Written Answers of 22 October 1991

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Attorney-General (1) how many members of the Serious Fraud Office are currently in Abu Dhabi;

  (2) what steps were taken by the Serious Fraud Office to prevent those responsible for the fraud against BCCI leaving the United Kingdom;

  (3) how many members of the Serious Fraud Office are currently in the United States of America in connection with the BCCI issue;

  (4) when the Serious Fraud Office first became involved in the BCCI affair.

  The Attorney-General
  The Serious Fraud Office first became aware from the Bank of England of concerns over BCCI on the 1 July 1991. On the 4 July 1991—the day prior to the appointment of provisional liquidators—it received relevant papers from the Bank of England with a view to investigation. No steps are available to the Serious Fraud Office to restrict the liberty of individuals wishing to leave the United Kingdom unless those persons have been charged with criminal offences. I am satisfied that no person has left the jurisdiction at a time when the Serious Fraud Office was in possession of evidence sufficient to justify the institution of proceedings.

  It is the policy of the Serious Fraud Office not to disclose the deployment of operational staff involved in criminal investigation.

  Asylum Seekers
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Attorney-General what he estimates is likely to be the cost to the legal aid fund of providing financial assistance for solicitors and counsel for those of the 50,000 annual asylum seekers who may be refused asylum and wish to appeal.

  The Attorney-General
  Full legal aid for representation is not available for asylum appeals. Current average figures for the cost of advice and assistance are available only for all immigration, asylum and nationality matters and the costs of asylum cannot be separated out. Using current average figures the probable cost of advice and assistance in 50,000 asylum cases would be in the region of £9 million.

  Family Proceedings
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General what steps are to be taken in respect of those persons who may attend family proceedings; and what may be disclosed publicly about such proceedings.

  The Attorney-General
  The present law has grown up piecemeal and is fragmented with different rules applying in different types of court and proceedings. As part of the 468
  Government's review of the family justice system, my noble and learned Friend the Lord Chancellor has put in hand a review of the current law and practice in respect of access to and reporting of family proceedings. As a first step, a group of officials advised by Professor Brenda Hoggett has been set up under the auspices of the family law and administration working party. Its purpose is to analyse the present law and practice and to identify existing inconsistencies, the options for change and the issues involved in any reform. The Government will use the results of the group's work as the basis for wide ranging consultations with all those interested, including the judiciary and the media, before reaching any conclusions about what reform might be desirable.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  The Attorney-General
  The legal secretariat to the Law Officers does not employ a private security firm. The Treasury Solictor's Department does not currently employ a private security firm, but did so in respect of one of its buildings from June to August 1991. The firm engaged one employee on the contract, the cost of which was shared as to 50 per cent. with the Charity Commission. The share borne by the Treasury Solicitor's department was £4,269.

  The Crown prosecution service currently employs two private security firms with four and three employees engaged respectively by each firm on the contract. The total value of each contract is £82,000 and £57,000.

  The total value of all contracts since 1984 is as follows:

  £

  1986–87

  9,000

  1987–88

  14,000

  1988–89

  33,500

  1989–90

  83,500

  1990–91

  119,000

  The Serious Fraud Office currently employs one private security firm. The contract specifies a security complement of seven employees and the total value of this contract is £136,000.

  The total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85 is as follows:

  £

  1984–87

  Nil

  1987–88

  3,050·00

  1988–89

  36,460·00

  1989–90

  42,397·00

  1990–91

  48,006·00

TRANSPORT

  Disability
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will invite the European Commission to proceed with the proposed directive 4315/91 under article 75; and if he will make a statement;
  469
  (2) if he will give the details and address of the section and directorate within the European Commission concerned with the exclusion of non-workers from the proposed directive (4315/91) on transport of workers with reduced mobility;

  (3) if taxi cabs are to be covered by the proposed directive 4315/91.

  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Carr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has any plans to extend the orange badge scheme to sufferers of inflammatory bowel disease.

  Mr. Chope
  Sufferers of Crohn's disease are eligible for assistance under the orange badge scheme if their disability is permanent and substantial and causes very considerable difficulty in walking.

  British Rail
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has received from the chairman of British Rail about the future of Railfreight Distribution Freightliner container services; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail has today announced that, following a comprehensive review by independent consultants, its container-carrying services in the United Kingdom will be streamlined in May 1992. I have arranged for a copy of British Rail's announcement to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Eurofreight Terminal
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met British Rail to discuss the siting of the Eurofreight terminal in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The decision on where to locate channel tunnel freight terminals is a commercial one for British Rail. I expect them to announce the chosen site for the Scottish terminal very shortly.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Radioactive Materials (Imports)
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list in the Official Report by year for the past 10 years, and for each port in Scotland, the number of tonnes of radioactive material that was imported.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Shipping Dues
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with the Chamber of Shipping over the increases in light due tariffs during the current year.
  470
  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Coastguard Stations
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will make a statement on the future of Her Majesty's coastguard stations;

  (2) what further closures of Her Majesty's coastguard stations are planned.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Discounted Bus Fares
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has had regarding the current age at which school children stop paying discount fares on buses.

  Mr. Freeman
  We have received few such representations recently.

  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make his policy to seek to raise the age for discounted fares on buses from 14 to 16 years.

  Mr. Freeman
  Bus companies are already free to offer cheap fares on a commercial basis to children of any age, and section 93 of the Transport Act 1985 gives local authorities outside London powers to include children under 16 years in a concessionary fares scheme. The decisions on what concessions to give and the ages of the children included in a particular scheme are for the authority concerned.

  Visual Disability
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he last met the Royal National Institute for the Blind to discuss access to public transport for the partially sighted.

  Mr. Freeman
  My Department is in touch regularly with the Royal National Institute for the Blind and other organisations representing blind and partially sighted people on access to public transport and a wide range of other mobility issues.

  Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with London Transport regarding the proportion of visitors using the underground and buses.

  Mr. Freeman
  Sample surveys carried out by the London tourist board suggest that the majority of visitors to London make some use of bus and underground services. I refer the hon. Member to my hon. Friend's answer of 11 January 1989,Official Report, columns 699–700. The matter has not been the subject of any recent consultation between London Transport and this Department.

  Blackwall Tunnel
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken subsequent on his official visit to the Blackwall tunnel on 3 September, to
  471
  minimise preventable traffic congestion and delay in east London by improved traffic management, road signing and similar methods.

  Mr. Freeman
  With regard to the Blackwall tunnel, I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on Tuesday 15 October,Official Report, columns 124–25. When road-works are carried out they will often cause some degree of traffic congestion. However, the Department always takes great care to devise works in such a way as to minimise delay for the motorist and nuisance for others.

  Trunk Road Crossings
  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he applies to the provision of pedestrian bridges over trunk roads in urban areas.

  Mr. Chope
  Each proposal for the provision of a footbridge or subway is considered on its merits. These include pedestrian and vehicle flows, accident record, availability of alternative crossing points, topography of the site, environmental and economic considerations, ages and mobility of pedestrians likely to use the facility and the possibility of anti-social behaviour. All these aspects are discussed in chapter 24 of HMSO publication prepared by the Institution of Highways and Transportation with the Department of Transport, entitled "Roads and Traffic in Urban Areas", a copy of which will be placed in the Library as soon as possible.

  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what factors led to the selection of the wire fencing now separating the part of Cranford village south of the A4 from the part to the north; and who was responsible for the selection of this fencing.

  Mr. Chope
  The fencing will help to prevent crossover accidents, cushioning the impact of vehicles which may collide with it; also it is high enough to deter pedestrians from vaulting over. The decision to install this type of fencing in this location was taken by the London regional office of the Department.

  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what criteria he applies to the provision of light-controlled crossings on trunk roads.

  Mr. Chope
  The criteria are based on an assessment of road safety and the degree of conflict between pedestrians and vehicles at the proposed crossing place. Other local factors, for example, adjacent to homes for the elderly, school entrances, and so on are taken into account as matters of local judgment.

  The criteria are published in departmental advice note TA52/87, "Design Considerations for Pelican and Zebra Crossings". A copy is in the Library.

  A4, Cranford
  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport under what powers a wire fence has been erected along the middle of the Cranford section of the A4 road; and over what length of trunk road in England such wire fencing has previously been placed by his Department.

  Mr. Chope
  Section 64 of the Highways Act 1980 empowers any highway authority to construct and 472
  maintain central reserve fencing on dual carriageways; in addition section 66 of that Act empowers any highway authority to provide and maintain pedestrian safety fencing. There is no central record of how much wire fencing of a similar design to that on the A4 has been installed along other trunk roads.

  Mr. Ground
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what would be the cost of providing(a) a further light-controlled crossing on and (b) a pedestrain bridge over the Cranford section of the A4.

  Mr. Chope
  Depending on circumstances, particularly statutory undertakers' costs, a tentative estimate for(a) would be £100,000 and for (b) £400,000.

  Oxleas Wood
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider re-routing or covering the proposed road through Oxleas wood.

  Mr. Chope
  No. The alignment of the east London river crossing scheme was decided in July 1988 in accordance with the inspector's recommendation following a public inquiry lasting 15 months. The decision not to provide a tunnel through part of Oxleas wood was taken in 1988 only after very thorough consideration of the effects of the scheme on the environment, ecology and recreational use of the woodland.

  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what response he will make to the letters from the European Environment Commissioner about Oxleas wood and other threatened sites.

  Mr. Chope
  The formal letter of 17 October 1991 from the European Commission sets out a number of respects in which it is alleged that directive 85/337 EEC on environmental impact assessment had not been correctly implemented. The letter will be studied very carefully before a reply is sent. Commissioner Ripa di Meana also sent, and released to the press, a personal letter to my right hon. and learned Friend. In reply, my right hon. and learned Friend has told him that construction of the three schemes—Hackney-M 11 link, east London river crossing. and M3 Twyford Down—had not begun and was not due to begin for some considerable time, but that the schemes were urgently needed and the Department would be continuing with the necessary advance works.

  Channel Tunnel Rail Link
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when private contractors will be permitted to commence the construction of the channel tunnel rail link

  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the projected number of trains per hour that will travel through the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  Hourly figures are not available. However, British Rail plans to run 75 passenger and freight trains each way per day through the tunnel.

  Commissioner Ripa di Meana
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when his officials last spoke to officials in Commissioner Ripa di Meana's office; and what subjects were discussed;
  473
  (2) if he will make a statement on the content and outcome of his telephone conversation in September with Commissioner Ripa di Meana.

  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what was the total cost of repair works to the Severn bridge since 1984;

  (2) when he expects the present repair works on the Severn bridge to be completed.

  Mr. Chope
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  London Transport International Limited
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will seek a meeting with the chairman of London Transport to discuss the proposed closure of London Transport International Limited, consultants.

  Mr. Freeman
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  East Norton Bypass
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he intends to take to alleviate local fears that the newly opened A47 East Norton bypass, Leicestershire has transferred accidents from the village road to the new junction.

  Mr. Chope
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Traffic Director for London
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when the Traffic Director for London will take up office; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Following an open competition, I appointed Mr. Derek Turner as Traffic Director for London on 16 October under the provisions of section 52 of the Road Traffic Act 1991. Mr. Turner will be taking up the post on 9 November. His task will be to co-ordinate the introduction and maintenance of the red route measures in London and monitor their operation.

  Lorry Speeds
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will meet with the European Commission to discuss its proposed directive limiting lorries of over 12 tonnes to 50 mph; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Actual start of works

  Programmed start of works

  Programmed/actual completion

  Contract 1: Catthorpe Interchange

  February1990

  —

  Summer 1990

  Contract 2: Catthorpe to Rothwell

  —

  late 1991

  late 1993

  Contract 3: Catthorpe to Rothwell

  —

  late 1991

  late 1993

  Contract 4: Rothwell to Kettering

  March 1990

  —

  May 1991

  Contract 5 (N): Kettering Northern Bypass

  —

  January 1992

  March 1993

  Contract 5 (S): Kettering Southern Bypass

  February 1990

  —

  November 1991

  Contract 6: Kettering to Thrapston

  May 1989

  —

  November 1990

  Contract 7: Thrapston to Brampton

  November 1989

  —

  1 December 1990 west,6 February 1991 east

  Contract 8: Thrapston to Brampton

  5 August 1991

  —

  Spring 1993

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 18 June,Official Report, column 69, to the hon. Member for Don Valley, if he will make it his practice to keep central records of lists of titles of the video recordings purchased by his Department.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  This information could be collected and recorded only at disproportionate cost.

  A500
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what representations he has received concerning his decision to remove truck stops from the A500 trunk road north of Hanchurch, Stoke on Trent.

  Mr. Chope
  Six objections have been received to the published draft clearway order, three of them to the prohibition of trading.

  A5-M11 Trunk Road
  Sir Ian Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions have been held with Hertfordshire county council and with North Hertfordshire district council by Acer Consultants Ltd. in connection with their work on the alignment of an east-west trunk road regarding the section between the A5 and the M11.

  Mr. Chope
  Acer Consultants Limited and its sub-contractors have had a series of meetings at working level with both county and district councils to gather views and information about constraints within the areas of interest.

  Al-M1 Link Road
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his latest date for completion of the Al-M1 link road; and if he will advance his plans in this respect.

  Mr. Chope
  All remaining contracts are programmed to be let by the end of this year. The road should be completed by the end of 1993. Although this is subject to the effects of the action of the Society for the Preservation of the Field of the Battle of Naseby in fragmenting one plot within contract 2 into multiple ownership.

  The position for each contract is as follows.
  475

  Actual start of works

  Programmed start of works

  Programmed/actual completion

  Contract 9: Thrapston to Brampton

  —

  November 1991

  Summer 1993

  Contract 10: Advance works for Railway Bridge on Kettering

  Northern Bypass

  April 1990

  —

  November 1991

  Speed Limits
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much more the Isle of Wight county council would receive in grant if the island had a universal speed limit of(a) 30 mph, (b) 40 mph and (c) 50 mph.

  Mr. Chope
  It is estimated that(a) and (b) would increase revenue support grant by about £1 million, and that (c) would decrease grant by about £1 million. Criteria for determining appropriate speed limits are set out in circulars (roads) Nos 1/80 and 4/83.

  Railway Junctions
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what information he has on proposals to change the junction at Newton station, on which the collision of 21 July occurred, from a single to a double track junction; and if he will make a statement on future policy towards the singling of double junctions.

  Mr. Freeman
  I understand that British Rail has carried out a study of locations where there are platform starting signals which protect a single lead junction at a through passenger station. As a result of the study, 10 locations, including Newton, have been identified at which enhanced protection arrangements are being introduced. Consideration is being given at Newton to a number of options to guard against the possibility of a similar incident to that which occurred and these include a revised layout and/or trap points.

  Currently Newton junction is operating under special restricted arrangements to ensure safety pending the outcome of a technical investigation. It will be necessary to recommission the signalling before normal train operations restart.

  Future policy on the singling of double junctions is a matter for British Rail, though Her Majesty's railway inspectorate will continue to consider the safety of individual proposals before giving approval. As part of the independent inquiry into the Newton accident which is to be conducted by the Health and Safety Executive's deputy director general, Mr. David Eves, the safety of single lead junctions will be examined.

  Drink Driving
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what special measures he intends taking to deal with the problem of drink driving over the Christmas and new year period; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Drink driving is an all year round problem. As part of our continuing campaign against it, there will be television advertising over the Christmas period backed up by vigorous enforcement.

  A427
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has received the Action A427 document sent to him by the hon. Member for Harborough; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Yes. The promotion of road improvements on the A427 is the responsibility of Leicestershire county council as the local highway authority. I regret, therefore, that I cannot intervene in the way in which my hon. Friend wishes.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will adopt the A427 between Lutterworth and Market Harborough.

  Mr. Chope
  No. The A427 is not a route of national strategic importance catering for the movement of long-distance traffic.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many accidents to pedestrians on the A427 from Lutterworth to Market Harborough there have been in the last two years; and if he has any plans to reduce the incidence.

  Mr. Chope
  I understand from Leicestershire county council, the highway authority for the A427, that there have been nine accidents involving pedestrians in this period. The responsibility for specific accident prevention measures on the A427 rests with Leicestershire county council.

  Trunk Roads
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what recent representations he has had about trunk road status for the Isle of Wight.

  Mr. Chope
  None. I am now considering a case put by the Isle of Wight county council for certain roads on the island to be incorporated into the primary route network.

  Passenger Ferries
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) if he will list those passenger ferries which have been granted or are seeking exemption from the requirement to have a radio officer on board;

  (2) what advice his Department has given to the operators of passenger ships, on the withdrawal of radio officers following the implementation of the global maritime distress and safety system.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Winter Rail Services
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement as to what review his Department has carried out with British Rail in respect of arrangements for dealing with severe weather during the forthcoming winter.
  477
  Mr. Freeman
  Department of Transport officials will be having discussions with British Rail in the next few weeks.

  Tees and Hartlepool Port
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what measure of price preference he intends to give to the bid from the management and employee consortium for the Tees and Hartlepool port.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Nuclear Material
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for 1991 to date, the number of occasions that nuclear fuel has been transported to(a) Dounreay and (b) Sellafield via Doncaster.

  Mr. Chope
  The data requested are not collected by the Department of Transport. I understand, however, that irradiated nuclear fuel is not normally transported through Doncaster.

  Rail Safety
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the current arrangements provided by British Rail for the safety of its customers.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail's safety plan sets out the board's safety policy and objectives and the wide range of initiatives under way. These include new safety management systems, improved training, investment in new equipment and changes in working methods. Copies of the plan are in the Library. The board's railway code gives advice on the safe use of railway services.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 20 June,Official Report, columns 275–82, to the hon. Member for Don Valley, if he will list those accidents that involved passengers falling from passenger trains that were in motion; and at what approximate speed the train was travelling.

  Mr. Freeman
  All the accidents listed in my previous answers involved falls from moving trains. Details of train speeds are not available.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the recent rail crash at Liverpool's Lime Street station; and whether the findings of the British Rail inspectorate will be made public.

  Mr. Freeman
  An empty diesel multiple unit train collided with the buffer stops at Liverpool Lime Street station at about 1330 hours on Saturday 5 October after its brakes had failed. It came to rest on the concourse. Fortunately, the signalman at Edge Hill was able to warn the station of the impending collision and the concourse was cleared. There were no serious injuries or serious damage to the station, though the buffer stops and one coach of the two-car train were damaged beyond repair. Earlier in the day the train had hit an obstruction on the line and received attention at Lime Street before being placed back in service.

  Nuclear Material
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list for the last 12 months, the number of cargos of spent nuclear fuel flasks that have been carried on roll-on roll-off ferries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Norwich Southern Bypass
  Mr. Patrick Thompson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement about progress of work on the Norwich southern bypass and explain the reasons why problems involving the surfacing mix have not been fully resolved.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Site trials and tests are being carried out to ascertain the cause of problems with the road pavement which has been laid. The results of the tests will be available shortly, and I hope that a solution will be found which will still enable the bypass to be completed and open to traffic on schedule in the latter part of next year.

  A120
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to give grant approval for commencement of the A120 improvement between Stansted and Braintree.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: When statutory procedures have been completed, a decision on grant approval for commencement of works will be made.

  M25
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many lanes are proposed for the recently announced filter/distributor road running alongside the M25.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: The feasibility of schemes for collector distributor roads is still in the preliminary stages of investigation. Dual two or three-lanes could be required, depending on forecast traffic levels, which will vary from section to section.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether the proposals to include the photograph of the licence holder on the driving licence involves disclosure of such photographic data to the police; whether he has given any fresh consideration to the data protection implications of the obtaining, disclosure and use of all driver information held by the driver and vehicle licensing centre; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Police have access to the driver licensing records for law enforcement purposes under the terms of the Road Traffic Act 1988 which removes any data protection restriction on such statutory disclosure. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency would seek the advice of the Data Protection Registrar on the disclosure of photographs on driving licences should the proposal to include photographs be implemented.

  Diesel Emissions
  Mr. Anthony Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action his Department is taking to ensure that the level of heavy diesel fuel emissions is reduced.

  Mr. Chope
  Standards for new vehicles are set by European Community directives. Amendments to the heavy duty diesel emissions directive (EC 88/77) have recently been adopted. These set two mandatory stages of emission limits, the first coming into force next July, with a more stringent second stage in 1995. This second stage is of similar stringency to the standards to be applied in the United States from 1994.

  We shall be equipping all heavy goods vehicle test stations with smoke measuring instrumentation by next summer. This will offer scope to measure smoke emissions more accurately in the test station and at roadside checks, and also facilitate the introduction of tighter limits in the future.

  Lorry Speeds
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how he intends to make the control of the speed of heavy lorries effective.

  Mr. Chope
  Enforcement of speed limits is primarily a matter for the police. Fitment of speed limiters to heavy goods vehicles will prevent speeding on motorways by those classes of vehicle to which they are fitted.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with the European Commission about the maximum permitted speed for heavy lorries.

  Mr. Chope
  None. The Commission has made two proposals about the fitment of speed limiters to heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches. Each proposal requires that the limiters should be set at certain speeds, which are about 10 mph below the motorway speed limits for these vehicles in this country. It is wholly inappropriate for Community directives on speed limiters to specify the speeds at which the limiters must be set. Speed limits are matters for individual nations to determine in the light of national considerations such as road design standards and rules governing driver behaviour. The speeds which are proposed also raise major practical difficulties going beyond the question of principle.

  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has finalised his plans to fit speed limiters to heavy lorries; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  Regulations have been made requiring heavy goods vehicles over 7·5 tonnes maximum weight, and first used on or after 1 August 1992, to be fitted with speed limiters in order to restrict their maximum speed. The Department has consulted about proposals for fitment of speed limiters to some heavy goods vehicles over 16 tonnes maximum weight first used on or after 1 August 1988. The responses to that consultation are being considered.

  Motor Fuel
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimates of long-term elasticity of demand for motor fuel are used by his Department.
  480
  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Minus 0·4 for petrol used in private vehicles, and minus 0·1 for all fuel used by commercial vehicles.

  Passenger Safety
  Mr. Brian Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the safety implications of the global maritime distress and safety system and the effect on safety of the withdrawal of radio officers from passenger ferries.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The global maritime distress and safety system is an internationally agreed system that will use the latest technology, including satellite communications, to enhance distress communications. It will introduce a quicker and more accurate response to distress calls without necessarily requiring a radio officer.

ENVIRONMENT

  Bed-and-breakfast Accommodation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table showing the most recent estimate of expenditure by local authorities on accommodating homeless families in temporary or bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Listed Buildings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the lidos in England and Wales that have been given a listed building status.

  Mr. Yeo
  This information is not readily available either in my Department or in the Welsh Office.

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

  Mr. Heseltine
  It is my Department's policy to ensure that payments to contractors and consultants are made promptly within the period stipulated in the appropriate contract or within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice.

  I am fully aware of the serious cash flow problems that small and medium-sized businesses may face if payments are late and special attention is given to the payment of their bills. My officials monitor payment performance, and make quarterly returns to the Department of Employment which intends to publish them.

  Land Disposal
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on sales or other disposals of land owned by water public limited companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Private Sector Tenancies
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what has been the increase or decrease in percentage terms of available private sector tenancies for the two years following the Housing Act 1988, over the two preceding years.

  Mr. Yeo
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  London Docklands
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much money in the current year's London Docklands development corporation budget has been allocated to affordable housing; and how many houses that will provide.

  Mr. Yeo
  The corporation proposes to spend £8·6 million on schemes of this kind during 1991–92. This is likely to result in 90 new housing units. The investment will, in addition, allow refurbishment works to some 1,500 properties.

  RNAD Coulport
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what measures have been taken during construction at Royal Navy Armaments Depot Coulport to ensure quality assurance for all steel being brought on site.

  Mr. Yeo
  The design, manufacture and supply of all steel for nuclear-related facilities being constructed at RNAD Coulport are subject to a PSA quality plan and PSA quality assurance requirements for contractors which comply with BS5882 and BS5750 respectively and are agreed with MOD. Steel for other facilities at RNAD Coulport is subject to quality control to ensure compliance with British Standard and contract specifications.

  Wath Recycling Company
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will request the Wath Recycling Company to send the consignment of toxic waste which it has held for almost two and a half years to the same company which has dealt with that part of the consignment which was held by British Rail.

  Mr. Baldry
  As the hon. Member knows, we have been actively seeking an appropriate solution to this problem for two years and this has included requests to Wath Recycling to consider disposal methods such as that used by British Rail. However the fate of the waste at Wath now appears to depend firmly upon the outcome of current court action in the United States.

  Thamesmead
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has received the report of the inspector presiding over the public inquiry into the proposed development of Thamesmead town centre; and when he expects to announce his decision on the planning application.

  Mr. Yeo
  The report has only just been received. It is hoped to issue a decision shortly.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. David Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals against uniform business rate assessments are currently outstanding; what is the average length of time since outstanding appeals were lodged; and what rate of interest is being paid on monies returned to businesses where appeals have been successful.

  Mr. Portillo
  At 30 September there were 673,237 outstanding appeals concerning non-domestic rates in England and Wales. A total of 91,074 appeals had been settled by the same date. Information on the average length of time since outstanding appeals were lodged is not available, but approximately 630,000 appeals were made in the initial period for challenging 1 April 1990 values which expired on 30 September 1990; some 300,000 of these were received just before the final deadline. Valuation officers have six months to deal with cases before referring unresolved disputes to the valuation and community charge tribunals. The interest rate applied to overpayments arising from successful appeals is 14 per cent. for 1990–91 and 12 per cent. for 1991–92.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The number of security firms currently employed by my Department is six. The number of employees used at each location can vary from week to week depending on circumstances. For this reason contract values can also vary. The figures given for 1991–92 are therefore estimated.

  Year

  Annual contract value (£)

  Number of employees

  1984–85

  18,000

  5

  57,556

  7

  16,188

  1

  Total

  91,744

  1985–86

  56,000

  8

  20,000

  5

  57,556

  7

  16,917

  1

  187,044

  21

  Total

  337,517

  1986–87

  64,000

  8

  21,000

  5

  60,434

  7

  11,568

  1

  195,224

  21

  Total

  352,226

  1987–88

  72,000

  8

  21,000

  5

  76,000

  7

  65,864

  7

  12,048

  1

  239,549

  25

  Total

  486,461

  483

  Year

  Annual contract value (£)

  Number of employees

  1988–89

  80,000

  8

  22,600

  5

  76,000

  7

  65,864

  7

  13,169

  1

  351,644

  25

  Total

  609,227

  1989–90

  88,000

  8

  23,700

  5

  76,000

  7

  89,856

  7

  13,987

  1

  369,070

  24

  Total

  660,613

  1990–91

  112,000

  8

  24,900

  5

  80,000

  7

  60,000

  15

  130,678

  7

  16,320

  1

  430,597

  27

  Total

  854,495

  1991–92

  125,000

  9

  16,000

  2

  88,000

  7

  67,000

  15

  138,331

  7

  34,792

  1

  452,040

  33

  Total

  921,163

  Community Charge
  Mr. Cartwright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the sums included for other adjustments in the 1991–92 community charge accounts of each of the London borough councils.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newham, South (Mr. Spearing) on 21 June 1991,Official Report column 329.

  Global Warming
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list in the Official Report the research activities sponsored by his Department into global warming; and what information he has regarding scientific and policy research currently under way by (a) non-governmental organisations and (b) university and polytechnic research departments into ways of predicting and mitigating the greenhouse effect.

  Mr. Baldry
  Full details of every research project commissioned under the Department's global atmosphere research programme this year are currently being collected together in a single report which I expect to be placed in the Library of the House next month. The largest single project is the climate prediction programme at the Hadley Centre, Bracknell, which includes a specific requirement to liaise and co-ordinate with all relevant research both in the United Kingdom and abroad. There are in addition some 484
  specific projects on the impacts of climate upon water resources, and building and construction sponsored in other DOE programmes.

  My Department represents relevant research interests and responsibilities of the Government on the inter-agency council for global environmental change which published its first report on the United Kingdom research framework this year. Copies have been placed in the Library of the House. My Department is represented on the relevant research councils and received many reports and documents on research carried out by non-governmental organisations, at higher education institutes and by independent research institutes and organisations.

  Toronto Environmental Declaration
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when Her Majesty's Government received a copy of the Toronto declaration on world cities and their environment, concluded at the congress of municipal leaders on 28 August; and if he has taken any steps to respond to the appeals made to national Governments in resolution 15, resolution 22 and resolution 23.

  Mr. Baldry
  My Department has seen a copy of the "Toronto Declaration", which appears to be designed as an input to the United Nations conference on development and the environment, to be held in Brazil in June 1992. My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already announced that he hopes to attend, and the Government are participating actively in the preparatory work.

  UN Environmental Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what input was made by his Department to the seminar sponsored by UNEP-UK on the nongovernmental organisations' agenda for the 1992 United Nations conference on environment and development, held in London on 9 and 10 October; and what new information was collected by his Department as a result of its involvement in the seminar.

  Mr. Baldry
  The seminar was part of a programme, organised by UNEP-UK and funded by the Department of the Environment, aimed at focusing the views and aspirations of the non-governmental community on the 1992 conference. In his summing up of the proceedings the Director General of Environmental Protection undertook that the Department would study the conclusions of the various working groups as soon as written versions were available.

  Dry Cleaning
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what Government-sponsored research has been undertaken into the use of perchloroethylene in the dry cleaning process.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am aware of the following relevant research which has been or is being undertaken by Government Departments.

  The Building Research Establishment is preparing an environmental hazard assessment document on perchloroethylene—dry cleaning is covered as a source of release into the environment—as part of my Department's research programme. This will he published in due course.
  485
  The Department of Trade and Industry published a report in 1990 entitled "Chlorinated solvent cleaning—the impact of environmental and regulatory control" by Coopers and Lybrand Deloitte.

  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is curently surveying perchloroethylene levels in food purchased from shops near to dry cleaning establishments. This work was initiated after reports appeared in the literature which indicated that there was a possibility of food contamination via this route. The results of this survey will be published in the normal way when they become available.

  In addition there is a requirement to monitor drinking water levels of perchloroethylene. Levels must not exceed 10. μg/litre on an annual basis.

  Nuclear Power
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is his policy towards the proposal put forward by the Swedish Ministry of the Environment to the IAEA-sponsored conference on the safety of nuclear power; strategy for the future, that a legally binding international convention on nuclear waste management and final disposal safety be established.

  Mr. Baldry
  The IAEA-sponsored conference discussed the Swedish proposal and concluded that the IAEA should develop international safety objectives for use by participating member states with regard to the implementation of waste management and disposal. My officials will be working with the IAEA to help develop such objectives, and to discuss the content of a possible convention.

  Environmental Management
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will arrange for a subscription to be taken out by his departmental library to the new bulletin of the United Kingdom Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The Library has it under consideration.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the kerbside recycling schemes his Department is monitoring; what form the monitoring is taking; when he expects the results; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government are conducting a three-year programme, which is currently monitoring schemes in Sheffield, Adur. Leeds and Cardiff. The programme, which will encompass other kerbside collection schemes and schemes using "bring" systems of recycling collection, is designed to provide information and advice on the operation of source separation schemes for recovering recyclable materials from household waste. It will provide an impartial assessment of United Kingdom recycling schemes by studying such factors as recovery rates, costs, and inputs into existing waste management strategies and will compare and evaluate the schemes to identify the best options for increasing recycling rates.

  As part of this monitoring programme, a report on the first two years of the Sheffield recycling city experiment will be published during November.

  Sewage Treatment
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will estimate what volume of sewage currently receives(a) primary, (b) secondary and (c) tertiary treatment before being discharged at coastal outfalls;

  (2) if he will estimate how many sea outfalls less than 500 m long discharge sewage with only primary treatment;

  (3) if he will list the sea outfalls for sewage in England and Wales which are less than 500 m long.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the United Kingdom sites authorised to discharge liquid radioactive waste into drainage systems which may include public sewers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for The Environment how much is being spent in the current financial year on research into the safe disposal of nuclear waste by(a) Nirex and (b) each of the other member nations of the International Atomic Energy Agency.

  Mr. Baldry
  I am informed that UK Nirex Ltd plan to spend about £40 million in the 1991–92 financial year on geological investigations and other safety related research. The separate information requested for each member nation of the International Atomic Energy Agency is not readily available.

  Aluminium Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the supply zones in which he has consented to relax the standard for aluminium set in water regulations.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list, for the latest available 12-month period, incidents in which either the maximum admissible concentration or minimum required concentration were breached for each substance covered by EC directive 80/778 identifying the source of the water in each case.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Planning Inspectorate
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish details of the proposed restructuring of the planning inspectorate.

  Mr. Yeo
  The framework document for the planning inspectorate agency will, as usual, be published. I shall ensure that a copy is placed in the Library.

  Right to Buy
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether service for right-to-buy properties should be apportioned to the housing revenue account or the general fund.
  487
  Mr. Yeo
  It is for local authorities to determine the precise apportionment of costs between the housing revenue account and other accounts in the light of the requirements of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989, and proper accounting practices. Section 3 of part III of schedule 4 to the Act recognises that, in certain circumstances, facilities provided by local housing authorities should he met by a contribution from other accounts.

  Channel Tunnel Rail link
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what consultations will take place with Kent and Essex interests to facilitate the route for the channel tunnel rail link announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 14 October;

  (2) if he will specify the time scale for the granting of planning permission for the construction of the approved channel tunnel rail link announced by the Secretary of State for Transport on 14 October.

  Mr. Yeo
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Toxic Waste Imports
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list those ports in the United Kingdom which receive imports of toxic waste.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Housing Action Trusts
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he considers an estate of 1,200 units large enough for a viable housing action trust.

  Mr. Yeo
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  "Environment in Trust"
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when the next edition of the "Environment in Trust" leaflets will be available.

  Mr. Trippier
  I launched the second edition of these leaflets today. Copies will be placed in the Library and further copies will be available from my Department.

  Hedgerows
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement about the protection of hedgerows.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government's commitment to protecting key hedgerows was demonstrated in our White Paper—"This Common Inheritance". In December we issued a consultation paper and in July I announced revised proposals for helping to conserve and enhance this important feature of the countryside. In parallel we have also been seeking to update and improve our information. I am now able to announce the results of new studies showing the current stock of hedgerows in Great Britain.

  These derive from the "Countryside Survey 1990", a survey of land cover in Great Britain, funded jointly by the Department of the Environment and the Natural Environment Research Council. The survey was conducted to rigorous scientific and statistical standards and a
  488
  report—prepared by the Institute of Terrestrial Ecology —detailing the main findings on hedgerows has been lodged in the Library of the House.

  In 1984 there was a total length of 410,000 km of hedgerows in England. By 1990 some 39,000 km—10 per cent.—of hedgerows had been removed, excluding losses from built development.

  However, a key finding from the report is the dramatic increase in new planting: almost 20,000 km in England during that period. This trend has been encouraged by grants to farmers from MAFF—first introduced in 1973. In the period 1978–84, the rate of planting in England averaged 530 km per annum, but the new survey shows that in the last six years the rate increased sixfold—to 3,300 km per annum. This is a positive development, and means that farmers and landowners are now replacing a substantial part of the total of hedgerows removed annually.

  Corresponding figures for Wales show a broadly similar pattern. From a total hedgerow stock of 71,000 km a total of 6,800 km of hedgerows were removed in 1984–90; but during the same period 3,400 km were created.

  But there is no room for complacency. Despite the Government's success in stimulating an increased rate of planting, there' has been a nett removal of hedgerows—3,300 km per annum in England between 1984–90; in Wales 600 km per annum.

  The survey also shows a decline in the quality of some hedgerows. For the first time, figures are available on losses caused by lack of long-term management, which confirm that this process—rather than deliberate removal —is the main factor putting hedgerows at risk.

  In England. in the six years to 1990, 78,000 km of hedgerows declined in quality to the extent that they could no longer be classed as true hedgerows. This was to some extent offset by some 18,000 km of formerly derelict hedgerows brought back into active management. In Wales the equivalent figures are 17,000 km and 3,000 km respectively. This suggests that lack of management has produced a countryside in which derelict hedgerows composed of trees or isolated shrubs have become increasingly common. Though there can be some environmental benefits from leaving hedgerows uncut for a certain period of time, the eventual result of protracted management neglect is hedgerow loss. In addition, within the remaining stock there are also signs of deterioration.

  Taking these losses from poor management into account, the nett loss of hedgerows in England from all causes during the period 1984–90 totalled 85,000 km—Wales 18,000 km—or 21 per cent. of the total hedgerow stock—Wales 25 per cent.

  These findings emphasise the vital importance of taking urgent steps to promote improved management. In my recent statement I therefore announced that I would be introducing a new incentives scheme to this end. These payments will be in addition to those already offered by MAFF and the other Agriculture Departments. The aim will be to encourage the rejuvenation of hedgerows—bringing them back into positive management by making payments to assist with coppicing, laying and other environmentally beneficial works.

  We are already in discussion with the Countryside Commission and others on ways in which such a scheme could be implemented and I hope to make a further statement as soon as possible.
  489
  In Wales the Welsh Office will be considering proposals from the Countryside Council for Wales on introducing their own scheme to provide incentives for hedgerow management, as part of their plans for promoting countryside stewardship.

  "Policy Appraisal and the Environment"
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how long it took his Department to prepare the advice manual for Government Departments, "Policy Appraisal and the Environment"; how many civil servants were involved in its preparation; and whether any consultants were used in the research and preparation of the manual.

  Mr. Heseltine
  The commitment to prepare the guide "Policy Appraisal and the Environment" was contained in "This Common Inheritance" (Cmnd 1200), published in September 1990, and the guide appeared on 23 September 1991. Consultants carried out preliminary research into existing practices and helped shape the guidance. Three civil servants wrote the guide, although others, in a number of departments, were consulted during its preparation.

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

  Mr. Portillo
  [pursuant to his reply, 21 May 1991, c. 405]: The Department has recently carried out an exercise to ensure that these figures are calculated on a consistent basis in all UDCs. The revised figures for the total of permanent jobs created in or attracted to urban development corporation areas, net of losses, are given in the table.

  UDC

  Net gain in jobs to March 1991 number

  Black Country

  2,600

  Bristol

  4,000

  Central Manchester

  950

  Leeds

  5,862

  London Docklands

  26,000

  Merseyside

  4,626

  Sheffield

  7,580

  Teesside

  4,650

  Trafford Park

  2,557

  Tyne and Wear

  3,169

  Total

  61,994

  Student Accommodation
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what meetings he has held with the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals, the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics, the Standing Conference of Principals, and the National Union of Students to discuss the levying of council tax on student accommodation; and when he next plans to meet these bodies to discuss the council tax.
  490
  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: None. Officials will shortly be responding to a request from the Committee of Vice-Chancellors and Principals to meet officers of the CVCP, the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics, the Standing Conference of Principals and the Conference of Scottish Centrally Funded Colleges.

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment 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. Heseltine
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: 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.

  Environment Council
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the outcome of the European Community Environment Council meeting on 1 October in Luxembourg.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Standard Spending Assessment
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if, when reviewing his formula for determining the standard spending assessment, he will ensure that that element which takes account of the cost of providing for visitors is based on up-to-date data; and if he will further review that data to take account of the number of overseas visitors and day trips.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Water Quality
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress made to date by the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN) in its programme to harmonise water quality standards.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: I will write to the hon. Member.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Sex Education
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what training exists for(a) teachers, (b) parents and (c) governors in designing and evaluating appropriate sex education programmes in their schools.
  491
  Mr. Atkins
  This is a matter for determination at local level in the light of local needs and circumstances. Training provided to teachers and governors, including parent governors, in relation to sex education is eligible for specific grant support under the Government's grants for education support and training programme.

  Local History
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science (1) what initiatives he intends to take to encourage the teaching of local history in primary and secondary schools in England;

  (2) what initiatives he intends to take to encourage primary and secondary schools in England to create awareness in the cultural heritage which is relevant to the localities in which schools are located.

  Mr. Eggar
  Within the provisions of national curriculum history, opportunities exist at each key stage for pupils to study local history from a variety of perspectives, including the cultural heritage of their localities.

  Postgraduate Courses (France)
  Mr. Straw
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether any financial assistance is available from public funds, including EC sources, to provide grants to United Kingdom nationals taking postgraduate courses at universities in France.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  The provision of awards from public funds for United Kingdom nationals undertaking postgraduate courses at universities in France is al the discretion of the award-making bodies. Information is not held centrally on the number of postgraduate award-holders undertaking complete courses in France or whose courses at United Kingdom institutions involve a period of study in France. EC funding for United Kingdom postgraduate students studying in France is available in certain circumstances under the Erasmus programme and other schemes listed in the publication "Finance for Europe: A Guide to Grants and Loans from the European Community", copies of which are available in the Library.

  Local Management of Schools
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the local management of schools arrangements in Catholic primary schools in Liverpool which have separate infant and junior departments, but one governing body.

  Mr. Fallon
  It is for the LEA to decide whether a primary school with two departments should be regarded as one school or two. If a voluntary school which is so organised disputes the authority's view that it is a single school, it is open to the governors to apply to the Secretary of State for Education and Science for a division order under section 2 of the Education Act 1946.

  In its LMS scheme, Liverpool local education authority lists most of its primary schools, including all but two of its Catholic primary schools, as single schools. This means that such schools are allocated one school budget which is based primarily on the total number of pupils in both departments.

  Foundation for Sport and the Arts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science, if he will make a statement on the establishment and operation of the Foundation for Sport and the Arts.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Foundation for Sport and the Arts is an independent discretionary trust. The cut of 2½ per cent. in pool betting duty included in this year's Finance Act will channel about £20 million a year into the foundation and a further £40 million or so will be contributed each year from funds collected by the pools promoters from their customers. Some two-thirds will be used for athletic sports or athletic games and the remainder for the benefit of the arts. The foundation was launched officially on 18 September.

  Science Policy
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many ministerial speeches he has made on science policy outside Parliament since he was appointed Secretary of State; and if he will list the details of each such speech.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I specifically addressed the Government's policy for science in my speech to the Association of Science Education on 7 January and have dealt with particular aspects of science policy on many other occasions: for example, in my speech to the Committee of Directors of Polytechnics on 17 September, in which I covered policy on the funding of academic research.

  I have also made a number of visits to scientific establishments since my appointment, most recently the British Geological Survey, and the MRC Institute of Hearing on 20 September.

  I keep in regular touch with the chairmen of the research councils and attended a meeting of the Advisory Board for the Research Councils on 18 September. Today I have meetings with representatives of the Royal Society and with the Astronomer Royal to discuss science policy.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Atkins
  The Department currently employs two private security firms. The firm guarding our London premises employs a total of seven staff on our sites. The firm protecting our Darlington offices employs one guard.

  Based on 1990–91 financial year figures, the London contract is worth £120,061 per year, and the Darlington contract £32,600 per year.

  Security guards were first employed in Darlington on 1 November 1984, and in London on 1 December 1987. The value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85 are as follows:

  Darlington £

  London £

  Total £

  1984–85

  7,416

  —

  7,416

  1985–86

  22,987

  —

  22,987

  1986–87

  23,663

  —

  23,663

  493

  Darlington £

  London £

  Total £

  1987–88

  24,792

  4,265

  29,057

  1988–89

  28,273

  88,655

  116,928

  1989–90

  30,802

  109,974

  140,776

  1990–91

  32,640

  120,018

  152,658

  School Meals
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out, at 1978–79 prices, for each year since 1978–79, expenditure by each local education authority on the school meal service.

  Mr. Fallon
  The readily available information is shown in the table. The latest year for which information on actual expenditure is available is 1989–90. Information for earlier years could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Net recurrent expenditure1 on school meals and milk2, 1989–90

  LEA

  Net recurrent expenditure £000

  Barking

  1,036

  Barnet

  1,511

  Bexley

  1,269

  Brent

  2,581

  Bromley

  1,472

  Croydon

  1,615

  Ealing

  4,695

  Enfield

  1,983

  Haringey

  n/a

  Harrow

  815

  Havering

  1,602

  Hillingdon

  2,105

  Hounslow

  n/a

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  1,211

  Merton

  543

  Newham

  2,927

  Redbridge

  1,448

  Richmond upon Thames

  939

  Sutton

  1,283

  Waltham Forest

  2,137

  ILEA

  39,400

  Birmingham

  11,276

  Coventry

  2,971

  Dudley

  3,174

  Sandwell

  3,511

  Solihull

  1,274

  Walsall

  4,966

  Wolverhampton

  2,598

  Knowsley

  4,307

  Liverpool

  7,354

  St. Helens

  1,824

  Sefton

  3,135

  Wirral

  3,419

  Bolton

  3,445

  Bury

  1,265

  Manchester

  n/a

  Oldham

  215

  Rochdale

  2,567

  Salford

  2,967

  Stockport

  2,020

  Tameside

  1,941

  Trafford

  1,539

  Wigan

  2,596

  Barnsley

  2,873

  Doncaster

  3,717

  Rotherham

  1,549

  Sheffield

  4,054

  Bradford

  6,221

  Calderdale

  1,690

  Kirklees

  4,159

  Leeds

  6,381

  Wakefield

  n/a

  494

  LEA

  Net recurrent expenditure £000

  Gateshead

  1,902

  Newcastle Upon Tyne

  4,663

  North Tyneside

  n/a

  South Tyneside

  1,864

  Sunderland

  2,690

  Avon

  8,516

  Bedfordshire

  4,370

  Berkshire

  2,010

  Buckinghamshire

  2,186

  Cambridgeshire

  2,679

  Cheshire

  6,172

  Cleveland

  9,051

  Cornwall

  2,423

  Cumbria

  3,148

  Derbyshire

  14,912

  Devon

  7,785

  Dorset

  1,642

  Durham

  7,503

  East Sussex

  4,464

  Essex

  6,579

  Gloucestershire

  2,844

  Hampshire

  6,779

  Herefordshire and Worcestershire

  1,393

  Hertfordshire

  4,950

  Humberside

  9,884

  Isle of Wight

  749

  Isles of Scilly

  22

  Kent

  6,327

  Lancashire

  12,795

  Leicestershire

  5,977

  Lincolnshire

  1,978

  Norfolk

  4,031

  North Yorkshire

  4,538

  Northamptonshire

  3,903

  Northumberland

  3,552

  Nottinghamshire

  10,312

  Oxfordshire

  2,445

  Shropshire

  3,331

  Somerset

  3,115

  Staffordshire

  4,887

  Suffolk

  1,402

  Surrey

  2,689

  Warwickshire

  3,284

  West Sussex

  2,589

  Wiltshire

  3,625

  Notes:

  1 Recurrent expenditure, less income from paid meals and from EC grants, at 1989–90 prices.

  2 Figures for expenditure on school meals and school milk are not collected separately.

  3 n/a indicates that a spending return was not received from the authority.

  Open University
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria he employed in deciding(a) to publish the departmental review of the Open university and (b) not to publish the departmental review of the long-term residential colleges; and if he will now publish the latter.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The review of the Open university was conducted jointly by the Department and the university. The university wished to publish the report of the review and my right hon. and learned Friend agreed. The report of the review of the long-term residential colleges took the form of advice from officials to Ministers: by convention such advice is not made public.

  Administration Expenditure
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will provide a breakdown of the increase in his Department's expenditure on administration from £68 million in the year 1988–89 to a planned £98 million in the year 1991–92, as stated in table 11·1 of the Department of Education and Science's departmental report, -The Government's Expenditure Plans 1991–92 to 1993–94".

  Mr. Atkins
  The plans as shown provide for a real-term increase of some 18 per cent. in administration costs between 1988–89 and 1991–92. Of that, more than one third is taken up by increased accommodation costs, principally in relation to our new London headquarters. Over the same period, the Department's staff numbers have increased by some 5 per cent. in response to implementation of the Education Reform Act 1988 and other new Government policies: in addition the Department has taken on responsibility for sport and recreation, which transferred from the Department of Environment with effect from December 1990.

  HMI Reports
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list those Her Majesty's inspectorate reports which are finished, but not yet published.

  Mr. Eggar
  A list of HMI reports awaiting publication has been placed in the Library.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the average length of time he takes to consider Her Majesty's inspectorate reports before publication.

  Mr. Eggar
  This information is not available.

  Language in the National Curriculum
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) when he received the inspection report from Her Majesty's inspectorate on the language in the national curriculum project;

  (2) when he proposes to publish the inspection report from Her Majesty's inspectorate on the language in the national curriculum project.

  Mr. Eggar
  The HMI report referred to is an interim document intended for internal use. It has not yet been seen by my right hon. and learned Friend and will not be published.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when Her Majesty's inspectorate inspected the language in the national curriculum project; how many of her Majesty's inspectorate were involved; and how many days the inspection took.

  Mr. Eggar
  The inspection was carried out over the autumn term 1990 and the spring term 1991. Five HMIs were involved for a total of 65 days.

  County Hall
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what meetings or discussions his officials have had with any officials of the London School of Economics to discuss their interest in the use of county hall.
  496
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. Friend and I meet heads of the schools and colleges of London university, including the director of the London School of Economics and Political Science, from time to time. The Department's officials have had no recent meetings or discussions with the London School of Economics and Political Science.

  Schools (Expenditure)
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the methods used for auditing and monitoring expenditure in opt-out and grant-maintained schools.

  Mr. Eggar
  Monitoring of grant-maintained schools is carried out continuously by the Department, with emphasis on particular returns each school must submit monthly, quarterly and annually. Schools must appoint external auditors under arrangements laid down by the Department. The auditors, who may be drawn from the district arm of the Audit Commission, or from private sector accountants, are required annually to certify that, inter alia, grants paid to a school have been properly applied for the purposes intended. The National Audit Office also has right of access to grant-maintained schools.

  National Curriculum
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he intends to publish for consultation the draft orders with revised attainment targets and programmes of study for mathematics and science in the national curriculum.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  I shall on Thursday 24 October publish for consultation draft orders with associated documents setting out revised attainment targets and programmes of study for mathematics and science in the national curriculum for pupils aged five to 16, as I am required to do by section 20(5) of the Education Reform Act 1988. Copies will be placed in the Library.

  The draft orders have been prepared following advice to me from the National Curriculum Council, in the light of its consultations on the proposals made by me and my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales. I am most grateful to the council for its advice.

  As the basis for the next stage of statutory consultation, I have accepted the council's recommendations for revised attainment targets for both subjects. In mathematics. those recommendations are an endorsement of my proposals, with some improvements in detail. In the case of science, the National Curriculum Council has recommended a further step in the direction of simplifying the order: that the number of attainment targets should be further reduced from five to four. I accept this advice: it does not alter the science curriculum, which will remain in all essentials the same as the content of the programmes of study in the present science order.

  I also accept the council's recommended statements of attainment and programmes of study for mathematics and science, subject to some detailed changes and to the restoration of some material relating to Earth science, which formed part of our proposals.

  The period for consultation on the draft orders will end on 28 November 1991. I intend to make the final order in December 1991 in good time for schools to prepare for the introduction of the new attainment targets and programmes of study in the autumn of 1992.

THE ARTS

  Poetry
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proportion of his annual budget is spent on poetry.

  Mr. Renton
  In the current financial year I estimate that about £1·5 million will be spent on poetry. This figure comprises the grants allocated by the English regional arts boards and the Scottish and Welsh arts councils, as well as by the Arts Council of Great Britain. It represents 0·77 per cent. of the Government's 1991–92 grant-in-aid of £194·2 million to the Arts Council.

  Welsh Arts Council
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he plans to increase funding to the Welsh Arts Council.

  Mr. Renton
  The Welsh Arts Council is funded from the Government's overall grant-in-aid to the Arts Council of Great Britain on the basis of a formula that has been in operation for many years. I share the view of the arts councils in London and Cardiff that Wales is well served by this arrangement. This year's allocation of £11 million is a 12·25 per cent. increase over last year—well in advance of inflation.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Renton
  The Cabinet Office currently employs one private security firm supplying eight employees on two contracts. The total value of the contracts for 1991–92 is £188,000. Figures for previous financial years are available from 1985–86 and are as follows—

  £

  1985–86

  61,609

  1986–87

  64,831

  1987–88

  77,534

  1988–89

  69,692

  1989–90

  76,924

  1990–91

  127,216

  Civil Service (Women)
  Mr. Charles Wardle
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service if he will make a statement on progress towards achieving equality of opportunity for women staff in the Civil Service.

  Mr. Renton
  A great deal has been achieved. A report on progress during 1990–91 in increasing equality of opportunity for women in the civil service will be published on 28 October. Copies will be placed in the Library of the House.

  War Service
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what representations he has received concerning the 1950 cut-off limit for world war 2 active service to be taken into account for the calculation of public service pensions for those who entered the civil service or equivalent public service organisations subsequent to world war 2.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I have been asked to reply.

  The Government receive representations from time to time suggesting relaxations in this aspect of the rules governing public service pension schemes. The cut-off date of 30 June 1950 was established for new entrants to the civil service by the Superannuation (War Service) (End of Period) Order 1950—SI 1950 No 962. This cut-off date applies similarly to those who entered other public services after the war.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Taxation
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to compensate taxpayers in the event of delays in repaying claims to them, as a result of the extra claims stemming from the move to independent taxation for husbands and wives.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The normal rules for payment of interest on overpaid tax will apply.

  The Inland Revenue is setting up new offices around the country specifically to deal with the very substantial increase in claims for repayment of tax arising from independent taxation and the changes in the taxation of bank and building society interest. Estimates of the number of claimants are inevitably uncertain but the measures taken should ensure that repayment claims are processed with the minimum possible delay.

  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the number of people who have been reclassified by the Inland Revenue from schedule D to schedule E status since 1979.

  Mr. Maude
  I regret there is insufficient information available centrally to enable a reliable estimate to be made.

  Childcare
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has to introduce(a) tax relief on childminding costs and (b) non-taxable childcare vouchers.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The Government continually keep under review the tax arrangements for parents with young children, but have no such plans at present.

  Farming
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the level of financial support for the farming industry alongside that for other major industries.

  Mr. Mellor
  It is not possible to give a fine industrial breakdown because many support schemes are available
  499
  to a wide range of industries. The table shows direct financial support to the private sector by broad industrial group.

  Industry

  Government financial support (£ million)

  Contribution of industry to GDP (£ million)

  Government support as a percentage of GDP contribution

  Energy and water

  196

  24,334

  0·8

  Agriculture, forestry and fishing

  1,718

  7,102

  24·2

  Mining, manufacturing and construction

  582

  143,080

  0·4

  Transport and communication

  1,087

  34,031

  3·2

  Source: Tables 2.1 and 9.4 of UK National Accounts 1991

  Note: The table gives the 1990–91 estimated outturn for general Government expenditure by function. The expenditure includes subsidies and capital grants to the private sector, but excludes other elements of support such as the provision of subsidised Government services and trade and tariff protection.

  Ambulance Car Volunteers
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will seek to amend the law to allow tax exemption for ambulance car volunteers on their mileage allowance.

  Mr. Maude
  The position in law is that motor mileage allowances paid to individuals, whether employees or volunteers, who use a car on health service business are only liable to income tax if the allowances exceed the cost of running and maintaining the car for health service driving and so result in a profit.

  I am not persuaded that there is a case for amending the law to exempt volunteer drivers from tax on any profits on their mileage allowances. But I am aware that there has been some concern about the recent introduction of arrangements for taxing any profit on these allowances.

  The introduction of the new arrangements will therefore by phased in gradually over a number of years. Only one quarter of the profit element for the period from 6 October 1991 to 5 April 1992 and for 1992–93 will be taxed; one half of the profit will he taxed for 1993–94; and three quarters of the profit will he taxed for 1994–95. Tax will not be payable on the full amount of the profit element until 1995–96.

  The Government greatly appreciate the work done by so many volunteer drivers, as do the communities they serve.

  I hope that this gradual phasing-in of the arrangements will meet the concern that has been expressed.

  Deeds of Covenant
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he has given further consideration to simplifying the procedures for completing a deed of covenant.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I assume the right hon. Member has in mind tax relief on charitable covenants. On Budget day last year we authorised the Inland Revenue to publish guidance, including simple model forms of covenant, to help charities and individuals making charitable covenants to get it right for tax. Copies can be obtained from the Inland Revenue claims brach offices in Bootle and Edinburgh which deal with the tax affairs of charities. Copies are also available in the Library.
  500
  We are always ready to consider any further improvements which can be made in this area. However a deed of covenant is a legal document, not a tax form, and must meet the requirements of general, non-tax, law if it is to be valid. If the right hon. Member has in mind the simplification of general law procedures for making deeds, that is a matter for my right hon. Friends the Lord Chancellor and the Secretary of State for Scotland.

  Tax Exempt Special Savings Accounts
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer why the TESSA regulations require both the collection of the date of birth and the national insurance number; whether he has any plans to modify the regulations to reduce the amount of personal data collected; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  Only individuals aged 18 or over may open a TESSA. and each may have only one TESSA at a time. The date of birth and the national insurance number are required on the TESSA application form to enable the Inland Revenue to check that the TESSA exemption is properly given. The information required from TESSA applicants has been kept to a minimum, and I have no plans to change it.

  Bloodstock
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what steps Her Majesty's Government have taken to achieve a uniform bloodstock value added tax rate throughout the Community.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  In an effort to achieve a fair competitive climate within the Community for the British bloodstock industry, the Government have been and are continuing to press the European Commission to take action to prevent the potential distortion of competition which could arise because of the disparity in VAT rates on bloodstock between the UK, Ireland and France.

  We have authorised discussions between officials and industry representatives about the possible introduction in the UK of an agricultural flat rate scheme. This scheme could put farmer/breeders on a par with their counterparts in other member states who already operate similar schemes, which include the breeding and rearing of thoroughbred horses.

  The Government, officials and industry representatives will continue to work very closely together to achieve a level playing field for the British bloodstock industry.

  VAT
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many businesses in Torbay deregistered for value added tax in the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The local VAT office at Exeter covers areas in addition to Torbay. A total of 3,292 deregistrations were processed by that office in the year to 30 September 1991.

  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to equalise the conditions under which value added tax becomes payable on repairs as between new purchasers of former council houses and tenants of council houses.
  501
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to my hon. Friend and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  There are no private security firms employed by my Department.

  Environmental Protection
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what matters in regard to the protection of the environment were discussed at the International Monetary Fund annual meeting and the meeting of G7 Finance Ministers recently held in Bangkok.

  Mr. Maples
  Protection of the environment was one of many issues discussed at a series of recent meetings in Bangkok. The development committee of the World bank and IMF, which met on 14 October, agreed that actions to protect the environment were essential to both the priority development objectives for the nineties: the reduction of poverty and the achievement of sustainable growth. My right hon. Friend's speech noted that industrial and developing countries alike have a collective responsibility for our environment and that global action is required. He expressed strong support for the global environment facility as the channel through which common interest in this issue can be addressed.

  Property Transactions
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many property transactions have taken place each month in the current year.

  Mr. Maude
  The information requested is in the following table.

  Number of property transactions

  (Thousands)

  1991

  England and Wales

  Northern Ireland

  January

  126

  3

  February

  93

  3

  March

  94

  3

  April

  109

  3

  May

  109

  3

  June

  107

  3

  July

  129

  3

  August

  111

  3

  September

  112

  3

  Comparable information for Scotland is not available. Data for England and Wales are published monthly in table 41 of "Economic Trends", and are available via the CSO database.

  City Hospital, Nottingham
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what(a) loans, (b) debts, (c) interest repayments and (d) other outstanding financial items there are between the City hospital, Nottingham, and the Treasury.

  Mr. Mellor
  None.

  Fraudulent Claims
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) how many persons have been successfuly prosecuted for fraudulent tax claims and fraudulent social security claims in the latest year(a) in England and Wales, (b) in the most appropriate area to the east midlands and (c) in the most appropriate area to Nottingham, for which figures are available;

  (2) how much money has been lost in the latest year for which comparable figures are available as a result of fraudulent tax claims and fraudulent social security claims.

  Mr. Maude
  I regret that it has not been possible to provide an answer before Prorogation. Therefore, I shall write to the hon. Member and place a copy of the letter in the Library.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will authorise district councils to use funds accumulated from the sale of property to build houses and flats for sale and rent to the local community.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have been asked to reply.

  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Tax Fraud
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many staff in the Inland Revenue numerically and proportionately are engaged in fraud detection.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: In the year to 31 March 1991, some 3,200 Inland Revenue staff were employed on the detection and investigation of tax evasion, equivalent to 5·2 per cent. of total staff. It is not possible to identify separately the figures relating to fraud detection.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total amount, at October 1991 prices, which has been raised from privatisation issues of shares since May 1979.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Total privatisation proceeds from May 1979 to end 1990–91 are £43 billion in September 1991 prices.

  British Telecom
  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for the British Telecom share offer have been received by each of the eight retail financial institutions.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: The number of individuals who have selected each of the eight

  503
  shareshops in registering an interest in applying for shares in the forthcoming BT share sale will be announced after the end of the registration period in the second half of November.

  Ms. Mowlam
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what criteria were applied in the selection of each of the eight retail financial institutions chosen to participate in the British Telecom second share flotation.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: A number of presentations were received from private sector bodies in response to the Chancellor's invitation in his budget speech to make proposals for cheap and accessible means for individuals to buy and sell shares in the secondary market. From these, the Government selected eight organisations equipped to undertake, at relatively short notice, the work arising on the BT sale and providing a choice of financial institutions familiar to the public.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what consideration was given to appointing a different company from the auditors when Price Waterhouse were appointed by the Bank of England to prepare section 41 of the Banking Act 1987 report into BCCI.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  The appointment of investigators under Section 41 of the Banking Act 1987 is a matter for the Bank of England. They have assured me that in making such appointments they choose the firm that seems best placed to perform the investigation in the circumstances.

  Money Growth
  Mr. Lawson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing, for each quarter from the first quarter of 1979 to the last quarter of 1990 inclusive, the percentage annual growth of(a) MO, (b) M4 and M3.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: Publication of M3 ceased in July 1989. The available information is contained in the following table.

  Growth rates of M0, M4 and M3: Percentage change over same quarter previous year

  Period ending

  M0

  M4

  M3

  1979

  Q1

  12·4

  12·8

  11.·7

  Q2

  12·3

  14·1

  13·3

  Q3

  12·6

  14·6

  13·3

  Q4

  12·3

  14·4

  13·0

  1980

  Q1

  10·1

  13·9

  12·9

  Q2

  9·2

  15·3

  15·5

  Q3

  7·5

  15·6

  16·3

  Q4

  5·5

  17·1

  18·6

  1981

  Q1

  7·0

  17·4

  18·0

  Q2

  5·6

  17·0

  16·9

  Q3

  5·8

  16·5

  16·9

  Q4

  5·2

  13·9

  25·0

  1982

  Q1

  2·4

  14·0

  25·9

  Q2

  3·0

  12·3

  22·6

  Q3

  2·3

  11·9

  19·9

  Q4

  3·1

  12·0

  8·9

  504

  Period ending

  M0

  M4

  M3

  1983

  Q1

  6·0

  14·4

  12·5

  Q2

  6·2

  13·8

  12·4

  Q3

  5·7

  13·1

  11·5

  Q4

  7·1

  12·7

  11·1

  1984

  Q1

  5·0

  11·5

  8·2

  Q2

  5·2

  12·5

  8·1

  Q3

  5·8

  13·1

  9·2

  Q4

  5·5

  13·2

  10·1

  1985

  Q1

  5·4

  13·8

  11·9

  Q2

  5·1

  12·8

  11·8

  Q3

  3·8

  13·4

  14·1

  Q4

  3·7

  13·0

  13·4

  1986

  Q1

  5·1

  14·5

  16·9

  Q2

  3·5

  15·7

  18·9

  Q3

  4·7

  15·8

  19·0

  Q4

  6·2

  15·6

  19·3

  1987

  Q1

  2·5

  13·8

  19·6

  Q2

  4·0

  13·5

  19·4

  Q3

  5·3

  14·7

  20·1

  Q4

  3·3

  15·8

  22·3

  1988

  Q1

  6·4

  16·8

  21·0

  Q2

  7·7

  16·8

  20·2

  Q3

  8·1

  18·7

  22·4

  Q4

  8·5

  17·3

  20·0

  1989

  Q1

  6·8

  17·6

  20·8

  Q2

  5·5

  18·4

  33·8

  Q3

  4·5

  18·9

  —

  Q4

  5·7

  18·0

  —

  1990

  Q1

  5·0

  17·7

  —

  Q2

  6·4

  16·9

  —

  Q3

  4·7

  14·7

  —

  Q4

  2·5

  12·2

  —

  Source: Bank of England.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Institute of Horticulture
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he plans to attend the annual general meeting of the Institute of Horticulture.

  Mr. Curry
  I have no plans to do so.

  Wool Guarantee Scheme
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make it his policy to leave the existing wool guarantee scheme in place until 31 December 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  It remains the Government's intention to terminate the wool guarantee scheme as soon as parliamentary time permits. My right hon. Friends and I have however decided that the guarantee will continue to operate for the 1992–93 clip year which begins on 1 May 1992. The level of the guaranteed price for 1992–93 will be considered and announced in due course.

  Drift Nets
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what further measures he is taking to ensure that drift nets have warning devices attached to deter mammals such as dolphins.

  Mr. Curry
  Research is being undertaken in the United Kingdom and throughout the world by scientists and fishermen to find ways of avoiding the accidental catches of dolphins. This Department is keeping in close touch with such investigations and is currently reviewing what further study might be made.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what representations he has received, since 1 July about the effects of organo-phosphorous sheep dips on farmers and others; what is his latest estimate of the medical evidence; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  We have received further representations from hon. Members, individual farmers, interested organisations and members of the public about the effects of organophosphorous sheep dips on farmers and others. All the available information including medical evidence, will be taken into account by the Veterinary Products Committee, as part of its current review of existing licensed organophosphorous sheep dip products. The review will be completed later this year.

  Blue Ear Disease
  Mr. Michael Brown
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 16 October,Official Report, column 153, how many pig premises under movement restrictions as a result of suspicion or confirmation of blue ear disease have since had restrictions lifted.

  Mr. Maclean
  Under the arrangements implemented on 16 October movement restrictions are to be kept in place on premises with suspected or confirmed cases for eight weeks following the disappearance of the clinical signs of the disease.

  Twenty five premises have been free of clinical symptoms for eight weeks or longer and have therefore been released from movement restrictions.

  Meat Imports
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce the results of tests for clenbuterol undertaken on meat into the United Kingdom from the Irish Republic.

  Mr. Maclean
  In July 1991, traces of clenbuterol were found in a sample of bovine liver imported from the Irish Republic taken as part of the Ministry's routine surveillance arrangements for residues of veterinary medicines in imported meat. As a result of this finding, the Ministry immediately initiated a special survey of bovine muscle, kidney and liver entering the United Kingdom from the Irish Republic.

  The results of this survey are now available. A total of 93 samples were obtained between late July and early
  506
  September. Two samples of bovine kidney and one of bovine muscle were found to contain detectable residues of clenbuterol.

  In addition, a total of 66 archived—stored—samples of bovine muscle and kidney originating from the Irish Republic and taken during June 1990 and July 1991 were also examined for the presence of clenbuterol residues. Two kidney samples were found to contain detectable residues of clenbuterol. In this period, no samples of bovine liver, which is the preferred tissue for analysis for clenbuterol, were obtained.

  Screening and confirmatory testing of samples was carried out at the Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland's—DANI—veterinary science laboratory in Belfast. Details of the positive analyses are set out in the table. Further confirmatory tests on positive samples were carried out at the MAFF food science laboratory, Norwich. These confirmed the presence of clenbuterol in four of the five samples. In one case, insufficent sample was available for confirmatory analysis.

  Clenbuterol concentrations in Irish bovine tissues Summary of positive test results

  (μg/kg) (parts per billion)

  DANI

  Date of import

  Tissue

  Screen test

  Confirmatory test

  Fresh meat samples

  3 August 1991

  Muscle

  0·7

  5·2

  17 August 1991

  Kidney

  1·1

  2·5

  17 August 1991

  Kidney

  >5·5

  12·9

  Archived samples

  2 June 1990

  Kidney

  >9·0

  13·9

  28 July 1990

  Kidney

  1·1

  2·6

  I have expressed to the Irish Minister of Agriculture, Mr. O'Kennedy, my concern at this evidence of clenbuterol contamination of exports of meat from the Irish Republic. We have also discussed this issue with the Irish authorities at official level. Mr. O'Kennedy has left me in no doubt of the seriousness with which he views this problem, and of his determination to deal with it. Strict controls have been introduced in the Irish Republic on the distribution of veterinary medicines and a major seizure of clenbuterol has been made. Substantially increased penalties for the illegal use of veterinary medicines have been approved by the Government in the Irish Republic and legislation giving more effect to these will be introduced soon. More comprehensive testing for clenbuterol is being introduced at meat plants in the Irish Republic. I welcome these measures as a clear demonstration that the Irish authorities are doing everything they can to stamp out the use of illegal animal medicines.

  We are also taking further action in the United Kingdom. A consultation document was issued in July proposing the establishment of statutory maximum residue limits—MRLs—for a range of veterinary medicines, including clenbuterol, under regulations to be made under the Food Safety Act 1990. These will make it an offence to present an animal for slaughter or to sell meat containing residues exceeding the prescribed M RLs. Subject to approval from the EC Commission we plan to bring these regulations into force shortly. At the same

  507
  time, we are continuing our monitoring of meat imports from the Irish Republic, and we will be maintaining our close liaison with the authorities there.

  The Department of Health advise that if humans were to consume meat contaminated with clenbuterol residue the main effects, if any, would be on the heart. If large amounts were ingested, palpitations and increased pulse rate might occur. There is no evidence of any cases of illness in the United Kingdom.

  Priorities Board Report
  Mr. David Shaw
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he has received a report from the Priorities Board for Research and Development in Agriculture and Food.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Priorities Board for Research and Development in Agriculture and Food has submitted its progress report to the Agriculture Ministers and the chairman of the Agricultural and Food Research Council. The sponsors are grateful for the work which Dr. Brian Smith and the members of the board have put into their report. This is the first report since the board was reconstituted in 1990. It includes the comments of its advisory sectoral groups—ASGs—covering arable crops, the environment, food, horticulture, monogastrics and ruminants. The ASGs bring together representatives of the main R and D funding bodies from the public sector and industry, consumer and environmental interests.

  The report sets out the progress of the board and the new ASGs. It identifies the future topics that the ASGs will be concentrating on, including:

  Animal Welfare (including housing and management systems);

  Animal health;

  Funding of grassland and forage research by industry;

  Novel crops and alternative uses for arable crops;

  Effectiveness of Technology Transfer in the Horticultural Industry;

  Allocation of public funding to the different sectors of the Food Safety R and D programme;

  Public funding of research into energy conservation, waste treatment and water quality in the food industry;

  Effect of availability of qualified specialists on Environmental R and D.

  The sponsors have agreed that the report should be published. This is now being arranged and advance copies are being placed in the Library of the House.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Curry
  Seven private security firms are currently employed. One firm provides 10 guards under three contracts, another five guards under two contracts and the rest each supply one guard. Contracts are not necessarily

  Number of confirmed cases

  Month of onset of clinical signs

  Total

  3 years and under

  Over three years

  Unknown age

  1990

  January

  781

  14

  749

  18

  February

  1,252

  14

  1,200

  38

  March

  1,131

  5

  1,095

  31

  508
  made by financial years but our calculation of the total value of all the contracts in each financial year is as follows:

  £'000

  1984–85

  170

  1985–86

  277

  1986–87

  297

  1987–88

  312

  1988–89

  329

  1989–90

  358

  1990–91

  469

  In keeping with normal commercial practice it would not be appropriate to give the value of each individual contract.

  Fish
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement on the health of(a) freshwater fish in rivers, waterways and lakes and (b) seawater fish in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  Fish populations in the United Kingdom enjoy a relatively high health status and we are free of the most serious fish diseases. We have taken action under the Diseases of Fish Acts to protect and maintain this position; and will continue to do so under a new Community directive, recently agreed, and coming into effect on 1 January 1993.

  Animal Feed
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to make it a requirement that all animal feed suppliers should comply with BS5750.

  Mr. Maclean
  We wholeheartedly support improved quality control in the animal feed industry and applaud those companies who are obtaining the BS 5750 certificate. It would not however be appropriate to make compliance mandatory.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the figures for the number of confirmed cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in each month of 1990 and 1991, giving the number of cases in each month where the animal was(a) three years of age and under and (b) over three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested for cases of bovine spongiform encephalopathy confirmed in Great Britain in 1990 and 1991, listed by month of onset of clinical signs is as follows:
  509

  Number of comfirmed cases

  Month of onset of clinical signs

  Total

  3 years and under

  Over three years

  Unknown age

  April

  1,001

  8

  950

  43

  May

  997

  12

  959

  26

  June

  965

  6

  934

  25

  July

  1,068

  10

  1,022

  36

  August

  1,171

  15

  1,113

  43

  September

  1,256

  23

  1,181

  52

  October

  1,252

  28

  1,169

  55

  November

  1,367

  20

  1,276

  71

  December

  1,696

  15

  1,632

  49

  1991

  January

  1,664

  22

  1,563

  79

  February

  1,625

  11

  1,573

  41

  March

  1,791

  9

  1,719

  63

  Blue Ear Disease
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the counties where pigs have been found to be carrying the virus causing blue ear disease while at the same time showing no signs of the disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Pigs in North Yorkshire and Humberside have been found to be carrying the virus causing blue ear disease while at the same time showing no symptoms.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the number of pigs that have been tested for blue ear disease either by his Ministry or by private veterinarians; how many of these tests were found to be positive; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Up to 21 October blood samples from 690 pigs in Great Britain have been tested for blue ear disease at the central veterinary laboratory. A total of 436 pigs were found to be positive.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new information he has about the transmission of blue ear disease in the pig population; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  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.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans he has to introduce a slaughter policy to control blue ear disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  I have no plans to introduce a slaughter policy which would serve no useful purpose as a disease control measure.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields of 15 October,Official Report, column 148, by giving details of the counties where restrictions have been imposed to control blue ear disease; whether the disease has been confirmed; and how many cases there are in each county up to the week beginning 21 October; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The information requested is as follows:
  510

  County

  Number of holdings

  Number of confirmed cases

  Humberside

  47

  17

  North Yorkshire

  4

  2

  Warwickshire

  1

  1

  Lincolnshire

  2

  1

  Surrey

  1

  0

  Total

  55

  21

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what measures he took to prevent blue ear disease from entering the United Kingdom from countries which already had been known to have the disease in their own pig populations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Information on the steps taken to try to prevent the introduction into the United Kingdom of blue ear pig disease is set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West (Miss Nicholson) on 16 October,Official Report, column 153.

  Dolphins
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture. Fisheries and Food, further to his answer to the hon. Member for South Shields of 15 October,Official Report, column 148, whether each of the dolphins caught in drift nets died or was returned to the sea; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  Regrettably the five dolphins were dead when the nets were hauled on board. The fishermen themselves have been looking at ways to avoid dolphin catches; the current tuna fishery season is now over. I shall be pressing for a limitation on drift nets at the Fisheries Council on 28 October.

  Equines
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects the European Council of Ministers further to consider United Kingdom minimum values legislation on the export of horses, ponies and other equines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [pursuant to the reply, 18 July 1991, c. 282]: The Agriculture Council reached agreement yesterday on a directive setting welfare conditions for the

  511
  transport of all types of animal in the Community. It introduces comprehensive welfare safeguards for the first time in this area.

  The directive establishes controls on the long distance transport of animals about which there has been so much concern. Animals will have to be rested, fed and watered at appropriate intervals. Before the directive comes into force the Council will address the issue of an overall limitation of journeys. This will be particularly relevant to the transport of animals for slaughter. There will also be a comprehensive system of documents to accompany vehicles for control purposes, and for long journeys transporters will have to draw up journey plans specifying the arrangements for resting, feeding and watering. Equivalent rules will apply to imports from third countries. There will be a Commission inspectorate to ensure uniform enforcement of the rules.

  The issue of trade in horses has been of major concern to the United Kingdom in these negotiations. The agreement provides that national rules will remain applicable for horses and our national arrangements will therefore continue. The Council has agreed to return to this issue at a later stage with a view to setting additional welfare safeguards for all transport of horses in the Community.

  The United Kingdom has also secured agreement that the problems of trade in wild birds will be addressed further by the Council, with a view to setting additional welfare safeguards.

  Overall this represents a very satisfactory result in an area which is very controversial throughout the Community.

  Nephrops
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will consider a ban on the use of twin netting for the catching of nephrops by Scottish fishermen; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply. Fisheries Departments will shortly issue a consultation paper on the conservation of nephrops. This consultation paper will cover various options for conserving nephrops stocks, including a suggestion from parts of the industry to ban the use of twin and multi-rig trawls. Ministers will consider these various options in the light of responses to the consultation paper.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what has been the total catch of nephrops landed in Scotland in the years 1988, 1989 and 1990, and the total catch landed so far in 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I have been asked to reply. The total landings of nephrops into Scotland by all vessels are as follows:

  Year

  1Tonnes

  1988

  19,218

  1989

  18,080

  1990

  16,946

  1991

  214,291

  1 Standard landed weight

  2 Landings on the central computer on 14 October 1991.

ENERGY

  Coal Mining
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will list the commencement dates for the respective sections of the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is planned to bring the Coal Mining Subsidence Act 1991 into force on 30 November. There will be one transitional provision deferring for one year the obligation on developers to notify British Coal of their plans in areas where the developer would not necessarily be aware of the obligation to do so. This transitional period will give British Coal time to identify all the relevant areas and to publicise the obligation on developers.

  Landfill Gas Schemes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the landfill gas schemes(a) currently in operation and (b) being proposed in England.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I am aware of 37 landfill gas schemes currently in operation. They are at the following sites:

  Arlesey

  Brogborough

  Beenham

  Wapsey's Wood

  "L" Field Stewartby (two schemes)

  Witton

  Chesterfield

  Ridgeway

  Heathfield

  Aveley (two schemes)

  Pitsea

  Adswood

  Stretford

  Stone (three schemes)

  Cuxton

  Appley Bridge and Parbold (three schemes)

  Withnell Quarry

  St. Helens

  Enderby Warren

  Bidston

  Otterspool

  Brodsworth

  Stairfoot Quarry

  Maltby

  Meriden

  Judkins Quarry

  Allsopps Hill

  Hailstone Quarry

  Warnham

  Darrington

  Normanton

  I am aware of a number of proposals for new schemes. However, the details of such proposals are commercially confidential.

  Non-fossil Fuel Obligation
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he will announce the combined capacity and individual capacity per technology for the components of the non-fossil fuel obligation generation of electricity; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to require the production of 165 MW of wind energy in the non-fossil fuel obligation.
  513
  Mr. Moynihan
  My right hon. Friend will set the level and structure of the 1991 renewables non-fossil fuel obligation after he has completed his statutory consultations with the Director-General of Electricity Supply and with the regional electricity companies.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what special arrangements he has in mind to encourage renewable energy projects in Scotland of equivalent commercial viability to those proposed in England and Wales to be enabled to contract their supply via the Non-Fossil Fuel Purchasing Agency.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The future exploitation of renewable energy sources in Scotland is being considered by my Department's renewable energy advisory group. The Government will carefully consider the group's report when it is available.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proposals he has for altering the relative and absolute size of the bands in the second tranche of the non-fossil fuel obligation.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My right hon. Friend will decide his policy for the 1991 renewables order when he has completed the statutory consultations.

  Iraq
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the dates since 1979 that Her Majesty's Government have received assurances from the Iraqi Government that plutonium exported to Iraq from the United Kingdom will be used for peaceful purposes.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In complying with the nuclear suppliers group guidelines covering the exports of nuclear materials and published by the IAEA as INFCIRC/254, the United Kingdom seeks peaceful use assurances from the Government of the country concerned for exports of plutonium in quantities in excess of 50 grams in any given period of 12 months. When the country is, like Iraq, a party to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, its obligations under the treaty remain valid even without such a specific reconfirmation.

  Since May 1979 there have been no exports of plutonium which have required Her Majesty's Government to seek such assurances from the Iraqi government.

  Nuclear Energy
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) with which organisations he has discussed the possibility of nuclear fuel, originally intended for the Kalkar nuclear reactor in Germany, being loaded into the reactor at Dounreay; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he next intends to meet the nuclear utilities chairmen's group to discuss nuclear research and development strategy; and what subjects will be discussed.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The nuclear utilities chairmen's group—NUCG—has put to my right hon. Friend proposals concerning the future of the fast reactor programme. These proposals include the possibility of using nuclear fuel originally intended for the SNR-300 fast reactor at Kalkar in the prototype fast reactor at Dounreay. My right hon. Friend intends to discuss these proposals with the nuclear utilities chairmen's group in the future.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The position remains the same as that given in reply to the hon. Member's previous question on this subject on 19 February 1990, at columns 525–26.

  Dounreay
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the total value to Dounreay of external reprocessing contracts in the years 1985–86, 1986–87, 1987–88, 1989–90 and 1990–91; and what percentage of that value came from overseas contracts.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  This is a commercial matter for the Atomic Energy Authority.

  Sizewell B
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the computer software programme designed to protect the Sizewell B reactor from major accident.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The reactor protection system planned for Sizewell B comprises a primary protection system which is computer based and a secondary system which is not so based. The Health and Safety Executive's nuclear installations inspectorate—NII—will not consent to the operation of the primary protection system's computer software until the operator, Nuclear Electric plc. has made an acceptable safety case.

  The NII's decision to publish its safety requirements in respect of the software system has shown its openness on such matters and should assist public awareness of what is being required, and should demonstrate the high standards which Nuclear Electric plc will have to meet.

  The NII is seeking a robust demonstration of excellence of production, independent design assessment, and a comprehensive testing from prototype through to production.

  Fuel and Energy Supplies
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what assessment he has made of the implications for his policy of the proposals put forward by the EC Energy Commissioner in Berlin on 24 September on development of an internal market in fuel and energy supplies.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The Government support the objectives of the Commissioner's proposals for the development of an internal energy market.

  Magnox Plants
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether permission has been sought under the Nuclear Installations Act 1965 by Nuclear Electric or its predecessor, Central Electricity Generating Board, to make available to the operators of the Japco Tokaimura-I Magnox plant data from the Magnox plant at Bradwell in Essex.
  515
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I understand that Nuclear Electric plc has an understanding with Japco, the operators of Tokaimura-I, concerning the exchange of operational information in respect of Magnox power stations. This arrangement is not subject to provisions contained in the Nuclear Installations Act 1965.

  Energy Efficiency
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what measures his Department is taking to promote energy efficiency among small businesses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Energy Efficiency Office is developing a new scheme to encourage smaller businesses to invest in energy efficiency measures. It is envisaged that the scheme will help pay the costs of energy audits, feasibility studies and project management of energy efficient investments in smaller enterprises. It is being designed to overcome the barrier of lack of management time and energy efficiency knowledge in such enterprises. Smaller business can also use our comprehensive information literature and copy the examples of the most effective technologies provided by the EEO's best practice programme.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what are the most up-to-date estimates available to him regarding the annual public expenditure total allocated to energy efficiency in the previous and present financial year in each of the OECD countries.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  My Department keeps abreast of energy efficiency developments overseas primarily through its work with the European Community and the International Energy Agency. The IEA publishes annual reports on its reviews of national energy policies and programmes, but its records of expenditure do not identify comparable items.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his most up-to-date estimate of the total annual expenditure of the energy efficiency office, and of all other Government expenditure on energy efficiency.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The Energy Efficiency Office budget is £42 million this year. The report of the ministerial group on energy efficiency, published on 16 October, described a range of programmes to promote energy efficiency, which involve public expenditure in excess of £1 billion.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the name and principal functions of the chairman and members of the energy efficiency programme committee.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The energy efficiency programme committee—EEPC—advises the Energy Efficiency Office—EEO—on the strategic, technical and commerical merits of sectoral strategies and individual projects under the best practice programme which are submitted to the committee for consideration. The committee also monitors progress on that programme. The names of the current members including the chairman are as follows:

  Dr. E. W. Lees (Energy Technology Support Unit, ETSU)

  Chairman

  516

  Dr. K. J. Brown (ETSU)

  Dr. A. B. Birtles (Building Research Energy Conservation Unit)

  Dr. V. Crisp (Building Research Establishment)

  Dr. J. E. P. Miles (Department of Energy, EEO)

  Dr. D. J. Vincent (Department of Energy, EEO)

  Dr. P. T. Clarke (Department of Energy, EEO)

  Dr. R. Moore (Department of Environment)

  Mr. A. J. Beaumont (Department of Trade and Industry)

  Dr. G. J. K. Acres (Johnson Matthey plc)

  Mr. D. G. Clarke (Twyford Bathrooms)

  Dr. D. A. Everest (University of East Anglia)

  Mr. S. A. B. Heppell, CBE (Manchester City Council)

  Dr. B. C. Hutt (W. S. Atkins Energy)

  Mr. P. Ibbotson (J. Sainsbury plc)

  Mr. R. D. Jones (Wimpey Environmental Ltd.)

  Mr. F. Nash (McLellan and Partners)

  Prof. P. O'Sullivan (University College, London)

  Mr. J. Ward (Polytechnic of Wales)

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the cost of the production, publication and printing of the 1990–91 annual report of the ministerial conference on energy efficiency; how many copies were printed; and to whom they have been circulated.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Production, publication and printing of the annual report of the ministerial group on energy efficiency was carried out by the Central Office of Information for the Energy Efficiency Office, and cost £25,350. These costs will be met from the EEO's promotional budget. Five thousand copies were printed and have been circulated to colleagues in the Cabinet, Energy Ministers overseas, the major energy industries, energy efficiency bodies, industry trade associations, professional bodies, local authority associations, environmental groups and the press.

  I hope that the report will spread awareness of the wide range of the Government's policies and programmes to promote energy efficiency, and will encourage those who receive it to improve the efficiency with which they use energy.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will give the latest estimate of volume of high-level radioactive waste from spent nuclear fuel imported from other nations which will(a) be returned to overseas customers and (b) not returned to overseas customers.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The latest estimate of high-level waste arising from overseas reprocessing contracts entered into by British Nuclear Fuels plc is:

  cubic metres

  signed before 1976

  100

  signed since 1976

  400

  Overseas reprocessing contracts signed since 1976 contain options for the return of wastes. The Government intend that those options should be exercised. Its policy was set out in the reply given by my hon. Friend the Member for Eddisbury (Mr. Goodlad) to the hon. Member for Great Grimsby (Mr. Mitchell) on 2 May 1986 at columns 500–01.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much of the home energy efficiency scheme grant has so far been allocated.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have notified the Energy Action Grants Agency that some £24 million is available for grants under the home energy efficiency scheme during the financial year 1991–92. Of this amount, some £17 million is being allocated to network installers in quarterly tranches to cover work to be done up to next March. The remainder has now been fully committed in approvals for direct applications.

  Oil Exploration
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the sites off the south coast of England where(a) applications are currently being processed and (b) applications have been granted for exploratory drilling for oil.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Consent to drill wells to search for oil and gas is given under the terms of licences granted by the Secretary of State for Energy. No applications for consent to drill off the south coast of England are currently being processed. Since 1964, consent has been given to a total of 14 exploratory wells off the coast of Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex and the Isle of Wight. In addition, consent has been given to eight exploratory wells in the English channel.

  Consultants
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy which consultants are to advise him on the location of the petroleum engineering division; when they were appointed; what tendering process was followed; how many firms submitted tenders; whether the winning firm submitted the lowest tender; what are their terms of reference; and what fee they will receive.

  Mr. Wakeham
  My Department will be seeking tenders from a range of consultants to review the location of the petroleum engineering directorate. I shall announce who is to carry out the review as soon as the consultants have been chosen.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when Rothschild's and Touche Ross, respectively, were appointed to advise him on coal privatisation; what tendering process was followed; whether Rothschild's and Touche Ross submitted the lowest tenders; what are their terms of reference; and what fees they are to receive.

  Mr. Wakeham
  N. M. Rothschild & Sons Limited 'was appointed as financial advisers on the privatisation of British Coal on 30 May 1991. Touche Ross was appointed as accounting advisers on 12 June 1991. Both appointments were made by competitive tender. Details of the tenders submitted and of the fees paid to Government advisers are commercially confidential. Total expenditure on coal privatisation will be reported to Parliament in the usual way through the publication of departmental estimates and the annual appropriation accounts. Rothschild and Touche Ross have been appointed to provide advice on the possible options for the sale of British Coal. No firm decisions on the sale of the industry will be taken until after the next general election.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what consultations he has had with the Director-General of the Office of Electricity Regulation regarding the availability of commercially viable renewable energy projects in Scotland.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  As required under section 32 of the Electricity Act 1989, my right hon. Friend has consulted the Director General of Electricity Supply on matters relevant to the proposed 1991 renewables order, including the available field of generators who would be likely to meet the requirements of the legislation.

  Coal Industry (Pensioners)
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make it his policy to ensure that the pension benefits of members of the mineworkers pension scheme and the British Coal staff superannuation scheme will be protected following privatisation of the industry.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I can confirm that the Government will ensure that the pension interests of both current and past employees of the corporation will be properly safeguarded as has been the case with previous privatisations.

  Oldbury on Severn Nuclear Power Station
  Mr. Arbuthnot
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if the International Atomic Energy Agency's operational safety and review team's—OSART—follow-up report on Oldbury on Severn nuclear power station will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The original OSART mission to Oldbury nuclear power station took place in July 1989 and its Report was placed in the Library of the House in February 1990. As is now customary a follow-up OSART mission visited Oldbury in October 1990. I have, therefore, similarly arranged for its report to be placed in the Library of the House. I am pleased to note that, like the original report, this follow-up report commends the high standards of safety being achieved at Oldbury and praises the high degree of professionalism of station management and staff.

  Wind Energy
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is the estimated reduction in carbon dioxide pollution which would result from wind energy capacity of 50, 100, 150 and 200 M W.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Savings in carbon dioxide emissions from wind power will depend on both the total annual output from the wind turbines and the kind of fuel displaced. On the assumption that coal fired generation was displaced 50 MW of wind power in typically windy sites for the United Kingdom might be expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by about 100,000t/year. A larger wind power capacity would increase the savings pro rata.

  The energy technology support unit estimates that each kilowatt hour of electricity generated from wind turbines saves about 850 grammes of carbon dioxide from a similar output of coal-fired generation.

  Nuclear Materials
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current value to the United Kingdom of contracts undertaken at Dounreay for the reprocessing of nuclear material; and if he will list the value of individual contracts.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply. This is a commercial matter for the AEA.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total amount of spent nuclear fuel which has been stored or reprocessed at Dounreay in each of the past 10 years, stating for each consignment the point of entry to the United Kingdom, the methods of transportation used, the country of origin, and whether each consignment of reprocessed waste was returned to the country of origin.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  In the past 10 years, there have been two consignments of spent irradiated fuel to Dounreay: 4 kg from India transported by road from Felixstowe; and 14 kg from Germany by rail and road from Dover. Arrangements for the contractual return of wastes are being developed.

  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has on current negotiations between the UKAEA and Canada for contracts relating to the storage or reprocessing of nuclear materials from Canadian nuclear power stations; and if he will make statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I have been asked to reply.

  I understand that that UKAEA is currently considering two requests for the storage and possible reprocessing of spent irradiated fuel from Canada.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Environmental Technology
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what matters in regard to improving environmental protection and facilitating the transfer of environmental technology were(a) discussed and (b) decided at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Zimbabwe.

  Country

  Project

  Total commit-ment £ million

  United Kingdom contractor-supplier

  Egypt

  Maghara Coal Mine

  0·080

  Babcocks

  India

  URI-Hydro

  17·146

  Boving and Co.

  Indonesia

  Radio Studios

  0·378

  David Whittle Associates

  Indonesia

  Aircraft Simulator

  0·050

  CAA

  Indonesia

  Satellite Remote Sensing

  0·028

  Technology Applied Systems

  Indonesia

  Cigading/Serpong Railway Rehabilitation

  24·690

  Davy/British Railway International

  Indonesia

  Radio Studio Rehabilitation

  5·040

  Audix Ltd.

  Kenya

  Moi University

  0·034

  Cambridge Education Consultants

  Kenya

  Mombasa South Coast Link Road

  0·350

  Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners

  Kenya

  Digital Micro Wave System

  4·214

  Telectron Systems

  Kenya

  Rural Telecommunication Equipment

  4·363

  Telectron Systems

  Morocco

  Gas Turbines

  7·276

  JBE

  Morocco

  Diesel Electric Locos

  6·107

  Brush Electrical

  Morocco

  Nador Steel Works Study

  0·133

  W. S. Atkins

  Pakistan

  Karachi Water II

  6·629

  Portals Water Treatment

  Philippines

  Gas Turbines Power Station

  13·125

  JBE

  Red Sea

  Regional Hydro Carbon Study

  0·187

  Robertson Research International

  Swaziland

  Fire Equipment

  0·123

  Carmichael Fire and Bulk

  520
  Mrs. Chalker
  Commonwealth Heads of Government held wide-ranging discussions on environmental issues during their meeting in Harare. The results are summarised in their communique, a copy of which is being placed in the Library.

  Commonwealth Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the television and radio interviews he gave on matters for which he has responsibility, during his visit to Zimbabwe for the Commonwealth conference; and whether he set out any new policy initiatives in his media interviews.

  Mrs. Chalker
  During his visit to Zimbabwe for the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave the following television and radio interviews:

  16 October: BBC Radio

  16 October: BBC, ITN and Sky Television—joint interview

  19 October: Mozambican TV and Radio

  21 October: South African TV

  In all these interviews he explained how we were developing existing policy and commented on developments at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting and elsewhere.

  Aid and Trade Provision
  Ms. Abbott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) which companies had money allocated to them under the aid and trade provision in 1989–90, or the nearest convenient year; and how much they each received;

  (2) how much money was allocated under the aid and trade provision in 1989–90, or the most recent convenient year.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [pursuant to her reply, 28 February 1991, c. 564]: A further detailed examination of the list of aid and trade provision agreements entered into in 1989–90, and included in my answer of 28 February 1991, has shown up a number of inaccuracies. The correct list for 1989–90 is as follows:
  521

  Country

  Project

  Total commitment £ million

  United Kingdom contractor-supplier

  Thailand

  Railway Signalling

  0·773

  Transmark

  Tunisia

  Railway Equipment

  0·500

  Balfour Beatty

  Tunisia

  Yarn and Fibre Plant

  0·337

  Extrusion Systems Ltd.

  Turkey

  Natural Gas Conversion

  58·700

  AMEC International Construction

  Total 150·263

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  European Court of Justice
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many decisions of the European Court of Justice have not been implemented by member states; which countries are in default; and which decisions of what date they have not implemented.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Commission's most recent annual report monitoring the application of Community law records 83 judgments with which member states had not, or had only partially complied. Details of the member states and the judgments involved, and the dates, are contained in the "Official Journal" c 232 of 17 September 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office currently employs only one such firm, Security Express Guards Ltd., which provides a cash in transit service. The value of this contract is commercially confidential.

  Until 1987 we also employed Reliance Security; and until 1990 Group 4 Total Security Ltd. Detailed information on these, and earlier records for the existing contract, are not kept in a centralised form and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  A number of Her Majesty's overseas missions also employ private security firms. Again, detailed records are not kept centrally.

  Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the outcome of the meetings held since the end of July of the Conference on Security and Co-operation in Europe.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and other Foreign Ministers of the CSCE participating states met in Moscow on 10 September and agreed that Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania could join the CSCE. We welcome their accession based on the acceptance of the principles and commitments of the CSCE.

  We also welcome the fact that the third meeting of the CSCE conference on the human dimension was held in
  522
  Moscow, 10 September-4 October 1991. The meeting adopted a concluding document which expanded the existing mechanism for raising human rights questions to allow the involvement of the services of impartial experts, and further extended commitments in the human dimension.

  The CSCE committee of senior officials has met four times since July to discuss Yugoslavia. The CSCE has repeatedly urged an end to bloodshed, and given its backing to the efforts of the European Community to aid the resolution of the crisis.

  Middle East
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report, "The Control of the Middle East Arms Race", by Geoffrey Kemp and Shelley A. Stahl, published by the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  A copy of the report has been obtained for the FCO departmental library.

  Cambodia
  Mr. John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the peace process in Cambodia.

  Mr. Hurd
  Agreements on a comprehensive political settlement of the Cambodia conflict will be signed in Paris on 23 October at the reconvened Paris conference on Cambodia, meeting in ministerial session.

  Once signed on 23 October, the agreements will be published as a command paper. In the meantime the draft agreements have been placed in the Library of the House. They are closely based on the work of the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council and Indonesia.

  The comprehensive settlement provides the elements for the security council to establish the mandate for the United Nations transitional authority in Cambodia (UNTAC): and a formal ceasefire: the regrouping, cantonment, disarmament and demobilisation of the forces of all the Cambodian parties: comprehensive provisions to protect human rights before and after elections: free and fair elections: and international guarantees of the sovereignty, independence, territorial integrity and inviolability, neutrality and national unity of Cambodia.

  The agreements to be signed on 23 October are the result of more than two years' work since the Paris conference on Cambodia was suspended in August 1989. As a permanent member of the United Nations security council, the United Kingdom has played a central role in these efforts.
  523
  Throughout we have insisted that there must be no return to the atrocities of the Pol Pot years and that self-determination for the Cambodian people through free and fair elections must be central to any agreement.

  We welcome the new-found spirit of co-operation and reconciliation among the Cambodian parties which has made these arrangements possible and congratulate Prince Sihanouk for his personal contribution to the peace process.

  Wilton Park
  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what progress has been made in turning Wilton park into an executive agency.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Wilton Park became an executive agency on 1 September. Copies of its framework document have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses. The agency will be responsible for organising on behalf' of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, the very successful annual programme of Wilton park international conferences. There will be at least 18 such conferences a year. The agency will also be responsible for marketing the spare capacity of the Wiston house conference centre for private conferences and functions. Through the medium of the framework document and the corporate plan I have instructed the chief executive that I expect the agency to maintain the effectiveness of the Wiston house conference centre as the home of Wilton park conferences, and to endeavour to raise still further the international prestige of the conferences. I have delegated to the chief executive full managerial responsibility for the agency and its day-to-day operations and provided the necessary financial and management freedoms to enable him to achieve its targets.

  I have set the agency the following key targets for this financial year:

  to increase income from £713,000 to £771,500;

  to recover 61 per cent. of its costs;

  to increase the overall number of Wilton park conference participants from 656 to 720.

  to ensure that the average cost to the FCO of each participant should not exceed £679.

  DNA Testing
  Mr. Tony Lloyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, how many months it is since the DNA testing results of RM (reference GV 100/11870) were completed; what are the reasons for the delays in issuing a visa; and if he wishes to make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I have been asked to reply.

  Cellmark Diagnostics Ltd. sent the DNA test report on RM (reference GV 100/11870) to his father on 26 April 1991 and the latter forwarded it to the Home Office on 25 July. Authorisation to issue RM (reference GV 100/11870) with a certificate of entitlement to the right of abode was sent to the British High Commission in Dhaka on 12 September. They wrote to him on 26 September inviting him to attend the High Commission for that purpose.

PRIME MINISTER

  EC Presidency
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Prime Minister which special events during the United Kingdom presidency of the European Economic Community he proposes to hold in Wales.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  A wide ranging programme of special events is planned to mark our EC Presidency next year including cultural and artistic events. In Wales there will be an enhanced EC flavour to the Llangollen international eisteddfod: my hon. Friend the Minister of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs will attend on 9 July as day president.

  An informal meeting of EC Employment and Social Affairs Ministers will be held in Wales. The Welsh Office is also considering hosting a conference for representatives of its economic partner regions in Europe.

  British Medical Association
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister what recent meetings he has had with the British Medical Association; and what was discussed.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend met the chairman of the Council and the Secretary of the British Medical Association on 30 September, and had a useful discussion on a range of matters related to the NHS.

  Mr. Colin Wallace
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 22 July,Official Report, column 376, if he will set out his assessment of what went wrong in the case of Mr. Colin Wallace.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  A copy of the conclusions of the report by Sir David Calcutt QC into the handling of this appeal by Mr. Colin Wallace to the Civil Service appeal board was placed in the Library of the House on 13 October 1990.

  Earthscan Publication
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will obtain for the library at 10 Downing street a copy of the study published on 21 October by Earthscan, "Caring for the Earth: A Strategy for Sustainable Living".

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is aware of the report's contents and has arranged for copies to be made available in the Library of the House. The study will be useful in developing our position for next year's United Nations conference on environment and development which the Prime Minister hopes to attend.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Brighton, Kemptown (Mr. Bowden), on 14 October,Official Report, column 7, if he will set out the criteria he used in choosing the members of his panel of advisers on the citizens charter.
  525
  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  The panel of advisers were chosen for their experience and their commitment to improved standards of public service.

  Disarmament
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library his response to the nuclear disarmament initiative made by President Gorbachev on 5 October.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister has already made it clear that the Government warmly welcome the response made by President Gorbachev to President Bush's initiative of 27 September. Together they represent a genuine opportunity to maintain secure defence at a lower level of armaments.

  Commonwealth Conference
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Prime Minister whether, in the course of his trip to the Commonwealth conference, he or any of his accompanying Ministerial colleagues or officials devoted any time to matters of a party political nature.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave him on 21 October.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 22 October.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is returning from the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Harare.

  Party Conferences
  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Prime Minister (1) if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Lancashire on the effects on policing throughout Lancashire during the Conservative party conference; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will set up a review of the policing and funding of policing and other emergency services for the major party political annual conferences.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  No. It is for the chief officer of the force concerned to decide how a party conference should be policed, as with any other police operation. I do not believe that such operations require any changes to the normal arrangements for funding police forces.

  Northern Region (Visits)
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list those official visits he has made to the northern region.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I have been asked to reply.

  My right hon. Friend the Prime Minister is making visits to all parts of the country and he intends to include the northern region in them.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  summer Time
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will meet the European Commission to discuss its view that any review of the application of summer time should be conducted at Community level; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Angela Rumbold
  The annual period of summer time has been the subject of successive Community directives since 1981. Like the current directive, for 1990–92, the draft sixth Directive for 1993 and 1994 provides for the United Kingdom and Ireland to end summer time at a date different from that for other member states or to adopt the common ending date if we wish. While Her Majesty's Government are always ready to discuss the directives with the Commission as necessary, I am not aware that the Commission has expressed any preference for exercising responsibility for summer time arrangements beyond that reflected in existing texts.

  Dangerous Dogs Act
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many dogs have been registered under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991; what is his estimate of the number of such dogs not registered; and what he intends to do about these animals.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I understand that the index of exempted dogs has received more than 6,000 notification forms. It is not possible at this stage to say how many owners have chosen not to complete a notification form in respect of their dog, as no precise figure exists for the number of pit bull terriers in the United Kingdom. At the time the Dangerous Dogs Act was passing through Parliament it was estimated that there were some 5,000 to 10,000.

  Owners who did not report to the police by 12 October have until 30 November to destroy or export their dog. but it is now too late for them to apply for compensation or to obtain a certificate of exemption in respect of their animal. Any unexempted specially controlled dogs that come to light after 30 November are liable to be destroyed and their owners will be liable to prosecution.

  Prison Officers Dispute
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he will publish in the Official Report (a) the weekly cost for each police force in England and Wales met by his Department since the prison officers dispute began and (b) the total cost;

  (2) if he will publish in the Official Report the number of prisoners that have been housed in police accommodation since the prison officers dispute began; and if he will separately distinguish the statistics for each force in England and Wales;

  (3) how many police officers in each force in England and Wales have been involved with supervising Home Office prisoners since the prison officers' dispute began.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I assume that the hon. Member is concerned with the effect of industrial action at Cardiff and Swansea prisons only.

  Separate information on the cost of holding Cardiff prisoners in police cells and details of the number of police

  527
  officers involved in supervising these prisoners is not collected centrally. It could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The number of prisoners housed in police accommodation on each Friday since the prison officers' dispute at Cardiff prison began and the police forces by which they were being held is as follows:

  Date

  Number

  Friday 21 June

  Avon and Somerset

  16

  Gwent

  9

  South Wales

  60

  Total

  85

  Friday 28 June

  Avon and Somerset

  25

  Dyfed and Powys

  20

  Gwent

  21

  South Wales

  64

  Total

  130

  Friday 5 July

  Avon and Somerset

  23

  Dyfed and Powys

  20

  Gwent

  20

  South Wales

  49

  Total

  112

  Friday 12 July

  Avon and Somerset

  23

  Dyfed and Powys

  14

  Gwent

  23

  South Wales

  45

  Total

  105

  Friday 19 July

  Avon and Somerset

  25

  Dyfed and Powys

  2

  Gwent

  28

  South Wales

  76

  Total

  131

  Friday 26 July

  Avon and Somerset

  26

  Devon and Cornwall

  12

  Gloucestershire

  7

  Gwent

  26

  South Wales

  48

  West Mercia

  12

  Total

  131

  Friday 2 August

  Avon and Somerset

  22

  Devon and Cornwall

  22

  Gloucestershire

  7

  Gwent

  24

  South Wales

  40

  West Mercia

  15

  Total

  130

  Friday 9 August

  Avon and Somerset

  28

  Devon and Cornwall

  14

  Gloucestershire

  6

  Gwent

  22

  South Wales

  50

  West Mercia

  10

  Total

  130

  Friday 16 August

  Devon and Cornwall

  23

  Gloucestershire

  7

  Gwent

  26

  South Wales

  53

  West Mercia

  9

  Total

  118

  Friday 23 August

  528

  Date

  Number

  Avon and Somerset

  26

  Devon and Cornwall

  23

  Dyfed

  5

  Gloucestershire

  10

  Gwent

  29

  South Wales

  44

  West Mercia

  9

  Total

  146

  Friday 30 August

  Avon and Somerset

  30

  Devon and Cornwall

  23

  Dyfed

  6

  Gloucestershire

  6

  Gwent

  24

  South Wales

  43

  Total

  138

  Friday 6 September

  West Mercia

  6

  Avon and Somerset

  33

  Devon and Cornwall

  22

  Dyfed

  12

  Gloucestershire

  6

  Gwent

  23

  South Wales

  54

  Warwickshire

  2

  West Mercia

  12

  Wiltshire

  1

  Total

  165

  Friday 13 September

  Avon and Somerset

  27

  Devon and Cornwall

  17

  Dyfed

  7

  Gloucestershire

  7

  Gwent

  23

  Hampshire

  9

  South Wales

  41

  West Mercia

  29

  Wiltshire

  2

  Total

  162

  Friday 20 September

  Avon and Somerset

  35

  Devon and Cornwall

  17

  Dyfed

  22

  Gloucestershire

  9

  Hampshire

  3

  Leicestershire

  7

  South Wales

  41

  Thames Valley

  5

  Warwickshire

  4

  West Mercia

  39

  Total

  182

  Friday 27 September

  Avon and Somerset

  23

  Devon and Cornwall

  22

  Dorset

  7

  Dyfed

  18

  Gloucestershire

  7

  Gwent

  24

  Hampshire

  3

  Leicestershire

  8

  South Wales

  37

  Thames Valley

  14

  West Mercia

  31

  Total

  194

  Friday 4 October

  Avon and Somerset

  26

  Devon and Cornwall

  13

  Dorset

  7

  Dyfed

  13

  Gloucestershire

  7

  Gwent

  23

  Leicestershire

  5

  South Wales

  32

  529

  Date

  Number

  Thames Valley

  14

  West Mercia

  29

  Wiltshire

  2

  Total

  171

  Friday 11 October

  Avon and Somerset

  24

  Devon and Cornwall

  10

  Dyfed

  26

  Gloucestershire

  9

  Gwent

  23

  Leicestershire

  3

  South Wales

  40

  Thames Valley

  10

  West Mercia

  23

  Total

  168

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from chief constables on the effect on normal policing of the prison officers' dispute.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. My right hon. Friend has regular meetings with chief officers of police to discuss a wide range of policing matters, including the effect of the prison officers' dispute.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the stress imposed on police officers resulting from the supervising of Home Office prisoners during the prison officers' dispute.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No specific measurements of related stress have been made by the Home Office, but the Government's response to the Home Affairs Committee's fifth report on police sickness, published today, includes reference to more general research on stress in police work. Copies are being placed in the Library.

  Immigration
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people are employed in the immigration and nationality department family reunion team to deal with cases in the refugee and special cases section.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The staff of the asylum and special cases division has increased from 120 on 1 April 1991 to 300 at 16 October. It is intended to reach 550 by May 1992. There is no separate section dealing only with family reunion work.

  Police National Computer
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) further to his answer of 14 October,Official Report, column 33, if he will list the number of entries under each category for the existing police national computer and for police national computer 2;

  (2) when the police national computer 2 is expected to be operational; and how many entries from police national computer I will be transferred.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The numbers of entries in each category of the police national computer system are as follows:
  530

  Numbers

  Criminal Names

  5,399,382

  Fingerprints

  4,305,144

  Wanted/Missing Persons

  135,726

  Disqualified Drivers

  377,128

  Convictions

  3,965,026

  Cross References

  719,201

  Crime Pattern Analysis

  134,946

  Major Investigations

  330,939

  Extremist Crime Index

  1,610

  Vehicle Owners

  39,567,080

  Vehicle Reports

  431,232

  Stolen Property

  32,777

  Police Directories

  3,460

  PNC2 is being brought into full service in stages. The first stage was completed in September to enable forces to access PNC2 for the last four categories of data listed in the table. A further transfer to PNC2 is taking place this month. For each category on PNC2 the full PNC1 database will be transferred

  Prisoners (Accommodation)
  Mr. Gareth Warded
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will now reconsider his decision not to accommodate Home Office prisoners in military camps.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The recent measures to reduce the use of police cells to hold prisoners committed to custody by the courts were set out in my reply to my hon. Friend the Member for Uxbridge (Mr. Shersby) on 14 October at columns 29–30. The number of prisoners held in police cells on Monday 21 October was just over 1,800. The problem has been exacerbated by industrial action at a number of prisons, including since last Thursday Birmingham prison, which is limiting their capacity. Further measures to ease the position are being developed.

  Police Numbers
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish in the Official Report, for each police force in England and Wales and for each year since 1978 (a) the number of uniformed police officers employed and (b) the percentage annual change in employment between each year.

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

  Isle of Wight Police
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much will be saved in a full year from the Isle of Wight division budget as a result of the Hampshire and Isle of Wight police rank restructuring; and what proportion of this saving is to be spent on more policemen for the Isle of Wight division.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief constable of Hampshire that the amalgamation of the two Isle of Wight sub-divisions under the command of a superintendent was made to improve management of the force, and is not expected to provide financial savings. The level of policing on the Isle of Wight will remain unchanged.

  Prison Accommodation
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the current level of vacant cell accommodation available at(a) Cardiff prison and (b) Swansea prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The certified normal accommodation —CNA—of Cardiff prison is 338 and the operational capacity is 590. On 21 October, the population was 369, that is 221 below capacity. The prisoners were however overcrowded since they are concentrated in only part of the prison.

  The CNA of Swansea prison is 225 and the operational capacity is 285. On 21 October, the population was 282. The prison was therefore close to capacity, but, as with Cardiff, not all the accommodation was in use.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the adequacy of the grant aid provided to the Data Protection Registrar's office to enable him to deal with the data protection implications of new technology, new government initiatives that require the use of personal data, and data protection developments in Europe without adversely affecting his efforts to inform the public of their rights and data users of their obligations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Funding of the registrar's office will continue to be determined in the light of expenditure bids and overall public spending constraints. It is for the registrar to decide how best to allocate grant-in-aid in order to fulfil his duties under the Data Protection Act 1984.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects the report on the scrutiny of criminal records to be published; whether the proposals for wider vetting forms part of his contribution to the citizens charter; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The report will be available from the Home Office Library shortly.

  The Government welcome the report and accept the need to improve the maintenance and use of the national collection of criminal records so that it can serve the criminal justice system more effectively.

  Many of the report's recommendations raise substantial issues of policy and practice which will need further detailed consideration. As the report recognises, many of the changes that it recommends cannot be introduced until the criminal record collections, which are now held on microfiche at the national identification bureau—NIB—and within forces, have been computerised into a single system which can be available, on-line, to police forces, the courts and other criminal justice agencies. This is a major undertaking and, although work on it has already begun, it is unlikely to be completed until the mid 1990s.

  In order to eliminate the need for local record systems, the national computerised records system will have to hold information on a wider range of offences than those which are presently held in the records of the NIB. In particular, the Government accept the report's recommendation that cautions should be recorded on the national system. It has not yet reached a view on the treatment of bind-overs.
  532
  The Government accept that the new national criminal record system should be run by a central organisation and managed for the benefit of the criminal justice system as a whole. A good deal more work is necessary before final decisions can be taken on the precise shape and status of such an organisation. This work is now in hand.

  The Government acknowledge the weaknesses, which the report identifies, in the present arrangements for disclosing information from the criminal record for the purpose of assisting employers, licensing authorities, and so on, to judge the suitability of people for particular posts or positions. It is the Government's intention to publish a consultation paper in about 12 months' time outlining their proposals for new disclosure arrangements. By that time, the arrangements for managing the new national criminal records system and the content of the national record should be clearer.

  Because the recommendations on disclosure have substantial implications for exceptions made under the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974, the consultation paper will also contain proposals relating to exceptions under that Act.

  Prisons
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list for each Her Majesty's prison establishment, the number of(a) category A, (b) category B, (c) category C and (d) category D prisoners for the latest date he has figures; and if he will list those establishments that hold women prisoners.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information on categorisation is not readily available in the form in which it has been requested by the hon. Member. I will write to him as soon as possible.

  The following establishments hold female prisoners.

  Askham Grange

  Bullwood Hall

  Cookham Wood

  Drake Hall

  Durham

  East Sutton Park

  Holloway

  Low Newton

  New Hall

  Pucklechurch

  Risley

  Styal

  Derbyshire Constabulary
  Mr. Oppenheim
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list(a) the number of police officers and (b) the number of civilian staff employed by Derbyshire constabulary for each year from 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is set out in the table.

  Strength

  At 31 December

  Police officers

  Civilian staff1

  1979

  1,587

  634

  1980

  1,832

  694

  1981

  1,779

  701

  1982

  1,754

  705

  1983

  1,768

  703

  1984

  1,761

  680

  1985

  1,765

  685

  1986

  1,761

  731

  1987

  1,796

  716

  533

  Strength

  At 31 December

  Police officers

  Civilian staff1

  1988

  1,786

  710

  1989

  1,790

  690

  1990

  1,751

  549

  (July) 1991

  1,722

  505

  1Centralisation of the country's common services has reduced the numbers of civilians employed exclusively on police support.

  Party Conferences
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the additional policing costs arising from(a) the Labour party conference in Brighton and (b) the Conservative party conference in Blackpool, in 1990 and in the current year.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the chief officers of the forces concerned that the estimated additional costs are:

  Year and force

  Additional cost £

  Labour

  1990 Lancashire

  97,545

  1991 Sussex

  10,000

  Conservative

  1990 Dorset

  2,000,000

  1991 Lancashire

  1,379,000

  Immigration
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many wives have applied from India for settlement visas to join their husbands in Britain in 1988, 1989 and 1990, respectively; how many have been granted; and how many have been refused.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is given in the table.

  Wives applying in India for an entry clearance for settlement in the United Kingdom

  Number of persons

  Applications

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Newly received1

  1,500

  1,840

  1,860

  Granted

  1,640

  1,610

  1,760

  Of which, granted on appeal

  2—

  10

  10

  Refused initially

  50

  120

  200

  1 Including applications subsequently withdrawn when the applicant was considered for a cerficate of entitlement to the right of abode in the United Kingdom.

  2 Five or fewer

  Parliamentary Constituencies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, if he will list the parliamentary constituencies that the Boundary Commission will be reviewing in the three counties of Yorkshire, and Humberside and which it will be reporting on(a) during the next five years and (b) during the next 10 years.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Boundary Commission will be reviewing all the parliamentary constituencies in Yorkshire and Humberside in the course of the fourth general review of constituencies in England.
  534
  The Commission is required to submit its report between February 1993 and February 1998.

  Police Overtime
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimates he has of the cost to public funds of overtime payments in the police forces in England for each of the last five years; what representations he has received over the amount of overtime being worked and the cost thereof; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Estimates of expenditure on police overtime are published annually by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy, on the basis of information supplied by police authorities. Estimates for the last five years are given in the table. The budget of a police force, including its expenditure on overtime, is the responsibility of the police authority. The Home Office pays specific grant on 51 per cent. of this expenditure—52 per cent. in the case of the Metropolitan police. Local authorities pay the remainder, though their share is supported through the revenue support grant system. We have not received any recent representations about the cost of police overtime.

  Estimated Expenditure on Police Overtime

  England excluding Metropolitan Police

  Metropolitan Police

  1986–87

  80·474

  1—

  1987–88

  87·210

  1—

  1988–89

  95·863

  268·48

  1989–90

  100·609

  59·2

  1990–91

  112·973

  59·743

  1 Not available

  2 Outturn figure

  Wolds Remand Centre
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to allowing the company or organisation successfully tendering to manage the Wolds remand centre to have their employees trained at the Prison Service college; and on what charging basis such facility would be offered.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A number of staff will be trained by the Prison Service college in the local inmate database system which the Home Office requires a successful contractor to use, and therefore no charge will be levied for this facility.

  The provision of training for prisoner custody officers to meet the standard required under the Criminal Justice Act 1991 and the tender document is a matter for the successful company and it will be open to them to seek such training from any source. Those bidding for Wolds have included details of the arrangements that they would make if they were successful.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year-since 1984–85.
  535
  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The following private security firms are currently employed by my Department:

  Lisburn Security Services

  Securicor

  Group 4

  Security Wales

  Security Express Guards Ltd.

  Security Express

  Chubb

  Reliance

  Defence Security Services

  Securite Security Limited

  Potton Leisure Limited

  The value of each contract is a matter of commerical and contractual confidentiality. Information about the total value of such contracts for each year since 1984–85 is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information about the number of staff employed on each contract is also not readily available; in some cases the number varies from day to day according to operational requirements.

  Dr. Jaffar Dhia Jaffar
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether an entry permit to the United Kingdom has been issued to Dr. Jaffar Dhia Jaffar from Iraq in the past 24 months.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I regret that we have been unable to identify Dr. Jaffar from the information given. If the hon. Member will write to me with further details, preferably Dr. Jaffar's date of birth and when and for what purpose he is thought to have come here, I will have further inquiries made.

  Roberto Fiore
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to deport Roberto Fiore on the grounds of his complicity in the 1981 Bologna railway bombing.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. The Minister of State, Home Office made clear to a question from the hon. Member for Walsall, North (Mr. Winnick) on 18 May 1989 at column 257 that there was not evidence in this case which would meet the criteria under European Community law for the deportation of an EC citizen. That remains the position.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received since May 1989 concerning Roberto Fiore.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Representations have been received from the hon. and learned Member for Leicester, West (Mr. Janner) and from two members of the public about the possible extradition of Mr. Fiore to Italy.

  Humane Destruction
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidance to police forces of England and Wales in respect of the provision of instruments of humane destruction for use in connection with dangerous dogs or where animals have been injured.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  We do not think that guidance is necessary. It is normal practice for police officers to seek veterinary assistance when there is a need for an animal to be destroyed, except when there is an immediate threat to human life or limb.

  Sexual Offences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is his policy towards the relative priority, within the overall objective of maintaining law and order, accorded by police for surveillance operations targeted towards arresting gay and bisexual men For alleged unlawful sexual acts, exposure or soliciting; and what is his assessment of the cost effectiveness of this use of police manpower.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The police investigate all allegations of crime. The priority and level of resources given to different kinds of investigation are operational matters for chief officers.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the average fine for a first offence of indecency between males, gross indecency involving two men over the age of 21 years in a discreet public place; and what information he has as to the average fines imposed by Epsom magistrates and Crown courts on men convicted of this offence since July.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on the number of first offences committed and on the location of offences is not collected centrally. Following the Sexual Offences Act 1967 an offence is not committed if two persons over the age of 21 are involved and the act took place in private.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has as to the number of arrests and subsequent convictions in the last full year, by police force, arising from surveillance operations targeted towards alleged sexual offences by gay and bisexual men.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is not recorded centrally. The police investigate all allegations of crime; measures to detect crime are operational matters for chief officers.

  Fund-raising
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to secure amendment of the draft EC directive on data protection to protect the fund-raising activities of the United Kingdom voluntary sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The Government are aware of concerns among various organisations, including those in the voluntary sector, about the likely effects of the draft directive on direct mailing. In discussion with other member states, we are seeking to ensure that the notification and consent provisions are modified in such a way as to avoid unreasonable restrictions on data use. Negotiations on the directive are likely to continue throughout next year.

  Television Licence Fees
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will announce the television licence fees which will take effect from 1 April 1992.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On 14 January 1991, at column 379, my right hon. Friend announced that the fee increase for April 1991, which was set at 3 per cent. below RPI, would be followed by annual increases at RPI over the subsequent four years. The operation of this formula would however be reassessed in 1994.
  537
  Licence fee increases are based on the annual increase in RPI as at the preceding September, in the same way as rises in pensions and other state benefits. Application of this year's September RPI figure of 4·1 per cent. to the current unrounded fees produces new rounded totals of £80 for a colour licence and £26·50 for a monochrome licence. The necessary regulations to bring these fees into force next April will be laid before the House in due course.

  Mr. Joseph Barker
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether Joseph Arthur Lewis Barker will be allowed home leave on parole whilst he is under the supervision of St. Lukes hospital, Middlesbrough; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when it is intended to move Joseph Arthur Lewis Barker back to Durham prison in order that he may be considered for release on licence; and when a decision will be made as to his release on licence.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Police Car Chases
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have been killed or injured in each of the last 10 years as the result of police car chases.

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

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Ards Peninsula
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will arrange for the preparation of a local area plan for the Ards peninsula.

  Mr. Needham
  The Ards peninsula is already included in the North Down and Ards area plan 1984–1995. This plan was statutorily adopted on 10 July 1989 after a public inquiry and is due for review by 1995.

  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals the Rural Development Council has for a rural action programme in the Ards peninsula; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I shall write to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Pollution, Kircubbin
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has about the discharge of raw sewage at Doctor's bay, Kircubbin; whether any analysis has been carried out on the discharge; if he will arrange for the erection of a health warning sign; and what proposals he has to bring this discharge to an end.

  Mr. Needham
  I am not aware of any instances of raw sewage being discharged at Doctor's bay, Kircubbin. The most recent analysis of treated sewage at Kircubbin sewage treatment works satisfied the standard for discharge. There are no proposals to erect a health warning sign or to discontinue the discharge of treated sewage.

  International Fund for Ireland
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons in Northern Ireland are employed by the International Fund for Ireland; and whether the organisation is registered with the Fair Employment Commission.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  As provided for in article 10 of the agreement establishing the International Fund for Ireland the secretariat of the fund is provided jointly by the two Governments. Within Northern Ireland a total of 11 staff have been seconded from the Department of Finance and Personnel to work for the fund. Given that the fund does not directly employ staff, it would not be appropriate for it to be registered with the Fair Employment Commission.

  Ferry Services
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what proposals he has to improve the ferry service between Portaferry and Strangford; if he will provide a larger ferry boat; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Planning permission for improvements to the terminal facilities in Strangford harbour has already been sought and consideration is being given to the provision, subject to the availability of finance, of a larger vessel.

  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 had so far on the number of fishing boats at Kilkeel, Ardglass and Portavogie.

  Mr. Hanky
  I shall write to the right hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Strangford Lough
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Crown Estate Commissioners have his approval to impose mooring charges in Strangford lough: what the role of the Crown Estate Commissioners will be in his proposals for the future management of Strangford lough; and if he will make a statement on the relationship between the Crown Estate Commissioners and Strangford lough under his proposals in "Strangford Lough—a Consultation Paper."

  Mr. Needham
  The Crown Estate does not require the approval of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to impose mooring charges in Strangford lough. As the largest owner of the foreshore and seabed it would seem reasonable that the Crown Estate should be invited to play a role in the proposed management structure for the lough. The right hon. Gentleman will appreciate, however, that at this stage it is much too early for me to give commitments on the operation of the structure.

  Prawns
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what percentage of the European Community quota for prawns for 1991 has already been caught; and what proposals he has for the prawn fishing industry and its processing plants for the remainder of 1991;
  539
  (2) if he has requested a transfer of part of the European Community quota for prawns for the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland; if he has made any representations to the Government in Dublin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Landings recorded by 3 October indicated that 90 per cent. of the United Kingdom's quota of 6,235 tonnes of nephrops—prawns—for area VII had been caught. A limit of 2 tonnes per vessel has been set for the month of October with the aim of keeping this fishery open until the end of the quota year on 31 December. The United Kingdom has obtained from the Republic of Ireland a total of 550 tonnes to add to its own quota. Most of the processing plants have built up stocks in cold stores sufficient to maintain their operations for the remainder of the year.

  Folk and Transport Museum
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) if he will provide additional funding for the Folk and Transport museum, Cultra, to provide greater amenities for visitors, particularly in the winter months;

  (2) how many people have visited the Ulster Folk and Transport museum, Cultra, during the past 12 months.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. and noble Friend the Paymaster General, who has responsibility for museums in Northern Ireland, has provided an additional £2 million to the Ulster Folk and Transport museum to enable work to commence this year on the building of a new rail gallery. This is expected to be completed in 1993–94 and is the first phase of a planned £4 million scheme to construct two new galleries which will house the entire transport collection on the Cultra site.

  From 1 October 1990 to the end of September 1991 there were 134,650 visitors.

  Tourists
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many tourists came to Northern Ireland during the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  Visitor figures are compiled on a calendar year basis. The total number of visitors to Northern Ireland in 1990 was a record 1,153,000, representing an increase of 6 per cent. on 1989. The number of holiday-makers was 222,000, a 40 per cent. increase over the previous year.

  Abortions
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many legal abortions have been performed in Northern Ireland during each of the past 10 years;

  (2) how many legal abortions have been performed in Northern Ireland on single women in each of the past 10 years; and if he will state the numbers in each age group.

  Mr. Hanley
  While the Abortion Act 1967 does not extend to Northern Ireland, therapeutic terminations of pregnancy can be carried out in Northern Ireland hospitals on strictly medical grounds. The number of such 540
  terminations is not recorded separately in the statistical information on obstetric and gynaecological procedures collected centrally.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what information he has on the number of pregnant women from Northern Ireland who have had legal abortions in Great Britain.

  Mr. Hanley
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply which I gave to the right hon. Member for Strangford (Mr. Taylor) on 14 October 1991,Official Report column 48.

  Adoptions
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many illegitimate babies have been adopted or are waiting to be adopted during the past five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost, by the examination of individual adoption records over the past five years.

  Royal Victoria Hospital
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) whether he will establish an inquiry into the current financial position of Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what is the extent of the financial cuts which Royal Victoria hospital, Belfast, intends to initiate; and what will he the effect of the proposed cuts on patient services, number of hospital beds and hospital wards, and number of medical, nursing and ancilliary staff.

  Mr. Hanley
  No financial cuts are currently planned by the Royal Victoria hospital and there is no need for an inquiry. The Royal Victoria hospital is a member of the royal group of hospitals unit of management within the Eastern health and social services board. The unit of management is required to live within the total allocation available to it and it agrees how this will be achieved each year through the operational planning process with board headquarters.

  Regular discussions are held between the board and its units to ensure the effective performance of units within budgets, and these are continuing normally with the royal group of hospitals unit of management.

  Disabled People
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether a register of all disabled people in Northern Ireland has now been compiled.

  Mr. Hanley
  There is no statutory requirement to maintain a register of all disabled people in Northern Ireland. However, health and social services boards keep records of people, including disabled people, who are in contact with them for the provision of some services.

  Handicap Statistics
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the total number of persons suffering from a serious handicap in Northern Ireland, giving the figures for deaf, dumb, mentally and physically handicapped, respectively.
  541
  Mr. Hanley
  The information is not available in the form requested. The table shows the number of persons in contact with health and social services boards in Northern Ireland for 1989–90, the latest year for which figures are available.

  Number

  Deaf without speech

  561

  Deaf with speech

  559

  Hard of hearing

  2,218

  Other registerable

  19,738

  physically disabled

  people, including blind

  and partially sighted

  Mentally handicapped

  6,075

  Milk
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the milk production quota for the 1991–92 milk year; what is milk production to date; and if he will make a statement.

  Diagnosis

  1986

  1987

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  Syphilis

  26

  16

  12

  20

  14

  Chancroid

  1

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Gonorrhoea

  184

  142

  113

  54

  80

  Non-specific genital infection

  3,942

  3,979

  3,254

  2,671

  2,536

  Trichomoniasis

  112

  92

  79

  54

  55

  Candidosis

  1,178

  1,223

  1,143

  970

  1,244

  Scabies/Pediculosis

  199

  240

  196

  130

  201

  Herpes simplex

  100

  94

  118

  129

  141

  Wart virus infection

  1,136

  1,263

  1,242

  1,261

  1,469

  Other conditions requiring treatment

  496

  442

  659

  726

  1,122

  Other conditions not requiring treatment

  1,360

  1,860

  1,271

  1,472

  1,659

  Total cases (in all stages) dealt with for the first time

  8,734

  9,351

  8,087

  7,488

  8,521

  Notes:

  1. The statistics relate to calendar years for 1986 and 1987 and thereafter to financial years.

  2. All figures refer to new cases dealt with for the first time.

  Cancer
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of cases of cancer affecting men in Northern Ireland setting out separately the classification and number involved during each of the past 10 years.

  Mr. Hanley
  The new cases of cancer by site affecting males registered in the Northern Ireland cancer

  Site

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Lung

  541

  566

  595

  617

  600

  619

  625

  615

  600

  655

  Large bowel and rectum

  235

  250

  271

  295

  306

  294

  292

  313

  350

  325

  Stomach

  187

  149

  162

  164

  155

  150

  142

  159

  152

  148

  Breast

  2

  2

  6

  4

  1

  4

  2

  6

  6

  4

  Leukaemia and lymphoma

  167

  148

  153

  176

  210

  187

  204

  191

  193

  184

  Prostate

  202

  183

  211

  221

  212

  214

  230

  187

  242

  236

  Pancreas

  77

  67

  69

  71

  71

  81

  84

  70

  93

  77

  Bladder

  98

  102

  106

  126

  113

  104

  96

  90

  117

  105

  Eye, brain and other CNS

  57

  48

  41

  74

  55

  70

  50

  49

  41

  61

  Skin

  253

  276

  247

  249

  237

  210

  236

  292

  295

  240

  Other cancer

  517

  441

  415

  455

  438

  426

  471

  499

  572

  515

  Total

  2,336

  2,232

  2,276

  2,452

  2,398

  2,359

  2,432

  2,471

  2,661

  2,550

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of cases of(a)
  542
  Mr. Hanley
  The wholesale milk quota for Northern Ireland in 1991–92 is 1,246·285 million litres. Following recent decisions of the European Court of Justice this amount will be increased by an allocation of approximately 4 million litres to those who currently hold a SLOM (Mulder) quota and, by an as yet unknown amount, to those who have recently applied for SLOM (Mulder) quota. The direct sales quota for Northern Ireland in 1991–92 is 5·621 million litres.

  Wholesale milk production in Northern Ireland for the period 1 April to 30 September 1991 is 732·49 million litres. This volume will be adjusted to take account of its butterfat content. Direct sales production will not be known until the end of the current quota year when direct sellers make their final returns.

  Sexually Transmitted Diseases
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of sexually transmitted diseases have been recorded in Northern Ireland in each of the past five years giving the numbers for each category.

  Mr. Hanley
  The available information is as follows:

  registration scheme for 1980 to 1989 are as follows. There is substantial under-reporting of cases in the present registration scheme.

  breast cancer and (b) separately other categories of cancer affecting women in Northern Ireland during the past 10 years.
  543
  Mr. Hanley
  The new cases of breast cancer and other categories of cancer affecting women which were registered with the Northern Ireland cancer registration scheme for

  Site

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  Breast

  519

  497

  567

  590

  548

  617

  637

  600

  690

  702

  Lung

  176

  205

  205

  217

  240

  198

  264

  236

  269

  252

  Large Bowel and Rectum

  295

  296

  343

  332

  317

  319

  324

  348

  337

  338

  Stomach

  129

  126

  144

  141

  90

  88

  116

  109

  130

  114

  Leukaemia and Lymphoma

  134

  123

  132

  136

  160

  156

  164

  165

  179

  173

  Pancreas

  74

  70

  82

  83

  70

  80

  78

  98

  80

  92

  Ovary

  83

  83

  82

  101

  86

  94

  114

  114

  88

  110

  Cervix

  73

  89

  83

  96

  76

  78

  89

  79

  83

  76

  Other Uterus

  67

  79

  76

  92

  80

  80

  76

  87

  67

  86

  Bladder

  55

  41

  46

  49

  39

  42

  36

  43

  50

  40

  Eye, Brain and other CNS

  24

  32

  36

  56

  35

  53

  36

  42

  44

  47

  Skin

  320

  301

  316

  298

  295

  313

  297

  308

  300

  305

  Other Cancers

  363

  349

  389

  394

  375

  397

  420

  424

  430

  452

  Total

  2,312

  2,291

  2,501

  2,585

  2,411

  2,515

  2,651

  2,653

  2,747

  2,787

  AIDS
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases of AIDS have been recorded in each of the past five years in Northern Ireland; and how much money has been allocated in the same years to deal with the problem.

  Mr. Hanley
  The number of new AIDS cases diagnosed in each of the past five years is:

  Number

  1986

  2

  1987

  1

  1988

  6

  1989

  7

  1990

  5

  1991

  14

  1 To 30 September.

  Resources are not allocated specifically for AIDS-related treatment and care services. Health and social services boards are required to provide such services from within their total financial allocations.

  Drugs
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what information he has on the involvement of terrorist organisations in Northern Ireland in drug smuggling and drug dealing; and if he will make a statement.

  (2) what quantities of drugs have been recovered by the police during each of the past 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Birth Statistics
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many single women have given birth to babies during each of the past 10 years stating the figures for single girls under the age of 21 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is as follows:
  544
  1980 to 1989 are as follows. There is substantial under-reporting of cases in the present registration scheme.

  Live births

  Still-births

  Year

  Total

  Aged under 21 years

  Total

  Aged under 21 years

  1981

  1,890

  812

  25

  11

  1982

  2,102

  861

  22

  8

  1983

  2,367

  1,028

  18

  12

  1984

  2,780

  1,230

  21

  11

  1985

  3,178

  1,381

  29

  16

  1986

  3,556

  1,565

  26

  11

  1987

  3,937

  1,646

  30

  17

  1988

  4,435

  1,868

  26

  10

  1989

  4,386

  1,817

  25

  10

  11990

  4,931

  1,914

  20

  8

  1 Provisional

  Source: Statistics held by General Register Office

  Speech Therapists
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many speech therapists are registered in Northern Ireland; and if he will give additional funding to provide a greater number of speech therapists in the Province.

  Mr. Hanley
  At 30 September there were 188–168·83 whole-time equivalent—speech therapists employed in the Northern Ireland health and personal social services, all of whom were registered.

  This year the Government are spending £1,166 million on health and personal social services in Northern Ireland, an increase of £115 million on 1990–91 expenditure. It is a matter for the health and social services boards to determine their priorities in the provision and development of services.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what is the total amount paid for the care of elderly people in(a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes during each of the past 10 years;

  (2) what is the total number of elderly persons currently in (a) residential homes and (b) nursing homes; and what was the comparable figure 10 years ago.

  Mr. Hanley
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
  545
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many elderly persons have had to vacate a residential home during the past year because of inability to pay.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not available.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the maximum weekly payment to support elderly persons in private residential homes and nursing homes in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  The maximum amount of income support payable to elderly people in independent homes varies depending on the degree of care that the home is registered with the health and social services board to provide or the type of care actually required. The present limits are as follows:—

  Residential Homes

  £

  Age and infirmity

  160·00

  Elderly and blind or elderly and entitled to the higher rate of attendance allowance

  185·00

  Mental disorder

  170·00

  Drug or alcohol dependence

  170·00

  Mental handicap

  195·00

  Physical disablement— where disablement began under pensionable age

  230·00

  in any other case

  160·00

  Nursing Homes

  Mental disorder

  255·00

  Drug or alcohol dependence

  255·00

  Mental handicap

  260·00

  Terminal illness

  275·00

  Physical disablement—where disablement began under pensionable age

  290·00

  in any other case

  255·00

  Any other conditions

  255·00

  Personal expenses allowance for a single claimant

  11·40

  Conception Statistics
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many conceptions in 1990 to residents of Northern Ireland aged under 20 years(a) occurred outside marriage, (b) occurred outside marriage and led to maternity inside marriage and (c) led to a birth outside marriage which was jointly registered by both parents;

  (2) if he will list (a) the total number and rate of conceptions in 1990 to residents of Northern Ireland aged under 16 and 16 to 19 years and (b) in each of these age groups, respectively, the outcome of conceptions in 1990 broken down into live births, still births and terminations carried out from zero to 12 weeks' gestation, 13 to 19 weeks and 20 or more weeks in (i) England and Wales under the terms of the Abortion Act 1967 and (ii) Northern Ireland under prevailing legislation in the Province.

  Mr. Hanky
  The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate costs.

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

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested by the hon. Gentleman is as follows:

  Year

  Port

  Weight tonnes

  1987

  Belfast

  5·0

  1988

  Larne

  1·5

  1990

  Belfast

  0·1

  1991

  Belfast

  5·0

  These importations are internal United Kingdom movements. The material is used in local hospitals or universities for diagnostic, therapeutic or research purposes.

  Contraceptive Advice
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what specialist provision exists in Northern Ireland to offer contraceptive advice and counselling to young people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Young people can at present use the family planning services available from health and social services board clinics and general medical practitioners. The Eastern board also plans to arrange for the provision, through the Brook Advisory Centre, of an additional service geared to meeting the particular needs of people under 25 years.

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

  Mr. Needham
  No proposal of this kind has been made. Du Pont Co. (UK) Ltd. is engaged on studies which may lead to a proposal for its site near Londonderry.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by location in Northern Ireland, the current sites of high-temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste.

  Mr. Needham
  There are none.

  Dental Health
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the cost to public funds of preventive dental health programmes in Northern Ireland for the most recent 12 month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Hanley
  A wide range of staff provide both dental health education and treatment and it is not possible to identify separately the costs attributable to preventive progammes.

  Family Planning
  Miss Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether family planning provision in Northern Ireland is based on the same principles as those laid down
  547
  in the "Family Planning Service, Memorandum of Guidance," issued by the DHSS in 1974; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  Yes. The memorandum of guidance on the family planning service in Northern Ireland, which was issued in 1975, follows broadly the principles laid down by the Department of Health and Social Security in 1974.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in establishing a Brook Advisory Service in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Landfill Gas Schemes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the landfill gas schemes(a) currently in operation and (b) being proposed in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  The information requested by the hon.

  Gentleman is as follows:

  Current

  Belfast North Foreshore (completed area)

  Craigmore Quarry—Antrim

  Newbuildings—Londonderry

  Green Road—Ballyclare

  Proposed

  Belfast Northe Foreshore (operating site)

  Ballygowan—Ards

  Sales Corner—Lisburn

  Ballyfodrin—Portadown

  Chromium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list by(a) years and (b) regional health authority for the last five years, the number of cases of (i) chromium poisoning and (ii) chromium contamination that have been reported.

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

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

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

  Mr. Brooke
  The cost of hospitality provided by the Northern Ireland Office in 1990–91 was £122,621·08.

  Invoice Payments
  Mr. Simon Coombs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is his Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses.
  548
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The policy of the Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Departments is to pay invoices within the time scale directed by any terms of contract entered in to by the Department and the supplier. All other payments are processed, as far as possible, within 30 days of the receipt of an invoice.

  Bathing Water
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when the last water quality or pollution checks were made in the sea along the North Down coast at which locations these were made; and with what results.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many beaches in Northern Ireland satisfy the minimum standards set by the European Community.

  Mr. Needham
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment will be announcing the results of the 1991 bathing waters survey shortly.

  Natural Gas
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when natural gas will be available in Northern Ireland; what arrangements are being made for a gas pipeline from mainland Britain to Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  As part of the privatisation of Northern Ireland Electricity, bidders for Ballylumford power station are being invited to put forward proposals for the conversion of Ballylumford to dual oil /gas firing and for the supply of gas to both that station and the wider energy market in Northern Ireland. Sale of the power stations is expected to be completed by April 1992.

  Earnings
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the average gross weekly earnings of workers, male and female, in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  Results from the new earnings survey indicate that at April 1990, the latest date for which information is available, the average gross weekly earnings for full-time male and female workers on adult rates in Northern Ireland were £253·50 and £180·60 respectively.

  Cost of Living
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will investigate the increase in the cost of a loaf in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  Bread prices in Northern Ireland were investigated by the Office of Fair Trading in 1989 and I know of no reason to reopen the investigation.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will investigate the last increase in the price of calor gas in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.
  549
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up an inquiry into why the cost of living is higher in Northern Ireland than England; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  While there are regional differences in some of the elements which contribute to the cost of living, the factors that influence living costs are much the same throughout the United Kingdom and the Government do not propose to set up an inquiry.

  Limavady
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when he now expects to announce a start date for the Limavady bypass.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Helen's Bay
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make Helen's Bay a designated environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. Needham
  There are no plans to designate Helen's Bay as an environmentally sensitive area, nor are there any plans to apply any other conservation related designation to the area.

  Food Irradiation
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what research has been carried out in Northern Ireland on the irradiation of food; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  We are currently carrying out an extensive programme of internationally co-ordinated research into various aspects of food irradiation which is ongoing. It includes work on detection methods, the enhancement of food safety, extension of shelf life, impact of organoleptic characteristics, including colour, flavour and texture and impact on the vitamin content of selected foods.

  Punishment Shootings
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table to show for each of the last three years the number of punishment shootings known to the Royal Ulster Constabulary in each police division in Northern Ireland and indicate how many were carried out by(a) Roman Catholic terrorist groups and (b) Protestant groups.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Redevelopment, Glenarm
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when moneys will be allocated by Department of the Environment (NI) and Department of Economic Development (NI) for redevelopment of Glenarm, Co. Antrim, including the clearance of the Old Whiting Mill site.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Tutor Posts
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether job descriptions recognised by the North East education and library board and Department of Education (NI) for a youth and community tutor post and a youth tutor post can be changed without consultation.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Community Schools
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on the recognition of community schools in Northern Ireland and when article 139 of the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 will be invoked by the Department of Education (NI).

  Dr. Mawhinney
  Article 139 of the Education Reform (NI) Order 1989 is already in force. Under the terms of that article it is for the managers of grant-aided schools to apply to be designated as community schools.

  The Department of Education for Northern Ireland has received an application from the North Eastern education and library board, which is the manager of controlled schools in its area, and will be consulting the board on this in the near future.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Northern Ireland Office does not employ private security firms but Northern Ireland Departments currently employ a total of seven such firms on guarding contracts. It would not be in the interests of security to release the names of the firms and details of each contract are subject to commercial confidence. The current value of contracts, which are usually for a two-year period, is, however, £3,284,659. The firms concerned at present employ some 200 security guards. For the total value of all contracts for each financial year from 1984–85 to 1989–90 I refer the hon. Member to the reply he was given on 5 April 1990 at column 755. The total value of contracts for 1990–91 is £1,644,140.

  Queen's University
  Rev. Ian Paisley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how much Queen's university, Belfast, received from the Government in access funds.

  (2) how much will be received by each student at Queen's university, Belfast, when the access funds are distributed;

  (3) what plans the Government have to provide additional funding to supplement the access funds for Queen's university, Belfast.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Queen's university of Belfast has, for the academic years 1990–91 and 1991–92, received £168,722 and £169,600 respectively in the form of access funds. These funds are not distributed to each student but
  551
  are disbursed at the discretion of the university, in response to individual cases of exceptional need. In making the annual allocations to Queen's university the Department of Education for Northern Ireland acts on the recommendation of the Universities Funding Council which is responsible for determining allocations to universities throughout the rest of the United Kingdom.

  Fuel Imports
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the source of coal and other fossil fuel imported into Northern Ireland for use at power stations in the Province.

  Mr. Needham
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Housing
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants are on the waiting list for tenancies in each housing executive district.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that, at 31 September 1991, the information is as follows:

  Northern Ireland Housing Executive Total number on waiting list as at 31 September 1991

  District

  Total

  Antrim

  653

  Armagh

  533

  Ballycastle

  186

  Ballymena

  653

  Ballymoney

  315

  Banbridge

  322

  Bangor

  1,014

  Belfast 1

  682

  Belfast 2

  999

  Belfast 3

  790

  Belfast 4

  847

  Belfast 5

  622

  Belfast 6

  615

  Belfast 7

  1,263

  Carrickfergus

  524

  Castlereagh 1

  283

  Castlereagh 2

  518

  Coleraine

  800

  Cookstown

  226

  Craigavon

  237

  Downpatrick

  731

  Dunganon

  386

  Fermanagh

  536

  Larne

  418

  Limavady

  349

  Lisburn 1

  644

  Lisburn 2

  323

  Lisburn 3

  411

  Londonderry 1

  620

  Londonderry 2

  430

  Londonderry 3

  356

  Lurgan

  502

  Magherafelt

  378

  Newry 1

  484

  Newry 2

  462

  Newtownabbey 1

  351

  Newtownabbey 2

  498

  Newtownards 1

  583

  Newtownards 2

  304

  Omagh

  518

  Portadown

  412

  Strabane

  370

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dwellings have been sold by 552
  the Northern Ireland Housing Executive in each of the past 10 years; what percentage of existing housing stock was sold in the last financial year; what was the total market valuation of the dwellings sold in the last financial year; and what was the total actual selling price.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and I am advised by its chief executive that it has sold the following number of dwellings in the past 10 years:

  Year

  Number of properties sold

  1981–82

  7,042

  1982–83

  5,554

  1983–84

  5,440

  1984–85

  5,422

  1985–86

  4,103

  1986–87

  3,184

  1987–88

  2,807

  1988–89

  3,368

  1989–90

  4,638

  1990–91

  4,092

  A total of 2·4 per cent. of its stock was sold in 1990–91; the market value of dwellings sold in 1990–91 was £69·31 million; and the price reached for dwellings sold in 1990–91 was £36·07 million.

  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the names and addresses of housing associations in Northern Ireland and the amount of funding provided to each association.

  Mr. Needham
  The names and addresses of housing associations registered with the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland are set out in the table. Information on the capital funding provided by the Department to individual associations could be provided only at disproportionate cost in respect of periods before April 1989 when records were computerised. The amount provided to each association from 1 April 1989 to 30 September 1991 is as follows:

  Association and registered office

  Capital funding (£)

  Abbeyfield Northern Ireland

  Development Society Ltd.

  Room 10

  Carlton House

  Shaftesbury Square

  Belfast BT2 7LH

  1,207,000

  Ballymacarret Housing Association Ltd.

  233a Albertbridge Road

  Belfast BT5 4PU

  Nil

  Ballynafeigh Housing Association Ltd.

  70 Kimberly Street

  Belfast BT7 3DY

  977,000

  Baptist Union of Ireland Housing Association

  117 Lisburn Road

  Belfast BT9 7AF

  1,177,000

  Belfast Community Housing Association Ltd.

  131 Ravenhill Road

  Belfast BT6 8DR

  147,000

  Belfast Improved Houses Ltd

  Russell Court

  Claremont Street

  Belfast BT9 6JX

  10,227,000

  Ben Madigan Housing Association Ltd

  Russell Court

  Claremont Street

  Belfast BT9 6JX

  350,000

  553

  Association and registered office

  Capital funding (£)

  Botanic Housing Association Ltd

  99 Agincourt Avenue

  Belfast BT7 1QD

  133,000

  Broadway Housing Association Ltd

  131 Ravenhill Road

  Belfast BT6 8DR

  351,000

  The James Butcher Housing Association

  (Northern Ireland) Ltd

  Murray House

  Murray Street

  Belfast BT1 6DN

  6,112,000

  Church of Ireland Housing Association

  (Northern Ireland) Ltd

  74 Dublin Road

  Belfast BT2 7HP

  405,000

  Clonard Housing Association Ltd

  54 Clonard Gardens

  Belfast BT13 2RH

  879,000

  Connswater Housing Association Ltd

  50 Mersey Street

  Belfast BT4 1EX

  229,000

  Coral Crescent Housing Association Ltd

  Registered Office

  2 Coral Crescent

  Randalstown Road

  Antrim BT41 4LW

  Nil

  Covenanter Residential Association Ltd

  Cameron House

  98 Lisburn Road

  Belfast BT9 6AG

  3,000

  Craigavon and District Housing Association Ltd

  20 Carleton Street

  Portadown BT62 3EN

  1,607,000

  Craigavon Housing Association Ltd

  c/o Glencraig Community

  Craigavad

  Holywood

  Co Down

  316,000

  Derry Housing Association Ltd

  18 Magazine Street

  Londonderry BT48 6HH

  3,246,000

  Donacloney Housing Association Ltd

  38 Main Street Donacloney Craigavon

  Co Armagh BT66 7LR

  141,000

  Down and Connor Housing Association Ltd

  Netherlands House 128 Upper Dunmurry Lane

  Belfast BT17 OEW

  710,000

  Dungannon and District Housing Association Ltd

  48A Irish Street

  Dungannon BT70 1DB

  1,012,000

  Flax Housing Association Ltd

  Brookfleld Mill 333 Crumlin Road

  Belfast BT14 7EA

  386,000

  Fold Housing Association

  3–4 Redburn Square

  Holywood BT18 9HZ

  8,982,000

  Gosford Housing Association (Armagh) Ltd

  "The Mornings" 16 Stockingmanshill Road

  Armagh BT60 1HZ

  736,000

  Grove Housing Association Ltd

  139 York Road

  Belfast BT15 3GZ

  1,072,000

  Habinteg Housing Association (Ulster) Ltd

  12 Sullivan Close

  Holywood BT18 9HL

  3,116,000

  Hearth

  181A Stranmillis Road

  Belfast BT9 5DU

  320,000

  Larne and District Housing Association Ltd

  97E Main Street

  Larne BT40 1HJ

  275,000

  Lisnagarvey Housing Association Ltd.

  2b Magees Road

  Ballinderry Upper

  Co Antrim

  352,000

  554

  Association and registered office

  Capital funding (£)

  Malone Housing Association Ltd.

  Level 2

  Admin Building

  QUB

  University Road

  Belfast BT7 INN

  399,000

  Masonic Housing Association

  (Northern Ireland) Ltd.

  74 Dublin Road

  Belfast BT2 7HP

  406,000

  McGarel Housing Association Ltd.

  97E Main Street

  Larne BT40 1HJ

  5,000

  Newington Housing Association (1975) Ltd.

  300 Limestone Road

  Belfast BT15 3AR

  647,000

  Nih Housing Association Ltd.

  'Hazelbank'

  361 Shore Road

  Newtownabbey

  Co Antrim BT37 9SA

  8,361,000

  Northern Ireland Co-ownership

  Housing Association Ltd.

  Murray House

  Murray Street

  Belfast BT1 6DN

  20,685,000

  North Belfast Mission Housing Society Ltd.

  17 Palmerston Road

  Belfast BT4 1QA

  251,000

  Open Door Housing Association

  (Northern Ireland) Ltd.

  10–14 Commercial Court

  Belfast BT1 2NB

  1,980,000

  Presbyterian Housing Association (NI) Ltd.

  Lamont House

  Purdy's Lane

  Newtownbreda

  Belfast BT8 4AX

  3,210,000

  The Royal British Legion Housing Association

  (Northern Ireland) Ltd.

  War Memorial Building

  Waring Street

  Belfast BT1 2EU

  4,478,000

  St. Matthews Housing Association Limited

  58 Harper Street

  Belfast BT5 4EN

  9,000

  Students' Housing Association Co-op Ltd.

  3/5 Botanic Avenue

  Belfast BT7 1JG

  3,861,000

  Tennent Street District Housing Association Ltd.

  229 Tennent Street

  Belfast BT13 3GG

  1,650,000

  Triangle Women's Housing Association Ltd.

  Citizen's Advice Centre

  Queen Street

  Coleraine

  960,000

  Ulidia Housing Association Ltd.

  57A Botanic Avenue

  Belfast BT7 1JF

  724,000

  Ulster Homemaker Ltd.

  c/o NIFHA

  Carlisle Memorial Centre

  88 Clifton Street

  Belfast BT13 1AB

  Nil

  Willowfield Parish Church

  Housing Association Ltd.

  131 Ravenhill Road

  Belfast BT6 8DR

  9,000

  Woodvale & Shankill Housing Association Ltd.

  58 Rosebank Street

  Belfast BT13 3HB

  2,523,000

  Meningitis
  Mr. Kilfedder
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give the number of cases of meningitis recorded in Northern Ireland and the number of deaths from meningitis, showing the ages of the patients concerned for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Hanley
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman as soon as possible.

  Police (Disciplinary Proceedings)
  Mr. McNamara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many police officers have been (i) made the subject of internal disciplinary proceedings and (ii) prosecuted as a result of incidents detected by closed circuit television monitoring of interviews of suspects detained under the terrorism provisions.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 15 October 1991]: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Rehabilitation Medicine
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will estimate the number of consultants in rehabilitation medicine in post in Northern Ireland in December(a) 1980, (b) 1985, (c) 1990 and (d) July 1991, respectively.

  Mr. Hanley
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: Detailed information concerning medical staff in post is categorised by speciality, rehabilitation medicine is not recognised as a separate specialty for this purpose. In September 1990, however, the latest date for which figures are available centrally, there were five—4·55 whole-time equivalent—consultants within the rheumatology and rehabilitation specialty some of whom would have been engaged in rehabilitation medicine. The equivalent figure for both September 1980 and September 1985 was three.

  Homicides in Northern Ireland 1966–1990

  Year

  Murder

  Manslaughter

  Infanticide

  Total

  1966

  3

  0

  —

  3

  1967

  8

  1

  —

  9

  1968

  2

  4

  —

  6

  1969

  5

  8

  —

  13

  1970

  14

  6

  —

  20

  1971

  123

  21

  —

  144

  1972

  376

  17

  —

  393

  1973

  200

  15

  —

  215

  1974

  205

  8

  —

  213

  1975

  238

  9

  —

  247

  1976

  280

  11

  —

  291

  1977

  116

  5

  2

  123

  1978

  82

  2

  1

  85

  1979

  128

  7

  1

  136

  1980

  85

  5

  3

  93 (5)

  1981

  95

  7

  0

  102 (2)

  1982

  99

  5

  0

  104 (4)

  1983

  86

  4

  1

  91 (6)

  1984

  63

  2

  0

  65 (2)

  1985

  59

  2

  0

  61 (2)

  1986

  85

  2

  0

  87 (2)

  1987

  100

  6

  3

  109 (4)

  1988

  111

  5

  0

  116 (4)

  1989

  67

  8

  0

  75 (1)

  1990

  71

  11

  0

  82 (1)

  Total

  2,701

  171

  11

  2,883

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 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. Brooke
  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. My Department is liaising closely with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office on the preparation of this report.

  Homicide
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish the figures for(a) the total number of homicides in Northern Ireland and (b) the total number of homicides in Northern Ireland 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.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: In Northern Ireland, the death penalty for most categories of murder was abolished in 1966, and for all murders in 1973. The following information gives the total number of homicides since 1966. Figures for infanticide and deaths of children under 14 are available only from 1977 and 1980 respectively.
  557
  Notes:

  1. From 1968 to 1976 information on infanticides is included in "manslaughter".

  2. Figures in brackets ( ) refer to children under the age of 14.

WALES

  Sport (Schools)
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what assessment he has made of the impact of local management and funding of schools upon the extracurricular activities of children in sport.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Under local management of schools, governing bodies of schools take their own decisions on the provision of extra-curricular activities in sport. They are best placed to make decisions about priorities within their schools and about the needs of individual children.

  Landfill Gas Schemes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the landfill gas schemes(a) currently in operation and (b) being proposed in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I am not aware of any current or proposed landfill gas schemes in Wales.

  Adult Education
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received during the past three months on the question of charging structures for adult education; whether the letter sent out to hon. Members by the Department of Education and Science represents Welsh Office policy on the issue; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Department has received 132 representations during the past three months about future funding arrangements for adult education. The letter which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science sent to hon. Members on 24 September 1991, with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales' agreement, sets out the Government's policy for adult education in England and Wales.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make it his policy not to pursue the issue of paying for adult education, in any manner that discriminates against non-vocational courses in the financial structure of adult education.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Our policy on adult education does not discriminate against non-vocational courses. Our proposals will place a duty on the new Further Education funding council for Wales to support courses of the kind listed in chapter 3 of volume 2 of the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century". Local education authorities will continue to have a duty to provide for recreational and leisure courses for adults and they will continue to receive support for this purpose through revenue support grant. The Government intend that local authorities should have the freedom to decide how to respond to the demand for adult education in their area, as they do at the moment, and to set out the level of fees which students are charged.

  Hazardous Waste 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 hazardous waste that was imported.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Returns on the importation of hazardous waste into the United Kingdom are available only for the period since the introduction of the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations in October 1988.

  The information in respect of Welsh ports for the years to 31 March 1989, 1990 and 1991 is shown in the following table.

  (tonnes)

  Port

  Holyhead

  Newport

  Swansea

  October 1988 to 31 March 1989

  —

  43·0

  —

  1 April 1989 to 31 March 1990

  156·2

  1,327·0

  5·2

  1 April 1990 to 31 March 1991

  815·9

  4,517·3

  10·1

  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 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.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information requested is given in the following table for the two latest years. Corresponding figures for Government Departments or agencies and private landlords are not centrally available. The numbers given for housing associations are not comparable with those of the local authorities. The former refer to units rather than dwellings and contain a high proportion of units purchased specifically for rehabilitation.

  Vacant dwellings by tenure

  Local authorities1

  Housing associations2

  1990

  3,023

  1,152

  1991

  2,430

  1,196

  1 Source: Welsh Office local authority returns, at 1 April

  2 Source: Housing for Wales. at 31 March.

  Nurses (Regrading)
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines are issued by his Department to the health service in Wales with regard to the length of time within which appeals by nursing staff against regrading decisions should be heard; and what proportion of such appeals have taken over 12 months to be heard.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Agreed procedures for pursuing staff grievances are set out in section 32 of the general Whitley Council conditions of service which bind
  559
  employing authorities and employees. There is no time limit within which appeals made to the employing authority should be heard and information on the numbers of nurse regrading appeals which have taken longer than 12 months to be completed is not held centrally. At the all-Wales level the time needed by staff sides and management alike to prepare for subsequent nurse regrading appeals lodged by staff organisations or trade unions, following unsuccessful appeals at the local level, has resulted in the majority of appeals taking longer than 12 months to complete.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will set up an investigation into the appeals system in relation to the regrading of nurses, in dealing effectively and expeditiously with the appeals by school nurses in Gwynedd; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Staff grievance procedures are set out in section 32 of the general Whitley Council agreement, which provides for three levels of appeals. When the clinical grading structure was negotiated, the nursing trades unions chose not to pursue the possibility of introducing more streamlined procedures. However, all regrading appeals from nurses in Gwynedd have been completed at the employing authority level. Progress in hearing appeals at other levels is dependent upon the submission of case statements from both staff sides and management and the availability of people to present and hear cases. Measures designed to speed up the mechanics have recently been implemented at the regional, all-Wales level and at national level a range of new proposals is being discussed between both sides of the Nursing and Midwifery Staffs Negotiating Council.

  Toxic Waste
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by location in Wales, the current sites of high-temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is not available within the Department.

  High temperature incineration of waste can take place where so authorised within factory premises or in merchant plant available for disposal contracts. The only merchant incinerator in Wales is located at Panteg, Pontypool, Gwent.

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

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  There are no planning proposals for such high temperature incinerators currently before the Secretary of State for decision.

  Dental Health
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the cost to public funds of preventive dental health programmes in Wales for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Responsibility for arranging for the provision of dental health education and preventive programmes is delegated to district health authorities. Information on the cost of such programmes is not available centrally.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what his latest estimate is of the amount expected from the RECHAR programme for mining communities in Wales; and what proportion this is of the total expressed(a) for the United Kingdom and (b) for all Community coalfield areas.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Wales expects to receive some £18·6 million for the industrial south Wales RECHAR programme. This amounts to 6·6 per cent. of the total RECHAR allocation across the Community and 17 per cent. of the expected United Kingdom allocation.

  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the schemes submitted to the European Commission under the RECHAR programme; and how many have to date been approved.

  Mr. David Hunt
  None. The European Commission has not yet approved the RECHAR programme for industrial south Wales. Applications for individual projects cannot be invited until the RECHAR programme has been approved.

  Homelessness
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table showing the most recent estimate of expenditure by local authorities on accommodating homeless families in temporary or bed-and-breakfast accommodation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Local authority net current expenditure on bed-and-breakfast accommodation for homeless persons in 1989–90 was £1,091,000. Expenditure information on homeless persons in other forms of temporary accommodation is not available centrally.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently homeless in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  During the quarter April to June 1991, 6,039 persons were included in households accepted as homeless by local authorities under section 58 of the Housing Act 1985.

  Nurses
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what estimate he has made of the number of newly qualified nurses currently seeking employment in the national health service.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Figures for those newly qualified nurses who are currently seeking employment in the national health service in Wales are not available.

  However, the number of all student nurses, midwives and health visitors expected to become eligible for registration with the Welsh National Board during the period April 1991 to March 1992 is estimated at 1,334.

  Property Act
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received urging the enactment of a new Property Act for Wales; and if he will make a statement.
  561
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have received representations from a number of individuals and bodies.

  Video Recordings
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 19 June,Official Report, column 173, if he will make it his practice to keep central records of lists of titles of the video recordings purchased by his Department.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No.

  Employment Action
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people have accepted places on the employment action programme to date(a) in the Merthyr Tydfil and Rhymney constituency, (b) in Mid-Glamorgan and (c) in Wales.

  FHSA

  Population (thousands)1

  People registered2

  Ratio3

  Clwyd

  411·8

  175,607

  1,611

  Dyfed

  354·0

  146,510

  1,495

  Gwent

  447·5

  191,259

  1,427

  Gwynedd

  241·1

  102,835

  1,659

  Mid Glamorgan

  539·6

  198,895

  1,462

  Powys

  117·4

  48,434

  1,275

  South Glamorgan

  406·8

  187,724

  1,478

  West Glamorgan

  363·2

  178,611

  1,385

  1 Mid year estimate 1990.

  2 As at 30 September 1991.

  3 People registered divided by the number of general dental practitioners (as at 30 June 1991).

  Chromium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not available centrally. The nature of wastes going into specific landfill sites and suitable operational precautions are matters for waste disposal authorities under the licensing provisions of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by(a) year and (b) by regional health authority for the last five years, the number of cases of (i) chromium poisoning and (ii) chromium contamination that have been reported.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  During the last five years (1986 to 1990 inclusive), there have been two admissions to Welsh hospitals, both in 1987, for which the diagnosis was the toxic effects of chromium.

  Since 1986–87, certain forms of chrome ulceration, a condition contracted through occupational exposure to chromium, have been reported under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations. The figures, for Wales, for each year from 1986–87 are listed as follows. Information on other forms of chromium poisoning or chromium contamination is not available.
  562
  Mr. David Hunt
  Places have been available on employment action since 1 October 1991. Information on participants is not yet available.

  Dental Services
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report for each health authority area in Wales (a) its population, (b) the number of people registered with a general dental practitioner and (c) the ratio of dental practitioners to the number of people registered.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information, which is given by family health service authority area, is given in the following table.

  Reported cases of chrome ulcerations

  Number

  1986–87

  4

  1987– 88

  6

  1988–89

  1

  1989–90

  1

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

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to my reply to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 19 June 1991. Expenditure to date in this financial year is now £15,219·80.

  Health Authority Chairmen (Salaries)
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish in the Official Report the current salary levels of each health authority chairman in Wales and indicate the number of days per week each is employed.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is contained in the table.

  Remuneration of health authority chairmen in Wales

  Band

  Current rates1

  Notional days per week

  District Health Authorities

  South Glamorgan

  1

  17,610

  3·5

  Mid Glamorgan

  1

  17,610

  3·5

  563

  Band

  Current rates1

  Notional days per week

  West Glamorgan

  1

  17,610

  3·5

  Gwent

  1

  17,610

  3·5

  Clwyd

  1

  17,610

  3·5

  Gwynedd

  2

  15,659

  3·25

  East Dyfed

  2

  15,659

  3·25

  Powys

  3

  13,812

  3·0

  Pembrokeshire

  3

  13,812

  3·0

  Health promotion authority for Wales

  3

  13,812

  3·0

  Family Health Service Authorities

  South Glamorgan

  2

  10,705

  2·5

  Mid Glamorgan

  2

  10,705

  2·5

  West Glamorgan

  2

  10,705

  2·5

  Gwent

  2

  10,705

  2·5

  Clwyd

  2

  10,705

  2·5

  Dyfed

  2

  10,705

  2·5

  Powys

  3

  9,903

  2·5

  Gwynedd

  3

  9,903

  7·5

  1 From l January 1991. All current rates are under review.

  Bathing Beaches
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will place in the Library the detailed results of the bathing waters monitoring carried out on Welsh beaches in the summer.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Details of the monitoring are on public registers maintained by the Welsh region of the National Rivers Authority (NRA) available for inspection at its offices during normal working hours. A summary of the information relating to EC identified bathing waters will be contained within the report prepared under article 13 of the EC bathing water directive and, as in previous years, a copy will be placed in the Library of the House. I understand that the NRA will again publish a report containing the results of its sampling of both designated and non-designated waters in England and Wales.

  Cardiac Treatment
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to announce the location and start-up date for the second cardiac centre in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Priority is being given to improving facilities at the University hospital of Wales, enabling it to meet its target of 800 open heart operations per annum. Options for further expanding capacity to meet the target for south Wales recommended by the cardiology committee of the Royal College of Physicians, will be addressed as this programme of investment is concluded.

  Juvenile Macular Degeneration
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish the latest available figures showing the total number of recorded cases of juvenile macular degeneration in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The number of cases of juvenile macular degeneration is not recorded centrally. However, information available indicates that there were only seven admissions of persons under the age of 16, to hospitals in Wales during the 10 year period 1981–1990, where this diagnosis was recorded.

  South Glamorgan Health Authority
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the totals of(a) in-patients, (b) out-patients, (c) day patients and (d) accident and emergency patients treated by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is as follows:

  1979

  1990–91

  In-patients

  67,526

  84,392

  Out-patients

  102,545

  113,610

  Day cases

  10,704

  19,155

  New accident and emergency out-patients

  78,684

  85,213

  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many administrative and clerical staff were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date;

  (2) how many nurses and midwives were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date;

  (3) how many doctors and dentists were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date;

  (4) how many professional and technical staff were employed by South Glamorgan health authority in 1979 and at the latest available date.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information, which relates to staff in post (whole-time equivalents) as at 30 September, is as follows:

  1979

  1991

  Administrative and clerical staff

  1,410

  1,731

  Nursing and midwifery staff1

  4,211

  4,875

  Professional and technical staff

  1,123

  1,510

  1979

  1990

  Medical and dental staff

  604

  718

  1 1979 figures included Blood Transfusion staff, 1991 excludes them.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what steps he is taking following the Trades Union Congress statement on inward investment from Japan in his efforts to attract more such investment for Wales;

  (2) what is his estimate of the impact on inward investment to Wales, both already made and potentially to be made, following the Trades Union Congress statement on such investment from Japan.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I deplore the TUC motion. Japanese companies make a very substantial contribution to our outstanding record of attracting overseas investment to Wales. They are widely welcomed; and many of them have undertaken expansions which illustrate how successful they are. I have every confidence that Wales will continue to be an extremely attractive location for future Japanese investment.

  EC Funding
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will make representations to the EC to continue funding projects in the county of South Glamorgan under objective II of the European regional development fund in view of the current levels of unemployment;

  (2) if he will make representations to the European Commission to take account of the increased level of unemployment in Cardiff as well as in the valleys and other areas of Wales by the continued funding of projects in all such areas of Wales under objective II of the European regional development fund.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The objective 2 area of industrial south Wales will continue to be eligible for structural fund assistance under the appropriate Community support framework for 1992–93.

  Mental Illness
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether it remains Government policy that social service departments will continue to have statutory responsibility to ensure the provision of social care for the mentally ill discharged to the community.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Yes.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if social service departments in Wales will have overall responsibility for drawing up community social care plans for the mentally ill after consultation with health and other agencies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Under the Welsh Office mental illness strategy social service departments are required to work with other statutory and voluntary agencies. and user and carer interests in each county, to produce joint plans to meet the requirements for care and support of people with mental illnesses, including social care.

  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if it remains the intention of Her Majesty's Government that responsibility for funding the social care costs of the mentally ill in the community assessed to be in need of residential care should be transferred to social service departments.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Securing social care for people with mental illnesses is already the responsibility of social services authorities. Under the Welsh Office mental illness strategy all agencies are required to work together and deploy available resources to achieve more accessible services. These resources include those provided by social services authorities, as well as those provided by the Welsh Office as direct grants under the strategy. In addition health authorities can transfer resources for social care to social services authorities. From April 1993, further resources will be progressively transferred to the social services authorities from the social security programme as part of our more general "Caring for People" White Paper reforms.

  Disability
  Mr. John P. Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if Her Majesty's Government will reconsider implementing section 7 of the Disabled Persons (Services, Consultation and Representation) Act 1986.
  566
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The need to implement section 7 will be reconsidered in the light of experience in implementing the Government's comprehensive programme of action to secure effective care after hospital treatment which, in Wales, is being taken forward under the all-Wales mental illness strategy.

  Languages
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many students in Wales in each of the years 1987 to date achieved at least a D grade in A-level French. German, Spanish and Italian. respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information, provided by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is as follows:

  French

  German

  Spanish

  Italian

  1987

  555

  172

  51

  9

  1988

  532

  194

  55

  12

  1989

  702

  159

  62

  7

  1990

  857

  265

  79

  8

  1991

  1,091

  326

  83

  3

  Students in Wales can sit examinations with boards other than the WJEC. In recent years the proportion of candidates sitting examinations in Wales with the WJEC has been approximately 95 per cent. of all candidates.

  GCSE
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many students in Wales in each of the years 1987 to date achieved at least a C grade in GCSE Latin and classical Greek, respectively; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many students in Wales in each of the years 1987 to date achieved at least a C grade in GCSE French, German, Spanish and Italian. respectively; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information, provided by the Welsh Joint Education Committee, is as follows:

  11987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  French

  3,125

  4,774

  5,841

  5,708

  6,283

  German

  711

  1,127

  1,341

  1,414

  1,530

  Spanish

  142

  192

  223

  322

  316

  Italian

  56

  38

  34

  64

  41

  Latin

  242

  127

  98

  83

  62

  Greek

  7

  9

  3

  2

  1

  1 GCE 'O' level.

  Students in Wales can sit examinations with boards other than the WJEC. In recent years the proportion of candidates sitting examinations in Wales with the WJEC has been approximately 95 per cent. of all candidates.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Two private firms are regularly employed to provide security services under contracts valued as follows:
  567

  £000s

  1984–85

  73

  1985–86

  85

  1986–87

  88

  1987–88

  89

  1988–89

  92

  1989–90

  99

  1990–91

  105

  Commencing in 1991–92 occasional use has also been made of private security firms for special events where costs and numbers of employees vary according to individual circumstances. Services provided under these arrangements are estimated to cost £9,000 in 1991–92.

  Ty Manor, Castell Caereinion
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if his Department will provide special project funding to Cadw for the conservation and restoration of Ty Manor medieval hall, Castelle Caereinion; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Ty Mawr, Castell Caereinion is in the care of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State.

  The Landmark trust, which has expressed an interest in the building, and Cadw—Welsh Historic Monuments Executive Agency—have worked together, drawing on advice from the Ancient Monuments Board for Wales, and a restoration feasibility and cost appraisal study has been carried out. This was fully funded by the Department. We are continuing to review with our statutory advisors how best to see this important structure for the future.

  Disability
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to introduce orange badge disabled facilities for those suffering from inflammatory bowel disease.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  There are no plans to extend the orange badge scheme to sufferers of inflammatory bowel disease. The scheme is principally designed to assist people with permanent and severe mobility problems.

  Health Service
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the establishment of district nurses, midwives and health visitors in the Aberystwyth area; and how many of the posts are filled at the present time.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales whether he has offered any help, financial or otherwise, towards public relations to any health unit in Wales that was considering opting out of the district health structure and forming a trust.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  To date only Pembrokeshire health authority has received a financial contribution towards the costs incurred through preparing an application for NHS trust status.

  Acid Rain
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many representations he has received during the past three months on the issue of acid rain in Wales; and if he 568
  will make a statement on the Government's policy with regard to overcoming the environmental threats posed by acid rain in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  We have received a number of representations in recent months. The Government's policy on acid rain is set out in the 1990 Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance" and the first year report on the White Paper published last month.

  The Government have responded decisively to the threat of acid rain. In 1984, the Government adopted the aim of reducing annual sulphur dioxide emissions from all existing sources by 30 per cent. on 1980 levels by the year 2000, and we are on target to meet that objective. Emissions of sulphur dioxide in Britain have declined significantly in recent years—by about 24 per cent. from 1980 levels and by almost 40 per cent. from 1970 levels. The Government have a substantial programme of action in hand to ensure that this trend continues.

  Coastal Flooding
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Towyn and Kimnel Bay branch of Pensioners Voice concerning the Towyn floods; what steps he has taken to assure himself of the adequacy of the new sea defence system to prevent any recurrences of the disaster; whether any future steps are to be taken to rejuvenate the environment in the area affected by the floods; what investigations have been undertaken by his Department into the extent to which builders have exploited the flood victims; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Secretary of the Towyn and Kimnel Bay branch of Pensioners Voice has written to me on several occasions.

  Sea defences at Towyn are now being permanently strengthened by British Rail. The scheme has been designed by a leading firm of consulting engineers and the design itself has been model tested at a leading hydraulics laboratory.

  Efforts to rejuvenate the environment continue. The Welsh Development Agency has already provided £500,000 of grant aid for environmental improvements and on completion of the planned programme will have spent some £1·2 million. In addition, the Wales tourist board has recently launched "Quest" (Quality Upgrading and Environmental Scheme Towyn) and several caravan sites have already shown an interest in taking advantage of £200,000 which has been targeted by the board at Towyn.

  Significant numbers of garden grants have also been made available from the charity fund and the fund is still open for inquiries.

  I understand that the Welsh Consumers Council is currently looking into the activities of private builders in the area.

  Welsh Teaching
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how much extra funding for Welsh teaching has been given to Gwent county council, as a result of changes in the national curriculum;

  (2) how much extra funding he intends to make available for the teaching of Welsh, as a consequence of changes in the national curriculum.
  569
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  I shall write to the hon. Gentleman and place a copy of my letter in the Library of the House.

  ReChem International
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to visit the ReChem International plant at Pontypool.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have no present plans to do so.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he now intends to hold a public inquiry into ReChem International, Pontypool, following the latest findings by the university of East Anglia.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The University of East Anglia's interim report, based on existing data, is an interim stage in the comprehensive independent survey of PCBs and their degradation products which I announced in August 1990 in acceptance of the recommendation of the Select Committee on Welsh Affairs. The survey will take another 18 months to complete. On its conclusion, a comprehensive report of its findings will be made publicly available.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list those Welsh counties which provide nursery education in Wales; and how many full and part-time places in those counties are offered.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The number of pupils aged under five receiving education at January 1990 is given in the tables 2.03 and 2.04 of "Statistics of Education in Wales: Schools No. 4 1990", a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Information about the number of places available is not held centrally.

  Further Education
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received in Wales regarding the transfer of post-16 year education in colleges from the local authorities to the Welsh Office; and how many were(a) in favour and (b) against.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  There have been 472 responses to the White Paper "Education and Training for the 21st Century". The proposal in the White Paper is to transfer responsibility for further education and sixth form colleges from the local education authorities to a new further education funding council for Wales. Of the total number of responses received, 11 opposed the transfer. The great majority of responses did not comment on this aspect.

  Council House Waiting Lists
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many people are currently on council house waiting lists in Wales.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not held centrally. Valid comparison between different local authorities' lists is hindered by divergence in local authority practice.

  Warden Schemes
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authority OAP warden schemes were constructed in Wales last year.
  570
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not collected centrally. However, the number of local authority dwellings completed with wardens for the elderly in 1990 was 164.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many local authority houses were constructed in Wales last year.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A total of 551 local authority dwellings were completed during 1990.

  Local Government Reorganisation
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to announce his decision on local government reorganisation in Wales, following the latest consultation exercise.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In due course. The consultation period ends on 31 October 1991.

  Council Tax
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he intends to introduce a council tax in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On 1 April 1993.

  School Buildings
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much extra capital funding for the repair and replacement of old school buildings in Wales he intends to provide in the current and forthcoming financial years.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Our plans for 1991–92 were announced last December. Assumed gross provision for education, at £220·8 million represented a 24 per cent. increase over the previous financial year. I expect the decision regarding the level and distribution of capital resources to local authorities for 1992–93 to be made known towards the end of November 1991.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many schools have applied to optout of local authority control; and what proportion of schools in Wales this number constitutes.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Four secondary schools and one infant school have applied for grant-maintained status. This represents 0·23 per cent. of the total number of schools in Wales.

  Llantarnam Bypass
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects the Llantarnam bypass to be(a) started and (b) completed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The A4042 Llantarnam bypass scheme is planned to start before April 1994 subject to satisfactory completion of engineering design and statutory procedures and the availability of finance. It will take about two years to complete.

  Heads of the Valley Road
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he plans to upgrade the heads of the valley road to a dual carriageway.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Plans to dual the heads of the valley road were announced in May. The start of construction depends on completion of engineering design and statutory procedures and the availability of finance. A start is unlikely before 1997. Engineering design consultants are to be commissioned shortly.

  M4
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has any plans to widen the M4 in Wales.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  My right hon. Friend announced on 14 May my intention to widen the M4 between Castleton and Coryton to a three-lane dual carriageway and to provide a relief motorway around Newport in the longer term.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects construction work on the Baglan stretch of the M4 to be completed.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Baglan-Lonlas section of the M4 is expected to be completed around the end of 1994.

  Second Severn Crossing
  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he intends to increase funding to the Gwent county council as a consequence of the building, maintenance and policing of the second Severn crossing.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The cost of building and maintenance will be the responsibility of the concessionaire for the period of concession. Policing is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary. I understand that the chief constable plans to bid for extra manpower from 1993–94.

  Mr. Murphy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects construction work to commence on the second Severn crossing.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The construction period is planned to commence shortly after Royal Assent of the Severn Bridges Bill.

  Direct Service Organisations
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he has received any responses to the statutory notices he issued to local authorities in Wales in respect of financial losses made by their direct service organisations.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Responses have been received from all the authorities, and I shall give careful consideration to them. Councils must be given every opportunity to provide their services in a way that gives best value to the chargepayer, and I believe that to achieve this it is essential to ensure that the private sector is given every opportunity of competing effectively. I believe that there is scope for improving the current competition arrangements, and for widening the range of activities open to tendering from private companies, and we shall be considering how these objectives can be attained.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will list the grants or other financial help being given by his Department direct to each hospital in Wales in the present financial year(a) to improve patient care and (b) for any purposes other than for preparing an application for trust status;

  (2) if he will list the grant figure being given by his Department to each hospital in Wales which is choosing to remain as a unit managed directly by the local health authority.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 17 October 1991]: My right hon. Friend has no powers to make allocations direct to particular hospitals.

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, if he will list the figure given or offered by his Department to each hospital in Wales towards the costs of drawing up an application for trust status.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [pursuant to his reply, 17 October 1991, c. 208]: Self-governing trusts are the way forward for the provision of services in the NHS in Wales. Decisions to apply for trust status are for units to take in the light of their local circumstances but health authorities have an important enabling role to play. I shall be looking for confirmation that their boards and managements are co-operating fully in their units' aspirations and assisting the application process.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Pensioners' Incomes
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of pensioner households have been dependent on state pensions and benefits for at least 75 per cent. of their income in each of the last 10 years.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I will write to my hon. Friend as soon as this information is available.

  Pensions
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimated percentage of total pensioners who will be drawing a state earnings-related pension in(a) 1992, (b) 1995, (c) 2000, (d) 2005, (e) 2010, (f) 2015, (g) 2020 and (h) 2025, respectively.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Benefits
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give his most recent estimate of DSS benefits unclaimed for the financial year 1990–91 and the Government resources allocated to identifying individuals in that category.

  Mr. Jack
  The latest available information on the take-up of the income-related benefits is for 1987 and is contained in the published "Estimates of Take-up", a copy of which is available in the Library.
  573
  Information about the resources for identifying individuals who may be eligible for such benefit could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the likely impact of SI 1991, No. 1950 on eliminating backdated claims for benefit and the numbers affected; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The amendment regulations in SI 1991, No. 1950 define more explicitly the circumstances in which unlimited arrears of benefit are payable on review in cases of official error. They carry forward in a more specific format the provisions of the previous regulation 72. It is still possible, therefore, for claimants to obtain unlimited arrears of benefit provided that there is evidence to show that there has been official error.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the likely impact of SI. 1991, 1520 on reducing entitlement to family credit and income support and the numbers affected; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  SI 1991 No. 1520 amends the Family Credit (General) Regulations 1987. It reduces the number of hours which a person will need to work to satisfy the remunerative work rule in family credit from 24 to 16 hours from April 1992. Otherwise it contains only minor amendments.

  The change in the hours rule will not reduce entitlement to family credit. On the contrary, it will bring many more families into eligibility. We estimate that around 45,000 families on income support and working 16 or more hours a week will become eligible for family credit in April 1992. Around 30,000 of them will be entitled to more family credit than they would otherwise receive in income support. For the remainder, there will be protection arrangements which will enable them to continue to receive income support, where appropriate on top of their family credit.

  We expect that a further 35,000 families with a parent who is already working 16 hours or more will come on to family credit in due course after April 1992. In the longer term we expect the reduction in the qualifying hours rule to attract many more people into work and on to family credit and thus become better off.

  Separate provisions will ensure that an estimated 15,000 people without dependent children working between 16 and 24 hours a week and receiving income support at the point of change will continue to be entitled to that benefit from April 1992.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, pursuant to his answer of 18 October,Official Report, columns 275–76, if he will give the number and

  Year

  Unemployed claimants

  As proportion of all claimants receiving help with mortgages Per cent

  Lone parents

  As proportion of all claimants receiving help with mortgages Per cent

  Supplementary Benefit

  1981

  139,000

  71

  36,000

  18

  1982

  191,000

  81

  40,000

  17

  1983

  182,000

  75

  49,000

  20

  1984

  200,000

  72

  54,000

  19

  1986

  244,000

  69

  66,000

  19

  574
  percentage of the total of those in receipt of (a) income support pensioner premium. (b) retirement pension, (c) SERPS, (d) a and b, (e) a and c, (f) b and c.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Services, Dearne Valley
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what was the result of his Department's questionnaire sent to a random selection of clients. requesting their views on the proposed changes in the Dearne Valley area of centralising his Department's services; and if he will list the questions asked and the responses received to them.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The organisation of work in local 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.

  Funeral Expenses
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of' State for Social Security for w hat reasons his Department refused to authorise the funeral expenses of the late Mrs. Ivy Butlin, St. Bernards Hallaton Manor, Leicestershire.

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

  Mortgage Assistance
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his latest estimate of the number and proportion of unemployed claimants and lone parents on income support with mortgages to pay; how many are having their mortgage interest paid by his Department; and what were the comparable figures for each year from 1981 to 1985.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information on the number of people on income support with mortgages to pay is not routinely collected. However, amounts may be included in the assessment of income support for interest on loans taken out to buy the homes, or to make certain essential repairs and improvements to the home. Estimates of the numbers and proportion of unemployed claimants and lone parents with amounts for mortgage interest included in the assessment of supplementary benefit from 1981–86 are given in the table, as are the latest available figures for income support:
  575

  Year

  Unemployed claimants

  As proportion of all claimants receiving help with mortgages Per cent

  Lone parents

  As proportion of all claimants receiving help with mortgages Per cent

  Income Support

  1990

  88,000

  28

  77,000

  25

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiries.

  Notes: Figures for numbers of claimants are rounded to the nearest 1,000.

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

  No Enquiry was undertaken in 1985.

  Supplementary Benefit was replaced by Income Support in 1988.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what provision his Department is making to provide for the shortfall between the fees charged by residential homes and nursing homes and the level of income support under community care.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The present system of income support limits will be preserved for existing claimants who are resident in homes when the new funding structure is introduced in April 1993. As now, under those arrangements there will be limits to the level of benefit available for different types of care and these will be reviewed regularly. Subject to the normal qualifying conditions, those whose fees are at or below the limit will have their charges met in full.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish a table showing the rates of supplemental payment for individual elderly people in residential accommodation in(a) local authority homes for the elderly, (b) homes for the elderly operated by voluntary organisations, (c) nursing homes operated by voluntary organisations, (d) homes for the elderly operated by the private sector and (e) nursing homes operated by the private sector; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  In local authority residential accommodation, income support of £41·60 may be paid towards the minimum charge, together with £10·40 for personal expenses.

  Income support up to the following national limits may be paid to people in independent and voluntary homes:

  Limit (£ per week)

  Residential care homes

  Elderly and other (including physically disabled over pension age)

  160

  Very dependent or blind elderly

  185

  Mentally ill

  170

  Suffering from drug or alcohol dependency

  170

  Mentally handicapped

  195

  Physically disabled and disablement began under pension age

  230

  Nursing homes

  Elderly and other (including physically disabled over pension age)

  255

  Mentally ill

  255

  Suffering from drug or alcohol dependency

  255

  Mentally handicapped

  260

  Physically disabled and disablement began under pension age

  290

  Terminal illness

  275

  An amount of £11·40 is added for personal expenses in both residential care and nursing homes.
  576
  In Greater London, the limits may be increased by an amount of £23 in residential care homes and £33 in nursing homes.

  On 21 October, at Columns 639–657, my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State, announced proposals for substantial increases in all these limits from April 1992.

  Local Offices, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he next plans to visit the local offices of his Department covering the Doncaster area, to assess the effectiveness and efficiency with which these offices deal with claims.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The effectiveness and efficiency of local offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. Ministers have no plans to visit the agency's offices in the Doncaster area.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are the current targets for his Department's offices covering the Doncaster area for meeting(a) delivery and (b) accuracy for benefits administered.

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

  Pensioners
  Sir Ian Gilmour
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his replies to the right hon. Member for Chesham and Amersham,Official Report, 20 May, column 388–9, how many of the 610,000 single pensioners with less than £5 a week in addition to their state pensions. including supplementary benefit, were in receipt of supplementary housing pension; and how many were in receipt of housing benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I will write to my right hon. Friend as soon as possible.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether, pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick) of 23 July,Official Report, columns 541–43, on pensioners' incomes, he will give the same analysis for each quintile of pensioners' incomes.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply which I gave him on 18 October at columns 273–74.

  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would have been the value of the state retirement pension for(a) a single person and (b) a married couple for each of the years 1980 to 1991 if it had been uprated in line with average earnings or increase in prices, whichever was the higher.
  577
  Miss Widdecombe
  I refer my hon. Friend to my reply to him on 14 October at columns 52–53.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security further to his reply to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 18 October on persons in receipt of state pensions and SERPS, if he will give figures on the same basis as the current table, showing the numbers in each category had the scheme remained unaltered since 1979.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security, further to his answer to the hon. Member for Nottingham, North of 18 October on persons in receipt of state pensions and SERPS, what social security characteristics and qualifications are common to the individuals currently receiving £29 or more as a SERPS pension.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the maximum amount of additional pension from state earnings-related pension currently being paid to any individual.

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

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

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

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each social security office in(a) Kincardine and Deeside district and (b) Aberdeen district the numbers of social fund applications (i) submitted and (ii) rejected on grounds of insufficient priority in each of these categories (1) grants, (2) budget loans and (3) crisis loans in each year since 1988–89 and the most recent figures for the first months of 1991–92.

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

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will give the figures for the latest and previous years as to how many applications there have 578
  been to the various components of the social fund in Nottingham; how many have been accepted or refused, giving percentage for each and the grounds for refusal; and what percentage of loans have been recovered.

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

  Single Parents
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many single parents in each of the three parliamentary constituencies covering Doncaster receive income support; and what were the comparable figures for(a) 12 months, (b) 24 months, (c) 36 months and (d) 48 months ago.

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

  Grants and Loans, Scotland
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the initial financial allocations in the current financial year for(a) grants, (b) budget loans and (c) crisis loans for each social security office in Scotland; and if he will give any additional allocations made to Scottish social security offices, respectively, after April.

  Mr. Scott
  Details of the initial April 1991 allocations made to Scottish social security district offices for social fund loans and grants are held in the Library. Details of additional allocations made since the start of the current financial year were placed in the Library after the end of the summer recess.

  Allocations made to each district in respect of loans are not further divided into separate crisis and budgeting loan sections.

  Seasonal Unemployment
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he last reviewed the rules governing seasonal unemployment.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Following a review of the unemployment benefit scheme in 1988 the legislative provisions preventing the payment of benefit to seasonal workers during their off-season were repealed by the Social Security Act 1989. The Act also introduced the requirement for unemployed claimants to show that they are actively seeking work as a basic condition of entitlement to benefit.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Jack
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Community Charge
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the estimated cost to public funds of poll tax benefit to eligible water consumers in(a) the last and (b) the present financial year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Community charge benefit helps people on low incomes pay their personal community charge and collective community charge contributions. There is no benefit specifically designed to help claimants pay water charges.

  National Insurance Contributions
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his estimate of the number of people who have been reclassified by his Department as employed rather than self-employed for the purpose of national insurance contributions since 1979.

  Mr. Jack
  I understand from Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency, that the information is not available.

DUCHY OF LANCASTER

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Chris Patten
  None.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  House of Commons Broadcasting
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list all the individuals and organisations who currently have access to the live feed of television pictures of the House.

  Mr. MacGregor
  The information requested is as follows:

  The organisations and individuals within the House and its outbuildings who receive a clean television feed from the Chamber are: Mr. Speaker; Mr. Speaker's Secretary; the Chairman of Ways and Means; the supervisor of broadcasting; the parliamentary sound archive unit; and the Press Gallery (within which some broadcasting organisations have made their own separate arrangements). There are also monitors in each of the Division Lobbies. Although some Government Departments have arranged through the Central Office of Information to take the clean feed, this facility does not apply to Ministers' rooms in the House. The Select Committee on Broadcasting has considered on a number of occasions whether Members should be allowed to receive the clean feed in their rooms but, hitherto, has taken the view that that would be costly and intrusive, and might discourage attendance in the Chamber. The Committee has said, however, that it will keep the matter under review.
  580
  So far as organisations outside the House are concerned, all the main broadcasters within the United Kingdom (that is, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, BSkyB and cable companies) are entitled under the terms of the first report of the Select Committee on Televising of Proceedings of the House of Session 1988–89 to receive the clean feed. As regards foreign-based broadcasters, BBC and ITN make available on the daily Eurovision news exchange extracts from the clean feed of up to two minutes, whilst House of Commons Broadcasting Unit Ltd. (now Parliamentary Broadcasting Unit Ltd., PARBUL) has licensed WTN and Visnews to supply overseas customers with material from the House of Commons of not more than five minutes duration. In addition, a large number of foreign broadcasters have been licensed to take longer coverage, including:

  Country

  Company

  Australia

  ABC

  Channel 9

  Canada

  CBC

  Germany

  ARD

  ZDF

  Hong Kong

  TVB News

  Asia TV

  Ireland

  RTE

  Japan

  NHK

  United States

  ABC

  CBS

  CNN

  C-Span

  NBC

  The Press Association has been licensed to provide newspapers with still photographs of the Chamber. These are made, using a freeze-frame technique, from a clean feed supplied for the purpose.

  There are a further 26 organisations, mainly in broadcasting or the press, who are already authorised to take a clean sound feed and who on the basis of a policy decision taken by the Select Committee are also entitled, without the need to seek separate permission, to take a clean television feed if they wish. Very few of these organisations have in fact exercised their right to receive the television feed, although precise information about their identity is not readily available since, as indicated, they do not need the further approval of the Select Committee to do so. The full list of 26 is as follows:

  British Forces Broadcasting Service

  Manx Radio

  South African Broadcasting Corporation

  National Public Radio (USA)

  Radio stations affiliated to the National Association of Hospital Broadcasting Organisations

  Scandinavian Broadcasting (Danish [DR], Finnish [YLE], Norwegian and Swedish radio and television)

  Voice of America

  Falkland Islands Broadcasting

  Associated Press Ltd.

  IBS News Ltd.

  Radio and Television Hong Kong

  Radio Basildon

  London Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (who are authorised to supply the feed to national newspapers)

  Israel Broadcasting Authority

  Norddeutscher Rundfunk Hamburg

  581

  Westdeutscher Rundfunk Cologne

  Deutsche Welle, Cologne

  Wall Street Journal London Bureau

  Reuters Ltd.

  Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB)

  Sound Productions (Overseas Promotions) Ltd.

  TV Asahi

  Christian Science Monitor

  Telerate Europe/Gulf

  Bank of England

  New York Times London Bureau

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list those individuals and organisations who received the live coverage of the House in the period when it was covered by satellite.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I assume that the hon. Member is referring to the period of a few weeks at the end of 1989 when continuous coverage of the House's proceedings was broadcast on an experimental basis on a temporarily spare channel on one of the Astra satellites. The service was accordingly available to anyone with suitable equipment for receiving the transmissions direct from the Astra satellite or via a local cable network carrying the relevant Astra channel. This did not, however, apply to the House or any of its outbuildings, since the Services Committee had not at that stage approved the principle of access to satellite and cable services.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council (1) if he will list those individual organisations within the precincts of the House which can receive the cable or satellite signal of the sittings of the Commons and, in each case, by what authority they are permitted to do so:

  (2) by what route hon. Members can be authorised to receive the cable or satellite signal of the proceedings of the House;

  (3) if he will make a statement on the installation of a cable television service to cover the proceedings of the House and the access which hon. Members will have in their offices to the service.

  Mr. MacGregor
  At present, no one within the House or its outbuildings is either authorised, or has the technical capability, to receive cable or satellite television channels, whether or not they might carry live, continuous coverage of the House's proceedings. United Artists, for instance, intends to incorporate such a dedicated channel, from January 1992, into its local cable services. Special access to CNN's news service was, however, provided on a temporary basis, and at a single viewing point, during the Gulf war.

  A study to determine the cost and feasibility of installing such facilities on a permanent basis is being carried out by the Parliamentary Works Office and will be considered in the near future by the relevant domestic Committees established as part of the Ibbs recommendations. If the hon. Member has any specific query about this matter he should take it up direct with the appropriate Committees.

  Members' Facilities
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what examinations or analyses are currently being undertaken into Members' facilities, salaries and allowances; and by whom.
  582
  Mr. MacGregor
  As the hon. Member knows, a Select Committee of the House is currently looking into the hours of sittings of the House, and the Top Salaries Review Body is currently reviewing the office costs allowance.

  Noteworthy studies into the improvement of facilities for Members include preliminary planning for Phase 2 of the new parliamentary building by Michael Hopkins and Partners; an examination of the feasibility of converting the St. Stephen's Tavern premises for use by groups of Members' guests by Touche Ross and Co. and PSA Projects; a preliminary brief for the conversion in 1992 of the Members' and Strangers' Cafeterias for use by Members and their guests by Alex Gordon Partnerships; a study of further measures to facilitate access to and in the House for disabled Members and the public; an investigation into the cost and feasibility of introducing a broad band cable network to the House, which has been commissioned by the Parliamentary Works Office. It is also understood that the Director of Works on behalf of both Houses is arranging for consultants to conduct an examination of the cleaning arrangements for the Palace.

  Correspondence
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when the hon. Member for Worcestershire, South can expect an answer to his letters dated 15 August and 30 September.

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

  Office Costs Allowance
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement on the progress of the Hay management consultants' study and the Office of Manpower Economics contribution to the Top Salaries Review Body review of the office costs allowance.

  Mr. MacGregor
  As I announced on 25 July 1991, at column 815, I have asked the Top Salaries Review Body to conduct a review of the office costs allowance. The conduct of the review is a matter for the TSRB, but I understand that it is proceeding according to the agreed timetable.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he intends to respond to the recommendations of the third report of 1990–91 on the Select Committee on Procedure (HC 178) on parliamentary questions.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 14 October 1991]: I am presently giving careful consideration to the report and will respond as soon as is practicable.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will introduce a motion to amend the order of 27 May 1988 on the Procedure Committee to establish a Sub-Committee to decide which parliamentary questions that exceed the disproportionate cost threshold should be answered by Ministers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  No. The threshold is not binding, and it must be for Ministers to decide how to reply.

  Marchioness Accident Report
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will make a statement concerning the availability to hon. Members of the report on the Marchioness disaster, published on 15 August; and what action he has taken, or intends to take, to ensure that documents of similar importance are available to hon. Members immediately following their publication.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 14 October 1991]; There are no set guidelines covering the availability of non-command documents to hon. Members; it is up to Departments themselves to decide which documents they wish to deposit in the House.

  As regards the report on the Marchioness disaster, I understand no copies were deposited in the Vote Office, but some copies were available in the Library.

  Hon. Members can of course also order publications on "green form" basis from HMSO.

  POLIS
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what procedures hon. Members should follow to gain direct access to POLIS in their offices within the House.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Hon. Members wishing to have direct access to POLIS must already have a personal computer with modem and communications software installed in their office. The modern must be connected to a telephone line. They should apply to the Head of Computer and Technical Services Section, House of Commons Library, giving the speed and type of modem. She can then arrange for the necessary password to be assigned and for signing-on instructions to be issued to the Member.

  As I informed the House on 8 July (Official Report. columns 727–30), the installation of a House-wide data network is under consideration. If this is approved, POLIS will be accessible through the new network rather than the telephone system.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will take steps to ensure that hon. Members may have direct access to POLIS in their constituency offices and/or homes.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Hon. Members in possession of a personal computer with a modem and communications software can have direct access to POLIS from their constituency offices and/or homes through the telephone system. The only costs to Members are the telephone call charges: the cheapest method for those located outside the London telephone area is to have a contract with British Telecom for access to the packet switching system (PSS).

  Communications Facilities
  Mr. Atkinson
  To ask the Lord President of the Council what facilities exist for hon. Members to receive facsimile communications from constituents at the House.

  Mr. MacGregor
  Constituents may send facsimile messages for hon. Members direct to any Member's personal facsimile machine; alternatively a Member may arrange to receive a message through the Faxmail system at the Central Lobby post office if he or she accepts the charge for transmission and handling.

  Agencies (Replies to Members)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he expects to reply to the recommendation of the Procedure Committee that replies from agency chief executives to parliamentary questions referred to them by Ministers should appear in the Official Report.

  Mr. MacGregor
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: The Government expect to publish their response early in the new Session in the course of its reply to the latest Treasury and Civil Service Committee report on "next steps", which addressed the same issue.

HEALTH

  Long-term Patients
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what safeguards are in force to avoid misuse of long-term patients' private money savings by hospital authorities;

  (2) what safeguards are currently in force to prevent the misuse of patients' moneys when a long-stay patient is transferred from a national health service hospital into a private nursing home; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list for what purposes long-stay patients' private moneys can be used by hospital authorities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Guidance to health authorities on the custody, deposit, investment and disposal of patients' money is contained in HM(71)90, a copy of which is in the Library. Patients' moneys may be used in a variety of ways provided these are to the personal benefit of the patient and take account of their wishes in so far as these can be ascertained. They may not be spent by health authorities on items which authorities themselves are responsible for providing. Where a patient is discharged from NHS care into a private nursing home, the patient's money may not be retained by the NHS. If the patient is not capable of arranging his own affairs, the circumstance should be brought to the attention of the Court of Protection, which is responsible for ensuring the proper expenditure of any funds and that the proper benefits are claimed. The Department will be writing to health authorities and NHS trusts to ensure that both directly managed units and NHS trusts observe good practice in handling these moneys.

  Health Service, Doncaster
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current availability of the number of beds available to(a) national health service patients and (b) private patients, in (i) Doncaster royal infirmary and (ii) Mexborough Montagu hospital; and what the position was 12 months ago.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information is given in the table.

  NHS and private beds

  NHS beds

  Private beds

  March

  Doncaster Royal Infirmary

  Montagu Hospital

  Doncaster Health Authority2

  1990

  857

  154

  3

  19911

  829

  160

  3

  585
  1 Provisional.

  2 No amenity beds recorded in Doncaster health authority.

  Source: NHS bed figures KH03 (KH3Q) return (site level);

  Private bed figures KHO2 return (district level).

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the current(a) waiting time and (b) waiting

  Doncaster District Health Authority

  31 March 1990

  31 March 1991

  Specialty

  Total patients waiting

  Patients waiting over 1 year

  Patients waiting over 2 years

  In-patients treated in year 1989–90

  Total patients waiting

  Patients waiting over 1 year

  Patients waiting over 2 years

  In-patients treated in year 1990–911

  100—General Surgery

  1,029

  109

  13

  7,645

  1,298

  217

  13

  7,851

  101—Urology

  0

  0

  0

  33

  0

  0

  0

  0

  110—Trauma and Orthopaedics

  533

  131

  52

  3,185

  428

  47

  0

  3,198

  120—ENT

  1,786

  445

  24

  2,447

  1,824

  598

  70

  2,496

  130—Ophthalmology

  439

  61

  6

  982

  563

  161

  6

  963

  140—Oral Surgery

  230

  20

  5

  518

  268

  20

  4

  498

  180—Accident and Emergency

  0

  0

  0

  48

  0

  0

  0

  0

  190—Anaesthetics

  0

  0

  0

  6

  0

  0

  0

  0

  501—Obs and Gyn (Obs)

  0

  0

  0

  6,164

  0

  0

  0

  6,703

  502—Obs and Gyn (Gyn)

  621

  13

  1

  5,301

  472

  58

  1

  5,093

  300—General Medicine

  1

  0

  0

  8,927

  0

  0

  0

  8,758

  303—Haematology (Clinical)

  0

  0

  0

  217

  0

  0

  0

  116

  330—Dermatology

  4

  0

  0

  0

  4

  0

  0

  221

  340—Thoracic Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  48

  0

  0

  0

  33

  360—Genito-urinary Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  34

  0

  0

  0

  51

  410—Rheumatology

  25

  1

  0

  464

  18

  3

  0

  507

  420—Paediatrics

  0

  0

  0

  7,782

  0

  0

  0

  7,788

  430—Geriatric Medicine

  0

  0

  0

  2,462

  2

  0

  0

  2,877

  610—General Practice (Maternity)

  0

  0

  0

  399

  0

  0

  0

  300

  700—Mental Handicap

  0

  0

  0

  106

  2

  0

  0

  58

  710—Mental Illness

  33

  16

  1

  1,130

  3

  0

  0

  1,060

  711—Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  28

  0

  0

  0

  32

  715—Old Age Psychiatry

  0

  0

  0

  0

  16

  4

  3

  253

  888—Total

  4,680

  795

  102

  47,926

  4,898

  1,108

  97

  48,887

  1 In-paitents treated figures for 1990–91 are provisional.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds are currently available in Doncaster for(a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) maternity, (d) geriatric and (e) other health care; and what the comparable figures were (i) 12 months, (ii) 24 months, (iii) 36 months and (iv) 48 months previously.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Sickle Cell Anaemia
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) pursuant to his answer of 2 July,Official Report, column 117, to the hon. Member for Don Valley, if he will make it his practice to keep central records of lists by regional health authorities and by district health authorities of facilities provided for (a) sickle cell counselling, (b) sickle cell screening, (c) sickle cell ante-natal screening and (d) sickle cell post-natal screening respectively; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) pursuant to his answer to the hon. Member for Don Valley of 27 June, Official Report, column 543, if he will make it his practice to keep central records of lists by regional health authorities and by district health authorities, on the amount of funds provided for sickle cell treatment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are no plans to do so.
  586
  lists for each specialty in the Doncaster health authority, and the number of people who have waited (i) for over one year and (ii) for over two years in each specialty; and what the position was 12 months ago.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The available information is siven in the table.

  Cross-border Referrals
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the cross-boundary referral contracts between south Lincolnshire district health authority and Peterborough district health authority for 1991–92, in which south Lincolnshire is the purchaser, covers all areas of medical specialties; and whether there have been any exclusions to such provision for(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients;

  (2) how he proposes to ensure that full and proper provision for adult psychiatry patients resident in south Lincolnshire district health authority and referred by their general practitioner to Peterborough district health authority will be provided in 1992–93 for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients;

  (3) whether the cross-border referral contracts between south Lincolnshire district health authority and Peterborough district health authority for 1991–92, in which south Lincolnshire is the purchaser, includes full provision for adult psychiatry patients referred by their general practitioner as (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Dr. J. Brackenridge, the chairman of south Lincolnshire health authority, for details.
  587
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the cross-border referral contracts between Kettering district health authority and Peterborough district health authority for 1991–92, in which Kettering is the purchaser, includes full provision for adult psychiatry patients referred by their general practitioner as(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients;

  (2) how he proposed to ensure that full and proper provision for adult psychiatry patients resident in Kettering district health authority and referred by their general practitioner to Peterborough district health authority will be provided in 1992–93 for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients;

  (3) whether the cross-boundary referral contracts between Kettering district health authority and Peterborough district health authority for 1991–92, in which Kettering district health authority is the purchaser, covers all areas of medical specialties; and whether there have been any exclusions to such provision for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. R. Button, the chairman of Kettering health authority, for details.

  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) whether the cross-border referral contracts between Leicester district health authority and Peterborough district health authority for 1991–92, in which Leicester is the purchaser, includes full provision for adult psychiatry patients referred by their general practitioner as(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients;

  (2) whether the cross-boundary referral contracts between Leicester district health authority and Peterborough district health authority for 1991–92, in which Leicester district health authority is the purchaser, covers all areas of medical specialties; and whether there have been any exclusions to such provision for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients;

  (3) how he proposed to ensure that full and proper provision for adult psychiatry patients resident in Leicester district health authority and referred by their general practitioner to Peterborough district health authority will be provided in 1992–93 for (a) in-patients and (b) out-patients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not held centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. N. Townsend, the chairman of Leicestershire health authority, for details.

  Mrs. Fyfe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the adequacy of health authority budgets for extra-contractual referrals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  All health authorities have reserves set aside for extra-contractual referrals based on information about patient flows. Evidence to date suggests that in the vast majority of authorities the reserves will prove sufficient.

  Doctors and Nurses
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) doctors and (b) nurses are now employed in the National Health Service; and how many there were in 1979.
  588
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Creutzfeldt Jakob Disease
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what links have been established between the virus causing bovine spongiform encephalomyelitis and the virus causing Creutzfeldt Jakob disease; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Although the agents responsible for Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease and bovine spongiform encephalopathy both belong to the unique group of agents that can cause transmissible and genetic neurodegenerative diseases, there is no evidence to suggest a link between CJD and BSE.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has available concerning the vectors for the virus causing Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The infectious agent causing CreutzfeldtJakob disease has not been confirmed as a virus and its precise nature remains uncertain. The identified routes of transmission involve the use of human dura, corneal grafts or human growth hormone, and exposure to contaminated instruments during neurosurgical procedures. In the great majority of patients undergoing these procedures the risk of transmission is minimal. A number of research projects are in progress to investigate other reasons for the incidence of CJD.

  The Department has taken action to ensure that any potentially infected human tissue referred to is no longer used. The need for additional guidance for neurosurgeons and neuropathologists is being considered by the Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many persons have died within the United Kingdom as a result of Creutzfeld Jakob disease; and what is the average age at death;

  (2) how many cases of Creutzfeld Jakob disease have been recorded in the United Kingdom annually since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Shields (Dr. Clark) on 23 May at column 598 and the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central (Mr. Cousins) on 15 July at column 68.

  Of the 10 people who died in 1990 where Creutzfeld-Jakob disease has been confirmed, the average at death was 65·3 years.

  Acute Beds, Newham
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many acute beds there were in the London borough of Newham(a) in 1979 and (b) at the latest available date.

  Mr. Dorrell
  In 1979 the average daily number of acute beds in NHS hospitals in the Newham health authority was 761 compared with a provisional figure of 415 in 1990–91. Bed numbers are no measure of the number of patients treated; over the same period the number of in-patients and day cases treated increased by an average of 1·8 per cent. per annum.

  Drugs Needles
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the risks to animals arising out of contract with needles discarded by drug users, and subsequent risk to humans; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will write to the hon. Member.

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

  Mr. Dorrell
  We seek to pay promptly all suppliers of goods and services, in accordance with agreed settlement terms. We recognise that delays in the payment of bills can cause particular difficulties for small firms. We are monitoring our payment performance in this financial year and will be issuing a guidance manual later this year which will remind staff of the need to adhere to the guidelines particularly when dealing with small firms.

  Chromium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list by(a) year and (b) regional health authority for the last five years, the number of cases of (i) chromium poisoning and (ii) chromium contamination that have been reported.

  Mr. Dorrell
  These figures have been collected in full only since 1989–90 and are not disaggregated by regional health authority.

  In that year there was one hospital admission in England for which the primary cause was described as chromium poisoning.

  Newham Health Authority
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the complement of staff in various grades in the Newham health authority; and how many staff are in post.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information held centrally relates only to staff in post by main staff group and the most recent figures held are shown in the table.

  NHS non-medical staff in post by main staff groups at 30 September 1990 Newham district health authority

  Staff groups

  Whole-time equivalents1

  Medical and dental staff

  110

  Nursing and midwifery (including Agency)

  1,290

  Professional and technical (excluding Works)

  110

  Professions allied to medicine

  100

  Scientific and professional

  40

  Works

  10

  Maintenance

  50

  Administrative and clerical

  460

  Managers

  40

  Ambulance

  —

  Ancillary

  250

  Total staff

  2,460

  1 Rounded to the nearest 10.

  Source: Department of Health (SMI 3) annual census.

  Patient Statistics
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients were treated in the national health service for the last year that figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

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

  Number of in-patients and out-patients treated in National Health Service hospitals in England

  In-patients

  Out-patients

  Year

  Discharges and deaths

  Finished consultant episodes1

  1979

  5,400,120

  —

  34,089,725

  1988–89

  6,585,982

  7,335,448

  36,061,032

  1990–91

  —

  27,524,192

  236,058,803

  1 Includes well babies.

  2 Provisional.

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

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond) on 13 June 1991. at column 640. Expenditure by the Department on hospitality in the first four months of 1991–92, the latest available information, was approximately £44,000.

  Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of the gross national product was spent on the national health service in each of the last 25 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the percentage of gross domestic product spent on the NHS. GDP has been used in this presentation rather than gross national product for the sake of consistency with other sources of information on public spending such as the autumn statement and the Budget report.

  Total Government expenditure on health as a proportion of GDP

  Percentage

  1966

  3·39

  1967

  3·56

  1968

  3·56

  1969

  3·55

  1970

  3·73

  1971

  3·81

  1972

  3·93

  1973

  3·85

  1974

  4·70

  1975

  5·07

  1976

  5·07

  1977

  4·88

  1978

  4·86

  1979

  4·77

  1980

  5·16

  1981

  5·39

  1982

  5·19

  1983

  5·38

  1984

  5·32

  1985

  5·19

  591

  Percentage

  1986

  5·19

  1987

  5·17

  1988

  5·14

  1989

  5·13

  1990

  5·22

  It is estimated that in 1991–92 Government expenditure on health as a proportion of GDP will be 5·7 per cent.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security further to his reply of 21 February,Official Report, column 261, if he will list the amount of money given to each local authority in order to place people in private residential care homes to meet the full fees or the shortfall in fees.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have been asked to reply.

  Local authorities may choose to provide residential care in their own homes or by arranging places in independent sector homes. They also have the discretion to provide financial support for people under pension age in independent sector homes.

  Central Government do not specify in detail how local authorities should allocate the overall resources available to them but rather indicate their view of appropriate spending through standard spending control totals. The total covering personal social services, including specific grants, is £4,503 million for 1991–92, an increase of 23·4 per cent. over the equivalent figure for 1990–91. Information about personal social services standard spending assessments 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.

  Free Tests
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to extend the provisions for specific groups of people to receive free national health service tests; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to do so.

  NHS Contracts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the contracts for hospital and health services awarded so far under the competitive tendering process, by Doncaster Royal infirmary and Mexborough Montagu hospital trust; and if he will list in each case the successful tenderer, the value of the contract, and its duration.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Member may wish to contact Mr. Christopher Bryant, the chairman of the trust for details.

  South East Staffordshire Health Authority
  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients have been treated by South East Staffordshire health authority in each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Number of in-patients and out-patients treated by South East Staffordshire since 1979:
  592

  Year

  In-patients

  Out-patients

  Discharges and deaths

  Finished consultant episodes1

  1979

  16,395

  —

  92,999

  1980

  17,420

  —

  93,287

  1981

  17,654

  —

  101,920

  1982

  18,217

  —

  105,911

  1983

  18,000

  —

  110,314

  1984

  18,805

  —

  110,221

  1985

  20,656

  —

  112,325

  1986

  25,676

  —

  156,166

  1987–88

  28,769

  —

  157,872

  1988–89

  27,135

  29,957

  152,793

  1989–90

  —

  30,871

  159,757

  1990–91

  —

  232,378

  2160,351

  1 Includes well babies.

  2 Provisional.

  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) hospital doctors and (b) nurses have been employed by the South East Staffordshire health authority in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I shall write to my hon. Friend.

  Mr. Lawrence
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many consultants have been employed by South East Staffordshire health authority in each year since 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not available centrally. My hon. Friend may wish to contact Sir James Ackers, the chairman of West Midlands regional health authority, for details.

  Brain-damaged Babies
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list for each(a) regional health authority and (b) district health authority the number of babies where brain damage was reported at (i) birth and (ii) within 12 months of birth and associated with brain damage at birth.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the latest figures for the time spent on national health service waiting lists for prostate operations and hysterectomies.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  During 1988–89, the latest year for which information is available centrally, the estimated median waiting time for ordinary and day cases admitted from the waiting list was six weeks for open excision of prostate and eight weeks for excision of uterus.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he will review the proposals made by the Doncaster Royal infirmary and Mexborough Montagu hospital trust to increase the number of private beds at the Doncaster Royal infirmary; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  NHS trusts are free to supplement their NHS income by providing facilities for
  593
  private patients as long as this does not interfere with their ability to meet their NHS obligations. The negotiations under way between the trust and a private company involve the possible rental of wards surplus to NHS requirements, as the patients have been moved into new, purpose-built accommodation. The objective is to generate additional income for the benefit of NHS patients and no patients will be adversely affected by the Doncaster project.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the reasons why Doncaster Royal infirmary and Mexborough Montagu hospital NHS trust, have applied to the National Rivers Authority for permission to abstract quantities of water from the Sherwood sandstone strata.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The National Rivers Authority granted permission to the hospital 12 months ago for use of the water for non-drinking purposes, resulting in a saving to the NHS.

  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish the names and professions of the proposed non-executive and executive directors of the second wave of trusts in the North East Thames region.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how many of the second waves of hospital trusts announced by him have made provision for a nurse to be on the board of the trust;

  (2) how many of the existing trusts still have made no provision for a nurse to be on the board of the trust.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The NHS Trust Membership and Procedure Regulations 1990—Statutory Instruments 1990 No. 2024—places a statutory requirement on each trust to include a registered nurse or registered midwife as an executive director of the board, except where the trust does not provide services directly to patients or where the trust's principal function is to provide ambulance or patient transport services.

  Baby Food
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what current guidance has been given to(a) maternity units in hospitals that have been granted trust status and (b) other maternity units in England regarding offers from manufacturers of free samples of milk powder or other infant formulae.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Maternity units in hospitals granted trust status remain part of the national health service and are, therefore, covered by the guidance contained in HC(89)21 issued to all regional. district and special health authorities in England and Wales in July 1989. It instructed them neither to accept nor distribute free samples and to refuse to accept subsidised supplies of infant formulae. A copy of HC(89)21 is in the Library. This was part of the Government's response to the World Health Organisation's programme to promote and protect breastfeeding. In addition, authorities were advised to ensure that acceptance of any gift or other commercial donation should not be seen to have influenced their purchasing choice.

  Royal Liverpool Teaching Hospital
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received about the now withdrawn draft document concerning future commercialisation of health services at the Royal Liverpool teaching hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Four letters have been received about this document. In each case correspondents have been assured that all the management and the clinicians in the trust rejected the unacceptable wording which suggested that future services at the Royal Liverpool university hospital might be commercialised. The document has now been amended.

  NHS Charges
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current percentage of persons in the United Kingdom who are exempt from paying for(a) eye tests. (b) dental examinations and (c) prescription charges.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is estimated that 40 per cent. of the population in England are entitled to free national health service sight tests and that 47·7 per cent. are entitled to free prescriptions. The information relating to dental examinations is not available in the form requested. However, of those people actually attending the dentist, approximately 42 per cent. are exempt from charges, including examination fees.

  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.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what are the current categories of persons in the United Kingdom who are exempt from paying for(a) eye tests, (b) dental examinations and (c) prescription charges.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The following categories of persons are exempt from paying for eye tests, dental examinations and prescription charges:

  (a) Children under 16;

  (b) Young people over 16 and under 19 in full time education;

  (c) Income Support and Family Credit recipients and their dependants;

  (d) People assessed as living on a low income under the NHS Low Income Scheme and their dependants;

  (e) War disablement pensioners whose treatment is for their accepted disability.

  Additionally, the following categories of persons are exempt from paying specific charges:

  Eye tests

  (a) People who need certain complex lenses;

  (b) People who are registered blind or partially sighted;

  (c) Diagnosed diabetics or glaucoma sufferers;

  (d) Close relatives aged 40 or over of diagnosed glaucoma sufferers;

  (e) Patients of the Hospital Eye Service.

  Denial examinations

  (a) Young People over 16 and under 18;

  (b) Women who are pregnant at the time they are accepted for treatment;

  (c) Women who have had a baby in the last 12 months.

  Precription charges

  (a) Men aged over 65, women aged over 60;

  (b) Pregnant women and women who have had a baby in the last 12 months;

  (c) People who suffer from one of a number of specified medical conditions;

  595

  (d) People who arc unable to leave home unaided because of a permanent physical disability.

  Adoption
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many social services adoption inquiries have been referred to the social services inspectorate in the last year for which figures are available; how long the delays are subsequent to such referrals; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information is not available in the form requested. The Department's social services inspectorate is in regular contact with local authority social services departments on all matters related to child care, including adoption. All inquiries referred to the inspectorate are dealt with as promptly as the nature of the inquiry allows.

  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what appeal procedure exists for would-be adopters turned down by their local authority social services departments; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Where an adoption agency, including a local authority, decides that a prospective adopter is not suitable to he an adoptive parent, the agency should notify the prospective adopter of its decision in writing. As a matter of good practice, the reasons for the agency's decision should also be explained to the prospective adopter in the course of a counselling interview. There is no statutory right of appeal against this decision.

  Under the Complaints Procedure Directions 1990, a local authority may consider a representation made by, or on behalf of, an individual against a decision which the local authority has made in discharging its social services functions. The directions came into force on 1 April 1991. A copy is available in the Library and in the booklet "Community Care in the Next Decade and Beyond" published by HMSO in November 1990.

  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many non-British national children, and from which countries, received entry clearance to Britain with a view to adoption in(a) 1987, (b) 1988, (c) 1989 and (d)

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: I have been asked to reply.

  In 1990 entry clearances were issued to 113 Romanian and 54 Sri Lankan children with a view to adoption by British couples. Information is not available for children adopted in other countries, or in previous years.

  Alder Hey Children's Hospital
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the provision of care at Alder Hey Children's (Trust) hospital; and what representations he has received concerning incidents in the hospital mortuary and the death of a patient in a hospital corridor.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have received no representations on the hospital mortuary at this hospital. The hon. Member for Liverpool, West Derby (Mr. Wareing) did raise a patient death with my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State last week. I understand that this case is likely to be the subject of legal proceedings.
  596
  The Royal Liverpool children's hospital has recently benefited from a £13 million investment in paediatric intensive care, which now provides treatment in the most modern facilities. The trust has reduced its waiting lists by 7 per cent. already since coming into operation in April.

  National Children's Bureau
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department has considered an application for an exhibition relating to the National Children Bureau entitled "Standing up for Children" to be displayed in the Upper Waiting Hall.

  Mrs. Virginiaa Bottomley
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Child Employment
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to introduce changes to existing legislation governing child employment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no plans to introduce changes to the Employment of Children Act 1973.

  The Children and Young Persons Act 1933 provides for local authorities to introduce bye-laws to meet local needs and employment conditions. The provisions of both primary legislation and bye-laws serve as an effective framework to protect children from exploitation.

  Sheffield Hospitals
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if in view of the failure of the Trent regional health authority to consult members and others who do not represent or who do not live in Sheffield but who have proper interest and relevant responsibilities in regard to the proposed change. to national health service trust status of the Children's and Western Park hospitals, he will instruct the regional authority to withdraw those proposals and recommence consultations.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Trent regional health authority has fulfilled the requirement to consult the relevant community health councils and such other bodies and persons as it considers appropriate on these applications. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State made the decision to grant NHS trust status on the basis of all the information available and has taken into account the wide range of views expressed during consultation.

  Awayday Management Consultation
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement concerning the system of awayday management consultation in regional and area health authorities.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Management systems in regional and other health authorities are for local decision.

  NHS Salaries
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the annual total cost of the salaries of administrative staff in the national health service in each of the years 1979 to date; and if he will make a statement.
  597
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The annual total salaries and wages costs of administrative and clerical staff directly employed by health authorities in England are shown in the table.

  The administrative and clerical staff group covers a diversity of job functions and duties—including finance, personnel, information technology, senior ambulance officers, hotel services, and secretarial services. In addition, about one third of all A and C staff work in direct support of clinicians—on medical and ward records, out-patient reception, medical secretary, and health education services —thus freeing clinical staff to concentrate their direct-care expertise and training where it is most needed.

  £ thousands (cash)

  1979–80

  486,891

  1980–81

  603,565

  1981–82

  662,774

  1982–83

  707,211

  1983–84

  744,211

  1984–85

  760,058

  1985–86

  795,336

  1986–87

  850,140

  1987–88

  921,263

  1988–89

  1,018,233

  1989–901

  1,085,236

  1 The latest year currently available.

  Sources:

  1. Annual accounts of regional and district health authorities in England and those of the special health authorities for the London postgraduate teaching hospitals (Predecessor authorities prior to 1982–83).

  2. From 1985–86—annual accounts of Family Health Service Authorities (formerly Family Practitioner Committees) which became independent from district health authorities on 1 April 1985.

  Notes:

  1. The figures are gross costs and include employers' national insurance and superannuation contributions.

  2. Costs relating to the employment of non-NHS (agency. etc.) staff and the costs of employees on general and senior management grades are excluded. The Administrative and Clerical staff costs of the Prescription Pricing Authority and other special health authorities and bodies within the NHS are similarly excluded.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department employs four private security firms. The anticipated total expenditure on these contracts for 1991–92 is £800,000.

  To provide individual contract values would breach commercial confidentiality. Since a smaller number of firms were employed in earlier years, that would also be the effect of revealing the total expenditure for any previous year.

  To provide information about the number of employees involved would be prejudicial to maintaining security.

  Inflammatory Bowel Disease
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to add sufferers from inflammatory bowel disease to those conditions which currently benefit from free prescriptions.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are already wide-ranging exemption arrangements, underpinned by the separate scheme for exemption on the ground of low income, which ensure that no one need he deterred from obtaining their necessary medication on financial grounds. Nearly 80 per cent. of NHS prescription items are currently dispensed free of charge.

  Benzodiazepines
  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received on the difficulties encountered by general practitioners using the yellow card scheme for prescribing drugs such as benzodiazepines.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The yellow card scheme is a voluntary scheme operated by the Committee on Safety of Medicines for the reporting of adverse reactions to medicinal products. It is not used for prescribing drugs.

  Recently, in response to representations from the medical profession. the CSM has redesigned the yellow card and has issued guidance in relation to the reporting of serious reactions to established drugs. The CSM maintains a dialogue with the medical profession and welcomes all ideas for stimulating and encouraging more reporting. A number of these ideas are under active consideration at present.

  Mr. Ieuan Wyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what procedures are adopted by the Committee on Safety of Medicines in dealing with complaints; and what complaints the committee has considered about the use of benzodiazepines.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Committee on Safety of Medicines operates a freepost and freephone service for the medical professions. Complaints are investigated by the professional secretariat to the CSM and all serious matters are referred to the committee for advice. Complaints about benzodiazepines have mainly related to the dependance-producing side-effects and the comparative safety profiles of certain members of the group.

  Ambulance Services
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will state the number of responses from individuals and organisations to the Trent regional health authority in connection with the proposal to establish the South Yorkshire Ambulance Services Trust; and what proportion of these responses expressed support for the proposal.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The regional health authority reported a total of 50 responses. The results of the public consultation exercise are available from the regional health authority. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State took full account of the comments, but they are not. of course, the only factors on which he based his decision.

  City Hospital, Nottingham
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what(a) loans, (b) debts. (c) interest payments and (d) other outstanding financial items there are between the City hospital, Nottingham, and his Department;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the possibilities open (a) to hospitals in general and (b) to the Nottingham City hospital to withdraw from opting-out if the loan repayment regime between trusts and the Government is not acceptable;

  (3) what financial arrangements exist for the purchase or transfer of existing buildings of the Nottingham City hospital from the current owners to the self governing trust;

  (4) what financial arrangements exist for the purchase or transfer of (a) new buildings and (b) the building programme of the Nottingham City hospital from the current owners to the self-governing trust;

  (5) when he (a) last visited and (b) next plans to visit Nottingham City hospital;

  (6) what is the current rate of interest payable on the 50 per cent. of fixed interest portion of the originating debt of (a) existing opted-out hospitals and (b) Nottingham City hospital; and what are both items in current terms.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Hospitals (Opting Out)
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the outstanding amount of loans payable to Her Majesty's Government from hospitals and other units which are currently opted-out; and what is the total of interest payments received by Her Majesty's Government on such loans.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Inter-country Adoptions
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give the number of inter-country adoptions currently being processed by his Department, by(a) country and (b) length of time for which applications have been in process.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  King's Fund
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the work commissioned by his Department from King's fund in each of the last 10 years, giving the title of each project, its principal location and the cost of each project.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Product Licensing
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the difference between a suspension of a product licence and a withdrawal.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Section 28 of the Medicines Act 1968 enables the Licensing Authority, which is a body of Ministers, to suspend, revoke or vary a product licence for a medicinal
  600
  product issued under the Act. Under schedule 2 to this Act, Licensing Authority decisions for action under section 28 will only take effect after the licence holder has exhausted the rights provided in the Act to object to the proposal. However, the Licensing Authority may, in the interests of safety, suspend a product licence with immediate effect. In these circumstances, the licence holder is precluded forthwith from selling or supplying the product. Suspensions can only initially be for a period not exceeding three months.

  Section 62 of the same Act enables the Health Ministers, in the interests of safety, to make an order prohibiting the sale, supply or importation of any class or description of medicinal products. The particular circumstances of use are specified in the section.

  Under the standard provisions for product licences, a licence holder may be directed to withhold a batch of a medicinal product from sale or supply if it has been found not to conform with certain licensed specifications or with the provisions of the Act or any regulations made under the Act.

  The holder of a product licence may decide for commercial reasons, independent of any action by the Licensing Authority, to withdraw the product from the market. In such circumstances the licence holder notifies the Licensing Authority of its action.

  Medicines Act
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the sections of the Medicines Act which relate to powers to refuse supply of a prescription medicine against a named patient prescription.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: The Medicines Act 1968 and orders made under the Act control the safety, quality and efficacy of medicines supplied to the public. There are no powers to refuse the supply of a prescription-only medicine against a properly completed prescription from a doctor, dentist, veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner in accordance with section 58 of the Act and article 12 of the Medicines (Products other than Veterinary Drugs) (Prescription Only) Order 1983 provided that it is not subject to an order under section 62 prohibiting the supply of medicine on grounds of safety. A pharmacist may also refuse to supply a medicine if advised by the Medicines Control Agency. acting under section 28 of the Act, that a medicine has been withdrawn with immediate effect on grounds of safety.

  Surgery
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will list for each regional health authority the average number of operations carried out in scheduled operating sessions in the year ended March 1991;

  (2) if he will list for each regional health authority the number of scheduled operating sessions which were cancelled in the year ended March 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Hospital Beds, Bradford
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many hospital beds are currently available in Bradford for(a) medical, (b) surgical, (c) maternity,

  601
  (d) geriatric and (e) other health care; and what the comparable figures were (i) 12 months, (ii) 24 months, (iii) 36 months and (iv) 48 months previously.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: I will write to the hon. Member.

  Westminster and Chelsea Hospital
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how the cost of the new Westminster and Chelsea hospital will be funded; what effect it will have on national health service provision in the region; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what was the estimated cost for the new Westminster and Chelsea hospital submitted to his Department in 1987; what is the current estimate of the actual cost; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 18 October 1991]: Approval in principle for the Westminster and Chelsea hospital at a cost of £135 million was given in December 1988. The figures in the submission then made to the Department were principally intended to provide a comparison of the various options under consideration, and for this purpose did not need to include local construction costs or the effects of a likely general increase in construction costs. They were not intended to be an estimate of outturn costs.

  We now expect the total cost to be £206 million.

  When approval in principle is given to a project we now publish an estimate of the actual costs likely to be incurred.

  The project will be funded from the sale of the five surplus sites which will be vacated and from the North West Thames regional health authority's capital allocation. The new hospital will reprovide more efficiently and effectively the services currently provided on the five sites which are to become redundant.

  Medical Manpower
  Mr. Gerald Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to review future United Kingdom medical manpower.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  [pursuant to his reply, 15 July 1991, columns 69–70]: I am pleased to announce that the following have agreed to serve on the Medical Manpower Standing Advisory Committee which will be chaired by Professor Colin Campbell. vice-chancellor of Nottingham university:

  Dr. John Ball, Chairman, Medical Practices Committee; member of the Council of the Royal College of General Practitioners;

  Professor David Bartholomew, Professor of Statistics. LSE; member, first and second Advisory Committees for Medical Manpower Planning;

  Dr. Fiona Caldicott, Dean, Royal College of Psychiatrists; Chairman, Consultant and Associate Specialist Sub-Committee of the Central Manpower Committee;

  Mr. Douglas Gentleman, Senior Registrar in Neurosurgery, South Glasgow central Hospital; member, General Medical Council;

  Professor Keith Peters, Regius Professor of Physic, Cambridge University; former Chairman of M RC Physiological Systems Board;

  Dame Rosemary Rue, DBE, former President of the BMA, and of the Medical Women's Federation;

  Professor Dorothy Wedderburn, Senior Research Fellow, Management School, Imperial College; former Principal, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College;
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  Dr. Robert Wilson, Principal Research Fellow in Economics, Institute of Employment Research, Warwick university.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Romania
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the annual imports from Romania; and what are the major items imported.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Information on United Kingdom trade is published monthly in Business Monitor MM20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom", which is available in the Library of the House.

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

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The answer can be obtained from information in the International Monetary Fund's direction of trade statistics which is available in the House of Commons Library.

  Crown Post Offices
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what plans he has to review the redundancy terms for counter staff of Crown post offices; and when were these last reviewed.

  Mr. Leigh
  The terms of employment and, where appropriate, redundancy, offered to the employees of Post Office Counters Limited are operational matters for the Post Office.

  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the average conversion ratio of Crown post offices to agencies for all the English counties; and what is the ratio in the Isle of Wight. if proposals take effect.

  Mr. Leigh
  The Post Office's Crown Office regrading programme is an operational matter for the Post Office board and I understand that the information requested is not available in the precise form requested. However, the Post Office tells me that since the start of the Crown office regrading programme in April 1989 to the end of September 1991, 390 offices have been regraded nationwide, out of a total of 1,493. In April 1989 there were eight Crown offices on the Isle of Wight, of which one had been converted to agency status by the end of September 1991. A second conversion is proposed upon the appointment of a suitable agent. I also understand that conversions to agency status are not carried out on a ratio basis as each case is carefully considered on its merits with the needs of the Post Office's customers uppermost in the Post Office's mind.

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

  Mr. Leigh
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to the hon. Member for Don Valley (Mr. Redmond)
  603
  on 17 June 1991 at column 39, which gave the costs of hospitality in 1989–90. Expenditure in 1991–92 is not expected to be significantly different.

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

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department's policy is to pay all valid invoices within 30 days of receipt of the goods or services, unless an earlier date is specified. I recognise and support the principles of prompt payment and the Department is participating in the examination of payment performance being undertaken this financial year by the Department of Employment.

  GPT, Liverpool
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the recent job losses at the GPT factory, Edge lane, Liverpool; what action has been taken to secure further overseas orders for System X; and what initiatives are being taken to secure alternative employment for existing employees.

  Mr. Redwood
  I am sorry to see the announcement of possible job losses at GPT. The Government's task is not to influence a company's commercial decisions but to create the right environment for success. The Government have regularly supported GPT's products and projects abroad, including System X, financially through the aid and trade provision (ATP) wherever possible. It will continue to do so. DTI officials are discussing with GPT's management ways of attracting new investment to the Liverpool site.

  Inward Investment Jobs, Scotland
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what has been the total numbers of inward investment jobs secured in Scotland in each year since 1971; and what percentage of the United Kingdom total it represents in each year.

  Mr. Leigh
  The information required is available only from 1979 onwards and is based on information provided by the companies notified to my Department's Invest in Britain Bureau at the time of the announcement of the decision to invest and takes no account of subsequent developments. It is estimated that the numbers of inward investment jobs secured in Scotland each year since 1979, and percentages they represent of the United Kingdom total, are as follows:

  Jobs secured by inward investment in the United Kingdom

  Year

  Scotland

  United Kingdom Total

  Per cent.

  1979

  2,757

  14,310

  19·3

  1980

  4,474

  18,662

  24·0

  1981

  5,756

  16,417

  35·1

  1982

  2,258

  10,529

  21·4

  1983

  8,567

  30,803

  27·8

  1984

  10,224

  46,396

  22·0

  1985

  7,893

  44,305

  17·8

  1986

  2,488

  27,034

  9·2

  1987

  5,765

  41,935

  13·7

  1988

  7,407

  46,590

  15·3

  604

  Year

  Scotland

  United Kingdom Total

  Per cent.

  1989

  4,917

  56,468

  8·7

  1990

  10,595

  62,411

  17·0

  Totals1

  73,101

  415,860

  17·6

  1 during period.

  Microelectronics
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many offers were made for projects under the investment support scheme for microelectronics in(a) Wales, (b) South-East England and (c) the United Kingdom during the year 1990–91; what was the total project costs of these products, respectively; and what was the assistance offered, respectively.

  Mr. Leigh
  The programme of investment support for microelectronics closed for new applications in January 1988. No offers of assistance were made during the year 1990–91.

  Environmental Compliance
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the report, "Clean Up or Close Up: Environmental Compliance in Europe", prepared for industry by Davies, Arnold and Cooper Partners.

  Mr. Leigh
  Yes.

  Arms Exports
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the new report, "Regulating Arms Exports: A Programme for the European Community", published by the Saferworld Foundation.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The Saferworld Foundation has sent its new report to my Department and a copy is available in its headquarters library.

  Biotechnology Industry
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what initiatives have been taken recently by Her Majesty's Government on the development of the oiotechnology industry.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Biotechnology features strongly in the Government nitiatives to foster future industrial competitiveness. It dominates the collaborative research between industry and he science base supported in the LINK initiative. The argest grant (£7· million) awarded under the EUREKA nitiative to encourage European collaboration between:ompanies was to a biotechnology project. Governmenl tre active in establishing a balanced regulatory regime for tuman and environmental safety, consistent with European directives; a consultative document will be ssued shortly. The second edition of the successful "Plain Man's Guide" to support/regulations has been published. And Government have collaborated with the research councils in developing a strategy to encourage take-up of

  605
  the technology from the science base, published by the Biotechnology Joint Advisory Board as "A Strategy for Industrial Strength".

  World Summit for Children
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry 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. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: 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.

  Children's Clothing
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what steps the Government are taking to introduce safety standards for children's day wear clothing and in particular for shell suits.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: My Department has asked the British Standards Institution (BSI) to prepare a flammability specification for children's daywear garments that could provide the basis for informative labelling to be included in these garments.

  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if the Government will introduce fire and toxicity safety standards for children's shell suits and other children's day wear; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has asked the British Standards Institution (BSI) to prepare a flammability specification for children's daywear garments that could provide the basis for informative labelling to be included in these garments. Discussions with the BSI are continuing.

  There is no evidence that garments present a toxicity hazard either in their made up state or in the event that they catch fire.

  Leg Irons
  Mr. Corbett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many applications for licences for the export of leg irons and other similar restraining equipment have been made in each of the past three years; how many have been granted; and what were the countries of destination.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: No applications have been made in each of the past three years for export licences for leg irons as such. Five applications were received in 1991 for a variety of handcuffs and chains, including "oversized" cuffs. Four were for export to the United States of America and one for Ghana. The four United States of America applications were approved, but have since been revoked in so far as they relate to the "oversized" cuffs and certain chains. The application in respect of Ghana is being refused.

  Libya
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the value of British goods and services exported to Libya during the past 12 months; and what was the value of Libyan goods and services imported into the United Kingdom during the same period.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Statistics on bilateral trade in services are not available. Information on United Kingdom visible trade is published monthly in Business Monitor MM20, "Overseas Trade Statistics in the United Kingdom", which is available in the Library of the House.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Leigh
  This Department, including its executive agencies, currently has contracts with seven private security guarding companies. The numbers employed by each company on DTI sites are as follows: Thorn Security Services Limited (36 guards), Centuryan Security Ltd (18). Chubb Wardens Ltd (23), Euroguard Ltd (10), Securiguard Services Ltd (7). Mint Security Ltd (3), and Sterling Guards Ltd (2). The value of each contract is commercially confidential information. The total values (excluding VAT) for all contracts for the financial years 1984–85 to 1988–89 were published in the Official Report column 612, on 20 February 1990. The final figure for 1989–90 (estimated in the earlier answer) was £1,325,220; and for 1990–91, £1,678,930.

  Public Houses
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and industry if he will make it his policy to establish a charter of rights for public house tenants faced with demands by breweries for rent increases; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Redwood
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State and have recently met each of the major brewers to urge them to adopt best practices in dealings with their tenants. As a result, those brewers not already doing so have introduced procedures for the independent arbitration or assessment of rent in cases where agreement cannot be reached in individual negotiations with their tenants. All the major brewers have also accepted the need to show flexibility to tenants who would have real difficulties in taking on a long-term lease and, within this category, to show special consideration to those nearing retirement. We shall continue to monitor closely negotiations between brewers and their tenants.

  Financial Services
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on progress in negotiations in the Council of Ministers on the proposed investment services directive and on the proposed capital adequacy directive.

  Mr. Redwood
  The investment services directive (ISD) was last discussed at the Council of Economic and Finance
  607
  Ministers (ECOFIN) on 8 July when we considered a compromise text tabled by the Dutch Presidency. This addressed a proposal originally suggested by France that certain transactions should be confined to "regulated markets" and that details of transactions should be published within specified time limits. No agreement was reached. ECOFIN next meets on 11 November but the Presidency has not made a decision whether the ISD will appear on the agenda. The United Kingdom Government will continue to argue for a genuinely market-opening directive which will enhance the ability of investment firms to do cross-border business within a framework of mutually agreed prudential standards.

  The draft capital adequacy directive has not yet been discussed in ECOFIN. Under the Dutch Presidency discussions are continuing in a Council working group, where there remain a number of important issues to be resolved.

  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether he has received from the European Commission the final text of the insurance intermediaries recommendation; whether he will publish it; and whether he proposes that it should apply to insurance intermediaries doing business in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Redwood
  The European Commission has not yet published this recommendation. Recommendations are published in the Official Journal in the usual way. Implementation of Commission recommendations is not mandatory. We will however consider its implications carefully, and consult interested parties, once it is published.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his estimate of the total sum which will be received within the United Kingdom from the RECHAR programme if the arrangements to secure additionality are such as to meet the requirements of the European Community.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: The United Kingdom Government have applied for £109 million of grants from the RECHAR programme.

  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he proposes to meet representatives of the European Commission to discuss the arrangements which will need to be made to allow the United Kingdom to quality for support under the RECHAR programme.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: The Commission's continued refusal to approve the United Kingdom's applications for RECHAR programmes is unreasonable. We have at present no plans for further meetings.

  Perifra Programme
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what proportion of the grant aid money devoted to the EC Perifra programme for peripheral regions with fragile economies has been allocated to areas in the United Kingdom where conversion of military bases to alternative industrial uses has been planned; if he will name the areas benefiting; and to what amount.
  608
  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Grants for Perifra are available for various purposes including the economic conversion of areas affected by the new trade concessions to countries benefiting from the PHARE programme. On the United Kingdom Government's proposal, the European Commission has agreed to the following areas of the United Kingdom:

  European Commission grant approved

  Mecu

  Barrow-in-Furness

  2·086

  Wirral

  0·056

  Preston

  1·079

  Kirklees

  0·436

  Strathclyde

  1·010

  TOTAL

  4·667

  Research and Development
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the level of investment in research and development by British industry.

  Mr. Leigh
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: British industry's investment in research and development increased by over 50 per cent. in the six years to 1989 in real terms. However, United Kingdom firms are still not doing enough to match and surpass efforts of their best overseas competitors. For this, we need a major change in attitudes to innovation.

  The main effort must come from the worlds of business and education and the Government are acting as a catalyst for the many changes that are needed. An example is the recent sponsoring by DTI of the publication of the "R and D Scoreboard". This is one initiative designed to focus attention on the importance of innovation, and showed that large United Kingdom companies increased their R and D expenditure by 12 per cent. last year. The pharmaceuticals sector was exceptionally strong, with United Kingdom companies leading the world. However, the largest increases occurred in other sectors such as aerospace, containers and electricals.

  EFTA
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the expected timetable for the completion of the EC negotiations with EFTA.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [pursuant to his reply, 8 July 1991, c. 256]: I am pleased to announce that at the Foreign Affairs Council (FAC) which I attended in Luxembourg with my hon. Friends, the Minister of State (FCO) and the Parliamentary Secretary (MAFF) on Monday 21 October, political agreement was reached to conclude the European Economic Area (EEA). The EEA will comprise the 19 member states of the European Community and the European Free Trade Association and is intended to enter into force on 1 January 1993. It will extend the general economic benefits of the single European market to some 375 million consumers enjoying a total GDP of nearly US$ 7,000 billion. I am confident that the United Kingdom will derive significant political and economic advantages from the creation of the EEA.

  My right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary will give the House a formal report on the FAC at the earliest opportunity.

  Bulgaria
  Mr. Rowlands
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is his latest estimate of the annual imports from Bulgaria; and what are the major items imported.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Information on United Kingdom trade is published monthly in Business Monitor MM20, "Overseas Trade Statistics of the United Kingdom" which is available in the Library of the House.

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

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The answer can be obtained from information in the International Monetary Fund's Direction of Trade statistics which is available in the House of Commons Library.

DEFENCE

  The Gulf
  Mr. Boyes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he intends to publish a White Paper on the lessons of the Gulf war.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The work to evaluate the lessons of Operation Granby is continuing, but is unlikely to be completed before the end of the year. We are considering the most appropriate method of publishing our conclusions.

  Mr. David Young
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what action was taken in respect of parcels sent to troops in the Gulf and not distributed to them; and how many such parcels reached the troops for whom they were intended and how many did not.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Personally addressed parcels to the Gulf were, whenever possible, delivered to the individuals concerned. Parcels that arrived in the Gulf after the departure of the addressees were redirected to the individual's peacetime location.

  In addition, welfare parcels were distributed to all three services in the Gulf; any that had not been sent on closure of the BFPO 3000 appeal were redirected to service personnel in other locations.

  It is not possible to provide the statistical data requested, as neither the Post Office nor BFPO London maintained a record of individual parcels processed.

  Information Technology
  Mr. Warren
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will place in the Library a copy or details of the briefing given to suppliers of information technology equipment at the Royal Military Academy and at his headquarters concerning the information systems in which his Department is interested on future projects.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Uranium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the category of armaments used by the British armed forces in which depleted uranium is used.
  610
  Mr. Alan Clark
  Depleted uranium has a number of applications in defence equipment, and is particularly suitable for use in high-kinetic energy projectiles.

  NATO Ministers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the issues discussed and decision made at(a) the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Defence Ministers meeting in Taormina, Sicily on 17 and 18 October and (b) the North Atlantic Assembly. in Madrid on 17 October.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  At the recent meeting of the NATO nuclear planning group in Taormina, the alliance warmly welcomed the recent decisive steps towards democracy and freedom in the Soviet Union. In welcoming President Bush's recent initiative, and President Gorbachev's response, the alliance agreed that there is no requirement for NATO ground-launched short range nuclear systems. In addition to the elimination of these systems, the allies also agreed that the number of air-delivered weapons in NATO's stockpile will be greatly reduced. The total reduction in the current NATO stockpile of sub-strategic nuclear weapons in Europe will be roughly 80 per cent. The alliance however reaffirmed that nuclear weapons will continue for the foreseeable future to fulfil their essential role in the alliance's overall strategy of war prevention. NATO will therefore continue to base effective and up-to-date sub-strategic nuclear forces in Europe, but they will consist solely of dual-capable aircraft, with widespread participation in nuclear roles and peacetime basing by allies. A copy of the final communique issued at the end of the meeting has been placed in the Library of the House. The North Atlantic Assembly meeting continues until today. The subject of its plenary debate was "NATO after the Soviet Union" and reports on a range of subjects were discussed in committee.

  Scientific Research
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what basic scientific research is currently sponsored by his Department.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  None. All research sponsored by the MOD has application to the defence programme.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Ministry of Defence employs 16 commercial guarding companies. It is not our practice to provide information on the number of people employed on each contract, on security grounds. The value of each contract is regarded as commercial in confidence. I will write to the hon. Member about the total value of contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  European Army Corps
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is Her Majesty's Government's policy towards the Franco-German plans for a new European army corps announced on 16 October.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The recent Franco-German proposals follow the Anglo-Italian declaration as a contribution to the European security and defence debate currently underway in the political union intergovernmental conference, in NATO, and in the Western European Union. The Government will engage in discussion of these in the relevant multilateral fora.

  Defence Industry
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) which chairmen of defence contractors have been asked for their views on how to improve communications between his Department and industry;

  (2) if he will publish the text of the letters to the chairmen of defence contractors asking for their views on how to improve communications between his Department and industry;

  (3) if he will publish the results of his study of the replies to his letters to the chairmen of defence contractors asking for their views on how to improve communications between his Department and industry.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  This is a matter between my Department and the companies concerned.

  Service Personnel (Housing)
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what is his estimate of the number of service personnel who are currently in severe housing need, and the number who will be in severe housing need by 1994;

  (2) what criteria are used to assess whether service personnel are in severe housing need.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Serving personnel are provided with accommodation, if they require it, as part of their conditions of service. The Department is not aware of any serving personnel who are in severe housing need and it is not expected that any serving personnel will be in severe housing need in the foreseeable future.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the name of the leading financial organisation mentioned by the Under-Secretary of State, the right hon. Member for Epsom and Ewell (Mr. Hamilton),Official Report, 15 October, column 224, that has offered full-time members of the armed forces the opportunity to apply for mortgages at reduced rate; how far below the average rate this offer will be; and what proportion of those members of the armed forces who apply for the reduced rate mortgage will be granted this mortgage.

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

  Mr. Grylls
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the new measures he proposes to introduce to help service men who have to leave the services to find new jobs and new homes.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the 612
  Armed Forces gave the hon. Member for Newham, North-West (Mr. Banks) on 15 October at column 142 and to his further remarks in the defence debate later that day, at columns 243–44.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the proportion of those service personnel who, having opted to take redundancy, will have made their own provision for housing.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The closing date for applications for voluntary redundancy is the beginning of next month; it is too early to say how many of those applying will have made provision for housing, but as my right hon. Friend the Minister of State for the Armed Forces said in the defence debate on 15 October, we expect that most of those who opt to take redundancy terms will have done so.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the task force on service housing was set up; when it is due to finish its work; what is its composition; what representatives from the voluntary housing movement are members; whether there are any local authority representatives on the task force; and whether he will publish a copy of its terms of reference.

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

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his estimate of the amount of surplus service property that will be made available to housing associations to give temporary help to service personnel in severe housing need.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Discussions with the housing associations are at an early stage and it is too soon to provide an estimate.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what consultations have taken place with local authorities regarding the housing requirements of ex-service personnel.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  This Department has held no direct consultations with local authorities. The Department of the Environment are, however, represented on the housing task force.

  RAF and Navy Units
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what plans he has to improve the capability of units of the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  We will continue to improve the capability of all three services. The Royal Navy has three of the new class of type 23 frigates in service, seven on order, with tenders invited for up to three more. Design studies are under way for a new class of nuclear-powered submarines. We will continue to modernise our amphibious shipping. We expect to award a contract for project definition of the replacement landing platform dock in November. This month a contract was placed for 44 Merlin anti-submarine warfare helicopters. For the RAF, the introduction into service of the Boeing E-3D airborne early warning aircraft and IUKADGE will greatly enhance the command and control of our air
  613
  defence forces. In addition, we anticipate the European fighter aircraft will provide, towards the end of the decade, a powerful reinforcement of our air defence capability.

  1 Armoured Division
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) what expenditure will be required to increase the capability of 1 Armoured Division by 25 per cent.;

  (2) what plans he has to improve the capability of units of the British Army other than 1 Armoured Division.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  As I made clear to the House on 15 October, the estimated improvement in the capability of 1 Armoured Division will result from our re-equipment plans. These include both the introduction of new capabilities and the replacement of a number of older systems. The cost of a number of specific equipments which 1 Armoured Division will field is shown in table 3.2 of volume 2 of the "Statement on the Defence Estimates 1991".

  The re-equipment programme affects the whole Army, not merely 1 Armoured Division. A number of the new equipments which that division will field will also be fielded by other formations, as set out in annex B to "Britain's Army for the 90s", Cm 1595.

  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what criteria will be used to measure the planned increase in the capability of 1 Armoured Division by 25 per cent. by the middle of the decade.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The basic criteria will be the fire power, mobility, protection and sustainability of individual weapon systems.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to the oral answer to the hon. Member for Falkirk, West (Mr. Canavan), of 15 October,Official Report, column 139, whether any radioactive waste arising from military nuclear activities has been (a) disposed of or (b) stored long term in Scotland.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Yes. Radioactive waste arising from the MOD military nuclear programme in Scotland is stored at Rosyth and Faslane, and it is disposed of to the Atomic Energy Authority site at Dounreay from the adjacent Vulcan naval reactor test establishment. These activities are carried out under the oversight of the appropriate civil regulatory authorities.

  Unilateral Nuclear Disarmament
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if, pursuant to his reply to the hon. Member for Colne Valley (Mr. Riddick),Official Report, 15 October, column 144, he will list the senders of the recent letters received on unilateral nuclear disarmament, indicating whether the sender was for or against unilateral nuclear disarmament; and if he will make his policy to give similar full details in response to any future questions submitted on representations made to his Department.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information requested by the hon. Gentleman could not be provided save at disproportionate cost. Nor would I wish to reveal personal information relating to members of the public who have been in correspondence with the Department.

  Arms Sales
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if. pursuant to the reply to the hon. Member for Southwark and Bermondsey (Mr. Hughes),Official Report, 15 October, column 143, whether the greater transparency in the arms trade, to which reference is made, includes publication of arms sale agreements.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No.

  Iraq
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether, pursuant to his oral answers to the hon. Members for Newport, West and for Clackmannan (Mr. O'Neill).Official Report, 15 October, column 136, he will now name the British firms, listed in the United Nations special inspection commission report on Iraq, to have supplied equipment and devices that assisted the Iraqi nuclear weapons programme.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Regiments
  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will give details of the demographic research and information taken into account by his Department before the decision to amalgamate four Scottish regiments; and what was the equivalent demographic information for each of the regions of England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I will write to my hon. and learned Friend.

  AWACS Offset Agreement
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the value of the contracts which were expected to flow to the United Kingdom by virtue of the offset agreement entered into by the Boeing Aircraft Corporation at the time of his Department's purchase of Boeing AWACS aircraft.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Some $1.5 billion.

  Regiments
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will state the current timetable for regimental amalgamations and mergers.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  I hope to make an announcement in due course.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training
  Mr. Butterfill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he has received any representations from the Transport and General Workers Union about training.

  Mr. Howard
  No.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training places are being supplied
  615
  through training and enterprise councils in (a) the parliamentary constituency of Deptford, (b) the London borough of Lewisham and (c) London; and how many training places were proposed by providers bidding for contracts from training and enterprise councils in (a) the parliamentary constituency of Deptford, (b) the London borough of Lewisham and (c) London, respectively.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department does not hold information on training places by parliamentary constituency or by borough. The division of total places, agreed by the Department for a TEC area, between boroughs, is a matter for each individual TEC. The latest figures available show the number of people currently in training on youth training and employment training in the South Thames TEC area to be 4,660 and, in London as a whole, to be 38,000. The detail of proposals made by providers bidding for contracts is a matter for the TEC and not for the Department.

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many training places were provided in each of the last three years; and how many he plans to provide in the current year.

  Mr. Jackson
  This information is not available. Contracts with training and enterprise councils in England and Wales and local enterprise companies in Scotland, whose responsibility it is to plan and manage training locally, are agreed on the basis of training weeks and outputs delivered rather than specific number of training places.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Canavan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many people are currently unemployed in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Howard
  In September 1991 seasonally adjusted unemployment in the United Kingdom was 2,460,600.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many men and how many women were unemployed at the last count in(a) the parliamentary constituency of Deptford and (b) the London borough of Lewisham.

  Mr. Jackson
  On 12 September 1991, the latest unemployment count date, there were 5,292 male and 1,987 female unemployed claimants in the parliamentary constituency of Deptford, and 12,581 male and 4,678 female unemployed claimants in the London borough of Lewisham. The figures are on the unadjusted basis.

  Employment (Cornwall)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what initiatives his Department has undertaken in Cornwall to cut unemployment levels.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department has a wide range of training, enterprise, employment and other measures, available in Cornwall as elsewhere, to help unemployed people and employers.

  Devon and Cornwall training and enterprise council and the department's Employment Service are running a number of special initiatives in the county, designed to meet particular local needs.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Butler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what further action he proposes to help small businesses.

  Mr. Forth
  On 8 October my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State announced a seven-point package of further Government assistance to small firms and enterprise.

  This includes a number of projects to help stimulate informal investment; a major drive to tackle the problem of late payment; the publication of a comprehensive guide to the sources of venture capital and equity and the introduction of a new enterprise award for TECs.

  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many small firms there were in Britain in(a) 1979 and (b) at the latest date for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  At the end of 1979 there were 1·8 million businesses in the United Kingdom; at the end of 1989 there were 3 million. The overwhelming majority of these were small; 95 per cent. were employing fewer than 20 people.

  The Government continue to be committed to helping small firms start and grow. To improve the business climate further, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced on 8 October a number of important measures which I outlined in the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Warrington, South (Mr. Butler).

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

  Mr. Forth
  The Department's policy on the payment of invoices to small and medium-sized businesses is to make payment in accordance with the terms agreed on the contract or, if no terms have been agreed, within 30 days of the supply of the goods or services.

  All suppliers are paid in accordance with this policy, but it is of particular concern to the Department that small and medium-sized businesses receive payments when they are due.

  Wage Levels
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received from the Electrical, Electronic, Telecommunications and Plumbing Union and the Amalgamated Engineering Union concerning wage levels.

  Mr. Howard
  None—but those unions' general secretaries have made it clear that their members would strongly oppose any wage restraint for higher-paid workers linked to Labour's proposals for a national legal minimum wage. If pay differentials were fully restored, up to 2 million jobs could be lost.

  Mr. Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has received about the effect of wage levels on job prospects in the different regions of the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Howard
  I continue to receive representations about the adverse effect of statutory wage fixing on jobs.
  617
  Labour's proposals for a national legal minimum wage would have a disastrous effect on employment. Up to 2 million jobs could be destroyed if pay differentials were fully restored.

  Mr. Pike
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what percentage of full-time workers in the north-west earn below 50 per cent. of median male earnings.

  Mr. Jackson
  In April 1991, 7·4 per cent. of full time adult employees in the north-west were earning below this amount.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on the extent to which job centres and employment service offices are advertising jobs with wage rates below the appropriate Wages Council minima.

  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.

  Technical and Vocational Education Initiative
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many local education authorities have now extended the technical and vocational education initiative to all their schools and colleges.

  Mr. Jackson
  A total of 127 authorities are now in the extension phase of TVEI.

  Employment Action
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what progress is being made on the employment action programme.

  Mr. Howard
  Progress on employment action has been very satisfactory. The first people joined the programme some three weeks ago. We are on course as planned to have 30,000 participants by March next year, with 60,000 helped in 1992–93.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) which training and enterprise councils made bids to participate in employment action; how many places they bid for; how many have they been allocated; and what arrangements have been made to deliver employment action in those areas where the TEC has decided not to run the programme;

  (2) what positive outcome he expects participants in employment action to obtain when they leave the programme; for each region and for Great Britain as a whole; what proportion of employment action partici-pants is expected to obtain employment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Minimum Wage
  Dr. Twinn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what assessment he has made of the effect of a national minimum wage in other countries in the European Community; and if he will make a statement.
  618
  Mr. Howard
  In the European Community only France and Spain have a single statutory national minimum wage as proposed by the Labour party. Even in these countries there are reduced rates for young workers and some special groups are excluded.

  Every assessment of the effect of minimum wages shows that it damages employment opportunities.

  Employment Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) whose responsibility it is to provide the employment training guarantee;

  (2) what is the current Exchequer contribution to an empoloyment training place.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for each region and for Great Britain as a whole the number and proportion of employment training leavers who had(a) been entered for a vocational qualification, (b) obtained a vocational qualification, (c) had failed to obtain vocational qualification and (d) were awaiting their results; and how many of the employment training leavers in the relevant period had completed the training agreed in their initial action plans.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will show for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, for the latest available period, the number and proportion of employment training trainees who three months after leaving were(a) in a full-time job with their work experience employer, (b) in a full-time job with another employer, (c) employed in their own business, (d) in a part-time job, (e) in voluntary work, (f) on another Government training programme, (g) on a full-time education or training course, (h) unemployed and claiming benefit, (i) unemployed and not claiming benefit, (j) in a job club and (k) doing something else;

  (2) if he will give the latest available information on the characteristics of those who have entered employment training showing (a) whether male or female, (b) the duration of unemployment, (c) ethnic origin and (d) whether they have a disability broken down for each region and for Great Britain as a whole;

  (3) what is the annual expenditure on employment training from the start of the programme to the estimated outturn for 1991–92; how much of each year's budget in cash terms was used to pay (a) the trainee's training allowances and (b) the trainee's training premium; and what was the average trainee allowance in each year.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment which TECs have been given extra money for youth training and how much.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Skills
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what is his Department's strategy for upskilling the labour force.
  619
  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Youth Training
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Employment (1) what percentage of youth training participants have employer placements;

  (2) whose responsibility it is to find placements to implement the youth training guarantee.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what sums of money have been contributed from the European social fund towards the youth training scheme/youth training for the years 1989, 1990 and the current year; and what percentage contribution to the total costs of YTS/youth training this represents for each year;

  (2) what was the total expenditure in both cash and real terms on youth training excluding community industry in each of the years 1987–88 to 1990–91, and the planned expenditure in each of the years 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) by region and for Great Britain as a whole if he will give the latest available details showing the number of YT-YTS trainees in each of the training occupational groups, broken down to show (a) the number of male and female trainees in each group, (b) the ethnic origin of trainees in each group and (c) whether or not the young people had a disability;

  (4) for Great Britain and for each region, by male and female, at the most recent date, and at one year previously, how many YT trainees had contracts of employment;

  (5) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, if he will give the latest results of the YTS leavers survey, to show for male and female trainees and for each separate ethnic group and for those with a disability (a) those in full-time work with the same employer, (b) those in full-time work with a different employer, (c) those in part-time work, (d) those on a full-time course at a college or training centre, (e) those on another YTS, (f) those doing something else, (g) those who were unemployed, (h) those who had obtained a vocational qualification, (i) the number of questionnaires issued, (j) the usable percentage response rate and (k) the percentage of respondents who were early leavers;

  (6) what were the numbers of accidents on YTS, fatal, major and minor, for the latest available three-month period; and how many YTS placements were closed or not accepted in that period and in the three preceding months.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many young people are currently on the YTS; how many are waiting for places; and if he will make a statement.

  Severe hardship referrals by region

  Scotland

  North East

  Month

  Total

  Yes

  No

  Total

  Yes

  No

  1990

  July

  692

  524

  168

  484

  366

  118

  August

  815

  589

  226

  586

  422

  164

  September

  639

  480

  159

  454

  343

  111

  October

  742

  570

  172

  522

  379

  143

  November

  675

  525

  150

  537

  421

  116

  December

  482

  380

  102

  369

  283

  86

  620
  Mr. Jackson
  There are about 260,000 young people on youth training in England and Wales. Information on the total numbers waiting for places is not held centrally.

  Restart
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, how many people have attended a Restart interview since 1 April; and what were the results of those interviews, broken down in the same way as the answer given to the hon. Member for Pendle (Mr. Lee) on 18 December 1990,Official Report, column 148.

  (2) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many unemployed people have been referred to restart courses by Employment Service counsellors since January 1991; how many of them were unemployed for over two years; how many attended and completed the courses; what were the outcomes of the participants; how many had benefit penalties imposed for not attending or failing to complete their attendance at the restart course; and if he will make a statement.

  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.

  Young People (Benefits)
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by region and for Great Britain as a whole how many 16 and 17-year-olds were in receipt of extended child benefit and how many were in receipt of bridging allowance for each month since July 1990; how many young people in each region and in Great Britain exhausted their entitlement to either extended child benefit or the eight weeks bridging allowance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment by region and for Great Britain as a whole how many 16 and 17-year-olds for each month since July 1990 have made applications for income support on grounds of extreme hardship and how many have been granted or refused; what is his estimate of the number of 16 and 17-year-olds in that period who had been granted income support on grounds of being within an exempted category; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have been asked to reply.

  The available information on severe hardship claims is in the following table.
  621

  Scotland

  North East

  Month

  Total

  Yes

  No

  Total

  Yes

  No

  1991

  January

  934

  742

  192

  696

  511

  185

  February

  995

  787

  208

  700

  525

  175

  March

  1,030

  786

  244

  699

  520

  179

  April

  1,006

  812

  192

  616

  454

  162

  May

  1,308

  1,054

  254

  800

  622

  178

  June

  1,169

  960

  209

  738

  608

  130

  July

  1,263

  1,014

  249

  1,008

  793

  215

  August

  1,320

  1,064

  256

  979

  775

  204

  September

  1,189

  927

  262

  932

  738

  1,94

  North West

  Midlands

  Month

  Total

  Yes

  No

  Total

  Yes

  No

  1990

  July

  337

  241

  96

  279

  183

  96

  August

  378

  262

  116

  300

  199

  101

  September

  274

  211

  63

  242

  169

  73

  October

  302

  243

  59

  254

  172

  82

  November

  299

  226

  73

  218

  151

  67

  December

  237

  183

  54

  166

  125

  41

  1991

  January

  438

  331

  107

  323

  240

  83

  February

  436

  313

  123

  396

  285

  111

  March

  458

  343

  115

  364

  262

  102

  April

  418

  320

  98

  335

  254

  81

  May

  543

  419

  124

  479

  367

  112

  June

  533

  441

  92

  479

  379

  100

  July

  673

  543

  130

  687

  554

  133

  August

  625

  477

  148

  684

  536

  148

  September

  671

  517

  154

  695

  547

  148

  Wales and South West

  London North

  Month

  Total

  Yes

  No

  Total

  Yes

  No

  1990

  July

  188

  137

  51

  216

  144

  72

  August

  225

  150

  75

  254

  164

  90

  September

  192

  131

  61

  220

  152

  68

  October

  220

  163

  57

  220

  150

  70

  November

  201

  159

  42

  226

  161

  65

  December

  145

  115

  30

  169

  134

  35

  January 1991

  332

  236

  96

  339

  255

  84

  February

  373

  283

  90

  385

  279

  106

  March

  378

  308

  70

  375

  284

  91

  April

  394

  318

  76

  378

  271

  107

  May

  480

  393

  87

  430

  341

  89

  June

  499

  417

  82

  449

  352

  97

  July

  730

  587

  143

  576

  477

  99

  August

  609

  510

  99

  528

  428

  100

  September

  685

  558

  127

  579

  475

  104

  London South

  Totals for Great Britain

  Month

  Total

  Yes

  No

  Total

  Yes

  No

  1990

  July

  240

  160

  80

  2,436

  1,755

  681

  August

  237

  177

  60

  2,795

  1,963

  832

  September

  165

  125

  40

  2,186

  1,611

  575

  October

  223

  164

  59

  2,483

  1,841

  642

  November

  198

  145

  53

  2,354

  1,788

  566

  December

  153

  103

  50

  1,721

  1,323

  398

  January 1991

  316

  225

  91

  3,378

  2,540

  838

  February

  338

  239

  99

  3,623

  2,711

  912

  March

  394

  296

  98

  3,698

  2,799

  899

  April

  370

  290

  80

  3,515

  2,719

  796

  May

  488

  391

  97

  4,530

  3,589

  941

  June

  384

  333

  51

  4,251

  3,490

  761

  July

  624

  508

  116

  5,563

  4,478

  1,085

  August

  553

  452

  101

  5,298

  4,242

  1,056

  September

  657

  539

  118

  5,408

  4,301

  1,107

  622 623
  Information with regard to payment of income support to 16 and 17-year-olds in exempted categories as not available.

  Low Pay
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish tables in the Official Report showing the proportion of (a) full-time employees earning less than (i) £138·74, (ii) £185·00 and (iii) £193·60 per week excluding overtime payments and (b) part time employees earning less than (1) £3·70, (2) £4·92 and (3) £5·15 per hour excluding overtime payments for (A) Great Britain as a whole, (B) each county in England, (C) each county in Wales, (D) each London borough and Greater London as a whole and (E) each regional authority and borough in Scotland.

  Mr. Jackson
  The information available from the 1991 New Earnings Survey is given in the following tables.

  Gross weekly earnings excluding overtime of full-time employees on adult rates—pay unaffected by absence

  Percentage earning less than specified amounts—April 1991

  <£130

  <£140

  <£180

  <£190

  <£1200

  Greater London

  3·0

  4·4

  13·3

  16·4

  19·7

  City of London

  1·5

  2·0

  5·9

  7·6

  9·7

  London Boroughs

  Barking

  3·7

  5·9

  16·8

  20·6

  24·3

  Barnet

  4·2

  7·7

  20·8

  23·0

  27·4

  Bexley

  5·3

  7·6

  20·8

  24·4

  28·1

  Brent

  4·1

  6·2

  20·5

  25·1

  28·8

  Bromley

  7·0

  8·9

  25·9

  30·2

  34·1

  Camden

  1·8

  2·7

  9·4

  11·9

  15·1

  Croydon

  3·9

  6·6

  18·6

  22·3

  26·7

  Ealing

  3·0

  4·1

  13·9

  17·1

  21·6

  Enfield

  4·5

  7·2

  19·7

  22·9

  27·8

  Greenwich

  4·4

  6·5

  19·8

  23·0

  28·9

  Hackney

  5·0

  6·2

  17·4

  19·0

  21·2

  Hammersmith

  2·9

  4·4

  11·6

  14·1

  17·3

  Haringey

  5·3

  6·9

  19·1

  22·7

  27·6

  Harrow

  4·6

  5·6

  15·2

  19·1

  21·5

  Havering

  6·2

  9·4

  24·7

  28·2

  31·8

  Hillingdon

  2·4

  4·0

  15·7

  19·3

  21·9

  Hounslow

  2·0

  2·8

  11·0

  13·6

  16·7

  Islington

  2·2

  3·4

  7·7

  9·9

  13·1

  Kensington and Chelsea

  3·8

  5·8

  17·1

  21·1

  24·6

  Kingston/Thames

  2·8

  5·4

  16·9

  20·8

  25·1

  Lambeth

  1·7

  2·9

  9·3

  12·7

  16·2

  Lewisham

  5·0

  7·0

  20·4

  23·1

  25·8

  Merton

  3·8

  5·9

  18·8

  22·6

  27·1

  Newham

  2·4

  3·4

  13·1

  18·4

  23·6

  Redbridge

  4·8

  7·2

  21·0

  25·2

  29·7

  Richmond/Thames

  3·0

  3·8

  13·3

  19·0

  20·5

  Southwark

  2·4

  3·5

  10·2

  13·6

  16·1

  Sutton

  3·1

  4·0

  14·6

  19·0

  24·3

  Tower Hamlets

  3·2

  4·2

  10·4

  13·0

  16·1

  Waltham Forest

  5·6

  6·8

  18·0

  24·4

  31·6

  Wandsworth

  2·7

  4·7

  17·0

  19·7

  24·4

  City of Westminster

  2·1

  3·3

  10·0

  13·1

  15·2

  Bedfordshire

  6·3

  9·9

  26·6

  31·7

  36·1

  Counties

  South East Region

  Berkshire

  3·6

  5·8

  18·7

  22·5

  27·3

  Buckinghamshire

  5·6

  8·2

  23·6

  28·7

  33·8

  East Sussex

  8·4

  12·2

  34·1

  40·4

  45·7

  Essex

  6·9

  10·2

  28·9

  33·8

  38·0

  Hampshire

  6·9

  10·4

  29·4

  33·6

  37·8

  Hertfordshire

  3·1

  5·5

  19·5

  23·1

  27·0

  Isle of Wight

  11·9

  15·7

  33·8

  41·0

  44·3

  Kent

  8·3

  12·3

  30·1

  34·3

  38·7

  Oxfordshire

  5·3

  8·7

  25·9

  30·4

  34·4

  Surrey

  4·5

  6·3

  19·7

  23·3

  27·7

  624

  <£130

  <£140

  <£180

  <£190

  <£200

  West Sussex

  6·2

  9·7

  27·3

  31·5

  36·5

  East Anglia Region

  Cambridgeshire

  7·8

  11·4

  30·7

  35·2

  39·2

  Norfolk

  10·4

  15·8

  38·3

  43·4

  48·2

  Suffolk

  10·0

  14·4

  36·1

  40·0

  44·9

  South West Region

  Avon

  7·0

  10·3

  29·1

  33·0

  36·8

  Cornwall

  19·7

  27·2

  49·0

  54·2

  59·1

  Devon

  12·8

  17·8

  39·5

  44·6

  50·2

  Dorset

  9·2

  13·9

  35·8

  42·0

  46·5

  Gloucestershire

  8·4

  11·8

  29·8

  35·4

  39·8

  Somerset

  11·7

  17·3

  37·3

  40·9

  45·5

  Wiltshire

  7·5

  11·4

  31·0

  34·9

  39·0

  West Midlands Region

  West Midlands Met County

  9·2

  13·0

  31·4

  36·4

  40·6

  Hereford/Worcester

  10·5

  16·7

  41·1

  45·6

  50·6

  Shropshire

  12·6

  18·1

  43·4

  49·2

  52·8

  Staffordshire

  13·3

  17·3

  40·4

  45·1

  50·1

  Warwickshire

  9·5

  13·1

  33·9

  37·1

  39·6

  East Midlands Region

  Derbyshire

  9·6

  13·8

  31·8

  37·4

  42·2

  Leicestershire

  11·6

  15·9

  35·3

  40·6

  46·0

  Lincolnshire

  14·2

  19·1

  44·5

  49·7

  54·2

  Northamptonshire

  7·4

  11·2

  33·1

  38·5

  43·5

  Notthinghamshire

  12·0

  16·0

  36·9

  41·5

  45·5

  Yorkshire and Humberside Region

  South Yorkshire Met County

  10·2

  14·2

  32·7

  37·2

  41·8

  West Yorkshire Met County

  10·9

  16·3

  36·2

  41·3

  46·5

  Humberside

  12·9

  17·9

  39·2

  42·9

  46·7

  North Yorkshire

  12·0

  16·6

  40·0

  45·0

  50·5

  North West Region

  Greater Manchester Met County

  10·5

  14·9

  33·8

  38·6

  42·9

  Merseyside Met County

  9·9

  13·3

  34·2

  38·7

  43·1

  Cheshire

  8·3

  10·9

  29·3

  33·7

  38·7

  Lancashire

  11·5

  16·2

  38·3

  42·9

  47·3

  Northern Region

  Tyne and Wear Metropolitan County

  10·5

  14·4

  35·7

  41·7

  45·8

  Cleveland

  11·8

  15·2

  32·6

  37·2

  40·0

  Cumbria

  10·9

  14·6

  30·9

  34·9

  39·7

  Durham

  13·8

  18·4

  37·7

  44·5

  48·9

  Northumberland

  16·0

  20·5

  42·6

  47·7

  52·7

  Wales

  Clwyd-West

  18·7

  23·2

  44·2

  48·2

  51·8

  Clwyd-East

  12·9

  15·2

  33·1

  39·0

  43·0

  Dyfed (ex Llanelli)

  18·6

  23·1

  45·5

  51·9

  56·1

  Gwent

  12·1

  16·4

  36·8

  42·5

  47·6

  Gwynedd

  13·5

  18·5

  42·7

  48·8

  52·2

  Mid Glamorgan

  11·9

  18·0

  39·2

  44·9

  49·6

  Powys

  15·3

  23·3

  39·8

  44·9

  48·9

  South Glamorgan

  7·6

  11·2

  33·4

  38·9

  44·0

  West Glamorgan(in Llanelli)

  11·2

  16·4

  34·1

  38·8

  43·3

  Scotland

  Borders

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  ..

  Central

  12·4

  17·4

  38·1

  44·2

  48·6

  Dumfries/Galloway

  15·5

  18·4

  46·9

  51·6

  53·8

  Fife

  12·8

  17·2

  43·0

  46·1

  49·6

  Grampian

  10·8

  14·8

  31·9

  35·4

  39·0

  625

  <£130

  <£140

  <£180

  <£190

  <£200

  Highland

  13·3

  19·8

  42·0

  47·8

  50·9

  Lothian

  9·5

  13·8

  35·1

  39·6

  44·9

  Strathclyde

  10·9

  15·1

  35·5

  41·2

  45·8

  Tayside

  12·9

  18·1

  41·3

  45·9

  51·9

  Orkney. Shetlands, Western Islands

  13·8

  17·4

  25·7

  31·2

  34·9

  Highlands/Islands

  13·4

  19·3

  38·4

  44·1

  47·4

  Great Britain

  8·6

  12·2

  30·1

  34·6

  38·9

  Gross hourly earnings excluding overtime of part-time employees on adult rales—pay unaffected by absence Percentage earning less than specified amounts—April 1991

  Women

  <£3·60

  <£3·80

  <£4·80

  <£5·40

  Greater London

  17·7

  24·1

  53·2

  65·1

  City of London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  London boroughs

  Barking

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Barnet

  22·7

  34·7

  60·0

  74·7

  Bexley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Brent

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bromley

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Camden

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Croydon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ealing

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Enfield

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greenwich

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hackney

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hammersmith

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Haringey

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Harrow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Havering

  30·3

  41·6

  11·5

  85·4

  Hillingdon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hounslow

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Islington

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kensington and Chelsea

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kingston/Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lambeth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lewisham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Merton

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Newham

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Redbridge

  19·3

  26·1

  61·4

  77·3

  Richmond/Thames

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Southwark

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sutton

  11·1

  15·6

  46·7

  68·9

  Tower Hamlets

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Waltham Forest

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wandsworth

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Westminster

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Counties South East region

  Bedfordshire

  41·0

  44·0

  79·1

  85·1

  Berkshire

  30·3

  37·1

  66·8

  74·8

  Buckinghamshire

  29·1

  36·1

  60·7

  73·4

  East Sussex

  37·3

  44·0

  71·1

  79·6

  Essex

  45·8

  53·0

  76·3

  82·8

  Hampshire

  44·2

  52·0

  76·9

  82·7

  Hertfordshire

  32·5

  42·1

  68·0

  77·6

  Isle of Wight

  51·5

  57·6

  75·8

  83·3

  Kent

  44·3

  51·3

  73·2

  79·1

  Oxfordshire

  43·0

  48·4

  69·1

  78·1

  Surrey

  30·3

  36·7

  61·8

  74·4

  West Sussex

  45·6

  52·3

  74·0

  81·9

  East Anglia Region

  Cambridgeshire

  42·0

  48·0

  74·5

  85·0

  Norfolk

  50·2

  55·4

  76·3

  82·7

  Suffolk

  48·1

  57·0

  78·5

  82·7

  South West Region

  Avon

  48·6

  55·5

  73·6

  83·4

  Cornwall

  61·7

  67·2

  83·6

  90·6

  Devon

  54·7

  57·7

  81·0

  85·7

  626

  Women

  <£3·60

  <£3·80

  <£4·80

  <£5·40

  Dorset

  51·5

  57·3

  73·5

  78·8

  Gloucestershire

  45·2

  52·8

  72·4

  81·4

  Somerset

  51·9

  62·7

  81·1

  85·9

  Wiltshire

  50·8

  57·6

  80·1

  86·4

  West Midlands Region

  West Midlands Metropolitan County

  48·9

  55·3

  76·1

  82·4

  Hereford and Worcester

  57·7

  65·8

  82·0

  84·2

  Shropshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire

  57·7

  64·4

  84·0

  86·4

  Warwickshire

  52·4

  58·6

  80·6

  86·9

  East Midlands Region

  Derbyshire

  57·5

  63·5

  83·2

  89·5

  Leicestershire

  46·3

  55·8

  74·6

  82·3

  Lincolnshire

  56·1

  61·0

  80·0

  87·3

  Northamptonshire

  49·8

  57·7

  79·8

  84·0

  Nottinghamshire

  54·9

  60·9

  80·9

  87·0

  Yorkshire and Humberside Region

  South Yorkshire Metropolitan County

  55·4

  61·4

  79·8

  86·3

  West Yorkshire

  Metropolitan County

  48·9

  59·4

  79·3

  84·9

  Humberside

  50·9

  63·1

  81·2

  86·2

  North Yorkshire

  51·4

  55·7

  80·4

  85·9

  North West Region

  Greater Manchester Metropolitan County

  48·2

  56·6

  80·4

  84·9

  Merseyside Metropolitan County

  48·7

  57·5

  79·1

  84·6

  Cheshire

  54·1

  62·2

  80·7

  87·1

  Lancashire

  50·7

  57·0

  77·2

  84·6

  Northern Region

  Tyne and Wear: Metropolitan County

  54·9

  63·6

  81·7

  89·2

  Cleveland

  58·9

  62·8

  76·7

  82·2

  Cumbria

  52·7

  55·6

  81·0

  89·8

  Durham

  58·7

  63·5

  81·2

  87·5

  Northumberland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wales

  Clwyd, West

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Clwyd, East

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dyfed (ex Llanelli)

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Gwent

  50·0

  55·8

  71·0

  77·5

  Gwynedd

  54·7

  65·6

  81·2

  89·1

  Mid Glamorgan

  56·1

  71·7

  81·3

  85·0

  Powys

  —

  —

  —

  —

  South Glamorgan

  51·2

  56·0

  77·8

  86·0

  West Glamorgan (in Llanelli)

  61·2

  67·8

  81·8

  89·3

  Scotland

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  63·7

  69·4

  86·3

  87·9

  Grampian

  51·8

  57·7

  77·0

  81·5

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian

  43·2

  55·7

  77·6

  82·5

  Strathclyde

  43·0

  51·5

  74·4

  80·6

  Tayside

  57·1

  60·5

  78·9

  83·7

  Orkney, Shetlands, Western Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highlands/Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Great Britain

  45·8

  52·9

  74·7

  81·7

  ADULTS

  Great Britain

  45·7

  52·7

  74·0

  80·8

  source: New Earnings Survey"—"denotes not available.

  Performance Targets
  Mr. Leighton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will publish the performance targets of the Employment Department group.

  Mr. Jackson
  The performance targets, which are available at the time of its publication in the early part of the year, are set out in the departmental report.

  Targets for the Employment Service agency and for TEC-delivered programmes are agreed after the publica-tion of the departmental report. The Employment Service targets are published in the annual performance agreement at the beginning of each financial year. The TEC network is now complete, and targets for TEC delivered programmes will be agreed with all 82 TECs in their annual business plans prior to the start of the next financial year. The national aggregate of individual TEC targets will be announced to Parliament following completion of the negotiations with all the TECs.

  Remploy, Stoke-on-Trent
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will reconsider his decision to allow non-disabled staff to he employed on a casual basis in the Remploy workshop in Stoke-on-Trent in jobs which were primarily intended for people with severe disabilities.

  Mr. Jackson
  Remploy continues to fulfil its statutory duty to provide productive work in sheltered conditions for people with severe disabilities. In order to help fulfil this statutory duty and to provide real jobs Remploy operates as a commercial company. As a result Remploy also employs non-disabled staff where it considers this necessary. I understand that in order to meet short-term demands in work recently being undertaken by its Stoke-on-Trent factory, the company decided to take on both disabled and non-disabled people to fill some temporary vacancies.

  Sheep Dip
  Mr. David Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he will now publish the research carried out by the Health and Safety Executive on the effects of organophosphorus sheep dip on farmers. what other studies into this matter are being funded by his Department; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The Health and Safety Executive has not carried out research into the effects of organophosphorus sheep dip on farmers' health. A pilot survey carried out in the south-west in autumn 1990 was to look at sheep dipping practices and to contribute towards the validation of a biological monitoring method which relies on urine measurements rather than blood sampling. The survey was undertaken for operational reasons by HSE to determine appropriate avenues for further research. There are no plans to publish it in its present form.

  Following this pilot survey HSE is commissioning research into the possible chronic long-term effectsneuropsychological effects—of exposure to organophosphoros sheep dip. Work is also being commissioned on the occupational hygience aspects of sheep dipping—dip bath design and dipping technique. HSE agricultural inspectors will next year undertake a survey of sheep dipping facilities on farms.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Forth
  At present the following private firms provide security for the Employment Department:

  Buxton and High Peak Security Services

  Group 4 Security

  Guarda Security

  Halton Security Systems

  Keywatch Security

  Neptune Security Services

  Reliance Security Services

  Securiguard

  Security Express Guards

  Stirling Security

  The total value (£000s) of contracts since 1984–85 is:

  £000s

  1984–85

  300

  1985–86

  331

  1986–87

  427

  1987–88

  502

  1988–89

  444

  1989–90

  540

  1990–91

  664

  Total

  £3·208 million

  Training Credits
  Mr. McLeish
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when the evaluation of the first phase of training credits will be published; and if special needs is one of the selection criteria being used for the second round of bids for training credits.

  Mr. Jackson
  I hope to publish evaluation results from the first nine months of operating training credits in the spring of 1992. Evaluation will, of course, continue well beyond that, to identify the achievements of young people currently beginning training and the impact of credits on young people who leave school in 1992 and subsequently. Training for those with special needs is one of the factors that I will take into account in selecting successful applications for the second round, and all bidders were specifically asked to set out their plans for meeting special training needs.

  North-West Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what plans he has to visit Southport during the next six months to discuss the north-west tourist industry.

  Mr. Forth
  My noble Friend Viscount Ullswater, who has ministerial responsibility for tourism matters, has no specific plans to visit Southport. However, he would be happy to do so when a suitable opportunity arises in his regional visits programme.

  BTA Heritage Committee
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the British Tourist Authority's heritage committee.
  629
  Mr. Forth
  My right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State has never been invited to meet this committee, which advises the board of the British Tourist Authority.

  Age Discrimination
  Mr. Ward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what steps Her Majesty's Government are taking to prevent discrimination against job applicants by reason of their age alone.

  Mr. Jackson
  Age discrimination against job applicants is short-sighted and wasteful. My colleagues and I are taking every opportunity to emphasise that employers should make more effective use of the valuable qualities of skill, experience and reliability that older people can bring to a job. We shall continue to promote good practice in the recruitment and employment of older workers.

  Tourism
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions to discuss future prospects for the tourist industry.

  Mr. Forth
  I addressed the first conference to be organised by the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions on Thursday 17 October 1991 and also answered questions from delegates. My noble Friend, Viscount Ullswater, has on a number of occasions held discussions with representatives of the association.

  Visual Disability
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he last met the Royal National Institute for the Blind to discuss the difficulties blind people find in getting a job.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Non-vocational Qualifications
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will take immediate action to ensure that relevant qualifications such as may be provided by the City and Guilds institutions or which are approved by industry training boards are recognised as satisfactory national vocational qualifications; and if he will make a statement on the reasons for the delay in agreeing such recognition.

  Mr. Jackson
  National vocational qualifications are based on occupational standards identified by representative employer-led bodies some of which are industry training boards. In conjunction with awarding bodies such as the City and Guilds of London institute they can submit proposals to the National Council for Vocational Qualifications, for accreditation as NVQs provided that they meet the NVQ criteria.

  Many NVQs proposed by CGLI and supported by the appropriate lead body have already gained accreditation. I am assured that there is no undue delay by NCVQ in accrediting qualifications which meet the NVQ criteria.

  Industrial Tribunals
  Mr. Batiste
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment when he proposes to bring forward appropriate measures to give industrial tribunals jurisdiction over complaints of breach of employment contracts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Forth
  The Government are firmly committed to giving industrial tribunals this jurisdiction, as announced by my predecessor, my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) last year. However, it is now clear that the powers contained in section 131 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 are inadequate for achieving this objective. The Government therefore propose to include a provision to enable industrial tribunals to hear complaints arising from breach of contract of employment at the earliest appropriate opportunity in a future legislative programme.

  Job Interview Guarantee Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many agreements have been made with employers to operate the job interview guarantee scheme since it was extended nationally in April 1991; how many unemployed people have taken part in the scheme in each area; and how many participants have secured full-time employment with their sponsoring employer;

  (2) for each region and for Great Britain as a whole how many employers have participated in job interview guarantee work trials since the national extension of the scheme on 1 April 1991; how many claimants have participated in such work trials; how many claimants are currently participating in work trials; and how many participants have got full-time employment with their work trial employer.

  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 these questions for reply.

  Expenditure Statistics
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the expenditure by planning total for each of the years 1984–85 to 1990–91, inclusive, and the estimated planning total for 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1993–94 in both cash and real terms.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Employment Expenditure
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will show for Great Britain how much expenditure, excluding administration costs, at cash and constant prices, has been spent in each year since 1983–84 on(a) employment training, and the earlier programmes it replaced, (b) youth training, and the earlier YTS and YOP, (c) the enterprise allowance scheme, (d) job clubs and (e) Restart courses; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Career Development Scheme
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole, how many applications for loans under the career development scheme have been made to date and how many have been rejected; what have been the successful course completion rates in each area; how much has been awarded in total for each region; how much has been recovered, and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jackson
  I will write to the hon. Member.

  Job Clubs
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole since April 1991 how many people have joined job clubs; how many have left; how many leavers got jobs; how many entered another positive outcome; and if he will give that information broken down by the ethnic origin and male/female characteristics of participants.

  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.

  Actively Seeking Work Test
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many claimants in each quarter since September 1990 for each region and for Great Britain as a whole have(a) been issued with warning letters for not actively seeking work, (b) had their claim referred to an arbitration for not actively seeking work, (c) had their claims allowed or disallowed for not actively seeking work, (d) had their claim referred to an officer for refusing suitable employment and (e) how many of those in (d) have had their benefit disqualified or not disqualified.

  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.

  Benefit Claimants
  Ms. Short
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment for each region and for Great Britain as a whole for each quarter since October 1989, how many income support and unemployment benefit claimants have(a) successfully and (b) unsuccessfully claimed income support under the hardship rules, showing those whose claim was in doubt due to (i) not actively seeking work, (ii) refusing suitable employment and (iii) availability for work.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I have been asked to reply.

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

SCOTLAND

  Fish Farms
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what advice his Department has issued on protecting fish farm stock from predatory wildlife.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Fish farmers are recommended to follow the codes of practice which have been issued by the Scottish Salmon Growers Association (following agreement with the Nature Conservancy Council and other conservation groups) and the Shetland Salmon Farmers Association. These codes recommend the installation of non-lethal anti-predation measures, such as netting and acoustic devices at fish farms to deter seals and predatory birds, and advise that shooting should be used only as a last resort. The Government welcome these voluntary initiatives by the industry and conservation bodies.

  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what monitoring his Department is presently carrying out to determine the numbers of birds and seals that are shot or drowned in anti-predator netting at marine fish farms in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The number of birds or seals shot under licence at marine fish farms are reported to the Scottish Office Agriculture and Fisheries Department as a condition of the licence. There is no requirement to report birds or seals which may have been killed in other circumstances. A voluntary survey of the number of seals killed at nets and marine fish farms was recently carried out by the Department and the Seal Mammal Research Unit of the Natural Environmental Research Council (the statutory advisor to the Government on seals) in co-operation with the industry. The returns are being analysed at present.

  Renfrew District Council
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he next plans to meet representatives of Renfrew district council; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend met representatives of Renfrew district council on Friday 4 October. He has no plans for further meetings.

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what honorarium is paid to(a) the chairman and (b) each member of Argyll and Clyde health board; how many times the board met in the last 12 months; how many committee or sub-committee meetings involving board members occurred in the last 12 months; and if he will publish the attendance record of each board member at such meetings in the last 12 months.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Tayside, North (Mr. Walker) on 6 July 1990. Revised honorarium for health board chairmen were introduced on 1 April 1991. The current honorarium for the chairman of Argyll and Clyde health board is £17,375 per annum. The other information requested is not recorded centrally.

  Housing (Renfrew)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the capital allocation given to Renfrew district council for its housing stock in each financial year since 1974–75, using 1974–75 as the base for expressing all subsequent years in real terms.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Block allocations in respect of housing capital expenditure were introduced in 1978–79. Gross HRA allocations issued to Renfrew district council, incorporating the estimate of capital receipts made at the start of each year and any supplementary allocations made during the year, are set out in the table, expressed in 1978–79 prices.

  Renfrew district council Gross HRA capital allocations (1978–79 prices)

  Year

  £ million

  1978–79

  4·9

  1979–80

  6·5

  1980–81

  5·6

  1981–82

  5·4

  1982–83

  4·5

  1983–84

  4·9

  1984–85

  4·4

  1985–86

  5·2

  1986–87

  6·1

  1987–88

  8·3

  1988–89

  8·8

  Applicant households under the homeless persons legislation assessed by local authorities as homeless

  Renfrew

  Strathclyde

  Scotland

  Year

  Number

  Per cent. change

  Number

  Per cent. change

  Number

  Per cent. change

  1978–79

  505

  —

  4,220

  —

  7,437

  —

  1979–80

  371

  -26·5

  4,536

  7·5

  7,421

  -0·2

  1980–81

  381

  2·7

  4,495

  -0·9

  6,993

  -5.8

  1981–82

  471

  23·6

  5,126

  14·0

  8,272

  18·3

  1982–83

  583

  23·8

  5,612

  9·5

  8,674

  4·9

  1983–84

  500

  -14·2

  5,034

  -10·3

  8,124

  -6·3

  1984–85

  564

  12·8

  5,014

  -0·4

  9,913

  22·0

  1985–86

  931

  65·1

  5,364

  7·0

  11,027

  11·2

  1986–87

  534

  -42·6

  4,981

  -7·1

  10,571

  -4·1

  1987–88

  358

  -33·0

  4,506

  -9·5

  9,592

  -9·3

  1988–89

  458

  27·9

  4,544

  0·8

  9,634

  0·4

  1989–901

  396

  -13·5

  5,061

  11·4

  11,339

  17·

  1 Some 2,000 returns, mostly from Glasgow, are estimated to remain outstanding.

  School Meals
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing(a) the average per capita subsidy and (b) the average cost to the pupil of school meals in each regional authority in Scotland in each year since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There is no specific subsidy given to regional authorities to defray the cost of providing school meals. Grant-aided expenditure given to regional authorities contains an element of funding sufficient for

  Charge for a fixed price school meal

  (Pence)

  Region or Island authority

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Borders

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  40

  42

  44

  46

  48

  50

  50

  50

  50

  55

  Central

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  35

  40

  45

  45

  50

  55

  58

  60

  62

  68

  Dumfries and

  365

  Galloway

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  40

  45

  50

  50

  52

  55

  58

  61

  60

  60

  455

  Fife

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  40

  45

  48

  50

  52

  55

  50

  50

  50

  50

  Grampian

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  42

  142

  142

  145

  150

  155

  158

  160

  163

  n/a

  n/a

  245

  245

  255

  260

  265

  268

  270

  273

  Highland

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  40

  50

  50

  50

  55

  55

  65

  65

  70

  74

  80

  634

  Year

  £ million

  1989–90

  8·7

  1990–911

  7·8

  1991–921

  7·2

  1 Capital allocations include earmarked resources totalling £0·159 million in 1990–91 and £0·148 million in 1991–92 (at 1978–79 prices) for innovative housing projects in the Ferguslie Park Partnership area.

  Homelessness
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing how many people were classified as homeless in(a) Renfrew district, (b) Strathclyde and (c) Scotland in each year since 1975; if he will express the percentage change in each year; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The available information relates to households who applied to local authorities under the homeless persons legislation, which came into operation in 1978. These statistics are conventionally presented for financial rather than calendar years. The numbers of such households assessed by local authorities as homeless in Renfrew district, Strathclyde and Scotland in the years 1978–79 to 1989–90 are set out in the following table. Figures for 1990–91 are not yet available.

  each authority to fulfil their statutory duty to provide free meals for pupils from families in receipt of income support.

  The average cost to pupils of school meals is not collected centrally. Pupils can obtain either a fixed meal at a set charge or a cafeteria style meal for which the charge will vary depending on individual pupil's choice. The table gives details of the fixed price meal charge levied by each regional authority in each year since 1975. The level of the charge made is entirely at the discretion of the regional authority.
  635

  Region or Island authority

  1975

  1976

  1977

  1978

  1979

  1980

  1981

  1982

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Lothian

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  35

  45

  45

  150

  150

  150

  150

  155

  155

  160

  255

  255

  255

  255

  260

  260

  265

  Strathclyde

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  40

  45

  50

  53

  55

  58

  61

  63

  64

  67

  79

  Tayside

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  40

  45

  50

  145

  50

  55

  60

  60

  65

  65

  65

  250

  Orkney

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  40

  50

  50

  50

  55

  60

  60

  60

  70

  70

  Shetland

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  35

  35

  45

  50

  50

  55

  60

  60

  65

  75

  Western Isles

  15

  15

  25

  25

  30

  35

  35

  40

  45

  60

  65

  65

  65

  65

  70

  70

  70

  1Primary.

  2Secondary.

  3Standard Meal.

  4Mini Meal.

  Notes: 1. Except where indicated otherwise the same charge applied to both primary and secondary schools.

  2. Prior to 1981 charges for a fixed price meal were set by statutory regulation on national basis.

  3. The charges for 1991 have not yet been published.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to encourage inward investment into Scotland over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My Department has continued, through the work of Locate in Scotland, to promote Scotland as a location for inward investment.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he has taken to encourage inward investment into Paisley, Johnstone and Elderslie over the last 12 months.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  My Department has continued, through the work of Locate in Scotland, to promote Scotland as a location for inward investment. Locate in Scotland does not, however, seek to concentrate its efforts on individual towns or localities.

  Shopping Trollies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to increase the powers available to(a) local authorities and (b) the police against those who abandon shopping trollies on a public highway or on public property; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Foxbar (Rivers)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the visit by the Parliamentary Under-Secretary to the Foxbar (Rivers) area of Paisley earlier this year; if he has yet considered any initiatives to improve the conditions and alleviate the problems in that area; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I visited Foxbar on 7 June and was impressed by the positive approach of both the district council and the local community to the regeneration of housing in this area. I encouraged the council to develop its investment strategy for the area in conjunction with Scottish Homes and other housing providers and to highlight proposals in its housing capital programme which is due to be submitted to the Scottish Office by 1 November. The council's proposals will be taken into account before decisions about housing capital allocations for 1992–93 are taken in December.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on local authority property which was vacant at 31 March 1990 was published in table 15 of the Scottish Office "Statistical Bulletin HSU No 17" which is available in the Library. Comparable figures for Government agencies or Departments, private landlords and housing associations are not collected centrally.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  This information is riot held centrally.

  Education Establishments
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those(a) nursery schools, (b) primary schools, (c) secondary schools, (d) further education colleges, (e) central institutions and (f) universities which he has visited between his appointment and 1 October.

  Mr. Lang
  The following is the information:

  Establishment

  (a) Nursery Schools

  Nil

  (b) Primary Schools

  Nil

  (c) Secondary Schools

  Queen Victoria School, Dunblane Gordon Schools, Huntly

  (d) FE Colleges

  The Borders College, Galashiels

  (e) Central Institutions

  Nil

  637

  Establishment

  Aberdeen

  Glasgow

  (f) Universities

  Edinburgh

  I also visited Donaldson's School for the Deaf in Edinburgh which caters for pupils between the ages of 3–18 years.

  Health Boards
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing on a per capita basis the aggregate external finance allocated to each Scottish health board for 1991–92.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Scottish health boards do not receive external finance allocations.

  Health Policies (Publicity)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much the Scottish Home and Health Departments have spent on the promotion and publicity of Government health policies in each year since 1975; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the percentage of annual rent charges committed to loan charge payments in each Scottish district council; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Local authority rental income is not committed or allocated to meet any particular item or items of expenditure debited to housing revenue accounts. The following table expresses the total loan charges debited to the 1990–91 housing revenue accounts of local authorities in Scotland as a percentage of the standard rental income credited to those accounts.

  Percentage

  Berwickshire

  64·1

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  56·4

  Roxburgh

  93·2

  Tweeddale

  42·1

  Clackmannan

  50·1

  Falkirk

  55·8

  Stirling

  59·0

  Annandale and Eskdale

  101·1

  Nithsdale

  60·6

  Stewartry

  92·2

  Wigtown

  96·2

  Dunfermline

  48·6

  Kirkcaldy

  53·3

  North East Fife

  44·8

  Aberdeen

  66·6

  Banff and Buchan

  61·2

  Gordon

  142·4

  Kincardine and Deeside

  139·7

  Moray

  67·8

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  135·3

  Caithness

  106·4

  Inverness

  100·9

  Lochaber

  148·6

  638

  Percentage

  Nairn

  106·7

  Ross and Cromarty

  139·1

  Skye and Lochalsh

  211·1

  Sutherland

  126·4

  East Lothian

  58·8

  Edinburgh

  50·0

  Midlothian

  45·8

  West Lothian

  57·6

  Argyll and Bute

  85·2

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  76·8

  Clydebank

  59·8

  Clydesdale

  35·6

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  52·8

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  39·1

  Cunninghame

  50·6

  Dumbarton

  35·8

  East Kilbride

  63·6

  Eastwood

  44·2

  Glasgow

  72·8

  Hamilton

  53·4

  Inverclyde

  51·9

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  45·3

  Kyle and Carrick

  55·0

  Monklands

  56·8

  Motherwell

  51·9

  Renfrew

  49·6

  Strathkelvin

  50·9

  Angus

  51·6

  Dundee

  60·2

  Perth and Kinross

  54·5

  Orkney Islands

  124·7

  Shetland Islands

  270·6

  Western Isles

  224·6

  Housing
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what policy initiatives he proposes to take on Scottish housing.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Government will continue to ensure that substantial resources are made available to maintain and improve the supply of good quality affordable housing in Scotland and to assist the people of Scotland to realise their aspirations for greater choice of housing tenure. Resources for gross public capital investment in Scottish housing in 1991–92 exceed £1 billion, an increase of over 19 per cent. in real terms since 1978–79. Over 228,000 households have bought their homes and local authorities and other public sector landlords since 1979.

  The Government will continue with their policies of encouraging more choice, opportunity and tenure diversification.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing, on a per capita basis in ascending order, the(a) housing support grant and (b) aggregate external finance for housing allocated to each Scottish district council (i) including and (ii) excluding moneys specifically allocated to the partnership areas in Glasgow, Dundee, Edinburgh and Paisley.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Disabled People
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures each local enterprise company in Scotland has taken to ensure adequate provision for the training and employment of people with special needs and/or disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Local enterprise companies were required to make adequate provision for the training of people with special needs and/or disabilities in their business plans; and their success in catering for the training needs of this group is one of the criteria by which the local enterprise companies are judged by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise. I have therefore asked the chairmen of both these organisations to write to the hon. Member on this matter.

  Action in relation to access to employment is primarily a matter for the employment service rather than local enterprise companies, although they work in close co-operation.

  Planning Appeals
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many planning appeals there have been in Scotland in each year since 1980; and what has been the cost of conducting these.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Landfill Gas Schemes
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list all the landfill gas schemes(a) currently in operation and (b) being proposed in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Dental Health
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the cost to public funds of preventive dental health programmes in Scotland for the most recent 12-month period for which figures are available.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Preventive dental health programmes are the responsibility of individual health boards. Information on their expenditure on such programmes is not held centrally.

  At national level, the Scottish health education group (now the Health Education Board for Scotland) spent £5,700 in the financial year 1990–91 on dental health education.

  Hazardous Waste Imports
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by year for the last 10 years, and for each port in Scotland, the number of tonnes of hazardous waste that was imported.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office does not hold centrally information on the amounts of hazardous waste imported through individual ports. Information on imports of waste is available from the district and islands councils who are competent authorities 640
  under the Transfrontier Shipment of Hazardous Waste Regulations 1988 which govern movements of such waste into and out of Great Britain. They have reported to us that 453 and 480 tonnes of such waste were imported in the calendar years 1988 and 1989 respectively. Figures for 1990 are not yet available.

  Redundancies
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the levels of redundancies by industry, in Paisley, South for the period 1981 to 1991, classified by men, women and young persons; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Johnstone Clinic
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when the new Johnstone clinic is likely to open; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The position remains as set out in my reply to the hon. Member of 13 February, which is that the clinic is expected to open in summer 1992.

  Health Service Pay
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will give the cost to health boards in 1991–92 of the nurses, midwives and health visitors review body's pay awards for that year and the amount allocated from the reserve to meet part of these costs;

  (2) if he will give the amount health boards will need to find in 1991–92 from existing funding in 1991–92 to meet the costs of the professions allied to medicine review body's pay awards;

  (3) if he will give the amount health boards will need to find in 1991–92 from existing funding in 1991–92 to meet the costs of nurses, midwives and health visitors review body's pay awards;

  (4) if he will give the cost to health boards in 1991–92 of the professions allied to medicine review body's pay awards for that year, and the amount allocated from the reserve to meet part of these costs;

  (5) if he will give the amount health boards will need to find in 1991–92 from existing funding in 1991–92 to meet the costs of the doctors and dentists review body's pay awards;

  (6) if he will give the cost to health boards in 1991–92 of the doctors and dentists review body's pay awards for that year, and the amount allocated from the reserve to meet part of these costs.

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

  Firearms
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what measures he intends taking to reduce the number of firearms available to criminals in Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Under the provisions of the Firearms (Amendment) Act 1988 very strict controls are imposed on the acquisition and possession of firearms,
  641
  one of the purposes of these measures being to restrict the ability of criminals to obtain firearms. Responsibility for detecting illegally held firearms is a matter for the police who make strenuous efforts to prevent criminals acquiring firearms which they may subsequently use in committing crimes. The courts also deal very severely with those who appear before them charged with crimes involving the use of firearms. Firearms control is a matter which the Government keep under continual review.

  Estuary Conservation
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland has for progressing the conservation of estuaries in Scotland.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Judges Library, Edinburgh
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost of establishing the judges library in Edinburgh; what is the estimated annual running cost; and what was the annual cost when this facility was provided by the advocates library.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The library in the Supreme courts has been built up over many years and no estimate is available of the cost of establishing it. In the financial year 1991–92 budget provision for expenditure on books and publications is £47,000. In addition, judges have access to publications held in the Library of the Faculty of Advocates for which a grant-in-aid, currently £500, is paid annually.

  Drugs
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his best estimate of the total number of drug users in Scotland in each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Because the unauthorised possession and supply of many addictive drugs is a criminal offence, it is difficult to make precise estimates of the number of drug misusers in Scotland; and official estimates of prevalence over each of the last 10 years are not available. However current estimates, based on surveys and other indicators, suggest that there are about 20,000 people in Scotland who regularly or occasionally inject illicit or other drugs. A larger number are likely to take illicit drugs such as cannabis by other means.

  To enable a more accurate assessment to be made of the incidence of drug misuse in Scotland, we established the Scottish drug misuse database in August 1990. The database collects anonymised data from medical and non-medical professionals and voluntary agencies.

  Construction Contracts
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the values of construction contracts placed by the Scottish Development Agency between 1 April and 1 October 1990 and by Scottish Enterprise and its local enterprise companies between 1 April and 1 October 1991.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  These are operational matters for Scottish Enterprise and I have asked the chairman to write to the hon. Member.

  Parliamentary Constituencies
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list in the Official Report his estimates of the total population in each parliamentary constituency in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Such estimates are not prepared routinely. Those following have been obtained by dividing mid-1990 local government area populations amongst constituencies in proportion to the corresponding split of parliamentary electorates recorded on the 1991 register (qualifying date 10 October 1990). Some very small proportions have been ignored. I understand that the Registrar General intends to prepare new estimates when the relevant 1991 census statistics are available.

  Population Estimates for Parliamentary Constituencies Scotland, mid-1990

  Number

  Aberdeen North

  75,500

  Aberdeen South

  73,800

  Angus East

  82,400

  Argyll and Bute

  66,200

  Ayr

  84,700

  Banff and Buchan

  85,000

  Caithness and Sutherland

  39,800

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  72,100

  Central Fife

  72,400

  Clackmannan

  63,600

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  63,200

  Clydesdale

  82,600

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  63,100

  Cunninghame North

  72,500

  Cunninghame South

  65,100

  Dumbarton

  79,800

  Dumfries

  78,400

  Dundee East

  76,000

  Dundee West

  77,700

  Dunfermline East

  67,800

  Dunfermline West

  69,300

  East Kilbride

  83,100

  East Lothian

  85,500

  Eastwood

  84,100

  Edinburgh Central

  69,100

  Edinburgh East

  57,700

  Edinburgh Leith

  70,800

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  69,600

  Edinburgh South

  76,100

  Edinburgh West

  74,700

  Falkirk East

  68,000

  Falkirk West

  65,600

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  70,000

  Glasgow Cathcart

  60,200

  Glasgow Central

  64,200

  Glasgow Garscadden

  55,400

  Glasgow Govan

  61,400

  Glasgow Hillhead

  73,600

  Glasgow Maryhill

  63,600

  Glasgow Pollok

  62,000

  Glasgow Provan

  49,700

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  70,600

  Glasgow Shettleston

  68,500

  Glasgow Springburn

  60,100

  Gordon

  102,533

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  70,000

  Hamilton amilton

  82,500

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  90,400

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  81,100

  Kincardine and Deeside

  84,900

  Kirkcaldy

  67,400

  Linlithgow

  82,000

  Livingston

  82,700

  Midlothian

  81,300

  Monklands East

  65,800

  Monklands West

  68,300

  Moray

  84,500

  643

  Number

  Motherwell North

  78,000

  Motherwell South

  68,800

  North East Fife

  68,900

  North Tayside

  72,600

  Orkney and Shetland

  41,800

  Paisley North

  61,800

  Paisley South

  63,600

  Perth and Kinross

  85,300

  Renfrew West and Inverelyde

  76,000

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  74,100

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  54,100

  Stirling

  74,900

  Strathkelvin and Bcarsden

  84,600

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  49,400

  Western Isles

  30,700

  Dr. James Crichton
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to what uses any money realised by the sale of Dr. James Crichton's heritable and other assets in Dumfries and Galloway health board will be put.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The former heritable and other assets of Dr. James Crichton form only a small part of the current Crichton Royal hospital site. It is not the intention of Dumfries and Galloway health board to dispose of any of these assets at this time.

  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has given to Dumfries and Galloway health board in respect of the sale of heritable and other assets acquired by the Board and which were part of the assets of the late Dr. James Crichton, transferred to the board's predecessor under the National Health (Scotland) Act 1947, and in particular the guidance he has given regarding the application of the free proceeds of sale of such assets; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend has given no such guidance to the health board. It is for each health board to consider whether NHS property should be made available for disposal, in the light of Government policy and legal advice, so that the proceeds can be used for the benefit of the NHS.

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

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

  Health Board Boundaries
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make it his policy to compile and distribute to all hon. Members a map of health boards and their boundaries throughout Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No. Health board boundaries are contiguous with local authority boundaries, and are therefore readily ascertainable.

  Insh Marshes
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what information he has on,(a) the extent of the area of land at the Insh marshes, Strathspey, which has
  644
  been notified as a site of special scientific interest, (b) the main features of nature conservation importance of this site, and (c) the main factors necessary to maintain this status;

  (2) when the Irish marshes/River Spey were first identified as meeting the criteria for designation as a special protection area under the European Community directive on the Conservation of Wild Birds and as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar convention; and if he will list the stages that have so far been completed in progressing these designations.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

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

  Mr. Lang
  My Department spent £65,123 on official hospitality in 1990–91.

  Health Service Waiting Lists
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board in Scotland for each specialty the number of patients waiting more than 18 months for treatment.

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

  Chromium
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Office does not hold this information centrally. The nature of wastes going into specific landfill sites and suitable operational terms and conditions are matters for the district and islands councils under the licensing provisions of the Control of Pollution Act 1974.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by(a) year and (b) by regional health authority for the last five years, the number of cases of (i) chromium poisoning and (ii) chromium contamination that have been reported.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not available centrally.

  Clinic Booking Systems
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give for each health board in Scotland the number of clinics, along with their specialties, in which there was a system of block booking on 1 September.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested is not collected centrally. It is for health boards to monitor this.

  Solvent Abuse
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many young people of both sexes in each local authority area in Scotland have been referred to children's panels as a result of solvent abuse in each year since the Solvent Abuse (Scotland) Act 1983 came into effect.

  Number of solvent abuse referrals to reporters by local authority area (1983–1990)

  Region

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Total

  Total

  Total

  Total

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Berwickshire

  4

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  —

  —

  1

  6

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Roxburgh

  —

  2

  —

  11

  2

  —

  2

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tweeddale

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  1

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  Borders total

  4

  3

  1

  20

  3

  —

  2

  3

  3

  —

  3

  1

  —

  1

  Clackmannan

  1

  8

  8

  12

  2

  5

  —

  5

  1

  1

  2

  3

  —

  3

  Falkirk

  —

  18

  31

  11

  11

  3

  —

  3

  2

  —

  2

  5

  5

  10

  Stirling

  3

  4

  8

  4

  1

  5

  —

  5

  4

  —

  4

  1

  —

  1

  Central total

  4

  30

  47

  27

  14

  13

  —

  13

  7

  1

  8

  9

  5

  14

  Annandale and Eskdale

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nithsdale

  —

  6

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Stewartry

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Wigtown

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries and Galloway total

  —

  6

  3

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  Dunfermline

  6

  5

  11

  8

  3

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  4

  —

  4

  Kirkcaldy

  2

  18

  14

  9

  7

  3

  1

  4

  2

  —

  2

  3

  —

  3

  North East Fife

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife total

  8

  24

  26

  17

  10

  6

  1

  7

  2

  —

  2

  7

  —

  7

  Aberdeen (City of)

  12

  8

  32

  12

  4

  3

  2

  5

  2

  3

  5

  12

  —

  12

  Banff and Buchan

  5

  14

  31

  15

  3

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  3

  11

  5

  16

  Gordon

  3

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Kincardine and Deeside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  3

  1

  4

  —

  —

  —

  4

  1

  5

  Moray

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  5

  2

  7

  —

  —

  —

  11

  —

  11

  Grampian total

  20

  24

  63

  30

  12

  11

  6

  17

  5

  3

  8

  40

  6

  46

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Caithness

  —

  —

  1

  3

  9

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Inverness

  9

  18

  8

  —

  1

  6

  —

  6

  5

  —

  5

  1

  —

  1

  Lochaber

  1

  —

  —

  4

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Nairn

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Ross and Cromarty

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  2

  1

  5

  6

  —

  —

  —

  Skye and Lochalsh

  —

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Sutherland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland total

  12

  21

  14

  7

  13

  7

  1

  8

  7

  6

  13

  1

  —

  1

  East Lothian

  2

  4

  11

  8

  2

  c

  2

  7

  5

  1

  6

  1

  2

  3

  Edinburgh (City of)

  22

  59

  12

  10

  9

  9

  —

  9

  5

  —

  5

  4

  3

  7

  Midlothian

  4

  3

  1

  5

  4

  5

  3

  8

  8

  2

  10

  7

  2

  9

  West Lothian

  —

  3

  5

  6

  2

  2

  —

  2

  4

  —

  4

  7

  1

  8

  Lothian total

  28

  69

  29

  29

  17

  21

  5

  26

  22

  3

  25

  19

  8

  27

  Orkney total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Shetland total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Argyll and Bute

  —

  4

  2

  1

  1

  2

  —

  2

  1

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Clydebank

  —

  1

  —

  10

  10

  3

  —

  3

  2

  3

  5

  5

  2

  7

  Clydesdale

  —

  —

  —

  —

  8

  3

  —

  3

  6

  —

  6

  7

  1

  8

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  —

  —

  3

  —

  8

  1

  2

  3

  3

  —

  3

  1

  —

  1

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  —

  5

  10

  7

  3

  —

  —

  —

  5

  —

  5

  —

  —

  —

  Cunninghame

  —

  21

  18

  4

  20

  15

  4

  19

  11

  —

  11

  10

  6

  16

  Dumbarton

  —

  2

  5

  2

  17

  —

  2

  2

  4

  —

  4

  1

  1

  2

  East Kilbride

  —

  2

  5

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  3

  —

  3

  Eastwood

  —

  3

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  Glasgow (City of)

  10

  258

  206

  227

  170

  87

  9

  96

  70

  3

  73

  56

  21

  77

  Hamilton

  —

  26

  6

  10

  3

  5

  3

  8

  19

  1

  20

  1

  2

  3

  Inverclyde

  5

  43

  45

  22

  23

  11

  3

  14

  11

  1

  12

  2

  1

  3

  Kilmarnock and Loudon

  —

  14

  8

  36

  3

  3

  —

  3

  —

  3

  3

  1

  —

  1

  Kyle and Carrick

  —

  6

  6

  10

  4

  1

  —

  1

  13

  1

  14

  5

  3

  8

  Monklands

  —

  5

  6

  5

  3

  3

  —

  3

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Motherwell

  —

  9

  5

  9

  8

  13

  1

  14

  3

  1

  4

  11

  1

  12

  646
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The table details the number of solvent abuse referrals to reporters by local authority area. A breakdown by sex is available only for the years 1988, 1989 and 1990. The number of children referred is unavailable and the referrals may include some children referred more than once in the year.
  647

  Region

  1983

  1984

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Total

  Total

  Total

  Total

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Male

  Female

  Total

  Renfrew

  2

  55

  60

  46

  45

  11

  1

  12

  10

  2

  12

  29

  10

  39

  Strathkelvin

  —

  3

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  4

  1

  4

  5

  Strathclyde total

  17

  458

  386

  391

  329

  158

  25

  183

  161

  18

  179

  138

  52

  190

  Angus

  —

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  —

  3

  5

  —

  5

  Dundee (City of)

  9

  34

  20

  6

  9

  1

  1

  2

  11

  6

  17

  4

  7

  11

  Perth and Kinross

  —

  3

  7

  3

  —

  1

  —

  1

  6

  —

  6

  10

  —

  10

  Tayside total

  9

  37

  31

  9

  9

  2

  1

  3

  20

  6

  26

  19

  7

  26

  Western Isles total

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dementia
  Mr. Galbraith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what action he will take concerning the report, "Dementia in Scotland: Agenda for Action 1991–1995"; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I met representatives of Scottish Action on Dementia on 3 September to discuss the recommendations in this report and a further meeting was held with officials on 17 October. The points made in the report will be taken into account in the development of policy.

  Data Protection
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he has plans to issue an amended code of practice on the confidentiality of personal health information; and whether he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no plans at present to amend the code of practice issued in June 1990. The need for a revised version will be kept under review.

  Incomes
  Mr. Maxton
  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 in(a) 1979 and (b) 1988; and what percentage of the Scottish population this represents in each year.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I refer the hon. Member to my reply given on 14 October to the hon. Member for Cunninghame, North (Mr. Wilson).

  Seals
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many fish farmers and salmon netsmen responded to the voluntary survey into the shooting of seals at fish farms and salmon netting stations; what was the number of seals reported killed by respondents; and what conclusions he has drawn from the results of this survey.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Returns are being analysed at present by the Department and the sea mammal research unit of the Natural Environment Research Council.

  Nurseries and Play Groups
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the numbers of(a) children, (b) qualified staff and (c) full-time equivalent qualified staff in registered (i) pre-school nurseries and (ii) play groups for
  648
  each academic year from 1978–79 in (1) Kincardine and Deeside District, (2) Aberdeen District, (3) Grampian and (4) Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information which is available centrally is set out in the following tables. Staffing information on pre-school playgroups is not collected centrally.

  Children and staff in registered private and voluntary day centres as at 31 March 1988

  Children attending

  Qualified staff

  (Whole time equivalent)

  Grampian

  865

  110

  (75)

  Scotland

  1,855

  207

  (150)

  Places available in registered private and voluntary playgroups

  As at 31 March

  Kincardine and Deeside District

  Aberdeen City District

  Grampian

  Scotland

  1979

  551

  1,245

  4,922

  45,339

  1980

  550

  963

  4,712

  40,783

  1981

  572

  1,000

  4,729

  42,830

  1982

  629

  1,100

  5,158

  40,207

  1983

  682

  898

  5,022

  42,194

  1984

  690

  780

  4,674

  42,342

  1985

  716

  766

  4,996

  41,784

  1986

  816

  814

  4,730

  40,227

  1987

  769

  722

  4,909

  41,710

  1988

  803

  732

  4,668

  44,634

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the figures for manufacturing investment in Scotland in(a) cash terms and (b) deflated by the gross domestic product deflator in each year since 1974; and what would have been the total additional amount invested in Scottish manufacturing industry if investment had remained at 1979 levels.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The following table shows estimated gross domestic fixed capital formation, GDFCF, in manufacturing industries in Scotland in cash terms for each year since 1974 for which estimates are available. The table also shows the deflator for the United Kingdom gross domestic product (GDP) at factor cost for each year. It is not appropriate to deflate Scottish gross domestic fixed capital formation estimates using a United Kingdom gross domestic product deflator and there are no appropriate deflators available for Scottish capital expenditure.
  649

  Year

  Scottish gross domestic fixed capital formation in manufacturing £ million

  United Kingdom gross domestic product at factor cast expenditure based deflator 1985=100

  1974

  309

  29·4

  1975

  421

  37·5

  1976

  468

  43·0

  1977

  491

  48·3

  1978

  523

  54·1

  1979

  562

  61·0

  1980

  645

  72·3

  1981

  586

  79·6

  1982

  541

  85·2

  1983

  470

  89·9

  1984

  597

  94·8

  1985

  862

  100·0

  1986

  789

  102·7

  1987

  738

  107·9

  1988

  951

  115·1

  Source: Central Statistical Office.

  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is his estimate of Scottish manufacturing capacity in 1979 and 1990.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  This information is not available.

  EC Funding
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the value in(a) cash and (b) real terms of European Community structural funds given to projects in Scotland in each year since 1974; and if he will give the Scottish total allocation as a perentage of (i) the European Community total and (ii) the total United Kingdom allocation, in each year.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Surplus EC Food
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will take steps to make free surplus EEC food available to all pensioners; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Under EC regulations the surplus food may be distributed only to the most needy in the Community. The Government have therefore made the food available to those persons in receipt of income support or family credit or those who are homeless and destitute or living in welfare hostels. There is only a fixed amount of food available under the scheme; if all pensioners were eligible to receive it, the amount provided to each individual would be small and the distribution costs high.

  Juvenile Macular Degeneration
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the latest available figures showing the total number of recorded cases of juvenile macular degeneration in Scotland.

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

  Agriculture
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the effect of the MacSharry proposals on agriculture on rural areas such as the Borders.

  Mr. Lang
  The Government have stated clearly our opposition to the discriminatory features of the Commission's proposals, which could in their present form, have serious consequences for farming in Scotland and especially in the less favoured areas. We have made clear our aim to achieve a reform which encourages efficiency; which applies fairly across all agriculture in the Community; which maintains financial discipline; and which builds in environmental objectives for the countryside.

  Hospitals
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will provide a table showing every hospital opening and closing in Scotland in each year since 1979, distributed according to Parliamentary constituency boundaries;

  (2) if he will list and name by health board (a) all the hospitals and (b) the departments in Scotland which have been closed since 1979; and if he will give (i) all the hospitals and (ii) the departments or wards which are currently subject to consultation in respect of possible closure by health boards.

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

  Transport Funding
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is, for each year since 1974–75, the total amount of public funding on (i) local roads, (ii) motorway and trunk roads, (iii) railways and (iv) airports in Scotland in constant terms.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Appointments
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to his answer in the Official Report, 14 May, columns 145–53, if he will give the numbers of appointments he makes to every quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation in Scotland; and the date of creation of each body.

  Mr. Lang
  Table I shows the information requested as at 1 July 1990. The list is longer than that in my reply to the hon. Member for The Wrekin (Mr. Grocott) on 14 May 1991 because his question related only to those bodies on which vacancies would arise in 1991 and 1992. Table 2 shows the information requested in respect of bodies created since July 1990. In addition I make a number of appointments to United Kingdom bodies jointly with other Ministers.
  651

  Appointments for which the Secretary of State for Scotland is responsible, as at 1 July 1990

  Name of body

  Number of appointments

  Date of creation of body

  Aberdeen and District Milk Marketing Board

  2

  29 March 1934

  Advisory Committee on Dental Establishments

  6

  1 December 1975

  Advisory Committee on Medical Establishments

  15

  1 May 1972

  Advisory Committee on Scotland's Travelling People

  12

  1 July 1982

  Ancient Monuments Board for Scotland

  16

  15 August 1913

  Animal Diseases Research Association

  1

  1 January 1921

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board

  16

  1 April 1974

  Ayrshire and Arran Health Board

  19

  1 April 1974

  Borders Health Board

  15

  1 April 1974

  Boundary Commission for Scotland

  2

  16 February 1978

  Building Standards Advisory Committee

  15

  13 August 1959

  Caledonian MacBrayne

  8

  2 April 1990

  Central Advisory Committee on Justices of the Peace (Scotland)

  18

  16 May 1949

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Borders Region

  3

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Central Region

  5

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Dumfries and Galloway Region

  6

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Fife Region

  5

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Grampian Region

  3

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Highland Region

  5

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Lothian

  5

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Orkney Islands Area

  3

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Shetland Islands Area

  3

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Stralhclyde Region

  10

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Tayside Region

  5

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel Advisory Committee for Western Isles Islands Area

  3

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Borders Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Central Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Dumfries and Galloway Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Fife Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Grampian Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Highland Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Lothian Region

  3

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Orkney Islands Area

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Shetland Islands Area

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Stralhclyde Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Tayside Region

  2

  15 April 1971

  Children's Panel for Western Isles Island Area

  2

  15 April 1971

  Clyde River Purification Board

  16

  16 May 1975

  Commission for Local Authority Accounts in Scotland

  10

  25 September 1974

  Committee of Investigation for Scotland (under the Agricultural Marketing Act 1958)

  2

  1 January 1931

  Common Services Agency for the Scottish Health Service

  9

  1 October 1973

  Consultative Committee on Freshwater Fisheries

  9

  21 July 1977

  Consumers Committee for Scotland (under Agricultural Marketing Act 1958)

  1

  1 January 1934

  Countryside Commission for Scotland

  14

  1 February 1968

  Craigie College of Education Governing Body

  3

  13 May 1975

  Crofters Commission

  7

  1 October 1955

  Cumbernauld Development Corporation

  10

  15 February 1956

  Dairy Produce Quota Tribunal for Scotland

  20

  24 July 1984

  Dumfries and Galloway Health Board

  17

  1 April 1974

  Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art—Board of Governors

  12

  21 May 1975

  652

  Name of body

  Number of appointments

  Date of creation of body

  Dundee Institute of Technology— Board of Governors

  8

  21 May 1975

  East Kilbride Development Corporation

  9

  8 August 1947

  Edinburgh College of Art—Board of Governors

  6

  16 May 1975

  Edinburgh New Town Conservation Committee

  3

  22 December 1970

  Fife Health Board

  18

  1 April 1974

  Fish Farming Advisory Committee

  2

  19 March 1990

  Forth River Purification Board

  11

  16 May 1975

  Forth Valley Health Board

  15

  1 April 1974

  General Teaching Council for Scotland

  4

  1 February 1968

  Glasgow Polytechnic—Board of Governors

  13

  23 May 1985

  Glasgow School of Art—Board of Governors

  9

  16 May 1975

  Glenrothes Development Corporation

  10

  25 October 1948

  Grampian Health Board

  19

  1 April 1974

  Greater Glasgow Health Board

  19

  1 April 1974

  Hannah Research Institute

  2

  1 January 1928

  Highland Health Board

  18

  1 April 1974

  Highland River Purification Board

  9

  16 May 1975

  Highlands and Islands ConsultativeCouncil (dissolved on 31 March 1991)

  34

  1 April 1966

  Highlands and Islands DevelopmentBoard (ceased to exist 31 March 1991)

  7

  1 November 1965

  Hill Farming Advisory Committee for Scotland

  14

  6 November 1981

  Historic Buildings Council for Scotland

  13

  17 November 1953

  HM Commissioners for Queen Victoria School. Dunblane

  7

  27 June 1985

  Horse Race Belting Levy Appeal Tribunal for Scotland

  2

  1 December 1963

  Irvine Development Corporation

  9

  9 June 1967

  Jordanhill College of Education Governing Body

  4

  13 May 1975

  Lanarkshire Health Board

  19

  1 April 1974

  Livingston Development Corporation

  9

  17 April 1962

  Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland

  5

  11 February 1974

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Aberdeen

  6

  1 April 1968

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Cornton Vale

  6

  1 November 1975

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Dungavel

  6

  1 November 1975

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Edinburgh

  9

  1 April 1968

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Glenochil

  8

  1 March 1976

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Penninghame

  6

  1 April 1968

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Perth

  7

  1 April 1968

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Peterhead

  5

  1 April 1968

  Local Review Committee, HM Prison Shotls

  11

  1 January 1979

  Local Review Committee. HMYO Institution Dumfries

  6

  1 April 1968

  Local Review Committee HMYO Institution Polmont

  6

  20 September 1989

  Local Review Committee HMYO Institution Castle Huntly and HM Prison Noranside

  6

  29 February 1984

  Lothian Health Board

  18

  1 April 1974

  Macaulay Land Use Research Institute

  14

  1 April 1987

  Moray House College of Education Governing Body

  4

  13 May 1975

  Napier Polytechnic of Edinburgh— Board of Governors

  12

  23 April 1985

  National Appeal Panel for Entry to Pharmaceutical Lists in Scotland

  2

  1 October 1987

  National Board for Nursing Midwifery and Health Visiting for Scotland

  11

  15 September 1980

  National Galleries of Scotland—Board of Trustees

  9

  22 March 1907

  National Health Service Tribunal for Scotland

  1

  1948

  National Library of Scotland—Board of Trustees

  4

  7 August 1925

  National Museums of Scotland—Board of Trustees

  13

  4 June 1985

  National Panel of Specialists (medical)

  28

  1 January 1976

  North East River Purification Board

  6

  16 May 1975

  653

  Name of body

  Number of appointments

  Date of creation of body

  North of Scotland Milk Marketing Board

  2

  7 July 1934

  Northern College of Education— Governing Body

  4

  1 April 1987

  Orkney Health Board

  13

  1 April 1974

  Paisley College of Technology— Governing Body

  13

  16 May 1975

  Parole Board for Scotland

  15

  1 April 1968

  Police (Scotland) Examinations Board

  2

  1 January 1922

  Police Advisory Board for Scotland

  4

  24 June 1965

  Post Qualification Education Board for Health Service Pharmacists

  11

  28 February 1989

  Preliminary Review Committee for Life Sentence Prisoners

  5

  10 January 1980

  Queen Margaret College Edinburgh— Governing Body

  7

  16 May 1975

  Race Relations Assessors in Scotland

  10

  1968

  Red Deer Commission

  13

  1 October 1959

  Registration of Social Work Establishments Appeal Tribunal Panel

  12

  7 February 1983

  Rent Assessment Panel for Scotland

  2

  1 April 1966

  Rowett Research Institute—Governing Body

  2

  1 January 1926

  Royal Botanic Garden—Board of Trustees

  8

  28 November 1985

  Royal Scottish Academy of Music and Drama—Governing Body

  13

  16 May 1975

  Scottish Standing Committee Calculation of Residual Values of Fertilisers and Feeding Stuff

  5

  31 January 1949

  Scottish Advisory Committee on Top Grade Scientific Posts

  8

  1 April 1972

  Scottish Agricultural Consultative Panel

  25

  1 August 1972

  Scottish Agricultural Statistics Consultative Committee

  5

  5 January 1973

  Scottish Agricultural Wages Board

  4

  1 January 1937

  Scottish Central Fire Brigades Advisory Council

  15

  21 November 1947

  Scottish College of Textiles Galashiels —Board of Governors

  13

  16 May 1975

  Scottish Committee for Staff

  Development in Education

  15

  1 April 1987

  Scottish Community Education Council

  11

  1 April 1982

  Scottish Consultative Council on the Curriculum

  30

  31 March 1988

  Scottish Council for Education Technology

  14

  9 September 1975

  Scottish Council for Post Graduate Medical Education

  7

  1 May 1970

  Scottish Council for Research in Education

  3

  23 June 1928

  Scottish Crop Research Institute— Governing Body

  15

  1 February 1981

  Scottish Dental Practice Board

  7

  5 July 1948

  Scottish Development Agency (ceased to exist 31 March 1991)

  8

  15 December 1975

  Scottish Economic Council

  32

  1 February 1975

  Scottish Examination Board

  38

  1 January 1965

  Scottish Film Council

  8

  1 January 1990

  Scottish Health Service Advisory Council

  16

  4 October 1989

  Scottish Homes

  9

  1 April 1989

  Scottish Hospital Endowment Research Trust

  6

  1 April 1954

  Scottish Hospital Trust

  6

  1 September 1971

  Scottish Industrial Development Advisory Board

  12

  1 January 1976

  Scottish Legal Aid Board

  15

  17 November 1986

  Scottish Medical Practices Committee

  6

  1 April 1948

  Scottish Milk Marketing Board

  2

  26 May 1933

  Scottish National War Memorial Board of Trustees

  3

  28 October 1947

  Scottish Nuclear Limited

  6

  30 March 1990

  Scottish Police College Board of Governors

  1

  1 January 1955

  Scottish Records Advisory Council

  12

  1 January 1938

  Scottish Seed Potato Development Council

  17

  4 December 1981

  Scottish Sports Council

  15

  15 November 1971

  Scottish Studentship Selection Committee

  9

  1 January 1962

  Scottish Tourist Board

  7

  1 October 1969

  Scottish Transport Group

  6

  1 January 1969

  Scottish Valuation Advisory Council

  12

  26 September 1956

  Scottish Vocational Educational Council

  15

  29 March 1985

  654

  Name of body

  Number of appointments

  Date of creation of body

  Secretary of State's (Electricity) Fisheries Committee

  6

  1943

  Secretary of State's Advisory Panel of Economic Consultants

  9

  1 June 1962

  Shetland Health Board

  14

  1 April 1974

  Solway River Purification Board

  5

  16 May 1975

  St. Andrews College of Education Governing Body

  3

  15 September 1981

  State Hospital Management Committee

  13

  12 April 1962

  Tay River Purification Board

  6

  16 May 1975

  Tayside Health Board

  18

  1 April 1974

  The Queen's College Glasgow—Board of Governors

  12

  16 May 1975

  The Robert Gordon Institute ofTechnology—Board of Governors

  6

  22 October 1981

  The Scottish Agricultural College

  11

  1 April 1990

  Tweed River Purification Board

  5

  16 May 1975

  Visiting Committee HMYO Institution Glenochil

  11

  November 1976

  Visiting Committee HMYO Institution Castle Huntly

  10

  1 January 1983

  Visiting Committee HMYO Institution Cornton Vale

  10

  1 January 1983

  Visiting Committee HMYO Institution Polmont

  8

  June 1982

  Western Isles Health Board

  15

  1 April 1974

  Health Education Board for Scotland

  12

  1 April 1991

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  12

  1 April 1991

  Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland

  12

  1 April 1991

  Scottish Enterprise

  12

  1 April 1991

  NHS Waiting Lists
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the total number of persons on in patient waiting lists for NHS hospitals in Scotland in each year since 1970 at(a) 30 September and (b) 30 March each year.

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

  NHS hospitals—inpatient waiting lists1; Scotland; as at 31 March and 30 September

  Year

  31 March

  30 September

  1970

  53,305

  51,482

  1971

  51,675

  48,066

  1972

  1—

  52,468

  1973

  1—

  61,079

  1974

  1—

  56,182

  1975

  1—

  53,770

  1976

  54,442

  52,765

  1977

  53,974

  54,715

  1978

  56,987

  61,481

  1979

  76,968

  71,247

  1980

  70,195

  67,387

  1981

  67,908

  65,228

  1982

  66,880

  86,365

  1983

  96,933

  88,338

  1984

  85,543

  83,077

  1985

  79,262

  77,677

  1986

  81,249

  80,732

  1987

  81,324

  77,772

  1988

  67,226

  63,569

  1989

  61,011

  58,189

  1990

  58,287

  59,483

  1991

  60,693

  1—

  1 Not available.

  From 1988 figures relate to inpatient true waiting lists. These figures are therefore not fully comparable with the old basis waiting list figures. It is estimated that between 31 March 1987 and 31 March 1988 the waiting list fell by around 5 per cent.

  Toxic Waste Incinerators
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list by location in Scotland the(a) current and (b) planned sites of high temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste.

  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list by location the proposed new sites of high-temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste in Scotland;

  (2) if he will list by location in Scotland, the current sites of high-temperature incinerators for dealing with inland toxic waste.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Works defined as incineration works in terms of the Health and Safety Emissions into the Atmosphere (Amended) Regulations 1989 include all works which operate to incinerate waste at a rate in excess of 1 tonne per hour. The works registered or deemed to be registered in terms of these regulations are as follows:

  Glaxochem Ltd, Annan

  Nobel's Explosives Co. Ltd., Annan

  Imperial Chemical Industries, Dumfries

  Nobel's Explosives Co. Ltd., Stevenston

  Rohm and Haas (Scotland) Ltd., Grangemouth

  Imperial Chemical Industries, Grangemouth

  BP Oil Grangemouth Refinery Ltd., Grangemouth

  BP Chemicals Ltd., Grangemouth

  British Steel Ravenscraig Works, Motherwell

  Royal Ordnance PLC, Bishopton

  Glaxochem Ltd., Montrose

  Blagden Packaging Ltd., Paisley

  Lanstar (Scotland) Ltd., Inverness

  Aberdeen District Council, East Tullis

  Clackmannan District Council, Alloa

  City of Dundee District Council, Baldovie

  Renfrew District Council, Linwood

  Orkney Islands Council, St Ola

  Shetlands Islands Council, Rova Head

  In addition applications have been submitted to my right hon. Friend for registration in respect of incineration works as follows:

  Isola Werke, UK Ltd., Cumbernauld

  Lothian Chemical Co. Ltd., Edinburgh

  Ciba-Geigy PLC, Paisley

  Cleveland Fuels Ltd., Renfrew

  Cardiac Surgery
  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what is the current waiting period for cardiac surgery in the Lothian health board area.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The median waiting time for admission for cardiac surgery in the period April-June 1991 was 12 weeks. By definition 50 per cent. of patients admitted had waited for less than 12 weeks.

  Mr. Eadie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the age and sex of residents in the Lothian health board area who are awaiting cardiac surgery.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  At 30 June 1991 there were 104 male patients and 45 female patients residing in the Lothian health board area awaiting cardiac surgery.

  Private Security Firms
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number of private security firms currently employed by his Department, the number of employees for 656
  each firm on the contract, the total value of each contract and the total value of all contracts for each financial year since 1984–85.

  Mr. Lang
  Information relating to the value of current contracts with private security companies and the number of staff employed on these contracts are matters of contractual and commercial confidentiality which it would not be proper to disclose.

  The total value of all contracts awarded during the period 1984–85 to 1990–91 is shown at item I following, and details of the private security companies with which contracts are currently in operation are set out at item 2.

  1. Year

  Total value of all contracts (inclusive of VAT) £

  1984–85

  68,384

  1985–86

  70,468

  1986–87

  261,306

  1987–88

  294,229

  1988–89

  515,982

  1989–90

  740,430

  1990–91

  925,331

  2. Companies

  Group 4 Total Security Ltd.

  Burns International Security Services (UK) Ltd.

  Wackenhut UK Ltd.

  Scotguard

  Securicor Ltd.

  Dounreay
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland on how many occasions since taking office he has met with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority to discuss the storage and reprocessing of spent nuclear fuel at Dounreay.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend has had no such meetings but officials are in very regular contact with UKAEA: in particular, Her Majesty's industrial pollution inspectors spent 53 days at Dounreay, carrying out various inspections and discussions, in the 12-month period ended 31 March 1991.

  RENAVAL
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he is in a position to state the sums of money to be paid, by way of the European Community's RENAVAL, programme, to community projects in Greenock and Port Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  A revised Strathclyde RENAVAL. programme was submitted to the European Commission in July but has not yet been approved. Once it has, all projects to be funded will be decided by a programme monitoring committee.

  Salmon
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has made of the impact of drift net fishing in Irish waters on stocks of salmon in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Tagging of salmon smolts, and data on retrieval of tags in fisheries, is co-ordinated by the
  657
  International Council for Exploration of the Sea. The data are not sufficiently detailed to give an assessment of the impact of Irish fisheries on Scottish catches or stocks of salmon.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has made of the impact of driftnet fishing in British waters on stocks of salmon in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Drift netting for salmon has been prohibited in Scottish waters since 1962. An assessment of the impact of the drift-net fishery off the north-east coast of England on Scottish east coast fisheries is contained in the report "Salmon Net Fisheries" laid before the House on 17 October. Copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has received about the catches of salmon in fresh water fisheries in 1991 and each of the preceding five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The reported catches of salmon for years up to and including 1990 are given, by statistical region and method of catch, in the Department's annual Statistical Bulletin "Salmon and Sea Trout Catches". Copies of these are in the Library. The fishing season for 1991 has not yet closed in all Scottish salmon fishery districts. The reported catches for 1991 will be published next year. Informal indications so far are that net catches have been lower than in 1990 and rod-and-line catches of salmon have been poor also. There are reports, however, of better catches at the end of the season in some regions.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has made of the impact of drift net fishing in the waters off Greenland and the Faroes on stocks of salmon in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Faroes salmon fishery is a long-line rather than drift-net fishery. Quotas for this fishery and the west Greenland fishery are regulated by the North Atlantic Salmon Conservation Organisation (NASCO) on the basis of scientific assessments carried out by the ICES working group on north Atlantic salmon in which the Department's scientists take part. There are many factors which may affect survival at sea and return by salmon to rivers of origin. There are insufficient data to estimate the impact of high seas catches on stocks of individual European countries.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what research is currently being undertaken into salmon stocks in Scotland.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Scientists at the Department's freshwater fisheries laboratory at Pitlochry and marine laboratory at Aberdeen undertake a wide range of research on salmon. Details are given in the laboratorys' annual reports—copies of which are placed in the Library. I will send the hon. Member a list of current projects.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has received about salmon stocks in Scottish coastal waters in 1991 and each of the preceding five years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is not possible to assess directly the stocks of salmon reaching or migrating through Scottish coastal waters. The only currently available data 658
  on stocks are for rivers which are monitored by fish traps or counters or, indirectly, by juvenile surveys. Data and analysis of such studies for east coast river systems of Scotland are given in the report "Salmon Net Fisheries". This was laid before Parliament on 17 October and copies are available in the Library.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what study he has made of the impact of the industrial fishing of sandeels off Scottish coasts on salmon stocks.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Department's fishery scientists carry out assessments of the state of sandeel stocks and studies on the diet of fish including salmon. No evidence has emerged of a correlation between abundance of sandeels and survival of salmon at sea. The main feeding grounds of salmon are known to be in the north atlantic around Greenland.

  Cairngorms
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland whether he will be nominating the Cairngorms as a world heritage site before 1 January 1992.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I wrote to the Director General of UNESCO Secretariat for World Heritage on 16 November 1990, informing him of the Government's decision to include the Cairngorms area on the tentative list for designation as a world heritage site of natural importance. intend that consideration will be given to the case for definitive listing once the Cairngorms working party has completed its work on recommending a future management strategy for the area.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to receive the report of the Cairngorms working party setting out options for a management plan; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Cairngorms working party is considering current land use practices in the Cairngorms area and the preparation of an integrated management plan consistent with:

  — the importance of the natural heritage of the Cairngorms,

  — the need to assure social and economic benefits to local people, land-users and those who invest in the land.

  — and the value of the Cairngorms for recreational purposes.

  It is expected to report in summer 1992.

  Blue Ear Pig Disease
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what restrictions on the movement of pigs due to blue ear disease have been imposed; in which regions; how many suspected and confirmed cases there are in each region; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Movement restrictions were placed, as a precautionary measure, in late June and early July on five premises in Scotland to which pigs had recently been moved from areas in England subsequently declared to be infected. No cases of the disease were suspected or confirmed on any of these five premises and the restrictions were lifted in due course. The premises concerned were in Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Grampian, Lothian and Tayside regions.

  Training, Grampian
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) how many young people in Grampian region have received skill seeker packs;

  (2) how many employees in Grampian region have indicated their wish to be fully involved with training credits;

  (3) how many young people in Grampian region are eligible for the training credit scheme;

  (4) how many young people in Grampian region have activated their training credits;

  (5) whether youth training in Grampian region is available for school leavers who have not joined the training credit scheme;

  (6) what are the cash values of the training credits that have been offered to school leavers in Grampian region.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  Operational details about the skill seekers training credit scheme in Grampian are matters for the local enterprise company, Grampian Enterprise Ltd, and Scottish Enterprise. I have asked the chairman of Scottish Enterprise to write to the hon. Member.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland to what extent the Government's guarantee about youth training places is currently being met in Grampian region.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  As far as I am aware, the Government's guarantee is being fully met in Grampian region. Meeting the guarantee is a condition of the contract between Scottish Enterprise and the local enterprise company, Grampian Enterprise Ltd. Scottish Enterprise monitors compliance with the contract; and would draw attention to failure to meet the guarantee.

  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many employees in Grampian region were involved in youth training in 1990–91.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  I regret that this information is not available. Grampian region was part of a larger area for the purposes of the Training Agency; and statistics were not kept on a disaggregated basis below area level.

  Sewage Treatment
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will estimate what volume of sewage currently receives(a) primary treatment, (b) secondary treatment and (c) tertiary treatment in England and Wales before being discharged at coastal outfalls.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information is not held centrally in the form requested. However, in 1985, the latest year for which published information is available, approximately 319,000 cubic metres/day of sewage received primary or secondary treatment before being discharged to Scottish estuarine and coastal waters. For sewage discharges to all Scottish waters, based on population served by sewerage, some 24 per cent. received primary treatment, 44 per cent. received secondary treatment and 3 per cent. received tertiary treatment. Further details are in the technical report "Sewage Works and Discharges Archive Report 1987", produced by The Scottish Development Department, available in the Library.

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proposals he has to establish a renewable energy franchise in Scotland.

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

  Recreational Projects, Glasgow
  Mr. Sillars
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) if he will list recreational projects known to him built in the city of Glasgow in the last five years by either the regional or district council, where public funds from governmental or European Community sources have been employed;

  (2) what role his Department has in the question of the planning permission for a Glasgow indoor tennis centre.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Yachting Grand Prix, Inverclyde
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much money was granted by the Scottish Enterprise Agency to the world yachting grand prix at Inverclyde, Scotland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 21 October 1991]: Information on the expenditure by Scottish Enterprise in connection with the world yachting grand prix was contained in my letter of 16 October to the hon. Member. The expenditure by Scottish Enterprise was within its delegated authority and it would therefore be appropriate to seek any additional information about it from them. I understand that the hon. Member has already been in touch with Scottish Enterprise to request a meeting to discuss the matter; and that arrangements are in hand for that to take place.

  Halcian
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will sub-poena Professor Ian Oswald, emeritus professor of psychiatry in the university of Edinburgh, in relation to clinical trials, relating to the sleeping pill triazolam, known as Halcian.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 17 October 1991]: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  University Students
  Mr. Wray
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many of the(a) full-time and (b) part-time university students in Scotland came from (i) independent, (ii) maintained and (iii) other schools for each year since 1974.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 15 October 1991]: I shall write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

  Hardwoods
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has sent out to end-users of hardwood in projects financed by his Department about policy in relation to the procurement of hardwoods from endangered rain forests and well-managed sustainable sources.
  661
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 14 October 1991]: The recently published Department of the Environment "Environmental Action Guide" is available to staff in all Departments, including The Scottish Office, who are involved in estate management, construction works and general purchasing associated with the
  662
  management of buildings. It provides a framework for the consideration by building and purchasing managers of a wide range of environmental issues, including the aim of reducing dependence on non-sustainably produced hardwoods. More detailed advisory notes on specific topics, including timber, are currently in preparation.

  GIBRALTAR AIRPORT
  GIBRALTAR AIRPORT
  GIBRALTAR: EUROPEAN COURT ACTION
  GIBRALTAR: EUROPEAN COURT ACTION
  SOVIET UNION: UK DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
  SOVIET UNION: UK DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
  YUGOSLAVIA: HUMANITARIAN AID
  YUGOSLAVIA: HUMANITARIAN AID
  CAMBODIA
  CAMBODIA
  ETHIOPIA: EX-PRESIDENT MENGISTU
  ETHIOPIA: EX-PRESIDENT MENGISTU
  CRIME LEVELS SINCE 1969
  CRIME LEVELS SINCE 1969
  CHARITY COMMISSIONERS: DUTY OF CARE
  CHARITY COMMISSIONERS: DUTY OF CARE
  DANGEROUS DOGS
  DANGEROUS DOGS
  WAR CRIMES ACT 1991: COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE
  WAR CRIMES ACT 1991: COLLECTION OF EVIDENCE
  NUCLEAR REACTORS IN EASTERN EUROPE: SAFETY
  NUCLEAR REACTORS IN EASTERN EUROPE: SAFETY
  NORTHERN IRELAND: CONFESSIONS TO CRIME
  NORTHERN IRELAND: CONFESSIONS TO CRIME
  FAMILY PROCEEDINGS: ACCESS AND LAW ON DISCLOSURE
  FAMILY PROCEEDINGS: ACCESS AND LAW ON DISCLOSURE
  TRAFFIC DIRECTOR FOR LONDON
  TRAFFIC DIRECTOR FOR LONDON
  BRITISH RAIL CONTAINER SERVICES
  BRITISH RAIL CONTAINER SERVICES
  CAR RADIOS: VOLUME
  CAR RADIOS: VOLUME
  EC MEMBER STATES: DEFENCE BUDGETS
  EC MEMBER STATES: DEFENCE BUDGETS
  UK DEFENCE BUDGET
  UK DEFENCE BUDGET
  SOVIET DEFENCES
  SOVIET DEFENCES
  ANTI-MISSILE EXPENDITURE
  ANTI-MISSILE EXPENDITURE
  ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY
  ANTI-BALLISTIC MISSILE TREATY
  BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCES: US OFFERS
  BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENCES: US OFFERS
  "BRILLIANT EYES" SATELLITES
  "BRILLIANT EYES" SATELLITES
  BELFAST: BRICKED-UP HOUSES
  BELFAST: BRICKED-UP HOUSES
  NORTHERN IRELAND: PERSONS UNDER ARREST
  NORTHERN IRELAND: PERSONS UNDER ARREST
  DEER: PROTECTION DURING TRANSIT
  DEER: PROTECTION DURING TRANSIT
  INCOME SUPPORT: CHILD RECIPIENTS
  INCOME SUPPORT: CHILD RECIPIENTS
  INCOME SUPPORT: ADULT RECIPIENTS
  INCOME SUPPORT: ADULT RECIPIENTS
  SOCIAL FUND CRISIS LOANS FOR STUDENTS
  SOCIAL FUND CRISIS LOANS FOR STUDENTS
  HOUSING BENEFIT AND MORTGAGE TAX RELIEF PAYMENTS
  HOUSING BENEFIT AND MORTGAGE TAX RELIEF PAYMENTS
  UNIVERSITIES: RESEARCH SELECTIVITY EXERCISE
  UNIVERSITIES: RESEARCH SELECTIVITY EXERCISE
  INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY: FUNDING
  INSTITUTE OF ZOOLOGY: FUNDING
  PUBLIC AUTHORITY HOUSING: RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
  PUBLIC AUTHORITY HOUSING: RESTRICTIVE COVENANTS
  SHETLAND SANDEELS
  SHETLAND SANDEELS
  ROBERT GORDON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
  ROBERT GORDON INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY