Written Answers of 8 May 1991

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Overseas Development Administration on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply he received on 25 April from my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has to privatise any activities of the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I have no proposals to privatise any activities of the Overseas Development Administration.

  Ethiopian Relief Organisation
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has given, or proposes to give, assistance directly to the Ethiopian Relief Organisation after the cancellation of the joint relief partnership scheme by the Ethiopian central Government.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The joint relief partnership—JRP—has not been cancelled. Latest reports indicate that the JRP continues to operate the southern line relief supply route satisfactorily. We are providing assistance through the southern line and in other ways. I have no plans at present to give assistance directly to the Ethiopian Relief Organisation.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Balance of Payments
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the relationship between the balance of payments cost of an increase in overseas aid and the domestic balance of taxation and net public spending.

  Mr. Mellor
  Overseas aid in the form of cash grants counts as a transfer debit in the invisible trade balance of the current account. An increase in such aid would therefore reduce the surplus on invisibles and so increase the current account deficit. It would count as public expenditure. To the extent to which it added to the planning total, it would need to be financed from general taxation.

  Household Incomes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing gross rates as a percentage of equivalised disposable income for each category and each year itemised in table R of the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends"; and if he will add the average for all households in each tenure type;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing gross rates as a percentage of equivalised disposable income for each category and each year itemised in table Q of the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends"; and if he will add the average for all households in each household type;

  (3) what is his estimate of the gross and net council tax payable as a percentage of household equivalised disposable incomes by decile groups as defined in the article on household income in the March issue of "Economic Trends", together with the corresponding figures for rates in 1988.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is not meaningful to compare unequivalised gross rates with equivalised values of income.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of households in each of the lowest two quintiles in table 3 appendix 1 of the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends", receiving a rate rebate of (a) 100 per cent. and (b) 50 to 99 per cent. and the numbers receiving combined housing benefit/rate relief in excess of rates.

  Mr. Maples
  The figures are as follows:

  1988 Quintile groups of equivalised disposable income

  Number of households

  Percentage of domestic rates

  Bottom

  2nd

  Rate rebates

  1. 100 per cent.

  68

  53

  2. 50 to 99 per cent.

  344

  197

  3. 0 to 49 per cent.

  1,041

  1,203

  1,453

  1,453

  Households where total of rate rebate and rent rebate/allowance is in excess of domestic rates

  601

  489

  Note: Care should be taken in the interpretation of these figures, which are subject to sampling error, and the accuracy of reporting by households, in the Family Expenditure Survey which is the source of the data. Rate rebates may not always relate to the same time period as the reported income.

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  The 100 per cent. figures include any cases where reported rebates exceed the domestic rates.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table, further to the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends", showing the increase in real disposable incomes since 1979 of the top and bottom deciles of households and the increases in the percentage of real disposable incomes taken by gross rates in each case.
  459
  Mr. Mellor
  The analysis behind the article on household incomes has not been designed to give reliable estimates of increases in absolute income levels between two years. The remaining information is as follows.

  Gross rates as percentage of disposable income in: 1979 and 1988

  Decile group of households ranked by equivalised disposable income

  All households

  Per cent.

  Bottom

  Top

  1979

  9

  3

  4

  1988

  15

  3

  5

  Note: Rate rebates will significantly reduce the burden of gross rates for lower income households.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each column in each table in the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends" the average amount of tax relief in total and per recipient.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information could be produced only at disproportionate cost.

  Decile groups of unadjusted disposable income

  1988 Number of households

  Bottom

  2nd

  3rd

  4th

  5th

  6th

  7th

  8th

  9th

  Top

  All households

  Total rate rebate and rent rebate allowance, as a percentage of domestic rates:

  100 per cent, or more

  301

  392

  267

  126

  60

  34

  19

  14

  6

  2

  1,221

  50 to 99 per cent.

  107

  59

  42

  30

  18

  12

  12

  4

  2

  2

  288

  0 to 49 per cent.

  318

  276

  418

  570

  649

  680

  696

  708

  719

  722

  5,756

  Total

  726

  727

  727

  726

  727

  726

  727

  726

  727

  726

  7,265

  Note: Care should be taken in the interpretation of these figures, which are subject to sampling error, and the accuracy of reporting by households, in the Family Expenditure Survey which is the source of the data. Rate rebates may not always relate to the same time period as the reported income. Some high income households may contain low income benefit units entitled to rebates, for example lodgers.

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Vote Bundle
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will tabulate in the Official Report the amount charged for the full Vote bundle in each Session of Parliament for 1980–81 to date in cash prices and at 1990–91 prices; and if he will state the amounts charged during the current Session, its estimated cost and method of calculation.

  Mr. Maples
  The cost of taking one copy of the Vote bundle throughout each Session of Parliament since 1980–81 is as follows:

  Session

  Prices charged

  Prices charged uplifted to 1991 prices

  £

  £

  1980–81

  1,757

  3,221

  1981–82

  2,113

  3,510

  1982–831

  1,509

  2,396

  1983–842

  3,039

  4,586

  1984–85

  2,738

  3,895

  1985–86

  2,885

  3,937

  1986–871

  1,569

  2,058

  1987–882

  4,664

  5,913

  1988–89

  4,128

  4,852

  1989–90

  4,304

  4,680

  1990–913

  3,800

  3,800

  460
  However, the average amount of some forms of tax relief—relief at source on mortgage interest under the MIRAS system and life assurance premiums—is given for quintile and decile groups of households for 1988 in tables 3 and 4 of appendix 1 of the article in March's "Economic Trends".

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing for each of the decile groups in table 2 of appendix 3 to the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends", the estimated gross amount of council tax payable compared to the gross rate, together with the corresponding tax rebate.

  Mr. Mellor
  Estimates of council tax are not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the numbers of households in each decile of table 2, appendix 3 of the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends" that received rate rebates or housing benefit equal to (a) 100 per cent. and (b) 50–99 per cent. of rates.

  Mr. Maples
  The figures are as follows:

  1 6 month Session due to General Election.

  2 17 month Session.

  3 Estimated.

  Customers are currently charged on the basis of a page price which is set to recover the relatively fixed costs of maintaining a dedicated printing facility, plus a contribution towards central costs and HMSO's financial targets, from the pages produced, which vary with the level of parliamentary activity.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each quintile group of households in the family expenditure survey ranked by the gross amount of council tax payable the average (i) unadjusted disposable income, (ii) equivalised disposable income, (iii) number of households qualifying for relief and (iv) the amount of relief per qualifying household;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each quintile group within each household type in table 5, appendix 1 of the article on household incomes in the March issue of "Economic Trends", his estimate of the gross council tax to replace gross rates, together with his estimate of the average amount of rebate.

  Mr. Maples
  Estimates of council tax cannot be made from the data available.
  461
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the average increase in the amount payable by(a) council tenants and (b) other householders under the council tax over rates in 1979–80 and 1989–90; and if he will provide corresponding figures for each region.

  Mr. Key
  I have been asked to reply.

  The information requested is not available.

  £000s

  TV Advertising

  Press Advertising

  Radio

  Outdoor Posters

  Point-of sale etc.

  Total spend

  1991–92

  15,500

  13,500

  —

  —

  11,826

  110,826

  1990–91

  5,242

  4,226

  —

  —

  1,412

  10,880

  1989–90

  5,813

  4,842

  —

  —

  642

  11,297

  1988–89

  5,389

  4,745

  —

  1,063

  3,090

  14,287

  1987–88

  6,575

  4,029

  —

  1,705

  660

  12,969

  1986–87

  5,145

  7,706

  —

  2,104

  3,518

  18,473

  1985–86

  1,727

  6,197

  —

  1,847

  1,936

  11,707

  1984–85

  1,998

  6,021

  —

  1,728

  2,419

  12,166

  1983–84

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  9,693

  1982–83

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  8,479

  1981–82

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  8,279

  1 estimated

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Inland Revenue on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Maude
  Information relating to the financial years 1979–80 to 1985–86 inclusive is not readily available and cannot be obtained without disproportionate cost. The spend on advertising, omitting staff and accommodation-related costs, for the remaining years is as follows:

  £ thousand

  Televison

  Rado

  Newspaper

  Other promotional

  1986–87

  0

  0

  15

  300

  1987–88

  0

  0

  15

  350

  1988–89

  0

  0

  20

  250

  1989–90

  0

  0

  30

  400

  1990–911

  4,376

  0

  2,155

  692

  1991–922

  0

  0

  20

  300

  1 Forecast outturn

  2 Budget

  The figures for 1990–91 include expenditure of £6·95 million on an advertising campaign to increase public awareness of the new arrangements for non-taxpayers to register for payment of bank and building society interest without deduction of income tax.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by Her Majesty's Customs and Excise on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Department for National Savings on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Maples
  Figures for the years 1981–82 to 1991–92 are as follows. No breakdown by advertising medium is available for the years 1981–82 to 1983–84 and no total figures prior to 1981.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise has not used television, radio or newspaper advertising for promotional purposes. The information available on other promotional material is as follows:

  Estimate expenditure

  £

  1984–1985

  21,000

  1985–1986

  29,000

  1986–1987

  28,000

  1987–1988

  29,000

  1988–1989

  47,000

  1989–1990

  31,000

  1990–1991

  44,000

  1991–1992

  54,000

  The figures do not include recruitment advertising. The figures for 1979–are not available.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by Her Majesty's Stationery Office on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Maples
  HMSO has not used television or radio advertising. Expenditure on advertising in newspapers and journals and on other promotional material for each financial year was:

  Year

  Advertising in Newspapers and Journal 1

  Other promotional material

  £000

  £000

  1983–84

  42

  151

  1984–85

  45

  125

  1985–86

  69

  191

  1986–87

  61

  160

  463

  Year

  Advertising in Newspapers and Journal1

  Other promotional material

  £000

  £000

  1987–88

  83

  172

  19882

  89

  142

  1989

  31,027

  563

  1990

  406

  658

  1 Details of expenditure on newspaper advertising as opposed to journal advertising are not available.

  2 HMSO changed its financial year from the fiscal to the calendar in 1988 (9 months).

  3 Includes expenditure on a major campaign to launch new health and safety posters.

  Figures for the years 1979–80 to 1982–83 could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The comparable budgeted figures for 1991 are £539,000 and £589,000 respectively.

  £ thousands

  Television advertising

  Press advertising

  Radio

  Outdoor posters

  Point-of sale etc.

  Total spend

  1991–92

  15,500

  13,500

  —

  —

  11,826

  110,826

  1990–91

  5,242

  4,226

  —

  —

  1,412

  10,880

  1989–90

  5,813

  4,842

  —

  —

  642

  11,297

  1988–89

  5,389

  4,745

  —

  1,063

  3,090

  14,287

  1987–88

  6,575

  4,029

  —

  1,705

  660

  12,969

  1986–87

  5,145

  7,706

  —

  2,104

  3,518

  18,473

  1985–86

  1,727

  6,197

  —

  1,847

  1,936

  11,707

  1984–85

  1,998

  6,021

  —

  1,728

  2,419

  12,166

  1983–84

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  9,693

  1982–83

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  8,479

  1981–82

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  8,279

  1 Estimated

  Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to privatise any activities of the Department for National Savings.

  Mr. Maples
  None.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proposals he has to privatise any activities of Customs and Excise.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In common with other Departments, Customs and Excise carries out a continuing programme of market testing reviews of its activities. Where market testing identifies areas where value for money could be improved by contracting out work to the private sector, the feasibility of doing so will be examined.

  Oil and Gas
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount paid in(a) petroleum revenue tax, (b) royalties and (c) corporation tax arising out of oil and gas operations in the United Kingdom continental shelf in each year since 1979; and what is his estimate of the total amount of each tax to be paid in fiscal year 1991–92.

  Mr. Maples
  The information required (in £ millions) is contained in the table:

  Fiscal Year

  1Petroleum Revenue Tax

  Royalties

  2Corporation Tax

  1979–80

  1,435

  628

  250

  1980–81

  2,410

  992

  341

  1981–82

  4,415

  1,396

  681

  464
  The greater part of the expenditure is incurred in publicising publications and HMSO would normally expect to recover the costs through sales.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Department for National Savings on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Maples
  Figures for the years 1981–82 to 1991–92 are as follows. No breakdown by advertising medium is available for the years 1981–82 to 1983–84 and no total figures prior to 1981.

  Fiscal Year

  1 Petroleum Revenue Tax

  Royalties

  2 Corporation Tax

  1982–83

  5,669

  1,632

  521

  1983–84

  6,017

  1,904

  877

  1984–85

  7,177

  2,426

  2,432

  1985–86

  6,375

  2,057

  2,916

  1986–87

  1,188

  919

  2,676

  1987–88

  2,296

  1,024

  1,298

  1988–89

  1,371

  602

  1,210

  1989–90

  1,050

  575

  768

  1990–91

  866

  606

  849

  1991–923

  0

  500

  900

  1 Including supplementary petroleum duty in 1981–82 and 1982–83.

  2 Before ACT set-off.

  3 Forecast.

  Premium Bonds
  Sir Peter Blaker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the policy of Her Majesty's Government with regard to the reinvestment of £50 prizes won under the premium bond scheme.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I have decided that winners of £50 prizes should be permitted to reinvest them in additional bonds if they so wish. Amendments to the regulations to effect this change will be laid before Parliament shortly.

  Civil Research and Development
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what are the comparative figures for expenditure on civil research and development, as a percentage of their gross
  465
  national product, of the United Kingdom, Canada, Belgium, France, Germany and Sweden, for each year since 1974.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: Separate data for civil R and D expenditure by industry in the United Kingdom were collected for the first time in 1989. Provisional figures indicate that total civil R and D expenditure from all sources in 1989 represented 1·7 per cent. of gross domestic product. Standard international comparisons of R and D expenditure are usually given in terms of gross domestic product and not gross national product.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Local Education Authorities
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) of 12 February,Official Report, columns 437–38, if he will list all local education authorities in England in rank order of central administration expenditure on education per secondary pupil per year, starting with the highest spending authority.

  Mr. Fallon
  Expenditure for central administration is collected only as a single figure for all education services. That figure is not allocated to individual sectors of the education service, so expenditure attributable to a single sector such as secondary schools is not available.

  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Wyre Forest (Mr. Coombs) of 12 February,Official Report, columns 437–38, if he will list all education authorities in England in rank order of total combined expenditure per secondary pupil per year on school meals, central administration, debt charges or revenue contributions to capital outlay.

  Mr. Fallon
  Expenditure figures for the central services identified in the question are collected only as single totals for all education services. The figures are not allocated to individual sectors of the education service, so expenditure attributable to a single sector such as secondary schools is not available.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what additional(a) loan sanction and (b) grant has been granted to Doncaster local education authority for education purposes for (i) the current financial year (ii) the last financial year and (iii) for the year 1992–93.

  Mr. Fallon
  Details of the annual capital guidelinesACGs—and the educational grants made to Doncaster for 1990–91 and 1991–92 are set out in the table. Grants and ACGs for 1992–93 have not yet been determined.

  £ thousands

  1990–91

  1991–92

  (a) Annual Capital Guidelines

  ACGs

  860·0

  375·0

  (b) Grants

  VA capital allocations1

  345·0

  145·0

  ESGs2

  1,272·0

  —

  466

  1990–91

  1991–92

  LEATGs3

  1,417·0

  —

  GEST4

  —

  2,715·0

  Travellers5

  58·1

  60·9

  Section 116

  17·8

  22·0

  Notes:

  1 The figures represent planned expenditure by the Governors of voluntary aided or special agreement schools. Grant is paid up to a maximum of 85 per cent on such expenditure.

  2 ESG—Education Support Grants.

  3 LEATGS—LEA Training Grants Scheme

  4 GEST—Grants in Education Support and Training. This incorporates the ESG and LEATGs schemes.

  5 The figures represent approved expenditure. Grant aid is paid at the rate of 75 per cent.

  6 Grant under Section 11 of the Local Government Act is administered by the Home Office. Grant is paid at the rate of 75 per cent. on approved salary costs. The figure for 1991–92 is a provisional estimate.

  Urban programme grant is allocated to local authorities for economic, environmental, social and housing projects. Doncaster received £2 million in each of 1990–91 and 1991–92. Detailed statistics are not available to isolate the education component from the total urban programme grant.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total amount of moneys that his Department has allocated to Doncaster local education authority for the maintenance and repair of school buildings for the current financial year; and what was the amount for the last financial year.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Government do not allocate to LEAs separately identified recurrent funds for repairs and maintenance: it is for each authority and, under local management, its schools, to determine what proportion of the total recurrent funds available to them to allocate for that purpose.

  As far as capital works on school buildings is concerned, Doncaster local education authority has been given an education annual capital guideline—ACG—of £375,000 for 1991–92 to contribute towards capital spending in schools. The authority is free to spend its overall capital resources as it chooses, and can supplement its annual capital guidelines from capital receipts and other sources of funding, including its revenue budget. The LEA also received an allocation of £145,000 for projects at voluntary aided—VA—and special agreement—SA—schools.

  For 1990–91 Doncaster received an ACG of £860,000—of which £780,000 was for schools, and an allocation for VA and SA schools of £345,000.

  Geography
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made concerning the unit costs of material, textbooks, samples, maps or other aids including films, videos or filmstrips, models, globes or other equipment required as capital and revenue expenditure in order to provide for the geography curriculum and programme of study specified in SI 1991, No. 678.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend had general regard to the resource implications of the attainment targets and programmes of study specified in the document attached to SI 1991, No. 678. However, it is
  467
  for each school to decide what, if any, additional equipment it requires to deliver the national curriculum. In 1991–92, grants will be available to support up to £15 million of expenditure by local education authorities on equipment for the national curriculum.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the amount of specialised space required by current school building regulations in respect of studies in geography consequent on the requirements of SI 1991, No. 678 in terms of room units or floor space, including storage space, per thousand pupils or similar ratio.

  Mr. Eggar
  The minimum teaching accommodation requirements set out in the Education (School Premises) Regulations 1981 refer only to the overall area to be provided. The requirements do not specify space standards for particular subjects of the curriculum.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the relationship between the programme of study and attainment targets specified in his approved geography curriculum, as set out in SI 1991, No. 678, and the general certificate of secondary education in geography.

  Mr. Eggar
  Although GCSE courses in geography are currently unaffected, with effect from autumn 1994 all GCSE geography syllabuses will have to reflect the curriculum requirements outlined in SI 1991, No. 678.

  Personal Achievement Records
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects each child in local education authority-supported schools to have a record of personal achievement; and what guidance he is offering to local education authorities.

  Mr. Eggar
  Regulations laid last summer require parents to be given reports on the achievements of all children in years 1, 2, 3, 7 and 8 and sixth formers, and will extend progressively to cover all years by 1994. The accompanying circular 8/90, "Records of Achievement", offers guidance both on the legal framework and how it might be developed at schools' discretion. All secondary schools have in addition been encouraged to give all their school leavers a national record of achievement from this summer.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the numbers of places, total cost, and cost per place of places under the assisted places scheme at each school in Newcastle upon Tyne for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested is given in the tables, but figures in respect of the academic years prior to 1988–89 are not readily available. The Church high school joined the assisted places scheme from the start of the 1989–90 academic year.
  468

  Table 1

  Numbers of assisted places in each academic year

  Academic year

  School name

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  La Sagesse Convent High School

  144

  139

  139

  Royal Grammar School

  290

  271

  254

  Dame Allan's Boys' School

  133

  121

  118

  Dame Allan's Girls' School

  125

  131

  134

  Central Newcastle High School

  1—

  117

  107

  Newcastle Upon Tyne Church High School

  1—

  5

  10

  1 Not available.

  Table 2

  Total cost in each academic year

  Academic year

  School name

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  La Sagesse Convent School

  249,155

  264,765

  269,981

  Royal Grammar School

  369,073

  361,831

  384,909

  Dame Allan's Boys' School

  171,979

  173,605

  179,676

  Dame Allan's Girls' School

  197,590

  217,790

  247,731

  Central Newcastle High School

  1—

  178,307

  193,348

  Newcastle upon Tyne Church High School

  1—

  10,017

  20,719

  1 Not available.

  Table 3

  Cost per place in each academic year

  Academic year

  School name

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  (£)

  (£)

  (£)

  La Sagesse Convent School

  1,730

  1,905

  1,942

  Royal Grammar School

  1,273

  1,335

  1,515

  Dame Allan's Boys' School

  1,293

  1,435

  1,523

  Dame Allan's Girls' School

  1,581

  1,663

  1,849

  Central Newcastle High School

  1—

  1,524

  1,807

  Newcastle upon Tyne Church High School

  1—

  2,003

  2,072

  1 Not available.

  Note: The figures for academic year 1990–91 are the latest estimated costs. Final information will not be available until the schools submit their final claims.

  Access Courses
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on how many access courses there are in the United Kingdom; what percentage of men and women take part in these courses; and if he will give a breakdown of the percentage of men and women by region.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  A survey published by the educational counselling and credit transfer information service listed 522 access courses in England in 1989. Based on information from the "Further Education Statistical Record", 34 per cent. of students enrolled on access courses in England at Novembver 1989 were men and 66 per cent. were women. Percentages by region are:
  469

  Per cent. Men

  Per cent. Women

  North

  34

  66

  Yorks/Humberside

  32

  68

  North West

  32

  68

  East Midlands

  47

  53

  West Midlands

  33

  67

  East Anglia

  44

  56

  Greater London

  36

  64

  Other South East

  24

  76

  South West

  34

  66

  Information about access courses in the rest of the United Kingdom is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, for Scotland and for Wales.

  Mathematics and Science
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science what progress has been made on the review of the attainment targets and programmes of study for mathematics and science in the national curriculum.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Jointly with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales, I am today publishing statutory proposals for new orders setting out the attainment targets and programmes of study for mathematics and science in the national curriculum. Our purpose is to make the assessment of these subjects more manageable for teachers and others, and to make reports on pupils' achievement in them easier for parents to understand. The effect of our proposals is to reduce the number of attainment targets in each subject to five. Within the attainment targets the number of statements of attainment will also be reduced, by slightly more than half. Our proposals will not change in substance the content of

  Institution

  Course

  BED COURSES

  Two-year

  Sheffield City Polytechnic

  Primary and Secondary

  La Sainte Union CHE

  Primary

  Edge Hill CHE

  Primary

  Hatfield Polytechnic

  Primary

  Leeds Polytechnic

  Primary

  Thames Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Wolverhampton Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Birmingham Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Manchester Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Gwent CHE

  Secondary

  Crewe and Alsager CHE

  Secondary

  Middlesex Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Four-year

  Derbyshire CHE

  Primary

  La Sainte Union CHE

  Primary

  Bath CHE

  Primary and Secondary

  Crewe and Alsager CHE

  Primary and Secondary

  Cheltenham and Gloucester CHE

  Primary and Secondary

  Liverpool Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Middlesex Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Charlotte Mason College

  Secondary

  PGCE COURSES

  Two-year

  Bradford Community College

  Primary (P/T)

  Leeds University

  Secondary (P/T)

  Southampton University

  Secondary

  King's College, London

  Secondary (P/T)

  Oxford University

  Secondary (ATS)

  470
  the curriculum for these subjects. I have today asked the National Curriculum Council in England to carry out consultations on the proposals, and comments should be sent to the council by 19 July. My right hon. Friend will initiate consultations in Wales. A copy of the published proposals has been placed in the Library of the House.

  I intend that the new structure of attainment targets should be in place in time for the 1992–93 school year, and have decided that it would be right to consolidate their introduction with the first statutory assessments of 14-year-olds in these subjects, which will now take place in summer 1993. In preparation for those statutory assessments, I have invited the School Examinations and Assessment Council to co-ordinate a non-statutory pilot assessment of 14-year-olds against the revised attainment targets in 1992. The statutory assessment of seven-year-olds is already under way this year, and I think it right to continue with that assessment against the existing attainment targets in 1992, switching to the new structure in 1993.

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the postgraduate certificate of education and B.Ed teacher education and training courses presently operating under temporary approval.

  Mr. Fallon
  [holding answer 29 April 1991]: The PGCE and B.Ed courses presently operating under temporary approval are listed in the table. The Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education—CATE—intends to complete its scrutiny of these courses and make its recommendations to the Secretary of State by the end of July.
  471

  Institution

  Course

  Bath CHE

  Secondary (P/T)

  Liverpool University

  Secondary (P/T)

  Exeter University

  Secondary (ATS)

  Newcastle upon Tyne Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Manchester Polytechnic

  Primary and Secondary (ATS)

  West Sussex IHE

  Primary and Secondary (ATS)

  Leeds Polytechnic

  Primary (ATS)

  York University

  Secondary (ATS)

  College of St. Mark and St. John

  Primary and Secondary (ATS)

  Bristol Polytechnic

  Secondary (ATS)

  Thames Polytechnic

  Secondary (ATS)

  Bedford CHE

  Primary (ATS)

  Christchurch College

  Secondary (ATS)

  Hull University

  Secondary (ATS)

  Crewe and Alsager CHE

  Primary (ATS)

  Bath University

  Secondary (ATS)

  Reading University

  Secondary (P/T)

  Cheltenham and Gloucester CHE

  Primary (ATS)

  Liverpool IHE

  Secondary (P/T)

  Keele University

  Secondary (P/T)

  St. Martin's College, Lancaster

  Primary (ATS)

  College of St. Mark and St. John

  Primary (ATS)

  Leeds University

  Secondary (ATS)

  Nottingham University

  Secondary (P/T)

  Sheffield City Polytechnic

  Secondary

  Roehampton IHE

  Primary and Secondary (ATS)

  Polytechnic of the South West

  Primary (ATS)

  Birmingham University

  Secondary (P/T)

  Polytechnic of North London

  Primary (ATS)

  One-year

  St. Martin's College, Lancaster

  Secondary

  Bath CHE

  Primary

  Leicester University

  Secondary

  Nene College

  Primary

  Exeter University

  Secondary

  Oxford Polytechnic

  Primary

  University of Wales, College of Cardiff

  Secondary

  University of Cambridge

  Primary and Secondary

  Birmingham Polytechnic

  Primary

  Brighton Polytechnic

  Primary

  College of St. Mark and St. John

  Primary

  Warwick University

  Primary and Secondary

  University of Durham

  Secondary

  Polytechnic of the South West

  Primary

  Liverpool Polytechnic

  Secondary

  University College, Swansea

  Primary and Secondary

  Westminster College, Oxford

  Primary

  University of East Anglia

  Secondary

  Charlotte Mason College

  Primary

  University of Keele

  Secondary

  University of Sussex

  Primary

  La Sainte Union CHE

  Primary

  Newcastle University

  Secondary

  Southampton University

  Secondary

  Notes:

  1. P/T denotes a part-time course.

  2. ATS means that the course is offered within an articled teacher scheme.

  Chief Inspector of Schools
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out in detail the procedures for the forthcoming appointment of a new holder of the office of Her Majesty's chief inspector of schools, including the nature of the involvement of Ministers in the appointment.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  [pursuant to his reply, 4 March 1991, c. 42]: Before proceeding with the choice of a permanent successor to the present senior chief inspector I wish to carry out a thorough internal review of the structure and role of Her Majesty's inspectorate. I see this review as a necessary consequence of my decision to remove further education and sixth-form colleges from local education control and of the decisions of a growing
  472
  number of maintained schools to opt out from local authority control. I will explore all possible options for an inspectorate capable of delivering an effective system of quality control based on inspection for the evolving pattern of educational provision. The outcome could well be a very different job description for the head of the inspectorate. I have asked therefore the Civil Service Commissioners to take no further action with the open competition they have been organising to identify a new senior chief inspector. In the meantime it is important that HM inspectorate should be under sound and strong leadership when the present SCI retires at the end of August. I am therefore appointing an internal candidate as

  473
  SCI who will be well able to carry out the functions of the post until the review is complete and a new appointment can be made following a public competition.

TRANSPORT

  Clapham Junction Railway Accident
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received a further progress report from British Rail on implementation of the recommendations of Sir Anthony Hidden's report on the Clapham junction railway accident; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Sir Bob Reid has submitted British Rail's third progress report to me, and I have arranged for copies to be placed in the Library. BR has continued to make progress on these recommendations, and all of those for BR or the British Transport police are either complete or have actions in hand. Some of the recommendations require long-term development. I welcome the report, which demonstrates BR's commitment to maintaining a very high standard of safety. Safety improvements under way include changes in working methods, improved training, new safety management systems and investment in new equipment.

  Dry Cargo Ships
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what advice he has been given and what research has been carried out or commissioned by his Department on the safety implications for dry cargo ships of(a) fitting ships with structural monitoring systems, (b) the speed with which ships are loaded and (c) other technical and staffing considerations relating to safety; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department has jointly funded with "Lloyd's Register of Shipping" the developments of the "black box" voyage data recorder. This equipment is presently being evaluated at sea. It embodies, among other things, features designed to monitor stress levels at critical locations of a vessel's structure. Stress levels may be monitored with this equipment during loading and unloading operations, and in addition recorded for analysis at a later date.

  Research commissioned by the Department into the "Technology and Manning for Safe Ship Operations" in 1986 formed the reference work for a strategic policy committee, under the Merchant Navy Training Board, to develop a modular structure of qualifications based on standards to perform separate shipboard functions. These new initiatives on training and future manning models are referred to in "British Shipping: Challenges and Opportunities", which suggests a target date for their implementation of September 1992.

  Explosives Train (Emergency Alert)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement in respect of an incident on the evening of 22 March when a train carrying explosives was involved in an emergency alert near Thirsk, Yorkshire.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand that on 22 April British Rail's lineside equipment detected hot wheel bearings on a474
  train at Thirsk. The fire brigade was called as a precautionary measure. The incident was not reported to the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate, but the inspectorate is making inquiries.

  British Rail Investment
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 22 April,Official Report, columns 348–49, how much of the £1·4 billion will be invested in (a) Scotland, (b) in new rolling stock, (c) on improvement of lines connecting the channel tunnel with Scotland and the north of England, (d) electrification of lines and (e) special measures for the protection of the environment both in Scotland and in England.

  Mr. Freeman
  Proposals for providing freight services north of London are currently being examined by British Rail as part of its £1·4 billion programme of investment to take advantage of the initial opening of the tunnel. Possible sites for a freight terminal in Strathclyde are being considered. No firm figures are therefore available for expenditure in Scotland. Spending of over £650 million is planned on new rolling stock for freight and inter-capital passenger services. A total of £21 million will be spent improving freight routes connecting the channel tunnel to Scotland and the north of England. On electrification, £43 million will be spent on the west London line and the line between Tonbridge and Redhill. Spending on environmental protection relating to work on existing lines cannot he separately identified.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The readily available information about appointments for which my right hon. and learned Friend is responsible is given in "Public Bodies 1990" and "Public Appointments: A Handbook for Women's Organisations", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  A40, Ealing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the precise nature of the work currently being undertaken on the central reservation of the A40 in the London borough of Ealing; when he expects it to be completed; what the final cost will be; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  The work currently under way on the A40 Western avenue in the London borough of Ealing entails the repair and replacement of central reserve safety fencing and to bring it up to the latest departmental standards. At the same time, existing emergency crossover points are being closed permanently on road safety grounds and the street lighting is being improved.

  Work is scheduled for completion by the middle of May at an estimated cost of £377,000.

  HGVs (Carbon Dioxide)
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates he has made of the amount of carbon dioxide which may be emitted from the existing heavy goods vehicle fleet during its remaining lifetime.

  Mr. Chope
  The latest available figure is 28,000 tonnes per annum for 1988 and relates to total carbon dioxide emissions from all road vehicles. No breakdown of this figure between vehicle types is available. The remaining life of the existing heavy goods vehicle fleet depends on varying factors and cannot be predicted with accuracy.

  Speed Limits
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many representations he has received called for the lowering of the maximum speed limits on roads in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Chope
  I receive a substantial quantity of correspondence concerning national speed limits and their enforcement.

  Motoring Offences
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of yellow box junctions in accident prevention; and if he has any plans to extend their use to pedestrian crossings.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: Yellow box markings were introduced in the Traffic Signs Regulations 1975 primarily as a means of speeding up traffic flow at junctions. At signal-controlled junctions their introduction led to marked reductions in injury accidents, particularly involving pedestrians.

  There are no plans to extend their use to pedestrian crossings. At "zebra" crossings the yellow box would conflict with the zebra stripes. Yellow box markings used at "pelican" crossings would be likely to have little impact.

  Pelican Crossings
  Mr. Patchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether his Department has any intention of reviewing the criteria for qualification for a pelican crossing; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: It is for individual local highway authorities to decide whether a particular crossing is needed in the light of criteria published by the Department. These are to be reviewed further with the local authority associations later this year.

  Organisation and appointment

  1991

  1992

  Salary

  Duration of appointment

  Imperial War Museum

  Members of Board of Trustees

  1

  —

  —

  7 years

  Marshall Aid Commemoration Commission

  Member

  4

  2

  —

  3 years

  Commonwealth Institute

  (i) Director-General

  1

  —

  C£45,000

  5 years

  (ii) Chairman of Board of Governors

  1

  —

  —

  3 years

  (iii) Vice-Chairman

  1

  —

  —

  3 years

  Eurofreight Terminal (Scotland)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to announce his decision on the siting of Scotland's Eurofreight rail terminal.

  Mr. Freeman
  The siting of channel tunnel freight terminals is a commercial matter for British Rail. I understand that it is currently discussing possible locations in Strathclyde with local authorities and private sector developers and hopes to make an announcement this summer.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Kurdish Refugees
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals there are to promote safety zones for Kurds presently on the Iran-Iraq border.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are continuing our policy of establishing safe havens in northern Iraq. We will assist with the most appropriate measures to meet the humanitarian needs of all Iraqi refugees as quickly and effectively as possible. We hope that the United Nations will soon be in a position to take over the operation.

  Bangladesh
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps to safeguard minority interests and human rights in Bangladesh his Department has taken with reference to (1) the protection of tribal people in Chittagong hill tracts, (2) the protection of non-Muslim temples, churches and relics, (3) the exodus of Bengalese to India to escape harassment and (4) the Enemy Property Act.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Through our regular contacts with the Bangladesh Government, I know that they are well aware of the importance we attach to respect for human rights, including the rights of minorities.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the individual appointments exluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Individual apopintments are scheduled to be made in 1991 and 1992 to the following bodies for which the diplomatic and aid wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office are responsible:
  477

  Organisation and appointment

  1991

  1992

  Salary

  Duration of appointment

  (iv) Governor

  6

  3

  —

  3 years

  (v) Scottish Member

  —

  1

  —

  3 years

  Sightsavers

  Member of Executive Council

  —

  2

  —

  5 years

  Wilton Park Academic Council

  (i) Chairman

  —

  1

  —

  3 years

  (ii) Member of Council

  —

  11

  —

  3 years

  Government Hospitality Fund Advisory Committee for Purchase of Wine

  Chairman

  —

  1

  —

  5 years

  Diplomatic Service Appeal Boards (2)

  (i) Chairman (1)

  1

  —

  —

  3 years

  (ii) Chairman (2)

  —

  1

  —

  3 years

  (iii) Member

  —

  6

  —

  3 years

  British Council

  Member of Boards

  1

  —

  —

  5 years

  Commonwealth Scholarship Fund

  Board Member

  —

  5

  —

  3 years

  Advisory Committee on Economic and Social Resources Overseas

  Committee Member

  1

  10

  —

  3 years

  Crown Agents

  Board Member

  1

  2

  £5,320

  3 years

  Commonwealth Development Corporation

  (i) Chairman

  —

  1

  £11,900

  3 years

  (ii) Deputy Chairman

  1

  —

  £8,200

  3 years

  (iii) Board Member

  5

  2

  £4,450

  3 years

  Institute of Development Studies

  Governor

  —

  5

  —

  Indefinite

  Middle East
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the middle east.

  Mr. Hurd
  I visited Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia from 1 to 4 May. In addition to meetings with those Governments, I also had a discussion with the Foreign Minister of Yemen in Cairo on 2 May.

  In Cairo I had useful talks withn President Mubarak, Foreign Minister Abdul Meguid and presidential adviser Osama Al Baz. We discussed regional issues, including the middle east peace process. Bilateral issues discussed included President Mubarak 's forthcoming state visit. We agreed that there are now no significant differences in the British and Egyptian approach to the main problems of the middle east.

  In Jordan I had discussions with King Hussein, the Crown Prince, the Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister. Jordan is keen to play a helpful role in Mr. Baker's peace initiative and to rebuild relations with the west and her Gulf neighbours. I made clear our continuing friendship for Jordan and our wish to see Jordan resume its rightful position in the Arab world.

  In Kuwait I saw the state of the country following liberation. I was shocked at the extent of the destruction by the Iraqis during their brutal occupation. Much remains to be done before Kuwait is functioning again as a prosperous society, and in this task of reconstruction Britain intends to take a full part. We discussed this co-operation in detail. My meetings with the Amir, the Crown Prince and the Foreign Minister covered a number of issues. I raised reports of human rights abuses following liberation and in particular the position of Palestinians in Kuwait. The Amir said that the Government would hold to their commitment to hold general elections in 1992. He
  478
  emphasised his concern at Iraq's failure to return a large number of Kuwaitis detained in Iraq and property removed from Kuwait during the occupation.

  In Saudi Arabia my discussions with the King and his Minister of Foreign Affairs revealed a close identity of view. The Saudis remain concerned to support the middle east peace process and to keep up the pressure on the Iraqi Government to fulfill their commitments to the United Nations. I explained the background to our efforts to provide humanitarian help to Iraqi refugees and displaced persons and our view that Iraq could not be allowed to rejoin the family of nations while Saddam Hussein remained in power in Baghdad.

  In all four countries there was appreciation for Britain's continuing role in the middle east whether in pressing for a settlement of the Arab-Israel dispute on the basis of UN Security Council resolutions or in underpinning new arrangements for ensuring the security of the Gulf.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Replica Guns
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what restrictions exist on the sale of replica guns by mail order;

  (2) if he will introduce measures to curb the sale of replica guns;

  (3) what restrictions exist on the sale of replica guns through retail outlets.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Under the Firearms Act 1982 the sale and possession of replica firearms which can be readily converted to fire live ammunition are subject to the same stringent controls as those imposed on real firearms under the Firearms Acts 1968 to 1988. Where such a replica is
  479
  sold, whether by mail order or through a retail outlet, the purchaser must produce a firearm certificate as proof of authorisation to acquire the weapon concerned. The possession of any imitation firearm, whether readily convertible or not, with intent to commit an offence or resist arrest is an offence for which the maximum penalty is life imprisonment. We have no plans to control the sale of replica firearms that cannot be readily converted to fire live ammunition.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received criticising the easy availability of replica guns.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the question by my hon. Friend the Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice) on 7 March at column 269 since when he has written to the Home Office on this matter. No other such representations have recently been received.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if there have been any recent changes in the level of offences involving the use of replica guns.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Figures for the last four years for which statistics are available are shown in the table:

  Year

  Number of offences

  1989

  235

  1988

  185

  1987

  201

  1986

  195

  Warwickshire Police
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what comments he has received from Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary on the effect of the Government's proposed poll tax capping of Warwickshire county council on policing within the county.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Her Majesty's inspector of constabulary will report on the Warwickshire constabulary following his inspection of the force on 7 to 9 May. No specific comments have been received on the effect of the proposed cap.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the chief constable of Warwickshire on the likely impact of the Government's proposed poll tax capping of Warwickshire county council.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend has received no such representations since my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment announced on 3 April his proposals for capping a number of local authorities, including Warwickshire.

  Crime Statistics
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish a table showing the level of recorded crimes in the categories(a) burglaries, (b) crimes of violence against the person and (c) property theft, including theft from vehicles, for each police authority in England in 1979, 1989 and 1990;
  480
  (2) if he will publish a table showing the level of recorded crimes in the categories (a) burglaries, (b) crimes of violence against the person and (c) property theft, including theft from vehicles, for each police authority in Wales in 1979, 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on notifiable offences of violence against the person, burglary and theft and handling stolen goods by police force area is published annually in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales". The information is given in table 32 of the issue for 1979 and table 2.5 for 1989. Copies of these publications are available in the Library. Corresponding figures for 1990 have also been placed in the Library.

  Unexplained Deaths
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the average length of time between each notification of an unexplained death and the determination of cause of death by a coroner in each of the past two years, for(a) England and (b) Medway.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that this information is not collected centrally. I understand that coroners endeavour to hold inquests as soon as practicable following the death, but sometimes delays are experienced because of the need to wait for witnesses or other evidence.

  Poland
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will take steps to abolish the visa requirement for Polish citizens wishing to visit the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We have no plans to abolish the visa requirement for Polish nationals.

  Parliamentary Nomination Forms (Doncaster)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects his Department to be able to supply Doncaster metropolitan borough council with parliamentary candidates" nomination forms.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Nomination papers for candidates at parliamentary elections are not supplied by the Home Office. I understand that the acting returning officer in Doncaster obtains supplies from Her Majesty's Stationery Office.

  Animals (Research)
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the medical establishments to which he has given a licence to acquire animals which have not been bred specifically for the purpose of research.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  It is not our practice to give details of individual scientific procedure establishments.

  Life Imprisonment
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people sentenced to life imprisonment were released (i) on parole and (ii) on life licence in the last 10 years; and how many in each category of those released have been convicted of a further homicide or serious violent offence.
  481
  Mr. John Patten
  A person sentenced to life imprisonment can be released from prison only on life licence.

  Number reconvicted of 'grave'2 offence by the end of 1988

  Number reconvicted of homicide

  Year of first release

  Number1 released

  Total

  Of which Homicide

  Serious violence

  1979

  74

  3

  2

  1

  1980

  48

  3

  1

  2

  1981

  82

  1

  —

  1

  1982

  107

  5

  1

  4

  1983

  104

  4

  3

  1

  1984

  68

  2

  —

  2

  1985

  69

  1

  —

  1

  1986

  48

  3

  —

  3

  1987

  58

  —

  —

  —

  1988

  70

  —

  —

  —

  1979–88

  728

  22

  7

  15

  1 Excluding those deported immediately on release.

  2 A 'grave' offence is an offence of homicide, serious wounding, rape, buggery, robbery, aggravated burglary and arson.

  The reconviction information was obtained via the offenders' index More information on the recalls and reconvictions of life licensees is published annually in a Home Office statistical bulletin "Reconvictions and recalls of life licensees and Mentally Disordered Offenders, England and Wales", the latest issue of which is in the Library.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons sentenced to life imprisonment have been released from prison in the last 10 years having served (i) less and (ii) more than the minimum term, if any, recommended by the sentencing trial judge.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  During the last 10 years seven prisoners have been released on life licence at an earlier date than that recommended by the trial judge, including two who were terminally ill and released on humanitarian representing data users' interests, and four from grounds. In the same period six prisoners were released after they had served more than six months longer than the minimum period recommended by the trial judge.

  Nationality Office
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress in establishing a direct line at the Liverpool nationality office for hon. Members' inquiries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Inquiries should continue to be pursued through the existing telephone numbers in Lunar house. However, hon. Members will shortly be advised of new arrangements for making inquiries on nationality matters when the transfer of work from Croydon to Liverpool is complete.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will describe the reasons for the Government's opposition to the European Commission's proposal for a data protection directive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  As indicated in the answer to the hon. Member for Caernarfon (Mr. Wigley) on
  482
  The table gives figures for the number of persons first released on life licence for the years 1979–88 and how many of these were convicted of a "grave" offence since release, by the end of 1988.

  22 February 1991, at column 278, the Government wish to see all Community states ratify the European convention legislation. We are not yet convinced that provisions of the draft directive which go beyond the convention are necessary or desirable

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many replies to his consultation exercise in relation to the proposal European Commission for a data protection directive he has received; how many come from organisations representing data users and how many from organisations representing data subjects; and if he will make statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have received written comments on the draft directive from 56 organisations broadly organisations broadly representing data subjects' interests. Negotiations on the draft directive have begun in Brussels, and the Government are considering their position in the light of the comments they have received.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to propose amendments to the Data Protection Act.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  As indicated in my right hon. Friend's reply to the hon. Member on 18 October 1990 at column 893, legislation is unlikely before the European directive has been adopted.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give separate figures for the spending by the office of the Data Protection Registrar on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Data Protection Registrar was first appointed in September 1984. I understand that no significant promotional expenditure was incurred in the financial year 1984–85. Expenditure in the years 1985–86 to 1990–91 and the estimate for 1991–92 on fees paid for promotion were as follows:
  483

  Advertising

  Exhibitions

  TV

  Radio

  Newspaper

  Other

  £

  £

  £

  £

  £

  1985–86

  —

  —

  319,012

  —

  10,538

  1986–87

  —

  —

  156,912

  —

  22,143

  1987–88

  —

  —

  364,614

  —

  15,157

  1988–89

  —

  —

  448,603

  —

  11,383

  1989–90

  301,353

  —

  8,348

  —

  21,260

  1990–91

  198,380

  —

  2,125

  2,500

  21,101

  1991–92

  —

  —

  50,000

  2,500

  25,000

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to privatise any activities of the office of the Data Protection Registrar.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Data Protection Registrar is an independent authority appointed by the Crown to enforce the Data Protection Act 1984. I have no plans for changing his status. It is for the registrar to decide how best to carry out his specific statutory functions.

  Prison Officers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by year for the last 10 years and for the current year to date(a) the number of prison officers found guilty of offences at their place of work, (b) the prison and (c) the offence.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The tables give details of prison officers found guilty of offences in criminal proceedings and of officers found guilty of disciplinary offences as a result of internal disciplinary proceedings. Table A contains a full breakdown for the past 10 years by establishment and by offence. Table B contains only those offences which were dealt with centrally, either by virtue of their intrinsic seriousness or because the officer appealed against the governor's findings. The majority of disciplinary offences are dealt with locally and no central record is kept. In view of the wide range of disciplinary offences, it is not practicable to provide a breakdown by individual offence.

  Table A: Officers found guilty of criminal offences

  1981

  Brixton—Officer convicted of assault on inmate.

  1982

  Brixton—Officer convicted of assault on inmate.

  Table B: Officers found guilty of serious disciplinary offences (year of final disciplinary decision)

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Acklington

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Albany

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  Aldington

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ashwell

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Aylesbury

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Bedford

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Birmingham

  —

  2

  5

  2

  9

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Blundeston

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bristol

  —

  1

  2

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Brixton

  1

  4

  3

  4

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  4

  1

  Bullwood Hall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Camp Hill

  —

  4

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Canterbury

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Cardiff

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Castington

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Channings Wood

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Chelmsford

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  Coldingley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cookham Wood

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Dartmoor

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  2

  —

  Deerbolt

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dorchester

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dover

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  484

  Kingston—Officer convicted of theft of meat from prison.

  Ashford—Officer convicted of criminal deception (fraudulent expenses)

  1983

  Askham Grange—Officer convicted of false accounting.

  Blundeston—Officer convicted of theft and falsifying accounts—took money from staff fund for disabled.

  Oxford—Officer convicted of deception, attempted deception and forgery—submitted incorrect expenses claim.

  1984

  Swinfen Hall—Officer convicted of false accounting and obtaining money by deception—false mileage claim.

  1985

  Leicester—Officer convicted of deception (falsely claimed lodging allowance).

  Bedford—Officer convicted of stealing money from incoming letter to an inmate.

  1986

  Leicester—Officer convicted of stealing cream and peas from prison kitchen.

  Cardiff—Officer convicted of drugs offences involving an inmate.

  Wandsworth—Officer convicted of forgery: altered a medical certificate and then submitted it to the Department.

  1987

  Grendon—Officer convicted of conspiracy to supply a Schedule B drug to a prisoner.

  Liverpool—Officer convicted of possession of drugs with intent to supply to a prisoner.

  Ford—Officer convicted of four offences of corruption (bringing alcohol, tobacco and other items into the prison).

  Albany—Officer convicted of theft from officers' mess.

  1988

  Blundeston—Officer convicted of theft and false accounting as Treasurer of Officers' Club.

  1989

  Maidstone—Officer convicted of 2 counts of indecent assault on female member of staff.

  Lincoln—Officer convicted of theft of meat from prison.

  Coldingley—Officer convicted of theft of £1,000 from Officers' Club.

  485

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Drake Hall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Durham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  —

  —

  Eastwood Park

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Everthorpe

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Exeter

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Feltham/Ashford

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ford

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Frankland

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Full Sutton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Garth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Gartree

  —

  1

  3

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Glen Parva

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gloucester

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Grendon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Hatfield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Havering

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Highpoint

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Hindley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  Hollesley Bay

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  Holloway

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  Hull

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Huntercombe

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kingston

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  Latchmere

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Leeds

  1

  2

  —

  2

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicester

  1

  4

  3

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  Lewes

  —

  —

  —

  1

  3

  2

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Leyhill

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Lincoln

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  3

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Liverpool

  —

  —

  2

  2

  3

  4

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Long Lartin

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  1

  —

  Lowdham Grange

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Low Newton

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Maidstone

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  4

  2

  2

  —

  —

  New Hall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Northallerton

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northeye

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norwich

  1

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nottingham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Onley

  1

  —

  1

  2

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Oxford

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Parkhurst

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  4

  1

  1

  —

  Pentonville

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  4

  1

  1

  —

  Portland

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Preston

  1

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Pucklechurch

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Ranby

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Reading

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Risley

  1

  2

  2

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Rochester

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Send

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Shepton Mallett

  —

  —

  1

  17

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Shrewsbury

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  2

  —

  1

  Stafford

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  Stanford Hill

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Stocken

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Stoke Heath

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Styal

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  Sudbury/Foston Hall

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  Swaleside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Swansea

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Swinfen Hall

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  Thorn Cross

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  —

  Thorp Arch

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  The Verne

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Wakefield

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wandsworth

  3

  2

  1

  —

  —

  3

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  Wayland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Wellingborough

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Werrington

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Whatton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Winchester

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  Wormwood Scrubs

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  1

  —

  Wymott

  -7

  —

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  "Frances the Firefly"
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many copies of "Frances the Firefly" were produced for his Department by the Central Office of Information; what was the cost of (i) the production and (ii) the distribution of "Frances the Firefly"; who offered advice on the content of "Frances the Firefly"; and whether he intends to produce a sequel.

  Mr. John Patten
  The "Frances the Firefly" package consists of a story book and a five-minute video intended to warn small children of the dangers of playing with matches. To date 900,000 copies of the story book have been distributed, 97 per cent. of which were in response to requests. A total of 374 copies of the video have been sold and there have been 1,089 loans of the video through the central film library.

  The production costs for the story book were £190,503 including the costs of development and reprints. The production costs of the video were £59,126 including £54,920 on development costs. The initial distribution costs of the video and story book were £14,728.

  Advice on the content of the video and publication was provided internally by the Home Office fire and emergency planning department and the Home Office public relations branch, by the Central Office of Information and from a sample of primary school teachers in the Greater London area; and the style of presentation was also discussed with child psychologists.

  It is intended to produce worksheets later this year to accompany the existing package. The character is capable of being used in future projects aimed at children, but no decision has yet been taken on a sequel.

  Vagrancy
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to repeal the Vagrancy Act 1824.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. The Vagrancy Act 1824 has been much amended over the years and in its present form provides power to deal with a number of nuisances, including indecent exposure.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department ( 1 ) how many prosecutions and convictions under the Vagrancy Act 1824 occurred in 1989 and 1990; and what was the average cost of prosecution;

  (2) how many prosecutions and convictions under the Vagrancy Act 1824 occurred in 1989 and 1990 for young people under the age of 18 years; and what was the average cost of prosecution for this age group.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information for 1990 is not yet available. Prosecutions and convictions for 1989 for all Vagrancy Act offences are shown in the table.

  Category

  Prosecutions

  Convictions

  All ages

  3,482

  2,839

  Under 18

  247

  175

  Prosecution costs are not available by reference to offence.

  Missing People
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to establish a national database of missing persons.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Yes. My right hon. Friend plans to introduce a national index of missing persons on the new police national computer.

  Narayan Shankar
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to make a final decision on the future of Narayan Shankar (Ref. S680769), whose application for political asylum was made in August, 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The delay in dealing with applications for asylum is a result of the increase in the number of applications in the last two years. On 26 April my right hon. Friend announced a nearly fivefold increase in staff resources for asylum determination. Mr. Shankar's application is receiving attention and his representatives will be informed of the outcome as soon as possible.

  Football Licensing Authority
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time inspectors are currently in post at the Football Licensing Authority, how many more (i) full-time and (ii) part-time inspectors it is planned to appoint; what stage has been reached in the training of these inspectors; and what timescale is envisaged for the completion of all Football Licensing Authority inspectors' training.

  Mr. John Patten
  Eight full-time ground safety inspectors are already in post, and one further full-time appointment is expected to be made shortly. No further appointments, either part time or full time, are currently proposed. The initial teacher training programme for the inspectors began on 1 May and will take about one month to complete.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to extend the remit of the Football Licensing Authority to cover all sports grounds designated under the Safety of Sports Ground Act 1975 and all grounds requiring safety certificates or licences under parts III and IV of the Fire Safety and Safety of Places of Sports Act 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. The responsibilities of the Football Licensing Authority under the Football Spectators Act 1989 are limited to sports grounds at which designated football matches are played. We have no plans to extend the powers of the authority to other sports grounds.

  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the introduction of section 13 of the Football Spectators Act 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Football Spectators Act 1989 (Commencement No. 3) Order 1991 (SI No. 1991/1071 (C 28)) was laid on 1 May, and will bring section 13 of the 1989 Act into force on 3 June 1991. Section 13 empowers
  489
  the Football Licensing Authority to keep under review the discharge by local authorities of their functions under the Safety of Sports Grounds Act 1975 in relation to sports grounds at which designated football matches are played; and subject to consultation with regulatory authorities, to direct local authorities to include terms and conditions in safety certificates. Section 13 also empowers the authority's inspectors to enter and inspect relevant sports grounds and to examine safety certificates and related records, and enables the authority to require local authorities to furnish it with information relating to the discharge of the functions which the Football Licensing Authority is empowered to keep under review.

  Police Complaints Authority (Appointments)
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any new appointments have been made to the Police Complaints Authority.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have recently appointed two further members to the Police Complaints Authority. Mrs. Linda Cawsey will join the authority on 13 May and Mr. Mark Chapman on 10 June. Mrs. Cawsey was until recently a senior manager with BP International Ltd. while Mr. Chapman was formerly Her Majesty's ambassador to Iceland.

  War Crimes
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what investigation he has directed to attempt to identify persons resident in the United Kingdom who may have been involved in the murder of partisans in southern France in 1945;

  (2) what investigation he has directed to attempt to identify persons resident in the United Kingdom who may have been involved in the massacre of the Russian officer corps or any of those murdered in Stalin's purges;

  (3) what investigation he has directed to attempt to identify persons resident in the United Kingdom who may have been involved in the murder of Cossacks in Yugoslavia, Russia and Austria in 1945;

  (4) what investigation he has directed to attempt to identify persons resident in the United Kingdom who may have been involved in the murder of Poles in the Warsaw uprising in 1944;

  (5) what investigation he has directed to attempt to identify persons resident in the United Kingdom who may have been involved in the murder of Germans in Berlin in 1945 by Russian soldiers;

  (6) what investigation he has directed to attempt to identify persons resident in the United Kingdom who may have been involved in the massacre of Polish officers at Katyn.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]So far as the Government are aware, no allegations have been made—in the media, or to the Government, the police or anyone else—that persons resident in this country participated in any of these murders.

PRIME MINISTER

  Ministers' Visits
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Prime Minister what are the guidelines for Ministers using Government expenses to undertake official visits which promote prospective candidates for the constituency visited.

  The Prime Minister
  As under previous Administrations, Ministers do not normally use official resources, such as transport, in connection with party business, but there may be circumstances which makes this necessary, for example, security or when official and party engagements are consecutive.

EMPLOYMENT

  Race and Sex Discrimination
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many cases of breaches of the legislation on race and sex discrimination have the Employment Service referred to the Commission for Racial Equality and the Equal Opportunities Commission.

  Mr. Jackson
  Questions on operational matters in the Employment Service executive agency are the responsibility of Mike Fogden, the agency's chief executive, to whom I have referred this question for reply.

  Redundancies
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many redundancies there were in British companies in each year since 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of confirmed redundancies recorded in each of the years since 1987 is given in the table.

  Confirmed redundancies

  Year

  Number

  1987

  144,135

  1988

  107,930

  1989

  116,766

  1990

  124,777

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make on quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Forth
  The readily available information about the appointments for which I am responsible, a number of which fall to be made in 1991 and 1992, is given in "Public Bodies 1990" and "Public Appointments: A Handbook for Women's Organisations", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what proposals he has to privatise any activities of the British Tourist Authority.

  Mr. Forth
  Following the completion of the Government's review of support for tourism, the authority announced on 6 December 1989 the privatisation or contracting out of certain of its activities. The authority will keep under review further possibilities for privatisation.

  Training
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of people on work-related Government training programmes are(a) men and (b) women on each programme; and what is the total percentage of (i) single women, (ii) married women and (iii) women with children on each programme.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information about the proportions of men and women on employment training and youth training is given in the following table. No information is available about the marital status of women or the number with children.

  Proportions of men and women joining employment training and youth training April—September 1990

  Youth training

  Employment training

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Men

  59

  66

  Women

  41

  34

  Source: ATVOS/TFS.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the percentage of men and women for each occupational group of Government employment training programmes.

  Mr. Jackson
  The most recent available information is given in the tables.

  Youth Training Scheme Training occupational classification by men and women in training at 31 March 1990

  Men

  Women

  Per cent.

  Per cent.

  Administration and Clerical

  32

  68

  Creative and Educational

  64

  36

  Health and Community Care

  7

  93

  Selling and Storage

  43

  57

  Scientific

  70

  30

  Catering and Food Preparation

  56

  44

  Agriculture and Fishing

  71

  29

  Transport Operations

  86

  14

  Civil Engineering and Mining

  97

  3

  Electrical and Electronic Engineering

  96

  4

  Mechanical Engineering and Metal Processing

  95

  5

  Motor Vehicle Repair

  97

  3

  Non Metal Processing

  76

  24

  Printing

  85

  15

  Textiles

  16

  84

  Other

  66

  34

  Source: Spectrum.
  492

  Employment Training Standard Occupational Classification by Men and Women leavers April-December 1990

  Men

  Women

  (Per cent.)

  (Per cent.)

  Corporate Managers and Administrators

  70

  30

  Managers/Proprietors in Agriculture and Services

  66

  34

  Professional Occupations

  53

  47

  Science and Engineering Associate Professions

  83

  17

  Health Associate Professions

  42

  58

  Legal, Business, Social Welfare and Other Associate Professions

  65

  35

  Literary, Artistic and Sports Professionals

  69

  31

  Clerical Occupations

  34

  66

  Secretarial Occupations

  35

  65

  Skilled Construction

  95

  5

  Skilled Engineering, Metal Machining Electrical and Electronic Trades

  96

  4

  Metal Forming and Fabrication Trades

  99

  1

  Vehicle Trades

  96

  4

  Textiles, Garments and Related Trades

  27

  73

  Printing, Woodworking, Food Preparation and Other Craft Occupations

  91

  9

  Protective Service Occupations

  91

  9

  Catering, Waiting Staff and Travel Attendants

  66

  34

  Health and Related Occupations

  26

  74

  Hair, Beauty and Other Personal Occupations

  18

  82

  Buyers and Sales Representatives

  77

  23

  Sales Assistants and Other Selling Occupations

  54

  46

  Industrial Plant Operators/Fitters

  87

  13

  Transport Operatives/Drivers

  96

  4

  Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing Occupations

  84

  16

  Other Elementary Occupations

  82

  18

  Source: ET National Follow Up Survey.

  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many women-only training schemes there are in the United Kingdom which are Government-funded; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information on the number of these programmes is not held centrally. Training and enterprise councils have discretion under the Sex Discrimination Act 1975 to operate single-sex training programmes.

  Continental Shelf (Deaths and Injuries)
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of(a) deaths and (b) serious injuries in the United Kingdom continental shelf in each year from June 1979 to 1 April.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of accidents causing deaths or serious injuries on or near to offshore installations on the United Kingdom continental shelf have in the past been published annually in the report "Development of the Oil and Gas Resources of the United Kingdom". Copies of the report for 1990 are now available in the Library of the House. The information for the calendar years from 1979 to 1990 is as follows:

  Fatalities

  Serious accidents

  1979

  10

  43

  1980

  4

  45

  1981

  6

  59

  1982

  14

  39

  493

  Fatalities

  Serious accidents

  1983

  10

  47

  1984

  13

  59

  1985

  8

  103

  1986

  3

  101

  1987

  6

  59

  1988

  1173

  285

  1989

  3

  85

  1990

  313

  87

  1167 relate to Piper Alpha.

  2 Includes 11 of the 61 Piper Alpha survivors.

  3 Includes six relating to Brent Spar helicopter accident.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those parts of the country in which employment training is to be available to people aged 18 to 24 years only; and whether he expects this restriction to be permanent.

  Mr. Jackson
  [holding answer 1 May 1991]: The Government are committed to ensuring that employment training plays its proper part in meeting the Government's guarantee and aim for long-term unemployed people. The provision of employment training is now largely a matter for training and enterprise councils. Training and enterprise councils are obliged to ensure that priority is given to those unemployed people who fall within the guarantee and aim groups, including people aged 18 to 24 years. I am satisfied that adequate resources are available for employment training for it to continue to play its part in meeting the Government's guarantee and aim.

  British Tourist Authority
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give for each year from 1979–80, including 1991–92, the number of staff actually employed on 1 April and the full complement of staff including vacant posts in the press and public relations office of the British Tourist Authority.

  Mr. Forth
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: These matters are the responsibility of the board of the British Tourist Authority and I am asking the chairman to write directly to the hon. Gentleman.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give separate figures for the spending by the British Tourist Authority on(a) TV advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in the following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Forth
  These matters are the responsibility of the board of the British Tourist Authority and I am asking the chairman to write directly to the hon. Gentleman.

HEALTH

  Salmonella
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish in the Official Report for each regional health authority area for each of the past five years the number of cases of food poisoning from salmonella per thousand of the population.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is given in the table. This information is not routinely published because the rates are not comparable either between regions or over years. There are a number of reasons for this. Specimens from residents of one region may well be examined in a laboratory in a neighbouring region. The catchment areas of laboratories are unknown and may indeed overlap. Levels of reporting between regions may vary. It is not known how much effect these factors will have on rates, or how the factors have changed over the years.

  Laboratory reports to CDSC of salmonellas in faeces (cases and excretors) in England, per thousand population in each Regional Health Authority

  RHA

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Northern

  0·17

  0·43

  0·32

  0·43

  0·67

  Yorkshire

  0·32

  0·43

  0·47

  0·83

  0·64

  Trent

  0·23

  0·28

  0·33

  0·51

  0·57

  East Anglian

  0·21

  0·32

  0·31

  0·38

  0·41

  North West Thames

  0·25

  0·28

  0·30

  0·36

  0·35

  North East Thames

  0·23

  0·26

  0·31

  0·39

  0·40

  South East Thames

  0·19

  0·26

  0·31

  0·39

  0·38

  South West Thames

  0·32

  0·40

  0·41

  0·52

  0·49

  Wessex

  0·23

  0·27

  0·35

  0·39

  0·52

  Oxford

  0·24

  0·28

  0·32

  0·49

  0·51

  South Western

  0·26

  0·30

  0·36

  0·50

  0·51

  West Midlands

  0·26

  0·29

  0·38

  0·50

  0·51

  Mersey

  0·16

  0·24

  0·20

  0·41

  0·41

  North Western

  0·27

  0·34

  0·51

  0·58

  0·56

  NHS Expenditure
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of expenditure on(a) the national health service, (b) the health and community health services current budget and (c) the family health service current budget, adjusted for changes in input unit costs, in each year since 1970–71.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table gives HCHS current, FHS current and total NHS expenditure adjusted for changes in input unit costs in each year since 1974–75. This information measures changes in total inputs at constant factor cost, but ignores the continuing success of national health service management in increasing the efficiency with which it uses resources.

  £ million adjusted to 1990–91 base

  Year

  HCHS current

  FHS current

  NHS total

  A

  B

  A

  B

  1974–75

  —

  12,594

  —.

  3,591

  18,045

  1975–76

  —

  12,807

  —

  3,712

  18,447

  1976–77

  —

  12,846

  —

  3,890

  18,617

  1977–78

  —

  13,235

  —

  4,054

  18,889

  1978–79

  —

  13,873

  —

  4,206

  19,606

  1979–80

  —

  13,736

  —

  4,178

  19,418

  1980–81

  —

  14,116

  —

  4,285

  19,966

  1981–82

  —

  14,403

  —

  4,464

  20,635

  1982–83

  —

  14,567

  —

  4,776

  21,107

  495

  Year

  HCHS current

  FHS current

  NHS total

  A

  B

  A

  B

  1983–84

  —

  14,587

  —

  4,882

  21,361

  1984–85

  —

  14,570

  —

  5,005

  21,650

  1985–86

  14,945

  14,598

  4,817

  5,023

  21,778

  1986–87

  15,032

  —

  4,924

  —

  22,048

  1987–88

  15,307

  —

  5,094

  —

  22,468

  1988–89

  15,364

  —

  5,252

  —

  22,678

  1989–90

  15,379

  —

  5,234

  —

  22,851

  1990–91

  16,110

  —

  5,300

  —

  23,718

  Because of transfers between programmes, consistent information for earlier years is not available. HCHS and FHS figures in column A are in line with those printed in the departmental report (CM15 13) as they have been adjusted to reflect the transfer to the HCHS of family health service administration, Disablement Services Authority and the family health services cash-limited spending. The figures in column B do not reflect these transfers and are therefore not comparable with those for later years. It is not possible to produce HCHS and FHS current expenditure estimates for years prior to 1985–86 on a basis consistent with the revised definition.

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give figures for the quantities of blood supplied by private companies and the national blood transfusion service respectively to the national health service in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No blood is supplied by private companies to the NHS. In 1989 the national blood transfusion service issued 1,758,951 units of whole blood to the NHS in England.

  Pharmaceuticals
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the pharmaceutical industry about the consequences for pharmaceutical research in the United Kingdom of proposals on the duration of patent protection; and if he will make a statement setting out the nature and origin of the problem.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Representations have been received from individual companies and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry on the relationship between pharmaceutical research and patent life. I refer my hon. Friend to the reply my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Industry and Consumer Affairs gave to my hon. Friend the Member for York (Mr. Gregory) on 15 April at columns 32–33.

  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will outline the duties of the Medical Control Authority which supervises pharmaceutical and medical items; and if he will indicate whether there is any appeal system against items being classified as medical or drug treatments.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Medicines Control Agency of the Department of Health acts on behalf of Ministers for the protection of public health through the licensing and control of medicines under the Medicines Act 1968 and EC regulations and directives Items for 496
  which medicinal claims are made are licensable as medicines, though "instruments, apparatus and appliances" are expressly excluded from the Act's scope. In cases of doubt, the Medicines Control Agency expresses an opinion on a product's status, which a company may or may not accept. Ultimately, only the courts can provide an authoritative interpretation of the law if mutual agreement on status cannot be reached.

  Wheelchairs and Artificial Limbs
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money the Disablement Services Authority distributed to the health authorities to run the wheelchair and artificial limb service; and how much each health authority received.

  Mr. Dorrell
  For 1991–92, the Department made initial allocations of £110·5 million revenue to regional health authorities for purchasing former Disablement Services Authority activities; £4·4 million has also been allocated for committed capital schemes. The amounts distributed to each of the 14 regions were as follows:

  £ thousands

  Region

  Revenue

  Capital

  Northern

  7,335

  62

  Yorkshire

  8,439

  34

  Trent

  10,571

  1,130

  East Anglian

  4,485

  30

  North West Thames

  8,194

  130

  North East Thames

  9,350

  300

  South East Thames

  9,168

  145

  South West Thames

  7,033

  30

  Wessex

  6,591

  30

  Oxford

  5,002

  309

  South Western

  7,550

  990

  West Midlands

  11,644

  47

  Mersey

  5,620

  985

  South Western

  9,519

  205

  All Regions

  110,501

  4,427

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is responsible for a number of appointments which will fall to be made in 1991 and 1992. Details of each of these could be provided only at disproportionate cost. However, information is available in "Public Bodies" and "Public Appointments: A Handbook for Women's Organisations", a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Infant Formulae
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance has been given to maternity units regarding offers from manufacturers of free samples or supplies of milk powder or other infant formula.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In July 1989, guidance (HC(89)21), a copy of which is available in the Library, was issued to all regional, district and special health authorities in England
  497
  and Wales instructing them neither to accept nor distribute free samples and to refuse to accept subsidised supplies of infant formulas. This was part of the Government's response to the World Health Organisation's programme to promote and protect breast-feeding. In addition, authorities were advised to ensure that acceptance of any gift or other commercial donation should not be seen to have influenced their purchasing choice.

  Smoking-related Diseases
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give an estimate of the cost of treating smoking-related illness in England and Wales in 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. and learned Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for St. Helens, North (Mr. Evans) on 4 July 1990 at column 594 and the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Hexham (Mr. Amos) on II March 1991 at column 349.

  Thalassaemia
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health to what extent he has funded ante-natal research since 1979; if he will give any convenient figures for research into thalassaemia; and what assessment he has made of the saving that consequent improved diagnostic work has made in hospital time and expense.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Preston (Mrs. Wise) on 12 March 1991 at columns 495–96 on the funding of ante-natal research.

  The main agency through which the Department supports biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the Department of Education and Science. I understand that a number of research projects into thalassaemia are currently being undertaken by the MRC.

  There has been no assessment of the saving that consequent improved diagnostic work has made in hospital time and expense.

  St. Paul's Eye Hospital, Liverpool
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement on the meeting held with the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside and members of a delegation about the proposed closure of St. Paul's eye hospital and the provision of eye care on Merseyside;

  (2) if he will list the representations he has received concerning the proposed closure of St. Paul's eye hospital and eye care on Merseyside; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We are considering carefully the points raised at the meeting I had recently with the hon. Member. In addition, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will shortly be meeting a delegation led by my hon. Friend the Member for Macclesfield (Mr. Winterton) before we come to a final decision.

  We have received representations from the Liverpool Central and Southern community health council, Canon Frayling, the Rector of Liverpool, and, in addition to the hon. Members already mentioned, the hon. Member for
  498
  Liverpool, Mossley Hill (Mr. Alton) and the hon. Members who put their names to early-day motions 273 on 19 December 1990 and 773 on 30 April. Our attention has been drawn to a petition presented to the Prime Minister's office and we have received 10 letters addressed directly to Ministers.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report the hospitals on Merseyside which have applied for trust status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  A total of 130 hospitals and other units have expressed interest in trust status from April 1992. The full list has been placed in the Library. The following 10 units are located within the Mersey Regional Health Authority's boundaries:

  Aintree Hospitals (Walton and Fazakerly)

  1Liverpool Community and Priority Services

  Liverpool Obstetrics and Gynaecology Unit

  Macclesfield Acute Services

  Macclesfield Community and Mental Health Services

  1Mersey Regional Ambulance Services

  Mersey Regional Centre for Radiotherapy and Oncology

  1Mersey Regional Centre for Neurosciences

  1St. Helens and Knowsley Community Unit

  1Southport Acute Unit.

  1 Formal applications already received.

  Note: Since the announcement in December the units in Macclesfield have decided to work to a slower timetable.

  Hospital Paediatric Pathologists
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of specialist hospital paediatric pathologists in national health service hospitals in each year since 1985; and if he will express this as an average figure for each such hospital offering paediatric services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  One of the national service objectives for 1990–91 was for all regions to have at least one paediatric pathologist post and to have conducted a review of the need for further posts to be established by 1992. All regions have met this objective, although one region has had difficulties in filling its vacant post.

  Air Pollution
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how much his Department has spent on research into the effects of particulate levels in air on health for each of the last five years;

  (2) how much his Department has spent on research into the effects of sulphur dioxide levels in air on health for each of the last five years;

  (3) how much his Department has spent on research into the effects of ozone levels in air on health for each of the last five years;

  (4) how much has been spent by his Department on research into the effects of lead levels in air on health for each of the last five years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom is the Medical Research Council, which receives its grant in aid from the Department of Education and Science. I understand that research into air pollutants is included in the MRC's current research programme.
  499
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Leyton (Mr. Cohen) on 14 November 1990 at columns 162–63. The Department of Health has set up an advisory group on the medical aspects of air pollution episodes. This group was established to consider what advice, if any, should be given by central Government about personal protection measures when levels of air pollution are high. An executive summary of its first report on ozone was published on 7 May and copies are available in the Library. Copies of the full report, published by HMSO, will be available later in the summer.

  The group is now considering the winter pollutants with particular regard to sulphur dioxide and plans to publish the report of its findings early next year. The advisory group will be considering particulates along with sulphur dioxide and the winter pollutants.

  The levels of lead in air in the United Kingdom, except for one or two specific industrial sites, are well within levels set by the EC and have reduced considerably over recent years due to Government action to reduce lead in petrol.

  NHS Employees (Letter)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the cost of sending all national health service employees the standard letter concerning national health service reforms dated March 1991 signed by Duncan Nichol.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The cost of printing and
  distributing Duncan Nichol's letter to health authorities
  was £127,000, a unit cost of 13p per letter. The cost of the exercise was met by the Department of Health. The Department maintains a budget for NHS communications, part of which is intended to keep NHS employees informed of developments in the health service and to enable them to participate more fully.

  A copy of the letter is available in the Library.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will be retaining outside consultants to evaluate second-wave applicants for trust status.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. Following a competitive tendering exercise the Department has appointed management consultants Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte to assist with the financial evaluation of second-wave applicants for trust status.

  Abortion
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he is yet in a position to publish the Government's response to the 10th report of the Social Services Committee, Session 1989–90, on its inquiry into the working of the conscience clause in the Abortion Act 1967.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government have today published, as Command Paper 1538, their response to the 10th report from the Social Services Committee, Session 1989–90. Copies are available from the Vote Office and have been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects to make a statement on the status of local authority care home trusts.
  500
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 22 March at column 256.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  John F. Kennedy Park
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what funds will be allocated for the removal of graffiti at John F. Kennedy park, Bessbrook, County Armagh; and if he will make a statement on the arrangements for the removal of graffiti in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  There are no proposals to remove graffiti. District councils are empowered under article 18 of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) (Northern Ireland) Order 1985 to remove graffiti from private property. Government Departments and statutory bodies are responsible for the removal of graffiti from their own properties.

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992, indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Brooke
  The readily available information about the appointments for which I am responsible, a number of which will fall to be made in 1991 and 1992, is given in "Public Bodies" and "Public Appointments: A Handbook for Women's Organisations", copies of which are in the Library.

  Housing Executive (Rates Collection)
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total value of rates collected by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive from housing executive tenants annually in each of the last three years; and what is the actual or estimated total cost per annum of this rate collection.

  Mr. Needham
  I have been informed by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive that it is not possible to disaggregate the total value of rates collected as rent and rates are collated and collected as one amount. This also applies to the cost of rate collection.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Munny Ltd.
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give the date of the last accounts filed at Companies house for Munny Ltd.

  Mr. Redwood
  The last accounts filed at Companies house for Munny Ltd. were for the period ending 31 March 1988, and these were received on 6 May 1989. The registrar is currently pursuing the company in respect of the 1989 and 1990 accounts and annual returns. The directors have been warned that continued failure to file may lead to prosecution.

  Chancery Group
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all the companies in the Chancery Group, the regulatory body each company is a member of, and the date of the last accounts of each company filed at Companies house.

  Mr. Redwood
  The registrar has confirmed that a company called Chancery Group plc was incorporated on 6 June 1990. The first accounts, for the period ending 31 March 1991, in which subsidiary companies would be listed are due be filed by 31 October 1991.

  Chancery plc is an authorised institution under the Banking Act 1987 and a member of the Securities and Futures Authority.

  Insolvency
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has to expand the work of the Department of Trade and Industry on insolvency.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have no such plans. The insolvency service recruits staff when necessary to meet its workload.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals he has for increasing competition among insolvency practitioners.

  Mr. Redwood
  Following the recommendation of the insolvency review committee chaired by Sir Kenneth Cork, Government policy is to ensure that there are sufficient suitably experienced insolvency practitioners available to compete for insolvency appointments whilst at the same time enforcing acceptable standards of education and experience. This has been achieved by the introduction of licensing.

  Seven professional bodies, representing accountants, solicitors and specialists in insolvency, which are able to satisfy the Secretary of State that they regulate the practice of their members, have been authorised to license their members if they are fit and proper persons to act as insolvency practitioners. Any professional body that considers that it is able to satisfy the Secretary of State's requirements may apply for recognition.

  In addition, any person able to satisfy similar requirements but who is not a member of a recognised professional body may apply to the Secretary of State for authorisation. As at 31 December 1990, the professional bodies had licensed a total of 1,751 practitioners and the Secretary of State a further 138.

  In liquidations and bankruptcies, the creditors have the opportunity to vote on the selection and remuneration of the practitioner. An administrative receiver is appointed by a secured creditor, who fixed his remuneration, but he is required to hold a meeting of creditors and they may apply to the court if they object to his conduct or remuneration.

  Amoco
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when he received the recommendation on the Elf-Aquitaine takeover of Amoco's oil refining and allied downstream business interests in the United Kingdom from the Monopolies and Mergers Commission; when he anticipates making a decision; and if he will make a statement.
  502
  Mr. Redwood
  The Monopolies and Mergers Commission submitted its report on the acquisition by Societe Nationale Elf Aquitaine of certain assets of the Amoco Corporation to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 27 March 1991. My right hon. Friend laid the report before the House and published it on Friday 3

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Export Credits Guarantee Department on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Figures of expenditure by ECGD on press and public relations, broken down where possible between press advertising and other promotional expenditure, are as follows:

  Total

  Press Advertising1

  Other

  £000

  £000

  £000

  1985–86

  541

  —

  —

  1986–87

  703

  —

  —

  1987–88

  747

  —

  —

  1988–89

  1,112

  710

  402

  1989–90

  1,271

  986

  285

  21990–91

  1,067

  692

  375

  1 Separate figures are not available before 1988–89. No expenditure has been incurred on TV and radio advertising.

  2 provisional

  For the years 1979–80 to 1984–85, the expenditure was recorded by the Central Office of Information as an allied service. The budget for 1991–92 has still to be finalised, and will depend on developments in the privatisation process.

  Bankruptcies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will bring forward proposals to prevent banks from liquidating viable firms in such a way as to pre-empt other creditors by early appointment of receivers.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]The Governor of the Bank of England has warned banks against precipitate action in winding up companies. It is more a matter for the bank than for the DTI.

WALES

  Food Poisoning
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority in Wales for each of the past five years, the number of cases of food poisoning from salmonella per thousand of the population.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The number of cases of food poisoning from salmonella for each district health authority in Wales is not available. However, data on the number of reports of salmonellas in Wales as a whole are given in the table.
  503

  Laboratory reports of salmonella!} from Wales to the communicable disease surveillance centre

  Year

  Total reports

  Rates per 1,000 population

  1985

  450

  0·16

  1986

  690

  0·24

  1987

  746

  0·26

  1988

  819

  0·29

  1989

  21,161

  20·40

  1990

  21,306

  20·45

  1 Laboratory reports of Salmonellas (excluding Typhi and Paratyphi) in Faeces…cases and Excreters in Wales.

  2 Provisional data and rates. (The 1990 rate is based on 1989 Mid Year Population estimate as the 1990 estimate is not yet available.)

  Council Tax
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the number of domestic residences in each of the property value bands of the proposed council tax in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information requested is shown in the table.

  Number of dwellings falling into band

  Property band

  Number

  A

  181,600

  B

  214,700

  C

  241,700

  D

  199,900

  E

  171,900

  F

  85,800

  G

  63,400

  Total

  1,159,000

  Baglan Moors Hospital
  Mr. John Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether the proposed starting date for the new district general hospital at Baglan Moors remains as set out in his letter of 13 September 1990 to the right hon. and learned Member for Aberavon.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The projected start date of 1992–93 is currently under review by West Glamorgan health authority which is responsible for progressing the scheme.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Welsh Development Agency on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the Gentleman to the reply I gave him on Wednesday 1 May 1991.

  History
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he proposes to amend the statutory order for history in the national curriculum in Wales.
  504
  Mr. David Hunt
  Yesterday I published for consultation proposals to amend the Education (National Curriculum) (Attainment Targets and Programmes of Study in History) (Wales) Order 1991.

  These, which relate to the programme of study for key stage 3, have been prepared following a review of the structure of unit 27 and its links with unit 18 which I recently asked Professor Rees Davies and the ex-chairman of the History Committee for Wales and other ex-members of the committee to undertake.

  My proposals will provide for an even more valuable and attractive introduction to 20th century history for pupils in key stage 3. They will also bring unit 27 closer in its objectives and scope to the other compulsory units in key stage 3.

  I am consulting the Curriculum Council for Wales and a wide range of educational interests on the proposals and I have asked for their responses by 10 June. I shall place a copy of my proposals in the Library of the House.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Baby Food Products
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to bring forward legislation requiring baby food products to bear labels stating their(a) meat content, (b) calorie content and (c) protein content; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The European Commission has issued a draft directive which lays down compositional and labelling requirements for cereal-based and other processed foods for infants and young children. The proposals set out minimum content levels for meat and certain other characteristic ingredients and require a statement of the available energy and protein content to appear on the label. Negotiations in Brussels are scheduled to commence early in June. The Commission also intends to introduce proposals shortly on quantitative ingredients declaration of foodstuffs.

  Sweeteners
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will seek information from Commissioner Bergemann about the nature of the representations he received from the Government of France on 14 April relating to his decision on 15 April to exclude snack foods from the directive on sweeteners.

  Mr. Maclean
  The next stage of the procedure will involve a detailed examination of all the considerations relevant to the revised proposals that the Commission will be bringing to Council following the first reading in the European Parliament.

  Animal Medicine Licence Fees
  Mr. Ian Stewart
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to see representatives of the National Office of Animal Health about animal medicine licence fees.

  Mr. Maclean
  A meeting has been arranged for 21 May.

  Nephrops
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to establish a pressure stock licensing stock scheme for nephrops, or to ban twin-rig trawling for nephrops; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  These and other ideas for the future management of nephrops were discussed at a Sea Fish Industry Authority seminar on nephrops on 10 April. All parties involved are now reflecting on the views expressed.

  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the current state of the North sea and Irish sea nephrops stock.

  Mr. Curry
  The advisory committee on fishery management of the International Council for the Exploration of the Seas has undertaken a thorough review of the various EC nephrops fisheries including those in the North and Irish seas and, in its latest report, recommended that each should be subject to its own specific total allowable catch, bearing in mind the fishing effort involved. We have asked the EC Commission to act on this advice and are now awaiting appropriate proposals.

  Sea Level (London)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has carried out of the risk to London from rising sea levels.

  Mr. Curry
  Sea level rise was one of the factors taken into account in the design of the Thames barrier and associated tidal defences which protect London from flooding. Current best estimates of global sea level rise by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change fall within the range of possibilities considered in the barrier design. This Department sponsors research to monitor sea level trends and is also closely monitoring scientific evidence emerging from other sources.

  Surplus Food Scheme
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the outcome of the invitation to organisations to participate in the 1991 surplus food scheme in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  I announced to the House on 13 February that the surplus food scheme would be continued for a further year. Following that announcement, the press coverage that attended it and the individual invitations issued by my Department, we have been able to designate 774 organisations as potential participants in this year's scheme. There are approximately 3,800 tonnes of butter and 3,000 tonnes of beef available to be distributed to the most needy citizens.

  Once again I have designated more organisations than in previous years in order to ensure, as far as possible, the availability of food across the country. But as the quantities are limited, it must be understood that the assistance will, necessarily, be spread even more thinly as a result. The produce will be shared as fairly as possible on the basis of an amount proportional to the number of needy people it will reach. I am giving special priority in
  506
  allocating this food to organisations providing prepared meals and to those serving the homeless and destitute. In addition, in order to receive an allocation, the smallest organisations may have to co-operate this year to keep the processing and distribution costs to a minimum.

  I am placing a list of all the organisations I have designated in the Library of the House and officials will now be writing to all the organisations that applied.

  Nutrition
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if the policy concerning recommended amounts of nutrients, as set out in the report by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy in 1979, paragraphs 13 to 16, remains Her Majesty's Government's policy; and if he will make it his policy to maintain it by ensuring that such recommended amounts are the minimum necessary to ensure that the majority of the population has adequate nutrition;

  (2) what consideration has been given by his Department to the use of dietary reference values as a means of providing information to the public about the daily intake of nutrients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I have been asked to reply.

  Since 1987, the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy to which the Government look for expert advice on diet and nutrition has been engaged in a review of the recommended daily amounts—RDAs—for food energy and nutrients set in 1979. Until its conclusions are published the 1979 RDAs remain current. Its report is currently being finalised, and we hope that it will be ready for publication in May or June. Once the report is published I shall arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will list for each of his Department's offices covering the Doncaster area, the average length of time taken to process applications for each of the benefits administered by his Department; and what are the national averages;

  (2) what are the latest figures for the Doncaster area for the number of people claiming (a) income support, (b) housing benefit and (c) family credit; and what were the figures for the last 12 months.

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

  Social Fund
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social fund loan applications were refused by each of his Department's offices covering the Doncaster area in(a) 1990–91 and (b) the current year to date, due to perceived inability to repay.

  Mr. Scott
  The administration of the social fund is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the
  507
  Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many applications for social fund loans from the York local office were refused on the grounds of inability to pay; and if he will show this figure as a percentage of all applications for loans from the York local office in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 to date;

  (2) if he will indicate the factors used by the York local office to determine high, medium and low priority groups and priority circumstances for community care grant applications (a) before 6 September 1990, (b) between 6 September and 21 October 1990 and (c) since 22 October 1990, and the reasons why the criteria were changed at these dates.

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

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many housing benefit review boards have sat in each year since 1984; and what was the number of successful appellant reviews during each of these years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Data on review boards are not available for years prior to 1988–89. Based on information, which has not been validated, from 362 out of a total of 483 local authorities, the number of housing benefit cases submitted to a review board in 1988–89 was 2,213, of which 481 resulted in revised determinations. For 1989–90, on the basis of 320 returns, the figures were 2,336 and 530 respectively, but determinations in favour of the appellant are not separately recorded.

  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will place in the Library an amendment or an addendum to the housing benefits guidance manual to incorporate the provisions for a period in which persons who it is alleged have received an overpayment of housing benefit may make offers for repayment or appeals in respect of overpayment decisions prior to recovery action, as incorporated in the overpayment recovery guide for his Department.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Departmental officials are currently working on a number of amendments to the housing benefits guidance manual. Among them will be enhanced guidance on overpayments which will reflect the overpayments recovery guide as regards the action to be taken prior to the commencement of a recovery. The amended guidance will be placed in the Library.

  Benefit Eligibility
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many 16 and 17-year-olds were ineligible for benefits despite being unemployed in (1) 1989 and (2) 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Any unemployed 16 or 17-year-old who is seeking a youth training placement is eligible for income support if severe hardship would otherwise result.508
  Seventy-one per cent. of applications for severe hardship payments were successful in 1990 against 29 per cent unsuccessful. In 1989, the figures were 66 per cent. successful and 34 per cent. unsuccessful. Sixteen or 17-year-olds are not eligible for unemployment benefit because they are unable to satisfy the national insurance contribution conditions.

  Footnote: 19,280 applications for severe hardship payments were successful in 1990 against 7,767 unsuccessful. In 1989 there were 11,965 successful and 6,164 unsuccessful applications.

  Care Homes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people were claiming income support or supplementary benefit in respect of (i) residential care and (ii) nursing homes for each year since 1979 at each of the Newcastle upon Tyne benefit offices.

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

  Rent and Community Charge Benefits
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the marginal tax benefit withdrawal rate on additional gross income for a person paying standard rate income tax and national insurance and receiving both a rent rebate and community charge benefit as from April 1991; and what is the tax benefit withdrawal rate for each element.

  Mr. Jack
  The 1988 social security reforms and subsequent tax and national insurance changes eliminated the highest marginal deduction rates and it is now virtually impossible to find oneself worse off as a result of an increase in gross pay.

  Someone in work will normally have standard deduction rates of 25 per cent. for income tax and 9 per cent. for national insurance. The marginal deduction rate for such a person paying standard rate income tax, national insurance and receiving both a rent rebate and community charge benefit as from April 1991 is 87 per cent.

  The marginal deduction rate on total gross pay for each element is:

  Per cent.

  Tax

  25

  National insurance

  9

  Housing benefit

  43

  Community charge benefit

  10

  Community Care
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table indicating(a) the number of applications for community care grants received, (b) the number of community care grants paid, and (c) the cash value of community care grants paid by the York local office in each month in 1990 for each of elderly, mentally ill/handicapped, disabled/chronically sick, young persons leaving local authority care, persons who have misused drugs/alcohol, ex-offenders, persons without a settled way of life and families under exceptional pressure.
  509
  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the client groups requested, but details of the total number of community care grants received and paid and the cash value of those paid are in the Library.

DEFENCE

  NAAFI
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement in respect of the future of the NAAFI.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  NAAFI fulfils an important support and welfare role for the services. The effects on NAAFI of changes in the structure of our armed forces are being studied.

  Armed Forces
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the size of the armed forces, broken down by army, navy and air force and by civilian and military personnel in each of the member states of the European Community, United States of America, Sweden, Norway and the USSR.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Details of the size of the United Kingdom armed forces are shown in volume 2 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1990"—Cm 1022–11. Information on the size of foreign armed forces is contained in "The Military Balance" published by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, copies of which are held by the Library of the House.

  RAF Leeming (Noise)
  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence in respect of how many houses in the vicinity of Royal Air Force Leeming has statutory injurious affection compensation, or non-statutory equivalent compensation, has been paid on account of serious noise disturbance created by the deployment of Tornado aircraft to that air station.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence complies administratively with the provision of part I of the Land Compensation Act 1973. The Act confers a right to injurious affection compensation—IAC—for depreciation in the value of dwellings and certain small business properties caused by the physical effects, for example, noise, of the bringing into use of new public works. Considerable works were undertaken at RAF Leeming to enable the deployment of Tornado aircraft to take place. To date, 374 IAC claims have been received and 40 of these have been settled.

  Sir John Stanley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many houses in the vicinity of Royal Air Force Leeming have been acquired with the agreement of their owners on account of serious noise disturbance created by the deployment of Tornado aircraft to that air station; and under what statutory or administrative provisions were such acquisitions carried out and payments made to the home owners concerned.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence's policy, which is non-statutory, is limited to the areas around 510
  military airfields where we offer to purchase homes subject to average noise levels of 83DB(A) and above. This allows an opportunity for those most affected by noise to move away. At RAF Leeming 19 offers were made which resulted in the purchase of 12 homes.

  Armed Forces (Pay)
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the levels of pay for all ranks of the armed services stationed in the United Kingdom and overseas.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government agreed to implement in full, from 1 April, the recommendations made by the Armed Forces Pay Review Body. The current rates of military salary for all ranks up to and including brigadier and equivalent are shown in tables 1, 2 and 3 of the 20th report of the review body—Cm 1414, January 1991. Pay levels for senior officers are recommended by the Top Salaries Review Body. Following the Government's decision to stage the implementation of the TSRB award, salary levels for 1991–92 will be as follows:

  From 1 April 1991

  From 1 December 1991

  £

  £

  Major General

  52,100

  53,000

  Lieutenant General

  59,450

  60,000

  General

  82,800

  84,250

  Field Marshal

  102,950

  104,750

  Army ranks are shown; the pay rates apply equally to equivalent ranks in the other services.

  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the levels of pay for civilian armed services personnel stationed in the United Kingdom and overseas.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The expression "civilian armed services personnel" is a contradiction in terms.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Quangos
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the individual appointments excluding casual vacancies he is scheduled to make to quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisations in(a) 1991 and (b) 1992 indicating in each case the title of the post, the salary if any and the duration of the appointment.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  None.

ENERGY

  Renewable Energy Programmes
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will state the sources of separate expenditure on renewable energy programmes in or for Scotland in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Moynihan
  My Department supports an extensive programme of research, development and demonstration
  511
  of sources of renewable energy where those sources show the potential for economic viability and are environmentally acceptable. For expenditure on that programme, by individual technology since 1979, I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Member for Eastwood (Mr. Stewart) gave him on 26 April at columns 613–16. In 1990–91 total expenditure was over £20 million. Expenditure is distributed throughout the United Kingdom. There is no specific allocation for Scotland.

  Combined Heat and Power
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the information he has on the number of combined heat and power schemes currently operational in(a) London and (b) each of the other European Community capital cities.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I am not aware of a source for such detailed information. However, as my answer to the hon. Member on 22 February at columns 278–79 points out, the Office of Electricity Regulation is in the process of gathering information on combined heat and power—CHP—utilisation in the United Kingdom. My Department does not hold detailed information on the extent of combined heat and power utilisation in European Community capital cities.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what were the expenses included in the £12,439,000 gross
  expenditure on privatisation of the electricity supply industry in 1989–90, apart from the £12·1 million paid to outside organisations.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The additional expenses are mainly those associated with the establishment of the successor companies to the Central Electricity Generating Board.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give for each relevant year his Department's total gross expenditure on the privatisation of(a) British Gas and (b) the electricity supply industry.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The total gross external costs incurred by the Department of Energy in connection with the privatisation of British Gas and the electricity supply industry in England and Wales were as follows:

  £ million

  British Gas

  Electricity Supply Industry

  1985–86

  1·4

  —

  1986–87

  196·6

  —

  1987–88

  53·3

  0·8

  1988–89

  22·5

  5·5

  1989–90

  4·0

  12·4

  1990–911

  3·5

  303·1

  1 The figure for 1990–91 is the gross provision Voted by Parliament. The final outturn figure will be published in the Appropriation Account for 1990–91 later this year.

  Source: Department of Energy Annual Appropriation Accounts 1985–86 to 1989–90 and Supply Estimates 1991–92, Class V Energy.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what were the £4,024,000 residual expenses in 1989–90 from the sale of shares in British Gas.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The residual expenses in 1989–90 consisted of: £1,707,000 in connection with the gas bill 512
  voucher scheme; £2,303,500 in connection with the bonus share issue; and £13,500 in connection with the administration of the British Gas share offer companies.

  Natural Gas
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the current level of imports of natural gas into the United Kingdom, what proposals there are to increase this level; and what criteria he will adopt in considering these proposals.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In 1990, imports of natural gas from Norway accounted for 13·5 per cent. of total supplies. A small amount—less than 0·1 per cent. of total supplies—of liquefied natural gas was imported from Algeria. I am aware of a number of proposals that might increase this level. In considering any import proposals, the Government will weigh carefully the availability of competitive supplies from the United Kingdom continental shelf and the market opportunities open.

ENVIRONMENT

  Contracting Out
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment to what extent it is the policy of his Department to contract work out to the private sector.

  Mr. Heseltine
  It has been the Government's policy since 1980 to transfer work from Government Departments to the private sector whenever this is commensurate with sound management and represents good value for money. My Department supports that policy.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many council houses there are; how many council(a) houses and (b) flats have been sold since May 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  English local authorities owned some 2·4 million houses and 1·6 million flats in April 1990. About 1·1 million houses and 120,000 flats have been sold into owner-occupation between April 1979 and December 1990. Sales of flats picked up markedly in 1987 when higher discounts came into operation, and flats now represent a fifth of all sales.

  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the latest figures for public sector home-building; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  In the first quarter of 1991, 2,000 new dwellings were completed by the public sector, mainly local authorities, in England. Housing associations are becoming the major providers of new subsidised rented housing and their output is forecast to increase by nearly half over the next three years. Full details of housebuilding by sector are published monthly by the Department in an information bulletin.

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any new proposals which would enable local authorities to use accrued capital receipts to build more homes for rent.
  513
  Mr. Yeo
  Local authorities are required to set aside part of their capital receipts that have accrued from the sale of assets to meet outstanding loan debt and other liabilities. The remainder they may spend in new capital investment. We have no plans to reconsider these underlying principles, although the application in practice is something we keep under review.

  Vacant Land
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in bringing the vacant public land register up to date.

  Mr. Yeo
  The measures announced yesterday in response to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for South Hams (Mr. Steen) are designed to improve the information available from owners' registers.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which councils have the lowest rate of collection of the community charge.

  Mr. Portillo
  Collection of charges for 1990–91 continues, but the average collection rate of the 250 authorities for which we have information was already over 90 per cent. at the end of March. Only Islington and Lambeth had collected less than 70 per cent. and even they had achieved two thirds of their budgeted figure.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the community charge reduction scheme for 1991–92 announced in November; what was the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the further revised scheme in 1991–92; and what is the estimated cost to the Exchequer of the revised scheme in 1991–92 in the light of the Community Charge (General Reduction) Act 1991.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 3 May 1991]: When the community charge reduction scheme was announced in January 1991, the estimated cost of the scheme in 1991–92 was 1·7 billion. Following the £140 general reduction and the changes to the reduction scheme which followed the Budget, it is estimated that the cost of the scheme in 1991–92 will be just over £1·2 billion.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of the fund to cover local authorities' additional administrative expenses arising as a consequence of the Community Charge (General Reduction) Act; and what are the criteria by which it will be allocated to authorities.

  Mr. Key
  We have undertaken to meet all reasonable additional costs incurred as a result of the Community Charge (General Reduction) Act 1991 and the associated changes in the community charge reduction scheme.

  Mr. Lofthouse
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will take action to abolish the 20 per cent. payment of poll tax in the current year for people on low incomes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  We have not proposed any change for the remaining period of the community charge.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Buckley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if there is to be a special rebate for disabled people who have incurred alterations to their home which falls into band A; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Necessary alterations to the home of a disabled person will be disregarded in assessing the council tax band into which a property will fall. A disabled person's home which, without the alterations, would fall in band A will thus attract council tax at the lowest rate. Rebates of up to 100 per cent. will be available to help disabled people with low incomes.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has of the number and proportion of properties in London which fall within each band of his proposed council tax.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: The tables published on 23 April showing illustrative council tax bills included the estimated proportion of properties falling in each band in each local authority area.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out(a) the level of rate support grant assumed to be paid to Dacorum borough council for 1991–92 under the community charge and (b) the level of grant assumed in the indicative tables of council tax paid by his Department.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 30 April 1991]: With the community charge, the revenue support grant paid to Dacorum supports spending by both the borough and county council. Under our proposal for the council tax, grant will be paid directly to county councils. Any comparison of the level of grant paid to Dacorum would be misleading.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how local values are weighted by the national average of values to assess the council tax payroll in Grimsby and Humberside; what weighting factor he used; and what equation was used for incomes.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 30 April 1991]: Local values are not weighted by national average values, nor is an equation for income used, in estimating illustrative council tax bills.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing nationally and for each region the number of dwellings by tenure in each council tax band;

  (2) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing the council tax at the standard rate as a percentage of the quintile groups by equivalised disposable income for single adult retired, single adult non-retired, single adult with children and two or more adult retired households;

  (3) what is his estimate of the gross amount of council tax payable on local authority dwellings in metropolitan districts, London boroughs and non-metropolitan districts and the amount accounted for by rent rebates;

  (4) if he will publish a table showing nationally and regionally his estimate of the number of privately rented dwellings in each council tax band, the number in each case benefiting from rate relief, the amount of tax due and the amount relieved;
  515
  (5) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each council tax band shown in his illustrative tables the number and assumed average value nationally and regionally of leasehold dwellings together with his estimate of the current average leasehold value;

  (6) if he will publish a table showing for each council tax band shown in his illustrative tables the number and assumed average value nationally and regionally of (a) council and (b) other dwellings together with the assumed gross and net yields from the council tax in each case.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of domestic residences in each of the property value bands of the proposed council tax in England.

  Mr. Key
  The notes covering the tables of illustrative council tax bills published on 23 April show the number of homes in England, 18·9 million, and in table 1 the percentage of properties falling in each of the seven proposed bands.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proportion of households in England and in each standard region are in leasehold dwellings; and how leasehold dwellings will be valued for the council tax;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby the number of leasehold dwellings, council dwellings and other rented dwellings in each council tax band and the basis on which they are to be valued.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested for Great Grimsby is not available. The Government are presently consulting on the method of allocating properties to different council tax bands.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby his estimate of the number and percentage of householders who actually paid rates in 1979 and 1988 together with the number expected to pay the council tax.

  Mr. Key
  The number of domestic hereditaments liable for rates in Great Grimsby on 1 April 1979 and 1 April 1988 was 33,100 and 35,300 respectively. No information is available about the numbers or percentages of householders in Great Grimsby who actually paid rates, or about numbers expected to pay the council tax after taking account of rebates.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing his estimate of the percentage uplift on current market housing values implied in the council tax and similar tables for Great Grimsby, Mole Valley, Barrow in Furness, Westminster and Wandsworth; and if he will provide corresponding figures for each band.

  Mr. Key
  No uplift on current market housing values is implied in the council tax.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for(a) Great Grimsby, (b) Westminster, (c) Wandsworth and (d) Mole Valley, his estimate of the percentage of dwellings in each of the seven bands of the council tax.
  516
  Mr. Key
  The estimated percentage of homes in each band in each local authority area was shown in the table published on 23 April.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby his estimate of the average and quintile market values in 1989 of local authority dwellings, other dwelling and all dwellings: and if he will provide corresponding figures for valuations under the proposed council tax.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is not available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what would be the percentage rate of council tax on the value of properties from £10,000 to £500,000 in £10,000 steps on the basis of a standard rate of 4 per cent. on a property worth £73,000.

  Mr. Key
  If council tax were at a standard rate of 4 per cent, the percentage rate for all properties would be 4 per cent.

  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many residents in the city of Gloucester will benefit from reduced payments under his council tax proposals.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will publish tables listing(a) local authorities in order of percentage spending over standard spending assessment and (b) local authorities paying the highest illustrative bills; and if he will make a statement on the correlation between placings in the two tables and his assessment of the statistical relationship between the two factors;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby his estimate of the number of properties with a current market value of (i) less than £20,000, £20,000 to £30,000 and £30,000 to £40,000, (ii) £68,000 to £88,000 and (iii) over £160,000 together with his estimate of the numbers which will fall into each council tax band under his proposals;

  (3) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing nationally and for each standard region the estimated annual yield per council tax payer per band and the estimated annual yield from applying the same rate of tax in the standard band to all properties at current market values;

  (4) what proportion nationally and regionally of the council tax is payable by tax payers in the second lowest and the second highest bands; and what is the corresponding proportion of the market values of the dwellings to the total in each case;

  (5) if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby the numbers in each band qualifying for a 25 per cent. discount and the resultant increase in the amount of council tax payable by the other householders;

  (6) if he will publish a table showing the estimated total yield and the yield per band tax payer from the proposed council tax in each band at (i) the proposed percentage difference from the £68,000 to £88,000 standard, (ii) a percentage representing the difference between £73,000 and the mid-point of the five restricted bands and the minimum and maximum of, respectively, the bottom and top bands; and if he will add corresponding figures for each standard region;
  517
  (7) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for (a) Great Grimsby, (b) Barrow in Furness, (c) Westminster, (d) Wandsworth and (e) Mole Valley, the amount of local authority expenditure per household and per adult and the corresponding amounts of poll tax and council tax, respectively;

  (8) if he will publish a table showing the median, average, upper and lower quartiles, and upper and lower deciles of the value of dwellings nationally and in each region, the average market value of dwellings within each tenth, the council tax in each of such tenths for standard spending for two or more adults, and the amount of council tax which would be payable in each case if the standard tax payable was calculated on the difference between the average value and the national median;

  (9) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing nationally and for each region the number of dwellings and average current market value in each of his seven council tax bands, their aggregate value in each case and the percentage of the value of all dwellings, the difference in each case between the average value per dwelling and the value for council tax purposes, and the difference between the average amount of tax payable under the proposed council tax and the amount which would be payable if the percentage in each case were adjusted to take account of the percentage difference between the average value and £73,000.

  (10) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each region, each metropolitan and other county, and the City of London the budget relative to standard spending assessment, the average band D council tax for two people, the proportion of homes in each band and their average value, and the corresponding average earnings of adult males in the year to April 1990;

  (11) if he will publish in the Official Report for each of the council districts in which the average value home is in bands A and G, the average value of homes and the council budgets relative to standard spending assessment, the standard amount of band D council tax, the proportion of homes in each tax band, and the overall gross and net yield from the tax as a percentage of the value of the homes;

  (12) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for, respectively, the aggregate of the counties above and below the county with the median average earnings of full-time adult male workers, the yield per adult for the council tax at (i) the standard rate and (ii) the actual rate together with the respective average earnings per head for full-time adult male workers and the average value of dwellings per household;

  (13) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for Barrow in Furness, Great Gritnsby, Westminster, Wandsworth and Elmbridge the amount of council tax payable on the median value in each band as a percentage of that value;

  (14) if he will publish a table showing the amount of council tax payable on the median value in each band as a percentage of that value and the corresponding figures for each region;

  (15) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for each region, each metropolitan and other county, and the City of London, the estimated gross yield from the proposed council tax as a percentage of the capital value of the dwellings in each band and overall;

  (16) if he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for Elmbridge and Great Grimsby (i) the council
  518
  budget relative to the standard spending assessment, (ii) the amount of tax for two or more adults in properties in bands A and D together with the percentage of homes in each band and (iii) the average value of homes in bands A and G; and if he will set out the reasons for the difference.

  (17) further to paragraph 6 of his illustrative tables for the new council tax, whether he will publish in the Official Report for each of the council districts in which the average value home is in bands A or G gross and net expenditure per household, the gross and net central Government contribution per household, the composition of households in family expenditure terms, the allowance per household made for different categories of public expenditure including in particular housing, education and social security, together with any categories of expenditure where there are market differences in expenditure in A and G areas or uncertainty in forecasting.

  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what impact there would be on the assumed levels of council tax in Dacorum borough for each band in the published indicative tables if the property valuations concerned were all 10 per cent. higher, assuming there to be no charges elsewhere in England.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the average illustrative council tax bill for a house occupied by two or more adults and by a single adult, respectively, in each local authority area in England on the same basis as the illustrative figures which have been published by the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Mr. Key
  I refer my hon. Friends and the hon. Members to the answer I gave on 29 April 1991 to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter),Official Report, Volume 190, column 12.

  Mrs. Maureen Hicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on the proposed council tax.

  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what response he has had so far to his consultative paper on local government taxation.

  Mr. Portillo
  The Government's council tax proposal has been widely welcomed by hon. Members and by those involved in local government. I look forward to receiving detailed responses to the consultation exercise now under way.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) further to his answer of 29 April,Official Report, column 13, if he will define a standard level of services and the level of provision that would sustain a local area covered by the definition; if he will explain how this can be held constant over different types of area; and if he will assess the consequences of variations on the relevance of the standard spending assessment calculations on the council tax;

  (2) what is the relationship between the levels of council tax set for a district and the standard spending assessments for that district.

  Mr. Key
  The nature of standard spending assessments is set out in section 2.2 of "The Revenue Support Grant Distribution Report (England)", approved by the House of Commons on 18 January 1990. Standard spending
  519
  assessments are calculated from data which are specific to each local authority and hence reflect differences between areas. Under the proposed council tax, if all authorities were to spend at the level of their standard assessment, the bills for each of the seven bands of property values would be the same in each area.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how and when the standard spending assessment is adjusted to take account of changes in the level of unemployment; and what is his estimate of the additional costs falling on Grimsby borough council in each category of spending covered by the standard spending assessment for each percentage point rise in unemployment in the Grimsby area.

  Mr. Key
  The level of unemployment is not a factor used in the calculation of standard spending assessments. There is no evidence that spending on the services provided by local authorities should rise in proportion to increases in the rate of unemployment. Local spending decisions are, in any case, a matter for Grimsby borough council in the light of its knowledge of local circumstances.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish in the Official Report for (a) Grimsby and (b) Cleethorpes, (i) the percentage by which spending is above the standard spending assessment and (ii) the proposed council tax for each band; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Tables showing illustrative council tax bills in each local authority area were published on 23 April. The tables included the assumed percentage spending relative to the standard spending assessment.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his answers of 29 April,Official Report, column 13, if he will ensure that an increase in spending over the standard spending assessment does not fall disproportionately heavily on the council tax levied by poorer boroughs.

  Mr. Key
  Under our proposals for the council tax, spending above the standard spending assessment in every local authority will be met pound for pound by local domestic tax payers.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for(a) Great Grimsby, (b) Barrow in Furness, (c) Westminster, (d) Wandsworth and (e) Mole Valley, the proportion of council expenditure financed out of revenue from rates in 1979–80 and 1989–90, the estimated proportion financed out of the poll tax in 1990–91 and his forecast under the council tax.

  Mr. Key
  It is not possible to produce comparable figures on an individual authority basis for the years requested.

  Opencast Mining
  Mr. Sumberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many opencast development proposals have been refused by his Department since 1979.

  Mr. Yeo
  Information is available only from 1987–88 for opencast coal cases. Since then a total of 25 opencast 520
  coal appeals have been dismissed and 30 allowed. The equivalent figures for other minerals are 108 appeals dismissed and 66 allowed; and for non-minerals cases, 58,140 dismissed and 31,464 allowed.

  River Test
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received on water quality of the River Test.

  Mr. Trippier
  None. The condition of the River Test is a matter for which the National Rivers Authority is primarily responsible. The Wallop brook, a tributary of the Test, is among a number of rivers for which the NRA has today announced proposals for tackling the problem of low flows.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give the latest figures for 1989–90 and 1990–91 for expenditure on housing action trusts; and what were the sums budgeted for this purpose.

  Sir George Young
  Details of planned expenditure were given in the public expenditure White Papers. There was no expenditure on housing action trusts in 1989–90 or 1990–91, but tenants in North Hull have now voted by more than two to one for a trust.

  Low-cost Housing
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on progress in providing low-cost housing in shire districts.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers given today to the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) about the supply of rented housing and to the hon. Member for Bassetlaw (Mr. Ashton) about low-cost housing in rural areas.

  Drinking Water
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in bringing United Kingdom drinking water up to the standards of the 1980 EC directive.

  Mr. Trippier
  For the small number of standards which are not met at present, I am advised by the drinking water inspectorate that water companies are on schedule to remedy the position as quickly as possible, taking practicalities into account.

  Homelessness
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people were registered as homeless during 1990–91.

  Sir George Young
  Statistics for the first quarter of 1991 are not yet available. In 1990 accommodation was found for 145,800 households accepted as homeless by English local authorities.

  Atmospheric Pollution
  Mr. Bidwell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he last met the European Environment Commissioner to discuss atmospheric pollution.
  521
  Mr. Trippier
  At the Council of Environment Ministers meeting in March, when the Council reached a common position on the draft directive on emissions from large diesel vehicles.

  Rented Properties
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many additional dwellings for rent he estimates will be provided during 1991–92 by private landlords.

  Sir George Young
  It is impossible to give an exact figure. We are, however, confident that the measures that we have introduced to encourage the private rented sector are having the desired effect and there is significant anecdotal evidence of increased activity in the market. In particular, business expansion scheme companies have so far raised over £700 million, sufficient to provide about 12,000 additional homes to rent.

  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to deal with the shortage of rented accommodation at affordable rents.

  Sir George Young
  We have substantially increased the public resources available through the Housing Corporation for the development of new subsidised housing by housing associations from £1·1 billion last year to over £2 billion by 1993–94. Together with their increased ability to draw in private investment, this will permit an increase in output by associations from 27,000 last year to around 40,000 by 1993–94. Deregulation of the private rented sector is also making more properties available to rent. Housing benefit is available up to reasonable market rents for people who cannot afford their full housing costs.

  South Yorkshire Rapid Light Transit
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether any additional funding will be made available to the district council of Barnsley to offset expenditure on the South Yorkshire rapid light transit railway.

  Mr. Portillo
  I recently met a delegation from the four South Yorkshire district authorities and the passenger transport authority to hear their concerns in relation to the financing costs of the supertram. Following a constructive discussion officials are now discussing possible options with the authorities.

  Housing Co-operatives
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received any representations on the Housing Corporation's new proposals for the registration of housing co-operatives.

  Mr. Yeo
  It is not clear to which document the hon. Member is referring. If it is the Housing Corporation's draft strategy on housing co-operatives, my right hon. Friend has received two representations. If it is the corporation's new registration criteria for all housing associations, my right hon. Friend has received one representation.

  Local Authorities (Spending Controls)
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will release all spending controls on local authority expenditure.

  Mr. Key
  The Government have a duty to protect local taxpayers from unacceptably high bills, as well as to control the level of public expenditure. It is therefore essential to maintain both next year and in our new system effective arrangements to ensure proper restraint in local spending and taxation.

  Isle of Wight
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future structure of local government on the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I refer my hon. Friend to my statement to the House on 23 April,Official Report, column 901, in which I set out the Government's proposals for the structure of local government in England. We believe that the structure of two tiers outside London and the metropolitan county areas needs to be reviewed. We therefore propose to establish a new, independent local government commission to draw up recommendations for improving the structure of local government area by area, taking account of local views and the costs and benefits of the change. This commission would consult on its recommendations and submit them to me. Final decisions would rest with Parliament.

  Urban Programme
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to make any changes in the inner area programme and urban regeneration funding; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  In February we issued annual programme guidance for the urban programme for 1992–93 which encourages greater targeting of resources on smaller areas; continued emphasis on economic projects; packaging of resources with other public and private sector funds; and partnerships with other key participants in inner city regeneration. The quality of programmes brought forward by authorities will be taken into account in distributing the final allocation of resources.

  London Docklands
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide for each year since 1981 the total expenditure by the London Docklands development corporation on(a) the provision of new units of social housing and (b) housing improvement or refurbishment.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is provided in the following tables:

  (a) New social housing units

  £ million

  1981–82

  0

  1982–83

  0

  1983–84

  3·3

  1984–85

  0

  1985–86

  0

  1986–87

  0

  523

  £ million

  1987–88

  0

  1988–89

  50·5

  1989–90

  43·7

  1990–91

  27·0

  TOTAL

  1124·5

  1 Not including contributions made in form of land sold at social housing use values.

  (b) Housing improvement or refurbishment

  £ million

  1981–82

  0

  1982–83

  0·4

  1983–84

  0·4

  1984–85

  0

  1985–86

  0·2

  1986–87

  1–7

  1987–88

  2·3

  1988–89

  6·8

  1989–90

  2·8

  1990–91

  8·5

  TOTAL

  23·1

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how many new jobs, not including transferred jobs, have been created as a result of the London docklands urban development area since 1981;

  (2) how many jobs attracted to the London docklands UDA since 1981 have been transferred from areas outside that UDA;

  (3) what was the number of people unemployed in the London docklands UDA for 1981 and 1991;

  (4) how many jobs have been attracted to the London docklands urban development area in total; and if he will break down these jobs to the board categories of the standard industrial classification;

  (5) how many people were employed in the London docklands UDA in 1981 and 1991;

  (6) how many jobs have been lost in the London docklands UDA since 1981; and if he will break down these jobs to the broad categories of the standard industrial classification;

  (7) what is his estimate of the percentage of the jobs attracted to the London docklands UDA that have been secured by residents of (a) London docklands UDA and (b) the London boroughs of Southwark, Tower Hamlets and Newham.

  Mr. Key
  LDDC's 1990 employment survey showed 48,102 people in permanent employment, together with a further 4,982 employed on temporary construction. Of the total at least 41,421 jobs, or 78 per cent., had come into the LDDC area since 1981.

  Jobs by Standard Industrial Classifications were as follows:

  SIC

  Employees

  0 Agriculture, Fishing etc

  54

  1 Energy and Water Supply

  323

  2 Minerals, chemicals etc

  237

  3 Metal goods, vehicle industries

  798

  4 Other manufacturing

  7,968

  5 Construction

  5,805

  6 Distribution, hotels, catering

  6,076

  524

  SIC

  Employees

  7 Transport and communication

  2,959

  8 Banking, finance, business services

  9,824

  9 Other services

  4,594

  Not known

  2,783

  Total

  41,421

  Of these, an estimated 16,862 were in newly created businesses and 24,559 in companies that relocated from elsewhere. There are no comprehensive figures for the place of residence of those employed in the LDDC area, nor for the classification of jobs lost since 1981. The figures suggest that by 1990 some 15,000 jobs had been lost or moved away.

  An estimated 3,553 people were unemployed in 1981, compared to 3,744 in March 1991, while over the same period the population increased by about 60 per cent.

  By March the number of permanent jobs had increased to 53,000, together with jobs in construction. The total is more than double the figure for 1981, 27,213, and demonstrates the scale of economic and physical regeneration already achieved by the corporation.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will provide details for each financial year since 1981 of expenditure by the London Docklands development corporation on(a) public transport infrastructure and (b) road infrastructure;

  (2) what was the total expenditure of the London Docklands development corporation in the years 1981–91 on (a) staff salaries and related expenditure, (b) administration costs, (c) estates maintenance, (d) environmental improvements, (e) land acquisition, (f) land reclamation, (g) utilities, (h) roads, (i) industry support, (j) community support, (k) housing, (l) the docklands light railway and (m) promotions and publicity;

  (3) if he will supply for each financial year since 1981 figures for the income received by the London Docklands development corporation from the sale of land and property;

  (4) what was the total expenditure by the London Docklands development corporation in each financial year since 1981;

  (5) if he will calculate the total amount of public expenditure allocated to the London Docklands development corporation urban development area since 1981 including (a) grant in aid to the London Docklands development corporation, (b) expenditure by virtue of the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone, (c) public expenditure on road and transport infrastructure schemes by central Government Departments and (d) all other expenditure by central Government Departments, broken down by category.

  Mr. Key
  The information available is provided in the table. Expenditure for the Isle of Dogs enterprise zone was £19·70 million up to 31 March 1990 in respect of rate revenue forgone.

  Information on capital cost allowances for individual enterprise zones and on public expenditure by central Government Departments is not available.
  525

  LDDC income and expenditure

  £ million

  1981–83

  1983–84

  1984–85

  1985–86

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Total

  Expenditure

  Staff salaries etc.

  3

  4

  4

  5

  5

  6

  8

  9

  Administration

  5

  6

  6

  6

  6

  7

  7

  8

  Estates maintenance

  2

  2

  2

  3

  3

  6

  6

  7

  10

  10

  12

  12

  14

  14

  19

  21

  24

  136

  Environmental

  5

  6

  4

  5

  7

  7

  17

  9

  12

  72

  Land acquisition

  35

  17

  4

  5

  13

  23

  16

  30

  12

  155

  Land reclamation

  8

  10

  15

  15

  14

  15

  16

  15

  5

  113

  Utilities

  5

  6

  5

  6

  15

  18

  35

  32

  20

  142

  Roads

  6

  8

  4

  7

  16

  34

  55

  65

  149

  344

  Industry support community support

  2

  4

  5

  4

  4

  5

  9

  11

  21

  65

  Housing

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  45

  67

  32

  147

  DLR

  —

  1

  16

  13

  6

  2

  8

  33

  79

  158

  Promotion and publicity

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  3

  Gross expenditure

  72

  64

  65

  67

  89

  118

  220

  283

  357

  1,335

  Income

  Sales of land and property

  2

  —

  5

  13

  22

  41

  133

  32

  27

  275

  Grant in aid

  72

  63

  59

  54

  65

  83

  116

  256

  333

  1·101

  Other income

  1

  3

  2

  1

  2

  2

  1

  3

  3

  18

  Total income

  75

  66

  66

  68

  89

  126

  250

  291

  363

  1,394

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people who have received training from new training schemes set up by the London Docklands development corporation have secured employment in new businesses in the London Docklands UDA.

  Mr. Key
  No comparative figures are available. LDDC and the training providers it supports are improving their reporting systems, but it is difficult to monitor in detail the eventual consequences of training for every individual trainee.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide for each parcel of land currently in the ownership of the London Docklands development corporation details of(a) the date of acquisition, (b) from whom it was acquired, (c) the method of acquisition and (d) the price paid per acre.

  Mr. Key
  No. These are commercially confidential.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many units of residential accommodation have been completed in the London Docklands UDA since 1981; and, of these, how many have been built on land owned by the London Docklands development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  At March 1991, 15,220 new units had been completed, of which 8,367 were on land owned by LDDC.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list for each financial year since 1981 the total amount of land in the ownership of the London Docklands development corporation at the end of each year;

  (2) if he will supply figures for each financial year since 1981 for the amount of land that has been sold by the London Docklands development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  This information is given in the table.
  526

  LDDC land disposals and holdings

  Disposed to developers in year

  Land holdings at end of financial year

  (acres)1

  (acres)2

  1981–82

  —

  657

  1982–83

  33

  755

  1983–84

  54

  1,128

  1984–85

  178

  1,082

  1985–86

  185

  1,379

  1986–87

  85

  1,441

  1987–88

  43

  1,394

  1988–89

  22

  1,375

  1989–90

  25

  1,442

  1990–91

  36

  1,448

  1 Includes plot by plot housing disposal.

  2 Includes water and land earmarked for environmental and roads use.

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will supply details of the current use of each parcel of land in the ownership of the London Docklands development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  The details requested are as follows:

  Acres

  Water

  401

  Public assets and environmental work

  483

  Available for disposal

  564

  TOTAL LAND HOLDING

  1,448

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those public transport infrastructure schemes funded to date by the London Docklands development corporation, giving the amount of London Docklands development corporation expenditure involved.

  Mr. Key
  The following list outlines the public infrastructure expenditure to 31 March 1991.
  527

  £ million

  Initial Docklands light railway construction

  40·0

  Docklands light railway Beckton extension

  122·7

  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide the latest figures for the total number of private residential properties that have been built in the London docklands UDA that remain unsold or unoccupied.

  Mr. Key
  As at June 1990 1,422 units of all tenures were unsold or unoccupied, out of a total stock of approximately 14,000 new build units. No tenure breakdown is available.

  Taxpayers (Great Grimsby)
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby his estimate of the number of taxpayers, the gross amount payable and the ratio of the standard tax to average incomes of householders in each of the proposed council tax bands.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is not available.

  Mobile Homes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for Great Grimsby his estimate of the number of mobile homes, the basis on which they are to be valued, and the responsibility for payment in the case of mobile homes sited in a commercial caravan park.

  Mr. Key
  Information on the number of mobile homes in Great Grimsby is not available.

  Under the present local grant finance system mobile homes which are someone's sole or main residence are domestic property and their occupants are liable to the community charge.

  Right to Buy
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the number of right-to-buy sales completed in each local authority in England since the Housing Act 1980 come into force.

  Sir George Young
  A table showing the reported number of right-to-buy sales for each English local authority between October 1980 and December 1991 was placed in the Library on 18 April 1991,Official Report, Volume 189, column 227.

  Housing Investment Programme
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing, for each local authority in England, the(a) 1990–91 housing investment programme bid and (b) 1990–91 housing investment programme allocation of capital spending.

  Sir George Young
  A table listing housing investment programme allocations for 1990–91 for each housing authority in England was placed in the Library on 21 528
  December 1989. A table showing proposals for gross capital expenditure on housing investment in 1990–91, submitted by authorities to the Department, has now been placed in the Library.

  Authorities' own proposals for housing capital expenditure are not directly comparable with each other, nor with the HIP allocation figure because the proposals may not have been prepared on a consistent basis as regards overall strategy for meeting needs, for the financing of works, or their costing or phasing. Moreover, the allocations do not represent a borrowing approval, which is conferred through each authority's all-service basic credit approval, and as such they take no account of the receipts available to individual authorities or the amount of those receipts they may choose to spend on housing.

  Ancient Murrelet
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if his Department will assist efforts to protect the ancient murrelet sea bird that has returned to Lundy island.

  Mr. Trippier
  As a natural visitor to Britain, the ancient murrelet is fully protected under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. It is further protected from molestation and disturbance by bye-laws applying to the Lundy marine nature reserve.

  Free-running Snares
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans the Government have to ensure that the terms of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 regulating free-running snares are adhered to.

  Mr. Trippier
  Strict penalties of fines of up to £2,000 for each offence are already available to the courts to assist in enforcing the provisions regulating snares under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. There will be provision in the Criminal Justice Bill to increase the level of fine to £5,000. Police forces are well aware of the legislation controlling wildlife and in many cases have appointed officers who take a special interest in this area.

  Floodlighting
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will list(a) public buildings and (b) parks and squares in London which are floodlit at night at Her Majesty's Government's expense;

  (2) what is the cost to Her Majesty's Government each year of flood-lighting in (a) public buildings and (b) parks and squares in London.

  Sir George Young
  This information is not held centrally.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state for the financial year 1990–91 how much is still outstanding for collection in the Doncaster metropolitan borough council area in respect of the uniform business rate; and what percentage this represents of the total uniform business rate for the Doncaster metropolitan borough council area.
  529
  Mr. Key
  By 31 March 1991 Doncaster metropolitan borough council had collected £36·6 million in non-domestic rates, equivalent to 92 per cent. of its provisional contribution to the non-domestic rates pool. My Department does not yet have information about the amount of non-domestic rates collectable by the authority and therefore about the amount of rates outstanding.

  Severe Weather
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assistance the Government gave to Doncaster metropolitan borough council to meet additional expenditure incurred following the bad weather during this last winter.

  Mr. Key
  None. The council has not requested any assistance and we have no information to suggest that it incurred costs greater than those which it could be expected to meet as part of its normal responsibilities for coping with winter weather.

  Housing Grants
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what provision is being made by his Department for housing grants payable by the Housing Corporation in the financial year 1991–92; and what are the rates of grant.

  Mr. Yeo
  Provision for housing grants payable by the Housing Corporation is made in supply estimates. class VIII, vote I, section A. For 1991–92, net provision is £2,320,715,000.

  The rates of grant payable on capital projects will be published very shortly by Housing Corporation circular, and I will arrange for copies to be placed in the Library.

  Manpower Watch
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what objectives were set for the manpower watch for local government in 1979; what has been the actual and percentage fall in local government manpower since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The joint staffing watch, formerly joint manpower watch, was set up in 1975 as part of the 1974–75 rate support grant settlement. In describing the purpose of the new system, DOE circular 30/75 stated:"The new arrangements … are intended to reinforce the severe restriction on the rate of growth in current expenditure by establishing the means of identifying at regular intervals fluctuations in the total numbers employed by local authorities. The aim is to establish machinery through which all parties to the Rate Support Grant settlement can jointly satisfy themselves that any increases in employment are consistent with national policies and priorities."

  Staff costs form a large proportion of local authority expenditure and the Government still consider it necessary to maintain a close watch on local authority staffing levels.

  The fall in local government staffing from December 1979 to December 1990 has been 71,350 full-time equivalents, that is, 3·6 per cent.

  Environmental Protection Act
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to implement part II of the Environmental Protection Act.
  530
  Mr. Trippier
  I hope to make an announcement shortly.

  Unemployment
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the direct and indirect effect on local authority expenditure on services of each increase of 100,000 in unemployment; and what proportion of the increase in expenditure is borne by central Government.

  Mr. Key
  There is no evidence of a direct link between levels of unemployment and local authority expenditure. It is for each authority to decide its spending priorities across the range of its services according to the circumstances of its area. Central Government support, which this year amounts to about 85 per cent. of total standard spending, should enable all authorities to provide a standard level of service, taking into account their individual circumstances.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Nature Conservancy Council on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Trippier
  There was no expenditure by the Nature Conservancy Council on items(a) to (c) during the period 1979–80 to 1990–91, nor does the Nature Conservancy Council for England plan any in 1991–92. Expenditure by the two bodies on (d) for the period 1989–90 to 1991–92 is in the table. Figures for previous years could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  £

  1989–90

  20,896

  1990–91

  4,972

  1991–92

  17,500

  1 Planned by Nature Conservancy Council for England.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Ordnance Survey on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Baldry
  Information on advertising expenditure prior to 1985–86 cannot be provided except at disproportionate cost. Records since 1985–86 are not held in the detail requested. Information on full advertising expenditure is as follows:

  £(000)

  1985–86

  350·0

  1986–87

  402·5

  1987–88

  389·1

  1988–89

  313·1

  1989–90

  321·0

  1990–91

  345·0

  The advertising budget for 1991–92 is £348,900.

  Both television and radio advertising campaigns were used early in the period when approximately 50 per cent.

  531
  of the total expenditure was allocated to them. In recent years the full expenditure has been for advertising in the trade press and national and local newspapers. Expenditure on other promotional material is included in the figures given in my reply on 3 May 1991.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Countryside Commission on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Trippier
  These figures cannot be supplied without disproportionate cost.

  Countryside Commission
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for the privatisation of any activities of the Countryside Commission.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to make any such proposals.

  Enterprise Zones
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what figure was added to the revenue support grant in respect of the exemption from rates of properties in enterprise zones for 1990–91 and 1991–92; and how the figure was calculated.

  Mr. Key
  No addition, as such, was required. The exemption of properties in enterprise zones results in a lower national total of non-domestic rate income, but the value of exemptions is not separately identified. For any total of external support distributed to local authorities in a year, any reduction in the size of the distributable amount of non-domestic rates is automatically offset by an increase in revenue support grant which is then distributed to authorities in accordance with their standard spending assessments.

  Travel Patterns
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what progress has been made in the study promised in "This Common Inheritance" of the relationship between development and travel patterns and ways of locating development to reduce travel distances and to increase transport choice;

  (2) when he will issue the planning guidance proposed in paragraph 6.35 of "This Common Inheritance".

  Sir George Young
  The Departments of Transport and the Environment have jointly commissioned this research. The contract was let to ECOTEC Research and Consulting Ltd. with Transportation Planning Associates in mid-Febuary and will be completed by the end of May 1992. The project is still at an early stage.

  The environment White Paper proposes that the research should lead to planning policy guidance. The Departments would normally expect to publish the results of the research, usually within six months of receiving the final report. Depending on the findings and conclusions of the research, my Department would hope to have draft planning policy guidance for consultation by late 1992.

  Green House Demonstration Programme
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of the green house demonstration programme.

  Mr. Yeo
  The response of local authorities to the green house programme for energy efficiency in local authority housing has been very encouraging. In the first round 165 authorities submitted more than 350 bids. As announced on April 10, over 70 schemes, including a "flagship" of particular interest in each region, will be supported in 1991–92.

  Applications for support under the programme for 1992–93 will be invited shortly.

  Wath Recycling
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the particular noxious materials which continue to be held by Wath Recycling at Wath upon Dearne, Rotherham.

  Mr. Baldry
  Wath Recycling handles a range of materials in daily operations under the terms of its licence and subject to monitoring and inspection by the regulatory authorities. The particular waste from the USA now stored on the site contains a range of benzene compounds, such as xylenes.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the fire which took place at the Wath Recycling works on 29 April; what assessment he has made of the potential dangers as a result of that incident; and what was the actual distance of the fire from the nearest of those containers which hold the toxic waste of which he is aware.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: The fire at the Wath Recycling works, Rotherham, on 29 April 1991 was associated with a furnace in which a vegetable fat was being burnt off from a mixture of the fat and a solid nickel-containing catalyst.

  The process is subject to control by HMIP for emissions to atmosphere and is a registered incineration works.

  Molten and burning fat escaped from the furnace. The fire was totally contained in the building and in the immediate vicinity of the furnace.

  Apart from the normal hazards associated with fire at the time of the incident no further potential dangers are anticipated.

  The distance from the building to the stored drummed waste, which had been imported from the USA in 1989, is approximately 18 yd. At no time was there a danger of those drums being involved in the incident.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many mortgage repossessions there have been in(a) the city of York and (b) the county of North Yorkshire during each of the last 12 months for which records are available; and what were the annual figures for each of the last 12 months.

  Mr. Yeo
  Comprehensive information on mortgage repossessions in the city of York and the county of North Yorkshire, including properties surrendered without a court order, is not available.
  533
  The available figures for possession orders made by the courts covering York and the county of North Yorkshire, not all of which are executed, are as follows:

  Mortgage possession orders

  York

  County of North Yorkshire

  1987

  269

  475

  1988

  238

  393

  1989

  193

  401

  1990

  314

  623

  Global Warming
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate how many centimetres the sea level of the channel would rise given(a) a 1·5 deg. C rise in global average surface temperature and (b) a 4·5 deg. C rise in global average surface temperature.

  Mr. Trippier
  Estimates of sea level rise due to global warming depend on how rapidly the warming takes place. In the scientific assessment report of the linter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change, the "business-as-usual" scenario gives temperatures of 1·5 and 4·5 deg. C above present at some time between 2090 and 2100 for the high and low sensitivity cases respectively. Corresponding average sea level rises are about 30 and 100 cm. At the channel coast vertical land movements would add about 30 cm to the relative sea level rise over the next century.

  Environmental and Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to issue a planning policy guidance to local authorities note regarding environmental and energy efficiency factors.

  Mr. Yeo
  Existing planning policy guidance notes already give advice on a range of environmental issues; and we intend to expand the PPG series to include guidance on planning and pollution and on renewable energy sources. My right hon. Friend will consider the need for guidance on energy efficiency in determining, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy, the Government's response to recommendation 21 in the third report from the Energy Select Committee.

  Walkers
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about improved access to countryside for walkers.

  Mr. Trippier
  The best way of improving access to the countryside is through the existing, extensive rights of way network. This is why we endorsed in the environment White Paper the Countryside Commission's target of ensuring that the whole network is readily available for use by the year 2000.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Wiggin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will issue guidance to local authorities on the planning considerations associated with 534
  the water companies' investment to improve the quality of bathing and drinking waters and to construct new water treatment works; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  My right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Wales have today issued for public consultation a draft circular about the planning implications for local authorities, of substantial investment by the water industry to improve the quality of bathing and drinking waters. Comments have been invited from the local authority associations, the water companies and other representative bodies.

  The draft circular stresses the urgency of improving the quality of bathing and drinking waters, and emphasises local planning authorities' responsibility to work with the water industry to find suitable sites for sewage treatment works and to handle planning applications without delay.

  Property Tax
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to a nine-band property tax as a means of financing local government.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 2 May 1991]: The Government considered many possibilities before proposing that the council tax should be based on the seven bands of property value announced on 23 April.

  National Environment Week
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the events connected with National Environment Week in which he will be participating.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State was invited to launch National Environment Week on Wednesday 8 May, but was unable to do so: he has asked me to carry out the launch on his behalf. I shall be participating in an event associated with Mid Bedfordshire district council's contribution to National Environment Week on 21 May.

  Archaeological Remains
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to require planning authorities in England to inform solicitors making their local searches if there are archaeological remains present on the land.

  Sir George Young
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: No. Any archaeological remains which are scheduled as ancient monuments under the provisions of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979 arc registered as a local land charge and can be identified in local searches.

  Details of non-scheduled sites of known archaeological interest are registered on the sites and monuments record held by county councils—English Heritage for London—and can be consulted by anyone.

  Guidance has been issued to all planning authorities—DOE Planning Policy Guidance 16: Archaeology and Planning—which emphasises the availability of the sites and monuments record and encourages both developers and planning authorities to consult it when considering potential development.

  Poll Tax Capping
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to reply to an appeal against proposed poll tax capping by Warwickshire county council; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 3 May 1991]: We intend to lay a draft order setting out the final cap for Warwickshire and the other authorities which have challenged their proposed caps before the House as soon as possible. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 3 May by my hon. Friend the Minister for Local Government and Inner Cities to my hon. Friend the Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves), Official Report, column 336.

  Aggregates
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the long-term forecast of demand for aggregates.

  Mr. Yeo
  [pursuant to his reply, 7 May Official Report, column 401]: In announcing the publication of the long-term forecasts of demand for aggregates I should like to make it clear that the figures of 421 million tonnes per annum and 490 million tonnes per annum referred to in the second paragraph relate to the forecast in 2011 and not 2001 as stated.

  Authority

  20 per cent, of total personal community charge

  Personal community Water charge

  Amount payable

  As Percentage of full personal charge plus water charge

  £

  £

  £

  Berwickshire

  26·80

  30

  56·80

  34·6

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  29·60

  30

  59·60

  33·5

  Roxburgh

  29·00

  30

  59·00

  33·7

  Tweedale

  28·20

  30

  58·20

  34·0

  Clackmannan

  55·40

  15

  70·40

  24·1

  Falkirk

  41·60

  15

  56·60

  25·4

  Stirling

  54·40

  15

  69·40

  24·2

  Annandale and Eskdale

  34·40

  32

  66·40

  32·5

  Nithsdale

  34·40

  32

  66·40

  32·5

  Stewartry

  30·60

  32

  62·60

  33·8

  Wigtown

  33·00

  32

  65·00

  33·0

  Dunfermline

  48·80

  21

  69·80

  26·3

  Kirkcaldy

  49·00

  21

  70·00

  26·3

  North East Fife

  50·80

  21

  71·80

  26·1

  Aberdeen City

  45·40

  39

  84·40

  31·7

  Banff and Buchan

  35·20

  39

  74·20

  34·5

  Gordon

  31·80

  39

  70·80

  35·8

  Kincardine and Deeside

  28·00

  39

  67·00

  37·4

  Moray

  30·40

  39

  69·40

  36·3

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  28·40

  35

  63·40

  35·8

  Caithness

  27·40

  35

  62·40

  36·3

  Inverness

  27·40

  35

  62·40

  36·3

  Lochaber

  33·40

  35

  68·40

  33·9

  Nairn

  28·00

  35

  63·00

  36·0

  Ross and Cromarty

  32·80

  35

  67·80

  34·1

  Skye and Lochalsh

  29·00

  35

  64·00

  35·6

  Sutherland

  29·80

  35

  64·80

  35·2

  East Lothian

  75·20

  26

  101·20

  25·2

  Edinburgh City

  83·60

  26

  109·60

  24·7

  Midlothian

  72·80

  26

  98·80

  25·3

  West Lothian

  68·60

  26

  94·60

  25·6

  Argyll and Bute

  47·60

  29

  76·60

  28·7

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  45·20

  29

  74·20

  29·1

  Clydebank

  54·60

  29

  83·60

  27·7

  Clydesdale

  48·40

  29

  77·40

  28·6

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  42·20

  29

  71·20

  29·7

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  42·80

  29

  71·80

  29·5

  Cumminghame

  50·60

  29

  79·60

  28·2

  Dumbarton

  58·20

  29

  87·20

  27·2

SCOTLAND

  Community Charge
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the maximum payment of community charge, including community water charge, payable by pensioners on the basic retirement pension in 1991–92 for each local authority area in Scotland and the average bill across Scotland; and if he will express each sum payable as a percentage of the total community charge in the area.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Single pensioners and some pensioner couples in receipt only of the basic state retirement pension—currently £52 per week plus £31·25 per week for a dependent partner—with no other source of income—for example, other state benefits—and savings of £3,000 or less, are entitled to the maximum community charge benefit of 80 per cent. of the personal community charge for the area. Some pensioner couples aged from 60 to 74 who are in receipt of only the basic state retirement pension for a couple, with no other income and savings of £3,000 or less, are entitled to benefit levels of 39p per year less than the maximum benefit. No benefit is awarded in respect of the personal community water charge or the standard community charge. The amount payable by a pensioner on maximum benefit by local authority area is shown in the table.
  537

  Authority

  20 per cent. of total personal community charge

  Personal community Water charge

  Amount payable

  As Percentage of full personal charge plus water charge

  £

  £

  £

  East Kilbride

  52·20

  29

  81·20

  28·0

  Eastwood

  38·40

  29

  67·40

  30·4

  Glasgow City

  53·20

  29

  82·20

  27·9

  Hamilton

  49·60

  29

  78·60

  28·4

  Inverclyde

  46·40

  29

  75·40

  28·9

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  44·80

  29

  73·80

  29·2

  Kyle and Carrick

  52·50

  29

  81·50

  28·0

  Monklands

  49·80

  29

  78·80

  28·3

  Motherwell

  40·40

  29

  74·40

  29·1

  Renfrew

  52·40

  29

  81·40

  28·0

  Strathkelvin

  50·00

  29

  79·00

  28·3

  Angus

  43·80

  26

  69·80

  28·5

  Dundee City

  53·80

  26

  78·80

  27·1

  Perth and Kinross

  45·40

  26

  71·40

  28·2

  Orkney

  00·40

  53

  53·40

  97·1

  Shetland

  00·19

  44·07

  44·26

  98·4

  Western Isles

  05·20

  51

  56·20

  73·0

  Scotland average

  50·60

  29

  79·60

  28·2

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Gordon Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what is the cost to date of the printing and issuing of poll tax collection books; and what was the cost of re-issuing new poll tax collection notices and books following the Budget changes in poll tax levels;

  (2) what is his estimate of the total cost to date of the publication and distribution of poll tax registration forms;

  (3) what is his estimate of the total cost of printing, and distributing (i) poll tax reminder forms and (ii) sheriff officer warrants;

  (4) what is his estimate of the cost of computer equipment for the administration of poll tax registers for each of the regions of Scotland;
  538
  (5) what is his estimate of the staffing costs of poll tax registration officers.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Based on local authorities' own budget estimates, the cost of community charge registration in 1991–92 will be £18·6 million and the cost of collecting the charge will be £43 million. No further breakdown of these figures is held centrally.

  The Scottish Office Environment Department plans to discuss with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities the additional administrative costs which local authorities will face in issuing revised 1991–92 bills following the passage of the Community Charges (General Reductions) Act 1991.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how claims for personal discounts in respect of the council tax are to be checked by local authorities.

  Mr. Lang
  This is a matter for consultation.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if estate agents will be used by the valuation office of the Inland Revenue to assign properties to bands during the initial banding process for the council tax;

  (2) what role the regional assessors will play in the initial banding of properties for the new council tax;

  (3) if he will list the private sector professionals to be used by the valuation office of the Inland Revenue in the initial banding of properties for the council tax, as referred to in paragraph 2.29 of the Government's consultation paper.

  Mr. Lang
  Consultations are continuing on the arrangements for valuing properties for the council tax and final decisions have still to be taken.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give an estimate for the proportion of householders who will appeal against the band they are assigned to during the initial valuation process for the Government's council tax.

  Mr. Lang
  It is not possible to forecast the number of appeals which might be made as a result of the initial valuation process for the council tax. A banding system should lead to fewer appeals than any system, such as rates, which is based upon individual valuations, and will reduce the need for revaluations.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how local authorities will reassess liability for the council tax if someone moves into or out of a property during the course of the year.

  Mr. Lang
  While the Government see some attractions in an annual basis of liability, except in clearly defined circumstances such as the death of someone in the household, a final decision will be taken in light of consultation.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people in Scotland will pay the council tax; and how many people in Scotland paid rates in the last year when they were levied.

  Mr. Lang
  The number of domestic properties which were potentially subject to rates in 1988–89 was 2·1 million. This figure includes, however, empty properties and other properties in respect of which no rates were payable. Under the council tax, the householder will be responsible for paying a single bill for each household and the number of people directly liable to pay the tax will, therefore, be equivalent to the number of households that there are when the tax is introduced, less adjustments for households for which no tax is payable. The personal element of the tax will ensure that about 90 per cent. of adults in Scotland will be taken into account by the new tax.

  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whethev there will be additional funding from central 540
  Government to fund the relief scheme referred to in paragraph 8.2 of the Government's consultation paper on the council tax.

  Mr. Lang
  This matter will be decided at a later date.

  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the number of domestic residences in each of the property value bands of the proposed council tax in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The table gives the estimates used for the calculation of illustrative council tax bills for Scotland.

  Property value band in relation to average capital value

  Upper properly value in band £

  Number of properties in Scotland (thousand)

  A. under 50 per cent.

  27,000

  428

  B. 50 to 65 per cent.

  35,000

  309

  C. 65 to 85 per cent.

  45,000

  426

  D. 85 to 110 percent.

  58,000

  310

  E. 110 to 150 per cent.

  80,000

  273

  F. 150 to 200 percent.

  106,000

  161

  G. over 200 per cent.

  over 106,000

  183

  Total all bands

  2,090

  Hospices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the financial contribution made to each hospice in Strathclyde region in each year since 1984.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Records of financial allocations to hospices by health boards are not held centrally.

  Dentists
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many children were on the dental general practitioner capitation scheme within the Glasgow postal area from 1 October 1990 to 31 March 1991; and if he will give the number in each postal district within Glasgow.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally. During the period 1 October 1990 to 31 March 1991, a total of 114,572 children in the Greater Glasgow health board area were registered with general dental practitioners under capitation arrangements.

  Testing (Primary Schools)
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is Her Majesty's Government's policy regarding the criteria for weighting compulsory tests against conflicting results of continuous assessment as they affect primary four and seven-year-old schoolchildren.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Guidance to teachers on this matter is given in the Scottish Office Education Department working paper No. 5 "The Framework for National Testing in 1991", a copy of which is in the Library.

  Burglaries
  Mrs. Irene Adams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many burglaries there were in Paisley, North in each of the last three years; and what percentage those were of all reported crimes in the area.
  541
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not held centrally.

  Advertising
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Forestry Commission on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Forestry Commission has not spent any money on television or radio advertising. Its local offices have advertised open days and similar events in local newspapers, but information on the costs involved is not held centrally. The central expenditure by the commission on promotional material for each year from 1987 is given in the table, rounded to the nearest £10,000. Figures for previous years are no longer available.

  Year ended 31 March

  Expenditure £

  1987

  120,000

  1988

  160,000

  1989

  1310,000

  1990

  240,000

  1991

  220,000

  1992

  2260,000

  1 The expenditure in 1988–89 included promotional material produced in connection with the Forestry Commission's exhibit at the Glasgow Garden Festival.

  2 Budget.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give separate figures for the spending by the Scottish Development Agency on(a) television advertising, (b) radio advertising, (c) newspaper advertising and (d) other promotional material in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what are his latest estimates for 1990–91 and budgets for 1991–92.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise, which succeeded the Scottish Development Agency on 1 April 1991, and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Decommissioning
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions were held relevant to the production by his Department of a decommissioning scheme for the fishing industry in 1989; and if he will place a copy of his proposed scheme in the Library.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government made no proposals for a fishing vessel decommissioning scheme in 1989.

  Community Care
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he plans to introduce the care in the community programme.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 2 May 1991]:I refer the hon. Gentleman to the written answer which my right hon. and learned Friend the then Secretary of State gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 18 July 1990.
  542
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to pass the care in the community proposals into health board control.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 2 May 1991]: The Government's policy on responsibilities for community care remains as set out in the White Paper "Caring for People" and the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Museum of Flight
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he is taking to make it possible for one of the last Shackletons to become an exhibit at the National Museum of Scotland's museum of flight at East Fortune.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 2 May 1991]: It is for the board of trustees of the national museums of Scotland to decide on acquisitions for the museums within the terms of their own collection policies.

  Births
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures for 1990 showing the estimated percentage of women delivering in Scotland whose deliveries were(a) spontaneous, including abnormal presentation of head and breech spontaneous, (b) instrumental, including forceps, vacuum and breech extractions, (c) caesarean section and (d) other and unspecified means.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: The information is as follows.

  Births

  Per cent.

  (a) Spontaneous delivery

  72·6

  (b) Instrumental delivery

  12·7

  (c) Caesarean section

  14·6

  (d) Other and unspecified delivery

  00·1

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures for 1990 showing the estimated percentage of women delivering in Scotland(a) whose labours were induced, (b) whose labours were of spontaneous onset and (c) who had elective caesarean section.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: The information is as follows.

  Births

  Per cent.

  (a) Induced labour

  21·0

  (b) Spontaneous onset of labour

  73·7

  (c) Elective Caesarean section

  05·3

  Pregnancy Services
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish figures for 1990 of the number of clinics in Scotland offering (i) IVF, GIFT and other procedures and (ii) GIFT and other procedures but excluding IVF.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: I refer the hon. Member to my reply to him of 22 October 1990.
  543
  The 1991 annual report of the interim licensing authority, to be published later this year, is expected to contain the latest available information about clinics offering these procedures.

  Dounreay
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list the possible sites at which Nirex proposes to drill holes or use explosive charges for a seismic survey of Dounreay as part of the proposed preliminary trial;

  (2) what information he has on the total estimated cost of drilling 200 to 240 boreholes as envisaged by Nirex as part of the preliminary trial at Dounreay; what is the estimated cost incurred in carrying out a single borehole; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The technical and commercial details of the seismic survey are operational matters for the chairman of UK Nirex Ltd. and I have arranged for him to write to the hon. Lady with the information requested. I will also arrange for a copy of this letter to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultation he intends to hold concerning any decision to extend the number of boreholes after the preliminary trial in which Nirex proposes to drill 200 to 240 boreholes and use explosive charges for seismic survey of Dounreay.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: None. UK Nirex Ltd. has planning permission to drill up to 6,000 shot-holes as part of its seismic survey. The eventual number and location of shot-holes are now for Nirex, subject to compliance with the conditions attached to my right hon. Friend's decision. These conditions require Nirex to consult the planning authority and the local authority environmental health department and to notify all occupiers of land within the survey area of the position of boreholes where explosives are to be used.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish in the Official Report the comparative costings of Dounreay and Sellafield for the siting of an underground nuclear waste repository; if he will set out the reasons for upholding the Nirex appeal against Highland regional council's planning refusal for further test boring at Dounreay; and if he will now indicate the likely time scale involved for such test boring and an eventual decision on the siting of any proposed nuclear waste repository; and if he will make a statement.
  544
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: UK Nirex Ltd. estimates that the comparative costs at current prices are:

  £ billion

  Site

  Repository costs

  Transport costs1

  Dounreay

  2·4

  1·9

  Sellafield

  2·5

  0·75

  1 These figures include new transport infrastructure costs.

  The reasons for my right hon. Friend's decision to uphold the Nirex appeal are set out in his decision letter of 29 April, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  I understand from Nirex that the seismic tests will be carried out over the next 4 to 6 months. It hopes to be in a position at the end of 1991 to identify a preferred site, which will then be subject to more detailed investigations.

  Any resultant proposal to build a deep repository will be subject to a full public inquiry.

  Community Care, Fife
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will call for a report from Fife health board on its discussions with Fife regional council on the appropriate financial arrangements for the development of community care in Fife; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: I have asked health boards and local authority social work departments to submit planning agreements to me by 1 July 1991. These statements will indicate what agreements health boards and local authorities have reached on their respective responsibilities for obtaining community care; and what financial resources each will provide towards obtaining such care.

  Mentally Handicapped People (Health Services)
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the policy adopted by his Department to ensure that funds released by the closure or contraction of hospitals for the mentally handicapped are wholly and speedily devoted to alternative forms of care.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 7 May 1991]: On 7 March I announced a bridging finance scheme which is designed to do just that. The scheme makes £15 million available to health boards to meet the increased costs of maintaining hospital services while community support services are being developed.

  LITHUANIA: SOVIET OCCUPATION OF BUILDINGS
  LITHUANIA: SOVIET OCCUPATION OF BUILDINGS
  PRISON OFFICERS: AGE DATA
  PRISON OFFICERS: AGE DATA
  IMPORTED WILD BIRDS: MORTALITY STATISTICS
  IMPORTED WILD BIRDS: MORTALITY STATISTICS
  SURPLUS FOOD SCHEME
  SURPLUS FOOD SCHEME
  RICHMOND PARK: TRAFFIC CONGESTION
  RICHMOND PARK: TRAFFIC CONGESTION
  INDEPENDENT ADVICE AND LAW CENTRES: FUNDING
  INDEPENDENT ADVICE AND LAW CENTRES: FUNDING
  SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH: TRAINING PLACES
  SCOTTISH ASSOCIATION FOR MENTAL HEALTH: TRAINING PLACES