Written Answers of 13 June 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Crown Court Appeals
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Attorney-General what arrangements are available to review convictions which have been upheld on appeal from the magistrates court to the Crown Court, but in relation to which new evidence has come to light after the Crown Court appeal; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  There is no statutory power to enable such convictions to be reviewed or appealed against although the Divisional Court has held that it has, in its supervisory jurisdiction, power to quash the conviction of a defendant who pleaded 'guilty on the basis of flawed evidence unwittingly relied on by the prosecution or whose conviction was obtained by fraud, collusion, perjury or other like matter. I refer the hon. and learned Gentleman to the judgment in R.v. Bolton Justices Ex Parte Scally which is reported at [1991] 2All ER 619 and at [1991] 1 QB 537.

  Legislation Texts
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will review the arrangements for enabling the public to have access to the texts of legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor recognises that he has a responsibility, on behalf of the Government, to ensure that satisfactory arrangements are made for the publication of the statute book, in order that the citizen may know by what laws he is bound. Since 1868, the Statute Law Committee, established by Lord Chancellor Cairns, has met periodically to consider issues relating to the publication of the statute book. In recent times it has been assisted by an editorial board to supervise the publication of statutes in force and by a secretariat. The Lord Chancellor has come to the conclusion that these somewhat complex arrangements are not best suited, under modern conditions, for the effective discharge of this responsibility. He has, therefore, decided to replace the committee, and its subordinate bodies, with a single body to be known as the Advisory Committee on Statute Law. This body will advise him as and when required on all matters relating to the publication of the statute book, including the availability of up-to-date texts in both printed and electronic form. It will meet under his chairmanship or that of his Permanent Secretary, and its membership will comprise the Clerk of the Parliaments, the Clerk of the House of Commons, the Chairman of the Law Commission, the chairman of the Scottish Law Commission, First Parliamentary Counsel, the legal secretary to the Lord Advocate and First Scottish Parliamentary Counsel, First Legislative Counsel for Northern Ireland, the Treasury Solicitor, the Solicitor to 614
  the Scottish Office, and representatives from Her Majesty's Stationery Office and the Lord Chancellor's Department. In addition, it will be able to involve user and consumer groups as necessary, either by way of consultation or by invitation to attend meetings of the Committee.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the full-time and part-time public appointments for which his office was responsible for each of the past five years together with the salary and the date when each appointment is due for renewal.

  Mr. Renton
  In the past five years, my office has been responsible for a number of appointments to the Civil Service Appeal Board. The appointments are fee-paid. Chairmen are normally appointed for three years and deputy chairmen and members for two years. Further details may be found in "Public Bodies" which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Hospitality Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the expenditure covered by his office's hospitality fund for the financial years(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. Tim Renton
  Expenditure by my office, excluding No. 10 Downing street and my executive agencies, on hospitality, is as follows:

  £

  1989–90

  6,702

  1990–91

  4,393

  1 1991–92

  1,422

  1 To date.

THE ARTS

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list the full-time and part-time public appointments for which his office was responsible for each of the past five years together with the salary and the date when each appointment is due for renewal.

  Mr. Renton
  I refer the hon. Member to the annual publication "Public Bodies" and to the Women's National Commission's "Handbook for Women's Organisations" published in July, 1990. My office is the sponsor department for a large number of public bodies. The verification and provision of the termination date of each board or council member's appointment would, I regret, involve disproportionate costs.

  Hospitality Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list the expenditure covered by his office's hospitality fund for the financial years(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92 to date.
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  Mr. Tim Renton
  The Office of Arts and Libraries has spent £5,741 on official hospitality in 1989–90, £2,890 in 1990–91, and £1,262 in 1991–92 to date.

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will list the titles of the video recordings purchased by his office during the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. Renton
  "The Cook Report: Raiders of the Lost Art"—ITV, 29 April 1991. No purchases were made in 1990–91.

  Electricity

  Gas

  Liquid fuel

  Cash £

  1990–91 prices £

  '000 kilowatt hours

  Cash £

  1990–91 prices £

  '000 therms

  Cash £

  1990–91 prices £

  'ooo litres

  1987–88

  5,069

  6,241

  n/a

  1,349

  1,661

  n/a

  659

  812

  n/a

  1988–89

  6,717

  7,699

  n/a

  970

  1,112

  n/a

  845

  969

  n/a

  1989–90

  5,877

  6,332

  102

  872

  940

  2

  778

  838

  6

  1990–91

  6,048

  6,048

  106

  280

  280

  1

  860

  860

  5

  n/a = Not available.

  No solid fuel is used. The figures relate to 14,262 sq ft of floor space.

  Bradford Cinema
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will make a statement about provision for cinema in Bradford involving the British Film Institute.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 10 June 1991]: Discussions are continuing between the British Film Institute and interested parties in Bradford on the future configuration of cinema in Bradford as a partnership between the Museum Library Cinema and the Bradford Playhouse.

ENVIRONMENT

  Royal Parks
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, pursuant to his written answer concerning the status of the royal parks, of 3 June,Official Report, column 3, he will list the changes that are liable to occur to (a) employment of permanent staff in the royal parks, their career structure and skill training, (b) recruitment, and morale and (c) supervisors of work of ground maintenance by contract or other means, including outside tendering or agency arrangements.

  Mr. Yeo
  The changes for staff in the royal parks will depend on future arrangements for carrying out ground maintenance work. These are still under consideration.

  Local Government Structure
  Mrs. Irene Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the proposed change to the structure of local government.

  Mr. Key
  So far we have received 432 responses to our consultation paper on local government structure.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will give for each available year from 1978, the energy consumption, broken down by fuel, of the buildings occupied by his Department, expressing the figures in(a) cash terms, (b) 1990–91 money terms and (c) units of consumption for electricity in kilowatt hours, gas in therms, liquid fuel in litres and solid fuel in tonnes; and if he will give the square footage of accommodation to which these figures relate.

  Mr. Renton
  [holding answer 3 June 1991]: The information requested by the hon. Member is available only in (a) cash and (b) 1990–91 money terms from 1987–88, and (c) in units of consumption from 1989–90. This is given in the table:

  Countryside Preservation
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department has considered the effect of hedgerow and stonedyke systems upon the conservation of wildlife and management of the countryside; if he will consider the introduction of statutory controls over the removal of such systems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Department has commissioned a research project on hedgerow management—including environmental and wildlife aspects. We shall receive the final report shortly.

  In our White Paper "This Common Inheritance" we announced our intention to give local planning authorities powers to protect important hedgerows in their areas. A consultation paper issued in December gave further details. Responses to that paper have raised a number of key issues, and we are giving these careful consideration. It would therefore be premature to legislate, and we have tabled an amendment to the Planning and Compensation Bill to delete provision for such orders from that Bill. I shall be making a full statement on this matter at the resumption of Report stage. Our aim is to ensure that any scheme commands the widest possible agreement and will be fair and practicable.

  Homelessness
  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what annual percentage of households accepted as homeless by local authorities in London have been accepted under the category of vulnerability due to age each year for the last 10 years; what number of households this represents for each year; and what number of people this represents for each year.

  Sir George Young
  The available information relates to the number of households accepted by local authorities under the homelessness legislation as having a priority need for accommodation because of vulnerability due to
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  old age. The number of persons in such households is not reported. The estimates based on returns from London boroughs are as follows:

  Year

  Number of households

  as percentage of all priority acceptances

  1981

  1,300

  7

  1982

  1,700

  8

  1983

  1,900

  8

  1984

  1,900

  8

  1985

  2,300

  9

  1986

  2,200

  8

  1987

  2,100

  7

  1988

  2,100

  7

  1989

  1,900

  6

  1990

  1,800

  5

  Note: Including estimates for missing returns.

  East Quayside Development, Tyne and Wear
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (I) when the Tyne and Wear urban development corporation first entered into any legal or binding agreement in respect of the East Quayside development; with whom these agreements were made and on what terms; what is their current status and when this altered; and what is the current position of the corporation with respect to receiving tenders for this development;

  (2) on what date Tyne and Wear urban development corporation carried out a full financial investigation into the financial standing of NQD plc in relation to the selection of a preferred developer of East Quayside; what guaranteees were sought from NQD as to its ability to continue the development after the collapse of Stanley Miller; and what steps were taken to monitor the accounts of NQD over the past three years;

  (3) when was the last time that a financial check was made on the preferred developer for the Tyne and Wear urban development corporation East Quayside project;

  (4) when the Tyne and Wear urban development corporation was first aware that NQD plc was trading while insolvent;

  (5) how much money was paid by Tyne and Wear urban development corporation to the successful developer as a contribution for work preceding the competition for the redevelopment at East Quayside; to whom this money was paid; and in what form it was paid;

  (6) if he will make a statement on the stages of selection to find the preferred developer for the East Quayside scheme, East Newcastle;

  (7) what criteria the Tyne and Wear urban development corporation applied to selecting preferred developers; and how these were applied in assessing the financial status of NQD plc in regard to East Quayside development;

  (8) what is the compulsory purchase order price agreed with the district valuer for the seven acre site on East Quayside, Newcastle, formerly owned by Stanley Miller;

  (9) what is the current value of the land formerly owned by Stanley Miller on the East Quayside; on what date Stanley Miller transferred ownership of the land to NQD; and how many days then followed before Stanley Miller was in receivership;

  (10) if he will name (a) the architects and (b) the engineers who designed the original Godfrey Bradman scheme which was accepted by Tyne and Wear urban
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  development corporation, for the redevelopment of Newcastle Quayside; and whether either are still associated with the project;

  (11) what action the chief executive of Tyne and Wear urban development corporation took to seek a partner for Shearwater after Stanley Miller went into receivership;

  (12) how many consultants reported findings to the board of Tyne and Wear urban development corporation on the competition for the East Quayside development on (a) financial assessment, (b) hotel advice, (c) quantity surveyors, (d) valuers, (e) retail leisure specialists, (f) design/planning consultants and (g) economic assessment; and where these reports are available for inspection.

  Mr. Key
  It would not be appropriate to comment at the present time on matters relating to the proposed redevelopment of Newcastle's East Quayside. A related compulsory purchase order and stopping up of highways order may yet be subject to further legal challenge in the Court of Appeal. I shall therefore write to the hon. Member as soon as all the legal issues are resolved.

  Rents-to-Mortgages Scheme
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the percentage target figure his Department has set in respect of the rents-to-mortgages pilot scheme for council house tenants in Basildon.

  Mr. Yeo
  The scheme is for tenants of the Commission for the New Towns, not local authority tenants: that would require primary legislation. There is no set target for sales, the purpose being to test the working of rents to mortgages.

  Water Privatisation
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the range of remuneration received by the former board members of the water authorities immediately prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Trippier
  The ranges were set out for each authority in "Public Bodies 1989"—ISBN 0 11 430042 9—a copy of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what were the salaries received by former chairmen of the water authorities immediately prior to privatisation.

  Mr. Trippier
  The salaries were listed in "Public Bodies 1989"—ISBN 0 11 430042 9—a copy of which is in the Library.

  EC Nuclear Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department was invited to participate in or send an observer to the conference on European Community nuclear issues and local authorities, held in Birmingham on 5 June; and if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of papers presented.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have no knowledge of this conference.

  Radioactive Waste Disposal
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on the proposal to be put forward by Iceland, Norway and
  619
  Denmark to the Paris Commission on Marine Pollution in its meeting in the Hague on 17 June, recommending that the disposal of radioactive waste under the seabed be brought within the remit of the commission.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government take the view that the disposal of radioactive waste under the seabed accessed from the land is outside the scope of the present Paris convention. However, this issue will need to be addressed at the appropriate time, within the context of the review of the Oslo and Paris conventions which is currently under way.

  Glenlochay Compensation Award
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what policy conclusions he has drawn from the Glenlochay compensation award.

  Mr. Trippier
  We shall wish to study the details of the award carefully before reaching any conclusions.

  Planning and Development
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has considered the report of the research carried out on behalf of his Department into the effects of the Use Classes Order 1987 and associated provisions in the General Development Order 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  Independent research into the effects of these orders was carried out last year on behalf of the Department by Wootton Jeffreys Consultants, in association with Bernard Thorpe. I have considered the consultants' report, which is being published today by HMSO.

  The researchers found that the introduction in 1987 of "business" use class had improved the efficiency with which space is used and had widened choice. They found evidence that some existing industrial uses have been replaced by cleaner uses, and that the opportunity for change has attracted greater investment, resulting in improvements to the local environment. Although the researchers found some evidence of increased traffic generated by more intensive use of former industrial land, no other adverse effects on amenity or the environment were associated with the business use class. I am therefore satisfied that there is no case on environmental grounds for amending the business use class.

  The research confirmed continuing misgivings about the business use class in other respects, including the displacement of manufacturing jobs, which have traditionally met local employment needs, and of pressures on specialised activities which have built up in particular locations. Nevertheless, I am satisfied that development activity since the 1987 Use Classes Order has been generally consistent with existing, often long-established market trends. I have concluded that to amend legislation which applies uniformly throughout England and Wales in response to these concerns would not be justified.

  Where clear justification can be provided, it remains open to planning authorities to propose policies in development plans aimed at channelling particular types of business development into particular locations. Development plans should not generally contain policies advocating the imposition of general restrictions on the freedoms provided by the Use Classes Order or the General Development Order.
  620
  The research revealed evidence of some local controversy resulting from changes of use involving fast-food and take-away outlets within the food and drink use class. I am also aware of some misgivings over changes of use to and from public houses within that use class. I am not persuaded that a case has been made for adjusting the present scope for changes of use in the high street sector, where the researchers found that market activity has been generally subdued since 1987.

  I am encouraged that the researchers found that the inclusion of small group homes within the dwelling houses use class has benefited the care in the community programme, without adverse effects on amenity. My attention has been drawn to concern about the impact on residential areas of changes of use within the hotels and hostels use class. This concern appears to be associated as much with the characteristics of the clientele, where "down market" changes of use have taken place, as with any land-use planning difference between the uses encompassed within the use class. There is some very localised evidence of harm to amenity, through increased traffic and general activity, associated with the conversion of hostels into hotels, but this is insufficient to merit amending the order.

  I have concluded that the freedom from planning control currently provided by the Use Classes Order and part 3 of schedule 2 to the General Development Order should remain unchanged. However, the Government proposes to continue to monitor closely the effects of the Use Classes Order and General Development Order and we are minded to commission further research in another three to five years.

  Discharge Consents
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will approve the scheme of charges in respect of discharge consents proposed by the National Rivers Authority in March under the Water Act 1989.

  Mr. Baldry
  Following public consultation my right hon. Friend has today approved the NRA's proposed charging scheme for implementation from 1 July, subject to a number of modifications mainly aimed at making the scheme's provisions clearer. A copy of the modified scheme has been deposited in the Library. We shall keep the operation of the scheme under careful review throughout its three-year period of validity.

  The scheme represents an important element of the Government's wider commitment to implement the "polluter pays" principle. It will ensure that the NRA's costs incurred in authorising and monitoring direct discharges of effluent to water are borne by dischargers themselves. By recouping the costs in this way it will save the general taxpayer some £41 million in a full year via a reduced need for grant in aid to the NRA.

  New Parliamentary Buildings
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to save the mahogany railed staircase and related iron-work after the proposed demolition of No. 1 Bridge street.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 7 June 1991]: As the hon. Member will no doubt be aware, the Opposed Bill Committee which considered the Jubilee Line Bills has recommended that approval to demolish Nos. 1 and 2

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  Bridge street, which is necessary to enable the new Westminster station to be constructed, should not be given until the House has approved the design of the new parliamentary building, to be built on the site.

  Design work has not yet started so it is too soon to say whether the staircase can be used in the new building or should be removed for use elsewhere.

  Councils (Internal Management)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish the third paper of his review of local government relating to internal management of local councils; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to him by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 21 May 1991 at column 402.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Incomes
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what percentage police pay, pensions and allowances have been raised higher or lower than the rate of inflation for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested in respect of pay is set out in the table and shows the minimum and maximum of the salary scales of a police constable. Equivalent figures for the various allowances to which police officers are also entitled can be obtained only at a disproportionate cost. Police pensions are uprated annually in line with movements in the retail prices index and have thus kept pace with inflation over this period.

  Minimum

  Maximum

  1979

  Salaries

  4·086

  6·471

  Percentage change

  (13·0)

  (18·6)

  1980

  Salaries

  4·956

  7·848

  Percentage change

  (2·8)

  (2·8)

  1981

  Salaries

  5·610

  8·883

  Percentage change

  (1·2)

  (1·2)

  1982

  Salaries

  6·189

  9·798

  Percentage change

  (1·6)

  (1·6)

  1983

  Salaries

  6·708

  10·620

  Percentage change

  (3·6)

  (3·6)

  1984

  Salaries

  6·708

  11·193

  Percentage change

  (-4·7)

  (0·4)

  1985

  Salaries

  7·752

  12·936

  Percentage change

  (1·3)

  (1·0)

  1986

  Salaries

  7·752

  12·936

  Percentage change

  (1·1)

  (5·7)

  1987

  Salaries

  8·352

  13·938

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  Minimum

  Maximum

  Percentage change

  (3·4)

  (3·4)

  1988

  Salaries

  8·352

  15·125

  Percentage change

  (-4·7)

  (3·4)

  1989

  Salaries

  9·900

  16·521

  Percentage change

  (10·0)

  (1·4)

  1990

  Salaries

  10·886

  18·132

  Percentage change

  (1·0)

  (1·0)

  Notes:

  Salaries are based on 1 September for each year.

  Figures in brackets show yearly percentage change in real terms.

  Power Station, Isle of Man
  Mr. Carr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has made to the Manx Government concerning the proposed power station to be sited in the River Neb valley, Isle of Man.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No such representations have been made. The Isle of Man is not part of the United Kingdom and has primary responsibility for its own domestic affairs.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many full-time fire fighters were employed in England and Wales as at 1 January 1990 and 1 January 1991, indicating both the authorised and actual establishment figures.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Total of full-time fire fighters (establishment and strength)

  1990

  1991

  England

  Establishment

  33,863

  34,082

  Strength

  33,309

  33,850

  Wales

  Establishment

  1,753

  1,730

  Strength

  1,693

  1,709

  Charities
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will estimate the total income of charities which is derived from direct mail and related fund-raising.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on the income of charities from these sources is not collected centrally.

  Sudbury Prison
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are currently held at Sudbury prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On Monday 10 June 1991 there were 497 prisoners on the roll at Sudbury prison, 405 in the main prison and 92 in the Foston hall annexe.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners were released from Sudbury prison during the last 12 months for which figures are available.
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  Mrs. Rumbold
  According to the records held centrally, which are approximate, about 1,020 prisoners were discharged from Sudbury prison on licence or on completion of sentence in 1990.

  Interpol
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information about convictions of British citizens is passed to Interpol for dissemination to member countries for information; and whether such information is removed from Interpol after any fixed period of time.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The national central bureau of Interpol does not keep details of all criminal convictions. It will pass on information about convictions only when a specific request is made by a member country. The bureau will pass on the details which are requested, but these will only be supplied once it has been confirmed through fingerprint checks that the subject of the request and the subject of the conviction are the same person.

  Member countries have also been made aware of the effect of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act on convictions in the United Kingdom. The bureau will keep a copy of the information which has been sent; this will normally be destroyed after seven years. The member country recieving the information will have its own rules for how long such information is retained.

  Juvenile Offenders
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an estimate of the number of offences committed, in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available, by juveniles who have absconded from local authority care to which they have been committed following conviction or pending trial(a) in the Metropolitan police area and (b) in the remainder of England and Wales.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information is not available in the detail required to enable such estimates to be made.

  Northern Ireland Prisoners
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what provision is made for Northern Ireland prisoners who are serving sentences in gaols in England and Wales to serve the remaining part of their sentences in gaols in Northern Ireland.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Section 26 of the Criminal Justice Act 1961 makes provision for the transfer of a sentenced prisoner on request to another United Kingdom jurisdiction to serve the remainder of his or her sentence.

  Radiation
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals the South Yorkshire fire and civil defence authority has to equip fire rescue unit appliances with geiger counters for use at incidents involving radiation.

  Mr. John Patten
  Each of the six emergency rescue tenders in the South Yorkshire fire brigade is equipped with a survey meter. The decontamination unit is equipped with a contamination meter. All pumping appliances and special appliances are equipped with one dosimeter per firefighter.

  Prisoners (Suicides)
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the in-service training of prison staff regarding prisoners who are regarded as potential suicide risks.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle) on 19 December 1990 at columns 206–7. A working group has since been established by the prison service to oversee the production of a suicide awareness training film for prison staff, and to assess the needs of staff for further guidance and training in relation to the treatment and care of prisoners.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has plans to improve the links between families in Northern Ireland and relatives who are held in prison in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs Rumbold: My noble Friend Lord Ferrers announced in another place on 4 June at columns 577–78 that the Government would carry out a comprehensive review of the arrangements governing the transfer of prisoners to Northern Ireland, either permanently or temporarily, to maintain family ties.

  Iraqi Armed Forces
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions since 1979 members of the Iraqi armed forces have been granted entry into the United Kingdom under paragraph 1(1) of schedule 2 to the Immigration Act 1971.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available. Statistics collected on passenger admissions do not separately identify members of the armed forces who enter the United Kingdom.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the results of the management review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board will be available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  With the concurrence of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland, who is responsible with me for the criminal injuries compensation scheme in Great Britain. I have today placed in the Library the report of the wide-ranging management review of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board which we commissioned last year.

  The review was carried out by a team of management services specialists from the Home Office and Treasury, co-ordinated by a private sector consultant. As well as examining in depth the board's operations, the team took account of practice elsewhere in the civil service, and outside.

  In recent times the board has had difficulty in coping with rising business. But with the changes to the scheme and the 60 new staff we provided last year, it is now making great strides. It dealt with 53,000 claims in 1990–91, against 39,000 in 1989–90, and it expects to clear

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  around 60,000 in 1991–92. Last year, for the first time in 10 years, it dealt with more claims than it received, reducing its backlog, and it has been able to establish that the true level of backlog is much lower than it had reckoned.

  Despite this encouraging picture the board needs to gear itself to do still better, cutting delays—which are often still unacceptably long—and further reducing its arrears, while coping with steadily increasing workload.

  I therefore welcome the recommendations of the management review, which hold out the prospect of a faster service to applicants, and a much reduced backlog, with no increase in staff. This will be achieved by simplifying procedures, cutting out duplication, and better management. Board members will need to set better guidelines for decisions, improving consistency all round, and enabling staff to deal with the majority of cases, which do not require the special skills of a QC or similarly eminent lawyer. I look to the board and its senior managers to respond positively and quickly to all of these recommendations.

  The report also makes some more radical suggestions.

  Arrangements under the scheme have not changed much since the board was created in 1964, when it was far smaller and dealt with far fewer claims. The review team does not believe that a board of more than 40 members—drawn from the single discipline of law, and most of whom have other claims upon their time—can reasonably be expected to carry responsibility for managing the organisation effectively on its present scale.

  The review recommends that I and the Secretary of State for Scotland should establish a small executive board, which should include members with business experience, and perhaps representatives of victims' interests. We think that this is a useful suggestion, on which we should like to have views from the board itself and from others with an interest in its work.

  The review also questions whether the scheme compensates the right people and in the right way. In particular, it discusses concentrating the scheme on injuries attracting higher or lower awards, by varying or imposing lower or upper limits on what awards are payable; excluding more strictly those who by alcohol or drug misuse contribute to their own misfortunes; transferring responsibility for criminal injuries at work to employers; and simplifying the basis of assessment to allow decisions to be taken more consistently and quickly. Finally, it suggests that we should explore whether the insurance industry might administer the scheme on an agency basis, or whether criminal injuries compensation might be amalgamated with other private and public sector compensation schemes to work more effectively and economically. These issues go well beyond the scope of the management review but the Government recognise that there are serious questions which should be open to public discussion.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses currently register an annual taxable profit of £35,000 or less; and how many of these businesses have been operating for(a) one year or less, (b) between one and two years, (c) between two and three years and (d) for three or more years.
  626
  Mr. Maude
  It is estimated that about 250,000 incorporated businesses had taxable profits of £35,000 or less in accounting periods ending in the year to 31 March 1989. This is the latest period for which reasonably complete information is available.

  The approximate lengths of time for which these businesses had been operating are shown in the table.

  Number

  One year or less

  20,000

  Between one and two years

  20,000

  Between two and three years

  20,000

  Three or more years

  190,000

  Information on unincorporated businesses could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Building Societies
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, excluding corporation tax, how much in total will have been lawfully received in tax through and from building societies in each financial year from 1984–85 on the basis of clause 50(a) being enacted and (b) not being enacted.

  Mr. Maude
  Net receipts of income tax from building societies, excluding those subsequently repaid as the result of decisions by the courts, are shown in the second column of the table. The third column shows the corresponding receipts after deducting the estimated amount of income tax due for repayment if clause 50 were not enacted. Such repayment would increase societies' liability to corporation tax.

  Years

  £ million

  1984–85

  1,844

  1,844

  1985–86

  2,608

  2,608

  1986–87

  2,481

  2,277

  1987–88

  2,694

  2,673

  1988–89

  2,678

  2,677

  1989–90

  3,655

  3,654

  Defence Companies (Surpluses)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to introduce legislation to implement a recoverable levy on surpluses generated by defence-based and military production companies.

  Mr. Maude
  No. Increased use of competition, taut contracting and suitable contractual mechanisms are already designed to ensure maximum value for money in defence procurement.

  EC Meetings
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the latest meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council, the meeting of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union and the interinstitutional meeting with the European Parliament.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Luxembourg on 10 June. I represented the United Kingdom. I also attended a meeting of the intergovernmental conference
  627
  on economic and monetary union. The Minister of State attended the inter-institutional meeting with the European Parliament in Strasbourg on 11 June.

  Following the meeting on 3 June, the Council again discussed the presidency's proposals for the future of VAT and excise duties in the single market. No agreements were reached and discussions will continue. I reiterated that the United Kingdom remains unconvinced that there is a need for a centrally imposed minimum VAT rate in the single market. But I again made it clear that the United Kingdom has no intention of changing our VAT rate.

  On excise duties, member states remain very wide apart. I argued that the minimum duty rates on alcohol and tobacco in the presidency proposals were too low. I reiterated that there would need to be much higher minimum rates or measures such as limits on the amounts of these goods that can be brought into any member state tax paid, if agreement were to be reached.

  The Community's contribution towards loans by the G24 to Hungary, Bulgaria and Romania was also discussed. An informal agreement was reached that the first tranche of 100 mecu of an EC guaranteed loan to Hungary could now be released, since a matching sum had been committed by members of the G24 outside the EC, but it was agreed that the release of a first tranche of 150 mecu to Bulgaria should await a similar matching contribution. Discussion of a loan to Romania was deferred until the meeting of ECOFIN in July.

  At the ministerial meeting of the intergovernmental conference on EMU, the presidency invited member states' views on key issues, which would inform preparations for the meeting of the European Council later in the month. I noted that a significant number of important issues required further debate in the IGC and suggested that the presidency might want to refer to these, while also registering the consensus achieved on issues such as the importance of convergence, in its report to the European Council.

  Our negotiating position in the IGC remains unchanged. The United Kingdom cannot accept changes to the treaty of Rome that would bind us to move to a single currency or a single monetary policy without a separate decision by the United Kingdom Government and Parliament.

  The inter-institutional meeting with the European Parliament enabled Members of the European Parliament to put their views on the EMU IGC to Finance Ministers. The meeting was purely consultative in nature.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has had from the United States federal criminal prosecution authorities for assistance with documentation on the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

  Mr. Maples
  None.

TRANSPORT

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for each port in the United Kingdom, the number of tonnes of nuclear waste that was imported.
  628
  Mr. McLoughlin
  Nuclear waste is not imported into this country.

  Primary Aggregates
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the amount of primary aggregates used in(a) construction and (b) maintenance of the railway network over the past 10 years, in (i) tonnes and (ii) as a proportion of total national aggregates' consumption.

  Mr. Freeman
  The figures for purchases of ballast by British Rail are as follows:

  Tonnes (millions)

  1986–87

  2·9

  1987–88

  2·9

  1988–89

  2·7

  1989–90

  2·4

  1990–91

  2·2

  The other information is not available.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the amount of primary aggregates used in(a) construction and (b) maintenance of motorways and trunk roads over the past 10 years, in (i) tonnes and (ii) as a proportion of total national aggregates consumption.

  Mr. Chope
  Detailed information across the whole range of road construction is not kept by the Department. Estimates are, of necessity, coarse. Industry estimates show some 32 per cent. of United Kingdom aggregates production is used in road construction and maintenance. This figure has remained stable over the past 10 years. The Department estimates that in 1980 around 10 per cent. of aggregates consumption—21 million tonnes—was used in the construction and maintenance of motorways and trunk roads. This compares with estimates of 12 per cent. of aggregates consumption—36 million tonnes—in 1989.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the amount of primary aggregates used in(a) construction and (b) maintenance of local roads over the past 10 years, in (i) tonnes and (ii) as a proportion of total national aggregates' consumption.

  Mr. Chope
  Detailed information across the whole range of road construction is not kept by the Department. Estimates are, of necessity, coarse. Industry estimates show some 32 per cent. of United Kingdom aggregates production is used in road construction and maintenance. This figure has remained stable over the past 10 years. The Department estimates that in 1980, 22 per cent. of aggregates consumption—43 million tonnes—was used in the construction and maintenance of local roads. This compares with estimates of 20 per cent.—60 million tonnes—in 1989.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the estimated requirement for primary aggregates arising from the Government's road building programme, set out in the May 1988 White Paper "Roads to Prosperity."

  Mr. Chope
  The requirement for primary aggregates is estimated at 120,000 tonnes per kilometre. The
  629
  Government's road building programme, set out in the White Paper "Roads for Prosperity" established a target of 4,247 kilometres—2,655 miles. The overall requirement is therefore in the region of 510 million tonnes.

  Railway Crossings
  Mr. Alan W. Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will give urgent consideration to the installation of barriers at the open railway crossing in Tirydail, Ammanford and at other open crossings on the Heart of Wales railway line;
  (2) if he will bring forward the proposed installation of barriers at the open crossing in Cilyrychen, Llandybie.
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Stott criteria for the conversion of automatic open crossings to half-barriered crossings take into account the daily use by both road and rail traffic. In the case of Tirydail crossing, traffic is not sufficiently heavy to warrant upgrading.

  The only crossing on the central Wales line which met the upgrading criteria is at Cilyrychen. Conversion is scheduled for early next year. It is for British Rail to determine the conversion programme in the light of its resources available to carry out the work.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many open railway crossings there are, and how many have barriers, on the Heart of Wales line from Swansea to Shrewsbury; and if he will identify their locations.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is as follows:

  Location

  Type of barrier

  Pantyffynon

  Hand operated gates

  Tirydail

  AOCL

  Brynmarlais

  AOCL

  Llandebie

  AOCL

  Cilyrychen

  AOCL

  Ffairfach

  AOCL

  Glanrhyd

  Open

  Llangadog

  AOCL

  Llanwrda

  Open

  Llandovery

  Trainmen operated barriers

  Berthddu

  Open

  Llandrindod Wells

  Trainmen operated barriers

  Dolau

  AOCL

  Bucknell

  AOCL

  Craven Arms

  Manned barriers

  AOCL—Automatic open crossing locally monitored.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those open crossings in Wales that have already been fitted with half-barriers as recommended by the Stott report and those earmarked for conversion in 1991 and 1992.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The following automatic open crossings in Wales have been converted to half-barrier crossings under the Stott programme:—

  Harlech Morfa

  Llanbadarn Fawr

  Maes (Criccieth)

  Ynyslas

  Those at Tygwyn, Cil-y-rychen and Llanboidy are due for conversion in 1991, 1992 and 1992 respectively.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many open railway crossings in Britain are 630
  to be fitted with barriers in accordance with the Stott recommendation for each year from 1988 to 1992 and thereafter.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Eighty-three automatic open crossings were identified for conversion to half-barrier crossings by the Stott criteria.

  Forty-six have been converted so far; the work was carried out as follows:

  Number

  1988

  13

  1989

  21

  1990

  10

  1991

  2

  Sixteen of the remaining 37 conversions are scheduled for this year and 21 in 1992.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Textiles
  Mr. Lee
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reaction he has made to the proposals from the Greek, Spanish and Portuguese Governments for use of European Community funds to assist their textile and clothing industries; and what assessment he has made of the likely impact on activity and employment in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Leigh
  I have not been informed of any such proposals. I am having inquiries made and will write to my hon. Friend.

WALES

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been the total expenditure by his Department on major improvement schemes on(a) the A487 trunk road, (b) the A483 trunk road and (c) the A470 trunk road in each year since 1979.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Total costs including design and land acquisition for major improvement schemes costing over £3 million completed, in progress and in preparation, for each year since 1979 are given in the table.

  £ million

  A487

  A483

  A470

  1979–80

  2·2

  0·4

  6·0

  1980–81

  2·6

  0·2

  9·2

  1981–82

  0·9

  0·2

  3·0

  1982–83

  1·8

  0·1

  5·9

  1983–84

  0·3

  0·5

  21· 4

  1984–85

  —

  0·7

  18·2

  1985–86

  0·6

  3·9

  10·0

  1986–87

  0·4

  10·6

  4·4

  1987–88

  0·6

  8·6

  3·5

  1988–89

  0·6

  9·9

  2·.6

  1989–90

  2·2

  11·9

  3·4

  11990–91

  5·8

  8·8

  5·7

  Total

  18·0

  55·8

  93·3

  1 provisional

  Treatment of Pain
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the secretary of State for Wales what financial resources have been allocated to the Welsh Office budget this year for the relief and treatment of pain.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  It is for individual health authorities to determine from within their annual overall resource allocations, and in the light of local circumstances and priorities, the level of funding which is available for the relief and treatment of pain.

  Community Charge
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the amount of community charge payable by each eligible adult in a household of one, two, three, four or five adults where one, two or no adults have been exempted due to severe mental handicap in 1991–92 after the community charge reduction scheme has been applied, for each level of assumed rates bill in £50 bands from £150 to £500, in £100 bands from £500 to £1,500, £1,750 and £2,000, where in each case the community charge is set at each £10 increment between £140 and £600.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The community charge payable, on average, within each Welsh charging authority, net of £140 reduction and the community charge reduction scheme, by each eligible adult for 1991–92 is given in the table. The charge shown is the same irrespective of the number of adults in a household. Severely mentally impaired adults do not pay the community charge.

  The Welsh community charge reduction scheme is based on the difference between the notional average domestic rates per adult in 1989–90 and the average community charge paid in 1990–91 for each area. The reduction is this difference less £37 and is payable to every eligible adult in each qualifying community.

  Average community charge payable (£)1

  Alyn and Deeside

  118

  Colwyn

  127

  Delyn

  125

  Glyndwr

  96

  Rhuddlan

  139

  Wrexham Maelor

  101

  Carmarthen

  61

  Ceredigion

  68

  Dinefwr

  63

  Llanelli

  81

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  67

  South Pembrokeshire

  73

  Blaenau Gwent

  67

  Islwyn

  80

  Monmouth

  108

  Newport

  125

  Torfaen

  105

  Aberconwy

  110

  Arfon

  79

  Dwyfor

  91

  Meirionnydd

  98

  Ynys Môn

  103

  Cynon Valley

  50

  Merthyr Tydfil

  68

  Ogwr

  67

  Rhondda

  26

  Rhymney Valley

  94

  Taff Ely

  96

  Brecknock

  87

  Montgomeryshire

  77

  Radnorshire

  86

  632

  Average community charge payable (£)1

  Cardiff

  112

  Vale of Glamorgan

  109

  Port Talbot

  75

  Lliw Valley

  64

  Neath

  76

  Swansea

  113

  Total Wales

  92

  1 Net of Budget Reduction and CCRS. Average for district.

  Further Education
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (i) what was the total cost of training further education governors in Wales;

  (2) if he will indicate the total cost of implementing the Government's reforms to the structure of governing bodies of further education colleges in Wales as a result of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is not available.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects all water supplies in Wales to meet the drinking water standards set by the EC drinking water quality directive; and what is the number of people currently supplied from non-complying sources.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Public water supplies already comply with the great majority of the standards in the Water Supply (Water Quality) Regulations 1989 (SI 1989 No. 1147) which implement EC standards or set more stringent standards. Where relaxations from the standards have been authorised under regulation 4 or undertakings accepted under section 20(5)(b) of the Water Act 1989, most should comply with the standards by 1995. Undertakings have been accepted which relate to all the zones supplied by the companies my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has appointed. The existence of a relaxation or undertaking does not mean, necessarily, that the water supplied does not meet the standards set in the water quality regulations. Copies of all the relaxations and undertakings have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Universities and Colleges Funding Council
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce details of the funding and staffing arrangements for the Universities and Colleges Funding Council for Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will announce detailed proposals for the new higher education funding council at the time legislation is introduced in Parliament.

  Casualty Units, Gower
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new attendances there were in 1990–91 between 10 pm and 8 am at Singleton, Morriston and Neath casualty units; and how many of these at each were residents of West Swansea and Gower.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not centrally available in the form requested. However, data collected to
  633
  inform the Welsh Office review of Singleton minor casualty unit (MCU) indicated that during the period 1 June 1988 to 31 May 1989, new minor casualty attendances at Singleton totalled 1,318 between 10 pm and 8 am, an average of four per night.

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what has been each year's funding by his Department to enable a night service to be offered at Singleton casualty unit.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Funding in respect of the minor casualty unit at Singleton hospital was agreed as part of the cost of reorganisation of services in West Glamorgan consequent upon the opening of Morriston hospital. However, the distribution of funding within its overall allocation is a matter for West Glamorgan health authority.

  Prince of Wales Hospital, Rhydlafar
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list his allocation separately to each health authority in Wales of(a) knee and (b) hip replacement operations to be carried out from Welsh Office central funds at the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar, near Cardiff.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Allocations are based on established referral patterns and currently these are:

  Hips

  Knees

  Others

  West Glamorgan

  37

  5

  3

  Gwent

  25

  16

  7

  Mid Glamorgan

  19

  6

  21

  Powys

  14

  1

  1

  East Dyfed

  5

  1

  0

  South Glamorgan

  32

  10

  8

  Clwyd

  2

  0

  0

  Pembrokeshire

  26

  11

  0

  Gwynedd

  0

  0

  0

  Total

  160

  50

  40

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from patients, members of the public, Clwyd health authority or the relevant community health councils concerning the recent return of a patient requiring an artificial knee joint operation to Clwyd without treatment from the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have not received any representations.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from Clwyd health authority, community health councils in Clwyd, or otherwise, concerning the allocation of knee replacement operations to be carried out with Welsh Office central funds at the treatment centre at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar, near Cardiff.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have not received any representations on this matter.

  Opted-out Schools
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether opting-out schools in Wales will be allowed to apply for a change of the nature of the school in less than five years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend is still considering whether it will be in the best interests of grant-maintained schools in Wales to alter his policy that they should not normally be able to change their character within five years of incorporation. That policy gives him the option of approving proposals for change when there are sufficiently strong reasons.

  Cardiff Bay Development Corporation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his most up-to-date estimate of the number of jobs created by the activities of the Cardiff Bay development corporation.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer I gave him on 25 February 1991.

  Departmental Publications
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of Friday 7 June, what was the reason for the delay in placing copies of the Welsh Office report in the Vote Office and the Library until the day after publication and two days after they had been made available to the media; and if he will make it his policy in future to make copies of publications available to the media, the House and to the individual hon. and right hon. Members at the same time.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Our normal practice is to place copies of inspectorate reports in the Library of the House, further copies being available on demand from the Welsh Office. The delay in placing copies of the recent three reports in the Library of the House was due to administrative oversight for which I apologise on behalf of the Department.

  Community Homes
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what factors determined the publication date for reports on three community homes in Wales following investigations undertaken in 1989.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 7 June 1991]: The reports of inspections of secure units at Ty Mawr, Silverbrook and Llwyncelyn community homes were published as soon as possible following the completion of consultation on the drafts with the relevant local authorities.

  Future reports will be issued within four months of the inspection. Any actions requiring urgent attention by the relevant authority will as now be brought to their notice immediately.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  World Poverty
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the Presbytery of Glasgow since 14 May in respect of world poverty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration has received a letter on world poverty from the Presbytery of Glasgow. A reply has been sent.

  Iraq
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have been held between representatives of the relief agencies responsible for the relief effort for refugees in Iraq and British military representatives.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The relief agencies in northern Iraq and Turkey have worked closely with the allied forces. They meet regularly with the military commanders of Operation Haven.

  Bangladesh
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the progress of plans for meeting long-term rehabilitation needs in Bangladesh following the annual meeting of the Bangladesh aid consortium on 29 and 30 May.

  Mrs. Chalker
  At the Bangladesh aid consortium meeting, the World bank announced that the total indications of financial support from bilateral and multilateral donors amounted to $2·3 billion. This level of resources is sufficient to meet Bangladesh's relief, rehabilitation and overall development needs for 1991–92.

  Sierra Leone
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to assist the Government of Sierra Leone in response to its appeal for aid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 12 June,Official Report, column 562.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  The Gulf (Disappearances)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made concerning the disappearance of Roseanna della Casa, and the deaths of Nick della Casa and Charles Maxwell, in the Turkish-Iraqi border region(a) to the Turkish authorities, (b) to the Iraqi authorities and (c) to allied military authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has made and is making widespread representations 636
  to try and trace Mrs. Rosanna della Casa. Following representations made by Her Majesty's ambassador at Ankara, the Turkish authorities have extended full co-operation. The senior Iraqi diplomat in London and the Iraqi representatives to the ceasefire talks in Riyadh were asked to help. British embassies in the area made inquiries and sought the help of the Governments of neighbouring countries. We have maintained frequent contact with coalition military forces in northern Iraq. Urgent attempts to find Mrs. Rosanna della Casa continue.

  No representations have been made regarding the deaths of Mr. Nicholas della Casa and Mr. Charles Maxwell. The cause of their deaths has not yet been determined.

  COREPER
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many British civil servants have been appointed or seconded to work for the Committee of Permanent Representatives serving the European Council of Ministers; and what is Her Majesty's Government's assessment of the effectiveness of COREPER in the development of European Community policies.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  COREPER is composed of representatives of the Twelve member states and meets to prepare decisions for the Council of Ministers, a job it has done effectively since the Community was founded. The Committee meets in two formats: COREPER ambassadors, comprising member states' permanent representatives to the EC, and COREPER deputies. The United Kingdom's permanent representative is Sir John Kerr. He heads the United Kingdom permanent representation which numbers 65 British civil servants.

  Syria
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what guidance was given during the period when diplomatic relations with Syria were broken about the steps which Syria was required to take to ensure a restoration of diplomatic relations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We consistently made it clear that we could not consider restoring diplomatic relations without firm evidence that Syria had given up support for international terrorism.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances were given by the Syrian Government before the restoration of diplomatic relations on 28 November 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made clear in the House on 28 November 1990—at columns 867–88—the assurances we had received that enabled us to resume relations.

  Gordievsky Family
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been received to representations for Maria and Anna Gordievsky, with their mother Leila Gordievsky, to be able to come to Britain; and if he will make a statement.
  637
  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  This case has rightly attracted public concern in the United Kingdom, and has also received sympathetic attention in a number of articles in the Soviet press. We have made repeated oral and written representations to the Soviet Government, including at high levels, about the reunification of the Gordievsky family. The Soviet authorities have frequently indicated that they wish to resolve this matter, but have not given a positive and substantive response to our many representations. Mrs. Leila Gordievsky and her two small daughters, Mariya and Anna, are entirely innocent of any wrong-doing. We believe that there can be no justification for the Soviet authorities' refusal to them of permission to come to Britain to be reunited with Mr. Oleg Gordievsky, in accordance with their clearly expressed wish. The Soviet Government's denial to them of the right to travel stands in clear contravention of the detailed provisions relating to family reunification and freedom of travel in the documents of the conference on security and co-operation in Europe, to which the Soviet Union is a party. We will continue to press this human rights case strongly until the family are granted their right to travel.

  Gibraltar
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to accede to a request from the Gibraltar Government to negotiate the entry of Gibraltar into the EC customs union; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Gibraltar Government have not made such a request. If they did, we would consider it in the light of the prevailing circumstances, including our assessment of the benefits of such a step for Gibraltar.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the financial consequences for Gibraltar of its joining the EC customs union.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We keep this under review and are in close touch with the Gibraltar Government about the cost/benefits of Gibraltar joining the Community customs territory.

  Germany (Nuclear Facilities)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any of the treaties endorsed by the European Council of Ministers in establishing a unified Germany provide for the application of Euratom safeguards to nuclear plants, facilities and materials located in the former German Democratic Republic.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The integration of the former German Democratic Republic into the European Community required neither a new treaty nor amendments to existing Community treaties. In principle the provisions of the treaties have applied in the territory of the former German Democratic Republic since unification. A package of measures was however agreed covering temporary and strictly defined derogations. No such derogations apply to united German's obligations under the Euratom treaty of 1957, chapter VII of which provides for the application of Euratom safeguards in all member states.

  Libya
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the Libyan Government are required to take to ensure the restoration of diplomatic relations.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We cannot consider improved relations until we have proof that Libya has completely broken off its support for international terrorism, including the IRA. People are still being killed in Britain with Libyan-supplied weapons.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on interference by Kenya in the internal affairs of Mozambique, and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are aware of claims about Kenya's alleged interference in Mozambique, but we know of no evidence to support them.

HEALTH

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has obtained a copy of the financial memorandum of Guy's hospital, referred to on 29 April,Official Report, column 22; and if he will make a statement on its implications for patient care and staffing levels.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. The paper was an internal working document of the Guy's and Lewisham Trust, prepared to assist it in developing its financial plans for 1991–92 and is now out of date.

  Health Education Authority
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been spent by the Health Education Authority on the "Look After Your Heart" campaign in each of the last three years; and what is the planned level of expenditure for 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  "Look After Your Heart", England's coronary heart disease prevention programme, is jointly managed and funded by the Health Education Authority —HEA—and the Department of Health. Spending in the last three years, taking both basic allocations and special grants made during the year, has been as follows:

  Year

  Expenditure

  1988–89

  4,550,000

  1989–90

  4,000,000

  1990–91

  5,500,000

  A basic allocation of £5,300,000 has been approved for 1991–92. There are also departmental and HEA programmes for the specific risk factors, such as smoking, which contribute to the work on prevention of coronary heart disease. Additional support is also provided through commerce and industry through the workplace project and the health education work of regional and district health authorities.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the percentage increase of child abuse cases for the last available five years in the Carlisle constituency; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information collected centrally about child abuse relates to the children and young persons on child protection registers for each local authority with social services responsibilities. The data were first collected in 1988. The number of children on the child protection register in Cumbria on 31 March 1988 was 226; on 31 March 1990 the number was 453.

  Physiotherapists
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the training of physiotherapists; and how much his Department spends annually on such training.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally. Funding for physiotherapy training is a matter for individual health authorities to determine in the light of local needs and priorities.

  Care Services
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretry of State for Health if he will meet a delegation from the Doncaster community health council, local councillors and hon. Members to discuss the future of Doncaster royal infirmary, Mexborough Montagu hospital and Conisbrough hospital and the development of a strategy for continuing care services for the elderly.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Yes.

  Medical Confidentiality
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to ensure that medical confidentiality is maintained for patients in the billing arrangements between health authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Personal health information is strictly confidential. It may be disclosed only on a need-to-know basis by authorised persons, and only to the extent authorised. It must be anonymised unless it is essential for the recipient to know the identity of the patient. Health authorities have been reminded of their responsibility for safeguarding confidentiality in the context of contracting for health services, and have been strongly advised to draw up procedures under the guidance of their directors of public health. In particular, references to diagnosis or operations in contract information must be coded. Any breach of confidentiality by NHS staff is regarded as a serious disciplinary offence which may result in immediate dismissal.

  Mile End Hospital
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what assessment he has made of how waiting lists are affected by the Royal London hospital trust's agreement with the Charterhouse clinical research unit concerning Mile End hospital;
  640
  (2) whether the Royal London hospital trust sought his prior approval for its agreement with Charterhouse clinical research unit concerning the Mile End hospital;

  (3) if he will make a statement about the terms of the agreement between the Royal London hospital trust and the Charterhouse clinical research unit concerning Mile End hospital.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No agreement has been reached between the Royal London hospital trust and Charterhouse clinical research unit.

  Pregnancy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money was given to(a) the British Pregnancy Advisory Service and (b) the Life care and housing trust for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department gives no money to either organisation.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any proposals to issue guidelines on the use of the chorionic villus sampling test; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The use of chorion villus sampling is a matter of clinical judgment.

  Kidney Transplants
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated additional cost to a hospital in respect of the procedures required to be undertaken in recovering a kidney for transplant; whether any recompense is currently available to hospitals in respect of such additional costs; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information on the cost of organ recovery procedures is not collected centrally. We are actively considering the possibility of identifying and reimbursing hospitals for costs incurred in organ donation.

  Abortions
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the cost to the national health service of an abortion at(a) under 12 weeks' gestation, (b) under 18 weeks' gestation, (c) under 24 weeks' gestation and (d) under 42 weeks' gestation in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Hospitality Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the expenditure covered by his Department's hospitality fund for the financial year(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department spent approximately £147,000 on hospitality in 1989–90; £158,000 in 1990–91; for 1991–92 information is only available on spend until 30 April totalling £12,000.

  NHS Beds
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what has been the number of beds available to (i) NHS patients and (ii) private patients in(a) Guy's

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  hospital, (b) King's College hospital, (c) St. Thomas's hospital, (d) the Lewisham and North Southwark health authority, (e) the Camberwell health authority and (f) the West Lambeth health authority at the beginning of each financial year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 2 May 1991]: The information that is available centrally is given in the tables. The number of NHS beds is not a reliable indicator of patient activity. Activity in the three district health authorities listed in the tables increased during the period as follows:

  NHS available beds (average over the year) 1979 to 1986 calendar year, 1987–88 to 1989–90 financial year

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  West Lambeth HA

  2,274

  2,239

  2,248

  2,100

  2,119

  2,066

  1,993

  1,887

  1,715

  1,537

  1,539

  St. Thomas's

  956

  971

  990

  880

  929

  876

  854

  842

  819

  744

  861

  Camberwell HA

  1,432

  1,366

  1,332

  1,289

  1,279

  1,232

  1,264

  1,232

  1,242

  1,147

  1,108

  Kings College Hospital

  603

  603

  586

  602

  590

  606

  609

  599

  602

  541

  538

  Lewisham and North Southwark HA

  2,336

  2,257

  2,208

  2,185

  2,194

  2,058

  2,048

  1,910

  1,718

  1,657

  1,583

  Guy's Hospital

  851

  886

  885

  852

  853

  779

  749

  740

  795

  790

  825

  Source: 1979–86 Form SH3

  1987–88 Form SH3A

  1989–90 Form KP70

  Number of authorised paybeds at beginning of each financial year since 1979

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  West Lambeth health authority2

  38

  38

  38

  38

  38

  38

  38

  138

  138

  138

  138

  St. Thomas3

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  37

  138

  138

  138

  138

  Camberwell health authority

  41

  41

  41

  41

  41

  45

  45

  45

  145

  141

  141

  King's College Hospital4

  40

  40

  40

  40

  40

  38

  38

  38

  38

  38

  38

  Lewisham and North Southwark health authority2

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  69

  Guy's Hospital

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  64

  Notes on table for authorised paybeds:

  1 Estimated figure—information held relates to the number of bed days.

  2 Within Lambeth, Southwark and Lewisham area health authority between 1979 and 1981.

  3 Figures for 1979 and 1985 are based on the district group authorisation given.

  4 Figures from 1984 are estimates based on the district authorisation given.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Teacher Strikes
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many days have been lost by teachers through strike action for each of the past 11 years; and what was the number of children affected.

  Mr. Fallon
  Information on days lost by teachers due to strike action and on the number of children affected by such action is not centrally recorded by the Department. However, figures for the United Kingdom provided by the Department of Employment show the following numbers of days lost due to strikes by all employees in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools, including both teachers and non-teaching staff:

  Days lost

  11980

  127,880

  11981

  45,364

  11982

  97,241

  1983

  19,455

  1984

  248,414

  1985

  851,518

  1986

  315,064

  1987

  133,429

  642

  Number of in-patients and day cases treated 1979 to 1989–90

  1979

  1989–90

  Percentage increase

  West Lambeth HA

  37,549

  42,692

  14

  Camberwell HA

  37,478

  46,262

  23

  Lewisham HA

  59,960

  61,518

  3

  The number of NHS beds authorised for use by private patients is not a measure of private patient activity. These beds are also available to health service patients and are not particular beds reserved for the exclusive use of private patients. Reliable information about the number of private patients treated is not available centrally.

  Days lost

  1988

  27,658

  1989

  1,300

  1990

  30,370

  1 Figures for 1980–82 also include employees in further and higher education establishments.

  Primary Classes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to bring in legislation to set a maximum class size for primary schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  No. The deployment of teachers and the internal organisation of schools are properly matters for local decision.

  Hospitality Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State For Education and Science if he will list the expenditure covered by his Department's hospitality fund for i he financial years(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991.92 to date.
  643
  Mr. Eggar
  Expenditure on hospitality met from Department of Education and Science running costs totalled £89,000 for 1989–90, £61,000 for 1990–91 and £4,000 for the first month of 1991–92.

  REPLAN
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will reconsider his decision to discontinue the funding of the REPLAN educational development programme.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. The REPLAN programme will have largely fulfilled the purpose for which it was established when its current term is completed in October this year. My right hon. and learned Friend will however be making additional funding available to the National Institute of Adult Continuing Education and the further education unit for the production and dissemination of a manual of guidance on education and training for unemployed adults which will further promote the lessons and experience gained from the REPLAN programme over the last seven years. As I said in my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) and my hon. Friend the Member for Battersea (Mr. Bowis) on 23 January 1991,Official Report, columns 196–97, it is now for the adult education providers to continue to develop provision for the adult unemployed, drawing on the lessons learned under REPLAN, and in particular working with the training and enterprise councils who are responsible for delivering the major training programmes for the adult unemployed.

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the titles of the video recordings purchased by his Department during the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. Eggar
  The titles of the video recordings purchased by the Department of Education and Science in the financial year 1990–91 are as follows:

  Agreeing to agree

  Autism: behind an invisible wall

  Early stages: school play

  First things first

  Food without fear

  Happy accident

  Helen's story

  Hindi Urdu Bol Chaal

  An inside job

  Meetings, bloody meetings

  Motley crew

  School

  Amount allocated

  Purpose of allocation

  £'000s

  £'000s

  Projects beginning in

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Adams grammar school

  —

  21

  Removal of asbestos

  Audenshaw high school

  575

  —

  Repairs, room conversion and new arts rooms

  —

  225

  Room conversion and rewiring

  Bacup and Rawtenstall grammar school

  713

  —

  Replace temporary accommodation, roof repairs and laboratory renovation

  Bankfield high school

  480

  —

  Improve technology, art language accommodation

  Baverstock GM school

  275

  —

  Repairs and removal of asbestos

  644

  Passport to success: National Record of Vocational Achievement.

  Through the maze: a guide to information sources in education

  Time for training

  Trouble with training

  Working mathematically with infants.

  During the financial year 1991–92 to date the following video recordings have been purchased:

  Building the perfect team

  Databases

  Teleworking

  30 ways to make time

  Working together: English in the national curriculum in Key Stages 1 and 2.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria are used for the determination of capital allocations for those schools which have held grant-maintained status for more than one year.

  Mr. Eggar
  The same criteria for determining capital allocations apply to the 29 schools that have been grant maintained for more than a year as those which have entered the sector more recently. All schools receive a formula allocation for small capital works based on their pupil numbers. In addition, all schools can bid for named capital projects. Priority in these allocations has been given to schools' most pressing needs. These include projects related to the health and safety of pupils, and to projects concerned with the introduction of the national curriculum, especially in science and technology.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the capital allocation for each grant-maintained school for(a) 1990–91, where appropriate and (b) 1991–92 and the purpose of each capital allocation.

  Mr. Eggar
  The table lists the allocations for named capital projects for grant-maintained schools to begin in the two years. I shall write to the hon. Member when decisions are taken about further allocations for 1991–92.

  In addition to named project allocations, each grant-maintained school is eligible to claim an amount of capital grant calculated according to a formula which takes account of the number of pupils on roll. The grant is used for small capital works and the purchase of equipment. For 1990–91 the formula was £13,000 plus £6 per pupil on roll. For 1991–92 the formula is £19,000 plus £9 per pupil on roll.
  645

  School

  Amount allocated

  Purpose of allocation

  £'000s

  £'000s

  Projects beginning in

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Beechen Cliff school

  480

  —

  Kitchen and dining room

  —

  320

  Technology block

  Bishopshalt school

  —

  206

  Science block extension

  Bournemouth grammar school

  —

  300

  Repairs (including roof repairs and rewiring)

  Bridgewater Hall school

  —

  65

  Boiler replacement

  Bullers Wood school for girls

  —

  228

  Refurbishment and extension of 3 laboratories

  Cardinal Vaughan memorial school

  219

  —

  Roof replacement

  Carre's grammar school

  —

  630

  Technology and laboratories extension

  Castle Hall GM school

  11

  —

  Removal of asbestos

  —

  105

  Roof renewal and concrete frame repairs

  Claremont high school

  328

  —

  Repairs and renovation of laboratories

  —

  120

  Technology rooms and health and safety

  Colyton grammar school

  950

  —

  New technology block

  Ecclesbourne school

  —

  400

  Repairs (including re-roofing and rewiring)

  Francis Bacon school

  —

  105

  Modern language classrooms

  Handsworth grammar school for boys

  —

  953

  New science block

  Heckmondwike grammar school

  198

  —

  Repairs

  —

  252

  Technology refurbishment

  Hendon school

  180

  200

  Window replacement and lab refurbishment

  Lancaster Royal grammar school

  155

  —

  Rewiring, room conversion and new washrooms

  London nautical school

  100

  —

  Repairs

  —

  50

  Rewiring

  London oratory school

  151

  —

  Renovation to laboratories

  —

  216

  Design and technology

  Long Field high school

  —

  236

  Roof repairs

  Netherthorpe school

  65

  —

  Staff room and administration

  Old Swinford hospital

  35

  —

  Repairs

  —

  500

  Science laboratories

  Pate's grammar school

  —

  1,500

  Replace existing accommodation

  Queen Elizabeth's GM school for boys

  261

  —

  Repairs and boilder replacement

  Queen Elizabeth's grammar school

  100

  503

  Replace temporary accommodation

  Queensbury school

  57

  —

  Repairs and health and safety

  Ribston Hall high school

  295

  —

  New technology unit

  St. Francis Xavier's college

  122

  —

  Roof repairs and asbestos removal

  —

  200

  Repairs

  Skegness grammar school

  92

  —

  Classroom improvements

  —

  63

  Modernise kitchen and canteen

  Small Heath school

  50

  —

  Roof repairs and rewiring

  —

  105

  Replace windows and improve maths suite

  Southfield school for girls

  —

  650

  Technology block

  646 647

  School

  Amount allocated

  Purpose of allocation

  £'000s

  £'000s

  Projects beginning in

  1990–91

  1991–92

  Southlands school

  46

  —

  Conversion to design and technology

  —

  113

  Re-roofing

  St. James' CE school

  650

  —

  Replace classroom block

  The Grammar School for Girls, Wilmington

  44

  —

  Repairs

  —

  45

  Conversion to CDT

  The Kings school

  128

  —

  2 new classrooms

  Watford boys grammar school

  —

  80

  Re-roofing

  Wilson's school

  200

  —

  Technology workshop and room conversion

  Note: The figures exclude £138,000 of support for emergency projects allocated during 1990–91.

  Education and Training
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the discussions he has held with(a) local education authorities and (b) other organisations about the future of adult education following the publication of the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st century".

  Mr. Eggar
  Although my right hon. and learned Friend regularly discusses the future of education with representatives of local education authorities and other organisations, no meetings specifically on the further education of adults have taken place since the publication of the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century."

  Teachers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his department's latest estimate of the number of qualified teachers who are not currently teaching.

  Mr. Fallon
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1991, c. 423]: In March 1988 there were estimated to be 385,000 qualified teachers aged under 60 who were not in regular teaching service. This total includes all those who had previously taught or been trained in England and Wales, except for those who were in full-time or part-time teaching service in the maintained or non-maintained sector in England and Wales, or had retired from teaching.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training Schemes (North Staffordshire)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the expenditure on Government-financed and assisted training schemes in North Staffordshire for each of the last five years; and what it is projected to be in the current year.

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

  The following figures for 1990–91 and 1991–92 are for the Staffordshire training and enterprise council—TEC
  648
  —which became operational on 15 October 1990. Prior to that date the Training Agency area office administered the Staffordshire area.

  The TEC boundaries are not coterminous with those of the area office. Staffordshire area office covered the whole of Staffordshire whereas the TEC boundaries exclude part of south Staffordshire.

  Staffordshire AO/TEC: Actual Expenditure

  Year

  £ million

  1990–91

  30·14

  Staffordshire AO/TEC: Budget Allocation

  Year

  £ million

  1991–92

  31·59

  Petrol Containers
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received following the Health and Safety Executive's directive that petrol may be sold only in one or two gallon containers at filling stations and the withdrawal of the use of five gallon approved containers which are used by boat owners and inshore fishermen; and what effects he expects this will have on safety at sea.

  Mr. Forth
  None. No HSE directive has been issued restricting the sale of petrol to one or two gallon containers or prohibiting the use of 5 gallon containers.

  Storage of petrol in 5 gallon containers is subject to the discretionary powers of Petroleum Licensing Authorities under the Petroleum (Consolidation) Act 1928, the Petroleum-Spirit (Motor Vehicles &c) Regulations 1929 and the Petroleum-Spirit (Plastic Containers) Regulations 1982. Licensing authorities would take into account the suitability of the containers themselves and the individual circumstances of the storage place.

  Citizen's Europe Advisory Service
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has had any recent meeting or communication with the Citizen's Europe advisory service in regard to employment mobility within the European Community.
  649
  Mr. Forth
  No.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Materials
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when the European Energy Council last discussed the application of Euratom safeguards to nuclear materials and facilities within the European Community.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The application of Euratom safeguards has not been a Council agenda item in recent years. When such matters are discussed they are taken by the General Affairs Council.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the implementation in the United Kingdom of EC regulation No. 220/90 (Euratom) on nuclear materials inventories.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Regulation No. 220/90 constituted a minor amendment to Commission Regulation (Euratom) No. 3227/76. This was to cover possible circumstances where nuclear material is concentrated by processing to a level above that specified in article 2 of regulation No. 9—428/60.

  Sensitive Buildings
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 384, if he will define sensitive buildings.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  A sensitive building is one which contains or could give access to information or material which needs to be protected in accordance with defined Government requirements or prudent management practice.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for energy whether people entering the BN FL dining room at Sellafield are required to wear(a) special clothing, (b) body monitors for radiation, (c) helmets or (d) shoe covers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that all personnel leaving controlled areas are required to monitor themselves in a manner appropriate to that area. I am told that there is no requirement in all cases to undergo a change of clothing, although when leaving an area in which contamination may arise it is necessary to remove overalls. It is not unusual for employees to wear their radiation dosimeters when outside controlled areas—indeed in some circumstances it is a requirement of the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985. It is thus to be expected that diners will be wearing a range of clothing/radiation dosimeters.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether building 215 at Sellafied is a sensitive building; whether it is in an active area; what controls are applied to people entering the building; whether people entering the building are required to wear(a) special clothing, (b) body monitors for radiation, (c) helmets or (d) shoe covers.
  650
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that Sellafield management consider B215 to have a degree of sensitivity. Building B215 handles radioactive material and is within a much larger active area, known as the separation area. People entering the building are required to be dressed for standard entry to an active area—factory shoes and socks, a laboratory coat or overall and radiation monitors are needed.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will name the two people referred to in his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 384; and what evidence he has that the two people referred to were demonstrators.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that the persons to which my answer of 7 June,Official Report columns 383–84, referred gave their names and addresses as Anne Marie Black and Chris Drake of Blue Gate, Greenham Common Womens Peace Camp, Newbury.

  Their address and the press release from CORE—Cumbrian's Opposed to a Radioactive Environment—suggest that they were demonstrators.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 384, whether the two people apprehended on Thursday, 23 May had entered (a) building 215 or (b) the vitrification plant at Sellafield.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that the intruders' claim that they entered B215 has been investigated and that there is no evidence that they gained entrance to this building or to the vitrification plant.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 384, whether British Nuclear Fuels plc kept his Department's officials fully informed of the official statements made to the press by BNFL following the apprehension of two people within the Sellafield perimeter fence on Thursday, 23 May.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that to be the case.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what warnings were given to the two people apprehended within the Sellafield perimeter fence on Thursday, 23 May about the circumstances in which they would be required to undergo a body scrub.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The two people were monitored for contamination in the presence of the police officers. No contamination was detected and no action was needed.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy further to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 384, if he will now review security at Sellafield.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Security at Sellafield is kept under constant review by British Nuclear Fuels plc, the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority and the Government.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the nature of the process undertaken at building 215 at Sellafield.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Building B215 is primarily a store containing the highly active waste arising from
  651
  reprocessing, held awaiting vitrification in the adjacent plant. The function of the building is to maintain the concentration of the material, the temperature and the consistency in the desired range.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will publish the operational log for building 215 at Sellafield for Thursday, 23 May.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No, this is a matter for BNFL.

  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, further to his answer of 7 June,Official Report, column 384, which security fences were breached by the two people apprehended at Sellafield on Thursday 23 May; and whether they entered an active area.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In order to enter the active separation area, the intruders must have penetrated both the factory boundary fence and the separation area boundary.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether, pursuant to his answer of 10 June on multiple share applications, all stockbrokers involved in the privatisation of the electricity supply industry have now supplied Touche Ross with a full list of names corresponding to their nominee accounts.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Under the terms of the regional electricity companies' offers, stockbrokers were required to supply information on the underlying beneficiaries of applications made by those firms either on bulk manager application forms or on individual forms; failing this, the applications would have been rejected. Touche Ross has had access to this information in connection with its audit activities.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answers of 6 June,Official Report, column 267 and of 10 June, to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West on representations from stockbrokers involved in electricity privatisation, what proportion of the fees and commisssions owing to the five stockbrokers referred to have so far been paid.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The payments already made, in respect of the admissible claims of these and other eligible brokers, are the amounts which the calculation and audit of their claims has shown with sufficient certainty to be due to them. In many cases a balancing payment may become due and my Department expects to make such payments shortly. A small number of brokers have not received any payments pending the clarification of queries arising from their claims or the audit process.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answers of 6 June,Official Report, column 267 and of 10 June to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West on representations from stockbrokers involved in electricity privatisation, what arrangements he has made to meet the principals of the stockbroking firms concerned, together with Touche Ross.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Secretary of State has no plans to meet the principals of any of the stockbroking firms concerned. I expect Touche Ross, together with officials from my Department, to be able to resolve all outstanding issues.

  Home Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has yet received any recommendations from the Energy Action Grants Agency with regard to the future operation of the home energy efficiency scheme in the Scottish area 14; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that the Energy Action Grants Agency has received a report from consultants on the future operation of the home energy efficiency scheme in Scottish area 14 and will be making recommendations to my Department shortly.

SCOTLAND

  Homelessness
  Mrs. Irene Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people were registered homeless in(a) Strathclyde and (b) Renfrew district during the past 12 months for which records are available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest available information relates to 1989–90. During that period, district councils in Strathclyde assessed as homeless 4,901 households who applied to them under the homelessness legislation. The corresponding figure for Renfrew was 359. Approximately 3,000 returns for 1989–90, mostly from Glasgow, are outstanding. It is not possible to say what percentage of the applicants to whom these related might have been assessed as homeless. The 1989–90 returns did not collect the number of persons in applicant households.

  Housing Associations
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will introduce in Scotland a special needs management allowance similar to that available in England and Wales.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Scottish Homes is currently reviewing funding arrangements for housing associations in Scotland and I shall consider its proposals with care in due course. Any changes in revenue funding arangements are unlikely to be announced before the spring of 1992. Hostel deficit grant will continue to be available for eligible schemes until 1 April 1992.

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much was paid out in hostel deficit grant to housing associations in Scotland in the last five years for which figures are available; and how many units of accommodation were covered by hostel deficit grant in each of the last five years.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is given in the table.

  Hostel deficit grant £

  Number of units

  1986–87

  18,870

  214

  1987–88

  28,125

  209

  1988–89

  101,708

  298

  1989–90

  184,279

  292

  1990–91

  611,241

  742

  Sexual Offences
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland for what reason statistics relating to sexual offences in Scotland are not collected centrally in a way which separately identifies such offences against children; if he will make it his policy in future to collect statistics in this way; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  While statistics on crimes collected centrally have generally not been classified by the characteristics of the victim of the crime, the Scottish Criminal Statistics Committee is currently examining the feasibility of collecting information for certain offences, including sexual offences, on whether the victim was a child or an adult.

  Fire Services
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many fire appliances were in operation in Scotland as at 1 January 1980 and each succeeding year;

  (2) how many full-time fire fighters were employed in Scotland as at 1 January 1980 and each succeeding year, indicating both the authorised and actual establishment figures.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information as at 31 December of each year, is as follows:

  Scottish fire authorities: Full-time firefighters and appliances

  Year

  Establishment

  Actual strength

  Fire appliances1

  1979

  4,033

  4,271

  561

  1980

  4,359

  4,300

  560

  1981

  4,365

  4,288

  577

  1982

  4,373

  4,279

  577

  1983

  4,372

  4,291

  575

  1984

  4,375

  4,270

  592

  1985

  4,372

  4,297

  496

  1986

  4,379

  4,296

  509

  1987

  4,418

  4,327

  504

  1988

  4,475

  4,408

  509

  1989

  4,483

  4,456

  502

  1990

  4,486

  4,439

  504

  1 1979–1984 figures include vehicles operated by volunteer fire crews; figures from 1985 onwards do not.

  Renewable Energy Programmes
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how far the administrative and consultative arrangements for the 1991 review of renewable energy programmes have progressed in relation to Scottish interests.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy on 3 June 1991, at columns 8–9.

  Glenlochay Estate
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his assessment of the size and number of older estates in a similar position to Glenlochay, in relation to sites of special scientific interest and compensation.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I have asked the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland to advise me on this issue. I will then write to the hon. Member.

  NHS (Competitive Tendering)
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made within the Scottish health service with competitive tendering; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Health boards have made commendable progress. By the end of March, 226 contracts had been awarded and these are expected to release savings of more than £80 million over the periods of the contracts. These awards include nearly all the domestic, catering and portering services being provided in health boards throughout Scotland. The savings realised are available to boards for re-investment in direct patient care.

  Boards have also extended competitive tendering into other service areas. Laundry/linen, grounds and gardens, estate maintenance and transport are just some of the services where contracts are being awarded. Some boards have, following competitive tendering, awarded contracts for the care of the elderly and for renal dialysis services. In all cases quality of delivery of service is of paramount importance in preparing tender specifications.

  Mentally Handicapped People
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) central and (b) local Government expenditure, (i) capital and (ii) revenue, devoted to creating facilities for residential care of the profoundly mentally handicapped in each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not held centrally.

  Fishing (Payments)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will identify the destination of all payments made by the Secretary of State under section 5 of the Freshwater and Salmon Fisheries (Scotland) Act 1976.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No such payments have been made.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many acres of green belt zoned land in Scotland have been dezoned and used for building in each year since 1985;

  (2) how many houses have been built in Scotland each year since 1985 on land which was changed from green belt zone status to allow building.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each available year from 1978 the amount invested in improving the energy efficiency of his Department in(a) cash terms and (b) 1990–91 money terms.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 3 June 1991]: Information in respect of the Scottish Office, but excluding the associated Departments and the Scottish prison service, is available for the following years:

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  cash terms £

  1990–91 money terms £

  1987–88

  150,000

  184,730

  1988–89

  62,000

  71,060

  1989–90

  100,000

  107,750

  1990–91

  148,000

  148,000

  Disability
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to the Scottish tourist board concerning special provisions for disabled people.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 6 June 1991]: The Scottish tourist board has long recognised the special needs of the disabled and has actively encouraged the provision of adequate facilities in Scotland. The board was one of the national tourist authorities which collaborated with the holiday care service to produce in 1989 the report "Tourism for All" and is, at the Government's request, implementing a Scottish implementation strategy, which is now in its second year.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Tourism
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to meet the chairman of the Northern Ireland tourist hoard to discuss tourism in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  I meet the chairman of the Northern Ireland tourist board regularly to discuss tourism matters and will continue to do so as required.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the latest unemployment figures for Northern Ireland; how many of those workers have been unemployed for a year or more; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  At 9 May, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 97,951 unemployed claimants in Northern Ireland. This represents a fall of 1,059 over the previous month. Approximately 49,900 (50·9 per cent.) claimants have been unemployed for over one year.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the number of inward investment projects in Northern Ireland over the last two years.

  Mr. Needham
  During the last two years the Industrial Development Board has secured 27 inward investment projects for Northern Ireland, with the prospect of over 3,000 new jobs.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he has any plans to implement the White Paper "Higher Education: A New Framework in Northern Ireland," and if he will make a statement.
  656
  Dr. Mawhinney
  As one of the joint signatories of the White Paper, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State fully supports the plans for the future of higher education set out therein and believes them to represent the best way forward for the entire United Kingdom. In determining the arrangements needed to reflect the new structures in Northern Ireland, he will wish to ensure that the Province's institutions retain the close cross-channel links and high quality standards that have enabled them to play their full part as members of the United Kingdom higher education community. At the same time, he will be seeking a strong and continuing local input to the decision-making process and will be considering what type of links with the new higher education funding councils will best secure these objectives.

  Terrorism
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what action he is taking against the financiers of terrorism.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  We have sought to include in the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Bill measures which should help to ensure that the financiers of terrorism will not profit from their illegal activities. I am pleased to say that the measures have received wide support in this House and in another place.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have died as a result of terrorist incidents since Thursday 2 May; and how many of these deaths were caused by(a) republican terrorists, (b) loyalist terrorists and (c) the security forces.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer the right hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave earlier today to the right hon. Member for Lagan Valley (Mr. Molyneaux).

  The Provisional IRA has claimed responsibility for seven of the murders. To date no organisation has claimed responsibility for the murder of one policeman and one soldier. Three men, apparently members of the Provisional IRA, were killed in an incident at Coagh involving members of the security forces.

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are his reasons for deciding not to privatise Northern Ireland Electricity generation and distribution as a single entity.

  Mr. Needham
  I am anxious to inject as much competition as possible into the Northern Ireland electricity industry, as I believe competition will lead to benefits for consumers. It would be difficult to have fair competition for future generation if NIE also owned generating stations.

  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress he has made in the privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Littleborough and Saddleworth (Mr. Dickens).

  Rathlin (Roads)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proportion of the roads of Rathlin is hard surfaced.

  Mr. Needham
  Approximately 48 per cent. are hard surfaced with bitumen-bound stone.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the current level of unemployment in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  At 9 May 1991, the latest date for which information is available, there were 97,951 unemployed claimants in Northern Ireland, representing 13·5 per cent. of the work force.

  Sport
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much money was spent on sport per capita in the Province in the past year and in 1978–79 at current prices; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Comprehensive records about how much money is spent on sport in Northern Ireland are not held centrally.

  Grants paid on sport in Northern Ireland by Government per capita, for 1990–91 and 1978–79 at current prices are respectively £1·30 and £1·32 on recurrent items and £0·65 and £8·85 on capital projects. The reduction in capital expenditure reflects the fact that the provision of major leisure facilities across the Province has progressively been completed during the 1980s.

  Foxes
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what observations he has received from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons concerning the use of strychnine as a poison for the control of foxes; and if he will take steps to prohibit such use.

  Mr. Hanley
  No observations have been received from the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

  The Department of Agriculture is, however, currently reviewing the use of strychnine for fox control, with a view to a possible ban.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list those sites licensed for the disposal of hazardous, toxic and special wastes, respectively; what has been the cost of disposal of such wastes in Northern Ireland since 1979; and whether there are any plans to change the arrangements for handling such wastes in the future.

  Mr. Needham
  Licenses for the disposing of controlled wastes are issued by the district councils. The wastes include industrial wastes, certain of which may comprise substances in concentrations considered to be hazardous or toxic (defined as "special wastes"). Licenses which provide for depositing these types of waste have been issued for sites at Culmore, Londonderry and Dargan road, Belfast by the Derry and Belfast city councils respectively.
  658
  Details of the cost of disposing of hazardous, toxic and special wastes since 1979 are available only from the producers of such wastes.

  In 1990 the Government published "A Review of Waste Disposal in Northern Ireland" commissioned from the waste management consultants, Aspinwall & Co. Ltd. The review suggests various options for waste management. Comments on the review have been received from the 26 district councils and other interested bodies, and the Government are now formulating a waste strategy for Northern Ireland which will be the subject of further public consultation this year.

  Peace Initiative
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the progress of his current peace initiative.

  Mr. Brooke
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Dover (Mr. Shaw) and to the statement that I made on 26 March 1991 at column 765–66 which set out the purpose and objective of the current talks process.

  Advance Factories
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland at what locations it is proposed to commence construction of advance factories in the next 12 months.

  Mr. Needham
  The Industrial Development Board has no plans to build any further advance factories in the next 12 months. The factory stock is considered adequate to meet demand in this period.

  Fair Employment Commission
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, further to his answer on 4 June,Official Report, column 196, how many of the 27 Roman Catholic members of the staff of the Fair Employment Commission were civil servants prior to their employment by the Commission.

  Mr. Needham
  I understand that of the 27 Catholic members of the staff of the Fair Employment Commission none was a civil servant immediately prior to employment by the commission, but five had been in civil service employment earlier in their careers.

  Anglo-Irish Agreement
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he next intends to meet the Taoiseach to discuss the Anglo Irish Agreement.

  Mr. Brooke
  I have no present plans for such a meeting. The current political talks will provide opportunities for discussion of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Population Statistics
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated population within each of the district council areas within the area of the Eastern health and social services board; and what was the population in each of these district council areas 10 years ago.
  659
  Mr. Hanley
  The information, contained in the mid-year estimates of population, is:

  District Council Area

  11990

  1981

  Ards

  65,400

  57,800

  Belfast

  295,100

  315,300

  Castlereag,

  58,100

  60,700

  Down

  57,700

  53,600

  Lisburn

  98,700

  84,900

  North Down

  72,600

  66,700

  1 Figures for 1991 will not be available until mid-1992.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has recently received about the law on Sunday trading.

  Mr. Hanley
  None, Sir.

  Irish Sea
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on his Department's response to the report on the Irish sea from the environment education and culture committee of the British-Irish Inter-Parliamentary body.

  Mr. Needham
  The Government are at present considering the report and will be making its response in due course.

DEFENCE

  Low Flying
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 21 May,Official Report, column 454, on flying over Caerwent, if he will outline the radius in nautical miles, and height restriction, within which military aircraft are required to take account of the potential hazard.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is not our practice to publish detailed information on flying restrictions in individual areas.

  Helicopters
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the recent Royal Marine operations in northern Iraq in respect of the operational sufficiency of the number of Sea King helicopters available to the armed forces to fulfil simultaneously commitments in Iraq, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Royal Marines of 3 Commando Brigade are to be congratulated on their achievements in providing relief and assistance to the Kurdish population in northern Iraq. They have been admirably supported by Royal Navy Sea King helicopters which continue to play an important part in this successful operation. Previously, Royal Navy Sea King helicopters were also able to make a substantial contribution during hostilities in the Gulf and they were, in addition, used in support of the recent relief operation in Bangladesh. This exceptional effort was due in no small part to the dedication and professionalism of our armed forces.

  Nuclear Test Ban Treaty
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any scientists from the Blacknest verification centre attended the eighth thematic conference on geologic remote sensing in Denver, Colorado, on 29 April to 2 May in connection with their work on verification of a nuclear test ban treaty.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None attended.

  Contracting Companies
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with the Department of Defense in the United States of America in relation to its policy on questioning contracting companies about senior executives' emoluments.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  None.

  Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his Department's latest discussions with Colin Wallace about compensation.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since the payment of £30,000 in September 1990, the Department has had no discussions with Mr. Wallace about compensation.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are his plans for the future strength of the Territorial Army; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We continue to attach the greatest importance to all our reserves and volunteer reserves. The Territorial Army will continue to have a key role to play. We shall be examining our requirements in this area, including the roles, size and organisation of TA units, in the light of the numbers we can expect to recruit and retain. Final decisions have yet to be taken.

  Kuwait
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether members of Her Majesty's forces who have been contracted out to Royal Ordnance plc in respect of Kuwaiti minefield clearance operations have volunteered for the job; what will be the terms of compensation available in the event of injury or death; and if he will list the occasions on which members of Her Majesty's forces have been contracted out to a commercial company in circumstances where their safety and lives may be at risk.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The men of 21 Explosive Ordnance Disposal Squadron are under military tasking and as such they were not required to volunteer. The squadron's task includes explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) which has been restricted by the MOD to exclude mine clearance, except where it is necessary for the squadron to gain access to specific and agreed EOD task locations. In the event of injury or death, the service men concerned will receive benefits payable by the Department of Social Security and by the Ministry of Defence under the terms of the war pensions scheme and the armed forces pension scheme respectively. The nature of this
  661
  deployment reflects the unique circumstances that existed in Kuwait following its liberation and the successful immediate post-hostilities work carried out by the Royal Engineers. I am not aware of any precise comparisons but, for example, RAF personnel seconded to British Aerospace served in Saudi Arabia throughout the Gulf war.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Disabled Staff
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick-upon-Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what percentage of the staff of the Palace of Westminster is registered as disabled; what is the target level; what measures are being taken to improve employment opportunities for disabled people within the Palace; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Beith
  [holding answer 10 June 1991]: Of the staff employed by the House of Commons Commission, 0·6 per cent. are registered disabled.

  The Commission's policy on the employment of disabled persons remains as set out in the Commission's annual report 1981–82. The Commission has appointed a disabled persons officer who is responsible for promulgating the Commission's policy on the employment of disabled people and for advising management and staff on matters concerning disablement. He keeps up to date with civil service policy on disablement and from time to time arranges seminars for departmental management with organisations concerned with disabled people.

  Although not statutorily bound by the provisions of the Disabled Persons Acts 1944 and 1958, the Commission has nevertheless undertaken to accept the same responsibilities as other employers. This includes compliance with the requirement to employ a 3 per cent. quota of staff who are registered disabled.

  Management has endeavoured to achieve the quota by encouraging applications from disabled people through recruitment literature and contacts with organisations dedicated to finding employment for the disabled. The implementation of this policy has recently been reviewed with the object of making it more effective. Consequently management have agreed, on the advice of the disabled persons officer, to adopt certain further measures. These will have the effect of ensuring that all applicants for vacancies in the House of Commons service who are registered disabled will be shortlisted for interview provided it is clear that their disabilities do not prevent them from satisfactorily carrying out the duties of the post
  662
  and they have the qualifications asked for, if any. Disabled applicants who have not the required academic qualifications may take a short answer test. Where there are two candidates of equal merit, one of whom is disabled, the policy will continue to be to select the latter. Further measures are being considered.

LORD PRESIDENT OF THE COUNCIL

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the titles of the video recordings purchased by his Department during the financial year 1990–91 and 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. MacGregor
  No video recordings have been purchased by the Department in the years mentioned.

  Hospitality Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the expenditure covered by his Department's hospitality fund for the financial years(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The expenditure incurred by the Privy Council Office in respect of hospitality was as follows:

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 to date £

  3,726·50

  4,450·22

  273·05

  Recycled Paper
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Lord President of the Council, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) of 6 June,Official Report, column 319, what percentage of publications printed by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on behalf of the House of Commons is not of archival significance; and what are the reasons for not producing such material on recycled paper.

  Mr. MacGregor
  It is not possible to give an objective estimate of the percentage of publications considered to be of archival significance. The Accommodation and Administration Sub-Committee is giving further consideration to the use of recycled paper for the Vote bundle, which could include a trial run by HMSO during the summer recess, and I would be prepared to ask it to carry out similar exercises for material which is clearly not of archival significance.

PRIME MINISTER

  Hospitality Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the expenditure covered by his Department's hospitality fund for the financial years(a) 1989–90, (b) 1990–91 and (c) 1991–92 to date.

  The Prime Minister
  This information is not available in the form requested. The cost of official hospitality met by my office during 1989–90 was £27,427; it is estimated to be £20,904 and in 1991–92 to date, it is £6,485.

  Statistics
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Prime Minister what plans he has to improve the quality, substance and accuracy of economic and commercial statistics available to Her Majesty's Government.

  The Prime Minister
  A comprehensive statement on the current state of official economic statistics was submitted by the Central Statistical Office to the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee on Wednesday 24 October 1990 —HC 671, Session 1989–90.

  The memorandum gave details of an important package of measures to improve the reliability of economic data which the Central Statistical Office is now implementing. I announced this package to the House as Chancellor of the Exchequer on 17 May 1990, Official Report, column 172. It is directed towards improving the quality of both the gross domestic product and the balance of payments estimates. In this context it has three major objectives:

  (i) Reducing revisions to early estimates of both gross domestic product and the overseas current account by extending the range of quarterly sources;

  (ii) Improving the accuracy and coherence of the measurement of gross domestic product through strengthening the weaker elements in the estimates;

  (iii) Improving the accuracy and coherence of the financial accounts including the overseas or balance of payments accounts.

  For details of the measures being undertaken, in order to achieve these aims, I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Provan (Mr. Wray) by the Economic Secretary on 13 May, Official Report, columns 19–21. Further and more detailed information appeared in an article, titled "Improving Economic Statistics—The Chancellor's Initiative", in the February 1991 edition of "Economic Trends" which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  The Government attach great importance to the need for reliable economic statistics and will consider further measures to maintain and improve the quality of economic data as the need arises.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the full-time and part-time public appointments for which his Department was responsible for each of the past five years, together with the salary and the date when each appointment is due for renewal.

  The Prime Minister
  This information could be supplied only at disproportionate cost.

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the titles of the video recordings purchased by his Department during the financial year 1990–91 and 1991–92 to date.

  The Prime Minister
  No.

  Ministerial Correspondence
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Prime Minister what action Departments have taken in response to the report of the efficiency scrutiny on ministerial correspondence; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The report of the efficiency scrutiny on ministerial correspondence was made available to Members of Parliament and others last December. The report, which provides recommendations of good practice, was accepted by the Government.

  Departments have reacted very positively to the scrutiny report. Each Department has produced an action plan to implement those recommendations which they have accepted, and which are not already departmental practice. Each Department has nominated a Minister for correspondence issues.

  Every Department accepted a majority of the scrutiny team's recommendations; overall 90 per cent. were accepted and none was generally rejected.

  The report recognised that Members of Parliament always have the right to approach Ministers directly, but that a more efficient service could be achieved by decentralisation of correspondence on operational matters to agency chief executives and other discreet units or local offices. Departments have generally accepted these recommendations, and the most recent edition of the "List of Ministerial Responsibilities" has been extended to provide information on agency chief executives and other key addresses.

  The report identified the use of targets and monitoring of performance as important factors in improving the management of correspondence and all Departments agree with this. All Departments accept the recommendation that their own targets on correspondence should be published, and there has been widespread acceptance of the recommendation to send a prompt and informative interim reply where a departmental target will not be achieved. Departments also gave a strong support to the recommendations for monitoring annual publication of performance.

  Departments are pursuing other recommendations, designed to improve the handling of correspondence, taking into account their differing functions and organisation.

  In line with the normal procedures for an efficiency scrutiny, each Department will produce by July next year an implementation report to record the achievements in carrying through their action plan.

  Minister for Ex-Service Men
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will appoint a Minister with responsibility for ex-service men.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 12 June 1991]: No. It would simply add another tier of administration to the present system as one Department could clearly not have

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  policy responsibility for all the matters of concern to ex-service men or their widows. Creating a new Department could lead only to unnecessary delay on inquiries since these would need to be referred to other Government Departments for consideration.

  The Ministry of Defence is responsible for service pension matters, the Department of Health, through the NHS, for treatment of the disabilities of ex-service personnel and the Department of Social Security for war pension matters. The Department of Social Security administers the war pensioners' welfare service through a countryside network of offices. The service offers war disablement pensioners and war widows help and advice on personal problems and liaise on their behalf as necessary with statutory and voluntary bodies. War pensions committees also play an important part locally in matters relating to the welfare of war pensioners.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the current rates of child benefit if uprated in line with inflation since 1985.

  Mr. Jack
  The rate would be £9·55 per week for each child.

  Appeal Tribunals
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what response he has made to the chief adjudication officer's complaint, in his annual report for 1989–90, regarding the failure of presenting officers to attend social security appeal tribunal hearings.

  Mr. Scott
  The chief adjudication officer made no formal recommendation in his report about non-attendance by presenting officers at tribunal hearings and I have not made a response to him on this point.

  The Benefits Agency makes every effort to ensure that a presenting officer attends every tribunal hearing. Non-attendance is not a widespread problem and existing liaison arrangements with the office of the president of social security appeal tribunals provide the opportunity to resolve any difficulties which may arise.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will arrange for information to be collected on the number of social security appeal tribunal hearings at which, and the reasons why, there is no presenting officer.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to collect such information.

  Departmental Relocation
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has for the location of new jobs or relocation of existing jobs in his Department in Wales.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no current plans to locate new jobs or relocate existing jobs in Wales.

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will consider raising cold weather payments made to senior citizens; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will introduce automatic cold weather payments for all senior citizens, irrespective of income; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  On 11 February I announced in the House that I would undertake a review of the operation of the cold weather payments scheme. I shall be making an announcement shortly.

  Invalid Care Allowance
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will name the statutory instrument from which he derived his definition of full-time education as 12 hours or more of supervised study each week in the "Invalid Care Allowance Claim Pack," DS700 (1991).

  Mr. Scott
  Regulation 5 of the Social Security (Invalid Care Allowance) Regulations 1976, as amended, describes the circumstances in which people are to be regarded as receiving full-time education.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to provide suitable benefit office facilities in the constituency of Darwen and Rossendale following the proposed closure of the Rossendale social security office.

  Mr. Scott
  We are presently conducting a service planning exercise to establish the needs of our customers throughout Rossendale. There are no plans either to close Rossendale social security office or to reduce the customer services currently being provided in the area.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Pigs
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps are being taken by his Department to ensure that blue-ear disease in pigs is kept out of the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  [pursuant to his reply, 25 April 1991, c. 554]: The history of blue-eared pig disease. Blue-eared pig disease has been diagnosed in Germany, the Nertherlands, Belgium and Spain and it appears that a similar condition has occurred in North America in recent years. Experience on the mainland of Europe is that the disease lasts for four to eight weeks in affected herds. The symptoms are by no means consistent—only a few affected animals show blue ears, for example. The first signs may be high temperatures and pigs off their food. A mild influenza-like illness may be seen in all ages of pigs on the premises. Sometimes blue discolouration of extremities such as ears, teats, vulva and backs of legs occurs. A consistent feature of the disease is an increase in the level of abortions that would normally be expected and in still births in pregnant sows. Those piglets which survive show laboured breathing, diarrhoea and other symptoms and up

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  to 40 per cent. or more may die within the first two weeks of life. Deaths among adult pigs are very low and infected sows normally recover.

  Spread of disease has been associated mainly with the movement of breeding pigs but airborne spread may also occur. The Dutch central veterinary institute announced recently that it had isolated a virus that causes the disease.

  In the Community, the disease first occurred in Germany in November 1990, although it was not reported until 16 February. Since 1 March the Community rules on trade in pigs (which require that all pigs traded between member states should be subject to veterinary inspection and health certification) have been supplemented by additional measures and trade safeguards in response to the disease. These include a prohibition on the export to other member states of any pigs from infected holdings and of pigs for breeding or fattening from municipalities where disease is present or has recently occurred. In practice the United Kingdom does not import pigs from any of the infected countries.

  Britain's precautionary action. Last year, the British Government took powers to restrict the movement of animals if a new disease was suspected, under the Movement of Animals (Restriction) Order 1990 as amended. These powers enabled us to be quicker in our reactions to any disease threat than previously, and indeed quicker than other members of the European Community.

  Suspicious symptoms were first reported to the veterinary investigation service on 16 May. On investigation the symptoms appeared significantly different from those found elsewhere in Europe, but nevertheless precautionary restrictions were imposed on the premises concerned on 20 May. To date, 12 premises have been placed under restriction for the same reason, all in the Humberside area apart from one in county Durham.

  The restrictions that have been imposed since suspicious symptoms first appeared are more stringent than those required by Community rules for the control of blue-eared pig disease and more stringent than those imposed in the Community countries where the disease is established. All movements of pigs off premises where disease is suspected are subject to licence by a veterinary inspector. No such movements have so far been licensed except for movements direct to a slaughterhouse. If severe overcrowding were to occur on a suspect farm, growing pigs might have to be moved off. Such movements would be only to a non-breeding farm already situated in an infected area and not situated adjacent to a breeding unit, and the receiving farm would be placed under restriction as soon as the movement took place.

  In addition, farms in the areas surrounding those where disease is suspected have been put under restriction too. In these areas licences have been issued allowing movement of pigs direct to a slaughterhouse. The movement of growing pigs to fattening units in Humberside has also been licensed subject to there being no breeding stock on the receiving premises, nor any breeding unit adjoining the receiving premises.

  Blue-eared pig disease confirmed. Yesterday evening (12 June), a Dutch veterinary laboratory using the only known diagnostic test sent us results which showed that blue-eared pig disease had indeed spread to the United Kingdom. The very early action that we have taken under our existing range of measures has meant that we already have in place restrictions which are significantly tougher than those employed on the continent. Now that we have
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  a positive identification of the disease, these measures will be made specific under the Blue-Eared Pig Disease Order 1991, which I have already signed, and which came into force at 12.01 pm today. The new order will confirm measures we have already taken which enable movement restrictions to be imposed or maintained on infected premises and areas. In addition, the order
  enables movement restrictions to be imposed on premises which have received animals from premises where infection exists;
  lays down requirements about the destruction of infected material;
  lays down requirements about the cleansing and disinfection of premises.

  Finally, the disease will now be notifiable, which clearly it could not have been until it was properly diagnosed by yesterday's results. As no test for the disease is generally available, and as a wide range of symptoms can occur, the Ministry will be publishing guidance to farmers and veterinary surgeons on the signs giving rise to suspicions.

  Limiting the spread. All the steps we have taken were designed to limit the disease to the maximum extent possible. We have been in close touch with our Community partners who also have the disease, and they have cooperated fully with us. Even so, none of us have sufficient information to know fully how the disease is spread. We cannot guarantee therefore that any particular measure will be successful in preventing its communication. Nonetheless, it must be sensible to take those steps which are most likely to make a difference, and it would be irresponsible not to try to protect those areas of the country where it has not occurred, if at all possible. It seems clear that one factor which does lead to the spread of disease is the movement of breeding pigs. Following discussion with the pig industry I therefore intend to use the powers under the new order to define a large restricted zone. This will not be easy for the industry in the parts of the country which will be covered, but in discussions today their representatives have made it clear that they support the Government's determination to prevent the spread of disease. This zone will embrace all the infected farms in Humberside, and a wide area around them bounded by a line running roughly from Cleethorpes through Lincoln, Doncaster, York and Scarborough. The movement of pigs out of this zone will be permitted only when going direct for slaughter. Pigs from farms where infection is not suspected or confirmed may, however, move freely within the zone.

  As I have already indicated, it is by no means certain that this measure will succeed in curtailing the disease. Our policy will therefore need to be kept under close review, in discussion with the industry.

  Blue-eared pig disease has important economic effects upon individual producers, but it is exclusively an animal health problem and there are no implications for human health.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether pigs from areas of the United Kingdom which are not under movement restrictions are able to be exported to other EC and non-EC countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Provided that pigs meet the conditions of Directive 64/432 and the conditions set out in the appropriate Community decision 91/237 they can be exported to other member states. Commission decision 91/237 lays down conditions for breeding and production
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  pigs from farms and municipalities under restriction. Exports to non-EC countries would need to meet the conditions laid down by those countries.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on the causes of blue-ear disease; and whether he has eliminated the possibilities of(a) a virus, (b) a bacteria and (c) chemical contamination;

  (2) whether he will make blue-ear disease notifiable;

  (3) what evidence he has on the means of transmission of blue-ear disease; and if he will make a statement;

  (4) what inspections are carried out by his Ministry on the health of pigs which are imported and exported to and from the United Kingdom to ensure that they are free of blue-ear disease and other diseases; and if he will make a statement;

  (5) what information he has concerning the infectious nature of blue-ear disease; and if he will make a statement;

  (6) on what date he first knew about the problems of blue-ear disease in pigs in (a) the United Kingdom and (b) in other EC countries; and if he will make a statement;

  (7) what controls and regulations exist on the import and export of pigs between EC member states where blue-ear disease has been found; and if he will make a statement;

  (8) how many man hours have been devoted by his Ministry to the investigation of the cause of blue-ear disease; and if he will make a statement;

  (9) if he will list (a) the numbers of farmers and (b) the numbers of pigs under movement restrictions as a result of blue-ear disease to date on a county by county basis; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) earlier today.

  Farm Budget
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the overall farm budget agreed for 1991–92 as a result of the new farm price package; and what was the actual common agricultural policy expenditure in this area last year.

  Mr. Curry
  Taking account of this year's price settlement, the European Commission is forecasting that Community expenditure on agricultural support in 1991 will exceed the budget of £22·0 billion but will fall within the agricultural guideline of £22·7 billion. A supplementary budget will be put forward in due course. For 1992 the budget has yet to be agreed but expenditure cannot exceed the agricultural guideline of £24·4 billion. The forecast outturn for Community agricultural guarantee expenditure in 1990 is £17·9 billion.

  Simazine
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he envisages any restrictions being placed on the use of the herbicide Simazine; and whether its continued use has been considered by the appropriate European Community authorities.

  Mr. Maclean
  Simazine is not being considered by the European Community authorities but is under review in 670
  the United Kingdom. Any recommendations concerning the approval status on conditions of use of simazine made by the advisory committee on pesticides as a result of the review will be considered by the six Ministers responsible for pesticides.

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to implement the recommendation of the Dunnet review and re-examine the Ministry's policy on badgers and bovine tuberculosis.

  Mr. Maclean
  We are already implementing the recommendations of the present interim badger control strategy which is firmly based on the recommendations of a committee chaired by Professor Dunnet. One of these was that the strategy should be reviewed if certain criteria were met three and five years after the strategy was implemented. In the event, the criteria were not met at the three-year point, and five years have not yet elapsed. Nevertheless in line with Professor Dunnet's recommendations, a test to detect tuberculosis in live badgers is undergoing field trials. The way in which such a test might be used is being considered with the assistance of the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis.

  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his Ministry's badger eradication programme.

  Mr. Maclean
  There is no badger eradication programme, and no such policy is justified. Small numbers of badgers are removed when implicated in a tuberculosis breakdown in cattle, as recommended by Professor Dunnet's independent review.

  Animal Diseases
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many man hours were devoted to(a) BSE, (b) salmonella and (c) blue-ear disease at the Lincoln veterinary investigation centre on (i) 31 December and (ii) 31 May; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  In the period 31 December 1990 to 31 May 1991, 398 man hours were devoted to BSE, 1,239 man-hours were devoted to salmonella and an estimated 100 man-hours were devoted to suspect blue-ear disease of pigs at the Lincoln veterinary investigation centre.

  Megrim
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimated catch of megrim in British coastal waters in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is not available in the form requested. Total landings of megrim into the United Kingdom by British vessels in each of the last five years were as follows:

  1986

  2,284 tonnes landed weight

  1987

  3,660 tonnes landed weight

  1988

  4,141 tonnes landed weight

  1989

  3,810 tonnes landed weight

  1990

  3,720 tonnes landed weight

  Source: Annual Sea Fisheries Statistical Tables.

  Whaling Conference
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the Governments which were present and entitled to vote at the recent international whaling conference at Reykjavik.

  Mr. Curry
  The countries are Australia, Brazil, Chile, the People's Republic of China, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, India, Ireland, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Monaco, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Oman, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, the Seychelles, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the USSR, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. One country left the meeting early before certain votes had been taken or considered.

  Quarantine
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the disease quarantine premises he has in the United Kingdom, giving the location in each case, and which animals they are approved for handling; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Quarantine is required for three diseases. For foot and mouth there is one quarantine premise at Poole. For rabies there are a number of approved premises throughout the country. For Newcastle disease there are a number of privately owned approved premises. Lists of the premises currently approved for rabies and Newcastle disease are available from the Ministry and I will send a copy to the hon. Member.

  IRAQ: PAYMENTS TO UN COMPENSATION FUND
  IRAQ: PAYMENTS TO UN COMPENSATION FUND
  THE STATUTE BOOK: PUBLICATION
  THE STATUTE BOOK: PUBLICATION
  BLUE-EARED PIG DISEASE
  BLUE-EARED PIG DISEASE
  SHOP AND RESIDENTIAL PREMISES: RENTS
  SHOP AND RESIDENTIAL PREMISES: RENTS
  CONSERVATION: PROPOSED DIRECTIVE
  CONSERVATION: PROPOSED DIRECTIVE