Written Answers of 22 July 1991

TRANSPORT

  Toy Rockets
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the possible threat to aircraft from toy rockets now on sale in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am advised by the Civil Aviation Authority that as aircraft structures are certificated to withstand the impact of birds weighing far more than these toy rockets, they believe that such rockets do not pose a major hazard to aircraft. Nevertheless, the CAA is examining amendments to the Air Navigation Order which would place restrictions on the use of such toys in close proximity to aerodromes. Currently under the provisions of the Air Navigation Order it is an offence for anyone recklessly or negligently to hazard an aircraft and the use of such rockets in such a manner constitutes an offence.

  Railway Station Design
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what modifications have been made to the design of main rail stations since the terrorist bomb outrage at Victoria station;

  (2) if he will meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss the improvement of the design of major stations in order to make them less dangerous in the event of a terrorist attack.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets the chairman regularly to discuss a range of railway matters. British Rail attaches high priority to security and safety and has undertaken a further review of security at stations since the bomb explosion at Victoria. It would not be in the public interest to disclose details of the further measures that BR has put in hand.

  Road Accidents, Tower Hamlets
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list annual figures for road accidents in Tower Hamlets for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Chope
  The statistics available cover road accidents involving personal injury reported to the police. The table shows the number of such accidents each year in the London borough of Tower Hamlets, classified by severity of accident.

  Accidents involving injury, by severity: London Borough of Tower Hamlets: 1979 to 1989

  Number

  Year

  Severity

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  1979

  14

  217

  984

  1980

  14

  176

  950

  1981

  13

  136

  975

  330

  Year

  Severity

  Fatal

  Serious

  Slight

  1982

  16

  166

  1,162

  1983

  20

  146

  1,021

  1984

  19

  162

  1,078

  1985

  8

  235

  895

  1986

  16

  244

  978

  1987

  9

  210

  936

  1988

  14

  223

  974

  1989

  12

  269

  1,032

  LT Tendering Bus Unit
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what rules the LT's tendered bus unit operates; who are the members; and by whom they were appointed.

  Mr. Freeman
  The tendered bus division is a management unit of London Transport, staffed by LT employees. It is answerable to, and operates under the rules approved by, the LT board.

  Recovery Services
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the minimum standards of equipment and personnel training for recovery services used in contra-flow situations.

  Mr. Chope
  The minimum standards of equipment and personnel training for recovery services at trunk road and motorway roadworks sites are those recommended by the Association of Vehicle Recovery Operators. These standards are currently being reviewed jointly by the Department, AVRO and the Road Rescue Recovery Association.

  Slough-Windsor Railway Line
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, when he next meets the chairman of British Rail, he will discuss the scope for further development of the Slough-Windsor line; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail currently runs a well-used shuttle service between Slough and Windsor for both commuters and tourists. The introduction of new turbo rolling stock next year will being an even better quality of service.

  I understand that BR is also investigating the potential for further developing tourist services in co-operation with the private sector. In the short term, and with some infrastructure development, there may be opportunities for occasional visiting steam trains to run into Windsor. Looking further ahead, it might be possible to develop a park-and-ride service which would help to relieve traffic congestion in Windsor. This would require a major new road scheme as well as more extensive rail infrastructure, including laying a second track, to cater for a greater frequency of service. The additional services could be provided by BR or as a joint venture with a private sector operator. In both cases it would be for the private sector to finance the necessary infrastructure work.

  Luton-Dunstable Rail Service
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether, when he next meets the chairman of British Rail, he will discuss the scope for the private sector operating a rail service between Luton and Dunstable; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I should like to encourage any private sector firm with a commercial proposition for running a public transport service over the route of the redundant freight line between Luton and Dunstable—for a rail service making use of the existing track, or an alternative proposal making use of the track bed—to approach BR.

  Any proposal would have to be fully self-financing, should not interfere with existing BR services and must, of course, be consistent with safe operation. I know that BR will treat any sensible approach seriously and will seek to co-operate fully. Indeed, BR is already co-operating with Luton and District Bus Company, which is investigating the scope for converting the track bed into a dedicated bus way. I must stress that approaches should not impose any cost burden on BR, or divert BR resources from other urgent tasks, such as the major resignalling programme.

  If no commercial proposals for a rail service are forthcoming, BR plans to recover materials from the Luton-Dunstable branch for re-use elsewhere on the network. Proposals should therefore be submitted to BR no later than the end of September 1991.

  National Bus Company (Accounts)
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to receive the National Bus Company's final set of accounts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The company's final report and accounts, covering the period from 1 April 1990 to 1 April 1991, have now been prepared and audited in accordance with the provisions of the National Bus Company (Dissolution) Order 1991.

  These show that the surplus from the sale of National Bus Company now stands at over £168 million, of which £46 million arose from the sale of the subsidiaries and £122 million from the surplus on the pension funds. In cash terms the Exchequer has received much more. The original capital debt and later long-term loans amounting to some £96 million were repaid together with interest and early redemption penalty of nearly £31 million. Inland Revenue will in total receive £91 million by way of tax on the pension surplus, capital gains and depreciatory transactions. In total this successful privatisation of the National Bus Company has released £386 million to the Exchequer.

  A copy of the accounts has been deposited in the Library of the House.

  "A Bus Strategy for London"
  Mr. Forman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce the Government's conclusions following the recent consultation on "A Bus Strategy for London".

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Government published "A Bus Strategy for London" on 11 March. It asked for comments to be sent in by 7 May. To date, 205 responses have been received. The Government expect to receive further 332
  comments in the coming weeks and months, but conclude that it would be appropriate to make a statement, at this stage, setting out preliminary conclusions on some of the key issues raised in the consultation exercise. Most of those who responded shared the Government's assessment that buses are likely to have an increasing part to play in meeting London's transport needs. There is widespread agreement that promoting the use of buses is a desirable and important policy goal. Although the consultation exercise showed a marked divergence of view about how this goal should be achieved, there was very little disagreement that the goal was the right one.

  The Government believe that deregulation will bring greater freedom of choice to both bus operator and passenger. Operators will have an incentive to provide the services the public wants. The operating environment will ensure that no one operator has an unfair advantage over another. The passenger will benefit from an increased number and variety of services. And there will be safeguards to ensure the provision of socially necessary services, and of adequate bus facilities. The Government's policy remains, as it has been since the Transport Act 1985 was introduced into Parliament, that the London bus market should be deregulated and privatised as soon as possible.

  Although a proportion of respondents commented unfavourably on this policy, no new or persuasive arguments against deregulation emerged during the consultation exercise. The Government are not persuaded by the argument that bus operators will target their services on a few key profitable routes in central London. The assumption that central London routes are the most profitable is not necessarily true: although revenue returns are higher in central London, so are cost levels. In fact, this criticism bears no relation to the actual plans of bus operators. As for the related argument that some less central areas will be left with few or no bus services, the bus authority will be charged with providing services which it judges to be socially necessary but which the commercial network has not provided. This will ensure an adequate Londonwide network of buses.

  Most of the responses received addressed the question what sort of body should be constituted as the bus authority for London. One option was to establish a passenger transport authority for London, whose responsibilities would cover bus, underground and rail services. The Government have already made it clear that they consider that it is not appropriate for nationalised industries such as BR and LT to be under local authority control. Moreover, the Government do not want London Transport to be distracted from the major challenges facing it in relation to London Underground and Docklands light railway. They have therefore ruled out this option. Of the other options discussed in the consultation paper, there was considerable support for vesting the responsibilities with London Transport, which has done so much already to improve the quality of service provided by buses in London. There was some support for creating a bus-only PTA or a new governmental agency to take on this role, but very little support for vesting responsibility in the individual London boroughs. In this matter, the Government have given particular weight to the views of bus operators, who expressed serious reservations about asking London Transport to take on this role. It was felt that an independent body, not distracted by the major challenges which London

  333
  Transport faces in expanding and renewing London's underground system, would be better placed to promote the provision of bus services in London.

  The Government have decided, therefore, to create a London bus executive, with members appointed by the Secretary of State for Transport, which will concentrate exclusively on bus-related issues. The London bus executive will be responsible, in particular, for securing the provision of bus services on socially necessary but uneconomic routes. In discharging this responsibility, it will work closely with the London boroughs. It will also be responsible for ensuring the adequate provision of bus stops, shelters, stands and stations. And it will ensure that any gaps in the passenger information provided by bus operators are plugged. It will be funded mainly by Government grant. London Transport will remain responsible for the London Buses Ltd. subsidiaries until privatisation. Their experience and expertise will enable them to play a key role in helping to provide a smooth transition to the new regime.

  Many respondents expressed concern about the future of concessionary travel in London. This concern was unfounded. The consultation paper made it clear that there is no question of deregulation or privatisation leading to the demise of concessionary travel in London. The Government's proposals on this matter are as follows. Responsibility for setting the terms of a Londonwide concessionary travel scheme will remain with the boroughs. They will be required to publish, by 31 December each year, the details of a scheme for the coming financial year and of the terms on which operators will be reimbursed for carrying holders of concessionary travel passes. If no new scheme is published, the previous year's travel concessions will automatically be rolled forward. The London boroughs will have the same discretion as local authorities elsewhere to vary the terms of their concessionary travel arrangements. However, they will continue to be required to operate a Londonwide concessionary travel scheme. Bus operators will have an automatic right to participate in any scheme in their area, and the boroughs will have a power to compel bus operators to participate in the Londonwide scheme. There will be provision for appeals on matters relating to participation in the scheme and the terms of reimbursement for doing so.

  Concern was also expressed about the future of Travelcard in London. Experience elsewhere in the country suggests that commercially priced common-ticketing systems such as Travelcard fill a strongly felt market need, offering advantages to both operators and passengers. Travelcard schemes will be able to continue after deregulation. The Government will be working actively with operators in the coming months to encourage them to come up with their own proposals for such schemes after deregulation. It was therefore decided that it is neither necessary nor appropriate to legislate to secure the future of the present Travelcard scheme or to ensure that a suitable successor scheme is devised. The Government have also concluded, however, that it is appropriate to legislate to secure the right of operators to enter Travelcard schemes operating in London, thus helping safeguard the position of new, smaller operators wishing to enter the London bus market.

  Some respondents criticised the absence of any reference in "A Bus Strategy for London" to the future of services, such as Dial-a-Ride and Taxicard, which are
  334
  provided specifically for elderly and disabled people with serious mobility problems. The reason for not mentioning these services is that it was never the Government's intention that they should be affected in any way by the deregulation and privatisation plans. LT's disabled passenger unit will remain intact, and the specialised services which it is responsible for providing will be unaffected by the proposed legislation. In addition, the London bus executive will be given a duty to have regard to the need of elderly and disabled people in the discharge of its responsibilities.

  The Government looked again, in the light of comments received, at the question of the future of the London Regional Passengers Committee. The Government conclude that the LRPC should continue to deal only with questions relating to services provided by or on behalf of London Transport and British Rail. It will have no formal role in relation to bus issues. There is no other part of the United Kingdom where transport consumer bodies have such a statutory role. Open competition in a deregulated market is the best safeguard of consumer interests.

  Many bus operators, including subsidiaries of London Buses Ltd., expressed concern about the timetable for deregulation and privatisation. There is no need for decisions on these points to be taken at this stage. However, the Government are sympathetic to the view that privatisation of the LBL subsidiaries should take place sooner, rather than later.

  Many detailed comments were received on other issues and initiatives dealt with in the consultation paper. In particular, many responses made suggestions relating to the introduction of bus priority measures and to the powers of the traffic commissioner and highway authorities to deal with cases where the introduction of new bus services was found to aggravate congestion problems. The Government will be considering these points further in the months ahead. The Government will also want to have available to them the results of the research referred to in paragraphs 98 to 103 of the consultation paper, before taking final decisions on such matters.

  As indicated in "A Bus Strategy for London", primary legislation will be needed to give effect to a number of these proposals. The Government intend to legislate on these points as soon as possible in a new Parliament.

  Statistics
  Mr. Bell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how international freight transport statistics into and out of the United Kingdom will be collected after the elimination of custom checks following the completion of the single market.

  Mr. Chope
  Statistics on international road transport in United Kingdom powered vehicles will continue to be prepared, to meet EC directive 78/546, by means of the Department's "international road haulage survey" of United Kingdom hauliers; the contribution from other EC vehicles will also be available, from data collected by the country in which the vehicles are registered, to meet the same directive. International freight traffic statistics by rail will also continue to be available to meet EC directive 80/1177.

  Information adequate for government use on the contribution made by unaccompanied trailers will be

  335
  available from the Department's annual port traffic returns, completed by harbour authorities. This source also provides information on transport by sea of containers and non-unitised traffic.

  Information on international freight transport with non-EC countries will still be available from Customs sources after 1992.

  Mr. Barry Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is satisfied with the quality of transport statistics provided to the European Commission by his Department.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department is responsible for supplying a variety of statistics to the European Commission, directly and through the Statistical Office. The one area where I have not been satisfied with the quality of statistics supplied relates to international road haulage by United Kingdom hauliers. The survey concerned has now been made statutory and I am confident that these statistics will be of good quality in the future.

  Nuclear Fuel Flask Accident
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what reports he has received from(a) British Rail, (b) British Nuclear Fuels and (c) Cumbria county council of lessons learnt from the recently conducted exercise involving a spent nuclear fuel flask accident in Millom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  Exercises to test the emergency procedures in the event of a fuel flask incident are held at regular intervals and the recent one at Millom was attended by a representative of my Department.

  Control and administration of these exercises is a matter for the nuclear industry and I am satisfied that such exercises reflect, as far as possible, any likely scenario should a real incident occur.

  Tree Planting
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what evaluation has been made of the cost-effectiveness for investment approval of a planting programme of evergreen trees at railway line sides to protect overhead wires in high winds.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that British Rail has conducted a preliminary technical evaluation on the planting of evergreen trees along track sides, and is now considering whether to undertake a fuller study.

  Road Surfaces
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage of trunk roads and motorways completed for his Department over the past three years have been finished in concrete and blacktop, respectively.

  Mr. Chope
  Of the 400 km of trunk roads and motorways which have been completed since 1 August 1988, about 10 per cent. have a concrete surface. The remaining 90 per cent. have a black-top surface, and of these a significant proportion use concrete within the construction.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the European limits on carbon dioxide emissions; and when he intends to introduce legislation to introduce stricter limits.

  Mr. Chope
  The European Community and member states are willing to take action aimed at stabilising the total carbon dioxide emissions by the year 2000 at the 1990 level in the Community as a whole. This assumes that other countries make similar commitments and acknowledges individual member states' own targets. The Environment White Paper published last year set out a first tranche of measures to control United Kingdom carbon dioxide emissions. The Government will publish a report in the autumn showing how our efforts are being put into practice.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those such monitoring.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  The Department of Transport's policies and performance indicators are published annually in the departmental report (Cm. 1507). Businesses both small and large benefit from the Department's encouragement of a fair and competitive market for transport services, from investment in transport infrastructure which helps to reduce congestion saving both time and money, and from the lifting of burdens caused by unnecessary regulation. Departmental procurement procedures also encourage the use of small firms.

  Gibraltar Airport
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 8 July,Official Report, column 294, what are the reasons for Gibraltar airport not benefiting from the European Community liberalisation packages until the Gibraltar airport agreement is implemented.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Community noted that arrangements concerning the use of Gibraltar airport had yet to come into effect and decided that the liberalisation measures should not apply to Gibraltar until the Gibraltar airport agreement, relating to such arrangements, had been implemented. This temporary suspension will be lifted as soon as the agreement is implemented.

  London Transport
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the real fares index for(a) London Transport bus services and (b) London Transport bus and underground combined in each year since 1971, using 1971 = 100.
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  Mr. Freeman
  The information requested is given in the table.

  London Transport real fares indices: 1971–1990

  1971 = 100

  Year

  London Transport bus services

  London Transport bus and underground services

  1971

  100

  100

  1972

  104

  106

  1973

  96

  99

  1974

  83

  86

  1975

  82

  89

  1976

  100

  100

  1977

  103

  113

  1978

  109

  119

  1979

  109

  119

  1980

  128

  138

  1981

  122

  127

  1982

  139

  153

  1983

  136

  137

  1984

  118

  119

  1985

  122

  122

  1986

  126

  125

  1987

  125

  125

  1988

  131

  131

  1989

  136

  136

  1990

  135

  136

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passenger miles were travelled by London Transport buses, including tendered routes, in each year since 1971.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figures are as follows:

  Year

  Passenger Miles

  1971

  2,907

  1972

  2,856

  1973

  2,958

  1974

  3,061

  1975

  3,039

  1976

  2,980

  1977

  2,919

  1978

  2,819

  1979

  2,690

  1980

  2,578

  1981

  2,511

  1982

  2,330

  1983

  2,440

  1984

  2,587

  1985

  2,562

  1986

  2,698

  1987

  2,786

  1988

  2,769

  1989

  2,728

  1990

  2,713

  Vehicle Licences
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many(a) heavy goods vehicles and (b) public service vehicles are licensed under the operators' licences requirements.

  Mr. Chope
  The latest information is that there are 453,139 heavy goods vehicles and 72,900 public service vehicles licensed under the operator licensing system.

  Urban Development Corporations
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what powers and responsibilities he exercises in relation to roads promoted by urban development corporations.

  Mr. Chope
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no direct responsibility for roads which are constructed under the urban development corporations' own planning powers rather than by a highway authority under the Highways Act 1980. He may, however, be required to confirm certain local authority orders relating to such roads if they are adopted as highways.

  Lighthouses
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what information he has on what has been the change in the average weekly number of employees employed at the head office of each of(a) Trinity house, (b) the commissioners of northern lighthouses and (c) the commissioners of Irish lights between 1985–86 and 1989–90;

  (2) what information he has on what has been the change in the average weekly number of employees of (a) Trinity house, (b) the commissioners of the northern lighthouses and (c) the commissioners of Irish lights employed at manned lighthouses between 1985–86 and 1989–90.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  [holding answer 19 July 1991]: The following is the information requested:

  Head office

  Lightkeepers

  Trinity House:

  1985–86

  181

  216

  1989–90

  130

  145

  Northern Lighthouse Board:

  1985–86

  88

  223

  1989–90

  80

  156

  Commissioners of Irish Lights:

  1985–86

  91

  202

  1989–90

  73

  107

  1 Following amalgamation of some former head office functions with functions already located at outstations.

  Bus and Coach Accidents
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list, for each of the last 10 years, the number of road traffic accidents involving buses and coaches by the age of the bus or coach involved.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 19 July 1991]: The information requested is as follows.

  The statistics available cover road accidents involving personal injury reported to the police. The table shows the number of such accidents involving buses or coaches in Great Britain each year.

  Bus and coach accidents involving injury, Great Britain: 1980 to 1989

  Year

  Accidents

  1980

  13,613

  1981

  12,915

  1982

  12,738

  1983

  12,618

  1984

  12,647

  339

  Year

  Accidents

  1985

  12,313

  1986

  11,988

  1987

  11,603

  1988

  11,898

  1989

  12,499

  Source: Road Accidents Great Britain, HMSO.

  The following table shows the number of buses and coaches involved in these accidents, by vehicle age group.

  Buses and coaches in injury accidents, by vehicle age group, Great Britain: 1980 to 1989

  Vehicle age (years)1

  Year

  0 to 4

  5 to 9

  10 to 14

  15 or more

  Unknown

  1980

  5,204

  3,477

  1,802

  637

  2,694

  1981

  4,831

  3,498

  1,417

  662

  2,675

  1982

  4,942

  3,639

  1,352

  891

  2,087

  1983

  4,634

  3,576

  1,385

  1,045

  2,123

  1984

  4,304

  3,854

  1,531

  1,078

  2,035

  1985

  3,835

  4,233

  1,634

  1,295

  1,471

  1986

  3,421

  4,203

  1,721

  1,028

  1,764

  1987

  3,211

  3,896

  2,143

  929

  1,587

  1988

  3,199

  3,861

  2,594

  958

  1,474

  1989

  3,367

  3,792

  3,011

  1,125

  1,416

  1 Approximate. Based on prefix/suffix letter of registration mark.

ENERGY

  Electrical Appliances
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what progress the Government have made in encouraging the European Community to set minimum efficiency standards for certain categories of domestic and industrial appliances which vary widely in their use of energy since September 1990;

  (2) since his answer to the hon. Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway) of 25 February, Official Report, column 343, what progress has been made towards introducing a scheme for labelling electrical appliances with information about their energy efficiency.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Government have encouraged and participated in the Commission's development of a proposal for a framework directive on mandatory appliance labelling, which is expected to be submitted to the Council in the near future. We are exploring with retailers and manufacturers the possibilities for an interim voluntary scheme which would enable the early introduction of labelling in the United Kingdom.

  Agreement on energy efficiency labelling is an essential first step towards the successful introduction of minimum standards for appliances, and we support the Commission's intention to establish minimum energy performance levels, in the first instance by negotiating voluntary agreements with manufacturers.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what action he has taken since September 1990 to promote the wider use of combined heat and power.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Earlier this year my Department successfully completed the privatisation of the electricity supply industry in Great Britain, thereby enhancing the 340
  market opportunities for independent power projects, including combined heat and power. The Energy Efficiency Office continues actively to promote CHP through its best practice programme. It also works closely with the Combined Heat and Power Association and has recently collaborated with it on the power plus initiative.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what new initiatives have been taken since September 1990 to encourage people to use energy more efficiently; and what further action the Government intend to take in the longer term.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Energy Efficiency Office, whose budget for 1991–92 has been increased to £42 million, has pursued a number of initiatives since the publication of the White Paper on the environment in September 1990. These initiatives include:establishment of the ministerial group on energy efficiency, under my chairmanship, which aims to promote awareness of and raise the profile of energy efficiency and monitor the effectiveness of the Government's energy efficiency programmes:
  introduction on 1 January 1991 of the Home Energy Efficiency Scheme, which offers grants towards the cost of insulation measures in low income households;
  increased resources for the Best Practice programme, which continues to offer independent and authoritative advice and information on energy efficiency;
  reorganisation and strengthening of the EEO's regional energy efficiency office;
  encouragement for manufacturers and retailers in their current promotion of high efficiency lamps, which have already achieved substantial increases in take-up; and
  participation, in conjunction with other Departments, in a programme of some 80 seminars for public and private sector organisations;
  Further initiatives already announced, and on which work continues, include:
  a major new three-year publicity campaign, conducted jointly with the Department of the Environment, has been announced and will begin this autumn. It is aimed at promoting energy efficiency in the home and explaining the impact of energy use on the environment;
  a new promotional campaign aimed at the senior management of top energy users in the UK with headquarters in London and operational sites throughout the country; and
  further progress with the campaign on the Government estate.
  Continuing support is also being given to the promotion of home energy labelling and the development of a voluntary scheme for appliance labelling in advance of mandatory proposals from the EC. I will be publishing in the autumn a report on the achievements of the ministerial group during the first 12 months of operation.

  British Coal (Capital Investment)
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will make a statement on the action taken in response to the recommendations concerning British Coal's business planning in the 1989 report of the Monopolies and Mergers Commission on the corporation's capital investment programme.
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  Mr. Wakeham
  On 19 July 1990, at columns 702–4, I informed the House that the British Coal Corporation had provided a second response to the MMC report on the corporation's capital investment programme, and that a copy had been placed in the Library of the House. Although the normal arrangements for following up MMC recommendations arising from section 11 inquiries do not require a further response from British Coal until 1992, I said that I would ask for an additional report this year on the steps taken to strengthen its business planning. British Coal has provided this, a copy of which has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Since British Coal last reported I have appointed Mr. Neil Clarke as chairman of the corporation in succession to Lord Haslam, and he has carried out, with my support, a restructuring of the board. I very much welcome Mr. Clarke's decision to charge a director, Dr. Moses, with the specific responsibility of developing and co-ordinating the corporation's strategic planning, and I am confident that this will satisfy many of the concerns expressed by the MMC. I believe that these and other arrangements put in place by the board will enable British Coal to meet the challenges of the future with confidence.

  British Coal will be submitting a final report to me next year on its implementation of all the MMC's recommendations. I shall inform the House when this further report has been made.

  UKAEA (Financial Target)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what financial target has been set for the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority for 1991–92.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's financial target for 1991–92 will be 6·8 per cent. return on net assets on a current cost basis.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures, and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  In developing and implementing my Department's policies, full account is taken of the needs of small businesses. They have benefited from measures to encourage competition and stimulate energy efficiency.

  Following the raising of the licensing limits in the Coal Industry Act 1990 there has been an increase in the number of licensed—non-British Coal—opencast sites from 141 to 157 in the 12 months to March 1991, and an increase in the average size from 39,000 tonnes to 68,000 tonnes. The Government have continued to make available funding for British Coal Enterprise Ltd., resulting in a cumulative total of over 70,000 job opportunities, many of which are in small businesses, in 3,184 individual projects—this compares with 61,000 and 2,865 respectively in 1990.
  342
  In August 1990, the Department's Offshore Supplies Office launched a one-year scheme to give support of up to 75 per cent. of costs for preliminary research and feasibility studies by small companies aimed at developing new technologies applicable to oil and gas drilling and production.

  The new regime for the electricity supply industry is having the effect of opening up the supply of electricity to competition, is giving small businesses a choice of electricity supplier, and is putting downward pressure on the prices they pay.

  The Department continues to encourage the use of small firms for departmental purchases of goods and services where this is consistent with obtaining value for money. About 47 per cent. of purchases have been from them in 1990–91, compared with 43 per cent. in 1989–90 and 38 per cent. in 1988–89.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Land Law
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland who were employed by his Department as consultants before the publication of the draft land law proposals; from what dates they were employed; and what was the cost to public funds.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 July 1991]: The Department of Finance, as it then was, appointed Professor J. C. W. Wylie as its consultant on land law reform on 4 April 1980. Professor Wylie was appointed on an individual basis in accordance with the normal conditions for such appointments. It is not our usual practice to disclose an individual's earnings.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Data Protection
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to publish the recommendations of the Interdepartmental Committee on Registration Procedures under the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The report of the interdepartmental review of the Data Protection Act was laid in the Library on 28 November 1990. Free copies may be obtained on request from room 677A, Home Office, 50 Queen Anne's gate, London SW1H 9AT.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the advice of the Data Protection Registrar on the procedure put forward in the European Commission's draft directive on data protection for a general requirement of notifying individuals whenever information about them is communicated to a third party; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The views of the Data Protection Registrar on the notification requirements in articlee 9 of the draft directive are contained in appendix I of his seventh annual report, published on 17 July.
  343
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the press and broadcasters on the European Commission's draft directive on data protection.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We have received written representations about the draft directive from press and broadcasting organisations, all concerned about its likely effects on their operations.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recommendations he has received from the Data Protection Registrar on the registration procedures in the Data Protection Act 1984 and the notification scheme proposed in the European Commission draft directive on data protection.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In his fifth annual report to Parliament the registrar recommended that registration should be limited to sensitive data. On the draft directive's proposal for notification to supervisory authorities of data about to be communicated, he has recommended that this should be optional for member states which should be free to choose other methods of satisfying the data protection principles.

  Greyhounds
  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received seeking an investigation into the prevalence of healthy young greyhounds being put down when no longer required for racing purposes;

  (2) if he will introduce legislation to ban the export of greyhounds to countries which cannot guarantee their well-being.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We have not received any representations about the destruction of young racing greyhounds. The humane killing of animals is not against the law. The Home Office is responsible for the law on domestic animals in England and Wales, but not for the law on the sale or export of animals to EC countries or beyond.

  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require the greyhound racing organisations to set aside increased sums of money for the welfare of retired greyhounds.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government believe that the welfare of retired greyhounds is ultimately the responsibility of the owners themselves. However, we are now considering the recent report of the Home Affairs Committee on the financing of greyhound racing, which included a recommendation on greyhound welfare, and will publish our response in due course.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Home Office continues to place a high priority on helping small firms to obtain 344
  business from the various divisions of the Department by improving access and the information necessary to ensure they have opportunities to submit competitive bids. We have continued to distribute our booklet: "Selling to the Home Office" which summarises our purchasing needs and lists contact points for potential suppliers. In addition, we have been represented at several "Meet the Buyer" functions, seminars and conferences including those organised by manufacturers' associations and the Instutition of Purchasing and Supply.

  Home Office performance indicators on purchasing continue to be directed toward obtaining better value for the money we spend. We do not differentiate between the size of firms to which contracts are awarded and we cannot, therefore, provide statistical information about the volume of business we place with small firms.

  Phone Tapping
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the video cassette and transcript of the "World in Action" programme on phone tapping broadcast on 15 July.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My Department is well aware of the content of that broadcast.

  Risley Female Remand Centre
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his plans to close the female remand centre at Risley on a temporary basis; where the prisoners and staff will be housed; when it is planned they will return to Risley; and what numbers of staff and prisoners will be housed at the new establishment.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  There are no plans to close the female remand centre at Risley, but some reduction in the population will occur later in the year because the electrical and central heating services are not adequate for the winter months.

  I will write to the hon. Member when the detailed plans have been completed.

  Police Cells, Greater Manchester
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the latest figures for prisoners held in police cells in Greater Manchester; and how he expects those numbers to alter over the next three months.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On Friday 19 July there were 237 prisoners in Greater Manchester police cells.

  Over the next three months there will be significant increases in accommodation available to the prison service in the north of England. Occupation of part of the new accommodation in Full Sutton prison is in progress and 150 refurbished places in Manchester prison itself should be available next month. As the hon. Member is aware, prison service management is also seeking to bring into use the second Full Sutton wing and 150 places at Acklington. In addition the opening this month of Moorland young offender institution and remand centre will enable management to clear large numbers of young men on remand from local prison accommodation. It is planned to

  345
  use places made available in this way to clear prisoners from police cells in the north of England, subject to the resolution of continued difficulties in accommodating some of the young men on remand who must be kept close to the Manchester courts. I hope, therefore, that over the next few months the present use of police cells in the north-west will be substantially reduced.

  Airline Passengers (Documents)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has had over the Government's proposals to double fines for airline passengers entering the United Kingdom without valid documents.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 19 July representations relating to the raising of the charge payable under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 had been received from four hon. Members; the International Air Transport Association; the Board of Airline Representatives in the United Kingdom; and 25 individual carriers.

  Security Industry
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has concluded his consideration of the report on the self-regulation of the security industry his Department received in July 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I am considering a wide range of options for improving the regulation of the security industry.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Out-of-School Provision
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children have been catered for in(a) after school and (b) holiday provisions for each of the last 10 years and in each local authority.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Undergraduates
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what trends have been identified in the numbers of pupils from state schools and private schools going to universities.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The table shows the proportion of school leavers from maintained schools and from independent schools in 1984–85, 1986–87 and 1988–89, whose intended destinations were degree courses at university.

  School leavers—England

  Percentages of school leavers whose intended destinations were degree courses at university (not including polytechnics) By school type—1984–85, 1986–87 and 1988–89

  Maintained

  Independent

  1984–85

  4·0

  27·6

  all leavers (000s)

  690·99

  45·22

  1986–87

  4·2

  24·7

  all leavers (000s)

  671·20

  44·79

  346

  Maintained

  Independent

  1988–89

  4·9

  27·0

  all leavers (000s)

  571·02

  46·70

  Workers Educational Association
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will give the allocations made to each local education authority to support the activities of the Workers Educational Association under the education support grant programme for(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92.

  Mr. Eggar
  The level of expenditure approved for the WEA activity in the education support grants (ESG) programme for(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92 is shown for each LEA in the table below.

  Local Education Authority

  (a) 1990–91 (£)

  (b) 1991–92 (£)

  Barking

  690

  800

  Barnet

  9,445

  10,700

  Bexley

  6,920

  8,300

  Brent

  1,125

  1,400

  Bromley

  6,920

  8,300

  Croydon

  1,210

  1,500

  Ealing

  1,820

  2,200

  Enfield

  1,905

  2,300

  Haringey

  695

  700

  Harrow

  7,555

  9,100

  Havering

  810

  1,000

  Hillingdon

  3,645

  4,400

  Hounslow

  1,125

  1,400

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,905

  2,300

  Merton

  1,210

  1,500

  Newham

  1,125

  1,400

  Redbridge

  2,020

  2,200

  Richmond upon Thames

  3,035

  3,600

  Sutton

  1,125

  1,400

  Waltham Forest

  605

  1,000

  Camden

  17,810

  21,400

  Greenwich

  430

  500

  Hackney

  1,735

  2,100

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  430

  500

  Islington

  430

  500

  Lambeth

  650

  800

  Lewisham

  430

  1,700

  Southwark

  1,515

  1,800

  Tower Hamlets

  865

  1,000

  Birmingham

  9,145

  11,300

  Coventry

  15,695

  11,300

  Dudley

  3,135

  3,800

  Sandwell

  3,135

  3,800

  Walsall

  6,280

  7,500

  Wolverhampton

  5,480

  6,600

  Knowsley

  3,255

  3,900

  Liverpool

  29,340

  35,200

  St. Helens

  3,255

  3,900

  Sefton

  4,070

  4,900

  Wirral

  7,330

  8,800

  Bolton

  9,375

  11,300

  Bury

  1,485

  1,800

  Manchester

  12,550

  15,100

  Oldham

  3,720

  4,500

  Rochdale

  3,500

  4,100

  Salford

  3,060

  3,700

  Stockport

  7,470

  9,000

  Tameside

  3,000

  4,000

  Trafford

  9,625

  11,600

  Wigan

  2,922

  3,300

  Barnsley

  4,450

  5,300

  Doncaster

  3,505

  4,200

  Rotherham

  9,680

  11,600

  Sheffield

  18,455

  22,100

  347

  Local Education Authority

  (a) 1990–91 (£)

  (b) 1991–92 (£)

  Bradford

  6,505

  7,800

  Calderdale

  2,395

  2,900

  Kirklees

  3,990

  4,800

  Leeds

  16,500

  19,800

  Wakefield

  4,070

  4,900

  Gateshead

  3,290

  4,000

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  9,870

  11,800

  North Tyneside

  3,375

  4,100

  South Tyneside

  2,665

  3,200

  Sunderland

  10,615

  12,700

  Avon

  24,345

  29,200

  Bedfordshire

  5,305

  6,400

  Berkshire

  20,025

  24,000

  Buckinghamshire

  21,455

  25,700

  Cambridgeshire

  11,375

  13,700

  Cheshire

  23,405

  28,100

  Cleveland

  11,630

  14,000

  Cornwall

  17,355

  20,800

  Cumbria

  23,925

  28,700

  Derbyshire

  27,753

  33,100

  Devon

  40,500

  48,600

  Dorset

  12,340

  14,800

  Durham

  16,445

  19,700

  East Sussex

  10,835

  13,000

  Essex

  26,980

  31,800

  Gloucestershire

  11,830

  14,200

  Hampshire

  31,000

  37,400

  Hereford and Worcester

  12,555

  15,100

  Hertfordshire

  16,760

  20,100

  Humberside

  18,125

  21,800

  Isle of Wight

  1,075

  1,000

  Kent

  24,500

  29,400

  Lancashire

  21,320

  25,600

  Leicestershire

  19,840

  23,800

  Lincolnshire

  18,845

  22,600

  Norfolk

  10,615

  12,700

  North Yorkshire

  27,580

  33,100

  Northamptonshire

  6,065

  7,300

  Northumberland

  6,545

  7,800

  Nottinghamshire

  40,215

  48,300

  Oxfordshire

  30,040

  36,000

  Shropshire

  6,280

  7,500

  Somerset

  7,610

  9,100

  Staffordshire

  13,340

  16,000

  Suffolk

  12,890

  15,400

  Surrey

  6,340

  7,600

  Warwickshire

  5,180

  6,200

  West Sussex

  18,665

  22,400

  Wiltshire

  19,720

  23,600

  Economic and Social Research Council
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the Economic and Social Research Council to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I understand that, under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from Monday 14 October to Friday 18 October.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will issue formal guidance to local education authorities on the implication of the recent Appeal Court judgment concerning local education authorities' duties to provide speech therapy for pupils with statements of special education needs; and 348
  what plans he has to ensure that the implications of this judgment are known to parents and relevant voluntary organisations.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department intends to issue for consultation a draft addendum to DES circular 22/89 on assessment and statement procedures shortly. DES circulars offer advice and guidance to local education authorities. They are also sent to relevant voluntary organisations some of which represent and advise parents. In addition, local education authorities and the Department would be expected to advise parents, as necessary, as individual cases arise.

  Standard Assessment Tasks
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether results of the 1991 assessments of seven-year-olds will be collated in such a way that it will be possible to identify the class size and the age mix of classes with their results; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to him on 19 July 1991 at column 302–3.

  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from school governors concerning the conduct of standard assessment tests for seven-year-olds; and what measurements he has made of the effectiveness and value of these tests in relation to the time spent on them by teachings

  Mr. Eggar
  An extensive evaluation of the first national tests for seven-year-olds in English, mathematics and science is now taking place. The School Examinations and Assessment Council is gathering a range of qualitative and quantitiative information about the performance of the tests and Her Majesty's inspectorate have held a series of regional conferences to get reactions direct from teachers. The Department has also received a number of letters and reports from schools and governors, which will be taken into account as part of the evaluation.

  The Government will come to a final view about the effectiveness of the 1991 tests and about the nature and coverage of the 1992 tests when the full evidence of this evaluation work is available in the autumn.

  Student Awards, Tower Hamlets
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students in Tower Hamlets received(a) discretionary awards and (b) mandatory awards for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Data in the form requested are not available for Tower Hamlets, which formed part of the Inner London education authority until 31 March 1990.

  GCSE
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list by education authority in London, in rank order, the percentage of all pupils gaining(a) one GCSE certificates of grade A to C, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five, (f) six, (g) 7–10 and (h) 11 and above in 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  This information is not available in the form requested.
  349
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in rank order the English local education authorities, showing for the most recent year available, and the national averages(a) the proportion of pupils of maintained schools obtaining five or more GCSEs at grades A to C and (b) the proportion of such pupils obtaining grade A to C in GCSE in English, mathematics and a modern language.

  Maintained school leavers in England Aggregated over 1986–87, 1987–88 and 1988–89

  Percentage of leavers gaining 5+ grades A-C GCSE/O-level/CSE gaining 1 or more pass at grade A—C in the subject shown

  Local education authority

  Percentage of leavers with 5 + grades A—C

  Rank

  Mod Lang

  Rank

  Mathematics

  Rank

  English

  Rank

  Barking

  11·3

  95

  35·4

  94

  83·7

  71

  87·1

  96

  Barnet

  38·9

  2

  58·6

  8

  92·8

  1

  94·0

  81

  Bexley

  28·5

  28

  46·5

  62

  84·5

  65

  96·7

  31

  Brent

  20·6

  78

  46·9

  57

  84·6

  61

  97·2

  20

  Bromley

  29·9

  20

  53·2

  26

  84·7

  59

  97·2

  17

  Croydon

  22·1

  70

  53·0

  28

  83·6

  72

  95·0

  64

  Ealing

  22·5

  67

  41·1

  84

  86·3

  36

  90·9

  95

  Enfield

  26·9

  41

  55·8

  19

  90·3

  4

  93·4

  88

  Haringey

  16·6

  89

  45·6

  67

  82·8

  78

  94·5

  74

  Harrow

  38·6

  3

  42·7

  81

  85·8

  43

  98·7

  2

  Havering

  24·4

  57

  44·1

  72

  87·4

  22

  96·9

  26

  Hillingdon

  22·7

  65

  46·6

  59

  86·7

  32

  93·9

  83

  Hounslow

  25·2

  50

  47·6

  53

  78·7

  95

  95·0

  67

  Kingston upon Thames

  32·2

  10

  58·8

  6

  85·3

  47

  96·1

  42

  Merton

  24·6

  55

  53·0

  29

  90·1

  5

  95·0

  65

  Newham

  14·9

  93

  29·7

  96

  79·7

  92

  91·4

  94

  Redbridge

  25·5

  48

  47·8

  52

  84·9

  56

  92·4

  91

  Richmond upon Thames

  32·4

  8

  60·9

  5

  85·7

  44

  96·0

  44

  Sutton

  39·1

  1

  66·8

  3

  90·3

  3

  97·1

  21

  Waltham Forest

  12·7

  94

  38·0

  93

  75·2

  96

  97·0

  23

  Birmingham

  19·1

  85

  49·3

  46

  83·4

  76

  95·8

  51

  Coventry

  21·2

  76

  43·7

  75

  81·3

  87

  95·9

  47

  Dudley

  25·5

  47

  52·6

  30

  81·1

  88

  95·9

  45

  Sandwell

  15·5

  92

  38·6

  89

  81·6

  86

  96·

  25

  Solihull

  31·

  12

  58·

  9

  86·

  29

  97·

  22

  Walsall

  23·

  61

  51·

  39

  80·

  89

  95·9

  48

  Wolverhampton

  19·9

  81

  47·9

  51

  82·1

  82

  94·8

  69

  Knowsley

  8·5

  96

  38·3

  92

  79·7

  93

  93·9

  82

  Liverpool

  19·4

  84

  46·7

  58

  79·6

  94

  95·8

  49

  St. Helens

  20·5

  79

  57·5

  12

  89·7

  7

  98·8

  1

  Sefton

  28·5

  27

  51·1

  40

  83·5

  73

  97·3

  13

  Wirral

  27·8

  32

  56·6

  16

  85·3

  46

  97·4

  11

  Bolton

  28·7

  24

  51·5

  37

  86·6

  33

  95·2

  61

  Bury

  27·7

  34

  42·8

  79

  89·2

  11

  93·4

  90

  Manchester

  16·4

  90

  45·3

  69

  84·8

  58

  93·7

  85

  Oldham

  18·1

  86

  55·7

  20

  89·2

  12

  97·5

  9

  Rochdale

  20·9

  77

  39·4

  88

  87·5

  21

  94·5

  75

  Salford

  23·2

  62

  46·4

  64

  81·8

  85

  96·2

  37

  Stockport

  28·6

  25

  51·5

  36

  85·2

  50

  98·3

  3

  Tameside

  27·1

  40

  45·4

  68

  86·0

  39

  97·6

  6

  Trafford

  30·7

  16

  70·0

  1

  92·1

  2

  95·8

  52

  Wigan

  30·2

  18

  55·2

  21

  83·4

  75

  97·3

  14

  Barnsley

  19·7

  82

  45·0

  70

  88·4

  17

  93·5

  87

  Doncaster

  21·7

  73

  43·0

  78

  87·4

  23

  95·3

  59

  Rotherham

  23·0

  63

  53·1

  27

  87·1

  26

  94·7

  71

  Sheffield

  22·2

  69

  50·0

  42

  82·5

  80

  96·1

  39

  Bradford

  16·9

  88

  50·5

  41

  86·8

  30

  97·5

  8

  Calderdale

  21·5

  75

  54·4

  23

  82·1

  83

  97·5

  7

  Kirklees

  25·6

  46

  58·1

  11

  85·9

  40

  96·9

  24

  Leeds

  22·0

  71

  51·6

  35

  86·0

  38

  95·4

  57

  Wakefield

  17·5

  87

  52·3

  32

  84·5

  63

  95·9

  46

  Gateshead

  20·4

  80

  38·6

  90

  83·9

  69

  95·3

  58

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  21·6

  74

  48·3

  50

  79·9

  91

  92·1

  92

  North Tyneside

  27·5

  36

  41·9

  83

  82·0

  84

  97·9

  5

  South Tyneside

  22·2

  68

  49·0

  47

  88·8

  14

  96·2

  38

  Sunderland

  21·8

  72

  38·5

  91

  80·1

  90

  94·2

  78

  Inner London

  15·9

  91

  43·2

  77

  82·3

  81

  94·2

  80

  Avon

  27·8

  31

  49·7

  43

  84·7

  60

  97·2

  19

  Bedfordshire

  24·9

  53

  46·4

  63

  83·0

  77

  95·5

  54

  Berkshire

  32·3

  9

  56·2

  17

  89·5

  8

  96·4

  34

  Buckinghamshire

  36·0

  5

  67·8

  2

  90·1

  6

  97·9

  4

  350
  Mr. Eggar
  The table shows for each English local education authority the proportion of school leavers from maintained schools gaining five or more grades A to C in GCSE, O-level or grade 1 CSE, and the proportion of those gaining grade A to C in English, mathematics or a modern language, and also the rank order.
  351

  Percentage of leavers gaining 5+ grades A—C GCSE/O-level/CSE gaining 1 or more pass at grade A—C in the subject shown

  Local education authority

  Percentage of leavers with 5 + grades A—C

  Rank

  Mod Lang

  Rank

  Mathematics

  Rank

  English

  Rank

  Cambridgeshire

  28·0

  30

  57·1

  14

  84·4

  67

  95·8

  50

  Cheshire

  29·1

  23

  54·4

  22

  85·0

  53

  96·1

  40

  Cleveland

  26·5

  43

  44·1

  73

  88·3

  18

  95·1

  63

  Cornwall including Isles of Scilly

  30·0

  19

  43·8

  74

  85·3

  48

  97·3

  12

  Cumbria

  28·0

  29

  46·6

  61

  88·3

  19

  93·5

  86

  Derbyshire

  24·6

  54

  45·6

  66

  86·3

  35

  96·1

  41

  Devon

  26·3

  44

  44·2

  71

  84·5

  64

  95·5

  55

  Dorset

  27·6

  35

  57·1

  13

  85·0

  55

  96·8

  28

  Durham

  23·4

  60

  41·0

  85

  85·9

  41

  96·7

  30

  East Sussex

  31·4

  13

  45·8

  65

  85·2

  49

  97·2

  15

  Essex

  27·4

  37

  53·9

  25

  89·0

  13

  96·2

  36

  Gloucestershire

  31·2

  14

  55·8

  18

  86·5

  34

  94·9

  68

  Hampshire

  29·6

  21

  48·5

  48

  88·7

  15

  94·6

  73

  Hereford and Worcester

  29·2

  22

  48·4

  49

  83·5

  74

  95·3

  60

  Hertfordshire

  31·9

  11

  58·2

  10

  87·1

  28

  96·8

  29

  Humberside

  22·6

  66

  52·1

  33

  86·1

  37

  94·2

  79

  Isle of Wight

  19·5

  83

  34·2

  95

  84·4

  66

  93·4

  89

  Kent

  27·3

  38

  58·6

  7

  89·4

  10

  97·2

  16

  Lancashire

  26·8

  42

  52·0

  34

  84·9

  57

  95·0

  66

  Leicestershire

  25·1

  51

  39·6

  87

  87·3

  25

  96·8

  27

  Lincolnshire

  25·2

  49

  57·0

  15

  88·5

  16

  97·5

  10

  Norfolk

  24·5

  56

  47·5

  54

  89·4

  9

  94·3

  76

  North Yorkshire

  34·5

  7

  61·9

  4

  87·8

  20

  95·7

  53

  Northamptonshire

  22·8

  64

  42·7

  80

  83·9

  70

  96·2

  35

  Northumberland

  30·7

  15

  42·4

  82

  87·1

  27

  95·2

  62

  Nottinghamshire

  23·4

  59

  43·7

  76

  86·8

  31

  96·6

  33

  Oxfordshire

  27·7

  33

  49·5

  44

  84·3

  68

  93·7

  84

  Shropshire

  30·3

  17

  51·5

  38

  85·0

  54

  94·6

  72

  Somerset

  27·1

  39

  47·4

  55

  85·8

  42

  91·9

  93

  Staffordshire

  24·9

  52

  47·4

  56

  85·0

  52

  94·8

  70

  Suffolk

  24·2

  58

  41·0

  86

  85·1

  51

  94·3

  77

  Surrey

  38·0

  4

  46·6

  60

  84·6

  62

  97·2

  18

  Warwickshire

  28·5

  26

  54·0

  24

  87·3

  24

  96·7

  32

  West Sussex

  35·5

  6

  52·4

  31

  85·4

  45

  96·1

  43

  Wiltshire

  25·9

  45

  49·4

  45

  82·7

  79

  95·4

  56

  All England

  25·8

  50·3

  85·9

  95·8

  East London TEC
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the percentage of English school leavers within the area covered by the East London TEC.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Compulsory Courses
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the provision in secondary schools and sixth form colleges of compulsory courses on the effects of leaving home to go into further education.

  Mr. Fallon
  Section 1 of the Education Reform Act 1988 requires that the curriculum of every maintained school shall prepare pupils for the opportunities, responsibilities and experiences of adult life. It is for individual schools to decide how this requirement should be fulfilled.

  Reading Standards
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which body is now responsible for quantifying changes in reading standards; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The national curriculum sets clear national targets for reading and provides for pupils' progress in relation to those targets to be tested at the ages of 7, 11, 14 and 16. The School Examinations and Assessment Council is responsible for advising the Government on the testing arrangments and, as a function of that, will be monitoring and evaluating the results. In order to undertake this latter aspect of its work, the School Examinations and Assessment Council has taken over the Department's former assessment and performance unit which now forms the council's evaluation and monitoring unit. My right hon. and learned Friend has also asked Her Majesty's inspectorate to continue to monitor reading standards and to provide regular reports.

  Expenditure
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of Britain's gross domestic product is spent on education.
  353
  Mr. Eggar
  Gross domestic product is calculated on a United Kingdom basis. Provisional outturn data indicate that central Government and local authority expenditure in the United Kingdom on education and science in 1990–91 was 4·9 per cent. of the gross domestic product for that year.

  Source: Cm. 1520 Public Expenditure Analyses to 1993–94, tables 2.1 and 2.2.

  Smoking
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards education on the dangers of smoking for children in primary and secondary schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  The statutory order for national curriculum science requires that primary school pupils should know that tobacoo is a harmful substance, and that its avoidance contributes to good health; and that secondary school pupils should consider its effects on the human body. The National Curriculum Council's guidance on health education advises that both primary and secondary school pupils should study topics relating to the dangers of smoking.

  Hospital Education
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidelines nationally cover provision of education in hospitals for children; and what monitoring of the service takes place.

  Mr. Fallon
  It is for LEAs to decide on the type of educational provision to be made for children in hospital and to monitor the services which they provide. At the national level, Her Majesty's inspectorate's reviews include hospital and home education services.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Government continue to place high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance. Consonant with this, the Department operates a policy of including small firms on tender lists where appropriate. In 1990–91 it is estimated that about 35 per cent. of the Department's orders were placed with small firms: of the estimated £15·9 million which the Department spent on goods and services, some £4 million benefited small firms. Comparable estimates for last year are £11·5 million and £.4·2 million. The Department is developing mechanisms to monitor more closely the proportion of its orders placed with small businesses.

  Seven-year-olds (Assessment)
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has commissioned any public opinion research on parental attitudes to assessment of seven-year-olds.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department has commissioned market research into the format for reporting the progress of five to 14-year-olds to their parents which was issued to all schools earlier in the year. The School Examinations and Assessment Council (SEAC) has also, at Ministers' request, commissioned market research into the reporting to parents of the results of the pilot tests for 14-year-olds deployed in a sample of secondary schools this summer.

  Leeds General Hospital
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the staffing complement of the hospital teaching service at Leeds general infirmary in(a) 1988, (b) 1989, (c) 1990 and (d) 1991; and what is the proposed staffing complement in 1992.

  Mr. Fallon
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Arnewood School, Hampshire
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions he held with parents of children at Arnewood school, Hampshire prior to his visit to the school.

  Mr. Eggar
  None.

  Free School Meals
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish figures showing the number and proportion of children receiving free school meals in 1989 and 1990 as a percentage of the numbers of children in attendance.

  Mr. Fallon
  The number of children in maintained schools in England receiving free school meals on the census date in January 1989 and 1990 were 781,362 and 764,641 respectively. The figures represent 11 per cent. of the total pupils on roll for each year.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the latest figures for the number and proportion of children who are in families on supplementary benefit/income support who are not taking up their entitlement to free school meals.

  Mr. Fallon
  Pupils are entitled to free school meals only if they or their families are in receipt of income support, not supplementary benefit. In May 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, 1,010,815 children aged between five and 16 were in families in England who received income support. The take-up of free school meals in English schools on the census date in January 1990 was 764,641.

  School Premises (Political Events)
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what guidance his Department has issued to local education authorities and grant-maintained schools on the use of school premises for party political events; and if he will make a statement.
  355
  Mr. Eggar
  None. Under the Education Acts, responsibility for the conduct of schools and the use of their premises lies with school governing bodies. At elections, candidates have the use of school buildings for meetings, free of charge and at reasonable times, under the Representation of the People Act 1983.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Police Inquiries
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) if he will make a statement on the role of the Crown prosecution service and the Director of Public Prosecutions in determining whether the evidence in any particular case is such as to justify the institution of police inquiries;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the role of the Crown prosecution service and the Director of Public Prosecutions in advising the Metropolitan police on whether evidence in particular cases justifies the institution of police inquiries; and what formal powers are exercised in such circumstances.

  The Attorney-General
  The duties of the Director of Public Prosecutions and the Crown prosecution service, of which the Director is head, are set out in section 3(2) of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985. Section 3(2)(e) of the Act states that it shall be the duty of the Director to give, to such extent as he considers appropriate, advice to police forces on all matters relating to criminal offences.

  In deciding whether the evidence in any particular case is such as to lead the Director or the service to advise the police that inquiries would be justified, the Director and the service may take a number of factors into account. One of these factors would be the likelihood of such inquiries disclosing sufficient evidence to justify the institution of criminal proceedings. In determining whether the evidence in any particular case is sufficient to justify the institution of criminal proceedings the Director and the service will apply the criteria set out in the code for Crown prosecutors issued pursuant to section 10 of the Prosecution of Offences Act 1985.

  Mr. Tam Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General what discretion the Metropolitan police have to disregard the advice of the Director of Public Prosecutions or Crown prosecution service that the evidence in a particular case is not such as to justify the institution of police inquiries.

  The Attorney-General
  Neither the Director of Public Prosecutions nor the Crown prosecution service has any responsibility for, or operational control over, any police force. It is a matter for the chief officer of police to decide whether the evidence in any particular case is such as to justify police inquiries. In reaching that decision the chief officer will no doubt take into account any advice that the Director or service may offer, but the chief officer is not obliged to accept it or follow it.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) in how many cases since 1 January the Director of Public Prosecutions has advised the Metropolitan police that the evidence in a particular case is not such as to justify the institution of police inquiries;

  (2) in how many cases since 21 September 1990 the Metropolitan police have sought the view of the Director
  356
  of Public Preosecutions or Crown prosecution service on whether the evidence in a particular case justifies the institution of police inquiries.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is not collated in records maintained by the Director of Public Prosecutions or Crown prosecution service and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department and the Lord Chancellor's Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  The Attorney-General
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  The Departments for which I am responsible are the legal secretariat to the Law Officers, the Treasury Solicitor's department, the Crown prosecution service and the Serious Fraud Office. The services provided by the first two are largely internal to government. The functions of the Crown prosecution service and the Serious Fraud Office relate purely to the criminal justice system. While both organisations are aware of the serious consequences caused by some criminal offences when perpetrated against small businesses, decisions to prosecute are taken in accordance with the evidential sufficiency and public interest criteria laid down in the code for Crown prosecutors. The provisions of the code do not specify classes of victim, and accordingly do not distinguish between small businesses and other victims.

  As regards purchasing, all the Departments for which I am responsible have regard to the desirability of encouraging small businesses in line with the policy of the Government as a whole.

  The Lord Chancellor's programme of reforms to streamline procedures in the civil courts will benefit all litigants, including small businesses. For example, higher value claims can now be brought in a county court following the removal, on 1 July this year, of the financial limits to the county courts' general jurisdiction. From the same date, the level at which defended claims are automatically referred to the informal small claims arbitration procedure has been lifted from £500 to £1,000. The effect of these changes on the number of cases brought in the county courts will be monitored, but no separate statistics are kept in relation to small businesses.

  In its purchasing activities the Lord Chancellor's Department continues to encourage the use of small businesses as suppliers. The Department recognises that the prompt payment of bills is a matter of concern to small businesses and has agreed to participate in an interdepartmental exercise to help monitor payment performance generally. The Department's estimated total expenditure with small businesses in 1990–91 was £16 million, as against £14 million in 1989.

  Select Committee on Trade and Industry
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Attorney-General what action he has taken on the papers sent to him by members of the Select Committee on Trade and Industry relating to the alleged harassment of members of that Committee; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The question of what action may be appropriate in response to the matter to which my hon. Friend refers is at present under consideration.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Written Answers
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been answered by his Department so far in the current Session, and in the comparable period for the last Session; and if he will publish a table of how many answers(a) do not give the information requested because of (i) disproportionate cost or (ii) other reasons, (b) give an undertaking to write to the hon. Member who asked the question and (c) were referred for answer to the chief executive of a next steps agency.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested is a matter of public record.

  VAT
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses(a) registered for VAT and (b) deregistered for VAT in Tower Hamlets giving the reasons for deregistration if known, for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The table gives figures for VAT registrations and deregistrations for the Stratford local VAT office. The local VAT office at Stratford covers areas in addition to Tower Hamlets, but a more detailed

  Rates of income tax, 1900 onwards

  Government

  Party

  Rate of tax

  1900 to December 1905

  Conservative

  1900

  1s 0d Uniform rate

  1901

  1s 2d Uniform rate

  1902

  1s 3d Uniform rate

  1903

  0s 11d Uniform rate

  1904 to 1905

  1s 0d Uniform rate

  December 1905 to May 1915

  Liberal

  1906

  1s 0d Uniform rate

  1907 to 1908

  1s 0d Standard rate

  1909 to 1913

  1s 2d Standard rate

  1914

  1s 8d Standard rate

  1915

  3s 0d Standard rate

  May 1915 to October 1922

  Coalition

  1916 to 1917

  5s 0d Standard rate

  1918 to 1919

  6s 0d Standard rate

  1920–21 to 1921–22

  6s 0d Standard rate, (30%)

  1922–23

  5s 0d Standard rate, (25%)

  October 1922 to January 1924

  Conservative

  1923–24

  4s 6d Standard rate, (22·5%)

  January 1924 to November 1924

  Labour

  1924–25

  4s 6d Standard rate, (22·5%)

  November 1924 to June 1929

  Conservative

  1925–26 to 1927–28

  4s 0d Standard rate, (20%)

  1928–29

  4s 0d Standard rate, (20%)

  1929–30

  4s 0d Standard rate, (20%)

  June 1929 to August 1931

  Labour

  1930–31

  4s 6d Standard rate, (22·5%)

  1931–32

  5s 0d Standard rate, (25%)

  358
  breakdown is not available. No distinction is made between businesses registering for the first time and other registrations, for example a sole proprietor taking on a partner on forming a limited company.

  Years end December

  New registrations

  Deregistrations

  1980

  1,560

  1,521

  1981

  1,467

  990

  1982

  1,825

  1,910

  1983

  2,023

  1,849

  1984

  2,137

  1,877

  1985

  2,232

  1,946

  1986

  2,455

  2,349

  1987

  2,458

  2,118

  1988

  2,496

  2,150

  1989

  3,000

  2,370

  1990

  2,216

  1,774

  Government Staff
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the number of staff in post in central Government Departments at 1 April.

  Mr. Mellor
  On 1 April 1991 there were 553,863 staff in post in central Government. Of those, 490,041 were non-industrials and 63,822 were classified as being in industrial work.

  Income Tax
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the changes in the rates of income tax for each year for which the information is readily available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  The changes in the main rate of income tax since 1900 are shown in the table. The table does not show the various reduced rates of tax which applied nor any difference between the rate of tax on earned and unearned income.
  359

  Government

  Party

  Rate of tax

  August 1931 to May 1940

  National

  1932–33 to 1933–34

  5s 0d Standard rate, (25%)

  1934–35 to 1935–36

  4s 6d Standard rate, (22·5·)

  1936–37

  4s 9d Standard rate, (23·75·)

  1937–38

  5s 0d Standard rate, (25%)

  1938–39

  5s 6d Standard rate, (27·5%)

  1939–40

  7s 0d Standard rate, (35%)

  1940–41

  8s 6d Standard rate, (42·5%)

  May 1940 to May 1945

  Coalition

  1941–42 to 1945–46

  10s 0d Standard rate, (50%)

  May 1945 to July 1945

  Conservative

  —

  —

  July 1945 to October 1951

  Labour

  1946–47 to 1950–51

  9s 0d Standard rate, (45%)

  1951–52

  9s 6d Standard rate. (47·5%)

  October 1951 to October 1964

  Conservative

  1952–53

  9s 6d Standard rate, (47·5%)

  1953–54 to 1954–55

  9s 0d Standard rate. (45%)

  1955–56 to 1958–59

  8s 6d Standard rate, (42·5%)

  1959–60 to 1964–65

  7s 9d Standard rate, (38·75%)

  October 1964 to June 1970

  Labour

  1965–66 to 1969–70

  8s 3d Standard rate, (41·25%)

  1970–71

  41·25% Standard rate

  June 1970 to March 1974

  Conservative

  1971–72 to 1972–73

  38·75%, Standard rate

  1973–74

  30%, Basic rate

  March 1974 to May 1979

  Labour

  1974–75

  33%, Basic rate

  1975–76 to 1976–77

  35%, Basic rate

  1977–78

  34%, Basic rate

  1978–79

  33%, Basic rate

  May 1979 to

  Conservative

  1979–80 to 1985–86

  30%, Basic rate

  1986–87

  29%, Basic rate

  1987–88

  27%, Basic rate

  1988–89 to

  25%, Basic rate

  Civil Service Relocation
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil service jobs have been relocated from London in the past five years; and how many he estimates will be so relocated in the next five years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Comprehensive data for the period prior to 1988 are not held centrally. However, posts relocated or located outside London totalled over 11,000 over the past five years; and over the next five years, a further 20,000 posts will follow.

  Civil Servants (Salary Advances)
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for making advances of salary available to civil servants for travel.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Civil servants may receive an advance of salary to purchase a season ticket for public transport. It is proposed to extend this scheme in two ways. Departments will be able to offer junior civil servants advances of salary to purchase season tickets for car parking and advances of salary of up to £100 to assist civil servants in the purchase of a bicycle for home to office travel.

  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will make a statement about the arrangements for making advances of salary available to civil servants, both for house purchase and for travel to the office.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  When civil servants move in the public interest, they may be eligible for an advance of salary to assist with the purchase of a property at the new station. The current maximum advance payable is six months' pay, repayable over 12 years.

  The arrangements have recently been reviewed for civil servants whose bridging loans exceed the selling price of
  360
  their property as a result of changes in the housing market. In these exceptional cases, it is proposed that the maximum advance should be 12 months' pay, repayable over a maximum of 15 years.

  On the question of travel, I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Hayes).

  VAT
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer on what grounds VAT was imposed on fuel and energy from 1 July 1990; and in what circumstances it is imposed.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 19 July 1991]: The standard rate of value added tax was applied to fuel and power for non-domestic use from 1 July 1990. This followed a judgment of the European Court of Justice in 1988 that zero rating by the United Kingdom of fuel and power other than to final consumers was contrary to European Community law. Fuel and power for domestic use, and also for use by a charity for its non-business activities, remains zero-rated.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the dates on which he has discussed the trading position or other matters relating to BCCI with Governors of the Bank of England in the past two years.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: My right hon. Friend has discussed a number of supervisory cases, including BCCI, with the Governor of the Bank of England on a number of occasions since becoming Chancellor; but was not aware that fraud had been uncovered until 26 June.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he was first informed by the banking authorities of their doubts concerning BCCI.
  361
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: I was informed in very general terms that fraud had been uncovered on 26 June. I was given the gist of the section 41 report on 28 June.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what meetings he, or his predecessors, have had with executives or directors of BCCI in the last five years.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: Neither I nor any of my predecessors have, so far as I am aware, had any meetings with executives or directors of the BCCI in the last five years in an official capacity.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will establish an independent inquiry into the closure at the Bank of Credit and Commerce International, including the role of the Bank of England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 18 July 1991]: I refer the hon. Member to the statements made by my right hon. Friend the Chancellor last Friday, Official Report, columns 715–16, and by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister today.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the major shareholders of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International were informed of the closure of the bank by the Bank of England.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 18 July 1991]: The main supervisory authorities concerned met the official representative of the major shareholder of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International on the morning of 5 July, and informed him then of the action they proposed to take.

  Bank of England (Authorised Institutions)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what role his officials play in drawing-up the Bank of England's list of authorised institutions under the Banking Act 1987.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: The Treasury plays no role in drawing up the list of authorised institutions.

  Pensions
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentages of national income were spent in(a) 1975, (b) 1980 and (c) 1985 and the latest available date on (i) national insurance retirement pensions, (ii) supplementary pensions/income support for the elderly, (iii) public sector occupational pensions in payment and (iv) private sector occupational pensions in payment.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest estimates are given in the table; 1989 is the most recent year for which estimates are available for all the items.
  362

  As percentages of national income

  1975

  1980

  1985

  1989

  National insurance retirement pensions

  5·3

  5·9

  6·1

  5·3

  Supplementary pensions/income support for the elderly

  0·5

  0·5

  0·5

  0·5

  Public sector occupational pensions in payment

  1·8

  2·5

  2·9

  2·8

  Private sector occupational pensions in payment, including payments under life assurance policies

  3·0

  2·8

  4·6

  5·5

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  South Africa
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he discussed nuclear matters during his recent visit to South Africa.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Yes. During my right hon. Friend's discussions, the recent decision by South Africa to accede to the non-proliferation treaty was raised. He made clear our warm welcome for this step.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's policy in respect of the accession by the Government of South Africa to the nuclear nonproliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We warmly welcome South Africa's recent accession to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty. This important step will serve to strengthen the treaty which is a pillar of our hopes for peace and security, both in southern Africa and internationally. We hope that South Africa's accession will set an example to all states which have yet to accede to the treaty.

  Iraq
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the possession and use by Iraq of calutrons to enrich uranium.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Two inspection teams from the International Atomic Energy Agency, acting under the authority of United Nations Security Council resolution 687, visited Iraq between 15 and 21 May and 22 June and 3 July. A third inspection has just been completed.

  On 17 July the IAEA submitted to the Security Council a consolidated report No. S/22788 dated 15 July 1991 providing details of the first two inspections relating to Iraq's nuclear capabilities. A copy of this report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Information from the third inspection visit is not yet available. It will be for the IAEA to decide how it treats any findings.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on securing Iraqi compliance with Security Council resolution 687.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Security Council resolution 687 sets out Iraq's obligations in detail. We shall continue to work to secure Iraq's compliance in full with the terms of the resolution.

  Southern Afria
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss with each of those Southern African front-line states which are not already members the question of their accession to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As a depository state of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty—NPT—it is our policy to take every suitable opportunity both to raise the importance of nuclear non-proliferation with all non-parties to the NPT and to lobby them to accede to the NPT as soon as possible.

  Soviet Union
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make representations to the Soviet Government about their failure to grant an exit visa to Yefin and Lilya Rokhvarg, Faina and Ilya Rayerg and Alexander Perliy all of Leningrad and Yakov Orlov of Perm.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We understand that Yefin and Lilya Rokhvarg have now received permission to leave the Soviet Union. We can certainly raise with the Soviet authorities the cases of Faina and Ilya Rayerg, Alexander Perliy and Yakov Orlov, but in order to make our representations most effective we shall need further details.

  A list of those refusenik cases previously raised with us was brought to the attention of the Soviet authorities during President Gorbachev's visit last week.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those bilateral and collective agreements made by Her Majesty's Government in respect of the Baltic states before 1941; which are currently operative; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A large number of bilateral treaties and agreements were signed by Her Majesty's Government and the Baltic governments before 1941. These included agreements with all three Baltic states on the extradition of fugitive criminals, on legal procedures and on commerce. Because we recognise de facto, although not de jure, the incorporation of the Baltic states into the Soviet Union, none of these pre-1941 agreements is currently operative.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise at the United Nations the need during the current unrest in Yugoslavia to safeguard nuclear power stations from attack; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Countries that operate civil nuclear power programmes are responsible for ensuring the safety of plants. The restoration of peace in Yugoslavia would be the best guarantee of the safety of its nuclear power plants. The plan agreed between the European Community troika and Yugoslav representatives at Brioni on 8 July offers a basis upon which negotiations for a peaceful resolution of the Yugoslav crisis can restart.

  United Nations Security Council
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the special meeting of the five permanent member states of the United Nations Security Council in Paris on 8 July.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Representatives of the permanent five, as the world's leading arms exporters, met to discuss ways of promoting greater responsibility in conventional arms transfers and preventing proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. They agreed to work together to develop guidelines for restraint in arms transfers, and to set up a mechanism for continued consultation and exchange of information on these issues. They also agreed to support our proposal for a United Nations arms transfer register. This work will be taken forward at further meetings in London in the autumn.

  Syria
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is Her Majesty's Government's current assessment of Syria's contacts with or involvement in international terrorism; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  At the time of our resumption of diplomatic relations with Syria in November 1990, we received credible assurances from the Syrian Government on their attitude towards international terrorism. We have no evidence that the Syrian Government have changed their attitude.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his reasons for proposing to the Foreign Affairs Council and the European Commission that the arms embargo on Syria should be lifted.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I did not make any such proposal. What I said was that should our EC partners decide that the EC arms embargo be lifted we would not, now that our relations with Syria have been restored, raise any objection.

  Palestinians
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on Her Majesty's Government's support for the Palestinian people who live in the occupied territories.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  All British bilateral aid to the Palestinian people in the occupied territories is dispersed through United Kingdom non-governmental organisations under the supplementary programme to the occupied territories—SPOT. Projects currently being undertaken are:

  Grants given £

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG)

  1. Production of health education materials

  55,887

  (1990–92)

  2. Women's development

  52,073

  (1990–93)

  Christian Aid

  365

  Grants given £

  1. Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee Fodder

  3,300

  (1991)

  Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

  1. Paediatric Nurses training

  42,250

  (1990–91)

  2. Upgrading skills of staff for children with learning difficulties

  15,900

  (1991)

  3. Intensive Care Nursing

  33,500

  (1991)

  Oxfam

  1. Gaza blood bank project

  78,715

  (1989–92)

  2. Water reclamation development project

  113,670

  (1989–92)

  Quaker Peace and Service

  1. Training women as health workers in village clinics

  7,197

  (1990–91)

  Save The Children Fund

  1. Physiotherapy training

  97,300

  (1988–91)

  2. Revolving loan fund for small farmers and business

  240,000

  (1990–91)

  3. Provision of kindergarten in Nablus refugee camp

  42,000

  (1991–93)

  4. Care of disabled children

  18,000

  (1991–93)

  5. Assistance to women's self-help activities

  45,000

  (1991–93)

  United Nations Association International Service (UNAIS)

  1. Women's Co-operatives development worker

  20,744

  (1988–91)

  2. Business administrative project

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  3. Seed propagation botanist

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  4. Food technology project

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  5. Development research project

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  Universities Educational Fund for Palestinian Refugees (UNIFAL)

  1. Physiotherapy training at Bethlehem University

  9,400

  (1989–92)

  Y Care International (YMCA)

  1. Rehabilitation programme for these injured by Intifada

  150,000

  (1991–93)

  There is also an ODA contribution of £6 million via the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for 1991–92 and a contribution of approximately 19 mecu to the European Community's total aid to the occupied territories for 1991.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievments and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  During 1990–91, both wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office continued to place a considerable part of their business with small firms. In the diplomatic wing, the value of this business over the last three years was:
  366

  £ million

  Percentage of expenditure

  1988–89

  16·3

  15·9

  1989–90

  32·8

  22·5

  1990–91

  33·9

  23·8

  The ODA uses procurement agencies to undertake purchasing and supply on behalf of recipient Governments in developing countries. Its register of agents includes several small businesses. The ODA also encourages small firms to compete for aid-financed consultancy contracts overseas.

  In the diplomatic wing, the director of purchasing provides information and guidance to purchasing departments about buying from small firms. He ensures that, whenever possible, small firms are included in invitations to tender and that they are awarded contracts if their offer is the best on a value-for-money basis.

  Diplomatic service posts overseas provide a range of export promotion services to British firms. In line with the British Overseas Trade Board's forward plan, particular emphasis is placed on supporting small and medium-sized firms in the development of their export business. Performance indicators for the use of these services do not indicate company size.

  Expo 92
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has a policy of excluding any exhibit from Gibraltar, irrespective of its merits, from Expo 92 in Seville.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  No, but I would refer the hon. Member to my answers to previous questions.

  G7 Summit
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conclusions of the G7 summit on conventional arms transfers and nuclear, biological and chemical proliferation.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The summit declaration on conventional arms transfers and non-proliferation is aimed at encouraging greater responsibility in the international arms trade. The declaration sets out three principles governing arms sales: transparency, consultation and action. The summit strongly supported our initiative on a UN register of arms transfers. The non-proliferation section of the declaration contains a number of important steps forward, notably a commitment to give immediate consideration to imposing severe measures against any state that is shown to have used chemical or biological weapons.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the conclusions drawn by the G7 summit on Iraqi aggression and the ensuing Gulf war.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The political and arms control declarations issued by the summit draw the necessary lessons from the Gulf war. The G7 agreed to maintain sanctions against Iraq until all the relevant resolutions of the Security Council have been implemented in full and the people of Iraq, as well as their neighbours, can live without
  367
  fear of intimidation, repression or attack. The summit agreed that the Iraqi people deserve the opportunity to choose their leadership openly and democratically. Preventive diplomacy to help avert future conflicts by making clear to potential aggressors the consequences of their actions will also be a top priority.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) when he was first informed that the Bank of England had doubts about the operation of BCCI;

  (2) when he was first informed of the allegations of fraud at BCCI.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend first heard of the doubts about the operation of BCCI arising from the report commissioned under section 41 of the Banking Act 1987 on 3 July.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations his Department had with the Governor of the Bank of England about his visit to Abu Dhabi to meet officials concerning the BCCI issue.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As is often the case when he makes an overseas trip, the Governor was in touch with the FCO before he left for Abu Dhabi.

  Sheikh of Abu Dhabi
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Sheikh of Abu Dhabi.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend had the pleasure of meeting the ruler of Abu Dhabi, who is also President of the United Arab Emirates, during his visit there on 12 and 13 January.

  China
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his policy on co-operation with China in opposing Iraqi aggression and other regional issues.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As a permanent member of the UN Security Council, China has played a full part in discussions at the UN on the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and measures to ensure Iraqi compliance. We shall remain in close touch with the Chinese over the need to ensure that Iraq meets its obligations and over other topical regional issues.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  South Africa
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the South African Government on issues of land return and reform.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have often discussed land reform with the South African Government. The Land Acts of 1913 and 1936 were repealed on 27 June this year and we 368
  understand that the South African Government are consulting various parties about the consequences through their advisory commission on land allocation.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response he received from the Government of South Africa in his discussions with them on organised violence and on the protection of all citizens.

  Mrs. Chalker
  President de Klerk confirmed that the South African Government would shortly establish a standing judicial commission on violence. He also reaffirmed both his own determination to do all in his power to reduce the violence and his support for efforts which other parties are making to the same end.

  Palestinians
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list aid projects currently being undertaken to help Palestinian people in the occupied territories.

  Mrs. Chalker
  All British bilateral aid to the Palestinian people in the occupied territories is disbursed through United Kingdom non-governmental organisations under the supplementary programme to the occupied territories—SPOT. Projects currently being undertaken are:

  Grants given £

  Appropriate Health Resources and Technologies Action Group (AHRTAG)

  1. Production of health education materials

  55,887

  (1990–92)

  2. Women's development

  52,073

  (1990–93)

  Christian Aid

  1. Palestinian Agricultural Relief Committee Fodder

  3,300

  (1991)

  Medical Aid for Palestinians (MAP)

  1. Paediatric Nurses training

  42,250

  (1990–91)

  2. Upgrading skills of staff for children with learning difficulties

  15,900

  (1991)

  3. Intensive Care Nursing

  33,500

  (1991)

  Oxfam

  1. Gaza blood bank project

  78,715

  (1989–92)

  2. Water reclamation development project

  113,670

  (1989–92)

  Quaker Peace and Service

  1. Training women as health workers in village clinics

  7,197

  (1990–91)

  Save The Children Fund

  1. Physiotherapy training

  97,300

  (1988–91)

  2. Revolving loan fund for small farmers and business

  240,000

  (1990–91)

  3. Provision of kindergarten in Nablus refugee camp

  42,000

  (1991–93)

  4. Care of disabled children

  18,000

  (1991–93)

  5. Assistance to women's self-help activities

  45,000

  (1991–93)

  United Nations Association International Service (UNAIS)

  1. Women's Co-operatives development worker

  20,744

  (1988–91)

  2. Business administrative project

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  3. Seed propagation botanist

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  4. Food technology project

  20,328

  (1990·92)

  5. Development research project

  20,328

  (1990–92)

  369

  Grants given £

  Universities Educational Fund for Palestinian Refugees (UNIPAL)

  1. Physiotherapy training at Bethlehem University

  9,400

  (1989–92)

  Y Care International (YMCA)

  1. Rehabilitation programme for these injured by Intifada

  150,000

  (1991–93)

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Metric Units
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) when he received the report of Lady Attlee's metric sense campaign; and what conclusions he has reached;

  (2) what steps his Department is taking to ensure that metric units are user friendly;

  (3) whether his Department has carried out any study on the comprehension of metric units.

  Mr. Leigh
  Lady Attlee first wrote to my Department about her campaign on 22 June 1987.

  The Secretary of State announced the Government's proposals for ending the use of most imperial units on 2 July. The Department is currently preparing draft legislation and there will be further consultation when this work has been completed.

  My Department has not carried out any studies on the comprehension of metric units but has received a number of studies from Lady Attlee.

  Space Activities
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what funds were made available for support for space activities by Her Majesty's Government in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Leigh
  Government expenditure on support for civil space activities in the last five years has been:

  Year

  £ million

  1986–87

  116

  1987–88

  122

  1988–89

  137

  1989–90

  143

  1990–91

  148

  Medicines
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many representations he has received from United Kingdom generic manufacturers(a) not in favour of any supplementary patent provision for medicinal products and (b) in support of the principle of supplementary protection but with a shorter period than that proposed by the European Commission, since 12 June.

  Mr. Leigh
  The only representation we have had from United Kingdom generic manufacturers since 12 June was when the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for 370
  Industry and Technology met representatives of the European Generics Forum on 27 June. The representatives were not in favour of any supplementary patent protection for medicinal products.

  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the generic manufacturers who belong to the Standard Formulary Medicines Register of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry, expressing support for the EC proposal on patent term restoration for medicinal products; and what proportion these manufacturers represent of generic sales to the national health service.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Standard Formulary Medicines Register of the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry has expressed support for the EC proposal subject to changes to make it easier for generics manufacturers to carry out development work before expiry of protection. I do not have information on the proportion of generic sales to the national health service represented by the companies on the register.

  Toy Rockets
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about his inquiries into the safety of and risks posed by large toy rockets now on sale in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Leigh
  We have tested these rockets and have found them to be safe in normal use provided that the users obey the instructions and stand at a reasonable distance. The Civil Aviation Authority has advised us that the rockets are unlikely to damage aircraft coming into land, but that they could distract the pilot. We are looking into what might be done to restrict the use of such products within five miles of a major airport.

  Accountancy Bodies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers he has to seek revisions to the royal charters of the accountancy bodies.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend has no express power to initiate revisions to the royal charters of the accountancy bodies. However, he will have certain powers under part II of the Companies Act 1989 relating to compliance with the criteria for recognition, international obligations and competition, the exercise of which might result in changes being sought to the royal charters of the charters recognised supervisory bodies and recognised qualifying bodies. In addition, the exercise of the Secretary of State's functions under the Insolvency Act 1986 and the Companies Act 1985, in relation to insolvency practitioners and large partnerships, respectively, could prompt the chartered accountancy bodies to seek revisions to their charters.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on how many occasions in the past five years BCCI failed to file its annual accounts with the authorities within the statutory time limits.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA (BCCI) has established places of business
  371
  in both London and Glasgow and has registered with the registrars of companies in both England and Wales and in Scotland. At no time during the past five years has the bank failed to deliver its accounts to either registrar within the statutory time limits.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will appoint departmental inspectors under the Companies Act to investigate BCCI.

  Mr. Redwood
  There is already an investigation by the Serious Fraud Office into the company and my right hon. Friend the Chancellor has just announced an independent inquiry into the supervision under the Banking Acts of Bank of Credit and Commerce International SA. There would appear to be no purpose in having another inquiry under the Companies Acts which would inevitably overlap with those already in train.

  Auditing Standards
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what powers he has under which he can launch an independent investigation of the auditing standards of individual companies.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have no power to investigate the standard of work performed by a company's auditors, although the matter may arise in the course of an investigation into the affairs of the company. However, under the Companies Act 1989, which will provide a new supervisory system for company auditors, a recognised supervisory body must have effective arrangements for the investigation of complaints against persons eligible under its rules to be appointed as company auditors, including complaints referred to it by my Department.

  Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to review proxy voting procedures under(a) the Building Societies Act and (b) bodies offered recognition as supervisory bodies under the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Redwood
  Questions arising under the Building Societies Act 1986 are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer. No supervisory bodies have yet been recognised under the Companies Act 1989. All matters relevant to recognition of a body as a supervisory body under the Companies Act 1989 will be taken into account before recognition.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to seek Parliament's approval of the supervisory body applications made by the accountancy trade association.

  Mr. Redwood
  The use of the power in paragraph 2 of schedule II to the Companies Act 1989, to recognise supervisory bodies, is not subject to parliamentary approval.

  Non-audit Fees
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on what date the statutory instrument relating to publication of non-audit fees will come into force.
  372
  Mr. Redwood
  I expect to make these regulations soon, but no decision has been taken on the date on which they will come into force.

  Securities and Investments Board
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about the procedure and responsibility for the appointment of the chairman of the Securities and Investments Board.

  Mr. Redwood
  The chairman of the Securities and Investments Board is appointed by the Secretary of State and the Governor of the Bank of England acting jointly.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement about his responsibilities in respect of the operations policy and expenditure of the Securities and Investments Board.

  Mr. Redwood
  The operations, policy and expenditure of the Securities and Investments Board are the responsibility of the board. Section 117 of the Financial Services Act requires SIB to report at least once in each year to the Secretary of State on the discharge of functions transferred to it under section 114 of the Act, and requires the Secretary of State to lay copies of the reports before Parliament.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 391, what proportion of the global billing of the Property Services Agency for energy consumption was attributed to his Department in 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Leigh
  I do not have this information.

  Insolvency
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many companies in Scotland and Strathclyde are in receivership; and if he will name them.

  Mr. Redwood
  There are 716 Scottish companies in receivership. Figures can be supplied only for Scotland as a whole and cannot be broken down into any specific region. It is not possible to supply a list of company names within the parliamentary question timescale, but the chief executive of Companies House executive agency will write direct to the hon. Gentleman, enclosing the list, as soon as possible.

  Computer Security
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action his Department is taking to encourage greater computer security(a) in government and (b) in the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 15 July 1991]: The DTI is supporting a three-year programme, directed mainly at smaller and medium-sized enterprises, which aims to raise awareness of the importance of security in all aspects of information technology. A major purpose of the awareness programme is to stimulate business users of computer systems into examining their security requirements and to help them adopt appropriate practical solutions that meet their needs effectively.
  373
  The campaign, now in its second year, provides advice and guidance on the measures which businesses can take to combat both deliberate and accidental threats to their computer systems. A key message of the campaign is that action taken to prevent such threats is more effective than dealing with breaches of security after they have occurred.

  The DTI is also involved in promoting greater awareness of the Computer Misuse Act 1990, and of its implications for business.

  In a further initiative, launched on 1 May 1991, DTI has introduced a national scheme for the evaluation and certification of the security of IT systems and products. The purpose of the scheme is to promote an efficient and effective market in IT security, offering benefits to users and vendors alike. The scheme provides for independent security evaluation services to be made available to all sectors of industry, commerce and government. These services are backed by a certification scheme whereby evaluations performed by commercial bodies licensed as commercial licensed evaluation facilities (CLEFs), are certified as meeting the necessary standard.

  A primary objective of the scheme is to provide for international mutual recognition of evaluation certificates and by such means to make the market place an international one, with a wider choice of certified products available.

  The DTI, in consultation with other Government Departments, is now promoting co-ordination of IT security studies, and research and development activities across European Community programmes. It is thus seeking to ensure that the security needs of business within the soon to be completed internal market can be met.

  Within government, a range of security measures has been developed to protect computers and the data that they process according to an assessment of the threats they face. It is the responsibility of individual Departments to apply these measures to their own systems, taking account of interdepartmentally agreed guidance. This guidance is kept under constant review.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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. Leigh
  [holding answer 18 July 1991]: The information is as follows:

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Number of places

  40

  40

  24

  Places occupied in May

  9

  19

  24

PRIME MINISTER

  Greenhouse Gases
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Prime Minister what steps have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to stabilise the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to combat global warming.

  The Prime Minister
  The Environment White Paper (Cm. 1200) sets out the first set of measures to limit the 374
  United Kingdom's carbon dioxide emissions and we will publish a report in the autumn showing how our efforts are being put into practice.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to raise nuclear non-proliferation with his Chinese counterpart.

  The Prime Minister
  As a depository state of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, it is our policy to take every opportunity both to raise the importance of nuclear non-proliferation with all non-parties to the NPT and to lobby them to accede to the NPT as soon as possible.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's current assessment of the capability of(a) Israel and (b) Pakistan to make a nuclear weapon.

  The Prime Minister
  We have no firm evidence either to confirm or to deny rumours that Israel may have a nuclear weapons programme. As regards Pakistan, I refer the hon. Member to the reply my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave him on 27 February at column 497.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent ministerial meetings have taken place with other depository powers of the non-proliferation treaty; what matters relating to the treaty were discussed; and what future meetings he proposes to hold in 1991.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government attach great importance to nuclear non-proliferation and the subject is frequently raised during bilateral ministerial meetings with the United States and the Soviet Union. However, no recent ministerial meetings specifically to discuss the NPT have taken place nor are any currently planned.

  Regular trilateral and bilateral meetings of the depository powers of the NPT take place at official level, most recently in June.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Prime Minister how many Government Ministers have visited Renfrew, West and Inverclyde on official business since 1987; and if he will list the events and the Ministers concerned.

  The Prime Minister
  The information can be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will institute a full review, under the direction of the head of the civil service, of the case of Mr. Colin Wallace with a view to(a) bringing to book those responsible for conspiring to pervert the due process of the Civil Service Appeal Board, (b) ensuring that those responsible for misleading Ministers so as to mislead Parliament are disciplined and (c) that safeguards are put in place to prevent a repetition of these events.

  The Prime Minister
  No. I do not accept the hon. Member's description of what occurred. Safeguards are already in place to prevent a repetition of what went wrong.

  Army Boards of Inquiry
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will bring forward legislation to require Army boards of inquiry in cases which may lead to claims for compensation(a) to provide full discovery of documents to those seeking to prove negligence, (b) to take evidence in person from all relevant witnesses and (c) to recommend ex gratia payments in special circumstances.

  The Prime Minister
  There are no plans to introduce such legislation.

  Migrant Workers
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Greenock and Port Glasgow on 1 July,Official Report, column 35, when the hon. Gentleman can expect to receive a letter on migrant workers; and if he will place a copy of his letter in the Library.

  The Prime Minister
  I have replied to the hon. Member today.

  Government Expenditure
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the sizes of the total committed and target expenditure by Her Majesty's Government for the next financial year on(a) the environment, (b) overseas aid and (c) defence.

  The Prime Minister
  Table 4.4 of the statistical supplement (Cm. 1520) sets out the latest plans for central Government expenditure on environmental services, overseas aid and defence in 1992–93. Data on local authority plans for expenditure on environmental services in 1992–93 are not available.

  EC Intervention Grain
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Prime Minister whether he will make it his policy to press for the grain stored by the EC to be used to combat the plight of people who currently face starvation in Africa.

  The Prime Minister
  The European Commission is already using substantial quantities of grain drawn from intervention stocks to meet the needs of the special programme of food aid for Africa which was agreed in May. We strongly support this, when appropriate cereals are available and their use is cost-effective. Many surplus commodities held in stock, including cereals such as barley are, however, not generally suitable for use as emergency food aid.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 17 July, what was the actual date on which he was told of the fraud.

  The Prime Minister
  I was informed on 28 June.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 17 July, what action he took, with regard to BCCI, following the information given to him that there was fraud.

  The Prime Minister
  The action, following the uncovering of the widespread fraud, was for the Bank of England, using its statutory powers. The Government entirely supported the action they proposed to take.

  Next Steps Agencies
  Mr. Lester
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how many next steps agency chief executives have been appointed through open competition.

  Mr. Renton
  The Government's objective in appointing agency chief executives is to get the right person for the job. Open competition is now the presumption and 29 of the current chief executives have been recruited in this way.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will publish his Department's equal opportunity policy; and if he will make a statement about the way it is monitored.

  Mr. Renton
  My Department's basic equal opportunities policy statement is made available to all members of staff. The position is kept under review.

  Recruitment
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service when he next expects to meet civil service trade union leaders to discuss methods of recruitment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I meet civil service trade union representatives from time to time to discuss a variety of matters.

  Occupational Health Service
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of the occupational health service 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 and I have asked him to write to the hon. Member direct.

THE ARTS

  Southern Arts
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of the Arts Council grant in 1991–92 has been allocated to Southern Arts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  In 1991–92 Southern Arts received 6·3 per cent. of the total Arts Council grant to the 12 English regional arts associations.

  Arts Companies (Income)
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of the income of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal National theatre, Royal Opera house, and English National Opera is now raised by the companies themselves.

  Mr. Renton
  In 1990–91 the Royal Shakespeare Company raised 64 per cent. of its income; the Royal
  377
  National theatre 52 per cent.; the Royal Opera house 63 per cent.; and English National Opera 47 per cent. The comparable figures for 1980–81 were: Royal Shakespeare Company 62 per cent.; Royal National theatre 35 per cent.; Royal Opera house 48 per cent.; and English National Opera 30 per cent. in 1983–84, the earliest year in which comparable figures are available for that company.

  Local Authorities (Arts Spending)
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what advice he gives local authorities on their expenditure on arts and libraries.

  Mr. Renton
  The Government believe that local authorities themselves are best placed to take decisions on arts and libraries expenditure in the light of local needs, priorities and resources.

  In the case of libraries, local authorities have a duty to provide a comprehensive and efficient library service and as part of my oversight of their services I issue guidance on good practice.

  I also work with the regional arts associations, both directly and through the Arts Council, to promote local authority support for the arts.

  European Art Objects
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he plans any discussions with his EC counterparts on a policy towards art objects of European origin held in museums and art galleries in member states.

  Mr. Renton
  I most recently met my European Community counterparts in Luxembourg on 7 June. At that meeting the European Commission indicated that it planned to issue proposals on external frontiers arid on a possible restitution scheme for objects illegally exported after 1992. I will be attending a further meeting under the Dutch presidency in the autumn this year.

  Museums
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many museums have registered under the scheme being administered by the Museums and Galleries Commission.

  Mr. Renton
  By July 1991, 830 museums and galleries had been accepted on to the Museums and Galleries Commission's register.

WALES

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the Training Agency invested in the technical and vocational education initiative in 1990–91, and is proposing to invest in 1991–92 and 1992–93.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In 1990–91 the amount invested by the Training Agency/Training Enterprise and Education Directorate in the training and vocational education initiative was £9,104,301. In 1991–92 and 1992–93 planned investment by TEED in TVEI is £9,319,197 and £8,350,865 respectively. Provision in each year is determined by the patterns of expenditure proposed by local education authorities.

  Casualty Animals
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the threat to human, animal and environmental health from the improper disposal of the carcases of casualty animals; and if he proposes to take any further action to require the proper disposal of such animals.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The improper disposal of animal carcases is both illegal and environmentally unacceptable. The state veterinary service monitors the disposal of such carcases, and liaises with local authorities on the enforcement of the relevant legislative controls.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce measures to prohibit the use of unprocessed or uncooked casualty farm animals as animal feed.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Existing controls are already adequate. Under the Processed Animal Protein Order 1989 and the Diseases of Animals (Waste Food) Order 1973 (as amended) material derived from animals must be processed or rendered microbiologically safe before it can be included in feeding stuffs for livestock or poultry.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the threat to animal health from tape worm infection from parasites spread by hunting dogs fed on uncooked sheep carcases.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No specific assessment has been made. Observations by the veterinary investigation service indicate that infestations regularly occur among farm livestock in Wales, but these infestations will have been derived from farm and other dogs as well as hunting dogs.

  Colliery Buildings
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will request Cadw to evaluate the heritage value of the Penallta pithead baths and other colliery buildings.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The inspectorate of historic buildings has visited those of British Coal's working, deep mines in South Wales where buildings of possible interest have been identified. My right hon. Friend will be considering whether statutory protection should be extended to any structure in the light of their advice, and consultations with local authorities and British Coal. I shall write to the hon. Gentleman when a decision is made and place a copy in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to place interim protection orders on historic colliery buildings to prevent their demolition before Cadw has completed an evaluation of their heritage value.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 places a duty on my right hon. Friend to list buildings of special architectural or historic interest. The Act requires that certain consultations are undertaken before my right hon. Friend decides to list a structure. The same legislation enables a local planning authority to serve a building preservation notice, which lasts six months, where it appears that a structure of special interest is in danger of demolition.

  Fox Control
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce a registration scheme to regulate the activities of those fox control societies currently operating in Wales and which are not registered with the Masters of Fox Hounds Association.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no plans to do so.

  Tegryn Hunt
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will undertake an inquiry into the activities of the Tegryn hunt in relation to animal health.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Monthly visits are being undertaken to all known hunt kennels and knackers by state veterinary service staff.

  Child Runaways
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the latest estimates for the number of children who have run away from(a) private households and (b) local authority care in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The number of children who have run away from private households is not held centrally.

  There were eight children in local authority care who had absconded for more than one week from local authority residential accommodation in Wales on 31 March 1990.

  Dentistry
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each health authority in Wales the number, and percentage, of children registered with a dental practitioner.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information, which relates to children under the age of 18 registered at the end of June 1991 in each FHSA area, is given in the following table.

  FHSA

  Number of children registered

  Percentage of relevant population1

  Clwyd

  43,361

  46

  Dyfed

  34,807

  45

  Gwent

  46,022

  44

  Gwynedd

  22,986

  43

  Mid Glamorgan

  51,782

  40

  Powys

  10,676

  42

  South Glamorgan

  46,847

  49

  West Glamorgan

  43,174

  53

  1 1989 mid-June estimated population figures used.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the population per dentist in(a) 1979 and (b) for the latest available date for each health authority area in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information, by FHSA area, is given in the following table:

  Population per dentist as at 1 October

  FHSA

  1979

  1990

  Clwyd

  5,501

  3,704

  Dyfed

  4,719

  3,598

  Gwent

  4,738

  3,574

  380

  FHSA

  1979

  1990

  Gwynedd

  4,270

  3,490

  Mid Glamorgan

  5,485

  4,016

  Powys

  5,637

  3,435

  South Glamorgan

  3,756

  3,085

  West Glamorgan

  3,426

  2,688

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to increase the capitation rates paid to dental practitioners for the treatment of children.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  All dental fees, including capitation rates, are recommended to the Secretaries of State by the independent Dental Rates Studies Group. All are kept under review.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the percentage of school children in Wales inspected by the community dental service in the latest available year and for previous years for which data are available.

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

  Percentage of school children1 inspected by Community Dental Service

  Year

  Number

  1971

  58

  1972

  56

  1973

  66

  1974

  54

  1975

  59

  1976

  47

  1977

  55

  1978

  59

  1979

  57

  1980

  65

  1981

  70

  1982

  68

  1983

  72

  1984

  71

  1985

  72

  1986–87

  72

  1987–88

  71

  1988–89

  64

  1989–90

  61

  1 School children aged over 5 in maintained schools.

  Housing Renovation Grants
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many extra staff have been employed by all district and city councils in Wales as a direct result of the implementation of the new housing renovation grant regime in the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not held centrally.

  Children in Care
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the total number of children in care in Wales in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  There were 4,387, 3,752, 3,481 and 3,263 children in local authority care at 31 March 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989 respectively.

  Oral Cancer
  Mr. Gareth Wardel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority in Wales for each of the last 10 years the

  Number of deaths from malignant neoplasm of lip, oral cavity and pharynx (ICD 140–149)

  DHA

  Age

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Clwyd

  All ages

  22

  8

  14

  16

  11

  18

  18

  14

  13

  14

  65 and over

  16

  5

  12

  10

  6

  12

  13

  11

  11

  6

  East Dyfed

  All ages

  13

  10

  7

  7

  12

  15

  7

  15

  10

  8

  65 and over

  9

  7

  4

  3

  7

  10

  5

  11

  6

  8

  Pembrokeshire

  All ages

  7

  4

  2

  0

  2

  3

  3

  6

  3

  6

  65 and over

  4

  3

  0

  0

  1

  2

  2

  5

  2

  4

  Gwent

  All ages

  16

  12

  12

  15

  15

  12

  17

  10

  12

  18

  65 and over

  10

  10

  7

  11

  10

  4

  10

  5

  8

  12

  Gwynedd

  All ages

  6

  15

  7

  9

  6

  7

  9

  4

  12

  14

  65 and over

  5

  9

  3

  9

  3

  3

  8

  2

  10

  9

  Mid Glamorgan

  All ages

  18

  14

  21

  23

  12

  25

  21

  25

  21

  18

  65 and over

  14

  11

  14

  14

  8

  15

  16

  16

  14

  11

  Powys

  All ages

  7

  3

  3

  2

  4

  8

  2

  4

  4

  7

  65 and over

  3

  2

  0

  1

  2

  5

  1

  3

  3

  4

  South Glamorgan

  All ages

  18

  21

  11

  17

  16

  10

  13

  12

  16

  8

  65 and over

  11

  11

  6

  12

  8

  8

  7

  6

  10

  5

  West Glamorgan

  All ages

  13

  15

  9

  10

  22

  13

  16

  11

  14

  13

  65 and over

  7

  8

  6

  7

  11

  9

  8

  7

  9

  8

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Government have continued to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures, and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  Support for local enterprise agencies

  There are currently 22 local enterprise agencies in Wales. Two organisations were approved as local enterprise agencies by me in the year to June 1991, while another two are being considered for approval. In order to strengthen the network of agencies to improve the enhance services to small businesses two mergers have also occurred.

  Training and enterprise councils

  TECs took over responsibility from the WDA for delivering the small firms counselling services from 1 April 1991. TECs are building in local employer-led flexibilities and have integrated these into their other enterprise programmes. All TECs in Wales are now operational.

  Regional selective assistance, regional enterprise grant

  Small businesses continue to take advantage of the help available under regional selective assistance. In the year to the end of June 1991, 167 small firms, employing up to 200 people, accepted offers of RSA; an increase of 15 per cent. on 1990. The value of these offers in 1991 amounted to £20·5 million, nearly 80 per cent. higher than in 1990. A further 188 small firms, employing fewer than 25 people, accepted offers of regional enterprise grant totalling £1·73 million. This compares with 289 small firms accepting offers of £2·52 million in the previous 12 months.

  Enterprise Wales
  382
  number of deaths from cancer of the lips, the oral cavity and the pharynx, separately, distinguishing (a) all ages and (b) persons over 65 years of age.

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

  Launched in January 1988, the consultancy initiatives have proved extremely popular in Wales. More than 4,240 companies have applied. In 1990–91 alone 1,440 applications were received, 18 per cent. above the economic weight, and 1,384 business reviews were commissioned, 16 per cent. above the economic weight.

  Small firms merit award for research and technology (smart)

  Last year 16 awards, worth up to £37,500 each, were made to Welsh companies compared with 14 awards during the previous year. Seven stage 2 awards (worth up to £50,000 each) were made compared with nine during the previous 12 months.

  In both years Welsh companies received approximately 9 per cent. of the total number of stage 1 awards nationwide. Stage 2 awards are normally restricted by the rules of the competition to 50 per cent. of those companies receiving a stage 1 award during the previous year. On a per capita basis Wales does better than most other regions in this annual competition.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the annual budget and number of non-manual staff of each of the district general hospitals in Wales for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The budget for each district general hospital is a matter for the health authority concerned. The available information concerning non-manual staff, which relates to staff in pay units associated with district general hospitals is given in the following table. Medical and dental staff in post figures are not available below DHA level.
  383

  Staff in post (numbers) as at 30 September1

  District general hospital

  1989

  1990

  Ysbyty Glan Clwyd

  838

  905

  Ysbyty Maelor

  1,566

  1,575

  Bronglais General

  472

  495

  West Wales General

  840

  894

  Royal Gwent

  1,553

  1,579

  St. Woolos

  702

  722

  Nevill Hall

  934

  946

  Ysbyty Gwynedd

  911

  914

  Princess of Wales-Bridgend General

  1,051

  1,035

  East Glamorgan General

  930

  974

  Prince Charles

  704

  726

  Withybush

  842

  860

  University Hospital of Wales-Dental Hospital

  2,102

  2,156

  Cardiff Royal Infirmary

  967

  952

  Llandough

  749

  825

  Singleton

  794

  822

  Morriston

  1,648

  1,716

  Neath General

  723

  763

  1 Includes supervisory ancillary and maintenance staff, nursing and midwifery staff (excluding learners), administrative and clerical staff and professional and technical staff.

  Note: Not all staff will work wholly at the hospitals with which they are included and staff in other units may work part of their time at the hospitals listed.

  Public Opinion Polls
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the public opinion surveys carried out by his Department since his answer of 20 December,Official Report, columns 264–65.

  Mr. David Hunt
  [holding answer 11 July 1991]: The information, which includes surveys carried out by the Department's non-departmental public bodies, is as follows:
  384

  Patient satisfaction survey of East Glamorgan Hospital Out-patient Department.

  On-going satisfaction surveys of the All Wales Treatment Centres.

  Creative development testing—drug misuse 1991.

  United Kingdom Tourism Survey. Joint Wales Tourism Board/Scottish Tourist Board/Northern Ireland Tourist Board/Commercial subscribers. Continuous survey.

  Demand monitoring survey. Wales Tourist Board. Continuous survey.

  Use of leaflets by general public (HPAW).

  Evaluation of "Quit and Win" Campaign (HPAQ).

  Evaluation of Mid Wales Development Grant Scheme (DBRW).

  Agriculture and Business Training Needs Survey (DBRW).

  Rural Lifestyle in Wales (DBRW/WDA/Welsh Office).

  Notes: HPAW—Health Promotion Authority for Wales.

  DBRW—Development Board for Rural Wales.

  WDA—Welsh Development Agency.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Nursery Provision
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what progress has been made regarding establishment of a nursery for the children of hon. Members' staff.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: Following decisions taken by the Services Committee on 13 February and by the House of Commons Commission, the Serjeant-at-Arms and the Parliamentary Works Secretariat have been asked to see if suitable accommodation can be found for a child care facility. Further consideration of this issue and any subsequent action will depend upon the advice received.

ENVIRONMENT

  Planning Policy Guidance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what planning policy guidance notes are currently being drafted; how many such guidance notes it is intended to issue; and on what subjects he intends to issue planning policy guidance;

  (2) what consultation there has been with organisations representing the interests of disabled people on the drafting of planning policy guidance notes;

  (3) if he will ensure that the Access Committee for England, the Joint Committee on Mobility for Disabled People and the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and other such organisations are consulted before the contents of planning policy guidance notes are finalised;

  (4) if he will consult the Access Committee for England, the Joint Committee on Mobility for Disabled People and the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation and other such organisations before finally determining the contents of planning policy guidance note No. 1 (PPG1).

  Mr. Yeo
  Most of the existing planning policy guidance notes were issued in 1988 and 1989. Since then there have been significant policy developments including changes in planning legislation. The following PPGs are being reviewed in the light of these changes.

  PPG1: General policy and principles

  PPG3: Land for housing

  PPG4: Industrial and commercial development and small firms

  PPG5: Simplified Planning Zones

  PPG7: Rural enterprise and development

  PPG8: Telecommunications

  PPGI2: Local plans

  PPG15: Regional Planning Guidance, Structure Plans and the content of Development Plans

  We have also said that we would consult on the question of defining new objectives for the green belts, on which advice is contained in PPG2.

  New planning policy guidance is being prepared on sport and recreation; nature conservation; planning, pollution control and waste management; tourism; listed buildings and conservation areas; advertisement control; enforcement; renewable sources of energy; travelling showpeople; noise; and coastal policy.

  The Disabled Living Foundation and the Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation are consulted during the preparation of all PPG notes. The Access Committee for England and the Joint Committee on Mobility for Disabled People will be consulted on future guidance notes, including the revised PPG1. It is open to any organisation representing the interests of disabled people to make their views about planning policy matters known at any time.

  Energy-efficient Lighting
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage local councils to follow the lead of the Houses of Parliament in introducing energy-efficient lighting to cut costs and save energy; and whether he will assist them with such schemes.

  Mr. Baldry
  Earlier this year I hosted a series of seminars, organised jointly by the Department of the 386
  Environment and the Energy Efficiency Office, to encourage local authorities to take up the opportunities for energy efficiency improvements, including the use of low energy lighting, in order to cut their costs and help to limit United Kingdom carbon dioxide emissions. Under the revised capital finance arrangements authorities can recycle revenue savings from such investment back into their capital programmes. We are discussing with the local authority associations ways of overcoming any barriers to the take-up of such cost-saving investment.

  We have made resources available for energy efficiency investment in local authority housing under the "Green House Demonstration Programme". In April we announced supplementary credit approvals for 70 schemes. A number of these include the installation of energy-efficient lighting. A further £50 million will be available under this programme next year.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the 25 local authorities with the largest additional charge on the community charge bills, indicating the sums involved; and if he will make a statement on the action he intends to take.

  Mr. Key
  The list is based on the estimates of "other adjustments" provided to the Department by the majority of local authorities. The figures may differ slightly from the amounts actually shown on community charge bills. They take account of, among other things, the standard charge income an authority expects to receive, interest charges on the collection fund, an authority's estimate of uncollected community charges and population changes.

  Authority

  £

  Lambeth

  158

  Islington

  137

  Southwark

  84

  Hackney

  83

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  73

  Liverpool

  70

  Brent

  70

  Oxford

  68

  Newham

  65

  Tower Hamlets

  63

  Haringey

  62

  Sandwell

  61

  Greenwich

  59

  Reading

  59

  Camden

  58

  Kirklees

  52

  Plymouth

  52

  Bristol

  51

  Southampton

  51

  Lewisham

  51

  Waltham Forest

  50

  Preston

  49

  Manchester

  49

  Leicester

  49

  Cambridge

  46

  Wirral

  46

  We fully understand the concern expressed by law-abiding charge payers about the inclusion of amounts for non-collection. There can be no excuse for non-payment and there will be no amnesty for non-payers. It is, however, essential that authorities make proper provision for non-collection, as they did for non-collection

  387
  of the rates. I must stress that all charge payers are under a legal duty to pay the whole community charge including this element.

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

  A table showing population figures on the same basis as those used to calculate per capita standard spending assessments

  OPCS mid-year estimates

  Local authority

  1981–82 Resident population

  1982–83 Resident population

  1983–84 Resident population

  1984–85 Resident population

  1985–86 Resident population

  1986–87 Resident population

  1987–88 Resident population

  1988–89 Resident population

  1989–90 Resident population

  1990–91 Resident population

  1991–92 Resident population

  Regional summary

  Northern region

  3,130,300

  3,128,300

  3,117,600

  3,107,400

  3,100,100

  3,093,100

  3,085,700

  3,080,242

  3,076,779

  3,071,318

  3,073,112

  North West

  6,498,400

  6,447,300

  6,459,500

  6,431,000

  6,410,100

  6,395,500

  6,386,300

  6,374,334

  6,370,079

  6,364,162

  6,379,723

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  4,921,000

  4,922,700

  4,918,400

  4,909,900

  4,908,500

  4,904,300

  4,902,600

  4,899,285

  4,900,232

  4,913,298

  4,940,355

  East Midlands

  3,818,300

  3,838,300

  3,852,700

  3,851,700

  3,859,800

  3,874,300

  3,896,900

  3,919,918

  3,942,254

  3,970,599

  3,999,063

  West Midlands

  5,179,200

  5,185,000

  5,186,200

  5,179,900

  5,176,300

  5,176,000

  5,183,000

  5,181,243

  5,197,687

  5,207,000

  5,215,960

  East Anglia

  1,864,100

  1,881,800

  1,894,700

  1,911,400

  1,925,200

  1,939,600

  1,964,700

  1,991,600

  2,013,680

  2,034,639

  2,044,577

  South West

  4,334,900

  4,361,100

  4,381,273

  4,397,599

  4,424,061

  4,461,279

  4,500,780

  4,543,254

  4,588,374

  4,634,235

  4,652,426

  South East

  10,064,300

  10,142,100

  10,204,700

  10,239,400

  10,294,500

  10,356,400

  10,424,300

  10,489,393

  10,547,132

  10,605,020

  10,627,779

  Greater London

  6,887,600

  6,850,600

  6,805,703

  6,766,432

  6,754,433

  6,756,038

  6,767,421

  6,775,190

  6,770,435

  6,736,007

  6,756,400

  TOTAL ENGLAND

  46,698,100

  46,787,200

  46,820,776

  46,794,731

  46,852,994

  46,956,517

  47,111,701

  47,254,459

  47,406,652

  47,536,278

  47,689,395

  Water Supply
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proportion of the United Kingdom water supply originates in Wales.

  Mr. Baldry
  Such information as is available is published in the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics" (No. 13, 1990), the "Environmental Digest for Wales" (No. 5, 1990) and in the prospectus "The Water Share Offers" (November 1989), copies of which are available in the Library.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Institute of Directors about the uniform business rate in response to his consultation document on "A New Tax for Local Government"; what was the response; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We are currently studying representations received in response to the recent consultation paper including that from the Institute of Directors. We will report on the outcome shortly.

  Local Government Finance
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are(a) the revenue support grant, (b) the community charge income and (c) uniform business rate income for 1990–91 in Tower Hamlets.

  Mr. Key
  In 1990–91 Tower Hamlets received £133·4 million in revenue support grant and £33 million in
  388
  Mr. Portillo
  [pursuant to his answer, 10 July 1991, Official Report, column 380]: The information requested is shown in the table. There is a lag of nearly two years before the mid-year population estimate is available for inclusion in standard spending assessments. The year shown at the head of columns refers to the year of the calculated standard spending assessment.

  receipts from the non-domestic rate pool. The authority has reported that community charge receipts in respect of 1990–91 will be £31 million. In addition, the authority received £19 million from the safety net adjustment and £9·1 million in inner London education grant.

  City Action Teams
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what finance Her Majesty's Government are making available to action team inner city economic and environmental initiatives.

  Mr. Key
  The eight city action teams co-ordinate the Government's programmes for the inner cities within their areas. We have provided £8·1 million this year for their special budgets, to promote employment, training, enterprise and environmental initiatives.

  EC Environmental Proposals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to estimate the future cost to British business of each of the European Commission's environmental proposals currently under consideration.

  Mr. Baldry
  The costs to British business of implementing EC legislation are always a major factor in our consideration of new proposals by the European Commission. They are covered in the explanatory memoranda which this Department submits to Parliament on each new Commission proposal.

  Imported Birds
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the results of his visits to the veterinary investigation centre at Reading to consider welfare problems of imported birds.

  Mr. Baldry
  I visited the centre on 10 June. The visit was useful and informative, and will assist us in considering how best to deal with the problem of high mortalities in imported wild birds. The conservation implications of such mortalities will be one of the issues covered in the study of the wildlife trade by the Joint Nature Conservation Committee, which I announced in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Epping Forest (Mr. Norris) on 9 May 1991,Official Report, columns. 550–51. Primary responsibility for the welfare of wild birds in transit and quarantine rests with my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  PCBs
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many companies have been permitted to derogate from EC directives with relation to the discharge of polychlorinated biphenyls; what consideration was given to their likely environmental impact when granting such derogations; and what time limit he has set for the companies to comply with the directives.

  Mr. Baldry
  No derogations from the requirements of EC directives in relation to the discharge of polychlorinated biphenyls have been authorised.

  Home Repossessions
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of homes vacant following repossession by mortgage lenders; and what steps he intends to take to ensure that they are brought back into use.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures are not available in the form requested.

  The latest figures from the Council of Mortgage Lenders show that during 1990 only one in 200 borrowers faced repossession. Mortgage lenders have said that they will take steps to repossess only when all other options have been exhausted.

  The Government share the hon. Member's concern that such property is brought into use promptly and we have encouraged lenders to consider a range of measures to bring this about.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many of the responses he received to his consultation paper "A New Tax for Local Government"(a) supported and (b) opposed his proposals for council tax banding; and if he will publish a list showing which organisations were in each category;

  (2) if he will publish a list of the organisations which submitted a response to his consultation document "A New Tax for Local Government";

  (3) how many of the responses he received to his consultation document "A New Tax for Local
  390
  Government" supported the immediate abolition of the 20 per cent. minimum poll tax contribution rule; and if he will publish a list of the organisations and individuals who supported that view.

  Mr. Portillo
  We are currently studying representations received in response to the recent consultation paper. We will report on the outcome shortly.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a list of the organisations which called for the return of the setting of the business rate to local authority control in responding to his consultation document, "A New Tax for Local Government".

  Mr. Portillo
  We will place a list of those who have responded in the Library in due course.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the results of his consultation exercise on his council tax proposals before the House adjourns for the summer recess.

  Mr. Portillo
  We are currently studying representations received in response to the recent consultation paper. We will report on the outcome shortly.

  Mortgage Rescue Schemes
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities and housing associations are operating mortgage rescue schemes; how many of them involve shared ownership; how many households these schemes have assisted; and what specific financial resources his Department has made available for these schemes.

  Mr. Yeo
  Figures are not available in the form requested.

  Help with interest payments is available through income support to some mortgage borrowers, and all borrowers will have been helped by the 4 per cent. reduction in base rates over the past 10 months. In addition, there are several ways in which mortgage lenders can help borrowers who approach them early.

  Local authorities may assist housing associations to buy the homes of borrowers in difficulty for them to occupy on shared ownership terms.

  "Institutions and Sustainable Development"
  Mr. Paul Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the recent report, "Institutions and Sustainable Development", by John Gordon and Caroline Frazer of the Global Environmental Research Centre at Imperial college, London.

  Mr. Heseltine
  My Department is providing funding through UNEP-UK for a series of non-governmental meetings and seminars in preparation for the 1992 UN conference on environment and development. This report is a contribution to discussion of institutional change. When it is printed it will, in the normal way, be available in the departmental library.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what subsidy will be made available to housing associations to manage privately owned empty
  391
  homes; what the average annual cost per home managed will be; and how many privately owned empty homes he estimates will be brought into use by this means in the current financial year.

  Mr. Yeo
  We are studying bids from a number of housing associations for grants to set up pilot projects. Grants will support general operating costs and will not be related to individual units of accommodation. Targets will be agreed with the successful bidders.

  Selby Bypass
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received the report from the inspector appointed to carry out the public inquiry into the proposed Selby bypass; and when he expects to be able to make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The inspector's report has not yet been received. It will be jointly considered by the Secretaries of State for Transport and for the Environment, and a statement will follow some time later in the form of a decision on whether to proceed with the proposed Selby bypass.

  Waste Disposal
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make further proposals for the implementation of the duty of care under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Trippier
  My Department, jointly with the Scottish Office and the Welsh Office, has today issued for public consultation a draft circular, a consultation paper and draft regulations under section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990—the duty of care.

  No longer will anyone be able to wash their hands of waste disposal problems. They will be able to hand waste only to responsible persons and they will have to keep the records to prove it. The duty will not only help to drive out illegal disposal and fly-tipping but will deter those whose carelessness supplies the source material for the criminals.

  I announced on 25 June the Government's timetable for the implementation of the waste provisions of the 1990 Act. Under that timetable it is intended that the duty of care will be fully in force by April 1992. The papers issued today complete the necessary public consultation on the implementation of the duty.

  The draft circular offers advice, mainly directed to local authorities, on the operation of the duty of care. This complements the advice for producers and holders of waste in the code of practice. Drafts of the code of practice were the subject of separate consultation in England and Wales and in Scotland in 1990.

  The draft regulations issued today provide for a mandatory system of signed transfer notes, for records to be kept of all transfers of controlled waste and for the records to be available to waste regulation authorities. This will create an audit trail of waste movements. It will greatly help authorities to trace criminal waste disposal.

  The duty of care, combined with the registration of waste carriers, is a radical step to improve the disposal of waste in this country. Everyone involved with waste will share a legal responsibility for ensuring it is safely and legally dealt with.

  Direct Labour Organisations
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the guidelines issued to local authorities regarding their direct labour organisations tendering for local authority work for a different local council.

  Mr. Key
  There are no such guidelines. However, while the interpretation of the law is a matter for the courts, Ministers have made it clear that they agree with the counsel's opinion obtained by the Audit Commission, to the effect that neither the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 nor the Local Government Act 1988 provides a general warrant for DSOs to undertake work for other authorities on a free-for-all basis.

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the Government will publish their consultation paper on planning controls over fish farms.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have today published a consultation paper on permitted development rights for freshwater fish farming in England and Wales. The paper seeks views on proposals intended to align planning controls over fish farming as closely as possible with those over other forms of agriculture, building on measures in the Planning and Compensation Bill.

  On 11 June my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning announced that full development control would be extended to all agriculture holdings of less than 5 hectares, and to parcels of land of less than 1 hectare on larger holdings [Official Report, columns 482–85.]. We propose similar provisions for fish farms.

  The Planning and Compensation Bill will bring floating fish tanks (cages) in inland waters fully within planning control. Outside the national parks, we propose that these structures should be subject to the prior notification scheme which was announced on 11 June for other agricultural buildings. We have already announced that in the national parks they will be subject to full planning control, along with fish farm excavations and engineering operations.

  The Bill also provides for the Secretary of State to make regulations requiring environmental assessment of any class of development. We propose to use this new provision to require EA for trout farming which is likely to have significant environmental effects. Salmon farming is already subject to EA where it is likely to have such effects.

  Water Infrastructure Charges
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on problems relating to water infrastructure charges for developers since the meeting in July 1990 between the Minister of State, the hon. Member for Rossendale and Darwen (Mr. Trippier), and representatives of the House Builders Federation, the hon. Member for Crosby (Mr. Thornton) and the hon. Member for Rutland and Melton; and when the Director General of Water Services will complete his inquiry into this issue.

  Mr. Baldry
  Following the meeting to which my hon. Friend refers, the Minister for the Environment and
  393
  Countryside wrote to him in January. As explained in that letter, the operation and level of infrastructure charges are matters for the Director General of Water Services, who is reviewing the position of infrastructure charges in relation to charges generally, in the context of responses to his consultation paper "Paying for Water—A Time for Decisions". I understand that the director general is considering responses to his consultation paper at the moment.

  Urban Transport Schemes
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list projects under development or consideration by the Commission for New Towns and urban development corporations which involve subsidies to transport schemes; and what are the values of such subsidies.

  Mr. Key
  Listed are schemes in progress or proposed which provide revenue assistance for public transport:

  New Towns

  CNT—no schemes notified.

  Milton Keynes DC—£110,000 subsidy to Bucks county council to support the local bus network in 1991–92.

  Urban Development Corporations

  Black Country DC—£75,000 grant approved for Centro to run three specially adapted vehicles for people with mobility problems. This has been approved for 1991–92 but may be extended.

  London Docklands DC—subsidy for DI bus route, amounting to £50,000 for the period April to September 1991. Trafford Park DC—£36,000 subsidy as 50 per cent. contribution from August 1989 to August 1991 for a minibus service to enhance off-peak public transport for shift workers. The remaining 50 per cent. subsidy has been met by the Greater Manchester passenger transport executive.

  Trees
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the health of trees in(a) urban areas and (b) countryside areas.

  Mr. Baldry
  In 1989 the Forestry Commission, with funding from the Department, carried out a survey of 3,600 urban trees in 30 towns and cities throughout England. A total of 80 per cent. of the trees were judged to be in good condition, visually improving the urban landscape.

  Evidence that the atmosphere in British towns and cities is now more conducive to healthy tree growth is the much greater range of tree species successfully cultivated in urban areas.

  A detailed survey carried out by the Forestry Commission shows that there has been no overall deterioration in the health of trees in the countryside. During the period 1989–90 the main tree species in Britain either improved or remained the same.

  Current scientific evidence suggests that the status of tree health in Britain is mainly influenced by the climate, insect pests and diseases, rather than pollution. Trees have been affected by the storms in 1987 and 1990, the recent mild winters and late frosts, dry summers, and pest numbers which have increased. We are also aware of the considerable damage that has been caused to both urban and countryside trees by the use of salt for keeping roads free from ice during the winter months of 1990–91.

  Research on the health of trees is continuing on a number of fronts; for example, new light will be shed on
  394
  the state of urban trees by the Department's forthcoming research project "Trees in Towns", and the United Kingdom Terrestrial Effects Review Group report on "Air Pollution and Trees in the United Kingdom".

  Inner City Programme
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will specify the full range of grants currently available under his inner city programme with a brief technical description of each.

  Mr. Portillo
  [pursuant to his answer, 24 June 1991, Official Report, column 392]: Very important support is provided for the inner cities through the main programmes of the Home Office and the Departments of Trade and Industry, Employment, Education and Science, Transport, Health and Social Security and through support to local authorities and the Housing Corporation by this Department including the estate action programme.

  My Department promotes inner city regeneration through a variety of programmes and initiatives, including the following grant measures.

  City challenge is a new initiative under which local authorities are invited to draw up comprehensive plans in partnership with the private sector, voluntary organisations and local people, to bid for resources for the regeneration of key parts of their areas within a five-year period. Fifteen authorities have been invited to compete for a share in over £350 million from Department of the Environment programmes during the five years 1992–93 to 1996–97.

  Urban Development Corporations

  Grant aid is provided for the 10 urban development corporations in England. Some £470 million will be available in 1991–92 to purchase and reclaim land, provide infrastructure, encourage development and improve the environment.

  Urban Programme

  Fifty-seven urban programme authorities in England receive 75 per cent. grant towards a wide range of projects with an emphasis on economic and environmental improvements as the key to self-sustaining regeneration in targeted inner city areas. In 1991–92, £268 million is available to support almost 9,000 projects.

  City Grant

  City grant is provided to support private sector capital projects which benefit run down urban areas and which cannot proceed without grant. Over £56 million has been committed to the city grant programme for 1991–92 and will be available for industrial, commercial, housing and leisure projects.

  Land Grant

  Derelict land grant is available throughout England to local authorities, other public bodies, voluntary organisations, private firms and individuals to promote the reclamation of land which has been so damaged by industrial or other development that it is incapable of beneficial use without treatment. The derelict land grant programme for 1991–92 totals £88 million of which about

  395
  £81·5 million is expected to be spent on local authority reclamation schemes. About 40 per cent. of the programme will be devoted to schemes in the inner cities.

  City Action Teams

  There are eight city action teams operating in Birmingham, Cleveland, Leeds/Bradford, Liverpool, London, Tyne and Wear, Nottingham/Leicester/Derby and Manchester/Salford. The CATs are an important mechanism for co-ordinating and targeting Government programmes and harnessing the support of business and industry. Each CAT has a small budget, a total of £8·1 million in 1991–92, with which to prime action targeted on inner city problems of unemployment, environmental improvement and the need to promote enterprise.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list, as per the requirement set out in the TEC operating agreement, the number of youth training starts and the number of youth training trainees in training at the end of the four-weekly period as set out in the schedule of management information(a) for the most recent period for which information is available and (b) for each TEC.

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

  Youth training

  Entrants and in training by TEC—all figures provisional estimates

  TEC

  Entrants

  In training

  1 to 26 April 1991

  26 April 1991

  East Midlands and Eastern

  Bedfordshire

  250

  2,100

  Central and South Cambridgeshire

  20

  900

  North Derbyshire

  80

  1,900

  South Derbyshire

  110

  3,200

  Leicestershire

  430

  5,800

  Lincolnshire

  250

  3,900

  Norfolk and Waveney

  *

  *

  Northamptonshire

  80

  2,600

  Greater Nottingham

  180

  4,100

  North Nottinghamshire

  180

  2,700

  Greater Peterborough

  90

  1,900

  Suffolk

  40

  2,300

  Northern

  County Durham

  330

  5,100

  Northumberland

  130

  2,300

  Teesside

  270

  4,800

  Tyneside

  410

  6,400

  Wearside

  290

  2,800

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  Barnsley and Doncaster

  *

  *

  Bradford and District

  50

  2,900

  Calderdale and Kirklees

  210

  3,400

  Humberside

  400

  6,900

  Leeds

  250

  3,400

  Rotherham

  130

  1,600

  Sheffield

  *

  *

  Wakefield

  260

  1,900

  North Yorkshire

  90

  2,600

  North West

  Bolton/Bury

  310

  2,700

  South and East Cheshire

  *

  *

  Cumbria

  80

  2,900

  396

  TEC

  Entrants

  In training

  1 to 26 April 1991

  26 April 1991

  ELTEC (East Lancashire)

  130

  3,600

  LAWTEC (Lancashire Area West)

  270

  5,500

  Manchester

  *

  *

  Oldham

  70

  2,100

  Rochdale

  150

  1,500

  St. Helens (Qualitec)

  70

  1,900

  Stockport/High Peak

  60

  1,700

  Wigan

  90

  2,100

  CEWTEC (Chester, Ellesmere Port and Wirral)

  180

  3,400

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  *

  *

  CENTEC (Central England)

  *

  *

  Coventry/Warwickshire

  *

  *

  Dudley

  130

  1,900

  HAWTEC (Hereford/ Worcestershire)

  50

  2,000

  Sandwell

  130

  1,700

  Shropshire

  170

  3,100

  Staffordshire

  500

  10,200

  Walsall

  50

  1,400

  Wolverhampton

  70

  1,900

  Wales

  Mid Glamorgan

  400

  3,400

  South Glamorgan

  160

  1,700

  Gwent

  300

  3,500

  Powys

  20

  600

  North East Wales

  20

  1,900

  North West Wales

  90

  2,700

  West Wales

  1,000

  5,100

  South West

  Avon

  170

  4,900

  Devon/Cornwall

  140

  7,900

  Dorset

  70

  2,700

  Gloucestershire

  180

  2,600

  Somerset

  70

  2,900

  Wiltshire

  90

  2,700

  South East

  Essex

  120

  4,800

  Hampshire

  1,300

  6,556

  Heart of England

  140

  1,800

  Hertfordshire

  60

  2,600

  Isle of Wight

  20

  700

  Kent

  170

  5,500

  Milton Keynes and North Bucks

  90

  1,300

  Surrey

  40

  1,700

  Sussex

  600

  4,500

  Thames Valley Enterprise

  360

  3,800

  London

  AZTEC (Kingston/Merton/ Wandsworth

  70

  1,300

  London East

  340

  3,800

  SOLOTEC (South London)

  130

  2,700

  Note: This information is compiled from management information returns from the TECs. An asterisk indicates that complete information is not available.

  Career Services
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of vacancies for employment currently held by each local authority career service on the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jackson
  The total number of vacancies held at careers offices in the United Kingdom in June 1991 was 11,500. A geographical breakdown of this figure is shown
  397
  in the Employment Department's press notice "Labour Market Statistics" released on 18 July. A copy is held in the Library.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list for each of the local authority or careers office areas in England and Wales which form part of the management information obtained by the careers office network of his Department(a) the number of young people who left school in summer 1990 and who have not been offered or received a youth training—YT—place, (b) the number expected to leave school in summer 1991 who would likely be eligible for YT and (c) the number of young people who are eligible for YT but who are awaiting a place.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information in the form requested is not available.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest figure for participants in youth training.

  Mr. Jackson
  At 26 April 1991, the latest date for which information is available, it is provisionally estimated that there were about 260,000 young people in youth training in England and Wales.

  Minimum Wage
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals the EC Commission has for the introduction of a statutory minimum wage in each member state; and whether such proposals would be submitted on the basis of majority voting.

  Mr. Forth
  The European Commission has made no such proposals.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each of the standard regions, Scotland and Wales, the numbers of(a) 18 to 19-year-old unemployed including males, females and total for April 1991, (b) the percentage rate by age and (c) the age group as a percentage of the total number of unemployed within the regions, (d) 20 to 24-year-old unemployed, including males, females and total for April 1991, and the percentage rate by age and (e) the age group as a percentage of the total number of unemployed within the region.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information, relating to numbers of unemployed claimants by age and standard region, can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the House of Commons Library. Unemployment rates by age are only available at national level.

  Enterprise Allowance
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, further to the reply of 28 June,Official Report, column 577, if he will set out the exact rates of enterprise allowance paid to unemployed people in receipt of unemployment benefit or income support fixed by each TEC from 1 April.
  398
  Mr. Forth
  TECs may pay regular amounts of between £20 and £90 weekly for between 26 and 66 weeks. The rates paid vary between TECs and between individual entrants to the scheme. It is therefore not possible to provide information in the form required, except at disproportionate cost.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of applicants for unemployment benefit were disqualified for the maximum 26 weeks under section 20 of the Social Security Act 1975 in each of the last five years(a) in Wales as a whole and (b) in each county or district in Wales.

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

HEALTH

  Women NHS Employees
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what policies are being implemented to increase the number of women employed by the national health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Earlier this year I launched the "Women in the NHS" initiative to improve recruitment and retention of women staff within the national health service. A seminar was held on 25 June which considered a report from the Office of Public Management, commissioned by the NHS management executive, identifying the relevant issues. This concluded with an agenda for local action which will be followed up at three conferences in the autumn. Each regional chairman has nominated a non-executive member to take forward this work.

  A retainer scheme has been introduced to allow staff to interrupt their careers for up to five years for domestic or other reasons, and includes refresher schemes, temporary employment and training courses. Health authorities are also encouraged to provide child care facilities which may include workplace nurseries, child care vouchers and holiday playschemes, as required locally.

  In January, a report of a joint working party on women doctors and their careers was published. This made a number of practical suggestions to promote equal opportunities for women doctors in the NHS. In response, the Department is reconvening a working party on part-time training to look at the current arrangements for senior house officers and senior registrars. One and a half million pounds has been provided to fund part-time training posts and to set up a new scheme, WIST—Women in Surgical Training—to improve the representation of women in the higher grades of the surgical specialties. We have also issued a code of good practice to promote equality of opportunity in the recruitment and selection of doctors and dentists.

  The recent agreement on junior doctors' hours has for the first time set an upper limit to the number of hours that can be worked—maximum hours per week and continuous spells of duty—and should reduce the difficulties of combining family responsibilities with a medical career.
  399
  The Department has funded several open learning "return to work" packages. "Return to nursing" was launched last summer and "return to health visiting" was launched in May. A "return to midwifery" package is planned for December. These have been supplemented by a "come back to caring" information pack.

  The English National Board for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting which is centrally funded, is undertaking a review of training needs and materials for post registration education and training so that these can best meet the needs of the work force, for example, by providing part-time training for part-time staff.

  The "women in pharmacy" work commissioned by the Department in 1989 has led to the production of two return to work videos, one aimed at employers and one at employees. Both highlight the potential advantages of attracting women returners and provide practical suggestions for managing career breaks. The videos are accompanied by an information pack designed by the National Association of Women Pharmacists and funded centrally.

  The NHS is the single biggest employer of women in Europe and probably in the world. I am determined that we should be in the vanguard of employment practices for women. Much remains to be done to achieve that, but I am encouraged by the progress now being made.

  Midwifery
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change, in absolute and percentage terms, in midwifery staff in the United Kingdom since 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Between September 1979 and 1990 the total number of midwifery staff, including student midwives, employed in the NHS in England increased by 3,620 wholetime equivalents—an increase of 18 per cent.

  Information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

  World Health Organisation
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for(a) 1988–89, (b) 1989–90 and (c) 1990–91 the funds received by the World Health Organisation from the United Kingdom and other donor countries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The World Health Organisation is funded through its regular budget—to which member states pay on the basis of an assessed contribution, and by means of voluntary contributions from donor countries.

  Contributions to the regular budget were as follows:

  19881

  19891

  19901

  United Kingdom

  14,116,260

  13,436,670

  14,813,795

  Others

  246,538,713

  207,837,698

  234,632,457

  Total

  260,654,973

  221,274,368

  249,446,252

  1 The World Health Organisation's financial accounting period is the calendar year and the United Kingdom contribution is paid in April of the year in question. All amounts are expressed is US dollars

  No similar comparison can be made for voluntary contributions due to the different United Kingdom and
  400
  World Health Organisation accounting periods and the fact that recorded amounts are expressed in different currencies. Figures are however available as follows:

  Voluntary contributions received by the World Health Organisation

  19881

  19891

  19901

  211,834,369

  219,734,813

  249,446,252

  1 All amounts are expressed in US dollars.

  Voluntary contributions paid by the United Kingdom

  1988–891

  1989–901

  1990–911

  9,780,000

  9,633,000

  9,960,000

  1 All amounts are expressed in pounds sterling.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy where the consultants involved in a trust application by a national health service hospital are opposed to that application.

  Mr. Dorrell
  One of the key criteria that are used when assessing a trust application is the extent to which senior professional staff, especially consultants, are involved in the management of the unit. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will consider all comments received when assessing an application.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his timetable for all national health service hospitals adopting trust status.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We expect NHS trust status to become the management model of choice for all hospitals and other provider units in the national health service. We have now received 107 applications from units wishing to become operational as NHS trusts in April 1992. The decision to apply for NHS trust status is one for the units themselves and we have no set timetable for all units to become NHS trusts.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance his Department has given on the consultation to be conducted in applications for trust status.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Guidance on consultation for applicants for national health service trust status is contained in the HMSO publication "NHS trusts: A Working Guide", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy not to announce his decisions on second-wave NHS trust applications before 14 October.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have yet to decide the timing of this announcement.

  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what expressions of interest in national health service trust status he has so far received from hospitals and other health service units in the Eastern region; and if he will publish a list of these in the Official Report.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The following units in East Anglia region have submitted applications to become NHS trusts from April 1992: Allington (East Suffolk Community Unit), Hinchingbrooke hospital and King's Lynn and Wisbech hospitals. We have not yet invited formal expressions of interest in the third wave.

  Mental Patients
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the statutory provisions relating to the right of mentally disadvantaged patients to participate in assessment procedures or to receive written statements of such assessment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Mentally disordered patients have no statutory right under the Mental Health Act 1983 to participate in assessment procedures or to receive written statements of such assessments. It is considered good practice to involve patients in such procedures to the extent that their physical or mental health permits. Guidance is given in health circular HC(90)23 and local authority social services letter 90/11 and paragraph 2.6 of the code of practice issued under section 118 of the Mental Health Act 1983, copies of which are available in the Library.

  If written assessments are recorded on computer, the Data Protection Act 1984 allows the patient the right of access except when it would be likely to cause him serious physical or mental harm—the Data Protection (Subject Access Modification) (Health) Order 1987. The same right will be extended to manual records from 1 November 1991 under the terms of the Access to Health Records Act 1990, except where it would be likely to cause him serious physical or mental harm.

  Patients (Travel Costs)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ease the procedures for claiming travel payments for patients who are required to travel a significant distance beyond their own district of residence to receive a necessary national health service treatment, irrespective of their personal resources; and if he has any plans to revise the present arrangements as part of the health service reforms.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Assistance with travelling expenses to treatment centres is given under the hospital travel costs scheme, which we have no plans to extend.

  Erythropoietin
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines exist to permit the prescription by general practitioners of previously hospital prescribed drugs; and, in particular, what national or local guidelines have been issued about EPO.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government's policy is that responsibility for a patient's prescribing rests with the clinician who has clinical responsibility. It is for the local clinicians concerned to decide on where responsibility for a particular patient should lie, with the best interests of the patient in mind.

  No departmental guidance exists specifically on the prescribing of Erythropoietin.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give consideration to extending the category of medical exemptions for prescription charges to include those people who require long-term medication following a heart transplant.
  402
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The limited list of medical conditions which confer exemption from prescription charges was drawn up after consultation with the British Medical Association in 1968.

  There are already wide-ranging exemption arrangements, underpinned by the separate scheme for exemption on the grounds of low income, which ensure that no one need be deterred from obtaining their necessary medication on financial grounds. Nearly 80 per cent. of prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge.

  Mental Illness Hospitals
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information is held centrally, and what information is requested from health authorities, about the implementation of the closure programme of mental illness hospitals and the monitoring of the consequences for former patients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The care programme approach came into effect on 1 April. The needs of each patient, both for continuing health care and social care and for accommodation, are assessed before discharge and appropriate arrangements made.

  Regional health authorities will monitor implementation of the care programme approach consulting the regional offices of the Department's social services inspectorate as necessary. In addition, the Department has commissioned research into the operation of the care programme approach.

  The closure of hospitals is a matter for health authorities, which must take account of the views of the public, and must be agreed locally by the appropriate community health council or, if not agreed, referred to my hon. Friend the Secretary of State for a decision.

  NHS Reforms
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will introduce provisions as part of the health service reforms to preclude all possible conflicts of interest among district health authority officers between the service providing function and the service purchasing function.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. Draft guidance on standards of business conduct for national health service staff, including suggested measures to be taken by national health service employers to safeguard national health service interests at all times, has been prepared for consultation with national health service management and staff representatives and will be issued to the national health service in due course.

  Pharmaceutical Imports
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of pharmaceutical imports by value are subject to regulation by the Medicine Controls Agency; what is the number of import licences issued by the medicine control agencies; if he will publish a list of those holding such licences; and in each case what is the number of inspection visits that have been made by the agency to the warehousing and stores of those importers.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The Medicines Control Agency issues product licences for medicinal products in
  403
  accordance with the Medicines Act and European directives. Such a licence must be obtained before a medicinal product may be marketed in the United Kingdom. No separate licence to import is needed, nor is the value of the product a factor in licensing decisions.

  Currently there are over 18,000 product licences in existence of which over 5,000 list a foreign manufacturer. In addition the MCA issues manufacturers licences and wholesale dealers licences of which there are currently 780 and 1,200 respectively. Wholesale dealers trading in medicinal products which originate from outside the EC are subject to site inspection every two years; those who trade from within the EC every five years.

  Family Practitioners
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the latest family practitioner committee payments per 10,000 registered population for each family practitioner area in London.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The table shows payments made by family health services authorities in London in 1989–90, per 10,000 registered population, in respect of general medical, dental and opthalmic services and the pharmaceutical service. Figures include superannuation contributions and are net of patient charges.

  FHS Payments per 10,000 registered population 1989–90

  FHSA

  £'000

  Barking and Havering

  814

  Barnet

  757

  Brent and Harrow

  780

  Bromley

  810

  Camden and Islington

  812

  City and East London

  857

  Croydon

  818

  Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow

  746

  Enfield and Haringey

  716

  Greenwich and Bexley

  829

  Hillingdon

  811

  Kensington, Chelsea and Westminster

  821

  Kingston and Richmond

  827

  Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham

  760

  Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth

  786

  Redbridge and Waltham Forest

  855

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make it mandatory for the price of the ingredients of a prescription to be shown on the receipt given to the patient.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The additional time and expense in requiring pharmacists, dispensing doctors and appliance contractors to calculate the ingredient cost and to issue receipts to patients for more than 380 million prescription items dispensed each year would not make the best use of the resources available to the NHS.

  Health Benefits Low Income Scheme
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he has any proposals to revise the AG1 procedure in order to assist claimants, particularly elderly claimants.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 6 June at columns 300–01.
  404
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the AG1 procedure since April 1988.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since April 1988, when form AG1 and associated claims procedures first came into use, a number of representations have been received, mainly about the length of the form and its complexity. In addition my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has recently received a report from the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux about the national health service low income scheme and form AG1.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many AG1 claim forms were incorrectly or insufficiently completed and had to be returned to claimants for completion during the last year for which statistics are available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Between 1 April 1990 and 31 March 1991, 361,521 claim forms were returned to claimants either because they were incorrectly completed or because further information was required. This represents approximately 35 per cent. of the total claim forms received during the period.

  There is currently a review of the administration of the NHS low income scheme. Simplification of form AG I is a principal aim of that review.

  Asthma
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he is supporting into the causes and pattern of incidence of asthma and related conditions.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant-in-aid from the Department of Education and Science. In 1989–90, the latest year for which figures are available, the MRC spent £911,000 on asthma-related research.

  The Department is also supporting a randomised controlled trial concerned with improvement in general practice services to patients with asthma.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if his Department will carry out an evaluation of energy by contract hire as a way of achieving the 15 per cent. fuel saving in the national health service as prescribed by the Government;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the potential saving in energy costs in hospitals achievable through energy by contract hire systems.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The use of contract energy management schemes could make a contribution to energy conservation in certain circumstances, but the way in which individual health authorities and NHS trusts achieve the target of a 15 per cent. saving in energy consumption over the next five years is, essentially, a matter for local management to decide. We have made it clear that comprehensive investment appraisals of energy conservation measures should be carried out and the possible use of contract energy management will be one of the options to be evaluated.
  405
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action his Department is taking to achieve the objective of a 15 per cent. fuel saving in the national health service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Regional health authorities have been given the objective of achieving the Government-wide energy saving target of 15 per cent. over the next five years. To assist them in achieving their objective, comprehensive guidance on energy efficiency measures can be found in ENCODE published by NHS Estates, a copy of which is available in-the Library. Following the publication by the Audit Commission of its occasional paper on saving energy in the national health service, officials from NHS Estates have been participating with the Energy Efficiency Office and Audit Commission in a series of promotional seminars. In addition, a strategic guide for general managers on energy efficiency will be published shortly.

  Salmonella
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the latest figures for reported cases of salmonella poisoning as a whole and for those associated with enteritidis PT4 strain for the first quarter of 1991.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The total number of human isolations of salmonella reported by the Public Health Laboratories Service division of enteric pathogens in England and Wales for the periods in question are contained in the April and July 1991 issues of the PHLS/SVS "Update on Salmonella Infection", copies of which are in the Library.

  Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research
  Mr. Mates
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether any decision has been made on the future management of the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has been carefully considering a proposal from Porton International to acquire the Centre for Applied Microbiology and Research. The recent conflict in the Gulf raised a number of questions about certain defence-related capabilities which are unique to CAMR. Although we see no reason in principle why much of CAMR's work should not be transferred to the private sector, some of its work, including the public health and defence-related work, needs to remain under public sector control. We have therefore decided that the sale of CAMR would not at present be appropriate. We shall be giving further consideration to the arrangements needed for CAMR to fulfil its public health and defence-related roles, and to the options for its future management and financing. This decision does not affect the continuing business arrangements between CAM R and Porton International. A further announcement will be made as soon as possible.

  Census
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the 1991 census preliminary report for England and Wales will be published.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The preliminary report for England and Wales containing counts of the population recorded as 406
  present in each local authority area has been laid before Parliament by the Registrar General and is published today. The corresponding report for Scotland is also published today.

  The report includes a description of the main findings from the first counts and an explanation of the limitations of the figures, which can give only a broad picture of the patterns of population change since the 1981 census.

  These preliminary figures show that the fastest-growing regions were East Anglia, the south-west, and the east midlands. Fewer people were counted in Greater London and all six metropolitan counties in 1991 than in 1981; with the most significant decreases occurring in metropolitan districts, including the principal cities. The fastest-growing local authority districts were generally those in remote rural areas, those which include new towns, and those in resort and retirement areas.

  A comprehensive and detailed analysis of population change will be possible once the first computer-processed figures of the resident population are available. These will start to become available towards the end of this year and be completed by the middle of 1992.

  The census monitor giving counts of people sleeping rough referred to in my answer of 9 July at column 337 is also published today.

  Copies of these reports have been placed in the Library.

  Abortions
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Leyton of 15 July, if he will meet the district general manager of Waltham Forest health authority, the hon. Member for Leyton and relevant NHS, community health council and other organisations providing abortion services to discuss Government policy on the provision of second abortions and those health authorities refusing them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The level of gynaecological provision is, like that of other NHS services, a matter to be determined taking account of local circumstances and priorities. Such decisions are best taken locally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. S. Wayne, the chairman of Waltham Forest district health authority, for further details about the health authority's policy.

  Petroleum Coke
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what tests have been made regarding the dangers of excessive combustion gases and the high sulphur content of imported petroleum coke for domestic heating.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Tests carried out in 1973 by Warren Spring laboratory on behalf of the Department of Environment showed that petroleum coke can have a higher sulphur content than coal and that because of its high burning tendency, if used incorrectly, it could damage the metal parts of appliances. The fuel showed some tendency to split.

  It is not recommended for use in closed fires and fireguards are advised for open-grate fires as a safeguard to consumers.

  Burning of any fossil fuel gives off sulphur dioxide. In most parts of the United Kingdom sulphur dioxide levels have fallen during the past decade and in general do not now reach levels likely to produce significant health effects.

  Alzheimer's Disease
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) why it was decided to restrict care services for sufferers of Alzheimer's disease to those aged over 64 years;

  (2) if he has any plans to introduce residential care services apart from elderly people's homes or acute psychiatric establishments for young people suffering from dementia;

  (3) if he has any plans to introduce specialist day care facilities to sufferers from Alzheimer's disease below the age of 64 years;

  (4) what plans he has to extend provision for care services for sufferers of Alzheimer's disease to all who have the disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Government policy in respect of people suffering from any form of dementia, including Alzheimer's disease, is that a comprehensive range of services should be available locally. The objective is to enable sufferers to live in their own homes, with appropriate support for both them and their carers, for as long as is feasible, or in appropriate residential care.

  It is for individual health and local authorities to determine the health and social needs of mentally ill people in their areas, including those suffering from dementia and, within existing resources, to provide services to meet those needs, including the needs of younger mentally ill people with Alzheimer's disease.

  National Health Service Hospitals (Thefts)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps are being taken by his Department to reduce the annual cost of thefts of property from national health service hospitals;

  (2) what information he has about the total annual cost of thefts of property from national health service premises;

  (3) what steps are taken by his Department to monitor the thefts of property from national health service hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The summarised accounts of health authorities in England for 1989–90 record a total of £3,413,698 in the category of losses of equipment and property due to theft, fraud or arson, neglect of duty and gross carelessness.

  The Department requires health authorities to report the number and value of losses in an annual statement; these statements are audited along with the annual accounts by statutory auditors. Authorities need to seek departmental write-off approval for those cases which involve sums above delegated limits; where theft is suspected the police are required to be notified.

  The National Health Service Security Manual which was sent to all health authorities in 1984 was commended by the Department as a good practical guide on matters relating to security of equipment, stock and premises. The National Association of Health Authorities and Trusts is currently updating the manual and the Department has contributed towards the pre-publication costs. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State gave the opening address at a security conference on 7 May, organised by NAHAT, to heighten health authorities' awareness of security issues.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance. It continues to be the policy of the Department and the national health service to provide equal opportunity to all potential suppliers of whatever size, to trade on a value-for-money basis. This policy underpins all national health service and departmental contracts with suppliers. To help small businesses, a guide on how to do business with the national health service was revised and re-published in January 1991—"Business Links: A Suppliers Guide"—a copy of which is available in the Library. It advertises our link line telephone service that is available to all suppliers wishing further help in selling to the national health service. In addition, the national health service procurement directorate and national health service supplies departments continue to respond to large numbers of requests from businesses that wish to enter the national health service market. The national health service deals with several thousand suppliers through over 3,000 delivery points. It is not practicable to monitor centrally the precise extent to which the national health service draws on small businesses, but it is estimated that they continue to represent some 80 per cent. of suppliers. The Department offers similar encouragement to small businesses, but is unable at present to give an indication of the levels of business with them. It is, however, proposed to collect such information from the 1992–93 year onwards using new computer systems.

  St. Mark's Hospital, City Road
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of the St. Mark's hospital, City road, London.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that the matter is currently under discussion between the regional health authority and City and Hackney health authority.

  Selby War Memorial Hospital
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the projects for improvements, upgrading or expansion, and their costs, carried out at Selby War Memorial hospital since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not held centrally. My right hon. Friend may wish to contact Mr. John Pratt, the chairman of York district health authority, for details.

  Transplant Operations
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the total number of transplant operations that have taken place in the United
  409
  Kingdom since 1961; and if he will list the numbers who have benefited from cornea, heart, kidney, liver, lung and pancreas transplants.

  Year

  Cadaveric kidneys

  Heart

  Heart/lung

  Liver

  Lung

  Pancreas

  Cornea1

  1972

  438

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1973

  470

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1974

  503

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1975

  616

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1976

  604

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1977

  691

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1978

  849

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1979

  842

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1980

  988

  25

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1981

  905

  24

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1982

  1,033

  36

  —

  —

  —

  —

  N/K

  1983

  1,144

  53

  1

  20

  —

  —

  N/K

  1984

  1,443

  116

  10

  51

  —

  —

  N/K

  1985

  1,336

  137

  37

  88

  —

  10

  529

  1986

  1,493

  176

  51

  127

  3

  6

  770

  1987

  1,485

  243

  72

  172

  4

  8

  961

  1988

  1,575

  274

  101

  241

  16

  8

  1,270

  1989

  1,732

  295

  94

  295

  39

  —

  1,758

  1990

  1,730

  329

  95

  359

  52

  5

  2,135

  All figures prior to 1978 were collected manually and should be viewed with caution.

  1 Not all cornea transplants are recorded centrally and the actual figures are known to be higher.

  Source: The United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority formerly the United Kingdom Transplant Service.

  Langton House Unit
  Mrs. Rosie Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will establish an independent inquiry, to which previous residents can give evidence, into the treatment of young people at Langton House adolescent and young people's unit.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to set up such an inquiry.

  Tobacco Products
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make it his policy that any regulations on the labelling of tobacco products on sale in the United Kingdom apply fully to all imported items as well as to items produced within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The effect of Council directive 89/622/ EEC concerning the labelling of tobacco products will be to introduce partial harmonisation of the regulations governing tobacco products in the EC. This permits such products to be imported from other EC member states provided that they have complied with the directive and that the health warnings and the statement of tar and nicotine yields appear in English. Tobacco products imported from outside the Community will be required to comply with the United Kingdom labelling regulations applicable to products manufactured in the United Kingdom.

  District Health Authorities—Income from Fund Raising under Section 5 of the Health Services Act 1980

  1987–88 £(cash)

  1988–89 £(cash)

  1989–90 £(cash)

  Hartlepool

  0

  0

  72,758

  North Tees

  107,532

  188,578

  57,012

  West Cumbria

  81

  0

  0

  South West Durham

  130

  0

  0

  Northumberland

  0

  20,213

  118,743

  Harrogate

  1,376

  601

  423,992

  Bradford

  0

  1,478

  29,855

  410
  Mr. Dorrell
  The table gives the numbers and types of transplants performed in NHS hospitals in the United Kingdom for the years for which records are held, according to information supplied by the United Kingdom Transplant Support Service Authority.

  District Health Authority Income
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each district health authority for each of the past three years(a) how much money has been raised by fund raising and (b) the percentage this represents of the total local district health authority budget.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 2 July 1991]: Health authorities are empowered to raise money directly by appeals, collections etc., under section 5 of the Health Services Act 1980; such fund raising is undertaken through authorities' trust funds, which have charitable status. Figures for fund raising from the accounts of those district health authority trust funds in England taking advantage of this facility are shown in the table. Funds raised through the activities of third parties such as leagues of friends are not separately identifiable and are often accounted for separately.

  While representing a useful incidental source of income the sums raised are supplementary to the cash advances made by the Department and represent a very small proportion of the total annual revenue expenditure incurred by the authorities concerned. Consequently the percentage figures, the highest being 1·3 per cent., but the majority below 0·5 per cent. have not been shown in the table.
  411

  1987–88 £(cash)

  1988–89 £(cash)

  1989–90 £(cash)

  Dewsbury

  0

  1,417

  1,078

  Leeds Western

  1,251

  5,833

  2,911

  Nottingham

  169,326

  0

  0

  Doncaster

  5,935

  71,715

  67,209

  Sheffield

  61,596

  7,751

  2,579

  Peterborough

  0

  0

  3,954

  West Suffolk

  199,626

  381,444

  240,461

  West Norfolk and Wisbech

  0

  0

  2,250

  South West Hertfordshire

  232,107

  381,431

  239,839

  Harrow

  3,189

  1,740

  0

  Hillingdon

  24,667

  16,692

  21,816

  Ealing

  5,757

  2,474

  3,602

  West Essex

  209

  0

  1,261

  Barking, Havering and Brentwood

  7,189

  10,742

  1,501

  Islington

  0

  26,334

  34,878

  City and Hackney

  251,456

  1,001,629

  679,731

  Newham

  0

  56,251

  27,689

  Waltham Forest

  7,825

  9,059

  16,856

  Eastbourne

  16,411

  0

  0

  Canterbury and Thanet

  487,914

  245,118

  112,061

  Bexley

  6,478

  2,900

  31,911

  Greenwich

  517

  2,262

  665

  West Surrey and North East Hampshire

  0

  74,518

  36,182

  South West Surrey

  5,121

  6,442

  5,285

  Mid Surrey

  0

  0

  5,934

  East Surrey

  3,712

  2,978

  70,833

  Chichester

  0

  204,328

  419,543

  Worthing

  6,273

  6,094

  6,152

  Croydon

  48,984

  254,744

  246,685

  Richmond, Twickenham and Roehampton

  0

  4,093

  2,997

  East Dorset

  347,954

  573,868

  1,113,997

  Portsmouth and South East Hampshire

  575,769

  427,276

  193,300

  Winchester

  12,958

  6,469

  2,538

  Basingstoke

  1,095

  0

  1,377

  Swindon

  486,016

  23,136

  49,586

  Bath

  10,415

  13,487

  7,176

  Milton Keynes

  30,143

  22,694

  11,122

  Kettering

  0

  0

  8,337

  Northampton

  13,440

  13,279

  17,758

  Oxfordshire

  6,740

  0

  0

  Southmead

  0

  2,862

  2,877

  North Devon

  14,769

  214,499

  274,568

  Shropshire

  0

  0

  396

  Mid Staffs

  0

  0

  17,724

  Rugby

  0

  62

  527

  North Warwickshire

  0

  844

  1,680

  East Birmingham

  0

  18,698

  57,334

  South Birmingham

  22,602

  47,873

  46,763

  West Birmingham

  73,946

  5,712

  1,776

  Dudley

  1,456

  5,009

  10,000

  Sandwell

  0

  568

  33,862

  Solihull

  8,900

  32,630

  88,457

  Walsall

  14,294

  47,987

  36,013

  Crewe

  492

  0

  0

  Halton

  0

  0

  866

  Liverpool

  0

  0

  69,123

  Lancaster

  27,244

  0

  0

  Blackpool, Wyre and Fylde

  6,624

  0

  0

  Blackburn, Hyndburn and Ribble Valley

  557,584

  189,390

  6,111

  Burnley, Pendle and Rossendale

  0

  0

  8,692

  North Manchester

  433

  0

  0

  Central Manchester

  0

  9,129

  1,827

  South Manchester

  0

  0

  1,250

  Salford

  0

  18,992

  16,822

  Tameside and Glossop

  0

  3,286

  75,405

  Trafford

  1,270

  30,723

  0

  Notes:

  1. The figures are shown without deduction of any expenses incurred. All trust fund income from subscriptions and donations; legacies, dividends; and other sources is excluded.

  2. Sums (totalling £503,334 in 1989–90) raised by Special Health Authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals and by Special Trustees for certain London and provincial teaching hospitals, which are therefore not identifiable with district health authorities, are excluded.
  412

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Hounds
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will issue guidelines to those organisations using hounds for hunting purposes on the risk to animal health from taenia hydatigena spread by infected hounds; and if he will require such organisations to worm their hounds effectively and to cook casualty meat and offal prior to being fed to such hounds.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no plans to do so.

  Declared catches of salmon and grilse by rods and commercial methods, 1966–90.

  Commercial catch

  Rod catch

  Year

  England1

  Wales1"

  Scotland

  England (excl. N.E. drift and T/J nets)

  N'thumbria and Yorkshire (drift and T/J nets)

  N'thumbria (drift nets only2)

  Yorkshire (drift nets only)

  England1

  Wales1

  Scotland

  1966

  42,229

  14,501

  366,139

  26,595

  15,634

  —

  1,129

  17,816

  17,444

  71,864

  1967

  54,844

  13,259

  526,894

  28,485

  26,359

  —

  2,331

  13,056

  16,552

  77,796

  1968

  44,755

  6,836

  381,466

  20,005

  24,750

  —

  1,497

  7,960

  8,613

  52,616

  1969

  73,956

  8,118

  510,189

  24,132

  49,824

  —

  2,854

  8,066

  8,112

  52,069

  1970

  122,045

  8,280

  346,207

  27,054

  94,991

  —

  3,494

  8,876

  10,155

  62,829

  1971

  83,423

  9,295

  374,236

  23,070

  60,353

  —

  4,838

  8,192

  11,561

  49,525

  1972

  73,552

  10,126

  409,842

  21,871

  51,681

  —

  2,906

  10,108

  14,749

  59,646

  1973

  84,760

  9,145

  464,704

  21,918

  62,842

  —

  3,698

  9,600

  11,311

  66,306

  1974

  71,247

  9,168

  417,853

  18,491

  52,756

  —

  4,966

  10,430

  14,330

  59,920

  1975

  77,968

  11,507

  362,090

  24,517

  53,451

  —

  7,297

  10,162

  14,254

  68,252

  1976

  34,759

  7,970

  254,400

  19,058

  15,701

  —

  3,239

  5,623

  5,171

  48,674

  1977

  71,259

  6,600

  268,684

  18,371

  52,888

  —

  12,827

  8,629

  10,371

  64,567

  1978

  68,088

  7,562

  290,028

  16,458

  51,630

  —

  4,448

  7,638

  9,835

  77,396

  1979

  56,726

  4,827

  238,580

  13,262

  43,464

  —

  4,305

  7,578

  6,503

  81,165

  1980

  62,193

  7,275

  223,525

  16,413

  45,780

  —

  3,667

  11,905

  9,672

  70,504

  1981

  90,877

  9,037

  262,166

  21,764

  69,113

  —

  10,077

  11,425

  10,742

  63,293

  1982

  62,739

  4,472

  271,549

  12,572

  50,167

  —

  6,537

  7,220

  6,287

  64,754

  1983

  97,334

  4,834

  289,508

  20,057

  77,277

  —

  12,245

  7,430

  7,381

  66,070

  1984

  79,274

  3,947

  261,619

  19,979

  59,295

  —

  7,810

  7,219

  3,802

  58,673

  1985

  72,465

  3,465

  196,570

  15,109

  57,356

  —

  9,291

  10,725

  8,876

  76,090

  1986

  85,416

  5,031

  276,074

  21,991

  63,425

  —

  8,059

  11,849

  8,498

  75,185

  1987

  59,193

  4,535

  197,653

  23,050

  36,143

  —

  2,562

  11,509

  8,202

  71,126

  1988

  72,307

  5,010

  164,772

  21,458

  50,849

  42,066

  5,399

  16,857

  15,989

  96,488

  1989

  63,882

  5,058

  190,820

  22,429

  41,453

  31,328

  4,908

  9,274

  5,454

  88,007

  19903

  67,469

  4,312

  97,372

  15,939

  51,530

  40,496

  7,723

  9,471

  4,636

  71,646

  1 Data for 1966–1982 for England and Wales will be included in an authoritative compilation to be published shortly; however, pending publication these data should be regarded as provisional.

  2 Drift net catch data for the Northumbria region were not reported separately before 1988.

  3 Data not yet confirmed.

  Veterinary Investigation Centres
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the numbers of(a) scientific and (b) non-scientific staff employed at each veterinary investigation centre according to different grades.

  (a) Scientific staff

  VI Centre

  PSO

  SSO

  HSO

  SO

  ASO

  Aberystwyth

  —

  —

  2

  4

  1

  Bangor

  —

  —

  1

  2+11

  2

  Bristol (Langford)

  —

  —

  1

  4

  6

  Cambridge

  —

  1

  1

  3

  7

  Carmarthen

  —

  1

  —

  5

  3

  Lincoln

  —

  —

  1

  1

  5+11

  Newcastle

  —

  1

  1

  1

  7

  Norwich

  —

  —

  1

  2

  8

  Penrith

  —

  1

  —

  2

  7

  Preston (Barton Hall)

  —

  1

  —

  3

  8

  Reading

  —

  —

  1

  2

  6+11

  Shrewsbury

  —

  —

  2

  2

  8

  Salmon
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the catch statistics for salmon and grilse both by commercial methods and by rod-and-line for each year from 1966 to the latest date for which figures are available; if he will show separate figures for England, Wales and Scotland; and if he will detail for each such year the catch by the drift nets operating in the North sea from Northumberland and Yorkshire.

  Mr. Curry
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Mr. Gummer
  The numbers of(a) scientific and (b) non-scientific staff employed at each veterinary investigation centre according to the different grades in post on 1 June 1991 are:
  415

  VI Centre

  PSO

  SSO

  HSO

  SO

  ASO

  Starcross

  —

  —

  1

  3

  5

  Sutton Bonington

  —

  1

  2

  2

  7

  Thirsk

  —

  —

  3

  7

  Truro

  —

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Winchester

  —

  —

  1

  2

  3+12

  Worcester

  —

  1

  1

  3

  9

  Wye

  —

  —

  1

  2

  2

  QC Unit located at Lincoln VIC

  1

  —

  1

  —

  3

  The Grades are:

  PSO—Principal Scientific Officer.

  SSO—Senior Scientific Officer.

  HSO—Higher Scientific Officer.

  SO— Scientific Officer.

  ASO—Assitant Scientific Officer.

  1 Part-time

  (b) Non-Scientific staff

  VI Centre

  LA

  EW

  AO

  AA

  Typist

  Aberystwyth

  1+12

  —

  11

  1

  11

  Bangor

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Bristol (Langford)

  2

  1

  1

  1+11

  1+11

  Cambridge

  2

  1

  1

  1+13

  1+11

  Carmarthen

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Lincoln

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  Newcastle

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Norwich

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1+11

  Penrith

  1

  1

  1

  2+11

  1

  Preston (Barton Hall)

  3

  1

  1

  1+11

  1

  Reading

  1

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Shrewsbury

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Starcross

  2

  1

  1

  1+11

  1

  Sutton Bonington

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1+11

  Thirsk

  1+11

  1

  1

  2

  1

  Truro

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1

  Winchester

  2

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Worcester

  4

  1

  1

  3

  —

  Wye

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  The Grades are:

  LA—Laboratory attendant.

  EW—Experimental worker.

  AO—Administrative officer.

  AA—Administrative assistant.

  1 Part-time.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of(a) cattle, (b) pigs, (c) poultry and (d) sheep in the catchment area of each veterinary investigation centres; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  As I indicated in my reply to the hon. Member on 4 July 1991 at column 184, the catchment

  Veterinary investigation centre

  Numbers of cattle

  Numbers of sheep

  Numbers of pigs

  Numbers of poultry (fowls)

  Bristol

  868,000

  1,211,000

  503,000

  7,480,000

  Cambridge

  277,000

  772,000

  725,000

  9,946,000

  Lincoln

  199,000

  451,000

  879,000

  7,326,000

  Newcastle

  356,000

  2,339,000

  101,000

  1,844,000

  Norwich

  146,000

  199,000

  838,000

  8,695,000

  Penrith

  542,000

  2,504,000

  67,000

  2,204,000

  Preston

  643,000

  1,327,000

  435,000

  7,425,000

  Reading

  407,000

  831,000

  450,000

  4,815,000

  Shrewsbury

  648,000

  1,884,000

  261,000

  5,803,000

  Starcross

  667,000

  2,005,000

  192,000

  3,337,000

  Sutton Bonington

  448,000

  1,010,000

  271,000

  5,120,000

  Thirsk

  558,000

  2,072,000

  991,000

  6,963,000

  Truro

  401,000

  687,000

  75,000

  844,000

  Winchester

  284,000

  491,000

  200,000

  6,427,000

  Worcester

  513,000

  2,096,000

  244,000

  8,289,000

  Wye

  163,000

  1,009,000

  103,000

  3,392,000

  Aberystwyth

  270,000

  3,882,000

  17,000

  1,028,000

  416
  areas of veterinary investigation centres are complex. The best estimates of the numbers of (a) cattle, (b) pigs, (c) poultry and (d) sheep in the catchment area of each veterinary investigation centre in England and Wales based on the June 1989 agricultural census information are:
  417

  Veterinary investigation centre

  Numbers of cattle

  Numbers of sheep

  Numbers of pigs

  Numbers of poultry (fowls)

  Bangor

  345,000

  3,335,000

  37,000

  3,178,000

  Carmarthen

  543,000

  2,829,000

  45,000

  2,011,000

  Cumbrian Farmers
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the total amounts of grants and subsidies paid to Cumbrian farmers in each of the last 10 years.

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

  The schemes listed are:

  (£'000s) Schemes

  1981–82

  1982–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–911

  1991–92

  AIs1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  142

  1,253

  1,625

  2,221

  1,688

  n/a

  FDGS1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  29

  88

  n/a

  F & CGS1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  189

  1,530

  n/a

  ESA1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  32

  49

  59

  64

  n/a

  FW2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  8

  0

  CSCS

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  242

  175

  130

  140

  147

  27

  SAP3

  1,026

  2,097

  5,365

  3,760

  6,218

  4,510

  5,661

  6,240

  7,359

  10,668

  n/a

  SCPS4

  557

  539

  523

  1,029

  1,009

  1,361

  1,361

  1,399

  2,126

  n/a

  n/a

  HLCA1

  5,373

  5,561

  5,609

  5,614

  5,773

  6,529

  6,702

  6,820

  7,080

  7,654

  8,444

  SAS

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  63

  92

  n/a

  n/a

  Totals

  6,957

  8,197

  11,497

  10,403

  12,999

  12,785

  15,184

  16,328

  19,303

  21,847

  8,472

  Notes:

  1Calendar Years.

  2Scheme Years: November 1989 to March 1990

  April 1990 to March 1991

  April 1991 to June 1991.

  3Scheme Years: Spread over three years: Apply December Year 1, Payment April Year 2 onwards, April Year 3 close.

  4Scheme Years: 1981 =June 1981 to May 1982

  1982 = July 1982 to July 1983

  1983 = August 1983 to July 1984

  1984 August 1984 to July 1985

  1985 = August 1985 to June 1986

  1986 = July 1986 to June 1987

  1987 = July 1987 to June 1988

  1988 = July 1988 to June 1989

  1989 = July 1989 to June 1990.

  5Up to w/e 28 June 1991—Scheme not available for whole period.

  Regional Offices
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the numbers of staff in different grades employed at each of his regional and divisional offices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested for my Department's regional (RO) and divisional (DO) office organisation in England is as follows:

  Number

  Northern region

  Leeds RO

  210

  Beverley DO

  93

  Carlisle DO

  105

  Newcastle DO

  110

  Northallerton DO

  80

  Eastern region

  Cambridge RO

  359

  Chelmsford DO

  90

  Huntingdon DO

  90

  Lincoln DO

  96

  Norwich DO

  112

  418

  AIS

  Agriculture improvement scheme

  FDGS

  Farm diversification grant scheme

  F & CGS

  Farm and conservation grant scheme (EC and national)

  ESA

  Environmentally sensitive areas

  FW

  Farm woodland scheme

  CSCS

  Chernobyl sheep compensation scheme

  SAP

  Sheep annual premium

  SCPS

  Suckler cow premium scheme

  HLCA

  Hill livestock compensation allowance

  S-AS

  >Set-aside scheme

  Number

  Midlands and Western region

  Wolverhampton RO

  339

  Crewe DO

  109

  Nottingham DO

  131

  Preston DO

  95

  Worcester DO

  142

  South Eastern

  Reading RO

  218

  Guildford DO

  103

  Maidstone DO

  88

  Oxford DO

  100

  South Western

  Bristol RO

  210

  Exeter DO

  184

  Gloucester DO

  119

  Taunton DO

  125

  Truro DO

  119

  The numbers recorded include veterinary staff and headquarters staff stationed at regional and divisional offices but who do not form part of the regional organisation.
  419
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to publish the full report of the ministerial review of his Ministry's regional organisation; when he expects to take a final decision about the closure and reorganisation of regional and divisional offices; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am considering the future structure of the Ministry's regional organisation and will be making an announcement shortly.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures, and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  The Department has continued to contribute significantly to this process. We have maintained pressure for a more market-orientated common agricultural policy, both in the 1991 price-fixing agreement and in the discussions on reform of the CAP which commenced in February and have recently resumed. A reformed CAP, along lines acceptable to the United Kingdom, together with worldwide reforms to systems of agricultural support being negotiated in the current GATT round, would provide further encouragement for competitive and efficient agricultural industry. Change on these lines would be in the long-term interests of both larger and smaller farms.

  We have also continued to offer farmers the opportunity to diversify their enterprises and income-generating activities through our various schemes including the farm woodlands scheme, set-aside, the farm diversification grant scheme and the environmentally sensitive areas scheme. We are reviewing the first round of environmentally sensitive areas and are consulting on our proposals for change.

  All the schemes operated by the Department are closely monitored. Reports on particular schemes are published from time to time.

  Salmonella
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of salmonella submissions under(a) Processed Animal Protein Orders, (b) Layer Breeders and Hatcheries Orders and (c) Zoonoses Orders for each veterinary investigation centre for each year since 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  It is not possible to supply the specific information requested. The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Imported Birds
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what analysis he has made of the results of mortality studies, and his review of the legal powers available to Her Majesty's Government, in relation to import arrangements for wild caught birds.

  Mr. Maclean
  With the assistance of the RSPCA, we have made a preliminary analysis of the statistics for the two years for which data are available. The results show some correlation between mortality of individual species, which suggests that in principle the data can be used to assist in deciding whether a species is particularly vulnerable to captivity.

  Discussions with the Department of the Environment are continuing on further restrictions and the powers which may best be used to implement them.

  Irradiated Food
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) whether compound ingredients of food which do not have to be listed under clause 16 of the Food Labelling Regulations 1984 have to be listed and labelled if they have been irradiated; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether food which has been irradiated and is a compound ingredient needs to be labelled as irradiated as outlined in clause 16(3) and (4) of the Food Labelling Regulations 1984.

  Mr. Gummer
  Regulations introduced on 1 January this year, which take into account EC labelling rules, require the labelling of irradiated food and listed food ingredients for pre-packed sales. Additional requirements are included for non-pre-packed sales and food sold by caterers.

  Exemptions in regulation 16 of the Food Labelling Regulations 1984, as amended, which apply EC rules, provide that if a particular ingredient does not need to appear on the label, the fact that it may have been irradiated need not appear either. This exemption has obtained in other member states where irradiated food has for some time been permitted. We are currently seeking to persuade other member states that this exemption under the EC directive should be withdrawn for irradiated ingredients.

SCOTLAND

  Schools Expenditure
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the level of capital expenditure on schools in(a) each regional authority in Scotland and (b) Scotland in total, in each year since 1978–79 in constant prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply which I gave him on 5 July, c.235–36.

  Appointees
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the names of his appointees to the(a) Countryside Commission for Scotland, (b) Crofters Commission, (c) Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland, (d) Red Deer Commission, (e) Scottish Dental Practice Board, (f) Scottish Transport

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  Group, (g) Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards, (h) Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, (i) Horticultural Development Council, (j) Meat and Livestock Commission, (k) National Radiological Protection Board, (l) Sea Fish Industry Authority and (m) Director-General of Electricity Supply.

  Mr. Lang
  The following tables show the names of those appointed as at 1 July 1991. Table 1 lists appointments made solely by me. Table 2 lists those appointments made jointly with other Ministers.

  Appointments made by the Secretary of State for Scotland as at 1 July 1991

  Countryside Commission for Scotland

  J. Roger Carr, CBE (Chairman)

  John Arnott

  Quintin Brown

  Bruce Cowe, MBE

  Ronald D. Cramond, CBE

  Prof. Charles H. Gimingham

  Mrs. Susan Harvey

  Cllr. Alastair W. Henry

  Eric Langmuir, MBE

  Innes Miller

  Dr. William E. S. Mutch

  Prof. John C. Smyth, OBE

  W. Mark Turnbull

  Dr. Adam Watson

  Crofters Commission

  Hugh A. M. Maclean (Chairman)

  Alasdair Cameron

  Brian T. Hunter

  Donald M. Macdonald

  Peter Morrison

  D. A. Morrison

  William Ritchie

  Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland

  George F. Robertson (President)

  Mrs. M. L. J. Walker (Vice-President)

  Local Chairmen

  A. D. Anderson

  J. F. Barron

  J. M. Barton

  M. J. Burns

  Mrs. L. J. M. Campbell

  Miss A. Chisholm

  J. D. Crerar

  A. C. W. A. Eccles

  S. T. M. Ellery

  W. S. Forrest

  J. R. Gardiner

  Miss S. T. Givens

  D. Graham

  J. M. D. Graham

  The Hon. Simon E. G. Guest

  Miss C. S. Henderson

  Professor J. A. M. Inglis, CBE

  E. G. Kennedy

  Professor P. N. Love, CBE

  Miss D. McGhie

  A. D. Mackay

  R. L. Mackinnon

  B. McMullan

  J. G. Malcolm-Smith

  J. M. Mayger

  Miss M. Millar

  N. J. A. Robertson

  J. G. L. Robinson

  E. O. St. John

  H. D. Sheldon

  O. H. Speirs

  R. S. Swinton

  G. W. Tait

  W. F. Walker

  B. C. T. Wood

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  Local Valuers

  J. M. Bennett

  G. H. Campbell

  K. I. Crichton

  R. Crozier

  F. M. Halliday

  J. S. Harrison

  R. J. Heaney

  Mrs. U. L. Heaney

  T. Henaughen

  W. Howie

  M. Kay

  W. M. Kerr

  W. O. Lawrie

  A. C. Love

  M. Lygate

  D. H. McCalum

  W. M. McCash

  R. R. McConnell

  Table 2

  Appointments made jointly with other Ministers as at 1 July 1991

  Advisory Committee on distinction awards

  Sir Gordon Robson, CBE (Chairman)

  Archibald Rennie, CB

  Dr. V. R. Bennett

  Dr. J. L. T. Birley

  Prof. D. C. Carter

  Dr. J. O. M. C. Graig

  Dr. Vera Dallos

  Sir Herbert Duthie

  T. A. English

  Sir Anthony Grabham

  Prof. W. W. Holland

  Prof. F. Lachmann

  Prof. P. Lachmann

  Prof. M. H. Lessof

  Prof. June Lloyd

  J. A. P. Marston

  D. M. F. Moran

  D. K. Nichol

  Prof. K. D. Peters

  Prof. M. Rosen

  D. Seel

  S. C. Simmons

  Dr. D. R. Sweetnam

  Prof. Margaret Turner-Warwick

  Prof. L. G. Whitby

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board

  Lord Carlise of Bucklow (Chairman)

  John F. A. Archer, QC

  David Barker, QC

  Sir Derek Bradbeer, OBE

  Daniel Brennan, QC

  David C. Calcut, QC

  Hugh Carlisle, QC

  Barry W. Chedlow, QC

  John Cherry, QC

  Miss B. Cooper, QC

  Miss Diana Cotton, QC

  John Crowley, QC

  Thomas Dawson, QC

  Kevin Drummond, QC

  C. Fawcett, QC

  William Gage, QC

  Edward Gee

  Barry Green

  Graeme Hamilton, QC TD

  Sir Arthur Hoole

  His Hon. Judge James Kingham

  James Law, QC

  Michael E. Lewer, AC

  Crawford Lindsay, QC

  Donald Mackay, QC

  His Hon. Judge Lewis McCreery

  Lord Macaulay of Bragar, QC

  Sir John Palmer, QC JP

  I. Michael S. Park, CBE

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  Timothy Preston, QC

  Miss S. A. Ritche, QC

  D. B. Robertson, QC

  Conrad Seagroatt, QC

  L. Stuart Shields, QC

  Mrs. Janet Smith, QC

  Robert Smith, QC

  Evan Stone, AC

  D. Martin Thomas, OBE QC

  David P. O. Thomas, QC

  Peter Weitzman, QC

  His Hon. Judge David West-Russell

  Charles Whitby, QC

  John L. Williams

  Horticultural Development Council

  Frank Thomlinson, CBE (Chairman)

  Don Goodwin, MBE

  Ron Murdy

  A. McCutchion

  Mrs. Patricia Lunn

  Tony Gould

  John Derek Taylor

  Peter Henry Shepherd

  Andrew Logan

  Michael George Holmes

  P. Emmett

  Geoffrey Coles

  Ken James

  Paul Middlebrook

  John Evans

  Tom Wood

  T. Peter M. Thomson

  J. Sephton

  A. P. Shirley

  H. B. Lowe

  Meat and Livestock Commission

  Geoffrey R. John (Chairman)

  Rolf Werner Mattes

  George C. Adams

  John Baker, MBE

  Donald T. Y. Curry

  A. R. Manson, CBE

  Peter Redshaw

  Meurick R. E. Rees, CBE, JP, FRAGS

  Mrs. Evelyn Rose, MBE

  Allan Roxburgh

  James F. Royan, OBE

  Colin G. Smith

  Jeff G. Steer

  National Radiological Protection Board

  Professor T. R. E. Southwood (Chairman)

  Professor Ann Barrett

  Professor J. H. Edwards

  Professor H. J. Evans

  Professor E. M. Grant

  Professor P. Haggett

  Professor T. R. Lee

  Professor R. M. May

  Mrs. S. Morrison

  Dr. R. Owen

  Professor J. Peto

  Professor G. M. Roberts

  Martin Trowbridge

  Sea Fish Industry Authority

  Lord Mackay of Ardbrecknish (Chairman)

  Eric Davey

  John Adams

  John Craddock

  Prof. Mike Haines

  William Hay, CBE

  Frank Ledwidge

  Duncan MacInnes

  Ian McFadden

  Miss Elizabeth Stevenson

  David Stevenson

  David Vickers

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  Colin Warwick

  Director General of Electricity Supply

  Prof. Stephen Littlechild

  Training Grant Scheme
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the expenditure envisaged for the training grant scheme in Grampian.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I regret that I am unclear as to the identity of the scheme about which the hon. Member is seeking information. If he will write to me giving more details I will endeavour to be of assistance.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information is held on, or estimate made of, the number of successful claims and the total and average amounts of compensation awarded by courts or settled out of court in respect of industrial injuries during each of the last 10 years, based on the date of the injury, both in cash terms and adjusted to take account of inflation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Interim Development Orders
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report all existing quarry sites in Scotland which will be subject to the new provisions relating to interim development orders in the Planning and Compensation Bill [Lords].

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally. The Scottish Office Environment Department is carrying out a survey of planning authorities to establish the number of extant IDO permissions and the nature of the conditions attached to them.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the most detailed study to be carried out by the Scottish Office to improve the information currently available on interim development orders in Scotland; and when he expects to be able to publish the results.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office Environment Department wrote to planning authorities and other interested parties on 28 June seeking information on the number of IDO permissions extant, on the proportion currently providing the basis for mineral extraction and on the conditions, if any, attached to the permissions. Responses have been requested by 14 October and I expect to publish the results by the end of the year.

  Mineral Extraction
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to allow for compensation for the owners of mineral extraction rights in circumstances where planning permission is refused on environmental grounds.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  It is a fundamental principle of the planning system that compensation is not
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  payable for a refusal of planning permission. This would only encourage speculative applications. The right of appeal is available to all applicants for planning permission if they feel their application has been unjustifiably refused.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will consider calling in all proposals to reopen and work mineral extraction rights to allow local public inquiries where there are substantial objections to the proposals.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The circumstances in which my right hon. Friend will consider calling in planning applications notified to him are set out in circular 29/1988 and the Town and Country Planning (Notification of Applications) (Scotland) Direction 1988. He has no plans to amend the circular or the direction.

  Hospital Waste
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, further to his reply of 15 July,Official Report, column 472, how hospital waste not burnt at the required temperature by incinerators is disposed of.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The clinical waste element of hospital waste is rendered safe by the process of incineration. The residual ash from that process, which has also been rendered safe by the process, is disposed of at landfill sites. Where it is practical and cost effective the household waste element of hospital waste is also incinerated. The remainder of the household waste element of hospital waste is disposed of at landfill sites.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures and through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  The importance to the Scottish economy of a vigorous and energetic small firms sector cannot be overstated, and small businesses continue to benefit from the comprehensive schemes of support that the Government have introduced. Policy responsibility lies within the Scottish Office Industry Department although, until 31 March 1991, the services were delivered mainly through the Scottish Development Agency and the Highlands and Islands Development Board; they are now delivered through their successor bodies. In addition to providing services specific to Scotland, these bodies also had responsibility for the delivery and monitoring in Scotland of United Kingdom services on behalf of other Departments, including the Department of Employment and the Department of Trade and Industry. The success of these policies is demonstrated by statistics for VAT registration. In 1980, 9,800 additional companies registered for VAT. In 1989 the comparable figure was
  426
  16,800, an increase of 71 per cent. At the end of 1989 the total number of VAT-registered businesses in Scotland was 113,200, an increase of 19,800 or 21 per cent. on the comparable figure for 1979.

  There follows a description of the services available to small firms in Scotland during the periods 1989–90 and 1990–91, and some of their achievements. For the period 1989–90 the Scottish Office Industry Department made 167 offers of regional selective assistance to the value of over £17 million to small companies—those employing fewer than 200 worldwide. This contributed to the creation of 3,080 planned new jobs and the safeguarding of 340 existing jobs. In 1990–91, 131 offers of regional selective assistance were made to the value of over £20 million to small companies and which contributed to the creation of 3,290 planned new jobs and the safeguarding of 560 existing jobs. Under both the investment and innovation elements of the regional enterprise grants scheme, 432 offers to the value of £4 million were made in Scotland in 1989–90 to companies employing under 25 people, contributing to the creation of 1,640 planned new jobs and the safeguarding of 1,660 existing jobs. In 1990–91, offers of regional enterprise grant to the value of £4·6 million were made, contributing to the creation of 1,650 planned new jobs and the safeguarding of 1,550 existing jobs. Residual offers to small companies under the regional development grants scheme, the last applications for which were accepted on 31 March 1988. totalled £100,000 with the potential for 50 associated jobs. During the periods in question, the better business service scheme was administered by the SDA and the HIDB. The scheme allows small companies to have access to subsidised professional business advice and in 1989–90 some 8,090 offers of assistance were made with an associated value of £3·7 million. In 1990–91 6,900 offers of assistance were made with an associated value of £3·3 million.

  Scottish Development Agency support for small businesses included the provision of financial assistance and a wide range of advisory services, including the small firms service in Scotland and the administration of DTI's consultancy initiatives, under the enterprise initiative. In addition, the SFS offered an integrated and complementary range of business services including the Government business shop, the Euroinfocentre, a franchise desk and a Companies house satellite office. Under the consultancy initiatives, some 1,158 consultancy projects were undertaken during 1989–90 and in 1990–91 the figure was 1,200. In 1989–90 the SFS handled 17,286 inquiries, the figure for 1990–91 being 16,805. Figures for investment in small firms are not yet available for this period, but across all sectors in Scotland in 1990–91 the SDA invested £7 million and safeguarded 4,985 jobs.

  As well as delivering a small firms counselling service in its area, the Highlands and Islands Development Board was responsible for a wide range of activities in support of businesses, most of which were small, to help them overcome the difficulties in operating in this rural part of the United Kingdom. The measures taken include financial support to business, provision of factories and assistance with business advice and training. In the period 1989–90 the board approved 983 offers of financial assistance worth £19·4 million on projects involving proposed private sector investment of £51·1 million and the planned creation or safeguarding of 2,700 jobs. For the period 1990–91 the board approved 1,071 offers of financial assistance worth £21·6 million on projects

  427
  involving proposed private sector investment of £54·9 million and the planned creation or safeguarding of 2,800 jobs. In the period 1989–90 the HIDB completed 7,208 sq m of factory floor space. In this period, some 3,200 jobs were housed in HIDB factories. In the period 1990–91 the HIDB completed 7,061 sq m of factory floor space. At the end of the period a total of some 3,300 jobs were housed in HIDB factories.

  The network of local enterprise trusts in Scotland was formed in 1981 and there are now some 44 of them. They are private sector-led, but represent a partnership between the public and private sectors in the provision of business advice, counselling and training both to new and existing businesses. The total funding cost of the enterprise trusts during the year 1990–91 was £9·5 million. The percentage of SDA input to this total was 19 per cent., an increase of 2 per cent. from the previous year. This levered a further 19 per cent. from the local authorities and 28 per cent. from the private sector, in cash and kind, representing a total of £4·4 million. During the year the trusts estimate they have provided about 45,000 counselling sessions, some 13,000 of these to pre-start clients. Some 8,000 jobs were created or saved in new and existing businesses assisted by enterprise trusts and 3,255 new businesses were started by enterprise trust clients.

  The establishment on 1 April 1991 of Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise represented a new approach to enterprise creation and development in Scotland, and is central to the Government's plans to give further impetus to the Scottish economy. The initiative is unique in two important respects; firstly, Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise have taken over responsibility for the design and implementation of Training Agency programmes in Scotland and are responsible for integrating these with the economic development activities previously discharged by the Scottish Development Agency and Highlands and Islands Development Board. Secondly, SE and HIE have contracted out a range of functions to a network of private sector-led and run local enterprise companies. Through this network business people and others prominent in the wider community will develop and shape training arrangements and business development programmes to match Scottish needs and to meet local circumstances in a manner that has not been possible before. It is appropriate that local people who are in the best position to judge should have responsibility for deciding the balance of provision most suited to the circumstances of the area concerned. Local enterprise companies work within a policy framework set by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise and, while they are required to fulfil their contractual obligations to these bodies, they are given all possible freedom to act on their own initiative with a minimum of constraint. It is encouraging that a complete network of 22 local enterprise companies has been established in Scotland so quickly, and the Government's view of a decentralised and business-led approach to enterprise creation is clearly a widely shared one.

  The deregulation initiative, a Government programme to reduce the bureaucratic burden which impinges upon all businesses, but perhaps disproportionately so in the case of smaller companies, is supported strongly by the Scottish Office. Future action on the initiative will concentrate strongly on improving the relationship between the business community and local authorities, and on
  428
  encouraging business people to take the lead in identifying, and in bringing to the attention of Government examples of regulation or legislation which they perceive as an unnecessary burden on business. Unique within the United Kingdom, the Government business shop in Glasgow continues to provide a single advice point on the range of Government regulation affecting business. Business people are able, in one location, to speak to advisers from Inland Revenue, Customs and Excise, DSS and the Health and Safety Executive. The Scottish Office Industry Department is co-operating with the Employment Service in encouraging small businesses to develop trading links with the newly privatised industries. Additionally, plans are in hand to organise a Scottish seminar on how small companies may do business with the large public utilities.

  Rosyth
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what additional resources he anticipates will be given to local authorities and local enterprise companies to counteract the impact on their local economies of the decline in employment arising from the job losses involved by recently announced and anticipated reductions in employment at Rosyth naval base and dockyard.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Local authorities will be submittiiig financial plans to the Scottish Office in the autumn. These plans will contain the local authorities' proposals for capital expenditure in 1992–93 and subsequent years and it will be up to the authorities concerned to include in these any projects they consider necessary to help tackle employment reductions at Rosyth.

  For the current year the local enterprise company for the Rosyth area, Fife Enterprise, has a budget in excess of £22 million. The company has a number of projects and initiatives either planned or already under way to assist training and employment in the area. This includes an audit of the physical and staff resources available at Rosyth. The company has indicated its intention of discussing options with interested parties to identify appropriate action to tackle job reductions at Rosyth; and I am encouraged by the positive response it has already made to the announcement.

  The question of additional funding for the local enterprise company is primarily one for Scottish Enterprise in the light of the enterprise company's planned activities, the overall resources available in each financial year and all the circumstances bearing on competing demands for resources. It must also be borne in mind that the reduction in the civilian work force at Rosyth is not due to be completed until March 1995 and will involve some relocations and natural wastage, although there will inevitably be some redundancies.

  Court Proceedings (Television)
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications for the use of live television facilities in cases involving child abuse or sexual abuse have been granted or refused, since the commencement of the provisions of the Law Reform (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Scotland) Act 1990; what were the reasons given for refusals; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  These provisions will be brought into effect shortly to allow pilot schemes at Edinburgh and Glasgow to proceed.

  Farms
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many farms are in use in Renfrewshire; if he will list them; and how many people they employ.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Scottish counties ceased to be used for agricultural statistics purposes after 1975 following local government reform. For the June 1990 census returns there were 269 main farm holdings in Refrew district of Strathclyde region with 316 full-time or part-time working farmers and spouses, and employing 169 full-time workers and 158 part-time and casual workers. This information is collected for statistical purposes under the Agriculture Act 1947 which restricts disclosure of information on individual holdings. It is thus not permissible to list the individual holdings in Renfrew district.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish those residential homes provided by Scottish Homes with a hostel deficit grant for homes catering for people with learning difficulties.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 15 July 1991]: Ark and Key housing associations are in receipt of hostel deficit grant from Scottish Homes in respect of the residential accommodation they provide for people with learning difficulties at the following locations:

  Central

  Stenhousemuir

  Stirling

  Alloa

  Grangemouth

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Annan

  Dumfries

  Stranraer

  Fife

  Dunfermline

  Glenrothes

  Grampian

  Fraserburgh

  Inverurie

  Peterhead

  Highland

  Fort William

  Lothian

  Livingston

  Dalkeith

  Musselburgh

  East Linton

  Penicuik

  Edinburgh (four homes)

  Strathclyde

  Bellshill

  Dunoon

  Gourock

  Cumbernauld

  Helensburgh

  Milngavie

  Glasgow (five homes)

  Tayside

  Arbroath

  Forfar

  Perth

  Capital Allocations
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in cash terms, and at 1991–92 prices, what has been the capital allocation to each regional and district council in Scotland for each of their service responsibilities in every year since 1979.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 17 July 1991]: This information is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Rail Bridges
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of rail bridges in Scotland; what monitoring of their structural condition is carried out; by whom and how frequently; and what is the total annual cost involved.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have been asked to reply. The information is as follows:

  There are 9,194 rail bridges owned by British Rail in Scotland; 5,587 are operational and 3,607 are non-operational. They are subject to a visual examination every year and a detailed examination at intervals not exceeding six years by appointed examiners engaged by British Rail at an annual cost of £0·4 million. There are a further 3,400 non-operational bridges which have been sold and are no longer the responsibility of British Rail.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Students' Benefits
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to increase social security benefits for students.

  Mr. Newton
  Financial support for full-time students is properly the responsibility of the education system. There are no plans to extend the categories of students who are entitled to housing benefit and income support, but for those eligible, the allowances and premiums are uprated on the same basis as for other claimants.

  Income Support
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the total number of people claiming income support in the United Kingdom at the most recent date for which final figures are available, 12 months and two years before.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In Great Britain in 1988 4,352,000 claimants were receiving income support, in 1989 there were 4,161,000 and in 1990, the latest year for which figures are available, there were 4,180,000. Figures for Northern Ireland are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries May 1988, 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many young people aged 16 and 17 years are receiving income support for the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jack
  An estimated 21,000 16 and 17-year-olds were claiming income support in May 1990, the most recent date for which figures are available.
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  Source: Income Support Statistics, Annual Enquiry May 1990.

  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward proposals to make income support available in full from the time of claim.

  Miss Widdecombe
  For those over pension age, full entitlement is paid from the payday which coincides with or next follows the date of claim. For those under pension age, entitlement accrues from the date of claim and is paid on the first following payday. These arrangements are in line with the way wages, other benefits and pensions are paid and there are therefore no proposals for change.

  Disabled People (Benefits)
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to improve the take-up by people with disabilities of the benefits to which they are entitled.

  Mr. Scott
  The increase in take-up of benefits by disabled people and their carers over the last 12 years demonstrates our continuing commitment to ensuring that people receive what they are entitled to. For example, there are now three times as many people in receipt of attendance allowance as there were in 1979, and take-up of mobility allowance has increased sevenfold over the same period.

  We intend to build on this strong position in publicising the introduction of disability living allowance and disability working allowance next year. We shall involve disabled people and their organisations fully in the preparatory work for the publicity campaigns to ensure effective take-up of these benefits.

  Pensioners
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total value of the average pensioner's savings, investments and home; and what was the comparable figure in 1979.

  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total value of the average pensioner's savings, investments and home(a) currently and (b) in 1978–79.

  Miss Widdecombe
  My hon. Friend will be pleased to hear that the average value of pensioners' savings and investments doubled in real terms between 1979 and 1988. The average value of property owned by pensioners increased by over 65 per cent. during the same period.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Amess
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current average award for family credit.

  Mr. Jack
  The average of the awards current at the end of June was well over £31.

  Mr. Page
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security over what range of net income are families eligible for family credit.

  Mr. Jack
  The level of income at which eligibility for family credit runs out depends on the number of children 432
  in the family and their ages, but even the smallest family, with one child under 11, could get family credit if their net income is less than £130 a week—about £155 gross. For families with more, or older, children, the levels are much higher; for example, a family with four children, aged three, eight, eleven and 16 could be eligible with net income of £195, about £254 gross. Child benefit order books, and the notifications sent where payment is made directly into an account, contain a personalised message about family credit setting out the level for that particular family.

  There is no minimum qualifying level of income for family credit, although the parent, or at least one of them in a two-parent family, has to be working for 24 hours a week or more.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the annualised value of the average family credit award expressed as an increase in gross annual earnings.

  Mr. Jack
  The average amount of the family credit awards current at the end of June 1991 was £31·41. For a person paying national insurance contributions and tax at the standard rate this would equate to an increase in gross earnings of nearly £2,475 a year.

  Retirement Age
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received about the equalisation of the state pension retirement age.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Since 1 January this year we have received a large number of representations from organisations concerned with the interests of pensioners, from employers, from various representatives of the pensions industry as well as a number of letters from hon. Members and members of the public.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received about the level of national insurance contributions.

  Mr. Jack
  We have received representations from employers' organisations expressing opposition to proposals put forward by the European Commission which would result in national insurance contributions being levied on earnings below the current lower earnings limit.

  We have also received a small number of representations on behalf of self-employed people about the recent annual increase in their national insurance-contributions.

  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much and what percentage of national health service expenditure is financed by national insurance contributions; and by how much the category A old -age pension could be increased if the national health service were wholly financed out of other taxes.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1990–91 £4·3 billion of NI contributions income went towards the cost of the NHS; about 15 per cent. of gross NHS expenditure. The level of retirement pension is set by law each year according to the movement in prices and is not determined by the balance in the NI fund. It would not therefore be affected by any change in the funding arrangements for the NHS.

  Occupational Pension Schemes
  Sir Robert McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has received on occupational pension schemes since his statement of 26 June.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Since 26 June we have received a number of representations from, among others, the Confederation of British Industry and the National Association of Pension Funds. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has met the TUC and departmental officials are holding a series of discussions with pensioners' interests. We have also received a number of questions from hon. Members on this matter.

  Disability Working Allowance
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many representations he has received about the introduction of the disability working allowance.

  Mr. Scott
  When we published our proposals for the introduction of the two new benefits, disability living allowance and disability working allowance, in "The Way Ahead—Benefits for Disabled People" (Cmd 917), we said that we would welcome comments and suggestions from disabled people and the organisations that represent them. We have met representatives of those organisations to hear their views and are grateful to them and to the many individuals who have taken the trouble to write in with comments on our proposals for both new benefits.

  Child Benefit
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the typical size of family receiving child benefit; and what that family will receive per week from October.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the typical size of a family receiving child benefit; and what they will receive per week from October 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  Over 40 per cent. of families in receipt of child benefit have only one child and from October will be receiving £9·25 per week—an increase of £2, or over 27 per cent., this year. This gives a family an additional annual income of £480.

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the total numbers of young people whose parents were receiving extended child benefit in each of the months from January to May for each of the years 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  Child benefit normally stops after a child reaches 16 and leaves full-time education. It can however be extended for a limited period for 16 and 17-year-olds while they are looking for work or on a youth training place.

  The child benefit computer counts, on a weekly basis, the number of awards current for children covered by extended child benefit. The following figures represent the weekly average in each month:
  434

  Number

  1990

  January

  1,033

  February

  1,659

  March

  1,874

  May

  2,620

  1991

  January

  1,184

  February

  1,826

  March

  2,208

  April

  3,257

  May

  4,302

  For the majority of 16 to 17-year-old school leavers, extended child benefit is not applicable because they start work or find a youth training place before the extension period begins. This is demonstrated by the following figures which show the total numbers of 16 and 17-year-old school leavers for the periods covered by the question:

  Number

  Christmas 1989

  8,418

  Christmas 1990

  8,073

  Easter 1990

  52,156

  Easter 1991

  45,036

  Note: No figure is shown for April 1990 because the extension period for Christmas leavers finished on I April and the period for Easter leavers did not start until 30 April.

  Maternity Payment
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what research his Department is currently undertaking on the adequacy of the £100 maternity payment for low-income expectant mothers.

  Mr. Scott
  None.

  Written Answers
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many parliamentary questions for written answer have been answered by his Department so far in the current Session, and in the comparable period for the last Session; and if he will publish a table of how many answers(a) do not give the information requested because of (i) disproportionate cost or (ii) other reasons, (b) give an undertaking to write to the hon. Member who asked the question and (c) were referred for answer to the chief executive of a next steps agency.

  Miss Widdecombe
  From the start of this Session to 17 July we answered 1,762 questions for written answer. By 17 July in the previous Session we had answered approximately 1,930. The information requested about answers is in the table.

  Session to 17 July

  1990–91

  1989–90

  Disproportionate cost

  52

  36

  Other reasons1

  77

  141

  Undertaking to write

  5

  3

  Referred to agency chief executive

  72

  0

  1 Most of these advise that "the information is not available". Referrals to information in the Library or previous answers are not included.

  Spending
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson-Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how social security spending is forecast to change over the next three years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Total social security spending is forecast to rise from £59 billion in 1990–91 to £75 billion in 1993–94. This represents a real-terms increase of 9·8 per cent. over the period.

  Disability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what will be the mechanism whereby direct payments continue to be made to severely disabled people to make their own personal assistance arrangements under his proposals for the future of the independent living fund.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 16 July at columns 133–34.

  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to review the residency rules for severe disablement allowance so as to make them no more stringent than those for attendance allowance or the new disability living allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I refer the right hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North (Mr. Allen) on Tuesday 16 July at column 134.

  Mortgagors
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentages of supplementary benefit/income support recipients were mortgagors in(a) 1980, (b) 1985 and (c) the latest year for which figures are available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The following numbers and percentages of supplementary benefit/income support recipients had an amount for mortgage interest added in their benefit assessment for the years in question:

  1980

  11986

  1990

  Number

  134,000

  356,000

  310,000

  Percentage of all income support recipients

  4

  7

  7

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry. Figures are rounded to the nearest thousand and whole per cent.

  1 No Annual Statistical Enquiry was produced in 1985.

  Benefit Rates
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the 1991–92 benefit rates, in the form used in the Official Report, 25 October 1989, columns 845–54.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the schedule.
  436

  Schedule of main proposed Social Security benefit rates from April 1991

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  Attendance allowance

  higher rate

  37·55

  41·65

  lower rate

  25·05

  27·80

  Child benefit

  only, elder or eldest for whom child benefit is payable

  7·25

  8·25

  each subsequent child

  7·25

  7·25

  Child's special allowance (see note on Child Dependency Increase)

  9·65

  10·70

  Community charge benefit

  Personal allowances

  single

  18 to 24

  28·80

  31·15

  25 or over

  36·70

  39·65

  lone parent—18 or over

  36·70

  39·65

  couple—one or both over 18

  57·60

  62·25

  dependent children

  under 11

  12·35

  13·35

  11 to 15

  18·25

  19·75

  16 to 17

  21·90

  23·65

  18

  28·80

  31·15

  Premiums

  family

  7·35

  7·95

  lone parent

  9·70

  10·05

  pensioner

  single

  11·80

  13·75

  couple

  17·95

  20·90

  pensioner (enhanced)

  single

  14·40

  15·55

  couple

  21·60

  23·35

  pensioner (higher)

  single

  17·05

  18·45

  couple

  24·25

  26·20

  disability

  single

  15·40

  16·65

  couple

  22·10

  23·90

  severe disability

  single

  28·20

  31·25

  couple (one qualifies)

  28·20

  31·25

  couple (both qualify)

  56·40

  62·50

  disabled child

  15·40

  16·65

  carer

  10·00

  10·80

  Allowance for personal expenses for claimants in hospital

  higher rate

  11·75

  13·00

  lower rate

  19·40

  10·40

  Capital

  upper limit

  116,000·00

  16,000·00

  amount disregarded

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  child's limit

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  Tariff income

  £1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit

  Earnings disregards

  where disability premium awarded

  15·00

  15·00

  various specified employments

  15·00

  15·00

  lone parent—in receipt of IS

  15·00

  15·00

  lone parent—not in receipt of IS

  25·00

  25·00

  437

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  where the claimant has a partner

  10·00

  10·00

  single claimant

  5·00

  5·00

  Other income disregards

  war disablement pension and war widows pension

  10·00

  10·00

  voluntary and charitable payments

  110·00

  10·00

  student loan

  110·00

  10·00

  student's covenanted income

  5·00

  5·00

  income from boarders:

  disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50 per cent, of the balance of the charge

  120·00

  20·00

  Expenses for subtenants

  furnished or unfurnished

  4·00

  4·00

  where heating is included, additional

  7·35

  8·05

  Dependency increases

  Adult Dependency increases

  For spouse or person looking after children, with:—

  retirement pension on own insurance invalidity pension, unemployability supplement and, if beneficiary over pension age, unemployment benefit

  28·20

  31·25

  non-contributory retirement pension, invalid care allowance and severe disablement allowance

  16·85

  18·70

  sickness benefit if beneficiary over pension age

  27·00

  29·95

  unemployment benefit

  23·05

  25·55

  maternity allowance/sickness benefit

  22·10

  24·50

  Child Dependency increases

  For each child with:—

  retirement pension, widows benefit, invalidity benefit, invalid care allowance, severe disablement allowance, higher rate industrial death benefit, unemployability supplement and sickness/ unemployment benefit if beneficiary over pension age

  9·65

  10·70

  Note: It is intended to make regulations so that, for child dependency increases, child's special allowance and guardian's allowance, the rate for the child will be abated by any increase in child benefit for that child.

  Earnings rules

  Invalid care allowance

  20·00

  30·00

  Unemployment benefit (daily rate)

  2·00

  2·00

  Therapeutic earnings limit

  35·00

  39·00

  Industrial injuries unemployability supplement permitted earnings level (annual amount)

  1,820·00

  2,028·00

  War pensioners' unemployability supplement permitted earnings level (annual amount)

  1,820·00

  2,028·00

  Adult dependency increases with sickness benefit where claimant is

  (a) under pension age

  22·10

  24·50

  (b) over pension age

  27·00

  29·95

  maternity allowance

  22·10

  24·50

  unemployment benefit where claimant is

  (a) under pension age

  23·05

  25·55

  (b) over pension age

  28·20

  31·25

  438

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  retirement pension, invalidity pension, severe disablement allowance, unemployability supplement where dependant

  (a) is living with claimant

  37·35

  41·40

  (b) still qualifies for the tapered earnings rule

  45·09

  45·09

  retirement pension, invalidity pension and unemployability supplement where dependant not living with claimant

  28·20

  31·25

  severe disablement allowance where dependant not living with claimant

  16·85

  18·70

  invalid care allowance

  16·85

  18·70

  Child dependency increases level at which CDIs payable with long-term benefits are affected by earnings of claimant's spouse or partner for first child

  100·00

  110·00

  for each subsequent child

  13·00

  14·00

  Family credit

  Adult credit

  36·35

  38·30

  Child credit

  under 11

  8·25

  9·70

  11 to 15

  14·15

  16·10

  16 to 17

  17·80

  20·05

  18

  25·10

  27·95

  Applicable amount (ie taper threshold)

  57·60

  62·25

  Capital

  upper limit

  18,000·00

  8,000·00

  amount disregarded

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  child's limit

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  Tariff income

  £1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit

  Disregards

  war disablement pension and war widow's pension

  10·00

  10·00

  voluntary and charitable payments

  110·00

  10·00

  student loan

  110·00

  10·00

  student's covenanted income

  5·00

  5·00

  income from boarders:

  disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50 per cent, of the balance of the charge

  120·00

  20·00

  Expenses for subtenants

  furnished or unfurnished

  4·00

  4·00

  where heating is included, additional

  7·35

  8·05

  Guardian's allowance—each child (see note on Child Dependency Increase)

  9·65

  10·70

  Hospital downrating

  20 per cent, rate

  9·40

  10·40

  40 per cent, rate

  18·80

  20·80

  Housing benefit

  Personal allowances single

  16 to 24

  28·80

  31·15

  25 or over

  36·70

  39·65

  lone parent

  under 18

  28·80

  31·15

  18 or over

  36·70

  39·65

  439

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  couple

  both under 18

  43·80

  47·30

  one or both over 18

  57·60

  62·25

  dependent children

  under 11

  12·35

  13·35

  11 to 15

  18·25

  19·75

  16 to 17

  21·90

  23·65

  18

  28·80

  31·15

  Premiums

  family

  7·35

  7·95

  lone parent

  9·70

  10·05

  pensioner

  single

  11·80

  13·75

  couple

  17·95

  20·90

  pensioner (enhanced)

  single

  14·40

  15·55

  couple

  21·60

  23·35

  pensioner (higher)

  single

  17·05

  18·45

  couple

  24·25

  26·20

  disability

  single

  15·40

  16·65

  couple

  22·10

  23·90

  severe disability

  single

  28·20

  31·25

  couple (one qualifies)

  28·20

  31·25

  couple (both qualify)

  56·40

  62·50

  disabled child

  15·40

  16·65

  carer

  10·00

  10·80

  Allowance for personal expenses for claimants in hospital

  higher rate

  11·75

  13·00

  lower rate

  19·40

  10·40

  Non-dependant deductions rent rebates and allowances aged 18 or over and in remunerative work

  10·85

  13·50

  others, aged 18 or over, or on Income Support and over 25

  4·55

  5·70

  low earnings threshold

  56·05

  62·15

  Service charges for fuel

  heating

  7·35

  8·05

  hot water

  0·90

  1·00

  lighting

  0·60

  0·65

  cooking

  0·90

  1·00

  all fuel

  9·75

  10·70

  Amount ineligible for meals three or more meals a day

  single claimant

  13·15

  14·20

  each person in family aged 16 or over

  13·15

  14·20

  each child under 16

  6·60

  7·15

  less than three meals a day

  single claimant

  8·75

  9·45

  each person in family aged 16 or over

  8·75

  9·45

  each child under 16

  4·35

  4·70

  breakfast only—claimant and each member of family

  1·60

  1·75

  Capital

  upper limit

  116,000·00

  16,000·00

  amount disregarded

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  child's limit

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  Tariff income

  440

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  £1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit

  Earnings disregards

  where disability premium awarded

  15·00

  15·00

  various specified employments

  15·00

  15·00

  lone parent—in receipt of IS

  15·00

  15·00

  lone parent—not in receipt of IS

  25·00

  25·00

  where the claimant has a partner

  10·00

  10·00

  single claimant

  5·00

  5·00

  Other income disregards

  war disablement pension and war widows pension

  10·00

  10·00

  voluntary and charitable payments

  110·00

  10·00

  student loan

  110·00

  10·00

  student's covenanted income

  5·00

  5·00

  income from boarders:

  disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50 per cent, of the balance of the charge

  120·00

  20·00

  Expenses for subtenants

  furnished or unfurnished

  4·00

  4·00

  where heating is included, additional

  7·35

  8·05

  Income Support

  Personal allowances

  single

  under 18—usual rate

  21·90

  23·65

  under 18—higher rate payable in specific circumstances

  28·80

  31·15

  18 to 24

  28·80

  31·15

  25 or over

  36·70

  39·65

  lone parent

  under 18—usual rate

  21·90

  23·65

  under 18—higher rate payable in specific circumstances

  28·80

  31·15

  18 or over

  36·70

  39·65

  couple

  both under 18

  43·80

  47·30

  one or both over 18

  57·60

  62·25

  dependent children

  under 11

  12·35

  13·35

  11 to 15

  18·25

  19·75

  16 to 17

  21·90

  23·65

  18

  28·80

  31·15

  Premiums

  family

  7·35

  7·95

  lone parent

  4·10

  4·45

  pensioner

  single

  11·80

  13·75

  couple

  17·95

  20·90

  pensioner (enhanced)

  single

  14·40

  15·55

  couple

  21·60

  23·35

  pensioner (higher)

  single

  17·05

  18·45

  couple

  24·25

  26·20

  disability

  single

  15·40

  16·65

  couple

  22·10

  23·90

  severe disability

  single

  28·20

  31·25

  couple (one qualifies)

  28·20

  31·25

  couple (both qualify)

  56·40

  62·50

  disabled child

  15·40

  16·65

  carer

  10·00

  10·80

  441

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  Maximum amounts for accommodation and meals in residential care homes

  old age

  1155·00

  160·00

  very dependent elderly

  1170·00

  185·00

  mental disorder (not handicap)

  1155·00

  170·00

  drug/alcohol dependence

  1155·00

  170·00

  mental handicap

  1180·00

  195·00

  physical disablement

  (a) (under pension age)

  1215·00

  230·00

  (b) (over pension age)

  1155·00

  160·00

  others

  1155·00

  160·00

  maximum Greater London increase

  23·00

  23·00

  nursing homes

  mental disorder (not handicap)

  1210·00

  255·00

  drug/alcohol dependence

  1210·00

  255·00

  mental handicap

  1225·00

  260·00

  terminal illness

  1260·00

  275·00

  physical disablement

  (a) (under pension age)

  1255·00

  290·00

  (b) (over pension age)

  1210·00

  255·00

  others (including elderly)

  1210·00

  255·00

  maximum Greater London increase

  23·00

  33·00

  Amounts for meals where these cannot be purchased within the accommodation (daily rate)

  breakfast

  1·10

  1·10

  midday meal

  1·55

  1·55

  evening meal

  1·55

  1·55

  Allowances for personal expenses for claimants in

  private and voluntary residential care and nursing homes personal expenses

  10·55

  11·40

  dependent children

  (a) Under 11

  4·30

  4·65

  (b) 11 to 15

  6·35

  6·85

  (c) 16 to 17

  7·35

  7·95

  (d) age 18

  10·55

  11·40

  hospital

  higher rate

  11·75

  13·00

  lower rate

  19·40

  10·40

  local authority (Pt III) accommodation

  9·40

  10·40

  the Polish home Ilford Park:

  maximum amount for accommodation and meals

  1155·00

  160·00

  personal expenses for claimant

  13·95

  15·10

  personal expenses for partner

  13·95

  15·10

  personal expenses for dependent children

  (a) Under 11

  4·30

  4·65

  (b) 11 to 15

  6·35

  6·85

  (c) 16 to 17

  7·35

  7·95

  (d) age 18

  12·55

  13·55

  Housing costs deduction for non·dependants

  aged 18 or over and in remunerative work

  10·85

  13·50

  others, aged 18 or over, or on Income Support and over 25

  4·55

  5·70

  low earnings threshold

  56·05

  62·15

  Deduction for direct payments

  fuel debt 5 per cent. rate

  1·85

  2·00

  fuel debt 10 per cent. rate

  3·70

  4·00

  arrears of housing costs

  1·85

  2·00

  arrears of water rates

  1·85

  2·00

  Deductions for arrears of Community Charge

  single debtor

  1·85

  2·00

  442

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  couple debtors both with IS

  2·90

  3·15

  Reduction in benefit for strikers

  19·50

  21·00

  Capital

  upper limit

  18,000·00

  8,000·00

  amount disregarded

  3,000·00

  3,000·00

  child's limit

  3,000·00

  3.000.00

  Tariff income

  £1 for every complete £250 or part thereof between amount of capital disregarded and capital upper limit

  Disregards

  standard earnings

  5·00

  5·00

  higher earnings

  15·00

  15·00

  war disablement pension and war widows pension

  10·00

  10·00

  voluntary and charitable payments

  110·00

  10·00

  student loan

  110·00

  10·00

  student's convenanted income

  5·00

  5·00

  income from boarders:

  disregard the fixed amount (£20) plus 50 per cent, of the balance of the charge

  120·00

  20·00

  Expenses for subtenants

  furnished or unfurnished

  4·00

  4·00

  where heating is included, additional

  7·35

  8·05

  Industrial death benefit

  Widow's pension

  higher rate

  46·90

  52·00

  lower rate

  14·07

  15·60

  Industrial disablement pension

  18 and over, or under 18 with dependants

  100 per cent.

  76·60

  84·90

  90 per cent.

  68·94

  76·41

  80 per cent.

  61·28

  67·92

  70 per cent.

  53·62

  59·43

  60 per cent.

  45·96

  50·94

  50 per cent.

  38·30

  42·45

  40 per cent.

  30·64

  33·96

  30 per cent.

  22·98

  25·47

  20 per cent.

  15·32

  16·98

  Under 18

  100 per cent.

  46·90

  52·00

  90 per cent.

  42·21

  46·80

  80 per cent.

  37·52

  41·60

  70 per cent.

  32·83

  36·40

  60 per cent.

  28·14

  31·20

  50 per cent.

  23·45

  26·00

  40 per cent.

  18·76

  20·80

  30 per cent.

  14·07

  15·60

  20 per cent.

  9·38

  10·40

  Maximum life gratuity (lump sum)

  5,090·00

  5,640·00

  Unemployability Supplement plus where appropriate an increase for early incapacity

  46·90

  52·00

  higher rate

  10·00

  11·10

  middle rate

  6·20

  6·90

  lower rate

  3·10

  3·45

  Maximum reduced earnings allowance

  30·64

  33·96

  Maximum retirement allowance

  7·66

  8·49

  Constant attendance allowance

  exceptional rate

  61·40

  68·00

  intermediate rate

  46·05

  51·00

  443

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  normal maximum rate

  30·70

  34·00

  part-time rate

  15·35

  17·00

  Exceptionally severe disablement allowance

  30·70

  34·00

  Invalid care allowance

  28·20

  31·25

  Invalidity benefit

  Invalidity pension

  46·90

  52·00

  Invalidity allowance

  higher rate

  10·00

  11·10

  middle rate

  6·20

  6·90

  lower rate

  3·10

  3·45

  Maternity allowance

  35·70

  40·60

  Mobility allowance

  26·25

  29·10

  One-parent benefit

  5·60

  5·60

  Pneumoconiosis, byssinosis, workmen's compensation (supplementation) and other schemes

  Total disablement allowance and major incapacity allowance (maximum)

  76·60

  84·90

  Partial disablement allowance

  28·20

  31·25

  Unemployment supplement plus where appropriate increases for early incapacity

  46·90

  52·00

  higher rate

  10·00

  11·10

  middle rate

  6·20

  6·90

  lower rate

  3·10

  3·45

  Constant attendance allowance

  exceptional rate

  61·40

  68·00

  intermediate rate

  46·05

  51·00

  normal maximum rate

  30·70

  34·00

  part-time rate

  15·35

  17·00

  Exceptionally severe disablement allowance

  30·70

  34·00

  Lesser incapacity allowance

  maximum rate of allowance

  28·20

  31·25

  based on loss of earnings over

  37·55

  41·65

  Retirement pension

  Category A or B

  46·90

  52·00

  Category B (lower)—husband's insurance

  28·20

  31·25

  Category C or D—non-contributory

  28·20

  31·25

  Category C (lower)—non-contributory

  16·85

  18·70

  Additional pension

  (increased by 10·9%)

  Increments to basic and additional pension, contracted out deductions (from pre April 1988 earnings) and graduated retirement benefit

  (increased by 10·9%)

  Contrated out deductions and increments to contracted out deductions (from post April 1988 earnings1)

  (3% paid by scheme 7·9% paid by state)

  Graduated retirement benefit (unit)(pence)

  6·14

  6·81

  Addition at age 80

  0·25

  0·25

  Severe disablement allowance

  Basic rate

  28·20

  31·25

  444

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  Age-related addition (from December 1990)

  higher rate

  110·00

  11·10

  middle rate

  16·20

  6·90

  lower rate

  3·10

  3·45

  Sickness benefit

  Over pension age

  45·00

  49·90

  Under pension age

  35·70

  39·60

  Social fund

  Maternity payment

  100·00

  100·00

  Capital limit

  aged under 60

  1500·00

  500·00

  aged 60 and over

  1,000·00

  1,000·00

  Statutory maternity pay

  Lower rate

  39·25

  44·50

  Statutory sick pay

  Lower rate

  39·25

  43·50

  Standard rate

  52·50

  52·50

  Unemployment benefit

  Over pension age

  46·90

  52·00

  Under pension age

  37·35

  41·40

  Occupational pension abatement

  35·00

  35·00

  War pensions

  Disablement pension (100 per cent. rates)

  private or equivalent

  76·60

  84·90

  officer (£ per annum)

  3,994·00

  4,427·00

  Age allowances

  40 per cent.-50 per cent.

  5·40

  6·00

  over 50 per cent, but not over 70 per cent.

  8·35

  9·25

  over 70 per cent, but not over 90 per cent.

  11·95

  13·25

  over 90 per cent.

  16·70

  18·50

  Disablement gratuity (base figures for calculation purposes only)

  specified minor injury

  5,090·00

  5,640·00

  unspecified minor injury

  2,799·50

  3,102·00

  Unemployability allowance

  personal

  49·80

  55·25

  adult dependency increase

  28·20

  31·25

  (a) increase for first child (adjusted for ChB increase)

  19·65

  9·70

  (b) increase for subsequent children

  19·65

  10·70

  Invalidity allowance

  higher rate

  10·00

  11·10

  middle rate

  6·20

  6·90

  lower rate

  3·10

  3·45

  Constant attendance allowance

  exceptional rate

  61·40

  68·00

  intermediate rate

  46·05

  51·00

  normal maximum rate

  30·70

  34·00

  part-time rate

  15·35

  17·00

  Comforts allowance

  higher rate

  13·20

  14·60

  lower rate

  6·60

  7·30

  Mobility supplement

  29·15

  32·35

  Allowance for lowered standard of occupation (maximum)

  30·64

  33·96

  Exceptionally severe disablement allowance

  30·70

  34·00

  445

  Weekly rates unless otherwise shown

  Old rates 1990

  New rates 1991

  Severe disablement occupational allowance

  15·35

  17·00

  Clothing allowance (£ per annum)

  higher rate

  104·00

  115·00

  lower rate

  66·00

  73·00

  Education allowance (£ per annum) (maximum)

  120·00

  120·00

  War widow's pension (private)

  widow

  60·95

  67·60

  childless widow under 40

  14·07

  15·60

  age allowance

  (a) age 65 to 69

  7·00

  7·75

  (b) age 70 to 79

  13·50

  14·95

  (c) age 80 and over

  20·00

  22·20

  children's allowance

  (a) increase for first child (adjusted for ChB increase)

  113·40

  13·65

  (b) increase for subsequent children

  113·40

  14·65

  Orphan's pension

  (a) increase for first child (adjusted for ChB increase)

  114·70

  15·10

  (b) increase for subsequent children

  114·70

  16·10

  Unmarried dependant living as spouse (maximum)

  58·90

  65·55

  Rent allowance (maximum)

  23·20

  25·75

  Adult orphan's pension (maximum)

  46·90

  52·00

  Widower's pension (maximum)

  60·95

  67·60

  Widow's benefit

  Widow's payment (lump sum)

  1,000·00

  1,000·00

  Widowed mother's allowance

  46·90

  52·00

  Widow's pension standard rate age related

  46·90

  52·00

  age 54 (49)

  43·62

  48·36

  53 (48)

  40·33

  44·72

  52 (47)

  37·05

  41·08

  51 (46)

  33·77

  37·44

  50 (45)

  30·49

  33·80

  49 (44)

  27·20

  30·16

  48 (43)

  23·92

  26·52

  47 (42)

  20·64

  22·88

  46 (41)

  17·35

  19·24

  45 (40)

  14·07

  15·60

  Note: For deaths occuring before 11 April 1988 refer to age-points shown in brackets.

  1 These items either inserted for the first time or amended, between April 1990 and April 1991.

  Community Charge Benefit
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the saving to his Department in community charge benefit subsidy payments as a result of poll tax capping in(a) 1990–91 and (b) 1991–92; and if he will set out the saving in respect of each designated authority.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he has any plans to increase or abolish the £500 capital limit for social fund payments.

  Mr. Scott
  On 14 June this year I announced our intention to abolish the capital rule for cold weather payments from next winter. We have no plans to alter the present capital limits for other payments from the social fund, which currently stand at £500, or £1,000 for people over 60.

  Pensioners (Home Ownership)
  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what estimate he has of the number of pensioners who own their own home and have repaid their mortgage.

  Miss Widdecombe
  It is estimated that, in 1988, around 3·4 million homes were owned outright by either a single pensioner or a pensioner couple.

  Dementia
  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to introduce legislation for retrospective reinstatement of rights and benefits for those sufferers of dementia who have lost their jobs, either volutarily or through dismissal, and who have only later been diagnosed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  No. Legislation already exists to allow an adjudication officer to reconsider retrospectively a decision to reduce or refuse benefits. Section 104 of the Social Security Act 1975 allows a review of a decision by an adjudication officer or social security appeal tribunal at any time if the officer or tribunal is satisfied that the decision was given in ignorance of, or was based on a mistake as to, some material fact.

  Mr. Hoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to increase the scope of welfare benefits available to younger sufferers from dementia.

  Mr. Scott
  Benefits for people with long-term sickness or disability are awarded, not on the basis of the medical condition from which a person is suffering, but on the effects and needs to which that condition gives rise. People suffering from dementia may receive a wide range of benefits. That range will be further increased in April 1992 when disability living allowance is introduced to provide new help for people with care or mobility needs. People entitled to disability living allowance will be eligible for the disability premium within the income-related benefits.

  Spending Priorities
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he is considering any changes to his Department's spending priorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  Priorities within the Department's expenditure are kept under review, but we have no specific proposals for change at present.

DEFENCE

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his feasibility studies into the options for the disposal of decommissioned nuclear-propelled submarines are complete; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The policy for disposal of decommissioned nuclear submarines is still under active consideration. No final decision has yet been taken.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the locations of all nuclear-powered submarines which have either been decommissioned or are awaiting decommissioning.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Dreadnought and Churchill are at Rosyth and Warspite and Conqueror at Devonport.

  Iraq
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what level of extra pay and allowances over and above normal salaries members of the armed services receive while on duty in refugee camps in Iraq.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The normal rules for service pay and allowances have been applied to members of the armed forces employed on Operation Haven.

  Northern Ireland
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the present strength of the British Army is serving in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The latest figures available show the proportion to be about 11 per cent. of the total strength or 12 per cent. of the trained strength.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which sections of his Department had accounts with BCCI.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's response to the next steps initiative.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence is making a substantial response to next steps. Two executive and six defence support agencies have been established, employing over 34,000 service and civilian staff.

  My Department's response to next steps is part of the major programme of defence management reform, which has been described in successive Statements on the Defence Estimates. Next steps places particular emphasis on efficiency, standards of service to customers and value for money. The Ministry of Defence's support organisations provide services to internal and external customers, including operational units. Higher standards of service and performance will enhance the overall effectiveness of our defence capability. Agency disciplines will be
  448
  important in shaping the smaller, more flexible and higher-quality support structure that will be needed in the future. The agency programme will be an important part of my Department's contribution to the citizens charter initiative.

  My Department will undergo substantial restructuring as a result of "Options for Change" and the PROSPECT study of the headquarters. We therefore intend to proceed on the basis of a two-year next steps programme. This will give us more scope to take account of continuing work on "Options for Change" and PROSPECT, while maintaining the necessary momentum on next steps.

  We shall aim to make early progress on reviews of agency status for tri-service helicopter repair, the Ministry of Defence police, the defence operational analysis establishment, central computer bureau services, the defence animal centre, defence statistics, common services, the Queen Victoria school, Dunblane and the Duke of York's royal military school, Dover. We would aim to complete as many as possible of these reviews and, if the outcome is positive, establish agencies by the end of this financial year. We shall continue our review of RAF training, taking into account current studies of the structure and organisation of the RAF support area, aiming to complete it as soon as we can. We shall also begin reviews of naval training, Army logistics, test and evaluation, human factors research and some communications services, aiming to complete these by the end of the second year. Other organisations may be added to the list as the future shape of the support area becomes clearer. Equally, there is no presumption from inclusion in the list that the organisation concerned will become an agency. This is a review process which involves, inter alia, consideration of alternative options, including privatisation and contracting out.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps have so far been taken to identify and discipline those responsible for attempting to pervert the process of the Civil Service Appeals Board in the case of Mr. Colin Wallace;

  (2) if he will invite the Metropolitan police to investigate the attempt to pervert the process of the Civil Service Appeals Board in the case of Mr. Colin Wallace;

  (3) if he will invite Mr. David Calcutt to conduct a further, open-ended review of the case of Mr. Colin Wallace with a remit to identify all those responsible for the conspiracy to pervert the due process of the Civil Service Appeals Board.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have no reason to believe that the officials who communicated with the Civil Service Appeals Board did so other than in good faith. No further inquiries are considered necessary.

  Nuclear Test Ban
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the 1991–92 allocation of £2,441 million targeted for research and development under section 2.3, page 10, of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1991, Volume 2" (Cm. 1559-II), is intended for research into the verification of a nuclear test ban.
  449
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Government expenditure on unclassified work in relation to verification amounts to less than one tenth of I per cent. of the total R and D budget. The Government also undertake some classified work in related areas, details of which cannot be revealed on grounds of national security.

  Strategic Nuclear Force
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the £1,445 million allocated for 1991–92 to the strategic nuclear force, section 2.3, page 10, of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates, 1991, Volume 2" (Cm. 155941), is attributable, respectively, to(a) nuclear warhead testing in the United States of America, (b) nuclear warhead design and development,(c) radiological protection at atomic weapons establishments, (d) nuclear waste storage and disposal at atomic weapons establishments and (e) safety assurance testing for transportation of warheads.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information requested at(a), (b) and (e) is classified. The information at (c) and (d) is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under which sub-heading in the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1991" (Cm 1559-II) environmental protection and research activities of his Department's activities are subsumed; and if he will publish an estimate of the total annual allocation of defence expenditure to environmental matters accounted for in the estimates.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  This Department's expenditure on environmental measures cannot be separately identified.

  European Defence Initiative
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the Government's current annual financial commitment to the European long-term initiative for defence; and how much he estimates it is likely to be for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Our current commitment of £1 million is for collaborative research over the next four years; it is envisaged that work will not begin until 1992. Funding for Euclid over the next five years will be determined in the light of agreements reached for further collaborative projects.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will next meet his European counterparts to discuss the European long-term initiative for defence.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No meetings are currently planned specifically to discuss the European long-term initiative for defence, Euclid. However, the subject may be raised at the next meeting of Defence Ministers from the participating nations in spring next year.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the achievements of(a) his policies and (b) his Department in helping
  450
  small businesses over the last 12 months as against the previous 12 months; and if he will publish the performance indicators by which his Department monitors those achievements and the statistical results of such monitoring.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Further to the reply I gave to the hon. Member on 24 July last year, Vol. 177, column 121, I can inform him of the following: our new suppliers service has given marketing advice to about 2,400 companies over the last 12 months; our fortnightly Contracts Bulletin now includes details of sub-contract opportunities and allows sub-contractors to purchase advertising space; and during 1990–91, 38 defence research contracts, with a total value of £1·18 million were placed under our small firms research initiative.

  Details of payments to small firms during 1990–91 are not yet available, but during 1989–90, about 6,200 small companies secured headquarters contracts, with a total value of approximately £1 billion. Just over half this went to businesses with fewer than 50 employees. Over the same period, MOD establishments awarded over 200,000 local purchase orders to small firms, at a total value of £100 million.

  Navy Bases
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the estimated annual costs of operating each of the Royal Navy bases and the anticipated savings or additional costs arising from the decisions made to rationalise the Royal Navy's support infrastructure.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The cash allocation for each of the naval bases for the current financial year is:

  £ million

  Portsmouth

  148·1

  Devonport

  122·9

  Faslane

  74·8

  Rosyth

  64·8

  Portland

  14·8

  The savings expected from the naval support rationalisation measures announced by my right hon. Friend on 16 July 1991, Official Report, columns 148–49, amount to approximately £275 million over 10 years.

  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers and types of vessels which will be based at each of the Royal Navy bases in the light of the decisions made to rationalise the Royal Navy's support infrastructure.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Vessels are currently base-ported as shown in the following table. On 16 July my right hon. Friend announced our plans to transfer from Rosyth the four Type 42 destroyers and the Northern Ireland squadron—four vessels—to Portsmouth and Faslane respectively. Overall vessel numbers will change as the Royal Navy moves towards the smaller fleet set out in the 1991 Statement on the Defence Estimates.

  Portsmouth

  6 Diesel/electric submarines (SSKs)

  8 Destroyers

  7 Frigates

  3 Carriers

  7 Minor war vessels

  451

  5 Others

  Devonport

  9 Nuclear-powered submarines (SSNs)

  29 Frigates

  6 Others

  Faslane

  4 Ballistic missile submarines

  5 SSN 2 SSK

  Rosyth

  4 Destroyers

  27 Minor war vessels

  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers of naval and civilian personnel which he anticipates will be employed at each of the Royal Navy bases in the light of decisions made to rationalise the Royal Navy's support infrastructure.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The numbers of naval and civilian personnel currently at the naval bases are shown in 452
  the table. Proposals for the reduction in tasks at Rosyth naval base would entail 1,100 naval personnel transferring to Portsmouth and 100 to Faslane. Nine hundred civilian jobs would also be affected although it is too soon to say how many of these might be transferred to other naval bases. Some redeployment of civilian staff is envisaged in the light of the other restructuring proposals announced on 16 July by my right hon. Friend, but specific numbers have yet to be finalised. As my right hon. Friend made clear in his statement, the MOD will now proceed to rationalise support activities in each of the naval base areas.

  Naval base

  Civilians

  Naval Personnel1

  Portsmouth

  5,800

  8,500

  Devonport

  3,850

  9,300

  Faslane

  2,000

  3,500

  Rosyth

  2,100

  4,200

  Portland

  700

  500

  1 Includes those in shore jobs, on board ships base ported at the Base or crews of ships being refitted there.

  IRAQ: SHIA REFUGEES
  IRAQ: SHIA REFUGEES
  "A BUS STRATEGY FOR LONDON": RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
  "A BUS STRATEGY FOR LONDON": RESPONSE TO COMMENTS
  PUBLIC UNDERTAKERS: REGULATORS' POWERS
  PUBLIC UNDERTAKERS: REGULATORS' POWERS
  NASEBY BATTLEFIELD: A.1-M.1 LINK ROAD
  NASEBY BATTLEFIELD: A.1-M.1 LINK ROAD
  ABORTION STATISTICS 1990
  ABORTION STATISTICS 1990
  SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE: STAFFING
  SERIOUS FRAUD OFFICE: STAFFING
  WAR CRIMES ACT: PROSECUTIONS
  WAR CRIMES ACT: PROSECUTIONS
  THE GULF WAR: EFFECTS OF ALLIED BOMBING
  THE GULF WAR: EFFECTS OF ALLIED BOMBING
  SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD INVESTIGATION STAFF
  SOCIAL SECURITY FRAUD INVESTIGATION STAFF
  INVERMECTIN: USE IN FARMED SALMON
  INVERMECTIN: USE IN FARMED SALMON
  FISH FARMS: PLANNING CONTROL
  FISH FARMS: PLANNING CONTROL