Written Answers of 22 November 1991

TRANSPORT

  Departmental Achievements
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement of the achievements of his Department since October 1990.

  Mr. Rifkind
  My Department has continued to ensure that Britain's growing transport needs are met with regard to safety, efficiency and with proper respect for the environment.

  Serious road casualties have continued to fall. In particular, road deaths in the year ending June 1991 were at their lowest level since 1948, despite a ninefold increase in the volume of traffic in the intervening period. We are continuing to promote greater transport safety through regulation, publicity and investment. The Road Traffic Act has reformed road traffic law in the light of the North report and will ensure that bad driving and drink driving are properly punished. The law on the wearing of seat belts has been extended to passengers travelling in the rear seats of cars. We have enhanced our road safety publicity campaigns under the "Safety on the Move" umbrella, notably on drinking and driving and child road safety. For the first time, expenditure of over £30 million was specifically earmarked in the 1991–92 transport supplementary grant settlement for low-cost safety schemes.

  Increasing sums are also being spent on improving the safety of public transport. British Rail plans to spend over £200 million on specific safety measures during the current year and London Underground plans to spend over £80 million this year on further safety improvements. We have helped to secure international agreement at the International Maritime Organisation to improvements in standards for ro-ro ferries, oil tankers and bulk carriers. Under the powers in the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990, measures have been introduced for the first time for the security of passenger shipping. Existing aviation security measures have been strengthened and new ones are being developed. A new transport security division has been created within the Department, with enhanced resources.

  Significant progress has been made towards the reduction of pollution from motor vehicles. Agreement has been reached in Brussels on substantially tougher emission standards for both cars and lorries. Since 1 November, thme annual MOT test has included a test on vehicle emissions.

  Investment in transport infrastructure by both the public and private sectors is at historically high levels. The electrification of British Rail's east coast main line, at a cost of some £450 million, was completed in June 1991. British Rail invested more than £800 million in total in 1990–91—the highest in real terms in a single year since the transition from steam to diesel in the 1960s—and is expected to invest over £1 billion in the current year.
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  London Underground investment, currently running at about £450 million a year, is also at record levels. The increased EFLs for 1992–93 announced in the autumn statement—£2,040 million for BR and £1,210 million for LT—are further evidence of the Government's commitment to the railways.

  Provision for national trunk roads and motorways is being maintained at over £2 billion a year and has been more than doubled since 1988–89. The opening of the M40 extension to Birmingham in January 1991, and of the M20 between Maidstone and Ashford in May 1991, closed important gaps in the English motorway network. Since October 1990, we have opened over 150 miles of new or improved trunk roads, including 15 new bypasses.

  We have continued to take steps to encourage an enhanced role for the private sector in the provision of transport infrastructure. The new Queen Elizabeth II bridge between Dartford and Thurrock was financed and constructed entirely by the private sector. The New Roads and Street Works Act has introduced new procedures for the authorisation of privately financed roads. We have announced our choice of concessionaire for the Birmingham northern relief road.

  To encourage private sector participation in the railways, I have written to the chairman of British Rail asking BR to respond positively to reasonable proposals from the private sector to run new passenger and freight services, to charge fairly for the use of railway facilities and to allow private operators to use their own locomotives and train crew if they wish.

  We have secured the passage of legislation to enable trust ports to move into the private sector and a number of them are now seeking to do so.

  The Government have remained at the forefront of moves to liberalise the provision of air transport services, both within the European Community and through bilateral arrangements with other countries around the world. Since March 1991, airlines have been better able to match services at Heathrow to the needs of passengers, following our removal of most of the traffic distribution rules governing access to the airport.

  A45
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 12 November,Official Report, column 426–27, if he will list the number of days on which portions of the carriageways of the A45 between Bury St. Edmunds and Newmarket and Bury St. Edmunds and Stowmarket have been closed for purposes of routine maintenance and work by public utilities.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Road Accident Statistics
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what investigations he or the transport and road research laboratory, made of the cases where a blind spot in a rear view mirror has(a) caused or (b) was a potential factor in any road accident.

  Mr. Chope
  It is only possible to identify the rear-view mirror blind spot reliably as being a contributory factor to an accident when vehicles are reversing. A Transport and Road Research Laboratory study of such accidents
  315
  involving fatalities and serious injuries shows that a majority are caused by error or negligence, but that rear view blind spots are also a factor in most cases.

  SS Richard Montgomery
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement indicating the frequency of surveys undertaken on the wreck of the SS Richard Montgomery close to the Isle of Sheppey; what are the current measures being taken to protect the wreck; and if he has any plans to review the policy of maintaining these measures and otherwise leaving the wreck undisturbed.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The site of this dangerous wreck is designated as a prohibited area under the Protection of Wrecks Act 1973. It has been clearly marked as such on charts, and by notices attached to the wreck. A notice to mariners has also been issued designating the site as a foul area where trespassers are liable to prosecution.

  A number of surveys have been carried out in the wreck. Following expert advice, the last two surveys have been at roughly five-year intervals. As my hon. Friend is aware, the most recent survey was completed by September this year and I hope to make a statement as soon as we have reached conclusions about the findings.

  Road Flooding
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received regarding the placing of roadside advertisements with the slogan "road ahead flooded"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I have received a copy of a complaint made to the Advertising Standards Authority about this advertisement.

  Air France
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he is making to the European Commission's Transport Commissioner Karel van Miert to block a French Government subsidy of £200 million to Air France.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No formal representations were invited on this particular issue and I made none; but I continue to press the Commissioner for a report which he has promised on the whole issue of state aids in air transport.

WALES

  Vale Royal Porcelain Ltd
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether any assistance was given to Vale Royal Porcelain Ltd., when the company moved from Stoke on Trent to Wrexham; and whether the company is currently in receipt of grant aid or other assistance from his Department.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The company was entitled to and received regional development grant.

  Relocation Assistance
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he carries out of the financial viability of companies before providing them with relocation assistance.
  316
  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Lady to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry on 19 November 1991. Similar procedures operate in my Department.

  Mathematics Teaching
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what measures he intends to take to improve the teaching of mathematics in primary schools.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is in the process of implementing a national curriculum for mathematics in primary schools. The curriculum is aimed at improving standards, including basic mthematical skills. Pupils between the ages of five and nine are currently being taught the curriculum and from August 1993 it will apply to all primary school pupils.

  The results of the first national curriculum tests for mathematics of seven-year-olds show that 74 per cent. of pupils have reached the expected standard (level 2) or higher. These results are encouraging but there is scope for further improving basic mathematical skills. Advice has been sought from the School Examinations and Assessment Council on the detail of the results. Once this is available my right hon. Friend and I will decide what further guidance teachers might require.

  Copies of the bulletin giving details of the test results have been sent to all primary school headteachers and directors of education so that they can make their own comparisons of performance and to ensure that standards in their schools are kept under regular review.

  Her Majesty's inspectorate (Wales), as part of its ongoing programme of inspection of individual schools, will look closely at the standards of teaching in mathematics. Where the inspectorate report unacceptably low standards the local education authority will be asked about the improvements it proposes to make.

  Grant support will continue to be made available to assist local education authorities in 1992–93 to provide training and support to teachers implementing the national curriculum, including the mathematics curriculum.

  Careers Teaching
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to ensure that each secondary school in Wales has a full-time careers teacher.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  It is for local education authorities and schools to decide whether to appoint careers teachers to secondary schools.

  Standard Assessment Tasks
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children sat the language assessment for key stage 1 in the standard assesment tasks(a) in English and (b) in Welsh in each of the local education authority areas in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information requested is as follows:
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  Local Education Authority

  Number of pupils assessed in the subjects of:

  English

  1Welsh

  Clwyd

  4,079

  514

  Dyfed

  2,441

  1,625

  Gwent

  5,375

  132

  Gwynedd

  400

  2,267

  Mid Glamorgan

  6,369

  813

  Powys

  1,211

  167

  South Glamorgan

  4,804

  297

  West Glamorgan

  4,084

  403

  Wales

  28,763

  6,218

  1 The assessment of Welsh in 1991 was not a statutory requirement and was tested on a pilot basis only.

  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many children sat the language standard assessment task at key stage 1 in the current year in(a) English and (b) Welsh at each individual primary school in Dyfed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has given an undertaking to headteachers, local education authorities and teachers' unions that no data collected on the national curriculum key stage 1 assessments for 1991 will be published by the Department at individual school level.

  Poll Tax (Non-payment)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the cost involved in centrally collecting information of the numbers of people in arrears for the poll tax for 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have not estimated the cost involved in centrally collecting information on the numbers of people in arrears for community charge. The department collects information from charging authorities on the amounts of community charge received and outstanding.

  Cardiff Bay Barrage
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he considered that the proposed Cardiff bay barrage required an environment impact assessment to be carried out in accordance with articles 5 to 10 of European Council directive 85/337/EEC.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The directive indicates that it is not applied to "projects the details of which are adopted by specific acts of national legislation, since the objectives of this directive, including that of supplying information, are achieved through the legislative process". However, in accordance with Standing Orders, an environmental statement has been supplied and published, and while article 7 is not considered to be relevant in this case, it is clearly right that in its consideration of the Bill, Parliament should assess the environmental effects of the project in accordance with the provisions of the directive identified in the question.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Indonesia (Arms Embargo)
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has any plans to meet other EC partners to discuss an arms embargo on the sale of all arms and military equipment to Indonesia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  No.

  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will now review his policy on the introduction of an embargo on the sales of arms and military equipment to Indonesia.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  No. Our policy remains as stated by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister in his answer of 18 March.

  EC Treaty Provisions
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on how each EC Government and national assembly plan to implement and approve the legislation to enact treaty provisions on political, economic and monetary union.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Article 236 of the treaty of Rome requires that any amendments to the treaty be ratified by all member states in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements. These vary between member states and in many cases will depend on the content of the new treaties agreed at Maastricht.

  Falkland Islands
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action he has taken concerning the continental shelf around the Falkland Islands; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The question of oil in the south Atlantic, specifically in the continental shelf off Patagonia and around the Falkland Islands, has been receiving increasing attention in recent years. Her Majesty's Government have been in contact with the Falkland Islands Government on the matter.

  Having considered proposals by the Falkland Islands Government, my right hon. Friend has instructed the Governor of the Falkland Islands to take the necessary legislative measures to provide for the exercise of the Crown's rights over the sea bed and the sub-soil of the continental shelf around the Falkland Island's.

  In addition, an ordinance known as the Continental Shelf Bill 1991, will be laid before the Legislative Council of the Falkland Islands. Upon entry into force, this would allow seismic surveying to take place under licence in designated areas of the continental shelf.

  Officials from the British and Argentine Governments will meet shortly to explore the scope for co-operation.

  Hong Kong
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those topics and areas for discussion concerning Hong Kong at meetings of the Joint Liaison Group upon which there will be prior consultation with LEGCO.
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  Mr. Garel-Jones
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]: Under the terms of the joint declarations the proceedings of the joint liaison group (the main role of which is to conduct consultations on the implementation of the joint declaration and to discuss matters relating to the smooth transfer of government in 1997) are confidential unless the two sides agree otherwise. The joint declaration stipulates that the JLG shall play no part in the administration of Hong Kong before or after 1997. The implementation in Hong Kong of some agreements reached in the JLG requires new legislation or the provision of funds by the Legislative Council. The Hong Kong Government wish to build up a co-operative partnership with the council, and intend to provide members with all the information and explanations that they need to assess the Administration's policies.

  Kenya
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations were made to the Government of Kenya about the recent suppression of dissidents.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Her Majesty's Government have constantly stressed the need to respect freedom of expression and the importance of outlets for legitimate dissent in Kenya. Immediately news of the arrest of the dissidents was received in London on 15 November, the Kenyan deputy high commissioner was summoned to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and told of our concern. Parallel action was taken by our high commission in Nairobi. We hope that those arrested will be released immediately so that progress can be made on President Moi's expressed willingness to move towards multi-party democracy.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what estimate of eligibility on income grounds, by reference to a percentage of households and population, is made in relation to green form legal advice for 1979, 1989 and 1990 using the same methodology as adopted to produce the estimates for civil legal aid set out in table 3 of annex A to the consultation paper on eligibility for legal aid published in June 1991 by the Lord Chancellor's Department.

  The Attorney-General
  No estimates have been made of eligibility for green form legal advice and assistance. Eligibility for legal advice and assistance will be considered at a later stage of the Lord Chancellor's review of financial conditions for legal aid.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the current timetable for the review of legal aid announced by the Lord Chancellor on 13 November 1989; by what date under this timetable the review team intends to respond to submissions to its consultation on civil legal aid eligibility released in November 1991; what further consultations on what subjects are planned by the review team; and by what date the review team currently intends to complete its tasks.

  The Attorney-General
  Responses to the consultation paper on non-matrimonial civil legal aid are now being 320
  considered and proposals will be issued in the first half of 1992. It is expected that a consultation paper on the financial conditions for legal aid in criminal proceedings will be published in the summer of 1992 and that the review team will then begin work on legal aid for matrimonial and family matters and legal advice and assistance with the aim of completing its work in 1993.

  Commercial Courts
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans the Government have to establish further commercial courts outside London.

  The Attorney-General
  The commercial court sits at the Royal Courts of Justice in London to hear disputes, mainly arising from the international commercial activities of the City of London.

  Commercial lists have been established at Manchester and Liverpool comprising general commercial business cases. Further such lists in other parts of the country will be considered should local business communities demonstrate a need.

  County Courts
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Attorney-General what percentage of county courts and district registries now have user committees.

  The Attorney-General
  Of 288 county courts and combined court centres (including part-time caller offices), 112 (39 per cent.) are at present covered by court user committees. Plans are in hand to cover a further 23 courts, bringing the percentage to 47 per cent.

  Of 24 district registries, 13 (54 per cent.) are covered by court user committees. The percentage will increase to 75 per cent. when five further district registries are covered in the near future.

  Bristol City Council (Judgment)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will place in the Library a copy of the judgment R. v. Bristol City Council and Another, ex-parte Willsman and Another 17 October 1991.

  The Attorney-General
  I have, as requested, arranged for a copy of the judgment R v. Bristol City Council and Another, ex-parte Willsman and Another, 17 October 1991, to be placed in the House of Commons Library.

  Civil Actions
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the statutory provisions which set out the circumstances in which a person serving overseas with the United Kingdom armed forces or a member of the family of such an individual may raise a civil action in an English court concerning a criminal offence committed in a place outwith the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  By virtue of the Civil Jurisdiction and Judgments Act 1982, which gives effect to the Brussels convention on jurisdiction and the enforcement of judgments in civil and commercial matters, persons in another EC member state, including members of our armed forces, may sue in an English court in respect
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  of any wrongful act done to them, whether or not it constituted a criminal offence, if the defendant is domiciled in England and Wales.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefits
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the current targets for his Department's offices in Wales for meeting(a) delivery and (b) accuracy of benefits administered.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The setting of targets for district offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants applied for grants or loans under the social fund during the financial year 1990–91 in each of the benefit offices in Wales; how many applications were turned down and for what reason; what was the average size of the grant, crisis loan or budgetary loan in the year; and if he will provide comparable figures for the first six months of 1991–92.

  Mr. Scott
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the Chief Executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Benefits Office, Neath
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the proposal to close the Neath branch of the Benefits Agency.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The operation of the network of Benefits Agency district offices 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.

  Crime, Population and Police Manpower, by English Police Authority

  1990 (except where stated)

  Police force

  Population mid-year 1989

  Police manpower

  Arrests (all offences)

  Arrests per police officer

  Recorded crime2

  Crimes per police officer

  Crimes per 1,000 population

  Crimes not cleared-up 1,000 population

  Avon and Somerset

  1,413,700

  3,127

  42,421

  14

  127,052

  41

  90

  63

  Bedfordshire

  531,168

  1,092

  17,705

  16

  53,701

  49

  101

  77

  Cambridgeshire

  655,047

  1,211

  18,389

  15

  44,565

  37

  68

  42

  Cheshire

  958,562

  1,937

  27,823

  14

  55,462

  29

  58

  27

  Cleveland

  552,836

  1,516

  26,584

  18

  73,878

  49

  134

  96

  Cumbria

  491,627

  1,217

  19,479

  16

  33,344

  27

  68

  37

  Derbyshire

  929,401

  1,786

  23,079

  13

  60,421

  34

  65

  41

  Devon and Cornwall

  1,493,970

  2,914

  31,404

  11

  92,127

  32

  62

  41

  Dorset

  656,827

  1,308

  17,487

  13

  47,912

  37

  73

  47

  Durham

  596,928

  1,401

  25,965

  19

  54,406

  39

  91

  56

  Essex

  1,464,129

  2,940

  39,990

  14

  95,924

  33

  66

  46

  Gloucestershire

  529,494

  1,179

  17,043

  14

  42,394

  36

  80

  53

  Greater Manchester

  2,582,384

  7,134

  116,678

  16

  338,591

  47

  131

  82

  Retirement Pensions
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will update his answer of 20 March 1990,Official Report, column 597, on the gross cost of uprating the retirement pension by average earnings in each year since 1980–81 at 1991 prices.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 5 November 1991]: The information is given in the table, based on 1991–92 prices.

  It is only possible to estimate the net cost for the current year, 1991–92, in which it would have been £4·43 billion allowing for a reduction of £0·28 billion of income support; £0·26 billion of community charge benefit; and £0·72 billion of housing benefit.

  Estimated extra cost of retirement pension with upratings in line with average earnings1

  Financial year

  Gross cost (£ billion)2

  1980–81

  0·13

  1981–82

  0·51

  1982–83

  0·64

  1983–84

  0·72

  1984–85

  1·37

  1985–86

  1·53

  1986–87

  2·41

  1987–88

  3·56

  1988–89

  4·35

  1989–90

  5·20

  1990–91

  5·65

  1991–92

  5·69

  1 Actual average earnings, whole economy.

  2 1991–92 prices.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Police Statistics
  Mr. McWilliam
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by English police authority(a) the population covered by that authority, (b) the police force establishment of that authority, (c) the police force establishment of that authority, (d) the number of arrests per officer, (e) the total number of reported crimes, (f) the number of crime per officer, (g)the total number of crimes per 1,000 population and (h) the total number of unsolved crimes per 1,000 population.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is provided for 1990 in the table.
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  Police force

  Population mid-year 1989

  Police manpower

  Arrests (all offences)

  Arrests per police officer

  Recorded crime 2

  Crimes per police officer

  Crimes per 1,000 population

  Crimes not cleared-up 1,000 population

  Hampshire

  1,676,412

  3,230

  63,171

  20

  120,329

  37

  72

  47

  Hertfordshire

  840,560

  1,689

  22,648

  13

  46,339

  27

  55

  38

  Humberside

  856,250

  2,020

  36,066

  18

  104,467

  52

  122

  74

  Kent

  1,523,673

  3,056

  47,007

  15

  103,301

  34

  68

  49

  Lancashire

  1,390,794

  3,257

  57,235

  18

  108,273

  33

  78

  37

  Leicestershire

  891,926

  1,817

  24,949

  14

  72,784

  40

  82

  52

  Lincolnshire

  586,855

  1,236

  21,474

  17

  39,187

  32

  67

  37

  City of London

  4,267

  815

  4,809

  6

  7,100

  9

  3—

  3—

  Merseyside

  1,447,983

  4,771

  69,207

  14

  139,208

  29

  96

  50

  Metropolitan Police District

  7,223,077

  28,278

  1116,865

  14

  834,324

  30

  116

  93

  Norfolk

  748,501

  1,416

  22,727

  16

  54,625

  39

  73

  45

  Northamptonshire

  576,059

  1,168

  18,242

  16

  48,119

  41

  84

  53

  Northumbria

  1,431,721

  3,595

  65,694

  18

  203,825

  57

  142

  79

  North Yorkshire

  722,305

  1,406

  20,221

  14

  46,252

  33

  64

  37

  Nottinghamshire

  1,014,822

  2,377

  45,468

  19

  133,166

  56

  131

  83

  South Yorkshire

  1,295,191

  3,031

  43,979

  15

  107,314

  35

  83

  44

  Staffordshire

  1,038,990

  2,229

  36,861

  17

  72,513

  33

  70

  41

  Suffolk

  641,029

  1,221

  13,905

  11

  37,743

  31

  59

  34

  Surrey

  743,803

  1,690

  20,920

  12

  42,579

  25

  57

  41

  Sussex

  1,416,690

  3,048

  37,358

  12

  94,914

  31

  67

  49

  Thames Valley

  1,960,401

  3,765

  59,098

  16

  148,025

  39

  76

  55

  Warwickshire

  483,060

  1,039

  13,161

  13

  32,903

  32

  68

  47

  West Mercia

  1,078,501

  2,063

  32,285

  16

  62,937

  30

  58

  30

  West Midlands

  2,615,409

  7,030

  123,868

  18

  264,769

  38

  101

  63

  West Yorkshire

  2,066,609

  5,371

  84,172

  16

  236,012

  44

  114

  73

  Wiltshire

  558,395

  1,193

  14,507

  12

  33,578

  28

  60

  33

  1 Arrests figures on notifiable offences only.

  2 Crime figures relate to notifiable offences recorded by the police.

  3 Not applicable.

  Prisons
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many inmates would be accommodated by the cells which are not in use at London prisons due to work taking place on the installation of an internal sanitation system within those prisons.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On Tuesday 19 November there were 351 cells out of use in London local prisons and remand centres because of work to install integral sanitation. The certified normal accommodation for these cells is 351, but if they were to be used at previous levels of overcrowding some 412 prisoners would be accommodated.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what measures will be taken to ensure that private prison staff will be checked for suitability and be trained to the same standard as Her Majesty's prison service standards.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Criminal Justice Act 1991 requires the director and other custodial staff of any contracted out prison to be certified by the Secretary of State as prisoner custody officers. The Act further provides that the Secretary of State may issue a certificate only if he is satisfied that they are fit and proper persons and have received training from the contractor to the approved standard.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will review the regulations in the code of practice for the housing and care of animals used in scientific procedures relating to the temperatures at 324
  which old and new world primates should be kept, to reflect the fact that these groups of primates include species which come from widely different climates.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The code of practice, which was based closely on guidelines produced by the Royal Society and the Universities Federation for Animal Welfare, sets out optimal room temperature ranges for new world primates and old world primates used in scientific procedures. These temperature ranges are considered to meet the welfare needs of the animals and we have no plans to review them.

  Special Branch
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to whom prison-based special branch operations are accountable.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The direction and control of all police operations is a matter for the chief officer of the police force concerned.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he plans to review the nature of special branch operations in England and Wales, and in particular the accountability of such operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have no plans to do so. The conduct of police operations is a matter for the chief constable of the police force concerned.

  Overseas Voters
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on his Department's advertising campaign to encourage the
  325
  registration of overseas voters, including the total amount spent so far and the number of overseas voters who have registered as a result.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  No advertising or publicity to inform British citizens abroad of their voting rights was undertaken by the Home Office this year, apart from the updating of posters used in British diplomatic posts abroad at a cost of £1,400. We shall make known to the House in due course the number of overseas electors included on the draft electoral register for 1992–93.

  Brixton Prison (Escapes)
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what parts of Judge Tumim's report to him regarding the recent gaol escape from Brixton were not published; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons advised me that for reasons of security he believed that much of his report could not be published, and that to publish it as it stood would endanger the remaining security at Brixton and the safety of individuals. I concurred with that view and published those parts which Her Majesty's chief inspector of prisons considered could be published.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether the July 1991 Brixton escapees had or were made aware of any drawings or plans of the prison by any member of the prison staff;

  (2) who authorised the activities organised by Staffordshire police in Brixton gaol in late 1990 and early 1991.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The allegations on which the questions appear to be based fall to be considered by Mr. Colin Bailey, whose appointment was announced by the chief constable of Staffordshire on 20 November.

  Poll Tax (Non-payment)
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have now been taken to court and convicted for non-payment of the poll tax in England and Wales; how many have received prison sentences; how many have turned up on court to argue their cases; how many hours of court time have been involved and, based on the average cost per hour of a magistrates court, at what cost to public funds.

  Mr. John Patten
  During the period 1 April 1990 to 30 September 1991 magistrates courts in England and Wales made 5·7 million community charge liability orders and issued 2,788 warrants committing non-payers to prison; 23,456 court sitting hours were devoted to community charge enforcement at an estimated cost of about £5 million.

  Prison Security
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the Lakes and Hadfield review of prison security.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  As I indicated yesterday, my right hon. Friend has recently received from Chief Constable Hadfield and Mr. Lakes the report of their audit of 326
  custody arrangements for category A prisoners and of their inquiry into DOC1 division in prison service headquarters, and is considering it. He hopes to publish a summary in due course.

  Wandsworth Prison
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis on the number of police officers deployed in the vicinity of Wandsworth gaol on 7 July.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the commissioner that two inspectors, two sergeants and 20 police constables were deployed in the vicinity of Wandsworth prison on 7 July 1991.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his estimate of the number of crimes which have occurred but which have not been reported to the police during the last 12 months.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]:The fourth British crime survey, fieldwork for which will be in early 1992, will provide an estimate for 1991. Some types of crime are not covered by the survey, such as those where the victim is an organisation or institution, rather than an individual.

  Satellite Broadcasting (Pornographic Material)
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to make representations to his opposite numbers in the EC to prevent pornographic material being transmitted from foreign-owned satellites and broadcast by cable into United Kingdom households; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]:I have no such plans. The EC Directive on Transfrontier Broadcasting includes standards of taste and decency.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  British Telecom
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list for each of the eight retail institutions undertaking the sale of BT shares the body which regulates their share-selling capacity.

  Mr. Maude
  The regulatory bodies that regulate the conduct of the selected retailers investment business are listed on page 47 of the prospectus for the British Telecommunications plc offer for sale which was published on 21 November. A copy has been placed in the Library.

  Hospital Car Service
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what discussions have taken place with volunteer drivers of the hospital car service in Devon regarding taxation of the hospital car service mileage allowance.

  Mr. Maude
  The position is that motor mileage allowances paid to volunteer drivers who use a car on
  327
  health service business are liable to tax to the extent that the allowances exceed the costs of running and maintaining the car for the miles travelled for the health service and so result in a profit. Letters have been sent to individual drivers explaining the position and setting out arrangements which will enable drivers, if they wish, to read off the approximate profit figure, if any, from tables calculated by the Inland Revenue. Alternatively, drivers can calculate their taxable profits themselves by reference to the actual mileage payments they receive and their actual expenses.

  I understand that the Inland Revenue has not held any formal discussions with volunteer drivers in Devon on this matter, but the letters to which I have referred suggested that drivers should contact their tax offices if they were unclear about their tax position, and I am told that the Inland Revenue has responded to a number of such inquiries.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider building an exceptional depreciation allowance into the mileage rates applied to the voluntary drivers of the hospital car service.

  Mr. Maude
  The Inland Revenue's "tax-free" mileage rates already include an allowance for depreciation. These rates are used in a voluntary, administrative arrangement designed by the Inland Revenue to reduce record keeping for health authorities and volunteer drivers, but it is open to drivers to choose to have any profit element in their mileage allowances taxed on the strict statutory basis if they believe the Revenue's "tax-free" rates do not cover their expenses. However, in that case, drivers must keep records of all their motoring costs and miles driven, both privately and for the hospital car service, to enable the actual profit to be calculated and charged to tax in the normal way.

  Privatised Industries
  Mr. Page
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the net average annual financial contribution to the Exchequer, for the 10-year period before their privatisation, of each nationalised industry privatised over the last 10 years.

  Mr. Maude
  This information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information that is readily available, including information on the major nationalised industries' external financial requirements since 1978–79, is published in chapter 6 of the "Statistical Supplement to the 1990 Autumn Statement"—Cm. 1520.

  VAT
  Mr. Quentin Davies
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made since his announcement of the introduction of monthly VAT returns for the largest VAT payers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In his announcement on 21 October, at columns 317–18, my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer advised that business representatives would be consulted on the details of this change.

  Customs and Excise has now produced a consultation paper, which has been issued initially to some 57 trade associations, representatives bodies and individual
  328
  businesses, including the 17 members of the joint VAT consultation committee. A copy of the paper has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what methods are being used to distribute a copy of the citizens charter to every home; what is the estimated cost of(a) preparing, (b) printing and (c) distributing it; how many copies have been printed; which commercial firms are being used for its distribution; by what process they were selected; which companies were appointed; and at what cost to public funds.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]:Neither the White Paper on the "Citizen's Charter" —Cm. 1599—nor the accompanying short guide is being distributed to every home. Cm. 1599 is available, priced £8.50, from HMSO. The short guide is available free of charge. Details of preparation, printing and distribution costs were given in the Prime Minister's replies to the hon. Members for Blackburn (Mr. Straw) and for the Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 25 July 1991, Official Report, columns 781–82.

  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many additional staff have been employed on the preparation of the text of the citizens charter; at what cost; and from which budget these costs have been met.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]:No additional staff were employed on the preparation of the text of the citizens charter. The work was done by civil servants from the central Departments as part of their normal duties.

  "Competing for Quality"
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the cost of producing the White Paper, "Competing for Quality"; and how much the Government expect to raise through sales of the White Paper.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer on 21 November 1991]:The cost of printing, publishing and distribution were borne by HMSO which aims to recover these costs from the anticipated sales revenue of around £30,000. In addition, design costs of £10,700 were borne by HM Treasury.

HEALTH

  HIV (Health Workers)
  Mr. Chris Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department is carrying out on the occurrence of stress and burnout, or related psychosocial morbidity, amongst health workers involved in the management of people with HIV infection and disease; what information he has as to levels of staff turnover, absenteeism and illness amongst such workers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  None. However, a research proposal dealing with this question is currently being considered by the Department. No information on the levels of staff turnover, absenteeism and illness specifically among such workers is held centrally.

  Asthma
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the role of oilseed rape in the causation of asthma.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Some individuals may be allergic to the pollen and other products of oilseed rape, as they may be to other crops and plants. However, there is no conclusive evidence of a link between oilseed rape and increased incidence of asthma. The Government have given financial support to a project based at Aberdeen university which is looking at possible effects on public health caused by oilseed rape. It will be some time before the results of the study are known.

  Dental Service
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement after the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Baroness Hooper's meeting with dentists from Dorset, about the suspension of the national health service dental service for children;

  (2) what steps he intends to take to ensure the continuation of national health service dental services for children in Dorset.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  There is no question of national health service dental services for children being suspended in Dorset or anywhere else. Dorset has the second highest level of children registered with a dentist in England.

  Pensions
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will take steps to amend the health service superannuation scheme to enable part-time staff to receive on retirement a pension entitlement equivalent to that paid to someone with the same total number of years service who has achieved that service in full-time employment.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have no plans to change the present arrangements. Pension benefits for full-time and part-time staff are calculated according to a common principle, which is standard pensions practice. Both are related to length of service and the amount of pay received at retirement. In practice, any part-time service is reduced to its equivalent full-time length and the pension calculated by reference to a notional whole-time rate of pay. To treat part-time officers as though they had worked full-time would be to credit them with service which had not been earned and for which no financial contribution had been made.

  Scandinavian Airline
  Mr. Kilfoyle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the role of the Scandinavian airline SAS or its subsidiary SSP in the planning, finance and operating of the proposed obstetric and gynaecology unit in Liverpool.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Employees of SAS assisted clinical staff to formulate ideas about the model of care they wish to adopt in the proposed new unit. Following this, they provided design advice. There are no further financial links nor any operational agreements between SAS and the district health authority.

  Childbirth
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has issued any guidance superseding the "Maternity Care in Action" document's advice that every mother should be encouraged to have her baby in a maternity unit.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No. The Department's policy remains that, as unforeseen complications can occur in any birth, every mother should be encouraged to have her baby in a maternity unit where emergency facilities are readily available. However, women should be able to make an informed choice about where to have their baby and discuss the options available with their general practitioner, midwife and obstetrician. Advice is also contained in the pregnancy book.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on home confinements.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Our policy on home confinements is set out in section 2 of the memorandum on "Delivery" submitted by the Department in evidence to the Select Committee on Health—inquiry into maternity and neonatal services. The memorandum is contained in the minutes of evidence given to the Select Committee on 3 July 1991, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, reference HC 430-V. Paragraph 2.6 of the memorandum says"Although the demand for home births is not great, health authorities should ensure that there are policies agreed between the professionals to provide mothers who do decide to have their babies at home with adequate antenatal, intrapartum and postnatal care and that these arrangements are well known locally."

  Redundancy
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what data are collected about the numbers of stasff made redundant each year in the national health service; if the figures are broken down by grade; and if he will make it his policy to publish them.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Data on redundancies in the national health service are not collected centrally, other than in respect of staff who are both over 50 years of age and have at least five years reckonable service for superannuation purposes. These data are not broken down by grade. The data are distributed within the national health service for internal management purposes. There are no plans for any wider publication.

  Abortion
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of Health, pursuant to his answer, of 14 November,Official Report, column 656, to the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill what action he intends to take against the British Pregnancy Advisory Service over its advertisements appearing in Cosmopolitan magazine, which circulates outside the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Virginia Bottomley
  I understand that the magazine in question is printed and published in the United Kingdom. As with other magazines in the United Kingdom base, a very small proportion of copies, in this case well under 10 per cent., are sent overseas. We are satisfied that the form of the advertisement in question is
  331
  not directed at persons overseas. There has been a recent European court decision about the advertisement of abortion services and we shall be examining it to see if it has any implication for our condition of approval.

  Deaths
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many men over 65 years and women aged over 60 years died in each month from July 1989 to the latest convenient date.

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

  Number of deaths for males aged 65 and over, and females aged 60 and over, by month of occurrence in England and Wales, July 1989 to December 1990

  Males 65 and over

  Females 60 and over

  1989

  July

  15,795

  20,030

  August

  15,294

  19,134

  September

  15,486

  19,032

  October

  17,030

  21,366

  November

  18,087

  22,539

  December

  27,909

  37,589

  19901

  January

  21,021

  27,281

  February

  17,186

  21,292

  March

  18,044

  21,967

  April

  17,162

  21,544

  May

  17,000

  20,788

  June

  16,149

  19,937

  July

  16,123

  20,068

  August

  15,447

  19,545

  September

  15,671

  19,058

  October

  16,935

  20,755

  November

  17,165

  21,117

  December

  20,517

  25,432

  1 1990 figures are provisional.

  Medical Defence Insurance
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether general practitioners are required to provide their own medical defence insurance; and what allowance for the cost of their premiums is made in (i) the remuneration received by doctors and (ii) the way they are taxed.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 November 1991]: General medical and general dental practitioners are not required by the Department to take out their own medical defence insurance, but would be expected to do so in their own interests. Subscriptions to medical defence organisations are taken into account along with other practice expenses when determining the provision to be made for expenses within the GP remuneration system, and are an allowable expense for taxation purposes.

  Terrapins
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice the public health laboratory service has given on terrapin importation on health grounds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 November 1991]: The public health laboratory service (PHLS) has advised that
  332
  on the available evidence imported terrapins kept as pets do not pose a significant public health problem in England and Wales.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health on how many occasions the occurrence of salmonellosis from pet terrapins in the United Kingdom has been identified by the public health laboratory service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 November 1991]: The public health laboratory service (PHLS) division of enteric pathogens, which receives laboratory isolates of salmonella from human and non-human sources for detailed identification, has in the past recorded family outbreaks of salmonellosis in households where the same serotype of salmonella has been identified from terrapin tank water. The most recent occasion on which this occurred was in 1979. Since 1979 to date, there have been three occasions (two in 1981 and one in 1982) where the same serotype has been identified in a sporadic case and in water taken from a terrapin tank.

  The PHLS communicable disease surveillance centre, which receives laboratory-confirmed reports of human infections, recorded in the period 1986–90 a total of 3,512 outbreaks of salmonellosis. Two of these outbreaks affected people in households where terrapins were kept as pets. However, as no microbiological evidence was reported, the presence of the terrapins could have been coincidental.

  Notes:

  1. An outbreak represents two or more related laboratory confirmed salmonella infections in humans of whom at least one was ill.

  2. A sporadic case is a single case apparently unrelated to other cases.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received from the public health laboratory service concerning the implications for the United Kingdom of United States data for salmonellosis contamination from imported terrapins.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 15 November 1991]: The following table shows the total number of laboratory confirmed infections of salmonella reported to the public health laboratory service (PHLS) communicable disease surveillance centre in 1989 and 1990, together with the number of reports received for those salmonella serotypes cited in the past in the United States as being associated with terrapins. The public health laboratory service advises that these serotypes are rare in the United Kingdom and, as can be seen from the table, their numbers declined between 1989 and 1990. Therefore given the available evidence it is difficult to conclude that United States data can be applied to the United Kingdom.

  Laboratory reports to the public health laboratory services communicable disease surveillance centre of all and selected salmonellas in faeces (cases and excreters)

  England and Wales 1989 and 1990

  Salmonella serotype

  Laboratory reports of faecal isolates to communicable disease surveillance centre

  1989

  1990

  All Salmonella

  24,649

  25,351

  S.java

  29

  29

  S.arizonae

  8

  5

  S.poona

  8

  5

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  Salmonella serotype

  Laboratory reports of faecal isolates to communicable disease surveillance centre

  1989

  1990

  S. litchfield

  6

  3

  S. cubana

  5

  9

  S. bispebjerg

  1

  0

  Notes:

  1. None of the above reports stated an association with terrapins.

  2. One other report of a salmonella (S. typhimurium in 1989) stated an association with terrapins. Further investigation revealed the tank water to be negative, so the finding may have been a chance one.

EMPLOYMENT

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the number of people employed in bus manufacture for each year since 1980.

  Mr. Jackson
  There are no separate estimates available for the bus manufacturing industry. The following tables give estimates of employees in employment for each year from 1980, for motor vehicles and their engines, motor vehicle bodies, trailers and caravans, in which bus manufacturing is included.

  SIC groups 351–352

  June

  Great Britain unadjusted for seasonal variations Thousands

  1980

  230·3

  1981

  191·8

  1982

  166·3

  1983

  165·4

  1984

  157·3

  1985

  156·8

  1986

  155·5

  1987

  154·6

  1988

  162·9

  1989

  160·9

  1990

  153·7

  1991

  139·1

  Earnings
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many workers in the United Kingdom are paid below 68 per cent. of all full-timers' mean earnings; and how many of them are(a) women and (b) part-time workers.

  Mr. Forth
  From the 1991 new earnings survey (NES), it is estimated that 68 per cent. of average (mean) gross hourly earnings of all full-time employees in April 1991 was £4·76. It is further estimated, using the NES and estimates of the number of employees in employment, that a little over 9 million employees in Great Britain earned below this amount. A little under 6 million of these employees were women, and just over 4 million were part-time workers.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Overseas Aid
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the estimated percentage of gross national product that will be spent on overseas aid for the planning years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94, respectively.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The figure in the autumn statement for the aid budget in the current financial year is 0·30 per cent. of the estimate of GDP. Estimates for future years are not available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  School Meals
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his plans to set up a committee to create nutritional guidelines for school meals; what its term of reference and membership will be; and when it will be expected to report.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no plans to set up another committee. The matter is being considered already by the catering working group set up jointly by my Department, the Department of Health and the Health Education Authority. I am also expecting to meet representatives of the school meals campaign in the near future.

SCOTLAND

  Crofting
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the value in real terms of current crofting grant and loan support when set against a base line of 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Grant and loan support for crofters is available through the crofters building grants and loans scheme (CBGLS). In real terms since 1979, the maximum grant and loan available to eligible applicants has increased by 31 per cent. in the case of assistance for new housing and 13 per cent. for assistance towards improvement works.

  Social Work Department, Fife
  Mr. Douglas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the most recent approaches made by his Department to Sheriff Kearney in relation to the anticipated receipt and publication by his Department of the report into the operations of the social work department of Fife region, indicating the response and the number of days which the sheriff has taken to prepare and finish his report together with the costs of his Department and others involved.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since May 1990 we have corresponded on a number of occasions with Sheriff Kearney about progress on his report and a likely completion date. In his most recent response last month he indicated that he was unable to give a firm date.

  The costs of the inquiry directly borne by the Scottish Office to date amount to some £600,000. I have no information on the costs incurred by others involved.

  Rural Enterprise Programme
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current percentage level of take-up under the rural enterprise programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Current estimates of expenditure in 1991–92 are still subject to uncertainty, but it seems likely that expenditure on the rural enterprise programme will be about £1·8 million, as against the Vote provision of £3 million. This is partly attributable to a delay in the EC Commission's approval of the programme and to the submission of more modest projects than expected. The extension of the REP's business development scheme to new areas, announced on 11 November, should ensure that available resources in future are fully utilised.

  Foresterhill Hospital
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of preparing business plans for directly managed unit and national health service trust status for Foresterhill hospital in Aberdeen; how much was met directly by Grampian health board; how much was met by the Scottish Home and Health Department; and how much was met by the university of Aberdeen.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 November 1991]: As I made clear to the hon. Member on 8 February 1991 at column 288, the cost of preparing the business plan, from which experience other boards and units will benefit, was £156,000 of which £100,000 was met from additional funds held by my Department for this purpose, £41,000 by Grampian health board from resources provided to institute NHS reform and £15,000 from the university of Aberdeen.

  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the total cost of the consultation exercise for the Foresterhill hospital national health service trust application; what cost fell directly to Grampian health board from its ordinary budget; how much additional funding was provided by the Scottish Home and Health Department; and if he will publish a detailed account of the expenditure, including printing and other expenses.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 November 1991]: The total cost was £60,102·39. This covered the preparation, printing and distribution of the application documents as well as the leaflets prepared following a suggestion made to the trust sponsors at a meeting with Aberdeen district council. The costs were met from a specific allocation of £10,000 from my Department with the remainder funded from resources made available to the board to implement NHS reforms.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will announce his decision on the final location of the Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 19 November 1991]: The Scottish Consultative Council on the
  336
  Curriculum is currently preparing an assessment of its accommodation needs, in accordance with arrangements agreed in March 1988. Meanwhile the Government's position remains as described in my letter of 17 March 1988 to the chairman of the governors of Northern college which stated that the location of the council's offices would be reviewed after three years and which expressed the expectation that the business of the council would then become centralised on the Dundee premises of the college. My right hon. Friend expects to receive the council's views shortly, and to make a decision on the matter at an early date thereafter.

ENVIRONMENT

  North Sea Conference
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress there has been in implementing the recommendations of the 1990 North sea conference.

  Mr. Trippier
  In July last year we published a guidance note on how we intended to implement the measures agreed at the Third North Sea Conference which was held in the Hague in March 1990. We were the first North sea state to do so and I am pleased to be able to report good progress in taking forward these matters.

  Contaminants entering the North sea through rivers are the most significant pollutant. We are making good progress towards meeting agreed reductions of inputs of substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bioaccumulate. We have completed this year our part of a comparative international data collection exercise on river inputs organised by the Paris Commission. This shows reductions between 1985 and 1990 in inputs to the North sea, through United Kingdom rivers, for example of 51 per cent. and 61 per cent. for mercury and cadmium and of 30 per cent for Lindane.

  The Hague declaration also seeks tighter controls on pesticides. The Government have substantially increased scientific resources available for evaluation of existing and new pesticides. Of the 18 pesticides listed in the declaration whose use must be strictly limited or banned, recent decisions on chlordane, mercury compounds and fluoroactive acid mean that 14 are no longer in use or are being phased out. Of the remaining four: atrazine is currently under review by the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides; a European Community directive agreed last year bans the use of pentachlorophenol except by special authorisation for treatment of dry rot in timber, and in limited industrial applications where emissions are controlled; Quintozene and Chloropicrin are used in very small quantities but will be reviewed as part of the pesticide evaluation programme.

  Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have been a particular concern in the marine environment especially in relation to marine mammals. The conference agreed to phase out remaining uses and carry out their destruction in an environmentally acceptable form by 1999. The Department of the Environment has been working with industry to assess totals of PCB waste arisings in different industrial sectors and to develop new guidance on their safe disposal. This should be issued for consultation as a draft waste management paper next year.
  337
  On sewage discharges, the water industry has expanded and accelerated its ten year investment programme to improve bathing waters. Some 40 schemes will now include additional treatment at an estimated cost of £600 million. We also welcome the adoption by the European Community of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive which encompasses our announcement at the time of the North Sea Conference that we aim to treat all significant discharges of sewage before discharge to coastal waters.

  We have said that the disposal of sewage sludge at sea will end by 1998 at the latest. All bodies currently licensed to undertake this activity have now reported their plans to introduce alternative methods. The first disposal licences will be terminated by the end of 1993, five years ahead of the target. In the main these early terminations will result in the beneficial re-use of sludge either as a fertiliser or composting agent.

  In line with North Sea Conference decisions, we have also been looking carefully at licences to dispose of liquid industrial waste at sea. We have sought to phase out this activity as soon as satisfactory land based alternatives become available. The number of licences granted for this disposal route has been cut from 24 in 1987 to just two today. We do not intend to renew these after 1992. This has required substantial investment on the part of industry. In particular, Sterling Organics and ICI have invested £5 million and £25 million respectively in innovative technology to treat and recycle wastes currently disposed of at sea. In addition National Power, who currently have a licence to dispose of flyash at sea, have also invested in new plant to produce concrete blocks. This will be coming on stream next year. We do not expect to extend their disposal licence beyond the end of 1992.

  With regard to operational discharges from ships, the International Maritime Organisation agreed in September this year, subject to adoption by signatory states, to accept a proposal by North Sea states for lower limits for oil discharges to apply to all ships on a global basis. Similar action on chemical discharges is being considered. In addition, the Department of Transport is consulting the United Kingdom shipping and ports industries and related interests on the introduction of annex IV of the MARPOL Convention on sewage discharges from ships.

  In the offshore oil and gas industry the disposal of discarded oil-based drilling cuttings was identified as the main source of pollution from exploration and appraisal wells. Our action plan to minimise this pollution by prohibiting the discharge of oil based mud cuttings by 1994 was this year submitted to, and accepted by, the Paris Commission group on oil pollution. Research and field testing on new mud systems and cleaning techniques have continued and early indications are that these should attract practical application by the industry.

  We have also continued to give a high priority to support for the work of the North sea task force through the research programmes of a number of Departments. The results of this work, which includes studies on seals, dolphins and seabirds and better understanding of the links between inputs of contaminants, their distribution and effects, will be reflected in the 1993 quality status report on the North sea. Recently completed projects have included an atlas of North sea rainfall, by remote sensing, which will enable a more accurate assessment to be made of atmospheric pollutant inputs.
  338
  Finally, as a result of a British initiative, the Hague declaration extended the scope of North sea conferences to include the protection of marine wildlife. We announced our intention last year to develop proposals for marine consultation areas in England and Wales which will include Government guidelines addressed to marine agencies. Early in 1992 we intend to issue a consultation document which will contain a first list of proposed sites. We will also review existing legislation in relation to marine conservation. In addition we have strongly supported efforts to develop an agreement to protect small cetaceans in the North and Baltic seas under the United Nations Bonn convention on migratory species. The text of such an agreement was successfully concluded in Geneva in September this year and adopted by 6 North sea states and the European Community. An offer by the Government to host the Agreement's Secretariat at the United Kingdom's sea mammal research unit of the Natural Environment Research Council was very favourably received.

  Harrogate Borough Council
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the total tabulated receipts from the disposal of properties so far in the current financial year by Harrogate borough council.

  Mr. Yeo
  Harrogate borough council has reported the sale of 26 dwellings between April and September 1991.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to be able to announce standard spending assessments for local education, social services, and fire and police services.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to announce the rate support grant and capping criteria for 1992–93; and if he will make a statement on the reason for the delay in making the announcement.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend expects to make an announcement shortly.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what increase of uniform business rate he proposes to make for 1992.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend on 6 November 1991 at column 158 to the hon. Member for Hyndburn (Mr. Hargreaves).

  Homeless Families
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the number of homeless families living in bed-and-breakfast accommodation in England at the end of June, in each of the years 1985 to 1991, inclusive.

  Mr. Yeo
  Estimates of the number of households who were being dealt with under the homelessness provisions of the 1985 Housing Act and temporarily placed in bed and breakfast accommodation are in the table.
  339

  Households at 1 June

  1985

  4,590

  1986

  6,950

  1987

  10,920

  1988

  11,270

  1989

  11,720

  1990

  12,170

  1991

  13,330

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what further steps he is considering to help statutorily homeless familes; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what assessment he has made of the effectiveness to date of his Department's homeless initiative to reduce the need for local authorities to use bed-and-breakfast hotels as temporary accommodation for homeless families;

  (3) how many of the additional units of accommodation to be provided under his Department's homelessness initiative will be local authority empty dwellings refurbished for letting to homeless families.

  Mr. Yeo
  A total of £300 million has been made available to local authorities and housing associations in London and the south east in 1990–91 and 1991–92 to provide accommodation for homeless families. We expect these funds to produce some 16,000 homes if local authorities and housing associations achieve the outputs which they have told us they will. My Department considers that the outputs projected represent good value for money for the resources committed to the initiative.

  The extent to which the accommodation provided reduces the use of bed and breakfast by local authorities depends on a number of factors, including the level of homelessness acceptances and local authority management decisions. A condition of the allocation of resources under this initiative is that the properties provided should be used for homeless families.

  According to information reported by local authorities for 1990–91 and estimates for 1991–92, over 6,800 of the 16,000 homes made available through this initiative will be refurbished local authority voids.

  We have consulted the local authority associations, through the Housing Consultative Council, on a proposal that in the future allocation of capital resources for housing, the weightings given to homelessness and temporary accommodation should be significantly increased. Decisions will be announced soon.

  Vacant Dwellings
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of vacant local authority dwellings in England at 1 April in each of the years 1985 to 1990, inclusive, other than those which are awaiting or undergoing major works or awaiting sale or demolition.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information derived from local authorities' annual housing investment programme returns is shown in the table.
  340

  Local authority empty dwellings, excluding those awaiting or undergoing major works or awaiting sale or demolition: England

  1 April

  Year

  1985

  1n.a

  (94,000)

  1986

  1n.a

  (91,100)

  1987

  61,800

  (92,500

  1988

  57,800

  (87,200)

  1989

  62,700

  (85,700)

  1990

  60,500

  (84,300

  1 not available—figures in brackets for these and later years show empty dwellings excluding those awaiting sale or demolition only.

  East Thames Corridor
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made on the east Thames corridor.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I have today appointed Llewelyn-Davies Planning to undertake the study into the development capacity of the east Thames corridor which I announced on 10 October. The broad terms of reference for that study have already been placed in the Library. I have also had a first meeting with the leaders of the local authorities in the corridor.

  Local Government (Consultation)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following publication of his Department's consultative document, "The Role of Local Government".

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]: A list of the respondents to the consultation paper "The Structure of Local Government in England" and copies of the responses were placed in the Library of the House on 14 October. The Department has received about 300 responses so far to the consultation paper "The Internal Management of Local Authorities in England". We have not published a consultation paper entitled "The Role of Local Government".

  Direct Services Organisation (Crawley)
  Mr. Soames
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representations he has received about the operation of the direct services organisation of Crawley borough council; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]: Crawley borough council has made representations in response to notices served on it under section 13 of the Local Government Act 1988, in relation to its direct service organisation's failure to meet the specified financial objective in carrying out other catering work in 1989–90, and vehicle maintenance work and refuse collection in 1990–91. My right hon. Friend is considering these responses.

  Leasing
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received following the publication of his Department's consultative document, "The Housing Revenue Account and Short Term Leasing".
  341
  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]: My Department received some 60 responses to the consultation paper on short-term leasing issued on 3 May 1991, including 50 from local authorities or their associations. Following this consultation exercise, the Minister for Housing announced decisions on the future of short-term leasing in answer to a written parliamentary question on 23 May, including the decision in principle to make available a transitional specific grant. On 14 November my Department wrote to all local housing authorities seeking views on arrangements for the distribution of the specific grant.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Inspectors' Reports
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what arrangements exist to enable any hon. Member to obtain copies of the Department of Trade and Industry inspectors' reports which have been given to trade associations but not published.

  Mr. Redwood
  None.

  Directors and Auditors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will provide a table showing the number of directors and auditors who have been disqualified following their criticism in the Department of Trade and Industry's inspectors' reports since 1985;

  (2) how many company directors and auditors have been disqualified from acting as directors and auditors, as a result of reports by the Department of Trade and Industry's inspectors.

  Mr. Redwood
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 1 November at columns 618–20.

  On 31 October 1991 a five-year disqualification order under section 8 of the Company Directors Disqualification Act 1986 was made against Mr. John Wallrock, who was criticised in the inspectors' report into Minet Holdings plc and WMD Underwriting Agencies Limited, which has been published.

  So far as I am aware, no auditor criticised in an inspector's report has been debarred from auditing as a result of information in that report.

  Auditing Firms
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make it his policy that following the criticism of an auditing firm by Department of Trade and Industry inspectors, the standards of that firm would always be investigated.

  Mr. Redwood
  Whenever an auditing firm is criticised in a report by Department of Trade and Industry inspectors, a copy of that report is disclosed to the relevant supervisory body. It is for that body to decide what action to take.

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what are the differences between the investigations carried out by his Department and by the Serious Fraud Office.

  Mr. Redwood
  Under the Companies Act, where there is good reason, the Department of Trade and Industry investigates complaints about companies: these inquiries are essentially fact-finding.

  The SFO is a criminal enforcement agency which investigates and prosecutes cases of suspected serious and complex criminal fraud whether or not they concern companies.

  Supervisory Bodies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the period within which the recognised supervisory bodies will be able to make at least one monitoring visit to the auditing firms.

  Mr. Redwood
  The three Institutes of Chartered Accountants intend to conduct a routine monitoring visit each year to a fifth of their members who audit listed companies, together with a random sample of, initially, 150 other firms. The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants intends to conduct a routine monitoring visit at least once every five years to all individuals and firms registered with it, together with those registered with the Association of Authorised Public Accountants, under the terms of arrangements between those bodies. All the recognised supervisory bodies have also made provision for special monitoring visits in response to complaints. The bodies will, jointly with my Department, review the operation of the monitoring arrangements in 1993.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will provide a complete list of the bodies which he has recognised as supervisory bodies or qualifying bodies under the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend has approved, for the purposes of section 31(4) of the Companies Act 1989, qualifications offered by

  The Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales;

  The Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland;

  The Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland; and The Chartered Association of Certified Accountants.

  His present intention is that qualifications offered by those bodies should also be recognised under schedule 12 to that Act. He has recognised those bodies, together with the Association of Authorised Public Accountants, as supervisory bodies for the purposes of part II of that Act.

  Banks
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose legislation under which a bank's auditors would be prevented from acting as receivers of a bank's borrower.

  Mr. Redwood
  I have no such plans.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose legislation under which all banks in their annual report would be required to disclose the number of administrators and receivers which have been appointed by them.
  343
  Mr. Redwood
  I have no such plans.

  Company Directors
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose legislation under which all increases in directors' pay and perks would be subject to a specific resolution at the annual general meeting.

  Mr. Redwood
  To subject directors' executive pay increases to a resolution of the company annual general meeting would be cumbersome and ineffective. At present the details of directors' service contracts over one year are, with some exceptions, required under the Companies Act 1985 to be made available for inspection by shareholders, who may ask questions or put forward resolutions at the annual general meeting. In addition, directors' service contracts for a period of five years or more are subject to approval by general meeting. This strikes a fair balance, in my view, between the need for the interests of the shareholder to be taken into account and flexibility in the recruitment of directors.

  Ramor Investments
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, further to his correspondence with the hon. Member for Great Grimsby, he will make a full statement to the House on his decision not to publish the final report on Ramor Investments.

  Mr. Redwood
  No.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost of completing his Department's investigations into Ramor Investments.

  Mr. Redwood
  The total of the investigation into the affairs of Ramor Investments Limited was £760,301.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has any proposals for legislation under which all public limited companies will have to publish the level of their discharges and emissions into rivers and air.

  Mr. Leigh
  No. Under the Water Act 1989, monitoring data obtained from consented discharges are already entered on to public registers maintained by the National Rivers Authority. Similarly, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, monitoring data on processes authorised under the integrated pollution control and local authority air pollution control systems are entered on to public registers maintained by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution and by local authorities.

  Warren Spring Laboratory
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the research of the Warren Spring laboratory into chemical separation procedures in the treatment of solid and liquid hazardous wastes.

  Mr. Leigh
  Warren Spring laboratory is investigating the extent to which a range of chemical separation 344
  procedures can be applied to the treatment of solid and liquid hazardous wastes. The procedures are being applied to detoxify dangerous mixtures, and to remove materials (especially metals) from wastes where it is economically feasible or environmentally desirable to do so.

  Chemical separation procedures form part of Warren Spring's contaminated land research programme. The procedures can also have "cleaner" technology applications. Warren Spring has recently devised a new process for a private sector client for removing hazardous cadmium from phosphoric acid and the manufacture of fertilisers.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the research of the Warren Spring laboratory into the use of X-ray fluorescence for monitoring pyrometallurgical processes.

  Mr. Leigh
  The X-ray fluorescence (XRF) project was funded jointly by the Minerals Industry Research Organisation and the Department of Trade and Industry. The equipment research and development phase was successfully completed at Warren Spring laboratory in 1989, and the instrument has subsequently been patented.

  The XRF instrument enables "real time" monitoring of high temperature and corrosive gas streams for elements above sulphur in atomic weight (ie most acid gas elements and all base and heavy metals). It has potential applications for controlling a wide range of thermal processes both inside and outside the metals industry, and for monitoring emissions for compliance with regulatory standards.

  The XRF instrument is currently being applied at Warren Spring to research projects into the thermal treatment of a variety of wastes and to "demonstration" test work in the metals industry in the United Kingdom and overseas.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the progress of the research by the Warren Spring laboratory into the physical and bacterial techniques for separating pyritic coal, prior to combustion.

  Mr. Leigh
  Initial investigations at Warren Spring Laboratory into the removal of pyritic sulphur from coal prior to combustion were carried out in the mid-1980s under funding from the Department of Trade and Industry, the Department of Energy, and Industry. Earlier this year funding was obtained from the European Coal and Steel Commission (ECSC) and the Department of Energy's energy technology support unit (ETSU) for further research into physical separation.

  Bacterial removal of pyritic sulphur has been investigated at Warren Spring as part of a recently-completed European Community collaborative project, with additional funding from the Department of Trade and Industry. Promising initial results have resulted in a further EC project designed to test the process at pilot scale. ETSU is providing the additional funding to meet Warren Spring's costs. ETSU is also supporting parallel work at the Laboratory to assess the bacterial process for a range of different United Kingdom coals.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the major public sector projects in the Warren Spring laboratory's programme.
  345
  Mr. Leigh
  Major public sector projects at Warren Spring laboratory for 1991–92 are as follows:

  Department of the Environment

  air pollution programme (principally monitoring, measurement and abatement);

  waste management (principally technologies for waste recycling, waste treatment and contaminated land treatment);

  technical and administrative support for the DOE part of the environment technology innovation support (ETIS) scheme.

  Department of Trade and Industry

  environmental programme (principally DTI Environment inquiry point and recycling advisory unit, airborne pollution measurement protocols for the national measurement system, safety and environmental aspects of bioprocessing and studies of waste segregation systems, volatile organic compound emissions and aircraft emissions);

  non-environmental process technology programme (projects jointly funded by DTI and industry);

  Department of Transport

  The marine pollution programme covers monitoring and modelling oil and chemical spills at sea, techniques for handling spills at sea and on beaches, and incident response support.

  A separate programme is looking at exhaust emissions from light duty vehicles.

  Department of Energy

  The programme includes projects on coal desulphurisation and refuse derived fuel.

  Scottish Environment Department

  The programme covers sampling of industrial emissions and other services to Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate.

  Health and Safety Executive

  The programme comprises projects on work place emissions of hazardous substances and heavy gas dispersion.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the work of the Warren Spring laboratory on the thermal processing of waste.

  Mr. Leigh
  Following research at Warren Spring laboratory into characterising waste fuels, supported mainly by the Department of Trade and Industry and the Department of Energy's energy technology support unit (ETSU), projects are currently underway for ETSU and the private sector.

  The focus of current research at Warren Spring is on the "cleaner" technology approach (controlling waste input characteristics and the thermal process to prevent pollutants from entering the waste stream) to complement the "end of pipe" approach (cleaning the flue gases). This work includes gasification methods to produce more flexible and higher value fuel from solid wastes (e.g. for use in gas turbines), with a view to increasing the conversion efficiency of waste fuels for power generation.

  Warren Spring's work in this area includes separate contracts for ETSU, the Department of the Environment, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution, local authorities and the private sector for monitoring the performance and emissions from both waste fuel and non-waste fuel combustion plants.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement on the 346
  progress of research by the Warren Spring laboratory into mineral processing techniques which may be applicable to the treatment of contaminated land;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the outcome of the research by the Warren Spring laboratory on the development of soil cleaning techniques and its application to contaminated land.

  Mr. Leigh
  Warren Spring laboratory currently has three main research programmes for investigating soil cleaning techniques and their applicability to contaminated land.

  The largest programme is for the Department of the Environment. The emphasis of the experimental programme is to develop the concept of process integration, based on soil fractionation and using one waste to treat another in biological systems. The fractionation work focuses on the application of a range of mineral and waste processing technologies to produce contaminant concentrates for further treatment.

  Under the United States Environmental Protection Agency's emerging technologies program, Warren Spring is investigating the application of several mineral processing techniques for removing contaminants from soil, with particular emphasis on flotation, flocculation and magnetic separation techniques.

  Under the European Community's science and technology for environmental protection (STEP) programme, Warren Spring is investigating with partners from Germany, the Netherlands and Norway the biological removal of metals from solid wastes and contaminated soils.

  All three programmes are scheduled to run from 1991 to 1993. A technical appraisal report under the DoE programme reviewing contaminated soil clean-up processes is due to be published early in 1992. The other two programmes have been agreed only recently but it is intended that the results should be published for take-up by industry.

  In order to carry out these programmes it has been necessary for Warren Spring to adapt and upgrade a range of facilities at the laboratory, including the mineral processing pilot plant. As a result, Warren Spring is now able to offer an extensive range of experimental and treatment facilities for use by both the public and private sectors in the cleaning of contaminated land and the treatment of bulky hazardous wastes.

  Auditors and Accountants
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many chartered accountants and auditors have now registered under the Companies Act 1989.

  Mr. Redwood
  At 15 November, some 24,000 individuals were registered with supervisory bodies under the Companies Act 1989 as being eligible for appointment as company auditors or responsible for company audit work on behalf of registered audit firms.

  Export Credits Guarantee Department
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many countries are currently off cover for the Export Credits Guarantee Department; and what percentage of the world's population this represents.
  347
  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Export Credits Guarantee Department currently offers some credit insurance cover for all but three countries. The population of these countries represents 0·587 per cent. of the global total (World Bank Atlas 1990).

  Export Intelligence Service
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he is making additional provision for information developed by Her Majesty's overseas posts about export opportunities to be made available to British industry in light of the insolvency of the Export intelligence service.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Cable and Wireless plc have taken over from Export Opportunities Ltd. the contract to match and distribute business opportunities from the Export Intelligence database, and there has been no break in the service to subscribers. I understand that the liquidator of Trade Network International Ltd. is seeking a buyer for the Export Network business under which its customers can search information on-line including that in Export Intelligence. My Department's other contract with Financial Times Profile to provide on-line access is unaffected.

  Life Insurance
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to make consumers aware of the limitations of life insurance companies liability for their tied intermediaries.

  Mr. Redwood
  These are matters for the Securities and Investments Board (SIB) and the other regulatory authorities under the Financial Services Act. LAUTRO (Life Assurance and Unit Trust Regulatory Organisation) has recently introduced new rules in this area. Also, the SIB are currently undertaking a major review of the regulation of the retail investment sector.

  Investors' Compensation Scheme
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has asked the investors' compensation scheme to pay interest on compensation payments paid more than 12 months away from the date of compensation assessment.

  Mr. Redwood
  The rules of the investors compensation scheme are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.

  Money Advice Services
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he has any plan to increase the money allocated through his Department to money advice services.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department does not provide funds specifically for money advice services and has no plans to do so. The main provider of money advice nationally is the citizens' advice service which through the network of citizens' advice bureaux advises on debt problems as part of its general advisory work. Individual bureaux are funded mainly by local authorities. My Department funds the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux and 348
  Citizens Advice Scotland which provide the support services to the local bureaux. Total DTI grant-in-aid in 1991–92 to NACAB and CAS will be about £12 million.

  Many lending institutions have already provided funds to support money advice services: the Government would like to see more following that lead.

  Investment Services Directive
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he will make a statement on progress in negotiations on the proposed investment services directive at the Council of Economic and Finance Ministers which met on 11 November.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Council of Economic and Finance Ministers (ECOFIN) which met on 11 November did not discuss the Investment Services Directive. The Netherlands are currently considering whether to hold further meetings on the outstanding issues of principle during their presidency but they have not said when the directive will next be discussed in ECOFIN.

  VAT
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what action has been taken by the Government to ensure that Greece complies with the judgment of the European Court of Justice concerning discriminatory VAT rates within the alcoholic beverage sector.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 18 November 1991]: It is for the European Commission to ensure that Greece complies with European Court of Justice judgments.

  I have, however, asked my single market compliance unit to liaise with Customs and Excise and our embassy in Athens and monitor compliance by Greece so that, should there be any evidence of non-compliance, the United Kingdom will bring this to the notice of the European Commission.

  Retail Regulation
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received on the Securities and Investments Board's review of retail regulation.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]: The review is a matter for the SIB in the first instance. I have received a number of representations which have been passed to the board.

  Financial Institutions
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what plans he has to prevent financial institutions offering both an independent advice service on financial products and a tied advice service;

  (2) what plans he has to disbar the banks and other financial institutions from operating dual status with regard to advice on financial services.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 21 November 1991]: This is a matter for SIB and the other regulatory bodies under the Financial Services Act.

  Textile Industry
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he has taken to ensure that the east midlands is included in the EC's Retex scheme for financial assistance to areas where the textile industry has been in decline.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 19 November 1991]: The Commission has made a preliminary announcement about this proposed scheme but details have yet to be made available to member states including the criteria for selecting eligible areas and the likely allocation of funds to the United Kingdom. The Government will naturally seek to ensure the maximum effective coverage within the United Kingdom.

  Earnings
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will propose legislation under which all public limited companies would be required to reveal the number of employees who earn less than 50 per cent. of the median male wage.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply. No.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will propose legislation under which companies would be required to give details of the number of employees earning less than 50 per cent. of the male median salary in the United Kingdom;

  (2) if he will propose legislation under which companies would be required to publish the number of employees earning wages less that £193 per week.

  Mr. Forth
  I have been asked to reply. No.

DEFENCE

  Diving Forces
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the bases of the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch, giving numbers of officers, qualified divers, trainees and other personnel at each base.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The present strength of Royal Naval Reserve bases with port divers is:

  Officers

  Ratings

  HMS Calliope

  77 (1)

  202 (16)

  HMS Calpe

  23(0)

  67 (7)

  HMS Camperdown

  102 (0)

  129 (9)

  HMS Claverhouse

  98 (1)

  188 (16)

  HMS Eaglet

  136 (2)

  299 (25)

  HMS Flying Fox

  138 (0)

  213 (18)

  HMS Graham

  95 (2)

  213 (16)

  HMS President

  234 (0)

  234 (17)

  HMS Sussex

  90(1)

  150 (18)

  HMS Wessex

  170 (2)

  209 (11)

  The figures in brackets are those officers and ratings who are Royal Naval Reserve port divers; each unit has two or three trainees at any time.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the police forces and other public services which have received assistance from Royal Naval Reserve port divers during the last five years.
  350
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  This information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the distinction between the training, role and costs of the different diving branches of the Royal Naval Reserve.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the plans for the future of the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch, and on the implications of those plans for Royal Navy regular diving units.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that he received from my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement on 21 October at column 446. There are no implications for the Royal Navy regular diving units.

  Housing (ex-service Personnel)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what communications he has had with(a) Colchester borough council and (b) Westminster city council regarding their housing allocations policy and its effect on ex-service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  RAF Germany
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned percentage increase in the capability of RAF Germany over the next four years.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Rapid Reaction Corps
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he has had with his Norwegian and Danish counterparts regarding the deployment of British units of the Rapid Reaction Corps on operational tours of duty in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Garvie Island
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what exercises have been carried out on Garvie island in the last month; and how many times in the last two years exercises have been carried out on Garvie island at the weekend.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Garvie island range has been in use on 11 occasions over the last month and on two Saturdays during the past two years. Specific details are as follows:

  Date

  Activity

  Use of Garvie island over the last month

  8 October

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  29 October

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  351

  Date

  Activity

  30 October

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  5 November

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  8 November

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  14 November

  Offshore naval gunfire exercise

  15 November

  Offshore naval gunfire exercise

  16 November

  Offshore naval gunfire exercise

  18 November

  Offshore naval gunfire exercise

  19 November

  Offshore naval gunfire exercise

  20 November

  Offshore naval gunfire exercise

  Use of Garvie island at weekends over past two years

  2 February 1991

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  28 September 1991

  Aircraft bombing exercise

  United States Air Force
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what exercises the United States Air Force have conducted in the United Kingdom in the last month.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Between 19 October and 19 November the United States Air Force has conducted one exercise in the United Kingdom. This took place between 28 and 31 October and involved aircraft from RAF Bentwaters carrying out a rehearsal for the NATO tactical evaluation of the base.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the United States Air Force has been involved in training in the United Kingdom for operations against Libya in the last month.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  United States Air Force aircraft carry out training in the United Kingdom on a regular basis. It is not our practice to comment on specific operational matters.

  Defence Estate
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the total maintenance backlog of(a) unavoidable and essential repairs and (b) urgent repairs on the Defence estate as of 1 April in each year since 1970.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write to the hon. Member.

  Service Housing Task Force
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish the recommendations of the task force on service housing.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer that I gave the hon. Member for East Lothian (Mr. Home Robertson) on 5 November at column 96.

  Married Quarters
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the names of the housing associations with which he is discussing making available service married quarters; and when he expects these discussions to be completed.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It would be inappropriate to list the names of the housing associations while discussions are continuing. Announcements will be made when the discussions are complete.

  1st Armoured Division
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which individual weapon systems will be used to measure the increase in capability of 1st Armoured Division.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The assessment is based on all weapon systems held by combat troops within the formation's order of battle.

  Housing (Army Personnel)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many of the 5,000 Army personnel who have applied for voluntary redundancy have already made their own provision for housing.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Information on the private housing arrangements or plans of those Army personnel who have applied to be considered for redundancy is not held by the Ministry of Defence. We anticipate that many individuals will be using their special capital payments to help to purchase a home for the first time.

  3rd (UK) Division
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the planned percentage increase in the capability of 3rd (UK) Division over the next four years.

  Mr. Hamilton
  As outlined in "Britain's Army for the 90s" (Cm. 1595), 3rd (UK) Division will be a new formation comprising two mechanised brigades and 5th Airborne Brigade. There is therefore no basis for a comparison with any of the existing four divisions of BAOR.

  Service Personnel (Deaths)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 November,Official Report, column 425, if full reports of boards of inquiries are made available to bereaved families on request after the deaths of service personnel.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No. Next of kin are, however, provided—on request—with an accurate and objective summary of the report of the service inquiry.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answers of 19 November,Official Report, column 425, about deaths of service personnel, in what form the information requested is available; and if he will publish it in the Official Report.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is not always the case that families request details of the deaths of service personnel, but in all cases in which they do, details, in the form of a specially prepared statement, are given. Records of all cases are not held centrally.

  Admiral Sir Julian Oswald
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 19 November, what changes in practice have taken place since 29 October to prevent the information made available by Admiral Sir Julian Oswald in The Times being subsequently made available to hon. Members in parliamentary answers.
  353
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I have nothing to add to the answers that I gave the hon. Member on 14 November at columns 667–68 and 19 November at column 150.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been(a) total defence expenditure, (b) expenditure on weaponry and (c) expenditure on nuclear weapons and nuclear powered weapons for the years 1979 to 1991 in real and constant prices.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Figures detailing total defence expenditure for the period requested are published in the Eleventh report of the House of Commons Defence Committee on the Statement on the Defence Estimates. Expenditure on equipment and the nuclear strategic force can be found at tables 2.2 and 2.3 in volume 2 of the 354
  annual Statements on the Defence Estimates. It has been the policy of successive Governments not separately to identify expenditure on nuclear weapons.

  Army Board
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the officers comprising the Army Board by rank, name, previous regiment or corps and present job.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Four members of the Army Board are serving officers:

  General Sir John Chapple, late 2nd Gurkha Rifles, Chief of the General Staff

  General Sir David Ramsbotham, late Royal Green Jackets, Adjutant General

  General Sir Edward Jones, late Royal Green Jackets, Quartermaster General

  Lieutenant General A. S. J. Blacker, late Royal Tank Regiment,

  Master General of the Ordnance.