Written Answers of 22 January 1991

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. Lennox-Boyd
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in the FCO. Details of the average cost involved throughout all Departments was given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Treasury in her answer to the hon. Member on 18 December at column 112.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs 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. Lennox-Boyd
  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.

  Entry Visas
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs in the past 12 months how many entry visa applications have(a) been received and (b) granted in respect of (i) Poland, (ii) Yugoslavia, (iii) Czechoslovakia, (iv) Romania, (v) Albania, (vi) Hungary, (vii) Bulgaria and (viii) the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The figures for entry clearance applications of all types processed in 1990 in the countries concerned are:

  Received

  Granted

  Poland

  44,912

  42,694

  Yugoslavia

  1,354

  1,133

  Czechoslovakia

  23,258

  23,184

  Romania

  9,911

  9,226

  Hungary

  19,452

  19,391

  Bulgaria

  7,712

  7,625

  USSR

  45,752

  45,585

  There is no entry clearance post in Albania.

  Mr. Roman Mronov
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Russian Government about their failure to grant an exit visa to Roman Mronov of Kharkov to allow him to join his wife, son and in-laws in Israel.
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  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We can certainly raise this case with the Soviet authorities, but in order to make our representations most effective we shall need further details.

THE ARTS

  Libraries
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when the inter-library loan scheme, operated by the British Library at Boston Spa, changed its procedures in respect of books loaned to other libraries in respect of charges made for(a) late return and (b) non-return of items; what other changes have been implemented; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  In October 1990 the British Library introduced changes to its system for reminding customers about long overdue loans and charges for lost items. This followed a review in the light of increasing numbers of such items which were causing inconvenience to other customers, and discussions with representatives of other libraries.

  The principal effect of the changes is to introduce a non-refundable administrative charge on long-overdue items following the issue of three reminders. The separate charge towards the cost of replacement of non-returned items will continue to be credited if they are subsequently returned within six months. Another change is to allow renewals on demand of items on loan if not required by another customer.

  Antiquities
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will provide additional resources to the national museums to fund research on antiquities using the work of Professor Alec Jeffreys, FRS, of Leicester university in relation to stable DNA.

  Mr. Renton
  I understand that Professor Alec Jeffrey's work on developing DNA probes involving genetic fingerprinting has been undertaken not only in university departments but in museums, often utilising material from national museums.

  The natural history museum has been developing DNA studies over the past five years and has recently constructed a special laboratory for this type of work. This work is supported through the museum's grant-in-aid arid also by funding from research councils and private funding agencies. The museum's bid for funding from my Department in 1991–92 has been met in full.

TRANSPORT

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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.

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

  Lindane
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the container of Lindane lost in the channel in 1989 has been located; and if it remains unbreached.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him on 6 March 1990, at columns 559–60; the container of Lindane has not been located by the French authorities in whose area of responsibility it was lost and in consequence it is not known whether it has been breached.

  The French authorities have not detected any increase in background levels of the substance in the course of their programme of sampling and analysis of seawater and fish. Sampling by our own fisheries department confirms this.

  Nuclear and Toxic Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the last 12 months for which he has figures the tonnage of(a) nuclear waste and (b) toxic waste that has been (i) shipped and (ii) discharged from vessels within the limit of the Port of London Authority.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am informed by HM inspectorate of pollution that no nuclear waste has been shipped or discharged from vessels within the limits of the Port of London Authority during the last 12 months. Imports of toxic waste discharged from vessels within the Port of London Authority amounted to 1,189 tonnes between April 1989 and March 1990. No toxic waste was shipped for export. No information is collected centrally on domestic movements of toxic waste shipped or discharged at sea ports.

  Child Pedestrians
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the child pedestrian casualties in Britain in 1989 occurred in a street where they lived; and in how many of these cases were the motor vehicles involved travelling at above the speed limit at the moment of impact.

  Mr. Chope
  The standard report form, STATS19, sent by police to the Department of Transport for all road accidents, does not have information on the addresses of casualties or an estimate of the speed of vehicles involved in accidents.

  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for a change in the law so that when a child pedestrian is knocked down in a residential street the burden of proof is on the driver that due care was taken rather than on the child.

  Mr. Chope
  We have no proposals for such a change in road traffic law which would be contrary to the general principle of the criminal justice system that the burden of proof rests with the prosecution. We are however taking other steps, including encouraging the introduction of 20 mph zones and traffic calming measures and launching a major publicity campaign, which will improve child road safety in residential areas.

  A13
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what improvements to the A13 between the North Circular road and Butcher row are currently being undertaken; at what cost; and when they will be completed.

  Mr. Chope
  Departmental schemes currently under construction are:

  Scheme

  Works cost £ million

  Estimated date of completion

  Leamouth Road Junction Interim Scheme

  2·0

  Mid 1991

  West India Dock Road Junction Advance statutory undertaker's works

  3·1

  Late 1991

  The following schemes are due to start this year:

  Scheme

  Works cost £ million

  Estimated date of completion

  West India Dock Road Junction phase 1

  1·2

  Spring 1992

  Canning Town Flyover/Ironbridge widening Advanced Works phase 1 Bridge over A102

  0·5

  Late 1991

  Other schemes in preparation are:

  Works cost £ million

  Estimated date of completion

  Cotton Street/Blackwall Tunnel

  3·5

  1994

  West India Dock Road Junction phase 2

  0·6

  1993

  Butcher Row Junction

  0·7

  1993

  Canning Town Flyover/Ironbridge widening Advance works phase 2

  9·2

  1993

  Canning Town Flyover/Ironbridge widening

  21·0

  1997

  A13/A112 Junction Improvement

  44·4

  1996

  A13/A117 Junction Improvment

  35·6

  1995

  Progress on some of these schemes will be dependent on the completion of statutory processes which could be subject to public inquiry. Completion dates are therefore provisional.

  Chief Inspector Transport Security
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the duties and activities of the chief inspector of transport security; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The chief inspector of transport security was appointed on 1 November 1990. His duties are to develop the necessary programme on the maritime side and oversee the implementation of aviation and maritime security measures. He also provides a source of advice on security matters in other forms of transport. In particular, he contributes advice on the security of channel tunnel operations.

  Dangerous Loads
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidelines are issued to British Rail regarding co-operation with other agencies in planning
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  emergency liaison procedures in case of accident during the transportation of (a) radioactive waste, (b) nuclear warloads and (c) toxic waste.

  Mr. Freeman
  Responsibility for the safety of staff and the public rests primarily with the railway operator and advice is given on request. British Rail liaises at all levels with the emergency services. Emergency procedures are regularly rehearsed both as theoretical and practical exercises to ensure that the emergency services are in a position to deal effectively with any incident that may occur.

  RAF Finningley
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the latest developments in making RAF Finningley a joint military/civil airport.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The operation of joint military/civil airfields is not possible under United Kingdom aviation regulations. Civil aircraft may use military airfields subject to such flights being compatible with operational considerations. I understand that civil aircraft are already allowed to use RAF Finningley by prior permission, but the scope to accept additional civilian traffic is severely limited by the needs of military flying. Use of RAF airfields is a matter for the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 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. McLoughlin
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in the Department of Transport. 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 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 Transport 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. McLoughlin
  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.

  Aircraft Safety
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Britannia Airways Boeing 757 which lost a wheel after taking off from Gatwick airport on 15 January was given a complete overhaul and service check; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. McLoughlin
  The air accidents investigation branch is carrying out a field investigation into the incident and will publish a report in due course. I shall arrange for the hon. Member to receive a copy of the report.

  Coaches, Central London
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many coaches are estimated to visit central London on an average day during the summer; how many coach parking spaces are available(a) on-street arid (b) off-street; and if he will make a statement on proposals to increase the available number of such spaces.

  Mr. Chope
  Latest figures indicate that there are some 1,000 coach movements in central London each weekday. Parking provision is primarily the responsibility of local authorities. There are approximately 80 on-street and 450 off-street spaces, mostly used by tourist coaches. This excludes off-street provision solely for commuter coaches of which there is no record. My hon. Friend the Minister of State will shortly host a further meeting with interested parties to consider initiatives for improving the provision and use of parking spaces for coaches.

  Airports
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements he has made to examine the options put forward by the Civil Aviation Authority on new runway capacity in south-east England; if he will list the membership of relevant working groups; when he expects to announce a decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my right hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Parkinson) on 26 November 1990,Official Report columns 272–73, when he announced the terms of reference and subgroup structure, and those he had invited to become members, of the working group which he had announced earlier was to be established to build on the Civil Aviation Authority's advice on runway capacity.

  Responses to those invitations have now been received. On the main group, in addition to the relevant Government Departments and the CAA, are the London and South East Regional Planning Conference—SERPLAN—the Federation of Heathrow Anti-Noise Groups—FHANG—the Gatwick Area Conservation Campaign—GACC—the North West Essex and East Hertfordshire Preservation Association—NWEEHPA— the Airfield Environment Federation—AEF—the International Air Transport Association, the International Air Carrier Association, the British Air Transport Association—BATA—the Airport Operators Association —AOA—the Joint Airports Committee of Local Authorities, BAA plc, the Association of British Travel Agents, the British Tourist Authority, and the Air Transport Users Committee.

  The members of the subgroup which will examine environmental and developmental issues are SERPLAN, FHANG, GACC, NWEEHPA, AEF, the Kent training and enterprise council and the chairmen of the airport consultative committees for Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bournemouth, Bristol Lulsgate, Southampton and Lydd airports. On the surface access subgroup are British Rail, London Regional Transport, SERPLAN and BAA plc. On the noise subgroup are the CAA, FHANG,

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  GACC, NWEEHPA, AEF, AOA, BAA plc and BATA. On the airport development subgroup are the CAA, BATA and the airport operators at Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Bournemouth, Bristol Lulsgate, Bristol Filton, Southampton, Lydd and Manston airports. The subgroups will also include the relevant Government Departments.

  To ensure the working group has access to a wide range of views, its considerations are to be supplemented by a written consultation. A consultation document was issued on 20 December.

  Until the group has completed its work and has presented its advice to my right hon. and learned Friend, it is not possible to indicate the timing of further steps. The group is to meet for the first time on 1 February.

  Gulf Crisis
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to enable British airlines and others directly affected by the economic impact of the Gulf crisis to weather the financial problems facing them at the present time.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans to offer financial assistance. He has, however, taken steps to provide certain reinsurance facilities under the terms of the Marine and Aviation Insurance (War Risks) Act 1952, to help ensure that British airlines maintain services that otherwise would not have been operated. These services provide an opportunity for members of the British community in the Gulf region to leave if that is their wish.

  Scheme

  Successful tenderer

  Contract price £ million

  A42

  Castle Donington North, Contract 2

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  16·8

  A6

  Quorn and Mountsorrel bypass

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  31·8

  A16

  Louth bypass

  Clugston Construction Ltd.

  4·9

  A47

  Castor and Ailsworth bypass

  Roadworks (1952) Ltd.

  7·7

  A604

  (M1/A1 Link) Contract 5S

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  30·7

  A523

  Macclesfield relief road

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  18·7

  A140

  Dickleburgh bypass

  J. Breheny (Contractors) Ltd.

  2·2

  A23

  Brighton bypass, Sayers Common to Muddleswood

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  10·5

  A650

  Drighlington bypass

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  4·9

  A1079

  Market Weighton bypass

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  3·3

  M62

  Closed circuit TV installation, junctions 26, 27 and 29

  Serco Ltd.

  1·2

  A43

  Blisworth bypass

  Galliford (UK) Ltd.

  15·1

  A47

  East Norton bypass

  Midland Oak Contractors Ltd.

  1·2

  A30

  Plusha to Bolventor improvement

  Balfour Beatty Ltd.

  10·7

  A595

  Hensingham bypass

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  4·3

  A27

  Brighton bypass, Hangleton to Dyke Road

  M. J. Gleeson Group Ltd.

  8·8

  A38

  Marsh Mills junction improvement

  Hochtief Ag.

  22·5

  A1

  Bramham to Wetherby improvement

  Monk Construction Ltd.

  14·9

  A10

  Brandon Creek to Southery improvement

  J. Breheny (Contractors) Ltd.

  1·0

  A47

  Norwich Southern bypass, Contract 4

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  29·9

  M40

  Widening junctions 4 to 5

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  35·9

  A42

  Castle Donington North, Contract 3

  Redland Aggregates Ltd.

  2·8

  A282

  Dartford—Thurrock Crossing, Northern approach improvement

  Cementation (Major Projects) Ltd.

  8·3

  A30

  Penhale to Carland Cross improvement

  Fairclough Civil Engineering Ltd.

  9·1

  M4

  Junction 12 improvements, (Section 278 agreement)

  Associated Asphalt Co. Ltd.

  1·3

  A35

  Axminster bypass

  Farr Plc

  8·1

  A41

  Whitchurch bypass

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  8·9

  M40

  Longbridge maintenance compound, provision of new roundabout

  Midland Oak (Contractors) Ltd.

  1·1

  A11

  Red Lodge bypass

  J. Breheny (Contractors) Ltd.

  4·8

  A303

  Mere to Wincanton improvement

  Wimpey Construction Ltd.

  15·3

  A30

  Zelah bypass

  Dean & Dyball Ltd.

  2·6

  A23

  Purley Cross junction improvement, (Section 278 agreement)

  Costain Civil Engineering Ltd.

  1·5

  M42/M40

  Umberslade junction improvement

  Monk Construction Ltd.

  1·5

  M5/M6

  Closed circuit TV installation, Contract 5

  C. M. R. Electronics Ltd.

  2·4

  Speed Restrictions
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to apprise local authorities of the Department's new proposals for 20 mph speed zones in association with the installation of road humps; and if he will take steps to ensure that local authorities are encouraged to make use of these new regulations.

  Mr. Chope
  We have issued a new roads circular—4/90 —on the guidelines to be followed by local authorities when considering new schemes. We are encouraging local authorities to establish 20 mph zones, and have allocated over £31 million for local safety schemes within the minor works allocation of the transport supplementary grant settlement.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for reducing carbon dioxide emissions in the road transport sector.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government's strategy for reducing carbon dioxide emissions from road transport is outlined in chapter 5 of "This Common Inheritance"—Cm. 1200.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the trunk road improvement schemes in England for which contracts were awarded in 1990.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: Contracts for the following schemes, valued at over £1 million were awarded in 1990.
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  Scheme

  Successful tenderer

  Contract price £ million

  A27

  Brighton bypass, Patcham to Coldean

  Amey Construction Ltd.

  14·8

  A3

  Liphook and Petersfield bypasses

  Tarmac Construction Ltd.

  35·8

  A23

  Brighton bypass, Muddleswood to Patcham

  Alfred McAlpine Construction Ltd.

  14·3

  A20

  Folkestone to Court Wood, Contract 1

  Balfour Beatty Ltd

  27·3

  A47

  Norwich Southern bypass, Contract 3

  May Gurney & Co. Ltd.

  14·8

  A49

  Weaverham Diversion

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  4·2

  A65

  Draughton bypass

  Shand Construction Ltd.

  2·1

  A47

  Norwich Southern bypass, Contract 2

  A. F. Budge Contractors Ltd.

  8·6

  A423

  Maidenhead Thicket to Burchetts Green improvement

  Birse Construction Ltd.

  8·4

  A516

  Etwall bypass

  A. F. Budge (Contractors) Ltd.

  2·7

  A59

  Mellor Brook bypass

  Eden Construction Ltd.

  1·9

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the trunk road improvement schemes in England for which his Department plans to award contracts during 1991.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]:] I shall make an announcement soon.

  Coach Drivers
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to take steps to increase the observance of the 70 mph speed limit by coach drivers on motorways.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: Enforcement of the law on speed limits is a matter for the police. Coaches first used on or after April 1984 are already required to be fitted with speed limiters to prevent them from being driven at more than 70 mph. From 1 April this year, coaches first used between 1974 and 1984 will also need to have speed limiters. From the same date we shall be including a speed limiter check in the annual roadworthiness tests of coaches.

  Motor Vehicle Emissions
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has received about the possibility of setting MOT motor vehicle emission standards based on individual manufacturers specifications; whether he will discuss with the European Commission whether variable standards would conflict with EC legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: Setting emissions standards based on vehicle manufacturers' specifications would result in a more demanding in-use standard than the one which has previously been allowed by the relevant EC type approval directive. We therefore propose to set carbon monoxide testing standards on the basis outlined in our consultation letter of 20 September 1990. I hope to be able to sign enabling regulations shortly.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Public Sector Manpower
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Norfolk, North dated 19 December 1990,Official Report, column 177, on public sector manning, if he will list those parts of central and local government which have (a) increased and (b) decreased manpower since 1979, giving numbers in each case.
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  Mr. Mellor
  I have placed the information requested in the Library of the House.

  Excise Duties
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the price of the most widely selling category of cigarettes is accounted for by excise duties, including value added tax; what are the comparable percentages on petrol, spirits, beers and wines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The percentage of price accounted for by excise duties and value added tax for the goods specified in the question is as follows:

  Total tax as percentage of price

  Cigarettes - 20 king size

  72·8

  Petrol - 4 star - per litre

  59·4

  Petrol - unleaded - per litre

  55·3

  Spirits - 75c1 bottle

  68·9

  Beer - pint

  31·3

  Wine - still table - 1 litre bottle

  52·9

  Third World Debt
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has any proposals to alter the tax treatment by the Inland Revenue of United Kingdom banks which make provision against Third world debt; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget Statement.

  Tobacco Excise Duty
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would have been the effect on the retail prices index had tobacco excise duty, inclusive of the value added tax, been index linked for 1990–91.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  It is estimated that the impact on the retail prices index of an indexation of tobacco excise duty in 1990–91 would have been to increase the index by 0.15 per cent.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of the gross domestic products of the United Kingdom, France and the Federal Republic of Germany was attributable to manufacturing industry in(a) 1979 and (b)
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  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: Figures of gross domestic product analysed by industry, including manufacturing industry, are shown in the annual OECD publication on national accounts. The most recent edition, entitled "National Accounts, Detailed Tables, Volume II (1976–1988)", gives these figures in table 12 for each country.

  Taxation
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the change in Exchequer income during the financial year 1991–92 resulting from(a) maintaining the married couple's allowance for those aged 65 to 74 years at its current cash value of £2,145 and (b) maintaining the married couple's allowance for those aged 75 years and over at its current cash value of £2,185.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: It is estimated that at 1991–92 levels of income the revenue yields in a full year would be (a) £40 million and (b) £10 million, compared with statutory indexation.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Beer
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the price of hops and barley and of beer in the last 10 years for which records are available.

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

  Hops—Growers' Prices (average farmgate)

  £/Tonne

  1981

  2,636

  1982

  2,754

  1983

  3,140

  1984

  3,307

  1985

  2,297

  1986

  2,233

  1987

  2,299

  1988

  2,417

  1989

  2,395

  1990

  12,400

  1 (Provisional).

  Source: MAFF.

  Malting barley—Ex farm purchases made in England and Wales. Calendar year simple averages calculated as specified in the Corn Returns Act 1882 (as amended). Prices are gross of the co-responsibility levy where applicable.

  £/Tonne

  1981

  106·5

  1982

  110·5

  1983

  131·1

  1984

  126·7

  1985

  116·7

  1986

  121·7

  1987

  126·1

  1988

  120·0

  1989

  125·9

  1990

  122·6

  Source: MAFF.
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  Beer—Retail prices across all outlets

  pence/pint

  1980

  45·5

  1981

  53·5

  1982

  59·5

  1983

  64·9

  1984

  70·4

  1985

  76·9

  1986

  81·5

  1987

  85·2

  1988

  90·4

  1989

  96·3

  These figures are based on current prices from consumers' expenditure and volume of production figures from the Brewers' Society and Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Source: CSO.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of confirmed cases of BSE by county in England and Wales in the months to(a) 17 December 1990 and (b) 17 January 1991.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information for England and Wales is as follows:

  County

  Month ending 17 December 1990

  Month ending 17 January 1991

  Avon

  40

  17

  Bedfordshire

  5

  1

  Berkshire

  12

  4

  Buckinghamshire

  25

  4

  Cambridgeshire

  4

  6

  Cheshire

  48

  37

  Cleveland

  2

  0

  Clwyd

  12

  24

  Cornwall

  90

  90

  Cumbria

  40

  24

  Derbyshire

  14

  5

  Devon

  41

  129

  Dorset

  84

  81

  Durham

  4

  1

  Dyfed

  60

  43

  Essex

  4

  2

  Glamorgan, Mid.

  6

  1

  Glamorgan, South

  2

  2

  Glamorgan, West

  2

  1

  Gloucestershire

  45

  18

  Gwent

  7

  1

  Gwynedd

  2

  4

  Hampshire

  29

  26

  Hereford and Worcester

  23

  10

  Hertfordshire

  5

  0

  Humberside

  7

  1

  Isle of Wight

  4

  10

  Kent

  14

  15

  Lancashire

  22

  29

  Leicestershire

  20

  7

  Lincolnshire

  11

  8

  London

  1

  0

  Manchester

  2

  1

  Merseyside

  3

  0

  Norfolk

  27

  16

  Northants

  9

  8

  Northumberland

  6

  4

  Nottinghamshire

  7

  2

  Oxon

  19

  11

  Powys

  12

  19

  Salop

  33

  23

  Somerset

  118

  80

  Staffordshire

  31

  18

  Suffolk

  8

  6

  Surrey

  12

  2

  Sussex, East

  12

  15

  115

  County

  Month ending 17 December 1990

  Month ending 17 January 1991

  Sussex, West

  37

  17

  West Midlands

  1

  1

  Warwickshire

  10

  2

  Wiltshire

  67

  57

  Yorkshire, North

  55

  51

  Yorkshire, South

  6

  1

  Yorkshire, West

  8

  3

  Total

  1,168

  938

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what expenditure has been incurred by his Department in ensuring slaughterhouses in England meet EC standards.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department does not provide any special financial assistance for compliance with EC standards in slaughterhouses. Advice on these standards is available from the Ministry's veterinary staff.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he is taking to ensure the security of(a) his Ministry's computers in-house and (b) lap-top personal computers when used by civil servants outside his Ministry's offices.

  Mr. Curry
  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.

  Chernobyl
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the restricted areas in England and Wales where there are still controls in force on the movement of livestock, due to the fall-out effects of the Chernobyl disaster; and how long these will remain.

  Mr. Maclean
  Some reductions in the size of the post-Chernobyl restricted areas in England and Wales were made on Monday 14 January 1991. Details of the areas still under restriction, in parts of Cumbria, Clwyd, Gwynedd and Powys, can be found in the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Radioactivity in Sheep) (England) Order 1991 and the Food Protection (Emergency Prohibitions) (Radioactivity in Sheep) (Wales) Order 1991. The situation will be reviewed again at the end of the 1991 marketing season with a view to releasing further areas from controls as soon as it is possible to do so without compromising the continuing safety of the food chain.

  Farm Subsidies
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to speed up the payment of grants and subsidies to farmers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The timing of payments depends on a number of factors, including the determination of the 116
  relevant rates, rules of eligibility and the availability of resources to carry out detailed administrative checks. Subject to these constraints, payments are made as quickly as possible. I fully recognise the importance of early payments to the farmers concerned.

PRIME MINISTER

  War Graves
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will take steps to co-ordinate the activities of the different departments and agencies involved in the maintenance of war graves to ensure that a memorial will continue to exist to honour the memory of men killed in HMS Amethyst on the Yangtse River, China, in July 1949.

  The Prime Minister
  The memorial will remain in St. Nicholas' church and it will be looked after and maintained for anyone wishing to view it or pay tribute.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps have been taken in formulating coalition military policy in the Gulf to avoid damage to cultural and religious sites; and what protection is being afforded to Ur of the Chaldees and to Babylon.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the remarks made on this matter during the debate on the Gulf situation yesterday.

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps are taken to co-ordinate action by relevant Government Departments regarding the problem of unemployment amongst the disabled.

  The Prime Minister
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment has the lead responsibility within government for policies to assist unemployed people with disabilities back to work. There are frequent discussions between the Department of Employment and other relevant departments at ministerial and official level to ensure that policies are properly co-ordinated.

ENERGY

  Petroleum Coke
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will list year by year since 1980 the sources of petroleum coke burned in the United Kingdom;

  (2) if he will list by year since 1980 his estimate of the tonnage of petroleum coke being burned in domestic appliances in the United Kingdom; and what is the level of sulphur content per tonne burnt.

  Mr. Moynihan
  All petroleum coke supplied to the metal refining industry is produced in the United Kingdom. All petroleum coke reaching the domestic market and used as an industrial fuel for refractory and cement manufacture is imported. Figures realting to the amount of imported petroleum coke used domestically and its sulphur content are not available.

  Petrol Supplies
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what representations he has received from independent petrol retailers about allocation of supplies of petrol under contingency plans for rationing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I have received one such representation which is now receiving attention. Under the allocation schemes which the Department could activate in the event of fuel shortage there is no differentiation between retail outlets operated by the oil companies and those of independent operators. Both would be subject to the same restrictions on their supplies.

  There are ample oil supplies at present. The International Energy Agency has, in addition, brought into effect a contingency plan which will make available an additional 2·5 million barrels of oil per day to the market. This should further reassure the market and the public that, if shortages do occur, additional supplies will be available.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Leasing and Rental Agreements
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on his Department's request to Sir Ron Dearing to investigate leasing and rental agreements.

  Mr. Redwood
  My Department has written to the Accounting Standards Board drawing attention to the problem that the accounts of some companies appear to have paid insufficient regard to potential future liabilities inherent in the business such as the impact of early termination of leases or continuing maintenance obligations. This may be a question of judgment in applying existing requirements or it may suggest a need to strengthen accounting standards. The Accounting Standards Board has confirmed that it will consider this problem.

  Knitwear Industry
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies, units and departments of the knitwear industry have ceased trading during the last two years; what action he intends to take to arrest this decline; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  There are no Government statistics available that relate directly to such closures. However, a recent report in the trade journal,Knitting News, suggested that 143 companies, units and departments in the knitwear industry have been affected by closure, closedown of an operation, or change of ownership in the past two years. Decisions on such matters are for the commercial judgment of the firms concerned.

  The Department encourages growth in all markets by promoting enterprise and by creating a climate in which all sectors of industry can flourish. There are no plans for any new initiatives specifically for the textile and clothing industries. The Department's general regional, export and consultancy services are, however, already available to these industries.

  Textile Industry
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the level of representations at the recent international textile manufacturing exhibition in China by(a) German, (b) Italian and (c) United Kingdom machine manufacturers.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Exact information is not available, but it is estimated that there were about 80 exhibitors from Italy; a further 50 or so from Germany; and at least 10 from the United Kingdom.

  Political Donations
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take proceedings under the Companies Act 1985 against Stock Land and Estates, formerly called J. A. and M. A. Carter Developments, for failure to disclose the recipients of political donations in the financial year ended September 1985.

  Mr. Redwood
  In accordance with its usual practice in response to specific allegations of non-compliance with statutory disclosure requirements, my Department will look into this and, if there has been a failure to comply with those requirements, it will take appropriate action.

  Petroleum Coke
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what research has been and is being carried out, and at what cost, to determine the dangers of petroleum coke used in domestic appliances.

  Mr. Leigh
  My predecessor has met suppliers of petroleum coke. In addition, my Department is looking into what evidence there is from those who have sought controls on the supply of petroleum coke for domestic use, as well as existing research work on the burning characteristics of this fuel.

  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department is taking to advise members of the public as to risks associated with the use of petroleum coke; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department is discussing with suppliers of petroleum coke the instructions for use of the fuel for domestic purposes, the form of these instructions and how they can be best conveyed to consumers.

  Sensitive Technologies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives have been taken by his Department to explain to companies wishing to export sensitive technologies, the current regulations and risks involved in such exports.

  Mr. Lilley
  My Department makes available to exporters a range of guidance booklets and information describing controls on the export of sensitive goods and technology and how they are implemented. We have in addition organised a major programme of seminars to increase awareness of the risks of clandestine attempts to procure such goods for use in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons programmes, or missile delivery
  119
  systems, and the steps that need to be taken to prevent this. My officials stand ready to provide advice to any exporter seeking guidance on matters relating to export controls.

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he has had with manufacturers of computer hardware to make equipment more accessible to disabled people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  No discussions for this specific purpose have taken place since the end of the Concerned Technology campaign in 1989. Concerned Technology was part of the Department's programme to raise general awareness of information technology. The general awareness programme has now ended, and the Department's efforts are directed towards the broader needs of business and commerce through promotion of the use of information technology in accordance with best practice and through support for basic research to strengthen industry's technological capability. My Department's role in serving the interests of disabled people is through encouragement of the develolpment and use of basic technologies which will improve the capabilities and adaptability of all products that utilise them. It is now for those in the industry to respond to demands expressed by the disabled and caring agencies when designing their products.

  The Employment Department is responsible for a range of special aids, including special computer equipment, to help the disabled to obtain and keep employment.

  Photocopying Companies
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) about which photocopying companies he has received complaints of malpractice;

  (2) what action he is taking to investigate the complaints he has received of malpractice by photocopying companies;

  (3) when he expects to report on the conclusions of his Department's investigation into malpractice by photocopying companies.

  Mr. Redwood
  As I made clear in the Adjournment debate on 12 November 1990, at column 423, I am willing to consider any evidence that might warrant an inquiry under the Companies Act. I have now received information from the hon. Gentleman and from other sources. I continue to liaise with the Director General of Fair Trading to whom the complaints have been copied and who has a duty to consider the continued fitness of licensees to retain licences granted to them under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. But, as I explained on 12 November 1990, I will not be able to confirm whether we or any other authority are conducting an investigation.

  Insurance Act 1982
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many regulatory inquiries have been carried out by his Department or its inspectors under the Insurance Act 1982 in each year; and, in each case, which section of the Act was involved.

  Mr. Redwood
  Taking regulatory inquiries to mean actuarial investigations—section 42 of the Insurance 120
  Companies Act 1982—or use of powers to obtain information—section 44—the information requested, drawn from the insurance annual reports is:

  Year

  Section 42

  Section 44

  1983

  8

  24

  1984

  11

  29

  1985

  6

  25

  1986

  4

  21

  1987

  6

  39

  1988

  1

  24

  1989

  3

  31

  Departmental Expenditure
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give a detailed breakdown of the planned increases in central Government expenditure by ECGD in each year 1990–91, 1991–92 and 1992–93 as announced in the autumn statement as against the plans in the January 1990 public expenditure White Paper.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: This information will be published next month in the new Trade and Industry departmental report.

  Soviet Union
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will review existing trade agreements with the Soviet Union in the light of recent events in Lithuania and Latvia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: Trade agreements are matters of European Community competence. EC Foreign Ministers have expressed their deep concern at recent developments in the Baltic states. They are keeping all aspects of their relationship with the USSR under review.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  School Pupils
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a table showing for(a) primary school pupils and (b) secondary school pupils levels of expenditure per child in education in Cheshire for each year since 1978–79 in (i) cash terms and (ii) constant price terms.

  Mr. Fallon
  The available information is given in the table.

  Cheshire LEA—net institutional expenditure per pupil1

  Year

  Nursery and Primary2schools

  Secondary schools

  cash terms (£)

  real terms3(£)

  cash terms (£)

  real terms3 (£)

  1978–79

  340

  745

  495

  1,090

  1979–80

  400

  755

  580

  1,090

  1980–81

  510

  810

  735

  1,170

  1981–82

  580

  840

  815

  1,185

  1982–83

  660

  895

  890

  1,205

  1983–84

  665

  865

  940

  1,220

  1984–85

  715

  880

  1,010

  1,245

  1985–86

  760

  890

  1,090

  1,275

  1986–87

  825

  935

  1,235

  1,395

  1987–88

  900

  965

  1,410

  1,515

  1988–89

  960

  960

  1,545

  1,545

  121

  1 The figures are based on LEA expenditure returns to DOE and pupil number returns to DES.

  2 Figures for nursery and primary schools were not collected separately from 1987–88. Figures for all years include nursery and primary schools.

  3 The cash figures for earlier years have been repriced to 1988–89 prices using the Gross Domestic Product (Market Prices) Deflator.

  Music Working Party
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish the interim report of the music working party.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the interim report of the national curriculum music working group, and will be publishing it soon.

  Child Abuse
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list the changes he has introduced in the regime of independent schools as a result of the case involving child abuse at Crookham Court school in Berkshire;

  (2) if he will introduce legislation to require head teachers always to inform the police and his Department when a member of staff is required to leave a school because of child abuse; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  During the past 18 months, my right hon. and learned Friend has introduced further measures to reduce the risk of pupils in independent schools being subject to physical or sexual abuse by members of staff. The measures described later in my reply strengthen the pre-existing procedures under the Education Acts 1944 and 1981; in addition the provisions of section 87 of the Children Act 1989, which includes a new statutory welfare duty on proprietors and those responsible for running certain independent boarding schools, will be brought into effect in October 1991. From the same date, certain independent schools with 50 boarders or fewer will need to register as children homes and will be subject to regulations, including on welfare, to be made under section 63 of that Act.

  The Registrar of Independent Schools reminded proprietors on 30 April 1990 of their existing statutory duty to report to the Secretary of State instances where teachers are dismissed on grounds of misconduct or resign in circumstances where dismissal would have been considered. The letter also gave detailed guidance about the standing arrangements for schools to vet prospective employees, noting that in all cases referred to the Department a check would automatically be made of the list of people deemed unsuitable for employment in maintained schools—list 99.

  It has also been decided that Her Majesty's inspectors visiting provisionally registered schools for final registration, or on routine visits to registered independent schools will now inquire whether appropriate checks have been made in the case of all recent staff appointments.

  In the case of independent schools seeking approval under section 11 of the Education Act 1981 to admit pupils with special educational needs, Her Majesty's inspectors will include in their regular schedule of questions the inquiry whether appropriate checks have been made, including of list 99 in relation to staff appointments.

  In order to monitor the volume of enquiries from independent schools about list 99, and so that in any cases
  122
  of doubt the facts can be verified, the Department has invited those organisations and agencies in the independent schools field who are authorised holders of the list to keep a record of the enquiries they receive. This information, together with the records kept by the Department's teachers misconduct division, will give the Secretary of State a clearer picture in future of how fully the list is being used.

  Where it comes to the notice of the Secretary of State that there has been a failure on the part of an independent school adequately to check the background of a teacher or other member of staff and, whether as a consequence of this or otherwise, circumstances have arisen which in his view render the school objectionable in the terms of section 71 of the Education Act 1944, consideration is given to bringing the known facts of the situation directly to the attention of all parents, guardians or agencies who place pupils at the school. In parallel, the Secretary of State will invariably consider the notice of complaint procedure provided for in the Education Act.

  In order to provide help and counsel for boarding school pupils who may have worries which they feel they cannot share with staff or other adults, the Department, with the Independent Schools Joint Council, is providing funds for the experimental boarding school line. The line was launched on 13 January and will operate this term and next. We hope that, apart from providing help, the line will give useful indications about the incidence of pupils' problems, including abuse.

  Consideration is now being given to how list 99 may be made more comprehensive in its coverage of non-teaching staff, thus supplementing the consultancy service operated by the Department of Health whereby local authorities and voluntary bodies can check the suitability of those they propose to employ in the child care field. This would require that proprietors report to the Secretary of State instances where non-teachers are dismissed on grounds of misconduct or resign in circumstances where dismissal would be considered.

  Guidance on the implications for independent schools with boarders of the implementation of the Children Act will be published soon. The Department and Her Majesty's inspectorate will continue to work closely with the Department of Health and the social services inspectorate to devise arrangements and support which will make effective the duty to safeguard and promote the welfare of pupils placed on proprietors, or those responsible for running, independent schools with boarders. In particular, it has been agreed that, in their routine visit to schools, social services departments will expect to see firm evidence that proper checks have been conducted on appointment of any staff who are likely to come into regular contact with pupils.

  Finally, in order to minimise the danger of exploitation of students attending English language schools in Britain, the then Minister of State wrote to European colleagues in November 1989 drawing attention to the British Council's recognition scheme, and advising use of recognised schools only.

  These additional measures are a mark of the seriousness with which the Secretary of State views the need to prevent any possibility of pupils in independent schools being subject to abuse. He is confident that his concern is shared by the vast majority of proprietors, heads and staff of independent schools, and the independent schools associations, and looks to those in schools to take all

  123
  reasonable measures to avoid the possibility of abuse, or, in any cases when it does occur, to take swift and decisive action to stop it.

  A-Levels
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many A-levels, and at what grades, were obtained per pupil in 1989 and 1990 in(a) Lincolnshire and (b) Humberside.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the academic year 1988–89, the number of A-level passes, including AS level equivalent, per school leaver, for the areas in question, was as shown. The figures do not include A-levels achieved in colleges of further education. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

  A-AS levels per pupil

  Lincolnshire

  0·40

  Humberside

  0·38

  All-England

  0·55

  GCSE
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many general certificate of secondary education passes per pupil were obtained in 1989 and 1990 in(a) Lincolnshire and (b) Humberside.

  Mr. Eggar
  Amongst pupils aged 16 in the academic year 1988–89, the number of GCSEs at grade G or above achieved per pupil, for the areas in question, was as follows. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

  GCSE grades A to G Per pupil, aged 16

  Per pupil

  Lincolnshire

  6·66

  Humberside

  6·32

  All-England

  6·58

  Religious Education
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will meet the director of education in Northumberland to discuss the booklet "Religious Education: Topics for the Middle School" and its consistency with the requirement to teach Christianity in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no plans for such a meeting. I have taken steps to obtain a copy of the booklet in question and will write to my hon. Friend when I have had an opportunity to consider it.

  Grants
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out, at current prices, the value per child in each maintained sector school of education support grants and local education authority training grants.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1990–91, the grant payable to local authorities under the education support grants and local education authority training grants schemes represents nationally an average of some £26 per pupil in local education authority-maintained schools.
  124
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out, at current prices, the value of the special purpose grant (development) for each child in a grant-maintained school.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1990–91, special purpose grant (development) of some £26 per pupil is available to grant-maintained schools.

  Bullers Wood School
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he received about the admissions policy, including catchment area, for Bullers Wood grant-maintained school in the London borough of Bromley.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Secretary of State approved Bullers Wood school as grant maintained on 10 October 1990. There have been no representations to the Secretary of State concerning the admissions policy of Bullers Wood grant-maintained school.

  Annual Maintenance Grant
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the basis on which the grant maintained schools' central annual maintenance grant has been calculated at 16 per cent. in the letter of 27 December 1990 to the chief education officer from the head of the grant maintained schools division; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The 16 per cent. is currently the average central annual maintenance grant figure for grant-maintained schools in this financial year. The individual figure for each current grant-maintained school has been calculated in accordance with the provisions of the Education (Grant-Maintained Schools) (Finance) Regulations 1990—S.I. 1990/549.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  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.

  Housing Executive
  Rev. Martin Smyth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the public liability claims against the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, area by area, for the years 1985 to 1990.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive who has advised me that the number of claims made against the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, by region for 1985–86 to 1989–90 is as follows:
  125

  Public liability claims against the Northern Ireland Housing Executive

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Belfast

  1,331

  1,458

  1,468

  1,459

  967

  South East

  413

  456

  519

  454

  338

  South

  371

  445

  401

  281

  367

  North East

  316

  385

  390

  443

  414

  North West

  701

  748

  697

  620

  421

  West

  198

  182

  202

  200

  161

  Total

  3,330

  3,674

  3,677

  3,457

  2,668

  District Councils
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all bodies and organisations in Northern Ireland to which district councils have the right to nominate members and to which the Government also nominate members.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: The information is as follows:

  Eastern Health and Social Services Board

  Northern Health and Social Services Board

  Southern Health and Social Services Board

  Western Health and Social Services Board

  The Senate of the Queen's University of Belfast

  The Court of the University of Ulster

  The Trustees of the Ulster Museum

  The Trustees of the Ulster Folk and Transport Museum

  The Board of Governors of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland

  Belfast Education and Library Board

  South Eastern Education and Library Board

  Western Education and Library Board

  North Eastern Education and Library Board

  Southern Education and Library Board

  Drainage Council for Northern Ireland

  Fisheries Conservancy Board for Northern Ireland

  Northern Ireland Housing Executive

  Fire Authority for Northern Ireland

  Belfast Harbour Commissioners

  Londonderry Port and Harbour Commissioners

  Warrenpoint Harbour Authority

  Kincora Boys' Home
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether there is evidence that members of the secret services or the security services sought in 1976 to obstruct any inquiry into events at the Kincora home.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: I have nothing to add to the published conclusions of Sir George Terry's inquiry.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which officials of his Department interviewed persons in the course of duties in connection with the Kincora boys' home from January 1990 to present date.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: None.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will now publish the full text of the Terry report into the Kincora boys' home.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: No.

  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of parliamentary questions answered by his Department on the Kincora boys' home.
  126
  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: Forty, according to the parliamentary on-line information system.

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

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: In 1990 a total of 296,100 people visited the Ulster museum and the Armagh County museum—an increase of 9·6 per cent. on the attendance figure for 1989.

WALES

  Environmental Grant Fund
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to introduce an environmental grant fund for Wales in furtherance of policies set out in "This Common Inheritance" (Cm. 1200); and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department will in 1991–92 fund suitable projects from voluntary organisations in the Principality via the special grants (environmental) programme.

  As my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment told the hon. Gentleman on 19 December 1990 the announcement by the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on that date gave details of his proposals to bring the new environmental grant fund scheme quickly into operation for 1991–92. I shall keep the position under review for next year.

  Patients
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many North Wales patients used hospital facilities in Wirral, Liverpool and Manchester in 1989 and 1990; and if he will list each of the hospitals.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The available information relates to 1989–90. A total of 13,063 episodes of in-patient and day case care were received by residents from Clwyd and Gwynedd in Mersey and North West regional health authorities in 1989–90. Of these, 3,745 episodes were received in Liverpool, Wirral, North Manchester, Central Manchester and South Manchester health authorities. Information by hospital is given in the table.

  Episodes of in-patient and day case care received by Clwyd and Gwynedd residents in selected health authorities by hospital, 1989–90

  Number

  Liverpool Health Authority:

  Sefton General Hospital

  3

  St. Paul's Eye Hospital

  61

  Women's Hospital

  78

  Dental Hospital

  1

  Royal Liverpool Hospital

  492

  Broadgreen Hospital

  641

  Mill Road Maternity

  2

  Olive Mount Hospital

  1

  Alder Hey Children's

  744

  RLCH Myrtle Street

  153

  Mossley Hill Hospital

  8

  127

  Number

  Liverpool Maternity Hospital

  64

  Wirral Health Authority:

  Arrowe Park District Hospital

  87

  Clatterbridge Hospital

  552

  North, Central and South Manchester Health Authorities:

  Ancoats

  4

  North Manchester General

  10

  Monsall

  13

  Booth Hall

  11

  Manchester RI

  116

  Barnes

  1

  Private Patients Home Lorne Street

  4

  Manchester Eye

  10

  St. Mary's

  19

  Cheadle Royal

  1

  Withington

  210

  Wythenshawe

  55

  Christie

  399

  Not Known

  5

  Advice and Guidance
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all documents of advice or guidance, all circulars and all other publications it is currently his intention that his Department shall publish in the 12 months from 1 January in respect of(a) the implementation of the National Health Service and Community Care Bill and (b) other aspects of the health service in Wales, together with any projected joint publications.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  It is not possible to develop such a list but the tables in chapter 4 of "NHS Wales: Agenda for Action", a copy of which is in the Library, identify the key management actions to be addressed in 1991 and beyond.

  National Health Service Trusts
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance he has offered to Pembrokeshire district health authority and other district health authorities in Wales on the way in which any all-authority national health service trust would operate and the regime under which he would expect such a trust to be regulated in its relations to any purchasing authority and in regard to the national health service directorate in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  All national health service trusts operate under common provisions to provide contractually-based health care to purchasing authorities for their resident populations. The main regulatory factor involving the national health service directorate will be the external finance limit allocated to a trust in any given year.

  Pembrokeshire district health authority has received advice on these issues, and others relating to the detail of its own trust proposal and my officials will continue to be available to assist the authority and to other potential applicants in Wales.

  United States of America (Agricultural Support)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on direct and indirect support to agriculture by the United States of America; and if he will make a statement.
  128
  Mr. David Hunt
  Provisional estimates by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development are that total transfers to United States agriculture were some US $67 billion in 1989; and $46 billion of this was directly funded by taxpayers, the remainder by consumers.

  New Hospital, West Glamorgan
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his letter to the right hon. Member for Aberavon of 13 September 1990 concerning West Glamorgan area health authority's proposal to build a new hospital, whether he will now announce the Treasury's decision.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Following the submission by West Glamorgan health authority of an approval in principle for the proposed new district general hospital to serve Neath and Port Talbot, the Department requested on 13 September 1990 further information in the form of a business plan. The aim of this business plan is to demonstrate the viability of the development in the new purchaser-provider environment.

  The Treasury will reach a decision on the approval in principle submission once this information has been provided.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consultations he has had regarding the outbreak of salmonella food poisoning in Ely hospital, Cardiff, in 1990 and its future prevention.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Discussions have taken place between officials of the Welsh Office and the Department of Health about the relevant guidance to the national health service.

  Gulf Crisis
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what steps he is taking to enable Welsh businesses, especially those in the holiday airline and other fields directly affected by the economic impact of the Gulf crisis, to weather the financial problems facing them at the present time.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government will continue the fight against inflation and the Welsh Office and other agencies will respond swiftly to opportunities as they arise. It is too early to assess the impact which the present action in the Gulf may have upon the Welsh economy.

  New Towns
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he has now completed the review of the new town responsibilities of the Development Board for Rural Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Development Board for Rural Wales and its predecessor body, Mid Wales Development Corporation, have worked effectively to achieve a doubling of the population of Newtown, Powys. With that target virtually reached, I have concluded that further development of the community as a new town—whether on the basis of New Towns Act powers or of other
  129
  provisions in the Development of Rural Wales Act—would not be justified. I am now asking the board to dispose of its housing and community assets by 31 March 1993. That transfer will be effected by the provisions of section 172 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. I am also asking the board to intensify its consideration of means by which its industrial and commercial assets in Newtown can be disposed of to the private sector on acceptable terms.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to examine the needs and provision of in-service teacher training in relation to the requirements of the national curriculum in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Yesterday I approved the setting up of an advisory group to act as forum for the exchange of ideas, view points and initiatives on national curriculum teacher training and related activities.

  The membership will consist of representatives from local authorities, the Welsh Joint Education Committee, the Curriculum Council for Wales and other bodies currently involved in the field of education. This group will have the status of an advisory non-departmental public body.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will announce his conclusions on the application of the national curriculum in Wales for key stage 4.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have considered the need for flexibility and pupil choice in key stage 4 of the national curriculum in Wales, and have sought the views of the Curriculum Council for Wales, local education authorities and other interested parties. After consideration of their responses, and subject to the satisfactory completion of the necessary statutory procedures, I intend that key stage 4 of the national curriculum in Wales should comprise the following elements:All pupils should study English, mathematics, science and, where Welsh is a core subject in Welsh-speaking schools, Welsh to GCSE level. All pupils should study technology and a modern foreign language in key stage 4 but not necessarily to GCSE level; where Welsh is a non-core foundation subject this will also be the requirement, except for those pupils attending schools which are exempted from the compulsory teaching of Welsh at key stage 4. Pupils should be required to study a full course to GCSE in either history or geography or shorter courses in both these subjects, possibly taken in combination. All pupils in Wales should undertake physical education as a compulsory subject during key stage 4.

  In reaching my conclusions I have not overlooked the importance of art, music and other creative subjects. Although I do not propose that art and music should be compulsory at key stage 4, I would encourage schools to develop in their pupils a lasting interest in creative activity throughout their compulsory schooling both within the formal curriculum and through extra-curricular activity. Thus I would expect all schools to offer art and music, and the other foundation subjects, to GCSE level to allow pupils to continue their studies if they so choose.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Visual Handicap
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many registered(a) blind people and (b) partially sighted people will receive within the disability living allowance (i) lower rate attendance component, (ii) middle rate attendance component, (iii) higher rate attendance component, (iv) lower rate mobility component and (v) higher rate mobility component.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested. I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Caenarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 18 December at column 138 which gives the numbers of visually impaired people expected to qualify for each of the rates of the disability living allowance. These figures, of course, include those who are registered blind or partially sighted.

  Rebates (War Pensioners)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward legislation to require local authorities to disregard war pensions in the calculation of housing benefit and community charge rebate; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Local authorities already have the discretion to disregard war widow's and war disablement pension in excess of the statutory £10 weekly disregard when assessing entitlement to housing benefit and community charge benefit. The special payments for pre-1973 war widows—presently £40 weekly—are fully disregarded. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Benefits and Allowances
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people made a fresh claim or renewal claim for attendance allowance within the last year; how many fresh claims were awarded the higher rate, the lower rate and how many were denied benefit; how many people originally denied attendance allowance are awarded benefit on review; how many people awarded the lower rate of attendance allowance were subsequently paid the higher rate upon requesting a review; how many people awarded attendance allowance at the lower rate lost the benefit entirely as a result of requesting a review; what is the average period for which attendance allowance is paid; in how many cases attendance allowance is paid in respect of babies under two years, and of these how many are awarded the higher and lower rates; what is the average length of time from a claim for attendance allowance and the time the claimant is notified of the decision; and what is the average time taken from the request for a review to the time of a decision.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is as follows:—In 1989 there were 365,000 initial claims to attendance allowance.
  —In 1989 of the decisions on initial claims to attendance allowance 84,000 resulted in an award at the higher rate, 145,000 in an award at the lower rate and 101,000 were rejected. These decisions do not exclusively relate to the claims received in the same period.

  131
  —The total number of awards of attendance allowance, including renewal claims, where the award changed from the lower to the higher rate for the 12 month period ending 30 September 1990 was 31,000.
  —In the period April 1990 to December 1990 there were 4,800 awards of attendance allowance to children under two years.
  —The average clearance time for initial claims to attendance allowance was 7·2 weeks for the year 1989–90.
  —The average clearance time for attendance allowance reviews was 13·9 weeks for the year 1989–90.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether all rates of the proposed disability allowance will be disregarded in full for the purpose of calculating income-related benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  Disability living allowance will be treated in exactly the same way in the calculation of income-related benefits as the two benefits it will replace: attendance allowance for those disabled before age 65 and mobility allowance. As with attendance allowance, the care component will be regarded as available to help meet the care costs of income support claimants in residential care and nursing homes. Otherwise all rates of the new benefit will be wholly disregarded in calculating entitlement to income-related benefits.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the qualifying conditions for each component and each rate of the proposed disability allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  The conditions of entitlement to disability living allowance are set out in the Disability Living Allowance and Disability Working Allowance Bill currently before Parliament and in the notes on clauses, a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many local offices of his Department exceeded their social fund allocations for(a) budgeting loans, (b) crisis loans and (c) community care grants between the time of the High Court decision in February and the issue of new directions in September.

  Mr. Scott
  No office exceeded its social fund allocation for either loans or grants as a result of the judicial review. Further allocations were made where necessary to offices which faced additional expenditure following the review. Lists of those allocations were placed in the Library in March and September 1990.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Social Security what are the standard rates for the cost of care and maximum rates now payable from the independent living fund; and how these rates were fixed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The standard hourly rates for the cost of care and the overall maximum amounts payable from the independent living fund are set out in the table.

  In setting these amounts the trustees of the fund had regard to the cost of care provided by private carers and by care agencies in different parts of the country.
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  Area

  Hourly rate (£)(day care)

  Night care (£)(per night)

  Overall maximum (£)(weekly)

  London

  4·50

  30

  400

  South1

  4·00

  30

  380

  Elsewhere

  3·50

  25

  325

  1 Southern counties of England excluding Devon, Cornwall, Norfolk and Suffolk, up to the northern borders of Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Bedfordshire and Cambridgeshire.

  Refurbishment
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, for each of his Department's offices in the Doncaster area, what refurbishment plans are being considered; what is the nature of the work envisaged; and when was the last time they were each refurbished.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Two offices are involved.

  Doncaster East, St. Peters House: the caller area was upgraded two years ago and recent improvements have been made to the staff areas. Future proposals involve refurbishment of all the toilets and further improvements to staff and caller areas, including the provision of wheelchair access. Full redecoration is planned for 1994.
  Doncaster West, Castle House: the caller area was upgraded two years ago and recent improvements have been made to the staff areas. Refurbishment of all toilets commenced in 1989. Future plans include improvements to the main foyer, staff restaurant and car park.

  Social Fund Loans (Doncaster)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund loan applications were refused by each of his Department's offices in the Doncaster area during the financial years(a) 1989–90 and (b) 1990–91 to date, due to perceived inability to repay; and what advice was recommended to those refused.

  Mr. Scott
  The table shows the number of applications recorded as refused on grounds of inability to repay.

  April 1989-March 1990

  April 1990-December 1990

  Doncaster East

  31

  33

  Doncaster West

  107

  43

  Wath on Dearne

  31

  35

  All decision letters advise applicants of their right to ask for a review and refer to the citizens advice bureau or local law centre as a source of general advice. Money advice is normally offered to applicants found to be in financial difficulty, including such cases where an applicant is refused because of a perceived inability to repay.

  Severe Weather Payments
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list in the Official Report the temperatures used to trigger severe weather payments recorded at the Eskdalemuir weather station for each day during the last two weeks of 1990 and the first two weeks of 1991.

  Mr. Scott
  A weather station will trigger if there has been a period of seven consecutive days, during which the average mean daily temperature is 0 deg. C or less.

  Eskdalemuir weather station did not trigger on any day during the last two weeks of 1990, or the first two weeks of

  133
  1991. The mean temperature for the seven days ending Sunday 13 January was recorded as —0·8 deg. C when the station did trigger.

  Full details of average mean daily temperatures recorded at all the weather stations can be found in the Library.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the levels of pension and other items of support for pensioners available in each of the EC countries indicating where appropriate the level of contribution by the individual.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to the 1989 edition of the Department's publication "Tables of Social Benefit Systems in the European Communities", a copy of which is in the Library. These set out the social security arrangements in the 12 member states of the EC, showing both national currency and sterling equivalent, converted according to the purchasing power parity figures as explained in the introduction to the tables. The 1990 tables will be available shortly. I regret that information on other items of support for pensioners in other EC countries is not generally available.

  Severe Disability Premium
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what guidance has been given to his Department's officers on dealing with claims for the severe disability premium in the light of commissioners' decision CIS 372/90.

  Miss Widdecombe
  To date no formal guidance has been issued in the light of this decision which is the subject of appeal proceedings.

  Mobility Costs
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the tables in the OPCS reports which indicate the mobility costs of people with behaviour disorders as against those of people with physical handicaps; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  [holding answer 20 December 1990]: The information requested is not contained in the tables published in the OPCS reports. We have conducted our own detailed analysis from the OPCS data of the people who were receiving mobility allowance at the time the survey was carried out, compared with those whom we expect to come onto the new lower rate of the disability living allowance. This analysis of the OPCS data indicates that those already in receipt of mobility allowance had total extra costs of around £13 per week, compared with on average around £6 per week for those who are expected to receive the new lower rate mobility component. The figure of £13 would, of course, be lower if everyone with a physical handicap, including many with comparatively minor physical ailments and thus not receiving mobility allowance, were included.

EMPLOYMENT

  Sheltered Placement Scheme
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to increase the grant threshold per capita for the sheltered placement scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  We are currently considering this matter and hope to make an announcement as soon as possible.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the relationship between TECs and compacts.

  Mr. Jackson
  TECs, with local education authority agreement, may take up contracts for existing compacts currently held with my Department. Additionally, TECs will be asked to establish compacts in those remaining urban programme authority areas in England which are not currently covered by compact arrangements.

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives exist to assist the disabled to gain employment within the technology-based industries.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department's sheltered employment programme provides employment opportunities in technology-based industries, among others, for people with severe disabilities. The special aids to employment scheme includes the provision of special computer equipment and other technological aids which are designed to help people with disabilities to get and keep jobs; these aids can be used by people working in technology-based industries. Among the training opportunities provided through the employment training and youth training programmes, information technology centres have a good record of providing technology related training for people with disabilities.

  My Department has many other specialist and general services which can help people with disabilities find work, including employment in technology-based industries.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives he has undertaken over the past three years to encourage employers to provide work place facilities which would assist the employment of disabled persons.

  Mr. Jackson
  My Department operates a number of initiatives, including:

  (a) The Disablement Advisory Service which helps employers of all sizes and in all types of industry and commerce to adopt and implement good policies and practices in the employment of people with disabilities;

  (b) A range of special schemes available to help with the employment of people with disabilities, in particular: special aids to employment scheme which provides special equipment which someone with a disability needs to do a particular job; adaptations to premises and equipment scheme which provides a grant towards the cost of necessary adaptations to an employer's premises or equipment to enable someone with a disability to be employed; personal reader service which helps with the cost of a sighted reader for visually handicapped people.

  135

  (c) The sheltered employment programme, within which the sheltered placement scheme provides integrated employment opportunities for people with severe disabilities and sheltered workshops provide jobs in Remploy factories and with local authorities and voluntary bodies;

  (d) The code of good practice on the employment of disabled people, launched in 1984, which offers practical guidance to employers on adopting good policies and practices in the employment of people with disabilities;

  (e) A new symbol launched on 16 October 1990 which gives employers a simple, practical and effective means of showing that they are committed to good policies and practices in the employment of people with disabilities.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the numbers of disabled people who are self-employed.

  Mr. Jackson
  Research commissioned by my Department's employment service and undertaken by Social and Community Planning Research estimated that there were 143,000 people with disabilities in self-employment. The findings of this research were published in "Employment and Handicap", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has on the numbers of disabled people employed within the area of information technology.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information is not available in the form requested. However, a report of research commissioned by my Department's employment service and undertaken by Social and Community Planning Research contains some information on the type of work undertaken by people with disabilities. A copy of the report, "Employment and Handicap" is in the Library.

  Road Transport Industry Training Board
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which sources of information are used by the road transport industry training board to ensure that all relevant businesses comply with the levy regulations.

  Mr. Jackson
  The road transport industry training board uses all relevant sources of information including local knowledge from its training officers, trade and local press and information supplied by employers. These sources are used as the basis for enquiries to companies to ascertain if they are in-scope to the board's levy regulations. Payment of levy is based on statutory returns provided by in-scope companies.

  Sky Television
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many work permits for Australian and New Zealand citizens have(a) been applied for and (b) been granted in respect of applications from Sky Television and British Sky Broadcasting in each of the past three years.

  Mr. Jackson
  No applications for a citizen of New Zealand has been made by either company in the last three years. Sky Television applied for and was granted one work permit in 1989 and one in 1990 in respect of Australian citizens.

SCOTLAND

  Schools
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total capital expenditure on local authority schools in Scotland in each year since 1978, in cash and constant prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is given in the table which has been compiled from local authority financial returns. The fall in expenditure in real terms during the period reflects a substantial and progressive decline in pupil numbers which has reduced the requirement for new school building.

  Capital expenditure by local authorities on schools

  £ million

  Year

  At outturn prices

  At 1989–90 prices

  1978–79

  51·885

  121·400

  1979–80

  47·598

  95· 448

  1980–81

  52·391

  88·783

  1981–82

  60·404

  93·350

  1982–83

  52·378

  75·577

  1983–84

  45·416

  62·635

  1984·85

  45·945

  60·302

  1985–86

  51·124

  63·634

  1986–87

  46·672

  56·172

  1987–88

  47·742

  54·492

  1988–89

  59·392

  63·178

  1989–90

  67·335

  67·335

  The figures include expenditure on nursery, primary, secondary and special schools.

  Outturn figures have been converted to 1989–90 prices using the GDP deflator.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of the Clyde Purification Board to discuss the likely effects of opencast mining in the Douglas valley; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has not met representatives of the Clyde river purification board for this purpose and he has no plans to do so.

  Discharges of trade effluent from opencast mines require the consent of the appropriate river purification board; applications for consent are advertised in accordance with section 36(1)(a) of the Control of Pollution Act 1974. Any representations received about the likely effects of such discharges on the water environment are carefully considered by the board in deciding whether, and subject to what conditions, consent should be granted.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers and categories of NHS staff who are being called up for military service in the Gulf; and what assessment he has made of the consequences of this call-up on the finances of the NHS, and on the quality of service and waiting lists at hospitals.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A total of 119 NHS staff in Scotland have been called up for military service in categories as follows:
  137

  Category

  Number

  Doctors

  27

  Nurses

  74

  Laboratory staff

  4

  Paramedical staff

  4

  Administrative/Clerical staff

  4

  Pharmacy staff

  2

  Ancillary staff

  3

  Ambulanceman

  1

  The call up will have some effect on the finances of the NHS but it is not possible to quantify at this stage.

  The effect on quality of service and hospital waiting lists cannot readily be determined. The number of staff being called up is a very small percentage of the total and I would expect health boards to maintain the highest level and quality of service to patients.

  Overseas Voters
  Mr. Hood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many former British residents living overseas have applied to be registered for voting in general elections for each constituency in Scotland under the Representation of the People Act 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on overseas electors is not held centrally. The Government intend to obtain this information from electoral registration officers and to present it to Parliament early in 1991.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the latest list of hospitals in Strathclyde which are known to him or the relevant health boards to be considering trust status.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  All hospitals and other units within the national health service have been encouraged to consider the possibility of national health service trust status.

  Health Service
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what are the executive powers of the health board general managers group; and what is its relationship to himself and to the national health service chief executive;

  (2) on what basis the health board general managers group may jointly implement Whitley council agreements based on local health board flexibility;

  (3) for what reasons the health board general managers group is to use the HAY job evaluation system as part of the process of implementing advanced letter (PTB) 3/90; and if the decision is binding on all health boards in Scotland;

  (4) who authorised the health board general managers group to consider joint implementation of advanced letter (PTB) 3/90.
  138
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Health board general managers as a group have no executive powers and are not responsible for implementing Whitley council agreements; the conclusions they may reach on the matters that come before them are not binding on individual health boards. The chief executive, with his senior colleagues, meets general managers regularly to discuss matters of mutual interest.

  Individual health boards will implement advance letter (PTB) 3/90, and will each consider whether there would be advantage in adopting the HAY job evaluation system for works and estates staff. The steps taken by individual health boards to implement the agreement in their areas will follow the procedures prescribed in the advance letter.

  Only health boards are authorised to implement Whitley council agreements which allow local health board flexibility.

  Health Boards
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial allocations he has made to health boards for 1991–92.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend has allocated £2,505·735 million to health boards to meet their expenditure commitment on hospital and community health services in 1991–92. The figure includes £2,244·950 million to meet gross recurrent expenditure commitments, £208·575 million to meet gross capital expenditure commitments, £38·857 million for GP team staff £11·353 million for GP premises and £2 million for GP computers.

  The allocation, taken with health board's own cash-releasing efficiency savings, gives an increase in available resources of 10·75 per cent. It amounts to an extra £225 million for health boards in Scotland.

  There has been a substantial increase in the resources for nurse training and for HIV and AIDS related services and an additional moneys have been made available to help reduce junior doctors' hours.

  Having adjusted for the movement of resources from revenue to capital to account for the new definition of capital, the gross capital amounts available to boards will be £208 million, representing a 10·8 per cent. increase over 1990–91. The capital allocation will continue the high level of investment in hospital building projects of recent years. Substantial investment will be made in major hospital projects now under construction including Ayr hospital, the St. John's hospital in Lothian, the Royal Cornhill hospital in Grampian, the Perth royal infirmary, Tayside, the Western Isles hospital in Stornoway, West Fife DGH phase II in Dunfermline, the spinal injuries unit at Southern general hospital, Glasgow and Udston hospital in Lanark. It will also provide the resources to progress new hospital developments at Oban, Campbeltown, Elgin, Peterhead and Crieff and for improvements to GP surgeries in highland and the island boards.

  Details of individual board allocations are contained in the table:
  139

  Health board allocations: 1991–92

  HCH revenue allocation1

  Final allocation for practice team staff 1991–92

  Final allocation for premises 1991–92

  HCH capital allocations1

  Health board

  £000s

  £000s

  £000s

  £000s

  Argyll and Clyde

  158,821

  2,934

  680

  11,385

  Ayrshire and Arran

  124,971

  2,653

  800

  13,480

  Borders

  37,567

  760

  50

  1,299

  Dumfries and Galloway

  60,541

  1,020

  600

  3,231

  Fife

  116,411

  2,383

  720

  32,616

  Forth Valley

  108,657

  2,097

  500

  4,813

  Grampian

  204,419

  4,218

  1,100

  17,752

  Greater Glasgow

  529,876

  7,561

  1,400

  26,489

  Highland

  87,225

  1,793

  600

  4,662

  Lanarkshire

  181,755

  3,317

  500

  17,565

  Lothian

  346,505

  5,923

  2,300

  21,321

  Orkney

  7,190

  146

  27

  444

  Shetland

  8,130

  252

  —

  1,632

  Tayside

  201,141

  3,392

  1,197

  15,643

  Western Isles

  12,360

  408

  60

  13,446

  SCOTLAND

  2,185,568

  38,857

  10,534

  185,778

  1 These allocations include a transfer of some £25 million from revenue to capital to reflect a change in the definition of capital expenditure from 1 April 1991.

  A further £59.140 million revenue, £22·797 million capital and £2·819 million general medical services will be distributed during the year for cardiac surgery, hospice funding, computer development and other specific initiatives.

  Health Expenditure
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide(a) the total gross allocation to Scotland 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 regional health authorities.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The total gross allocation to Scotland for health expenditure in 1991–92 is £3,383 million, of which £3,148 million is for revenue expenditure. As regards revenue and capital allocations to individual health boards, I refer the hon. Member to my answer today to the question from my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker).

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the extent of the importation of waste materials into Scotland during(a) 1987–88, (b) 1988–89 and (c) 1989–90 by major subject heading; and if he will divide these data into hazardous, toxic or other waste.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Waste disposal authorities have reported imports of waste to Scotland for the calendar years 1987, 1988 and 1989 as shown in the following table. Imports of "toxic waste" are not separately identified but 942 tonnes of "other waste" —neither "special" nor "hazardous"—were imported from England and Wales in 1989, the only year for which such figures are available.

  "Hazardous waste" is defined in the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988, which govern movements of such waste into and out of Great
  140
  Britain. "Special waste" is defined in the Control of Pollution (Special Waste) Regulations 1980, which relate to movements of such waste within Great Britain.

  Year

  Type of waste

  Quantity(Tonnes)

  1987

  Waste imported from outside Great Britain

  15

  Special waste imported from England and Wales

  1—

  1988

  Hazardous waste imported from outside Great Britain

  453

  Special waste imported from England and Wales

  4,867

  1989

  Hazardous waste imported from outside Great Britain

  480

  Special waste imported from England and Wales

  1,000

  1 Information not available centrally. Scottish Homes

  Scottish Homes
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give a breakdown of Scottish Homes sales under the rents to mortgage scheme in each of Scottish Homes district office areas from October 1989 to the nearest available date.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table:

  Position at 31 December 1990

  Scottish Homes district office area

  Sales

  Edinburgh

  3

  Lothian and Borders

  28

  Central

  9

  Fife

  11

  Grampian

  17

  Tayside

  7

  Highlands and Islands

  4

  Lanarkshire

  2

  Renfrew and Inverclyde

  14

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  8

  Glasgow North and East

  6

  Glasgow South

  1

  Glasgow West

  1

  TOTAL

  111

  141
  In addition, nine sales have been made to tenants of new town development corporations.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what income Scottish Homes received in capital receipts from house sales in the third quarter of 1990–91 from(a) right-to-buy sales, (b) rents-to-mortgage sales, (c) sales under the portable discount scheme and (d) vacant possession sales.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  £ million

  Right to Buy sales

  10·430

  Rent to Mortgage sales

  0·874

  Portable Discount scheme

  0·276

  Vacant Possession sales

  0·908

  Total

  12·488

  All the above figures include receipts from miscellaneous items such as building insurance and repair funds. Figures net of these miscellaneous items are not currently available for each type of sale.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what income Scottish Homes has received from(a) enabling receipts, (b) stock disposal, (c) voluntary transfers, (d) house sales and (e) disposal of non-housing assets in the first, second and third quarters of 1990–91.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is set out in the table.

  1st Quarter

  2nd Quarter

  3rd Quarter

  Total to 31 December 1990 Quarter

  £ million

  £million

  £million

  £ million

  Enabling Receipts

  5·713

  3·229

  6·911

  15·853

  Stock Disposal

  0·613

  0·387

  0·306

  1·306

  Voluntary Transfers

  —

  —

  —

  —

  House Sales

  5·131

  8·666

  12·322

  26·119

  Disposal of non-Housing Assets

  0·024

  0·468

  0·037

  0·529

  Total

  11·481

  12·750

  19·576

  43·807

  Patents
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward proposals to simplify the laws concerning the protection of patents in Scotland and establish a Scottish patents court similar to the Patents county court in England.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish arrangements for patent litigation were most recently reviewed by a working party under the chairmanship of the hon. Lord Jauncey which concluded that the Court of Session should retain exclusive jurisdiction and that a number of changes should be made to the rules of court to streamline procedures, avoid unnecessary delays and reduce costs. These changes will shortly be brought into effect by the making of amendments to the rules of court. Patent law in the United Kingdom has recently been amended by parts V and VI of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry has no proposals for further changes.

  School Leavers
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the latest figures available for the(a) number and (b) percentage of Scottish school leavers with no qualifications.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number and the percentage of Scottish school leavers who left during session 1988–89 with no Scottish Certificate of Education qualifications were 8,623 and 11·9 per cent. respectively.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide a table for recorded crime in Scotland comparable with that provided on 30 October 1990,Official Report, columns 477–80, on crime statistics in Strathclyde.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is available from Scottish Office Home and Health Department statistical bulletins. Information for the years 1980 to 1989 is published in the bulletin entitled "Recorded Crime in Scotland, 1989", and for the year 1979 is published in "Recorded Crime in Scotland, 1988". Copies of these bulletins are in the Library.

  M8 (Lighting)
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to light the M8 motorway from the St. James intersection at Glasgow airport to Greenock.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None.

  Oil Pollution
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what it costs to clean up the oil spillage around the coast of the River Clyde resulting from the accident caused by the Argyle and Clyde health board; and which bodies paid for this.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Business Rates
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his latest estimate of non-payment of business rates for the financial years 1989–90 and 1990–91 in Strathclyde region.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is not available centrally.

  Procurator Fiscal Service
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies and at what grades exist for professionally qualified staff in the procurator fiscal service.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are seven vacancies at legal assistant grade.

  Courts Vacancies
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies and at what grades exist for staff in the employment of Scottish courts administrations.
  143
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  On 14 January 1991, there were seven unfilled posts in the Scottish court service, three in the AO grade, two in the typist grades, and two in the support grades.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many vacancies and at what grades exist for staff in the general department of the Court of Session.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are no vacancies at any grade in the general department of the Court of Session.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many civil servants and at what grades are currently employed in the private offices of Ministers in the Scottish Office.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is as follows:

  Grade

  Number

  Grade 5

  1

  Senior Executive Officer

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  2

  Higher Executive Officer (Development)

  3

  Executive Officer

  4

  Adminstrative Officer

  6

  Personal Secretary

  7

  Typist

  1

  In addition, one special adviser is attached to my office.

  Further Education Unit
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has completed his examination of the case for a Scottish further education unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Consideration of the case has now been completed and my right hon. Friend and I have decided to reconstitute the curriculum advice and support team—CAST—as a Scottish further education unit with effect from 1 April 1991. The new unit will continue to be located at Jordanhill college, but will have a wider remit than CAST to enable it to provide better support to further education colleges in implementing the Government's recent reforms of college management. It will also be well placed to meet new needs such as those arising from the completion of the single European market when greater labour mobility will have implications for vocational education and training.

  In addition to core funding of £294,000 for 1991–92, a further £150,000 will be made available from 1 April 1991. From 1 April 1992 an additional £150,000 will be made available by the transfer of a proportion of the in-service training funding currently made to the Jordanhill college by the Scottish Office education department. I expect the new unit to liaise closely with the Scottish school of further education, Jordanhill college, and others active in further education in Scotland to meet our needs for a highly skilled work force.

  Education (Capital Expenditure)
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the allocated expenditure for local authority capital expenditure on education in Scotland in every year since 1979 at 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: Details of consents to local authorities to incur capital expenditure on educational building are given in the table:

  Capital consent allocations for educational building

  £ million at 1990–91 prices

  Year

  Allocations

  1979–80

  116·094

  1980–81

  97·838

  1981–82

  93·826

  1982–83

  75·562

  1983–84

  68·002

  1984–85

  57·138

  1985–86

  67·583

  1986–87

  59·767

  1987–88

  63·083

  1988–89

  64·123

  1989–90

  66·695

  1990–91

  61·669

  Fish Marketing
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the grant of European Community or national funds for the marketing and processing of fisheries and aquaculture produce and the improvement of facilities at fishing ports under EC regulation 4028/86; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 January 1991]: Support for the processing and marketing of fisheries and aquaculture produce has been available until recently under EC regulation 355/77. Scottish companies have a high success rate: since the inception of the scheme over 130 awards have been made attracting 25 per cent. grant worth some £9 million. In the last round, 11 companies were awarded £1·1 million in December 1990. Successful projects also receive United Kingdom Government grant of at least 8 per cent. of project costs.

  Regulation 355/77 is being replaced, but support will continue. Bilateral discussions with the European Commission on a Community support framework for the United Kingdom under EC regulation 4042/89 are at an advanced stage. Agreement is expected next month opening the way for EC grant aid for projects seeking to improve the marketing and processing of fisheries and aquaculture produce. Administrative arrangements for the new scheme are already in place with an EC grant rate of up to 30 per cent. being available for Scottish projects along with a national back-up grant of 5 per cent.

  United Kingdom companies may apply for grants for the improvement of facilities at fishing ports under EC regulation 4028/86. Two Scottish applications have already been successful in this regard and four new applications are with the Commission for consideration.

  Museums and Galleries
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will publish in the Official Report the attendance figures for 1990 reported by the national museums and galleries in Scotland, broken down into the

  145
  individual institutions but including their outstations, with the figures in each case of the percentage increase or decrease on the attendance figures for 1989.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The information is as follows:

  1990

  Percentage Change since 1989

  National Galleries of Scotland

  808,803

  +13·98

  National Museums of Scotland

  1,001,827

  +11·39

  The national galleries of Scotland comprise the national gallery of Scotland, the Scottish national gallery of modern art and the Scottish national portrait gallery. The national museums of Scotland comprise the royal museum of Scotland buildings at Chambers street and Queen street,

  October 1988

  September 1989

  July 1990

  Percentage change 1988 to 1989

  Percentage change 1989 to 1990

  Borders

  82,840

  77,935

  78,285

  -5·9

  0·4

  Central

  n/a

  206,389

  204,412

  n/a

  -1·9

  Dumfries and Galloway

  110,859

  111,326

  111,434

  0·4

  0·1

  Fife

  253,500

  269,058

  259,961

  6·1

  -3·4

  Grampian

  377,766

  377,785

  373,581

  0·0

  -1·1

  Highland

  n/a

  147,771

  148,270

  n/a

  0·3

  Lothian

  589,209

  604,320

  578,982

  2·6

  -4·2

  Strathclyde

  1,786,017

  1,761,450

  1,737,284

  -1·4

  -1·4

  Tayside

  290,700

  295,490

  291,682

  1·6

  -1·3

  Orkney

  14,775

  14,329

  14,372

  -3·0

  0·3

  Shetland

  16,459

  16,021

  15,982

  -2·7

  -0·2

  Western Isles

  n/a

  22,315

  22,165

  n/a

  -0·7

  All Scotland total

  n/a

  3,904,189

  3,834,410

  n/a

  -1·8

  n/a: Not available.

  Electoral Registers
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of electors registered in each Scottish parliamentary constituency for

  Constituency

  Electoral register 1988

  Percentage change

  Electoral register 1989

  Percentage change

  Electoral register 1990

  Percentage change

  Aberdeen North

  62,075

  -2·63

  60,604

  -2·37

  60,640

  +0·06

  Aberdeen South

  60,323

  -4·69

  58,946

  -2·28

  59,420

  +0·80

  Angus East

  61,643

  +0·07

  61,899

  +0·42

  62,136

  +0·38

  Argyll and Bute

  48,912

  -0·73

  48,695

  -0·44

  48,695

  -0·13

  Ayr

  67,063

  -0·24

  66,545

  -0·77

  66,545

  -0·04

  Banff and Buchan

  63,054

  +0·30

  62,829

  -0·36

  64,248

  +2·26

  Caithness and Sutherland

  30,978

  -1·72

  31,031

  +0·17

  30,701

  -1·06

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  56,708

  -0·85

  56,343

  -0·64

  56,290

  -0·09

  Central Fife

  56,440

  -0·40

  56,183

  -0·46

  56,249

  +0·12

  Clackmannan

  49,127

  -0·92

  48,757

  -0·75

  48,902

  +0·30

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  50,128

  -1·37

  49,178

  -1·90

  48,365

  -1·65

  Clydesdale

  62,602

  +0·28

  62,456

  -0·23

  62,392

  -0·10

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  46,392

  +0·55

  46,345

  -0·10

  46,723

  +0·82

  Cunninghame North

  55,566

  +0·04

  55,262

  -0·55

  55,584

  +0·58

  Cunninghame South

  50,414

  -0·25

  49,931

  -0·96

  49,931

  —

  Dumbarton

  59,369

  -0·56

  58,328

  -1·75

  58,044

  -0·49

  Dumfries

  59,972

  -0·03

  59,962

  -0·02

  61,057

  +1·83

  Dundee East

  61,221

  -0·21

  60,394

  -1·35

  59,147

  -2·07

  Dundee West

  61,445

  -1·61

  60,246

  -1·95

  60,197

  -0·08

  Dunfermline East

  51,008

  -1·32

  50,894

  -0·22

  50,746

  -0·29

  Dunfermline West

  51,384

  -0·38

  51,412

  +0·05

  51,445

  +0·06

  146
  Edinburgh, the Scottish agricultural museum, the Scottish united services museum, the museum of flight and the Shambellie museum of costume.

  Local Government Finance
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report the total number of people registered for community charge payments in each regional authority for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will list the percentage changes in each case compared with the previous year's figures.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The available information, obtained from returns by community charges registration officers, is set out in the table. The figures include students, who are liable for only 20 per cent. of the community charge, but exclude those liable for collective or standard charges. The October 1988 figures were provisional, and unavailable for some areas.

  1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will list the percentage changes which have taken place in each case compared with the previous year's figures.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The information is set out in the table.
  147

  Constituency

  Electoral register 1988

  Percentage change

  Electoral register 1989

  Percentage change

  Electoral register 1990

  Percentage change

  East Kilbride

  63,956

  -0·07

  63,715

  -0ֵ38

  64,206

  +0·77

  East Lothian

  65,542

  -0·09

  66,108

  +0·86

  67,524

  +2·14

  Eastwood

  62,839

  +0·20

  63,483

  +1·02

  64,083

  +0·95

  Edinburgh Central

  58,975

  -1·31

  57,069

  -3·23

  57,794

  +1·27

  Edinburgh East

  48,745

  -1·00

  47,802

  -1·93

  48,558

  +1·58

  Edinburgh Leith

  60,031

  -1·08

  58,984

  -1·74

  59,331

  +0·59

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  58,884

  +0·40

  58,538

  -0·59

  57,280

  -2·15

  Edinburgh South

  64,026

  -0·31

  62,452

  -2·46

  62,205

  -0·40

  Edinburgh West

  62,652

  -0·12

  61,172

  -2·36

  60,840

  -0·54

  Falkirk East

  52,737

  -0·57

  52,679

  -0·11

  52,514

  -0·31

  Falkirk West

  50,606

  -0·20

  50,506

  -0·20

  50,739

  +0·46

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  53,621

  -0·69

  53,481

  -0·26

  54,512

  +1·93

  Glasgow Cathcart

  48,767

  -2·14

  47,702

  -2·18

  46,861

  -1·76

  Glasgow Central

  50,867

  -1·33

  50,535

  -0·65

  49,943

  -1·17

  Glasgow Garscadden

  46,916

  -3·24

  44,828

  -4·45

  43,397

  -3·19

  Glasgow Govan

  50,190

  -1·88

  48,908

  -2·55

  48,089

  -1·67

  Glasgow Hillhead

  57,704

  -0·93

  56,718

  -1·71

  56,631

  -0·15

  Glasgow Maryhill

  52,039

  -1·72

  50,589

  -2·79

  49,316

  -2·52

  Glasgow Pollock

  50,829

  -2·29

  49,497

  -2·62

  48,317

  -2·38

  Glasgow Provan

  42,908

  -3·35

  41,086

  -4·25

  39,966

  -2·73

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  56,929

  -1·97

  55,695

  -2·17

  54,920

  -1·40

  Glasgow Shettleston

  53,883

  -0·63

  53,254

  -1·17

  52,973

  -0·53

  Glasgow Springburn

  50,489

  -3·21

  48,785

  -3·37

  47,612

  -2·40

  Gordon

  75,228

  +1·39

  75,534

  +0·41

  77,974

  +3·23

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  57,339

  -1·97

  55,612

  -3·01

  54,564

  -1·89

  Hamilton

  63,167

  +0·02

  62,688

  -0·76

  63,127

  +0·70

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  66,695

  -0·95

  67,262

  +0·85

  68,011

  +1·11

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  63,325

  -0·18

  62,834

  -0·78

  62,982

  +0·24

  Kincardine and Deeside

  64,398

  +0·28

  64,427

  +0·05

  65,492

  +1·65

  Kirkcaldy

  53,823

  -0·18

  53,626

  -0·37

  53,067

  -1·04

  Linlithgow

  60,584

  +0·95

  61,135

  +0·91

  61,786

  +1·06

  Livingston

  58,008

  +1·36

  59,533

  +2·63

  60,868

  +2·24

  Midlothian

  61,139

  +0·01

  61,089

  -0·08

  60,982

  -0·18

  Monklands East

  50,271

  -0·27

  49,533

  -1·47

  49,658

  +0·25

  Monklands West

  51,300

  -0·61

  50,450

  -1·66

  50,526

  +0·15

  Moray

  63,206

  +0·46

  62,838

  -0·58

  63,309

  +0·75

  Motherwell North

  58,331

  -0·36

  57,971

  -0·62

  58,112

  +0·24

  Motherwell South

  52,599

  -0·46

  51,704

  -1·70

  51,470

  -0·45

  North East Fife

  52,442

  -0·62

  52,310

  -0·25

  52,854

  +1·04

  North Tayside

  54,582

  +0·22

  54,367

  -0·39

  54,831

  +0·85

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,180

  -0·49

  31,116

  -0·21

  31,094

  -0·07

  Paisley North

  48,973

  -2·09

  48,213

  -1·55

  48,208

  -0·01

  Paisley South

  50,403

  -2·76

  49,595

  -1·60

  49,363

  -0·47

  Perth and Kinross

  63,957

  -0·01

  64,505

  +0·86

  64,669

  +0·25

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  57,025

  +0·12

  57,234

  +0·37

  57,999

  +1·34

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  52,278

  -1·00

  53,062

  +1·50

  54,084

  +1·93

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  43,631

  -0·03

  43,484

  -0·34

  43,675

  +0·44

  Stirling

  58,715

  +0·47

  58,387

  -0·56

  58,429

  +0·07

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  63,296

  -0·45

  62,706

  -0·93

  62,339

  -0·59

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  38,438

  +0·40

  38,773

  +0·87

  39,204

  +1·11

  Western Isles

  23,085

  -2·53

  23,097

  +0·05

  23,084

  -0·06

  148

  Concessionary Travel
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) 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;

  (2) whether he will establish a nationwide scheme of assistance for retirement pensioners to travel free on road and rail transport at off-peak hours.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: We have no plans to change the present arrangements. Local authorities already have adequate powers to provide travel concessions in their areas and there are schemes for free or cheap travel on local public transport in all areas of Scotland. Local authorities may, if they choose, act jointly with other local authorities to establish a scheme which would operate throughout their areas. British Rail and the main long distance coach operators also have their own travel concession arrangements.

ENVIRONMENT

  Warwickshire County Council
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what basis his Department assessed Warwickshire county council to earn interest of £6·7 million as set out in the standard spending assessment for 1991–92.

  Mr. Key
  The basis of the assessment is set out in paragraphs 3.50 and 3.51 of the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) which was approved by the House on 18 January 1990. The assessment for interest receipts is calculated in proportion to an authority's standard spending assessment for all services, except the capital financing element.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have been exempted from paying the community charge in each category of exemption in the Doncaster local authority area.

  Mr. Key
  The information returned by the local authority is as follows:

  Numbers of persons exempt from community charge, 1 June 1990

  Number

  Severely mentally impaired

  418

  Patients whose main residence is a National Health Service hospital

  545

  People whose sole or main residence is in a residential care home, a nursing home, a private hospital or a hostel providing care, who are receiving care

  1,676

  Aged 18 and in receipt of child benefit, or aged 18 or 19 and on full-time courses of further education

  542

  Members of religious communities

  34

  Others1

  24

  150

  1 People in detention, members of visiting forces, international headquarters and defence organisations and their dependants, including diplomats. These categories have been combined because of the small numbers involved.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure on city grant in 1989–90, showing final expenditure for the year broken down by standard region, with Greater London shown as a separate region.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is as follows:

  £

  East Midlands

  3,368,489

  London

  695,633

  Merseyside

  279,238

  Northern

  1,762,354

  North West

  1,653,486

  South West

  16,387

  West Midlands

  2,957,808

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  760,632

  Total

  11,494,027

  This excludes city grant in urban development corporations.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table showing the expected income from the uniform business rate in 1990–91, broken down by standard regions with Greater London shown as a separate region and a similar table showing the level of income had no transitional arrangement been in place.

  Mr. Key
  The information is not available in exactly the form requested. The following table shows the estimated gross income from non-domestic rates for each region before and after the transitional arrangements are applied. The figures do not include the effects of reliefs for empty or charitable property or other reliefs nor any allowance for losses in collection.

  Gross yield (£m)

  Without transitional arrangements

  With transitional arrangements

  Northern

  386

  483

  Yorks and Humberside

  682

  800

  North West

  858

  1,100

  East Midlands

  559

  620

  West Midlands

  713

  888

  East Anglia

  341

  316

  London

  3,462

  2,882

  South East

  2,214

  1,985

  South West

  719

  666

  England

  9,915

  9,741

  Gross yield without transition is equal to the gross rateable value on proposed local rating lists at 20 December 1989 multiplied by the 1990–91 non-domestic multiplier. Properties on the central rating list and Crown property are excluded.

  Building Regulations
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in specifying minimum fire resistance periods for certain building groups in the proposed amendments to approved document B of the Building
  151
  Regulations (England and Wales), what account he has taken of the need to provide adequate protection for fire fighters in low rise buildings and basements.

  Mr. Yeo
  The primary purpose of part B of the Building Regulations 1985 is the protection of life in the event of fire, and the consultation proposals on amendments to these provisions took account of the safety of firefighters as well as of other persons. In the light of comments received, the Fire Advisory Panel and the Building Regulations Advisory Committee are now considering whether the original proposals, including those relating to fire resistance periods, require to be modified to provide a greater degree of protection for fire fighters, particularly in low-rise buildings and basements.

  Endangered Species
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he is giving to the possibilities afforded by the DNA techniques developed by Professor Alec Jeffreys, FRS, of the university of Leicester for the enhanced breeding of captive animals from endangered species; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am aware of the investigations which are being carried out connected with the possible application of Professor Jeffreys' DNA techniques and I recognise that this biotechnology may have a part to play in the conservation of endangered species. However, research is still continuing into these techniques and it is too soon to make a proper assessment of their full potential.

  Specialist Housing
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, for every local authority in England, the number of non-sheltered housing units for the elderly started by(a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector in 1989;

  (2) if he will list, for each local authority in England, the number of sheltered housing units started by (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector in 1989.

  Mr. Yeo
  The available figures for starts of newly-built dwellings of these types are published in table 11 of "Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales, No. 94, July 1990", a copy of which is in the Library. Local authorities also report the number of their own dwellings which have been converted or improved to provide dwellings suitable for the elderly, both sheltered and other, and this is listed in table 13 of the above publication.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list, for each local authority area in England, the number of specialist housing units for chronically sick and disabled people provided by(a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector as of 1989–90;

  (2) if he will list, for each local authority in England, the number of specialist units of accommodation available for elderly people provided by (a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) the private sector as of 1989–90.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities report the number of their own dwellings, and estimates of those owned by housing 152
  associations and in the private sector, which have been specially designed or adapted for use by the elderly or disabled in their annual Housing Investment Programme returns (HIP1). The available figures for 1 April 1990 appear in "1990 HIP1 All Items Print". Local authority dwellings for the elderly appear in columns A2a1 (sheltered) and A2b1 (others) and for the disabled in columns A2c1 (wheelchair) and A2d1 (other). The small number of dwellings owned by the local authorities outside their areas are shown at columns A2a6 to A2d6. Corresponding figures for housing associations and the private sector appear in columns A2a2 to A2d2, and columns A2a4 to A2d4 respectively. A copy of the document is in the Library.

  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority in England, the number of households assessed as needing specialist accommodation for(a) the elderly and (b) the disabled, in 1989–90.

  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities report estimates of the number of households in their area who require specialist elderly or disabled dwellings in their annual housing investment programme returns (HIP1). The available figures for 1 April 1990 appear in columns B2a1 and B2b1 respectively, of "1990 HIP1 All Items Print". A copy of the document is in the Library.

  Rural Housing
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all those local authorities which are eligible to bid for a share of the £2 million credit approvals he has announced for low-cost rural housing.

  Mr. Yeo
  The rural housing programme for 1991–92 totals £50 million of supplementary credit approvals, not £2 million. All English local authorities, except for London boroughs and the City of London, metropolitan district councils, and other districts designated under the urban programme, are eligible to submit bids under the programme.

  County Hall, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the maintenance costs of County hall, London SE1, over the past two years.

  Mr. Key
  I understand from the London residuary body that the cost of maintaining County hall in 1989–90 was £3·8 million and is estimated at £2·7 million for 1990–91. For this purpose maintenance includes security, insurance, cleaning and energy costs as well as repairs and day-to-day maintenance.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the current annualised cost of keeping County hall, London SE1 empty.

  Mr. Key
  The London residuary body estimates that, if it were not to dispose of County hall in 1991–92, the cost of repairs and maintenance, security, insurance and energy in that year would be £2·5 million.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Mr Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table of expenditure from his Department on urban development corporations and other forms of public support to urban development corporations in 1989–90, showing separately his Department's grant to urban development corporations and the total cost to the Exchequer of forms of tax reliefs available to urban development corporation areas, with the figures to be shown separately for each urban development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  Public funding for urban development corporations in 1989–90 was comprised entirely of Departmental grant-in-aid, set out in the table. Tax reliefs are not generally applied to corporation areas, but are available in enterprise zones, some of which overlap with urban development corporation areas. Data on reliefs just for these overlapping areas is not readily available.

  1989–90 grant-in-aid

  £ million

  Black Country

  38·0

  Bristol

  5·0

  Central Manchester

  11·0

  Leeds

  8·75

  London Docklands

  255·75

  Merseyside

  23·0

  Sheffield

  9·5

  Teesside

  36·009

  Trafford Park

  13·3

  Tyne and Wear

  35·8

  Total

  436·109

  Fire Safety
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses there have been to date on his Department's proposed changes to part B of the Building Regulations 1985 relating to the reduction of five resistance periods, increased compartment sizes and relaxation of non-combustibility requirements; and if he will indicate the proportions in favour of these proposals and those against.

  Sir George Young
  Up to January 18, comments had been received from 220 different organisations, companies and individuals on the proposals for amendments to part B, Safety in fire, of the Building Regulations 1985. Of these:10 per cent. were in favour of and 39 per cent. against the proposals relating to the reduction of fire resistance periods;
  12 per cent. were in favour of and 27 per cent. against the proposals relating to compartmentation;
  12 per cent. were in favour of and 20 per cent. against the proposals relating to the relaxation of non-combustibility requirements.

  In each case, the remaining respondents expressed no firm view on this aspect of the proposals.

  Waste Incineration
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has received concerning the volume of toxic materials emitted by incineration of waste and related to the creation and properties of products of incomplete combustion.
  154
  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The Department has received reports from various sources, particularly Warren Spring laboratory, on emissions from waste incinerators, including information on the main toxic products of incomplete combustion. The most recent report from the Laboratory covering municipal solid waste incineration and dioxins (Ref. LR 776 PA), will be published in April.

  Dioxins
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take action to ban all waste disposal methods and industries which produce dioxins; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: Waste incineration is the main identifiable industrial source of dioxins. It is also an important waste disposal option which reduces the pressure on landfill disposal. Emissions of dioxins can however be reduced to levels at or below the level of detection if efficient combustion and abatement is achieved. That is the aim of present controls on the industry in the United Kingdom, including the provisions of the European directives on municipal waste incineration plants.

  Local Government
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered proposals other than from parish councils to involve communities in the affairs of local government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: A number of district and borough councils have adopted systems to involve their local communities in the delivery of services. This has not involved putting proposals to my right hon. Friend.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to include the financing of parish, community or town councils in the review of the community charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: My right hon. Friend announced on 5 December that we shall be conducting a fundamental review of local government finance and structure. This will include the financing of statutory parish, community and town councils.

  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the Government's policy on the introduction of parish councils in larger city areas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The guidelines to the Local Government Boundary Commission for England on the circumstances in which they should recommend the creation of parishes in urban areas are set out in paragraphs 14–23 of DOE circular 121/77 of 12 December 1977 (Local Government Act 1972: Parish Reviews).

  Disability
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what discussions he plans to have with organisations representing disabled people and their
  155
  carers, in his review of the community charge, to discuss the effects of the community charge on disabled people and their carers;

  (2) what representations his Department has received concerning the impact of the community charge on disabled people and their carers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: I continue to receive representations from such organisations; their views on the community charge will be welcomed by my Department.

  Land Development, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the sale by Liverpool city council of public open spaces to developers; if he will call in all development applications involved in inquiries by Merseyside police; if he will hold public inquiries into subsequent applications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has received 45 letters, including those from the hon. Member, and a petition of 65 signatures. He has no plans for calling-in or holding inquiries into planning applications involving investigation by the Merseyside police. As I stated in my reply to a question by the hon. Member on 14 December at col. 518, the Secretary of State is unlikely to intervene unless applications raise planning issues of more than local importance.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the Government's initiative on homelessness.

  Sir George Young
  The Government have committed significant resources to reduce the numbers sleeping out in London, to assist local authorities faced with severe homelessness pressures and to provide direct assistance through homelessness advice and support schemes. As I announced on 18 December, we are making available £96 million over three years to provide short-term direct access hostels for people sleeping on the streets and longer term accommodation in housing association flats and houses for those currently in hostels. Nick Hardwick, director of Centrepoint, has joined my team for six months to work on the development of this programme. £300 million is being allocated over this year and next to local authorities and housing associations in London and the south-east in order to reduce the extent to which they have to use bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless families. In addition we have expanded support to the voluntary sector to £2 million this year, and £4·5 million next year, to establish a national homelessness advice service and to run practical projects to help single homeless people find temporary and permanent accommodation.

HEALTH

  Radiation Treatment
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were damaged by excess radiation treatment at the Royal Devon and Exeter hospital,156
  Wonford in Exeter during the period 15 February 1988 to 12 July 1988; how many are alive; how many cases of compensation have been settled on agreed financial terms; and how many are still outstanding.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A total of 207 patients were treated on the miscalibrated radiotherapy unit. To date, Exeter health authority has been notified of the deaths of 134 patients and so far as the authority is aware the remaining 73 are alive.

  I am advised by Exeter health authority that, of the 104 claims received so far, 38 have reached full and final settlement and 21 have reached agreed settlement on the element of the claims concerning pain, suffering and loss of amenity.

  AIDS
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people have been infected by the AIDS virus through the infusion of whole blood or platelets.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people, other than haemophiliacs, are known to have been infected with the HIV virus through national health service blood transfusions; if he will categorise them according to the nature of their requirement for a blood transfusion; how many have developed AIDS; and how many have died.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Up to 31 December 1990, the total number of reports in the United Kingdom of recipients of blood transfusions infected with HIV is 135. This includes persons known to have been transfused in the United Kingdom, those transfused abroad and those where the place of transfusion is unknown.

  The number known to have been transfused in the United Kingdom is 49. The number reported with AIDS is 28 of whom 20 are known to have died.

  The information is not available centrally to categories the HIV-infected recipients by the nature of their requirement for blood transfusion.

  Gulf Casualties
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which national health service hospitals that are earmarked to assist in the Gulf dispute to accept casualties have also been granted trust status from 1 April; and if he will make a statement as to those hospitals' financial basis for the financial year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities' plans for dealing with casualties from hostilities in the Gulf involve hospitals throughout the national health service. It is for health authorities to allocate cases to particular hospitals and information on which hospitals will be used is not available centrally.

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

  Neurological Disorders
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the grants made to voluntary organisations concerned with neurological disorders in 1990–91, 1989–90 and 1988–89.

  Organisation

  Section 64 grants made

  Section 64 grants approved for payment

  RPI1

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1988–90 £

  Action for Dysphasic Adults

  —

  —

  16,580

  10,000

  Action for Research into Multiple Sclerosis

  —

  —

  —

  13,000

  Alzheimers Disease Society

  130,000

  130,000

  130,000

  —

  Association for All Speech Impaired Children

  —

  —

  —

  25,000

  Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

  26,250

  14,790

  34,919

  —

  Association to Combat Huntingdon's Chorea

  10,000

  20,000

  10,000

  5,000

  Bobath Centre

  —

  —

  —

  28,500

  Brain Damage Research Trust

  —

  —

  —

  20,000

  British Institute of Mental Handicap

  35,000

  35,000

  35,000

  —

  British Paralympic Association

  —

  —

  —

  500,000

  Campaign for Mentally Handicapped (now called Value into Action)

  24,205

  20,000

  20,000

  —

  Chest Heart and Stroke Association

  23,000

  50,000

  71,163

  —

  Downs Syndrome Association

  —

  15,000

  15,000

  —

  Dystonia Society

  —

  —

  6,920

  —

  Foundation for Conductive Education

  —

  24,200

  45,579

  30,000

  Headway

  40,000

  40,000

  40,000

  —

  Mencap

  220,000

  250,000

  250,000

  325,000

  Menieres Society

  5,000

  5,000

  5,000

  5,000

  Migraine Trust

  —

  —

  8,000

  —

  Motor Neurone Association

  10,000

  10,000

  10,000

  15,000

  Muscular Dystrophy

  —

  —

  —

  70,000

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association

  5,000

  10,000

  10,000

  —

  Neurofibromatosis Association (LINK)

  —

  5,000

  5,000

  —

  Pain Relief Foundation

  8,000

  8,500

  8,500

  5,000

  Parkinson's Disease Society

  15,000

  13,375

  —

  —

  St. Elizabeth's Home

  —

  —

  —

  8,000

  St. Katherine Housing Association Ltd.

  —

  —

  18,000

  3,000

  SENSE

  30,000

  30,000

  30,000

  —

  Spinal Injuries Association

  25,000

  25,000

  —

  —

  Stars Organisation for Spastics

  —

  —

  —

  5,000

  Tuberous Scelerosis Association

  1,500

  2,000

  2,000

  —

  1 The RPI fund was only available for these two years.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received from the chairman of Trent regional health authority its decision to endorse the application made by Doncaster royal infirmary and Montagu Mexborough hospital to become a national health service trust.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Trent regional health authority formally supported the application made by Doncaster royal infirmary and Montagu Mexborough hospital for trust status at its public meeting on 12 November 1990, and notified the Department of their decision on the same day.

  Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what will be the timetable for the third wave of national health service trust applications.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The timetable for third wave NHS trust applications will be broadly the same as for the second wave. On this basis, it would be as follows:

  September 1991
  All units will be invited to express an interest in applying for Trust status without commitment.
  158
  Mr. Dorrell
  Grants made to voluntary organisations concerned, at least in part, with people who suffer from neurological disorders, in so far as they can be identified, are shown in the table. Grants were awarded by the Department of Health either under section 64 of the Health Service and Public Health Act 1968 or through disbursement of retail prices index error funds.

  End April 1992
  Potential Trusts complete and submit formal applications.

  May-July 1992
  Consultation by Regional Health Authorities on formal applications.

  September 1992
  Succcessful Trusts will be established, with the appointment of Trust Chairmen and non-executive directors.

  October-March 1993
  Trusts run in shadow form. Arrangements are made for transfer of assets and staff.

  April 1993
  Third wave NHS Trusts become operational.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultation he proposes to take in order to evaluate the first wave of national health service trusts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At the local level district health authorities will be closely engaged with NHS trusts in negotiating contracts for services. Trusts will have at least one public meeting each year to discuss their annual report and accounts. Nationally, trusts will be accountable through their business plans and in-year financial monitoring.

  Abortions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by year for the last five years the number of abortions over 12 weeks' gestation performed on women under(a) 20 years, (b) 20 to 24 years, (c) 25 to 34 years and (d) over 34 years of age, resident in the Trent regional health authority area, and in each constituent district health authority thereof, respectively.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Year

  Post code sector

  NN9

  NN14

  NN15

  NN16

  NN17

  NN18

  PE8

  PE9

  1982

  477

  377

  339

  288

  341

  461

  185

  266

  1983

  426

  351

  332

  277

  339

  480

  185

  308

  1984

  447

  346

  290

  283

  328

  466

  166

  296

  1985

  459

  374

  342

  287

  362

  504

  194

  294

  1986

  447

  367

  326

  333

  325

  474

  203

  284

  1987

  474

  392

  380

  353

  361

  480

  194

  283

  1988

  513

  404

  355

  345

  399

  476

  194

  306

  1989

  507

  425

  361

  368

  383

  489

  196

  284

  Information Technology
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what allowance has been made of the level of capital expenditure by local authorities on information technology for community care purposes in the assessment of central Government grants; and what was the estimate of total such expenditure on which this was assessed.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Supplementary credit approvals of £4·9 million are available in 1991–92 to help local authorities—LAs—meet the cost of purchasing software to assist them in the work which needs to be done effectively to develop, monitor and review the community care planning process.

  The Government have issued to LAs annual capital guidelines—ACGs—of £85 million for 1990–91 and £98 million is available for 1991–92. Because ACGs are unhypothecated, LAs may use them for expenditure on information technology—IT—for the community care programme. These resources may be supplemented by other receipts available to LAs from the sale of capital assets and by revenue moneys. The amount of capital which any individual LA will need to spend on the IT needed to support the community care programme will depend on local circumstances.

  Incontinence
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department is funding, or planning to fund, into the problems facing people who suffer from incontinence and the advice available to them.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department is currently funding a project which will draw together existing evidence on incontinence in six OPCS disability survey reports and relate this to previous United Kingdom research on incontinence and incontinence services. The project will also carry out additional analysis of the data on incontinence gathered during the surveys. A new project on the current and future roles of continence advisers is due to start in April 1991.

  Births
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will list, for each of the past 10 years, the number of births by postal code of the residence of the mother of each of the following postal code areas(a) NN9, (b) NN14, (c) NN15, (d) NN16, (e) NN17, (f) NN18, (g) PE8 and (h) PE9.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table gives the number of live births in the post code sectors specified. These statistics are riot available prior to 1982.

  Family Health, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many of the practices covered by the Doncaster family health service authority have met the targets introduced in the general practitioners' new contract for(a) cervical cytology, (b) childhood immunisation and (c) boosters; how many minor surgery services they are anticipated to complete in the current year; how many children under five years have registered for child health surveillance with them; how many health promotion sessions they will have; and how many patients they are likely to see in them by the end of March.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is not available in the precise form requested. As at 30 September 1990, the proportion of GPs covered by Doncaster family health services authority —FHSA—who qualified for either a higher or lower target payment is as follows:(a) cervical cytology 100 per cent., (b) childhood immunisations 83 per cent. and (c) pre-school boosters 72 per cent. It is not yet possible to make forecasts of the likely levels of provision of particular services. As at 30 September, 390 payments had been made in respect of minor surgery sessions; 5,320 children were registered for child health surveillance services; and 966 payments in respect of health promotion clinics had been made.

  Handynet System
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the current use of the EEC's Handynet system.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The EC's computerised database of information for disabled people, known as Handynet, is not yet in operation. Preparation for the first module of Handynet, which is concerned with aids and equipment for disabled people and known as Handyaids, was completed in November 1990. The United Kingdom has nominated the Disabled Living Foundation as its co-ordination centre for Handyaids. The foundation will shortly be signing a contract with the EC Commission to enable it to enter its aids and equipment database into the Handyaids
  161
  system and to gain access to the data provided by co-ordination centres in other member states. It is anticipated that users will then be able to consult the database through the United Kingdom co-ordination centre by the summer of 1991.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has, using the World Health Organisation's classification, of the number of people with(a) impairments, (b) disabilities and (c) handicaps; and what he estimates the numbers to be in each category by the year 2000.

  Mr. Dorrell
  These concepts were used by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys in its surveys of disability in Great Britain carried out between 1985 and 1988, the findings of which include the prevalence of disability among both adults and children. The results of the surveys were published in a series of six reports, which are available in the Library and are as listed. Assuming that the prevalence rate in each age group remains unchanged, we estimate that there will be a 9 per cent. increase in the total number of people with disabilities between 1985 and 2000, as a result of the changing age structure of the population. Actual figures will of course depend on a number of varying factors, including the advance of medical science.

  "The Prevalence of Disability Among Adults"
  "The Financial Circumstances of Disabled Adults Living in Private Households"
  "The Prevalence of Disability Among Children"
  "Disabled Adults: Services, Transport and Employment"
  "The Financial Circumstances of Families with a Disabled Child Living in Private Households"
  "Disabled Children: Service, Transport and Education"

  HIV
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many claims for compensation have been received by his Department from those, other than haemophiliacs, with an HIV infection obtained from a national health service blood transfusion; and what has been the response to such claims.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are not aware that writs have been served on the Department of Health by individuals infected with HIV through national health service blood transfusions. Some writs have been served on health authorities.

  North Devon Health Care Trust
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of his letter dated 4 December 1990 and that of his Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hooper, dated 14 January 1991, both addressed to the hon. Member for Devon, North indicating the deferral of the application for establishing a North Devon health care trust; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Both letters will be placed in the Library. I will be making a statement shortly.

  Women Doctors
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any proposals to improve the career opportunities of women doctors.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I am pleased to announce the publication today of the report of the joint working party on women doctors and their careers, a copy of which has been placed in the Library. This proposes practical measures which can be taken to improve the career opportunities of women doctors.

  The Government are providing £1·5 million for a number of initiatives—including new part-time training posts, increasing the fee for doctors on retainer scheme from £155 a year to £290 and supporting a new scheme designed to increase the number of women in surgical specialties.

  Leukaemia
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report a list of bone marrow transplant units based in hospitals in England; and if he will make extra financial provision available to consultants in the units to fund the prescription of the drug Alpha Interferon to leukaemia patients.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally. There are no plans to provide extra funding specifically to take account of the cost of prescribing Alpha Interferon to leukaemia patients. Hospitals are funded for the cost of drugs as part of their general allocation, and it is for them to determine locally how this should be spent.

  North Devon Health Care Trust
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the sponsors of the proposed North Devon health care trust as at 1 December 1990, together with any subsequent changes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The sponsors of the Northern Devon health care trust as at 1 December 1990 were Mrs. R. Day, chairman of the North Devon health authority and Mr. E. Walker the project leader. Mr. Walker has now been replaced by Mrs. J. Acred as project leader.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will issue strengthened anti-salmonella guidelines on the use of eggs and minced meat preparations in hospital catering establishments.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Existing guidance to the national health service including circular HC(86)14—a copy of which is available in the Library—on food hygiene and pest control and the national health service manual on hygiene sets out the principles of hygiene and good catering practice necessary for the prevention of food-borne illness.

  We also issued a letter to all national health service district general managers in July 1988 asking them to ensure that all recipes containing raw eggs that are not likely to be cooked thoroughly should be amended to specify the use of pasteurised egg. It is a matter for local health authorities to ensure that the principles of this guidance are followed within catering establishments.
  163
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to reduce the risk of salmonella infection arising in hospitals and other mass catering establishments.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Existing guidelines to the national health service set out the principles necessary for the prevention of food-borne illness and provides specific advice on the proper handling of eggs. Advice to chief environmental health officers asks them to ensure that catering businesses are also aware of the need to replace raw egg with pasteurised egg in recipes in which eggs are served uncooked.

  The Government have recently laid before Parliament the Food (Hygiene) General (Amendment) Regulations 1990 that require all food businesses to maintain safe temperatures of food.

  It is a matter for the enforcement authorities to ensure that these procedures are followed in the whole of the catering industry.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Obscene Publications Squad
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to indicate, for each year from 1985 to date, how many operations have been conducted in each year concerning(a) material of a homosexual nature, (b) material of a heterosexual nature and (c) all materials.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information available does not distinguish between operations concerning material of a homosexual and heterosexual nature. The total number of operations conducted by the Metropolitan police obscene publications branch in each year covering all materials was:

  Number

  1985

  52

  1986

  46

  1987

  90

  1988

  101

  1989

  166

  1990

  142

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis as to the overall cost of operations of the obscene publications squad in each year from 1985 to date and as to the number of officers assigned to the squad on a yearly average, for each of those years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested is as follows. The costs given relate to manpower and employment only.

  Cost April-March (£)

  Staff Police and civilians

  1985–86

  406,982

  22

  1986–87

  440,522

  22

  1987–88

  460,472

  22

  164

  Cost April-March (£)

  Staff Police and Civilians

  1988–89

  513,063

  22

  1989–90

  804,699

  30

  1990–911

  643,636

  30

  1 April to 31 December 1990.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to indicate which officer, and at what rank, is in overall command of the work of the obscene publications squad; and what policy exists as to the priority areas of operations of the squad.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the overall command of the obscene publications branch is undertaken by a detective chief superintendent. The priorities of the squad reflect force policy concerning the exploitation of vulnerable persons, especially children. In order of importance the priorities are:

  (a) child pornography

  (b) bizarre material

  (c) extreme bondage and flagellation

  (d) British publication of obscene material.

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to indicate, for each year from 1985 to date(a) the number of charges brought as a result of operations by the obscene publications squad, (b) the number of prosecutions conducted and (c) the number of convictions obtained.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information requested is as follows:

  (a) Number of charges brought as a result of operations by the obscene publications branch

  Number

  1985

  54

  1986

  108

  1987

  74

  1988

  65

  1989

  75

  1990

  112

  (b) Number of prosecutions conducted and the number of convictions obtained

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  1985

  14

  14

  1986

  15

  20

  1987

  15

  11

  1988

  17

  15

  1989

  29

  13

  1990

  27

  26

  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis to list for each year from 1985 to date, the subject of each of the major operations conducted by the obscene publications squad, the duration of the operation, and the number of officers involved.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the subject of each of the
  165
  major operations conducted by the obscene publications branch was the seizure of either suspected obscene material or suspected indecent material relating to children. No records are kept of the duration of each operation or the number of officers involved.

  Immigration
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to see there are adequate numbers of immigration officers at points of entry to the United Kingdom to avoid long delays at peak times; and what steps can be taken to examine passengers at ports of embarkation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Staffing of the immigration service, which is subject to public expenditure constraints, is kept under regular review. Flexible deployment of staff is aimed particularly at maintaining satisfactory clearance rates during peak periods. Delays are however inevitable when carriers or port operators, for their own commercial reasons, bring in large numbers of passengers within a very short period. Carriers and port operators are aware that it is open to them to request additional immigration service staff, provided that they meet the full cost. Such arrangements could include pre-clearance at the point of embarkation abroad.

  Benjamin Wilson
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when Benjamin Wilson was released following the judgment of the European Court of Human Rights; and what monetary compensation is being considered.

  Number of deaths registered in 1989 due to:

  Malnutrition1

  self-neglect2

  Hypothermia3

  Greater London

  12

  3

  69

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  12

  Birmingham

  2

  1

  12

  Liverpool

  2

  —

  4

  ENGLAND AND WALES

  83

  13

  375

  1 International classification 263.9.

  2 International classification 994.9/E904.0.

  3 Number of deaths with mention of hypothermia.

  Prison Meals
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by(a) region and (b) Her Majesty's prison establishment the average weekly cost of providing meals for inmates.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In 1989–90, the-latest figures available, the average weekly cost of providing meals for inmates was as follows:—

  Table (a)

  Region

  Cost £

  South-East

  14·50

  Midland

  13·69

  North

  14·02

  South-West

  13·94

  166
  Mr. John Patten
  Mr. Wilson has not been released. His case will be referred to the local review committee at the prison where he is then detained in October this year as the first stage of a further review by the parole board.

  The European Court of Human Rights upheld Mr. Wilson's claim of a breach of article 5 of the European convention on human rights in that he did not have recourse to a judicial body capable of determining the lawfulness of his detention and ordering his release if that detention was unlawful. However, the court also indicated, in rejecting his claim for damages, that there was no evidence that he would have regained his freedom had procedures consistent with the convention been available to him. We have no proposals to offer him compensation.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether his Department has any plans to extend the decision of the European Court of Human Rights on 25 October 1990 in respect of Benjamin Wilson, who was serving a discretionary life sentence, to people serving mandatory life sentences.

  Mr. John Patten
  No.

  Deaths
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for deaths on public streets in(a) London, (b) Manchester, (c) Birmingham, (d) Liverpool and (e) England and Wales due to causes other than violence or road traffic accidents; and what are the figures for the same areas for deaths due to (i) hypothermia, (ii) malnutrition and (iii) physical neglect.

  Mr. John Patten
  The only available information is from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys and is given in the table.

  Table (b)

  Establishment

  Cost £

  South-East Region

  Albany

  16·20

  Aldington

  14·19

  Ashford

  25·83

  Blantyre House

  21·98

  Blundeston

  14·34

  Brixton

  10·46

  Bullwood Hall

  21·09

  Camp Hill

  12·90

  Canterbury

  12·68

  Chelmsford

  12·79

  Coldingley

  15·06

  Cookham Wood

  16·96

  Dover

  15·87

  East Sutton Park

  24·86

  Feltham

  17·06

  Ford

  16·74

  Grendon and Spring Hill

  18·19

  Highpoint

  13·52

  167

  Establishment

  Cost £

  Hollesley Bay

  20·71

  Holloway

  12·80

  Huntercombe and Finnamore Wood

  16·76

  Kingston (Portsmouth)

  13·10

  Latchmere House

  19·67

  Lewes

  11·77

  Littlehey

  11·83

  Maidstone

  13·02

  Mount

  17·82

  Northeye

  15·89

  Norwich

  18·08

  Parkhurst

  16·94

  Pentonville

  12·43

  Rochester

  14·95

  Send

  22·75

  Swaleside

  12·56

  Standford Hill

  13·85

  Wandsworth

  9·17

  Wayland

  14·24

  Downview

  44·70

  Wormwood Scrubs

  14·85

  Midland Region

  Ashwell

  15·18

  Aylesbury

  16·88

  Bedford

  15·88

  Birmingham

  9·67

  Brockhill

  13·87

  Featherstone

  13·09

  Gartree

  19·01

  Glen Parva

  12·39

  Hewell Grange

  18·48

  Leicester

  14·15

  Lincoln

  11·84

  Lowdham Grange

  21·89

  Morton Hall

  16·71

  North Sea Camp

  18·26

  Nottingham

  14·27

  Onley

  14·79

  Ranby

  14·01

  Shrewsbury

  13·02

  Stafford

  11·66

  Stocken

  14·65

  Sudbury

  11·15

  Swinfen Hall

  18·96

  Wellingborough

  15·09

  Whatton

  16·43

  North Region

  Acklington

  13·89

  Askham Grange

  17·69

  Buckley Hall

  26·47

  Castington

  16·14

  Deerbolt

  13·33

  Drake Hall

  14·56

  Durham

  10·97

  Garth

  14·36

  Everthorpe

  13·74

  Frankland

  16·59

  Full Sutton

  13·75

  Hatfield

  17·25

  Haverigg

  12·75

  Hindley

  12·90

  Hull

  11·60

  Kirkham

  13·42

  Kirklevington

  39·47

  Lancaster

  13·53

  Leeds

  10·72

  Lindholme

  16·54

  Liverpool

  11·97

  Low Newton

  14·75

  Manchester

  12·00

  New Hall

  18·14

  Northallerton

  16·78

  Preston

  13·47

  Risley

  17·61

  168

  Establishment

  Cost £

  Rudgate

  13·53

  Stoke Heath

  14·14

  Styal

  14·93

  Thorn Cross

  20·45

  Thorp Arch

  18·13

  Wakefield

  14·45

  Werrington

  22·02

  Wetherbury

  20·10

  Wymott

  13·85

  South-West Region

  Bristol

  12·52

  Cardiff

  12·74

  Channings Wood

  14·28

  Dartmoor

  12·35

  Dorchester

  15·35

  Eastwood Park

  21·35

  Erlestoke

  13·18

  Exeter

  14·32

  Gloucester

  12·12

  Guys Marsh

  19·85

  Haslar

  20·34

  Leyhill

  14·06

  Long Martin

  15·52

  Oxford

  16·23

  Portland

  12·61

  Pucklechurch

  11·35

  Reading

  10·99

  Shepton Mallet

  16·90

  Swansea

  13·86

  Usk

  20·52

  The Verne

  11·81

  Winchester

  11·63

  West Midlands Police
  Mrs. Maureeen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many extra police posts were authorised for West Midlands police between(a) 1974 and (b) 1979 to date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The West Midlands police was created in its present form in April 1974 following local government reorganisation. Between April 1974 and April 1979 the establishment of the West Midlands police was increased by 38. Since this Government took office in May 1979 the establishment of the force has increased by 384 and my right hon. Friend has recently approved a further 48 posts with effect from 1 October 1991.

  Dangerous Loads
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidelines are issued to(a) fire and civil defence forces, (b) ambulance and (c) police forces regarding co-operation with other agencies in planning emergency liaison procedures in case of accident during the transportation of (i) radioactive waste, (ii) nuclear warloads and (iii) toxic waste.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Written guidance is issued to the police by the Association of Chief Police Officers, to the fire service by the Chief and Assistant Chief Fire Officers Association and to the ambulance service by the Regional Ambulance Officers Group. The guidance covers liaison and co-operation arrangements with other agencies likely to be involved in planning for and responding to a major incident as well as operational matters. The Home Office issues guidance, currently under review, to local authorities including fire and civil defence authorities.

  Bail Hostels
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the present number of bail hostels in England and Wales as of 1 January; and what was the number on 1 January 1985, 1987 and 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information sought is not readily available in the form requested, but is presented in the table as at 1 April for the years concerned, prior to 1991.

  Bail hostels

  Total probation/Bail and Bail hostels

  1 April 1985

  17

  102

  1 April 1987

  16

  102

  1 April 1989

  18

  99

  1 January 1991

  23

  105

  The total number of places in probation/bail and bail hostels has increased from 1,340 on 1 April 1985 to 2,149 on 1 January 1991. The corresponding increase in places in bail only hostels has been from 246 to 421. There is an expansion programme to increase the number of bail places in these hostels by 1,100 between April 1988 and April 1994.

  Offenders
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the names of organisations and individuals who submitted responses to(a) the White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public", (b) the Green Paper "Supervision and Punishment in the Community" and (c) the consultation paper "Partnership in Dealing with Offenders in the Community"; and if he will place copies of the responses in the Library.

  Mr. John Patten
  There were more than 200 responses to the White Paper, "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public", more than 160 to the Green Paper "Supervision and Punishment in the Community" and so far more than 100 to "Partnership in Dealing with Offenders in the Community". The organisations which submitted responses to each of the papers are listed in the table. We also received comments from probation services and probation committees; from magistrates' groups, benches and juvenile panels; from local authorities and social services departments; and from the police and prison services; and from a wide range of individuals, including judges and magistrates. It is for the respondents to decide whether to make their comments available more widely.

  Organisations that submitted responses to "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public"

  Action on Youth Crime

  All Party Parliamentary Group on Race and Community

  Apex Trust

  Association of Black Probation Officers

  Association of Chief Officers of Probation (ACOP)

  Association of Chief Police Officers of England, Wales and Northern Ireland (ACPO)

  Association of County Councils

  Association for Juvenile Justice

  Association of Members of Boards of Visitors

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Barnados

  Basecamp

  Berkshire Child Protection Committee

  Board for Social Responsibility

  British Association of Social Workers

  170

  The British Psychological Society

  Calder Valley Conservative Association

  Central Council of Probation Committees

  The Children's Society

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Commonwealth Magistrates' and Judges' Association

  The Co-ordinating Committee of Boards of Visitors

  Council of Her Majesty's Circuit Judges

  Criminal Bar Association

  Dioceses of London and Southwark Prisons and Penal Concerns Group

  Forum for Initiatives in Reparation and Mediation (FIRM)

  Howard League for Penal Reform

  Institute of Legal Executives

  Intermediate Treatment Fund

  JUSTICE

  Justices' Clerks' Society

  The Law Society

  London Boroughs Children's Regional Planning Committee

  The London Criminal Courts Solicitors' Association

  The London Magistrates' Clerks' Association

  The Magistrates' Association

  The National Association of Asian Probation Staff

  The National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO)

  NALGO (National and Local Government Officers Association)

  The National Association of Probation Officers

  The National Association of Senior Probation Officers (NASPO)

  National Children's Home

  The National Council of Women of Great Britain

  The National Intermediate Treatment FT0

  Newham Council

  Parent to Parent Information on Adoption Services (PPIAS)

  The Parole Board

  Penal Affairs Consortium

  The Police Federation

  The Prison Reform Trust

  Quaker Penal Affairs Committee

  Release

  The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

  Save the Children

  Securicor

  Social Aid

  Social Care Association

  The Society of Black Lawyers

  South Cumbria Alternative Sentencing Options Ltd.

  Standing Conference on Drug Abuse

  Townswomen's Guild

  Victim Support

  Organisations that submitted responses to "Supervision and Punishment in the Community"

  Action on Youth Crime

  Adullam Homes

  Apex Trust

  Assistant Chief Probation Officers AA0

  Association of Black Probation Officers

  Association of Chief Officers of Probation

  Association of Chief Officers of Probation (South West Branch)

  Association of Chief Police Officers

  Association of County Councils

  Association of Directors of Social Services

  Association of District Councils

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Bristol University

  British Association of Social Workers

  The British Psychological Society

  Central Council of Probation Committees

  Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work

  Centre for Applied Social Studies

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Criminal Bar Association

  The Howard League

  Intermediate Treatment Fund

  Lancaster University

  Margery Fry Memorial Trust

  National Association of Asian Probation Staff

  National Association of Local Government Officers

  171

  National Association of Probation Officers

  National Association of Probation Officers (Middlesex Branch)

  National Association of Senior Probation Officers

  National Probation Research and Information Exchange

  Nottingham Black Initiative

  Prison Reform Trust

  Probation Service Assistants Action GP0

  Probation Service Christian Fellowship

  Resettlement of Offenders Co-ordinating Committee

  Save The Children

  Social Aid

  Social Science Research Company

  Society of County Secretaries

  Society of Local Authority Chief Executives

  Standing Conference of CQSW Courses with Probation Options

  Trades Union Council

  Training Agency

  Voluntary Managing Committee of Elliot House

  Organisations that have so far submitted responses to "Partnership in Dealing with Offenders in the Community"

  Action on Youth Crime

  Apex Trust

  Association of Black Probation Officers

  Association of Chief Officers of Probation

  Association of County Councils

  Association of Metropolitan Authorities

  Automated Security (Holdings) plc

  Barnados

  Barnsley District Council for Voluntary Service

  Barnsley Magistrates' Court Probation Liaison Committee

  Bridgebuilders—Association of Education and Guidance of Offenders

  Central Council of Probation Committees

  Colloquia

  Community Development Foundation

  Council of Europe

  Cowen Mrs. P. Consultant c/o Mates, Training, Design and Development

  CSV

  Domestic Violence Intervention Project

  Durham Training and Enterprise

  Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Probation

  Institute for the Study of Drug Dependency

  Institute of Psychiatry

  J. Paul Getty Jr. Charitable Trust

  Leicester Night Shelter Project

  Midland Groupwork Training

  National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders

  National Association of Civil Court Welfare Officers

  National Association of Local Government Officers

  National Association of Probation Officers

  National Children's Home

  National Council for Voluntary Organisations

  National Intermediate Treatment Federation

  National Youth Bureau

  Norcare

  North West London Housing Association Ltd

  North West Thames Regional Health Authority

  Prison Reform Trust

  Rainer Foundation

  Release

  Resettlement of Offenders Co-ordinating Committee (Hampshire)

  Royal College of Physicians

  Save the Children Fund

  Securicor

  Society of County Secretaries

  Standing Conference on Drug Abuse

  The British Psychological Society

  The Children's Society

  The Magistrates' Association

  The Richmond Fellowship for Community Mental Health

  Timble Housing Project

  Training Agency

  Turning Point

  Voluntary Action (Leeds)

  Welsh Association of Residential Providers

  172

  Westend Co-ordinated Voluntary Services for Homeless Single People

  West London Mission

  West Yorkshire Forum for Offender Accommodation

  Oral Questions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 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. Kenneth Baker
  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 the Home Department 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. Kenneth Baker
  The time taken in preparing ministerial briefs for oral parliamentary questions is not routinely recorded in the Home Office. 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.

  Forensic Science
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what consideration he is giving to the difficulties encountered by forensic scientists in presenting evidence in an adversarial system of justice;

  (2) what consideration is being given to the introduction of an inquisitorial system of presentation of evidence in relation to forensic scientists giving evidence in court.

  Mr. John Patten
  Sir John May has indicated, in the course of his inquiry into the Guildford and Woolwich convictions, that he would propose to consider various aspects of forensic scientific evidence, including its obtaining, preparation and presentation, and the roles of expert witnesses, the Crown prosecution service and the court.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he is having with Cellmark Diagnostics about the centralisation of forensic laboratories in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No discussions are taking place with Cellmark Diagnostics on this issue.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the future of work at the Metropolitan police laboratory on chemiluminescent probes.
  173
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand that the laboratory is conducting trials in the use of chemi-luminescent probes. It will be for the director of the laboratory to decide on their future use in the light of those trials.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what restrictions exist on the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory's freedom to hold membranes from DNA analysis and body tissues, in particular(a) of suspects and (b) of persons found not guilty.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no restrictions on holding evidence obtained from suspects in cases which have not yet come to trial. Section 64 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984 requires the destruction of body tissues obtained from persons found not guilty.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the Europe exchange of DNA profile standards scheme.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  An informal agreement has been reached between a number of European DNA laboratories on the basic elements of the DNA profiling technique so that, in principle, the results obtained in these laboratories can be compared. A collaborative exercise has confirmed that there is a high level of compatibility. Future work will build on this progress, placing particular emphasis on quality assurance procedures.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what guidance he gives to police forces in respect of the use of a DNA database in relation to(a) previous cases unsolved, (b) open cases, (c) unidentified remains and (d) missing persons;

  (2) whether the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory sees any difficulty in extending its computer-based DNA database for national usage; and whether there are any plans for doing so.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The forensic science service is discussing with the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory the scientific and technical aspects of exchanging DNA data. We are also assessing the practical, legal and ethical questions raised by proposals for a national DNA database. Guidance has not yet been issued to the police, pending resolution of these issues.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy in respect of the future development of forensic science work among police forces in relation to the degree of fragmentation of such work between different police forces.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Work is well advanced to transform the forensic science service into an executive agency so that it can serve all provincial police forces in England and Wales more efficiently and effectively. The Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory will continue to serve the Metropolitan police and the City of London police.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consultations he has had with laboratory managers outside the Home Office forensic science services about the future of the forensic science service.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Consultation on such issues takes place at a liaison group of directors of public sector forensic science laboratories in the United Kingdom. Meetings also take place at the working level.
  174
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the retention of DNA records of those found not guilty.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is at present no statutory requirement for records of samples taken from a person in connection with the investigation of an offence to be destroyed when he is cleared of that offence. My right hon. Friend is considering whether there should be such a requirement in future as part of the wider debate about a national DNA database.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to the commercial arrangements made by police forces in relation to DNA testing with the laboratories at Aldermaston and Huntingdon.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  These laboratories form part of the forensic science service. Discussions are in hand with police forces on the detailed arrangements for the introduction of direct charging for DNA tests and other work. Police forces may obtain DNA tests elsewhere if they wish.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will make arrangements for defence counsel(a) for forensic work relating to London to be undertaken by laboratories outside London and (b) for the Metropolitan police forensic science laboratory to make its services available to the defence in cases not relating to London;

  (2) what is his policy in making the services of the Metropolitan police laboratory (a) available to litigants and others concerned with dog paternity cases and (b) in relation to other commercial work.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As part of its preparation for agency status, the forensic science service is reviewing its policy on defence work. I understand that the Metropolitan police is also conducting a review of the future of its forensic laboratory and the work which it undertakes. No decisions have yet been taken.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 23 November,Official Report, column 245, on the numbers of forensic scientists available for police work; whether the answer includes forensic scientists outside the Home Office forensic science service; (a) in Government service, (b) in local authority service and (c) in the private sector.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The figure of 527 provided in the answer of 23 November 1990 was in respect of the Home Office forensic science service. In addition, the Metropolitan police laboratory has 231 scientific and technical staff in post who, directly or indirectly, provide scientific support to the police. No information is held centrally on the numbers of scientists employed by local authorities or in the private sector who could provide a similar service.

  BBC
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the timetable for the renewal of the BBC's charter.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The present BBC charter expires at the end of 1996. We have not yet set a timetable for the review which will be necessary before it expires.

  Local Government
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will provide a table of expenditure under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for 1989–90, broken down into the educational, economic, social and other appropriate categories and cross tabulated by standard regions, with Greater London shown as a separate region.

  Mrs. Angela Rumbold
  I regret that under present arrangements the information requested is not available.

  For information in relation to local authority expenditure under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 within each local authority area I would refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the question from the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on 23 October 1990 at columns 126–28 and to his own question of 13 November 1990 at column 87.

  Zebra Crossings
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many on-the-spot fines have been levied on errant motorists in respect of traffic offences on zebra crossings since the provision came into operation.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information collected centrally does not separately identify fixed penalty notices issued for offences at zebra crossings.

DEFENCE

  Regimental System
  Mr. Cyril D. Townsend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the regimental system in the light of future cuts in the size of the British Army.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As I said during the defence debate last June, the Government believe in the regimental system and are convinced that it must be maintained for the esprit de corps that it brings to our front-line battalions. Regiments may have to be disbanded or amalgamated, but the regimental system will go on.

  Personnel Deployment
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many services personnel, excluding MOD civilians, are currently deployed in the Mediterranean, near east and Gulf areas.

  Mr. Tom King
  At the outbreak of hostilities the United Kingdom had some 35,000 service personnel in the Gulf area. Approximately a further 7,500 are deployed in the Mediterranean and near east.

  Careers Information and Recruitment
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest figure for the number of armed services careers information and recruitment centres.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are currently 290 service careers information offices located throughout the United Kingdom.

  Devonport Dockyard
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the existing work load at Devonport dockyard with specific reference to both the core programme and unallocated work subject to tendering.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  DML is currently working on three fleet submarines, three frigates and one Royal Fleet Auxiliary, RFA Fort Austin, which was transferred to Devonport's core programme from the unallocated programme. The balance between the core and unallocated programmes is kept under review to ensure we obtain value for money.

  Gulf Crisis
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he has any plans to pay a further visit to the Gulf.

  Mr. Tom King
  I have no present plans to do so.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the total number of British military and civilian personnel now stationed in the Gulf; and what information he has on the total for all members of the European Community.

  Mr. Aitken
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the latest military situation in the Gulf.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a further statement on the military situation in the Gulf.

  Mr. Tom King
  I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friends to the answer I gave today to the Members for Pontyprydd (Dr. Howells) and for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) and to my hon. Friends the Members for Derbyshire, South (Mrs. Currie) and for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind).

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any body bags have been sent to the Gulf.

  Mr. Tom King
  We have made the necessary provision for casualties arising during the course of military operations in the Gulf.

  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the level of operational efficiency of the Challenger tanks serving with the 1st Armoured Division in the Saudi desert.

  Mr. Allan Clark
  We are satisfied with the level of operational efficiency of the Challenger tanks deployed to the Gulf.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his policy on the retention of land-based short-range nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government fully support NATO's policy, as set out in last year's London declaration. Though reaffirming the need to maintain
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  up-to-date nuclear weapons in Europe for the foreseeable future, the alliance acknowledged that there would be a significantly reduced role for sub-strategic weapons of the shortest range. Once negotiations begin on short-range nuclear forces, the alliance will propose, in return for reciprocal action by the Soviet Union, the elimination of all its nuclear artillery shells from Europe.

  SSN20
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to introduce the SSN20 into service within the Royal Navy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend announced on 25 July that we intend to maintain around 12 nuclear-powered submarines in service. Following the completion of feasibility studies for SSN20, we are considering the procurement plans needed to sustain this force level in the longer term.

  Belize
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the numbers and responsibilities of British service men and women in Belize.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the eighth report of the Select Commmittee on Defence—HC 624, Session 1987–88—on British forces in Belize. The strength of the garrison remains around 1,550 and there are 10 loan service personnel currently serving with the Belize defence force.

  RAF Sculthorpe
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what recent representations he has received in respect of RAF Sculthorpe, Norfolk.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  One representation has been received from a member of the public. No decisions have been taken as to the future use of the base.

  Defence Strategy
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he last met his United States counterpart to discuss defence strategy arising from changes in east-west relationships.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend last met Mr. Cheney at the NATO defence planning committee ministerial session held in Brussels on 6 and 7 December 1990. A copy of the communiqué has been placed in the Library.

  Operation Granby
  Mr. Conway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the Belgian Government's refusal of permission for the supply of ammunition on a procurement order from his Department for use by British forces in Operation Granby.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Our initial request for additional ammunition was met in full by the United States, Germany and the Netherlands. We did not, therefore,178
  need any ammunition from Belgium, which has provided assistance in a number of other ways. We are grateful to our allies for meeting our needs at such short notice.

  "Dispatches"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department afforded any assistance to the producers of the "Dispatches" programme on British nuclear weapons tests broadcast on 16 January; and if he will obtain a copy of the programme for his departmental library.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The producers of the "Dispatches" programme were given a detailed background briefing by officials, and an attributable statement for use in the programme. There are no plans to obtain a copy of the programme for the departmental library.

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he plans to announce the changes concerning the naval estate and support services following on "Options for Change".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 12 December 1990 at column 430.

  "The Sandy Times"
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any decision has yet been taken to provide funding for "The Sandy Times", which circulates among United Kingdom forces in The Gulf.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Costs will be met by the Ministry of Defence.

  Defence Quality Assurance
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he now expects to reach a decision about the proposed move of the Directorate General, Defence Quality Assurance from Woolwich to Teeside.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  As my right hon. Friend made clear in reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Stockton, South on 4 December, the issues being addressed by my Department are now wider in scope than the affordability of the Directorate General, Defence Quality Assurance move as planned. We will come to a decision as soon as possible.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his latest estimate of the total cost of moving the Directorate General, Defence Quality Assurance to Teesside as compared to constructing a new headquarters building at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My Department is currently re-examining the range of facilities that the Directorate General, Defence Quality Assurance will require in the long term to support the armed services, and is re-estimating the construction costs that need to be incurred. Indications to date are that the cost of retaining existing London sites and undertaking necessary reconstruction on them would be considerably more than the cost of constructing facilities outside London.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on(a) the design and

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  preparation for a new Directorate General, Defence Quality Assurance headquarters building at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich and (b) the proposed move to a new headquarters on Teesside.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the responses given to him by my predecessor on 20 April 1988,Official Report, columns 501–2, and 12 April 1989, Official Report, columns 515–17. Sketch plans for a headquarters building at the Royal Arsenal west, Woolwich for the Quality Assurance Directorate were completed in 1983 at a cost to the Property Services Agency of £300,000. The identified costs of studies on other buildings amounted to £120,000. The departmental costs of the staff carrying out feasibility studies and investment appraisals on the future location of the Directorate General, Defence Quality Assurance were incurred in the normal course of their work and have not been separately identified.

  Expenditure on the proposed move to new headquarters and technical facilities on Teesside currently totals around £4·3 million.

  Royal Arsenal, Woolwich
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much has been spent on the repair, maintenance and refurbishment of buildings at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich over each of the most recent 10 years for which figures are available together with the estimated expenditure for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The details of expenditure requested are as follows:
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  Repair and maintenance (£ thousands)

  Refurbishment (£ thousands)

  1980–81

  1,083

  277

  1981–82

  1,212

  300

  1982–83

  1,552

  357

  1983–84

  1,802

  471

  1984–85

  2,272

  715

  1985–86

  1,785

  1,593

  1986–87

  1,846

  1,584

  1987–88

  1,749

  2,427

  1988–89

  1,514

  662

  1989–90

  1,629

  642

  1990–911

  1,550

  500

  1991–921

  1,450

  300

  1 Estimated.

  The refurbishments from 1985–86 include expenditure needed to house DGDQA units moved from Harefield, Middlesex and Garland Road, Plumstead.

  Black Officers
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the highest rank in each of the services held by a black officer; and what the current numbers of black officers are in each service.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No records are kept of the ethnic origins of serving personnel by rank or otherwise. I am, therefore, unable to provide the information requested.

  Civilian Employees
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are employed by the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The number of United Kingdom-based civilian staff employed by the Ministry of Defence on 1 January 1991 was 139,917.

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