Written Answers of 5 February 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Mr. Malde Modhwadia
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the letter dated 24 January from Mr. Noon, the solicitor to Mr. Malde Modhwadia; and when he will be in a position to award compensation.

  Mr. John Patten
  The application for compensation was received on 27 January. A decision will be reached as soon as possible.

  British Legion Medals
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will authorise police officers to wear on their uniforms the national service medal issued by the Royal British Legion.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I will write to my hon. Friend.

  Financial Year

  Number of staff employed by the Board (average in post during year)

  Number of Board Members (including Chairman)

  Number of applications resolved

  Total compensation paid (£ millions)

  Total administration costs (£ millions)

  1979–80

  156

  18

  21,113

  15·7

  1·9

  1980–81

  155

  20

  26,277

  21·5

  2·9

  1981–82

  163

  20

  22,557

  21·9

  3·2

  1982–83

  163

  21

  26,098

  29·4

  3·7

  1983–84

  182

  20

  29,705

  32·8

  3·8

  1984–85

  189

  22

  27,450

  35·3

  4·2

  1985–86

  203

  29

  29,965

  41·5

  4·4

  1986–87

  214

  29

  29,605

  48·2

  5·5

  1987–88

  267

  31

  29,150

  52·1

  6·8

  1988–89

  312

  38

  38,830

  69·4

  7·5

  1989–90

  332

  39

  38,620

  72·7

  9·1

  1990–91

  368

  43

  53,384

  109·3

  10·3

  1991–921

  380

  44

  61,000

  144·6

  13·1

  1All estimated figures.

  Most of the board's staff are seconded civil servants graded from administrative officer to higher executive officer, and engaged in the preparation of applications for decision by the board and associated administrative tasks. There are also small numbers of senior managers and legal and secretarial staff.

  Plans for funding for the board for the next three years are as follows:

  £ million

  1992–93

  1993–94

  1994–95

  Compensation

  143·5

  157

  161

  Administration

  15·3

  17·4

  17·4

  Total provision

  158·8

  174·4

  178·4

  Police (Recorded Incidents)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what were the number of recorded incidents per uniformed police officer in(a) the Metropolitan police area, (b) Surrey and (c) the Northumbria police authority area in 1991.

  Mr. John Patten
  The latest available figures, in terms of notifiable offences recorded by the police, per police officer, in the 12 months to September 1991 are(a) 32 offences in the Metropolitan police area, (b) 30 offences in Surrey, and (c) 63 offences in Northumbria.

  Criminal Injuries Compensation Board
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many people have been employed by the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board and in what capacity for the past 12 years;

  (2) what are his future plans for funding the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board;

  (3) how many claims the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board has dealt with on an annual basis, for the past 12 years;

  (4) what has been the cost incurred by the operation of the Criminal Injuries Compensation Board expressed annually, for the past 12 years.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information for the last 12 financial years is shown in the table.

  Polish People
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has any plans to review immigration procedures for Polish people; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  As with other nationalities, Polish nationals must meet the requirements of the immigration rules for entry to the United Kingdom. In common with the citizens of 81 other countries or territorial entities, Polish nationals are subject to a United Kingdom visa requirement.

  A recent review of the visa requirement has led my right hon. Friend to conclude that it is too soon to assess the experience of some of our European partners who have abolished visas for Polish nationals. My right hon. Friend has decided therefore to look once more at the need for

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  this requirement in the summer when the impact of visa abolition on other member states of the Community may have become more apparent.

  Immigrant Population (Funding)
  Mr. Bernie Grant
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total Government expenditure on funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 for 1991–92, itemised by borough and district identifying for each borough and district the amount of expenditure; how much of that expenditure was for education itemised by borough and district; and how much was for each of the other service areas eligible for grant, itemised by borough and district.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The figures for grant to be paid in 1991–92 are not yet available.

  Convicted Criminals' Admissions (Northumbria)
  Mr. Mullin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will call for a report from the chief constable of Northumbria as to what proportion of the crime clear-up rate for 1990–91 in Northumbria is accounted for by voluntary admission made by convicted criminals; how many detectives were employed to obtain these admissions; and when the practice ceased.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information, for 1990, shows that, of the 77,000 notifiable offences cleared up by the police in Northumbria, 29·4 per cent. were cleared up by an interview of convicted offenders in custody. It is estimated that the equivalent of 40 officers were engaged in such interviews. The practice ceased at the beginning of December 1991.

  Caring for Children
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement on the effect of the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991 on police practice on disclosure of criminal records.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The police continue to disclose criminal records for the purpose of protecting children in accordance with Home Office circular 102/88. The regulations do not require a change of police practice.

  Police, Hampshire
  Mr. David Martin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase in the authorised establishment of police officers in Hampshire in each year since 1987.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is set out in the table and is provided on the basis of financial years:

  Year

  Increase approved

  1987–88

  Nil

  1988–89

  23

  1989–90

  20

  1990–91

  25

  1991–92

  27

  1992–93

  67

  Court Escort Service
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the standard of service which will be expected of a private sector company contracted to operate the court escort service in the area comprising the east midlands and Humberside.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Work has now been completed on the specification for the operation under private sector management of the court escort service in the east midlands and Humberside. This forms part of the invitation to tender being issued to potential contractors today and a copy has been placed in the library. Subject to the receipt of satisfactory tenders, and value for money considerations, we would aim to award a contract in the summer; with the service in the area becoming operational under a private sector contractor early next year.

  Magistrates Courts (Fees)
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proposals he has to increase fees for civil proceedings in the magistrates courts.

  Mr. John Patten
  I have today laid before Parliament a draft order varying the fees now prescribed in part I of schedule 6 to the Magistrates Courts Act 1980. The increases proposed are in many cases substantial because the present fees have not been varied for a substantial number of years and fall far short of recovering the full economic costs of the services provided in accordance with general Government policy on fees and charges. It is our intention that the new fees should be kept under regular review in future to avoid the need for major variations of this kind.

  We recognise the need to ensure that access to magistrates courts is not closed off for financial reasons, and the draft order therefore makes it clear that no fees are chargeable from any person who is a legally assisted person within the meaning of section 2(11) of the Legal Aid Act 1988 or is in receipt of income support or family credit. Nor do the new fees affect the discretion of magistrates courts to remit fees conferred by section 138 of the Magistrates Courts Act 1980 where they judge this to be appropriate.

  We have also taken the opportunity to simplify the current schedule of fees and to abolish those which are no longer in general use.

ENVIRONMENT

  Armstrong Bridge, Newcastle
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what considerations he has given to the representations of Jesmond Residents Association, Newcastle upon Tyne, about the public safety considerations of a further postponement in the restoration of the listed structure known as the Armstrong bridge.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department's northern regional office has asked Newcastle city council, which owns the Armstrong bridge, for information about its current state of repair and its plans for carrying out work to it. Once the council's response has been received, consideration will be given as to whether intervention by the Secretary of State is necessary.

  Housing Stock
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the councils which transferred their housing stock to new housing associations in 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Yeo
  In 1989–90, Newbury borough council and Swale borough council transferred their housing to new housing associations. In 1990–91, 11 councils completed transfers. These were

  Broadland District Council

  North Bedfordshire District Council

  Medina Borough Council

  Rochester City Council

  South Wight Borough Council

  East Dorset District Council

  Tonbridge and Mailing Borough Council

  Ryedale District Council

  South Bucks District Council

  Christchurch Borough Council

  Mid Sussex District Council

  Housing Revenue
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many councils have been required to transfer funds from their housing revenue account to the general fund.

  Mr. Portillo
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning to the hon. Member for Sheffield Brightside, on 16 January 1991,Official Report, column 647.

  Local Government (General Funds)
  Mrs. Dunwoody
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the highest amount paid by any council to the general fund in 1989–90 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Portillo
  The highest amount transferred by an English local housing authority from its housing revenue account to its general rate fund in 1989–90 was £30,023,050 by Rochester upon Medway city council. The highest amount transferred by an English local housing authority from its housing revenue account to its general fund in 1990–91 was £7,299,863 by the London borough of Barking and Dagenham.

  The figures are taken from housing subsidy claim forms and are not audited.

  Housing Corporation
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the level of his Department's funding of the Housing Corporation(a) nationally and (b) in the south-west region, for each year from 1989–90 to 1992–93.

  Mr. Yeo
  These are as follows:

  £million

  The Housing Corporation

  Corporation's west region

  1989–90

  935

  n.a.

  1990–91

  1,063

  73

  1991–92

  1,614

  136

  1992–93

  1,770

  178

  166
  Prior to 1990–91 the Corporation did not set regional cash limits and therefore, regional expenditure figures were not available.

  Sports and Leisure Management
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what advice he is giving to local authorities to assist them in avoiding becoming victims of cartels in the field of sports and leisure management; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  General advice on ways of promoting competition for services subject to compulsory competitive tendering is contained in Departmental circulars 19/88 and 1/91. Local authorities that suspect that there may be cartels operating in any area of activity should refer to the guidance note "Cartels: detection and remedies—A guide
  for local authorities", published by the Office of Fair Trading and describing the steps that authorities should take.

  Planning Applications
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he will announce the outcome of the consultation exercise on giving effect to his commitment to publicity for all planning applications.

  Mr. Yeo
  I am pleased to announce today arrangements for compulsory publicity for all planning applications. The new procedures will ensure that interested parties have the opportunity to comment on all planning applications affecting them.

  The new arrangement will allow local planning authorities the maximum possible discretion to continue using the procedures which many of them have had in place for a long time. They are as follows:

  (a) local planning authorities will be responsible for publicising planning applications;

  (b) the list of so-called "bad neighbour" developments in Article 11 of the General Development Order 1988 will be abolished, and the link with environmental statements, required under Regulation 12 of the Environmental Assessment Regulations, will be severed;

  (c) developments requiring environmental statements, departures from the development plan, and those affecting rights of way will be subject to compulsory site notices and newspaper advertising;

  (d) for other major development, site notices or neighbour notification (as appropriate) and newspaper advertising will be required;

  (e) for minor development, site notices or neighbour notification (as appropriate) will be required;

  (f) publicity for reserved matters and amendments to planning applications will be at the discretion of local planning authorities;

  (g) the same procedures will apply to development by the Crown, and to local authorities' own development;

  (h) my Department will issue a circular in advance of the new legislation. It will give advice on best practice, including what constitutes "major" and "minor" development, and on notification of decisions to those who have commented on planning applications.

  I am making this announcement in advance of the new arrangements taking effect on 4 May, to allow local authorities time to digest the changes. But I look to them to implement the new procedures as soon as possible, and not just to wait until the new legislative requirements come into force.
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  Since most local planning authorities already undertake some form of publicity for planning applications, I do not believe these new procedures will represent a significant increase in costs overall. However, they will be taken into account when we next review planning application fees.

  Landfill Directive
  Mr. Robert B. Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he expects to respond to the seventh report of the Environment Select Committee (HC-263) on the EC draft directive on the landfill of waste.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have today laid before the House copies of the Government's response to the seventh report from the House of Commons Select Committee on the Environment; the EC draft directive on the landfill of waste. Copies are also available in the Library. The Government broadly welcomes the Committee's report, which makes a number of useful points both about the draft EC landfill directive and about the management of waste in general. However, the Government take issue with the Committee on some points, most notably concerning a suggested strategic role for the proposed environment agency and the adequacy of the Department of the Environment's programme for waste-related research. Command Paper 1821, which is published today, seeks to clarify the Government's position on these and other issues raised by the Committee.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how much he estimates will be raised from standard community charges on empty properties and second homes in England in 1992–93.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: This information is not available.

  Sports and Leisure Management
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consideration he has given to temporarily halting the process of compulsory competitive tendering in local authority sports and leisure management; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: There is no evidence to suggest that the vast majority of local authorities have not been able to meet the statutory timetable. However, my right hon. Friend is prepared to consider any requests which he might receive from individual authorities to defer in exceptional circumstances the relevant dates for compliance with the legislation.

TRANSPORT

  Catamaran Crews
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those qualifications required by port and sea-going general purpose staff employed as crew members of a catamaran.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  No qualifications are required for port staff engaged in the operation of catamarans. The qualifications required by the operating crew of a168
  sea-going catamaran carrying more than 12 passengers are deck and engineer officer certificates of competency and qualified category 1, 2 or 3 seamen. Other general purpose staff are classified as "adult seafarers", in addition to attending an approved basic sea survival course and periods of sea service they also undertake in-house company training on vessel familiarisation and emergency procedures. The appropriate number of persons practised in the handling and operation of liferafts must be carried.

  Channel Tunnel (Access)
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on proposals for direct access from the north-west region to the channel tunnel.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail plans to run passenger and freight services between the channel tunnel and the north-west. It has announced that there will be freight terminals at Trafford Park in Manchester and Seaforth in Merseyside. A substantial programme of major road improvements, which will improve access between the north-west and the tunnel, is also under way.

  Seat Belts
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what plans he has to standardise seat belt design for all passengers; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will require vehicle manufacturers to replace straps with standard seat belts.

  Mr. Chope
  Seat belt design is already standardised under European Community directive 77/541/EEC as amended and adapted by directives 81/576/EEC, 82/319/EEC and 90/628/EEC. These standards do not specify three-point belts in all cases since for many in-board seating positions it is only technically possible for two anchoring points to be fitted.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what research his Department is carrying out into the potential dangers of the wearing of single strap seat belts;

  (2) what statistical information he has on injuries associated with the wearing of single strap seat belts.

  Mr. Chope
  Statistics on injuries caused by the wearing of lap belts in the United Kingdom are not available, but research in the United States indicates that lap belts reduce death and serious injury by 25 to 40 per cent. and three-point belts by 40 to 50 per cent. Although there is no current research specifically into this topic, the Department is monitoring the effectiveness of all seat belts, in its accident crash investigations.

  Class 158 Trains
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport on how many occasions class 158 trains have failed to activate track circuits; what the reasons were; on how many of these occasions they also failed to activate automatic signals; and if he will make a statement on the safety implications of these incidents.

  Mr. Freeman
  British Rail has informed me that its record show 52 occasions on which class 158 trains have failed to activate track circuits. It has no information on
  169
  how many of these related to track circuits controlling automatic signals. A build-up of leaf mulch on the train wheels is the principal cause. BR assures me there has been no equipment failure.

  The problem causes a momentary loss of indication of the train on signalbox panels, but because the loss is apparent to the signalman, safety is not jeopardised. BR is addressing the matter urgently and the Health and Safety Executive's railway inspectorate is keeping closely in touch with developments.

  High-Speed Trains (Accidents)
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with representatives from the railways inspectorate concerning accidents caused due to falls from high-speed trains.

  Mr. Freeman
  Her Majesty's railway inspectorate is leading a Health and Safety Executive investigation into the pattern of falls from passenger trains at the request of the Health and Safety Commission. I expect to receive advice from the commission on this matter when the report of the investigation is published in the spring.

  Train Doors
  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport to what extent British Rail has implemented the recommendations made early last year by Knight Wendling Consultants in the report of its investigations into BR slam-shut doors.

  Mr. Freeman
  The Knight Wendling report made seven recommendations calling for further action or investigation by the British Rail Board. I understand from British Rail that action has been taken as follows:

  Recommendation 1

  which called for a thorough statistical review has been acted upon and is nearing completion.

  Recommendation 2

  called for revised safety notices. New notices have been designed for Mark II and Mark III stock and the programme of installation is largely completed.

  Recommendation 3

  which called for a computer simulation, has been undertaken by the Health and Safety Executive in co-operation with the BR Board. The results of this will be published in the report of the: HSE investigation.

  Recommendation 4

  required BR to consider and evaluate various engineering steps to improve safety. Much work has been done on this already and further work is being undertaken.

  Recommendation 5

  which called for BR to undertake a thorough examination of all locks and doors has been fully implemented.

  Recommendation 6

  which required BR to provide a special gauge for checking locks has been implemented.

  Recommendation 7

  which called for a safety campaign has been implemented through the provision of posters at stations and spoken announcements on trains.

  Mr. John Browne
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 27 January,Official Report, column 405, if he will ask the Health and Safety Executive to release their early findings on the reliability of slam-shut doors to enable British Rail to take urgent interim measures before the production of the final Health and Safety Executive report in the spring.
  170
  Mr. Freeman
  The Health and Safety Executive intends to publish its report on the investigation into the pattern of falls from train doors as soon as it is ready. In the meantime the executive is maintaining close liaison with British Rail about the investigation.

ENERGY

  Nuclear Safeguards
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the content and purpose of the proposals to strengthen international nuclear safeguards that were submitted by the European Community to the International Atomic Energy Agency earlier in the current year.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the answers I gave on 18 October 1991, at column 298, and 13 January 1992, at column 478, to the hon. Member for Newport, West (Mr. Flynn). I have nothing further to add to these.

  Nuclear Installations
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what steps he is taking to ensure that the population groups most at risk from British Nuclear Fuels Ltd. plants at(a) Capenhurst and (b) Sellafield in the case of an emergency are correctly identified; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The population groups potentially at risk from an emergency at a civil nuclear plant in the United Kingdom are identified as being within a planning zone surrounding each plant. The boundary of this zone is defined in relation to the accident with the greatest off-site consequences which can reasonably be predicted given the design of the plant, its protective systems and its operating limits. Within the zone, detailed emergency plans are prepared to protect the public.

  Documents outlining the emergency arrangements at Sellafield and Capenhurst have been placed in local public libraries. Population groups within the planning zone for Sellafield have also been informed of the action they would be advised to take in the event of an emergency in a leaflet prepared and distributed to them by the local community liaison committee for the Sellafield site. A similar leaflet will shortly be distributed within the zone for Capenhurst.

  Home Energy Efficiency Scheme
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on progress of the home energy efficiency scheme.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  [pursuant to his reply, 11 November 1991, c. 773-74]: Experience of the home energy efficiency scheme—HEES—over its first year of operation has shown that the scheme has been well received and meets a real need. I am therefore increasing funding available in 1992–93 by some 50 per cent. However, it has also indicated that some changes are desirable to offer further protection to low-income households, promote higher standards of workmanship and encourage improved access to the scheme through a more uniform pattern of work. I will therefore shortly be introducing new regulations which will allow a package of changes from 1 April.
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  The most important effect of these changes will be to limit those who may do work under the scheme to network installers and to contractors who have been listed to undertake work in specific geographic areas under a new arrangement. Such a change will allow greater control over contractors who are not network installers, whilst maintaining the principle of customer choice. Applicants will still be able to carry out work themselves.

  From 1 April, a new benefit, disability working allowance, will be added to the list of qualifying benefits for HEES. The maximum grant for each type of work allowable under HEES, with the exception of energy advice, will be raised by around 7 per cent.; the client contribution will be raised by a similar proportion. The present lower grant maximum for work undertaken by trainees will be abolished.

  In addition to these changes, a number of other minor amendments will be made which are designed to improve the administration of the scheme. I have today placed in the Library copies of a press release which gives details of these and the other changes.

  The increased funds which have been made available to the scheme for 1992–93 and these changes are expected to enable around 240,000 homes to be treated under the scheme in the year.

WALES

  Snowdonia
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received from the Snowdonia national park committee concerning the designation of Snowdonia as an environmentally sensitive area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The chairman of the committee has written to me proposing that Snowdonia national park be considered for designation as an environmentally sensitive area. I shall be meeting him, and the chairmen of the Pembrokeshire Coast and Brecon Beacons national parks, in the near future to hear their views.

  Condensation and Dampness
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will introduce a scheme whereby additional financial resources can be made available to local housing authorities in Wales to overcome problems of condensation or dampness in their council housing stock; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I have no plans to make additional resources available for this specific purpose. It is for individual authorities to decide what priority to give to measures to reduce condensation and dampness, which could include advice to their tenants on maintaining adequate heating and ventilation.

  Local authority housing estates with particular problems may however be eligible for support under my proposed estates partnership scheme. Details of the programme will be announced in due course.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table of housing for each of the district councils for Wales showing(a) the total number of houses and flats currently owned by the council and (b) the number of these which were built prior to 1940.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Estimates of dwellings built before 1940 are not available: however, data are provided in the table from the 1986 Welsh inter-censal survey showing the proportion of the 1986 local authority stock built before 1945.

  Local authority stock1

  Local authority stock of houses and flats at 1 April 1991

  Estimated percentage built prior to 19452

  Aberconwy

  2,516

  36

  Alyn and Deeside

  4,883

  30

  Arfon

  4,800

  41

  Blaenau Gwent

  9,777

  14

  Brecknock

  2,652

  15

  Cardiff

  18,816

  26

  Carmarthen

  3,357

  16

  Ceredigion

  3,193

  11

  Colwyn

  2,450

  30

  Cynon Valley

  4,924

  11

  Delyn

  4,512

  20

  Dinefwr

  2,398

  16

  Dwyfor

  1,398

  22

  Glyndŵr

  2,822

  25

  Islwyn

  5,807

  19

  Llanelli

  6,580

  25

  Lliw Valley

  4,850

  33

  Meirionnydd

  1,962

  21

  Merthyr Tydfil

  6,453

  11

  Monmouth

  4,698

  18

  Montgomery

  4,164

  15

  Neath

  5,219

  24

  Newport

  12,784

  7

  Ogwr

  9,041

  14

  Port Talbot

  5,483

  20

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  5,333

  14

  Radnorshire

  1,124

  12

  Rhondda

  4,797

  12

  Rhuddlan

  2,608

  27

  Rhymney Valley

  9,508

  13

  South Pembrokeshire

  2,672

  10

  Swansea

  16,300

  29

  Taff-Ely

  6,766

  18

  Torfaen

  12,936

  13

  Vale of Glamorgan

  5,808

  20

  Wrexham Maelor

  14,908

  26

  Ynys Môn

  5,277

  13

  TOTAL

  223,576

  20

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Welsh Inter Censal Survey, 1986.

  1Montgomery includes 1,170 rented New Town dwellings in Newtown at 1 April 1991. Newtown dwellings are also included in the calculation of the percentage for Montgomery, as are those of Cwmbran for Torfaen.

  2 These estimates relate to the stock of local authority dwellings in April 1986.

  Wheelchairs
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many powered wheelchairs issued by his Department are currently in use by disabled people in Wales; and how many such wheelchairs were issued to new applicants in 1991.
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  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  In Wales, the responsibility for the issue of wheelchairs—both powered and non-powered—lies with the artificial limb and appliance service. Since April 1988, the day-to-day management of the service has been undertaken by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority, WHCSA. The information requested is not held centrally, and so I have asked the WHCSA to write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales in what circumstances his Department issues powered wheelchairs; and what changes there have been in the eligibility rules for such wheelchairs during the past five years.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Decisions on such matters are for the management of the artificial limb and appliance service, taking into account the specialist clinical advice available to it. I have asked the Welsh Health Common Services Authority to write to the hon. Gentleman on these matters.

  Fish Testing
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will take steps to institute a system of routine testing of indigenous fish in the rivers and lakes of Wales to monitor for the absorption of persistent poisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The chemical safety and nutritional value of the food supply are monitored to protect the consumer. This surveillance system includes an extensive programme covering fish caught commercially. It is impractical to monitor effectively fish caught for sport in freshwater, but, as a precautionary measure, the Government have issued advice to anglers not to consume fish from waters which the National Rivers Authority considers to be polluted.

  Alcohol Misuse
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will indicate, in respect of the grant money in 1991–92 for agencies in Wales which provide services to combat alcohol misuse mentioned on page 42 of the Lord President's report on alcohol misuse(a) how much has been given to Alcohol Concern Wales, (b) Youthlink Wales and (e) local agencies.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The amounts allocated in 1991–92 are as follows:

  £

  Alcohol Concern Wales

  68,079

  Youthlink Wales (including Council for Wales Voluntary Service)

  54,660

  Local Statutory and Voluntary Agencies

  290,000

  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the local agencies in Wales which have received grant aid from the grant money referred to on page 42 of the Lord President's report on alcohol misuse in 1991–92; and what was the figure granted in each case.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Not all allocations have been finalised. However, provisional allocations are as follows:174

  Funding initiative combating alcohol misuse in Wales

  £

  Clwyd/Gwynedd

  Development Officer; Alcohol Information Centre (Rhyl); Administrative Officer; North Clwyd Alcohol Misuse Team; Counsellor Co-ordinator

  66,000

  Dyfed

  Development Officer and secretarial support

  21,421

  Dyfed Alcohol Advisory Service rental of accommodation

  8,000

  Appointment of Team Leader and secretarial support in Development of Local Alcohol Team, Pembrokeshire DHA

  19,360

  Regrading of Drugs Team Leader to substance abuse service manager. Pembrokeshire DHA

  2,000

  Gwent

  Development Officer

  24,700

  Ty Palmyra, part costs of Alcohol Project Worker

  8,300

  Powys

  Development Officer; Training Course for Nurse; Appointment of Nurse Specialist; Additional clerical staff

  37,000

  Mid Glamorgan

  Development Officer

  1—

  Social Service Sessions

  1—

  South Glamorgan

  Development Officer

  11,452

  1 Community Psychiatric Nurse

  21,548

  West Glamorgan

  Development Officer Counsellor, West Glamorgan Council on Alcohol and Drug Abuse

  15,626

  1Details not yet submitted.

  Theatres and Concert Halls
  Mr. Barry Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales which(a) theatres and (b) concert halls in Wales he has visited in his official capacity in the last 12 months.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In my official capacity I visited St David's hall on 1 March 1991 and Theatr Clwyd, Mold, on 3 May 1991.

  Ecclesiastical Buildings
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, what are the present proposals in relation to the removal of the ecclesiastical exemption from listed buildings control.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The Welsh Office, along with the Department of the Environment, has today issued a consultation paper inviting comments on the proposal that the current exemption from listed building control should be removed from external works to listed ecclesiastical buildings of all denominations except those who can demonstrate that their internal administrative systems include adequate controls over such works. The paper also proposes clarification of the present arrangements relating to controls over buildings within the curtilage of listed ecclesiastical buildings. The consultation paper has been sent to ecclesiastical, local authority and conservation interests in Wales; a copy has been placed in the Library of the House.

PRIME MINISTER

  Peru
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will discuss human rights in Peru when he meets President Fujimori of Peru on 5 February.

  The Prime Minister
  I look forward to wide-ranging discussions with President Fujimori about matters of mutual concern including human rights.

  Nuclear Weapons (Interviews)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all interviews he has given to the press and broadcasting media since 26 January on nuclear weapons and nuclear disarmament.

  The Prime Minister
  The information is as follows:

  BBC World Service, London

  29 January 1992

  Press Conference in Downing Street with President Yeltsin

  30 January 1992

  BBC TV/Radio, Sky TV, ITN—en route to New York

  30 January 1992

  Doorstep interview on arrival in New York

  30 January 1992

  CNN, CBS, ABC, NBC in New York

  31 January 1992

  Press Conference in New York with Mr. Boutros Ghali, United Nations Secretary General

  31 January 1992

  ITN in New York

  31 January 1992

  Nuclear Arms Reduction
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Prime Minister, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, column 111, if the United Kingdom plans to submit any of its nuclear arms to multilateral nuclear arms reduction and disarmament talks over the next year.

  The Prime Minister
  When I met President Yeltsin in London he accepted that Trident would be a minimum deterrent, and that the focus of arms control negotiations should be on the arsenals of the United States and Russia. We have already announced plans to cut the United Kingdom's stockpile of sub-strategic nuclear weapons by about half.

EMPLOYMENT

  Offshore Oil
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment how many inspectors or other officials are engaged in or connected with the safety of offshore oil operations in the North sea; and at what annual cost.

  Mr. Forth
  The number of staff employed in the Health and Safety Executive's offshore safety division on 1 February 1992 was 192. The budget allocated to the division for its payroll costs in 1991–92 is £5,726,000.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will publish a table showing the September 1991 estimates of number of employess in employment in Britain, and in each standard region for the overall total, male, part-time and full-time female 176
  employees and showing in each case how this differs from the equivalent original and revised estimates for September 1989;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing (a) the original and (b) the revised estimates of employment of employees in each British standard region in September 1989 and September 1990 distinguishing between total employment, male employment, full-time employment for females and part-time employment for females.

  Mr. Jackson
  As the answer contains several statistical tables, I will write to the hon. Gentleman.

  Security Guards
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the average hourly(a) rates of pay and (b) average number of hours worked weekly by private security guards.

  Mr. Forth
  It is estimated from the April 1991 new earnings survey that average hourly earnings excluding overtime for "security guards and related occupations" were £5·07, and average total hours were 48·9 per week, of which 7·1 were overtime. The figures relate to full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was not affected by absence.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Central and Eastern Europe
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (1) if he will define the precise standing of spending on central and eastern European projects within the provisions of the Overseas Development Administration budget; and for what reasons central and eastern Europe are not included in the statistical appendix of the publication "British Overseas Aid—the 1991 Review";

  (2) if he will include a direct comparison between British overseas aid spending and the spending of other OECD Development Assistance Committee members in GDP percentage terms in future editions of the British overseas aid annual review.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The programme of assistance to central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union is additional to, and separate from, the official United Kingdom aid programme for developing countries. The statistical appendix in the publication "British Overseas Aid—1991 Review" is concerned only with aid to and for the benefit of developing countries. The format of the next edition of the annual review is currently under discussion.

  United Nations Development Fund for Women
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how much Britain contributed financially to UNIFEM, in cash and real terms, for each year since 1979 to the present date.

  Mrs. Chalker
  UNIFEM, the United Nations Development Fund for Women, was created by the United Nations General Assembly in 1984. The United Kingdom has made annual voluntary contributions since 1985 as follows:
  177

  £'000s

  Cash Terms

  1991 prices

  1985

  100

  143

  1986

  50

  69

  1987

  50

  66

  1988

  50

  62

  1989

  50

  58

  1990

  100

  107

  1991

  100

  100

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Research Institutes
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the research institutes operated for, or on behalf of, his Department and the total employment thereat.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Department does not operate any research institutes directly, institutes, centres and units are operated by the research councils, with DES funding, as shown in the table. Some establishments are jointly operated with universities and other bodies; in these cases the numbers employed refer to research council employees only.

  The list includes some centres and units operated by the research councils within higher education institutions. It does not cover other research undertaken in universities and other higher education institutions with funding from the Universities Funding Council and the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council and from the research councils.

  Research institute

  Number of staff (full-time equivalent)

  Agricultural and Food Research Council

  Institute of Arable Crops Research (IACR)

  Rothampstead, Harpenden, Hertfordshire

  422·0

  Long Ashton, Bristol

  207·5

  Brooms Barn, Bury St. Edmunds

  48·0

  Total IACR

  677·5

  Institute of Animal Health (IAH)

  Compton, Newbury

  206·5

  Houghton, Huntingdon

  112·0

  Pirbright, Guildford

  167·0

  Neuropatogenesis Unit, Edinburgh

  46·0

  Total IAH

  531·5

  Institute on Animal Physiology and Genetics Research (IAPGR)

  Babraham, Cambridge

  291·0

  Roslin, Edinburgh

  246·5

  Total IAPGR

  537·5

  Institute of Food Research (IFR)

  Reading

  159·0

  Norwich

  244·0

  Total IFR

  403·0

  Institute of Grassland and Environmental Research (IGER)

  Welsh Plant Breeding Station, Aberystwyth

  251·0

  Hurley, Maidenhead

  184·0

  North Wyke, Devon

  40·5

  Total IGER

  475·5

  Institute of Plant Science Research (IPSR)

  John Innes Centre, Norwich

  321·5

  Nitrogen Fixation Laboratory, Brighton

  60·5

  Total IPSR

  382·0

  Silsoe Research Institute

  Silsoe, Bedfordshire

  288·0

  178

  Research institute

  Number of staff (full-time equivalent)

  Total AFRC

  3,325

  Medical Research Council

  National Institute for Medical Research, London

  541·5

  MRC Collaborative Centre, Mill Hill, London

  30·5

  MRC Blood Group Unit, London

  11·0

  MRC Cognitive Development Unit, London

  13·0

  MRC Child Psychiatry Unit, Denmark Hill, London

  9·5

  MRC Cyclotron Unit, Hammersmith Hospital, London

  112·0

  MRC Dental Research Unit, Newark Street, London

  16·0

  MRC Human Biochemical Genetics Unit, University College, London

  22·0

  MRC Human Movement and Balance Unit, Institute of Neurology, London

  17·0

  MRC Experimental Embryology and Teratology Unit, Tooting, London

  21·5

  MRC Epidemiology and Medical Care Unit, Northwich Park Hospital, Harrow

  37·5

  MRC/LRF Leukaemia Unit, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, London

  10·0

  MRC Mammalian Development Unit, University College, London

  13·5

  MRC Neurological Prostheses Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London

  7·0

  MRC Muscle and Cell Motility Unit, Kings College, London

  22·0

  MRC Social and Community Psychiatry Unit, Institute of Psychiatry, London

  12·5

  MRC Toxicology Unit Carshalton, Surrey

  131·0

  MRC Tuberculosis and Related Infections Unit Hammersmith Hospital, London

  17·0

  Clinical Research Centre, Harrow, Middlesex

  414·5

  MRC Biochemical and Clinical Magnetic Resonance Unit, Oxford

  9·0

  MRC Cellular Immunology Unit, Oxford

  16·5

  MRC Immunochemistry Unit, Oxford

  14·5

  MRC Molecular Haematology Unit, Oxford

  14·0

  Institution of Molecular Medicine, Headington, Oxford

  12·0

  MRC Anatomical Neuropharmacology Unit, Oxford

  16·5

  MRC Clinical Pharmacology Unit, Radcliffe Infirmary, Oxford

  18·5

  MRC Radiobiology Unit, Didcot, Oxfordshire

  143·0

  MRC Cell Mutation Unit, University of Sussex, Brighton

  21·5

  MRC Environmental Epidemiology Unit, Southampton General Hospital, Hampshire

  23·5

  Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge

  43·0

  Molecular Immunopathology Unit, Cambridge

  21·0

  Molecular Genetics Unit, Cambridge

  15·5

  Molecular Neurobiology Unit, Cambridge

  19·5

  Dunn Nutrition Unit, Cambridge

  75·0

  Clinical Onocolgy and Radiotherapeutics Unit, Cambridge

  46·5

  Protein Function and Design Unit, Cambridge

  8·0

  Applied Psychology Unit, Cambridge

  63·0

  Biostatistics Unit

  16·5

  Cambridge Centre for Protein Engineering (IRC),

  14·0

  Social and Applied Psychology Unit, Sheffield

  30·0

  Institute of Hearing Research, Nottingham

  39·5

  Meurochemical Pathology Unit, Newcastle

  27·5

  MRC Blood Pressure Unit, Glasgow

  28·0

  MRC Medical Sociology Unit, Glasgow

  23·5

  MRC Virology Unit, Institute of Virology, Glasgow

  54·0

  MRC Brian Metabolism Unit, Edinburgh

  36·5

  179

  Research institute

  Number of staff (full-time equivalent)

  MRC Human Genetics Unit, Western General

  Hospital, Edinburgh

  155·0

  MRC Reproductive Biology Unit, Edinburgh

  65·5

  Total MRC

  2,529·5

  National Environment Research Council

  British Geological Survey

  Exhibition Road, London

  3·0

  Wallingford, Oxfordshire

  51·0

  Exeter, Devon

  13·0

  Hartland Point, Devon

  1·0

  Keyworth, Nottinghamshire

  501·0

  Newcastle

  14·0

  Eskdalemuir, Scotland

  3·0

  Edinburgh

  220·0

  Aberystwyth

  13·0

  Belfast

  8·0

  Total BGS

  827·0

  Marine and Atmospheric Sciences Directorate

  Unit of Aquatic Biochemistry, Stirling, Scotland

  5·0

  Culture Centre for Algae and Protozoa, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban, Scotland

  55·0

  Institute of Oceanographic Science Deacon Laboratory, Wormley, Surrey Rennell Centre, Southampton

  192·0

  Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory, Bidston, Merseyside

  91·0

  Plymouth Marine Laboratory/Marine Biological Association, Plymouth

  159·0

  Sea Mammal Research Unit, Cambridge

  17·0

  Total Marine and Atmospheric Sciences

  519·0

  Terrestrial and Freshwater Sciences

  Institute of Terrestrial Ecology

  Banchory, Scotland

  23·0

  Bush, Edinburgh

  60·0

  Merlewood, Cumbria

  61·0

  Bangor, Wales

  18·0

  Monks Wood, Huntingdon

  79·0

  Furzebrook, Wareham, Dorset

  26·0

  Institute of Hydrology

  Balquidder, Scotland

  2·0

  Plynlimon, Wales

  6·0

  Wallingford, Oxfordshire

  155·0

  Institute of Virology and Environmental Microbiology, Oxford

  61·0

  Institute of Freshwater Ecology

  4·0

  Bush, Edinburgh

  26·0

  East Stoke, Wareham,, Dorset

  26·0

  Monks Wood, Huntingdon

  6·0

  Windermere, Cumbria

  66·0

  Culture Centre for Algae and Protozoa, Windemere, Cumbria

  6·0

  Total Terrestrial and Freshwater Sciences

  599·0

  Scientific Services

  Banchory, Scotland

  1·0

  Bush, Edinburgh

  1·0

  Murchison House, Edinburgh

  10·0

  East Kilbridge, Glasgow

  3·0

  Bangor, Wales

  1·0

  Barry, Wales

  78·0

  Merlewood, Cumbria

  3·0

  Bidston, Wirral

  4·0

  Keyworth, Nottingham

  39·0

  Monks Wood, Huntingdon

  8·0

  180

  Research institute

  Number of staff (full-time equivalent)

  Cambridge

  2·0

  Deacon Laboratory, Surrey

  3·0

  Millbank, London

  1·0

  Reading

  4·0

  Wallingford, Oxfordshire

  20·0

  Rennell Centre, Southampton

  5·0

  Wareham, Dorset

  6·0

  Plymouth

  28·0

  Swindon

  46·0

  Total Scientific Services

  236·0

  Total NERC

  2,181·0

  Science and Engineering Research Council

  Daresbury Laboratory, Warrington, Cheshire

  596·5

  Royal Greenwich Observatory, Cambridge

  135·0

  Royal Greenwich Observatory, Edinburgh

  123·0

  Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot

  1,319·0

  Total Science and Engineering Research Council

  2,173·5

  Total all research councils

  10,209·0

  In addition the following AFRC employees are seconded to Horticultural Research International.

  Number of staff (full-time equivalent)

  Littlehampton, West Sussex

  205·0

  East Malling, Kent

  163·5

  Wellesbourne, Stratford-upon-Avon

  150·5

  Total

  579·0

  Teacher Training
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what timetable he intends to follow in devising value-added indicators to be applied to examination results in the selection of schools to provide classroom-based teacher training.

  Mr. Fallon
  My right hon. and learned Friend issued a consultation document about the Government's proposals for school-based secondary postgraduate certificate in education courses on 28 January. This explained that the Government intend to move to as soon as possible towards the use of performance indicators for the choice of partner schools—such as academic results, staying on rates, truancy rates and the destination of pupils in terms of employment or further and higher education; and that value-added factors could well be applied to examination results and national curriculum assessments, because it will be important for student teachers to experience schools that are successful in difficult circumstances.

  The consultation period will last until the end of March. In the light of the outcome of the consultation, my right hon. and learned Friend will ask the Council for the Accreditation of Teacher Education to prepare detailed guidelines for the operation of partnerships between higher education institutions and schools, including appropriate performance indicators for use in the selection of schools.

  Schools (Devonport)
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will now approve the reorganisation of Devonport schools in Plymouth.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend expects to make a decision on these proposals shortly.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Public Service Pensions
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the average amount of occupational pension received by retired public servants.

  Mr. Maples
  Information about average pensions for all retired public servants is not kept centrally. The latest information which is available centrally is as follows:

  Scheme

  Year

  Number of pensioners

  Average annual pension £

  Civil Service

  1991–92

  392,800

  3,811

  NHS (England and Wales)

  1991–92

  263,600

  3,604

  NHS (Scotland)

  1991–92

  44,200

  3,236

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Deutschmark

  3·7842

  3·1828

  2·9413

  3·1236

  3·0795

  2·8759

  2·9254

  US Dollar

  1·2976

  1·4672

  1·6392

  1·7796

  1·6383

  1·7864

  1·7685

  Japanese Yen

  307·08

  246·80

  236·50

  227·98

  225·66

  257·38

  237·56

  Using 1985 as a base of 100 these exchange rates give the following index of year on year changes:

  1985

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Deutschmark

  100

  84

  78

  83

  81

  76

  77

  US Dollar

  100

  113

  126

  137

  126

  138

  136

  Japanese Yen

  100

  80

  77

  74

  73

  84

  77

  Notes: Index figures rounded

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. McFall
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much he expects the implementation of the citizens charter proposals to cost; and if he will provide an analysis of this figure Department by Department.

  Mr. Maude
  The Government have made extra resources available to priority public services whenever money can be afforded. The latest public expenditure plans were set out in the 1991 autumn statement, and in more detail in departmental reports—Cm 1901 to 1919. The citizens charter, however, is about finding better ways of converting the money that can be afforded into even better public services. I therefore expect citizens charter proposals to be implemented within the public spending plans already announced.

  Incomes
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of employees he expects will, in April 1992, have an income in excess of £23,000.

  Mr. Maples
  It is estimated that approximately 10 per cent. of employees will have annual earnings of £23,000 in 1992–93.182

  Scheme

  Year

  Number of pensioners

  Average annual pension £

  Teachers (England and Wales)

  1991–92

  280,000

  5,900

  Teachers (Scotland)

  1991–92

  29,000

  5,801

  Local Government (England and Wales)

  1988–89

  482,500

  2,169

  Local Government (Scotland)

  1989–90

  81,600

  2,010

  Armed Forces

  1991–92

  255,000

  3,886

  Currency Values
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will state the average value of the pound against the deutschmark, the US dollar and the yen in each year since 1985; and the year on year changes as an index with 1985 as the base.

  Mr. Maples
  The annual average foreign exchange rates for the pound against the deutschmark, the US dollar and the Japanese yen in the years 1985 to 1991 were as follows:

  Mortgage Arrears
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has on the number of people who are more than six months in arrears on their mortgage repayments.

  Mr. Maples
  I would refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my hon. Friend the Minister of State on 17 October 1991,Official Report, column 211. Statistics on arrears and repossessions for the second half of 1991 are to be published by the Council of Mortgage Lenders shortly.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) what is the gross amount he expects to be raised by the community charge in 1992–93 in(a) England, (b) Wales and (c) Scotland;

  (2) what estimates he has of the costs in 1992–93 of (a) community charge benefit and (b) the community charge reduction scheme;

  (3) what estimates he has of the yield from community charge in 1992–93, net of community charge benefit and the community charge reduction scheme, for (a) England, (b) Scotland and (c) Wales.
  183
  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: A forecast of the net amount expected to be raised by the community charge for Great Britain in 1992–93 will be included in the Financial Statement and Budget Report. Figures for planned spending on community charge benefit and community charge reduction scheme are shown in table 5.3 of the "Supplement to the Autumn Statement", Cm 1920.

  VAT
  Mr. Marlow
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the estimated effect, according to the Treasury model, on(a) growth in 1992–93 and (b) inflation, of a six-month cut in VAT starting on budget day of 1 per cent., 2 per cent., 2·5 per cent., 3 per cent., 4 per cent. and 5 per cent., respectively; and what would be the estimated net cost to the Exchequer allowing for increased revenue through growth in each case.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: It has not, since 1978, been practice to provide results from the

  Local authority gross capital expenditure in the United Kingdom by economic category, 1986–87 to 1991–921

  £ million

  1986–87 outturn

  1987–88 outturn

  1988–89 outturn

  1989–90 outturn

  1990–91 outturn

  1991–92 estimated outturn

  Cash

  Land and buildings

  614

  706

  837

  1,089

  583

  601

  Construction

  4,887

  5,460

  6,369

  8,576

  6,552

  6,553

  Vehicles, plant and machinery

  825

  798

  897

  1,055

  617

  628

  Capital grants

  828

  925

  963

  1,121

  992

  976

  Net lending

  222

  208

  176

  188

  -50

  10

  Total

  7,377

  8,097

  9,242

  12,029

  8,695

  8,769

  Real terms2

  Land and buildings

  801

  874

  967

  1,181

  583

  561

  Construction

  6,380

  6,760

  7,358

  9,304

  6,552

  6,125

  Vehicles, plant and machinery

  1,078

  988

  1,036

  1,144

  617

  587

  Capital grants

  1,081

  1,145

  1,113

  1,217

  992

  913

  Net lending

  290

  257

  204

  204

  -50

  9

  Total

  9,630

  10,025

  10,677

  13,050

  8,695

  8,195

  1 The data given are consistent with figures published in the Statistical Supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1920).

  2 Cash figures adjusted to 1990–91 price levels by excluding the effect of general inflation. The deflator used is that for GDP at market prices adjusted to remove the distortion caused by the abolition of domestic rates.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Red Fox
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what information he has concerning the current level of the wild population of the red fox; and whether there have been any significant recent changes in that population.

  Mr. Maclean
  The wild red fox population fluctuates depending on the time of year, with an estimated 500,000 foxes in England, Scotland and Wales at the end of the summer, falling to 250,000 by the end of winter. I have no details of any significant changes in this population in recent times.
  184
  Treasury model in response to parliamentary questions; but my hon. Friend will be aware that the current version of the model is available for Members' use through the Library of the House.

  Local Authority Capital Spending
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing local authority capital spending, both gross cash investment and gross real investment, for each of the years from 1986–87 to 1992–93 and the annual percentage change.

  Mr. Mellor
  Information on local authority gross capital spending in the period 1986–87 to 1991–92 in both cash and real terms is given in the table. Corresponding information is not available for 1992–93, but the Government's illustrative projection is that, if local authorities were to spend from usable capital receipts and revenue contributions at a rate broadly similar to the current year, total gross capital spending would be of the order of £8½ billion.

  Meat Tenderisers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the number of slaughterhouses that used papain as a meat tenderiser, the regions in which such slaughterhouses are located and the number of cattle involved in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Maclean
  The information is not available.

  District Offices
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will announce the date when a decision will be given on the future of the Exeter and Truro MAFF divisional offices.

  Mr. Maclean
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to him on 21 January,Official Report, column 123.

  Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the total number of BSE confirmed cases in the United Kingdom in each year since 1986.

  Mr. Gummer
  There were 847 cases of BSE confirmed in the United Kingdom prior to the disease becoming notifiable on 21 June 1988. Since then the following cases have been confirmed in each year:

  Number

  1988

  1,316

  1989

  6,895

  1990

  12,928

  1991

  22,770

  Wild Birds
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many wild birds have been imported into the United Kingdom during the past five years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  Information on the number of captive birds, other than poultry or homing pigeons, imported into Great Britain is as follows. The figures do not distinguish between wild-caught birds and those which may have been bred in captivity. 1991 figures are not yet available.

  Year

  Number

  1986

  176,745

  1987

  163,699

  1988

  184,577

  1989

  184,601

  1990

  175,967

  Sources: 1936–87: Annual return of proceedings under the Animal Health Act 1981. 1988–90: Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food statistics.

  Food Supplements
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what submissions he has made to the European Commission concerning new European legislation on food supplements; what consultations he has had with representative organisations for nutritionists; and if he will make a statement on the main recommendations of the Denner report.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Department issued a statement on the recommendations in the Denner report on its publication on 27 March 1991. A copy was placed in the Library of the House. We subsequently consulted over 160 organisations on the report including those representing nutritionists. The European Commission have recently issued a discussion paper on dietary supplements which we have circulated to all those who commented on the Denner report. We will be making a submission to the Commission once views on the discussion paper have been received.

  Milk
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which countries in the EC have milk marketing schemes.
  186
  Mr. Maclean
  Under Community law member states may be authorised to grant organisations representing at least 80 per cent. of the number and 50 per cent. of the production of milk producers in their area exclusive rights to buy from them milk which they produce and market without processing. This is subject to the fulfilment of conditions relating to consumption and compliance with rules designed to prevent abuse of a dominant market position. The United Kingdom is the only member state authorised in this way.

  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) which measures he is considering to help the milk marketing board produce a more competitive and successful United Kingdom dairy industry;

  (2) if he will make a statement on the results of his discussions with the dairy trade, the milk marketing board and the European Commission regarding the future of the milk marketing arrangements have had so far;

  (3) if he will make a statement on his policy on the future of the milk marketing scheme;

  (4) if the Government will support the milk marketing board's proposals for the transition to new arrangements for the milk marketing scheme.

  Mr. Maclean
  The United Kingdom's statutory milk marketing arrangements, which have served producers well, cannot be sustained in the face of growing commercial and legal pressures. Nor are they sufficiently flexible to enable the United Kingdom industry to compete efficiently in an increasingly diverse market place. The Milk Marketing Board for England and Wales began considering the options open to it to meet these challenges in 1989 and the Government's approach has been to encourage the industry to come forward with its own proposals for change.

  Rapid, but orderly, change to new non-statutory arrangements is essential. The Government are therefore looking to all five United Kingdom milk marketing boards to put forward detailed proposals for their replacement by Easter. The recent announcement by the Milk Marketing Board for England and Wales outlining the successor voluntary arrangements which it would like to see introduced follows discussion with Government, the EC Commission and the dairy trade and is a welcome step in this process. Both the Government and the EC Commission will wish to examine carefully the boards' detailed proposals when they are presented.

  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he intends to set a final date for the notification of milk quota transfers in England and Wales in 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  Following consultations with the industry and in exercise of powers provided by the Dairy Produce Quotas Regulations I have decided that transfers of unused milk quota notified after 24 April will have no effect on the calculation of supplementary levy liability for 1991–92, even if they are notified as having occurred during that year.

  Similar deadlines have operated for the past three years. These have encouraged producers to notify quota transfers in good time and have thus assisted in the smooth running of the quota system.

  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give the figures on a county
  187
  basis in England for each year since 1988 of (a) the number of serious irregularities of the set-aside scheme, (b) the number of minor breaches of the scheme and (c) the number of cases where payments were witheld in full or in part; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  [holding answer 12 December 1991]: This information is set out in the table, which includes updated figures of payments recovered in full or in part. Payments have not been recovered or withheld where detection of the infringement led to the participant leaving the scheme or

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  County

  Serious irregularity

  Other infringement

  Payments recovered/withheld in full or part

  Serious irregularity

  Other infringements

  Payments recovered/withheld in full or part

  Serious irregularity

  Other infringements

  Payments recovered/withheld in full or part

  Avon

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Bedfordshire

  —

  2

  2

  —

  2

  2

  —

  4

  2

  Berkshire

  —

  3

  3

  —

  8

  8

  —

  7

  3

  Buckinghamshire

  1

  1

  2

  1

  10

  10

  —

  17

  13

  Cambridgeshire

  —

  3

  3

  —

  3

  3

  —

  6

  5

  Cheshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Cleveland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  Cornwall

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  3

  3

  Cumbria

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Derbyshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Devonshire

  3

  3

  4

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Dorset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Durham

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Essex

  —

  1

  —

  —

  3

  1

  —

  3

  2

  Gloucestershire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Greater London

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Greater Manchester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hampshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hereford and Worcester

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Hertfordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Humberside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Isle of Wight

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Kent

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  Lancashire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Leicestershire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Lincolnshire

  1

  —

  1

  —

  3

  3

  —

  1

  1

  Merseyside

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  West Midlands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Norfolk

  —

  5

  —

  —

  9

  5

  —

  2

  2

  Northamptonshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  9

  9

  Northumberland

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  Nottinghamshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  5

  —

  5

  Oxfordshire

  —

  3

  2

  1

  10

  10

  1

  14

  10

  Shropshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Somerset

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Staffordshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  2

  Suffolk

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  —

  2

  1

  Surrey

  1

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  East Sussex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  2

  —

  West Sussex

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Tyne and Wear

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Warwickshire

  5

  —

  4

  —

  —

  —

  2

  —

  2

  Wiltshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  South Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  1

  1

  4

  1

  West Yorkshire

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  1

  TOTAL

  12

  23

  24

  8

  59

  51

  15

  86

  68

  188
  taking corrective action before claiming any grant or where a warning was considered to be the most appropriate action.

  In my answer on 18 November 1991, Official Report, columns 1-2, I indicated that inspections during the 1990–91 set-aside year had identified 18 serious irregularities. Following further, detailed investigation, three of those irregularities have proved to be less serious than they initially appeared and are now listed as "other infringements". The number of recoveries is also higher than reported in November following completion of the necessary action in certain cases which were previously outstanding.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Risk Guarantees
  Sir Robert McCrindle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what consideration has been given to providing risk guarantees to commercial enterprises in the United Kingdom in respect of tourism projects in eastern Europe.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The normal range of Export Credits Guarantee Department facilities are, in principle, available for capital projects in the tourism sector. The actual availability and terms of such support for individual countries and projects are subject to ECGD's normal underwriting criteria. This applies to the countries of eastern Europe, as it does to all other countries.

  Car Imports
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what was the number of cars imported from(a) South Korea, (b) Malaysia, (c) Yugoslavia and (d) Czechoslovakia since 1986.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  The available information is given in the table.

  United Kingdom Imports of Cars1 (numbers)

  South Korea

  Malaysia

  Yugoslavia

  Czechoslovakia

  1986

  5,353

  47

  8,549

  13,173

  1987

  5,860

  6

  8,489

  14,792

  1988

  9,292

  20

  9,061

  12,580

  1989

  15,281

  9,590

  8,038

  13,501

  1990

  4,690

  11,605

  5,045

  2,477

  19912

  9,827

  11,436

  1,250

  4,664

  1Cars are defined as items 781·0 and 782·1 of the Standard International Trade Classification (SITC), Revision 2 for 1986 and 1987, and item 781 of SITC, Revision 3 for 1988 onwards.

  2 January-November

  Source: Her Majesty's Customs and Excise.

  Insider Dealing
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many inquiries he has launched into potential insider dealing under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 in each six-monthly period since April 1988.

  Mr. Redwood
  The number of investigations under section 177 of the Financial Services Act 1986 since April 1988 are as follows:

  Number

  April 1988 to September 1988

  6

  October 1988 to March 1989

  7

  April 1989 to September 1989

  9

  October 1989 to March 1990

  3

  April 1990 to September 1990

  3

  October 1990 to March 1991

  1

  April 1991 to September 1991

  1

  October 1991 to date

  1

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many prosecutions for insider dealing the stock exchange has instituted since it was given the powers to do so under the Companies Act 1989.
  190
  Mr. Redwood
  There has been one prosecution by the stock exchange for insider dealing offences. Both defendants in the case were convicted.

  Footwear Imports (Indonesia)
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the value of footwear imports under the generalised system of preferences—GSP—scheme from Indonesia so far this year for(a) leather uppered footwear, (b) textile uppered footwear and (c) rubber and plastic uppered footwear.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  GSP import figures for these products from Indonesia, for the month of January 1992, are not yet available.

  Manufacturing Industry
  Mr. Nicholas Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent representations he has received from United Kingdom manufacturing industry about future business prospects.

  Mr. Lilley
  I have received the excellent report by the CBI's manufacturing advisory group which showed that recent years have seen a transformation in Britain's manufacturing base. United Kingdom-based manufacturers are well placed in some of the key growth markets of the future.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Royal Commonwealth Society Library
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action Her Majesty's Government have taken to provide financial assistance to the Royal Commonwealth Society library.

  Mrs. Chalker
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs and I have been following closely the efforts of the Commonwealth Trust to safeguard the Royal Commonwealth Society library. The Government support these efforts which we understand show some prospect of succeeding. We have made it clear, however, that public funds will not be made available to help the Commonwealth Trust overcome its present financial difficulties.

  Uruguay
  Mr. Mans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on United Kingdom relations with Uruguay.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  We enjoy close and friendly relations with Uruguay. During my recent visit to Montevideo I had wide-ranging and valuable discussions with President Lacalle and the Foreign Minister, Dr. Gros Espiell.

  Croatia
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are the criteria taken into account in determining whether a nation should be recognised; and how this policy was operated in relationship to Croatia.
  191
  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The criteria are that a country should have a clearly defined territory with a population; a Government with a prospect of retaining control; and independence in its foreign relations. These criteria are always subject to interpretation in the light of circumstances on the ground. In this case we and our EC partners recognised Croatia on the basis of advice from the arbitration commission that Croatia largely fulfilled the guidelines on recognition adopted last December. These were that the state to be recognised should respect the United Nations charter; guarantee the rights of minorities; respect the inviolability of frontiers except by peaceful agreement; accept commitments on disarmament, nuclear non-proliferation, security and regional stability; and promise to settle by agreement questions of state-succession and regional disputes. We also took account of additional undertakings from the Croatian Government on minorities legislation.

  Iran
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the human rights situation in Iran.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We remain very concerned about the human rights situation in Iran. The reports of the United Nations special representative, Mr. Galindo Pohl, following his visits to Iran in 1990, contain ample evidence to justify these concerns. A further report, following his visit last December, is due to be presented to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights in Geneva. We shall study this report carefully together with the response made by the Iranian Government to the allegations contained in Mr. Pohl's earlier reports before deciding on further action.

  Hong Kong
  Mr. Dunnachie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to visit Hong Kong to discuss the future of the colony.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs has no present plans to make a further visit to Hong Kong. But my noble Friend Lord Caithness, Minister of State, hopes to visit the territory shortly.

  Mr. James Lamond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans discussions with the People's Republic of China on the future of Hong Kong.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  It was agreed during the Prime Minister's visit to Peking in September 1991 that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs would meet the Chinese Foreign Minister at six-monthly intervals to discuss issues of mutual concern including Hong Kong. One purpose of these meetings will be to give added impetus to the detailed discussions on questions relating to the future of Hong Kong which takes place regularly in the Sino-British joint liaison group.

  Spain
  Mr. Stanbrook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the state of relations between the United Kingdom and Spain.
  192
  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Relations between the United Kingdom and Spain are very good.

  South Africa
  Mr. John Carlisle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what future initiatives Her Majesty's Government intend to pursue to further sporting relationships with South Africa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I am glad that contacts with sport in South Africa are being restored, as sports there become racially integrated. We promoted this principle, on which there is now international consensus. Carrying it through is, and should be, a matter for the various sports bodies concerned.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when the Foreign and Commonwealth Office annual report is to be published this year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office departmental report is to be published on 12 February.

  Turkey
  Ms. Primarolo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last had discussions with the Turkish Government about the treatment of Kurdish people living inside Turkey.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I last discussed this issue at my meeting with the Turkish Foreign Minister on 20 December.

  East Timor
  Mr. McAvoy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the consideration given by the United Nations Commission on Human Rights to the situation in East Timor.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  East Timor is on the agenda of the United Nations Commission on Human Rights. On 30 January I spoke to the commission in Geneva on the theme of accountability for human rights violations. Those who have broken the law in East Timor should be brought to account. We shall work closely with our EC partners on appropriate action in the commission.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the situation in East Timor.

  Mr. Watson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he intends to make to the Government of Indonesia following the publication of the report of the inquiry into the massacre of civilians at Dili, East Timor.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  I refer the hon. Members to the reply given to the hon. Member for Cynon Valley (Mrs. Clwyd) on 30 January,Official Report, column 651.

  Saudi Arabia
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next plans to meet representatives of the Government of Saudi Arabia to discuss human rights issues.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Ministers and officials, including members of our embassy in Riyadh, discuss human rights issues with the Saudi Arabian authorities regularly. I have no plans to meet a representative of the Saudi Arabian Government in the near future.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representation he has made or plans to make to the Government of Saudi Arabia about infringements of human rights and religious freedom in that country.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  Ministers and officials, including members of our embassy in Riyadh, regularly discuss human rights issues, including freedom of religion, with the Saudi Arabian authorities. I have no plans to meet a representative of the Saudi Arabian Government in the near future.

  Baltic Republics
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on the development of relations with the Baltic republics.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We intend to develop relations actively. We are giving practical help in consolidating their independence, building up democratic systems of government and rebuilding their economies. The bulk of our assistance is being directed through the European Community technical and emergency assistance programmes. We have also committed over £900,000 to projects through the know-how fund. We sponsored their United Nations membership applications. We pressed in the European Community for early trade and co-operation agreements: these are now being negotiated. We are supporting early IMF membership. Finally, we are resolving the Baltic gold question, in a prompt and effective manner which will give an important boost to the Baltic economies.

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on international assistance for the states of the former Soviet Union.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Assistance to the former Soviet Union committed in 1991 totals approximately $50 billion, of which the United Kingdom share is above 0024;650 million. The top priority now is its translation into effective action on the ground. I am glad to say that our aid is indeed getting through.

  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assurances he has received from the former Soviet republics on their willingness to meet their international obligations.

  Mr. Hurd
  Russia, as the continuation of the former Soviet Union, has accepted responsibility for the former 194
  union's international obligations. All the other former Soviet republics except Georgia have given assurances that they also will respect relevant international obligations of the former union.

  United Nations Conference on Environment and Development
  Mrs. Currie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs who will represent the United Kingdom at the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in Rio de Janeiro.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Prime Minister has indicated that he hopes to attend the United Nations Conference on Environment and Development in June 1992. No decision has been taken on the composition of the rest of the British delegation.

  EC Single Market
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a statement on progress towards completion of the single market.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  A total of 232 of the 282 measures in the Commission's 1985 single market White Paper have now been agreed. The United Kingdom, as presidency in the second half of this year, will have particular responsibility for bringing the single market programme to conclusion.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Vaz
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make a further statement on the numbers of British citizens who are ex-employees of BCCI who are still in Abu Dhabi and are being refused their passports.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  There are at present 10 former employees of BCCI who entered the United Arab Emirates on United Kingdom passports and whose passports are being retained by the UAE authorities. Eight of them are in detention pending the completion of investigations into the bank's affairs in Abu Dhabi. Two, who are not in detention, have outstanding liabilities to the bank. I understand that they are not seeking to leave the UAE and have not asked for the return of their passports from the authorities.

  EC Foreign Policies
  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he next proposes to have discussions with his European Community partners concerning the development of common European Community foreign policies.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I meet my European Community partners regularly. The common foreign and security policy agreed at Maastricht will strengthen intergovernmental co-operation and joint action with our partners in agreed areas of policy.

  Middle East
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has for further discussion with EC Ministers with a view to encouraging peace talks in the middle east.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The middle east peace talks launched in Madrid are well under way. There have been three rounds of bilaterals: we expect a fourth to begin shortly. A useful meeting to organise multilateral talks took place in Moscow on 28 and 29 January. I shall review progress with my EC colleagues at our next meeting in Lisbon on 17 February.

  Commonwealth Secretariat (Accounts)
  Sir Peter Hordern
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will seek publication of the accounts of the Commonwealth secretariat.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The accounts of the Commonwealth secretariat, as audited by the National Audit Office, are circulated to Commonwealth Governments. I am depositing a copy of the accounts for financial year 1989–90 in the Libraries of the House. The accounts for financial year 1990–91 will be available in June 1992.

  The secretariat's financial year runs from 1 July.

  Albania
  Mr. Anderson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what further progress has been made bilaterally and through the European Community in seeking to alleviate the plight of the Albanian people.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  The Overseas Development Administration has given £550,000 bilateral aid. The EC has contributed 52·5 mecu—£36·75 million—towards humanitarian food aid needs in Albania. The United Kingdom's contribution to this is £6·6 million.

  China (Human Rights)
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent discussions he has had with the Chinese ambassador, in which he has raised cases of any individual political prisoners publicly named by Amnesty International, and in particular the case of Li Wei, currently detained in Lingyuan prison; and what general representations he has made to China about human rights.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Chinese ambassador is reminded regularly by Ministers and officials in the Foreign Office of our concern about human rights in China. Mr. Li Wei was among five detained workers from the Changchun automobile plant whose cases were included in the list left with the Chinese Government during the Prime Minister's visit to Peking in September. An updated list, compiled again in conjunction with Amnesty International, was handed over during the Prime Minister's talks with Premier Li Peng in New York last week. We and our EC colleagues maintain a constant watch on human rights issues in China, with regular representations to the Chinese Government.

  Mr. Yasser Arafat
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on the purpose of the meeting between Her Majesty's ambassador in Tunis and Mr. Yasser Arafat, on 26 January, and whether the ambassador gave any recognition in the meeting to Mr. Arafat's claimed capacity as President of the state of Palestine.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We maintain a dialogue with the PLO on the middle east peace process at official level. Her Majesty's ambassador at Tunis has had a number of meetings with Mr. Arafat in this context. The latest of these was on 25 January. The United Kingdom does not recognise the so-called state of Palestine and therefore the question of recognising its "President" does not arise.

  Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those states which(a) have signed and ratified the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, (b) have acceded to the treaty but not yet completed a full safeguards agreement, pursuant to article III of the treaty, (c) have signed and ratified the treaty but are known to have breached any article of the treaty through non-compliance and (d) have indicated an intention to sign the treaty but have not yet done so.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  (a) (i) The Following countries have signed and ratified the NPT.

  United Kingdom

  Russian Federation

  United States of America

  Afghanistan

  Austria

  Australasia

  Barbados

  Belgium

  Benin

  Bolivia

  Botswana

  Bulgaria

  Burkina Faso

  Cameroon

  Canada

  Chad

  Colombia

  Costa Rica

  Cyprus

  Czechoslovakia

  Denmark

  Dominican Republic

  Equador

  Egypt

  El Salvador

  Ethiopia

  Finland

  Gambia

  Germany

  Ghana

  Greece

  Guatemala

  Haiti

  Honduras

  Hungary

  Iceland

  Indonesia

  Iran

  Iraq

  Ireland

  Italy

  Jamaica

  197

  Japan

  Jordan

  Kenya

  Republic of Korea

  Kuwait

  Laos

  Lebanon

  Lesotho

  Liberia

  Libya

  Luxembourg

  Madagascar

  Malaysia

  Malawi

  Maldives

  Mali

  Malta

  Mauritius

  Mexico

  Mongolia

  Morocco

  Nepal

  Netherlands

  New Zealand

  Nicaragua

  Nigeria

  Norway

  Paraguay

  Peru

  Philippines

  Ivory Coast

  Romania

  San Marino

  Senegal

  Singapore

  Somalia

  Sri Lanka

  Sudan

  Swaziland

  Sweden

  Switzerland

  Syria

  Poland

  Taiwan

  Togo

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Tunisia

  Turkey

  Uruguay

  Venezuela

  Vietnam

  Yemen

  Yugoslavia

  Zaire

  (ii) the following countries have either acceded or succeeded to the NPT:

  Albania

  Antigua and Barbuda

  Bahamas

  Bahrain

  Bangladesh

  Belize

  Bhutan

  Brunei

  Burundi

  Cambodia

  Cape Verde

  Central African Republic

  Congo

  Dominica

  Equatorial Guinea

  Estonia

  Guinea

  Guinea-Bissau

  Holy See

  Kiribati

  Democratic People's Republic of Korea

  Latvia

  Liechtenstein

  Lithuania

  198

  Malawi

  Mozambique

  Nauru

  Qatar

  Papua New Guinea

  Portugal

  Rwanda

  Fiji

  Gabon

  Grenada

  Sierra Leone

  Solomon Islands

  South Africa

  Spain

  St. Lucia

  St. Vincent and the Grenadines

  Suriname

  Sao Tome and Principe

  Saudi Arabia

  Seychelles

  Tanzania

  Thailand

  Tonga

  Tuvalu

  Uganda

  Western Samoa

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  (b) The following are parties to the treaty but have not yet completed a full-scope safeguards agreement:

  Antigua and Barbuda

  Bahamas

  Bahrain

  Benin

  Bolivia

  Botswana

  Barbados

  Belize

  Cambodia

  Cameroon

  Cape Verde

  Central African Republic

  Chad

  Congo

  Democratic Peoples' Republic of Korea

  Grenada

  Guinea-Bissau

  Haiti

  Kenya

  Kuwait

  Laos

  Latvia

  Malawi

  Mali

  Burkina Faso

  Burundi

  Mozambique

  Qatar

  Rwanda

  St. Vincent and the Grenadines

  Dominica

  Equatorial Guinea

  Estonia

  Gabon

  Sierra Leone

  Solomon Islands

  Somalia

  Syria

  Tanzania

  Togo

  San Marino

  Sao Tome and Principe

  Saudi Arabia

  Seychelles

  Tonga

  Trinidad and Tobago

  Uganda

  199

  Yemen

  Zambia

  Zimbabwe

  (b) Iraq's proven endeavours to develop a nuclear weapon programme was a flagrant breach of its obligations under the NPT. The failure of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to sign and implement its safeguards agreement with the International Atomic Energy Agency is also a breach of its obligations under the NPT. However, we welcome the recent signature of this agreement and look forward to its early ratification and implementation.

  All those listed in B except Mozambique, Albania, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia, Tanzania, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia are in technical breach of their obligation to sign a safeguards agreement with the IAEA within 18 months of depositing their instrument of accession. However, this is of no practical significance as none of the states in question possesses nuclear materials requiring safeguards.

  (d) The following states have indicated an intention to accede to the treaty, but have not yet done so:

  1. France

  2. China

  3. Ukraine

  4. Belarus

  5. Kazakhstan

  6. Uzbekistan

  7. Turkimenistan

  8. Azerbaijan

  9. Kirgizstan

  10. Tajikistan

  11. Armenia

  12. Moldova

  North Korea
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 21 January,Official Report, columns 103-4, what information he has about the design on which the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has constructed a plutonium production nuclear plant.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  As far as we are aware, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea has not made public any information about the design of this facility.

  Human Rights
  Mr. John Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what part Her Majesty's Government are playing in the international fora for the promotion of human rights.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Her Majesty's Government has consistently played a full and active role in international human rights fora. The United Kingdom was re-elected to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights this year. I paid a visit to the Commission in Geneva on 29 and 30 January. In my speech I reaffirmed the British Government's commitment to the universal promotion of human rights and announced a £25,000 contribution to the United Nations voluntary fund on torture.

  Council of Ministers
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will publish a statement of forthcoming business in the European Community's Council of Ministers.
  200
  Mr. Garel-Jones
  The Foreign Affairs Council will meet on 3 February. It will consider the next stages on the European economic area in the light of discussions between the Commission and the European Free Trade Association over how to resolve the problems resulting from the European Court of Justice opinion. The Council will discuss follow-up to the Washington conference on aid to the former Soviet Union, and consider ways to develop the Community's relations with the former republics. The Council will discuss whether trade and co-operation agreements should be negotiated with Brazil and the Andean pact. A European Community trade and co-operation agreement with Paraguay will be signed in the margins. The Council will also consider policy towards Haiti following the coup. The Council will also discuss conciliation procedures on Asia/Latin America and European Community investment partners with a delegation from the European Parliament. The Commission will make a presentation on export controls on dual use goods.

  The Economic and Finance Council will meet on 10 February. Ministers will consider multilateral surveillance of the economies of member states, including the Irish convergence programme, and also the formal adoption of the Commission's annual economic report. The Council will also consider aid to central and eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union. The Council may also consider the revision to the financial perspective for 1992, the investment services directive; and the legislative programme relating to economic and monetary union arising from the treaty on European union. Ministers may also formally adopt the legal text of the draft directive on the commercial movement of excise goods in the single market which they agreed at the Economic and Finance Council on 16 December 1991. It is also expected that Ministers will formally adopt a new regulation for enhanced administrative cooperation between member states. This will provide for the automatic exchange of information between EC tax authorities.

  The Agriculture Council will meet on 10 and 11 February. Ministers will discuss reform of the common agricultural policy, agricultural aspects of the GATT Uruguay round, public health problems affecting the killing of wild game and the marketing of wild game meat.

  The Internal Market Council will meet on 25 February. Ministers may consider the final adoption of the public procurement directive for remedies in the utilities sectors, and the adoption of common positions on the third non-life insurance directive. Consolidation directives on tractors and on units of measurement, and a directive on veterinary homeopathic medicines will also be discussed by Ministers. There may also be further ministerial discussions on frontier controls, and draft legislation on data protection, precursor chemicals, food colourings and food irradiation.

  Antarctica
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the abandoned British bases in Antarctica, stating for each what plans he has to ensure that they do not despoil the Antarctic environment.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I have been asked to reply.
  201
  Stations and field huts abandoned since 1947 by the Falkland Islands Dependencies Survey or its successor, the British Antarctic Survey—BAS—are:

  South Orkney Islands:

  Cape Geddes

  South Shetland Islands:

  Admiralty Bay

  Deception Island

  Trinity Peninsula:

  Hope Bay

  View Point

  Antarctic Peninsula:

  Portal Point

  Danco Island

  Port Lockroy

  Anvers Island

  Prospect Point

  Detaille Island

  Orford Cliff

  Stonington Island

  Brunt Ice Shelf:

  Halley Bases l-IV

  Each of these bases has been visited by an inspection party to assess the work required, with the exception of Halley I and Halley II, which are now buried and inaccessible. The sites will be maintained, removed, or, in a limited number of cases, maintained as historical monuments, and the survey is now drawing up a programme to undertake the necessary work.

  Remedial work has already been undertaken as follows:
  Deception Island—Clean up work in 1990–91 and 1991–92, with removal of waste and fuel oil.
  Halley III—Clean-up work and removal of waste in 1990–91, before the base became too unsafe for access.
  Anvers Island—Removal of the base, except for the foundations, by a United States group on behalf of BAS.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Manor House Residential Home
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans there are to increase the physiotherapy service to patients at Manor House residential home in Rathfriland, County Down.

  Mr. Hanley
  The management and delivery of services in Rathfriland is the responsibility of Southern health and social services board. The hon. Gentleman may wish to contact the chairman of the board Mr. J. Daniel Thompson DL.

  Health Board Management Units
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) what are the current waiting times for speech therapy appointments in each of the units of management of each health board in Northern Ireland;

  (2) what are the current waiting times in respect of chiropody care in each unit of management in each health board in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Gentleman may wish to contact the chairmen of the four health and social services boards.

  Speech Therapy
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many speech therapists are employed in each unit of management of each health board in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of the number of speech therapists employed in each unit of management of each health and social services board at 30 September 1991, the latest date available, are as follows:

  Health and Social Services Board and unit of management

  Numbers employed

  Whole time equivalent

  Eastern Board

  Belfast City Hospital Unit

  6

  6·00

  Down and Lisburn Unit

  15

  13·83

  Green Park Unit

  10

  9·53

  Mater Infirmorum Hospital Unit

  1

  1·00

  North and West Belfast Community Unit

  13

  12·01

  North Down and Ards Community Unit

  11

  8·98

  Royal Group of Hospitals Unit

  3

  3·00

  South and East Belfast Community Unit

  24

  20·30

  Ulster, North Down and Ards Hospitals Unit

  6

  4·50

  Total

  89

  79·15

  Northern Board

  Antrim Hospital Unit

  —

  —

  Bannside Unit

  15

  13·07

  Causeway Unit

  10

  7·97

  Loughside Unit

  10

  8·99

  Total

  35

  29·98

  Southern Board

  Area Mental Health Unit

  —

  —

  Armagh and Dungannon Unit

  8

  8·00

  Craigavon and Banbridge Community Unit

  6

  6·00

  Craigavon Area Hospital Unit

  —

  —

  Newry and Mourne Unit

  6

  6·00

  Total

  20

  20·00

  Western Board

  Altnagelvin Group of Hospitals Unit

  —

  —

  Area Mental Health Unit

  —

  —

  Foyle Community Unit

  6

  6·00

  Omagh and Fermanagh Hospital and Community Unit

  12

  10·24

  Total

  18

  16·24

  Northern Ireland Total

  129

  118·71

  Chiropody
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many chiropodists are employed in each unit of management of each of the health boards in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Details of the number of chiropodists employed in each unit of management of each health and social services board at 30 September 1991, the latest date available, are as follows:
  203

  Health and Social Services Board and Unit of Management

  Numbers employed

  Whole time equivalent

  EASTERN BOARD

  Belfast City Hospital Unit

  1

  1·00

  Down and Lisburn Unit

  10

  9·12

  Green Park Unit

  1

  0·66

  Mater Infirmorum Hospital Unit

  —

  —

  North and West Belfast Community Unit

  10

  10·00

  North Down and Ards Community Unit

  10

  9·55

  Royal Group of Hospitals Unit

  1

  1·00

  South and East Belfast Community Unit

  22

  20·16

  Ulster, North Down and Ards Hospitals Unit

  1

  1·00

  Total

  56

  52·49

  NORTHERN BOARD

  Antrim Hospital Unit

  —

  —

  Bannside Unit

  13

  12·00

  Causeway Unit

  11

  8·70

  Loughside Unit

  21

  18·35

  Total

  45

  39·05

  SOUTHERN BOARD

  Area Mental Health Unit

  —

  —

  Armagh and Dungannon Unit

  10

  9·08

  Craigavon and Banbridge Community Unit

  10

  9·09

  Craigavon Area Hospital Unit

  —

  —

  Newry and Mourne Unit

  6

  5·00

  Total

  26

  23·17

  WESTERN BOARD

  Altnagelvin Group of Hospitals Unit

  —

  —

  Area Mental Health Unit

  —

  —

  Foyle Community Unit

  14

  14·00

  Omagh and Fermanagh Hospital and Community Unit

  11

  10·80

  Total

  25

  24·80

  Northern Ireland Total

  185

  166·17

  Home Help Service
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many people have to pay for home help service in the Down section of the Down and Lisburn unit of management.

  Deaths (underlying cause) from pulmonary tuberculosis (ICD 011), for England, Wales and elsewhere and for each RHA separately: and for each month of 1989.

  1989

  Regional Health Authority

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  England, Wales and Else1

  23

  31

  25

  37

  37

  20

  23

  17

  24

  29

  20

  40

  England

  22

  30

  24

  35

  32

  20

  22

  16

  20

  26

  18

  34

  Wales

  1

  1

  1

  2

  5

  —

  —

  1

  4

  3

  2

  3

  Else1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  Northern

  1

  3

  1

  2

  2

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  2

  3

  Yorkshire

  1

  2

  2

  2

  3

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1

  2

  Trent

  2

  6

  1

  3

  5

  —

  3

  —

  2

  2

  2

  5

  East Anglian

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  2

  —

  —

  North West Thames

  2

  2

  4

  3

  —

  2

  1

  —

  2

  2

  1

  6

  North East Thames

  2

  3

  2

  3

  3

  6

  3

  2

  3

  3

  2

  5

  South East Thames

  2

  —

  6

  4

  4

  1

  1

  3

  5

  2

  2

  3

  South West Thames

  2

  1

  —

  1

  2

  1

  1

  —

  2

  2

  —

  1

  Wessex

  1

  1

  1

  2

  —

  —

  2

  1

  —

  —

  —

  2

  Oxford

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  2

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3

  South Western

  3

  3

  —

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  1

  3

  —

  —

  204
  (2) how many people had home help service withdrawn in the Down section of the Down and Lisburn unit of management in each of the years since 1 April 1989 to 31 March 1991 and from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991, respectively.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Gentleman may wish to contact the chairman of the Eastern health and social services board, Mr. Norman Fergusson, CBE.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people are in receipt of free home help service in each of the units of management of each health board in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Gentleman may wish to contact the chairman of the four health and social services boards.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what arrangements for transfer of dowry funds with resettled mental handicap patients to local authorities have been made in each regional health authority; under what terms these payments are made; and if he will list by regional health authority the sums transferred each year on this basis.

  Mr. Hanley
  The principle of dowry transfer to local authorities does not apply in Northern Ireland because of the integrated nature of the provision of health and personal social services.

HEALTH

  Pulmonary Tuberculosis
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for each region the number of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis for each month of the last two years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest available information is given in the tables.
  205

  Regional Health Authority

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  West Midland

  1

  5

  3

  7

  3

  3

  4

  2

  2

  6

  3

  1

  Mersey

  2

  1

  2

  3

  3

  1

  2

  3

  —

  1

  1

  2

  North Western

  1

  2

  1

  1

  4

  1

  1

  2

  1

  3

  4

  1

  Wales

  1

  1

  1

  2

  5

  —

  —

  1

  4

  3

  2

  3

  1Else (Elsewhere) are those deaths registered in England and Wales to individuals not normally resident.

  Deaths (underlying cause) from pulmonary tuberculosis (ICD 011) for England, Wales and elsewhere, and for each regional health authority separately; and for each month of 1990

  RHA

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  October

  November

  December

  England, Wales and elsewhere1

  30

  38

  27

  34

  20

  15

  26

  26

  16

  21

  28

  33

  England

  23

  37

  20

  30

  19

  15

  25

  25

  15

  19

  26

  28

  Wales

  7

  1

  7

  4

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  2

  4

  Elsewhere1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  Northern

  3

  3

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  1

  2

  4

  1

  Yorkshire

  —

  1

  2

  3

  —

  1

  2

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  Trent

  3

  3

  3

  3

  3

  1

  5

  2

  3

  3

  3

  4

  East Anglian

  —

  3

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  North West Thames

  3

  3

  1

  2

  —

  2

  2

  1

  3

  2

  4

  3

  North East Thames

  2

  6

  3

  2

  2

  —

  3

  1

  —

  1

  1

  3

  South East Thames

  1

  5

  1

  6

  3

  2

  1

  —

  2

  1

  3

  1

  South West Thames

  1

  2

  1

  1

  1

  1

  1

  4

  1

  2

  1

  3

  Wessex

  —

  1

  1

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  1

  —

  2

  2

  Oxford

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  1

  —

  1

  1

  —

  South Western

  2

  3

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  1

  2

  West Midlands

  6

  4

  5

  4

  1

  3

  2

  8

  3

  4

  1

  3

  Mersey

  —

  1

  —

  —

  2

  —

  1

  2

  —

  —

  1

  3

  North Western

  2

  1

  1

  4

  6

  2

  4

  3

  —

  1

  1

  3

  Wales

  7

  1

  7

  4

  1

  —

  —

  1

  1

  2

  2

  4

  1Elsewhere are those deaths registered in England and Wales to individuals not normally resident.

  Deaths (underlying cause) from pulmonary tuberculosis (1CD 011), for England, Wales and elsewhere, and for each RHA separately; and for each month of 1991 for which there are data available (January-September).

  1991

  RHA

  January

  February

  March

  April

  May

  June

  July

  August

  September

  England, Wales and Else1

  46

  30

  30

  29

  22

  23

  19

  30

  21

  England

  45

  23

  27

  24

  19

  22

  19

  29

  18

  Wales

  1

  6

  2

  4

  3

  1

  —

  1

  3

  Else1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Northern

  5

  2

  1

  —

  —

  2

  1

  2

  1

  Yorkshire

  3

  2

  3

  1

  2

  2

  1

  1

  1

  Trent

  5

  2

  1

  4

  1

  2

  3

  3

  2

  East Anglian

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  North West Thames

  3

  4

  —

  1

  4

  3

  2

  2

  3

  North East Thames

  3

  4

  4

  2

  2

  2

  —

  5

  1

  South East Thames

  2

  2

  2

  3

  1

  1

  2

  2

  2

  South West Thames

  1

  1

  3

  —

  —

  1

  4

  2

  1

  Wessex

  2

  2

  1

  1

  3

  1

  —

  4

  1

  Oxford

  2

  —

  3

  1

  —

  1

  1

  1

  2

  South Western

  2

  —

  1

  1

  —

  2

  —

  1

  —

  West Midlands

  8

  4

  3

  6

  3

  1

  3

  3

  2

  Mersey

  3

  —

  1

  1

  —

  —

  —

  1

  —

  North Western

  6

  —

  4

  2

  3

  4

  2

  2

  2

  Wales

  1

  6

  2

  4

  3

  1

  —

  1

  3

  1Else (Elsewhere) are those deaths registered in England and Wales to individuals not normally resident.

  Psychopathic Persons
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration is being given to amending the Mental Health Act 1983 to enable psychopathic persons, though deemed untreatable, to be admitted to mental hospitals.
  206
  Mr. Dorrell
  The needs of people suffering from psychopathic disorder, and how they can best be met both in the prison service and in the health and social care system, are one of the issues being considered by the joint Department of Health/Home Office review of services for mentally disordered offenders. We shall be considering
  207
  very carefully the conclusions reached by the review and any questions they raise about possible changes in the present law.

  National Health Service (Salaries)
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many people in the national health service, and at which grades, earn more than £20,280 a year.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  At least 70,000 people working in the NHS in England, and in the categories listed below are estimated to have basic earnings greater than £20,280 per annum. An additional and significant number in most of those categories have gross earnings in excess of £20,280, because they receive additional payments such as overtime and allowances. Review body awards as well as pay settlements due on 1 April will further increase the numbers earning more than £20,280.

  Groups containing people whose earnings in the NHS exceed £20,280 per annum

  Administrative and Clerical

  Ambulance Officers

  Community Medical and Dental Staff

  Hospital Medical and Dental Staff

  Nursing and Midwifery Staff

  Professions Allied to Medicine

  Scientific and Professional Staff

  Professional and Technical Staff

  General/Senior Managers

  General Medical Practitioners

  General Dental Practitioners

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 5 November,Official Report, column 108, he will state the timetable for the action plan on the implementation of Social Service Department involvement in the Criminal Justice Act 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The juvenile remands national steering group intends to complete its work as quickly as possible and to produce an action plan no later than October.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he intends to take if any of the charter standards and patient rights are not met by any unit of the national health service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The patients charter gives the individual patient the right to have any complaint about denial of charter rights investigated by the chief executive of the NHS, who will take any necessary remedial action. Health authorities will have to publish information about their performance against national and local standards annually. Performance against standards will be a key feature in the NHS performance review process.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many sales of capital assets have arisen from closures of mental handicap hospitals; and if he will list the assets disposed of and the money raised by each sale.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The information requested is not available centrally.

  Oral Health
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he intends to publish the consultative document on oral health strategy; what opportunities there will be for representations by interested parties; and if he intends to establish external consultative committees.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Once the final version of the consultative document is completed a firm date for publication can be set. It is expected that this will be within the next few months. When the document is issued, there will be an opportunity for all interested parties to make representations. It may then be considered appropriate to establish a consultative committee.

  Pharmaceuticals (Price Regulations)
  Mr. Sims
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the current turnover threshold below which companies who participate in the pharmaceutical price regulation scheme are exempt from the requirement to submit detailed accounts and price structure analyses to his Department; when that figure was fixed; what plans he has to raise the threshold; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The pharmaceutical price regulation scheme (PPRS) is a voluntary agreement between the Government and the Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry (ABPI). It applies to all companies supplying branded medicines to the National Health Service which are prescribed by medical or dental practitioners.

  Under the terms of the agreement, companies with annual sales to the NHS of over £4 million are asked to supply the full details required by the annual financial returns specified in the scheme. Companies with annual sales to the NHS of between £500,000 and £4 million are asked to provide copies of their audited accounts and of a statement giving a breakdown of turnover between NHS sales, export sales of NHS medicines and other sales, plus details of sales promotion costs. Companies with annual sales to the NHS not exceeding £500,000 are exempt from supplying financial information except when specifically called for.

  These threshold levels were established when the current PPRS was agreed with the ABPI in 1986. The scheme runs until 1 October 1992, but will continue beyond that if neither party gives due notice of termination. The Government are therefore now considering whether any changes to the current scheme are needed. The possibility of raising thresholds is one of the points which could be discussed with the ABPI.

  Departmental Computers
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how long each computerised system in his Department would take to return to full operation in the event of a disaster.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Each IT system in the Department contains elements designed to reduce the likelihood of a disaster and minimise the impact of any disaster that may occur. Recovery time would depend on the severity of the breakdown.

  Physiotherapists
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health which departments or other authorities have responsibility for the education and training of state registered physiotherapists to meet the needs of non-NHS employers and of the public for independent practitioners; what arrangements exist for the co-ordination of these needs with those of the NHS; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Education and training for state registered physiotherapists is provided at both further education and NHS institutions. Regional health authorities purchase the majority of places available and also provide bursaries to physiotherapy students. In determining how many places to purchase they consult locally with public, private and voluntary sector interests so as to assess and meet overall demand.

  Caring for Children
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue guidance to local authorities on the implementation of the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991;

  (2) if the guidance contained in Home Office circular 88(102) is superseded by the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991;

  (3) if he will make a statement on his plans for publicising the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991;

  (4) if he will extend the principles concerning the schedule of offences established in the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991 to the vetting of (a) applicants for social work employment and social work students seeking placements, (b) applicants to work in childrens homes and (c) potential foster parents.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Guidance on the implementations of the Disqualification for the Caring for Children Regulations 1991 is contained in volume 8 of the Children Act Regulations and Guidance series, which also reproduces the text of the regulations. Copies of volume 8 were distributed to local authorities, voluntary organisations and others with an interest on 15 October 1991.

  The Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations apply to applicants who wish to work in registered childrens homes or voluntary homes or as private foster parents, child minders or providers of day care. Local authorities have discretion under the Children Act to lift a disqualification, although the guidance in volume 8 is that this should be done only in the most exceptional circumstances.

  Although the regulations do not apply to the local authority sector, the guidance in volume 8 advises that local authorities should have regard to the regulations when considering the appointment of staff to any services which are run by the local authority and when assessing people's suitability to work as childminders or foster parents employed by a local authority. Volumes 2 ("Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children"), 3 ("Family Placements") and 4 ("Residential Care") in the Children Act series contain clear guidance on the necessity for local authorities to undertake a thorough assessment of the suitability of people who wish to work with children in any services run by the local authority. These provisions ensure that
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  equivalent measures exist for safeguarding the welfare of children care for in such services as in any in the private and voluntary sectors.

  The guidance in Home Office circular 88(102) is not superseded by the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991 and continues to apply to local authorities in addition to the Children Act guidance in volumes 2, 3 and 4.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Resettlement Units
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) how many places are currently available in resettlement units throughout the United Kingdom, showing the location of each unit and the number of places in each unit;

  (2) what sums have been allocated in his Departmental budget to provide resettlement unit places; and what plans he has made for the next three years;

  (3) what research has been undertaken to investigate the need for places in resettlement units.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The management of the Resettlement Agency is a matter for Mr. Tony Ward, the chief executive. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement outlining Her Majesty's Government's current plans for those remaining resettlement units in terms of the duty imposed on him under the Social Security Act 1980.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Under the plans announced in 1985 we will have replaced eight resettlement units with better alternative facilities by March 1993. These units include most of those whose physical condition was the poorest.

  We have now decided that the best way forward is to work towards the transfer of most of the remaining hostels directly to voluntary organisations and others who have skills and experience in caring for single homeless people.

  The Resettlement Agency which is now responsible for running the units therefore intends to invite suitable organisations with the appropriate skills to tender for these, starting with the hostels at Newbury and Camden. The agency will continue to provide funding to organisations that take over the running of transferred units. If any savings are produced by this revised strategy they will be recycled to fund further replacement provision. The tendering process will also encourage outside organisations to make positive proposals for re-employing resettlement unit staff.

  We believe that this approach is the best way to secure improved service to unsettled homeless people quickly, avoids the loss of local service and offers the best all-round value for money. By a combination of transfer and replacement the Resettlement Agency is now looking to complete its task of securing replacement providers within five years.

  Welsh Language
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state what progress has been made since April 1991 with the Welsh language implementation
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  programme, established in his Department in Wales; what specific changes of policy in his Department on this issue have taken place during 1991; and if he is satisfied with the progress that has so far been made.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The use of the Welsh language in the administration of social security benefits 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.

  Benefit Deductions
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is the estimated administrative cost to his Department of making deductions from income support for community charge arrears;

  (2) what are the administrative costs of making deductions from income support payments to meet claimants' debts.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The resourcing of this work 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.

  Disability Appeal Tribunals (Membership)
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what representations he has received concerning social security regulations affecting disabled people who became panel members on disability appeal tribunals;

  (2) what are his plans to amend the regulations on earnings and incapacity to permit disabled claimants who sit on disability appeal tribunals to perform their duties without incurring loss or reduction of benefit.

  Mr. Scott
  We have received a number of representations on this issue. We are committed to making sure that people with disabilities play an active role in the assessment and adjudication process of disability living allowance, attendance allowance and disability working allowance. This includes ensuring that as many disability appeal tribunals as possible include a disabled person in their membership. We are currently considering whether the benefit rules are acting as barrier to the independent tribunal service recruiting disabled people as disability appeal tribunal members. I will write to the hon. Member shortly.

  Income Support
  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants with a disabled child on(a) income support and (b) housing benefit had their benefit reduced as a result of the presence of non-dependants in the household.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Information is not available in the form requested. The available information is based on the annual 1 per cent. sample surveys and, with the small numbers involved in the groups concerned, precise figures cannot be given. However, it is estimated that the total number would be less than 1,000.

  Mr. Ashley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many income support claimants had 212
  deductions from their benefit during 1991 for (a) social fund loan repayment, (b) community charge arrears, (c) rent arrears, (d) mortgage arrears, (e) water charges and (f) fuel debts; and how many of these claimants received a disability premium.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The latest information available is contained in table 10.2 of the annual statistical inquiry for May 1990, a copy of which is available in the Library.

SCOTLAND

  Part-ownership Schemes
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the total cost to date of setting up, publicising and administering the flexi-ownership or rents into mortgage schemes in Scotland; and how many tenants have so far acquired part-ownership of their homes under this scheme.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 3 February 1992]: Since the introduction of the pilot rent-to-mortgage scheme, the cost of setting up, publicising and administering the scheme is estimated at around £788,000. A total of 264 sales had been completed by the end of 1991, resulting in additional receipts of £2,467,000. Tenants purchasing under the scheme become owners with full title to the property from the completion of the sale.

  Nursery Places
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many places in nursery schools and classes were provided by education authorities in 1990–91 and 1991–92 in Scotland; how many of these places were(a) full-time and (b) part-time; and what was the total number of full-time equivalent places provided.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: Information on the number of full-time, part-time and full-time equivalent pupils attending education authority nursery schools and departments in Scotland at September 1990 and 1991 is as follows:

  Full-time pupils

  Part-time pupils

  Total Number

  Pupils Full-time equivalent

  1990

  2,927

  41,054

  43,981

  22,907·6

  11991

  3,024

  42,322

  45,346

  23,551·4

  1Provisional.

  Some nursery pupil rolls reach higher levels after September. In session 1990–91 peak rolls were 7·4 per cent. above the total number of pupils attending at September 1990; for session 1991–92 peak rolls are anticipated to be 9·4 per cent. above the September 1991 level.

  Primary School Testing
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what has been the cost to date of the introduction of national testing into Scottish primary schools.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: The Government have incurred expenditure in the writing and vetting of test units, printing and distribution to

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  schools, moderation of the pilot round, the cost of running the primary assessment unit, and of the preparation, issue and promotion of an information leaflet on testing which totals £1·16 million.

DEFENCE

  Hunt Transport
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what elements of the costs of transporting horses and riders to hunting meets can readily be identified.
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  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The cost of buying and maintaining horse boxes and the cost of fuel is identifiable, but is not met from public funds.

  Nuclear Testing
  Mr. Cryer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information he has received from the United States Department of Energy, as manager of the Nevada nuclear test site, regarding representations made about British nuclear testing at the Nevada test site during its public hearing hosted by the United States Department of Energy on 14 November 1991.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  GULF WAR: UK FORCES
  GULF WAR: UK FORCES
  GULF WAR: WEAPONS ALLEGATIONS
  GULF WAR: WEAPONS ALLEGATIONS
  NUCLEAR WARHEADS: TRANSPORTATION IN UK
  NUCLEAR WARHEADS: TRANSPORTATION IN UK
  REGINA v. ROONEY: INQUIRY
  REGINA v. ROONEY: INQUIRY
  ECCLESIASTICAL EXEMPTION FROM LISTED BUILDING CONTROLS
  ECCLESIASTICAL EXEMPTION FROM LISTED BUILDING CONTROLS
  FIJI: ELECTIONS
  FIJI: ELECTIONS
  FIJI: UK AID
  FIJI: UK AID
  SOCIAL SECURITY APPEALS: TRIBUNAL COSTS
  SOCIAL SECURITY APPEALS: TRIBUNAL COSTS
  COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT TAPER PROPOSAL
  COUNCIL TAX BENEFIT TAPER PROPOSAL
  UNWANTED ANIMALS AND REPTILES
  UNWANTED ANIMALS AND REPTILES
  COURT ESCORT SERVICE: EAST MIDLANDS AND HUMBERSIDE
  COURT ESCORT SERVICE: EAST MIDLANDS AND HUMBERSIDE