Written Answers of 14 October 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Weapons Protocols
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what work his Department is currently doing on international weapons protocols.

  The Attorney-General
  No. The subject of international weapons protocols is the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Foreign Secretary and the Secretary of State for Defence.

  Serious Fraud Office
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the number of cases currently under investigation by the Serious Fraud Office; and when he proposes to meet the Serious Fraud Office to discuss the progress of investigations.

  The Attorney-General
  The Serious Fraud Office is currently investigating 50 separate cases with criminal proceedings having been commenced in 36 of those cases. I frequently discuss matters of departmental interest with the director and expect to do so shortly.

  Immigration
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Attorney-General what representations he has received concerning the provision of green form representation on immigration matters.

  The Attorney-General
  My noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor and I have received a number of representations from a range of organisations representing the legal profession and immigrant lobbies and from individuals.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Winnick
  To ask the Attorney-General what discussions have taken place between his Department and the director of the Serious Fraud Office over the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

  The Attorney-General
  I have been kept informed about the progresss of this investigation into the affairs of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International through frequent discussions with the director of the Serious Fraud Office. The contents of those discussions need to remain confidential.

  "Statutes in Force"
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Attorney-General what plans he has to update the publication "Statutes in Force"; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  Good progress has been made in updating "Statutes in Force". Five additional lawyers were 2
  taken on for the summer to assist in this work. For the longer term, plans to update the statute book with the help of computer technology are being considered with a view to the establishment of a permanent statute law database.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Attorney-General what discussions he has held with the chairman of the Legal Aid Board concerning emergency arrangements for payments of travelling expenses in excess of 40 miles for solicitors' visits to their clients held in custody in police cells in the catchment area of Cardiff gaol since 17 June.

  The Attorney-General
  None. The Legal Aid in Criminal and Care Proceedings (Costs) Regulations 1989 require a solicitor to be paid reasonable remuneration for work reasonably done. Each case and visit must be considered on its own merits. However, it is always open to a solicitor to seek prior authority to incur costs for performing an act that involves unusually large expenditure.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Rain Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what policy changes have been made by the Overseas Development Administration in response to the recommendations addressed to the Overseas Development Administration by the Select Committee on the Environment relating to rain forests.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The committee's report endorses Britain's approach towards conserving tropical forests.

  We are actively pursuing our bilateral forestry initiatives. We are encouraging development banks to review their forest policies. We are working to ensure that a statement of principles on managing the world's forests will be endorsed at the conference on the environment and development by world leaders including our own Prime Minister.

  International Disasters
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement of Britain's revised capability for responding to international disasters.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our new arrangements emphasise the rapid assessment of need and co-ordination of relief. The ODA has established a standing capacity for mounting direct relief operations, sending skilled, trained experts and relief supplies quickly to wherever they may be needed.

  This is additional to the support we will continue to give to non-governmental organisations and international agencies.

  Third World Aid
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met representatives of the G7 to discuss aid and development in the third world; and what was the outcome of the meeting.
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  Mrs. Chalker
  G7 representatives met at the London economic summit on 15 to 17 July; the economic declaration covered economic policy, international trade, the middle east, developing countries and debt, the environment, and drugs.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action to promote development in the third world has been taken by the Overseas Development Administration as a result of the G7 meeting.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The London economic summit emphasised the importance of aid quality, good government, economic reform and aid for the poorest. In formulating its aid programmes the ODA continues to attach the highest priority to these objectives.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the criteria against which aid to a third world country is increased or decreased.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The aid programme is managed flexibly to enable us to respond to the changing needs of developing countries. Individual country programmes are reviewed annually to ensure appropriate and effective use of resources, taking into account good government and sound economic policies.

  Good Government
  Mr. Robert Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the total Overseas Development Administration budget for 1991–92 had been committed for direct support for good government in developing countries; and what is the level of funding for such projects.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of the total Overseas Development Administration budget for 1991–92 has been committed for direct support for good government in developing countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We plan to spend around £30 million of bilateral aid this year in direct support of "good government" activities, such as support for the legal sector, administrative reform, responsible policing and democratic processes. This is 3 per cent. of total bilateral aid. The balance of payment support we plan to provide to countries implementing economic reform programmes will reach over £140 million this year.

  Southern Africa
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent progress there has been with aid from Her Majesty's Government to southern Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have continued to provide financial and technical support for the economic and social development of the region. This has included balance of payments assistance for countries launching and maintaining agreed programmes of economic reform; emergency assistance for those affected by conflicts in Angola and Mozambique; and, in South Africa, a new programme of training in public administration, in addition to a continuing programme of assistance for black South Africans amounting to some £10 million this year.

  Tropical Forests
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the steps being taken to emphasise the case for training overseas students in(a) rain forest and (b) other tropical forest-related disciplines in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) recipient countries.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The United Kingdom has a substantial programme of forestry training for overseas study fellows at postgraduate and more practical levels. This has been increasing since the launch of the forestry initiative in November 1989. In 1990–91—the last financial year for which there are complete figures—United Kingdom training awards fell into the following categories; Rain forests are not a separate discipline.

  Number

  Forestry General

  91

  Silviculture

  4

  Tropical Forest Ecology

  1

  Tropical Forest Pathology

  1

  Tropical Tree Breeding

  1

  Environmental Forestry

  31

  Environmental Forestry Policy

  2

  Forest Management

  22

  Forestry Mensuration

  1

  Forest Planning

  4

  Forest Economics

  3

  Forest Engineering

  1

  Forest Harvesting

  2

  Agro Forestry

  12

  Social Forestry

  32

  Total

  208

  Where appropriate, the United Kingdom also assists with forestry training in developing countries. For example the ODA is providing technical assistance to strengthen local training institutions in Indonesia and Sri Lanka.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action has been taken as a result of the Food and Agriculture Organisation report, chaired by Ambassador Ullsten, and recommendations relating to legal instruments placing obligations on both tropical and northern industrial countries contributing to the conservation of tropical forest.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Progress with the reform of the tropical forest action plan—TFAP—has been slow. Since the Ullsten report there was an expert group meeting in Geneva in March and a further 'contact group' meeting in Paris last month, which agreed the functions of a proposed consultative group to oversee the operations of the TFAP. A report of this meeting will be considered at the FAO council in November.

  The third UNCED preparatory committee meeting in Geneva last month made progress in producing a draft statement of principles on the management of the world's forests. This should be ready in time to be endorsed by world leaders in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992. We hope that at Rio there will be a commitment to work towards a legal convention thereafter.

  The draft statement of principles states that there must be an adequate mechanism for making financial and technical assistance available to help developing countries implement policies and programmes aimed at the

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  conservation and sustainable development of forests. This is the purpose of TFAP, so the United Kingdom will therefore continue to press for reforms that make the TFAP an effective and transparent mechanism.

  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consultations he had with the non-governmental organisation community about advice that will be given by Edinburgh centre for tropical forests.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Edinburgh centre for tropical forests is one of a variety of sources of advice which the Overseas Development Administration uses in appraising develop-ment projects submitted by non-governmental organisa-tions. It is not ODA's practice, when selecting advisers, to consult potential recipients of funds and it would not have been practical to do so in this case.

  Central African Republic
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what measures he is taking to ensure that Her Majesty's Government monitor the environmental policy of the African Development Bank as it is implemented in the Central African Republic; and if he will publish voting figures.

  Mrs. Chalker
  A rural development project for the Central African Republic was tentatively scheduled for presentation to the August session of the bank's executive board.

  Executive directors representing several non-regional members of the bank, including the United Kingdom, asked management to withdraw the project until a comprehensive assessment of its environmental impact has been undertaken.

  Multilateral Development Banks
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proposals he has for improving the performance of the multilateral development banks at the OECD December environmental meeting; and if he will publish voting figures.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We continue to urge multilateral development banks to integrate environmental considerations fully into all their operations and to strengthen their professional expertise where appropriate.

  In addition, at the OECD aid and environment ministerial meeting on 2 and 3 December, I intend to propose that regional development banks follow the lead of the World bank in undertaking not to finance logging projects in primary tropical moist forests.

ENERGY

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he has approved any system of certificated training for installers and others involved in business activities aided by the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Prior to the introduction of the home energy efficiency scheme—HEES—the Energy Efficiency Office made available to organisations intending 6
  to bid to become network installers under the scheme, vouchers for the provision of training in energy awareness. Neighbourhood Energy Action has developed four City and Guilds qualifications—in draughtproofing, loft insulation, surveying and energy awareness—which are relevant to installers operating under HEES and others carrying out similar work. Next month, the first national vocational qualification in energy efficiency is to he launched.

  My Department and the Energy Action Grants Agency take every opportunity to stress the importance of training for installers. The Energy Efficiency Office, as part of its monitoring of the scheme, will be looking carefully at the link between the use of qualified installers and higher standards of workmanship.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) if he will introduce a code of conduct in relation to sales techniques for installers of domestic insulation operating under the home energy efficiency scheme;

  (2) what studies he has carried out of the use of pressure selling techniques by commercial insulation installers operating under the wing of the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Following consideration of early monitoring results, including reports of unacceptable selling techniques being used by a small number of contractors, I announced on 22 May the introduction of a procedure for the listing of contractors operating under the home energy efficiency scheme. At the same time, the Energy Action Grants Agency, having consulted interested parties, introduced the "Customer Care Guidelines on Good Conduct" to which network installers and listed contractors operating under the scheme are required to adhere.

  Trawsfynydd Power Station
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the chief inspector of the nuclear installations inspectorate concerning the length of time out of service of reactors at Trawsfynydd power station; and what is the estimated effect of this on the setting of the level of the nuclear levy.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The shutting down of the reactors at Trawsfynydd is an operational matter for Nuclear Electric plc—NE. Nevertheless, I am kept informed of developments, and I understand that the Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate is currently considering NE's interim safety case for the return of the reactors to operation.

  Under the terms of NE's contract with the regional electricity companies, the fossil fuel levy would tend to decrease to the extent that Nuclear Electric fails to generate the full pre-determined output that would attract the pre-determined premium price. However, to the extent that NE is able to generate this output from other stations, there would be no impact on the levy.

  Wind Power
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what discussions he has had with the director-general of OFFER concerning the level of applications from wind power operators for inclusion in the 1991 tranche of the non-fossil fuel obligation.
  7
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  As part of the statutory consultations, my officials have liaised closely with OFFER throughout the exercise to make the proposed Renewables Order 1991. The Director General of Electricity Supply has also submitted his formal advice, which my right hon. Friend and I are now considering.

  Nuclear Power Stations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will place a copy in the Library of the nuclear installations inspectorate's guidance for the emergency planning authorities on the hypothetical release scenario for the formulation of outline plans for an extended response concerning emergencies at civil nuclear power stations, as referred to in his letter to the hon. Member for Cardiff, West dated 3 October.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have today placed in the Library a copy of the nuclear installations inspectorate's guidance "Outline Emergency Planning for Licensed Nuclear Power Stations".

PRIME MINISTER

  Citizens Charter
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the total amount of planned expenditure funded by the Exchequer for the promotion and advertising of "The Citizen's Charter" White Paper.

  The Prime Minister
  The estimated cost is likely to be in the order of £916,000. This includes the costs of producing, advertising and distributing the popular version of the White Paper. The costs for printing, publishing and distributing the White Paper—Cm 1599—were met by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, which aims to recover its costs from sales revenue.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Prime Minister when he proposes to complete the appointment of a panel of advisers on the citizens charter initiative; and if he will list the individuals who have so far agreed to serve on that panel.

  The Prime Minister
  I have appointed six members to the citizens charter advisory panel to serve under the chairmanship of Sir James Blyth. They are Mr. Christopher Bland, Dr. Nancy Lane, Dr. Madsen Pirie, Mr. Christopher Swan, Mr. Stan Webster and Lady Judith Wilcox.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those proposals in the citizens charter for which new legislation will be necessary.

  The Prime Minister
  Legislation will be needed to extend the powers of the Audit Commission and require local authorities to respond to auditors' reports; to extend compulsory competitive tendering; to require regular independent inspection of schools and the publication of information about the performance of all schools; to require lay members independent of local education authorities to be appointed to appeals tribunals; to give the citizen a right to challenge unlawful industrial action affecting public services; to extend delegation in the civil service and deal with the problems relating to technical 8
  redundancy; to privatise British Rail; to deregulate London buses; to change arrangements for the provision of motorway service areas; to limit the Post Office monopoly, establish a new regulator for postal services and give the Secretary of State powers to set standards and targets; to bring the powers to set and ensure service standards of the regulators of the privatised utilities up to the standards of the strongest; and to make other smaller changes to the law, for example allowing juries considering their verdict to go home overnight.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister what action he has taken to reduce concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to combat global warming.

  The Prime Minister
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Stockton, North (Mr. Cook) on 22 July, at column 375. The "First Year Report on the Environment White Paper"—Cm 1655—which shows how our first set of measures to limit the United Kingdom's carbon dioxide emissions are being put into practice, was published on Wednesday 25 September.

  EC Heads of Government Meeting
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Prime Minister when he placed in the Library a copy of the communique issued after the meeting of Heads of Governments of member states of the European Community held on 13 September.

  The Prime Minister
  No communiqué was issued, because the European Council planned for 13 September did not take place.

  Learning Difficulties
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Prime Minister what representations he has received from the National Campaign With People Who Have Learning Difficulties; what reply he is sending; if there is any action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  I have received a letter from the director setting out his organisation's concerns about the future development of services for people with learning disabilities. My hon. Friend the Under-Secretary for Health has responsibility for these services and will be replying on my behalf; a copy of his reply will be sent to the right hon. Member.

  Citizens Advice Bureaux
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Prime Minister what support Her Majesty's Government are giving to the citizens advice bureaux throughout the United Kingdom.

  The Prime Minister
  The Department of Trade and Industry funds the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux—NACAB—and Citizens Advice Scotland—CAS—which provide the central support services for the local bureaux in England, Wales and Scotland. Similarly, the Northern Ireland Office funds the Northern Ireland Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux —NIACAB. Total grant-in-aid to NACAB, CAS and NIACAB for 1990–91 was £11·74 million. Grant-in-aid for the current financial year will be more than £12 million.
  9
  Although the Government do not fund individual citizens advice bureaux, directly, the money provided to the central organisations includes a provision to develop the local network through partnership agreements on a time limited basis.

  Animals Charter
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask tile Prime Minister if it is the intention of Her Majesty's Government to prepare and publish an animals charter.

  The Prime Minister
  The Government place a high priority on ensuring proper safeguards for animal welfare, and have already made clear their policy for making progress on a wide range of animal welfare issues. In relation to farm animals, my right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is pressing in particular for measures to improve welfare standards throughout the European Community.

ENVIRONMENT

  Eco-labelling
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress he has made on setting criteria for eco-label schemes(a) within the United Kingdom and (b) within the context of European Commission proposals.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government would prefer the United Kingdom to he part of a European Communitywide scheme of eco-labelling and will introduce a national scheme only if the Community scheme is delayed. Agreement on the European Commission proposals is currently expected to be reached in December. The European Commission has supported pilot studies by the United Kingdom and others into a number of different product categories which should assist in the setting of criteria under the Communitywide scheme. Further work on these and other product categories will take place before the scheme is launched.

  Citizens Charter
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will meet the national home and water safety councils to discuss the implications for their work of the exclusion of non-mandatory services from the citizens charter.

  Mr. Key
  No. The citizens charter applies to all public services. These include government departments and agencies, nationalised industries, local authorities, the national health service, the courts, police and emergency services, regardless of whether the services that they provide are mandatory.

  Barnburgh Hall
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will review the listing of the sate of Barnburgh hall, South Yorkshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have no plans to review the listing of buildings on the site of Barnburgh hall. The parish of 10
  Barnburgh was resurveyed for listing purposes as recently as 1986, and the listing in June 1968 of the dovecote and the outhouse at Barnburgh hall was confirmed at that time. The revised statutory list for the area was published on 11 April 1986.

  If the owner of a listed building considers that it does not possess the special architectural or historic interest which has been identified, and can produce evidence in support of his case, we are always prepared to reconsider the matter, and will ask English Heritage, our statutory advisers on listing matters, to reassess the building. It is not a formal procedure: all the owner needs to do is to write to the Department with his evidence.

  Home and Water Safety
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make the provision of home and water safety a mandatory function of local councils.

  Mr. Key
  No.

  Environmental Health Departments
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those local government services currently provided by environmental health departments which are not mandatory.

  Mr. Key
  This information is not held centrally. It is for each local authority to determine its own priorities in this field and the services provided may vary according to local circumstances.

  Waste Statistics
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, further to his reply to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey of 23 July,Official Report, column 519, when he expects the review of waste statistics to be completed.

  Mr. Baldry
  The first stage of the in-house review of waste statistics is expected to be completed by the end of October and its results taken account of in the Department's research and development programme.

  Councillors
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will bring forward a commencement order to activate section 9 of the Local Government Act 1989 regarding council members' interests.

  Mr. Key
  Yes, as soon as possible. I have written to my hon. Friend about this matter.

  Home and Water Safety
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what guidance he has given to local authorities on the provision of home and water safety.

  Mr. Key
  None. It is for each local authority to decide on what provision it should make, having regard to the circumstances of its area and any statutory requirements.

  Office of Water Services
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has had with Mr. Ian Byatt regarding further powers for the Director General of the Office of Water Services.
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  Mr. Baldry
  To follow up the citizens charter White Paper, the Government will be bringing forward legislation to strengthen the formal powers of the utility regulators. This legislation is being prepared in close consultation with the director general.

  Water Pollution, Egham
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the drinking water pollution episode that took place at the Egham works of the North Surrey Water Company on 26 December 1990, setting out(a) what took place, (b) who was notified and when, (c) the criteria by which it was decided that no public warning should be issued, (d) whether any adverse effects on the health of the company's customers was recorded and (e) what steps have been taken to ensure that there will not be a similar delay in notifying the public of such an event in future.

  Mr. Baldry
  The incident occurred on 26 and 27 December 1990. It was caused by the failure of the automatic changeover system when a chlorine drum was exhausted.

  The drinking water inspectorate has investigated the incident and will report shortly, dealing inter alia with the matters raised by my hon. Friend. We shall then decide what further action is needed. At that stage I shall write to my hon. Friend with any further information I can provide.

  Landfill Sites (Leicester)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will meet a delegation of residents to discuss the issue of the landfill site on Bailey Thorpe road;

  (2) what recent representations he has received about landfill sites in Leicester; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I met the hon. Member on 21 February 1991. Leicester city councillor Mr. Mugglestone asked to meet my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to discuss a proposed development on a closed landfill site at Barkby Thorpe. My hon. Friend could not agree to this request; nor could he now meet local residents, because some planning applications on or near the site are subject to appeal to the Secretary of State. Finally, Leicester city council applied for supplementary credit approval for measures to deal with landfill gas at closed landfill sites in their area, and was allocated £130,000 for financial year 1991–92.

  Refuse Collection
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities in Greater London have put their refuse collection operations out to tender; how many of these contracts have been won by outside contractors; and what are the total estimated changes in costs from compulsory competitive tendering.

  Mr. Key
  This information is not held centrally, but research carried out for the Department by the Institute of Local Government Studies indicates that authorities involved in their study made savings of the order of 8 per cent. following competition for their refuse collection work.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in how many cases the granting of an exemption from the personal community charge on the grounds of severe mental impairment has resulted in increased community charge liability for relatives of the disabled person through (i) a reduction in the partner's community charge benefit or (ii) a lowering of the amount of community charge reduction received by one or more other individuals in the household; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is not available. However, the conditions in which the community charge liability of other members of a household may rise following the exemption of one person, are either that the benefit payable to a couple one of whom is exempt may be adjusted according to the new comparison between the couple's joint resources and its lower joint liability, or that a household's entitlement to help under the community charge reduction scheme may fall since the gap between its original rates bill and its new gross community charge is narrowed.

  House Renovation Grants
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the total expenditure(a) budgeted for and (b) carried out under the minor works assistance provision of the home renovation grant system (i) between April 1990 and April 1991 and (ii) since April 1991.

  Mr. Yeo
  No specific allowance is made for minor works assistance within the Department's overall provision for local authorities' expenditure on house renovation grants. Returns made by local authorities in England show that in the financial year 1990–91 total expenditure on minor works assistance was some £8 million, and in the first quarter of 1991–92 is provisionally estimated to be some £4·3 million. For information about Wales I refer the hon. Member to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  London City Airport
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, in the light of his decision to permit the flights of certain categories of jet aircraft from London City airport, he will request the London Docklands development corporation to reassess the risk in respect of developments for which planning permission has already been given.

  Mr. Yeo
  No.

  City Challenge (Wales)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what proposals he has for Welsh urban areas to be eligible for resources from the city challenge budget allocation.

  Mr. Key
  None. The 1992 competition for city challenge resources will be open only to the 57 urban programme authorities in England. Urban regeneration initiatives in Wales are the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Private Planning Agents
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what powers he has to regulate the standards of performance and qualifications of private planning agents.

  Mr. Yeo
  I do not think that these are appropriate matters for Government control. Those who use private planning consultants should satisfy themselves about their probity and competence. The Royal Town Planning Institute and other professional institutions set standards for the training and professional conduct of their members.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about progress towards a system for green labelling for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government have been encouraged by the progress that has been made towards agreeing a Communitywide eco-labelling scheme. We are optimistic that the regulation will be agreed at the Environment Council in December and that the scheme will become operational in 1992.

  National Rivers Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consultations he has carried out with angling interests in Wales concerning the future of the National Rivers Authority;

  (2) when he expects to issue his consultation document concerning the integration of the National Rivers Authority with Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution or other agencies.

  Mr. Baldry
  The consultation document on the proposed new environment agency was published on 3 October. Paragraph 46 specifically seeks views on how the work of the new agency can best be undertaken in Wales.

  Wildlife Trade
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he can announce the outcome of the study of the wildlife trade by the joint Nature Conservation Committee and the Royal Botanic gardens, Kew.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Joint Nature Conservation Committee submitted its report on 31 July, and copies are available in the library of the House. The Royal Botanic gardens, Kew has just submitted a report which reaches similar general conclusions and makes detailed recommendations on plants. We will make this available as soon as possible.

  The JNCC's report gives unequivocal support for the convention on international trade in endangered species of the wild fauna and flora—CITES—which is the foundation for the conservation controls on trade throughout the European Community and most of the rest of the world. The committee has made some wide-ranging recommendations for the tightening the present controls— these deserve scrutiny throughout the European Community and beyond.

  The Government share the concern that has been expressed not only about the possible effects of trade on
  14
  wild populations, but about the conditions in which animals—especially birds—are transported. My right hon. Friend the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food has already been pressing hard for improvements in transport conditions on a Community basis.

  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and I have therefore written to the European Commission today, urging it to propose that the Community takes steps to:
  —strengthen measures to prevent illegal trade in endangered species and to ensure that specimens of the species are used to bring conservation benefits;—make more systematic checks on the effects of trade in species whose survival might become threatened to ensure that it continues only at sustainable levels;—monitor trade in more species;—make sure that appropriate care is taken of all species on CITES;— strictly control trade in any species which are particularly vulnerable to stress and mortality as a result of transport and captivity.

  Local Government
  Mr. Squire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make available the responses to his Department's consultation paper "The Structure of Local Government in England".

  Mr. Portillo
  A list of the respondents has been placed in the Library of the House. I have also made copies of the responses available to the Library.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Wilshire
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to make available the responses to his Department's consultation paper "A New Tax for Local Government".

  Mr. Portillo
  A list of the respondents has been placed in the Library of the House. I have also made copies of the responses available to the Library.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  New Car Sales
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the revenue from all taxes on new car sales in the first three months after the Budget changes came into effect; and what was the comparable figure in each of the last two years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Estimates for the second calendar quarter of the value added tax and car tax accruing on new car sales in the past three years are as follows:

  £ million

  1989 Q2

  1,000

  1990 Q2

  960

  1991 Q2

  830

  Give-as-you-Earn
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information is available on the number of give-as-you-earn payroll schemes and of the taxpayers participating.

  Mr. Maude
  The latest estimates are as follows:
  15

  Payroll giving scheme

  Year

  Schemes in force at end of period

  Donors (thousands)

  1987–88

  2,505

  55

  1988–89

  3,722

  120

  1989–90

  4,636

  190

  11990–91

  5,306

  260

  1231991–92

  5,524

  270

  1 Provisional.

  2 Figures related to June 1991.

  3 First quarter.

  Car Taxation
  Mr. Butcher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will conduct a study of the revenue effect of a reduction in car taxation to the EC average taking into account the effect on numbers of cars sold as a result of such a reduction and assuming that interest rates remain the same as at 24 July.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  No. The tax treatment of cars varies considerably across member states. There are wide differences in what is taxed and how. A detailed study would be required at considerable cost.

  EC Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meeting of the European Community's Economic and Finance Council on 7 October.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Economic and Finance Council of the European Community met in Luxembourg on 7 October. I represented the United Kingdom.

  Detailed aspects of the proposed post-1992 VAT technical system and the mechanism for administrative co-operation between fiscal authorities were discussed. Member states raised a number of specific concerns and several outstanding issues were identified. I argued for a substantial transitional period before the abolition of intra-Community tax-free and duty-free shopping. All member states agreed that a transitional period was necessary. The exact length of this period will be the subject of further negotiations.

  The Council also agreed to set up an ad hoc group which will discuss the Commission's proposals on the taxation of interest and royalties and report back to ECOFIN by 1 December.

  The Council discussed a proposal from the Commission for the relief of debt owed to the Community under the Lomé agreements by the African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries, but no decisions were reached.

  The Commission presented a paper outlining a suggestion by the Prime Minister, as chairman of the G7, that the European Community should provide a contingency facility for the Soviet Union of 2 billion ecu, including the 750 million ecu of food assistance already agreed.

  I supported the 2 billion ecu facility, and agreed with the Commission that the new funds, 1·25 billion ecu, should be in the form of Community loans. I also supported the suggestion that there should be a form of triangular trade involving food purchases from the east European countries. I emphasised the need for fundamen-tal policy reforms in agriculture and food distribution in
  16
  the USSR, to include price liberalisation, allowing freer rein to markets and privatisation. I also emphasised that the new credits should be contingent on a clear demonstration of need, and that there should be careful targeting and monitoring of disbursements. As there was an agreement in principle to the facility and the figure, it was agreed that the Prime Minister would write to the non-European G7 Heads of Government to propose fair burden sharing.

  The Commission also announced that they would be considering further the prospects for greater co-operation with the EBRD in the management of funds for technical assistance to eastern Europe and the Soviet Union.

  The Council agreed to put forward some procedural guidelines aimed at improving the preparation of issues with financial implications for discussion at the European Council.

  There was a brief discussion of the Commission's provisional Communication on a possible Community strategy for limiting CO2 emissions and improving energy efficiency including a new carbon/energy tax. It was agreed that the communication should be discussed at a future ECOFIN as well as at a joint Energy and Environment Council.

  In the afternoon of the same day Economics and Finance Ministers reconvened at a meeting of the intergovernmental conference on economic and monetary union. Two issues were discussed: the procedure for monitoring member states' budget deficits and a Danish proposal that Central bank governors be invited at the beginning of stage 2 to look at the possibility of narrowing the standard band of the exchange rate mechanism of the European monetary system.

  All member states agreed that excessive budget deficits should be avoided, but a wide variety of views were expressed as to how this could best be achieved. I suggested that sound fiscal positions were best encouraged by a combination of peer group pressure, through Community surveillance, and market forces, reinforced by a ban on any bail-out of a member state. On the second issue, there was little support for the idea of narrowing the ERM band in stage 2. Although some delegations were sympathetic to the objectives of the Danish proposal, it did not receive sufficient support to be pursued further.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Violent Offenders
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given to the courts on sentences for people convicted of violence on first offence.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Criminal Justice Act 1991 will introduce a clear statutory framework for sentencing, under which the penalty will be based on the seriousness of the offence for which the offender is being sentenced. A custodial sentence, or a longer one than justified by the seriousness of the offence, will be available to protect the public from serious harm from a violent, or a sexual, offender.

  War Crimes
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what progress has been made on war crimes investigations.
  17
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The war crimes investigations unit established by the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis has begun its investigations. It is too early to say whether prosecutions will be brought as a result of the unit's work.

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many passengers seeking political asylum in(a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c) 1991 up to the nearest convenient date were granted temporary admission.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Heathrow Terminal 4
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether any area of terminal 4 at Heathrow airport is listed in the Immigration (Places of Detention) Order.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The area used for detention at Heathrow airport terminal 4 comes within the provisions of the Immigration (Places of Detention) Direction 1987.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were detained by the Immigration Service at terminal 4 at Heathrow airport on the 1st and 15th of each month in 1991.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The latest available information is as follows:

  Total number of people detained1

  1st

  15th

  January

  41

  38

  February

  15

  37

  March

  41

  43

  April

  22

  33

  May

  60

  20

  June

  22

  46

  July

  26

  15

  August

  38

  22

  September

  20

  30

  1 Some were detained for only a short period.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the size of the area used for detention at terminal 4 at Heathrow airport;

  (2) how many (a) beds, (b) toilets, (c) wash basins, (d) showers, (e) baths and (f) telephones are available to people detained at terminal 4 at Heathrow airport.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The size of the area used for detention at terminal 4 at Heathrow airport is 157·5 sq m. The facilities currently available include 12 beds, four toilets, four wash basins, and one telephone. There are no showers or baths. All people detained overnight at Heathrow terminal 4 are, however, taken to the immigration service detention centre, Harmondsworth the next morning where they have access to showers.

  Detainees
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were detained(a) overnight and (b) for a period of more than a month in (i)
  18
  Harmondsworth detention centre, (ii) the Queen's building, Heathrow, (iii) the Beehive, Gatwick, (iv) Dover and (v) HM prison Haslar during (x) 1990 and (y) 1991 to the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information readily available relates to the number of persons whose detention spanned at least one night pending further examination of their application for admission to, or their removal from, the United Kingdom and is given in the table. Separate information on persons detained for more than a month could be provided only at disproportionate cost. Since 1990 there has been an increase in asylum applicants detained at Harmondsworth and, to a lesser extent, Haslar. On average, such persons stay longer than other detainees, resulting in a decrease in the total number of persons detained there over a period.

  Persons detained overnight or longer at certain locations1

  Location

  1990 Year

  1991 January to August

  Harmondsworth23

  3,284

  596

  Queen's Building, Heathrow

  2,215

  1,464

  Beehive, Gatwick

  2,648

  1,887

  Dover24

  164

  146

  Haslar

  678

  318

  1 Unless otherwise stated, the data include persons initially detained elsewhere prior to being detained at the location given.

  2 Data exclude illegal entrants and deportees.

  3 Data mainly exclude persons initially detained elsewhere.

  4 Including passengers at Dover detained overnight at other locations.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons detained under Immigration Act powers applied to the Home Office to be allowed to depart voluntarily under the supervised departure provisions of the immigration rules in each quarter since January 1990.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The readily available information on the numbers of persons removed in 1990 under the supervised departure procedures is given in table 34 of the Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom, 1990"—Cm. 1571—a copy of which is in the Library. Corresponding information for the first two quarters of 1991 is given in the table. Most of these persons would have been detained prior to departure. A number would have been subject to restrictions as an alternative to detention, but such cases could be separately identified only at disproportionate cost.

  Persons removed under the supervised departure procedures, by category of case, in 19911

  Breach of conditions2

  Following court recommendation3

  Total

  1991

  First quarter

  404

  3

  407

  Second quarter

  383

  3

  386

  1 Data are provisional.

  2 Of leave to enter or remain. Section 3(5)(a).

  3 Section 3(6).

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will provide a breakdown by nationality of the number of passengers seeking political asylum who were detained under Immigration
  19
  Act powers in (a) 1990 and (b) 1991 to the latest convenient date in (i) prison department establishments and (ii) immigration detention accommodation.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total number of

  Passengers1 detained overnight or longer, by nationality

  Geographical region and nationality

  1990 Year

  1991, January to August

  Total

  Of whom, detained at Terminal 4 Heathrow2

  All nationalities

  9,007

  5,182

  1,888

  European Community

  58

  19

  9

  Belgium

  4

  0

  —

  Denmark

  —

  0

  ..

  France

  14

  6

  ..

  Germany3

  3

  2

  ..

  Greece

  3

  0

  ..

  Italy

  1

  1

  ..

  Luxembourg

  —

  0

  ..

  Netherlands

  14

  3

  ..

  Portugal

  15

  4

  ..

  Spain

  4

  3

  ..

  Other Western Europe

  758

  401

  93

  Austria

  8

  4

  ..

  Cyprus

  57

  24

  ..

  Finland

  6

  7

  ..

  Malta

  2

  5

  ..

  Norway

  12

  3

  ..

  Sweden

  20

  18

  ..

  Switzerland

  14

  6

  ..

  Turkey

  262

  168

  ..

  Yugoslavia

  377

  166

  ..

  Eastern Europe

  160

  164

  33

  Bulgaria

  27

  25

  ..

  Czechoslovakia

  8

  20

  ..

  German Dem Republic4

  —

  —

  ..

  Hungary

  18

  22

  ..

  Poland

  66

  39

  ..

  Romania

  22

  46

  ..

  USSR

  19

  12

  ..

  Americas

  1,151

  689

  174

  Argentina

  7

  17

  ..

  Barbados

  3

  4

  ..

  Brazil

  284

  129

  ..

  Canada

  22

  11

  ..

  Chile

  20

  15

  ..

  Colombia

  233

  191

  ..

  Cuba

  7

  2

  ..

  Guyana

  14

  7

  ..

  Jamaica

  216

  155

  ..

  Mexico

  54

  14

  ..

  Peru

  44

  19

  ..

  Trinidad and Tobago

  42

  10

  ..

  United States of America

  186

  107

  ..

  Uruguay

  4

  —

  ..

  Venezuela

  15

  8

  ..

  Africa

  3,676

  1,781

  613

  Algeria

  614

  132

  ..

  Egypt

  18

  22

  ..

  Ethiopia

  397

  85

  ..

  Ghana

  393

  368

  ..

  Kenya

  75

  31

  ..

  Libya

  20

  13

  ..

  Mauritius

  47

  23

  ..

  Morocco

  283

  92

  ..

  Nigeria

  604

  582

  ..

  Sierra Leone

  124

  112

  ..

  Somalia

  480

  134

  ..

  20
  passengers detained overnight under Immigration Act powers during (a) 1990 and (b) 1991 to the latest convenient date, by nationality;

  (2) if he will list the number of people, by nationality, detained overnight or longer at terminal 4 at Heathrow airport during 1991.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information is given in the table.
  21

  Geographical region and nationality

  1990 Year

  1991, January to August

  Total

  Of whom, detained at Terminal 4 Heathrow2

  South Africa

  48

  38

  ..

  Sudan

  21

  18

  ..

  Tanzania

  45

  18

  ..

  Tunisia

  40

  12

  ..

  Uganda

  404

  58

  ..

  Zambia

  28

  18

  ..

  Zimbabwe

  35

  25

  ..

  Indian sub-continent

  777

  717

  373

  Bangladesh

  212

  377

  ..

  India

  230

  153

  ..

  Pakistan

  335

  187

  ..

  Middle East

  490

  187

  109

  Iran

  118

  33

  ..

  Iraq

  165

  47

  ..

  Israel

  76

  55

  ..

  Jordan

  16

  11

  ..

  Kuwait

  1

  3

  ..

  Lebanon

  94

  31

  ..

  Saudi Arabia

  13

  1

  ..

  Syria

  7

  6

  ..

  Remainder of Asia

  644

  385

  180

  China

  33

  28

  ..

  Indonesia

  1

  4

  ..

  Japan

  45

  14

  ..

  Malaysia

  177

  141

  ..

  Philippines

  42

  14

  ..

  Singapore

  24

  7

  ..

  Sri Lanka

  246

  129

  ..

  Thailand

  25

  9

  ..

  Hong Kong5

  51

  39

  ..

  Australasia

  38

  24

  8

  Australia

  20

  19

  ..

  New Zealand

  18

  5

  ..

  Others

  1,255

  815

  296

  British Overseas citizens

  21

  24

  ..

  Other countries not elsewhere specified

  840

  544

  ..

  Stateless

  394

  247

  ..

  .. Reliable data for individual nationalities are not available.

  1 Includes some illegal entrants and deportees.

  2 Includes persons detained initially (or subsequently) at other locations.

  3 Includes nationals of the former German Democratic Republic recorded after the unification of Germany on 3 October 1990.

  4 Prior to the unification of Germany on 3 October 1990.

  5 British Dependent Territories citizens and British Nationals (Overseas) only.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were detained under Immigration Act powers for a period of more than two months on completion of a custodial sentence during(a) 1990 and (b) 1991 to the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The figures, excluding the subjects of deportation orders who served a custodial sentence of seven days or less and for whom the information is not readily available, are as follows:

  Number

  1990

  31

  11991

  30

  1 First three quarters.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were received into prison department establishments under Immigration Act powers during(a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c) 1991 to the latest convenient date, by individual prison establishment;
  22
  what was the average daily population of persons so detained in each of those years; what was the average length of time spent in detention by persons so detained in each of those years; and whether he will give a breakdown by nationality of persons so detained for each of those years.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information about detainees received into prison service establishments in England and Wales under the Immigration Act 1971 in 1989 and 1990 is given by establishment and nationality in the table. Information for 1991 is not yet available.

  The average population and the average length of detention of such detainees in Prison Service establishments in 1989 were published in tables 1.1 and 6.6 of "Prison Statistics England and Wales"—Cm 1221—a copy of which is in the Library. The average population in 1990, including persons originally received for a criminal offence, was 144. The average period of detention in 1990 is provisionally estimated as nearly six weeks.

  23

  Receptions of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 into Prison Service establishments in England and Wales: by establishment, 1989 and 1990

  Number of Persons

  Establishment

  11989

  1 21990

  Remand Centres

  Cardiff

  —

  2

  Exeter

  1

  —

  Feltham

  4

  1

  Haslar

  397

  575

  Latchmere House

  595

  1

  Pucklechurch

  2

  —

  Risley

  2

  2

  Winchester

  —

  1

  Local Prisons

  Ashford

  1

  —

  Bedford

  2

  5

  Birmingham

  50

  63

  Bristol

  10

  32

  Brixton

  7

  24

  Canterbury

  17

  32

  Cardiff

  4

  3

  Chelmsford

  —

  2

  Dorchester

  15

  3

  Durham

  4

  4

  Exeter

  4

  —

  Gloucester

  57

  10

  Holloway

  20

  16

  Hull

  3

  5

  Leeds

  20

  19

  Leicester

  41

  24

  Lewes

  1

  3

  Lincoln

  —

  7

  Liverpool

  —

  1

  New Hall

  2

  5

  Norwich

  —

  6

  Oxford

  6

  2

  Pentonville

  25

  34

  Preston

  —

  3

  Pucklechurch

  —

  1

  Risley

  10

  9

  Shrewsbury

  3

  2

  Swansea

  6

  2

  Winchester

  14

  17

  Wormwood Scrubs

  1

  —

  All Establishments

  1,324

  916

  1 The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve disproportionate cost.

  2 Provisional figures.

  Receptions of persons detained under the Immigration Act 1971 into prison service establishments in England and Wales: by nationality 1989 and 1990

  Number of persons

  Nationality

  19891

  199012

  Algeria

  56

  38

  Angola

  17

  13

  Bangladesh

  35

  9

  Colombia

  3

  13

  Cyprus

  10

  3

  Egypt

  6

  4

  Ethiopia

  10

  4

  France

  6

  3

  Ghana

  115

  84

  Hong Kong

  11

  3

  India

  99

  54

  Iran

  15

  1

  Iraq

  20

  5

  Irish Republic

  8

  —

  Ivory Coast

  2

  5

  Jamaica

  18

  12

  Lebanon

  —

  6

  Malaysia

  6

  6

  Morocco

  28

  25

  24

  Number of persons

  Nationality

  19891

  199012

  Nigeria

  183

  106

  Pakistan

  39

  38

  Philippines

  5

  1

  Poland

  4

  5

  Sierra Leone

  9

  3

  Somalia

  61

  2

  South Africa

  3

  5

  Sri Lanka

  20

  3

  Turkey

  261

  31

  Uganda

  31

  9

  Zaire

  43

  23

  Zimbabwe

  2

  5

  Other nationalities3

  78

  55

  Not recorded

  120

  342

  All nationalities

  1,324

  916

  1 The figures are those recorded centrally and are approximate: detailed checking of individual cases would involve dispropor-tionate cost.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Where fewer than five were recorded.

  Independent Television Levy
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has completed his review of the ITV levy arrangements; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We are looking carefully at the latest trends in net advertising revenue and other factors affecting the levy yield, and will announce our conclusions as soon as we can.

  Port Medical Officers
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in what circumstances immigration officers at ports of entry are instructed to refer passengers to port medical officers; and whether he will publish these instructions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Paragraph 80 of the immigration rules —HC 251—sets out the circumstances in which an immigration officer may refer a passenger to the medical inspector for examination.

  Deportation
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons were recommended for deportation with no custodial sentence during(a) 1990 and (b) 1991 to the latest convenient date; and in how many such cases the courts directed release (a) subject to conditions and (b) without conditions.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  During 1990 a total of 54 persons were recommended for deportation by the courts with no custodial sentence and a total of 26 persons during the first three quarters of 1991. The other information requested is not collected centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Temporary Admissions (Abscondings)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many of the(a) passengers in total and (b) persons treated as illegal entrants who were granted temporary admission in 1990 and in 1991 to the latest convenient date subsequently absconded.
  25
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The available information relates to the number of persons who absconded, either from detention or by failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release, and is given in the table. Separate information on those absconding from detention and those failing to respond to the terms of temporary admission/release is not recorded centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Absconders

  Category of person

  1990

  19912

  Passengers1

  561

  366

  Illegal entrants

  158

  60

  1 Includes some absconders recorded as "illegal entrants".

  2 January to August.

  Immigration
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give instructions to immigration staff at ports of entry to facilitate the onward passage of persons arriving in the United Kingdom in transit even if they do not have valid entry documents and to ensure that such persons depart for their eventual destination for which they have a valid ticket.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Current instructions require immigration officers to allow a transit passenger to proceed with his onward destination; and where the passenger falls to be refused leave to enter the United Kingdom, to remove him to his onward destination where this is practicable and lawful. Persons refused entry can be removed to an onward destination only if there is reason to believe that they will be admitted to that country otherwise they are sent back whence they came or to their country of origin.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps have been taken to facilitate the photographing and fingerprinting of asylum seekers before they depart from ports and airports overseas en route for the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  None. There is no power to require people overseas to be photographed or fingerprinted. Persons already in this country who seek asylum are required to provide photographs of themselves, and we are considering what further powers may be needed to fingerprint asylum seekers in this country.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received from the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service following his statement of 2 July; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service wrote to me on 21 August explaining why it opposed the proposals on green form legal aid included in the statement of 2 July. I responded on 7 October and hope to meet representatives from the organisation shortly to discuss their concerns further.

  Winchester Prison
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the new building improvement scheme at Winchester prison to be completed; and at what cost.
  26
  Mrs. Rumbold
  A major scheme, which will include the construction of a new kitchen and laundry, entry building, visits and reception building and visitors' reception centre, is scheduled to start at Her Majesty's prison Winchester late in the financial year 1992–93. The work should take two to three years to complete and will cost in the region of £11·7 million. The construction of a new staff mess is also scheduled to start in 1992–93 and will cost approximately £750,000. Installation of integral sanitation in all cells at the prison is due to start late in 1991 and work on the final wing should commence in mid-1994.

  Further improvements, including the refurbishment of the living accommodation and the provision of a new works department, will follow in later years.

  Special Constables
  Mr. Rathbone
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he is considering to enhance the role and increase the numbers of special constables.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We launched a national publicity campaign in January with the aim of recruiting an additional 10,000 special constables over three years, and enhancing public awareness of the role and value of the special constabulary. A pilot scheme of paying a bounty to special constables is shortly to be launched in a number of forces, to assess the effect on recruitment and retention.

  Telephone Tapping
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans he has to increase the facilities that exist for telephone tapping; where any new facilities built for this purpose will be situated; whether he intends to increase the number of people employed in this work; and if he will make a statement on his assessment of the adequacy of current facilities for telephone tapping.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  It has been the practice of successive Governments not to give details of the facilities used for the interception of communications.

  Forensic Science Tests
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list by region the percentage of tests by the forensic science service completed within(a) four weeks, (b) six weeks, (c) 2 months, (d) three months and (e) those taking more than three months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is not available in the form requested. The Director General of the Forensic Science Service will be writing to the hon. Member about the collection of casework data.

  Police Officers (Firearms)
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to in how many operations firearms were issued to police officers in England and Wales for the years 1983 to the present; in how many of these operations shots were fired by police officers; how many police officers are currently qualified to carry firearms; and what were the equivalent figures for each of the previous nine years.
  27
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information relating to the police use of firearms in operations against criminals or others known or believed to be armed is given in the table.

  Year

  Number of authorised firearms officers

  Number of operations

  Number of occasions when shots fired by the police

  1983

  13,044

  3,180

  3

  1984

  11,873

  2,667

  6

  1985

  10,244

  2,488

  7

  1986

  8,395

  2,453

  1

  1987

  7,349

  2,185

  7

  1988

  7,194

  2,227

  2

  1989

  7,311

  2,583

  4

  1990

  7,411

  2,874

  3

  Prisoners (Suicide Attempts)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners attempted to commit suicide while in police custody in Wales(a) in each of the past five years and (b) in the current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is not recorded centrally.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners attempted to commit suicide in each month of 1990 and 1991 to date(a) in police custody in each police authority area in Wales and (b) in each prison or unit of Prison Department accommodation in Wales.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information about attempted suicides in police custody is not recorded centrally by the Home Office or by police forces in Wales. Information relating to prison establishments is shown in the table.

  Number of prisoners who attempted to commit suicide in prison establishments in Wales

  Year/Month

  Establishment

  Total

  Usk and Prescoed

  Cardiff

  Swansea1

  1990

  January

  1

  —

  1

  2

  February

  —

  —

  1

  1

  March

  2

  —

  1

  3

  April

  —

  —

  —

  —

  May

  3

  —

  5

  8

  June

  —

  1

  —

  1

  July

  —

  —

  7

  7

  August

  —

  1

  4

  5

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  October

  —

  —

  3

  3

  November

  —

  —

  3

  3

  December

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1991

  January

  —

  2

  1

  3

  February

  —

  3

  1

  4

  March

  —

  —

  1

  1

  April

  —

  —

  4

  4

  May

  —

  1

  1

  2

  June

  —

  —

  1

  1

  July

  —

  —

  —

  —

  August

  2

  1

  —

  3

  September

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 Swansea Prison does not distinguish between attempted suicides and other incidents of self harm.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners attempted to 28
  commit suicide while in (a) prisons in Wales and (b) other secure accommodation in Wales in each of the past five years and in the current year.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The number of prisoners who attempted to commit suicide while in prisons in Wales in each of the past five years and in the current year to 30 September is shown in the table. Questions relating to secure accommodation in Wales are a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Number of Prisoners Who Attempted to Commit Suicide

  Establishment

  Year1

  Usk & Prescoed

  Cardiff

  Swansea2

  Total

  1986–87

  4

  6

  9

  19

  1987–88

  3

  6

  16

  25

  1988–89

  1

  3

  11

  15

  1989–90

  6

  11

  14

  31

  1990–91

  3

  7

  26

  36

  1991–92 (to 30 Sept. 1991)

  2

  2

  6

  10

  1 The figures are for the period 1 April–31 March

  2 Swansea Prison does not distinguish between acts of self-harm and attempted suicide.

  City Riots
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the reports he asked for on the Ely and Cardiff disturbances and other city riots in late August and early September.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The hon. Member was provided with information about the disturbances when he met my right hon. and noble Friend the Minister of State in Cardiff on 1 October. The information provided by police forces contains details of many individual cases, some of which may come before the courts. It would not be appropriate to publish this.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received concerning sharing the cost of extra policing required by the Ely and other city riots in late August and early September with the South Wales police and the relevant police authorities.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  A request from Northumbria Police authority has been received for a special payment towards costs incurred and expected as a result of the recent riots in the Newcastle area. This is under consideration.

  Cardiff Gaol
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total extra cost of the use of police cells for imprisonment in the catchment area of Cardiff gaol since the present dispute arose on 17 June.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information about extra costs of holding specific groups of prisoners is not readily available because the police forces concerned do not identify in their accounts the names of the prisons from which the prisoners are locked out. Most police forces hold prisoners from several catchment areas.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners in police cells in the Cardiff gaol catchment area are held in cells more than 40 miles from their area of normal residence.
  29
  Mrs. Rumbold
  This information is not available centrally and could not be provided by the police forces concerned without disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners held in police cells in the Cardiff gaol catchment area are 15 years old.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On 9 October, the latest date for which figures are available, there were no prisoners aged 15 years who should have been held in Cardiff prison but were held in police cells.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what discussions he has had with the Director General of the Prison Service and others concerning the cancellation or postponement of the new kitchens at Cardiff gaol.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The scheme to provide a new kitchen at Cardiff prison is proceeding. Preliminary work, which commenced in October 1990 was completed in June 1991 and work on the main contract began in September. Work is due to be completed late in 1992.

  Cornwall and Devon Police
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet considered the manpower implications of the report of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary on Devon and Cornwall police; if he accepts the inspector's findings; and if he will make a statement on the meeting of force manpower needs.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Her Majesty's inspector reported that the force had identified a need for an additional 70 officers to meet increased demand. His report endorsed the manpower plans of the chief constable and the police authority, and commended the force's record on civilianisation.

  We have approved with effect from 1 October 1991 an increase of 15 police posts in the establishment of the force. The police authority has made an application for 70 additional police posts in 1992–93. This is being carefully considered with the advice of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Constabulary and in the context of competing demands from other forces.

  Remand Prisoners (Police Cells)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many remand prisoners are currently being kept in police station cells; what action he is taking to provide prison accommodation for such prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  On 11 October, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 1,661 prisoners being held in police cells in England and Wales. It is not possible to identify separately remand and other classes of prisoner.

  The reduction of the number of prisoners in police cells is a matter of priority for Prison Service management, which is seeking to resolve the industrial relations disputes which constitute a significant part of the problem. In addition, arrangements have been sharpened for ensuring that available capacity is used to the full. Some refurbishment work has been rescheduled to retain places in use. The role of Hewell Grange young offender institution near Redditch has been changed to that of an
  30
  adult prison taking prisoners suitable for open conditions. Whitemoor prison has just started to receive prisoners, and nine other establishments are due to open by the end of 1992. Additional capacity will in due course also he provided in some existing establishments as part of the Prison Service building programme.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the progress of his discussions on the future of the Sunday trading laws.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My extensive programme of separate discussions with bodies representing retailers and other interests continues.

  Young Offenders (Secure Accommodation)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Uxbridge of 4 July,Official Report, column 424, if he will make a statement concerning the outcome of his discussions concerning secure accommodation for young offenders.

  Mr. John Patten
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Health has established a national steering group, involving representation from the Home Office, to ensure that secure local authority accommodation will be provided to meet the requirements of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 for juvenile remands.

  Cephalopods
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he has taken to refer the care and management of cephalopods in the laboratory to the advisory committee on animal experiments; and what recommendations have been made.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend has asked the Animal Procedures Committee to consider whether cephalopods should be covered by the controls of the Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986. I understand that the committee will shortly be considering the issue and we look forward to receiving its advice in due course.

  Bail Hostels
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the present arrangements for supervising persistent offenders remanded to bail hostels; when the last inspection of such hostels took place on a nationwide scale; what plans he has for improving supervision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  All persons remanded to a bail hostel are subject to supervision by the staff, who maintain 24-hour coverage at the hostel. Hostel rules set out what conduct is acceptable at the hostel and include a night-time curfew. The residents are required to comply with their bail conditions and with the rules of the hostel. Residents who fail to comply are liable to be brought back to the courts to determine their disposal.

  Current plans include the introduction of national standards for bail hostels now in preparation and due to come into force in October 1992. These will ensure that

  31
  good practice in supervising residents is applied in every bail hostel. In particular, they will set out clear procedures to be followed if it appears that a resident has broken the conditions of his bail.

  Responsibility for the inspection of bail and other approved hostels lies with Her Majesty's inspectorate of probation. Whilst they have inspected individual hostels as part of ordinary probation area inspection programmes, there has been no national inspection as such. The issue of the new national standards will, of course, now require the inspectorate to develop a suitable follow-up programme as well as requiring probation areas to undertake regular monitoring as part of their established local arrangements.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in tabular form details of the number of bail hostels in England and Wales,

  Bail hostels in England and Wales in October 1991

  Probation Area

  Hostel

  Location

  Beds

  Cleveland

  South Bank

  Middlesbrough

  20

  Devon

  Dudley Centre

  Newton Abbott

  20

  Dorset

  Bournemouth

  Bournemouth

  20

  East Sussex

  Brighton

  Brighton

  15

  Essex

  Basildon

  Basildon

  21

  Greater Manchester

  Chorlton Hostel

  Manchester

  27

  Greater Manchester

  Wilton Place

  Manchester

  22

  Greater Manchester

  Withington Road

  Manchester

  32

  Gloucestershire

  Ryecroft

  Gloucester

  16

  Hampshire

  Dickson House

  Fareham

  28

  Inner London

  Kelley House

  London

  28

  Inner London

  Tulse Hill

  London

  27

  Kent

  Dover Bail

  Dover

  18

  Lancashire

  Blackburn

  Blackburn

  18

  Leicestershire

  Howard House

  Leicester

  20

  Merseyside

  Curtis House

  Liverpool

  15

  Middlesex

  Corfton Road

  London

  20

  North Wales

  Ty Newydd

  Bangor

  12

  Northumbria

  Cuthbert House

  Gateshead

  16

  Northumbria

  Pennywell

  Sunderland

  22

  Oxfordshire

  Clarks House

  Oxford

  26

  South West London

  Kew

  London

  14

  South Yorkshire

  Town Moor

  Doncaster

  22

  Staffordshire

  Lichfield House

  Stafford

  12

  West Glamorgan

  Emroch House

  Port Talbot

  12

  West Midlands

  Stonnall Road

  Aldridge

  12

  West Midlands

  Sycamore Lodge

  Oldbury

  32

  West Yorkshire

  Howden House

  Leeds

  27

  West Yorkshire

  Walmer Villas

  Bradford

  18

  Total

  602

  Bail (Further Offences)
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further consideration he has given to the committing of further offences by those released on bail; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Following discussion with senior police officers, I have asked Home Office researchers to undertake an urgent review of the recent studies by police forces, and of other work in this area. We shall consider what further action may reduce offending by people released on bail in the light of this review.

  Police Cells
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make an estimate of the cost to public funds during the last 12-month period for which 32
  showing their location and the number of places in each hostel; and if he will make a statement on his plans for increasing the number of such hostels.

  Mr. John Patten
  There are 29 approved bail hostels in England and Wales providing a total of 602 places. The table gives their location and the number of places at each.

  Persons on bail may also be accommodated in approved probation hostels. There are 82 such hostels in England and Wales, providing a total of 1,774 places for persons on bail and those subject to probation orders.

  An expansion programme is already under way. This will provide 1,200 additional bail places at approved bail or probation hostels between April 1988 and April 1994. A total of 577 of these additional places are already on stream.

  figures are available of keeping remand prisoners in police station cells; and what had been the comparable cost of detaining them in prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The total cost for holding prisoners in police cells which has been paid during the 12 month period October 1990 to September 1991 was £43,905,022.

  The average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in a police cell is £1,540 per week. The average weekly cost of keeping a prisoner in a local prison was £309 per week during the year 1988–89 which is the latest period for which figures are available.

  I regret that it is not possible to provide a breakdown between remand and other classes of prisoners held in police cells.

  Football Grounds (Arrests)
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many arrests have been made at the grounds of each of the members of the Football Association during each of the last four football seasons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information is available only in respect of arrests at Football League matches. Copies of those figures have been placed in the Library.

  Immigration Rules (Concessions)
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the list of the concessions outside the immigration rules which are routinely applied by his Department.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. There is no comprehensive list of concessions outside the immigration rules, since the term "concession" covers a wide range of policies and practices. The more important concessions have been announced to the House at appropriate times. Others are contained in instructions to staff, and it is not Home Office practice to publish such instructions.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the categories of information contained on the police national computer; and who has access to such information.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The police national computer contains the following categories of information:

  Criminal Names Fingerprints

  Wanted/Missing Persons

  Disqualified Drivers

  Convictions

  Cross References to Local Records

  Crime Pattern Analysis

  Major Investigations

  Extremist Crime Index

  Vehicle Owners Vehicle reports Stolen property

  Police Directories

  Direct access to all or some of the information held on the PNC is limited to the following organisations:

  Police forces covered by the Police Act 1964 and the Police (Scotland) Act 1967

  Regional Criminal Intelligence Offices and Regional Crime Squads

  Royal Ulster Constabulary

  National Identification Bureau

  British Transport Police

  Police forces in Guernsey, Jersey and the Isle of Man

  Her Majesty's Customs and Excise

  Drivers and Vehicles Licensing Authority

  Home Office Police National Computer Organisation

  Prison Escapes
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many category A prisoners escaped from dispersal prisons during 1990–91; and from which establishments.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  [pursuant to her reply 25 July 1991, c. 801]: During 1990–91, no category A prisoners have escaped from within a dispersal prison.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Pub Tenants
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received from the National Licensed Victuallers Association concerning pub tenants under notice to quit; what talks he has had with the brewery companies following the Monopolies and Mergers Commission's report concerning independent arbitration; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State met the National Licensed Victuallers Association on 17 July. Following that meeting, he or I met each of the national brewers to discuss the concerns being expressed by tenants about the long-term leases that are being introduced to replace existing tenancy agreements. At our prompting, those brewers not already doing so have agreed to introduce procedures for the independent arbitration or assessment of rent in cases where agreement cannot be reached in individual negotiations with their tenants.

  Southern Water
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will refer to the Monopolies and Mergers Commission the sale by Southern Water of its stakes in(a) Eastbourne Water, (b) Mid-Sussex Water and (c) West Kent Water companies to the French company Saur Water Services.

  Mr. Redwood
  No; before the sale by Southern Water plc, SAUR Water Services plc already had a controlling interest in the three companies. A merger situation within the terms of the legislation did not arise from the sale.

  Television Signals
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on Her Majesty's Government's policy on the current discussions within the European Community relating to D2 MAC transmission of television signals and their possible imposition on broadcasts in EC countries.

  Mr. Redwood
  The Government are playing a constructive role in the continuing discussions on the European Commission's proposals for a directive on technical standards for satellite broadcasting. However, the Government cannot accept the current proposal that all satellite services launched after the implementation of the directive should be obliged to use the D2-MAC standard. This is anti-competitive because with so few D2-MAC receivers in the market, new services would not be able to reach sufficiently large audiences to compete effectively with existing services. The Government believe that regulations in this field should not be retrospective but should be focussed on new opportunities such as wide screen satellite transmissions. It should then be a matter of voluntary effort to implement.

  Procter and Gamble
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received any reports of the funding of the Worldwide Fund for Nature and the National Childbirth Trust by Procter and Gamble.
  35
  Mr. Leigh
  None, beyond reference in the press.

  Environmental Advertising
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps he is taking to curb misleading environmental advertising.

  Mr. Leigh
  All misleading advertising, whether environmental or otherwise, is subject to the general provisions of the advertising industry's voluntary codes of practice and the Control of Misleading Advertisements Regulations 1988. In addition to these self-regulatory and statutory controls, a guidance booklet on environmental claims is currently being drawn up by the Advertising Standards Authority, the Independent Television Commission, the Radio Authority with the support of the Incorporated Society of British Advertisers and in consultation with this Department. It is intended that this new booklet be given wide circulation to ensure that the guidelines on environmental advertising are followed.
  36
  Generally, false and misleading claims about traded goods are also prohibited by the Trade Descriptions Act 1968. A number of prosecutions in relation to misleading environmental claims have been successfully brought under the Act.

  Disposable Nappies
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has commissioned any independent research on the environmental impact of disposable nappies from cradle to grave.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has not commissioned any research on the environmental impact of disposable nappies from cradle to grave. It is possible that nappies will be chosen as one of the product categories for early consideration under the proposed EC eco-labelling scheme. If so, my officials will of course consider the need for any appropriate research.

  Hungary
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to what proportion of Hungary's imports and exports are(a) with the United Kingdom and (b) with the EEC.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In 1990, 2·1 per cent. of Hungary's imports of goods came from the United Kingdom and 30·9 per cent. from the EC. In the same year 2 per cent. of Hungary's exports of goods went to the United Kingdom and 32·4 per cent. to the EC.

  Cigarette Products (Labelling)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the new regulations on the labelling of cigarette products, whereby United Kingdom manufacturers are required to print warnings on cigarette packs larger than those required of importers.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has received some representations on the subject of the Tobacco Products Labelling (Safety) Regulations 1991 from associations representing the tobacco industry and from within the industry.

  Czechoslovakia
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to what proportion of Czechoslovakia's imports and exports are(a) with the United Kingdom and (b) with the EEC.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In 1990, 2·8 per cent. of Czechoslovakia's imports of goods came from the United Kingdom and 31·1 per cent. from the EC. In the same year, 2·6 per cent. of Czechoslovakia's exports of goods went to the United Kingdom and 32 per cent. to the EC.

  Output per Man Hour in Manufacturing—Annual Percentage Change

  UK

  USA

  Japan

  France

  Germany1

  Italy

  Sweden

  1970

  20

  ·0·3

  12·7

  5·8

  3·0

  6·6

  4·2

  1971

  4·9

  6·2

  5·7

  6·4

  3·7

  1·9

  4·1

  1972

  6·8

  5·2

  10·4

  4·5

  6·1

  8·5

  5·1

  1973

  7·2

  5·3

  10·2

  7·3

  6·3

  8·0

  7·4

  1974

  1·4

  -2·3

  4·0

  3·5

  3·8

  7·1

  4·1

  1975

  -1·8

  2·6

  1·8

  1·5

  4·1

  -3·5

  1·4

  1976

  4·4

  4·4

  6·2

  7·0

  7·2

  13·5

  1·5

  1977

  0·6

  2·5

  5·3

  6·3

  3·0

  2·2

  -1·6

  1978

  1·5

  0·8

  7·2

  4·6

  3·4

  6·5

  2·7

  1979

  0·7

  0·4

  5·9

  5·1

  4·0

  9·4

  7·8

  1980

  -1·3

  1·3

  7·7

  1·2

  -0·1

  4·8

  1·6

  1981

  6·5

  1·4

  3·5

  2·8

  1·6

  2·6

  -0·6

  1982

  5·3

  2·2

  6·2

  5·7

  0·7

  2·5

  4·4

  1983

  8·8

  4·9

  5·4

  4·0

  5·1

  5·3

  6·6

  1984

  5·2

  4·9

  7·3

  1·5

  3·2

  10·1

  5·0

  1985

  3·3

  4·2

  5·6

  21·3

  3·6

  5·4

  0·6

  1986

  4·0

  4·6

  1·6

  1·9

  -0·9

  1·0

  1·5

  1987

  6·1

  4·9

  7·7

  2·7

  -2·5

  2·6

  1·3

  1988

  5·5

  4·6

  4·8

  4·9

  3·3

  2·8

  1·5

  1989

  5·0

  0·8

  4·4

  4·7

  4·4

  2·9

  1·7

  1990

  1·0

  2·5

  3·8

  0·4

  2·9

  -1·3

  -0·1

  1 Excludes East Germany

  Data source: IMF

  Poland
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has as to what proportion of Poland's imports and exports are(a) with the United Kingdom and (b) with the EEC.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In 1990, 3·6 per cent. of Poland's imports of goods came from the United Kingdom and 45 per cent. from the EC. In the same year, 4·1 per cent. of Poland's exports of goods went to the United Kingdom and 35·7 per cent. to the EC.

  ECGD
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received concerning the deadline for staff of the Export Credits Guarantee Department to opt to remain in the civil service or to join the to-be-privatised company taking over the present work of the Insurance Services Group.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  One from the hon. Member for Gateshead, East (Ms. Quin) and one from the ECGD Whitley council, Cardiff trades union side.

  On 4 September full information on the proposed terms and conditions of employment and the structure of the privatised company was made available to ECGD staff, who were asked to express a firm preference by 4 October. All but a few of them had done so by that date. About 500 permanent staff and 80 casual staff have expressed a preference to join the privatised company.

  Manufacturing Output
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what information he has on the percentage change in output per man hour in manufacturing in the United Kingdom, USA, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Sweden each year since 1970.

  Mr. Leigh
  The information is in the table.

WALES

  Doctors and Dentists (Pay)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the amount health authorities in Wales will need to find in 1991–92 from existing funding in 1991–92 to meet the costs of the Doctors and Dentists Remuneration Review Body's pay awards.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  In 1991–92 health authorities in Wales will need to find an estimated additional £0·6 million, over and above the provision for inflation included in their start-of-year 1991–92 allocations, to meet the costs of the 1991 Doctors and Dentists Review Body's pay awards.

  National Health Service
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of the gross domestic product in Wales has been spent on the national health service each year since 1987–88.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Gross national health service expenditure in Wales for each financial year since 1987–88 is as follows:

  Year

  £ millions

  1987–88

  1,137

  1988–89

  1,271

  1989–90

  1,377

  1990–91

  1,544

  Gross domestic product figures for Wales, by calendar year, are published in CSO Economic Trends.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the cost to health authorities in Wales in 1991–92 of the Professions Allied to Medicine Review Body's pay awards for that year, and the amount allocated from Government reserves to meet part of these costs.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The cost to health authorities in Wales of the Professions Allied to Medicine Review Body's pay awards in 1991–92 is estimated to be £ 2·9 million. The additional amount allocated from Government reserves, over and above the provision for inflation in authorities' original 1991–92 allocations, to meet part of these costs is £0·7 million.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many new administrative posts have been created in each health authority in Wales as a result of the recent changes in the national health service.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information requested is not held centrally. Manpower returns to the Welsh Office from district health authorities do not identify numbers of posts created specifically to implement particular tasks and health authority accounts similarly do not identify costs in such a way. In 1990–91, additional funding of some £16·2 million was provided to the national health service in Wales for spending on the changes and improvements associated with, and related to the national health service review. Some £8·5 million of this was for hospital and community health service revenue expenditure on the provision of new consultants and treatment centres,40
  medical audit, information technology, training and strengthening the personnel and finance functions. It is not possible to estimate what proportion of these funds was spent on establishing new administrative posts.

  BTEC Courses
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of schools in Wales have applied to run Business and Technical Education Council courses; and what proportion these are of the total numbers of schools eligible.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  To date the number of schools by local education authority who have submitted letters of intent to the Business and Technical Education Council indicating that they will apply to run Business and Technical Education Council first awards from September 1992 are as follows:

  Number

  Clwyd

  4

  Dyfed

  12

  Gwent

  11

  Gwynedd

  2

  Mid Glamorgan

  8

  Powys

  2

  South Glamorgan

  11

  West Glamorgan

  4

  All schools who make provision for pupils over 16 fulfil the criteria laid down by BTEC are eligible to run BTEC courses. Information on the number of schools meeting BTEC criteria is not held centrally.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he will list those schools which have been approved by BTEC to run courses in(a) Mid-Glamorgan and (b) Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Those schools in Mid-Glamorgan which have been approved to operate BTEC first awards from September 1991 are as follows:

  Blaengwawr

  Porthcawl Comprehensive

  Ynysawdre

  In addition, the following schools in Wales have also been approved to run BTEC firsts from September 1991:

  Bishop Vaughan West Glamorgan

  Caerleon Gwent

  Cantonian High South Glamorgan

  Fitzalan South Glamorgan

  Glan Ely South Glamorgan

  Maesydderwen Powys

  Monmouth Gwent

  Mynyddbach West Glamorgan

  Newport Dyffryn Gwent

  Olchfa West Glamorgan

  St. David's RC South Glamorgan

  St. Joseph's Newport Gwent

  St. Teilo's CW South Glamorgan

  Ysgol Maes Garmon Clwyd

  Opted-out Schools
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the total number of schools opt-out ballots which have taken place since the introduction of the scheme; and how many(a) were for, (b) were against and (c) had a majority either way of less than 5 per cent. of parents eligible to vote.
  41
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Of the eight ballots held to date in Wales, five were in favour of applying for grant-maintained status and three were against. In only two instances was there a majority of less than 5 per cent. of the parents eligible to vote.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing, for the years 1966–67 to 1991–92(a) average household domestic rate/community charge bills in pounds sterling, (b) average domestic rate/community charge bills adjusted by the retail prices index, (c) average domestic rate/community charge bills as a proportion of average household income and (d) average domestic rate/community charge bills as a proportion of male average earnings.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I wrote to the hon. Gentleman about this matter on 23 September, and placed a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  Mentally Ill Patients
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have been discharged from long-stay hospitals caring for mentally ill patients in each of the past five years in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on discharges from hospitals caring for mentally ill patients in Wales is published annually in "Mental Health Statistics for Wales", copies of which are in the Library of the House.

  Prescribing Budgets
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has had from general practitioners concerning the fixing of indicative prescribing budgets for the present financial year.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  None.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of general practitioners in Wales were offered counselling visits by their family health service authority prior to their indicative prescribing budgets being set; and how many such offers were made before 1 April.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 23 May 1991. All GP practices will have been offered the opportunity to discuss their indicative amounts with the responsible FHSA's medical adviser. The timing of such discussions would have been a matter for agreement between the medical adviser and the practice concerned.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines he has issued to family health service authorities in Wales concerning counselling services to general practitioners in the run-up to the fixing of their indicative prescribing budgets.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A management letter issued to general managers of family health services authorities on 14 February 1991 confirmed that all GP practices should have the right to discuss the level of their indicative prescribing amount with their FHSA's medical adviser on prescribing, in advance of its being set.

  South Glamorgan Health Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he has had with the chairman of the South Glamorgan health authority concerning a revision of the authority's 10-year strategic plan.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  My right hon. Friend had informal discussions with the chairman last January and was assured that work on a revised draft strategic plan was well advanced.

  Care in the Community
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what additional funds have been made available to voluntary organisations specifically to provide care in the community for the financial year 1990–91.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Voluntary organisations receive funding from a wide range of sources, including social service and health authorities in the discharge of their statutory responsibilities. Voluntary organisations have benefited from the general increase in resources made available to these statutory authorities by the Welsh Office for mainstream funding, as well as specific grants for the developments of community care under our various strategies and initiatives. Direct funding to voluntary organisations in Wales under Welsh Office strategies and grant schemes in 1990–91 for community care activities was; £0·3 million under the elderly initiative; £0·25 million under the mental handicap strategy; £0·59 million under the mental illness strategy and £0·47 million grant aid for organisations operating at the all-Wales level, to help further their activities in co-ordinating the work of local voluntary bodies and to represent their client group interests. In total these represent a 138 per cent. increase over 1989–90 expenditure.

  Intermediate Treatment Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what provision he proposes to make to fund the future work of the intermediate treatment fund in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  At present the Welsh Office contributes to the intermediate treatment fund's core costs via the Department of Health: £21,000 in the current financial year and £15,000 in 1992–93. Central Government support for the fund is currently planned to cease in March 1993.

  After that date it will be open for the ITF to bid for support for specific projects under the terms of the support for child and family services grant scheme.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was allocated in the 1990–91 financial year(a) specifically to support the implementation of the all-Wales strategy on mental illness and (b) for other work in connection with mental illness (i) to each local authority in Wales, (ii) to voluntary organisations in each local authority area and (iii) to voluntary organisations in Wales as a whole.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  In addition to the record level of resources being spent on these services by health and social
  43
  services authorities from their mainstream allocations, a total of £3·09 million of mental illness strategy funding and £1·34 million of other funding for mental illness services was allocated in 1990–91. Allocations were predominantly to district health authorities. Mental illness strategy funding to social services authorities and local voluntary organisations was as follows:

  Social Services Authorities £

  Voluntary Organisations £

  Clwyd

  60,000

  36,647

  Dyfed

  58,486

  —

  Gwent

  10,700

  214,600

  Gwynedd

  72,284

  71,079

  Mid Glamorgan

  86,000

  107,500

  Powys

  65,740

  47,740

  South Glamorgan

  2,431

  111,939

  West Glamorgan

  111,000

  3,800

  A total of £178,205 was allocated to voluntary organisations operating on an all-Wales basis.

  Information on the allocation of non-strategy mental illness funding between recipient agencies could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Council Estates
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to receive applications for refurbishment and modernisation of older council estates for estate programmes to run from April 1992.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I receive proposals from time to time for special funding to address particular estate problems and these are treated on their merit.

  I shall be issuing guidance shortly on this matter.

  Health Common Services Authority
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received concerning the location of the new head office of the Welsh Health Common Services Authority.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  One.

SCOTLAND

  Dogs
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many prosecutions have taken place in relation to dog-fouling since the introduction of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is not separately identifiable within the Scottish Office Home and Health Department's classification of crimes and offences.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what recent studies are available to him on the effects of dog-fouling on public health; whether any further studies are under way or planned; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Studies conducted in Glasgow in 1979 and Edinburgh in 1990 indicate that exposure to 44
  organisms excreted by dogs and other animals can cause infections in humans. The risk is greatest among pet owners and their families. I am not aware of any further studies currently under way or planned.

  Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984
  Mr. Malcolm Bruce
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many people per head of population have been detained in the last two years in psychiatric hospitals under sections 24 and 26 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 in each of the health board areas in Scotland;

  (2) how many people in the Grampian health board area have been detained under sections 24 and 26 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 at (a) Royal Cornhill hospital and (b) the Kingseat hospital.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  In 1989 and 1990 the rates of admission per 100,000 population for detention under sections 18 and 24 of the Mental Health (Scotland) Act 1984 for each health board area were as follows:

  1989

  1990

  Argyll and Clyde

  42

  46

  Ayrshire and Arran

  39

  36

  Borders

  41

  31

  Dumfries and Galloway

  40

  32

  Fife

  37

  34

  Forth Valley

  38

  36

  Grampian

  51

  46

  Greater Glasgow

  64

  64

  Highland

  44

  49

  Lanarkshire

  46

  44

  Lothian

  45

  44

  Orkney

  26

  31

  Shetland

  32

  36

  Tayside

  55

  55

  Western Isles

  42

  62

  The numbers of admissions to the Royal Cornhill and Kingseat hospitals under sections 18 and 24 of the 1984 Act were as follows:

  1989

  1990

  Royal Cornhill hospital

  54

  43

  Kingseat hospital

  173

  148

  Notes:

  1. The figures available centrally do not distinguish between sections 18 and 24. Detention orders under section 26 of the Act extend periods of detention authorised under section 24 and arc not recorded separately.

  2. The figures given refer to admissions. A person may be admitted on more than one occasion, and when this happens each admission is recorded separately.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the total number of opt-out school ballots which have taken place since the introduction of the scheme; and how many(a) were for, (b) were against and (c) had a majority either way of less than 5 per cent. of parents eligible to vote.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There have been three such ballots. All were against with a majority of more than 5 per cent. of those eligible to vote.

  Mental Handicap Hospitals
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has considered any proposals for local authorities to take over the running of health service mental handicap hospitals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No such proposals have been put to me.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing, for the years 1966–67 to 1991–92(a) average household domestic rate/community charge hills in pounds sterling, (b) average domestic rate/community charge bills adjusted by the retail prices index, (c) average domestic rate/community charge bill as a proportion of average household income and (d) average domestic rate/community charge bills as a proportion of male average earnings.

  Mr. Lang
  The following table gives average gross domestic rate bills, excluding water rates. Figures excluding water are not available for years prior to 1968–69.

  Average gross domestic rates bill (excluding water)

  Year

  £

  1968–69

  41

  1969–70

  44

  1970–71

  49

  1971–72

  59

  1972–73

  60

  1973–74

  65

  1974–75

  77

  1975–76

  99

  1976–77

  111

  1977–78

  128

  1978–79

  119

  1979–80

  137

  1980–81

  183

  1981–82

  252

  1982–83

  285

  1983–84

  287

  1984–85

  304

  1985–86

  366

  1986–87

  391

  1987–88

  443

  1988–89

  463

  Estimated average gross community charge bills per household were as follows:

  Average gross community charge bill (excluding water) per household

  Year

  £

  1989–90

  517

  1990–91

  565

  1991–92

  457

  Information on the retail prices index is published in "Economic Trends"; average household income by region is published in the annual "Family Expenditure Survey" reports and "Regional Trends"; average male earnings by region are published in the annual "New Earnings Survey" (Volume E) and reported also in "Regional Trends". The publications are available in the House of Commons Library.
  46
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will announce his provisional community capping criteria for Scottish local authorities for 1992–93.

  Mr. Lang
  I now have power to charge cap a Scottish local authority in two circumstances; first, where I consider that its planned expenditure is excessive; and, secondly, where there is an excessive increase in its planned expenditure as compared with the previous year.

  I hope that as I am specifying well in advance the principles which I am minded to adopt next year, authorities will take appropriate action to control their spending. In view of the continuing fall in inflation and the scope which undoubtedly exists within Scottish local government for improved efficiency, the principles are extremely realistic. There is no need for draconian cuts in services.

  For 1992–93 my intended principles are:

  (i) any increase in budget between 1991–92 and 1992–93 of more than 6·5 per cent. will be an excessive increase if the resulting budget is above the local authority's grant-aided expenditure assessment for 1992–93;

  (ii)any increase in budget between 1991–92 and 1992–93 of more than 4·5 per cent. will be an excessive increase if the resulting budget is over 5 per cent. above the local authority's GAE assessment for 1992–93;

  (iii) any increase in budget between 1991–92 and 1992–93 of more than 2·5 per cent. will be an excessive increase if the resulting budget is over 10 per cent. above the local authority's GAE assessment for 1992–93;

  (iv) any budget for 1992–93 more than 12·5 per cent above the local authority's GAE assessment will be excessive save that:

  (a) if that budget is 30 per cent. or less above the authority's GAE assessment for 1992–93 and that budget is no greater than the budget set by that authority for 1991–92, the authority will not be capped;

  (b)if that budget is not more than 60 per cent. above the authority's GAE assessment for 1992–93 and that budget is less than 5 per cent. below the budget set by that authority for 1991–92, the authority will not be capped:

  (c) if that budget is is at least 10 per cent. below the budget set by the authority for 1991–92, the authority will not be capped.

  These principles are necessarily provisional. Before taking my decisions on capping I will, of course, take into account all appropriate considerations.

  It should not be necessary for me to use these powers because if local authorities take full account of the interests of their local residents in this, the last year of the community charge, they will keep their spending plans under control.

  Prison Bunk Beds
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when Her Majesty's prison service in Scotland is proposing to change the specification of the bunk beds they manufacture from ramin and related scarce west African tropical timbers to North American maple and related timbers from well-managed areas.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Prison Service does not now use ramin or West African tropical
  47
  timbers in the manufacture of products. Timbers from well-managed areas are presently being assessed as suitable alternatives.

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what estimates he has of the numbers of birds and seals that are(a) shot or (b) drowned in anti-predator netting at marine fish farms in Scotland in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department does not collect or hold information and has not made estimates in the form requested.

  Scottish Association for Mental Health
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he last met representatives of(a) the Scottish Association for Mental Health and (b) health trade unions.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Neither my right hon. Friend nor I have received any request for a meeting with the Scottish Association for Mental Health. I met representatives of the STUC on 1 October to discuss NHS reforms.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Education and Library Boards
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to ensure that education and library boards in the Province appoint only fully qualified applicants, as defined by the Soulbury committee and including a minimum of two years' teaching experience, to posts as educational psychologists.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Department of Education recently carried out a review of the qualifications required for appointment as an educational psychologist. Following wide consultation it was decided that the existing requirements (including the need to have two years' teaching experience) should stand for new entrants to the profession, but that applications could also be considered from qualified candidates for outside Northern Ireland without teaching experience provided they have a minimum of five years' experience as educational psychologists.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing, for the years 1966–67 to 1991–92(a) average household domestic rate bills in pounds sterling, (b) average domestic rate bills adjusted by the retail prices index, (c) average domestic rate bills as a proportion of average household income and (d) average domestic rate bills as a proportion of male average earnings.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The available information for average gross domestic rate bills per household in Northern Ireland is as follows:

  £

  1983–84

  181

  1984–85

  197

  1985–86

  216

  48

  £

  1986–87

  242

  1987–88

  253

  1988–89

  276

  1989–90

  305

  1990–91

  336

  1991–92

  240

  Information on the RPI is published in "Economic Trends"; average houshold income by region is published in the annual "Family Expenditure Survey" reports and "Regional Trends"; average male earnings by region are published in the annual "Northern Ireland Abstract of Statistics" and reported also in "Regional Trends". These publications are available in the House of Commons Library.

  Abortions
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated number of pregnant women going to Great Britain from Northern Ireland for abortions in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of women giving Northern Ireland as their country of residence who obtained abortions in Great Britain in each of the past five years was as follows:

  Year

  Number of abortions

  1986

  1,724

  1987

  1,746

  1988

  1,815

  1989

  1,816

  1990

  1,855

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Newtownards Link Roads
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress there is with the schemes for the two new link roads in Newtownards referred to in the North Down and Ards area plan 1984 to 1995.

  Mr. Needham
  The schemes are included in the programme of major road works due to be implemented, subject to the availability of finance, within the period 1997–2007.

  Maryfield (Works)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the extent of the works being carried out during 1991 at Maryfield, near Holywood; what is the estimated costs of these works; for whom the additional facilities and accommodation are required; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Brooke
  Some refurbishment and repairs to the fabric of the building at Maryfield are being carried out at an estimated total cost of £120,000. Apart from a very small extension to house telephone equipment, no additional facilities or accommodation is being provided.

  Book Keeping
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which book-keeping systems the Local Enterprise Development Unit recommends; and which of these recommended systems are locally produced in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  LEDU does not recommend specific book-keeping systems to its clients.

  Vehicle Testing
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the current waiting period to have vehicles tested at the Department of the Environment vehicle testing centre in Newtownards; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the present waiting period to have vehicles tested at the Department of the Environment vehicle testing centres at (a) Lisburn, (b) Downpatrick and (c) Borcher road, Belfast; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The waiting periods to have vehicles tested at the Department of the Environment's vehicle testing centres at Newtownards, Lisburn, Downpatrick and Boucher road, Belfast, on 27 September 1991 were as follows:

  Centre

  Goods Vehicle Weeks

  Private Cars Weeks

  Newtownards

  5·0

  6·0

  Lisburn

  3·5

  5·0

  Downpatrick

  5·0

  5·0

  Boucher road, Belfast

  3·0

  4·0

  The functions of the vehicle inspection and driving test branch, which carries out vehicle inspections, are due to be agentised during 1992. The Government will expect the agency to provide a good level of service to the public and will agree and monitor waiting time targets with the agency.

  Housing Executive
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what effect the recently proposed citizens charter will have on the administration of services provided by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

  Mr. Needham
  The work of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive will be among a wide range of activities covered by the citizens charter for Northern Ireland which is currently under preparation. The charter will reflect the main aims and principles outlined in the White Paper published on 22 July 1991 (Cm 1599).

  Postgraduate Awards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many postgraduate awards were allocated for the academic year 1991–92; how many were quotas and XNI awards in Northern Ireland; how many were science-related awards; how many were related to the social sciences and humanities; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  For the 1991–92 academic year, the Department of Education for Northern Ireland made 50
  available 387 postgraduate studentships and bursaries, of which 238 were quota awards for study at the two universities in Northern Ireland and 149 were XNI awards for study in other parts of the United Kingdom. A total of 207 of the awards were science related and 180 related to the social sciences and humanities.

  In addition, the Department provided 71 bursaries for study at the Institute of Professional Legal Studies and 20 distinction awards.

  The number of postgraduate awards made available to Northern Ireland students is a set proportion of those made by the various award-making bodies in Great Britain. In allocating awards and determining their division between quotas and XNI, the Department is advised by an independent advisory board for postgraduate awards.

  Blair Mayner Road, Newtownards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the volume of vehicular traffic at Blair Mayner road, Newtownards, in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested is not available. The volume of vehicular traffic on 16 October 1987 and 13 September, however, was as follows:

  Date

  Morning peak 8.00 to 9.00 am two-way flow

  Evening peak 4.45 to 5.45 pm two-way flow

  16 October 1987

  1,450

  1,558

  13 September 1991

  1,556

  1,595

  HIV
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many HIV-positive cases have been confirmed in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  1986

  11

  1987

  9

  1988

  8

  1989

  13

  1990

  13

  11991

  10

  1 To 30 September.

  Merryland Industrial Estate, Castlereagh
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to provide an adequate foul sewerage system at the Merryland industrial estate, Ballygowan road, Castlereagh; when the work will commence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Work on a sewerage scheme which will serve the Merryland industrial estate is planned to commence in June 1993.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated number of attendance allowances in payment for children aged two to five years at 31 March 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Scott
  Information is not available in the form requested. Such information as is available is given in the table.

  Estimated number of Attendance Allowances in payment at 31 March

  Year

  Age 2 to 4 years

  Age 5 to 9 years

  1988

  16,000

  29,000

  1989

  16,000

  30,000

  1990

  17,000

  32,000

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claims for attendance allowance for children aged two to four and five to nine years were decided in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available. Such information as is available is given in the table:

  Number of first claims1 to Attendance Allowance decided in 1990

  Children 2 to 4 years

  Children 5 to 9 years

  9,200

  4,400

  1Figures for second and subsequent claims are not available.

  Burleys Way Office, Leicester
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what action his Department is taking to improve the service for unemployed people who use the DSS Burleys Way Office in Leicester.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The service provided in 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.

  Archway Tower Office
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans exist for the replacement of the Archway Tower office of Highgate and Finsbury Park DSS; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The planning for the replacement of local DSS offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member with such information as is available and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Overseas British Pensioners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will ensure that British pensioners living abroad have their pensions indexed and uprated in the same way as those who live in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.
  52
  Miss Widdecombe
  United Kingdom pensioners living in 32 overseas countries receive annual pension increases under the provisions of either the European Community's social security regulations or reciprocal social security agreements which permit such increases to be paid. We have no plans to extend payment of these increases to all United Kingdom pensioners worldwide. To do so would cost an additional £337 million a year at April 1991 rates of benefit.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the latest figures for the number of persons having deductions from their income support to cover poll tax arrears.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I understand from the chief executive of the Benefits Agency that the information was placed in the Library and Public Information Office on 8 October 1991.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security by how much the current £35 per week threshold for abatement of unemployment benefit where an unemployed person has an occupational pension in excess of £35 per week would need to be increased to bring it in line with the change in(a) prices and (b) earnings since its introduction.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The current £35 per week threshold would need to he increased to £62·89 to bring it in line with the change in the RPI between April 1981 and April 1991 and £79·00 to bring it in line with the change in earnings between April 1981 and April 1991. It would not be the best use of resources to increase the limit for those who have some support through an occupational or personal pension scheme.

  Note: The earnings index used was the New Series Index (Whole Economy) Seasonally Adjusted.

  Residential Care
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he proposes to review the retainer fees for those in residential care and nursing homes who require to be in hospital for(a) less than and (b) more than six weeks.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have no plans to do so.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his most up to date estimate of the cost to his Department of retainer payments to(a) residential care homes and (b) nursing homes in the last financial year and the present financial year for periods (a) shorter than and (b) longer than six weeks periods of hospital care.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available.

  Retirement Pension
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the difference in cash terms in each of the years 1980 to 1991 of the state retirement
  53
  pension as uprated and the figure which would have been deemed for uprating in line with prices or average earnings; whichever was the higher, for (i) a single person and (ii) a married couple.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to the hon. Member for Oldham, West (Mr. Meacher) on 21 February at columns 263–64.

  Income Support
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the maximum deductions which can be made from income support and their hierarchy.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The limit on deductions for utility and housing cost debt is £6 a week. Deductions for current charges may also be made. Benefit overpayment recovery is also subject to the £6 limit except when fraud is involved. In addition, £2 a week— £ 3·15 for couples—may be deducted in respect of a community charge court order. The rate of repayment of social fund loans is usually £2 to £6 a week, but it is flexible and takes account of other commitments of the claimant.

  The order of priority of deductions that applies when there is insufficient benefit available to accommodate all deductions is:

  (1)housing costs;

  (2) service charges for fuel and rent not falling under (1);

  (3) fuel costs;

  (4) water charges;

  (5) community charges;

  (6) Social Fund loan repayments;

  (7) overpayment recoveries.

  Benefits
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what has been the estimated saving to the Exchequer each year from (i) the abolition of the eating-out allowance in the boarders' premium and (ii) the imposition of amenity charges; and in each case how many persons or families are estimated to be affected.

  Miss Widdecombe
  A reliable estimate is not possible from the data available; the number of boarders who might have claimed income support since 1989 under the previous rules cannot be determined with any certainty.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what guidelines he has issued to the Benefits Agency regarding the use of uniforms for counter staff at Social Security offices on(a) voluntary or (b) compulsory basis;

  (2) what representations he has had regarding the provision of uniform clothing for use by counter staff dealing directly with social security claimants in the Benefits Agency.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The provision for corporate clothing to counter staff at social security 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.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what representations he has had from the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association about the council tax; whether the proposed legislation for the tax will include a general power for local authorities to run local schemes; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I wrote to the British Limbless Ex-Servicemen's Association on 7 October concerning the rebate arrangements for war widows and war disablement pensioners under the council tax. I explained that the new rebate system will treat war widows and war disablement pensioners in the same way as the existing community charge benefit system and that, in addition to the statutory disregards, local authorities will have the freedom, as now, to operate their own discretionary schemes to disregard war widow's pensions and war disablement pensions.

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest estimate of the value of the average pensioner's income from savings and occupational pensions; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [pursuant to the reply, 24 June, cols 671–72]: The following information was incorrect:
  "From 1979 to 1987, the average pensioner's net weekly income from savings increased from £9·10 to £20·90 …"

  The correct information is as follows:
  "From 1979 to 1987, the average pensioner's gross weekly income from savings increased from £9·10 to £20·90 …"

  Mortgage Interest Payments
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total amount paid by central Government through social security payments to home owners in mortgage interest payments each year since 1975–76 at(a) real and (b) 1990 costings.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [pursuant to the reply, 9 July 1991, cols 331–32]: Corrected figures for 1988 and estimates of amounts included for mortgage interest in the assessment of supplementary benefit and, from 1988, income support, are given in the table.

  No. of claimants

  Average weekly payment (£)

  Total payment per annum(£m)

  Current

  1990 prices

  1975

  98,000

  3·93

  20

  68

  1976

  123,000

  4·22

  27

  80

  1977

  124,000

  5·12

  33

  87

  1978

  105,000

  4·81

  26

  63

  1979

  98,000

  5·96

  31

  64

  1980

  134,000

  10·18

  71

  128

  1981

  196,000

  12·18

  124

  200

  1982

  235,000

  13·87

  170

  260

  1983

  242,000

  11·93

  150

  218

  1984

  277,000

  15·18

  219

  304

  1986

  356,000

  18·96

  351

  458

  1987

  334,000

  19·31

  335

  415

  1988

  300,000

  18·33

  286

  340

  1989

  281,000

  24·18

  353

  387

  1990

  310,000

  34·32

  553

  553

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries.

  Notes:
  55
  Figures for numbers of claimants are rounded to the nearest 100,000.

  Figures from 1983 onwards are not comparable with earlier figures because they were collected on a different basis.

  Current prices are inflated to 1990 price level by use of the RPI index.

  In 1985 no Enquiry was undertaken.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  NATO
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Soviet citizens will be included in NATO invitations to countries of the former Warsaw pact to participate in activities of NATO's third dimension scientific and environmental programmes.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Yes: I am glad to say that there is an increasing number of NATO and NATO-sponsored activities involving Soviet scientists.

  Naval Forces
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards a naval negotiation on confidence and security building measures within the conference on security and co-operation in Europe.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  There is most unlikely to be agreement on any naval confidence and security building measures in the current negotiations in Vienna. Informal consultations have now begun on the general shape and content of the arms control process after the Helsinki follow-up meeting in 1992. The possibility of some naval transparency measures is under consideration. We welcome meanwhile the announcement by the United States and Soviet Union that they will withdraw sub-strategic nuclear weapons from their naval forces in normal circumstances and have announced our intention to do the same.

  Arms Conversion
  Dr. Thomas
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his plans to advise the countries of central and eastern Europe on arms conversion as outlined in the statement of the June meeting of the NATO North Atlantic Council.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are working with our NATO allies on how best to take forward the proposal in the Copenhagen statement that the alliance should organise meetings of officials and experts to exchange views and information on a number of subjects, including the conversion of defence industries to civilian purposes.

  Cyprus
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Republic of Cyprus recognises the courts of the sovereign base areas and the judgments made in those courts.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The sovereign base areas are sovereign British territory under section 2 of the Cyprus Act 1960 and article 1 of the Treaty of Establishment, to which the Republic of Cyprus is a party. I shall write to my 56
  hon. Friend shortly about a recent judgment of the supreme court of the Republic of Cyprus concerning a motor insurance claim by a constituent of his.

  GCHQ
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he has considered the decision of the International Labour Organisation at its 1991 annual conference in Geneva to call for the restoration of the right of trade union membership to staff at Government Communications Headquarters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Government remain firmly committed to their present policy on union representation at Government communications headquarters.

  Israel
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will take further action to secure that Israel neither holds nor produces nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave him on 23 July at c.463.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many Hong Kong citizens have applied for United Kingdom passports arising from recent legislation; and what is his latest estimate of the total numbers so entitled. including dependants.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Under the British Nationality (Hong Kong) Act 1990, 50,000 Hong Kong British nationals plus spouses and dependent children will be entitled to British citizenship. The total number of applications for the first tranche of 43,250 places is 66,025. New applications for the second tranche of the remaining 6,750 places will be invited closer to 1997; a date has not yet been decided. It is not possible to estimate what the total number of dependants will be until the final selection of successful applicants has been made.

  Guadalajara Conference
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government sent observers to the conference of Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Heads of State and Government in Guadalajara, Mexico; and if he will make a statement on the declaration of Guadalajara.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  No, only the Secretaries General of the United Nations, UNESCO, Organisation of African States, EC/Latin America Committee and the president of the International Development Bank attended as observers. We congratulate the countries concerned on the establishment of this forum and wish them success in their efforts to achieve closer co-operation in tackling their common concerns.

  Sri Lanka
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations have been made to the Government of Sri Lanka concerning violations of human rights; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have frequently pressed the Sri Lankan Government to act responsibly and with full respect for the human rights of all its citizens in their efforts to overcome terrorism. We discuss human rights questions at regular intervals with the Sri Lankan authorities, both in Colombo and in London.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will bring forward legislation to enshrine in British law the 50-year moratorium on mining in the Antarctic agreed at the Madrid conference; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We shall introduce legislation to implement the provisions of the protocol on environmental protection to the Antarctic treaty, including the ban on mineral activity, when the business of the House permits.

  Grenada (Death Penalty)
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Government of Grenada concerning the recent pronouncement of the death penalty on 14 people following their conviction for the murder of Maurice Bishop in 1983; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The hon. Gentleman will be aware that the Prime Minister of Grenada announced on 14 August that all the death sentences on those convicted of the murder of Maurice Bishop had been commuted to life imprisonment.

  Brazil
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 19 June,Official Report, column 206, to the hon. Member for Leeds, West (Mr. Battle), what response he has received from the Brazilian authorities to his representations about human rights issues.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Brazilian authorities have responded positively to our representations and have provided a copy of the interim report of the Brazilian Deputy Procurator General's recent inquiry into the causes of rural violence and violations of human rights.

  Immigration
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he is taking to prevent the continued influx of unaccompanied children departing from airports in Eritrea without valid entry visas for the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  All immigrant minors are required to obtain prior entry clearance. All posts in the area—Addis Ababa, Kampala, Khartoum, Sana'a and 58
  Nairobi—have been alerted to the risk of unaccompanied minors travelling to the United Kingdom and instructed to ensure that visas are not issued to minors to travel alone. We have reminded airlines of the penalties they will incur under the Immigration (Carriers Liability) Act if they carry passengers without the correct documentation or entry clearance. This penalty has recently been increased to £2,000 per passenger.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has made to foreign governments with a view to ensuring that airport and airline officials overseas do not permit passengers to embark on aircraft without valid entry visas or other official travel documents.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary and I are exploring, with the co-operation of host Governments and airlines, ways to improve document checks at certain overseas airports including the provision of document specialists to advise carriers about the authenticity of travel documents.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions have taken place between British posts overseas and church missionaries and other similar persons concerning the encouragement of would-be asylum seekers and/or their unaccompanied children to come to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have no record of any such discussions.

  Soviet Exit Visas
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations have been made to the Soviet authorities about the granting of an exit visa to (1) Alexander and Zhanna Gomelsky of Kiev;

  (2) Eugeny Pisarevsky of Leningrad;

  (3) Solomon Smolyar; and

  (4) Philip Bagod of Leningrad.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Details of the exit visa applications of Philip Bagod, Alexander and Zhanna Gomelsky, Eugeny Pisarevsky and Solomon Smolyar were included in a list of cases handed over by the British embassy in Moscow to the soviet authorities on 29 August. During the CSCE conference on the human dimension in Moscow from 10 September to 4 October, the United Kingdom delegation strongly urged the Soviet authorities to implement freedom of travel for all Soviet citizens, citing the particular cases of Mr. Smolyar and Mr. Pisarevsky.

  Gibraltar
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps he will take to assess opinion in Gibraltar on any reassessment of his policy for Gibraltar airport; and what weight he will give to such opinion.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Any reassessment of our policy towards Gibraltar airport would involve consultation in Gibraltar.

  EC Foreign Ministers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement concerning the items discussed and conclusions reached at the meeting of Foreign Ministers of member states of the European Community held on 6 September.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  At the Foreign Affairs Council on 6 September the United Kingdom was represented by my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. The Council discussed the association agreement negotiations with Poland, Hungary and Czechoslovakia, but was unable to reach agreement on a revised negotiating mandate for the Commission. Ministers met their counterparts from the Baltic states and issued a statement stressing the willingness of the Community and member states to establish diplomatic relations with them. Ministers also discussed the latest developments in Yugoslavia and agreed to convene a peace conference on 7 September.

  United Nations
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether all payments due from the United Kingdom to the United Nations and its constituent organisations have been paid up to date.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Kingdom has an excellent record of paying promptly our assessed contributions to the United Nations and its constituent organisations. All our 1991 contributions to the United Nations regular budget and the main constituent organisations have been paid.

  Anglo-Italian Security Agreement
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will place in the Library a copy of the Anglo-Italian proposals relating to defence and security within the European Community; and if he will make a statement concerning the outcome of the informal and formal meetings of Foreign Ministers held in the first two weeks of October.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I am arranging for a copy of the Anglo-Italian declaration on European security and defence of 4 October to be placed in the Library. This was discussed and well received at an informal meeting of EC Foreign Ministers in the Netherlands on 5–6 October. It was agreed that the declaration was a useful contribution to discussions on European security this autumn in the intergovernmental conference on political union, the Western European Union and the North Atlantic Alliance. Ministers also discussed the situation in Yugoslavia and issued two statements which reflect this discussion. These are being placed in the Library. No formal meeting of Foreign Ministers has been scheduled in the first two weeks of October.

  Baltic States
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when (i) Her Majesty's Government(a) agreed to full diplomatic recognition of the three Baltic states, respectively, and (b) expects to have fully operational embassies in Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia and (ii) British Council offices will serve the capital cities of each of the Baltic states.
  60
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Her Majesty's Government, in common with our partners in the European Community, recognised the Republics of Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia on 27 August 1991. Permanent diplomatic missions arrived in Tallinn on 4 October 1991, in Riga on 5 October 1991 and Vilnius on 6 October 1991. Accredited ambassadors were appointed to each republic on 8 October and have been in post since. They are now identifying suitable premises for our embassies.

  I understand that the British Council is hoping to have a projects officer based in Riga by the end of 1991 to cover Council projects in all three republics.

  Parliamentary Groups
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what funds his Department grants annually to(a) the Franco-British parliamentary group, (b) the British-German parliamentary group and (c) the British-American parliamentary group; and when these amounts were last revised.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  [pursuant to his answer, 9 July, c. 302:] This Department pays a biennial grant of up to £2,400 to the Franco-British Parliamentary Relations Committee.

DEFENCE

  Guards Regiments
  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proposals he has for the future of the Tower Guard.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The future of the Tower Guard will be kept under review as the detailed plans for the restructuring of the Army are developed.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) at what level the dual public duties/regular infantry roles of the Foot Guards will be maintained;

  (2) if he will list the changes he proposes in the public duties of the Household Division as a result of his recently announced manpower reductions.

  Sir Nicholas Bonsor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the duties of which the Guards regiments will be relieved following the reduction in strength of the Grenadier, Coldstream and Scots Guards.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Foot Guards will continue to carry out a full range of infantry roles, including the public duties tasks. After restructuring there will be five battalions of Foot Guards, three of which will normally be based in the London area at any one time. The latter may receive manpower increments to facilitate the discharge of public duties.

  The Life Guards and the Blues and Royals will continue to form a Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment for public duties and will also form a merged armoured reconnaissance regiment. The public duties of the Household Division will be kept under review as the detailed plans for the implementation of the Army restructuring are developed.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the contribution
  61
  made by cutting three battalions of the Foot Guards and an armoured regiment of the Household Cavalry to improving the quality and cost-effectiveness of the British Army.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State on 23 July and to "Britain's Army for the 90s" (Cm. 1595). The Government remain confident that the Army which emerges from the changes now under way will be one fit to meet the challenges of the next century.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the cost of maintaining(a) three battalion strength equivalents of the RAF Regiment and (b) three battalions of Foot Guards; and what are the restrictions on posting of each type of unit.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested on costs is not available in the form requested and could be obtained only with disproportionate effort.

  Individual units of both the Foot Guards and the RAF Regiment will continue to undertake the roles for which they are specifically designed. For the Foot Guards this means the full range of infantry roles, along with public duties. For the RAF Regiment this means the provision of defensive support to air operations.

  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the Grenadier Guards, the Coldstream Guards and the Scots Guards, respectively, were last reduced to one active battalion each.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Each of these regiments has had an active 2nd battalion since the late 17th century; with the exception of the Scots Guards whose 2nd battalion reduced to a representative company in April 1971 before being reformed as a full battalion in January 1972.

  Army Training
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence under his plans for "Britain's Army for the 90s", what is to be the future of the Guards depot.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) whether the new Light Division depot at Flowerdown, Winchester, will be retained in order to train all Army recruits from the south of England, with those from the south-east being trained at the new Guards and Parachute depot at Pirbright;

  (2) if he will concentrate all initial basic training for the Army on the six infantry division depots in preference to forming general Army recruit training depots.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The aim of restructuring the Army's training base is to make optimum use of existing sites by concentrating training at a smaller number of larger establishments. The locations for initial training in the Army remain under study and no final decisions have been taken.

  Military Bands
  Sir David Price
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what his plans are for the future of military music generally and regimental bands in particular, in consequence of his restructuring of the British Army; and if he will make a detailed statement.
  62
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The commandant of the Royal Military School of Music is carrying out a major review of the future organisation, structure and geographical location of Army bands in the light of the restructuring of the Army. It is too early to say what changes to military music, bands and the careers of musicians will result from that review.

  Military Explosives (Transport)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by date, for the last 12 months to date, when military explosives were transported through the Doncaster area.

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

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if local emergency services in the Doncaster area are informed when military explosives are being transported through the area.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Road Traffic (Carriage of Explosives) Regulations 1989 do not place a general duty on carriers to inform local emergency services when explosives, military or commercial, are being transported through their area unless the intention is to move more than 5 tonnes of explosives in hazard division 1.1 by road. In this case a route or routes agreed with the chief officers of the relevant police districts must be used. When explosives are carried by rail the necessary actions are taken by the British Rail Board as the carriage of explosives by rail is subject to BRB byelaws.

  All vehicles, both road and rail, carrying MOD explosives are marked in accordance with current legislation and the precautions to be taken are known to the emergency services.

  RAF Tornado (Ditching)
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to receive the Official Report relating to the ditching of the RAF Tornado in the Bristol channel on 5 September.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The accident took place on 12 September and I expect to receive a report on it once the board of inquiry has completed its investigations.

  Northern Ireland Regiments
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which regiments in Northern Ireland are capable of providing the ceremonial public duty of firing salutes to mark royal occasions and public anniversaries.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Salutes are fired in Northern Ireland by the 102nd Air Defence Regiment (Volunteers), Royal Artillery.

  HMS Renown
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when HMS Renown is scheduled to complete its current refit.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is not the practice to publish details of nuclear submarine refits.

  Defence Depots (Rail Links)
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for The Wrekin of 15 July,Official Report, column 98, if he will list those Ministry of Defence depots which have lost their rail connection since 1985.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Since 1985 rail connections to the following Ministry of Defence depots have been closed: Regional Depot Aldershot; Ordnance Support Unit Ashford; OSU Burscough; Royal Air Force Carlisle; Central Ordnance Depot Donnington; Royal Naval Stores Depot Eaglescliffe; RD Hereford; OSU Hessay; RAF Quedgeley; Procurement and Experimental Establishment Shoeburyness; RAF Stafford; RD Stirling; RD Thatcham; RD Thursk; RD Warcop; OSU Warminster and RD Wool.

  "Options for Change"
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians, and in what categories and limitations, are being made redundant by its proposals in "Options for Change".

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Within an overall total of around 20,000 United Kingdom-based civil service posts to be shed over the next five years, the scale and distribution of redundancies will not be known until the level of natural wastage and the effectiveness of alternative measures to reduce numbers have been assessed.

  Civilian Employees
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many civilians are employed by the Ministry of Defence, broken down by category.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  At 1 April 1991, the Ministry of Defence employed 140,199 full-time equivalent United Kingdom-based civilian staff—49,866 industrial and 90,333 non-industrial—and 28,936 locally employed civilians overseas—19,080 industrial and 9.856 non-industrial.

  Nuclear-powered Warships Safety Committee
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what rules of confidentiality cover the disclosure of information by members of the Nuclear-powered Warships Safety Committee.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Members of the Nuclear-powered Warships Safety Committee are subject to the Official Secrets Act.

  Nuclear Fleet, Murmansk
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he has received any request from his Soviet counterpart or the Russian Federation Government for assistance in monitoring and clean-up of radioactive contamination at the dockyards for the nuclear fleet in Murmansk.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Mr. Reg Farmer sought clearance to reveal details 64
  of the Nuclear-powered Warships Safety Committee findings on radioactive risks posed by Polaris nuclear propulsion reactors to the Thames Television programme broadcast on 19 September.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  No.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the level of financial support from his Department in 1988–89, 1989–90 and 1990–91 for the Grant Maintained Schools Trust.

  Mr. Eggar
  Payments of central Government grant in each financial year have been as follows:

  (£)

  1988–89

  25,000

  1989–90

  250,000

  1990–91

  448,000

  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total number of opt-out ballots which have taken place since the introduction of the scheme; and how many(a) were for, (b) were 'against' and (c) had a majority either way of less than 5 per cent. of parents eligible to vote.

  Mr. Eggar
  There have been 311 ballots of parents on GM status since the introduction of the policy. Of these 242 have been votes for and 69 have been votes against. The answer to the last part of the question could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science in considering applications for grant-maintained status for schools in Bromley, what consideration is given to the statutory obligation to educate all in-borough children who present themselves to the local education authority and the statutory obligation not to discriminate in favour of in-borough children.

  Mr. Eggar
  We take careful account of all relevant factors relating to school admissions when considering proposals for grant-maintained status published by Bromley schools. This includes statutory objections made to the proposals by Bromley LEA in relation to its statutory obligations and the impact approval would have on admissions to maintain schools in its area.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set the number of full-time and part-time teachers in each city technology college, and the number of pupils.

  Mr. Eggar
  The funding agreement signed with each city technology college sets a profile for the agreed pupil build up. The table shows the number of pupils once the college reaches full capacity. It is for each college to determine its own staff complement.

  College

  Pupils

  Kingshurst

  1,100

  Djanogly

  1,000

  Macmillan

  1,100

  65

  College

  Pupils

  Dixons

  980

  Harris

  1,100

  Leigh

  1,250

  Emmanuel

  900

  ADT

  1,000

  Bacons

  1,100

  Britschool

  720

  Brooke

  900

  Haberdashers

  1,100

  Telford

  1,000

  Derby1

  900

  Bristol1

  2825

  1 Denotes that the College has not yet opened.

  2 Provisional figure.

  Pupil numbers include post-16 pupils.

  Education Psychology
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, further to his answers of 25 June,Official Report, column 444, and 16 July, Official Report, column 158, whether he intends that schools should be free to buy in education psychology services from the national health service hospital services.

  Mr. Fallon
  Schools with delegated budgets may buy whatever services they need from wherever they wish, including from NHS sources if such are available and appropriate. It is for the schools to ensure that the services that they purchase fully meet their requirements and offer value for money.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what consideration he has given to the consequences for children of schools seeking the services of inappropriate or inadequately qualified psychologists.

  Mr. Fallon
  Local education authorities and school governors have the statutory duty to ensure that the provision of children's special educational needs, including the services of psychologists, is appropriate. Parents have the statutory right to make a formal complaint to my right hon. and learned Friend where they have reason to believe that a local authority or governors are failing in their duty.

  Performance Criteria
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) measured against established performance criteria, if he will list in rank order the achievement of schools in each county in England and Wales;

  (2) measured against established performance criteria, what was the achievement of schools in Staffordshire in 1990–91 and in each of the five preceding years.

  Mr. Eggar
  Reliable and precisely comparable information on the performance of individual schools is not currently available either centrally or locally. However, in 1989–90, in Staffordshire LEA as a whole 28 per cent. of school leavers achieved five or more GCSEs at grades A-C, compared with 31·4 per cent. for all maintained schools in England, placing it 61st out of 95 English LEAs; the proportion of school leavers in Staffordshire gaining two or more A level passes was 15·6 per cent. compared with 15·8 per cent. for all maintained schools in England.
  66
  School level data will however soon be available. From this autumn, all maintained schools are required to publish their examination results in their prospectuses in a common and consistent form. Under the parents charter, that information will, as soon as is practical, be widely available in comparative tables covering all schools in a local area.

  English Schools
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will list those English schools which have been approved by the Business and Technician Education Council to run courses; and what proportion these schools are of the total number of schools which(a) could qualify and (b) applied to run such courses.

  Mr. Eggar
  A total of 118 maintained schools in England have received approval from the Business and Technician Education Council to offer from September 1991 courses leading to BTEC first diplomas. This represents 6 per cent. of maintained schools with sixth form pupils in England, and 80 per cent. of schools which applied to offer the courses. Nearly 800 schools plan to seek accreditation to offer BTEC firsts from September 1992.

  A number of maintained schools in England have been approved by BTEC to offer courses leading to BTEC national diplomas, but details are not available in the form requested.

  Probationer Teachers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what evidence he requested from Her Majesty's inspectorate of schools concerning the objectives of the statutory probationary year for teachers, prior to his decision to abandon the requirement; what replies he received; and if he will place them in the Library;

  (2) what observations he has received from Her Majesty's inspectors of schools concerning aspects of the teachers' probationary year; and what consequent actions he has taken;

  (3) what have been the common criteria by which Her Majesty's inspectors assess the success of teachers in their probationary year; what means he proposes to ensure similar criteria are applied in future training; and by whom such criteria will be applied.

  Mr. Eggar
  Her Majesty's inspectorate gives my right hon. and learned Friend independent advice on all matters relating to teachers and their work. Under the current statutory arrangements HMI does not itself assess probationary teachers, or decide whether they have completed the probationary period satisfactorily. This is a matter for LEAs and for the governing bodies of grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what representations he has received concerning the desirability of abandoning the statutory probationary year for new teachers; and if he will place copies of any such representations in the Library;

  (2) what consultations he has had concerning the significance and efficacy of the statutory probationary year required before qualification as a registered school teacher, prior to his decision to abandon this requirement;
  67
  (3) what statutory obligation he intends to introduce concerning the obligations of school heads and their staff to teachers joining their schools immediately subsequent to completion of training courses;

  (4) what are the steps he intends to take to put into effect his proposal to abandon the one-year probationary period of new teachers in schools prior to their full qualification.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend intends to improve the present arrangements for the transition of teachers from students to experienced professionals. Initial teacher training will be made more responsive to the needs of schools, and a new specific grant will be available in 1992–93 to stimulate initiatives in induction of new teachers. Regular cycles of appraisal for school teachers are already statutory requirements, and the delegation of staffing powers to individual schools gives governors a greater incentive, in the last resort, to take action under normal employment law where performance is plainly unsatisfactory.

  Against this background, my right hon. and learned Friend has concluded that statutory arrangements for school teacher probation are unnecessary, and has proposed that they should come to an end with effect from 1 September 1992. He is currently consulting all those with an interest, including the employers, the teacher unions and the initial teacher training institutions. Copies of the Department's letter, which invites comments by 22 November, have been placed in the Library.

  Education Choice
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has received about the funding of choice in education.

  Mr. Eggar
  Ministers have received a number of representations from grant-maintained schools and local education authorities. My right hon. Friend wrote to all education authority chairmen on 3 October with proposals for the funding arrangements in 1992–93. I am sending the hon. Member a copy of that letter.

  Post-graduate Awards
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many post-graduate awards were allocated for the academic year 1991–92; how many were related to(a) sciences and (b) social sciences and humanities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  A total of 8,446 awards have been offered to new students undertaking higher degrees in the United Kingdom in the academic year 1991–92 of which 6,596 were in the sciences and 1,850 in the fields of social sciences and humanities. Actual allocations are not yet known.

  Table: The extent of LEA's delegation to schools (1991–92)

  (1) Local Education Authority

  (2) PSB delegated to schools

  (3) PSB not delegated per Pupil 1991–92 £

  (4) Central administration as proportion of PSB

  (5) Schools with delegated budgets 1991–92 percentage

  1991–92 percentage

  (1990–91) percentage

  1991–92 percentage

  (1990–91) percentage

  1 Stockport

  88·69

  (—)

  200

  3·15

  (—)

  0

  2 Rochdale

  88·46

  (85·74)

  180

  2·37

  (2·55)

  44

  3 Sunderland

  88·40

  (86·86)

  190

  2·15

  (3·10)

  57

  Telford CTC
  Mr. Grocott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated average expenditure per pupil during the first year of the operation of the Telford city technology college.

  Mr. Eggar
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to the hon. Member for Lewisham, Deptford (Ms. Ruddock) on 19 July 1991 at columns 299–300. It is for Telford city technology college to determine its expenditure plans within the resources available to the college.

  School Meals
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the take-up of school meals nationally in numbers and percentage terms for(a) 1980–81 and (b) 1990–91; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The numbers of children in maintained schools in England taking free and paid for school meals on the census dates in October 1980 and January 1991 were 3,535,000 and 2,975,000 (provisionally) respectively. These figures represent 48 per cent. and 42 per cent. of the total day pupils on roll for each year. Since the Education Act 1980, as amended by the Social Security Act 1986, it has been the responsibility of each education authority to decide what school meals service to offer in its schools.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the number of local authorities that have put school meals to compulsory competitive tendering; how many of these contracts have been awarded to in house contractors; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  I understand from the Local Government Management Board that so far 82 authorities have put out 174 catering (education and welfare) contracts to tender. A total of 166 have been won by direct service organisations and eight by other contractors.

  Schools Budgets
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list local education authorities in rank order by the proportion of the potential schools budget held back in 1991–92, showing in each case the proportion held back in 1990–91.

  Mr. Fallon
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 July, c. 177.]: The information requested is contained in the tables which follow. Also included is a list of local education authorities showing the proportion of their schools budgets which is allocated with reference to the number and ages of pupils at the schools.
  69

  (1) Local Education Authority

  (2) PSB delegated to schools

  (3) PSB not delegated per Pupil 1991–92 £

  (4) Central administration as proportion of PSB

  (5) Schools with delegated budgets 1991–92 percentage

  1991–92 percentage

  (1990–91) percentage

  1991–92 percentage

  (1990–91) percentage

  4 Bolton

  88·31

  (89·10)

  200

  2·06

  (2·02)

  100

  5 Northumberland

  88·16

  (86·54)

  170

  2·37

  (3·10)

  45

  6 Manchester

  88·03

  (—)

  210

  3·54

  (—)

  95

  7 Sefton

  87·86

  (87·44)

  210

  2·71

  (4·45)

  44

  8 Berkshire

  87·68

  (87·68)

  210

  2·78

  (2·71)

  43

  9 West Sussex

  87·67

  (87·49)

  190

  2·09

  (1·95)

  60

  10 Suffolk

  87·56

  (85·66)

  220

  ·78

  (2·75)

  47

  11 Cambridge

  87·45

  (80·75)

  200

  2·03

  (4·82)

  15

  12 Cheshire

  87·35

  (84·31)

  210

  1·71

  (5·15)

  47

  13 Devon

  87·14

  (83·11)

  210

  2·53

  (3·06)

  34

  14 Warwickshire

  86·72

  (85·24)

  210

  3·19

  (3·90)

  26

  15 Bradford

  86·68

  (86·04)

  230

  3·55

  (3·87)

  100

  16 Buckinghamshire

  86·58

  (84·88)

  220

  3·55

  (4·58)

  37

  17 Bromley

  86·27

  (80·70)

  260

  4·39

  (4·49)

  67

  18 Leeds

  86·26

  (86·12)

  250

  4·22

  (3·87)

  0

  19 Hertfordshire

  86·19

  (—)

  240

  3·81

  (—)

  0

  20 Hampshire

  86·11

  (85·78)

  240

  3·16

  (3·34)

  57

  21 Shropshire

  86·09

  (84·60)

  250

  2·00

  (2·48)

  17

  22 Salford

  86·03

  (84·37)

  230

  2·64

  (3·19)

  54

  23 Northamptonshire

  86·01

  (84·74)

  240

  2·23

  (3·69)

  37

  24 South Tyneside

  85·94

  (83·76)

  230

  2·06

  (4·20)

  35

  25 Sheffield

  85·92

  (82·61)

  250

  3·26

  (3·49)

  32

  26 Barnsley

  85·91

  (83·38)

  220

  2·88

  (2·86)

  12

  27 Kent

  85·84

  (84·87)

  230

  4·61

  (3·79)

  100

  28 Wirral

  85·73

  (—)

  230

  2·59

  (—)

  54

  29 Solihull

  85·59

  (85·31)

  250

  1·93

  (2·49)

  99

  30 Walsall

  85·50

  (85·72)

  250

  3·40

  (3·37)

  0

  31 Somerset

  85·48

  (82·91)

  260

  2·69

  (3·58)

  34

  32 Calderdale

  85·46

  (81·86)

  230

  2·39

  (4·84)

  0

  33 Lincolnshire

  85·46

  (85·13)

  250

  2·21

  (2·68)

  47

  34 Rotherham

  85·43

  (86·13)

  250

  3·76

  (3·74)

  10

  35 Cumbria

  85·41

  (82·53)

  250

  3·02

  (4·04)

  62

  36 East Sussex

  85·37

  (84·09)

  240

  2·20

  (2·42)

  24

  37 Bury

  85·31

  (81·92)

  250

  2·00

  (4·70)

  22

  38 Barking

  85·20

  (87·01)

  270

  3·27

  (3·34)

  50

  39 Dorset

  85·16

  (81·85)

  240

  3·72

  (4·71)

  45

  40 Sutton

  85·15

  (83·44)

  260

  3·84

  (4·05)

  52

  41 Havering

  85·09

  (83·87)

  280

  1·93

  (2·28)

  69

  42 Essex

  85·08

  (84·03)

  250

  3·52

  (4·11)

  37

  see Footnote 2

  43 Kirklees

  84·96

  (83·38)

  250

  3·65

  (3·98)

  0

  44 Westminster

  84·88

  (77·96)

  370

  5·59

  (8·20)

  100

  45 Merton

  84·86

  (79·79)

  300

  3·33

  (7·86)

  100

  46 Staffordshire

  84·84

  (84·61)

  250

  410

  (4·51)

  19

  47 Enfield

  84·68

  (81·50)

  290

  3·69

  (5·56)

  54

  48 Oxfordshire

  84·68

  (81·37)

  290

  2·85

  (5·46)

  63

  49 Surrey

  84·61

  (85·57)

  270

  4·85

  (6·17)

  68

  50 Humberside

  84·60

  (81·71)

  270

  3·01

  (3·57)

  48

  51 North Tyneside

  84·55

  (82·30)

  270

  3·99

  (5·03)

  35

  52 St. Helens

  84·53

  (83·27)

  260

  3·65

  (3·69)

  0

  53 Gloucestershire

  84·47

  (86·78)

  240

  3·37

  (3·65)

  13

  54 Dudley

  84·47

  (83·98)

  260

  3·64

  (3·62)

  0

  55 Norfolk

  84·37

  (83·62)

  270

  3·35

  (4·05)

  29

  56 Kingston

  84·35

  (78·46)

  310

  4·11

  (7·09)

  61

  57 Wakefield

  84·28

  (82·87)

  260

  1·49

  (2·98)

  20

  58 Leicestershire

  84·28

  (—)

  280

  2·89

  (—)

  35

  59 North Yorkshire

  84·16

  (82·62)

  270

  2·37

  (4·15)

  31

  60 Doncaster

  84·00

  (85·45)

  280

  2·29

  (2·29)

  30

  61 Hereford/Worcester

  83·99

  (—)

  270

  3·18

  (—)

  13

  62 Derbyshire

  83·97

  (83·37)

  270

  3·04

  (2·96)

  8

  63 Nottinghamshire

  83·96

  (82·72)

  270

  3·41

  (5·24)

  27

  64 Cornwall

  83·95

  (83·57)

  240

  3·52

  (3·72)

  44

  65 Trafford

  83·94

  (84·38)

  250

  3·68

  (3·49)

  58

  66 Gateshead

  83·92

  (83·29)

  280

  2·99

  (3·01)

  69

  67 Hillingdon

  83·91

  (—)

  290

  6·17

  (—)

  100

  68 Tameside

  83·80

  (84·40)

  270

  2·16

  (2·47)

  0

  69 Haringey

  83·77

  (79·36)

  350

  4·78

  (6·04)

  34

  70 Isle of Wight

  83·75

  (82·48)

  280

  1·92

  (4·68)

  33

  71 Barnet

  83·68

  (84·36)

  310

  4·96

  (5·07)

  70

  72 Brent

  83·52

  (83·63)

  370

  4·32

  (4·82)

  100

  73 Birmingham

  83·41

  (83·04)

  280

  3·85

  (4·36)

  35

  74 Cleveland

  83·37

  (83·63)

  280

  4·64

  (5·56)

  55

  75 Bedfordshire

  83·29

  (84·02)

  300

  3·66

  (3·91)

  82

  76 Wiltshire

  83·26

  (82·35)

  280

  3·18

  (3·92)

  23

  70

  71

  (1) Local Education Authority

  (2) PSB delegated to schools

  (3) PSB not delegated per Pupil 1991–92 £

  (4) Central administration as proportion of PSB

  (5) Schools with delegated budgets 1991–92 percentage

  1991–92 percentage

  (1990–91) percentage

  1991–92 percentage

  (1990–91) percentage

  77 Hounslow

  83·26

  (81·59)

  330

  4·46

  (5·19)

  97

  78 Knowsley

  83·24

  (81·91)

  300

  4·99

  (5·07)

  51

  79 Isles of Scilly

  83·17

  (—)

  550

  6·41

  (—)

  20

  80 Oldham

  83·14

  (81·64)

  280

  4·53

  (4·98)

  0

  81 Redbridge

  83·13

  (82·71)

  280

  5·10

  (4·91)

  37

  82 Wigan

  83·03

  (83·28)

  300

  4·18

  (3·70)

  46

  83 Ealing

  82·92

  (81·66)

  340

  5·86

  (6·33)

  38

  84 Liverpool

  82·92

  (84·91)

  320

  4·65

  (4·07)

  0

  85 Avon

  82·78

  (82·30)

  300

  3·87

  (3·40)

  36

  86 Coventry

  82·76

  (80·93)

  300

  4·37

  (6·00)

  100

  87 Sandwell

  82·74

  (83·24)

  320

  4·51

  (3·75)

  24

  88 Lancashire

  82·74

  (82·66)

  300

  3·46

  (3·65)

  19

  89 Richmond

  82·58

  (79·98)

  330

  4·82

  (6·91)

  100

  90 Harrow

  82·45

  (81·52)

  320

  5·05

  (5·76)

  100

  91 Newcastle

  82·38

  (79·76)

  320

  5·09

  (6·12)

  0

  92 Durham

  82·16

  (83·13)

  310

  4·79

  (4·35)

  34

  93 Wolverhampton

  81·55

  (81·77)

  350

  5·35

  (5·26)

  49

  94 Bexley

  81·32

  (81·33)

  330

  5·06

  (4·61)

  30

  95 Croydon

  81·00

  (—)

  380

  4·15

  (—)

  6·3

  96 Waltham Forest

  80·22

  (79·65)

  400

  6·60

  (7·02)

  53

  97 Newham

  79·46

  (—)

  450

  5·94

  (—)

  55

  National Averages

  84·89

  (83·76)

  260

  3·43

  (4·06)

  40

  Footnotes to table showing the extent of delegation.

  1. 97 local education authorities (LEAs) currently have LMS schemes in operation, and are required to publish budget statements under Section 42 of the Education Reform Act. The LEAs are ranked according to the percentage of funds delegated to schools, with those delegating more at the top of the ranking order. Schemes for 12 inner London LEAs other than Westminster are due to be submitted by 30 September and are due to come into operation on 1 April 1992.

  The potential schools budget (PSB) consists of the major part of the general schools budget (GSB)—ie the GSB less expenditure on certain excepted items: capital expenditure; expenditure supported by central government grants; and expenditure on school meals, home to school transport and transitional exceptions (eg grounds maintenance). The amount which the schools themselves decide how to spend, as a proportion of the PSB, is a percentage used as an indicator of the extent to which LEAs have delegated resources to their schools. A new requirement from 1993 (1995 for inner London authorities) is that this percentage should be a minimum of 85%. The percentage for last year 1990–91 is given in brackets. Where a figure is not given in brackets the LMS scheme was not in operation last year.

  3. The proportion of the PSB held back by each LEA (ie not delegated to schools) expressed as a cash amount per pupil—rounded to the nearest £10. Pupil numbers have in most cases been taken from LEAs' Section 42 statements. Where pupil numbers are not provided in the Section 42 statement they are taken from the latest statistical information available to the Department, ie the January 1990 Form 7 returns.

  4. Expenditure on central administration-one of the discretionary exceptions included in the PSB—expressed as a percentage of the PSB. Last year's percentage is given in brackets.

  5. The percentage of each LEA's schools which have fully delegated management of their budget and associated staffing powers.

  Note: The percentages stated may differ from the percentages calculated by individual LEAs because of the effects of rounding.

  Table: Percentage of Aggregated Schools Budget (ASB) Based on Pupil Numbers and Ages (1991–92)

  (1) Local Education Authority

  (2) Pupil-Led Funding as a Percentage of ASB

  1991–92

  (1990–91)

  1 Isles of Scilly

  93·21

  (—)

  2 Dudley

  90·00

  (85·72)

  3 Lincolnshire

  88·51

  (87·25)

  4 Barking

  88·36

  (86·73)

  5 South Tyneside

  88·33

  (86·93)

  6 Gateshead

  87·04

  (84·36)

  7 Wigan

  86·40

  (84·35)

  8 Bolton

  86·16

  (85·73)

  9 Northumberland

  86·07

  (85·49)

  10 Brent

  86·01

  (77·81)

  11 Bexley

  85·39

  (84·40)

  12 Tameside

  85·33

  (85·57)

  13 Kent

  84·93

  (83·72)

  14 Oldham

  84·69

  (84·77)

  15 Trafford

  84·40

  (83·28)

  16 Redbridge

  840·0

  (89·30)

  17 Sefton

  83·79

  (83·33)

  18 Cornwall

  83·75

  (80·93)

  19 Coventry

  83·57

  (83·52)

  72

  (1) Local Education Authority

  (2) Pupil-Led Funding as a Percentage of ASB

  1991–92

  (1990–91)

  20 Knowsley

  83·50

  (75·00)

  21 Harrow

  83·49

  (83·83)

  22 Westminster

  83·32

  (84·20)

  23 Leicestershire

  83·19

  (—)

  24 Calderdale

  83·19

  (82·17)

  25 Avon

  82·91

  (82·30)

  26 Bromley

  82·83

  (84·99)

  27 Devon

  82·78

  (82·64)

  28 Northamptonshire

  82·62

  (82·19)

  29 Rotherham

  82·57

  (81·79)

  30 Suffolk

  82·29

  (82·57)

  31 West Sussex

  82·29

  (82·13)

  32 Sunderland

  82·25

  (80·69)

  33 Manchester

  82·14

  (—)

  34 Salford

  82·02

  (81·69)

  35 North Yorkshire

  82·02

  (85·51)

  36 Barnsley

  81·98

  (82·80)

  37 Hereford/Worcester

  81·95

  (—)

  38 Isle of Wight

  81·85

  (81·62)

  39 Solihull

  81·70

  (82·29)

  40 Newcastle

  81·66

  (80·66)

  73

  (1)Local Education Authority

  (2) Pupil-Led Funding as a Percentage of ASB

  1991–92

  (1990–91)

  41 Waltham Forest

  81·66

  (81·99)

  42 Wiltshire

  81·56

  (81·00)

  43 Bury

  81·42

  (81·45)

  44 Cambridgeshire

  81·00

  (82·34)

  45 Gloucestershire

  80·64

  (83·22)

  46 Sutton

  80·53

  (80·29)

  47 Ealing

  80·53

  (80·62)

  48 Humberside

  80·42

  (81·97)

  49 Enfield

  80·40

  (79·21)

  50 Cleveland

  80·33

  (81·43)

  51 Stockport

  80·31

  (—)

  52 Leeds

  80·26

  (78·90)

  53 Croydon

  80·22

  (—)

  54 Durham

  80·20

  (80·40)

  55 Cheshire

  80·16

  (77·78)

  56 Liverpool

  80·00

  (75·00)

  57 Rochdale

  80·00

  (75·00)

  See footnote 2

  58 Dorset

  79·94

  (79·03)

  59 Newham

  79·85

  (—)

  60 Richmond

  79·79

  (77·26)

  61 Lancashire

  79·60

  (—)

  62 Wirral

  79·55

  (—)

  63 Staffordshire

  79·34

  (84·00)

  64 Berkshire

  79·31

  (79·68)

  65 Somerset

  79·09

  (79·99)

  66 Buckinghamshire

  79·06

  (79·73)

  67 Sandwell

  79·03

  (74·94)

  68 Warwickshire

  79·02

  (79·89)

  69 Cumbria

  78·83

  (75·62)

  70 Birmingham

  78·69

  (78·63)

  71 Bedfordshire

  78·50

  (77·00)

  72 North Tyneside

  78·00

  (78·00)

  73 Merton

  77·99

  (78·36)

  74 Hillingdon

  77·93

  (—)

  75 Walsall

  77·87

  (78·19)

  76 Shropshire

  77·86

  (77·91)

  77 Hounslow

  77·82

  (81·42)

  78 Bradford

  77·66

  (78·51)

  79 Oxfordshire

  77·60

  (75·61)

  80 Haringey

  77·37

  (78·25)

  81 Sheffield

  77·30

  (77·19)

  82 Kirklees

  77·27

  (78·17)

  83 Barnet

  76·86

  (75·19)

  84 Kingston

  76·67

  (76·84)

  85 Doncastcr

  76·66

  (75·38)

  86 Surrey

  76·58

  (74·91)

  87 Essex

  76·56

  (77·05)

  88 St. Helens

  76·50

  (75·00)

  89 Hampshire

  76·35

  (76·63)

  90 Nottinghamshire

  76·34

  (—)

  91 East Sussex

  76·29

  (77·41)

  92 Wakefield

  75·76

  (75·29)

  93 Hertfordshire

  75·33

  (—)

  94 Derbyshire

  75·32

  (76·04)

  95 Norfolk

  75·31

  (75·99)

  96 Havering

  75·09

  (75·36)

  97 Wolverhampton

  74·88

  (75·00)

  National averages

  80·16

  Footnotes to table showing the extent of pupil-led funding

  1. The LEAs are ranked according to how much the funds delegated to schools have been allocated on the basis of pupil numbers and ages, with those allocating a greater percentage of pupil-led funding at the top of the ranking order.

  2. The aggregated schools budget (ASB) is that part of the potential schools budget which is delegated to the school level. The current requirement is that at least 75 per cent. of an LEA's ASB is based on pupil numbers and ages. From 1993 (1995 for inner London authorities) the minimum percentage will be raised to 80 per cent. The percentage of pupil-led funding in 1990–91 is given in brackets. Where a figure is not given in brackets, either the LMS scheme was not in

  74
  operation last year or the relevant information was not contained in the LEA's budget statement.

  Note: The percentages may differ from the percentages calculated by the individual LEAs because of the effects of rounding.

  Mrs. Gwyneth Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how the amount of the budget for repairs in state schools is determined.

  Mr. Fallon
  It is the responsibility of LEAs and, under local management of schools, their schools, to determine the pattern of their recurrent spending, including the level of expenditure on repairs. LEAs are also responsible for deciding on the level of capital spending for county and voluntary controlled schools. In the case of voluntary aided and special agreement schools, the Secretary of State determines a level of provision for repairs from within central government grant, based on anticipated expenditure by governors on repairs. Grant maintained schools themselves determine the level of expenditure on repairs within their recurrent budgets. Grant maintained schools also receive a formla allocation for minor capital projects including repairs. In addition grant maintained schools may hid to the Department for major repair projects.

HEALTH

  West Midlands RHA
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment the NHS Management Executive has made of the adequacy of the management of the West Midlands regional health authority's supplies organisation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In common with other NHS supplies organisations, the West Midlands regional health authority supplies organisation has achieved some notable improvements in performance in recent years, but there remains room for improvement. The management executive has now established a new National Supplies Authority which will take over from regional and district health authorities the responsibility for providing comprehensive and value for money supplies services to all NHS units, including those in the West Midlands. The transfer is planned to take place in October 1992.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the chairmanship of the West Midlands regional health authority.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Sir James Ackers will continue as chairman of the West Midlands regional health authority. His appointment is next due for review at the end of July 1994.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions the NHS Management Executive has had with the West Midlands regional health authority about the operation of its supplies organisation.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The acting national director of NHS procurement has regular discussions with each regional health authority, including West Midlands, about the operation of its supplies organisation.

  Operation Costs
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average NHS cost for (1) coronary artery vein graft, (2) appendectomy, (3) breast biopsy, (4) hysterectomy, (5) cataract extraction, (6) hip replacement and (7) cholycystectomy.

  Mr. Dorrell
  According to figures provided by a number of studies the average national health service costs requested are:

  Study date

  Approximate cost per case £

  Coronary artery bypass graft

  1987

  4,600

  Hysterectomy

  1982

  1,610

  Cataract extraction

  1988

  966

  Hip replacement

  1988

  2,990

  Cholycystectomy

  1982

  1,725

  Figures for the average cost of an appendectomy and breast biopsy are not available.

  The figures shown are at 1990–91 prices but do not take account of changes in clinical practice since the individual studies were carried out.

  Health Authorities (Purchasing Plans)
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what guidance the NHS Management Executive has issued to health authorities on their purchasing plans for 1992–93.

  England: In-patient Waiting List by specialty: showing those waiting 24 months or over September 1987—September 1989, March 1990, September 1990 and March 1991

  In-patient waiting list September 1987—March 1991

  Specialty

  September 1987

  September 1988

  September 1989

  March 1990

  September 1990

  March 1991

  General Surgery

  16,535

  16,370

  16,175

  14,097

  13,297

  9,569

  Urology

  4,594

  4,730

  5,270

  4,593

  3,974

  3,683

  Trauma & Orthopaedics

  20,372

  18,146

  15,313

  13,616

  12,329

  8,468

  ENT

  10,755

  9,944

  8,402

  7,372

  6,104

  3,674

  Ophthalmology

  2,794

  2,509

  2,825

  2,411

  2,497

  1,436

  Oral Surgery

  6,912

  7,241

  6,315

  6,126

  5,392

  3,009

  Restorative Dentistry

  1

  2

  0

  0

  0

  1

  Paediatric Dentistry

  1

  3

  7

  7

  8

  8

  Orthodontics

  0

  27

  0

  0

  0

  4

  Neurosurgery

  496

  409

  433

  429

  346

  188

  Plastic Surgery

  11,169

  15,620

  15,219

  14,242

  12,162

  10,081

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  278

  229

  303

  443

  351

  298

  Paediatric Surgery

  203

  198

  204

  145

  106

  79

  Accident and Emergency

  10

  6

  10

  36

  5

  3

  Anaesthetics

  11

  13

  20

  33

  38

  43

  Obs & Gyn (Gynaecology)

  4,309

  3,787

  3,953

  3,473

  3,009

  2,119

  General Medicine

  105

  183

  255

  319

  348

  262

  Gastroenterology

  1

  6

  24

  49

  23

  22

  Endocrinology

  5

  9

  35

  25

  21

  17

  Clinical Haematology

  0

  1

  1

  1

  4

  0

  Clinical Physiology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Pharmacology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Audiological Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  2

  0

  0

  Clinical Genetics

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Palliative Medicine

  —

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiology

  157

  180

  310

  245

  266

  233

  Dermatology

  5

  9

  28

  16

  24

  2

  Thoracic Medicine

  23

  16

  8

  10

  11

  9

  Infectious Diseases

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  1

  Genito-urinary Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  Nephrology

  5

  13

  13

  59

  25

  8

  Medical Oncology

  0

  4

  4

  7

  8

  6

  Nuclear Medicine

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neurology

  43

  57

  128

  164

  227

  0

  Clinical Neuro-physiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rheumatology

  36

  56

  61

  101

  77

  51

  76
  Mr. Dorrell
  Executive letter, EL(91)103, "Priorities and planning guidance for the National Health Service for 1992–93" issued by the NHS management executive in July 1991, included guidance on purchasing plans. In addition, the management executive's district health authorities project has published a number of papers on different aspects of the district health authority purchasing function. Copies of these documents are available in the Library.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients had been on the waiting list for 24 months or longer at (i) September 1987, (ii) 30 September 1988, (iii) 30 September 1989, (iv) 30 March 1990 and (v) 30 September 1990 in total and for each specialty.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  The information requested is given in the table. Figures have been added for March 1991. Between September 1987 and March 1991, the number of patients waiting over two years for in-patient and day case treatment reduced by 44 per cent. Between 1987–88 and 1989–90 the number of in-patients and day cases treated increased by 6 per cent.
  77

  In-patient waiting list September 1987—March 1991

  Specialty

  September 1987

  September 1988

  September 1989

  March 1990

  September 1990

  March 1991

  Paediatrics

  6

  7

  7

  15

  26

  10

  Paediatric Neurology

  0

  0

  1

  2

  5

  6

  Geriatric Medicine

  4

  21

  22

  29

  36

  12

  Mental Handicap

  33

  92

  66

  82

  25

  54

  Mental Illness

  172

  162

  186

  205

  199

  125

  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

  0

  0

  23

  2

  1

  5

  Forensic Psychiatry

  1

  8

  1

  2

  2

  3

  Psychotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Old Age Psychiatry

  —

  —

  —

  —

  0

  6

  Radiotherapy

  11

  7

  0

  1

  2

  0

  Radiology

  1

  0

  1

  1

  0

  1

  General Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blood Transfusion

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Haematology

  2

  2

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Histopathology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Immunopathology

  1

  6

  3

  6

  4

  2

  Medical Microbiology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neuropathology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  GP (Non Maternity)

  75

  2

  8

  1

  3

  2

  Community Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Occupational Medicine

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Totals

  79,126

  80,075

  75,613

  68,367

  60,957

  43,632

  England: Day Case Waiting List by specialty: showing those waiting 24 months or over September 1987—September 1989, March 1990, September 1990 and March 1991

  Day Case waiting list September 1987—March 1991

  Specialty

  September 1987

  September 1988

  September 1989

  March 1990

  September 1990

  March 1991

  General Surgery

  1,986

  2,130

  2,550

  2,579

  2,016

  1,408

  Urology

  343

  393

  640

  587

  520

  375

  Trauma & Orthopaedics

  1,539

  1,317

  1,541

  1,669

  1,432

  875

  ENT

  270

  293

  186

  189

  189

  117

  Ophthalmology

  68

  73

  113

  62

  94

  101

  Oral Surgery

  592

  854

  506

  634

  704

  424

  Restorative Dentistry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Paediatric Dentistry

  0

  0

  5

  14

  18

  31

  Orthodontics

  0

  0

  0

  0

  2

  2

  Neurosurgery

  5

  0

  0

  1

  1

  1

  Plastic Surgery

  6,141

  6,328

  6,579

  6,139

  4,322

  3,497

  Cardiothoracic Surgery

  1

  1

  0

  8

  3

  1

  Paediatric Surgery

  3

  21

  12

  78

  29

  14

  Accident and Emergency

  1

  2

  11

  42

  17

  18

  Anaesthetics

  1

  1

  1

  5

  17

  18

  Obs & Gyn (Gynaecology)

  336

  319

  280

  405

  563

  392

  General Medicine

  53

  11

  32

  64

  83

  55

  Gastroenterology

  1

  2

  1

  1

  13

  0

  Endocrinology

  0

  0

  2

  4

  12

  3

  Clinical Haematology

  0

  0

  10

  1

  4

  1

  Clinical Physiology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Pharmacology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Audiological Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Clinical Genetics

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Palliative Medicine

  —

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Cardiology

  0

  0

  1

  9

  27

  6

  Dermatology

  2

  19

  25

  29

  23

  41

  Thoracic Medicine

  1

  3

  1

  3

  6

  4

  Infectious Diseases

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Genito-urinary Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Nephrology

  0

  0

  0

  1

  1

  2

  Medical Oncology

  0

  2

  1

  2

  12

  0

  Nuclear Medicine

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neurology

  0

  1

  1

  2

  3

  1

  Clinical Neuro-physiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Rheumatology

  0

  0

  0

  6

  17

  23

  Paediatrics

  0

  0

  7

  6

  8

  10

  Paediatric Neurology

  0

  4

  0

  2

  3

  0

  Geriatric Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Handicap

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Mental Illness

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  78

  79

  Day Case waiting list September 1987—March 1991

  Specialty

  September 1987

  September 1988

  September 1989

  March 1990

  September 1990

  March 1991

  Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Forensic Psychiatry

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Psychotherapy

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Radiotherapy

  0

  0

  0

  0

  1

  0

  Radiology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  General Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Blood Transfusion

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Chemical Pathology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Haematology

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Histopathology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Immunopathology

  0

  6

  1

  0

  0

  1

  Medical Microbiology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Neuropathology

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  GP (Non Maternity)

  1

  4

  5

  0

  10

  0

  Community Medicine

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Occupational Medicine

  —

  0

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Totals

  11,344

  11,784

  12,511

  12,542

  10,151

  7,421

  Operation Purchases
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities in England and Wales who are buying operations for their patients from hospitals in European countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Health authorities in England and Wales do not have legal powers to contract directly with overseas providers for treatment of United Kingdom residents. Under the European Community social security regula-tions, individual patients may be referred elsewhere in the EC specifically for treatment, but only with the prior authorisation of the Department of Health. We are not aware of any health authorities entering into such contracts.

  Cigarette Packets (Warnings)
  Mr. Cummings
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the respective size requirements of labelling regulations for cigarette manufacturers to print warnings on cigarette packs in other EC countries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Details of legislation to implement the EC directive on tobacco products labelling have been received from six member states. The size requirements for labels on the main faces of cigarette packets can be summarized as follows:

  Belgium
  A minimum of 4 per cent., 6 per cent. or 8 per cent. of the relevant face must be covered depending on whether one, two or three of the official languages are used.

  Denmark
  A minimum of 4 per cent.

  Germany
  A minimum of 4 per cent.

  Italy
  A minimum of 4 per cent. pending a judgment from the European Court of Justice on whether the Italian Government can require two health warnings on the back face of a packet together covering 8 per cent. of the surface.

  Portugal
  A minimum of 4 per cent.
  80
  Spain
  A minimum of 4 per cent. except in autonomous regions where there are two official languages where the minimum will be 6 per cent.

  Copies of the laws and regulations in force in the other member states have not yet been received.

  Health Authorities
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list in the Official Report the names and addresses of the chairmen of (a) regional health authorities, (b) district health authorities, (c) special health authorities, (d) established NHS trusts and (e) NHS trusts which have been approved, but which have not yet commenced operation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have arranged for my hon. Friend to be given the information she requires. Copies of the information have been placed in the Library.

  Sudden Infant Deaths
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what were the reasons for the presence of antimony as reported in the Turner report into sudden infant death, page 54, "Results of Analysis of test papers, paragraph 4.6.2."; what gas gave rise to the deposits of antimony; and how toxic was that gas.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Antimony is present in plastic cot mattress covers as a filler and as a fire retardant. This single case of apparent mobilisation of antimony theoretically could have been due to that or more likely to contamination. It is of significance that no other samples produced measurable amounts of stibine. The human toxicity of stibine, the gas produced from antimony, is dependent on the quantity present and the exposure of any individual to the gas.

  The independent experts who produced the report on the hypothesis that toxic gases evolved from cot mattresses by fungal action are a cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) found no evidence that there is a link between SIDS incidence, the presence of antimony, and associated low levels of arsenic impurity, or phosphorus additives in cot mattresses and their covers, microbial contamination of those mattresses and covers, and the generation of toxic volatile gases.

  Operations (European Patients)
  Mr. Redmond
  To aslothe Secretary of State for Health if he will list the health authorities in England and Wales of which he is aware which are offering operations and convalescent holidays to patients from European countries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  AIDS
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what considerations underlay his decision to issue new instructions to immigration officers and port medical officers about dealing with people who are suspected of being HIV positive or having developed AIDS;

  (2) what instructions have been issued to (a) immigration officers and (b) medical inspectors at ports about dealing with applications for leave to enter from people who are suspected of being HIV positive or living with AIDS; and whether he will publish these instructions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Department of Health guidance to port medical inspectors of health is issued in the form of executive letters. These letters have a limited lifespan to ensure that they are regularly updated or destroyed if they no longer apply. Guidance was issued to port medical inspectors of health in May 1991 PL/CMO(91)6) a copy of which is available in the Library, because the previous executive letter had expired.

  The guidance provides information for port medical inspectors of health on the action to take should the immigration service ask for a report upon a passenger seeking entry to the United Kingdom who has, or is suspected to have, AIDS or other illnesses associated with HIV infection.

  The guidance informs port medical inspectors of health that HIV infection, including AIDS, should not in itself be considered justification for a recommendation on public health grounds to refuse leave to enter the United Kingdom. It provides information on how the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) Amendment Regulations 1988 apply to HIV and AIDS services, and provides guidance to ensure that confidentiality is maintained where a passenger with HIV infection is referred to a port medical inspector.

  To avoid any confusion arising from recent misleading press coverage of the letter the Department of Health will issue a further executive letter amended to make its purpose more clear.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to ensure that the maximum number of patients for whom any doctor can receive payment is 2,500; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to place a limit on the number of patients for whom a doctor can receive payment. List sizes have been falling steadily for a number of years with the average now below 2,000.

  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the budgets allocated to each general practitioner fundholding practice(a) in total and (b) per patient registered with the practice.
  82
  Mr. Dorrell
  Budgets for general practitioner fund-holding practices are approved by regional health authorities and this information is therefore not held centrally.

  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many general practitioners in Britain have over 3,000 patients on their list; how many of these are single-handed; and how many serve inner-city areas.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At 1 April 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, there were 2,563 general practitioners in England with a personal list size of over 3,000 patients, of whom 394 are working single-handed. Information about the number of these doctors serving inner-city areas is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. The information relating to Wales and Scotland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales and for Scotland.

  Occupational Therapy
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will bring forward proposals to change the funding of occupational therapy training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The proposal contained in "Working for Patients Paper 10: Education and Training", to devolve the moneys for the funding of occupational therapy training from the Department's central control to the regional health authorities was implemented on 1 September 1991. Copies of working paper 10 are available in the Library.

  There are no plans for further changes.

  Diabetics
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received encouraging him to provide diabetics with free needles for use in treatment; if he has any plans to make such provision either generally or to particular groups of diabetics; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Since April 1990 we have received 88 letters from hon. Members and 24 other items of correspondence referring to provision from general practitioners of needles for use with injection pen systems for diabetics. Disposable syringes with integral needles and disposable needles for glass barrelled syringes are already available on GP prescriptions.

  We are considering whether injection pen systems including needles for all diabetics requiring insulin treatment should be available on prescription. The pricing and cost implications of various systems are currently under review.

  North East Thames RHA
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list all items, by district of the North East Thames regional health authority, of committed capital spending for the current financial year and planned for 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95; and the sources of funds for this;
  83
  (2) if he will list all the sources by district of the North East Thames regional health authority of capital receipts for the financial years 1988–89, 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 and expected for the next two financial years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information at this level of detail is not available centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Tim Chessels, the chairman of North East Thames regional health authority, for details.

  Hospital Social Workers
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about hospital social workers in London.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Responsibility for providing social work services to hospitals rests with local authorities under arrangements established in 1974. We are discussing with the local authority associations how a system of funding could be organised by local authorities so that the demands which an authority's residents make on the service are more accurately reflected.

  Islington and Bloomsbury Hospitals
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans there are for the future use of the Royal Northern hospital and the Highgate wing of the Whittington hospital of Islington and Bloomsbury health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I understand that all in-patient services have been transferred from the Royal Northern hospital to the Whittington hospital. Over the next two to three years, following further development at the Whittington hospital, day surgery, out-patient and diagnostic services will also be relocated to the Whittington. Community based services such as genito-urinary medicine and alcohol abuse clinics are intended to remain on the Royal Northern site. The district and regional health authority intend to dispose of surplus land at the Royal Northern as it is vacated.

  Ambulance service—Survey 1988–89 Table 1—Ambulance service vehicles

  Ambulances

  Two-trolley emergency A

  Two-trolley dual purpose B

  Sitting case seats only (under 14)

  Sitting case seals stretcher capacity

  Sitting case seats plus lift mechanism

  Car (with or without stretcher capacity)

  Bus—14 or more seats with or without stretcher or wheelchair capacity

  Total ambulance service vehicles used to transport patients

  Avon

  36

  24

  34

  —

  21

  —

  1

  116

  Bedfordshire

  36

  —

  20

  1

  8

  1

  —

  66

  Berkshire

  32

  —

  10

  —

  27

  —

  —

  69

  Buckinghamshire

  43

  —

  18

  —

  13

  —

  —

  74

  Cambridgeshire

  40

  —

  6

  —

  14

  —

  —

  60

  Cheshire

  52

  —

  8

  39

  13

  —

  —

  112

  Cleveland

  52

  —

  29

  —

  4

  —

  —

  85

  Cornwall and Isles of Stilly

  66

  2

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  70

  Cumbria

  54

  —

  19

  2

  12

  2

  —

  89

  Derbyshire

  22

  76

  9

  18

  7

  —

  —

  132

  Devon

  101

  —

  5

  —

  1

  —

  —

  107

  Dorset

  40

  —

  2

  10

  10

  —

  —

  62

  Durham

  31

  —

  11

  52

  8

  5

  1

  108

  Essex

  —

  116

  6

  —

  8

  —

  —

  130

  Gloucestershire

  27

  —

  5

  2

  40

  —

  —

  74

  Hampshire

  100

  —

  10

  —

  9

  —

  —

  119

  Hereford and Worcester

  59

  6

  —

  —

  19

  3

  4

  91

  Hertfordshire

  53

  —

  43

  9

  23

  2

  —

  130

  Humberside

  —

  107

  24

  —

  22

  11

  —

  164

  84
  I understand that the Highgate wing of the Whittington hospital is currently occupied by administrative staff who will be relocated as soon as alternative accommodation has been found. The site will then be sold.

  NHS (Administrative Posts)
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many new administrative posts have been created in each regional health authority as a result of the recent changes in the national health service;

  (2) if he will estimate the cost of creating new administrative posts in England in 1990–91 to implement recent national health service changes.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information is not held centrally about specific posts. In 1990–91 additional funds of around £300 million were provided to implement the changes and improvements associated with the NHS review. Some £200 million of this was for revenue expenditure in the hospital and community health services on additional consultants, medical audit, information technology, for strengthening personnel and finance functions, and for training. It is not possible to estimate what proportion of these funds was spent on establishing new administrative posts.

  Ambulances
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each ambulance authority, including ambulance trusts, the numbers of(a) urgent vehicles and (b) non-urgent vehicles.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The tables show the types and numbers of vehicles owned by each ambulance authority in 1988–89. This is the latest year for which the information is available.

  The information is collected from the annual survey of ambulance authorities carried out by York ambulance authority.
  85

  Ambulances

  Two-trolley emergency A

  Two-trolley dual purpose B

  Sitting case seats only (under 14)

  Silting case seats stretcher capacity

  Sitting case seals plus lift mechanism

  Car (with or without stretcher capacity)

  Bus—14 or more seats with or without stretcher or wheelchair capacity

  Total ambulance service vehicles used to transport patients

  Isle of Wight

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  —

  154

  29

  9

  14

  —

  —

  206

  Lancashire

  91

  51

  7

  —

  24

  1

  —

  174

  Leicestershire

  95

  —

  19

  25

  —

  2

  —

  141

  Lincolnshire

  70

  19

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  95

  Norfolk

  —

  69

  28

  1

  2

  —

  —

  100

  Northamptonshire

  31

  1

  27

  —

  16

  1

  —

  76

  North Yorkshire

  41

  30

  2

  —

  35

  10

  —

  118

  Nottingham

  44

  18

  —

  64

  —

  5

  —

  131

  Oxfordshire

  —

  44

  3

  —

  12

  —

  —

  59

  Shropshire

  37

  13

  2

  —

  14

  —

  —

  66

  Somerset

  35

  —

  8

  —

  11

  —

  —

  54

  Staffordshire

  75

  33

  25

  —

  2

  5

  —

  140

  Suffolk

  34

  —

  2

  2

  42

  1

  —

  81

  Surrey

  —

  72

  19

  21

  5

  —

  —

  117

  Sussex East

  —

  80

  12

  —

  2

  —

  —

  94

  Sussex West

  —

  74

  9

  —

  —

  1

  —

  84

  Warwickshire

  25

  14

  19

  —

  —

  9

  —

  67

  Wiltshire

  40

  4

  2

  —

  11

  —

  —

  57

  Total

  1.462

  1,007

  478

  255

  451

  59

  6

  3,718

  Source: Information obtained from York ambulance survey.

  A: Two-trolley emergency vehicles are used for emergencies only.

  B: Two-trolley dual purpose vehicles are used for emergency and non-emergency journeys.

  Table 2—Ambulance service vehicles

  Ambulances

  Two-trolley emergency

  Two-trolley dual purpose

  Sitting case seats only (under 14)

  Sitting case seats stretcher capacity

  Sitting case seats plus lift mechanism

  Car (with or without stretcher capacity)

  Bus—14 or more seals with or without stretcher or wheelchair capacity

  Total ambulance service vehicles used to transport patients

  Northern RHA

  81

  —

  76

  —

  29

  —

  —

  186

  Yorkshire RHA

  12

  187

  31

  —

  128

  23

  —

  381

  Trent RHA

  51

  29

  76

  7

  13

  5

  —

  181

  London Ambulance Service

  360

  —

  265

  —

  269

  —

  —

  894

  West Midlands RHA

  172

  76

  62

  —

  7

  2

  20

  339

  Mersey RHA

  —

  138

  125

  —

  8

  1

  —

  272

  North Western RHA

  216

  90

  29

  54

  —

  —

  —

  389

  Total

  892

  520

  664

  61

  454

  31

  20

  2,642

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for 1990 for each ambulance authority, including ambulance trust, the numbers of patients carried(a) on urgent journeys and (b) on non-urgent journeys.

  Table 1

  Patient Transport Services 1989/90 Number of patient-journeys by priority Ail cases (England)

  Ambulance authority

  Emergency

  Urgent

  Special, planned

  Total

  England

  1,520,278

  846,183

  12,020,142

  14,386,603

  Non-Metropolitan

  Cleveland

  24,967

  14,163

  145,685

  184,815

  Cumbria

  10,159

  5,014

  152,591

  167,764

  Durham

  26,941

  11,226

  201,150

  239,317

  Humberside

  39,900

  22,107

  391,403

  453,410

  North Yorkshire

  23,811

  13,984

  226,880

  264,675

  Derbyshire

  28,362

  22,474

  181,951

  232,787

  Leicestershire

  23,031

  24,612

  150,439

  198,082

  Lincolnshire

  13,832

  14,713

  140,941

  169,486

  Nottinghamshire

  46,753

  22,002

  323,744

  392,499

  Cambridgeshire

  14,975

  10,191

  206,765

  231,931

  86
  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the number of patient journeys by priority for each ambulance authority in 1989–90. This is the latest year for which the information is available.
  87

  Ambulance authority

  Emergency

  Urgent

  Special, planned

  Total

  Norfolk

  21,871

  20,324

  243,894

  286,089

  Suffolk

  10,495

  7,778

  262,891

  281,164

  Bedfordshire

  15,212

  6,404

  109,085

  130,701

  Hertfordshire

  26,221

  12,985

  182,165

  221,371

  Essex

  48,294

  19,620

  387,388

  455,302

  East Sussex

  36,718

  13,208

  357,870

  407,796

  Kent

  41,519

  21,219

  268,485

  331,223

  Surrey

  33,505

  3,570

  378,177

  415,252

  West Sussex

  22,443

  7,658

  95,954

  126,055

  Dorset

  20,171

  18,404

  270,852

  309,427

  Hampshire

  17,872

  14,604

  221,205

  253,681

  Wiltshire

  12,781

  13,217

  238,162

  264,160

  Isle of Wight

  3,546

  3,224

  18,543

  25,313

  Berkshire

  26,119

  9,344

  119,204

  154,667

  Buckinghamshire

  12,281

  6,815

  124,833

  143,929

  Northamptonshire

  16,883

  13,332

  104,603

  134,818

  Oxfordshire

  11,988

  7,951

  170,999

  190,938

  Avon

  16,973

  10,848

  179,128

  206,949

  Cornwall and Isles of Scilly

  15,184

  12,276

  49,966

  77,426

  Devon

  25,646

  21,661

  487,780

  535,087

  Gloucestershire

  11,980

  12,903

  132,263

  157,146

  Somerset

  10,392

  11,876

  143,288

  165,556

  Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  12,200

  8,330

  197,823

  218,353

  Shropshire

  10,665

  10,419

  86,844

  107,928

  Staffordshire

  34,127

  15,463

  179,867

  229,457

  Warwickshire

  11,277

  14,953

  60,893

  87,123

  Cheshire

  29,413

  17,303

  270,811

  317,527

  Lancashire

  29,639

  14,717

  255,573

  299,929

  Metropolitan

  Northumbria Metropolitan

  70,563

  66,591

  609,148

  746,302

  West Yorkshire Metropolitan

  107,536

  64,948

  984,355

  1,156,839

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan

  44,412

  37,200

  482,817

  564,429

  London Ambulance Service

  187,262

  42,103

  796,358

  1,025,723

  West Midlands Metropolitan

  93,082

  69,365

  554,559

  717,006

  Mersey Metropolitan

  101,399

  24,006

  433,045

  558,450

  Greater Manchester Metropolitan

  77,878

  31,078

  439,765

  548,721

  Source: KA32

  DH Statistics and Management Information (SM 12B) 1990.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each ambulance authority, including ambulance trusts, the numbers of whole-time equivalent staff working on(a) urgent services and (b) non-urgent services.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information in the form requested is not collected centrally. The table gives numbers of whole-time equivalent ambulance staff for each health region and for the London Ambulance Service. This is the latest information held and predates the creation of trusts.

  Deployment of staff on emergency and non-emergency duties will depend on management assessment of local need.

  NHS ambulance staff by Regional Health Authority as at 30 September 1990

  Whole time equivalents1

  Regions

  Ambulance staff

  Northern

  1,320

  Yorkshire

  1,560

  Trent

  1,890

  East Anglia

  790

  North West Thames

  540

  North East Thames

  550

  South East Thames

  860

  South West Thames

  660

  Wessex

  940

  Oxford

  800

  South Western

  1,460

  West Midlands

  1,850

  Mersey

  880

  North Western

  1,580

  London Ambulance

  2,460

  England Total

  18,130

  88
  Source: Department of Health (SM 13) Annual Census of NHS Non-medical Manpower.

  1All figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10) whole time equivalents.

  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each ambulance authority, including ambulance trusts, the 1991–92 revenue budget.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally.

  Intermediate Treatment Fund
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what consultations he has had with the intermediate treatment fund concerning the reduced funding announced in his Department's letters of 12 April 1990 and 18 July 1991;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the reduction of funding from his Department to the intermediate treatment fund.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  In addition to representations made by the intermediate treatment fund itself, 37 letters have been received from voluntary organisations expressing support for the work of the fund. I met the chairman and representatives of the members and officers of the intermediate treatment fund on 6 March 1991 to discuss funding arrangements and have offered a further meeting early in the autumn of 1992 to review the matter in the light of the fund's progress in securing alternative sources of funding to meet its core costs.

  The original agreement between the Department and the Rainer Foundation to establish the intermediate

  89
  treatment fund in 1978 include a Government commitment of three years financial support. In practice we will have consistently grant-aided the fund for 15 years when our current three-year grant totalling just over £1 million expires in March 1993. During that period local authorities have increased their expenditure on intermediate treatment from £3 million in 1978–79 to some £36 million in 1990–91. In addition the fund has become increasingly successful in securing additional funds for intermediate treatment projects from non-Government sources.

  Resources for supporting the voluntary sector have increased considerably in recent years. But the calls on them to provide "start-up" support for promising innovations have also increased. This, combined with the fund's established success in all its objectives and the substantial increase in local authority spending in this area justifies the phasing down of our direct financial support, so that other ventures can benefit as the fund itself has done.

  Smoking
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what fresh assessment he has made of the relationship between smoking and angina;

  (2) what fresh assessment he has made of the relationship between smoking and premature deaths from coronary thrombosis.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Over one in five deaths from coronary heart disease are smoking related. Cigarette smoking increases the risk of having heart attack by two or three times compared with the risk for non-smokers. Although smoking is an important risk factor for myocardial infarction and sudden coronary death, research studies indicate that it is not for angina pectoris when not complicated by a myocardial infarction. However, the 1989 United States Surgeon General's report found that smokers who have angina pectoris have a higher risk of death than non-smokers, and have a poorer long-term prognosis after a myocardial infarction. A copy of the report could be made available to the Library.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what fresh assessment he has made of the connection between smoking and premature deaths from lung cancer.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Smoking is the major cause of lung cancer. Nine out of 10 deaths from lung cancer are smoking related. Epidemiological evidence has shown that the risk of lung cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked, the degree to which smoke is inhaled, and the age at which the smoking habit is started.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what fresh assessment he has made of the health benefits to be gained from a reduction in smoking.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government are continuously assessing new medical evidence on the benefits of reducing smoking. Reducing or stopping smoking has major health benefits resulting in improvements in the quality and length of life. In particular, there is a reduction in the risk of lung cancer, other cancers, heart attack, stroke and chronic lung disease. In addition, women who stop smoking before becoming pregnant have no greater risk of having a low birth weight baby than women who have never smoked.
  90
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what fresh assessment he has made of the relationship between smoking and peripheral vascular disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1989 the United States Surgeon General published a report "Reducing the Health Consequences of Smoking—25 Years of Progress", which reviewed all the current research on smoking-related disease. This report, a copy of which could be made available to the Library, stated that in relation to peripheral vascular disease;

  (a) cigarette smoking is a cause of and the most powerful risk factor for arteriosclerotic peripheral vascular disease:

  (b) epidemiological and clinical studies have demonstrated that cigarette smokers have a higher prevalence of both symptomatic and asymptomatic lower extremity arterial disease;

  (c)diabetes mellitus and cigarette smoking are important risk factors for lower extremity arterial disease and subsequent amputation.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what fresh assessment he has made of the relationship between smoking and chronic bronchitis.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Smoking is the major cause of chronic bronchitis. Nine out of 10 deaths from chronic bronchitis and emphysema are smoking related.

  Form Elll
  Mr. Onslow
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has yet received any response from the French authorities to his reminders about the unlimited validity of forms El11 issued in the United Kingdom to holders ordinarily resident here; and what explanation he has been given for the time taken to respond.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have been assured that the French authorities do accept that British-issued Ellls may legitimately have unlimited validity and that all local sickness insurance offices in France have been reminded of this.

  Operating Theatres
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will obtain from each health service region, health authority, or trust for the period I January to 31 June 1991, or nearest equivalent period, for each operating theatre within their jurisdiction, the number of days it was not in commission, and the reasons.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Information is not available centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will make it his policy to ban the advertising and promotion of tobacco and tobacco products.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The evidence to suggest that such a ban would reduce the prevalence of smoking is equivocal. The United Kingdom has developed effective anti-smoking campaigns over the years, and smoking prevalence has been reduced from 45 per cent. in 1974 to 32 per cent. now. The Government are satisfied that the voluntary agreements which they have negotiated with the tobacco industry continue to be an effective way to control tobacco advertising and promotion. The new agreement that my
  91
  right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced on 9 September includes significantly tougher measures to control tobacco advertising and promotion.

  Heroin-based Drugs
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consultations he has had with his colleague Ministers in the European Community concerning the use within the United Kingdom by the national health service and other authorised persons of effective heroin-based drugs commonly used to relieve pain and distress of those terminally ill with cancer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None.

  Tranquillisers
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has made to representations he has received concerning addiction to medically prescribed and publicly funded tranquillising drugs; and if he will make a statement concerning the funding of self-help groups formed by involuntary addicts.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We believe that the prescribing of any drug must be left to the clinical judgment of the doctor. The Government have ensured, however, that information on the consequences of prescribing, and withdrawal from, tranquillisers is available to doctors.

  The Government believe that the services offered by self-help groups are best provided locally. Regional health authorities have received earmarked funding since 1986–87 for the express purpose of expanding and developing local drug misuse services. Health authorities are expected to assess the need for services locally and to fund appropriate services to meet the needs of drug misusers including those dependent on prescribed drugs.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what he estimates as being the total additional cost that will fall on local authorities in order to implement the Children Act in full(a) in the present financial year and (b) in a full financial year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [pursuant to her reply, 20 June 1991, c. 300]: I regret that my reply contained an error. The £139·9 million previously quoted as the increase in personal social services for children, including specific grants, over the equivalent figure for 1990–91 was wrong. That increase should have read £239·9 million, an 18·4 per cent. increase in the standard spending for personal social services for children.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, if he will establish for community health councils rights of access to information on, and for monitoring of, the manner in which Exchequer money allocated to fundholding general practitioners for the purpose of purchasing services is used, similar to those afforded community health councils in relation to expenditure by district health authorities as purchasing authorities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [pursuant to his reply, 16 July 1991, c. 138]: District health authorities retain overall planning
  92
  responsibility for all patients, including those on the lists of fundholding GPs. This provides the mechanism for the community health council to raise any concerns or questions they may have.

  World Health Organisation
  Mr. Robert Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for(a) 1988–89, (b) 1989–90 and (c) 1990–91 the funds received by the World Health Organisation from the United Kingdom and other donor countries.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [pursuant to his reply, 22 July 1991, c. 402]: The amount of voluntary contributions to the World Health Organisation for the 1988–89 financial year should have read £6,430,000 and not £9,780,000.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Environmental Hazards
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has considered the recommendation of the royal commission on environmental pollution that the Genhaz system of checks on potential environmental hazards be instituted prior to release of any experimental plants to which genes have been added; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Department of the Environment is grateful for the continuing benefit accruing as a result of initiatives by the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution. The Genhaz system as expounded in its 14th report is a welcome contribution and is currently undergoing careful examination by officials in the Department. We will be responding to the report in due course.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what research has been undertaken of the degree to which poultry flocks can be entirely free of salmonella bacteria, and on the level of presence of salmonella which may reasonably be tolerated.

  Mr. Maclean
  MAFF is currently undertaking research to reduce the incidence and spread of salmonella in poultry by the development of vaccines and improved methods for its detection. Research is also in progress to determine the factors responsible for causing disease.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give figures showing the incidence of reported cases of salmonella in live poultry in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Maclean
  Separate figures for isolations of salmonella from live poultry are not available. The number of incidents of salmonella in poultry1 reported under the Zoonoses Order 1975 and the Zoonoses Order 1989 in the calendar years 1986 to 1990 were as follows:

  Year

  Number of reported isolations

  1986

  838

  1987

  692

  1988

  1,162

  93

  Year

  Number of reported isolations

  1989

  1,926

  1990

  2,842

  1 Poultry comprises: domestic fowls, turkeys, ducks, geese, guinea fowl, pheasants, partridges, quail and pigeons. Samples submitted for testing can include poultry carcases and cloacal swabs or faeces from live poultry.

  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what evidence he has received regarding ovarian transmission of salmonella; and from where.

  Mr. Maclean
  Salmonella enteritidis has been isolated from the ovaries of many birds which have been exposed to natural or experimental infection. A number of published papers have reported the isolation of S. enteriditis from eggs. S. enteriditis was recovered from the yolk of eggs in the USA by Timoney and others "(1989) Veterinary Record,125 600–601". In the United Kingdom there is published work by Humphrey and others "(1989) Epidemiology and Infection 103, 415" and Humphrey and others "(1991) Epidemiology and Infection 106, 489–496".

  Zoonoses Orders
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will state the number of zoonoses orders issued per month since January 1989.

  Mr. Maclean
  Details of all notices served under the Zoonoses Order 1975 and the Zoonoses Order 1989 for all species since January 1989 are not available. However, during the period from 1 January 1989 to 29 September 1991, 318 notices were served declaring infected premises where Salmonella enteritidis or Salmonella typhimurium had been confirmed as present in poultry flocks.

  Leatherjackets
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the financial loss to the United Kingdom agricultural industry caused by leatherjackets; what are the circumstances in which such loss occurs; and how information on damage caused by leatherjackets is collected and assimilated.

  Mr. Maclean
  MAFF is funding a survey of organic cereal fields in England and Wales, assessing levels of leatherjacket damage and other pest, disease and weed problems. The results of this survey will be collated and made available to farmers in due course. I am writing separately to the hon. Member with further details of the type of loss and damage caused by this species.

  Bird Damage
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will estimate the financial loss to the United Kingdom agricultural industry caused by the(a) carrion hooded crow, (b) collared dove, (c) great black-backed gull, (d) lesser black-backed gull, (e) herring gull, (1) jackdaw, (g) jay, (h) magpie, (i) rook, (j) house sparrow, (k) starling and (l) wood pigeon; what are the circumstances in which such loss occurs; and how information on damage caused by those species is collected and assimilated.
  94
  Mr. Maclean
  These bird species, which are listed in schedule 2 part II of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, are recognised as agricultural pests or as species which pose a potential risk to public health. Whilst detailed financial information is not available on the losses which are caused the advisory services gather information on the effects of these birds in the course of their work. I am writing separately to the hon. Member with details.

  North-east Salmon Fishery
  Sir Michael Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what assessment he has made of the record of the north-east salmon fishery in matters of conservation;

  (2) if he will exclude the north-east salmon fishery from planned conservation measures.

  Mr. Curry
  My Department, together with the Scottish Office, has been undertaking a review of all the salmon net fisheries off north-east England and eastern Scotland in accordance with the requirements of section 39 of the Salmon Act 1986.

  Our report will be presented to Parliament shortly.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what controls he has issued in the last five years in respect of the agricultural food processing and water industries to ensure that food and drink do not injure the consumer.

  Mr. Maclean
  It was, under section 1(2) of the Food Act 1984, and is, under section 7(1) of the Food Safety Act 1990, an offence to supply food and drink which has been rendered injurious to health.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Sir Richard Body
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many cases of BSE have been identified in cattle of the pure beef breeds.

  Mr. Maclean
  Up to and including 27 September 1991, 350 cases of BSE have been confirmed in cattle of the pure beef breeds.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he will seek to amend the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986 to make access to the evaluations of safety test data for pesticides more readily available.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Advisory Committee on Pesticides'evaluation documents are published for all new and reviewed pesticides. Data supporting these evalua-tions are already available to the public on application to the registration authorities. A consultative document containing proposals for further extending public access to information will be issued shortly.

  Chemical Pesticides
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider the provision of financial assistance to farmers to enable them to give up chemical pesticide control and adopt low-input farming.
  95
  Mr. Maclean
  This Department is spending £20 million in the current year on research into pests and pesticides particularly aimed at reducing usage. ADAS provides advice on integrated pest management systems which are designed to reduce the input of agrochemicals.

  A scheme to provide aid for farmers and growers to convert to organic production is being considered within the framework of the European Commission's proposals for Agriculture and the Environment.

  Wind Power
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many windmills have been grant-aided in less-favoured areas; what is the effective generating capacity; what percentage were(a) grid-connected and (b) for self-sufficiency purposes only; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Grants are available to farmers under the Farm and Conservation Grant Scheme for energy saving investments including grants towards the cost of constructing wind-powered generators whose main purpose is to serve the needs of the holding for electricity. No farmers in the less favoured areas of England and Wales have received grants for this purpose since the introduction of the scheme in 1989.

  Ex-situ Gametic Conservation
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on his in-depth review of United Kingdom policy on ex-situ gametic conservation.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department is currently reviewing United Kingdom policy on ex-situ conservation of plant genetic resources in collaboration with the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department. The review is examining the present range of seed and plant collections, their funding arrangements, and the likely scientific and public good requirements for such resources over the next 10 years. Officials are consulting widely with the curators of gene-banks and other ex-situ plant collections and with organisations and companies with a current or potential interest in conserving and exploiting such resources.

  Live Animals (Transport)
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what meetings have taken place since July of representatives of member Governments of the European Economic Community concerning the transport of live animals; what topics were addressed; what conclusions reached; what proposals he expects to be made; and when he expects them to be published.

  Mr. Maclean
  Discussions have been continuing on the proposals for a directive on the protection of animals during transport and I expect these to come before the Council of Ministers later this month. Our objective is to ensure that animals are properly cared for on all journeys in the Community.

EMPLOYMENT

  Road Transport Industry Training Board
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he has received any request from the Road Transport Industry Training Board to become a registered charity.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Road Transport Industry Training Board is currently registered as a charity.

  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the asset value of the Road Transport Industry Training Board; who owns the board's assets; what plans he has to change the ownership of the assets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The most recent audited accounts for the Road Transport ITB show that it had total assets of £1563 million at 31 March 1991. It is planned for the ITB to be wound up around September 1992. The Industrial Training Act 1982 provides that assets may pass to other bodies"on trust to be used for charitable purposes which arc related to or connected with training for employment".

  It is expected that the work of this industry training board will be carried forward by two standards councils, one for the retail motor industry and the other for road haulage, and a services company which will provide training courses, assessment arrangements for national vocational qualifications, and so on.

  Training
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (I) if he will list the total number of youth training managing agents contracted with each training agency area office as at I March in each of(a) Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway;

  (2) if he will list the youth training managing agents and training managers who were national contractors as at I March and operated training provision in each of (a) Renfrew. Dunbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City. (g) Central and Fife and ) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway;

  (3) if he will list the total number of training managers and training agents contracted with each training agency area office as at 1 March in each of (a) Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Jackson
  I regret that the information requested is available only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people were in training through (i) youth training and (ii) employment training in each month from April 1990 to March 1991, inclusive, in each of(a) Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.
  97
  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested is contained in the tables. All figures are based on training provider's returns.

  ET in training figures

  Training agency area office

  Training period

  1990

  1991

  2 April to 27 April

  30 April to 25 May

  28 May to 22 June

  25 June lo 20 July

  23 July to 17 August

  20 August to 14 September

  17 September to 12 October

  15 October to 9 November

  12 November lo 7 December

  10 December to 4 January

  7 January to 1 February

  4 February to 1 March

  4 March to 31 March

  Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll

  3,105

  3,305

  3,147

  3,118

  2,984

  2,967

  2,779

  2,809

  2,996

  3,116

  3,121

  2,800

  3,724

  Lothian and Borders

  3,250

  3,232

  3,201

  3,237

  3,180

  1,286

  3,204

  3,269

  3,305

  3,346

  3,398

  3,384

  3,804

  Lanarkshire

  2,581

  2,599

  2,511

  2,408

  2,352

  2,323

  2,283

  2,346

  2,389

  2,336

  2,465

  2,468

  3,101

  Highlands and Islands

  1,107

  1,095

  1,102

  1,019

  999

  992

  998

  1,026

  1,038

  992

  997

  979

  528

  Grampian and Taysidc

  2,910

  2,784

  2,533

  2,364

  2,265

  2,265

  2,230

  2,253

  2,292

  2,242

  2,318

  2,425

  2,352

  Glasgow City

  5,899

  1,944

  5,660

  5,585

  6,923

  6,717

  7,070

  5,923

  6,456

  6,274

  6,550

  6,961

  8,384

  Central and Fife

  2,553

  2,567

  2,474

  2,493

  2,461

  2,480

  2,580

  2,786

  2,696

  2,638

  2,736

  2,715

  2,969

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  3,131

  3,182

  2,968

  2,929

  2,803

  2,912

  2,960

  3,052

  2,968

  2,907

  3,179

  3,362

  3,055

  YT in training figures

  Training agency area office

  Training period

  1990

  1991

  2 April to 27 April

  30 April to 25 May

  28 May to 22 June

  25 June to 20 July

  23 July to 17 August

  20 August to 14 September

  17 September to 12 October

  15 October to 9 November

  12 November to 7 December

  10 December to 4 January

  7 January to 1 February

  4 February to 1 March

  4 March to 31 March

  Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll

  3,406

  3,079

  3,480

  3,511

  3,580

  3,138

  3,223

  3,716

  3,262

  3,359

  3,548

  3,569

  3,266

  Lothian and Borders

  6,024

  6,773

  6,927

  6,554

  6,454

  6,508

  6,635

  6,462

  6,827

  6,729

  7,199

  6,350

  7,551

  Lanarkshire

  3,865

  3,649

  3,872

  3,877

  3,725

  3,315

  3,452

  3,192

  3,319

  1,475

  1,714

  851

  915

  Highlands and Islands

  1,650

  1,651

  1,561

  1,724

  1,527

  1,562

  1,584

  1,571

  1,565

  1,544

  1,670

  1,664

  1,462

  Grampian and Tayside

  4,588

  4,168

  4,830

  4,656

  4,581

  4,467

  4,354

  4,252

  4,358

  4,288

  4,563

  4,435

  6,485

  Glasgow City

  5,323

  5,125

  5,361

  5,236

  6,295

  6,301

  6,047

  5,733

  5,755

  5,715

  5,959

  5,924

  6,872

  Central and Fife

  5,058

  4,784

  5,259

  5,320

  5,146

  5,317

  4,976

  4,991

  4,958

  4,806

  5,206

  5,488

  7,105

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  3,716

  3,480

  3,780

  3,699

  3,747

  3,565

  1,429

  1,451

  3,532

  3,449

  4,112

  4,276

  3,445

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the numbers of trainees leaving employment training to (i) take up full-time employment, (ii) take up full-time education, (iii) join a job club and (iv) for other reasons from every month from June 1990 to March 1991, inclusive, in each of(a) Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands

  Employment Training Destination after three months of trainees leaving in period June 1990 to January 1991—cumulative (estimated)

  Full-time job per cent.

  Part-time job per cent.

  Full-time education/ training per cent.

  Self-employed per cent.

  Job club per cent.

  Unemployed claiming benefit per cent.

  Unemployed not claiming benefit per cent.

  Other per cent.

  Valid questionnaire responses

  Central and Fife

  20

  5

  5

  3

  5

  52

  5

  5

  879

  Grampian and Tayside

  25

  9

  5

  7

  2

  40

  5

  1

  1,364

  Lothian and Borders

  19

  5

  4

  9

  4

  50

  3

  8

  1,336

  Glasgow City

  20

  4

  5

  2

  5

  57

  3

  5

  2,020

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  24

  5

  3

  4

  3

  50

  5

  5

  1,009

  Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway

  20

  7

  4

  2

  2

  54

  5

  5

  1,273

  Lanarkshire

  21

  5

  4

  2

  4

  53

  4

  6

  1,477

  Highlands and Islands

  47

  4

  2

  6

  2

  29

  2

  6

  434

  Source: Respondents to the Employment Training national follow-up survey.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish a table showing the numbers of trainees leaving youth training to (i) take up full-time employment, (ii) take up full-time education, (iii) join a job club and (iv) for other reasons for every month from June 1990 to March 1991, inclusive, in each of(a) Renfrew, Dunbarton and Argyll, (b) Lothian and Borders, (c) Lanarkshire, (d) Highlands and Islands,
  98
  and Islands, (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Jackson
  Figures for individual months from the follow-up survey are not reliable for the areas requested. The table indicates the destinations of trainees who left youth training between June 1990 and January 1991, the latest date for which information is available.

  (e) Grampian and Tayside, (f) Glasgow City, (g) Central and Fife and (h) Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway.

  Mr. Jackson
  Figures for individual months from the follow-up survey are not reliable for the areas requested. The table indicates the destinations of trainees who left youth training between June and September 1990, the latest date for which information is available.
  99

  PQ 1971–1991

  Youth Training Destination After Three Months of Trainees Leaving in Period June 1990 to September 1990

  Full Time Job1 Per cent.

  Part Time Job Per cent.

  Full Time Education/ Training Per cent.

  Unemployed Per cent.

  Other Per cent.

  Valid Questionnaires

  Central and Fife

  55

  3

  20

  16

  5

  1,142

  Grampian and Tayside

  67

  3

  16

  11

  3

  1,415

  Lothian and Borders

  68

  3

  11

  15

  3

  788

  Glasgow City

  59

  2

  17

  18

  4

  1,395

  Renfrew, Dumbarton and Argyll

  54

  3

  21

  17

  4

  942

  Ayrshire Dumfries and Galloway

  53

  3

  20

  21

  4

  1,037

  Lanarkshire

  60

  2

  18

  15

  5

  1,079

  Highlands and Islands

  59

  3

  18

  15

  5

  392

  Source: Respondents to the Youth Training National Follow-up Survey.

  1 Self-employed percentage is small-included in Full Time Job.

  Horizon Programme
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will revise his guidelines in respect of eligibility for the Horizon programme to enable Stoke-on-Trent to be eligible for European funds to enable disabled and disadvantaged people to be integrated into the labour market.

  Mr. Forth
  Projects from organisations throughout Great Britain have now been invited under the Horizon initiative. While it is expected that most projects will come from areas of high urban deprivation, all projects will be considered for funding on their merit provided they meet the eligibility criteria.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what are the most recent figures on the

  Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence gross weekly earnings excluding overtime less than £130 per week April 1991

  East Midlands

  England

  Great Britain

  (i) FULL-TIME

  (a) Women

  Numbers in sample

  634

  5,715

  6,947

  Per cent.

  21·7

  14·9

  15·6

  (b)Men

  Numbers in sample

  322

  3,158

  3,860

  Per cent.

  5·6

  4·5

  4·8

  (c) All

  Numbers in sample

  956

  8,873

  10,807

  Per cent.

  11·0

  8·2

  8·6

  (ii) PART-TIME

  (a) Women

  Numbers in sample

  —

  19,484

  22,466

  Per cent.

  —

  86·5

  86·6

  (b) Men

  Numbers in sample

  —

  —

  3,123

  Per cent.

  —

  —

  80·2

  (c) All

  Numbers in sample

  —

  —

  25.589

  Per cent.

  —

  —

  85·8

  100
  percentages of people on the unemployment register who have been unemployed for over one year, by the standard regional classifications within the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Jackson
  The latest available information, relating to July 1991, can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Earnings
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the number and percentage of (i) full-time workers, (ii) part-time workers and (iii) all workers earning less than £130 for(a) women, (b) men and (c) all workers, excluding overtime pay in (1) the east midlands, (2) England and (3) Great Britain for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available from the 1991 new earnings survey is given in the table.
  101

  East Midlands

  England

  Great Britain

  (iii) FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME

  (a) Women

  Numbers in sample

  —

  25,199

  29,413

  Per cent.

  —

  41·3

  41·8

  (b) Men

  Numbers in sample

  —

  —

  6,983

  Per cent.

  —

  —

  8·2

  (c) All

  Numbers in sample

  —

  —

  36,396

  Per cent.

  —

  —

  23·4

  Source: New Earnings Survey 1991.

  Notes:

  (1) "—" denotes information not available.

  (2) The survey excludes significant numbers of part-time employees with low weekly earnings.

  Brick-making Industry
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what estimate his Department has made of the number of people currently employed in the brick-making industry; and what was the figure in 1983, 1985, 1987 and 1989.

  Mr. Jackson
  The number of employees in employment in the manufacture of building products of concrete, cement or plaster, including bricks, in Great Britain are as follows:

  Thousands

  Group 243 (SIC 80)

  June 19831

  41·7

  July 1985

  43·8

  July 1987

  35·7

  July 1989

  39·2

  July 1991

  38·9

  1Figures are not available for July 1983.

  Health and Safety Executive
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment, how many CEN committees have represen-tatives from the Health and Safety Executive sitting on them; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Forth
  [pursuant to his reply, 9 May 1991, c. 581–82]: I regret that my reply contained an incomplete table due to under-recording of staff of the Health and Safety Executive who form part of the delegation to CEN— European Committee for Standardisation—commit-tees.

  The following list contains the correct information as at1 August 1991.

  Central Committees and working group attended by House

  Committee number

  Subject matter

  BTS 2

  TECHNICAL BOARD—ENGINEERING

  CEN/TC 23

  TRANSPORTABLE AND REFILABLE GAS CONTAINERS

  SC 1

  Transportable and refillable gas con-tainers

  SC2

  Transportable and refillable gas con-tainers

  CEN/TC 33

  WG 12

  Power operated pedestrian doors

  102

  Committee number

  Subject matter

  CEN/TC 54

  UNFIRED PRESSURE VESSELS

  CEN/TC 61

  SAFETY OF HAND-HELD MOTOR OPERATED TOOL

  CEN/TC 65

  HAND HELD PORTABLE GRINDING MACHINES

  CEN/TC 79

  RESPIRATORY PROTECTION

  SC 1

  Air quality

  SC 3

  Facepieces

  SC 4

  Filters

  SC 5

  Airline equipment

  SC 6

  Self contained breathing apparatus

  SC 34

  Powered filtering devices

  WG 1

  Leakage

  CEN/TC 85

  WG4

  Personal eye protection

  CEN/TC 93

  Ladders

  CEN/TC 114

  SAFETY MACHINERY

  WG 1

  Safety of machines—basic concepts and principles for design

  WG 2

  Safety distances

  WG 3

  Terminology

  WG 4

  Rules for the drafting of safety standards

  WG 5

  Hand/arm speed

  WG 6

  Principles for the design of safe control systems

  WG 7

  Two-hand controls

  WG 8

  Pressure sensitive mats and similar devices

  WG 9

  Emergency stop and safety hold

  WG 10

  Interlocking devices with and without guard locking

  WG 11

  Guards

  WG 13

  Radiation

  WG 14

  Risk Assessment

  WG 15

  Emissions of dust, gas etc.

  CEN/TC 121

  WG 5

  Welding tests

  WG 7

  Welding and cutting equipment

  CEN/TC 122

  ERGONOMICS

  WG 1

  Dimensions for access

  WG 2

  Ergonomic principles for machines

  WG 4

  Biomechanics

  WG 6

  Ergonomic principles for the design of signals displays and controls

  CEN/TC 123

  WG 3

  Lasers and laser related equipment

  CEN/TC 128

  GLASS IN BUILDING

  CEN/TC 137

  ASSESSMENT OF WORKPLACE EXPOSURE

  CEN/TC 140

  IN VITRO DIAGNOSTIC SYSTEMS

  103

  Committee number

  Subject matter

  CEN/TC 142

  WOODWORKING MACHINES—SAFETY

  WG 1

  General Instructions

  WG 2

  Planning machines

  WG 3

  Bandsaws

  WG 4

  Circular saws

  WG 5

  Forming and moulding machines

  WG 6

  Combined woodworking machines

  WG 7

  Single and double end tenoning machines

  WG 8

  Tooling for woodworking machines

  CEN/TC 143

  MACHINES TOOLS—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Presses and guillotine shears

  WG 2

  Stationary grinding machines and abra-sive produces

  WG 3

  Turning machines

  WG 4

  Machining centres

  WG 6

  Metal cutting saws

  CEN/TC 144

  TRACTORS AND MACHINERY FOR AGRICULTURE AND FORESTRY

  WG 1

  General requirements

  WG 2

  Tractors and self propelled machines

  WG 3

  Mobile machines and trailers

  WG 4

  Portable machines and pedestrian controlled machines

  WG 6

  Forestry equipment

  WG 7

  Garden equipment

  CEN/TC 145

  RUBBER AND PLASTIC MACHINES—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Injection moulding machines

  WG 2

  Compression and transfer moulding machines

  WG 3

  Extruders and extrusion lines

  WG 4

  Two roll mills

  WG 5

  Blow moulding machines

  WG 6

  Size reduction machines

  WG 7

  Internal mixing machines

  WG 8

  Calenders and downstream equipment

  CEN/TC 146

  PACKAGING MACHINES—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Bottling machines

  WG 2

  Form, fill and seal machines

  WG 3

  Palletizers

  CEN/TC 147

  LIFTING DEVICES WITH SUSPENDED LOANS

  WG 4

  Design—requirements for health and safety

  WG 5

  Requirements for inspection, tests and safe use

  CEN/TC 148

  MECHANICAL HANDLING EQUIPMENT AND SYSTEMS—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Continuous handling equipment and systems handling both loads and bulk materials

  WG 2

  Other equipment and systems for unit loads only

  WG 3

  Other equipment and systems for bulk handling only and mobile equipment

  WG 4

  Storage of bulk materials in silos, bunkers, bins and hoppers

  CEN/TC 149

  AUTOMATED STORAGE RETRIEVAL MACHINES

  WG 1

  Manufacture and installations

  WG 2

  Operation and maintenance

  CEN/TC 150

  INDUSTRIAL TRUCKS

  CEN/TC 151

  CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT AND BUILDING MATERIALS MACHINES—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Earth moving machines

  WG 4

  Tunnelling machines

  WG 9

  Machines and plant for the production of cement

  104

  Committeenumber

  Subject matter

  WG 12

  Machines and plant for the manufacture of ceramic

  WG 13

  Machines and installations for the production, treatment and processing of flat glass, hollow glass, and special glass

  WG 14

  Demolition and cutting machines

  CEN/TC 152

  LEISURE AND RECREATIONAL MACHINES

  WG 1

  Fairground/amusement park machinery and structures

  CEN/TC 153

  FOOD PROCESSING MACHINERY—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Bakery equipment

  WG 2

  Meat processing machines

  WG 3

  Food slicing machines

  WG 4

  Catering machines

  WG 5

  Machines and equipment for processing edible oils and fats

  WG 7

  Pasta processing machines

  CEN/TC 160

  PROTECTION AGAINST FALLS FROM HEIGHT INCLUDING WORKING BELTS

  CEN/TC 162

  WG 2

  PROTECTIVE CLOTHING AGAINST HEAT AND FLAME

  WG 5

  Protective clothing against knives and machines

  CEN/TC 168

  CHAINS, ROPES,WEBBING, SLINGS AND ACCESSORIES—SAFETY

  WG 2

  Wire ropes, their terminations and wire rope slings

  CEN/TC 182

  REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS—SAFETY

  CEN/TC 186

  WG 1

  Industrial furnaces and heating equipment

  WG 2

  Combustion and fuel handling systems

  CEN/TC 196

  MINING AND QUARRYING MACHINERY—SAFETY

  WG 2

  Mobile underground machines

  WG 3

  Pit supports

  WG 4

  Ventilation equipment

  WG 5

  Conveyors

  CEN/TC 198

  WG 1

  Paper converting and printing machinery

  WG 2

  Paper making machinery safety

  CEN/TC 200

  TANNERY MACHINES AND EQUIPMENT—SAFETY

  WG 1

  Multi roll machines

  WG 2

  Leather splitting machines

  WG 3

  Leather presses

  CEN/TC 201

  LEATHER/IMITATION LEATHER GOODS AND FOOTWEAR MACHINERY

  WG 1

  Cutting and Punching machines

  WG 2

  Roughing, scouring, buffing, trimming and brushing machines

  WG 3

  Shoe sole moulding machines

  WG 4

  Lasting machines

  CEN/TC 202

  WG 1

  Die casting

  WG 2

  Moulding and core making

  CEN/TC 211

  ACOUSTICS

  CEN/TC 212

  FIREWORKS

  CEN/TC 214

  TEXTILE MACHINERY

  WG 2

  Dry cleaning equipment

  WG 5

  Industrial laundering machinery

  CEN/TC 231

  VIBRATION

  105

  Committee number

  Subject matter

  CEN/TC 233

  BIOTECHMOLOGY

  CEN/TC 269

  SHELL AND WATER TUBE BOILERS

  CEN/

  TC 1

  INFORMATION SYSTEMS INTERCONNECTION

  CENELEC

TRANSPORT

  Roads (Essex)
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last visited south-east Essex to see the congestion on the roads.

  Mr. Chope
  I am aware of the congestion on certain parts of the road network in south-east Essex.

  M40
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the provision of service areas on the M40 motorway.

  Mr. Chope
  At present there are no motorway service areas on the M40, but planning permission has been granted for two, at Ardley and Barn Hill.

  Vehicle Insurance
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the number of road vehicles in use in the United Kingdom(a) covered by fully comprehensive insurance, (b) covered by third party insurance and (c) not covered by insurance.

  Mr. Chope
  Approximately 70 per cent. of private cars are covered by comprehensive insurance and 30 per cent. by third party insurance. A breakdown is not available for motorcycles and commercial/fleet vehicles. I do not have a reliable estimate of the number of vehicles being used without insurance.

  London Buses
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about the deregulation of London buses.

  Mr. Freeman
  I am convinced that deregulation is the right way forward for bus services in London. Government action to open the market through deregulation and privatisation will force commercial operators to provide the services that passengers want. This must surely be of benefit to all bus passengers in London.

  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he next intends to meet with the chairman of London Buses to discuss deregulation.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have regular meetings with the chairman of London Transport and London Buses Ltd. to discuss issues relating to public transport provision in London, including bus deregulation. In addition, officials are in regular contact with London Transport as plans for deregulation develop.

  Pedestrian Association
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the Pedestrian Association to discuss road safety.

  Mr. Chope
  In March this year.

  Roads and Railway Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much Her Majesty's Government are spending on roads and railways today; and how much was being spent in 1978–79.

  Mr. Rifkind
  In 1990–91 about £4·5 billion was invested in roads and railways; the equivalent figure for 1978–79 on the same price basis, was just under £2·7 billion.

  North Kent Line
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress being made by British Rail over the introduction of Networker rolling stock on the north Kent line.

  Mr. Freeman
  The first Networker units for the north Kent line are expected to be delivered to Network SouthEast this December and should enter service next May.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he is satisfied that the proposals under discussion for the channel tunnel rail link take into account the full potential for transferring freight traffic from road to rail.

  Mr. Freeman
  The implications for international rail freight is one of the factors that we took into account in considering the options for a channel tunnel rail link.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on the level of infrastructural investment by British Rail in the north-west in preparation for the opening of the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail plans to invest over £1·4 billion in infrastructure improvements and rolling stock to enable channel tunnel trains to serve the north-west and other United Kingdom regions, as well as London. I understand from British Rail that it plans to spend some £10 million in upgrading infrastructure, for example, strengthening bridges, from the north-west to London. In addition, British Rail will be investing in channel tunnel freight terminals at Trafford Park and on Merseyside.

  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he is now in a position to make a statement on British Rail's proposals for a route for the channel tunnel fast link.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend will make a statement today.

  BR Western Region
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss investment in the western region of British Rail.
  107
  Mr. Freeman
  The Secretary of State meets the chairman of British Rail frequently to discuss a variety of issues.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to pay his next visit to the channel tunnel site.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have no plans at present to revisit the tunnel site.

  East London River Crossing
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the east London river crossing to be operational; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Decisions on the ELRC Thames bridge design and changes to junctions with the A13, Winsor terrace and A2016 were announced on 27 September. The earliest date for completion of the scheme is 1996.

  Freight Transport
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what grants are available to promote the transfer of freight traffic from road to rail; and how much was spent under these grants for the most recent year available.

  Mr. Freeman
  Grants for rail freight facilities are available under section 8 of the Railways Act 1974. For the financial year 1990–91 payments to industry amounted to just under £3·5 million.

  Midland Line (Electrification)
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has any plans to meet local authority representatives in the east midlands to discuss British Rail's proposals for the electrification of the midland line.

  Mr. Freeman
  I plan to meet representatives of the midland main line consortium of local authorities early next month.

  Roads (North-East)
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on road construction projects in the north-east since 1979.

  Mr. Chope
  Since 1979 the Government have completed 60 major improvement schemes on the trunk road network in the north-east at a cost of some £241 million. The details are:

  £ million

  Al

  141·8

  A69

  20·9

  A19

  28·6

  A66

  34·9

  A696

  14·8

  In addition, the A66 Bowes to county boundary scheme is currently under construction at estimated cost of £12·4 million and £31·5 million has been spent on smaller improvement schemes.
  108
  Schemes planned and in preparation will cost an estimated £245 million. Details of local authority road construction projects are available from the relevant local authority.

  British Rail
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees there are within British Rail; and what was the figure in 1979.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail had 136,277 employees at 31 March 1991. The figure at 31 December 1979 was 244,084.

  Rail Lines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will instruct British Rail to ensure that wherever DC single track circuits exist on non-electrified lines, urgent steps should be taken to reinforce the common rail bonding by provision and maintenance of alternative paths to assure its complete commonality under all conditions; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  This is already one of several remedial measures which form part of BR's programme of modifications to DC single-rail track circuits on non-electrified lines. Any alterations to safety critical systems must be made methodically, following a procedure involving rigorous and fully documented checking and testing.

  Bus Strategy, London
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Carshalton and Wallington (Mr. Forman) of 22 July,Official Report, columns 333–36, on a bus strategy for London, what further legislation for what specific purposes he intends to bring before Parliament to execute the policy there described.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Government intend to introduce legislation as soon as possible in a new Parliament. Primary legislation is required to give effect to many of the proposals set out in the answer to which the hon. Member refers. Specifically, it would be required in order to create the new London bus executive, to make consequential amendments to the powers and duties of London Regional Transport, to provide for the continuance of a London-wide concessionary travel scheme and to create a right of entry into travelcard schemes. The detail of the legislation will not be finalised until closer to the point at which the Bill is introduced, and the Government will continue their discussions with interested parties until then.

  London Underground
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate he has received from London Regional Transport or London Underground Ltd. concerning the expenditure necessary to attain and maintain adequate mechanical and civil engineering standards on their underground system; what reply he has sent; and on where he dissents from any such estimate.

  Mr. Freeman
  The whole question of the funding requirement for London Transport over the next three
  109
  years is being discussed as part of the current public expenditure round. Under the circumstances it would be inappropriate to detail bids by individual LT subsidiaries.

  Docklands Light Railway
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what revenue support for the Docklands light railway operation, expressed in 1991 money terms, and as a percentage of its annual running cost, has been incurred for each year of its operation; and what information he has as to how much to date has been the cost and receipts per passenger mile since its inception.

  Mr. Freeman
  Block grant is paid to London Transport, which is responsible for its distribution to its subsidiaries. I understand from London Transport that the requested details, all expressed in 1991 money terms, are as follows:

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Revenue support (£ million)

  2·6

  3·0

  6·2

  10·5

  Percentage running cost

  62

  46

  65

  79

  Cost/passenger mile (pence)

  45·5

  32·0

  37·6

  62·9

  Receipts/passenger mile (pence)

  17·0

  14·7

  14·8

  14·7

  Marchioness
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what arrangements, including time of despatch, he made concerning availability of the Departmental report on the Marchioness disaster for each of the categories(a) persons concerned in the inquiry, (b) relatives of the deceased, (c) hon. Members of Parliament (i) in general and (ii) in London and (d) the media.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The official time for release of the report was 11.30 am on Thursday 15 August 1991. Copies of the report were sent by courier, to arrive in all cases at least 24 hours prior to the official release, to(a) solicitors/parties concerned in the inquiry and(b) solicitors representing the survivors and the relatives of those who died, for onward transmission to their clients. Copies of the report were sent to the House of Commons Library on 15 August.

  The report was released to the media at 9.30 am on 15 August with a bar on publication until 11.30.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning omissions of relevant facts from the investigation report of the Marine Accident Investigation Branch into the Marchioness tragedy; what actions he has taken; what replies he has sent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  None.

  Road Signs
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he received any request for the installation of level-crossing style barriers on the north bound approaches to the Blackwall tunnel to stop its use by north bound traffic at a time of emergency; what response he has made; and if he will make a statement;
  110
  (2) what problems have arisen in respect of non-mandatory advisory signs of a motorway type on by-passes, trunk roads and tunnels that are not designated motorways.

  Mr. Freeman
  I know of no general problems in respect of such signs other than those discussed when I met the hon. Member at the Blackwall tunnel last month. The Department is aware of suggestions to provide a means of stopping northbound traffic entering the tunnel in the event of an emergency and is investigating various alternatives.

  River Thames Accidents
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list each reported accident involving the MV Bowbelle in the River Thames system upstream of Gravesend since 1965 and the number of similar incidents in the same zone involving each of her sister vessels over the same period.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The hon. Member already has in his possession information concerning accidents involving the Bowbelle. There are no true sister ships to the Bowbelle. Full information on incidents involving other Bow vessels owned or managed by South Coast Shipping is not available. The records of the marine accident information branch date from 1 January 1989 and show no reports of accidents involving a South Coast Shipping operated vessel in the River Thames.

  Port of Tilbury
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning the future responsibility for, direction and duties of the Port of London Authority police subsequent to the appointed day when the Port of Tilbury becomes a legal entity; and how and by whom their current responsibilities outside that port will be discharged.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My hon. Friend the Member for Southend, East (Mr. Taylor) and the chairman of the Port of London Authority Police Federation have written on this subject. Since the current responsibilities of the Port of London police force do not extend beyond the port of Tilbury, the question of who should in future discharge those responsibilities outside that port does not arise.

  Concessionary Travel
  Mr. Foulkes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he will bring forward proposals to amend section 93(7)(a) of the Transport Act 1985 to equalise the age at which concessionary travel arrangements are applied to men and women.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have no plans to change the present arrangements which link eligibility for travel concessions for elderly people to state pensionable age.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has initiated with representatives of London boroughs, or with their representative bodies, concerning the implementation of his decisions, plans and proposals for the retention and funding of the all-London senior citizens travel card, as announced in his written answer of 22 July,Official Report, column 333–36.
  111
  Mr. McLoughlin
  The consultation paper "A Bus Strategy for London" was sent to every London borough and the City of London, the London Boroughs Association, the Association of London Authorities and the London Committee on Accessible Transport—the borough's joint co-ordinating body for concessionary travel arrangements. That paper, and my right hon. and learned Friend's subsequent statement, made it clear that we intend to safeguard the future of the London-wide scheme, while retaining the boroughs' right to decide which concessions they wish to fund. It was clear from the boroughs' responses that they, too, recognise the importance of maintaining a concessionary travel scheme in London. Full details of our proposed arrangements for concessionary travel will not be finalised until closer to the point at which a Bill is introduced. In the meantime, we will continue discussions with interested parties, including the boroughs' representatives, who can offer constructive advice about concessionary travel.

  Ocean Hound
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what surveys have been undertaken into the wreck of the trawler Ocean Hound(a) by the marine accident investigation branch and (b) by others; what action he has taken in respect of any discrepancy in the results of such surveys; and if he will make a statement concerning activity now in hand to determine the reason for the loss of this vessel and its crew on 11 August.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 20–21 August a remotely controlled video camera survey of the hull, which also included inspection by divers, was arranged jointly by the owners, P and I Club, and the marine accident investigation branch. On 19 September a camera survey of the complete wreck and the surrounding sea bed was commissioned by MAIB. A further camera survey by MAIB is planned for 16, 17 and 18 October.

  On 3–4 September the owner of the vessel commissioned divers to search the wreck for the bodies of the crew. None was unfortunately found, and the next-of-kin arranged for another search by divers on 17 September. Again none was found. MAIB inspectors were present at both searches but took no part in the operations.

  Although damage to the safety rails in the forepart of the vessel was reported by the divers who searched the wreck on behalf of the owner, the damage does not appear to be consistent with Ocean Hound having been in collision with another vessel. However, the possibility of collision has not been ruled out completely and it is hoped the next underwater survey will provide more evidence to help MAIB come to a firmer conclusion.

  Accident, Walton-on-the-Naze
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the publication of the report of the inspector of railways consequent to his inquiry into the accident at Walton-on-the-Naze in August 1987; on what date the inspector concerned concluded his inquiry; and if he will make a statement explaining the factors governing the timing of its publication.

  Mr. Freeman
  The inspector concerned completed his inquiries at the end of 1988. The lessons learnt have been discussed with British Rail and implemented by it. I will give a further answer later this week summarising the circumstances of the accident and Her Majesty's railway inspector's conclusions.

  Much of the inspector's time at present is committed to major priorities such as the Manchester Metrolink and the Docklands light railway. He will complete the Walton-onthe-Naze report as soon as possible.

  Electrification (West Yorkshire)
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to make a statement regarding borrowing approvals concerning the West Yorkshire rail electrification scheme.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  All bids for local authorities for credit approvals for transport works in 1992–93 are under consideration. I hope to be able to announce a settlement by November or December.

  Taiwan (Air Service)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received any approaches regarding the introduction of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to the United Kingdom air service.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The two United Kingdom airlines holding licences from the Civil Aviation Authority to serve Taiwan have had contacts with officials in the Department about their plans to operate such a service in the future. No Taiwanese airline has sought permission to serve the United Kingdom.

  Freight Railway
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has received any representations from the Central Railway Group, regarding its proposal to promote a privately financed, large gauge freight railway line from the Midlands to the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Central Railway Group has explained its proposals to me. I have sent it a letter setting out Government policy generally towards private sector investment in railways, a copy of which I have placed in the Library.

  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ACT 1972
  EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES ACT 1972
  MIDDLE EAST: PEACE INITIATIVES
  MIDDLE EAST: PEACE INITIATIVES
  Mr. LOBSANG TENZIN
  Mr. LOBSANG TENZIN
  DALAI LAMA'S VISIT IN JULY: PREPARATIONS
  DALAI LAMA'S VISIT IN JULY: PREPARATIONS
  TIBETAN DETENTION CAMPS
  TIBETAN DETENTION CAMPS
  TIBET: DRAPEHI PRISON
  TIBET: DRAPEHI PRISON
  TIBET: BRITISH OFFICIALS' VISIT
  TIBET: BRITISH OFFICIALS' VISIT
  HMS "ENDURANCE"
  HMS "ENDURANCE"
  MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE COMPANIES
  MILITARY ASSISTANCE TO PRIVATE COMPANIES
  ROYAL ORDNANCE PLC: MILITARY ASSISTANCE, KUWAIT
  ROYAL ORDNANCE PLC: MILITARY ASSISTANCE, KUWAIT
  CROWN PROCEEDINGS (ARMED FORCES) ACT: CLAIMS
  CROWN PROCEEDINGS (ARMED FORCES) ACT: CLAIMS
  MoD HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE: COSTS
  MoD HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE: COSTS
  CYPRUS SOVEREIGN BASE: GOLF COURSE PROPOSALS
  CYPRUS SOVEREIGN BASE: GOLF COURSE PROPOSALS
  EC STRUCTURAL FUNDS: MONITORING
  EC STRUCTURAL FUNDS: MONITORING
  COURT OF APPEAL (CRIMINAL DIVISION): APPEALS AWAITING HEARING
  COURT OF APPEAL (CRIMINAL DIVISION): APPEALS AWAITING HEARING
  EC: SURVEILLANCE OF ECONOMIC POLICY
  EC: SURVEILLANCE OF ECONOMIC POLICY
  BARN OWLS AND SALMONELLA CONTROL MEASURES
  BARN OWLS AND SALMONELLA CONTROL MEASURES
  CHLAMYDIA PSITTACI INFECTION: IMPORTED BIRDS
  CHLAMYDIA PSITTACI INFECTION: IMPORTED BIRDS
  BIRDS: ILLEGAL IMPORTATION
  BIRDS: ILLEGAL IMPORTATION
  N.I. POLICE HOLDING CENTRES: ACCESS POLICY
  N.I. POLICE HOLDING CENTRES: ACCESS POLICY
  CHARITABLE RESOURCES: EFFECTIVE USE
  CHARITABLE RESOURCES: EFFECTIVE USE
  "THE STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND": RESPONSES
  "THE STRUCTURE OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN ENGLAND": RESPONSES
  "A NEW TAX FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT": RESPONSES
  "A NEW TAX FOR LOCAL GOVERNMENT": RESPONSES
  EC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
  EC ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT
  WILDLIFE CONSERVATION STUDY: REPORT
  WILDLIFE CONSERVATION STUDY: REPORT