reports are being carefully considered by Government Departments with an interest in these matters, including the Scottish Office, although the question of safety at sea is principally a matter for the Department of Transport.

  Local Health Councils
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to respond to the revised scheme for the provision of local health councils within the Highland health board area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Schemes for local health councils have been submitted by 12 health boards, including Highland. These are currently being considered.

  Access Funds
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the amounts each individual college will receive in access funds under the Education (Further and Higher Education Institutions Access Funds) (Scotland) Regulations 1990.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is set out in the table and relates to Session 1990–91. Colleges in the grant-aided and further education sectors are listed separately.

  £

  Central institutions/Colleges of education

  Craigie College of Education

  9,551

  Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art

  46,871

  Dundee Institute of Technology

  78,147

  Edinburgh College of Art

  50,229

  Glasgow Polytechnic

  107,359

  Glasgow School of Art

  42,421

  Jordanhill College of Education

  46,097

  Moray House College of Education

  43,419

  Napier Polytechnic

  201,953

  Northern College of Education

  35,063

  Paisley College of Technology

  107,770

  Queen Margaret College

  49,826

  Queens College, Glasgow

  37,014

  The Robert Gordon Institute of Technology

  135,745

  Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama

  21,897

  St. Andrews College of Education

  19,283

  Scottish Agricultural Colleges

  17,628

  Scottish College of Textiles

  23,291

  Further education colleges

  Borders

  Borders College of Further Education

  10,255

  Central

  Clackmannan College of Further Education

  15,803

  Falkirk College of Technology

  27,645

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Dumfries and Galloway College of Technology

  15,669

  The Barony College

  2,148

  Fife

  Elmwood Agricultural and Technical College

  6,097

  Fife College of Technology

  41,304

  Glenrothes and Buckhaven Technical College

  12,294

  Lauder College

  7,593

  Grampian

  Aberdeen College of Commerce

  36,019

  Aberdeen Technical College

  10,841

  Banff and Buchan College of Further Education

  15,715

  Clinterty Agricultural College

  3,457

  Highland

  Inverness College of Further and Higher Education

  28,097

  Moray College of Further Education

  28,754

  Thurso Technical College

  5,448

  Lothian

  Jewel and Esk Valley College

  27,471

  Oatridge Agricultural College

  2,043

  Stevenson College

  32,237

  Telford College of Further Education

  43,516

  West Lothian College of Further Education

  12,336

  Orkney

  Stromness Nautical College

  471

  Shetland

  Shetland College of Further Education

  2,200

  Strathclyde

  Anniesland College

  11,200

  84

  £

  Ayr College

  28,059

  Barmulloch College

  8,957

  Bell College of Technology

  53,325

  Cambuslang College

  13,446

  Cardonald

  45,088

  Central College of Commerce

  25,575

  Clydebank College

  57,807

  Coatbridge College

  20,828

  Cumbernauld College

  15,471

  Glasgow College of Building and Printing

  39,696

  Glasgow College of Food Technology

  22,498

  Glasgow College of Nautical Studies

  14,742

  James Watt College

  25,973

  John Wheatley College

  13,305

  Kilmarnock College

  24,121

  Langside College

  42,781

  Motherwell College

  29,209

  Reid Kerr College

  32,445

  Springburn College

  9,481

  Stow College

  20,056

  Angus College of Further Education

  12,009

  Dundee College of Further Education

  76,009

  Perth College of Further Education

  23,808

  Western Isles

  Lews Castle College

  6,214

SCOTLAND

  Erythropoietin
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to ensure that prescriptions for erythropoietin are not affected by any health board overspend on their drug budgets.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: Health boards are responsible for ensuring that patients receive proper and sufficient treatment according to clinical judgment and hospital funding is formulated taking into account the cost of providing drugs. There are therefore no financial reasons why Erythropoietin cannot be prescribed.

  Foresterhill Hospital
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress is being made towards the provision of an additional intensive therapy unit facility and additional operating theatre at the Foresterhill hospital's unit in Aberdeen.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: Grampian health board is currently progressing a scheme to replace its existing theatres and intensive therapy facilities with a modern seven-theatre complex at Foresterhill.

  Sub-Standard Housing
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to assist district council tenants and former district council tenants now owner-occupiers who are unable to buy, or sell, their homes because they have been classified by building societies as being sub-standard; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: The Government make available resources

  85
  to local authorities to assist private owners of houses designated as defective under part XIV of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987 as amended by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 and sold by a public sector authority before a cut-off date specified in the designation. Assistance is available towards the repair, demolition and rebuilding, or repurchase by the local authority of the defective house in these cases.

  As regards other houses, council tenants who wish to purchase their houses should satisfy themselves in the first instance that the risks they are taking are acceptable, seeking professional advice if necessary. It is for building societies or other financial institutions advancing loans towards the purchase of properties to make decisions on whether to provide finance for any purchase and it would not be appropriate for the Government to intervene in such decisions.

  The Government also make substantial resources available to local authorities for them to provide grants for the improvement and repair of private housing. The provisional allocations to local authorities for the non-housing revenue account block in 1991–92 announced on 20 December total over £105 million.

  Breast Cancer
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list all the hospitals in Scotland which provide full facilities for the screening of breast cancer and the total number of patients screened for each year since 1979;

  (2) what proportion of health service funds were spent on providing facilities for breast cancer screening for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  holding answer 18 January 1991]: Facilities for screening are not provided in hospitals but by a mix of seven static screening and assessment units and nine mobile screening units. The assessment units take the women who have been found to have a positive basic screen to the point of diagnosis. When a diagnosis demonstrates that treatment is required, the patient is referred to the hospital which has the most appropriate facilities for this treatment.

  The total number of patients screened since the establishment of the breast screening service is as follows:

  Number

  1987–88

  297

  1988–89

  3,953

  1989–90

  45,153

  The Government have provided both revenue and capital funds centrally to establish the breast cancer screening service, as follows:

  £ million

  1987–88

  0·5

  1988–89

  1·6

  1989–90

  4·7

  1990–91

  3·5

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what percentage of local authority expenditure(a) as a whole and (b) on housing is (i) paid for by central Government and (ii) paid for by local government.

  Mr. Key
  In 1990–91 central Government support far local authorities (including that from the non-domestic ratepayer and credit approvals) is estimated to be 80 per cent. and self financed expenditure (less debt interest payment) is estimated to be 20 per cent. of the local authority component of general Government expenditure (less debt interest payment) in England.

  The Government's planned resource provision for local authority capital spending on housing in England in 1991–92 is £1·9 billion. This represents about 64 per cent. of the capital expenditure which local authorities could finance from a combination of this provision and their own resources. Local authorities also receive subsidy to cover the shortfall assumed to arise in their housing revenue account if they adhere to the Government's rent and management and maintenance guidelines. Provision of £3·5 billion has been made for this purpose on 1991–92, which represents about 44 per cent. of local authorities housing revenue account expenditure. The balance is financed by income from rents.

  Refuse-derived Fuel
  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how his Department defines(a) small, (b) medium and (c) large-scale users of refuse-derived fuel in terms of tonnes used per annum; and if he will outline the way in which derogation arrangements will affect each, over the coming years;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the derogation arrangements that will apply for those industries proposing to use recycled, refined, refuse-derived fuel;

  (3) if he will outline the derogation arrangements for refuse-derived fuel use over the next five years.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on derogation arrangements governing the use and development of refuse-derived fuels (RDF).

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department is preparing regulations to implement the EC directive on municipal waste incineration. The power to derogate for plant burning RDF will be included in these regulations, and the regulations will be subject to consultation.

  Under the Environmental Protection Act it is proposed that Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution will be responsible for the integrated pollution control of plants burning refuse derived fuel (RDF). In line with a commitment during the Committee stage of the Environmental Protection Bill, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution is now drafting guidance specific to the burning of RDF including questions of derogation and plant size. Guidance will be published well in advance of existing RDF burning plant coming under control. The industry will be fully consulted in the production of this guidance.

  London Docklands Development Corporation
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he has taken concerning discharge of the responsibilities of the chief executive of the London Docklands Development Corporation; what remit has been given to any persons concerned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Staffing matters are for the corporation, which has appointed the chairman as acting chief executive. My Department has appointed LDDC's director of finance as accounting officer, until the appointment of the new chief executive.

  Wheelchair Access
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will set up a capital fund to provide local authorities and other statutory agencies with resources with a view to enabling all major public buildings to be made accessible to people in wheelchairs by 1995;

  (2) if he will estimate the capital cost of providing unrestricted wheelchair access to all major public buildings such as libraries, schools and hospitals.

  (3) what detailed plans he has to assist local authorities to accelerate their existing programme of work to improve access to public buildings by people in wheelchairs;

  (4) what central Government finance is being made available to increase access to public buildings by people in wheelchairs.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have no plans to set up a capital fund of the kind the hon. Member has in mind. Regardless of financial resources, it is not always practicable, particularly in the case of listed historic buildings, to provide unrestricted wheelchair access to existing public buildings such as libraries, schools and hospitals. Where it is feasible to provide such access the cost will vary according to circumstances, and no realistic estimate of the overall capital cost can be made.

  Access for wheelchair users and other people with disabilities to all storeys of new shops and offices and the entrance storeys of other new non-domestic buildings is a requirement of the present building regulations. There is also a requirement not to adversely affect standards of access for disabled people when altering such buildings.

  My Department is currently consulting on proposals to increase the scope of the regulations to include the upper storeys of a broader range of new multi-storey buildings, some extensions to existing buildings and major reconstructions behind retained facades and to include facilities for the benefit of people with sight and hearing impairments. Thereafter as part of a phased approach, we shall be assessing ways of extending the scope of the regulations to require provision for people with disabilities when, with respect to non-domestic buildings, proposals are made for types of alteration or extension not previously included within the regulations.

  A variety of initiatives aimed at improving access for people with disabilities in existing public buildings has been launched by my own and other Government Departments since 1981; a list of them has been placed in the Library in response to the question recently put by the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) (Official Report, 14 December 1990, column 517).
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  In 1989 the Government gave £150,000 to the Carnegie trusts ADAPT fund for the improvement of facilities for disabled people in arts venues. I refer the hon. Member to the replies given by the Minister for the Arts to questions recently put by the hon. Member for Ynys Mon (Mr. Jones) (Official Report, 29 November 1990, column 462). My Department has no proposals to set up a similar fund for making other public buildings accessible to people in wheelchairs.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to assist local authorities to provide additional public toilets which are adapted for use by people in wheelchairs.

  Mr. Yeo
  Under a contract placed by my Department, British Market Research Bureau Limited is currently carrying out a research project on sanitary provision for people with special needs. I plan to make the report available to local authorities during the course of this year. A major feature of it will be detailed information on the needs of wheelchair users with regard to the planning, design and equipping of public toilets.

  Private Sector Leasing
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision was made in the 1990–91 revenue support grant settlement for costs associated with private sector leasing; and if he will make a statement on his current proposals for 1991–92.

  Mr. Portillo
  The standard spending assessments on which distribution of revenue support grant is based do not make a separately identifiable provision for private sector leasing. The overall local government finance settlements for 1990–91 and 1991–92 do however allow for the cost of providing short-term accommodation outside the housing revenue account.

  Advertising
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money has been spent by his Department in 1989–90 and 1990–91 on(a) advertising community charge rebates, (b) advertising the transitional relief scheme and (c) advertising the sale of water companies.

  Mr. Heseltine
  In 1989–90 my Department spent approximately £4 million on advertising the availability of community charge benefit and transitional relief, with advertisements targeted at those who needed to know. It is not possible to apportion this total between, respectively, benefit and relief. Departmental expenditure on advertising the availability of shares in the water companies was approximately £16·5 million, with the aim of encouraging wide share ownership among the general public.

  No money has been spent on similar advertising this year, but the Department has continued to produce and distribute free leaflets about the availability of community charge benefit and transitional relief. Leaflets are now in preparation to publicise the availability of the new community charge reduction scheme which I announced on 17 January.

  Local Authorities (Income)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each local authority for 1990–91 the income received from(a) poll tax, (b) national non-domestic rates and (c) Government grant.

  Mr. Portillo
  I am arranging for copies of the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the total income to local authorities from(a) domestic rates and (b) non-domestic rates in each of the financial years 1979–80 to 1989–90, respectively.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is as follows:

  England

  Year

  Domestic1 £ million

  Non-domestic2 £ million

  1979–80

  2,504

  3,354

  1980–81

  3,251

  4,194

  1981–82

  4,034

  5,013

  1982–83

  4,548

  5,685

  1983–84

  4,382

  6,042

  1984–85

  4,707

  6,361

  1985–86

  5,094

  6,740

  1986–87

  5,912

  7,566

  1987–88

  6,539

  8,088

  1988–89

  7,689

  8,819

  31989–90

  8,498

  9,607

  1 Net of domestic rate relief grant and rate rebates.

  2 Net of rate rebates.

  3 Provisional.

  Single Homeless People
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the numbers of single homeless people in(a) Sunderland district, (b) Easington district and (c) Hartlepool district.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities report the number of households for whom they accept responsibility to secure accommodation under the homelessness provisions of the Housing Act 1985. The information provided does not identify those who are single and my Department has no estimates.

  Local Government Manpower
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the manpower statistics for Shropshire county council and Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council for 1978–79 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Key
  The information is as follows:—

  Staffing levels at June

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  Shropshire County Council

  19791

  7,855

  6,341

  14,196

  1989

  7,381

  7,677

  15,058

  1990

  7,412

  8,371

  15,783

  Shrewsbury and Atcham borough council

  19791

  576

  104

  680

  90

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  1989

  635

  89

  724

  1990

  631

  87

  718

  Source: Joint Staffing Watch for England

  1 Earliest available data.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Department's computers in-house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by his civil servants outside his Department's offices.

  Mr. Heseltine
  It is not Government policy to disclose details of the protective security measures for safeguarding computers used for official purposes. To do so would be of assistance to potential attackers and therefore reduce the effectiveness of the measures. These measures are kept under review.

  Rents into Mortgages
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give details of his rents into mortgages scheme in Basildon; if he will indicate the discount given in relation to size of mortgage; and if he has made an assessment of the cost of implementing such a scheme across the United Kingdom at levels of take-up in 10 per cent. bands.

  Mr. Yeo
  The scheme is for tenants of the Commission for the New Towns at Basildon who would like to buy their home and who pay their full rent but cannot afford the right to buy. They can buy their home for a minimum initial payment of the amount they could borrow on a mortgage with repayments equivalent to their rent. This initial payment will attract discount in accordance with the right-to-buy rules; tenants paying half the right-to-buy price will get half their right-to-buy discount.

  The Commission will retain a charge over that part of the value of the property not covered by the tenant's payment and discount. The charge may be redeemed at any time, but must be redeemed if the property is sold or, normally, on the death of the purchaser. The amount needed to redeem the charge will be the appropriate proportion of the property's value at the time of redemption, normally less a discount of 20 per cent.

  No proposal for a national scheme has been announced.

  Landfill Sites
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the current advice given by his Department to local planning authorities on the control of new built development in the vicinity of existing arid former landfill tips.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government's advice to local planning authorities about planning control relating to landfill sites is set out in my Department's circular 17/89 "Landfill Sites: Development Control", issued in July 1989. This makes clear that authorities should exercise due caution 3n considering planning applications for development on or near such sites, and that in preparing and updating their
  91
  development plans they should take full account of the implications of the presence of landfill sites for other types of development in the vicinity.

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is(a) the amount and (b) the proportion of net income after rebates, adjusted for family size, households paid in domestic rates in 1988–89 and pay in the community charge in 1990–91, broken down into (i) decile groups and (ii) bands of equivalent income.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is not currently available. The analysis of domestic rates paid in 1988 should become avilable in the spring but the corresponding analysis of community charges paid by households over a full year will not be available until after the 1991 family expenditure survey has been processed.

  Sand and Gravel
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from county councils about the development of sand and gravel quarries in environmentally sensitive areas; and what has been his response to such representations.

  Mr. Yeo
  No specific representations about this have been recently received from county councils. The Government policy and advice on mineral extraction in environmentally important areas is given in minerals planning guidance note 6 "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales."

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the current forecasts for sand and gravel production for each year to the end of the century; and what is the existing annual production.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department does not produce annual forecasts for the production of sand and gravel. A long term national forecast of the demand for aggregates (which includes sand and gravel) was published in March 1989 in minerals planning guidance note 6. It is our intention to publish a revised forecast shortly.

  Production of land-won sand and gravel in England and Wales in 1989 was 98·5 million tonnes.

  Warwickshire County Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what assessment he has made of the opportunities available to reduce the £2 million difference between Warwickshire police authority's plans for reduced spending in 1991–92 on the police service and the Department of the Environment's standard spending assessment for the police service in Warwickshire;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the opportunities available to reduce the £2·4 million difference between Warwickshire county council's plans for spending in 1991–92 on the fire and rescue service and his Department's standard spending assessment for the fire service in the county.

  Mr. Key
  Standard spending assessments are the Government's assessment of the appropriate amount of revenue expenditure by each local authority taking account of its physical, demographic and social 92
  characteristics, consistent with a standard level of service, and the Government's view of the appropriate amount of revenue expenditure for all local authorities. It is for each local authority to determine its own spending plans for particular services, bearing in mind its statutory responsibilities and the scope for greater efficiency.

  Aggregates
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to promote the development of mineral sidings in English counties to allow bulk haul of aggregates.

  Mr. Yeo
  The advice set out in minerals planning guidance note 6 is that rail transport can offer environmental advantages for long haul movements of aggregates. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport is able to make grants available under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974 to facilitate the transfer of aggregates traffic from road to rail.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to promote the exploitation of sea-based aggregates.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government policy on the use of marine dredged sand and gravel is set out in minerals planning guidance note 6. This recognises that it has a very important role to play in maintaining supplies of aggregates and, as far as possible, its use should be encouraged.

  For some years the Department, with the Crown Estate Office, has funded an ongoing programme of research to assess the availability of offshore sand and gravel resources around the coast of England and Wales. This will continue for some time to come.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a circular to authorities administering building regulations supporting the use of sea-based aggregate.

  Mr. Yeo
  There is nothing in the building regulations to discourage the use of sea dredged aggregates provided the guidance in the British Standard BS 882: 1983 (Specification for aggregates from natural sources for concrete) is followed.

  Technical guidance about the acceptability of sea dredged aggregates in concrete was issued by the Building Research Establishment in July 1987. My Department has no plans to issue further specific guidance on this to authorities responsible for the administration of building regulations.

  Mineral Sites
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take steps to encourage local authorities to include in their calculations in relation to landbanks mineral sites not currently being worked when planning permission for working exists.

  Mr. Yeo
  The advice given in minerals planning guidance note 6 is that a sufficient stock of permitted reserves—a landbank—should be maintained for all aggregate minerals. This landbank should be sufficient to provide for at least 10 years extraction unless exceptional circumstances prevail. All mineral sites with planning
  93
  permission, regardless of whether they are in current production, should be taken into account in calculating this landbank.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals have been lodged to date against the uniform business rate in the Doncaster area.

  Mr. Key
  The Doncaster valuation officer had received by 31 December 1990, 4,490 proposals to alter the 1990 rating list.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional rate support grant Lambeth borough council received in 1985–86 by way of disregards in addition to those agreed before 1 April 1985; and how much of any additional grant related to the refusal by the council to set a rate in the first three months of the 1985–86 financial year.

  Mr. Key
  The categories of expenditure which were disregarded for the purpose of calculating grant abatement for 1985–86 are set out in annex VII to the "Rate Support Grant Supplementary Report (England) (No. 4) 1985–86" (HC11) laid before the House on 19 December 1988. All these categories were determined after 1 April 1985. None is related to a delay in setting a rate. The aggregate of the amounts of disregards for Lambeth was £395,000. The effects on rate support grant cannot now be estimated without disproportionate costs.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Tooting (Mr. Cox) on 14 January,Official Report, column 446, if he will give the reasons for the level of revenue support grant and other items of external finance for the London borough of Wandsworth per adult as against the inner London average.

  Mr. Key
  Under the settlement for 1991–92 announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 17 January, Wandsworth will receive £1,192 per adult in external support compared with an inner London average of £1,397. This is made up of £711 per head in revenue support grant compared with the average for inner London boroughs of £940 reflecting through the standard spending assessments Wandsworth's social, demographic and geographical characteristics; payments from the non-domestic rate pool at the national rate of £349 per adult; inner London education grant at £40 per adult—the average for inner London—to support education expenditure on responsibilities inherited from ILEA; and £91 per adult in area protection grant—to protect charge payers from undue burdens arising from the change in the system of local government finance—which is £23 above the inner London average.

  Rents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how his Department defines an affordable rent for(a) local authority tenants, (b) private housing tenants and (c) housing association tenants.

  Mr. Yeo
  Housing benefit is available, generally up to the level of market rents, for those tenants who would otherwise have difficulty affording their rents. In addition,94
  subsidies to local authorities and housing associations enable rents to be kept far below market rent levels in most areas.

  Quarries
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to promote the development of major quarries similar to Glensanda in Scotland where mineral can be bulk-hauled either by sea or rail.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department is commissioning research which will shortly start to identify suitable locations for large scale coastal quarries and the potential contribution such quarries can make towards the demand for aggregates in the south-east of England in particular.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the average length of time taken and the average cost involved of officials' time in his Department preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in my Department. Estimates are however made where there is a likelihood of exceeding the disproportionate cost threshold (currently £250). However, following an inter-departmental exercise in 1972 an assessment was made of the average cost throughout all departments of answering an oral question. This assessment was based on staff time, using average rates of pay and associated costs for the grades concerned, together with a share of the cost of parliamentary sections and any substantial non-staff costs such as computer usage. This assessed figure is regularly updated and currently stands at £99.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what savings his Department would make were no notice given of oral questions to Ministers and they were answered without civil service time being used on briefings.

  Mr. Heseltine
  No savings would be made and costs would almost certainly increase significantly. If the oral question is known in advance briefing can be tightly focused, thus avoiding the cost of producing a detailed brief, covering all subjects that could possibly arise.

  Sir Clifford Chetwood
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the speech of Sir Clifford Chetwood, President of the Building Employers Confederation, on 4 December 1990.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department has a copy.

  Air Pollution
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he has received any representations regarding (i) the adequacy of the proposed cost recovery provisions for authorisations for air pollution control and (ii) the adequacy of the preparations for implementation of part I of the Environmental Protection Act;
  95
  (2) what support and guidance will be given to local authorities and their officers for implementing the new controls over air pollution;

  (3) what steps he is taking to ensure that local authority officers are fully conversant with the new system of air pollution controls prior to implementation;

  (4) pursuant to his answer of 28 November 1990, Official Report, column 404, if it remains his target to issue the process specific guidance for block 1 of the local air processes under part I of the Environmental Protection Act in January 1991 and the general guidance in March 1991;

  (5) what assessment he has made of the adequacy of progress on preparations for operating the new local authority controls for air pollution;

  (6) on what basis the level of fees for authorisations for local authority air processes and waste oil processes were determined.

  Mr. Trippier
  A liaison committee between Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution (HMIP) and the local authority associations was established in November 1989 to facilitate the smooth implementation and running of the new air pollution control system. It continues to meet frequently and has overseen the production of guidance notes both on the new system generally and on the processes to come under local authority control.

  All the block 1 notes are now with the printers and should be published by early February. The general guidance notes remain on target for publication in March 1991. Once copy of each of the notes will be sent free of charge to each local authority and port health authority. Copies will also be on sale from HMSO.

  The Department of the Environment and the Institution of Environmental Health Officers (IEHO) have jointly held a number of training courses around the country for local authorities and next month will be holding a two-day accreditation course for future trainers. The local authority unit of HMIP in Birmingham is also available for ad hoc advice. I am satisfied with what I hear from the unit and the local authority association liaison committee that adequate provision has been made to enable local authorities to prepare for the new system.

  The level of fees was proposed after discussion with the local authority associations and industry on the basis of an assessment of the workload that would be incurred by local authorities in determining and enforcing authorisations. We are still considering the representations received and will in any case review the levels at the end of the first year of operation. Comments on the charging proposals were evenly split, with some local authorities claiming them to be inadequate (particularly in relation to enforcement costs) and some industrialists arguing that they were too high (particularly for waste oil burners). However, the National Society for Clean Air, the IEHO and the Association of District Councils supported them.

  Both industry and local authorities have commented on the preparations for implementation of the part I systems of air pollution and integrated pollution control; to ensure a timely and orderly implementation of the latter we proposed on 9 August 1990 a revised timetable in relation to existing processes.

  Hylands Park, Chelmsford
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the current status of negotiations on the planning application relating to Hylands park, Chelmsford.

  Mr. Yeo
  Negotiations on the revised proposals have not been completed.

  Waste Incineration
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of waste incinerated within the United Kingdom is imported; and what are the projected levels of such importation for the next decade.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department's statistics on imports of waste relate only to hazardous waste imported under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988. Imported hazardous waste accounted for about 5 per cent. of hazardous waste incinerated in England in 1989–90. The provision of similar information for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland respectively. No estimate has been made of the levels of imports of hazardous waste for incineration for the next decade.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has concerning the expansion rate of waste incineration projects and of the likely levels of air pollution resulting from such projects over the next 10 years.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department is aware of 11 current proposals for new waste incinerators in England, including those for burning sewage sludge. However, these are at various stages of preparation, and there is no certainty that they will all go ahead. All new waste incinerators will be required to meet the very stringent emission standards of EC directive 89/369. Incinerators over one tonne per hour capacity will in addition require to be authorised by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the new integrated pollution control provisions in the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on proposals to build new incinerators for the purposes of burning toxic waste and as to how many of these devices are planned and where they are to be located.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Deparment is aware of proposals for five new incinerators for burning toxic waste in England, although these are all subject to planning permission. Their locations are:

  Trafford Park (Greater Manchester)

  Doncaster

  Seal Sands (Cleveland)

  Portrack (Cleveland)

  Howden (Newcastle)

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what actions have been taken to investigate links between pollution emissions and medical conditions in humans and livestock arising out of the activities of the company ReChem;

  (2) what research projects have been carried out (a) independently and (b) by his Department into the effects

  97
  on human health of substances emitted from waste disposal incinerators; and what was the cost of his Department's investigations.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1984 my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland appointed an expert group to carry out an independent review of morbidity in the Bonnybridge/Denny area, in which a ReChem incinerator plant was located, under the chairmanship of Professor J. Lenihan. The review group's report was published by the Scottish Home and Health Departments in February 1985.

  The Government are currently funding the independent small area health statistics unit at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine to investigate possible links between pollution from industrial installations and ill-health in the local community. Specific types of installations being studied include municipal waste incinerators and waste oil and solvent incinerators. The results of the studies will be published in due course.

  The cost of individual studies is not separately identified but the total cost of the small area health statistics unit is currently £448,000 per year, of which the Department contributes one third.

  A number of other studies have been made into levels of pollutants found in the vicinity of waste disposal incinerators, but they have not attempted to link any pollution with health. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales has recently appointed an independent adviser to specify such a study in the area surrounding the ReChem incinerator at Pontypool.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what restrictions he plans to introduce in order to reduce the amount of imported toxic waste; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom has taken the lead in the European Community and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development in calling for all developed countries to become self-sufficient in disposing of their own waste. The United Kingdom is actively involved in negotiations for several international agreements which should help to reduce the amount of imported hazardous waste.

  The proposed amendment to the EC framework directive on waste (75/442/EEC) agreed by the Environment Council in June 1990 refers to the objective of self-sufficiency in waste disposal both for the Community as a whole and for member states individually.

  The proposed Council regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community would introduce new controls on imports of hazardous waste. The draft OECD decision-recommendation on the reduction of transfrontier movements of waste includes provision for member countries to reduce transfrontier movements to the lowest possible level. Apart from these prospective international agreements the Environmental Protection Act 1990 gives the Secretary of State additional powers, should they be needed, to control imports of waste.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the United Kingdom's position in the league table of European countries which import toxic waste; and if he will make a statement.
  98
  Mr. Baldry
  There are at present no reliable comparable figures for imports of hazardous waste by European countries. However, figures are likely to be available in the future as a result of two prospective international agreements. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's draft decision-recommendation on the reduction of transfrontier movements of waste includes provision for member countries to co-operate in collecting and publishing data on waste imports and exports. The proposed European Council regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community also includes provision for the collection and publication of information on imports and exports of waste. Imports of hazardous waste into the United Kingdom are not large: in 1989–90 they amounted to about 35,000 tonnes, less than 2 per cent. of the hazardous waste we produce ourselves. The Government are pleased that the trend is downward. Imports in 1989–90 were less than half those two years earlier.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what quantity of waste, in the last year in which figures are available, was imported for direct landfill within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  The last year for which figures are available is 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 when 140 tonnes of hazardous waste were imported into England for direct landfill.

  The provision of similar information for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Wales, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what quantities per nation annually European toxic waste has been imported by the United Kingdom for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on the importation of waste by country of origin into the United Kingdom is available only since the introduction of the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations in October 1988.

  The information in respect of imports of waste from European Community states through English ports for the financial years (1 April to 31 March) 1988–89 and 1989–90 is shown in the following table.

  The provision of similar information for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State for Wales, the Secretary of State for Scotland and the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland respectively.

  Country of origin

  Waste imported (tonnes)

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Belgium

  3,961

  5,757

  Denmark

  185

  49

  Federal Republic of Germany

  0

  885

  France

  0

  16

  Greece

  0

  5

  Republic of Ireland

  261

  1,704

  Italy

  273

  1,851

  Luxembourg

  0

  17

  Netherlands

  5,224

  10,663

  Portugal

  0

  73

  Spain

  0

  241

  99
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what specific action he is taking to identify the nature of all waste in transit.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 control imports and exports. Under these regulations hazardous waste in transit must be accompanied by documents identifying the waste. The proposed European Council regulation on the supervision and control of shipments of waste within, into and out of the European Community is expected to replace the 1988 regulations. The proposal covers all waste, except non-hazardous waste for recycling. The proposal includes provision for all waste in transit to be accompanied by identifying documents. Movements of special waste within England, Scotland and Wales are controlled under the Special Waste Regulations 1980. These regulations require that appropriate documents identify waste in transit. Under the new duty of care in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 adequate written descriptions will have to be transferred with all consignments of controlled waste (except for household waste produced in a domestic property).

  Dioxin
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to remove dioxin from the United Kingdom environment.

  Mr. Baldry
  The risks posed by the trace quantities of dioxins in the environment do not warrant any specific action to remove them. Dioxins in the environment tend to be absorbed onto soil particles and are gradually changed into other substances by the action of natural chemical, physical and biological processes. The Government's policy is to take action to reduce the levels of dioxins entering the environment from industrial and other sources. This will in due course result in lower levels of dioxins occurring in the environment.

  Local Government
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reports he has received from the Boundary Commission to increase the number of parish, community or town councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Two Local Government Boundary Commission reports before my right hon. Friend for his decision recommend the creation of new parishes. The reports concern the borough of Pendle in Lancashire, and the district of Derbyshire Dales.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered amending the concurrent functions that operate between parish and district councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  No: there is no evidence that the concurrent powers of district and parish councils create problems. While there are non-parish areas within district councils, districts must continue to have some powers in these fields.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received to increase the number of parish and town councils in England; and if he will make a statement.
  100
  Mr. Key
  There have been no recent representations on this subject. Since Ministers have power to create new parishes only on the recommendation of the Local Government Boundary Commission, the question is in the first place for them, and for the district councils on whom the primary responsibility for reviewing the structure of parishes lies.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many new parish, community or town councils have been created since 1974; and if he will give details of their location.

  Mr. Key
  The Department publishes an annual bulletin of changes in local government structure, including the creation of new parishes on the recommendation of the Local Government Boundary Commission and the creation of new parish councils by district councils. Copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations to introduce parish councils in the larger cities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  There have been no recent representations on this subject. The Local Government Boundary Commission for England considered proposals to create new parishes throughout the city of Birmingham, but did not recommend that change.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to give statutory powers to parish councils to have access to information of any proposals for change of services or facilities involving parish councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  No: though the role of parish councils is relevant to the current review of local government.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if parish councils are to receive any part of the uniform business rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The proceeds from the uniform business rate go into the collection fund operated by the charging authority in each area. Each local authority makes a demand on the collection fund for its income. Parish councils therefore have the same access to business rate income as do county and district councils.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice is given to parish councils on obtaining grants to carry out environmental improvements in their area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  No general advice is issued, but the Department is happy to give what advice it can in specific cases when asked.

  Sefton Park Palm House
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why proposals submitted to his Merseyside task force for improvements to Liverpool's Sefton Park palm house, to be financed under the urban fund, have not been proceeded with; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Proposals to restore the palm house were submitted in Liverpool's 1989–90 programme and again in
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  the 1990–91 programme. Ministers at that time were not satisfied that cost estimates for this specialised renovation task were sufficiently robust and detailed costings were commissioned. Liverpool submitted a detailed appraisal in June 1990 and this was used as a basis for further consultation. I am not satisfied that in their present form the proposals offer value for money. If the city were to come forward with wider proposals for the park linked to adjoining initiatives by the Merseyside development corporation, I would be prepared to reconsider the issue.

  House Improvement Grant
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the implementation of the new house improvement grant system by Liverpool city council.

  Mr. Yeo
  The implementation of the house renovation grant system is a local authority responsibility and Liverpool city council has a duty to comply with the statutory requirements.

  Property Surveying
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to require all building surveyors to show proof of adequate liability prior to any property surveying work being undertaken for members of the public.

  Sir George Young
  I refer the hon. member to the answer given to him on 4 December 1989 by my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State at column 9.

  Garden Festival Site, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the original land reclamation costs, and the subsequent annual costs of maintenance and repair, of the international garden festival site, Liverpool; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The garden festival site was reclaimed as part of a wider land reclamation scheme in the Liverpool south docks area, the total cost of which was £10·6 million. The current annual maintenance cost of the festival park is £200,000.

  Local Authority Finance Settlement
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will make the local authority finance settlement for 1991–92.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I have today laid before the House the Revenue Support Grant Report (England) 1991–92, the Population Report (England) (No.2), the Special Grant Report (No. 2) and the Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) Report (England).

  Postal Service, Lancashire
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to ensure that postal service names and areas and local government names arid areas in Lancashire are brought into alignment.

  Mr. Key
  It is for the Post Office to decide on what names and areas to use for the postal service.

  Water Supplies
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the National Rivers Authority about the need for local planning authorities to consult the National Rivers Authority about the availability of water supplies before planning permissions are approved.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 20 December 1990]: My right hon. Friend is not aware of any such representations. He listens closely to any comments or proposals which the National Rivers Authority may make to him.

  Housing Subsidy (Lambeth)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the reason for the continuation of the previous basis for housing subsidy when Lambeth borough council changed its accounting policy on sinking fund accumulation rates used for debt charges in the financial years 1984–85 and 1985–86.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department refused Lambeth borough council's request to increase from 5 per cent. to 10 per cent. the sinking fund accumulated rate used in the calculation of housing subsidy entitlement because such a change would have resulted in an increase in the amount of subsidy paid to the council in the long term.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many letters he has received from hon. Members and their constituents on the matter of the environment in Antarctica.

  Mr. Baldry
  Most inquiries of hon. Members on this subject are addressed to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who is responsible for policy on the Antarctic. A small number of letters recently addressed to Ministers in this Department have been passed to my right hon. Friend for his attention.

  Sea Bathing
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department expects to receive the report of the 1990 research into the health risks of sea bathing; and when this report will be made available to the House.

  Mr. Baldry
  We expect to receive the final report of the 1990 studies in early April and copies will be placed in the Library shortly thereafter.

  BENEFIT RIGHTS FOR UNDER 25 YEAR-OLDS
  BENEFIT RIGHTS FOR UNDER 25 YEAR-OLDS
  PSVs; CHANGES TO DRIVER LICENSING SYSTEM
  PSVs; CHANGES TO DRIVER LICENSING SYSTEM
  MILK QUOTA TRANSFERS: NOTIFICATION
  MILK QUOTA TRANSFERS: NOTIFICATION
  WASTE RECYCLING CREDITS SCHEME
  WASTE RECYCLING CREDITS SCHEME