Written Answers of 23 January 1991

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  London House
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, under what terms the Commissioners hold 8 Barton street, London house; who else has a legal interest in the property; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alison
  The Commissioners own the freehold of London house, 8 Barton street, and there are no other legal interests in the property.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Public Record Office
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Attorney-General whether the report of the efficiency scrutiny of the Public Record Office has been completed and when it is expected to be published.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has received the report of the efficiency scrutiny of the Public Record Office. The report is being published today and copies placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The scrutiny was set up in August 1990 to look at the functions, management and organisation of the Public Record Office, to examine the services it provides and to make proposals on its future status. The Lord Chancellor is most concerned to ensure that the priceless national asset of the records held by the Public Record Office is maintained efficiently and that the best possible quality of service is provided to those who wish to use them.

  The scrutiny team has produced a wide-ranging report and the Lord Chancellor will be considering the detailed recommendations that it contains. He accepts the broad thrust of the report and agrees with the scrutiny team's conclusion that the Public Record Office should become an executive agency under the Government's "next steps" programme. Officials of the Public Record Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department will be drawing up an action plan for the transition to agency status and associated management changes.

TRANSPORT

  Shipping Accidents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what records are kept by his Department of the number of shipping accidents there have been in the coastal waters of the United Kingdom, involving(a) collisions, (b) groundings and (c) sinkings; how far the records go back; and what is the date of the latest records available.
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  Mr. McLoughlin
  The records kept show the numbers of collisions and groundings for each year for United Kingdom merchant vessels over 100 gross tons and United Kingdom fishing vessels, on a worldwide basis, back to 1972. They also show individual merchant and fishing vessels lost from any cause in each year.

  The information for the years 1972–88 is available in the Department's publication "Casualties to Vessels and Accidents to Men". This publication was discontinued with the setting up of the marine accident investigation branch (MAIB) in July 1989. For 1989—the latest year for which figures are currently available—the information is contained in the MAIB publication "Review for 1989"

  The figures for the past 10 years are as follows:

  Year

  Collisions and contacts

  Strandings and Groundings

  Losses (all causes)

  Merchant vessels

  1980

  153

  49

  8

  1981

  125

  45

  11

  1982

  154

  44

  4

  1983

  107

  25

  5

  1984

  91

  35

  5

  1985

  69

  28

  6

  1986

  55

  21

  4

  1987

  46

  16

  5

  1988

  56

  22

  6

  1989

  62

  28

  3

  Fishing vessels

  1980

  23

  26

  39

  1981

  20

  25

  52

  1982

  38

  29

  50

  1983

  26

  33

  42

  1984

  15

  36

  41

  1985

  22

  32

  40

  1986

  21

  33

  19

  1987

  13

  40

  14

  1988

  19

  55

  22

  1989

  46

  51

  22

  Oil Tankers
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the environmental risks associated with oil tankers using the route through the Minches, as opposed to the recommended deep water route west of the Western Isles; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Pollok (Mr. Dunnachie) on 14 November, columns 139–40.

  Since the deep water route was implemented in October 1987 I have received a number of representations from hon. Members, environmental organisations and members of the public, all expressing concern about the use of the Minches by oil tankers.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what are the annual figures for the number of laden oil tankers which sailed through the deep water route west of the Western Isles in a southerly direction for each of the past 10 years and the amount of oil carried;

  (2) what are the annual figures for the number of laden oil tankers which sailed through the Minches in a southerly direction for each of the past 10 years and the amount of oil carried.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is not available.
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  My Department commissioned a survey of southbound traffic in the two routes in September and October 1989. The survey ran for 21 days and nights, excluding three interruptions by bad weather which forced the survey vessels to seek shelter for a total of six days. During the survey period a total of 25 laden oil tankers, 16 of which were over 10,000 grt, proceeded south through the Minches compared with four laden tankers, all over 10,000 grt, which proceeded south through the deep water route. Sea conditions were such as to render use of the deep water route an impractical alternative in the opinion of many of the masters involved.

  Rail Electrification
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he intends that cost-benefit analysis should be used in considering any proposals from ScotRail to electrify the Edinburgh-Glasgow, via Falkirk, and the Edinburgh-Dunblane-Glasgow railway lines; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what assurances have been given that the social benefits of electrification will be taken into account in considering proposals to electrify the Edinburgh-Glasgow, via Falkirk, and Edinburgh-Dunblane-Glasgow railway lines;

  (3) what criteria will be used to assess any proposals to electrify the railway line between Edinburgh and Aberdeen.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. Friend the Member for Hertsmere (Mr. Parkinson), the then Secretary of State, set out the criteria for rail investment in his letter of 19 December 1989 to the then chairman of the British Railways Board, which set the board's objectives for the period 1990–91 to 1992–93. I am sending a copy to the hon. Member.

  Speedlink
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total value of moneys paid out under section 8 of the Transport Act 1974 to assist in the provision of Speedlink rail freight services.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since 1975 grants of £69 million (cash) have been awarded under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974. Around £10 million assisted the provision of rail facilities serviced by the Speedlink network representing less than 10 per cent. of the total grant-aided traffic. These figures include a number of schemes no longer subject to the conditions of grant which normally apply for 10 years and others which have ceased operation at some time during the period.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what specific measures his Department has taken to promote energy efficiency; what further measures his Department intends to take to promote energy efficiency; and by what amount and what percentage of its total energy bill his Department's energy bill has been reduced over the past year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department of Transport monitors energy consumption and undertakes detailed energy efficiency surveys in its major buildings. These 184
  activities have, for example, produced improvements in air conditioning plant and have led to the introduction of new building management systems and to the installation of new lighting systems. New opportunities continue to be sought and implemented.

  In 1989–90, the last full year for which data are available, the energy bill of the Department was reduced by about £120,000, 5 per cent. compared with the previous year.

  Red Routes
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his oral answer of 14 January,Official Report, column 606, if he will outline the programme of monitoring for the pilot red route scheme being undertaken by his Department; and if he will make a statement on the effects so far of the routes' introduction.

  Mr. Chope
  Monitoring will cover safety, public transport performance, vehicle flow counts, parking surveys, shopping activity, pedestrian movement, journey times, enforcement data, loading activity and the use of rat runs.

  Present indications are that traffic, including buses, is flowing more freely and that there is less illegal parking, but it is too soon to reach firm conclusions.

WALES

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what expenditure has been incurred by his Department in ensuring slaughterhouses in Wales meet EC standards.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No special financial assistance is provided by my Department to ensure slaughterhouses in Wales meet EC standards. The Department's veterinary staff are available to provide advice on these standards.

  Green Belts
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the establishment of green belts in Wales and in Cardiff, North in particular.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This matter is being considered as part of the current exercise to review the Department's existing strategic planning guidance. The Assembly of Welsh Counties has accepted the invitation to take forward that review in consultation with the Council of Welsh Districts and other interested bodies. To launch the debate on green belts, my right hon. Friend has convened and will address a conference at the Welsh Office on 28 January 1991.

  Council for the Protection of Rural Wales
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the report of the Council for the Protection of Rural Wales entitled "How Green Was My Valley"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  My right hon. Friend has read the report with interest. Some of its central concerns will be considered at the green belts conference in the Welsh Office, on 28 January 1991, when the CPRW will present a paper.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many job vacancies there are for(a) machine operators, (b) catering staff, (c) sales distribution staff, (d) cleaning staff and (e) clerical employees in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Total vacancies unfilled—October 1990 (latest)

  Vacancy

  Number

  Machine Operator (Engineering)—skilled

  60

  Machine Operator (Engineering)—unskilled

  6

  Catering

  1,907

  Selling—Distribution

  1,312

  Cleaning and Personal Services

  1,944

  Clerical and Machine Operators

  1,367

  Pembrokeshire Health Authority
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Cardiff, North (Mr. Jones), on 14 January,Official Report, column 433, if he will now set out his proposed timetable for (a) the submission of the application for Pembrokeshire district health authority to become a trust, (b) the consultation process on the application and (c) his decision on the application.

  Total visitors admitted to, and total passengers refused leave to enter and removed from, the United Kingdom for selected nationalities, 1990

  Nationality

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  Jamaica

  Total visitors admitted1

  600

  800

  1,000

  1,200

  1,500

  2,300

  3,100

  2,300

  1,600

  1,400

  Total passengers refused leave to enter and removed

  50

  52

  58

  42

  48

  50

  52

  36

  47

  60

  Barbados

  Total visitors admitted1

  100

  100

  200

  300

  400

  800

  1,000

  900

  600

  300

  Total passengers refused leave to enter and removed

  2

  1

  3

  3

  4

  3

  2

  3

  3

  5

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Total visitors admitted1

  300

  300

  500

  600

  700

  1,300

  1,700

  1,200

  1,000

  800

  Total passengers refused leave to enter and removed

  11

  11

  10

  9

  11

  11

  10

  10

  17

  13

  Guyana

  Total visitors admitted1

  100

  200

  200

  200

  200

  400

  700

  500

  400

  200

  Total passengers refused leave to enter and removed

  6

  3

  6

  3

  4

  4

  5

  1

  2

  10

  1 Provisional figures for ordinary and business visitors.

  Election Returning Officers
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether for the 1987 general election any chief executive of a local authority(a) refused appointment as an acting returning officer or (b) took unpaid leave from their authority in order to carry out the function of an acting returning officer.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Chief executives of local authorities in England and Wales who are acting retuning officers are not directly appointed to that office: they have a statutory responsibility to carry out the duties of acting returning officers by virtue of the fact that they are electoral registration officers appointed by a district or London borough council. We are not aware of any chief executive who took unpaid leave in order to carry out the duties of acting returning officer at the last general election.
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  Mr. David Hunt
  If Pembrokeshire district health authority decides to submit a formal application it will be subject to a statutory consultation period of three months after which I would hope to issue an early decision.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the amount of money spent in Wales during 1990 on the set-aside scheme.

  Mr. David Hunt
  A total of £231,137 was paid out in Wales during 1990.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Immigration
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give details of the number of people admitted as visitors and the number of people refused entry and returned abroad by the immigration authorities at United Kingdom ports of entry for each month in 1990 who were nationals of(a) Jamaica, (b) Barbados, (c) Trinidad and Tobago and (d) Guyana.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is given in the table.

  Prison Visits
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are limited to closed visits.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information is not recorded centrally and could not be obtained except at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether there is any provision within the prison system for unsupervised visits to take place.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Under standing order 5, a copy of which is in the Library, there is no provision within the prison system for any visits to take place out of the sight of prison staff.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) at which prison department establishments visits are normally restricted to 30 minutes' duration;
  187
  (2) which prison department establishments allow only one visit every four weeks.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Convicted prisoners are normally able to receive at least two visits every four weeks, and sometimes more, at all establishments except Brixton, Durham, Liverpool, Manchester, Preston, Shrewsbury and Swansea.

  Visits normally last at least one hour, and frequently longer, at all establishments except Durham, Leeds, Liverpool and Wandsworth.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the annual expenditure on assisted visits each year since 1986–87; and what is the estimated annual expenditure in 1990–91.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The annual expenditure on the payment of claims made under the assisted prison visits scheme in the past four years has been as follows:

  £

  1986–87

  905,628

  1987–88

  793,407

  1988–89

  1,332,598

  1989–90

  1,491,204

  The scheme is not cash limited and all valid claims are met in full. It is therefore possible to estimate only annual expenditure in 1990–91. It appears likely that end-of-year expenditure will be around £1,650,000.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department under what special circumstances can prisoners be denied open visits.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Standing order 5, a copy of which is in the Library, stipulates that visits to prisoners should take place in open visiting rooms unless security or control considerations require that a special or closed visiting room or a closed visiting box should be used. This may be considered necessary in individual cases in order to prevent, for example, the smuggling of drugs.

  Wormwood Scrubs
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the amount of money spent on A wing of Wormwood Scrubs prison, London, over the last five years.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of £811,000 has been spent on building work in A hall at Wormwood Scrubs prison over the last five years.

  Prisoners' Letters
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to stop the censorship of prisoners' letters in prisons in England and Wales, except where prisoner security is necessary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In 1986, routine censorship of prisoners' correspondence in category D prison establishments was abolished. Since 1988 only a random 5 per cent. sample of incoming and outgoing letters are routinely read in category C and equivalent female and young offender establishments. During 1990, a trial took place to test the 188
  reduction of censorship to a 5 per cent. sample in selected category B—non-dispersal—establishments. We are currently studying the results of that trial.

  Warwickshire Police
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to meet the chief constable of Warwickshire to discuss the standard spending assessment for the police service in Warwickshire.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to do so.

  Prisoner Statistics
  Mr. Rees
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were in categories A, B, C and D, respectively, on the most recent available date.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The latest information readily available centrally is given in the table.

  Population1 of adult male sentenced prisoners in local and training prisons in England and Wales on 30 September 1990: by security category of prisoner

  Number

  A2

  431

  B

  5,240

  C

  13,866

  D

  5,135

  Not recorded

  3,064

  Total population

  27,736

  1 The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.

  2 Including prisoners provisionally placed in Category A.

  Fire Service, Warwickshire
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the chief fire officer of Warwickshire to discuss the standard spending assessment for the county's fire service.

  Mr. John Patten
  Representatives of Warwickshire county council have had a number of opportunities to discuss their standard spending assessments with Ministers at the Department of the Environment. We will consider carefully any request from the Warwickshire fire authority for a meeting to discuss standards of fire cover. The chief fire officer met Her Majesty's chief inspector of fire services on 17 December to discuss those standards.

  Missing Persons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the South Yorkshire police force area how many(a) children and (b) adults are known to have gone missing for each of the last five years he has records; and how many were subsequently traced.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The following annual figures are given in relation to the total number of missing persons reports received in the South Yorkshire police force area for the years 1986–1990. Children and adults are not categorised separately, nor do the figures take account of those individuals who regularly leave their homes and may be
  189
  reported missing several times a year. Separate records are maintained of children and adults who are still missing at the end of each year.

  Year

  Total number of missing persons reports

  Outstanding at end of year

  Children

  Adults

  1986

  3,990

  16

  4

  1987

  3,908

  32

  5

  1988

  3,420

  13

  4

  1989

  4,281

  14

  3

  1990

  4,740

  27

  7

  Home Security
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many elderly people have so far benefited from the provision of home security and alarm systems under the safer cities and other projects(a) in London and (b) in the London borough of Wandsworth.

  Mr. John Patten
  Four safer cities projects are based in London: at Islington, Lewisham, Tower Hamlets and Wandsworth. Twenty-two safer cities grants, worth £209,000, have been approved for agencies and organisations in those areas so that they can provide better home security or alarm systems to elderly people. The estimated number of beneficiaries is 3,500 elderly people, including 400 in the London borough of Wandsworth.

  Iraqi Nationals
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many deportation orders are in force against Iraqi nationals; and how many are held in custody at present.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait on 2 August, notices of intention to make deportation orders have been served on 128 Iraqi nationals. Deportation orders have been made against three of these Iraqi nationals. As of 22 January 1991, a total of 61 Iraqi nationals are detained pending their appearance before the advisory panel established under paragraph 157 of the immigration rules—HC 251—or consideration of other representations. Two further Iraqi nationals, who are military officers, are being detained as prisoners of war.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi nationals are currently in the United Kingdom by virtue of(a) permanent residence, (b) student, (c) exceptional leave to remain and (d) asylum application.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The revised estimate from the latest labour force surveys and immigration control data is that some 7,000 Iraqis are usually resident in the United Kingdom, including students. In addition, some 1,300 Iraqis have been granted exceptional leave to remain and around 1,600 have applications outstanding for asylum.

  Adoption
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of children admitted into the United Kingdom in each of the last five years, for the purpose of adoption, without the necessary entry clearance; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available. Statistics collected on passenger admissions do not separately identify children who come to the United Kingdom for adoption.

ENVIRONMENT

  Council Housing
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of subsidies to council housing as a percentage of gross domestic product in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Yeo
  Housing and rent rebate subsidies from Government and rate fund contributions from local authorities to council housing in Great Britain between 1990–91 and 1989–90 are:

  Year

  £ billion

  GDP Per cent·

  1980–81

  2·5

  1·0

  1981–82

  2·1

  0·8

  1982–83

  2·1

  0·7

  1983–84

  2·8

  0·9

  1984–85

  3·1

  0·9

  1985–86

  3·2

  0·9

  1986–87

  3·4

  0·9

  1987–88

  3·5

  0·8

  1988–89

  3·4

  0·7

  1989–90

  3·8

  0·7

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by local authority the percentage of uncollected(a) community charge and (b) uniform business rates outstanding for the latest date for which he has figures.

  Mr. Key
  I am arranging for the available information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his reply of 7 December 1990,Official Report, column 220, if he will publish in the Official Report his letter of 19 December 1990 to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information contained in my letter of 19 December 1990 is now out of date. The latest position with regulations on local government finance still to be made is as follows:

  Local Government Finance

    LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE
    Statutory Instruments (all subject to the negative resolution procedure) to be laid by 31 March 1991.
    The Community Charge

    1. Introduction of community charge reduction scheme.

    2. Form of the community charge bill and content of rate demand notice for 1991–92.

    3. Content of community charge bill and of rate demand notice for the City of London for 1991–92.

    4. Miscellaneous administrative matters—billing on change of address, attachment of earnings orders, costs of summonses, notification of entry.

    5. Revised rules for calculation of relevant population.

    6. Amendment to increase the amounts of financial loss and travel and subsistence allowance payable to VCCT members.

    Rating

    1. Miscellaneous amendments to the Collection and Enforcement (Local Lists) Regulations.

    2. Miscellaneous amendments to the Collection and Enforcement (Central Lists) Regulations.

    3. Amendments of the domestic/non-domestic boundary in respect of bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

    4. Valuation of non-domestic property in former enterprise zones.

    5. City of London minimum and maximum rating multipliers for 1991–92.

    6. Amendments to regulations on valuation of caravan sites consequent on Caravans (Standard Community Charge and Rating) Bill.

    7. Amendment of regulations on payment of interest to provide for cases where successive payments are made in respect of the same period.

    8. Closedown of precept and rate rules under old rating system.

    9. Further consequential amendments and repeals.

    10. Regulations on definition of hereditament used for electricity generation.

    Capital Finance

    1. Regulations to set rate of discount used in calculating the cost of credit arrangements.

    2. Miscellaneous amendments to the capital finance regulations.

    3. Regulations to apply the new system, with modifications, to the Lea Vally regional park authority.

    4. Regulations to enable local authorities to issue sterling commercial paper and medium-term notes.

    5. Regulations to apply to new system to parish and community councils.

    6. Miscellaneous amendments to the list of approved investments.

    7. Regulations to apply part VII of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 to the City of London and the South Yorkshire and London pension authorities.

    8. Consequential amendments and repeals.

    Order subject to positive resolution to be laid by 31 March 1991.
    Rating

    1. Technical amendments to Electricity Supply Industry (Rateable Values) Order 1989 and Electricity Generators (Rateable Values) Order 1989.

    Mr. Redmond
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the Doncaster local authority area(a) the number of individuals who are liable to pay the personal community charge, (b) the number of people who are liable to pay the standard community charge and (c) the number of premises liable for the uniform business rate.

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

    (a) By 31 December 1990, a total of 224,102 people were liable to make a payment in respect of a personal community charge.

    (b) There were 3,232 properties liable to a standard community charge on 1 June 1990, excluding those with a multiplier of zero.

    No information is available on the number of premises liable for the uniform business rate. There were 7,086 hereditaments on the authority's rating list on 31 December 1990.

  Care in the Community
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the programme he intends to follow in providing additional finances to(a) local authorities, (b) housing associations and (c) voluntary
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  bodies, in each of the four district areas in south Yorkshire, in (i) the present financial year, (ii) the 1991–92 financial year and (iii) subsequent financial years in order to ensure adequate availability of appropriate housing to match the requirements of his Department's programme for the implementation of care in the community.

  Mr. Yeo
  We hope to make an announcement shortly about the regional distribution of the Housing Corporation's 1991–92 approved development programme. The distribution of resources within its regions is a matter for the corporation.

  Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham and Sheffield all receive allocations of urban programme resources before the start of each financial year for expenditure on projects targeting deprived inner-city areas and disadvantaged minorities in them. Mainstream housing provision is not an appropriate objective of the urban programme, although expenditure on support for housing workers in the voluntary sector and hostel bed spaces may be.

  Any additional burden on services which are supported through revenue support grant will be reflected in future standard spending assessments. This support is unlikely to be hypothecated.

  Any additional demands for housing resulting from the implementation of care in the community will be taken into account in future public expenditure surveys and in the distribution of resources for housing capital expenditure to individual local authorities. No account has been taken for 1990–91 or 1991–92.

  Warwickshire County Council
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what calculations underlay his assessment that Warwickshire county council would earn interest of £6·7 million, as set out in the standard spending assessment calculation for 1991.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key), to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) yesterday.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether persons refused severance allowances by the Property Services Agency in accordance with circular SWOP3/91 will still have the same conditions of service entitlement should they later be made redundant by the successor employer, a Government-owned company.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government are committed to ensuring that any staff who are transferred out of the civil service either into a Government-owned company—GOCO—or into a privately owned company will enjoy as far as possible redundancy compensation provisions identical to those they have at present.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether persons refused severance payment by the Property Services Agency under the terms of circular SW0P3/91 will be given an explanation for such refusals.

  Mr. Yeo
  Yes.

  Housing, London
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for each of the last 10 years, in London(a) the number of local authority dwellings built, (b) the number sold, (c) the number built by housing associations, (d) the number of homeless persons arid (e) his estimate of the number sleeping on the streets.

  Mr. Yeo
  The latest available information about the numbers of dwellings built by London boroughs and by housing associations in London can be found in tables 1·1 to 1·10 inclusive of "Housebuilding in England by Local Authority Areas 1980–1989", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Tables of council house sales showing year-by-year sales for each local authority are regularly placed in the Library. A table showing sales to September 1990 will be placed in the Library shortly.

  Local authorities have a statutory duty to secure accommodation for households who have been found to be homeless, or threatened with homelessness, under part III of the Housing Act 1985. The numbers of households accepted and found accommodation are reported quarterly to the Department. Estimates for London for the years 1980–1989 are set out in the table.

  Year

  Number of households accepted and found accommodation

  1980

  17,480

  1981

  18,470

  1982

  21,110

  1983

  24,050

  1984

  25,180

  1985

  27,390

  1986

  29,740

  1987

  29,710

  1988

  29,320

  1989

  33,160

  Having consulted front-line voluntary organisations, my Department estimates that some 2,000 or 3,000 people sleep on the streets in London. A count of persons sleeping rough is to be carried out as part of the 1991 population census.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether a report has been sent to the Commission as required under article 16 of Council directive 78/659/EEC on the quality of fresh waters needing protection or improvement in order to support fish life.

  Mr. Trippier
  A report covering monitoring in 1989 has been submitted to the Commission recently and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Private Water Supplies
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for regulations in respect of private water supplies.

  Mr. Trippier
  We have issued today a consultation paper seeking views on proposals for regulations dealing 194
  with the duties and functions of local authorities in respect of private water supplies. This has been published jointly by my Department, the Scottish Office Environment Department and the Welsh Office. I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  The consultation paper proposes that regulations should specify the information that local authorities are able to obtain in respect of private supplies in their areas and should require local authorities to prepare and maintain a register of such supplies. Proposals are made about the different classes into which private supplies should be allocated, the parameters for which each class of supply should be monitored, and the frequencies at which local authorities should carry out sampling and analysis in order to determine whether supplies comply with the requirements of the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 and the parallel Scottish regulations. The paper puts forward proposals for maximum charges that local authorities would be able to make for carrying out sampling and analysis. It is intended that regulations should come into effect on 1 July 1991 and that local authorities should begin to monitor private supplies from 1 October 1991.

  Reserve Forces
  Sir Robert McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take to protect the pensions of local government employees who are called up for service as reservists during the present crisis.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Department has today gone out to consultation on amendments to the local government superannuation scheme designed to preserve full superannuation rights for any local government employee serving as a reservist. They would apply retrospectively with effect from 17 December 1990, the date of the order authorising the call-out of reserves.

  If, in any case, an authority declines to make good any shortfall between service and civilian salary, the regulations will provide for the cost of both the employee's and the employer's contribution to be met by the authority. I understand, however, that authorities are in the main indicating their readiness to make good any shortfall in salary and I hope that all will conclude that they should do so.

  British Waterways Board
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the level of Government grant to the British Waterways Board for each year since 1979 at current prices; and what is the planned level of grant for future years.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The table shows in current prices the Government's grant 1:0 the BWB in the years 1978–79 to 1990–91, together with the board's external financing limit—EFL—which covers grant and borrowing from the national loans fund, for the same period.
  195

  Grant

  EFL

  Cash £

  1990–91 prices £

  Cash £

  1990–91 prices £

  1978–79

  23·0

  58·1

  26·0

  65·7

  1979–80

  22·8

  49·4

  25·7

  55·7

  1980–81

  25·6

  46·9

  30·0

  54·9

  1981–82

  28·4

  47·4

  31·6

  52·7

  1982–83

  37·6

  58·6

  39·3

  61·2

  1983–84

  39·8

  59·3

  40·8

  60·8

  1984–85

  41·8

  59·3

  42·8

  60·7

  1985–86

  43·5

  58·5

  44·1

  59·3

  1986–87

  43·9

  57·1

  44·8

  58·2

  1987–88

  44·0

  542

  45·0

  55·5

  1988–89

  45·9

  52·7

  44·9

  51·6

  1989–90

  48·1

  52·0

  46·5

  50·2

  1990–91

  49·3

  49·3

  49·4

  49·4

  As a result of the latest public expenditure round, the BWB's EFL, which is expected to be the same as grant for 1991–92, will be £48·7 million, with guideline figures of £46·9 milllion and £45·3 milion for the following two years.

  Minerals Act 1981
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to go to full public consultation on the review of the Minerals Act 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 21 January 1991]: The review of the Minerals Act 1981, announced in "Our Common Inheritance", is already under way. The issues are complex and require careful consideration. The review is expected to take up to 18 months. Any proposals for change arising from the review will be the subject of full public consultation thereafter, in the normal way.

  Inner Cities
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a table showing the expenditure on each inner city task force and city action team in 1989–90, including both the cost of running the unit concerned and the funds disbursed by the unit and including separately the cost of central support to task forces and city action teams.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 22 January 1991]: The task forces are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry. Responsibility for the Government's city action teams transferred to the Department of the Environment in December 1989. Task force and city action team expenditure in 1989–90 was as follows:

  Task forces

  Running costs £'000 estimated

  Funds disbursed £'000

  East Birmingham

  129

  959

  Handsworth

  312

  Wolverhampton

  1,270

  Leeds

  112

  1,212

  Middlesbrough

  78

  980

  Coventry

  71

  879

  Doncaster

  126

  1,619

  Hartlepool

  104

  941

  Nottingham

  162

  998

  Leicester

  982

  Bradford

  49

  130

  196

  Task forces

  Running costs £'000 estimated

  Funds disbursed £'000

  Bristol

  135

  921

  Manchester

  113

  997

  North Kensington

  133

  502

  North Peckham

  124

  766

  Rochdale

  153

  909

  Preston

  488

  Spitalfields

  139

  859

  Deptford

  30

  48

  Granby/Toxteth

  65

  280

  Total

  1,723

  16,052

  City action teams

  Cleveland Coordinating Team

  69

  648

  Liverpool

  176

  1,121

  London

  158

  874

  Manchester

  100

  473

  Birmingham

  100

  570

  Newcastle

  190

  1,134

  Nottingham/Leicester/Derby

  129

  719

  Leeds/Bradford

  109

  661

  Total

  1,031

  6,200

  The combined cost of central support by both DoE and DTI to the city action teams and task forces in 1989–90 was approximately £716,000. In addition, £1,685,000 was spent centrally on projects to support the work of the CATs and task forces, including research, consultancy and projects by national organisations which operated in most areas.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Unemployed People (Education)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to extend the life of his Department's REPLAN programme of education for the adult unemployed for at least a further year beyond October 1991.

  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now make an announcement on the future of REPLAN.

  Mr. Eggar
  The REPLAN programme in England and Wales has been evaluated by the National Foundation for Educational Research, and I have today placed a copy of its report in the Library. Among its main findings were that REPLAN had been successful in raising the awareness of local education authorities and education providers to the needs of the adult unemployed and that as a result provision had improved and participation increased.

  It is now for the adult education providers and the LEAs to continue to develop provision for the adult unemployed, drawing on the lessons learnt under the REPLAN programme. We look to them to work particularly closely with the training and enterprise councils which are responsible for delivering the major training programmes for the adult unemployed.

  The REPLAN programme will have largely fulfilled the purpose for which it was established when its current term is completed next October, and it is not the intention therefore of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State

  197
  for Education and Science and for Wales to extend it for a further term. Neither do we believe that there is a need for a successor programme of general promotion and support to the providers of education and training for the adult unemployed.

  We will however take specific action to address specific problems and my right hon. and learned Friends the Secretaries of State for Education and Science and for Employment and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales are today launching a new initiative to improve and increase the provision of adult literacy and basic skills training.

  This new initiative will be targeted at unemployed people and at those in work who cannot progress without improved basic skills. It will be overseen by the adult literacy and basic skills unit and will encourage LEAs and TECs to work together to improve basic skills provision in their areas.

  The three Departments are making available nearly £3 million over the three years 1991–92 to 1993–94. We expect to fund a pilot programme of some 30 local development initiatives worked up by LEAs and TECs.

  The initiatives will be based on an examination of needs and of existing provision in the area. It will be for LEAs and TECs to decide what to propose, but we would expect to see such developments as "compacts" which would prepare people for specific employment; basic skills training in the workplace; and supported self-study and open learning. The lessons learnt from the pilot will be disseminated nationally to assist the development of similar activity in other areas.

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

  Mr. Fallon
  Lancashire spent £320 per nursery and primary pupil in 1978–79 and £985 in 1988–89, the latest year for which figures are available. It spent £495 per secondary pupil in 1978–79 and £1,620 in 1988–89. At 1988–89 prices those figures are £700 and £985 respectively for nursery and primary schools, and £1,085 and £1,620 respectively for secondary schools.

  Loan Sanctions
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria he used to determine to grant(a) the London borough of Greenwich and (b) all neighbouring boroughs loan sanction for education capital projects; and what the level is in (i) Greenwich and (ii) each neighbouring borough.

  Mr. Fallon
  The criteria for all LEAs in England were set out in the reply my right hon. and learned Friend gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Rugby and Kenilworth (Mr. Pawsey) on 17 December 1990,Official Report, columns 41–50.

  In-service Training
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to abolish the five in-service training days for teachers which were added to the second year in 1987.
  198
  Mr. Eggar
  The Government have no plans to change the provisions in the school teachers' pay and conditions document with regard to non-contact days for in-service training and other activities. These require teachers to be available for work for 195 days in any year, of which 190 days shall be days on which they may be required to teach pupils.

  Teachers (Early Retirement)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers in(a) England and (b) Wales have taken early retirement in each of the years since 1979 on grounds of (i) redundancy/interests of efficiency and (ii) health.

  Mr. Fallon
  Separate figures in respect of ill-health retirements from(a) England and (b) Wales are riot readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information relating to premature retirement figures, together with the total number of ill-health retirements, is as follows:

  Financial year

  Interests of efficiency

  Redundancy

  Total

  England

  1979–80

  2,106

  1,106

  3,122

  1980–81

  4,092

  1,753

  5,845

  1981–82

  5,391

  2,796

  8,187

  1982–83

  6,165

  2,492

  8,657

  1983–84

  5,839

  2,769

  8,608

  1984–85

  6,682

  3,129

  9,811

  1985–86

  6,776

  2,700

  9,476

  1986–87

  6,547

  1,860

  8,407

  1987–88

  5,591

  1,460

  7,051

  1988–89

  8,357

  3,222

  11,579

  1989–90

  8,947

  2,595

  11,542

  Wales

  1979–80

  336

  20

  356

  1980–81

  456

  40

  496

  1981–82

  754

  62

  816

  1982–83

  698

  94

  792

  1983–84

  610

  34

  644

  1984–85

  830

  34

  864

  1985–86

  677

  83

  760

  1986–87

  593

  98

  691

  1987–88

  455

  47

  5–2

  1988–89

  614

  167

  781

  1989–90

  686

  80

  766

  Ill-health retirements

  England and Wales

  Financial year

  Number

  1979–80

  1,617

  1980–81

  1,449

  1981–82

  1,582

  1982–83

  1,910

  1983–84

  2,170

  1984–85

  2,447

  1985–86

  2,698

  1986–87

  2,736

  1987–88

  2,551

  1988–89

  3,412

  1989–90

  4,123

  Higher Education
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Blackburn,Official Report, 16 January 1991, column 506, if he will place in the Library the report, "International Comparisons and Higher Education."

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  A copy of the report "International Comparisons of Higher Education" has been placed in the Library.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table in the Official Report listing the capital allocations for each grant-maintained

  School

  Former maintaining LEA

  Pupil number January 1990

  Named capital allocations

  For projects beginning in 1990–91 (£ thousands)1

  For projects beginning in 1991–92 (£ thousands)2

  Adams' Grammar School

  Shropshire

  445

  —

  21

  Audenshaw High School

  Tameside

  714

  575

  225

  Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School

  Lancashire

  717

  713

  —

  Bankfield High School

  Cheshire

  428

  480

  —

  Baverstock GM School

  Birmingham

  1,037

  275

  —

  Beechen Cliff School

  Avon

  774

  480

  320

  Bishopshalt School

  Hillingdon

  917

  —

  206

  Bournemouth Grammar School

  Dorset

  869

  —

  300

  Bridgewater Hall School

  Buckinghamshire

  1,155

  —

  65

  Bullers Wood School for Girls

  Bromley

  942

  —

  228

  Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School

  Kensington

  614

  219

  —

  Carre's Grammar School

  Lincolnshire

  380

  —

  630

  Castle Hall GM School

  Kirklees

  394

  11

  105

  Claremont High School

  Brent

  881

  328

  120

  Colyton

  Devon

  421

  950

  —

  Ecclesbourne School

  Derbyshire

  1,223

  —

  400

  Francis Bacon School

  Hertfordshire

  466

  —

  105

  Handsworth Grammar School for Boys

  Birmingham

  777

  —

  953

  Heckmondwike Grammar School

  Kirklees

  584

  198

  252

  Hendon School

  Barnet

  805

  180

  200

  Lancaster Royal Grammar School

  Lancashire

  886

  155

  London Nautical School

  Southwark

  398

  100

  50

  London Oratory School

  Hammersmith

  1,184

  151

  216

  Long Field High School

  Leicestershire

  352

  236

  Netherthorpe School

  Derbyshire

  571

  65

  Old Swinford Hospital

  Dudley

  525

  35

  500

  Pate's Grammar School

  Gloucestershire

  1,010

  1,500

  Queen Elizabeth's GM School for Boys

  Barnet

  1,036

  90

  Queen Elizabeth's GM Grammar School

  Lincolnshire

  329

  100

  503

  Queensbury School

  Bedfordshire

  641

  57

  Ribston Hall High School

  Gloucestershire

  417

  295

  St. Francis Xavier's College

  Liverpool

  1,012

  32

  200

  Skegness Grammar School

  Lincolnshire

  539

  92

  63

  Small Heath School

  Birmingham

  780

  50

  105

  Southfield School for Girls

  Northamptonshire

  579

  650

  Southlands School

  Berkshire

  529

  46

  113

  St. James' CE School

  Bolton

  655

  650

  The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington

  Kent

  415

  44

  45

  The Kings School

  Lincolnshire

  762

  128

  Watford Boys Grammar School

  Hertfordshire

  1,028

  80

  Wilson's School

  Sutton

  753

  200

  Totals

  28,944

  6,699

  8,391

  1 Financial Year.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in the Official Report the changes in financial arrangements when a school obtains grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The principal changes when a school becomes grant-maintained are:
  200
  school for 1990–91 and 1991–92, with the number of pupils on the roll of each school and the name of the local education authority in which it is situated with totals.

  Mr. Eggar
  The table lists the total value of the allocations for named capital projects in grant-maintained schools to begin in the two years. Each grant-maintained school is eligible to claim an amount of capital grant calculated according to a formula which takes account of the number of pupils on roll. Schools becoming grant-maintained during the course of the financial year are also eligible to claim grant for the part year. The grant is to be used for small capital works and purchase of items of equipment. For 1990–91 the formula was £13,000 plus £6 per pupil on roll. For 1991–92 the formula will be £19,000 plus £9 per pupil on roll.

  Annual maintenance grant is paid to it by the Department and recouped as appropriate from the school's former maintaining local education authority;
  Certain specific grants are available to the school which may also apply for capital grant; and
  The school's accounting, financial control and reporting arrangements must take account of guidance from the Department.
  201
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the plans for capital grant expenditure on grant-maintained schools for the financial year 1991–92.

  Mr. Eggar
  The planned level of capital expenditure on grant-maintained schools in 1991–92 is £10·5 million. Grant-maintained schools are receiving allocations for named capital projects with a total value of £8·4 million to begin in 1991–92. It is assumed that about £4·5 million of this sum will be spent in 1991–92.

  When schools become grant maintained we want to ensure they are set up on a sound basis. This has led, on average, to higher capital allocations for the GM sector in 1991–92 than for LEA-maintained schools.

  Of the 56 eligible schools, 28 have received an allocation for a named capital project; two have a project on a design list which will enable the school to proceed with the planning stages of the project; and nine schools which were approved for grant-maintained status towards the end of 1990 will have their capital bids considered in the next few weeks. An announcement will be made in due course.

  Priority in the allocations has been given to schools' most pressing needs, including projects related to the health and safety of pupils, and to projects concerned with the introduction of the national curriculum, especially in science and technology. Each grant-maintained school is eligible to receive a formula-based allocation to be used for small capital works and items of capital equipment. The average allocation is £25,000, which is 50 per cent. higher on average than the allocations in 1990–91. The total cost in 1991–92 for the grant-maintained schools already approved for grant-maintained status is about £1·5 million.

  The remaining £4·5 million of expenditure in 1991–92 is available to allow for expenditure arising from projects begun in 1990–91, the prospect of allocations to some of the nine schools whose bids were not requested until the latter part of January, part-year formula allocations for schools becoming grant-maintained during the 1991–92 financial year, and a contingency margin.

  The following is a list of the named capital allocations.

  Capital allocations for grant-maintained schools in 1991–92

  Named Project Allocations

  All figures are in £000s

  School

  Project

  Total named project allocation

  Adams Grammar School, Newport

  Health and Safety Removal of asbestos

  21

  Audenshaw High School

  Conversion into Design and Tech room and rewiring

  225

  Beechen Cliff School, Bath

  Technology Block

  320

  Bishopshalt School, Hillingdon

  Science Block extension

  206

  Bournemouth Grammar School

  Repairs (inc. roof repairs and rewiring)

  300

  Bridgewater Hall School, Milton Keynes

  Boiler replacement

  65

  Bullers Wood School, Chislehurst

  Refurbishment and extension of 3 labs

  228

  Carre's Grammar School, Sleaford

  Technology and Labs extension

  630

  Castle Hall Grant-

  Roof renewal

  65

  Maintained School, Mirfield

  Concrete frame repairs

  40

  105

  202

  School

  Project

  Total named project allocation

  Chalvedon School, Basildon

  Bid still to be considered

  Claremont High School,

  Technology rooms

  100

  Kenton

  Health and Safety

  20

  120

  Crossley Heath, Halifax

  Bid still to be considered

  Ecclesbourne School, Duffield

  Repairs (inc. re-roofing and rewiring)

  400

  Francis Bacon School, St. Albans

  Modern Languages classrooms

  105

  Handsworth Grammar School for Boys, Birmingham

  Science Block

  953

  Hardley Secondary School, Southampton

  Bid still to be considered

  Heckmondwike Grammar School

  Technology refurbishment

  252

  Hendon School

  Replacement of windows (Main building)

  108

  Refurbishment of Biology Lab

  92

  200

  Lancaster Girls Grammar School

  Bid still to be considered

  London Nautical School

  Rewiring

  50

  London Oratory School

  Design and Technology Facilities

  216

  Long Field High School, Melton Mowbray

  Roof repairs

  236

  North Halifax High School

  Bid still to be considered

  Old Swinford Hospital, Stowbridge

  Provision of science laboratories

  500

  Pate's Grammar School, Cheltenham

  Replacement of existing accommodation

  1,500

  Queen Elizabeth's Grant-Maintained School, Alford

  Replace temporary accommodation and improve Design and Technology

  503

  St. Francis Xavier's College, Liverpool

  Repairs

  200

  Skegness Grammar School

  Modernise Kitchen and Canteen

  63

  Small Heath School

  Maths suite

  25

  Replacement of windows

  80

  105

  Southfield Schools for Girls, Kettering

  Technology block

  650

  Southlands School, Reading

  Re-roofing of Art block

  57

  corridor

  12

  senior school

  44

  113

  St. George's School, Sleaford

  Bid still to be considered

  Stratford School, Newham

  Bid still to be considered

  The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington

  Conversion to CDT

  45

  The Maplesdon Noakes School, Maidstone

  Bid still to be considered

  Watford Boys Grammar School

  Re-roofing

  80

  Wymondham College, Norfolk

  Bid still to be considered

  203

  Projects for design stage

  School

  Project

  Indicated cost

  Guildford County School

  Library and Business Studies provision

  770

  Wolverhampton High School for Girls

  Technology Rooms

  850

  Totals for design stage

  1,620

  School Leavers
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of school leavers attained(a) university minimum entrance qualifications and (b) no qualifications in England and Wales in 1988–89.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the academic year 1988–89, the percentage of school leavers in question in England was as shown.

  School Leavers—England

  Per cent.

  2+ A-levels

  17·4

  No qualifications

  7·9

  Total leavers (000s)

  617·71

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of school leavers left at ages(a) 16 years, (b) 17 years and (c) 18 years or later in England and Wales in 1988–89.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the academic year 1988–89, the percentage of school leavers in England, who left at the ages in question, was as shown.

  School Leavers—England

  Per cent.

  Aged 16

  65·2

  Aged 17

  11·5

  Aged 18 or over

  23·3

  Total leavers (000s)

  617·71

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Forestry Conservation
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total amount of aid given in each year since 1980 for forestry conservation projects.

  Mrs. Chalker
  1. The Overseas Development Administration's statistics do not show separate figures for aid expenditure on forestry conservation. Figures for bilateral aid expenditure on all types of forestry in the years 1980 to 1986, including research, training, other technical co-operation and Commonwealth Development Corporation projects, were provided in the written answer of the then Minister for Overseas Development, my right hon. Friend the Member for Bath (Mr. Patten), to the question of the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes) on 9 May 1988, at column 9. Figures showing Overseas Development Administration
  204
  is-à-vis Commonwealth Development Corporation expenditure for the years 1983 to 1987 were provided in my right hon. Friend's written answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Brentwood and Ongar (Mr. McCrindle) on 15 May 1989, at column 21.

  2. Estimated bilateral aid expenditure on all types of forestry, except training, for the calendar years 1988 and 1989 was:

  Expenditure by

  Overseas Development Administration £'000

  Commonwealth Development Corporation £'000

  Total £'000

  1988

  7,768

  3,391

  11,159

  1989

  8,903

  2,820

  11,724

  Details of expenditure on training could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The expenditure on agreed commitments in these years is subject to the time lag effect and will show mainly in 1991 and beyond.

EMPLOYMENT

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whether participants in job interview guarantee work trials will be subject to benefit penalties if(a) they refuse to participate in a work trial employment placement, (b) they leave a work trial placement early, (c) they reject the job at the end of the work trial period, or (d) they are dismissed for whatever reason by the work trial employer; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many employers have participated in job interview guarantee work trials in each of the 20 pilot areas; how many claimants have participated in these work trials; how many claimants are currently participating in work trials; and how many participants have got full-time employment with their work trial employer;

  (3) whether participants in job interview guarantee job preparation courses will be entitled to the same conditions and terms as those claimants attending conventional restart courses; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) how many agreements have been made with employers to operate the job interview guarantee scheme in each of the 20 pilot areas; how many unemployed people have taken part in the scheme in each area; and how many participants have secured full-time employment with their sponsoring employer.

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

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what specific measures his Department has taken to promote energy efficiency; what further measures his Department intends to take to promote energy efficiency; and by what amount and what percentage of its total energy bill his Department's energy bill has been reduced over the past year.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department has introduced a range of measures to promote energy efficiency, including:
  205
  the creation of a Departmental energy strategy which inter alia commits us to achieve an energy saving of 15 per cent. over the next five years.
  the appointment of a Departmental Energy Manager to co-ordinate initiatives in energy conservation.
  the setting up of an intensive basic training programme for energy managers at regional and area level.
  the setting up of a "spend to save" budget to fund various initiatives.
  the setting up of a programme of energy surveys, targeting those buildings with the best potential for savings.
  the setting up of computerised energy monitoring and targeting systems to identify energy waste.
  guidance to staff on how to become more energy conscious.
  the relamping of buildings with energy saving lighting, particularly when a building is being refurbished.

  My Department's energy strategy will be closely monitored and other energy-saving measures will be introduced when suitable opportunities arise.

  In the financial year 1989–90, expenditure on energy rose by 3·3 per cent., which is less than the increase in energy prices in the same period. Consumption figures for this year are not available. Moreover, my Department's new and revised energy strategy was not introduced until April 1990.

  Training
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each region and for Great Britain as a whole the number and proportion of employment training leavers who obtained a vocational qualification.

  Mr. Jackson
  The following table gives the proportion of trainees leaving employment training between July 1989 and June 1990, the latest date for which information is available, who obtained a qualification or credit or who were awaiting results. Numbers of trainees achieving qualifications or credits towards qualifications are not available.
  206

  Employment training

  Proportion gaining qualifications or credits all leavers between July 1989 to June 1990

  Region

  Obtained qualification or credit

  Awaiting results

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  South East

  25

  4

  London

  18

  4

  South West

  24

  5

  West Midlands

  20

  4

  East Midlands and Eastern

  22

  4

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  21

  4

  North West

  19

  4

  Northern

  24

  4

  Wales

  23

  4

  Scotland

  24

  5

  Great Britain

  22

  4

  Source: Respondents to the Employment Training Follow up Survey.

  Restart
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people attended a Restart interview in the last six months available for each region and for Great Britain as a whole; and what were the results of those interviews broken down in the manner of the answer to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Lee) of 18 December,Official Report, column 148.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what numbers of unemployed people (i) attended and (ii) refused to attend Restart training courses(a) nationally and (b) in Bolton in the last year for which figures are available.

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

  Bed-and-Breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the current average tariff for bed-and-breakfast accommodation in three-star hotels in central London.

  Mr. Forth
  My Department does not have this information in respect of the star schemes operated by the AA and the RAC. However, for the English tourist board's "crown" classification and grading scheme, figures from the London tourist board indicate that the current average bed-and-breakfast tariff in central London for three-crown accommodation is £70·00 per night for two people occupying a double room with en-suite facilities.

  Factory Inspectors, Stockport
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the occasions on which factory inspectors visited Vernon Mill and Taymar Gas in Stockport during the last 10 years.

  Mr. Forth
  The following table shows the dates on which factory inspectors have visited Vernon Mill and Taymar Gas in Stockport during the past 10 years:

  VERNON MILL

  14 January 1982

  23 November 1984

  21 January 1982

  16 October 1985

  28 January 1982

  29 October 1985

  26 March 1982

  11 November 1985

  5 May 1982

  5 November 1986

  3 August 1983

  11 January 1988

  7 September 1983

  12 October 1988

  8 February 1984

  13 June 1989

  16 February 1984

  4 July 1989

  12 March 1984

  14 September 1989

  31 May 1984

  4 October 1989

  12 July 1984

  12 October 1989

  Full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence

  April 1990

  Percentage with weekly earnings, excluding overtime, less than:

  £100

  £110

  £120

  £130

  £140

  £150

  £160

  £170

  £180

  £190

  £200

  (a) Women

  (i) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  17·8

  28·3

  42·8

  54·9

  63·5

  71·1

  78·2

  85·3

  88·5

  90·6

  91·9

  South Yorkshire

  18·3

  29·1

  42·9

  53·1

  61·7

  70·9

  76·0

  83·4

  88·6

  93·7

  97·1

  North Yorkshire

  19·4

  30·1

  43·7

  54·4

  62·1

  70·9

  81·6

  90·3

  93·2

  96·1

  96·1

  Humberside

  15·7

  26·9

  40·3

  53·0

  66·4

  70·1

  81·3

  86·6

  91·0

  94·0

  95·5

  (ii) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  3·0

  6·8

  14·4

  20·5

  28·0

  34·7

  42·5

  49·4

  53·9

  58·0

  62·8

  South Yorkshire

  4·0

  8·9

  16·0

  22·8

  29·2

  36·2

  44·1

  51·9

  57·7

  62·4

  66·9

  North Yorkshire

  5·7

  9·8

  16·8

  24·9

  31·2

  37·9

  45·3

  52·6

  58·3

  62·9

  66·4

  Humberside

  6·9

  13·3

  19·7

  26·4

  33·3

  38·9

  48·3

  53·6

  58·7

  63·5

  67·5

  (iii) All

  West Yorkshire

  6·5

  11·9

  21·1

  28·6

  36·4

  43·3

  51·0

  57·9

  62·1

  65·7

  69·7

  South Yorkshire

  7·2

  13·4

  21 9

  29·5

  36·4

  43·8

  51·1

  58·8

  64·5

  69·9

  73·6

  North Yorkshire

  8·7

  14·2

  22·7

  31·4

  37·9

  45·1

  53·2

  60·8

  65·9

  70·1

  72·9

  Humberside

  9·2

  16·9

  25·1

  33·4

  42·0

  47·2

  57·0

  62·3

  67·2

  71·5

  74·9

  (b) Men

  (i) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  2·1

  4·6

  8·3

  14·1

  19·5

  25·9

  33·8

  41·6

  50·3

  58·7

  65·5

  South Yorkshire

  1·6

  3·7

  6·9

  11·0

  15·8

  21·5

  27·4

  32·9

  39·8

  47·7

  53·9

  North Yorkshire

  3·1

  4·9

  10·0

  17·8

  25·6

  34·8

  41·0

  51·4

  57·5

  65·5

  70·4

  Humberside

  2·2

  4·9

  9·5

  14·1

  22·0

  28·6

  34·3

  42·0

  48·2

  53·3

  57·0

  (iii) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  1·3

  1·9

  3·0

  4·5

  5·5

  7·4

  10·2

  12·6

  15·1

  17·7

  20·7

  South Yorkshire

  0·8

  1·4

  2·3

  3·7

  5·5

  7·3

  9·1

  11·3

  13·0

  16·7

  20·1

  North Yorkshire

  1·4

  2·8

  4·7

  7·2

  9·4

  11·0

  14·9

  17·1

  19·3

  22·4

  26·2

  Humberside

  2·3

  2·9

  3·7

  5·5

  7·6

  11·1

  14·3

  17·2

  19·7

  21·1

  24·8

  208

  8 November 1989

  9 August 1990

  4 January 1990

  17 August 1990

  21 February 1990

  22 August 1990

  28 March 1990

  24 August 1990

  4 April 1990

  30 August 1990

  21 June 1990

  10 September 1990

  TAYMAR GAS

  Meadow Mill premises

  Weir Mill premises

  6 December 1984

  1 December 1981

  19 March 1985

  4 December 1981

  5 June 1985

  15 January 1982

  10 September 1985

  17 February 1982

  3 July 1986

  9 September 1982

  20 August 1986

  6 December 1984

  16 April 1987

  27 March 1985

  30 April 1987

  17 June 1985

  17 July 1987

  28 June 1985

  3 September 1987

  3 March 1987

  12 July 1988

  13 April 1987

  4 April 1990

  16 April 1987

  18 December 1990

  27 August 1987

  19 December 1990

  12 July 1988

  9 January 1991

  7 February 1989

  11 January 1991

  19 December 1990

  Earnings
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for full-time workers the percentage earning less than £100, £110, £120, £130, £140, £150, £160, £170, £180, £190, and £200 per week, giving the information for(a) women and (b) men (i) manual, (ii) non-manual and (iii) all, both including overtime and excluding overtime, in (1) West Yorkshire, (2) South Yorkshire, (3) North Yorkshire and (4) Humberside.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available from the new earnings survey is given in the following tables.
  209

  Percentage with weekly earnings, excluding overtime, less than:

  £100

  £110

  £120

  £130

  £140

  £150

  £160

  £170

  £180

  £190

  £200

  (iii) All

  West Yorkshire

  1·7

  3·4

  6·0

  9·9

  13·4

  17·8

  23·5

  29·0

  34·9

  40·8

  46·0

  South Yorkshire

  1·3

  2·7

  5·0

  7·9

  11·4

  15·5

  19·6

  23·7

  28·4

  34·6

  39·5

  North Yorkshire

  2·4

  4·1

  7·9

  13·6

  19·2

  25·4

  30·7

  37·8

  42·4

  48·4

  52·9

  Humberside

  2·2

  4·1

  7·2

  10·8

  16·4

  21·7

  26·5

  32·3

  37·0

  40·7

  44·4

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1990.

  Full time employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence

  April 1990

  Percentage with weekly earnings, excluding overtime, less than:

  £100

  £110

  £120

  £130

  £140

  £150

  £160

  £170

  £180

  £190

  £200

  (a) WOMEN

  (i) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  15·0

  23·6

  37·3

  47·8

  58·3

  66·7

  73·5

  80·6

  83·7

  87·1

  89·2

  South Yorkshire

  16·0

  24·0

  40·6

  50·3

  58·3

  67·4

  72·6

  80·6

  85·7

  90·3

  94·9

  North Yorkshire

  18·4

  28·2

  41·7

  51·5

  56·3

  65·0

  71·8

  81·6

  85·4

  88·3

  90·3

  Humberside

  11·2

  20·9

  35·8

  46·3

  55·2

  59·7

  71·6

  78·4

  82·1

  83·6

  88·8

  (ii) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  2·7

  5·9

  13·1

  19·1

  25·6

  32·2

  39·5

  47·2

  51·9

  56·2

  61·0

  South Yorkshire

  4·0

  8·4

  14·1

  21·2

  27·8

  35·7

  42·3

  49·8

  56·1

  61·1

  65·4

  North Yorkshire

  4·9

  8·9

  15·2

  23·0

  30·1

  36·6

  43·4

  50·1

  55·8

  60·7

  65·0

  Humberside

  5·6

  12·8

  18·1

  24·8

  30·9

  35·7

  43·7

  49·6

  56·3

  61·1

  64·8

  (iii) All

  West Yorkshire

  5·6

  10·1

  18·8

  25·9

  33·4

  40·4

  47·6

  55·1

  59·5

  63·5

  67·6

  South Yorkshire

  6·7

  11·8

  19·9

  27·6

  34·5

  42·7

  49·0

  56·5

  62·6

  67·5

  71·7

  North Yorkshire

  7·8

  13·1

  21·0

  29·2

  35·8

  42·8

  49·6

  57·0

  62·3

  66·7

  70·6

  Humberside

  7·1

  14·9

  22·8

  30·5

  37·3

  42·0

  51·1

  57·2

  63·1

  67·0

  71·1

  (b) MEN

  (i) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  1·5

  2·7

  5·0

  8·1

  11·4

  15·7

  20·0

  25·5

  31·0

  37·9

  43·0

  South Yorkshire

  1·1

  2·5

  4·3

  6·5

  9·2

  11·9

  15·9

  19·9

  24·4

  29·8

  34·9

  North Yorkshire

  2·7

  4·0

  8·2

  11·8

  16·9

  22·0

  25·8

  31·4

  35·8

  41·7

  47·4

  Humberside

  1·7

  3·7

  6·2

  8·2

  12·5

  16·4

  19·8

  24·5

  28·4

  32·7

  38·4

  (ii) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  1·2

  1·7

  2·8

  3·8

  5·1

  6·6

  9·4

  11·4

  13·3

  15·7

  18·0

  South Yorkshire

  0·8

  1·2

  1·8

  3·1

  4·2

  5·8

  8·0

  9·9

  11·5

  14·9

  17·8

  North Yorkshire

  1·4

  2·4

  3·9

  6·4

  8·6

  10·2

  13·5

  15·2

  17·7

  21·3

  24·6

  Humberside

  2·3

  2·9

  3·5

  4·5

  6·1

  8·4

  11·1

  14·1

  17·2

  19·1

  22·3

  (iii) All

  West Yorkshire

  1·4

  2·2

  4·0

  6·2

  8·6

  11·7

  15·4

  19·3

  23·3

  28·2

  32·1

  South Yorkshire

  1·0

  1·9

  3·2

  5·0

  7·1

  9·3

  12·5

  15·6

  18·9

  23·5

  27·6

  North Yorkshire

  2·2

  3·4

  6·5

  9·6

  13·6

  17·3

  20·9

  25·0

  28·6

  33·6

  38·3

  Humberside

  1·9

  3·4

  5·1

  6·7

  10·0

  13·2

  16·4

  20·5

  24·0

  27·4

  32·1

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1990.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for part timers the number of women earning less than £2 per hour, £2·20 per hour, £2·40 per hour, £2·50 per hour, £2·80 per hour, £3 per hour, £3·20 per hour, £4 per hour, £4·50 per hour and £5 per

  Part-time females on adult rates, whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence

  April 1990

  Number in the sample with hourly earnings less than:

  £2·00

  £2·20

  £2·40

  £2·50

  £2·80

  £3·00

  £3·20

  £4·00

  £4·50

  £5·00

  (1) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  5

  26

  53

  70

  137

  226

  248

  370

  384

  396

  South Yorkshire

  7

  16

  26

  43

  91

  130

  100

  276

  285

  297

  North Yorkshire

  2

  6

  11

  19

  44

  63

  71

  123

  129

  130

  Humberside

  8

  12

  15

  16

  39

  101

  122

  161

  170

  175

  (2) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  9

  12

  17

  30

  85

  123

  161

  306

  354

  388

  South Yorkshire

  6

  8

  10

  16

  60

  77

  89

  142

  184

  200

  North Yorkshire

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Humberside

  3

  5

  9

  13

  44

  56

  77

  121

  135

  146

  210
  hour for (1) manual, (2) non-manual and (3) all women in (i) West Yorkshire, (ii) South Yorkshire, (iii) North Yorkshire and (iv) Humberside.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available from the new earnings survey is given in the following tables.
  211

  £2·00

  £2·20

  £2·40

  £2·50

  £2·80

  £3·00

  £3·20

  £4·00

  £4·50

  £5·00

  (3) All

  West Yorkshire

  14

  38

  70

  100

  222

  349

  409

  676

  738

  784

  South Yorkshire

  13

  24

  36

  59

  151

  207

  277

  418

  469

  497

  North Yorkshire

  2

  7

  14

  25

  68

  97

  116

  199

  222

  230

  Humberside

  11

  17

  24

  29

  83

  157

  199

  282

  305

  321

  Note: ".." denotes reliable information not available.

  Percentage with hourly earnings less than:

  £2·00

  £2·20

  £2·40

  £2·50

  £2·80

  £3·00

  £3·20

  £4·00

  £4·50

  £5·00

  (1) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  1·2

  6·4

  13·0

  17·2

  33·7

  55·5

  60·9

  90·9

  94·3

  97·3

  South Yorkshire

  2·3

  5·2

  8·5

  14·1

  29·8

  42·6

  61·6

  90·5

  93·4

  97·4

  North Yorkshire

  1·5

  4·5

  8·2

  14·2

  32·8

  47·0

  53·0

  91·8

  96·3

  97·0

  Humberside

  4·4

  6·6

  8·3

  8·8

  21·5

  55·8

  67·4

  89·0

  93·9

  96·7

  (2) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  1·8

  2·3

  3·3

  5·8

  16·6

  24·0

  31·4

  59·6

  69·0

  75·6

  South Yorkshire

  2·3

  3·1

  3·8

  6·1

  23·0

  29 5

  34·1

  54·4

  70·5

  76·6

  North Yorkshire

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Humberside

  1·7

  2·8

  5·1

  7·4

  25·0

  31·8

  43·8

  68·8

  76·7

  83 0

  (3) All

  West Yorkshire

  1·5

  4·1

  7·6

  10·9

  24·1

  37·9

  44·5

  73·5

  80·2

  85·2

  South Yorkshire

  2·3

  4·2

  6·4

  10·4

  26·7

  36·6

  48·9

  73·9

  82·9

  87·8

  North Yorkshire

  0·8

  2·8

  5·5

  9·9

  26·9

  38·3

  45·8

  78·7

  87·7

  90·9

  Humberside

  3·1

  4·8

  6·7

  8·1

  23·2

  44·0

  55·7

  79·0

  85·4

  89·9

  Note:".." denotes reliable information not available.

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1990.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for part-time women workers (i) average gross weekly earnings, (ii) average weekly hours, total and overtime, and (iii) average gross hourly earnings for(a) manual, (b) non-manual and (c) all part-time women workers in (1) West Yorkshire, (2) South Yorkshire, (3) North Yorkshire and (4) Humberside.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available from the new earnings survey is given in the table.

  Part-time females on adult rates, whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence—April 1990

  Hours

  Average gross weekly earnings £

  Total

  Overtime

  Average gross hourly earnings £

  (a) Manual

  West Yorkshire

  58·6

  18·1

  0·6

  3·14

  South Yorkshire

  58·3

  19·2

  1·5

  3·21

  North Yorkshire

  ..

  18·6

  0·9

  3·21

  Humberside

  ..

  17·8

  1·6

  3·22

  (b) Non-manual

  West Yorkshire

  89·4

  20·6

  1·0

  4·36

  South Yorkshire

  88·0

  20·4

  1·6

  4·31

  North Yorkshire

  ..

  20·6

  0·8

  ..

  Humberside

  ..

  20·7

  1·1

  3·95

  (c)All

  West Yorkshire

  75·8

  19·5

  0·8

  3·86

  South Yorkshire

  72·6

  19·8

  1·6

  3·74

  North Yorkshire

  68·2

  19·6

  0·8

  3·58

  Humberside

  68·9

  19·2

  1·4

  3·61

  N.B. ".." denotes reliable information not available.

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1990.

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last discussed with(a) the Confederation of British Industry and (b) the Trades Union Congress the special difficulties experienced by disabled people seeking work.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 22 January 1991]:I have not discussed this subject with either organisation. However, both the Confederation of British Industry and the Trades Union Congress were invited by my Department to comment on the consultative document "Employment and Training for People with Disabilities", which was published on 29 June 1990, and on the summary paper, "Evaluation of Special Schemes for People with Disabilities", which was published on 2 November 1990.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Syria
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Government of Syria about the human rights situation in Syria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Halifax (Mrs. Mahon) on 4 December 1990, Vol. 182, c.63.

  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent communications he has had with Amnesty International and other human rights organisations about the human rights situation in Syria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We maintain informal contact with Amnesty International and receive representations from other organisations and individuals, including hon. Members, about human rights in Syria.
  213
  Mr. Galloway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on whether Syria has ceased to provide safe haven for any groups involved in the promotion of international terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received welcome assurances from the Syrian Government that Syria rejects acts of international terrorism and will take action against the perpetrators of such acts where there is convincing evidence.

  Hong Kong
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he intends to take to ensure that immigration officials in Hong Kong are following correct immigration procedures for Vietnamese applicants; and if he will increase funding to the mission of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The criteria applied by the Hong Kong immigration authorities to determine refugee status are those laid down in the 1951 convention and the 1967 protocol relating to the status of refugees. Their procedure follow UNHCR guidelines. The UNHCR is free to monitor these procedures as well as the appeals procedure which is to an independent refugee status review board headed by a former judge. UNHCR provides counselling and legal advice to all asylum seekers during the determination process. In addition, private lawyers are allowed access to the boat people centres to provide legal advice to individual clients.

  Although we do not directly fund the mission of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in Hong Kong, we are among the major contributors to UNHCR. In 1990 we contributed £19·9 million of which some £8·5 million was for the comprehensive plan of action for Indo-Chinese refugees. We expect our contribution in 1991 to be at least as high as our contribution in 1990.

  Ammunition, Belgium
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral reply of 16 January 1991,Official Report, column 836, if he will indicate what discussions are taking place on the restrictions placed by the Belgium Government on the supply of ammunition to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  During the past weeks we have put several requests to Belgium and other partners for logistic and other support for British forces in the Gulf. Details are confidential. The requests have been under discussion both bilaterally and within the Western European Union. Although the Belgian Government felt unable to meet all our requests, other allies were able to meet the shortfall. The Belgian Government have helped in other ways, notably in providing medical and air transport support. They have also deployed combat aircraft to Turkey and provided other assistance in the region. At the WEU ministerial meeting on 17 January we advised partners that we might be making further requests in due course. We would hope that any such requests would receive swift and sympathetic consideration.

  The Gulf
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Government were first consulted on the timing of the allied attack on Iraq.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister was in regular consultation with President Bush about the possibility of needing to use force if Iraq did not withdraw from Kuwait at the end of the deadline. He discussed with President Bush the precise timing of the attack very shortly after the conclusion of the debate in the House on 15 January.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Bregenz House, Bangor
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will arrange for a local public inquiry to be held under article 103 of the Planning Order 1972 into the application to build premises to be known as Bregenz house on the seafront at Bangor.

  Mr. Hanley
  No. The application did not meet any of the criteria set down in the Planning Order (Northern Ireland) 1972.

  Fair Employment
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps have been taken to assess whether the Brownlow community trust at Craigavon is following good employment practice in keeping with the policy of the Fair Employment Commission.

  Mr. Hanley
  Brownlow community trust is not a registered concern under the Fair Employment (NI) Act 1989. The commission has had no dealings with the trust.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the nature of the proposed capital expenditure envisaged under the heading "Mater Hospital Vacated Spaces" in the draft review entitled "Management Content" issued by the Eastern health and social services board.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is the adaptation of existing accommodation to provide facilities for a gynaecological unit and a medical unit, including the upgrading of the existing sanitary annexes and ward pantries.

  The estimated cost of the works including fees and equipment is £791,000 spread over three years, with £200,000 being expended in 1991–92.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the reason for the proposed replacement of the cooling towers at Belfast city hospital; and what is the estimated cost.

  Mr. Hanley
  It is to eliminate the risk of an outbreak of Legionnaires disease, with regard to the type of towers in use, their age and the Department of Health guidance document "The Control of Legionnellae in Health Care Premises—A Code of Practice" (1988).

  The estimated cost is £700,000.
  215
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Eastern health and social services board is permitted to use the proceeds of sale of land, buildings and equipment at the Royal group of hospitals and the Mater Infirmorum.

  Mr. Hanley
  Each health and social services board is permitted to use the proceeds of sales of its surplus land, buildings and equipment for reinvestment and is free to decide where these funds should be used.

  Skilled Workers
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has as to how many firms in England and Wales experiencing shortages of skilled workers have transferred to or established subsidiaries in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Over the last five years, 12 companies from England and Wales have accepted financial assistance from the Industrial Development Board (IDB) to establish operations in Northern Ireland. These operations are in addition to public sector organisations, such as the Inland Revenue, the Department of Social Security and the Passport Office which have set up in Northern Ireland to serve clients in Great Britain.

  It is unlikely that their decisions were based entirely on the skill shortages being experienced by many companies in Great Britain, although this may have been the driving force in some instances. Certainly the Province's abundant supply of well-educated and skilled people, eager for work, is a compelling attraction; but Northern Ireland also offers an excellent infrastructure, including a state-of-the-art fibre optic telecommunication system, a lower operating cost base and a very good quality of life for managers who may be asked to transfer. It is for a combination of these reasons, plus the availability of assistance from the IDB, that Ministers remain confident that companies from Great Britain will continue to locate in Northern Ireland.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Loans
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what figures he has on the proportion of commercial property loans to equity in each of the major banks.

  Mr. Maples
  The Treasury does not have such figures for individual banks. However, aggregated figures showing shareholders' funds and exposure to particular sectors of the economy for members of the Committee of London and Scottish Bankers are published in the committee's annual "Abstract of Banking Statistics" and the monthly updates of this.

  Tobacco Tax
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received on taxation on tobacco; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  My right hon. Friend has received a number of representations on the taxation of tobacco products, but I cannot anticipate his Budget statement.

  Mr. Knowles
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show the
  216
  tax paid on a pack of 20 cigarettes in each Economic Community country as a percentage of the total price and the average price of a pack of 20 cigarettes in each country; and what the figures were five years ago.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The figures for current and 1986 taxation and price levels of a pack of 20 cigarettes in each EC country are as follows.

  Excise and VAT on 20 cigarettes in the most popular price category as at 18 January 1991

  Country

  RSP2 pence

  Total tax

  Tax as percentage RSP

  Belgium

  111

  80

  72

  Denmark

  231

  199

  86

  France

  104

  70

  67

  Germany

  145

  106

  73

  Greece

  44

  31

  70

  Ireland

  181

  133

  73

  Italy

  87

  63

  72

  Luxembourg

  79

  57

  72

  Netherlands

  104

  73

  70

  Portugal

  57

  42

  74

  Spain

  31

  18

  58

  United Kingdom

  180

  131

  73

  1 Rates of Exchange as at 16 January 1991

  2 Retail selling price

  Source: EC Excise Duty tables

  Excise Duty and VAT on 20 Cigarettes in the most popular price category as at 4 February 19861

  Country

  RSP (pence)

  Total Tax(pence)

  Tax as a percentage of RSP

  Belgium

  93

  65

  70

  Denmark

  230

  201

  87

  France

  48

  37

  77

  Germany

  132

  97

  73

  Greece

  30

  218

  60

  Ireland

  171

  126

  74

  Italy

  74

  54

  73

  Luxembourg

  73

  48

  66

  Netherlands

  101

  73

  72

  Portugal

  48

  34

  71

  Spain

  52

  28

  54

  United Kingdom

  150

  113

  75

  Source: EC Excise duty tables.

  1 Rates of Exchange as at 29 January 1986.

  2 Includes sales tax.

  Day Nurseries
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the cost in 1991–92 of replacing the exemption for day nurseries with zero-rating.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Nurseries are not registrable for VAT, so there is no reliable information available on the cost of replacing the current exemption with zero rating.

  Trade Balance
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the trade balance with the other countries of the European Community in 1979, expressed in 1990 prices; and what it is now.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information on trade with member countries of the European Community is not available at constant prices. Information for the EC as a whole is
  217
  available at current prices on the Central Statistical Office database, which may be accessed through the Library of the House.

  Manufactured Goods (Exports)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the current level of exports of manufactured goods.

  Mr. Mellor
  In volume terms, exports of manufactures in the year to date—November 1990—show an increase of 9½ per cent. over the same period a year earlier.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the export performance of United Kingdom manufacturers during 1990.

  Mr. Mellor
  In the 11 months to November 1990 the volume of manufactured exports, excluding erratics, was 9½ per cent. higher than a year earlier. United Kingdom manufacturers' share of world trade is likely to have risen in 1990 for the second successive year. This share has stabilised since the early 1980s, after decades of decline.

  Departmental Relocation
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress Departments have made under the Government's relocation policy.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  My predecessor informed the House on January 1990 that, in accordance with the policy announced by the then Paymaster General on 31 March 1988, Departments had already announced decisions to relocate well over 16,000 posts away from the south-east. There are no central targets or preferred locations under this policy. Departments review the location of their work systematically, with a view to finding easier labour markets and better value for money. The guidelines require Departments to consult the regional policy and territorial Departments and DOE Property Holdings about potential relocation venues, and to report progress to the Treasury in the annual public expenditure survey.

  By the end of June 1990 Departments had identified nearly 7,000 further posts for location or relocation away from the south-east, bringing the total since 1988 to nearly 23,000. More than 1,000 others have been identified for cost-effective transfer within the south-east, and some 15,000 have been reviewed but judged not suitable for relocation at this stage. Almost 13,000 are still at various stages in the review process. When these reviews are complete, over 51,000 posts in the south-east will have been subject to review—equivalent to 24 per cent. of total posts in the region; and further posts will be reviewed in the coming year.

  Three quarters of the posts identified for transfer are destined for locations within assisted or urban programme areas and at least half are expected to be filled through local recruitment. Around 6,000 posts have already been moved since the beginning of 1988, which exceeds the figure for the whole of the period 1974–79 and compares favourably with the 12,000 posts moved or created outside the south-east between 1979–1987.

  Successful relocation requires careful planning. Departments exchange experience and, where appropriate, co-ordinate action with other Departments, with some transfers between Departments for staff not wishing to
  218
  move and with good use being made of the extra flexibilities now available in the personnel management field.

  Local Government Finance
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his reply of 14 December 1990 to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham,Official Report, column 538, if he will estimate by how much the standard rate of personal income tax would need to be increased if (a) education and (b) education, fire and police were financed by income tax, assuming no change in the grants paid by central Government to the local authorities; and if he will also estimate savings in community charge benefit in each case.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 15 January 1991]: If local authorities spend in line with central Government's assessments in 1991–92, expenditure on education in Great Britain will be around £21 billion, expenditure on education, fire and law and order services will be around £28 billion, and total income from 'the community charge would be around £14·5 billion.

  Assuming no change were made in the level of revenue support grant and non-domestic rates paid by central Government to local authorities, the basic rate of income tax would need to increase by (a) 8½p and (b) 10p if these services were financed by income tax. However, if education, fire and law and order services were funded in line with these proposals, the extra central Government funding would more than exceed anticipated community charge income for 1991–92. The saving on community charge benefit would be around £2 billion.

  Government Telecommunications Unit
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to the reply given to the hon. Member for Dartford (Mr. Dunn) on 15 January,Official Report, column 463, what direct costs to public funds there were as a result of the negotiations with Racal Data Network Ltd. from 15 February 1990 onwards; where in the public accounts those costs will be recorded; and whether he proposes to allocate additional resources to the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency to continue to prepare a future Government telecommunications service.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 22 January 1991]: The costs to public funds of the Government telecommunications service—GTS—negotiations, and related telecommunications research, were some £2·4 million. These costs were borne by the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency—CCTA—the five participating Departments, and the Treasury Solicitor's Department. Expenditure on the project prior to 31 March 1990 was accounted for in the appropriation accounts of CCTA—class XIX vote 13—Department of Employment—class VI vote 2—Department of Social Security—class XV vote 7—Inland Revenue—class XVIII vote 6—Her Majesty's Customs and Excise—class XVIII vote 5—Department of Finance and Personnel (Northern Ireland)—DFP vote 1—and Treasury Solicitor's Department—class X vote 9. Expenditure in the 1990–91 financial year will be accounted for in the following appropriation accounts: Her Majesty's Treasury—class XVIII vote 1—Department of Employment—class VI vote 2—

  219
  Department of Social Security—class XVI vote 7— Inland Revenue—class XVIII vote 6—Her Majesty's Customs and Excise—class XVIII vote 5—Department of Finance and Personnel (Northern Ireland)—DFP vote 1—Treasury Solicitor's Department—class X vote 9.

  There are no plans to implement an alternative GTS. As I reported to the House on 15 January, the Departments concerned in the GTS negotiations will now be considering, with the CCTA, how best to meet future telecommunications requirements.

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to exempt carers of mentally handicapped people from tax on a proportion of their earnings as carers.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 22 January 1991]: Whether income tax has to be paid on payments received for caring for a mentally handicapped person will depend on the circumstances. In particular, these payments will give rise to a tax liability only if they exceed the actual costs which the recipient incurs in caring for the handicapped person.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many representations he has received concerning the backdating of tax on income earned caring for mentally handicapped people.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 22 January 1991]: None.

HEALTH

  Theft
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member of Norfolk, North dated 7 December 1990,Official Report, column 217, on health service theft, fraud, and so on, what is (a) the number of cases reported to the police by Norwich health authority in each year since 1982, (b) the number of cases in which prosecutions subsequently took place and (c) the number of convictions and sentences which ensued;

  (2) pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member of Norfolk, North of 7 December 1990, Official Report, column 217, on health service theft, fraud, and so on, if he will give details of cases (a) reported to police, (b) where prosecutions took place and (c) of conviction and sentence, stating the name of health authority concerned and the nature of the offence in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have written to my hon. Friend.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the numbers of operations and waiting lists for ear, nose and throat operations carried out by year since 1985 in(a) Sunderland area health authority, (b) Durham area health authority and (c) Hartlepool area health authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The available information is given in the table. 1987–88 is the first year for which details of operations by specialty and by district health authority are held centrally.
  220

  Ear, Nose and Throat Operations.

  Number of operations 1987–88

  Waiting list 31 March 1988

  Percentage waiting over one year

  Hartlepool

  585

  142

  1

  Sunderland

  4,122

  842

  0

  Number of operations 1987–88

  Waiting list 31 March 1988

  Percentage waiting over one year

  Hartlepool

  553

  67

  7

  Sunderland

  4,646

  1,256

  0

  Number of operations 1987–88

  Waiting list 31 March 1988

  Percentage waiting over one year

  Hartlepool

  523

  282

  3

  Sunderland

  4,558

  1,188

  0

  Note: Durham figures are included with those of Sunderland. Sunderland provides an ENT service for Durham and South Tyneside District Health Authorities.

  Source: Operations KH08. Waiting list KH06, KH07, KHO7A.

  Nurses (Prescribing Rights)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce legislation to permit limited prescribing rights for nurses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We support the principle of nurse prescribing. Implementation is dependent on the outcome of work currently being carried out, in particular on the economic implications.

  NHS Laundries
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what technical criteria are taken into account by health authorities when appointing independent technical consultants to evaluate competitive tenders for national health service laundry services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This is a matter for the health authority concerned. The usual requirements are for wide experience in laundry operations, expertise in assessing the capabilities of tenderers to perform to contract requirements, and knowledge to assist the authority in selecting the most cost-effective service options.

  Hospital Meals
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by(a) regional health authority and (b) area health authority the average weekly cost of providing meals for in-patients, for the latest date for which he has figures.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The health service indicators for 1988–89, which are available in the Library, include the average daily cost of meals for in-patients for regional and district health authorities—indicator CA01. These are the latest figures available.

  Disability
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received over the past year about when the Disabled Persons' (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986 is likely to be fully implemented.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the right hon. Member for Manchester, Wythenshawe (Mr. Morris) on 13 November 1990 at column 111. Since then we have answered two parliamentary questions and one letter on this issue.

  Land Sales (Trent)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the capital expenditure of the Trent regional health authority he expects it to obtain from sales of land.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is currently forecast that Trent regional health authority's land sales will make up 21 per cent. of the region's capital spending in 1990–91.

  Incontinence
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for reviewing the quality of service and advice available to people with problems of incontinence.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department is currently considering ways in which good practice in the provision of incontinence services can be disseminated more widely throughout the country.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Computers
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects Her Majesty's Government to respond to the 1989–90 report of the Select Committee on House of Commons (Services) about computer services for Members (HC614).

  Mr. MacGregor
  I hope to be able to find time for a debate on this important report before long.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Orders in Council
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the Orders in Council which have been approved in the current year.

  Mr. MacGregor
  No Orders in Council have been made in 1991.

  Privy Council
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when the Privy Council last met; and what topics were discussed.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The last meeting of the Privy Council was on 19 December 1990. It is not the practice to disclose the proceedings at such meetings.
  222
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord Presidnet of the Council if he will list the current Privy Councillors.

  Mr. MacGregor
  An alphabetical list of Privy Councillors is published annually in "Whitaker's Almanack" and a list by precedence is published quarterly in Vacher's Parliamentary Companion. The list shown in the November 1990 edition of the latter shows all current Privy Councillors with the exception of Mr. Richard Ryder. The formalities for the appointment to the Privy Council of Mr. Alan Clark and Mrs. Angela Rumbold announced in the new year honours list will take place next month.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Glass
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plans to promote the British glass industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My 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 glass industry.

  Post Office
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any proposals to introduce greater competition into the Post Office.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Post Office's letter monopoly is a privilege, not a right. While we keep the options on the letter monopoly under review we have no present plans to alter the scope of the letter monopoly, although in the event of a cessation or serious disruption to the letter service we would consider suspending it. The Government and the Post Office remain fully committed to the existence of a national letter service available to everyone, including those in rural areas, at a reasonable and uniform tariff.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to ensure that all parts of the country continue to receive a high standard of letter and parcel delivery services.

  Mr. Leigh
  Decisions concerning aspects of the day-to-day running of the Post Office, such as those affecting the quality of the postal service, are the operational responsibility of the Post Office. The chairman of the Post Office regards quality of service for the customer as a key priority and is constantly searching for ways to improve performance in this crucial area. We welcome his emphasis on achieving better quality of service.

  GATT
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of the Uruguay round of the GATT and its implications for the manufacturing sector in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lilley
  As I said earlier, negotiations in the Uruguay round are continuing, and we hope they will yield
  223
  results which will be of substantial benefit to United Kingdom industry. As we export about a quarter of what we produce, we stand to gain from the opening up of world markets, and to share in the greater wealth that trade generates.

  Multi-fibre Arrangement
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the future of the multi-fibre arrangement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Multilateral negotiations to agree a successor regime to govern international trade in textiles after the M FA expires on 31 July 1991 have been taking place as part of the wider GATT Uruguay round. The United Kingdom and EC, together with all other negotiating partners, are committed to integrating the textiles sector into GATT on the basis of strengthened rules and disciplines.

  Regional Policy
  Mr. Bradley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if his Department intends to bring forward any new proposals in the field of regional policy.

  Mr. Leigh
  We have no plans to introduce new regional measures, but policy is kept under continuing review. The Government remain committed to an effective regional policy and will continue to make the necessary resources available.

  Brewing
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any proposals to increase the degree of competition in the brewing industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  The measures that we have already introduced following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission report on the supply of beer are designed to sharpen competition in the brewing industry. We have asked the Director General of Fair Trading to keep the effect of these measures under review and will consider further steps to promote competition if it should be shown that they are needed.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he next expects to meet the president of the Confederation of British Industry to discuss manufacturing industry.

  Mr. Redwood
  Ministers and officials of my Department keep in touch with the CBI on a wide range of business matters. I met the CBI twice during the week beginning 14 January, once to discuss wider ownership and once to discuss the outlook for pay and productivity.

  Iraq
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the effect of sanctions against Iraq on British industry.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In 1989 visible exports to Iraq and Kuwait formed 0·75 per cent. of our exports worldwide.224
  The effect of sanctions against Iraq on British industry has varied according to companies' reliance on that market, and the extent to which they had taken out insurance.

  Political Donations (Company Law)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any proposals to amend company law in respect of political donations.

  Mr. Redwood
  Companies are required to disclose in their directors' report details of every political donation exceeding £200 made in the course of the financial year. These provisions operate satisfactorily and no amendments are needed.

  Office Equipment
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the present balance of trade in office equipment with(a) the EC and (b) the rest of the world.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  There is no sector in official statistics which covers all office equipment. In the sector of office machines and automatic data-processing machines, however, the United Kingdom had a positive crude balance of trade of £547 million with the EC countries and a deficit of £1,939 million with the rest of the world in the year to November 1990.

  Solvent-based Products
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received regarding the adequacy of the provisions contained in the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act designed to restrict the sale of solvent-based products to minors.

  Mr. Leigh
  I have received a small number of representations, but I am satisfied that the provisions in the Intoxicating Substances (Supply) Act are adequate to cut off sniffers' supplies at source. It is now a matter of local enforcement of the law.

  Company Sizes
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average size of companies in(a) other EC countries and (b) the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  No comparable data on the average size of companies in different EC countries are readily available. However, the vast majority of companies in all EC countries are bound to be very small.

  Accounting and Auditing
  Mr. McKelvey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will review the regulations on accounting and auditing in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  The statutory provisions on company accounts and auditing are extensive. If the hon. Member has a particular problem in mind and cares to send me details, I shall be pleased to consider it.

  Biotechnology Products
  Mr. Ted Garrett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the present United Kingdom share of the world market in biotechnology products.
  225
  Mr. Leigh
  There are no market statistics for biotechnology products since they are aggregated within those for pharmaceuticals, chemicals, agriculture and food.

  Business Investment
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment has been made of new business investment in the black country.

  Mr. Leigh
  No official survey of new business investment in the four black country boroughs of Wolverhampton, Sandwell, Dudley and Walsall has been undertaken. Since the beginning of 1988 my Department has, however, committed £19·7 million to industry in the black country in the form of regional selective assistance grants. This figure is associated with an overall investment of £187·3 million and the creation and safeguarding of nearly 10,000 jobs.

  Soviet Union (Aid)
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what role his Department is playing in the European Communities' aid provision for the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  My Department has been closely involved in the discussion about the Community's package of aid to the Soviet Union.

  As the House will be aware from the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary on 15 January, the Community's package of aid will not be implemented unless the Soviet authorities reverse their recent actions in the Baltic states.

  Information Technology
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps his Department is taking to facilitate the move to open systems for hardware and software.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Department is currently playing a leading role in promoting the uptake and use of open systems across business. It is contributing significantly towards generation of international and European open systems standards. Many of these standards are now being implemented by IT suppliers in new products and systems. Encouragement is being given towards establishing a United Kingdom open systems interconnection (OSI) conformance testing facility. Harmonisation of European and international certification schemes, essential for providing assurance that products and systems conform to open systems standards, is being promoted.

  The Department's programme of open systems technology transfer (OSTT) aims to make all sectors of industry, both public and private, aware of the business benefits that can be achieved through use of open systems. As part of this programme the Department is assisting in the production of a comprehensive guide listing computer products which are available in the United Kingdom, conforming to open systems standards. Progress in the development of open systems standards for use in the public sector has enabled the Central Computer and Telecommunications Agency of Her Majesty's Treasury to produce the United Kingdom Government OSI profile
  226
  (GOSIP). This advises Departments on how open systems interconnection standards may be adopted when implementing their IT computer procurement programmes.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the present level of his Department's investment in safety-critical software systems.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Department of Trade and Industry uses administrative computer systems which by their nature do not raise issues of safety. However, as part of its responsibility for stimulating best practice in the software industry, it has led the "Safe IT" initiative to stimulate action to improve the reliability of safety-related software and systems. The consultative document, launched in June 1990 in conjunction with several Government Departments represented on the Interdepartmental Committee on Software Engineering (ICSE), includes proposals for standards, training and education, research and development and technology transfer. The Department's aim is to stimulate action which will reflect the concerns of all interested parties—from Government Departments through professional institutions arid suppliers to all users of safety-related systems.

  Mineral Stockpile
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what type of material is contained in the strategic mineral stockpile.

  Mr. Leigh
  The hon. Member has asked similar questions on two occasions. I have nothing to add to the answer that I gave on 16 November at column 236.

SCOTLAND

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the capital and current costs and budgets incurred by central Government Departments and local authority departments to cover the planning, implementation and enforcement of the poll tax for each year since 1986–87 until the end of 1992–93 in respect of expenditure on(a) transitional grants and other transitional arrangements, (b) additional members of staff, (c) capital costs of administrative systems, (d) collection and enforcement costs, (e) expenses involved in diligence, (f) additional payments of benefits and (g) additional costs of administration for benefit systems, together with total costs incurred in any advertising or promotion relating to new poll tax procedures.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The available information is as follows:
  227

  Local Authority Costs

  Current expenditure—administration of community charge Based on local authorities' returns to the Scottish Office, the costs of administering the community charge for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91 are as follows:

  1989–90 Budget estimate

  1989–90 Provisional outturn

  1990–91 Budget estimate

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  Community charge collection

  23·3

  17·2

  38·9

  Community charge registration

  8·5

  8·7

  14·3

  Total

  31·8

  25·9

  53·2

  Notes:

  1. Any current expenditure costs incurred in the years 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89 were included within the cost of the running of the rating system and are not separately identifiable.

  2. The information for 1991–92 will not be received before mid-February. Information about 1992–93 will not be received before mid-February 1992.

  3. Although these figures include staffing costs as well as expenditure incurred in the recovery of arrears, these costs are not identified separately in local authorities' returns.

  Current Expenditure—Administration of Community Charge Benefit Scheme
  Again based on local authorities' returns to the Scottish Office, the costs of administering the Community Charge Benefit Scheme are as follows:

  £ million

  1989–90 Budget Estimate

  1989–90 Provisional Outturn

  1990–91 Budget Estimate

  9·60

  9·45

  11·02

  Note: These figures include the cost to the 3 Islands Councils of administering the Housing Benefit Scheme. In the case of these authorities the figures for the Community Charge Benefit Scheme are not identified separately.

  Current Expenditure—Administration of Community Charge Transitional Relief Scheme
  Information about the costs incurred by local authorities in administering the Community Charge Transitional Relief Scheme is not yet available centrally.

  Capital Expenditure
  No information is held centrally on the capital costs actually incurred by local authorities in connection with the administration of the community charge, but additional capital consent amounting to £21 million was provided in the years 1988–89 and 1989–90 for this purpose.

  Central Government Costs
  Costs in connection with the Community Charge Benefit Scheme are a matter for the Department of Social Security. So far as the Scottish Office is concerned, the costs do not vary greatly from those incurred in connection with the domestic rates system.

  Publicity Costs
  Costs incurred by the Scottish Office on publicity in relation to the community charge system are as follows:

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  £

  £

  £

  481,000

  524,000

  74,000

  10,000

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of local government income in Scotland came from(a) domestic rates/poll tax, (b) non-domestic rates and (c) rate/revenue support grant and specific grants, in each year since 1973–74.
  228
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Figures are not available for 1973–74 and 1974–75. The information for later years is given in the table.

  Domestic rates/ Community charge per cent·

  Non-domestic rate per cent·

  Rate/Revenue support grant and specific grants per cent·

  1975–76

  15·55

  19·63

  64·82

  1976–77

  14·23

  18·62

  67·15

  1977–78

  14·80

  19·72

  65·48

  1978–79

  12·01

  22·48

  65·51

  1979–80

  12·11

  22·89

  65·00

  1980–81

  13·14

  24·54

  62·32

  1981–82

  15·58

  28·23

  56·19

  1982–83

  16·12

  28·57

  55·31

  1983–84

  15·48

  27·64

  56·88

  1984–85

  16·19

  28·36

  55·45

  1985–86

  17·62

  28·34

  54·04

  1986–87

  18·92

  29·83

  51·25

  1987–88

  19·47

  29·94

  50·59

  1988–89

  19·22

  29·19

  51·59

  1989–90

  21·52

  25·77

  52·71

  1990–91

  21·73

  23·82

  54·45

  Notes:

  1. The figures for domestic and non-domestic rates are derived from data published in the Rating Review for the relevant years up to 1988–89. For 1989–90 and 1990–91 the amounts for the community charge and non-domestic rate income are taken from the Provisional Outturn/Budget Estimate returns made by local authorities to the Scottish Office.

  2. The forecasts for rate and revenue support grants and specific grants are final amounts or those applying to the most recent Order.

  3. Domestic rates figures are net of domestic rate relief.

  4. All figures of domestic rate and community charge income are inclusive of rebates.

  Slaughterhouses
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what expenditure has been incurred by his Department in ensuring slaughterhouses in Scotland meet EC standards.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Scottish Office does not provide any special financial assistance for compliance with EC standards in slaughterhouses. Advice on these standards is available from the state veterinary service.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the annual level of unemployment in Scotland in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  This information is available on the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library. Library staff are ready to assist in accessing the information if necessary.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the Scottish industrial work force is unskilled.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Estimates from the 1989 labour force survey indicate that 6·1 per cent. of those in employment in Scotland were in unskilled occupations.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was Scotland's share of United Kingdom employment in(a) 1979 and (b)
  229
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  In June 1979 Scotland's share of the civilian work force in employment in the United Kingdom was 9 per cent. In June 1989, the Scottish share was 8·5 per cent.

  Fixed Capital Formation
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the gross domestic fixed capital formation per head in Scotland as a percentage of the United Kingdom total in each year from 1974 to the most recent available date.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The table gives the available information on gross domestic fixed capital formation—GDFCF—per head in Scotland as a percentage of the equivalent GDFCF per head for the United Kingdom from 1974 to 1988, the latest year for which figures are available. The footnotes to the table explain the coverage of the estimates in different periods.

  Gross Domestic Fixed Capital Formation Per Head fir Selected Industries in Scotland as a Percentage of the United Kingdom1 2 3

  Year

  Number

  1974

  4 5 124

  1975

  4 5 140

  1976

  4 5 137

  1977

  5 123

  1978

  5 125

  1979

  5 120

  1980

  126

  1981

  130

  1982

  126

  1983

  115

  1984

  113

  1985

  115

  1986

  106

  1987

  93

  1988

  94

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  1 Leased assets are excluded.

  2 All figures exclude investment in land and existing buildings.

  3 Industries covered are Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing, Energy and Water supply, Manufacturing, Dwellings and Transport and Communications (excluding sea and air transport). United Kingdom figures exclude GDFCF on the Continental Shelf.

  4 Between 1974 and 1976, there is no information on GDFCF for Transport and Communications.

  5 The 1974–1979 estimates for private dwellings are not strictly comparable with estimates for later years.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide figures for Scotland's gross fixed capital formation as a percentage of the United Kingdom's, excluding the continental shelf, fixed capital formation for(a) all industries and (b) manufacturing for 1988 in a form comparable to that provided in his answer of 31 October 1990, Official Report, columns 589–90.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Gross domestic fixed capital formations in Scotland for selected industries as a percentage of the United Kingdom excluding the continental shelf in 1988 are as follows:

  Industry

  Per cent.

  All industries covered1

  8·4

  Manufacturing

  8·3

  1 The industries covered are Agriculture, forestry and fishing, Energy and water supply, Manufacturing, Transport and communications (excluding sea and air transport) and Dwellings.

  230
  Note: Figures exclude leased assets and investment in land and existing buildings.

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Manufacturing Plants
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the closest estimate he can provide of the percentage of manufacturing plants in Scotland which are United Kingdom-owned or controlled; and what percentage of Scottish manufacturing output is derived from (i) Scottish and (ii) United Kingdom-owned or controlled firms.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  In 1988, according to the annual census of production, 95·8 per cent. of manufacturing plants in Scotland were United Kingdom-owned or controlled. The corresponding share of Scottish manufacturing gross output was 71·8 per cent. Information on Scottish ownership of manufacturing plants is not available.

  Scottish Development Agency
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what investment from the Scottish Development Agency has been allocated in the Monklands, West constituency since 1983.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is set out in the table.

  £

  1983–84

  941,000

  1984–85

  1,727,000

  1985–86

  1,338,000

  1986–87

  551,000

  1987–88

  297,000

  1988–89

  118,000

  1989–90

  57,000

  Skye (Crossing)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what are the rights of Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. with regard to its future provision of a passenger or a passenger/vehicular ferry service between Kyle of Lochalsh and Kyleakin in the light of a bridge to Skye; what assessment he has made of the potential financial impact upon the economic viability of a toll-funded bridge of some form of ferry service continuing to operate after its completion; what advice he has given to Highland regional council and to the tendering companies, respectively, on these points; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has made it clear that Caledonian MacBrayne Ltd. will discontinue its vehicle service on the Kyle of LochalshKyleakin crossing when the Skye bridge is opened. It has no plans to operate any vehicle service on this crossing after that time.

  A socio-economic study is about to be undertaken jointly by the Scottish Office environment department, HIDB, Highland regional council and Skye and Lochalsh district council on the impact of the bridge on the local communities. This study will assess the local need and demand for a passenger-only ferry.

  Highland regional council and the companies tendering for a Skye bridge are fully aware of the situation.

  Nurses (Grading)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail in the Official Report, broken down into each health board area within Scotland, the total numbers of (a) nurse regrading appeals, (b) successful appeals from the above total and (c) total additional expenditure associated with (d) arising from the last nursing regrading procedure.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information on the total number of nurse regrading appeals and on the number and cost of successful appeals in Scotland is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Poinding
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to eliminate the use of poinding to gather in poll tax.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  No. Poinding is an integral part of the recovery of arrears of community charges.

  Criminal Justice Legislation
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to introduce legislation to incorporate any of the provisions of the Criminal Justice Bill into Scottish legislation.

  Mr. Lang
  Provisions in the Criminal Justice Bill which would increase the maximum levels on the standard scale of fines in summary procedure, alter the related periods of imprisonment in default, and enable the courts to recover fines through the attachment of income support, extend to Scotland.

  The Bill also provides for changes in the parole system for England and Wales. We intend to introduce, at a suitable opportunity, legislation to implement our proposals, published in July 1990, in response to the Kincraig report "Parole and Related Issues in Scotland" (Cm. 598).

  Proposals in the White Paper "Crime, Justice and Protecting the Public"—Cm. 965—which other provisions in the Bill reflect, extended only to England and Wales.

  Timber
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to introduce a freight subsidy for the carriage of timber felled in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Support for the carriage of timber by sea from Scottish island communities will continue to be provided by the tariff rebate subsidy —TRS—scheme. Following a review of the tariff rebate

  Department

  1 January 1991

  1 January 1990

  1 January 1989

  1 January 1988

  1 January 1987

  1 January 1986

  The Scottish Office Environment Department

  1,264·5

  1,276·5

  1,255·5

  1,305·5

  1,324·5

  1,342·5

  The Scottish Office Education Department

  540·5

  556·5

  544·0

  562·5

  591·5

  599·5

  The Scottish Office Home and Health Department

  890·5

  872·0

  855·0

  841·0

  928·0

  908· 0

  The Scottish Office Industry Department

  375·0

  380·5

  374·0

  346·0

  336·5

  346·5

  The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department

  1,402·0

  1,464·5

  1,514·5

  1,641·5

  1,722·5

  1,930·0

  232
  subsidy scheme in 1988, the subsidy for the transport of certain bulk commodities, including timber, by sea from mainland areas is being phased out and will end on 31 March 1991. There are no plans to introduce any freight subsidy for timber traffic carried by other transport modes.

  Hospices, Renfrew
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will provide financial assistance for the development of hospices proposed or being operated by voluntary organisations in Renfrew district.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since 1 April 1990 all independent hospices in Scotland which do not require patients to make a financial contribution towards their care qualify for Government funding of at least 50 per cent. of their running costs.

  Redundancies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on the number of people made redundant from the former Talbot factory in Linwood who have not worked in full-time employment since its closure.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I have no such information.

  Sports Facilities
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is, for each year since 1985, the average expenditure of(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in sports facilities for their pupils in (i) Greater Glasgow, (ii) Strathclyde and (iii) Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not collected centrally.

  British Sign Language
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which national health service district general hospitals in Scotland provide British sign language interpreters for deaf people; and which charge for this service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Scottish Civil Service
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by department the total number of persons employed by the Scottish Office on 1 January 1991 and on the same date in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Lang
  The information is set out in the table.
  233

  Department

  1 January 1991

  1 January 1990

  1 January 1989

  1 January 1988

  1 January 1987

  1 January 1986

  Central Services

  1,752·0

  1,720·0

  1,762·5

  1,795·5

  1,834·5

  1,831·0

  Total

  6,224·5

  6,270·0

  6,305·5

  6,492·0

  6,737·5

  6,957·5

  Scottish Prison Service

  1 3,919·0

  3,822·0

  3,602·5

  3,347·0

  3,138·0

  2,933·5

  Totals

  10,143·5

  10,092·0

  9,908·0

  9,839·0

  9,875·5

  9,891·0

  1 As at 1 December 1990, latest available figure.

  The figures take account of the following transfers of staff arising from machinery of government changes:

  Date

  Number

  March 1986

  Staff to Royal Botanic Garden

  169·5

  July 1987

  Staff to Scottish Legal Aid Board

  52

  April 1988

  Staff to Crofters Commission/Red Deer Commission

  61

  Total

  —282·5

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons and at what grades are employed in the Scottish Office inquiries and reporters unit.

  Mr. Lang
  Forty-one officers are employed in the unit as follows:

  Grade

  Number employed

  Chief Reporter [(Unified Grade 3)]

  1

  Deputy Chief Reporter [(Unified Grade 5)]

  1

  Principal Reporter

  2

  Reporter

  8

  Senior Executive Officer

  1

  Higher Executive Officer

  3

  Executive Officer

  4

  Administrative Officer

  15

  Administrative Assistants

  4

  Personal Secretary (part-time)

  2

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons and at what grades are employed as clerks in(a) the sheriff courts, (b) the Court of Session and (c) the High Court of Justiciary.

  Grade

  Agriculture

  Fisheries

  Total

  Open Structure

  Grade 2—Deputy Secretary

  0·5

  0·5

  1·0

  Grade 3—Under Secretary

  1·0

  1·0

  2·0

  Grade 4—Chief Scientific Officer

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Grade 4—Chief Agricultural Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grade 5—Assistant Secretary

  6·0

  3·0

  9·0

  Grade 5—Deputy Chief Scientific Officer

  2·0

  1·0

  3·0

  Grade 5—Senior Economic Adviser

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grade 5—Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grade 6—Senior Principal Scientific Officer

  7·0

  5·0

  12·0

  Grade 6—Chief Inspector, Sea Fisheries

  —

  10

  10

  Grade 6—Assistant Chief Agricultural Officer

  5·0

  —

  5·0

  Grade 6—Chief Surveyor

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grade 7—Principal

  14·5

  6·0

  20·5

  Grade 7—Principal Scientific Officer

  5·0

  27·0

  32·0

  Grade 7—Deputy Chief Inspector, Sea Fisheries

  —

  2·0

  2·0

  Grade 7—Statistician

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grade 7—Economic Adviser

  3·0

  —

  3·0

  Grade 7—Inspector, Salmon Fisheries

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Grade 7—Chief Fatstock Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grade 7—Surveyor

  5·0

  —

  5·0

  Administrative grades

  Senior Executive Officer

  8·0

  4·0

  12·0

  Higher Executive Officer

  37·5

  10·0

  47·5

  Executive Officer

  57·5

  18·0

  75·5

  234
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Staff of the Court of Session and of the High Court of Justiciary are now trained to be competent in all the work of the supreme courts and are no longer separately identified. Clerks in both the supreme courts and the sheriff courts have specific and separate job titles but are shown in the equivalent civil service grades in the table.

  Grade

  Supreme courts

  Sheriff courts

  Grade 5

  1

  1

  Grade 6

  —

  5

  Grade 7

  3

  6

  SEO

  22

  14

  HEO

  9

  61

  EO

  16

  153·5

  AO

  9

  1197·5

  1 Includes 11 clerk/typists.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many persons are employed and in what grade in the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries for Scotland who work(a) in agriculture and (b) in fishing.

  Mr. Lang
  At 1 January 1991 the number of staff employed in the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department was 1,402 of whom 873 were employed in association with the Department's agricultural responsibilities and 529 in association with fisheries responsibilities. Details of the staff by grade in each of the areas are as follows:—
  235

  Grade

  Agriculture

  Fisheries

  Total

  Administrative Officer

  123·5

  21·0

  144·5

  Administrative Assistant

  106·0

  12·5

  118·5

  Professional, Technical and Scientific Grades

  Senior Economic Assistant

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Economic Assistant

  1·5

  —

  1·5

  Senior Assistant Statistician

  1·0

  1·0

  2·0

  Senior Professional and Technical Officer

  14

  —

  14

  Higher Professional and Technical Officer

  11

  1·0

  12

  Professional and Technical Officer

  31

  7·0

  38

  Senior Scientific Officer

  5·0

  43

  48

  Higher Scientific Officer

  18

  39

  57

  Scientific Officer

  17

  39

  56

  Assistant Scientific Officer

  27·5

  24

  51·5

  Principal Agricultural Officer

  13

  —

  13

  Senior Agricultural Officer

  53

  —

  53

  Higher Agricultural Officer

  52

  —

  52

  Agricultural Officer

  98

  —

  98

  Chief Food and Dairy Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Food and Dairy Officer

  4·0

  —

  4·0

  Assistant Food and Dairy Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Principal Horticultural Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Senior Horticultural Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Higher Horticultural Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Horticultural Officer

  2·0

  —

  5·0

  Principal Poultry Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Meat and Livestock Officer

  2·0

  —

  2·0

  Higher Marketing Officer

  7·0

  —

  7·0

  Marketing Officer

  8·0

  —

  8·0

  Farm Manager

  2·0

  —

  2·0

  Mapping and Charting Officer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Mapping and Charting Technical Grade 1

  3·0

  —

  3·0

  Mapping and Charting Technical Grade 2

  2·0

  —

  2·0

  Technical Grade 1

  2·0

  —

  2.0

  Technical Grade 2

  5·0

  —

  5·0

  Senior Photographer

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Principal Photographer

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Graphics Officer

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Inspector of Sea Fisheries

  —

  8·0

  8·0

  Fishery Officer 1

  —

  22

  22

  Fishery Officer 2

  —

  31

  31

  Collector of Fisheries Statistics

  —

  0·5

  0·5

  Marine Superintendent

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Engineer Superintendent

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Commander

  —

  5·0

  5·0

  First Officer

  —

  12

  12

  Second Officer

  —

  20

  20

  Senior Fishing Mate

  —

  2·0

  2·0

  Junior Fishing Mate

  —

  3·0

  3·0

  Chief Engineer

  —

  4·0

  4·0

  Second Engineer

  —

  6·0

  6·0

  Third Engineer

  —

  25

  25

  Librarian

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Assistant Librarian

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Secretarial and Support Grades

  Senior Personal Secretary

  2·0

  —

  2·0

  Personal Secretary

  20·0

  8·0

  28·0

  Typing Manager

  2·0

  1·0

  3·0

  Typist

  30·5

  6·0

  36·5

  Support Grade Band 1

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Support Grade Band 2

  8·0

  5·5

  13·5

  Industrial Grades

  Gardener

  3·3

  —

  3·3

  Assistant Gardener

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Patrolman

  4·0

  —

  4·0

  Estate Worker

  1·0

  —

  1·0

  Grieve

  3·0

  —

  3·0

  Experimental Worker

  2·0

  5·0

  7·0

  Shepherd

  10

  —

  1·0

  Stockworker

  40

  —

  40

  Farm Worker

  70

  —

  70

  Tractorman

  6·0

  —

  6·0

  Driver/Handyman

  2·0

  8·0

  10·0

  Senior Storeman

  —

  3·0

  3·0

  Storeman

  —

  3·0

  3·0

  236 237

  Grade

  Agriculture

  Fisheries

  Total

  Chief Petty Officer

  —

  5·0

  5·0

  Petty Officer

  —

  2·0

  2·0

  Chief Steward

  —

  5·0

  5·0

  Chief Cook

  —

  3·0

  3·0

  Cook Steward

  —

  4·0

  4·0

  Steward

  —

  10·0

  10·0

  Seaman

  —

  27·0

  27·0

  Motorman

  —

  11·0

  11·0

  Net Rigger

  —

  2·0

  2·0

  Engineering Craftsman

  —

  3·0

  3·0

  Electrical Engineering Craftsman

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Semi-skilled Engineer

  —

  1·0

  1·0

  Craftsman

  —

  3·0

  3·0

  TOTAL

  873

  529

  1,402

  Overseas Representation
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether any changes are being made to the overseas representation of Locate in Scotland and the Scottish Development Agency/Scottish Enterprise in the current year.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  For the current year, neither the Scottish Development Agency nor Locate in Scotland have made, nor do they have any firm plans to make, any substantive changes to their overseas representation. The question of overseas representation is, however, kept under regular review to ensure that it is appropriate to prevailing market conditions.

  Development Agencies
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make available the staffing structure of the Scottish Development Agency at its headquarters office and its equivalent under Scottish Enterprise.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The staffing structures of the Scottish Development Agency and of Scottish Enterprise are essentially operational matters to be determined by the board of each body. Details of the senior staff employed by the agency are set out in its annual report for 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) which industrial sectors had Scottish Development Agency teams working in them in 1988; and how many staff were employed in each team;

  (2) which industrial sectors have Scottish Enterprise teams scheduled to start on 1 April; and how many staff are to be employed in each team.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  These are operational matters for the bodies concerned and I have asked their chief executives to write to the hon. Member.

  Education
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the relevant expenditure for education on which his Department was willing to pay grant in every year since 1979 at 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is set out in the table.
  238

  Provision/grant aided expenditure at 1990–91 prices

  £ million

  1978–79

  1,631·2

  1979–80

  1,594·0

  1980–81

  1,466·4

  1981–82

  1,705·4

  1982–83

  1,860·4

  1983–84

  1,842·5

  1984–85

  1,770·6

  1985–86

  1,743·9

  1986–87

  1,746·1

  1987–88

  1,992·2

  1988–89

  1,925·5

  1989–90

  1,936·8

  1990–91

  1,973·1

  Notes:

  1. The figures for the years 1978–79 to 1983–84 inclusive include provision for libraries and museums as well as education in accordance with the provision categorisation provided in the Rate Support Grant Orders.

  2. The figures for 1978–79 to 1988–89 inclusive are provision figures. Provision was replaced by grant aided expenditure (GAE) with effect from 1990–91.

  3. The figures for all years are at 1990–91 prices calculated by means of the Treasury GDP deflator (October 1990).

  Local Government Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what were the outturn figures for(a) all local government expenditure and (b) local government education expenditure in every year since 1979 at 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is set out in the table.

  Expenditure at 1990–91 prices

  Education expenditure at 1990–91 prices

  £ million

  £ million

  1978–79

  4,224·6

  1,792·8

  1979–80

  4,573·8

  1,799·1

  1980–81

  4,608·6

  1,877·5

  1981–82

  4,671·7

  1,928·6

  1982–83

  4,690·0

  1,934·0

  1983–84

  4,727·1

  1,950·6

  1984–85

  4,760·3

  1,913·6

  1985–86

  4,695·1

  1,871·0

  1986–87

  4,848·5

  1,938·3

  1987–88

  4,959·7

  2,001·4

  1988–89

  5,012·8

  2,026·8

  1989–90

  5,065·5

  2,080·9

  1990–91

  5,131·7

  2,097·1

  239
  Notes

  1. The figures in column 1 are inclusive of loan and leasing charges while those in column 2 are exclusive of such charges as separate loan and leasing charges for education are not readily available.

  2. The figures are at final outturn to 1988–89, provisional outturn for 1989–90 and budget estimate for 1990–91.

  3. All years have been converted to 1990–91 prices by means of the Treasury GDP deflator (October 1990).

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, following his announcement of increased assistance for business ratepayers, if he will make a statement on non-domestic rates for 1991–92.

  Mr. Ian Lang
  I am delighted that the additional resources which have become available to me allow greater progress to be made next year towards full harmonisation of non-domestic rates. The reduction of £100 million which I announced to the House on 17 January is more than twice what we included in the spending plans made last year and will mean a significant reduction in the gap between rate burdens north and south of the border. In spite of this major increase in funding, local authorities are still being asked to contribute only £10 million through efficiency savings.

  1 1990–91 poundages

  2 1991–92 Pre-NNDR reduction

  3 1991–92 poundages

  4 1991–92 poundages at ratepayer level

  5 Reduction to ratepayer

  Borders

  36·0

  39·9

  36·5

  —

  —

  Central

  41·7

  46·2

  42·3

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  38·3

  42·5

  38·9

  —

  —

  Fife

  46·1

  51·1

  46·8

  —

  —

  Grampian

  34·2

  37·9

  34·7

  —

  —

  Highland

  41·3

  45·8

  41·9

  —

  —

  Lothian

  47·5

  52·7

  48·2

  —

  —

  Strathclyde

  46·0

  51·0

  46·7

  —

  —

  Tayside

  43·0

  47·7

  43·6

  —

  —

  Berwickshire

  7·5

  8·3

  7·6

  44·1

  4·1

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  8·5

  9·4

  8·6

  45·1

  4·2

  Roxburgh

  9·4

  10·4

  9·5

  46·0

  4·3

  Tweedale

  7·2

  8·0

  7·3

  43·8

  4·1

  Clackmannan

  14·9

  16· 5

  15·1

  57·4

  5·3

  Falkirk

  12·2

  13·5

  12·4

  54·7

  5·0

  Stirling

  18·1

  20·1

  18·4

  60·7

  5·6

  Annandale and Eskdale

  9·1

  10·1

  9·2

  48·1

  4·5

  Nithsdale

  9·1

  10·1

  9·2

  48·1

  4·5

  Stewartry

  7·9

  8·8

  8·0

  46·9

  4·4

  Wigtown

  7·4

  8·2

  7·5

  46·4

  4·3

  Dunfermline

  10·1

  11·2

  10·2

  57·0

  5·3

  Kirkcaldy

  12·6

  14·0

  12·8

  59·6

  5·5

  North East Fife

  11·3

  12·5

  11·5

  58·3

  5·3

  Aberdeen City

  11·0

  12·2

  11·2

  45·9

  4·2

  Banff and Buchan

  9·8

  10·9

  9·9

  44·6

  4·2

  Gordon

  7·9

  8·8

  8·0

  42·7

  40

  Kincardine and Deeside

  6·5

  7·2

  6·6

  41·3

  3·8

  Moray

  8·2

  9·1

  8·3

  43·0

  4·0

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  6·3

  7·0

  6·4

  48·3

  4·5

  Caithness

  9·8

  10· 9

  9·9

  51·8

  4·9

  Inverness

  7·5

  8·3

  7·6

  49·5

  4·6

  Lochaber

  11·4

  12·6

  11·6

  53·5

  4·9

  Nairn

  6·3

  7·0

  6·4

  48·3

  4·5

  Ross and Cromarty

  9·8

  10·9

  9·9

  51·8

  4·9

  Skye and Lochalsh

  9·4

  10·4

  9·5

  51·4

  4·8

  Sutherland

  7·1

  7·9

  7·2

  49·1

  4·6

  East Lothian

  13·4

  14·9

  13·6

  61·8

  5·8

  Edinburgh City

  13·1

  14·5

  13·3

  61· 5

  5·7

  Midlothian

  13·4

  14·9

  13·6

  61·8

  5·8

  West Lothian

  11·8

  13·1

  12·0

  60·2

  5·6

  Argyll and Bute

  14·9

  16· 5

  15·1

  61· 8

  5·7

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  10·3

  11·4

  10·4

  57·1

  5·3

  Clydesbank

  15·3

  17·0

  15·5

  62·2

  5·8

  240
  The table shows the rate poundage which I intend to prescribe for each local authority in regulations that I shall lay before Parliament shortly. These regulations will revoke those made last week. The rate poundage reductions apply across the board to all authorities with the exception of Shetland where a reduction of about 6 per cent., around two thirds of the average, is sufficient to bring the local rate into line with next year's national non-domestic rate in England of 38·6p. There will, therefore, be no need for reductions in the Shetland rate poundage in future years under this policy and the number of areas in Shetland's position will increase as the policy proceeds to its conclusion.

  As I also announced on 17 January, as a result of the larger reduction in poundages than previously intended I propose to reduce the level of derating next year from its present level of 35 to 30 per cent., not 32 per cent. I have already indicated that I intend reviewing the way in which poundages and derating may be reduced in future and the powers available to me, which do not allow me at the present time to set different levels of industrial derating in different areas within Scotland, and I would welcome the views of interested bodies on these matters.
  241

  1 1990–91 poundages

  2 1991–92 Pre-NNDR reduction

  3 1991–92 poundages

  4 1991–92 poundages at ratepayer level

  5 Reduction to ratepayer

  Clydesdale

  13·2

  14·6

  13·4

  60·1

  5·5

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  13·0

  14·4

  13·2

  59·9

  5·5

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  13·4

  14·9

  13·6

  60·3

  5·6

  Cunninghame

  16·1

  17·9

  16·3

  63·0

  5·9

  Dumbarton

  14·9

  16·5

  15·1

  61·8

  5·7

  East Kilbride

  11·2

  12·4

  11·4

  58·1

  5·3

  Eastwood

  7·9

  8·8

  8·0

  54·7

  5·1

  Glasgow City

  20·9

  23·2

  21·2

  67·9

  6·3

  Hamilton

  14·2

  15·7

  14·4

  61·1

  5·6

  Inverclyde

  12·6

  14·0

  12·8

  59·5

  5·5

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  13·0

  14·4

  13·2

  59·9

  5·5

  Kyle and Carrick

  13·4

  14·9

  13·6

  60·3

  5·6

  Monklands

  14·2

  15·7

  14·4

  61·1

  5·6

  Motherwell

  12·9

  14·3

  13·1

  59·8

  5·5

  Renfrew

  14·2

  15·7

  14·4

  61·1

  5·6

  Strathkelvin

  12·6

  14·0

  12·8

  59·5

  5·5

  Angus

  10·6

  11·8

  10·8

  54·4

  5·1

  Dundee City

  16·9

  18·7

  17·1

  60·7

  5·7

  Perth and Kinross

  11·0

  12·2

  11·2

  54·8

  5·1

  Orkney

  39·3

  43·6

  39·9

  39·9

  3·7

  Shetland

  37·1

  41·1

  38·6

  38·6

  2·5

  Western Isles

  57·6

  63·9

  58·4

  58·4

  5·5

  GP Budgets
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the number of general practitioner firms that have applied to become budget holders in each health board area in Scotland; how many of these firms operate practices in rural areas; and when he expects to be able to confirm the final numbers of practices to be approved.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: So far, four practices—or in some cases groups of practices—have sought formal approval to commence fundholding from 1 April 1991. The health boards responsible are currently in the final stages of determining these applications. Details of these applications are provided in the table, including location as an indicator of degree of rurality.

  Health Board and Location

  Number of Practices

  Tayside

  2

  Forfar

  Dundee

  Lothian

  1

  Edinburgh

  Argyll and Clyde

  1

  Helensburgh

  There is no time limit for the submission of applications, and a number of other practices are known to be working towards taking part in the scheme as from a later date.

  Carstairs Hospital
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the number of patients at Carstairs hospital who have been kept there principally because(a) they are mentally disturbed criminals, (b) they are
  242
  mentally ill but not criminals, (c) they are mentally handicapped and (d) other reasons for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 16 January 1991]: Patients at the state hospital are classified as either restricted or state patients or detained non-restricted patients. Restricted patients have either been convicted of, or have been alleged to have committed, a criminal offence, but are considered by medical opinion to be suffering from a treatable mental disorder and to constitute a serious danger to the public. Detained patients will have previously been receiving treatment in ordinary psychiatric hospitals for mental disorder on a compulsory basis but have become sufficiently dangerous either to themselves or others to require to be detained in the secure conditions at Carstairs. The majority of these will not have committed any criminal offences.

  The numbers in the categories requested are as follows:

  (a)Mentally disturbed patients who have committed offences

  (b)Patients who are Mentally ill

  (c)1 Patients who have mental handicap

  Other

  1986

  157

  70

  42

  —

  1987

  146

  64

  49

  —

  1988

  148

  68

  48

  —

  1989

  163

  66

  40

  —

  1990

  163

  59

  44

  —

  1 These patients are also included under (a) and (b)

  Notes: The figures are at 31 December in each year.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Sewage Sludge Dumping
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on which two most recent dates the sites were monitored at which he allows Wessex Water and
  243
  Welsh Water to dump, respectively, 55,000 and 300,000 tonnes of sewage sludge; what were the results; and what traces of organic and metal contaminants were found.

  Mr. Curry
  Monitoring at the Bristol channel sewage sludge disposal site was carried out in 1988 and 1990. The surveys were undertaken jointly by the Welsh and Wessex water authorities in 1988 and by the successor water companies in 1990 under conditions of disposal licences issued by the Ministry.

  Sheep Dipping
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will arrange for any inquiry into changes of regulations on sheep dipping to be held in public.

  Mr. Maclean
  I announced on 21 June 1990 the Government's intention to review arrangements for the control of sheep scab during 1991. I am ready to take account of views expressed by any interested party on this as on all other issues.

  Carlisle Office
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what date his Carlisle office received the application forms at the end of 1989 for the sheep annual premium; on what date they were distributed to farmers; and on what date they were due to be returned.

  Mr. Curry
  Claim forms for the first application period under the sheep annual premium scheme 1990 could not be completed until certain important details had been clarified by the European Commission. The Carlisle divisional office received the forms on 11 December 1989, and dispatched them to interested farmers on 12 December. The closing date for the lodging of first period applications was 27 December 1989.

  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to what extent his Carlisle office is currently undermanned; and what requests he has had for extra staff appointments to be made.

  Mr. Curry
  The number of staff employed in our Carlisle office is currently one below complement in the administrative grades, and one below complement in the farm and countryside service. We have not received any direct requests for additional staff appointments to be made.

  Food From Britain
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list, for the three counties of Yorkshire and for Humberside, the sales of speciality food or drink products that Food From Britain has supported during 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Curry
  Neither Food From Britain nor this Department have details of sales by groups supported under the speciality food group scheme, nor has any group in the counties mentioned in fact applied for such support.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has received a copy of the report of the Institute of Economic Affairs concerning salmonella contamination in eggs; and if he will make a statement.
  244
  Mr. Maclean
  I have received a copy of this report and have noted its contents. The Government's policy in relation to salmonella in eggs and poultry has been set out in evidence provided to the Select Committee on Agriculture.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill) of 14 January,Official Report, column 392, what existing measures will continue to be taken where necessary to protect public health with regard to poultry flocks infected with salmonella typhimurium.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Minister's authority to exercise his powers under the Animal Health Act 1981 and the Zoonoses Order 1989 remains in force in relation to all types of salmonella. The arrangements for the compulsory slaughter of breeding flocks infected with salmonella typhimurium are to continue unchanged. For commercial egg-laying flocks, the automatic slaughter policy will continue in relation to salmonella enteritidis which remains the prime cause of salmonella food poisoning in humans. If infection from another type of salmonella is confirmed in a laying flock, slaughter will be required if this is considered necessary in the circumstances in order to safeguard public health.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the development of a diagnostic test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy; and if he will make a statement on the progress of his research programme into this disease.

  Mr. Curry
  A considerable programme of research is in progress, including priority work to try and develop a diagnostic test for bovine spongiform encephalopathy. However, the nature of bovine spongiform encephalopathy, including its long incubation period, means that answers cannot be expected for some time.

  Milk Quotas
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy on the future of milk quotas and whether milk quotas will remain at existing levels.

  Mr. Curry
  Since 1984 we have accepted milk quotas as the only negotiable means of controlling the cost to the Community of market support in the dairy sector. That cost is still excessive and I should welcome proposals from the European Commission for non-discriminatory quota cuts, together with support price adjustments as a step towards a more market-oriented regime. In the longer run the objective must be to move to levels of support which would permit the abandonment of quotas and allow market forces to influence production levels. In the meantime I have made it very clear that I could not contemplate discriminatory cuts in quota.

  Sandwiches
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the British Sandwich Association concerning its quality assurance scheme; and if he will make a statement.
  245
  Mr. Curry
  The association has recently informed my hon. Friend the Member for Penrith and the Border (Mr. Maclean) of the codes of practice that it is introducing for manufacturers and retailers of sandwiches. In his reply, my hon. Friend has acknowledged the efforts which the association has made since its formation in 1990 to raise safety and hygiene standards in the sandwich industry.

  Fishing Vessels
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has, by port, on the number of fishing vessels up for sale since the introduction of the new EEC fishing regulations.

  Mr. Curry
  None. This Department does not collect information about the number of fishing vessels up for sale.

  Skimmed Milk Powder
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he is proposing to take in respect of the lead-contaminated skimmed milk powder currently held in storage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The butter and skimmed milk powder manufactured from milk withheld from sale in 1989 following the distribution of animal feedingstuffs contaminated by lead was tested by the Ministry. Restrictions on sale were removed after lead levels were found to be well below the limits laid down in the Lead in Food Regulations 1979 as amended. The subsequent disposal of these products was a matter for the milk marketing board, which owned them. I understand that all the product in question has been exported.

  Eggs
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to complete the funding of the British eggs marketing initiative; and what discussions he has had with the EEC Commission concerning this scheme.

  Mr. Curry
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the provision of funds to the British Egg Industry Council for the purpose of promoting the marketing of eggs out of the assets of the Egg Authority, which was abolished in 1986. When due provision has been made for the outstanding liabilities of the former authority it is expected that the remaining funds will be made available to the British Egg Industry Council for promotion and

  30 March 1987 to 31 March 1989 £

  1 April 1989 to 26 August 1990 £

  Since 27 August 1990 £

  Routine visit

  (a) higher rate

  90

  78

  87

  (b) lower rate

  80

  60

  67

  First follow-up visit

  (a) higher rate

  —

  —

  87

  (b) lower rate

  —

  —

  67

  Subsequent follow-up visits

  (a) higher rate

  —

  78

  87

  (b) lower rate

  —

  60

  67

  246
  other activities until they are exhausted. It is not possible to say when this will be. Our officials have discussed the British Egg Industry Council's current promotional campaign with the Commission.

  Milk
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether there are to be any changes to the existing system of purchasing milk quotas.

  Mr. Curry
  EC regulations do not permit the sale of quota as such, but quota is transferred in proportion to the areas used for milk production when all or part of a dairy holding is sold, leased or transferred by inheritance. The EC Commission is aware of pressure for greater flexibility in the quota transfer rules, which apply in their present form until the end of March 1992. Proposals for their extension or amendment have yet to be made.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the European Community directive on milk quality; what actions he is taking in respect of that directive; and if he foresees any future change in its conditions.

  Mr. Curry
  Council directive 85/397/EEC on intra-Community trade in heat-treated milk came into force on 1 January 1989. It is implemented in England and Wales by the Importation of Milk Regulations 1988 and in Scotland and Northern Ireland by similar provisions. Under the directive our domestic milk production has been formally recognised as achieving the higher "step 2" milk hygiene standards. Denmark is the only other member state to have achieved this.

  The Commission has tabled proposals for two Council regulations which would replace the directive and extend its standards to all Community-produced milk and milk products made from cows', goats', sheep's or buffaloes' milk. Discussions are under way and the United Kingdom is seeking an outcome which maintains and improves milk hygiene standards across the Community.

  Dairy Inspections
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the charges, in cash and real terms, for statutory inspections of dairies for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Gummer
  Charges for statutory inspections of dairy farms by Ministry dairy officers were introduced in 30 March 1987. Since then, charges have been as follows:
  247
  If the charges for routine visits had been raised in line with the retail prices index since March 1987, they would now be £116 (higher rate) and £103 (lower rate). The lower rates apply to inspections of farms with herds of fewer than 20 cows.

  Salmon
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement about the report published by his Department on east coast salmon fisheries.

  Mr. Curry
  No report has yet been published. Work on the review is being completed and we hope to present it to Parliament shortly.

  Southern Sea Fisheries
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received about fines for the contravention of local fishery legislation in the southern sea fisheries area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The question of the levels of fines for contraventions of local fishery legislation was raised with me when I met representatives of the Southern Sea Fisheries Committees on 23 October 1990. The matter is under consideration.

  Agriculture Council
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Agriculture Council held in Brussels on 21 and 22 January.

  Mr. Gummer
  I represented the United Kingdom at this meeting, together with my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary.

  The Council heard an oral presentation from Commissioner MacSharry on his personal ideas for possible changes to the common agricultural policy. His approach was based on the desirability of retaining the largest number of farmers as possible in the Community irrespective of the viability of their farms. He envisaged significant cuts in prices and quotas, the introduction of some new direct payments to producers, an expansion of the Community's agro-environmental policies and that a revised policy should be deliberately slanted so as to favour smaller producers. He did not quote figures, but it appeared that changes on the lines suggested would result in a significant increase in budgetary costs.

  It was my intention to welcome the Commission's willingness to contemplate radical reform and certain strands of Mr. MacSharry's thinking, but to insist that changes should involve a reduction in costs, to advocate a closer integration of agricultural and environmental policies, and to reject the proposed discrimination against larger farmers on the grounds that this would prevent the emergence of a genuinely competitive European agriculture and would also involve unacceptable distortions between member states. However, only the Irish Minister was able to comment before the Commissioner was suddenly called away by a family bereavement. Discussions will resume at the next meeting of the Council of 4 February. It is not clear if the Commission will have adopted a definite position on CAP reform by them. The
  248
  Council agreed to extend the Community's sugar regime for two years from 1 July 1991 on the current basis except for a small reduction in the permissible maxima for national aids, including that for cane sugar refining.

  Fish Landings
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the increase in the value of United Kingdom fish landings by United Kingdom vessels in comparison with the retail prices index in the period 1980 to 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  In 1989 the value of United Kingdom fish landings by United Kingdom vessels was £396 million. This was 78 per cent. higher than in 1980 and compares with an increase of 72 per cent. in the RPI during the same period. The latest provisional figures for 1990 suggest that the value of these landings has kept pace with the increase in the RPI.

  In the fisheries debate on 13 December 1990 I may have inadvertently misled the House when responding to a point made by the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes) by referring at column 1180 to individual years rather than to the period as a whole.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Savings
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much revenue would be raised by putting national insurance contributions on the income from savings above(a) £3,000 and (b) £5,000; (i) including pensioners and (ii) excluding pensioners.

  Mr. Jack
  If such contributions were charged at the current employees' main percentage rate of 9 per cent. on all investment income above £3,000 and above £5,000 the gain to the national insurance fund would be as shown in the table. However, national insurance contributions are levied only on earnings from employment and this is consistent with the approach since the establishment of the National Insurance Scheme in 1948.

  Investment Income

  National insurance contribution income including pensioners

  National insurance contribution income excluding pensioners

  above £3,000

  £1·73 billion

  £0·96 billion

  above £5,000

  £1·35 billion

  £0·74 billion

  This estimate is based on a projection of the 1987–88 survey of personal incomes and is therefore provisional.

  Tax Withdrawal Rates
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing (i) the number of working heads, (ii) dependants and (iii) families with children facing marginal tax and benefit withdrawal rates in excess of 50 per cent., in the manner of his answer of 25 March 1988,Official Report, column 244.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is set out in the table:
  249

  Combined marginal tax and benefit withdrawal rates 1990–91 Benefit units where at least one partner works full time (000) Numbers facing combined rates of over 50 per cent.—in bands Great Britain

  Per cent.

  Families with children

  Couples and single people

  Total

  100

  0

  0

  0

  90 to 99

  45

  0

  45

  80 to 89

  160

  30

  190

  70 to 79

  105

  55

  160

  60 to 69

  0

  0

  5

  50 to 59

  0

  0

  0

  Projections based on 1985, 1986 and 1987 Family Expenditure Surveys. Uprated to 1990–91 prices, taxes and benefits. Figures are rounded to the nearest 5,000. Totals may not add due to rounding.

  Independent Living Fund
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the level of expenditure by his Department on the independent living fund for each of the past five years; and how much of this was spent in Scotland in each year.

  Mr. Scott
  The Independent Living Fund was established in June 1988. Expenditure published by the Fund in their annual reports was £1·35 million in 1988–89 and £10·08 million in 1989–90. Provision for 1990–91 is £32 million. Information on the cost of awards in Scotland is not available. However, around 9 per cent. of the fund's beneficiaries live in Scotland.

  Telephonic Liaison Service
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for what reason the Department of Social Security Leicester, has discontinued the telephonic liaison service on a special line; and if he will take steps to have this restored.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The DSS local office at Leicester (Norton street) has replaced its telephone line dedicated to welfare rights inquiries with normal access to benefit sections plus, for particularly complex cases, reference to the assistant manager (liaison). It did so following complaints that the former system was not working. The effects of the new arrangements will be closely monitored.

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list by year for the last 10 years the number of households(a) below and (b) above average income.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on the basis of income before housing costs is available for 1981, 1983, 1985 and 1987 and is in the table.

  Year

  Households below average income (millions)

  Households above average income (millions)

  1981

  12·0

  7·9

  1983

  12·6

  8·2

  1985

  12·8

  8·3

  1987

  13·7

  8·1

  Industrial Injury Benefit
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, for each of his local Department offices in the Doncaster area, how many people have made claims for industrial injuries disablement benefit during the current year to date and by year for the last 10 years; how many had their claims accepted; and what has been the total amount paid out in benefits.

  Mr. Scott
  Figures relating to years before April 1984 are not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as could figures about the number of claims accepted and the amount paid in benefit. Such information as is available is in the table.

  Claims received

  April

  Doncaster East

  Doncaster West

  1990–91

  1399

  1382

  1989–90

  484

  721

  1988–89

  454

  523

  1987–88

  507

  568

  1986–87

  599

  844

  1985–86

  760

  1,051

  1984–85

  425

  610

  1 Figures available to December 1990 only.

  Community Care Grants
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the budgets for 1990–91 for community care grants for each local office of his Department in Scotland and expenditure by each local office in Scotland to the end of December 1990.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of annual social fund budget allocation and expenditure for community care grants in local offices are placed in the Library.

  Resettlement
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list, by departmental region, expenditure on(a) resettlement units and (b) grants to voluntary organisations and local authorities in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 to date.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not available in the exact form requested, as expenditure on these grants is not recorded by DSS region. However, information is held as follows:

  a. Expenditure on resettlement units

  Region

  1988–89 £000s

  1989–90 £000s

  11990–91 £000s

  Scotland

  550

  645

  411

  North Eastern

  1,104

  1,330

  722

  North Western

  1,086

  1,235

  813

  Midlands

  2,200

  2,466

  1,477

  Wales and South Western

  816

  973

  633

  London North

  1,408

  1,558

  925

  London South

  5,403

  6,291

  3,808

  Total

  12,567

  14,498

  8,789

  1 To 31 December.

  b. Grants to voluntary organisations and/or local authorities

  £000s

  £000s

  £000s

  Scotland

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  North Eastern

  124

  164

  587

  North Western

  22

  119

  55

  251

  £000s

  £000s

  £000s

  Midlands

  43

  579

  939

  Wales and South Western

  100

  655

  630

  London North1

  1,768

  1,900

  1,322

  London South1

  Total2

  2,057

  3,417

  3,533

  Note:1 A split of grants between London North and London South Regions is not available.

  2 Grants were also made to non replacement projects as follows

  £000s

  £000s

  £000s

  Scotland

  11

  11

  8

  England and Wales

  205

  268

  190

  216

  279

  198

  A split of these figures between the departmental regions is not available.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will provide a timetable for the closure of resettlement units.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There is no specific timetable for the resettlement unit replacement programme. The Resettlement Agency, which is responsible for implementing the Government's plans to replace the 22 Department of Social Security resettlement units, is required to replace two units in 1990–91 and a further four in 1991–92. The first two will be the units in Brighton and Fazakerley (Liverpool), on 31 March 1991. Final decisions for 1991–92 have not yet been made.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the social fund may be used for a single homeless person to meet the cost of a deposit on private rented accommodation.

  Mr. Scott
  No, but help with rent in advance is available through crisis loans.

  Value of child support1 for each child in standard rate tax-paying families expressed at April 19902 prices (£)

  Children under age 11

  Children aged 11 to 15

  Children aged 16 and over

  Date3

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child4

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child4

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child4

  April 1958

  8·32

  10·96

  11·77

  10·35

  13·09

  13·70

  12·48

  15·12

  15·83

  April 1959

  7·62

  10·36

  11·07

  9·45

  12·29

  13·00

  11·38

  14·12

  14·93

  April 1960

  7·56

  10·29

  11·09

  9·38

  12·20

  12·91

  11·29

  14·02

  14·82

  April 1961

  7·36

  10·01

  10·80

  9·13

  11·88

  12·57

  11·00

  13·65

  14·43

  April 1962

  6·97

  9·47

  10·22

  8·64

  11·24

  11·89

  10·40

  12·91

  13·65

  April 1963

  7·83

  10·29

  11·01

  9·47

  12·11

  12·65

  11·20

  13·74

  14·38

  April 1964

  7·67

  10·08

  10·79

  9·28

  11·87

  12·40

  10·97

  13·47

  14·10

  April 1965

  7·69

  10·06

  10·57

  9·38

  11·66

  12·26

  11·07

  13·35

  13·95

  April 1966

  7·43

  9·71

  10·20

  9·06

  11·26

  11·83

  10·69

  12·89

  13·46

  April 1967

  7·21

  9·43

  9·90

  8·79

  10·93

  11·49

  10·38

  12·52

  13·07

  April 1968

  6·90

  8·65

  9·18

  8·42

  10·16

  10·62

  9·94

  11·60

  12·14

  April 1969

  6·54

  8·55

  9·06

  7·98

  9·99

  10·49

  9·41

  11·43

  11·86

  April 1970

  6·19

  8·10

  8·57

  7·55

  9·46

  9·94

  8·91

  10·82

  11·23

  April 1971

  7·21

  9·14

  9·58

  8·33

  10·32

  10·76

  9·52

  11·44

  11·88

  April 1972

  6·79

  8·60

  9·01

  7·84

  9·71

  10·12

  8·95

  10·76

  11·17

  April 1973

  6·16

  7·71

  8·09

  7·29

  8·79

  9·16

  8·20

  9·70

  10·07

  April 1974

  7·07

  8·37

  8·70

  8·14

  9·35

  9·72

  9·02

  10·23

  10·61

  April 1975

  6·19

  8·56

  8·56

  7·07

  9·44

  9·44

  7·84

  10·25

  10·25

  April 1976

  6·49

  8·52

  8·52

  7·23

  9·26

  9·26

  7·91

  9·90

  9·90

  April 1977

  6·24

  7·14

  7·14

  6·87

  7·77

  7·77

  7·42

  8·29

  8·29

  April 1978

  7·43

  7·43

  7·43

  8·01

  8·01

  8·01

  8·50

  8·50

  8·50

  252
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the 1991–92 budget for the social fund in gross and net terms broken down into community care grants, budgeting loans and crisis loans.

  Mr. Scott
  The 1991–92 budget will be announced nearer the time.

  Income-related Benefits
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to publish the new take-up figures for income-related benefits.

  Mr. Jack
  Work on the take-up estimates is well advanced and we hope to publish them around Easter.

  Benefit Applications
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest average length of time taken to process applications for(a) family credit, (b) income support and (c) housing benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest available information is as follows:

  Working days

  Family credit1

  20·4

  Income support1

  6·4

  Housing benefit2

  —

  1 Data derived from claims cleared during December 1990.

  2 Precise data is not available in respect of housing benefit.

  Approximately three-quarters of all claims are dealt with within the statutory 14-day period.

  Child Support
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the value of child support for each child in standard rate tax-paying families in 1990 prices from 1958 to 1991–92.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is in the table. Figures for April 1991 cannot be given at April 1990 prices until the retail prices index (RPI) for April 1991 is published.
  253

  Children under age 11

  Children aged 11 to 15

  Children aged 16 and over

  Date3

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child4

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child4

  1st child

  2nd child

  3rd child4

  April 1979

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  9·22

  November 1980

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  8·55

  November 1981

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  8·44

  November 1982

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  8·85

  November 1983

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  9·38

  November 1984

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  9·42

  November 1985

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  9·13

  July 1986

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  9·11

  April 1987

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  8·91

  April 1988

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  8·57

  April 1989

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  7·94

  April 1990

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  7·25

  1 The combined value of child tax allowance after clawback and family allowance/child benefit.

  2 Reflects the April 1990 value of child support at the dates of uprating based on the movement in the general Index of retail prices.

  3 Child tax allowance ceased after the 1978–79 tax year and uprating dates are shown from 1979 onwards.

  4 And subsequent children.

  Dependants
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate for the latest date available the number of dependants of unemployed people broken down into spouses and children.

  Mr. Jack
  On the basis of the statistical information regarding unemployment benefit and income support in payment at May 1989, the number of dependants of unemployed people is estimated to be as follows:

  Estimated number

  Adults1

  378,245

  Children2

  607,000

  1 It is not possible to isolate spouses. The figure is based on the number of cases where income support is payable in respect of a partner and, in the case of unemployment benefit, the number (of-adult dependency increases.

  2 All children under 16 plus those under 19 in full-time education.

  Deductions from Benefit
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households, from data taken for the Annual Statistical Inquiry, in 1989 and 1990, are having weekly deductions made from their supplementary benefit or income support as appropriate, for (i) electricity and (ii) gas of(a) under £2 per week and (b) in each £1 band above £2 per week up to £40 per week.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information available is shown in the table.

  May 19892

  Amount of deductions1

  Gas

  Electricity

  0·00–2·00

  3,000

  3,000

  2·01–3·00

  3,500

  5,500

  3·01–4·00

  6,500

  9,500

  4·01–5·00

  8,000

  9,500

  5·01–6·00

  11,000

  11,500

  6·01–7·00

  14,000

  14,000

  7·01–8·00

  15,000

  11,500

  8·01–9·00

  16,500

  10,000

  9·01–10·00

  16,000

  10,000

  10·01–11·00

  11,500

  9,500

  11·01–12·00

  10,000

  8,500

  12·01–13·00

  7,000

  5,000

  13·01–14·00

  5,500

  6,500

  254

  Amount of deductions1

  Gas

  Electricity

  14·01–15·00

  2,500

  4,000

  15·01–16·00

  1,500

  3,000

  16·01–17·00

  1,000

  2,000

  17·01–18·00

  1,000

  2,500

  18·01–19·00

  500

  1,500

  19·01–20·00

  500

  1,000

  320·01–24·00

  500

  3,500

  24·01–30·00

  5*

  1,000

  30·01 and over

  Nil

  Nil

  Total

  413,400

  131,500

  1 Deductions cover the cost of current consumption and where necessary, a specific amount to clear an outstanding bill. Number of cases have been rounded to nearest 500.

  2 Data for 1990 are not yet available.

  3 For figures over £20 per week the bands have been amalgamated as shown, since in single pound bands most would contain no cases or less than 500. The method by which these estimates are obtained does not imply a high level of precision for such numbers.

  4 Columns may not total to sum due to rounding.

  5* Denotes figures under 500.

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry May 1989.

DEFENCE

  Near Miss, Perranporth
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the Royal Air Force Harrier involved in an air miss with a hang glider near Perranporth on 17 July 1986 was found to have made an unauthorised penetration of(a) the Perranporth aerodrome traffic zone and (b) the Penhale hang gliding site.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No, since(a) no report of an unauthorised penetration of the Perranporth aerodrome traffic zone was received; and (b) military aircraft are not prohibited from overflying the Penhale hang gliding site; they are advised only to keep a good lookout if flying in the area.

  Air Misses
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates, locations, aircraft involved, circumstances and heights of all category A air misses between civil and military aircraft in United Kingdom airspace during 1990.
  255
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The following category A airmisses between civil and military aircraft occurred over

  Date involved

  Location

  Aircraft

  Circumstances1

  Approximate height

  1 April 1990

  Ballykelly

  Cherokee/Gazelle

  Late sighting by both pilots

  2,300 ft.

  11 April 1990

  Tibenham

  Rollason Condor/A10

  Unauthorised penetration of Tibenham airfield area by A10 pilot

  600 ft.

  4 May 1990

  22 NM2 NE Flamborough Head

  SK76 helicopter/untraced military jet

  Conflict of flightpaths

  3,000 ft.

  8 May 1990

  Barton Stacey

  Gazelle/Cherokee

  Failure of Cherokee pilot to see Gazelle in time to give way and very late sighting of Cherokee by Gazelle pilot

  2,000 ft.

  1 Based on assessment by Joint Airmiss Working Group of cause of airmiss.

  2 NM—nautical miles.

  Borders Tactical Training Area
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the purpose of retaining the separation of the borders tactical training area into two distinct parts.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The separation of the borders tactical training area into two distinct parts allows for more efficient management of the airspace by permitting simultaneous use of the eastern and western parts by two different units, should this be needed.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what powers Her Majesty's Government have to take disciplinary action against pilots of allied air forces who are found to have breached low-flying regulations in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Her Majesty's Government have no disciplinary jursidiction over personnel of other air forces. If, however, personnel of a NATO member state based in the United Kingdom were to breach our low-flying regulations, legal jurisdiction for disciplinary proceeding would be dealt with under the NATO status of forces agreement and the Visiting Forces Act 1952. If personnel from another country not based in the United Kingdom were to breach these regulations, they would be dealt with under the arrangements contained in the memorandum of understanding with that, particular country.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many operational low-flying movements were authorised in the borders tactical training area on Saturday 11 August 1990.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Ten.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what research has been conducted by his Department on the impact of noise from low-flying aircraft on deer stalking activities.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  None.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the purpose of the visits by aircraft from the 57 fighter interceptor squadron, United States air force, to RAF Leuchars on 16 to 19 July 1990; and what authorisation was given to these aircraft to carry out low flying over the United Kingdom.
  256
  the United Kingdom between January and June 1990. The joint air miss working group has not yet completed its assessments for the remainder of 1990.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There were no such visits.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when No. 4 Squadron Royal Air Force first commenced night low-level training on the Harrier GR7; and if he will list the countries in which such training has so far taken place.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. 4 Squadron Royal Air Force has not yet commenced night low-level training on the Harrier GR7.

  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many low-flying movements were authorised in the borders tactical training area in each month from the earliest available records to the latest available date; and if he will provide a breakdown of the figures from September 1989 onwards into movements in the eastern and western parts of the borders tactical training area.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The borders tactical training area was formally incorporated into the United Kingdom low-flying system in 1984. Low-flying movements authorised in the area in each month from January 1984 to December 1987 are as follows:

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  January

  0

  94

  42

  85

  February

  3

  63

  196

  98

  March

  0

  16

  24

  129

  April

  0

  0

  10

  247

  May

  0

  0

  0

  16

  June

  0

  0

  28

  0

  July

  0

  0

  26

  0

  August

  0

  0

  0

  0

  September

  0

  0

  24

  11

  October

  50

  0

  248

  23

  November

  60

  0

  0

  0

  December

  78

  0

  0

  17

  The number of low-flying movements authorised in the borders tactical training area in 1988 and 1989 were provided in the reply given to the hon. Member on 19 December 1990 at column 208, and for the period January to October 1990 in the reply given on 3 December 1990 at column 48.

  The numbers of low-flying movements authorised in the eastern and western parts of the borders tactical training area since September 1989 are as follows:
  257

  Borders Tactical Training Area

  East

  West

  1989

  September

  181

  135

  October

  57

  47

  November

  17

  21

  December

  0

  0

  1990

  January

  78

  71

  February

  191

  156

  March

  234

  179

  April

  117

  99

  May

  94

  91

  June

  68

  0

  July

  36

  36

  August

  318

  212

  September

  397

  317

  October

  411

  298

  November

  365

  260

  December

  121

  94

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Thorne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many members of the Territorial Army have been enlisted for service in the Gulf or to replace regular soldiers deployed to the Gulf;

  (2) how many of those members of the Territorial Army who have been enlisted for service in the Gulf or to replace regular soldiers deployed to the Gulf are in the Army medical services.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  About 500 members of the Territorial Army have volunteered and been called out for service in the Gulf or to replace regular soldiers deployed to the Gulf. About 470 of them are medical specialists.

  TA and Cadets
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of the Territorial Army, Army cadets, Air Training Corps and sea cadets budgets was expended in the northern region year by year since 1985.

  United Kingdom servicemen and servicewomen recruitment Northern region (Percentage of United Kingdom total shown in brackets)

  Financial year

  All services

  Royal Navy

  Royal Marines

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  1985–86

  2,680

  3321

  99

  1,706

  543

  Per cent.

  (9·3)

  (9·1)

  (9·8)

  (9·3)

  (9·4)

  1986–87

  2,721

  383

  110

  1,688

  540

  Per cent.

  (9·2)

  (8·1)

  (9·4)

  (9·5)

  (9·0)

  1987–88

  2,870

  414

  80

  1,916

  460

  Per cent.

  (9·6)

  (8·8)

  (8·6)

  (1·0)

  (8·9)

  1988–89

  2,830

  451

  80

  1,801

  498

  Per cent.

  (9·4)

  (9·4)

  (9·0)

  (9·3)

  (9·6)

  1989–90

  3,112

  386

  65

  2,000

  661

  Per cent.

  (9·6)

  (7·8)

  (6·4)

  (10·1)

  (9·9)

  1 Less QARNNS in 1985–86 as they were dealt with centrally.

  258
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The percentage of Territorial Army, Army cadet force, Air Training Corps and sea cadets manpower and administration cost which can be separately identified as being spent in the northern region are:

  Year

  TA Percentage

  ACF Percentage

  ATC Percentage

  Sea cadets Percentage

  1985–86

  7

  9

  5

  13

  1986–87

  7

  10

  6

  13

  1987–88

  6

  8

  6

  13

  1988–89

  7

  9

  3

  13

  1989–90

  7

  9

  3

  13

  The figures for the sea cadets reflect only the MOD-funded element, and do not include moneys provided by the Sea Cadet Association.

  Recruits
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of new recruits into Her Majesty's armed forces, Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force, come from the northern region year by year since 1985.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The percentage of new recruits into the Royal Navy, Royal Marines, Army and Royal Air Force recruited in the northern region during the financial years 1985–86 to 1989–90 is set out in the table. Applications for entry as officers are dealt with centrally and regional breakdowns cannot be produced.

  United Kingdom servicemen and servicewomen recruitment United Kingdom total

  Financial year

  All services

  Royal Navy

  Royal Marines

  Army

  Royal Air Force

  1985–86

  28,749

  3,645

  1,010

  18,321

  5,773

  1986–87

  29,632

  4,703

  1,171

  17,729

  6,029

  1987–88

  29,956

  4,682

  933

  19,189

  5,152

  1988–89

  30,256

  4,781

  890

  19,401

  5,184

  1989–90

  32,399

  4,945

  1,017

  19,778

  6,659

  Technology Exports
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department has any plans to inform companies involved in the manufacture and export of militarily sensitive technologies of their responsibilities when engaging in such export trade.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No. Information and guidance on security export controls of strategic goods and technology are provided to United Kingdom exporters by the Department of Trade and Industry which is responsible for export licensing.

  End-user Certificates
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what steps are taken by Her Majesty's Government to ensure that end-user certificates attached to arms exports and military technology sales are adhered to by importer states.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Sole-use clauses in sales agreements are designed to ensure that British defence equipment is not transferred to third parties without the agreement of the British Government.

  Computers (Security)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 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. Archie Hamilton
  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 have been kept under review and my right hon. Friend has approved revised rules covering the use of lap-top computers.

  Greenham Common
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any plans to introduce a Bill to acquire the common rights at Greenham Common.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

  Crown Proceedings Act 1949
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give his best estimate of the number of prospective claims communicated to his Department and which were barred from action when section 10 of the Crown Proceedings Act 1949 was in force.
  260
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No central records were kept of such prospective claims prior to 1978. However, 805 claims have been recorded as being received since late 1978.

  Gulf and Falklands Forces
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by month for the last three months the cost of maintaining(a) the Gulf forces and (b) the Falklands forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The current full monthly operating cost of maintaining our forces in the Gulf and the Falklands for October, November and December 1990 is estimated to be as follows:

  Area

  October £million

  November £million

  December £million

  Gulf

  60

  70

  110

  Falklands

  5

  5

  5

  British Nuclear Test Veterans AB0
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association in the last year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A number of representations have been made by the British Nuclear Test Veterans Association and its members. As the Government have made clear on many occasions, we would be ready to pay compensation wherever the Crown's legal liability was established and where there was firm evidence to show that, on a balance of probabilities, ex-service personnel had suffered ill-health as a result of exposure to radiation during the course of their duties as members of the armed forces.

  Journalists (Gulf)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many journalists are accredited to armed forces facilities in the Gulf; and what restrictions are placed on their broadcasting or relaying of stories.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Some 45 journalists are accredited to various British service units in the Gulf. In filing reports they are required to abide by published ground rules designed to protect the security and safety of allied forces. Where necessary, their reports may also be subject to vetting by military authorities to which they are attached.

  PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE: EFFICIENCY SCRUTINY
  PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE: EFFICIENCY SCRUTINY
  FRAUD IN THE EC
  FRAUD IN THE EC
  RECYCLED PAPER
  RECYCLED PAPER
  HEROIN AND COCAINE: SEIZURE DATA
  HEROIN AND COCAINE: SEIZURE DATA
  THE GULF: DECISIONS ON MILITARY OPERATIONS
  THE GULF: DECISIONS ON MILITARY OPERATIONS
  PRISON ESCAPES AND ABSCONDS
  PRISON ESCAPES AND ABSCONDS
  PRISON OFFICERS ON ESCORT DUTY: ASSAULTS
  PRISON OFFICERS ON ESCORT DUTY: ASSAULTS
  PRISONERS: ESCAPES WHILE UNDER ESCORT
  PRISONERS: ESCAPES WHILE UNDER ESCORT
  PRISON OFFICERS: ASSAULTS BY INMATES
  PRISON OFFICERS: ASSAULTS BY INMATES
  THE BALTIC STATES
  THE BALTIC STATES
  FRESH WATERS: QUALITY MONITORING REPORT
  FRESH WATERS: QUALITY MONITORING REPORT
  PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES: PROPOSED REGULATIONS
  PRIVATE WATER SUPPLIES: PROPOSED REGULATIONS
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESERVISTS' PENSIONS
  LOCAL GOVERNMENT RESERVISTS' PENSIONS
  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT: WASTE DISPOSAL PROVISIONS
  ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT: WASTE DISPOSAL PROVISIONS