Written Answers of 28 March 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General if it is his policy to propose a freeze on the upper limits of capital and income beyond which an applicant is not eligible for legal aid.

  The Attorney-General
  No. It is not the Lord Chancellor's policy to freeze the upper limits of capital and income for legal aid eligibility. The Lord Chancellor is conducting a full review of the financial conditions for legal aid. The first stage of the review, covering civil, non-matrimonial legal aid is nearing completion. A consultation paper will be issued containing proposals aimed at targeting legal aid to need and final decisions will be made in the light of the response to this paper.

  Birmingham Pub Bombings
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Attorney-General why West Midlands police officers were taking statements regarding the Birmingham pub bombings case in 1987.

  The Attorney-General
  The West Midlands police took statements in respect of the Birmingham pub bombings case in 1987 at the request of the Director of Public Prosecutions.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Animals (Live Exports)
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he will make a statement on progress being made in current EC negotiations to maintain adequate control and protection for the exportation of live horses and ponies after 1992;

  (2) what further representations he has had on the need to maintain existing controls on the exportation of live horses and ponies after 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Government continue to receive many representations on this subject. In the Community negotiations, which are still at an early stage, the Government will continue to press for the continuation of controls which prevent the export of horses for slaughter.

  Pesticides
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he now intends to take prosecutions under the Pesticides (Maximum Residue Levels in Food) Regulations 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Prosecutions will be taken under the regulations when appropriate.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list in the Official Report the voluntary organisations to which he has given grant aid, including the amounts given in each case, in 1989–90 and 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  My Department is fully committed to encouraging the work done by the voluntary sector and regularly reviews the grant aid given to voluntary organisations. For 1989–90 and 1990–91 the following organisations benefited by the amounts shown:

  1989–90 £

  1990–91 £

  Dartington Institute (Project Silvanus)

  11,000

  6,250

  Farming and Wildlife Trust

  16,000

  36,000

  National Federation of Young Farmers Clubs

  18,500

  18,962

  National Proficiency Tests Council

  72,670

  115,800

  RURAL (Responsible Use of Resources in Agriculture and on the Land)

  2,000

  2,000

  Orange Juice
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries of origin of the orange juice samples which were subjected to laboratory analysis for sugar content; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  It is not possible to list the countries of origin.

  The labelling of most of the juices analysed in the recent Ministry survey either stated that the juice came from more than one country or did not indicate the country of origin.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what action he intends to take against the suppliers of the orange juice found to breach the Fruit Juice and Nectar Regulations 1977; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The recently reported MAFF survey of orange juice on the United Kingdom market was for surveillance purposes only. Further sampling in compliance with consumer protection law has been carried out, and investigations are continuing.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields on 13 March,Official Report, column 570, whether he intends to exhume the bodies of the BSE-confirmed cattle that were buried in 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Gummer
  No.

  Eggs
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further plans he has to restrict the import of non-salmonella tested eggs in the United Kingdom.
  483
  Mr. Curry
  There are no restrictions on imports from other Member States, but all consignments of eggs imported into the United Kingdom are tested for salmonella enteritidis.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Haberdashers' Aske's CTC
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any conditions for the payment of grants to Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college will be placed on the trustees of the Robert Aske's charity.

  Mr. Eggar
  No.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) pursuant to his answer of 6 March,Official Report, column 188, what exact variations from the terms of paragraph 9 of the model CTC/CCTA funding agreement he has included in his agreement to fund the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college;

  (2) if he will provide a list of all variations and amendments from the model CTC/CCTA funding agreement placed in the Library on 31 October 1990 which have been included in his agreement to fund the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college.

  Mr. Eggar
  The agreement between the Secretary of State and the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham College Trust contains a number of minor variations from the model agreement relating to the special circumstances of this project.

  In paragraph 1, the entry into force of the agreement is made conditional upon the grant of a 99-year lease to the CTC by the Haberdasher's Company, as trustee of the Robert Aske's charity, in a form to be agreed with the Secretary of State.

  Paragraphs 8ii and iii provide that the CTC's contribution to the capital costs of establishing the college shall be the value of a 99-year lease of the site of the Haberdashers' Aske's Hatcham boys' and girls' schools, and 8ii incorporates a mechanism for agreeing the value. Paragraph 8v provides for the Secretary of State's share of the actual costs to be reduced by the amount of difference between the cash limit and the actual costs, if the capital costs finally incurred in establishing the CTC are less than the cash limit.

  In paragraph 9, the words
  "not be expected to exceed the proportion mentioned in paragraph 8iii"

  in line 11 of paragraph 9 have been amended to read
  "in no circumstances be expected to exceed 80 per cent.".

  Similarly, the words
  "the first percentage referred to in paragraph 8iii"
  in the penultimate line of the same paragraph have been amended to read "80 per cent.".

  There are no other changes of substance.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many applicants of each sex and from different ethnic groups there were for places in the first year group the Haberdashers' Aske's city technology college beginning in September 1991; and how many applicants of either sex and from different ethnic groups have now been offered places at the college.
  484
  Mr. Eggar
  The college received a total of 830 applications. Of those interviewed, on observation, the ethnic groupings appeared to be:

  57 asian

  183 afro-caribbean

  280 white

  47 other.

  Of the 90 girls and 90 boys offered places the ethnic groupings, based on the earlier observation, are:

  22 asian

  40 afro-caribbean

  99 white 19 other.

  Sports and Arts Foundation
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many meetings, and over what time scale, Ministers and officials from his Department held with representatives of the pools companies to discuss the establishing of a new foundation for sport and the arts.

  Mr. Atkins
  No such meetings were held. As the proposals involved a reduction in pool betting duty, the meetings were with Ministers and officials from Her Majesty's Treasury.

  Further Education Colleges
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what criteria he has applied to decide whether adult education centres run by local authorities should be included in his proposals to change the status of further education colleges so that they come under a funding council; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what criteria he has applied to decide whether colleges of higher education run by local authorities should be included in his proposals to change the status of further education colleges so that they come under a funding council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  As my right hon. and learned Friend made clear in his statement to the House on 21 March, the Government propose that all further education colleges offering full-time education should be taken out of local authority control. Most of these colleges make provision for adults, and some offer courses of higher education.

  Arrangements for funding and administering education for adults, both within and outside the new sector, will be discussed in the forthcoming White Paper.

  Science Budget
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when Her Majesty's Government will be responding to the House of Lords Select Committee on Science and Technology report on the science budget 1991–92.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend is considering the report and will respond in due course.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has now considered the views expressed by the local authority employers, teacher unions and others on his proposals following the fourth report of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions; and if he will make a statement.
  485
  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  After careful consideration of the representations I have received I have decided to accept the recommendations contained in the fourth report of the Interim Advisory Committee on School Teachers' Pay and Conditions, but to stage their introduction over the period up to 1 December 1991.

  Drafts of the School Teachers' Pay and Conditions Document 1991, an order which gives effect to this document, and a circular to local education authorities and others, are being sent to the relevant local authority associations, teachers' unions and bodies representing the interests of the governors of voluntary schools and grant-maintained schools inviting their comments by Monday 22 April.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Estuaries
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will designate the seven estuaries in Northern Ireland as special protection areas to protect habitats and to safeguard wildlife.

  Mr. Needham
  The Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland intends to designate those estuaries which are most significant in terms of their bird populations as special protection areas under the terms of the European Community directive on the conservation of wild birds. Surveying and assessment is proceeding. However, I am not yet in a position to give a precise timetable for the appropriate designations.

  Civil Service
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he has taken to recruit women and members of ethnic minorities in the top grades of employment at his Department.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The home civil service and the Northern Ireland civil service are fully committed to ensuring equality of opportunity for all applicants including women and ethnic minorities. Both civil services are equal opportunities employers and this is emphasised fully in all the recruiting campaigns and advertising.

  If direct recruitment for certain senior posts in the Northern Ireland Office were to be necessary, it would be conducted with guidance from the Civil Service Commission.

  Within Northern Ireland itself religion is a more significant equality of opportunity consideration than ethnic origin. Consequently the Northern Ireland civil service commissioners have not taken any specific action to recruit members of ethnic minorities in top grades of employment nor have they any plans to do so. Their advertisements, however, state that applications are welcome for men and women.

  Pensioners' Day Centre, Belvoir
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many members there are in the Wednesday day centre for pensioners in the community centre at Belvoir estate, Castlereagh borough; how many new members were approved in the past 12 months; how 486
  many applications to join the club are under consideration; and what effort is made to make the existence of this club known to pensioners living in Belvoir and district.

  Mr. Hanley
  At present there are a total of 43 people on the attendance roll of the centre with an average weekly attendance of 39. Five people applied for membership during the last 12 months and three of these have already been placed at the centre and can be offered a place. Two people are currently being considered for membership.

  The pensioners in the area are made aware of the club's existence by current members, and social work and community nursing staff. It is also promoted through the East Belfast and Castlereagh Senior Citizens Amalgam.

  Social Fund
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show for each Department of Health and Social Security office in Northern Ireland for the last two years and the current year and how many (a) crisis loans and (b) budgeting loans were (i) applied for in writing and (ii) applied for, or requested verbally, and in each case (1) refused, or, (2) granted; and how many budgeting loans were paid and how many were offered to applicants in lieu of a crisis loan.

  Mr. Hanley
  Information about the number of budgeting loans and crisis loans processed each month, the number awarded and the amount paid for each social security office is available in the Library. The number of applications refused can be derived from these figures. Other information about the method of application and the number of loans offered to applicants in lieu of crisis loans is not available.

  Ulster Savings
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the future of Ulster Savings.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As part of a programme of policy evaluation a review of Ulster Savings was commissioned in 1989 by the Department of Finance and Personnel.

  Having given careful consideration to the findings of the review, I have decided that with effect from 1 June 1991 no new investment will be accepted in Ulster Savings although existing investments and provisions for reinvestment will be maintained. The Department for National Savings has agreed that with effect from 1 June it will market national savings certificates in Northern Ireland through the Post Office.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table in the Official Report to show (a) the total amount to be rebated to ratepayers in Northern Ireland as a consequence of the announcement by his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer regarding reduced local government taxation, 19 March, Official Report, column 180, (b) the average sum for each domestic property in Northern Ireland, (c) the sum for each elector in Northern Ireland and (d) what sum £140 per elector in Northern Ireland represents.
  487
  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: The information is as follows:

  (a) The total reduction in domestic rates in Northern Ireland is £73·23 million.

  (b) This represents an average reduction per ratepayer of approximately £127.

  (c) The sum per elector in Northern Ireland is approximately £65

  (d) The sum of £140 per elector in Northern Ireland would amount to £159 million approximately.

  With regard to (c) and (d) it should be noted that there is no precise analogy between the adjustments in Great Britain and Northern Ireland because of the different financing regimes and the markedly different degree of existing central Government support. In neither case is the reduction in the burden of local finance related directly to the number of electors and the above figures are no basis for comparisons.

WALES

  Vacant Dwellings
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his most recent information for the total number of local authority dwellings which are vacant in Wales; if he will list these for the period of(a) under three weeks, (b) four to six weeks, (c) seven weeks to six months, (d) seven months to one year and (e) over one year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to him on 3 December 1990. The following information updates and revises this answer.

  Local authority vacant dwellings at 1 April 1990

  Welsh districts

  At 1 April 19901

  Vacant for more than six months

  Aberconwy

  23

  2

  Alyn and Deeside

  56

  8

  Arfon

  27

  0

  Blaenau Gwent

  124

  2

  Brecknock

  0

  0

  Cardiff

  293

  13

  Carmarthen

  22

  19

  Caredigion

  31

  3

  Colwyn

  26

  0

  Cynon Valley

  184

  44

  Delyn

  47

  7

  Dinefwr

  29

  0

  Dwyfor

  6

  0

  Glyndwr

  58

  0

  Islwyn

  170

  62

  Llanelli

  109

  33

  Lliw Valley

  46

  29

  Meirionnydd

  7

  2

  Merthyr Tydfil

  106

  1

  Monmouth

  74

  0

  Montgomeryshire

  36

  0

  Neath

  68

  1

  Newport

  96

  16

  Ogwr

  143

  0

  Port Talbot

  291

  0

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  26

  1

  Radnorshire

  9

  0

  Rhondda

  83

  13

  Rhuddlan

  28

  0

  Rhymney Valley

  64

  0

  South Pembrokeshire

  6

  0

  Swansea

  134

  0

  Taff Ely

  125

  0

  488

  Welsh districts

  At 1 April 19901

  Vacant for more than six months

  Torfaen

  169

  31

  Vale of Glamorgan

  40

  8

  Wrexham Maelor

  229

  25

  Ynys Môn

  57

  7

  Wales Total

  3,042

  327

  1 Calculated using provisional stock estimates for 1 April 1990.

  Open Heart Surgery
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, further to his answer of 21 March,Official Report, column 177, when the central collection of statistics on number of open heart surgery cases carried out in Wales was started in the form used in his answer.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Open heart surgery in the NHS in Wales is provided by South Glamorgan health authority. Reflecting the central funding of the authority to provide the service, information on the number of operations carried out has been routinely collected by the Welsh Office since 1984, supplementary to the hospital activity analysis data provided by district health authorities.

  Railways
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he has taken to improve the rail infrastructure of Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Improvement of rail infrastructure is essentially a matter for British Rail. However, my predecessors and I have given credit approvals to fund capital investment by Mid Glamorgan and South Glamorgan county councils in the valleys rail network.

  Health Authorities
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many members of health authorities in Wales have interests in property development and in business generally.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Department does not seek information about the commercial interests of members when making appointments. However, the Regional and Distict Health Authorities (Membership and Procedure) Regulations 1990 require a chairman or member to disclose any pecuniary interest in any contract, proposed contract or other matter under discussion at a meeting and in general preclude the chairman or member from taking any further active part in the related debate or decisions.

  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much health authority property has been sold in each of the health authorities in Wales in each of the years from 1980 to 1990 inclusive.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not immediately available in the form requested, but the table details the amount of NHS land sold in each DHA from 1980 to 1990.
  489

  NHS land sales 1980–90 (hectares)

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Clwyd

  0·4428

  —

  —

  0·3143

  0·2040

  0·1847

  0·1544

  0·4943

  0·9308

  0·3084

  —

  East Dyfed

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  5·0751

  0·0250

  1·2310

  0·2928

  0·1640

  —

  Gwent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·6950

  0·0960

  0·7141

  —

  0·118

  Gwyneddd

  0·0043

  —

  —

  —

  0·3908

  —

  0·0324

  —

  0·2970

  0·1270

  0·192

  Mid Glamorgan

  0·2518

  2·9948

  —

  0·1710

  0·5535

  1·0328

  0·7650

  1·2158

  0·2343

  0·1817

  0·270

  Powys

  11·9892

  —

  0·2516

  0·2734

  0·3047

  0·0660

  —

  —

  4·4117

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  —

  2·2620

  2·3787

  2·0697

  —

  —

  0·2466

  0·0473

  0·0340

  —

  —

  West Glamorgan

  3·9510

  0·0995

  0·2870

  0·1615

  0·7335

  0·2808

  —

  0·9560

  0·0784

  4·2040

  —

  Pembrokeshire

  1 1·3560

  1 37·6372

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0·0243

  0·1644

  0·0650

  0·0772

  0·304

  Totals

  17·9951

  42·9935

  2·9173

  2·9899

  2·1865

  6·6394

  1·9427

  4·2048

  7·0581

  5·0623

  0·884

  1 Disposals by former Dyfed health authority.

  Green Belt Legislation
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he proposes to publish a green belt Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Green belts are established through development plans. The Assembly of Welsh Counties has accepted my invitation to look at the role green belts might play in the planning and development of Wales, as part of the review of strategic planning guidance. I expect to receive a report from the assembly later in the spring, which will inform my consideration of the need to issue further advice on the subject.

  Parking Offences
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many parking tickets were received and paid by his Department in each year since 1988 in respect of official vehicles.

  Mr. David Hunt
  One in 1990.

  Company Takeovers
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many Welsh companies have been bought by European companies and how many by other overseas companies in each of the last two years.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information known to Welsh Development International on acquisitions of companies with operations in Wales is as follows: in 1989, four acquisitions by companies based elsewhere in Europe and three by companies based in other countries; in 1990, four acquisitions by companies based elsewhere in Europe and 10 by companies based in other countries.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many environmental health officers have been employed by local authorities in Wales for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The number of local authority non-manual staff employed in environmental health in

  Health authority

  Valid appeals lodged

  Appeals subsequently withdrawn

  Appeals held

  Successful appeals

  Clwyd

  75

  4

  12

  —

  East Dyfed

  82

  1

  8

  —

  Gwent

  258

  2

  6

  3

  Gwynedd

  288

  48

  59

  16

  490
  Wales for each of the last 10 years is given in the table. It is not possible to identify separately the number of environmental health officers included in this category.

  Number of non-manual staff employed in environmental health1

  Total Wales

  Numbers

  1981

  769

  1982

  748

  1983

  740

  1984

  796

  1985

  856

  1986

  822

  1987

  832

  1988

  826

  1989

  850

  1990

  2867

  1 Full-time equivalent as at March for each year.

  2 Provisional.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields on 13 March,Official Report, columns 529–30 whether he intends to exhume the bodies of the BSE confirmed cattle that were buried in 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No.

  Nurse Gradings
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish for each health authority area in Wales(a) the number of appeals that have been submitted to his Department by nursing staff disputing the grade to which they have been assigned, (b) the number of those appeals that have been determined, (c) the number of appeals that have been successful, (d) the mean median and modal times taken for those appeals to be determined and (e) the number of appeals that have been withdrawn.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Relevant numbers of nurse clinical grading appeals made at the all-Wales level to the Welsh appeals committee for each health authority are as shown in the following table:
  491

  Health authority

  Valid appeals lodged

  Appeals subsequently withdrawn

  Appeals held

  Successful appeals

  Mid Glamorgan

  180

  —

  —

  —

  Pembrokeshire

  28

  —

  —

  —

  Powys

  166

  2

  19

  13

  South Glamorgan

  200

  9

  23

  —

  West Glamorgan

  129

  1

  24

  2

  WALES TOTALS

  1,406

  67

  151

  34

  The time taken to process an appeal depends crucially upon the provision of documentation from both staff organisations and management and upon the availability of representatives of both sides to act as panel members. Having regard to postponement and adjournments, the calculation of an average process time would not be meaningful.

  Councils (Dissolution)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received on the subject of the dissolution of Welsh town and community councils; and if he will indicate the nature of those representations.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have received a number of letters expressing concern. Questions have been submitted by hon. Members, and my right hon. Friend has met the hon. Gentleman and representatives of the community council associations.

  Minor Works Grant
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of persons currently eligible for minor works grant who will lose their eligibility for such grant by virtue of the new poll tax reduction scheme.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The information is not held centrally.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each year from 1967–68 to 1991–92 the aggregate grant percentage for rate/revenue support grant.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 14 March 1991 by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. Information on a consistent basis is not available before 1981–82.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report an analysis showing in the years 1990–91 and 1991–92 for each Welsh local authority and for Wales as a whole (a) the total standard spending and standard spending assessment, (b) the total standard spending and standard spending assessment expressed as pounds per capita, pounds per adult and pounds per community charge unit, (c) the community charge required to be levied to finance standard spending assessment, (d) the long-run' community charge required to be levied to finance standard spending assessment, (e) the long-run' community charge required to be levied to finance expenditure 1 to 5 per cent. and 10 per cent. below and 1 to 5 and 10 per cent. above standard spending
  492
  assessment, (f) the proportion of expenditure which would be financed by Government grant at each of the spending levels specified in (e), (g) the level of expenditure as a proportion of standard spending assessment which would require a zero community charge and (h) that level of expenditure as a percentage of standard spending assessment which would require a zero long-run' community charge.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I will write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  A465
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current planned date for commencement for the A465 scheme between Aberdulais and Glynneath.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The 1991 supplement to "Roads in Wales" published in February shows the scheme as planned to start in the short term, that is, before April 1994.

  Earlswood Roundabout, Swansea
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when and what short-term measures are to be introduced to deal with the long delays experienced by traffic leaving Swansea at the Earlswood roundabout.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Delays due to the construction of the Earlswood to Lonlas section of the M4 have now been overcome. Earlswood roundabout itself is, however, a source of delay and it is being kept under study in conjunction with the Baglan and Briton Ferry roundabouts, which have already been improved.

  It is intended that by 1993 Earlswood roundabout will have part-time traffic signals and will be redesigned to provide better traffic flow.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the level and quality of youth training opportunities in Rhymney valley.

  Mr. David Hunt
  It is the responsibility of the Mid Glamorgan training and enterprise council to ensure that good quality youth training opportunities are provided at a level sufficient for the needs and circumstances of the Rhymney valley.

  Prince of Wales Hospital, Rhydlafar
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the effect of the closure of the children's ward at the Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar, Cardiff, on the quality of facilities and treatment for children with orthopaedic ailments in Wales.
  493
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  South Glamorgan health authority has assured my right hon. Friend that the transfer of the children's orthopaedic facility at the Prince of Wales hospital, Rhydlafar, to the Cardiff royal infirmary should enhance the service available to children in Wales. It points out that the infirmary is the main centre for trauma and orthopaedic care in the district. As such, it has a supporting academic department, and on-site access to a wide range of support and diagnostic facilities, including the most modern body-scanning technology in Wales.

  The health authority also emphasise the benefits, in safety terms, of having anaesthetic cover and emergency services on site.

  Furthermore, the children involved will be accommodated in the authority's most recently upgraded and modernised children's ward. This includes a range of cubicles and bedded areas, together with a separate unit for teenagers, a children's play area, purpose-built accommodation for parents and a well-established ward-based educational service.

  Benefit Eligibility
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those benefits or grants available to persons in receipt of poll tax benefit by virtue of their eligibility for such benefit.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The benefits and grants available to persons in receipt of community charge benefit are matters for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Social Security.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Debt Reduction
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to encourage Paris Club members to give positive consideration to the Trinidad terms.

  Mrs. Chalker
  There is a growing consensus among Government creditors on the need to adopt a more generous treatment for the poorest countries than the maximum one-third debt reduction afforded by the Toronto terms. The need for a stock of debt approach is also increasingly being realised. Her Majesty's Government will continue to urge other creditors to agree quickly to a new treatment containing the most important elements of the United Kingdom proposals, launched by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister, as Chancellor, in Trinidad last September.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the Stabex replenishment obligations owed by all African, Caribbean and Pacific countries indicating which obligations are covered by the proposed debt reduction scheme put forward by Commissioner Marin.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The latest figures available from the Commission show the value of all actual and potential reconstitution obligations by the developing countries under Stabex as 899 mecu. (One mecu is worth approximately £0·7 million.)

  There are three categories, as follows:
  494

  Transfers for which reconstitution requirements have not already been notified

  Mecu

  Jamaica

  4·3

  Madagascar

  0·4

  Senegal

  49·5

  54·2

  Transfers for which reconstitution requirements have not yet been decided by the ACP-EEC council of Ministers

  Congo

  7·4

  Fiji

  2·1

  Gabon

  5·7

  Ghana

  25·6

  Liberia

  7·6

  Madagascar

  1·7

  Senegal

  66·1

  116·2

  Transfers for which it is not yet possible to determine what proportion would be repayable (which will depend on the trend in prices for the commodities covered, the quantities exported and the competitiveness of the ACP countries

  Cameroon

  180·8

  Cote d'Ivoire

  311·0

  Fiji

  0·7

  Gabon

  3·1

  Ghana

  47·6

  Kenya

  61·5

  Madagascar

  5·5

  Mauritius

  2·9

  Papua New Guinea

  80·8

  Senegal

  34·7

  728·6

  Total

  899·0

  All of the above transfers are covered by the provision of the proposed debt reduction scheme put forward by Commissioner Marin.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make it his policy to encourage greater flexibility in repayments and a reduction of International Monetary Fund and World bank debt.

  Mrs. Chalker
  All creditors regard the preferred creditor status of the international financial institutions as an integral part of the debt strategy. Flexibility in repayment of arrears to the International Monetary Fund would weaken its liquidity and threaten its financial standing. Any similar move on World bank debt would jeopardise the very favourable terms on which it can currently obtain finance from the market, and therefore increase interest charges to all its borrowers.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government are taking to encourage a response from banks on commercial debt comparable to Paris Club action on official debt, as outlined by the Prime Minister, then Chancellor of the Exchequer, in his Trinidad terms speech on 19 September 1990.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Arrangements for dealing with commercial bank debt must be a matter for the parties to the loans to negotiate between them, but we continue to urge
  495
  comparability of treatment between official and commercial debt. We welcome the increasing use of debt reduction in commercial debt deals negotiated under the "Brady initiative".

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration he is giving to assistance to the mining industry in Ethiopia.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have no plans at present to give bilateral assistance to the mining industry in Ethiopia. The European Community's programme of development assistance to Ethiopia includes a project at the Lega Dembi goldmine in Sidamo.

  Development Education
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing the total amount, the percentage of gross national product and the percentage of overseas aid spent on development education by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Governments in 1988 and 1989.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The information available to the OECD is as follows:

  £ million

  Development awareness

  Percentage GNP

  Percentage oda

  1988

  Australia

  0·10667

  0·0001

  0·02

  Austria

  0·97122

  0·0014

  0·61

  Belgium

  n/a

  Canada

  5·10313

  0·0019

  0·39

  Denmark

  0·83649

  0·0014

  0·16

  Finland

  1·45403

  0·0025

  0·37

  France

  n/a

  —

  —

  Germany

  2·52069

  0·0004

  0·09

  Ireland

  0·37052

  0·0023

  1·35

  Italy

  n/a

  —

  —

  Japan

  n/a

  —

  —

  Netherlands

  n/a

  —

  —

  New Zealand

  0·05053

  0·0002

  0·10

  Norway

  0·71859

  0·0015

  0·14

  Sweden

  2·66104

  0·0027

  0·26

  Switzerland

  0·64000

  0·0006

  0·20

  United Kingdom

  0·85894

  0·0002

  0·06

  United States of America

  n/a

  1989

  Australia

  0·34154

  0·0002

  0·05

  Austria

  1·14661

  0·0015

  0·66

  Belgium

  n/a

  —

  —

  Canada

  6·89187

  0·0021

  0·49

  Denmark

  n/a

  —

  —

  Finland

  0·82946

  0·0012

  0·19

  France

  n/a

  —

  —

  Germany

  n/a

  —

  —

  Ireland

  0·30495

  0·0017

  1·02

  Italy

  n/a

  —

  —

  Japan

  1·15881

  0·0001

  0·02

  Netherlands

  2·12855

  0·0016

  0·17

  New Zealand

  n/a

  —

  —

  Norway

  2·47009

  0·0046

  0·44

  Sweden

  2·52499

  0·0022

  0·23

  Switzerland

  0·65869

  0·0006

  0·19

  United Kingdom

  0·96364

  0·0002

  0·006

  United States of America

  n/a

  —

  —

  496
  These figures may not be strictly comparable given the OECD's widely drawn definition of "development awareness", which could be open to different interpretation by donor countries.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much the Overseas Development Administration has spent on development education in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Raising awareness in this country of north-south interdependence and development issues is one of the principal objectives of the ODA's public information programme. It features in all ODA publications with a particular focus on schools.

  This financial year, for instance, we have provided a grant of £100,000 to the International Broadcasting Trust towards "The Global Environment", a television series which will be broadcast by BBC Schools Television for the next five years.

  In addition, specific development education grants are made to a wide range of organisations. Total annual expenditure is:

  Financial year

  £

  1978–79

  219,000

  1979–80

  560,000

  1980–81

  413,000

  1981–82

  223,000

  1982–83

  171,000

  1983–84

  106,000

  1984–85

  106,000

  1985–86

  131,000

  1986–87

  106,000

  1987–88

  146,000

  1988–89

  223,000

  1989–90

  138,000

  1990–91

  312,000

  In addition, the ODA provides an annual grant, currently £100,000, to the Overseas Development Institute for certain information and public awareness activities.

  Debt
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a table showing, for the period 1975 to 1990, the total public and private long-term net transfer of financial resources including both principal repayments and interest repayments on public and private debt, between the United Kingdom and all developing countries, with a breakdown of these totals by continent.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Net official and private flows for the years 1975 to 1989, the most recent year for which figures are available, are:

  £ million

  Year

  Official flows

  Private flows

  (net)

  (net)

  1975

  422

  2,520

  1976

  957

  3,503

  1977

  695

  3,208

  1978

  948

  3,916

  1979

  1,083

  5,277

  1980

  726

  4,527

  1981

  1,265

  4,596

  1982

  1,117

  2,463

  1983

  1,200

  2,813

  497

  Year

  Official flows

  Private flows

  (net)

  (net)

  1984

  1,425

  2,196

  1985

  1,495

  423

  1986

  1,417

  3,144

  1987

  1,310

  819

  1988

  1,666

  787

  1989

  1,857

  396

  The figures are net of principal repayments but not of interest repayments. Data on interest repayments are not available by country.

  Refugees
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent initiatives have been taken by Her Majesty's Government to support refugees abroad.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Her Majesty's Government continue to be a major supporter of the work of international refugee organisations such as the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, the International Committee of the Red Cross, and the United Nations Relief and Works Agency. We also provide funding for a large number of British non-governmental organisations working in this field as well as other United Nations bodies such as the United Nations Border Relief Organisation on the Thai/Cambodia border.

  In 1990 our refugee assistance overall amounted to some £36·7 million. We expect at least to maintain this level of support in 1991.

  Sub-Saharan Africa
  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans Her Majesty's Government have to give further support to structural adjustment in Africa under the second phase of the special programme of assistance for sub-Saharan Africa co-ordinated by the World bank.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our support for economic reform programmes has been a central aspect of our aid policy in sub-Saharan Africa for several years. We pledged and provided £250 million of bilateral programme aid for the first three-year phase of the special programme of assistance for sub-Saharan Africa (SPA I). We are undertaking to commit up to £300 million bilaterally over the three years 1991–92 to 1993–94 in support of phase II of the special programme (SPA II). These funds will be available to countries selected by Her Majesty's government from among those pursuing economic reform programmes endorsed by the IMF and the IBRD and covered by the SPA.

  British funds will be made available alongside funds provided by most bilateral donors and by the key multilateral aid agencies including the World bank, the IMF, the African development bank and the European development fund. Up to 75 per cent. of the United Kingdom bilateral funds will be untied for procurement from developing countries and from donors who are untying a similar or greater proportion of their bilateral contributions to the SPA.

  Commonwealth Development Corporation
  Mr. Grist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Commonwealth Development Corporation has been authorised to extend its area of operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have decided to give approval to the CDC undertaking activities in Nicaragua. This is subject to consultation between the CDC and my Department on the scale and content of the CDC's intended investment programme in that country.

PRIME MINISTER

  Channel Islands
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Prime Minister how many allegations he has received since the answer given to the hon. Member for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley (Mr. Foulkes), 21 October 1982,Official Report, columns 174–75, about maladministration and injustice in the administration of justice in the Channel Island of Jersey.

  The Prime Minister
  The number of such allegations made to me or to other members of the United Kingdom Government cannot be determined without disproportionate cost, but the total is known to be small.

  No. 10 Downing Street
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Prime Minister what organisational changes he has made in the running of No. 10 Downing street since becoming Prime Minister.

  The Prime Minister
  I have made no such changes.

  Atomic Energy
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make it his policy to make a one-off top-up donation to the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards budget.

  The Prime Minister
  The International Atomic Energy Agency's safeguards activities are financed from its regular budget to which the United Kingdom contributes annually. When the agency's board of governors discusses the budget for 1991–92, later this year, the United Kingdom will continue to argue that safeguards activities deserve the highest priority. The Government continue to believe that the regular budget is the best way of financing the agency's safeguards activities, rather than by making extra-budgetary payments.

  Export Promotion
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Prime Minister whether the proposed integration of the export support resources of the Department of Trade and Industry and of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office will entail an overall increase in Government expenditure on export promotion; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  The formation of the joint directorate, which was recently announced by Ministers, will not have any direct effect on the overall level of Government expenditure on export promotion. It will, however, help to ensure that the considerable volume of
  499
  resources available to the Department of Trade and Industry and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for this work is used as efficiently and effectively as possible in support of United Kingdom businesses.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Fiji
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of the Government's relations with the Fijian Government.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have good relations with the Government of Fiji.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many representations he has made to the Government of Fiji regarding the treatment of trade unionists and other opposition groups in that country.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Foreign Office Ministers have, on several occasions, made the Fiji Government aware of our concern about human rights issues and raised specific cases with Fiji Ministers.

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what diplomatic steps have been taken to ask the interim Government of Fiji to withdraw the constitution promulgated on 25 July 1990.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  None.

  Turkey
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the position of the British Government as to the entry of Turkey into full membership of the European Community.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We share the Community consensus that there should be no decisions on EC enlargement until 1993 at least. In the meantime, we are working to strengthen relations between the Community and Turkey within the framework of the existing association agreement.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the support given by the Cyprus Government, including their approval for the use of facilities on the island of Cyprus during the Gulf war.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Cyprus Government offered to make hospital beds available for Gulf war casualties though in the event they were not needed. The Cyprus Government also gave their firm support to the United Nations Security Council resolutons.

  As sovereign British territory, the use of the sovereign base areas (SBA) within the terms of the treaty of establishment is a matter for Her Majesty's Government.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the help given by the Greek Government during the Gulf war.
  500
  Mr. Garel-Jones
  From the early stages of the crisis, the Greek Government supported the United Nations Security Council resolutions. A frigate, the Limnos, was sent to the Red sea to help with the naval blockade of Iraq. In addition, Greece contributed United States $10 million to EC economic and humanitarian assistance for Egypt, Jordan and Turkey.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what new initiatives he has to increase Britain's aid to the Baltic states.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are keen to assist economic reform in the Baltic states. The British Council is increasing its activities in the three Republics, and has recently established new scholarships for Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia. The Baltic states will also become eligible for know-how fund assistance when the fund begins disbursing in April. We are willing to consider new ideas for aid as they arise.

  Sri Lanka
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government supports Australian proposals for peace negotiations in Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the right hon. Member for Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale (Sir D. Steel) of 4 March.

  Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Foreign Affairs Council held on 26 March in Luxembourg.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs attended an informal meeting of EC Foreign Ministers in Luxembourg on 26 March. In a useful discussion of European security and defence my right hon. Friend set out our view that we need to develop the European defence identity by strengthening the WEU with links to both the alliance and the Twelve. They also discussed the situation in Yugoslavia, and issued a statement calling for a peaceful and democratic resolution to that country's constitutional crisis.

  Nuclear Facilities
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will set out the reasons why the United Kingdom abstained in the vote at the 45th General Assembly of the United Nations concerning the call for the prohibition of military attacks on civil-safeguarded nuclear facilities.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In its explanation of vote on the resolution the United Kingdom stated:"The United Kingdom's policy is to maintain negotiations on this subject in the Conference on Disarmament. In our view operative paragraphs 1 and 4 of L38 are inconsistent with that approach".
  (Resolution L38 was entitled "Prohibition of Attacks on Nuclear Facilities".)

  Nuclear Weapons China
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response was made by the United Kingdom to the criticisms made by the Nigerian delegation to the partial test ban treaty amendment conference in New York in January, about the failure of the United Kingdom and its two depositary power partners to meet its obligations under the 1963 partial test ban treaty to achieve a comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The head of the UK delegation addressed issues raised by other delegations in his speech to the conference on 11 January which concluded the general debate. He made clear that we continue to observe our obligations under the 1963 treaty through our participation in the conference on disarmament, and that we have a requirement to test for the foreseeable future because of the contribution to deterrence made by nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy position was expressed by the United Kingdom delegation to the amendment conference of the partial nuclear test ban treaty held in New York in January in response to proposals put forward for a moratorium on nuclear testing worldwide.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The head of the United Kingdom delegation to the conference made clear our position: because our security will depend for the foreseeable future on deterrence based in part on the possession of nuclear weapons, we have a continuing need to test our nuclear weapons to ensure that they remain effective and up to date.

  Israel
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 15 March,Official Report, column 715, if he will specify the individual actions he has taken in the last 24 months, in pursuance of his continued active support for resolution 242.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have had innumerable contacts with the parties concerned, whether nationally or through the European Community, to discuss measures to further the peace process on the basis of Security Council resolution 242. The United Kingdom has also voted in favour of Security Council resolutions 672, 673 and 681 which reaffirm resolution 242.

  "World in Action" Programme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library(a) the transcript and (b) the video cassette of the "World in Action" programme broadcast on 25 March.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have already obtained a video cassette of this programme, but see no need to purchase a transcript.

  China
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress is being made in implementing the Foreign Compensation (People's Republic of China) (Distribution) Order 1987.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign Compensation Commission, which has been assisted in the performance of administrative tasks by the accountants, Ernst and Young, will on 2 April 1991 begin making payments from the China fund amounting to approximately £25 million, representing 62·25 per cent. of the value assigned to claims, to successful claimants against the fund. These disbursements will exhaust the balance in the fund.

  Maritime Military Doctrine
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy regarding participation in seminars on maritime military doctrine with non-NATO nations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In accordance with the commitment in the 1990 Vienna document on confidence and security-building measures we shall he participating in the second military doctrine seminar between all CSCE participating states which will be held in Vienna later this year. The agenda for the seminar has yet to be decided, but is likely to allow coverage of a range of conventional arms control issues.

  Naval Confidence-building Measures
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards British participation in naval confidence-building measures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There are a number of global and bilateral measures dealing with naval forces in which Britain participates, including incidents at sea agreements, which contribute to "confidence-building". We continue to keep under review the need for further arrangements in the maritime sphere.

  Capital Punishment
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to abolish capital punishment in the Caribbean dependent territories and Bermuda.

  Mr. Hurd
  In order to be consistent with the position in the United Kingdom where Parliament has expressed a clear view, the British Government consider that the death penalty for murder should be abolished in those dependent territories which elect to remain under the Crown. Following consultations conducted by our Governors with their dependent territory Governments, we shall submit for the approval of Her Majesty the Queen at a forthcoming meeting of the Privy Council an order under which the death penalty for murder in the Caribbean dependent territories will be abolished and a sentence for life imprisonment substituted. The British Government hope that the Government of Bermuda will decide to follow this example as soon as possible.

  Immigration
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for how long a person who applies for a visa for a three-month visit but is granted one for six months may remain in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  Visit visas do not specify the length of stay permitted. This is decided by the immigration officer in granting leave at the port of entry. A person granted leave to enter may remain for the period endorsed in the passport.

  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many husbands have applied from India for settlement visas to join their wives in Britain in each of the last three years; how many have been granted; and how many have been refused.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is given in the table.

  Husbands applying in India for an entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Applications

  Newly received

  Granted

  Of which, granted on appeal

  Refused initially

  1988

  470

  360

  50

  260

  1989

  540

  400

  90

  250

  1990

  560

  390

  70

  330

TRANSPORT

  Cyclists
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measures he is taking to promote the use of reflective clothing, effective lights and other precautions by cyclists using the public highway.

  Mr. Chope
  Our spring child cyclist campaign will include advice on the need for cyclists to take steps to ensure they can be seen by other road users. Advice is also included in the highway code and other road safety material distributed by the Department.

  Number of flask movements (tonnage)

  Dover 1988

  22·79 tonnes)

  1989

  1,624·41 tonnes)

  Goole 1988

  Nil

  1989

  10·56 tonnes)

  Immingham 1988

  Nil

  1989

  10·56 tonnes)

  Barrow 1988

  82 (218·4 tonnes)

  1989

  89238·1 tonnes)

  Mr Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the ports through which irradiated nuclear fuel from foreign research reactors was imported over the last 10 years and the number of flasks and tonnage of irradiated nuclear fuel imported through each port.

  Association of British Travel Agents
  Mr. Snape
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions he has held with representatives of the Association of British Travel Agents about the extension of the air travel reserve fund to cover passengers travelling on scheduled flights and services.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. and learned Friend has not held any recent discussions with representatives of the Association of British Travel Agents. However, the president of the association has written to my right hon. and learned Friend confirming the association's support for extending consumer financial protection to scheduled airline passengers. This followed my right hon. and learned Friend's recent request to the Civil Aviation Authority for advice on this issue.

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year how many nuclear flasks from(a) research reactors and (b) nuclear power stations were imported on non-purpose built ships over the last 10 years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The details of imported shipments of irradiated nuclear fuel using non-purpose built vessels during the last 10 years are as follows:

  (a) Research reactors: One flask in 1990; and

  (b) Nuclear power stations: 148 flasks over the 10-year period broken down as follows:

  Shipment per year

  Year

  Total

  1980

  29

  1981

  45

  1982

  18

  1983

  26

  1984

  2

  1985

  11

  1986

  8

  1987

  6

  1988

  4

  1989

  16

  1990

  24

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the ports through which irradiated nuclear fuel from nuclear power stations was imported in 1988 and 1989 and the number of flasks and tonnage of irradiated nuclear fuel imported through each port.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The ports through which flasks were imported and the tonnage of irradiated fuel they contained for the years 1988 and 1989 are as follows:

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In the last 10 years there has been only a single import of irradiated fuel from a foreign research reactor, in 1990 through the port of Felixstowe. The radioactive content was 0·004 tonnes.

  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the ship used to import irradiated
  505
  nuclear fuel from India was purpose built; which port was its point of entry; and what was the route taken to Dounreay.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The port of entry for the recent movement of irradiated fuel from India was Felixstowe. Movement from Felixstowe to Dounreay was by road; the route was as follows:

  A45—A604—A1(M)/A1–A66—M6—A74/M74—M73/A80—M80—M9—A9—A895/882–836.

  The ship used for this journey is classed as a general cargo ship and is registered in India.

  Carlisle Bypass
  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the consultant's report on the options for the Carlisle bypass to be finished.

  Mr. Chope
  The consultant's report is expected to be with the Department by the summer of 1992 to allow public consultation to take place in February 1993.

  Marine Safety
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the average fine in cases where employers in marine and waterways were found guilty of breaches of health and safety legislation.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The fines in the successful prosecutions initiated by the Department of Transport on marine occupational health and safety matters since 1980 have varied generally between £50 and £750.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prohibition notices were issued by his Department to marine and waterway employers since 1980.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Powers to issue prohibition notices were given to the Department under the Merchant Shipping Act 1984. The total number of prohibition notices issued from that date to the end of 1990 is 78.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many improvement notices were issued by his Department to marine and waterway employers since 1980.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Powers to issue improvement notices were given to the Department under the Merchant Shipping Act 1984. The total number of improvement notices issued from that date to the end of 1990 is 210.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions of employers in the marine and waterways sectors for failing to produce safety policies have been undertaken by his Department in the last 10 years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Employers are required to produce a safety policy under the Merchant Shipping (Health and Safety: General Duties) Regulations 1984. To date there have been no prosecutions for failure to comply with that provision.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for statutory regulation of working time for marine workers; and what steps he is 506
  taking to implement International Labour Organisation convention 147 in respect of the regulation of working time for marine workers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Draft regulations together with a draft code of practice on seafarers' hours of work were recently circulated to representative organisations for comment.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes are planned in the way in which statistics on health and safety of marine workers arc collected.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The marine accident investigation branch is responsible for the collection and recording of accidents to seamen and is in the process of reviewing the system. It is too early to say what changes will be made but the object is to identify the essential factors in an incident and record them in a readily retrievable form.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has to change the list of possible causes of marine accidents to exclude placing responsibility on victims.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No changes are proposed in the existing policy, which is that the apportionment of liability is not the purpose of marine accident investigation. However, to exclude personal fault or error from the possible causative factors would be unrealistic.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will make it his policy in all accident recording for marine workers for the length of the continuous duty period preceding the accident, the lengths of time away from work available for rest and for continuous sleep, and the arrangements for rest and sleep within the 24-hour cycle for all persons involved to be recorded.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Certain information concerning hours worked prior to an accident is already collected. Consideration is being given to whether this aspect needs to be widened to collect more detailed information.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many marine surveyors are in post; and what is their establishment.

  Mr. McLouglin
  A total of 192 marine surveyors are currently in post in the Department against a complement of 204.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many inspections of British and non-British registered ships took place during the last 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The number of general inspections of United Kingdom ships and port state control inspections of foreign-registered ships for the years 1983–90 are as follows; equivalent data for earlier years are not available.

  Year

  United Kingdom ships

  Non United Kingdom ships

  1983

  581

  2,557

  1984

  587

  2,529

  1985

  731

  2,532

  507

  Year

  United Kingdom ships

  Non United Kingdom ships

  1986

  629

  2,788

  1987

  716

  2,122

  1988

  1810

  1,831

  1989

  1 23,342

  1,697

  1990

  3n/a

  2,087

  1 Financial year figures 1988–89 onwards.

  2 Following the Marchioness disaster it was decided to both increase numbers of inspections of United Kingdom ships and revise the statistical basis of their calculation. The figures for 1989–90 reflect this change of policy.

  3 Not available.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many prosecutions of employers in the waterways and marine sectors have been initiated by his Department for health and safety breaches in the last 10 years.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department of Transport has initiated 13 successful prosecutions on marine occupational health and safety matters since 1980.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will introduce statutory regulations for working time to all crewed ships regardless of size.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The industry is being consulted on the possible introduction of statutory regulations for seafarers' hours of work. The draft regulations circulated recently for comment apply to seagoing United Kingdom ships—other than fishing vessels and pleasure craft, neither of which are included in the International Labour Organisation convention No. 147—and to foreign ships in United Kingdom ports.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Department last made a systematic assessment of the health and safety record of the waterways sector; and where the results of such an assessment were published.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The general occupational health and safety of merchant seamen is under continuous assessment but the Department of Transport has made no specific study of the waterways sector. Responsibility for the health and safety of many land-based workers on waterways falls to my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will establish a port safety forum of employers, unions, safety inspectorates, harbourmasters and port authorities to assist in the avoidance of accidents.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The National Accident Prevention Committee, run by the British Ports Federation, has provided such a forum for over 25 years.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to transferring the marine inspectorate to the Health and Safety Executive.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Lord Cullen did not recommend any changes in Department of Transport responsibilities under the Merchant Shipping Acts and I am not considering any.
  508
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make it his policy to extend regulations and other legislation, pursuant to the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act to cover workers on British-registered ships.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It would not be practicable to extend precisely the same health and safety legislation to workers on ships and on land, but it is the Department's policy to provide a level of protection for workers on United Kingdom-registered ships corresponding to that provided for land-based workers.

  Official Cars
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many parking tickets were received and paid by his Department in each year since 1988 in respect of official cars.

  Mr. Chope
  The information readily available records one parking ticket received and paid in 1989 and one in 1990 in respect of official cars operated directly by the Department of Transport.

  Motorways
  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the current average speed of cars on motorways in Great Britain.

  Mr. Chope
  Data on vehicle speeds are collected by automatic counters as a by-product of the national traffic census. The counters are not placed near bends, hills or junctions and so can measure vehicle speeds only in uncongested conditions. The results do not, therefore, give any indication of overall average journey speeds.

  At present, only a limited number of counters are in operation on motorways, but the data so far available suggest that the average speed of cars in 1990 was 73 mph.

  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effect on(a) the fatality rate, in terms of distance travelled, and (b) the average speed of cars on motorways in Great Britain if the motorway speed limit were to be raised to 80 mph.

  Mr. Chope
  The relationship between speed, speed limits, accident risk and accident severity are complex and, in the absence of recent experience in the United Kingdom of changing speed limits, difficult to predict. On the basis of overseas experience and, in particular recent changes in speed limits in the United States and Switzerland, an increase in the motorway speed limit to 80 mph might result in an increase in the average free-flow speed of cars and a consequent increase in motorway fatalities.

  Mr. Day
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the fatality rate, in terms of distance travelled, on motorways in Great Britain for the latest 12-month period available.

  Mr. Chope
  The most recent data available are for 1989, when there were 228 fatalities on motorways and A(M) roads at an estimated rate of 3·8 fatalities per billion vehicle kilometres.

  Stansted Airport Rail Link
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what forecast of usage was used by British Rail when seeking approval of investment in the Stansted airport rail link; and what was the actual usage during the first week of operation.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend has no information on the use of the Stansted express rail link in its first week of operation. My hon. Friend may wish to obtain this from British Rail. The rail service has been planned to accommodate the demand for rail travel associated with the capacity of the first phase of Stansted development, that is, about 2,500 rail passengers each way per day.

  Traffic Measures
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the extension of proposed London traffic measures to all metropolitan districts; arid if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Department has received representations by and on behalf of a number of local authorities outside London for changes to be made to the Road Traffic Bill so that the new, decriminalised parking regime for London can be available elsewhere.

  We are considering these representations.

  Oil Spillages
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the contingency plans which exist to deal with a major oil spillage in(a) the English channel and (b) the North sea.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Because it is impossible to predict where or when a tanker accident may occur, the Department of Transport's marine pollution control unit's (MPCU) contingency plan for at-sea clean-up consists of highly mobile resources on short-notice standby. These are positioned at various locations around the United Kingdom, from where they can be deployed quickly to the English channel, the North sea or any other part of the UK that might be threatened by a major oil spillage.

  The responsibilty for onshore clean-up rests primarily with coastal local authorities. Those bordering the English channel and the North sea all have their own contingency plans for dealing with coastal pollution and can call on advice and specialist resources from the MPCU, which in a major spillage would co-ordinate the onshore response as well as directing offshore operations. This is to ensure that the at-sea and onshore clean-up response is fully integrated.

  A list of all directly owned or contracted counter-pollution resources available to the MPCU is held in the Library.

  Because of his overall responsibility for co-ordinating Government policy on environmental pollution, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment would be kept closely informed along with other
  510
  Departments and agencies such as the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Nature Conservancy Council.

  The UK is a contracting party to the multilateral (Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, UK and EC) Bonn agreement for co-operation in dealing with pollution of the North sea by oil or other harmful substances and is a signatory to an Anglo-French joint maritime contingency plan (Mancheplan) for dealing with pollution in the English channel. Both of these international arrangements provide for the provision of assistance, if requested, to help combat major oil spillages.

  Resources would also be contracted in from the private sector as needed.

  North Tyneside Steam Railway
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to be able to approve the North Tyneside Steam Railway Light Railway Order.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The order was approved Wednesday 27 March 1991.

  Poynton Bypass
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from British Aerospace plc about the line of route of the proposed A523 Poynton bypass.

  Mr. Chope
  British Aerospace responded to the public consultation held at the end of 1989. The company supported the principle of a bypass but was concerned about the proximity of the consultation routes to its runway. Discussions with the company are continuing.

  M62
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what has been the cause of delays in the completion of the work between junctions 12 and 13 of the M62 motorway at Eccles/Worsley.

  Mr. Chope
  The works have been more extensive than initally thought necessary and in order to keep delays to a minimum in the long term, we are completing all the works required during the present closures.

  A45
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions the A45 east and west of Bury St. Edmunds has been the subject of repairs over the past 10 years; what was the reason in the case of each closure between the Westley-Fornham junction and Rookery crossroads; what was the approximate duration and cost of repairs relating to each closure; and when he expects the road to be fully up to standard.

  Mr. Chope
  From the information available, apart from routine maintenance, there have been eight occasions These are in the table.
  511

  Year

  Location

  Works

  Duration

  Cost £

  1984–85

  Bury bypass bridges

  Plane and resurface

  Not known

  120,580

  1986

  Rougham to Bury

  Reconstruction and resurface

  February-June

  1·25 million

  1986

  St. Saviours interchange

  Concrete repairs

  May-August

  140,000

  1986–87

  Bury to Rougham

  Concrete repairs

  Not known

  500,000

  1988

  Rougham westwards

  Major maintenance

  January-June

  1·08 million

  1988–89

  Bury bypass

  Concrete repairs

  Not known

  225,000

  1989

  Bury bypass bridges

  Bridge joints and resurface—lane closures

  October-December

  42,000

  1990–91

  Bury bypass

  Reconstruction, joint repairs and overlay

  October-April

  5 million

  Once the major maintenance has finished this week the road will be up to current standards.

  Child Safety Restraints
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has for a new campaign educating drivers about the need for children to wear safety restraints.

  Mr. Chope
  We shall shortly be launching a campaign to encourage the wearing of seat restraints by both adults and children travelling in the rear seats of cars.

  Immingham
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps his Department is taking to monitor the development of the port of Immingham to ensure its compliance with undertakings given by the developers to Parliament and to the Government.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None. It is not for my Department to monitor developments authorised by private Acts. But I am assured by Associated British Ports that it will provide quarterly information about steam coal imports at Immingham from the arrival of the first ship at the new facilities to 31 December 1985 to the Department of Energy and the House of Commons Library, in accordance with the undertaking given to the Select Committee of the House of Commons during the passage of the Associated British Ports Act 1990.

  M62
  Mr. Lewis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when junction 13 of the M62 motorway at Worsley will be reopened.

  Mr. Chope
  As soon as possible. We shall need to keep the northbound off-slip road closed for some time after the rest of the junction is reopened, while we carry out works on Worsley canal west bridge.

  Elderly Drivers
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the number of elderly people who have given up driving as a result of his Department's campaign; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government recognise the value to older people of maintaining their independence and mobility and have not been running a campaign to encourage them to give up driving. It is, however, important that any driver should notify DVLA if he 512
  develops a medical condition which might affect his ability to drive safely. In the year to April 1990 some 32,000 people over the age of 70 gave up driving on medical grounds out of a total of 1·7 million licence holders in this age group.

  British Rail (Paddington)
  Mr. Gale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on investment in British Rail services operating out of Paddington.

  Mr. Rifkind
  I am pleased to inform my hon. Friend that I have today approved investment of nearly £50 million in 65 class 165 Networker turbo vehicles. These new diesel multiple units will run on Thames line express services between Paddington and Oxford/Newbury. They will replace the existing loco-hauled trains which are becoming increasingly unreliable and costly to maintain, and bring about considerable improvements in quality of service.

THE ARTS

  Richmond Adult College (Exhibition)
  Mr. Jessel
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he has considered an application for an exhibition of paintings from the Richmond upon Thames adult college to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mr. Renton
  Yes. I am glad to sponsor "Richmond: The Place—the People" exhibition in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Bradford Playhouse
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what representations he has received about the proposal by the British Film Institute to transfer funding from the Bradford Playhouse and film theatre to the former Library theatre now owned by the national museum of photography; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I have received no representations about this proposal, other than a letter from the hon. Member himself.

  Funding
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how much funding his Department has provided directly or indirectly to the national museum of photography and the British Film Institute over each of the past three years, to date; what is his policy on cross-funding by bodies funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement.
  513
  Mr. Renton
  Since 1988 my Department has provided the following funding to the British Film Institute:

  £ million

  1988–89

  11·30

  1989–90

  11·90

  1990–91

  12·75

  In each of those years the national museum of science and industry has allocated some 10 per cent. of its grant in aid to the national museum of photography, film and television. The allocation for 1991–92 will amount to some £2 million. Cross-funding by Office of Arts and Libraries-funded bodies may occur, provided they are acting within their respective functions, however defined.

  British Film Institute
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what control he exercises over the decisions by the British Film Institute on the allocation of its budgets; whether he monitors the implications of such decisions; and what reserve powers he has to overturn such decisions.

  Mr. Renton
  The OAL's relations with its grant-in-aid-funded bodies is on an arm's-length basis. The BFI's proposals for the allocation of its budget are monitored through the annual submissions of its corporate plan.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will call for a report from the board of the British Film Institute on the reasons for the transfer of old funds from

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  outturn

  estimated outturn

  Housing benefit

  England

  2,645

  2,814

  2,873

  3,048

  3,354

  3,950

  Scotland

  280

  330

  380

  398

  454

  526

  Wales

  167

  182

  183

  201

  214

  225

  Total

  3,092

  3,326

  3,435

  3,647

  4,021

  4,701

  Mandatory students awards

  England

  659

  675

  703

  765

  838

  1,127

  Wales

  45

  46

  49

  53

  60

  75

  Total

  704

  722

  752

  818

  898

  1,202

  Chancery plc
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration the Bank of England banking supervision department has given to Chancery plc's last submissions on capital adequacy; and what decisions it has reached.

  Mr. Maples
  That is a matter for the Bank of England, but the confidentiality restrictions of part V of the Banking Act 1987 would prohibit the bank from disclosing any such information about an individual institution.

  Knitting Patterns
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what reasons underlay his decision to change the VAT status of knitting patterns;

  (2) if he will zero-rate for VAT purposes knitting patterns for babywear and children's garments;
  514
  the Bradford Playhouse and Film Theatre to the Old Library Theatre Museum of Photography; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I have no plans to do so.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Watts
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to publish the total amount of revenue collected by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise in serious misdeclaration penalties since April 1990 to the most recent date for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Serious misdeclaration penalty has only been in force since 1 April 1990 and information on penalties imposed will be published in due course in the annual Customs and Excise Board's report.

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table, in the format of table 21.2.3 of Cm 621, analysing other current local authority expenditure consistent with table 5.8 of Cm 1520.

  Mr. Mellor
  Data are no longer held in a form which allows separate identification of all the items set out in table 21.2.3 of the 1989 public expenditure White Paper—Cm 621. The available information is shown in the table.

  (3) what are the reasons for the differing treatment for VAT purposes of individual knitting patterns and knitting patterns presented in a collection.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The law zero-rates books, booklets, brochures, pamphlets and leaflets. Knitting, patterns, including those for babywear and children's. garments, can therefore be zero-rated only if they fall to be classified under one of these headings. In the past, single or double sheet knitting patterns were accepted as qualifying for zero-rating. However, Customs and Excise have had to review this position in the light of recent decisions by the independent VAT tribunal, that"A leaflet must be limp, and generally, if not inevitably, on unlaminated paper".
  Having obtained legal opinion that these patterns do not in fact qualify for zero-rating, Customs have notified that they should be standard-rated with effect from 1 May 1991.

  Sports and Arts Foundation
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has for monitoring and accountability of decision making by the proposed new foundation for sport and the arts.

  Mr. Mellor
  Suitable arrangements for monitoring and audit are among the conditions that will need to be satisfied before I could agree to a cut in pool betting duty. The most appropriate form for these arrangements will be determined in future discussions with the proposers of the new foundation.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to meet the pools companies to discuss the proposed foundation for sport and the arts.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have no immediate plans to meet the pools companies to discuss a proposed foundation for sport and the arts, but officials in the Treasury plan shortly to meet representatives of the companies.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many meetings, and over what time scale, Ministers and officials from his Department held with representatives of the pools companies to discuss the establishing of a new foundation for sport and the arts.

  Mr. Mellor
  Before the Budget my right hon. Friend the Chancellor and I met representatives of one of the pools companies on 8 March to discuss their proposals to establish a new foundation for sport and the arts. My officials have also held meetings with representatives of the same company.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the time scale involved in establishing the foundation for sport and the arts.

  Mr. Mellor
  Providing that a foundation can be established with satisfactory terms and conditions, I would expect it to start operating from the beginning of the 1991–92 football season in August.
  516
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what method and criteria will be adopted in deciding the membership of the proposed foundation for sport and the arts;

  (2) how many individuals from each of (a) the Sports Council, (b) the Scottish Sports Council, (c) the Sports Council for Wales, (d) the Sports Council for Northern Ireland, (e) the British Olympic Association, (f) the Central Council for Physical Recreation, (g) the Department of Education and Science, (h) the Arts Council, (i) the Pools Promoters Association, (j) the Association of Metropolitan Authorities, (k) the Association of District Councils, (l) the Association of County Councils, (m) the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and (n) the Association of Local Authorities in Northern Ireland will be included in the membership of the proposed foundation for sport and the arts; and what other organisations will be represented;

  (3) what is his estimate of the ratio of funding between sport and the arts by the new foundation for sport and the arts;

  (4) how many staff will be employed by the proposed foundation for sport and the arts.

  Mr. Mellor
  In his Budget statement on 19 March my right hon. Friend announced that he had received a proposal from one of the pools promoters for a new foundation for sport and the arts. The matters raised in the hon. Member's questions, together with a number of others, will need to be determined in future discussions with the proposers of the new foundation.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the pools scheme to benefit the arts and sports will also contribute to museums.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: It will be for the trustees to determine, once the foundation for sport and the arts is established, whether museums will benefit from the funds to be allocated.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to remove VAT from sanitary towels and tampons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Government have no plans to remove VAT from sanitary products or other essential items of personal hygiene. In any case, this would be contrary to EC law.

  Mr. Waller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to compensate health authorities for the Budget increase in the standard rate of value added tax.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have agreed that in the special case of the health programmes, the additional costs to health authorities should be added to existing provision as a claim against the reserve. This will also apply to comparable expenditure in Scotland and Wales. The increased provision will be granted to the national health service in supplementary estimates for 1991–92 to be presented in due course later in the year.

  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many firms were registered for value added tax, were new registrations for value added tax, and ceased to be registered for value added tax, in each year from 1987 to date, in the parliamentary constituencies of(a) Tottenham and (b) Hornsey and Wood Green.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [ holding answer 25 March 1991]: The local VAT Office at Enfield covers areas in addition to the constituencies of Tottenham and Hornsey and Wood Green. No distinction is made between businesses registering for the first time and other registrations, for example, a sole proprietor taking on a partner or forming a limited company.

  Years End December

  New Registrations

  Deregistrations

  1987

  2,740

  2,297

  1988

  2,816

  2,229

  1989

  3,583

  2,367

  1990

  3,087

  2,575

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what resources and how many civil servants for how many days were devoted to Her Majesty's Government's plans to raise value added tax to 17·5 per cent.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: Civil servants provided advice to Ministers on a wide range of subjects during the Budget period. It is not possible to provide a reliable estimate of the time spent advising on any one particular issue.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what he estimates will be the effect on the headline and core rates of inflation on value added tax at 17½ per cent.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: The increase in the standard rate of value added tax from 15 to 17½ per cent. will add 1·1 percentage points to RPI inflation in 1991–92, on the assumption that it is fully passed on to the consumer. But this effect will be more than offset by the Budget measures on the community charge, which will reduce RPI inflation by 1·9 percentage points.
  518
  There is no unique measure of underlying inflation. Moreover, as explained in the Government's observations on the Treasury and Civil Service Committee's report on the 1990 Budget, it is helpful when analysing underlying inflation to abstract from once-off changes, such as changes to indirect taxes.

  The increase in VAT will have no effect on producer output price inflation. It will have the following effects on measured inflation between April 1991 and March 1992:
  add 1·2 percentage points to RPI inflation excluding mortgage interest payments, offset by the Budget reduction in the community charge;
  add 1·3 percentage points to RPI inflation excluding mortgage interest payments and community charge;
  add 1 percentage point to the increase in the market price GDP deflator.

  But these effects are best seen as once-off changes to the price level, associated with switching from community charge to indirect taxes, rather than increases in underlying inflation.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements he is making to allow guest house and hotel proprietors to recoup the increases in value added tax on holidays prebooked and prepaid before the rise from tour operators and by tour operators from their customers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [ holding answer 26 March 1991]: No special arrangements are necessary. Guest houses and hotel proprietors and tour operators will either be able to use the normal arrangements governing a change of VAT rate or, where appropriate, arrangements under the tour operators' margin scheme. Details are explained in the relevant Customs and Excise public notice and leaflet. To the extent that guest house and hotel proprietors have received payment before 1 April 1991, they will have no additional VAT liability in respect of that payment.

  Trade Unions
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the Government policy on recognition of relevant trade unions for the purposes of representation and collective bargaining extends to all Government Departments and, with the exception of GCHQ, to agencies and non-departmental public bodies.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: The Government as employer recognises relevant trade unions where they are representative. The level and extent of recognition is a matter for management discretion. Petrol Tax

  Petrol Tax
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much the tax on petrol would have to be increased to raise the amount equivalent to the community charge necessary to fund local authority spending up to standard assessment.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 27 March 1991]: As set out in table 6.9 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report", the net yield of the community charge in 1991–92 is now forecast to be £7·2 billion. Calculated on a basis consistent with the ready reckoner published in the 1990 autumn statement—table 4·7—an additional yield of £7·2 billion in 1991–92 would require an increase in petrol duties of around 92 per cent. However, this estimate is

  519
  subject to considerable uncertainty about the extent to which such a large increase in duties would induce consumers to switch between different categories of expenditure.

  Woolwich Building Society
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the cost to public funds of defending the case brought by the Woolwich Equitable Building Society against the Commissioners of Inland Revenue arising from section 40 of the Finance Act 1985.

  Mr. Maude
  This information is not available. Confidential discussions are taking place between the parties to the action on the subject of costs.

  Mortgages
  Mr. Shore
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated effect on the retail prices index of every 1 per cent. decrease in mortgage rates.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  A fall of one percentage point in mortgage interest rates would currently reduce the all items retail prices index by approximately 0·5 percentage points.

  Banking Regulations
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, following the collapse of Chancery plc, he has any plans to conduct a further review of the United Kingdom banking regulations.

  Mr. Maples
  No.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria are followed in determining whether persons are fit and proper for the purposes of controlling banking operations.

  Mr. Maples
  The criteria for determining whether persons are fit and proper for the purposes of controlling banking operations are set out in schedule 3 of the Banking Act 1987 and are explained further in the statement of principles on section 16 of the Act.

  Share Shops
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the criteria by which the Treasury will assess proposals for high street share shops; and how these will be integrated into the privatisation programme.

  Mr. Maude
  We will be looking for share-dealing mechanisms which provide easy access by the small-scale shareholder for buying and selling shares, either on an execution-only basis or with support and advice where customers seek it. The outlets could be shops, counters or other means of local delivery. Applicants could be individual organisations or joint ventures. The operator of the service will need to be able to comply with the regulatory requirements of the Financial Services and other relevant Acts.

  If suitable proposals come forward quickly enough, the Government would consider appointing a retail sales manager for the BT share sale to distribute shares through high street outlets.
  520
  I am delighted that a good deal of interest has already been expressed in this proposition.

  EC Budget
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the net contributions by the United Kingdom to the EC budget for each of the last four quarters.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The latest estimates for net contributions to the EC budget on a balance of payments basis are:

  £ million

  1990

  Q1

  353

  Q2

  694

  Q3

  542

  Q4

  887

  The figure for the fourth quarter has been revised upwards by £516 million in the light of corrected information which has become available since the press notice on the balance of payments was published by the CSO on 13 March.

  This and other revisions will be incorporated in the CSO press notice on the quarterly balance of payments accounts to be published in June.

  This revision to the fourth quarter of 1990 does not affect the projection of the invisible balance for January and February 1991 published in the CSO press notice of 25 March, nor does it affect the forecasts of the balance of payments for 1991 published in the FSBR tables 3.1 and 3.5.

  Secondary Banks' Collapses
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes there have been in policy on secondary banks' collapses since 1974.

  Mr. Maples
  Significant improvements have been made to the system of banking supervision under the provisions of the Banking Acts 1979 and 1987. So far as individual cases are concerned, the bank's reaction continues to be determined on a case-by-case basis in the light of all the prevailing circumstances.

  VAT
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he intends to compensate health authorities for the Budget increase in the standard rate of value added tax.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have agreed that in the special case of the health programmes, the additional costs to health authorities should be added to existing provision as a claim against the reserve. This will also apply to comparable expenditure in Scotland and Wales. The increased provision will be granted to the NHS in supplementary estimates for 1991–92 to be presented in due course later in the year.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing(a) the population figures used for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland

  521
  for the per capita calculations in his answer to the hon. Member for Walthamstow (Mr. Summerson) on identifiable public expenditure of 13 December, Official Report, columns 457–58, citing data sources and (b) the population figures used for England, Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the English regions for the per capita calculations in the Treasury's note on public expenditure by territory and region in HC 41 of 1990–91, pp. 41–46, citing data sources.

  Table 1:

  Population Data1 for 1990 Territorial Analysis

  Thousands

  England

  Scotland

  Wales

  Northern Ireland

  1985–86

  47,111·7

  5,136·5

  2,811·8

  1,557·8

  1986–87

  47,254·5

  5,121·0

  2,821·0

  21,566·8

  1987–88

  47,406·7

  5,112·1

  2,836·2

  1,575·1

  1988–89

  47,536·3

  5,094·0

  2,857·0

  1,578·1

  1989–90

  47,689·4

  5,090·7

  2,873·1

  1,583·0

  1 The data are mid-year population estimates produced by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys. They are consistent with the figures published in Table 2 of Population Trends 62 (Winter 1990)

  2 During the course of the preparation of this reply a minor error has come to light in the figure used (1,556·8) to produce the per capita figures for Northern Ireland for 1986–87. The effect of this is to overstate total Northern Ireland per capita expenditure in that year by £19 (0·6 per cent.)

  Table 2:

  Population Data1 for Analysis of Regional Expenditure in England

  Thousands

  1987–88

  Northern Region

  3,076·8

  Yorks and Humberside

  4,900·2

  East Midlands

  3,942·3

  East Anglia

  2,013·7

  South East

  17,317·6

  South West

  4,588·4

  West Midlands

  5,197·7

  North West

  6,370·1

  England

  47,406·7

  1 The data are mid-year population estimates produced by the Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys. They are consistent with the figures published in Table 3 of Population Trends 62 (Winter 1990)

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income Support
  Mr Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total weekly income support entitlement for a married man with children aged four and six years of his income is(a) £50 per week, (b) £130 per week (c) £160 per week.

  Married couple with two children aged 4 and 6

  £ per week

  Child Benefit

  15·50

  Assumed rent

  25·60

  Assumed community charge

  9·62

  Gross earnings

  Tax

  National insurance

  Take home pay

  Family Credit

  Rent rebate

  Community charge benefit

  Total net income

  Net income after rent and community charge

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  £ per week

  50·00

  0·00

  1·28

  48·72

  57·70

  16·49

  5·59

  144·00

  108·78

  130·00

  9·78

  8·48

  111·74

  23·06

  0·00

  1·34

  151·64

  116·42

  160·00

  17·28

  11·18

  131·54

  9·20

  0·00

  0·00

  156·24

  121·02

  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give of the number of
  522
  Mr. Mellor
  The population figures for England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland used for the per capita calculations in the 1990 analysis of identifiable public expenditure and in the updated version of the table on public expenditure by territory and region given in appendix F of the statistical supplement to the autumn statement (Cm 1520) are set out in table 1. The population figures for the regions of England used in the latter analysis are set out in table 2.

  Mr. Jack
  Income support is an inappropriate benefit, but my hon. Friend may be interested in the figures with family credit which is a more suitable benefit for the examples. The information is set out in the table. All assumptions are as set out in the published tax benefit model tables. Each family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to its size and to pay estimated average rent and community charge. Average rents are provisional 1991–92 figures and community charge has been assessed at £250 per annum. Any relevant changes announced in the Budget have also been incorporated.

  It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use hypothetical rents so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay.

  income support or family income supplement recipients

  523
  for each of the years 1979 to 1990 showing, in each case, the number of recipients estimated to be liable to income tax at the date of their previous claim.

  Mr. Jack
  Information on the number of recipients liable to income tax is not available.

  Incomes
  Mr.Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of States for Social Security if he will publish tables similar to the tax benefit model table showing the net weekly spending power for each of(a) a single person, (b) a married couple with no children, (c) a couple with a child aged 11 years, (d) a couple with two children aged eight and 11 years, (e) a couple with three children aged eight, 11 and 15 years, (f) a couple with four children aged three, eight, 11 and 15 years with weekly earnings of (i) £60, (ii) £70, (iii) £80, (iv) £90, (v) £100, (vi) £110, (vii) £120, (viii) £130, (ix) £140, (x) £150, (xi) £160, (xii) £170, and (xiii) £180 together with net weekly spending power in the first weeks of unemployment when the individuals concerned are classified as long-term unemployed.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is set out in the tables. All assumptions are as set out in the published tax benefit model tables. Each family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to its size and to pay estimated average rent and community charge. Average rents are provisional 1991–92 figures and community charge has been assessed at £250 per annum. Any relevant changes announced in the Budget have also been incorporated.

  It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use hypothetical rents so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay.

  Single Person

  Total net income on income support: £64·73

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support: £38·69

  Gross earnings

  Net income before rent and community charge

  Net income after rent and community charge

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  60

  72·36

  46·32

  70

  73·85

  47·81

  80

  75·40

  49·36

  90

  78·46

  52·42

  100

  85·06

  59·02

  110

  91·66

  65·62

  120

  98·26

  72·22

  130

  104·86

  78·82

  140

  111·46

  85·42

  150

  118·06

  92·02

  160

  124·66

  98·62

  170

  131·26

  105·22

  180

  137·86

  111·82

  524

  Married couple with no children

  Total net income on income support: £91·18

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support: £60·33

  Gross earnings

  Net income before rent and community charge

  Net income after rent and community charge

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  60

  86·75

  55·90

  70

  95·85

  65·00

  80

  101·93

  71·08

  90

  103·75

  72·90

  100

  105·11

  74·26

  110

  106·43

  75·58

  120

  107·90

  77·05

  130

  113·51

  82·66

  140

  119·12

  88·27

  150

  124·94

  94·09

  160

  131·54

  100·69

  170

  138·14

  107·29

  180

  144·74

  113·89

  Married couple with one child aged 11

  Total net income on income support: £123·93

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support: £90·88

  Gross earnings

  Net income before rent and community charge

  Net income after rent and community charge

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  60

  135·98

  102·93

  70

  137·14

  104·09

  80

  137·69

  104·64

  90

  138·23

  105·18

  100

  138·65

  105·60

  110

  139·05

  106·00

  120

  139·94

  106·89

  130

  141·63

  108·58

  140

  143·31

  110·26

  150

  144·99

  111·94

  160

  146·68

  113·63

  170

  148·36

  115·31

  180

  152·99

  119·94

  Married couple with two children aged 8 and 11

  Total net income on income support: £142·30

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support: £107·08

  Gross earnings

  Net income before rent and community charge

  Net income after rent and community charge

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  60

  152·22

  117·00

  70

  153·38

  118·16

  80

  153·93

  118·71

  90

  154·47

  119·25

  100

  154·89

  119·67

  110

  155·29

  120·07

  120

  156·35

  121·13

  130

  158·04

  122·82

  140

  159·72

  124·50

  150

  161·40

  126·18

  160

  162·64

  127·42

  170

  164·62

  129·40

  180

  166·60

  131·38

  Married couple with three children aged 8, 11 and 15

  Total net income on income support: £164·90
  525
  Net income after rent and community charge on income support: £129·68

  Gross earnings

  Net income before rent and community charge

  Net income after rent and community charge

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  60

  172·69

  137·47

  70

  173·85

  138·63

  80

  174·40

  139·18

  90

  174·94

  139·72

  100

  175·80

  140·58

  110

  177·48

  142·26

  120

  179·16

  143·94

  130

  180·85

  145·63

  140

  182·03

  146·81

  150

  184·01

  148·79

  160

  185·99

  150·77

  170

  187·97

  152·75

  180

  189·95

  154·73

  Married couple with four children aged 3, 8, 11 and 15

  Total net income on income support: £180·35

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support:£145·13

  Gross earnings

  Net income before rent and community charge

  Net income after rent and Community Charge

  (£ per week)

  (£ per week)

  (£ per weekj

  60

  186·76

  151·54

  70

  187·92

  152·70

  80

  188·14

  152·92

  90

  190·46

  155·24

  100

  192·21

  156·99

  110

  193·89

  158·67

  120

  195·57

  160·35

  130

  197·00

  161·78

  140

  198·98

  163·76

  150

  200·96

  165·74

  160

  202·94

  167·72

  170

  204·92

  169·70

  180

  206·90

  171·68

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the total number of lone parents and their dependants in November 1979 and November 1990 or the nearest date possible, dependent on receipt of social security benefit or income support and family income or payment; and what was the total number of lone parents and their dependants on the same dates, showing in each case the percentage change since 1979.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is set out in the table. The latest information available is shown, but the dates vary and the sets of figures are therefore not strictly comparable. The references to social security benefit and family income have been read as supplementary benefit and family income supplement/family credit respectively.

  Supplementary benefit 1 income support1

  November 1979

  May 1989

  Percentage increase

  Lone parents

  318,000

  767,000

  141

  Dependants

  558,000

  1,307,000

  134

  1 Annual Statistical Enquiries—November 1979 and May 1989. Figures do not include prisoners' partners.

  526

  Family income supplement/family credit2

  November 1979

  July 19904

  Percentage increase

  Lone parents

  42,000

  126,000

  200

  Dependants

  73,000

  200,000

  174

  2 Ten per cent, sample of family income supplement load and 5 per cent, sample of family credit load.

  4 The family credit figure for 1990 shows the position at the end of July.

  Total of lone parent families3

  November 1979

  November 1986

  Percentage increase

  Lone parents

  840,000

  1,010,000

  20

  Dependants

  1,400,000

  1,600,000

  14

  3 Office of Population, Censuses and Surveys—"Population Trends 45" (Autumn 1986) and "Population Trends 55" (Spring 1989).

  Benefits and Allowances
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the value in real terms, in absolute figures and as a percentage of retirement and other state pensions and all other welfare and national insurance benefits and allowances paid in(a) November 1979 and (b) November 1990; and what were the actual figures for each benefit in each year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The last uprating date for which such calculations were made was April 1990 and I refer the hon. Member to the reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 28 June 1990 at columns 355–66 and the reply to the right hon. Member for Stoke-on-Trent, South (Mr. Ashley) on 2 July 1989 at columns 455–56. The missing figures on the real level of invalidity pension are the same as those for retirement pension given in the earlier answer.

  These answers do not cover income-related benefits such as income support. The levels of all income-related benefits payable in November 1979 and 1990 can be found in "Social Security Statistics" for 1980 and 1990 respectively, which are in the Library. Changes over time to the benefit system have rendered increasingly meaningless any attempt to make hypothetical comparisons between what people get now under the various income-related benefits and what they might generally have got under previous schemes.

  Personal Pensions
  Sir Geoffrey Johnson Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what recent representations he has received about the 2 per cent. incentive for holders of personal pensions.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This year four letters have been received from members of the public about the 2 per cent. incentive. These have mainly been in response to press articles on the subject.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a breakdown of the national and local benefit agency structure on a constituency basis.

  Miss Widdecombe
  There are currently no plans to publish a guide containing this information. However,
  527
  district office managers will be contacting individual Members in the near future with details of how the boundaries of the district structure relate to their constituencies.

  State Pensions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many men aged 64 years are receiving a social security benefit; what would be the additional cost of paying them retirement pension; and what would be the cost of providing retirement pension to men aged 64 years not in receipt of any social security benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what effect the £100 million cash limit on the social fund will have on the local and central administration of the fund; and what consideration he gave in fixing it at that level, to the risk of the fund running out of money before the end of the financial year.

  Mr. Scott
  The social fund has always operated nationally within a net budget, and the setting of a net cash limit now formalises this arrangement. This does not affect the local administration of the social fund where budgets will continue to operate on the basis of gross district budgets. We have no reason to believe that the £100 million net budget will not support the 1991–92 national gross budget of £227·7 million throughout the year.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing district office social fund allocations for 1991–92 and the allocations to the local offices comprised in each district for 1990–91.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of the local office social fund allocations in 1990–91 and the district office allocations for 1991–92 are in the Library. I will write to the hon. Member with details of the local offices covered by each new district office, and a copy will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what proportion of social fund loans was estimated to be non-recoverable in fixing the fund's cash limit for 1991–92.

  Mr. Scott
  The expected level of loan recoveries does not affect the social fund's cash limit of £100 million.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the social fund's cash limit for 1991–92 and its estimated net expenditure on discretionary grants and loans for 1990–91, in cash terms and in real terms.

  Mr. Scott
  The social fund net cash limit for 1991–92 is £100 million. Estimated net expenditure on grants and loans in 1990–91 in cash terms and real terms at 1991–92 prices is as follows:
  528

  Loans

  (At 1991–92 prices)

  Grants

  (At 1991–92 prices)

  £ million

  £ million

  31·4

  (33·6 million)

  67·1

  (71·8 million)

  Real terms figures have been calculated using the current GDP deflator and may alter. In any event the social fund budget is based on a number of factors, including the level of gross allocation permitted by expected loan recoveries and is not linked to inflation forecasts.

  Carers
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, what steps he is currently taking to ensure that all payments to carers are made at the earliest possible date.

  Mr. Scott
  To ensure that all payments to carers are made at the earliest possible date, clearance times for invalid care allowance claims are kept under close and regular scrutiny. Despite claims increasing by 50 per cent. during the period October 1990 to January 1991 compared with the same period last year, the clearance time for the year to date is 38·5 days against a published target of 38 days.

  Disability
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what methods of payment will be available to recipients of(a) disability living allowance and (b) disability working allowance.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Recipients of both disability living allowance and disability working allowance will normally be able to choose whether to be paid in the form of an order book encashable at a post office, or automated credit transfer direct to a bank or building society account.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether widowed mothers, including war widows, will benefit from the increase in child benefit in October 1991.

  Mr. Jack
  It is our intention that the weekly rates of child dependency increases payable with widowed mother's allowance and of war widows' children's allowances, together with other benefits payable in respect of children, will not be affected by the increases in the rates of child benefit to be introduced in October 1991.

  Local Offices, Bradford
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) permanent and (b) temporary staff are currently employed in the three Bradford offices; and what will be the numbers in each category from April under the district management unit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The staffing position in the three Bradford offices on 26 March 1991 was as follows:

  Numbers

  Bradford East

  Permanent

  113·5

  Fixed-term contract

  10

  529

  Numbers

  Casuals

  7

  Bradford South

  Permanent

  113·5

  Fixed-term contract

  20

  Casuals

  11

  Bradford West

  Permanent

  120·5

  Fixed-term contract

  21·5

  Casuals

  12

  The staffing position from 1 April 1991 is expected to be as follows:

  Numbers

  Bradford East

  Permanent

  113·5

  Fixed-term contract

  4

  Bradford South

  Permanent

  113·5

  Fixed-term contract

  18

  Casuals

  8

  Bradford West

  Permanent

  119

  Fixed-term contract

  8

  Casuals

  4

  It is planned to make seven of the fixed-term contract staff permanent throughout the DMU from 1 May 1991.

  Direct Payments
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list the social security benefits which it is not possible to have paid directly into the claimant's bank account; if he will specify in each case the reason why this facility is not available; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the social security benefits which it is possible to have paid directly into the claimant's bank account; and if he will specify in each case the date when this facility became available.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The facility for the payment of benefit directly into a bank account is limited to those benefits which are fully computerised.

  Pending completion of the Department's computerisation programme, the following benefits are those currently payable by automated credit transfer direct to a bank or building society. Also shown are the dates when that facility was introduced:

  Year

  Retirement pension/widows benefit

  1982

  Child benefit

  1983

  War pension

  1983

  Mobility allowance

  1983

  Attendance allowance

  1985

  Family credit

  1988

  Residential Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information local benefit offices are required to supply him with in regard to income support payments to residents of private residential or nursing homes.
  530
  Miss Widdecombe
  Data are collected from the files of a 1 per cent. sample of all income support recipients in each local office. For people in residential care or nursing homes the income support data are the weekly amount in payment.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will conduct research into the effectiveness of the social security system in meeting the financial needs of people with AIDS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so.

  Chief Adjudication Officer
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the sixth annual report of the Chief Adjudication Officer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Newton
  The report is being published today. As last year, it finds considerable variation in standards of adjudication both in the Department of Social Security and the Employment Service, and makes a number of comments and recommendations for improvements. These are being considered, and will be the subject of a formal response in due course.

  As the report recognises, the organisational changes currently being undertaken in conjuction with the inauguration of the Benefits Agency next month provide an opportunity to consider the scope for improving adjudication standards through greater specialisation in this work at the level of the new district offices. Although it makes no specific recommendation in this respect, I am arranging for the report's comments to be drawn to the attention of the agency's chief executive.

  Community Charges Bill
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether the provisions of the Community Charges (General Reduction) Bill entail any alterations in social security regulations.

  Mr. Newton
  We will be laying regulations making consequential amendments to the community charge benefit scheme. They will provide that any claim for benefit which is made within 56 days of the receipt of a demand notice reflecting the new levels of community charge can, where appropriate, be backdated to 1 April 1991. The regulations will also revoke the existing rule which prevents community charge benefit being paid if it would amount to less than 50p per week, and make a number of other technical changes.

  In view of the urgency the Social Security Advisory Committee has agreed to waive consultation on the regulations, which will be entirely beneficial.

  Pensions
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 26 November 1990,Official Report, column 304, what are the figures at constant 1990 prices, retaining his original prices and

  531
  earnings assumptions; and if he will also show (a) the SERPS entitlement at earnings equal to half the upper earnings limit for national insurance contributions in each year at 1990 prices and (b) the category A national insurance pension in each year at 1990 prices.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 30 January 1991]: The information requested on SERPS entitlement is in the table. Figures for the state retirement pension are set out in table 5 1(b) of the October 1990 edition of the DSS "Abstract of Statistics" a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Year

  1£ per week

  2£ per week

  1978

  —

  —

  1979

  2·95

  1·20

  1980

  5·50

  2·30

  1981

  8·85

  3·70

  1982

  13·05

  5·50

  1983

  17·35

  7·30

  1984

  21·30

  8·90

  1985

  25·20

  10·60

  1986

  29·80

  12·60

  1987

  35·00

  14·85

  1988

  40·20

  17·20

  1989

  44·30

  19·05

  1990

  48·65

  21·10

  1991

  53·20

  23·05

  1992

  57·85

  25·05

  1993

  62·75

  27·25

  1994

  67·65

  29·40

  1995

  72·70

  31·60

  1996

  78·00

  34·05

  1997

  83·25

  36·40

  1998

  88·65

  38·85

  1 Weekly amounts of additional pension payable on retirement on 6 April in the stated year (at 1990 prices) with earnings equal to the upper earnings limit.

  2 Weekly amounts of additional pension payable on retirement on 6 April in the stated year (at 1990 prices) with earnings equal to half the upper earnings limit.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to encourage the citizens advice bureaux, SHAC and Shelter to use their grant in aid to give sufficient publicity to the availability of shorthold tenancies and to encourage private landlords to offer such accommodation.

  Mr. Yeo
  SHAC, Shelter and the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux are receiving grant in aid in respect of work to relieve homelessness, part of which will involve advising people who are potentially homeless of the availability of other accommodation, including that in the private rented sector.

  NACAB has been closely associated with the Department's continuing campaign to publicise the changes to private renting legislation, most recently with the booklet "Now it's worthwhile being a landlord' in October 1990.

  Nitrogen Dioxide
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 4 March,Official Report, columns 14–15, if he has any plans to establish monitoring stations for nitrogen dioxide levels at Cardiff or Swansea.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government's intention to expand the air quality monitoring network was announced in the environment White Paper. A monitoring station will be established in Wales, but the site has yet to be decided.

  Limehouse Link
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the mitigation agreement recently signed by the London Docklands development corporation and the contractors of the Limehouse link, Balfour Beatty and Fairclough joint venture, covering delays which occurred early in the project, involved additional payments from the Exchequer.

  Mr. Key
  No. LDDC had budgeted for potential contractors' claims. The costs of the mitigation agreement will therefore be met from within the corporation's existing resource provision and will not be funded by additional payments from the Exchequer.

  Water Pollution (Monitoring)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance notes he has issued to large-scale industry concerning the impending transfer of responsibility for monitoring of water pollution by industry from the National Rivers Authority to Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The NRA will continue to be responsible for monitoring and maintenance of water quality in controlled waters, and for discharges to controlled waters from non-prescribed processes. Discharges from prescribed processes will be the progressive responsibility of HMIP, resulting from IPC authorisations given under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  General guidance on standards and monitoring is outlined in the chief inspector's industry sector guidance notes to be published in April. Additional guidance will be given in the process, specific guidance notes to be published at least three months before IPC applications are required. Industry is a consultee to these guidance notes.

  The memorandum of understanding between HMIP and the NRA, signed in December 1990, covers agreed procedures for dealing with the HMIP-NRA interface of responsibility for monitoring and enforcement of aqueous discharges from both prescribed and non-prescribed substances to controlled waters.

  Capital Receipts
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what value and percentage of capital receipts from the sale of local authority dwellings between 1980 and 1991 was spent each year by local authorities on(a) new building, (b) repairs and maintenance and (c) servicing of debt.
  533
  Mr. Yeo
  We have no figures on the use of capital receipts from the sale of dwelling houses for these purposes. This is because capital receipts form one element of each authority's pooled capital resources. As from 1 April 1990 authorities have been required to set aside 75 per cent. of capital receipts from the sale of dwellings for debt redemption.

  War Games
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether planning permission is required by those seeking to organise war games(a) on their own land or (b) on open land.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988 grants planning permission for the temporary use of any land outside the curtilage of a building for war games, for up to 28 days in any calendar year. Use for more than 28 days requires specific planning permission.

  The consultation paper "Planning Controls over Sites of Special Scientific Interest", issued on 13 March, proposes additional safeguards for SSSIs including the withdrawal of permitted development rights for war games. This consultation paper was announced in my right hon. Friend's reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Basingstoke (Mr. Hunter) on 13 March.

  River Severn
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he proposes to take following the representations he has received on the problems of pollution and flooding along the River Severn.

  Mr. Baldry
  Water pollution control in England and Wales is primarily the responsibility of the National Rivers Authority. Representations received by my Department about local water quality or pollution problems along the River Severn are referred to the NRA in the first instance. Matters relating to flooding are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food.

  Housing Revenue Account Subsidy
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much higher the estimated cost, and planned provision for HR,4S rent rebate subsidy, in the years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94, would be were it not for the assumed transfer of rental income from the tenants of some councils reducing the estimated and planned cost of that subsidy.

  Sir George Young
  Under the new arrangements each authority receives sufficient HRA subsidy to meet any deficit on its assumed income and outgoings. The total contributions to rent rebates which local authorities make from their housing accounts are currently estimated to be £195 million in 1990–91 and £311 million in 1991–92. No decisions have yet been made for later years.

  Radioactive Materials
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department is(a) currently sponsoring any research and (b) has plans to sponsor future research into methods of the safe destruction and neutralisation of radioactive materials, including wastes.
  534
  Mr. Baldry
  Research work is currently being carried out into dissolution of plastic materials contaminated with radioactivity. It is likely that the Department of the Environment will continue to fund this work in partnership with industry.

  Currently there is no research work being carried out by the Department into the destruction of radioactive materials.

  Further Education
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the amount of standard spending assessment for further education allocated to each local education authority, the principles on which this is allocated, including the formula used for student numbers, and the effect on the standard spending assessment, if any, of income generated by further education colleges.

  Mr. Key
  The standard spending assessment (SSA) element for post-16 education in 1991–92 is given in the table for each authority. The assessment includes provision for school pupils aged 16 years as well as those in further education. A separate element for further education is not identified. Details of the formula used to calculate this SSA and the overall number of students aged 16 years and over are given in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England) as amended by the Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) Report (England)—copies of these are in the Library. An estimate of fee and other income received by colleges is taken into account in calculating this element of the education SSA.

  1991–92 post 16 education SSA in million

  £ million

  Authority

  Post-16

  SSA

  City and London boroughs

  City of London

  0·398

  Camden

  11·071

  Greenwich

  13·624

  Hackney

  17·571

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  9·577

  Islington

  13·174

  Kensington and Chelsea

  6·743

  Lambeth

  21·862

  Lewisham

  16·361

  South wark

  14·037

  Tower Hamlets

  12·533

  Wandswworth

  19·749

  Westminster

  10·012

  Barking and Dagenham

  6·784

  Barnet

  21·339

  Bexley

  13·085

  Brent

  27·486

  Bromley

  17·403

  Croydon

  23·907

  Ealing

  23·909

  Enfield

  19·619

  Haringey

  20·322

  Harrow

  15·821

  Havering

  13·966

  Hillingdon

  14·408

  Hounslow

  14·385

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  9·232

  535

  Authority

  Post-16

  SSA

  Merton

  10·402

  Newham

  19·451

  Redbridge

  16·016

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  8·654

  Sutton

  10·127

  Waltham Forest

  17·085

  Greater Manchester Districts

  Bolton

  15,818

  Bury

  10,732

  Manchester

  29,553

  Oldham

  14,081

  Rochdale

  12,358

  Salford

  12,064

  Stockport

  18,976

  Tameside

  12,791

  Trafford

  13,649

  Wigan

  19,270

  Merseyside Districts

  Knowsley

  10,451

  Liverpool

  34,741

  St. Helens

  13,898

  Sefton

  19,250

  Wirral

  24,003

  South Yorkshire Districts

  Barnsley

  11,524

  Doncaster

  17,065

  Rotherham

  15,341

  Sheffield

  31,363

  Tyne and Wear Districts

  Gateshead

  9,717

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  15,134

  North Tyneside

  12,037

  South Tyneside

  9,183

  Sunderland

  16,319

  West Midlands Districts

  Birmingham

  74,585

  Coventry

  18,937

  Dudley

  17,651

  Sandwell

  19,930

  Solihull

  12,968

  Walsall

  16,304

  Wolverhampton

  16,631

  West Yorkshire Districts

  Bradford

  29,682

  Calderdale

  11,581

  Kirklees

  27,006

  Leeds

  38,712

  Wakefield

  16,302

  Shire counties

  Avon

  53·574

  Bedfordshire

  35·648

  Berkshire

  50·825

  Buckinghamshire

  45·164

  Cambridgeshire

  39·729

  Cheshire

  66·050

  Cleveland

  35·389

  Cornwall

  32·207

  Cumbria

  27·542

  Derbyshire

  53·101

  Devon

  57·768

  Dorset

  32·842

  Durham

  33·184

  East Sussex

  36·759

  Essex

  90·652

  Gloucestershire

  32·202

  Hampshire

  101·458

  536

  Authority

  Post-16

  SSA

  Hereford and Worcester

  42·782

  Hertfordshire

  66·569

  Humberside

  50·003

  Isle of Wight

  91·05

  Kent

  92·536

  Lancashire

  92·713

  Leicestershire

  55·843

  Lincolnshire

  37·423

  Norfolk

  41·174

  Northamptonshire

  32·813

  Northumberland

  16·896

  North Yorkshire

  47·544

  Nottinghamshire

  62·532

  Oxfordshire

  32·809

  Shropshire

  25·739

  Somerset

  29·717

  Staffordshire

  57·376

  Suffolk

  33·959

  Surrey

  67·831

  Warwickshire

  31·287

  West Sussex

  41·408

  Wiltshire

  34·554

  All purpose authorities

  Isles of Scilly

  0·169

  Gulf Pollution
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the secretary of state for the environment if he will make a further statement on the extent of the ecological damage caused by the deliberate pollution of the Gulf and Kuwait.

  Mr. Baldry
  Reports available to me indicate that substantial environmental damage has occurred along parts of the coastline of Saudi Arabia between Khafji and the island of Abu Ali as a result of the oil slicks caused by deliberate release of oil into the Gulf. Damage to habitats such as seagrass beds, salt marshes and mangroves which are of particular importance as nursery grounds for fish and shellfish is likely to be severe and it has been estimated that 10,000 to 20,000 bird mortalities have occurred. However, a full picture must await a detailed ecological assessment of the coastline. In addition the most recent surveys show that offshore patches of light and weathered oil are now moving down the Gulf and affecting the coastline of Bahrain and Qatar.

  Air emissions from the burning oilfields of Kuwait will also have significant local environmental effects through reduced sunlight, heat and isolated cases of acid deposition equivalent to the worst cases experienced in Europe in recent years.

  Among the international experts and organisations seeking to assist the gulf states in responding to these problems, the United Nations Environment Programme has now put in hand a programme for a more comprehensive assessment of environmental damage arising from the Gulf conflict which also draws on the expertise of the other United Nations agencies concerned.

  British Waterways
  Mr. hardy
  to ask the secretary of state for the Environment what information he has on the attempts by British Waterways to sell property in advance of the
  537
  British Waterways Bill being enacted; and if he will instruct the board of this organisation to refrain from the sale of any property which would relieve British Waterways of the responsibility which that measure would create.

  Mr. Baldry
  I understand that the British Waterways Board (BWB) is proposing to sell at auction on 27 March some 60 properties as part of a programme of sale of low-income-yielding properties. The day-to-day responsibility for management of its property assets rests entirely with the BWB and the sale is in line with the integrated business strategy endorsed by the Government in February 1990.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request British Waterways to refrain from extensive sale of the properties before the new management strategy has been completed and entered effective operation.

  Mr. Baldry
  The sale of surplus properties by the British Waterways Board is entirely consistent with the board's objectives and the integrated business strategy endorsed by the Government last year. Receipts help provide waterway improvements and thereby enhance the network for the benefit of all users.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what changes to existing compulsory competitive tendering practice he is considering in order to implement the measures indicated in his statement to the House of 21 March,Official Report, column 402;

  (2) when he intends to introduce further local authority services into the scope of compulsory competitive tendering; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he plans to consult local authorities over his proposals to extend the scope of compulsory competitive tendering under the Local Government Act 1988 into housing management, legal services and computer services, as indicated in his statement in the House of 21 March, Official Report, column 402; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment, will be looking at further local authority services to which competitive tendering could be applied. If further services are brought within the scope of the competitive tendering provisions of the Local Government Act 1988, consultation of local government representatives is a statutory requirement. If a new statutory framework is proposed, we shall want to take account of the views of local government in taking forward our proposals.

  Environmental Health Officers
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many environmental health officers have been employed by local authorities in England for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for Salisbury (Mr. Key) gave the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) on 12 March 1991, at column 477.

  Highway Maintenance
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to the implications for his Department's current review of finance and structure of local government of his reclassification of expenditure on highway structural maintenance on the primary route network as capital expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The review will take account of all relevant factors in examining the financial and structural arrangements for local government.

  Local Government
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in his review of local government to date, he has considered the introduction of a regional tier of government in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment made clear in his statement to the House on 21 March, it seems likely that we shall move to a larger number of unitary authorities in England. The creation of a regional tier of local government does not feature in the Government's thinking.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report the information in his answer of 21 March, Official Report, column 171–72, about local government support and average community charge once the figure for North Devon is available.

  Mr. Key
  North Devon has set an average community charge of £384 for 1991–92; if Parliament enacts the Community Charges (General Reduction) Bill, the new average charge will be £140 lower.

  Estuaries
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many estuaries in England and Wales development or destruction is proceeding at a pace which he estimates is likely to damage the ecological character of those areas; and in how many of these their national or international obligation is to secure meaningful environmental protection.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Nature Conservancy Council's report "Nature Conservation and Estuaries in Great Britain" provides details of the main nature conservation interests of estuaries and the requirements to protect them. The report, which was published on 25 March, will be placed in the Library.

  Air and Water Pollution
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the measures his Department will take to implement the EC Council of Environment Ministers directive of 18 March regarding(a) strict limits to toxic gas emissions by lorries and buses from 2 July 1992 and (b) the protection of urban towns with populations of more than 2,000 people from polluted waters by the year 2000; and if he will make a statement.
  539
  Mr. Baldry
  The first part of the question is a matter for my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport. As regards the second, member states are required to draw up programmes to implement the municipal waste water treatment directive by 31 December 1993, and these are currently under discussion with interested parties.

  Environment and Development Conference
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for consulting with non-government development organisations in the preparatory process for the United Nations conference on the environment and development to be held in Brazil in 1992.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Minister for the Environment and Countryside on 10 December 1990 to the hon. Member for Gordon (Mr. Bruce) at column 266.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the year on year increase in standard spending assessment of(a) Westminster, (b) Blyth Valley, (c) North Tyneside, (d) Wansbeck, (e) Castle Morpeth and (f) Northumberland county council.

  Mr. Key
  The percentage increases in standard spending assessments between 1990–91 and 1991–92 are as follows:(a) 22·1, (b) 29·6, (c) 19·5, (d) 29·3, (e) 27·2, and (f) 18·9.

  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the proportion of total local government spending financed by(a) the community charge, (b) the national non-domestic rate, (c) government grants and (d) rents and local charges.

  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 22 March 1991]: The proportion of budgeted expenditure in 1990–91 financed by the community charge net of community charge benefit and transitional relief is 28 per cent., by non-domestic rates is 29 per cent., and Government grants is 42 per cent., where Government grants comprise revenue support grant, special grants, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefits and transitional relief grant.

  Some 55 per cent. of housing revenue account expenditure is financed by central Government subsidies (including rent rebates), 40 per cent. from rents borne by tenants (excluding rent rebates), with the remainder from other income and balances.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the total sum(a) he expects to be raised in England from the community charge in the year 1991–92 and (b) raised by domestic rates in the year 1989–90, together with the percentage increase or decrease in the rates required to raise the sums raised in (a) above.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 27 March 1991]: Local authorities have budgeted to raise £13·5 billion from community charges in 1991–92, but this is expected to be reduced to £8·7 billion by the proposed community charge grant. After taking account of the community charge reduction scheme and community charge benefits, community charge income is likely to be about £6·4 billion.
  540
  Domestic rate yield in 1989–90 is provisionally estimated at £9·8 billion; net of domestic rate rebates the yield is £8·6 billion.

  The decrease in rate yield required to raise £8·7 billion is 11·5 per cent. After taking into account the community charge reduction scheme and community charge benefits/ rates rebates, the decrease is 25·0 per cent.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state for England the percentage of local government net expenditure contributed by(a) central Government, (b) industrial and commercial rates and (c) domestic rates in the year 1978–79, and of (i) central Government, (ii) uniform business rate and (iii) the estimated community charge income for the year 1991–92.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 27 March 1991]: In 1978–79 central Government contributed 58 per cent. of net expenditure through rate support grant and rate rebate grants. Non-domestic rates contributed 24 per cent. (of which commerce and industrial rates accounted for 20 per cent.), and domestic rates (net of domestic rate rebates) accounted for 17 per cent.

  In 1991–92 central Government grants, including revenue support grant, community charge grant, area protection and inner London education grants, and community charge reduction scheme grant, are expected to account for 47 per cent. of net revenue expenditure (equivalent to the sum of standard spending assessments); receipts from the non-domestic rates pool account for a further 34 per cent.; and community charges (net of community charge benefit and CCRS) for 18 per cent.

  Figures do not add to 100 per cent. because some expenditure is financed from reserves.

  Energy and Environment Committee
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when was the last meeting of the standing committee on energy and the environment; what is its present membership; and when he next intends to convene a meeting.

  Mr. Baldry
  I know of no such committee, although my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy chairs a ministerial group on energy efficiency whose establishment was announced in the environment White Paper, "This Common Inheritance".

  House Purchase
  Mr. Gorst
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to introduce measures which will protect house purchasers from incurring unreasonable expenses when one party to an informal agreement retracts before contracts are exchanged; and whether he will introduce legislation to require a non-returnable deposit to be paid by both parties to a house purchase contract immediately an offer is made and accepted, and prior to contracts being exchanged.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have no plans to do so. The law already accommodates several methods of buying and selling property. Buyers and sellers are free to insist on a pre-contract deposit, if they wish, in order to reduce the expenditure wasted when one of the parties withdraws before contracts are exchanged.

  Satellite Dish Antennae
  Dame Janet Fookes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has completed his review of the proposed changes to the regulations covering the siting of satellite dish antennae which was announced following the merger of British Satellite Broadcasting and Sky Television.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have given careful consideration to the implications of the merger. Their concern in originally proposing a general permission for two dishes per dwelling house was to ensure fair competition between major operators in the satellite broadcasting field. In the circumstances following the merger, they see no immediate case for pressing ahead with a general permission for two dishes.

  They propose, therefore, to retain the present general permission for one dish per dwelling house, but to go ahead with the other proposals which they made in November to secure better protection of visual amenity and sensitive areas. A small change is being made to the proposed definition of the size of a dish to bring it into line with current practice in the industry. The necessary amendments to the Town and Country Planning General Development Order will be laid in Parliament shortly. I should however make clear that, should the Independent Television Commission license another significant direct broadcasting by satellite (DBS) provider or should another major satellite service emerge that cannot be received by means of an Astra aerial, they would consider the case for moving back to a general permission for two dishes. They look to the industry to press ahead with technical innovation which will lessen the impact of these dishes on visual amenity.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what.is his policy in relation to development proposals for wind farms and other kinds of renewable energy installations.

  Sir George Young
  The Government's policy on renewable energy is set out in the reply given today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Energy to my hon. Friend the Member for Welwyn Hatfield (Mr. Evans).

  Local planning authorities should keep in mind the Government's policy on renewable sources of energy when preparing their development plans and in considering development proposals for renewable energy installations. In general, the planning system operates on the principle that planning permission should be granted unless the development proposal would cause demonstrable harm to interests of acknowledged importance; and those who decide planning applications and appeals must give clear and well-founded reasons for refusing permission. Within this framework, authorities should pay attention to the desirability of energy sources which do not result in emissions of gases harmful to the environment such as carbon dioxide; such sources of energy should be harnessed wherever practicable. Equally, authorities should pay attention to the need to protect the local environment from damage and any loss of amenity which
  542
  renewable energy installations may cause. Such loss of amenity may include any noise or smell likely to arise from the installations, and their visual impact on the countryside.

  The Departments of Energy and of the Environment and the Welsh Office are preparing planning policy guidance about this for local authorities. I hope that a draft of such guidance will be ready to issue for public

  "The Three Graces"
  Mr. Cormack
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be in a position to decide whether the statue of "The Three Graces", previously at Woburn abbey, is or was part of a listed building.

  Sir George Young
  In the light of all the available evidence and further legal advice, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has decided that the statue is not part of the listed building. He believes that the question whether the statue is part of a listed building turns on the question whether it was a fixture at the date of listing of the Woburn sculpture gallery in 1961. In deciding that question, he has applied the common law tests—degree of annexation and purpose of annexation. Although absolute certainty is not possible, he considers that the balance of argument is firmly against the statue having been a fixture in 1961.

  It follows from my right hon. Friend's decision that the question of listed building enforcement action no longer arises. He has also reconsidered the need for public consultation on the issue of controls over moveable fixtures in listed buildings, as previously envisaged. He is no longer persuaded that separate consultation on this issue is required. He intends, however, to include advice on the matter in forthcoming planning policy guidance. A draft of this guidance (which would replace DoE circular 8/87) will be issued for public consultation later this year.

  I have placed in the Library a copy of the letter which has been sent to the solicitors acting for the owners of the statue, setting out in full the basis of my right hon. Friend's decision.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Passports
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many British passports have been issued to foreign nationals in 1987, 1988 and 1989, broken down by year and country of origin.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  United Kingdom passports are issued to British citizens, including those who have been naturalised. British nationals (overseas), British overseas citizens, British subjects and British protected persons. In some cases, passports may be issued to persons who also hold the nationality of another country, but information about dual nationality of this kind is not collected.

  Youth Custody
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many young people aged below 18 years were held in youth custody in 1990.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On 30 June 1990 about 970 sentenced young offenders aged under 18 were held in Prison Service establishments in England and Wales. Of these, about 820
  543
  had been sentenced to detention in a young offender institution, 140 to detention under the Children and Young Persons Act, 1933 and about 10 to detention in default of payment of a fine, compensation order or costs.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list in the Official Report the number of people who were sentenced to youth custody in 1988, 1989 and 1990; and how many (a) came from a one-parent family, (b) came from a home where there had been a marriage break-up, or (c) had no parents.

  Mr. John Patten
  In England and Wales in 1988, a total of 24,118 offenders were detained in a young offender institution. The figure fell to 19,092 in 1989. Data for 1990 are not yet available. This information is published annually in volumes 1 and 2 of the "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, Supplementary Tables", copies of which are in the Library. Information is not collected centrally on the family background of these offenders.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average weekly cost of keeping a person in youth custody.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The average weekly cost of keeping a person in an open and closed youth establishment in 1989–90, the latest year for which information is available, was £459 and £346 respectively.

  Durham Prison
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the cost per woman inmate in H wing of Durham prison per week.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The cost of keeping a woman in H wing of Durham prison is not separately available. The average weekly cost of holding an inmate in Durham prison in 1989–90, the latest year for which information is available, was £260.

  Police Officers
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers in London have taken early retirement in each of the past five years who have(a) been suspended, (b) taken extended sick leave or (c) were being investigated for any alleged offences.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Somali Nationals
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what order applications for entry of Somalians into Britain are processed; and if there is a priority system for urgent cases.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Somali family reunion applications are processed in order of their receipt in the Home Office. We consider requests for priority only in exceptional cases.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many civil servants are working on processing applications of Somalians wishing to join their families in Britain.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are 18 civil servants employed in the asylum division engaged among other duties in 544
  processing Somali family reunion cases. There are also a small number of entry clearance officers at posts outside Somalia who give some time to this work.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the average time it takes for applications to be processed for Somalians wishing to enter Britain to be reunited with their families; and what is the longest time for any one case.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At present, because of conditions in the Horn of Africa, Somali family reunion applicants may, if they wish, lodge an application through a sponsor in the United Kingdom direct to the Home Office, rather than at a post abroad, as would normally be required. The average time between receipt of an application in the asylum division and a decision is 14 months. The oldest unresolved Somali family reunion application was received on 30 November 1989.

  Channel Islands
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from Mr. Geoffrey Cooper about the maladministration of justice in the Channel Island of Jersey under his responsibility for the good government of those islands.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Between 1982 and 1987, we received from Mr. Cooper or from two hon. Members on his behalf representations that the United Kingdom Government should intervene in the administration of justice in Jersey, particularly in light of the conduct and outcome of civil litigation there involving Mr. Cooper. As was explained in reply to each such representation, we have found no reason so to intervene.

  Parking Offences
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many parking tickets have been received and paid by his Department in each year since 1988 in respect of official vehicles.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Most fixed penalty notices are served direct on the driver of a vehicle, for payment by the driver in accordance with departmental rules; no record is kept of these. The number of fixed penalty notices to owner in respect of parking offences served on the Home Office was:

  1988 — 9

  1989 — 8

  1990 — 6

  These were forwarded to the drivers of the vehicles for them to pay.

  In exceptional circumstances, drivers may be reimbursed from official funds; details of such payments are not recorded separately and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the application for British citizenship submitted by Ms. Farhat Yasmin on 16 May 1989, Ref. F190117/2, will be considered; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Consideration of the case has now started and a decison will be taken when the necessary inquiries have been completed.

  Forensic Science
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Association of Chief Constables concerning the impact of the impending new charging system for Home Office forensic science laboratory work on the efficiency of large scale murder inquiries using(a) DNA testing and (b) other exhaustive advanced forensic technology.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Discussions have taken place between senior managers in the forensic science service and representatives of the Association of Chief Police Officers about the impact of the new charging systems on the full range of services provided for the police by the service. Discussions on specific requests take place locally.

HEALTH

  GP Budgets
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the names and addresses of the general practices that will be budget holding from 1 April.

  GP fundholding preparatory allowance

  Region

  Estimated total expenditure 1990–91

  Number of fundholding units1

  Estimated total expenditure 1990–91—practices withdrawing during preparatory year

  Number of practices

  Northern

  464,000

  28

  16,000

  1

  Yorkshire

  558,481

  34

  14,481

  3

  Trent

  438,518

  28

  26,442

  2

  East Anglia

  157,353

  9

  41,291

  5

  North West Thames

  396,640

  22

  44,640

  5

  North East Thames

  186,317

  13

  Nil

  Nil

  South East Thames

  254,000

  15

  14,000

  1

  South West Thames

  347,417

  21

  11,417

  2

  Wessex

  233,200

  17

  12,412

  1

  Oxford

  401,480

  25

  68,990

  5

  South-Western

  300,228

  20

  Nil

  Nil

  West Midlands

  450,000

  26

  34,000

  13

  Mersey

  335,999

  21

  Nil

  Nil

  North-Western

  312,754

  16

  56,754

  4

  Total

  4,372,387

  295

  324,427

  41

  1 Includes practices grouping together to meet list size criteria.

  Annual Accounts
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if(a) general practitioner fund holders and (b) national health service trusts will be obliged to publish annual accounts.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  General practitioner fund holders are required to submit annual accounts to the family health services authority (FHSA) within six weeks of the end of the financial year. These are included in the FHSA's accounts in summary form, which will be audited by the Audit Commission. The FHSA's accounts, including the summary, are submitted to me. There has never been a requirement that these should be published and I do not propose to introduce such a change.

  There is similarly no requirement for national health service trusts to publish annual accounts. However, each national health service trust is required to present its
  546
  Mr. Waldegrave
  This information is not available centrally. Regional health authorities are announcing details of fund-holding practices in their regions as they approve them.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many practices received the payment of £16,000 to help them prepare for general practitioner fund-holding status;

  (2) what has been the total level of grant payments for expenditure by his Department for prospective general practioner fund holders; and what was the amount, if any, paid to practices not becoming fund holders in April.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 19 March 1991]: The information, based upon estimates available at 25 March, on payments of preparatory allowance to prospective GP fund-holders is provided in the table. These payments have been used by the practices concerned to improve the quality of their management systems, which will be of benefit to patients. A number of those receiving payments in 1990–91 have chosen not to become fundholders from 1 April 1991 but continue to prepare themselves for fund-holding status from April 1992. Information on other payments made to potential fundholders in respect of computer systems is not available as it is not separately identifiable.

  annual report, audited accounts and any report on those accounts made by the auditor at a public meeting which the trust is required to hold in every calendar year except the year in which it becomes operational.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations cover publication of the annual accounts of general practitioner fund holders and national health service trusts.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Section 98(2)c of the National Health Service Act 1977 inserted by section 20(2)b of the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 requires fund-holding practices to submit their annual accounts to the family health services authority. There is no requirement to publish these accounts.

  Similarly, national health service trusts are not required to publish annual accounts. However, under schedule 2, paragraph 7 of the Act and National Health Service Trusts

  547
  (Public Meetings) Regulations 1991, SI No. 482, each national health service trust is required to hold a public meeting every year except the one in which it becomes operational, at which it is required to present its annual report, audited accounts and any report on those accounts made by the auditor.

  Child Guidance
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response has been made to his Department to a request from the Brixton child guidance unit of Camberwell health authority for support for the Brixton child guidance team.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have made it clear to health and social services authorities in the White Paper "Caring for People" that provision for children with psychological problems is a key component of a proper locally based service for people with a mental illness. There are also important links to be made to the education service. It must be for these authorities to judge what priority they can give to such services in the context of overall local pressure and resources.

  I will be responding to the request in similar terms.

  Prescription Charges
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people with rheumatoid arthritis pay prescription charges; and what would be the annual cost of exempting this group.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not available.

  Bio Products Laboratory
  Mr. Bellotti
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the reply of 14 February,Official Report, columns 553–54, if he will list the reasons why the Bio Products Laboratory, as a special health authority, is not being made fully accountable for its income and expenditure; and whether these will be reported.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Bio Products Laboratory (BPL) is the manufacturing arm of the Central Blood Laboratory Authority (CBLA). The CBLA is a special health authority which does account for the performance of all parts of the organisation and produces an annual report.

  Exhibitions
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to organ transplantation to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Under procedures agreed by the Services Committee, I understand that arrangements have been made with the authorities of the House for the exhibition to be held in the Upper Waiting Hall from 22 to 26 April.

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average(a) length of service and (b) age of speech therapists employed by the health service; and what is the percentage of female speech therapists.
  548
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The precise information requested is not available centrally. The table shows the largest number of speech therapists employed by the health service in England were in the 25 to 29 age band at 30 September 1989. A total of 98 per cent. of speech therapists in England at 30 September 1989 were female.

  Qualified speech therapists in post by age at 30 September 1989

  Whole-time equivalents1 (England)

  Age band

  Speech therapists

  18–20

  2

  21–24

  463

  25–29

  811

  30–34

  502

  35–39

  294

  40–44

  267

  45–49

  202

  50–54

  154

  55–59

  95

  60–64

  18

  Unknown

  4

  Total

  2,811

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.

  1 All figures are independently rounded to the nearest whole-time equivalent.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of speech therapists employed by the health service left their employment in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The only centrally available figures are for the year ended 31 March 1989 when there were 480 leavers in England. Of these 301 left the national health service; the remainder moved to other health authorities.

  Ambulance Service
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidelines have been issued by the Government regarding the disciplinary procedures to be taken when members of the ambulance service are accused of misconduct; and what provisions exist to ensure that management follow these procedures correctly.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Procedures for dealing with individual disciplinary cases are entirely a matter for the employing authority. Serious matters are handled in accordance with an agreement of the General Whitley Council.

  Census
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has any plans for either a statement advertising or a statement on the census form to assure members of the public that information provided in their answers to census questions will not be used to compile registers for any local government tax.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Personal information from the completed census forms will not be made available to anyone outside the census offices, including those compiling registers for the community charge or any other local charge. It would be against the law to do so. The following message is included in the information leaflet which will be delivered to every household with the census form:
  549
  "The information you put on your census form is used only to produce statistics. The Census Offices and their staff are bound by law to make sure that the information you give on your form remains secret and safe. The completed forms will be kept confidential and only used to produce information about the population in general. The Census Offices will not give any information about identified people or households to anyone else, in central government or elsewhere."

  Further, each census form contains a personal assurance from the Registrar-General that the answers will be treated in strict confidence and used only to produce statistics.

  The census offices are also publicising the message elsewhere, for example, in background leaflets, posters and advertisements.

  Southampton General Hospital
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Deparment is to compensate Southampton general hospital for the value added tax required to be paid on the cost of the construction of the children's cancer ward and development unit raised by the Piam Brown Child Cancer Fund; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The arrangements whereby the NHS could in some circumstances reclaim VAT on construction work ceased in April 1990 and health authorities' resources have been increased to compensate. I understand that the allocations of compensation made by Wessex region included an element to Southampton health authority.

  Iraqi Hospitals
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the World Health Organisation, UNICEF or the Red Cross about sewage pipes burst under Iraqi hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 27 March.

  Access to Health Records Act
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether his Department has any plans to give publicity to the coming into force of the Access to Health Records Act on 1 November.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have no plans for publicity beyond guidance which the Department will issue to the national health service. This guidance will explain the provisions of the Act and the steps which should be taken to ensure compliance.

  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has implemented a training programme relating to the coming into force of the Access to Health Records Act 1990.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No. The Department will issue guidance to the national health service. It will be a matter for individual health authorities to bring this guidance to the attention of their staff and to ensure that it is followed.

  Community Care
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the implications for community care policy of the statement of 21 March by the Secretary of State for the Environment on the funding and structure of local government.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Responsibility for managing social services, including the phased introduction of community care between 1 April 1991 and 1 April 1993, will continue to rest with local government.

  Middle East
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from medical experts and doctors about the trend in the scale of the epidemic in the middle east.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None. However, the Department is in touch with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the question of humanitarian assistance to the middle east and Iraq and Kuwait in particular.

  Services for the Deaf
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric consultants can communicate in sign language with deaf patients; and where they practice.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available centrally.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the services for which there is supra-regional funding and indicate those which provide services specifically related to deafness.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The following services will be designated and funded as supra-regional services in 1991–92:

  Choriocarcinoma services

  Craniofacial services

  Heart, heart-lung and lung transplantation

  Liver transplantation

  Specialised liver services

  Neonatal and infant cardiac surgery

  Services for primary bone tumours

  Spinal injury units

  Treatment of retinoblastoma

  Treatment of arterio-venous malformations by stereotactic radiosurgery

  Psychiatric services for deaf people

  The last-named service is the only one which is related specifically to deafness.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the future provision of psychiatric services for the deaf presently provided at Whittingham hospital;

  (2) what steps he is taking to resolve the financial position of psychiatric services for the deaf planned for Prestwich hospital.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the representations he has received regarding the re-location of the department of psychiatry for the deaf at Whittingham hospital; and what response he has made.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the right hon. and hon. Members to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Birmingham, Erdington (Mr. Corbett) on 26 March at column 370.
  551
  We have received 10 letters from hon. Members. Officials have also received correspondence from the consultant psychiatrist involved in the provision of the service, and from the principal national organisation representing deaf people.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many psychiatric departments there are in the United Kingdom which specifically provide for profoundly deaf people and where specialists can communicate with deaf patients in sign language.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are psychiatric units which specifically provide for the needs of profoundly deaf people at Whittingham hospital near Preston and Springfield hospital in Wandsworth. It is open to psychiatric units to obtain sign language services where they are needed to communicate with deaf patients.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many deaf people, reliant on sign language for communication, are(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients in psychiatric hospitals; and how many psychiatric hospitals have patients who are reliant on sign language.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available centrally.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he has given to local authorities as to the amount of direct provision of residential care for the elderly they should retain in order to meet their obligations under the National Assistance Act 1948.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The policy guidance "Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond", issued to local authorities in November, made it clear that direct provision of services by local authorities is expected to continue to play an important part in the new mixed economy of care. It also stated that authorities should introduce changes in their service provision at a pace appropriate to their organisation and plans. The extent of direct provision of services is for local authorities to determine having regard to local factors.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research he has undertaken into the comparative life expectancy of elderly persons in residential establishments as against those living independently in the community.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave him on 15 March at column 707. The Department has not undertaken research bearing directly on this subject.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance he gives to local authorities in respect of the placement of(a) elderly persons who have been assessed as financially able to pay the full costs of care provided and (b) persons eligible for social security benefits, as between part III accommodation and care home trusts or private homes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Decisions about residential placements should follow assessment of the individual's needs and consideration of the range of residential care available, not the financial resources of the individual. As explained in the White Paper "Caring for People",552
  individuals should be able to exercise the maximum possible choice about the home they enter. They should be able to look for a place in a more expensive home if they or their relatives and friends wish and are able to make a contribution towards the cost of care. Social services authorities will be expected to make maximum possible use of independent providers when arranging placements.

  Children's Hospital, Manchester
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what decision has been made by the North Western regional health authority as to whether the new children's hospital planned for Greater Manchester will be allowed to opt out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The North Western regional health authority has agreed in principle to proceed with a children's tertiary referral centre with St. Mary's hospital, central Manchester, as the preferred location. No firm decision on the timing of the development has been made.

  If this goes ahead, there are a number of possibilities: the centre may form part of Manchester central Hospitals and Community Care National Health Service Trust; remain a directly managed unit; or seek to become a trust in its own right.

  Eye Operations
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many eye cataract operations were carried out within the national health service in the years 1978–79 and 1989–90; and what was the success rate for each year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities in England reported that 92,244 cataract operations were carried out in the year 1989–90. The figure for 1979 was 39,700. Information on the outcome of cataract operations is not held centrally.

  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current waiting time for an eye cataract operation on the national health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information about waiting times is available by the specialty of intended treatment, not by specific condition.

  Prozac
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adverse reaction yellow cards related to Prozac there have been in the last six months.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines has received 370 reports of suspected adverse reactions to Prozac in the last six months. A report of a suspected adverse reaction does not necessarily mean that the reaction was caused by the drug.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when his experts last reviewed the safety of the anti-depressant drug Prozac; and what advice they gave regarding the possibility of side effects.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The anti-depressant, Prozac, is a relatively new drug and therefore its safety is reviewed on a monthly basis. The Committee on Safety of Medicines has examined the possibility that Prozac may be
  553
  associated with suicidal thoughts or violent behaviour. The committee concluded that the available evidence does not support this hypothesis. The safety of Prozac will be kept under review.

  Cervical Smear Tests
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what priority is given to cervical smear test results of patients with known abnormalities such as cancer.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Department of Health guidance to health authorities on cervical screening states that it is essential that all abnormal smears are followed up. Information on local arrangements is not held centrally.

  AIDS
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his estimate of the number of people with AIDS in Great Britain at the time the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys was undertaking its research on the prevalence of disability.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Office of Population Censuses and Survey's research was undertaken between 1985 and 1988. Data on AIDS cases are collected by the communicable disease surveillance centre (CDSC) and communicable disease (Scotland) unit (CD(S)U). The information is as follows:

  Year

  Cases reported to CDSC andCD(S)U

  Known deaths

  People alive

  1985

  393

  188

  205

  1986

  848

  451

  397

  1987

  1,490

  793

  697

  1988

  2,319

  1,192

  1,127

  Employment training

  Special needs groups as a proportion of all entrants

  percentage

  1988–89

  1989–90

  English as a second language

  People with disabilities

  Literacy and numeracy need

  English as a second language

  People with disabilities

  Literacy and numeracy needs

  Scotland

  1

  10

  11

  1

  9

  8

  Northern

  1

  9

  13

  1

  8

  11

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1

  10

  16

  1

  10

  14

  North West

  1

  11

  15

  1

  9

  12

  West Midlands

  1

  12

  23

  2

  11

  18

  East Midlands

  2

  14

  19

  2

  13

  16

  Wales

  1

  11

  21

  1

  12

  14

  South West

  1

  15

  18

  1

  14

  19

  South East

  1

  15

  17

  1

  13

  13

  London

  2

  10

  22

  5

  9

  18

  Great Britain

  1

  12

  18

  1

  11

  15

  1 Less than 0·5 per cent.

  Source: ET Starts Database.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many trainees were on employment training for each of the last 24 months; and what numbers are planned in future.

  Mr. Jackson
  Numbers in training on ET for the last 24 months are given in the table. Negotiations are still

  Oil Wells, Kuwait
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what equipment has been made available to British troops still in Kuwait and the Kuwaiti Government for use by Kuwaiti residents to protect against the hydrocarbons released from the burning oil wells.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have been asked to reply.

  No equipments have been specifically requested or provided to protect either British troops or Kuwaitis against smoke from the burning oil wells, although we are continuing to assess the effects of the hydrocarbons being released. Further quantitative and qualitative analysis of the longer-term effects from the hydrocarbons released is being undertaken in liaison with the United States and Saudi civilian environmental health officials.

EMPLOYMENT

  Employment Training
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give, for employment training, the total number and percentage of trainees with special needs in each of the years 1988–89 and 1989–90 for Great Britain and each of the standard regions plus Scotland and Wales; and if he will provide an estimate of special needs places in 1990–91 and 1991–92 for Great Britain and each of the TEC areas.

  Mr. Jackson
  Employment training is aimed at long-term unemployed people, many of whom have special training needs. Some groups are identified separately and the table gives details of these groups as a proportion of all starts in 1988–89 and in 1989–90. Actual numbers are not available. No forecasts are available for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  underway with training and enterprise councils in relation to planned numbers of ET trainee weeks and outputs delivered in 1991–92.

  Employment training filled places April 1989 to March 1990 April 1990 to March 1991 (estimated)

  Month

  Numbers

  1989

  April

  185,000

  May

  189,000

  555

  Month

  Numbers

  June

  194,000

  July

  203,000

  August

  204,000

  September

  208,000

  October

  209,000

  November

  212,000

  December

  208,000

  1990

  January

  207,000

  February

  209,000

  March

  210,000

  April

  210,000

  May

  208,000

  June

  199,000

  July

  191,000

  August

  185,000

  September

  184,000

  October

  190,000

  November

  194,000

  December

  199,000

  1991

  January

  197,000

  February

  203,000

  March

  197,000

  Source: ET telephone census and Employment Service.

  Tourism
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the prospects for the tourist industry in 1991; and what assessment he has made of the percentage change in the proportion of British holidaymakers remaining in the United Kingdom this year.

  Mr. Forth
  The English tourist board has made no assessment of the proportion of British holidaymakers likely to stay in the United Kingdom this year. Latest available figures show that 79 per cent. of holidays taken by United Kingdom residents in 1989 were spent in the United Kingdom. My Department is giving its full support to the tourist board's "Britain's Great" campaign which is designed to promote holidays at home in 1991. We are also making available an additional £800,000 to the British Tourist Authority to market Britain overseas in the aftermath of the Gulf war.

  Marine Safety
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many deaths and serious accidents have taken place among waterways employees during each year since 1980.

  Mr. Forth
  Injuries to employees arising from inland water transport services, occurring in the years 1986–87 to 1989–90 (provisional), as reported1 to HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates.

  Date of accident2

  Fatal

  Major

  Over 3 day

  1986–87

  —

  4

  24

  1987–88

  —

  4

  44

  1988–89

  —

  5

  54

  1989–903

  1

  10

  37

  1 Under the Reporting of injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985.

  2 Years commencing 1 April.

  556
  Note:—Information for earlier years was reported under different legislation and recorded under a different computerised coding system, not separately identifying the inland waterway sector.

  3 Provisional.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the listed principal causes for deaths and serious accidents of waterways workers.

  Mr. Forth
  Injuries to employees arising from inland waterway transport support services, occurring in the years 1986–87 to 1989–901 (provisional), as reported2 to HSE's factory and agricultural inspectorates.

  Kind of Accident

  Fatal

  Major

  Over 3 Day

  Contact with moving machinery

  —

  1

  5

  Struck by moving including flying/ falling object

  —

  7

  27

  Struck by moving vehicle

  —

  5

  2

  Strike against something fixed or stationary

  —

  —

  15

  Injured while handling, lifting or carrying

  —

  —

  49

  Slip, trip or fall on same level

  —

  1

  32

  Fall from a height

  —

  8

  17

  Drowning or asphyxiation

  1

  —

  —

  Other/Not known

  —

  1

  12

  Total

  1

  23

  159

  1Years commencing 1 April

  2 Under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985

  Information for earlier years was reported under different legislation and recorded under a different computerised coding system, not separately identifying the inland waterway sector.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to ensure that employers of waterways workers are made fully aware of the importance of employers' safety policies.

  Mr. Forth
  Section 2(3) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974—HSW—requires every employer of five or more persons to prepare and keep up to date a written statement of his general policy with respect to the health and safety of his employees, and the organisation and arrangements for carrying out that policy and bringing it to the attention of his employees.

  During visits to employers of waterways workers engaged in activities for which the Health and Safety Executive—HSE—is the enforcing authority for health and safety legislation, HSE inspectors remind employers of their duties under the HSW Act and pursue their enquiries and any enforcement action to the highest levels where standards of compliance do not measure up to those required.

  In addition, the Health and Safety Commission and HSE have published general guidance for employers on the preparation of safety policies.

  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if, following privatisation of ports, he will set up a system to monitor the health and safety of workers on rivers and canals.

  Mr. Forth
  The privatisation of ports does not affect the legislation already in place which imposes duties on employers, as well as masters and owners of vessels to
  557
  ensure the health and safety of workers on rivers and canals. There is therefore no need to set up a further monitoring system.

  Work Accidents
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the fatal and serious accident rates of(a) waterways workers, (b) workers in the steel industry, (c) railway workers and (d) seamen in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information is provided in the tables. Injury numbers in respect of waterways employees in Great Britain are available, but the employment data required for the calculation of injury incidence rates are not.

  Incidence rates1 in respect of injuries to railway employees2 in Great Britain reported3 4 to HSC/E enforcing authorities and agencies

  Fatal

  Major

  Over 3 day

  Total

  1986–87

  7·1

  133·0

  18,38·0

  19,78·1

  1987–88

  12·2

  162·1

  17,74·0

  1,948·4

  1988–89

  11·9

  231·5

  2,501·1

  2,744·6

  Incidence rates1 in respect of injuries to employees in the Great Britain metal manufacturing industry5 reported3 to HSC/E enforcing authorities and agencies

  Fatal

  Major

  Over 3 day

  Total

  1987–88

  11·2

  301·2

  2,430·5

  2,742·8

  1988–89

  6·0

  384·5

  2,552·9

  2,943·4

  1989–90

  4·1

  336·6

  2,605·5

  2,946·2

  Incidence rates1 in respect of injuries to merchant seamen reported6 to the Department of Transport

  7 Fatal

  Over 3 day

  Total

  1987

  158·8

  2,241·9

  2,400·7

  1988

  52·0

  2,404·0

  2,456·0

  1989

  27·6

  2,291·3

  2,318·9

  1 Rate per 100,000 employees.

  2 Railways defined by Standard Industrial Classification (revised 1980) (SIC80)—Class 71.

  3 As reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurences Regulations, 1985 (RIDDOR) and collected on a financial year basis (years commencing I April).

  4 Railway Inspectorate only able to provide data on injuries reported to them between April and December 1989 (9 months). Consequently, the calculation of the provisional 1989–90 annual injury incidence rate is not possible.

  5 Steel industry injuries cannot be separately identified from those occurring in the metal manufacturing industry as a whole. Metal manufacturing is defined by SIC80—Class 22.

  6 Injuries occurring on board, or on access equipment to, all vessels registered in the United Kingdom and as reported under the Merchant Shipping (Safety Officials and Reporting of Accidents and Dangerous Occurrences) Regulations 1982 (SORADO) and Merchant Shipping (Accident Investigation) Regulations 1989 and collected on a calendar year basis. This legislation categorises all non-fatal injuries causing over 3 days absence from work as an "over 3 day" injury. Major injuries are not separately classified. Injuries to merchant seamen injured on-shore and therefore falling within the jurisdiction of the HSE, cannot be distinguished from those occurring to dockers and other workers in shore establishments.

  7 The fatal injury incidence rate for 1987 includes the 38 deaths of crew members in the Herald of Free Enterprise Disaster.

  8 Provisional.

  Youth Training, Manchester
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State For Employment what information he has on the closure or planned closure of youth training schemes and places in the Manchester TEC area since that TEC became operational.

  Mr. Jackson
  Manchester TEC decides on which youth training providers to contract with, taking into account the quality of training offered and value for money.

  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the provision of special needs youth training in the Manchester TEC area.

  Mr. Jackson
  I am satisfied that adequate provision is available to meet the needs of all those young people with special training needs in the Manchester training and enterprise council area.

  Higher Qualifications
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of people by higher qualifications held, by sex, for Great Britain and each of the standard regions in spring 1990.

  Mr. Jackson
  Preliminary results are available from the 1990 labour force survey. As they form an extensive set of tables, I will write to the hon. Member giving the information requested.

  NACRO, Bradford
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what guidance has been given to TECs on dealing with training providers covering special groups; which National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders—employment training providers will not be funded in 1991–92; how many days' notice of closure was given to Bradford NACRO; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training and enterprise councils have a contractual requirement to meet the training needs of individuals in certain special groups. It is for TECs to decide in the light of local circumstances with which providers they will contract. My Department does not keep information on the training providers with whom TECs sign contracts or details of their contract negotiations.

  Coats Viyella plc
  Mr. Carr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effect of the proposed takeover of the Tootal Group plc by Coats Viyella on employment levels in the textile industry in Ribbel Valley.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have made no such assessment.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the average hours worked per week for full-time workers in manufacturing mineral extraction, energy and water industries for each of the countries of the European Community.
  559
  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested is contained in the Eurostat labour force survey results of 1988, table 55, which is in the House of Commons Library.

  Single Parents
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of(a) all mothers with children aged 16 years or under, (b) mothers with children aged 16 years and under without working husbands, (c) single parent men with children aged 16 years or under and (d) single parent women with children aged 16 years or under that area (i) in full-time employment and (ii) in part-time employment.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Training (Special Needs)
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number and percentage of youth training trainees with special needs in 1988–89 and in 1989–90 for Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and each of the standard regions; and if he will provide an estimate of special needs youth training places in 1990–91 and 1991–92 for Great Britain, Scotland, Wales and each standard region and each TEC area.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 4 March 1991]: The table gives information about those joining youth training for whom special training needs funding is paid for 1989–90. Information is not available for 1988–89 on a comparable basis and no forecasts are available for the years 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Employment Training

  Special needs groups as a proportion of all entrants

  Percentage

  1988–89

  1989–90

  English as a second language

  People with disabilities

  Literacy and numeracy need

  English as a second language

  People with disabilities

  Literacy and numeracy need

  Scotland

  1—

  10

  11

  1—

  9

  8

  Northern

  1—

  9

  13

  1—

  8

  11

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  1—

  10

  16

  1

  10

  14

  North West

  1

  11

  15

  1

  9

  12

  West Midlands

  1

  12

  23

  2

  11

  18

  East Midlands

  2

  14

  19

  2

  13

  16

  Wales

  1—

  11

  21

  1—

  12

  14

  South West

  1

  15

  18

  1

  14

  19

  South East

  1

  15

  17

  1

  13

  13

  London

  2

  10

  22

  5

  9

  18

  Great Britain

  1

  12

  18

  1

  11

  15

  1—Less than 0·5 per cent.

  Source: ET Starts Database.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Export Licences
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn)Official Report, 25 February, column 353, how many of the export licence applications refused in 1989 and 1990 were made, respectively, for exports to (a) Iraq and (b) member countries of the allied coalition in Operation Granby in the Gulf.
  560

  Youth Training

  Number and percentage of YTS entrants receiving special training needs funding in 1989–90

  Number

  Percentage

  Scotland

  1,441

  4·0

  North West

  2,770

  6·4

  Northern

  3,192

  10·6

  Yorks and Humberside

  1,465

  4·6

  West Midlands

  1,372

  4·3

  East Midlands

  1,448

  4·4

  Wales

  799

  4·4

  South West

  734

  3·6

  South East

  1,015

  3·4

  London

  2,610

  14·2

  Great Britain

  15,254

  5·4

  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the total number and percentage of employment training trainees with special needs in 1988–89 and in 1989–90 for Great Britain and each of the standard regions plus Scotland and Wales; and if he will provide an estimate of employment training special needs plans in 1990–91 and 1991–92 for Great Britain and each of the standard regions, plus Scotland and Wales and each of the TEC areas.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 4 March 1991]: Employment training is aimed at long-term unemployed people many of whom have special training needs. Some groups are indentified separately and the table gives details of these groups as a proportion of all starts in 1988–89 and in 1989–90. Actual numbers are not available. No forecasts are available for 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Refusals of export licence applications in 1990 were as follows:

  (a) Iraq—38.

  (b) Member countries of the allied coalition—69.

  Figures for 1989 could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Timeshare
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the current arrangements for regulation of the timeshare industry at home and abroad; and whether he has any plans to change them.
  561
  Mr. Leigh
  The timeshare industry is subject to the general law of contract and, where appropriate, to existing consumer protection legislation.

  Mailshots and award schemes are covered by the codes of practice administered by the Advertising Standards Authority. These codes are voluntary but, where they fail, the Director General of Fair Trading can take action under the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations. He can apply to the courts for an injunction to prevent the publication or continued publication of an advertisement. In some circumstances the Consumer Credit Act may apply. The Trade Descriptions Act would apply if, for example, false statements are made about facilities at a resort.

  As I announced on 18 February, I have accepted in principle the recommendations of the Director General of Fair Trading for changes to the Trade Descriptions Act to tighten controls on statements about services and to bring timeshare award schemes within the scope of that Act. They will be dealt with as part of the general review of the Act.

  Since most timeshares are located abroad, and much of the selling also takes place abroad, further regulation, to be effective, needs to be at Community level. The Commission has accordingly been made aware of the Government's view that Community action is necessary to implement the Director General of Fair Trading's recommendations for a prospectus for prospective buyers, a cooling off period and protection of deposit moneys.

  Brewing Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assessment he has made of the effects of his Department's policy on the implementation of the reforms of the brewing industry on tenants and licensees of public houses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government have done a considerable amount to improve the position of tenants. In particular, we have enacted the Landlord and Tenant (Licenced Premises) Act 1990 in response to concerns tenants had over security of tenure. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has asked the Director General of Fair Trading to assess the effectiveness of the measures introduced following the MMC's report on the supply of beer in late 1993 when they will have had time to take effect. The Secretary of State and I keep in regular contact with the National Licensed Victuallers Association and the brewers.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the reforms of the brewing industry sought by the Monopolies and Mergers Commission.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 15 March 1991]: I refer to the answer given by my right hon. Friend to my hon. Friend the Member for the Isle of Wight (Mr. Field), on 27 March, columns 433–4.

  Licensed Trade Tenants
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received from the licensed trade about the position of tenants threatened with eviction by breweries.
  562
  Mr. Redwood
  Written representations have been received from about 40 tenants of one of the major brewers expressing concern about letters they had received from that brewer informing them that they were likely to be sent "notices to quit" by the summer.

  Kuwait
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Taunton of 20 March, what his Department is doing to ensure that appropriate medium-sized and small companies are able to play a part in the reconstruction of Kuwait.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Small and medium-sized companies are welcome to register their interest with my Department's Kuwait reconstruction co-ordination team. They will also be in a position to receive information from the British industry task force in Kuwait through the trade associations which are represented on the joint DTI/ industry subgroups covering the main sectors of reconstruction work. We see a major role for them in supplying the larger contractors.

  In addition to the trade fair programme for the Gulf area it is likely that a number of trade fairs more directly associated with Kuwait will be organised, at which small and medium-sized firms will be expected to participate.

  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his replies to the hon. Member for Devon, North (Mr. Speller), of 8 March,Official Report, column 304, what interest has been indicated to (a) his projects and export division and (b) his overseas trade division's Kuwait desk from environmental consultancy companies seeking contracts in Kuwait to provide environmental and ecological restoration.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 22 March 1991]: My Department has had approximately 5,000 inquiries from companies seeking work in the reconstruction of Kuwait including a number of environmental consultancy companies. Their details are being entered on to a computerised database, but until this is completed the full information requested will not be easily available. I will write to the hon. Gentleman when I have the information he requested.

  Postal Services
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what checks are made by his Department on the efficiency of international postal collections and deliveries to the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department makes no such checks. These are operational matters for the Post Office, which regularly monitors the quality of both incoming and outgoing international postal services. I understand that the results of these checks are made available to, and discussed with, the Post Office Users National Council.

  Iraq (Exports)
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Buckingham (Mr. Walden),Official Report, 1 March,

  563
  column 657, if he will set out the reasons why Iraq is excluded from the list of middle east countries listed; and if he will publish comparable data for exports to Iraq.

  Mr. Lilley
  My answer on 1 March to my hon. Friend the Member for Buckingham (Mr. Walden) did in fact include Iraq in the definition of the middle east. Unfortunately, because of an error, the word "Iraq" did not appear in the Official Report but the Editor has been asked by my Department to rectify this for the bound volume.

  The table shows the value of exports to Iraq from the United Kingdom, Germany and Japan for the 12 months ending June 1990, the latest 12-month period for which complete information is available.

  Exports of goods to Iraq in the 12 months to the end of June 1990

  Millions US dollars

  Exports from:

  United Kingdom

  696

  Federal Republic of Germany

  1,119

  Japan

  491

  Source: OECD Monthly Statistics of Foreign Trade.

  Market Information
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) how many substantive inquiries were made under the market information inquiries scheme for each month from March 1990 to date;

  (2) how many major inquiries were made by businesses under the market information inquiries scheme for each month from March 1990 to date.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The table lists the numbers of market information inquiries billed to customers, in the financial year 1989–90 and between April 1990 and February 1991. The list shows the substantial increase in the sales of the service in 1990–91 against those in 1989–90.

  Number

  Value

  (£)

  1989–90

  1,152

  94,197

  1990–91

  April

  215

  19,197

  May

  219

  17,752

  June

  211

  16,717

  July

  216

  20,388

  August

  315

  24,148

  September

  336

  25,441

  October

  378

  30,370

  November

  351

  24,357

  December

  108

  9,987

  January

  701

  59,361

  February

  320

  22,033

  Total

  3,370

  269,751

  Charges for the market information inquiry service are baanded and are no longer split between "major" and "substantive".

  Export Services
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide an update of the figures on export services given in his answer of 22 January 1990,Official Report, columns 503–4.
  564
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The following figures show gross and net expenditure by the Department on export services6 in constant price terms:

  £ million (1979–80 prices)

  Year

  Gross expenditure

  Net expenditure

  1979–80

  25·7

  21·2

  1980–81

  19·5

  15·8

  1981–82

  19·4

  15·4

  1982–83

  21·0

  16·6

  1983–84

  20·8

  15·5

  1984–85

  124·6

  118·8

  1985–86

  224·6

  217·4

  1986–87

  24·6

  15·5

  1987–88

  323·4

  314·7

  1988–89

  425·3

  416·5

  1989–90

  523·8

  16·6

  1 Expenditure on publicity and promotion was transferred from the COI budget with effect from 1984–85. On a constant price basis, the expenditure amounted to £1·4 million in 1984–85.

  2 Export Intelligence Service revenue was transferred to the exports budget from another DTI budget with effect from 1985–86. On a constant price basis this reduced net expenditure by £0·3 million in 1985–86.

  3 Includes expenditure on publications for the then Statistics and Market Intelligence Library previously treated as part of general library expenditure (value £0·2 million on a constant price basis).

  4 Figures for 1988–89 include grant-in-aid to the International Customs Tariff Bureau (value £0·038 million on a constant price basis), and the "New Products from Britain" service transferred from the FCO in the second half of the year (value £0·2 million on a constant price basis).

  5 Excludes expenditure on British Pavilion for EXPO 92 in Seville.

  6 Programme expenditure only—does not include manpower and running costs.

  All figures have been converted using the implied GDP factor cost deflator.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the effect of the recent increase in VAT on manufacturers and wholesalers of pre-price-marked goods currently in stock and unsold before the price increase takes effect.

  Mr. Leigh
  Traders selling to the consumer must ensure that he is not misled as to the price at which they are offering goods for sale. If a retailer decides to recover the increase in the rate of VAT in respect of pre-price marked goods, he will have to ensure that the consumer is not misled as to their price. It would be for the retailer and the manufacturer or wholesaler to agree on whom the burden of any necessary relabelling should fall.

  Estate Agents
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he will implement the proposals announced last year to strengthen the law governing the regulation of estate agents.

  Mr. Leigh
  I am today laying orders and regulations under the Estate Agents Act 1979 to improve standards in the conduct of estate agency. I am convinced that these measures will deal effectively with malpractices by estate agents and significantly improve consumer protection. The Estate Agents (Specified Offences) Order will come into effect on 13 May and the Estate Agents (Undesirable practices) Order and the Estate Agents (Provision of Information) Regulations will come into force on 29 July.

DEFENCE

  The Gulf
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the threat posed to British forces involved in Operation Granby from Iraqi possession of French-made technology.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Though it is not the practice to release information on threat assessments, potential and actual threats to the security of Her Majesty's armed forces are kept under constant review.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many rounds of depleted uranium shells and bullets were fired by allied forces in the Gulf war; and what steps have been taken to clean up the desert areas where such radioactive ammunition was used.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A small proportion of the ammunition used by British forces during the conflict in the Gulf contained depleted uranium. The use of such material by other allied forces is a matter for the countries concerned. The uranium 235 content of these rounds is less than that which occurs naturally, and any residual hazard to health from such rounds would be minimal.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Broadgreen (Mr. Fields), of 19 March,Official Report, column 153, he will set out the methodology used to calculate the disaggregated breakdown of the £1·75 billion additional costs incurred by the United Kingdom through participation in military activities in the Gulf.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The figure of about £1·75 billion comprises two elements: the value of major equipments lost and munitions consumed in the conflict arid in associated training (on present estimates totalling about £450 million); and the additional costs of preparing for and participating in the conflict (assessed at about £1,300 million). The latter element includes some £700 million for new equipment and modifications; £200 million for sea and air transport; and £400 million for other operating costs both in and out of theatre. Costs yet to be incurred or assessed will include the recovery, maintenance and repair of equipment, the replacement of stores, the bringing of equipment back to common modification standards, and the consequential effects of the conflict on the defence programme.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any of the United Kingdom service men killed in friendly fire action in the Gulf war were hit by depleted uranium radioactive bullets fired by United States forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The investigations into the incidents in which British service men were killed or injured by friendly fire are not yet complete.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 March, column 90, which British defence companies sent staff to the Gulf region in support of Operation Granby; what type of staff were sent; and how many staff each company sent.

  Mr. Alan Clarke
  These details are a matter for the companies concerned.
  566
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect Operation Granby will have on planning the level of logistical support for BAOR units; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Work is continuing to determine the size and shape of the Army's logistic support under "Options for Change", and account will be taken of any Granby lessons learned in this area.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what effect Operation Granby had on the level of maintenance available to those armoured units that remained in Germany; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Operation Granby has had an effect on maintenance and spares support for vehicles belonging to units in Germany. I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave to the hon. Member for Rhondda (Mr. Rogers) on 28 November 1990 at column 446.

  Training Courses
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will now make it his practice to answer questions on the numbers of students from specific foreign countries on his departmental training courses.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Our normal practice is not to disclose details of military training provided for Foreign and Commonwealth countries as these are generally confidential between Her Majesty's Government and the Government concerned. There are no plans to change this.

  Nuclear Facility (Israel)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the Iraqi Scud missile attacks on the Israeli nuclear facility at Dimona.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Iraq claimed on 17 February that during the previous evening it had fired three Scud missiles towards Dimona in Israel and one missile against Haifa. We have no information that the Scud attacks against Israel that night caused any casualties or damage.

  Embassy, Baghdad
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to post a military attaché to the British embassy in Baghdad.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have asked my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs to reply. He will answer shortly.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report all representations his Department has received in each year, respectively, since 1987 from (a) Committees of Parliament, (b) nongovernmental organisations, (c) associations of elected authorities and (d) individuals on the subject of the disposal of nuclear submarines.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Ministry of Defence has received a number of representations on the subject of the disposal of nuclear submarines and related issues since 1987. These have been from a range of individuals and organisations.

  Aeroplane Crash
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the national identity of the pilots killed in each aeroplane crash during training over the area of the present constituency of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale since 1979.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There has been one fatal military aircraft accident in the present constituency of Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale since 1979. The accident involved a United States air force F111 aircraft, and occurred near Lauder on 28 July 1987. The pilot was American.

  "Options for Change"
  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if there will be any additional expenditure(a) as a total and (b) per head on retraining and resettling service personnel staff who are made redundant as a consequence of "Options for Change";

  (2) whether there will be any changes in the length or scope of pre-release training offered to his Department's staff in the light of "Options for Change";

  (3) whether there will be any additional expenditure (a) as a total and (b) per head on retraining and resettling civilian support staff who are made redundant as a consequence of "Options for Change";

  (4) whether there will be any increase in the number of personnel attached to the Tri-Service Resettlement Organisation in the light of "Options for Change."

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We are reviewing the arrangements for the resettlement of service personnel in the light of changing circumstances. As far as civilian staff are concerned, I refer the hon. Member to the replies I and my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement gave to the hon. Member for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill) on, respectively, 12 June 1990, at columns 142–43 and 25 July 1990, at column 297.

  Dr. Reid
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what redundancy payments service personnel and civilian support staff who are made redundant as a consequence of "Options for Change" will receive;

  (2) what measures he intends to take to cope with reductions in service personnel and civilian support staff in the light of "Options for Change".

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State informed the House on 19 March at column 149, final decisions on the size and shape of the armed forces have yet to be taken. These decisions will also affect the nature of reductions among civilian support staff.

  The expected reductions in both service personnel and civilian staff will be achieved largely by natural wastage. The nature of any redundancy is still under consideration, as are the payments redundant personnel would receive.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information has been provided to the defence industry regarding the "Options for Change" study.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Ministers and officials in the Department have regular contacts with representatives of the defence industry and have discussed a number of issues related to "Options for Change".

  RAF Leuchars
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has any proposals to discontinue search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The provision of military search and rescue cover around the United Kingdom is one of many areas of defence activity currently being reviewed under "Options for Change". It is too early to say whether this will have any implications for search and rescue operations at RAF Leuchars.

  RAF Bases, Lincolnshire
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of each of the RAF bases in Lincolnshire.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement announced on 28 February last year, at column 290, the withdrawal of Bloodhound from RAF North Coates, which will be closed, and RAF Barkston Heath, which will be retained as a relief landing ground for RAF Cranwell. At present we are examining the scope for rationalising a range of defence support activities, and this may well affect other RAF bases in Lincolnshire, but no decisions have yet been taken.

  South Atlantic Fund
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much money was donated to the South Atlantic fund; how much has been given to members of the South Atlantic forces; and what has happened to surplus money in the fund.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I am unable to provide the information requested. These are matters for the trustees of the fund.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that surpluses from the South Atlantic fund and the Gulf Trust are used specifically for members of the forces injured in other conflicts.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence has no power to make directions for the disbursement of surpluses from the South Atlantic fund or the Gulf Trust.

  Taylorplan Services Ltd.
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his reply of 7 March,Official Report, columns 293–94, if he will list the 20 Ministry of Defence contracts awarded to Taylorplan Services Ltd., together with the total value of each contract; and if he will explain the circumstances in which the two contracts which are no longer current were ended.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is not our normal practice to publish detailed lists of contracts awarded to individual companies. The two contracts which are no longer current both expired on the completion of the agreed contract periods.

  Walter Somers Ltd.
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 March,Official Report, column 444, whether the Ministry of Defence metallurgical expert was aware of the involvement of Dr. Gerard Bull in the proposed export of steel tubes to Iraq at the time of his two conversations with Walter Somers Ltd.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  United Nations
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what involvement service personnel or other Ministry of Defence personnel have had in discussions at the United Nations in New York in the last two years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Kingdom representative at the regular meetings of the United Nations military staff committee is a serving officer. A British Army major was attached to the United Nations field operations division in New York in the period between January 1989 and November 1990 to advise on logistic and other support aspects of peacekeeping and monitoring operations primarily, though not wholly, in connection with United Nations Transition Assistance Group Namibia. Military officers and officials from the Ministry of Defence have also visited the United Nations, particularly in connection with Namibia.

  Iraq
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many British companies have supplied him with information regarding the export of British non-lethal defence equipment to Iraq in the last eight months.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The supply of any such information would be treated in the strictest confidence.

  Export Controls
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how the work of the co-ordinating committee for multilateral export controls has altered as a result of the Gulf crisis.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The committee's work, which relates to strategic exports to the Soviet Union, eastern Europe and China, has been unaffected by events in the Gulf.

  Naval Bases
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with(a) NATO, (b) the Allied Commander, Channel, (c) the Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic and (d) the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe on the future of naval bases in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None, although the NATO authorities are fully aware that we aim to achieve substantial savings in all areas of defence support.

  Guardsman Steven Kincaid
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when his Department expects to finalise the necessary arrangements for the release of Guardsman Steven Kincaid from the Irish Guards.
  570
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Arrangements are currently being finalised.

  BFPO 3000
  Mr. Stevens
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the BFPO 3000 appeal.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The BFPO appeal has proved enormously successful. The public responded with typical generosity, and well over 100 tonnes of mail and parcels have been sent out to troops serving in the Gulf. More than half our troops have already returned from the Gulf, and there is less of a requirement to maintain the type of support which BFPO 3000 provided. The appeal is therefore being closed. Any residual items will, where appropriate, continue to be sent to the Gulf, or will be redirected to service personnel serving in other locations, including Northern Ireland. I would like to record the Government's appreciation of the magnificent way the country showed its support for our armed forces throughout the Gulf conflict.

  RAF Maintenance Group, Brampton
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about defence agency status for the Royal Air Force support command maintenance group at Brampton.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The maintenance group within RAF support command will become a defence support agency of the Ministry of Defence on 1 April 1991. The group comprises a headquarters at RAF Brampton and 12 RAF stations, together with a number of aerosystems, supply and signals units established at those stations and elsewhere within RAF support and strike commands. It is currently manned by some 7,780 RAF personnel and 5,830 civilians, and for financial year 1991–92 has a projected operating budget of £288 million and a full cost budget of £643 million.

  The role of the maintenance group is to provide aerosystems and signals engineering, warehousing and transportation, and communication services to the Royal Air Force. The high professional standards which have characterised the group's support for the RAF will be maintained, and agency status will provide the chief executive with new opportunities to improve the efficiency and value for money of his organisation. The Air Officer Commanding Maintenance Units, Air Vice Marshal D. G. Campbell, has been appointed the agency's chief executive.

  The chief executive has been set the following key targets for the first year of operation of the agency:
  To achieve at least 95 per cent. of specified tasks for 1991–92, representing approximately 75 per cent. of group activity, to standard and on time, and to develop similar measures of programme delivery to cover additional MG tasks by 1 April 1992;
  To reduce the proportion, in value terms, of the total annual throughput of avionic and mechanical components tied up in work by 10 per cent. in 1991–92, and to develop a general costing system for equipment in work by 1 April 1992;
  To perform all operational support tasks to RAF or NATO standards, as appropriate;
  To keep within agreed budget;
  To improve overall efficiency by saving the equivalent of 1·5 per cent. of cash costs in FY 1991–92;
  To determine for future years appropriate measures and targets for efficiency improvement, including units cost targets, by 1 April 1992;

  571
  In light of Options and PROSPECT studies, to complete planning for group estate and asset rationalisation, including investment appraisal, by 1 October 1992;
  To develop a consistent approach to defining units of output by 1 April 1992;
  To introduce a commercial costing system for all major tasks by 1 October 1992.
  To complete and validate all capital asset registers, and to develop performance indicators for asset utilisation, by 1 April 1992;
  To develop a total quality management (TQM) approach designed to bring out continuous improvement in quality, including increased attention to the balance of quality and cost and to customer satisfaction.

  Territorial Army
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence up to what per cent. of its approved establishment the Territorial Army is by(a) TAVRA region and (b) Arm/Corp.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: The information requested, as at 31 December 1990, is as follows:

  (a) By TAVRA region (independent units only)1

  TAVRA Region

  Per cent. recruited

  Northern Ireland

  89·0

  Highland

  87·7

  Lowland

  72·2

  North of England

  75·6

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  76·4

  East Midlands

  98·8

  East Anglia

  126·1

  Greater London

  68·7

  South East

  81·0

  Eastern Wessex

  103·1

  Western Wessex

  72·4

  Wales

  73·0

  West Midlands

  81·9

  North West and Isle of Man

  91·5

  1 TAVRAS are only responsible for Independent Units. Specialist Units are recruited nationwide.

  (b) by Arm Corps

  Arm Corps

  Per cent, recruited

  RAC

  80·1

  RA

  84·1

  RE

  78·4

  RE PCS

  76·8

  R Signals

  78·5

  INF

  82·4

  AAC

  79·5

  RACHD

  89·2

  RCT

  73·6

  RAMC

  70·0

  RAOC

  73·3

  REME

  79·6

  RMP

  80·5

  RAPC

  74·5

  RAVC

  72·5

  RPC

  80·4

  UOTC

  122·7

  HSF

  65·8

ENERGY

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on his policy for the development of renewable energy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Renewable energy sources offer both increased diversity of supply and environmental benefits in terms of reduced gaseous emissions. In particular, renewable energy sources can play a part in reducing Britain's emissions of greenhouse gases—carbon dioxide and methane.

  The Government's policy set out in Department of Energy paper 55, "Renewable Energy in the United Kingdom—The Way Forward", is to encourage the development of renewable energy sources wherever they have prospects of being both economically competitive and acceptable in terms of the impact on the environment. This policy is in line with the approach of the European Community. The government's White Paper "This Common Inheritance" published in September 1990, said that the Government would work towards 1,000 MW of electricity generating capacity from renewable sources by the year 2005. This will contribute towards achieving the United Kingdom's target of returning carbon dioxide emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2005.

  The Government introduced the non-fossil fuel obligation in the Electricity Act 1989, which empowers the Secretary of State for Energy to require the regional electricity companies to contract for specified minimum electricity generating capacity from renewable energy sources so as to encourage the exploitation of the country's renewable energy resources. Planning applications for projects which relate to orders under the 1989 Act are in pursuit of this policy. The first order, laid in 1990, resulted in 170 MW being contracted, and a further order is proposed in 1991 giving projects the opportunity to proceed as soon as possible.

  My hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning set out some planning guidance on renewable energy for local authorities in answer to a parliamentary question today. Officials in the Departments of Energy and of the Environment and the Welsh Office are preparing a planning policy guidance note on this subject.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list by institution and amount the United Kingdom projects that have to date secured funds from the EC THERMIE programme on renewable energy technologies.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Three United Kingdom projects relating to renewable energy technologies were successful in the first call under the THERMIE programme and contracts are now being negotiated.

  Project

  Estimated total cost

  Maximum grant from the Commission

  (£)

  (£)

  Vacu-Lug Traction Tyres Ltd.

  2,000,000

  700,000

  Polytechnic of North London

  600,000

  240,000

  National Engineering Laboratory

  420,000

  170,000

  The projects relate, respectively, to environmentally acceptable energy and materials from scrap tyres;

  573
  demonstrating energy savings in traditional buildings using unconventional planning and daylighting design; and wind-powered desalination by reverse osmosis on a commercial scale.

  Magnox Spent Fuel
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will set out the arrangements agreed(a) bilaterally and (b) in regard to multilateral treaties to which the United Kingdom is a party, between the United Kingdom and (i) Italy and (ii) Japan, respectively, to apply safeguards to Magnox nuclear fuel sent for reprocessing at Sellafield; and in each case what was the date of the first receipt of spent fuel in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The following agreements are in force:

  (i) INFCIRC 125—between the United Kingdom, Japan and the IAEA;

  (ii) INFCIRC 175—between the United Kingdom and the IAEA;

  (iii) INFCIRC 263—between the United Kingdom, the IAEA and the European Atomic Energy Community.

  In addition, all civil nuclear material, including that received for reprocessing from Italy and Japan, is subject to Euratom safeguards under the treaty establishing the European Atomic Energy Community of 1957.

  The first receipt of spent fuel from (i) Italy, took place in January 1966; and (ii) Japan took place in September 1969.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Recruitment Executive Agency
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what progress has been made towards the creation of an executive agency within his Department to carry out recruitment and related functions.

  Mr. Renton
  I am pleased to announce that the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency (RAS) will be launched on 1 April 1991 to coincide with the wider changes in civil service recruitment that I referred to in my

  Non-domestic rateable values

  Average poundage

  Gross non-domestic rates income

  Domestic rateable values

  Gross domestic rates income

  Nett domestic rates income

  Year

  £ million

  pence

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1970–71

  84

  131·5

  108

  76

  99

  n/a

  1971–72

  142

  86·0

  120

  142

  119

  102

  1972–73

  146

  88·0

  127

  145

  126

  107

  1973–74

  151

  96·0

  144

  149

  141

  117

  1974–75

  157

  111·0

  170

  152

  164

  128

  1975–76

  163

  142·0

  222

  155

  208

  160

  1976–77

  168

  162·0

  261

  158

  241

  101

  1977–78

  175

  183·0

  304

  162

  272

  205

  1978–79

  770

  54·0

  386

  447

  220

  188

  1979–80

  801

  62·0

  460

  464

  256

  217

  1980–81

  619

  81·0

  625

  462

  346

  299

  1981–82

  327

  108·5

  842

  469

  475

  408

  1982–83

  822

  122·6

  927

  476

  539

  449

  1983–84

  839

  124·9

  944

  482

  537

  389

  1984–85

  336

  129·4

  982

  489

  569

  407

  1985–86

  1,813

  64·9

  1,027

  1,309

  739

  441

  1986–87

  1,663

  67·4

  1,124

  1,327

  794

  501

  1987–88

  1,878

  75·0

  1,257

  1,844

  996

  592

  1988–89

  1,862

  78·7

  1,889

  1,358

  960

  694

  1989–90

  1,824

  75·6

  1,221

  —

  —

  —

  574
  reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Harlow (Mr. Hayes) on 26 March at columns 364–65. It will be the third executive agency to be established in my Department.

  The RAS is being created primarily to take over the executive recruitment functions currently performed by the Civil Service Commission. It will charge for all its services; and its customers—mainly Government Departments, other executive agencies and the civil service commissioners—will be free to recruit for themselves or to go elsewhere if they believe that they will obtain better value for money.

  Agency status, together with a range of additional managerial freedoms and flexibilities, will enable the RAS to compete effectively for business with other providers in the public and private sectors. I have set demanding targets in the areas of financial performance, operational efficiency and quality of service. These include recovery of full costs; a productivity increase of 6·8 per cent. in the first year; and achievement of an overall customer satisfaction level of at least 85 per cent.

  A copy of the framework document will be placed in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Rating System
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing (i) for each of the years 1970–71 to 1991–92 an analysis by class of authority of non-domestic rateable values, average poundages, actual payments, and uncollected non-domestic rate-revenue and (ii) for each of the years 1970–71 to 1988–89 by class of authority of domestic rateable values, gross rates, rates net of rebates, and uncollected domestic rate revenue.

  Mr. Lang
  Figures by class of authority are not available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, the table gives figures that are readily available for all authorities. The split of rates income between the domestic and non-domestic sectors has been estimated pro rata to rateable values. Data on uncollected rate revenue are not available centrally.
  575

  Non-domestic rateable values

  Average poundage

  Gross non-domestic rates income

  Domestic rateable values

  Gross domestic rates income

  Nett domestic rates income

  Year

  £ million

  pence

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  1990–91

  2,586

  67·3

  11,188

  —

  —

  —

  1991–92

  n/a

  58·1

  21,335

  —

  —

  —

  n/a Not available.

  1 Provisional.

  2 Estimated.

  The figures for gross domestic rates income include rebate grants and the domestic element of rate support grant. The figures for net domestic rates income exclude those components.

  Public Expenditure
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish tables comparable to tables 1 to 3 and additional analyses 1 to 3 of "A Commentary on the Scotland Programme: Public Expenditure to 1992–93" consistent with the expenditure plans in Cm. 1515.

  Central Government Expenditure

  £ million

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Current

  Agriculture, fisheries and food

  151

  160

  180

  196

  210

  220

  Industry, energy, trade and employment

  7

  27

  61

  317

  340

  340

  Tourism

  7

  8

  9

  9

  10

  10

  Transport

  26

  32

  34

  34

  30

  30

  Housing

  113

  138

  131

  125

  140

  140

  Other environmental services

  42

  42

  49

  63

  70

  70

  Law, order and protective services

  199

  216

  254

  274

  290

  310

  Education

  255

  282

  336

  399

  430

  440

  Arts and libraries

  17

  18

  20

  25

  30

  30

  Health

  2,380

  2,568

  2,815

  3,082

  3,250

  3,370

  Social work

  8

  14

  16

  28

  30

  30

  Other public services

  109

  118

  132

  149

  160

  160

  Total Current

  3,314

  3,624

  4,037

  4,701

  4,980

  5,160

  Capital

  Agriculture, fisheries and food

  31

  35

  44

  52

  50

  50

  Industry, energy, trade and employment

  232

  196

  194

  211

  190

  180

  Tourism

  3

  3

  4

  4

  —

  —

  Transport

  114

  144

  180

  182

  190

  200

  Housing

  140

  152

  208

  271

  220

  240

  Other environmental services

  18

  27

  35

  32

  20

  20

  Law, order and protective services

  20

  31

  33

  36

  30

  30

  Education

  17

  19

  42

  54

  60

  70

  Arts and libraries

  6

  7

  12

  12

  20

  30

  Health

  120

  152

  175

  200

  200

  210

  Social work

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Other public services

  5

  5

  7

  10

  10

  10

  Total Capital

  708

  773

  933

  1,066

  1,020

  1,040

  Total

  Agriculture, fisheries and food

  182

  196

  224

  248

  260

  270

  Industry, energy, trade and employment

  239

  223

  255

  527

  530

  520

  Tourism

  10

  11

  12

  13

  10

  10

  Transport

  141

  176

  215

  217

  230

  230

  Housing

  253

  290

  338

  396

  370

  380

  Other environmental services

  60

  69

  84

  96

  90

  90

  Law, order and protective services

  219

  247

  288

  310

  320

  340

  Education

  272

  301

  378

  453

  490

  510

  Arts and libraries

  23

  25

  32

  38

  50

  50

  Health

  2,501

  2,721

  2,990

  3,283

  3,450

  3,570

  Social work

  9

  14

  16

  28

  30

  30

  Other public services

  115

  124

  139

  159

  170

  180

  Total Central Government

  4,022

  4,397

  4,970

  5,767

  5,990

  6,200

  576
  Mr. Lang
  Tables 1 to 3 and additional analyses 1 and 2 comparable to the tables in a "Commentary on the Scotland Programme: Public Expenditure to 1992–93" consistent with the expenditure plans in Cm. 1515 are as follows.

  Additional analyses table 3 is not readily available and I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as it is.
  577

  Expenditure subject to cash limit control 1991–92

  £ million

  Programme total

  Cash limits

  Per cent.

  Agriculture, fisheries and food

  249

  104

  42

  Industry, energy trade and employment

  527

  435

  83

  Tourism

  13

  12

  92

  Transport

  381

  381

  100

  Housing1

  714

  688

  96

  Other environmental services

  364

  295

  81

  Law, order and protective services

  496

  293

  59

  Education

  553

  354

  64

  Expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Agriculture and Fisheries Department

  202

  177

  170

  182

  197

  226

  249

  260

  270

  Industry Department (excluding Tourism)

  284

  327

  245

  240

  224

  254

  527

  540

  520

  Tourism

  9

  9

  9

  10

  11

  12

  13

  10

  10

  Transport

  301

  285

  284

  277

  342

  385

  381

  390

  400

  Housing

  518

  558

  648

  584

  609

  660

  714

  700

  740

  Other Environmental Services

  205

  215

  239

  264

  289

  316

  364

  410

  440

  Law, Order and Protective Services

  302

  330

  370

  415

  472

  524

  567

  580

  610

  Education

  303

  326

  339

  368

  390

  462

  553

  590

  610

  Arts and Libraries

  22

  26

  26

  28

  29

  35

  41

  50

  50

  Health

  1,954

  2,071

  2,248

  2,501

  2,721

  2,990

  3,283

  3,450

  3,570

  Social Work

  33

  25

  27

  31

  37

  40

  56

  60

  60

  Other Public Services

  100

  105

  111

  117

  126

  141

  159

  165

  176

  Central Government Grants:

  Revenue Support Grant

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,244

  2,469

  2,651

  4,130

  4,240

  Rate Support Grant

  1,657

  1,713

  1,708

  2,007

  102

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Community Charge Transitional

  Relief

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  44

  25

  50

  30

  Rate Rebates

  39

  36

  32

  27

  25

  32

  31

  —

  —

  Non-Domestic Rates

  1,023

  1,108

  1,238

  1,290

  1,219

  1,189

  1,389

  Nationalised Industries External

  Financing Limits

  232

  235

  137

  127

  -103

  -89

  49

  50

  10

  Total

  7,167

  7,513

  7,805

  8,458

  8,919

  9,725

  11,052

  11,460

  11,780

  Expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility in real terms

  £ million

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Agriculture, fisheries and food

  251

  213

  194

  194

  197

  209

  218

  220

  220

  Industry, energy trade and employment

  353

  394

  280

  255

  224

  235

  460

  450

  420

  Tourism

  11

  11

  10

  11

  11

  11

  11

  10

  10

  Transport

  374

  343

  324

  295

  342

  356

  333

  330

  320

  Housing

  644

  672

  740

  621

  609

  611

  624

  580

  600

  Other environmental services

  255

  259

  273

  281

  289

  293

  318

  340

  350

  Law, order and protective services

  375

  397

  422

  441

  472

  485

  495

  480

  490

  Education

  377

  392

  387

  391

  390

  428

  483

  490

  490

  Arts and libraries

  27

  31

  30

  30

  29

  32

  36

  40

  40

  Health

  2,429

  2,493

  2,566

  2,660

  2,721

  2,769

  2,868

  2,880

  2,880

  Social Work

  41

  30

  31

  33

  37

  37

  49

  50

  50

  Other public services

  124

  126

  127

  124

  126

  131

  139

  140

  140

  Local authority

  Revenue support grant

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,244

  2,311

  2,316

  3,440

  3,420

  Rate support grant

  2,060

  2,062

  1,949

  2,135

  102

  —

  —

  —

  —

  CCTR

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  41

  22

  40

  20

  Rate rebates

  48

  43

  37

  29

  25

  30

  27

  —

  —

  Non-domestic rates

  1,272

  1,334

  1,413

  1,372

  219

  1,101

  1,213

  —

  —

  National Insurance EFL

  288

  283

  156

  135

  -103

  -81

  43

  40

  10

  Total

  8,932

  9,082

  8,938

  9,008

  8,934

  8,998

  9,654

  9,560

  9,460

  578

  Programme total

  Cash limits

  Per cent.

  Arts and libraries

  41

  41

  100

  Health

  3,283

  2,664

  81

  Social Work

  56

  56

  100

  Other public services

  142

  142

  100

  Associated Departments

  88

  88

  100

  Nationalised Industries

  49

  0

  0

  Local authority

  4,096

  2,707

  66

  Total

  11,052

  8,260

  75

  1 Excludes £132 million in respect of Scottish Homes' NLF repayments which is a technical adjustment and does not represent part of Scottish Homes' usable programme expenditure—ref 4.31 of Departmental Report (Cm 1515).

  579

  Public expenditure within the Secretary of State's responsibility by spending sector, economic category and in total

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  £ million

  CURRENT EXPENDITURE

  Pay and related costs

  141

  157

  170

  187

  211

  238

  260

  280

  General administrative expenses

  32

  33

  40

  41

  47

  63

  60

  70

  Other pay and pension costs

  1,165

  1,290

  1,422

  1,548

  1,652

  1,781

  1,830

  1,880

  Grants to the private sector

  253

  268

  293

  348

  380

  453

  490

  500

  Other expenditure on goods and services

  965

  1,022

  1,154

  1,205

  1,402

  1,582

  1,710

  1,780

  Subsidies

  229

  228

  245

  303

  354

  594

  640

  670

  Current grants to local authorities

  3,029

  3,160

  3,528

  3,815

  4,021

  4,396

  4,510

  4,620

  TOTAL

  5,815

  6,157

  6,851

  7,448

  8,066

  9,107

  9,500

  9,790

  CAPITAL EXPENDITURE

  Capital grants

  1,182

  1,193

  1,213

  1,267

  1,301

  1,533

  1,410

  1,440

  Expenditure on capital assets

  258

  272

  289

  362

  441

  473

  490

  510

  Net lending

  -64

  334

  326

  1,014

  -120

  -82

  70

  30

  Borrowing by public corporations

  302

  -167

  -220

  -1,171

  37

  20

  —

  —

  TOTAL

  1,678

  1,633

  1,607

  1,472

  1,659

  1,944

  1,960

  1,980

  GRAND TOTAL

  7,494

  7,789

  8,458

  8,919

  9,725

  11,052

  11,460

  11,780

  CENTRAL GOVERNMENT

  Current

  Pay and related costs

  141

  157

  170

  187

  211

  238

  260

  280

  General administrative expenses

  32

  33

  40

  41

  47

  63

  60

  70

  Other pay and pension costs

  1,165

  1,290

  1,422

  1,548

  1,652

  1,781

  1,830

  1,880

  Grants to the private sector

  253

  268

  293

  348

  380

  453

  490

  500

  Other expenditure on goods and services

  965

  1,022

  1,154

  1,205

  1,402

  1,582

  1,710

  1,780

  Subsidies

  132

  134

  161

  176

  194

  200

  210

  230

  Capital

  Capital grants

  380

  294

  317

  169

  194

  183

  180

  170

  Expenditure on capital assets

  228

  248

  269

  347

  414

  452

  470

  490

  Net lending

  5

  6

  1

  1

  19

  34

  40

  50

  TOTAL

  3,300

  3,451

  3,827

  4,023

  4,512

  4,987

  5,250

  5,440

  TRANSFERS FROM CENTRAL GOVERNMENT TO LOCAL AUTHORITIES

  Current grants to local authorities

  3,029

  3,160

  3,528

  3,815

  4,021

  4,396

  4,510

  4,620

  Capital grants to local authorities

  26

  17

  20

  38

  38

  61

  70

  80

  Net capital allocations

  680

  782

  761

  772

  785

  780

  840

  870

  TOTAL

  3,735

  3,959

  4,309

  4,625

  4,843

  5,236

  5,420

  5,570

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Public corporations

  Current

  Subsidies

  87

  84

  75

  119

  151

  384

  410

  430

  Capital

  Capital grants

  96

  99

  114

  288

  285

  509

  320

  320

  Expenditure on capital

  assets

  31

  24

  20

  14

  27

  21

  20

  20

  Net lending

  9

  35

  -13

  -46

  -5

  -134

  -10

  -10

  Total

  223

  242

  196

  374

  457

  780

  740

  760

  Nationalised industries

  Current

  Subsidies

  10

  10

  9

  9

  9

  10

  10

  10

  Capital

  Net lending

  -78

  294

  338

  1,059

  -133

  18

  30

  -10

  Borrowing by public corporations

  303

  -167

  -220

  -1,171

  37

  20

  —

  —

  Total

  235

  137

  127

  -103

  -88

  49

  50

  10

  The figures for the year 1985–86 are consistent with Public Expenditure to 1992–93". those in "A Commentary on the Scotland Programme:
  580
  Public Expenditure to 1992–93".

  Training
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received on the ability of Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise councils of Scotland to provide special needs training for those who require it; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  Since the beginning of 1991, I have received 25 representations which, among other issues, express concern about the ability of Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise companies to provide special needs training for those who require it. Local enterprise companies were required to make adequate provision for people with special needs in their business plans; and the scrutiny of these business plans by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise necessarily included assessment of how well the local enterprise companies' proposals met these needs. Furthermore, one of the criteria by which local enterprise companies are to be judged is their success in catering for special training needs. There is no reason to doubt that Scottish Enterprise, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and local enterprise companies are taking their responsibilities for people with special needs seriously and will deliver appropriate training provision.

  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimate the Scottish Office has made for the share of the youth training budget in the Borders for 1991–92 which is to come from private sources; and if he will make it his policy that if the sum is not forthcoming he will make up any shortfall.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish Office has no involvement in the allocation of resources by Scottish Enterprise to individual local enterprise companies. These decisions, and any estimates on which they are based, are matters for Scottish Enterprise.

  Local Authority Expenditure
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland why rate rebates appears as a line without expenditure under non-voted central Government grants to local authorities in table 12.1 of Cm. 1515.

  Mr. Lang
  This line is for money refunded to the Scottish Office by local authorities that have overclaimed in respect of rate rebate grants in earlier years. The information in this line should, however, accord with that given in the main table on page 2 and I am grateful to the hon. Member for drawing this omission to my attention.

  House Valuation
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what method the district valuer in Scotland intends to use to value the purchase price of tenanted housing in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This is a matter for individual district valuers to determine. I understand that valuations are based and will continue to be based on an analysis of available sales evidence. This is consistent with the approach used in sales of other properties in which district valuers are involved.

  Roads
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to announce the outcome of the public local inquiry held in February 1990, following a compulsory purchase order submitted in 1989 to enable the Highlands regional council to acquire land for the north service road, Fort William.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I expect a decision on the compulsory purchase order made by Highland regional council to acquire land for the north service road, Fort William, and which was the subject of a public local inquiry in February and March 1990, to be announced by the end of April.

  Radioactive Material
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the countries currently negotiating with AEA Fuel Services to reprocess or store research reactor irradiated fuel at Dounreay;

  (2) if he will list the countries that have contracts with AEA Fuel Services or the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Agency to reprocess or store research reactor irradiated fuel at Dounreay.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I understand that the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) is currently in discussion with a number of overseas customers about possible contracts to store or reprocess spent research reactor fuel at Dounreay. Until these negotiations have been concluded, however, information on the countries involved is commercially confidential.

  The UKAEA has confirmed contracts for storage or reprocessing with customers in Germany. The Government have specified that all reprocessing contracts entered into by the UKAEA with overseas customers must contain options for the return of waste and that these options should be exercised.

  Dounreay
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent developments have taken place at the Atomic Energy Development Establishment at Dounreay to reduce the levels of radioactive waste discharged to the sea.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Significant process modifications were carried out during the period 1978–83, including the commissioning of an additional plant to reduce the activity in the aqueous discharges from nuclear fuel reprocessing. Since that time further improvements have been achieved by operational means.

  Because reprocessing requirements differ from year to year and the plants are not run continuously, discharges will vary from one period to another. They have consistently been well below the authorised limits. A revised liquid waste authorisation with reduced limits was issued in 1989.

  Parking Offences
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many parking tickets were received and paid by his Department in each year since 1988 in respect of official vehicles.
  583
  Mr. Lang
  The responsibility for parking fines incurred by official vehicles was until April 1990 the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment. Since that date 15 fines totalling £240 are attributed to vehicles of my Department.

  £ million

  Revenue Allocation

  Capital Allocation

  Total Allocation

  Cash

  At 1986–87 prices

  At 1990–91 prices

  Cash

  At 1986–87 prices

  At 1990–91 prices

  Cash

  At 1986–87 prices

  At 1990–91 prices

  1986–87

  234·034

  234·034

  303·594

  15·973

  15·973

  20·721

  250·007

  250·007

  324·312

  1987–88

  253·249

  240·423

  311·883

  18·776

  17·825

  23·123

  272·025

  258·248

  335·006

  1988–89

  283·328

  250·336

  324·741

  18·600

  16·434

  21·319

  301·928

  266·770

  346·060

  1989–90

  300·502

  249·603

  323·791

  29·819

  24·768

  32·130

  330·321

  274·371

  355·921

  1990–91

  333·738

  257·271

  333·738

  13·324

  10·271

  13·324

  347·027

  267·515

  347·027

  1991–92

  358·804

  258·500

  335·332

  21·821

  15·721

  20·394

  380·625

  274·221

  355·726

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the revenue, (b) the capital and (c) the total

  £ million

  Revenue Allocation

  Capital Allocation

  Total Allocation

  Cash

  At 1986–87 prices

  At 1990–91 prices

  Cash

  At 1986–87 prices

  At 1990–91 prices

  Cash

  At 1986–87 prices

  At 1990–91 prices

  1986–87

  1,454·658

  1,454·658

  1,887·017

  97·455

  97·455

  126·421

  1,552·113

  1,552·113

  2,013·438

  1987–88

  1,577·360

  1,497·476

  1,942·562

  105·955

  100·589

  130·486

  1,683·315

  1,598·065

  2,073·048

  1988–89

  1,765·424

  1,559·847

  2,023·470

  112·374

  99·288

  128·799

  1,877·798

  1,659·135

  2,152·270

  1989–90

  1,890·162

  1,570·006

  2,036·650

  143·399

  119·110

  154·512

  2,033·561

  1,689·116

  2,191·162

  1990–91

  2,095·331

  1,615·243

  2,095·331

  141·372

  108·980

  141·372

  2,236·703

  1,724·223

  2,236·703

  1991–92

  2,259·131

  1,686·373

  2,111·346

  198·403

  142·939

  185·424

  2,457·534

  1,770·528

  2,296·771

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the revenue, (b) the capital and (c) the total

  £,000s

  £,000s

  £,000s

  Revenue Expenditure

  Capital Expenditure

  Total

  Year

  Cash Terms

  1986–87 Prices

  1990–91 Prices

  Cash Terms

  1986–87 Prices

  1990–91 Prices

  Cash Terms

  1986–87 Prices

  1990–91 Prices

  1985–86

  274,584

  284,100

  368,541

  19,678

  20,360

  26,411

  294,262

  304,460

  394,952

  1986–87

  295,708

  295,708

  383,600

  16,212

  16,212

  21,031

  311,920

  311,920

  404,630

  1987–88

  326,063

  309,550

  401,556

  16,977

  16,117

  20,907

  343,040

  325,667

  422,463

  1988–89

  358,201

  316,490

  410,559

  18,881

  16,682

  21,641

  377,082

  333,172

  432,199

  1989–90

  393,526

  326,871

  424,025

  32,518

  27,010

  35,039

  426,045

  353,881

  459,063

  Notes:

  1. These figures include non-cash limited family practitioners services expenditure.

  2. Expenditure figures for 1990–91 are not yet available.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the revenue, (b) the capital and (c) the total

  Health Boards
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was(a) the revenue (b) the capital and (c) the total allocation for Lothian health board for 1991–92 and each of the last five financial years in (i) cash terms, (ii) 1986–87 prices and (iii) 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  allocation for Scottish health boards for 1991–92 and each of the last five financial years in (i) cash terms, (ii) 1986–87 prices and (iii) 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  expenditure by Scottish health boards in each of the last five years in (i) cash terms, (ii) 1986–87 prices and (iii) 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:

  expenditure by Scottish health boards in each of the last five years in (i) cash terms, (ii) 1986–87 prices and (iii) 1990–91 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is as follows:
  585

  £'000s

  Revenue expenditure

  Capital expenditure

  Total

  Year

  Cash terms

  1986–87 prices

  1990–91 prices

  Cash terms

  1986–87 prices

  1990–91 prices

  Cash terms

  1986–87 prices

  1990–91 prices

  1985–86

  1,739,554

  1,799,836

  2,334,790

  118,206

  122,303

  158,654

  1,857,761

  1,922,139

  2,493,444

  1986–87

  1,866,616

  1,866,616

  2,421,419

  103,567

  103,567

  134,350

  1,970,183

  1,970,183

  2,555,769

  1987–88

  1,889,936

  1,794,222

  2,327,507

  266,270

  252,785

  327,918

  2,156,206

  2,047,007

  2,655,426

  1988–89

  2,281,568

  2,015,888

  2,615,057

  113,928

  100,662

  130,581

  2,395,496

  2,116,549

  2,745,638

  1989–90

  2,453,199

  2,037,676

  2,643,322

  150,702

  125,176

  162,382

  2,603,901

  2,162,852

  2,805,703

  Notes:

  1. These figures include non-cash limited family practitioners services expenditure.

  2. Expenditure figures for 1990–91 are not yet available.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields on 13 March,Official Report, columns 616–17, whether he will exhume the bodies of the BSE confirmed cattle that were buried in 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many hospitals have applied to opt out of health board contol in each of the Scottish health board areas.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Expressions of interest have been received on behalf of seven Units. These are the South Ayrshire unit (Ayrshire and Arran health board), Foresterhill and West Grampian (Grampian health board), Forfar hospitals (Tayside health board), the Victoria infirmary and associated hospitals (Greater Glasgow health board), the Royal Scottish national hospital (Forth Valley health board) and the Princess Margaret Rose hospital (Lothian health board). Of these Foresterhill and South Ayrshire have indicated that they intend to bring forward an application in the near future.

  Education and Business Partnerships
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about support for partnerships between education and business in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I attach high priority to establishing effective links between the worlds of education and business. Each has a vital role in the future well-being of our country and it is essential that they work closely together. Much valuable work is already going on in this field but it is recognised by many of those involved that the effectiveness of these efforts could be improved.

  Proposals to promote and develop education-business link activities feature prominently in the business plans submitted by the local enterprise companies and I very much welcome this. In order to further assist this work and ensure that it attracts the priority which I believe it requires, additional financial support is being made available specifically to encourage the development of education-business partnerships.

  This funding will be provided to local enterprise companies through Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise to support a variety of aspects of liaison between business and education, including providing
  586
  placements with business for pupils and teachers, business visits to schools and a wide range of innovative activities which will bring benefits to both education and business.

  The LEC-promoted partnerships will be expected to raise funding from other sources so that maximum benefit can be gained from public support.

  I am confident that local enterprise companies, education authorities and organisations already involved in this area will work closely together to get these partnership arrangements under way to the benefit of the whole community and I am now inviting education authorities and other interested parties to approach their LECs to discuss how these proposals can best be taken forward.

  School Examinations
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to improve the quality of spelling, grammar and punctuation in Scottish school examinations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The ability to communicate clearly in writing is a fundamental skill which should be fostered in all school work and examinations. Good grammar and punctuation and correct spelling are essential to clear communication. Currently a variety of practices is operated by the Scottish Examination Board in its examinations in relation to these elements. The board has been asked to review these practices and it has this in hand. Meanwhile examiners will no doubt take account of spelling, grammar and punctuation in accordance with the arrangements that currently apply to each subject.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any further changes to the cash limits for 1990–91 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  Yes, I intend to change one of the cash limits within my responsibility as follows.

  The cash limit for class XV, vote 15, education, arts, libraries and social work, Scotland will be reduced by £1,032,000 from £233,075,000 to £232,043,000. This represents the further cash limit reductions foreshadowed in my answer to the hon. Member for Tayside, North on 1 February at columns 685–86 and will offset the amounts of £617,000 required to meet increased expenditure in respect of the St. Helena ship and £415,000 in respect of the Department of the Registers of Scotland.

  Bone Marrow Transplants
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make additional facilities available to Greater Glasgow health board for bone marrow transplants at Glasgow royal infirmary.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 21 November 1990]: Central funding for this service has been assured until April 1991. Thereafter the revenue allocated to Greater Glasgow health board will provide the resources necessary to treat its own bone marrow transplant patients; and the board will be fully compensated during the course of the year for the costs to it of treating any bone marrow transplant patients referred by other boards.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current number of patients on the waiting list for bone marrow transplants at Glasgow royal infirmary.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 21 November 1990]: At the end of 1990 the waiting list for patients for bone marrow transplants at Glasgow royal infirmary was 31.
  588
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many patients in the last year have died while awaiting bone marrow transplantation at Glasgow royal infirmary.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 21 November 1990]: During 1990, a total of seven patients died while awaiting bone marrow transplantation at Glasgow royal infirmary.

  Chemical Incinerators
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice he offers to local authorities concerning the granting of planning permission for the construction of chemical incinerators; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 26 March 1991]: No specific advice is given to local authorities concerning the granting of planning permission for the construction of chemical incinerators. General advice and guidance on handling planning applications and other planning matters is contained in a number of circulars issued by the Scottish Office.

  THE THREE GRACES STATUE
  THE THREE GRACES STATUE
  RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLATIONS
  RENEWABLE ENERGY INSTALLATIONS
  SALE OF CLOSED SCHOOLS: PROCEEDS ARRANGEMENTS
  SALE OF CLOSED SCHOOLS: PROCEEDS ARRANGEMENTS
  COMMUNITY CHARGE PROPOSAL
  COMMUNITY CHARGE PROPOSAL
  PAINT FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS: EC LEGISLATION
  PAINT FOR HISTORIC BUILDINGS: EC LEGISLATION
  "YOUR CHOICE FOR LIFE"
  "YOUR CHOICE FOR LIFE"
  SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
  SEX EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS
  BARKESTONE CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
  BARKESTONE CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
  CAR TELEPHONES AND ALLEGED DRIVING OFFENCES
  CAR TELEPHONES AND ALLEGED DRIVING OFFENCES
  WAR CRIMES: INQUIRIES
  WAR CRIMES: INQUIRIES
  LEYHILL PRISON NIGHT STAFFING LEVELS
  LEYHILL PRISON NIGHT STAFFING LEVELS
  CYCLISTS: LIGHTING OFFENCES
  CYCLISTS: LIGHTING OFFENCES
  NATIONAL SAVINGS: MINIMUM DEPOSIT POLICY
  NATIONAL SAVINGS: MINIMUM DEPOSIT POLICY
  CHINA FUND: PAYMENTS
  CHINA FUND: PAYMENTS
  RNIB EMBOSSED LITERATURE SERVICE
  RNIB EMBOSSED LITERATURE SERVICE
  MORI RESEARCH ON 16 AND 17-YEAR-OLDS
  MORI RESEARCH ON 16 AND 17-YEAR-OLDS