Written Answers of 5 March 1991

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Court of Appeal
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases were referred back to the Court of Appeal criminal division in each of the last two years under section 17 of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information is as follows:

  References to the court of appeal under section 17(1) (a) of the Criminal Appeal Act 1968

  (a) In respect of conviction

  Year

  Number of cases referred

  Number of defendants involved

  Appeals allowed

  Appeals dismissed

  1989

  3

  6

  3

  —

  1990

  71

  18

  —

  —

  1Seven cases still awaiting determination.

  (b) In respect of sentence

  Year

  Number of cases referred

  Number of defendants involved

  Appeals allowed

  Appeals dismissed

  1989

  7

  7

  6

  1

  1990

  31

  3

  1

  —

  1 Two cases still awaiting determination.

  Pardons
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many pardons were granted in each of the last two years to persons convicted after a trial on indictment.

  Mr. John Patten
  None.

  Persons proceeded against and found guilty of child abduction under the Child Abduction Act 19841 by result 1985 to 1989 England and Wales

  Year

  Total prosecuted

  Total found guilty

  Total sentenced

  Absolute or conditional discharge

  Hospital orders

  Fine

  Probation order

  Supervision order

  Community service order

  Fully suspended sentence

  Immediate custody

  Otherwise dealt with

  1985

  38

  22

  22

  2

  3

  1

  2

  —

  1

  3

  9

  1

  1986

  56

  28

  28

  4

  1

  2

  6

  —

  —

  3

  11

  1

  1987

  52

  35

  35

  6

  1

  3

  5

  —

  1

  1

  16

  2

  1988

  56

  27

  27

  3

  —

  1

  10

  —

  —

  4

  8

  1

  1989

  67

  42

  42

  7

  —

  2

  10

  2

  —

  5

  10

  6

  1 The Act came into force in October 1984 but court data was not collected until January 1985.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The latest available figures show that 117 staff in grades 1 to 7 and their equivalent are women: this represents almost 14 per cent. In the unified grades 11 per cent. of staff at grade 3, 24 per cent. at grade 5, 8 per cent. at grade 6 and 23 per cent. at grade 7 are women.

  Kiranjit Ahluwalia
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received regarding the conviction of Kiranjit Ahluwalia; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Fifty-nine representations have been received about the conviction of Kiranjit Ahluwalia. We have considered these very carefully but have concluded that they do not provide any information that would justify the intervention of my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary in this case. The normal procedures for the review of life sentence prisoners will continue to apply.

  Trevi Group
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what meetings of the Trevi group are scheduled for the rest of this year; on which dates they will occur; and what will be the venue.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I shall attend the Trevi Ministers' meeting in Luxembourg on 14 June and the one to be held during the Dutch Presidency in the latter half of this year. A number of meetings of officials take place under each Presidency, normally in the capital of the member state concerned.

  Child Abduction Act 1984
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been charged under the Child Abduction Act 1984; how many persons have been convicted by the courts; and what sentences were passed in each case.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on the number of people charged is not collected centrally.

  The data given in the table relates to the number of persons prosecuted and found guilty for offences under the Child Abduction Act 1984. This information is published annually in volumes 1 and 2 of the Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, supplementary tables, copies of which are available in the Library.

  As to ethnic origin, for which information is derived from voluntary surveys, 36 members of staff in grades 1 to 7 and their equivalent described themselves as of ethnic minority origin: this represents some 4 per cent. of respondents in these grades.

  In the Home Office as a whole, 24 per cent. of staff are women and almost 5 per cent. of respondents to voluntary surveys described themselves as of ethnic minority origin.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at the Home Office.
  83
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Most senior posts are filled internally and the most important factor in increasing the number of ethnic minority staff in those posts will be their advancement over time through the promotion system. Considerable importance is attached to ensuring that they have every opportunity to do so. Recruitment direct to senior grades is generally conducted by the Civil Service Commission, and is always on the basis of fair and open competition. Advertisements make clear that the civil service is an equal opportunities employer.

  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  All non-industrial staff in the Home Office were asked to state their ethnic origin in voluntary surveys conducted between 1983 and 1986. A further questionnaire was sent in 1988 to those who had not previously responded. Consideration is now being given to ways in which the response rate for surveys can be increased, and measures are being taken to obtain survey data for industrial staff. People seeking posts in the Department are asked to state their ethnic origin when making their applications.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have now received court summonses over failure to pay the poll tax, and, of these, how many are income support claimants; how many liability orders have been issued by the courts and, of these, how many applied to income support claimants; what estimates he makes for these totals over the current three months; and if he will give a geographical breakdown by area or by court.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information about the number of summonses and liability orders in the period 1 April to 31 December 1990 is available in the Library; comparable information for the period 1 January to 31 March 1991 will be placed in the Library within six weeks of the end of this quarter. I have no information about the number of community charge enforcement proceedings against income support claimants, since this information is not available to justices' clerks and is not necessary for the purposes of these proceedings.

  Appointed by

  Date

  Mr. Justice Knox

  The Lord Chancellor

  11 January 1991

  Miss Sheila Cameron, QC

  The Home Secretary

  3 March 1989

  Mr. David Macklin

  The Secretary of State for the Environment

  16 February 1989

  1 First appointed 1 January 1987.

  Paul Malone
  Mr. Terry Fields
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the relevant chief constable on the present location of exhibits DHH/1, J/T1, J/T2, J/T3, J/T4 AND J11, a hospital appointment card, photographs relative to the charges made against Malone and original handwritten interview.
  84

  Detainees
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Iraqi and other nationals taken into custody in connection with events in the Gulf are still detained; and what steps he is taking to release them.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At 4 March, 31 Iraqis and two other nationals were detained under the provisions of the Immigration Act 1971 pending deportation for reasons of national security and 32 Iraqis were detained as prisoners of war.

  With the exception of those held as prisoners of war, whose release is a matter for the Ministry of Defence, any detainee is free to leave the United Kingdom at any time. The decisions to detain and to deport continue to be reviewed on an individual basis in the light of representations received, including the advice of the advisory panel.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals detained by him on the ground of national security under the Immigration Act 1971 have(a) appealed and (b) have had their cases determined by his advisory panel since 16 January 1991, of these how many have been (i) recommended for deportation and (ii) recommended for release; and how many have been (1) released and (2) deported.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 4 March 1991]: Fifty-six of those detained under the Immigration Act requested an appearance before the advisory panel and 42 have been heard since 16 January. Those who have not been heard have requested postponements.

  The advice of the panel is confidential but following consideration of this advice and all other representations, my right hon. Friend has decided to continue deportation action in 20 cases and to take no further action in 13. In the other nine cases, the advice is awaited or is under consideration.

  A total of 20 were released from detention following my right hon. Friend's consideration of the advice. Two have left the United Kingdom after deportation orders were made against them.

  Boundary Commission
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the present membership of the Parliamentary Boundary Commission for England.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Mr. Speaker is Chairman of the Commission. The other members are:

  notes taken at Ellesmere Port police station, Cheshire, in the case of Paul Malone Currently residing in Durham prison; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 4 March 1991]: The location of these exhibits is a matter for the relevant chief officer of police to whom inquiries should be addressed directly.

WALES

  Road Safety Education
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) which(a) primary and (b) secondary schools in each local education authority area in Wales currently do not have road safety education programmes;

  (2) what was the average amount of time given to teaching road safety education programmes in (a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools in each local education authority area in Wales during 1990; and what were the corresponding figures for each year since 1979.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not held centrally.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will make it his Department's policy to maintain the voluntary nature of environmentally sensitive area schemes and maintain the role of the project officers as interpreters and advisers on the guidelines.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has any plans to link payments made under the environmentally sensitive areas scheme to the annual rate of inflation.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No. The level of payments in the Cambrian mountains and Lleyn peninsula ESAs have been reviewed and my judgment was that the existing rates of payment were appropriate and there was no justification for increasing them.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to offer a minimum level of payment per farm when deciding on environmentally sensitive areas scheme allocations.

  Mr. David Hunt
  This is one of the matters which I will consider as part of our review of the scheme which is now under way.

  Property Marking
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.

  Mr. David Hunt
  As a rule my Department finds it unnecessary to have to use special markings to protect its property, but we have taken action to mark telephone handsets which have proved to be vulnerable to theft.

  Family Planning Clinics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many family planning clinics have been operational in each district health authority area in Wales in each year since 1976.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not available centrally.

  Secure Accommodation (Juveniles)
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what consideration he has given to the provison of secure establishments in Wales for juveniles awaiting trial; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr Nicholas Bennett
  Our officials are presently conducting a review of secure care in Wales, including the need to make provision for juveniles on remand. We expect to have their final report shortly.

  Veterinary Inspection Centre, Bangor
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if any decision has been taken on the future of the Bryn Adda veterinary inspection centre in Bangor, Gwynedd.

  Mr. David Hunt
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food expects to be able to make an announcement about the review of the veterinary investigation service very shortly.

  PRIME MINISTER

    Engagements
    Mr. Harry Greenway
    To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 5 March.

    Mr. MacGregor
    I have been asked to reply.

    My right honourable Friend the Prime Minister is in Moscow having bilateral discussions with President Gorbachev.

  CIVIL SERVICE

    Ethnic Minorities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at the Cabinet Office.

    Mr. Renton
    The top grades in my Department are normally filled by promotion from within, or by staff on loan from other Departments. The Cabinet Office monitors the ethnic origin of all new entrants to the Department and promotion is solely on merit. If it is necessary to recruit to the top grades from outside the civil service, the Cabinet office turns to the Civil Service Commissioners. They adopt a wide range of good equal opportunity practices to aid recruitment of members of the ethnic minorities, including the monitoring of applicants at every stage of the selection process.

  TRADE AND INDUSTRY

    Telephone Calls (Tracing)
    Mr. Thurnham
    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what measures are being taken to encourage the development of equipment to trace hoax and nuisance telephone calls; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Redwood
    The provision of call tracing facilities is primarily a matter for the network operators. I know that the Director General of Telecommunications, Sir Bryan Carsberg, is keeping the situation under close review.
    87
    Hoax and nuisance calls are an obnoxious practice, causing great distress, and I have every sympathy with the victims. Complaints should be referred to the police, who have the power to prosecute under the Telecommunications Act 1984. British Telecom and Mercury are ready and willing to co-operate in such inquiries by tracing calls.

    There is at present no equipment approved for connection to the public telephone network that the residential customer can use to trace calls. An application for approval has been received in respect of a call filter device. This would enable certain customers, connected to digital exchanges, to screen calls before answering them. The device works by requiring the caller to key in a number before the called party has to accept the call.

    Trade Balance
    Mr. Austin Mitchell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will set out the increase or decrease in value and volume of manufactured trade to and from the Federal Republic of Germany of(a) United Kingdom, (b) France and (c) the United States of America in each year from 1985 to 1990, together with the balance of total trade and manufactured trade with Germany in each case.

    Mr. Leigh
    The information is in the tables. Figures for 1990 are not available for the United States of America and France.

    Data in volume terms are not available for bilateral trade.

    Exports of manufactures1 to Federal Republic of Germany

    From:

    USA $B

    USA per cent. annual change

    France $B

    France per cent. annual change

    UK $B

    UK per cent. annual change

    1985

    6·8

    —

    11·0

    —

    7·4

    —

    1986

    7·9

    15·8

    14·9

    35·7

    9·3

    25·3

    1987

    8·6

    9·2

    18·6

    24·7

    12·0

    28·3

    1988

    10·7

    24·6

    20·6

    10·8

    13·4

    11·6

    1989

    13·2

    23·0

    21·8

    6·0

    14·5

    8·7

    1990

    N.A.

    —

    N.A.

    —

    19·6

    —

    Imports of manufacturers from Federal Republic of Germany

    To:

    USA $B

    USA per cent. annual change

    France $B

    France per cent. annual change

    UK $B

    UK per cent. annual change

    1985

    19·8

    —

    15·9

    —

    14·9

    —

    1986

    24·5

    24·0

    22·6

    42·4

    19·2

    29·1

    1987

    26·5

    8·0

    28·6

    26·7

    24·2

    26·2

    1988

    25·0

    -5·7

    32·1

    12·1

    29·1

    20·3

    1989

    24·0

    -4·1

    33·8

    5·2

    30·5

    4·7

    1990

    N.A.

    —

    N.A.

    —

    33·4

    —

    Crude trade balance2 in manufactures with Federal Republic of Germany

    USA $B

    France $B

    UK $B

    1985

    -13·0

    -4·9

    -7·4

    1986

    -16·7

    -7·7

    -9·9

    1987

    -17·9

    -10·1

    -12·2

    1988

    -14·3

    -11·5

    -15·8

    1989

    -10·8

    -12·0

    -16·0

    1990

    N.A.

    N.A.

    -13·8

    88

    Crude trade balance with Federal Republic of Germany

    USA $B

    France $B

    UK $B

    1985

    -12·7

    -3·2

    -4·8

    1986

    -16·3

    -5·7

    -8·3

    1987

    -17·1

    -7·3

    -10·6

    1988

    -13·3

    -8·5

    -14·8

    1989

    -9·7

    -9·2

    -14·8

    1990

    N.A.

    N.A.

    -12·0

    1 = SITC divisions 5 to 8.

    2 The crude trade balance is exports (FOB) less imports (CIF).

    Source: OECD Series C.

    Companies Act 1989
    Sir Michael Marshall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to commence provisions of the Companies Act 1989.

    Mr. Redwood
    On Monday 4 March I signed an order which commences certain provisions of the Act. Sections 126 and 127(3) concerning company records come into force on 1 July. Certain powers to make regulations under part VII of the Act—financial markets and insolvency—are also commenced so as to permit regulations under that part to be made to take effect at the time the substantive provisions come into force, which is expected to be in mid-April. The remaining provisions of section 193 come into force on 1 April 1991. Section 193 inserts section 62a and paragraph 22A of schedule 11 into the Financial Services Act 1986, restricting to private investors the right to bring action for contravention of rules, regulations and so on. I have also made regulations under section 62a of the 1986 Act defining "private investor" and specifying circumstances in which rights are retained by persons other than private investors. These will also come into force on 1 April 1991.

    I have placed a copy of the order in the Library.

    ECGD Insurance Services Group
    Dr. Hampson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will publish the list of potential purchasers after privatisation of the insurance services group of the Export Credits Guarantee Department.

    Mr. Lilley
    [pursuant to the reply, 4 February 1991, c. 25]: The privatisation of ECGD's short-term business, currently undertaken within the insurance services group, will, as previously announced, be by means of a competition among prospective trade purchasers and consortia.

    Last July, Samuel Montagu, acting on my behalf, issued a prequalification questionnaire accompanied by a preliminary information memorandum to potential investors who had expressed a written interest in acquiring the business. There was a good response to these documents from a wide range of investors.

    The Government have now decided on a shortlist of potential bidders for the business. In alphabetical order, these are:

    Assicurazioni Generali;

    Cobac;

    A consortium comprising Eagle Star and Gerling, with shareholdings of 95 per cent. and 5 per cent. respectively;

    NCM;

    Sun Alliance;

    Trade Indemnity.

    89
    The shortlisted companies have been informed of the Government's decision and are being invited to tender accordingly.

    The shortlist has been selected with regard to a range of criteria including the candidates' commercial understanding of, and commitment to, the credit insurance business, their financial robustness and willingness to take over the business broadly on the basis proposed by the Government. The shortlisted candidates have all stated their willingness to bid for 100 per cent. of the business.

    Prior to the submission of tenders bidders will have the opportunity of detailed discussions with ECGD, including members of insurance services management, staff representatives and the Government's advisers on the sale.

    The deadline for receipt of tenders will be 30 April 1991, following which there will be a period of evaluation. Price will be an important, but not the sole, criterion to be taken into account. I reserve the right to reject any or all of the bids. The sale is not likely to be completed before the end of July, but it is our intention to proceed as quickly as possible, subject to the successful passage of the Bill through Parliament.

    Normal competition legislation and procedures will apply to the sale.

    Arrangements are being made for appropriate information from the invitation to tender to be laid in the Library of the House.

  TRANSPORT

    Seatbelts
    Miss Lestor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many children who were killed or injured in road accidents were not wearing seatbelts in(a) 1989 and (b)

    Mr. Chope
    The information available is as follows:

    (a) Since January 1983, all front seat occupants of cars or light vans have been required to wear a seat belt. From 1 September 1989, further regulations were introduced requiring children aged under 14 to wear a selt belt in the rear of cars or light vans where such a belt was fitted. Casualty figures for 1989, for children aged 0 to 13 travelling in cars or light vans, are given in the following table:

    Child casualties in cars and light vans in road accidents Great Britain

    1989

    Children aged 0 to 13

    Killed

    Injured

    Seat belt worn

    20

    4,143

    Seat belt not worn

    34

    4,864

    Not reported

    16

    2,180

    TOTAL

    70

    11,257

    (b) Corresponding figures for 1990 are not yet available.

    MV Breydon
    Mr. Beggs
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the destination and cargo of the British registered coaster MV Breydon when fire broke out earlier this month.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    A statement is not appropriate at this stage as the cause of the fire is still being investigated by the marine accident investigation branch. However, I understand that when the fire broke out the vessel was on passage from Great Oakely, near Harwich to Drogheda in Southern Ireland, with a cargo of explosives.

    Equal Opportunities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The Department completed its latest voluntary survey of the ethnic origins of its staff during January 1991. The Department's response rate following the re-survey is 91 per cent. This information will be kept up to date by asking new entrants to complete an ethnic background questionnaire.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The numbers and percentages of women and ethnic minority staff employed in the Department at present are:

    Total

    Women

    Recorded number

    Ethnic1 percentage

    Number

    Percentage

    All grades

    15,274

    7,005

    45·86

    644

    4·22

    Grade 1

    1

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Grade 2

    4

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Grade 3

    20

    —

    —

    —

    —

    Grade 4

    18

    1

    5·50

    —

    —

    Grade 5

    107

    8

    7·47

    1

    0·93

    Grade 6

    146

    2

    1·36

    3

    2·05

    Grade 7

    526

    58

    11·02

    16

    3·04

    Total

    822

    69

    8·38

    20

    2·43

    1 These figures are based on a voluntary confidential survey of staff, the response rate overall and for the grades 1–7, is 91 per cent.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at his Department.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    The Civil Service Commission is responsible for the recruitment of top grades to all Departments of the civil service. Recruitment and promotion are carried out on the principle of fair and open competition.

    The Commission is extending links with universities, polytechnics and tertiary colleges to attract more applicants including those from ethnic minorities; ensuring that its recruitment brochures reflect a multi-racial work force; and validating selection procedures to ensure that they are fair and non-discriminatory.

    British Rail
    Mr. Gregory
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what performance targets he set British Rail for the number of trains which arrive on time during(a) 1989 and (b) 1990; what was the performance against target; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Freeman
    British Rail's current quality of service objectives were set in December 1989 by my right hon. Friend, the member for Hertsmere, to cover a three-year period from April 1990 to March 1993. BR's quality objectives for InterCity and Network SouthEast were set by the Government in October 1986 and covered the period up to the end of March 1990. Quality objectives for regional railways were first set in July 1989. The performance of each sector against their separate objectives is shown in the attached table:

    British Rail performance: Punctuality

    InterCity

    Punctuality

    Objective

    1989–90

    1990–91

    Per cent.

    Per cent.

    Per cent.

    +/- 10 minutes

    90·0

    84·2

    86·2

    Note:

    1990–91 figures for InterCity cover period 1 April 1990 to 31 December 1990.

    Network SouthEast

    Punctuality

    Objective

    1989–90

    1990–91

    +/- 5 minutes

    Per cent.

    Per cent.

    Per cent.

    AM peak

    88·0

    84·1

    87·5

    PM peak

    88·0

    81·1

    83·8

    All day

    92·0

    89·6

    90·5

    Notes:

    (1) Objectives for NSE were revised 1 April 1990 from 87·5 per cent. for AM and PM peaks and 90·0 per cent. for all day.

    (2) 1990–91 figures for NSE cover period 1 April 1990 to 2 February 1991.

    Regional

    Punctuality

    Objective

    1989–90

    1990–91

    Per cent.

    Per cent.

    Per cent.

    Express and longer rural +/- 10 minutes

    90·0

    91·0

    90·0

    Urban and shorter rural +/- 5 minutes

    90·0

    90·0

    89·5

    Note:

    1990–91 figures for Regional cover period I April 1990 to 2 February 1991.

    Mr. Steinberg
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he could list the amount spent on research and development by British Rail for each year since 1979.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    This is a matter for British Rail. The information is not immediately available in my Department.

    Coastguard Service
    Mr. Harris
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish the detailed recommendations of the regional controllers on the implementation of the review of the auxiliary coastguard service.
    92
    Mr. McLoughlin
    It is not normal practice to publish the advice of officials to Ministers. However, I would be willing to discuss the outcome of the review with the hon. Member before reaching decisions.

    Mr. Harris
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will place in the Library a full copy of the review of Her Majesty's coastguard sector organisation and auxiliary coastguard service.

    Mr. McLoughlin
    No. But I have made widely available a summary of those points of the review that are likely to be of interest outside the coastguard service.

    Roads
    Mr. Cormack
    To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the next stage in the Government's policy of encouraging privately-financed roads infrastructure will be.

    Mr. Rifkind
    The Government are committed to greater use of the private sector in providing transport infrastructure. I have now decided to seek views on the suitability of the western orbital route for a private finance competition.

    The scheme has been planned hitherto as a public sector road. But I believe that the private sector should be given the opportunity to play the leading role in designing, planning, building and operating this road and financing it by tolls paid by the motorist. Of course, the Government are concerned to achieve the most cost effective provision of roads, and so will choose the option which offers better value for money. The costs and benefits of private sector proposals for the western orbital route will therefore be compared with those of the public sector alternative.

    Private sector involvement can provide the opportunity for more and better transport provision, relieving congestion whilst safeguarding the environment. Market disciplines should lead to greater efficiency and innovation. The private sector costs would not be subtracted from total public sector provision.

    There will be full safeguards for the environment and for local people, if a private sector scheme goes ahead. The Department of Transport will be looking for proposals for a privately financed road on broadly the same route as that already announced.

    Extensive environmental protection, including sensitive landscaping, would be a dominant feature of the proposed public sector scheme. Any private sector scheme would be required to achieve the same environmental standards, and a full environment assessment carried out.

    If the privately-funded scheme goes ahead authorisation will be sought under the new procedures proposed under the New Roads and Street Works Bill. This means that those affected by the road would have the same opportunities to voice their opinions as if the road were a public scheme. And the arrangements for compensation of owners of land or property would be exactly the same as if the scheme were publicly-funded.

    I would aim for a private sector road to be completed at approximately the same time as the public sector scheme, that is towards the end of the 1990s.

    This is a major new opportunity for the private sector to provide roads, and good news for the west midlands. It shows that the private finance initiative goes from strength

    93
    to strength. I look forward to seeing an imaginative response from industry to get this road built as quickly as possible.

    The positive benefits of this scheme are enormous. It would reduce congestion on the existing M5 and M6, and improve access to the western side of the west midlands conurbation, and therefore assist in the economic regeneration of the inner city areas, particularly in the black country.

    We would ensure that the positive benefits of this route for the west midlands are protected by seeking from bidders a road which achieves the objective of relieving the present M5 and M6 within the conurbation and provides better connections to the national motorway system for Dudley and Wolverhampton.

  NATIONAL FINANCE

    Equal Opportunities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Treasury are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities respectively.

    Mrs. Gillian Shephard
    The information requested in respect of grades 1 to 7 is shown in the table. The proportion of Treasury staff who are women is 43 per cent. Ethnic origin data is held for 84 per cent. of Treasury staff and of this total just over 7 per cent. are from ethnic minorities. All figures reflect the position as at 28 February 1991.

    Women

    Ethnic minorities

    Grade

    Number

    Per cent.

    Number

    Per cent.

    1A

    —

    —

    —

    —

    2

    1

    11

    —

    —

    3

    4

    13

    —

    —

    4

    —

    —

    —

    —

    5

    11

    14

    —

    —

    6

    —

    —

    —

    —

    7

    50

    18

    3

    1

    Income Tax
    Mr. Beith
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, pursuant to his answer of 18 December,Official Report, column 111, whether he has completed his consideration

    Effects of changes for 1991–92 compared with 1990–91 income tax allowances and thresholds

    Direct revenue cost

    On receipts in 1991–92

    In a full year at 1991–92 income levels

    Reduction in number of taxpayers

    Increase in allowances1 by

    Compared with 1990–91 allowances (£ billion)

    Statutory indexation (£ billion)

    Compared with 1990–91 allowances (£ billion)

    Statutory indexation (£ billion)

    Compared with 1990–91 allowances (millions)

    Statutory indexation (millions)

    (a) Increase in average earnings2

    2·1

    -0·3

    2·9

    -0·3

    0·9

    -0·1

    (b) Change in RPI in year to December 1990

    2·4

    —

    3·2

    —

    1·0

    —

    (c) 8 percent.

    2·0

    -0·4

    2·7

    -0·5

    0·9

    -0·1

    (d) 5·5 per cent.

    1·4

    -1·0

    1·9

    -1·3

    0·6

    -0·3

    1 And basic rate limit.

    2 The working assumption used in the autumn statement of 8·5 per cent.

    94
    of the tax liability of hostages and refugees from Iraq and Kuwait who have been obliged to return home before the end of the tax year; and whether he will make a statement.

    Mr. Maude
    I am still considering the matter.

    Mr. Nellist
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many tax units in the United Kingdom had(a) earnings, (b) total incomes per annum and (c) total assets exceeding (i) £70,000, (ii) £100,000, (iii) £250,000, (iv) £500,000 and (v) £1,000,000 in 1990–91; what was the percentage of the total in each category; and what were the comparable figures in 1978–79, adjusted for inflation.

    Mr. Maude
    The available information is given in the table:

    Number of individuals (thousands)

    Percentage of taxpayers

    1990–91

    Earnings over £70,000

    115

    0·4

    Total income for income tax purposes over £70,000

    170

    0·6

    1978–79

    Earnings over £27,700

    20

    0·1

    Total income for income tax purposes over £27,700

    30

    0·1

    Estimates of the value of assets of the United Kingdom population in 1990–91 are not yet available. Information for 1988 and earlier years is published in Economic Trends October 1990.

    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in 1991–92 and a full year of increasing all personal allowances by(a) the current increase in average earnings, (b) the inflation rate in December 1990, (c) 8 per cent. and (d) 5·5 per cent.; what would be the impact in each case on the number of people paying tax; and what would be the average gain per person in each case for people on annual incomes of £5,000, £10,000, £15,000, £20,000, £30,000, £40,000 and £50,000 and over.

    Mr. Maude
    [holding answer 25 February 1991]: The latest estimates are given in the tables.
    95

    Average cash gains compared with 1990–91 allowances and thresholds

    £ per year

    Allowances and basic rate limit increased by

    Total annual income of individuals in 1991–92 £

    Increase in average earnings

    Change in RPI in year December 1990

    8 per cent.

    5·5 per cent.

    5,000—10,000

    80

    90

    80

    50

    10,000—15,000

    90

    100

    80

    60

    15,000—20,000

    90

    100

    80

    60

    20,000—30,000

    120

    130

    110

    80

    30,000—40,000

    390

    440

    370

    260

    40,000—50,000

    420

    470

    400

    280

    Over 50,000

    420

    470

    400

    280

    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost of enabling married couples who wish to share the benefits of married couple's allowance equally between them to do so.

    Mr. Maude
    [holding answer 25 February 1991]: About £5 million in a full year at 1990–91 levels.

    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much revenue would be obtained if(a) personal tax allowances, (b) age allowance, (c) mortgage interest tax relief and (d) tax relief for occupational and private pensions were restricted to the basic rate in 1991–92 and in a full year.

    Mr. Maude
    [holding answer 25 February 1991]: Estimates for 1991–92 are not yet available.

    The latest estimates of the direct revenue yields in a full year at 1990–91 levels of income from restricting the income tax reliefs and allowances to the basic rate are as follows:

    £ million

    Personal tax allowances

    1,270

    Age allowance1

    nil

    Mortgage interest relief

    470

    Relief on contributions to personal pensions2

    3130

    Relief on employee's contributions to occupational pension schemes

    220

    1 The extra component of the personal allowance given solely to aged taxpayers.

    2 Including relief for retirement annuity premia and free standing additional voluntary contributions.

    3 This estimate is subject to a wide margin of error.

    The direct revenue yield from restricting all reliefs and allowances to the basic rate is likely to be in the order of £3 billion, somewhat more than the sums of the yields from restricting the reliefs and allowances separately; this is due to the cumulative effect of bringing more people into higher rate tax. About two-thirds of those who would pay more tax as a result of this change are currently liable only at the basic rate. No account is taken of possible behavioural changes or the effect on receipts of capital gains tax.

    Business Expansion Scheme
    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many new lettings from investments under the business expansion scheme in 1989–90 there were in(a) south-east England and (b) the United Kingdom; and what percentage these figures represent of (i) all privately rented property and (ii) all rented property.
    96
    Mr. Maude
    [holding answer 25 February 1991]: Provisional estimates for new lettings from investments under the business expansion scheme in 1989–90 are as follows:

    New lettings As a percentage of:

    Total number

    All privately rented property per cent.

    All rented property per cent.

    South-east England

    1,000

    0·18

    0·05

    United Kingdom

    3,000

    0·18

    0·04

    Mortgage Tax Relief
    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many individuals are currently receiving mortgage interest tax relief; how many of these are men; and how many of the total are receiving relief at the top rate of tax.

    Mr. Maude
    [holding answer 25 February 1991]: There are an estimated 9·4 million single people and married couples with mortgages in 1990–91, of whom about one million receive interest relief at a rate in excess of the basic rate of income tax. A breakdown of the total number of mortgagors is given in the table.

    Mortgagors

    Million

    Single men

    1·3

    Single women

    1·0

    Married couples

    7·1

    Total

    9·4

  THE ARTS

    Equal Opportunities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Minister for the Arts how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

    Mr. Renton
    The number and percentage, of women in grades 2, 5, 6 and 7, and overall in the Office of Arts and Libraries, is as follows. The Department does not employ anyone in grades 1, 3 and 4.
    97

    Number in grade

    Number of women in grade

    Percentage

    Grade 2

    1

    0

    0

    Grade 5

    4

    1

    25

    Grade 6

    1

    1

    100

    Grade 7 (and equivalent)

    9

    2

    22

    Departmental total

    59

    26

    44

    When responding to the ethnic origin questionnaire none of the staff in the Office of Arts and Libraries indicated that they were of ethnic minority origin.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Minister for the Arts what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at the Office of Arts and Libraries.

    Mr. Renton
    The top grades in my Department are normally filled by promotion from within, or by loans from other Departments. The Cabinet Office records the ethnic origin of all new entrants to the Department, and promotion is solely on merit.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Minister for the Arts when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

    Mr. Renton
    The last survey of staff was conducted in 1986. This is kept up to date by information on the ethnic origins of new staff and leavers.

  EMPLOYMENT

    Equal Opportunities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and whether he will make a statement.

    Mr. Jackson
    The first survey of ethnic origin of staff took place in 1986 and was undertaken on the basis of voluntary self classification. A reminder was sent to all staff for whom the information was not held in November 1988. As a result we now know the ethnic origin of 92·1 per cent of ED group staff. My Department is now considering whether further action is required.

    Mr. Battle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his forecast of changes in employment by industry for the period 1991 to 2000 for Leeds, West for men, women, young persons and ethnic minorities.

    Mr. Jackson
    The Department does not make forecasts of employment.

    Taylorplan Services Ltd.
    Mr. Madden
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether the wages inspectorate has examined rates of pay advertised or paid by Taylorplan Services Ltd. for contract employees in the public or private sector; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Forth
    The wages inspectorate has no record of Taylorplan Services Ltd. However, in 1986, the wages inspectorate examined rates of pay at Taylorplan Catering Ltd.

    Efficiency Scrutinies
    Mr. Lee
    To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to undertake new efficiency scrutinies.

    Mr. Forth
    I have decided to set up an efficiency scrutiny to examine the industrial tribunal system.

  ENVIRONMENT

    Water Companies
    Mr. Blunkett
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at the time of privatisation, what guidance he gave to water companies with regard to the companies offering consumers alternatives to water metering; and what discussions took place with local authorities on plans to provide alternative systems of valuation in new premises.

    Mr. Trippier
    We have not given any guidance to water companies or held discussions with local authorities about methods of charging for water services. Each company has had to decide how to charge customers in new or converted properties, in the light of the abolition of domestic rates from 1 April 1990, and I understand that most companies have decided to meter such properties. The Director General of Water Services is responsible for protecting customers' interests and for ensuring that companies do not show undue preference or discrimination in their charging policies.

    Dredging
    Mrs. Ann Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that British Waterways is carrying out all its statutory obligations under section 105 of the Transport Act 1968 with respect to dredging.

    Mr. Trippier
    Responsibility for day-to-day waterway operation and maintenance rests with the British Waterways Board. It is for the board to satisfy itself that it is fulfilling its statutory obligations for dredging.

    Housing
    Mr. O'Hara
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many additional units of accommodation each local authority originally estimated would result from the extra housing investment allocation announced on 27 March 1990; and how many units have been provided to date comprising(a) local authority empty dwellings refurbished, (b) housing association empty dwellings refurbished, (c) hostel places provided by local authorities, (d), hostel spaces provided by housing associations, (e) mobile homes provided by local authorities, (f) homes becoming available through cash incentive payments and (g) other.

    Sir George Young
    The cost of compiling the information in the form requested would be disproportionate. I will write to the hon. Member with the material we already have available.

    Homelessness
    Mr. O'Hara
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which local authorities have received extra housing investment allocation in 1990–91 to provide
    99
    additional accommodation for the homeless under its £112 million initiative announced on 27 March 1990; and what additional housing investment allocation each local authority has received.

    Sir George Young
    My Department's news release No. 198 dated 27 March 1990, a copy of which was placed in the Library of the House, sets out the information requested by the hon. Member.

    Lead-free Petrol
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of the results of his Department's survey into motorists' attitudes to the use of lead-free petrol; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Trippier
    Yes. We expect to have the results of the survey in April.

    Households, Hackney
    Mr. Norris
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has of the number of households in the London borough of Hackney which are occupied by(a) two or (b) more than two adults.

    Mr. Yeo
    Information is not available in precisely the form requested. However, projections of married couple, lone parent, one person and other households for 1991 are published in the Department's "1985 based estimates of numbers of households in England, the regions, counties, metropolitan districts and London boroughs 1985–2001", which is in the Library.

    Council Homes, Exeter
    Mr. Hannam
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest figure for the number of unoccupied council houses and flats in Exeter.

    Mr. Yeo
    The latest available information on empty council dwellings relates to 1 April 1990 and was provided by Exeter city council in its April 1990 housing investment programme return (HIP1), a copy of which is in the Library.

    Gulf Casualties
    Mr. Ashley
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans have been made to provide adapted housing for service personnel permanently disabled in the Gulf; and how these will be financed.

    Sir George Young
    British casualties in the Gulf have, mercifully, been light and no difficulty is expected in providing adapted housing for any of them who may have been permanently disabled. Disabled people may obtain assistance for house adaptations under the house renovation grant system introduced by the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.

    Community Charge
    Mr. Andrew Mitchell
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what is his estimate of the total amounts of money to be made available under the community charge reduction scheme to residents in Gedling borough;
    100
    (2) if he will set out the calculation of the community charge reduction scheme applying to the borough of Gedling.

    Mr. Key
    No information is yet available on the amount of reduction scheme grant payable to each charging authority. However, if Gedling borough council sets its community charge for 1991–92 at or above £364, a couple who have not moved since 31 March 1990 living in a property of average rateable value could look forward to a reduction of £120 between them; a couple living in a property of half average rateable value could get a reduction of £371 between them.

    Competitive Tendering
    Mr. Cash
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take in regard to Redditch borough council under part I of the Local Government Act 1988.

    Mr. Key
    My right hon. Friend has today issued a direction under section 14 of the Local Government Act 1988 requiring Redditch borough council to expose refuse collection work to competitive tendering again by 1 February 1992. He has taken this action because he was not satisfied with the response which Redditch borough council made to the notice served on 18 January 1991 under section 13 of the Act.

    That notice set out the Secretary of State's view that Redditch borough council had acted contrary to the requirement of section 7(7) of the Act, which is that, in awarding a contract, an authority must not act in a manner having the effect or intended or likely to have the effect of restricting, distorting or preventing competition, in that, in assigning this work to its direct service organisation, it rejected a lower tender from a private contractor without sufficient reasons.

    Local Government Finance
    Mr. Peter Bottomley
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he intends to take in relation to those authorities which have now set budgets above the limits implied by the intended capping criteria; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Portillo
    We will not hesitate to use our capping powers to curb those authorities' budgets which we consider excessive or represent an excessive increase over the previous year.

    As we have made clear on a number of occasions our present intention is to apply the criteria which my right hon. Friend the then Secretary of State announced on 31 October 1990. These intended criteria are, however, necessarily provisional since we cannot take our capping decisions until authorities generally have set their budgets. When we do so, we shall take into account all appropriate considerations. But it is clearly a matter of concern that a few authorities have decided to budget at levels which under the intended criteria are excessive or represent an excessive increase: it remains open to such authorities to adopt substitute lower budgets if they so wish.

    Mr. Blunkett
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment at what stage in their posting local authorities are able to exempt(a) married and (b) single Gulf service personnel from the poll tax.
    101
    Mr. Portillo
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: There is no exemption for people serving in the Gulf. It is for community charge registration officers to decide when the law requires a person to be removed from the register, thus ending liability to the charge. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 19 February that it is our intention that those serving in the Gulf should not have to pay the charge during that period. We are currently considering what steps need to be taken to realise this objective.

    Acid Rain
    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now place in the Library detailed maps of those parts of the country vulnerable to acid rain pollution from sulphur dioxide emissions from electricity generating stations.

    Mr. Baldry
    I have placed in the Library copies of two reports to my Department by the United Kingdom critical loads advisory group. These include maps of the United Kingdom in respect of soils, and of Scotland in respect of freshwaters, showing "critical loads" for sulphur—the levels of deposition in excess of which damage may be caused to ecosystems—and the places in which those loads are currently exceeded as a result of emissions of sulphur dioxide from all sources, not merely from electricity generating stations. The maps have been produced to inform discussions in the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe which are intended to lead to agreement of a new protocol on the abatement of sulphur dioxide emissions. They represent the latest available scientific assessment of the current position, and are not indications of policy. The United Kingdom is already committed, under the EC large combustion plants directive, to secure reductions of 60 per cent. in sulphur dioxide emissions from existing large combustion plant by 2003, compared with 1980 levels.

    Departmental Policies (Environmental Implications)
    Mr. Simon Hughes
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what actions have been taken since the appointment of a Minister in his Department to consider the environmental implications of his Department's policies; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Heseltine
    [holding answer 1 March 1991]:My Department has been active in implementing the commitments made in the Environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance", since its publication in September. Our departmental report, published on 13 February, recorded progress with a wide range of initiatives, reflecting the White Paper's comprehensive review of policy affecting the environment. These included a 20 per cent. increase in funding for environmental research over the next three years, increased staffing for Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and a £60 million pilot energy efficiency programme for local authority housing.

    Snow Clearing
    Miss Hoey
    To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue a circular to local authorities on clearing snow from pavements in built-up areas.
    102
    Mr. Chope
    I have been asked to reply.

    I have no plans to issue a circular, but I shall be happy to consider any specific representations which the hon. Member has about snow clearing by local authorities.

  ENERGY

    Energy Conservation
    Dr. Thomas
    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his Department's policy to adopt specific annual targets for energy conservation and efficiency.

    Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
    Decisions on investment in energy efficiency measures are a matter for individual consumers and it would be inappropriate for the Government to set specific national targets for annual improvements.

    However, my energy efficiency office offers a range of programmes and other initiatives designed to encourage the adoption of cost effective energy efficiency measures. Measures of performance for each of these programmes are published annually, most recently in February 1991 in "The Government's Expenditure Plans Within the Energy Sector 1991–92 to 1993–94" (Cm 1505), copies of which are available in the Library.

    Renewable Energy
    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on progress on the renewable non-fossil fuel obligation 1991 bidding round.

    Mr. Moynihan
    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has informed the House of our intention to make a further Renewables Order in the autumn of this year. The procedure that has been adopted by the regional electricity companies (RECs) to select the projects to be contracted under the order has been widely publicised, and was the subject of a seminar for renewables operators, jointly hosted by the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency Ltd. and the Office of Electricity Regulation (OFFER), last month. That procedure is now in hand. It involves an initial scrutiny of the tenders, against the requirements of the legislation, by OFFER; a review period for unsuccessful tenderers; and a competitive bidding procedure for successful tenderers. My right hon. Friend will then determine the level of the obligation and the technology bands to be included within it, in the light of the advice of the Director General of Electricity Supply as to the available field and in consultation with the regional electricity companies. The RECs will then conclude contracts, to the required level of capacity, with the most economic projects in each band.

    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what financial contribution he will make to the Price Waterhouse critical path with analysis for the 1991 round of tendering for the non-fossil fuel renewables tranche; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Moynihan
    None. Price Waterhouse are advisers on the non-fossil fuel obligation to the regional electricity companies, and this is therefore a matter for the RECs and their agent the Non-Fossil Purchasing Agency.

    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the potential for wind,
    103
    wave and other intermittent renewable energy services taking part successfully in the 1991 round of bidding for the non-fossil fuel obligation renewables tranche.

    Mr. Moynihan
    In answer to a parliamentary question on 19 December, at columns 162–63, my right hon. Friend gave an initial indication of the likely sizes of bands which might be included in the 1991 Renewables Order. However, it is for the regional electricity companies (RECs) to submit the projects that apply for inclusion in the 1991 renewables non-fossil fuel obligation (NFFO) to the Director-General of Electricity Supply (DGES), and for the DGES to assess the projects against the requirements of the legislation. We will then consult the DGES and the RECs before eventually setting the level of the obligation for the 1991 order.

    Office of Electricity Regulation
    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he had with the Director-General of the Office of Electricity Regulation between 18 and 20 February.

    Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
    I, my Ministerial colleagues and officials are in regular contact with the Director-General of Electricity Supply and OFFER on regulatory matters concerning electricity.

  DEFENCE

    The Gulf
    Mr. Marlow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to what extent the 1st Armoured Division has been dependent on assistance from United Kingdom helicopters during the Gulf conflict.

    Mr. Archie Hamilton
    A force of Lynx anti-tank and Gazelle observation/general purpose helicopters operate as an integral part of the 1st Armoured Division. The division is supported by Royal Air Force Chinook and Puma helicopters, together with Royal Navy Sea Kings, which provide rapid airlift for both personnel and materiel.

    Dockyards
    Mr. Robert Hicks
    To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were employed by his Department in the chief executive dockyard section(a) prior to the closure of Portsmouth and Chatham royal dockyards and (b) prior to the introduction of commercial management at Devonport and Rosyth; and how many people are now employed in the directorate general for ships repair.

    Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
    Chief Executive Dockyards (CED) HQ staff (excluding Dockyard stall) were 344 in April 1982 prior to the closure of Chatham Dockyard and the conversion of Portsmouth Dockyard to the Fleet Maintenance and Repair Organisation which were completed in 1984. In April 1985, when commercial management of the Dockyards was proposed, there were 255 CED HQ staff; building up to 439 Directorate General Ship Refitting and transitional CED HQ staff in April 1987 when commercial management was introduced. There are currently 346 HQ staff in DGSR excluding the 104
    Superintendent Ships organisation in the dockyards. It should be noted, however, that DGSR now includes staff performing contracting, accounting, estimating and pricing functions which were not part of CED's responsibility.

  AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

    Veal Crates
    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he proposes to take to ensure that British standards relating to the use of veal crates are adopted by the European Community.

    Mr. Maclean
    Community proposals on the welfare of calves are already under discussion in the Council. We are pressing for our standards to be adopted throughout the Community from the earliest possible date.

    Animal Feed
    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to improve the monitoring of Chinese cotton seed imported for use as animal feed; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Maclean
    The Department is currently working with the feed industry on a survey on the contamination of raw materials of vegetable origin, including cotton seed. The results of the survey will be carefully studied to see whether any further action will be necessary on any of these materials.

    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any proposals to introduce labelling requirements for clean animal feeds.

    Mr. Maclean
    It is already an offence to sell animal feeds containing ingredients which are deleterious to animals. Manufacturers are required to label detailed information on nutritional quality and from next January they will also have to declare the ingredients of their feeds.

    Property Marking
    Mr. Menzies Campbell
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether it is the policy of his Department to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification.

    Mr. Curry
    It is not the policy of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food to mark property with an indelible mark or similar means of identification. Most high-value items have registered numbers and these are recorded in stock registers. An annual stocktake is carried out. To mark items would be highly labour-intensive and not cost-effective.

    Salmonella
    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any plans to abandon his policy of compulsory slaughter of egg-laying flocks infected with salmonella enteritidis.

    Mr. Maclean
    We have no plans to do so.

  EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

    School Enrolments
    Mrs. Dunwoody
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the most recent enrolment figures for primary and secondary schools in the Crewe and Nantwich area.

    Mr. Fallon
    Information for areas within local education authorities is not available centrally.

    The number of new admissions to maintained primary and secondary schools in Cheshire as at January 1990 is:

    Schools

    Number of new admissions

    Primary1

    12,171

    Secondary2

    11,575

    1 Children aged 4 and 5 admitted in September 1989 and January 1990. Excludes admissions to nursery classes.

    2 Number of pupils admitted in September 1989. Includes admissions to sixth form colleges.

    "New Directions"
    Mr. Wigley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received a copy of "New Directions" published by the Royal National Institute for the Blind.

    Mr. Fallon
    My hon. Friend Under-Secretary of State (Mr. Howarth) was formally presented with a copy of "New Directions" on 31 October 1990. He welcomed the report and acknowledged it as a major contribution by the RNIB to advance the interests of visually impaired children and adults in this country.

    Multi-disabled Children
    Mr. Wigley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to review the work of agencies involved in the care of multi-disabled, visually impaired children.

    Mr. Fallon
    This Department does not at present have any plans to review the work of these agencies.

    Higher Education
    Dr. Woodcock
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of the United Kingdom population achieved higher education qualifications in the latest period for which figures are available; and what comparable information he has for France and Germany.

    Mr. Alan Howarth
    The requested information is given in the table.

    Country

    Year of Data

    Higher education1 qualifications awarded per 100 of relevant age group2

    1988

    33

    United Kingdom3

    1987

    33

    France4

    1987

    37

    Germany

    1987

    22

    Sources:

    "Demographic Statistics 1990" Eurostat
    106
    "Education in OECD Countries 1987–88" OECD

    1. International standard classifications of education (ISCED) level 3 incorporating sub-degree, first degree and post-graduate study.

    2. The relevant age group is taken as the average single-year population in the group including 70 per cent. of new entrants at the start of the course. This is the standard OECD definition.

    3. Includes estimated professional qualifications and nursing and paramedical qualifications gained at DH establishments. Excludes private sector.

    4. Includes some sub-degree diplomas awarded on completion of the first two years of a first degree course.

    Geography
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what advice he took in amending the National Curriculum Council's consultation report, to produce the draft order for geography.

    Mr. Fallon
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Broadgreen (Mr. Fields) on 13 February at column 464.

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has gathered when considering the geography national curriculum about the ways in which geography teachers have studied the Gulf and explored the issues involved.

    Mr. Fallon
    None.

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what strategies the draft order for geography offers to teachers to enable their students to handle the amount of available information relating to geographical and environmental issues;

    (2) what role is envisaged for geography, as outlined in the draft national curriculum order, in the teaching of the cross-curricular themes of economic awareness and citizenship.

    Mr. Fallon
    The National Curriculum Council intends to publish detailed advice on the implementation of the statutory requirements for geography in the national curriculum. This guidance will cover issues such as the organisation of teaching within the classroom and links with cross-curricular themes.

    Specific guidance on the cross-curricular themes of economic and industrial understanding and citizenship, which was published by NCC in 1990, explains in broad terms the contribution which geography and other national curriculum subjects can make towards the teaching of these themes.

    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what responses he has received to the draft order for geography; and how he proposes to respond.

    Mr. Fallon
    During the statutory consultation on the draft order for geography in the national curriculum, my right hon. and learned Friend received a total of 289 responses. He will consider the comments made in drawing up the final order which will set out in statute the attainment targets and programmes of study for national curriculum geography.

    Lancashire Education Department
    Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many persons were employed in the education department of the Lancashire county council in 1981 and each year to the present day.
    107
    Mr Fallon
    The total employees of Lancashire local education authority in March 1990 were as follows:

    Number

    Full-time teachers and lecturers

    13,400

    Part-time teachers and lecturers

    4,700

    Full-time other employees

    4,200

    Part-time other employees

    13,700

    These figures include the nursery, primary and secondary schools sector, special and further education and central administration.

    Comparable figures for other years are not available.

    History
    Mr. Evennett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received this month on the history curriculum.

    Mr. Fallon
    During the statutory consultation on the draft order for history in the national curriculum, my right hon. and learned Friend received a variety of representations from 225 organisations or individuals. These included representations from LEAs, teacher associations, religious bodies and subject associations such as the Historical Association, the Royal Historical Society, the Primary History Association and the History Curriculum Association.

    University Grants Committee
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out calculations showing how (i) basic grant, (ii) current grant and (iii) total resources are distributed to universities by the University Grants Committee for academic year 1991–92(a) compared with the allocations for 1990–91 and (b) reconciled to the Department's expenditure plans as set out in Cm. 1511.

    Mr. Alan Howarth
    The aggregate sums distributed by the Universities Funding Council in each academic year are:

    £ million

    Basic grant

    Grant plus fees

    Final resources

    1990–91

    1,341

    1,816

    1,894

    1991–92

    1,350

    2,049

    2,098

    Basic grant excludes provision for certain items of funding distributed by the Council outside its allocation formula. These are set out for 1990–91 and 1991–92 in Circular Letters 12/90 and 6/91 respectively, copies of which are in the Library. Those letters also describe the details of the allocation process. Final resources for each year take account of tuition fees for funded places and adjustments for changes in specific funding. Figures for basic grant are not directly comparable with those in Cm. 1511, which relate to financial years and include the sums distributed by the Council outside its allocation formula.

    Council for National Academic Awards
    Mr. Andrew Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he will announce a decision on the Bird report on the future of the Council for National Academic Awards and related issues.
    108
    Mr. Alan Howarth
    The right for institutions to award their own degrees cannot be taken as an issue on its own. The report also raises important questions about which institutions should have this right, and about the nature of future quality assurance arrangements. We need to consider these further.

    Durants School, Rickmansworth
    Mr. Fatchett
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to make a decision on the proposal by Hertfordshire county council to close Durants school, Rickmansworth; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Fallon
    My right hon. and learned Friend expects to make a decision on Hertfordshire's proposal in respect of this school very shortly. His decision will be notified to Hertfordshire county council as soon as possible.

    Student Loans
    Mr. Anthony Coombs
    To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the basis for calculating the unit cost per borrower's account of administering the student loans scheme; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Alan Howarth
    The unit cost per account for the academic year 1990–91 will be the operational costs of the Student Loans Company, excluding VAT, during that year, divided by the number of accounts open during the year. The unit cost per account has already fallen substantially during the first months of the scheme. It will continue to fall over the next few years.

    The calculation excludes the start-up costs of £9·3 million, excluding VAT, incurred up to 31 August 1990. This one-off expenditure has enabled the company to administer the loans scheme efficiently. It therefore represents an investment in the future of both the company and the loans scheme.

    The student loans scheme has made additional resources available to students in higher education. The number of applications passed the 100,000 mark last month. Thousands more students are applying every week. The scheme will generate substantial savings for the taxpayer in the medium term—and facilitate the expansion of higher education that we all want to see—even when the costs of administering the scheme are included. I congratulate the Student Loans Company on its achievement so far.

  HEALTH

    General Practitioners
    Mr. Anthony Coombs
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what has been the change in the number of general practitioners between 1979 and the latest year for which figures are available.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    Between 1 October 1979 and 1 October 1990 the number of general practitioners in England (1990 figures are provisional) increased by 4,267—an increase of 20 per cent.

    NHS Trusts
    Mr. Wilshire
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about the progress with setting up health service trusts.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    I am delighted to report that there has been great interest in national health service trust status.

    Fifty seven national health service trusts will be operational from 1 April this year. The other nine candidates are continuing to work towards trust status. To date, a further 129 hospitals and units have expressed an interest in gaining trust status by April 1992.

    Drugs
    Dame Jill Knight
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends taking further steps to combat waste of money due to overprescribing of drugs.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The Government are committed to a programme of measures to help eliminate wasteful and unnecessary prescribing. These include educational initiatives, the introduction of medical advisers on prescribing at each family health services authority and the introduction of indicative amounts for practices from 1 April 1991 to provide a financial benchmark against which performance can be measured.

    Mr. Wilson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the cost of the drugs budget to the NHS in the current year.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The latest forecast of spending on drugs in family health services in 1990–91 is £2,116 million. This represents an increase in real terms of 1 per cent. over the outturn for last year, although the rate of growth has slowed compared with previous years as a result of our initiative to encourage cost-effective prescribing. Information on expenditure on drugs in the hospital and community health services is not available for the current year but in 1989–90 amounted to £414 million.

    Liver Transplants
    Mr. Tim Smith
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his department is taking to promote liver transplants.

    Mr. Dorrell
    The Government are continuing to promote the success of the United Kingdom liver transplant programme in a number of ways. Central funding in excess of £14·7 million will be provided in 1991–92, a fifth supra regional liver transplant centre will be designated from April 1991, and resources aimed at improving the supply of donor organs are regularly increased.

    Hearing Aids
    Mr. Favell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is proposing to take to reduce the waiting times for those requiring hearing aids.

    Mr. Dorrell
    We have set up and are funding twelve pilot projects in hospitals throughout England. The projects are aimed at testing a variety of ways of reducing waiting times for hearing aid services.

    Pay Awards
    Mr. Gill
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what reaction he has received to the recent pay awards to NHS employees.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister announced on 31 January that the Government had decided to accept in full the review body recommendations, including those for doctors, dentists, nurses and the professions allied to medicine in the national health service. We have received one letter registering disappointment at the staging of the award.

    Residential Care
    Mr. Martyn Jones
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the future of local authority residential care for the elderly and disabled.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    Our community care policies, to be implemented between now and 1993, will improve standards in residential care for old or disabled people either in local authority or independent care, and help to ensure that it is not used except where home-based alternatives are or have become unsuitable.

    Regional Pay Bargaining
    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has had about Government plans to decentralise pay bargaining in the health service; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Dorrell
    I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn, Hatfield (Mr. Evans).

    NHS Spending
    Dr. Michael Clark
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the spending per head of population on the NHS, now and in 1979; and what are the figures in real terms.

    Mr. Dorrell
    In 1990–91 planned expenditure per head of population in the United Kingdom is £511. The equivalent figure in 1978–79 was £144 or £365 at today's prices. This is a real terms increase of 40 per cent.

    Community Care
    Mr. Barron
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from local authorities with regard to the implementation of Government proposals for community care.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The Department meets regularly with the local authority associations and welcomes their continued support for our community care policy.

    Primary Health Care
    Mr. Jack Thompson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve the performance of family health service authorities in meeting primary care targets.

    Mr. Dorrell
    All family health services authorities (FHSAs) have been funded to appoint independent
    111
    medical advisers to advise general practitioners on clinical and organisational issues. FHSAs can also target funds for GP premises and staff (for example, practice nurses) to support GPs in areas of greatest need. In addition many have appointed facilitators to work with GPs in establishing and improving their health promotion services.

    Children
    Dr. Kim Howells
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many scheduled surgical operations to infants under the age of three years have been cancelled for the remaining weeks of the present financial year.

    Mr. Dorrell
    Information collected centrally refers to cancelled operating sessions, not operations, and does not distinguish the age of the patient. Information for 1989–90, the latest available, is published in, "NHS operating theatres availability and use in England—financial year 1989–90", a copy of which is available in the Library.

    Mr. David Nicholson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action the Government are taking to prepare for the implementation of the Children Act 1989.

    Mr. Dorrell
    A number of documents have already been issued to local authorities including "An Introduction to the Children Act", a training curriculum produced by the London Boroughs Training Committee, and "The Care of Children—Principles and Practice in Regulations and Guidance", copies of which are available in the Library.

    The first phase of a wide-ranging consultation exercise on the guidance and regulations required under the Act ended last year. Some 21 draft papers were sent out for comment to a great variety of statutory and voluntary organisations; the response which we received from the field to these drafts was both helpful and encouraging, and the comments were fed into the final drafting of the guidance. The consultation exercise has culminated in the issue of guidance on court orders, one in an initial series of five volumes of guidance and regulations. Some 20,000 copies of this guidance will be distributed free of charge this week. Other volumes will follow shortly.

    We have commissioned several projects to provide training in the fields of child care and child protection in advance of implementation on 14 October 1991. Some projects are complete, and the material has been disseminated to the target audiences; others are nearing completion. The projects commissioned will provide professionals and others with a broad understanding and initial awareness of the Act or specialised training in specific aspects of the Act. We are confident that most projects will be completed before October 1991, and staff responsible for working with the Act will receive training in advance of implementation.

    We recently announced the provision of an additional £250,000 to assist voluntary organisations in the provision of training for the Act. This money will be administered by the National Council for Voluntary Child Care organisations. In addition, further training projects will be commissioned from April this year, to address areas not covered in the first phase of training. This will include material for guardians ad litem, and on the provisions of the Act relating to children leaving care.

    East Cumbria Health Authority
    Mr. Martlew
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he last met the chairman of the Northern regional health authority to discuss the funding of East Cumbria health authority.

    Mr. Dorrell
    My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has not discussed the funding of East Cumbria health authority with the chairman of the Northern regional health authority.

    Cervical Cancer
    Mr. Douglas
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current waiting time for women who require laser treatment for pre-cancerous cervical cells.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The statistics are not held centrally. These figures would not be recorded separately from other gynaecology statistics.

    Food Safety
    Miss Emma Nicholson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what representations his Department has received from the cheese manufacturing industry concerning the proposals made in the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations;

    (2) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to hard cheeses in the last three years;

    (3) whether the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations will apply to traditionally produced hard cheeses when (a) vacuum packed and (b) wax coated;

    (4) how many cases of food poisoning have been traced to hard cheeses delivered in the post over the last five years.

    Mr. Dorrell
    The Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations 1990 specify that mould (or other microorganism) ripened soft cheese should be temperature controlled. Hard cheese is only covered by the regulations in cooked products. The regulations do not differentiate vacuum packed or wax coated cheeses.

    Data on the incidence of outbreaks of food poisoning related to particular foods is not in itself a conclusive indicator of the need for controls to improve food hygiene.

    Miss Emma Nicholson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment has been made of the effect of the Food Hygiene (Amendment) Regulations on the mail-order food industry.

    Mr. Dorrell
    I refer my hon. Friend to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Gedling (Mr. Mitchell) on 21 February at columns 245–46. The Government are consulting mail order firms and others on proposals for amendments to these regulations, including an exemption for mail order to allow industry more time to develop practical means of achieving necessary controls. Amending regulations will be laid before Parliament when the consultation is complete.

    Supra-regional Services
    Sir David Price
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he received the recommendations of the supra-regional services advisory group on the future funding and management of the supra-regional services; and what response he has made.
    113
    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The Chairman of the Supra Regional Services Advisory Group sent his recommendations to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 21 December 1990. We accepted the recommendations in full, and issued an announcement to health authorities on 8 February. A copy of this announcement has been placed in the Library.

    Officials are arranging contracts with the designated centres. When these are complete, we will make a further announcement of the agreed funding level for each unit.

    NHS Pay
    Mr. Battle
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the average rates of pay for NHS ancillary staff(a) in Yorkshire and Humberside and (b) nationally.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The estimated average gross annual rate of pay for NHS ancillary staff in Yorkshire region at September 1990 was £8,200 per whole-time equivalent compared with a figure of £8,170 nationally.

    Equal Opportunities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Dorrell
    The last survey of ethnic origin conducted in the Department was over the period June to October 1989. In accordance with the Department's action plan on equal opportunities, a further survey is planned to commence in June this year.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

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

    Grade

    Total Staff1

    Female

    Ethnic Minority2

    Number

    Per cent.

    Number

    Per cent.

    1

    1

    0

    —

    0

    —

    2

    9

    2

    22·2

    0

    —

    3

    24

    5

    20·8

    0

    —

    4

    24

    7

    29·2

    0

    —

    5

    173

    55

    31·8

    7

    4·0

    6

    183

    51

    27·9

    5

    2·7

    7

    341

    94

    27·6

    8

    2·3

    Total

    755

    214

    28·3

    20

    2·6

    1 Figures from the Department's payroll as at 31 January 1991.

    2 Figures based on questionnaires voluntarily completed by stiff. For the grades shown the overall response rate was 89·4 per cent.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at his Department.

    Mr. Dorrell
    Recruitment for established appointments at senior level is undertaken by the Civil Service Commission. The Department supports the various initiatives which the Civil Service Commission is taking to aid the recruitment of members of the ethnic minorities.

    Pharmaceuticals
    Mr. Michael Morris
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his response on 30 January,Official Report, column 530, if he will name the major manufacturer of generic pharmaceutical products that has opposed the restoration of patent term protection by the European Commission and indicate what is its manufacturing capacity in the United Kingdom.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    No.

    Personal Social Services
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the estimated outturn of expenditure on the personal social services for each local authority in 1990–91; and what was the level of each authority's expenditure on the personal social services in 1979–80 adjusted by(a) the gross domestic product deflator and (b) the change in input unit costs.

    Mr. Dorrell
    The information is shown in the table:

    Net current expenditure on personal social services

    1990–91 budgets

    1979–80 outturn revalued to 1990–91 using

    GDP

    PSS pay and prices index

    £ million

    £ million

    £ million

    Shire Counties

    Avon

    73·3

    54·6

    59·6

    Bedfordshire

    38·9

    26·6

    29·1

    Berkshire

    53·4

    30·8

    33·6

    Buckinghamshire

    44·2

    20·8

    22·7

    Cambridgeshire

    43·6

    25·0

    27·3

    Cheshire

    68·0

    44·2

    48·3

    Cleveland

    47·2

    33·3

    36·3

    Cornwall

    28·5

    15·3

    16·7

    Cumbria

    31·8

    21·6

    23·6

    Derbyshire

    81·5

    42·8

    46·7

    Devon

    63·0

    39·9

    43·5

    Dorset

    35·3

    27·4

    29·9

    Durham

    36·3

    31·4

    34·2

    East Sussex

    52·4

    41·2

    45·0

    Essex

    107·1

    56·9

    62·1

    Gloucestershire

    31·2

    22·3

    24·4

    Hampshire

    81·0

    61·1

    66·7

    Hereford and Worcester

    38·5

    26·8

    29·3

    Hertfordshire

    64·9

    39·9

    43·6

    Humberside

    69·0

    41·8

    45·6

    Isle of Wight

    8·8

    4·8

    5·3

    Kent

    99·1

    63·2

    69·0

    Lancashire

    109·7

    76·3

    83·2

    Leicestershire

    63·1

    39·6

    43·3

    Lincolnshire

    32·9

    26·2

    28·5

    Norfolk

    42·5

    30·9

    33·7

    Northamptonshire

    41·6

    23·0

    25·1

    Northumberland

    22·5

    14·5

    15·8

    North Yorkshire

    39·9

    26·9

    29·3

    Nottinghamshire

    88·5

    54·5

    59·5

    Oxfordshire

    37·4

    27·2

    29·7

    Shropshire

    24·3

    12·9

    14·1

    Somerset

    32·7

    18·8

    20·5

    Staffordshire

    57·2

    39·9

    43·5

    Suffolk

    35·1

    22·3

    24·3

    Surrey

    57·7

    36·8

    40·1

    Warwickshire

    31·0

    19·4

    21·1

    West Sussex

    38·7

    27·9

    30·5

    Wiltshire

    35·0

    21·5

    23·5

    Isles of Scilly

    0·1

    0·1

    0·1

    Metropolitan Districts

    Bolton

    22·0

    15·3

    16·7

    Bury

    13·8

    10·2

    11·1

    115

    1990–91 budgets

    1979–80 outturn revalued to 1990–91 using

    GDP

    PSS pay and prices index

    £ million

    £ million

    £ million

    Manchester

    63·1

    59·8

    65·3

    Oldham

    19·8

    15·1

    16·5

    Rochdale

    23·7

    15·7

    17·1

    Salford

    25·6

    18·7

    20·4

    Stockport

    22·4

    15·2

    16·5

    Tameside

    21·9

    14·4

    15·8

    Trafford

    16·2

    11·0

    12·0

    Wigan

    21·0

    16·4

    17·9

    Knowsley

    14·1

    11·8

    12·8

    Liverpool

    57·1

    44·6

    48·7

    St. Helens

    17·4

    16·9

    18·4

    Sefton

    24·5

    9·8

    10·7

    Wirral

    29·8

    21·4

    23·3

    Barnsley

    15·2

    12·3

    13·4

    Doncaster

    19·9

    18·0

    19·6

    Rotherham

    21·0

    13·3

    14·5

    Sheffield

    56·4

    42·8

    46·7

    Gateshead

    19·7

    15·4

    16·8

    Newcastle

    35·7

    31·7

    34·6

    North Tyneside

    22·3

    13·6

    14·9

    South Tyneside

    14·3

    11·7

    12·8

    Sunderland

    24·4

    22·2

    24·2

    Birmingham

    112·0

    82·5

    90·0

    Coventry

    33·8

    24·0

    26·2

    Dudley

    20·0

    11·2

    12·2

    Sandwell

    32·7

    16·6

    18·1

    Solihull

    15·1

    6·8

    7·4

    Walsall

    19·8

    14·2

    15·5

    Wolverhampton

    27·6

    14·9

    16·2

    Bradford

    47·7

    34·2

    37·3

    Calderdale

    18·0

    10·8

    11·8

    Kirklees

    31·7

    20·8

    22·7

    Leeds

    72·2

    40·0

    43·7

    Wakefield

    24·1

    18·8

    20·5

    Inner London Boroughs

    Camden

    42·5

    41·0

    44·8

    Greenwich

    42·0

    25·5

    27·9

    Hackney

    46·4

    36·9

    40·3

    Hammersmith

    35·8

    27·6

    30·1

    Islington

    45·5

    32·7

    35·7

    Kensington

    29·0

    21·9

    23·9

    Lambeth

    . .

    51·1

    55·7

    Lewisham

    44·7

    37·7

    41·1

    Southwark

    49·3

    37·3

    40·7

    Tower Hamlets

    28·3

    27·8

    30·4

    Wandsworth

    52·0

    45·9

    50·0

    Westminster

    41·8

    32·1

    35·0

    City of London

    3·0

    1·1

    1·2

    Outer London Boroughs

    Barking

    16·5

    10·8

    11·8

    Barnet

    27·4

    21·0

    23·0

    Bexley

    15·9

    11·6

    12·7

    Brent

    42·2

    28·3

    30·9

    Bromley

    21·8

    15·8

    17·3

    Croydon

    32·6

    21·7

    23·7

    Ealing

    37·5

    23·6

    25·8

    Enfield

    26·3

    14·9

    16·3

    Haringey

    . .

    29·9

    32·7

    Harrow

    18·6

    12·8

    14·0

    Havering

    19·9

    13·7

    14·9

    Hillingdon

    25·8

    16·3

    17·8

    Hounslow

    27·0

    16·0

    17·4

    Kingston-upon-Thames

    13·9

    9·3

    10·1

    Merton

    19·1

    14·8

    16·1

    Newham

    37·5

    21·5

    23·5

    Redbridge

    21·2

    14·2

    15·4

    116

    1990–91 budgets

    1979–80 outturn revalued to 1990–91 using

    GDP

    PSS pay and prices index

    £ million

    £ million

    £ million

    Richmond-upon-Thames

    16·9

    9·3

    10·1

    Sutton

    16·8

    9·7

    10·6

    Waltham Forest

    33·3

    21·5

    23·5

    Notes:

    1. 1990–91 budgets are based on authorities own estimates.

    2. Budget returns have not been received from Lambeth and Haringey.

    3. Shire Counties figures for 1979–80 exclude expenditure by shire Districts of £8 million revalued.

    Salmonella
    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what factor he attributes the latest annual increase in salmonella enteritidis infections in humans.

    Mr. Dorrell
    Epidemiological and microbiological work by the public health laboratory service on salmonella enteritidis phage type 4, which is the main salmonella associated with food poisoning in humans, continues to demonstrate that this organism is predominantly associated with poultry meat and eggs. Reports of illness are still being received where the public health advice about the safe consumption of eggs and the hygienic handling of raw meats especially poultry, is not being followed. It is important that producers, caterers and consumers continue their efforts to control this problem.

    Deaths
    Mr. Steinberg
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of deaths of persons classified as of no fixed address for each year since 1980.

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

    GP Budgets
    Mr. Robin Cook
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practices intend to hold their own budget from 1 April.

    Mr. Waldegrave
    I shall make an announcement shortly.

    NHS Expenditure
    Mr. Harry Greenway
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much cash is currently being spent on the national health service; what was the figure for the year to May 1979 in real and actual terms; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Dorrell
    Expenditure figures for England are available on a financial year basis only. This year gross spending on the NHS in England will be £23·7 billion compared with £6·6 billion, or £.16·5 billion in today's prices in 1978–79. This represents a real terms increase of nearly 44 per cent.

    Dental Contract
    Sir John Hunt
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in the Bromley area have withdrawn from the national health service since the introduction of the new dental contract.

    Mr. Dorrell
    Since the introduction of the new dental contract on 1 October 1990, two dentists in the Bromley area have withdrawn from the national health service. This compares with eight withdrawals for the corresponding period in the previous year.

    Table showing availability and utilisation rates for health authorities in the Greater London area. (Figures as at 30 November 1990)

    (a)

    (b)

    (c)

    Total Number of Units

    Percent availability

    Percent utilisation

    North West Thames

    Barnet

    930

    1

    1

    Ealing

    328

    100

    97

    Harrow

    639

    100

    97

    Hillingdon

    904

    92

    100

    Hounslow and Spelthorne

    1

    1

    1

    Parkside

    1,991

    96

    96

    Riverside

    1,908

    94

    100

    North East Thames

    Barking Havering and Brentwood

    1,247

    92

    85

    Bloomsbury

    1

    1

    1

    City and Hackney

    1,139

    91

    97

    Enfield

    510

    93

    91

    Hampstead

    1,029

    98

    87

    Haringey

    402

    99

    100

    Islington

    1

    1

    1

    Newham

    412

    98

    98

    Redbridge

    476

    78

    95

    Tower Hamlets

    1,165

    1

    1

    Waltham Forest

    802

    87

    86

    South East Thames

    Bexley

    1

    1

    1

    Bromley

    1

    1

    1

    Camberwell

    799

    92

    93

    Greenwich

    805

    90

    89

    Lewisham and North Southwark

    1

    1

    1

    West Lambeth

    1

    1

    1

    South West Thames

    Croydon

    780

    96

    100

    Kingston and Esher

    681

    96

    84

    Merton and Sutton

    1

    1

    1

    Richmond Twickenham and Roehampton

    417

    99

    95

    Wandsworth

    1,141

    85

    86

    SHAs for the London Post-Graduate Teaching Hospitals

    Bethlem and Maudsley

    307

    100

    90

    Hospital for Sick Children

    903

    97

    91

    Hammersmith and Queen Charlotte

    623

    95

    93

    National Neurology

    240

    100

    93

    Royal Marsden

    323

    97

    94

    National Heart and Chest

    557

    86

    93

    1 Figures not provided.

    Notes:

    (b) Percentage of units available for letting out of the total stock.

    (c) Percentage of (b) actually occupied.

    Gulf Casualties
    Mr. Ashley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans have been made to provide the rehabilitation which may be needed for service personnel injured in the Gulf; and how it will be financed.

    Nurses' Accommodation
    Mrs. Gorman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has investigated the amount of surplus nursing accommodation in the London area; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Dorrell
    The Department recently commissioned a further study of the utilisation of the NHS residential estate and the report of that study is presently being considered. The details of the availability and utilisation rates of health authorities in the Greater London area and the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals are shown in the table.

    Mr. Dorrell
    Injuries to service personnel in the Gulf have been mercifully few. We anticipate that any rehabilitation needed after their treatment can be provided within existing plans.
    119
    Mr. Ashley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans have been made to provide adequate social services for service personnel wounded in the Gulf; and how these will be financed.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    I refer the right hon. Member to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Mid-Kent (Mr. Rowe) and the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 5 February at columns 154–55.

    AIDS
    Mr. William Powell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the Government are doing to combat the spread of AIDS.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The Government are fully committed to the fight against AIDS. Since 1985, we have allocated more than £500 million of earmarked funding to health and local authorities for the development of AIDS-related services and nearly £8 million to the voluntary sector. During this period we have also allocated over £62 million to support a major public education campaign and made some £50 million available for research into AIDS. In addition, we have played a full part in supporting international initiatives; we are the third largest contributor to WHO's global programme on AIDS.

    Achondroplasia
    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has to improve the availability of treatment facilities for achondroplasia.

    Mr. Dorrell
    It is for local health authorities to decide what services to make available for the treatment of achondroplasia, in the light of their assessment of local health needs and priorities, as against resources.

    Hospital Treatment, York
    Mr. Gregory
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the numbers of in-patients and day cases treated respectively in the York health authority area were in (i) 1979 and (ii) the latest year for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Dorrell
    The information requested is given in the table.

    In-patients and day cases in York health authority

    Year

    In-patients

    Day cases

    1979

    Discharges and deaths

    27,296

    4,444

    1988–89

    Discharges and deaths

    34,176

    5,523

    Finished consultant episodes

    38,184

    1989–90

    Finished consultant episodes

    39,434

    5,626

    Source: 1979 SH3; 1988–89 SH3A; 1989–90 KP70.

    Taylorplan Services Ltd.
    Mr. Madden
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health when the Bradford hospitals national health service trust assumed responsibility for hospitals in Bradford; when the 120
    contract for catering was signed with Taylorplan Services Ltd.; whether he was asked to supply any information about companies tendering for the catering contract; and if he will make a statement.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    The Bradford hospitals NHS trust was established on 17 December 1990 and has certain functions, which include entering into contracts, before it becomes fully operational on 1 April. The tenders and the contract for catering services are a matter between the Trust and the contractors concerned and the Department has no direct involvement.

    Mr. Madden
    To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will place in the Library a copy of the technical evaluation by Price Waterhouse of the tender submitted by Taylorplan Services Ltd. to North Lincolnshire district health authority in 1988; and if he will make a statement.

    Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
    No. The evaluation was a contract matter between Price Waterhouse and the North Lincolnshire district health authority, and formed only part of a wider tendering exercise by that authority. Its contents are commercial in confidence. I can confirm that the authority has awarded two contracts to Taylorplan Services Ltd.

  FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

    Soviet Union
    Mr. John Marshall
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made in respect of Boris Nepomniashy of Moscow who has been unsuccessfully applying to leave the Soviet Union.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We have included Mr. Nepomniashy's name in the list of cases regularly brought to the attention of the Soviet authorities and will continue to make firm representations in support of his application to leave the Soviet Union.

    Israel
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received from the international nuclear-free zone local authorities conference, held in Glasgow last November, concerning the imprisonment in Israel of Mordechai Vanunu.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We are aware of representations made by this body to the Israeli embassy in London. As we have stated on previous occasions, Mr. Vanunu appears to have been treated in accordance with the normal judicial process in Israel and his conditions of imprisonment are compatible with normal Israeli practice.

    United Kingdom Embassies
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of British military attaches at United Kingdom embassies.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    The role of British military attaches at United Kingdom embassies and high commissions is to liaise with defence authorities of host countries on a range of military topics of common interest.

    The Gulf
    Mr. Flynn
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy on the end of hostilities in the Gulf to investigate the extent to which non-lethal and lethal military technology sold by British firms to Iraq since 1979 was used by Iraq in abuses of the human rights of Kuwaitis or Iraqi dissidents since 2 August 1990.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    Such an investigation is neither practicable nor necessary.

    Libya
    Mr. Ron Brown
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the current state of relations with Libya; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Douglas Hogg
    We see no prospect of an improvement in Anglo-Libyan relations until we are satisfied that Libya has terminated its support for international terrorism.

    Nature and Natural Resources
    Mr. Gould
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on resolution 18/7 which was passed by the 18th General Assembly of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources in Perth in 1990.

    Mr. Lennox-Boyd
    The United Kingdom state delegation to the 18th general assembly of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources explained that it could not support resolution 18/7 on Antarctica because the resolution endorsed only one possible mechanism for the comprehensive protection of the Antarctic environment. Had the general assembly been required to vote on that resolution the United Kingdom state delegation would have abstained. The state delegations of the United States of America and Norway associated themselves with the United Kingdom's position. A copy of the delegation's statement is being placed in the Library of the House.

    Competitive Tendering
    Mr. Foulkes
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs under what circumstances he would consider it appropriate to seek a single tender rather than open a contract to competitive tender in public relations or similar areas of work.

    Mr. Lennox-Boyd
    It is FCO policy to award contracts on the basis of competitive tender for all kinds of work. Single tender action is used only when there are compelling reasons to do so, for example:

    (a) When only one supplier on the bid list submits a bid.

    (b) In cases of extreme urgency.

    (c) In cases where only one source is acceptable for technical or quality reasons.

    (d) When we are seeking extensions to existing contracts.

    Hong Kong
    Mr. Marlow
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Hong Kong citizens have applied for United Kingdom passports; what 122
    is the likely proportion that will be granted passports; arid how many dependants are likely to attach to each passport granted.

    Mr. Lennox-Boyd
    As at 4 March, the total number of applications, including those made by registered post before the 28 February deadline, stands at 65,623. It will not be possible to estimate the proportion of applicants who are likely to succeed, nor how many dependants there may be until all applications have been processed.

    Embassy and Consular Staff
    Mr. Harry Greenway
    To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to increase embassy and consular staff in former Warsaw pact countries; and if he will make a statement.

    Mr. Lennox-Boyd
    There are no further plans to increase embassy and consular staff in eastern European posts. These were inspected at the end of 1990 when increased staffing levels, authorised during 1990, were endorsed. Future staffing requirements for the Soviet Union are currently under review.

  SOCIAL SECURITY

    Disability
    Mr. Meacher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many(a) 16 and 17 year-olds and (b) people aged 18 to 25 years have (i) lost entitlement to or (b) been refused income support since the introduction of the age additions in severe disablement allowance;

    (2) how many recipients of severe disablement allowance have lost entitlement to income support as a result of the introduction of age-related additions from December 1990.

    Miss Widdecombe
    It is estimated that up to 5,000 people no longer require income support as a result of the award of age-related additions to severe disablement allowance. This is because their incomes are above income support level. Information about the number of people affected by reference to their ages is not available.

    Source: Modelled using data drawn from the 1989 ASE.

    Attendance Allowance
    Mr. Meacher
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many people aged between six months and two years have(a) claimed and (b) been awarded attendance allowance for each year since 1971; and what is the total number of awards made to two-year-olds since 1971;

    (2) how he plans to identify the people who were entitled to attendance allowance before their second birthday prior to the commissioner's decision CA/380/199; and what plans he has for compensating those who have been awarded the benefit following the commissioner's decision.

    Mr. Scott
    Attendance allowance has been payable to persons aged between six months and two years only since 9 April 1990. Claims decided during the period April 1990 to end of January 1991 are as follows:

    Number

    Decisions made

    6,800

    Awards

    5,300

    123
    Figures for awards made to two-year-olds could be separately identified only at disproportionate cost.

    An application for leave to appeal has been lodged against the commissioner's decision CA/380/1990.

    Pregnancy
    Mr. Nicholas Brown
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will estimate the cost of making income support payable to pregnant 16 and 17-year-olds from the date that their pregnancy is confirmed.

    Mr. Jack
    There is inadequate information on which to make a reasonable estimate, because it is not known how many pregnant 16 and 17-year-olds would prefer to claim income support and not take up youth training, which pays an allowance at, normally, a higher rate than income support.

    Child Benefit
    Mr. McCartney
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many(a) children and (b) families are in receipt of child benefit in the parliamentary constituencies of (i) Bury, North and (ii) Bury, South;

    (2) how many children are expected to be in receipt of the higher-rate child benefit from 1 April in the parliamentary constituencies of (i) Bury, North and (ii) Bury, South.

    Mr. Jack
    Information relating to child benefit is available only on a national basis and cannot be given for particular areas.

    Severe Disability Premium
    Mr. Gareth Wardell
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will outline the grounds on which payments and backpayments of the severe disability premium are being withheld from those on income support and attendance allowance; and whether he has plans to legislate retrospectively so that payments do not have to be made if the Court of Appeal decides in favour of disabled people.

    Miss Widdecombe
    I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Easington (Mr. Cummings) on 27 February 1991 at column 541.

    Equal Opportunities
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when his Department last conducted a survey of the ethnic origins of its employees; when it next plans to do so; and if he will make a statement.

    Miss Widdecombe
    The Department last conducted a full survey of the ethnic origins of its employees in June 1989. The survey was by means of a voluntary questionnaire. The data from the survey is routinely up-dated with information on new staff and leavers.

    As part of our equal opportunities action plan and in common with other Government Departments, we are committed to improving the results of the last survey to achieve a 90 per cent. response rate. In consequence, some parts of the Department, where response rates were low, are currently conducting a resurvey.
    124
    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he has taken to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment at his Department.

    Miss Widdecombe
    In addition to steps being taken by the Civil Service Commission on recruitment, the Department has developed an action plan on equal opportunities. This includes several initiatives, to improve the representation of staff from ethnic minorities at all stages from recruitment to promotion.

    Mr. Janner
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many and what percentage of officers in each grade (1–7) and overall in the Department are(a) women and (b) from ethnic minorities, respectively.

    Miss Widdecombe
    The information for the Department at 1 February 1991 is in the table.

    Grade

    Total

    Women

    Ethnic minority staff

    Number

    Per cent.

    Number

    Per cent.

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    2

    4

    0

    0

    0

    0

    3

    14

    6

    43

    0

    0

    4

    11

    0

    0

    1

    9·1

    5

    81

    19

    23

    2

    2·5

    6

    190

    29

    15

    16

    8·5

    7

    564

    74

    13

    3

    0·5

    Others

    85,434

    57,925

    68

    3,295

    3·9

    Total

    86,299

    58,052

    67

    3,317

    3·8

    Note:

    Ethnic minority figures are based on questionnaires voluntarily completed by staff (82 per cent. response rate to date).

    Social Fund
    Mr. Sumberg
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many payments were made from the social fund in 1988–89 and 1989–90 analysed by type of payment.

    Mr. Scott
    Payments were as follows:

    1988–89 thousands

    1989–90 thousands

    Maternity payments

    170

    175

    Funeral payments

    40

    45

    Community care grants

    155

    230

    Budget loans

    505

    580

    Crisis loans

    380

    450

    Cold weather payments

    1

    45

    Cold Weather Payments
    Mr. Morgan
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his parliamentary answers of 22 February,Official Report, column 292, and 15 February, Official Report, column 629, in which newspapers and on what date the local social security office for Clitheroe published the availability of, qualifying conditions for and application forms for special cold weather payments.

    Mr. Scott
    The Department's Accrington office, which deals with Clitheroe, placed an advertisement in the Citizen and the Herald and Post on 14 February 1991.

    Earnings Disregard
    Dame Elaine Kellett-Bowman
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much additional expenditure would be involved if the £15 earnings currently disregarded for benefit purposes were to be increased to £50 per week.

    Miss Widdecombe
    [holding answer 19 February 1991]: An increase of £35 in the earnings disregard would have effects on people's choices which are difficult to anticipate. However, we estimate that the cost might be in the region of £150 million across the income-related benefits.

    Income Statistics
    Mr. Clay
    To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table in the manner of the tax-benefit model tables showing in 1988–89 and 1990–91 the gross earnings and net income with relevant social security benefits of (i) a married couple with two children aged four and six years with the head in full time work, (ii) a married couple with three children aged three, eight and

    Grant paid to each council since 1985

    District

    1985–86

    1986–87

    1987–88

    1988–89

    £

    £

    £

    £

    Antrim

    312,498

    370,276

    297,415

    230,107

    Ards

    853,823

    1,145,922

    1,144,002

    1,109,965

    Armagh

    806,218

    874,313

    934,594

    917,120

    Ballymena

    416,316

    515,209

    441,014

    468,248

    Ballymoney

    433,467

    457,971

    600,171

    553,888

    Banbridge

    505,922

    529,522

    605,433

    586,867

    Belfast

    4,692,549

    5,122,136

    5,368,404

    5,680,258

    Carrickfergus

    423,650

    430,674

    462,328

    449,508

    Castlereagh

    435,300

    526,291

    426,557

    430,021

    Coleraine

    370,204

    342,722

    288,401

    311,666

    Cookstown

    470,701

    479,230

    517,465

    477,515

    Craigavon

    1,258,565

    1,256,531

    1,503,284

    1,505,757

    Derry

    2,150,279

    2,411,072

    2,517,295

    2,698,647

    Down

    1,059,929

    1,235,652

    1,427,921

    1,437,359

    Dungannon

    945,193

    887,350

    971,853

    942,600

    Fermanagh

    1,054,522

    1,144,780

    1,193,343

    1,116,206

    Larne

    383,348

    395,700

    372,040

    390,630

    Limavady

    428,037

    486,044

    522,866

    607,730

    Lisburn

    798,696

    1,089,944

    1,015,680

    1,117,620

    Magherafelt

    615,274

    623,256

    687,739

    711,912

    Moyle

    372,579

    447,269

    463,143

    457,943

    Newry and Mourne

    2,387,487

    2,598,258

    2,632,989

    2,670,374

    Newtownabbey

    1,027,691

    1,050,207

    1,053,659

    986,500

    North Down

    347,092

    655,536

    581,305

    591,281

    Omagh

    1,109,986

    1,026,753

    1,114,700

    1,106,807

    Strabane

    1,163,216

    1,097,377

    1,243,202

    1,204,510

    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the rate fixed by each district council in Northern Ireland for each financial year since 1985.

    District rate fixed in pence

    District

    1985–86

    1986–87

    1987–88

    1988–89

    1989–90

    1990–91

    1. Antrim

    42·00

    45·75

    48·50

    51·00

    53·00

    54·50

    2. Ards

    50·00

    53·00

    53·00

    54·00

    57·50

    65·00

    3. Armagh

    34·50

    38·00

    38·00

    41·00

    44·00

    47·50

    4. Ballymena

    36·35

    38·00

    39·85

    42·85

    44·00

    47·00

    5. Ballymoney

    42·25

    45·25

    46·00

    47·00

    50·25

    54·00

    6. Banbridge

    44·93

    47·97

    50·98

    50·98

    50·98

    54·88

    7. Belfast

    69·04

    76·36

    80·03

    83·96

    83·96

    88·08

    8. Carrickfergus

    55·00

    57·50

    59·41

    62·50

    65·75

    69·50

    9. Castlereagh

    33·00

    39·08

    41·00

    39·90

    37·90

    44·39

    10. Coleraine

    45·00

    49·00

    50·00

    53·00

    55·00

    55·00

    11. Cookstown

    35·85

    39·75

    43·00

    42·75

    47·75

    51·75

    12. Craigavon

    54·93

    60·21

    63·35

    63·35

    67·47

    70·77

    13. Derry

    59·50

    67·00

    69·50

    72·55

    76·80

    84·00

    126
    11 years with the head in full-time work, (iii) the same family types as in (i) and (ii) but with the head in full-time work and the wife in part-time work assuming average hours and earnings, assuming in all cases that the family types are home owners and paying average mortgages, breaking down their earnings into £10 bands ranging from £100 to £250.

    Mr. Jack
    [holding answer 23 January 1991]: I have placed the information requested in the Library.

  NORTHERN IRELAND

    Local Government Finance
    Rev. Ian Paisley
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the level of general Exchequer grant paid to each district council in Northern Ireland for each financial year since 1985.

    Mr. Needham
    The information is set out in the table:

    Mr. Needham
    The information is set out in the table:
    127

    District rate fixed in pence

    District

    1985–86

    1986–87

    1987–88

    1988–89

    1989–90

    1990–91

    14. Down

    45·00

    53·00

    60·00

    65·00

    68·00

    70·00

    15. Dungannon

    38·00

    41·50

    44·00

    44·00

    44·00

    47·75

    16. Fermanagh

    42·75

    48·75

    50·75

    53·50

    55·50

    57·50

    17. Larne

    45·00

    49·25

    52·55

    55·75

    56·75

    64·68

    18. Limavady

    35·00

    39·00

    40·95

    43·50

    47·00

    50·50

    19. Lisburn

    46·24

    48·80

    49·75

    53·57

    53·57

    55·56

    20. Magherafelt

    33·04

    36·56

    41·05

    43·50

    46·34

    49·00

    21. Moyle

    59·75

    65·75

    65·75

    65·50

    68·40

    74·22

    22. Newry and Mourne

    49·00

    54·30

    59·70

    59·70

    58·00

    58·00

    23. Newtownabbey

    52·60

    55·11

    57·24

    60·06

    64·10

    64·69

    24. North Down

    51·50

    56·90

    60·90

    63·70

    65·85

    69·24

    25. Omagh

    43·00

    47·00

    51·65

    55·00

    58·50

    64·30

    26. Strabane

    43·50

    50·50

    54·00

    57·00

    60·75

    67·25

    Libraries and Information Services Council
    Mr. Campbell-Savours
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list the reports produced by the Libraries and Information Services Council for Northern Ireland in each year from 1986.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The information is as follows:

    1986 — Annual report

    1987 — Annual report

    1988 — Annual report

    1989 — Annual report

    1990 — Annual report and

    1990 — Library and information plan for Northern Ireland

    Number on waiting list as at 26 January 1991

    Area

    A1

    A2

    A3

    A4

    B1

    B2

    B3

    Antrim borough council area

    20

    26

    13

    7

    485

    48

    —

    Mossley district office area

    15

    23

    10

    —

    351

    114

    1

    Housing Developments
    Mr. Clifford Forsythe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) Housing Executive or (b) private housing developments in the Newtownabbey borough council or Antrim borough council areas where building work has ceased for 12 months have (i) portions of road or (ii) portions of pavement still unadopted.

    Mr. Needham
    The information is not available in the form requested. However, there are(a) four Northern Ireland Housing Executive developments and (b) approximately 40 private developments in the two council areas where building work has ceased for 12 months and which have roads or footpaths still unadopted.

    Building Control Fees
    Mr. Peter Robinson
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has proposals to bring building control inspection fees and plan fees to a level closer to the cost of the services.

    Mr. Needham
    Yes. The Department of Environment for Northern Ireland will be consulting later this year on a proposal to increase fees for prescribed building control functions.

    Ballycloughan Primary School
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what was the enrolment at Ballycloughan primary school for each of the past five years;

    Housing Waiting Lists
    Mr. Clifford Forsythe
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants are at present on the Housing Executive waiting list in categories A1, A2, A3, A4, B1, B2 and B3 in(a) Antrim borough council area and (b) Mossley district office area in Newtownabbey.

    Mr. Needham
    This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that the information requested is as follows:

    (2) how many applicants there are for new places at Ballycloughan primary school for the academic year beginning September; how many of these applications have been approved; what is the planned enrolment at Ballycloughan school in September; what proposals there are to provide for increased enrolments at Ballycloughan school; whether parental choice to send children to Ballycloughan school will be respected; and if he will make a statement about future enrolments at this school.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The enrolments were as follows:

    Number

    January 1987

    42

    January 1988

    44

    January 1989

    45

    January 1990

    51

    January 1991

    53

    The South-Eastern education and library board, in consultation with the school's board of governors, is responsible for the determination of the enrolment number and admission criteria for Ballycloughan primary school.

    I understand that 23 children sought admission to the school for September 1991; 18 have been offered places and 15 have accepted. The enrolment planned for September 1991 is 63.

    The enrolment of a school is limited by its physical capacity. Ballycloughan primary school is oversubscribed for admissions in September 1991 and the school's admission criteria has been applied to determine which children should be admitted. The criteria give priority to

    129
    children for whom Ballycloughan primary school is the nearest primary school or who have a brother or sister already enrolled.

    It is intended that part IV of the Education Reform (Northern Ireland) Order 1989 will be brought into operation for primary schools in September 1992. This will require the Department of Education, in consultation with boards of governors, to determine an enrolment and admissions number for all primary schools, it is not possible to say at this stage what future enrolments at Ballycloughan primary school will be. Under open enrolment generally, parents will have the opportunity to express their preference as to the school they wish their children to attend.

    Labour Statistics, Coleraine
    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were employed in the civil service in the Coleraine council area by Department

    Northern Ireland Civil Service

    Coleraine District Council area—non-industrial staff in post at 1 April

    Year

    DANI

    DED

    DOE

    DFP

    DHSS

    NIO

    PANI

    Total

    1985

    173

    18

    382

    57

    96

    5

    20

    751

    1986

    173

    19

    404

    53

    101

    6

    19

    775

    1987

    164

    22

    391

    53

    109

    10

    24

    773

    1988

    156

    22

    395

    52

    112

    9

    23

    769

    1989

    156

    23

    395

    51

    107

    9

    23

    764

    1990

    149

    21

    383

    46

    99

    16

    25

    739

    11991

    135

    23

    390

    42

    91

    16

    30

    727

    1At 1 March.

    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number of persons employed by sex in each standard category of employment in the Coleraine council area for 1 January and 1 July for each year from 1985 to 1991

    Employees in employment—Coleraine district council

    Industrial division

    SIC 1980 division

    Males

    Females

    Total

    September 1984

    Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing1

    0

    —

    —

    —

    Energy and Water Supply Industries

    1

    808

    104

    912

    Manufacture Metals, Mineral Products and Chemicals

    2

    505

    29

    534

    Metal Goods, Engineering and Vehicle Industries

    3

    426

    509

    935

    Other Manufacturing Industries

    4

    1,375

    717

    2,092

    Manufacturing

    2–4

    2,306

    1,255

    3,561

    Construction

    5

    691

    60

    751

    Distillery, Hotels and Catering; Repairs

    6

    1,516

    1,430

    2,946

    Transport and Communication

    7

    388

    92

    480

    Banking, Finance, Insurance and Business Services

    8

    484

    406

    890

    Other Services

    9

    2,339

    3,925

    6,264

    Services

    6–9

    4,727

    5,853

    10,580

    Total

    8,532

    7,272

    15,804

    September 1987

    Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing1

    0

    —

    —

    —

    Energy and Water Supply Industries

    1

    732

    92

    824

    Manufacture Metals, Mineral Products and Chemicals

    2

    148

    13

    161

    Metal Goods, Engineering and Vehicle Industries

    3

    562

    910

    1,472

    Other Manufacturing Industries

    4

    1,436

    843

    2,279

    130
    as at 1 January and 1 July in each year from 1985 to 1991; and if he will list the reasons for any substantial change in the numbers year on year.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    The information in respect of the dates specified is not readily available and could be compiled only at disproportionate cost. However, the table lists the number of non-industrial Northern Ireland civil servants employed in the Coleraine district council area by Department as at 1 April in each year from 1985 to 1991 and as at 1 March in 1991.

    The increase in staff numbers in 1986 was a result of expansion in the Department of the Environment's vehicle licensing office and water service and the decrease in 1990 was the result of fluctuations in staff numbers across a number of Departments.

    Mr. Needham
    Information on the number of employees by industry (excluding agriculture) and district council area is obtained from the census of employment which has been conducted every two or three years since 1978. The information available from this source from September 1984 onwards by sex and industrial sector is as follows:
    131

    Industrial division

    SIC 1980 division

    Males

    Females

    Total

    Manufacturing

    2–4

    2,146

    1,766

    3,912

    Construction

    5

    699

    95

    794

    Distillery, Hotels and Catering; Repairs

    6

    1,470

    1,603

    3,073

    Transport and Communication

    7

    390

    47

    437

    Banking, Finance, Insurance and Business Services

    8

    467

    455

    922

    Other Services

    9

    2,486

    4,047

    6,533

    Services

    6–9

    4,813

    6,152

    10,965

    Total

    8,390

    8,105

    16,495

    1 Agriculture figures related to Coleraine rural district.

    Source: 1984 and 1987 census of employment.

    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the number and percentage of (i) male unemployed, and (ii) female unemployed in the council area of Coleraine as at 1 January and 1 July for each year from 1985 to 1991; and where Coleraine council area was ranked among all council areas in Northern Ireland for each figure given.

    Mr. Needham
    The number of male and female unemployed claimants in the Coleraine district council area for the months requested is as follows:

    Table 1

    Number of unemployed claimants in the Coleraine district council area

    Male

    Female

    1985

    January

    2,767

    994

    July

    2,625

    1,002

    1986

    January

    3,008

    1,117

    July

    3,100

    1,125

    1987

    January

    3,212

    1,105

    July

    2,909

    1,091

    Table 2: Unemployment in the Coleraine travel-to-work-area

    Males

    Females

    Number of unemployed

    Rate

    Rank

    Number of unemployed

    Rate

    Rank

    January 1985

    5,100

    21·7

    7

    1,636

    11·8

    9

    July 1985

    4,911

    20·9

    7

    1,667

    12·0

    9

    January 1986

    5,555

    23·4

    7

    1,822

    12·9

    8

    July 1986

    5,706

    24·1

    5

    1,864

    13·2

    8

    January 1987

    5,961

    25·5

    5

    1,861

    12·9

    9

    July 1987

    5,530

    23·7

    5

    1,862

    12·9

    9

    January 1988

    5,486

    23·8

    5

    1,681

    11·4

    9

    July 1988

    5,072

    22·0

    6

    1,796

    12·1

    7

    January 1989

    5,017

    22·2

    6

    1,667

    11·2

    7

    July 1989

    4,752

    21·0

    6

    1,662

    11·2

    8

    January 1990

    4,627

    20·1

    5

    1,418

    9·6

    8

    July 1990

    4,351

    19·2

    5

    1,450

    9·8

    8

    January 1991

    4,501

    19·9

    6

    1,311

    8·8

    8

    The rankings are on the basis of Coleraine's position within the 12 Northern Ireland TTWAs and these were ranked from the highest to the lowest unemployment rate.
    132

    Male

    Female

    1988

    January

    2,946

    1,015

    July

    2,789

    1,077

    1989

    January

    2,764

    986

    July

    2,622

    980

    1990

    January

    2,567

    888

    July

    2,382

    888

    1991

    January

    2,399

    774

    Unemployment rates are available only for travel-to-work-areas (TTWAs). Coleraine district council area falls within the Coleraine TTWA which also includes Ballymoney and Moyle district council areas. The table shows the unemployment rates for males and females in the Coleraine TTWA and where each was ranked among the twelve TTWAs in Northern Ireland.

    Hospital Expenditure
    Rev. Martyn Smyth
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will provide in tabular form the capital expenditure on hospital provision in each board area for the years 1988, 1989 and 1990.

    Mr. Hanley
    The information requested is as follows:
    133

    Year

    Northern board

    Southern board

    Eastern board

    Western board

    Total

    £

    £

    £

    £

    £

    1987–88

    1,929,000

    1,452,978

    10,495,130

    3,587,000

    17,464,108

    1988–89

    2,913,000

    2,399,613

    9,570,042

    3,410,000

    18,292,655

    1989–90

    4,256,000

    1,614,691

    10,337,931

    3,761,000

    19,969,622

    134

    New Hospitals
    Rev. Marryn Smyth
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the new hospitals provided in each board area from 1970.

    Mr. Hanley
    The following new hospitals have been provided since 1970:

    Eastern board

    Belfast City hospital tower block

    Mater Infirmorum hospital, Belfast, new block

    Southern board

    Craigavon area hospital, Portadown

    Daisy hill hospital, Newry

    Mullinure hospital, Armagh

    Western board

    Waterside hospital, Londonderry

    Terrorism
    Mr. David Evans
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the security statistics for the first half of 1990 are now available, together with details of persons charged with terrorist type offences and convictions for scheduled offences for that period.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    Yes. The statistics for the first half of 1990 are as follows. (Statistics for earlier years can be obtained from the Library).

    Statistics on Security (January to June 1990)

    Part I—Statistics of Terrorist Activity

    Number

    Number

    Shooting Incidents2

    202

    (90)

    Explosions

    105

    —

    Bombs neutralised

    72

    —

    Weight of explosives in lbs1

    6,556

    —

    Explosions neutralised

    7,918

    —

    Armed robberies

    203

    —

    Amount stolen

    £860,368

    —

    Malicious fires

    166

    —

    Deaths:

    Civilian

    18

    —

    Army/UDR

    7

    (1/6)

    RUC/RUC'R'

    4

    (3/1)

    Injuries:

    Civilian

    228

    —

    Army/UDR

    96

    (83/13)

    RUC/RUC'R'

    131

    (100/31)

    Convictions and sentences for scheduled offences Sentence (January to June 1990)

    Number convicted

    Offence

    1990

    Non-custodial sentence

    Young offenders centre training schools

    Less than 5 years

    5 years and less than 7 years

    7 years and less than 10 years

    10 years and less than 15 years

    15 years and less than 20 years

    20 years and over

    Life

    Murder

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

    Attempted murder

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

    1

    0

    0

    Aid and abet murder

    7

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    7

    Conspiracy to murder

    6

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

    3

    2

    0

    0

    Manslaughter

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

    0

    Wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm

    13

    5

    2

    2

    0

    1

    0

    3

    0

    0

    Causing grievous bodily harm

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Assault occasioning actual bodily harm

    11

    9

    0

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Causing explosion

    5

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    3

    2

    0

    Placing explosives

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    136
    1 Estimated weight only.

    2 Figures in ( ) refers to shots heard only and are not included in the total.

    Part II—Statistics of Security Forces' Activity

    Dwellings Searched

    Army

    RUC

    Occupied

    278

    —

    Unoccupied

    122

    —

    Derelict

    94

    —

    Total

    494

    1,870

    Note:

    Searches of dwellings frequently involve both the Army and RUC and are registered in their respective records. The totals therefore should not be aggregated and are shown separately to avoid an element of double counting.

    Number

    Finds:

    Weapons

    139

    Ammunition (rds)

    12,559

    Explosives (lbs)

    4,004

    Persons charged with terrorist-type offences

    Number

    Murder

    4

    Attempted murder

    35

    Firearms offences

    67

    Explosives offences

    15

    Theft act

    18

    Other

    82

    221

    Part III—Convictions and Sentences for Scheduled Offences

    Notes on the tables

    1.The offence classifications are based on those used by the Crown Court in their annual return.

    2.The tables relate to persons convicted at the Belfast Crown Court. This covers all scheduled offences tried on indictment.

    3.Some jury trials are included in cases where the Attorney General certified out of the scheduled mode of trial, ie non-terrorist serious offences.

    4.Where a person has been convicted of more than one offence only the most serious or that which received the longest sentence is recorded in the statistics.

    137

    Offence

    1990

    Non-custodial sentence

    Young offenders centre training-schools

    Less than 5 years

    5 years and less than 7 years

    7 years and less than 10 years

    10 years and less than 15 years

    15 years and less than 20 years

    20 years and over

    Life

    Possessing explosives with intent

    8

    1

    0

    0

    1

    2

    2

    2

    0

    0

    Other explosives offences

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Possessing a firearm with intent

    22

    4

    4

    1

    5

    3

    5

    0

    0

    0

    Possessing a firearm

    4

    3

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Carrying a firearm with intent (including imitation)

    4

    2

    0

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Other major firearms offences

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Minor firearms offences

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Robbery

    54

    21

    2

    16

    7

    2

    3

    3

    0

    0

    Armed robbery

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Membership of an illegal organisation

    3

    0

    2

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Attempted robbery

    17

    12

    1

    4

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Soliciting support for proscribed organisation

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Unlawful collection of information

    3

    1

    0

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Illegal training

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Kidnapping and false imprisonment

    1

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Blackmail

    2

    0

    0

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Contributing to resources of a proscribed organisation

    2

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Burglary

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Aggravated burglary

    6

    1

    2

    1

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Hijacking

    14

    11

    1

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Attempted Hijacking

    5

    4

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Arson

    12

    6

    3

    1

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Possession of an offensive weapon

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Petrol bomb offences

    18

    16

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Escape offences

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Criminal damage

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Intimidation

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Assisting offenders

    2

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    Withholding information (terrorist and terrorism)

    7

    7

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Possessing prohibited articles (weapons)

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Possession of information

    2

    2

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Bomb hoax

    1

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Perverting the course of justice

    2

    1

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Withholding information rearrestable offence

    5

    5

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Common law riot affray

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Rape

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    1

    0

    0

    0

    Handling

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Making property available

    5

    5

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Common assault

    1

    1

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    0

    Total

    249

    120

    20

    40

    19

    9

    16

    14

    3

    8

    Storm Damage
    Mr. William Ross
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what sums were received from the EC. for the victims of the storms of 5 and 6 January in respect
    138
    of emergency aid; what sums were received in each of the previous three years for such a purpose; and how the sums for each year were expended and in what areas.

    Dr. Mawhinney
    [holding answer 26 February 1991]: A total of 500,000 ECUs (£340,000 sterling equivalent) has

    139
    been provided by the European Commission to assist victims in the United Kingdom of the recent storms (December 1990 and January 1991) and arrangements are now being made by the British Red Cross Society for distribution.

    Under existing EC priorities, aid is given to relatives of those who have been killed, to those injured and, where appropriate, to those who have suffered material loss.

    Following the storms of late 1989 to early 1990, Northern Ireland received and distributed £14,100 in respect of two persons who died and three who were seriously injured as a result of those storms.

    Senior Complaints Officer
    Mr. John D. Taylor
    To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants applied for the post of senior complaints officer as advertised by the Fair Employment Commission on 15 February; how many of these applicants were(a) Roman Catholics and (b) Protestants; and why it has been necessary to re-advertise this post on 26 February.

    Mr. Needham
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: When the Commission had received only three applications in response to its first advertisement it decided to re-advertise the position in order to attract more candidates.

    The religious affiliation of the applicants will be monitored when the recruitment exercise has been completed.

  SCOTLAND

    Takare plc
    Mr. McAvoy
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he was consulted about any proposal to provide exclusive private sector elderly care units on the land sold by Greater Glasgow health board to Takare plc.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    I was aware that Takare was constructing a facility for 240 beds and that the board had entered into a contract for 180 of these.

    Forestry
    Dr. Thomas
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has any plans to produce a new set of objectives for forestry policy covering environmental needs, public enjoyment and timber production.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    No. The principles of multi-purpose forestry, with a greater emphasis on social and environmental benefits, have been fully adopted. A review of forestry policy would not serve any useful purpose at the present time.

    Dr. Thomas
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he plans to take any steps to halt the commercial afforestation of hilly areas.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    The Government's policy is that proposals for the large-scale planting of conifers in the English uplands will not normally be approved. The Government remain of the view, however, that there is scope for such planting in the hills of Scotland and Wales, provided that this is carried out in an environmentally sympathetic way.

    Foxes
    Mr. Ron Davies
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fox destruction societies or clubs are registered with his Department.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    Thirty one fox destruction societies or clubs are currently approved for grant purposes by my right hon. Friend.

    Schools
    Mr. Worthington
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many secondary schools there were in Scotland in 1979–80 and at the latest recorded year;

    (2) how many primary schools there were in Scotland in 1979–80 and at the latest recorded year.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    There were 2,530 and 2,372 education authority primary schools and departments at September 1979 and 1990 respectively.

    The corresponding numbers of education authority secondary schools and departments were 445 in 1979 and 423 in 1990.

    Bilingual Tourism Signs
    Mr. Kennedy
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be in a position to respond to Ross and Cromarty district council's proposal to erect seven bilingual tourist signs at points of entry to the district; and if he will make a statement.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    The Scottish Office has received numerous requests from regional and district councils to further relax the design rules to permit boundary signs to carry more information to help project corporate identities, including a request from Ross and Cromarty district council for bilingual tourist signs. In order to achieve a fair and consistent policy in these matters the Scottish Office propose to issue for consultation by the end of April draft guidance on tourist signposting, which will include proposals for council boundary signs. Decisions will be taken later this year in the light of responses received from consultees.

    Hill Livestock Compensatory Allowance
    Mr. Andrew Welsh
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many current hill livestock compensatory allowance applications he has received; how many have been processed; and when he expects the payments to be completed and paid.

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    A total of 11,326 applications had been received by local offices of the Department by Wednesday 27 February. Payments totalling £25·139 million were issued on 4 March to 7,807 producers, under arrangements announced on 1 March. it is anticipated that the great majority of payments will be made in full by the end of April, although this will depend on the speed with which application forms, still outstanding, are completed and returned to the Department.

    Housing
    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the detailed burdens and conditions to be built into the title deeds of the heritable
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    property disposed of under the voluntary disposals of former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders region in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988; and what mechanisms and sanctions would be available to Ministers against any future private sector landlords succeeding to the ownership of the stock.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: These properties are owned by Scottish Homes and it is a matter for the current owner to determine, on the basis of its own legal advice, which, if any, burdens and conditions should be imposed on the stock to be transferred. As part of the process leading to the ballot these burdens and conditions would be made clear to tenants.

    There is no provision in statute which enables Ministers to take any sanction against any future private sector landlords succeeding to the ownership of the stock.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if Scottish Homes has discretionary power to allow two or more options of private sector landlords to proceed to the ballot stage for consideration by tenants under the procedures laid down for the voluntary disposal of former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in terms of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: In the guidance which my right hon. Friend has given to Scottish Homes, there is nothing which prevents the agency from putting forward two or more options to the ballot stage for consideration by tenants. Scottish Homes procedures of October 1989 allow proposals which have been accepted after initial screening to be processed until they have been rejected by Scottish Homes or by evidence of the ballot of tenants or by the decision of my right hon. Friend.

    In practice, tenants will have an opportunity before ballot stage to seek advice from advisers chosen by themselves and financed by Scottish Homes. At each ballot only one proposal for change will be put to the tenants. Where a majority of tenants vote against the proposal they will have the option of remaining as tenants of Scottish Homes.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland under what circumstances he would give consent to public sector housing authorities in rural areas, to (i) seek to factor former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock and (ii) to make bids to acquire former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock under the provisions for voluntary disposal of housing stock under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: No guidance has been issued on which bodies would be acceptable as factors for Scottish Homes stock. Management arrangements are essentially matters for the landlord, in the first instance, and do not of themselves require the approval of my right hon. Friend.

    As indicated in his recent guidance to Scottish Homes, my right hon. Friend would be willing to consider a recommendation from that agency for a disposal to a local authority where Scottish Homes took the view that there were special circumstances relating to those particular houses such that the disposal would not compromise Ministers and Scottish Homes objective of promoting
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    diversity of choice in housing. I would not wish to prejudge the precise circumstances in which that would be the case, but would expect that these would rarely arise.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the recommended timescale to allow the published procedures to be carried out for each phase of the voluntary disposal of former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock by Scottish Homes in the Border region;

    (2) if he will delay stage 3 of the prescribed process for considering voluntary disposals of housing stock under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 in circumstances where a private sector landlord who entered the bidding at stage 2 of the procedure argues that insufficient time has been allowed to complete their detailed application.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: No. The procedures published by Scottish Homes in October 1989 indicated that the evaluation of any proposals should be completed within three months of the proposals being accepted after the initial screening stage. This period should include evaluation within Scottish Homes and any associated negotiation with the prospective new landlord up to the ballot stage.

    However, since the publication of those procedures my right hon. Friend has issued additional guidance to Scottish Homes on the handling of the current proposals. I understand that Scottish Homes accepts that the period for processing proposals requires to be reviewed and extended. I will ask Scottish Homes to make public the revised timetable for the proposals in the Borders.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will require Scottish Homes to publish the names of all unsuccessful bids made by private sector landlords to acquire former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders at the end of stage 2 of the procedure for the voluntary disposal of stock and prior to the tenants being balloted;

    (2) if he will require Scottish Homes to publish a summary statement of reasons for arriving at conclusions, whether positive or negative, in any proposals submitted by any private sector landlords applying under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 to acquire former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: No. Without the specific authority of the bidders concerned it would be inappropriate to publish reasons for arriving at conclusions without breaching the bidders' commercial confidentiality.

    However, Scottish Homes published procedures set out the requirement that tenants affected by particular proposals must be advised of the proposal as soon as the board have approved the Sub-Committee's recommendation to follow the initial screening stage with detailed evaluation. At that time a press release will be made by Scottish Homes. If the proposal is rejected at the initial screening stage, the regional director of Scottish Homes will consider whether there is a requirement to provide any information to tenants at that time.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he proposes to oblige Scottish Homes to undertake to ensure that the private sector landlords who seek to be considered as bidders for the voluntary
    143
    disposal of former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders at the end of stage 2 of the prescribed procedures are not disadvantaged in any way relative to the party whose initial proposal triggered the process of voluntary disposal under the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: The procedures published by Scottish Homes specify the range of information to be provided to all prospective purchasers to facilitate their preparation of formal proposals. These procedures also provide that all proposals will be assessed on the same basis and that all proposals which have been accepted after initial screening will be processed until they have been rejected by Scottish Homes, or by evidence of the ballot of tenants or by the decision of the Secretary of State.

    I look to Scottish Homes to ensure that all prospective purchasers have adequate time to prepare their proposals in line with the guidance which my right hon. Friend has issued that fair and proper competition should be undertaken whenever possible.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will commission independent consultants to assess any proposals submitted by any private sector landlords applying under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 to acquire former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: No. Assessment of individual proposals is a matter for Scottish Homes to consider, in terms of its published procedures for considering voluntary disposals of stock, with such assistance as it considers necessary. My right hon. Friend will assess any proposals for disposal which are submitted for his consent, with such assistance as he considers necessary, and will withhold his consent if he is not satisfied that the interests of the tenant have been fully protected.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those areas of housing policy which he would expect Scottish Homes to raise with local statutory housing authorities as a consequence of proposals being submitted by any private sector landlords applying under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 to acquire former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock located in the local authority area.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: In accordance with the guidance which was issued to Scottish Homes in February 1989, in putting forward any proposals for my right hon. Friend's consent, the agency should draw attention to any impact on the local authority's interest and their capacity to meet their statutory obligations. In particular, the impact should be identified on the authority's duties towards those accepted as homeless under the "Homeless Persons" provisions in part II of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987; and under section 36 of Land Compensation (Scotland) Act 1973. The impact of any proposal can best be identified by consultation with the authority concerned, taking into account any current or future provision of housing agreed between Scottish Homes and the authority.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what safeguards will be required by him to 144
    protect the interests of tenants of any private sector landlord who acquires housing stock under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 and who subsequently is made bankrupt or goes into liquidation.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: Details of which, if any, safeguards are required to be written into any conditions of disposals are presently being considered by Scottish Homes.

    I will ask Scottish Homes to make public its decisions on this matter.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what regard to local income levels and economic circumstances has to be paid by private sector landlords who have acquired housing stock under the voluntary disposals procedures under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 when setting future levels of rent.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: In terms of Scottish Homes published procedures, the rental proposals for the property will form a part of Scottish Homes assessment of the overall proposal. And it is the overall proposal which will be put to tenants in any ballot. Future rental increases will be determined by the provisions of the tenancy agreement or will be subject to the arrangements for rental increases under assured tenancies under the provisions of sections 24 and 25 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on what instructions he would give to Scottish Homes in the event that he refuses to transfer any of the former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders region to any private sector landlord, in terms of the future factoring arrangements on expiry of the existing contractual arrangements.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: Factoring and management arrangements are essentially landlord responsibilities and as such fall to be dealt with by Scottish Homes itself.

    The financial memorandum which sets out the arrangements under which grant in aid is payable to Scottish Homes specifies that value for money should be ensured through economy, efficiency and effectiveness in the management of resources and that financial considerations should be borne in mind in all transactions.

    The need for further guidance will be kept under review.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to be able to make public the system of valuation to be used when considering the transfer of former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders region to private sector landlords under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: It is intended that the valuation system to be adopted in any large-scale voluntary transfer of housing stock will be that the houses will be valued on the basis of open market value subject to existing tenancies with account being taken of the condition of the stock.

    The district valuer will be invited to assess the market value of the stock and this valuation will subsequently be used as a benchmark against which final decisions will be taken.
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    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland in what circumstances he would consider allowing the transfer of former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders region to private sector landlords under the provisions of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1988 at a transfer price which was below the district valuer's assessment of its market value.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: Transfer at less than the district valuer's valuation would not normally be acceptable. However, Scottish Homes in agreeing to the terms of a sale may impose conditions on the tenancies which will require financial support to be given to the landlord. Scottish Homes procedures allow for such financial support to be given.

    Mr. Kirkwood
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to Scottish Homes on the procedures to be observed when disposing of amenity land and other open spaces unrelated to housing; and whether such amenity space will form any part of any proposal made by a private sector landlord bidding for former Scottish Special Housing Association housing stock in the Borders region.

    Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
    [holding answer 4 March 1991]: The disposal of surplus land by Scottish Homes is governed by the consent of my right hon. Friend and in accordance with the procedures applying to the disposal of land by Departmental public bodies as set out in the paper issued by the Scottish Office in August 1984.
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    In accordance with Scottish Homes, published procedures on the consideration of voluntary disposals of stock, planned open space in housing developments, which is proposed should be transferred with the properties, should be identified on an appropriate plan of the proposed acquisition. It will be subject to valuation by the district valuer. The procedures require that arrangements for the maintenance of the open space, be determined, identifying how the costs are to be met and apportioned since, in principle, landlords will be expected to assume this responsibility unless there are agreed arrangements to the contrary.

    Sports and Recreation
    Mr. Wray
    To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average time spent in physical education and sports by children in Scottish schools in(a) 1978, (b) 1984 and (c)

    Mr. Michael Forsyth
    [holding answer 8 February 1991]: Information in the form requested is not available. The average proportion of pupil time given to physical education in education authority secondary schools in 1983 was 6·5 per cent.; the corresponding figure for 1989 was 6·6 per cent. ranging from 7·3 per cent in SI to 4·5 per cent. in S6. Figures for the percentage of time spent separately on sport are not available but arrangements are being made for statistics to be collected in future of time spent on physical recreation as a timetabled activity within the curriculum.

  NUCLEAR FUEL WASTE
  NUCLEAR FUEL WASTE
  LOBSTERS AND CRABS: CATCHING RESTRICTIONS
  LOBSTERS AND CRABS: CATCHING RESTRICTIONS
  MR. STEPAN KHMARA
  MR. STEPAN KHMARA
  INLAND WATERWAYS: CONTROL OF POLLUTION
  INLAND WATERWAYS: CONTROL OF POLLUTION
  COMPANIES ACT 1989
  COMPANIES ACT 1989
  LOCAL AUTHORITY BUDGETS: CAPPING CRITERIA
  LOCAL AUTHORITY BUDGETS: CAPPING CRITERIA
  REDDITCH BOROUGH COUNCIL: GOVERNMENT DIRECTION
  REDDITCH BOROUGH COUNCIL: GOVERNMENT DIRECTION