Written Answers of 6 February 1992

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Peru
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will discuss human rights in Peru when he meets President Fujimori of Peru on 5 February.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  My discussions with President Fujimori covered a wide range of issues of common interest, including human rights.

  Soviet Union (Members' Visits)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the names of hon. Members to whom his Department has afforded a briefing in advance of visits to the former Soviet Union since 1979.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  We do not hold this information. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office has given briefing to a very large number of hon. Members visiting the former Soviet Union over the past 13 years, and of course stands ready to do so in the future.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes he proposes to make in his Department's diplomatic wing cash limits and running costs limits for 1991–92.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made: The cash limit for class II, vote 1 (overseas representation) will be increased by £8,209,000 from £629,076,000 to £637,285,000. The running costs limit on vote 1 will be decreased by £1,781,000 from £480,647,000 to £487,866,000. These changes take account of increased local staff salaries overseas and the adverse effect of overseas price movements which are partially offset by reduced running costs on the home estate, local budgets and information services.

  The cash limit for class II, vote 2 (other external relations) will be increased by £27,939,000 from £165,431,000 to £193,370,000. This change takes account of expenditure on Vietnamese boat people; international peacekeeping operations in Yugoslavia and Cambodia; the United Nations Angola verification mission; a grant-in-aid towards the Westminster Foundation for Democracy; a payment to the Iranian Government under the United Kingdom/Iran compensation agreement and higher than forecast expenditure on United Kingdom contributions to international organisations due to the adverse effect of overseas price movements.

  The cash limit for class II, vote 4 (The British Council) will be increased by £463,000 from £89,944,000 to £90,407,000 to take account of the adverse effect of overseas price movements.
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  These increases will be charged to the Reserve and will not therefore add to the planned of public expenditure.

TRANSPORT

  Cash and Running Costs Limits
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what changes he proposes to make to the cash limits and running costs limits for his Department.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  Class and Vote

  Current cash limit

  Changes

  Revised cash limit

  VII, 1

  1,953,664,000

  1-21,435,000

  1,932,229,000

  2

  234,438,000

  23,176,000

  237,614,000

  4

  148,254,000

  8,660,000

  156,914,000

  5

  349,585,000

  37,600,000

  357,185,000

  1 Transfers of £2,835,000 for research and development to class VII, vote 2, £8,850,000 for the Black Country spine road to class VIII, vote 3, £8,660,000 to class VII, vote 4 in respect of reduced appropriations in aid. There is a further reduction of £1,090,000 as a result of the demand financing arrangements for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency.

  2 An increase of £451,000 for railways inspectorate service from Department of Employment (class VI, vote 3). There is also a reduction of £110,000 in the running costs on this vote.

  3 It was announced on 1 July 1991 (Official Report column 6) that I would seek to introduce at an early opportunity legislation to write off or suspend those parts of the debt of the Humber Bridge Board that cannot be financed from the board's revenues. The board's borrowings are from the Public Works Loan Commissioners and from my Department. Until powers to write off or suspend debt are available, it would be inappropriate for further loans to be made by my Department to the board as there is no reasonable expectation of those loans being properly serviced and repaid and I understand that the Public Works Loan Commissioners have also decided that it would be inappropriate to make further advances to the board. To enable the board to meet its commitments I propose to make grants to it amounting to £7,600,000. These grants will be made on the sole authority of the estimate and the subsequent Appropriation Act.

  My Department's running costs limit has been reduced by £110,000 from £378,984,000 to £378,874,000.

  The changes described will not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Airports
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress is being made in installing a permanent noise and track keeping system at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I am delighted that my noble Friend has announced in another place that BAA has now committed itself to purchasing a system that should be installed by early autumn. The system will be one of the most modern in the world, and will have considerable flexibility in the ways it can be used. It will be used to enforce noise and track requirements and also to provide a lot more information about the performance of aircraft and their impact on surrounding communities.

  The noise monitoring will be carried out by a total of 36 noise monitors. There will be 12 fixed noise monitors in total at the three airports, primarily to monitor noise against predetermined limits, and 24 mobile monitors that

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  can be deployed to collect data on aircraft noise from any area near the airports. The monitors will be able to record the noise made by individual aircraft and will also be able to store data so that they can be analysed in a variety of ways. This will enable a review of noise limits to be carried out at the three airports with a view to introducing tougher limits more appropriate to modern aircraft. The noise monitoring installation should be completed by the early summer.

  The track monitoring will require provision of radar data feed to the system. I understand that this should be available so as to allow installation of the track monitoring by early autumn. Again, the system will be able to identify the tracks followed by individual aircraft as well as to allow analysis of track data in different ways. This will be used to improve the accuracy with which aircraft follow noise preferential routes from the airports.

  I am pleased to report that BAA is keen to involve local people through the local airport consultative committees in considering how best to use the system. It has great potential for ensuring that aircraft are operated in a way that minimises noise nuisance for surrounding communities. But the most effective use of the system will be developed only with experience: the contribution from local people and from the airlines to that development will be invaluable.

  Holborn Station
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects the safety improvements promised for Holborn station to be carried out.

  Mr. Freeman
  The timing of particular underground schemes is a matter for London Underground Limited.

  Bow Trader
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what inquiry will be undertaken by his Department into the events which led to the Bow Trader colliding with two bridges on the Thames on the night of 31 January;

  (2) if he will ask Mr. John Hayes, the head of the independent inquiry into river safety, to consider the collision of Friday 31 January of the Bow Trader into two bridges on the River Thames.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Department's Marine Accident Investigation Branch is involved with the Port of London Authority in an investigation into the incident. The MAIB will provide Mr. John Hayes with early advice on the initial findings of the investigation.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the minimum manning level for a dredger such as the Bow Trader, operating on the River Thames at night.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The minimum manning level of United Kingdom-registered ships is assessed on an individual basis. In the case of the Bow Trader the minimum number of crew would be eight. The composition of the watch when operating on the River Thames at night should not be less than one qualified officer on the bridge, a helmsman, a lookout and an engineer.

  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the level of manning on the Bow 218
  Trader on the night of 31 January; whether lookouts were maintained in compliance with his Department's standards; and if they were equipped with two way radios.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  These matters will be addressed during the investigation.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the initiatives taken by his Department to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and indicate the estimated reduction for each initiative by(a) 2000 and (b)

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment gave earlier today.

  Dock Labour Scheme
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, further to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 501, if he will give details of any provision by which third parties affected by the abolition of the dock labour scheme may seek redress.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Dock Work Act 1989 made no provision in respect of creditors and non-docker employees of stevedoring firms, since their rights, in the event of a liquidation, were already governed respectively by the general legislation on insolvencies and employment protection.

  Marine Accident Report
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many of the recommendations made by the marine accident investigation branch in the Marchioness/Bowbelle report have been fully implemented; and if he will list those recommendations which remain to be implemented, and the target implementation date.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The 27 recommendations in the marine accident investigation branch report were published, separately from the report, in July 1990. The Secretary of State for Transport immediately accepted them all. So far 20 recommendations have been fully implemented.

  Of those outstanding, five are to be the subject of regulations, and, as required by the Merchant Shipping Act 1979, consultative documents have been circulated for public comment. It is planned that sets of regulations, based on three recommendations will be in force by this summer. The recommendations to be covered by these regulations will be:
  No. 5—minimum standards of visibility on passenger launches;
  No. 15—boatman's licence to be given statutory status;
  No. 17—hours of work on river craft.

  It is planned that sets of regulations, based on two recommendations, will be in force by this autumn. The recommendations to be covered by these regulations will be:
  No. 20—a review of standards of stability and construction on passenger launches;
  No. 24—a review of life saving appliance requirements on passenger launches.
  In respect of action on recommendation No. 4—to enforce existing guidelines on navigational bridge visibility

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  on sea going ships—the United Kingdom made a submission to the 17th assembly of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in 1991, and will be making a submission to the IMO's Maritime Safety Committee during 1992, with a view to the mandatory adoption of the guidelines internationally. Arrangements enabling all relevant United Kingdom ships currently operational to comply with this recommendation should be completed by the end of this month.

  Responsibility for recommendation No. 19—a traffic signalling system on the River Thames—lies with the Port of London Authority (PLA). A system of radio-controlled warning lights has been developed by the PLA, for 19 London bridges. Commissioning of the lights will take place on 15 February. It is anticipated that there will be a commissioning period of one month prior to final acceptance by the PLA.

  Provisional Driving Licences (Application Forms)
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will include on the application form for a provisional driving licence a notice informing applicants that they may receive direct mail from private organisations; and if he will provide for applicants for provisional driving licences to opt out of the receipt of direct mail consequent on their completion of the form.

  Mr. Chope
  Further consideration is being given to the use of DVLA's database for commercial purposes. The concerns of individuals receiving third party mail has been recognised and any decision will take account of this and of the requirements of the Data Protection Act.

  Driving Licences
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement concerning the inclusion of photographs on driving licences; whether the photograph will be digitised and sent to the police national computer; and whether the photograph will be used for official or unofficial identification purposes.

  Mr. Christopher Chope
  The DVLA is undertaking a feasibility study to determine how best to proceed with the initiative of including photographs on driving licences. Several strategic and administrative issues are being addressed including the technology available, costs and the data protection implications. The DVLA will seek the advice of the data protection registrar.

  Police have access to the driver licensing records for law enforcement purposes under the terms of the Road Traffic Act 1988. Schedule 34(5)a of the Data Protection Act 1984 removes any data protection restriction on such statutory disclosure. If photographs of drivers were to form part of those records, then the police will have access to them under the same terms, subject to consultation with the data protection registrar.

  A driving licence is a document which indicates an individual's entitlement to drive. It is not, nor is it intended that it should be, an identity document. The law does not require drivers to carry their licence with them and there are no plans to change this.

  Car Accidents
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will show the number of car accidents involving drivers aged(a) 17 to 20 years, (b) 21 to 30 years, (c)220
  to 40 years, (d) 41 to 50 years, (e) 51 to 60 years, (f) 61 to 70 years and (g) 70 years and older both as a figure and as a percentage of all drivers in the relevant age category.

  Mr. Chope
  The information requested is given in the table. Information on the proportion of driving licence holders who are active drivers is not available. This may vary between age groups.

  Number of car drivers involved in injury accidents by age: GB 1990

  Number of injury accidents involving car drivers of different ages:

  GB 1990 Percentage of the driving population involved in injury accidents by age: GB 1990

  Number of injury accidents involving car drivers in each age group1

  Number of car drivers involved in injury accidents

  Estimate of number of persons holding a full car driving licence2 (millions)

  Percentage of all car drivers who involved in injury accidents

  17-20

  42,763

  45,131

  1·3

  3·6

  21-30

  89,487

  101,674

  6·3

  1·6

  31-40

  57,773

  63,225

  5·9

  1·1

  41-50

  42,250

  45,056

  5·5

  0·8

  51-60

  25,554

  26,579

  3·8

  0·7

  61-70

  14,655

  15,013

  2·8

  0·5

  71 and over

  9,226

  9,469

  1·6

  0·6

  Total3

  222,772

  330,181

  27·2

  1·2

  1 Accidents involving drivers in more than one age group are included in each relevant row.

  2 Estimate based on population date for 1990 from OPCS and GRO(S) and data on the percentage of the population holding driving licences from the 1988–90 National Travel Survey.

  3 Including younger ages and unknown ages.

  Motorway Repairs
  Mr. David Marshall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what plans he has to improve maintenance on motorways and to speed up the backlog of essential repairs.

  Mr. Chope
  We shall be announcing plans later this month.

  Coastguard Service
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will specify the consultations including dates of meetings and correspondence on the review of Her Majesty's coastguard in Cornwall with(a) local authorities, (b) coastguard staff and (c) the public.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The regional controller of Falmouth search and rescue region consulted all regular coastguard officers and auxiliary coastguards in charge of rescue companies within the region, which includes Cornwall, by means of a first draft regional implementation plan on 5 February 1991. Elements of this plan were widely discussed in Cornwall—we received 33 letters from individuals and organisations between 7 February and 20 March 1991.

  The proposals of over 40 regular and auxiliary coastguards were incorporated into the final plan which, as intended, very much reflected local opinion.

  The regional controller also personally briefed the hon. Member for St. Ives (Mr. Harris) on 8 February 1991, and the hon. Member for Truro on 6 July 1991 about the background to the review, as well as five Conservative,

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  Labour and Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidates for Cornish constituencies between 19 February 1991 and January 1992.

  The county emergency planning officer for Cornwall was briefed about the review early in February 1991.

  Motorway Accidents
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken on the causes of accidents on motorways.

  Mr. Chope
  The main causes of motorway accidents, driving too fast and too close to the vehicle in front, have been established for some years. Current departmental research is aimed at developing solutions and includes experiments with chevron markings; yellow bar markings on slip roads; automatic fog and incident detection equipment and advanced variable message signs.

  Cycling Helmets
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what research his Department has undertaken on the effectiveness of cycle helmet wearing.

  Mr. Chope
  A hospital-based study carried out by the Transport and Road Research Laboratory indicated that cycle helmets reduce the risk of cranial injury by 16 per cent. and of serious cranial injury by 30 per cent.

  Pollutants
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what proposals he has for developing pollution reduction strategies for key transport pollutants in areas where repeated breaches occur.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 3 February 1992]: Severe air pollution occurs rarely, and is normally associated with unusual weather conditions. During such periods we advise individuals to use public transport whenever possible, share cars and cut out less important journeys.

  We have set in train a number of far reaching measures to reduce motor traffic pollution. New European standards for new cars and heavy diesel vehicles will bring major gains, with tough limits becoming mandatory from the end of the year. The new emissions check in the MOT test should ensure substantial reductions of carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons. We intend to introduce a metered smoke test in the annual test for heavy diesels.

  We are also taking measures to deal with traffic and congestion. These are a mix of traffic management, parking controls and better public transport. We are supporting high levels of investment in British Rail and the underground, and we have recently produced, in conjunction with the bus industry and the local authorities, advice as to how buses can help ease congestion. We also issue guidance to local authorities on how to help cyclists and pedestrians. We are setting up a programme of research into urban road congestion, which will include an assessment of the potential role of road pricing.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Dentists, South Down
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many dentist, in the constituency of South Down operate within the national health service; how many operate privately; and what were the figures on 1 January 1987.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information is available only in respect of those units of management in the Eastern and Southern boards which form all or part of the South Down constituency. The figures for 1 January 1992 also reflect the amalgamation of the Lisburn and Down units of management with effect from 1 April 1990. Details are as follows:

  Unit of management

  Health service dentists

  Private dentists

  1 January 1987

  Down

  14

  —

  Newry and Mourne

  19

  —

  Craigavon and Banbridge

  23

  —

  1 January 1992

  Lisburn and Down

  44

  —

  Newry and Mourne

  25

  1

  Craigavon and Banbridge

  32

  —

  Irish Language Leaving Certificate
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many of the students from the Republic of Ireland who have obtained places at university in Northern Ireland in 1990–91 and 1991–92 have passed the Irish language leaving certificate.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The numbers with higher level Irish language leaving certificate were as follows:

  Number

  1990–91

  168

  1991–92

  160

  Numbers for those with lower level leaving certificates in Irish language are not available.

  Nurses and Health Visitors
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) district nurses and (b) health visitors are employed in each of the units of management of each health and social services board in Northern Ireland; and what were the figures on 1 January 1987.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information requested is set out in the following tables:

  (a) 31 December 1986

  Unit of management

  District nurses

  Health visitors

  Eastern Board

  Eastern Board HQ

  17

  (17·00)

  5

  (5·00)

  South Belfast Community

  24

  (23·10)

  31

  (30·06)

  East Belfast and Castlereagh Community

  43

  (40·84)

  47

  (44·64)

  North and West Belfast Community

  70

  (65·62)

  57

  (55·46)

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  Unit of management

  District nurses

  Health visitors

  Lisburn1

  39

  (37·74)

  31

  (29·34)

  North Down and Ards1

  61

  (56·03)

  49

  (44·03)

  Down1

  31

  (30·50)

  19

  (18·66)

  Northern Board

  Coleraine, Ballymoney and Moyle1

  40

  (38·58)

  25

  (22·75)

  Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey1

  43

  (42·53)

  40

  (38·38)

  Magherafelt and Cookstown:1

  24

  (24·00)

  16

  (15·60)

  Antrim and Ballymena

  40

  (39·00)

  29

  (27·07)

  Southern Board

  Armagh and Dungannon1

  37

  (36·05)

  35

  (28·34)

  Banbridge and Craigavon1

  35

  (33·60)

  37

  (34·51)

  Newry and Mourne1

  51

  (30·50)

  27

  (27·00)

  Western Board

  Londonderry, Limavady and Strabane1

  55

  (42·46)

  40

  (39·00)

  Omagh1

  18

  (17·22)

  15

  (13·97)

  Fermanagh1

  25

  (25·00)

  18

  (15·69)

  1 Includes combined District Nurse/Midwives.

  Notes:

  1. Whole-time equivalent figures are shown in brackets.

  2. Figures are shown at (a) for 31 December 1986. The nearest date to 1 January 1987 for which figures are available.

  3. The reply reflects the changes in Units of Management which took place on 1 April 1990.

  (b) 31 December 1991

  Unit of management

  District nurses

  Health visitors

  Eastern Board

  Eastern Board HQ

  1

  (1·00)

  1

  (1·00)

  Royal Group of Hospitals

  13

  (11·38)

  —

  Ulster, North Down and Ards

  11

  (11·00)

  —

  North and West Belfast Community

  48

  (47·48)

  62

  (58·27)

  South and East Belfast Community

  57

  (56·37)

  76

  (65·31)

  Down and Lisburn1

  65

  (63·14)

  50

  (45·28)

  North Down and Ards Community

  49

  (41·36)

  39

  (35·59)

  Northern Board

  Causeway

  33

  (32·60)

  25

  (23·34)

  Bannside

  52

  (49·58)

  43

  (40·55)

  Loughside

  39

  (37·33)

  43

  (41·26)

  Southern Board

  Southern Board HQ

  —

  1

  (1·00)

  Armagh and Dungannon

  41

  (40·00)

  25

  (22·00)

  Craigavon and Banbridge Community

  32

  (30·90)

  42

  (37·59)

  Southern Area Mental Health

  12

  (12·00)

  —

  Newry and Mourne

  31

  (31·00)

  30

  (28·12)

  Western Board

  Altnagelvin

  16

  (16·00)

  —

  Foyle Community

  45

  (43·13)

  41

  (36·50)

  Omagh and Fermanagh

  44

  (44·00)

  37

  (34·79)

  1 Includes combined District Nurse/Midwives.

  Notes:

  1. Whole-time equivalent figures are shown in brackets.

  2. Figures are shown at (a) for 31 December 1986. The nearest date to 1 January 1987 for which figures are available.

  3. The reply reflects the changes in Units of Management which took place on 1 April 1990.

  New Comber High School
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has yet received a schedule of accommodation from South Eastern education and library board for the proposed New Comber high school; and if he will make a statement about the progress of this scheme.
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  Dr. Mawhinney
  A schedule of accommodation was received by the Department of Education for Northern Ireland in October 1991. A revised schedule has been approved by the Department and returned to the board to enable it to draw up outline plans for the new school.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the revenue expenditure of each regional health authority on health service facilities for patients with a mental handicap for each year since 1981, in cash terms and at 1991 prices.

  Mr. Hanley
  The information for Northern Ireland is as follows:

  Year

  Net hospital running costs £

  1991 prices £

  1980–81

  12,732,578

  23,380,546

  1981–82

  14,327,360

  23,992,497

  1982–83

  15,271,295

  23,872,588

  1983–84

  15,970,537

  23,860,126

  1984–85

  16,686,465

  23,741,822

  1985–86

  17,391,292

  23,450,724

  1986–87

  17,831,572

  23,278,814

  1987–88

  18,560,576

  22,980,964

  1988–89

  19,944,274

  23,039,651

  1989–90

  20,541,719

  22,284,597

  1990–91

  21,258,075

  21,258,075

  The figures do not include increasing levels of expenditure on health care in the community for such patients.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement on cash and running cost limits for the Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland departmental services in 1991–92.

  Mr. Brooke
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, it is proposed that the cash limit for class 17 vote 1 (the Northern Ireland Office) will be increased by £11,236,000 from £773,396,000 to £784,632,000. This is principally to meet additional expenditure on compensation and police costs.

  The cash limit for most Northern Ireland departmental services (NIDI) for 1991–92 will be decreased by £47,820,000 from £3,119,703,000 to £3,071,883,000. This decrease arises from the transfer to the Northern Ireland Office cash limit (NIO1) of £10,581,000, the transfer to the Northern Ireland independent living fund (NID2) of £726,000 and other technical changes of £36,513,000 (net), including transfers to non-cash limited areas within the Northern Ireland Departments and a surrender of cash limit cover as a result of repayment of loans.

  The cash limit for the Northern Ireland independent living fund (NID2) for 1991–92 will be increased by £726,000 from £2,870,000 to £3,596,000. This increase arises from a revision in the assumptions on which payments from the fund are based.

  The Running Cost Limit for Northern Ireland Office and Northern Ireland Departments will be increased by £3,895,000 from £652,593,000 to £656,488,000 primarily reflecting the take-up of £1,199,000 of the end-year flexibility entitlement announced by the Chief Secretary to

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  the Treasury on 17 July 1991, Official Report, columns 235-40, and the transfer of £2,696,000 from the Department of Social Security in respect of services operated on an agency basis by the Department of Health and Social Services. The revised running cost provision is £162,315,000 for the Northern Ireland Office and £494,173,000 for Northern Ireland Departments.

  The increase outlined above will not add to the planned total of public expenditure in Northern Ireland in 1991–92.

ENVIRONMENT

  Fire Safety
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the effect multi-seat fires may have on means of escape; and what account has been taken of this within the new Building Regulations.

  Mr. Yeo
  The means of escape provisions of the Building Regulations have always been based on the assumption that there is unlikely to be more than one seat of fire. Accidental multi-seat fires in buildings are so unlikely that it would not be reasonable to make special provision for them under the regulations.

  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what assessment he has made of the extent to which the removal of requirements for non-combustible materials and materials of limited combustibility will affect smoke levels and fire load in buildings and the unseen spread of fire and smoke within concealed spaces.

  Mr. Yeo
  The changes to the guidance on the use of non combustible materials and materials of limited combustibility are not expected to have any significant effect on the smoke levels in buildings, which are determined primarily by the smoke produced by their contents, such as furniture and fittings. Likewise, these changes to the guidance are unlikely to affect the unseen spread of smoke and fire, which is prevented by cavity barriers. The new guidance has not dispensed with controls over the positioning of these barriers, and it takes account of the material lining the cavity.

  The fire load is likely to be increased in some buildings where more combustible materials are used in the construction of fire resisting walls and floors. However this is not likely to be of any significance for the overall levels of safety. Because they are fire resisting these elements of construction are unlikely to be heavily involved in a fire until an advanced stage is reached, by which time evacuation would have had to have been completed.

  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect he expects the deletion of structural non-combustibility requirements from the new building regulations to have on(a) levels of (i) fire severity, (ii) smoke and toxic fumes and (b) likelihood of premature collapse of structures in fires in buildings constructed to the new regulations.

  Mr. Yeo
  On points(a) (i) and (ii) I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave today to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway).

  The likelihood of premature collapse should not be affected by the use of combustible materials in the
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  circumstances described in the new guidance to the building regulations. Regardless of their composition fire resisting floors and walls that perform a load bearing function have to maintain that function for the designated test period.

  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account was taken in drawing up the building regulations tabled on 10 December of the problem of the increasing number of multi-seat fires of deliberate and terrorist origin; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  While the value of active fire suppression systems against attacks of deliberate and terrorist origin has been highlighted by the recent spate of incidents, and the new building regulation guidance would have the effect of increasing the number of such installations, the regulations are not an efficient way of countering this problem, compared with good management practices tailored to the particular circumstances, and the vigilance of all concerned. There is a long lead time between changes to the regulations and changes to a significant proportion of the building stock, by which time the nature of the problem may well have changed.

  Housing Finance
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the total outstanding housing revenue debt at 31 March 1991, the unredeemed reserved part of capital receipts at 31 March 1990 and 31 March 1991 and the total of housing revenue account 1990–91 in year receipts applied to debt redemption in that year.

  Mr. Yeo
  The reserved part of capital receipts was £4·2 billion at 31 March 1990 and £5·1 billion at 31 March 1991. Information about the total outstanding housing revenue account debt at 31 March 1991 is not yet complete. It is not possible to say how much of the in-year receipts are applied to debt redemption because there is no need for authorities' accounts to relate debt redemption to particular receipts.

  Rents, Yorkshire
  Mr. O'Brien
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the level of rents in(a) Wakefield, (b) Leeds, (c) Kirklees, (d) Bradford and (e) Calderdale.

  Mr. Yeo
  The latest available information on average local authority rents per dwelling for the financial year 1991–92 is as follows:

  £ per week

  Wakefield

  20·22

  Leeds

  18·70

  Kirkless

  24·36

  Bradford

  25·98

  Calderdale

  24·93

  Average annual rents for fair rent tenancies reregistered in 1990–91 and the first quarter 1991 for the West Yorkshire area are published in Department of the Environment Statistical Bulletin (91)3, which is in the Library. This publication also gives details of rents in housing benefit cases referred to rent officers under the Housing Act 1988.

  Rating Appeals
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many appeals were settled since 1 April 1990 in respect of(a) the pre-national non-domestic rates valuations and (b) the NNDR valuations; and how many rating appeals in each category are still outstanding.

  Mr. Portillo
  The information concerning appeals to valuation and community charge tribunals in England is as follows:

  Cleared between 1 April 1990 and 31 December 1991

  Outstanding at 31 December 1991

  1973 Rating appeals

  182,000

  4,000

  1990 Non-domestic rating appeals

  142,000

  589,000

  Appeals cleared relate to those heard and decided by tribunals or withdrawn or agreed prior to or after hearing.

  Many of the 4,000 outstanding 1973 appeals were awaiting decisions by the Court of Appeal in related cases. Most of the 1990 non-domestic rating appeals were not received in tribunals until towards the end of 1990–91.

  Leigh Barton
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) how much public expenditure has been incurred on Leigh Barton; and for how many years it has been in his ownership;

  (2) how many years Leigh Barton, near Churstow has been closed to the public; and when it is planned to be reopened.

  Mr. Yeo
  Leigh Barton was purchased from Devon county council by the Secretary of State for the Environment in April 1974, at a cost of £4,850, and has been in English Heritage's guardianship since 1984. To date, the total estimated costs of maintenance and repair at the property amount to about £300,000.

  SSA, Cumbria
  Dr. Cunningham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received about the methodology used by his Department in calculating the standard spending assessment for Cumbria; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Cumbria submitted detailed written representations about the proposals for 1992–93 and also brought a delegation to see my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State. The points made by Cumbria were given careful consideration, as were all other representations. Cumbria's standard spending assessment increased by £0·266 million between that issued for consultation purposes and the settlement figure.

  Flora and Fauna
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list for England and Wales the number of species of(a) flora and (b) fauna that have become extinct since the introduction of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.
  228
  Mr. Baldry
  It is probable that no species of flora and five species of fauna have become extinct in England and Wales since the introduction of the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981.

  Sites of Special Scientific Interest
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the future of(a) the 100 acre site of special scientific interest at Birkham wood, Harrogate, (b) the 25 acre site of special scientific interest at Shirley Pool and Rushley Moor wetlands, (c) the 2,000 acre site of special scientific interest at Ingleborough moors, Yorkshire and (d) the 1,000 acre site of special scientific interest at Yorkshire Wolds Chalk Grasslands.

  Mr. Baldry
  I will write to the hon. Member with the details requested.

  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will introduce legislation to prevent any developments which damage sites of special scientific interest.

  Mr. Baldry
  Additional safeguards for SSSIs were announced in DOE circular 1/92. These measures together with other statutory provisions set out in the Countryside Act 1968, Wildlife and Countryside Acts of 1981 and 1985 and the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 ensure that the special interest of these sites is taken fully into account when development proposals are considered.

  Departmental Research and Advice
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all research and advice commissioned by his Department from external organisations or consultants, in connection with part II of the Local Government Bill indicating(a) the terms of reference, (b) the cost, (c) when the work was completed and (d) if the work will be published.

  Mr. Portillo
  We have commissioned CSL Ltd. to advise on the costs and benefits the Local Government Commission might take into account in assessing cases for structural change, and the means by which such costs and benefits could be measured. We hope to make CSL's report available soon.

  We have also commissioned social researcher Mr. Alan Hedges to look at means of developing and refining criteria which might be applied to the assessment of community identity and loyalties, and which might be amenable to testing by means of surveys of public habits and attitudes in a given local area; and the Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies in Newcastle university to consider the application of geographical information systems in the definition of community boundaries with a view to developing a suitable methodology which the Commission might use. We will decide how to disseminate the results of those studies when we have the final reports.

  It is not our policy to reveal the value of individual contracts.

  Community Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure correlation between local authority community care plans and future standard spending assessments for personal social services.

  Mr. Portillo
  Standard spending assessments are the Government's measure of the cost of providing a standard level of service across all local authorities taking account of their social, geographic and demographic characteristics and the services for which they are responsible. Community care plans reflect locally determined service priorities within available resources.

  Soft Landscaping
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue a planning policy guidance note along the lines proposed by the Horticultural Traders Association dealing with soft landscaping in association with development proposals.

  Mr. Yeo
  Trees, plants and shrubs can enhance the appearance of developments and I commend the action of the Horticultural Traders Association in bringing this to the attention of local planning authorities.

  Personal Social Services
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account is taken of specific needs which have to be met on a regional rather than local level in the calculation of standard spending assessments for personal social services.

  Mr. Portillo
  A personal social services standard spending assessment is allocated to each social services authority in England based on its social and demographic characteristics. The standard spending assessment covers the full range of social services not supported by specific grant.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what account he takes of existing levels of service in the calculation of standard spending assessments for the personal social services.

  Mr. Portillo
  The standard spending assessment for personal social services is based on demographic and social indicators which best reflect the cost of providing a standard level of service. It takes no direct account of existing levels of service provision.

  Combustion Plants
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) what was the deadline by which large combustion plants should have been granted their licence from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and how many plants had been licensed by that date;

  (2) how many power stations owned by PowerGen and National Power have received the required licence from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under the Environmental Protection Act 1990; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list all large combustion plants covered by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 indicating the
  230
  owners; and whether they have been granted the licence, required under the Act from Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution.

  Mr. Baldry
  Applications for authorisation of Her Majesty's inspectorate of pollution under part I of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 were received for 203 combustion processes of which 150 are large combustion plants; a list of these plants has been placed in the Library of the House. These should be determined within four months of receipt, or within such longer period as may be agreed with the applicant. But, in cases where commercial confidentiality has been claimed in respect of information contained in an application, this period of four months does not begin until that matter has been resolved, at which time public advertisement and consultation can take place.

  On receipt of the applications, HMIP found that additional information was required from all applicants, including PowerGen and National Power, to enable the determination of their authorisation to proceed. In seeking such information, in accordance with schedule 1 of the 1990 Act, the four-month deadline for determining applications was extended, by varying periods. Nineteen authorisations for large combustion plant had been granted by 4 February 1992. PowerGen and National Power originally requested information in 34 of their applications (14 PowerGen and 20 National Power) to be considered as commercially confidential. HMIP refused these requests and the applicants appealed to the Secretary of State against the decision. Appeals (by National Power) in two cases were withdrawn at the end of 1991 and determination of those applications is now proceeding. Thirty-two cases remain subject to appeal.

  Until the applications are determined, all existing plants remain subject to control by HMIP under existing air pollution legislation.

  Waste Recycling
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the measures undertaken by his Department to achieve the target set for the proportion of household waste to be recycled by 2000; and what is the estimated impact of each measure.

  Mr. Baldry
  I refer the hon. Member to the document "This Common Inheritance—The First Year Report", published in September 1991. Since then we have published a report on deposit and refund systems for beverage containers and batteries. We have commissioned a major study of economic instruments necessary to encourage the recovery of resources from waste. These reports, together with the waste recycling plans now being prepared by every waste collection authority in the country, will enable us to assess the extent of any further action that we will need to take in order to achieve our aim of minimising waste and the target of recycling 25 per cent. of household waste by the end of the decade.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the initiatives undertaken by his Department to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and indicate the estimated reduction for each initiative by(a) 2000 and (b)
  231
  Mr. Baldry
  The Environment White Paper "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200) set out the Government's strategy and a first tranche of measures towards Britain's conditional target of returning CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by the year 2005. The first year report (Cm 1655) set out progress with this strategy.

  The savings from this first tranche of measures have been taken into account in the latest scenarios for United Kingdom CO2 emissions announced by my right hon. Friend, the Secretary of State for Energy, on 6 December 1991. Details of these new scenarios are being prepared for publication.

  Housing Management
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what date he will publish his consultation paper on extending compulsory competitive tendering to housing management.

  Sir George Young
  I expect to publish it shortly.

  Kent Rent Arrears
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the rent arrears of each local housing authority in the county of Kent, as a percentage and in cash terms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer given by my hon. Friend, the Minister for Housing and Planning on 3 February 1992 to my hon. Friend the Member for Chelmsford (Mr. Burns) at column 4.

  Local Authority Housing (Applications)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many local authorities do not accept housing applications from young single people.

  Mr. Yeo
  The available information on local authority waiting lists does not separately identify young single people. Under the homelessness legislation, local authorities have a duty to accept responsibility to secure accommodation for young single people who are unintentionally homeless and judged to be in priority need because they are vulnerable. In addition, in the last two quarters a total of 62 local authorities reported securing permanent accommodation under the homelessness legislation, for other young single people.

  Ordnance Survey
  Mr. Paice
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if there are any proposals to change the 1991–92 cash limit and the net running cost limit for ordnance survey.

  Mr. Baldry
  Subject to Parliamentary approval of the necessary spring supplementary estimate, the cash limit for ordnance survey, class VIII, vote 12 will be increased by £500,000 from £21,089,000 to £21,589,000. The increase will be charged to the reserve and not therefore added to the planned total of public expenditure. The increase to the cash limit is due to a greater payover of value added tax (VAT) to Her Majesty's Customs and Excise caused by a reduction in capital and running cost expenditure for which OS can reclaim VAT together with the higher sales of OS products which attract VAT.
  232
  In addition, the supplementary estimate is required to reflect a shortfall of £2,100,000 in the receipts from the sales of maps and public sector repayment services due to a reduction in the demand for OS products. This shortfall is to be offset by a reduction in capital expenditure of £2,100,000 with no effect on the cash limit.

  As a result of the shortfall in receipts the net running cost limit will be increased by £2,070,000 from £21,730,000 to £23,800,000.

  Cash Limits
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any changes to announce to his Department's cash limits and running costs limits for 1991–92.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the following changes will be made:

  (i) The cash limit for class VIII, vote 2 (miscellaneous housing administration and grants) will be increased by £1,700,000 from £195,907,000 to £197,607,000. The increase reflects a transfer a £1,700,000 from the non-voted provision for housing action trusts for borrowing from the national loans funds to grant-in-aid which is voted in estimates. In additions, the running costs provision for rent assessment panels will he increased by £43,000 to £1,904,000 to support the provision of information technology to the panels. This increase in running costs provision will be met from equivalent savings within the running costs provision on class VIII, vote 8, so that the Department's running costs limit remains unaffected by this change;

  (ii) The DOE/HC non-voted cash limit will be increased by £950,000 from £1,520,925,000 to £1,521,875,000. This increase results from full take up of entitlement of £950,000 under the end year flexibility scheme for capital projects concerned with schemes for the homeless;

  (iii) The DOE/UA non-voted cash limit will be increased by £6,617,000 from £883,814,000 to £890,431,000. This includes increased grant-in-aid of £8,850,000 to the Black Country development corporation for the black country spine road. This increase will be offset by a corresponding reduction in the Department of Transport's cash limit for class VII, vote 1 (national roads, England). In addition, £13,280,000 is required for various projects for other development corporations, to increase resources for local authority sector derelict land grant, and to make payments of urban programme grant and city action team grant where works have progressed faster than anticipated. The costs will be met, in part, from offsetting savings of £12,000,000 on the city grant programme and other savings totalling £3,513,000 from non local authority derelict land grant, urban development grant and inner cities research.

  (iv) The cash limit for class VIII, vote 5 (central environmental services, etx) will be reduced by £9,000,000 from £317,840,000 to £308,840,000. The decrease reflects reduced grant-in-aid requirements by the National Rivers Authority.

  (v) The cash limit for class VIII, vote 6, (royal palaces, royal parks, historic buildings, etc) will be increased by £71,000 from £176,484,000 to £176,555,000. The increase of £71,000 is required to cover the cost of new charges by the Civil Service Commission for services provided to the Royal Commission on the Historical Monuments of England, and by the Treasury solicitors for services provided to the Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission. These increases are offset by equivalent transfers of provision from class VIII, vote 8 (Department of the Environment: administration). In addition, the running costs provision for royal parks will be

  233
  increased by £600,000 mainly to meet the redundancy and consultancy costs associated with contracting out gardening services. This increase in provision for royal parks will be met from savings within the vote, but the running cost provision on class VIII, vote 8 will be reduced by an equivalent amount so the Department's running cost limit remains unaffected by this change;

  (vi) The cash limit for class VIII, vote 8 (Department of the Environment: administration) will be increased by £201,000 from £188,417,000 to £188,618,000. This increase includes a transfer of £200,000 from class VIII, vote 3 (urban aid and derelict land reclamation, England) for costs associated with Manchester's bid for Olympics in the year 2000, and a transfer of £71,000 to class VIII, vote 6 (royal palaces, royal parks, historic buildings, etc) as outlined above. The Department's running cost limit will be reduced by £4,541,000 from £190,061,000 to £185,520,000. The decrease includes reallocation of resources from running costs to non-running costs within this vote, and the equivalent offset to the running cost increases for rent assessment panels on class VIII, vote 2 and for royal parks on class VIII, vote 6, as outlined above;

  (vii) The cash limit for class VIII, vote 9 (revenue support grant, payment of non-domestic rates, valuation office rating and valuation services, etc., England) will be decreased by £52,686,000 from £22,759,344,000 to £22,706,658,000. The decrease reflects lower costs in payments to the valuation office, for implementation work on the council tax: and

  (viii) The DOE/LACAP non-voted cash limit will be increased by £2,710,000 from £3,016,492,000 to £3,019,202,000. This represents an increase of £3,000,000 for projects to help the homeless, partly offset by a decrease of £290,000 due to lower than expected take up of estate action grant.

  These increases will be charged to the reserve and not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  2 Marsham Street, London
  Sir Philip Goodhart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has reached a decision on the future of 2 Marsham street, London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heseltine
  We have decided to knock it down. No. 2 Marsham street is a Crown building which houses most of the headquarters staff of my Department and of the Department of Transport. The building is in need of major repair. Following detailed technical studies I am satisfied that repairs on the scale necessary would not be desirable. I have therefore decided that the existing building should be demolished. Options for the future of the site including sale, are now being considered.

  The decision to demolish 2 Marsham street means that alternative accommodation has to be found for some 3,000 staff in my Department and the Department of Transport. The Secretary of State for Transport and I are considering our Departments' needs and how they can best be met. For my part, I have asked my officials to draw up proposals for moving a substantial number of the present Department of the Environment Headquarters posts to other locations, reducing my Department's requirement for accommodation in the central Westminster area. I have asked them particularly to examine the opportunities and value for money of relocation to docklands, where I am considering establishing a significant Departmental presence.

  Derelict Land Grant
  Mr. Carttiss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources are being made available under the derelict land grant programme in 1992–93; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  The resources available in 1992–93 for derelict land reclamation under the derelict land grant programme will be £106 million. This represents an increase of 21 per cent. on this year's provision. £9 million of this total has been earmarked for reclamation schemes carried out by private sector companies and voluntary organisations such as groundwork trusts. The remainder has been allocated for reclamation schemes operated by local authorities.

  The reclamation of derelict and often seriously contaminated land plays a vital role in recycling previously developed land and returning it to beneficial use. This helps to improve the environment and ensure that the use of greenfield sites for development is kept to a minimum. Since 1979 DLG has funded the reclamation of 15,500 hectares and I expect a further 1,500 hectares to be reclaimed next year.

  New priorities and guidelines for DLG were announced in May 1991 introducing greater flexibility in the type of reclamation schemes which can be supported by DLG throughout England. Local authorities applying for DLG are being encouraged to prepare reclamation strategies which are expected to show an increased emphasis on reclamation for environmental and amenity improvement.

  In urban and inner city areas we will continue to give priority to reclaiming sites for use by industry and commerce, and for housing provision; providing a demand for these sites has been clearly demonstrated. But environmental improvement can also make an important contribution to urban regeneration and a large number of DLG reclamation schemes designed to provide a new amenity and recreational provision in urban areas is planned to start in 1992–93.

  On the urban fringe and in rural areas, DLG will also be widely used for environmental improvement. A range of such schemes is planned for next year which will include the use of derelict land for community forests, the reclamation of derelict canals for amenity use and the conversion of derelict railways into long distance footpaths and cycleways.

  I have also decided how the total resources available for DLG should be divided between regions and this distribution is given in the table. Most DLG will go to the northern and midland regions where the concentration of dereliction is greatest. The north-west region and Yorkshire and Humberside will receive £21 million each, (representing increases of 15 per cent. and 25 per cent. respectively compared with last year's allocations). The west midlands wil also receive £20·5 million (14 per cent. up on last year), including £9·21 million for investigative and infilling work in connection with the disused limestone mines in that region.

  235

  Table 1 Derelict Land Grant Programme:

  Distribution of resources by region for 1992–93

  Region

  Allocation for 1992–93 (£ million)

  Percentage increase on this year's allocation

  Northern

  12·4

  14

  North West

  21·0

  15

  Merseyside

  8·6

  13

  Yorkshire and Humberside

  21·0

  25

  West Midlands

  20·5

  14

  East Midlands

  13·0

  21

  London

  2·0

  43

  South West

  4·5

  72

  South East

  1·2

  77

  Eastern

  1·0

  19

  Unallocated

  0·8

  —

  Total

  106·0

  21

  The number of rolling programmes of reclamation has also been substantially increased for 1992–93. In total there will be 26 in operation accounting for £50·5 million of DLG expenditure, with five new programmes starting in Northumberland, Sunderland, Durham, the Croal/Irwell valley and St Helens. Also project Furness will be extended to the whole of the local authority area. Rolling programmes are subject to a review after three years of operation and, following such reviews this year, the Leeds/Liverpool canal corridor programme will be extended to include Rossendale and the major programme at Salford quays will be extended for another three years to complete reclamation there.

  Reclamation in areas subject to colliery closures has been an important priority for DLG and will continue to be so in 1992–93. £21 million of DLG resources are planned to be spent in coalfield areas. DLG is now being used in these areas to concentrate on collieries closed before March 1990. British Coal has agreed to take financial responsibility for the reclamation of collieries closing since then and the combined effect of these twin programmes will add increased momentum to the pace of reclamation and regeneration in the coalfields.

  Priority is also being given under the DLG programme to dealing with derelict sites which are also badly contaminated. The reclamation costs for such sites are often much higher than average, but need to be dealt with urgently for reasons of public health and safety. In total it is likely that about £25 million of DLG will be committed towards such major schemes, involving seriously contaminated sites, on which work is likely to start next year.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment which 20 local authorities have the most outstanding community charge payments; and what are the figures.

  Mr. Portillo
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: Information is available about the arrears of community charge at 31 March 1991 for 358 out of 366 charging authorities. Of those authorities for which information is available the following have the highest arrears in terms of amounts outstanding.
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  £ million

  Birmingham

  60·4

  Lambeth

  50·1

  Brent

  32·4

  Bristol

  31·2

  Leeds

  31·2

  Hackney

  27·7

  Sheffield

  26·0

  Haringey

  23·7

  Leicester

  23·3

  Ealing

  22·1

  Southwark

  21·6

  Newham

  21·5

  Islington

  20·3

  Nottingham

  18·2

  Waltham Forest

  17·4

  Camden

  16·5

  Sandwell

  16·3

  Wirral

  15·5

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  14·4

  Walsall

  13·9

  It should be noted that no information is available for Liverpool, Manchester, Coventry, Northampton, Oxford, Derwentside, Newbury and Oswestry.

  Contaminated Land
  Sir Trevor Skeet
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will provide a right of appeal to a landowner or occupier from the decision of a local authority including his land on a register of potentially contaminated sites and for deregistration to be undertaken in the event of appropriate clean-up measures having been taken.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: Local authorities compiling registers under section 143 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 will be required to record all land which is, or has been, subject to specific contaminative uses to be listed in regulations. An objection to the registration of a site could thus be based only on a factual question concerning the site's use, and therefore no formal appeal procedure is considered necessary. However, an authority which refused to correct an error would lay itself open to judicial review or civil legal action.

  Under section 143 sites cannot be deregistered after treatment, but registers will record details of any investigation or treatment which may have been carried out. Treatment rarely removes all contamination, and purchasers, planners and developers will continue to require information on the history and treatment of sites. Contamination from a site may also affect other land or water, and purchasers of affected land and bodies responsible for environmental protection will need to refer to registers for information on the sources of such contamination.

  In addition, deregistration of sites after treatment would have to be carried out by the local authorities responsible for registers. They would thus give an implicit assurance that the site in question was free from contamination. This would raise questions of liability if contamination was later found still to be present. It is unlikely that many authorities would be willing to give such an undertaking.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. Andy Stewart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many successful prosecutions the National Rivers Authority has achieved since its inception, for pollution of(a) the River Trent and (b) other rivers and seas; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I understand that between 1 September 1989 and 30 November 1991 the National Rivers Authority—NRA—brought 1,104 successful prosecutions for water pollution offences in England and Wales. Of these 239 arose in the Severn Trent region. Information on prosecutions for pollution of individual rivers is not centrally available, although details could be obtained from the NBA's regional office.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Companies (Trade Aid)
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs which company or companies were the beneficiaries of the aid and trade provision made available for projects involving(a) Turkey, (b) Morocco, (c) Panama, (d) Jordan, (e) India, (f) China and (g) Malaysia for 1991.

  Mrs. Chalker
  In 1991 aid and trade provision funds were disbursed in respect of projects in these countries involving United Kingdom lead companies:

  (a) Turkey

  British Gas

  Amec International Construction

  TQ International

  Hallam Associates

  Thames Water International

  (b) Morocco

  John Brown Engineering

  (c) Panama

  John Brown Engineering

  (d) Jordan

  Ransome and Rapier

  (e) India

  GEC Turbine Generators

  Boving

  (f) China

  GEC Turbine Generators

  Plessey Controls

  The MVA Consultancy

  Dunlop International Projects

  Balfour Beatty

  Metrotec Group

  Mott MacDonald

  Davy McKee (Poole)

  British Shipbuilders

  Platt Saco Lowell UK

  GPT International

  Snamprogetti

  (g) Malaysia

  John Laing International

  Balfour Beatty

  Sir William Halcrow and Partners

  Acer John Taylor

  Transmark International

  Knight Piesold and Partners

  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what Government publications are designed to explain to companies the 238
  purpose and the benefits of the aid trade provision; and from which government department these government publications can be procured.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The purpose and benefits of the aid and trade provision are explained in the ATP "Guidelines for Applicants" booklet. This may be obtained from the Projects and Export Policy division of the Department of Trade and Industry or from the Crown Agents, CDC and ATP Department of the Overseas Development Administration. Copies of the booklet have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

  Agricultural Specialists
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many full-time agricultural specialists the Overseas Development Agency has overseas at present; and how many of them are women.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Overseas Development Administration has 10 headquarters staff members working as full-time agricultural specialists overseas, of whom one is a woman. In addition we have a total of 106 contract officers employed overseas on technical co-operation assignments of whom 10 are women. This figure includes 16 staff from our agency, the Natural Resources Institute, all of whom are men.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what changes have been made in the 1991–92 cash limit for expenditure by the Overseas Development Administration.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit on the Overseas Aid Vote (class II vote 5) will be increased by £22,188,000 from £1,638,342,000 to £1,660,530,000. The increase primarily provides for additional bilateral assistance to the former Soviet Union. The supplementary also provides for an increase of £900,000 in the net running costs limit of the Natural Resources Institute. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

PRIME MINISTER

  VAT
  Mr. Molyneaux
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will indicate the provisions(a) under which the EC could propose an increase in the VAT rate in the United Kingdom and (b) under which the United Kingdom may veto the proposal.

  The Prime Minister
  No such proposal exists. Under the provisions of article 99 of the treaty of Rome, the Commission of the European Community could, in theory, propose for example, a minimum standard rate higher than that in the United Kingdom. However any such proposal, in common with all fiscal matters under article 99 of the treaty, would be subject to unanimity and thus the United Kingdom retains an absolute right of veto.

  Peru
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister what discussions he has had with the President of Peru on biodiversity in the Peruvian rain-forest and its protection.

  The Prime Minister
  I discussed with President Fujimori the forthcoming UN Conference on Environment and Development. I emphasised the importance we attach to effective conventions on climate change and biodiversity, as well as an agreement on principles for the sustainable use and management of all types of forest.

  RECHAR
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if Her Majesty's Government will make a study of the differences in United Kingdom and Italian practice in the use of regional funds, such as RECHAR.

  The Prime Minister
  Members of the House of Lords Select Committee on the European Community visited Italy in October 1991 during their inquiry into EEC regional development policy. Their report has been published and is available in the Library.

  Italy is not eligible for RECHAR.

  Communist Party (Meetings)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list all meetings by(a) Ministers and (b) officials of Her Majesty's Government with (i) Ministers, (ii) diplomats and (iii) other Communist party officials of the former Soviet Union since May 1979 in (1) the United Kingdom and (2) elsewhere; and what were the purposes of the ministerial and diplomatic meetings.

  The Prime Minister
  Detailed information of this kind is not held centrally, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. There are, however, frequent contacts with Ministers and officials of the former Soviet Union at all levels on questions of mutual interest.

  Disarmament Paper
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will obtain for the library at 10 Downing street a copy of the United Nations Department for Disarmament Affairs topical paper No. 5 (1991), "Conversion: Economic Adjustments in an Era of Arms Reductions" (Volume II).

  The Prime Minister
  The publication is available from the United Nations documents section in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office from where copies will be obtained as required.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for Thursday 6 February.

  The Prime Minister
  This morning I presided at a meeting of the Cabinet and had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. In addition to my duties in the House I shall be having further meetings later today.

ENERGY

  Electricity Privatisation
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy, pursuant to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 505, whether Schroder Wagg's appointment as head underwriters to the regional electricity companies sale was by competitive tender.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Yes.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy further to his answer of 28 January,Official Report, column 505, if he will list those advisers whose appointments were not subject to competitive tender.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The five appointments referred to in that answer as not subject to competitive tender were:United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (AGR output).
  J. Henry Schroder Wagg (Trade sale).
  John Chiene (Pricing).
  Professor Littlechild (Regulatory).
  R. L. Associates (Setting X for Area Boards).

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list the initiatives taken by his Department to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and indicate the estimated reduction for each initiative by(a) 2000 and (b)

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given today by my hon. Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Income and Benefit Levels
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all benefits payable to those with incomes over £25,000 a year; how many in this income category receive them; what is the total cost of each benefit to persons with these incomes; and what is the average value of the benefit to those above this income level.

  Mr. Jack
  The main social security benefits which are not income-related, and could therefore be payable, provided other criteria are met, to benefit units with incomes over £25,000 a year, are as follows:

  Retirement pension

  Christmas Bonus

  Widows' Benefits

  Unemployment Benefit1

  Sickness Benefit

  Statutory Sick Pay

  Invalidity Benefit

  Industrial Disablement Benefit

  Industrial Death Benefit

  Maternity Allowance

  Statutory Maternity Pay

  Non-contributory Retirement Pension

  Invalid Care Allowance

  Severe Disablement Allowance

  Attendance Allowance2

  Mobility Allowance

  Child Benefit

  One Parent Benefit

  War Disablement Pension

  War Widows' Pension

  241
  1 Unemployment benefit is not paid to those with earnings in excess of £52 a week, and those aged 55 or over and getting more than £35 a week under an occupational or personal pension scheme have their unemployment benefit reduced by 10p for every 10p of pension over £35.

  2 Mobility allowance and attendance allowance will be replaced by disability living allowance in April 1992 for those who become disabled before aged 65.

  It is not possible to give meaningful information for these benefits individually, because the sample sizes are too small to draw reliable data from. Details of claimants' incomes are not collected routinely, and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Benefits (Capital Disregards)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will increase the £3,000 capital disregard on income support and housing benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The limit below which capital is completely ignored continues to be kept under review, as with all aspects of the benefit system, but there are no plans to change it at present.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state for each year since 1979 the numbers of claimants of supplementary benefit or income support towards the cost of private residential care who have subsequently claimed benefit towards the costs of private nursing care and then again claimed towards the cost of private residential care.

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

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many claimants in the Wakefield benefit office's area are currently claiming towards the cost of(a) private nursing care, (b) private residential care and (c) voluntary nursing or residential care.

  Miss Widdecombe
  I understand from Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, that the information is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Building Society Accounts
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will meet the Building Societies Association to discuss the imposition of charges on small accounts and the implications for pensioners and other recipients of state benefits paid direct into such accounts.

  Miss Widdecombe
  We have already been in contact with the Building Societies Association (BSA). I understand that the Halifax building society is the only BSA member currently planning to make such charges. People who wish their benefits payments to be made into an account at another building society should contact their local social security office and with details of the new account. The procedure involved is a simple one and the staff there will be happy to help them.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Malins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether there have been any changes in the cash limits or running costs limits of his Department for 1991–92.

  Mr. Scott
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for class XIV, vote 4 (administration and miscellaneous services) will be increased by £22,716,000 from £1,901,217,000 to £1,923,933,000. The revision takes account of the additional administrative expenditure arising from new procedures for the payment of mortgage interest in respect of income support recipients (£10,881,000), an increase in agency payments to Department of Employment (class VI, vote 2)(£30,000,000), a transfer to Department of Health and Social Services (Northern Ireland) vote 3 of £1,161,000, a transfer from Department of Health (class XIII, vote 3) of £819,000, a transfer from Property Services Agency of the Department of the Environment (class VIII, vote 13) of £260,000, a transfer from Department of Employment: Employment Service (class VI, vote 2) of £657,000, a transfer to Department of Health (class XIII, vote 3) of £50,000 and a transfer to Scottish Office (class XV, vote 20) of £35,000). The additional requirements are partially offset by an increase in receipts of £18,655,000 and the balance (£2,226,000) will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  In addition to the running cost increases included above there is also an increase of £6,790,000 to take account of expenditure previously classified as capital now being regarded as running costs.

  As a result of these changes the running costs limit of the Department of Social Security will be increased by £9,145,000 from £2,149,908,000 to £2,159,053,000.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Adoption
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for each of the last three years,(a) how many children have been brought into the United Kingdom for adoption through private or unauthorised channels, (b) out of that total how many of these adoptions were found to be unsuitable and (c) what was the average waiting time for adoption/immigration authorisation relating to children from (i) Romania, (ii) Brazil and (iii) Colombia.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Only very limited information is available except in relation to Romanian children brought here during the last two years. In 1990, 83, and in 1991, 13 Romanian children were brought to the United Kingdom without entry clearance with a view to adoption. No Romanian children have been brought to the United Kingdom without entry clearance so far this year. The average waiting time for decisions on entry clearance applications made on behalf of Romanian children for the purpose of adoption was approximately six weeks in 1991. Information is not held centrally on the progress and outcome of subsequent adoption proceedings in the United Kingdom.

  Punt-Gunning
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many black powder licences were issued in each of the last three years, by county, for the purpose of punt-gunning.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on the numbers of black powder licences—which were superseded on 1 November 1991 by explosives certificates—issued by chief officers, and their purpose, is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Immigration
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will state for each of the last five years for which figures are available the number of persons granted right of permanent stay broken down by country of origin.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on persons accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1986–90, by nationality, is published in table 14 of the Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom 1990" (Cm 1571), a copy of which is in the Library. Corresponding information for 1991 is not yet available.

  Mr. John Kamara
  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to reach a decision regarding the case of Mr. J. Kamara, a constituent of the hon. Member for Liverpool, Riverside, who is serving a prison sentence.

  Mr. John Patten
  I expect to receive a police report on the many inquiries conducted in this case very soon. I will then be in a position to decide whether any action on my part is appropriate.

  Mr. Parry
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the names of the people who have written to him concerning the case of John Kamara, a prisoner; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  No. It is not our practice to publish the names of persons who have contacted us about individual cases. We have received many letters including more than 100 from Members of Parliament and Members of the European Parliament.

  Cash Limits
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State For the Home Department what proposals he has for changes to the 1991–92 cash limits within his responsibilities and to his Department's running costs limit.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit on class IX, vote 2, prisons, England and Wales, will be increased by £137,000,000 which, after the surrender of the increase of £3,949,000 for end-year flexibility announced by my right hon. Friend, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, on 17 July 1991,Official Report, columns 185-88, will increase from £1,332,391,000 to £1,469,391,000. The additional provision is necessary because of the continuing need to pay for the cost of
  244
  keeping prisoners in police cells. Extra provision is also necessary to meet the construction costs of new prisons and for the accelerated integral sanitation programme. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The cash limit on class IX, vote 3 will be reduced by £19,000,000 from £890,952,000 to £871,952,000, to reflect a transfer of resources to class IX, vote 1 for the purpose of criminal injuries compensations payments and a special grant to the Northumbria police authority.

  The Home Office running cost limit will remain unchanged at £1,304,000,000.

  Firemen
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of(a) full-time firemen and (b) part-time firemen employed in the United Kingdom for each year since 1981.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information for England and Wales is given in the table. Questions relating to the fire service in other parts of the United Kingdom are the responsibility of my right hon. Friends the Secretaries of State for Scotland and Northern Ireland.

  Year

  Number of full-time firefighters

  Number of part-time (retained) firefighters1

  1981

  34,223

  15,745

  1982

  34,117

  15,535

  1983

  34,206

  15,887

  1984

  34,536

  16,129

  1985

  34,575

  16,144

  1986

  34,783

  16,138

  1987

  34,515

  15,984

  1988

  35,011

  16,126

  1989

  34,784

  15,861

  1990

  35,002

  15,959

  1991

  35,162

  16,025

  1 These figures include wholetime firefighters with retained obligations

  Betting Offices
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what representations he has received concerning the consultative document on the evening opening of licensed betting offices; and when he hopes to make a statement on his conclusions;

  (2) how many letters he has received for, and how many letters against, the evening opening of betting offices; and for how long he is prepared to consider further representations.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since issuing our consultation document on the evening opening hours of licensed betting offices on 14 October, we have received representations on both the principle and the practicalities of evening opening of licensed betting offices. We have received 27 letters in favour of evening opening and 518 letters against it, as well as a petition against evening opening with some 1,650 signatures. A number of the letters on both sides represent the views of trade associations or other interest groups.

  We are now considering the representations received, in the light of which some further consultations may be necessary. It is not possible to predict at this stage how quickly that work can be completed, but we are prepared to consider further representations in the meantime.
  245
  Mr. Turner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he is giving to the precise times of evening opening of betting offices and days of the week and, specifically, the opening of betting offices on Sundays.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Our consultation document set out the main options for regulating the times and days of evening opening. We are considering the views expressed in response to that document before deciding whether betting offices should be allowed to open in the evenings and, if so, at what times. The consultation exercise does not extend to Sunday opening of betting offices on which we have no present plans to legislate.

  Street Deaths
  Mrs. Golding
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for deaths on public streets in (i) London, (ii) Manchester, (iii) Birmingham, (iv) Liverpool and (v) England and Wales due to causes other than violence or road traffic accidents for the periods 1 October 1990 to 30 April 1991; and for the year ended 31 December 1991.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand from the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys that to answer this question would involve disproportionate cost.

  Poland (Visas)
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received about visa requirements relating to Poland; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Last year about 120 representations were received from right hon. and hon. Members about the visa requirement for Polish nationals, and about 50 letters from members of the public.

  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 again at the need for this requirement in the summer when the effect of visa abolition on other member states of the Community should be clearer.

  Solicitors' Telephone Calls
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will investigate allegations by the Criminal Law Solicitors Association that telephone calls from solicitors to prisoners held by the City of London police are recorded and stored on tape.
  246
  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police for the City of London that until recently all telephone calls to custody suites were tape recorded at a point after they had left the public network. This was done for operational purposes and overlooked the fact that privileged conversations between solicitors and their clients were also covered. Recordings of privileged conversations were never listened to by police officers and the tapes were held centrally in conditions of strict security, with access controlled by a senior officer and requiring knowledge of confidential codes. As soon as it was realised that privileged conversations were on tape, separate telephone lines which are not subject to tape recording were installed in custody suites.

  Mrs. Bushra Ahmed
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he has made a formal complaint to the appellate authorities at their failure to formally advise his Department of their refusal to grant leave to appeal to the IAT in the case of Mrs. Bushra Ahmed (IMP A399195/2); what prompted the file to come to light in May 1991; and for what reasons Mrs. Ahmed, to date, has not been issued with a visa following his advice to the post to issue her with a visa on 31 May 1991.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 23 January 1992]: The records kept by the immigration appellate authorities show that copies of the immigration appeals tribunal's determination refusing the Home Office leave to appeal against the adjudicator's decision to allow Mrs. Ahmed's appeal were sent out on 30 January 1990. It appears, however, that the determination was not at that stage received by the Home Office presenting officer. He noticed this in December 1990 when the file was brought forward by the procedures intended to track the progress of appeals. Unfortunately there was then some further delay within the Immigration and Nationality Department, which despite investigation cannot be accounted for, before the determination was forwarded to the high commission in Islamabad on 31 May 1991. I understand that the adjudicator's determination allowing Mrs. Ahmed's appeal arrived at the high commission on 12 June 1991 but there was then a clerical error and the papers were put away before a visa was issued.

  The high commission wrote to Mrs. Ahmed on 16 December 1991 inviting her to call in to collect her visa. To date she has not done so and a further invitation was sent on 23 January.

  I greatly regret the combination of errors which led to the issue of a visa to Mrs. Ahmed being so badly delayed. Officials are examining the procedures which are followed in such cases, in order to prevent any recurrence.

  Bail Offenders
  Mr. Alexander
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he expects to announce his conclusions following the review of the recent studies of offending on bail.

  Mr. John Patten
  [pursuant to his reply, 23 January, col. 314]: My Department has published today research and planning unit paper 65 "Offending while on bail: a survey of recent studies". A copy has been placed in the Library. The Government are considering, in the light of the survey, what further action is needed to reduce offending on bail, and we will make an announcement shortly.

  Fire Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the total number of business premises that have been damaged by fires caused by(a) arson, (b) accident and (c) unknown causes during each of the past 10 years for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  [holding answer 3 February 1992]: The available information relates to fires attended by local authority fire brigades and is shown in the following table.

  Fires in business premises1 attended by local authority fire brigades by supposed cause of fire, 1981–90

  United Kingdom

  Year

  Number of fires in business premises1 attended by local authority fire brigades

  Total

  (a)

  (b)

  (c)

  Deliberate or possibly deliberate3

  Accidental

  Unknown

  1981

  18,077

  3,018

  13,614

  1,445

  1982

  18,282

  3,196

  13,926

  1,160

  1983

  18,310

  3,505

  13,784

  1,021

  1984

  19,317

  4,044

  14,283

  990

  1985

  19,316

  3,971

  14,559

  786

  1986

  18,970

  4,002

  14,214

  754

  1987

  18,542

  3,608

  14,297

  637

  21987

  20,228

  3,866

  15,663

  699

  21988

  20,717

  4,027

  16,008

  682

  21989

  21,145

  4,004

  16,578

  563

  P1990

  20,800

  4,270

  16,030

  500

  P Provisional.

  Source: Home Office Fire Statistics.
  1 Defined as buildings used for industrial, distribution, hotels, catering, transport, communication and financial trades.
  2 Definition of business premises from 1988 includes repair of consumer goods and services, accountancy, legal and other professional and technical services, 1987 also shown on an approximately comparable basis.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the numbers of mortgage repossessions in the Nottinghamshire and Mansfield areas by county court division for each year since 1979.

  The Attorney-General
  The figures for the number of repossessions are not collected. The only information available on mortgage possession is the number of actions entered and orders made in each county court. The tables 248
  give the information for each county court in Nottinghamshire from 1987—the earliest year for which it is available. These figures do not indicate how many houses have been repossessed through the courts as not all of the orders made will have resulted in the execution of warrants of possession. At this stage the 1991 figures are provisional and therefore liable to revision in the future.

  Mortgage possession Actions entered and orders made in the Nottinghamshire county courts

  Court name

  Actions entered

  Orders made

  1987

  Mansfield

  518

  348

  Newark

  101

  57

  Nottingham

  1,492

  532

  Worksop

  312

  176

  1988

  Mansfield

  411

  340

  Newark

  72

  61

  Nottingham

  1,036

  600

  Worksop

  247

  184

  1989

  Mansfield

  445

  282

  Newark

  101

  48

  Nottingham

  1,085

  581

  Worksop

  244

  127

  1990

  Mansfield

  664

  437

  Newark

  139

  94

  Nottingham

  2,114

  1,062

  Worksop

  363

  257

  1991

  Mansfield

  922

  624

  Newark

  161

  112

  Nottingham

  2,235

  1,483

  Worksop

  445

  345

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General whether any change has been made to the cash limit for the Treasury Solicitor's Department.

  The Attorney-General
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class X vote 9 will be increased by £743,000 from £11,865,000 to £12,608,000.

  The additional provision is required to meet the cost of major accommodation works and the cost of the inquiry into the supervision of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International.

  The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he proposes any changes to the Serious Fraud Office's cash and running costs limits for 1991–92.

  The Attorney-General
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class X vote 7 will be increased by £110,000 from £8,862,000 to £8,972,000. Within this total the Department's running costs limit will be increased by £110,000 from £8,132,000 to £8,242,000.

  This increase will enable the Serious Fraud Office to meet additional administrative costs associated with the

  249
  investigation into the Maxwell group of companies and for further inquiries into the affairs of the Bank of Credit and Commerce International. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he proposes any changes to the Crown Prosecution Service's cash and running costs limits for 1991–92.

  The Attorney-General
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class X, vote 5 will be increased by £300,000 from £157,433,000 to £157,733,000. Within this total the Department's running cost limit will be increased by £3,350,000 from £149,390,000 to £152,740,000.

  Additional provision is required to enable the Crown Prosecution Service to meet the cost of implementation of the War Crimes Act 1991 and the costs of employing additional legal staff. Most of the increase in running costs expenditure has been offset by savings on capital expenditure.

  The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Attorney-General whether any changes are proposed to the class X, vote 12 running costs limit for the Public Record Office.

  The Attorney-General
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary token supplementary estimate, the running costs limit for class X, vote 12 will be increased by £201,000 from £19,292,000 to £19,493,000. This increase covers costs associated with agency launch and certain payments to Property Holdings, and will be contained within the overall cash limit as a result of increased appropriations in aid.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Information Systems
  Miss Emma Nicholson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will name the parties to whom his Department has sent, and with whom his Department has consulted on, the OECD produced guidelines for the security of information systems, explanatory memorandum, and recommendation of the council: draft documents (reference No. DSTI/ICCP/AH(90)21/Rev3).

  Mr. Leigh
  During preparatory work on draft OECD guidelines for the security of information systems and associated documents, which continue to be in draft, the Department of Trade and Industry has consulted all United Kingdom Government Departments having an interest. The Department has also consulted its Information Technology Security Advisory Group, comprising a range of IT security specialists from the private sector and academia.

  The OECD is also advised direct on the draft guidelines through information system security experts on its Business and Industry Advisory Committee, which includes a number of representatives from the United Kingdom.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Tracey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether any changes will be made to his Department's cash limit and running costs limit for 1991–92.

  Mr. Lilley
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class IV, vote 2 (support for industry, international trade, statutory and regulatory work, consumer protection, and administration) will be reduced by £5,000,000 from £763,019,000 to £758,019,000. The running costs limit for the Department of Trade and Industry will be reduced by £2,238,000 from £258,236,000 to £255,998,000.

  The supplementary estimate covers a rise of £9,245,000 in gross provision for the consultancy initiatives, reflecting higher than expected demand for the scheme, and a rise of £1,587,000 in gross provision for consumer and investor protection, reflecting increased expenditure on companies investigations. These increases are wholly offset by reductions in gross provision and increases in appropriations in aid elsewhere on the vote, including an increase of £2,147,000 in receipts appropriated in aid of the consultancy initiatives.

  There is an increase of £4,346,000 in departmental capital expenditure and research establishments' major building works and capital expenditure as a result of the end-year flexibility arrangements for capital announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1991, Official Report, columns 183-88.

  There are reductions of £2,828,000 in voted provision for long term loans to the Patent Office Executive Agency trading fund and of £2,000,000 for long term loans to Companies House Executive Agency trading fund, reflecting a lower requirement for such loans than originally forecast. There are also reductions in net provision of £520,000 for the Patent Office and £561,000 for Companies House in respect of the period before they became trading funds, 1 April to 30 September 1991.

  There are transfers within provision for Radiocommunications, Warren Spring Laboratory and the National Physical Laboratory executive agencies. These transfers have no effect on the net total for each agency.

  There are also a number of other minor changes to the vote, as shown in the supplementary estimate, to reflect the latest forecasts of expenditure and receipts.

  The reduction in the running cost limit mostly reflects the transfer of funds for routine maintenance and rent to capital.

  As supplementary estimates cannot reduce total voted provision, the supplementary estimate gives effect to these changes through an increase of a net token £1,000 in class IV, vote 2. The accompanying cash limit reduction of £5,000,000 for trading funds and greater Insolvency Service receipts than shown in the supplementary estimate itself.

DEFENCE

  "Options for Change"
  Mr. William Powell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether he will publish details of defence expenditure changes under "Options for Change" already implemented and those envisaged for the next 12 months.
  251
  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Details of trends in Defence spending between 1990–91 and 1994–95 are published today in "The Government's Expenditure Plans for the Ministry of Defence" (Cmd 1901)—which will be placed in the Library of the House. These figures take full account of plans developed as a result of earlier work on "Options for Change".

  Gulf War
  Mr. Rogers
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what evidence his Department has received that ammunition supplied by United Kingdom companies under the Jordan defence packages was used by Iraqi forces during military operations in the Gulf.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  None.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Dicks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he proposes any changes to the defence cash limits for 1991–92.

  Mr. Tom King
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary spring supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made:

  Defence cash limits

  £'000s

  Class and vote

  Current cash limit

  Change

  Revised cash limit

  I, 1

  10,460,332

  +130,116

  10,590,448

  I, 2

  9,549,823

  +329,257

  9,879,080

  I, 3

  1,620,347

  -4,958

  1,615,389

  I, 4

  1,888,094

  -80,737

  1,807,357

  I, 5

  513,918

  +18,371

  532,289

  These changes increase the block defence cash limit by £392,049,000 from £24,032,514,000 to £24,424,563,000. They are principally to cover increased expenditure arising from the United Kingdom military commitment in the Gulf. The total increase this year is thus about £1·5 billion which is in line with the announcement made by my right hon. Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 18 April 1991, Official Report, at column 558.

  The changes also take account of a transfer of provision from class I, votes 3, 4 and 5 to cover forecasts of increased expenditure on class I, vote 1 and a decrease of £71,211,000 to compensate for an overspend on class I, votes 1, 4 and 5 in financial year 1990–91. This follows the normal practice of reducing the limit for one year by the amount of any overspend in the previous year.

  The increase in defence provision for 1991–92 will be charged to the reserve and it will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure. The increase will be largely offset by the generous cash contributions from other Governments received this financial year in respect of the United Kingdom military commitment in the Gulf.

  Security Guards (Faslane and Coulport)
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what monitoring his Department carries out of the hours worked by and hourly rates payable to private security guards at Faslane and Coulport.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The Ministry of Defence does not employ civilian security guards at the Clyde submarine 252
  base. Civilian security firms, hired by the Property Services Agency and its contractors, are used at construction sites at Faslane and Coulport. The terms and conditions of these personnel are a matter for their employers.

  Company Contracts
  Mr. Graham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is his policy on letting further contracts to companies which have been convicted of breaches of health and safety legislation committed in the course of fulfilling earlier contracts with his Department.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A breach of health and safety legislation would not preclude a company from receiving contracts from the Ministry of Defence, provided remedial action was proposed, or had been undertaken, to the satisfaction of the appropriate enforcement authority and having regard to operational and other considerations.

  Health and safety legislation is a matter for the Secretary of State for Employment.

  Soviet Nuclear Weapons
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which Ministry of Defence officials will be sent on the technical mission to Moscow to assess the immediate needs on handling surplus Soviet nuclear weapons and safeguarding nuclear materials.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Detailed planning for co-operation has not yet been completed. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State will report to the House as soon as possible.

  Soviet Union (Members' Visits)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list the date of each briefing afforded to hon. Members by his Department in advance of visits to the former Soviet Union since May 1979.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is not available, as the Department has no need to maintain such records.

  Polaris Submarines
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment has been made of the requirement for a fifth Polaris submarine.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No assessment of the possible requirement for a fifth Polaris submarine has been made since the early 1970s.

  Russian Armed Forces
  Mr. O'Neill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many Ministry of Defence personnel will be sent to the Russian Ministry of Defence to discuss the control and financing of armed forces.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Government have offered to send a small number of officials from the Ministry of Defence to the Russian Ministry of Defence to advise on the restructuring and control and financing of armed forces in a democratic society.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Customs Officers
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) in which ports and airports the main reductions in manning levels of customs preventative officers will take place;

  (2) how many customs preventative officers will be in post on the 31 March 1993.

  (3) what consideration he gave to the effective control of drug trafficking in approving the recent reductions by the Board of Customs and Excise of the number of front-line customs officers.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In determining Customs anti-smuggling resources required for 1992–93 the aim has been to provide a service which is better equipped and targeted at areas of highest risk. A further consideration is the more flexible approach being adopted in the way in which the controls are organised; this involves a move away from the static controls previously used.

  This approach has been adopted nationally as a result of the review of anti-smuggling controls completed by the Department in 1989. The changes in no way reduce the effectiveness of controls against drug trafficking. Customs are also taking steps to ensure provision of more timely and adequate intelligence in discussion with trade organisations and with other Customs and other law enforcement services.

  Changes at particular ports and airports depend upon the extent to which local heads of executive units will be able to make use of flexible anti-smuggling teams and the risk category of the traffic in particular locations. Details by port and airport are not yet available.

  The total number of anti-smuggling staff employed at the frontier at 31 March 1993 is expected to be just under 3,500. These staff will be supplemented by further resources on associated duties.

  Small Businesses
  Sir Thomas Arnold
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information he has about the extent of compliance by branch offices of the clearing banks with the codes of business practice concerning small businesses agreed by their head offices.

  Mr. Maples
  Officials are currently reviewing the codes and how they are being implemented. All the codes establish complaint procedures for customers who feel they have been treated badly, and so, in the first instance, it is for the customers to judge compliance with the codes and to use the banks' published complaints procedure, where necessary.

  EC Budget
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the outturn for 1991 and the forecast for 1992 of the United Kingdom's total gross and net contributions to the European Community budget, in current and constant 1990 prices.

  Mr. Maude
  A final outturn figure for 1991 and a precise current price forecast for 1992 of the United Kingdom's gross and net contributions to the European 254
  Community budget are not yet available. They will be published in the "Statement on the 1992 Community Budget" before the Easter recess.

  Manufactures
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the balance of trade in manufactures with(a) the rest of the EC and (b) the rest of the world, for each year since 1987.

  Mr. Mellor
  Figures for the balance of trade in manufactures with the rest of the EC are published in tables II and V of the CSO's "Business Monitor: Overseas Trade Statistics of the UK." Figures for the balance of trade in manufactures with the rest of the world are published in table A9 of the CSO's "Monthly Review of External Trade Statistics" and table 2.3 of the "Pink Book, the UK Balance of Payments". All three publications are available in the Library of the House.

  Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his latest forecast of the public sector borrowing requirement in 1992–93; and what percentage of gross domestic product he expects that to be.

  Mr. Mellor
  A forecast will be published in the 1992 "Financial Statement and Budget Report".

  Gross Domestic Product Growth
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate for gross domestic product growth in 1992.

  Mr. Maples
  My right hon. Friend will publish a new forecast in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report" on 10 March.

  Drug Seizures
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the overall figure of seized illegal drugs detected by customs officers in each of the last 12 years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The information is as follows:

  Kilos

  Cannabis

  Heroin

  Cocaine

  Amphetamine

  1980

  25,610

  38

  35

  1981

  24,188

  87

  13

  8

  1982

  16,245

  183

  12

  2

  1983

  20,692

  212

  73

  13

  1984

  26,256

  312

  35

  19

  1985

  20,905

  334

  78

  26

  1986

  22,298

  179

  99

  29

  1987

  16,292

  190

  362

  15

  1988

  44,018

  230

  283

  18

  1989

  50,715

  331

  424

  22

  1990

  24,581

  576

  561

  81

  1991

  22,500

  356

  1,061

  1473

  Notes:

  1. Figures are for main types of drugs.

  2. 1991 figures are provisional.

  1 Figure includes approximately 285 kilos of MDA a derivative of MDMA (known colloquially as 'Ecstasy').

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes are proposed to the cash and running cost limits for 1991–92 in respect of the Paymaster General's office.

  Mr. Maples
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for the Paymaster General's Office (class XVIII, vote 12) will be increased by £90,000 from £21,358,000 to £21,448,000 and the running cost limit increased by £300,000 from £19,462,000 to £19,762,000. These increases reflect additional costs associated with the systems required to operate on a repayment basis, and to meet additional costs incurred in the ending of weekly pension books.

  These increases will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he is proposing any change to the Central Office of Information cash limit and running costs limit for 1991–92 and to the services provided on an allied basis by the Central Office of Information for 1991–92.

  Mr. Maples
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 14 will be increased by £30,000 from £ 28,109,000 to £28,139,000 and the running costs limit by £22,000 from £ 1,145,000 to £1,167,000. This is accounted for by higher than anticipated expenditure on services to Parliament (£12,000) and the royal household (£18,000). The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what changes he proposes to make to the cash and running cost limits for 1991–92 for the National Investment and Loans Office.

  Mr. Maples
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XVIII, vote 11 will be increased by £449,000 from £1,000 to £450,000. The additional provision is required to cover

  Region

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Registration

  Deregistration

  Registration

  Deregistration

  Registration

  Deregistration

  Registration

  Deregistration

  Registration

  Deregistration

  Scotland

  12,883

  10,602

  13,565

  14,657

  10,737

  8,137

  15,350

  12,243

  13,395

  17,911

  North East England

  17,236

  14,582

  20,771

  16,482

  23,125

  16,060

  20,023

  17,018

  17,421

  21,613

  North West England

  22,585

  19,964

  26,966

  22,459

  29,806

  22,281

  28,250

  21,417

  24,618

  28,869

  Wales

  7,087

  5,796

  9,259

  8,835

  9,919

  7,362

  8,960

  7,323

  7,013

  10,245

  Midlands

  42,501

  32,483

  51,411

  45,945

  54,382

  36,896

  58,294

  38,018

  39,689

  50,019

  South East England

  71,671

  49,378

  81,533

  59,561

  91,403

  58,014

  82,732

  61,062

  71,431

  90,251

  South West England

  24,741

  18,686

  30,585

  29,100

  32,448

  21,614

  26,360

  21,273

  22,415

  30,086

  Northern Ireland

  3,413

  2,920

  3,952

  7,498

  4,074

  3,224

  4,226

  3,113

  3,607

  3,783

  Notes:

  1. Regions based on aggregation of local VAT office areas.

  2. "New registrations" include both first and other registration, for example a sole proprietor taking on a partner or forming a limited company.

  3. De-registrations occur for various reasons other than ceasing trading, for example due to a change of status or falling below the threshold. The figures for 1991 reflect the substantial increase in the VAT threshold in the 1991 Budget.

WALES

  Milford Haven
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what feasibility studies have been initiated by the Welsh Office into the development of Milford Haven into the
  256
  a shortfall in fees payable on loans to local authorities. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure. The running costs limit will be reduced by £20,000 from £1,297,000 £1,277,000.

  Mr. Burns
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether there will be any changes to the Treasury's running costs limits in 1991–92.

  Mr. Maples
  The Treasury's running costs limit for 1991–92 is being reduced by £1,213,000 from £86,603,000 to £85,390,000 in order to meet an increased requirement for capital expenditure and an increase in the grant in aid to the Inter-Parliamentary Union. These changes will be reflected in a token supplementary estimate which will be presented for parliamentary approval in due course.

  Retail Prices Index
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what plans he has for the retail prices index following the abolition of the community charge and its replacement by the council tax.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  I intend to reconvene the retail prices index advisory committee with the following terms of reference:"To advise the Chancellor of the Exchequer on the implication for the RPI of the abolition of the community charge and its replacement by the council tax; to review progress on implementing the committee's previous recommendation on the inclusion in the index of expenditure on holidays; and to review the present treatment in the index of new cars. In framing its recommendations the committee is asked to take account of the practices in other European Community countries."

  VAT
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the total number of VAT registrations and deregistrations by region for the last five years for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: The information is as follows:

  major deep water port to serve the western arc seaboard of the European Community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  No representations have been received on this matter, but we are aware that Dyfed county council is looking at development opportunities in conjuction with
  257
  other organisations bordering on the western are seaboard. My Department, the Welsh Development Agency and other appropriate non-departmental public bodies will continue wherever possible to assist measures to develop Milford Haven's potential.

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Nicholas Bennett
  Under the all-Wales mental handicap strategy we have introduced arrangements which provide for the transfer of blocks of resources from district health authorities to local authorities as people with a mental handicap move into the community in accordance with agreed joint county plans. This was done by means of a circular to all DHAs and county councils last September. I have placed a copy in the Library of the House. The first formal transfers of resources under this system will be made early in the new financial year.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales 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. Nicholas Bennett
  Since the all-Wales mental handicap strategy was launched in March 1983 two mental handicap hospitals in Wales, Drymma Hall—West Glamorgan health authority —and Allt-y-Mynydd—East Dyfed health authority-have closed. The proceeds of sale, £187,800 and £132,000 respectively, were returned to the authorities concerned and redeployed to improve services for people with mental handicap within the authorities concerned.

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list, by staff grade and specialty, the number of full-time equivalent medical and nursing posts available to health service hospitals in 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on posts is not available centrally.

  Readily available information on whole-time equivalent numbers of hospital medical staff by grade and specialty is shown in various editions of the publication "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for Wales", copies of which are in the House of Commons Library. Figures for 1976 are shown in table 3.03, volume 4, 1977; for 1981 in table 3.06, volume 9, 1982; and for 1986 in table 3.06, volume 14, 1987. Information on hospital and community nursing and midwifery staff is also shown—table 3.08(b), volume 4, 1977; table 3.10, volume 9, 1982; and table 3.10, volume 14, 1987. There have been changes over time and figures for different years may not be comparable. Information for 1991 is not yet available.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what studies have been conducted, or are under way, into the administrative work loads of doctors, nurses and clinical staff in the professions associated with medicine; and if he will make a statement.
  258
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  No studies that specifically address the administrative work loads of these staff groups have been undertaken in Wales.

  However, such measurements are likely to be facilitated for the professions allied to medicine staff group as a result of a current study—"Workload Measurement Tools"—which the Welsh Health Common Services Authority is undertaking at unit level.

  District Nurses
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list by health authority the number of full-time equivalent district nursing posts and the number of potential elderly domiciliary clients, as defined by the Department of the Environment under section 80 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988, for 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on posts is not available centrally; complete information on the number of staff in post is only available for all nursing and midwifery staff, and not for district nurses.

  Section 80 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988 requires the Secretary of State to report how revenue support grant is distributed between Welsh local authorities. The formulae in Wales do not explicitly refer to "potential elderly domiciliary clients"—the needs of these people being subsumed in a more general allocation procedure.

  Open-heart Operations
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report, column 76, what was the number of open-heart operations carried out at the University hospital of Wales, the Heath, Cardiff, in each year since 1982 inclusive.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information in the form requested is not available. However, information provided by the centrally-funded regional cardiac centre at University hospital of Wales from 1984–85 shows that the following operations were undertaken:

  Adult

  By-pass

  Others

  1984–85

  528

  30

  1985–86

  573

  26

  1986–87

  500

  48

  1987–88

  566

  —

  1988–89

  522

  90

  1989–90

  561

  77

  1990–91

  577

  65

  11991–92

  549

  60

  Paediatric

  1 1991–92

  27

  15

  1 To 31 January 1992.

  I have recently announced additional contract funding of more than £5 million to expand facilities at UHW to enable it to perform 800 adult open-heart operations per annum and £2·5 million over the next three years to complete the development of the paediatric cardiac unit and equip it to undertake 200 operations each year for children of all ages.

  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales, pursuant to his answer of 20 January,Official Report,

  259
  column 76, if he will give the average length of the waiting list for open-heart surgery in the catchment area of the University hospital of Wales, the Heath, Cardiff, for each year since 1982 inclusive and for the whole of Wales, on the same basis.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The only information held centrally relates to waiting lists for cardiac surgery. This is published in "Welsh Hospital Waiting List Bulletin 1991: No. 2" a copy of which is in the Library of the House.

  Recycling
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the measures undertaken by his Department to achieve the target set for the proportion of household waste to be recycled by 2000; and what is the estimated impact of each measure.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The Department is involved in a number of measures jointly with the Department of the Environment as part of national programmes; and I refer the hon. Gentleman to the document "This Common Inheritance—The First Year Report" published in September 1991. The combined effect of these measures is designed to minimise waste and encourage recycling. From the information in the reports to be published under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 we will be able to assess the extent of any further action that we will need to take.

  Singleton Hospital, Swansea
  Mr. Alan Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales by what final date he has to announce his decision on the recommendation of 28 January by West Glamorgan relating to the future of the night casualty service at Singleton hospital, Swansea.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  There is no prescribed time limit for considering issues such as this. The one-month period for representations to be made to my right hon. Friend on these proposals will end on 28 February. A decision will be made when all representations received have been fully considered.

  Soft Landscaping
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will issue a planning policy guidance note along the lines proposed by the Horticultural Traders Association dealing with soft landscaping in association with development proposals.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have not seen a copy of the Horticultural Traders Association's proposals, but I join my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment in commending the HTA for reminding local planning authorities of the importance of appropriate landscaping for development proposals.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the initiatives taken by his Department to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and indicate the estimated reduction for each initiative by(a) 2000 and (b)
  260
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply given by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment on 6 February.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Gwilym Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he proposes to make any changes to the cash limits for his Department in the current financial year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Yes. Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limit for class XVI, vote 4 will be reduced by £12,644,000 from £156,567,000 to £143,923,000; the cash limit for class XVI, vote 5 will be increased by £641,000 from £393,285,000 to £393,926,000; the cash limit for class XVI, vote 8 will be reduced by £20,912,000 from £1,143,460,000 to £1,122,548,000; the cash limit for class XVI, vote 9 will be increased by £ 304,000 from £55,406,000 to £55,710,000; the cash limit for class XVI, vote 10 will be reduced by £6,254,000 from £1,775,320,000 to £1,769,066,000. In addition the local authority capital cash limit—WO/LACAP—will be increased by £22,700,000 from £374,662,000 to £397,362,000.

  The reduction in the cash limit for vote 4 reflects a lower take-up on employment training than expected. The Welsh Office contribution to the Department of Employment in respect of training activities will be reduced accordingly.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 5 reflects (i) a transfer of provision— £501,000—from class XVI, vote 10 to cover the costs of Bishop Vaughan school which has opted for grant maintained status; (ii) additional provision for the National Biological Standards Board—£63,000; and (iii) provision to cover a grant towards the capital expenditure on the former Cwmbran development corporation's approved roads programme—£77,000.

  The net reduction in the cash limit for vote 8 is in respect of: (i) A non-recurrent reduction of £22,000,000 which is required because of technical changes to the present arrangements for the payment of income tax, national insurance and superannuation contributions by health authorities and family health service authorities. This change will mean that contributions for March 1992 will not be drawn from resources in this financial year. There will be no effect upon health service provision in 1991–92 or subsequent years. (ii) An additional sum of £1,200,000 to cover the cost of expenditure incurred by some health authorities in Wales in preparing to treat Gulf war casualties. (iii) A transfer of £38,000 from the Department of Health to provide additional resources for occupational therapy training. (iv) A transfer of £150,000 to class XVI, vote 7 to meet additional costs incurred in non-cash limited pharmaceutical services.

  The increase in the cash limit for vote 9 is in respect of the take-up of end year flexibility entitlement from 1990–91 for running costs expenditure—£186,000— and capital administration costs—£118,000—as announced by the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1991, Official Report, columns 185-190.

  The reduction in the cash limit for vote 10 comprises (i) the transfer of provision to class XVI, vote 5 in respect of the Bishop Vaughan school—£501,000; and (ii) a reduction in the provision for the costs of council tax banding—£3,253,000—and for prior-year adjustments in local authorities' entitlement to rate support grant —£2,500,000.
  261
  The net increase of £22,700,000 in the local authority capital cash limit— WO/LACAP—represents additional provision for home renovation grants.

  Hospital Referrals
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will order an investigation into the number of patients in each health authority in Wales who are awaiting referral to a hospital(a) outside the authority's control and (b) outside the authority's contractual arrangements.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 31 January 1992]: District health authorities in Wales have assured me that they are not aware of any patients awaiting referral to hospitals in either of these circumstances.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Astronomy
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement on the level of funding for astronomy in the next three years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  I understand that the Science and Engineering Research Council plans the following provision for the funding of astronomy and planetary science:

  1992–3 £million

  1993–4 £million

  1994–5 £million

  83·6

  90·1

  94·5

  Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science by what order, made under section 134 of the Education Reform Act 1988, he made the conditions on the funding by the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council which he notified to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding Council on 19 February 1991 and to the Committee of Directors of Polytchnics on 2 September 1991.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Under section 134(6) of the Education Reform Act 1988, the Secretary of State may make grants to the Polytechnics and Colleges Funding council of such amounts and subject to such conditions as he may determine. Section 134(7) provides that such conditions shall not relate to making of grants or other payments by the council to any specified institution. Neither of those subsections provides for the making of an order and none was made. Section 134(8) and (9) gives power to the Secretary of state to give directions to the funding council by order but that power was not exercised.

  Polytechnics and Colleges
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the number of students enrolled on full-time and part-time studies in polytechnics and colleges(a) in 1979–80, or at incorporation if later and (b) currently.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The numbers of students enrolled on full-time courses and part-time courses at polytechnics 262
  and colleges in Great Britain in 1979–80 were 217,400 and 168,100 respectively. The comparable figures for 1990–91 were 374,800 and 262,600.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list in respect to the student loan scheme(a) the most recent figures for loan applications received, (b) the number of loans made, (c) the value of loans made and (d) the total costs, including VAT, incurred administering the scheme.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  As at 4 February 1992, Student Loans Company Limited had received 149,576 applications for loans for the academic year 1991–92 and had paid 125,811 loans worth £65·784 million. The company spent £5·41 million on operating the loans scheme between 1 September 1991 and 31 January 1992. This included net VAT costs of £0·94 million.

  Higher Education
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the figures for the number or percentage of qualified leavers and young entrants into higher education, qualified participation indices, for 1979–80 and 1991–92.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The figures requested are as follows:

  Great Britain

  1979–80 actual

  1991–92 Projection

  Qualified leaver index

  14·7

  23·2

  Age participation index

  12·4

  22·5

  Qualified participation index

  84·0

  97·1

  The figures for 1991–92 are taken from the Department's latest projection as at April 1991.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will show the amount of the student maintenance grant in 1978–79 and 1991–92 in constant 1978–79 pounds.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The maximum basic maintenance grant for students in London as defined in the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations was £1,315 for the 1978–79 academic year. The comparable rate for 1991–92 is £2,845 which, together with the maximum full year student loan for London—£660—brings the available resources per student to £3,505, or £1,323 at constant 1978–79 prices. These comparisons take no account of changes in the composition of the mandatory award.

  Student Numbers
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current number of home students studying(a) full-time at universities, polytechnics and colleges and (b) part-time at universities, polytechnics and colleges and at the Open university.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The numbers of home students studying full time in universities, polytechnics and colleges in Great Britain in 1990–91 were 296,200, and 353,500
  263
  respectively. The comparable figures for part-time students were 45,200 and 270,000 respectively, with a further 95,000 students enrolled at the Open university.

  Student Drop-outs
  Mr. Andrew Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the percentage drop-out rate of British home students before achieving diplomas and degrees in full-time and part-time education in the United Kingdom in 1979–80 and 1990–91.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Data for universities are not available in this form. However, table 10 of "University. Management Statistics and Performance Indicators in the UK", 1990 edition, indicates the proportions of full-time and sandwich students ending their studies unsuccessfully. This is shown for each university cost-centre, but no overall figure is computed. A copy is in the Library.

  For polytechnics and colleges in England, some 16 per cent. of full-time and sandwich first-degree students commencing courses in 1987 did not return to the second year of the course.

  St. Fidelis School, Erith
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of Stale for Education and Science when he expects to announce a decision on the proposed expansion and extension of St. Fidelis primary school in Erith; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The section 13 proposals published by the governors of St. Fidelis RC primary school are currently being considered. My right hon. and learned Friend will announce his decision shortly.

  Grant-maintained Schools
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will set out the total number of pupils attending grant-maintained secondary schools on the latest available figures.

  Mr. Eggar
  There are some 103,000 pupils attending secondary schools that are now operating as grant-maintained, based on January 1991 pupil returns.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he proposes any changes to cash limits on votes within his responsibility for 1991–92.

  Mr. Kenneth Clarke
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the cash limits for class XI, vote 2, higher and further education, vote 4, administration and vote 5, science, will be amended. The cash limit changes are as follows:

  Class and Vote

  Current cash limit

  Change

  Revised cash limit

  £

  £

  £

  XI.2

  2,916,803,000

  +12,188,000

  2,928,991,000

  XI.4

  106,617,000

  -1,984,000

  104,633,000

  XI.5

  927,455,000

  +4,484,000

  931,939,000

  The increase on class XI, vote 2 includes the full take-up of £2,688,000 capital end-year flexibility entitlement
  264
  announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the Chief Secretary to the Treasury on 17 July 1991, at columns 186-89. It also includes £2,500,000 additional grant-in-aid to the Universities Funding Council as a contribution towards the increased cost to universities of employing clinical academic staff following the Doctors' and Dentists' Review Body pay settlement; and provision of £7,000,000 to enable the Open university to purchase the freehold of its site at Walton hall, Milton Keynes. These increases will be met from the Reserve.

  The cash limit reduction of £1,984,000 on class XI, vote 4 offsets part of the increase to the cash limit on the science budget, class XI, vote 5.

  Of the increase of £4,484,000 in class XI, vote 5, £1,000,000 is to enable the Medical Research Council to meet part of the cost of the clinical research initiative; £1,500,000 is to enable the Science and Engineering Research Council—SERC —to meet the costs of providing buildings to support the work undertaken by holders of SERC grants in higher education institutions; and the remaining £1,984,000 is to enable the Agricultural and Food Research Council to transfer to Unilever plc provision in respect of pensions of staff who were formerly employed by the Plant Breeding Institute. These increases are wholly offset by proceeds from the sale of capital assets which were surrendered to the Consolidated Fund in 1990–91 and by the cash limit reduction on class XI, vote 4. The current cash limit of £927,445,000 on class XI, vote 5 includes an increase of £7,000,000 which I announced in the House on 12 June 1991, at column 356, but which is also subject to parliamentary approval of the spring supplementary estimate.

  University of Wales (Irish Students)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many students from the Republic of Ireland are presently receiving their higher education at each of the colleges of the University of Wales; and what is the estimated contribution of his Department towards their tuition fees.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  In academic year 1990–91 there were 177 students from the Irish Republic attending higher education courses at the university of Wales. Information as to numbers attending the university's constituent colleges is not collected centrally. In 1990–91 an estimated £220,000 was paid in fees-only mandatory awards to Irish undergraduate students attending the university of Wales.

THE ARTS

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what proposals he has for changes to the cash and running costs limits for his Department's votes in 1991–92.

  Mr. Renton
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary spring supplementary estimates, the cash limits of the following votes will be changed as indicated:

  Class and Vote

  Current cash limit

  Change

  Revised cash limit

  £

  £

  £

  XII.1

  201,484,000

  +339,000

  201,823,000

  XII.2

  225,222,000

  +4,070,000

  229,292,000

  XII.3

  131,948,000

  +1,000

  131,949,000

  265
  Increased provision of £339,000 is being sought in a spring supplementary estimate on class XII, vote 1, to meet the additional costs to certain national museums and galleries of the payment of contributions in lieu of national non-domestic rates. The additional costs of £640,000 are being partly offset by savings of £301,000 elsewhere on the vote.

  Provision is being sought on vote 2 for £500,000 to meet the initial costs of Government support for the European arts festival, 1992; and for £3,570,000 to augment the main estimate provision for assets accepted in lieu of tax. A token supplementary estimate of £1,000 will be presented in respect of vote 3 to secure parliamentary authority to the appropriation in aid in favour of the British library of part of the receipts form the sale of the library's premises at Store street.

  The additional provision sought, £4,410,000, will be charged to the reserve and will therefore not add to the planned total of public expenditure.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Knapman
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what proposals he has for changes to the 1991–92 cash limit for the office of the Minister for the Civil Service.

  Mr. Renton
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate the cash limit for the Office of the Minister for the Civil Service (class XIX, vote 1) will be increased by £217,000 from £41,721,000 to £41,938,000. The increase will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planned total of public expenditure.

  The increase is required to cover the cost of physical security improvements, refurbishment work in 10 Downing street and the cost of additional staff on outward secondment (this latter charge is offset by increased appropriations in aid). In addition appropriations in aid have been amended to take account of the Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency becoming ineligible to claim VAT refunds on contracted out services. The Recruitment and Assessment Services Agency's capital provision has been reduced to reflect a reassessment of its capital equipment requirements.

  Some of the changes in provision have a consequent effect on the Department's running costs limit which will be increased by £141,000 from £49,052,000 to £49,193,000.

EMPLOYMENT

  Training Credits
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will make a statement on how the youth training guarantee applies to young people in the areas covered by training credits.

  Mr. Jackson
  Training credits operate within the YT framework and the YT guarantee continues to apply.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of each review of the systems of training credits which have been piloted during the last year.
  266
  Mr. Jackson
  We hope to issue a report in the spring on the results of the evaluation of the training credits pilot schemes during their first nine months of operation. A copy will be placed in the Library.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will place in the Library a copy of each of the proposals to extend the system of training credits.

  Mr. Jackson
  No. The information contained in the proposals is commercial in confidence.

  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what evalution of training credits was conducted by his Department before 26 November 1991.

  Mr. Jackson
  At 26 November 1991, an interim study of the pilots had been completed by the training standards inspectorate in conjunction with the careers service inspectorate. External research in each pilot area had also been commissioned. We hope to publish evaluation results from the first nine months of operating training credits in the spring.

  Training and Enterprise Councils
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if it remains his policy that the terms and arrangements outlined in the White Paper, "Competing for Quality", should apply in respect of his Department's negotiations with the training and enterprise councils and the TECs' negotiations with local providers of training.

  Mr. Jackson
  The Department negotiates a performance based contract with TECs with quality and value for money very much in mind. Stretching but fair targets are set. Negotiations between TECs and their providers is a matter for the two parties concerned.

  Earnings
  Mr. Andrew Welsh
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will show for full-time workers the percentage earning less than £180 and £190 giving the information for(a) women and (b) men, (1) manual, (2) non-manual and (3) all workers, including overtime pay and excluding overtime pay for (i) Scotland, (ii) the regions of Scotland and (iii) Great Britain;

  (2) if he will show for full-time workers the percentage earning less than £130 and £140 per week giving the information for (a) women and (b) men. (1) manual, (2) non-manual and (3) all workers, including overtime pay and excluding overtime pay for (i) Scotland, (ii) the regions of Scotland and (iii) Great Britain.

  Mr. Forth
  The information available from the 1991 new earnings survey is given in the tables.

  Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence: Percentage with weekly earnings (excluding overtime) below the following specified amounts

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual Women

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  34·6

  48·7

  97·4

  97·4

  Grampian

  56·7

  68·7

  88·1

  92·5

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  267

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Lothian

  35·3

  48·7

  82·4

  84·9

  Strathclyde

  38·6

  48·1

  77·2

  82·3

  Tayside

  44·6

  54·2

  88·0

  90·4

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  42·1

  52·8

  83·3

  87·3

  Great Britain

  38·3

  48·3

  78·3

  82·6

  Non-Manual Women

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  19·6

  25·5

  56·9

  61·4

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  16·3

  20·2

  48·3

  51·7

  Grampian

  15·1

  20·5

  45·7

  47·6

  Highland

  20·7

  27·3

  47·9

  57·0

  Lothian

  10·6

  15·8

  43·7

  48·2

  Strathclyde

  13·3

  18·8

  44·3

  50·8

  Tayside

  13·5

  17·6

  42·3

  46·8

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  20·1

  26·8

  45·0

  53·0

  Scotland

  14·0

  19·4

  45·5

  50·8

  Great Britain

  10·5

  15·1

  37·4

  42·6

  All Women

  Borders

  34·1

  43·5

  71·8

  75·3

  Central

  27·3

  35·1

  65·4

  70·2

  Dumfries/Galloway

  33·0

  39·4

  67·0

  73·4

  Fife

  21·9

  28·9

  63·3

  65·6

  Grampian

  22·4

  28·9

  53·1

  55·5

  Highland

  26·0

  33·6

  55·5

  63·0

  Lothian

  14·2

  20·5

  49·2

  53·4

  Strathclyde

  18·3

  24·7

  50·8

  57·1

  Tayside

  20·9

  26·3

  53·1

  57·1

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  25·8

  33·0

  52·2

  59·3

  Scotland

  19·7

  26·2

  53·2

  58·2

  Great Britain

  15·6

  21·2

  45·0

  50·0

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note: "—" denotes sample size too small or standard error too large for reliable estimate.

  Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence: Percentage with weekly earnings (including overtime) below the following specified amounts

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual Women

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  33·3

  43·6

  87·2

  89·7

  Grampian

  55·2

  67·2

  83·6

  89·6

  Highland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Lothian

  27·7

  42·9

  73·9

  79·8

  Strathclyde

  35·9

  43·5

  69·3

  75·0

  Tayside

  42·2

  51·8

  84·3

  86·7

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Scotland

  39·2

  48·1

  75·9

  80·7

  Great Britain

  34·7

  43·5

  72·4

  77·1

  Non-Manual Women

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  19·0

  24·2

  51·0

  56·9

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  12·9

  18·0

  44·4

  48·9

  Grampian

  14·2

  19·9

  44·2

  45·7

  Highlaŉd

  17·4

  24·0

  45·5

  56·2

  Lothian

  9·5

  14·4

  40·5

  45·8

  Strathclyde

  11·4

  16·8

  41·1

  47·5

  Tayside

  12·7

  16·5

  41·9

  45·7

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  17·4

  24·2

  42·3

  51·7

  Scotland

  12·4

  17·7

  42·6

  48·1

  Great Britain

  9·5

  13·8

  35·3

  40·4

  268

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  All Women

  Borders

  31·8

  40·0

  69·4

  74·l

  Central

  26·3

  32·2

  57·6

  62·9

  Dumfries/Galloway

  31·9

  35·1

  64·9

  71·3

  Fife

  19·1

  25·8

  57·4

  61·3

  Grampian

  21·4

  28·1

  51·0

  53·4

  Highland

  23·3

  29·5

  51·4

  60·3

  Lothian

  12·1

  18·5

  45·3

  50·7

  Strathclyde

  16·3

  22·1

  46·7

  53·0

  Tayside

  19·7

  24·9

  52·0

  55·4

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  23·6

  29·7

  48·4

  56·6

  Scotland

  17·9

  23·9

  49·4

  54·7

  Great Britain

  14·2

  19·3

  42·2

  47·2

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note: "—" denotes sample size too small or standard error too large for reliable estimate.

  Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence: Percentage with weekly earnings (excluding overtime) below the following specified amounts

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual Men

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  5·8

  11·6

  31·9

  41·5

  Dumfries/Galloway

  7·8

  8·6

  47·4

  52·6

  Fife

  9·2

  11·6

  42·8

  48·0

  Grampian

  8·8

  13·1

  34·9

  40·4

  Highland

  6·1

  16·0

  48·9

  55·0

  Lothian

  9·1

  14·3

  39·9

  47·5

  Strathclyde

  9·6

  13·5

  37·9

  45·5

  Tayside

  10·6

  17·6

  49·6

  57·0

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  7·4

  15·3

  43·2

  50·0

  Scotland

  9·2

  13·7

  39·4

  46·6

  Great Britain

  7·0

  10·8

  33·1

  39·7

  Non-Manual Men

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  2·8

  3·9

  14·0

  17·3

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  4·6

  8·0

  13·7

  14·9

  Grampian

  3·0

  4·5

  10·0

  12·3

  Highland

  4·7

  5·7

  15·1

  17·9

  Lothian

  4·6

  5·9

  15·6

  17·9

  Strathclyde

  3·2

  5·4

  14·8

  17·8

  Tayside

  4·9

  7·9

  16·9

  19·5

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  4·5

  6·0

  13·4

  15·7

  Scotland

  3·7

  5·7

  14·4

  17·1

  Great Britain

  2·8

  4·3

  12·1

  14·4

  All Men

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  4·4

  8·0

  23·6

  30·3

  Dumfries/Galloway

  6·6

  7·7

  36·6

  40·4

  Fife

  7·3

  10·1

  30·8

  34·4

  Grampian

  6·1

  9·1

  23·2

  27·2

  Highland

  5·5

  11·4

  33·8

  38·4

  Lothian

  6·5

  9·5

  26·0

  30·6

  Strathclyde

  6·5

  9·5

  26·4

  31·7

  Tayside

  7·8

  12·9

  33·8

  38·8

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  6·1

  11·3

  30·3

  35·2

  Scotland

  6·5

  9·8

  27·1

  32·1

  Great Britain

  4·8

  7·3

  21·9

  26·1

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note"—" denotes sample size too small or standard error too large for reliable estimate.
  269

  Full-time employees on adult rates whose pay was unaffected by absence: Percentage with weekly earnings (including overtime) below the following specified amounts

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual Men

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  3·9

  5·8

  20·8

  27·5

  Dumfries/Galloway

  6·9

  7·8

  31·9

  39·7

  Fife

  6·0

  7·6

  25·2

  29·6

  Grampian

  6·0

  8·0

  22·1

  25·5

  Highland

  4·6

  9·2

  34·4

  40·5

  Lothian

  6·5

  9·8

  27·9

  34·2

  Strathclyde

  7·3

  9·6

  24·9

  30·3

  Tayside

  8·1

  11·6

  32·4

  37·7

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  5·7

  9·7

  30·1

  35·8

  Scotland

  6·8

  9·3

  26·0

  31·4

  Great Britain

  4·9

  3·9

  22·0

  26·9

  Non-Manual Men

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  2·8

  3·9

  10·6

  14·5

  Dumfries/Galloway

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Fife

  4·0

  6·9

  13·1

  14·9

  Grampian

  1·8

  3·2

  8·9

  10·7

  Highland

  4·7

  5·7

  14·2

  16·0

  Lothian

  4·0

  4·8

  13·6

  15·4

  Strathclyde

  2·7

  4·5

  12·0

  14·8

  Tayside

  3·7

  6·0

  13·5

  16·9

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  3·7

  5·2

  12·7

  14·2

  Scotland

  3·1

  4·7

  12·2

  14·7

  Great Britain

  2·4

  3·6

  10·3

  12·3

  All Men

  Borders

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Central

  3·4

  4·9

  16·1

  21·5

  Dumfries/Galloway

  6·0

  7·1

  26·8

  32·2

  Fife

  5·2

  7·3

  20·2

  23·5

  Grampian

  4·1

  5·8

  15·9

  18·6

  Highland

  4·6

  7·6

  25·3

  29·5

  Lothian

  5·1

  6·9

  19·8

  23·5

  Strathclyde

  5·0

  7·0

  18·5

  22·6

  Tayside

  6·0

  8·9

  23·2

  27·6

  Islands

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Highland/Islands

  4·8

  7·7

  22·6

  26·5

  Scotland

  4·9

  7·0

  19·2

  23·2

  Great Britain

  3·5

  5·2

  15·7

  19·1

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note: "—" denotes sample size too small or standard error too large for reliable estimate.

  Employment Protection
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the number of contributions he has made under section 123 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978; and if he will state the extent to which in each case any deficit in funds was made good by his Department for each year since 1978.

  Mr. Forth
  The information is not available in the form requested. Total payments to occupational pension schemes under section 123 of the Employment Protection (Consolidation) Act 1978 for each financial year to 1989–90, the latest available date, were as follows:

  Year

  Expenditure

  (£000)

  1978–79

  87

  1979–80

  247

  1980–81

  582

  1981–82

  386

  1982–83

  365

  270

  Year

  Expenditure

  (£ 000)

  1983–84

  287

  1984–85

  646

  1985–86

  289

  1986–87

  514

  1987–88

  929

  1988–89

  628

  1989–90

  525

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he will next meet the president of the National Farmers Union to discuss the GATT negotiations.

  Mr. Gummer
  I am in regular contact with the president of the NFU to discuss all matters concerning agriculture, including the GATT round.

  Fish Laboratories
  Mr. Ian Bruce
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will give a progress report on the new building programme for the MAFF fish laboratories in Weymouth.

  Mr. Curry
  Planning approval has been granted for the new fish diseases laboratory at Weymouth and consultants have produced the final sketch plan. Demolition of the existing buildings is expected to start in June this year and the new laboratory should be completed by the end of 1993.

  Hill Farming
  Sir Hector Monro
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the National Farmers Union about hill farming and the hill livestock compensatory allowance.

  Mr. Gummer
  My noble Friend the Minister of State met the National Farmers' Union on 23 October as part of the normal consultation procedures we have held with the NFU. I will report to the House about the operation of the hill livestock compensatory allowances scheme 1992 as soon as the review has been completed.

  Potatoes
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the Potato Marketing Board to encourage more variety in species of potato grown in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Curry
  None. The Potato Marketing Board's latest planting survey showed that 131 varieties were grown commercially in Great Britain last year.

  Food Safety
  Mr. Michael Morris
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will review the implementation of the Food Safety Act 1990 with reference to the selling of out-of-date food in the retail trade.
  271
  Mr. Maclean
  No Sir. It is already an offence under the Food Labelling Regulations 1984 for anyone to sell food bearing an expired "use by" date.

  It is also an offence under the Food Safety Act 1990 to sell any food which is unfit for human consumption or which is not of the nature, substance or quality demanded by the purchaser, whether or not any date mark has expired.

  Cetaceans
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new initiative he has to protect cetaceans.

  Mr. Gummer
  We remain very concerned to take measures to secure the conservation of cetaceans. Most recently, on 1 January 1992, we introduced a scheme for voluntary reporting by United Kingdom fishermen of all incidental catches of marine mammals, including cetaceans. The EC-wide limitation on drift net length we secured last October will also contribute to conservation of cetaceans.

  River Pollution
  Mr. Win Griffiths
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he has any further plans to combat the pollution of rivers by the agricultural industry.

  Mr. Curry
  My right hon. Friend the Minister announced on 21 January that a pilot study would be drawn up to see if pollution could be reduced by the preparation and use by farmers of plans for the disposal of manure, slurry and other organic wastes. This will supplement existing measures to tackle river pollution from agriculture including new legislation setting minimum constructional standards for farm waste storage facilities, 50 per cent grant aid towards the cost of such facilities, an increased maximum fine available to magistrates for water pollution offences, free initial pollution advice by ADAS and a £2 million R and D programme.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when his review of the environmentally sensitive area boundaries will be completed.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply given to my hon. Friend the Member for Somerton and Frome (Mr. Boscawen), earlier today.

  Job Losses
  Mr. Haynes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many jobs have been lost in the farming industry since 1979.

  Mr. Curry
  The number of farmers and workers recorded in the June census of agricultural holdings were 740,000 in 1979 and 628,000 in 1991. The difference of 112,000 overestimates the number of jobs lost because of changes in the basis on which the data were collected.

  Beef Producers
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what new measures he is taking to improve returns to specialist beef producers.

  Mr. Curry
  In October, Ministers announced that some £74 million would be made available to specialist beef producers in 1991–92 through the suckler cow premium scheme. The hill livestock compensatory allowance scheme continues to provide assistance to producers of beef cattle in the less favoured areas. Beef producers could also be eligible for assistance under the new group marketing grant scheme which is currently being finalised and will be introduced in April.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress he has made in discussions on the reform of the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Curry
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave earlier to my hon. Friend the Member for Billericay (Mrs Gorman).

  Agricultural Land (Planning Applications)
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what steps he takes to monitor local authority planning consent with regard to alternative uses for agricultural land.

  Mr. Curry
  This Department does not monitor planning consents. The Department of the Environment collects statistics from local planning authorities but these do not extend to identifying changes of use for agricultural land.

  Animal Exports
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many animals were exported live in the past 12 months; what was their estimated value; and if he will make a statement on the conditions under which they were exported.

  Mr. Maclean
  All animals exported from Great Britain for slaughter or further fattening must undergo pre-export rest and veterinary inspection at Government-approved lairages, before being loaded on to vehicles approved for the purpose.

  A total of 1,186,702 animals were inspected and declared fit for transport during 1991.

  Figures showing the value of these exports are not yet available.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what are the implications of the MacSharry common agricultural policy reform proposals for the sheep industry.

  Mr. Gummer
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the answer which I gave to my hon. friend the Member for Torridge and Devon, West on 19 December 1991,Official Report, column 306.

  Mr. Knox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he is next due to meet the president of the National Farmers Union to discuss the sheep sector.
  273
  Mr. Gummer
  I will be meeting the president of the National Farmers Union on 18 February to discuss the sheep sector and other matters.

  Mackerel
  Mr. Robert Hicks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what discussions he has had with the fishing industry about the future of the south-west mackerel box; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  On 28 November 1991 a regulation making the box permanent in the interests of conserving the western mackerel stock was adopted. The industry has frequently made clear to us that the south western mackerel box should be retained although some would like to see stricter controls on some fishing with small mesh nets within the box for species such as pilchards and horse mackerel whilst others seek some relaxation to permit a small quota of mackerel for local trawlers. There is at present no evidence to suggest the problem is sufficiently large to require a complete ban on small mesh nets. A small mackerel quota would need EC agreement even if we thought a case might be made.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many representations he has received in the last 12 months regarding animal welfare; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The Department has continued to receive a very large number of representatives on animal welfare. The Government attach great importance to this issue and will continue to press for the high standards in this country to be adopted throughout the European Community.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Marland
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether he intends to make any changes to his Department's cash limits for 1991–92.

  Mr. Gummer
  Yes. The cash limit for class III, vote 4 (other agricultural and food services, support for the fishing industry, arterial drainage, flood and coast protection) will be reduced by £6,745,000 from £273,789,000 to £267,044,000. Within this limit expenditure will be reduced by £2,345,000 on agricultural schemes and by £1,400,000 on sea fishery support. These reductions reflect a predicted decrease in demand under these schemes. Expenditure on emergency and strategic food services will be reduced by £3,000,000 reflecting a reduction in the size of the emergency food stockpile.

  The non-voted cash limit MAFF/LACAP (supplementary credit approvals for flood defence and coast protection) will be decreased by £2,000,000 from £16,594,000 to £14,594,000 reflecting a predicted reduction in local authority expenditure on flood defence capital works.

  Set-aside Land
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what monitoring he is undertaking of the benefits from set-aside for(a) diverse plant species, (b) butterflies and other invertebrates, (c) short-eared
  274
  owls, hen harriers and other predatory birds and (d) foxes and other wild mammals; and when he expects to complete a proper scientific evaluation of the effect of set-aside on wildlife.

  Mr. Curry
  The Department is currently undertaking work on the environmental impact of set-aside, including a study of the changes in the botanical composition of fallowed set-aside land. Final results are expected in 1994. The study will also provide some information about the likely implications for wildlife and will be supported by a separate study of rabbit numbers on set-aside land.

  We are considering the scope for further research into the benefits to wildlife and a number of other organisations are carrying out relevant work in this area. However the complex range of factors affecting wildlife populations and the need to measure changes over time, mean that a full scientific evaluation cannot be completed in the immediate future.

  Recession
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the effects of the current recession on the agricultural industry.

  Mr. Maclean
  The support arrangements under the common agricultural policy have to a considerable extent insulated the agriculture industry from the direct effects of recession. Farmers have however benefited from the fall in interest rates over the past year and interest payments by the farming industry are expected to have fallen by 14 per cent. in 1991.

  Farming and Fishing Enterprises
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of proposals for regulations on small farming and fishing enterprises prior to implementation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Curry
  The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food participates fully in the Government's deregulation initiative to ensure that the regulatory burden on the agriculture and fishing industries is kept under constant review and minimised wherever possible.

  This process includes consultation at an early stage with industry, on both United Kingdom and European Community regulatory proposals through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food's close working relationships with trade associations and other groups. A cost compliance assessment which evaluates the effect all legislative proposals will have on industry is also prepared prior to implementation.

  Fish Conservation
  Mr. Trotter
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a further statement on the recent agreement of EC fisheries Ministers for the conservation of fish stocks.

  Mr. Curry
  Further to my statement in the House on 20 December we have today issued a consultation paper to the industry seeking views on a range of proposals which could be taken unilaterally to improve conservation of the fish stocks of importance to us. The proposals include
  275
  suggestion for action on a one-net rule, a United Kingdom minimum landing size for whiting, further action on square mesh panels and new measures on net geometry.

  A copy of the consultation document is available in the Library of the House.

  Salmonella
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if any pasteurisation plants have yet been granted approval to process eggs from salmonella infected flocks; and how many plants have applied to him for such approval.

  Mr. Maclean
  No applications have been received for the approval of plants to pasteurise eggs from salmonella infected flocks. Consequently no plants have been approved for this purpose.

  Pollution, Fal Estuary
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food whether current levels of pollution are within current EC standards in the Fal estuary, Cornwall.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have been asked to reply.

  The relevant EC standards are environmental quality objectives (EQOs) for mercury and cadmium. Compliance with EQOs is demonstrated by reference to annual averages. Although higher than normal concentrations of these substances have recently been recorded in parts of the Fal estuary it is not possible to say whether there has yet been a breach of the EQO.

HEALTH

  Dried Fruit
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 16 December 1991,Official Report, column 54, if he will list the scientific references which led the health education authority to conclude that dried fruits contain non-milk extrinsic sugars.

  Mr. Dorrell
  During the process of drying, the cells of fresh fruit lose integrity and undergo structural changes, thus converting their intrinsic sugars to an extrinsic form as defined by the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food Policy.

  The scientific principles of these processes are well established and described in basic food technology text books.

  Patients Charter
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is his estimate of the total extra costs incurred in enforcing standards in the patients charter expressed separately;

  (2) what extra money he intends to provide specifically for meeting target standards under the patients charter;
  276
  (3) what assessment he has made of the manpower implications of the patients charter for (a) the ambulance services arising from requirements for response times, (b) accident and emergency departments arising from waiting time limits for initial assessment requirements, (c) out-patient departments arising from waiting time requirements, (d) operating theatres arising from cancellations of operations requirements and (e) on staffing arising from the naming of health service personnel as responsible for individual patients.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The patients charter defines acceptable standards for existing services. Each standard is currently being met, within existing resources, by some health authorities. Enforcement of charter standards will help to generalise this good management practice throughout the National Health Service.

  Medical Professions (Work Load)
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies have been conducted, or are under way, into the administrative work loads of doctors, nurses and clinical staff in the professions associated with medicine; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There are no studies either completed or under way that specifically address the question of administrative work loads of doctors, nurses or professions allied to medicine.

  The studies listed on the general work load of general medical practitioners (GMPs) and nurses have helped inform the Department of the administrative functions carried out by these groups.

  1. The "Unnecessary Bureaucracy Working Group" which made recommendations on streamlining the administrative work of GMPs.

  2. A cyclical study, in conjunction with the BMA, on the workload of GMPs. The last study was completed in 1989–90 and the next is scheduled to start in 1993–94.

  3. A recently completed study by York university into nursing care which suggests that a small amount of time spent by nurses on administrative work can be beneficial to the quality of nursing care.

  4. A survey to be commissioned shortly by the Department will address, among other things, the effects of using administrative support in relation to nursing.

  Medical and Nursing Posts
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list, by staff grade and specialty, the number of full-time equivalent medical and nursing posts available to health service hospitals in 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Information for 1991 is not yet available and 1990 data are shown in the tables. Information for 1976, 1981 and 1986 can be found in the publication "Health and Personal Social Services Statistics for England" copies of which are available in the Library.
  277

  Table 1

  Hospital Medical Staff: Analysis by specialty and grade England—30 September 1990

  Grade

  All staff

  Consultant

  Staff grade

  Associate Specialist

  Senior registrar

  Registrar

  Senior house officer

  House officer

  Other

  House Practitioner

  Clinical assistant

  All medical specialties

  39,760·8

  13,897·3

  239·7

  717·1

  3,143·9

  5,934·8

  10,692·5

  3,016·0

  10·8

  186·9

  1,921·6

  General Medicine1

  4,643·4

  1,155·7

  3·5

  14·0

  239·2

  628·7

  1,145·7

  1,283·3

  0·8

  20·8

  151·7

  Cardiology

  437·4

  132·8

  0·0

  2·4

  42·8

  114·7

  103·7

  23·0

  1·0

  2·2

  14·8

  Diabetes and Endocrinology2

  85·9

  17·2

  0·9

  1·1

  14·2

  21·5

  14·0

  5·0

  0·0

  1·6

  10·4

  Gastroenterology

  138·5

  33·6

  1·0

  0·0

  11·3

  44· 1

  18·1

  21·0

  0·0

  1·5

  7·9

  Nephrology

  218·8

  59·3

  3·5

  4·8

  15·0

  45·9

  72·9

  10·0

  0·0

  0·8

  6·6

  Palliative Medicine3

  25·9

  13·1

  0·0

  0·0

  1·5

  0·5

  7·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·7

  3·1

  Thoracic Medicine4

  283·8

  83·7

  0·0

  13·1

  26·6

  47·3

  81·7

  13·0

  0·0

  2·7

  15·7

  Geriatric Medicine

  1,897·0

  483·9

  18·5

  42·4

  81·6

  183·3

  776·8

  103·2

  1·0

  33·4

  172·9

  Audiological Medicine

  15·2

  10·9

  0·0

  0·0

  4·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·3

  Clinical Genetics5

  47·4

  29·3

  0·0

  1·5

  7·2

  6·1

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·5

  2·8

  Clinical Neuro. Phys.

  61·8

  49·8

  0·0

  1·0

  7·0

  0·0

  3·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·0

  Clinical Pharm. and Thera.

  59·6

  24·9

  0·0

  0·0

  9·6

  16·1

  3·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  5·0

  Clinical Physiology

  15·7

  11·9

  0·0

  0·0

  0·5

  2·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·1

  0·2

  Clinical Immun. and Aller.6

  2·7

  1·5

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·2

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Rehabilitation7

  17·6

  8·8

  0·0

  0·0

  3·6

  1·0

  3·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·2

  Dermatology

  431·8

  223·1

  0·4

  7·5

  49·1

  39· 4

  40·2

  4·0

  0·5

  9·3

  58·3

  Genito-Urinary Medicine

  335·9

  157·9

  3·9

  8·1

  37· 9

  42·3

  27·6

  0·7

  0·8

  5·7

  51·0

  Medical Oncology

  69·5

  23·2

  0·0

  0·0

  9·9

  13·1

  15·8

  3·0

  0·0

  0·3

  4·2

  Infectious Diseases

  76·4

  26·8

  0·0

  1·0

  7·5

  10·6

  28·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·5

  Neurology

  376·0

  167·1

  0·0

  1·3

  36·9

  57·1

  89·3

  13·0

  0·0

  1·2

  10·1

  Occupational Health8

  62·9

  27·2

  1·0

  0·0

  5·6

  2·7

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·2

  24·2

  Rheumatology1

  470·5

  221·9

  3·9

  10·6

  48·5

  36·2

  94·9

  17·0

  0·0

  5·6

  31·9

  Other

  189·1

  28·1

  2·6

  2·1

  10·2

  34·4

  40·2

  6·0

  0·0

  4·7

  60·8

  Paediatrics

  2,316·3

  684·8

  4·0

  6·5

  134·5

  329·8

  1,112·9

  6·0

  0·0

  3·8

  34·0

  Paediatric Neurology9

  22·8

  9·5

  0·0

  1·7

  2·0

  1·0

  8·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·6

  Accident and Emergency

  1,886·4

  196·4

  41·6

  62·1

  54·6

  78·2

  1,262·2

  6·0

  0·0

  5·9

  179·4

  General Surgery

  3,522·8

  879·3

  9·0

  13·2

  162·8

  570·7

  646·1

  1,192·5

  0·0

  9·7

  39·5

  Cardio-Thoracic Surgery

  352·5

  116·0

  0·0

  4·0

  30·0

  95·6

  96·0

  9·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·9

  Otolaryngology10

  943·3

  352·8

  5·9

  24·6

  63·4

  138·9

  282·1

  35·0

  0·0

  7·4

  33·2

  Neurosurgery

  246·1

  86·8

  0·0

  0·0

  24·4

  53·3

  73·0

  8·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·6

  Ophthalmology

  1,155·7

  407·5

  14·7

  52·3

  78·8

  122·0

  338·9

  1·0

  3·4

  6·4

  130·7

  Paediatric Surgery

  127·6

  35·6

  0·0

  0·0

  16·2

  22·5

  49·0

  4·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·3

  Plastic Surgery

  258·8

  93·4

  2·8

  1·0

  22·0

  49·2

  84·0

  1·0

  0·0

  1·1

  4·3

  Traumatic & Ortho. Surgery

  2,199·2

  696·8

  17·8

  59·5

  145·0

  386·9

  685·5

  149·3

  0·0

  7·7

  50·7

  Urology

  500·2

  205·7

  0·0

  2·8

  48·2

  82·1

  90·8

  63·0

  0·0

  1·1

  6·5

  Obstetrics and Gynaecology

  2,814·9

  736·4

  11·0

  38·1

  135·5

  510·3

  1,251·2

  5·0

  0·2

  10·6

  116·6

  Anaesthetics

  4,497·4

  1,986·3

  31·9

  125·2

  378·2

  821·7

  971·7

  2·0

  1·5

  16·5

  162·4

  Radiology

  1,552·4

  1,054·5

  1·3

  4·5

  250·1

  225·2

  4·5

  0·0

  0·0

  1·0

  11·3

  Nuclear Medicine

  38·1

  21·9

  0·0

  1·5

  6·0

  4·5

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·1

  2·1

  Radiotherapy

  451·4

  181·8

  2·8

  6·0

  59·5

  76·5

  98·2

  15·0

  0·0

  0·8

  10·8

  General Pathology

  49·5

  0·0

  0·0

  2·5

  0·0

  12·0

  31·7

  0·0

  0·0

  0·5

  2·8

  Blood Transfusion

  97·0

  32·3

  2·9

  20·7

  3·5

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  36·6

  Chemical Pathology

  263·1

  157·6

  1·0

  2·3

  55 ·3

  32·4

  13·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·1

  1·4

  Haematology

  632·4

  334·2

  6·9

  7·5

  101·5

  83·6

  63·5

  13·0

  0·0

  1·3

  20·9

  Histopathology

  839·6

  541·7

  0·0

  6·7

  135·3

  107·2

  40·2

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  7·5

  Immuno-Pathology

  44·8

  25·2

  0·0

  0·0

  10·2

  5·0

  3·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·4

  Medical Microbiology

  388·8

  239·3

  0·0

  2·1

  72·6

  54·6

  17·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  3·2

  Virology11

  13·1

  4·3

  0·0

  0·0

  5·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  2·8

  Neuropathology

  38·1

  25·5

  0·0

  0·0

  9·9

  1·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·2

  0·5

  Clinical Cytogenetics12

  4·8

  3·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·8

  Mental Illness

  3,359·8

  1,095·5

  39·2

  124·7

  292·8

  642·2

  861·1

  22·0

  0·0

  11·1

  291·2

  Child and Adol. Psychiatry

  478·1

  326·5

  0·0

  3·2

  91·9

  24·6

  13·1

  0·0

  0·6

  1·3

  16·9

  Forensic Psychiatry

  103·8

  68·4

  1·0

  5·0

  16·3

  11·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·1

  Mental Handicap

  373·7

  159·4

  4·0

  21·7

  42·8

  30·7

  10·0

  0·0

  0·0

  7·1

  98·0

  Old Age Psychiatry13

  103·3

  79·4

  2·9

  4·0

  2·0

  4·0

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·5

  8·5

  Psychotherapy

  122·5

  67·7

  0·0

  2·7

  24·1

  8·0

  13·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·5

  6·5

  Notes:

  1 In 1982 specialty of Rheumatology replaced Rheumatology and rehabilitation: Rehabilitation became a sub-specialty of General medicine.

  2 In 1987 specialty of Endocrinology renamed Diabetes and endocrinology.
  278 279
  3 New specialty introduced in 1989.

  4 In 1984 specialty of Diseases of chest renamed Thoracic medicine.

  5 New specialty introduced in 1979. Prior to 1979 staff in this specialty would usually have been included under "other".

  6 New specialty introduced in 1990.

  7 New specialty introduced in 1990.

  8 New specialty introduced in 1983. Prior to 1983 staff in this specialty would usually have been included under "other".

  9 New specialty introduced in 1980. Prior to 1980 staff in this specialty were included under Paediatrics.

  10 In 1985 specialty of Ear nose and throat renamed Otolaryngology.

  11 New specialty introduced in 1989.

  12 New specialty introduced in 1989.

  13 New specialty introduced in 1989.

  Hospital based Nursing and Midwifery1 staff in post at 30 September 1990 England

  Whole-time equivalent2

  Hospital Nursing Staff

  328,060

  Qualified

  188,770

  Senior Nurses 1-5

  570

  Senior Nurses 6-83

  —

  Tutorial Nurses

  5,240

  Other Registered

  131,410

  Enrolled Nurses

  51,550

  Learners:

  Post-Registered Student Nurses

  1,640

  Post-Enrolled Student Nurses

  1,850

  Pre-Registered Student Nurses

  46,550

  Pupil Nurses

  2,470

  Unqualified

  86,790

  Hospital Midwifery Staff

  19,490

  Qualified

  15,660

  Senior Nurses 1-5

  40

  Senior Nurses 6-83

  —

  Tutorial Midwifery Staff

  660

  Other State Certified Midwives

  14,960

  Learners: Student Midwifery

  3,820

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) annual census of National Health Service non-medical manpower.

  1 Excludes agency staff.

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

  3 It is no longer appropriate to separate registered nurses between senior nurse 6 to 8 and other registered nurses.

  31 December 1981

  31 December 1982

  31 December 1983

  31 December 1984

  31 December 1985

  31 December 1986

  31 March 1988

  31 March 1989

  31 March 1990

  31 March 1991

  Northern

  3,022

  2,938

  2,859

  2,681

  2,568

  2,478

  n/a

  n/a

  2,077

  1,957

  Yorkshire Trent

  2,966

  2,887

  2,773

  2,609

  2,567

  2,355

  n/a

  n/a

  1,980

  1,313

  Trent

  4,028

  3,882

  3,777

  3,419

  3,122

  2,820

  n/a

  n/a

  2,347

  1,760

  East Anglian

  1,470

  1,458

  1,375

  1,267

  1,184

  1,075

  n/a

  n/a

  893

  906

  North West Thames

  3,413

  3,297

  3,205

  3,085

  2,934

  2,808

  n/a

  n/a

  2,496

  2,467

  North East Thames

  2,447

  2,377

  2,318

  2,119

  1,909

  1,786

  n/a

  n/a

  1,274

  1,274

  South East Thames

  2,877

  2,743

  2,596

  2,418

  2,123

  1,843

  n/a

  n/a

  840

  1,077

  South West Thames

  5,402

  5,229

  5,030

  4,783

  4,493

  4,069

  n/a

  n/a

  2,948

  2,704

  Wessex

  2,092

  2,037

  1,932

  1,434

  1,432

  1,318

  n/a

  n/a

  1,214

  1,116

  Oxford

  1,677

  1,636

  1,582

  1,483

  1,383

  1,266

  n/a

  n/a

  853

  843

  South Western

  4,164

  4,049

  3,896

  3,184

  2821

  2,523

  n/a

  n/a

  2,314

  1,495

  West Midlands

  3,839

  3,726

  3,632

  3,342

  3,179

  2,980

  n/a

  n/a

  2,555

  2,555

  Mersey

  2,156

  2,062

  1,952

  1,828

  1,729

  1,566

  n/a

  n/a

  1,115

  921

  North Western

  3,538

  3,391

  3,256

  3,022

  2,813

  2,576

  n/a

  n/a

  2,003

  1,729

  ENGLAND

  43,091

  41,712

  40,183

  36,674

  34,259

  31,461

  n/a

  27,700

  24,909

  22,117

  Source:

  SKI2C

  KHE for 1981–1986

  HES for 1987–88 onwards

  n/a = not readily available

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health 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. Dorrell
  Payments of dowries are made under section 28A of the National Health Service Act 1977. Guidance on such payments was given to regional health authorities in HC(83)6, HC(84)9 and HC(86)11, copies of which are available in the Library. Information on dowry payments in respect of patients resettled from mental handicap hospitals is not available in the form requested. Total health authority dowry payments to local authorities for people with learning disabilities were £6.647 million in 1988–89 and £12.283 million in 1989–90.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number, for each regional health authority, of in-patient residents in health service facilities for patients with a mental handicap for each year since 1981; and what proportion of the reduction in numbers is due to discharge and what proportion due to death, for each regional health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The table shows the number of patients with learning disabilities resident in national health service hospitals and units by regional health authority. It is not possible to calculate the proportions of the reduction due to discharge and deaths as the data on admissions and discharges collected centrally do not relate to individual patients.

  Triazolam
  Dr. Goodson-Wickes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of adverse drug reaction reports, through the yellow card system for each year from 1978 to 1991 for Triazolam; and how many of these were categorised as serious.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  There have been 402 reports, of which 173 were categorised as serious. The number of reports by year is as follows:

  Year of report

  Total reports

  Serious reports

  1978

  0

  0

  1979

  50

  20

  1980

  51

  24

  1981

  48

  12

  1982

  87

  42

  1983

  41

  20

  1984

  20

  11

  1985

  19

  4

  1986

  17

  3

  1987

  21

  13

  1988

  13

  7

  1989

  7

  3

  1990

  6

  0

  1991

  22

  14

  Computerised Equipment
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many computerised tomography scanners and magnetic resonance machines are at present available to the national health service that were bought from(a) national health service funds and (b) charitable appeals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are 250 computerised tomography scanners and 30 magnetic resonance machines in use on national health service sites in the United Kingdom. Available information suggests that private donations or appeals helped towards the funding of purchase in approximately half these cases.

  Dementia and Arthritis
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health why it was decided not to include dementia and arthritis as key areas for action in his "Health of the Nation" report; and whether he proposes to ask public health directors to report on the demand for services for dementia and arthritis sufferers in their assessments of health needs.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Dementia and arthritis were not discussed and proposed in "The Health of the Nation" as areas in which health targets might be set because despite their importance they did not meet the proposed criteria for selection set out in the Green Paper. Directors of public health are already required to assess the health needs of the local population to inform their local health authority's decisions about the provision of services, including those for people suffering from dementia and arthritis. Progress in meeting needs is included in public health directors' reports to their regional health authorities and to the Department.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes he proposes to make to the cash limits for the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys for 1991–92.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimate, the cash limit for class XIII, vote 6 (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys) will be increased by £263,000 from £95,807,000 to £96,070,000. This reflects an increase in running costs provision of £263,000 in respect of the end year flexibility arrangements for running costs expenditure (the increase of public expenditure will be charged to the reserve and will not therefore add to the planning total). Increases of £250,000 in the National Health Service central register area to reduce the backlog of transactions arising from computerisation of the national health service central register earlier this year: and £66,000 for additional and continuing work on medical statistics, and an increase in capital provision of £20,000 for work on morbidity will be matched by an increase in appropriations in aid on the OPCS vote. These latter amounts will be met from within the existing resources of the Department of Health (class XIII, vote 3).

  Mr. Hayward
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what changes he proposes to make to the cash limits and running cost limit of his Department in 1991–92.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  Subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary supplementary estimates, the following changes will be made.

  The cash limits for class XIII vote 1 (Hospital, community health, family health services (part) and related services, England) will be decreased by £21,861,000 (from £16,520,699,000 to £16,498,838,000). This decrease allows for transfers to class XIII, vote 4 of £12,480,000 reflecting an increase in the NHS trusts' aggregate external financing limit and £8,214,000 following reapportionment of drug budgets; to class XIII. vote 3 of £2,000,000 for publicity in respect of deaths in infancy; £96,000 for the inquiry into still births and £24,000 for computer audit equipment; and to class XVI, vote 8 of £38,000 for the Cardiff school of occupational therapy. These reductions are partly offset by transfers from class XIII, vote 3 of £640,000 for valuation office services, £152,000 for inspection by the Medicines Control Agency; £128,000 for training purposes and £71,000 for the national external quality assessment scheme.

  The cash limit for class XIII, vote 3 (Department of Health, administration, miscellaneous health services and personal social services, England) will be decreased by £1,716.000 (from £733,429,000 to £731,713,000). This reduction allows for transfers to class XIV, vote 4 of £819,000 for accommodation of the artificial eye service; to class XIII, vote 1 totalling £991,000 as mentioned above; to class XVIII, vote 1 of £65,000 for Chessington computer centre and to class XVI, vote 7 of £11,000 for inspections by the Medicines Control Agency. Savings totalling £2,000,000 are also made from departmental administration capital. These decreases are partly offset by transfers from class XIII, vote 1 of £2,120,000 as mentioned above; and from class XIV, vote 4 of £50,000 for the Departmental Records Office.
  283
  The provision for running costs on class XIII, vote 3 and the Department's running cost limit is decreased by £15,000 from £252,921,000 to £252,906,000.

  North West Thames Regional Health Authority
  Mr. Soley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to satisfy himself that there has been proper management of the finance and payroll computer systems in the North West Thames regional health authority; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  All national health service finance and payroll systems are subject to statutory external audit.

  Free Prescriptions
  Mr. Rooney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to extend the list of illnesses qualifying for free prescriptions to include (a) cancer sufferers taking Tamoxifen and (b) other illnesses.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Exemption from prescription charges on medical grounds is linked to specified medical conditions, rather than to particular treatments. There are no plans to change this policy or to extend the list of medical conditions which currently attract free prescriptions.

  Existing, wide-ranging exemption arrangements, underpinned by the separate scheme for remission on grounds of low income and the prescription prepayment certificate scheme, ensure that no one need forego any necessary medication on financial grounds. Less than one item in five dispensed in the national health service currently attracts a charge.

  Personal Social Services
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will issue a clear exposition on the levels of service which can be expected by recipients of personal social services;

  (2) what is his policy with regard to the principle of equity of access to personal social services;

  (3) what steps he takes to measure outcomes in the provision of personal social services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  It is for local authorities to determine the appropriate level of services based on their judgment of local needs and priorities and on available resources, and to monitor implementation. Their published community care plans should make clear the level of services they expect to provide.

  The Department is committed to funding longer term research to evaluate the new community care arrangements, including the assessment of outcomes for users and carers.

  The standard spending assessment for personal social services represents the Government's view of the appropriate level of spending required to achieve a standard level of service, and thus ensures that the Government's contribution to local government is targeted on areas with greatest need.

  Community Nurses
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what is his policy on charging for community health nurse services.
  284
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  National health service community health services are provided free of charge.

  Cook-Chill Catering
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what evaluation has been undertaken into the value for money of expenditure by district health authorities on cook-chill catering units.

  Mr. Dorrell
  It is the responsibility of individual health authorities to assess and evaluate proposals for the introduction of cook-chill catering locally. They are also expected to evaluate a unit's performance against agreed standards as an integral part of the process of assessing value for money within the national health service.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he is monitoring the local implementation of the Children Act 1989 and National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990 against local authorities' own definitions of need or a national notional norm; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Department has been discussing with the local authority associations and voluntary child care organisations how best to monitor implementation of the Children Act in respect of services to children in need as defined by section 17(10) of the Children Act. This will form part of the Department's strategy for monitoring implementation of the Children Act overall. The implementation of "Caring for People" is being monitored by regional health authorities and the regional social services inspectorate on the basis of the progress review issues document issued in June 1991.

  National Health Service Trusts (Purchasing)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what directions have been given to trusts with regard to central purchasing arrangements;

  (2) what proposals he has to restructure central purchasing arrangements within the national health service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The National Health Service Supplies Authority was established as a special health authority on 1 October 1991 to provide a comprehensive national supplies service for all national health service units throughout England. Over the next few months it will take over the supplies services currently provided by regional and district health authorities and will operate through a central headquarters and six operating divisions. All national health service units including trusts, will be encouraged to negotiate a service contract with the appropriate division of the authority for the range of supplies services each will require, in expectation of securing best value for money. Trusts will be free to manage their own supplies service but would be expected to demonstrate continuing value for money if they choose to do so.

  Elderly People (Nursing Care)
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the role of the national health service in providing long-term nursing care of the elderly, and on the circumstances under which private
  285
  nursing care or private, voluntary or local authority residential care should be used; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The role of the national health service in providing long-term nursing care is clearly set out in the White Paper "Caring for People" (Cm. 849) at paragraphs 4.19-4.22. Health authorities may make use of private nursing homes or nursing services as they see fit in the light of local circumstances and priorities and available resources. Similarly, it is for local authorities to decide whether to provide accommodation in their own homes or to arrange residential care in the independent sector for those who are in need of residential care.

  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many national health service patients over retirement age have been discharged directly into(a) private nursing homes, (b) voluntary nursing homes, (c) private care homes, (d) voluntary care homes and (e) local authority part III accommodation for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Dorrell
  This information is not available centrally.

  Health and Social Care
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken to ensure that there is consistency between the statistical information available nationally for planning both health care and social care.

  Mr. Dorrell
  A wide range of information supports the Department's planning, including demographic and census statistics as well as data relating to the NHS and local authority social services. The need for consistency is well established as a key consideration in the design of national collection systems. Mechanisms exist to formulate consistent central information requirements in both health and social services.

  Home Helps
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has on the prevalence of local authorities redefining their criteria for access to home help/home care services.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  This information is not collected centrally. We understand that some local authorities have revised their criteria.

  Care Budget
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what account will be taken of geographical variations when the care element of the social security budget for private and voluntary residential nursing care is transferred to local authorities.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Decisions about the distribution of the transfer from the Department of Social Security to individual local authorities will be taken later this year following discussions with the local authority associations.

  Westwood Hospital
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has about the plans to build a 50-bed bungalow-type hospital in the grounds of Westwood hospital.
  286
  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1992]: There are no such plans. I understand that Bradford health authority is consulting Bradford community health council about its plans for the development of local services for people with learning disabilities.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what analysis he has received of local opinion on the proposal to close Westwood hospital in Bradford; if he will summarise the opinion; and if he will place copies of the analysis in the Library.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1992]: We have received no analysis of local opinion regarding the closure of Westwood hospital.

  Bradford health authority is currently consulting Bradford community health council about its plans for developing services for people with learning disabilities.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when Bradford Health announced its proposal to close Westwood hospital in Bradford; over what period the local community was consulted about the proposal; what consideration he has given to the proposal; and when he intends to announce whether he approves the closure proposal.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1992] : Bradford health authority conducted a full public consultation between August and November 1990 on their proposals for the development of services for people with learning disabilities including the future role of Westwood hospital. These proposals have not been referred to Ministers.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will undertake to visit Westwood hospital, Bradford, to meet the local community before reaching a decision on the future of the hospital.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1992] : No such proposal has been referred to my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for a decision.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what public consultation has been conducted in Bradford over the proposal to close Westwood hospital; and what representations he has received about the consultation process.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1992] : Bradford health conducted a full public consultation between August and November 1990 on its proposals for the development of services for people with learning disabilities including the future role of Westwood hospital. They are now consulting Bradford community health council for the next phase of these plans. We have received a number of representations about Westwood hospital from the hon. Members for Bradford, West and for Bradford, South (Mr Cryer) and a number of local residents.

  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will describe the normal procedure applied to any proposal to close a hospital; and the circumstances in which he is required to approve a proposal to close a hospital; and whether this normal procedure has been applied to the proposal by Bradford Health to close Westwood hospital.
  287
  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 28 January 1992] : The procedure for the closure of hospitals is contained in the Community Health Councils Regulations 1985 (as amended). The regulations provide for formal local consultation, including the appropriate community health council, (CHC) for any significant change in hospital and community health services. If local agreement cannot be achieved, the proposals must be referred to the regional health authority who may reject them or forward them for consideration by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State. In the case of services for people with learning disabilities, Bradford health authority has confirmed that it will consult with the CHC and other interested parties on its proposals including final closure and disposal of the hospital.

SCOTLAND

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list, by staff grade and specialty, the number of full-time equivalent medical and nursing posts available to health service hospitals in 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991.

  Table 1

  Hospital medical and dental staff: by grade1 and speciality at 30 September 1991 (provisional)

  Whole time equivalent

  Speciality

  Total WTE

  Cons

  ASSP

  Staff grade

  Senior REG

  REG

  SHO

  House OFF

  All specialties

  5,705·1

  2,159·6

  151·4

  30·8

  381·8

  977·5

  1,395·0

  611·0

  Surgical specialties

  1,362·9

  448·5

  40·1

  2·6

  67·8

  262·8

  256·1

  285·0

  Cardiothoracic surgery

  42·1

  16·1

  0·0

  0·0

  1·0

  8·0

  14·0

  3·0

  ENT surgery

  124·9

  49·3

  6·0

  2·0

  7·0

  30·6

  29·0

  1·0

  General surgery

  603·5

  149·0

  9·5

  0·0

  20·8

  99·6

  92·1

  235·5

  Neurosurgery

  34·4

  13·2

  0·0

  0·0

  2·0

  7·2

  8·0

  4·0

  Opthalmology

  144·6

  65·6

  10·8

  0·6

  10·0

  30·6

  27·0

  0·0

  Orthopaedics

  281·5

  102·1

  12·8

  0·0

  17·0

  63·6

  61·0

  25·0

  Plastic surgery

  39·5

  12·0

  0·0

  0·0

  3·0

  11·0

  9·0

  4·5

  Surgical Paediatrics

  32·9

  8·9

  0·0

  0·0

  2·0

  5·0

  9·0

  8·0

  Urology

  59·5

  32·3

  1·0

  0·0

  5·0

  11·2

  6·0

  4·0

  Accident and emergency

  205·3

  21·0

  3·0

  2·7

  6·6

  8·0

  164·0

  0·0

  Anaesethics

  581·3

  295·9

  17·5

  3·0

  43·7

  97·0

  124·2

  0·0

  Medical specialties

  1,723·1

  547·7

  21·0

  6·2

  97·8

  266·8

  489·6

  294·0

  Communicable diseases

  47·9

  17·0

  1·3

  1·6

  2·0

  5·0

  16·0

  5·0

  Dermatology

  76·4

  33·1

  3·5

  0·6

  8·4

  13·8

  17·0

  0·0

  Cardiology

  45·3

  18·9

  0·0

  0·0

  0·6

  17·8

  8·0

  0·0

  Clinical pharmacy and therapeutics

  13·9

  8·3

  0·0

  0·0

  1·8

  1·8

  2·0

  0·0

  Endocrin and diabetes

  8·7

  5·0

  0·8

  0·0

  0·4

  1·5

  0·0

  1·0

  Gastro-enterology

  19·3

  4·6

  0·0

  0·0

  2·0

  8·7

  2·0

  2·0

  General medicine

  740·7

  176·6

  1·5

  0·0

  34·2

  88·6

  173·8

  266·0

  Homeopathy

  4·0

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  2·0

  0·0

  Medical oncology

  18·1

  10·1

  0·0

  0·0

  2·6

  3·4

  2·0

  0·0

  Nephrology

  28·2

  10·6

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  9·0

  7·6

  0·0

  Rheumatology

  26·1

  10·9

  0·0

  0·0

  1·5

  7·7

  3·0

  3·0

  Genito-urinary medicine

  23·0

  12·0

  2·0

  0·0

  5·0

  3·0

  1·0

  0·0

  Geriatric medicine

  221·3

  80·8

  7·7

  1·0

  13·2

  20·0

  95·6

  3·0

  Medical paediatrics

  265·0

  73·4

  2·0

  0·0

  13·5

  53·5

  122·6

  0·0

  Neurology

  34·5

  18·5

  0·0

  0·0

  3·0

  9·0

  4·0

  0·0

  Palliative medicine

  6·0

  1·3

  0·7

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  3·0

  0·0

  Radiotherapy

  55·5

  28·5

  0·0

  0·0

  3·0

  9·0

  15·0

  0·0

  Rehabilitation medicine

  16·1

  6·6

  1·5

  1·0

  2·0

  2·0

  3·0

  0·0

  Respiratory medicine

  73·1

  29·5

  0·0

  1·0

  3·6

  13·0

  12·0

  14·0

  Dental specialties

  184·3

  65·1

  16·3

  2·0

  14·4

  36·5

  18·0

  32·0

  Oral surgery

  71·4

  19·6

  10·2

  0·0

  5·2

  14·4

  15·0

  7·0

  Oral medicine

  9·9

  4·5

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  4·4

  0·0

  1·0

  Orthodontics

  38·2

  29·7

  1·0

  2·0

  3·0

  5·0

  0·0

  4·5

  Paediatric dentistry

  11·1

  2·9

  1·5

  0·0

  0·6

  1·6

  1·0

  3·5

  Restorative dentistry

  53·7

  15·4

  3·6

  0·0

  5·6

  11·1

  2·0

  16·0

  288
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information is not available in the form requested. Data on the number (whole time equivalent) of hospital doctors and nurses in post in 1976, 1981 and 1986 are, however, contained in the appropriate editions of "Scottish Health Statistics"', copies of which are available in the Library.

  Provisional figures for September 1991 are shown in the tables.

  1 Scottish health statistics:

  1976: tables 9.5 and 9.10-9.14

  1981: tables 9.10 and 9.12

  1986: tables 9.8 and 9.12

  Notes:

  1. Consultants and associate specialists holding maximum part-time contracts are counted as 1.0 WTE (except in 1976 tables).

  2. The standard working week for nurses changed from 40 to 37·5 hours in 1980.

  289

  Speciality

  Total WTE

  Cons

  ASSP

  Staff grade

  Senior REG

  REG

  SHO

  House OFF

  Obstetrics and gynaecology

  413·8

  123·7

  6·1

  2·0

  22·1

  87·9

  172·0

  0·0

  Psychiatric specialties

  608·2

  268·3

  24·5

  8·5

  50·3

  108·1

  148·5

  0·0

  Child and Ad psychiatry

  48·6

  36·4

  0·5

  0·0

  8·2

  3·5

  0·0

  0·0

  Forensic psychiatry

  10·9

  9·9

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Mental handicap

  23·6

  13·0

  5·6

  1·0

  3·0

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  General psychiatry

  504·3

  194·8

  17·4

  7·5

  36·5

  103·6

  144·5

  0·0

  Psychotherapy

  12·0

  8·4

  0·0

  0·0

  1·6

  1·0

  1·0

  0·0

  Old age psychiatry

  8·8

  5·8

  0·0

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  2·0

  0·0

  Laboratory and support specialties

  617·4

  380·6

  22·9

  3·8

  78·1

  110·4

  21·6

  0·0

  Blood transfusion

  27·0

  12·2

  7·0

  1·8

  1·0

  5·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Clinical chemistry

  43·3

  25·5

  1·8

  0·0

  9·0

  5·0

  2·0

  0·0

  Clinical genetics

  12·8

  4·2

  1·0

  0·0

  3·2

  4·4

  0·0

  0·0

  Haematology

  85·8

  43·8

  5·0

  0·0

  7·1

  20·3

  9·6

  0·0

  Immunology

  3·2

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·6

  0·6

  1·0

  0·0

  Microbiology

  66·9

  45·2

  0·5

  2·0

  8·6

  9·6

  1·0

  0·0

  Nuclear medicine

  2·0

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Pathology

  151·1

  95·3

  7·3

  0·0

  20·4

  20·1

  8·0

  0·0

  Diagnostic radiology

  214·6

  147·9

  0·3

  0·0

  22·0

  44·4

  0·0

  0·0

  Virology

  10·7

  4·5

  0·0

  0·0

  5·2

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Occupational health

  10·8

  8·8

  0·0

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  1·0

  0·0

  1 Includes honorary appointments.

  Excludes the grades SHMO, SMDO, Limited Specialist, Hosp Practitioner and Para 94/107 appointments.

  Table 2: Hospital nursing staff: by qualification status, grade and field of employment: at 30 September 1991 (provisional)

  Whole-time equivalent

  Total

  Administration

  Acute

  Midwifery

  Mental illness

  Mental handicap

  Care of elderly

  Paediatric

  All hospital nursing staff

  56,196·7

  10·0

  25,341·3

  4,191·6

  11,744·8

  3,863·9

  9,425·4

  1,619·7

  Qualified

  29,879·6

  10·0

  13,531·4

  2,670·6

  6,200·4

  1,629·7

  4,846·6

  990·9

  Management

  132·8

  10·0

  106·8

  1·0

  11·0

  4·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Director of nursing services

  5·0

  0·0

  1·0

  1·0

  2·0

  1·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Senior nurse manager—level 1

  23·0

  0·0

  23·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Senior nurse manager—other

  77·8

  0·0

  77·8

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Protected grades

  25·0

  10·0

  5·0

  0·0

  7·0

  3·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Other

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Clinical grades

  29,746·8

  0·0

  13,424·6

  2,669·6

  6,189·4

  1,625·7

  4,846·6

  990·9

  Scale I

  401·4

  0·0

  174·5

  44·0

  88·9

  29·0

  51·0

  14·0

  Scale H

  507·7

  0·0

  258·3

  59·9

  84·7

  26·0

  58·9

  19·9

  Scale G

  4,058·3

  0·0

  1,786·5

  557·0

  785·2

  223·4

  596·0

  110·2

  Scale F

  2,649·5

  0·0

  906·9

  736·2

  453·3

  132·3

  322·3

  98·5

  Scale E

  11,047·8

  0·0

  5,289·6

  1,168·5

  2,138·1

  506·3

  1,433·5

  511·8

  Scale D

  8,360·7

  0·0

  3,658·7

  49·7

  2,203·2

  644·1

  1,625·9

  179·1

  Scale C

  2,719·4

  0·0

  1,350·1

  54·3

  434·0

  64·6

  759·0

  57·4

  Other

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  In training

  9,899·7

  0·0

  7,101·7

  656·0

  1,514·3

  390·7

  0·0

  237·0

  Student midwife

  656·0

  0·0

  0·0

  656·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Student nurse

  9,007·7

  0·0

  6,867·7

  0·0

  1,512·3

  390·7

  0·0

  237·0

  Pupil nurse

  236·0

  0·0

  234·0

  0·0

  2·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  Unqualified

  16,417·4

  0·0

  4,708·2

  865·0

  4,030·1

  1,843·5

  4,578·8

  391·8

  Auxiliary nurse C

  9·0

  0·0

  0·0

  2·6

  4·0

  0·0

  2·4

  0·0

  Auxiliary nurse B

  921·6

  0·0

  96·8

  7·1

  293·0

  428·7

  71·6

  24·4

  Auxiliary nurse A

  15,252·6

  0·0

  4,611·4

  741·8

  3,733·1

  1,403·4

  4,504·8

  258·1

  Nursery nurse

  234·2

  0·0

  0·0

  113·5

  0·0

  11·4

  0·0

  109·3

  Mental Handicap
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland 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.
  290
  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information requested, for the period since the 1974 reorganisation of the health service, is given in the table:
  291

  Health board

  Hospital

  Assets disposed of

  Date of disposal

  Proceeds from disposals (£)

  Argyll and Clyde

  Caldwell Hospital, Uplawmoor

  Hospital property

  1989

  180,000·00

  Broadfield Hospital, Port Glasgow

  Hospital property

  1988

  459,845·00

  Fife

  Glenlomond Hospital, by Kinross

  Glenlomond Hospital Farm

  1985

  83,442·12

  House at Glenlomond Farm

  1986

  9,400·00

  Glenlomond Hospital property

  1988

  325,555·00

  Tayside

  Murthly Hospital

  Hospital property

  1988

  359,695·60

  Strathmartine Craigmill House

  Craigmill House property

  1990

  66,551·09

  Individual health boards are able to retain proceeds from the disposals they achieve — currently at the rate of 80 per cent. with the balance being allocated by the management executive to benefit the NHS capital programme.

  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the revenue expenditure of each health board on health service facilities for patients with a mental handicap for each year since 1981, in cash terms and at 1991 prices.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  This information is not held centrally.

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what studies have been conducted, or are under way, into the administrative workloads of doctors, nurses and clinical staff in the professions associated with medicine; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No studies which address the administrative workloads of these staff groups have been undertaken or are planned in Scotland.

  Bank of Credit and Commerce International
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will detail his reasons for not allowing those local authorities which have incurred losses as a result of the BCCI affair to treat the sums involved as capital projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The accounting treatment of its BCCI loss is a matter for each local authority concerned to agree with its auditors.

  Farming Policy
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he will next meet the Scottish TUC to discuss farming policy.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  My right hon. Friend has no plans at present to meet the Scottish TUC.

  Cash Limits
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he proposes to make any changes to the cash limits for 1991–92 within his responsibility.

  Mr. Lang
  Yes, subject to parliamentary approval of the necessary estimates, I intend to make changes to nine cash limits:(a) The cash limit for class XV, vote 2: agricultural services and fisheries, Scotland, will be increased by £963,000
  292
  from £98,288,000 to £99,251,000. The increase in provision is required to meet an unexpected shortfall in appropriations in aid from disposals of property, higher than estimated commitments at the Scottish Agricultural college, increased provision for pensions and higher than anticipated demand under a number of grant schemes. These extra requirements are partly offset by savings elsewhere in the vote due to reduced demand under other grant schemes. The increase will be offset by taking up £543,000 end-year flexibility on capital spending and the balance of £420,000 forms part of the £578,000 reduction in the cash limit of class XV, vote 20, Scottish Office administration from £140,408,000 to £139,830,000.
  (b) The cash limit for class XV, vote 7, housing. Scotland, will be increased by £ 7,690,000 from £499,608,000 to £507,298,000. Of this increase £7,545,000, to Scottish Homes' grant in aid, will assist housing associations in the acquisition of local authority and new town development corporation housing stock. The remainder will meet the costs of further publicity on the rent-to-mortgage scheme and the provision of advice on housing matters.
  (c) The cash limit on class XV, vote 13, law, order and miscellaneous health services, Scotland, will be increased by £4,455,000 from £213,464,000 to £ 217,919,000. This increase will be offset by a reduction in the SO/LA1 cash block. The increased provision is required to cover additional costs in the administration of legal aid by the Scottish Legal Aid Board and to meet the costs of the investigations into war crimes and the Lockerbie air disaster. The remaining additional provision will cover the costs arising from the Orkney judicial inquiry, for social work offender services and miscellaneous health services.
  (d) The cash limit for class XV, vote 14, education, arts and libraries, Scotland, will be reduced by £1,000,000 from £222,963,000 to £221,963,000. This reduction, due to slippage in major capital projects, will partly offset increases in other votes.
  (e) The cash limit for class XV, vote 17, Scottish Record Office, will he reduced by £225,000 from £3,772,000 to £3,547,000. This reduction is due to slippage in a major capital project and will partly offset increased provision in other votes.
  (f) The cash limit for class XV, vote 18, General Register Office for Scotland, will be reduced by £1,200,000 from £13,812,000 to £12,612,000. The bulk of this reduction arises front savings made in the costs of running the 1991 census and will partly offset increased provision in other votes.
  (g) The cash limit for class XV, vote 20, Scottish Office administration, will be reduced by £578,000 from £140,908,000 to £140,330,000. This reduction will offset increases in capital and running cost provision in other votes. The running cost limit for the Scottish Office is unchanged.
  (h) The cash limit for class XV, vote 26, hospital, community health, family health (part) and other health services, Scotland, will be reduced by £3,239,000 from £2,355,487,000 to £2,352,248,000. This reduction partly offsets increases in other votes.
  (i) In addition the cash block SO/LA1, which covers non-housing capital expenditure by local authorities, will be reduced by £8,700,000 from £551,650,000 to £ 542,950,000. This reduction will partly offset increases in other votes.
  (j) The non-voted cash block SO/LA2, which covers net capital allocation to local authorities on new town capital expenditure will be reduced by £7,690,000 from £343,496,000 to £335,806,000. This will partly offset increases in other votes.
  293
  All the increases mentioned will be offset by savings or charged to the reserve and therefore will not increase the planned total of public expenditure.

  Electoral Registration
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the latest estimates by the Registrar General of Populations of those aged 17 years and over, plus 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years, for each district council area and parliamentary constituency in Scotland, together in each case with the equivalent year's electoral registration figures.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 5 February 1992] : The information requested is given in the tables. For clarity of presentation, the first table includes figures for regions and islands areas and the whole of Scotland. The population figures in Table B have been prepared by a method that involves a certain degree of approximation and therefore they must be treated with some caution.

  Table A: Local Government Areas

  Local government area

  Estimate of Population aged 17 and over plus 63 Per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1990)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1991 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1990)

  Scotland

  4,055,954

  3,914,590

  Borders Region

  83,845

  83,378

  Berwickshire

  15,441

  15,259

  Ettrick and Lauderdale

  27,567

  27,400

  Roxburgh

  28,595

  28,499

  Tweeddale

  12,242

  12,220

  Central Region

  215,986

  210,222

  Clackmannan

  37,094

  36,715

  Falkirk

  113,552

  110,223

  Stirling

  65,340

  63,284

  Dumfries and Galloway Region

  119,029

  116,094

  Annandale and Eskdale

  29,621

  29,264

  Nithsdale

  46,065

  44,230

  Stewartry

  18,992

  18,919

  Wigtown

  24,351

  23,681

  Fife Region

  273,336

  263,680

  Dunfermline

  101,428

  95,900

  Kirkcaldy

  115,892

  114,329

  North East Fife

  56,016

  53,451

  Grampian Region

  401,190

  390,495

  Aberdeen City

  172,460

  168,296

  Banff and Buchan

  66,393

  64,136

  Gordon

  56,466

  56,167

  Kincardine and Deeside

  39,483

  38,539

  Moray

  66,388

  63,357

  Highland Region

  159,472

  155,142

  Badenoch and Strathspey

  8,986

  8,944

  Caithness

  20,817

  20,616

  Inverness

  49,494

  47,232

  Lochaber

  14,703

  14,545

  Nairn

  8,185

  8,140

  Ross and Cromarty

  37,517

  36,188

  Skye and Lochalsh

  9,249

  8,973

  Sutherland

  10,521

  10,504

  Lothian Region

  607,502

  591,083

  East Lothian

  69,581

  67,216

  294

  Local government area

  Estimate of Population aged 17 and over plus 63 per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1990)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1991 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1990)

  Edinburgh City

  358,377

  352,219

  Midlothian

  64,514

  60,873

  West Lothian

  115,030

  110,775

  Strathclyde Region

  1,823,260

  1,747,763

  Argyll and Bute

  51,929

  48,068

  Bearsden and Milngavie

  33,224

  31,550

  Clydebank

  37,692

  35,414

  Clydesdale

  45,836

  44,118

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  48,547

  46,895

  Cumnock and Doon Valley

  33,910

  33,334

  Cunninghame

  107,007

  105,118

  Dumbarton

  61,509

  57,730

  East Kilbride

  66,385

  64,365

  Eastwood

  48,799

  46,420

  Glasgow City

  551,285

  524,706

  Hamilton

  82,804

  80,750

  Inverclyde

  74,131

  71,158

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  63,618

  62,513

  Kyle and Carrick

  91,529

  88,787

  Monklands

  80,606

  78,113

  Motherwell

  114,673

  109,290

  Renfrew

  159,659

  155,286

  Strathkelvin

  70,117

  64,148

  Tayside Region

  316,134

  302,305

  Angus

  75,577

  72,367

  Dundee City

  138,590

  133,985

  Perth and Kinross

  101,967

  95,953

  Orkney Islands Area

  15,369

  15,206

  Shetland Islands Area

  16,856

  16,149

  Western Isles Islands Area

  23,975

  23,073

  Table B: Parliamentary Constituencies

  Parliamentary Constituency

  Estimate of Population aged 17 and over Plus 63 Per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1990)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1991 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1990)

  Aberdeen North

  61,700

  60,219

  Aberdeen South

  60,100

  58,681

  Angus East

  65,400

  62,769

  Argyll and Bute

  51,900

  48,068

  Ayr

  68,200

  66,126

  Banff and Buchan

  66,400

  64,136

  Caithness and Sutherland

  31,300

  31,120

  Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley

  57,300

  55,999

  Central Fife

  57,100

  56,307

  Clackmannan

  49,900

  49,140

  Clydebank and Milngavie

  50,800

  47,861

  Clydesdale

  64,500

  62,325

  Cumbernauld and Kilsyth

  48,500

  46,895

  Cunninghame North

  56,400

  55,390

  Cunninghame South

  50,600

  49,728

  Dumbarton

  61,500

  57,730

  Dumfries

  62,900

  61,235

  Dundee East

  61,000

  58,935

  295

  Parliamentary constituency

  Estimate of Population aged 17 and over Plus 63 Per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1990)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1991 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1990)

  Dundee West

  62,300

  60,218

  Dunfermline East

  53,000

  50,369

  Dunfermline West

  54,100

  51,186

  East Kilbride

  66,400

  64,365

  East Lothian

  69,600

  67,223

  Eastwood

  67,200

  64,276

  Edinburgh Central

  57,000

  56,048

  Edinburgh East

  47,600

  46,800

  Edinburgh Leith

  58,400

  57,415

  Edinburgh Pentlands

  57,400

  56,453

  Edinburgh South

  62,800

  61,682

  Edinburgh West

  61,600

  60,556

  Falkirk East

  53,900

  52,307

  Falkirk West

  52,000

  50,479

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  56,100

  54,855

  Glasgow Cathcart

  48,200

  45,835

  Glasgow Central

  51,300

  48,862

  Glasgow Garscadden

  44,400

  42,270

  Glasgow Govan

  49,100

  46,720

  Glasgow Hillhead

  58,800

  56,003

  Glasgow Maryhill

  50,800

  48,393

  Glasgow Pollok

  49,600

  47,206

  Glasgow Provan

  39,800

  37,838

  Glasgow Rutherglen

  56,500

  53,777

  Glasgow Shettleston

  54,800

  52,129

  Glasgow Springburn

  48,200

  45,873

  Gordon

  79,300

  78,438

  Greenock and Port Glasgow

  55,500

  53,267

  Hamilton

  64,100

  62,543

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  70,900

  68,848

  Kilmarnock and Loudoun

  63,600

  62,513

  Kincardine and Deeside

  67,300

  65,660

  Kirkcaldy

  53,100

  52,419

  Linlithgow

  64,000

  61,812

  Livingston

  64,300

  62,070

  Midlothian

  64,500

  60,875

  Monklands East

  50,800

  49,226

  Monklands West

  53,000

  50,132

  Moray

  66,400

  63,357

  Motherwell North

  61,100

  58,215

  Motherwell South

  53,800

  51,236

  North East Fife

  56,000

  53,399

  North Tayside

  58,300

  55,252

  Orkney and Shetland

  32,200

  31,355

  Paisley North

  49,100

  47,770

  Paisley South

  50,500

  49,091

  Perth and Kinross

  69,100

  65,135

  Renfrew West and Inverclyde

  60,300

  58,460

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  57,300

  55,174

  Roxburgh and Berwickshire

  44,000

  43,758

  Stirling

  60,200

  58,296

  Strathkelvin and Bearsden

  66,800

  61,806

  296

  Parliamentary Constituency

  Estimate of Population aged 17 and over Plus 63 Per cent. of 16 year olds (as at 30 June 1990)

  Parliamentary electors on the 1991 electoral registers (qualifying date 10 October 1990)

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  39,800

  39,608

  Western Isles

  24,000

  23,073

  Boarding Schools
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) for each local education authority and (b) by location, the current state-owned boarding schools and the pupil establishment for each school.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 29 January 1992]: There are no boarding schools, in the generally understood sense of the term, under education authority management in Scotland.

  Training
  Mr. Nigel Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the average payment made to training managers for individual trainees on (i) youth training and (ii) employment training by Glasgow development agency last year and for the most recent date available.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 3 February 1992]: Payments to training providers for individual trainees on youth training and employment training within Glasgow are a matter for Glasgow development agency.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Beith
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what will be the sum of the precepts of the spending authorities on the collecting authorities in Scotland in 1992–93, on the assumption that local authorities spend at their standard spending assessment; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: The precept system does not apply in Scotland where each local authority sets its own community charge.

  East Kilbride Development Corporation
  Mr. Ingram
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list those organisations and individuals who responded to the consultation process in the wind-up of East Kilbride development corporation.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 4 February 1992]: Responses were received from the following organisations:

  East Kilbride Development Corporation

  Strathclyde Regional Council

  East Kilbride District Council

  Glasgow District Council

  Scottish Enterprise

  Lanarkshire Development Agency

  Scottish Homes

  National and Local Government Officers Association

  East Kilbride Business Centre

  BOTTLED WATER: QUALITY
  BOTTLED WATER: QUALITY
  PLANNING APPLICATIONS: COMPULSORY PUBLICITY
  PLANNING APPLICATIONS: COMPULSORY PUBLICITY
  DERELICT LAND GRANT PROGRAMME: RESOURCES
  DERELICT LAND GRANT PROGRAMME: RESOURCES
  HORSE GUARDS PARADE
  HORSE GUARDS PARADE
  AIRCRAFT NOISE MONITORING SYSTEMS: INSTALLATION
  AIRCRAFT NOISE MONITORING SYSTEMS: INSTALLATION
  EC MEETINGS
  EC MEETINGS
  ORTON AND VERA CHIRWA
  ORTON AND VERA CHIRWA
  ARMS SALES EMBARGOES
  ARMS SALES EMBARGOES
  NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
  NUCLEAR NON-PROLIFERATION
  FIJI: UK MILITARY TRAINING
  FIJI: UK MILITARY TRAINING
  IRAQ: SUSPECT NUCLEAR FACILITIES
  IRAQ: SUSPECT NUCLEAR FACILITIES
  SCHOOLS: CAPITAL EXPENDITURE
  SCHOOLS: CAPITAL EXPENDITURE