Written Answers of 10 July 1991

TRANSPORT

  Transport Security
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the 1990–91 annual report of the Chief Inspector of Transport Security.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am today placing copies of this report in the Library of the House.

  Shipping Accidents
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what systematic assessment is made of human error in casualty investigations for shipping accidents.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: Inspectors carrying out investigations into marine accidents are fully alive to the human factor in all its forms. Their inquiries, therefore, as a matter of course, include examination into the possibility of error and, where it is found, an assessment both of its cause and its effect.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 2 July, how many accidents listed have been attributed to human error for each year 1981 to 1990 involving United Kingdom registered vessels, and 1989 to 1990 involving United Kingdom ferries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: The majority of accidents have several contributory factors and cannot be attributed to one specific individual cause. A list such as that asked for therefore cannot be provided. However, human error is considered to be at least one factor in some 80 per cent. of accidents; this applies to vessels of all types including ferries.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General when he expects to lay before Parliament and to publish the annual report of the Serious Fraud Office for the year 1990–91.

  The Attorney-General
  The report has today been laid before Parliament. I have caused a copy of the report to be placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Treaties
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs if he will list those treaties that have been signed by Her Majesty's Government but have not yet been ratified, giving for each treaty the date of signing.
  354
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs if he will make a statement on the process by which treaties are ratified by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Before ratifying a treaty Her Majesty's Government must ensure that they have the necessary statutory powers to enable them to give effect to its provisions and, if not, that the necessary enabling legislation is made. The text of the treaty is then laid before Parliament for a minimum of 21 parliamentary sitting days before it is ratified in order to give Parliament the opportunity to debate its provisions.

  CFE Treaty
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs when he expects Her Majesty's Government to ratify the conventional forces in Europe treaty.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We expect to do so this autumn.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonweath Affairs (1) whether his Department has evaluated what effect withdrawing a regular Royal Navy presence in Antarctica could have on the United Kingdom's current and future association with that area;

  (2) what assessment has been made of the impact of the withdrawal of HMS Endurance on the study and understanding of the Antarctic continent and protection of United Kingdom interests in that region.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  HMS Endurance carries out hydrographic surveys and provides support for the British Antarctic Survey's science programme. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence is aware of the role of HMS Endurance in supporting Her Majesty's Government's commitment to British interests in the area.

  Romania
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were last made to the Romanian authorities about anti-semitism.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We take every suitable opportunity to press the Romanian Government to ensure that the rights of all members of the Jewish and other minority communities in Romania are fully respected. We have asked Her Majesty's ambassador in Bucharest to monitor closely certain recent expressions of anti-semitism in Romania.

  Mr. Peter Nadin
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to his correspondence with the hon. Member for Islington, North, if he will ask the British embassy in Athens to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death or the hon. Member's constituent Peter Nadin while in police
  355
  custody; and if he will meet the hon. Member for Islington, North to receive representations on behalf of the deceased's mother.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  British consular officers have no investigatory rôle. Mr. Nadin's death was investigated by the Greek authorities in 1984. They concluded that he committed suicide. The Greek authorities reviewed the case in 1985 at our request. They reached the same conclusion. In the absence of new evidence we have no grounds to ask them to reopen the case.

  In the circumstances, there is little to be gained from a meeting about this sad case.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  INWARD
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what proportion of moneys allocated to INWARD for industrial promotion in the north-west of England is allocated for the promotion of Cumbria;

  (2) if he will state on what county justification basis moneys are allocated to INWARD for the industrial promotion of the north-west of England.

  Mr. Leigh
  For the current financial year, 1991–92, INWARD received from the Department of Trade and Industry grant-in-aid of £900,000. This grant is allocated to INWARD on the basis of an agreed business plan for the promotion of overseas inward investment into the north-west. However, within the broad thrust of promotion of the region it is for INWARD to decide the most appropriate allocations of emphasis, including that to individual counties such as Cumbria, to meet its business objectives.

  The principal objective is to provide information on all parts of the region in response to investors inquiries. Many of these are relayed to INWARD from the Invest In Britain Bureau as a result of the latter's promotional activities on behalf of the UK. Another objective is to service such investors, on behalf of IBB, when visiting the region. These activities are funded 100 per cent. The DTI through IBB, also funds 50 per cent. of INWARD's own promotional activity overseas, and it is free to attract additional funding from local sources to supplement this activity or for other regional activities in which the Department has no direct involvement.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will monitor the use of moneys paid to INWARD for industrial promotion in the north-west to ensure that each county that is a member of INWARD receives its fair share of industrial inquiries.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Department of Trade and Industry closely monitors the activities of all the regional development organisations, including INWARD, to ensure that the grant is spent to the best effect. An important function of an RDO is to provide a "one-stop shop" where all the potential sites in the region can be accessed by an investor. In responding to inquiries from industry the prime concern of RDOs must be to supply what industry needs, which will include fulfilling locational requirements as closely as possible. Although I have no doubts that all RDOs make every effort to ensure that all 356
  local authority members have a chance to respond to suitable inquiries, relations with members are principally a matter for the respective RDO board.

  Sound Diffusion Ltd.
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department has taken following his inspectors' reports on Sound Diffusion Ltd.

  Mr. Redwood
  Following the receipt of the inspectors' report, consideration is being given to the possibility of application to the court under section 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986. A copy of the report has also been provided to the Institute of Chartered Accountants for it to consider the conduct of its members.

  Investment Brokers Act 1977
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to review the scope and contents of the Investment Brokers Act 1977.

  Mr. Redwood
  I assume that the hon. Member is asking about the Insurance Brokers Registration Act 1977. I have no plans to review it.

  Ernst and Young
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions since 1988 his Department's inspectors have criticised the performance of Ernst and Young and its predecessors.

  Mr. Redwood
  Three reports of Companies Act inspectors published since 1 January 1989 contain criticisms of the firms which now form Ernst and Young:

  Name of company

  Date of publication of report

  Name of firm criticized

  Alexander Howden

  Holdings plc

  29 August 1990

  Arthur Young

  Minet Holdings plc/WMD Underwriting Agencies Limited

  29 August 1990

  Arthur Young

  Arthur Young

  Sound Diffusion plc

  1 May 1991

  Ernst and Whinney

  Insurance Selling
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regulations exist to ensure capital adequacy, creditworthiness and sound financial reporting by sellers of insurance not covered by the Investment Brokers Act 1977.

  Mr. Redwood
  As regards insurance intermediaries not registered under the Insurance Brokers Registration Act, those selling insurance which comprises an investment product are regulated under the Financial Services Act regime, and those selling general insurance come under the Association of British Insurers' code of practice for non-registered general insurance intermediaries.

  Space Consultative Committee
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when the consultative committee with companies active in space last met; and when it will next meet.
  357
  Mr. Leigh
  The space consultative committee was wound up in 1987 following the formation of the British national space centre and the introduction of new consultative arrangements with the space industry. The British national space centre regularly consults companies active in space through its advisory committees and other consultative procedures.

  Medicines
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Leeds, North-West (Dr. Hampson) of 1 July,Official Report, column 19, how many generic manufacturers made representations; and how many of these actually manufacture in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: The represenations received from the manufacturers of generic medicines have come through their representative bodies,

  Central Government (a)

  Local Authorities (a)

  Health (c)

  Year

  £ million

  Percentage of GDP

  £ million

  Percentage of GDP

  £ million

  Percentage of GDP

  1960

  6,678

  2·63

  2,266

  8·9

  861

  3·4

  1970

  14,396

  28·3

  6,522

  12·8

  1,979

  3·9

  1980

  75,877

  33·3

  28,323

  12·4

  11,633

  5·1

  1990

  156,286

  28·9

  56,416

  10·4

  1n.a.

  2n.a.

  1 1989 = £25,332 million.

  2 1989 = 5·1 per cent. of GDP.

  Central Government expenditure includes health expenditure given under (c). Money GDP figures, used as the denominator for the calculation of the percentages, have been adjusted for the distortion arising from abolition of domestic rates.

  Advisory Committee on Advertising
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the membership and, where appropriate, the employment, of the Advisory Committee on Advertising in 1980 and the changes since then.

  Mr. Maples
  Members of ACA in 1980 were:

  Mr. G. C. Draper

  Director, Commercial Operations, British Airways

  Mr. K. Jacobs

  Marketing Manager, Birds Eye Ltd

  Mr. W. B. Morrell

  Ex Vice-Chairman, Westminster Press Ltd

  Mr. B. Nicholson1

  Head of Public Affairs, Lloyd's of London

  Mr. H. Thomas

  Chairman, Thames Television International Ltd

  Mr. B. H. Silverman

  Marketing Manager, Food Division Co-operative Wholesale Society

  Mr. J. S. McClean

  Managing Director, Women's Magazines Group IPC Magazines Ltd

  Members who have served since 1980 are:

  Mr. R. Halstead (1981)

  Chairman, Beecham Products

  Mr. B. Downing (1983)

  Deputy Chief Executive IPC Magazines Ltd

  Mr. P. Gittoes (1983)

  Head of Advertising Services, Barclays Bank plc

  Mr. D. Hughes (1984)

  Head of Public Relations, Thorn EMI plc

  Mr. M. Samuel (1984)1

  Environment Affairs Manager, J. Sainsbury plc

  Mr. J. Mellon (1984)1

  Chief Executive, IPC Magazines Ltd

  Mrs. A. Ferguson (1986) 1

  Head of Group Communications, ICI plc

  Mr. C. Auld (1987)1

  Group Managing Director, Intercraft Designs Ltd

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  the European generics forum and the standard formulary medicines register of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry. I do not have details of the source of the products of the companies they represent, either as active ingredients or in the finished version.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of(a) central Government expenditure, (b) local government expenditure and (c) national health service expenditure for each of the years 1961, 1970, 1980, 1990 and at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will show each figure as a percentage of gross domestic product.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information required is as follows:

  Mr. H. Turner (1987)

  Managing Director, Television South West

  Mr. E. Walsh (1990)

  Marketing Director, Birds Eye Wall's Ltd

  Mr. N . Phillips (1990)1

  Director General, Institute of the Practitioners of Advertising

  Mr. R. Spelman (1990)1

  General Manager, Marketing, Halifax Building Society

  Mr. E. Nicoli (1991)1

  Chief Executive—European Operations United Biscuits (Holdings) plc

  1 Current Committee members

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list, for each agency nominated for the first time since 1985 by the Advisory Committee on Advertising, whether it applied or whether it was appointed to be considered.

  Mr. Maples
  No records are kept of when advertising agencies, nominated by the Advisory Committee on Advertising to take part in competitions for Government work, were nominated for the first time.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the agencies nominated in each year from 1985 by the Advisory Committee on Advertising.

  Mr. Maples
  The advertising agencies nominated by the Advisory Committee on Advertising to compete for Government campaigns from 1985 are listed in the table.

  1985

  Abbott Mead Vickers/SMS

  Bartle Bogle Hegarty

  Boase Massimi Pollitt

  Butler Dennis and Garland Kenyon and Eckhardt

  CDP Waterhouse

  Collett Dickenson Pearce and Partners

  Davidson Pearce

  FCO Ltd.

  Gold Greenles Trott

  Leo Burnett

  359

  Lowe Howard-Spink

  Saatchi and Saatchi

  TBWA

  J. Walter Thompson

  Waldron Allen Henry and Thompson

  White Bull Holmes

  Wight Collins Rutherford Scott

  Yellowhammer

  1986

  Abbott Mead Vickers/SMS

  Boase Massimi Pollitt

  BSB Dorland

  Collett Dickenson Pearce and Partners

  First City

  Harrison Salinson

  J. Walter Thompson

  Lowe Howard-Spink

  Ogilvy and Mather

  Portland

  Poster Media

  Poster Publicity

  Posterlink

  Saatchi and Saatchi

  Waldron Allen Henry and Thompson

  Wight Collins Rutherford Scott

  Yellowhammer

  Young and Rubicam

  1987

  Abbott Mead Vickers/SMS

  Ayer Barker/Charles Barker

  Baillie Marshall

  BBDO

  Benton & Bowles Recruitment

  BSB Dorland

  Butler Dennis & Garland CDP Financial

  CDP Waterhouse

  Cogent Elliott

  Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners

  Davidson Pearce

  Dewe Rogerson

  Doyle Dane Bernbach

  Faulds

  FCO

  Gold Greenlees Trott

  Hall Advertising

  J. Walter Thompson

  Leo Burnett

  Lintas

  Northern Communications

  Ogilvy & Mather

  Saatchi & Saatchi

  Slaymaker Cowley White/BDG

  Still Price Court Twivy D'Souza

  Waldron Allen Henry & Thompson

  Wight Collins Rutherford Scott

  Woolward McCanns

  Yellowhammer

  1988

  Abbott Mead Vickers/SMS

  Ayer Barker

  BMP Davidson Pearce

  Boase Massimi Pollitt

  Butterfield Day Devito Hockney

  Cogent Elliott

  Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners

  D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles

  Davidson Pearce

  DDB Needham

  Delaney Fletcher Delaney

  Dewe Rogerson

  FCO

  Gold Greenlees Trott

  J. Walter Thompson

  360

  Leo Burnett

  Lowe Howard-Spink

  Ogilvy & Mather

  Saatchi & Saatchi

  Slaymaker Cowley White/BDG

  TBWA

  Waldron Allen Henry & Thompson

  WCRS Mathews Marcantonio

  Yellowhammer

  Young & Rubicam

  1989

  Abbott Mead Vickers/SMS

  Ayer Barker

  Benton and Bowles Recruitment

  BMP Davidson Pearce

  Butterfield Day Devito Hockney

  Cogent Elliott

  Collett Dickenson Pearce and Partners

  Concord and Posterlink

  D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles

  DDB Needham

  Delaney Fletcher Slaymaker Delaney and Bozell

  FCO Ltd.

  Gold Greenlees Trott

  Harrison Salinson

  J. Walter Thompson

  Leo Burnett

  Lowe Howard-Spink

  Ogilvy and Mather

  Portland Outdoor Advertising

  Poster Publicity Ltd.

  Publicis

  Riley

  Saatchi and Saatchi

  TBWA

  Waldron Allen Henry and Thompson

  Yellowhammer

  1990

  Allen Brady and Marsh

  Baillie Marshall

  Bridge/Alliance

  Butterfield Day Devito Hockney

  Collett Dickenson Pearce and Partners

  The Creative Business

  D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles

  Delaney Fletcher Slaymaker Delaney and Bozell

  Dorland Business Communications

  Faulds

  Gold Greenlees Trott

  Hall Advertising

  IPS Advertising

  J. Walter Thompson

  Laing Henry Hill Holliday

  Leagas Delaney

  The Leith Agency

  Leo Burnett

  McCann-Erickson

  Media Audits

  Ogilvy and Mather

  Saatchi and Saatchi

  TBWA

  WCRS

  Yellowhammer

  Young and Rubicam

  1991

  Abbott Mead Vickers/SMS

  B & B Bernard Hodes

  Barkers LBW

  Bartle Bogle Hegarty

  BMP DDB Needham

  Butterfield Day Devito Hockney

  CIA Billett & Company

  Cogent

  Collett Dickenson Pearce & Partners

  361

  Colman RSCG

  The Creative Business

  D'Arcy Masius Benton & Bowles

  Delaney Fletcher Slaymaker Delaney & Bozell

  FCO Ltd

  Gold Greenlees Trott

  Golley Slater

  Hall Harrison Cowley

  Laing Henry Hill Holliday

  Leagas Delaney

  Leo Burnett

  Lowe Howard-Spink

  Media System

  Miller and Leeves WHAT

  MSL

  Ogilvy & Mather

  PA

  Riley

  RS/Alliance

  Saatchi & Saatchi

  Local authority net capital expenditure in Scotland on functions outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland by function

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Trade, industry, energy and employment

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Transport

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Total

  2

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  Local authority net capital expenditure in Wales which falls outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales by function

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Transport

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Law, order and protective services

  9

  10

  13

  12

  17

  7

  Total

  10

  10

  13

  12

  17

  7

  Note: Figures have been independently rounded therefore, some individual figures do not always equal the total shown.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the breakdown for the years 1985–86 to 1990–91 of the entry for current grants to persons as given in the analysis of 15 April,Official Report, column 130, of

  Local authority current grants to persons in Scotland on functions outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland by type of grant

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Rent allowances

  56

  72

  89

  85

  105

  143

  Rent rebates

  229

  263

  296

  315

  351

  385

  Total

  285

  335

  386

  400

  456

  528

  Note

  Figures have been independently rounded therefore, some individual figures do not always equal the total shown.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an analysis, comparable with table 5.8 of Cm. 1520 showing(a) that local authority expenditure in Scotland which falls outside expenditure within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland, tabulated not by function but by departmental programme and (b) that local authority expenditure in Wales which
  362

  WCRS

  Yellowhammer

  Young & Rubicam

  Zenith

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish an analysis, parallel to that given by the Chief Secretary on 23 May,Official Report, columns 583–4, of (a) local authority capital expenditure in Scotland which falls outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland tabulated by function and (b) local authority capital expenditure in Wales which falls outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested, consistent with that given in the statistical supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement (Cm 1520), is given in the tables.

  local authority expenditure in Scotland on function outside the responsibilities of the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested, consistent with that given in the statistical supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1520), is given in the table.

  falls outside expenditure within the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales tabulated not by function but by departmental programme.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested for local authority current expenditure, consistent with that given in table 5.8 of the statistical supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1520), is given in the tables.
  363

  Local authority current expenditure in Scotland on functions outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Scotland by department.

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Intervention Board

  School milk and meals

  3

  4

  4

  3

  3

  8

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Consumer protection

  5

  5

  6

  7

  7

  8

  Department of Employment

  Help for unemployed people

  3

  4

  3

  8

  6

  7

  Department of Social Security

  Rent rebates

  229

  263

  296

  315

  351

  385

  Rent allowances

  56

  72

  89

  85

  105

  143

  Housing benefit administration

  13

  14

  19

  19

  21

  25

  TOTAL

  299

  349

  404

  419

  476

  553

  TOTAL

  311

  362

  417

  437

  492

  576

  Note: Figures have been independently rounded therefore, some individual figures do not always equal the total shown.

  Local authority current expenditure in Wales on functions outside the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Wales by function.

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Intervention Board

  School milk and meals

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Department of Trade and Industry

  Consumer protection

  5

  5

  5

  6

  6

  7

  Department of Employment

  Help for unemployed people

  2

  2

  3

  3

  3

  3

  Home Office

  Courts

  9

  10

  11

  11

  13

  15

  Probation

  8

  9

  10

  10

  12

  14

  Police

  134

  145

  160

  176

  197

  217

  Civil defence

  1

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  Fire

  36

  37

  41

  45

  49

  54

  Electoral registration

  1

  2

  2

  2

  2

  2

  TOTAL

  189

  204

  225

  246

  275

  304

  Department of Education and Science

  Student awards

  45

  46

  49

  53

  60

  75

  Department of Social Security

  Rent rebates

  128

  134

  135

  148

  155

  152

  Rent allowances

  40

  49

  49

  53

  59

  74

  Housing benefit administration

  6

  7

  9

  8

  8

  14

  TOTAL

  174

  190

  192

  209

  222

  240

  TOTAL

  416

  448

  475

  518

  568

  631

  Note: Figures have been independently rounded therefore, some individual figures do not always equal the total shown.

  Unemployment Costs
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he makes of the average weekly cost to the Exchequer for each unemployed person taking into account benefit paid, staff costs for administering the benefit agency, costs of job clubs, jobcentres, restart schemes and associated costs.

  Mr. Mellor
  The cost to the Exchequer for each unemployed person will depend on the person's family and other circumstances, contribution record, any tax liability, and the administrative costs of assessing and paying benefit and helping find new employment. An estimate of 364
  the benefit element of this is given in "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1991–92 to 1993–94: Social Security" (Cm 1514), page 11, table 8.

  Advertising Agencies
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Eltham of 2 July,Official Report, columns 87–88, what list the Advisory Committee on Advertising maintains of agencies considered suitable for nomination to work for government.

  Mr. Maples
  The Advisory Committee on Advertising has wide knowledge and experience of many advertising agencies but does not maintain a standing list of agencies considered suitable to compete for Government work.
  365
  Consideration of suitability for nomination is made to meet the circumstances of each separate competition.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are used by the Advisory Committee on Advertising to decide whether an agency may be nominated for Government business.

  Mr. Maples
  Advertising agencies are nominated to compete for Government business by the Advisory Committee on Advertising when the Committee considers that the agency's competence, experience and performance match the requirements of a particular competition.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total revenue foregone to the Exchequer over a financial year of(a) individual contributions to pension funds being tax free for (i) standard rate payers and (ii) higher rate payers, (b) the income and capital gains of pension funds being tax exempt and (c) the facility open to an individual of taking up to a quarter of their accrued pension rights as a lump sum payment free from tax.

  Mr. Maude
  The latest available estimates for 1990–91 are as follows.

  Relief for

  £ million

  Employee contributions to occupational pension schemes1 2

  2,200

  Investment income of occupational pension schemes1 3

  4,900

  Lump sum payments to pensioners1

  1,000

  Contributions to personal pensions (including retirement annuity premia and FSAVCs) 4 5 1,100

  1 The total cost of tax reliefs for occupational pension schemes cannot be calculated by adding together the cost of individual reliefs as this would imply a considerable degree of multiple taxation.

  2 It is not possible to provide a reliable breakdown of the total cost of relief between basic rate and higher rate taxpayers.

  3 Assuming relief at the basic rate of income tax.

  4 Including income tax relief on employers' contributions to personal pensions on the basis that under present arrangements employers' contributions are not taxable as a benefit in kind of the employee.

  5 It is not possible to provide reliable estimates of the cost of exemption for investment income and lump sum payments related to retirement annuity contracts and personal pensions.

  London Allowance
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rate of London allowance for civil servants in support and executive grades respectively since 1987; if he will make it his policy to submit requests for adjustment to arbitration; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information requested is as follows.

  London weighting allowance

  1 April 1987 £

  1 July 1988 £

  Inner

  1,527

  1,750

  Intermediate

  876

  1,000

  Outer

  641

  725

  London weighting for civil servants has not been increased since 1988. However, since 1988 London pay points worth between 4 per cent. and 7 per cent.,
  366
  depending on grade, have been introduced for most civil servants in London, along with local pay additions worth up to £1,000 a year targeted at locations with severe recruitment and retention problems.

  Over the past two years, over £87 million a year has been spent enhancing London pay in this way, in addition to national pay increases. This represents an increase of over 50 per cent. in the London element of the pay bill. Unlike London weighting, London spine points and local pay additions are targeted to ensure that public money is used most cost-effectively. Over the past two years, recruitment and retention rates in London have improved very significantly.

  The Government's policy is that pay should be based on what is required to recruit, retain and motivate within what is affordable. The Government's intention is to continue to set London pay in accordance with that policy and, where appropriate, to target increases in the London element of pay to ensure that they produce the best value for money for the taxpayer.

  Successive Governments have reserved the right not to go to arbitration on issues which raise policy considerations. In previous years London weighting claims have raised policy issues in respect of public expenditure control and the targeting of pay increases to secure best value for money on which arbitration would not have been appropriate.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what formal proposals have been made by him to European colleagues to protect the export of Scotch whisky to the Community; what further discussions he intends to hold with EC colleagues on the implications of an EC indirect tax scheme for Scotch whisky exports to the rest of the EC; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  At the ECOFIN Council on 24 June, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer successfully argued against the proposal to set a minimum level of spirits duty post-1992 which would have unacceptably increased discrimination against Scotch whisky in the southern member states. As a result, no minimum rate was agreed and at my right hon. Friend's request the Commission will be examining possible distortions in the alcoholic drinks market and reporting later this year. Further discussions on the minimum rate will take place on the basis of that report.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total annual value accruing to the Treasury of(a) domestic and (b) international sales of Scotch whisky.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information available relates to the VAT and excise duty yield from domestic sales of whisky which in 1990 is estimated to have been £1 billion. International sales do not produce excise or VAT revenue.

  Single European Currency
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will set out his current assessment of the effect of a single currency on the annual gross domestic product of the European Community.
  367
  Mr. Maude
  It is too early to predict what the effect of a single currency would be on Community GDP. Potential benefits might accrue from reductions in transactions costs and exchange rate risk, and lower inflation. But compared to existing ERM arrangements, a single currency does not of itself guarantee lower inflation or reduced exchange rate risk against non-Community currencies, and the transactions cost advantages are unlikely to be large. Moreover, the success of any move to a single currency would depend on Community economies first having achieved sufficient sustainable convergence in terms of inflation rates, interest rates, budget deficits and market flexibility. Otherwise there would be adverse effects on Community GDP and unemployment.

  Sterling M3
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 28 June,Official Report, column 567, if he will provide the information requested for sterling M3 for the relevant periods prior to cessation of the publication.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The information requested is shown in the following table:

  12-month growth rates of sterling M3

  Financial year

  Percentage change

  June 1979-March 1980

  19·9

  1980–81

  17·9

  1981–82

  14·7

  1982–83

  11·8

  1983–84

  8·0

  1984–85

  11·5

  1985–86

  16·7

  1986–87

  18·8

  1987–88

  20·9

  1988–89

  20·2

  1 Change between June 1979, and March 1980, at an annual rate.

  ECOFIN
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community Economic and Finance Council.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Brussels on 8 July. The Minister for Corporate Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council held a discussion of economic convergence within the Community as part of the regular multilateral surveillance of the economies of member states. The Council agreed that greater progress towards economic convergence was desirable and that, where necessary, member states would submit medium-term economic programmes to promote convergence. The Council's conclusions have today been placed in the Library in accordance with article 8 of the 1990 convergence decision.

  The revised annual economic report was adopted, a copy of which is also in the Library.

  Over lunch there was a brief procedural discussion of EMU in which it was agreed that the next ministerial meeting of the IGC would be held on 9 September.
  368
  The investment services directive was again discussed, but without further agreement. The Minister for Corporate Affairs continued to argue for a liberal and market-sensitive directive.

  Lending outside the Community by the European investment bank was also discussed. The Council agreed to return to the technical and financial aspects of this question in the autumn on the basis of a report by the Commission and the EIB. It was agreed that in the meantime the bank could consider extending loans to countries with which the Community had a co-operation agreement on a case-by-case basis in accordance with its existing statute.

  The agreement by the European Council to offer a balance of payments loan to Algeria was discussed, but no agreement was reached as to the amount or details of such a loan.

  It was agreed that a loan guaranteed by the Community of up to 375 million ecu should also be offered to Romania provided that each tranche was matched by equal contributions from members of the G24 outside the Community and other countries.

  The Council also adopted a declaration on the Commission's report on countering fraud against the Community budget in 1990, setting out additional objectives for the year ahead; and the United Kingdom made a brief statement stressing the importance of this issue and the need to monitor results, and welcoming the agreement to review the scope of the Commission's 45-point action plan in the light of experience.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  ODA Budget
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much has been spent from the Overseas Development Administration budget for each of the past 10 years, in terms of 1991 prices, on construction and infrastructural projects in developing nations, where a United Kingdom company was the only or main contractor.

  Mrs. Chalker
  ODA projects are classified by recipient country sector for records purposes. Details of construction and infrastructure projects where a United Kingdom contractor was involved could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Aid
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much aid is given by the United Kingdom to(a) Benin, (b) Burundi, (c) Comoros, (d) Equatorial Guinea, (e) Ghana, (f) Guinea, (g) Kenya, (h) Liberia, (i) Madagasgar, (j) Malawi, (k) Mali, (l) Mauritania, (m) Mozambique, (n) Myanmar, (o) Niger, (p) Sao Tome and Principe, (q) Sierra Leone, (r) Somalia, (s) Sudan, (t) Tanzania, (u) Togo, (v) Zaire, (w) Zambia, (x) Guinea-Bissau, (y) Guyana and (z) Nigeria.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom's gross bilateral aid during 1989, the most recent year for which figures are currently available, was as follows:
  369

  Country

  £ 000s

  Benin

  331

  Burundi

  152

  Comoros

  7

  Equatorial Guinea

  84

  Ghana

  50,206

  Guinea

  456

  Kenya

  53,941

  Liberia

  613

  Madagascar

  316

  Malawi

  43,114

  Mali

  1,156

  Mauritania

  152

  Mozambique

  22,431

  Burma

  699

  Niger

  281

  Sao Tome and Principe

  —

  Sierra Leone

  2,808

  Somalia

  5,295

  Sudan

  31,436

  Tanzania

  38,056

  Togo

  278

  Zaire

  728

  Zambia

  19,711

  Guinea-Bissau

  41

  Guyana

  6,561

  Nigeria

  62,963

  Development aid programmes to Sudan and Somalia were suspended in 1991. Aid to Burma was suspended in 1988 and the amount shown for 1989 covered residual payments and ongoing costs of trainees already in Britain.

  Natural Resources Institute
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of the Natural Resources Institute, including performance-related element, and the length of time of the chief executive's contract.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The chief executive of the Natural Resources Institute is paid as a grade 3 in the civil service. Currently the London rate is £51,300 with a salary range up to a maximum of £59,000 including performance-related pay. The present chief executive was appointed for two years in the first instance ending 31 March 1992.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will state the first degree obtained by the chief executive of the Natural Resources Institute and from which university or polytechnic it was awarded.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The present chief executive of the Natural Resources Institute has a first degree in economics from Cambridge university.

  Agency

  Date

  Aircraft

  Tonnage

  Destination

  ODA

  6 May

  1 × Boeing 707

  6

  Incerlik, Turkey

  ODA

  16 May

  1 × Boeing 707

  19

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  ODA

  18 May

  1 × Boeing 707

  30

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  ODA

  20 May

  2 × Boeing 707

  60

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  ODA

  24 May

  1 × Boeing 707

  38

  Tabriz, Iran

  ODA

  27 May

  1 × Boeing 707

  12

  Incerlik, Turkey

  ODA

  1 June

  2 × Boeing 707

  23

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  ODA

  2 June

  1 × Boeing 707

  16

  Incerlik, Turkey

  ODA

  2 June

  1 × Boeing 707

  11

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  ODA

  4 June

  1 × Boeing 707

  11

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  ODA

  5 June

  1 × Belfast

  19

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  ODA

  6 June

  1 × Boeing 707

  13

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  ODA

  9 June

  1 × Belfast

  19

  Diyarbakir, Turkey

  370
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of the Natural Resources Institute as an executive agency; and whether the cost was borne by the parent department or the new agency;

  (2) how many staff were in post on the date that the Natural Resources Institute was established as an executive agency; and how many staff are in post now;

  (3) if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into the Natural Resources Institute since its establishment as an executive agency; and if he will give a breakdown by grade of the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern;

  (4) what appointments from the private sector have been made to the Natural Resources Institute at grade 7 or above since its establishment as an agency; and if he will list the post, grade and maximum salary payable, including performance-related element;

  (5) if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by the Natural Resources Institute since its establishment as an executive agency identifying separately those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status;

  (6) if he will list those new facilities for staff including nurseries and healthcare schemes, which have been introduced in the Natural Resources Institute since its establishment as an executive agency;

  (7) what group bonus schemes are in operation in the Natural Resources Institute; and if he will state the cash amount per person awarded in the last year for which figures are available, and the conditions attached to its award;

  (8) when the last annual report for the Natural Resources Institute was published; and when the next one is due.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have asked the chief executive of the Natural Resources Institute to write to the hon. Member.

  Kurds
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his written answers to the hon. Member for Derbyshire, North-East on 25 April,Official Report, columns 507–8, 2 May, Official Report, column 288, and 15 May, Official Report, column 192–94, if he will update the information supplied concerning aid to the Kurds.

  Mrs. Chalker
  (a) As of 10 July, the Overseas Development Administration has provided a further 293 tonnes of relief supplies as described in the table:
  371

  Agency

  Date

  Aircraft

  Tonnage

  Destination

  ODA

  3 July

  not known

  3

  Tehran, Iran

  ODA

  10 July

  not known

  13

  Tehran, Iran

  In addition, the British Red Cross Society and the voluntary organisation British Aid for the Kurds have provided the following further information about their relief supplies:

  Agency

  Date

  Aircraft

  Tonnage

  Destination

  BRCS

  29 April

  1 × Boeing 707

  41

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  1 May

  1 × DC8

  38

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  3 May

  1 × DC8

  38

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  5 May

  1 × DC8

  38

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  7 May

  1 × DC8

  38

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  9 May

  1 × DC8

  39

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  11 May

  1 × DC8

  39

  Orumiyeh, Iran

  BRCS

  17 May

  1 × DC8

  40

  Baghdad, Iraq

  BRCS

  22 May

  1 × DC8

  39

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  24 April

  1 × Boeing 747

  75

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  25 April

  1 × Boeing 707

  133

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  26 April

  1 × Boeing 747

  88

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  1 May

  1 × Boeing 747

  50

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  8 May

  1 × Boeing 747

  44

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  10 May

  1 × Boeing 747

  165

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  15 May

  1 × Boeing 747

  60

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  22 May

  1 × Boeing 747

  30

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  29 May

  1 × Boeing 747

  5

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  5 June

  1 × Boeing 747

  27

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  12 June

  1 × Boeing 747

  not known

  Tehran, Iran

  BAK

  3 July

  1 × Boeing 747

  147

  Tehran, Iran

  1 Denotes ODA charter.

  (b) The aircraft carrying the supplies described by British Aid for the Kurds on 25 April, 10 may, 22 May and 3 July were chartered by the Overseas Development Administration.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the regulations and controls that over the export or re-export of wild birds; and, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Glanford and Scunthorpe (Mr. Morley) of 26 June,Official Report, column 498, how many of the imported wild birds are subsequently re-exported.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Transit of Animals (General) Order 1973, as amended, lays down a number of general measures designed to safeguard the welfare of a wide variety of animals, including captive birds, during their transportation to, from or within Great Britain.

  Animal health conditions for the export or re-export of captive birds are laid down by the veterinary authorities of the countries of destination and it would be impracticable to publish in the Official Report the numerous export health certificates which exist.

  Controls under CITES and the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976 are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment.

  The Ministry has no information on the number of imported captive birds which are subsequently re-exported.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) how many white-fronted Amazon 372
  parrots were imported into the United Kingdom in 1988; and what proportion died either in transit or while in quarantine;

  (2) how many crimson seed-cracker species of wild bird were imported into the United Kingdom in 1988; and what proportion suffered mortality either in transit or while in quarantine.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on mortality in birds imported into Great Britain is given in the Ministry's publications "Importation of Birds—Mortality Statistics from Quarantine Returns", copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  In 1988, 489 white-fronted Amazons (Amazona albifrons) were imported, of which 376 were dead on arrival or died in quarantine. The figures for crimson seedcracker (Pyrenestes sanquineus) were 20 and 19 respectively.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what advice he has received from the veterinary investigations service concerning the importation and quarantine of wild-caught birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The veterinary investigations service is not directly involved in advising on the health conditions under which captive birds are imported and quarantined. Its role in this respect is to report to the state veterinary service the outcome of tests on the carcases of birds submitted for post-mortem examination as required by the terms of import licences.

  Scotch Whisky
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the total volume and value of exports of Scotch whisky to(a) Europe, (b) the United States of America and (c) Japan at the most recent available date.

  Mr. Curry
  In 1990, exports of whisky to the destinations specified were as follows:

  £ million

  Million litres of pure alcohol

  European Community

  631

  89

  United States of America

  276

  47

  Japan

  178

  21

  Note: Includes small quantities of Northern Irish whiskey, Bourbon and immature plain cereal spirits.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total volume and value of exports of Scotch whisky in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Curry
  In the past five years, exports of Scotch whisky were as follows:

  £ million

  Million litres of pure alcohol

  1986

  1,070

  236

  1987

  1,136

  240

  1988

  1,289

  246

  1989

  1,470

  242

  1990

  1,712

  238

  Note: The figures include small quantities of Northern Irish whiskey.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what percentage of total agricultural land in environmentally sensitive areas is subject to ESA agreements; and what percentage of ESA target areas is covered by such agreements.

  Mr. Curry
  In the 10 ESAs in England there are 115,960 hectares covered by agreements. This represents 45 per cent. of the potentially eligible agricultural land. The schemes do not target particular areas of eligible land, but as an indicator of the success of uptake, targets were set of 75 per cent. of eligible grassland and 10 per cent. of eligible arable land. The area covered by agreements represents 92 per cent. of these targets.

  Publicity Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 75, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each publicity campaign.

  Mr. Curry
  MAFF's touring exhibition, currently taking consumer information to major shopping centres and agricultural shows, commenced its programme on 20 May 1991 and is scheduled to finish on 5 October 1991. The revision of the Department's range of publications on food is still in hand.

SCOTLAND

  NHS Staff
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the percentage change in the number of administrative and clerical staff in the national health service in Scotland between September 1979 and the latest available date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The percentage of all personnel in the national health service in Scotland who were classified as administrative and clerical for statistical purposes was 10·9 per cent. in September 1979 and 12·9 per cent. in September 1990: the corresponding percentages for medical and nursing personnel were 53.8 per cent. and 59·6 per cent. respectively. The figures for administrative and clerical staff include staff engaged in clinically related work and the 1990 figures also include general and senior management grades which contain a number of professional and technical staff.

  Careers Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much has been spent through the careers service strengthening scheme in Scotland in each year since 1979, expressed both in current prices and in actual sums spent.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  £000

  Year

  Actual expenditure

  Expenditure at 1990 prices

  1979–80

  544

  1,176

  1980–81

  723

  1,321

  1981–82

  937

  1,561

  1982–83

  1,329

  2,067

  1983–84

  1,645

  2,446

  1984–85

  1,664

  2,355

  1985–86

  1,697

  2,278

  1986–87

  1,791

  2,323

  1987–88

  1,887

  2,324

  1988–89

  2,034

  2,331

  1989–90

  2,205

  2,376

  1990–91

  2,247

  2,247

  Hospital Waste
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer of 14 June,Official Report, column 713, what studies have been undertaken into the possibility that waste from NHS hospitals in Scotland could enter into water supplies.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I am not aware of any specific studies into this subject area. However, all public water supplies are monitored by the water authorities and no reports have been received of any problems of this sort.

  Fisheries (Restrictions)
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will introduce changes in the administration of the eight-day tie-up regulations to prevent discrimination against smaller ports with limited repair facilities;

  (2) what changes he has considered in the implementation of the eight-day tie-up regulations; and if he will make a statement.
  375
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This Government must administer the eight-day tie-up scheme in line with the terms of EC regulation No. 3926/90. However, we are always prepared to consider specific administrative changes in the application of the eight-day scheme provided that they do not conflict with that responsibility. Each case brought to our attention is considered individually and arrangements are made where possible.

  Local Authority Usable Receipts
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate for local authority usable receipts in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 1 July 1991]: In Scotland, all local authority receipts are usable in the year in which they are generated. My right hon. Friend's estimate of local authority housing receipts in 1991–92 is £248 million. He has, as yet, made no estimate of housing receipts for 1992–93. He has made no estimate of non-housing receipts for either year.

  British Steel
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what information he received on 4 June concerning the plate mill review in British Steel; what subsequent representations were made by the Scottish Office; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will detail the meetings he, his junior Ministers or his officials have had with the chairman or officials of British Steel from the beginning of June 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 5 July 1991]: My right hon. Friend and I last met the chairman of British Steel on 4 June, when we were told in strict confidence of the company's decision to invest in new plate facilities at Teesside.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what statements he has made to the British Steel chairman about his policy on the plate mill closure;

  (2) what public statements he has made on the future of plate-making facilities at Dalzell; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 5 July 1991]: It would not be appropriate to disclose details of my right hon. Friend's discussions with the chairman of British Steel which are bound by commercial confidentiality. But we have consistently pressed British Steel over a long period, publicly and in private, to give full consideration to the case for investment at Dalzell.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  International Investments Ltd.
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what representations have been made to the Government of the Irish Republic and the United States Government regarding the collapse of International Investments Ltd., Gibraltar, (in liquidation);

  (2) what action has been taken to date by the Royal Ulster Constabulary regarding the collapse of International Investments Ltd., Gibraltar, (in liquidation);
  376
  (3) whether he will seek assurance from the Government of the Irish Republic that the persons responsible for misappropriation of moneys invested by United Kingdom citizens in International Investments Ltd. will be made amenable to prosecution.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  International Investments Ltd. was a company registered in Gibraltar and not in the United Kingdom. The liquidation is therefore a matter for the authorities in Gibraltar and the responsibility for making representations to other Governments regarding International Investments Ltd. does not lie with Her Majesty's Government.

  Further to the RUC investigation into allegations of fraud by the principals of International Investments Ltd., the Director of Public Prosecutions for Northern Ireland has directed that one person be charged with conspiracy to fraud. The investigations are still continuing.

  Stormont Talks (Expenditure)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the remuneration and expenses agreed for the chairman of the second strand of the talks at Stormont, Sir Ninian Stephen; and what proportion will be contributed by(a) the Government of the Republic of Ireland and (b) Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the statement that I made in the House on 3 July 1991 at columns 319–20.

  As the talks which were held on the basis of my statement of 26 March 1991 have now concluded without the second strand having commenced, these questions do not arise.

  Hospital Closures
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many hospitals have been closed in each year since 1974.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 5 July 1991]: The information is:

  Year

  Number

  1974

  —

  1975

  —

  1976

  1

  1977

  1

  1978

  —

  1979

  —

  1980

  —

  1981

  2

  1982

  2

  1983

  1

  1984

  —

  1985

  1

  1986

  9

  1987

  1

  1988

  8

  1989

  2

  1990

  2

  1991

  1

ENVIRONMENT

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to publish any regulations on local government finance prior to the summer adjournment.

  Mr. Key
  Subject to final decisions, my Department expects to lay three statutory instruments covering amendments to the non-domestic rating transitional arrangements and the payment of interest to ratepayers, and minor amendments and consequential repeals under the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the outline financial settlement for local authorities for 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  When he is ready to do so.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which areas of central Government support to local authorities are calculated on the basis of(a) the electoral roll and (b) OPCS calculations.

  A table showing population figures on the same basis as those used to calculate per capita standard spending assessments OPCS mid-year estimates

  Local authority

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  resident population 1

  resident population 2

  resident population 3

  resident population 4

  resident population 5

  Total England

  47,111,701

  47,254,459

  47,406,652

  47,536,278

  47,689,395

  Regional summary

  Northern Region

  3,085,700

  3,080,242

  3,076,779

  3,071,318

  3,073,112

  North West

  6,386,300

  6,734,334

  6,370,079

  6,364,162

  6,379,723

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,902,600

  4,899,285

  4,900,232

  4,913,298

  4,940,355

  East Midlands

  3,896,900

  3,919,918

  3,942,254

  3,970,599

  3,999,063

  West Midlands

  5,183,000

  5,181,243

  5,197,687

  5,207,000

  5,215,960

  East Anglia

  1,964,700

  1,991,600

  2,013,680

  2,034,639

  2,044,577

  South West

  4,500,780

  4,543,254

  4,588,374

  4,634,235

  4,652,426

  South East

  10,424,300

  10,489,393

  10,547,132

  10,605,020

  10,627,779

  Greater London

  6,767,421

  6,775,190

  6,770,435

  6,736,007

  6,756,400

  Community Charge
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he plans any measures to improve the ability of local councils to collect the outstanding community charge sums.

  Mr. Portillo
  We believe the enforcement powers now available to local authorities should enable them to collect the charge effectively. We are proposing some minor changes to the attachment of earnings process.

  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to take measures to ensure that armed forces personnel within the United Kingdom pay their community charge, and that those serving overseas may be exempted.

  Mr. Key
  Members of the armed forces are subject to the community charge and its enforcement procedures in the same way as everyone else. Although we do not intend specifically to exempt armed forces who serve overseas, those who do so and move their sole or main residence from this country will not be liable to pay the community charge.
  378
  Mr. Key
  The electoral roll is not used directly in the provision of central Government support to local authorities. However, the annual mid-year estimates of the resident population produced by OPCS are based partly on changes in the electoral roll from year to year. These estimates, along with census data and other indicators, are used to calculate the standard spending assessments and hence the level of revenue support grant appropriate to each local authority.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish population figures for each standard region in England for the years 1981–82 to 1991–92, on the same basis as was used to calculate per capita standard spending assessments in his written answer of 29 April,Official Report, column 10.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information requested is shown in the table. There is a lag of nearly two years before the mid-year population estimate is available for inclusion in standard spending assessments. The year shown at the head of the columns refers to the year of the calculated standard spending assessment.

  Rents to Mortgages Scheme
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to extend the areas where council tenants may turn their council rents into mortgages; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  This is a possibility that we shall want to keep under review as the pilot schemes progress.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the work and funding of the National Rivers Authority.

  Mr. Trippier
  The NRA is continuing to develop its role as a powerful and independent regulator and guardian of the water environment. It has been very substantially helped to do so by our making available a 28 per cent. increase in grant-in-aid in the current year compared with previous provision. It will also have available an estimated £25 million from the scheme of charges in respect of discharge consents which is now being implemented and extra income from abstraction licence holders.

  Public Sector House Building
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for public sector house building; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The latest estimates of public sector house building in England, mainly by local authorities, show 12,000 completions in the year to May 1991, of which 2,400 were in the latest three months.

  Housing associations are becoming the major providers of new subsidised rented housing and their output is forecast to rise significantly over the next three years.

  Full details of house building by sector are published monthly by the Department in an information bulletin.

  Humberside
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has regarding the publication of the final report from the Local Government Boundary Commission on the future of the county of Humberside.

  Mr. Key
  The report was published on Wednesday 3 July.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses have been sold to sitting tenants in England since May 1979.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Between April 1979 and March 1991, about one and a quarter million tenants bought their homes from English local authorities and new towns.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he intends to make changes to the system for setting the levels of standard spending assessments for local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have no proposals for any major changes to the SSA methodology, although information from the 1991 census will be incorporated into SSAs as soon as it is available for all authorities.

  Water Companies
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to meet the water company chairmen to discuss the quality of their services.

  Mr. Trippier
  I met the chairmen of the water companies only last week. My hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside will meet the chairmen of the water and sewerage companies later in the year. The topics for discussion naturally include the unprecedented investment programme the industry is carrying out to improve the quality of its services.

  Greenhouse Gases
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about further progress on tackling the problem of greenhouse gases.

  Mr. Baldry
  The United Kingdom remains fully committed to the negotiation of an effective framework 380
  convention on climate change in time for it to be opened for signature at the June 1992 UN conference on environment and development. Reasonable progress towards this objective was made at the second meeting of the intergovernmental negotiating committee which took place in Geneva last month.

  Local Authority Publications
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the powers of the district audit regarding the political content of local authority publications.

  Mr. Key
  The powers of the auditor in respect of illegal expenditure on political publications are the same as those which apply to any item of illegal expenditure. We believe that the auditor's powers in this area are sufficient and have no plans to review them at present.

  Local Government (Employment)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on employment in local government.

  Mr. Key
  The total number employed in local government in England has fallen by 4 per cent. since 1979.

  That there has been an overall reduction is in large part due to Government action in abolishing the metropolitan counties and GLC, removing bus and airport companies from local authority control, and later removing polytechnics from local government.

  The Government's policies both in encouraging councils to make use of the private sector through competitive tendering and in encouraging greater efficiency in the delivery of services should exert a strong downward pressure on staff numbers.

  Dog Wardens
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of local authorities employ dog wardens; and how many prosecutions they have instituted.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am advised by the National Dog Warden Association that some 200 dog wardens are employed by local authorities, but some authorities employ more than one warden and others share a warden. Local authority dog wardens are responsible for enforcing a variety of dog control measures, including "poop scoop", dog ban and dogs on leads byelaws. There are no central records of the number of prosecutions.

  Beach Pollution
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next expects to meet the chairman of Anglian Water plc to discuss beach pollution.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend and I maintain regular contacts with the Anglian Water Company about progress on the bathing water improvement programme.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for the extension of compulsory competitive tendering.
  381
  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key), earlier today to the hon. Member for Bradford, South (Mr. Cryer).

  Council Housing
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the quality of the management of council housing; and what information he has on the latest position with regard to(a) rent arrears, (b) empty properties and (c) council house sales.

  Mr. Yeo
  In 1989 the Department published a report by the centre for housing research, Glasgow university, entitled "The Nature and Effectiveness of Housing Management in England", which evaluated the economy, efficiency and effectiveness of local authorities and housing associations as landlords.

  A follow-up study on the effectiveness of housing management under the new financial regimes for local authorities and housing associations is currently being carried out by the centre for housing studies, York university, and is due to report in 1992.

  The latest available information on council tenants' arrears relates to the position at the end of March 1990. Estimated total rent arrears for all English local authorities at that date were £360 million.

  The latest available information on empty council dwellings in England relates to 1 April 1990. At that date some 99,400 were vacant.

  Some 1·3 million English local authority or new town properties have been sold into owner-occupation between April 1979 and March 1991. In addition 16 local authorities have transferred their remaining stock to housing associations or to private companies.

  Short-term Leasing
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the value for money of short-term leasing of properties by housing authorities to accommodate the homeless as against bed-and-breakfast accommodation.

  Sir George Young
  My assessment is that leasing is usually preferable both on social and cost grounds to the use of bed-and-breakfast hotels in accommodating homeless families.

  Water Quality
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the changes in the level of quality of Britain's highest grade rivers since 1989.

  Mr. Trippier
  The National Rivers Authority intends to publish later this year the results of its 1990 river quality survey.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress has been made in setting water quality objectives under section 105 of the Water Act 1989;

  (2) if he will make it his policy to include in future water quality objectives for inland waters provision for
  382
  designation of contact water sport areas and to require such designated areas to meet the provisions of European Community directive 76/160/EEC concerning the quality of bathing water;

  (3) which organisations have been asked to give their views on the new statutory water quality objectives;

  (4) if he will make it his policy to publish the new water quality objectives before May 1992.

  Mr. Trippier
  We have asked the National Rivers Authority to advise the Department on the establishment of the new system of statutory water quality objectives provided for under the Water Act 1989. Discussions on this are continuing and proposals will be issued for public consultation in due course. The new arrangements will be consistent with the requirements of the relevant EC directives.

  Discharges
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy that all environmentally sensitive discharges with numeric limits should include absolute limits that may not be exceeded at any time.

  Mr. Trippier
  Last year the National Rivers Authority issued for public consultation its reviews of the discharge consent system. This covered a wide range of issues relating to consent setting and compliance, including the use of absolute limits. The NRA is currently considering the comments it has received.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many cases there have been of unauthorised discharges into the River Lea, Limehouse Cut, Hertford Union canal and Regents canal in the last 10 years, giving details of the source of the discharge and the quantities involved.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on unauthorised discharges since 1989 is held by the National Rivers Authority, Thames region.

  No information is available for the years prior to 1989.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for the last available year, the percentage of (i) paper, (ii) cardboard, (iii) ferrous metals, (iv) non-ferrous metals, (v) sump oil, (vi) mercury and (vii) cadmium recoverd as a percentage of consumption in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Baldry
  The available figures are as follows:

  (i) and (ii) the figures for 19891 are:

  Percentage

  Belgium

  35·2

  Denmark

  33·2

  France

  34·4

  Germany

  43·0

  Greece

  n/a

  Ireland

  n/a

  Italy

  25·7

  Luxembourg

  4

  Netherlands

  49·0

  Portugal

  39·1

  Spain

  38·7

  United Kingdom

  30·4

  383
  The figure for the United Kingdom in 1990 was 33 per cent.

  (iii) the available .figures (for domestic supply of scrap as a proportion of consumption of finished steel) for 19882 are:

  Percentage

  Belgium

  84·4

  France

  79·6

  Germany

  69·6

  Italy

  44·9

  Netherlands

  86·3

  Spain

  56·8

  United Kingdom

  74·7

  (iv) the United Kingdom figure for aluminium is 42 per cent.3, excluding the use of imported scrap.

  Sources:

  1 British Paper and Board Industry Federation.

  2 United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

  3 Warren Spring Laboratory.

  4 Included with Belgium.

  The other figures are not held centrally and so cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost.

  Domestic Rates
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total amount of domestic rates remaining uncollected in April of each year since 1979 in Tower Hamlets.

  Mr. Key
  Information is available only for gross rate arrears, domestic and non-domestic combined, for the years since 1980.

  Gross rate arrears at 1 April for Tower Hamlets

  £ 000s

  1980

  2,015

  1981

  1,723

  1982

  2,911

  1983

  3,147

  1984

  3,400

  1985

  3,680

  1986

  3,448

  1987

  2,942

  1988

  5,443

  1989

  4,240

  1990

  6,709

  Watercourse Pollution
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the comparative deleterious effects of the discharge of(a) cream, (b) alcohol and (c) raw sewage into fresh watercourses from processing and manufacturing plants.

  Mr. Baldry
  The control of discharges to freshwaters is a matter for the National Rivers Authority. In general discharges of cream, alcohol or raw sewage would be expected to have a deleterious effect on freshwaters and would therefore not be permitted.

  Guest Houses
  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many guest houses are registered to pay uniform business rates.

  Mr. Key
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  House Building (Leicester)
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses in the private and the public sector were completed in the years 1979 and 1990, respectively, in the city of Leicester.

  Mr. Yeo
  The figures for 1979 are shown in table 4(b) of "Local Housing Statistics: England and Wales", No. 59 (November 1981) and, for 1990, in table 1(a) of No. 97 (April 1991). Copies are in the Library.

  Litter
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many litter abatement orders have been obtained and how many litter abatement notices have been served under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 in the three months since 1 April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information not held centrally by my Department.

  The number of orders made or notices served is not necessarily an indicator of the success, or failure, of the legislation. They are designed primarily as deterrent measures. We would expect aggrieved citizens to exercise their powers to seek litter abatement orders only as a last resort. In most cases, we envisage that the litter or refuse which is the subject of the complaint would be removed without the need for action in the courts. Similarly, we expect local authorities to use their powers to serve litter abatement notices only where persuasion to clear the litter or refuse in question has failed.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will set out the basis for selection of the local authorities to be invited to submit bids in the second round of city challenge and the criteria he will use to assess the bids submitted.

  Mr. Portillo
  Our present intention is that those authorities which currently have urban programme status will be eligible to participate in the second round of city challenge. We shall draw on the experience gained in this year's pacemaker exercise to determine the criteria for assessing the bids in the second round.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will provide details of the sources of funding for the city challenge scheme in subsequent years and set out the impact of these funding arrangements on the existing urban programme administered through local authorities, as a whole, and on the individual allocations of local authorities.

  Mr. Portillo
  No decisions have yet been taken about the extent and timing of future competitions, beyond the present intention to hold a further competition in 1992 and so to distribute more of the Government's resources for inner cities on a competitive basis.

  Planning Inspectorate
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to increase the number of inspectors within the planning inspectorate.
  385
  Mr. Yeo
  Yes. We are currently taking on an additional 45 planning inspectors to deal with forecast workload in the coming years.

  Satellite Dishes
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when revised permitted development rights for the installation of satellite dishes will come into force.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales have today laid before the House the Town and Country Planning General Development (Amendment) Order 1991. This order will come into force on 31 July. It will:

  (a) introduce stricter permitted development rights for the installation, alternation and replacement of satellite dishes:

  (b) allow factory/warehouse extensions built as permitted development to be used for social or welfare purposes for employees, including creche facilities for their children;

  (c) introduce permitted development rights to enable licensed operators of driver information systems to instal the necessary equipment, subject to size limitations; and

  Capital expenditure on schools at 1990–91 prices1

  £ million

  1979–80

  1980–81

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Clwyd

  5·7

  6·8

  6·1

  5·0

  4·6

  4·6

  5·1

  5·8

  6·4

  5·0

  5·0

  Dyfed

  3·0

  4·2

  4·2

  5·4

  5·8

  4·2

  3·3

  4·4

  6·5

  5·5

  3·0

  Gwent

  7·5

  7·9

  4·7

  5·8

  6·9

  6·4

  6·3

  5·9

  6·9

  7·5

  6·6

  Gwynedd

  2·0

  3·6

  2·5

  1·7

  1·7

  1·7

  2·3

  2·0

  2·6

  2·5

  1·9

  Mid Glamorgan

  7·1

  7·9

  9·0

  8·2

  8·2

  7·3

  3·9

  5·5

  7·3

  6·7

  6·6

  Powys

  1·3

  1·8

  2·2

  2·5

  2·3

  1·5

  0·6

  2·5

  2·1

  1·3

  1·5

  South Glamorgan

  3·7

  3·7

  2·3

  3·4

  2·0

  2·8

  1·9

  2·8

  2·3

  4·2

  5·3

  West Glamorgan

  3·2

  7·2

  6·0

  6·1

  4·2

  3·1

  4·3

  4·8

  5·8

  5·7

  6·4

  Total Wales

  33·6

  43·2

  36·8

  38·2

  35·8

  31·6

  27·6

  33·8

  40·0

  38·3

  36·4

  1 Includes expenditure on acquisition of land, existing buildings, new construction and works excludes expenditure on plant machinery and equipment. The GDP deflator has been used to reprice to 1990–91.

  Oral Health
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what incentives his Department employs to encourage everyone to visit a dental practitioner every six months.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The frequency of examination appropriate for maintaining oral health will vary from individual to individual depending on clinical circumstances. Both the new continuing care arrangements for adult patients and the capitation arrangements for child patients allow dentists the flexibility to give specific advice to patients to accommodate individual clinical needs.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance his Department has issued to schools in Wales regarding the effect of milk consumption on oral health.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None. However, general nutritional advice is issued by the Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many health authorities in Wales currently provide dental screening for(a) all pre-schools playgroup children, (b) primary and junior school children twice a year and (c) secondary school children annually.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not held centrally. However, district health authorities are required
  386

  (d) include a statement of property owners'/agricultural tenants' rights on the certificates which an applicant for planning permission is required to serve on those who own or have an interest in land for which the application is made.

  My right hon. Friends have also made the Town and Country Planning (Use Classes) (Amendment) Order 1991, which places dry-cleaning establishments, but not launderettes, in the shops use class (Al) of the order. This order will also come into force on 31 July.

WALES

  School Buildings Expenditure
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give, in 1990 prices, by local education authority, the level of capital spending on school buildings for each of the financial years since 1979.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is given in the following table. Figures for 1990–91 are not yet available.

  by WHC(89)28 to arrange and provide adequate resources to undertake the screening of the teeth of children in state-funded schools at least three times in each child's school life. In areas of poor dental health and where availability of general dental services is poor, such screening may need to be more frequent—where necessary, annually.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the level of funding his Department is making available in the current financial year for research into ways of improving the oral health of Welsh children and adults.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  During the financial year the Department has made available a total of £89,000 specifically for research into oral health in Wales. In addition, all district health authorities are currently funding oral screening and epidemiological studies.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to add fluoride to potable water supplies in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None.

  The 1985 Water (Fluoridation) Act provides for fluoridation of water supplies at the request of health authorities after a thorough publicity and consultation process. The Government believe it to be right that decisions should continue to be taken, as they have over

  387
  the past 30 years, at a local rather than national level. In the final analysis it is the task of the district health authority to determine the benefit.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met representatives of the British Dental Association.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  As Minister with responsibility for health matters in the Principality I met representatives of the British Dental Associations General Dental Services Committee for Wales on 24 May. In addition, our officials are in regular touch with BDA representatives in Wales. The BDA also participates in the Welsh Dental Committee, which is the statutory advisory committee to the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the information that his Department holds on the epidemiology of the dental health needs of children and adults in Wales both on an all-Wales basis and on specific geographical areas within Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The latest available data on adult dental health, prepared from surveys carried out by OPCS on behalf of the Health Departments, are published by HMSO in the document "Adult Dental Health 1988 United Kingdom." Annual reports on child dental health are published in the journal "Community Dental Health": the latest results appeared in vol. 8, No. 2, July 1991. These studies are co-ordinated by the British Association for the Study of Community Dentistry and are carried out by the staff of district health authorities' community dental services as part of their responsibility under circular WHC(89)28.

  Standardised small district data are not held centrally. However, data are held by DHAs for assessing local health needs and it is intended that these should be published by districts as part of the report by their director of dental public health. The first reports are due to be prepared by September 1991 to inform the annual review meetings of each DHA.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each health authority in each of the past four years the funding for oral surgery that his Department has undertaken as part of the waiting list initiative.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is given in the following table:

  District health authority

  1987–88 £

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Clwyd

  —

  —

  1,240

  —

  Gwynedd

  6,500

  13,880

  16,600

  —

  Mid Glamorgan

  11,400

  —

  —

  —

  West Glamorgan

  —

  —

  7,300

  —

  TOTAL

  17,900

  13,880

  25,150

  —

  No other health authority has received funding under the waiting times initiative for oral surgery in the last four years.

  HIV
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidance his Department has issued to dental practitioners regarding the treatment of patients infected with HIV hepatitis B.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is as follows:CDO(86)3 drew the attention of dental practitioners to AIDS booklet 3 "Guidance for Surgeons, Anaesthetists, Dentists and Teams".
  CDO(88)1 "Cross infection control".
  HP 119/34/2 (1988). "AIDS infected health workers: report by the expert advisory group".
  WHC(88)38 "AIDS Control (ACT) 1987" instruction to report on staff training regarding AIDS.
  "Guidance for Clinical Health Care Workers: Protection Against Infection with HIV and Hepatitis Viruses", Issued January 1990 (issued under PSM(9)3).

  Sports Fields
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the number of acres of school sports fields that have been sold by local education authorities since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The provision of adequate land to meet the needs of schools is the responsibility of local education authorities. Information about disposals of school sports fields by these authorities is not held centrally.

  Publicity Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, columns 55–6, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each publicity campaign.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The 1991–92 Enterprise Wales and road safety campaigns started in April 1991 and will continue until March 1992.

  Drug and alcohol misuse publicity is planned to commence in October 1991. A completion date for this activity has not yet been determined.

  Teachers' Pay and Conditions
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the numbers of(a) nursery and primary schools, (b) middle schools and (c) secondary schools by size, according to the group sizes defined in the school teachers' pay and conditions document.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 4 July 1991]: The information as at January 1991 is given in the following table. There are no middle schools in Wales.

  Group sizes

  Nursery and primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1

  935

  —

  2

  759

  —

  3

  77

  10

  4

  —

  59

  5

  —

  133

  6

  —

  28

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the average numbers of teaching staff
  389
  in (a) nursery and primary schools, (b) middle schools and (c) secondary schools for each size of school, according to the group sizes defined in the school teachers' pay and conditions document.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  [holding answer 4 July 1991]: The information in respect of the average number of full-time qualified teachers as at January 1991 is given in the following table. There are no middle schools in Wales.

  Group sizes

  Nursery and primary schools

  Secondary schools

  1

  4

  —

  2

  9

  —

  3

  16

  23

  4

  —

  37

  5

  —

  54

  6

  —

  78

PRIME MINISTER

  Pension Age
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has made to the President of the European Commission regarding the Barber judgment and the extent to which retrospection will be limited when the judgment is applied; and if he will place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  The Prime Minister
  I have written to President Delors twice on this matter; first to express my concern about the financial and economic implications of the European Court of Justice's judgment in the Barber case; and then to inform him about the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security on 26 June at columns 997–1006.

  The extent of the retrospective effect of the judgment is one of the aspects on which clarification is being sought from the European Court. We shall argue before the court that the judgment does not apply to benefits based on service before the date of the judgment.

  It is not my usual practice to publish correspondence of this kind.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many, and what percentage of men aged 60, 61, 62, 63, 64 and 65 years are not in regular employment.

  Mr. Jackson
  Estimates from the 1990 Labour Force Survey are shown in the following table:

  Men not in employment—Great Britain

  Age

  Numbers (thousands)

  Per cent.

  60

  111

  40·7

  61

  123

  46·2

  62

  124

  48·4

  63

  154

  55·1

  64

  169

  62·6

  65

  210

  82·0

  Publicity Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 72, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each publicity campaign.

  Mr. Jackson
  [pursuant to his answer, 1 July 1991, Official Report, column 72]: Press advertising for career development loans is planned to start in late July and run until September. Press advertising for the national training awards winners announcement is due to start on November 30 and to run for one week.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Departmental Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) when the last annual report for each agency in his Department was published; and when the next ones are due;

  (2) what is the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of each agency in his Department; and what is the length of their contracts;

  (3) if he will list the new forms of working patterns introduced into each agency in his Department since its establishment; and if he will break down by grade the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern;

  (4) how many staff were in post on the date that each agency in his Department was established; and how many staff are in post now;

  (5) whether any appointments from the private sector have been made to any agency in his Department at grade 7 or above since its establishment;

  (6) what is the first degree obtained by the chief executive of each agency in his Department; and from which institution;

  (7) if he will list those facilities for staff which have been introduced in each agency in his Department since its establishment;

  (8) if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each agency in his Department since its establishment; and if he will identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status;

  (9) whether a group bonus scheme is in operation in any agency in his Department;

  (10) how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of each agency in his Department.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The chief executives of our agencies—the Passport Agency and the Forensic Science Service—will be writing to the hon. Member about this. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  Dog Attacks
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases of attacks on people by dogs have been recorded by the Metropolitan police in Tower Hamlets in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Metropolitan police have kept records of incidents involving dangerous dogs only since November 1989, but there are no figures relating solely to Tower Hamlets. However, I am informed that, in the force area which includes Tower Hamlets, 38 incidents involving dogs have been noted since records began.

  Advertising Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 4, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each advertising campaign.

  Campaign

  Start date

  Duration

  ELECTORAL REGISTRATION

  General Registration

  Mid September 1991

  Approximately 1 month

  Absent Voting

  When a general election is mounted

  2–3 days

  CIVIL PROTECTION MAGAZINE

  Every quarter

  Throughout the year

  POLICE RECRUITMENT

  Graduate

  1 September 1991

  4 months

  Ethnic

  1 April 1991—Continuation from campaign which started in March 1991.

  3 weeks

  POLICE

  Special Constables Recruitment: Tactical

  31 July 1991

  3 months—11 selected force areas—Part of a month per force.

  Awareness

  1 April 1991—Continuation from campaign which started in January 1991. There is a range of print material available both during the Campaign periods and throughout the year.

  1 month—Post campaign research will determine whether further advertising will be required in this financial year but this will not take place before November 1991.

  Crime Prevention

  1 April 1991

  This comprises a range of publicity material that is generally available year-round.

  Fire Prevention and Safety

  1 April 1991

  A full range of publicity material is available all year-round.

  Fire Safety Week

  14 October 1991

  5 days—Specific print material will be made available in support of National Fire Safety Week.

  Passports

  September/October

  Not confirmed.

  Prison Service Recruitment

  Autumn

  Up to 3 months.

  I will take this opportunity to correct an error in the table covering non-television publicity campaigns in the answer of 1 July at column 4. The figure for fire prevention and safety should be £1,064,000 and not £2,064,000. The other £1 million is accounted for by the television fire safety advertising mentioned above the table.

  Emergency Planning Review
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the review of emergency planning which was announced on 16 October 1990.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My predecessor said in his statement on 16 October last year that he had received a report from Mr. David Brook, his civil emergencies adviser, on the role of local authorities in peacetime emergencies; and that he would be considering the report in conjunction with a review of the options for the future of our civil defence arrangements in the light of developments in east-west relations. This would enable us to consider whether a more coherent approach to emergency planning for the protection of the public in both peace and war could be achieved.

  The Government's commitment to civil defence remains firm. For our civil defence arrangements to continue to be relevant and effective the planning assumptions on which they are based must reflect the
  392
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Officials are working on proposals for the next crime prevention and fire safety television advertising campaigns. Timing and duration will depend on our assessment of what time of year offers the best value for money.

  Plans for non-television advertising publicity campaigns costing more than £100,000 are as follows:

  realities of international relations. Current civil defence planning concentrates on the effects of a major nuclear attack on the United Kingdom. The Government have decided that in future such civil defence plans should be maintained in such a state that they could be brought to full readiness within a period of three months. Essential plans should be capable of being put into effect within seven days. These assumptions will be kept under regular review.

  This change has to be viewed in the wider context of an international situation that remains troubled and far from risk-free. With the now reduced risk of nuclear conflict the Government believe that the time is right to develop more flexible civil defence arrangements. This approach will require a closer correlation between contingency plans for civil defence and peacetime emergencies.

  In his report Mr. Brook, the civil emergencies adviser, points to a number of shortcomings in local authority arrangements for dealing with peacetime disasters. Some local authorities are effective in their planning; others less so. Mr. Brook has identified particular problems of inadequate planning and co-ordination in some metropolitan areas. He has recommended to me that there should be new legislation on civil protection which would include a statutory duty on local authorities to plan, train and exercise for their role in mitigating the effects of peacetime disasters.
  393
  I am placing a summary of Mr. Brook's report in the Library.

  It is clearly unacceptable that some local authorities should be inadequately prepared to deal with a major peacetime emergency and I agree with Mr. Brook that the shortcomings that he has identified must be rectified. However, while I do not rule out the possibility of legislation in the longer term, there are obvious difficulties in introducing legislation affecting the duties of local authorities at a time when local government reorganisation is in prospect. I propose therefore to seek improvements in peacetime planning in the first instance by measures which are open to me under existing legislation. These changes will also bear positively on our arrangements for civil defence.

  It is against this background that I have taken the following decisions.

  I will seek to achieve improvements in local authority planning for emergencies in peace and war through a package of measures. These will include the issue of central guidance on the handling of peacetime emergencies; a review of the organisation of emergency planning within metropolitan areas; and a more flexible use of civil defence grant for local authorities to ensure a more broadly based planning. Mr. Brook already has the first of these measures in hand. On the second I will be asking officials to consider how arrangements in metropolitan areas can be improved within the existing statutory framework. The aim would be to involve the metropolitan districts and London boroughs in the planning process more than is sometimes the case at present.

  Local authority civil defence planning will in future be based on the more flexible approach I have already described. Its aims will be to ensure that all local authorities are able to continue to deliver the services for which they are responsible in peacetime in a wide range of possible civil defence emergencies. It will therefore be more relevant to peacetime disasters. I also propose to encourage local authorities to take full advantage of the provisions in existing legislation which permits the use of civil defence resources to carry out planning for peacetime disasters, provided that the Home Office is satisfied that they are making reasonable progress with civil defence planning.

  This approach should secure better value for money from civil defence grant to local authorities and, provided that this is forthcoming, I shall give a measure of protection to the grant within what will inevitably be a diminishing total expenditure on civil defence. But I shall expect local authorities to continue to make a contribution to emergency planning from their own resources; and I will be ready to withhold grant from any local authority which is inefficient in its use of grant or seeks to evade its civil defence responsibilities.

  A new system will be developed to monitor the changes in local authority planning, for which new objectives will be set. Local authorites will be given guidance in due course.

  I have concluded that while there is a continuing need for protected local authority emergency centres, the existing requirement for two such emergency centres in each county and one in each district is no longer realistic. I therefore intend to set a new minimum requirement of one protected centre per county.I shall give further
  394
  consideration, in consultation with local authorities, to the future of existing protected centres above this new minimum.

  The new civil defence planning assumptions, and the more flexible approach to civil defence which I wish to see developed, will require the further development of the emergency communications network. I am now prepared to extend the network to district council offices and to county council offices in those places where the protected emergency centre is remotely located. The rate at which this can be achieved will depend on the availability of resources.

  I have also looked at the role of the United Kingdom warning and monitoring organisation, including the Royal Observer Corps, taking into account changing civil defence requirements. I have decided that the arrangements for monitoring details of nuclear bursts and radioactive fall-out in wartime must be restructured. Certain of UKWMO's functions in this area will be carried out by central Government and integrated with existing local authority plans and responsibilities for monitoring in the field. We will be discussing with local authorities the implementation of these proposals.

  I have therefore concluded with regret that the Home Office can no longer justify the continued use of the ROC and Home Department volunteers for the monitoring task.

  It has therefore been decided, following consultations between the Home Office and the Ministry of Defence, who share responsibilities for the ROC, that the Corps will be stood down in its operational role.

  I must take this opportunity to pay tribute to the loyal and dedicated service the full-time officers and volunteers of the ROC have given over 36 years. The considerable time and effort invested by the members of the Corps is a measure of their commitment and professionalism. I should also recognise the dedication and hard work of the Home Office volunteers who have been involved in monitoring. I did not take lightly the decision to dispense with their, nor the ROC's, services. I am aware that they have all earned our gratitude and respect.

  My officials are currently reviewing the arrangements for warning taking into account possible peacetime needs and costs. I hope to make a further announcement soon.

  Since more time will be available in future to activate civil defence plans the level of day-to-day police and fire service war planning can be reduced. Preliminary discussions have already been held with the relevant police and fire service committees to work out how this is best achieved.

  These new arrangements will provide a major opportunity to improve arrangements for the protection of the public in peace and war. They will be developed by my Department in full consultation with those responsible for putting them into effect within the broad framework that I have set out in this statement.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Housing and Community Charge Benefits
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing, with columns for English regions and England, Scotland, Wales and
  395
  Northern Ireland an analysis of those elements of table 2 of Cm 1514 which are included within the housing and community charge benefits totals in table 3 of Cm 1514.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Figures in Cm 1514 relate to Great Britain; information concerning Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  £ million

  1985–86 outturn

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 outturn

  1989–90 outturn

  1990–91 estimated outturn

  Rent rebates:

  England

  1,864

  1,940

  1,986

  2,137

  2,265

  2,561

  Scotland

  225

  258

  291

  313

  349

  383

  Wales

  127

  134

  134

  148

  155

  152

  Rent rebates discretionary:

  England

  11

  11

  15

  4

  11

  10

  Scotland

  4

  5

  5

  1

  1

  2

  Wales

  1

  1

  1

  0

  0

  0

  Rent allowances:

  England

  781

  875

  888

  911

  1,089

  1,389

  Scotland

  55

  71

  89

  85

  104

  142

  Wales

  40

  49

  48

  53

  59

  74

  Rent allowances discretionary:

  England

  3

  3

  4

  1

  5

  4

  Scotland

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Wales

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Housing benefit local authority administration:

  England

  136

  154

  193

  216

  233

  179

  Scotland

  13

  14

  19

  17

  20

  14

  Wales

  6

  7

  9

  8

  8

  8

  Community charge benefit local authority administration:

  England

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  139

  Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  11

  Wales

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  6

  Other:

  England

  —

  —

  —

  4

  3

  —

  Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  Wales

  —

  —

  —

  0

  0

  —

  Total local authority expenditure

  3,268

  3,521

  3,682

  3,902

  4,304

  5,076

  Note: Figures may not sum to Cm 1514 Table 2 totals due to rounding.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table reconciling for the years 1985–86 to 1990–91 the figures for England, Scotland and Wales for housing and community charge benefits, as given in table 3 of Cm 1514, with those for housing benefits, as given in the Official Report, 28 March, column 516.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is not possible to publish such a table because the information given in column 516 of the Official Report for 28 March was taken from the 1989 public expenditure White Paper (Cm 621), and is based on local authority returns which are subject to adjustment. The information given in table 3 of the departmental report (Cm 1514) is more recent and therefore includes subsequent adjustments.

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Rent rebates in new towns:

  England

  27

  28

  27

  27

  25

  19

  20

  21

  23

  396
  All benefit elements of table 2 of Cm 1514 are included within the housing and community charge benefit totals in table 3 of Cm 1514, and the administration elements of table 2 are included in the grand total of social security spending line of table 3. Information about English regions could be obtained only at disproportionate cost; the requested information for England, Scotland and Wales is in the table.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing, with columns for English regions and England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland an analysis of social security expenditure consistent with table 3 of Cm 1514.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Figures in Cm 1514 relate to Great Britain; information concerning Northern Ireland is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  The information requested is not available except for housing benefit (transitional payments excepted) and community charge benefit. For rate rebate and community charge benefit I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him on 3 June 1991 at columns 113–14. The information for rent rebates and rent allowances is set out in the table.
  397

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Scotland

  34

  43

  47

  50

  50

  53

  58

  61

  64

  Wales

  3

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  Other rent rebates:

  England

  1,875

  1,951

  2,001

  2,140

  2,276

  2,571

  2,816

  3,011

  3,192

  Scotland

  229

  263

  296

  315

  351

  385

  438

  463

  482

  Wales

  128

  134

  135

  148

  155

  152

  195

  209

  217

  Rent allowances:

  England

  784

  877

  891

  913

  1,094

  1,393

  1,540

  1,732

  1,942

  Scotland

  56

  72

  89

  85

  105

  143

  128

  144

  161

  Wales

  40

  49

  49

  53

  59

  74

  83

  94

  105

  Note: Figures may not sum to Cm 1514 table 3 totals due to rounding.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when the last annual report for the Resettlement Agency was published; and when the next one is due;

  (2) when the last annual report for the Information Technology Services Agency was published; and when the next one is due;

  (3) when the last annual report for the Benefits Agency was published; and when the next one is due;

  (4) when the last annual report for the Contributions Agency was published; and when the next one is due.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The chief executive of each of the Department's executive agencies will write to the hon. Member with the information requested and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. McAnion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each agency in his Department since its establishment as an executive agency; and if he will identify separately those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The targets set for the Department's four executive agencies—the Benefits Agency, Contributions Agency, Information Technology Services Agency and Resettlement Agency—are set out in each agency's business plan, copies of which are in the Library.

  We have for some time set quality of service targets covering many aspects of the service that we provide for our customers. Since their establishment, a new customer satisfaction target has been set for the Benefits Agency, and the Contributions Agency has been set new targets for the registration of personal pension applications and for the handling of inquiries from employers and contributors and about personal pensions.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are refused family credit because at the time of their claim they are receiving statutory sick pay and are therefore not deemed to be undertaking remunerative work.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that during the quarter to the end of June 1991 18,057 claims for family credit were disallowed on the grounds that no member of the family was engaged in remunerative work. Separate information is not available as to how many of those were cases where people were receiving statutory sick pay.

  Attendance Allowance Unit, Blackpool
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will take steps to ensure that his Department's attendance allowance unit, North Fylde Central office, Norcross, Blackpool FY5 3TA, responds with expedition to correspondence from members of the public; and if he will ensure that an acknowledgement card is sent at an early date;

  (2) what is the average wait a member of the general public experiences before a reply is received from the attendance allowance unit, Department of Social Security, North Fylde central office, Norcross, Blackpool FY5 3TA.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of attendance allowance is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information office.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what regulations govern the payment of family credit to families where the breadwinner is receiving statutory sick pay.

  Mr. Jack
  The relevant regulations arise out of the basic qualifying condition for family credit in section 2015)(b) of the Social Security Act 1986 that a person must be "engaged and normally engaged in remunerative work". The circumstances in which a person is or is not to be treated as engaged or normally engaged in remunerative work are prescribed in the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987, as amended, including the requirement in regulation 5(1) that a person shall be treated as engaged in remunerative work only if he carries out activities in the course of his work for not less than 24 hours in the week of the claim or in either of the two weeks immediately preceding the week of the claim, and he is employed at the date of the claim.

  Section 20(6) of the Act provides that family credit awards last for 26 weeks and are unaffected by changes of circumstances during that period, so that if a person who is already receiving family credit becomes sick, his award will continue unchanged to the end of the 26-week period irrespective of whether statutory sick pay becomes payable.

  Benefits
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what other benefits families unable to claim family credit because the breadwinner is off work sick are able to claim.
  399
  Mr. Jack
  Employees who are off work sick may be entitled to statutory sick pay from their employer. If there is no entitlement to SSP, or title has run out, sickness/invalidity benefit or severe disablement allowance, including dependency additions where appropriate, may be claimed. Subject to the family's circumstances, there may also be entitlement to income support, housing benefit and community charge benefit.

  Income Support
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants of income support in each Newcastle social security office have arrangements for (1) direct payment of housing costs, (2) attachment of community charge, (3) direct re-payments to the social fund, (4) direct payments to the electricity companies and (5) direct payments to British Gas.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements exist to ensure that items for which social fund loans or grants have been made are not subject to distraint by bailiffs seeking community charge arrears.

  Mr. Scott
  After they have obtained a court order to recover arrears, local authorities may ask the Department to make deductions from income support, which most social fund applicants receive. Distraint is one of the other options available to local authorities, and bailiffs will be guided by the general law on distraint.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many complaints have been received from members of the public in respect of the low-level aerobatic display performed by a Tornado F-3 aircraft at Royal Air Force Leeming on 26 June.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  One.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of complaints received from members of the public within a 25 mile radius of Royal Air Force Leeming since Tornado squadrons have been stationed by year since 1988 to the latest date he has available for the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Central records are not maintained in a form that would enable the information sought to be provided.

  Service Men (Executions)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the dates and locations of each execution of British service men since 1961, with the offence in each case; and if he will make a statement.
  400
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No British service men have been executed since 1961.

  Aerobatic Display, Whitby Regatta
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy that the Royal Air Force Red Arrows aerobatic team should provide a display for the regatta in Whitby, North Yorkshire as a duty engagement; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Requests for displays by the Red Arrows are considered on an annual basis. The Red Arrows are scheduled to appear at the Whitby regatta on 10 August 1991, but no commitments can he made regarding future years.

  Injured Grenadiers
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated present value equivalent award of the sum he gave to the House in the Adjournment debate on 3 June,Official Report, column 136, assuming death occurs at age 25, 35, 45 and 55 years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The estimated present value equivalent awards would be as follows:

  £

  Death occurring at age 25

  17,700

  Death occurring at age 35

  73,000

  Death occurring at age 45

  110,000

  Death occurring at age 55

  134,000

  Anglo-French Co-operation (Training)
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British military service personnel are studying in French defence colleges; and how many French military service personnel are studying in British defence colleges.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This year four British service personnel and four French service personnel are attending courses at defence colleges in France and the United Kingdom respectively.

  ASLP Missile System
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions his Department is having with the French Defence Ministry about the development of the ASLP missile system.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are studying both United States and French systems as possible replacements for the WE177 free-fall nuclear bomb. The ASLP missile is being considered in this context, and we are maintaining contact with the French Ministry of Defence as necessary.

  RAF Boxer Network
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate he has made of the total cost of the RAF Boxer network.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The estimated cost of the RAF Boxer network, including all associated works services, is £230 million at 1991 economic conditions.

  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to how many local planning authorities he has
  401
  submitted notices of proposed development in respect of the Boxer network; and if he will publish a list of those authorities.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department has submitted notices of proposed development to 92 local planning authorities in respect of the Boxer network. I am unable to provide a list of these authorities for the reasons I gave to my hon. Friend in my reply of 12 June 1991,Official Report, column 606–7.

  Publicity Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 82, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each publicity campaign.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Royal Navy
  Production of a television recruiting advertisement and television advertising campaign—planned for four weeks in September-October 1991.

  Army
  Television recruiting campaign–24 June to 15 July 1991.
  Cinema recruiting campaign—3 August to mid-October 1991.
  Press campaign in support of above—mid July for two months.

  Territorial Army
  Combined TV-Press recruiting campaign highlighting the range of week-end activities in the Territorial Army—four weeks in October 1991 and in February 1992.
  A press campaign to recruit specialist personnel—four weeks in October 1991 and in February 1992.

  Tri-service
  Press campaign to thank employers for releasing Volunteer Reserve Forces personnel during the Gulf crisis —18–23 June 1991.
  Campaign to increase public awareness of Volunteer Reserve Forces and employers' support for them—four weeks in November-December 1991.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make it his policy to establish further city technology colleges in Stockton, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no current plans for the establishment of further city technology colleges in Stockton, Middlesbrough or Hartlepool. However, he would be willing to consider such proposals on their merits. In the meantime Macmillan college Teesside provides an excellent example of the benefits of a CTC education for pupils in Cleveland.

  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will consider alternative methods by which schools applying for grant-maintained status may become city technology colleges.

  Mr. Eggar
  As my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 3 July, we intend to create a new kind of school by enabling existing LEA-maintained and grant-maintained schools to apply to become grant-maintained technology schools and colleges. These will 402
  incorporate the key characteristics of city technology colleges. They will focus on technology in relation to any area of the curriculum and receive financial support from private sector sponsors.

  Territorial Officials
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of territorial officers in his Department, together with their location, grades, the territories they cover and their total cost; and if he will make a statement on their duties.

  Mr. Eggar
  A total of 189 officers in the Department from grade 7 downwards have duties organised wholly or partly on a territorial basis. Their duties vary with the nature of the post, but broadly consist of liaison on a range of matters with a number of authorities or institutions in a specific geographical area. The estimated total cost is £3,250,000 per annum.

  Special Educational Needs
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the number of local education authorities which are operating policies of minimal statementing with regard to pupils who may have special educational needs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  We have no evidence that local education authorities are operating policies of minimal statementing irrespective of the needs of individual children. Where a child's needs are so assessed and the outcome of that assessment leads the local education authority to conclude that they should determine the special educational provision to he made for him they must make a statement of his special educational needs.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any action has been taken against any local education authority with regard to its implementation of those parts of the Education Act 1981 which refer to children with special needs.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend receives appeals under sections 5(6) and 8(6) of the Education Act 1981 and complaints under sections 68 and 99 of the Education Act 1944 in relation to the discharge by local education authorities of their duties under the Education Act 1981. He has powers of direction under both Acts which he uses in appropriate cases.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many complaints under sections 68 and 99 of the Education Act 1944 he has received since 1 April 1983 in respect of local education authorities refusing to undertake assessments of children's needs under section 5 of the Education Act 1981; and in how many cases he has found in the complainant's favour and instructed the local education authority to undertake formal assessment.

  Mr. Fallon
  This information can be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many complaints under sections 68 and 99 of the Education Act 1944 and appeals under section 8 of the Education Act 1981 he has received since 1 April 1983 in relation to local education authorities' failure to
  403
  specify in sufficient detail the provision to be made under section 3 of a statement to meet a child's special educational needs; and in how many of these cases he has instructed local education authorities to redraft the relevant section 3.

  Mr. Fallon
  Between April 1983 and December 1990 there have been 246 appeals in England under section 8(6) of the Education Act 1981. Decisions have been reached in 168 cases. In 44 of these cases the Secretary of State has amended the special educational provision specified in the child's statement.

  Information about the number of complaints received under sections 68 and 99 of the Education Act 1944 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many appeals he has received in each year since 1983 relating to section 5(6) of the Education Act 1981 against a local education authority's decision not to issue a statement of special educational needs; and in how many of these cases he has upheld the parents' appeal and instructed a local education authority to issue a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Between April 1983 and December 1990 there have been 259 appeals in England under section 5(6) of the Education Act 1981. The following table lists by year the number of appeals received and the number of cases where the Secretary of State directed the local education authority to reconsider its decision not to issue a statement of special educational needs.

  Year

  Appeals received

  LEA directed to reconsider

  1983

  4

  1

  1984

  19

  0

  1985

  21

  0

  1986

  28

  3

  1987

  36

  2

  1988

  37

  6

  1989

  50

  2

  1990

  64

  12

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what he treats as learning difficulty as set out in legislation; and what he treats as special educational needs which can be met from provision ordinarily available in schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  The term learning difficulty is defined in the Education Act 1981. A child has a learning difficulty if he has a significantly greater difficulty in learning than the majority of children of his age; or he has a disability which either prevents or hinders him from making use of educational facilities of a kind generally provided in schools, within the area of the local authority concerned, for children of his age; or he is under the age of five years and is, or would be if special educational provision were not made for him, likely to have learning difficulties as just described when over that age.

  It is for individual local education authorities to decide which special educational needs can be met from provision ordinarily available in their schools.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what advice his Department gives on the role of parents in contributing to and challenging the outcome of non-statutory assessment procedures for children's special educational needs;
  404
  (2) what guidance he gives on the form of non-statutory assessment of children with special needs for whom section 5 assessment is not thought appropriate.

  Mr. Fallon
  The procedures for non-statutory assessments, including arrangements for the involvement of parents, are the responsibility of local education authorities. The Department is currently funding a project called "Partnership in Assessment". The project is being undertaken by the Voluntary Council for Handicapped Children and is intended to identify good practice for parental involvement in the assessment of children with special educational needs.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the schools in which observations of work with pupils with statements of special educational need formed the basis of the comment which accompanies the table in annexe A of his Department's circular No. 11/90.

  Mr. Fallon
  The table at annexe A of DES circular 11/90 is derived from observations made by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools of classroom work which they saw as promoting effective learning and care for various groups of pupils. Account was taken of group size, availability of staff and to some extent the total intensity of demand made upon staff by the group as a whole. These observations were gathered from many school inspections carried out over a number of years.

  Court Judgments
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the criteria on which his Department decides which court judgments to publicise via the circulation of letters to chief education officers.

  Mr. Fallon
  Letters relating to court judgments are sent to chief education officers in cases where there are important implications for local education authorities' future practice.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he is taking to prevent the language in the national curriculum report from being used in teacher-training and other educational establishments.

  Mr. Eggar
  Language in the national curriculum materials should be used only in the context of in-service training programmes, where materials can be discussed and challenged. They were not designed for and are not for use in the classroom.

  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the principal authors and institutions with which his Department contracted in respect of the language in the national curriculum project and report, together with the sums paid to each.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department's contract for the production of the training materials and the central co-ordination of the training programme was placed with the university of Nottingham, at a cost of some £120,000. The project is under the direction of Professor Ronald Carter, who took full editorial responsibility for the training package.
  405
  The LINC project itself included a central Government grant to support LEA expenditure of £21 million over three years. These funds were provided under the education support grant programme to assist the introduction of the national curriculum.

  1991 Public Expenditure Survey
  Dr. Bray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will publish the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils relating to the 1991 public expenditure survey;

  (2) whether he has received the advice of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils relating to the 1991 public expenditure survey; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) what representations he has received from the chairman of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils concerning publication of the board's advice relating to the 1991 public expenditure survey.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend received the Advisory Board for the Research Council's advice on this year's public expenditure survey on 8 May. He intends, as last year, to treat the advice on a confidential basis, in common with the corresponding advice which he receives from the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council. He has received no representations from the chairman of the ABRC about publication of the board's advice on the 1991 survey.

  Contracts (Quality Requirements)
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department inserts quality requirements into contracts awarded to academic institutions which would enable him to recover moneys spent on inadequate work.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department uses a standard form of contract for education research projects which includes appropriate forms of protection for its interests and the use of the taxpayer's money. These include the specification of the work to be performed and its timing; provisions for inspection and steering of the work; control over the product of the study; and arrangements for early termination when needed. Payments are usually made in arrears depending on progress made.

  Advertising Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, columns 43–44, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each advertising campaign.

  Mr. Eggar
  The teacher recruitment campaign was launched on 1 July. Television advertising for this campaign will last for a period of three weeks and advertisements in the national press for four weeks. In addition, in the autumn, advertisements will appear in the national press for four weeks and in cinemas in sleeted towns during six alternating weeks. The exact dates for these have yet to be decided.

  It is unlikely that the publicity campaign to provide parents with information about changes in the education system will include any paid advertising. The timing and duration of this campaign has yet to be decided.
  406
  The professional, industrial and commercial updating (PICKUP) programme does not involve advertising.

  National Curriculum Council
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future organisation of the National Curriculum Council.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As the National Curriculum Council moves into the next phase of its work, I see advantage in separating the roles of chairman and chief executive. Mr. Duncan Graham has himself seen this stage of the process as a time for change and he will retire from the NCC with effect from 19 August. From that date I am appointing Mr. David Pascall as part-time chairman of the National Curriculum Council. The appointment will be for one year in the first instance, renewable thereafter. Mr. Pascal] is manager of BP Exploration Control and Business Simplification Programmes. He has been a member of the council since August 1990. It will be for the council to appoint a full-time chief executive, with my approval, under the provisions of schedule 2 to the Education Reform Act 1988.

HEALTH

  Discharge Arrangements
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department has taken in monitoring the implementation of health circular 89/5 on discharge arrangements.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is for regions to ensure that district health authorities implement the procedures for discharge set out in health circular 89(5), a copy of which is available in the Library. Action by special health authorities is being followed up by the Department through the quality control and business planning process.

  Hospital Patients
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in hospitals by the national health service in 1961 and in 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The method of collecting in-patient case statistics changed in 1988–89. Until that date statistics were collected on discharges and deaths from hospital. From 1988–89 they were collected as "finished consultant episodes" and included well babies who had formerly been excluded. The relevant figures are:

  Cases treated in NHS hospitals

  Discharges and deaths

  Finished consultant episodes

  1961

  4,035,000

  —

  1988–89

  6,586,000

  7,335,000

  1989–90

  —

  7,477,000

  AIDS
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans to publish statistics on the spread of AIDS in inner cities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The spread of the human immunodeficiency virus which is the cause of AIDS cart be
  407
  monitored through voluntary confidential reports on AIDS and HIV infection received by the Public Health Laboratory Service communicable disease surveillance centre. CDSC is currently analysing this by inner-city areas and such information should be available during the autumn of this year.

  The first results from the anonymised HIV surveys, published on 17 May, indicated that the overall prevalence of HIV infection in women attending certain ante-natal clinics in inner London is one in 500. Among people attending certain sexually transmitted disease clinics in inner London prevalence is one in 500 among heterosexual women, one in 100 heterosexual men and one in five for homosexual-bisexual men. Further results will be published as they become available.

  Life Expectancy
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current estimate for the life expectancy of males and females at birth for each district health authority; and what was the estimate for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Tower Hamlets
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaths and discharges there were from national health service hospitals in Tower Hamlets with the principal diagnosis relating to alcohol for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list hospital and ward closures in Tower Hamlets for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to write to Mr. Richard Brew, the chairman of Tower Hamlets health authority, for details.

  Senile Dementia
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each district health authority in London the number of people suffering from senile dementia aged(a) up to 65 years of age, (b) 66 to 75 years, (c) 76 to 85 years and (d) over 86 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available centrally.

  Artificial Limbs
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued by his Department to district health authorities on their responsibility to provide artificial limbs and appliances for those people who need them.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Our planning guidance to health authorities over the last three years has drawn attention to these services as they transferred from central management to local control. We have emphasised the importance of maintaining them by ring-fencing their budget until April 1993. We also announced last week the setting up of an advisory group on rehabilitation: one of its tasks will be to monitor this area.

  Hip Replacements
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hip replacement operations have taken place since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is given in the table. The total does not include figures for 1987–88 as reliable data for this period are not available centrally. The figure for 1988–89 is estimated and may be revised following further analysis.

  Estimated number of principal operations performed. Ordinary admissions and day cases, NHS hospitals. England 1979 to 1988–89

  All patient's total hip replacement and other arthroplasty of hip

  Number

  1979

  28,788

  1980

  31,660

  1981

  32,775

  1982

  33,171

  1983

  36,232

  1984

  36.926

  1985

  36,539

  1986

  41,000

  1988–89

  41,947

  Total

  319,038

  NHS Trusts
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans exist for monitoring standards of care within national health service trusts.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  District health authorities and fund-holding GPs, as purchasers of services, will set quality standards as part of their contracts with hospitals and other units, whether NHS trusts or directly managed units. Community health councils will continue to have access to trusts within their area of responsibility.

  Continence Services
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to receive the report of the review of continence services.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have now received the report. "An Agenda for Action on Continence Services", and have placed copies in the Library. The report sets out information on the current state of continence services. It concludes that while there are examples of well-planned and co-ordinated local services, their availability is patchy. It identifies the key features of an effective local service and recommends that these should form the basis of planning and service delivery in all health districts and local authority areas in accordance with established departmental guidelines. It also recommends central action over the next few years to promote greater professional and public awareness of continence problems and the scope for tackling them, and to commission and disseminate the results of research to evaluate selected service patterns.

  Copies of the report will be sent to health service managers and directors of social services with a letter emphasising the key messages for local service planning and provision.

  We will take steps to implement the report's recommendations, for example—research on cost effectiveness and extending the training of nurses and other health professionals.

  Medicines Control Agency
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on progress towards establishing his Department's medicines control agency as an executive agency.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  I am pleased to announce that the Medicines Control Agency will be established as the second executive agency of the Department of Health on 11 July. The agency's role is to act on behalf of Ministers, the licensing authority, to safeguard public health by controlling medicines. It does this through a system of licensing, classification, monitoring and enforcement which ensures that medicines are of acceptable standards of safety, quality and efficacy. The agency's detailed aim, objectives and functions are set out in a framework document, copies of which will be placed in the Library. In accordance with next steps principles, the agency will be free to propose further adaptations to it if changing circumstances make this appropriate.

  The chief executive has been set a number of key performance targets for 1991–92, These cover:

  —standards of safety and quality;

  —standards of service

  —standards of financial control and efficiency.

  A copy of the agency's business plan, in which the targets are detailed, will be placed in the Library.

  Over the coming years, I will be setting the agency a range of performance targets to ensure that it continues to deliver improvements in the quality and efficiency of its work in the interests of the public health.

  Wheelchairs
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those district health authorities which currently provide an occupant-controlled powered outdoor wheelchair to disabled people who require one; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A pilot study in northern and north western regions during 1989–90 confirmed the obvious value of powered indoor-outdoor wheelchairs for those able to benefit from them. We expect district health authorities, which have the responsibility for meeting the health needs of their populations, to extend their introduction wherever priorities allow. We do not collect the information centrally.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from learned societies in dentistry and anaethesiology regarding the appropriateness of out-patient general anaesthesia in dental practice outside hospital; if he will place both the representations he has received and his response in the Library; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Darrell
  The 29 learned bodies listed in the table submitted comments on a report to the standing dental advisory committee by an expert working party in general anaesthesia, sedation and resuscitation in dentistry. The report recommended that, while the use of general anaesthesia should be avoided wherever possible, it should continue to be available outside hospitals, provided certain standards are maintained. This principle was generally endorsed by the learned bodies which commented, as were many of the detailed recommendations.
  410
  The report was issued as a consultation document. It is currently being considered in the light of the 138 responses received.

  Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. British Dental Association.

  BDA East Midland Branch.

  BDA—Northern Ireland Office.

  BDA Wessex Branch.

  British Medical Association.

  British Postgraduate Medical Foundation—Institute of Dental Surgery.

  British Paedodontic Society.

  British Society for Dentistry for the Handicapped.

  College of Anaesthetists and Faculty of Dental Surgery.

  Dental Sub-Committee of North West Regional Medical Committee.

  General Dental Council.

  General Dental Practioners' Association.

  General Medical Council.

  General Medical Services Committee.

  Joint Consultants Committee.

  King's College School of Medicine and Dentistry. King's College, London.

  National Association of Administrative Dental Officers.

  North Western Administrative Dental Officers Group.

  Queen's Medical Centre, Nottingham.

  Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Department of Anaesthetics.

  Society for the Advancement of Anaesthesia in Dentistry.

  The Association of Dental Anaesthetists.

  The Royal College of General Practitioners.

  UMDS Guy's Hospital Dental School, Department of Orthodontics and Dentistry for Children.

  University of Manchester, Turner Dental School.

  University of Sheffield, Charles Clifford Dental Hospital.

  University of Wales College of Medicine Dental School.

  Wessex Region Postgraduate Dental Education Committee.

  Duromine
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is satisfied with the safety of the drug Duromine; and what evidence he has of adverse short-term side effects among patients taking it.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Following the introduction of licensing of medicinal products, the safety of Duromine, an established product, was reviewed and a reviewed product licence was issued in 1984. The licensed use is restricted to short-term administration as an adjunct to the treatment of moderate to severe obesity of some patients for whom close control and supervision should be provided. As the product is a prescription medicine, it would be used only after the prescriber had weighed the expected benefit against the possible risks to the particular patient. I am satisfied that the product, when used in accordance with the licensed particulars, should not expose the patient to an unacceptable level of risk.

  Potentially, any drug may cause side-effects which may be minor or more serious. The established side-effects that are associated with a licensed medicinal product are detailed in the licence and are provided to prescribers in the data sheet distributed by the company marketing the product. The Committee on Safety of Medicines encourages prescribers to report serious adverse reactions which they suspect may have been due to an established drug and all reactions to new drugs. In the case of Duromine, there have been 61 reports of suspected adverse reactions since 1966; reactions are not classified into long and short-term effects. The report of an adverse reaction does not necessarily imply a causal effect. Information on adverse effects to Duromine is also to be found in published medical literature.

  Epilepsy
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the specific assistance provided by his Department for people suffering from epilepsy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities have a duty to assess the health needs in their areas and to make provision. They provide a range of services for people with epilepsy; these are complemented by local authority social services. Responsibility for providing services rests with these local bodies rather than directly with the Department.

  Trading Agencies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost, both capital and revenue, of moving the Northern regional health authority engineering design group trading agency to new premises.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This is a matter for the Northern regional health authority. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Peter Carr, the chairman of the Northern regional health authority, for details.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been issued to health authorities covering the conflicts of interest both of organisations and individual staff where non-national health service agencies assume the management responsibility for national health service trading agencies; and whether these non-national health service agencies are subject to the scrutiny of the Audit Commission.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Management responsibility for national health service trading agencies rests with the national 412
  health service. Where officials have been seconded to NHS trading agencies from the private sector they are accountable to senior NHS management.

  Publicity Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 1 July,Official Report, column 54, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each publicity campaign.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Current phases of the publicity campaigns listed in my reply to the hon. Member of 1 July at column 54 began in April 1991 and are all ongoing with the exception of "The Health of the Nation" Green Paper campaign which will end by 31 October 1991.

  Fluoridation
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman)Official Report, 27 June, column 547, for what reason Yorkshire Water ceased to supply fluoridated water on 31 October 1989.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: Yorkshire Water informed Huddersfield district health authority on 18 April 1989 that it was withdrawing from the agreement to fluoridate water supplied by the Longwood and Holmbridge/Digley water treatment works because at the time agreement had not yet been reached with Government about the wording of a suitable guarantee/ indemnity against any costs or liabilities which water undertakers might incur. Subsequently the water industry accepted the form of indemnity which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was empowered to provide under the Water Act 1989.

  SARDAR SAROVAR DAM PROJECT
  SARDAR SAROVAR DAM PROJECT
  SPACE ACTIVITIES: SAFETY
  SPACE ACTIVITIES: SAFETY
  TRANSPORT SECURITY: CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT
  TRANSPORT SECURITY: CHIEF INSPECTOR'S REPORT
  CONTINENCE SERVICES
  CONTINENCE SERVICES
  AIRFIELDS ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION
  AIRFIELDS ENVIRONMENT FEDERATION
  WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1981, SECTIONS 53 AND 54: INTERPRETATION
  WILDLIFE AND COUNTRYSIDE ACT 1981, SECTIONS 53 AND 54: INTERPRETATION
  CLOSED SCHOOL PROCEEDS: USE FOR BENEFIT OF THE LOCALITY
  CLOSED SCHOOL PROCEEDS: USE FOR BENEFIT OF THE LOCALITY
  BRITISH CITIZENS ABROAD: VOTING RIGHTS ADVERTISING
  BRITISH CITIZENS ABROAD: VOTING RIGHTS ADVERTISING
  EMERGENCY PLANNING
  EMERGENCY PLANNING