Written Answers of 18 July 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Attorney-General how many people have been granted legal aid to assist them in taking legal action against drug companies in relation to the effects of tranquilisers.

  The Attorney-General
  As at 5 July 1991 5,337 people had been granted full civil legal aid certificates by the Legal Aid Board to enable them to take legal action in relation to the effects of tranquilisers.

  Asylum Cases
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what will be the annual spending reduction as a result of the abolition of green form assistance for political asylum cases; and what consultations will take place about this change in the legal aid scheme.

  The Attorney-General
  The annual reduction in the legal aid costs will depend on the final details of the new arrangements with the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service for the economic and effective provision of advice and assistance in immigration and political asylum cases. Consultation will take place on the detailed implementation of the proposals.

  Syndicates (Investigations)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Attorney-General what are the recommendations from the Serious Fraud Office that have been put to the chairman or chief executive of Lloyd's, following the completion of the preliminary investigations into syndicates 317–661.

  The Attorney-General
  I regret that I do not think it appropriate to give information about any communications between the Serious Fraud Office and any regulatory bodies.

  Judicial Appointments (Women)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General how many women there are in each class of judicial appointments; and what change there has been in the numbers over the last year.

  The Attorney-General
  The numbers of women currently in post as judges or stipendiry magistrates, and those in post a year ago, together with the net change, are as follows:

  July 1990

  July 1991

  Net change

  Lords Justices of Appeal

  1

  1

  —

  High Court Judges

  1

  2

  +1

  Circuit Judges

  19

  20

  +1

  228

  July 1990

  July 1991

  Net change

  District Judges

  7

  9

  +2

  Metropolitan Stipendary Magistrates

  8

  8

  —

  Provincial Stipendary Magistrates

  —

  1

  +1

TRANSPORT

  Motorcycle Traffic
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport further to his written answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-West of 21 June,Official Report, columns 335–36, if he will provide the basis for the statement that total motorcycle traffic rose by an estimated 53 per cent. between 1970 and 1989.

  Mr. Chope
  In the answer to my hon. Friend of 21 June, I stated that"Total motorcycle traffic rose by an estimated 53 per cent. between 1970 and 1989".

  The information on the use of motorcycles comes from the national traffic census and is published in "Transport Statistics Great Britain 1979–1989", tables 2.1 and 7.4. Revisions to the traffic estimates were made in 1989 and included a revision of all figures from 1966.

  The answer of 21 June used the previous estimate for 1970 which estimated growth at 53 per cent. The 1989 revision estimated motorcycle traffic at 4 billion vehicle kilometres in 1970 compared with 6·3 billion vehicle kilometres in 1989—a growth of 58 per cent.

  A2
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the awarding of the design consultancy contract in relation to the dualling of the A2 between Lydden and Dover.

  Mr. Chope
  The design commission for the proposed dualling of the A2 between Lydden and Dover was awarded on 15 July to Bullen and Partners, consulting engineers.

  Lichfield-Walsall Rail Line
  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will take steps to ensure that the Lichfield to Walsall rail formation will not be obstructed by the construction of the northern relief road and to ensure the railway's continued use for freight and the future use of its double-track formation for passenger traffic.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It was a condition of the competition to design, build, finance and operate the Birmingham northern relief road that tenderers should obtain the agreement of British Rail for any railway possessions or operating restrictions required in connection with their proposals. It is hoped to announce the result of the competition as soon as possible.

  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what environmental benefits he will consider when judging the case for re-opening the Lichfield to Walsall line to passenger and freight traffic.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such case. It would be for British Rail to put
  229
  forward one. If the case did not meet the required rate of return on financial grounds alone it would be open to BR, the Passenger Transport Authority and local authorities to take account of external benefits. Grants are available under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968. Criteria for these grants are set out in departmental circular 3/89, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Rugeley-Walsall Rail Line
  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what environmental benefits he will consider when judging the case for opening the Rugeley to Walsall line to passenger traffic.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such case. It would be for British Rail to put forward one. If the case did not meet the required rate of return on financial grounds alone it would be open to BR and local authorities, to take account of external benefits. Grants are available under section 56 of the Transport Act 1968. Criteria for these grants are set out in departmental circular 3/89, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  M4/A4 Corridor
  Sir Barney Hayhoe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the final report of the M4/A4 corridor study from his consultants; what are the reasons for its delay; and when it will be published.

  Mr. Chope
  The final report has been received from the consultants and will be published shortly. Its completion has been delayed by the need to update the traffic data.

  Taxi Drivers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, in the light of the recent amendment in the Road Traffic Bill that facilitates the vetting of those applying for a taxi driver's licence, he will issue advice to local authorities covering(a) how to determine what offences makes a person not a fit and proper person to hold a taxi licence, (b) the case for establishing an independent appeals procedure should a licence be refused and (c) the need to ensure that the criminal record is accurate, is relevant to the issuing of the licence and relates to the licence applicant; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government will be consulting the police and licensing authorities prior to issuing a circular detailing the checking arrangements for taxi and private hire vehicle drivers' licences. The circular will include advice on how to interpret the criminal record and on procedures for dealing with disputed information.

  Black Country Spine Road
  Mr. Bevan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he will announce the conclusions of the review of the black country spine road.

  Mr. Chope
  I have today invited the Black Country development corporation, in co-operation with the metropolitan borough of Sandwell, to take forward a modified scheme for a spine road in the black country.

  A halt was called to the previous proposals when the costs escalated last year and a review was carried out. That review showed that any scheme in this part of the black
  230
  country would be very expensive and the original scheme had to be scaled down in order to get a scheme that was affordable and a worthwhile investment.

  The scheme now proposed will be a dual carriageway road from Carters green to Sandwell 2000 with junctions at ground level at an estimated cost of £93 million. It will open up access to the key development sites in the area of the Black Country development corporation. In particular it will provide access from the south to Sandwell 2000 and creates the potential for bringing £540 million of new investment and 17,000 jobs to the black country.

  London Transport
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will now place the management of London Transport out for competitive tender; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  No.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what access to competitors' tenders was allowed to existing operators in the London Transport bus route tendering process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  None. London Transport's tendered bus division treats all tenders for London Transport bus routes in the strictest confidence.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage salary increase has been requested by the chairman and board members of London Transport with effect from April 1991; and when he expects to announce the level of board salaries for 1991–92.

  Mr. Freeman
  Recommendations for salary increases for members of the board of London Transport come to us in confidence and should not be known even to the board members concerned. My right hon. and learned Friend expects to determine board salaries for 1991–92 fairly shortly.

  M11 Link Road
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list what(a) measures and (b) standards to mitigate the environmental impact of the M11 link road through Leyton and Leytonstone were applied.

  Mr. Chope
  A fundamental objective during the development of the design of the A12 Hackney-M11 link road has been to mitigate the environmental impact of the road. The selection of a route which runs alongside the railway line and below ground level and in places in tunnel show how this has been achieved. Retaining walls have been used to minimise land take. Provision will be made for noise insulation to houses nearby, shrubs and trees will be planted, and land is to be made available for public use in exchange for areas of open space to be acquired in connection with the scheme.

  Railway Platforms
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the requirement by the Department of Transport that platforms at railway stations should be extended to the length of trains using the platforms, and on the amount of grant aid given to British Rail for this work.
  231
  Mr. Freeman
  The requirement that platforms should be as long as the trains regularly booked to call at them has been in existence since the turn of the century. Her Majesty's inspectorate issued fresh guidance on this matter last year, in connection with the greater use of trains with crew-controlled doors. British Rail is surveying its stations to identify any which do not meet the requirements. It will then discuss with the inspectorate and the Department what action should be taken. Safety expenditure by the subsidised railway sectors will continue to be supported by means of the PSO grant in the normal way.

  Fatalities
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of fatalities on British Rail and London Transport for each year from 1975, giving their nature and cause.

  Mr. Freeman
  The number of fatalities (excluding suicides and trespassers) on all railways in the period 1975–89 is as follows. An analysis of the nature and causes of accidents is given in the report on the safety record of the railways in Great Britain which is issued annually by Her Majesty's chief inspector of railways. Copies are available from the Library of the House.

  Year

  Passengers

  Staff

  Others

  Total

  1975

  69

  46

  12

  127

  1976

  30

  46

  21

  97

  1977

  30

  34

  20

  84

  1978

  47

  45

  22

  114

  1979

  52

  43

  12

  107

  1980

  26

  32

  11

  69

  1981

  39

  27

  10

  76

  1982

  20

  27

  10

  57

  1983

  29

  28

  12

  69

  1984

  39

  25

  12

  76

  1985

  33

  25

  16

  74

  1986

  32

  16

  24

  97

  1987

  68

  16

  20

  104

  1988

  69

  16

  12

  97

  1989

  33

  18

  18

  69

  Environment Exhibition, Olympia
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information on the environmental benefits of walking and cycling was made available at his Department's exhibition stand at the environment, wildlife and conservation exhibition at Olympia on 6 to 11 July.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information on the environmental benefits of walking and cycling was included in displays and in leaflets and booklets available at the stand.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department of Transport currenty has the equivalent of 31 contracted places for youth trainees at Bristol and Swansea (Driver and Vehicle Licensing Centre). The numbers of trainees at the dates referred to are:232

  Bristol

  Swansea

  May 1989

  4

  8

  May 1990

  3

  20

  May 1991

  5

  28

  Advertising Campaigns
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 2 July Official Report, column 86, if he will list the commencement date and duration of each publicity campaign to which he refers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The commencement dates and duration of publicity campaigns referred to in my answer of 2 July are as follows:

  For television advertising campaigns

  child road safety: 23 April to 16 May a further campaign is being planned for October

  drinking and driving: a campaign is being planned for December

  For other publicity campaigns

  Summer drink/drive: 3 July for one month

  transport and the environment: 5 July and continuing

  Road Traffic Act: under consideration

  coastguard advice for users of coastal waters: continuing

  Safety on the Move exhibitions: continuing

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the advertising, promotional or public relations companies employed by or on behalf of his Department who are involved in the campaigns given in his answer of 2 July,Official Report, column 86.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department's advertising on the child road safety and drink drive campaigns is handled by D'Arcy Masius Benton and Bowles.

  No promotional or public relations companies are currently employed by my Department in respect of these and the other campaigns referred to.

  A303
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all roadworks currently being undertaken on the A303 trunk road.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: Two improvement schemes are in progress on the A303; between Stockton wood and Chicklade bottom in Wiltshire and between Mere in Wiltshire and Wincanton in Somerset. Other minor repair works take place as necessary and vary from day to day.

  Seat Belts
  Sir Anthony Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions have been undertaken on drivers and passengers in coaches and large minibuses for failure to wear seat belts since October 1988; and with what results.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have been asked to reply.

  The statistics collected centrally on prosecutions for not wearing a seat belt do not record the type of vehicle involved.

  OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT
  Mr. Bryan Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid has been supplied to developing countries for (i) family planning
  233
  activities, (ii) projects aimed at alleviating poverty and promoting economic and social development and (iii) projects to improve the health and education of women and to reduce infant mortality, since September 1990.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Promoting sustainable economic and social development and alleviating poverty are the basic objectives of the whole aid programme. British aid, bilateral and through multilateral channels, providing direct support to family planning services was just over £17 million in 1989 (final 1990 figures are not yet available but there was a significant increase to about £24 million). Improving the health and education of women and reducing infant mortality are part of a number of the activities that we finance. Bilateral activities which include these objectives as identifiably substantial aspects of the work, involved expenditure of about £29 million in 1989. In addition a good part of our contributions to WHO, UNICEF and UNHCR activities totalling £43·5 million in 1989 would have been devoted to such activities.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Neither the diplomatic wing nor the aid wing participates in the youth training scheme. But both Departments run regular work experience schemes. Twice a year, the FCO takes on about 10 schoolchildren for two weeks in London. The ODA takes about 40 schoolchildren and students altogether, annually, in London, East Kilbride and at its Scientific Executive Agency in Chatham.

  Central Europe
  Mr. Whitney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans there are for starting direct teaching of English in central Europe; and what the approximate start-up costs are estimated to be.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Numerous private and independent English language teaching organisations are developing programmes in central Europe.

  The British Council plans open a teaching centre in Hungary in 1992 and is evaluating the scope in Czechoslovakia. Start-up costs will depend on the need to adapt premises.

SCOTLAND

  Blairgowrie Cottage Hospital
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the capital cost for the proposed new eight-bedded ward at Blairgowrie cottage hospital.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Tayside health board is consulting on its proposals which have not yet come forward to be considered by Ministers.

  Playgroups
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will use his powers under the Children Act 1989 to ensure that registration and inspection fees under part X of the Act are waived for non-profit making playgroups with charitable status when the provisions of the Act come into force later this year.

  Mr. Lang
  Registration and inspection fees for playgroups and other childcare services will be prescribed in regulations which the Government will bring forward for coming into force on 14 October. No decisions have yet been taken on the level of the fees to be prescribed but in fixing them I will take account of the non-profit making and charitable status of playgroups which, I believe, provide a valuable experience for very many young children and for their families.

  Will Aid 1992
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to support Will Aid 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  No. This is a project initiated by lawyers and it will be for individual solicitors to decide whether or not to support it.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has for changes to the organisation and management of the Scottish prison service.

  Mr. Lang
  In February 1991, I authorised the director of the Scottish prison service to enter into consultations with staff and trade unions on proposals for changes to the organisation of the Scottish prison service, contained in the report "Organising for Excellence", prepared by a prison service review team. Comments were invited by the end of April.

  I have now had an opportunity to consider the responses to the consultation period. In the light of the comments received, I have now authorised the director of the Scottish prison service to implement the broad structure recommended by the review team. In particular, the reorganisation will involve:
  The creation of a new prisons board for Scotland, including two non-executive members, to advise on the development of strategies and plans for the service;
  The reorganisation of the headquarters of the Scottish prison service under four new directorates—prisons, strategy and planning, human resources, and finance and information systems—to provide a more effective framework for the strategic management of the service;
  The creation of area directors, who would be responsible for the line management of a group of establishments on a regional basis; and over time, the delegation of considerably greater responsibility, authority and accountability to the Governors of establishments.

  As a consequence of these changes, I have decided that in future the Scottish prison service shall operate on next steps principles. Such a move is consistent with the measures which we have already taken to deliver greater public accountability and improve managerial control within the Scottish prison service. In addition, I have asked my officials to review the practicability and desirability of a move to full agency status, with a view to this work having been completed by the end of December 1991.
  235
  The staff of the Scottish prison service are critical to its future success. A key objective of the proposed changes will be to deliver a more integrated service, offering staff at all levels greater job satisfaction and improved opportunities for career development. While the broad principles of the new structure have now been decided, much work remains to be done on the detail of how they will be implemented and we will be consulting fully with the trade unions and individual members of staff on the implementation of these changes.

  Legal Aid
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he intends to undertake separate Scottish consultations on the current review of financial conditions for legal aid.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office is today publishing a consultation paper entitled "Eligibility for Civil Legal Aid in Scotland" which will be circulated to a wide range of interested parties. The paper, which covers non-matrimonial civil legal aid, reflects the Government's commitment to maintaining an effective legal aid system in Scotland. It presents a number of options for the future funding of civil cases, paying particular attention to the importance of targeting resources where need is greatest. It also proposes that legal aid would continue to be available free to those who could not reasonably be expected to make any contribution towards the costs of their case.

  The paper is the first stage of a review covering all aspects of financial conditions for legal aid. Further stages will deal with legal aid in criminal and family cases.

  Copies of the paper have been laid in the Libraries in both Houses of Parliament. Comments are invited before the end of October and no decisions will be taken before then.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps will be taken to enable planners and developers to know whether a site is sensitive to development or change in use if the sites of special scientific interest label is removed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: Under current procedures for the denotification of a site of special scientific interest (SSSI), the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland advises local planning authorities that a former SSSI may well retain features of wildlife, geological or physiographical importance which deserve protection. Local planning authorities are, therefore, able to identify such sites as being sensitive, within their published local and structure plans. It is expected that these arrangements will continue under Scottish Natural Heritage.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the cost of the Nature Conservancy Council review of existing sites of special scientific interest; how many sites of special scientific interest were denotified, and how many objections to sites of special scientific interest he is currently considering.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: The precise cost of reviewing existing sites of special scientific interest is not known. Since 1981, 109 sites
  236
  in Scotland have been denotified, including sites first notified under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949 but not re-notified under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. My right hon. Friend has no role in the consideration of objections to the notification of sites of special scientific interest; this is a matter for the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the estimated average cost of reviewing the case against a single site of special scientific interest.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: It is not possible to produce an estimate as no information is available to distinguish between the costs of various stages of the site notification process including responding to objections.

  Government Contracts
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to whom in Scotland, outside Government, details of companies carrying out work on Government contracts have been passed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 9 July 1991]: The information required could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Commercially confidential information is not made available outside Government. Details of other information in the form requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  HIV/AIDS
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the pregnant women who have been tested for AIDS over the past five years had positive test results; and how many were informed of the result of their individual test by the appropriate medical authority.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 11 July 1991]: The information requested is not reported on a routine basis to the communicable diseases (Scotland) unit and is, therefore, unavailable.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many tests for HIV and AIDS have been carried out in each of the health board areas during(a) 1986, (b) 1987, (c) 1988, (d) 1989 and (e)

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 11 July 1991]: Information about the number of HIV tests carried out in 1986, 1987 and 1988 is unavailable. The table shows the number of HIV tests reported to the communicable diseases (Scotland) unit by source health board area for 1989 and 1990.

  Health Board

  1989

  1990

  Argyll and Clyde

  342

  244

  Ayrshire and Arran

  197

  257

  Borders

  57

  60

  Dumfries and Galloway

  132

  160

  Fife

  104

  102

  Forth Valley

  331

  395

  Grampian

  1,201

  1,433

  Greater Glasgow

  4,015

  3,869

  Highland

  220

  395

  Lanarkshire

  339

  263

  237

  Health Board

  1989

  1990

  Lothian

  3,898

  3,579

  Orkney

  8

  15

  Shetland

  17

  19

  Tayside

  986

  1,301

  Western Isles

  2

  Nil

  11,849

  12,092

  Note: A "source health board area" is the health board area in which the blood specimen for HIV testing was taken by the clinician.

  NHS Reforms
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the amount of extra funding which has seen provided to each health board in Scotland to meet the cost of publicity for national health service reforms; and what criteria is applied to the expenditure of these funds.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: Each health board has been provided with additional assistance to meet the cost of implementation of the NHS reforms. There is no separate allocation for publicity. The deployment of these resources is a matter for individual boards but I regard the use of funds to provide information about the reforms as entirely appropriate and necessary.

ENVIRONMENT

  Pollution Inspectorate
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what factors he considered when he decided to transfer Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution local authority unit to Department of Environment control; what functions the unit will undertake in the future; how long he intends to maintain the unit at its current staffing levels; and whether there are any plans to wind up the unit.

  Mr. Trippier
  The local authority unit was transferred from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution to the air quality division of my Department on 1 April this year, the date on which part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 came into force. This was because the air quality division oversees implementation by local authorities of their new air pollution controls under part I of the Act, whereas HMIP is the central enforcing authority for integrated pollution control. There is close liaison between air quality division and HMIP.

  The unit will continue to work on the preparation of guidance notes for processes prescribed for local authority air pollution control and will be responsible for regular review of the guidance. The unit will also continue to act as a pool of technical expertise and general advice in relation to the air pollution controls of part I of the Act. Staffing levels will be reviewed at the end of this year when the 78 process guidance notes have been completed. There are no plans to wind up the unit.

  River Thames (Navigation)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the names of any persons or organisations appointed by him, or the National Rivers Authority, to provide information and advice to its Thames division on matters relating to navigation.
  238
  Mr. Baldry
  Some members of the Thames Regional Rivers Advisory Committee have a particular interest or expertise in matters relating to navigation. Neither my right hon. Friend nor the National Rivers Authority have appointed any other persons or organisations to provide information or advice on this subject.

  Local Plans
  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what relative weight he attaches in coming to decisions about local plans to local district and county councils as against outside bodies.

  Mr. Yeo
  In fulfilling his responsibilities in relation to development plans, the Secretary of State considers each issue on its merits, irrespective of the nature of the body that brings it to his attention.

  Green Belt
  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what examples there are over the last 10 years of decisions to change green belt status; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Yeo
  We remain fully committed to the purposes of the green belt in checking unrestricted urban sprawl, safeguarding the surrounding countryside, preventing neighbouring towns from merging, preserving the special character of historic towns, and assisting urban regeneration. Since 1979 the extent of green belts in England has more than doubled, to approximately 12 per cent. of the country. The Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200) compares approved green belts in 1979 and 1989. My Department does not maintain a central record of individual additions or deletions from the green belt.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance has been made available to planning authorities concerning the siting of wind farms.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Housing and Planning, to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 28 March,Official Report, columns 543–44.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning permission is required for the establishment of wind farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The establishment of a wind farm requires planning permission under section 57 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

  Chester Local Plan
  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in what percentage of cases he has overruled the recommendations of his panel when decisions on local plans have been considered.

  Mr. Yeo
  Panels are appointed by the Secretary of State to conduct examinations in public in connection with
  239
  structure plans proposals. No comprehensive statistics are available covering the Secretary of State's decisions on panel recommendations.

  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he took of the fact that Chester enjoys development area status when coming to his decision on the Chester local plan.

  Mr. Yeo
  The decision by the Secretary of State, in March 1990, to direct the City of Chester not to adopt the Greater Chester local plan was taken to allow full consideration of all the issues it raised, including Chester's development area status, in relation to the Cheshire county replacement structure plan now before him for approval.

  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether Cheshire county council had in their possession his proposals for the Chester local plan in May of this year; to what extent his recent announcement corresponds to those proposals; and what were the considerations which led to the changes.

  Mr. Yeo
  The City of Chester has prepared proposals for the Greater Chester local plan which are currently subject to a "holding" direction pending approval of the Cheshire county replacement structure plan.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment's proposed modifications to the structure plan were announced on 10 July 1991, and he has asked Cheshire county council to carry out a consultation on them.

  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimates he has made of the inevitably necessary development which will occur in the rural areas and villages surrounding Chester as a result of his latest proposals relating to the Chester local plan.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Cheshire county replacement structure plan will set the pattern of development for the county as a whole to 2001. It will be for the local authorities, including the City of Chester, to formulate detailed proposals in local plans for their areas, within the framework of the structure plan, once it is approved.

  Mortgage Arrears
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what additional resources he is making available to local authorities to enable them to respond to the growth in mortgage arrears and reprossessions as revealed in recent Bank of England-sponsored research.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government have already helped all borrowers by cutting base rates by 4 per cent. in the last nine months, reducing the cost of the average mortgage by over £60 a month. In addition, income support amounting to over £350 million was given to some borrowers in 1989–90 to enable them to maintain interest payments. This assistance remains available at a higher level this year. Local authorities can help by debt counselling and in some cases by offering shared ownership schemes in cooperation with housing associations.

  Advertisement Control
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to issue the planning policy guidance note on outdoor advertisement control as promised in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Heritage."

  Sir George Young
  Yes. We have considered the comments made by the local authority associations and my right hon. Friend has decided to go ahead. The requirement is being issued to all local authorities today.

  Local Authority Registers
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will require local authorities, under section 230 of the Local Government Act 1972, to supply his Department with aggregate information about their registers as proposed on 7 May 1991,Official Report, column 401.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department and the Welsh Office have today jointly issued a consultative draft planning policy guidance note about control over the display of outdoor advertisement in England and Wales. I am arranging for copies to be placed in the Library of the House.

  London Zoo
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reply to the Fifth Report of the Environment Committee, Session 1990–91, on London zoo.

  Mr. Trippier
  I would like to thank the Committee for its report on London zoo. I am today placing copies of our response in the Library.

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the royal parks.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I am pleased to able to announce today two major initiatives aimed at improving the quality of the royal parks for those who use them.

  The first is a review, to be carried out by a group under the chairmanship of Dame Jennifer Jenkins, which will concentrate in the first place on Hyde park and Kensington gardens. The second is the contracting out, from February next year, of the ground maintenance and related work in eight of the royal parks.

  Hyde park and Kensington gardens are enjoyed by millions of people—Londoners and tourists alike. But we need to be sure they are really providing what people want today. London's royal parks should fully reflect the city's status as a major world capital. Quality and excellence should be on display for all to see.

  I believe we need to take an open minded and imaginative look at what the parks are for and what they should provide. I have therefore asked Dame Jennifer Jenkins to chair a review group whose task will be to consider the role and use of Hyde park and Kensington gardens in the present, in the past and in the future.

  The members of the review group bring a wealth of experience and expertise. They will produce a report for a conference under ministerial chairmanship early in 1992, following which new policy guidance will be drawn up.
  241
  The royal parks have a well deserved reputation for high quality horticulture. We want to develop this, and where possible improve standards. However, opportunities for this are limited in the public sector. In the private sector there is the enterprise and initiative to develop this horticultural excellence and bring it to a wider public. We therefore wish to help raise standards in the contracting industry as a whole by giving the private sector the chance to do high-quality work in the important locations that the royal parks provide. Once firms gain more experience of working to higher standards, they can use that experience so that the rest of the country can benefit. The Government have therefore decided to put out to tender the ground maintenance and related work currently undertaken in-house in the royal parks. The gardens at Buckingham palace and Clarence house will be excluded from these arrangements and responsibility for these gardens will be transferred to the royal household.

  The contracts will be let in about six months time. They will be drawn up in a way which ensures high horticultural standards. I hope that those commercial bodies with reputations for good horticultural quality in related areas such as nurseries will wish to join in tendering for this prestige work as well as firms already working in this area.

  Staff currently employed by the Department in the royal parks will be entitled to civil service rates of redundancy compensation, and we will want the chosen contractors to offer all the staff a job interview. Staff who occupy lodges in the parks will be able to remain in occupation.

  Overall management of the parks will remain the Secretary of State's responsibility. In so far as that relates to horticultural quality, I am very pleased to say that the president of the Royal Horticultural Society has accepted an invitation to advise the Secretary of State on matters of horticultural quality in the parks both before and after the contracts are let.

  This decision represents both a challenge and an opportunity. It is an important point in the history of the royal parks.

  Pollution Control
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action has been taken to develop tougher controls over vehicle emissions within the European Community, including smoke and oxides of nitrogen from heavy diesel vehicles and carbon dioxide from internal combustion engines.

  Mr. Chope
  I have been asked to reply.

  On 26 June the EC Council of Ministers adopted an amending directive setting tighter limits on emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen (NOx) by new cars and light vans. Among other things, the directive will require almost all new petrol-engined cars from the end of 1992 to use three-way catalytic converters and to run on unleaded petrol. Apart from meeting the same limits for gaseous emissions, diesel cars and light vans will need to comply with a strict limit on paticulates (smoke). The directive will be introduced into United Kingdom law by regulations to be laid later this year.

  On 18 March the EC Council of Ministers reached a common position on an amending directive prescribing stricter limits on the same gaseous emissions from diesel-engined trucks and buses over 3·5 tonnes. Limits on emissions of particulates are also set for the first time.
  242
  There will be two stages, the first to take effect in 1992–93 and the second in 1995–96, with the potential for a third, starting in 1999. The 1992–93 stage substantially reduces the limit for emissions of NOx and establishes limits for particulate emissions. The 1995–96 goes further with NOx reduction, so that the limit value will be less than half its present value and reduces the particulate.

  Both directives set ambitious targets with a challenging but industrially realistic timetable, putting the United Kingdom and its EC partners on a course for substantial longer-term progress in improving the quality of air in our towns and cities.

  The European Commission has yet to present to the Council of Ministers its proposals for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.

  Business Rates
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against assessment of uniform business rates for 1990–91 in each county in England have been(a) lodged and (b) heard; and how many are still awaiting decision.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested cannot be provided on a county basis at a reasonable cost.

  Nationally, some 705,000 appeals against valuation matters had been received by 31 May 1991. About 45,000 of these have been settled and 660,000 await decision. The arrangements and timing of appeal hearings is the responsibility of valuation and community charge tribunals which are independent bodies.

  The table shows the numbers of 1990 rating appeals which at the end of May 1991 were outstanding at valuation and community charge tribunals in England.

  1990 Rating appeals outstanding at the end of May 1991 at Valuation and Community Charge tribunals in England

  Number

  Avon

  8,892

  Bedfordshire

  4,442

  Berkshire

  7,904

  Birmingham

  13,328

  Buckinghamshire

  16,075

  Cambridgeshire

  6,876

  Cheshire

  9,719

  Cleveland

  17,651

  Cornwall

  5,177

  Coventry/Solihull

  4,573

  Cumbria

  6,506

  Derbyshire

  8,971

  Devon

  10,139

  Dorset

  8,484

  Durham

  17,406

  East Sussex

  6,484

  Essex North

  5,761

  Essex South

  7,242

  Gloucestershire

  5,359

  Hampshire North

  5,074

  Hampshire South

  8,472

  Hereford/Worcester

  8,136

  Hertfordshire

  10,887

  Humberside

  8,002

  Isles of Scilly

  59

  Isle of Wight

  1,214

  Kent

  13,850

  Lancashire

  15,588

  Leicestershire

  7,879

  243

  Number

  Lincolnshire

  6,374

  London Central

  29,935

  London North East

  17,964

  London North West

  25,706

  London South East

  17,711

  London South West

  19,911

  Manchester North

  12,052

  Manchester South

  16,364

  Merseyside

  14,175

  Norfolk

  7,945

  North Yorkshire

  9,471

  Northamptonshire

  5,956

  Northumberland

  3,779

  Nottinghamshire

  8,356

  Oxfordshire

  6,924

  Shropshire

  4,289

  Somerset

  4,784

  South Yorkshire

  13,122

  Staffordshire

  9,877

  Suffolk

  15,924

  Surrey

  11,526

  Tyne and Wear

  15,790

  Warwickshire

  5,395

  West Midlands West

  14,135

  West Sussex

  7,160

  West Yorkshire

  24,455

  Wiltshire

  4,365

  1 At end April.

  Chlorofluorocarbons (India)
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide figures for the assistance that the Government have so far provided to India to help in its plans to phase out CFCs since September 1990.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have been asked to reply.

  We financed a consultancy to advise the Government of India on a strategy for phasing out the use of CFCs. The consultancy's second phase, completed in December 1990, cost £176,000. We have since confirmed our willingness to help implement the consultancy's findings, once the Government of India have signed the Montreal protocol on substances that deplete the ozone layer.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Service College
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will state the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of the Civil Service college, including any performance-related element, and the length of time of the chief executive's contract.

  Mr. Renton
  The chief executive of the Civil Service college is on the standard civil service grade 3 pay range and is eligible for the performance-related element appropriate to that grade. Her contract is for three years.

  Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when the last annual report for the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency was published; and when the next one is due.
  244
  Mr. Renton
  The Recruitment and Assessment Services (RAS) Agency was established on 1 April 1991. Its first annual report, covering the financial year 1991–92, will be published in July 1992.

  On its inception, RAS took over the executive functions of the former Civil Service Commission. The commissioners' report, covering the period January 1990 to March 1991, is due to be published shortly.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service (1) if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency since its establishment as an executive agency; and if he will give a break-down by grade of the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern;

  (2) if he will list those new facilities for staff including nurseries and health care schemes which have been introduced in the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency since its establishment as an executive agency;

  (3) what appointments from the private sector have been made to the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency at grade 7 or above since its establishment as an agency; and if he will list the post, grade and maximum salary payable, including any performance-related element;

  (4) what group bonus schemes are in operation in the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency; 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;

  (5) how many staff were in post on the date that the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency was established as an executive agency; and how many staff are in post now;

  (6) how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency as an executive agency; and whether the cost was borne by the parent department or the new agency.

  Mr. Renton
  This is a matter for the chief executive of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member direct.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will state the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency including any performance-related element; and the length of time of the chief executive's contract.

  Mr. Renton
  The chief executive of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency is on the standard civil service grade 3 pay range and is eligible for the performance-related elements appropriate to that grade. His contract is for five years.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency since its establishment as an executive agency identifying separately those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.

  Mr. Renton
  I have either set, or made specific plans to introduce, demanding quality of service performance targets for the Recruitment and Assessment Services (RAS) Agency in the following areas:

  Customer departments' and agencies' satisfaction with overall service

  245

  administration (including timeliness)

  outcome of recruitment scheme

  Growth in

  size of customer base

  degree of repeat business

  amount of business gained by recommendation from existing customers

  During 1990–91 the former Civil Service Commission introduced a formal "sign off" reporting and feedback system.

  The commission supplied details of the outcome of a particular recruitment scheme to its customer departments and agencies who, in turn, completed and returned questionnaires giving their views on various aspects of the services provided.

  On the basis of these forms, an overall satisfaction rating of 82 per cent. was achieved. The target is to increase this to 85 per cent. during 1991–92. For 1991–92, a separate rating for administration (which will include the success-rate in achieving agreed timetables) is being developed. I have set a target to meet agreed timetables in 80 per cent. of cases in 1991–92 and improve on this in future years.

  Specific targets will be set by 30 September 1991 for the turnround of correspondence etc. in the light of first six months' experience of the agency's operation.

  In the longer term I have asked RAS to measure and monitor growth by reference to the size of the customer base, degree of repeat business and the amount of business gained by recommendation from existing customers.

  I will be looking for improvements in each of these categories over the next few years. In addition, RAS will introduce regular in-depth customer surveys, the first of which will be carried out in March 1992.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Planning Statistics
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish indices of the Welsh Office, Scottish Office and the United Kingdom planning total, excluding privatisation receipts and the reserve, with 1978–79 = 100 in(a) cash and (b) constant prices.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested for the years 1984–85 to 1993–94 is set out as follows. Much of the higher growth for the Welsh Office reflects changes in the coverage of the Welsh programme. In 1990–91, for example, the Welsh Office took over from the Department of Social Security responsibility for the payment of rent rebate subsidy to local authorities, to form part of the housing revenue account subsidy to authorities in Wales. The figures given are consistent with data published in the statistical supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1520); they do not take account of the community charge related changes announced on 17 January and in the Budget. Corresponding figures for earlier years are not available.

  Welsh Office

  Scottish Office

  Planning total (excluding privatisation proceeds and the Reserve)

  Cash

  1984–85

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  1985–86

  104·5

  102·5

  103·3

  246

  Welsh Office

  Scottish Office

  Planning total (excluding privatisation proceeds and the Reserve)

  1986–87

  114·2

  107·4

  108·8

  1987–88

  123·3

  111·6

  114·5

  1988–89

  134·9

  120·9

  118·3

  1989–90

  143·3

  127·5

  129·4

  1990–91

  168·8

  139·1

  144·5

  1991–92

  186·2

  158·0

  156·8

  1992–93

  192·2

  163·9

  165·4

  1993–94

  198·6

  168·4

  171·3

  Real terms1

  1984–85

  100·0

  100·0

  100·0

  1985–86

  99·1

  97·2

  98·0

  1986–87

  104·7

  98·5

  99·8

  1987–88

  107·3

  97·0

  99·6

  1988–89

  109·3

  98·0

  95·9

  1989–90

  109·2

  97·2

  98·6

  1990–91

  119·1

  98·1

  101·9

  1991–92

  123·9

  105·2

  104·3

  1992–93

  122·1

  104·1

  105·1

  1993–94

  121·9

  103·4

  105·1

  1 Figures adjusted to remove the effect of general inflation as measured by the GDP market price deflator adjusted to remove the distortion caused by the abolition of domestic rates.

  Overseas Debt
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the amounts of sovereign debt still owed by Bangladesh, Brazil, Jamaica, Bolivia, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru, Philippines, India and Argentina to the United Kingdom Export Credits Guarantee Department, the Overseas Development Administration, or any other agency of Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Total outstanding sovereign debts of the countries listed to the United Kingdom Overseas Development Administration are as set out in the table, to the nearest million pounds sterling as at 1 August 1990, the latest date at which figures are readily available.

  The United Kingdom Export Credits Guarantee Department treats details of exposure levels to individual countries as confidential for commercial reasons. The total exposure to the countries listed, including previously rescheduled debts, is £2·13 billion.

  ODA £ million

  Bangladesh

  0

  Brazil

  4

  Jamaica

  87

  Bolivia

  0

  Honduras

  4

  Nicaragua

  1

  Peru

  5

  Philippines

  6

  India1

  158

  Argentina

  0

  Total

  265

  1 Note India receives an amount of local cost aid equivalent to payments in respect of old aid loans.

  Economic and Monetary Union
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how it is proposed that, pursuant to article 102(d) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary
  247
  union, the Commission shall ensure that the specific recommendations on the budget balance and the control of production costs of a member state are identified;

  (2) whether he will list those methods of monitoring financing of public sector deficits which will be presented in the United Kingdom, pursuant to article 109(b) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (3) whether he will set out the appropriate measures which the Council may adopt for the avoidance of excessive deficits by a member state, pursuant to article 104(a) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (4) whether he will list the prerogatives of the proposed European central bank which are entitled to be safeguarded, pursuant to article 173 of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (5) what factors it is envisaged will be taken into account in the guidelines on the level of earnings in member states which will be issued to the Commission, pursuant to article 102(c) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (6) which Committee of the European Parliament it is envisaged will assist the Commission in monitoring the implementation of the guidelines on a member state's (a) budget balances and (b) production costs, pursuant to article 102(c) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (7) what factors will be used by the Council to determine whether the budget deficit of a member state is excessive and thus to be avoided, pursuant to article 104(a) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (8) how many votes will be required in the Council of Ministers for the Council to adopt the guidelines of the Commission in respect of the United Kingdom budget balances and control of production costs, pursuant to article 102(c) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (9) according to what principles and objectives it is envisaged that the European system of central banks will define monetary policy, as empowered by article 4(2) of the draft treaty amending the treaty of Rome with a view to achieving economic and monetary union;

  (10) if it is envisaged that the European system of central banks shall be the final arbiter of the definition of monetary policy, pursuant to article 4(2) of the draft treaty amending the treaty of Rome with a view to achieving economic and monetary union;

  (11) what amendments he proposes to bring forward to the Bank of England Act 1947 to ensure that Her Majesty's Government shall not seek to influence the bank, pursuant to the requirements of article 106(a) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (12) how many votes will be required in the Council of Ministers for the Council to adopt specific recommendations relating to the United Kingdom's budget balances and control of production costs, pursuant to article 102(d) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (13) what factors it is envisaged the Commission will take into account in submitting guidelines relating to the budget balances of member states, pursuant to article 102(c) of the draft treaty amending the treaty of Rome with a view to achieving economic and monetary union;

  (14) whether he will list those items of production costs in respect of which the Commission will be issuing
  248
  guidelines relating to member states, pursuant to article 102(c) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union;

  (15) whether it is envisaged that the guidelines to be issued by the Commission on the control of production costs, pursuant to article 102(c) of the draft treaty on economic and monetary union will cover wages of employees in the service sector.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The draft treaty to which the right hon. Gentleman refers is that submitted by the European Commission in December 1990 to the intergovernmental conference and is only one of a large number of submissions to the IGC. The issues raised by the right hon. Gentleman are still under discussion and no conclusion has yet been reached.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether under the proposed rules for establishing economic and monetary union certain of the Scottish banks will continue to be able to issue bank notes.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The issue raised by the right hon. Gentleman is part of a wider question on the issuance of bank notes, which is still under discussion in the intergovernmental conference of economic and monetary union.

  European Central Bank
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what will be the United Kingdom's percentage of the subscribed capital of the proposed European central bank;

  (2) whether it is intended that the votes cast in the proposed European central bank shall be weighted according to proportions of the capital of the bank and foreign exchange reserves subscribed by each member state;

  (3) what proportion of foreign reserve assets of the United Kingdom will be called up by the proposed European central bank;

  (4) whether it is envisaged that the decisions of the proposed Council of the European central bank will be made by weighted voting;

  (5) by means of what mechanism it is proposed that a directly-elected body such as the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers should control the execution of monetary policies by the Council and the executive board of the proposed European central bank.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The issue raised by the right hon. Gentleman is still under discussion in the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when it is expected that the Committee of Governors of the proposed central bank of member states will present provisions concerning income distribution as indicated in the chairman's report of 27 November 1990 to the President of the Council.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Committee of Governors presented a draft statute covering the issue the right hon. Gentleman refers to on 26 April 1991.

  Mortgage Payments
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 18 June,Official Report, columns 114–16, on mortgage payments, if he will update the table and give the information on a monthly basis.

  Monthly interest payment1

  Region

  Average new building society mortgages Quarter 2 1988

  June 19882

  Current3

  Increase

  £

  £

  £

  £

  Northern region

  22,200

  135·98

  172·74

  36·77

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  23,000

  140·88

  178·97

  38·09

  East Midlands

  27,000

  165·38

  210·09

  44·72

  East Anglia

  34,800

  222·95

  283·24

  60·29

  Greater London

  54,900

  387·10

  491·78

  104·68

  South East

  44,500

  302·17

  383·88

  81·71

  South West

  34,900

  223·77

  284·28

  60·51

  West Midlands

  28,100

  172·11

  218·65

  46·54

  North West

  24,300

  148·84

  189·08

  40·25

  Wales

  23,900

  146·39

  185·97

  39·58

  Scotland

  24,200

  148·23

  188·31

  40·08

  Northern Ireland

  24,300

  148·84

  189·08

  40·25

  United Kingdom

  32,900

  207·43

  263·53

  56·09

  1 Assuming endowment mortgage, net of basic rate tax relief.

  2 At an interest rate of 9·8 per cent.

  3 At an interest rate of 12·45 per cent.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Mature Students
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will alter the regulations so as to permit a mature student married with children, to claim additional benefits during vacations to supplement the full grant to which he or she is currently restricted and which is their sole income.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no plans to do so. The regulations already provide for students with dependent children or their non-student partners to claim housing benefit or family credit in the long vacation, subject to the normal conditions of entitlement. These rules also apply in term-time and the short vacations. Income support is available to student couples with children in the long vacation and to the non-student partner of a student throughout the year subject to the normal conditions of entitlement.

  Benefits, Scotland
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) which local offices in Scotland had to apply budgetary control measures in 1990–91; and to which budgets the restrictions applied;

  (2) how many claimants, partners and dependants were reliant on income support in Scotland in 1990; and how many of these were children under 15 years;

  (3) how many income support deductions are currently being made in Scotland for (a) poll tax arrears, (b) social fund loan payments, (c) fuel payment arrears and (d) any other purposes; and what percentage of total claimants this represents in each category;

  (4) what was the total notional level of social fund per claimant allocated to Scotland in each year since its inception in (a) cash and (b) constant prices;
  250
  Mr. Maude
  Information for average new building society mortgages in the second quarter of 1988 is in the table. Details of average amounts outstanding on all mortgages by region are not available.

  (5) how many, and what percentage of income support claimants in Scotland (a) aged over 60 years, (b) aged under 60 years and (c) in total are repaying social fund budgeting loans or crisis loans by deductions from their benefit payments.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested 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.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total sum spent in Scotland in social security payments in 1989–90 and 1990–91 broken down by major benefits.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what goods and services the trustees may not pay for, on behalf of a victim of violent crime in receipt of a criminal injuries compensation award, without affecting his or her income-related benefits;

  (2) what restrictions are applied to the way in which criminal injuries compensation awards may be spent by (a) people in receipt of income-related benefits, (b) people in paid employment and (c) people on unearned incomes; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) on what items a victim of violent crime in receipt of a criminal injuries compensation award may not spend a weekly amount without affecting his or her income related benefits;

  (4) if he will state the maximum weekly amount which a victim of violent crime may receive from trustees without

  251
  affecting his or her income-related benefits, after receiving a criminal injuries compensation award and placing it on trust.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Compensation payments from the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board are normally made directly to the injured person. There are no restrictions on how he or she may spend these payments. However, if a person disposes of an award for the purpose of becoming entitled to, or increasing entitlement to, an income-related benefit, the independent adjudicating authority may decide to treat the person as if he or she still has the capital.

  Where a compensation payment is placed on trust, the value of the fund is disregarded indefinitely in the income-related benefits. The first £10 a week of any regular discretionary payment made by the trustees is completely ignored, provided that this disregard has not already been allowed on another income, such as a war disablement pension. The injured person can spend the disregarded income in any way he or she chooses without affecting entitlement to benefit.

  In addition, regular discretionary payments made by the trustees to an injured person or to a third party for goods and services are normally disregarded unless they are intended or used for accommodation charges already met by benefit, food, ordinary clothing or footwear, household fuel, the community charge or water charges. Any payment which is so intended or used will be taken into account, subject to a disregard of £10 a week if the disregard has not already been used up elsewhere.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1989 we contracted centrally on behalf of the Departments of Health and Social Security to offer 161 places on our youth training scheme. In May 1989, 60 of those places were filled.

  In 1990 the scheme changed to youth training and was offered in training weeks. The contract for both Departments for 1990 was 3,976. In May 1990, 64 trainees were in place. In 1991 the contract is for the Department of Social Security only and for 2,250 training weeks. In May 1991, 43 trainees were in place.

  Notes:

  1. 3,976 training weeks would be used by having an average of 92 trainees in place.

  2. 2,250 training weeks would be used by having an average of 43 trainees in place.

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing how many people are now in receipt of(a) full community charge benefit and (b) partial community charge benefit in the light of the £140 reduction in headline poll tax, also giving these figures as a percentage of the total number of poll tax payers for (i) England, (ii) Wales and (iii) Scotland; and if he will make a statement on his estimates of the number of people who are eligible but are not claiming community charge benefit for all poll tax payers and for all those aged under 25 years.
  252
  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest available estimates are as follows:

  Number of community charge benefit recipients, 1991–92 (also expressed as a percentage of total number of people liable for community charge in 1991–92)

  Thousands

  Income support recipients

  Non-income support recipients

  England Percentage

  3,500

  3,250

  Percentage

  10

  9

  Wales

  270

  130

  Percentage

  12

  6

  Scotland

  500

  400

  Percentage

  13

  11

  Source: Modelled using data drawn from 1987–88 Family Expenditure Survey and 1990–91 Management Information System.

  All income support recipients receive maximum community charge benefit. However, there will also be some charge payers not in receipt of income support who will receive maximum community charge benefit in 1991–92.

  Estimates of the take-up of community charge benefit cannot be produced until some time after the receipt of the relevant data from the 1991 family expenditure survey. These estimates will not become available until 1993.

WALES

  Dental Health
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the information that his Department holds on those schools in Wales which show a high incidence of dental caries.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  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 what assessment he has made of effect of the new capitation system on the treatment of children by general dental practitioners.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  It is still too early to assess the effect of the capitation arrangements on the treatment of children. By the beginning of June about 308,000 children in Wales had been registered under the capitation arrangements. This compares well with the amount of treatment given under the old arrangements.

  Health departments are carefully monitoring the new contract. The main principles, such as capitation, are established but a number of detailed changes have been made in response to representations from dentists and such fine tuning will continue where necessary.

  Dentists
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local dental committees in Wales he has met since his appointment; and if he will make a statement.
  253
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None. The local dental committee is a statutory committee created to provide advice principally to the family health services authority for its locality and also to its district health authority via the district dental committee. However, our officials are in regular touch with dentists' representatives in Wales.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will consider asking the family health service authorities to conduct a survey of all dental premises to enable a quality index to be published of the quality and standards of the premises and equipment and which can be made available to patients.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  As from 1 October 1991 general dental practitioners will be obliged to compile and make available a patient information leaflet about the provision of general dental services at their practice premises. Dentists are already obliged to provide information to family health service authorities and a survey of the kind suggested is not necessary.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library the data collected by the Dental Practitioners Board on the number of patients cared for by local dental practitioners.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  At the end of June 1991 there were 1,058,548 patients registered with general dental practitioners in Wales.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library a copy of local directories of dental practices produced by the family health services authorities in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  No. By regulation FHSAs are obliged to make a copy of the local dental list available for inspection at their offices and such other places as appears to be convenient. In practice most FHSAs also arrange for copies to be placed in main libraries and post offices where they may be inspected by members of the public.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each family health services authority in Wales(a) the number of grants paid to dentists to set up a new practice or expand an existing one in an area identified by the FHSA as in need of more dentists and (b) the total value of those grants.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Clwyd family health services authority is the only authority in Wales to have awarded a location incentive scheme grant to a dentist in its locality. The total value of the grant is £7,500.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to introduce regulations to empower family health services authorities to inspect dental surgeries.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Action is being taken to consolidate the NHS (General Dental Services) Regulations and a regulation to empower family health services authorities to inspect dental surgeries will be included when these consolidated regulations are introduced next year.

  Employees
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many currently in employment in Wales are (i) male full-time employees, (ii) female full-time employees, (iii)254
  male part-time employees, (iv) female part-time employees, (v) male self-employed and (vi) female self-employed; and what estimate he has of the average wage or salary under each of these categories.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information requested is given in the following tables:

  Numbers in Employment (thousands)

  March 1991

  1Male

  Female

  Full-time employees in employment

  501

  247

  Part-time employees in employment

  212

  Self-employed

  144

  40

  Source: Quarterly Estimate Series, Employment Department.

  1 Data for part-time males are not available separately from this quarterly series. The results of the Employment Department's Census of Employment indicated that in September 1989 there were 484 thousand full-time and 37 thousand part-time male employees in employment.

  Average gross weekly earnings1

  (£)

  April 1990

  Male

  Female

  Full-time

  258·6

  180·3

  Part-time

  2n.a.

  67·4

  Source: New Earnings Survey, Employment Department.

  1 Employees on adult rates whose pay for the survey period was not affected by absence.

  2 The standard error for male part-time employees is too high to provide a reliable estimate from this survey.

  Average annual personal income1

  (£)

  1988–89

  Male

  Female

  Self-employed2

  8,150

  6,000

  Source: Survey of Personal Incomes, Inland Revenue.

  1 Self-employment income assessable for the income tax year 1988–89.

  2 Only those with a main source of self-employment income are included.

  Special Protection Areas
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those sites so far designated or identified for designation in Wales as special protection areas under EC directive 79/409 on the conservation of wild birds or wetlands of international importance under the Ramsar convention on wetlands of international importance, especially on waterfowl habitat.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The designation of SPA and Ramsar sites is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. Welsh sites are designated in consultation with me.

  In Wales three SPAs, Skomer (part), Dee estuary and Grassholm, and two Ramsar sites, Dee estuary and Cors Fochno, have been designated.

  A further 20 areas have been identified for possible designation as SPAs and Ramsar sites. Four of these areas have been identified as being suitable for designation as both SPAs and Ramsar sites. The details are as follows:

  Cors Caron (Dyfed)—Ramsar

  Corsydd Mon/Lleyn (Anglesey and Lleyn Fens)—Ramsar

  255

  Crymlym Bod (Gwent)—Ramsar

  Llangloffen (Dyfed)—Ramsar

  Llyn Idwal (Gwynedd)—Ramsar

  Llyn Tegid (Gwynedd)—Ramsar

  Midland Meres Mires (Clwyd)—Ramsar

  Migneint (Gwynedd)—Ramsar

  Blackpill, Swansea Bay (West Glamorgan)—Ramsar and SPA

  Burry Inlet (Dyfed/West Glamorgan)—Ramsar and SPA

  Carmarthen Bay (Dyfed/West Glamorgan)—Ramsar and SPA

  Severn Estuary (part) (South Glamorgan/Gwent)—Ramsar and SPA

  Berwyn (Gwynedd)—SPA

  Elenydd Mallaen (Powys)—SPA

  Glannau Aberdaron/Ynys Enlli (Gwynedd)—SPA

  Glannau Ynys Gybi (Gwynedd)—SPA

  Pembrokeshire Cliffs (Dyfed)—SPA

  Skokholm and Skomer (part) (Dyfed)—SPA

  Ynys Feurig, Cemlyn Bay and the Skerries—SPA

  Traeth Lafan (Gwynedd)—SPA

  Water
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list(a) the number of people in Wales who receive water from suppliers granted relaxations to the aluminium standard under section 20(5) (b) of the Water Act 1989, (b) the location of each supply, by county and (c) the number of people served by each of those suppliers.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Under section 20(5)(b) of the Water Act 1989, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has accepted undertakings relating to the aluminium parameter from these companies appointed by him in respect of the water treatment works shown in the following table:

  Location and water treatment works. Estimated population served.

  Numbers

  Clwyd

  Bylchau

  2,150

  Cynwyd

  3,120

  Glascoed

  50,110

  Meifod

  1,580

  Trecastell

  7,610

  Alwen

  89,780

  Bretton

  36,080

  Cilcain

  8,850

  Dyfed

  Bontgoch

  18,240

  Bolton Hill

  52,420

  Hotwells

  2,620

  Preseli

  36,960

  Valley Court

  9,700

  Bryncoch

  13,370

  Dyfed and West Glamorgan

  Bryngwyn

  73,920

  Felindre

  322,410

  Powys

  Llanwrtyd Wells

  2,280

  Llandeilo Graban

  5,500

  Portis High Level

  790

  Hereford and Worcester

  Byton

  2,620

  Broomy Hill

  96,990

  Gwent

  Cwmtillery

  25,160

  Nantybwch

  5,500

  Georgetown

  7,340

  Craig Ddu

  8,120

  256

  Numbers

  Rhymney Bridge

  3,060

  Gwent and Mid Glamorgan

  Ponsticill

  131,060

  South and Mid Glamorgan

  Cantref

  91,749

  Llwynon

  86,500

  Mid Glamorgan

  Hendre Bailey

  Not in use

  Penderyn Borehole

  5,500

  Maerdy High-Level and Low Level

  2,857

  Wrexham and East Denbighshire Water Company

  Penycae (Clwyd)

  7,500

  TOTAL POPOULATION

  1,237,150

  Population figures have been derived from the average daily output of the works when in use and therefore represent the potential number of customers. In addition, undertakings have been accepted covering all water supply zones supplied by Dwr Cymru Cyf and Wrexham and East Denbighshire water company where there is a risk that maximum concentrations or values prescribed in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 may be exceeded, because of deficiences in the distribution system. The parameters covered include aluminium.

  Adult Education
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what is his estimate of the number of people undertaking courses in non-vocational adult education;

  (2)what percentage of the population of the United Kingdom participated in non-vocational adult education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available centrally. Adult education enrolment data does not distinguish between vocational and non-vocational study.

  Family Health Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each family health services authority in Wales for the financial year 1991–92(a) the budget of the authority, (b) the number of full-time staff employed and (c) the number of part-time staff employed.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Family health services authorities have received three separate cash limited allocations for 1991–92. These are in respect of their administration revenue expenditure, their contributions towards general practitioners' expenditure on practice premises and practice staff and their contributions towards GPs' expenditure on practice computer systems. The cash limits for individual FHSAs are shown in tables 1 to 3.

  The number of full-time and part-time staff employed by FHSAs in Wales are shown in table 4.

  Table 1

  FHSA administration revenue

  FHSA

  Cash allocation1 (net) £'000s

  Clwyd

  975

  Dyfed

  883

  Gwent

  1,062

  257

  FHSA

  Cash allocation1 (net) £'000s

  Gwynedd

  733

  Mid Glamorgan

  1,251

  Powys

  534

  South Glamorgan

  1,191

  West Glamorgan

  874

  TOTAL

  7,503

  1 These allocations are provisional and include a delegated capital cash limit for small capital purchases.

  Table 2

  GP practice premises and staff

  FHSA

  Cash allocation £'000s

  Clwyd

  4,042

  Dyfed

  4,521

  Gwent

  5,453

  Gwynedd

  3,506

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,458

  Powys

  1,953

  South Glamorgan

  4,754

  West Glamorgan

  3,519

  Total

  33,206

  Table 3

  GP practice computers

  FHSA

  Cash allocation £'000s

  Clwyd

  288

  Dyfed

  172

  Gwent

  148

  Gwynedd

  52

  Mid Glamorgan

  131

  Powys

  52

  South Glamorgan

  104

  West Glamorgan

  154

  TOTAL

  1,101

  Table 4

  Number of staff employed by FHSAs in Wales (June 1991)

  FHSA

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Total

  Clwyd

  51

  3

  54

  Dyfed

  43

  1

  44

  Gwent

  52

  0

  52

  Gwynedd

  38

  2

  40

  Mid Glamorgan

  66

  2

  68

  Powys

  23

  0

  23

  South Glamorgan

  56

  3

  59

  West Glamorgan

  41

  2

  43

  TOTALS

  370

  13

  383

  Signposts
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will arrange for signposts on the M4 motorway at suitable junctions to illustrate the direction to the town of Caldicot in the county of Gwent;
  258
  (2) if he will consult with Gwent county council about the erection of signposts at suitable junctions on trunk roads to illustrate more clearly the direction to the town of Caldicot.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The only trunk road junction in the vicinity of Caldicot is the motorway junction at Magor on the M4. Modification of the motorway signs will be undertaken prior to the opening of the second Severn crossing.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the percentage of students attending further education colleges in Mid-Glamorgan who live within 10 and 20 miles of the college.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has of the annual capital and current expenditure of each of the further education colleges in Mid-Glamorgan.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department (which includes the executive agency Cadw) has 17 youth training places which are spread across the year. The number of places occupied in May of each of the years indicated is as
  follows:

  1989—4

  1990—9

  1991—9

  The total number of placements for the last three years is as follows:

  1989—14

  1990—19

  1991—to date 11

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Syndicates (Investigations)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has received a copy of the recommendations from the Serious Fraud Office that have been put to the chairman or chief executive of Lloyd's, following the completion of the preliminary investigations into syndicates 317/661.

  Mr. Redwood
  It is not the Department's practice to comment on such matters.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number of staff employed in the public relations department of the Securities and Investments Board; and whether matters referring to the Securities and Investments Board can be referred to the Audit Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  The staffing of the Securities and Investments Board is a matter for the board. I understand they employ five people full-time on press and public relations matters. The Audit Commission has no statutory responsibilities in relation to the Securities and Investments Board.

  Homes (Equity)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what regulation exists of the content of, and marketing practices of, income from equity in housing schemes, home income plans and related financial products.

  Mr. Redwood
  The marketing of schemes which include arrangements for investing capital tied up in property will generally be subject to the Financial Services Act 1986. The Consumer Credit Act 1974 and regulations made under it may apply to the marketing and documentation of the connected secured loan.

  Insurance Brokers Registration Council
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what methods of redress exist, arid what compensation schemes apply, to those clients with complaints against members of the Investment Brokers Registration Council.

  Mr. Redwood
  I assume the hon. Member means the Insurance Brokers Registration Council. The council's rules provide for the investigation of complaints and, as appropriate, disciplinary action against registered brokers. The council also requires registered brokers to have professional indemnity insurance. In addition the council operates a grants scheme under which it can pay compensation in cases of negligence, fraud or other dishonesty, or a failure to account for clients' funds, by a registered broker.

  Insurance Companies (Compensation)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the number of compensation claims under the Insurance Companies Act 1982 submitted, rejected and approved in each year since 1987, together with the total size of awards made.

  Mr. Redwood
  There are no arrangements for compensation under the Insurance Companies Act. The Policyholders Protection Act 1975 provides for the compensation of private policyholders in the event of an insurance company being unable to meet its liabilities. In the case of compulsory insurance, compensation is 100 per cent. of the insurer's liabilities to the private policyholder. For non-compulsory insurance, 90 per cent. of the liabilities is paid in compensation or, for life insurance, continuity of cover arranged. The Policyholders Protection Board is currently making payments in respect of:

  Claim paid

  Insolvent Company

  Total

  Since 1987

  £

  £

  Underwriters National Assurance Company

  402,538

  12,928

  Cotton Trades Insurance Association Ltd.

  120,000

  1,422

  Cavalier Insurance Company

  21,720

  4,236

  Pacific and General Insurance Company

  Identification of policyholders eligible for assistance ongoing

  These insolvencies occurred prior to 1987.

  The board expects that they will in future need to provide compensation for some policyholders of:
  260

  Kingscroft Insurance Company Ltd.

  El Paso Insurance Company Ltd.

  Lime Street Insurance Company

  Mutual Re-Insurance Company Ltd.

  Chartered Insurance Institute
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he proposes to make membership of the Chartered Insurance Institute a condition of practice as a member of self-regulatory body under the Financial Services Act 1986.

  Mr. Redwood
  Standards of training and competence are in the first instance a matter for the Securities and Investments Board and the other regulators under the Act.

  International Pipe Technology
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what discussions he or his officials have had with his counterpart or officials in the United States of America about their investigation into the activity of the late Dr. Barbouti or the company known as International Pipe Technology.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  None.

  Expo 92, Seville
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will give details of how he will solicit exhibits for the British pavilion at Expo 92, Seville;

  (2) if he will give details of who will decide upon what is exhibited at the British pavilion at Expo 92, Seville.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I have commissioned RSCG Conran Design, to recommend exhibits on the theme of "Original Britain". I shall decide what is exhibited on the basis of these recommendations.

  Investment Services Directive
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, what was the outcome of the Council of Ministers' discussions on the Investment Services Directive on 8 July.

  Mr. Redwood
  No member state was able unconditionally to accept the text of the Dutch Presidency compromise on regulated markets; France and her allies in particular were not prepared to accept the text as a basis for negotiation. Further discussion was deferred pending reflection by the Commission and the Presidency about how they wish to proceed. A table round revealed considerable differences of views between member states.

  I shall shortly be writing to the House of Commons Select Committee on European Legislation and the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Communities explaining the situation in more detail.

  European Economy
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 28 June on the European Economy, December 1990,Official Report, column 575, if his Department has assessed the data available on the change in volume of exports shown in table 2 of that publication, relating to Portugal and Luxembourg; and if he has anything to add to his answer of 2 July on Portugal and Luxembourg, Official Report, column 96.
  261
  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 16 July 1991]: In keeping with the established practice of my Department, questions on exports are answered in terms of goods only. This was the case in the reply given in the Official Report of 2 July 1991 at column 96. The Department is not aware of any publication which provides export volume figures on this basis for Portugal and Luxembourg. Table 36 of the December 1990 edition of the "European Economy" shows the change in volume of exports of goods and services.

ENERGY

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what percentage saving the Government have achieved in the total energy bill for the Government estate since September 1990.

  Mr. Wakeham
  This information is not yet available. However it is still the Government's target to achieve savings totalling 15 per cent. over the next five years.

  Electricity Companies
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place in the Library a copy of the report from Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte on electricity companies sent to him in April.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 2 July 1991, at column 86.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many of the electricity distribution companies achieved the Government set profit targets for the year to March 1990.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This is a matter for the companies. However, this information is contained in the companies' annual reports and accounts for the year ending March 31 1990, copies of which were placed in the Library of the House.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  In May 1989 one trainee was in place under the youth training scheme. The Department has no youth training places at present.

  Wind Farms
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many wind farms have been established in each of the last three years in England; and what is the estimated annual subsidy paid to wind farmers.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The first renewables order under the non-fossil fuel obligation resulted in the first five contracts for wind farms being signed. These projects have yet to come to fruition and no annual subsidy has been paid to windfarmers.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 18 July.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is conducting bilateral discussions with President Gorbachev.

  Tesco, Sheffield
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make an official visit to Meadowhead, Sheffield to discuss with local residents and the developers of the proposed Tesco's superstore the implications of his newly announced environmental initiatives for such developments.

  The Prime Minister
  I have at present no plans to do so.

  United Nations Environment Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what proposals will be put forward by Her Majesty's Government to the United Nations conference on environment and development in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992.

  The Prime Minister
  We are consulting widely in order to prepare our position towards the United Nations conference on environment and development, in particular the proposed action plan, agenda 21, which will be discussed at the preparatory committee next month.

  Manchester Olympic Bid
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his policy on further help for Manchester's bid to host the Olympic games; and if he will make a statement on both the help so far given and that which might be considered.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government welcome Manchester's bid to host the Olympic games. The Minister for Sport has already met the chairman of the bid committee and representatives of the British Olympic Association and has assured them that the Government stand ready to discuss ways in which it might help promote the bid. I plan to meet representatives of the bid committee in September and will consider any suggestions they may have.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in the Cabinet Office and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  The Prime Minister
  There have been no youth training places in the Cabinet Office. However, an active work experience programme for 15 and 16-year-olds has been in operation for several years.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his office and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  The Prime Minister
  There have been no youth training places in my office.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Taxi Drivers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether, in the light of the recent amendment in the Road Traffic Bill that facilitates vetting of those applying for a taxi driver's licence, he will issue advice to local authorities concerning the use of criminal records to determine who is a fit and proper person to hold a taxi licence on the lines of those described in HOC 102(88) which relates to the vetting of those who have access to children; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Department of Transport will draw up guidance to local authorities in consultation with the Home Office and other interested groups. The guidance is expected to cover broadly similar ground to Home Office circular 102/88.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether international police forces will have on-line access to the police national computer; what part the computer plays in the plans for an integrated European police computer network; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no plans to allow foreign police forces to have access to the police national computer (PNC) either directly or as part of a European information system.

  Asylum
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate his Department has made of the proposed implementation of the full freedom of movement in 1992 on the number of asylum seekers entering the United Kingdom.

  Name

  First appointed

  Date of last re-appointment (where applicable)

  Length of current appointment

  Other positions held

  Mr. Norman Ward-Jones, CBE, VRD, JP

  (Member)

  1 March 1984

  (Chairman)

  1 March 1986

  1 July 1989

  3 years

  Solicitor and Magistrate

  Lady Ibbs JP

  1 December 1985

  1 December 1990

  1 year

  Magistrate: formerly Chairman of the Betting and Gaming Licensing Committee of the South Westminster Justices

  Mr. Michael Hogan

  6 October 1986

  1 October 1988

  3 years

  Former Secretary of the Board

  Mr. William Kirkpatrick JP

  1 January 1991

  —

  2 years

  Chairman of Findlaters, Mackie and Todd plc

  Sir Richard Barratt, CBE, QPM

  1 July 1991

  —

  2 years

  Formerly Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary

  Mr. Hogan will serve a further three years when his current appointment expires on 30 September 1991.
  264
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no necessary linkage between the introduction of the single European market and numbers of asylum seekers coming to the United Kingdom. We intend to maintain immigration controls at the frontier on nationals of non-European Community countries.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will distribute copies of the scrutiny report into the wider use of criminal records in vetting to the Data Protection Registrar, the National Council of Civil Liberties and the press; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Copies of the report of the efficiency scrutiny of the national collection of criminal records will be publicly available in due course.

  Gaming Board
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the current members of the Gaming Board, (b) the dates and lengths of their current appointments and (c) their qualifications for such appointments.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no statutory qualifications for appointment to the board, although experience in the law, business or the police service are particularly relevant to the board's work.

  The current members of the board; the dates of their original appointments and, where applicable, of their most recent re-appointment; the lengths of their current appointments; and other positions they hold or have held are as follows:

  Overseas Electors
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much his Department expects to spend on the campaign for registration of overseas electors in October.
  265
  Mrs. Rumbold
  No expenditure on advertising or publicity to inform British citizens abroad of their voting rights is planned for this year, save for an estimated £1,400 on updating posters used in British diplomatic posts abroad.

  Mr. Leslie Burnett
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis, following the payment by the Metropolitan police of damages to Mr. Leslie Burnett for wrongful arrest, false imprisonment and assault, as to what disciplinary action will be taken against the police officers involved.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. this is a matter which is the responsibility of the commissioner.

  War Crimes
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what criteria are used to determine whether allegations of war crimes between 1939 to 1945 in the Channel Islands can be investigated by the war crimes unit.

  Mr. John Patten
  The prime responsibility for dealing with allegations of offences in the Channel Islands rests with the island authorities. The war crimes unit investigates on their merits specific allegations which appear to fall within the terms of the War Crimes Act 1991.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied for May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  There is no set quota of youth training places in my Department. The number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and 1991 were three, 10 and nine respectively.

  Police Dogs
  Sir Bernard Braine
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect the Dangerous Dogs Bill will have on police dog handlers and police dogs.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We have tabled an amendment to the Bill to provide an exemption from the criminal offences in clause 3 in respect of dogs which are being used by the police or by people in the service of the Crown.

  Immigration
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many airlines have been fined for landing immigrants without proper documents in each of the last three years; which airlines were fined; what is the total amount levied in immigration fines; and whether all the money owed by airlines in immigration fines has been received.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is not the practice to disclose information on the record of individual carriers under the 266
  Act. The total amount incurred by all carriers to 10 July was £30·694 million, of which £13·541 million has been paid. Liability in respect of £2·301 million has been waived leaving £14·851 million outstanding.

  Sexual Offenders
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the more effective treatment of sexual offenders serving prison sentences.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced on 7 June that, from the autumn of 1991, the prison service will be progressively introducing structured programmes for sex offenders in prison. The main features of the strategy are:the holding of sex offenders in fewer prisons to facilitate consistency of approach in running treatment programmes, to make cost effective use of resources and skills, and to provide a safe and supportive environment.
  treatment programmes are to be based on admission of offences, challenging attitudes and tackling offending behaviour. They must be practical, deliverable and sustainable and be properly evaluated.
  priority for treatment will be given to those who are likely to represent the greatest risk to the community on release.
  assessment will be introduced following conviction and sentence to determine which prisoners are most in need of treatment. This will take into account an inmate's previous convictions, evidence of inadequacy or addiction, evidence of sexual deviancy etc, and also reflect his behaviour during the assessment period when he will undergo psychological tests, have individual counselling and participate in group work.
  two main treatment programmes will be available in the prison service. A core programme, which does not require significant specialist resources, will tackle offenders' distorted beliefs about relationships, enhance their awareness of the effect of sexual offences on the victim, and seek to get inmates to take responsibility for and face up to the consequences of their own offending behaviour.

  The programme will also get inmates to develop relapse prevention strategies, identifying the nature of their offence cycles and how high risk situations can be avoided. The extended programme, for those who represent the greatest risk, will be run at establishments with appropriate specialist resources. This will, in addition, tackle problems of deviant arousal, inter-personal relationships, communications skills, anger and stress management, substance abuse, etc.

  Our intention is to have the programme running in up to 20 establishments during the course of 1992. These are likely to comprise Albany, Dartmoor, Full Sutton, Maidstone, Wakefield, Wandsworth, Littlehey, Channings Wood, Featherstone, Risley, Usk, Wayland, Whatton, Grendon, Wormwood Scrubs and Swinfen Hall, and possibly also Aylesbury, Feltham and New Hall or Styal.

  Firearms
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he will lay before Parliament the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have placed a copy of the annual report of the Firearms Consultative Committee in the Library today.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Audit Commission
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether matters referring to grant-maintained schools or city technology colleges can be referred to, or investigated by, the Audit Commission.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. CTC and GM school accounts are subject to inspection by the National Audit Office as well as by the Department. It is a requirement on both GMs and CTCs that there be annual audit reports by qualified external auditors appointed by each school or college. The Audit Commission has successfully tendered to become the external auditors of several grant-maintained schools under the provisions of section 220 of the Education Reform Act 1988. There are no plans for them to act in respect of CTCs.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department has not offered any places.

  School Examinations and Assessment 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 School Examinations and Assessment Council.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The School Examinations and Assessment Council is moving into a new phase of its work. Solid foundations have been laid for the introduction of a national system of assessment and testing, and for the continuing development of a rigorous and effective school examination system.

  The challenge now is to build on this progress. To do so the Secretary of State for Wales and I see advantage—as in the case of the National Curriculum Council—in separating the roles of the chairman and chief executive of the School Examinations and Assessment Council. Mr. Philip Halsey who has combined those roles to date, has himself seen this as a time for change, and he will retire from the School Examinations and Assessment Council with effect from 15 August. From that date, the Secretary of State for Wales and I are appointing Lord Griffiths as part-time chairman of the School Examinations and Assessment Council. The appointment will be for two years in the first instance.

  It will be for the council to appoint a full-time chief executive, with our approval, under the provisions of schedule 2 of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the future of GCSE in physics, chemistry and biology when the national curriculum for science applies to 14 to 16-year-olds from 1992.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I am today publishing, together with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales,268
  a statutory proposal for regulations under section 17 of the Education Reform Act 1988 to allow schools to continue to offer courses in the separate sciences to pupils starting GCSE courses in 1992. The regulations will provide an exception from the requirements of national curriculum science for pupils in that cohort on condition that they are studying courses of study leading to GCSE examinations in all three separate science subjects: physics, chemistry and biology.

  There is the option to study the three separate sciences now, and I fully intend that that option should continue to be available, as an alternative to model A or model B combined sciences, when the national curriculum requirements for science apply to pupils aged 14 to 16. However, it has not been possible to produce new syllabuses for physics, chemistry and biology, revised to meet those requirements, in time for pupils starting on their GCSE studies in 1992, though they will be available in 1993. It would clearly be unfair to deny to such pupils a choice open to their forerunners and successors. That is why the exception is necessary: to bridge a gap, for a single cohort of pupils.

  I have today asked the National Curriculum Council in England to carry out consultations on the proposals, and comments should be sent to the council by 4 October. My right hon. Friend will initiate consultations in Wales. Copies of the published proposals have been placed in the Library of the House.

EMPLOYMENT

  Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the European Parliament's proposal to incorporate tourism in the European treaty.

  Mr. Forth
  The present treaty allows for sensible co-operation between member states on tourism matters and we do not believe a case has been made for any change.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how often has the inter departmental committee on tourism met over the last three years; which Departments were represented; who attended; and what items were discussed.

  Mr. Forth
  The tourism co-ordination committee has met four times since the beginning of 1988. It is chaired by the Secretary of State for Employment or the Minister for Tourism, and all Departments with a significant interest in matters affecting the industry are represented at ministerial or official level. The committee has discussed a wide range of topics and policies which impinge upon the promotion and development of tourism in the United Kingdom.

  Entertainment Employment Agencies
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the names of entertainment employment agencies operating and registered in Scotland under the provisions of the Employment Agencies Act 1973.

  Mr. Forth
  Licensed employment agencies with premises in Scotland known to be involved wholly or
  269
  mainly in entertainment work, including modelling and promotions, are as follows. Other licensed employment agencies may also be involved in these activities from time to time.

  Stag Entertainments, Aberdeen

  Aberdeen Actors Agency

  Forefront Entertainments, Alloa

  Music Scotland, Alva

  West Coast Promotions, Bellfield

  Showbizz Artists Ltd., Biggar

  Tip-Top Entertainment, Bonnyrigg

  The Music Company, Bonnyrigg

  G. T. Entertainments, Bridge of Weir

  Glen Dale Entertainments, Coatbridge

  Juhill Entertainments, Coupar Angus

  J. T. Entertainments, Dalgety Bay

  Jayze Entertainments, Dundee

  The Agency, Dundee

  M. C. M. Enterprises, Dundee

  Penguin Entertainments, Dundee

  Castle Entertainments, Edinburgh

  The Bechhofer Agency, Edinburgh

  Cosmos Agency, Edinburgh

  Emkay Entertainments, Edinburgh

  Entertainment Company, Edinburgh

  Pat Lovett (Inc. Esel Agency), Edinburgh

  Q The Image Consultants Limited, Edinburgh

  Star Agency, Edinburgh

  The Stoneyport Agency, Edinburgh

  Scotia Entertainments, Edinburgh

  Gilded Ballon Productions, Edinburgh

  Alan Dunbar Agency, Edinburgh

  La Entertainments Agency, Edinburgh

  Single Shot Promotions, Edinburgh

  Tommy Sampson Band Agency, Edinburgh

  Jim Law Entertainments, Falkirk

  Chalmers Wood Limited, Glasgow

  Ross Bowie Organisation, Glasgow

  Peter Browne Management (Scotland), Glasgow

  Neil Drover Agency, Glasgow

  Bill Gordon Entertainments Agency, Glasgow

  The Harry Margolis Entertainment Organisation, Glasgow

  Nat Sanderson Entertainments and Personal Management, Glasgow

  Royale Chimes Leisure Ltd. Glasgow

  Ruth Tarko Agency, Glasgow

  Young Casting Agency, Glasgow

  Ken Meikle Entertainment Agency, Glasgow

  The Richard Fillingham Agency, Glasgow

  Just Janie Promotions, Glasgow

  Carolina Entertainments, Glasgow

  Castings, Glasgow

  Michael Brecks Magic Shows, Glasgow

  Prime Time Promotions, Glasgow

  Gold Band Entertainments Agency, Glasgow

  Christys, Glenrothes

  Select Entertainments, Glenrothes

  Gerard Toal Promotions, Glenrothes

  Stax Entertainments and Promotions, Gourock

  Carousel Entertainment Agency, Hamilton

  Mavisbank Entertainment Promotions, Houston

  Square Deal Promotions, Inverness

  John Worth Entertainments, Inverness

  Leisure Promotions, Inverness

  Lynda Millar Entertainments, Kinross

  J and S Promotions, Kirkwall

  Burton Entertainments, Livingston

  Frank Keenan Entertainments, Motherwell

  Champion Stage Promotions, Musselburgh

  Undercover Entertainments, Nairn

  Scotbase Entertainments, Paisley

  Big Time Promotions, Peterhead

  Glenmor Agency, Peterhead

  Honey's Entertainment Agency, Pitmedden

  The Entertainers Agency, Polmont

  Roy Wicks Entertainments, Prestwick

  Thor Promotions Limited, Rutherglen

  Caledonian Music Agency, Shotts

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  Ian Wilson Entertainments, Strathaven

  Kenny Paton Entertainments, Strathaven

  Prefix Artists, Whitburn

  Midas Promotions, Wishaw

  Farm Workers (Illnesses)
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the three most common forms of illness among farm workers related to veterinary, pesticide or other chemical formulations used in agriculture; and how he seeks to combat them.

  Mr. Forth
  Comprehensive comparative information on the effects of chemical exposure in agriculture, which would be necessary to determine the three most common forms of illness, is not available. Incidents involving pesticide poisoning however are reported annually by the Health and Safety Executive and the report for 1990–91 was published on 16 July. Copies of the report will be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Exposure to hazardous chemical formulations used in agriculture is subject to the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 1988 and, in the case of pesticides, the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. These regulations place duties on employers to safeguard the health of employees and the public and are enforced by inspectors of the Health and Safety Executive.

  The Health and Safety Executive is also sponsoring a pilot "Green Card" surveillance scheme to provide an assessment of the extent of poisoning by veterinary and pesticide products. This scheme has recently been launched in the West Midlands and Trent health authorities and will include reporting by GPs of suspected cases of poisoning and the provision of a hotline to give immediate specialist advice.

  The Health and Safety Executive contributes to the suspected adverse reaction scheme operated by the veterinary medicines directorate. The executive has also recently carried out a special survey into sheep dip exposure, the results of which have been made known to the Veterinary Products Committee which is currently reviewing the licensing of sheep dip products.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested is in the following table:

  (a) Number of places available (absolute maximum)

  (b) Occupancy of ED group scheme

  March 1989

  350

  127

  March 1990

  350

  178

  March 1991

  350

  175

  The figures are collected on a quarterly basis in March, June, September and December, therefore no stand alone figures exist for May.

  Chester Local Plan
  Sir Peter Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will undertake an assessment of the employment implications and the effect on future job prospects in the Chester area, resulting from the latest proposals relating to the Chester local plan.

  Mr. Jackson
  Employment prospects in the Chester area were one of the factors taken into account by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for the Environment, in deciding on the proposed modification to the Cheshire structure plan he published on 11 July. I have no plans to make any separate assessment.

  Piers
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what Government help has been given towards pier reconstruction in England during the years 1989, 1990 and 1991 to date.

  Mr. Forth
  The full information could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, assistance from the national heritage memorial fund has been made available for works to Clevedon pier (£2,608 in 1989) and to Brighton West pier (£36,921 in 1989 and 1990).

  Tourist Attractions
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what Government monetary resources were granted to tourist attractions based in seaside resorts in(a) England and (b) Wales during the years 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Manufacturing Employees
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the male employed population are employed in manufacturing industry in(a) the United States of America, (b) Japan, (c) Germany, (d) France, (e) Italy and (f) the United Kingdom, respectively.

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

  Percentage of the male civilian workforce in employment employed in manufacturing industries

  Per cent.

  1988 (midyear) United States of America

  22·6

  Japan

  24·5

  Germany (Federal Republic) (June 1986)

  37·4

  France1

  n/a

  Italy

  23·3

  United Kingdom

  226·7

  Source: O.E.C.D. Labour Force Statistics 1968–1988. Latest figures available are for 1988.

  n/a =Not available.

  1 There is no male/female breakdown available for civilian
  272
  employment in France.

  2 The latest available figure (March 1991) is 25·6 per cent. (Source ED)

  Toxic Waste Incinerator, Gwent
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what information he has concerning risks posed to local residents of Gwent from the explosion on 13 July at the toxic waste incinerator plant operated by Rechem at New Inn, Gwent.

  Mr. Forth
  Inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive are currently carrying out a full investigation into the cause of the fire at Rechem International Limited, Pontypool, Gwent on 12 July.

  Information obtained from the investigation so far is that it is unlikely that local residents were exposed to any significant risk to their health and safety.

  Offshore Installations
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps the Government have taken since Lord Cullen's report to improve the standard of standby vessels serving oil and gas installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive and the Department of Transport have today jointly published a revised code for the assessment of the suitability of standby vessels attending offshore installations. The revised code has been produced in consultation with the vessel owners, offshore operators and the unions and incorporates specific improvements to standby vessels recommended by Lord Cullen in his report into the Piper Alpha tragedy.

  New vessels and conversions should comply with the code immediately. For existing vessels, compliance will be phased, but vessels should fully meet the requirements of the code by 31 December 1992. The United Kingdom Offshore Operators Association has agreed that standby vessels will be chartered only if they meet these requirements.

  The revised code should make a very real contribution to raising the standards of standby vessels, their equipment and rescue facilities.

  I have arranged for copies of the code to be placed in the Library.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his
  24·5—office and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The Privy Council does not offer youth training scheme places.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Manor of Maltby
  Mr. Barron
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster when the Manor of Maltby was held by the Honour of Tickhill; and what is its current status.
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  Mr. Chris Patten
  The Domesday Book records the Manor of Maltby as holding the Honour of Tickhill. However Maltby gained its independence from the Honour in or about 1232—before the Honour became part of the possessions of the Duchy in 1372.

  The Manor of Maltby is now part of the possessions of the Earl of Scarborough having been in the ownership of various families in earlier times.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his office and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  The Duchy of Lancaster has four youth training places on offer. In May 1989 two were occupied; in May 1990 two; and in May 1991 three. In addition, places are made available for school-children to gain work experience. Over a similar period 14 to 28 persons have been employed at any one time on employment training schemes on Duchy property.

  The Duchy of Lancaster office in London makes a practice of offering employment to young school leavers at market rates of pay and assisting them with basic training in office skills during office hours.

DEFENCE

  Air Training Corps
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people are involved in the activities of the air training corps; and what level of funding his Department has provided to the ATC in the most recent years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As at 31 March 1991, there were 38,127 cadets in the Air Training Corps (ATC) and 8,895 in the RAF section of the Combined Cadet Force (CCF(RAF)). The ATC and CCF(RAF) is administered by a full time staff of 93 Royal Air Force personnel and 208 civil servants, supported by 4,476 uniformed, 4,725 civilian volunteers and 716 chaplains. Funding has been provides as follows:

  £ million

  a. 1987–88

  24

  b. 1988–89

  27

  c. 1989–90

  29

  d. 1990–91

  30

  HMS Endurance
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Endurance is due to dry dock for her survey; how long will the survey take to complete; and whether her return to the south Atlantic this autumn will be delayed as a result.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Endurance entered dock on 26 July, and the structural survey commenced as planned on 1 July. The survey results should be available in the near future. Decisions on her deployment to the Antarctic this winter will be made when the results of the survey have been assessed.

  RTM 322
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long ago the RTM 322 engine successfully completed its trials with the United States navy.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I understand that the US navy completed flight trials of RTM 322 in a Seahawk helicopter in September 1988.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many RTM 322 engines have been ordered to date by the Government.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The RTM 322 engine has been selected to power the production model of the RN EH101 Merlin helicopter, orders for which have not yet been placed. We are currently evaluating bids for the prime contractorship for this project.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much financial support the Government have given to develop the RTM 322; and how much that is of the development total.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The RTM 322 development work is shared in roughly equal proportions between the United Kingdom and France. The British Government are contributing about one third of the cost of the United Kingdom work share. The precise sum is commercially confidential.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many copies of his departmental publications "Defending the Environment" and "Sanctuary"—the Ministry of Defence conservation magazine, were distributed at his ministry's exhibition stand at the exhibition of environment, wildlife and conservation at Olympia on 6 to 11 July; what was the cost of production of the distributed documents; and how many requests for further information submitted by visitors to the exhibition were made to his departmental staff.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence issued publicity material during the course of the exhibition to inform the public of the considerable efforts being made to protect and enhance the archaeological and natural history resources of the Defence estate.

  It is estimated that the costs for the material were as follows:

  Defending the Environment

  1,500 leaflets issued at a cost of £1,125.

  Sanctuary Magazine

  300 copies issued at a cost of £369.

  Visitors to the exhibition showed considerable interest in the MOD display and approximately 90 requests for further information were received, in addition to many oral questions.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.
  275
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There is currently a total of 1,362 youth training places in the Ministry of Defence. The number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and 1991 is as follows:

  Number

  May 1989

  1,362

  May 1990

  1,308

  May 1991

  1,453

  Uranium
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what report his Department has had from Hans Blix, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency about the visits to Tuwaitha and Tarmiya in Iraq about sealing of 93 per cent. highly enriched uranium and 80 per cent. enriched uranium; and what quantities were involved.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Hans Blix, Director General of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), reported directly to the Secretary General of the United Nations on the recent IAEA-led inspections of Iraqi nuclear sites. His reports are confidential and it would be improper for the Government to publish details of IAEA documents communicated in confidence to IAEA member states. It is for the IAEA to decide how to treat any findings.

  I am able to say, however, that the IAEA is satisfied that it has identified and located all the uranium held under agency safeguards by the Iraqis.

  Gurkha Battalions
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider deploying Gurkha battalions to(a) Northern Ireland and (b) armoured infantry battalions.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The deployment of Gurkhas is kept under review.

  RAF Regiment
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will consider deploying elements of the Royal Air Force Regiment in an infantry role to(a) Northern Ireland or (b) Germany.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Squadrons of the RAF Regiment are already deployed on specialist tasks in support of air operations in both Northern Ireland and Germany.

  Dartmoor National Park
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much compensation was paid to farmers in the Dartmoor national park in each of the last seven years as a result of the firing of live ammunition in the national park; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Compensation is payable to registered commoners whose grazing rights within the Dartmoor training area are affected when live firing takes place. Over the last seven years the amounts agreed to be paid as a result of live firing are as follows:276

  £

  1985

  57,970

  1986

  58,020

  1987

  81,576

  1988

  81,101

  1989

  81,101

  1990

  91,668

  1991

  91,668

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much the Ministry paid to the Duchy of Cornwall for the 21-year lease in respect of the firing of live ammunition in the Dartmoor national park.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information is confidential between the Duchy of Cornwall and the Ministry of Defence.

  Grenadiers
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any written evidence was considered by the board of inquiry into the case of the three injured Grenadiers as to the reasons why an unexploded 76 mm HESH round was lying unmarked on the Batus training area between 1984 and 7 July.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As part of its investigation into all the circumstances surrounding the accident the board of inquiry examined the written procedures for reporting and clearing unexploded rounds. The board was satisfied with the procedures.

  EUCLID
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funds he has committed to the European co-operative long-term initiative in defence since November 1990.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  A total of £1 million.

  Challenger Tanks
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Challenger I tanks that were sent to the Gulf in support of Operation Granby have had their engines replaced as a result of failure; and what has been the cost of maintenance of the Challenger I tanks since they were first sent to the Gulf.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  During the whole of Operation Granby, which included an intensive programme of exercises prior to hostilities, 190 Challenger powerpacks were replaced as a result of engine or engine-related failure. This number was within the planning parameters.

  The additional maintenance cost of the Challenger tanks sent to the Gulf, including the purchase of some new engines, major assemblies and other spares is approximately £30 million.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Milk (Dioxin Contamination)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to publish the names of farms which have had contamination of dioxin in milk above recommended levels during the last year.
  277
  Mr. Gummer
  I have, with the permission of the farmers, passed their details to the hon. Member for Bolsover (Mr. Skinner).

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields of 2 July,Official Report, column 132, if he will indicate the locations of the two incinerators where dioxin measurements in milk have been taken in their vicinity.

  Mr. Gummer
  If our programme for measuring dioxin levels is to be effective, we must measure in a whole range of locations.

  It is against Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food policy to provide information on specific sampling locations in this or any other programmes of regular surveillance.

  Tobacco Regime
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the cumulative cost, at today's prices, of the CAP tobacco regime.

  Mr. Curry
  Since we joined the Community the tobacco regime has cost the EC just under £11,000 million at today's prices.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received to date this year about the export of live animals.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government continue to receive a large number of representations on this subject, particularly in relation to safeguards for animal welfare.

  We welcome this support for the strong stance we are taking on the protection of animals.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the effect on United Kingdom farmers of the latest proposals for the reform of the common agricultural policy from the European Commission.

  Mr. Gummer
  It seems clear that they would disadvantage larger, more efficient farmers, many of them in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next plans to meet his European counterparts to discuss the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, North-East (Mr. Moss) earlier today.

  Dolphins
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any new proposals to protect dolphins and other small cetaceans.

  Mr. Gummer
  All cetaceans are fully protected under United Kingdom law against deliberate killing. Later this 278
  year several countries including the United Kingdom will consider a detailed plan for co-operative research on small cetaceans, following an earlier United Kingdom initiative at the North sea conference forum. We already have in hand several Government-sponsored research initiatives.

  Farm Animal Welfare
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on progress in farm animal welfare since 1987.

  Mr. Maclean
  Since 1987, regulations have come into force which ban the veal crate, phase out close confinement systems for pigs, set standards for battery hens and general welfare standards for all farm livestock.

  Two new welfare codes have been made.

  Regulations last year implemented many of the Farm Animal Welfare Council's recommendations on the slaughter of red meat animals and on religious slaughter.

  Orders have been made to give further protection to poultry during transport, and to farm animals and horses at market.

  We are actively pressing for the high standards of animal welfare in this country to be extended throughout the European Community.

  Cereals
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the cost of EC intervention stocks of cereals in 1990–91.

  Mr. Curry
  The EC Commission estimates the cost to the Community budget of intervention stocks of cereals in 1990 at £890 million.

  Farms, Basildon
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to visit farms in Basildon.

  Mr. Gummer
  I look forward to taking up my hon. Friend's invitation to visit farms in his constituency.

  Farm Price Agreement
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the 1991–92 farm price agreement and its effect on the food industry.

  Mr. Curry
  The food industry will benefit from the Government's success in ensuring that the 1991 price fixing settlement respected the agricultural guideline.

  Food Marking
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will make a statement on the current position regarding the marking of food products with their country of origin.

  Mr. Curry
  The EC food labelling directive, which is implemented in the United Kingdom by the Food Labelling Regulations 1984, requires the place of origin or provenance to be shown where failure to give such particulars might mislead the consumer to a material
  279
  degree. It also requires that the name of the food must be sufficiently precise to enable the product to be distinguished from any other with which it might be confused. Information on country or place of origin may be given voluntarily so long as it is true and not misleading.

  Quotas
  Mrs. Irene Adams
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he next plans to meet his European counterparts to discuss quotas.

  Mr. Curry
  Measures to control production, including cuts in milk quotas, were discussed in the context of reform of the common agricultural policy at the Agriculture Council on 15 to 16 July.

  Food Imports and Exports
  Mr. Loyden
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the balance between food imported to the United Kingdom from Europe and food exported to Europe from the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  In 1990, the United Kingdom imported food, feed and drink from Europe, including Turkey, valued at £8·6 billion while exports to Europe were £4·2 billion.

  Eggs
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to phase out the use of sell-by or best-before labelling of hens eggs.

  Mr. Curry
  No. The use of sell-by and/or best-before date markings on eggs is permitted under the EC Egg Marketing Standards Regulations. The recently revised EC Egg Marketing Standards Regulations retain the option of using the term "sell-by". Although we wished the term to be withdrawn in line with the labelling of other foodstuffs for which the term "best-before" is to be used, the Commission, and a majority of member states, wished to retain it. The mandatory requirement to show a packing date remains.

  Ewe Premium
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will pay with the first advance of the ewe premium the full supplement due to sheep producers in less favoured areas.

  Mr. Gummer
  I announced on 14 May our intention to pay two advances of this year's annual ewe premium in order to ease sheep producers' cash flow difficulties. Following a recent decision by the EC Commission, I have decided that the first of these advance payments will include the whole of the 4 ecu (about £3·12) per ewe supplement which is payable to producers in the less favoured areas. The supplement is worth some £39 million and the payment in a single sum with the first advance will provide a very welcome boost for hill farmers' finances.

  This supplement is additional to the payment of the first advance of premium to all sheep producers of £3·68 per ewe in Great Britain and £5·99 per ewe in Northern Ireland. We are on schedule to make the majority of these payments as previously announced no later than early autumn.
  280
  I am conscious that sheep farmers are not having an easy time at present. This new measure will go some way towards helping alleviate the concerns of those who farm the more difficult land in this country and care for the countryside on our behalf.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Curry
  There are five youth training places currently in the Department. These were not available in May 1989 or May 1990 but all five are occupied in the current year.

  Set-aside Scheme
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the environmental aspects of the set-aside scheme.

  Mr. Curry
  Both the five-year and the one-year set-aside schemes incorporate environmental features.

  Food Surpluses
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to dispose of existing food surpluses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government believe that more liberal world trading arrangements and more market-oriented farm policies are the best means of reducing overproduction which creates surpluses.

  Equines
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the European Council of Ministers further to consider United Kingdom minimum values legislation on the export of horses, ponies and other equines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Discussion is continuing on the Commission's proposals for new Community arrangements on the welfare of animals during transit. Discussions in the Council of Ministers are expected to take place in the autumn.

  Strategic Food Stockpile
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the future of the strategic food stockpile.

  Mr. Gummer
  Since world war II, the Government have maintained a strategic food stockpile to help feed the civil population during a period of recovery should there be a major military attack. The stockpile contains supplies of raw and processed foods together with some items of emergency field cooking equipment.

  In the light of the revised civil defence planning assumptions announced by my right hon. Friend the

  281
  Home Secretary (Official Report, columns 393–96 of 10 July), and of developments in food production and distribution in recent years, I have decided that a phased reduction in the size of the strategic food stockpile would now be appropriate. An orderly run-down will be set in hand over the next five years, leading to a smaller, more flexible stockpile consisting principally of ready-to-eat foods rather than raw commodities. Arrangements will also be made for the disposal of stocks of emergency feeding equipment no longer required by the Government.

  We shall continue to maintain appropriate plans for the recovery of food and agriculture in the aftermath of any conceivable attack on the United Kingdom and to plan for the control and distribution of major national stocks of processed and unprocessed commodities in times of crisis. Future planning requirements will be regularly re-assessed in the light of evolving national civil defence planning assumptions.

  Central Science Laboratory
  Sir Michael Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the progress towards co-location of the Ministry's central science laboratory.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am pleased to announce that terms have now been agreed with the Church Commissioners for the purchase of a site for the construction of a new laboratory for the central science laboratory. The site is in the Ryedale district approximately six miles from the centre of York. It is anticipated that major construction works on the site will start in early 1993, but advance landscape planting and road improvements will commence this autumn. On the basis of current plans the scheme is due to be completed and ready for occupation in 1996.

  The central science laboratory carries out an extensive research programme and provides advice to protect the consumer, improve the environment, and to promote safe production and storage of crops. It also supports the statutory activities of MAFF in the areas of plant health, pesticide safety and pest control. The central science laboratory will be launched as an executive agency in April 1992. Relocation from its existing dispersed sites to a new single facility will lead to greater efficiency and will equip the laboratory to provide my Department with the required services in a more effective manner.

  Blue-Ear Pig Disease
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he is yet in a position to relax movement restrictions imposed because of blue-ear pig disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to his reply 17 July 1991]: I have today placed in the Library of the House details of the new arrangements for the movement of pigs in and from areas resricted as a result of blue-ear pig disease. These provisions incorporate comments made by the industry and have effect from midnight tonight. They allow certain controlled movements between premises and between restricted areas. No changes have been made for movements to premises outside restricted areas.

HEALTH

  Toxoplasmosis
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research is being carried out to discover the possible causes and sources of contamination of congenital toxoplasmosis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We are not aware of any current research into the causes and sources of toxoplasmosis, but medical experts are agreed that the infection is usually acquired by eating raw or undercooked meat.

  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of cases of congenital toxoplasmosis recorded in England and Wales as a fraction of total pregnancies for each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Congenital toxoplasmosis is not a notifiable disease, so comprehensive figures are not available. However, reports of cases to the public health laboratory service from the Toxoplasma reference laboratories in England and Wales have averaged about 12 per year. As a proportion of the number of conceptions (between 750,000 and 850,000 per annum over the past decade), the figure is minute.

  Leg Loss
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals in the United Kingdom are missing one or both legs.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the principal causes for the loss of legs in the United Kingdom; and what percentage of the total each of the causes forms.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest available information on the cause of leg amputations in England is given in the table. The information relating to other parts of the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Patients attending for the first time in 1989 in respect of present treatment.

  Single leg

  Double leg

  Double leg previously single

  Accident

  Industrial

  46

  3

  —

  Home

  17

  —

  —

  Recreation

  6

  —

  —

  Armed Forces

  5

  —

  —

  Traffic:—Pedestrian

  38

  —

  —

  Traffic:—Road vehicle:

  (i) Two-wheeled: Driver

  64

  —

  —

  (ii) Two-wheeled: Passenger

  6

  —

  —

  (iii) Other: Driver

  13

  1

  —

  (iv) Other: Passenger

  3

  —

  —

  Rail

  12

  2

  —

  Other

  17

  —

  —

  Accident total

  227

  6

  —

  Disease

  Vascular Insufficiency:

  (i) Atherosclerosis

  1,514

  42

  100

  283

  Single leg

  Double leg

  Double leg previously single

  (ii) Embolism

  107

  3

  —

  (iii) Thromboangiitis

  13

  —

  —

  (iv) Varicose Ulceration

  22

  —

  —

  (v) Other

  43

  3

  —

  Metabolic:—(i) Diabetes

  611

  29

  53

  (ii) Other

  3

  —

  —

  Infective:—Gas Gangrene

  15

  1

  1

  (ii) Other

  61

  3

  —

  Malignancy

  112

  —

  —

  Neurogenic Deformity:—

  (i) Acquired

  6

  —

  —

  (ii) Congenital

  19

  2

  1

  Disease—Total

  2,526

  83

  155

  Total—all causes

  2,753

  89

  155

  Source: Department of Health Statistics and Management Information Division Amputation Statistics 1989 (ISBN 1 85197 5764).

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discernible patterns of leg loss there are in terms of(a) age, (b) occupation, (c) socio-economic group and (d) area of residence.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally.

  Artificial Legs
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what categories of staff are employed by the national health service to fit leg amputees with artificial legs; and what percentage each category forms of the total staff employed in providing this service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Artificial legs are fitted by the specialist profession of prosthetists. These staff are not employed by the NHS but by the companies which supply artificial legs, working on NHS premises.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospitals in the United Kingdom have clinics for the fitting of artificial legs; and how many people are employed by these clinics.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are 29 disablement services centres (DSCs) in England. The numbers employed in the DSCs on the fitting of artificial legs is not held centrally. The information relating to other parts of the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

  Amputations
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many amputations are performed each year in British hospitals; and what proportion of these are(a) above the knee, (b) below the knee.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest available information on leg amputations is given in the table. The information relating to other parts of the United Kingdom is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Leg amputations in 1988–89, NHS hospitals, England

  Description

  Estimated number

  Proportion of all leg amputations per cent.

  Hindquarter amputation

  40

  0·7

  Disarticulation of hip

  25

  0·5

  Amputation of leg above knee

  2,625

  49·2

  284

  Description

  Estimated number

  Proportion of all leg amputations per cent.

  Amputation of leg through knee

  357

  6·7

  Amputation of leg below knee

  2,248

  42·1

  Other

  40

  0·7

  Total

  5,335

  100·0

  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average time between the amputation of a leg and the fitting of a suitable artificial one in the national health service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally. The time depends on clinical factors which vary between individuals. There are no waiting lists for artificial limbs.

  Fostering
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the average or normal public cost per week of fostering(a) a six-month-old baby and (b) a two-year-old child.

  (2) what is the average or nomal cost per week of keeping in residential care (a) a six-month-old baby and (b) a two-year-old child.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  Drug Surveillance Research Unit
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he is giving to the work of the drug surveillance research unit at Southampton; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The results of studies performed by the drug safety research unit (formerly the drug surveillance research unit) are routinely taken into consideration by the Committee on Safety of Medicines and the Medicines Control Agency during their assessment of drug safety issues.

  General Practitioners (Incomes)
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average income of general practitioners net of expenses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The intended average net income for general medical practitioners is currently £37,280 per annum and will rise to £37,975 per annum from 1 December 1991.

  Anti-drug Campaign
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are his plans for the national anti-drug publicity campaign 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  With the agreement of colleagues in other Departments concerned with drug misuse, we have agreed that this year the focus of the campaign should be changed from national mass media work to a series of locally based campaigns which are nationally signposted. The object will be to highlight local problems and local methods of
  285
  prevention including the information needed by parents, the role of teachers and schools and the work of local voluntary bodies. We propose to extend the scope of the campaign to promote further action on misuse of solvents and other volatile substances on sale to the public.

  A package of measures will be undertaken in Scotland to complement and support Great Britain-wide activity. Work will also be set in hand to prepare the ground for a major campaign on drugs prevention in 1992 during the United Kingdom Presidency of the European Community.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list(a) the number of youth training places in his Department and (b) the number of places occupied in May for each of the years 1989, 1990 and the current year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department of Social Security was responsible until April 1991 for the management of all youth training schemes sponsored by both the Department of Social Security and the Department of Health. I understand that my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security will provide the hon. Member with the information he has requested on an aggregated basis for both Departments.

  Health Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been given to the Audit Commission on the publication of profiles of expenditure of health authorities and comparisons between health authorities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Audit Commission has been told that the individual health authority information used to compile the profiles of expenditure has not previously been published.

  RU 486 Abortifacient
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much of the data on the clinical trials on the drug RU 486 has been published.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer my hon. Friend to the well-documented studies in the British Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, June 1990, vol. 97, pages 480–86 and in the New England Journal of Medicine, 8 March 1990, vol. 322, No. 10, pages 645–48, copies of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how the announcement that RU 486 was to receive a product licence in Britain was made.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The company wrote to all doctors (gynaecologists), a duty they have to perform before marketing a product, informing them that a licence for RU 486 had been granted for use in the United Kingdom. This communique included an invitation to attend educational seminars on the drug and to explain the strict conditions of its supply.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research submissions he took into account in reaching his decision to license the drug RU 486.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The licensing authority took account of all the data from clinical trials and usage in 286
  other countries submitted by the company for the product licence application. The licensing authority was satisfied that a product licence should be granted having consulted the independent Committee on Safety of Medicines as to the safety, quality and efficacy of Mifepristone (RU 486).

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will arrange for the full data on the clinical trials for the drug RU 486 to be published and placed in the Library.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Section 118 of the Medicines Act precludes both Ministers and the Medicines Control Agency from disclosing any information on data submitted by manufacturers in support of clinical trial or product applications.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many representations he has received in connection with the introduction of RU 486 into Britain; and if he will list the total number(a) in favour of and (b) against its introduction.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Over the past year we have received 815 representations about Mifepristone (RU 486). Twenty-one were in favour of its introduction, 772 were against and 22 sought information.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which organisations were informed before his Department's official announcement that RU 486 was to receive a product licence in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None.

  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his Department's estimate of the average cost of(a) an abortion taking RU 486 and prostaglandin including three hospital visits and (b) a surgical abortion; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 15 July 1991]: The estimated national health service revenue cost of an abortion using RU 486 and prostaglandin with two out-patient visits and one day visit is £182. The estimated NHS revenue cost of a straightforward surgical abortion as an in-patient is £270. These estimates are based on 1990–91 prices.

  The decision on the choice of treatment is a matter for clinical judgment.

  In Vitro Fertilisation
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those health authorities or trusts which either provide or fund the provision of in vitro fertilisation treatment.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  The Interim Licensing Authority for Human in vitro Fertilisation and Embryology, which administers a voluntary licensing system, records in its 1991 report that 50 infertility treatment centres have now been licensed. It states that—
  "One newly wholly NHS centre, the Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle, has been approved, taking the total number of clinics wholly funded by the NHS to three; 28 centres are wholly private and the remaining 19 make use of some NHS facilities or receive partial funding from the NHS."

  Resource Management Initiative
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost of the Brunel university health economics research group's evaluation of the resource management initiative.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A total of £250,000.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policy conclusions the national health service management executive has drawn from the Brunel university health economics research group's evaluation of the resource management initiative.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The final report of the Brunel university health economics research group's evaluation of the resource management initiative provides retrospective support for the decision to launch the intiative taken in November 1986. The report offers detailed and helpful suggestions about the implementation of resource management, and we have distributed copies to all 270 hospitals in England that have embarked upon the resource management programme.

  Drugs (Product Licences)
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many drugs received product licences in the United Kingdom in the last year for which figures are available; and how long each took to receive its licence.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  For the 12 months ended 31 March 1991, the following medicinal products were granted product licences by the United Kingdom Licensing Authority:

  Application type

  Numbers

  New Drugs

  171

  Established Drugs

  657

  Total

  728

  1 Involving 34 new active substances

  The term "Established Drugs" refers to those applications which are based on drugs already licensed in the United Kingdom. Information regarding the time taken for each application to reach a decision cannot be given for reasons of commercial confidentiality. The average time taken to reach decisions on the 728 licences granted during 1990–91 is:

  Application type

  New drugs

  19 months

  Established drugs

  19 months if considered only by the licensing authority.

  23 months if referred to a committee established under the Medicines Act 1968.

  These figures are gross times and include time taken by pharmaceutical companies to respond to enquiries made by the licensing authority and time taken for committee consideration and subsequent appeals to section 4 committees and the medicines commission, where necessary.

  Licensing volumes and times are included in each edition of MAIL (the Medicines Act Information Letter), copies of which will be placed in the Library.

  Hospital Patients' Money
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the letter sent to health authorities and NHS trusts advising them to observe good practice in the handling of patients' moneys and to secure further reductions in the level of the balances.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes. A copy of the letter will be placed in the Library as soon as it is issued.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what percentage of the population is exempt from prescription charges; what proportion of prescriptions dispensed are for those exempt from payment; and what is the average cost of prescription dispensed.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is estimated that 47·7 per cent. of the population are currently exempt from prescription charges. Nearly 80 per cent. of all NHS prescriptions are dispensed without charge. The average cost of a prescription item to the NHS in 1990, the latest year for which information is available, was £6·66.

  Children's Homes
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance was provided to local authorities by his Department to assist them in deciding the criteria to be applied when considering the closure of a children's home with specific reference to the local authority exercising their general duty to children in care under section 18 of the Child Care Act 1980 in the years(a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1990 and (d) until 30 June.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 12 July 1991]: There have been a number of legal decisions, in particular involving the London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham in 1979, Sunderland borough council in 1983 and the metropolitan borough of Solihull in 1984 concerning the need for local authorities to ascertain, so far as is practicable, the wishes and feelings of a child in their care when decisions relating to the child are being reached. Authorities will have had to take account of these decisions.

  The following publications, which have been issued to local authorities in relation to the new legislation over the period in question, all emphasise the need to consult children in matters affecting them:

  The Introduction to the Children Act (published 1989);

  The Care of Children: Principles and Practice in Regulations and Guidance (published 1989);

  The Children Act 1989 Guidance and Regulations— Volume 3—Family Placements (published 1991).

  The same advice has been included in a number of training packs commissioned by the Department and made available to authorities in 1990 and 1991.

  Under the Children Act 1989 the duties of local authorities to consult children in relation to decisions concerning them restates and amplifies the duty in this respect contained in section 18 of the Child Care Act 1980.

  BLUE-EARED PIG DISEASE
  BLUE-EARED PIG DISEASE
  NORTHUMBRIAN DRIFT NETTING
  NORTHUMBRIAN DRIFT NETTING
  COMPANY DIRECTORS' SERVICE CONTRACTS: PUBLICATION
  COMPANY DIRECTORS' SERVICE CONTRACTS: PUBLICATION
  BLACK COUNTRY SPINE ROAD SCHEME
  BLACK COUNTRY SPINE ROAD SCHEME
  REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS
  REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS
  LONDON FIRE BRIGADE: OPERATIONAL COVER
  LONDON FIRE BRIGADE: OPERATIONAL COVER
  FIREARMS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: ANNUAL REPORT
  FIREARMS CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE: ANNUAL REPORT
  ANTI-DRUG PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN
  ANTI-DRUG PUBLICITY CAMPAIGN
  GULF WAR AWARDS: QUEEN'S DRAGOON GUARDS
  GULF WAR AWARDS: QUEEN'S DRAGOON GUARDS
  THE QUEEN'S DRAGOON GUARDS
  THE QUEEN'S DRAGOON GUARDS
  THE ROYAL PARKS: FUTURE
  THE ROYAL PARKS: FUTURE
  DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT
  DRINKING WATER INSPECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT