Written Answers of 21 June 1991

ENERGY

  Electricity Prices
  Sir Robert McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has held with the Office of Electricity Supply on the post-privatisation pricing system for industrial users of electricity; what representations he has received from industrial users on the pricing system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend and I meet the Director General of Electricity Supply from time to time when we discuss a range of matters including electricity prices. I have received a number of representations from industrial users about electricity prices. Under the new competitive regime we have put in place it is for large users to use their commercial strength to negotiate the keenest prices from a number of potential suppliers.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Church Schools
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of children aged between 5 and 16 years being educated in church schools; and what were the comparable figures for 1980 and 1985.

  Mr. Fallon
  The number of children of compulsory school age being taught in maintained church schools in England in January 1990 is shown in the following table. Comparable figures for 1980 and 1985 are also shown.

  Pupils of compulsory school age in maintained church schools

  Type of school

  1980

  1985

  1990

  Church of England

  804,874

  695,414

  704,303

  Roman Catholic

  663,766

  577,381

  558,370

  Methodist

  6,000

  4,060

  4,004

  Truancy
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his oral answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 886, what information is available on a non-standard national basis about levels of truancy in (a) primary and (b) high schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers in full-time employment with seven years' experience are earning(a) £10,000 to £12,000, (b) £12,000 to £14,000, (c) £14,000 to
  332
  £16,000, (d) £16,000 to £18,000, (e) £18,000 to £20,000, (f) £20,000 to £22,000, (g) £22,000 to £24,000 and (h) £24,000 to £26,000 per annum, or the nearest convenient salary break points.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on the number of teachers in full-time employment with seven years' experience as at 31 March 1988 is shown in the table. Information for]later years is not yet available.

  Maintained nursery, primary and secondary sector ,full-time teachers with seven years' experience1

  Salary at March 1988

  England

  Under £10,000

  1,746

  £10,000—£112,000

  5,905

  £12,000—£14,000

  3,023

  £14,000—£16,000

  1,863

  £16,000—£18,000

  384

  Over £18,000

  28

  TOTAL

  12,949

  1 Indicates teachers with completed service of seven but less than eight years at 31 March 1988.

  English Teaching
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what was the cost of the report undertaken by Professor Ron Carter and others into the teaching of English;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the report prepared by Professor Ron Carter and others on the teaching of English.

  Mr. Eggar
  The material commissioned, at a cost of some £120,000, was not a report but a training package for use as part of the language in the curriculum project. I will arrange for a copy to be placed in the Library.

  Student Finance
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what research he has commissioned into the financial position of students following changes in support, including the student loan scheme and the withdrawal of income support and housing benefit.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The take-up of student loans is monitored by the Student Loans Company and the Department. We intend to conduct periodically student income and expenditure surveys comparable with the baseline survey published in 1989, and to review the access funds scheme after three years.

  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will announce the postgraduate bursary and studentship rates payable by his Department for the academic year 1991–92.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The main maintenance rates under the Department's own postgraduate awards scheme in the academic year 1991–92 will be as follows (1990–91 rates are shown in brackets):

  £

  £

  Bursaries

  London

  2,950

  (2,775)

  Elsewhere

  2,330

  (2,195)

  Parental home

  1,760

  (1,655)

  333

  £

  £

  Studentships

  London

  4,970

  (4,690)

  Elsewhere

  3,950

  (3,725)

  Parental home

  2,915

  (2,750)

  These represent increases of about 6 per cent. on the current year's rates. The relevant supplementary allowances will be increased broadly in line.

PRIME MINISTER

  Vietnam
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Prime Minister when the Government next plan to meet representatives of the Vietnamese Government; and when he next intends to discuss with the United States Government trading policy on Vietnam.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government are urgently seeking discussions with the Vietnamese Government on the problems posed by the sharply increased rate of arrivals of Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong. We regularly discuss all aspects of United States Indo-China policy at a high level with the United States Government.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Rent Rebates
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out the levels of contributions to rent rebates that local authorities are projected to make that correspond to the figures for H RAS (Rent Rebate) subsidy for 1992–93, and 1993–94, set out in figure 64 in the housing chapter of the current public expenditure plans, Cm. 1508.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been asked to reply.

  As stated by my hon. Friend on 28 March at column 535 no decisions have been taken as to the contributions which local housing authorities are estimated to make to their rent rebate costs in 1992–93 and 1993–94. This is because the amounts will depend largely on annual decisions about rent guidelines and management and maintenance allowances for those years. For general planning purposes, the entries at figure 64 in the housing chapter of Cm. 1508 include projected contributions to rent rebates of £420 million for 1992–93, and £536 million for 1993–94 based upon inflation only guideline increases for rent and management and maintenance allowances.

  Pensioners' Expenditure
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 4 June,Official Report, columns 109–10, what information is kept on the levels of expenditure of pensioners; and to what extent this is broken down geographically.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on expenditure patterns is extracted from the family expenditure survey. While the published version does not give information on pensioners' expenditure below the national level the information can be broken down by region, although in many cases this can be achieved only at disproportionate 334
  cost while in others the size of the sample is too small to support a valid inference. The 11 regions in Great Britain are: the North, Yorkshire and Humberside, the North-West, the East Midlands, the West Midlands, East Anglia, Greater London, the South-East (excluding Greater London), the South-West, Wales and Scotland. Data can also be provided by type of administrative area, viz; Greater London, the Metropolitan district and Central Clydeside conurbation, non-metropolitan districts (with high population density) and non-metropolitan districts (with low population density), but the same caveats apply.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what reply he has sent to the letters of 31 January and 10 June from the Terrence Higgins Trust concerning the cost of diets for people with AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  I have replied to these letters today.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Africa (Food Shortages)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much money has been allocated to counter food shortages in (a) Ethiopia, (b) Sudan, (c) Mozambique, (d) Angola, (e) Malawi and (f) Liberia from January to the present date; and what percentage of the 1990–91 and 1991–92 overseas aid budgets have been allocated to counter food shortages in each country.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The following bilateral food aid allocations to the named countries have been made since January 1991:

  Country

  Cost (£ million) (Food aid)

  Cost (£ million) (Non-food aid)

  Ethiopia

  14·196

  5·802

  Sudan

  5·802

  3·626

  Mozambique

  10·959

  2·000

  Angola

  3·626

  1·885

  Malawi (Mozambican refugees)

  1·060

  3·000

  Liberia

  0·0

  1·456

  Total

  129·915

  17·769

  1 Does not include the United Kingdom share of EC food aid.

  The remaining information is not available in the form requested. Bilateral food aid as a percentage of total bilateral aid to those countries in 1989–90 was as follows:

  Country

  Food aid

  Total aid

  Percentage

  £ million

  £ million

  Ethiopia

  5·182

  12·730

  41

  Sudan

  1·114

  25·507

  4

  Mozambique

  2·519

  19·048

  13

  Angola

  —

  0·733

  —

  Malawi

  —

  26·965

  —

  Liberia

  —

  0·507

  —

  Vietnam
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what aid has been given to Vietnam in the last five years; and what is its current gross national product per head.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [holding answer 20 June 1991]: Britain has provided no direct bilateral aid to Vietnam in the last five years. Since May 1990 over £1 million has been committed in support of projects by British nongovernmental organisations to assist with community development and the reintegration of boat people returning from Hong Kong. Since 1986 the United Kingdom has provided some £2·4 million towards EC food aid to Vietnam and our contribution through the European Commission's pilot scheme for the reintegration of returning boat people will be more than £1 million. No reliable data exists for Vietnam's GNP but it is estimated that in 1988 GDP per capita was approximately US$ 150–200.

HEALTH

  Day Nurseries
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what categories of day nurseries are exempt from registration.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The regulation and registration of day nurseries is currently governed by the Nurseries and Child-Minders Regulation Act 1948, as amended. Section 8 deals with exemption from the requirements of the Act, including registration.

  The 1948 Act will be repealed when the Children Act 1989 comes into effect on 14 October 1991. Registration of day care facilities for young children will then be regulated under section 71 of and schedule 9 to the 1989 Act. Paragraphs 3, 4 and 5 of schedule 9 list exemptions from registration.

  Optical Charges
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will now make provision for the refund of optical charges under the health benefits low income scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Refunds are already available under the low income scheme for NHS charges incurred for sight tests and also for spectacles provided by the hospital eye service. The review of the administration of the scheme which is now under way, will provide a fresh opportunity to examine the arrangements for optical refunds.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what decisions were made at the European Community Health Council on 4 June concerning the campaign against AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The European Community Health Council agreed to adopt a plan of action within the framework of the Europe against AIDS programme. The intention of the plan is that member states should benefit from the exchange of information, expertise and examples of good practice.
  336
  A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Births
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 8 March,Official Report, column 322, if he can now list for the year 1989–90 for England and for each NHS region (1) the percentage of women who had (i) general anaesthesia, (ii) epidural or caudal anaesthesia, (iii) spinal anaesthesia, (iv) combinations of these methods of anaesthesia and (v) none of these methods of anaesthesia during labour or delivery;

  (2) the percentage of women (i) whose labours were surgically induced, (ii) whose labours were induced[by oxytocic drugs, (iii) whose labours were induced by a combination of surgical methods and oxytocic drugs, (iv) whose labours were of spontaneous onset and (v) who had elective Caesarian sections;

  (3) the percentage of women whose deliveries were (i) at a domestic address, (ii) in a consultant ward of an NHS hospital, (iii) in a general practitioner ward of an NHS hospital, (iv) in a combined consultant/general practitioner ward of an NHS hospital, (v) in a private hospital, (vi) in another hospital or institution and (vii) elsewhere;

  (4) the percentage of women whose deliveries were conducted by (a) a hospital doctor, (b) a general practitioner, (c) a midwife and (d) a person other than a doctor or midwife.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The estimated national percentages for England for 1989–90 are given in the tables. The feasibility of producing estimated percentages analysed by NHS region is still being investigated and I shall write to the hon. Member when our investigations are complete.

  1989–90 England

  Per cent.

  (i) Anaesthetic administered

  General

  7

  Epidural or caudal

  15

  Spinal

  1

  Combination

  1

  Other including no anaesthetic

  66

  Not known

  11

  (ii) Method of onset of labour

  Spontaneous onset

  74

  Elective Caesarean

  5

  Surgically induced

  4

  Oxytocic drugs

  8

  Combination

  6

  Not known

  3

  (iii) Place of delivery

  At a domestic address

  10

  In a consultant ward

  64

  In a GP ward

  5

  Consultant/GP ward

  31

  Private hospital

  10

  Other hospital or institution

  10

  Elsewhere

  10

  (iv) Person conducting delivery

  Hospital doctor

  24

  General practitioner

  10

  Midwife

  72

  Other

  2

  Not known

  2

  1 Less than 0·5 per cent.

  Source: Hospital Episode Statistics 1989–90.

  Pregnancy
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much public money was given by which regional health authorities 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
  No central record is kept of donations or grants made by regional health authorities. The British Pregnancy Advisory Service receives income as a result of service provision contracts with some district health authorities. Details of these arrangements are not held by the Department.

  Trent Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the numbers of operations and waiting lists for ear, nose and throat operations carried out year by year since 1986 in Trent regional health authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 7 June 1991]: The information requested is given in the table. It is the time that individual patients wait for treatment that matters, not the total number on the list. The number waiting more than one year for in-patient ENT treatment in Trent has fallen by 8 per cent. since September 1986 and by 33 per cent. since March 1979. At the same time the number of in-patients treated has increased by 6 per cent. since 1986 and by 53 per cent. since 1979.

  Numbers of operations and patients awaiting elective admission for the ENT speciality in Trent RHA—In-patients

  Date

  Number of operations1

  Total patients waiting2

  Patients waiting over 12 months

  Number3

  Per cent.4

  1986

  n/a

  8,873

  1,798

  20

  1987

  n/a

  7,578

  1,629

  20

  1988

  26,708

  8,630

  1,561

  18

  1989

  26,656

  8,516

  1,608

  18

  1990

  27,239

  9,262

  1,659

  17

  1 Figures relate to the total number of cases operated on in the year ending 31 March.

  2 Figures exclude self-deferred cases and relate to the position at 30 September.

  3 Figures relate to the position at 30 September and for 1987 to 1990 include any self-deffered cases.

  4 Figures for 1987 to 1990 are based on the number of patients including self-deferred cases.

  n/a=Not available.

  Sources: Number of operations: DH Form KH08

  Patients awaiting elective admission: DH Form KH07.

  Pre-school Care
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the numbers of(a) day nurseries, (b) childminders and (c) playgroups in 1990 and the number of places in each.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 18 June 1991]: The information requested is set out in the table. The figures include registered provision, local authority provision and for day nurseries and play groups some provision exempt from registration (eg provision on crown property).
  338

  Day care facilities for children under five at 31 March 1990 (provisional figures)

  Premises

  Places

  (a)Day nurseries

  2,920

  87,450

  (b)Childminders

  93,070

  205,470

  (c)Playgroups

  17,790

  416,380

WALES

  Local Government Finance
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the financial adjustment fixed by each charging local authority in Wales for 1991–92 to be paid by each charge payer as a result of the failure, anticipated or actual, of all charge payers to pay charges lawfully demanded; and what were the comparable figures for 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The collection fund adjustments payable by charge payers in 1991–92 are shown in the table. These adjustments reflect a number of factors including local authority assumptions as to any losses in collection in 1990–91 and estimates of interest paid from and accrued to the collection fund in 1990–91 and 1991–92. There are no comparable figures for 1990–91.

  Collection fund adjustments 1991–92

  Charging authority

  1£

  Alyn and Deeside

  0·00

  Colwyn

  -0·17

  Delyn

  1·99

  Glyndwr

  0·00

  Rhuddlan

  0·00

  Wrexham Maelor

  0·00

  Carmarthen

  -7·00

  Ceredigion

  -5·00

  Dinefwr

  0·00

  Llanelli

  -8·28

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  -2·88

  South Pembrokeshire

  0·22

  Blaenau Gwent

  0·00

  Islwyn

  0·00

  Monmouth

  0·00

  Newport

  4·00

  Torfaen

  0·00

  Aberconwy

  -3·01

  Arfon

  0·00

  Dwyfor

  0·00

  Meirionnydd

  -3·01

  Ynys Mon

  -5·01

  Cynon Valley

  0·00

  Merthyr Tydfil

  -3·01

  Ogwr

  -3·00

  Rhondda

  -5·00

  Rhymney Valley

  0·00

  Taff Ely

  0·00

  Brecknock

  0·00

  Montgomeryshire

  0·00

  Radnorshire

  0·00

  Cardiff

  0·00

  Vale of Glamorgan

  0·00

  Port Talbot

  0·00

  Lliw Valley

  0·00

  Neath

  0·00

  Swansea

  0·00

  1 A positive figure in the table denotes an addition to the 1991–92 charge.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list total employment in the electronics and information technology industries in Wales in each year from 1979 to the most recent year available.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There are several sources of information for employment in the electronics industry over the past decade. The most complete series available is that of the Engineering Industry Training Board and are given in the following table.

  Year

  Employment

  1979

  13,000

  1980

  13,100

  1981

  12,300

  1982

  12,400

  1983

  13,600

  1984

  14,900

  1985

  15,300

  1986

  15,900

  1987

  18,600

  1988

  21,300

  1989

  23,200

  1990

  25,900

  Source: Engineering Industry Training Board Statutory Returns.

  Note: Employment estimates rounded to nearest 100.

  Group Transport 2000 Plus Report
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the implications for Wales of the recommendations of the Group Transport 2000 Plus report on transport options for the future, published by the European Commission in January.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given on 20 June 1991 by my hon. Friend the Minister of State, Department of Transport. My right hon. Friend will assess the implications for Wales of the EC Commission's paper on Community transport policy when it has been completed.

  Community Care
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the advantages over the arrangements now operating in England of the proposed new grant scheme for promoting the development of more flexible forms of community care for elderly people and for people with physical or sensory disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This grant scheme has been introduced in 1991–92, for which we have announced allocations of £1·3 million to pump-prime innovation. It is too early to judge its effectiveness. Selected schemes will be subject to independent evaluation, along the lines of the existing arrangements to evaluate our earlier initiative to promote the development of innovative services for elderly people, with the aim of identifying and disseminating good practice. However, our main effort of assessment will go into the wider annual review of performance of social services and health authorities in developing effective social and community care, for which the principal means of Government financial support are, and will remain, the revenue support grant to local authorities and mainstream allocations to health authorities.

  Departmental Circulars
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies receive copies of all circulars issued by his Department to local authorities in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Those circulars issued by the Welsh Office to local authorities which deal with decisions or advice on important aspects of policy are distributed as a matter of course to hon. Members representing Welsh constituencies.

  If the hon. Gentleman has experienced any difficulties with this arrangement perhaps he would write to my right hon. Friend so that my right hon. Friend can consider the matter further.

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West of 18 June,Official Report, columns 96–97, if he will list those video cassette recordings purchased for use in conjunction with the video recorder installed in his flat at the Crown Buildings, Cathays park, Cardiff.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  None.

ENVIRONMENT

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what responsibilities his Department has for(a) conservation, (b) transport and (c) the welfare of imported wild birds.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has numerous responsibilities for the conservation of imported wild birds under:the convention on international trade in endangered species of wild fauna and flora (CITES), and EC Regulation 3626/82, which implements the convention in the European Community;
  the Endangered Species (Import and Export) Act 1976;
  the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981; and
  EC Directive 79/409/EEC on the Conservation of Wild Birds.

  Although these measures are primarily concerned with conservation, some contain subsidiary requirements relating to transport and welfare matters.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will investigate the reasons for the discrepancy between the number of community charge payers of 41,900,000 registered for 1990 in England, Scotland and Wales and the Government's estimated size of the population aged 18 years and over of the same countries of 43,160,000.

  Mr. Key
  The difference of 1,260,000 between the number of people shown on community charges registers in Great Britain and the estimated population aged 18 years and over is largely attributable to the number of exempt people. We estimate that at least 870,000 people are exempt from the personal community charge, not
  341
  including those who are exempt by virtue of living in short stay accommodation or because they have no fixed abode, for which no reliable information is available. Other factors affecting the comparison are: errors in the registers or under-registration; errors in reporting the numbers on the registers; errors in estimates of the adult population, which are based on the 1981 population census; and to a limited extent differences in timing and definition. It is not possible to quantify any of these factors.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing, for each local authority levying a community charge in England and Wales, the sum shown in their respective demand statements following the words "plus other adjustments", stating the nature of all elements or charges comprising such adjustments together with his, or other estimate, of the proportion of the global sum attributable to the additional shortfall of income for the year 1990–91 and projected shortfall for 1991–92, respectively.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 20 June 1991]: I am arranging for the available information for England to be placed in the Library of the House. Information for Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Hazardous Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, by year for the last 10 years, the countries which have made shipments of hazardous waste to England for disposal reported under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on the importation of waste by country of origin into the United Kingdom is available only since the introduction of the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations in October 1988.

  The information in respect of imports of waste for disposal in England for the financial years 1 April to 31March for 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 is shown in the following table.

  Countries of origin

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Australia

  Australia

  Australia

  Belgium

  Austria

  Austria

  Canada

  Belgium

  Bahamas

  Denmark

  Canada

  Belgium

  Hong Kong

  Channel Islands

  Canada

  Ireland

  Germany

  Germany

  Italy

  Denmark

  Denmark

  Netherlands

  Finland

  France

  Switzerland

  Ireland

  Ireland

  Italy

  Isle of Man

  Netherlands

  Italy

  Norway

  Luxembourg

  Singapore

  Malaysia

  Spain

  Netherlands

  Sweden

  Portugal

  Switzerland

  Singapore

  United States

  Spain

  Sri Lanka

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  United States

  Aggregates
  Mr. Walden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the organisations and individuals who have been sent a copy of his Department's report "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales, Review of MPG6"; and which organisations and individuals have formally been asked to submit comments on this report.

  Mr. Yeo
  To date 170 organisations and individuals have received this report. They are as follows:

  Forecasts report

  Penny Smyth—CBI

  P. Stant—Savilles

  Mrs. D. Milford—ECC Quarries

  Robert Wemyss—Western Isles Island Council

  D. Parkinson—Alfred McAlpine

  D. Clark—West Midland Regional Forum

  0. Avarrey—Evered Bardon Quarry Products

  Harry Dicken—Mill Stream Cottage

  C. Leese—Northern Aggregates

  Tim Hammond—Aspinwall and Co.

  J. Milner—Huntsman Quarries

  B. McDonald—Nacco UK Ltd.

  Claire Duncan—TM Economics

  N. Everington—United Marine Aggregates

  Ronald Dovan—Davy Energy and Environmental Ltd.

  C. Williams—Ennemix Dev Ltd.

  J. Hyde—CBI (Library)

  G. Wilson—Davy Energy and Environmental

  Terry Macintyre—SAGA

  Mrs. Norrie—ECC Quarries

  J. Drew—EEC Construction Materials Ltd.

  Mrs. M. Williams—ECC Quarries

  Sarah Leatherdale—MDIS Ltd.

  J. Dickinson—CSL Surveys

  Elizabeth Garland—CPRE

  C. Dobbs—Tarmac Roadstone

  Lisa Prior—McKenna and Co.

  B. Dwyer—Hall Aggregates

  Miss G. Mead Alfred McAlpine Quarry

  John Prescott MP—House of Commons

  Chris Blasdale—Evered Barden plc

  Moya Watson—Savilles Research

  Tom Economou—RMC Group

  D. Mathers—Equity Research

  J. Bace—Countryside Commission (Library)

  D. Bays—Association of County Councils

  J. Jarver—Information Centre (EC1)

  A. Everrad—Cardiff

  N. Greene—Strutt and Parker

  A. Carrington—Wimpey Minerals

  A. D. Aggregates—Kidderminster, Worcestershire

  J. Bennett—Pioneer Concrete Holding plc

  B. West—Lazard Brothers

  Mr. Harrison—Minerals Planning

  F. Thompson—Strutt and Parker

  C. Couzens—Royal Society for Nature Conservation

  D. Sanderson—Martells

  Mrs. E. Franklin—Somerset Trust for Nature Conservation

  Dr. M. Bell—Co. Durham

  P. Stephenson—Kendall, Cumbria

  M. Hyslop—Pollerton, Nottinghamshire

  Redlands Aggregates—Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire

  T. Fairhead—Gent Fairhead and Co.

  P. Scott—Greenham Construction

  M. O'Neill

  C. Stubbings—Mid-Essex Gravel

  Mrs. J. Arkell—Wiltshire County Council

  Dr. M. Bell—Co. Durham

  Megan Mackay—Baring Brothers

  D. Neil-Gallacher—Alfred McAlphine

  P. Pomisford—Steetley plc

  Mrs. Morris—Steetley plc

  Mrs. M. Allan—Ron Allan Associates

  M. Gentle—ARC Central

  R. Ward—Tarmac Ltd.

  Dr. C. Nicholas—ECC Quarries

  343

  Miss M. Steer—John Lang plc

  Jill Davies—DSD Consultants Ltd.

  N. Herbert—Pioneer Concrete

  J. Drew—ECC Construction

  Mrs. M. Buteux

  P. Garrad

  A. Mackay MP—House of Commons

  K. Walmsley—Berkshire CC

  Mrs. E. Pollock—Davis Langdon & Everest

  Ms. E. Wilson—Headington, Oxford

  P. Chillingworth—CNC Mineral Planning Services

  C. Thompson—Frittch Cartwright

  Mrs. J. Crooks—Steetley Quarry Products

  K. Foley—ECC Quarries Ltd.

  M. Johnson—Gloucestershire CC

  Mrs. E. Potts

  K. Adams—K. Adams Ltd.

  A. Short—The Library, Gerald Eve & Co.

  R. Donald—County Natwest

  T. Bauman—Pegson Ltd.

  M. Thompson—Walton, W. Yorks

  Mr. Monk—Shepperton, Middlesex

  Ms. L. Rowles—Saunders Sobel Light & Dobin

  C. Martindale—Tarmac plc

  Mrs. Blakemore—Tarmac Quarry

  G. Jenkins—Wyn, Thomas & Partners

  G. Storey

  Ms. H. O'Neil—Linklaters & Paines

  Lisa Prior—McKenna & Co.

  R. Warrington—ECC Quarries Ltd.

  S. O'Brien—P.O. Box 90, Erskine House

  Steetley Quarry Products—SRO Leicestershire

  R. Stock—Land and Mineral Resources Ltd.

  Miss D. Cottle—Boral (UK) Ltd.

  Ms. C. Pomeroy

  K. Scholar—Eastleigh, Hants

  G. Jenkins—Trainload Freight

  J. Pick—MAFF

  Ms. R. Jones—Buckinghamshire CC

  M. Oakley—County Planning Officer Avon County Council

  M. Gwilliam—County Planning Officer Bedfordshire CC

  M. Shaw—County Planning Officer Norfolk CC

  Dr. C. Nicholas—ECC Quarry

  T. Ruizendaal—Spoorfingel Netherlands

  B. Prior—Summerleaze Ltd.

  S. Fantom—Tarmac Roadstone Ltd.

  S. Hammond—Greenham Constr. Materials

  Bowen Wells MP—House of Commons

  J. Rennilson—County Planning Officer N. Yorks County Council

  M. Flynn—County Planning Officer Mid-Glamorgan CC

  L. Rendell—County Planning Officer Warwickshire CC

  J. Henry—Wimpey Asphalt

  G. Sadler—CharterHouse Pier Head Liverpool

  Ms. C. Yates—Colas Holding Ltd.

  W. Jermey—RMC (UK) Ltd.

  Ms. M. Beth Glenn—Donald Zilkha & Co. New York 10022

  Mr. P. Webster—Chief Planner Leicestershire County Council

  W. Biggs—County Planning Officer Cumbria CC

  P. Eyton-Jones—Dir. Arch. Planning Est. Clwyd CC

  D. Tattersall—County Planning Officer Lancashire CC

  B. Frost—RMC, RMC House Middlesex

  S. O'Brien—SAGA

  S. Savery—Redland Aggregates Ltd. Bradgate House Leicestershire

  B. Spiers—Scottish Development Department Edinburgh EH1

  Mr. P. Smith—CAGE

  P. Hale—Secretary SWRAWP Avon CC

  E. Turner—Secretary SERPLAN

  Ian Thomas—Secretary EMRAWP National Stone Centre

  T. Higgins—Wanlip Gravels Forest Field Loughborough

  D. Thomas—ARC Aggregates Chipping Sodbury

  R. Parry—Tarmac Quarry Production Wolverhampton

  P. Samuel—Agriculture, Development and Advisory Service MAFF

  B. Buckle—SERPLAN London

  A. J. Williams—County Planning Officer Mid Glamorgan CC

  P. Gordon—Cumbria CC

  344

  T. Macintyre—SAGA

  D. Pollock—BACMI

  B. Howarth—Tilcon Knaresborough

  B. Courtier Welsh office Cardiff CF1

  Ms. E. Close—Land Use and Tenure MAFF

  C. Curry—Welsh Office Cardiff

  B. A. Price—West Mid Reg Forum

  J. Geldard—Lancashire CC

  B. Marfleet—Norfolk County Council

  Ralph Keeble Assoc.—Colchester Essex CO1 1RQ

  K. Pearce—Boston Consulting Group Devonshire House Mayfair P1

  J. Cowan—Ocean Shipping Cons. Chertsey Surrey

  D. Harker—Tilcon Ltd.

  K. Standing—Royal Soc. for the Protection of Birds Bedfordshire

  B. Plowden—Council for the Protection of Rural England

  M. Sant—Dennis Harmer & Partners Town Planning & Dev.

  Cons. Cardiff Business Park

  P. Farrent—Secretary The Mendip Society

  Celia Hukins—Manchester Chamber of Commerce &

  Industry 56 Oxford Street M60 7HJ

  Mr. Horsley—Manstock Geotech. Cons. Manchester M3

  G. Culley—Nature Conservancy Council

  C. Stevens—Nature Conservancy Council

  D. McLaren—Friends of the Earth London N1

  R. W. Gisby—Charterrail Ltd. London NW2

  A. Ball—12 Rose Bank Lynn, Cheshire

  R. Haywood—Manchester College of Arts & Tech.

  J. Robertson—Research & Dev. Shetland Island

  A formal consultation exercise has not been undertaken, but my Department welcomes comments on the report from all interested parties.

EMPLOYMENT

  Energy Expenditure
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for energy expenditure in 1989–90 and 1990–91 consistent with those given for 1988–89 in the answer of 30 April 1990,Official Report, column 448.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 19 June 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

  1989–90

  1990–91

  £ million

  £ million

  Electricity

  6·558

  6·651

  Gas

  2·628

  2·578

  Other

  0·759

  0·480

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, pursuant to his answer of 3 June,Official Report, column 108, what information he can provide on energy consumption for 1989–90 and 1990–91 to update, on a comparable basis, the information given in his answer of 30 April 1990, Official Report, column 448.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 19 June 1991]: I regret that this information is not available for 1989–90. For 1990–91 I refer to my written answer of 3 June 1991.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Suicides
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the number of suicides by inmates at prisons in England and Wales since 1 January.
  345
  Mrs. Rumbold
  Between 1 January and 18 June 1991, 16 prisoners died at their own hand in prison service custody.

  Long-stay Patients
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to remove the need for people with a mental handicap in long-stay hospitals to complete a patient's declaration before they are allowed to register to vote; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what plans he has to allow people with a mental handicap to use the addresses of their long-stay hospital as their residence for voting purposes; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) how many residents in long-stay mental handicap hospitals are registered to vote;

  (4) what plans he has to review the rule relating to voting for people resident in long-stay mental handicap hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Voluntary patients in psychiatric hospitals may register as electors in respect of any address with which they have been associated other than the hospital address. There are no plans to review this arrangement or the requirement for voluntary patients to make a declaration in order to register.

  A total of 1,661 voluntary patients are included on the 1991–92 electoral register in the United Kingdom, broken down as follows:

  Number

  England

  883

  Wales

  164

  Scotland

  523

  Northern Ireland

  91

  Work Permits
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances visas are granted for non-EC and non-Commonwealth residents to come to work in Britain for stays of a few weeks where payment is made by their employer in the country of origin; what assessment is made of the requirement for a work permit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under the Immigration Rules (HC 251 as amended) work permits are generally required by all non-EC nationals coming to work in the United Kingdom, irrespective of their length of stay or the source of their remuneration. Work permits are normally issued to employers only where jobs requiring high qualifications and skills cannot be filled by the EC labour force, and should be obtained from the Department of Employment before the person travels to the United Kingdom. The rules do, however, permit overseas-based people to enter without a work permit as business visitors in order to transact such business as attending meetings and briefings; negotiating contracts; delivering goods and, where necessary, installing and advising on the operation of their machinery here; or if they are sent by international companies to liaise with or advise United Kingdom subsidiaries. Business visitors who are nationals of the countries listed in the appendix to the rules must obtain a visa before travelling here.

  Police Searches
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Leicestershire on the circumstances surrounding the search of the home of the hon. Member for Leicester, East's constituent Mr. Peach of 15 Rushey close, Leicester.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [pursuant to his reply, 28 January 1991, c. 371]: I now understand from the chief constable of Leicestershire constabulary that a search did take place at the home of the hon. Member's constituent. The search was made following the arrest of a member of the family on suspicion of theft. The person concerned was later released without charge.

TRANSPORT

  Road Safety
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies his Department has conducted into the effects of glare from on-coming car lights on dual carriageways and motorways.

  Mr. Chope
  Trials were carried out in the early 1960s and in the late 1970s into the effects of anti-dazzle screens erected on the central reserves of sections of the M 1 and M6 motorways. The M6 trial was covered by three reports, a report by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, social survey division No. SS 1058 of 1976; TRRL report SR 327 of 1977 and TRRL report No. 955 of 1980. Copies of these reports are in the Library of the House.

  There is continuing concern about glare from on-coming lights on all types of roads, often resulting from the poor standard of aim of headlamps on vehicles. This is why new stricter checks on aim will be introduced shortly into the annual test for heavy goods vehicles and extended to cover private car testing as soon as possible.

  Traffic Congestion
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been conducted by his Department into the effects on traffic congestion of building new roads or widening existing roads; and if he will ensure that such research is placed in the Library.

  Mr. Chope
  The effects on traffic congestion of building new roads or widening existing roads are a major element in the traffic and economic appraisals carried out by the Department for all improvements to trunk roads. The Department's methods of traffic and economic appraisal have been developed over many years, based on a continuing and substantial programme of research projects.

  In the traffic and economic appraisal of road schemes, the effect on traffic flows, queues and speeds are estimated first; these are then valued through the time savings to business and private road users and the improved productivity of commercial vehicles. For schemes in the current roads programme, on average, the present value of benefits, discounted at 8 per cent., is 2·4 times the present value of costs.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research has been done by his Department
  347
  into the savings on emissions from a reduction in congestion; and if he will publish the modelling and methodolgy used to calculate the relationship between emissions and traffic congestion.

  Mr. Chope
  The research evidence on road transport emissions of greenhouse gases is summarised in TRRL contractor report No. 223, "UK road transports contribution to greenhouse gases: a review of TRRL and other research", a copy of which has been placed in the Library. To predict the impact of individual schemes on congestion, the Department makes use of detailed traffic simulation models. The models make use of information on road link and junction characteristics to predict vehicle flows and speeds which can in turn be used to estimate fuel consumption and emissions. The Department has a substantial programme of research into this and other environmental issues.

  Road Accidents
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the number of cars registered and in use; and how many car drivers were(a) killed and (b) injured in road accidents for each year in the periods (i) 1980 to 1983 and (ii) 1986 to 1990.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is given in the table. Road accident casualty data for 1990 is not yet available.

  Cars currently licensed and car drivers killed and injured: Great Britain: 1980–1983, 1986–1990

  Private cars currently Licensed thousands

  Car driver casualties

  Killed

  Injured

  Total

  1980

  14,772

  1,339

  78,454

  79,793

  1981

  14,943

  1,346

  79,733

  81,079

  1982

  15,303

  1,472

  82,791

  84,263

  1983

  15,543

  1,198

  71,941

  73,139

  1986

  16,981

  1,340

  89,816

  91,156

  1987

  17,421

  1,327

  90,683

  92,010

  1988

  18,432

  1,280

  98,307

  99,587

  1989

  19,248

  1,498

  107,681

  109,179

  1990

  19,742

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many motorcycles were registered and in use; and how many motorcyclists were killed in road accidents for each year in the periods(a) 1970 to 1973 and (b) 1986 to 1990.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is given in the following table. Figures are for two wheeled motor vehicles, which are motorcyles, motor scooters and mopeds. Road accident casualty data for 1990 is not yet available.

  Although the number of motorcycles registered has declined, the use of these vehicles has increased. Total motorcycle traffic rose by an estimated 53 per cent. between 1970 and 1989.
  348

  Two-wheeled motor vehicles currently licensed and two-wheeled motor vehicle riders killed Great Britain: 1970–73, 1986–90

  Two-wheeled motor vehicles currently licensed (Thousands)

  Two wheeled motor vehicle riders killed

  1970

  1,048

  652

  1971

  1,021

  657

  1972

  982

  626

  1973

  1,006

  641

  1986

  1,065

  665

  1987

  978

  650

  1988

  912

  611

  1989

  875

  636

  1990

  833

  —

  Alnwick (Traffic)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment has been made of the reduction in traffic within the Alnwick built-up area which would result from providing a direct access from the A1 to the A1068.

  Mr. Chope
  None.

  Marine Radio-navigation
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make a statement about the future of marine radio-navigation in United Kingdom waters.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The United Kingdom has been negotiating over a period of time with eight other countries on the possible adoption of Loran C as part of a joint regional system of marine radio-navigation in north-west Europe and the North Atlantic. My right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State told the House in April 1990 the conditions on which the United Kingdom would in principle have been prepared to enter into an international agreement if it could be achieved by mid-1991. Some but not all of those conditions have been met. But a new factor has been a revised proposal recently put to me by the Racal Electronics Company to modernise and operate the existing Decca chains in the United Kingdom at a lower cost than in their 1988 proposal.

  I have examined the proposal carefully and Racal has made further improvements to it. I now have decided to accept the Racal proposal and to withdraw from the Loran C discussions. Two main factors have led to this conclusion. First, it is now very doubtful whether an international agreement could be concluded and brought into effect within a timescale which would both ensure a three-year transitional period before the closure of the United Kingdom Decca system (under the existing contract by early 1997) and avoid a price increase in the Loran C investment. Second, the revised Racal proposal means that the case has changed significantly in favour of retaining the Decca system, both in the overall economic appraisal and in the effect on light dues. After taking account also of the costs of a change for users, I have concluded that, despite some factors which point towards Loran C, it would no longer be reasonable to impose this change of system on the United Kingdom user community. In reaching this conclusion, I have had particular regard to the representations made to my by the

  349
  fishing and electronics engineering industries against a change to Loran C, and to the fact that the Decca system continues to serve the mariners' needs satisfactorily within the overall requirements of marine safety.

  Our partners in the international negotiations on the Loran C proposal are being informed of my decision. I now intend to invite the general lighthouse authorities to give effect to my decision by entering into formal negotiations with the Racal company on a new contract for operating the Decca system.

  Orange Badge Scheme
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to seek the implementation of the new draft regulations on the operation of the orange badge scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will announce an implementation date for the new regulations governing the orange badge scheme for the disabled.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 19 June 1991]: I refer the hon. Members to the answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Exeter (Mr. Hannam) on 21 March at column 212.

  Speed Limits
  Sir Patrick McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what recent discussions he has had with chief constables and others about the current level of speed limits on motorways.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 12 June 1991]I have had no recent discussions with the police or others on this question but shall be meeting the M25 Chief Constables' Committee next month and will also be supporting the message of the forthcoming police national motorway campaign that drivers should drive safely and obey the law.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council on 17 and 18 June.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  A meeting of the Foreign Affairs Council took place in Luxembourg on 17 and 18 June. My right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I represented the United Kingdom.

  The Council adopted the food credit regulation for the Soviet Union. It reached a political orientation on a regulation covering technical assistance for the Soviet Union and instructed the committee of permanent representatives to continue its work.

  The Council agreed that participation in the negotiations on a European energy charter should be limited to European countries (including the USSR) and the non-European members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. The Council decided that other countries may accede to the Charter at
  350
  a later stage and, together with representatives of international organisations, may be invited to attend the negotiations as observers.

  The Council agreed on a mandate for the Presidency in its negotiations with EC staff unions on pay arrangements.

  EC and EFTA ministers reviewed progress in the negotiations on a European economic area, which will extend the single market to the EFTA countries. Representatives of the two sides will meet again in Salzburg next week to discuss the next steps. The United Kingdom will continue to contribute constructively to these negotiations, with a view to their early and successful conclusion. We strongly support the idea of a European economic area, which will bring significant economic and practical benefits to the European Community and EFTA.

  Ministers issued a statement welcoming the abolition of the Population Registration Act in South Africa. They also agreed that EC sanctions against Iraq should be maintained. They decided to give active support for the role of the UN in northern Iraq and to examine with the UN Secretary General what further humanitarian assistance could be provided for those in need in southern Iraq.

  European Political Union
  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the ministeral meeting of the intergovernmental conference on political union on 17 June.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended the ministerial meeting of the inter-governmental conference on political union on 17 June. The meeting discussed the structure of the draft treaty on political union, competence issues, and the institutional chapter of the draft treaty.

  On the overall structure of the treaty, member states and the Commission fall into two camps: those who would like to see a unitary structure with all the activities of the European union coming under the treaty of Rome and those like us who would prefer to see a common foreign and security policy and co-operation on interior/justice matters preserved outside the provisions of the treaty of Rome. The latest Presidency draft treaty is a compromise between these two positions, maintaining three separate pillars of co-operation but attempting to bring them together under a unitary structure. My right hon. Friend argued that, while ingenious, this remained undesirable. The discussion was inconclusive.

  The Presidency has proposed the extension of Community competence in a number of areas. The meeting discussed both the principle and the practical details of these proposed extensions. My right hon. Friend emphasised that we were not convinced of the need to extend Community competence in the areas under discussion.

  Discussion of the institutional chapter focussed on the proposed co-decision procedure between the Council and the European Parliament. A range of views was expressed.

  Several member states thought a co-decision undesirable or unnecessary, others could accept the procedure proposed and some member states wished to see the European Parliament's legislative role expanded even further. My right hon. Friend made it clear we did not see a case for upsetting the existing institutional balance. My right hon. Friend also emphasised the importance we

  351
  attached to ensuring the rule of law in the Community and argued for the United Kingdom proposals to strengthen the court of justice's powers to ensure compliance with its judgments.

  Progress in the inter-governmental conference on political union will he reviewed by the European Council on 28–29 June.

  Mr. Ramesh Kumar
  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) what evidence relating to the funding of two-way travel, as well as support and accommodation while in the United Kingdom, together with guarantees from the hon. Member for Hendon, North about Mr. Kumar's subsequent departure from the United Kingdom, would suffice to enable a temporary visitor's visa to be issued to Mr. Ramesh Kumar so as to enable him to make a visit to London at the suggestion of and for the purpose of consulting the hon. Member for Hendon, North about matters concerning Mr. Kumar's wife;

  (2) what specific guarantees from the hon. Member for Hendon, North regarding departure after the termination of a visa for a temporary visit to the United Kingdom would be acceptable to enable Mr. Ramesh Kumar to make a visit to London at the suggestion of and for the purpose of consulting the hon. Member about matters relating to his wife.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The immigration rules do not require specific evidence to be produced in support of an application. The evidence necessary to satisfy an entry clearance officer will vary in individual cases according to the applicant's economic, social and other circumstances.

  Libya
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether any representations were received from the United States or any other country prior to his decision to reject the recent Libyan approaches for better relations with the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have received no such representations.

  Liberia
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the French Government about stopping the flow of arms from the Ivory Coast to Charles Taylor's forces in Liberia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  None, but my officials have regular contacts with the French Government at which a wide range of issues, including developments in west Africa, are discussed.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Occupational Health Service
  Mr. Simon Burns
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made in preparing a strategic plan for the civil service occupational health service executive agency; and what performance targets have been set for its second year of operation as an agency.

  Mr. Renton
  The OHS prime financial target for 1991–92 is to recover its full costs by charging customers for its services. Its subsidiary targets are to provide its services at a cost of £472 per productive professional day, and at a cost of £25 per case referral. In addition I have set quality targets of 70 per cent. customer satisfaction rated as very good or excellent, tight turn-round times for case referrals, and the issue of 80 per cent. invoices without errors.

THE ARTS

  Local Museums
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is his response to the Audit Commission report "The Road to Wigan Pier" on the funding of local museums; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I welcome the Audit Commission's report, "The Road to Wigan Pier?" which makes a number of constructive recommendations for local authorities and their museums and galleries. Officials from my Department have had a constructive discussion with the Audit Commission on the report.

  The Audit Commission's report covered similar ground to the recently published Museums and Galleries Commission report on local authorities and museums. I will be responding to that report in due course.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxpayers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will reconcile the figures given in his answers of 3 June,Official Report, column 24, and 6 June, Official Report, column 326, concerning the total number of taxpayers with earnings above the national insurance upper earnings limit; and if he will publish figures separately for the number of employees who are basic rate taxpayers with earnings above the upper earnings limit.

  Mr. Maude
  My answer of 3 June provided the estimated numbers of taxpayers in 1991–92 analysed by range of earnings subject to national insurance contributions. Tax liability depends on the cumulative annual amount of income subject to income tax. The levels of earnings used in the analysis were the combined Total from employment or self-employment for the whole year which were then compared with the annual equivalent of the NIC upper earnings limit. On this basis an estimated 1.9 million basic rate taxpayers whose main source of earnings is as an employee will have earnings above the UEL.

  The answer given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Social Security on 6 June

  353
  showed the estimated average number of employees who, in any one week during 1991–92, will be liable for national insurance contributions and whose earnings will exceed the upper earnings limit. Additionally, the answer showed the estimated number of self-employed people who, during the year 1991–92, will be liable for national insurance contributions and whose profits will exceed the upper profits limit.

  Money Laundering
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, columns 23–24, how many reviews of control system and accounting records in money laundering related areas of banks or other financial institutions, have been undertaken; what have been the conclusion of such reviews; and what action has been taken in light of this.

  Mr. Maples
  To date there have been some 160 reports on systems and controls related to money laundering commissioned under section 39 of the Banking Act 1987 as part of a rolling programme of identifying and prioritising particular areas of supervisory interest. Banks generally appear to have appropriate systems in place and have, in particular, been helped in formulating and implementing such systems by the publication at the end of last year of the guidance notes on money laundering for banks and building societies.

  Building Societies
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the accumulated net receipts of income tax from building societies since 1985–86 and the amount affected by clause 50 of the Finance Bill 1991.

  Mr. Maples
  Accumulated net income tax receipts from building societies for the six years 1985–86 to 1990–91 were £18,097 million, excluding those subsequently repaid as a result of decisions by the courts. Of these, an estimated £227 million would be repaid if clause 50 were not enacted.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer in calculating the composite rate of tax for building societies and banks, for each year since 1985–86, if the Inland Revenue took account of the extra payments of income tax subject to clause 50 of the Finance Bill 1991.

  Mr. Maples
  Changes in the timing of tax payments by building societies, reflecting changes in collection arrangements of the kind introduced by the Building Society Regulations 1986, the subject of clause 50, had no bearing on the level at which composite rate was set. However, from societies as a whole there was slightly less income tax due for the financial year 1986–87 than would have been due if the timing arrangements had been left unchanged.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will estimate the contributory effects of changes in(a) interest rates, (b) volume, (c) tax rates and (d) the switch from the accrual basis to paid basis of receipts of tax on sums extinguishing liability to tax of building societies comparing 1985–86 with 1986–87 and 1986–87 with 1987–88 and 1985–86 with 1988–89.

  Mr. Maples
  I regret that the information could not be provided without disproportionate cost.
  354
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates the cash flow effects to be of change from accrual to paid basis of extinguishing net tax liability of building society investors.

  Mr. Maples
  About £110 million less income tax was received in 1986–87 under the quarterly payment system than would have been due under the old system. However, under the new system, instalment payments amounting to £35 million were due in later years. The new system also affected cashflow within the tax year, by bringing forward the average date at which income tax was payable.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer taking the expected net receipts of income tax from a building society as an index of 100, what are the index estimates of the maximum and minimum additional payments, consequent on the Finance Act 1986 change retrospectively validating the 1985 regulations, assuming the enactment of clause 50 of the Finance Bill 1991, taking account of the effects of the range of society year end and payment dates.

  Mr. Maples
  Payments due in a year may be advanced or retarded under the new system introduced by the 1986 building societies legislation. At one extreme would be a hypothetical society with an accounting period ending on the first day of the tax year, 6 April, and crediting interest to investors wholly on a monthly basis on the last day of each month. For that society, income tax due on the 11 months' interest credited on 30 April 1985 to 28 February 1986, less that which had accrued in the first six days of April 1985, would be due in four instalments on the 14 March of the 1986–87 to 1989–90 tax years; tax would also be due in each of those tax years in respect of the 12 monthly creditings made between 31 March to 28 February. Taking income tax due for payment under the old system as an index of 100 for the four years together, tax due in those four years under the new system would be 122·5.

  At the other extreme would be a hypothetical society with an accounting period coinciding with the tax year, and crediting interest to investors wholly on an annual basis, on 1 March. For that society, no payment of income tax under the new system would be due in the 1986–87 tax year, except in respect of interest on accounts closed up to 28 February 1987. The 1987–88 payment would be slightly less than in a full year. Taking tax due for payment under the old system as an index of 100 for the four tax years 1986–87 to 1989–90, tax due under the new system, if no accounts were closed, would be 72·5.

  Economic Growth
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the rate of economic growth in the United Kingdom per quarter since October 1979.

  Mr. Maples
  Figures of the gross domestic product are available from the CSO database which may be accessed through the Library.

  North Sea Oil
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the income from North sea oil revenues received by the United Kingdom for each of the years from 1980 to 1990.
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  Mr. Maples
  Annual revenues to the Exchequer from the North sea have been as follows:

  £ million

  1980–81

  3,743

  1981–82

  6,492

  1982–83

  7,822

  1983–84

  8,798

  1984–85

  12,035

  1985–86

  11,348

  1986–87

  4,783

  1987–88

  4,618

  1988–89

  3,179

  1989–90

  2,393

  1990–91

  2,337

  Earnings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the number of adult male full-time civil servants and the estimated number earning less than (i) half and (ii) two-thirds of the median hourly earnings of all full-time adult male workers on full-time rates.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There were about 251,000 adult male full-time non-industrial civil servants on 1 April 1991, and about 49,000 adult male full-time industrial civil servants on 1 January 1991.

  My Department does not collect information on actual earnings of individual civil servants. The available information closest to that requested, on the distribution of earnings of civil servants, is published in the New Earnings Survey 1990 part A table 1 and part B tables 36 and 52. A copy of these reports is in the Library.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Manufactured Goods
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the percentage change by volume in United Kingdom exports of manufactured goods to the existing 11 other members of the EEC from 1970 to 1990; and what was the percentage change in volume of imported manufactured goods from the same countries in the same period.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Statistics of global trade with individual countries are available in value terms only. However, volume indices for total United Kingdom trade in manufactured goods are published in the monthly publication "CSO Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Internal Market Council
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the outcome of the Internal Market Council held in Luxembourg on 18 June.

  Mr. Redwood
  I attended the Internal Market Council on 18 June, the last of the Luxembourg Presidency. My right hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, South-West (Mrs. Shephard) attended for the item on baggage regulation. A number of measures were agreed, and in particular, significant progress was made in two single market priority areas for the United Kingdom—public procurement and insurance.
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  In public procurement, there was agreement in principle to a common position on the directive on legal remedies in the utilities sector. This will ensure compliance with the directive agreed in 1990 on public procurement in this key sector (in the same way as a similar directive will ensure compliance with the earlier supplies and works directive).

  The two insurance items agreed will pave the way for further progress towards the single market in insurance. Agreement on the directive on insurance company annual accounts provides a common framework of accounting rules for insurance undertakings, including Lloyd's. The second measure provides for an insurance committee to give expert assistance to the Commission in the exercise of implementing powers conferred by insurance directives, and to advise the Commission on the preparation of new proposals in insurance.

  The Council also reached a common position on the draft regulation concerning checks on baggage of persons travelling on intra-Community flights or sea crossings. The Government successfully negotiated to retain essential United Kingdom frontier checks against drugs and other items. However, the United Kingdom still had significant objections relating to the infrastructural costs for airports and potential inconvenience to passengers; and to the proposed operative date of the regulation (1 January 1993). The Government therefore voted against.

  The Council agreed to a common position on the regulation on the collection of intra-Community trade statistics. United Kingdom concerns that the proposed system would be burdensome to business were reflected in a Commission statement for the minutes.

  The Council also adopted measures previously agreed at Council as common positions. These included the weapons directive (on which a common position was reached at the December Internal Market Council); two amendments to the directive restricting the marketing and use of dangerous substances (the 10th amendment adding cadmium, and the 11th amendment adding Ugilec 121, Ugilec 141 and DBBT); and the Council decision to release an additional 25 million ecu (£17·5 million) for the Community budget for small and medium-sized enterprises for 1990–93.

  There were policy debates (without a vote taken) on a number of issues: the proposed second directive on diplomas; the proposed directive on sweeteners in foodstuffs; and the location of a Community trade marks office. The Council revisited the draft council resolution on trans-European networks, but Spain continued to seek additional finance for the proposal, preventing agreement to the draft resolution as it stands. The Presidency made progress reports on the draft regulation to create a supplementary protection certificate for medicinal products; and on the draft regulation to create a European company statute. All these subjects are likely to be considered again at future Councils.

  Finally, the Commission presented its sixth annual report on implementation of single market measures, and the Luxembourg Presidency made a report on progress over the last six months towards completion of the single market. The United Kingdom, along with France and Denmark, were congratulated on their good implementation record for single market measures.

  Radio Equipment
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will take steps to allow equipment submitted for type approval to be re-submitted for partial testing, where it can be technically shown that any adjustments could in no way affect the previous tests.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 19 June 1991]: Formal testing is carried out under strict national measurement accreditation service (NAMAS) accreditation requirements. Where the type test results in a report that shows that the equipment submitted fully meets the technical requirements of the appropriate specification or standard, a type approval certificate is issued to the applicant for type approval by the Radiocommunications Agency.

  If, however, the equipment does not meet the appropriate technical requirements, at the request of the applicant, the type testing may be continued or terminated at that point. The equipment will then be returned to the applicant along with a complete or partial test report. The applicant who may be the manufacturer or importer will in most cases re-design, modify or adjust the equipment prior to making a new submission for formal type testing.

  When re-design, modification or adjustment of equipment to rectify a failure mechanism for one parameter takes place it is possible that other parameters may be affected to a point where they would now result in a type test failure. It would place an unacceptable responsibility on test houses to expect them to make value judgments on the total effect of such rectification activities on the overall performance of a piece of equipment. In some instances it could result in a test house operating outside its (NAMAS) accreditation conditions. Thus the results obtained from a number of separate type tests will not be accepted for type approval certification.

  This approach to type testing and approval is in conformance with current practice in other European Administrations.

  Radiocommunications Agency
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for trade and Industry in what circumstances the Radiocommunications Agency issues type approval certificates to companies which are not equipped with the identical test equipment used for type approval testing.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 19 June 1991]: Type approval relates to an item of radio equipment submitted for type testing and approval against the appropriate specification or standard. The equipment submitted for type approval is required to be a representative sample of production equipment. Submissions for type testing are made by manufacturers or importers who are not assessed as to their technical abilities or access to technical facilities. Notwithstanding this the applicant has the responsibility to ensure that the equipment supplied to the market place complies fully with the specification or standard against which it was approved. Many large radio manufacturers have fully equipped and certified test laboratories which they use in the design and development of their products. However, smaller manufacturers and importers do not have the personnel, financial resources or suitable laboratory facilities to set up fully certified test facilities. In many cases they make use of external test facilities on a consultancy basis.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Aflatoxins
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what response his Department made to the proposal in the report of the 22nd session of the Codex Alimentarius Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants—March 1990—that the maximum level of total aflatoxins should be set at 10 micrograms per kilogram for all foods.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom and a number of other EC states made it clear at the Codex Committee on Food Additives and Contaminants that we favoured a limit of 4 micrograms per kilogram for nuts and figs and their products for sale for human consumption.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the Food Advisory Committee's consideration of the possibility of a one part per billion limit on aflatoxin in nuts for sale for human consumption.

  Mr. Maclean
  The committee concluded that it would be unrealistic to establish a limit for aflatoxin of I part per billion (ppb) at present. It recommended that the following statutory limits should be introduced:4 ppb total aflatoxin for nuts, dried figs and their products for sale, for incorporation in any compound food or for import for human consumption;
  10 ppb for such imports intended for further processing before sale or incorporation in any compound food for human consumption.

  The proposed limits of 4 ppb is as strict as any set by other EC member states.

  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when and in what form he will issue proposals for revised aflatoxin limits for consultation.

  Mr. Maclean
  We aim to consult on draft regulations under the Food Safety Act 1990 establishing maximum limits for aflatoxins in certain foods stuffs in the course of the next few months.

  Canthaxanthin
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has consulted the United States Government regarding the use the canthaxanthin in food and feedstuffs.

  Mr. Maclean
  Scientists from this Department and the Department of Health have discussed the use of canthaxanthin in food and feedingstuffs with United States colleagues.

  Fruit and Vegetables
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the expenditure in the United Kingdom under the common agricultural policy on(a) fruit and (b) vegetables, indicating whether the expenditure was on (i) export refunds, (ii) disposal measures, (iii) production support or (iv) other measures in each case; if he will list which fruits and vegetables were involved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  This is an operational matter for the chief executive of the Intervention Board Executive Agency who will write to the hon. Member.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will permit the publication of research tests for BSE identification by Harash Narang on samples of bovine brain tissues supplied by his Ministry.

  Mr. Gummer
  Publication of the results of Dr. Narang's research is a matter for him and not the Government, but we would welcome it.

DEFENCE

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes in deployment are planned for Her Majesty's ships based in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  In line with our overall intention to reduce the Hong Kong garrison in stages between now and 1997, all parts of the garrison are kept under continuous review.

  HMS Endurance
  Mr. Sayeed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has plans to pay off HMS Endurance; and whether there are any plans for a replacement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No decision has been taken to decommission HMS Endurance. The requirement for a replacement is being considered. No decision has been taken.

  Grenadier Guards (Accident)
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what steps he took to satisfy himself beyond all reasonable doubt that the finding of the board of inquiry into the accident at Batus, Canada, on 7 July 1989 that no one is to blame for the incident was based upon proper investigation and well-founded evidence as heard by the board of inquiry;

  (2) what steps he took to satisfy himself beyond all reasonable doubt that the finding of the board of inquiry into the accident at Batus, Canada, of 7 July 1989, that the soldiers were adequately briefed for the execution of their task was based upon proper investigation and well-founded evidence as heard by the board of inquiry.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The board of inquiry into the accident at the Batus range on 7 July 1989 was convened 360
  and conducted in accordance with the procedures laid down in Queens Regulations for the Army 1975 and the Board of Inquiry (Army) Rules 1956. The board's findings were considered and accepted by the relevant authorities in the chain of command.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which country accepted responsibility under paragraph 28 of part IV of the exchange of notes between Her Majesty's Government and the Government of Canada of 26 November 1979, for the clearance of, including the removal of unexploded rounds from, the area of land in Batus, Canada, upon which Grenadier Guardsmen Adrian Hicks, John Ray and Sean Povey were ordered to spitlock a trench on 7 July 1989.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The general agreements in the exchange of notes under which United Kingdom forces use the Batus range are amplified by the range standing orders. These cover the clear-up procedures that take place after each exercise, including the requirement for the disposal of unused or unexploded munitions. The responsibility for the clear-up rests jointly with Batus staff and the forces who have undertaken the training exercise.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will state the date of entry into the Army of Guardsmen Sean Povey, Adrian Hicks and John Ray and their respective ages at the time.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not my Department's practice to release personal information without the prior consent of the individuals concerned.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when a Minister last visited the training site in Canada where Guardsmen Povey, Hicks and Ray were serving in June and July 1989.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The last visit by a Minister to the Batus training area was made in July 1989 by my right hon. Friend the Member for Ayr (Mr. Younger) when Secretary of State for Defence.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received that the board of inquiry into the circumstances which led to the serious injuries of Guardsmen Povey, Hicks and Ray in July 1989 be reconvened.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have received several letters and questions from hon. Members on behalf of the three soldiers. The question of reopening the board of inquiry was also addressed in the House in an Adjournment debate on 3 June at columns 129–36.

  MARINE RADIO-NAVIGATION
  MARINE RADIO-NAVIGATION
  NITRATE SENSITIVE AREAS: PILOT SCHEME
  NITRATE SENSITIVE AREAS: PILOT SCHEME
  QUALITY WINE SCHEME
  QUALITY WINE SCHEME
  FOOD AND DRINK TRADE WITH EC MEMBER STATES
  FOOD AND DRINK TRADE WITH EC MEMBER STATES