Written Answers of 21 May 1991

TRANSPORT

  Bus Companies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what were(a) the numbers of buses owned, (b) the numbers of staff employed and (c) the net book value of the assets of the National Bus Company subsidiary, Yorkshire Traction Company.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  When the company was privatised in January 1987, it owned 328 buses, employed 1,470 staff and the net book value of its assets was £4·120 million.

  Taxi Drivers
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 2 May,Official Report, column 306, on licences for taxi drivers, what assessment he has made of the difficulties created for local authorities in fulfilling the requirements of section 59(1)(a), and section 51(1)(a) of the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1976 by their lack of access to criminal records from the police; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am aware that local authorities can encounter difficulties in satisfying themselves that applicants for such licences are fit and proper persons, and I understand that my Home Office colleagues and the Association of Chief Police Officers are considering this issue following the completion, in April, of the scrutiny study report on criminal records. The scrutiny study was undertaken in response to a Home Affairs Select Committee report in December 1990.

  Agency Status
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those bodies currently with agency status within his Department under the "next steps" initiative; and whether he has identified any further candidates for agency status under the initiative within his Department.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There are currently four executive agencies in the Department of Transport:

  The Vehicle Inspectorate (VI)

  The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)

  The Driving Standards Agency (DSA)

  The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA)

  VI was established as the Government's first executive agency on 1 August 1988; DVLA, DSA and VCA were established on 2 April 1990.

  I announced, at column 1, on 15 April this year, that the Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL) should become a candidate for executive agency status under the "next steps" initiative.

  British Rail (Financing)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the external financing limit of British Rail in(a) 1979–80 and (b) 1990–91, in cash terms and at constant prices.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail's external financing limits and outturns for 1979–80 and 1990–91 were:

  Limit £ million

  Outturn £ million

  1979–80

  Cash

  715

  715

  1990–91 prices

  1,545

  1,545

  1990–91

  Cash

  700

  1,016

  1990–91 prices

  700

  1,016

  Newtownards (Aircraft Movement)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what restrictions apply to aircraft flying from Ards airport over the residential areas of Strangford Heights, Morstan Park and Bowtown road in Newtownards; whether any new restrictions have been applied to flight paths at this location in the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The rules applying to all civil aircraft in respect of the overflight of residential areas are contained in the Rules of the Air Regulations 1990. Essentially these prohibit any aircraft from flying over such areas below either a height which will enable it to alight clear of the area in the event of an engine failure on a single-engined aircraft or a height of 1,500 ft whichever is the higher, unless the aircraft is taking off or landing in accordance with normal aviation practice. These rules are applied by the Civil Aviation Authority, which has the statutory responsibility for the safety regulation of United Kingdom civil aviation and I am advised by the CAA that there have been no significant changes over the past five years.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether any agent on behalf of his Department inspected the light aircraft which crashed at Morstan Park in Newtownards on 14 May 1991, before the removal of the damaged aeroplane.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Following the initial notification of the accident, the air accidents investigation branch gave permission for the damaged light aircraft to be removed from the accident site. AAIB inspectors did not examine the aircraft before its removal.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what form of inquiry will be held to investigate the crash of a light aircraft at Morston Park, Newtownards, on Tuesday 14 May; when the inquiry will commence; who will preside at the inquiry; whether local residents of the Morston Park/Strangford Heights area of Newtownards will be invited to give evidence; whether the inquiry will be in public; whether the report of the inquiry will be published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The air accidents investigation branch is investigating the circumstances of the accident to the light aircraft at Morston Park, Newtownards on Tuesday 14
  401
  May. The inquiry commenced on 15 May 1991 and is being conducted by an inspector of air accidents. Any person with evidence concerning the circumstances of the accident is invited to contact the chief inspector of air accidents. The inquiry will not be held in public but the circumstances will be published in an AAIB bulletin.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the various accidents and crashes involving aircraft in the vicinity of Newtownards during the past five years.

  Mr. Rifkind
  The Civil Aviation Authority's safety data and analysis unit records show that there have been 10 reportable accidents in the vicinity of Newtownards in the past five years. All have involved light aircraft.

  Commercial Road, London
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what date he first received a request from the hon. Member for Bow and Poplar for him to arrange a meeting with Ministers or departmental officials concerning road works in the Commercial road, east London; when a substantive reply was sent; when any meeting is to take place; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The hon. Member's letter was received on 25 April. I have copied to the hon. Member my letter of 17 May to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on this subject. I shall arrange a meeting as soon as possible after the Whitsun recess.

  Rail Freight (Safety)
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the adequacy of safety precautions for the transport of toxic or flammable freight by rail, as evidenced by the derailment and fire on a train carrying flammable goods at Bradford-on-Tone, near Wellington, Somerset in the early hours of 16 May.

  Mr. Freeman
  Dangerous goods are carried by rail in accordance with the British Railways Board's list of dangerous goods and conditions of acceptance by rail on freight services and parcels service. Major incidents involving toxic substances or the spillage of large quantities of flammable substances, such as the one referred to, are infrequent. There have been no deaths and very few injuries since 1984.

  Responsibility for operational safety rests primarily with the railway operator. Her Majesty's railway inspectorate, a part of the Health and Safety Executive, is responsible for enforcement of the Health and Safety at Work, etc. Act 1974 on the railways.

ENVIRONMENT

  Housing
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he will publish in the Official Report a table showing for sales by individuals of single dwellings the number and average value of transactions nationally and regionally in 1989 and 1990 by range of consideration as set out in his proposals for a council tax;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing for disposals of (a) freehold and (b) leasehold residential property by
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  individuals in 1989, as shown in Inland Revenue Statistics 1990, the number and average value of properties falling within each of his council tax bands together with the median within each band and the median overall; and if he will provide similar figures for sales by councils to sitting tenants.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 15 May at columns 173–74.

  Household Composition
  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, regionally and for each district, the number of households with three or more adults and the numbers of those on national assistance;

  (2) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of two-adult households with one child and the number of those on national assistance;

  (3) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of one-parent households, the number with one, two and three or more children and the number of those on national assistance;

  (4) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of two-pensioner households and the number of those on national assistance;

  (5) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of one-adult, non-retired households and the number of those on national assistance;

  (6) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of three-adult households with children and the number of those on national assistance;

  (7) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of two-adult, non-retired households and the number of those on national assistance;

  (8) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of two-adult households with two children; and the number of those on national assistance;

  (9) whether he will publish a table showing nationally, regionally and for each district, the number of single pensioner households and the number of those on national assistance.

  Mr. Key
  The only available information on household composition at district level is contained in table 39 of the county reports to the 1981 census, copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Similar analyses from the 1991 census will become available during 1992. Information on income support by household type at district level is not available.

  Local Government Management
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he intends to publish his consultation paper on the internal management of local government; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  When we have given due consideration to the issues.

  Ministerial Duties
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will estimate the proportion of his ministerial duties that has been taken up by(a) the review into the structure and finance of local government and (b) achieving the objectives of the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" during the last (i) month and (ii) six months.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I do not keep timesheets.

  Local Authorities (Government Grants)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of Government grant per head of the population for 1990–91 and 1992 in the local authorities of(a) Blyth Valley, (b) Wansbeck, (c) Castle Morpeth and (d) North Tyneside.

  Mr. Key
  The available information is as follows:

  Government grants in 1990–91, consisting of revenue support grant, special grant, specific grants in aggregate external finance, community charge benefit grant and transitional relief grant, per head of relevant population, are £364 in Blyth Valley, £259 in Wansbeck, £236 in Castle Morpeth and £360 in north Tyneside.

  Squash Clubs
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the impact of the uniform business rate on commercially operated squash clubs.

  Mr. Key
  We have received many representations on the new non-domestic rating system. As far as I am aware, however, there has been none on the impact on commercially operated squash clubs.

  Local Government
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to consider the methods of organising local government in the United States of America and European Community countries in his review of local government.

  Mr. Key
  Yes.

  Community Charge Reduction Scheme
  Sir William Shelton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much community charge payers in Lambeth, who are eligible, will benefit in 1991–92 from the community charge reduction scheme, where the property in which they live paid(a) average rates in 1989–90, (b) half the average rate and (c) quarter the average rate; and what was the average domestic rate in Lambeth in 1989–90.

  Mr. Portillo
  As a result of the Government's general £140 reduction in headline charges and of the community charge reduction scheme, a couple in Lambeth living in a property of average rateable value for the area will have to pay £568 between them, in a property of half average rateable value £310 between them and in one quarter of average rateable value £181 between them. The average domestic rates bill in Lambeth in 1989–90 was £516.

  Property Values
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether his estimate for illustrative purposes of the average value of residential properties included mobile homes; and if he will publish a table showing his estimate of(a) the average value for each region and (b) the difference for each region, and each price range between his estimate and that of the table 2b attached to his answer of 13 May on property transfers, Official Report, columns 21–24;

  (2) whether he will publish a table showing, on the basis of the number and average values shown in the answer of 13 May, Official Report, columns 21–24, on property transfers, the amount of council tax payable in each region as a percentage of their value.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave him on 15 May at columns 173–74.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing for each of his seven bands the numbers and average values of privately owned and publicly owned dwellings on the basis of the latest quarterly survey, together with the amount of council tax which would be payable in respect of those dwellings, grossed up, at the seven tax rates in his consultative document.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is not available.

  Local Tax, Germany
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the yield from local tax of 0·5 per cent. on the value of residential property in Germany.

  Mr. Key
  None.

  Abandoned Trolleys
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities have made use of the powers available under section 99 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Trippier
  This information is not held centrally by my Department. We would expect authorities to use section 99 powers only as a last resort. We would prefer them to enter into voluntary arrangements on trolley control with trolley owners. But if local traders are unwilling to follow the code of guidance on trolley control issued by the Retail Consortium, authorities now have the power to operate a statutory trolley collection scheme.

  Train Fire and Pollution
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what pollution has resulted from the derailment and fire on a train carrying kerosene, petrol and diesel at Bradford-on-Tone, near Wellington, Somerset in the early hours of 16 May.

  Mr. Trippier
  I understand that prompt action by the National Rivers Authority helped to ensure that little pollution ensued.

  The spillage of some 50,000 gallons of fuel oil was confined to an area close to the railway and a minor water

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  course. A few small fish were killed. The River Tone was not affected. The NRA will take further action if necessary.

  Travelling People
  Mrs. Roe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he proposes to publish draft planning guidance on sites for travelling show people.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department has today published draft guidance which emphasises to planning authorities that in formulating development plan policies, in development control decisions, and in considering enforcement action, they should take account of travelling show people's need for secure, long-term sites. The text has been sent to a wide range of consultees, who have been invited to submit their views by 19 July. A separate but parallel consultation is being carried out by the Welsh Office.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out(a) the level of central Government grant assumed to be paid to Hertfordshire county council and each district council in the country in the indicative tables of council tax produced by his Department and (b) the level of rate support grant assumed to be paid to each district council for 1991–92 under the community charge.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 13 May 1991]: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given at column 12 on 29 April to my hon. Friend the Member for Tynemouth (Mr. Trotter).

  Urban Development Corporation
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 1 February,Official Report, column 661, with regard to the number of jobs created in each urban development corporation area, if he will update the table to include information to March 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: The totals of permanent jobs created or attracted, net of losses, are as follows:

  UDC

  Net gain in jobs to March 1991

  Black Country

  9,381

  Bristol

  484

  Central Manchester

  1,496

  Leeds

  14,605

  London Docklands

  31,000

  Merseyside

  4,626

  Sheffield

  7,787

  Teesside

  4,500

  Trafford Park

  3,267

  Tyne and Wear

  2,544

  Total

  69,690

  1 The figure previously given for jobs created in the Leeds Development Corporation's area to March 1990—5,241—was a gross figure; the net figure, not available when the reply was given, was 3,964.

  Local Authority Spending
  Mr. Andrew MacKay
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what further measures the Government intend to take to strengthen their powers to curb excessive local authority spending.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Stronger capping powers are necessary to enable the Government to protect all charge payers from excessive spending by local authorities. My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced in his March Budget a fundamental and permanent shift from local to national taxation for the funding of local services. We are determined to ensure that in future the very substantial extra sums of money we are now providing are not wasted in higher spending by local authorities but continue to keep charges down to reasonable levels. All authorities must exercise restraint and play their part in the fight against inflation.

  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and for Wales and I have therefore decided to introduce before the Whitsun recess a Bill to abolish the exemption from capping of English and Welsh authorities with budgets of less than £15 million, and to bring the Scottish capping powers into line with those which apply in England and Wales. If approved, it would, inter alia, enable my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland for the first time to cap an authority whose year-on-year increase in expenditure he considered to be excessive.

  The Bill will also contain provisions enabling properties to be allocated to bands in preparation for the introduction of the new council tax from 1 April 1993.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Refugees
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department(1) what he treats as economic migration, in respect of refugees arriving in this country;

  (2) if he will list for the last 12 months in respect of asylum seekers deemed to be economic migrants seeking refuge in this country (a) from what country they came and (b) to which country they were returned.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  "Economic migrant" is not a distinct category in the determination of asylum claims. Asylum seekers come to the United Kingdom for various reasons. Economic factors are often significant. Applications fall to be determined according to the criteria laid down in the United Nations convention.

  Crime, Leicestershire
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will give the total numbers of offences recorded in Leicestershire in 1990 and the numbers that have been cleared up, together with any monthly figures that are available for 1991;

  (2) if he will give the annual totals of crimes reported in Leicestershire that involve violence, or the threat of violence, from 1975 to 1990; and if he will give the numbers cleared up as a percentage of the above totals for each year.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information is published in the annual reports of the chief constable of Leicestershire
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  copies of which from 1980 are available in the Library; and for 1986–89 in "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales", tables 2.19, 2.20 and 2.21, and for 1989 Cm. 1322, copies of which are also available in the Library. Corresponding information for 1991 is not yet available.

  West Midlands Police
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many police officers and civilians were employed in the Walsall H division of the West Midlands police authority for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is as follows:

  West midlands police H division (Walsall)

  Year ending 31 December

  Police strength

  Civilian staff strength

  1978

  384

  not known

  1979

  400

  75

  1980

  419

  78

  1981

  427

  79

  1982

  429

  80

  1983

  423

  77

  1984

  413

  80

  1985

  415

  74

  1986

  408

  99

  1987

  416

  113

  1988

  434

  126

  1989

  445

  128

  1990

  452

  123

  19911

  452

  123

  1 As at 30 April 1991.

  Tote Board
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the definition of the role and duties of the chairman of the Horserace Totalisator Board which were given to him prior to his re-appointment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is for the chairman to determine his role and duties within the confines of the statutory duties and functions of the Horserace Totalisator Board under the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963 and the Horserace Totalisator and Betting Levy Boards Act 1972.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the annual contribution to racing of the Horserace Totalisator Board in each year since 1964.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The annual contribution to racing by the Horserace Totalisator Board is set out in its report and financial statements for the year laid annually before Parliament, together with that of the levy board.

  The figures for the years in question, which have been derived from the reports by the Tote, are as follows:

  Year

  Total

  1964–65

  1,048,842

  1965–66

  885,150

  1966–67

  964,616

  1967–68

  875,965

  1968–69

  631,945

  1969–70

  626,996

  1970–71

  195,000

  1971–72

  195,000

  1972–73

  270,000

  408

  Year

  Total

  1973–74

  501,305

  1974–75

  410,000

  1975–76

  441,000

  1976–77

  488,704

  1977–78

  625,411

  1978–79

  988,268

  1979–80

  1,449,433

  1980–81

  1,803,176

  1981–82

  1,834,207

  1982–83

  1,599,921

  1983–84

  1,589,094

  1984–85

  1,768,329

  1985–86

  2,004,000

  1986–87

  2,510,000

  1987–88

  3,172,000

  1988–89

  4,317,000

  1989–90

  4,765,000

  Notes:

  1. The contribution to racing excludes capital contribution to joint project (£1,240,000) in 1989–90 bringing the total contribution to racing to £6,005,000.

  2. In the year 1973–74—1977–78 the Tote repaid a levy board loan of £465,605 at an annual rate of £93,121. This repayment has been excluded from the figures for the appropriate year.

  3. The Tote paid no levy in the year 1970–71 and 1971–72 and only £75,000 in 1972–73 due to its precarious financial position.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange to publish the annual accounts of the Horserace Totalisator Board as separate business divisions covering, respectively, the racecourse totalisator, Tote credit and Tote bookmaking.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. It is for the Tote to decide how to publish its accounts, subject to statutory provisions. As well as its annual report to Parliament, the Tote also makes annual returns to Companies House, concerning Tote Credit Ltd. and Tote Bookmakers Ltd. The figures for turnover of the three divisions are set out separately in the annual report. The Tote does not otherwise provide detailed breakdowns of its separate divisions as it regards such information as commercially sensitive.

  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions were held with the chairman of the Horserace Totalisator Board to establish business priorities prior to his re-appointment.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  It is for the Horserace Totalisator Board to establish business priorities for the Tote within the statutory framework set out in the Betting, Gaming and Lotteries Act 1963 and the Horserace Totalisator and Betting Levy Boards Act 1972.

  Defence Component Equipment Exhibition
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the cost of policing the defence component equipment exhibition(a) between 14 and 16 May and (b) during the visit of General Pinochet.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I understand from the West Midlands police that no additional police costs were incurred in the policing of the defence component equipment exhibition between 14 and 16 May.

  Football Matches
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made a decision on the guidance to be given to police authorities on the charges to
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  be made for police officers deployed at football matches under section 15 of the Police Act 1974; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have given careful consideration to the views of Lord Justice Taylor, the Audit Commission, the Home Affairs Committee and interested parties. I have concluded that full economic costs should be charged for police officers deployed on the private property of football clubs. It cannot be right for police budgets to provide a hidden subsidy to the football industry, particularly in view of the considerable costs borne by the police for policing football crowds in public places before and after matches.

  However, in view of the difficulties that may be faced by some clubs, particularly those facing considerable costs in meeting Lord Justice Taylor's other recommendations, I am advising police authorities to exercise their discretion and phase in full charges over a period of up to five years where appropriate. The same principles will apply to charges made for special police services at other events.

  Guidance will be issued shortly and copies will be placed in the Library.

  Adoption
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many adoptions have been approved by his Department for parents wishing to adopt Romanian children; how many have been turned down; how many are in the process of application; and if he will make a statement on adoptions from other countries.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since December 1989, 238 Romanian children have been granted entry clearance with a view to adoption. Ten applications have been refused, 14 withdrawn and 37 are currently outstanding, 25 of which have been made since 1 April 1991. Information about children from other countries granted entry clearance with a view to adoption is not collected centrally.

  Asylum
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many claims for asylum were outstanding as at(a) 31 December 1988, (b) 31 December 1989 and (c) 31 December 1990.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 17 May 1991]The available information is given in the table.

  Number of asylum applications outstanding

  Date

  Total

  As at:

  31 December 1988

  10,710

  31 December 1989

  1 16,190

  31 December 1990

  1 34,500

  1 Provisional estimates. The figure for 31 December 1990 is likely to understate due to delays in recording.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Soviet Union
  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Maryhill, of 14 May,Official Report, column 94, if he will list the specific services offered by overseas trade
  410
  services staff; and what efforts have been made to overcome the difficulties created by problems in the Soviet economy.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The services offered are: market information inquiries; overseas status report service; support for missions, trade fairs and overseas seminars; new products from Britain; export intelligence service; export market research scheme; overseas project fund; consultancy under the export initiative, as well as practical advice. These are described in the brochure, "The Export Initiative", a copy of which will be placed in the Library.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry, further to his reply of 13 May,Official Report, column 39, on ECGD cover for export credits for the Soviet Union, if he will take into account in his review the competition faced by firms in the United Kingdom from firms in other countries whose Governments do not intend to withdraw cover.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  I can confirm that the review will take account, inter alia, of the cover position of the other export credit agencies.

  Export Restrictions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether the enhanced proliferation control initiative launched by President Bush in November 1990 had any impact on British exports.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]There is no evidence to indicate that the United States initiative has had any direct impact on British exports.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry for how many of the chemicals denoted as precursors of concern by the Australia Group Her Majesty's Government do not require export licences; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]The Australia Group has identified on its warning list 50 chemical weapons precursors of concern, of which 37 are specifically subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order 1989 (as amended). Controls were further strengthened last year by addition of an end-use control which renders the export of any chemical from the United Kingdom subject to control, where the exporter knows or suspects that it is for use for chemical or biological weapons purposes.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on British armaments exported since 1979 which were(a) retained by the designated end user and (b) illegally transferred to persons or organisations not designated as end users by the export certificate.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 14 May 1991]It has been the policy of this and successive Governments not to reveal details of individual licence applications.

  Company Liquidations
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will propose legislation under which the auditor of a creditor company will be prevented from acting as the receiver or liquidator of a company owing money to that creditor.
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  Mr. Redwood
  I have no such plans.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Trade and Industry whether he has any plans to propose legislation under which the firms auditing a company will not be allowed to have one of their partners appointed as a liquidator.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have no such plans.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the statutory arrangements for monitoring the work of insolvency practitioners.

  Mr. Redwood
  The insolvency service monitors the estate accounting of insolvency practitioners to seek to ensure that funds are paid into the insolvency services account by them in accordance with the legislation. The insolvency service also monitors compliance by insolvency practitioners with the requirements to report on the conduct of directors under the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986.

  Accountancy Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any proposals under which senior partners from accountancy firms criticised by his Department's inspectors will be required to attend courses on business ethics.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Satellite Television
  Mr. Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proposals have been made by the European Community for the harmonisation of satellite television-receiving equipment, what will be the impact of these proposals on individuals who have such equipment in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  The European Commission is consulting interested parties on how to follow up directive 86/529/EEC which imposes the MAC family of transmission standards on high-power direct-to-home satellite broadcasts. Currently the majority of viewers receive satellite broadcasts in PAL from medium-power satellites. It is understood that the Commission will make its proposals known shortly. The Government are not in favour of any regulations which impose on viewers the obligation to purchase new or additional equipment in order to receive the services they currently enjoy. The Government believe that consumers should be free to invest in new technology when they decide the time is right.

WALES

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those travel-to-work areas, together with the respective percentages, where 40 per cent. or more of employees are employed in production.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The most recent estimates of employees in employment in travel-to-work areas are from the September 1989 census of employment. The table shows those Welsh travel-to-work areas where 40 per cent.412
  or more of employees are employed in production (divisions 1–4 of Standard Industrial Classification, Revised 1980) industries:

  TTWA

  Employees employed in production as percentage of all employees

  Neath and Port Talbot

  42·7

  Wrexham

  41·5

  Merthyr and Rhymney

  41·4

  Llanelli

  40·1

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of all employees in Wales are employed in(a) production and (b) services.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In December 1990, it is estimated that 26·7 per cent. and 66·5 per cent. of all employees in employment in Wales were employed in the production (divisions 1–4 of Standard Industrial Classification, Revised 1980) and services (divisions 6–9 of SIC 1980) industries respectively.

  Abandoned Trolleys
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authorities have made use of the powers available under section 99 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not held centrally.

PRIME MINISTER

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 21 May.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House, I shall be having further meetings later today.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Cambridgeshire, South-East (Mr. Paice),Official Report, of 10 May, column 604, whether Her Majesty's Government now intend to pursue the objective of creating an international wilderness reserve in Antarctica.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government have welcomed the draft text from the Madrid meeting. Article I of the draft protocol would designate Antarctica as a natural reserve, devoted to peace and science. We support that designation.

  General Pinochet
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Prime Minister how much official expenditure has been incurred in connection with General Pinochet's visit to the United Kingdom.

  The Prime Minister
  The visit to this country by General Pinochet was a private visit. No additional official expenditure was incurred.

  "Kill the Messenger"
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will acquire for the library at No. 10 Downing street a copy of Sir Bernard Ingham's "Kill the Messenger".

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]Sir Bernard has already sent a copy of his book to my office.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Zimbabwe (Retired Police)
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to Zimbabwe about the fall in value of both the pensions and the Zimbabwe funds paid to former members of the British South Africa Police who served there throughout their active careers and are now living in retirement in Britain; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I understand that the Zimbabwe Government are meeting their legal obligations on the payment of pensions to their ex-public servants. No representations have therefore been made to them about this. The question of exchange control is an internal matter for the Zimbabwe Government, but we take every opportunity to remind them of the hardship which their controls can cause for people who wish to transfer funds from Zimbabwe.

  Refugees (Iraq)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if Iran is paying for the transport of British aid to refugees in Iraq; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  No. The costs of transport for supplies of British aid are paid by the ODA.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Trade Statistics
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer to the right hon. Member for Blaby (Mr. Lawson),Official Report, 17 April, columns 179–80, if he will provide the same information for each year since 1979 at constant 1990 prices.

  Freehold residential properties transferred in 1989 and 1990

  Numbers: thousands

  Average values: £ thousands

  1989

  1990

  Price less than £40,000

  Price more than £160,000

  Price less than £40,000

  Price more than £160,000

  Numbers

  Average

  Numbers

  Average

  Numbers

  Average

  Numbers

  Average

  North

  51

  21

  2—

  359

  39

  21

  2—

  251

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  105

  22

  2

  248

  58

  23

  2

  258

  East Midlands

  47

  24

  2

  255

  35

  26

  1

  245

  East Anglia

  13

  22

  2

  268

  11

  24

  1

  260

  South East1

  50

  23

  19

  270

  33

  21

  17

  257

  Greater London

  19

  21

  10

  330

  17

  18

  11

  295

  South West

  30

  21

  6

  264

  24

  20

  4

  254

  West Midlands

  60

  21

  3

  265

  44

  21

  2

  267

  North West

  83

  22

  2

  253

  62

  21

  2

  263

  England

  457

  22

  45

  281

  325

  22

  40

  267

  Wales

  44

  21

  1

  260

  34

  19

  1

  265

  England and Wales

  501

  22

  46

  281

  358

  21

  41

  267

  414
  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The current account balance is not available at constant prices.

  Gross Domestic Product
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the gross domestic product at constant prices in each year since April 1979, excluding North sea oil and gas production.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Figures of the output measure of the gross domestic product at constant 1985 factor cost excluding the contribution of the oil and gas extraction industry are available in index form only as shown.

  1985 = 100

  1985 factor cost

  1979

  96·0

  1980

  93·2

  1981

  91·0

  1982

  91·9

  1983

  94·2

  1984

  96·7

  1985

  100·0

  1986

  103·4

  1987

  108·4

  1988

  113·9

  1989

  117·3

  1990

  118·1

  Property Transfers
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, columns 21–24, concerning residential property transfers, whether he will publish a table giving for the latest quarterly samples information on the same basis as in table I in his reply; and if he will add an estimate of the number and average value of transactions where the price was less than £40,000 and more than £160,000.

  Mr. Maude
  Owing to the size and structure of the sample used in the survey of property transactions, it is not possible to provide reliable quarterly estimates. The following table gives the other information requested:
  415
  1 Excludes London.

  2 Less than 500.

  Source Survey of property transactions 1989 and 1990.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, columns 21–24, concerning residential property transfers, whether transfers of residential property under category L of the Stamp Duty (Exempt Instruments) Regulations 1987 are included in his figures; and whether he will provide an estimate of the proportion of (a) transfers at nominal value between connected persons and disposals and transfers of part shares in a house, (b) council house sales under the right-to-buy scheme, and (c) other miscellaneous transactions.

  Mr. Maude
  Transfers to which category L of the Stamp Duty (Exempt Instruments) Regulations 1987 apply are not transfers on sale and are not generally included in the survey of property transactions which was used to provide the estimates given in the answer of 13 May.

  As regards the second half of the question, it is not possible to give estimates from the survey of property transactions for each of the categories requested.

  Heathrow Airport (VAT-free Goods)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish the terms of the agreement between Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and BAA whereby goods will be sold at Heathrow airport free of VAT.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  There is no agreement as such. Her Majesty's Customs and Excise are prepared to consider applications from any airport operator for VAT-free shopping facilities where it can be demonstrated to Customs' satisfaction that sales will be restricted to outbound passengers who will export their purchases. There is no question of goods being sold free of VAT for consumption at airports or to passengers on domestic flights.

  Mobile Telephones
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list all those Inland Revenue forms and associated documentation which(a) require to be completed and (b) require to be read as a result of his proposals to tax mobile telephones.

  Mr. Maude
  There are no new forms to be completed because the tax charge on mobile telephones is not new. The Budget proposal for a standard benefit charge on mobile telephones, extended to include those fitted in company cars, simplifies the records which employers need to keep.

  Real change in tax allowances since 1978–79

  Change in tax liability 1991–92

  Single people

  Husbands

  Wives

  Individual's income

  Total

  Average per taxpayer1

  Total

  Average per taxpayer1

  Total

  Average per taxpayer1

  £ per annum

  £ million

  £ per annum

  £ million

  £ per annum

  £ million

  £ per annum

  Less than 5,000

  230

  120

  20

  100

  150

  90

  5,000–10,000

  600

  150

  440

  200

  340

  160

  10,000–15,000

  480

  160

  720

  230

  170

  160

  15,000–20,000

  210

  160

  520

  220

  60

  160

  20,000–25,000

  80

  160

  280

  210

  20

  160

  416
  As part of the normal Budget information service to employers, they have been issued with guidance on how to complete the existing return for benefits in kind—the form P11D.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the use of mobile telephones by size of firm; and if he will give the proportion of the total number of mobile telephones in use by employment size bands in firms with(a) one to two, (b) three to five, (c) six to 10, (d) 11 to 19, (e) 20 to 49 and (f) over 50 employees.

  Mr. Maude
  I regret that this information is not available.

  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimates he has made of the approximate number of(a) 1990–91 P11D forms, (b) 1991–92 tax code forms and (c) 1991–92 P11D forms that are required to be completed or acted upon by employers as a result of his proposal to tax mobile telephones.

  Mr. Maude
  My right hon. Friend's Budget proposals for mobile telephones will not require employer returns (forms P11D) for 1990–91 since they do not take effect until the following year. For 1991–92 the extension of the benefits in kind charge to mobile telephones in cars will also not increase the number of P11Ds required. This is because a return is already needed for mobile telephones not fixed in cars, which are provided by employers and subject to private use, and because company cars are subject to a benefits-in-kind charge in any case whether or not they have a mobile telephone fitted. As a transitional effect of the proposals, there will be an increase in amended PAYE tax codes for 1991–92, but a reliable estimate of the number involved is not possible.

  Personal Allowances
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by how much the value of income tax personal allowances has increased in real terms since 1979; and how this amount has been distributed to each band of income taxpayers, both in total and in amount per taxpayer.

  Mr. Maude
  Since 1978–79, the personal allowance has increased in real terms by about 27 per cent., the married man's allowance by 24 per cent. and the age-related allowances by at least 16 per cent. If, for 1991–92, the personal, married couple's and higher age-related allowances were reduced to levels equivalent to the 1978–79 allowances indexed to 1991–92, total income tax liability would be increased by some £5 billion, distributed as follows:
  417

  Single people

  Husbands

  Wives

  Individual's income

  Total

  Average per taxpayer1

  Total

  Average per taxpayer1

  Total

  Average per taxpayer1

  £ per annum

  £ million

  £ per annum

  £ million

  £ per annum

  £ million

  £ per annum

  25,000–30,000

  40

  190

  150

  220

  10

  190

  30,000–50,000

  60

  250

  290

  330

  20

  250

  Over 50,000

  20

  250

  110

  330

  10

  250

  TOTAL

  1,710

  150

  2,530

  230

  770

  140

  1 Individual taxpayers liable to tax when personal allowances are reduced to their indexed 1978–79 levels.

  Mortgage Interest Tax Relief
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing(a) the total cost of mortgage interest tax relief in 1991–92, (b) the average value of relief per mortgagor and (c) the numbers receiving mortgage relief broken down in the income ranges, under £4,000, £4,000 to £5,000, £5,000 to £6,000, £6,000 to £7,000, £7,000 to £8,000, £8,000 to £9,000, £9,000 to £10,000,

  Single people and married couples receiving mortgage interest relief by range of total income in 1991–92

  Range of total income

  Numbers receiving mortgage interest relief

  Average value of relief per mortgagor

  Total cost of relief

  (thousands)

  (£)

  (£ million)

  Up to £5,000

  460

  550

  250

  £5,001–£6,000

  110

  500

  50

  £6,001–£7,000

  90

  510

  50

  £7,001–£8,000

  190

  560

  110

  £8,001–£9,000

  250

  580

  140

  £9,001–£10,000

  310

  630

  200

  £10,001–£12,000

  660

  620

  410

  £12,001–£15,000

  1,180

  640

  760

  £15,001–£20,000

  2,090

  710

  1,480

  £20,001–£25,000

  1,610

  700

  1,130

  £25,001–£30,000

  990

  730

  720

  Over £30,000

  1,560

  780

  1,200

  Total

  9,500

  680

  6,500

  Goodman Meat
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what gifts Customs staff in Northern Ireland have received from interests associated with the Goodman Meat firm; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Customs have no evidence that any members of their staff in Northern Ireland have received gifts from Goodman Meat firms.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the yield in 1991–92 and 1992–93 from introducing a new rate of income tax of 50 per cent. on incomes above £50,000.

  Mr. Maude
  The estimated revenue yield is about £¾billion in 1991–92 and £1½ billion in 1992–93. These estimates take no account of any behavioural effects that might result from such a change.

  PSA Services
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the progress of the arrangements introduced in 1990–91 for payment by Government Department clients for works services supplied by PSA Services.
  418
  £10,000 to £12,000, £12,000 to £15,000, £15,000 to £20,000, £20,000 to £25,000, £25,000 to £30,000 and over £30,000.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates are based on projected information from the 1988–89 survey of personal incomes and the 1989 family expenditure survey and are provisional. They are also based on the assumptions that interest rates remain at their current levels for the rest of 1991–92.

  Mr. Mellor
  Arrangements for payment were introduced on schedule from 1 April 1990. However, some teething problems with the invoicing arrangements have meant that client Departments have not been able to complete all the normal checks on some of the invoices presented to them by PSAS. In order to ensure that amounts paid by PSAS to contractors on clients' behalf are brought to account in appropriation accounts for 1990–91, interim arrangements have been made. Under these, Departments will pay from their votes, as adjustable advances, amounts shown on PSAS invoices, provided that they can identify the expenditure as relating to buildings or projects for which they are responsible; that they are aware that work has been done, or services provided, in respect of the building or project concerned; and that the amount charged is not grossly excessive. Any payments of this nature will be identified in a note to the appropriation accounts for 1990–91. PSAS will take any significant balance of expenditure reflected in invoices still unmet to its own Vote. Customer Departments and PSAS will pursue outstanding queries and make any necessary adjustments as early as possible in 1991–92. Such adjustments will be noted in the appropriate accounts for that year.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Honorary Consuls
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish in the Official Report the names and addresses of honorary British consuls in the United States and honorary American consuls in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Floyd
  The names and addresses of British honorary consuls in the United States are as follows:

  Kansas City:

  Mr. S. A. Hamilton, c/o Hallmark Cards, 2501 McGee Trafficway, Kansas City, Missouri 64108.

  St. Louis:

  Mr. R. A. Smith, 625 S Skinker Blvd, St. Louis, Missouri 63105.

  New Orleans:

  Mr. J. J. Coleman, 10th Floor, 321 St. Charles Ave, New Orleans, Louisiana 70130.

  Philadelphia:

  Mr. C. E. Mather, 226 Walnut St., Philadelphia PA 19106.

  Puerto Rico:

  Dr. I. Court, San Juan (HC), Taft Street No. 1, Suite 5E Santurce 00911.

  Anchorage:

  Dr. D. R. Hitchins, University of Alaska, Anchorage College of Arts and Sciences, 2311 Providence Drive, Anchorage, Alaska 99508.

  Portland:

  Mr. A. Hay, 3515 SW Council Crest Drive, Portland, Oregon 97201.

  The position of the honorary consul in Norfolk, Virginia is vacant. Our embassy in Washington is seeking the approval of the State Department for our proposed replacement.

  There are no American honorary appointments in the United Kingdom.

  Polish Citizens (Visas)
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will now change the arrangements for the issue of visas to Polish citizens wishing to come to the United Kingdom, so that visas can be obtained by post instead of requiring personal attendance at the British embassy in Warsaw to obtain the necessary documents.

  Mr. Lennox-Floyd
  It is possible for anyone to apply for a visa without personal attendance, by using the services of Orbis or another recognised travel agent. This is safer and more reliable then the postal service, and the cost is comparable with that of registered mail.

  Iraq (Missing Journalists)
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has made any representations to the Iranian Government to seek their assistance in finding Nicholas Della Casa, Rosanna Della Casa and Charles Maxwell, British journalists missing in Iraq.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Yes. The British embassy in Tehran has asked Iranian authorities on a number of occasions for help in finding the missing journalists.

  There is no evidence that the journalists entered Iran.

  The Gulf
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that the provisions of Security Council resolution No. 687 in relation to the Gulf are being adhered to.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: We and other members of the Security Council keep Iraqi compliance with the council's resolution 687 under close review.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with whom he has discussed proposals to use the US nuclear emergency search team to verify Iraqi compliance with United Nations Security Council resolution 687.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: Any proposals to use personnel in support of the work of the IAEA and the Special Commission to implement UNSCR 687 are for discussion between the IAEA and the Special Commission and the United States authorities.

  British Embassy, Teheran
  Mr. Dover
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects the visa section of the British embassy in Teheran to resume operations.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: We have no plans to open a visa section in our embassy in Teheran.

  Ballistic Missiles
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those states identified by Her Majesty's Government as(a) already possessing ballistic missiles and (b) having the potential to build ballistic missiles.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: The following countries are known or believed to possess ballistic missiles:

  Afghanistan

  Belgium

  Bulgaria

  China

  Czechoslovakia

  Egypt

  France

  Germany

  Italy

  Korea, Republic of

  Libya

  Netherlands

  Poland

  Romania

  Saudi Arabia

  Syria

  Hungary

  Iran

  Iraq

  Israel

  USSR

  United Kingdom

  United States of America

  Yemen

  In addition, North Korea, which is not recognised as a state by Her Majesty's Government, is believed to have deployed ballistic missiles.
  421
  In addition, the following countries have in the past shown an interest in developing ballistic missiles.

  Argentina

  Brazil

  India

  Pakistan

  South Africa

  Albania
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement about resuming diplomatic relations with Albania.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: The Albanian Foreign Minister called on me on 13 May. We discussed the question of the resumption of diplomatic relations between the United Kingdom and Albania. We hope to give an early reply to the Albanian offer to restore diplomatic relations.

  IAEA Safeguards
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek to include on the agenda of the next meeting of the international organisations in Vienna a discussion of the proposals by ambassador Tetsuya Endo to extend the scope and increase the budgets of the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards budgets.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: Safeguards are on the provisional agenda of the June IAEA board of governors meeting and any related issues will no doubt be discussed then. We are studying the issues involved and will carefully consider all proposals.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Hackney Education Directorate
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when the Minister next plans to visit Hackney education directorate.

  Mr. Eggar
  I have arranged to visit Hackney on 13 June. I am also meeting the leader of the council on 6 June to discuss the action plan to improve the education service in Hackney.

  Education and Training
  Mr. Cunliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has to increase the proportion of students in education and training post-16 years.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave earlier today to the hon. Member for Birmingham, Ladywood (Ms. Short).

  Student Unions
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the responses he has received in connection with his examination of the future of student unions.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I am giving careful consideration to the various responses which I have received as a result of 422
  my letter of 29 November 1990. As the consultations are still in progress, it would be inappropriate for me to comment further.

  Cricket
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any further proposals to promote the playing of cricket in schools.

  Mr. Atkins
  Both schools and local sports clubs have an important role to play in the development of cricket for young people. Physical education in the national curriculum will be compulsory up to the age of 16 with effect from September 1992 and I am urging teachers and coaches to ensure that cricket is one of the competitive team games which is encouraged.

  Teachers
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to change the basis of funding teachers' salaries under the local management of schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  Pupil-led funding is a basic principle of local management and we have no plans to change that. However, we have said that we shall review the effects of our policy on the treatment of salary costs as the transitional arrangements governing the change from historic to formula funding unwind.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what plans he has to encourage women to return to teaching; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  We are already encouraging women to return to teaching through our grants for education support and training (GEST) programme, which supports LEA measures to recruit returners and mature entrants to teaching. In 1991–92 about £10 million is available for this purpose and we have already earmarked a further £10 million for expenditure in 1992–93. Most potential returners are women who may need particular help to enable them to re-enter teaching. Many GEST-funded activities are directed specifically towards providing such help.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on morale in the teaching profession.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend and I have taken every opportunity to praise the dedication and achievements of teachers. The Government's intention to establish a pay review body for teachers recognises that commitment and will give practical effect to our desire to enhance the status of the profession. The interim advisory committee of school teachers' pay and conditions has noted an improvement in morale as the national curriculum is successfully introduced and the benefits of local management of schools start to be felt.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average length of time prospective teachers have to wait before being vetted for suitability for specific teaching posts.

  Mr. Fallon
  Recruitment of teachers, including deciding an applicant's suitability for a specific post, is a matter for
  423
  individual employers: LEAs, and the governing bodies of schools and other establishments. The Department does not collect statistics about the length of time taken by employers' recruitment procedures.

  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers are currently employed in sixth form colleges organised under school regulations.

  Mr. Fallon
  The number of qualified teachers employed in sixth form colleges in England in January 1990 was 7,278.

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

  Mr. Fallon
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what his Department estimates to be the average cost per year of(a) a primary school teacher and (b) a secondary school teacher.

  Mr. Eggar
  In April 1991 the estimated average cost, including employers' on-costs, of employing a primary school teacher outside London was some £19,340. The comparable figure for a secondary school teacher was about £21,160.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of teachers employed in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools on a yearly basis since 1970.

  Mr. Fallon
  The number of qualified full-time and part-time teachers employed in primary and secondary schools in England for the period 1970 to 1990, the latest date for which information is available, is given in the table.

  Number of qualified teachers employed in maintained primary and secondary schools in England 1970 to 1990

  Year

  Primary

  Secondary

  1970

  194,971

  185,682

  1971

  200,596

  185,077

  1972

  210,755

  194,831

  1973

  217,707

  206,721

  1974

  222,880

  223,683

  1975

  227,296

  233,454

  1976

  226,925

  241,047

  1977

  223,141

  246,819

  1978

  205,338

  236,354

  1979

  204,405

  240,810

  1980

  200,534

  242,475

  1981

  196,143

  243,435

  1982

  188,876

  240,476

  1983

  183,678

  239,323

  1984

  181,852

  237,368

  1985

  181,501

  230,871

  1986

  183,313

  225,715

  1987

  187,037

  221,184

  1988

  191,910

  215,231

  1989

  195,008

  207,994

  1990

  199,498

  203,400

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the latest figures for the number of full and part-time teachers employed by each of the local education authorities in England.
  424
  Mr. Fallon
  The latest figures relate to January 1990 and are contained in the DES Statistical Bulletin 5/91, a copy of which is available in the Library.

  Teesside Polytechnic
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the proposed linking of Teesside polytechnic with the university of Durham.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I understand that discussions are continuing between the polytechnic and the university about their joint plan to extend higher education opportunities in Teesside.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the current progress and development of city technology colleges.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The CTC programme continues to make excellent progress. By this September 13 colleges will be up and running and I announced plans for new colleges in Bristol and Derby only last month. CTCs have proved extremely popular with pupils and their parents.

  A-levels
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his policy towards the position of the A-level in the curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Robert G. Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to broaden the A-level examinations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  As is clear from the White Paper, "Education and Training for the 21st Century", which we published yesterday, the Government remain committed to maintaining A-levels and the standards that they represent.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many schools are grant maintained; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are 62 grant-maintained schools in operation. To date we have approved applications from a further 16 schools.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what steps he is taking to increase the number of grant-maintained schools; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The number of schools seeking and acquiring grant-maintained status is rising very rapidly. To date we have approved 78 applications. A further 74 schools have either published proposals or are committed to doing so following ballots in favour of applying for GM status. Seventy-nine ballots are pending. In the last three months alone, 49 schools have voted to apply for grant-maintained status.
  425
  We shall continue to make clear that we believe schools generally should consider the opportunities afforded by grant-maintained status.

  Stratford School
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what funds are being made available to Stratford school following the granting of grant-maintained status.

  Mr. Eggar
  The level of annual maintenance grant for Stratford for 1991–92 has not been finalised. The proposed figure, issued to the school and to Newham local education authority for comment, is £1,551,435. Stratford school has received £52,950 in transitional grant. The school will receive special purpose grant (development) of £31,700 for the financial year 1991–92. A formula allocation of capital grant of up to £25,900 is available to the school for small capital works and the purchase of equipment. The governing body has made bids for capital grant for specific capital projects. These bids are being considered.

  Further Education
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received any communications from the directors of further education colleges concerning his statement on 21 March.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I have received a large number of letters from principals of further education colleges since 21 March. The great majority have expressed support for my proposals for the reorganisation of further education.

  Mr. Irvine
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all local education authorities in England in rank order showing the percentages of 16-year-olds and 17-year-olds participating in full-time and full-time plus part-time day education for 1989–90.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is as follows:

  Table A

  Distribution of local authorities by age participation rate 16-year-olds (1989–90): Full-Time Education

  Per cent.

  Name of LEA

  1. Harrow

  82

  2. Brent

  80

  3. Barnet

  78

  4. Surrey

  73

  5. Ealing

  71

  6. Kingston UT

  70

  7. Hounslow

  68

  8. Redbridge

  68

  9. Sutton

  67

  10. Bromley

  66

  11. Haringey

  64

  12. Hertfordshire

  63

  13. Berkshire

  63

  14. East Sussex

  63

  15. Buckinghamshire

  63

  16. Enfield

  62

  17. Sefton

  62

  18. West Sussex

  61

  19. Oxfordshire

  60

  20. Calderdale

  60

  21. Isle of Wight

  60

  22. Hampshire

  60

  23. North Yorkshire

  59

  24. Hillingdon

  58

  25. Cambridgeshire

  58

  426

  Per cent.

  26. ILEA

  58

  27. Richmond UT

  58

  28. Bury

  58

  29. Bedfordshire

  58

  30. Croydon

  57

  31. Cornwall

  57

  32. Somerset

  57

  33. Wirral

  57

  34. Devon

  56

  35. Kirklees

  56

  36. North Tyneside

  56

  37. Wiltshire

  55

  38. Stockport

  55

  39. Cheshire

  55

  40. Warwickshire

  55

  41. Liverpool

  55

  42. Kent

  55

  43. Hereford and Worcester

  55

  44. Avon

  55

  45. Lincolnshire

  54

  46. Merton

  54

  47. Solihull

  54

  48. Dorset

  54

  49. Leicestershire

  53

  50. Gloucestershire

  53

  51. Birmingham

  52

  52. Essex

  52

  53. Manchester

  52

  54. Trafford

  52

  55. Waltham Forest

  51

  56. Bexley

  51

  57. Northumberland

  51

  58. Northamptonshire

  51

  59. Wigan

  51

  60. Newham

  50

  61. Norfolk

  50

  62. Derbyshire

  50

  63. Rotherham

  50

  64. Salop

  49

  65. St. Helens

  49

  66. Lancashire

  49

  67. Havering

  49

  68. Bradford

  48

  69. Staffordshire

  48

  70. Newcastle UT

  48

  71. Wakefield

  47

  72. Nottinghamshire

  47

  73. Dudley

  47

  74. Cleveland

  47

  75. Coventry

  47

  76. Leeds

  47

  77. Suffolk

  46

  78. Walsall

  46

  79. Bolton

  46

  80. Wolverhampton

  46

  81. Doncaster

  45

  82. Sheffield

  45

  83. Rochdale

  45

  84. Tameside

  45

  85. Gateshead

  45

  86. Salford

  45

  87. Durham

  44

  88. South Tyneside

  44

  89. Sunderland

  44

  90. Barnsley

  44

  91. Humberside

  43

  92. Sandwell

  43

  93. Cumbria

  42

  94. Knowsley

  40

  95. Oldham

  40

  96. Barking

  33

  427

  Table B

  Distribution of local authorities by age participation rate 16-year-olds (1989–90): Full-time plus part-time day education

  Per cent.

  Name of LEA

  1. Brent

  92

  2. Harrow

  90

  3. Isle of Wight

  88

  4. Surrey

  85

  5. Ealing

  83

  6. Barnet

  83

  7. Redbridge

  82

  8. Bedfordshire

  78

  9. Kingston upon Thames

  78

  10. Sutton

  77

  11. Haringey

  77

  12. Oxfordshire

  77

  13. St. Helens

  76

  14. Somerset

  76

  15. Hounslow

  76

  16. Buckinghamshire

  75

  17. Hertfordshire

  75

  18. Calderdale

  75

  19. Bury

  74

  20. East Sussex

  74

  21. Bromley

  74

  22. Berkshire

  74

  23. Gloucestershire

  73

  24. Cornwall

  73

  25. Warwickshire

  73

  26. North Yorkshire

  73

  27. Enfield

  72

  28. Hampshire

  72

  29. North Tyneside

  72

  30. West Sussex

  72

  31. Wigan

  72

  32. Cambridgeshire

  72

  33. Devon

  72

  34. Trafford

  71

  35. Lincolnshire

  71

  36. Cheshire

  71

  37. Hillingdon

  71

  38. Leicestershire

  71

  39. Hereford and Worcester

  70

  40. Sefton

  70

  41. Avon

  70

  42. Nottinghamshire

  70

  43. Bradford

  70

  44. Shropshire

  69

  45. Newham

  69

  46. Rotherham

  69

  47. Stockport

  69

  48. Wirral

  69

  49. Wiltshire

  69

  50. Croydon

  68

  51. Kirklees

  68

  52. Manchester

  68

  53. Northumberland

  68

  54. Coventry

  68

  55. Lancashire

  67

  56. Havering

  67

  57. Suffolk

  67

  58. Cumbria

  67

  59. Staffordshire

  66

  60. Dudley

  66

  61. Bexley

  66

  62. Kent

  66

  63. Derbyshire

  66

  64. ILEA

  66

  65. Merton

  65

  66. Liverpool

  65

  67. Norfolk

  65

  68. Dorset

  65

  69. Northamptonshire

  65

  70. Rochdale

  64

  71. Tameside

  64

  72. Richmond upon Thames

  63

  73. Bolton

  63

  74. Solihull

  63

  428

  Per cent.

  75. Gateshead

  62

  76. Durham

  62

  77. Essex

  62

  78. Wolverhampton

  62

  79. Birmingham

  62

  80. Humberside

  61

  81. Cleveland

  61

  82. Sheffield

  61

  83. Waltham Forest

  61

  84. Leeds

  60

  85. South Tyneside

  59

  86. Oldham

  59

  87. Walsall

  58

  88. Newcastle upon Tyne

  58

  89. Sandwell

  57

  90. Doncaster

  56

  91. Salford

  56

  92. Barnsley

  55

  93. Wakefield

  55

  94. Sunderland

  54

  95. Knowsley

  54

  96. Barking

  49

  Table C

  Distribution of local education authorities by age participation rate 17-year-olds (1989–90): Full-time education

  Per cent.

  Name of LEA

  1. Harrow

  64

  2. Brent

  60

  3. Barnet

  56

  4. Surrey

  53

  5. Ealing

  52

  6. Buckinghamshire

  49

  7. Richmond UT

  47

  8. Kingston UT

  47

  9. Sutton

  47

  10. Redbridge

  46

  11. Isle of Wight

  45

  12. Sefton

  45

  13. Bury

  44

  14. Hertfordshire

  44

  15. Berkshire

  44

  16. West Sussex

  43

  17. North Yorkshire

  43

  18. Bromley

  43

  19. Haringey

  43

  20. Hounslow

  43

  21. Enfield

  43

  22. Hampshire

  43

  23. East Sussex

  42

  24. Croydon

  42

  25. Cheshire

  41

  26. Cornwall

  41

  27. North Tyneside

  41

  28. Somerset

  41

  29. Calderdale

  41

  30. Oxfordshire

  40

  31. Cambridgeshire

  40

  32. Warwickshire

  40

  33. Hereford and Worcester

  40

  34. Wirral

  40

  35. Lincolnshire

  40

  36. Avon

  39

  37. Solihull

  39

  38. Stockport

  39

  39. Devon

  39

  40. Gloucestershire

  39

  41. Dorset

  39

  42. Kirklees

  38

  43. Hillingdon

  38

  44. ILEA

  38

  45. Merton

  38

  46. Bedfordshire

  38

  47. Wigan

  38

  48. Wiltshire

  37

  429

  Per cent.

  49. Kent

  37

  50. Salop

  37

  51. Leicestershire

  37

  52. Lancashire

  37

  53. Derbyshire

  36

  54. St. Helens

  36

  55. Northumberland

  36

  56. Trafford

  36

  57. Birmingham

  36

  58. Dudley

  35

  59. Northamptonshire

  35

  60. Manchester

  35

  61. Essex

  34

  62. Waltham Forest

  34

  63. Liverpool

  34

  64. Rotherham

  34

  65. Bexley

  33

  66. Staffordshire

  33

  67. Norfolk

  33

  68. Nottinghamshire

  33

  69. Durham

  33

  70. Bolton

  33

  71. Cleveland

  33

  72. Havering

  32

  73. Sheffield

  32

  74. Leeds

  32

  75. Wakefield

  32

  76. Suffolk

  31

  77. Tameside

  31

  78. Newcastle UT

  31

  79. Newham

  30

  80. Bradford

  30

  81. Walsall

  30

  82. Coventry

  30

  83. South Tyneside

  30

  84. Cumbria

  30

  85. Barnsley

  30

  86. Wolverhampton

  29

  87. Rochdale

  29

  88. Doncaster

  29

  89. Gateshead

  29

  90. Humberside

  29

  91. Salford

  29

  92. Sunderland

  27

  93. Sandwell

  26

  94. Oldham

  26

  95. Knowsley

  22

  96. Barking

  19

  Table D

  Distribution of local education authorities by age participation rate 17-year-olds (1989–90): Full-time plus part-time day education

  Per cent.

  Name of LEA

  1. Brent

  78

  2. Harrow

  75

  3. Isle of Wight

  67

  4. Surrey

  67

  5. Ealing

  65

  6. Barnet

  63

  7. Buckinghamshire

  63

  8. Bury

  62

  9. St. Helens

  61

  10. Gloucestershire

  61

  11. Sutton

  60

  12. Wigan

  60

  13. Somerset

  59

  14. North Yorkshire

  58

  15. Cheshire

  58

  16. Hertfordshire

  58

  17. Cornwall

  58

  18. Warwickshire

  58

  19. Hampshire

  57

  20. Berkshire

  57

  21. North Tyneside

  57

  22. Oxfordshire

  57

  430

  Per cent.

  23. Redbridge

  57

  24. Lincolnshire

  56

  25. Bedfordshire

  56

  26. Devon

  56

  27. Avon

  56

  28. Hereford and Worcester

  56

  29. Calderdale

  56

  30. West Sussex

  56

  31. Kingston upon Thames

  56

  32. Shropshire

  56

  33. East Sussex

  55

  34. Enfield

  55

  35. Cambridgeshire

  55

  36. Haringey

  55

  37. Trafford

  55

  38. Sefton

  55

  39. Lancashire

  54

  40. Richmond upon Thames

  54

  41. Hounslow

  54

  42. Bromley

  54

  43. Stockport

  54

  44. Nottinghamshire

  54

  45. Wirral

  53

  46. Kirklees

  53

  47. Wiltshire

  53

  48. Northumberland

  53

  49. Rotherham

  53

  50. Croydon

  53

  51. Dudley

  53

  52. Leicestershire

  52

  53. Bolton

  52

  54. Solihull

  52

  55. Staffordshire

  52

  56. Cumbria

  52

  57. Derbyshire

  52

  58. Hillingdon

  51

  59. Tameside

  51

  60. Merton

  51

  61. Dorset

  50

  62. Kent

  50

  63. South Tyneside

  50

  64. Birmingham

  49

  65. Coventry

  49

  66. Manchester

  49

  67. Suffolk

  49

  68. Northamptonshire

  49

  69. Norfolk

  48

  70. Bradford

  48

  71. Cleveland

  48

  72. Durham

  48

  73. Rochdale

  48

  74. Sheffield

  48

  75. ILEA

  47

  76. Newham

  47

  77. Liverpool

  46

  78. Humberside

  46

  79. Oldham

  46

  80. Wolverhampton

  46

  81. Essex

  45

  82. Bexley

  45

  83. Leeds

  45

  84. Doncaster

  45

  85. Havering

  45

  86. Walsall

  45

  87. Newcastle UT

  44

  88. Waltham Forest

  44

  89. Barnsley

  42

  90. Gateshead

  42

  91. Salford

  42

  92. Sandwell

  41

  93. Wakefield

  41

  94. Sunderland

  39

  95. Knowsley

  38

  96. Barking

  33

  Infant Education
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the treatment of voluntary aided schools with respect to nursery provision.

  Mr. Eggar
  Where the governors of a voluntary aided school wish to establish a new nursery unit, they must publish statutory proposals under section 13 of the Education Act 1980. In considering whether these should be approved, the Secretary of State will take into account the circumstances and needs of the school and its surrounding area and the level of grant aid being sought.

  Sir John Hunt
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will introduce legislation imposing a statutory duty upon local education authorities to provide for the education of all children to begin in the autumn term of the school year in which they attain their fifth birthday; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  No. This country is almost alone in providing compulsory education from as early as five. We believe that the requirements of younger children and their parents are best met by a diversity of provision.

  Middle Schools (National Curriculum)
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements he has made to monitor the implementation of the national curriculum in middle schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  The implementation of the national curriculum in middle schools is being monitored by Her Majesty's inspectorate and by local education authorities.

  Schools Expenditure
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) if he will list all local education authorities in England in rank order of central administration expenditure per school pupil per year, starting with the highest spending authority, for the latest year for which figures are available;

  (2) if he will list all local education authorities in England in rank order of total combined expenditure per school pupil per year on school meals, central administration, debt charges or revenue contributions to capital outlay, for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Fallon
  The data for 1991–92, drawn from local education authorities' budget statements published tinder section 42 of the Education Reform Act 1988, are still being collected and analysed. I shall write to my hon. Friend.

  Schools (Capital Expenditure)
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what proportion of the education capital expenditure authorised for schools maintained by local education authorities is attributable to the need to replace and/or refurbish premises which are no longer fit for their purpose in the current planning period;

  (2) what additional capital expenditure has been authorised in 1990–91 and 1991–92 in order that local
  432
  education authorities may provide maintained schools with the accommodation and equipment required to introduce the national curriculum effectively.

  Mr. Fallon
  Of the £472 million of annual capital guidelines distributed to local education authorities in respect of capital expenditure at county and voluntary controlled schools in 1991–92, £109 million was distributed by formula specifically to contribute towards new replacement and refurbishment work in schools, and a substantial proportion of the balance will also cover such work. Of the £83 million available for grants for capital building work in voluntary aided and special agreement schools in 1991–92 £7·8 million is for new major improvement and replacement work, and a substantial proportion of the balance will likewise go towards such work.

  The substantial increases in the amount available for distribution as capital allocations and annual capital guidelines in the last two years will assist local education authorities to provide maintained schools with the accommodation and equipment they require to introduce the national curriculum effectively.

  Education Costs (Northumberland)
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average cost of educating(a) a primary school pupil and (b) a secondary school pupil in the local education authorities within Northumberland.

  Mr. Fallon
  In 1988–89, the latest year for which information is available, information returned by Northumberland local education authority indicates that its average net institutional expenditure was £1,090 per nursery and primary pupil and £1,630 per secondary pupil. Net institutional expenditure covers the cost of salaries and wages, premises and certain supplies and services. It does not include the costs of central administration, school meals and capital expenditure.

  Refugees
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which local authorities have applied, under section 210 of the Education Reform Act 1988, for a grant to(a) finance existing provision for refugees or displaced persons living in camps or reception centres and (b) finance provision for 1991–92; how many of (a) and (b) have received a grant; what is the amount of grant allocated to each local authority; and if he will review the grant available for these purposes in the light of the increased number of asylum seekers entering the United Kingdom in 1990.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1991–92 Derbyshire, Kirklees, Oxfordshire, Richmond and Surrey sought continued grant to support existing provision for refugees or displaced persons living in camps or reception centres. Camden, Hackney, Hillingdon and Lambeth applied for grant to support new work starting in 1991–92. Richmond also applied for grant to expand its existing provision. The expenditure to be supported in these authorities is as follows:
  433

  £000s

  (a)

  Derbyshire

  74·2

  Kirklees

  84·0

  Oxfordshire

  65·9

  Richmond

  56·7

  Surrey

  40·9

  (b)

  Camden

  36·3

  Hackney

  34·4

  Hillingdon

  19·7

  Lambeth

  77·7

  Mixed-age Classes
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of third-year infants are in mixed-age classes where seven-year-olds are in a minority.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested is not available.

  Conductive Education
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received from the south-east retail group of the Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd. about the threatened closure of a positive achievement through conductive education centre; what reply is being sent; if any action will be taken; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Representations have been received from the south-east retail group of the Co-operative Wholesale Society Ltd. concerning the positive achievement through conductive education centre. A reply has been sent which has made clear that, whilst the Government believe that conductive education for those children who are able to benefit from it should in time be made available in this country, this is a matter for local provision.

  Thames Polytechnic (Merger)
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science for what reasons he has not approved the merger of the South West London college and Thames polytechnic.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has consulted South West London college and other institutions about advice from the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council that student preferences should be taken into account in determining the future location of work at the college. He hopes to make a final decision about the future of the college shortly.

  Voluntary Aided and Controlled Sector
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for the voluntary aided and the voluntary controlled sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  We are firmly committed to the dual system of county and voluntary schools and we value the contribution of the churches to state education. Overall capital expenditure on church schools on a per pupil basis increased by 80 per cent. in real terms between 1979–80 and 1990–91.
  434
  We have no proposals to make significant changes to the status of the voluntary schools sector, beyond the plans announced by my right hon. and learned Friend on 21 March to transfer voluntary sixth form colleges to a new sector of post-16 education from April 1993. These colleges will retain their voluntary status.

HEALTH

  Northumberland Area Services
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children in(a) Blyth Valley and (b) Northumberland were received into local authority care where the specific cause was family homelessness, in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Figures for the numbers of children in care of local authorities are not available centrally for county districts. The latest figures available about children in care in Northumberland are for the year ending 31 March 1990.

  Northumberland

  Year ending 31 March

  Number of children admitted to care under section 2 of the Child Care Act 1990 where family homelessness was the specific cause

  1979

  4

  1980

  6

  1981

  2

  1982

  3

  1983

  1

  1984

  6

  1985

  0

  1986

  0

  1987

  0

  1988

  1

  1989

  0

  1990

  2

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the numbers of beds available to national health service patients within the Northumberland health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  At 31 March 1990, the latest date for which this information is held centrally, there were 3,014 such beds.

  Since 1979, the number of beds has fallen by 25 per cent. but the number of patients treated has increased by around 17 per cent.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the names, addresses and qualifications of the directors of the Northumberland Ambulance Trust.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Trust boards are made up of equal numbers of executive and non-executive directors and a chairman. The appointment of the executive directors is a matter for the trust.

  The chairman and non-executive members of the Northumbria ambulance national health service trust are:

  Mr. Roy Stewart

  Mr. P. Moth

  Dr. J. Higson

  435

  Mr. A. Ferguson

  Mr. A. Knight

  Mr. D. Smith

  The hon. Member may wish to contact the chairman of the NHS trust for further details.

  Convalescent Homes
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on(a) the provision of residential homes for short-term postoperative surgical convalescence and (b) the availability of advice and information on the placing of patients in such homes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have received no such representations. Guidance on discharge procedures is provided for local health authorities in circular HC(89)5 "Discharge of Patients from Hospital" and its accompanying booklet of good practice, copies of which are available in the Library.

  Voluntary Organisations
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the awards given to voluntary organisations under the section 64 procedure for the financial years 1990–91 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1990–91 grants totalling £14·8 million were awarded under the section 64 general scheme to 262 voluntary organisations. This represents a real-terms increase of 43 per cent. over 1978–79. Details of the grants are given in the following table.

  In 1991–92 we plan to increase the level of support to the voluntary sector under the section 64 general scheme by a further £1·1 million to £15·9 million. So far grants to the value of £11 million have been awarded to 238 voluntary organisations. Further grants will be awarded throughout the year. Existing "core" grants which help to fund headquarters running costs will generally be held more or less steady to enable us to extend the support which we can give to the voluntary sector through new core grants and project funding. Significant core grants have already been renewed for such bodies as Alcohol Concern, Age Concern, MIND and the Disabled Living Foundation. Major new projects funded this year under the section 64 general scheme include ones undertaken by Mental Health Foundation—Homeless in London (£80,000), National Institute for Social Work (£55,000), Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (£27,000) and East London Asian Family Counselling (£24,000).

  These figures and the number and range of organisations supported clearly demonstrate Ministers' commitment to the voluntary sector. They also underline the Government's recognition of the special and valuable contribution which voluntary organisations bring to the provision of health and personal social services.

  Grants to voluntary organisations under s.64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968—General Scheme (Subhead E2(1)A) 1990–91 provisional outturn

  £

  Access Committee (England)

  122,000

  Action for Dysphasia Adults

  16,580

  Action for Victims of Medical Accidents

  20,000

  Action on Smoking and Health

  241,500

  ADFAM

  18,375

  Age Concern

  254,000

  Age Exchange Theatre Company

  10,000

  AIDS Ahead

  40,000

  436

  £

  AIDS Care Education and Training (ACET)

  100,000

  Alcohol Concern

  583,000

  Aied Richards Trust

  35,100

  Alzheimer's Disease Society

  130,000

  Amarant Trust

  13,400

  Amnesia Association

  8,000

  Anna Freud Centre

  5,000

  Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus

  34,919

  Association for Stammerers

  10,000

  Association for the Psychiatric Study of Adolescents

  20,000

  Association of Breastfeeding Mothers

  3,775

  Association of Disabled Professionals

  3,000

  Association of Professions for the Mentally Handicapped

  5,000

  Association of Residential Care

  20,000

  Association to Aid the Sexual and Personal Relationships of People with a Disability

  36,000

  Association to Combat Huntington's Chorea

  10,000

  Barnardos

  55,625

  Black HIV/AIDS Network (BHAN)

  40,000

  Body Positive

  40,000

  Breakthrough Trust

  40,000

  Breastcare and Mastectomy Association of Great Britain

  32,000

  Bridge

  35,000

  British Agencies for Adoption and Fostering

  285,000

  British Association for Counselling

  69,470

  British Association for Services to the Elderly

  12,000

  British Association for the Study and Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect (BASPCAN)

  27,500

  British Association of Cancer United Patients (BACUP)

  23,000

  British Association of the Hard of Hearing

  60,000

  British Council of Organisations of Disabled People

  30,000

  British Fluoridation Society

  33,000

  British Infertility Counselling Association

  3,200

  British Institute of Industrial Therapy

  25,000

  British Institute of Mental Handicap

  35,000

  British Kidney Patient Association

  25,000

  British Organ Donor Society

  5,000

  Brittle Bones Society

  8,000

  Brook Advisory Centres

  65,000

  Cancer Help Centre

  30,000

  Cancer Research Campaign

  18,000

  Cancerlink

  18,000

  Care and Repair Limited

  30,500

  Care Resources for People Affected by AIDS/HIV (CARA)

  15,000

  Carers National Association

  105,000

  Catholic Child Welfare Council

  2,500

  Catholic Marriage Advisory Council

  42,200

  Centre for Accessible Environment

  70,000

  Chest Heart and Stroke Association

  71,163

  Child Accident Prevention Trust

  106,050

  Child Care

  184,035

  Child Migrants Trust

  20,000

  Child Poverty Action Group

  18,000

  Child Psychotherapy Trust

  50,000

  Childline

  82,200

  Children's Legal Centre

  45,000

  Chinese Health Information Centre

  16,000

  Christian Concern for the Mentally Handicapped

  11,000

  Coeliac Society

  14,500

  Community Hygiene Concern

  5,000

  Compassionate Friends

  20,000

  Contact

  32,000

  Contact a Family

  90,000

  Coronary Prevention Group

  87,500

  Council for the Advancement of Communication with Deaf People

  60,000

  Crossroads Care Attendant Scheme Ltd.

  80,000

  Cruse

  142,000

  Cry-Sis

  4,000

  Cystic Fibrosis Research Trust

  22,000

  Dial UK

  45,000

  Disability Alliance

  45,000

  437

  £

  Disabled Housing Trust

  17,000

  Disabled Living Centres Council

  20,000

  Disabled Living Foundation

  347,255

  Disabled Living Services Manchester

  10,000

  Disablement Income Group

  40,000

  Down's Syndrome Association

  15,000

  Dystonia Society

  6,920

  Eating Disorders Association (was Anorexic Family Aid)

  24,167

  Elizabeth Fitzroy Homes

  25,000

  Endometriosis Society

  10,000

  Ethnic Study Group

  66,000

  Extend

  25,000

  Family Planning Association

  165,000

  Family Policy Studies Centre

  100,000

  Family Rights Group

  36,000

  Family Service Units

  245,000

  Family Welfare Asssociation

  136,000

  First Key

  118,832

  Foundation for Conductive Education

  45,579

  Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths

  25,000

  Foundation for Women's Health Research and Development (FORWARD)

  20,000

  Friends for the Young Deaf

  10,000

  Frontliners

  50,000

  Gingerbread

  84,500

  Good Practice in Mental Health

  80,000

  Graves Medical Audiovisual Library

  10,000

  Haemophilia Society

  15,500

  Headway Association

  40,000

  Heartline Association

  5,000

  Herpes Association

  15,000

  Holiday Care Service

  15,000

  Home Farm Trust

  20,000

  Home Start Consultancy

  70,000

  Homes for Homeless People

  48,000

  Horticultural Therapy

  58,300

  Housing Campaign for Single Homeless

  36,500

  Hypogammaglobulinaemia Society

  4,500

  In Touch

  3,000

  Institute for the Study of Drug Dependence

  348,000

  Institute of Transcultural Health Care

  1,000

  International Social Service

  53,208

  Iris Fund

  2,500

  Jewish Welfare Board

  5,000

  Joint Committee on Mobility for the Disabled

  1,100

  Jubilee Sailing Trust

  20,000

  Kids

  25,000

  Kids Clubs Network

  88,500

  Kings Fund Centre for Health Services Development

  30,000

  La Leche League of Great Britain

  8,000

  Landmark South London HIV Centre

  79,000

  L'Arche Ltd.

  12,000

  Leisure Link

  7,500

  Leonard Cheshire Foundation

  18,750

  London Black Womens Health Action Project

  3,000

  London Chinese Health Resource Centre

  30,000

  London Lighthouse

  300,000

  MacFarlane Trust

  140,000

  Mainliners

  40,000

  Making Space (was North West Fellowship)

  30,000

  Manic Depression Fellowship

  10,000

  Marfan Association

  5,000

  Marie Curie Memorial Foundation

  20,000

  Maternity Alliance

  37,000

  MENCAP

  250,000

  Menieres Society

  5,000

  Mental After Care Association

  50,000

  Mental Health Foundation

  50,000

  Mental Health Media Council

  30,000

  Migraine Trust

  8,000

  Mildmay Mission Hospital

  130,000

  Miscarriage Association

  4,000

  Mobility Information Service

  8,000

  Motor Neurone Disease Association

  10,000

  Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association

  10,000

  NAFSIYAT

  15,000

  438

  £

  National AIDS Trust

  211,000

  National Association for Maternal and Child Welfare

  15,000

  National Association for Mental Health (MIND)

  454,960

  National Association for Patient Participation

  7,000

  National Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NACRO)

  270,000

  National Association for the Childless

  39,300

  National Association for the Limbless Disabled

  22,500

  National Association for the Welfare of Children in Hospital

  91,914

  National Association of Family Based Respite Care

  4,000

  National Association of Leagues of Hospital Friends

  24,000

  National Asthma Campaign

  15,000

  National Back Pain Association

  21,000

  National Childbirth Trust

  64,000

  National Childminding Association

  130,000

  National Children's Bureau

  364,488

  National Citizens Advocacy

  20,000

  National Community Health Resource

  55,000

  National Council for One parent Families

  150,000

  National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)

  135,390

  National Counselling and Welfare Service for Sick Doctors

  1,700

  National Federation of Kidney Patients

  10,000

  National Fostercare Association

  100,000

  National Information for Parents of Prematures (NIPPERS)

  11,000

  National Information Forum

  16,000

  National Institute for Social Work

  165,500

  National Joint Emergency Executive Committee (Red Cross/St. John Ambulance)

  25,000

  National Meningitis Trust

  15,000

  National Organisation for Counselling Adoptees & Parents (NORCAP)

  8,093

  National Osteoporosis Society

  20,000

  National Playbus Association

  54,000

  National Schizophrenia Fellowship

  140,860

  National Self Help Support Centre

  40,000

  National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC)

  150,000

  National Stepfamily Association

  20,000

  National Toy Libraries

  45,000

  National Youth Bureau

  69,000

  Neurofibromatosis Association (LINK)

  5,000

  New Horizons Trust

  10,000

  Newcastle upon Tyne Council for the Disabled

  5,500

  North Regional Association for the Blind

  67,619

  Northern Schizophrenia Fellowship

  27,500

  Outset

  25,000

  Overseas Doctors Association

  17,000

  Pain Relief Foundation

  8,500

  Parent to Parent Information on Adoption Services

  6,500

  Parentline Opus

  40,000

  Parents Against Injustice (PAIN)

  35,000

  Parents for Children

  48,500

  Partially Sighted Society

  10,000

  Patients Association

  20,000

  Phobic Action

  20,000

  Phobics Society

  7,500

  Physically Handicapped and Able Bodied

  30,000

  Positively Women

  40,000

  Pre-School Playgroups Association

  420,000

  Prince of Wales Advisory Group on Disability

  75,000

  Queen Elizabeth Foundation for the Disabled

  36,000

  Rainer Foundation

  26,700

  Rape Counselling and Research Project

  20,000

  Raynaud's Association Trust

  6,000

  Research Trust for Metabolic Diseases

  5,000

  Restricted Growth Association

  12,500

  Richmond Fellowship

  97,000

  Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation (RADAR)

  225,000

  Royal National Institute for the Blind

  200,000

  439

  £

  Royal National Institute for the Deaf

  40,000

  Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA)

  5,000

  Samaritans

  155,000

  Save the Children Fund

  71,000

  Scoliosis Association UK

  1,000

  Sense (NADBRH)

  65,000

  Sequal

  25,000

  Sickle Cell Society

  35,000

  Skills for People

  11,000

  South Regional Association for the Blind

  127,577

  St. Katherine Housing Trust

  18,000

  Standing Committee on Sexual Abuse of Children (SCOSAC)

  20,000

  Standing Conference on Drug Abuse (SCODA)

  277,500

  Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society (SANDS)

  30,000

  Streetwise Youth

  10,000

  Support After Termination for Abnormality

  5,000

  Tacade

  10,000

  Tavistock Clinic Foundation

  14,070

  Tay Sachs and Allied Diseases Association

  5,000

  Terence Higgins Trust

  450,000

  Thalassamenia Society

  15,000

  Tibbie Trust

  1,500

  Tracheo Oesophageal Fistula Support (TOFS)

  3,000

  Tripscope

  4,000

  Tuberous Sclerosis Association

  2,000

  Turning Point

  110,000

  Twins and Multiple Births Association (TAMBA)

  7,750

  United Response

  25,000

  Values Into Action (was Campaign for Mentally Handicapped)

  20,000

  Vitiligo

  4,000

  Vocal

  15,000

  Voice for the Child in Care

  10,000

  Voluntary Council for Handicapped Children

  60,000

  Voluntary Organisations Liaison Committee for Under Fives (VOLCUF)

  36,000

  Walsingham Community Homes

  10,000

  Wessex Rehabilitation Association

  7,500

  Westminster Pastoral Foundation

  60,000

  Widows Advisory Trust

  18,000

  Winged Fellowship Trust

  15,000

  Women's Aid Federation (England)

  130,000

  Women's Health Concern

  20,000

  Women's National Cancer Control Campaign

  32,000

  Womens Therapy Centre

  1.5,000

  Working Mothers Association

  15,000

  Young Minds

  10,000

  Total paid1

  £14,771,124

  1 This total includes £50,000 paid to Voluntary Organisations for Europe Against Cancer.

  Gulf Casualties
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 23 April,Official Report, column 397, when he expects to receive and validate the final figures from regional health authorities in respect of Gulf casualties.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Regional health authorities have been asked to submit final figures for the costs they incurred in making preparations to treat casualties. We expect that final figures will be received and validated within a few weeks.

  Nurses' Grading
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he expects nursing clinical grading appeals in Northumberland health authority to be completed; and if he will make a statement.
  440
  Mr. Dorrell
  Information is not held centrally on district level appeals.

  Creuzfeldt-Jakob Disease
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps his Department is taking to establish a counselling service for those individuals who may have been infected with Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease by the use of contaminated growth hormone, and the families of those individuals;

  (2) what steps his Department has taken to notify all those individuals who may have been infected with Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease from injections of contaminated growth hormones of the nature of their position;

  (3) if his Department has successfully identified all those individuals who may have become infected with Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease from injection of contaminated growth hormone.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Those at risk were the 1,908 patients treated with human pituitary derived growth hormone in clinical trials conducted between 1959 and 1985. From records kept of these trials, 1,699 patients have been identified as currently resident in Great Britain. Of these, 80 per cent. have been traced and their general practitioner notified. We expect that a substantial number of the remaining patients will be traced over the next few weeks.

  The GPs are asked if they wish to advise their patients of the risk or if they would prefer the approach to be made by hospital specialists. If the doctors requested further help with counselling we would consider what additional assistance we could provide.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what regulations and practices have been instituted since 1985 to ensure that those infected with diseases such as Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease through the use of contaminated products are informed at the earliest possible opportunity of their condition.

  Mr. Dorrell
  These instances are rare and the complex clinical and ethical issues that determine how best to proceed need to be considered in each instance. Generally, we believe that the doctors involved in treatment are best placed to decided when and how to convey such information.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many individuals have been infected with Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease by the use of contaminated growth hormone.

  Mr. Dorrell
  At present, there is no specific test for Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) in the living patient and diagnosis can be confirmed only in post-mortem histological examination. Post-mortems carried out on 110 patients treated in the trials of human-derived growth hormone show that six died with CJD. I am advised that the great majority of the remaining patients treated in the trials are unlikely to have been infected.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has successfully identified all those batches of growth hormone that were infected by Creuzfeldt-Jakob disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  On the basis of current knowledge it is not possible to identify which batches of human-derived
  441
  growth hormone used in the clinical trials conducted between 1959 and 1985 were infected with Creutzfeldt Jakob disease. Human-derived material has not been used since 1985, when a genetically engineered hormone treatment became available.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many general practitioners in Britain with over 3,000 patients on their list are working single-handed;

  (2) how many general practitioners in Britain have over 3,000 patients on their list.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 1 October 1990, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,585 general practitioners in England with a personal list size of over 3,000 patients, of whom 373 are working single-handed. The information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries for State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Geoffrey Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will consider amending the regulations to provide that the maximum number of patients for whom any doctor can receive payment is 2,500.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. List sizes have been falling steadily for a number of years, with the average now below 2,000.

  Eye Tests
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of eye tests taken by men over 65 years and women over 60 years for each year since 1987.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information is not collected on the age of adults receiving national health service sight tests.

  Medical Products (Contamination)
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department has taken since 1985 to screen all products such as growth hormones for contamination by serious disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Medicines Control Agency, which is responsible for the grant of licences under the Medicines Act 1968, requires that applicants for licences supply scientific information to support the application. The agency has issued guidance on the selection of human and animal-derived materials used in the manufacture of medicinal products. Manufacturers are expected to apply appropriate criteria for selecting the sources of such material including screening tests so that contaminated material may be excluded. The agency evaluates data submitted in support of applications with advice, when required, from expert advisory committees set up under the Medicines Act.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement regarding the nature and extent of screening of blood products by the blood transfusion service for contamination by highly infectious diseases.
  442
  Mr. Dorrell
  In the interests of maintaining the safety of the blood supply, all potential donors are advised not to donate blood or plasma if they consider that they are in one of the high-risk groups for infectious diseases. Additional specific groups are also excluded—such as recipients of human growth hormone, although there is no evidence that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease infection is transmitted by blood or blood products.

  In addition, all blood and plasma donations collected by the National Blood Transfusion Service are routinely tested for HIV 1 and HIV 2, hepatitis B and syphilis. These arrangements are kept under review in the light of any new developments. The Blood Transfusion Service is currently evaluating tests for the hepatitis C antibody and it is expected that routine tests for hepatitis C will be introduced from September 1991.

  All factor VIII and IX produced from screened and tested donations are heat treated to inactivate HIV and other viruses. Blood itself cannot be heat treated.

  Schoolchildren (Blood Lead Levels)
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by place and date all his Department's surveys into lead levels in the blood of schoolchildren since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has not carried out any such surveys. However, surveys have been commissioned by the Department of the Environment (DOE) and the Medical Research Council (MRC) which is the main agency through which the Government support bio-medical and clinical research in the United Kingdom.

  The DOE has published the results of the surveys it has commissioned in its Pollution Report Series "United Kingdom Blood Lead Monitoring Programme, 1984–1987". Report No. 28 (1990) summarises all the results for 1984–87. Details of the results for 1984–1986 are given in reports 22, 24 and 26. Copies of all these reports are available in the Library.

  The surveys show a progressive fall in children's blood lead levels.

  Agency Status
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list those bodies currently with agency status within his Department under the "next steps" initiative; and whether he has identified any further candidates for agency status under the initiative within his Department.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The NHS Estates Agency was launched on 1 April 1991. In a reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Nuneaton (Mr. Stevens) on 17 April at column 204, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced that the Medicines Control Agency had been identified as a candidate for executive agency status. Further candidates are being considered.

  Romanian Children
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many children from Romania his Department has recommended for entry clearance for adoption in the United Kingdom.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since December 1989, the Department has recommended to the Home Office that entry clearance should be authorised in respect of 206
  443
  Romanian children for adoption in England. Information relating to Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Northern Ireland, for Scotland and for Wales.

  Cleveland Child Abuse Inquiry
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which categories of persons or bodies received funding from his Department in respect of the inquiry into child abuse in Cleveland in 1987; what were the purposes for which funding was made available; what was the total amount of expenditure incurred by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department gave funds of £300,000 each to the Cleveland county council and the Northern regional health authority in respect of the inquiry into child abuse in 1987. The payments were made in recognition of the exceptional length of the inquiry to assist the local authority and health authority with the costs which they incurred; the total expenditure incurred by the Department including these payments which can be separately identified was about £1·25 million.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information on the salaries of the executive directors of national health service trusts will be included in the trusts' annual reports.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: Annual financial statements for each trust will show the number of employees, including executive directors, receiving remuneration of over £40,000 in bands of £5,000. These statements will also show the emoluments of the highest paid board member separately and the number of board members receiving emoluments in bands of £5,000 with no lower limit.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits and Allowances
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the saving if no social security, housing, or welfare benefits other than child benefit were paid to any single person whose income was more than £65 per week and to couples married or otherwise whose income was more than £130 per week.

  Mr. Jack
  The estimated savings in the income-related benefits are in the table.

  Savings (£ million)

  Income Support

  5

  Family Credit

  210

  Housing Benefit

  240

  Community Charge Benefit

  60

  Comparable details are not held for benefits which are riot income related arid it is not therefore possible to give estimates for them.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the total anticipated costs of the Benefits Agency, including uniforms and office alterations.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the 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.

  Marginal Tax Rates
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the numbers of lower-paid families with and without children showing one and two-parent families with children separately, whose marginal tax rates, including benefit withdrawal, will be(a) 90 to 100 per cent., (b) 80 to 90 per cent., (c) 70 to 80 per cent., (d) 60 to 70 per cent., (e) 50 to 60 per cent. and (f) 40 to 50 per cent., taking into account the tax changes for 1991–92.

  Mr. Jack
  The information requested is set out in the table.

  Marginal deduction rates including Social Security Numbers with marginal deduction rates within each range (thousands) Great Britain

  Per cent.

  Couples with children

  Single parents

  Others

  90 to 99

  25

  30

  0

  80 to 89

  95

  35

  15

  70 to 79

  80

  55

  50

  60 to 69

  —1

  —1

  —1

  50 to 59

  0

  0

  0

  40 to 49

  5

  0

  15

  Figures are based on pooled Family Expenditure Survey data.

  Calculated for benefit units in receipt of income-related benefits where at least one partner works 24 hours per week or more.

  1 Denotes less than 5,000.

  Claimants, Blyth Valley
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many adults in(a) Blyth Valley or (b) Northumberland over the age of 18 years were in receipt of income support for 1990–91.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of income support is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the 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. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many poll tax payers in the Blyth Valley district council area will lose rebate arising out of the proposed reduction in the poll tax.

  Miss Widdecombe
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people are receiving family credit in the areas covered by his Department's Blyth Valley offices.

  Mr. Jack
  The administration of family credit is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the
  445
  Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Income Support
  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants had direct deductions for gas, electricity, rent arrears, poll tax arrears, water rates and social fund loans in 1990.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Figures for May 1989 are contained in table 10 of the "Department of Social Security Income Support Statistics Annual Statistical Inquiry, May 1989", a copy of which is in the Library. There were no deductions for community charge at that time. Figures for the numbers of claimants with deductions in May 1990 will be published shortly.

  Mr. Clay
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many families with children were in receipt of income support in each year since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Income support was introduced in April 1988 when it replaced supplementary benefit. The numbers of families with children under the age of 16 years receiving those benefits since 1979 is in the table:

  Thousands

  November 1979

  477

  December 1980

  567

  December 1981

  777

  December 1982

  907

  December 1983

  948

  December 1984

  1,031

  February 1986

  1,137

  May 1987

  1,138

  May 1988

  1,119

  May 1989

  1,106

  Source Annual Statistical Enquiries.

  Note There was no Annual Statistical Enquiry in 1985: the one due in December that year was deferred until February 1986.

  Social Fund
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the gross and net budgets of the social fund for each year since its introduction for(a) the Greenock and Port Glasgow local offices, (b) local offices in Strathclyde and (c) local offices in Scotland; and if he will break down these budgets into (i) crisis loans, (ii) budgeting loans and (iii) community care grants and showing the change in real terms since 1988–89.

  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 with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mobility Allowance
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current practice of the mobility allowance unit in respect of the period for which mobility allowance to disabled people is awarded; and what is the relationship between the period of award and eligibility for the mobility scheme.

  Mr. Scott
  Decisions on eligibility and the duration of an award are for independent adjudicating authorities in 446
  accordance with the appropriate legislation. The minimum period awarded is one year and the maximum is until the disabled person reaches age 80.

  The minimum period of award required to take advantage of the motability scheme is three years for a leased vehicle. To purchase on hire purchase requires an award of two years for a second-hand vehicle, or four years for a new one.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's policies on the award of mobility and attendance allowance pending the introduction of disability allowance in 1992; and whether he has any information on the number of people currently receiving mobility allowance who will receive the lower rate of allowance when the new disability allowance is introduced.

  Mr. Scott
  Awards of attendance allowance and mobility allowance will continue to be made on the same basis as they are now until disability living allowance is introduced in April 1992. People who are in receipt of mobility allowance at the point of change will be automatically transferred to the higher rate of the mobility component of disability living allowance.

  Poll Tax Deductions
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answer of 13 May,Official Report, column 29, to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr Meacher), what is the estimated cost to public funds of administering in the week of February containing the quarterly day, the 28th, the deductions from 36,448 people's income support to cover poll tax arrears; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The administration of income support 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.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish in the Official Report the letter sent to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East in answer to his question of 1 May, Official Report, column 255.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the letter by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State to all right hon. and hon. Members about the arrangements for handling parliamentary questions concerning operational matters within the remit of the Benefits Agency. In accordance with the terms of that letter, a copy of Mr. Bichard's reply to the hon. Member of 8 May, which set out the information requested in considerable detail, has been placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Next Steps
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement about the criteria for selecting those matters within his responsibility and the responsibility of the next steps agencies which are deemed to be operational matters.
  447
  Miss Widdecombe
  The responsibilities of chief executives of DSS agencies on operational matters are set out in the framework document for each agency, copies of which are available in the Library. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all right hon. and hon. Members about the new arrangements we were introducing for Members' correspondence and written parliamentary questions about the operational activities of DSS agencies. The arrangements are designed to provide a better service to Members. Ministers remain fully accountable for the work of the Department including its executive agencies.

  Information Technology Services Agency
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when the chief executive at the Information Technology Services Agency will meet NVCPS, CPSA, and other staff unions to discuss the agency's first-year business plan; when the second-year business plan will be published; and when the fifth-year strategic plan will be published.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Consultation with staff unions and the publication of agency business and strategic plans are matters for Mr. John Kenworthy, the chief executive of the Information Technology Services Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure by his Department on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his estimate for 1990–91 and budget for 1991–92.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 30 April 1991]I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Industrial Development Board
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many jobs were promoted by the Industrial Development Board in each of the 17 parliamentary constituencies during the years 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  Parliamentary constituency

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Belfast, East

  106

  74

  Belfast, North

  23

  —

  Belfast, South

  82

  973

  Belfast, West

  496

  119

  East Antrim

  651

  129

  East Londonderry

  166

  40

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  212

  619

  Foyle

  827

  371

  Lagan Valley

  85

  288

  Mid Ulster

  150

  388

  Newry and Armagh

  34

  160

  North Antrim

  246

  460

  North Down

  425

  —

  South Antrim

  1,068

  185

  South Down

  56

  72

  Strangford

  87

  50

  Upper Bann

  417

  474

  Speech Therapists
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) full-time and (b) part-time speech therapists are currently employed by each health board in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of the number of speech therapists employed by each health and social services board in Northern Ireland at 31 March 1991 are as follows:

  Health and social services board

  Full-time

  Part-time

  Eastern

  64

  19

  Northern

  30

  13

  Southern

  20

  4

  Western

  25

  1

  TOTAL

  139

  37

  Since 1981, the number of speech therapists in Northern Ireland has risen from 118 (whole-time equivalent 100·58) to 176 (whole-time equivalent 158·30) an increase in real terms of 57·38 per cent.

  Belvoir Park Estate, Castlereagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the criteria for membership of the Wednesday club for the elderly in the community centre in Belvoir park estate in the borough of Castlereagh.

  Mr. Hanley
  The management of the Wednesday club for the elderly in the Belvoir park estate is the responsibility of the eastern health and social services board. When I have received the necessary information from the board, I will write to the right hon. Gentleman and arrange for a copy of my reply to be placed in the Library.

  Prisoners
  Mr. Livingstone
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what percentage of the prison population of Northern Ireland is nationalist; and what percentage is loyalist.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 20 May 1991] The information requested is not available.

EMPLOYMENT

  Trainees
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of(a) ET trainees and (b) YT trainees respond to follow-up surveys after completion of their courses.

  Mr. Jackson
  About 50 per cent. of ET trainees and YT trainees respond to national follow-up surveys. These response rates are very good for such large-scale voluntary postal surveys.

  Approved Training Organisations
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many approved training organisations there are in(a) Northumberland and (b) Blyth Valley; and what are their names.
  449
  Mr. Jackson
  The numbers and names of approved training organisations in Northumberland and Blyth Valley is a matter for the training and enterprise council to answer. TECs have agreed to ensure that providers secure approved training organisation or equivalent status within a period of time set out in the TEC's agreed business plan.

  Work-related Training
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentages of people on work-related Government training programmes are(a) aged 18 to 24 years and (b) aged 50 years and over.

  Mr. Jackson
  The proportion of trainees on youth training aged 18 to 24 fluctuates during the year between 10 per cent. and 30 per cent. Thirty-five per cent. of entrants to employment training are in the 18 to 24 age group and 5 per cent. are 51 and over.

  Occupational injuries1 in the East Midlands Region (incidence rates per 100,000 employees) 1986–87—1989–90 (provisional)

  Standard Industrial Classification 1980 Sector

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–906

  Fatal + Major2

  Over 3 Day3

  Fatal + Major2

  Over 3 Day3

  Fatal + Major2

  Over 3 Day3

  Fatal + Major2

  Over 3 Day3

  Agriculture

  5116·5

  427·2

  5176·5

  568·6

  206·2

  611·7

  183·5

  565·5

  Energy

  473·2

  4888·7

  360·6

  2,880·3

  419·2

  4,589·3

  418·3

  4,140·1

  Manufacturing

  138·9

  1,121·7

  146·5

  988·3

  136·5

  1,096·3

  121·9

  1,199·5

  Construction

  185·1

  1,478·8

  197·4

  1,365·4

  205·7

  1,430·6

  215·4

  1,710·3

  Services

  63·1

  473·1

  56·5

  475·8

  56·0

  462·2

  52·9

  464·6

  All Industries

  94·3

  743·7

  106·5

  780·3

  104·4

  862·6

  95·8

  871·1

  1 Based on injuries to employees, reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations, 1985 (RIDDOR), to all enforcement authorities excluding HSE's Railway Inspectorate.

  2 As denned under RIDDOR.

  3 Injuries causing incapacity for work for more than three days.

  4 Excludes injuries reported to HSE's Inspectorate of Mines and Quarries.

  5 Analysis by county of fatal injuries reported to HSE's Agricultural Inspectorate in 1986–87 and 1987–88 is not available.

  6 —provisional.

  HSE Inspectors
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of inspectors employed within the north midlands area of the Health and Safety Executive in each year since 1986–87 in(a) the factory inspectorate, (b) the mines and quarries inspectorate and (c) the agricultural inspectorate.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is given below for 1 April each year.

  Year at 1 April

  Inspectors in FI

  Inspectors in AI

  Inspectors in MQI1 2

  1986

  23

  10

  8

  1987

  23

  11

  10

  1988

  21

  11

  7

  1989

  23

  12

  9

  1990

  28

  9

  7

  1991

  30

  9

  6

  1 The figures given are for both Mines and Quarries Inspectors although under an internal reorganisation in October 1989 Quarries Inspectors joined Factory and Agricultural Inspectors in a new Division. From that date the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate was renamed the Mines Inspectorate.

  2 Mines Inspectorate is organised into districts whose boundaries differ from those of HSE's areas.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total number of inspectors employed within the east midlands area of the Health and

  Work Accidents
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what were the calculated incidence rates per 100,000 employees based upon injuries as a result of work activities reported to enforcement authorities in the five counties of the east midlands region for each year since 1986–87 in the categories (i) fatal and major and (ii) over three days in(a) agriculture, (b) energy, (c) manufacturing, (d) construction, (e) services and (f) all industries.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information is provided in the table below. Analysis by individual counties could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Safety Executive in each year since 1986–87 in (a) the factory inspectorate, (b) the mines and quarries inspectorate and (c) the agricultural inspectorate.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information is as follows for 1 April each year.

  Year

  Inspectors in FI

  Inspectors in AI

  Quarries Inspectors1 2

  1986

  25·0

  9

  —

  1987

  26·0

  8

  —

  1988

  24·5

  9

  —

  1989

  26·0

  9

  —

  1990

  27·0

  9

  1

  1991

  30·5

  8

  1

  1 No Mines and Quarries Inspectors were based within the HSEs East Midlands Area until October 1989 when an internal reorganisation resulted in Quarries Inspectors joining Factory and Agricultural Inspectors in a new Division. From that date the Mines and Quarries Inspectorate was renamed the Mines Inspectorate.

  2 Mines Inspectorate is organised into Districts whose boundaries differ from those of HSEs areas.

  Agency Status
  Mr. Cash
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those bodies currently with agency status within his Department under the next steps initiative; and whether he has identified any further candidates for agency status under the initiative within his Department.

  Mr. Jackson
  In April 1990, we established the Employment Service as a next steps agency. The
  451
  Employment Service employs some 38,000 people and its aim is to give positive help to unemployed people through job placement services and other programmes, and by payments of benefits and allowances to those entitled to them. It is the second biggest agency to be set up under the next steps initiative.

  There are no other candidates for agency status at present. However, we are currently considering the further application of next steps agency status to departmental functions.

  Defence Manufacturing
  Sir Neil Macfarlane
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he is taking to assist employees of companies engaged in defence manufacturing to seek alternative employment.

  Mr. Jackson
  The full range of services and facilities of the Department, the Employment Service and training and enterprise councils is available to assist employees who lose their jobs in the defence industry and other industries to find and train for alternative employment.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide an analysis of the amount each training and enterprise council has received of the additional £120 million for employment training distributed by the Training, Enterprise and Education Directorate; how much remains to be distributed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The additional £120 million for ET in 1991–92 was distributed on the basis of the allocation formulae agreed with the TECs and with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Scotland for the original distribution of the ET budgets in 1991–92. The £120 million has been fully incorporated into TEC business plans which are commercially confidential.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list those travel-to-work areas in England, together with the respective percentages, where 40 per cent. or more of all employees are engaged in production.

  Mr. Jackson
  The most recent estimates of employees in employment in travel-to-work areas are from the September 1989 census of employment. The travel-to-work areas in England with 40 per cent. or more of employees employed in the production industries are listed in the table below.

  Travel-to-work area

  Proportion1 percentage

  Haverhill

  55·4

  Pendle

  54·2

  Barrow-in-Furness

  53·5

  Corby

  51·5

  Alfreton and Ashfield

  49·9

  Chard

  47·9

  Burnley

  46·3

  Loughborough and Coalville

  45·0

  Bishop Auckland

  44·9

  Retford

  44·5

  Accrington and Rossendale

  44·4

  452

  Travel-to-work area

  Proportion1 percentage

  Stoke

  44·4

  Walsall

  44·2

  Gainsborough

  43·1

  Whitehaven

  43·0

  Oldham

  42·7

  Uttoxeter and Ashbourne

  42·6

  Castleford and Pontefract

  42·5

  Blackburn

  41·6

  Burton-on-Trent

  41·4

  Calderdale

  41·3

  Kidderminster

  41·2

  Dudley and Sandwell

  40·9

  Widnes and Runcorn

  40·9

  Leek

  40·5

  Telford and Bridgnorth

  40·3

  1 Employees in Divisions 1 to 4 of the Standard Industrial Classification 1980 as a percentage of all employees in the travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what percentage of all employees in England are employed in(a) production and (b) services;

  (2) what percentage of all employees in (i) the south-east and (ii) the south-west of England are employed in (a) production and (b) services;

  (3) what information he has as to what percentage of all employees in (i) the United Kingdom, (ii) Germany, (iii) France and (iv) Italy were at the latest available dates, respectively, employed in (a) services and (b) production.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available is shown in the table.

  Employees in Employment

  Percentage of Employees in Production Industries

  Percentage of Employees in Service Industries

  December 1990

  England1

  24·5

  69·8

  South East1

  17·9

  77·3

  South West1

  22·8

  70·6

  United Kingdom1

  24·4

  69·6

  (December 1990)

  Germany (F.R.)2

  37·6

  54·5

  (June 1986)

  France2

  25·8

  65·8

  (June 1988)

  Italy2

  28·9

  56·7

  (June 1988)

  1Source: Employment Department.

  2Source: O.E.C.D. Labour Force Statistics.

  Oil Platforms
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the semi-submersible rigs and jack-up structures which require modifications in terms of safety requirements outlined and recommended by the public inquiry into the Piper Alpha disaster and the date by which he expects such work to be completed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  Lord Cullen's 106 recommendations include wide-ranging reform of offshore safety legislation, with a new requirement for operators to produce, and have accepted by the Health and Safety Executive, a safety case
  453
  for every offshore installation. The report's recommendations apply to both fixed and mobile installations. It is not possible to say in advance what changes any individual installation will be required to make.

  I refer the hon. Member also to my answer of 15 May 1991, Official Report, column 211–12.

  Press and Public Relations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the total expenditure by the Training Agency-Manpower Services Commission on press and public relations in 1979–80 and in each following year; and what is his estimate for 1990–91 and budget for 1991–92.

  Mr. Jackson
  [pursuant to his reply, 30 April]: I regret that the information given in my reply of 30 April, Official Report, column 106, contained an incorrect table. The correct information is as follows.

  Year

  Expenditure £ million

  Actual

  1979–80 to 1985–86

  n/a

  1986–87

  1·08

  1987–88

  1·014

  1988–89

  3·185

  1989–90

  3·331

  Estimated

  1990–91

  3·564

  Notes:

  Figures for 1986–87 and 1987–88 are for DE Information Division only. Figures for TA are not available.

  Figures for 1988–89 and 1989–90 represent total expenditure separately incurred by DE information Services Branch; the two merged in November 1989.

  (b) Expenditure levels for 1991–92 are in the process of being set.

DEFENCE

  Arms Dump, Caerwent
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any assessment has been made of the consequences on the surrounding area and the local population of an aircraft crash on the arms dump at Caerwent, Gwent.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There has been no such specific assessment. However, the base has a comprehensive plan for dealing with all types of emergency, particularly ones involving fire.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of restrictions on flying near and over the arms dump at Caerwent, Gwent.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  There are no special restrictions on civil overflights of RAF Caerwent but military flying regulations take account of potential hazards at this and similar sites.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of restrictions on low-flying exercises at or near the populated areas of south Gwent.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Aircrew carrying out low-flying exercises in the United Kingdom low-flying system are 454
  instructed to avoid overflying the centres of major conurbations and built-up areas and will, where practicable, seek to avoid all populated areas.

  Sea Harrier Crash
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will instigate a full inquiry into the crash of a Sea Harrier into a hillside at Wentwood. Gwent, on the morning of 10 May.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is standard procedure to convene a naval board of inquiry following an accident involving the loss of a Royal Navy aircraft. This inquiry will determine the cause of the accident and make recommendations on any lessons that may be learnt.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has on the flying pattern of the Sea Harrier that crashed into a hillside at Caerwent on 10 May, prior to the crash.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The aircraft was one of a group of three conducting a routine low-level reconnaissance sortie. The details of the accident are still being reviewed by a board of inquiry.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Sea Harrier that crashed at Wentwood, Gwent, on 10 May was on a low-flying exercise.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Yes.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish details of any emergency landing areas in Gwent that are recommended for use by aircraft in emergencies.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No emergency landing areas for military aircraft are specifically designated in Gwent. In any emergency it would be the reponsibility of the aircraft's captain to select the airfield most suited to deal with his particular circumstances. Details of military and civil airfields and emergency facilities are regularly promulgated.

  Military Nuclear Materials
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to order a review of the safety of all facilities currently involved in the production and processing of military nuclear materials.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. All United Kingdom facilities involved in the production and processing of nuclear materials for military purposes are subject to a continuing safety review.

  Defence Industry
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 March,Official Report, column 165, what studies have been carried out regarding the ability of the United Kingdom defence industry to support military operations in the mid-1990s.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Studies into the lessons of Operation Granby will include assessments of the United Kingdom defence industry's support for military operations and their implications for the future.

  CSBM Negotiations
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 March,Official Report, column 166, whether any personnel from the Royal Navy have been involved in the negotiations on confidence and security-building measures in Europe.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are no Royal Navy personnel directly involved in the CSBM negotiations. Naval staffs within the Ministry of Defence are consulted as necessary.

  The Gulf
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel have been injured in non-combat accidents in the Gulf since 2 August 1990.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  According to our current records, some 540 armed forces personnel have been injured in non-combat accidents in the Gulf since 2 August 1990. This figure does not include minor injuries to Army personnel during the period up to 16 January 1991 when such injuries were not subject to central recording, nor does it include casualties who subsequently died.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 20 March about Operation Granby,Official Report, column 165, what is the approximate number of combat sorties carried out from the commencement of the air campaign that were (a) ground attack missions and (b) air defence missions.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  During hostilities in the Gulf, RAF Tornado GR1, Jaguar GR1 and Buccaneer aircraft flew some 2,400 sorties against targets in Iraq and Kuwait. RAF Tornado F3s flew about 700 air defence sorties.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the approximate number of(a) ground attack sorties, (b) tactical transport sorties and (c) non-combat sorties carried out by the Army Air Corps during Operation Granby; and if he will make a statement about army Air Corps operations during Operation Granby.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I regret that information on Army Air Corps activity was not recorded in the form requested. Army Air Corps Lynx and Gazelle helicopters were used during the allied operations to liberate Kuwait. During the night of 26 February, when 1st (British) Armoured Division was engaging an Iraqi armoured division, two Lynx, operating with two Gazelles, are believed to have destroyed four Iraqi tanks and three armoured personnel carriers.

  Defence Quality Assurance (Headquarters)
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce a decision about the relocation of the headquarters of the directorate general of defence quality assurance.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A decision about the relocation of the directorate general defence quality assurance headquarters will be made as soon as possible after completion of the current studies.

  RNAS Coulport
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the floating jetty, at present under construction at Hunterston, will be placed in an operational condition at Royal Naval Auxiliary Service Coulport; if any revisions have had to be made in terms of the date of completion of the contract; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The explosives handling jetty construction programme has been subject to some delay, and we are currently examining what further steps are necessary in order to maintain the programme.

SCOTLAND

  Elderly Forums
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support the Scottish Office has provided to elderly forums; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend currently provides financial assistance to three elderly forums through the urban programme at a cost of £99,000 in 1991–92. They are in Strathclyde, Renfrew and Edinburgh. The funding over a period of four years represents 75 per cent. of the cost of the projects.

  Scottish Homes
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward provisions which will enable Scottish Homes to claw back any subsidy given to transferred Scottish Homes housing stock which is subsequently sold on the open market and which thereby generates a windfall profit.

  Mr. Lang
  No. Scottish Homes already has the power to impose conditions on any financial assistance which it may provide in this connection. It is for it as owner of the stock to determine appropriate arrangements for clawback in the event of a subsequent disposal.

  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will bring forward provisions to ensure that in assessing the continuing need for transferred Scottish Homes housing stock to remain available for affordable commercial renting, Scottish Homes will be required to take account of the recommendations of the district councils in their role as statutory local housing authorities.

  Mr. Lang
  No. Scottish Homes has already been given guidance on the need to consult local authorities and to give careful consideration to their views. Scottish Homes in putting forward any proposals for the Secretary of State's consent will be expected to draw attention to any impact on the local authority's interest and on the authority's capacity to meet its continuing statutory housing obligations.

  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether valuations on Scottish Homes' housing stock will take account of any burdens on its disposal.

  Mr. Lang
  Valuation of Scottish Homes' housing stock which is to be disposed to a new landlord will be set by the
  457
  district valuer who will take into account the market value subject to existing tenancies, the condition of the stock and the fact that tenants transferring will have a preserved right to buy.

  Community Charge Relief
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many people successfully claimed personal community charge transitional relief in(a) 1989–90 and (b) 1990–91 in each islands and district council area in Scotland.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Regional and island councils are required to provide information on the numbers of people who qualified for relief under the original and the enhanced transitional relief schemes. Information about qualifiers in district council areas is not available centrally. The table shows provisional figures provided by local authorities of qualifiers in 1989–90. The scheme was revised in January 1991 with backdated effect to 1 April 1990. In practice, only one authority paid out relief in respect of the financial year 1990–91 before the scheme was replaced by the personal community charge reduction scheme. Figures for 1990–91 are not therefore available.

  1989–90

  Borders

  1,655

  Central

  4,679

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,664

  Fife

  16,202

  Highland

  9,211

  Lothian

  78,795

  Strathclyde

  157,000

  Tayside

  25,833

  Grampian

  9,668

  Shetland

  166

  Orkney

  —

  Western Isles

  313

  Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give, for each year since 1970–71, at fixed prices total expenditure on the national health service, further breaking it down into expenditure on(a) health board administration and (b) hospital and community services, distinguishing (1) capital and (2) revenue, (c) family practitioner services, (d) central health services, distinguishing (1) capital and (2) revenue, (e) state hospital (1) capital and (2) revenue, (f) training, (g) research, (h) disabled service, (i) welfare foods and (j) miscellaneous.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information in the format requested is not available.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the expenses incurred by(a) his Department and (b) Ayrshire and Arran health board in connection with the application for self-governing status by the South Ayrshire hospitals trust.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The cost of preparing and printing the application is of the order of £20,000. This will ensure that copies are widely available to interested parties during the statutory consultation period. The cost is being met from additional resources available for implementation of the NHS reforms.

  Children (Special Needs)
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of places available each year since 1979 in(a) list G schools, (b) list D schools and (c) children's homes.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information about the number of places at schools entered in list G is not collected annually. There are currently around 15,000 such places.

  The list D category was abolished from 1 April 1986. From that date, former list D schools were included in the statistical returns as children's homes. The number of places in such schools up to 1986 was as follows.

  Places

  1979

  1,585

  1980

  1,509

  1981

  1,514

  1982

  1,349

  1983

  1,203

  1984

  1,099

  1985

  1,107

  1986

  857

  The number of places in children's homes was as follows.

  Places

  1979

  5,062

  1980

  5,049

  1981

  4,669

  1982

  4,301

  1983

  3,836

  1984

  3,442

  1985

  3,043

  1986

  2,661

  1987

  12,995

  1988

  12,916

  1 Includes former list D schools.

  Employment Statistics
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those travel-to-work areas, together with the respective percentages, where 40 per cent. or more of all employees are employed in production.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The most recent estimates of employees in employment in travel-to-work areas are from the September 1989 census of employment. The travel-to-work areas in Scotland with 40 per cent. or more of employees employed in the production industries are listed in the table.

  Travel-to-work areas in Scotland where 40 per cent, or more of all employees in employment were employed in the production Industries

  Travel-to-work area

  Percentage of employees1 employed in production

  Alloa

  42·8

  Annan

  47·5

  Fraserburgh

  43·8

  Hawick

  51·4

  Keith

  48·9

  Peterhead

  41·1

  Source: Employment Department 1989 Census of Employment.

  1 Employees in employment in divisions 1 to 4 of the 1980 standard industrial classification as a percentage of all employees in employment in the travel-to-work area.
  459
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of all employees in Scotland are employed in(a) production and (b) services.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  In December 1990, the latest date for which information is available, 23·4 per cent. of Scottish employees in employment were employed in the production industries and 68·3 per cent. in services.

  Legal Aid
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each of the last 10 years the number of households eligible for legal aid in court proceedings and the percentage of those entitled who had to make a contribution to legal costs.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available.

  Dr. Godman.
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by year for the last 10 years the number of individuals who have qualified for legal aid; and what percentage of the population this represents.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is not available in the form requested. Figures for the number of legal aid applications granted are set out below.

  Year

  Total number of Legal Aid applications granted

  Total number of Legal Aid applications granted as a percentage of population

  1981–82

  186,603

  3·6

  1982–83

  196,093

  3·8

  1983–84

  211,437

  4·1

  1984–85

  221,289

  4·3

  1985–86

  239,985

  4·7

  1986–87

  258,690

  5·0

  1987–88

  306,276

  6·0

  1988–89

  290,053

  5·7

  1989–90

  300,422

  5·9

  1990–91

  1—

  1—

  1 At present these figures are not available.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by year for the past 10 years the number of people entitled to free legal advice.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not available.

  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on access to free legal services.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Legal services paid for under legal aid schemes are available free of charge to all those who satisfy the relevant merits tests and whose means are such that they are not required to make a financial contribution towards their legal costs.

  Unfitness to Plead
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if it is his intention to introduce legislative provisions akin to those contained in the Criminal Procedure (Insanity and Unfitness to Plead) Bill; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My hon. Friend keeps under review the law on mentally disturbed offenders in 460
  Scotland, and in that context will consider the implications of any changes to the law in this area which may be enacted for England and Wales.

  Fish Processing
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many fish processing units are currently in operation, by Scottish region; and of these how many currently meet new EC hygiene requirements;

  (2) what expenditure his Department expects to be necessary in each year until 1995 in the fish processing sector to meet EC hygiene regulations; what assistance is available for such investments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Information in the form requested is not available. There are known to be over 300 fish processing units in Scotland, the majority of which are located in the Grampian region. Many fish processors already operate to standards above those that will be required under the draft EC fish hygiene directive because of the standards required by the customers. Others are already investing to bring themselves up to a higher standard. The transitional measures that will apply are still under negotiation within the Community so the dates by which the various requirements must be met have not yet been settled. In any case, it would not be possible to separate the expenditure anticipated to meet hygiene requirements from other investment in the development of fish processing businesses.

  My noble Friend the Minister with responsibility for agriculture and fisheries in Scotland announced recently that some £15 million in European Community funded grant aid has been made available to the United Kingdom's fish marketing and processing industry for the period 1991–93.

  The EC grants scheme provides for grants of up to 30 per cent. for fish marketing and processing projects along with a United Kingdom back-up grant of 5 per cent.

  Scottish fish processors secured EC grant awards over the past 10 years of around £10 million under the previous EC scheme and there is every prospect that they will continue to be successful in attracting awards under the new scheme.

  The proposed EC hygiene directive provides for a very basic set of hygiene requirements. The Scottish Fish Merchants Federation has recognised the importance to the industry of proper hygiene standards and has been pressing for early implementation of these measures, but the Government recognise that some processors have a fair way to go to meet such standards and therefore support the case for an appropriate transitional period.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what records are kept within his Department of business failures in the fish processing sector; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what employment projections have been prepared by his Department of employment in the fish processing sector in Scotland;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the current condition of and prospects for the fish processing sector in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: Some 9,000 people are employed in the fish processing industry in Scotland. Employment projections specific to

  461
  fish processing would not be reliable since the numbers employed are sensitive to the business decisions of a relatively small number of companies.

  In the past year, there have been some closures in the processing industry, mainly linked to the reduction in the supply of species such as cod and haddock, and also to problems faced in fishmeal production, but there have also been substantial new investments as many processors diversify into other species such as mackerel, herring and farmed salmon, and also into products with greater added value. The market for mackerel and herring products has improved considerably following good publicity as to the health benefits to be had from eating oily fish and the supply outlook for these species is good. The net change in employment in fish processing in Scotland during 1990 is estimated to have been small.

  Animal Carcases
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received concerning the health problems arising from the dumping of animal carcases; what action he is taking concerning the dumping of sheep in a mass open grave in Morton Wood, near Thornhill; what action he is taking to assist the knackery industry in Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway to prevent the growing dumping of animal carcases; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: My right hon. Friend has received representations about the possibility of health problems arising from the improper disposal of animal carcases from a number of hon. Members, local authorities, farmers, trade and professional interests and members of the public in some areas of Scotland, most notably Dumfries and Galloway Region.

  It is an offence under the Dogs Act 1906 to leave cattle, sheep, pigs, goats and equine carcases unburied and thereby exposed to dogs. Where this happens it is a matter for the police and local authorities. The Control of Pollution Act 1974 also contains powers which might be invoked where carcases are left unburied. The Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department has reminded local authorities, chief constables and river purification boards of their powers under the 1974 Act. In addition local branches of the National Farmers Union of Scotland in the areas concerned have been advised that their members should adhere to the law and act responsibly in disposing of carcases.

  As with other industries, farmers are responsible for disposing of their waste within the existing framework of environmental and health controls. It would not, therefore, be justifiable to use taxpayers' money to subsidise the knacker industry. The Government have assisted in a number of other ways, but the best solution to both the problem of carcase dumping and the financial difficulties of the knacker trade is for the farmers to use the service and pay the charges required of them.

  Discharged Hospital Patients
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give the number of patients resident within the Hamilton/East Kilbride unit area discharged from 462
  Monklands/Cumbernauld units in each of the acute, maternity and geriatric sectors in each of the last five years;

  (2) if he will give the number of patients resident within the Hamilton/East Kilbride unit area discharged from Motherwell/Clydesdale units in each of the acute, maternity and geriatric sectors in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: The information requested is set out in the table:

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Acute—Monklands/ Cumbernauld

  2,005

  2,186

  2,259

  2,357

  2,705

  Acute—Motherwell —Clydesdale

  1,456

  1,485

  1,695

  1,942

  1,743

  Maternity— Monklands/ Cumbernauld

  1,695

  1,792

  1,755

  1,697

  1,696

  Maternity— Motherwell/ Clydesdale

  467

  419

  423

  406

  413

  Geriatric— Monklands/ Cumbernauld

  41

  26

  3

  5

  8

  Geriatric— Motherwell/ Clydesdale

  236

  349

  395

  287

  115

  Notes:

  1. The figures for the acute sector include non-obstetric and non-psychiatric discharges but do not include discharges from special care baby units, young chronic and geriatric specialties.

  2. The figures for geriatric specialties include discharges and deaths from geriatric assessment and geriatric long stay units.

  Aberdeen Royal Infirmary
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of the capital value of all the assets of the Aberdeen royal infirmary.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: As at December 1989, the assessed capital value, on the basis of existing national health service use, of Aberdeen royal infirmary was 71·3 million. This excludes furniture and equipment.

  A74
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for the A74(a) the name of each section to be rebuilt as a motorway, (b) the state of preparation of the plans for each section, (c) the order in which each section will be constructed and (d) the estimated starting date for each section.

  Mr. Lang
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: The information requested is as follows:

  (a) Millbank to Nether Abington (11·5 km)

  Nether Abington to Elvanfoot (7·7 km)

  Elvanfoot to Paddy's Rickle Bridge (4·3 km)

  Paddy's Rickle Bridge to Harthope (6·6 km)

  Harthope to Middlegill (6·3 km)

  Middlegill to Beattock (4·2 km)

  Beattock to Annanbank (10·5 km)

  Annanbank to Dinwoodie Green (4·9 km)

  Dinwoodie Green to Muirhouse (5·1 km)

  Muirhouse to Water of Milk (5·9 km)

  Water of Milk to Ecclefechan (4·9 km)

  Ecclefechan to Eaglesfield (5·3 km)

  Eaglesfield to Kirkpatrick Fleming (6 km)

  Kirkpatrick Fleming to Gretna (7·1 km)

  463

  (b) (1) Under construction

  Millbank to Nether Abington—scheduled to be completed in November 1991

  Elvanfoot to Paddy's Rickle Bridge—scheduled to be completed in July 1992 (but programmed by the contractor to finish earlier)

  Kirkpatrick Fleming to Gretna—scheduled to be completed in October 1992

  (2) Statutory procedures completed

  Nether Abington—Elvanfoot

  Dinwoodie Green—Muirhouse

  Muirhouse—Water of Milk

  (3) Draft orders published

  Paddy's Rickle Bridge—Harthope

  Harthope—Middlegill

  Water of Milk—Ecclefechan

  Ecclefechan—Eaglesfield

  Eaglesfield—Kilpatrick Fleming

  (4) Draft proposals expected to be published by the end of this year

  Middlegill—Beattock

  Beattock—Annanbank

  Annanbank—Dinwoodie Green

  The Scottish Office Environment department has identified the Nether Abington to Elvanfoot and Muirhouse to Water of Milk, Lockerbie, sections as the next priorities for construction and the first of these has been included among the trunk road schemes scheduled to start in Scotland during the current financial year.

  No decision has been made as to the order in which subsequent schemes will be built but, in deciding this, consideration will be given to such matters as minimising disruption to traffic, completing lengths between junctions and use of excess excavated material from some schemes for others with a deficit. Decisions on the schemes to be constructed in any particular financial year are taken annually each spring and will depend on the relative priority attached to the scheme and the resources available.

  Scottish Fish Merchants Federation
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has further considered the submission of the Scottish Fish Merchants Federation Ltd. for financial assistance based on return on capital employed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: The submission of the Scottish Fish Merchants Federation Ltd. for a revenue subsidy to maintain the profits of fish processors was the subject of discussions between the SFMF and Ministers last year. It was concluded that assistance of this nature would be inappropriate and contrary to EC law. The position has not changed.

  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent meetings he has had with representatives of the Scottish Fish Merchants Federation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 20 May 1991]: I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Aberdeen, South (Mr. Doran) on 9 May.

  HIV
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the number of reports of HIV antibody positive people for each of the Scottish health boards for the year ended(a) March 1990 and (b) March 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 10 May 1991]: The table gives the number of positive HIV antibody test results, by health board area, which have been reported to the communicable diseases (Scotland) unit within the periods 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990 and 1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991. Where the total number of positive test results in a board area is under 10, the figure, in accordance with established practice, is not published so as not to jeopardise medical confidentiality.

  Health Board

  1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990

  1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991

  Argyll and Clyde

  1—

  1—

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1—

  Nil

  Borders

  Nil

  1—

  Dumfries and Galloway

  Nil

  1—

  Fife

  1—

  1—

  Forth Valley

  1—

  1—

  Grampian

  1—

  11

  Greater Glasgow

  25

  36

  Highland

  1—

  1—

  Lanarkshire

  1—

  1—

  Lothian

  91

  71

  Orkney

  Nil

  Nil

  Shetland

  Nil

  Nil

  Tayside

  15

  20

  Western Isles

  Nil

  Nil

  Totals

  147

  150

  1 Less than 10.

  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the cumulative totals for HIV antibody positive reports for each of the Scottish health boards for(a) March 1990 and (b) March 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 10 May 1991]: The table gives the cumulative totals of positive HIV antibody test results, by health board area, which had been reported to the communicable diseases (Scotland) unit up to 31 March 1990 and 31 March 1991. Where the total number of positive test results in a board area is under 10, the figure, in accordance with established practice, is not published so as not to jeopardise medical confidentiality.

  Health Board

  At 31 March 1990

  At 31 March 1991

  Argyll and Clyde

  14

  15

  Ayrshire and Arran

  1—

  1—

  Borders

  1—

  1—

  Dumfries and Galloway

  13

  15

  Fife

  26

  28

  Forth Valley

  60

  61

  Grampian

  40

  51

  Greater Glasgow

  278

  314

  Highland

  12

  14

  Lanarkshire

  27

  29

  Lothian

  1,053

  1,124

  Orkney

  Nil

  Nil

  Shetland

  1—

  1—

  Tayside

  233

  253

  Western Isles

  Nil

  Nil

  Totals

  1,769

  1,919

  1 Less than 10.

  Rents-to-mortgage Scheme
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many applications have been approved under the rents-to-mortgage scheme for(a) Scottish Home tenants, (b) tenants of new town development corporations and (c) local authority tenants in Scotland; and how many have been rejected for each category.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 May 1991]: Information on sales and applications in process, based on returns to 30 April 1991, is shown in the table.
  466
  The eligibility of a tenant to purchase under the rent to mortgage scheme is checked before a formal application to purchase is made. It is therefore not necessary to reject applications.

  Sales

  Applications in process

  Scottish Homes

  144

  95

  New Town Development Corporations

  6

  41

  Local Authorities

  —

  118

  HUNTINGDON COMMONS FOR FREEMEN AND FREEMEN'S WIDOWS
  HUNTINGDON COMMONS FOR FREEMEN AND FREEMEN'S WIDOWS
  KUWAIT: COSTS OF CLEARING MINEFIELDS
  KUWAIT: COSTS OF CLEARING MINEFIELDS
  AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS AND CARAVANS: PLANNING PERMISSION
  AGRICULTURAL BUILDINGS AND CARAVANS: PLANNING PERMISSION
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SPENDING CONTROLS
  LOCAL AUTHORITY SPENDING CONTROLS