Written Answers of 21 October 1991

ENERGY

  Private Coal Mines
  Mr. Jack Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the privately owned deep coal mines in the counties of Northumberland and Durham and their possible life span.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The British Coal Corporation is the licensing authority under the Coal Industry Nationalisation Act 1946. The information requested is therefore a matter for it.

  Nuclear Power Plants
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list by date for the last 12 months, and for each nuclear power plant in the United Kingdom, the number of reported cases where tools or equipment have been dropped into a reactor tank.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No such incidents have been reported to the Health and Safety Executive over the past 12 months.

  Energy Consumption
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in tabular form, the energy consumption in million tonnes of oil equivalent of(a) coal, (b) oil, (c) gas, (d) nuclear, (e) hydro and (f) other renewables in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other OECD nations for the latest year available.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Data on energy consumption in the United Kingdom are published routinely in "Energy Trends" and the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Data on energy consumption in OECD nations in 1989, the latest year for which data are available, are published in the OECD publication "Energy Balances of OECD Countries, 1980–1989". Copies of each are available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in tabular form, the energy consumption in million tonnes of oil equivalent of(a) coal, (b) oil, (c) gas, (d) nuclear, (e) hydro and (f) other renewables in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other European Community nations for the latest year available.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Data on energy consumption in the United Kingdom are published routinely in "Energy Trends" and the "Digest of United Kingdom Energy Statistics". Data on energy consumption in European Community nations in 1990, are published in the Eurostat publication "Energy-Monthly Statistics". Copies of each are held in the Library of the House.
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  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list, in coal units, the energy consumption per inhabitant of(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each of the other European Community nations.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The data requested, available most recently for 1989, are as follows:

  Energy consumption per inhabitant

  Country

  Tonnes coal equivalent

  United Kingdom

  5·57

  Belgium

  6·45

  Denmark

  4·89

  France

  4·40

  FRG

  5·99

  Greece

  3·49

  Ireland

  4·02

  Italy

  4·25

  Luxembourg

  13·88

  Netherlands

  7·39

  Portugal

  2·01

  Spain

  2·77

  Source: United Nations Energy Statistics Yearbook 1989.

  Nuclear Fuel Reprocessing
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what decisions have been taken, pursuant to the European Council resolution of 18 February 1980 on the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, as set out in the Official Journal No. 651, of 29 February 1980.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In line with the European Council resolution referred to by the hon. Member, the United Kingdom has continued its programme of reprocessing irradiated nuclear fuel while maintaining the objectives of public safety, environmental protection and non-diversion of nuclear materials.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what decisions have been taken by Her Majesty's Government, pursuant to the European Council decision 80/237/EURATOM on the establishment of an ad hoc advisory committee on the reprocessing of irradiated nuclear fuels, as set out in the Official Journal L 52.26.2.80, page 9.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Government co-operated in the work of the advisory committee referred to by the hon. Member and noted its findings. These were broadly in line with United Kingdom policy.

  IAEA Safeguards
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member of Newport, West of 28 March,Official Report, column 573, what expenses have been incurred by the United Kingdom under section 27 (finance) of INFCIRC 125, the agreement between the United Kingdom, Japan and the International Atomic Energy Agency; whether the agency has ever been relieved of its safeguards responsibilities under section 24(2) of INFCIRC 125; and if the suspension of INFCIRC 125 provisions under UNFCIRC/125/MOD. 1 of 2 December 1977 is still in force.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No expenses have been incurred by the United Kingdom under section 27 of INFCIRC 125; nor has the agency been relieved of its safeguards
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  responsibilities under section 24(a) of INFCIRC 125. With regard to the hon. Member's final point, suspension of the agreement still applies.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many representations he has received recently(a) directly and (b) via hon. Members on the subject of renewable energy.

  Mr. Moynihan
  On 5 August I announced a new ministerial advisory group to spearhead the Government's review of renewable energy strategy. Since then I have received about 130 representations directly, and about 400 via hon. Members, on the subject of renewable energy.

  Mr. Flynn
  to ask the Secretary of State for Energy what recent meetings he has had with the Office of Electricity Regulation in regard to applications made to generate electricity by renewable systems; and what policy decision he has taken as a result.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My officials have liaised closely with OFFER throughout the exercise to make the proposed Renewables Order 1991 as part of the statutory consultations. My right hon. Friend will make the order when the statutory consultations with the Director-General of Electricity Supply and the regional electricity companies have been completed.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will indicate, for each of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development countries, the amount spent on(a) nuclear research and development and (b) renewable energy research and development; and what proportion of total energy research and development budget the amounts represent in each case.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Statistics on total spending on energy research and development in OECD countries on nuclear research or renewables are not available to my Department.

  Iraqi Nuclear Plants (Damaged Fuel)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the United Kingdom's agreement on 8 July to a request by the United Nations to make provision in conjunction with French nuclear authorities to handle damaged nuclear fuel from the Tuwaitha nuclear plants near Baghdad.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The International Atomic Energy Agency approached the United Kingdom and French Governments with a request for assistance in the removal of nuclear weapons-usable material from Iraq in fulfilment of United Nations Security Council resolution 687. The Government attach great importance to the elimination of Iraq's potential for developing nuclear weapons and supports the United Kingdom nuclear industry's readiness to participate in this work.

  Any contracts will be on a commerical basis between the companies involved and the IAEA. The agency has invited detailed proposals and operators in the United Kingdom and France which have the necessary specialised facilities will, I understand, be submitting a joint proposal to undertake the work.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targetted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of the year.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Social Security Commissioners
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the average delay between a social security commissioner's oral hearing and notification of the decision to the claimant; and how much of this is ascribed to administrative delay.

  The Attorney-General
  The average waiting time between the oral hearing by a commissioner and the dispatch of the decision to the parties for the quarter ending September 1991 was 23 days, of which it is estimated that the time taken in processing decisions by administrative staff was 16 days.

  Homicides
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Attorney-General, in prosecutions involving a killing how many successful defences of provocation have been made in each of the last five years, broken down by gender of the defendant.

  The Attorney-General
  This information is not available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Hillsborough Stadium Disaster
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will give urgent consideration to meeting the families of those who died at Hillsborough.

  The Attorney-General
  If the hon. Member will write to me specifying the issues which it is suggested should be raised, I will gladly consider whether any matter falling within my own ministerial responsibilities could appropriately be discussed at such a meeting.

  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will quash the verdict of the recent Hillsborough inquest and set up a judicial review.

  The Attorney-General
  My jurisdiction concerning inquests is limited to the circumstances described in section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988. That provision enables me to apply to, or give my authority for an application to, the High Court for an order that an inquest, or a fresh inquest, as the case may be, is held into a person's death. The jurisdiction to make such an order is expressly reserved to the High Court, and my role is confined to deciding whether or not an application to the High Court should be
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  made under that section. No material has been placed before me by the hon. Member or by any other person which would justify an application being made to the High Court under section 13 of the Coroners Act 1988 in relation to the Hillsborough inquest.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Regional Assistance
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will publish the amount of regional preferential assistance paid to each standard region of

  Table 1

  Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry at current prices1

  £ million

  Region

  Northern

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands3

  South West

  West Midlands4

  North West

  England2

  Wales

  Scotland

  Great Britain2

  1978–79

  158·8

  37·4

  3·4

  9·6

  0·2

  6114·1

  323·5

  132·1

  156·1

  611·7

  1979–80

  147·8

  32·1

  4·1

  10·3

  0·1

  689·4

  283·8

  112·9

  135·2

  531·9

  1980–81

  151·6

  52·7

  4·7

  12·6

  0·1

  6137·5

  359·2

  175·3

  194·5

  729·0

  1981–82

  176·6

  61·6

  8·6

  14·8

  —

  6173·8

  435·4

  197·5

  232·5

  865·4

  1982–83

  158·5

  52·9

  13·6

  16·4

  —

  6123·8

  365·2

  182·1

  369·4

  916·7

  1983–84

  129·0

  35·6

  16·9

  11·9

  —

  6103·1

  296·5

  120·0

  228·6

  645·1

  1984–85

  122·6

  42·5

  10·2

  14·2

  —

  103·9

  293·4

  147·5

  187·1

  628·0

  1985–86

  94·6

  35·4

  8·3

  12·0

  6·4

  85·9

  242·6

  138·4

  197·0

  578·0

  1986–87

  136·4

  41·4

  10·5

  22·7

  10·0

  128·6

  349·6

  150·7

  242·4

  742·7

  1987–88

  109·6

  39·0

  9·4

  14·9

  19·5

  79·2

  271·6

  132·4

  153·2

  557·2

  1988–89

  134·6

  50·5

  8·8

  14·8

  26·6

  82·6

  317·9

  148·2

  151·2

  617·3

  1989–90

  117·3

  32·5

  9·5

  10·7

  20·0

  74·5

  264·5

  131·7

  144·6

  540·8

  1990–91

  85·0

  29·4

  5·5

  8·9

  18·0

  57·5

  204·3

  133·7

  159·1

  497·1

  Table 2

  Government expenditure on regional preferential assistance to industry at 1989–90 prices1 5

  £ million

  Region

  Northern

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  East Midlands3

  South West

  West Midlands4

  North West

  England2

  Wales

  Scotland

  Great Britain2

  1978–79

  371·9

  87·6

  8·0

  22·5

  0·5

  6267·2

  757·6

  309·4

  365·6

  1,432·6

  1979–80

  296·8

  64·5

  8·2

  20·7

  0·2

  6179·5

  569·9

  226·7

  271·5

  1,068·1

  1980–81

  256·9

  89·3

  8·0

  21·4

  —

  6233·1

  608·8

  297·1

  329·7

  1,235·6

  1981–82

  273·0

  95·2

  13·3

  22·9

  —

  6268·6

  673·0

  305·3

  359·4

  1,337·6

  1982–83

  228·7

  76·3

  19·6

  23·7

  —

  6178·6

  527·0

  262·8

  533·0

  1,322·8

  1983–84

  177·9

  49·1

  23·3

  16·4

  —

  6142·6

  409·0

  165·5

  315·3

  889·8

  1984–85

  161·1

  55·8

  13·4

  18·7

  —

  136·5

  385·5

  193·8

  245·9

  825·2

  1985–86

  117·8

  44·1

  10·3

  14·9

  8·0

  107·0

  302·1

  172·4

  245·3

  719·8

  1986–87

  164·1

  49·8

  12·6

  27·3

  12·0

  154·8

  420·7

  181·3

  291·7

  893·7

  1987–88

  125·3

  44·6

  10·7

  17·0

  22·3

  90·5

  310·4

  151·3

  175·1

  636·8

  1988–89

  143·2

  53·7

  9·4

  15·7

  28·3

  87·9

  338·2

  157·7

  160·9

  656·7

  1989–90

  117·3

  32·5

  9·5

  10·7

  20·0

  74·5

  264·5

  131·7

  144·6

  540·8

  1990–91

  78·8

  27·3

  5·1

  8·3

  16·7

  53·3

  189·5

  124·0

  147·6

  461·1

  Table 3

  Index

  1989–90 prices

  1978–79

  42·7

  1979–80

  49·8

  1980–81

  59·0

  1981–82

  64·7

  1982–83

  69·3

  1983–84

  72·5

  1984–85

  76·1

  1985–86

  80·3

  1986–87

  83·1

  1987–88

  87·5

  1988–89

  94·0

  1989–90

  100·0

  1990–91

  107·8

  1991–92

  115·3

  1992–93

  120·5

  1993–94

  125·0

  1994–95

  128·7

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  England, Scotland and Wales in each year from 1978–79 to the most recent available date in (a) cash and (b) constant prices and with an annual index.

  Mr. Leigh
  The requested information with regard to regional preferential assistance from 1978–79 to the most recent year is as follows:
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  1 All figures are gross and include payments to nationalised industries.

  2 The totals do not always equal the sum of the component parts because of rounding.

  3 Includes some minor expenditure in west midlands in respect of Oswestry TTWA which ceased to be an assisted area in 1982–83.

  4 Certain TTWAs in the west midlands were designated as assisted areas on 29 November 1984.

  5 Expenditure on a 1989–90 price basis for each year is calculated by applying the appropriate deflator to expenditure at current prices.

  6 Includes expenditure in Cumbria, otherwise shown within the totals for northern region.

  The items included in the expenditure are regional development grants, regional selective assistance and regional enterprise grants; expenditure on lands and factories by the English Industrial Estates Corporation, the Scottish and Welsh Development Agencies, the Development Board for Rural Wales, and the Highlands and Islands Development Board.

  Argentina (Exports)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what controls are in force in respect of materials and technology being exported to the Argentine Government for their Argentine Condor II ballistic missile project; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The United Kingdom gives effect to its commitments as a member of the missile technology control regime through the Export of Goods (Control) Order. This requires a licence to export to any destination goods, which it has been agreed with our partners, are sensitive for missile technology reasons. These controls were strengthened in August of this year by the addition of an end-use control which requires a licence to export goods that the exporter knows or suspects are capable of use for missiles capable of delivering weapons of mass destruction. No export licences have been granted for the export from the United Kingdom of goods known to be for the Condor missile programme. I understand that the Argentinian Government announced in May 1991 the cancellation of this project.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list all items that are currently banned for export to Argentina by British exporters.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The embargo on the sale of any military-related equipment, which came into effect during the dispute over the Falkland islands, is still maintained. Following the introduction on 24 September of full-scope safeguards as a condition of nuclear supply, it is our policy not to allow the export of any significant new nuclear equipment or materials to any country which does not have a full-scope safeguards agreement, which includes Argentina.

  Emergency Call Number
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will meet European Community officials to discuss the proposal for the community emergency call number of 112 to be introduced by January 1993; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  No. The Council decision on the introduction of single European emergency number 112 was adopted on 29 July. The new number will be introduced in the United Kingdom alongside the existing 999 emergency call number. There are no plans to abolish the 999 number.

  Sales
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will be bringing forward proposals for regulating annual retail sales periods and special offers times of the year, for implementation after 1 January 1993; and if he will make a statement.
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  Mr. Leigh
  No. I see no reason to prevent traders offering goods to the consumer at favourable prices.

  Export Control Organisation
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many people are currently employed by the Export Control Organisation; how many applications for export licences were received for each year from 1985. in 1991 to the most recent practicable date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Export Control Organisation within the DTI currently employs 115 staff. The annual volumn of individual export licence applications submitted since 1985 to export goods subject to control in the Export of Goods (Control) Order is:

  Number

  1985

  83,863

  1986

  89,705

  1987

  97,842

  1988

  92,280

  1989

  75,925

  1990

  45,897

  19911

  22,594

  1 Up to 30 September 1991.

  Information relating to the activities of the Export Control Organisation during 1990 is to be published shortly in an annual report, a copy of which I will be placing in the Library.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many experts on nuclear arms components are employed by the Export Control Organisation to detect components likely to be used in the development of nuclear bomb making programmes.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  In processing export licence applications, my officials have access to advice from appropriate experts in other government departments and agencies covering the full range of goods which are subject to control under the Export of Goods (Control) Order.

  Environmental Congress, Gothenburg
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department was represented at the Ecology '91 environmental congress on the environmental challenges to industry, held in Gothenburg in Sweden on 8 to 11 October; and if his Department made available any assistance to British firms to participate in the congress.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department was not represented and no assistance was offered.

  Euratom
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Commission's proposal for a Council decision
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  adopting specific research programmes to be implemented by the Joint Research Centre for the European Atomic Energy Community (EU RATOM)—Com. (91) 281 Final —Syn 352 published in the Official Journal No. C. 234, 7 September.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Commission's proposal for the joint research centre's—(JRC)—1992–94 programme is currently being discussed by the council's working group on research. The United Kingdom has been pressing for more detailed information to be included in the draft Council decision on the technical content of the JRC's programmes and on how they will contribute to meeting the objectives of the third—1990–94—framework programme.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Soviet Union
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he received from the Soviet Union of the Soviet economy at the meeting of the G7 in Bangkok; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Finance Ministers of the G7 and central bank governors discussed recent developments in the Soviet economy and the need for urgent economic reforms at sone length with the Soviet team, which included Mr. Yavlinsky, deputy chairman of the committee for the operational management of the national economy, and M r. Geraschenko, chairman of Gosbank. It was clear from these discussions that the Soviet Union is facing a growing economic crisis with output falling and with growing budget deficits at the union and republic levels leading to an increase in inflationary pressures. The Soviet team also discussed the prospects for a new treaty on economic union and prospects for economic reform.

  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my speech of 16 October to the annual meetings of the IMF and World bank, a copy of which has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the contributions of each other EEC country in grants, credits and guarantees towards the Soviet Union since 1989; and what percentage these are of their gross national product.

  Mr. Maples
  Amounts of outstanding export credit guarantees are not published, but the following countries have all pledged packages of loans and credits to the USSR recently:Germany. A DM 5 billion general purpose loan was announced in June 1990. A package of loans/grants linked to troop withdrawal from ex-GDR, DM 15 billion over four years, was announced in September 1990. Other loans and credits including recently agreed export credits for the purchase of goods from the ex-GDR were reported at DM 9 billion.
  France. Pledged loans and credits of FF 5 billion in 1990. Italy. Pledged loan guarantees worth Lire 7,200 billion in September 1990, plus export credits worth Lire 3,800 billion up to 1994.
  Spain. Offered loans and credits worth $1.5 billion in 1990 for purchases of Spanish food, consumer durables and capital equipment to be disbursed over two to three years.
  Comprehensive figures on disbursements and their timing are not available, and therefore it is not possible to calculate the percentages requested.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the estimated amount in grants, credits and 314
  guarantees the United Kingdom has contributed towards the support for the Soviet Union since 1989; and what these amounts represent as a percentage of gross national product.

  Mr. Maples
  Much of the United Kingdom's assistance is provided in conjunction with our European community partners through the EC budget. The United Kingdom share of which is currently about 18 per cent. This includes:

  (i) 250 mecu—£175·8 million—in food aid which is now being disbursed, and 500 mecu—£351·6 million —in food credit guarantees, which has not yet been used pending final agreement with the USSR on terms.

  (ii) 1,250 mecu—£879 million—in new standby credits, guaranteed by the EC budget to cover imports of food and medicine. This was agreed in principle in ECOFIN on 7 October, following a United Kingdom initiative.

  (iii) A decision has been made to commit 400 mecu— £281·3 million—in technical assistance in 1991 and a further amount in 1992.

  The United Kingdom provides bilateral assistance to the USSR in the form of the know-how fund. The fund was originally set up in November 1990 and more than doubled to £50 million over three years following President Gorbachev's visit to the United Kingdom in July. The United Kingdom has provided aid following the Chernobyl nuclear accident totalling £255,000.

  In addition the Export Credits Guarantee Department has guaranteed a number of export credits, but it is not normal practice to give details of credits to individual countries.

  It is not meaningful to add up these separate elements, and to provide a figure for percentage of GNP.

  Channel 3 Television
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the actual gross and net amount he expects to collect by way of auction fees from successful applicants for Channel 3 television licences.

  Mr. Mellor
  Precise figures are not yet available. Calculations made by the Independent Television Commission, taking account of the amounts of cash bids submitted and the estimated yield from the percentage of annual qualifying revenue set in advance by the ITC in respect of each regional licence, suggest that the average annual tender payments of licensees in 1991 prices will be approximately £350 million over the licence period.

  Customs Service
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the future of the customs service in Yorkshire and Humberside from 1 January 1992.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In Yorkshire and Humberside, as in the rest of the United Kingdom, customs controls are being updated to prepare for the single market on 1 January 1993 and to meet developing business needs. The objective is to make continued improvements in effectiveness, particularly in the fight against drugs smuggling, while facilitating the freest possible movement of travellers and freight.

  Customs officers in the region continue to play an important part in protecting society as demonstrated by

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  the seizure of drugs at Hull worth £1·8 million in the past year. Flexible anti-smuggling teams will continue to work in the region after 1992.

  Customs and Excise
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Customs and Excise flexible action teams have been set up at(a) seaports and (b) airports within the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Flexible anti-smuggling teams are being set up as part of Customs' new anti-smuggling strategy resulting from a review completed in 1990. At present there are 95 teams of which 68 are currently based at seaports and working mainly on maritime activity, 19 are at airports, seven have a mixed responsibility and one covers land boundary work in Northern Ireland.

  The use of better equipped and supported flexible teams will enable Customs to respond more effectively to areas of greatest risk in the fight against the importation of dangerous drugs and other threats to society.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what were the results of his nationwide study of the Customs service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In the last two years there have been several studies of the customs service, looking at anti-smuggling controls, freight processing and the handling of inland customs work.

  Customs are undergoing a period of considerable change with the introduction of 30 executive units on 1 April 1991 under the next steps initiative and in their preparation for the single market. The purpose of the reviews in the customs area has been to update anti-smuggling and freight control systems to meet the challenges of the single market and the developing needs of business.

  Soviet Gold Reserves
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's latest estimate of Soviet gold reserves; and what figures were given by Soviet officials at the recent G7 talks.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Mr. Yavlinsky, deputy chairman of the committee for the operational management of the national economy, stated publicly on 16 October that Soviet gold reserves would stand at 240 tonnes on 1 January next year. Her Majesty's Treasury has no independent estimate of Soviet gold reserves.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Treasury; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Expenditure in 1990–91, which is the latest full year available, was £67,012.

  Business Invoices
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The Treasury's policy on the payment of invoices is in line with the guidance issued to 316
  departments in "Government Accounting". Payments are made in accordance with stipulated contract provisions or where no specific provisions exist, within 30 days of the presentation of a valid invoice. The Treasury recognises and supports the principles of prompt payment and consequently is participating in the examination of payment performance being undertaken by the Department of Employment.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Financial Secretary to be in a position to reply to the letter sent by the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed on behalf of Alnwick district council on 24 July.

  Mr. Maude
  I replied to the hon. Member's letter on 15 October.

  Income Tax Deductions
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many companies were prosecuted in the last year for which figures are available for late or non-payment of income tax deducted from employees.

  Mr. Maude
  The Inland Revenue prosecuted 28 individuals for PAYE fraud during the year ended 31 March 1991. Late or non-payment of income tax is not a criminal offence, so there can be no prosecutions for this. Recovery action is taken either by distraint or through the civil courts.

  Economic and Finance Council
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Economic and Finance Council held in Luxembourg on 7 October.

  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make a statement about the outcome of the ECOFIN session of 7 October.

  Mr. Maude
  I refer the hon. Member and my hon. Friend to the reply which my right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Wanstead and Woodford (Mr. Arbuthnot) on 14 October, at columns 15–16.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maples
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish his estimate of current United Kingdom pension fund surpluses.
  317
  Mr. Maples
  Figures for the surpluses of United Kingdom life assurance and pension schemes are given in table 4.10 of the 1991 edition of the "UK National Accounts"—the CSO Blue Book—which is available in the House of Commons Library. Separate estimates for self-administered funded pension schemes will be published in a CSO bulletin later this year.

  Duty-Free Goods
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on a transitional period for the continuance of intra-European Community duty-free sales at ports and airports, following commencement of the single market on 1 January 1993.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend, the Member for Lancashire, West (Mr. Hind) on 24 July 1991, at column 605.

  VAT
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what implications the arrangements for value added tax technical systems now under discussion in the EC Council of Ministers would have for the collection of value added tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Council of Ministers has not yet reached final agreement on all the details of the VAT system which will operate after 1992. However, all member states are agreed that, since tax controls at frontiers will be abolished in the single market, it will no longer be possible to collect VAT at importation on goods traded between EC countries.

  The Government have always made it clear that, in these circumstances, we would reintroduce the system known as "postponed accounting" for VAT on goods and related services acquired from the rest of the EC. This will take effect on 1 January 1993.

  This means that, from January 1993, businesses will account for VAT on such goods and services when they make their normal VAT returns. As a result, some 9(1,000 United Kingdom businesses will pay VAT on these goods and services later than at present, and will therefore gain a significant cash-flow benefit.

  Arrangements for paying VAT on imports from non-EC countries will not he affected.

  There will be no change whatever in the amount of VAT which is paid. However, the change in the timing of payments will cause a one-off cashflow loss to the Exchequer in 1992–93.

  In order to prevent any increase in the public sector borrowing requirement, I have decided thast the largest VAT traders should account for VAT monthly, rather than quarterly as at present. This will only apply to traders whose net VAT payments, including VAT on all imports, exceeded £2 million over the period covered by their last four quarterly returns up to and including 31 March 1991.

  This change will not take effect until autumn 1992. It will affect around 1,600 businesses, out of 1·4 million who pay VAT quarterly. Those businesses which are affected will pay over VAT earlier than at present, but none will pay more VAT.

  I am making this announcement now in order to give businesses a full year's notice.
  318
  The change to monthly accounting will bring United Kingdom practice more into line with practice in the rest of the EC. Nine other member states already require their largest traders to account for VAT on a monthly basis. It will also mean that the compliance burden of the VAT system on businesses is more fairly balanced between larger and smaller traders: under the present arrangements, the largest traders derive much the greatest benefit from the interval between payment of VAT by their customers and payment of VAT to Customs and Excise.

  I will be consulting business representives on the details of this change.

  Fruit Machines
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the amount of revenue received by Her Majesty's Government from fruit machines in(a) 1987, (b) 1988, (c) 1989 and (d)

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The amounts of gaming machine licence duty received in the years in question were as follows:

  Year

  £ thousand

  1987

  86,999

  1988

  96,777

  1989

  97,250

  1990

  98,491

  SC60 Scheme
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to reform the SC60 scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: Possible changes to the construction industry tax deduction scheme were outlined in a consultative document earlier this year. Following these consultations the matter remains under consideration.

PRIME MINISTER

  Official Visits
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his recent visits to the Soviet Union, China and Hong Kong.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  During my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to Moscow on 1 September, accompanied by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, he had meetings with President Gorbachev, President Yeltsin and members of the committee for the management of the national economy. It was the first visit to the Soviet Union by a foreign Head of Government following the failed coup on 19 August. The Prime Minister expressed our strong support for the continuing process of economic and political reform in the Soviet Union and discussed ways in which we and our partners could assist. The Prime Minister also had a first meeting with the Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania following their independence, and agreed with them on the desirability of developing close and friendly relations.
  319
  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister visited Peking from 2 to 4 September and met Premier Li Peng, President Yang Shangkun and party secretary Jiang Zemin. The central element in the Prime Minister's visit was the signature of the memorandum of understanding on the Hong Kong airport project. The Prime Minister also raised human rights and discussed international and bilateral issues. We reached agreement on a number of issues related to Hong Kong which we set out in the joint communiqué of 4 September, a copy of which is being placed in the Library.

  In Hong Kong my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister had meetings with the Governor and members of the Executive Council and met a wide cross-section of leaders and representatives from the political, municipal and business communities. He also visited the city polytechnic using the mass transit railway—a British export success. The Prime Minister made clear in Hong Kong the Government's commitment to the continued success of Hong Kong, and to the maintenance of effective British administration until 1 July 1997. There was widespread satisfaction that the vital airport project is now going ahead.

  Switzerland (Military Agreements)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the Swiss organisations with which Her Majesty's Government have made any agreement since 1979 to provide military training in combat, communications and sabotage.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  Military training has been provided to personnel of the Swiss armed forces, but it is not our practice to comment on the details of such training.

  Downing Street Office
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the latest annual figure for the cost of running the Private Office at 10 Downing street; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The total cost of all my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's offices in 1990–91 was £8,225,8161
  1 Salaries and wages, notional pension liability, administration costs, the costs of office services and the grant-in-aid to the Chequers Trust are included. The Prime Minister's salary is excluded.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Prime Minister when he intends to return to the Tate gallery, London, the Turner paintings "A Quiet Ruin" and "Sunset", which are currently on loan to his office in No. 10 Downing street.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  There is no set loan period; the paintings will be returned to the Tate gallery when the trustees so request.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by 10 Downing street; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The cost of official hospitality met by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's office during 1990–91 was £20,904.

  Foreign Visits
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Prime Minister what is the most recent figure for the cost of foreign visits made by the Prime Minister since 22 November 1990; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply. The cost of foreign visits made by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister since 22 November 1990 is £550,219. including costs of his staff, but excluding outstanding costs of a number of recent visits.

  Zimbabwe
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Prime Minister if. during the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Harare, he raised with the Zimbabwe Government the situation of British retirees who worked there as civil servants and/or police officers, and whose occupational pensions, payable by Zimbabwe, have lost much of their value; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  No. I understand that the Zimbabwe Government are meeting their legal obligations on the payment of pensions to their former public servants.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Prime Minister what Government Departments have agreed to participate in the city challenge initiative; and what steps he has taken to ensure that their departments give a priority to participating in city challenge.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply. All Government Departments with relevant responsibilities are participating in city challenge. They are assessing their contribution to the initiative as the II city challenge authorities work up their proposals in detail.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what is Her Majesty's Government's policy on Yugoslavia.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office, on 14 October at column 40.

  Energy Conservation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if his Department has carried out an energy audit of the properties at 10 Downing street and the Chequers estate within the last year;

  (2) what measures have been taken over the last year to improve energy conservation at 10 Downing street and the Chequers estate.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  An energy audit of 10 to 12 Downing street was carried out in late 1990. The implementation of all the audit's recommendations will be completed by the end of the year. The Chequers estate is the responsibility of the Chequers Trust.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister what is his latest information in regard to the policy of the Indian Government towards signing the Montreal protocol to protect the global ozone layer.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My understanding is that the Indian Government intend to become a party to the Montreal protocol once there are sufficient ratifications to bring into force the amendments agreed at the second meeting of the parties in London last year. It is hoped that we will reach that position by the end of this year.

  UK Nuclear Deterrent
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the basis for his calculation of the minimum size of the United Kingdom nuclear deterrent.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  We maintain our nuclear deterrent at the minimum size necessary to ensure that any potential aggressor is faced by the prospect of intolerable damage if he proceeds.

  Kuwait
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what matters were discussed in his meeting with Sheikh Jaber Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah of Kuwait in London on 4 October; and what matters were agreed.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's discussions with the amir covered a number of international and bilateral issues and underlined the strength of our relationship. The Prime Minister welcomed the political changes now under way in Kuwait and stressed the importance of fair and humane treatment of foreign nationals in the country.

  BR Fare Increases
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will indicate the criteria he employed in determining which lines should be subject to his intervention in the decision by British Rail on fare increases on individual lines; and what is his policy on intervention in day-to-day decisions on management within nationalised industries.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The boards of nationalised industries are appointed to manage their industries in accordance with the financial frameworks and objectives set by the Government. The Government have no wish to involve themselves in day-to-day management matters. However, the chairmen regularly consult Ministers about major management decisions which may have an impact on the achievement of their objectives. British Rail's recent fares increases are a case in point. In commenting on British Rail's proposals, Ministers took account of the citizens charter principle that increases should be related to quality of service; the need to fund BR's large investment programme and our general policy that the burden of funding BR should be progressively shifted from taxpayers to passengers.

  French Prime Minister
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what matters in regard to defence issues were discussed in his meeting with his French counterpart on 24 September in London.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  Mme. Cresson and my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister concentrated on European Community questions on 24 September. They discussed the roles of NATO, the Western European Union and the European Council in the defence field. The Prime Minister stressed the importance of Europe doing more for its own defence, in a way which does not undermine NATO. They agreed on the importance of enhanced bilateral collaboration in this sphere.

  Dalai Lama
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Prime Minister if he has any plans to meet the Dalai Lama of Tibet in the near future.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has no plans to do so.

  Environmental Protection Agency
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on progress made over the past three months to establish the central agency for environmental protection and enhancement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: have been asked to reply.

  The Government's proposals for a new, independent environment agency were set out in a consultation paper issued by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 3 October. A copy of the consultation paper, on which views have been invited by 31 January 1992, has been placed in the Library.

  Research and Development
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister when the annual review of Government-funded research and development, "R & D '91", was published; how many copies of the report were printed; at what cost; and what attempts have been made to circulate the report to interested organisations and libraries in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  The annual review of Government-funded research and development, "R & D '91", was published on 24 July 1991. Two thousand copies were printed and it is on sale through HMSO for £25. The printing and publishing costs totalled £25,800 and are offset by sales to date of 1,396: copies of the review's tables are also available on computer-readable disks.

  A total of 355 copies have been distributed to the Libraries of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, United Kingdom Government Departments, United Kingdom-based embassies, United States National Science Foundation, the Advisory Committee on Science and Technology, research councils, Universities Funding Council, Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and in response to requests from a number of other interested organisations.

  Soviet Union
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister is he will make a statement on his visit to Moscow in September.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  During my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister's visit to Moscow on 1 September, accompanied by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, he had meetings with President Gorbachev, President Yeltsin and members of the committee for the management of the national economy. It was the first visit to the Soviet Union by a foreign Head of Government following the failed coup on 19 August. The Prime Minister expressed our strong support for the continuing process of economic and political reform in the Soviet Union and discussed ways in which we and our partners could assist. The Prime Minister also had a first meeting with the Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania following their independence, and agreed with them on the desirability of developing close and friendly relations.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will publish details of the number of telephone conversations, by date, he had with(a) President Gorbachev, (b) President Yeltsin and (c) officials of the Soviet and Russian Federation Governments, respectively, during August; and what was the purpose of these telephone conversations.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister spoke to President Gorbachev on 22 August. President Gorbachev gave an account of his views on the events surrounding the coup and welcomed the prospect of a visit by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister to Moscow both in my right hon. Friend's capacity as Prime Minister and as chairman of the G7.

  The Prime Minister spoke to President Yeltsin on two occasions. On 20 August he expressed British concern at the coup attempt, gave details of British and European Community actions and asked what other support the west could give to democratic institutions. On 21 August my right hon. Friend was able to congratulate President Yeltsin on his bravery, and that of the Russian people, in a memorable two days and to express the hope that my right hon. Friend would be able to meet him in the near future.

  China
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what matters in regard to(a) the environment in general and (b) the Montreal protocol and protection of the ozone layer, he had with Ministers of the Chinese Government during his visit to Beijing in September.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  None, though I understand that China has recently signalled the intention to satisfy the Montreal protocol.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister when the Cabinet Office drew up rules governing party political activities of Ministers of the Crown when travelling abroad on public business; and if he will place a copy in the Library.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  Each Prime Minister, on assuming office, issues guidance to Ministers on such issues. It has been the practice of successive Governments not to publish such guidance.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list the occasions when he has participated in party political activities when travelling abroad on public business.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister does from time to time meet fellow Conservatives in the margins of public duties. He also often meets opposition leaders of all political persuasions both in the United Kingdom and abroad.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what measures he is planning to reverse the decline in the annual rate of reduction of animal experiments since the Animal (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986;

  (2) if he will consider setting a target of 10 per cent. for the average annual reduction in the number of live animals used in experiments.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The use of living animals in biomedical research has been declining for many years. Although the annual percentage rate of decline for 1990, at 3 per cent., was lower than that for 1989, at 5 per cent., these rates of decline are not strictly comparable due to changes in the method of counting animals with harmful genetic defects. This change had the effect of increasing the figures for 1990.

  The way forward does not lie in setting arbitrary targets. The Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act 1986 imposes strict controls on the use of living animals in research and requires each programme of work to be justified in advance. Provided the requirements of the Act are met, my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary will continue to grant project licences authorising particular programmes of work under section 5.

  Encouraging progress continues to be made in developing and validating acceptable alternatives to the use of living animals in research. The Home Office has been funding research in this area since 1984 and established its own research scheme with the passing of the 1986 Act. However, reductions in the use of living animals in research depend heavily upon advances in science and it has to be recognised that the development of acceptable alternatives can be a slow process.

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement of progress on his discussions with interested groups on the future of Sunday trading.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I refer my hon. Friend to a reply to a question from my hon. Friend the Member for Hendon, South (Mr. Marshall) on 14 October 1991 at column 30 and to what I said at the conclusion of the debate on the Adjournment of the House on 14 October on the Shops Act 1950 at column 130.

  Category A Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if category A inmates at Her Majesty's prison establishments are now not allowed to attend chapel or leave their wing without the governor's permission.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Such arrangements vary from prison to prison according to the circumstances of individual inmates and the detailed security measures in place at the time.

  European Criminal Investigation Office
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on progress towards establishing a European criminal investigation office.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At its meeting in Luxembourg on 28 and 29 June 1991, the European Council agreed the objectives underlying the proposal for the establishment of a central European criminal investigation office. The proposal is now being examined further in the Trevi group, and will be considered again at the European Council meeting in Maastricht in December.

  Brixton Prison
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if the gateway at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton leading into the prison's works yard has been secured or blocked yet; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced on 5 August that the gate to the works compound which proved insecure had been replaced by a sterile area protected by double gates, both manned, and each protected by separate locks not shared with any other part of the prison. Certain further action in relation to closed-circuit television coverage and electronic locking will very shortly be completed.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement as to what action he has taken to end the holding of category A prisoners at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In my right hon. Friend's statement of 5 August, in which we accepted all the recommendations made by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons in his report into the Brixton escape, my right hon. Friend announced the aim of transferring all high-risk category A inmates from Brixton to Belmarsh by mid-September. These transfers were completed on 3 September since when Brixton has held only standard risk category A prisoners.
  326
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what is the current procedure at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton for the regular training of staff;

  (2) when the last review at Her Majesty's prison, Brixton of the emergency control room operation was carried out; and what were the results.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My right hon. Friend announced on 5 August that a review of the emergency control room at Brixton prison was being undertaken. This was completed on 16 August 1991. The review made a number of recommendations to improve management, contingency planning, and liaison with the police, and to introduce a new training programme for those staff working in the emergency control room. All the recommendations are being implemented.

  Police Records
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will introduce instructions to all police forces to keep all police records for at least the lifetime of a convicted person; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what (a) guidelines and (b) regulations cover the circumstances in which official police files may be destroyed; and what changes have taken place in these guidelines and regulations during the last 20 years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There are no guidelines or regulations covering the retention or destruction of police files. Policy on retention is a matter for each chief officer of police. It is unlikely for practical reasons that any chief officer would base his retention/destruction policy upon the lifetime of offenders. I see no need for the issue of guidance in this area.

  Channel 3 Licences
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what were the average costs per hour and per programme submitted by the successful applicants for Channel 3 licences; and how many hours and programmes their cash bid represented;

  (2) whether he will list the amounts paid by the successful applicants for the Channel 3 licences; and what these amounts represented in pounds per household within each area.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Independent Television Commission is responsible for awarding the Channel 3 licences, under the terms of the Broadcasting Act 1990. The commission announced the successful applicants on 16 October. It has published information about the bids and I understand that the commission has sent a copy to every Member and that copies have been placed in the Library.

  Prison Emergencies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prisons in England and Wales, how the duty governor is reached should an emergency arise; and on how many occasions during the last 12 months the procedure did not operate successfully;
  327
  (2) whether the duty governor of Her Majesty's prison Brixton is within reach at all times by very high frequency radio.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In line with the statement which my right hon. Friend made on 5 August about the report of the inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the serious escape from Brixton prison on 7 July, instructions have been issued to all establishments that the duty governor must carry a radio when in the establishment and a mobile telephone when outside so that he or she can be contacted at any time in an emergency. These arrangements are in force at Brixton. Radio equipment is also available in every other establishment and mobile telephones are being supplied as a matter of urgency to a minority of establishments which do not already have them. Statistical information is not available in the form requested.

  Sara Thornton
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department at what prison Sara Thornton, serving a life sentence for murder, is currently an inmate; why she was transferred from Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall to Her Majesty's prison Holloway on 13 August 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Sara Thornton is at present detained in Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall. She was transferred to Her Majesty's prison Holloway from Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall on 13 August 1991 to ensure that she received full-time medical and psychiatric care in the medical wing while she was refusing to take food. She returned to Her Majesty's prison Bullwood Hall on 30 August 1991.

  Ms. Thornton's case is curently being considered in the light of recent representations made on her behalf. Should any new evidence come to light which casts doubt on the safety of Ms. Thornton's conviction, my right hon. Friend will not hesitate to take the appropriate action.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will refer the Sara Thornton case to the Court of Appeal; and if he will make a statement.

  Ratio of prison officers to inmates: 1 April 1987 to October 1991

  Establishment

  1 April

  1 October

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1991

  Acklington

  0·30

  0·35

  0·35

  0·37

  0·35

  0·32

  Albany

  1·01

  0·98

  0·84

  0·84

  0·92

  0·93

  Aldington

  0·52

  0·35

  0·39

  0·39

  0·44

  0·37

  Ashford

  0·34

  2·88

  0·50

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Ashwell

  0·14

  0·22

  0·23

  0·24

  0·24

  0·24

  Askham Grange

  0·28

  0·29

  0·33

  0·40

  0·41

  0·37

  Aylesbury

  0·45

  0·53

  0·56

  0·60

  0·70

  0·74

  Bedford

  0·55

  0·50

  0·54

  0·56

  0·68

  0·79

  Belmarsh

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  0·89

  Birmingham

  0·33

  0·33

  0·38

  0·42

  0·44

  0·41

  Blantyre House

  1·08

  0·78

  0·48

  0·47

  n/a

  0·43

  Blundeston

  0·32

  0·32

  0·34

  0·36

  0·40

  0·39

  Brinsford

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Bristol

  0·39

  0·41

  0·43

  0·44

  0·71

  0·67

  Brixton

  0·62

  0·57

  0·67

  0·69

  0·66

  0·67

  Brockhill

  0·36

  0·40

  0·43

  0·44

  0·52

  0·49

  Buckley Hall

  0·28

  0·35

  0·46

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Bullingdon

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Bullwood Hall

  0·45

  0·43

  0·47

  0·59

  0·72

  0·78

  328
  Mr. John Patten
  Representations which have been submitted on Sara Thornton's behalf are being considered to decide whether there are any grounds to justify intervention by my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary.

  Passports
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ensure that in future all passports which indicate that a person is a citizen of the British state also has an appropriate space for indicating the nationality of the passport holder, to enable those who wish to have themselves identified as Welsh, Scottish, Irish or English, can do so.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The United Kingdom passport, whether in the old or the new format, must reflect United Kingdom nationality law; this makes provision for the single definition of British citizen.

  Prisons (Weapons)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what contingency plans are made for staff procedure when a weapon is found in prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The action to be taken by staff will necessarily depend upon the circumstances of the particular case, including the nature of the weapon. Governors have been issued with specific instructions about contingency planning for an incident involving a firearm. For reasons of security which the hon. Member will understand, it would be inappropriate to publicise the details.

  Prison Statistics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each of Her Majesty's prisons(a) the current actual ratio of prison staff to inmates, (b) what the establishment ratio should be and (c) what the figures were (i) 12 months ago, (ii) 24 months ago, (iii) 36 months ago and (iv) 48 months ago, respectively.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  There are no prescribed ratios between staff and inmate numbers in individual establishments. The information which is readily available about actual ratios over the last four years is given in the table.
  329

  Establishment

  1 April

  1 October

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1991

  Camp Hill

  0·31

  0·32

  0·33

  0·35

  0·39

  0·41

  Canterbury

  0·51

  0·52

  0·51

  0·50

  0·54

  0·55

  Cardiff

  0·37

  0·34

  0·38

  0·47

  0·45

  0·58

  Castington

  0·58

  0·48

  0·52

  0·53

  0·58

  0·52

  Channings Wood

  0·27

  0·25

  0·25

  0·25

  0·26

  0·25

  Chelmsford

  0·42

  0·44

  0·52

  0·54

  0·54

  0·50

  Coldingley

  0·50

  0·54

  0·53

  0·54

  0·58

  0·70

  Cookham Wood

  0·40

  0·43

  0·44

  0·49

  0·48

  0·46

  Dartmoor

  0·35

  0·34

  0·40

  0·36

  0·41

  0·41

  Deerbolt

  0·33

  0·36

  0·38

  0·36

  0·37

  0·37

  Dorchester

  0·33

  0·36

  0·39

  0·61

  0·48

  0·43

  Dover

  0·37

  0·41

  0·42

  0·69

  0·52

  0·49

  Downview

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  0·54

  0·41

  0·40

  Drake Hall

  0·24

  0·23

  0·34

  0·32

  0·34

  0·30

  Durham

  0·28

  0·27

  0·36

  0·40

  0·42

  0·44

  East Sutton Park

  0·31

  0·31

  0·28

  0·33

  0·41

  0·33

  Eastwood Park

  0·74

  0·43

  0·55

  0·51

  0·43

  0·47

  Erlestoke

  0·44

  0·87

  0·40

  0·40

  0·42

  0·42

  Everthorpe

  0·31

  0·28

  0·28

  0·37

  0·38

  1·77

  Exeter Prison

  0·43

  0·40

  0·44

  0·56

  0·58

  0·50

  Featherstone

  0·21

  0·23

  0·22

  0·29

  0·26

  0·26

  Feltham

  0·59

  0·24

  0·51

  0·51

  0·50

  0·52

  Ford

  0·15

  0·14

  0·14

  0·17

  0·15

  0·17

  Foston/Sudbury

  0·18

  0·17

  0·15

  0·16

  0·16

  0·16

  Frankland

  0·93

  0·93

  1·04

  1·03

  0·93

  1·07

  Full Sutton

  n/a

  1·47

  1·18

  0·90

  1·17

  1·09

  Garth

  n/a

  n/a

  0·45

  0·41

  0·42

  0·45

  Gartree

  0·81

  0·86

  0·93

  1·03

  1·05

  1·28

  Glen Parva

  0·35

  0·35

  0·42

  0·43

  0·48

  0·45

  Gloucester

  0·39

  0·45

  0·45

  0·44

  0·48

  0·59

  Grendon

  0·36

  0·33

  0·38

  0·83

  0·45

  0·45

  Gringley

  0·29

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Guys Marsh

  0·39

  0·60

  0·65

  0·58

  0·56

  0·53

  H'Combe/F'Wood

  0·25

  0·25

  0·35

  0·42

  0·46

  0·43

  Haslar

  0·46

  1·05

  0·77

  0·52

  0·46

  0·44

  Hatfield

  0·35

  0·33

  0·39

  0·44

  0·35

  0·38

  Haverigg

  0·16

  0·17

  0·32

  0·29

  0·32

  0·32

  Hewell Grange

  0·30

  0·31

  0·42

  0·34

  0·41

  1·84

  Hind ley

  0·31

  0·57

  0·34

  0·38

  0·41

  0·43

  Highpoint

  0·21

  0·22

  0·24

  0·25

  0·26

  0·30

  Hollesley Bay

  0·41

  0·39

  0·48

  0·56

  0·62

  0·56

  Holloway

  0·81

  0·62

  0·59

  0·61

  0·62

  0·61

  Hull

  0·36

  0·39

  0·38

  0·43

  0·48

  0·53

  Kingston

  0·44

  0·43

  0·41

  0·43

  0·47

  0·68

  Kirk ham

  0·14

  0·11

  0·12

  0·13

  0·13

  0·14

  Kirklevington

  0·42

  0·53

  0·37

  0·58

  0·68

  0·69

  Lancaster

  0·35

  0·33

  0·33

  0·35

  0·36

  0·38

  Latchmere House

  0·39

  0·40

  0·49

  0·59

  0·48

  1·62

  Leeds

  0·28

  0·28

  0·30

  0·32

  0·41

  0·44

  Leicester

  0·50

  0·49

  0·54

  0·63

  0·70

  0·73

  Lewes

  0·32

  0·34

  0·35

  0·40

  0·46

  0·49

  Leyhill

  0·17

  0·18

  0·18

  0·18

  0·19

  0·19

  Lincoln

  0·35

  0·33

  0·37

  0·43

  0·50

  0·46

  Lindholme

  0·27

  0·25

  0·32

  0·31

  0·28

  0·32

  Littlehey

  n/a

  0·31

  0·27

  0·31

  0·30

  0·30

  Liverpool

  0·28

  0·27

  0·30

  0·44

  0·49

  0·45

  Long Lartin

  0·76

  0·75

  0·81

  0·79

  0·81

  0·82

  Low Newton

  0·35

  0·39

  0·45

  0·42

  0·52

  0·37

  Lowdham Grange

  0·23

  0·23

  0·35

  0·58

  n/a

  n/a

  Maidstone

  0·36

  0·34

  0·32

  0·35

  0·40

  0·40

  Manchester

  0·28

  0·29

  0·34

  0·32

  2·26

  1·08

  Medomsley

  0·33

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Moorland

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  0·74

  Morton Hall

  0·16

  0·16

  0·16

  0·20

  0·18

  0·19

  New Hall

  n/a

  0·70

  0·80

  1·22

  1·15

  0·90

  North Sea Camp

  0·62

  n/a

  0·34

  0·24

  0·19

  0·17

  Northallerton

  0·32

  0·39

  0·40

  0·42

  0·48

  0·45

  Northeye

  0·33

  0·31

  0·30

  0·40

  0·33

  0·33

  Norwich

  0·34

  0·37

  0·39

  0·56

  0·54

  0·52

  Nottingham

  0·41

  0·38

  0·41

  0·46

  0·53

  0·59

  Onley

  0·30

  0·33

  0·33

  0·41

  0·36

  0·40

  Oxford

  0·42

  0·47

  0·51

  0·68

  0·79

  0·64

  Parkhurst

  1·09

  1·23

  1·44

  1·32

  1·64

  1·73

  Pentonville

  0·27

  0·39

  0·32

  0·37

  0·43

  0·47

  Portland

  0·31

  0·28

  0·34

  0·31

  0·34

  0·32

  Preston

  0·23

  0·27

  0·28

  0·57

  0·59

  0·67

  330

  331

  Establishment

  1 April

  1 October

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1991

  Pucklechurch

  0·52

  0·67

  0·63

  0·64

  1·23

  1·07

  Ranby

  0·23

  0·24

  0·29

  0·27

  0·27

  0·33

  Reading

  0·38

  0·40

  0·51

  0·56

  0·55

  0·50

  Risley

  0·52

  0·54

  0·68

  1·09

  0·67

  0·64

  Rochester

  0·33

  0·42

  0·62

  0·51

  0·57

  0·56

  Rudgate

  0·15

  0·15

  0·16

  0·17

  0·20

  0·19

  Send

  0·30

  0·37

  0·41

  0·47

  0·53

  0·46

  Shepton Mallet

  0·29

  0·29

  0·32

  0·32

  0·32

  0·49

  Shrewsbury

  0·31

  0·33

  0·44

  0·42

  0·53

  0·52

  Stafford

  0·23

  0·24

  0·26

  0·27

  0·30

  0·32

  Standford Hill

  0·22

  0·21

  0·21

  0·20

  0·22

  0·22

  Stocken

  0·35

  0·34

  0·35

  0·42

  0·38

  0·34

  Stoke Heath

  0·27

  0·27

  0·31

  0·37

  0·44

  0·42

  Styal

  0·41

  0·38

  0·44

  0·50

  0·58

  0·57

  Swaleside

  n/a

  n/a

  0·43

  0·39

  0·41

  0·42

  Swansea

  0·41

  0·39

  0·51

  0·57

  0·53

  0·52

  Swinfen Hall

  0·51

  0·50

  0·67

  0·72

  0·58

  0·56

  The Mount

  n/a

  0·95

  0·45

  0·49

  1·44

  0·43

  The Verne

  0·20

  0·23

  0·22

  0·23

  0·25

  0·25

  Thorn Cross

  0·28

  0·30

  0·45

  0·45

  0·35

  0·35

  Thorp Arch

  0·49

  0·44

  0·39

  0·44

  0·48

  0·49

  Usk/Prescoed

  0·38

  0·33

  0·54

  0·57

  0·49

  0·46

  Wormwood Scrubs

  0·34

  0·50

  0·50

  0·53

  0·61

  0·55

  Wakefield

  0·54

  0·55

  0·59

  0·63

  0·66

  0·75

  Wandsworth

  0·25

  0·27

  0·28

  0·30

  0·35

  0·36

  Wayland

  0·26

  0·27

  0·26

  0·30

  0·27

  0·27

  Wellingborough

  0·33

  0·34

  0·41

  0·44

  0·70

  0·55

  Werrington

  0·43

  0·43

  0·42

  0·59

  0·42

  0·40

  Wetherby

  0·35

  0·36

  0·38

  0·47

  0·43

  0·36

  Whatton

  0·30

  0·33

  0·37

  0·62

  0·46

  0·47

  Whitemoor

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  n/a

  Winchester

  0·38

  0·40

  0·41

  0·50

  0·50

  0·49

  Wymott

  0·25

  0·29

  0·25

  0·26

  0·27

  0·32

  NATIONAL TOTAL

  0·35

  0·37

  0·40

  0·44

  0·48

  0·49

  Prisons (Security)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will list Her Majesty's prisons that have searching and checking X-ray machines that are non-operational;

  (2) if he will list by Her Majesty's prison, those establishments that have searching and checking of (a) visitors and baggage and (b) parcels and items of mail by working X-ray machines.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Following my right hon. Friend's statement on the report of the inquiry by Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the escape of two prisoners from HMP Brixton on 7 July 1991, three X-ray machines were supplied to HMP Belmarsh and five to HMP Brixton. Procurement action is currently being taken to provide machines for a further 21 establishments.

  In both prisons equipment is being used to check visitors' baggage, parcels and small items of mail. Visitors themselves are not X-rayed for reasons of health and safety.

  All of the machines at HMP Belmarsh are operational. Two of the five machines at Brixton are non-operational. One has proved to be surplus to requirements and is awaiting removal to another establishment; the other is awaiting the completion of building work prior to installation.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each high risk prison establishment in England and Wales, the results of the latest standard performance tests of the CCTV system.
  332
  Mrs. Rumbold
  One of the recommendations of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons inquiry into the escape of two category A prisoners from HMP Brixton on 7 July 1991, was that an operational requirement be defined and a standard performance test be applied to the CCTV system at Brixton.

  This is a complex task and although work is well underway it is not yet complete. When the final results are known, consideration will be given to applying the process to other prison establishments which have CCTV.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the result of his Department's latest review of security dogs at Her Majesty's prison establishments.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  In his report on the escape of two high-risk category A inmates from, Brixton on 7 July, Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons recommended that the area manager should urgently inquire into the adequacy of the provision of dogs in the manner in which they are used. The review has been completed. the procedures in use confirmed, and an increase in the number of dog handlers agreed.

  John Hilton
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will investigate the circumstances in which John Hilton, a convicted murderer, was released on licence in January 1978.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The circumstances of John Hilton's release on life licence in January 1978 are that following a
  333
  positive Parole Board recommendation and having consulted the judiciary, the Secretary of State authorised the release.

  Remand Prisoners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has yet held a review of the current policy of not classifying remand prisoners who are an exceptional risk, and requiring them to be held in a special secure unit separate from standard risk prisoners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  This review is in hand. As my right hon. Friend said in a statement on 5 August following the report of Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons into the

  Name

  Date of escape

  Sentence length

  Time served

  Penalty imposed on recapture

  Transfer destination

  Doyle

  7 November 1990

  3 years 6 months

  1 year

  —

  Still at large

  Smith

  7 November 1990

  2 years

  1 year 2 months

  —

  Still at large

  Clarke

  14 January 1991

  2 years 2 months

  6 months

  175 days LOR

  HMP Stafford

  Hunter

  22 February 1991

  2 years 6 months

  4 months

  140 days LOR

  HMP Hull

  Barker

  22 Febuary 1991

  1 year 6 months

  8 months

  190 days LOR

  HMP Hull

  Dewhurst

  27 February 1991

  2 years

  1 year 1 month

  190 days LOR

  HMP Stafford

  Baker

  29 April 1991

  1 year 6 months

  1 month

  150 days LOR

  HMP Everthorpe

  White

  29 April 1991

  3 years

  1 year 1 month

  165 days LOR

  HMP Hull

  O'Neill

  1 May 1991

  1 year

  7 months

  —

  Still at large

  Shannon

  1 May 1991

  4 years 3 months

  2 years 2 months

  190 days LOR

  HMP Liverpool

  Dunne

  23 May 1991

  9 years

  2 years 10 months

  170 days LOR

  HMP Bedford

  Stones

  24 June 1991

  Life

  6 years 7 months

  Charges not proven

  HMP Leeds

  Berseberry

  24 June 1991

  4 years

  11 months

  170 days LOR

  HMP Liverpool

  Rafiq

  24 June 1991

  2 years 9 months

  2 months

  Charges not proven

  HMP Hull

  Wright

  26 June 1991

  1 year

  4 months

  180 days LOR

  HMP Norwich

  Pickering

  6 July 1991

  1 year 7 months

  8 months

  156 days LOR

  Remains at HMP Lindholme

  Winspear

  8 August 1991

  3 years 6 months

  20 days

  155 days LOR

  HMP Hull

  Neale

  27 August 1991

  2 years

  1 year

  —

  Still at large

  Burrows

  6 September 1991

  3 years

  1 year 1 month

  —

  Still at large

  Bradley

  18 September 1991

  2 years 6 months 12 days

  7 months

  142 days LOR

  Remains at HMP Lindholme

  Luttman

  18 September 1991

  3 years

  2 years 3 months

  —

  Still at large

  MacGillivary

  27 September 1991

  5 years

  1 year 10 months

  —

  Still at large

  Charnley

  27 September 1991

  3 years 6 months

  2 years 2 months

  —

  Still at large

  Barratt

  29 September 1991

  3 years 6 months

  1 year 3 months

  —

  Still at large

  Graham

  29 September 1991

  2 years 6 months

  1 year 1 month

  —

  Still at large

  1 LOR = Loss of remission.

  Dogs
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all outstanding legislation on dogs which has not yet come into force; and if he will indicate when he expects each piece to come into force.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information requested is as follows:

  (i) Guard Dogs Act 1975, Sections 2–7
  There are no plans for these sections, which provide for the licensing of guard dogs, to be brought into force.

  (ii) Environmental Protection Act 1990,

  Sections 149–151
  These sections, concerning local authorities' responsibilities for stray dogs, will come into force on 1 April 1992.

  In addition, after 30 November 1991 it will be an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 to possess a dog of a type specially controlled by section 1 unless a certificate of exemption is in force.
  334
  Brixton escape, it will need to take account of any comments by Mr. G. H. Lakes and Mr. R. Hadfield who are conducting a security audit into arrangements for holding and managing category A prisoners.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for the last 12 months, in respect of Her Majesty's prison Lindholme, the inmates who have escaped; what sentence had been given; how much had been served in each case; what additional sentence or penalty was imposed on those recaptured; and to what prison they were transferred.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The following information relates to the 25 prisoners who escaped from Her Majesty's prison Lindholme in the 12 months to 15 October 1991.

  Court of Appeal
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will bring in legislation to provide Court of Appeal judges with a full transcript of the trial under review; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  The criminal appeal rules already provide for the recording of any appealable proceedings —although counsel's opening and closing speeches need not be recorded unless the judge so directs—and for the retention of notes for a period and their transcription as necessary when requested by the registrar of criminal appeals or by an interested party.

  Marital Guidance Agencies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each marital guidance agency the amount of funding they currently receive; and when he will announce the results of his recently completed funding review of marital guidance agencies.
  335
  Mr. John Patten
  The grants-in-aid to the agencies for the present financial year are:

  £

  RELATE

  1,107,500

  Tavistock Institute of Marital Studies

  352,500

  Catholic Marriage Advisory Council

  144,200

  Family Welfare Association

  22,200

  One plus One (formerly the Marriage Research Centre)

  16,100

  Jewish Marriage Council

  8,000

  Future levels of funding are under consideration as part of the current public expenditure survey.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what physical adaptations and additions have been made to courts in Wales to ensure the effective implementation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the case of magistrates courts the provision of accommodation is a matter for the magistrates' courts committee to determine after consultation with the providing local authority concerned. The Home Office has provided capital grant to fund the creation of an extra courtroom for juvenile and family work at Swansea. This is in addition to other improvements to accommodation for children's proceedings in Welsh magistrates' courts for which Home Office project approval was not required which may have been undertaken.

  Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will ask the Data Protection Register to investigate the current practice whereby the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency sends out advertising literature on behalf of the British School of Motoring with every new provisional licence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I understand that the Data Protection Registrar has concluded that this practice does not constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act 1984. However the matter is separately under consideration by the Director General of Fair Trading.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people convicted to date for non-payment of poll tax in each local area were in receipt of income support; and how many received prison sentences.

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

  Prison Riots
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make available to the hon. Member for Don Valley a copy of the Official Report into the riots at Her Majesty's prisons Lindholme and Moorland.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The reports of the inquiries into the recent disturbances at Lindholme and Moorland are 336
  internal management documents which, because of security and other implications, are not intended to be published. I shall however ensure that the hon. Member is made fully aware of the findings.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Home Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My Department's expenditure on hospitality in the financial year 1990–91 was £30,080.

  Invoice Payments
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The policy of the Department is to pay all invoices within the agreed terms of the contract or order or, in the absence of agreed terms, within 30 days of receipt of the goods or the presentation of a valid invoice, whichever is the later. The Department recognises and supports the principles of prompt payment and is participating in the examination of payment performance being undertaken by the Department of Employment in this financial year.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers and proportions of Criminal Injuries Compensation Board applications in 1980 and 1990 which led to an appeal(a) against refusal of an award and (b) against quantum, giving in each category the numbers of such appeals that were allowed.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Criminal Injuries Compensation Board does not record details of the number of successful hearings in the form requested and this information could not be obtained without disproportionate cost. Details of numbers of applications received and appeal hearings decided in each financial year are published in the board's annual reports. Information for the years ended 31 March 1980 and 31 March 1990, the most recent for which figures are available, is shown in the following table:

  In year ended 31 March

  1980

  1990

  New applications received

  22,801

  53,655

  Total hearings requested by applicant or referred by board member

  2,450

  7,203

  As percentage of new applications

  10·7

  13·4

  Decision taken at hearing:

  (a) full awards

  786

  1,987

  (b) reduced awards

  82

  362

  (c) No awards

  357

  1,548

  Total hearing decisions

  1,225

  3,897

  Badgers
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions were instigated and how many were successful under the Badgers Act 1973 in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the fine in each successful case.

  Mr John Patten
  The information requested is given in the table. The 1990 data are not yet available.

  Number of defendants prosecuted, convicted and sentenced to a fine by amount of fine under the Badgers Act 1973, 1989 England and Wales

  Number

  Prosecutions

  63

  Convictions

  53

  Sentence of a fine

  52

  Amount of fine:

  Under £100

  3

  £100 to under £200

  5

  £200 to under £300

  19

  £300 to under £400

  9

  £400 to under £500

  6

  £500 to under £600

  5

  £600 to under £700

  1

  £700 to under £800

  2

  £800 to under £900

  —

  £900 to under £1,000

  —

  £1,000

  2

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether the Data Protection Registrar has been provided with all necessary information so that all the data protection requirements can be considered by him in relation to(a) Schengen, (b) Trevi, (c) the proposal for a national DNA database and (d) the new national police computer; whether he will place in the Library a copy of any briefing material given to the registrar; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Home Office is committed to keeping the Registrar informed of all proposals with data protection implications for which it has responsibility. I am confident that that commitment is being fulfilled; it would not be appropriate to place copies of briefing material in the Library.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he has any plans to contribute to the citizens' charter by including proposals to allow individual voters to consent to disclosures of their personal data from the electoral register to those who obtain the register for marketing purposes, or proposals to stop the export of electoral registers, for marketing purposes, to countries that have no data protection legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The whole purpose of the electoral register is to provide a comprehensive and publicly available list of the names and addresses of those who are eligible to vote. The provisions governing the publication and supply of the register reflect this and the fact that its use by commercial organisations, either in this country or overseas, could not effectively be prevented.

  National Prison Survey
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the information from the national prison survey will be made available.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  We plan to make results from the national prison survey available in spring 1992.

  Asylum
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will indicate the basis for his estimate of 50,000 applications for asylum expected in 1991; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will list the number of applications by individuals for asylum received in each month in 1990 end 1991 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on asylum applications in 1990 and 1991 is given in the table. Some of the 1990 figures are likely to understate because of delays in recording. The 1991 figures are based on a new recording system, introduced in January 1991, which counts new asylum applications immediately on their receipt in the asylum and special cases division, and so provides fuller and improved information.

  In the first six months of 1991 applications totalled around 24,000. In the period January to September as a whole, around 34,000 applications have been received. All these figures exclude dependants.

  Applications received1 2 for asylum in the United Kingdom, by quarter and month, 1990–91

  19903

  Number

  Quarter 1

  3,360

  Quarter 2

  3,615

  Quarter 3

  6,800

  Quarter 4

  7,545

  1991

  January

  4,370

  February

  3,450

  March

  3,880

  April

  5,280

  May

  3,805

  June

  3,000

  July

  3,720

  August

  3,350

  September

  3,525

  1Excluding dependants.

  2Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest 5.

  31990 figures are estimates which may understate because of delays in recording, particularly for the fourth quarter. In total applications in 1990, excluding dependants, are estimated at over 22,000 (over 30,000 including dependants). Reliable monthly estimates for 1990 are not yet available.

  Private Security Industry
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what plans he has to introduce public regulation for the private security industry;

  (2) if he will place in the Library a copy of the working party's report on the private security industry; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  We are considering a range of options for improving the regulation of the private security industry which goes wider than those considered by the working group. We will make a statement in due course covering all the relevant issues when a decision has been reached.

  Elections
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will set out the fees currently payable to(a) presiding officers of polling stations, (b) poll clerks and (c) counting assistants at (i) local elections and (ii) parliamentary elections in Greater London;

  (2) what representations he has received about the impact of the Returning Officers' Charges Order 1991 on the recruitment of essential election staff in Greater London; and what response he has made.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Current maximum levels of recoverable expenditure at a parliamentary election are specified in the Returning Officers' Charges Order 1991—SI 1991 No. 1687. The fees payable to presiding officers and poll clerks in a constituency in a London borough are £106 and £72 respectively. The fees paid to counting assistants are at the discretion of the acting returning officer, subject to a maximum recoverable amount for the conduct of the count. The fees paid at a local government election are a matter for the local authority concerned.

  We have received representations on this subject from a number of acting returning officers in London and elsewhere, and from the Society of Local Authority Chief Executives, the Association of District Secretaries and the London Boroughs Association. The case for an increase in the level of fees before the general election is being considered.

  Immigration (Carriers' Liability)
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will give the number of passengers who have been the subject of a fine imposed under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1986 in each year since its operation to the latest available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The number of demands issued to carriers under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1987 is as follows:

  Number

  1987

  3,921

  1988

  4,211

  1989

  7,863

  1990

  9,532

  19911

  8,260

  1 To end September.

  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total amount of fines imposed under the Immigration (Carriers' Liability) Act 1986; and what is the total amount unpaid as at 30 September or the nearest available date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The total amount of charges demanded of carriers to 14 October was £33·989 million, of which £15·222 million had been paid. Liability in respect of £2·497 million has been waived, leaving £16·270 million outstanding.

  Police Force (Computer Misuse)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the level of computer misuse in the police force.
  340
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The responsibility for security of police computer systems is a matter for chief officers. The code of practice for police computer systems prepared by the Association of Chief Police Officers, provides detailed advice on the security measures to be taken against unauthorised access to, or alteration or disclosure of, personal data. A copy of the code is in the Library.

  Comprehensive information of computer misuse is not available centrally, but I understand that so far this year 23 alleged offences under the Data Protection Act 1984 have been considered by the Director of Public Prosecutions. It was decided to institute criminal proceedings in three of these cases.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating interdepartmental action required to prepare this report so that it may be submitted to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year. The Home Office's contributions meet the timetable for this action.

  Homicides
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) women and (b) men are currently in prison for killing their spouse or partner.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Victim information is recorded centrally only for prisoners received to serve a life sentence for an offence of homicide. According to these records, which are approximate, 299 males and 22 females in prison service establishments in England and Wales on 31 December 1990 were serving life sentences for the murder or manslaughter of their spouse or lover.

  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the figures for ( a ) the total number of homicides in England and Wales and(b) the total number of homicides in England and Wales in which the victim was a child, in (i) the last complete year in which the death penalty was available to the courts and (ii) each year since the death penalty ceased to be available to the courts.

  Mr. John Patten
  The Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act 1965 came into operation on 9 November 1965.

  The total number of homicides in England and Wales for each year since 1964 is included in table 4.1 of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1989" a copy of which is in the Library. An age breakdown of currently recorded homicide victims is available only from 1967 and the information for 1979 to 1989 is published in table 4.6 of "Criminal Statistics England and Wales 1989"; the figures available for children aged under 16 are shown in the following table.

  341

  Offences currently1 recorded as homicide where victim aged under 16 years

  Year

  Number of offences

  1967–71

  1052

  1972–76

  1002

  1977

  72

  1978

  86

  1979

  90

  1980

  72

  1981

  80

  1982

  90

  1983

  74

  1984

  82

  1985

  103

  1986

  60

  1987

  78

  1988

  100

  1989

  71

  1As at June 1990; figures are subject to revision as cases are dealt with by the police and the courts, or as further information becomes available.

  2 Average per year.

  Source: Criminal Statistics volumes: 1977 Table 9.4; 1987 Table 4.6; 1989 Table 4.6.

  London Traffic
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the extent of the traffic disruption in central London on 20 September; and what steps he proposes to avoid a recurrence.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The management of traffic in London is an operational matter for the commissioner. I understand, however, that the traffic in central London was disrupted on 20 September by an unpredictable combination of the collapse of a crane in Upper Thames street, the reporting of a suspect device in the Victoria area and a broken down vehicle in the Euston underpass.

  Vehicle Excise Duty
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what efforts his Department is making in conjunction with police authorities to curb vehicle excise duty avoidance; what guidance he has given to chief constables on this issue; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The enforcement of vehicle excise duty offences is an operational matter for individual chief officers of police. I understand that police officers and traffic wardens regularly report vehicle excise offences to local vehicle licensing officers for enforcement action and support enforcement campaigns run by DVLA the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

  Young Offenders
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many under-17s are presently being detained in adult prisons and remand centres.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Recent information is expected to become available shortly and I shall write to the hon. Member.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been convicted for non-payment of poll tax; how many were(a) denied by
  342
  magistrates the right to a McKenzie friend to be present and (b) convicted without review of their eligibility to poll tax benefit; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  In the period 1 April 1990 to 30 June 1991 the magistrates courts made 3,960,111 liability orders in community charge enforcement proceedings. The other information requested is not available.

  Malicious Communications Act
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prosecutions under the Malicious Communications Act 1988 have been made in(a) 1989, (b) 1990 and (c) 1991 so far.

  Mr. John Patten
  In England and Wales in 1989 there were 49 prosecutions under the Malicious Communications Act 1988. 1990 and 1991 data are not yet available.

  Fishing Vessel Losses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what guidance is given to police forces on the notification of next of kin of crew members in the event of the loss of British registered fishing vessels in United Kingdom waters.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no such guidance. The police assume responsibility for notifying next of kin in the case of all fatal accidents, although there is no statutory requirement for them to do so.

  Riot Costs
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on Government assistance to meet the costs of the riots incurred by the Northumbria policy authority.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Northumbria police authority has written to my right hon. Friend requesting a special payment in respect of costs incurred and expected as a result of the recent disturbances. This is being carefully considered.

  Northamptonshire Constabulary
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what was the change in establishments for(a) uniformed police officers and (b) civilians for the Northamptonshire constabulary for each year since 1974.

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

  Road Traffic Offences
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has reached a decision on the setting of new levels of fixed penalties for road traffic offences.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  After considering the results of the consultation exercise on the level of fixed penalties, I have decided that the new penalty levels should be £40 for offences involving obligatory endorsement; £40 for illegal parking on a red route; £30 for illegal parking in London
  343
  outside the red routes and £20 for illegal parking elsewhere and for all other non-endorsable offences. These penalty levels will be brought into effect from 1 April 1992. A statutory instrument subject to the negative resolution procedure will be laid in due course.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  World Population Day
  Sir Charles Morrison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps his Department took to mark World Population Day on 11 July; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I gave a speech on the Overseas Development Administration's population policy at a meeting on 11 July organised by the all-party parliamentary group on population and development, to mark World Population Day. In it I emphasised the increasing assistance that we are giving to population programmes in developing countries, and our plans to do even more.

  In August I announced a new ODA initiative, "Children by Choice not Chance", which included proposals for further assistance to strengthen reproductive health services, improve the availability of contraceptive supplies, and enable women to take greater control over their lives in eight identified priority countries. We are now identifying the best opportunities to take these proposals forward.

  Children (Overseas Aid)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of overseas aid is earmarked for projects specifically targeted at children.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Our aid programme aims to benefit children by supporting broad-based development, including giving families the opportunities to increase their incomes. In addition, our aid for mother and child health improvements, for enhancing the role of women in development, for giving people the opportunity to have children by choice not chance, and for the education sector has a direct impact on the well-being of children. Earmarking a share of the aid programme for children has not been needed to carry these policies forward.

  UN Trade and Development Report
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the findings and projections of the recently published United Nations Trade and Development report 1991 in so far as it affects the policies of his Department's Overseas Development Administration.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The wide range of issues in the United Nations trade and development report 1991 was discussed at the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development's trade and development board in Geneva in early October. Resolutions were agreed, by consensus, on debt and sustainable development. The board also discussed the crucial question of good government, which is essential for all development.

  Mozambique
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Government will provide assistance to Oxfam for an airlift in Mozambique.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Yes. In the light of an updated assessment of the situation by our embassy in Maputo. and in response to a renewed request from Oxfam, a sum of £228,000 is being made available for this purpose.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  French Ministers
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on his most recent meetings with the French Foreign and Defence ministers.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Defence and for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs held talks with the French Foreign and Defence Ministers on 13 October. My right honourable Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs explained the thinking behind the Anglo-Italian declaration on European security and Defence and there ensued a very useful exchange of views. The meeting was part of a pattern of bilaterals working up to the WEU ministerial meeting later this month, the NATO summit in November and the European Council in December.

  Hospitality, Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Expenditure by both wings of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on hospitality for the financial year 1990–91 was £6,397,000.

  The figure includes the grant-in-aid to the Government hospitality fund, which meets the costs of ministerial entertainment and guest of Government visits for all Government Departments, the cost of other official entertainment by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and by diplomatic missions overseas.

  Small Businesses (Payments)
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Our policy is to pay all suppliers as speedily as possible within the terms specified on invoices. The Department recognises the special problems experienced by small and medium-sized businesses and is currently participating in the examination of payment performance being undertaken by the Department of Employment this financial year.

  Sofia University
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps the British Council is taking to assist Sofia university to broaden its curriculum.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The British Council English studies resource centre to be based within Sofia university from Easter 1992 will provide staff and students with up-to-date reference material on curriculum development.

  Ethiopia
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, following Zimbabwe's accession to the genocide convention 1946, if he will support a demand for the extradition of ex-President Mengistu Haile Mariam to stand trial for genocide and crimes against humanity.

  Mrs. Chalker
  It is for the Ethiopian transitional Government to decide whether they wish to seek Mengistu's extradition.

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what response has been made by Her Majesty's Government to the appeal made by King Juan Carlos of Spain to the United Nations General Assembly on 7 October that a rapid solution be found to outstanding problems concerning Gibraltar.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We are always ready to consider any constructive proposals for the future of Gibraltar consistent with our long-standing commitment to respect the wishes of the Gibraltarians on sovereignty.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to seek further reductions in strategic nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We have supported throughout United States-Soviet efforts to reduce strategic nuclear weapons. Our policy is to maintain an effective minimum nuclear deterrent. We have always taken the view that, if there were to be further substantial reductions in United States and Soviet arsenals, and no significant improvements in defensive capabilities, we would consider how best we might contribute to the arms control process in the light of the changed circumstances.

  EC Security Policy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the Foreign Affairs Council has discussed conventional arms sales and security policy of European Community member states, pursuant to article 223 of the treaty of Rome since the end of main hostilities of the Gulf war.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Gulf war highlighted the need for restraint in the supply of conventional armaments to areas of tension. Ministers have discussed the issue on several occasions. At the Luxembourg European Council 346
  on 28–29 June, the Twelve issued a declaration on conventional arms transfers and non-proliferation which included a set of agreed criteria to guide national policies on arms exports. The Twelve are also co-sponsoring a resolution at the United Nations General Assembly for the establishment of a register of arms sales.

  EC Foreign Affairs Council
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and the outcome of the Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Haarzingen on 5 and 6 October.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 14 October, c.59.

  UN Convention on Refugees
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State forr Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans to withdraw from the 1951 United Nations convention on refugees; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  No.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether, following the failed military coup in the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom has pursued discussions with its two fellow depository states for the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, the United States and Soviet Union, over the legality of the proposed transfer of control of Soviet nuclear weapons to the Russian Federation, in the context of the provisions of article 1 of the nuclear non-proliferation treaty.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We are not aware of any formal proposal of this nature.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what was the outcome of the meeting in Vienna in September between the ambassadors to the International Atomic Energy Agency of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and the Secretary General of the IAEA on the issue of future nuclear non-proliferation controls.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Vienna-based representatives of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council met the director general of the IAEA on a number of occasions in September to discuss a wide range of issues including the strengthening of the international nuclear non-proliferation regime. The ambassadors and the IAEA agreed on the need to consult closely on the issue of new safeguards approaches in preparation for thorough discussion at forthcoming meetings of the IAEA board of governors.

  Arms Control
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when his Department next expects to host a discussion form with non-governmental organisations on arms control, disarmament and security issues; whether he will attend the meeting; and if he will give consideration to the provision of travel costs to representatives of those non-governmental organisations not based in or near London.
  347
  Mr Douglas Hogg
  Invitations have already been issued for the next meeting with non-governmental organisations on 26 November. I plan to attend. Funds are not available to cover the travel costs of participants.

  European Political Union
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress in the negotiations on European political and economic and monetary union leading up to the Maastricht European Council on 8 December; and what is his policy on the relative priority of Community deepening measures and widening the Community as new member states seek accession.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I refer my hon. Friend to the written answers my right hon. Friends the Chancellor of the Exchequer and Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs gave on 14 October, column 15, and 16 October, column 156, respectively, reporting the 7 October meeting of ECOFIN, and the political union intergovernmental conference ministerial meetings of 29 July and 30 September.

  We support both the deepening and widening of the Community. We are working for the completion of the single market by the end of 1992 and a good outcome at the intergovernmental conferences with which we can all agree. We support the enlargement of the Community to include those states which wish to join, which meet the economic and political criteria and which can take on all the responsibilities of European Community membership.

  Nuclear Weapons (Latin America)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether Her Majesty's Government have at any time been in breach of their obligations under the treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom is not a party to the treaty for the prohibition of nuclear weapons in Latin America. It is, however, a party to additional protocols I and II to that treaty and has always wholly complied with its obligations under those protocols.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating the work among interested Whitehall Departments to prepare a progress report in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action, with the aim of submitting it to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year. At that time a copy of the report will be placed in the Library of the House.

  Children's Rights
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs from which dependent territories he has had responses regarding the ratification 348
  of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child; what those responses have been; and if he will make a statement on when the United Kingdom intends to ratify the convention.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Responses have been received from 10 of the 11 inhabited dependent territories in which they have set out their initial positions on ratification of the United Nations convention on the rights of the child. Consultations are proceeding with a view to ratification of the convention as soon as possible.

  Commonwealth Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the Commonwealth conference held in Zimbabwe.

  Mrs. Chalker
  As the Commonwealth conference is still in session in Harare, a statement is not appropriate at present.

  United Nations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the role of the United Nations organisation; and what have been Her Majesty's Government's annual contribu-tions to the United Nations in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  At the London economic summit in July this year, the G7 stated:"We must reinforce the multilateral approach to the solution of common problems and work to strengthen the international system of which the United Nations, based on its Charter, remains so central a part".

  The United Kingdom continues to play a full and active part in the United Nations. Our contributions to the United Nations regular budget since 1979 have been:

  Financial year

  £'000

  1979–80

  10,386

  1980–81

  10,316

  1981–82

  14,020

  1982–83

  15,711

  1983–84

  18,500

  1984–85

  23,343

  1985–86

  24,628

  1986–87

  23,615

  1987–88

  21,492

  1988–89

  19,358

  1989–90

  20,621

  1990–91

  24,564

  1991–921

  27,122

  1 Estimated.

  Israel
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether the United Kingdom ambassador to the United Nations raised the status of United Nations resolution 3379 (1975) on Israel and Zionism during the present meeting of the United Nations General Assembly.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  UNGA resolution 3379 (1975), which determined that Zionism is a form of racism, has not yet been debated at the 46th session of the United Nations General Assembly. But our position is well known. We have always deplored this resolution. We voted against it at the time. We support the proposal to secure its repeal.

  Iraq
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, from information presently available to Her Majesty's Government, he will make an estimate of the number of scientists, engineers and technicians that Iraq has devoted to its military nuclear programme; and the resources put into the programme over the past 10 years.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  It is clear that Iraq has devoted considerable resources to its nuclear weapons development programme, both in terms of manpower and funds. The documents recently discovered by the sixth International Atomic Energy Agency inspection may provide the information necessary to make a firmer estimate. The UN has published the sixth IAEA inspection team's first report—document S/23122 of 8 October—and this is available in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his Departmental library a copy of the videocassette and transcript of the programme, "The Other War", on famine in Iraq since the Gulf war, broadcast on Channel 4 on 26 September.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The relevant departments in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office have seen this programme. It would cost more than £150·00 to obtain a copy of the videocassette and transcript for retention. However, a copy could be borrowed from Channel 4 television if required.

  NATO
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is his policy towards associate membership of NATO for former members of the Warsaw Pact.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We strongly support the development of the diplomatic liaison relationship between NATO and the former members of the Warsaw pact, which was launched at the London NATO summit in 1990; but we do not believe that NATO should offer membership or associate membership to these countries: this would involve entering into a security commitment which we could not fulfil.

  Croatia
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what humanitarian aid has been given by Britain to Croatia during the course of the recent fighting.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The United Kingdom has given no bilateral humanitarian aid to Croatia. The European Community has committed 1 million ecu in emergency assistance to Yugoslavia for the purchase of transport and distribution of medicine, medical supplies and essential services to meet humanitarian needs resulting from the present troubles.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the Yugoslav federal army's targeting of churches for destruction in Croatia.
  350
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The British Government do not have the information about the Yugoslav federal army's operational targeting.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on his Department's position on the recognition of borders in Yugoslavia set by the use of force.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  In common with its European Community partners, the United Kingdom has consistently stated that it will not recognise any change in borders achieved by violence.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the ability of the Croatian Government to meet the needs of refugees in Croatia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Croatian Government have not provided us with information on this subject.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will give his reasons for deciding not to recognise the independence of Croatia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The republics which wish to receive independence will have it. But the independence of one republic should not be achieved at the expense of others. We believe that it is right to work for an overall settlement. Without one there can be no effective guarantees for the rights of minorities; unless minorities are being protected, the region will remain unstable.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on the numbers and situation of refugees from the fighting in Croatia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  According to the latest information available, between 15,000 and 25,000 Yugoslav refugees were estimated to have travelled to Hungary by late September. There are no doubt far greater numbers of refugees displaced inside Yugoslavia itself.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has on legislation passed by the Croatian Parliament to protect the rights of ethnic minorities within Croatia's internal borders and the extent to which such legislation has met EC recommendations for legislation protecting the rights of ethnic minorities in Croatia.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The question of minority rights will be crucial in finding a peaceful settlement to Yugoslavia's problems. Satisfactory protection of the rights of ethnic minorities throughout Yugoslavia will need to be negotiated in the peace conference chaired by Lord Carrington in The Hague.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what information he has regarding the military weapons and equipment available to(a) the Croatian Government and (b) the Yugoslav federal army.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  A comprehensive answer to this question would involve disproportionate expense and the use of confidential information.

  Hong Kong (Vietnamese Migrants)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong.

  Mr. Hurd
  There are now nearly 64,000 Vietnamese migrants in Hong Kong. They are living in camps which, although the Government of Hong Kong have done their best to make the living conditions acceptable, were not designed for long-term stay. The bulk of the immigrants are not genuine refugees: more than 80 per cent. of those screened since screening was introduced in Hong Kong in June 1988 have been determined not to be refugees. Arrivals in Hong Kong this year have been much higher than in 1990.

  Over 20,000 have arrived since January, 250 per cent. more than for the same period last year. No other country in the region is receiving more than a fraction of these numbers. Hong Kong cannot cope with so many migrants. The solution must be to implement fully the comprehensive plan of action (CPA) agreed by 74 countries at the second international conference on Indo-Chinese refugees in June 1989.

  Discussions continue between the British, Hong Kong and Vietnamese Governments on ways to implement the comprehensive plan of action in full and in particular the provision that all non-refugees should return to their country of origin in accordance with international practices. As a first step, agreement has now been reached on the modalities of returning the so-called double-backers. These are non-refugees who have abused the voluntary repatriation system: having volunteered to return to Vietnam from Hong Kong once, thereby benefitting from UNHCR's repatriation payment, they have entered Hong Kong illegally a second time out of economic self-interest. Meanwhile discussion of the detailed arrangements for repatriating other non-refugees in Hong Kong continues.

  The Vietnamese Government have guaranteed that no illegal immigrant who returns to Vietnam will face persecution. They will continue to facilitate the monitoring of all those who return by the UNHCR and others to ensure that these guarantees are fully respected. In the last two and a half years, more than 10,000 Vietnamese migrants have returned voluntarily to Vietnam from Hong Kong without a single substantiated case of persecution.

  As we have always made clear, we have great sympathy for the economic hardship which in many cases has persuaded the migrants to leave their country for Hong Kong. But they have been misled into believing that they will be resettled overseas in countries where they have greater economic opportunities. It is no service to the real refugee if he is not distinguished from those seeking to use asylum as a device to better their standard of living.

  To help those returning to take up their lives in Vietnam, we have made a pledge of £3 million to the $114 million international reintegration assistance programme. This is in addition to our substantial share of the European Community's contribution to this programme.

  Finally, the British Government hope and expect that signature of the comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict in Paris on 23 October will open a new and more hopeful chapter in the tragic history of Indo-China. If economic conditions improve, this will help to eliminate the root cause of the flow of migrants.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Clergy Stipends
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, what is the value of the average current stipend and emoluments of a beneficed clergyman; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alison
  I refer my hon. Friend to my answer to my hon. Friend the Member for Esher (Mr. Taylor) earlier today.

  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, if he will make a statement about trends in the level of minimum stipends during the past five years.

  Mr. Alison
  The national minimum stipend set by the commissioners as central stipends authority has increased by 54 per cent. since 1986, compared with an increase in the retail prices index of 36 per cent. Part of that increase relates to a special increase related to the introduction of the community charge, but even if that is stripped out, the relative improvement in stipends compared with the RPI is considerable. But further progress will depend very much on the giving of Church members, as more of the commissioners' income will be needed for pensions.

  Entertainment Expenses
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, representing the Church Commissioners, how much the Church Commissioners spent on entertainment expenses in 1990.

  Mr. Alison
  A total of £26,000, although most of this was spent on subsistence for Commissioners who travel to meetings from all over the country and who are not paid.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Council for National Academic Awards
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proposals he has for replacing the CNAA; and if he will make a statement on how he proposes to maintain impartial, academic quality control in the private sector of higher education.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The CNAA's role in validating courses in the private sector will be replaced by private sector institutions and organisations seeking validation from a degree awarding institution. Such validation arrangements will be subject to the approval of the new quality audit unit which the Government will look to higher education institutions collectively to establish. This will, among other things, take over the functions of the CNAA and the academic audit unit of the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals of monitoring quality control arrangements in institutions. Discussions are continuing within the higher education sector about the future location of other CNAA functions and services.

  Polytechnics
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what controls he is to introduce to ensure that polytechnics calling themselves universities do not adopt titles similar to existing universities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Under the arrangements outlined in the White Paper "Higher Education: A New Framework", Cm 1541, proposals from institutions to adopt university titles will be subject to the consent of the Privy Council. The Privy Council Office has written to all polytechnics indicating the general principles to be applied in considering such proposals. These will be that any new name should not be the same as or too like that of another university, and should not be misleading or offensive.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he has any plans to widen access for students to the private sector in higher education and to change the funding status of students attending Department of Education and Science designated courses in the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend welcomes the contribution which institutions in the private sector can make towards the provision of higher education. Applications from such institutions for the designation of courses for mandatory student awards and loans are considered in accordance with the relevant statutory provisions, and against the same academic and other standards as are applied to comparable courses in publicly funded institutions. Students on designated private sector courses enjoy the same rates and conditions of mandatory awards and loans as their counterparts in publicly-funded institutions, except that the maximum tuition fee currently payable through the mandatory award at most non-publicly-funded institutions is set at £665. We have no present plans to increase that maximum. Discretionary awards may be available for non-designated courses.

  Student Statistics
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the estimated number of students in(a) advanced and (b) further education in 1991; what were the comparable figures in 1979; and what is the forecast number for the year 2000 at current rates of growth.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In 1979–80 there were some 778,000 students in higher education in Great Britain. As shown in the May White Paper on higher education, Cm 1541, that is projected to rise to 1,221,000 in 1991–92 and to 1,595,000 in 2000–01. In further education there were 1,078,000 students in 1979–80 in England. By 1990–91—the latest

  Proposals involving the establishment of a tertiary college approved by the Secretary of State

  Proposal

  LEA

  Controlling political party

  Decision date

  16 May 1986

  Essex

  Hung

  27 October 1987

  23 January 1987

  Derbyshire

  Labour

  30 November 1987

  5 March 1987

  Northamptonshire

  Conservative

  3 December 1987

  18 March 1988

  Shropshire

  Hung

  22 March 1989

  9 June 1988

  Sefton

  Hung

  10 May 1989

  6 April 1988

  Cornwall

  Hung

  25 May 1989

  354
  year for which actual data are available—that had risen to 1,973,000. A projection to 2000–01 for further education has not been established.

  A-Levels
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils obtained(a) one or more and (b) three A-levels at grade C or above in 1991; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on the number achieving one or more A-levels at grade C or above is not currently available. My hon. Friend may however be interested to know that 113,450 school leavers achieved one or more A-levels at grade E or better in 1978–79; in 1989–90, the last year for which figures are available, the number was 137,860. If he requires further information I will be happy to write to him once it is available.

  In 1978–79, a total of 37,060 school leavers achieved three A-levels at grade C or better; in 1989–90, the last year for which figures are available the figure was 54,110.

  Pupil Statistics
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children attend(a) grant-maintained schools, (b) city technology colleges and (c) grammar schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  Provisional information on the number of pupils attending grant-maintained schools, city technology colleges and grammar schools in England in January 1991 is as follows:

  Number

  Grant-maintained schools1

  36,445

  City technology colleges

  3,429

  Grammar schools2

  91,116

  1 Includes 3,767 pupils in grant-maintained grammar schools.

  2 Includes local education authority maintained grammar schools only.

  Tertiary Reorganisation
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many local education authorities had tertiary reorganisation proposals approved by him in the past five years; and how many were Conservative-controlled local authorities.

  Mr. Fallon
  Since 1 January 1987, a total of 13 local education authorities have had statutory proposals involving the establishment of a tertiary college approved by the Secretary of State. Of these local authorities, two were Conservative controlled at the time the proposals were published. A breakdown of the proposals is given in the table:
  355

  Proposal

  LEA

  Controlling political party

  Decision date

  1 June 1988

  Knowsley

  Labour

  16 June 1989

  13 April 1988

  Rochdale

  Labour

  28 July 1989

  15 July 1988

  Derbyshire

  Labour

  25 August 1989

  17 June 1988

  Derbyshire

  Labour

  13 October 1989

  29 April 1988

  Essex

  Hung

  23 October 1989

  29 April 1988

  Essex

  Hung

  30 January 1990

  7 April 1989

  Barnsley

  Labour

  7 December 1989

  1 November 1990

  Cornwall

  Hung

  15 April 1991

  13 December 1990

  Wandsworth

  Conservative

  25 March 1991

  6 June 1990

  Sandwell

  Labour

  30 May 1991

  1 February 1991

  Southwark

  Labour

  16 July 1991

  22 January 1991

  Lewisham

  Labour

  20 August 1991

  Academic Clinical Staff
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide for increases in the salary award of academic clinical staff to create pay award parity with national health service staff.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Government have agreed an earmarked addition to the grant to the Universities Funding Council for 1991–92 of £2·5 million. This will enable academic clinical staff to receive pay increases in line with those for national health service doctors.

  Expenditure Data
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what proportion of gross domestic product is spent on education in the United Kingdom; and what comparable data he has for(a) the United States of America, (b) Japan and (c) Germany.

  Mr. Eggar
  The readily available data are as follows:

  Public Educational Expenditure1 as a percentage of Gross National Product (calendar year).

  1987

  United Kingdom

  4·8

  United States of America

  4·6

  Japan

  24·3

  Germany

  4·4

  Source: UNESCO Statistical Yearbook, 1990

  Education Statistics for the United Kingdom 1990

  1Public subsidies to the private sector are included for United Kingdom and Germany but excluded for Japan and the United States of America.

  2Estimated. Includes some private funding, but excludes fees.

  Local Budgets
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the total budget administered by local education authorities in England; and what is the figure per pupil.

  Mr. Fallon
  In 1989–90, the latest year for which information on actual expenditure is available, local 356
  education authorities' total net recurrent expenditure on education was some £15,800 million. Of this, some £10,000 million related to school-based spending in nursery, primary and secondary schools, which represents an average of some £1,485 per pupil in those schools.

  Business Invoices
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.

  Mr. Atkins
  This Department's policy is to pay all firms by the date on which payment is contractually due. Payment performance is monitored and an annual return is made to the Department of Employment.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current average pay level for teachers in(a) primary schools and (b) secondary schools; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

  Mr. Eggar
  In September 1991, the average salary of a teacher in a primary school was some £16,800. Among secondary school teachers the average was £18,400. These figures take account of the salaries of head and deputy head teachers. In April 1979, the figures were £5,220 and £5,520 respectively.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Department of Education and Science; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  In 1991–92 the Department has planned to spend £96,000 of its administration budget on providing official hospitality.

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children have benefited from the assisted places scheme since its inception; and how many are currently in school.

  Mr. Fallon
  Since the inception of the assisted places scheme in 1981, some 48,750 children have benefited from education at some of the best independent schools in the country. In the academic year 1990–91, there were 26,740 children holding assisted places.

  Child Abuse
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what guidelines his Department has produced for local education authorities to use when teachers are charged by pupils with child abuse;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the present arrangements covering teachers charged by pupils with child abuse.

  Mr. Fallon
  It is for local education authorities and the governing bodies of schools and other establishments to ensure that all cases in which child abuse by a teacher is suspected or alleged are dealt with in accordance with locally established child protection procedures. Revised guidance about the role of the education service and other agencies in child abuse cases is given in the booklet "Working Together Under The Children Act 1989" published on 14 October by the Department of Health, jointly with the Home Office, my Department, and the

  LEA maintained further education colleges1

  Adult Education Centres

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  City of London

  —

  859

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Camden

  —

  3,367

  3,065

  —

  —

  16,789

  Greenwich

  —

  1,836

  2,182

  —

  —

  15,058

  Hackney

  —

  4,761

  4,203

  —

  —

  8,109

  Hammersmith

  —

  4,509

  4,262

  —

  —

  8,759

  Islington

  —

  4,392

  4,630

  —

  —

  8,787

  Kensington

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9,952

  Lambeth

  —

  7,633

  7,027

  —

  —

  215,965

  Lewisham

  —

  5,287

  5,678

  —

  —

  12,211

  Southwark

  —

  3,268

  3,305

  —

  —

  9,802

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  956

  —

  —

  25,607

  Wandsworth

  —

  8,746

  9,520

  —

  —

  15,763

  Westminster

  —

  2,745

  2,526

  —

  —

  18,105

  ILEA3

  51,393

  —

  —

  185,346

  174,506

  —

  Barking

  2,201

  2,311

  2,459

  4,299

  4,849

  4,475

  Barnet

  15,001

  14,630

  14,284

  4,305

  5,069

  4,865

  Bexley

  1,793

  2,600

  2,337

  13,199

  13,049

  12,445

  Brent

  5,520

  5,739

  5,875

  3,503

  3,640

  5,172

  Bromley

  2,259

  2,143

  2,351

  14,759

  15,569

  15,686

  Croydon

  2,898

  3,542

  3,721

  15,773

  17,613

  18,382

  Ealing

  4,440

  4,703

  4,858

  8,842

  9,405

  9,670

  Enfield

  11,124

  11,741

  12,464

  —

  —

  —

  Haringey

  4,270

  5,064

  5,277

  8,451

  9,274

  43,000

  Harrow

  16,676

  14,462

  14,249

  —

  —

  —

  Havering

  3,014

  4,018

  4,559

  8,655

  8,245

  7,939

  Hillingdon

  2,087

  2,202

  2,433

  8,411

  8,898

  8,632

  Hounslow

  2,056

  2,716

  2,748

  11,320

  12,013

  10,982

  Kingston upon Thames

  1,908

  1,879

  1,686

  9,830

  8,751

  7,333

  Merton

  2,465

  2,129

  2,448

  7,439

  7,890

  8,095

  Newham

  8,334

  8,632

  10,306

  —

  —

  —

  Redbridge

  2,390

  2,435

  2,630

  6,830

  8,035

  7,036

  Richmond upon Thames

  442

  564

  691

  17,000

  18,000

  218,500

  Sutton

  15,096

  13,947

  13,499

  595

  603

  489

  Waltham Forest

  4,312

  4,954

  5,326

  8,952

  8,831

  8,939

  Birmingham

  18,657

  20,030

  22,766

  33,889

  34,433

  35,274

  Coventry

  9,131

  9,526

  11,353

  5,648

  5,341

  5,500

  358
  Welsh Office. This makes it clear that, for all educational establishments, local procedures should cover circumstances where a member of staff is accused or suspected of abuse.

  Local education authorities and governing bodies are required to make a report to the Department if a teacher or other employee working with children is dismissed or resigns on grounds of misconduct, and the police make a report if such a person is convicted of a criminal offence. All cases reported to the Department are considered to determine whether action by the Secretary of State to bar the person from taking up similar employment in the future is necessary.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many teachers for each of the past five years accused of child abuse were subsequently acquitted; and how many convicted.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested is not available.

  Adult Education
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on how many students have enrolled on adult education causes over the last three years, analysed by local education authority.

  Mr. Eggar
  Further education enrolments by local education authorities in England of people aged 19 and over in LEA-maintained FE colleges and adult education centres from 1988–89 to 1990–91 are as follows:
  359

  LEA maintained further education colleges1

  Adult Education Centres

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Dudley

  14,082

  17,901

  19,739

  840

  693

  —

  Sandwell

  7,652

  8,082

  8,317

  5,431

  5,243

  4,233

  Solihull

  3,870

  4,992

  4,840

  6,355

  6,478

  6,296

  Walsall

  4,537

  4,701

  5,170

  12,561

  11,253

  12,716

  Wolverhampton

  8,293

  8,075

  9,645

  9,951

  10,175

  10,611

  Knowsley

  3,586

  4,947

  3,905

  —

  —

  —

  Liverpool

  17,308

  18,225

  17,165

  18,673

  19,268

  19,457

  St. Helens

  8,086

  7,807

  7,026

  —

  —

  —

  Sefton

  8,046

  7,775

  8,454

  2,884

  3,436

  3,746

  Wirral

  17,320

  18,380

  17,214

  —

  —

  —

  Bolton

  14,194

  13,370

  4,503

  —

  —

  2 410,000

  Bury

  2,409

  2,442

  2,787

  6,565

  6,477

  6,555

  Manchester

  32,292

  37,721

  12,613

  —

  —

  512,967

  Oldham

  2,250

  2,456

  2,019

  11,211

  11,204

  9,282

  Rochdale

  8,004

  4,554

  6,098

  1,240

  3,242

  3,232

  Salford

  1,560

  1,929

  9,634

  6,743

  7,123

  —

  Stockport

  3,985

  4,726

  5,281

  13,059

  13,514

  13,359

  Tameside

  9,585

  9,744

  8,700

  —

  —

  —

  Trafford

  8,273

  10,647

  10,702

  —

  —

  —

  Wigan

  9,431

  9,893

  10,316

  3,153

  3,584

  2,453

  Barnsley

  3,122

  3,137

  3,485

  5,047

  5,269

  422

  Doncaster

  14,159

  14,473

  13,875

  —

  —

  —

  Rotherham

  13,001

  14,083

  12,898

  —

  —

  —

  Sheffield

  23,828

  25,459

  25,801

  —

  —

  —

  Bradford

  22,307

  22,501

  21,107

  —

  —

  —

  Calderdale

  2,782

  3,410

  3,882

  7,336

  8,394

  7,924

  Kirklees

  6,918

  7,400

  12,647

  9,681

  10,542

  5,361

  Leeds

  15,052

  15,541

  19,925

  23,734

  22,949

  21,600

  Wakefield

  5,024

  5,556

  5,561

  7,056

  7,125

  6,953

  Gateshead

  4,000

  5,032

  5,153

  1,430

  1,710

  1,251

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  5,802

  6,445

  5,880

  7,264

  5,923

  5,540

  North Tyneside

  4,985

  4,093

  4,110

  6,131

  8,374

  6,524

  South Tyneside

  4,306

  5,461

  5,889

  800

  1,119

  1,030

  Sunderland

  5,017

  5,759

  7,087

  3,334

  3,673

  3,191

  Avon

  25,199

  29,665

  31,794

  17,846

  17,892

  19,094

  Bedfordshire

  10,299

  12,059

  12,047

  15,747

  19,271

  18,917

  Berkshire

  26,712

  28,213

  29,593

  6,421

  5,601

  5,967

  Buckinghamshire

  7,088

  6,324

  7,542

  25,189

  21,369

  30,900

  Cambridgeshire

  12,030

  12,128

  11,583

  20,871

  30,471

  20,921

  Cheshire

  22,960

  23,335

  26,212

  21,599

  18,124

  16,152

  Cleveland

  18,205

  18,869

  19,341

  19,150

  19,169

  19,427

  Cornwall

  1,918

  3,790

  4,474

  15,038

  16,322

  17,385

  Cumbria

  7,501

  8,025

  7,841

  14,385

  13,178

  13,383

  Derbyshire

  12,108

  14,326

  19,171

  28,887

  25,311

  27,399

  Devon

  13,363

  15,769

  16,209

  31,224

  34,103

  33,180

  Dorset

  8,063

  9,797

  9,301

  20,673

  21,240

  22,572

  Durham

  14,149

  16,700

  17,023

  3,254

  3,217

  3,129

  East Sussex

  23,892

  25,777

  24,121

  5,139

  4,913

  7,843

  Essex

  25,322

  25,418

  28,350

  57,042

  61,709

  60,832

  Gloucestershire

  15,730

  18,196

  20,997

  563

  539

  317

  Hampshire

  22,288

  25,714

  26,666

  62,095

  65,481

  58,553

  Hereford and Worcester

  20,097

  22,623

  23,993

  1,321

  404

  347

  Hertfordshire

  53,445

  60,520

  55,598

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  22,484

  24,265

  22,115

  23,663

  25,260

  32,119

  Isle of Wight

  4,931

  5,788

  5,958

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  11,569

  12,298

  13,685

  65,165

  61,934

  64,600

  Lancashire

  63,993

  71,610

  71,823

  9,391

  4,851

  5,081

  Leicestershire

  15,306

  16,011

  16,087

  32,844

  34,506

  34,840

  Lincolnshire

  6,313

  7,453

  7,645

  13,305

  14,574

  13,596

  Norfolk

  7,634

  8,637

  8,873

  27,260

  29,418

  29,770

  North Yorkshire

  20,361

  25,008

  20,903

  8,695

  8,157

  8,058

  Northamptonshire

  9,896

  11,399

  12,752

  20,893

  19,199

  15,753

  Northumberland

  3,067

  3,369

  3,473

  9,672

  10,537

  11,486

  Nottinghamshire

  50,022

  43,162

  52,056

  5,053

  4,640

  5,081

  Oxfordshire

  15,816

  16,900

  15,982

  18,832

  20,665

  20,108

  Shropshire

  18,506

  17,587

  18,929

  —

  —

  —

  Somerset

  22,269

  18,308

  16,110

  8,807

  10,000

  8,008

  Staffordshire

  24,412

  25,313

  26,390

  17,721

  16,791

  16,947

  Suffolk

  20,694

  21,659

  21,082

  7,227

  6.521

  6,869

  Surrey

  7,292

  7,965

  7,753

  57,227

  56,872

  57,018

  Warwickshire

  14,348

  13,305

  15,703

  8,078

  10,976

  9,952

  West Sussex

  6,315

  7,878

  7,725

  36,821

  39,655

  38,588

  Wiltshire

  28,808

  30,320

  32,392

  —

  —

  —

  ENGLAND

  1,216,938

  1,289,920

  1,306,394

  1,284,623

  1,303,652

  1,266,216

  360 361
  1 This table excludes enrolments on further education courses in PCFC colleges.

  2 Includes students aged 16 to 18.

  3 Adult education centre data are not available for individual London boroughs prior to the abolition of the Inner London Education Authority on 1 April 1990, and data on colleges are not readily available prior to 1 November 1989.

  4 Provisional.

  5 Figures subject to confirmation.

  Deaf Children
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement summarising the provision which is currently made within the education system for deaf children; and what plans he has to improve that provision.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Education Act 1981 focuses on the special educational needs of the individual child, including deaf or hearing-impaired children, and places the responsibility for making appropriate educational provision for them with each local education authority. While that Act places on each local education authority a duty to keep its special educational needs provision under review, many of this Government's current policies, notably the national curriculum, as well as my Department's grants for education support and training scheme to support specialist training for teachers of the deaf, are acting to lever up the standards of educational provision for children with these needs.

  Scientific Research
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether the Science and Engineering Research Council(a) currently or (b) has sought permission to fund scientific research in European Community countries by non-United Kingdom national scientists.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Science and Engineering Research Council cooperates scientifically on a bilateral and multilateral basis with scientists in a wide range of countries. including EC countries. Research supported will frequently involve collaborative working by scientists from a range of countries. Decisions of this kind are matters for the council's scientific judgment and will rarely involve formal consultation with this Department. Further information on SERC's current activities can be obtained from the council's most recent annual report, a copy of which I am sending to the hon. Member.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he will be issuing any guidance as to the balance between course work and terminal examination for the proposed pupil assessment at key stage 4 of the national curriculum.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend is expecting to receive advice shortly from the School Examinations and Assessment Council on the balance between course work and terminal examinations for key stage 4 assessment of the national curriculum. Once that advice is received, my right hon. and learned Friend will respond as soon as possible, and it will then be for SEAC to devise criteria for the approval of syllabuses which will give effect to these decisions.

  GCSE
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the representations he has received since January in favour of limiting the percentage of course work in GCSE examinations.

  Mr. Eggar
  Since January 1991, my right hon. and learned Friend has received a number of letters in support of further limitations on the percentage of GCSE marks acquired through course work. These letters were private and it would not thus be appropriate to list the correspondents.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he last met(a) the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, (b) the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics and (c) the Confederation of British Industry to discuss the integration between GCSE and A-level examinations.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend meets these organisations from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest, including aspects of education for 16 to 19-year-olds as a preparation for higher education and employment. The question of integration between GCSE and A-level examinations has at no time arisen.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether his Department has made any assessment of the impact of course work upon(a) standards and (b) pupil motivation in relation to GCSE.

  Mr Eggar
  HM inspectorate has reported that course work is of a variable quality, may fail to bring out the best in pupils at both ends of the ability range, and may be inadequately moderated. The HMI, however, reported that it has a generally positive effect on pupil motivation.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on trends in A-level results since the introduction of the GCSE examination.

  Mr. Eggar
  In the first year that candidates with GCSEs sat A-level examinations, 1989–90, the overall proportion of entries resulting in grades A to E rose by 1 per cent. to 77 per cent. In 1990–91 there was a further rise to 78 per cent.

  In 1989–90, 20 per cent. of school leavers had achieved two or more A-levels at grades A to E: a rise of 2.7 percentage points on the previous year. Figures for 1990–91 are not yet available.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall
  363
  departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year. My Department is liaising closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the preparation of this report.

  Unplanned Pregnancy
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has received a copy of the report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists working party on unplanned pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  My right hon. and learned Friend has noted the findings of this report with interest.

  City Technology Colleges
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the number of pupils at each of the city technology colleges at the start of the September term, and the number of full-time and part-time teachers employed in each of the city technology colleges on 1 September.

  Mr. Eggar
  The latest available pupil figures from city technology colleges, collected in January 1991, are set out in the table. No figures for September are available.

  It is for each college individually to determine its own teaching complement.

  College

  Pupils

  Kinghurst

  706

  Djanogly

  377

  Macmillan

  373

  Dixons

  180

  Harris

  744

  Leigh

  899

  Emmanuel

  150

  Data Protection Act
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the cause of the delay in providing guidance to head teachers, school governors and local authorities about the Data Protection Act; what plans he has to recompense schools for the costs of registration under the Act; whether he has estimated the costs of registration; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  The delay in providing guidance on the implications of the Data Protection Act was caused by the need to amend the draft guidance as the result of further advice from the data protection registrar. No information is available on the extent to which schools make use of computer-held personal data which would make registration necessary. Revised draft guidance on the financial and other implications of the Data Protection Act for schools will be issued shortly.

  Rugby League
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will call for a report from the chairman of the Sports Council on the reasons for his remarks about rugby league football at the recent launch of the Rothmans rugby union yearbook.
  364
  Mr. Atkins
  I do not intend to call for a report on the matter raised by the hon. Member. I understand that, on the occasion of the USA v. Italy rugby union game at Otley on 5 October, the chairman of the Sports Council discussed the press accounts of his remarks with the chief executive of the Rugby League. The full text of the statement made at the launch of the rugby union yearbook contains a substantial endorsement of the management skills of the Rugby League, not least in promoting its sport. I understand that both governing bodies now regard the matter as closed.

  Student Loans Company
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what arrangements the Student Loans Company has made to publish annual accounts for the period 1990–91 and an annual report; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The "Student Loans Company's Report 1989–91", containing the company's accounts for the periods 1989–90 and 1990–91, has been published today. Copies have been placed in the Library. The report records the company's achievement in preparing for the start of business in September 1990 and issuing loans to 180,000 students in the academic year 1990–91. The company has established a firm foundation for further development and for the recovery of loans. I pay tribute to the staff and management.

WALES

  Aviation Industry
  Dr. Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the level of employment in the aviation industry in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The last census of employment, carried out in September 1989, estimated that there were 9,800 employees in the aviation industry in Wales.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Ray Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give the present unemployment figure for Ogmore, Mid Glamorgan, Wales, and the unemployment figure for June 1979 for the same areas.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On 12 September, there were 3,236, 25,445 and 118,952 unemployed claimants in the Ogmore constituency, Mid Glamorgan and Wales. Comparable data for June 1979 for Ogmore and Mid Glamorgan is not available. The comparable number of unemployed claimants in Wales in 1979, seasonally adjusted was 66,100 and 120,200 in September 1991.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the latest unemployment rate for Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On 12 September, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Wales was 9.3 per cent. of the workforce.

  Council House Sales
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many council houses and flats have been sold in Wales since 1979 under the right-to-buy provisions and on a voluntary basis.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  There have been about 91,500 local authority sales between 1979 and June 1991. Just over 85,000 were under the right to buy and the remainder were voluntary sales.

  Primary Schools
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much was spent per pupil in primary schools in Wales in the most recent year for which figures are available; and what was the comparable figure for 1978–79, at constant prices.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  In 1989–90, current expenditure per pupil in primary schools in Wales was £1,191. The equivalent constant price figure for 1978–79 was £899.

  Orthopaedic Surgery
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will approve the bid by South Glamorgan health authority significantly to raise the throughput capacity for major joint surgery at the Prince of Wales orthopaedic hospital, Rhydlafar.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Additional funding has been made available to the authority to increase the number of hip and knee replacement operations undertaken at the treatment centre. A bid to increase capacity at the hospital was not successful under the 1991–92 waiting times initiative.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what discussions he proposes to have with the chairman of the South Glamorgan health authority concerning waiting lists for orthopaedic surgery.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I met the chairman and consultant surgeons in May to discuss waiting lists in South Glamorgan. My officials are in regular contact with the chairman and the authority's managers and I will bear in mind the possible need for further meetings.

  NHS Spending
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what are the current totals of spending on the national health service in Wales; and what the figures were in 1979.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Total provision for the NHS in Wales this year is now £1,769 million. In 1979–80, total expenditure was £481 million. The increase since 1979 is almost 60 per cent. in real terms.

  Welsh Water (Investment)
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he next intends to meet the Director-General of Water Services to discuss the implications of Welsh Water's investment policy for the regulatory framework.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  My right hon. Friend will continue to meet the director general whenever there are matters of mutual interest to discuss.

  Channel Tunnel
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what efforts he is making to ensure that Wales is able to take advantage of the channel tunnel.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Wales enjoys good links into the motorway system leading to the channel tunnel. Planned improvements are set out in "Roads in Wales: Progress and Plans for the 1990s" and the 1991 supplement. Further major schemes to improve communications in Clwyd and South East Wales were announced earlier in the year.

  The provision of rail links is a matter for British Rail who are now working up the plans which they announced in 1989 as required by section 40 of the Channel Tunnel Act 1987.

  Economy
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his latest estimate of the date at which economic activities in Wales will begin to increase.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Our forecast is that recovery will take place during the second half of this year. All the conditions for recovery are right—inflation and interest rates have reduced dramatically in the last few months and surveys show that confidence is growing.

  Tourism Grants
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his estimate of the value of grants under section 4 of the Development of Tourism Act 1969 in the current year; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Wales Tourism Board estimates that in 1991–92 grants amounting to around £3·6 million will be paid under section 4. This is expected to generate capital investment of £22 million and create 435 full-time equivalent jobs in the Welsh tourism industry.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he last met leaders of councils in Wales to discuss his plans for local government reorganisation.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I met the Assembly of Welsh Counties on 24 September. I am to meet both local authority associations early next month.

  Hospital Waiting Lists
  Mr. Grist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will cause to be published at regular intervals the waiting list for each consultant working in national health service hospitals.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I am considering my hon. Friend's suggestion.

  Local Government
  Mr. Raffan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will extend the consultation period on the Welsh Office paper "The Structure of Local Government in Wales".

  Mr. David Hunt
  No, but I have made it clear to the local government associations that I want a continuing dialogue until final decisions are reached.

  Beef Sector
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the present state of the beef sector in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  From my recent discussions with the farming unions and farmers in Wales I am well aware of the concerns of beef producers. As part of the annual autumn review, I am currently assessing the economic conditions and prospects for producers in less favoured areas in Wales. More generally, the Government will seek to ensure that measures for the beef sector included as part of the reform of the common agricultural policy do not discriminate against our producers.

  Local Government Funding (Cardiganshire)
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to visit Cardiganshire during the next six months, to discuss local government funding.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Consultative Council on Local Government Finance, a meeting of which I chaired on 8 October, is the appropriate forum for discussing local government finance.

  Physical Education
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has on the number of teachers in primary schools(a) in Mid-Glamorgan and (b) in Wales who hold a qualification in physical education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the numbers of teachers and their qualifications is given in the Welsh Education Statistics Bulletin: No. 5 Primary School Staffing Survey (1987), copies of which are available in the House of Commons Library. Table 15 provides an analysis of teachers by subject of qualification.

  Information for Mid Glamorgan is not available.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the time to be allocated per day and per week within the national curriculum to physical education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend has no power to specify time allocations for any national curriculum subject and is specifically proscribed by law from doing so.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what information he has of the average number of hours per day and week allocated by primary and secondary schools to physical education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The 1987 primary school staffing survey showed that an average of 8 per cent. of class time in the rvey week was spent on physical education, games and swimming. The 1989 secondary school staffing survey showed that an average of 6 per cent. of periods in the survey week were spent on physical education.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the ability of primary schools to deliver the national curriculum in physical education; and what extra staff will be required to implement the curriculum.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The consultation on our proposals for physical education specifically seeks views on the 368
  practicability of introducing the subject as part of the national curriculum. Our proposals were based on the physical education working group's final report and we are currently considering the resource implications of their recommendations.

  Some primary schools might experience difficulty in meeting the requirements for swimming. A survey of current provision and access for swimming is being carried out in order that the timing and costs of its introduction can be accurately assessed.

  Sports
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of youth and employment training schemes currently in operation assisting in the stimulation of sports participation.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Training and enterprise councils (TECs) are responsible for ensuring that the training needs of their local labour markets are met and that an appropriate range and supply of youth training (YT) and employment training (ET) are available.

  TECs are not required to provide information about specific types of training but it is estimated that across Wales there are at least 18 schemes which contribute to the stimulation and development of sport and leisure.

  Asthma
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to ensure that within every general practice in Wales there is either a nurse or a doctor who has been specifically trained to deal with asthma; and if he will issue guidelines to general practitioners regarding the need for regular monitoring of treatment of asthma patients.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The general education and vocational training of a general medical practitioner encompasses training in the management of asthma, including an awareness of when referral for specialist opinion and help is needed. Screening for asthma may be recognised as appropriate for health promotion clinics in general practice, and family health service authorities are empowered to pay for these if they are satisfied with the protocol provided.

  Instruction in the caring for patients suffering with asthma is an integral part of the education of nurses caring for patients suffering with respiratory disease. In the practice environment, in-service training and clinical updating is available for nurses as part of planned professional development. To specify more narrowly the exact type of service that is provided within each practice is neither desirable nor practical. The monitoring of patients who suffer from asthma is primarily a matter for the clinical judgment of the doctor.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue guidelines to every school in Wales giving specific advice to teachers on how to deal with children suffering from asthma, in order to safeguard the well-being of asthma sufferers and to minimise the loss of school time on account of asthma.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Such advice should be provided locally by principal school medical officers in their role as
  369
  advisers to the local education authority. If the hon. Gentleman has any particular concerns in this matter I should be happy to discuss them with him.

  Sea Fishing Industry
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much regional financial assistance has been paid out by the Welsh Office to assist the sea fishing industry in the counties of Gwynedd and Dyfed, respectively, in the current financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In the current financial year one application has been received for regional selective assistance on a fishing industry project in Dyfed and an offer has been made. No applications have been received from Gwynedd. The Welsh Office is always ready to discuss potential projects in the fishing industry with the promoters.

  Limestone Pavement
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much limestone pavement has been damaged since the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 came into force in(a) national parks, (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (c) elsewhere in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  We are not aware of any damage to limestone pavements in Wales.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the most recent estimate of the number of void dwelling units which fall below the minimum tolerable standards in the ownership of(a) Government agencies or Departments, (b) local authorities, (c) private landlords and (d) housing associations.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not available centrally.

  Invoice Payments
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Our Department's policy is to pay all invoices, after validation, within the suppliers' credit terms.

  Burns Units
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy to ensure that patients from the Gwent health authority currently treated at the burns unit located at St. Lawrence hospital, Chepstow will be treated at Morriston hospital, Swansea, when the new burns unit opens there.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The service currently located at St. Lawrence is for the treatment of patients who require more specialist facilities than can normally be provided at a district general hospital. It is the Department's policy that patients in this category from the south Wales area, including those from Gwent, should be referred for treatment to Morriston hospital, Swansea when service is transferred to the new burns unit there.
  370
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales to which hospital the Gwent health authority will send patients requiring specialised treatment following the planned closure of the burns unit at St. Lawrence hospital, Chepstow.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer that I gave on 21 October 1991.

  Oystermouth Bus Station
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report in relation to the public inquiry to be held On the Oystermouth bus station, Swansea (a) the date of the inquiry, (b) the number of days set down for the inquiry, (c) the venue of the inquiry and (d) the name of the inspector he has appointed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The applicant and the local planning authority have requested that the application should be held in abeyance to enable further discussions to be held. Arrangements for the public inquiry have therefore not yet been made.

  South Glamorgan Health Authority
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much the revenue and capital spending of South Glamorgan health authority was in 1979 and at the latest available date in cash terns and in real terms.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett.
  The information requested is as follows:

  South Glamorgan Health Authority

  Outturn expenditure (£'000)

  1Expenditure at constant 1990–91 prices (£'000)

  Percentage increase

  Revenue

  1979–80

  70,655

  152,766

  —

  1990–911

  199,928

  199,928

  31

  Capital

  1979–80

  2,092

  4,523

  —

  1990–911

  15,673

  15,673

  247

  1 Provisional

  Source:

  Health authority annual accounts

  Outturn prices adjusted by the "gross domestic product" inflator

  Notes

  1. Expenditure given in accruals rather than cash terms as this is more representative of the real level of spending incurred in each of the respective years.

  2. Pattern of expenditure as between years can be affected by virement between revenue and capital, the incidence of capital receipts brokerage with other authorities and other non-recurrent factors.

  Burial Charges
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the county councils which charge relatives or deceased AIDS victims more than the standard burial charge; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on the fees charged by burial authorities in Wales is not held centrally. The level of fees is a matter for the burial authorities to determine.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Welsh Office is represented on the official working group preparing the United Kingdom report and information relevant to Wales will be included in the final document.

  Psychiatric Hospital Closures
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will provide a list of hospitals caring for mentally handicapped or mentally ill patients that have closed in Wales over the last five years.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 14 October 1991]: Throughout Wales, inappropriate services for those with mental handicaps or mental illnesses are progressively being phased out as new patterns of more local and accessible services are developed under our all-Wales strategies. Since September 1986 the Allt-y-Mynydd mental handicap unit in East Dyfed and a unit for those with mental handicap at County hospital, Gwent have closed.

  Radioactive Materials (Imports)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for each port in Wales, the number of tonnes of radioactive material that was imported.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I have been asked to reply.

  My Department does not collect such information on a routine basis. I will write separately to the hon. Member on this subject.

ENVIRONMENT

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment further to his answer of 25 July,Official Report, column 751, to the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale), if he is yet able to give (a) the numbers and (b) the names of the local and public authorities that had deposits in BCCI and the amounts deposited.

  Mr. Key
  My Department wrote to local authorities in the United Kingdom on 27 September 1991 asking them about deposits with BCCI. Returns are due to be submitted by 7 November. The information we have received to date is as follows.

  £000

  Western Isles

  23,000

  Bury

  6,500

  Med way

  4,000

  Westminster

  3,575

  Southwark

  3,000

  Lisburn

  3,000

  Mansfield

  2,400

  Wigan

  2,150

  Three Rivers

  2,000

  372

  £000

  Banff and Buchan

  2,000

  Ross and Cromarty

  1,800

  Greater Manchester Fire and Civil Defence Authority

  1,783

  South Bedfordshire

  1,350

  York

  1,300

  Barrow in Furness

  1,200

  Stockport

  1,150

  Allerdale

  1,050

  Alnwick

  1,050

  Mid Bedfordshire

  1,000

  Rother

  850

  Dover

  750

  Clackmannan

  700

  Bristol

  600

  Guildford

  600

  Fareham

  500

  Harlow

  400

  Durham

  300

  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to alleviate the difficulties for those local authorities which had deposits in the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on 11 July 1991 to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson) at column 1082 and to the answer I gave on 24 July 1991 to the hon. Member for Mansfield (Mr. Meale) at column 660.

  Officials from the Department have met representatives of the local authorities affected by the closure of BCCI to clarify the implications for authorities of the bank's closure, and to identify possible measures which the affected authorities might wish to consider. We have also received a number of requests from individual authorities for various forms of assistance and we are considering these.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to extend the list of services to be subject to compulsory competitive tendering under the Local Government Act 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend intends to announce shortly his proposals for extending the list of services to be subject to compulsory competitive tendering.

  Turney Road Residents Association
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will place in the Library a copy of his reply to Turney Road Residents Association to its letter of 19 March 1991 about compensation for environmental damages.

  Mr. Yeo
  My Department replied to the association's letter at official level on 23 April. Although it is not the custom with correspondence of this kind, I have on this occasion placed copies of the reply in the Library.

  Limestone Pavements
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much limestone pavement has been damaged since the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 came into force in(a) national parks, (b) areas of outstanding natural beauty and (c) elsewhere in England.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member when English Nature has collated such information as is available.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people have been prosecuted in the last 10 years for damaging limestone pavements.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am not aware of any prosecutions.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve the protection of limestone pavements in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Baldry
  We have no such plans. The measures introduced by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 have proved effective.

  Leisure Developments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what planning controls his Department is considering for countryside leisure developments, such as(a) new theme parks, (b) hotel and holiday complexes and (c) golf courses, respectively.

  Mr. Yeo
  As with any other development, proposals for leisure developments in the countryside are subject to planning controls and require planning permission. Planning policy guidance note 17 on sport and recreation published on 25 September this year gives guidance on golf courses and other sporting facilities. Other current guidance from the Department of the Environment is contained in circular 13/79 "Local Government and the Development of Tourism" and Development control policy note 12 "Hotels"—1972. Further advice to local planning authorities on how they should approach applications for tourism developments is to be provided in a later planning policy guidance note.

  Void Dwelling Units
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the most recent estimate of the number of void dwelling units which fall below the minimum tolerable standards in the ownership of(a) Government agencies or Departments, (b) local authorities, (c) private landlords and (d) housing associations.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information is not available centrally in the form requested.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the most recent estimate of the number of void dwelling units in the ownership of(a) Government agencies or Departments, (b) local authorities, (c) private landlords and (d) housing associations; and if he will make a statement.
  374
  Mr. Yeo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning gave to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) on 28 February 1991,Official Report, columns 589–91.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location the proposed new sites of high temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste in England.

  Mr. Baldry
  Industry could have a variety of such proposals at various stages of consideration. Planning proposals for merchant incinerators of which the Secretary of State is aware are those currently before him for decision:

  Leigh Environmental, Kirk Sandall, Doncaster

  Ocean Environment, Seal Sands, Cleveland

  Northumbrian Water/ITE, Portrack, Cleveland

  Northumbrian Water/ITE, East Howden, Tyne and Wear

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location for England the current sites of high temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste.

  Mr. Baldry
  High-temperature incineration of waste can take place within factory premises, where so authorised, or in merchant plant available for disposal contracts. The merchant incinerators in England are:—

  ReChem, Fawley, Hampshire.

  Cleanaway, Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

  Leigh Industrial Services, Killamarsh, Sheffield.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list by location, all the sites where chromium powder and chromium waste is dumped; and what precautions are taken to ensure that it is not(a) inhaled and (b) allowed to come into contact with the general public.

  Mr. Baldry
  This information is not available centrally. The nature of wastes going into specific landfill sites and suitable operational precautions are matters for local authorities under the licensing provisions of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  Nature Conservancy Council
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many applications for compensation have been made to the Nature Conservancy Council; how many have been(a) successful, (b) unsuccessful and (c) undecided; and on what grounds the applications were (a) made and (b) decided in each of the past two years.

  Mr. Baldry
  Details of the management agreements concluded by the Nature Conservancy Council are contained in tables in its annual reports, which may be found in the Library. Such agreements are subject to negotiation. The NCC has never had to use its powers of compulsory purchase because of failure to reach a conclusion. The three councils which succeeded the NCC assumed responsibility on 1 April for any continuing negotiations.

  Nitrous Oxide Abatement Technologies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to publish the final report on nitrous oxide abatement technologies for large combustion plants; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  For the purpose of part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution continually reviews techniques that contribute to BATNEEC—best available techniques not entailing excessive costs. The technology for the control of emissions of nitrogen oxides from large combustion plant is included in such a review. The report to which the hon. Member refers is being taken into account in the review. My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to publish the report.

  Vacant Land
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made with the review of his Department's consultation paper dealing with public sector and possibly private sector vacant land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Since my hon. Friend's interim announcement on 7 May we have required local authorities under section 230 of the Local Government Act 1972 to supply the Department with aggregate information about their holdings of unused and underused land. We also propose to make regulations to require them to make registers of such land available to the public in accordance with the code of practice published in 1989. My officials are writing to local authority associations to consult them as the Act requires. My right hon. Friend is considering what further measures might be appropriate and our conclusions will be announced in due course.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he will take to ensure that planning appeals, following the directed disposal of public sector vacant land, will be dealt with impartially by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Directions issued under part X of the Local Government and Planning Act 1980 require public sector owners to dispose of particular vacant sites; they make no presumptions about the future use or development of those sites. Any subsequent applications for planning permission would go through the same procedures as those for any other sites. Where a case comes before my right hon. Friend on appeal it would be determined on its merits in the normal way.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration is being given to the serving of direction orders upon central Government Departments in order to release underused land; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend's powers of direction under part X of the Local Government and Planning Act 1980 do not apply to Crown land. However, we seek to ensure with the Departments concerned that where appropriate such land is released or brought into effective use.

  Individual Departments are responsible for monitoring and managing their own property holdings. The
  376
  rationalisation of holdings, the disposal of surplus land and the improvement of systems are encouraged through the public expenditure survey discussions and in other ways.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Wakefield on 15 April,Official Report, column 56, how the figure of 150,000 acres of vacant land was calculated; and what methodology and criteria were established in order for this figure to be achieved;

  (2) what estimates are now available to his Department from the national sample of vacant land in urban areas in England; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  The figure of 150,000 acres is based on the results of a pilot survey carried out in preparation for the Department's national sample survey of the stock of vacant land in urban areas in England. The sample for the pilot survey was drawn from a set of 25-hectare map squares covering England, entirely enclosed or intersected by the Department's digitised urban area boundaries and stratified by region. The sample squares selected were visited by Ordnance Survey surveyors who recorded details of the number of vacant sites and amount of vacant land per site. The definition of vacant land used in the pilot survey is consistent with that used in the Department's land use change statistics.

  The national sample survey of the stock of vacant land in urban areas in England has been completed and the contractor's draft report to the Department is under consideration. It would be premature to release figures out of context at this stage.

  Isle of Dogs
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the percentage of office space on the Isle of Dogs which is occupied.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not held centrally.

  Greenfield Sites
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take to protect greenfield sites from development.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Government's policy is to encourage the effective use of unused and underused land in urban areas and thus reduce the need for development of greenfield sites. Proposals to develop such sites are determined through the planning system. Our current guidance emphasises the importance of protecting the countryside while diversifying the rural economy, and particularly stringent controls exist in especially designated areas such as green belts.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Department of the Environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Total expenditure by my Department, including Property Services Agency Services, the Building Research Establishment Agency, the Historic Royal Palaces Agency and the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre Agency, in 1990–91 was £0·144 million.

  Solent Wetlands and Habitats
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what progress has been made in designating the Solent wetlands and habitats under the Ramsar convention.

  Mr. Baldry
  The former Nature Conservancy Council identified Southampton Water and Solent marshes as a potential Ramsar site but the Government have not received a formal recommendation from English Nature.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the street homelessness initiative in central London; whether it is his intention to sanction the use of coercion to remove homeless people from London streets; and whether he intends to use the Vagrancy Act 1824 to prevent homeless people from sleeping rough.

  Sir George Young
  The initiative continues to make encouraging progress. Nearly 500 places have been made available in hostels and 800 in flats and houses. A significant impact has been made on the numbers sleeping rough on the streets of central London and those numbers should further decline as more accommodation becomes available. The use of Vagrancy Act powers in central London is a matter for the Metropolitan police.

  County Councils (Specific Grant)
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each county council(a) the specific grant for 1990–91 and 1991–92 and (b) the specific grant on a per head basis.

  Mr. Key
  The information is as follows:

  Specific and Supplementary Grams

  Specific and Supplementary Grants per head of relevant population

  County

  1990–91 revised estimate £'000

  1991–92 budget estimate £'000

  1990–91 revised estimate £

  1991–92 budget estimate £

  Avon

  86,189

  95,823

  121

  134

  Bedfordshire

  43,268

  48,899

  110

  126

  Berkshire

  57,214

  60,384

  104

  109

  Buckinghamshire

  54,264

  64,762

  116

  140

  Cambridgeshire

  48,378

  63,157

  101

  131

  Cheshire

  74,307

  87,839

  104

  123

  Cleveland

  55,894

  63,953

  136

  156

  Cornwall

  40,001

  45,596

  114

  129

  Cumbria

  38,670

  41,753

  101

  112

  Derbyshire

  70,679

  80,414

  99

  113

  Devon

  73,881

  95,632

  97

  123

  Dorset

  50,188

  62,423

  100

  124

  Durham

  49,611

  56,517

  109

  125

  East Sussex

  56,775

  65,076

  105

  122

  Essex

  115,496

  127,105

  99

  110

  Gloucestershire

  45,208

  52,575

  113

  132

  Hampshire

  125,575

  145,189

  107

  125

  Hereford and Worcester

  63,843

  78,005

  126

  154

  Hertfordshire

  81,544

  87,429

  111

  120

  Humberside

  68,995

  80,814

  106

  124

  Isle of Wight

  9,090

  11,387

  92

  117

  Kent

  111,247

  126,610

  97

  110

  Lancashire

  130,075

  149,195

  124

  143

  Leicestershire

  74,218

  87,173

  114

  135

  378

  Specific and Supplementary Grants

  Specific and Supplementary Grants per head of relevant population

  County

  1990–91 revised estimate £'000

  1991–92 budget estimate £'000

  1990–91 revised estimate £

  1991–92 budget estimate £

  Lincolnshire

  46,836

  53,315

  104

  119

  Norfolk

  58,024

  66,188

  101

  115

  Northamptonshire

  39,155

  51,192

  93

  120

  Northumberland

  15,507

  17,842

  68

  78

  North Yorkshire

  62,498

  71,825

  116

  134

  Nottinghamshire

  86,427

  90,367

  114

  119

  Oxfordshire

  45,470

  55,280

  111

  137

  Shropshire

  32,471

  35,811

  107

  117

  Somerset

  38,926

  47,240

  111

  135

  Staffordshire

  86,996

  95,410

  111

  122

  Suffolk

  44,745

  49,715

  95

  106

  Surrey

  77,232

  89,340

  99

  117

  Warwickshire

  48,758

  56,977

  134

  156

  West Sussex

  52,963

  67,361

  97

  125

  Wiltshire

  46,388

  57,409

  110

  136

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for each local authority for(a) the end of August 1990 and (b) the end of August 1991 the percentage of uncollected community charge.

  Mr. Key
  Local authorities are currently returning forms from which the information requested for August 1991 could be derived. The latest available information showing the difference between community charges collected and the amounts authorities budgeted to collect as a percentage of the latter is for the end of June 1991. I am placing this and the information for the corresponding month of 1990 in the Library of the House.

  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the individual categories of population and pupil statistics together with the date applicable to each category which he will be using to calculate the standard spending assessments for local authorities for the financial year 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend will be making an announcement shortly about the provisional revenue support grant settlement for 1992–93 which will include detailed proposals for standard spending assessments.

  Environment Policy
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on his plans for a total environmental policy for the countryside; and how it relates to the coastline and estuaries of Britain.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government's White Paper "This Common Inheritance: The First Year Report", Cm 1655, published in September 1991 provides an up to date statement of our environmental strategy. Many issues affect the coastal zone, including those relevant to the marine or land environments, and the interaction between them. These issues relate to not only countryside but also climate change, land use and planning, heritage and the cleanliness of air, water and land, all of which are included in the White Paper.

  Renovation Grants
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 in respect of renovation grant procedures.

  Mr. Yeo
  On 24 July my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning announced the terms of reference for a review of the new house renovation grant system. Written comments were invited from local authority representatives and other bodies and these are now being analysed. We hope to announce the results of the review early next year.

  Home Ownership
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has further to assist young people into home ownership.

  Mr. Yeo
  Help for all home buyers will come from the Government's policies for a sound economy with stable prices and lower interest rates. Specific measures for helping first-time buyers include increased assistance from the Housing Corporation to housing associations to provide housing for sale on shared ownership leases; encouraging local authorities to release land to housing associations and other private developers of housing for sale at discounts or on shared ownership terms; encouraging more local authorities and housing associations to offer grants to tenants to purchase on the open market; the experimental "rent to mortgage" schemes at Basildon and Milton Keynes. Consideration will be given to extending rent to mortgage arrangements in the light of the outcome.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to ensure that the reserve costs arising from city challenge will be discounted for capping purposes.

  Mr. Portillo
  As my right hon. Friend told the House on 23 July he intends to announce provisional capping criteria for 1992–93, having the same sort of format as the principles adopted for 1991–92, in advance of authorities' taking their budgeting decisions. That remains his firm intention.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give an undertaking that urban programme money will continue at existing levels for the foreseeable future for those local authorities that are not city challenge winners.

  Mr. Portillo
  Decisions on the level of funding for inner city programmes are taken and announced in accordance with the Government's annual consideration of public expenditure.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what level of resources devoted to city challenge is new money; and what arrangements he has made for the funding of city challenge in the next financial year.

  Mr. Portillo
  We will make available, from within existing inner city and housing resources, £82·5 million for pacemaker city challenge schemes in 1992–93.
  380
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those authorities he intends to invite to bid for city challenge; and when he will be sending out formal invitations.

  Mr. Portillo
  This year local authorities in 15 areas were invited to bid in the city challenge competition and the following 11 authorities have been chosen to work up detailed plans for schemes starting in 1992.

  Bradford

  Dearne Valley (Barnsley, Doncaster, Rotherham)

  Lewisham

  Liverpool

  Manchester

  Middlesbrough

  Newcastle

  Nottingham

  Tower Hamlets

  Wirral

  Wolverhampton

  On 20 July my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State confirmed that we intend to hold a further competition next year which will open to all 57 urban programme authorities. No timetable for the competition has yet been fixed.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has for those local authorities which, because of a lack of development potential, are unable to secure material private sector involvement in city challenge schemes.

  Mr. Portillo
  All of our inner cities have development potential, as has been shown by the success of urban development grant and city grant, among other programmes. City challenge offers the opportunity for local authorities to establish effective and wide ranging partnerships with the private sector and others which draw on additional resources, and local enterprise, knowledge and imagination.

  Price Fixing Cartels
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department intends to take to ensure that local authorities are able to avoid becoming the victims of price fixing cartels.

  Mr. Portillo
  This is properly a matter for the Office of Fair Trading. Any authority which suspects that it may be the target of a price fixing cartel should report the circumstances to the Director of Fair Trading.

  Flue Gas Desulphurisation
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the sites used for limestone quarrying to provide material for the flue gas desulphurisation programme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy is responsible for consents necessary to fit flue gas desulphurisation plants. I understand that at present, two such consents have been granted, at Ratcliffe-on Soar in Nottinghamshire and Drax in North Yorkshire. Individual sites for extraction of limestone to be used in the process have not been identified. However, my right hon. Friend has stipulated in his consents that the limestone will not be obtained from within the national
  381
  parks. Any planning applications for limestone extraction for this purpose will, of course, be dealt with on their individual merits.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many people are currently supplied with water which does not comply with the standards of the EC water quality directive in(a) each region of the United Kingdom and (b) each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Baldry
  The drinking water inspectorate's report for 1990, a copy of which has been placed in the Library, showed that 99 per cent. of the 3·3 million analytical determinations made in England and Wales confirmed compliance with the relevant standard in the Water Quality Regulations, which incorporate the requirements of the EC drinking water directive and are in some respects more stringent. The report also gives information about non-compliance in individual supply zones, but statistics of the actual populations served are not readily available.

  Similarly in Scotland and Northern Ireland the whole of the population receive water which complies with the overwhelming majority of the EC directive's standards. In Scotland, 391 supply zones serving a population of about 2·7 million do not at present fully comply with the standards. In most cases, non-compliance is intermittent and in respect of only one or two parameters. In Northern Ireland there is the potential for non-compliance with the aluminium standard in 39 supply zones serving a population of approximately 383,000 and a general potential for non-compliance with the iron standard because of the number of iron mains still in service.

  The information requested is not available on a Community-wide basis nor, so far as we are aware, for any other member state. We hope that the standardised reporting directive, agreed by the Environment Council on 1 October. will in due course considerably increase the information available about non-compliance in other member states.

  In all parts of the United Kingdom a programme of work is in place to remedy existing breaches of the standards as quickly as possible taking practicalities into account. We believe that no other member state has such a rigorous, committed and fully funded programme for compliance.

  Water Abstraction
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, in tabular form, the latest available figures for water withdrawal from(a) ground water sources and (b) surface water sources for (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other European Community countries.

  Mr. Baldry
  The latest available figures for water abstraction in England and Wales and the percentage that were from ground water are set out in table 7.2 (p. 98) of issue No. 13 of the "Digest of Environmental Protection and Water Statistics", HMSO, 1991. Water in Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the respective Secretaries of State. My Department holds no comparable figures for other European Community member states.

  Municipal Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, in tabular form, the amount of municipal waste per capita produced in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) each of the other European Community countries for the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Baldry
  Based on OECD statistics for 1989, the information is as follows:

  Municipal waste produced per capita per annum

  Country

  Tonnes

  United Kingdom

  0·31

  Republic of Ireland

  0·31

  Belgium

  0·31

  Denmark

  0·47

  Germany

  0·32

  Greece

  0·31

  Spain

  0·32

  France

  0·30

  Italy

  0·30

  Luxembourg

  0·27

  Netherlands

  0·47

  Portugal

  0·23

  It should be borne in mind that the term municipal waste may be defined differently by different member states.

  Energy and Land Use
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has any plans to issue a draft planning policy guidance note on energy and land use.

  Mr. Yeo
  In the environment White Paper the Government proposed a joint Department of the Environment/Department of Transport study to look at the relationship between land use and transport and the part planning could play in reducing fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions. The study was commissioned in February this year and should be completed in May 1992. The research findings will feed into planning guidance on the relationship between energy conservation and the location of development.

  The Government has published planning policy guidance note No. PPG15 about the preparation of development plans which asks planning authorities to have particular regard to the conservation of resources such as land and energy. That approach has been considerably amplified in annex A to a draft revision combining planning policy guidance notes 12 and 15. issued for public consultation on 4 September.

  Draft policy guidance on renewable energy and the planning system is being prepared by officials in the Department of Energy, the Welsh Office and in my Department. I hope to issue a draft for public consultation later this year.

  World Habitat Day
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what contribution Her Majesty's Government made to World Habitat Day on shelter and the human environment, on 7 October.

  Mr. Baldry
  A habitat day seminar was organised to focus attention on the main issues raised by rapid urbanisation in developing countries. The seminar drew
  383
  together experts from government, aid agencies and non-government organisations. A report of the seminar proceedings will be distributed widely.

  Green House Programme
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the total value of the bids he received from English local authorities under the 1990–91 green house programme; and what sum he allocated.

  Mr. Yeo
  In 1991 the Department received £150 million worth of bids for the £10 million available in the first year of the green house programme, 1991–92. Up to £50 million is currently earmarked for the programme in 1992–93.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress towards reducing toxic substances in the aquatic environment by 50 per cent. by 1995.

  Mr. Trippier
  Good progress has been made in meeting the targets agreed at recent North sea conferences for reducing inputs to the sea of substances that are toxic, persistent and liable to bio-accumulate. Data collected as part of an international exercise organised by the Paris Commission show the following reductions of inputs to the United Kingdom's coastal waters between 1985 and 1990:

  Estimates of percentage reductions of inputs of substances to the North sea between 1985 and 1990

  Per cent.

  Mercury

  51

  Cadmium

  61

  Lindane

  30

  Copper

  28

  Zinc

  0

  Lead

  89

  I am confident that further substantial reductions will be achieved for these substances and other red list substances during the 1990s through controls on discharges by the National Rivers Authority, and through the application of integrated pollution control by Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Racial Attacks
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action his Department has taken in response to the recommendations in paragraphs 27 and 28 of the 1989 Home Affairs Select Committee report on racial attacks and harassment which are his responsibility; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We agree with the Home Affairs Select Committee that local authorities should be encouraged to follow the recommendations of the racial attacks group —RAG—report and its good practice guidance on tackling racial violence and harassment in local authority housing. We sent copies of the report and the guidelines to all housing authorities in England, in July 1989.

  Earlier this year we initiated research to see how far local authorities had acted on this advice. The results have been encouraging and a report has been made to the RAG which I understand that the Home Office hope to publish by the end of the year.
  384
  The existing grounds for eviction in the Housing Act 1985 were considered adequate by the Home Affairs Committee who saw no need for separate provisions specifically concerned with racial harassment. However. we have said that if evidence should come to light that the existing law was ineffective, we would look at it again.

  Chlorofluorocarbons
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the scientific evidence for the impossibility of maintaining an immediate freeze in the level of CFC emissions at the 1990 level; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  The Montreal protocol, and the European regulation which implements it, control production and consumption of CFCs rather than emissions. Between 1986 and 1989 the United Kingdom cut its consumption by 50 per cent. and consumption continues to fall. CFCs are still needed in some applications where substitutes are not yet available. We will be pressing for the earliest possible phase out of CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances in the negotiations towards the 1992 protocol revision which start early next year.

  Tyre Disposal
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what he assesses will be the implications for environmental protection of future programmes of tyre disposal.

  Mr. Trippier
  Future programmes of tyre disposal will need to meet the environmental standards set by current and forthcoming waste management legislation. including the "duty of care" regulations due to be introduced in April 1992. These regulations and other provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 should lead to higher scrap tyre recycling rates.

  The European Commission is also now considering scrap tyres as a "priority waste stream" and it is likely that this exercise will result in the introduction of tyre recycling targets.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his estimate of the number of obsolete tyres awaiting disposal: and what proposals he has for their disposal.

  Mr. Trippier
  We have no information at present on which to base an estimate, but my Department intends to conduct a survey of local authorities shortly to assess the numbers of tyres awaiting disposal.

  The Government's new environmental legislation makes the use of scrap tyres as a fuel or secondary raw material more commercially viable. As a result, the prospects for using scrap tyres productively have increased in recent years and a number of companies are now developing schemes to use tyres.

  We will be monitoring the situation to see whether these initiatives make sufficient inroads into the stockpiles of used tyres or whether further action is necessary.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps the Government are taking to ensure that carbon black waste from tyres is safely
  385
  disposed of; and what assessment he has made of the danger that can occur if such waste is left exposed to the environment.

  Mr. Baldry
  Carbon black waste is released from tyres only if they are burnt. If allowed into the air it can be visually offensive, but could only be harmful to the environment if contaminated with other constituents of rubber tyres such as phenols. Incineration schemes for tyres would need appropriate gas cleansing and residue control measures and any disposal of contaminated carbon black waste to landfill would need to be properly licensed by local authorities and subject to suitable safeguards.

  Organic Solvents
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the decision to set an inspection level of the use of 2 tonnes of organic solvent within a 12-month period under the pollution control regulations; and what representations he has received seeking a lower figure at 0·25 tons.

  Mr. Baldry
  Under the Environmental Protection (Prescribed Processes and Substances) Regulations 1991, the new system of local authority air pollution control provided for in part I of the Environmental Protection Act will apply to road vehicle respraying processes which are likely to use two tonnes or more of organic solvents in any 12-month period. The Vehicle Builders and Repairers Association—VBRA—and 19 of its members have made representations seeking a reduction in the exemption threshold to 0·25 tonnes per year. The Department have sought further information from the VBRA, when r.his is to hand, my right hon. Friend will consider its representations further.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what discussions he has held on the council tax and the application for section 28 of the Data Protection Act 1984 with the Data Protection Registrar; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Officials in my Department have had discussions with the Data Protection Registrar's office on all aspects of the council tax.

  Walpole Estate, Woolwich
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what proposals his Department's estates action team has considered for improving the Walpole estate, Woolwich; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) whether officials from his Department's estates action team will visit the Walpole estate, Woolwich to discuss a programme of possible improvements with tenants' representatives.

  Mr. Yeo
  Officials from my Department's London region office visited the Walpole estate on 14 June 1991 to discuss with council officers and tenants a proposed scheme for Walpole and the adjacent Connaught estate which the London borough of Greenwich had been invited to work up for the 1991–92 estate action programme. The scheme was subsequently withdrawn by the authority. I386
  understand that a more comprehensive scheme for both estates is likely to be the subject of an estate action bid in a future year. Approval would depend on the quality of the proposed scheme in competition with other bids received.

  Ivory
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the continued ban on the export of ivory from southern African countries under the United Nations Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species; and whether Her Majesty's Government will raise the matter at the forthcoming Commonwealth conference in Harare.

  Mr. Baldry
  We are firmly committed to maintaining the ivory trade ban for as long as it is necessary to ensure the survival and recovery of elephant populations. The United Kingdom would not support any proposal to relax the current restrictions unless we were fully satisfied that it met the criteria established at the last conference of the parties to the convention.

  This issue was not raised at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, in tabular form, the latest figures available for(a) carbon dioxide emissions per unit of gross national product and (b) carbon dioxide emissions per capita in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) each of the other OECD countries.

  Mr. Trippier
  Estimated carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, per unit of gross national product and per capita for OECD countries, 1989, are as follows:

  tonnes C1 per capita

  tones C1 per thousand US$

  Canada

  5·2

  0·26

  United States of America

  5·9

  0·29

  Japan

  2·3

  0·10

  Australia

  4·5

  0·27

  New Zealand

  2·4

  0·20

  Austria

  2·2

  0·14

  Belgium

  3·4

  0·22

  Denmark

  3·2

  0·16

  Finland

  3·7

  0·16

  France

  2·0

  0·12

  Germany

  3·6

  0·23

  Greece

  2·3

  0·42

  Iceland

  2·4

  0·12

  Ireland

  2·3

  0·27

  Italy

  2·0

  0·14

  Luxembourg

  7·1

  0·29

  Netherlands

  3·6

  0·24

  Norway

  2·5

  012

  Portugal

  1·3

  0·29

  Spain

  1·6

  0·17

  Sweden

  2·5

  0·12

  Switzerland

  1·8

  0·06

  Turkey

  0·8

  0·54

  United Kingdom

  2·9

  0·20

  Sources: OECD Environmental Data Compendium 1991; OECD Annual National Accounts, Volume 1.

  1Calculated using amount of carbon released.

  Defective Housing
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make it his policy to increase the amount of usable housing capital receipts available to Congleton borough council to enable it to proceed with the rebuilding of Airey type properties in Solly crescent. Congleton.

  Mr. Key
  The Local Authorities (Capital Finance) Regulations 1990 already provide for certain relaxations in the normal rules requiring a proportion of capital receipts to be set aside for debt redemption. In the case of houses that are designated as defective within the meaning of part XVI of the Housing Act 1985 the provisions allow authorities to offset the cost of the replacement dwellings against the capital receipt received from the disposal. It is for individual local authorities to determine whether their proposals meet the requirements of the regulations.

  Lead Shot
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if his Department has conducted any research into the development of environmentally less damaging alternatives to lead shot;

  (2) what representations he has received concerning the effects of lead shot on the environment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  Hon. Members have raised questions in this House or have written to my right hon. Friend about the effects of lead shot on the environment. Conservation bodies have also drawn attention to lead shot poisoning of waterfowl.

  My Department has not itself conducted research in this specific area but officials met recently with interested bodies to discuss the introduction of non-toxic alternatives to lead gunshot in wetland areas. A working group was established to develop proposals for a programme for introducing non-toxic shot.

  Lead
  Sir Hugh Rossi
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what criteria will be used to determine whether land contaminated with lead will be included in the contaminated land register;

  (2) whether areas of land on which shotguns are frequently discharged will be considered for inclusion in the contaminated land register.

  Mr. Trippier
  Local authority registers of land which may be contaminated will be compiled in accordance with regulations under section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The regulations will specify contaminative uses of land. Consideration is being given to the inclusion of any use of land which results in its being contaminated with lead, including land used for shooting.

  Green Belt
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the Government's policy towards the maintenance of the green belt.

  Mr. Yeo
  We remain firmly committed to the purposes of the green belt in checking unrestricted urban sprawl,388
  safeguarding the surrounding countryside, preventing neighbouring towns from merging, preserving the special character of historic towns, and assisting urban regeneration. Since 1979 the extent of green belts in England has more than doubled. Policy on green belts remains as set out in planning policy guidance note 2; updated guidelines on redundant hospital sites are in DOE circular 12/91.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if a public inquiry will be held in respect of the planning decision to allow factory building in the green belt at Woodlands in Bradford South; and what account is taken in such inquiries of whether proposals depart from the relevant local authority's planning map.

  Mr. Yeo
  Bradford city council has referred to the Secretary of State a planning application for industrial development at Woodlands for Ramfield plc. He is considering whether to call it in for his own determination. If he decides to do so a public inquiry will be held, and he will determine the application in accordance with the development plan unless material consideration indicate otherwise.

  Environmentally Friendly Buildings
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out in the Official Report the details of the scheme for the certification of environmentally friendly buildings launched on 23 September.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 17 October 1991]: Two versions of the Building Research Establishment environmental assessment method for new building designs were launched on 23 September 1991. BREEAM 2/91 relates to new superstores and supermarkets; BREEAM 3/91 relates to new housing. The assessment of a design is carried out with respect to a number of environmental issues and a certificate is given to illustrate the environmental performance of the design. This scheme is voluntary and financially self-supporting. BREEAM has been developed with sponsorship from the private sector. Further details are available from the Building Research Establishment.

  Departmental Reports
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when his Department published its report "Monitoring Environmental Assessment and Planning"; how many copies were printed on the initial print run; and what has been the cost of production of the report.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: The research report by the EIA centre, Manchester university, "Monitoring Environmental Assessment and Planning" was published by HMSO on behalf of the Department on 2 August 1991; a copy was placed in the Library of the House at that time. A total of 3,000 copies of the report have been printed. The printing and publishing costs are borne in full by HMSO and the costs recovered through revenue from sales.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of his departmental MINIS 12 document on plans and objectives for his Department have been printed; and where copies can be obtained by the general public.
  389
  Mr. Heseltine
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I informed the House on 23 July 1991, Official Report column 524, that MINIS 12 would be published on that day. Copies were placed in the Libraries of both Houses. To date, 45 sets of MINIS 12 have been printed. Members of the public can purchase copies from the Department's publications sales unit, building 1, Victoria road, South Ruislip, Middlesex, HA4 0NZ.

  Advisory Committee on Business and the Environment
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Newport, West,Official Report, 14 May, columns 67–68, (a) how many meetings of the advisory committee on business and the environment have been held, (b) on how many occasions Ministers or officials of his Department have met the committee, (c) whether the committee has produced any reports to Ministers on its work to date and (d) if he will make a statement on progress made by the committee.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]The advisory committee on business and the environment has had two full meetings since it was established by my right hon. Friends the Secretary of State and the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry in May 1991. It has also established three working groups on recycling, global warming and environmental management, each of which has met several times. My right hon. Friends and I. and other ministerial colleagues, have met members of the committee on several occasions, and our officials have done so frequently. We have received an initial report from the chairman of the committee, John Collins, to which we intend to respond shortly.

  East Thames Corridor
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment in the light of experience in other areas of high development, what measures he proposes to take to ensure that any development of the east Thames corridor has adequate strategic transport infrastructure.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment has announced his intention to commission consultants to make an appraisal of the development capacity of the east Thames corridor. They will also consider the transport implications. The consultant's findings will be considered in close liaison with the Department of Transport.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he proposes to allow planning authorities in the south of England to revise their structure or local plans during the 1990s if there should be significant additional housebuilding in the east Thames corridor.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: Local planning authorities revise their structure and local plans when they consider it appropriate to do so. Those plans need to conform with the current regional guidance.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the scope of the study which he proposes to commission into the development possibilities of the east Thames corridor.
  390
  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: The proposed terms of reference for the consultant's study of the east Thames corridor have been published and I am placing a copy in the Library.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he will give to representations about the desirability of development in the east Thames corridor from local authorities and planning bodies not directly affected by any such development.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: SERPLAN, which represents all the local planning authorities in the south-east region, has already made representations about the desirability of development in the east Thames corridor. The development capacity of the corridor will now be considered by consultants. In due course my right hon. Friend will issue draft revised regional planning guidance on which there will be full consultation.

  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy regarding development in the east Thames corridor on open sites not currently earmarked for development in local plans.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: It is for the local planning authorities concerned to consider, in the first instance, any proposal for development on open sites in the east Thames corridor not currently earmarked for development in local plans. In doing so they will have regard to national planning policy guidance, regional guidance, relevant policies in structure and local plans, for example on the green belt, and any other material considerations.

EMPLOYMENT

  Low Pay
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of part-time and full-time employees earning(a) below the PAYE threshold and (b) below the national insurance contributions lower earnings limit in 1989, 1990 and 1991, respectively.

  Mr. Jackson
  Broad estimates, based on the new earnings survey and estimates of the number of employees in employment, are as follows:

  Number (millions) earning less than

  April each year

  PAYE threshold

  National insurance lower earnings limit

  1989

  3·5

  3

  1990

  3·5

  3

  1991

  3·5

  3

  It is estimated around 10 per cent. of these employees are full-timers, most of whom fell below the amounts specified because their earnings were affected by absence in the survey period.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the number of employees, broken down into full-timers and part-timers who are(a) under 18 years, (b)Ayears and over and (c) 21 years old and over in the following standard industrial

  Employees in full or part-time employment by age and industry—Great Britain

  Spring 1990 (thousands)

  Full time1 Age

  Part time1 Age

  Industry (SIC 1980)

  16 or 17

  18 or over

  21 or over

  16 or 17

  18 or over

  21 or over

  0–92

  All industries

  259

  16,905

  15,599

  350

  4,697

  4,465

  0

  Agriculture

  3—

  194

  178

  3—

  49

  46

  1–5

  Production and construction

  101

  6,517

  6,038

  15

  528

  514

  2–4

  Manufacturing

  73

  4,880

  4,533

  13

  419

  408

  43

  Textiles

  3—

  180

  168

  3—

  23

  23

  45

  Clothing footwear

  3—

  230

  197

  3—

  42

  42

  6–9

  Services

  154

  10,194

  9,384

  331

  4,121

  3,905

  6

  Distribution, hotels

  72

  2,517

  2,198

  283

  1,511

  1,343

  64/654

  Retail distribution

  44

  1,267

  1,089

  202

  927

  823

  66

  Hotels and catering

  12

  428

  375

  75

  468

  406

  661

  Restaurants, cafes etc.

  3—

  110

  93

  44

  111

  88

  662

  Public houses and bars

  3—

  68

  61

  13

  131

  110

  663

  Night clubs

  3—

  28

  26

  3—

  49

  44

  664

  Canteens and messes

  3—

  80

  73

  3—

  101

  99

  665

  Hotel trade

  3—

  129

  109

  14

  68

  60

  667

  Short stay accommodation

  3—

  13

  12

  3—

  3—

  3—

  8

  Banking finance and insurance

  37

  2,074

  1,857

  3—

  375

  370

  91

  Public administration and defence

  3—

  1,357

  1,299

  3—

  178

  175

  92

  Sanitary services

  3—

  144

  137

  3—

  91

  90

  93

  Education

  3—

  1,068

  1.055

  3—

  625

  622

  95

  Health

  3—

  697

  659

  3—

  516

  512

  96

  Other services

  3—

  449

  428

  3—

  431

  422

  97

  Recreation

  3—

  321

  291

  3—

  134

  123

  98

  Personal services

  3—

  113

  84

  3—

  46

  44

  1 Based on the respondent's own assessment, not on the number of hours usually worked.

  2 Includes those who did not state their industry.

  3 Sample size too small for reliable estimates. (Note that any estimates below 10,000 applying to the age group 18–20, obtained by differencing the figures for 21 and over and 18 and over, are not reliable for the same reason).

  4 Figures for sub-groups of SIC 64/65 are not available.

  Source: Labour Force Survey.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many employees have been in employment for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Jackson
  The number of employees in employment in the United Kingdoms for each of the last 10 years were as follows:

  Seasonally adjusted

  Thousands

  June 1981

  21,870

  June 1982

  21,395

  June 1983

  21,054

  June 1984

  21,229

  June 1985

  21,414

  June 1986

  21,379

  June 1987

  21,586

  June 1988

  22,266

  June 1989

  22,670

  June 1990

  22,864

  1June 1991

  22,201

  1 Latest available estimate.

  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will indicate the unemployment rates for September 1991 and September 1979 using(a) the statistical methodology in operation in 1979, and (b) the current statistical methodology; and if he will make a statement.
  392
  classifications (i) zero to nine, (ii) one to five, (iii) two to four, (iv) six to nine, (v) zero, (vi) 43, (vii) 45, (viii) six, (ix) 64 and 65 and their subgroups, (x) 66 and its subgroups, (xi) eight, (xii) 91, (xiii) 92, (xiv) 93, (xv) 95, (xvi) 96, (xvii) 97 and (xviii) 98, respectively.

  Mr. Jackson
  Estimates from the 1990 labour force survey, as requested, are given in the table:

  Mr. Jackson
  Prior to 1982, seasonally adjusted unemployment was compiled on the basis of a count of registrants at jobcentres, excluding school leavers, and expressed as a percentage of employees in employment plus the unemployed. Using this methodology, seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom stood at 5·2 per cent. in September 1979. No comparable estimate is available of what the corresponding rate of unemployment would have been in September 1991 using the same basis. However, the United Kingdom's seasonally adjusted rate of unemployment, based on the current claimant count and expressed as a percentage of the workforce (the sum of unemployed claimants, employees in employment, self-employed, Her Majesty's forces and participants on work-related government training schemes) was 8·7 per cent. in September 1991 compared with 3·9 per cent. in September 1979.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in male full-time employment since 1983 to the latest available date.

  Mr. Jackson
  There were 12,881,000 males in full-time employment in Great Britain in June 1991, the latest date for which information is available. This compares with 12,740,000 males in full-time employment in June 1983, an increase of 141,000 or 1·1 per cent.
  393
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the unemployment figures for Nottingham, North for each of the months since March 1979.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information requested, for the Nottingham, North parliamentary constituency, can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library and is available from June 1983.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will provide the most recent figures on the 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 information requested can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Soviet Union (Ministerial Visit)
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on his recent visit to the Soviet Union.

  Mr. Howard
  I visited St. Petersburg and Moscow from 29 September to 2 October to explore the scope for providing assistance from the know-how fund in the development of small business and enterprise in the Soviet Union. During my visit I was able to reach agreement with the Government of the Russian Republic, with the St. Petersburg city council and with the Pervomaiskii district council in Moscow for the establishment of small firms advisory centres. with know-how fund support, in St. Petersburg and Moscow. In the case of two of the centres to be established, there will also be a British private sector partner; International Computers Limited (ICL) in the case of St. Petersburg and Trade Advisory Service of Glasgow in respect of Pervomaiskii.

  I also discussed in both St. Petersburg and Moscow other areas in which United Kingdom assistance might be provided, including the establishment of employment services. As a result of these discussions a team from our employment service, led by its director for Scotland, is likely to visit the Soviet Union shortly to explore further the scope for practical assistance and cooperation.

  During my visit I was also able to visit both a number of small businesses operating in the Soviet Union and also a number of ventures involving British interests, including that being set up by Littlewood's in St. Petersburg. I was also able to hold discussions on a wide range of issues with leading figures in the newly emerging political and economic structures in the Soviet Union. These included discussions with representatives of a number of independent trade unions.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how the training and enterprise councils will be integrated into the citizens charter.

  Mr. Jackson
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State wrote to all training and enterprise council chairmen on the 22 July to encourage them to establish a citizens charter for the activities for which they are responsible.
  394
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements exist for the transfer of pension rights, continuity of service and allowances for civil service staff seconded to training and enterprise councils.

  Mr. Jackson
  All Employment Department staff on secondment to TECs remain civil servants employed by the Department. As such, they have the same terms and conditions of service including pension entitlement and allowances, as any other members of staff within the Department. Their continuity of service whilst on secondment is guaranteed.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how he will introduce employment action into areas where training and enterprise councils do not take part in the scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  In those few areas where the local TEC has declined to participate in employment action my officials will arrange contracts direct with providers.

  Employment Action Scheme
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make it his policy to amend the employment action scheme to ensure(a) trainees are paid the rate for the job, (b) trainees are given full contracts of employment, (c) full-time and part-time places are available and (d) off-the-job training leading to recognised qualifications is provided; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I have no plans to change the rules for employment action. Under the current arrangements part time places may be available for some participants and those seeking training leading to a vocational qualification are able to apply for a place on employment training.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what response he has received from local authorities, trade unions, voluntary organisations and organisations representing the interests of the unemployed, concerning the introduction of the employment action scheme.

  Mr. Jackson
  Employment action has been generally welcomed by all those with the interests of unemployed people at heart. The decision of the TUC to oppose employment action is regrettable but will not prevent the schemes success.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many bids have been received from training and enterprise councils and other agencies in order to run employment action schemes.

  Mr. Jackson
  Seventy five training and enterprise councils are already running employment action or are negotiating contracts with my Department. Where TECs have declined to participate, my officials will be arranging contracts direct with providers. There has been strong interest from providers in such cases.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he has taken to ensure that employment action does not result in job substitution; and if he will make a statement.
  395
  Mr. Jackson
  Employment action is delivered locally. Training and enterprise councils with their solid base in the local community, are ideally placed to ensure that there is no substitution.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if employment action participants will receive similar employment rights to employment training and youth training trainees under the provisions of health and safety, race relations and sex discrimination legislation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The provisions of health and safety, race relations and sex discrimination legislation will indeed apply to employment action participants. Trainees on employment training and youth training are similarly covered.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how employment action will result in employment creation or vocational training; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  Employment action will help unemployed people to maintain their existing skills, as well as giving them help in searching for and securing a permanent job. I am confident that employment action will improve the prospects of those who take part.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps he intends to take in the case of claimants who refuse to take part in employment action programmes.

  Mr. Jackson
  As I have frequently made clear, participation in employment action is entirely voluntary. Refusal to accept a place on the initiative would not in itself result in disqualification from receipt of benefit.

  Employment Action Programme
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people have accepted places on the employment action programme at the latest date.

  Mr. Jackson
  Employment action has only recently started and information on participants is not yet available.

  Performance-related Pay
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of the Employment Department group staff are on performance-related pay.

  Mr. Jackson
  Over 98 per cent. of Employment Department group staff are covered by performance pay arrangements; 30·2 per cent. have had pay awards under these arrangements.

  Redundancy Payments
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what responsibility his Department has assumed for redundancy payments to civil servants who moved from his Department to TICC skill centres, on that company having gone bankrupt in August.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department met the commitments it made to former staff to oblige purchasers of skill centres to 396
  write into staff's new employment contracts an entitlement to redundancy payments at civil service rates. This is now a matter between the employees, the company and its liquidators, although I do recognise the difficult position of former civil servants and am giving the issue serious consideration.

  Employment Training Schemes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if priority training moneys, within employment training, will be ring-fenced in order to ensure priority groups receive assistance.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training and enterprise councils are obliged under their contracts to ensure that priority in recruitment to employment training is given to persons in the guarantee and aim groups.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the change in the numbers of the guarantee and aim groups for employment training over the past 12 months.

  Mr. Jackson
  The change in the numbers of ET participants in England and Wales between the first quarter of 1990–91 and the first quarter of 1991–92 has been as follows:

  Guarantee group: +2,641

  Aim group: -5,125

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will outline future funding levels for employment training.

  Mr. Jackson
  Planned expenditure on employment training in Great Britain as published in the Employment Department group expenditure plans, Cm 1506, is £792 million in 1992–93 and £811 million in 1993–94.

  Claimants
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed claimants there were in the London borough of Newham, Tower Hamlets and Southwark in 1981 and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Jackson
  Unemployment data for local authority districts is available only from June 1983.

  The tables show the unadjusted number of unemployed claimants in the London boroughs for June 1983 and September 1991.

  June 1983

  September 1991

  Newham

  15,226

  16,894

  Tower Hamlets

  15,230

  14,282

  Southwark

  17,309

  18,833

  Job Interview Guarantee
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many interviews have so far taken place under the job interview guarantee; and how many got jobs.

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

  London Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed claimants there were in the London Docklands development corporation urban development area in 1981 and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Jackson
  Comparable figures are only available from June 1983. In June 1983 there were 6,631 unemployed claimants, on the unadjusted basis, in the London Docklands development corporation urban development area. This compares with 7,100 in September 1991.

  Comparisons are affected by the changes in the coverage of the count that have occurred over the period and by seasonal influences.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 14 June 1991 at column 703.

  Engineering Apprentices
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what has been the percentage change in the recruitment of apprentices in the engineering industry over the last year.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information on the recruitment of apprentices is not collected. However, the most recently available results from the annual labour force survey show that there were an estimated 73,000 apprentices in metal goods, engineering and vehicles in spring 1990. This represents an increase of 33 per cent. on the 1989 figure. Apprenticeships are only part of the system of delivering vocational training. The 1980s saw the introduction and expansion of training of young people through the youth training scheme. In addition, many young people opt to acquire vocational training through the further education system.

  Coal Mines Inspections
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State. for Employment if he will make a statement on the death of Mr. Lewis in the Glen colliery Cwmllynfelly, on Friday 11 October; and what action is being taken to check safety in other private mines in the Neath constituency.

  Mr. Forth
  I note with regret the death on 11 October of Mr. Lewis a 44-year-old colliery faceworker at the Glen colliery licensed mine in South Wales.

  The incident resulted from a fall of a roof while the deceased was working in a narrow seam. Two inspectors from the Health and Safety Executive's mines inspectorate were immediately sent to the mine where they carried out a full investigation. Their report, together with any recommendations is being considered by HM Chief Inspector of Mines.

  Licensed coal mines in the Neath constituency are included in a systematic inspection programme drawn up
  398
  by the Inspector in charge of the district weighted in line with local circumstances and knowledge. All working licensed coal mines are inspected at least once per year, usually more frequently.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what was the frequency of inspections of private licensed mines in(a) south Wales and (b) the Neath constituency for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Jackson
  Operating licensed mines in south Wales which includes those in the Neath constituency are visited by the Health and Safety Executive's mines inspectorate at least once each year and usually more frequently.

  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give figures for the number of inspectors of mines in south Wales per 100 employees in both private licensed and British Coal collieries for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Forth
  The available information, which relates to British Coal employees only, is as follows:

  Year

  Ratio of MIs per British Coal employees

  1979

  n.a.

  1980

  n.a.

  1981

  0·05

  1982

  0·05

  1983

  0·06

  1984

  0·06

  1985

  0·08

  1986

  0·08

  1987

  0·12

  1988

  0·13

  1989

  0·22

  1990

  0·37

  Reliable information about the number of employees at private licensed mines is not available.

  National Insurance Fraud
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many staff in the Employment Service numerically and proportionately are engaged in fraud detection relating to national insurance contributions.

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

  Earnings
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will state separately for full-time workers, part-time workers and all workers(a) the number and (b) the percentage earning less than £130 per week for (i) women, (ii) men and (iii) all workers, excluding overtime pay in (1) Leyton, (2) Walthamstow, (3) Chingford and (4) Greater London, for the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available from the April 1991 new earnings survey is given in the following table.
  399

  Employees on adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence with weekly earnings excluding overtime below £130.

  April 1991

  Waltham Forest1

  Greater London

  Number in survey

  Per cent.

  Number in survey

  Per cent.

  Full-time women

  8

  8·3

  347

  4·4

  Full-time men

  6

  3·9

  268

  2·1

  Full-time adults

  14

  5·6

  615

  3·0

  1 Due to small sample numbers, the information may be unreliable.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall Departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many unemployed people were disqualified for unemployment benefit in the South Gwent and Islwyn district in September 1991 under each paragraph of section 20(1) of the Social Security Act 1975; and in how many cases disqualification was imposed for the maximum period of 26 weeks.

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

SCOTLAND

  Incomes
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of people in Scotland with incomes less than half the average income after housing costs(a) in 1979 and (b) in 1988; and what percentage of the Scottish population this represented in each year.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  It is not possible to provide the requested information, except at disproportionate cost. Analyses for Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and the regions of England showing the number of households, by decile group below median household incomes, for the periods 1980–1982 and 1983–85, are given in the publication "Households and Families Below Average Income: A Regional Analysis 1980–1985". This study was commissioned from the Institute for Fiscal Studies by the House of Commons Social Services Committee. The publication is available from the Library.

  Woodland Grant Scheme
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to issue guidelines to local authorities to promote the woodland grant scheme; what is the planned budget of the scheme in the current and next financial years; how many applications have been received from within Renfrew district; how many of these have been approved; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Forestry Commission has the responsibility for promoting the woodland grant scheme; it consults local authorities about planting proposals in their area.

  The budget in 1991–92 for grants under the woodland grant scheme is £17·6 million, and the estimate for 1992–93 is £20·4 million.

  The Forestry Commission has received 23 applications in Renfrew district, of which 17 have so far been approved.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many court actions relating to mortgage repossessions there were in(a) Paisley sheriff court and (b) Scotland for each year since 1978; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is not held centrally.

  Strathclyde Police
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the level of specific grant given to meet the revenue costs of Strathclyde police in each year since 1979, expressed(a) in cash terms and (b) as a percentage of the total revenue budget; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information requested is set out in the following table:

  Police specific grant

  Total revenue budget

  Police specific grant as a percentage of the total revenue budget

  Year

  £

  £

  Per cent.

  1979–80

  37,829,242·21

  793,478,000·00

  4·77

  1980–81

  45,104,503·48

  989,304,000·00

  4·56

  1981–82

  52,590,064·66

  1,149,077,000·00

  4·58

  1982–83

  57,071,448·97

  1,257,054,000·00

  4·54

  1983–84

  61,946,461·13

  1,315,068,000·00

  4·71

  1984–85

  66,998,770·33

  1,358,433,000·00

  4·93

  1985–86

  67,241,352·98

  1,418,429,000·00

  4·74

  1986–87

  73,150,030·24

  1,501,838,000·00

  4·87

  1987–88

  82,076,843·87

  1,635,650,000·00

  5·02

  1988–89

  86,759,855·81

  1,763,655,000·00

  4·92

  1989–90

  97,768,399·14

  1,876,880,000·00

  5·21

  1990–91

  1108,118,400·95

  1,977,241,000·00

  5·47

  1 Provisional.

  Community Policing
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to review the need for additional community policing initiatives within the Paisley, South constituency; and if he will make a statement.
  401
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Responsibility for decisions on the operational deployment of police officers within Paisley, South rests solely with the chief constable of Strathclyde police.

  Police Manpower
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing, for each police authority in Scotland, the number of trained policemen and women required to bring each authority up to official recommended levels of qualified police personnel; the number of civilian administrative staff short; and the difference between the bid for equipment budgets to meet existing demands to combat crime in Scotland and the amounts awarded; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Table 1 shows the difference between the number of police officers in post and the authorised establishment level for each force. Table 2 provides a breakdown of civilian staff in each force and the difference between establishment and strength.

  Allocations for equipment are not distinguished separately within the consent which police authorities receive to incur capital expenditure. Authorities may augment the sum for which consent has been given by proceeds from the sale of assets. The figures in table 3 set out the capital allocations issued in 1991–92 together with the maximum amount of grant, at 51 per cent. of expenditure, that can be obtained by those authorities meeting some capital expenditure from current revenue.

  Table 1

  Total police establishment and numbers in post as at 30 June 1991

  Authorised establishment

  Number of officers in post

  Difference

  Central

  643

  623

  -20

  Dumfries and Galloway

  361

  361

  —

  Fife

  780

  757

  -23

  Grampian

  1,158

  1,139

  -19

  Lothian and Borders

  2,487

  2,426

  -61

  Northern

  631

  624

  -7

  Strathclyde

  6,954

  6,700

  -254

  Tayside

  1,057

  1,023

  -34

  Total

  14,071

  13,653

  -418

  Table 2

  Police civilian strength compared to establishment as at 30 June 1991

  Establishment

  Strength

  Difference

  Central:

  Traffic Warden

  22

  22

  —

  Clerical Staff

  72

  72

  —

  Technical Staff

  45

  44

  -1

  Dumfries and Galloway:

  Traffic Warden

  22

  12

  -10

  Clerical Staff

  45

  45

  —

  Technical Staff

  36

  36

  —

  Fife:

  Traffic Warden

  38

  36

  -2

  Clerical Staff

  132

  123

  -9

  Technical Staff

  41

  33

  -8

  Grampian:

  Traffic Warden

  57

  51

  -6

  Clerical Staff

  185

  179

  -6

  Technical Staff

  110

  107

  -3

  402

  Establishment

  Strength

  Difference

  Lothian and Borders:

  Traffic Warden

  173

  164

  -8

  Clerical Staff

  497

  483

  -14

  Technical Staff

  163

  154

  -9

  Northern:

  Traffic Warden

  23

  23

  —

  Clerical Staff

  129

  129

  —

  Technical Staff

  47

  44

  -3

  Strathclyde:

  Traffic Warden

  214

  179

  -35

  Clerical Staff

  615

  590

  -25

  Technical Staff

  593

  558

  -35

  Tayside:

  Traffic Warden

  40

  35

  -5

  Clerical Staff

  126

  103

  -23

  Technical Staff

  122

  115

  -7

  Total

  Traffic Warden

  589

  522

  -67

  Clerial Staff

  1,801

  1,724

  -77

  Technical Staff

  1,157

  1,091

  -66

  Table 3

  Capital allocation for 1991–92 and maximum CFCR grant

  Capital allocations £000

  Maximum CFCR grant £000

  Central

  326

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2,250

  82

  Fife

  543

  —

  Grampian

  196

  202

  Lothian and Borders

  400

  416

  Northern

  406

  —

  Strathclyde

  3,447

  —

  Tayside

  1,202

  —

  Total

  8,770

  700

  Radioactive Contamination, Dumbarton
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he possesses on the levels of radioactive contamination at the Riverside boatyard, Balloch in Dumbarton; and what steps are being taken to decontaminate the site.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office Environment Department has information about the site of the former radium works at Balloch including records of radiological surveys. All such information has been made available to Dumbarton district council and has been taken into account in a recent survey instigated by the district council in relation to its responsiblity for land use planning. The results of this survey have been sent to Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate which is assisting the district council in its consideration of the findings.

  Remedial action was taken at the site in 1963 in order to remove the health hazard which had been identified. Any further action taken in respect of the ground contamination must have regard to the proposed future use of the land. The responsibility for any such action would rest, in the first instance, with the owner of the land. The planning authority could attach appropriate conditions to the grant of any consent for development of the site.

  A7
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will undertake a design study for a major improvement scheme on the A7 trunk road at Colterscleuch south of Hawick for implementation in advance of the completion of the current studies on the A7 route action plan.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  There are several overtaking schemes on the A7 south of Hawick which have been identified as candidates for early implementation. Consideration is presently being given as to which is the most appropriate choice in terms of value for money, location, and local acceptability to take forward to the next design stage. I will write to the hon. Member when that decision is reached.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targetted in the declaration and plan of action which resulted from the World Summit for Children. The aim is to submit the report to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year. The Scottish Office is contributing to the preparation of the report.

  Coastal Flooding
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to protect coastal and island communities from flooding and damage from severe weather in the coming winter; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Protection of communities is essentially a matter for local authorities which already have wide powers to act in emergencies such as flooding and damage from severe weather. They also have powers under coast protection and flood prevention legislation to undertake protective work which may attract Government grants.

  Mortgage Defaults
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many mortgage defaults have taken place with Scottish Homes former tenants who availed themselves of finance from Scottish Homes or the Scottish Special Housing Association.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  None.

  Scottish Bus Group
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will state the price obtained for each company through privatisation of the Scottish Bus Group and the principal conditions of each sale.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on the sale prices obtained for each of the bus companies sold under the Scottish Bus Group disposal programme will be made available to Parliament as soon as possible.
  404
  The principal conditions contained in each sale relate to property clawbacks, employee pensions and concessionary fare arrangements for employees, former employees and their families. These conditions reflect criteria set out in the disposal programme.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the property assets involved in the privatisation of the Scottish Bus Group which are(a) leased to the buyer companies and (b) subject to claw-back if resold.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The information is as follows:

  Name of Subsidiary and Property

  Leased Properties

  Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Part of St. Andrew Square Bus Station, Edinburgh.

  2. Depot and Offices, New Street, Edinburgh.

  Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd.

  1. Part of St. Andrew Square Bus Station, Edinburgh.

  2. Buchanan Bus Station, Glasgow.

  Lowland Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Berwick-Upon-Tweed bus Station.

  Properties subject to clawback

  Lowland Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Bus station, Stirling Street, Galashiels.

  Eastern Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Depot and Bus Station, Eskbank Road, Dalkeith.

  2. Depot, 1 The Mall, Musselburgh.

  3. Depot and bus Station, Almondvale South, Livingston.

  Midland Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Bus Station, Callendar Riggs, Falkirk.

  2. Depot and House, 81–87 High Street, Linlithgow.

  Kelvin Central Buses Ltd.

  1. Depot, Connor Street, Airdrie.

  2. Depot, Milton Road, Kirkintilloch.

  3. Depot, Airbles Road, Motherwell.

  4. Office, Traction House, Motherwell.

  5. Depot, Gavinburn, Old Kilpatrick.

  6. Depot, Cumbernauld Road, Stepps.

  Northern Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Depot and Works, Gairn Terrace, Aberdeen.

  2. Bus Station and Offices, Guild Street, Aberdeen.

  3. Depot, Pinefield, Elgin.

  4. Depot and Offices. St. Peter Street. Peterhead.

  Strathtay Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Depot and Bus Station, Seagate, Dundee.

  2. Depot, Rossie Island, Montrose.

  3. Depot, Riggs Road, Perth.

  Fife Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Depot, St. Leonards Street, Dunfermline.

  2. Depot and Bus Station, City Road, St. Andrews.

  3. Workshop and Office, Esplanade, Kirkcaldy.

  4. Depot, Esplanade, Kirkcaldy.

  Highland Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Depot and Offices, Seafield Road, Inverness.

  2. Bus Station, Farraline Park, Inverness.

  Western Scottish Omnibuses Ltd.

  1. Bus Station and Offices, Sandgate, Ayr.

  2. Depot, Port Glasgow Road, Greenock.

  3. Depot, Greenock Road, Inchinnan.

  4. Depot and Bus Station, Main Street, Largs.

  5. Depot, Gordon Street/Saucel Street, Paisley.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many times a Scottish Office Minister has visited the constituency of Renfrew West and Inverclyde in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Lang
  Information on all Scottish Office Ministers' visits since 1987 could be obtained only at dispropor-tionate cost.

  Training Funds
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many jobs have been lost in Renfrew district and Inverclyde due to the cut back in training funds by his Department; and how many trainee places have been cut.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The number of training places in Renfrewshire district and Inverclyde is a matter for the local enterprise company, Renfrewshire Enterprise, and Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to write to the hon. Member on this point.

  Environmental Agencies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland ( I ) if he will make a statement on the plans and financing for the Scottish environment protection agency, announced on 23 September;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the future of the Scottish industrial pollution inspectorate, the river purification authorities and the hazardous waste inspectorate, respectively.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: The Government will be issuing a consultation paper explaining the precise functions which we believe should be undertaken by the Scottish environment protection agency. The purpose of the proposed changes is to provide more effective pollution control through a single, integrated organisation.

  The proposed agency would assume responsibility for the existing functions for air quality and radioactive waste exercised by The Scottish Office Environment Department through Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectorate —HMIPI; for the prevention and control of water pollution exercised by the river purification authorities—seven river purification boards, RPBs, and three islands councils; for the regulation of waste disposal and for local air quality exercised by the 53 district and three island councils. It would also incorporate the waste regulation monitoring activities of the Scottish Office Environment Department through its hazardous waste inspectorate—HWI.

  Primary legislation to set up the new body will be needed. The RPBs, HMIPI and HWI would cease to exist as separate entities once the new agency was established. It would be a non-departmental public body with a board appointed by my right hon. Friend and funded by the Scottish Office. A substantial proportion of its running costs would be recovered through the charges now being introduced for authorisations and licences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Control of Pollution Act 1974, as amended.

  Salmon
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to protect Scottish salmon growers from the impact of the dumping of Norwegian salmon on European markets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Government fully recognise the seriousness of the threat to salmon farming in Scotland posed by large-scale imports of Norwegian salmon to European markets. This is not a matter where the United Kingdom Government can act unilaterally; we have to work through the European Community. We have therefore pressed the EC Commission to consider the matter urgently and to meet the undertakings which it gave earlier this year, when it announced the closure of the anti-dumping case brought by Scottish and Irish salmon producers. These undertakings provided for further consultation with the Norwegians and, if necessary, consideration of a renewed anti-dumping investigation.

  We are now working closely with representatives of the Scottish industry, and with the Commission, to consider what steps need to be taken to restore stability to the market for farmed salmon.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Health Clinics
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland which health clinics for general medical practices are being(a) built and (b) extended in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  I presume from the terms of the question that the right hon. Member's inquiry relates to health centres rather than health clinics. Health boards have so far provided 72 health centres under the Northern Ireland programme which began in 1965. No new health centres are being built but schemes are underway to extend those at Armagh and at Stewartstown road, Belfast.

  I also understand that accommodation at the following locations is being built by general practitioners who wish to provide services from their own premises under the cost rent scheme provided by my Department:

  Cushendall, County Antrim

  Armoy, County Antrim

  Annalong, County Down

  Loughbrickland, County Down

  Banbridge, County Down

  Ballyward, County Down

  Downpatrick, County Down

  Holywood, County Down

  Ballynahinch, County Down

  Plumbridge, County Tyrone

  Belleek, County Fermanagh

  Newtownstewart, County Tyrone

  Londonderry, County Londonderry

  Deaths
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were killed as a result of(a) acts of terrorist violence and (b) road accidents in each of the months of April, May, June, July, August and September 1991.
  407
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number of deaths

  1991

  Acts of terrorism

  Road accidents

  April

  6

  7

  May

  9

  14

  June

  5

  18

  July

  4

  19

  August

  11

  13

  September

  7

  121

  1 There is a statutory requirement to include in the monthly total of road accident fatalities any deaths which occur up to and including 30 days after an accident; as a result this figure is still liable to upward revision.

  Gosford Castle, Markethill
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when Gosford castle, Markethill, was registered as an hotel; when it ceased to be registered as an hotel; which public grants and loans it received; and what were the conditions of this public funding.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Gosford castle, Markethill was registered with the Northern Ireland Tourist Board as an hotel from 28 February 1984 until 31 March 1986.

  Between June 1983 and July 1985 grant aid was paid for general repairs and maintenance totalling £34,797. On 12 May 1989, following a change of ownership, further grant aid in respect of its status as a listed historic building was offered totalling £17,630, of which Gosford Castle Ltd. received £6,574·21, the balance being paid to the Department of the Environment Northern Ireland, under the Payment of Debt (Emergency Provisions) Act (NI) 1971, in respect of rates arrears.

  All grants were paid under the Planning (NI) Order 1972 articles 31–36.

  Heart By-pass Operations
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are presently on the waiting list for heart by-pass operations; what was the total number of such operations carried out during the most recent 12 months for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The total number of patients waiting for cardiac surgery at 30 September was 991. In the year from September 1990 to September 1991, a total of 660 cardiac operations were carried out. Current information on the numbers waiting specifically for by-pass grafts and on the number of such operations carried out is not held centrally.

  Fish Quotas
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what effect the European Community fish quotas for 1991 have on employment in(a) the fishing industry and (b) the fish processing industry; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  There are no indications that there have been any significant changes to employment levels in the Northern Ireland fishing and fish processing industries during 1991.
  408
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the effect of the European Community fish quotas has been on the Northern Ireland fishing industry so far in 1991; what tonnage of each fish species has been landed; what is the value of the landings to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Information on the tonnage and value of the main species of fish landed into Northern Ireland is shown in the table. Comparative figures are provided for 1990.

  Landings into Northern Ireland

  1 January to 30 September 1990

  January to 30 September 1991 (provisional)

  Tonnage

  Value £ million

  Tonnage

  Value £ million

  Nephrops

  4,585

  6·30

  5,017

  6·48

  Cod

  2,883

  3·25

  1,942

  2·44

  Hake

  1,085

  1·95

  937

  2·22

  Whiting

  2,594

  1·53

  2,048

  1·01

  Others

  7,135

  3·01

  6,150

  2·84

  Total

  18,282

  16·14

  16,094

  14·99

  The lower landings of cod and whiting in 1991 are consistent with the reductions in the total allowable catch for Irish sea cod and whiting set by the EC Commission. There was no reduction in the hake TAC or quota.

  Advertising
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how much the Southern health and social services board paid for the advertisement "Let's eat well on a tight budget", on page 9 of the September issue of "Brownlow Matters"; when it commenced such advertisements; how many have been placed in other publications; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Southern health and social services board paid nothing for the advertisement in the September issue of "Brownlow Matters", which was the first of its kind. No such advertisements have been placed in other publications.

  Political Talks
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total cost to Her Majesty's Government, including travel abroad and secretarial facilities, of the Northern Ireland talks which were brought to a conclusion on 3 July.

  Mr. Brooke
  Final figures are not yet available but the total additional cost is expected to be in the region of £0·9 million.

  Sports Development Officers
  Mr. Pendry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the total number of sports development officers in Northern Ireland for each of the past 10 years.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: The number whose salaries/wages are met in full or in part from public funds is as follows:

  409

  Number

  1981

  24

  1982

  23

  1983

  23

  1984

  22

  1985

  26

  1986

  32

  1987

  29

  1988

  28

  1989

  31

  1990

  30

  Information on the number of sports development officers working for voluntary sports bodies and who are paid entirely from the resources of such bodies or who work on a voluntary basis is not held centrally.

  Police and Criminal Evidence Order
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many suspects detained under the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order requested a solicitor; and how many had such access delayed for each year since the inauguration of the order and to the latest convenient date in the current year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 15 October 1991]: In the year beginning 1 January 1990, the day on which the relevant provisions of the Police and Criminal Evidence (Northern Ireland) Order came into effect, 22,848 arrests were made under the order. On 5,554 occasions the suspect requested a solicitor and in 20 cases such access was delayed. From 1 January 1991 to 14 October a total of 18,399 arrests have been made. The central collation of statistics relating to requests for a solicitor was part of a pilot study to monitor the new legislation and the information has not been collated this year. It could be obtained now only at disproportionate cost.

  Forensic Tests
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons were remanded in custody pending the results of forensic tests in cases involving scheduled offences during (i) 1989 and (ii) 1990; how many such persons were(a) convicted, (b) acquitted and (c) not proceeded against; and what was the length of time such person spent on remand in custody.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 15 October 1991]: This information is not available; I understand, however, that the police would not normally request remand into custody solely to await the results of forensic tests.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Pension Scheme
  Mr. Cran
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what steps he has taken to assure himself that in all respects the parliamentary contributory pension scheme treats men and women equally.

  Mr. MacGregor
  As hon. Members will know, from the start our pension scheme has provided equal pensions, at the same age, to all Members. An inequality in the treatment of widowers' pensions was removed in 1984.

  Computers
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to renew the computer system for his office.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have no plans at present to do so.

  Terrace Dining Rooms
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what representations he has received in the last six months about the rules relating to use of the terrace dining rooms.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Apart from questions raised by the hon. Member, there has been one other representation during the last six months relating to the operation of the banqueting facilities.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Blue-ear Pig Disease
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of man hours spent on blue-ear pig disease at each of the veterinary investigation centres; and what findings have so far been established.

  Mr. Maclean
  It has not been necessary for veterinary investigation centres to make a substantial input to measures for dealing with the disease since it became notifiable on 13 June. However, the staff hours spent on blue-eared pig disease at each of the veterinary investigation centers since the first occurrence of suspicious symptoms to the end of September was as follows:

  Centre

  Hours

  Newcastle

  16·00

  Thirsk

  12·50

  Norwich

  37·00

  Preston

  20·00

  Worcester

  3·50

  Bangor

  3·00

  Aberystwyth

  3·00

  Truro

  4·00

  Winchester

  27·00

  Reading

  13·50

  Penrith

  3·00

  Cambridge

  3·00

  Lincoln

  103·00

  Shrewsbury

  2·00

  Sutton Bonington

  2·00

  Carmarthen

  2·00

  Starcross

  7·50

  Bristol

  11·00

  Wye

  3·00

  The key research work has been carried out by the Central Veterinary Laboratory. For the findings I refer the hon. Member to my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 16 October, Official Report column 153.

  Grain Stores
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the highest tonnage of(a) wheat and (b) barley that has been held in central storage in the current year; what were the highest levels in each of the previous five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Tables showing EC and United Kingdom intervention stock levels have been deposited in the Library of the House at monthly intervals throughout the period in question.

  Farmers
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations have been made to the European Commission about the new Community rules that farmers who are in a partnership have to declare their percentage interest in their ownership of flocks that are the joint property of the partnership; and what assessment he has made of the impact of this measure on United Kingdom farmers.

  Mr. Maclean
  These rules are contained in EC Commission regulation 2385/91 which lays down a number of measures designed to reinforce the application of ewe premium headage limits which were introduced by the Council in 1989. The United Kingdom played a full part in the discussions on the regulation in management committee and sought in particular to ensure that its provisions were fair and did not discriminate against United Kingdom producers. It is not possible except at disproportionate cost to assess its precise impact.

  Business Invoices
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium sized businesses.

  Mr. Curry
  The policy of MAFF in payment of invoices to small and medium sized businesses is to comply with this Department's standard contractual terms which are 30 days from receipt of a correct invoice. The only exception is when prompt payment terms are negotiated; on such occasions the Department pays within 14 days of receipt of invoice.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The final figure for expenditure in the financial year 1990–91 is £65,229. This shows a modest increase over the previous year of just under £3,000.

  CAP Fraud
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is the estimate of the amount of money which has been paid out as a result of fraud in the common agricultural policy during the last financial year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  It is not possible to estimate the extent of fraud in the common agricultural policy, since, by 412
  definition, undetected fraud cannot be measured. In 1990, 819 cases of irregularity, the definition of which goes wider than fraud, in EAGGF guarantee expenditure were reported by member states, with a value of 138 mecu—£98 million. These cases represent about 0·5 per cent. of EAGGF guarantee expenditure in that year. However, fraud is clearly a serious problem and must be tackled vigorously.

  Departmental Reorganisation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, as a result of his plans to reshape the Ministry's organisation(a) how many divisional and regional offices will close and (b) how many staff will be made redundant giving the grades in each case; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Ministry will maintain a presence at all its regional and divisional offices. Those which have not been designated as regional service centres will serve as animal health offices or ADAS—Agricultural Development Advisory Service—business centres or both. Detailed complements for the new regional service centres and for the provision of administrative support for the state veterinary service and ADAS are currently being established. We shall be doing all we can to avoid compulsory redundancies. Where posts are to be lost every effort will be made to find staff alternative jobs.

  Canthaxanthin
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the countries which currently place bans or restrictions on the use of canthaxanthin in commercial egg production; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  I am not aware that any countries have banned the use of canthaxanthin in commercial egg production. However, EC legislation restricts the amount that may be added to poultry feed in member states.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what proportion of commercial egg producers he estimates use canthaxanthin.

  Mr. Maclean
  I have no information on which to base an estimate.

  Departmental Staff
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many staff were employed in his Ministry in(a) 1980 and (b) 1990 in (i) regional and divisional offices, (ii) the Agricultural Development Advisory Service, (iii) the state veterinary service, (iv) publicity and (v) total.

  Mr. Gummer
  The position at 1 April 1980 and 1 April 1990 was as follows:

  1980

  1990

  Regional and divisional offices

  3,324·0

  2,079·5

  Agricultural Development and Advisory Service

  3,813·0

  12,625·5

  State veterinary service

  1.627·0

  2855·0

  Publicity

  131·5

  383·0

  1 Excludes 164 staff in the Plant Health and Seed Inspectorate and the Horticultural Marketing Inspectorate who are no longer part of

  413
  ADAS.

  2 Excludes 663·5 staff now in the Central Veterinary La boratory and Veterinary Medicines Directorate Executive Agencies.

  3 These figures cover all Information Division staff, including librarians and translators because the staff-in-post records for 1980 do not distinguish between staffdealing with press and public relations matters and other Information Division staff. Of the 83 staff in Information Division in 1990, 23 were engaged on publicity related work.

  Total MAFF staff in post were 13,758 in 1980 and 9,848 in 1990.

  Sheep Dips
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many reported incidents arising from exposure to organophosphate sheep dips have been reported in each year since 1985; what were the occupations of the people involved; how many incidents each year involved persons aged under 16 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information relating to reported suspected incidents involving humans is as set out in the table. This covers the period from 1985 to 2 September 1991. A number of further reports are currently being assessed. Reports are shown in the year in which they were received, regardless of the year in which they occurred.

  Year and number of reports

  Occupation

  1985–8 (involving 35 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  12

  Unknown

  23

  No children

  —

  1986–10 (involving 19 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  12

  Trading standards officers

  4

  Unknown

  3

  No children

  —

  The percentage self sufficiency figures requested for the United Kingdom

  Total milk

  Calendar year

  Butterfat

  Solids—not-fat

  Butter

  Cheese

  Fresh cream

  Sterilised cream

  Skimmed milk powder

  Sweetened condensed

  Unsweetened condensed

  1984

  88

  104

  71·5

  67·1

  99·2

  85·3

  132·2

  84·0

  143·5

  1985

  88

  105

  70·2

  68·0

  99·0

  86·2

  137·0

  88·3

  134·8

  1986

  90

  109

  80·9

  66·3

  99·6

  83·0

  188·6

  97·3

  130·4

  1987

  87

  105

  65·8

  66·3

  100·9

  79·1

  146·8

  100·0

  146·1

  1988

  84

  106

  49·6

  68·5

  101·9

  107·1

  199·0

  88·3

  137·1

  1989

  86

  105

  63·4

  64·6

  104·8

  130·8

  183·2

  89·4

  160·8

  19901

  90

  107

  64·5

  68·3

  nya

  100·0

  218·3

  163·8

  1 Provisional.

  Veterinary Investigation Centres
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the most recent estimates of closure dates of the veterinary investigation centres, including those that have already closed, since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The veterinary investigation centre located at the Central Veterinary Laboratory Weybridge closed in December 1980. In November 1985 the Liverpool centre was relocated to Barton Hall Preston. As a result of the efficiency study of the veterinary investigation service in 1984–85 the Cardiff centre closed in March 1986, the Gloucester and Leeds centres closed in June 1986 and the Northampton centre in July 1986. A small laboratory at Chester was closed in April 1986.

  As a result of the recent review the Wye centre closed in July 1991 and the Bangor and Lincoln centres closed in September 1991.
  414

  Year and number of reports

  Occupation

  1987–10 (involving 17 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  14

  Unknown

  3

  No children

  —

  1988–19 (involving 23 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  21

  Unknown

  2

  No children

  —

  1989–9 (involving 10 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  4

  Children under 16

  3

  Unknown

  3

  1990–5 (involving 6 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  5

  Unknown

  1

  No children

  —

  1991–61 (involving 66 people)

  Farmers/farm workers

  51

  Policeman

  1

  Children under 16

  8

  Unknown

  6

  Of these 122 reports, 16 related to sheep dips which are no longer licensed, involving 40 people—13 farmers/farm workers, two children, one trading standards officer, and 24 unknown.

  All reports are followed up and the results brought to the attention of the Veterinary Products Committee.

  Dairy Produce
  Mr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the percentage level of self-sufficiency in dairy produce in the United Kingdom for each year since the introduction of milk quotas in 1984.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information is as follows.

  The Cambridge and Norwich centres will be amalgamated at a new centre in Bury St. Edmunds in mid to late 1993. The Worcester centre will be relocated to a new centre in Warwickshire and the Reading and Winchester centres will be amalgamated when this new centre is completed.

  Departmental Reorganisation
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his estimate of the change in the level of expenditure for 1992–93 as a result of the reorganisation of his Ministry outlined in his answer to the hon. Member for Ipswich (Mr. Irvine) on 23 July,Official Report, columns 455–56; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The projected once-off cost of the reorganisation in 1992–93 is £7·5 million. The projected annual saving, which will not come fully on stream until 1993–94, is about £3 million.

  Ministry Expenditure
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the amount spent in cash terms by his Ministry in 1980–81 and 1990–91, voted and non voted where applicable, on(a) intervention board and EC expenditure, (b) domestic agriculture, fisheries and food, (c) operation and running costs of the Ministry, (d) departmental research and development, (e) commissioned research and development, (f) support for the fishing industry, (g) national market support, (h) structural measures for agriculture, (i) publicity, (j) Food From Britain and (k) total expenditure of the Ministry.

  Mr. Gummer
  The way in which the supply estimates and, consequently, the appropriation accounts were set out in 1980–81 differ so significantly from that used in 1990–91 that it is generally not possible to provide figures on a comparable basis. A full set of outturn figures for 1980–81 and for 1990–91 is set out in the respective appropriation accounts for those years, which are in the Library of the House.

  Rats
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what surveys his Department has carried out or commissioned in the past five years on the rat population in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maclean
  The last Government survey into rodent population was carried out in 1978. A new survey to assess rat populations in England and Wales is being planned by this Department, in collaboration with the Institute of Environmental Health Officers. This survey is due to commence early in 1992.

  Pesticides
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will require manufacturers of pesticides to publish the data upon which field tests have been based.

  Mr. Maclean
  Companies are required to submit a wide range of studies including field studies in support of their applications for statutory approval for pesticides. This material forms the basis of an evaluation which is considered by the independent Advisory Committee on Pesticides. The data underlying the published evaluation are available for public scrutiny on application to the registration authorities.

  Suckler Cow Premium
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he intends to authorise payment of the suckler cow premium; and if he will explain the reasons for the delay that has occurred.

  Mr. Curry
  We have carefully considered the rate of premium to apply in 1991–92, in the light of the continuing high cost of support for the beef industry, and the continuing rise in the size of the suckler herd. Matters are now complicated by a Commission proposal to amend the maximum rates of premium payable, which, if adopted, will oblige us to reconsider the issue.

  Bodmin Moor
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he hopes to announce the designation of further environmentally sensitive areas; and whether the Bodmin moor submission satisfies the relevant criteria.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to make an announcement at present, but is currently considering the scope for designation of further environmentally sensitive areas. Bodmin moor is one of many areas that have been suggested and full account will be taken of the evidence submitted in making any future announcement.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year.

  Poultry Meat
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many different officers of his Department are involved in the consideration or processing of an application for approval under EC directive 88/657 in order to export poultry meat preparations to other member states.

  Mr. Maclean
  Applications are originally submitted to the Ministry's regional meat hygiene adviser—RMHA— who requests a veterinary officer to make visits to the premises in order to offer advice on the changes needed for compliance. Plans are sent to the plans unit at Wolverhampton for scrutiny. After the necessary work has been completed, the final visit, leading to his recommendation for approval, is carried out by the RM HA. This recommendation is endorsed by a senior veterinarian at meat hygiene division's headquarters in Tolworth. These steps are aimed to ensure that the premises complies fully with EC requirements, that approval is likely to be endorsed by any future inspection carried out by EC Commission inspectors and that consistent standards are achieved across the country.

HEALTH

  Operating Theatres
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 20 June,Official Report, column 297, if he will make it his practice to keep central records of lists by regional health authority on how many operating theatres are closed, listing the reasons in each case.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Dental Health
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the cost to public funds of preventive dental health programmes in England, for the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Responsibility for arranging for the provision of dental health education and preventive programmes is delegated to district health authorities. Information on the total cost of such programmes is not available centrally. In 1990–91, £538,000 was provided from central funds to support local fluoridation schemes and oral health education programmes.

  Children Act
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the likely additional resources required to implement the Children Act 1989 in a full year.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how much money has been allocated, and to which local authorities, specifically for implementing the Children Act 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Central Government do not specify in detail how local authorities should allocate the overall resource available to them but rather indicates its view of the appropriate spending through standard spending control totals. The total covering personal social services for children (including specific grants) was £1,540·9 million for 1991–92, an increase of £239·9 million (18·4 per cent.) over the equivalent figure for 1990–91. This increase allows for the part-year implementation of the Children Act from 14 October 1991. Information about personal social services standard spending assessments for

  Region

  Ashworth

  Broadmoor

  Rampton

  Total

  Northern

  5

  —

  2

  1

  Yorkshire

  7

  1

  5

  13

  Trent

  1

  —

  14

  15

  East Anglian

  1

  1

  1

  3

  North West Thames

  2

  3

  5

  10

  North East Thames

  2

  6

  5

  13

  South East Thames

  —

  10

  3

  13

  South West Thames

  —

  5

  3

  8

  Wessex

  1

  6

  2

  9

  Oxford

  —

  6

  8

  14

  South Western

  1

  4

  3

  8

  West Midlands

  12

  3

  5

  20

  Mersey

  15

  —

  —

  15

  North Western

  9

  —

  1

  10

  Wales

  8

  1

  —

  9

  Total

  64

  46

  57

  167

  1 Defined as those detained under section 3 of the Mental Health Act 1983—that is, their detention did not arise from criminal proceedings or a prison sentence.

  Health Authority, Barnet
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the level of expenditure by the Barnet district health authority in each year since 1982–83.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Following is information derived from the annual accounts of the Barnet health authority.
  418
  children by individual local authority is given in the Department of the Environment's Standard Spending Assessment Handbook for 1991–92, a copy of which is in the Library.

  The full-year cost implications of implementation have been discussed with the local authority associations and were taken into account in the proposals announced by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment on 23 July at columns 1052–1065 on the level of total standard spending for 1992–93. The standard spending control total for personal social services for children for 1992–93 will be announced later this year.

  A new specific grant of £5·7 million will be introduced in 1992–93 for the guardians ad litem service to help provide independent representation for children in court. Specific resources will be made available within the training support grant to ensure that all officers in charge of children's homes are suitably qualified by 1995. The grant will be increased by nearly 17 per cent. to £29 million in 1992–93.

  Special Hospitals
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many mentally ill patients in the special hospitals at(a) Ashworth, (b) Broadmoor and (c) Rampton who have not committed offences, come from each health authority region or board in the United Kingdom; and how many from elsewhere.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The numbers of patients from each region with a diagnosis of mental illness who have not committed offences' are given in the table. The special hospitals provide a service for England and Wales only. Patients from Scotland and Northern Ireland requiring treatment under conditions of maximum security would normally be admitted to the state hospital, Carstairs.

  Barnet health authority—total revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services (HCHS)

  £million (cash)

  1982–83

  59·8

  1983–84

  61·8

  1984–85

  64·1

  1985–86

  65·6

  1986–87

  74·3

  1987–88

  80·5

  1988–89

  90·2

  419

  £ million (cash)

  1989–90

  100·8

  11990–91

  110·3

  1 Provisional (as yet subject to audit).

  Note: HCHS covers all services directly managed by the authority including hospital, community health and other services. The figures for the years from 1986–87 include the expenditure of the north London blood transfusion centre which previously was managed by the North West Thames regional health authority.

  Health Service, Barnet
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in Barnet health authorities each year since 1982–83.

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

  Barnet health authority Number of patients treated, NHS hospitals

  Ordinary admissions

  Day cases

  Total

  Discharges and deaths1

  1982

  36,495

  2,907

  39,402

  1983

  36,623

  4,719

  41,342

  1984

  37,361

  5,414

  42,775

  1985

  37,322

  5,725

  43,047

  1986

  35,715

  6,090

  41,805

  1987–88

  38,083

  5,174

  43,257

  1988–89

  36,482

  7,106

  43,588

  Finished consultant episodes2

  1988–89

  40,763

  7,106

  47,869

  1989–90

  40,138

  9,534

  49,672

  1 Discharges from hospital (or death in hospital) or transfer to another hospital.

  2 Completed periods of care of a patient using a bed (including healthy babies born in hospital), under one consultant, in a particular district/special health authority.

  Nurses
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the numbers of newly qualified nurses currently seeking employment in the national health service.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of nurses who completed pre-registration nurse training in England during the year ending 31 March 1991 was 19,006. Information on how many of those are currently seeking employment in the NHS is not held centrally.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what recommendations about tackling racial inequality in nursing have been made by the pay review body in the health service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The function of the review body is to advise my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister on the levels of remuneration for nursing staff, midwives and health visitors in the NHS. The review body has made no recommendations concerning race in any of its eight reports.

  Air Pollution
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies he has made of the quality of air and the levels of air pollution, and the effect this has on the incidence of 420
  asthma; and if he will publish any figures available to him on the level of asthma suffered during the months of 1991, together with any indication of correlation to the quality of air.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The advisory group on the medical aspects of air pollution episodes has completed a detailed report on ozone and its effects on health. The full report was published on 1 August by HMSO and a copy is available in the Library.

  The main conclusion of the group is that although individuals with asthma or other respiratory disorders appear to be no more likely than healthy individuals to be sensitive to ozone, the effects of ozone may be more troublesome in individuals who already have some impairment of lung function. The group is now considering the winter pollutants with particular regard to sulphur dioxide.

  Figures on the levels of asthma suffered during 1991 are unavailable. However, there are approximately 2 million asthmatics in the United Kingdom, of whom 700,000 are children and adolescents under the age of 16.

  It is not currently possible to determine whether air pollution episodes have any bearing on the numbers of sufferers experiencing difficulties.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what response he has made to the first report on ozone of the advisory group on the medical aspects of air pollution episodes published in July.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The report and its recommendations have been accepted by the Government.

  In response to the advisory group's recommendations. the air quality bulletin system, set up by the Department of the Environment and the Meteorological Office, now includes a separate air quality health advice telephone line which, in the summer months, offers advice on the effects of current ozone levels and on how those who are particularly sensitive to ozone can minimise their exposure.

  Sick Children
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by(a) regional health authority and (b) district health authority the number of seriously sick children being treated in adult intensive care units instead of paediatric intensive care units for the latest date for which he has figures; and what was the comparable figure 12 months ago.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally.

  The benefits of treating children in paediatric intensive care units were described in our recent guidance document, "The Welfare of Children and Young People in Hospital". a copy of which is available in the Library.

  A survey carried out in 1985–86 by a working party of the British Paediatric Association showed that, of 6,000 children who were admitted to intensive care, 4,000 were treated in paediatric intensive care units, and the remainder in adult facilities. The working party has now been reconvened and is expected to consider the organisational and training arrangements required to meet in full the requirement for the intensive care of children.

  Community Health Councils
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the annual cost of community health councils.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The summarised accounts of regional and district health authorities in England for 1989–90 record expenditure on community health councils totalling £8,603,170. This represents an increase of 7·5 per cent. over the previous year.

  Prescriptions
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the items that general practioners will no longer be able to prescribe for their patients under his Department's health regulations, with effect from 1 November.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested has been placed in the Library.

  Ealing Hospital
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what funding was provided to Ealing hospital in the financial years(a) 1978–79 and (b) 1990–91 in real and money terms; how many (i) doctors, (ii) nurses arid (iii) other staff were in post at the hospital for the same years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not collected centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Lady Eccles of Moulton, the chairman of Ealing district health authority for details.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health upon what criteria he has approved self-governing status for Ealing hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The criteria for the establishment of Ealing hospital as an NHS trust, as for all applicants, were:that it would deliver tangible benefits to patients and improvements in the quality of its services;
  that it had effective leadership and management:
  that key professional staff were involved in management;
  that it was financially viable.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the ending of topping up payments to voluntary and privately run homes for the aged; what alternative arrangements will be made for residents unable to afford the cost of remaining in their present accommodation; and what assessment he has made of how much additional money district health authorities will need to find if they now seek to meet the cost of topping up payments.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There has been no change in the type of arrangements which health authorities may make with independent sector homes caring for elderly people and how these relate to individual residents' eligibility for social security benefits. A recent executive letter to health authorities, EL(91)108, restated the long standing legal position, a copy of the letter is available in the Library.
  422
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to visit Mossley Hill hospital to discuss the run-down of hospital places for elderly people and their transfer to Kelton Grange.

  Mr. Dorrell
  No.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of(a) residential care homes and (b) nursing homes in operation for each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The numbers of residential care homes (registered homes and local authority homes) and private nursing homes, hospitals and clinics in England for each year from 1979 are shown in the table.

  Residential care homes

  Nursing homes hospitals and clinics

  1979

  7,167

  —

  1980

  7,565

  —

  1981

  —

  —

  1982

  —

  1,214

  1983

  9,131

  1,316

  1984

  10,009

  1,491

  1985

  11,363

  1,833

  1986

  12,552

  2,266

  1987

  13,800

  (1987–88)

  2,821

  1988

  14,684

  (1988–89)

  3,288

  1989

  16,026

  (1989–90)

  3,746

  1990

  16,743

  —

  Notes:

  No reliable data is held in respect of residential care homes for 1981 or 1982.

  Figures in respect of residential care homes are as at 31 March each year. From 1987 onwards they include homes dealing primarily with alcohol and drug misusers and others, about which data was not previously collected.

  Prior to 1982 information was not collected centrally in respect of nursing homes.

  Cot Deaths
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has commissioned into the causes, epidemiology, and cure of cot deaths;

  (2) what research he knows of and has commissioned in the United Kingdom on cot death syndrome.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  While these deaths remain unexplained, the main focus of research has been on the epidemiology of cot deaths with the purpose of understanding the factors that are associated with these deaths. From these may come a better insight into the specific causes and the introduction of successful preventive strategies.

  The Department commissioned a multi-centre study of postneonatal mortality which was carried out by Professor Knowelden of Sheffield university and completed in 1985. More recently, the Medical Research Council was commissioned to review existing research into sudden infant death and related matters. Its report has been submitted to the Department and is receiving careful consideration. A study in Avon into infant deaths has recently been completed and the findings are awaiting publication. Much research is also funded by other agencies, particularly the Foundation for the Study of Infant Deaths. The Department values greatly the work that they do, not only for research but also in support of bereaved parents.

  The nationwide confidential inquiry into stillbirths and deaths in infancy that I announced on 2 July will in due

  423
  course provide an additional means of studying the circumstances surrounding the deaths of individual infants.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what study he has made of New Zealand research into cot deaths and of the methods used in New Zealand to reduce the incidence of cot death;

  (2) what advice is issued by his Department on the way in which young babies should be laid to sleep to avoid cot death.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  After the first month of life, most deaths in infancy are cot deaths; they are sudden, unexpected and a tragedy to the bereaved family. They are still unexplained.

  The Department is therefore particularly watchful of research into cot deaths, both in this country and abroad. Although the incidence and circumstances vary between countries and change over time, a number of factors have been shown to be associated with an increased risk of cot death; for example, where someone in the family smokes or the mother is alone or very young. But in many instances such factors are absent. Studies of recent research findings, from New Zealand and elsewhere, including this country, suggest that the prone sleeping position is also a risk factor.

  Because of the importance of any advice given, especially to parents and parents-to-be, the new findings require authoritative assessment. The Chief Medical Officer has asked a group of experts to examine the evidence and report within six weeks. He will then be in a position to make a statement containing whatever further practical advice is needed. If necessary, the existing advice in the Pregnancy Book, which all new mothers receive, will be amended.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the incidence of cot deaths each year since 1969.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information that is available is set out in the table. Since 1971, OPCS has identified deaths in England and Wales where the term "sudden unexpected death in infancy", "cot death" or similar term was mentioned on the death certificate.

  Following the introduction of this diagnostic category, there has been a change both in diagnostic and certification practice. It is believed that deaths which were attributed previously to respiratory disorders are now identified as cot deaths. This is consistent with the reduction over the same period in the number of deaths attributed to respiratory disorders. The reduction in the number of cot deaths over the last two years is particularly welcome.

  Number of infant deaths with any mention of sudden infant death on the death certificate for all ages. England and Wales 1971–19901

  Number

  1971

  524

  1972

  798

  1973

  951

  1974

  965

  1975

  929

  1976

  907

  1977

  937

  1978

  995

  1979

  1,099

  1980

  1,260

  424

  Number

  1981

  1,304

  1982

  1,375

  1983

  1,358

  1984

  1,285

  1985

  1,338

  1986

  1,530

  1987

  1,574

  1988

  1,629

  1989

  1,410

  1990

  1,280

  1Comparable data for earlier years are not available.

  AIDS
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what have been the number of deaths due to AIDS in each year since 1985.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Reports received by the Public Health Laboratory Service's communicable disease surveillance centre and the communicable disease (Scotland) unit show that the number of deaths due to AIDS in each year from 1985 to 1991 is as follows:

  Number

  1985

  119

  1986

  266

  1987

  345

  1988

  405

  1989

  651

  1990

  750

  11991

  524

  1 First nine months only.

  Seventy one deaths occurred earlier than 1985 and 25 deaths have been reported where the year of death is not known.

  Deaf Children
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement summarising the provision which is currently made within the national health service for deaf children; and what plans he has to improve that provision.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The wide range of service provision for deaf children embraces prevention, screening surveillance, diagnosis and treatment. These services are located partly in the community and partly in hospitals and are managed and delivered by a variety of professionals. It is for district health authorities to ensure that services develop in the light of their assessment of local health needs.

  Children's Homes
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what steps he is taking to implement the recommendations of the Utting report;

  (2) which organisations have made representations to him regarding the Utting report; and if he will make the representations public.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have received representations from a number of organisations about Sir William Utting's report, "Children in the Public Care: A Review of Residential Child Care". It is for those making representations to consider whether they should be made public.
  425
  Local authorities have been asked to address some of the recommendations in the report and the Department will issue further guidance as soon as possible. Meanwhile, the Department has taken steps to start a new initiative in 1992–93, within the training support programme, on the training of officers in charge of local authority maintained and controlled residential homes for children. A local authority circular on the training support programme for 1992–93 will he issued shortly.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional resources he has allocated to local authorities specifically to implement the recommendations of the Utting report.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Central Government do not specify in detail how local authorities should allocate the overall resources available to them but rather indicates its view of appropriate spending through standard spending control totals. The standard spending control total for personal social services for 1992–93 will be announced later this year. Specific resources will be made available within the training support grant to ensure that all officers in charge of children's homes are suitably qualified by 1995. The grant will be increased by nearly 17 per cent. to £29 million in 1992–93.

  Medical Data
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the confidentiality of medical data may be breached for billing, policing, protecting national security and tax collecting purposes; and whether he will make a statement;

  (2) what guidance he has given as to the circumstances in which implied consent of the patient for the use of a medical record can be assumed; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Personal health information in the NHS is strictly confidential, and all those who work in the NHS are under a legal duty to safeguard its confidentiality. Patients have the right to expect that information about them is used within the NHS only for authorised purposes, and only by authorised personnel. The information so used must be only such as is strictly necessary for the purpose in question. Administrative and financial control, without which the NHS could not function, are authorised purposes, and the use of such personal health information as is strictly necessary for these purposes does not constitute a breach of confidentiality.

  Under the common law, there can be a justification, in the public interest, for confidentiality to be breached. It is generally held that the prevention, detection and prosecution of serious crime, and the protection of national security, provide such justification. Tax collection and general policing do not fall within this category.

  The Department is working on the production of guidance on these issues for the NHS which will be issued soon in draft form for consultation.

  School Nurses
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many school nurses were employed in the United Kingdom in(a) 1975, (b) 1980, (c) 1985 and (d)

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information for England is given in the table.
  426
  The fluctuation in numbers reflects the substantial growth in family practitioner services. The number of general practitioners has increased by 20 per cent. since 1979 and the wider range of primary care services available to families with children has led many health authorities to review the role of their school health services and direct these resources more specifically towards health promotion and support to children with special health care needs in schools.

  The information relating to Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Wales, for Scotland and for Northern Ireland.

  NHS School Nurses1 in post at 30 September each year England

  Whole-time equivalents2

  31975

  3,290

  1980

  2,690

  1985

  3,110

  1990

  2,850

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual census of NHS non-medical manpower.

  1 Includes school health visitors. Statistics on the number of nurses in particular areas of work are prone to errors in employing authorities' coding procedures. The above figures should therefore be treated with caution.

  2All figures are independently rounded to the nearest ten (10) whole-time equivalents.

  3Figures are not adjusted for the reduction in nurses working hours during 1980–81 (from 40 to 37·5 hours per week).

  Unplanned Pregnancy
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has received a copy of the report of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists working party on unplanned pregnancy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Yes. The working party's report on unplanned pregnancy is a helpful and positive contribution to the current debate on family planning. The Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists is currently sending copies of the report to regional, district and family health service authority general managers. In July regional health authorities in England were asked, as part of the NHS management executive's 1992–93 initiative for securing better health services for individuals, to review family planning service provision and to ensure effective coordination of services offered by GPs and family planning clinics. Later this year we shall be issuing guidelines to help regions in their reviews.

  Battered Women's Refuges
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many refuges for battered women there are; and how many places exist.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  According to information provided by the Women's Aid Federation (England) Ltd., there are an estimated 200 independent women's refuge groups in England, some of which are responsible for two or more premises. It is not possible to estimate the number of places because of variations in occupancy rates and family size.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken through contact with the Data Protection Registrar to ensure that the use of the contract minimum data set is consistent with the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1984; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Data Protection Registrar was informed prior to 1 April 1991 of the contents of the contract minimum data set. He is still considering the matter.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targetted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating all interested Government Departments to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targetted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year. The Department is liaising closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the preparation of this report.

  National Health Service Trusts
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the care services required of national health service trust acute hospitals.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  National health service trust acute hospitals provide those services determined and contracted for by health authorities and other purchasers. In the unlikely event of a trust's failing to provide a vital service, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has power to direct them to do so. He can also direct them to provide facilities for medical education.

  NHS Equipment
  Mr. George Howarth
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy towards the transfer of national health service equipment from hospital to voluntary sector housing.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Transfer of equipment from a hospital to a voluntary housing association is a matter for local arrangement by the health authority concerned, and will depend on the circumstances of each case. General guidance has been issued to health authorities on the disposal of surplus equipment.

  Table 1: The change in average real net incomes1 and total purchasing power of pensioner units between 1979 and 1988

  Average real net incomes (£pw, 1988 prices)2

  Number of pensioner units in United Kingdom (thousands)3

  Total weekly purchasing power of all pensioner units (£ million pw at 1988 prices)4

  1979

  79·70

  6,980

  560

  1988

  106·30

  7,360

  780

  Change 1979–1988

  + 26·70

  + 380

  + 230

  Percentage change 1979–1988

  + 34

  + 5

  + 41

  Surgery
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many operations have been cancelled in national health service hospitals during the financial year 1989–90.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not available centrally.

  General Practice
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of vocational training places in general practice(a) available and (b) taken up in each of the last five years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The number of vocational training places available is not held centrally. The following table details the number of trainee places taken up in each of the last five years.

  Year

  Trainees (England)

  1 October 1987

  1,710

  1 October 1988

  1,685

  1 October 1989

  1,735

  1 October 1990

  1,562

  General practice remains a popular career choice for doctors and the supply of trainees amply exceeds the needs of the service.

  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reimbursement of general practitioners computing costs in Northumberland health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Funding for the direct reimbursement of part of general practitioners' computing costs is provided through allocations from the Department to regional health authorities. They, in turn, make specific allocations to family health services authorities who administer the scheme in accordance with guidelines issued by the Department. My hon. Friend may wish to write to Mr. Peter Carr CBE, chairman of Northern regional health authority, for further details.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the additional purchasing power of pensioners since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is given in the table.
  429
  1 Estimates of average real net incomes are based upon data from the 1979 and 1988 FES's. Population estimates are based upon estimates provided by OPCS.

  2 Estimates are for the United Kingdom.

  3 A pensioner unit is defined as a single person over state pension age or a couple in which the husband is over state pension age.

  4 Monetary figures have been rounded to the nearest 10; Percentage change figures have been calculated on unrounded monetary figures.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum additional amount payable to a state pensioner on SERPs this year and each year to 2000; and what percentage of those pensioners his Department estimates will receive this amount in each of those years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is given in the table. The assumptions of the annual increase in earnings and prices are consistent with those used in the Government Actuary's "Quinquennial Review: National Insurance Fund, Long Term Financial Estimates".

  The number of pensioners likely to be in receipt of these maximum amounts in the future cannot be accurately estimated.

  Weekly amounts of maximum1 additional pension at award In cash terms

  Tax year

  Amount payable

  1991–92

  55·90

  1992–93

  65·55

  1993–94

  75·35

  1994–95

  85·20

  1995–96

  95·75

  1996–97

  107·35

  1997–98

  119·95

  1998–99

  133·50

  1999–2000

  141·45

  2000–01

  148·20

  1 The figures quoted are based on a person paying 52 contributions a year at the upper earnings limit from the 1978–79 tax year.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals currently(a) contribute towards a state earnings-related pension, (b) do not pay SERPs because they are in an occupational scheme and (c) do not pay SERPs because they are in a private pension scheme.

  Miss Widdecombe
  During 1989–90, the latest year for which provisional information is available, employed earners paid national insurance contributions as follows:

  Millions

  (i)

  At the standard not contracted out rate

  11·9

  (ii)

  At the contracted out rate because of membership of an occupational pension scheme

  8·5

  (iii)

  A mixture of both (i) and (ii) above

  1·6

  (iv)

  At the standard not contracted out rate (included in (i) and (iii)) but subsequently had a rebate of contributions paid into an appropriate personal pension

  3·5

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the rise in the basic retirement pension proposed for April 1992.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer the hon. Member to the statement made today by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the growth on average in pensioners' incomes over the past 10 years.
  430
  Miss Widdecombe
  Between 1979 and 1988, the last year for which figures are currently available, the average total net pensioner income grew in real terms by 34 per cent.

  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated percentage of pensioners who own their own homes.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1988, 46 per cent. of pensioners owned their homes outright.

  National Insurance (Women)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on his Department's policy on crediting married women with national insurance contributions so that they can draw a pension in their own right and prior to their husband's 65th birthday.

  Mr. Jack
  The national insurance scheme introduced in 1948 contained provision for married women to opt out of compulsory insurance and to rely on their husbands' insurance for pension purposes. This provision remained in effect until May 1977, when the right to opt out was abolished in line with the introduction of the new pension scheme which established the principle of equal contributions for equal benefits. However, women who were currently opted out were allowed to remain so, subject to certain conditions. In 1978 home responsibilities protection—HRP—was introduced to help safeguard the basic pension entitlement of individuals who were unable to work because of domestic responsibilities.

  Married women who pay full rate contributions are awarded credits on the same basis as any other contributor. They also have the same access to home responsibilities protection. Such women may draw any pension to which they are entitled in their own right as soon as they reach age 60. Married women who choose to exercise an existing right to pay reduced rate contributions, rather than the full rate are neither awarded credits nor do they have access to HRP although they are free to start paying full rate contributions at any time. However, they can usually expect to receive a pension based on their husbands' contributions. In these circumstances, the pension will not be payable before the husband's 65th birthday.

  Residential Homes
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing expenditure on residential homes for the elderly operated by(a) local authorities, (b) voluntary organisations and (c) the private sector, showing (i) the number of elderly people resident in each sector, (ii) the total Government financial support for each sector and (iii) the per capita Government expenditure on the clients of each sector, for each year since 1985.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not available in the form requested. The numbers and income support expenditure on all residents in residential care and nursing homes in the independent sector are as follows:
  431

  Date

  Numbers of customers (thousands)

  Annual equivalent expenditure (nearest £ million)

  December 1985

  70

  348

  February 1986

  90

  459

  May 1987

  117

  671

  May 1988

  147

  878

  May 1989

  176

  1,105

  May 1990

  189

  1,270

  February 1991

  210

  1,542

  The total number of residents over 65 in local authority and independent sector homes in England are shown in the following table:

  LA Homes

  Voluntary Homes

  Private Homes

  1985

  101,528

  25,818

  66,143

  1986

  101,704

  25,121

  77,557

  1987

  99,750

  25,105

  84,945

  1988

  97,380

  25,633

  96,161

  1989

  95,335

  25,858

  111,301

  1990

  89,340

  26,633

  119,883

  Residential care (Thousands)

  Date

  Over pension age

  Under pension age

  Elderly

  Mentally ill

  Mentally handicapped

  Total

  December 1985

  45

  10

  42

  3

  5

  55

  February 1986

  55

  15

  51

  4

  8

  70

  August 1986

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  75

  May 1987

  67

  18

  62

  5

  10

  84

  May 1988

  81

  22

  71

  6

  16

  103

  May 1989

  93

  26

  85

  6

  17

  119

  May 1990

  98

  27

  89

  5

  18

  125

  May 1991

  108

  29

  98

  6

  21

  137

  Nursing homes (Thousands)

  Date

  Over pension age

  Under pension age

  Elderly

  Mentally ill

  Mentally handicapped

  Total

  December 1985

  12

  2

  12

  1

  <1

  15

  February 1986

  18

  2

  17

  1

  <1

  20

  August 1986

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  28

  May 1987

  28

  4

  21

  3

  2

  32

  May 1988

  39

  4

  29

  4

  1

  44

  May 1989

  51

  5

  36

  5

  2

  56

  May 1990

  61

  2

  30

  5

  1

  64

  May 1991

  87

  7

  37

  4

  2

  94

  Notes:

  1. Information before 1985 from Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  2. Information from 1985 from Quarterly Statistical Enquiry.

  3. Numbers under 5,000 are not statistically reliable.

  Family Credit
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many individuals in the Nottingham area are(a) entitled to family credit and (b) are claiming family credit.

  Mr. Jack
  Operational issues in family credit branch are 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.

  Severe Weather Allowance
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward proposals to allow everybody over 60 years of age to have the right of winter heating allowances from October to March.
  432
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of people receiving supplementary benefit or income support who were(a) residents in residential care homes, (b) residents in nursing homes, (c) residents over pension age, (d) residents under pension age, (e) elderly residents and (f) mentally ill residents, for each year since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Such information as is available is shown in the tables. For the period before 1985 only information for the total number of residents in both residential care and nursing homes is available.

  (Thousands)

  Year

  Total

  December 1979

  12

  December 1980

  13

  December 1981

  13

  December 1982

  16

  December 1983

  26

  December 1984

  42

  Mr. Scott
  We have no plans to do so. The Government have already announced significant improvements in the cold weather payments scheme for the coming winter. Targeting cold weather payments on income support recipients ensures that the resources available are directed to those people in most need.

  Homelessness
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the most recent estimate of expenditure by his Department on accommodating homeless families in temporary or bed-and-breakfast accommodation for(a) Scotland, (b) Wales and (c) England; what proportion of this was expended through local authorities; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  All such expenditure by the Department comprises housing benefit subsidy. It is
  433
  expended through local authorities. The table shows to the nearest £5,000 the total amounts of subsidy claimed in respect of homeless people in bed and breakfast accommodation, short term leased accommodation and hotel annexes for 1989–90. This is the latest year for which such information is available.

  £

  Scotland

  435,000

  Wales

  340,000

  England

  18,585,000

  National Insurance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what items of expenditure are meant to be covered by income from national insurance contributions; and how much of current expenditure on those items is met in this way.

  Mr. Jack
  The full costs of the following items are currently met from the income from national insurance contributions:

  Retirement pensions (categories A and B)

  Widows' benefits

  Sickness benefit

  Invalidity benefit

  Maternity allowance

  Unemployment benefit

  Guardian's allowance

  Child's special allowance

  Pensioners' lump sum payments

  Rebates and incentives in respect of personal pensions

  Incentives in respect of new occupational pension schemes

  Redundancy payments

  The appropriate allocation to the National Health Service

  The relevant costs of administration

  Full details are set out in the "National Insurance Fund Account 1989–90"—HOC 617—and the Government Actuary's report on the drafts of the Social Security Benefits Up-rating Order 1991 and the Social Security (Contributions) (Re-rating) Order 1991 (Cm 1366), copies of which have been placed in the Library.

  Unemployment Benefit
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what entitlement to unemployment benefit exists for the self-employed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  Since the introduction of unemployment benefit it has never been available to those in business on their own account, who are free to set their own patterns and conditions of work. This position is reflected in the lower rate of class 2 contributions paid by the self-employed. Entitlement to unemployment benefit is based on class I employed earner's contributions. A formerly self-employed person who does not qualify for unemployment benefit may qualify for other benefits such as income support.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether he will arrange for statistics to be collected on a regular basis concerning the length of periods of disqualification for unemployment benefit imposed by adjudication officers.

  Mr. Jack
  Studies by the Department and by Social and Community Planning Research have been undertaken and reports were placed in the Library in November 1989. The 434
  Chief Adjudication Officer reports on standards of adjudication, as required under section 97 of the Social Security Act 1975. Copies of his published annual reports are also in the Library. We have no plans to change these arrangements.

  Local Offices
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list his Department's offices that have the provision of answerphones for use after hours, to receive and impart information.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The provision of answerphones in Benefits Agency 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.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) permanent and (b) temporary staff were employed in each category for each of his Doncaster offices on 1 January; what were the numbers in each category at 1 May under the district management unit; and what is the current position for the latest date for which he has figures.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The staffing levels of district management units 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.

  EC Concessions Card
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the current position on the European Community's over-60s concessions card; and if he will make a statement.

  Ms. Richardson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what steps he is taking to implement the European Commission's recommendation agreed in Ma. y 1989 to provide people over 60 years with a standard type of card to enable them to take advantage of concessions available for the elderly throughout the Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The EC recommendation of May 1989 was for the introduction by all member states of an over-60s card by 1 January 1991. No country has yet implemented the proposal and some have expressed reservations about the need for such a card. The United Kingdom has responded positively and is keen to see in place an effective scheme which could benefit the elderly. The Department is continuing discussions with officials of the Commission and other member states in an effort to resolve outstanding problems.

  Income Support
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants in percentage and number of individuals(a) in each of the Nottingham social security offices and (b) nationally are repaying social fund loans, (ii) repaying gas or electricity arrears, (iii) repaying rent arrears, (iv) repaying water charge arrears and (v) repaying poll tax arrears from their income support.
  435
  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Income support customers with deductions for debt by number and percentage of total customers

  Nottingham (West) district office

  Nottingham (East) district office

  National figures

  Number

  Percentage of total number

  Number

  Percentage of total number

  Number

  Percentage of total number

  Total number of income support customers

  27,919

  30,290

  4,927,860

  Fuel

  2,110

  7·56

  1,625

  5·36

  259,718

  5·27

  Rent

  1,616

  5·79

  1,316

  4·34

  100,162

  2·03

  Water

  510

  1·83

  521

  1·72

  82,794

  1·68

  Community charge

  567

  2·03

  526

  1·74

  89,098

  1·81

  Social fund

  3,571

  12·79

  2,898

  9·57

  523,630

  10·63

  Notes:

  1. The figures used in the table are based on DSS Management Information Statistics for the month of August 1991.

  2. The Social Fund figures are based on the number of people making repayments over the whole of August and not at the end of the statistical month. It is not possible to exclude from the figures repayments made by people not in receipt of Income Support.

  3. The information for rent, fuel and water includes cases where a deduction is being made for current charges only.

  Lone Parents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he will publish the research study on lone parents, conducted by Professor Bradshaw and Dr. Millar for his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The report "Lone Parent Families in the UK" by Jonathan Bradshaw and Jane Millar was published by HMSO on 4 June. Copies were placed in the Library.

  Death Grant
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will bring forward proposals to allow everybody over 60 years to have the right of a minimum of £400 death grant to help with funeral expenses.

  Mr. Scott
  I am satisfied that the present arrangements are effective because they target help on those who need it most and we have no plans to change them.

  Local Office, Paisley
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has selected a site for the construction of a new office in Paisley; what is the proposed timetable for establishing such an office; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have identified a potentially suitable site for construction of a new office in Paisley, but we are unable to give details at present since this information is confidential for commercial reasons.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Department of Social Security; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The cost of hospitality provided for the financial year 1990–91 was £75,778.

  Invoice Payments
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.
  436
  Miss Widdecombe
  The importance of prompt payment for small and medium-sized firms is recognised and consequently the Department is participating in the examination of payment performance being undertaken by the Department of Employment in this financial year.

  Standing instructions on the timing of payments for goods and services to all businesses require that, providing the necessary checks have been carried out, payment should be made as follows: where there is a contract—when payment falls due; where there is no contract—within 30 days of the receipt of goods and services or on receipt of a valid invoice or demand, whichever is the later.

  Incomes
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the rise in real household incomes between 1979 and the most recent years available(a) for the average and for all decile groups, broken down by family status, in the manner of his answer to the hon. Member for Edinburgh, South, 26 July 1990, Official Report, columns 498–502, and (b) broken down by economic type, for all decile groups and the average; if he will publish a table showing the rise in real income between 1979 and the most recent year available, broken down by (1) family type and (2) economic type for all decile groups after housing costs; and if he will provide as much comparable data as is available in each category for Scotland.

  Mr. Jack
  The figures provided on 26 July 1990 at columns 498–502 are the latest available.

  Chronic Bronchitis and Emphysema
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what input his Department intends to make as a result of the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council decision to reconsider the prescription of chronic bronchitis and emphysema; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  The Industrial Injuries Advisory Council is an independent statutory body which advises Ministers directly on matters relating to the industrial injuries scheme, particularly on the prescription of occupational diseases. The Department does not normally make any formal input to the council's investigations, although it
  437
  would endeavour to assist with any information which the council might request. We shall, of course, consider carefully any recommendation on the prescription of chronic bronchitis and emphysema which the council might make as a result of its investigation.

  Deaf Children
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement summarising the provision which is currently made within the social security system for deaf children and those who care for them; and what plans he has to improve that provision.

  Mr. Scott
  Social security provision for all children applies equally to those who are deaf. Entitlement to social security benefits depends generally on the effect which a condition has on the claimant rather than the specific condition itself. Deafness alone does not trigger entitlement to any particular benefit, although a deaf child who also has other disabilities may be entitled to mobility allowance or attendance allowance. When one of these benefits is received in respect of a child, and he or she is included in a claim to an income related benefit, the disabled child premium is payable. Someone looking after a child receiving attendance allowance may qualify for invalid care allowance and, if that person also receives an income-related benefit, the carer premium.

  Notting Hill Resettlement Unit
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) when notice to residents of Bridge House resettlement unit, Notting Hill was given; and what arrangements were made to place them in other facilities;

  (2) if he will place in the Library the reports and video study of the drains on the basis of which Bridge House resettlement unit, Notting Hill was closed;

  (3) what were the reasons for the closure of Bridge House resettlement unit, Notting Hill.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The management of resettlement units is a matter for Mr. Tony Ward, the chief executive of the Resettlement Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Benefits Agency
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) whether, and at what stage, copies of letters from the chief executive of the Benefits Agency in response to parliamentary questions are submitted to his office;

  (2) whether, and at what stage, drafts and copies of letters from the chief executive of the Benefits Agency in response to parliamentary questions are submitted to his office.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Ministers generally see a copy of the letter which the chief executive proposes to send in response to a parliamentary question at the time at which the proposed answer to that question is submitted to the Minister for approval. A copy of the final reply is submitted to the Minister's office on the day the letter is despatched.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many companies in the last year for which figures are available were prosecuted for late or non-payment of national insurance contributions.

  Mr. Jack
  The late or non-payment of national insurance contributions is a matter for Miss Ann Chant. the chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall Departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan for action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year. The Department is liaising closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the preparation of the report.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what plans he has to ensure that the regulations made under the Child Support Act strengthen, from a data subject's viewpoint, the Child Support Agency's approach to the first, third, fourth, and sixth data protection principles; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  As with all the business conducted by the Department, any provisions relating to the Child Support Act will comply with the requirements of the Data Protection Act. Consultations are being held with the data protection registrar to ensure this.

  Attendance Allowance
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of attendance allowances in payment for children under the age of two years at the latest convenient date.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available. Such information as is held shows that between April 1990, when the lower age limit in attendance allowance was abolished, and the end of September this year there have been 8,400' awards of AA for children under two years.

  Note:1 This figure includes any second and subsequent awards, awards made to children who are now over two years and awards no longer in payment.

DEFENCE

  Harrier Aircraft
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by date, for 1991 to date, the number of(a) fires and (b) electrical malfunctions reported during

  439
  sorties involving the Royal Air Force's (i) Harrier GR5s and (ii) Harrier GR7s; and what was the result of the subsequent investigations.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information is as follows:

  HARRIER GR5

  Date and outcome of investigation

  FIRE

  29 July 19911—Under investigation

  ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS

  24 January 1991—Technical fault

  9 March 1991—Technical fault

  3 May 1991 Technical fault

  13 May 1991—Technical fault

  29 May 1991—Technical fault

  4 June 1991—Technical fault

  13 June 1991—Technical fault

  18 June 1991—Technical fault

  19 June 1991—Technical fault

  8 July 1991—Technical fault

  29 July 19911—Under investigation

  23 September 1991—Technical fault

  27 September 1991—Technical fault

  HARRIER GR7

  Date and outcome of investigation

  FIRE

  15 July 19912—Under investigation

  ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTIONS

  29 May 1991—Under investigation

  15 July 19912—Under investigation

  30 July 1991—Under investigation

  1Same flight.

  2 Same flight.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any RAF Harrier II GR5 and GR7 aircraft have not returned to peacetime flight operations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Over half of the RAF's Harrier II aircraft have now been cleared to resume daytime flying, subject to some restrictions.

  Tornado Aircraft
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the results of his Department's investigations into the seven Tornado GR 1s lost during the Gulf war; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  A summary of the findings of the investigations into the circumstances in which six Tornado GR1 aircraft were lost in combat during air operations against Iraq was placed in the Library of the House on 15 October. A seventh Tornado GR I was lost on 20 January 1991 shortly after take off from Tabuk in Saudi Arabia on an operational mission. Both crew ejected, suffering minor injuries. Investigations concluded that the aircraft suffered a major control restriction which denied the crew the ability to land safely. The cause of the restriction could not, however, be positively determined.

  Warship Replacement
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current position on the replacement of HMS Fearless and HMS Intrepid; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My right hon. Friend, the Minister of State for Defence Procurement, announced on 440
  15 October, Official Report, column 138. that we expect to place a contract for project definition of the replacement next month.

  Challenger 2 Tank
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what percentage of(a) the weapons systems and (b) the navigation and other systems of the Challenger 2 tank, will be contracted to (i) United Kingdom companies and (ii) overseas companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We have only one contract for the Challenger 2 tank and this is with Vickers PLC. The nationalities of sub-contractors are a matter for that company.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the original specification for inertial navigational aids on the new main battle tank; whether there have been any changes in the specifications; and whether the FIN 11–55 meets(a) the original and (b) the revised specification;

  (2) what inertial navigation system is to be procured for use on the Challenger 2 main battle tank; at what cost; and whether it will be fitted in every such tank.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The original specification for the Chieftain replacement included an inertial navigation system which we believe FIN 11–55 would have met. However, experience of operating Challenger 1 in the Gulf using a much simpler global positioning system—GPS—demonstrated that an inertial navigation system would not be essential to meet our operational needs and therefore, on cost grounds, could no longer be justified. Challenger 2 will therefore be fitted only with the GPS.

  Surface-to-air-Missiles
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the cardinal points specification for a future medium surface-to-air missile system, to replace the Bloodhound; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  This information is classified. A future RAF medium surface-to-air missile system will not be a direct replacement for Bloodhound.

  Stored Aircraft
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by aircraft type for the three armed forces, the number of aircraft, including helicopters, they have in store.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Thirteen RAF Tornado F2 aircraft are held in long-term storage at RAF St. Athan. In addition, a variable number of aircraft and helicopters from all three services are held in temporary storage from time to time. These are awaiting maintenance, repair or conversion, or are awaiting disposal pending withdrawal from service.

  Radio Frequency Radiation Weaponry
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which armed forces are equipped with radio frequency radiation weaponry; and if he will make a statement.
  441
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We cannot confirm that radio frequency radiation weapons are currently deployed by any of the world's armed forces.

  Nuclear Submarines
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the final destination of the nuclear reactors for(a) HMS Churchill, (b) HMS Dreadnought and (c) HMS Swiftsure.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The defuelled reactors from HMS Churchill and HMS Dreadnought remain within the vessels' hulls at Rosyth naval base. HMS Swiftsure remains in commission and has had neither reactor nor fuel removed.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on Anglo-French collaboration in a nuclear-powered attack submarine development programme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  As my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for Defence Procurement explained during the defence debate on 15 October (Official Report, column 173), our new class of nuclear-powered submarines will be based on the existing design of the Trafalgar class submarines. The scope for collaboration as part of this programme is likely to be very limited. We will keep the scope for co-operation, where this makes sense in operational and value for money terms and is compatible with our bilateral arrangements with the United States, under review as studies proceed.

  Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his assessment of the effects in the United Kingdom of a worst case accident involving British nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The worst credible accident involving a British nuclear weapon could lead to the explosion of the conventional explosive component of the warhead, accompanied by the local dispersal of plutonium. Weapon design ensures that, even if such an explosion did occur, this could not lead to a significant nuclear yield. The chances of any such accident occurring are extremely remote: there has never been an accident involving a British nuclear weapon which has produced any hazard to the public.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will clearly outline the nuclear weapons the United Kingdom Government now have at their disposal; and what systems these weapons are to be carried on.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to paragraphs 405 and 408 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1991". Subsequently, we have announced our intention to give up our Lance missile and nucleaer artillery capabilities, to withdraw maritime tactical nuclear weapons from our ships in normal circumstances, and substantially to reduce the number of our WE177 free fall bombs.

  Sellafield
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) if he will list for the past 12 months, the armed forces units that have visited Sellafield; for what purpose; and what anti-radiation protective clothing was worn;

  (2) if he will list for the coming 12 months, the number of proposed armed forces units due to visit Sellafield. the units concerned, and for what purpose; and what anti-radiation protective clothing will be worn.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Personnel from the Catterick detachment of 11 ordnance battalion, explosive ordnance disposal, were called in to investigate a suspect package found in a building on the Sellafield site on 1 September 1991. In line with normal operational procedure the men wore coveralls. The package was found to be harmless. Government Departments, the nuclear installations inspectorate and the Cumbrian constabulary were fully informed about this event which was also publicised through the Sellafield site newsletter, copies of which are available in the Library of the House.

  Service personnel are also able to visit the Sellafield site as are all members of the general public.

  Red Arrows
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the cost to the Exchequer in respect of the Royal Command air display at Balmoral castle on 20 September, in which the RAF's Red Arrows display team participated.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  On 20 September, the Red Arrows and the Russian Knights, a Soviet Air Force aerobatic team visiting the United Kingdom for the first time, performed a flypast over Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother's Scottish residence at Birkhall, on the Balmoral estate. Both aerobatic teams were in transit to RAF Leuchars where they participated in a Battle of Britain "at home" day the following day. There was therefore no additional costs to defence funds.

  Exercise Elder Joust
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by(a) locations and (b) dates, the number of complaints that were received during the NATO exercise Elder Joust; and if he will show in his answer the nature of the complaints.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Elder Joust 91–2 was an air defence exercise which took place from 9 to 12 September 1991. It involved low flying between 10 and 12 September in parts of Scotland, the borders and north-east and eastern England from Northumbria to East Anglia. My Department received the following numbers of complaints and inquiries about low flying in these areas, not all of which were necessarily connected with the exercise, during that period:

  10 September

  11 September

  12 September

  Northern and central Scotland

  3

  8

  3

  Borders

  —

  1

  5

  North-east and eastern England

  —

  1

  —

  East Anglia

  5

  —

  1

  443
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the(a) countries and (b) aircraft types and numbers involved, that took part during NATO exercise, Elder Joust.

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

  Lord of the Isles Ferry
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what was the result of the investigation into the near-miss on 30 April involving a Buccaneer jet and the Caledonian-MacBrayne ferry Lord of the Isles.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The investigation of the incident to which the hon. Member refers, which occurred on 29 April 1991, established that there had been no risk of collision between the ferry and the aircraft and that there had been no breach of low flying regulations.

  Gulf War
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance his Department has given to the relatives of the nine British service men who were killed in the Gulf war friendly fire incident.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Each family was allocated a casualty visiting officer; the officers have remained in close contact, providing advice, support and practical assistance. CVOs are normally appointed from the same regiment or corps as the deceased and have expert local knowledge of welfare facilities both within the MOD and outside.

  Lump sums were paid as appropriate to the estates of the service men under the provisions of the armed forces pension scheme which cover the death of serving soldiers who leave neither a widow nor a child eligible for a family pension.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many multiple rocket launch systems were used by the British armed forces during the Gulf war.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Including the war maintenance reserve, 16 multiple-launch rocket systems were deployed to the Gulf.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Hunting BL 755 bombs were dropped by the RAF during the Gulf war.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn) on 18 October 1991,Official Report column 302.

  Near-misses
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by(a) date for the last 10 years, and 1991 to-date, (b) by location and (c) aircraft type, near misses involving military jet aircraft and shipping.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Records are not maintained in a form which would enable the information sought to be provided.

  Z-Berths
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list for each Z-berth in the United Kingdom(a) the ports so designated, (b) the dates they first became operational and (c) how many nuclear-powered submarines have visited each berth to-date.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The locations of all UK Z-berths are listed in the reply I gave to the hon. and learned Member for Fife, North-East (Mr. Campbell) on 2 May 1991,Official Report columns 290–91. The dates on which each Z-berth was established and the number of visits to each one to date cannot be provided without incurring disproportionate cost.

  Radioactive Material (Transport)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list by year for the last four years, and for the current year to-date, the number of vehicle journeys on the(a) A1 (M), (b) M18, (c) M180, (d) M1 and (e) M62 involving the transport of (i) medium and (ii) high-level radioactive material.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  It is our policy not to give details of the movement of defence radioactive materials. Responsibility for the transport of civilian radioactive material lies with my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Transport.

  RAF Finningley Air Show
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many(a) registered charities and (b) unregistered charities applied for licences to collect money from members of the public at the current year's air show at RAF Finningley; and who authorised the licences;

  (2) how many instances there were of unauthorised collections of money for charity being made at the current year's air show at RAF Finningley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will w rite to the hon. Member.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Ministry of Defence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The amount spent on official hospitality by the Ministry of Defence in financial year 1990–91 amounted to some £3·9 million and in financial year 1991–92, to September, some £1·7 million. These figures include expenditure incurred by the Ministry of Defence itself, by formations and establishments of the armed forces at home and abroad, and by individual officers occupying command and international appointments for which entertainment allowances are payable.

  Business Invoices
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.
  445
  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  My Department's policy is to pay all contractors' bills promptly.

  The Government accounting manual requires Departments to pay within 30 days of the receipt of goods or on the presentation of a valid invoice. My Department's bill-paying branch seeks to pay such bills within 10 days of receiving a claim from contractors. The majority of bills are paid within seven days.

  MOD contractors may submit bills against specific contracts once a month. During 1992 arrangements to allow fortnightly claims will be introduced. I believe that the new arrangements will be welcomed by all contractors no matter what the size of their business.

  Miscellaneous bills, that is, those which are not the result of a formal contract, are submitted through MOD branches as they arrive. They are paid weekly and normally payment is made within 10 days.

  Royal Irish Rangers
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many(a) officers and (b) men currently serving in the Royal Irish Rangers were born in (i) Great Britain, (ii) Northern Ireland and (iii) the Republic of Ireland indicating in each case the percentage of Roman Catholics.

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

  Royal Navy Auxiliary Service
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what changes he proposes to make in the Royal Navy Auxiliary Service; and if he will give the reasons for the changes.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce) on 24 July at column 705. Seven RN XS training centres will close—Isle of Man, Broughton Moor, Stornoway, Scarborough, Stranraer, Lowestoft and Canterbury.

  RN Reserve
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the current role and annual cost of the Royal Navy Reserve communications training centres HMS Hallam, Paragon, Palatine and Essex; why they are to be paid off; and what Royal Navy Reserve training in communications is to be retained.

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

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of the Royal Navy Reserve port diving branch.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Further to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce) on 24 July, at column 705, the Royal Naval Reserve port diving branch will be disbanded from 31 March 1992.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason Royal Navy Reserve sea training 446
  centres HMS President and HMS Camperdown are to lose the use of HMS Humber and HMS Helmsdale; and what sea training facilities will he available to Royal Navy Reserve personnel in London and Dundee after the disposal of these ships.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Further to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces gave my hon. Friend the Member for Dorset, South (Mr. Bruce) on 24 July 1991, at column 705, the majority of HMS President's sea training is provided at Portsmouth which is where HMS Humber is based. In future, access to sea training for HMS President personnel will be available at HMS Sussex in Brighton and HMS Wessex in Southampton. As for HMS Camperdown, sea training facilities will be shared with HMS Claverhouse in Edinburgh. Both HMS Humber and HMS Helmsdale will be placed in reserve.

  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list those Royal Navy Reserve branches which are to be abolished, showing the numbers of volunteers affected in each case, and the annual cost.

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

  HMS Vanguard
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the in-service date for HMS Vanguard, announced after the March 1988 North Atlantic Treaty Organisation summit, will be met.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Construction of SSBN 05 Vanguard, is making good progress, and remains on schedule to meet her planned in-service date in the mid-1990s.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made regarding the tactical weapons system for HMS Vanguard; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Satisfactory progress continues to be made with the tactical weapons system for the Vanguard class submarines. Integration and testing of the various elements of the system in SSBN 05 Vanguard is well under way, and remains on course to meet the overall requirements of the Trident programme.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects HMS Vanguard first to enter the water; and when the formal launch and naming ceremony will take place.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is not our practice to make public the precise dates of submarine construction and related programmes.

  Trident
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will provide a list of all contractors and sub-contractors working on contracts related to the Trident programme that have ceased trading over the last two years; and which contracts they were working on.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The information is not available in the form requested and could be provided only al disproportionate cost.
  447
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will take steps to ensure that the problems that have been encountered with the shore construction programme at Royal Navy armaments depot, Coulport and Clyde submarine base Faslane do not occur with the ongoing Trident-related construction programme at Rosyth.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Where appropriate, lessons learned from Coulport and Faslane are being taken into account at Rosyth.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the overall progress of the Trident shore construction programme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Significant progress continues to be made. A number of facilities at Coulport and Faslane have already been completed and handed over to the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to place the order with Vickers Shipbuilding and Engineering Ltd to construct the fourth Trident submarine.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  We expect to receive the tender for the fourth Vanguard class submarine very shortly, and plan to place the order following the successful completion of negotiations with the company.

  A91 Building, Aldermaston
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he now expects the A91 building at Aldermaston to be fully operational;

  (2) what progress has been made in rectifying the problems with the pipework in the A91 building at Aldermaston; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he is now able to provide a full explanation of how contaminants were placed in the pipework of the A91 building at Aldermaston;

  (4) what is the latest estimate of the total cost of rectifying problems in the A91 building at Aldermaston.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The corrosion problems in building A91 at AWE were discovered during commissioning using simulant materials. A detailed technical investigation into the cause and extent of the problems found that the corrosion resulted from attack by chloride in the commissioning material and naturally occurring microbes. The final report of the investigation has not yet been received and it is, therefore, too early to say what work is required to rectify the problems; the cost of such works; or to give an estimate of its completion date.

  Nuclear Submarine Refit Yards
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what discussions he is having regarding the possibility of closing one of Britain's two nuclear submarine refit yards.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence is conducting a study into the future requirements for ship refitting and repair. A number of possible solutions are being considered, including proposals put forward by each of the royal dockyard management companies.

  Faslane Base
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) when he expects the magnetic treatment facility at Clyde submarine base Faslane to be completed;

  (2) if he will make a statement on progress of the design and construction of the magnetic treatment facility at Clyde submarine base Faslane;

  (3) if he has had any discussions with the United States Government on the possibility of using the United States Navy magnetic treatment facilities for Trident while those at Clyde submarine base Faslane are under construction.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 26 June 1991,Official Report, column 496.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding construction progress of the shiplift at Clyde submarine base Faslane.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Steady progress is being made on the Shiplift's construction; its superstructure and cladding are largely completed.

  Explosives Handling Jetty, Coulport
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement regarding construction progress of the explosives handling jetty for Royal Navy armaments depot, Coulport.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Following action to overcome earlier difficulties, it is expected that the explosives handling jetty will be completed in 1992–93, in time to meet the operational requirements of the Trident submarine programme.

  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the explosives handling jetty to sail from Hunterston to Royal Navy armaments depot, Coulport.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  On current plans, the explosives handling jetty will leave Hunterston in 1992.

  WE177 Bomb
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he is considering replacing the nuclear depth bomb variant of the WE177 nuclear free-fall bomb at some time in the future.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  As I said in my answer to the hon. Member on 15 March 1991,Official Report, column 719, our future requirement for nuclear depth bombs is under consideration.

  Construction Work Audits
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place an edited or complete copy of the Bovis audit of construction work at Clyde submarine base Faslane and Royal Navy armaments, depot, Coulport in the Library.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Due to the commercial sensitivity of extensive sections of the Bovis report, it cannot be made public. However, its main recommendations will be
  449
  summarised in the Government's forthcoming response to the 1990–91 House of Commons Defence Committee report on the progress of the Trident programme—HC286—which will be presented to the Committee shortly.

  HMS Revenge
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if there are plans to give HMS Revenge a third refit.

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

  Drug-related Offences
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) how many service men and women serving in Northern Ireland have been court martialled for drug and drug-related offences in the last 10 years for which information is available;

  (2) how many service men and women serving in Northern Ireland have been convicted after court martial of drug or drug-related offences in the last 10 years for which information is available; and of these how many have been dismissed from the service.

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

  Queen Victoria School, Dunblane
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the future of the Queen Victoria school, Dunblane.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Queen Victoria school Dunblane is one of several areas which my Department has under review for agency status, as my hon. Friend the Under-Secretary of State for Defence Procurement announced on 22 July,Official Report, column 449. If the outcome of this work is positive, we would aim to establish the school as an executive agency by the end of this financial year.

  Air-to-Mr Missile
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make it his policy to make an early decision on the advanced short-range air-to-air missile; and what factors will influence that decision.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We are evaluating tenders with a view to reaching a decision in the spring of next year. All relevant factors are being taken into account.

  Seawolf
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what were the considerations which prompted the cancellation of the lightweight four-barrel launcher Seawolf close-area defence system programme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Cancellation of the lightweight Seawolf programme was a consequence of the examination of the forward equipment programme in the light of changes required to support the force levels envisaged in "Britain's Defence for the 90s".

  Electronic Warfare
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will commission a study into the effectiveness of electronic warfare equipment used on Royal Air Force aircraft during the Gulf war.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  This is being studied as part of our detailed assessment of the operation.

  European Fighter Aircraft
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the proposal that the European fighter aircraft should be built on a single assembly line.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  When it is appropriate to take decisions on the production phase of the European fighter aircraft programme, we shall consider how manufacture might be carried out most cost effectively.

  Direct Fire Simulator
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects to announce a decision on the direct fire weapon effects simulator for the British Army.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I hope to do so in the near future.

  RAF Tankers (Information System)
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Defence when he expects that the programme to install joint tactical information distribution system terminals in the RAF tanker fleet will be completed.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We are currently conducting studies into the fitting of joint tactical information distribution systems terminals into RAF tanker aircraft. No final decision will be taken as to their installation until these have been completed.

  South Korea
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what subjects were discussed at the meeting September of the joint committee of defence officials of the United Kingdom and South Korea; what decisions were taken; and when the committee is next due to meet.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  A number of matters of mutual interest were discussed relating to industrial co-operation in the area of defence procurement. It is expected that the committee will meet again next year.

  RAF Stand-off Weapons
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on the procurement of a new stand-off weapon for the Royal Air Force for use agains: hardened targets.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We are currently considering the purchase of stand-off weapons for the RAF, taking into account experience gained in the Gulf. We recently raised a request for information with industry in order to identify any off-the-shelf weapons systems that might be suitable.

  Animal Experiments
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the numbers of animals used in experiments carried out by his Department or undertaken on a contract basis for each year since 1975.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The number of Ministry of Defence animal experiments recorded by the Home Office under the Cruelty to Animals Act 1876 and the subsequent Animals (Scientific Procedures) Act which became effective on 1 January 1987 are as follows. 1990 represents the last full year for which figures are available.

  Year

  Number returned lo Home Office

  1982

  13,400

  1983

  9,400

  1984

  10,900

  1985

  6,900

  1986

  6,600

  1987

  9,200

  1988

  8,100

  1989

  9,000

  1990

  8,100

  I regret that figures for the period prior to 1982 are not available.

  Contractors have the same reporting responsibilities as MOD under the Act and their procedures are reported to the Home Office, not to MOD.

  Meteorological Satellites
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what support has been given by Her Majesty's Government to the European Organisation for the Exploitation of Meteorological Satellites; and what benefits have accrued to the United Kingdom from participation in EUMETSAT.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  This is a matter for the Meteorological Office under its framework document. I have therefore asked the chief executive of the Meteorological Office, Sir John Houghton, to reply direct to the hon. Member.

  Arms Control
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what proportion of the scientists employed by his Department's Atomic Weapons Establishment are working on verification of arms control agreements and initiatives.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is not our practice to reveal the numbers of personnel employed on specific tasks.

  Anglo-Italian Defence Plan
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will set out the strategic and financial implications of the Anglo-Italian defence plan for the United Kingdom armed forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The recent Anglo-Italian declaration on European security and defence was offered as a contribution to the debate on future European security arrangements currently underway in the political union inter-governmental conference, in NATO, and in the Western European Union, rather than as a defence plan for the United Kingdom armed forces.

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what equipment or technology of United Kingdom origin was found at the Jabal Hamrayn site north of Baghdad by the United Nations special inspection team in Iraq.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The United Nations inspectors found a 350 mm calibre gun at the site. It is believed that the barrel tubes and seals were made in the United Kingdom.

  B52 Bombers
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information was available to him on the accident on 15 September 1980 in North Dakota involving a B52 bomber prior to agreeing to the stationing of these aeroplanes in the United Kingdom; what safeguards have been taken by the USAF to ensure no repetition of this accident in the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I understand that this accident involved a B52 aircraft on strategic alert, carrying nuclear missiles. There is no agreement permanently to station United States Air Force B52 aircraft in the United Kingdom, and when such aircraft have deployed temporarily to the United Kingdom they have exercised or operated only in their conventional role. The circumstances of the North Dakota accident are therefore not relevant to the deployment of B52 aircraft to the United Kingdom.

  Procurement Projects
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all procurement projects abandoned over the last five years for which at least £1 million had been incurred; and if he will give the amount actually incurred for each such project.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only with disproportionate cost and effort.

  Nuclear Arms Reductions
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list in the Official Report the interviews he gave to the media following the announcement by President Bush on 27 September of nuclear arms reductions; and if he will summarise the main points in regard to the United Kingdom nuclear weapons capability and future plans.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend gave interviews to Sky TV, TV-am, BBC TV and radio, I RN and ITN concerning President Bush's announcement on 27 September. He pointed out that, while the Government are committed to the maintenance of a minimum nuclear deterrent, we are reducing our strike aircraft squadrons from 11 to eight, giving up entirely the Lance and nuclear artillery capability, and withdrawing maritime tactical nuclear weapons from our ships in normal circumstances.

  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what facilities exist in the United Kingdom for the dismantling of the delivery vehicles and warheads from United Kingdom short-range battlefield nuclear weapons
  453
  and United Kingdom nuclear depth charge bombs; and what plans his Department has for the storage and disposal of plutonium recovered from nuclear weapons withdrawn from deployment.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The United Kingdom has the appropriate facilities for any necessary dismantlement of United Kingdom nuclear weapons. It is not in the national interest to give details of the processes involved.

  Home Defence
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what was the military planning figure for the length of warning time for military home defence battalions in 1984; what it is now; and what it is expected to be in 1997;

  (2) what were the estimated response times for military home defence battalions from (a) the regular Army and (b) the Territorial Army in 1984; what they are now; and what are the comparable estimates for 1997.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is classified.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many regular Army battalions are committed to military home defence; and how many will be committed in 1997.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There are currently 21 regular infantry battalions committed to military home defence; in 1997, the number will be 16.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among interested Whitehall departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The Ministry of Defence has no direct interest in this process.

  River Clyde (Radiation)
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the radiation leaks from submarines in the River Clyde.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  There has never been a significant accidental discharge of radioactive material to the environment from a Royal Navy nuclear submarine in the Clyde. If any such accidental discharge were to occur, it would be reported to the relevant statutory authority. For the Clyde, this would be the Scottish Office Environment Department.

  Low Flying
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will assess the likely decrease in overall low flying throughout the Scottish Highlands during the next three 454
  year period; if he will clarify to what extent the different types of aircraft to which he referred will undertake low flying sorties there over the same period; if he will give further information as to the impact of his policy announcement upon the level and nature of low flying sorties associated with the Tain bombing range, Ross-shire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It is not possible to say how the proposed changes in low flying will affect individual areas, but our aim will continue to be to spread the burden of low-flying training as fairly and as widely as possible.

  Infantry Costs
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the estimated saving in costs of disbanding an infantry battalion.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  We do not plan to disband arty infantry battalions and have therefore not costed such measures.

  Hardened Aircraft Shelters, Stornoway
  Mr. Macdonald
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the decision on whether to proceed with the RAF Stornoway hardened aircraft shelters project will be made; by what body the decision will be made; and what information about the decision will be communicated to non-governmental bodies.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The question of the future survival measures for RAF Stornoway is still under consideration. My noble Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will inform the hon. Member of any significant changes to our current plans.

  Foinavon Mountain
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the height of the summit of Foinavon mountain, Sutherland officially shown on Ordnance Survey maps; what height has been recorded by the satellite mapping system; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  I have asked the chief executive of the Ordnance Survey to write to the hon. Member with the details requested.

TRANSPORT

  Railway Stations (Security)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many passengers and staff were assaulted on British Rail stations in Scotland in each of the past five years; and how many of those assaults took place on unstaffed stations.

  Mr. Freeman
  The numbers of assaults on British Rail stations in Scotland were as follows:

  1989

  1990

  11991

  Passengers

  84

  118

  96

  Staff

  45

  73

  32

  1 1991 to date.

  455
  Figures for earlier years were kept on a different basis and are not comparable.

  A breakdown of the figures by staffed/unstaffed stations is not readily available. British Rail and British Transport police are considering ways in which such an analysis could be provided in the future.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those British Rail stations in Scotland which are unstaffed for all or part of the day and which have security cameras and emergency telephones for use by passengers.

  Mr. Freeman
  There are no unstaffed British Rail stations in Scotland equipped with security cameras and emergency telephones. Some unstaffed stations do have special telephones for obtaining train information.

  Lower Thames Crossing
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what interest has been expressed by the private sector in the development and operation of a lower Thames crossing; and when he hopes to announce a starting date for this project.

  Mr. Chope
  Private sector firms have indicated to the Department their potential interest in the proposal for a lower Thames crossing to be provided on a privately financed basis.

  This is a long-term project. Consultants will be appointed to examine the need, location and type of river crossing and to investigate possible road links to serve it. The study will also address the feasibility of a crossing as a privately financed toll road.

  Light Dues
  Mr. Moate
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what action he intends taking to ensure a more reliable system of forecasting light dues revenue in the future, in view of the unexpected interim increase in September;

  (2) to what level it is his objective to reduce the liquid reserves of the general lighthouse fund by March 1992 and by 1993; and what effect the recent increase in light dues will have on the level of the general lighthouse fund's reserves;

  (3) what was the state of the liquid reserves of the general lighthouse fund at the financial year end over each of the last five years;

  (4) what forecasts of trade through British ports during 1991–92 were used when determining the levels of light dues in April 1991 and September 1991, respectively;

  (5) what have been the increases in light dues in both money and real terms, together with the annual percentage increases over the last five years;

  (6) what representations he has received from ports and shipping interests regarding the commercial disadvantages imposed on them by the levy of light dues; and what plans he has for the transfer of light dues to central Government funding;

  (7) whether the recent change in light dues regulations, whereby only one chargeable voyage is incurred within a 30-day rolling period, has affected the spread of the receipt of revenue through the year; and whether this factor was taken fully into account before the interim increase in light dues was decided upon;
  456
  (8) what were the reasons for the interim increase in light dues imposed on shipping using British ports in September 1990;

  (9) why his Department's methods of forecasting revenue from light dues did not indicate that the 6·7 per cent. annual increase in April would prove insufficient.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My right hon. Friend regrets the need for the additional increase in light dues from 1 September, which was necessary to secure the original revenue objective for 1991–92 and to protect the viability of the general lighthouse fund. The increase took account of the changes in the basis of payment made in April of this year.

  Reforms made to the dues system between April 1989 and April 1991 have added to the difficulties of forecasting annual revenue. The changes introduced this spring posed the greatest uncertainty, but they have assisted payers generally by spreading the dues liability more evenly over the year and, in many cases, relieving the shipowner of some voyage payments altogether. Now that the main reforms have been implemented, I expect revenues to settle to a more predictable pattern. Trade patterns have only a limited bearing on the forecasts, given the basis of dues collection.

  On the liquid reserves of the general lighthouse fund, the Department proposed in 1988 an interim objective of reducing these to £10 million (1988 prices) by the end of 1993. The level planned for March 1992 is about £20 million, allowing for the recent increase, but may fall below this. The reserves stood at £21·9 million on 15 October. The lights finance committee will shortly be reviewing what considerations should determine the level of the reserves for 1993 and beyond. At the end of the following financial years the liquid funds stood at:

  £ million

  1986–87

  27·8

  1987–88

  30·3

  1988–89

  32·9

  1989–90

  33·3

  1990–91

  31·5

  The information on light dues increases over the last five years is as follows:

  Basic tariff (cargo) (per NRT ton)

  Total annual revenue (all vessels)

  Cash

  1991–92 prices

  Cash

  1991–92 prices

  Pence

  Per cent.

  pence

  £ million

  £ million

  1987–88

  34·6

  45·6

  56·1

  73·9

  1988–89

  31·2

  -10

  38·3

  51·3

  62·9

  1989–90

  30·6

  -2

  35·3

  47·1

  54·3

  1990–91

  30·0

  -2

  321

  44·8

  47·9

  1991–92

  April

  32·0

  + 6·7

  32·0

  145·0

  145·0

  September

  35·0

  + 9·4

  35·0

  1 Estimate.

  Note: The tariff comparisons do not fully reflect reforms to the regulations implemented over the last three years.

  Port and shipping interests have frequently made representations that the cost of navigational aids should be borne by the Exchequer, but the Government have no plans to make these a charge on the taxpayer.

  British School of Motoring
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received from registered driving instructors on the promotion and advertising of the British School of Motoring on the provisional licence form DVLA; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Several representations have been received about the BSM literature which was enclosed with provisional driving licences as separate inserts together with a market research questionnaire between 6 September and 4 October.

  The DVLA has been aware for some time of the potential for adding to its revenue to help offset the costs of its work by offering space within its mailing facilities to companies and organisations who may wish to publicise their activities and products. Market research was therefore commissioned to help determine whether this facility should he offered and specifically whether DVLA's customers would welcome or object to this.

  DVLA joined with a marketing company who were prepared to help with a study on making the best use of agency's data base to generate income of which a major part might be the use of the mailing facilities. The marketing company provided DVLA with consultancy help at no cost to the public purse, and for the purpose of the trial, DVLA included inserts from BSM who were part of the company's existing client base. Recipients were asked to complete a questionnaire to be returned to DVLA indicating whether they would welcome similar mailshots in the future if this helped keep down the cost of the driver licence.

  The BSM material did not carry any departmental or Agency logo and this was reinforced during the trial by the inclusion in the questionnaire of a specific disclaimer.

  The market research undertaken has provided sufficient evidence to enable DVLA to take a judgment on the future of the mailing service. In evaluating the results careful account will he taken of representations which have been received.

  Radioactive Materials (Imports)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for each port in England, the number of tonnes of radioactive material that was imported;

  (2) if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for each port in Scotland, the number of tonnes of radioactive material that was imported.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department does not collect such information on a routine basis. I will write separately to the hon. Member on this subject.

  Passenger Ferries
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the total number of radio officers employed on British passenger ferries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information is not available in the form requested. There are 80 radio officers employed by the ferry operators based in this country.
  458
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport from how many passenger ferries radio officers will be withdrawn when the global maritime distress and safety system is implemented in February 1992.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The number of passenger ferry radio officers which will be withdrawn when the global maritime distress and safety system is implemented in February 1992 is unknown. This is a commercial decision to be taken by the owners after consulting the marine directorate.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on what grounds Caledonian MacBrayne was granted exemption from the requirement to have a radio officer on board the MV Lord of the Isles.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Exemption from the requirement to carry a radio officer on board M V Lord of the Isles was granted on the grounds that the ship is fitted with equipment that will be required under the terms of the amendments to the 1974 SOLAS convention concerning radio-communications for the global maritime distress and safety system and that the necessary shore facilities for distress and safety communications are in place.

  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the safety implications of the withdrawal of radio officers from the Caledonian MacBrayne ferries Lord of the Isles, Suilven and Hebridean Isles.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The introduction of the amendments to the 1974 SOLAS convention concerning radio-communications for the global maritime distress and safety system will provide a level of safety which is at least equivalent to that provided by the earlier system which called for radio officers on passenger ships.

  InterCity 225s
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the latest date he has available how many InterCity 225s have been cancelled on the east coast route between(a) Scotland/north-east England-London King's Cross and (b) London King's Cross-Scotland/north-east England routes.

  Mr. Freeman
  Since the introduction of InterCity 225 services on 8 July, I understand that four Scotland/London and five London/Scotland services have been cancelled. This represents less than 0·5 per cent. of the scheduled service.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the last 12 months how many InterCity 225 services have been cancelled on the(a) Leeds/Bradford-London King's Cross and (b) London King's Cross-Leeds/Bradford service.

  Mr. Freeman
  During the last 12 months both 125 and 225 services have been operated on the London-Leeds/ Bradford route. A breakdown of cancellations between 125 and 225 services is not available. Taking both services together, I understand that over this period 58 London-Leeds/Bradford and 69 Leeds/Bradford-London services were cancelled. This represents approximately 1 per cent. of the scheduled service.

  Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors Report
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations his Department has had with the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors following the publication of their report, "Shaping Britain for the 21st Century, a Land Use and Transport Strategy."

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department of Transport was represented at the launch of this publication in July 1991. The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors have written to us inviting comments on their report. We shall respond in due course.

  Hospitality Costs
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the latest annual figure for the cost of hospitality provided by the Department of Transport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The cost of hospitality for the Department of Transport (excluding its agencies) in 1990–91 was £117,045. Expenditure recorded on 16 October for this financial year was £72,296.

  Invoice Payments
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department's policy, in line with the principles of the citizens charter, is to pay all invoices within the contracted period, unless delay is unavoidable because of a dispute or for some other legitimate reason. Where there are no agreed terms the policy is to pay invoices within 30 days.

  Marine Safety
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the numbers of marine accidents in British waters in 1990 involving ships masters with foreign qualifications and list their countries of origin.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information in respect of accidents in United Kingdom territorial waters involving ships masters with foreign qualifications is not available since there is no requirement for non-United Kingdom vessels to report such accidents to the Department.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of ships entering British ports in 1990 commanded by ships masters with foreign qualifications; and what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that ships masters certificates obtained in foreign countries are comparable with British merchant marine standards.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Information is not available about the number of ships entering British ports under the command of masters with foreign qualifications.

  The international convention on standards of training, certification and watchkeeping for seafarers 1978 established international standards of training and certification for seafarers. Under the system of port state control, the Department's marine surveyors may ascertain that ship masters certificates have been issued in accordance with the convention.

  Private Bills
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to bring forward legislation to alter the Private Bill procedure.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  At the earliest opportunity.

  Marchioness
  Mr Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, further to the letter sent to him by the hon. Member for Newham, South dated 19 August concerning the report on the Marchioness disaster, and the reply sent to that hon. Member by a Minister dated 19 September. he has anything to add to his reply on that topic given to the hon. Member for Newham, South of 14 October.

  Mr. McLoughin
  No.

  Explosives (Transport)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to lay before Parliament the revised regulations on the packaging of explosives for carriage: what information will be made publically available on methods of compliance on the regulations; and when the regulations will come into force.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Packaging of Explosives for Carriage Regulations 1991 were laid before Parliament on 26 September. A Health and Safety Executive Guide containing the text of the regulations and guidance on how to comply with them is due to be published in November. The regulations will come into force on 1 March 1992.

  Speed limits
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many sections of improved trunk road exist where a permanent 50 mph speed limit is currently in force; and if he will list them.

  Mr. Chope
  The information is not readily available in the form requested.

  European Transport Council
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decisions taken at the European Transport Council in Luxembourg on 7 October; and if he will list the occasions over the past year where the Council has discussed the implications for global warming of transport policies.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer given by my right hon. and learned Friend on Wednesday 16 October in which a full statement was made on the outcome of the Luxembourg Transport Council held on 7 October.

  The Transport Council has not specifically discussed global warming. The EC Commission has only recently come forward with ideas for controlling CO2 and further ideas relating specifically to transport are expected by the end of the year.

  These are all likely to be discussed at a joint Environment/Energy Council on 10 December. We are working closely with the Departments of the Environment and Energy in preparing for this meeting.

  Traffic Changes Project
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey of 18 June,Official Report, columns 71–73, what will be the research brief for the methods of assessing numbers of pedestrians and the effect on them of traffic changes project; who are the consultants appointed to carry it out; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  This project is being carried out in two parts. The project brief for the first stage, which commenced in 1986, was to investigate the sampling aspects of pedestrian counting at a number of selected sites; to test and develop models to predict pedestrian numbers; and to study the factors affecting the quality and suppression of pedestrian journeys. The consultant appointed for this phase of the project was the Institute of Transport Studies (Leeds University).

  The second stage of the project is being handled by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory. Their brief is to interview pedestrians before and after traffic change, in order to gauge the effects on pedestrians of changes in traffic flows; and to bring together any relevant information available from other sources.

  The results of stage one are to be presented in two reports. The first of these, covering the measurement and prediction of pedestrian numbers, has already been published (TRRL reference CR149). The second. on pedestrian amenity, will be available shortly. The report on stage two of the project is expected in 1992.

  Freight Trains
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his oral answer of 14 October concerning the utilisation by bodies, other than the British Railways Board, of track for freight trains, he will list those length of track rail route in the United Kingdom where capacity exits for such uses.

  Mr. Freeman
  Capacity is determined by timetabling and operational factors in each individual case.

  Road Development
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the National Trust properties which have been directly affected by road developments within the last 10 years.

  Mr. Chope
  The information on individual schemes is not held centrally and could be obtained only at a disproportionate cost.

  London Transport Pay
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many employees of London Transport earned £30,000 per annum or more in 1990–91; and how many are estimated to have those earnings in 1991–92.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government do not hold detailed information on the remuneration of London Transport employees. Nor would it be appropriate for us to do so. This is a management matter for London Transport and its subsidiaries.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he has determined the salary levels for 1991–92 of 462
  the chairman and board members of London Transport with effect from April 1991; if he will list them and provide the total; and what were the equivalent figures for 1990–91.

  Mr. Freeman
  My right hon. and learned Friend is still considering the recommendations on salary levels for 1991–92 for the chairman and board of London Transport. details of the emoluments received by all members of the board for 1990–91 are given in London Transport's annual report for that year.

  London Underground
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the effect of the extent of water seepage under the Thames on the operation of the Tube on rainy days.

  Mr. Freeman
  Effective measures to tackle the incursion of water are a matter of major importance for London Underground as they are for other deep-level metro systems. I understand that they have plans for a five-year pumps and drainage renewal programme, which is estimated to cost £42 million.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek from the managing director of London Underground Ltd. a copy of the LUL internal inquiry into the incident of 19 February which resulted in the evacuation of approximately 1,100 passengers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  I have seen a copy of London Underground Ltd.'s (LUL) investigation into the incident. It was caused initially by a security alert. Suspect packages had been left on trains at Bond street and Liverpool street which meant that the service had to be suspended until the packages were declared safe.

  Six full trains were stopped in tunnels between Mile End and Liverpool street. In the process of moving one train close behind another in order to evacuate the passengers through the trains to Bethnal Green Station, the two trains were unintentionally coupled, without the necessary precautions being taken to isolate their electrical connections. This caused overheating of the motor control equipment in one of the trains which resulted in a considerable amount of smoke issuing into the tunnel for a short time. The fire brigade was called, traction current was switched off, and 6,700 passengers were evacuated through the tunnel.

  Unfortunately, one section of the tunnel lighting failed between Bethnal Green and Liverpool street and emergency arrangements had to be made to repair it. Despite this, no passenger was injured during the evacuation, but 33 people were taken to hospital suffering from heat exhaustion, stress and respiratory conditions. None was detained.

  The Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate has kept closely in touch with the investigation and is continuing to discuss the matter with LUL. A number of lessons have been learnt; some improved safety measures have been implemented and more are planned.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the answer of the Minister of State, on 14 October,Official Report, column 9, if he will publish details of the investment in the London Underground system for the coming year.
  463
  Mr. Freeman
  London Underground's investment programme for the coming year (1992–93) is subject to the outcome of the current public expenditure round. However, London Underground is currently forecasting investment expenditure for this year (1991–92) as follows:

  Project

  1991–92 outturn prices £ million

  Central line modernisation

  125·3

  Jubilee line extension

  101·0

  Stations

  44·9

  Engineering asset renewal

  41·7

  Lift and escalators

  29·8

  Trains (existing)

  28·4

  Signalling renewals

  17·1

  Crossrail

  11·6

  Depots

  3·2

  Passenger security

  1·8

  Other

  44·5

  Contingency

  18·2

  Total

  467·6

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if his Department has completed the review of its policies for inclusion in the progress report on action in the areas targeted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is co-ordinating an exercise among all interested Whitehall Departments in order to prepare the United Kingdom's progress report on action in the areas targetted by the World Summit for Children's declaration and plan of action. The aim is to submit this to the UNICEF secretariat by the end of this year.

  MV Ocean Hound
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the findings of the inquiry into the loss of the MV Ocean Hound in August; and what progress is being made in his inquiries.

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if, pursuant to his answer concerning the wreck of the Ocean Hound,Official Report, 14 October, column 111, he will state the results of the most recent surveys including any evidence suggesting that its loss was due to a particular cause.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 15 October a further underwater survey was carried out using remotely controlled video cameras. Fortunately, conditions were much more favourable than at the time of previous inspections, allowing a much fuller examination, and for the first time considerable damage was found.

  The inspection is recorded on video films which are being studied by marine accident investigation branch inspectors. The nature of the damage is such that a very thorough analysis will be required before it is possible to conclude exactly how it was caused; this analysis is being undertaken as speedily as possible, but experience suggests that it may well take some considerable time.
  464
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to seek to raise the MV Ocean Hound from the seabed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No. The Department will not contemplate salvaging a wreck except where there are firm grounds for surmising that raising a wreck would establish the nature and cause of the accident and there are no other means of achieving this.

  Shipping Accidents
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what guidance is given to the coastguard with regard to the notification of next of kin in the event of the loss of life on a British registered ship in United Kingdom waters; and if he will make a statement as to usual practices currently in operation.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Coastguard officers have instructions to pass all details of any known or potential fatalities occurring on British registered ships in United Kingdom waters to the local police authorities who are responsible for informing the next of kin.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will introduce legislation to make it compulsory for owners of fishing vessels to insure their crew against loss of life or permanent disability whilst they are at sea.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In common with all other employers, the owners of fishing vessels have a duty to exercise reasonable care to ensure the safety of their crews and, if fishermen should suffer injury or death as a result of the owner's negligence, they or their relatives can sue for compensation. However, while recognising the risks inherent in fishing, I could not justify a requirement that employers in this industry should be required to insure their crews against risks for which they cannot be held responsible when a similar obligation does not arise elsewhere.

  London Buses
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will ensure that provisons will be made for residential complaints procedures, and environmental assessments of applications for operating centre licences, following the deregulation of London Buses.

  Mr. Freeman
  The need for environmental assessments and procedures for representation in respect of applications for public service vehicle operating centres is under review. Any changes resulting from this review would require primary legislation, which would apply nationally, not just to London.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many extra minutes the journey from Paris to Newcastle on the through rail passenger services will take as a result of the trains travelling through Stratford to King's Cross rather than through south London.

  Mr. Freeman
  Current estimates indicate that it will take an extra four minutes to reach King's Cross.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what studies have been undertaken concerning the
  465
  feasibility of constructing dedicated high speed rail links to the regions of the United Kingdom, and in particular to Scotland, to link up with the proposed high speed rail link from Folkestone to King's Cross.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail has concluded that its existing network beyond London has sufficient capacity. The east and west coast main lines already provide high speed routes from Scotland and will have good connections with the channel tunnel line at King's Cross.

  Driving Licence Renewals
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had concerning the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency proposals to introduce a fee of £6 for the renewal of driving licences from the age of 70 years.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer Friday 18 October 1991]: The proposal formed part of a detailed consultation process the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency held with appropriate organisations on the necessity for a comprehensive revision of the driver licensing fee structure because of demographic trends. Several representations about various elements of the new fee package were received. The majority were against introducing a fee for short period licences issued for medical reasons. This has now been removed from the proposals.

  Rail Freight Services
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had from small industries concerning single wagonloads on railways.

  Mr. Freeman
  [holding answer Friday 18 October 1991]: Since British Rail closed its loss-making Speedlink wagonload services on 8 July this year, we have received representations on behalf of five wagonload freight users. BR has retained more than 70 per cent. of domestic Speedlink and more than 85 per cent. of European Speedlink traffic on rail.

  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
  [pursuant to his reply, 14 October 1991, Official Report, column 112]: On 12 August 1987, the 13·05 train from Thorpe-le-Soken to Walton-on-the-Naze formed by a single class 313 electric multiple-unit failed to stop at the terminal station and collided violently with the buffer stop. The leading vehicle overrrode the buffers and became embedded in the station buildings. There was one major injury to a passenger who suffered a broken leg, but only minor injuries were suffered by the train crew and other passengers. Subsequent examination of the train revealed that the code conversion unit (CCU) which
  466
  transfers signals from the driver's brake lever into instructions for the electrical and disc brakes of the train had a welded contact. The disc brakes are air-activated, the actual brake force being controlled by combinations of two diaphrams. One diaphragm is twice the size of the other and it is therefore possible to provide three equal increases in brake force. Hence the use of the term three-step brake. The effect of the welded contact was that step I was ineffective, step 2 was fully effective, but step 3 gave no further increase in braking effort over step 2. There is, however, an emergency position on the brake lever. In this position the signals to the CCU are, in effect, bypassed and although no extra braking effort is produced it does ensure that the maximum possible effort is available. Hence in this case selection of the emergency brake position would have ensured the full application. that is step 3, of the brakes would have occurred.

  It was not possible during the inquiry to obtain a story from the driver as to how he handled the braking of his train on the approach to Walton which could be matched to the technical evidence of what braking effects were available to him. Suffice it to say that he was unaware of the difference between the step 3 and emergency positions of the brake handle and the full application of the brakes was made only when he left his driving position and released the driver's safety device shortly before impact occurred. Subsequent experiments at British Railways research centre enabled a reasonably accurate picture of the actual running of the train to be determined and hence it was possible to conclude that, despite the brake fault, the driver mishandled the braking of his train and then failed to make use of the emergency position of the brake level which would certainly have lessened the impact, if not avoided it altogether.

  Immediately after the accident, a campaign check of all classes of vehicle fitted with the particular type of CCU was made. It should be noted that this type is no longer being fitted to new vehicles and later classes of vehicles have a different type. The result of the check showed that only one other CCU had a welded contact. The likely cause of this welding is external to the CCU and BR has taken measures to reduce the current rating of the controlling miniature circuit breaker and hence reduce the possibility of achieving a welding current.

  The type of three-step brake fitted to class 313 units (and others) gives a maximum retardation in step 3 of 9 per cent g with, as explained earlier, no increase in brake force in the emergency position. British Railways has reviewed this and, in future, use of the emergency position will give an increased braking effort resulting in a retardation of 12 per cent. g. This new three-step-plus emergency brake will be fitted to all new builds of multiple unit rolling stock and retrospectively to all existing builds of electric multiple units.

  The inspecting officer of railways who held the inquiry is satisfied that immediate action was taken to determine whether similar faults of the trains' brakes were present elsewhere and to limit still further the likelihood of their occurring in future. He is also satisfied that the newer CCU is an improvement on the old and he welcomes the decision to provide increased braking effect when the emergency position of the brake lever is used.

  THE RAF REGIMENT
  THE RAF REGIMENT
  BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN: COMMEMORATION
  BATTLE OF EL ALAMEIN: COMMEMORATION
  HMS "SHEFFIELD": ALLEGED INCIDENT
  HMS "SHEFFIELD": ALLEGED INCIDENT
  FALKLANDS WAR ZONE: ALLEGED PRESENCE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
  FALKLANDS WAR ZONE: ALLEGED PRESENCE OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS
  SALMON NET FISHERIES: REVIEW
  SALMON NET FISHERIES: REVIEW
  VETERINARY MEDICINES DIRECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT
  VETERINARY MEDICINES DIRECTORATE: ANNUAL REPORT
  SHEEP DIPPING
  SHEEP DIPPING
  SALMON FISHERIES: REPORT
  SALMON FISHERIES: REPORT
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS SINCE 1st JULY 1991
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS SINCE 1st JULY 1991
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS BY EACH POLICE FORCE ON 3rd OCTOBER 1991
  PRISONERS HELD IN POLICE CELLS BY EACH POLICE FORCE ON 3rd OCTOBER 1991
  PUBLIC ORDER OFFENCES: CONVICTIONS AND PROSECUTIONS
  PUBLIC ORDER OFFENCES: CONVICTIONS AND PROSECUTIONS
  THE RADIO AUTHORITY: PROGRAMME OUTPUT
  THE RADIO AUTHORITY: PROGRAMME OUTPUT
  ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCES: FIXED PENALTY LEVELS
  ROAD TRAFFIC OFFENCES: FIXED PENALTY LEVELS
  ARTS FUNDING IN LONDON
  ARTS FUNDING IN LONDON
  PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE: FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES
  PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE: FLOOD PROTECTION MEASURES
  TRUSTEES: INVESTMENT POWERS
  TRUSTEES: INVESTMENT POWERS
  VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS IN HONG KONG
  VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS IN HONG KONG
  COMMUNITY ALONE AGREEMENTS
  COMMUNITY ALONE AGREEMENTS
  REGISTER OF ARMS SALES PROPOSAL: RESPONSE
  REGISTER OF ARMS SALES PROPOSAL: RESPONSE
  EXECUTIONS: DATA
  EXECUTIONS: DATA
  BIOLOGICAL AND TOXIC WEAPONS: PROTOCOL REVIEW
  BIOLOGICAL AND TOXIC WEAPONS: PROTOCOL REVIEW
  INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL UNION, 29th JULY AND 30th SEPTEMBER
  INTER-GOVERNMENTAL CONFERENCE ON POLITICAL UNION, 29th JULY AND 30th SEPTEMBER
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCILS, 29th JULY AND 6th AND 30th SEPTEMBER.
  FOREIGN AFFAIRS COUNCILS, 29th JULY AND 6th AND 30th SEPTEMBER.
  UN NEW MEMBERS: UK RELATIONS
  UN NEW MEMBERS: UK RELATIONS
  INCOME SUPPORT: DEPENDANTS AGED 16 AND 17
  INCOME SUPPORT: DEPENDANTS AGED 16 AND 17
  UNEMPLOYMENT: COMPARISONS
  UNEMPLOYMENT: COMPARISONS
  PLUTONIUM STOCKS IN THE UK
  PLUTONIUM STOCKS IN THE UK
  EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE HEARING
  EUROPEAN COURT OF JUSTICE HEARING
  UK-SOVIET COMMERCIAL CO-OPERATION
  UK-SOVIET COMMERCIAL CO-OPERATION
  POLITICAL DONATIONS FROM COMPANIES: POLICY
  POLITICAL DONATIONS FROM COMPANIES: POLICY
  ROYAL PARKS: STAFF ACCOMMODATION
  ROYAL PARKS: STAFF ACCOMMODATION
  ROYAL PARKS: STAFF REDUNDANCIES
  ROYAL PARKS: STAFF REDUNDANCIES
  DoE: LEGAL ADVICE TO INSPECTORS
  DoE: LEGAL ADVICE TO INSPECTORS
  ANCIENT VEHICULAR WAYS
  ANCIENT VEHICULAR WAYS
  HEVENINGHA M HALL
  HEVENINGHA M HALL
  HEDGEROWS IN GREAT BRITAIN
  HEDGEROWS IN GREAT BRITAIN