Written Answers of 23 July 1991

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Departmental Reorganisation
  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has for reshaping his Ministry's organisation to make it more effective in meeting the requirement of its customers.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food provides a range of services for our customers. Our regional administrative staff handle grant and subsidy work, licensing and other services for farmers; animal health offices provide veterinary services; and ADAS makes available advice and expertise to farmers and growers.

  I have been considering how best to improve the delivery of our services, particularly in the light of the decision to establish ADAS as an executive agency from 1 April 1992. As a result, we are establishing three service centre networks, each one dedicated to delivering the best possible quality of service.

  MAFF service centres

  There will be nine regional service centres, which will handle the Ministry's grant and subsidy work, licensing and various other services which are provided to farmers and growers. These centres will be located as follows:

  Service centre location

  Areas Covered

  Bristol

  Avon, Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire

  Cambridge

  Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk

  Carlisle

  Cumbria, Lancashire, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear

  Crewe

  Cheshire, Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Shropshire, Staffordshire

  Nottingham

  Derbyshire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire

  Northallerton

  Cleveland, Durham, Humberside, Yorkshire (North, South and West)

  Reading

  Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, East Sussex, Hampshire, Isle of Wight, Kent, Greater London, Oxfordshire, Surrey, West Sussex

  Worcester

  Hereford and Worcester, Gloucestershire, Warwickshire, West Midlands

  The 9th regional service centre will cover Cornwall and Devon. I have asked for further study of where this centre should be located. Meanwhile, the administrative staff will continue to be in Exeter and Truro, as at present.

  It is proposed to put in place this new structure of regional service centres as from April of next year. The
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  reorganisation of the offices will take rather longer than this, but will be put in effect as quickly as possible. Initially, all the centres will occupy existing offices, although in the case of Cambridge the possibility of a move to a location outside the city is being considered.

  In order to make sure that the needs of the regions covered by each of these new centres are properly reflected, I am intending to appoint nine regional panels of outside advisers, drawn from procedures, retailers and consumers. They will continue the work done by the five larger panels we have at present, and the wider consumer representation will complement the work of the consumer panel which I set up in 1989, and my meetings with consumer groups.

  Animal Health

  I have concluded that the continuation of efficient and effective services by the state veterinary service will be best achieved by retaining the present structure of 29 animal health offices and five regional centres. They will continue in their present locations.

  Agricultural Development and Advisory Service

  The Agricultural Development and Advisory Service plans to restructure the management of its main consultancy operations into 13 new business centres in England located at Bury St. Edmunds, Guildford, Huntingdon, Leeds, Lincoln, Maidstone, Newcastle, Oxford, Preston, Starcross (Devon), Taunton, Wolverhampton and Worcester. Proposals for office locations in Wales are being considered by ADAS and the Welsh Office. ADAS plans to retain its existing analytical and microbiology laboratories together with the network of experimental farms. ADAS also envisages that some consultancy staff will continue to be located in satellite offices. The precise number and location of these satellite offices is still under consideration, but most of the existing ADAS-locations will still be operating when ADAS becomes an executive agency in April 1992. Initially, at least, the new business centres will be located in existing Ministry offices, but in all cases ADAS will be reviewing its office accommodation. Any changes will be publicised by ADAS.

  I am confident that this new tripartite organisation will enable the regional service centres, the animal health offices and ADAS to provide the high level of cost effective and efficient service which the Ministry's customers have a right to expect from us.

  Veterinary Investigation Centres
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements he is making to maintain veterinary investigation service facilities for private veterinary surgeons and farmers in Cornwall.

  Mr. Gummer
  One of the considerations which led to the decision to close the Truro centre was the low level of local demand by private veterinary surgeons for chargeable services. I have now concluded, however, that a VI service unit should be retained at Truro in order to continue to provide statutory and chargeable post-mortem facilities and statutory and chargeable advisory visits. It will be staffed by a veterinary investigation officer and supporting staff. The position will be reviewed in two years' time in the light of the demand, in the meantime, for the services.

  Farm Woodland Scheme
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the future of the farm woodland scheme.

  Mr. Gummer
  The farm woodland scheme was introduced in October 1988 for a three-year trial period. That period will shortly expire and the Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and I are undertaking a comprehensive review of the scheme.

  As a contribution to the review we commissioned three farm surveys from Robertson Gould Consultants on the silvicultural and the environmental aspects of the scheme in Great Britain, and from Wye college and the Scottish agricultural college, Aberdeen on the socio-economic aspects in England and Scotland respectively. These have now been published by the three organisations and copies are available from them. In addition we have received a number of submissions from organisations with a particular interest in the scheme. To give us time to analyse this information and to complete the review we have decided to continue to accept applications under the existing rules of the farm woodland scheme until 31 March 1992. An announcement about the outcome of the review will be made in the autumn.

  Finally, section 2(3) of the Farm Land and Rural Development Act 1988 requires that Ministers review the grants under the farm woodland scheme in Great Britain by 30 September 1991 and lay a report before Parliament. The Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and I have reviewed the annual payments provided under the scheme and have decided that they should remain unchanged. A report giving the background to our decision has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Agricultural Prices
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will describe the net effects on supply estimates of the European Community decision on agricultural prices for 1991–92.

  Mr. Gummer
  The net voted provision for class III vote 1 intervention board—executive agency (CAP market support) is £72·270 million. Gross provision is £1,895 million. It is estimated that changes to market conditions which had arisen after the supply estimate was published would have increased the net provision required to some £110 million and that the price settlement has reduced this requirement to nearly £81 million. Supplementary estimates will be presented as necessary to reflect changes in vote provision required, reflecting also any further changes in market conditions.

  The effect of the price settlement arises mainly from reduced attractiveness of intervention for beef and dairy products, lowered rates of aid for oilseeds crushing and on protein plants and increased receipts because of the higher cereals co-responsibility levy. The devaluation of the green pound has increased sterling costs of CAP market support but has removed the MCAS on trade both within the community and with non-member states at current market exchange rates.

  Fish Products
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a table showing the volume and value of imports and exports of fish-fingers in 1970, 1979, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and the current year to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  The value and volume of trade in deep-frozen raw fish fillets, coated with batter or breadcrumbs, are set out as follows. Comparable information is not available for 1970.

  Volume (thousand tonnes)

  Value (£ million)

  Period

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  Exports

  1979

  1·7

  4·4

  2·8

  7·0

  1987

  2·4

  3·2

  6·4

  7·6

  1988

  3·5

  4·8

  10·4

  10·8

  1989

  3·9

  5·0

  11·0

  9·9

  1990

  3·7

  5·0

  11·9

  11·7

  11991

  1·8

  2·3

  5·9

  4·9

  1 January to May 1991.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will publish a table showing the volume and value of imports and exports of fish products other than fish fingers in 1970, 1979, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and the current year to date.

  Mr. Maclean
  The value and volume of trade in fish products other than deep-frozen raw fish fillets, covered with batter or breadcrumbs, are set out in the table. Comparable information is not available for 1970.

  Period

  Volume (thousand tonnes)

  Value (£ million)

  Imports

  Exports

  Imports

  Exports

  1979

  208·1

  171·5

  262·1

  102·6

  1987

  299·2

  118·5

  647·4

  251·6

  1988

  316·8

  119·1

  656·4

  231·7

  1989

  361·8

  131·3

  741·2

  256·3

  1990

  378·8

  138·0

  807·1

  292·6

  11991

  155·7

  172·3

  325·9

  124·3

  1 January to May

  Chemical Spraying
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state, for each European Community member country, what requirements, if any, exist at the point of sale for the display of information on the chemical spraying of fruit and vegetables.

  Mr. Maclean
  Labelling of four preservatives when used on citrus and one when used on bananas is required by some member states. An indication of other post-harvest treatments is required in France and is required in Greece for produce imported from outside the Community. No other requirements are known. However, the Council has asked the Commission to conduct a "close study" of "all aspects and practical consequences" of both pre and post-harvest pesticide labelling.

  Marine Mammals
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the work on marine mammals which is carried out at the Truro veterinary investigation centre; and how many and what type have been seen at that veterinary investigation centre in each of the last five years.
  457
  Mr. Gummer
  Post mortem examinations of marine mammals are carried out on behalf of research workers at the Institute of Zoology, Zoological Society of London as part of a project funded by the Department of the Environment. The number and type of submissions examined at the Truro veterinary investigation centre in each of the last five years are:

  Post mortem examinations of carcasses

  Examinations of carcass viscera only (carcasses not examined)

  Whale

  Dolphin/Porpoise

  Seal

  Whale

  Dolphin/porpoise

  Seal

  1986

  0

  1

  1

  0

  0

  1

  1987

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1988

  0

  0

  2

  0

  3

  0

  1989

  1

  2

  5

  1

  2

  1

  1990

  1

  10

  6

  0

  0

  1

  1991

  0

  5

  5

  0

  0

  0

  Table 6.7 Costs and earnings of hired labour

  £ million (unless otherwise specified)

  Calendar years

  Average of 1979–81

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990 (forecast)

  Hired labour costs Wages and salaries1

  906

  1,271

  1,271

  1,330

  1,375

  1,479

  Insurance payments

  112

  104

  99

  106

  117

  129

  Other payments2

  2

  7

  7

  7

  8

  7

  Total

  1,021

  1,383

  1,378

  1,443

  1,500

  1,616

  Hours and earnings of regular whole-time male workers, 20 years and over

  Hours per week3

  46·1

  46·7

  46·5

  46·6

  46·6

  46·8

  Earnings per week (£)4

  84·7

  140·8

  148·0

  155·4

  167·4

  187·4

  Index of earnings in real terms (deflated by the RPI, 1985 = 100)

  91·1

  101·5

  102·4

  102·6

  102·6

  104·7

  1 Includes perquisites.

  2 Includes redundancy payments, workers' pension scheme and youth training scheme.

  3 All hours worked and statutory holidays.

  4 Includes pay for statutory holidays, employers' contribution to employees' community charge and payments in kind for houses, board and lodging and milk which are valued at rates laid down by the agricultural wages boards.

  Table 6.8 Interest

  £ million (unless otherwise specified)

  Calendar years

  Average of 1979–81

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990 (forecast)

  Interest rates

  Average bank base lending rate in the United Kingdom (percentage)

  14·4

  10·9

  9·7

  10·1

  13·9

  14·8

  Average rate of interest on bank advances to agriculture (percentage)

  16·8

  13·3

  12·1

  12·5

  16·2

  17·1

  Interest charges (for current farming purposes and buildings and works) on:

  bank advances

  423

  656

  595

  636

  881

  991

  AMC loans

  5

  6

  7

  7

  9

  11

  instalment credit

  20

  30

  29

  34

  48

  59

  leased assets

  14

  58

  42

  50

  65

  68

  other credit1

  3

  3

  4

  4

  5

  6

  less interest on deposits2

  47

  54

  40

  34

  52

  54

  Total

  417

  700

  637

  696

  955

  1,080

  1This includes interest paid on loans from the Agricultural Credit Corporation, from the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland and from private sources.

  2Interest earned on money held on short term deposit.

  Drift Nets
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, fisheries and food what plans exist for a team of his scientists to join Cornish fisherman to observe large-scale drift-netting in operation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  A MAFF observer is currently accompanying the present fishing trip. Further plans will be made in the light of findings on this trip. The nets being

  Interest Charges
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has on the amount paid on interest charges by farmers for current farming purposes and buildings and works for(a) bank advances, (b) Agricultural Mortgage Corporation loans, (c) instalment credit, (d) leased assets, (e) other credit and (f) interest on deposits for 1990; what forecasts he has for 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The latest estimates of the level of interest payments in 1990 were published in table 6.8 of Agriculture in the United Kingdom: 1990. Forecasts for the 1991 year will be contained in the next edition to be published early in 1992. I am sure that farmers generally will welcome the recent reductions in interest rates, which have been made possible by the success of the Government's anti-inflation policy.

  used are about one-eighth of the large-scale 50 kilometre nets in the Pacific which prompted United Nations resolution against drift nets.

  State Veterinary Service
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will set out the costs of running the state veterinary service, excluding compensation paid
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  as a result of animals contracting various diseases, for each year since 1979; what are his estimates of expenditure for each year until 1993–94; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested for each year since 1979 is not readily available and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost. The baseline figures for expenditure for each year until 1993–94, is as follows:

  £ million

  1991–92

  27·8

  1992–93

  30·0

  1993–94

  32·9

  Alcohol Labelling
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made by the European Community to require compulsory nutrient-labelling of wines and other alcoholic beverages, with full disclosures of all chemical additives, colourings and preservatives, as well as of any pesticide used on the fruit.

  Mr. Maclean
  General compulsory nutrition labelling is not an option at the moment as there is no support from other member states. We therefore believed it right to put our full weight behind the Nutrition Labelling Rules Directive (90/496/EEC) which, with the exception of drinks subject to the labelling requirements of the wine regime, is fully applicable to alcoholic drinks. The Directive provides for the voluntary declaration of nutrients within mandatory formats. Declarations will be compulsory only if a nutrition claim is made. United Kingdom has achieved provision for a review of arrangements five years after implementation and will look at the need for general compulsory labelling in the light of experience gained.

  Proposals to amend the EC Food Labelling Directive (79/112/EEC) to require ingredient listing for alcoholic beverages have not yet been received from the European Commission. These are expected late summer 1991.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Land Registry
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average period of time that it takes for the Land Registry to register fully a change in title.

  The Attorney-General
  The average period of time that it currently takes the Land Registry to register a change in title is six weeks. A much faster service is provided where the application is urgent.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Attorney-General what proposals he has for improving the speed and efficiency of the Land Registry.

  The Attorney-General
  Following its establishment as an executive agency the Land Registry published performance targets agreed with the Lord Chancellor and covering the three years 1991–1994. Those targets included the following improvements in productivity and speed of services:460

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Productivity

  Progressive reduction in unit costs

  Target: to achieve or better a 6 per cent, improvement over the three-year period.

  Progressive increase in output per post per year

  Quality of Service

  Speed

  Percentage of pre-completion applications handled in four days

  91

  91·5

  92

  Average handling time for post-completion applications (weeks)

  7

  6

  5

  Crown Prosecution Service
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Attorney-General, pursuant to his answer of 24 June,Official Report, column 352, if he will arrange for a copy of the research on the potential costs and savings to the Crown prosecution service, according to the range of options open to the Lord Chancellor's advisory committee on legal education and training, to be placed in the Library.

  The Attorney-General
  No.

  Assistant Recorders
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Attorney-General how many(a) women and (b) men were authorised to sit as assistant recorders in the last five years at (i) 12 years or under call, (ii) 13 years call, (iii) 14 years call, (iv) 15 years call, (v) 16 years call, (vi) 17 years call, (vii) 18 years call, (viii) 19 years call and (ix) 20 or more years call, respectively.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is not available in precisely the form requested. For those who are currently serving as assistant recorders (who include the majority of those authorised to sit in the last five years) the numbers for each length of call, or, in the case of solicitors, length of admission, are as follows:

  Women

  Men

  12 years or less

  1

  2

  13 years

  1

  5

  14 years

  1

  16

  15 years

  —

  28

  16 years

  3

  42

  17 years

  5

  47

  18 years

  4

  50

  19 years

  3

  46

  20 or more years

  9

  157

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average length of call and average age on appointment of(a) women and (b) men currently serving as assistant recorders.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is as follows:

  Average of length of call1 (years)

  Average age (years)

  Women

  19·0

  43·2

  Men

  19·2

  43·4

  1 Or, for a solicitor, length of admission.

  461
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Attorney-General what proportion of those called to sit as assistant recorders were women in 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 and 1990 respectively.

  The Attorney-General
  The information is not available in the form requested. However, invitations since 1986 to attend the Judicial Studies Board criminal induction courses, which must be completed before authorisation to sit as an assistant recorder, indicate that the proportions are as follows:

  Women Per cent.

  Men Per cent.

  1986

  9

  91

  1987

  5

  95

  1988

  4

  96

  1989

  7

  93

  1990

  7

  93

  19911

  15

  85

  1 To date.

  Women Lawyers
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Attorney-General how many women solicitors and barristers are statutorily qualified for any circuit appointment.

  The Attorney-General
  This information is not held by Government in the form requested. Eligibility for appointment depends on the number of years for which a solicitor or barrister has held the appropriate qualification within the meaning of section 71 of the Courts and Legal Services Act 1990. The Law Society and the General Council of the Bar regulate the holding of such qualifications by solicitors and barristers respectively and lists of practitioners are published on a regular basis.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  UN Arms Sales Register
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will n-rake a statement on an international United Nations arms sales register.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Our initiative for a UN register has received wide support. The European Council on 28–29 June decided that the Twelve should put forward a joint resolution to the next UN General Assembly proposing a register. Leaders at the London economic summit affirmed their commitment to the early adoption of such a register. At their meeting in Paris on 8 and 9 July the five permanent members of the Security Council also endorsed this approach. We are pleased that the recent report of the UN expert study group on transparency has recommended the prompt establishment of a register.

  Israel (Nuclear Weapons)
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he intends to take to secure the elimination of nuclear weapons in Israel.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As a depositary state of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty (NPT) it is our policy to take every suitable opportunity both to raise the importance of 462
  nuclear non-proliferation with all non-parties to the non-proliferation treaty and to lobby them to accede as soon as possible. This would engage them in an undertaking not to manufacture or acquire nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Scott Joyce
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will call for a report from Her Majesty's Government's consul on Corfu into the circumstances of the arrest of Mr. Scott Joyce of 28 Cannon Drive, Ash Green, Coventry, on 26 June and his sentencing to 12 months' imprisonment on 27 June, and as to whether legal representation was available to him.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have received a report from our consul at Corfu about the arrest and conviction of Mr. Scott Joyce. The consul was notified on 27 June 1991 of Mr. Joyce's arrest the previous day. Mr. Joyce's trial was held the same day, after he had confirmed to the consul that he did not intend to request a postponement. He was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment.

  The consul, aware that Mr. Joyce did not have funds for a lawyer, asked whether he required assistance to contact anyone for funds. Mr. Joyce declined this offer, and was therefore unrepresented in court.

  Criminal Matters
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when Her Majesty's Government intend to ratify the European convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters and the additional protocol to the European convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Government of the United Kingdom intend to ratify the European convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters and the additional protocol to the European convention on mutual assistance in criminal matters in August this year.

TRANSPORT

  British Rail Property
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the income from the sale of British Rail property for each year since 1980; what is his estimate of the value of property at present owned by British Rail; and into what broad categories the property can be classified.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Income from the sale by the British Rail Property Board—BRPB—of British Rail property for each year since 1980 was as follows:

  Year

  Net sales after expenses (£ million)

  1980

  33

  1981

  38

  1982

  29

  1983

  67

  11984–85

  145

  1985–86

  73

  1986–87

  101

  463

  Year

  Net sales after expenses (£ million)

  1987–88

  176

  1988–89

  265

  1989–90

  2331

  1990–91

  2122

  1 15 months.

  2 Includes sales of property acquired in connection with the channel tunnel rail link project.

  The book value of the assets owned by British Rail is shown in BR's accounts, published with the board's annual report; the value of the board's interest in non-operational property on 31 March 1991 was £268·5 million. Operational property may also be sold once it becomes surplus to operational requirements.

  Jubilee Line
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proportion of the cost of the Jubilee line extension he currently expects to recover from Olympia and York, and other private sources; what is the current estimated cost in current prices of the Jubilee line extension; and whether private sector contributions to the line will be inflation-protected.

  Mr. Freeman
  The approved cost of the Jubilee line extension is £1,042 million in 1989 prices, equivalent to £1,188 million in today's prices, although the figure is currently under review. The agreed private sector contributions are spread over a longer period than the construction; when costs and contributions are discounted to a common base year, some 17 per cent. of the approved cost is covered by contributions. These are not inflation-protected.

  Dartford Bridge
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether disabled people will be permitted to drive invalid vehicles across the new Dartford bridge.

  Mr. Chope
  The Dartford Tunnel Byelaws 1988, as amended, permit the passage of any vehicle, including an invalid carriage, through the tunnels as long as it is capable of maintaining a minimum speed of 10 mph. I understand that the crossing operator, Dartford River Crossing Ltd, intends to propose the same conditions for the new bridge when it opens later this year.

  Channel Tunnel
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he intends to announce a shortlist of the options proposed for the route of the channel tunnel rail link; when he expects to make a decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government are still considering the large volume of material submitted by British Rail in the last 11 weeks. We have also had discussions with the proponents of the options that were studied. The issues were complex and require careful and thorough examination.

  Ferries
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether it is a condition of the operating licence for ferries docking in ports in the United Kingdom that the post emergency evacuation and exit signs are in English on all ships.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Emergency signs, illustrations and instructions for passengers are required to be in the English language and any other appropriate language, on all shops operating to United Kingdom ports.

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the annual number of movements of radioactive material, including medical isotopes, and sources for use in industry.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department does not collect data of the kind requested.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  New Cars
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what revenue was received in 1990–91 from value added tax on sales of new cars; and what is the estimated revenue for 1991–92.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  An estimated £2·6 billion in valued added tax was received in 1990–91 from the sale of new cars. A corresponding figure for 1991–92 is not available.

  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the rate of total sales tax as a percentage of the retail price on new cars of two litres or less in the United Kingdom; and what are the comparable figures for Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, respectively.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Rates of total sales tax as a percentage of the retail price on new volume cars of two litres or less in the United Kingdom, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain according to the latest information available, are as follows:

  Total sales tax as a percentage of the retail price on new volume cars of two litres or less

  Country

  Per cent.

  United Kingdom

  21·4

  Belgium

  20

  France

  18

  Italy

  16

  Spain

  24·8

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the college of national regulatory authorities from the United Kingdom, Luxembourg, Switzerland and Spain was set up to monitor BCCI; why it was established at that date; when its existence was made known to the public; and how.

  Mr. Maples
  The College of Supervisors first met in May 1988. The supervisors had for some time wished to
  465
  improve their capacity to monitor the BCC group as a whole, and this was facilitated by the appointment towards the end of 1987 of a single auditor to the group (Price Waterhouse). The existence of the college became known to the media during 1989. The function of the College of Supervisors was explained in answer to questions in both Houses in 1990 (House of Commons Official Report, 18 January 1990, col. 402, House of Lords Official Report 23 April Cols. 407–23), in connection with the convictions in Tampa, Florida.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what legislative changes, or changes in other statutory procedures, he proposes in the light of the closure of the Bank of Credit and Commercial International.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer on 22 July 1991]: I refer the hon. Member to the statement that I made on 19 July at cols. 715–29 and the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 22 July at cols. 757–64.

  Northern Ireland (Human Rights)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many copies of the 16th report of the Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights, 1990–91, on Northern Ireland, have been printed by HMSO.

  Mr. Maples
  One thousand copies.

  Midland Bank
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will meet the chairman of Midland bank to discuss ways of improving the flow of information between the main bank and its subsidiaries.

  Mr. Maples
  I have no plans to do so.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received about the adequacy of the information given to shareholders about the financial position of Midland International Trade Services within Midland bank; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maples
  I have received no representations on this subject.

  Share Option Schemes
  Mrs. Peacock
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when the Treasury order will be laid bringing into effect the proposal to increase from £150 to £250 the maximum monthly savings limit on an individual employee's contributions under an approved savings-related share option scheme.

  Mr. Maude
  The Treasury order will be made as soon as possible after Royal Assent to the Finance Bill and will bring into force the new £250 limit from 1 September 1991.

  Authorised Banks
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will revise the procedures for providing guidance to the Bank of England about the production of a list of authorised banks; and if he will make a statement on the categorization used to identify differences in status of authorised banks.
  466
  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 19 July 1991]: The Bank of England has a statutory duty under section 17(1) of the Banking Act 1987, to publish in its annual Banking Act report a list of the institutions authorised at the end of the financial year. The Act also sets out in detail the criteria which the Bank is to apply in determining who should be authorised. The list published by the Bank does not identify differences in the status of authorised banks, except that UK-incorporated banks are distinguished from those incorporated overseas.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 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. Maples
  [holding answer on 22 July 1991]: The Government's economic policies are designed to maintain an environment in which business and enterprise can develop and prosper. The Treasury therefore places a high priority on helping small businesses, and among the specific measures included in the 1991 Budget were:

  allowing 700,000 small employers with average monthly PAYE and national insurance contributions bills below £400 to pay quarterly rather than monthly; increasing by over a third the VAT registration threshold to an annual turnover of £35,000—as a result up to 150,000 businesses need not be registered for VAT;

  raising the turnover threshold for VAT annual accounting from £250,000 to £300,000. Qualifying businesses only have to make one return a year instead of four, with payments being made monthly;

  halving to one year the period firms must wait before claiming relief from VAT on debts written off in their accounts;

  increasing by a quarter to £250,000 the profits limit below which companies pay corporation tax at the small companies rate of 25 per cent. The limit for marginal relief was also raised by a quarter to £1,250,000;

  allowing unincorporated firms to set trading losses against capital gains tax, as companies can do already; increasing the limit for capital gains tax relief on businesses sold by individuals on retirement, and reducing the qualifying age from 60 to 55 years;

  reviewing the VAT serious misdeclaration penalty so as to produce proposals for next year. In the meantime, the penalty rate was reduced from 30 to 20 per cent.

  Inland Revenue and customs and excise officials also continuously review forms, explanatory notices and leaflets with the aim of providing guidance which is easily understood.

  Despite the recession, the success of Government's policies is demonstrated by the latest statistics on VAT registrations which show that, although down in 1989, there was a net average increase of around 800 new businesses per week during 1990.

  Debt
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent agreements have been reached on debt release for the World's poorest countries(a) bilaterally and (b) through the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Community.
  467
  Mr. Maples
  The Government has already cancelled around £1 billion of old aid loans owed by the poorest countries. A British proposal led to the agreement at the 1988 Toronto economic summit that government creditors would reschedule on concessional terms the other official debt of the poorest countries pursuing economic reforms. Twenty countries have benefited so far.

  At last year's Commonwealth Finance Minister's Meeting in Trinidad, my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, when he was Chancellor, launched an initiative to increase official debt relief for the poorest countries. The Trinidad Terms, if accepted by all Paris Club creditors, could lead to debt reduction of up to $18 billion. The Government has been pressing to secure improved terms in line with the original United Kingdom proposals. We welcome the positive commitment to debt relief for the poorest, most indebted countries made by the leader of the `Group of Seven' countries at the conclusion of the recent London economic summit and hope that the Paris Club will be able to reach an agreement on new measures very soon.

  Inland Revenue
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the proposed relocation of Inland Revenue work to Nottingham.

  Mr. Maude
  The Inland Revenue are to hold an architectural competition for a new building in Nottingham. The new building—which will be ready for occupation in 1994—will house 1,800 jobs which are being relocated from the London area.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Terrorism
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show, for each year since 1968 to the latest available date, the number of terrorist explosions which took place in Londonderry city and the number of bombs defused; how many in each were on (1) the west bank, (2) on the east bank of the River Foyle and (3) how many were in commercial or retail premises.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information in the precise form requested is not readily available. However, the following table gives details from 1983 to June 1991 broken down in police sub-divisions in the Londonderry area.

  Bomb attacks in Londonderry area 1983 to 30 June 1991

  Police sub-divisions

  Strand road

  Waterside

  All incidents1

  175

  57

  Explosions

  139

  38

  Defusings

  109

  47

  Commercial incidents2

  17

  5

  Explosions

  14

  8

  Defusings

  3

  11

  1 One incident may include more than one explosion and/or more than one defusing.

  2 Commercial attacks are included in the "all incidents" figure.

  Publications
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost of printing and distribution of (1) "Serving the Community—The Northern Ireland Prison Service in the 1990s", (2) "Ring of Gullion Proposal: AONB Guide to Designation", (3) "Working for Patients HSS Trusts: A Working Guide", (4) "Better Service Better Care; What the Changes in Health and Social Services Mean for You", (5) "Registrar General NI: Annual Report 1989", (6) "Legal Annual Report 1989–90", (7) "Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights Report for 1990–1991", (8) "People Policing Progress—The Work of the Police Authority 1988–1991", (9) "Rate Collection Agency Framework Document April 1991" and (10) "Annual Report of the Chief Adjudication Officer for 1989–90 on Adjudication Standards (DHSS)"; and who was awarded the printing contract in each case.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The cost of printing, publishing and distributing the following publications are borne by HMSO who aim to recover costs from sales revenue:

  1. Serving the Community—

  The Northern Ireland Prison Service in the 1990s.

  3. Working for Patients HSS Trusts: A Working Guide.

  4. Better Service Better Care: What the Changes in Health and Social Services Mean for You.

  5. Registrar General NI: Annual Report 1989.

  6. Legal Aid Annual Report 1989–1990 (Title as given not known).

  7. Standing Advisory Commission on Human Rights Report for 1990–91.

  9. Rate Collection Agency Framework Document April 1991.

  10. Annual Report of the Chief Adjudication Officer for 1989–90 on Adjudication Standards (DHSS).

  Northern Ireland Departments purchase copies for distribution, the total cost of which was £117,265·43.

  Additionally, "Better Service Better Care: What the changes in Health and Social Services Mean for You" was distributed throughout the Province at a cost of £24,969.

  One publication, "Ring of Gullion Proposal: AONB Guide to Designation", has not yet been published in final form and costs have not yet been included.

  The one publication not printed via HMSO, "People Policing Progress—The Work of the Police Authority 1988–1991", was contracted independently by the Department but details are not released to protect commercial confidentiality.

  Hearing Therapists
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what additional resources the Government will allocate to health and social services in order that provision can be made for training of hearing therapists.

  Mr. Hanley
  Funding for in-service training is met from within the resources allocated to health and social services boards each year. Over £1 billion has been allocated to the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland this year which should allow board, s to meet the cost of training hearing therapists.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what account is taken of family ties between senior officials of the public body and managers or directors of the tendering body in considering competitive tendering for work previously done by direct labour organisations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As part of the competitive tendering process, all tenderers are asked to declare family ties between senior officials of the public body and managers or directors of the tendering firm. Similarly, senior officials are expected to declare interests or ties.

  Where such a tie is declared, or has been identified, the senior official is not permitted to act in any capacity involving the evaluation of tenders for any competition which the firm was taking part.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of state for Northern Ireland what inquiries are made as to fiscal probity of the tendering company and its compliance with employment legislation in considering competitive tendering for work previously done by direct labour organisations.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As part of the competitive tendering process, audited accounts and references are to be requested and examined for all tenderers.

  All tenderers are required to sign undertakings that their organisations comply with all legislation as it in Northern Ireland.

  Education
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make it his policy to ensure the provision of resources at the level necessary to maintain a rural education presence in isolated communities.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Government continue to recognise that Northern Ireland require a relatively high number of small rural schools. Education authorities are required to ensure that their local management of schools arrangements provide adequate resources to all schools which must remain in operation, regardless of their size.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish details of the cash value and age-weighted pupil units allocated by each education and library board in Northern Ireland under the local management of schools to(a) pupils attending secondary schools and (b) pupils attending grammar schools.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The age-weighting of pupils depend on the form attended. There is no distinction between secondary and grammar school pupil weightings. The range of age-weightings in each education and library board is:

  Prisoners released on licence from indeterminate sentences imposed for terrorist murder of civilians

  Number released by years served

  Total released

  Year

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  1982

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1983

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1984

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1985

  —

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  7

  1986

  —

  1

  6

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  10

  1987

  —

  1

  —

  6

  6

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  18

  1988

  —

  1

  3

  —

  4

  7

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  18

  1989

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  5

  10

  3

  5

  —

  —

  26

  1990

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  5

  20

  21

  —

  2

  —

  49

  470

  Form 1

  Form 2

  Form 3

  Form 4

  Form 5

  Form 6

  BELB

  1·80

  1·75

  1·85

  1·95

  2·00

  2·30

  NEELB

  1·83

  1·75

  1·83

  1·92

  2·02

  2·50

  SEELB

  1·90

  1·80

  1·90

  2·00

  2·00

  2·10

  SELB

  1·60

  1·60

  1·60

  1·80

  1·80

  2·50

  WELB

  1·66

  1·66

  1·66

  1·66

  1·66

  2·32

  The cash value of each age-weighting pupil unit reflects the different approaches in each board area and values not, therefore, directly comparable.

  AWPU £

  BELB

  813·79

  NEELB

  788·75

  SEELB

  730·92

  SELB

  852·35

  WELB

  812·25

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the value in cash terms of the monies retained by each education and library board in Northern Ireland to provide advisory services to schools; and what percentage of the funds allocated to each board this cash sum represents.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave on 17 June 1991 at column 34–35.

  Prisoners (Release on Licence)
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Irish Government are consulted under the Anglo-Irish Agreement on the release on licence from indeterminate sentences of individuals convicted for murder of members of the security forces and the prison service in Northern Ireland.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  There is no consultation between the British and Irish governments, either under the auspices of the Anglo-Irish Inter-governmental Conference or by any other means, about the release on licence of any prisoner serving an indeterminate sentence.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for northern Ireland how many persons sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of civilians, whose murders were occasioned by political or sectarian motives, were released on licence in each of the last 10 years, indicating in each case the length of time actually served in prison.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 16 July 1991]: The information requested is as follows:
  471

  Number released by years served

  Total released

  Year

  8

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  14

  15

  16

  17

  18

  11991

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  2

  5

  3

  1

  1

  14

  Total

  1

  9

  12

  10

  14

  22

  36

  31

  8

  3

  1

  147

  1 To 17 July.

  These figures include prisoners sentenced to detention during the Pleasure of the Secretary of State.

ENERGY

  Renewable Energy
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what resources are currently being spent on research for alternative forms of energy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Expenditure in support of my Department's substantial research, development and demonstration programme into renewable energy, is expected for 1991–92 to be about £24 million.

  Plutonium
  Mr. Frank Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what quantities of plutonium are currently under safeguards at(a) each of the operating nuclear power plants and (b) at Sellafield; and if he will indicate the proportions of plutonium under nuclear safeguards at Sellafield which originated in (i) United Kingdom nuclear power plants operated by the home nuclear power generators, Nuclear Electric and Scottish Nuclear; (ii) foreign nuclear plants, in fuel shipped to Sellafield for reprocessing and (iii) nuclear reactors operated by British Nuclear Fuels plc and the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority, respectively.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to my Department's press release No. 195 of 18 October 1990, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Preservation of Amenities
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what preservation of amenity statements have been produced under schedule 9 to the Electricity Act 1989.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Schedule 9 statements, which constitute the environmental guidelines the licence holder intends to follow, have been produced by all the regional electricity companies, National Power, PowerGen, Nuclear Electric, and the National Grid Company. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the change in terms of percentage and pence per kilowatt hour for domestic electricity consumers since 31 March 1988 in each of the 12 regional electricity company licence areas; and if he will give comparable figures for Scotland and each major European Community country for which comparable figures are available.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Questions on tariffs and prices paid with respect to the privatised electricity companies are matters to be addressed to the companies concerned, though the Director General of Electricity Supply has certain responsibilities relating to these.
  472
  Comparative data on domestic electricity prices in European Community countries on 1 January each year are compiled and published by Eurostat. These data show that between January 1988 and January 1991 there was no real increase in domestic electricity prices in the places surveyed by Eurostat in the United Kingdom. Eurostat publications are available in the Library of the House.

  Gas and Electricity (Imports and Exports)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions with the European Commission he has had and what written communication he has received concerning alleged violations of article 37 of the treaty of Rome regarding statutory exclusive rights to imports and exports of gas and electricity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Her Majesty's Government have received no official communication from the Commission on this matter. However, the Government have noted that on 21 March the Commission announced in a press statement that infraction proceedings would be instituted against a number of member states, including the United Kingdom, under article 37 of the treaty of Rome.

  Gas
  Mr. Rost
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he is satisfied with progress towards the development of a competitive gas market by independent suppliers.

  Mr. Wakeham
  [pursuant to his reply, 15 July 1991, cols. 3–4]: Forty-five per cent. of the new gas contracted during the period 1 June 1990 to 31 May 1991 was for supply to the market by companies other than British Gas. Of this 45 per cent., 66 per cent. was sold for power generation. The remaining 34 per cent., amounting to 15 per cent. of total new gas contracted during the year, was destined for the general industrial and commerical market.

  For the two-year monitoring period 1 June 1989 to 31 May 1991 the corresponding figures are: 37 per cent. of new gas contracted was for supply to the market by companies other than British Gas. Eighty per cent. of this was for power generation, and 20 per cent., amounting to 7 per cent. of total gas contracted, was for sale to industrial and commercial customers.

  Actual deliveries of new gas to industrial and commercial customers by suppliers other than British Gas were equivalent to just over 1 per cent. of British Gas-contract sales in 1991.

PRIME MINISTER

  Research and Development
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all the programmes funded by the second framework programme for research and development by the
  473
  European Community, giving in each case the percentage of the total spent on the programme which came to the United Kingdom and the figures for France, Germany and Italy.

  The Prime Minister
  The European Commission has provided selective statistics for the contracts awarded to individual member states for some of the specific programmes of the second framework programme. But these are incomplete. We have already urged the Commission to provide full data. I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Wena Hotels
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Prime Minister whether, during the course of the state visit of President Mubarak of Egypt, he will raise with the president the case of the British company Wena Hotels.

  The Prime Minister
  The Egyptian Government are fully aware of our concern about the problems faced by Wena Hotels. The forthcoming state visit will provide an opportunity to emphasise it. Meanwhile, as my hon. Friend will be aware, Wena Hotels has commenced proceedings in the High Court.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what research Her Majesty's Government are currently sponsoring on the effects of energetic fragmented sub-atomic particles on oxygen atoms and the global ozone layer.

  The Prime Minister
  The Natural Environment Research Council and the Science and Engineering Research Council both undertake a wide range of research, funded from the Government's science budget, which is related to stratospheric ozone. This work addresses all aspects of the global ozone layer and its depletion, including the effects of high energy particles.

  "This Common Inheritance"
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will ensure wide circulation of the report on the state of implementation of policies set out in the environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance," referred to in his speech at Olympia on 10 July.

  The Prime Minister
  Yes.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out those areas for which ministers are referring parliamentary questions for reply to next steps executive agencies.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government's policy for dealing with parliamentary questions on matters delegated to executive agencies was set out in their response to the Eighth Report of the Treasury and Civil Service Committee (October 1990, Cm 1263) as follows:"It is for Ministers responsible for particular Agencies to respond in the way they consider most helpful and appropriate to inquiries raised by Members … In the case of Parliamentary Questions concerning day-to-day operational matters delegated to the Agency, Ministers will normally arrange for the Chief Executive to write to the Member (and will reply to this effect in Hansard)".
  474
  All replies to hon. Members from agency chief executives, other than those concerning personal or confidential matters, are available in the Library.

  The Government's intention is that replies about the carrying out of Government business are full, prompt and as helpful as possible. The arrangements we have are intended to achieve this and they are kept under review.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Tuesday 23 July.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall he having further meetings later today.

  Security Vetting
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement about the Government's policy on the implications of homosexuality for security vetting.

  The Prime Minister
  All candidates for posts involving access to highly classified information are vetted in accordance with the procedures described in the statement of vetting policy announced by my predecessor on 24 July 1990 at columns 159–61.

  Because homosexual acts, even between consenting adults, remain criminal offences in a number of overseas countries, evidence of homosexuality, even if acknowledged, has been treated under this policy as a bar to clearance at PV (TS)—positive vetting (top secret)—or enhanced positive vetting (EPV) level in overseas posts and therefore as a bar to recruitment to certain areas of employment, including the diplomatic service. In the light of changing social attitudes towards homosexuality in this country and abroad, and the correspondingly greater willingness on the part of homosexuals to be open about their sexuality, their lifestyle and their relationships, the Government have reviewed this policy and concluded that in future there should be no posts involving access to highly classified information for which homosexuality represents an automatic bar to security clearance, except in the special case of the armed forces where homosexual acts remain offences under the service disciplinary Acts.

  The susceptibility of the subject to blackmail or pressure by a foreign intelligence service will continue to be a factor in the vetting of all candidates for posts involving access to highly classified information. An individual assessment is made in each case, taking account of the evidence which emerges in the course of the vetting process and the level of security clearance required.

WALES

  Further Education
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of local education colleges' expenditure in each county is currently covered by(a) central Government, (b) local education authorities, (c) training providers and training and enterprise councils and (d) fees paid by students.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not held centrally.
  475
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which bodies or organisations will be finally consulted by the proposed funding council for further education in determining the annual budgets of individual further education in colleges in Mid-Glamorgan.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Further Education Funding Council for Wales has not yet been established. The consultation period on the proposals contained in the White Paper, "Education and Training for the 21st Century", has just ended and comments from interested parties are being taken into consideration in formulating the necessary legislation. Once established, the funding council will be required to allocate funds in a way that secures the efficient management of the colleges: the extent of consultation will be a matter for the council itself to determine. It will work closely with the training and enterprise councils, as stated in the White Paper.

  Community Dental Service
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to inform general medical practitioners of the range of services provided by the community dental service.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This is an issue for family health services authorities and district health authorities to decide in the light of local needs and circumstances.

  Local Government Review
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much time he has allowed for consultation with local authorities in Wales on local government reorganisation; and what consideration he has given to whether the time is adequate.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have allowed 4½ months from the date of publication of our consultation paper, "The Structure of Local Government in Wales", for the preparation of responses. We consider that this period is entirely adequate.

  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will consult other representative bodies in Wales, in addition to local authorities, on local government reorganisation in the same manner that representative bodies were consulted on the Kilbrandon report in 1974.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have distributed our consultation paper on "The Structure of Local Government in Wales" to a large number of bodies and persons inside and outside local government, and we will consider all submissions on these matters which are put to us.

  Dental Services, Gower
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to improve the provision of dental services available to residents of the Gower peninsula.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Assessment of the needs for, and securing the provision of, dental services at local level is the responsibility of the appropriate family health services authority and district health authority.

  Doctors and Dentists
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is average gross income of(a) general dental practitioners and (b) general medical practitioners in Wales for the latest available year.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The intended average gross income for general dental practitioners for 1991–92 is £74,008. The intended average gross income for general medical practitioners is currently £54,790 per annum and will rise to £55,484 per annum from 1 December 1991.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current waiting lists for patients to have their first consultation with consultants in each of the main specialties in West Glamorgan and Neath hospitals respectively; and what were the comparable figures in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on the numbers of patients waiting for a first out-patient consultation in five specialties, general surgery (including urology), ear, nose and throat, traumatic and orthopaedic surgery, ophthalmology, and gynaecology, at Neath general hospital and West Glamorgan as a whole is published in the "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin" series. Neither of the other two hospitals in Neath, Cymla and Tonna, treat patients in these specialties. The bulletins are published twice a year giving figures as at March and September and copies are in the Library of the House.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to reduce unemployment in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My Department and other Government agencies operate a wide range of measures aimed at combating unemployment. Last financial year, these secured some 19,500 new jobs in Wales.

  The Welsh Office and associated bodies will continue to respond swiftly to any opportunities that arise which have the potential to reduce unemployment. Last month, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced a substantial package of additional measures to help unemployed people back into work. This includes expert advice and help in looking for a job, extra training and a new work experience programme—employment action. This new package, together with the other measures already in place, amounts to the most comprehensive set of programmes we have ever had to alleviate unemployment.

  Trecwn Naval Base
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to visit the Trecwn naval base; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Although I have no present plans to visit RNAD Trecwn, I have asked the Welsh Development Agency and the West Wales training and enterprise council to look at action which needs to be taken to alleviate the effects of the proposed closure of the depot in 1996. Special help will also be available in the area from the employment service in Wales.

  Cardiff Airport
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to visit Cardiff airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to visit Cardiff-Wales airport.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to announce the outcome of his recent consultation exercise on exemptions for the teaching of Welsh in the national curriculum.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have now considered the advice of the Curriculum Council for Wales and the representations made by others to the consultation document which I issued in early May. I now intend to proceed to make Regulations to exempt the 10 secondary schools—three in Clwyd, two in Gwent and five in south Pembrokeshire —as specified in my consultation document from the key stage 4 (pupils aged 14 to 16) to teach Welsh in the national curriculum. Schools where exemptions apply will be encouraged to offer those pupils who so wish, the opportunity to study the language.

  Regulations have been made to extend the implementation timetable for a number of schools in Dyfed, Gwent, Powys and south Glamorgan and to exempt from the national curriculum requirements to study Welsh pupils arriving in schools from outside Wales or transferring between schools in Wales late in their school career but with no previous experience of learning the language.

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

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not held centrally.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Divorce Law Reform
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to establish counselling and mediation services to enable the Law Commission's recommendations on divorce law reform to be implemented adequately; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Government are presently reviewing all aspects of divorce reform and conciliation as part of its consideration of the Law Commission's report. It would, accordingly, be premature to reach a view on conciliation and mediation services.

  Marriage Guidance
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the review of the funding of marriage guidance.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I am considering the findings of the review. The separate question of funding is under consideration as part of the current public expenditure survey.

  Relate
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to provide funding to Relate to assist the probation service with domestic supervision cases.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  No.

  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will undertake an assessment of the burden which would devolve on the public purse were the charity Relate to cease its counselling functions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  No. The detailed research on which to base a firm estimate is not available. Considerable further research and verification would be necessary before the estimate Relate itself has drawn up could be used as a definitive basis for calculation.

  Police Training
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures are being taken to ensure that recruits to the Metropolitan police receive training in race relations after their initial training at Hendon initial training school; and how many recruits received such additional training in the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Following their initial training at Hendon training school, probationer constables in the Metropolitan police receive further training on the local area to which they have been posted. The precise content is determined by local training managers but most probationers become involved in discussion groups with representatives from minority groups including the ethnic minorities. A community and race relations handbook is being produced which will be given to every area training unit and to every recruit.

  Because of the diverse nature of local training arrangements the number of recruits receiving race relations training on leaving Hendon in the financial year 1990–91 could be ascertained only at disproportionate cost.

  Crime Prevention Week
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 28 June,Official Report, column 561, if the Home Office research and planning unit will be undertaking any quantitative research on the effects of Crime Prevention Week.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  No, but our public relations branch commissioned quantitative market research into the effects of the advertising campaign associated with the week. The stated objectives of the week were to raise awareness of crime prevention and to build new partnerships which could have a lasting benefit in tackling crime. The research found continuing high levels of awareness of crime prevention and positive attitudes to it. A survey of police forces showed that they found the week of value in strengthening their relationship with neighbourhood watch, crime prevention panels, the press, local businesses and other sections of the community. These results indicate that the main objectives of the week were achieved.

  Probation Hostels
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has for the future financing of probation hostels.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  We have no plans at present to alter the current arrangements for the financing of probation hostels.

  Prisons (Slopping Out)
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what effect he estimates the abolition of slopping out will have on the programme for the abolition of overcrowding in prisons.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The majority of prisoners are already held in establishments which are not overcrowded. My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary announced on 25 February, at column 660, that the programme to end slopping out would be accelerated and it was planned that by the end of 1994 all prisoners would have access to sanitation. The ending of this practice is a priority, even though the need to take accommodation out of use temporarily to enable sanitation systems to be installed will delay the ending of overcrowding in those establishments—principally local prisons—which are currently operating at levels of occupancy above certified normal accommodation. Under current projections, the average prison population and average available accommodation is expected to come into balance in 1995.

  Mr. Michael Thynne
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the case of Michael Thynne of Her Majesty's prison Bristol to the Parole Board as soon as the revised procedures for reviewing discretionary life prisoners are in operation.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Over 200 discretionary life sentence prisoners will be entitled to have their cases considered by the Parole Board when the provisions of part II of the Criminal Justice Bill come into effect. We shall need to consider, in consultation with the board, how they should be dealt with and what priorities should be established. The comments made by the European court of human rights on Mr. Thynne's case will be fully taken into account in that consideration.

  Prisoners (Work)
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has for rewarding prisoners who work with remission of time served.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Woolf report suggested that the prison service should consider, as part of its review of prisoners' pay, the option of linking the amount a prisoner earns to earlier release or an earlier date for parole review. The White Paper, to be published later this year, will contain our response to the Woolf inquiry's proposals on prisoners' pay.

  Humberside Police
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to split the Humberside police force or to reduce its complement.
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  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The implications for the Humberside police will be among the matters to be taken into account in considering the recent recommendations of the Local Government Boundary Commission.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the possible time scale of the further stages of the European Commission's draft directive on data protection.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government believe that it will be difficult to reach a common position before early 1992 and adoption before late 1992, and that member states should be allowed the normal two years to implement the measure following the date of adoption of the directive.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he is making to the European Commission on the proposal in the data protection draft directive that any electronic file held or created by a news organisation must be communicated before possible use to each individual name on the file.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government is seeking to ensure that the media and other data users are not unnecessarily hampered by requirements for automatic notification to and consent by data subjects before information about them is used.

  Racial Attacks
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what special initiatives he intends to take to enable minority groups to combat the problem of racial attacks.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The progress report on multi-agency work to tackle racial attacks and harassment, due to be published later this year, will contain good practice on how community and voluntary groups can work with the statutory agencies to combat this problem. The report of the Newham pilot project in multi-agency work, funded by the Home Office, will make specific recommendations for the involvement of the community in such initiatives. We will consider further advice to police and community consultative groups in tackling racial attacks. And we are assessing a number of bids for projects under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 to help tenants who suffer racial harassment.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what additional action Her Majesty's Government intends to take to combat the problem of racial attacks.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Government are continuing to develop existing initiatives, including the rigorous monitoring of the response of the police service and other agencies to guidance on racial attacks and harassment. In addition, we are co-ordinating and assessing progress made by the statutory agencies. This will lead to the publication later this year of a report on developments since the racial attacks group report of 1989, which will provide practical guidance and information on national and local initiatives, and enable local agencies to make sustained progress in combating racial attacks. The report of the Newham pilot project in multi-agency work funded
  481
  by the Home Office will also be published this year, and will provide local initiatives with specific advice and information in taking this work forward.

  Police Pensions
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an estimate of the annual cost to the Exchequer of removing the restriction on police officers who have completed 25 but less than 30 years' service not being allowed to receive their pension until they have reached the age of 50 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested would require assumptions about the extent to which police officers would be likely to take up this option were it available. It would be a question of giving up the chance to earn a full pension in order to retire early which would depend very much on individual circumstances. There is no reliable basis for such an estimate. Apart from the management implications for the police service, the change in question would be contrary to the Inland Revenue requirements for the tax approval of retirement benefits schemes. Such a change must therefore be considered unlikely.

  Traffic Wardens
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the total number of traffic wardens employed in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As at 30 April 1991, there was a total of 4,891 traffic wardens in England and Wales. Numbers in Scotland and Northern Ireland are a matter for the respective Secretaries of State.

  Religious Discrimination
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provision within the Bill of Rights of 1689 barring Roman Catholics from succession to, or possession of, the Crown;

  (2) if he will bring forward proposals to establish that section 9 of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 should not apply to ordained priests of the Roman Catholic Church who have celebrated religious services according to the rites of the Church of Rome but have since ceased to practice as Roman Catholic priests;

  (3) if he will give consideration to the requirements of public policy which are met by maintaining disabilities regarding advice to the Crown on matters affecting the Church of England under the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1858 for Roman Catholics and Jews but not for other members of non-established churches and faiths, agnostics or atheists;

  (4) if he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provision within the Bill of Rights (IX 1689) whereby any person who marries a papist is excluded from succession to the Crown or any regal authority and jurisdiction if in possession of the Crown;

  (5) if he has any plans to bring forward proposals to repeal the provisions contained in the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 barring Roman Catholic deacons and others in Roman Catholic minor orders from sitting in the House of Commons;
  482
  (6) if he will make it his policy to remove all outstanding civil disabilities affecting Roman Catholics and Jews from the statute book;

  (7) if he will bring forward proposals to repeal the provisions contained within the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829 and the Jews Relief Act 1959 which bar from office, civil or military, under the Crown Roman Catholics or Jews advising the Crown on appointments or preferment in the Church of England;

  (8) if he will consider what continuing needs are met by maintaining disabilities regarding the ecclesiastical functions of the Lord Chancellor under the Lord Chancellor (Tenure of Office and Discharge of Ecclesiastical Functions) Act 1974 for Roman Catholics and Jews but not for other members of non-established churches and faiths, agnostics or atheists.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to do so.

  Broadcasting
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the international obligations of the United Kingdom which he has(a) notified and (b) proposes to notify the Independent Television Commission of for the purposes of section 9.9 of the Broadcasting Act 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The obligations relevant to section 9(9) of the Broadcasting Act 1990 are the advertising provisions in the EC Directive of Broadcasting and the Council of Europe convention on transfrontier television. The Independent Television Commission has been made aware of them and they have been reflected in its codes of practice on advertising.

  Derbyshire Constabulary
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the number of(a) police officers and (b) civilian staff employed by Derbyshire constabulary in (i) 1979 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is set out in the table:

  April 1979

  June 1991

  Police

  1,587

  1,727

  Civilian staff

  634

  1504

  1 Centralisation of the county's common services has reduced the numbers of civilians recorded as employed specifically on police support.

  Election Expenses
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will report progress on the review of the system of controls on candidates' expenses at elections, announced on 21 June 1989,Official Report, columns 131–33.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The second and final stage of the review has now been completed. I have placed in the Library a copy of a report by the consultative group which was set up in January of this year to complete the review.

  Police Complaints Authority
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any new appointment has been made to the Police Complaints Authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Mr. William McCall, a former general secretary of the Institution of Professionals, Managers and Specialists (formerly the Institution of Professional Civil Servants), has accepted my invitation to serve as a member of the Police Complaints Authority. He will take up his post on 1 August.

  Diamorphine
  Mr. Barry Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will take steps to preserve the United Kingdom manufacturing base for diamorphine for medical use;

  (2) what is his Department's policy on importation of finished diamorphine to the United Kingdom;

  (3) if he will seek to prevent non-reciprocal imports of diamorphine from the European Community to Britain.

  Mr. Baker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given in another place to a question from the noble Lord Ennals on 16 July 1991 at column 9.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Environment Exhibition
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution was made by the Overseas Development Administration to the exhibition on environment, wildlife and conservation at Olympia on 6 to 11 July; and how many copies of the administration's annual 1990 report, the report on the environment and the British aid programme were distributed.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The ODA contributed its seven panel display titled "The Environment, Forestry and British Aid" to The Sunday Times environment, wildlife and conservation exhibition. It was manned by ODA information staff; 800 copies of the 1990 ODA annual review and 800 copies of "The Environment and the British Aid Programme" were distributed to members of the public.

  Sierra Leone
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Rev. Peter Sheasby of Halifax concerning the incursion of Liberian guerrillas into Sierra Leone; and what reply he has sent.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Rev. Peter Sheasby wrote to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs on 5 July, expressing concern about recent events in Sierra Leone. A full official reply was sent to him on 19 July.

  Development Projects (Pollution)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the policy of the Overseas Development Administration on taking account of potential costs of pollution from United Kingdom-funded development projects.
  484
  Mrs. Chalker
  ODA's manual of environment appraisal includes advice on taking account of the potential costs of pollution in project formulation as does the HMSO 1991 publication "Values for the Environment: a guide to economic appraisal" commissioned by the ODA. Copies of both have been placed in the Library. It may be difficult to pinpoint the costs of pollution accurately but ODA continues to promote research to develop methodologies for valuing and monitoring the environment in all our work.

  Africa
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on(a) the contribution made by the United Kingdom to and (b) the outcome of the final review of the UnitedNations programme of action for African economic recovery and development.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom has played a full part in helping African countries implement the United Nations programme of action for African economic recovery and development (UNPAAERD) through its bilateral aid programmes and its contribution to international initiatives.

  In particular we have:

  taken a lead in promoting international consensus and action on debt relief for the poorest countries, many of which are African;

  provided substantial resources through multilateral channels including the World Bank, up 50 per cent. of whose IDA resources are available for Africa, the African Development Bank and the EC's Lomé convention;

  continued substantial bilateral aid programmes to many African countries including £550 million pledged for support of economic reform under the first and second phases of the special programme of assistance to sub-Saharan Africa co-ordinated by the World bank.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education Choice
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about providing more choice in education; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  It is clear from many letters I receive that there is a great deal of support from parents and others for the principle that parents should have choice in education. Our policies are designed to maximise choice, in particular our polices for grant-maintained schools, city technology colleges, more open enrolment, assisted places in independent schools, and education post-16.

  Further Education
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met representatives of local education authorities to discuss the future funding and organisation of further education in general and adult education in particular.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend often meets representatives of local education authorities. He
  485
  expects to meet the local authority associations later in the year to discuss the funding and organisation of the new sector of post-16 education.

  State Schools
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the structural condition of state schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  Responsibility for the condition of school buildings rests with LEAs and governors. Because we recognise the importance of keeping buildings in good repair, we have increased annual capital guidelines for schools by 15 per cent. in the current year, to £472 million. Grant for voluntary aided schools has also gone up, by 21 per cent. to £132 million.

  Support for recurrent spending on education, which includes repairs and maintenance, increased this year by 16 per cent. to £17·5 billion.

  Special Education Needs
  Mrs. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department intends to monitor the effect of local management of schools on special education needs support in mainstream schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Yes, Sir. The Department's monitoring of the effects of local management of schools includes the effect on pupils with special educational needs in mainstream schools.

  Sports Sponsorship
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he next intends to meet the Sports Council to discuss sponsorship.

  Mr. Atkins
  In the absence of the chairman, who is abroad, I met the vice-chairman and other members of the Sports Council earlier today to discuss the council's corporate plan. Sponsorship was among the issues we discussed.

  AS Examination
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils sat the AS exam in the summer of 1990; and how many are currently studying for the AS exam.

  Mr. Eggar
  There were some 45,000 entries for AS examinations in 1990, though figures for the number of individual candidates are not available. Information from the AS survey and the school census suggests that up to 50,000 pupils are currently on AS courses.

  Instrumental Music Teaching
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will take urgent steps to arrest the decline of instrumental music teaching in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  We have no evidence of a general decline in instrumental music teaching in schools.

  Student Support
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what new proposals he has for support of students during vacations.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The existing student support arrangements include the grant and supplementary allowances, the loan facility, access funds, and benefits still available for students who are disabled or lone parents. The Government have no present plans to add to these flexible arrangements.

  Polytechnics
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will make a further statement on the future of polytechnics.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  There is nothing to add at this stage to the policy on the future of polytechnics as set out in Cm. 1541.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for amending the assisted places scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The amendments to the Education (Assisted Places) Regulations 1989 were debated in the House on 17 July (Official Report, col. 461–73). This year we have had to make some necessary economies in the uprating of parental income tables, in the level of fee increases which participating schools charge assisted pupils and in the proposed clearing house arrangements for the redistribution of vacant assisted places.

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the schools involved in the assisted places scheme, with(a) the total number of pupils on rolls and (b) the number of assisted pupils, and the percentage which (b) bears to (a), for each school, for the latest year available.

  Mr. Fallon
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave to the hon. Member for Durham, North-West (Ms. Armstrong) on 16 July 1991 at col.160–62. The percentage of assisted pupils in participating schools ranges from less than 1 per cent. to just under 50 per cent.

  A-Levels
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the position of A-levels in the curriculum, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  As the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st century" published in May makes clear, the Government remain committed to maintaining A-levels and the standards they represent.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many secondary schools have obtained grant-maintained status to date.
  487
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I announced on 15 July the approval of the 100th GM school and since that date I have announced that I have approved or am minded to approve three more schools. Out of that total I have approved ninety-five secondary schools and I am minded to approve two more.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he intends to take any action against local authorities that use public funds to campaign against grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Nottingham, South (Mr. Brandon-Bravo).

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many primary schools have so far applied for grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Ludlow (Mr. Gill).

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average length of time between a school's application for grant-maintained status and the decision on the application; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Of the 115 proposals approved, approved with modification, or rejected up to 12 July 1991, the average length of time from publication of proposals to decision was just over four months. It remains our intention to reduce the time taken as the number of proposals increases, but it needs to be borne in mind that there is a two month period immediately following publication to permit objections to be submitted.

  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he will take against local authorities that discriminate against pupils who attend grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I can assure my hon. Friend that I would act within the limits of my legal powers on any evidence of discrimination that was submitted to me.

  South Africa (Sporting Links)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his current policy towards sporting links with South Africa.

  Mr. Atkins
  We have worked with interested parties in South Africa, the Commonwealth, the European Community and the sports world to further our policy of encouraging contacts on a sport by sport basis with those sports which have a unified and non-racial structure. I myself have recently discussed sporting links with, among others, representatives of the African National Congress, the South African Football Association, the United Cricket Board of South Africa, the International Cricket Council and the Test and County Cricket Board. In addition my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has been in touch with Commonwealth heads of Government, in particular to discuss cricket in South Africa, before the meeting of the International Cricket Council in London on 11 to 13 July. He also hosted a reception for International Cricket Council members.
  488
  Sporting bodies have welcomed this policy which is in line with that of our Commonwealth and Community partners. The Government warmly welcome the recent decisions on renewing sporting links with South Africa taken by the International Olympic Committee and the International Cricket Council. We hope that sporting contact will resume for integrated sports as soon as possible.

  The Government have also taken practical measures to assist the development of integrated sport in South Africa. To mark our support for the formation of the United Cricket Board of South Africa we announced in April a grant of £25,000 for sports equipment in the townships and rural areas.

  English Teaching
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on his plans to improve the teaching of English in schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  The teaching of English will be improved through the introduction of the national curriculum. The attainment targets and programmes of study set out in the statutory orders for English give pupils and teachers clear objectives for reading, writing, speaking and listening, and require a positive and structured approach to the teaching of grammar, punctuation and spelling.

  GCSE
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any proposals to reform the GCSE.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister recently proposed that greater emphasis should be placed on the GCSE as an externally assessed examination with less emphasis being accorded to coursework. My right hon. and learned Friend will be inviting the School Examinations and Assessment Council to advise him on how to carry forward this proposal.

  Daresbury Nuclear Structure Facility
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the estimated net annual savings from closing the nuclear structure facility at Daresbury.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I understand that the net annual saving resulted from closure of the nuclear structure facility is estimated by the Science and Engineering Research Council to be £5 million. This figure takes account of the cost of overheads that will now be borne by other programmes at the Daresbury laboratory.

  In the short term there will be costs associated with closure including those of decommissioning and dismantling the facility.

  School Sports
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information is held on the number and percentage of state secondary schools which have no competitive sports.

  Mr. Atkins
  The information requested is not available.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he is giving to the cost to local education authorities and individual schools of registration fees under the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Fallon
  We plan to issue guidance on the financial and other implications of the Data Protection Act to local education authorities and maintained schools in England in the Autumn.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. Heal
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a further statement on his Department's initiatives to promote more consistent professional practices with regard to speech therapy by local education authorities.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department works closely with the Department of Health to promote consistency in the provision of speech therapy services available to local education authorities. However, the professional practice of speech and language therapists is primarily the responsibility of the College of Speech and Language Therapists.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to promote decentralised pay bargaining for teachers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The School Teachers' Pay and Conditions (No. 2) Bill provides for the setting up of a review body to make recommendations to the Prime Minister on the pay and conditions of school teachers. The Government will look to the review body to advise on the development of the system of selective payments in respect of performance, recruitment and retention and the acceptance of responsibility. Grant-maintained schools will be able to make their own arrangements for the pay and conditions of their teachers.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much money for setting up city technology colleges to date has come from(a) private businesses and (b) public expenditure; and what percentage is represented by each sector.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) on 9 May 1991 (Official Report, columns 561–64.)

  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish the amount of donations(a) actually received in (1) cash and (2) kind, (b) pledged and (c) confirmed in respect of each city technology college scheme, and the total cost of each scheme, with aggregate totals.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  We do not hold information centrally in the form requested by the hon. Member.

  Hearing-Impaired Children
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what percentage of hearing-impaired children is being taught in(a) special schools, (b) hearing-impaired units and (c) mainstream schools alongside hearing children.

  Mr. Fallon
  This information is not held centrally.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what representations he has received concerning the funding of training for teachers of deaf children; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what consideration he has given to the findings of the survey by the joint monitoring and study group on the training of teachers of the deaf into the numbers and supply of teachers for deaf children;

  (3) what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the number of teachers of deaf children currently being trained is sufficient to replace those retiring or leaving the profession; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Department is currently conducting a review of the funding arrangements for the training of teachers of pupils with special educational needs including teachers of deaf children. Local education authorities, professional bodies and the training institutes are being consulted and a number have made representations on the methods of funding. The survey by the joint monitoring and study group is being considered as part of that wider review.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many secondments were available to train teachers of deaf children in the academic years(a) 1988–89, (b) 1989–90 and (c) 1990–91; and how many of these were taken up.

  Mr. Fallon
  The provision of secondments for training teachers of deaf children is for local education authorities to determine in the light of local circumstances and priorities. The Department makes available funding to support training for teachers through the grants for education support and training scheme (GEST) and in 1992–93 is supporting expenditure of £2·1 million.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what monitoring is carried out to ensure that hearing-impaired children have full access to the national curriculum.

  Mr. Fallon
  It is for local education authorities, governing bodies and head teachers to implement and ensure full access to the national curriculum, subject to any statutory exceptions which may be in force. Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools monitors the implementation of the national curriculum, including access for pupils with special educational needs, on a national basis and advises the Secretary of State as necessary. The Standards in Education 1989–90 report produced by HM senior chief inspector of schools said that"there was some particularly good work with hearing impaired pupils".

  Student Loans
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and science whether he has any plans to amend the student loan scheme to provide additional assistance to advanced students of music for the acquisition of bows, violins and other musical instruments.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  No. Full year student support from grant and loan is 25 per cent. higher than the grant alone last year. There will be a further 6 per cent. increase this autumn.

  The support is intended to cover the cost of course equipment. Some non-recurrent purchases—such as musical instruments—may be expensive. Students may need to pay for such items over several years. It is for individual students to decide how best to use the additional resources that we have made available.

  Illiteracy
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for education and Science what is his estimate of the number of school-leavers in 1991 who are functionally illiterate.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information is not available in the form and for the year requested, nor is there a standard definition of literacy. However, the proportion of all school leavers who obtained either O level grades A-C or CSE level 1, or latterly GCSE grades A-C, in English has increased progressively in recent years.

  The Government have been to it that, as part of the 1988 education Act, the attainments of all pupils will be rigorously assessed at the ages of 7, 11, 14 and 16. These assessments will provide, for the first time, information on the performance of all pupils throughout their school careers in English and in other subjects, and will give us a better picture of literacy standards.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 22 April,Official Report, columns 315–16, on recurrent and capital spending by the Government on universities and polytechnics and other institutions of higher education, if he will give actual or estimated figures for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The information requested is as follows:

  £ million

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimated)

  Universities funding council

  Current

  1,713

  1,661

  Capital

  139

  175

  Academic year

  Cash expenditure £ million

  Real index

  Expenditure per student £

  1Real index

  1989–90

  Total

  933·9

  87

  2,118

  63

  Fees

  316·3

  70

  717

  51

  Maintenance

  617·6

  99

  1,401

  72

  1 1978–79=100.

  The real indices have been calculated using the retail prices index.
  492

  1989–90

  1990–91 (estimated)

  Polytechnics and colleges funding council

  Current

  1,024

  1,020

  Capital

  90

  88

  Other higher education

  Current

  130

  143

  Capital

  25

  26

  Notes:

  1. The "current" figures for 1990–91 do not take into account the effect of the shift of funding from grant to publicly funded fees.

  2. "Other higher Education" includes the Open University, Cranfield Institute of Technology, the Royal College of Art, British Academy postgraduates state studentships and other higher education grants.

  Higher Education students
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 22 April,Official Report, columns 314–15 on discretionary awards to higher education students, if he will give actual or estimated figures for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The table shows expenditure estimated for 1989–90, on discretionary awards made by local education authorities in England and Wales, using their powers under section 1(6) of the Education Act 1962. Data relating to 1990–91 are not yet available.

  Academic year

  Cash expenditure £ million

  At 1978–79 prices

  year

  expenditure £million

  £ million

  1Index

  1989–90

  11·3

  4·9

  59

  1 1978–79=100.

  Awards made under section 1(6) are made at LEAs' discretion to students attending courses designated to mandatory awards purposes who are personally ineligible for a mandatory award. The cash expenditure includes both fees and maintenance paid as part of the award. The constant price and index figures have been calculated using the retail prices index.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 29 April,Official Report, columns 71–72 and 3 May, column 331, on total expenditure per student, if he will give actual or estimated figures for 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The table shows expenditure per student, estimated for 1989–90, by local education authorities in England and Wales in bestowing mandatory awards under the education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations. Data for 1990–91 are not yet available.

  Reading Standards
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to monitor reading standards in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend announced a programme of action on reading standards on 9 January. This emphasised that the national curriculum would act to raise standards by setting clear national targets for reading, and requiring schools to test pupils' progress in relation to those targets at the ages of seven, 11, 14 and 16. The Secretary of State announced that he was asking Her Majesty's inspectorate to continue to monitor reading standards and to provide regular reports, which would be circulated to all schools in England. He also urged all local education authority education committees to take an active and critical interest in reading standards and urged parents to find out about their childrens' reading standards and to participate in helping to improve them.

  "Fundamental Science for Fundamental Issues"
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to "Fundamental Science for Fundamental Issues" 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 11 November to Friday 15 November.

  Staff-Student Ratios
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer of 22 April,Official Report, column 310, on staff-student ratios at

  Public expenditure on higher education Calendar year 1986

  Recurrent public expenditure on higher education per qualifier at 1986 prices1 £ thousands

  Student support/welfare

  Typical duration of course (years)

  Country

  Total

  Excluding student support welfare

  Type of support

  Per student per year at 1986 prices £

  University

  Non university

  1st degree qualifiers per 100 new entrants2 3

  Australia

  21·6

  19·8

  Loan and grant

  279

  5

  2·3

  61

  Belgium

  413·0

  412·8

  Loan and grant

  432

  4·6

  2·3

  3 5115

  Canada

  22·2

  19·2

  Loan only

  491

  4·5

  2·3

  n/a

  Denmark

  29·5

  25·9

  Loan and grant

  591

  4·7

  3·5

  95

  France

  9·9

  9·1

  Loan and grant

  195

  4

  2

  n/a

  Germany (FRG)

  16·6

  16·2

  Loan only

  54

  6·7

  3·4

  3 595

  Italy

  20·6

  20·2

  Grant only

  40

  5

  2

  633

  Japan

  728·3

  728·0

  Loan only

  749

  4

  2

  91

  Netherlands

  30·0

  25·5

  Loan and grant

  653

  4

  4

  576

  Spain

  7·1

  n/a

  Grant only

  n/a

  5

  3

  88

  Sweden

  14·1

  13·6

  Loan and grant

  110

  3

  n/a

  n/a

  United Kingdom

  815·6

  811·2

  Grant only

  89739

  103·4

  2·3

  383

  United States of America (a)

  1121·1

  1118·2

  Loan and grant

  11386

  4

  2

  86

  (b)12

  1124·2

  1121·5

  11456

  1 At purchasing power parity. 1985 data for Japan have been adjusted via consumer price indices to calendar year 1986.

  2 New entrants in the year that precedes the qualifiers data by the average length of first degree courses in each country.

  494
  universities, polytechnics and other establishments in each year since 1979–80, if he will give actual or estimated figures for the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Data are not yet available for 1990–91. Provisional student-staff ratios for 1989–90 are given below for universities, polytechnics and other establishments. Provisional data are given for higher education and further education separately and together for polytechnics and other establishments.

  Student-Staff Ratio England Academic year 1989–90

  Ratio

  Universities (Great Britain)

  11·9

  Higher education

  Further education

  All

  Polytechnics

  14·6

  11·7

  14·5

  Other establishments

  13·0

  11·8

  12·0

  Notes: Includes those former voluntary and direct grant colleges now funded by the PCFC.

  Source: Annual Monitoring Survey for polytechnics and other establishments, University Statistical Record for universities.

  Student Maintenance
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish tables showing for each EC and OECD country for which data are available(a) the estimated per annum cost to public funds of tuition and student maintenance in respect of courses of United Kingdom first degree standard, (b) the average length of courses in each country, (c) the wastage rate and (d) the cost per qualifier to public funds of tuition and student maintenance for each successful graduate.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  the readily available information is given in the following table:
  495
  3 1985 data for Germany, 1987 data for Belgium and the United Kingdom.

  4 Ministry of Education expenditure only.

  5 Qualifiers data include post-graduates.

  6 New entrant data consists of first year students.

  7 Public sector qualifers and public expenditure on public colleges only. Includes a residual of private funding. Excludes estimated private funding of tuition fees and boarding costs at public colleges.

  8 Excluding expenditure and students on nursing and paramedical courses at Department of Health establishments. Also excludes in service teacher training secondments and costs.

  9 Excludes tuition fees £1,240 per home full-time student.

  10 Four years in Scotland.

  11 Estimated public expenditure on public colleges only. Excludes federal tax contributions.

  12 Excludes 2 year courses some of which may equate with a level below higher education.

  n/a—Not available.

  Source: DES Working Report: International Comparisons in Higher Education.

  Education and Training White Paper
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will(a) list and (b) place in the Library the responses which he has received to the White Paper. "Education and Training for the 21st Century", Cm. 1536.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that my right hon. and learned Friend gave to the hon. Member for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) on 16 July 1991 at column 160.

  Braille Examination Papers
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will specify which statutory body is to be responsible for meeting the costs of Braille examination papers when further education is transferred to the proposed further education funding councils.

  Mr. Eggar
  The transfer of further education to the proposed further education councils will have no bearing on the existing arrangements for meeting the costs of Brailled examination papers.

  Education Services, Inner London
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what studies have been undertaken by Her Majesty's inspectorate or others funded by his Department on the transfer of education from the ILEA to inner London boroughs, and on the adequacy of the level of services, and resources, available to education services in inner London.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  My Department, supported by Her Majesty's inspectorate, is monitoring closely the performance of the 13 inner London local education authorities.

  The 13 new authorities have received generous increases in their standard spending assessments for education—an 18 per cent. increase in 1991–92—and in addition are sharing £70 million of inner London education grant this year.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry which bodies have applied for recognition as recognised supervisory bodies for the auditing and accounting professions; which of these applicants have offered evidence of how they propose to select their controlling bodies from their membership; and what 496
  account he intends to take of the accountability of their controlling body to their membership when offering recognition.

  Mr. Redwood
  On the applicants for recognition, I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Surrey, North-West (Mr. Grylls) on 19 December, at columns 184–85.

  Neither a supervisory body's arrangements for the selection of its governing body, nor the accountability of that governing body to the membership are directly relevant to the question whether the body satisfies the requirements for recognition in part II of the Companies Act 1989. What is relevant is the adequacy of the body's rules and of its arrangements for monitoring and enforcing compliance with them.

  Regional Assistance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will state the conclusions of the first, second and third stage reviews of the regional enterprise grant scheme.

  Mr. Leigh
  The reports on the first two stages in the evaluation of the regional enterprise grants scheme have been published and are available in the House of Commons Library—"Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grants" by Leslie Hays Consultants Limited and "Evaluation of Regional Enterprise Grants—Second Stage" by Segal Quince Wicksteed Limited. A report on the third stage of the evaluation is currently being compiled.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what tests of soundness are applied to the regional selective assistance scheme; and what steps are taken to ensure equality of application of such tests in the different regions, Scotland and Wales.

  Mr. Leigh
  The soundness of the regional selective assistance scheme is tested periodically through evaluation studies which, among other things, assess its cost effectiveness in net job creation. Uniform guidelines, agreed with the Treasury, apply to the operation of the scheme in England, Scotland and Wales and the evaluation studies are carried out on the basis of common criteria.

  Toxic Shock Syndrome
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to require manufacturers of tampons to publicise the warnings of toxic shock syndrome on the outside of packets.

  Mr. Leigh
  I have no plans to require manufacturers to put a warning about toxic shock syndrome on the outside
  497
  of the packet. However, manufacturers of tampons have been asked to label the outside of the packet to advise women to read and retain the leaflet on safety included in the packet. The leaflet warns the user about the risk of toxic shock sydrome, describes the symptoms and advises her to consult a doctor if they occur.

  Auditors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation requiring auditors who withdraw from an audit account to publish their reasons for doing so in the annual report.

  Mr. Redmond
  I see no reason for doing so. Under section 394 of the Companies Act 1985, an auditor who resigns is required to deposit at the company's registered office a statement of any circumstances connected with his ceasing to hold office which he considers should be brought to the attention of members or creditors of the company or, if he considers that there are no such circumstances, a statement that there are none. The statement must be deposited along with the notice of resignation. If the statement is of circumstances which the auditor considers should be brought to the attention of members and creditors of the company, the company—unless the court rules that the auditor is using the statement to secure needless publicity for defamatory matter—must within 14 days of receiving the statement send a copy to every person entitled to receive copies of the accounts.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will introduce legislation prohibiting audit firms from offering cut-price audits or selling other audit services to audit clients who are bankers or financial institutions.

  Regional selective assistance offered to firms in the food processing industries in the Northern region and Scotland 1 January 1980 to 31 December 1990

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Northern region

  Number of offers

  3

  1

  3

  3

  2

  1

  1

  3

  3

  4

  3

  Value of offers (£'000)

  3,015

  450

  136

  200

  510

  25

  40

  270

  117

  370

  735

  Scotland

  Number of offers

  15

  3

  16

  4

  4

  6

  3

  10

  1

  8

  4

  Value of offers (£'000)

  479

  168

  575

  590

  326

  975

  1,160

  1,867

  95

  4,636

  3,215

  Note: Based on offers accepted.

  Regional development grant under the revised scheme paid to firms in the food processing industries in the Northern region and Scotland 1 January 1985 to 31 December 1990

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Northern region

  Number of firms

  6

  19

  34

  44

  37

  15

  Value of payments (£'000)

  270

  332

  502

  703

  984

  618

  Scotland

  Number of firms

  11

  49

  65

  67

  44

  18

  Value of payments (£'000)

  151

  1,245

  1,033

  1,113

  1,524

  1,676

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for trade and Industry what action was taken following receipt of letters dated 12 June and 19 June from Mr. Vivian Ambrose of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International's United Kingdom regional inspection department.

  Mr. Lilley
  Mr. Ambrose wrote to the Secretary of State for Employment on 12 June 1990 and to the right
  498
  Mr. Redwood
  I see no reason for doing so. Under part II of the Companies Act 1989, the recognised supervisory bodies must have adequate rules and practices as to professional integrity and independence. We also propose to make use of the powers in section 390B of the Companies Act 1985 to require disclosure of fees paid to auditing firms and their associates in respect of non-audit work.

  Food Processing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what were the amount of grant and number of firms receiving development funds for food processing each year since 1979 to date in(a) Scotland and (b) the northern region.

  Mr. Leigh
  The table sets out the amount of regional selective assistance accepted by companies since 1980 and the amount of regional development grant paid under the revised scheme since it started in 1985, in Scotland and the Northern region up to and including 1990. Regional selective assistance is not available for 1979 because of the risk of disclosing information that is not in the public domain. Two other schemes—original regional development grants and regional enterprise grants—provided "development funds" over the period. In the case of the original regional development grants scheme, the amount paid is available only at disproportionate costs. As far as regional enterprise grants are concerned, no funds have been made available to the food processing industry in Scotland or in the Northern region since the scheme's inception in 1988.

  hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Benn) on 14 June 1990. Both letters were sent to the Secretary of State for Employment and he asked that they be copied to my Department. However, although the Department records all incoming correspondence, there is no record of their reaching this Department.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to the oral answer of the Lord President of the Council,Official Report, column 496,

  499
  what inquiries have been undertaken in his Department to discover what happened to the letters about BCCI sent to his Department in June 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lilley
  Correspondence arriving in Ministers' offices is recorded on a computer system. These computer records have been checked and there is no indication that the Department received a copy of the letter of 14 July 1990 from the Secretary of State for Employment to the right hon. Member for Chesterfield (Mr. Benn). In addition, inquiries have been made of those parts of the Department to which the correspondence might have been referred, and again no trace has been found.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: 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.

  My Department provides a comprehensive package of services for business within the enterprise initiative, many of which are concerned with improving the competitiveness of smaller firms. Consultancy help, for example, offers financial support to small and medium-sized firms for between five and 15 days of consultancy in key management areas. By the end of June 1991, 84,150 applications had been received; 81,605 free business reviews commissioned; and 60,412 projects approved for assistance.

  Complimentary to consultancy help is the "Managing Into the 90s" programme, which emphasises the need for an integrated approach to the management of key functions that affect company competitiveness and focuses on the management of quality, design, purchasing and manufacturing. In 1990, over 10,000 people attended events held under the programme.

  Regional enterprise grants are aimed at small businesses employing fewer than 25 people in the development areas and South Yorkshire. They are designed to support companies' investment and innovation projects. The scheme was extended to the Plymouth intermediate area in January 1991 under the European Community RENAVAL programme approved for the area. In 1990–91, for English regions, 1,802 applications were received and 1,286 offers made with a total value of £11·3 million.

  The small firms merit award for research and technology in an annual competition which provides cash awards to businesses with fewer than 50 employees in order to bring forward innovative technological projects of particular promise. In 1990, a record 1,420 entries resulted in 180 awards being made, the highest ever total.

  In February 1991, my Department launched three new initiatives—support for products under research; manufacturing, planning and implementation studies
  500
  programme; and technical action line—which are designed to encourage smaller firms to innovate and also to foster links between the science base and industry. These measures are worth collectively £48 million and represent a 25 per cent. increase over DTI's annual spend on R and D and technology transfer for smaller firms.

  During the last year we have continued, together with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, to develop and improve the way export services are delivered. Our aim is to encourage potential exporters to think seriously about selling overseas and existing exporters to sell more. Many users of our services are small firms and we are particularly keen that help is provided to new and inexperienced exporters. In April this year the joint directorate was formed by merging the export service management units of the DTI and the FCO. The aim of this unit is to develop Government export promotion policy and ensure the coherent and consistent presentation and delivery of export services at home and overseas. At the same time, a new common identifier "overseas trade services" was introduced to cover all DTI and FCO export services. The effectiveness of the range of export services available to United Kingdom companies through this operation is monitored through an independent quality management system. Also, demand for our export services has significantly increased with sales of services having more than trebled in the past year.

  In addition, smaller firms continue to be one of the priorities of my Department's single market campaign which, in particular, draws attention to the many sources of expertise, such as trade associations and chambers of commerce, that can provide relevant information and advice to help smaller firms prepare. To help such organisations improve their single market services, my Department has offered assistance under the "Help for Representative Organisations" package to more than 20 organisations. Furthermore, a total of 353,000 copies of the single market action guide for smaller firms have been distributed.

  DTI regional offices serve as the initial point of entry for small business seeking the Department's help. In the past year, they have sought to reinforce their role as a gateway, not only to my Department's services, but also by signposting to services available from other small business support organisations, including training and enterprise councils, chambers of commerce and local enterprise agencies.

  From 1 April this year, my Department is making available over a four year period £1·3 million to assist the development strategy of the Association of British Chambers of Commerce. This is aimed at restructuring the chamber movement by the end of 1994, with some 50 "core" chambers then offering a comprehensive range of business services to a consistent standard. It will be of particularly help to smaller firms. The assistance from my Department involves funding half of the salary costs for up to 30 two-year secondments to chambers, and a contribution towards the establishment of an electronic information network linking the "core" chambers.

  It is also worth noting that in 1990–91, the inner cities initiative's task forces supported projects which have, so far, assisted 2,346 new and existing businesses, the majority of which are small ones.

  The Government's deregulation initiative aims to reduce burdens on business and takes particular account of the problems with regulation faced by small firms. A

  501
  recent DTI publication, "Cutting Red Tape for Business", describes some recent achievements under the initiative, many of which have benefitted small businesses.

  It would be prohibitively expensive to set out all the performance indicators which are collected as part of the Department's extensive professional evaluation programme, the aim of which is to ensure that the Department's activities obtain maximum value for money.

  Petroleum Coke
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on domestic appliance meltdown due to the high temperatures generated by imported petroleum coke.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: My Department has found some evidence of damage to the metal parts of fires when petroleum coke has been used in closed appliances and in unblended form. However, there is little evidence of problems experienced by consumers when the fuel is used in open-grate fires and has been pre-blended before use with another solid fuel to provide additional ash to help protect the fire parts.

  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation regarding dangers in the use of imported petroleum coke as a domestic fuel.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: My Department has received several letters from the Solid Smokeless Fuels Federation alleging that petroleum coke is unsafe for domestic use and its supply for this purpose should be prohibited.

  Petroleum coke is covered by section 10 of the Consumer Protection Act 1987 which makes it an offence to supply goods which are not reasonably safe having regard to all the circumstances. My Department's investigations has not found sufficient evidence to establish that this fuel is inherently unsafe and I believe that a ban on its use could not be justified.

HEALTH

  Dental Survey
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the dental survey commissioned by his Department.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A copy of the adult dental health survey has been in the Library since 5 March.

  NHS Patients
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in hospitals by the national health service in 1971 and 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In the year ending March 1989, national health service hospitals in England treated 6·56 million in-patient cases, an increase of 27 per cent. on the 1971 figure of 5·17 million. Since 1988–89 in-patient activity has been measured in terms of finished consultant episodes which contain figures for "well babies" in hospital following the mother's confinement. Finished consultant episodes have risen by nearly 2 per cent. from 7·34 million in 1988–89 to 7·48 million in 1989–90.

  Peri-operative Deaths
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he is making in implementing the recommendations of the confidential inquiry into peri-operative deaths; how many hospitals now comply with these and how many do not; and what estimate has been made of the costs of implementation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Since publication of the report of the confidential enquiry into perioperative deaths—CEPOD —in 1986 considerable progress has been made in implementing its recommendations. Apart from drawing it to the attention of health authorities we made funds available in 1988 to extend the work nationally from the original three region study. National CEPOD produced its first report in 1990. In addition, we have built on the professional commitment demonstrated in the report and have financed the general introduction of medical audit. Consultants are expected by the medical colleges to participate in national CEPOD.

  We do not collect information centrally about the number of hospitals complying with the recommendations, nor has an estimate been made of the costs of implementation.

  Alzheimer's Disease
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many carers looking after relatives or friends with Alzheimer's disease receive nursing support.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not held centrally.

  The level of provision of nursing services for people suffering from Alzheimers disease who are cared for at home is for decision by individual health authorities.

  HIV
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the official statements made by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Loughborough (Mr. Dorrell), on and since 16 June, relating to the position of non-haemophiliacs who found themselves carrying the HIV virus as a result of infected transfusions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have made no official statements in the House about non-haemophiliacs infected from the HIV virus as a result of blood transfusions since 16 June 1991. I have given several interviews to the media in which I have confirmed the Government's view that it would be inappropriate to make exceptional provision for the blood transfusion cases.

  Smoking
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration Her Majesty's Government have given to promoting a ban on smoking by staff in(a) all public institutions and (b) hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government encourage the introduction of non-smoking policies in all public institutions. Advice and guidance on the introduction of such policies is available from the Health and Safety Executive, the Health Education Authority and ASH workplace services.
  503
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will issue new guidance on this subject in the near future.

  An independent consultant commissioned by the Department of Health has just completed work on preparing a new guidance manual for NHS managers on implementing non-smoking policies in hospitals and other health service premises. This will be issued as soon as possible.

  Midwives
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the establishment of a separate grading structure for midwives.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Grading for the nursing, midwifery and health visiting professions is determined by the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council, which agreed the current clinical grading structure, covering all three professions, in 1988. Any changes would be for the council to determine.

  Original Pack Dispensing
  Dr. Hampson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Sutton and Cheam (Sir N. Macfarlane) of 22 February,Official Report, column 304, when he intends to begin

  Estimated numbers of completed consultant episodes for below mentioned ICD codes, National Health Service hospitals, England 1987–88 to 1989–90

  ICD code

  Description

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  162

  Malignant neoplasm of trachea, bronchus and lung

  60,401

  59,581

  61,660

  460–519

  Diseases of the respiratory system

  527,106

  544,797

  576,231

  460–465 and 470–478

  Diseases of the upper respiratory tract

  216,393

  212,482

  225,560

  480–486

  Pneumonia

  51,383

  59,508

  67,970

  490–493

  Bronchitis, chronic and unspecified, emphysema and asthma

  112,278

  110,839

  105,868

  490–491

  Bronchitis, chronic and unspecified

  13,219

  12,247

  12,288

  493

  Asthma

  96,603

  95,666

  90,136

  Source: Hospital episode statistics 1987–88, 1988–89, 1989–90. Data compiled by SM12A.

  It must be noted that the figures are extracted from hospital episode statistics. They are provisional estimates based on incomplete data and may be subject to revision when ongoing analysis has been completed.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for health if he will make it his policy to reject any proposed merger of community health councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Peckham (Ms. Harman) on 17 July, at column 194.
  504
  consultations with the medical and pharmaceutical professions on changes to original pack dispensing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is our intention to consult formally the medical and pharmaceutical professions and the pharmaceutical manufacturers on original pack dispensing before the end of the year.

  Lung Conditions
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on seasonal and year-on trends of hospital admissions for breathing and lung-related illness; and what effort he is making to explore the links between acid air and these trends.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The available information on recent yearly trends is given in the table and shows the estimated number of in-patients treated where the main condition could be attributed to a breathing or lung-related illness. Information on the seasonal trends in the admission of these patients could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. When the executive summary of the first report of the advisory group on the medical aspects of air pollution was published on 8, May, in a reply to the hon. Member for Merionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) at column 495, I announced that the group was continuing its work. This includes examining available information regarding the effects upon health of such levels of sulphur dioxide and acid aerosols as occur in the United Kingdom. A report should be available in early 1992.

  Health Authorities (Union Members)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will review the position whereby trades union members representing health workers are disqualified from serving on the new health authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to review the Health Authority Regulations: there is nothing to prevent a member of a health service union, who does not hold a paid appointment or office with that trade union, from serving as a non-executive member of a health authority.

  Act Now
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reply he has made in respect of the representations received on 8 July from Act Now in respect of sections 1, 2 and 3 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have written to the hon. Member for Monklands, West (Mr. Clarke) who, along with members of the all-party disablement group and the Act Now committee, met with me on 8 July to discuss these sections of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.

  Hearing Aids
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people currently have a NHS hearing aid; what was the total issued in each of the past five years; and what assessment has been made of the numbers currently being provided and that will be required in future years for(a) children, (b) people of working age, (c) the younger elderly and (d) the very old.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information about the numbers of peopple who have a NHS hearing aid is not available centrally. Mersey regional health authority acts as the centre of respnsibility for the procurement and distribution of hearing aids to the NHS. The total number of hearing aids supplied by Mersey RHA to NHS hearing aid centres in the most recent five-year period for which figures are available is shown in the table. Mersey RHA plan future requirements on the basis of established usage and demand identified by hearing aid centres.

  Hearing aids supplied

  Year

  Number

  1989–90

  626,065

  1988–89

  628,470

  1987–88

  694,731

  1986–87

  640,949

  1985–86

  595,676

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies there have been of the use made of hearing aids; what are the main problems that deter people from using them; and what proportion of NHS aids are estimated to be unused.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The most recent information about the use made of hearing aids is contained in the reports of the surveys of disability in Great Britain, carried out by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys between 1985 and 1988. Copies are available in the Library. Information is not held centrally about the problems which deter people from using hearing aids or the number of NHS hearing aids which are unused.

  Hearing Therapists
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current cost to a health authority of training a hearing therapist; and how the cost sub-divides into(a) the cost of the course, (b) the salary to the person taking the course and (c) living expenses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.
  506
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current pay scale for hearing therapists; what are their promotion prospects; and what evidence he has received regarding the payment of varying rates for comparable hearing therapy work within the health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Hearing therapists graded as medical technical officers—MTO—attract salaries ranging from £7,884 to £10,757 for the basic grade MTO 1 to £19,371 to £25,491 maximum for an MTO 5. Promotion on merit through the grades is available to all qualified hearing therapists. Pay flexibilities allow employing authorities to match pay to individual posts and local labour market conditions.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to increase the number of practising hearing therapists.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None. It is for local health authorities to determine the number of hearing therapists they employ.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will ensure that hearing therapists have a pay scale that is recognised throughout the health service to provide consistent patterns of pay.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Hearing therapists are graded as medical technical officers whose pay is negotiated in the professional and technical staffs B—PTB—Whitley council. PTB pay scales are available throughout the health service.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what exploration there has been of the possibility of educational institutions in parts of the country, other than London, running courses for hearing therapists.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is open to educational institutions to provide hearing therapy courses wherever the demand arises.

  Training Courses (Grants)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health for how many training courses for professions relevant to the health service there is a mandatory grant; and if he will list them.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  National Health Service bursaries are available for the following pre-registration training courses:

  Project 2000 nursing

  Midwifery

  Dental hygiene

  Radiography

  Occupational therapy

  Orthoptics

  Physiotherapy

  Clinical psychology1

  1The majority of graduates are salaried employees.

  Local education authority mandatory grants may also be claimed by students undertaking health care professional training courses where they are not in receipt of an NHS bursary, and where they are attending a course that has been designated under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1990.

  Southern Derbyshire District Health Authority
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many doctors were working in the Southern Derbyshire district health authority in(a) 1979 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 30 September 1982 and 30 September 1989, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 255 and 301 junior doctors in post in the Southern Derbyshire health authority respectively. These figures exclude consultants and senior registrars whose contracts are held by the Trent regional health authority.

  Pre-1982 figures are not comparable due to the reorganisation and boundary changes which took place in 1982.

  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many nurses there were in the Southern Derbyshire district health authority in(a) 1979 and (b) for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 30 September 1979 and 30 September 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,420 and 3,950 nurses and midwives, excluding agency staff, in post respectively in the Southern Derbyshire health authority.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will publish the fourth annual report of the Committee for Monitoring Agreements on Tobacco Advertising and Sponsorship.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The committee for monitoring agreements on tobacco advertising and sponsorship has submitted its fourth report to the United Kingdom Health Ministers and copies have been placed in the Library. We are very grateful to the committee, and particularly to the outgoing chairman, Sir Peter Lazarus and the new chairman, Sir John Blelloch, for their valuable work in continuing to monitor the agreements.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Chamber Lighting
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the outcome of the consultation process following the exhibition of two prototypes of the proposed new permanent lighting system in the Chamber, as described in his answer of 1 May,Official Report, columns 183–84.

  Year

  Confirmed cases

  Cases where evidence is suggestive

  Total

  Pregnancies1

  Total cases per 100,000 pregnancies

  1979

  —

  1

  1

  66,866

  1·5

  1980

  2

  2

  4

  67,063

  6·0

  1981

  —

  1

  1

  67,889

  1·5

  1982

  2

  2

  4

  64,966

  6·2

  1983

  2

  1

  3

  63,596

  4·7

  1984

  —

  —

  —

  64,214

  —

  1985

  2

  —

  2

  64,968

  3·1

  1986

  1

  1

  2

  64,703

  3·1

  1987

  —

  —

  —

  64,932

  —

  1988

  —

  —

  —

  65,440

  —

  508
  Mr. MacGregor
  As I explained to the House on 1 May, two prototypes illustrating the proposed design for the new permanent lighting system in the Chamber were exhibited from 7 to 17 May. Comments from right hon. and hon. Members and others were invited by 23 May. Only one written response was received by the Select Committee on Broadcasting, from an hon. Member critical of the prototypes. In view of the lack of formal expressions of opposition to the proposed design, and taking into account the generally favourable reactions conveyed orally to Members of the Select Committee by hon. and right hon. Members and others, the Committee decided at its meeting on 10 June to confirm the basic design of the prototypes as the format for the new lighting system. I should emphasise, however, that some minor modifications may prove necessary as a result of subsequent discussions involving the Parliamentary Works Office, the Select Committee's technical advisers and English Heritage, regarding the details of the installation of the new lights. In particular, certain decorative features not present in the prototypes will be incorporated in the final design.

  It is hoped that the new lights will be in operation by the end of the summer recess.

SCOTLAND

  Community Care
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the projects submitted by Highland region for the recently announced £12·4 million bridging finance for community care, and the number that were granted funding.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Highland health board did not submit complete proposals in time to allow them to be considered along with the proposals of other boards.

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information, which has been derived from returns to the Scottish National Toxoplasma Reference Laboratory, is as follows:
  509

  Year

  Confirmed cases

  Cases where evidence is suggestive

  Total

  Pregnancies1

  Total cases per 100,000 pregnancies

  1989

  —

  2

  2

  62,985

  3·2

  1990

  —

  —

  —

  262,750

  —

  1 These figures relate to pregnancies which have gone to full term

  2 Provisional

  The Health Education Board for Scotland will shortly be issuing a leaflet giving advice on the avoidance of infections such as toxoplasmosis during pregnancy.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list how many tonnes of(a) sulphur dioxide, (b) nitrogen oxides and (c) particulate carbon, were discharged into the atmosphere in Scotland during the latest year for which figures are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The most recent available figures for Scotland are for 1986 and are as follows:

  Kilotonnes

  Sulphur dioxide

  332

  Nitrogen oxides

  186

  Smoke (as a product of coal combustion)

  31

  However, maps showing emissions of sulphur dioxides and nitrogen oxides by 20 km grid square in Scotland for 1987 were published in October 1990 by the review group on acid rain and by the photochemical oxidants review group. Copies of these publications have been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Dundee, East (Mr. McAllion) on 13 March,Official Report, columns 613–19, if he will now provide final figures for homelessness applications in 1989–90 and provisional figures for 1990–91 in each Scottish district council.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A small number of late returns have since been received. Revised figures for the authorities involved are as follows:

  Applicant households under the homeless persons legislation 1989–90

  Number

  Scotland

  28,501

  Clackmannan

  439

  Stirling

  622

  Stewartry

  51

  Aberdeen

  1,962

  Gordon

  316

  Ross and Cromarty

  108

  Skye and Lochalsh

  65

  Edinburgh

  3,030

  Dumbarton

  1,486

  East Kilbride

  454

  Eastwood

  14

  Glasgow

  6,010

  Hamilton

  362

  Kyle and Carrick

  675

  Motherwell

  778

  Renfrew

  1,060

  Strathkelvin

  255

  510

  Number

  Angus

  366

  Shetland

  116

  We estimate that some 2,000 returns, mostly from Glasgow, remain outstanding. It is unlikely that substantial further numbers will now be received and these figures may be regarded as final. Subsequent revisions to the Scotland total will be published in Statistical Bulletins on Housing Trends in Scotland. Response from local authorities is not yet sufficient to release provisional figures for 1990–91.

  Pine Wood Nematode
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to ensure all reasonable precautions are being taken to ensure that pine wood nematode is not introduced into the United Kingdom; and if he will make it his policy to take any measures to extend existing derogations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The most likely way in which pine wood nematode could reach this country is in coniferous wood containing the organism and its vector, the longhorn beetle Monochamus. Under the terms of the European Community Plant Health Directive, all coniferous wood imported into the United Kingdom from countries where the nematode is found has to be kiln-dried to below a specified moisture content. This process, while it should kill the vector, is not effective in killing the nematode itself. The European Community has therefore embarked on a research programme aimed at replacing the kiln-drying specification with fully effective heat pasteurisation schedules. Pending the results of this research, expected in the autumn, the European Commission has authorised the United Kingdom and nine other member states to derogate from the kiln-drying requirement in respect of sawn coniferous wood from North America that has been inspected and certified to be free of residual bark and the vector's bore holes.

  The present derogation expires on 31 December 1991, but it is expected that it will need to be extended for a limited period in order to allow time for the new pasteurisation schedules to be agreed and reflected in Community legislation and for North American industry to install the necessary equipment. In the meantime, I am advised by the Forestry Commissioners, who are the statutory plant health authority in respect of forest trees and timber, that the present arrangements provide the necessary level of protection against the risk of pine wood nematode becoming established here.

  Cruden Houses
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many Cruden houses there are in Scotland: how many have been built in the last 30 years; and if he will give details of where these houses were built and when.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I take it that the hon. Member is referring to the non-traditional steel-framed houses built by Cruden Houses Limited. About 3,000 of these houses were built in Scotland between 1947 and 1950; none has been built since that date. The houses were located in the following areas.

  Districts

  Angus

  Annandale and Eskdale

  Argyll and Bute

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  Banff and Buchan

  Berwickshire

  Caithness

  Clackmannan

  Clydesdale

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  Cunninghame

  Dundee

  Dunfermline

  East Kilbride

  East Lothian

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  Falkirk

  Gordon

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  Kincardine and Deeside

  Kyle and Carrick

  Midlothian

  Moray

  Nairn

  Nithsdale

  North East Fife

  Perth and Kinross

  Ross and Cromarty

  Roxburgh

  Stewartry

  Stirling

  Sutherland

  Tweeddale

  West Lothian

  Wigtown

  Islands

  Shetland

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the unadjusted size of the work force in employment in Scotland in March.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  In March 1991 there were an estimated 2,247,000 in the Scottish civilian work force in employment. This estimate is not seasonally adjusted.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the estimate of the number of self-employed in Scotland in March; and what it has been for each quarter for the past five years.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The table below gives the available information of the estimated number of self-employed in Scotland in each quarter for the past five years.

  Self-employed Thousands

  1986

  Ql

  204

  Q2

  205

  512

  Self-employed Thousands

  Q3

  202

  Q4

  200

  1987

  Q1

  197

  Q2

  194

  Q3

  199

  Q4

  204

  1988

  Ql

  210

  Q2

  215

  Q3

  220

  Q4

  226

  1989

  Q1

  231

  Q2

  236

  Q3

  236

  Q4

  235

  1990

  Q1

  234

  Q2

  1234

  1 Estimate of the self-employed has been held constant by the Employment Department since June 1990.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were on work-related government training schemes who were included in the work force in employment in Scotland figures; and how this number was calculated.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The Scottish civilian work force in employment in March 1991 included an estimate of 57,000 participants on work-related Government training programmes. In addition to this, those YT participants who have contracts of employment are counted in the employees in employment estimate, although it is not possible to say exactly how many there are.

  The number shown as work-related Government training programmes cover YT and ET participants who, in the course of their participation, receive training in the context of workplace, but are not employees, self-employment or HM forces.

  The number of YT participants included in the civilian workforce in employment in Scotland is derived by subtracting approximately 24 per cent. of the total number of YT participants, who are assumed to have contracts of employment (based on the number reported as having "employee status"). A further 1 per cent. is then subtracted to allow for those who are assumed not to receive any work experience. The number of YT participants included in the estimates has been held constant since March 1990 in the absence of any more recent estimates.

  For ET participants, none of whom have contracts of employment, 3 per cent. are assumed to receive no training in the context of a workplace and so are excluded from the estimates.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many part-time female employees were included in the work force in employment figures for Scotland in March.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  In Scotland in March 1991 an estimated 412,000 female part-time employees in employment were included in the civilian work force in employment figures.
  513
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what have been the numbers employed in the manufacturing, energy and water, service and other industries in each March since 1979 in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The table below gives the number of employees in employment in the manufacturing, energy and water, service and other industries in each March since 1979 in Scotland.

  Thousands

  Manufacturing

  Energy/ water

  Services

  Other industries

  March

  1979

  604

  71

  1,190

  199

  1980

  578

  74

  1,220

  202

  1981

  519

  73

  1,217

  189

  1982

  486

  72

  1,204

  170

  1983

  450

  70

  1,189

  171

  1984

  432

  66

  1,210

  172

  1985

  432

  65

  1,227

  166

  1986

  421

  61

  1,229

  157

  1987

  405

  55

  1,236

  157

  1988

  406

  57

  1,280

  154

  1989

  412

  57

  1,326

  152

  1990

  397

  59

  1,337

  162

  1991

  388

  61

  1,355

  152

  Registers of Scotland
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the annual report of the Registers of Scotland executive agency will be published.

  Mr. Lang
  Copies of the annual report have today been placed in the Library.

  Adult Education
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his plans for the future of adult education.

  Mr. Lang
  The White Paper "Access and Opportunity" sets out proposals designed to encourage greater participation by people in education and training throughout their working lives.

  I welcome the expansion of adult provision over recent years. This has been encouraged by programmes such as the Scottish wider access programme and by the reform of vocational qualifications. Further education colleges have played an important part in this process and will continue to do so.

  Subject to the passage of legislation, I will take over from 1 April 1993 the duty of education authorities under Section 1 of the Education (Scotland) Act 1980 to secure adequate and efficient provision of further education in the following areas:

  (a) Courses leading to vocational qualifications;

  (b) Courses leading to any Scottish Examination Board qualifications or GCE;

  (c) Courses to meet special educational needs;

  (d) Courses for speakers of languages other than the English language to gain proficiency in the English language;

  (e) Courses preparing for access to higher education institutions or advanced vocational qualifications; and

  (f) Courses and activities designed to facilitate adult participation in education and training.

  Education authorities will also be given a power to secure provision of further education in these areas.
  514
  Education authorities will retain a duty to secure adequate and efficient provision of other areas of further education. This will include community education which encompasses social and recreational education.

  Colleges of further education will, therefore, provide a wide range of education for adults and education authorities will retain their responsibility for community education. Provision for that can continue to be made in a wide range of facilities, including schools and colleges.

  Electricity
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether the Scottish electricity companies have produced statements on the preservation of amenity in accordance with schedule 9 to the Electricity Act 1989.

  Mr. Lang
  Statements setting out the manner in which the licensees propose to perform their duties under schedule 9 to the Electricity Act 1989, and which constitute the environmental guidelines the licence holders intend to follow, have been produced by Scottish Power plc, Scottish Hydro-Electric plc and Scottish Nuclear Ltd. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many companies in Scotland are bottling and selling drinking water; and if he will list them and the water source.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: Information on the number of companies bottling and selling such water is not held centrally.

  Railways
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will meet Strathclyde regional council to discuss the provision of additional funding to ensure that the railway tunnel at Port Matilda, Gourock, Renfrewshire, remains open; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: My right hon. Friend has received no request from Strathclyde regional council to discuss the provision of additional funding in connection with the railway tunnel at Fort Matilda. The Scottish Office were however represented at the site meeting on 2 July arranged by the Strathclyde passenger transport executive. The Government are aware of the problems concerning the condition of the tunnel, but this is a matter for Strathclyde regional council and British Rail in the first instance.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what grants his Department intends to make available for the renovation of the Wemyss Bay railway station.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: No application for historic buildings repair grant assistance for repairs to Wemyss Bay railway station has been received by Historic Scotland and until such an application is received and processed, it is impossible to say what, if any, grant may be offered.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many homeless people there are in Scotland; and if he will give the numbers by districts and where the statistics are gathered from.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: Information is collected by the Scottish Office of the numbers of households who apply to local authorities under the homeless persons legislation. Returns are submitted quarterly by the 56 district and islands councils. The latest figures at present available are for 1989–90. An analysis of the numbers of these applicants who were assessed by the local authorities in each area as homeless was given in table 17 of Statistical Bulletin HSG/1991/4. Copies were sent to all Members representing Scottish constituencies and are available in the House Library.

  Since the publication of the bulletin, a small number of late returns have been received. Revised figures for the authorities concerned are given below.

  Applicant households under the homeless persons legislation, who were assessed as homeless in 1989–90

  Number

  Stirling

  311

  Stewartry

  20

  Ross and Cromarty

  48

  Dumbarton

  434

  Eastwood

  11

  Glasgow

  1,852

  Kyle and Carrick

  285

  Motherwell

  180

  Renfrew

  396

  Shetland

  74

  The revised total for Scotland as a whole was 11,203. Some authorities have failed to submit complete returns.

  Youth Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 18 July 1991]: The number of youth training places available and occupied were:

  May 1989

  May 1990

  May 1991

  Places available

  21

  15

  6

  Places occupied

  14

  7

  4

  The figures include places in government funded research institutions and the Forestry Commission in Edinburgh which were covered by the Scottish Office youth training scheme.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing Statistics
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in tabular form for each local authority in England and Wales(a) the resident population, (b) the number of local authority, the
  516
  Commission for New Towns and housing association dwellings and (c) the numbers of people on the waiting list for local authority dwellings.

  Mr. Yeo
  A table listing the latest available information has been placed in the Library. For information about Welsh authorities I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library the proposals referred to him by Beverley district council, which the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State referred to in the debate on 11 June,Official Report, column 824, regarding an alternative method of calculating standard spending assessments.

  Mr. Key
  A copy of the report titled "Distributing the Revenue Support Grant" has been placed in the Library.

  Local Government Finance
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the standard spending assessments for(a) education, (b) personal social services, (c) highway maintenance, (d) police, (e) fire and civil defence, (f) other services and (g) capital financing in each London borough for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Key
  Standard spending assessments—SSAs— were first introduced for the settlement year 1990–91 as a replacement for grant-related expenditure assessments. The SSAs for each London borough, split according to the requested service heads, are shown in table 2 of the SSA handbooks for 1990–91 and 1991–92, both of which are in the Library.

  Mr. Janman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the figure for the percentage of non-payers of(a) community charge bills in 1990–91 and (b) domestic rate bills in 1989–90 for each local authority in Essex.

  Mr. Key
  Information reported to the Department on the number of people who have not made a payment by 31 March 1991 as a percentage of the people who are liable in respect of a personal community charge, for authorities in Essex, is as follows:

  Percentage of personal community charge payers who had not made a payment by 31 March 1991

  Per cent.

  Basildon

  9·4

  Braintree

  5·0

  Brentwood

  2·2

  Castle Point

  6·0

  Chelmsford

  3·0

  Colchester

  n/a

  Epping Forest

  5·5

  Harlow

  10·6

  Maldon

  1·2

  Rochford

  3·6

  Southend-on-Sea

  11·7

  Tendring

  8·3

  Thurrock

  6·2

  Uttlesford

  4·0

  n/a = not available.

  n/a =not available.

  No information is held centrally on the number of non-payers of domestic rate bills.

  Radioactive Pollution (Soviet Union)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what technical assistance the United Kingdom has offered to the Soviet Union to clean up radioactive pollution.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government are participating in the programmes of international agencies, such as the International Atomic Energy Agency, to provide technical expertise and resources to assist the Soviet Union to handle the effects of the nuclear accident at Chernobyl. Also, United Kingdom companies are competing for contracts to clean up and redevelop the areas affected by radioactive pollution from Chernobyl.

  Home Improvement Grants
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many home improvement grants have been given to households in Tower Hamlets for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  The numbers of grants for improvement and renovation paid to private owners and to tenants, as reported by the London borough of Tower Hamlets in the annual housing investment programme returns, are in the table.

  Number

  1978–79

  44

  1979–80

  49

  1980–81

  40

  1981–82

  84

  1982–83

  81

  1983–84

  120

  1984–85

  165

  1985–86

  87

  1986–87

  232

  1987–88

  162

  1988–89

  100

  1989–90

  167

  Recycling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amount of(a) glass, (b) paper and board, (c) ferrous metal, (d) tin, (e) zinc, (f) lead, (g) copper and (h) aluminium recycled as a percentage of consumption for each waste disposal authority in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not available. However, my Department is currently conducting a review of waste statistics, one of whose objectives is to ensure that information of this nature is available in future.

  Private Sector Schools
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amounts of city grant allocated on programmes to build for sale schools in the private sector for the years 1988–89 and to 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  None.

  Disabled Facilities Grants
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many applications have been received for disabled facilities grants in the value ranges(a) under £1,000, (b) £1,000 to £5,000, (c) £5,000 to £10,000 and (d) over £10,000;

  (2) what percentage of applications for disabled facilities grants have been paid in full; what percentage have received half of the sum applied for; what percentage have received less than half the sum applied for; and what percentage have been refused any payment;

  (3) how many applications have been received for disabled facilities grants; what is the average value of applications made under the scheme; and what is the average value of the grants made.

  Mr. Yeo
  Returns made by local authorities in England show that the average value of disabled facilities grants, paid in 1990–91, was £2,214. No other information, based on the returns of all local authorities, is available. However extrapolation from a study of sample of 35 local authorities suggests that, in 1990–91, approximately 5,000 applications for disabled facilities grants were received, 1,850 with a value below £1,000, 2,500 in the range £1,000 to £5,000, 350 in the range £5,000 to £10,000 and 300 over £10,000, and that the average value of applications made was £3,440. The same study suggests that, in 1990–91, 4 per cent. of the applications received for disabled facilities grants were refused any payment. No information on the percentages of applications which were paid in full, or received half or less than half the sum applied for, is available.

  Housing
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amounts allocated on programmes to the Housing Corporation for renewing grants under section 87 of the Housing Act 1985 for each of the years 1985–86 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Yeo
  I assume that the hon. Gentleman is referring to the programme of promotional and advisory grants administered by the Housing Corporation under, principally, section 87 of the Housing Associations Act 1985. The level of the corporation's programme, financed by grant-in-aid from my Department, has been as follows for the years in question.

  £000's

  1985–86

  342·1

  1986–87

  509·7

  1987–88

  472·3

  1988–89

  586·3

  1989–90

  1,109·0

  1990–91

  2,699·5

  1991–92

  3,702·0

  Decisions on the level of the programme for 1992–93 have not yet been taken.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the amounts allocated on programmes to urban development corporations for housing purposes or supporting infrastructures in the form of grants or subsidies for each of the years 1985–86 to 1992–93.
  519
  Mr. Yeo
  Expenditure on the corporation's housing for sale programme, which supports low cost home ownership, was as follows:

  £ million

  1988–89

  94·7

  1989–90

  108·8

  1990–91

  64·9

  A total of £105 million has been allocated for 1991–92, and a provisional allocation of £110 million has been made for 1992–93.

  City Grant
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications have been received for city grant projects; what percentage have been successful; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  To date, 387 applications have been made to the Department for city grant. Grant has been approved for 53 per cent. of these with decisions pending 44 applications.

  Cruden Houses
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many Cruden houses there are in England and Wales; how many have been built in the last 30 years; and if he will break these figures down by year and between England and Wales.

  Mr. Yeo
  There are no Cruden houses in England and Wales.

  European Community Environment Directives
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the European Council or Commission directives or decisions of 88/347/EEC of 16 June 1988, 88/609/EEC of 24 November 1988 and 89/429/EEC of 29 June 1989 on environmental affairs were implemented; and if he will make a statement in each case on the reason for the time taken in implementing the directive in United Kingdom legislation.

  Mr. Baldry
  Directive 88/347/EEC on dangerous substances in water was implemented through Department of the Environment circular 7/89 of 30 March 1989. It was taken into national law by the Surface Waters (Dangerous Substances) (Classification) Regulations 1989; and by a notice and direction to the National Rivers Authority under the Water Act 1989, which took effect in January 1990.

  The United Kingdom programme and plan for achieving major cuts in emissions of sulphur dioxide and oxides of nitrogen from existing large combustion plants, as required by directive 88/609, was published in December 1990 in good time for the directive's deadline. The Environmental Protection Act 1990—EPA—and equivalent legislation in Northern Ireland provide the legal framework for implementing the plan. The whole range of implementing measures under the EPA relating to England and Wales have now come into force and will be followed in April 1992 by measures relating to Scotland, and to Northern Ireland as soon as the appropriate Order in Council for the introduction of equivalent procedures
  520
  there can be made. Special interim implementing measures are being introduced with respect to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  A direction under the EPA relating to directive 89/429/EEC on municipal waste incineration—existing plant—is currently being prepared. Pending formal implementation of the directive through this direction, the United Kingdom authorities are applying conditions to existing municipal waste incinerators which are consistent with the operating conditions set down in the directive.

  In each of these cases, measures were taken in good time to ensure practical implementation of the directive before the due date. In each case, however, some delay in giving formal legal effect to the directive was caused by the need to enact new primary legislation.

  Atmospheric Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by county area how many tonnes of(a) sulphur dioxide, (b) nitrogen oxides and (c) particulate carbon were discharged into the atmosphere in England during the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  No figures are available on a county basis of sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides or particulate carbon emissions for the United Kingdom. However, emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides in tonnes have been compiled on a much finer spatial scale, 20km by 20km, for England, Wales and Scotland. These maps for 1987 were published by the review group on acid rain and the photochemical oxidants review group, respectively, in October 1990. Copies of these reports have been deposited in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps have been taken to keep up to date his departmental helpline on atmospheric pollution.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer to the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health to the hon. Member for Meirionnydd Nant Conwy (Dr. Thomas) on 8 May,Official Report, column 495.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the total number of air pollution monitoring sites for each of(a) ozone, (b) carbon monoxide, (c) nitrogen oxides, (d) acid deposition, (e) atmospheric hydrocarbon, (f) trace germs, (g) smoke and sulphur dioxide and (h) lead in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department of the Environment is currently operating the following number of air pollution monitoring sites:

  Number

  Ozone

  18

  Carbon monoxide

  6

  Nitrogen

  12

  Acid deposition

  32

  Atmospheric hydrocarbons

  4

  Trace gases

  3

  Smoke and sulphur dioxide

  258

  Lead

  17

  No comprehensive central records are kept by my Department of the number of monitoring sites in other

  521
  European Community countries. As regards sites monitoring nitrogen oxides, however, I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 22 April.

  Fire Retardants
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the product groups on sale in the EC where there is wide use of Tetrabromobisphenyl A as a fire retardant; and what information he has on which product groups currently using Polybromobiphenyl ethers as a fire retardant would not be suitable for treatment with Terabromobisphenol A.

  Mr. Baldry
  The exact extent of use of TBBA—terabromobisphenol A—is commercially sensitive information and difficult to obtain. However, I understand that TBBA is used in acrylonitrile-butadiene-stryrene copolymers, polycarbonates and in epoxide and phenolic resins.

  Detailed information on product groups which are unsuitable for treatment with TBBA is not available. The United Kingdom has stringent fire safety standards which are based on performance criteria not on the use or otherwise of specific fire retardants. Furnishing textiles and other materials treated with polybromobiphenyl ethers meet these standards. It is not known to what extent the same materials treated TBBA would meet these standards.

  National Parks
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has received the recommendation of the Countryside Commission on the national parks review report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  Yes. My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for the Environment and Wales wish to congratulate the Countryside Commission on setting up this most timely review to mark the 40th anniversary of the legislation to establish the national parks of England and Wales and to thank Professor Ron Edwards and his team for their comprehensive and balanced report. Our national parks have played and continue to play a vital part in conserving and enhancing some of our most treasured landscapes and enabling the public to enjoy access to them.

  The Government welcome the general thrust of the Edwards report and the recommendations based on it put to us by the Countryside Commission and the Countryside Council for Wales. We shall now address in detail their particular recommendations and hope to publish a considered response later in the year.

  MINIS 12
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will publish his Department's MINIS 12 documents.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I am today publishing the MINIS 12 documents and a set has been placed in the Library.

  Crown Suppliers
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if any financial liability has been taken on through premises to provide support to the consultants advising the management team who sought buy-out of the Crown Suppliers' transport business.
  522
  Mr. Yeo
  As stated in my reply to the hon. Member for Workington (Mr. Campbell-Savours) on 24 January 1991,Official Report column 271, Government support of £36,000 for advisers' fees has been paid to the management buy-out team who were seeking to acquire the Crown Suppliers' transport business. Towards the end of the sale competition they applied for additional support. Provisional agreement was reached with the teams' advisers that, subject to certain conditions, the Government would be prepared to pay 60 per cent. of the advisers' fees incurred, based on a maximum estimate of 185,000–£111,000. However, the sale of the business was aborted towards the close of March 1991 before the conditions had been fully met. Thus, although most, if not all, of the proposed additional expenditure had been incurred by the management buy-out team, no further payment was made by the Department.

  With the agreement of the Treasury, Property Holdings wrote on 26 March to the management buy-out team members, and to the firms that advised them, to say that the Department did not accept any liability for the costs incurred. Nevertheless, the letter indicated that the Department would not rule out all payments if any of the parties wished to pursue the matter and was prepared to give the Government detailed information on the expenditure incurred.

  It was not recognised at the time that the possibility of payment held out by this letter meant that it constituted a form of "letter of comfort" and that therefore a contingent liability of up to £111,000 had been incurred. I regret not bringing this matter to the attention of the House before the letter of comfort was sent. In accordance with Government accounting rules, I have now arranged for a copy of the letter to be laid before the House and for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many dwellings each local authority has sold under the right-to-buy legislation or voluntarily since April 1979; and what percentage of the total local authority stock they represent.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have placed in the Library a table giving available information on local authority sales up to March 1991. It shows year by year information for each authority since 1985–86 together with cumulative figures since April 1979 and the proportion of their stock sold since April 1979.

  Detergents
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what comments he has received on the report of the study he commissioned into the problems that may be caused by pollutants in detergents; and what steps he now proposes to take.

  Mr. Trippier
  We invited 37 organisations to comment on this report and received detailed replies from 14. They reported that the use of phosphorus in detergents declined by 20 per cent. between the first quarter of 1990 and first quarter of 1991, largely as a result of the introduction of phosphate free compact detergents. There was no consensus, however, on whether further substitution of phosphorus by other substances would have a net beneficial environmental effect.
  523
  On other chemicals sometimes used in detergents, the main concern reported was the need to limit the use of NTA—nitrilo triacetic acid—and EDTA—ethylene diamine tetracetic acid. In the light of these comments, I have decided:

  (a) the use of phosphate in detergents and the environmental effects should be closely monitored, but there should be no ban on its use;

  (b) the existing voluntary agreements with industry on use of EDTA and NTA in detergents should be strengthened, and research should be undertaken into other sources of inputs of these substances to the aquatic environment; and

  (c) to invite English Nature and the Marine Conservation Society to be members of the Technical Committee on Detergents and the Environment and to give this Committee the following revised terms of reference:

  "To monitor trends in the usage of chemicals in detergents and cleaning products.

  "To keep under review the effects of detergent and cleaning products on natural waters, water supply and the treatability and safe disposal of sewage and sludge.

  "To identify and review potential problems and recommend, as necessary, any research required to investigate these.

  "To comment as necessary on environmental developments within the European Community and other international bodies affecting the UK soap and detergent industry.

  "To report to the Department of the Environment of these matters at intervals of at least every two years."

  Youth Training Places
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Heseltine
  My Department has one Youth Training scheme in operation at present. It is in Bristol and is run in conjunction with the Department of Transport. The information requested in respect of my Department's places is as follows:

  Number of places

  Number of places occupied

  1989

  18

  6

  1990

  10

  7

  1991

  10

  8

  Council Tax
  Mr. Gould
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many responses he has received to his consultation document on the council tax; and how and when he intends to make his response to the consultation exercise.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 19 July 1991]: We have received some 850 representations in response to the recent consultation paper on the council tax. We will report on the outcome shortly.

  Aggregates
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will consider asking the regional aggregates working parties to delay the preparation of 524
  their regional commentaries until full consideration has been given to comments on the national forecasts recently published by his Department.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: No. The views expressed by the regional aggregates working parties in their regional commentaries on the implications of the forecasts will be an important contribution to the revised draft guidelines which my Department will be preparing for public consultation.

  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to examine the present policy on aggregates of ensuring a steady supply for the construction industry, to ensure that it is still appropriate and encourages efficiency in aggregates' use.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: It is premature to make any change to the present policies, but the Government have said that during the review of MPG 6 they will be reviewing whether the policy of ensuring a steady supply of primary aggregates for the construction industry is still appropriate and whether it encourages their most efficient use.

  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will revise mineral planning guidance note 6 so as to make it clear that long-term forecasts of primary aggregates demand are treated only as indicating the scope of the problem.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: Any decision on the content of the guidelines to replace MPG6 will be taken in the light of the comments which are received on the recently published forecasts and on the draft revised guidelines which will be issued for public consultation.

  Recycled Metals
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for the last available year the amount of(a) aluminium, (b) copper, (c) lead, (d) tin and (e) zinc recycled as a percentage of total consumption in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: The following information has been provided by the Government's Warren Spring laboratory. All figures are for 1989. They represent the amount of scrap used as a proportion of consumption. Figures may not have been constructed on comparable bases. Where a country is not listed, it is because the relevant figures are not available.

  Per cent.

  Aluminium

  Belgium and Luxembourg

  16

  Germany

  13

  Italy

  32

  United Kingdom

  21

  Copper

  Belgium and Luxembourg

  9

  France

  26

  Germany

  23

  Greece

  33

  Italy

  46

  Spain

  27

  United Kingdom

  40

  525

  Per cent.

  Lead

  Belgium and Luxembourg

  40

  France (estimated)

  45

  Germany

  52

  Italy

  40

  Spain

  53

  United Kingdom

  74

  Tin

  Belgium and Luxembourg

  100

  Germany

  2

  Italy

  13

  United Kingdom

  70

  Zinc

  Belgium and Luxembourg

  11

  France

  11

  Germany

  8

  Spain

  11

  United Kingdom

  28

  Petroleum Coke
  Mr. Ashton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment why he has decided not to list imported petroleum coke as a registered fuel for domestic heating appliances under the Clean Air Act 1956.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: Application for authorisation under the Clean Air Act 1956 of a fuel for use in a smoke control area must be made to the Department of the Environment who arrange to have the fuel tested before authorising it. Regulations that came into effect this month authorised Pureheat ovoids, a blend of petcoke and coal; but no application has been received in recent years for authorisation of imported petroleum coke.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Heseltine
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: The Government continue to place a high priority on helping small businesses, through improvements to the business climate, through deregulation and other measures through specific programmes of support and assistance.

  Separate information on small businesses is not available. But all businesses will benefit from the simplification and clarification of the Building Regulations now being undertaken. It is intended that amended regulations will be made this autumn and come into operation next year.

  The Planning and Compensation Bill includes a number of measures to improve the efficiency of the planning system, which should be of benefit to small businesses. We have amended the General Development Order to allow factory or warehouse extensions built as permitted development to be used for social or welfare purposes for employees, including creche facilities for their children.

  The White Paper "Releasing Enterprise"—Cm. 512—notes that the system of integrated pollution control—IPC
  526
  —would be less burdensome to industry as a whole than the previous arrangements. IPC was given statutory force by the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Homes (Demolition)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, whether he proposes to introduce planning controls over the demolition of houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  [pursuant to his answer, 10 May 1991, c. 622.]: The Government have today published a consultation paper on proposed methods of extending planning control over the demolition of dwellinghouses in England and Wales. The options set out in the paper are designed to introduce controls selectively, where they are needed, while minimising the regulatory burden where demolition is unlikely to give rise to adverse effects on the local amenity and neighbouring property.

  Local Authority Short-term Leases
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, whether he has plans to change the financial arrangements for short-term leases acquired by local authorities.

  Sir George Young
  [pursuant to his answer, 3 May 1991 c. 337.]: My Department issued a consultation paper on 3 May 1991 proposing new accounting arrangements for houses and flats leased by local authorities from housing associations and private owners, and used as temporary accommodation for the homeless. I have carefully considered the responses to that consultation paper, and have now reached conclusions.

  The main proposal was that leases acquired by local housing authorities after 31 March 1992 for a term of less than three years should be accounted for outside the housing revenue account. This would put them on a common financial footing with other property used by housing authorities as temporary accommodation for families accepted for housing under the homelessness legislation. I confirm that we intend to make a direction under section 74(3)(d) of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 to this effect. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State accordingly has taken account of local authority expenditure on new short-term leases in making his proposals, also announced today, on total standard spending and aggregate external finance for 1992–93.

  Many respondents to the consultation paper argued that the normal mechanisms for the distribution of revenue support grant would not focus resources sufficiently towards the relatively small number of authorities with heavy recourse to leasing. The consequence could be a heavy additional burden on the community charge for those authorities next year. My hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and I have given careful consideration to this argument. We have concluded that a specific grant should be available on a limited basis and for a limited period of more than three years to ease the transition to the new financial arrangements for those authorities worst affected. We shall announce details for the proposed grant arrangements shortly, and shall be seeking the views of the local authority associations on those proposals.

  Respondents to the consultation document argued for an extension of the rule that exempt leases from the

  527
  requirement for credit cover if they are under three years. We have no immediate plans to change the capital finance rules, but will look further at this question.

  Respondents to the consultation document also expressed concern about the rent subsidy arrangements for short-term leases. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security will be reviewing the current rent rebate threshold subsidy arrangements alongside housing benefit subsidy arrangements in general later in the year.

EMPLOYMENT

  Industrial Training Boards
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff of industrial training boards in existence at the time of the White Paper "Employment for the 1990s" have since then been made redundant; and how many of those made redundant were training staff as opposed to administrative and support staff.

  Mr. Jackson
  On the best available figures, approximately 3,100 staff were previously employed by the seven industrial training boards at the beginning of 1989. Since 5 December 1988, a total of 739 staff have been made redundant for a variety of reasons, including operational efficiency, cessation of statutory duties and changes to the operation of youth training managing agencies. Of these, 370 were training staff. During the same period a number of boards have recruited about 300 new staff, the majority of whom were training staff.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many statutory training boards will remain after 31 July; and how many staff they will employ.

  Mr. Jackson
  From 31 July 1991, three industrial training boards will remain operational, employing a total of 1,550 staff.

  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the current number of industrial training boards.

  Mr. Jackson
  Three industrial training boards are currently operational.

  Remploy
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 16 July to the hon. Member for Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney on Remploy, what assessment he has made of the financial and job consequences of the decline in orders placed.

  Mr. Jackson
  Remploy has continued to increase its annual sales turnover despite the loss of business from the Crown suppliers. Although 80 job opportunities for people with severe disabilities nationally have been lost as a result of that loss of business, there have been no redundancies amongst the disabled work force, as the reduction has been achieved through natural wastage. Remploy is taking active steps to build up its direct business with Government Departments.

  East London TEC
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the population of England is in the area covered by the East London TEC.
  528
  Mr. Jackson
  Based on the OPCS mid-1989 population estimates, 2·5 per cent. of the population of England is within the area covered by the East London TEC.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of the funding for youth training, employment training, business enterprise training, the enterprise allowance scheme and other departmental training programmes in England received by the East London TEC.

  Mr. Jackson
  Budgets for 1990–91 have been allocated by funding block rather than individual scheme. The funding allocations for East London TEC, as percentages of the national figures, are:

  Per cent.

  Block 1

  1·6

  Block 2

  2·4

  Block 3

  1·6

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of unemployed persons in England within the area covered by the East London TEC.

  Mr. Jackson
  The number of persons unemployed within the East London TEC area in May 1991, seasonally unadjusted, represents 3·3 per cent. of the total number of unemployed persons in England.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the intended budget for the new training and enterprise councils at their inception; and how much has so far been spent.

  Mr. Jackson
  Budgets for training and enterprise councils are determined by the proposals which they set out in their agreed corporate and business plans within the limits voted by Parliament. In this financial year, TECs as a whole will have a budget of around £1·6 billion to meet the training and enterprise needs of their areas.

  The TECs' rate of expenditure is a matter for them to determine, within the terms of their contract.

  Labour Statistics
  Sir Michael Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the current levels of unemployment in the south-east region of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jackson
  In June 1991, the seasonally adjusted rate of unemployment in the south-east region, including London, was 6·9 per cent. of the work force.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of those applicants for unemployment benefit who were disqualified for any period 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.

  Open Tech and Open College
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for total public expenditure on(a) the Open tech project and (b) the Open college for each year since their foundation; and if he will make copies of each year's annual reports available in the Library.

  Mr. Jackson
  Expenditure on the Open tech programme was as follows:

  £ million

  1983–84

  4·5

  1984–85

  18·1

  1985–86

  17·6

  1986–87

  14·4

  Progress on the Open tech programme was reported in successive Manpower Services Commission annual reports which are available in the Library.

  In respect of Open college expenditure, I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to him of 22 April, Official Report, column 365.

  In common with other businesses, the Open college submits annual accounts, including a directors report, to the companies registration office.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many students have completed courses at the Open tech and the Open college in each year since their foundation; how many have gained recognised qualifications; and how these figures compare with initial targets.

  Mr. Jackson
  Open tech was not an institution and did not register students. Projects set up under the programme had, by 1987 produced 34,000 hours of new material which had been used by about 65,000 people. Monitoring of usage ceased in 1987 when the programme ended, but many of the materials produced are still in use.

  By the end of March 1991, the Open college had sold 179,106 course packs, some of which will be used by more than one student.

  Although the open learning market is now well established, at the times when the Open tech programme and the Open college were launched, the size of the market was uncertain and therefore no initial targets for numbers of students were set.

  Materials produced by both the Open tech programme and the Open college were and are linked to vocational qualifications wherever possible, but registration for qualifications is a matter for individual students and no central records are maintained.

  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of Slate for Employment what evaluation his Department has carried out on(a) Open tech project and (b) the Open college; if he will make a statement on the conclusions reached; and if he will make the evaluations available in the Library.

  Mr. Jackson
  The evaluation strategy for the Open tech programme produced a number of reports between 1982 and 1987. I am arranging for a full list of available reports to be sent to the hon. Gentleman and for those reports not already in the Library to be placed there. These reports, and experience since, show that the Open tech programme was instrumental in helping to establish an open learning industry which has given the United Kingdom a world lead.
  530
  The Open college is a business which produces annual business plans, based on market research and evaluation studies, and monitors performance against these plans. As with other businesses, these plans are commercial-in-confidence. The Department receives regular progress reports from the college and is currently setting up jointly with the college an evaluation of its impact on the training system. I will make sure that copies of the evaluation are placed in the Library in due course.

  The Open college has played an important part in helping to maintain and develop a United Kingdom open learning industry.

  Business (VAT)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many businessess in the east midlands were registered for value added tax in(a) 1979 and (b) the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Forth
  At the end of 1979 there were 88,200 businesses registered for VAT in the east midlands. By the end of 1989, the latest year for which figures are available, this figure had risen to 113,400 businesses.

  Accident Management Software
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to encourage the use of accident management software packages in places of work; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Commission places great emphasis on effective management for the control of work related health and safety risks. Accident management software packages are a potentially powerful tool in this context. In addition to encouraging accident monitoring and analysis by employers, the Health and Safety Executive has approved the use of copyright licensed computer generated forms for meeting employers' statutory accident and ill health reporting obligations under the Reporting of Injuries, Disease and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 1985.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement concerning the approach of the Health and Safety Executive's accident prevention advisory unit to the use by employers of Accidata accident management software.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Health and Safety Executive's accident prevention advisory unit through its contacts with employing organisations and its publications emphasises the importance of safety performance monitoring in the effective management of work-related health and safety risks. It supports the use of accident management software for this purpose and is familiar with the Accidata system, but it does not endorse particular systems.

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
  Mr. Madel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for how long his Department will continue to fund the TVEI programme in schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: The Department is responsible for TVEI. Funding for the

  531
  initiative continues until 1997–98. Within that timetable, education authorities will progressively leave the initiative from summer 1992, depending upon their date of entry.

  The initiative has been successful in fulfilling its purpose of embedding training and vocational education in the education system. It has been a major facilitator for a range of educational developments, including the national curriculum, national record of achievement and innovative teaching and learning styles.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment 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. Forth
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: 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. Despite the difficult economic climate the latest statistics on VAT registration show that there was a net average increase of around 800 businesses per week during 1990.

  Measures operated by my Department to assist small businesses include the loan guarantee scheme, which enhances smaller firms access to finance. In the 12 months to 30 June 1991, a total of 3,297 loans were guaranteed to a value of £82 million.

  Continuing efforts are being made to improve the access of small firms to Government contracts. The publication and distribution of booklets designed for both Government purchasers and small firms which identify purchasing needs, Departmental contacts and give guidance on improving Government purchasing procedures is an on-going activity. In this area we have also commissioned a study of small firms perceptions of supplying central Government Departments with a view to further improving our policies. My Department continues to publicise its own contracts and there is a departmental guide for those companies who want to tender including small firms. Managers are encouraged to use local small firms in devolving the purchasing function and budgets when appropriate.

  My Department continues to address the problems faced by small businesses because of the late payment of commercial debt. During 1990, my Department obtained support for prompt payment from most of the United Kingdom's top 100 companies. In addition, I offered to take up, on behalf of individual small businesses, cases of late payment by the top 100 companies or Government Departments. This year, we have begun an examination of the Government's own departmental record on the payment of bills and are preparing a new guidance pack on payment and debt collection in co-operation with the Institute of Credit Management.

  The Department also continues to pursue its policies of reducing the burdens on business. In addition to maintaining a close interest in domestic deregulation. I also seek to ensure that EC legislation does not impose unnecessary burdens, with the circumstances of small businesses very much in mind.
  532
  My Department has successfully passed responsibility for running a range of measures which assist small businesses to training and enterprise councils. The TECs have a great deal of flexibility and are tailoring assistance to meet the needs of their local economy.

  The small firms service existed to provide high-quality information, advice and counselling to new and established small businesses. It dealt with 317,000 inquiries, and gave more than 50,000 counselling sessions to more than 36,000 clients in its full year of operation. Its functions have been transferred to TECs, although the London centre is still operational under a specific arrangement with TECs in the London area. TECs have plans to make significant improvements to this service so that it will be even more effective in meeting local needs.

  Business and enterprise training evolved in the period 1990–91 out of the business growth training programme which had been introduced in the previous year. It enables TECs to offer a wide range of business training to help meet the needs of small businesses and owner-managers. The range is varied and includes tailored packages of advice and counselling, financial support, subsidised consultancy support and business skills training. More than 100,000 owner-managers were assisted in the period.

  The enterprise allowance scheme provides an allowance in the early months of trading and on-going support to unemployed people who start their own businesses. It helped more than 60,000 people in the period. From April 1991, TECs have been able to adapt the scheme to suit local economic needs. Early indications are that TECs are placing greater emphasis on increasing the quality of the businesses they support to improve their chances of survival.

  The enterprise training element of employment training and the business enterprise programme help unemployed people to prepare for business start-up through the provision of targeted training in all the basic aspects of business. In many cases TECs started to adapt these programmes into integrated packages of support for people who wish to start up in business, together with the enterprise allowance and local business counselling. More than 18,000 people were helped by the business enterprise programme in the period, and in the first three quarters of the period more than 12,000 people entered the enterprise training element of employment training.

  My Department continues to make substantial grants available to Business in the Community, local enterprise agencies and the Prince's Youth Business Trust amongst others. To take the Prince's Youth Business Trust as an example, my Department agreed to match private sector donations, up to £40 million, received by appeals up to 31 March 1990, to support young people who want to set up their own business.

  The Department monitors all its programmes and also commissions external evaluations which are published. In May 1991 we published "Small Firms in Britain" which was sent to all Members of Parliament. This report surveys developments in the sector, includes key statistical indicators and outlines overall Government policy towards small firms.

  Horizon and Tide Programmes
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what programmes in the United Kingdom are benefiting from the EC's Horizon and Tide programmes and budgets.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]: On 19 April the European Commission notified that the United Kingdom had been allocated 15·6 million ecu—£11·1 million—for the Horizon programme over the period 1991–1993. The Government submitted the operational programme, outlining their intentions for the use of Horizon resources, on 12 July after an extension of the deadline had been agreed with the Commission. Individual project applications will be invited following consultation with the European Commission on the operational programme. This will be at the end of September.

  The Tide programme is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Operational Strategy
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his latest estimate of the whole time equivalent staff savings to be made from the operational strategy;

  (2) if he will give a regional breakdown of the staff savings made to date as a result of the operational strategy.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The operational strategy is estimated to save 21,000 posts by 1995–96. Savings made by April 1991, analysed according to the seven former regions are as follows:

  Number

  North East

  2,076

  Midlands

  1,300

  London North

  1,009

  London South

  1,193

  Wales and South West

  850

  North West

  3,160

  Scotland

  1,438

  Total

  11,026

  Incomes Statistics
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the percentage change in income during the period 1979 to 1987 both before and after housing costs of each percentile group in the population.

  Mr. Jack
  The figures are set out in the table. As explained to the hon. Member in my letter of 20 December 1990, these figures are not statistically valid; the differences between changes in consecutive percentiles are completely swamped by the large sampling errors involved. Both sampling errors and possible data problems at the extremes render the changes below the tenth percentile very uncertain, and particularly so below the fifth.

  Such statistics rest on a small number of cases, and are particularly vulnerable to distortion by household incomes which may be both exceptional and unrepresentative. The way in which the bottom percentile is distorted is clearly
  534
  illustrated when comparing the position between the years 1983–85, which shows a 61 per cent. increase in real income for the bottom percentile.

  Percentage change in real income by percentile of income distribution 1979–87

  Percentile

  Increase net of expenditure on housing Per cent.

  Increase in income overall Per cent.

  1

  1–22·6

  1+6·7

  2

  1–16·2

  1+6·8

  3

  1–7·3

  1+10·4

  4

  1–1·8

  1+9·9

  5

  1+0·1

  1+8·5

  6

  1–-1·2

  1+6·7

  7

  1–0·6

  1+5·9

  8

  1–0·7

  1+5·9

  9

  1–0·1

  1+6·2

  10

  10·0

  1+6·4

  11

  +0·4

  +6·7

  12

  +0·5

  +7·4

  13

  +1·0

  +7·6

  14

  +1·8

  + 7·3

  15

  +2·4

  +6·8

  16

  +2·6

  +7·5

  17

  +3·0

  +7·9

  18

  +3·6

  +7·8

  19

  +3·2

  +7·8

  20

  +3·0

  +8·0

  21

  +2·8

  +7·9

  22

  +3·1

  +8·2

  23

  +3·0

  +8·6

  24

  +2·5

  +8·6

  25

  +2·8

  +8·6

  26

  +3·4

  +8·4

  27

  +3·6

  +9·0

  28

  +4·1

  +8·8

  29

  +4·7

  +9·4

  30

  +4·9

  +9·9

  31

  +5·3

  +10·1

  32

  +5·6

  +10·3

  33

  +5·9

  +10·6

  34

  +7·2

  +10·6

  35

  +7·9

  +10·6

  36

  +8·1

  +10·5

  37

  +8·8

  +11·0

  38

  +8·9

  +11·3

  39

  +9·7

  +11·4

  40

  +9·8

  +12·0

  41

  +10·9

  +12·1

  42

  +10·7

  +12·1

  43

  +11·1

  +12·4

  44

  +11·3

  +12·8

  45

  +11·9

  +13·1

  46

  +11·8

  +13·5

  47

  +12·0

  +14·0

  48

  +12·9

  +14·1

  49

  +13·6

  +14·3

  50

  +13·7

  +14·3

  51

  +14·0

  +14·4

  52

  +14·8

  +15·1

  53

  +15·0

  +15·2

  54

  +15·1

  +15·6

  55

  —

  +160

  56

  +15·6

  +16·2

  57

  +15·4

  +16·2

  58

  +15·7

  +16·4

  59

  +16·1

  +15·9

  60

  +16·3

  +16·0

  61

  +16·5

  +15·9

  62

  +16·7

  +15·8

  63

  +16·7

  +15·9

  64

  +16·9

  +16·4

  65

  +17·5

  +16·7

  66

  +17·8

  +17·3

  67

  +18·2

  +17·7

  68

  +18·5

  +18·0

  535

  Percentile

  Increase net of expenditure on housing Per cent.

  Increase in income overall Per cent.

  69

  +18·9

  +18·0

  70

  +19·7

  +18·3

  71

  +20·0

  +18·7

  72

  +20·4

  +18·9

  73

  +20·7

  +18·8

  74

  +21·2

  +19·2

  75

  +21·4

  +19·3

  76

  +21·5

  +20·5

  77

  +22·1

  +20·9

  78

  +22·8

  +21·6

  79

  +23·6

  +22·0

  80

  +24·4

  +22·3

  81

  +24·8

  +22·9

  82

  +25·2

  +23·3

  83

  +24·7

  +23·5

  84

  +24·5

  +24·2

  85

  +25·0

  +23·7

  86

  +27·0

  +25·7

  87

  +27·9

  +26·5

  88

  +28·3

  +27·2

  89

  +29·3

  +29·0

  90

  +29·5

  +29·5

  91

  +30·3

  +31·0

  92

  +32·2

  +32·2

  93

  +34·6

  +33·1

  94

  +39·1

  +35·4

  95

  +40·3

  +38·8

  96

  +42·5

  +40·6

  97

  +49·0

  +42·3

  98

  +55·2

  +50·8

  99

  +72·4

  +61·5

  1 Figures for the lowest decile, and particularly those for the lowest five percentiles, are subject to a very high degree of statistical uncertainty due to potential errors arising from the limited size of the sample and other data problems.

  Supportive Housing Accommodation
  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what were the total payments made to residents of supportive housing accommodation project homes in Staffordshire in each financial year since 1988–89.

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

  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how supportive housing accommodation project homes in Staffordshire qualified as special social services hostels in order to attract DSS payments for the residents.

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

  Debt
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what reviews or research he is undertaking into the extent of debt amongst the two lowest income deciles of households.

  Mr. Jack
  The Department is co-sponsoring a major survey by the Policy Studies Institute of "Credit and Debt in Britain". The survey covers the use of credit and 536
  problems of debt among the population as a whole, but low-income families were over represented to ensure that sample sizes were large enough to produce robust information. Preliminary results from the survey, which took place in 1989, were published in March 1990. The final report is due to be published later this year.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward proposals to increase income support for people in residential homes for those with learning difficulties; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Income support levels will be reviewed in the usual way in the course of the 1992 uprating exercise, however enhanced limits are already available to these people.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the representations he has received on the adequacy of income support rates for residential care and nursing homes in the home counties since April 1990.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Several representations, not necessarily specific to the home counties, have been received since April 1990 on the issue of income support for residents of such homes.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to introduce an enhanced rate of income support for residential care and nursing homes in the home counties.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There is already an addition for the Greater London area of £23, for people in residential care homes. The addition for people in nursing homes, was increased by £10 to £33 in April. However, the information currently available does not provide a sufficiently secure base for detailed geographical or local variation between different categories of care or homes beyond these present additions for the Greater London area.

  Family Support
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the most recent estimate of the number of families in receipt of(a) income support, (b) family credit and (c) one-parent benefit in Wales.

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

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the estimated take-up of family credit each year since it was introduced.

  Mr. Jack
  The latest information about the number of families taking up family credit is for the end of April 1991 when the caseload was 340,000. This compares with 314,000 at the end of April 1990, and 285,000 at the end of April 1989. However, no further information regarding percentage take up is available beyond that given in my reply to the hon. Member on 27 February at columns 542–43.

  Industrial Deafness
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what criteria are applied by his Department for those seeking disablement benefit for industrial deafness; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  To qualify for disablement benefit for occupational deafness a person must(a) have worked for at least 10 years in one or more of the occupations for which the disease is prescribed; (b) if no longer in a prescribed occupation, claim within five years of leaving that work; and (c) suffer sensorineural hearing loss of at least 50 decibels in each year, being due in the case of at least one ear to noise at work.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were awarded disablement benefit for industrial deafness in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Scott
  There were approximately 1,200 new awards of industrial injuries disablement benefit due to industrial deafness in the year to 1 April 1989, the latest period for which figures are available.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what reviews or research he is undertaking into the degree of hardship associated with loans under the social fund.

  Mr. Scott
  Repayment rates for social fund loans are flexible, and take account of individual applicants' circumstances to help ensure that they do not suffer hardship as a result of repaying a loan. The research currently being undertaken by the social policy research unit at the university of York looks at the extent to which the social fund is meeting need.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will replace the system of loans under the social fund by an additional system of grants.

  Mr. Scott
  No. Interest-free loans provided by the social fund help people on income support to budget their expenditure. They are a more equitable form of help than grants, given that those on low incomes but not on benefit also have to budget for large items of expenditure out of their income.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of social fund loans was spent on(a) cookers, (b) beds and bedding, and (c) essential household furniture for the years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available. However, the following figures on loans expenditure by application purpose may be helpful.

  Per cent.

  Furniture and household equipment

  1988–89

  72

  1989–90

  74

  Bedding

  1988–89

  2

  1989–90

  2

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants were 538
  repaying a social fund loan of 10 per cent. Or more of their applicable amount on 1 January 1989, 1 January 1990 and 1 January 1991, respectively.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants were repaying a social fund loan on 1 January 1989, 1 January 1990 and 1 January 1991.

  Mr. Scott
  Statistics are collated at the end of each month. The figures given are therefore those for 31 December each year. It is not possible to separately identify people who were receiving income support on these dates.

  The number of people repaying loans was:

  Number

  31 December 1988

  255,579

  31 December 1989

  400,590

  31 December 1990

  421,853

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each year since April 1988 how many cases referred to the social fund inspectors have resulted in(a) a decision by the inspector partly or wholly in the claimant's favour and (b) a decision partly or wholly in the claimant's favour following remittance back to the local social security office.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is in the table:

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Decisions made by an inspector to award a payment

  83

  522

  2,008

  Decisions referred back to local office by an inspector, and payment awarded

  470

  1,136

  1,649

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each quarter since April 1988 the proportion of social fund applications which have been refused for(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is as follows. The figures are percentages.

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Budgeting Loans

  June

  33

  39

  39

  46

  September

  38

  43

  43

  —

  December

  35

  42

  45

  —

  March

  35

  38

  46

  —

  Crisis Loans

  June

  12

  8

  8

  10

  September

  9

  7

  9

  —

  December

  8

  7

  9

  —

  March

  7

  6

  9

  —

  Community Care Grants

  June

  51

  52

  54

  70

  September

  50

  54

  58

  —

  December

  48

  54

  60

  —

  March

  41

  53

  63

  —

  539
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of(a) social fund applications and (b) crisis loans for each office in London for the last two years.

  Mr. Scott
  Information about numbers of applications and numbers of awards made, for all offices, is in the Library.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants applied for grants or loans under the social fund during the financial year 1990–91 in each of the benefit offices of Newcastle upon Tyne; how many were turned down and for what reason; and what was the average size of the grant, crisis loan or budgetary loan in the year.

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

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for the social fund in each London office have been refused on the basis of overspent budgets in the year 1990–91.

  Mr. Scott
  No social fund applications were refused on this basis.

  Industrial Injuries
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the total value of benefits clawed back from claimants as a consequence of the subsequent award of compensation for industrial injuries and the number of claimants affected, during each year since 1 January 1987;

  (2) what research has been undertaken into the effect of the enactment of legislation providing for a clawback of

  Table 1

  Pensioners Incomes

  1974

  1979

  1988

  Real terms percentage Increase 1974–79

  Real terms percentage Increase 1979–88

  Total social security benefits

  47·20

  53·00

  60·70

  12

  14

  Occupational pensions

  12·40

  13·90

  27·70

  12

  99

  Savings income

  11·30

  9·50

  20·00

  –16

  110

  Earnings

  14·30

  10·40

  9·80

  –27

  –6

  Total gross income

  85·10

  86·90

  118·20

  2

  36

  Total net income

  77·40

  79·60

  106·30

  3

  33

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  2. £s per week at 1988 prices.

  In 1988, 74 per cent. of all pensioners received income from savings and the average aount that they received was £29·80. Also, 51 per cent. of all pensioners had an occupational pension and the average amount received was £47·00. Table 2 shows the comparable figures for 1974 and 1979.
  540
  social security benefits from people who receive such awards as a consequence of injury suffered after 1 January 1987 on the amount of damages awarded by the courts;

  (3) what research has been undertaken into the effect of the enactment of legislation providing for a clawback of social security benefits from people who receive such awards as a consequence of injury suffered after 1 January 1987 on the amount of damages awarded by the courts.

  Mr. Jack
  The compensation recovery scheme was introduced on 3 September 1990 in accordance with the Social Security Act 1989. Under this scheme, compensators are required to offset an amount equal to the value of benefits received for the injury in question and to pay this to the Department. Since the scheme was introduced the total amount paid to the Department in employer liability cases was approximately £3·8 million. The number of claimants involved was 5,751.

  Before 3 September 1990 compensators may have, under the Law Reform (Personal Injuries) Act 1948, reduced the compensation payments in line with benefits received, but no money was repaid to the Department.

  No specific research into court awards has been undertaken since the compensation recovery scheme was introduced. However, in common with other aspects of the new arrangements, the Department is keeping the situation under review.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the most recent figures on pensioners' incomes; and what were the comparable figures in 1974 and 1979.

  Mr. Newton
  Recent data from the 1988 Family Expenditure Survey show that the average pensioner's total net income increased by over 33 per cent. in real terms between 1979 and 1988. Table 1 shows a breakdown of the individual components which contributed towards this increase

  Table 2

  Pensioners income from savings and occupational pensions 1974, 1979 and 1988

  1974

  1979

  1988

  Percentage of pensioners with savings income

  53

  62

  74

  Average amount (£ per week) received from savings income

  21·50

  15·30

  29·80

  Percentage of pensioners with occupational pensions

  35

  41

  51

  Average amount (£ per week) received from occupational pension

  33·40

  33·70

  47·00

  541
  Notes:

  Source: Family Expenditure Survey.

  2. £s per week at 1988 prices.

  3. Averages are based on those pensioners who actually received savings income or occupational pensions.

  A greater proportion of those pensioners who had retired only recently, ie within the five years immediately preceding the survey, received incomes from these sources: in 1988, 78 per cent. of recently retired pensioners had savings income while 63 per cent. received income from an occupational pension.

  In 1988, 20 per cent. of all pensioner savings income was derived from 'non-bank' sources, for example from share dividends; the same was true of 14 per cent. of savings income in 1979.

  Other points to emerge from the analysis are that: the proportion of pensioners in the lowest quintile of income distribution was 28 per cent. in 1988, compared with around 40 per cent. in 1979; single pensioners who receive all their income from state benefits have income 25 per cent. higher in real terms than those in 1979; the increase for married couples was 22 per cent.; the average pensioner's gross income represented 59 per cent. of the average earnings of all manual workers; 46 per cent. of pensioners owned their homes outright in 1988 compared with only 38 per cent. in 1979.

  Resettlement Facilities
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what factors influenced the decision to close Bridge House resettlement unit; what alternative provision the Resettlement Agency made for the residents; and what plans the Resettlement Agency has for the disposal of the building.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The management of resettlement units is a matter for Mr. Tony Ward, the chief executive of the Resettlement Agency. He will write to my hon. Friend and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that questions from hon. Members which he diverts to the Benefits Agency are replied to(a) by the chief Executive and (b) within a reasonable period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 18 June at columns 104–5. Letters from the Benefits Agency in response to parliamentary questions should normally reach hon. Members within 24 hours of a question being answered.

  Suspended Benefit Payments
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy and practice regarding suspended benefit payments.

  Mr. Scott
  We consider it would normally be inappropriate to pay benefit in cases which are the subject of an appeal to the social security commissioner or the courts or in like cases dependent upon the outcome of such an appeal. We propose to amend regulation 37 of the Social Security (Claims and Payments) Regulations 1987 to put this beyond doubt.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what progress he has made in reviewing the weather station linkages in the cold weather payments scheme.

  Mr. Scott
  I am pleased to inform my hon. Friend that in response to representations made to me and subsequent detailed consultation with the Met Office, I will lay regulations well before the onset of winter which will significantly improve the weather station linkages. The changes are as follows.

  The high-lying villge of Eskdalemuir is to be linked to the Eskdalemuir weather station instead of the low-lying warmer station at Dumfries. The high-lying area surrounding the villages of Wanlockhead-Leadhills, near Dumfries, are also to be linked to Eskdalemuir weather station instead of to Dumfries. The northern part of the district of Clydesdale, which is currently linked to Dumfries weather station, and the whole of the district of Motherwell, which is currently linked to Edinburgh weather station, will be linked to the weather station at Glasgow. The area surrounding Honiton and Axminster in Exeter, currently linked to the weather station at Chivenor, will be linked instead to a higher lying weather station at Dunkeswell. The latter station has not previously been used in our scheme. The areas surrounding the town of Kyle, presently linked to Kinloss weather station, and around Kyleakin, currently linked to Fort William, will be linked instead to the weather station at Tiree, which is also new to our scheme, replacing Fort William.

  Further changes in linkages will be made to improve climatological representation in the coastal area of the Borders Region, which includes parts of Ettrick and Lauderdale, Roxburgh, and Berwickshire—the towns of Kelso, Eyemouth, Duns and Coldstream. These areas are currently linked to Esdkdalemuir weather station, and will be linked to Boulmer weather station. A strip of the south coast of England, including the towns of Romsey, Totton, Lymington, Brockenhurst, Lyndhurst, Chichester, and Bognor Regis, linked variously to Herstmonceux, Boscome Down, and Bournemouth weather stations, will be linked to Southampton weather station.

  We will also further improve the sensitivity of the scheme to local conditions by linking entitlement to postcode areas. This will also allow automatic payments to be made.

  Finally, the Blackpool, Exeter, and Fort William weather stations are to be removed from the scheme. The first two have closed, and the last is no longer considered reliable. Tiree weather station will be included to replace Fort William; Chivenor station will absorb the area previously covered by Exeter except for the area to be covered by Dunkeswell weather station; and the Blackpool linkages are to be shared between the Eskmeals, Carlisle, and Aughton stations. This will leave a total of 63 stations in place of the current total of 64 in Great Britain.

  In addition to these changes, the linkages will continue to be monitored and further amendments introduced where appropriate.

  Special Hardship Payments
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security where an initial claim for benefit from a 16 or 17-year-old is referred to the special hardship claim unit, what is the average delay between the initial claim being made at the benefit office and referral to the unit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, a young person who calls at a Benefits Agency office, and who needs to be interviewed to establish whether income support can be paid, should be interviewed in private on the day that he or she calls, and immediately the interview is completed, the details of the claim are referred by telephone to the severe hardship claims unit. A decision on whether benefit can be awarded is given immediately by the unit where all the necessary information is available and 100 per cent. of cases are cleared within 24 hours of referral. The MORI report shows that of those young people awarded income support under severe hardship provisions 28 per cent. received money on the same day and an additional 37 per cent. received payment within a few days.

  If a young person claims by post and cannot be interviewed within 48 hours of the time that the claim was received, for example, because there are delays in contacting the customer, the case must be referred to the assistant manager in the district who has personal responsibility for the quick and effective handling of such claims.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of claimants who made successful or unsuccessful claims for special hardship payments were represented by an adviser; and what research his Department has commissioned into this matter.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not routinely collected. However, the research commissioned by this Department from MORI—"A Survey of 16 and 17 Year Old Applicants for Severe Hardship Payments"—found that 46 per cent. of all respondents were accompanied by someone when claiming. There was no statistically significant difference in the outcome of the claim between those who were accompanied and those who were not.

  Young People
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the current numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds who are(a) in employment, (b) in full-time education, (c) on youth training, (d) receiving a bridging allowance or (e) receiving income support.

  Mr. Jack
  The latest estimates of the numbers of 16 and 17-year-olds in these categories are as follows:

  (a) 784,000 in employment

  (b) 724,000 in full-time education

  (c) 260,000 on Youth Training in England and Wales

  (d) 13,000 on bridging allowance

  (e) 21,000 on income support

  I will ask the Secretary of State for Employment to write to the hon. Member giving details of youth training figures for Scotland when these become available.

  Note: All figures have been rounded to the nearest thousand.
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  Sources:

  (a) Labour Force Survey, Spring 1990

  (b) Department of Education and Science, Scottish Office and Welsh Office, July 1991

  (c) Employment Department, July 1991

  (d) Employment Department, June 1991

  (e) Income Support Statistics, Annual Enquiry May 1990.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what proportion of young people who receive income support during the child benefit extension period because(a) they were recently in care or (b) have to live away from their parents due to estrangement, have found work or training by the end of that period;

  (2) how many 16 or 17-year-olds have been awarded income support on the grounds of pregnancy 11 weeks before their expected date of confinement; and how many of them were continuously (a) receiving benefits, (b) on youth training or (c) in employment during the earlier months of pregnancy.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many applications for social fund crisis loans from 16 and 17-year-olds have been(a) awarded and (b) refused.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, as statistics held do not record details of an applicant's age.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on what date he expects to publish the MORI report on income support and 16 and 17-year-olds.

  Mr. Jack
  The MORI report was published on 16 July. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North, (Mr. Wilson) on 17 July at column 161.

  Long-term Care Patients
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for how long his Department has been considering the issue of the benefit entitlement from his Department of patients and clients in long-term local authority care proposed to be placed in the care of successor agencies, the private sector or trusts; when his press release regarding the curtailment of such benefit entitlement issued on 25 June was sent to local authorities, and on what dates; and how many subsequent inquiries from local authorities and others his Department has received.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The benefit entitlement of people in local authority care homes that are transferred to the private or voluntary sector has been under active consideration for some time. Officials have been considering the matter in some detail since February 1991. The press release was not issued to local authorities as a matter of course, but only on request. The draft directions referred to in the press release were issued by the Department of Health to local authorities associations on the same day. The Department has received a small number of inquiries about the press release, but no record has been kept of the exact number.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has anything to add to his answers on the cost of abolishing the poll tax 20 per cent. contribution rule on 27 June, to the hon. Member for Sheffield, Brightside,Official Report, column 519, and of 2 May to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown), Official Report, column 328.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The estimated cost of abolishing the 20 per cent. contribution which I gave in my reply to the hon. Member on 27 June at column 519 updated the estimate that I gave in my reply to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 2 May at column 328. I wrote to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East on 27 June to draw his attention to the revised estimate.

  Contributions Agency
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will be in a position to publish the 1991–92 compliance targets for the Contributions Agency.

  Mr. Jack
  The Contributions Agency's business plan was published on 2 April 1991 and contained compliance targets that were based on agreed incremental improvements over estimated performance in 1990–91. As such they were provisional. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has now agreed the following compliance targets for 1991–92:

  To increase collection of contributions arrears by 10 per cent. to £218 million.

  To increase Class 1 arrears identified from survey by 35 per cent. to £17·5 million.

  To increase the number of new Class 2 contributors identified by 60,000.

  To increase identified Class 1 adjustment by 35 per cent. to £16·3 million.

  Actively Seeking Work Rule
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he expects to place in the Library a copy of the research commissioned by his Department into awareness of the actively seeking work rule.

  Mr. Jack
  I have done so today.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security 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. Jack
  [holding answer 22 July 1991]:The Department and its agencies have introduced a number of specific measures in support of the Government's general policy of placing a high priority on helping small businesses. The measures, of both policy and procedure, include:

  (i) The Department has continued to consult regularly its panel of employers over the last 12 months, both at formal meetings and in correspondence. We have,
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  in addition, set up a sub-group of the main panel specifically to consider Child Support Agency matters. A representative of small businesses is a member of the sub-group. We have also conducted a major consultation exercise with employers and employers' organisations, including those representing small businesses, on the administrative arrangements for the collection of NI contributions on cars and fuel.

  The Contributions Agency, which was launched officially in April 1991, has established additional consultation arrangements with employers and employers' representatives. The first Contributions Conference was held in July 1990; this is to be an annual event with the next Conference scheduled for 6 August 1991. In addition two specialist group seminars were arranged in January and February 1991 and the Agency intends to continue this pattern with at least two seminars each year. The National Federation of Self-Employed and Small Businesses, and the Forum of Private Business regularly attend the Contributions Agency's conferences and seminars.

  (ii) Small businesses benefitted when, as a result of research by independent consultants in 1989, we made changes to the literature sent to employers in February 1990. The Department commissioned further research which was conducted in September and October last year to establish employers' reactions to these changes. They were very favourable but further improvements were identified which were reflected in the literature issued to employers in March 1991.

  Included in the 1991 communications package was a revised Employers' Guide to National Insurance (NI) contributions, and a new Quick Guide to NI contributions, Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) and Statutory Maternity Pay (SMP). The new Quick Guide is simpler in style and language and more sympathetic to employers' needs than earlier versions. It was written following close liaison with small employers and payroll administrators.

  (iii) The Contributions Agency is conducting a customer market survey, with the help of external consultants. The survey is being carried out to establish the views of the Agency's customers (including small and large employers, and the self-employed) on the service currently provided and to obtain their requirements for improvements or changes to existing services. The survey's findings will help to determine how the quality and range of the Agency's service, and its information and advice systems, could be enhanced.

  (iv) The Contributions Agency is currently in the final stages of producing both a Contributors' and Employers' Charter. These will provide a clear statement of the service standard to be provided by the Agency. The present intention is to publish the Charters this summer.

  (v) With assistance and funding from the Department, the Institute of Data Processing Management produced a test package, in September 1990, which covered the detailed processing of SSP and SMP. Software producers are now able to test their software against this package and thus ensure the accuracy of their product and advertise it accordingly. Employers can consequently purchase, with confidence, software which will greatly assist them in the administration of SSP and SMP.

  (vi) The Statutory Sick Pay Act 1991 introduced a change from 100 per cent. reimbursement of SSP paid to 80 per cent. Provision, in the form of "Small Employers' Relief" (SER) was made in the Act to help certain small employers who have above normal levels of sickness in their workforce. Employers who qualify for SER can revert to 100 per cent. reimbursement of SSP if they are liable to pay SSP to an employee for more than six weeks within a period of incapacity for work. We consulted small employers' representatives on the detail of the SER scheme and also on the drafting of

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  the explanatory leaflet NI 278—"Statutory Sick Pay —Small Employers' Relief" which was sent to all known employers.

  (vii) From April 1991, businesses whose average monthly payments to the Inland Revenue of Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and NI contributions, were less than £400 in total, were given the option of making their payments quarterly rather than monthly. Seven hundred thousand businesses (half of all employers) could benefit from this measure.

  (viii) A Purchasing and Supply Manual has been produced and distributed to all parts of the Department, including the Agencies. It contains a section on small firms, stressing the need to give them an opportunity to tender for the Department's business and to pay invoices promptly. We continue
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  to give prominence, on our training courses for purchasing staff, to the need to consider using small firms and give each participant copies of the Department of Employment booklet "Think Big Buy Small" and "Tendering for Government Contracts". We have an entry in the latter document and are to produce our own booklet for suppliers.

  We have not designed performance indicators specifically for monitoring achievements in this area but the Department has a system to monitor proposals which impact on business, to ensure the needs of small businesses are taken into account. We attach particular importance to action taken to help small firms and will continue to explore further ways of doing so.

  SOUTH PACIFIC NUCLEAR FREE ZONE TREATY
  SOUTH PACIFIC NUCLEAR FREE ZONE TREATY
  MIDDLE EAST NUCLEAR FREE ZONE PROPOSAL
  MIDDLE EAST NUCLEAR FREE ZONE PROPOSAL
  ARMS REDUCTION: BALANCE
  ARMS REDUCTION: BALANCE
  TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP: MONITORING COMMITTEE'S REPORT
  TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND SPONSORSHIP: MONITORING COMMITTEE'S REPORT
  MACULAR DEGENERATION OF THE EYE
  MACULAR DEGENERATION OF THE EYE
  DoE MINIS 12 DOCUMENTS
  DoE MINIS 12 DOCUMENTS
  NATIONAL PARKS REVIEW REPORT
  NATIONAL PARKS REVIEW REPORT
  WATERFOWL: LEAD POISONING
  WATERFOWL: LEAD POISONING