Written Answers of 19 February 1992

TRANSPORT

  Merchant Shipping
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the tonnage of cargo carried by merchant ships owned and registered in the United Kingdom for each year since 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information available relates to imports to, and exports from, the United Kingdom.

  Weight of cargo carried in United Kingdom-registered ships imported to, or exported from, the United Kingdom: 1979–1990

  Year

  ('000 tonnes)

  1979

  72,870

  1980

  78,534

  1981

  67,943

  1982

  67,842

  1983

  59,306

  1984

  63,038

  1985

  65,796

  1986

  62,655

  1987

  65,547

  1988

  60,693

  1989

  60,338

  1990

  53,982

  These statistics exclude:
  tonnage carried in United Kingdom owned ships, which are not registered in the United Kingdom, and
  tonnage carried in United Kingdom registered ships engaged in non-United Kingdom trade.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the number of merchant ships owned and registered in the United Kingdom for each year since 1979.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The information requested is given in the table:

  United Kingdom owned and registered training vessels (500 grt and over): 1979–1991 (end-December)

  Number

  1979

  1,194

  1980

  1,143

  1981

  994

  1982

  868

  1983

  769

  1984

  690

  1985

  627

  1986

  496

  1987

  462

  1988

  437

  1989

  407

  1990

  378

  1991

  370

  Trunk Road Construction
  Mr. Prescott
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which trunk road building schemes are planned to receive Government expenditure in the years(a) 1993–94, (b) 1994–95 and (c) 1995–96; and how much each scheme will cost in total.

  Mr. Rifkind
  Trunk road building schemes which will incur works expenditure by Government in the three years from 1993–94 to 1995–96 comprise schemes already under construction at the start of 1993–94, and new starts during each of the three years.

  I shall be announcing shortly new starts for 1992–93. The composition of new starts in subsequent years will depend on progress with statutory procedures and the availability of funds in those years.

  Total provision for new construction is currently £1,395 million in 1992–93, £1,477 million in 1993–94 and £1,511 million in 1994–95.

  Ship Brokers
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how much his Department paid in fees or salary for each of the last three years in respect of(a) the Government freight market representative on the Baltic exchange, (b) the Government freight agent and (c) other specialist ship brokers.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Government freight market representative received no payments from the Department. Payments were made to the Government freight agent (GFA) in respect of freight forwarding and shipping services for the movement of Government cargoes by land, sea and air. These totalled £1,919,145 and £1,514,812 during the years 1988–89 and 1989–90 respectively. Since 1 January 1990, the Ministry of Defence has been responsible for the appointment of the GFA. This Department has made no payments to other specialised ship brokers.

  Port Buy-out Bids
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to bids for management buy-outs in respect of the trust ports of Medway and Tilbury.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  It will be for Medway ports authority and the Port of London authority, once they have received the final bids for their ports, including those expected from management and employee buy-out teams, to assess them against the objectives of sale agreed for each port and to make their recommendations to my right hon. and learned Friend, who will then consider them.

  Lorry and Bus Drivers
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what further steps he is taking to improve the training offered to learner lorry and bus drivers.

  Mr. Chope
  I am pleased to say that the Driving Standards Agency, an executive agency of the Department of Transport, today issued a consultation paper to over 100 organisations concerned with driver training and road safety on a draft syllabus for trainee lorry and bus drivers.
  149
  The syllabus will be published later this year, along with guidance on the lorry and bus driving test, and will provide the basis for a structured programme of training. By reference to the syllabus such drivers will be able to confirm the standard of driving they are receiving and check for themselves their training programme and progress.

  British Rail, Scotland
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will state the proposed capital expenditure plans for British Rail in Scotland for each of the next five years.

  Mr. Freeman
  BR keeps only limited historic information on investment on a geographic basis. There is no information on rolling stock investment, and as BR plans on a business sector basis there is no information for future years.

  Aviation Services
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made by EC member states towards providing for a single market in aviation services by the end of 1992, with respect in particular to the abolition of bilateral air servicing agreements and to the permitting of cross border investment by one airline in another.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Good progress is being made. The third and final stage of EC air transport liberalisation measures is under negotiation in Brussels and is due to take effect by 1 Janaury 1993. Air services between and

  Name

  Owner

  Date of registration1

  Date of last inspection

  Aberdonian

  Nomis Shipping Ltd.

  1977

  3 December 1991

  Alexandra Tide

  Tidewater Marine

  January 1974

  20 December 1991

  Anegada

  Knight/Carvel

  May 1962

  11 July 1991

  Atlantic Defender

  Swire Pacific

  1979

  2 December 1991

  Atlantic Guardian

  Swire Pacific

  1980

  20 December 1991

  Barnsley

  Knight/Carvel

  October 1960

  31 May 1991

  Barra Supplier

  Barra Shipping

  1984

  4 June 1991

  Black Isle

  Black Ice Ltd.

  1973

  14 October 1991

  Black Watch

  Black Watch Ltd.

  April 1977

  6 January 1992

  Blue Flame 1

  Putford Enterprises

  October 1976

  6 March 1991

  Breydon Eider

  Breydon Marine

  March 1961

  9 April 1991

  Britannia Challenger

  Britannia Marine

  April 1964

  10 April 1991

  Britannia Champion

  Suffolk Marine

  February 1980

  17 May 1991

  Britannia Chieftain

  Suffolk Marine

  1973

  9 January 1992

  Britannia Cobra

  Britannia Marine

  April 1978

  6 March 1991

  Britannia Conquest

  Suffolk Marine

  February 1974

  25 April 1991

  Britannia Crusader

  Suffolk Marine

  1976

  17 September 1991

  Britannia Endeavour

  Suffolk Marine

  1975

  22 October 1991

  Britannia Fury

  Britannia Marine

  October 1972

  19 March 1991

  Britannia Gazelle

  Britannia Marine

  August 1978

  21 March 1991

  Britannia Harvester

  Suffolk Marine

  December 1972

  3 April 1991

  Britannia Knight

  Suffolk Marine

  June 1976

  9 April 1991

  Britannia Monarch

  Suffolk Marine

  September 1973

  16 April 1991

  Britannia Stallion

  Britannia Marine

  November 1978

  4 April 1991

  Britannia Venturer

  Suffolk Marine

  1965

  19 September 1991

  Britannia Vixen

  Britannia Marine

  January 1978

  19 March 1991

  Britannia Warrior

  Suffolk Marine

  June 1973

  16 February 1991

  CAM Cheetah

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  November 1959

  13 December 1991

  CAM Civet

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  November 1960

  31 December 1991

  CAM Cougar

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  June 1958

  9 December 1991

  CAM Defender

  CAM Standby Ltd.

  1983

  30 October 1991

  CAM Genet

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  October 1960

  6 January 1992

  CAM Guardian

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  October 1970

  9 December 1991

  CAM Jaguar

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  December 1957

  19 December 1991

  CAM Lynx

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  January 1960

  19 December 1991

  CAM Observer

  CAM Offshore Ltd.

  1953

  13 December 1991

  150
  within EC member states will then be covered by EC rules rather than bilateral provisions. Cross-border investment between airlines is already covered by provisions relating to competition, including the EC mergers regulation which took effect in 1990.

  British Airways
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consultations he has had with British Airways following publication of "A Manifesto for Civil Aviation in the 1990s."

  Mr. McLoughlin
  There are continuing contacts between the Department and British Airways about matters of mutual interest. While there have been no discussions specifically about BA's manifesto, I am pleased to note that there is no difference between the Government and BA in wishing to break down barriers to competition.

  Oil Standby Vessels
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is the number of oil standby vessels in the United Kingdom continental shelf, and what is the name of each vessel, its owner, the date on which it was first registered, and the date of the most recent inspection.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The number of vessels certificated for use in the United Kingdom standby industry is at present 176.

  Attached is a list of these vessels which includes the name of owner, date of registration and the date of the vessel's last inspection.
  151

  Name

  Owner

  Date of registration1

  Date of last inspection

  CAM Panther

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  April 1958

  29 November 1991

  CAM Protector

  CAM Standby Ltd.

  1983

  20 December 1991

  CAM Puma

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  1966

  29 November 1991

  CAM Ranger

  CAM Offshore Ltd.

  1983

  17 January 1992

  CAM Retriever

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  March 1972

  25 November 1991

  CAM Scout

  CAM Offshore Ltd.

  1956

  31 December 1991

  CAM Searcher

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  April 1971

  28 November 1991

  CAM Seeker

  Nancy Sea

  January 1968

  11 December 1991

  CAM Sentinel

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  1982

  16 December 1991

  CAM Supporter

  CAM Standby Ltd.

  1983

  24 December 1991

  CAM Valiant

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  1939

  12 February 1992

  CAM Vanguard

  CAM Offshore Ltd.

  June 1955

  16 December 1991

  CAM Vedette

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  1970

  14 January 1992

  CAM Venturer

  Bristow Investments

  1973

  9 December 1991

  CAM Viceroy

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  February 1959

  8 January 1992

  CAM Victor

  Charford Shipping

  1969

  18 December 1991

  CAM Viking

  Charford Shipping

  1972

  28 November 1991

  CAM Viscount

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  1971

  29 August 1991

  CAM Voyager

  Karlsen Navi

  1957

  23 December 1991

  CAM Vulcan

  Bristow Investments

  1958

  14 January 1992

  CAM Zebra

  CAM Shipping Ltd.

  November 1960

  7 January 1992

  Colne Kestrel

  Knight/Carvel

  February 1966

  21 August 1991

  Dawn Blazer

  Warbler Shipping

  November 1965

  3 January 1992

  Dawn Gem

  Warbler Shipping

  July 1958

  18 April 1991

  Dawn Monarch

  Warbler Shipping

  June 1961

  11 May 1991

  Dawn Saviour

  Warbler Shipping

  April 1960

  10 January 1992

  Dawn Sky

  Warbler Shipping

  March 1967

  23 May 1991

  Dawn Warbler

  Warbler Shipping

  May 1966

  28 June 1991

  Dea Supporter

  Nomis Shipping Ltd.

  1970

  27 December 1991

  Euan

  Garcia Marine

  1936

  3 May 1991

  Exuma

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  September 1961

  26 September 1991

  Far Centurion

  Midhope Shipping

  1983

  1 July 1991

  Far Earl

  Far Standby Ltd.

  1986

  30 December 1991

  Far Searcher

  Far Standby Ltd.

  1986

  10 December 1991

  Far Seeker

  Far Standby Ltd.

  1986

  20 December 1991

  Far Sovereign

  Silex Ltd.

  October 1982

  28 February 1991

  Far Stream

  Far Supply

  1982

  1 April 1991

  Grampian Chieftain

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  December 1976

  24 May 1991

  Grampian City

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  September 1976

  7 May 1991

  Grampian Concord

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  June 1961

  2 July 1991

  Grampian Dawn

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  May 1962

  30 December 1991

  Grampian Dee

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  September 1975

  22 November 1991

  Grampian Eagle

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  January 1975

  27 December 1991

  Grampian Endeavour

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  November 1966

  12 April 1991

  Grampian Explorer

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  August 1965

  27 December 1991

  Grampian Falcon

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1982

  1 July 1991

  Grampian Forest

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  October 1962

  6 December 1991

  Grampian Freedom

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  April 1957

  27 December 1991

  Grampian Harrier

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1967

  6 June 1991

  Grampian Highlander

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1976

  20 May 1991

  Grampian King

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  October 1959

  26 February 1991

  Grampian Osprey

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1937

  12 June 1991

  Grampian Otter

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1983

  27 December 1991

  Grampian Petrel

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  December 1959

  19 February 1991

  Grampian Pioneer

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1981

  5 April 1991

  Grampian Pride

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1981

  14 April 1991

  Grampian Princess

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  March 1960

  30 December 1991

  Grampian Protector

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1983

  14 January 1992

  Grampian Quest

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  May 1959

  30 April 1991

  Grampian Rose

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1949

  14 January 1992

  Grampian Shield

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  November 1974

  28 March 1991

  Grampian Sprite

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1982

  18 March 1991

  Grampian Star

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1971

  17 September 1991

  Grampian Sword

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  October 1976

  21 October 1991

  Grampian Venture

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  1982

  27 December 1991

  Grampian Viking

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  May 1961

  11 June 1991

  Grampian Warrior

  Grey Ward Partnership

  February 1977

  14 January 1992

  Hatherleigh

  Putford Enterprises

  May 1961

  19 June 1991

  Kronbas

  Kronbas

  1975

  13 February 1992

  Maersk Mariner

  Maersk Co.

  May 1986

  6 January 1992

  Maersk Ranger

  Lunar Finance

  June 1980

  15 April 1991

  Maersk Rover

  Maersk Co.

  June 1982

  30 December 1991

  Maersk Runner

  Maersk Co.

  March 1980

  17 April 1991

  Mary Craig

  Craig & Sons Ltd.

  March 1959

  27 May 1991

  Normand Skipper

  Solstad Shipping

  1975

  30 December 1991

  Oakleigh

  Putford Enterprises

  September 1961

  11 June 1991

  Putford Achates

  Put ford Enterprises

  June 1976

  10 April 1991

  152 153

  Name

  Owner

  Date of registration1

  Date of last inspection

  Putford Achilles

  Putford Enterprises

  November 1973

  3 January 1992

  Putford Ajax

  Putford Enterprises

  September 1976

  10 January 1992

  Putford Apollo

  Putford Enterprises

  1975

  9 January 1992

  Putford Harrier

  Putford Enterprises

  February 1960

  2 April 1991

  Putford Merlin

  Putford Enterprises

  April 1962

  6 March 1991

  Putford Osprey

  Putford Enterprises

  May 1960

  3 July 1991

  Putford Petrel

  Putford Enterprises

  March 1961

  3 January 1992

  Putford Skua

  Putford Enterprises

  June 1967

  16 April 1991

  Putford Snipe

  Putford Enterprises

  December 1969

  3 January 1992

  Putford Teal

  Putford Enterprises

  March 1969

  25 June 1991

  Safe Protector

  Safe Truck Shipping

  1974

  17 April 1991

  Safe Transporter

  Sunset Shipping

  July 1971

  15 October 1991

  Safe Truck

  Safe Truck Shipping

  1976

  3 April 1991

  Scott Protector

  Ondur Shipping

  1984

  3 December 1991

  Seaboard Capella

  Sunset Shipping

  1968

  24 May 1991

  Seaboard Castor

  Seaboard Offshore

  1947

  23 December 1991

  Seaboard Illustrious

  Seaboard Offshore

  September 1966

  6 March 1991

  Seaboard Implacable

  Seaboard Offshore

  June 1964

  21 February 1991

  Seaboard Integrity

  Seaboard Offshore

  December 1968

  16 December 1991

  Seaboard Intrepid

  Seaboard Offshore

  April 1968

  16 December 1991

  Seaboard Invincible

  Seaboard Offshore

  September 1970

  16 December 1991

  Seaboard Sapphire

  Sunset Shipping

  1980

  21 March 1991

  Seaboard Sceptre

  Sunset Shipping

  1981

  25 January 1992

  Seaboard Sentry

  Sunset Shipping

  1979

  28 June 1991

  Seaboard Skua

  Sunset Shipping

  1972

  24 January 1992

  Seaboard Snipe

  Sunset Shipping

  1972

  10 July 1991

  Seaboard Sovereign

  Sunset Shipping

  1979

  21 March 1991

  Seaboard Support

  Sunset Shipping

  1979

  31 December 1991

  Seaboard Supreme

  Sunset Shipping

  1981

  21 May 1991

  Seaboard Swallow

  Sunset Shipping

  1972

  8 April 1991

  Seaboard Swan

  Sunset Shipping

  October 1971

  30 April 1991

  Seaboard Swift

  Sunset Shipping

  1972

  23 August 1991

  Shetland Service

  Offshore Marine

  January 1973

  29 July 1991

  St. Anne

  Colen Shipping Ltd.

  September 1962

  3 January 1992

  St. Elizabeth

  Colen Shipping Ltd.

  July 1962

  3 January 1992

  St. Kitts

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  March 1964

  20 December 1991

  St. Louis

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  June 1962

  16 January 1992

  St. Luke

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  March 1961

  8 January 1992

  St. Patrick

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  October 1975

  10 January 1992

  St. Paul

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  November 1961

  17 January 1992

  St. Phillip

  Colne Shipping Ltd.

  February 1975

  16 January 1992

  Stirling Snipe

  Stirling Shipping Co.

  July 1982

  22 May 1991

  Stirling Teal

  Stirling Shipping Co.

  May 1982

  9 May 1991

  Tempest

  Wijsmuller BV

  March 1977

  25 July 1991

  Togo

  Golden Arrow Boats

  October 1965

  2 May 1991

  Toisa Conqueror

  Toisa Marine

  December 1976

  7 November 1991

  Toisa Lynx

  Toisa Marine

  August 1983

  21 February 1991

  Toisa Panther

  Toisa Marine

  February 1984

  19 July 1991

  Toisa Petrel

  Toisa Marine

  1983

  28 August 1991

  Toisa Puffin

  Toisa Marine

  1980

  17 September 1991

  Toisa Teal

  Screen Shipping

  1981

  16 January 1992

  Toisa Tiger

  Toisa Marine

  April 1983

  4 July 1991

  Toisa Widgeon

  Screen Shipping

  1981

  10 December 1991

  Umberleigh

  William H. I.

  July 1960

  19 July 1991

  Veesea Emerald

  Gem Shipping

  1980

  29 April 1991

  Veesea Hurricane

  Storm Shipping

  1975

  21 June 1991

  Veesea Sapphire

  Gem Shipping

  1977

  16 December 1991

  Veesea Storm

  Storm Shipping

  1975

  12 August 1991

  Veesea Tempest

  Storm Shipping

  1974

  21 November 1991

  Veesea Topaz

  Gem Shipping

  1978

  6 February 1992

  Veesea Tornado

  Storm Shipping

  1974

  7 February 1992

  Veesea Typhoon

  Typhoon Seas Ltd.

  1976

  7 February 1992

  Woodleigh

  Putford Enterprises

  January 1960

  3 January 1992

  1 Date of registration has been compiled from the official date of build.

  Forth Ports Authority
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will detail his reasons for consenting to the public flotation of the Forth ports authority.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The Forth ports authority submitted proposals to my right hon. and learned Friend for the privatisation of its undertaking by means of a flotation.154
  My right hon. and learned Friend was satisfied that they were in accordance with the provisions of the Ports Act 1991. On this basis he was able to give the authority his consent in principle.

  Shipping Report
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he has taken to implement the recommendations in the joint Government/industry working party report on "British Shipping: Challenges and Opportunities".

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The joint working party made five basic recommendations, covering simplification of the procedures and regulations surrounding registration; review of the nationality rules applying to officers on British ships; creation of a more flexible framework for registration law; continued pressure to secure liberalisation of cabotage, and a more competitive financial framework, in Europe; and emphasis on raising the profile, and revising the structure, of marine training.

  Under the first of these, a number of changes have already been achieved, including the introduction of simplified procedures and regulations regarding the type approval of ships' equipment, and the establishment of arrangements under which surveyors in the British dependent territories can survey vessels on behalf of the United Kingdom where this is more convenient for the owners or operators of the vessels concerned.

  We are also nearing completion of a review of the nationality requirements imposed on senior British Merchant Navy officers; and have continued to press for a more liberal competitive environment in Europe.

  Changes to registration law need primary legislation, for which we are seeking an early opportunity. In the meantime, considerable preparatory work has already been undertaken.

  The final recommendation, focussed on training, is primarily a matter for the shipping industry itself, although the Government are closely involved in a current review of the structure of seafarers' training and certification. The Chamber of Shipping last year produced a report setting out its wider thoughts on future training needs. It has also assured us that the industry continues to attach great importance to the subject.

  Wick Airport
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what consideration he has given to the implications for safety and the continuing viability of Wick airport in Caithness of the proposal to withdraw Meteorological Office observers from the airport; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Operating arrangements at Wick airport are a matter for Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd., which I understand is considering whether to replace their Meteorological Office observer with an air traffic controller trained in meteorological observation, as has been done previously at some other United Kingdom airports. Whatever the outcome of these considerations, Wick airport will continue to meet the safety standards set by the Civil Aviation Authority. The viability of the airport is not in question.

  Pilot Training
  Sir Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport which pilot training organisations in the United Kingdom train pilots for flying in connection 156
  with agricultural operations; and whether his Department recognises such qualifications from any United Kingdom training facilities.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  I understand from the Civil Aviation Authority that in the United Kingdom pilots are not trained specifically in agricultural operations by pilot training organisations. Such training, which is tailored to the needs of the individual pilot, is carried out by the firms who provide aerial agricultural services, under the supervision of the CAA.

  Before a pilot can carry out what are known as "aerial work" flights, such as crop spraying, he must hold a commercial pilot's licence granted by the CAA, and to use pesticides he must also hold a certificate of competence issued, in England and Wales, by the National Proficiency Test Council under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986.

  Car Licences
  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the income from provisional car licences in 1990–91; and what is the estimated income for 1991–92.

  Mr. Chope
  The income from provisional car licences in 1990–91 was £17·18 million.

  The estimated income for the same source for 1991–92 is £17·8 million.

  Mr. Terry Davis
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what is his estimate of the income from short-period licences and the renewal of licences by drivers of 70-plus years in 1991–92.

  Mr. Chope
  Short-period licences are issued only for medical reasons and there is no charge for their renewal either before or after aged 70. The estimated income in 1991–92 from three-yearly renewals by drivers over age 70 is £820,000.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Attorney-General what information he has on the level of fees for legal aid work by solicitors, and the methods of their computation, in other EC countries.

  The Attorney-General
  Information on all legal aid payments to solicitors is held by the legal aid board or, in the case of Crown court work, by the Lord Chancellor's Department. Information on amounts paid can be provided by various case types. For example, the total of solicitors' costs for magistrates' court work in 1989–90 was £131 million, £300 per case, and in 1990–91 it was £152 million, £346 per case. If the hon. Member is interested in the level of a particular category of fee, the Lord Chancellor will arrange for him to be provided with the relevant information, if it is available. No detailed information is held on the computation of lawyers' fees for publicly funded work in other EC countries. I understand that expenditure on legal aid in France for last year was around 10 per cent. of expenditure in England and Wales; and that in Belgium is less than 1 per cent. Such comparisons are, however, difficult because the legal systems in these countries are different from our own.
  157
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Attorney-General how much has been spent on legal aid in each of the last five years; what was the average for civil and criminal legal aid bills in each year; and how many cases in each year were legally aided.

  The Attorney-General
  In each of the last five financial years, the amount spent on legal aid in England and Wales was:

  £ million

  Gross

  Net

  1986–87

  458

  363

  1987–88

  537

  434

  1988–89

  610

  478

  1989–90

  715

  569

  1990–91

  852

  684

  Information on average legal aid bills, covering the last five years, is set out in the table.

  1986–87 £

  1987–88 £

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  1990–91£

  Average bills (Gross)

  Civil matrimonial

  896

  971

  1,123

  1,212

  1,358

  Civil non-matrimonial

  1,075

  1,200

  1,399

  1,594

  1,784

  Criminal1

  245

  281

  309

  349

  398

  Criminal2

  360

  408

  453

  525

  599

  1 In magistrates court.

  2 In higher courts.

  The number of acts of assistance paid for under the various legal aid schemes, including legal advice and assistance and the duty solicitor schemes, were as follows:

  1986–87 (000)

  1987–88 (000)

  1988–89 (000)

  1989–90 (000)

  1990–91 (000)

  Acts of assistance

  1,909

  2,173

  2,139

  2,298

  2,384

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General what action he is taking to allocate more resources to enable delays in appeals against refusal to grant political asylum to be reduced; what is the average delay in such appeals being heard at the latest available date; and what was the average delay in such appeals at the comparable period in each of the last three years.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor's Department plans to increase by 10 per cent. the staffing resources available to the immigration appellate authorities (IAA) and to provide additional resources to improve existing accommodation and increase accommodation for the future. These measures will help the IAA to process more effectively all categories of immigration appeals including political asylum claims.

  The IAA keep statistics for immigration cases generally, but do not record separate statistics for asylum cases. However, because of their importance, the IAA aim to give priority to asylum cases whenever possible. It is expected that the multi-terminal case-tracking system recently installed at Thanet house will enable the IAA to produce more detailed information.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Prison Officers Association (Break-ins)
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what progress has been made in the police inquiries into four break-ins into the headquarters of the Prison Officers Association;

  (2) whether he will set up an inquiry into the recent burglaries of the headquarters of the Prison Officers Association.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No. I will not set up an inquiry. The investigation of criminal offences is an operational matter for chief officers of police and it would not be appropriate for me to comment on this investigation while it was continuing.

  Car Boot Sales
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what information he has on the use of car boot sales as a means of disposing of stolen goods; and if he will bring forward proposals to deal with this.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  There is no evidence that the majority of traders at car boot sales are anything other than law-abiding citizens. Adequate provision already exists in law to deal with those who use the sales as a means of disposing of stolen goods. It is an offence under section 22 of the Theft Act 1968 for a person to handle stolen goods if he knows or believes them to be so. This offence carries a maximum penalty of 14 years' imprisonment and an unlimited fine. I therefore have no intention of bringing forward proposals to deal specifically with this type of crime.

  Community Service
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what percentage of offenders re-offended(a) while doing community service or (b) after community service in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information is published in Home Office statistical bulletins issue 18/83 "Reconvictions of those given Community Service Orders" (HSOB 34/86 "Reconvictions of those given Probation Orders" also refers to it) Copies of these publications are in the Library.

  Of the 2,486 persons given CSOs 1278 (51 per cent.) were reconvicted within two years of the start of the order. Of these, 18 per cent. of the total were reconvicted during their CSO, 15 per cent. coincidental with the termination of their order and 18 per cent. after termination.

  The reconviction rate rises to 59 per cent. after three years.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many(a) community service sentences, (b) fines and (c) custodial sentences have been imposed by magistrates in the latest year for which figures are available.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information for 1990, which is provisional, is given in the table.
  159

  Number of offenders sentenced at magistrates courts for all offences by disposal 19901

  England and Wales

  (thousands)

  11990

  Total sentenced

  1,423·6

  Community based:

  83·4

  Community service order

  27·1

  Fully suspended sentence

  13·3

  Probation order

  36·7

  Supervision order

  6·3

  Fine

  1,184·5

  Custodial sentences:

  19·7

  Partly suspended imprisonment

  0·2

  Unsuspended imprisonment

  13·0

  Young offender institution

  6·5

  Other

  136·0

  1 Provisional

  Drug Seizures, Durham
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many drug seizures and prosecutions have taken place in the Durham constabulary area in the last year for which figures are available; and if he will list the type of drugs involved.

  Mr. John Patten
  Information on seizures of drug type made by the Durham constabulary is given in table A1.3 of the Home Office statistical bulletin "Statistics of the misuse of drugs: seizures and offenders dealt with, United Kingdom, 1990" (area table), a copy of which is in the Library.

  The information regarding prosecutions and drugs involved is given in the table.

  Persons dealt with at court for drugs offences by type of drug 1990: Durham Constabulary

  Durham

  Number of persons

  Total persons

  162

  Cannabis

  43

  LSD

  9

  Heroin

  4

  Amphetamine

  4

  Cocaine

  1

  Other drugs

  2

  1 Of which 61 found guilty.

  Rows do not add to total because a person can be dealt with for offences involving more than one drug type.

  Foundation for Business Responsibilities
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a further statement about the enquiries by the Charity Commissioners into the activities of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities.

  Mr. John Patten
  Following allegations made in an article in The Observer on 17 November 1991, the trustees of the Foundation for Business Responsibilities have supplied the Charity Commissioners with information about the activities of the charity and its expenditure and receipts. The commissioners have met the chairman of the trustees and have also been in touch with the charity's auditors and inspected the charity's records.

  The Charity Commissioners' inquiries have not yet been concluded.

  Immigration
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many immigrants have entered the United Kingdom each year since 1979; and if he will state in each year the countries from which most originated.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Information on persons accepted for settlement in the United Kingdom in the years 1979–90, by nationality, is given in tables 22 and 14, respectively, of the 1987 and 1990 volumes of the annual Home Office Command Paper "Control of Immigration: Statistics United Kingdom" (Cm 415 and Cm 1571). These figures are of persons subject to immigration control who are granted indefinite leave to remain here.

  Information on a different basis is produced by the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys from the international passenger survey. This defines a migrant to the United Kingdom as a person who has been resident abroad for more than a year, and who on entry states the intention of residing here for a year or more. This information includes British citizens. The appropriate estimates for 1979–90 are given in the 1988 and 1990 issues of the OPCS publication "International Migration" (series MN, Nos. 15 and 17 respectively) in tables 2.1 and 2.5. These figures exclude migration between the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland.

  Copies of the above publications are in the Library. Information for 1991 is not yet available.

  Prisoners
  Mrs. Wise
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what research he has done on the effects of mixing unconvicted and convicted prisoners; and what information he has on the practice of other countries on this matter;

  (2) what representations he has had objecting to the proposed mixing of unconvicted and convicted prisoners in Preston and other prisons; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  My hon. Friend the Member for South Ribble (Mr. Atkins) has drawn to my attention the viewsn expressed by the secretary of the Preston branch of the Prison Officers Association. These views have also been expressed by the branch at their meetings with management to discuss plans to increase the use of accommodation in the prison.

  The prison rules 1964 provide that unconvicted prisoners should be kept out of contact with convicted prisoners as far as this can reasonably be done, and provided that the policy should not require a prisoner to be deprived unduly of the society of other prisoners. Most local prisons in England and Wales sensibly operate a degree of mixing to enable them to accommodate the inmates remanded or committed to custody by the courts in their catchment areas. This makes obvious sense, particularly where it avoids the need to hold prisoners in police cells, which are entirely unsuitable for the purpose. In some local prisons the regime for those on remand is improved by mixing with those who are convicted.

  As regards practice in other countries, I understand that in a large number the separation of the convicted from the unconvicted is not regarded as obligatory.

  Bail Offenders
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will publish the results of his survey of research on reoffending while on bail; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Newark (Mr. Alexander) on 6 February 1992.

  Poll Tax
  Mr. Enright
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people have had legal proceedings arising from poll tax legislation commenced against them.

  Mr. John Patten
  This information is not available from magistrates courts records in the form sought. About 11 million summonses have been issued alleging non-payment of community charge during the period 1 April 1990 to 31 December 1991, but some will have involved the same persons in respect of separate financial years.

  Skateboarding Byelaws
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the local authorities who have now adopted the model byelaw relating to the use of skateboards on pavements, roads and footpaths; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since 1978, the Home Office has offered local authorities a model byelaw which prohibits the use of skateboards and roller skates on footways and carriageways to the danger of other persons lawfully using the footway or carriageway. In 1990, the model byelaw was modified to make it an offence for a person using a skateboard or roller skates to cause not only danger but also nuisance or reasonable grounds for annoyance to other persons using the footway or carriageway.

  Our records indicate that 66 local authorities have adopted the 1978 model byelaws, and that to date one local authority has adopted the 1990 model wording. The local authorities are:

  (a) Authorities which have adopted the 1978 model byelaws:

  Adure district council

  Arun district council

  Babergh district council

  Beverley district council

  Birmingham district council

  Bracknell district council

  Broxbourne borough council

  Bury borough council

  Calderdale borough council

  Caradon district council

  Chelmsford borough council

  Chichester district council

  Colchester borough council

  Congleton borough council

  Dover district council

  Fareham borough council

  Gosport borough council

  Gravesham borough council

  Great Yarmouth borough council

  Guildford borough council

  Hart district council

  Hastings borough council

  Horsham district council

  Isles of Scilly council

  Kettering borough council

  Leeds city council

  162

  Lichfield district council

  Luton borough council

  Maldon district council

  Melton district council

  Mid Sussex district council

  Montgomeryshire district council

  Newcastle-under-Lyme borough council

  Newport borough council

  North devon district council

  Peterborough city council

  Poole borough council

  Reading borough council

  Reigate and Banstead borough council

  Rhymney Valley district council

  Rother district council

  Salisbury district council

  Scarborough borough council

  Sedgemoor district council

  Shepway district council

  Slough borough council

  Southampton city council

  Southend-on-Sea borough council

  South Lakeland district council

  South Northamptonshire district council

  South Shropshire district council

  South Tyneside borough council

  South Wight borough council

  Stoke-on-Trent city council

  Sutton borough council

  Tendring district council

  Thanet district council

  Tunbridge Wells borough council

  Warrington borough council

  Wokingham district council

  Woodspring district council

  Worcester city council

  Worthing borough council

  Wrexham Maelor borough council

  Wychavon district council

  Wycombe district council

  (b) Authorities which have adopted the 1990 model byelaws:

  Stratford-on-Avon district council

  Metropolitan Police (Community Events)
  Mrs. Ann Winterton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) whether it is the usual practice for the Metropolitan police to charge for attendance at community and charity events;

  (2) what has been the total cost of the policing of the Notting Hill carnival in each of the last three years; and what contribution towards that cost was made by the carnival organisers in each of those years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that it is not the usual practice to charge for police attendance at community and charity events.

  The estimated additional costs of policing the Notting Hill carnival were:

  Year

  Additional Costs £

  1989

  1,111,000

  1990

  1,606,000

  1991

  1,554,000

  The carnival organisers have made no contribution towards the cost of policing this event.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Catalytic Converters
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer which EC countries currently offer fiscal incentives for the purchase of three-way catalytic converters; what taxes are levied in the United Kingdom on sales of catalytic converters and at what rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  In the United Kingdom, VAT is levied on sales of catalytic converters at the standard rate of 17·5 per cent. I have no information on any fiscal incentives for the purchase of three-way catalytic converters in other EC countries.

  Government Expenditure
  Mr. Worthington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the expenditure in each year since 1979, in real and constant prices, of Government expenditure in(a) agriculture, forestry and fishing, (b)

  (a) Total benefits paid to unemployed people1 (£ million cash)

  (b) Total expenditure from the Redundancy Fund (£ million cash)

  (c) (a) plus (b) as a proportion of Gross Domestic Product (Percentage)

  1983–84

  5,440

  427

  1·9

  1984–85

  6,320

  333

  2·0

  1985–86

  6,960

  344

  2·0

  1986–87

  7,310

  246

  2·0

  1987–88

  6,650

  81

  1·6

  1988–89

  5,240

  70

  1·1

  1989–90

  4,310

  66

  0·9

  1990–91

  5,040

  145

  0·9

  1991–922

  7,360

  128

  1·3

  1 Figures include unemployment benefit, principal income-related benefits and payments from the social fund to unemployed people and their families.

  2 Estimates in current published plans.

  Pension Funds
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information on the growth of pension and other funds given in his answer of 7 March 1984,Official Report, column 581.

  Mr. Maples
  The latest annual estimates for the period 1982 to 1990, the latest year for which a figure is available, are given below. Updated figures for earlier periods are available on the CSO database, series AALV, which can be accessed through the House of Commons Library.

  Life Assurance and Pensions Schemes Net increase in amount available for investment

  £ million

  1982

  14,980

  1983

  15,938

  1984

  18,518

  1985

  19,538

  1986

  20,510

  1987

  20,840

  1988

  22,659

  1989

  30,505

  1990

  33,655

  164
  industrial development, (c) energy, (d) infrastructure, (e) environmental protection, (f) health, (g) social development and services, (h) earth and atmosphere, (i) advancement of knowledge, (j) civil space, (k) defence and (l) not elsewhere classified.

  Mr. Mellor
  The available information on general government expenditure by main function since 1978–79 is given, in cash and real terms, in tables 2·2 and 2·3 of the statistical supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement (Cm. 1920). Corresponding information for the other areas of expenditure requested is not available or could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  Unemployment and Redundancy Pay
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update the information on unemployment benefit and redundancy payments given in his answer of 27 July 1983,Official Report, columns 449–50.

  Mr. Mellor
  The information requested is as follows:

  Mortgage Subsidies
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to prohibit the payment of mortgage subsidies by banks and other lenders to their employees; and what is his estimate of the gross value of such subsidies.

  Mr. Maude
  No. I have no firm data on the gross value of these particular subsidies, although the total net taxable value of beneficial loans made by all employers is estimated to be about £180 million in 1991–92.

  Food (VAT)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the zero-rating for VAT of those items of food which are currently zero-rated is safeguarded until at least December 1996.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Yes.

  Wines (Excise Duty)
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy with regard to the minimum level of excise duty on(a) still table wine and (b) sparkling wine, that should be applied within the European Community.
  165
  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The United Kingdom has consistently argued that it does not consider centrally determined duty rates as necessary for the completion of the single market, and that member states should be free to set their own rates of duty. The Government are prepared to accept a minimum zero rate for both still and sparkling wines, provided that wine is treated as an excisable product and remains within the control system for intra-EC movements of goods subject to excise duties.

  Tax Rates
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing the value of the main tax reliefs and allowances and the saving that would occur if these were restricted to the basic rate of tax.

  Mr. Maude
  A table showing the cost of direct tax allowances and reliefs in 1991–92 was given in appendix D of the Autumn Statement statistical supplement Cm 1920 published in January 1992.

  It is estimated that the yield from restricting all of the main income tax allowances and reliefs to the basic rate would be some £2 billion at 1991–92 levels of income.

  Inward Investment
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the inward investment by the United Kingdom from(a) Japan, (b) the United States of America and (c)Korea, for each year from 1978 to 1991, (i) in real terms at 1991 prices, (ii) as a proportion of total capital investment in the United Kingdom and (iii) as a proportion of total capital investment in the EC.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: The information available on net inward investment in the United Kingdom by Japanese and United States companies is expressed at 1990 prices by adjusting the actual investment by the changes in the latest available implied gross domestic product deflator; and as a percentage of total investment by all other countries in the United Kingdom.

  Information for investment in 1990 will be available in the next month or so. Information for investment by Korea is not available.

  Year

  Japanese net investment (£ million, 1990 prices)

  Per cent.

  US net investment(£ million, 1990 prices)

  Per cent.

  1978

  -10

  —

  321

  64·2

  1979

  23

  2·9

  452

  57·1

  1980

  8

  0·6

  1,039

  75·2

  1981

  105

  17·7

  71

  11·9

  1982

  -31

  —

  206

  27·9

  1983

  117

  8·2

  775

  54·8

  1984

  -4

  —

  1,079

  —

  1985

  94

  3·3

  1,282

  44·8

  1986

  34

  0·9

  989

  26·1

  1987

  657

  10·0

  1,018

  15·4

  1988

  768

  8·9

  375

  4·4

  1989

  1,121

  7·3

  5,344

  34·8

  Source: Central Statistical Office

  Notes:

  1. Net investment comprises investment less disinvestment and includes unremitted profits as net investment.

  2. A minus sign indicates net disinvestment. In 1984 there was overall a net disinvestment by overseas companies in the UK.

  3. Data prior to 1984 exclude oil companies.
  166
  Fully comparable information on direct inward investment in the European Community (EC) from outside the EC is not available. However, Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development estimates of United States and Japanese direct investment in the UK as a percentage of direct investment in all EC countries show:

  Percentage

  Years

  United States

  Japan

  1982–84

  53

  19

  1985–87

  34

  34

  1988–89

  62

  42

  Merchant Shipping
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list policies of a financial nature which have been pursued by Her Majesty's Government since 1979 which have been of assistance to the United Kingdom merchant fleet.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: The list sets out the financial measures which have been of particular assistance to the shipping industry since 1979.

  Writing-down allowances
  In 1985 the capital allowance rules were changed to allow capital expenditure to be written down for tax purposes from the date on which it was incurred rather than from the time the asset was brought into use. These new arrangements are of particular importance for ships where stage payments are normally made as construction proceeds. Also in 1985, the special rules which provide that writing down allowances for ships can be used more flexibly than those for other forms of capital expenditure were extended to second-hand ships—previously they applied only to new ships.

  Business expansion scheme
  In 1986 the business expansion scheme was extended to include ship chartering as a qualifying activity. Ship operating and chartering companies have an annual finance limit of £5 million (as do private rented housing companies) instead of the £750,000 limit for other trading companies.

  Foreign earnings deduction for seafarers
  In 1988 the length of time which seafarers may spend in tehe United Kingdom without losing foreign earnings deductions was extended from 62 days, which is still the concession allowed to other workers with a significant overseas component to their jobs, to 90 days. In 1991 the concession for seafarers was extended to 183 days.

  Training and crew relief costs
  The 1988 Merchant Shipping Bill introduced two schemes to help the industry:

  (a) Government assistance for training (GAFT), under which the Government provides funds equivalent to half the cost of training officer cadets. The budget for GAFT is about £3·5 million per annum.

  (b) The crew relief costs scheme, under which the Government assists with the costs of transporting United Kingdom-based crews to and from United Kingdom-flagged vessels in distant waters. The budget for this scheme is about £5 million per annum.

  Children's Car Seats
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the total revenue from value added tax on children's car seats in motor cars in each of the last three years.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: I regret that information on which to base an estimate is not available.

ENERGY

  Mine Gas Escapes
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what inquiries his Department has made into the leakage of methane gas from closed coal mines; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  None. I am, however, aware that the Department of the Environment is commissioning research into methane from abandoned coal mines. My Department is sponsoring a review by the Watt committee of measurement methods and available data relating to methane emissions from various sources.

  Energy Single Market
  Mr. Michael Spicer
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what progress has been made by EC member states towards providing for a single market in energy services with respect in particular to the free cross-border transmission of energy, the permitting of cross-border investment by one energy company in another, and third party access to a European-wide transmission network.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The European Commission adopted proposals on 22 January which represent the second phase of the internal energy market. The United Kingdom fully supports the Commission's proposals which, if adopted by the Council, will represent a significant liberalisation of the European Community's electricity and gas sectors. Copies of the proposals will be placed in the Libraries of both Houses shortly.

EMPLOYMENT

  Travel-to-work Areas
  Mr. John Townend
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) if he will list the travel-to-work areas which do not have assisted area status where the unemployment is higher than in the Bridlington and Driffield travel-to-work area;

  (2) if he will list the assisted areas which have a lower unemployment rate than the Bridlington and Driffield travel-to-work area.

  Mr. Jackson
  Information on unemployment rates by travel-to-work areas is available, on the unadjusted basis only, from the NOMIS database in the Library.

  Women's Earnings
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will estimate the number of women who have earnings below(a) the tax threshold and (b) the national insurance threshold, broken down into married women, lone parents and single women at the latest date.

  Mr. Forth
  Broad estimates, based on the new earnings survey and estimates of the number of employees in employment, are that in April 1991 there were 21 million women employees earning less than the PAYE threshold, of whom 21 million earned less than the national insurance lower earnings limit. Using projections from the family expenditure survey, it is estimated that approximately 75 per cent. of each of these categories were married women, 5 per cent. lone parents and 20 per cent. single women.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Residential Special Schools
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether he has any plans to enable residential special schools to opt out of local authority control.

  Mr. Fallon
  We have no such plans.

  Budget Shortfall, Staffordshire
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will meet leaders of Staffordshire county council and head teachers to discuss the remaining shortfall on the education budget arising out of the teachers' pay award.

  Mr. Fallon
  No. The additional grant which the Government propose to make available, together with the 7·2 per cent. increase in education spending allowed for in the 1992–93 local authority spending finance settlement, should give authorities adequate headroom to cover the cost of the teachers' pay award in full.

  BCCI
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science which universities held accounts with the Bank of Commerce and Credit International; and how much money was lost by each university at its collapse.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Detailed information on universities' investments is not held centrally. Monitoring of the financial position of institutions is a matter for the Universities Funding Council. The council understands that no university had invested its own funds in the Bank of Commerce and Credit International.

  Further Education
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what were the average unit costs for salaries and other recurrent expenditure categories(a) in further education institutions and (b) in sixth form colleges for the academic years 1988–89 and 1989–90; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Eggar
  Information on expenditure and per student spending is collected on a financial year basis. For the financial years 1988–89 and 1989–90, spending per student in further education institutions was as shown in the table. Information on actual spending in sixth form colleges was not collected separately.

  Net institutional expenditure per full time equivalent student

  1988–89 £

  1989–90 £

  Salaries and wages

  2,360

  2,335

  Other recurrent institutional costs

  500

  450

  Total

  2,860

  2,785

  Notes:

  1. The expenditure data used to derive these figures cover all college-based recurrent spending including teaching and non-teaching staff salaries, premises costs, equipment and supplies, less sales and other miscellaneous receipts but not tuition fees income. They exclude spending on central administration and support services
  170
  such as transport, as well as all capital expenditure.

  2. The figures are derived from LEAs' returns of their spending to the Department of the Environment and of their student enrolments to the Department of Education and Science.

  3. 1988–89 data include but 1989–90 data exclude students and expenditure for establishments which transferred to the PCFC sector.

  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what was the average class size(a) in further education institutions and (b) in sixth form colleges for the academic years 1988–89 and 1989–90.

  Mr. Eggar
  The average class sizes were:

  1988–89

  1989–90

  Further education institutions1

  14·5

  14·7

  Sixth form colleges

  12·8

  12·6

  1 Includes LEA maintained further education and tertiary colleges,

  Primary School Places
  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what assessment he has made of the methodology adopted by Surrey county council for forecasting future demand for primary school places carried out for their current age of transfer reorganisation proposals; what are his Department's guidelines on the methodology to be used; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  The reorganisation proposals published by Surrey county council will be decided by my right hon. and learned Friend. As they are currently being considered, we cannot comment at this stage on any of the issues involved, including Surrey's forecasting methodology, as this could be held to have pre-judged our eventual decision.

  The Department's guidelines on how authorities should approach the publication of statutory proposals are contained within circular 3/87 "Providing for Quality: The Pattern of Organisation to Age 19", a copy of which is available in the Library. Annex 2 provides guidelines on forecasting pupil numbers.

  Special Needs Pupils
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) how many pupils in each local education authority are recorded on form SEN 2 as having statements of special educational need and attending maintained special schools;

  (2) how many pupils in each local education authority are recorded on form SEN 2 as having special educational needs and are attending maintained primary, middle and secondary schools;

  (3) how many pupils in each local education authority are recorded on form SEN 2 as having special educational needs and are attending non-maintained and independent special schools under arrangements made by the local education authority.

  Mr. Fallon
  Form SEN2 for 1991 asked LEAs to record information on the placements arranged for children for whom statements of special educational needs were newly made in 1990. Details as submitted by LEAs in respect of the placements made for these children at maintained special schools, ordinary schools, non-maintained special schools and independent schools are given in the table.
  171

  Placements made for children with statements newly made in 1990

  Maintained

  Non-maintained

  ordinary schools

  special schools

  special schools

  independent schools

  Inner London Boroughs

  City

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Camden

  47

  56

  10

  0

  Greenwich

  103

  111

  3

  0

  Hackney

  49

  83

  11

  0

  Hammersmith

  19

  30

  0

  2

  Islington

  27

  61

  0

  0

  Kensington

  16

  27

  4

  1

  Lambeth

  112

  133

  0

  5

  Lewisham

  13

  28

  2

  0

  Southwark

  56

  69

  2

  0

  Tower Hamlets

  17

  31

  2

  0

  Wandsworth

  34

  23

  1

  12

  Westminster

  42

  52

  0

  12

  Outer London Boroughs

  Barking

  49

  14

  1

  1

  Barnet

  29

  48

  5

  1

  Bexley

  115

  66

  2

  19

  Brent

  15

  20

  0

  2

  Bromley

  81

  35

  2

  7

  Croydon

  46

  55

  1

  17

  Ealing

  17

  59

  13

  25

  Enfield

  9

  6

  1

  3

  Haringey

  34

  28

  2

  8

  Harrow

  59

  11

  0

  4

  Havering

  81

  18

  4

  3

  Hillingdon

  30

  28

  4

  11

  Hounslow

  175

  56

  0

  4

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  40

  25

  0

  3

  Merton

  49

  37

  0

  2

  Newham

  55

  43

  0

  1

  Redbridge

  28

  46

  5

  3

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  53

  14

  0

  1

  Sutton

  62

  28

  1

  2

  Waltham Forest

  47

  49

  0

  1

  West Midlands

  Birmingham

  34

  259

  0

  11

  Coventry

  15

  133

  0

  1

  Dudley

  42

  8

  1

  4

  Sandwell

  6

  45

  0

  0

  Solihull

  26

  93

  0

  0

  Walsall

  89

  59

  1

  3

  Wolverhampton

  78

  33

  0

  0

  Merseyside

  Knowsley

  57

  124

  4

  6

  Liverpool

  68

  501

  17

  4

  St. Helens

  75

  48

  11

  2

  Sefton

  70

  74

  2

  20

  Wirral

  47

  76

  3

  7

  Greater Manchester

  Bolton

  43

  60

  5

  0

  Bury

  105

  29

  7

  0

  Manchester

  14

  84

  8

  6

  Oldham

  158

  47

  0

  4

  Rochdale

  68

  87

  0

  2

  Salford

  40

  19

  1

  1

  Stockport

  199

  44

  0

  1

  Tameside

  62

  43

  0

  1

  Trafford

  65

  56

  2

  1

  Wigan

  47

  253

  3

  0

  South Yorkshire

  Barnsley

  83

  9

  3

  0

  Doncaster

  55

  90

  11

  6

  Rotherham

  120

  113

  31

  0

  Sheffield

  3

  122

  0

  0

  West Yorkshire

  Bradford

  38

  36

  1

  0

  Calderdale

  43

  1

  1

  0

  Kirklees

  171

  63

  1

  0

  172 173

  Maintained

  Non-maintained

  ordinary schools

  special schools

  special schools

  independent schools

  Leeds

  249

  65

  0

  3

  Wakefield

  23

  47

  2

  6

  Tyne and Wear

  Gateshead

  48

  34

  0

  2

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  38

  58

  4

  2

  North Tyneside

  97

  54

  1

  13

  South Tyneside

  39

  31

  2

  2

  Sunderland

  62

  74

  3

  0

  English counties

  Isles of Scilly

  0

  0

  0

  0

  Avon

  77

  241

  3

  12

  Bedfordshire

  117

  135

  5

  7

  Berkshire

  246

  245

  4

  2

  Buckinghamshire

  403

  202

  23

  16

  Cambridgeshire

  62

  48

  1

  0

  Cheshire

  428

  112

  5

  6

  Cleveland

  156

  173

  2

  6

  Cornwall

  241

  2

  0

  2

  Cumbria

  292

  21

  1

  1

  Derbyshire

  646

  78

  0

  8

  Devon

  569

  188

  12

  19

  Dorset

  111

  134

  20

  9

  Durham

  67

  66

  12

  2

  East Sussex

  48

  149

  21

  19

  Essex

  263

  263

  8

  20

  Gloucestershire

  141

  125

  3

  8

  Hampshire

  589

  379

  41

  13

  Hereford and Worcester

  149

  194

  7

  11

  Hertfordshire

  181

  341

  8

  44

  Humberside

  89

  97

  5

  5

  Isle of Wight

  25

  19

  2

  0

  Kent

  413

  440

  27

  46

  Lancashire

  640

  305

  39

  66

  Leicestershire

  271

  175

  4

  4

  Lincolnshire

  417

  216

  16

  16

  Norfolk

  400

  83

  5

  11

  North Yorkshire

  221

  75

  8

  6

  Northamptonshire

  91

  121

  0

  4

  Northumberland

  153

  3

  3

  2

  Nottinghamshire

  45

  157

  0

  6

  Oxfordshire

  47

  83

  4

  3

  Shropshire

  366

  59

  1

  1

  Somerset

  89

  52

  12

  16

  Staffordshire

  196

  326

  2

  5

  Suffolk

  344

  58

  5

  4

  Surrey

  203

  189

  29

  5

  Warwickshire

  85

  145

  6

  9

  West Sussex

  63

  159

  25

  18

  Wiltshire

  536

  63

  7

  37

  Note. Figures are provisional.

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many pupils in each local education authority attend non-maintained and independent schools for the purposes of special educational treatment.

  Mr. Fallon
  The table sets out the number of pupils in each authority who were attending non-maintained and independent schools in Janaury 1991 for the purposes of special educational treatment.

  Number1 of pupils2 at non-maintained special schools

  Number1 of pupils2 at independent schools receiving special educational treatment

  City

  0

  0

  Camden

  31

  2

  Greenwich

  2

  33

  174

  Number1 of pupils2 at non-maintained special schools

  Number1 of pupils2 at independent schools receiving special educational treatment

  Hackney

  10

  29

  Hammersmith

  20

  11

  Islington

  9

  17

  Kensington

  10

  6

  Lambeth

  37

  0

  Lewisham

  15

  22

  Southwark

  4

  28

  Tower Hamlets

  0

  0

  Wandsworth

  13

  43

  Westminster

  4

  31

  Barking

  16

  9

  Barnet

  45

  59

  Bexley

  44

  63

  Brent

  32

  47

  Bromley

  46

  44

  175

  Number1 of pupils2 at non-maintained special schools

  Number1 of pupils2 at independent schools receiving special educational treatment

  Croydon

  37

  139

  Ealing

  81

  104

  Enfield

  22

  47

  Haringey

  19

  49

  Harrow

  61

  6

  Havering

  36

  26

  Hillingdon

  34

  71

  Hounslow

  25

  43

  Kingston-upon-Thames

  15

  66

  Merton

  12

  32

  Newham

  22

  16

  Redbridge

  68

  35

  Richmond-upon-Thames

  4

  22

  Sutton

  14

  51

  Waltham Forest

  14

  8

  Birmingham

  25

  70

  Coventry

  14

  13

  Dudley

  12

  29

  Sandwell

  19

  10

  Solihull

  2

  30

  Walsall

  9

  10

  Wolverhampton

  6

  25

  Knowsley

  17

  12

  Liverpool

  77

  12

  St. Helens

  66

  19

  Sefton

  46

  73

  Wirral

  59

  63

  Bolton

  50

  8

  Bury

  46

  1

  Manchester

  91

  19

  Oldham

  39

  0

  Rochdale

  17

  23

  Salford

  8

  8

  Stockport

  51

  58

  Tameside

  17

  0

  Trafford

  33

  16

  Wigan

  115

  35

  Barnsley

  18

  0

  Doncaster

  46

  17

  Rotherham

  121

  0

  Sheffield

  2

  8

  Bradford

  42

  0

  Calderdale

  9

  19

  Kirklees

  47

  14

  Leeds

  3

  11

  Wakefield

  49

  39

  Gateshead

  33

  14

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  37

  15

  North Tyneside

  24

  40

  South Tyneside

  26

  18

  Sunderland

  48

  8

  Isles of Scilly

  1

  18

  Avon

  18

  190

  Bedfordshire

  61

  85

  Berkshire

  152

  96

  Buckinghamshire

  67

  123

  Cambridge

  0

  64

  All full-time pupils in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools in each local education authority in England—January 1991

  Primary

  Middle

  Secondary

  201 City

  202

  —

  —

  202 Camden

  9,482

  —

  9,891

  203 Greenwich

  18,322

  —

  13,470

  204 Hackney

  14,732

  —

  7,592

  205 Hammersmith and Fulham

  8,154

  —

  6,050

  206 Islington

  13,421

  —

  7,223

  207 Kensington and Chelsea

  5,922

  —

  3,539

  208 Lambeth

  17,283

  —

  5,955

  209 Lewisham

  17,725

  —

  11,428

  210 Southwark

  18,315

  —

  9,487

  211 Tower Hamlets

  18,134

  —

  10,751

  212 Wandsworth

  14,916

  —

  9,724

  176

  Number1 of pupils2 at non-maintained special schools

  Number1 of pupils2 at independent schools receiving special educational treatment

  Cheshire

  188

  91

  Cleveland

  40

  36

  Cornwall

  19

  66

  Cumbria

  38

  49

  Derbyshire

  79

  47

  Devon

  178

  155

  Dorset

  175

  44

  Durham

  30

  73

  East Sussex

  0

  0

  Essex

  175

  286

  Gloucestershire

  90

  33

  Hampshire

  276

  283

  Hereford and Worcester

  50

  67

  Hertfordshire

  47

  253

  Humbersidc

  68

  41

  Isle of Wight

  34

  3

  Kent

  279

  347

  Lancashire

  233

  220

  Leicestershire

  25

  46

  Lincolnshire

  32

  135

  Norfolk

  41

  85

  North Yorkshire

  83

  54

  Northamptonshire

  34

  61

  Northumberland

  37

  13

  Nottinghamshire

  53

  90

  Oxfordshire

  52

  33

  Shropshire

  23

  24

  Somerset

  70

  76

  Staffordshire

  8

  39

  Suffolk

  68

  105

  Surrey

  198

  83

  Warwickshire

  63

  50

  West Sussex

  195

  109

  Wiltshire

  106

  211

  Total for England

  5,512

  5,780

  1 As recorded in returns to the Department of Education and Science.

  2 Pupils aged five and over (as at 31 August 1990) for whom the local education authority was paying full tuition fees.

  Pupil Statistics
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many full-time pupils of all ages there are, for each local education authority in England, in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools.

  Mr. Fallon
  The numbers of full-time pupils of all ages, including pupils aged under five, in maintained primary, middle and secondary schools in each local education authority in England as at January 1991 are shown in the table.
  177

  Primary

  Middle

  Secondary

  213 Westminster

  8,535

  —

  7,043

  301 Barking

  13,479

  —

  8,673

  302 Barnet

  21,097

  —

  17,953

  303 Bexley

  17,007

  —

  14,048

  304 Brent

  19,782

  —

  10,941

  305 Bromley

  19,300

  —

  15,414

  306 Croydon

  24,356

  —

  15,420

  307 Ealing

  17,389

  7,320

  11,028

  308 Enfield

  20,765

  —

  15,958

  309 Haringey

  16,156

  —

  8,478

  310 Harrow

  12,373

  5,470

  7,819

  311 Havering

  18,179

  —

  15,626

  312 Hillingdon

  16,599

  —

  12,911

  313 Hounslow

  16,735

  —

  12,743

  314 Kingston upon Thames

  8,701

  —

  7,135

  315 Merton

  6,803

  6,061

  5,965

  316 Newham

  20,340

  —

  13,040

  317 Redbridge

  16,908

  —

  13,484

  318 Richmond upon Thames

  8,724

  —

  6,977

  319 Sutton

  10,986

  —

  10,365

  320 Waltham Forest

  16,877

  —

  11,780

  330 Birmingham

  97,329

  3,251

  62,589

  331 Coventry

  27,109

  —

  17,855

  332 Dudley

  26,566

  307

  15,727

  333 Sandwell

  26,954

  —

  18,181

  334 Solihull

  17,234

  —

  13,774

  335 Walsall

  24,199

  —

  18,234

  336 Wolverhampton

  21,138

  —

  15,264

  340 Knowsley

  15,740

  —

  8,941

  341 Liverpool

  44,394

  —

  28,765

  342 St. Helens

  15,894

  —

  12,416

  343 Sefton

  24,591

  —

  18,534

  344 Wirral

  28,897

  —

  20,800

  350 Bolton

  24,558

  —

  17,103

  351 Bury

  15,162

  —

  10,163

  352 Manchester

  42,612

  —

  23,957

  353 Oldham

  22,445

  —

  15,304

  354 Rochdale

  20,102

  —

  12,437

  355 Salford

  21,503

  —

  12,879

  356 Stockport

  23,746

  —

  17,333

  357 Tameside

  19,990

  —

  13,857

  358 Trafford

  17,597

  —

  10,731

  359 Wigan

  27,650

  —

  20,548

  370 Barnsley

  18,412

  —

  12,123

  371 Doncaster

  21,136

  9,554

  15,217

  372 Rotherham

  22,109

  —

  17,539

  373 Sheffield

  32,469

  7,636

  23,845

  380 Bradford

  33,740

  23,685

  20,210

  381 Calderdale

  17,799

  —

  12,519

  382 Kirklees

  31,549

  3,322

  22,713

  383 Leeds

  46,935

  16,611

  34,468

  384 Wakefield

  22,006

  7,269

  15,881

  390 Gateshead

  16,478

  —

  11,529

  391 Newcastle upon Tyne

  20,490

  3,312

  13,189

  392 North Tyneside

  13,760

  5,461

  9,268

  393 South Tyneside

  13,869

  —

  8,798

  394 Sunderland

  27,463

  —

  18,245

  420 Isles of Scilly

  170

  —

  112

  901 Avon

  74,040

  —

  52,513

  902 Bedfordshire

  35,921

  17,104

  26,507

  903 Berkshire

  52,519

  5,186

  42,839

  904 Buckinghamshire

  41,408

  15,686

  33,306

  905 Cambridgeshire

  55,930

  168

  39,831

  906 Cheshire

  83,207

  —

  63,195

  907 Cleveland

  55,223

  —

  38,784

  908 Cornwall

  36,350

  —

  28,416

  909 Cumbria

  40,126

  —

  30,370

  910 Derbyshire

  74,595

  —

  55,570

  911 Devon

  71,017

  3,736

  54,215

  912 Dorset

  35,783

  11,137

  30,588

  913 Durham

  51,341

  —

  36,386

  914 East Sussex

  44,746

  —

  33,689

  915 Essex

  118,566

  —

  96,169

  916 Gloucestershire

  41,521

  —

  31,658

  917 Hampshire

  102,463

  21,366

  82,259

  918 Hereford and Worcester

  43,697

  15,027

  34,196

  919 Hertfordshire

  73,713

  3,111

  61,618

  920 Humberside

  74,505

  —

  57,522

  178 179

  Primary

  Middle

  Secondary

  921 Isle of Wight

  6,772

  5,268

  4,862

  922 Kent

  116,672

  4,128

  92,468

  923 Lancashire

  122,442

  —

  82,332

  924 Leicestershire

  74,220

  5,273

  53,907

  925 Lincolnshire

  46,540

  —

  35,321

  926 Norfolk

  42,056

  16,475

  39,690

  927 North Yorkshire

  52,867

  378

  42,354

  928 Northamptonshire

  46,805

  9,402

  34,018

  929 Northumberland

  18,357

  14,878

  13,306

  930 Nottinghamshire

  76,473

  2,710

  59,332

  931 Oxfordshire

  37,044

  4,092

  28,775

  932 Shropshire

  32,545

  —

  26,538

  933 Somerset

  33,839

  4,152

  23,266

  934 Staffordshire

  86,935

  6,580

  60,634

  935 Suffolk

  39,336

  16,043

  30,287

  936 Surrey

  45,213

  27,017

  42,172

  937 Warwickshire

  29,008

  14,432

  24,511

  938 West Sussex

  41,723

  9,687

  37,641

  939 Wiltshire

  43,561

  1,231

  31,293

  ENGLAND

  3,630,573

  333,526

  2,671,297

  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many full-time pupils of all ages there are in maintained special schools in each local education authority in England.

  Mr. Fallon
  The numbers of full-time pupils of all ages, including pupils aged under five, in maintained special schools in each local education authority in England as at January 1991 are shown in the table.

  All full-time pupils in maintained special schools in each local Education Authority in England—January 19911

  Full-time pupils in maintained special schools Numbers

  201 City

  —

  202 Camden

  371

  203 Greenwich

  755

  204 Hackney

  654

  205 Hammersmith and Fulham

  498

  206 Islington

  322

  207 Kensington and Chelsea

  97

  208 Lambeth

  906

  209 Lewisham

  491

  210 Southwark

  495

  211 Tower Hamlets

  495

  212 Wandsworth

  783

  213 Westminster

  163

  301 Barking

  162

  302 Barnet

  337

  303 Bexley

  269

  304 Brent

  370

  305 Bromley

  372

  306 Croydon

  497

  307 Ealing

  433

  308 Enfield

  411

  309 Haringey

  338

  310 Harrow

  222

  311 Havering

  237

  312 Hillingdon

  372

  313 Hounslow

  424

  314 Kingston upon Thames

  233

  315 Merton

  237

  316 Newham

  437

  317 Redbridge

  372

  318 Richmond upon Thames

  155

  319 Sutton

  291

  320 Waltham Forest

  757

  330 Birmingham

  2,889

  331 Coventry

  809

  180

  Full-time pupils in maintained special schools Numbers

  332 Dudley

  570

  333 Sandwell

  845

  334 Solihull

  242

  335 Walsall

  553

  336 Wolverhampton

  498

  340 Knowsley

  627

  341 Liverpool

  1,558

  342 St. Helens

  478

  343 Sefton

  459

  344 Wirral

  719

  350 Bolton

  461

  351 Bury

  287

  352 Manchester

  1,509

  353 Oldham

  618

  354 Rochdale

  528

  355 Salford

  520

  356 Stockport

  432

  357 Tameside

  406

  358 Trafford

  370

  359 Wigan

  809

  370 Barnsley

  187

  371 Doncaster

  717

  372 Rotherham

  615

  373 Sheffield

  854

  380 Bradford

  873

  381 Calderdale

  209

  382 Kirklees

  644

  383 Leeds

  1,051

  384 Wakefield

  631

  390 Gateshead

  374

  391 Newcastle upon Tyne

  652

  392 North Tyneside

  404

  393 South Tyneside

  301

  394 Sunderland

  656

  420 Isles of Scilly

  —

  901 Avon

  1,993

  902 Bedfordshire

  1,086

  903 Berkshire

  1,518

  904 Buckinghamshire

  1,505

  905 Cambridgeshire

  954

  906 Cheshire

  1,418

  907 Cleveland

  1,317

  908 Cornwall

  296

  909 Cumbria

  348

  910 Derbyshire

  1,284

  911 Devon

  1,691

  912 Dorset

  1,059

  913 Durham

  1,045

  181

  Full-time pupils in maintained special schools Numbers

  914 East Sussex

  1,330

  915 Essex

  2,512

  916 Gloucestershire

  1,202

  917 Hampshire

  3,491

  918 Hereford and Worcester

  1,271

  919 Hertfordshire

  1,820

  920 Humberside

  1,177

  921 Isle of Wight

  224

  922 Kent

  3,217

  923 Lancashire

  3,222

  924 Leicestershire

  1,069

  925 Lincolnshire

  1,135

  926 Norfolk

  859

  927 North Yorkshire

  1,009

  928 Northamptonshire

  1,091

  929 Northumberland

  546

  930 Nottinghamshire

  1,941

  931 Oxfordshire

  704

  932 Shropshire

  518

  933 Somerset

  589

  934 Staffordshire

  2,083

  935 Suffolk

  697

  936 Surrey

  1,729

  937 Warwickshire

  1,263

  938 West Sussex

  1,206

  939 Wiltshire

  699

  England

  89,429

  1 Including pupils in maintained hospital schools.

  St. Fidelis School, Erith
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will pay an official visit to St. Fidelis school in Erith to discuss the capital funding of the school and its proposed expansion.

  Mr. Fallon
  The capital funding of the proposed expansion project at St. Fidelis school will be one of the factors considered by my right hon. and learned Friend in his decision on proposals published by the governors, under section 13 of the 1980 Education Act, to enlarge the school significantly. It is not our practice to visit schools which are the subject of statutory proposals; but if we did, it would not be possible to discuss any of the issues involved, as this could be held to have pre-judged our eventual decision on the proposals.

  Religious Education
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what are the most recently available estimates for(a) the number of full-time teachers in county secondary schools who teach religious education and who have no post A-level qualification in RE, (b) the numbers of full-time teachers in county secondary schools who teach religious education and who have a post A-level qualification in RE and (c) the number of full-time county secondary teachers with a post A-level qualification in RE who are not teaching the subject.

  Mr. Fallon
  The information requested is not separately available for county secondary schools.

  For all maintained secondary schools in England, the 1988 secondary school staffing survey showed that 14,500 full-time teachers were teaching religious education. Of
  182
  these, 44 per cent, or 6,400 had a post A-level qualification in religious education. The remaining 56 per cent., or 8,100, who had no recorded post A-level qualification in the subject, were providing only 26 per cent, of all tuition periods in religious education. A further 6,900 full-time teachers with a post A-level qualification in religious education were not teaching the subject.

  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the local education authorities which have adopted agreed syllabuses for religious education since the commencement of the Education Reform Act 1988.

  Mr. Eggar
  The Department does not collect this information. We are aware, however, that some local education authorities have adopted new agreed syllabuses for religious education since 29 September 1988, including:

  Bolton

  Cornwall

  Derbyshire

  Ealing

  Newcastle-upon-Tyne

  Newham

  North Tyneside

  Oldham

  Rotherham

  I believe that other authorities are currently reviewing their syllabuses.

  Christian Worship
  Mr. Alison
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list for each local education authority(a) the number and (b) the percentage of county schools granted total or partial exemption from the requirement to hold broadly Christian acts of worship.

  Mr. Eggar
  The information is not available in the form requested. I understand that, in the first year following the Education Reform Act 1988, 32 local education authorities reported that determinations had been granted in respect of one or more of their schools and that four LEAs have reported further determinations granted in the second year. I have requested some further analysis of the information which we have and will write to my hon. Friend in due course.

  CD-ROM Technology
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he intends to offer financial assistance for CD-ROM applications for the blind and visually handicapped; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Yes. My right hon. and learned Friend announced on 25 January a scheme to be jointly funded by the Department, the Royal National Institute for the Blind and the Open university to develop software to give blind and visually handicapped pupils full access to CD-ROM materials. The scheme is being managed by the National Council for Educational Technology.

  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he intends to offer further financial support for the CD-ROM application development scheme; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Yes. As part of the Government's scheme to introduce and extend the curriculum use of CD-ROM
  183
  technology in schools, the Department has invited the National Council for Educational Technology to commission the development of a number of new curriculum discs directly supporting the national curriculum. The Department is making £700,000 available towards the costs which will be shared with the disc developers and publishers.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Disaster Relief Unit
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his oral answer of 10 February 1992,Official Report, column 665, if he will give details of the activities of the emergency aid department, showing in which way its work differs from that of the disaster relief unit which it replaced.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I announced the creation of the ODA's emergency aid department on 14 August 1991. A copy of the announcement has been placed in the Library.

  The emergency aid department incorporates the relief work of the disaster unit and the refugee unit and now has an additional section to deal with the new disaster relief initiative, disaster preparedness and the continuing humanitarian crisis in Iraq.

  Honduras
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he has any plans for further assistance to the Government of Honduras.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We have agreed to convert the £5 million non-interest bearing loan 1980 to a grant. A formal agreement will be signed in due course with the Government of Honduras, waiving repayments over the period to 2011.

  Population Control
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution Her Majesty's Government will make to the United Nations fund for population activities in 1992.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We will contribute £9 million to the United Nations fund for population activities in 1992. This is a 20 per cent. increase on our 1991 contribution of £7·5 million, which in turn represented an increase of 25 per cent. over the 1990 contribution of £6 million. Britain will, therefore, have increased its core support to UNFPA by 50 per cent. over the last two years.

  Britain's commitment to population as a development priority is very clear, and we aim to further increase the resources available for population assistance under the United Kingdom aid programme. UNFPA will continue to be a major recipient of this assistance.

  Cambodia
  Mr. Harris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what contribution Her Majesty's Government have made to the World Food Programme appeal for internally displaced people in Cambodia.
  184
  Mrs. Chalker
  I approved a contribution of £250,000 to the World Food Programme, specifically for the needs of the internally displaced people in Cambodia.

  Overseas Development (Report)
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for the library of his Department's Overseas Development Administration the report, "Justice Between Peoples—Justice between Generations", published last December.

  Mrs. Chalker
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: An order for this report has been placed with its publisher, the Environment Liaison Centre International (ELCI) in Nairobi, and will be added to the library of the Overseas Development Administration in due course.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Mr. and Mrs. Orton Chirwa
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to make further representations on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Orton Chirwa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We will continue to raise the case of Orton and Vera Chirwa with the Malawian Government at every suitable opportunity until they are released.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what plans he has to visit Malawi to discuss the continuing imprisonment of Mr. and Mrs. Chirwa; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Secretary of State has no plans to visit Malawi. I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my right hon. Friend the Member for Westmorland and Lonsdale (Mr. Jopling) on 13 February, column 605.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list the representations made by Her Majesty's Government to the Malawian Government concerning Mr. and Mrs. Orton Chirwa.

  Mrs. Chalker
  The Government made representations to the Malawian Government on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Chirwa in February and March 1984, October 1986, December 1987, July 1990, December 1991, January 1992 —three times—and February 1992.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his Department will support attempts by the hon. Member to seek to visit Mr. and Mrs. Orton Chirwa in prison in Malawi.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Any such visit would require the agreement of the Malawian Government. A response to a request by the EC and the United States Governments for access by the International Committee of the Red Cross to all Malawi's prisoners is currently awaited.

  Chemical Weapons Organisation
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations he has received regarding the location of the seat of the
  185
  international organisation to be established under the chemical weapons convention, currently under negotiation in Geneva.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  On 26 November 1991, the Dutch ambassador delivered to the Permanent Under-Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office an aide-memoire on The Hague's candidature to host the International Organisation of the Chemical Weapons Convention. On 3 February this year, the Austrian Foreign Minister gave a memorandum on Vienna's candidature to my hon. and learned Friend the Minister of State, Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

  Croatia
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what steps are being taken to identify the source of the supplies of arms entering Croatia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The United Nations Security Council has established a committee to monitor military equipment entering Yugoslavia and its former constituent republics in violation of Security Council resolution 713 of 25 September 1991.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what consideration his Department has given to the question of sanctions against Croatia since recognition, in addition to those already in force against Yugoslavia.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  All aspects of our policy towards Croatia are under constant review.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if, during the normal process of discussions with the German Government in the last 14 days, the matter of Croatia has been raised; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Croatia is regularly discussed both bilaterally with our community partners and multilaterally under European political co-operation.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what action his Department will take to ensure that the Government of Croatia adhere to every undertaking given to Her Majesty's Government and the European Community prior to the formal recognition of Croatia's independence.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have made it clear that the development of our relations with Croatia will depend on Croatia's fulfilling its undertakings on minorities' rights.

  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will obtain for his departmental library a copy of the Helsinki Watch report on Croatian attrocities against Serbs.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The report referred to has been ordered.

ENVIRONMENT

  Countryside (Access)
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve access to the countryside.
  186
  Mr. Baldry
  The rights of way network provides the means by which most people can visit and enjoy the countryside. We are strongly supporting the Countryside Commission in its work with local authorities to improve this network and to bring it all into good order by the year 2000. We have created incentives to landowners to provide greater opportunities for public access through the countryside stewardship scheme, and increased funds for the national park authorities to open up new areas for public enjoyment. We shall announce further measures shortly.

  Mr. Martlew
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to improve access to the countryside.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given to the hon. Member for Caerphilly (Mr. Davies) earlier today by my hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Environment.

  Environmental Policies
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will make a statement on the application of environmental considerations to Government policy as a whole.

  Mr. Heseltine
  This Government have taken a world lead in integrating environmental policies across Departments. We have established two ministerial committees to develop and monitor environmental initiatives, created a "green" Minister in every Government Department and issued guidance which Departments must follow in assessing the environmental impacts of their policies and programmes. The environment remains high on the Government's agenda. We will continue to provide regular and full progress reports on the implementation of our commitments.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. French
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent reports he has received about depletion of the ozone layer.

  Mr. Trippier
  Reports have been received from the European arctic stratospheric ozone experiment (EASOE) and from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. These show large quantities of ozone-depleting chemicals present in the stratosphere, and low concentrations of ozone have been observed over mid-latitudes of the northern hemisphere and in the tropics. It is not yet possible to say unequivocally that chemical depletion of ozone is taking place.

  Carbon Tax
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will report on progress made with his European Community counterparts on agreements on a Communitywide carbon tax.

  Mr. Heseltine
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Harrow, West (Mr. Hughes) on 17 December 1991, and to this morning's debate in European Standing Committee A.

  NRA Board of Directors
  Dr Kim Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he has held discussions with the chairman of the National Rivers Authority concerning the reorganisation of the National Rivers Authority's board of directors.

  Mr. Baldry
  I discuss board appointments with the chairman of the National Rivers Authority whenever there is a need.

  Water Pollution
  Mr. John Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many water pollution incidents were the subject of prosecutions in each of the last three years; and what was the total amount levied in fines in each year.

  Mr. Baldry
  The numbers of successful prosecutions for pollution incidents in England and Wales, since the establishment of the National Rivers Authority, are shown, with the total fines imposed.

  Period

  Total number of prosecutions

  Fines (£000)

  1 September 1989 to 31 August 1990

  395

  11,316

  1 September 1990 to 31 August 1991

  559

  773

  1 September 1991 to 30 November 1991

  150

  264

  1 Includes £1 million for Shell UK prosecution.

  Prosecution figures are based on the date of the court hearing. Further information is contained in the NRA's report "Water Pollution Incidents in England and Wales 1990", which was published on 27 January. Prosecutions prior to I September 1989 would have been brought by the water authorities and comprehensive information is not readily available.

  Tidiness
  Mr. Colin Shepherd
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the progress of his measures to improve the tidiness of Britain.

  Mr. Baldry
  The message that is being received by my Department is that local authorities are responding positively to the new duty to keep their land clear of litter and to the other measures incorporated in part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. I am sure that this is having a positive impact on the cleanliness of streets, parks and other places.

  Housebuilding
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many houses were built by local authorities and by housing associations in 1991.

  Sir George Young
  Provisional estimates are that in England, in 1991, 14,600 dwellings were completed by housing associations and 7,800 by local authorities. Housing associations are now the main providers of new subsidised housing: they also provide housing by acquisition, renovation, conversion and other means, and their total output is expected to rise to over 50,000 by 1993–94.
  188
  Mr. Skinner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the figures for housebuilding in the public sector in the current year to the latest available date; what was the comparable figure for 1978–79; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Provisional estimates are that in England, during the nine months April to December 1991, 5,500 dwellings were completed for local authorities, new towns and Government Departments and 11,900 for housing associations. In April to December 1978 the equivalent figures were 64,500 and 15,700. I also refer the hon. Member to the answer given today to the hon. Member for Wentworth (Mr. Hardy) by my hon. Friend the Minister for Housing and Planning.

  Rural Housing
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will encourage the Housing Corporation to direct a higher proportion of its funds to rural areas.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Housing Corporation's rural programme is being steadily expanded from 1,500 homes this year to 1,850 in 1992–93 and 2,250 in 1993–94. In addition, the corporation has undertaken to make good this year and next a shortfall of over 700 homes against its target for 1990–91.

  Air Quality
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on air quality.

  Mr. Trippier
  I refer the hon. Member to chapter 11 of the White Paper "This Common Inheritance" (Cm 1200) and to chapter 8 of "This Common Inheritance: The First Year Report" (Cm 1655). These give a full account of our progress in improving air quality and our commitments to further action.

  Local Authorities (Unitary Plans)
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the development of unitary plans by local authorities.

  Sir George Young
  One unitary development plan has been adopted. Other metropolitan authorities have plans in preparation.

  Heveningham Hall
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on Heveningham hall.

  Mr. Heseltine
  No. I have nothing to add now to my answer to the hon. Member on 10 December, column 367.

  Redundant Farm Buildings
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will issue guidance to local planning authorities to allow for the granting of a greater proportion than hitherto of applications making use of redundant farm buildings.

  Mr. Yeo
  Guidance on the re-use of farm and other rural buildings is in planning policy guidance note 7, "The
  189
  Countryside and the Rural Economy", published in January 1992. This states that proposals should not be rejected unless there are specific and convincing planning reasons that cannot be overcome by attaching reasonable conditions to the planning permission. Unlike the first edition of PPG7, it says that it should not normally be necessary to consider whether the building is no longer needed for its present purposes.

  Mixed Housing Developments
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he is taking to promote mixed housing developments of both public and private housing on local authority land; in what proportions; what the position was in each of the last 10 years; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir George Young
  Right to buy, estate action, city challenge, housing action trusts and other initiatives introduced by this Government are already successfully promoting diversification of tenure in areas of local authority housing. Increased competition for housing investment programme resources and the requirement to develop housing strategies will further encourage local authorities to mix the tenure of estates. Details of sales of local authority land and buildings can be found in the quarterly housing and construction statistics published by my Department.

  Recycling
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what recent representation he has received from the Association of District Councils about recycling.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government have frequent contact with local authorities and the local authority associations on a wide range of matters concerning recycling.

  Council Estates
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the Government are encouraging tenant participation in the management of council estates.

  Sir George Young
  The Department has increased its grants for the promotion and development of tenant management initiatives on local authority estates by over a third since last year. In addition, it has contributed towards the costs of developing the new national certificate in tenant participation and is grant-aiding moves to establish a national housing and tenant resource centre. Last week it began a national distribution of the tenant participation video and leaflet which my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State launched with the council tenants charter.

  East Thames Corridor
  Mr. Evennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement on the environmental impact of the development of the east Thames corridor.

  Mr. Trippier
  My right hon. Friend has appointed consultants to examine the opportunities for development in the east Thames corridor. They are considering also the potential for the environmental enhancement of the corridor and taking account of the need to conserve areas of historical and environmental sensitivity.

  Planning and Development
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he next intends to meet the European Commissioner for environmental matters to discuss planning and development matters.

  Mr. Yeo
  I discuss a wide range of issues, including planning and development matters whenever I meet the Commissioner. Following our meeting on 21 January, no further meeting has yet been arranged.

  Compulsory Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Carttiss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the estimated savings made by local authorities as a result of compulsory competitive tendering; and what further savings could be made through its extension.

  Mr. Key
  Research has shown average savings of 6 per cent. in the annual value of contracts for all services subject to competition under the Local Government Act 1988. Higher average savings, in the range of 10 to 15 per cent. of annual value, have been achieved in the case of refuse collection and building cleaning. The Government believe that the demonstrable gains in efficiency and value for money stimulated by the introduction of competition should be extended to a wider range of local services.

  SSAs
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the counties which have obtained a higher standard spending assessment settlement per unit of population in the current year than Warwickshire; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  The following counties have a higher standard spending assessment expressed in pounds per adult than Warwickshire for 1991–92: Avon, Bedfordshire, Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Cheshire, Cleveland, Cornwall, Cumbria, Derbyshire, Devon, Durham, East Sussex, Essex, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Hereford and Worcester, Hertfordshire, Humberside, Isle of Wight, Kent, Lancashire, Leicestershire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Northamptonshire, Northumberland, North Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Shropshire, Somerset, Staffordshire, Suffolk and Wiltshire.

  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will now direct his officials to have talks with local government officers in Warwickshire about the county's financial situation;

  (2) what advice or assistance is available to county councils which represent to him that the results of the standard spending assessment formula are disadvantageous to them.

  Mr. Portillo
  When the provisional standard spending assessments were announced on 26 November, local authorities were invited to make representations up to 31 December. Ministers met delegations from local authorities up to 9 January.

  The final standard spending assessment formulae for 1992–93 have now been approved by the House. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State has made clear his intentions with regard to charge capping. It is now for

  191
  Warwickshire and all other authorities to determine their budgets for 1992–93. It would not be appropriate for the Department to become involved in budgeting decisions. Any authority designated for capping will have the opportunity to make representations if it decides to challenge the level of the cap proposed by the Secretary of State.

  Housing Revenue Accounts
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table of all local authorities in England, grouped regionally, showing the estimated notional deficit or surplus on their housing revenue account for 1991–92, if expenditure on rent rebates and subsidy towards those costs were excluded from the calculation of housing revenue accounts subsidy for that year but rents, debt repayment and management and management expenditure remained the same.

  Mr. Yeo
  I have arranged for the information to be placed in the Library of the House.

  Pipelines
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if the laying or construction of notifiable pipelines is granted permitted development rights under the Town and Country Planning and General Development Order 1988; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  Public gas suppliers within the meaning of section 7 of the Gas Act 1986 have permitted development rights under part 17F of schedule 2 of the Town and Country Planning General Development Order 1988, including the laying underground of notifiable pipelines.

  SSSIs
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites if special scientific interest have been denotified in each year since 1981; what was the total hectarage involved in each year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The information is not available in the form requested. Since 1981. the total area of land de-notified in England, primarily as the result of boundary amendments to existing SSSIs is 12,699·8 hectares involving 440 SSSIs.

  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many sites of special scientific interest were visited under the site integrity monitoring programme for the latest 12-month period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  In England, 1,597 SSSIs were visited in the period from 1 April to 31 December 1991. The aim is for all SSSIs to be covered by site integrity monitoring, with a visit to each site at least every three years.

  Urban Programme Support, Hackney
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list the projects in the London borough of Hackney which have received inner cities partnership or urban programme support in each year since 1987–88, showing in each case the level of support and the benefits obtained for local people.
  192
  Mr. Key
  The Department has approved more than 400 projects under the Hackney urban programme—formerly called Hackney inner-city partnership—since 1987–88. Individual projects started each year within the Hackney urban programme (UP) are listed in annual reports available from Hackney council. Further details on UP funded projects are also available from the council.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the per capita levels of revenue support for the 10 local authorities which benefit most(a) in 1990–91, (b) in 1991–92 and (c) in 1992–93.

  Mr. Key
  The information requested is as follows:

  1990–91 revenue support grant per capita for the 10 local authorities which benefit most

  Local authority

  1990–91 revenue support grant (£/per capita)

  City of London

  9,153

  Tower Hamlets

  824

  Hackney

  804

  Lambeth

  708

  Westminster

  689

  Islington

  633

  Newham

  621

  Southwark

  579

  Isles of Scilly

  573

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  560

  1991–92 revenue support grant per capita for the 10 local authorities which benefit most

  Local authority

  1991–92 revenue support grant(£/per capita)

  City of London

  9,420

  Tower Hamlets

  968

  Hackney

  939

  Lambeth

  844

  Westminster

  781

  Islington

  755

  Newham

  736

  Southwark

  681

  Isles of Scilly

  608

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  636

  1992–93 revenue support grant per capita for the 10 local authorities which benefit most

  Local authority

  1992–93 revenue support grant (£/per capita)

  City of London

  10,771

  Tower Hamlets

  1,154

  Hackney

  1,127

  Lambeth

  1,014

  Westminster

  959

  Islington

  942

  Newham

  940

  Southwark

  841

  Isles of Scilly

  853

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  821

  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will set out the per capita levels of housing revenue support for the 10 local authorities which benefit most(a) in 1990–91, (b) in 1991–92 and (c) in 1992–93.
  193
  Mr. Yeo
  The information requested on housing revenue account (HRA) subsidy paid to English local housing authorities is shown in the following tables.

  HRA subsidy claimed 1990–91

  HRA subsidy claimed per dwelling 1990–91

  Islington

  139,842,857

  3,546

  Lambeth

  123,663,328

  2,493

  Hackney

  118,239,274

  2,549

  Manchester

  116,383,231

  1,233

  Camden

  107,762,567

  3,143

  Birmingham

  101,344,460

  907

  Southwark

  100,665,746

  1,723

  Tower Hamlets

  97,382,040

  2,307

  Liverpool

  76,015,000

  1,264

  Haringey

  71,166,800

  3,008

  HRA subsidy claimed 1991–92

  HRA subsidy claimed per dwelling 1991–92

  Manchester

  139,755,197

  1,519

  Islington

  138,230,866

  3,553

  Lambeth

  136,532,184

  2,886

  Hackney

  117,054,424

  2,591

  Southwark

  112,149,017

  1,948

  Tower Hamlets

  108,001,909

  2,621

  Camden

  107,920,526

  3,299

  Birmingham

  107,433,312

  978

  Liverpool

  82,944,395

  1,424

  Sheffield

  77,842,210

  1,035

  £million

  Capital financing SSA

  Equivalent net revenue expenditure

  Difference

  Bath

  0·662

  5·664

  5·002

  Bristol

  3·245

  9·069

  5·824

  North Bedfordshire

  0·697

  -0·507

  -1·204

  Bracknell Forest

  0·455

  -2·006

  -2·461

  Newbury

  0·718

  2·001

  1·283

  Slough

  0·812

  -1·928

  -2·740

  Windsor and Maidenhead

  0·783

  4·639

  3·856

  Milton Keynes

  2·082

  3·891

  1·809

  Wycombe

  0·828

  14·573

  13·745

  Huntingdonshire

  0·641

  5·317

  4·676

  Peterborough

  1·041

  2·224

  1·183

  Vale Royal

  0·598

  -1·047

  -1·645

  Warrington

  1·200

  2·860

  1·660

  Hartlepool

  1·342

  3·057

  1·715

  Langbaurgh-on-Tees

  1·522

  3·533

  2·011

  Middlesbrough

  2·555

  4·147

  1·592

  Stockton-on-Tees

  1·392

  2·505

  1·113

  Kerrier

  0·665

  1·896

  1·231

  Chesterfield

  0·617

  4·441

  3·824

  Derby

  1·849

  3·722

  1·873

  East Devon

  0·688

  -0·537

  -1·225

  Plymouth

  2·206

  3·869

  1·663

  Teignbridge

  0·660

  1·924

  1·264

  Bournemouth

  1·578

  10·155

  8·577

  Christchurch

  0·456

  -0·737

  -1·193

  West Dorset

  0·886

  -1·108

  -1·994

  Derwentside

  0·702

  1·937

  1·235

  Wear Valley

  0·459

  2·815

  2·356

  Brighton

  1·375

  3·838

  2·463

  Hastings

  1·404

  2·926

  1·522

  Basildon

  1·007

  6·971

  5·964

  Braintree

  0·562

  2·144

  1·582

  Brentwood

  0·409

  2·979

  2·570

  Chelmsford

  0·894

  3·911

  3·017

  Colchester

  1087

  -0·192

  -1·279

  194

  Estimated subsidy claim for 1992–93

  Estimated subsidy claim per dwelling for 1992–93

  Lambeth

  133,037,277

  2,797

  Islington

  130,173,124

  3,336

  Manchester

  129,492,486

  1,414

  Hackney

  120,192,731

  2,728

  Southwark

  110,043,144

  1,954

  Birmingham

  107,543,367

  996

  Camden

  103,147,677

  3,124

  Tower Hamlets

  100,361,349

  2,557

  Sheffield

  83,720,944

  1,153

  Liverpool

  83,589,876

  1,464

  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will state the difference between the standard spending assessments relating to capital charges allotted to local authorities and the amount which they needed to disburse on such expenditure for the year 1991–92, where that difference exceeded £1 million, together with the name of the local authority and the excess amount so paid.

  Mr. Key
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: The capital financing element of the 1991–92 SSAs totalled £2,950·7 million. The latest information available to my Department indicates that local authorities have budgeted to spend £2,973·3 million on capital financing in 1991–92.

  The table shows the capital financing SSA element, the equivalent budgeted net revenue expenditure on capital financing, and the difference between these two amounts in 1991–92 for those local authorities where the difference exceeds £1 million.
  195

  Capital financing SSA

  Equivalent net revenue expenditure

  Difference

  Epping Forest

  0·829

  2·021

  1·192

  Harlow

  0·643

  2·325

  1·682

  Southend-on-Sea

  1·447

  3·055

  1·608

  Thurrock

  0·670

  5·033

  4·363

  Stroud

  0·505

  4·225

  3·720

  Portsmouth

  2·126

  -9·601

  -11·727

  Southampton

  1·814

  5·477

  3·663

  Winchester

  0·578

  2·354

  1·776

  Hereford

  0·276

  1·436

  1·160

  St. Albans

  0·714

  -0·375

  -1·089

  Three Rivers

  0·495

  -0·643

  -1·138

  Watford

  0·506

  -1·854

  -2·360

  Welwyn Hatfield

  0·799

  3196

  2·397

  Glanford

  1·041

  2·286

  1·245

  Great Grimsby

  0·627

  1·650

  1·023

  Kingston upon Hull

  4·230

  8·561

  4·331

  East Yorkshire

  0·427

  1·593

  1·166

  South Wight

  0·767

  -0·933

  -1·700

  Ashford

  0·479

  2·655

  2·176

  Canterbury

  1·336

  3·224

  1·888

  Maidstone

  0·804

  3·229

  2·425

  Rochester upon Medway

  1·061

  3·064

  2·003

  Sevenoaks

  0·530

  -0·716

  -1·246

  Swale

  0·753

  3·406

  2·653

  Tonbridge and Mailing

  0·595

  3·554

  2·959

  Blackburn

  2·396

  3·458

  1·062

  Pendle

  0·629

  1·726

  1·097

  Preston

  1·946

  4·754

  2·808

  Charnwood

  0·745

  2·378

  1·633

  Leicester

  4·281

  9·229

  4·948

  Melton

  0·182

  1·635

  1·453

  East Lindsey

  0·643

  2·413

  1·770

  Breckland

  0·534

  1·671

  1·137

  Great Yarmouth

  0·752

  2·001

  1·249

  Norwich

  1·055

  3·273

  2·218

  South Norfolk

  0·538

  -0·629

  -1·167

  Daventry

  0·207

  2·369

  2·162

  South Northamptonshire

  0·350

  -1·349

  -1·699

  Alnwick

  0·325

  1·833

  1·508

  Wansbeck

  0·597

  2·523

  1·926

  Harrogate

  0·802

  3·215

  2·413

  York

  0·606

  4·053

  3·447

  Ashfield

  0·576

  2·577

  2·001

  Gedling

  0·737

  1·789

  1·052

  Mansfield

  0·725

  2·503

  1·778

  Newark and Sherwood

  0·765

  3·611

  2·846

  Oxford

  0·923

  3·613

  2·690

  South Oxfordshire

  0·746

  -0·804

  -1·550

  The Wrekin

  0·930

  2·595

  1·665

  Cannock Chase

  0·530

  1·894

  1·364

  Stafford

  0·666

  2·767

  2·101

  Stoke·on·Trent

  2·166

  11·217

  9·051

  Forest Heath

  0·288

  1·779

  1·491

  Ispwich

  0·892

  2·687

  1·795

  Mid Suffolk

  0·590

  1·731

  1·141

  St. Edmundsbury

  0·430

  -1·001

  -1·431

  Suffolk Coastal

  1·093

  -1·258

  -2·351

  Waveney

  1·067

  2·122

  1·055

  Elmbridge

  0·581

  3·551

  2·970

  Reigate and Banstead

  0·714

  -2·903

  -3·617

  Woking

  1·025

  10·740

  9·715

  Nuneaton and Bedworth

  0·634

  1·725

  1·091

  Adur

  0·343

  1·382

  1·039

  Crawley

  0·471

  -0·660

  -1·131

  Thamesdown

  0·859

  10·655

  9·796

  West Midlands Fire and Civil Defence Authority

  2·676

  4·171

  1·495

  London Fire and Civil Defence Authority

  9·904

  7·431

  -2·473

  Merseyside Police Authority

  2·037

  4·353

  2·316

  Northumbria Police Authority

  1·719

  4·071

  2·352

  West Midlands Police Authority

  3·524

  5·403

  1·879

  Bolton

  16·615

  13·095

  ·3·520

  Bury

  9·607

  7·782

  -1·825

  Manchester

  42·724

  75·611

  32·888

  Oldham

  19·536

  17·586

  -1·950

  196 197

  Capital financing SSA

  Equivalent net revenue expenditure

  Difference

  Stockport

  16·008

  17·973

  1·965

  Tameside

  12·615

  13·922

  1·307

  Trafford

  15·349

  14·342

  -1·007

  Knowsley

  12·494

  9·846

  -2·648

  St. Helens

  17·123

  15·208

  -1·914

  Sefton

  18·438

  16·502

  -1·936

  Wirral

  22·341

  26·153

  3·812

  Barnsley

  12·735

  17·167

  4·433

  Doncaster

  15·466

  11·728

  -3·739

  Rotherham

  13·959

  16·313

  2·354

  Sheffield

  32·735

  41·411

  8·676

  Gateshead

  19·877

  15·810

  -4·066

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  25·938

  32·542

  6·605

  North Tyneside

  15·495

  13·820

  -1·675

  South Tyneside

  16·415

  15·200

  -1·215

  Sunderland

  25·182

  21·689

  -3·493

  Birmingham

  71·763

  113·620

  41·857

  Coventry

  21·379

  40·177

  18·798

  Dudley

  20·101

  21·865

  1·764

  Sandwell

  18·171

  20·454

  2·283

  Solihull

  9·610

  6·973

  -2·637

  Walsall

  18·409

  25·934

  7·524

  Wolverhampton

  19·009

  22·525

  3·515

  Bradford

  38·682

  32·836

  -5·846

  Calderdale

  10·910

  11·958

  1·049

  Leeds

  43·218

  57·969

  14·751

  Wakefield

  19·577

  10·542

  -9·035

  City of London

  7·830

  34·187

  26·357

  Camden

  16·359

  27·100

  10·741

  Greenwich

  15·130

  12·613

  -2·518

  Hackney

  20·546

  25·132

  4·587

  Hammersmith and Fulham

  15·629

  19·803

  4·174

  Islington

  16·970

  29·109

  12·139

  Kensington and Chelsea

  13·704

  9·049

  -4·655

  Lambeth

  22·365

  27·102

  4·736

  Lewisham

  18·535

  9·645

  -8·890

  Southwark

  19·799

  13·142

  -6·657

  Tower Hamlets

  21·624

  14·954

  -6·670

  Westminster

  20·610

  7·252

  -13·357

  Barking and Dagenham

  7·031

  10·626

  3·595

  Barnet

  13·980

  7·549

  -6·431

  Bexley

  15·095

  12·508

  -2·588

  Brent

  20·414

  25·137

  4·723

  Bromley

  16·370

  24·579

  8·209

  Croydon

  18·222

  2·944

  -15·278

  Ealing

  19·662

  16·636

  -3·027

  Enfield

  19·757

  22·897

  3·141

  Haringey

  18·095

  29·877

  11·782

  Harrow

  16·484

  11·588

  -4·896

  Havering

  12·520

  8·121

  -4·399

  Hillingdon

  19·779

  14·824

  -4·955

  Hounslow

  12·888

  14·833

  1·945

  Kingston upon Thames

  10·446

  4·808

  -5·638

  Merton

  12·619

  15·451

  2·833

  Newham

  23·586

  26·883

  3·297

  Redbridge

  13·107

  8·551

  -4·556

  Richmond upon Thames

  8·501

  5·769

  -2·732

  Sutton

  10·796

  8·537

  -2·258

  Waltham Forest

  17·567

  13·658

  -3·909

  Avon

  33·924

  23·976

  -9·948

  Bedfordshire

  21·280

  26·002

  4·722

  Berkshire

  34·934

  42·389

  7·455

  Cambridgeshire

  31·314

  14·716

  -16·598

  Cheshire

  41·132

  42·558

  1·426

  Cleveland

  29·774

  34·493

  4·719

  Cornwall

  26·796

  17·680

  -9116

  Cumbria

  24·068

  20·300

  -3·768

  Derbyshire

  48·043

  31·389

  -16·654

  Devon

  44·846

  34·906

  -9·940

  Dorset

  27·321

  3·291

  -24·030

  Durham

  26·357

  21·714

  -4·643

  East Sussex

  35·141

  28·812

  -6·329

  Essex

  72·777

  52·976

  -19·801

  Gloucestershire

  25·277

  19·714

  -5·563

  198 199

  Capital financing SSA

  Equivalent net revenue expenditure

  Difference

  Hampshire

  70·469

  48·033

  -22·436

  Hereford and Worcester

  26·628

  18·375

  -8·253

  Hertfordshire

  38·813

  19·762

  -19·051

  Humberside

  44·489

  36·293

  -8·196

  Kent

  80·388

  37·764

  -42·624

  Lancashire

  74·180

  80·534

  6·354

  Leicestershire

  44·072

  32·800

  -11·272

  Lincolnshire

  26·760

  29·963

  3·203

  Norfolk

  30·299

  20·136

  -10·163

  Northamptonshire

  31·375

  23·460

  -7·915

  Northumberland

  14·538

  7·790

  -6·748

  North Yorkshire

  31·015

  20·297

  -10·718

  Nottinghamshire

  38·133

  46·284

  8·151

  Oxfordshire

  18·875

  16·056

  -2·819

  Shropshire

  22·566

  16·809

  -5·757

  Somerset

  22·065

  19·731

  -2·334

  Staffordshire

  47·723

  38·649

  -9·074

  Surrey

  38·025

  53·235

  15·210

  Warwickshire

  16·392

  14·551

  -1·841

  West Sussex

  27·975

  16·436

  -11·539

  Wiltshire

  25·388

  15·057

  -10·331

  NB—nditure figures for the metropolitan districts include expenditure by the metropolitan transport authorities and the metropolitan waste authorities. The expenditure figures for the London boroughs include expenditure on waste regulation and disposal.

  Council House Sales
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what estimate he has made of the total capital receipts available to local authorities from the sale of council houses in the last 12 months; and what was the total for the immediately preceding 12-month period.

  Sir George Young
  Receipts from the sale of council dwellings constitute the large majority of housing capital receipts. Our current estimate of usable housing capital receipts available to authorities from sales and disposals in 1991–92 is about £450 million (projected from the half-year data available). The value of 1990–91 usable housing capital receipts, reported by authorities, is £625 million. In addition to spending from usable receipts, councils may also finance expenditure from new borrowing, authorised by credit approvals, and by contributions from revenue accounts, and many also have unspent usable receipts from previous years.

  Service Pensioners
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) whether he gives guidance on local authorities' employment policies, to seek to prevent. the councils as employers from discriminating against prospective employees on the ground that they are in receipt of a pension as a result of having served in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he will introduce proposals for legislation making it illegal for local authorities to discriminate against job applicants because they are in receipt of a pension as a result of having served in the armed forces; and if he will make a statement;

  (3) if he will list all those local authorities who have an official policy of discriminating against job applicants on the ground that they are in receipt of a pension from the armed forces.

  Mr. Key
  Local authorities are responsible for their own recruitment policies. Like other employers, they are free to employ whom they wish, subject to the provisions of general employment law.
  200
  My Department holds no records of local authorities which discriminate against job applicants receiving pensions from the armed forces. Any legislation on this issue would be a matter for the Department of Employment. There are no plans to introduce legislation or provide guidance in this area.

  Section 7 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989 requires that, subject to other employment law, all appointments to local authority posts are made on merit. Within the terms of the selection criteria applied by local authorities, a successful applicant must be capable of meeting the requirements of the post applied for.

  Assured Tenancies
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the number of short assured tenancies for the year 1991.

  Mr. Yeo
  The numbers of assured shorthold tenancies can only be estimated from survey evidence. The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys 1990 private renters survey estimated that there was a total of 136,000 assured shorthold tenancies in mid-1990. This is the most recent figure available.

  Empty Properties
  Mr. Fearn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the number of empty properties in the private sector.

  Mr. Yeo
  Estimates of empty dwellings reported by English local authorities in their annual housing investment programme returns for April 1991 amounted to some 640,000 dwellings, or 4.2 per cent. of the private housing stock.

  Large Markets
  Mr. Tredinnick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has any plans to exclude large commercial markets from permitted development as defined in schedule 2, part 4 of the Town and Country Planning: General Development Order 1988, S.I. 1913.
  201
  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend has no plans to make such an exclusion.

  Lead Water Pipes
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will assist households on low incomes with the costs of replacing lead water supply pipes in dwellings.

  Mr. Yeo
  My hon. Friend the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Wales and I have today written to local authority associations, the water industry, and other organisations, seeking their views on proposals to extend minor works assistance, under the provisions of part VIII of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. We propose that local authorities be given wider scope in providing discretionary assistance to meet the cost of replacing lead water supply pipes to all owner occupiers or tenants on income-related benefits.

  This will complement the action water companies are taking to reduce plumbosolvency in water supplies and replace their section of lead service pipes. Where lead levels in water nevertheless remain high because of lead plumbing in houses or flats, the local authority will be able to help all those least able to meet the costs of these works, especially families with young children. This is intended to encourage modernisation of homes and protect public health while at the same time targeting resources where they are most needed.

  A copy of the consultation paper has been deposited in the Library.

  African Elephant
  Mr. Bellingham
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received in respect of proposals to move the African elephant from appendix I to the convention on international trade in endangered species to appendix II; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  I have held a number of meetings with a wide variety of elephant interest groups and independent experts.

  The Government have repeatedly stated their full and unflinching commitment to maintaining the current ban on trade in elephant products as long as it is necessary to ensure the survival and recovery of African elephant populations. Moreover, there is no question of our agreeing to any changes which would not meet the stringent conditions specified when the ban was agreed in 1989.

  We are not convinced that the time is right for a resumption in the trade in elephant products. We therefore intend to press strongly at the forthcoming conference of the parties to CITES in Kyoto for the retention of African elephants in appendix I to the convention.

  Pollution Victims
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will name the parties to whom his Department has sent, and with whom his Department has consulted on the OECD produced recommendations on compensation for victims of accidental pollution.
  202
  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer of 14 February 1992]: The OECD council has not yet adopted the draft recommendation on compensation of victims of accidental pollution. Officials from the Department of the Environment, the Department of Trade and Industry and the Health and Safety Executive have contributed to the OECD's work and in doing so have maintained contact with representatives of British and European insurers.

  Property Services Agency
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps are being taken to offer employees of the Property Services Agency in Northern Ireland redundancy in anticipation of the privatisation of the Property Services Agency; whether the Property Services Agency in Northern Ireland will remain a separate entity after privatisation: and what steps he is taking to enable employees to make a considered decision upon the option of redundancy prior to the availability of details of the privatisation proposals.

  Mr. Yeo
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: PSAs work in Northern Ireland is handled by the PSA building management (BM) business. Ministers will review BM's progress towards privatisation later this year. It is therefore premature to speculate on the form which privatisation might take, and whether Northern Ireland should remain a separate entity.

  In order to reduce manpower levels and thereby enable the PSAs businesses to compete more effectively, a voluntary early retirement/severance (VER) scheme, open to all non-industrial staff was launched throughout PSAs in late 1990. The benefits paid to those accepted for VER are the same as those which would be provided on compulsory redundancy. Officers who are uncertain whether to apply can request an estimate of their financial entitlements before making up their minds. Decisions on whether to offer VER, are taken in the light of business operational needs.

  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many meetings or other discussions his officials have had with local government officers in Warwickshire about the county's standard spending assessment in 1991 and 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Portillo
  Warwickshire have had the opportunity —in common with all other authorities—to make written representations on our settlement proposals and to request meetings with Ministers. Officials have not met officers from Warwickshire to discuss the authority's SSA although regular meetings are held with the local authority associations to discuss general SSA issues. Warwickshire did, however, meet me and officials in the context of community charge limitation for 1991–92 and my hon. Friends representing Warwickshire constituencies have frequently taken the opportunity to discuss the methodology underlying standard spending assessments with Ministers in this Department.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Disability
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission, what percentage of the work force of the House are disabled.

  Mr. Beith
  The number of registered disabled persons employed by the Commission represents 0.6 per cent. of the total House of Commons staff. That figure does not include registered disabled persons employed by Members or organisations in the House for which the Commission does not at present have responsibility.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

  Clerk's and Library Departments
  Mr. John Garrett
  To ask the hon. Member for Berwick upon Tweed, as representing the House of Commons Commission how many staff in the Clerk's Department and in the Library Department are at grade 5 or above.

  Mr. Beith
  The relevant figures are 34 and five respectively.

DEFENCE

  Gibraltar
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assistance has been given to Gibraltar, in each of the last three years, to train workers made redundant by the run down of the dockyards; whether training and re-training places are open to all those previously employed in the dockyards, regardless of nationality; what representations he has received on these matters; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Gibraltar dockyard ceased to operate under MOD management on 31 December 1984. With effect from 1 January 1985 the dockyard passed to the Government of Gibraltar and was operated on its behalf by Gibraltar Shiprepair Ltd. The provision of assistance and training for staff made redundant since the transfer is not, in consequence, a matter for the Ministry of Defence.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the WE177s withdrawn from(a) Royal Navy and (b) RAF service will be dismantled or put into storage.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in the House on 14 October,Official Report, column 58, that we would be making a substantial reduction in the numbers of free-fall WE177 bombs in the coming years and that in normal circumstances WEI 77s will not be deployed at sea. All WE177s withdrawn from service will be dismantled.

  Scottish Battalions
  Mr. Churchill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what will be the permanent establishment of the battalion to be formed by the amalgamation of the 4 (Volunteer) Parachute battalion and the 15 (Volunteer) Parachute 204
  battalion; what will be the minimum size of each of the five detachments of the Scottish company within the amalgamated battalion; and what level of funding and logistical support will be provided to each of the five Scottish detachments.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The permanent establishment will be 490, conforming to the new standard being adopted by all 36 Territorial Army infantry battalions. Rifle companies of the new battalion will have the same formal establishment as those of the remainder of the Territorial Army infantry, increased by an allowance for recruits and where support elements of the battalion are allocated to the company. The Scottish Company of the new battalion will be able to overbear. The size of each detachment will reflect the ability of the company and its detachments to recruit and retain personnel.

  In line with the remainder of the Territorial Army, the Scottish Company of 4 para will be properly supported and funded to carry out the roles requested of it. It is envisaged that detachments will be based on shared Territorial Army centres at their current locations, enabling them to draw upon shared facilities and administrative support.

HEALTH

  Bed Availability
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what action he proposes to take on bed availability following the recent report by the Audit Commission.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We expect NHS managers to review local services in the light of the Audit Commission's report on the use of medical beds in acute hospitals and the further detailed work the Audit Commission will carry out in all health authorities and NHS trusts over the next 12 months.

  Hospital Beds
  Mr. Blunkett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to collect statistics on the occasions when no beds are available, other than through the accident and emergency units, in each hospital and district health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  There are no plans to do so. It would not be appropriate to collect this information centrally. We expect managers at local level to monitor bed use and availability.

  Equal Opportunities
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how he proposes to ensure fair and open competition in the NHS and the NHS trusts for potential female applicants for senior management posts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The NHS is committed to equal opportunities in employment. The Department launched an initiative in June 1991 to put women's employment issues on the main NHS managerial agenda. In order to take full advantage of the potential of women in the NHS, the NHS management executive has signed up as a campaign member of Opportunity 2000. Among the
  205
  key goals set is the need to ensure that more women are appointed at the most senior levels as firm evidence of the commitment to making best use of all staff. Detailed guidance on how these goals may be achieved, and the results monitored, is to be issued in due course.

  Toxocara Canis
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what research his Department has carried out into which domestic and wild animals in the United Kingdom act as hosts for toxocara canis.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department has carried out no such research.

  Lead Poisoning
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what studies his Department is conducting into the dangers of lead poisoning, especially for children; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Department is not at present carrying out any such studies. There has been very extensive research into the dangers of lead poisoning, with particular attention to neuropsychological effects in children. Studies of the latter, undertaken in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, were reviewed in 1988 by an advisory group of the Medical Research Council, the main agency through which the Government support biomedical and clinical research in the United Kingdom. The advisory group concluded that"any effects of lead at the exposure levels seen in the United Kingdom are very small and cannot be detected with any certainty …but the evidence for an association between body lead burden and IQ is now stronger …In view of these conclusions it would be prudent to continue to reduce the environmental lead to which children are exposed."

  Since 1974 it has been the policy of successive Governments to contain and reduce exposure to lead wherever practicable, particularly in those circumstances where people are most exposed. Successful measures have been taken to reduce lead exposure through petrol, water, air, food, industrial emissions, paint, cosmetics, ceramic glazes and toys, and monitoring programmes have shown a continuing fall in blood lead levels in children and adults.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what consideration he has given to Government action to protect British people from the likely effects of the depletion of the ozone layer over the Arctic and northern latitudes; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  I refer the hon. Member to the replies I gave the hon. Member for Dewsbury (Mrs. Taylor) on 20 December 1991 at columns 353–54. The Department proposes to seek advice from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment (COMARE) on what further action may be appropriate.

  Whitley Council Appeals Machinery
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will make a statement outlining the legal provisions relating to the abolition of the General Whitley Council appeals machinery as set out in section 32 of the General Whitley Council;
  206
  (2) if he will explain the reasons for the abolition of the General Whitley Council appeals machinery; and what consultations he has had with Whitley Council representatives before deciding to do so;

  (3) if he will set out the machinery he proposes to put in place of the provisions now revoked as a result of his abolition of section 32 of the General Whitley Council.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The new conditions provide for employing authorities to introduce more straightforward local procedures after consultation with staff and local staff representatives.

  Section 32 of the General Whitley Council provisions was seen increasingly as a cumbersome and ineffective way of handling differences of opinion between employing authorities and individual members of staff. Individual grievances which were not resolved at employing authority level were referred to a second level of appeal and, if again unresolved, to a third national level of appeal. There was no provision which required such appeals—which could be taken forward only by a professional organisation or trade union representing an aggrieved employee—to be finally resolved, and so many cases, some of which took a year or more to go through the system, were never resolved. This system did little to foster good industrial relations locally.

  The management side of the General Whitley Council were in negotiations with the staff side for about four years to change the procedures until August 1991 when the talks broke down.

  In the light of lack of progress the existing agreement was revoked and replaced by new conditions, using powers in paragraph 10 of schedule 5 of the National Health Services Act 1977 and regulations 3 and 4 of the National Health Service (Remuneration and Conditions of Service) Regulations 1991.

  The new machinery is as follows:

  Procedure for settling differences about conditions of service

  1 The procedures set out below apply where an officer is aggrieved in relation to any matter affecting his conditions of service, but do not apply to settling differences relating to:—

  (a) dismissal or disciplinary matters,

  (b) disputes appropriate to resolution in accordance with section 33 of the General Whitley Council Handbook,

  (c) organisational change, or

  (d) matters for which it has been agreed that specific Whitley Council procedures will apply.

  2. Subject to paragraph 1 above, an officer to whom this procedure applies may seek redress of his grievance in accordance with procedures determined by the employing authority. Those procedures shall be determined by the employing authority following consultation with staff and local staff representatives. The procedures shall be designed to provide for the speedy resolution of the grievance of an individual officer or servant as close as possible to its source. In establishing the procedures, regard should be had to good industrial relations practice such as that recommended by ACAS.

  3. The procedures determined by employing authorities shall provide for the reference of grievances to a person or body other than the employing authority where the parties agree, in relation to a specific grievance, that the reference is appropriate.

  4. Where the grievance relates to the application of a national agreement reached through the National Whitley Council, either party may seek clarification as to the intended interpretation of the agreement from the joint secretaries of the National Whitley Council if those secretaries agree to provide that clarification.

  Marriages
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to introduce legislation to require those responsible for conducting marriage ceremonies to require documentary evidence of the age, identity and marital status of those who are marrying; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The Government, in their White Paper "Registration: proposals for change"—Cm. 939—said that it will legislate to give to registrars and to the clergy of the Church of England and the Church in Wales powers to call for documentary evidence of the age, identity and marital status of those who are marrying. The legislation will be introduced as soon as parliamentary time allows.

  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what restrictions exist on a registrar of civil marriages in England and Wales informing the appropriate authorities that an individual seeking to marry has overstayed his or her permitted visit to the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Superintendent registrars are statutory officers exercising functions under the Marriage and Registration Acts under the direction of the Registrar General. They are not agents of the immigration service and the fact that an individual has overstayed his or her permitted visit to the United Kingdom does not constitute a lawful impediment to that person marrying in this country. However, if a superintendent registrar has good reason to suspect that the proposed marriage of a person from abroad has been arranged for the sole purpose of evading statutory immigration controls he or she is instructed to report the facts to the Registrar General. If the Registrar General is satisfied that the marriage is purely one of convenience, then the facts will be passed on to the Home Office.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Andrew Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proposals he has for monitoring implementation of the Children Act 1989.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have today issued a paper on the Department of Health's strategy for monitoring implementation of the Children Act. Copies of the paper have also been placed in the Library.

  The monitoring strategy relies in the main on
  —an enhanced collection of management information returns covering the key provisions of the Children Act.
  —social services inspectorate's programme of a major survey of local authorities' progress towards implementation of the Act coupled with small scale inspections and development work.
  research.

  Information drawn from these sources will form the basis of my report to Parliament at the end of 1992 on the first year of the Children Act in operation.

  Cervical Smears
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Hearth if he will list each district health authority which are(a) reaching the one month target, (b) not reaching the one month target for cervical smear tests and (c) the number of weeks taken to process cervical smear tests in districts which are not meeting the target (i) currently, (ii) last year and (iii) five years ago.
  208
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  [holding answer 10 February 1992]: As at December 1991, the latest available date, the following district health authorities were not reaching the one month target for cervical smear tests:

  District

  Length of backlog weeks

  Bradford

  5

  Huntingdon

  5

  Parkside

  5

  Sheffield

  5

  South Bedfordshire

  5

  Northampton

  7

  Camberwell

  11

  Action is being taken by all the health authorities concerned to bring the remaining backlogs within the one month target.

  All other district health authorities were reaching the one month target at December 1991.

  In March 1991, the following district health authorities were not reaching the one month target for cervical smear tests:

  District

  Length of backlog (weeks)

  Barnet

  9

  Basildon and Thurrock

  6·5

  Bath

  12

  Brighton

  8

  Bromley

  8

  Cambridge

  7

  Croydon

  5

  Enfield

  12

  Hampstead

  6

  Haringey

  5

  Huntingdon

  5

  Merton and Sutton

  5

  North East Essex

  6·5

  Nottingham

  5

  Parkside

  9

  Redbridge

  12

  Scunthorpe

  7

  Shropshire

  23

  South Derbyshire

  5

  Southend

  12

  South Tees

  6·5

  Stockport1

  13

  Sunderland

  6

  Tameside1

  7

  Tunbridge

  6

  Waltham Forest

  5

  1 July 1991.

  All other districts were reaching the one month target at March 1991.

  Information on the processing of cervical smear tests is not available for five years ago. The one month target was introduced in 1988, following the setting up of the NHS cervical screening programme.

  For information relating to July 1991 I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave her on 16 July 1991 at column 145.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  United Nations Trade Conference
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether his Department was represented at the Eighth United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Cartagena. Colombia.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  As Minister for Trade, I attended the opening ceremony on 8 February 1992 and made a statement on 10 February. Officials from my Department will be in attendance throughout the conference.

  Hong Kong (Ministerial Visits)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, on his visit to Hong Kong in September 1988, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Trade and Industry, the hon. Member for Warwickshire, North (Mr. Maude), took part in party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Trade and Industry arrived in Hong Kong in the morning of 27 September 1988 and left in the afternoon of 29 September. His programme included a breakfast with Conservatives Abroad.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, on his visits to Hong Kong in(a) June 1988 and (b) April 1989, the then Secretary of State took part in party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: Lord Young arrived in Hong Kong in the afternoon of 19 June 1988 and left in the evening of 22 June. His programme included early evening drinks with Conservatives Abroad.

  Lord Young returned to Hong Kong in the early evening of 16 April 1989 and left the same evening. This programme did not include any political engagements.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, on his visit to Hong Kong in September 1990, the Minister for Trade took part in party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: The Minister for Trade arrived in Hong Kong in the afternoon of 22 September 1990 and he left in the afternoon of Wednesday 26 September. His programme did not include any political activities.

  Electricity Prices
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what reduction he expects in production or employment in 1992–93 in those industries which are heavy users of energy as a result of the recent and proposed increases in electricity prices; and what steps he proposes to take to ensure that such developments are minimised.

  Mr. Redwood
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: The Government are aware of the concerns of large users about electricity prices, and have asked them for more detailed information. But they cannot predict the effects of changes in electricity prices on production or employment.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern ireland (1) how many applications have been made under section 57 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 for the exercise of the powers conferred by schedule 5 to that Act; and how many authorisations have been granted;

  (2) how many notices have been issued under paragraph 2 of schedule 5 to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 requiring (a) the attendance of persons or (b) the production of documents;

  (3) how many applications have been made for the issue of warrants under paragraph 3 of schedule 5 to the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  My right hon. Friend proposes to publish on an annual basis statistics relating to the use made of these provisions.

  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list all the highways(a) closed or (b) diverted by orders made under section 25 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 or the equivalent provision in earlier Acts giving in each case the date of the order.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information relating to the period prior to 16 May 1991 is not available in the format requested and could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

  Since 16 May 1991, the closure of the following roads has been directed by order of the Secretary of State.

  Under section 19A(1)(a) of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1987

  1. The Movarran Road between Ordnance Survey grid references 18107304 and 18027285, in the townland of Movarran, County Fermanagh—directed by order dated 29 May 1991.

  2. The border crossing point between Ordnance Survey grid references 15667188 and 15727180, in the townland of Rushindoo, to the north of Kesh, County Fermanagh—directed by order dated 5 June 1991.

  3. The border crossing point between Ordnance Survey grid references 44002264 and 44142287, in the townland of Clonkee, to the south-east of Newtownbutler, County Fermanagh—directed by order dated 21 June 1991.

  Under section 25 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991

  1./2. The Killymeal Road, near its junction with Viewfort, Dungannon, County Tyrone and Orpheus Road, near its junction with Killymeal Road, Dungannon, County Tyrone—directed by order dated 24 September 1991.

  3. The Antrim Road at Ordnance Survey grid reference 14858187, near Aldergrove International Airport, County Antrim—directed by order dated 29 September 1991.

  The Secretary of State has not directed the diversion of any road in this period.

  GP Fund Holding
  Mr. Hume
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will make a statement detailing communications to general medical practitioners encouraging fund-holding practices outlining what incentives exist and
  211
  detailing the extent and timing of contact on the matter with health and social services boards with whom the general medical practitioners have their contracts.

  Mr. Hanky
  A detailed programme setting out how the GP fund-holding scheme will work in Northern Ireland and inviting expressions of interest was sent to all general practitioners on 16 December 1991. Expressions of interest will be accepted up to the beginning of March 1992 after which there will be a process of assessment in which health and social services boards will be closely involved.

  Ballot Papers
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he is taking to monitor the number of persons refused a ballot paper at the forthcoming general election because they are not in possession of the correct identification document.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Government have no plans to undertake such an exercise. The requirement for voters to produce a specified document at elections in Northern Ireland is well known and well advertised. Every elector in Northern Ireland either has or is in a position to obtain at least one suitable document free of charge.

  Year

  Guarantee section2

  Guidance section

  Other CAP expenditure2

  Total expenditure on the CAP

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  mecu

  £ million

  1985

  19,728

  11,601

  690

  406

  52

  31

  20,470

  12,037

  1986

  22,119

  14,330

  727

  471

  47

  30

  22,893

  14,831

  1987

  22,950

  16,508

  863

  621

  32

  23

  23,845

  17,152

  1988

  27,640

  18,749

  1,142

  775

  58

  39

  28,840

  19,564

  1989

  25,849

  16,925

  1,349

  883

  49

  32

  27,247

  17,840

  1990

  26,430

  18,764

  1,825

  1,296

  77

  55

  28,332

  20,114

  31991

  32,359

  22,550

  2,011

  1,401

  143

  100

  34,734

  24,205

  1992

  36,849

  25,679

  2,644

  1,843

  364

  254

  39,857

  27,775

  1 Figures for 1992 include 1.000 mecu (£697 million) for the monetary reserve.

  2 Other agricultural expenditure comprises mainly 50 per cent. of 5-year set-aside scheme, income aids (since 1990) and agricultural inspections.

  3 1991 figures consist of provisional outturn (guarantee section and part of other CAP expenditure) and budget provisions (the rest).

  Sources: 1985–1990: Budget outturn figures.

  1991: Budget plus provisional outturn.

  1992: Budget.

  Hungarian Meat Fraud
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the problems encountered in the Hungarian meat fraud, referred to in his Ministry's expenditure plans 1992–93 to 1994–95.

  Mr. Gummer
  This matter is already under consideration by the courts and further investigations are continuing. In the circumstances, I am unable to comment.

WALES

  Farm Incomes
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what were the net farm income figures for Wales for each year since 1985–86 to 1989–90, inclusive, for(a) upland farms and (b) lowland farms that are involved in cattle and sheep mixed farming; and if he will make a statement.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Potato Marketing Board
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what is his policy regarding the future of the Potato Marketing Board and the potato marketing scheme.

  Mr. Curry
  The Government's policy is to encourage the Potato Marketing Board to respond to the needs of the market and to keep the potato marketing scheme under review in the light of developments in the European Community and elsewhere.

  Common Agricultural Policy
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will update his answer of 17 June 1991,Official Report, column 20, giving revised figures for the common agricultural policy budget in 1991 and 1992, and forecasts for 1993; if he will state whether forecasts for 1993 incorporate changes in expenditure as a result of the current EC Commission proposals for CAP reforms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Gummer
  The table gives the information requested for the years up to 1992. A forecast for 1993 is not yet available as it would depend on decisions that have yet to be taken.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Net farm income figures for lowland livestock farms have not been published separately since 1984–85. The extension of the less-favoured areas (LFAs) in that year led to a change in classification of a substantial number of lowland livestock farms to LFA livestock farms, and the resulting lowland livestock sample figures became statistically unreliable. Figures for hill and upland cattle and sheep farms for the period 1985–86 to 1989–90 are:

  Net farm income

  £'000

  1985–86

  9·0

  1986–87

  9·3

  1987–88

  12·5

  1988–89

  16·4

  1989–90

  10·9

  Usk Barrage
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what representations he has received regarding the(a) environmental, (b) agricultural and (c) groundwater impact of the proposed Usk barrage; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I have received a number of representations on the environmental impact of the proposed Usk barrage.

  Chiropody Services
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement regarding the provision of chiropody services in Monmouth and in Gilwern, Gwent.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The provision of chiropody services is the responsibility of the health authority. There has been a temporary withdrawal of service at Gilwern due to accommodation problems, but the problem has now been resolved and the health authority will resume the service shortly. Meanwhile, chiropody services are available at Brynmawr and Abergavenny.

  Metal Production
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proportion of(a) United Kingdom iron, (b) crude steel and (c) tinplate is produced within Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In 1991, 35 per cent. of United Kingdom iron production, 35 per cent. of United Kingdom crude steel production, and 100 per cent. of United Kingdom tinplate production took place within Wales.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much steel is made per head in Wales; and what were the equivalent figures for 1976, 1981 and 1986.

  Mr. David Hunt
  In 1981, 176 tonnes of raw steel were produced per steel worker in Wales. The equivalent figures for 1986 and 1991 were 239 tonnes and 341 tonnes respectively. No figures are available for 1976.

  Fish Farm Appeals, Milford Haven
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he is now in a position to announce his decision on fish farm licence appeals in Milford Haven.

  Mr. David Hunt
  There is one appeal outstanding in this area. My officials wrote to the appellants over a year ago requesting information that is needed before I can determine the appeal. No information has yet been received, but my officials have recently written again, asking whether the appellants are able to provide the information or now wish to withdraw the appeal.

  Electricity Supply
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what percentage of United Kingdom electricity is generated in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 24 July 1991 at column 628.

  Grant Aid
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what assessment he has made of the extent to which grant in aid militates against the creation of a level playing field for commercial undertakings;

  (2) how many commercial undertakings, and at what cost, have been grant-aided in each of the past 10 years;

  (3) how many new jobs have been created in each of the past 10 years as a result of grant-aiding commercial undertakings;

  (4) what assessment he has made of the effect upon the relative competitiveness of self-financing companies trading in the same sector as companies in receipt of grant aid.

  Mr. David Hunt
  Information in the form requested is not available within my Department.

  Environmentally Sensitive Areas
  Mr. Geraint Howells
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will make a statement on the planned expansion of environmentally sensitive areas in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  On 20 November 1991, I announced that, following consultations with the Countryside Council for Wales, I had asked my officials to undertake a detailed analysis of four locations in Wales that I am considering designating as environmentally sensitive areas in 1992–93. The four locations are Anglesey, the Clwydian range, Preseli and Radnor. It is my intention to designate at least two of those locations as ESAs in 1992–93, but final decisions cannot be taken until the more detailed work has been completed. I will announce my final selection in due course.

  Urban Aid
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish a table indicating for each of Delyn, Dinefwr, Dwyfor, Islwyn, Neath and Llanelli district authorities in Wales(a) their position on the 1991 revised index of the Welsh deprivation table, (b) the total urban aid granted to each of the authorities over the past three years and (c) the urban aid per capita this represents in each instance; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: The following table sets out details of urban programme allocations for each of the three years 1990–91 to 1992–93 for the district councils in Delyn, Dinefwr, Dwyfor, Islwyn, Neath and Llanelli. The total urban programme allocation per capita for each of the local authorities is also shown.

  Urban programme allocations to local authorities in Wales are now being targeted at strategy-based projects and projects within the most deprived wards. Nevertheless, traditional factors, such as quality of bids submitted by local authorities and competition for finite resources, remain important elements in determining which projects are approved.
  215

  Local Authority

  Position on deprivation table: revised

  UP allocations (£) (including supplementary allocations)

  Total £

  Population (thousands) (mid–1990 estimates)

  UP per capita(£)

  index 1991

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  Delyn

  18

  621,713

  699,141

  312,258

  1,633,112

  66·8

  24·45

  Dinefwr

  20

  443,000

  687,731

  365,375

  1,496,106

  39·0

  38·36

  Dwyfor

  15

  65,000

  —

  150,000

  215,000

  27 1

  7·93

  Islwyn

  17

  1,004,350

  1,070,884

  1,456,686

  3,531,920

  68·6

  51·49

  Neath

  14

  516,324

  823,520

  554,317

  1,894,161

  64·9

  29·19

  Llanelli

  16

  495,254

  442,327

  489,327

  1,426,908

  75·6

  18·87

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the average increase in community charge bills in 1992–93 compared with 1991–92 in Newport, West that is attributable to the change in community charge reduction scheme.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: For the three years of the scheme the figures are:

  1990–91 £

  1991–92 £

  1992–93 £

  Alltyryn

  0

  0

  0

  Bettws

  0

  7

  0

  Caerleon

  0

  0

  0

  Coedkernew

  0

  15

  0

  Gaer

  0

  0

  0

  Graig

  0

  0

  0

  Malpas

  0

  15

  0

  Marshfield

  0

  0

  0

  Michaelstone y Fedw

  0

  0

  0

  Pillgwenlly

  0

  34

  17

  Rogerstonc

  0

  0

  0

  Shaftesbury

  0

  0

  0

  Stow Hill

  0

  35

  18

  Tredegar Park

  0

  0

  0

  Wentloog

  1

  46

  29

  Cardiologists
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the number of cardiologists per million people in Wales at the last available date.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: At 30 September 1990; there were 4·6 (whole-time equivalent) consultants with a main specialty of cardiology in Wales, which equates to 1·6 per million population.

  There were also six consultants with a main speciality of general medicine who were recorded as having an interest in cardiology; ie, undertaking at least one session per week in cardiology.

  Health Authorities (NHS Expenditure)
  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money was spent by the NHS Wales, per capita, in the area of(a) East Dyfed health authority and (b) Pembrokeshire health authority in 1991–92.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: Information is not available on the geographical distribution of expenditure by the Dyfed family health services authority as between the areas served by the East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire health authorities. It is therefore not possible to provide figures on overall NHS expenditure per capita in East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire.

  Indeed, some of the expenditure on hospital and community services within these districts will in fact relate
  216
  to cross-boundary flows of patients from other parts of the country. Similarly, there are cross-boundary flows of patients from East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire to other districts, and that needs to be taken into account if valid comparisons of per capita expenditure are to be made as between the two authorities.

  The following information therefore relates to the prospective per capita revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services by these authorities in 1991–92 on behalf of their resident populations, irrespective of where those services are provided.

  £

  East Dyfed

  428

  Pembrokeshire

  400

  The figures are inclusive of capital charges based upon the recent revised estimates of their incidence across authorities. Capital expenditure is excluded, since that cannot be apportioned on a resident population basis.

  As indicated in my right hon. Friend's announcement of allocations for 1992–93 on 4 February 1992, at column 125–28, under the new resident population funding arrangements both authorities are set to benefit from higher than average rates of revenue growth over the next seven years as they progress towards their weighted capitation formula shares. Indeed, that process has already begun with the allocation of discretionary revenue cash increases of 7·6 per cent. and 8 per cent. respectively to the East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire health authorities in 1992–93.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money will be spent, per capita, by the NHS Wales in the area of Pembrokeshire health authority in 1992–93.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: Information is not available on the anticipated geographical distribution of expenditure by Dyfed family health services authority in 1992–93, as between the areas served by the East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire health authorities. It is therefore not possible to provide figures on overall NHS expenditure per capita in East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire.

  Indeed, some of the expenditure on hospital and community services within these districts will in fact relate to cross-boundary flows of patients from other parts of the country. Similarly there are cross-boundary flows of patients from East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire to other districts, and that needs to be taken into account if valid comparisons of per capita provision are to be made as between the two authorities.

  On the basis of the allocations to district health authorities in 1992–93 that my right hon. Friend announced on 4 February at column 125–28, the

  217
  anticipated revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services for the population resident within the boundaries of Pembrokeshire health authority in the next financial year—irrespective of where those services are provided—will be of the order of £422 per capita.

  It should, however, be noted that that figure is based on the discretionary revenue funds already allocated to Pembrokeshire health authority together with an estimate of its prospective share of the additional revenue that will be made available to meet the capital financing needs of the Pembrokeshire health trust. It does not take into account expenditure on any centrally funded developments, details of which are still to be announced. Nor does it take account of the supplementary funding that is to be provided in respect of the recently announced pay increases for doctors, nurses and professions allied to medicine.

  Mr. Denzil Davies
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money will be spent, per capita, by the NHS Wales in the area of East Dyfed health authority in 1992–93.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: Information is not available on the anticipated geographical distribution of expenditure by the Dyfed family health services authority in 1992–93 as between the areas served by the East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire health authorities. It is therefore not possible to provide figures on overall NHS expenditure per capita in East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire.

  Indeed, some of the expenditure on hospital and community services within these districts will in fact relate to cross-boundary flows of patients from other parts of the county. Similarly there are cross-boundary flows of patients from East Dyfed and Pembrokeshire to other districts and that needs to be taken into account if valid comparisons of per capita provision are to be made as between the two authorities.

  On the basis of the allocations to district health authorities in 1992–93 that my right hon. Friend announced on 4 February, at columns 125–28, the anticipated revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services for the population resident within the boundaries of East Dyfed health authority in the next financial year—irrespective of where those services are provided—will be of the order of £449 per capita.

  It should, however, be noted that that estimate is based on the discretionary revenue funds already allocated to the East Dyfed health authority. It does not take into account expenditure on any centrally funded developments, details of which are still to be announced. Nor does it take account of the supplementary funding that is to be provided in respect of the recently announced pay increases for doctors, nurses and professions allied to medicine.

  Discretionary minor capital provision has been excluded because that has been allocated pro rata to the anticipated income (from all resources) of district managed units in Wales—ie, it has been allocated on a catchment rather than a resident population basis—and East Dyfed's share therefore takes account of cross-boundary flows from other authorities. Similar considerations will apply to major capital provision, details of which will be announced soon.

SCOTLAND

  Disabled Workers
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what initiatives are in place within the Scottish Office to encourage the employment of people with disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Lang
  The Scottish Office takes a wide range of initiatives to encourage the employment of people with disabilities, which include the following. Disablement resettlement officers receive prior notification of recruitment campaigns to help them encourage disabled people to apply. All advertisements and application forms indicate clearly that the Scottish Office is an equal opportunities employer, and also carry the Employment Department's disability symbol. Educational qualification requirements for entry to certain grades are relaxed for disabled people. On appointment staff with disabilities are assessed to establish what special assistance may be required.

  The Scottish Office is fully committed to encouraging and supporting the employment of people with disabilities.

  Sir Nicholas Fairbairn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what funds have been spent on buildings in Scotland by Scottish Office Departments and the Scottish Courts Administration; and if he will give details of the expenditure on each building or work in each of the past five years.

  Mr. Lang
  Information in the form requested is not readily available.

  Buildings-related expenditure borne on the Scottish Office Administration vote (class XV, vote 20) in each of the last five years is:

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92 Plans

  Capital

  0·591

  1·703

  1·870

  2·062

  1·812

  1·714

  Running costs1

  12·315

  12·245

  13·806

  14·904

  17·064

  22·330

  Total

  12·906

  13·948

  15·676

  16·966

  18·876

  24·044

  Buildings-related expenditure incurred by the Scottish Courts Administration in each of the last five years is as follows:

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92 Plans

  Capital

  4·774

  4·825

  9·489

  15·390

  18·645

  22·035

  Running costs1

  6·293

  7·141

  8·803

  10·133

  14·220

  14·527

  Total

  11·067

  11·966

  18·292

  25·523

  32·865

  36·562

  1 Buildings-related running costs' includes, for example, rent and rates, minor repairs and maintenance and fuel and utilities.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what percentage of the work force of the Scottish health service were disabled in each year since 1979; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The percentage of registered disabled people employed by the NHS in Scotland in each year since 1979 is set out below. Health boards and the Common Services Agency are expected, like other employers, to comply with the provisions of the Disabled Persons (Employment) Acts.
  219

  Percentage of Disabled Employees in the National Health Service in Scotland

  Year

  Percentage

  1979

  0·6

  1980

  0·5

  1981

  0·5

  1982

  0·5

  1983

  0·4

  1984

  0·4

  1985

  0·5

  1986

  0·4

  1987

  0·3

  1988

  0·3

  1989

  0·2

  1990

  0·2

  Foresterhills Hospital Trust
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what proportion of capital allowed to be borrowed by the proposed Foresterhills hospital trust will be provided by way of public dividend capital.

  Mr. Lang
  Foresterhill trust has been allocated an external financing limit (EFL) of £105,000; this will enable the trust to invest £9·234 million in capital programmes.

  The loan which relates to the EFL will be made available to the trust as interest bearing debt. However, in line with the majority of trusts in England the originating capital debt of Foresterhill will be divided 50:50 public dividend capital (PDC)/interest-bearing debt (IDB).

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Benefit System
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what changes have been made to the benefit system since 1979 to encourage those on benefit to enter education while still looking for work.

  Housing benefit—Great Britain (Rent rebates and allowances)

  (i) LA tenants

  (ii)&(iii) Private and Housing Association tenants

  (a) Pensioner

  (b) Family

  (c) Other

  (a) Pensioner

  (b) Family

  (c) Other

  Premium:

  1. Maximum benefit

  752,000

  565,000

  406,000

  221,00

  110,000

  253,000

  2. Maximum with Non-dependant deduction

  104,000

  31,000

  67,000

  15,000

  5,000

  8,000

  3. Other Lesser amount

  819,000

  72,000

  143,000

  178,000

  11,000

  152,000

  56 per cent. of local authority tenants receive Housing Benefit, of which 32 per cent. are pensioners, 13 per cent. are families and 12 per cent other.

  42 per cent. of private and housing association tenants receive Housing Benefit, of which 18 per cent. are pensioners, 5 per cent. families and 18 per cent other.

  Notes:

  (i) Estimates of regional figures are unreliable.

  (ii) May 1991 and current information is not available.

  (iii) Rate rebate cases are excluded.

  Source: Housing Benefit Management Information System.

  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security whether optional tenant improvements added to local authority or housing association rents in Scotland qualify for assessment in eligibility for housing benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Housing benefit is intended to meet reasonable accommodation costs. Broadly this means rent and any compulsory service charges which are clearly related to the provision of adequate accommodation. A rent increase may be met by housing benefit if local
  220
  Miss Widdecombe
  In 1979 the concession—known as the 21-hour rule—which enabled unemployed people under 21 years of age to receive supplementary benefit while studying part-time was extended to those over 21 who had been unemployed for a year or more. In 1982, the qualifying period of unemployment was reduced from 12 to three months and periods of participation in the youth training scheme became eligible to be counted towards entitlement to supplementary benefit under this rule. These changes were carried through to the income support scheme which replaced supplementary benefit in 1988.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many(a) pensioner households, (b) families with children and (c) other households, who are tenants of (i) local authorities and new towns, (ii) housing associations and (iii) other landlords, are estimated to be receiving (1) maximum housing benefit with no deductions for non-dependants, (2) maximum housing benefit but with deductions for non-dependants and (3) a lesser amount of housing benefit towards their rent payments (x) currently and (y) since May 1989 in Great Britain as a whole and in each region for which figures are available; and what proportion of the total number of tenants in each category they represent.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available estimates for May 1989 are set out in the table. I refer the hon. Member to my reply to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr. Soley) on 3 February at column 96 for the May 1990 estimates.

  authorities, which have statutory responsibility for administering the scheme, consider the increase is reasonable. In deciding whether a rent increase is reasonable, authorities are expected to have regard to the nature and extent of any improvements made to the dwelling.

  Industrial Deafness
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he has any plans to change the rule whereby claimants for industrial deafness benefit have to prove that over a 10-year-period they were employed in occupations involving continuous noise.

  Mr. Scott
  Advice to the Department on occupational deafness is provided by the Industrial Injuries Advisory Council. The council has not recommended a change in the rule regarding 10 years' work in a prescribed occupation and we have no plans for such a change.

  Actuarial Certificates
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list for each year since the regulation came into force the number of actuarial certificates issued detailing the transfer of assets from one pension fund to another.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Regulation 12 of the Occupational Pension Schemes (Preservation of Benefit) Regulations 1991 provides for an actuarial certificate to be given on the transfer of a group of members from one occupational pension scheme to another without their consent. This certificate is to the effect that the members concerned will be no worse off as a result of the transfer and does not detail the transfer of assets.

  There is no requirement to notify the Department when such a certificate is given.

  Local Offices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what arrangements he has in place to relocate staff temporarily when the Paisley office is closed for development; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) when he expects works to start on the Paisley Piazza site; when he expects these works to be completed; and what arrangements he has in place to ensure the efficient operation of services at the Paisley office of his Department during the intervening period.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The operation of local Benefits Agency offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if he will publish a table showing the number of staff located at the Johnstone office in each year since 1980; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) how many staff from the Johnstone office (a) have been transferred to the Paisley office since 1989 and (b) will be transferred to the Paisley office this year; and if he will make a statement.

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

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) if the Johnstone office of his Department is Crown property;
  222
  (2) if the Paisley office of his Department is Crown property.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The accommodation occupied by Benefits Agency offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (1) what is his strategy for the development of services provided from(a) the Paisley office and (b) the Johnstone office; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) if he has any plans to run down, close or recategorise the Johnstone office of his Department.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The planning of services offered by social security offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Disability
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what the arrangements will be to notify people with terminal illnesses of the results of their applications for disability living allowance; whether this notification will indicate that the reason for qualification is linked to their terminal illness; if he will accept requests to notify carers rather than applicants: if he will publish the wording of notifications to both applicants and carers; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Scott
  People awarded disability living allowance (DLA) on the ground that they are terminally ill will be sent notification of this decision. The award notice will tell the customer that they have been awarded the higher rate of DLA for help with personal care; it will make no mention of terminal illness. This notification will be accompanied by an information sheet explaining the criteria for awards of benefit at the available rates and rights of appeal where a person is unhappy with the decision on their claim.

  Under special provisions, a third party may make a claim on behalf of a terminally ill person but the law still requires that the notification of the decision should be sent to the person on whose behalf the claim has been made, except where a third party has been appointed to act on behalf of a customer who is unable to handle their own affairs. Again, the notification to the customer makes no mention of terminal illness.

  I will send the hon. Member a sample notification and information sheet shortly.

  Centralisation
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what instructions he has issued to district managers of the Benefits Agency regarding the centralisation of services and the development of caller offices.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The provision of services in Benefits Agency district offices is a matter for Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Benefit Fraud
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many social security claimants have been prosecuted and found guilty of claiming benefit while working and receiving wages in(a) Blyth Valley and (b) the north-east in the last two years.

  Mr. Jack
  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.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much(a) disablement benefit, (b) death grant, (c) injury benefit and (d) family credit is spent per head of population in (i) the United Kingdom and (ii) Wales.

  Mr. Scott
  The information is not available in the form requested.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how much sickness and invalidity benefit is paid out per head in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Wales.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  Disability
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what percentage of his Department's work force have disabilities; and if he will make a statement.

  Miss Widdecombe
  As at 1 June 1991, l·87 per cent. of the staff employed by the Department of Social Security and its executive agencies were registered as disabled. There is no information on staff with disabilities who choose not to register.

  Tax Rates
  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the top marginal tax rate possible(a) for a person in work paying income tax and (b) for a person at work on family credit and in receipt of housing benefit and community charge benefit.
  224
  Mr. Jack
  The same tax regime is applicable to all those liable to pay income tax, irrespective of whether they are also eligible for benefits. For those receiving in-work income-related benefits, however, the highest likely marginal tax rate would be 25 per cent. The current top marginal tax rate for any payer is 40 per cent. compared with 83 per cent. in 1979.

  North Yorkshire
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will make a statement on the expenditure and achievements of his Department in north Yorkshire during 1991; and what was the comparable position between June 1979 and May 1980.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: Pursuant to my reply of 11 February, the information on expenditure in north Yorkshire is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost. However, since 1979 the Government have increased total spending on social security in Great Britain by 40 per cent. in real terms and has focused extra help on low income working families, less well off pensioners and disabled people. We have virtually eliminated the unemployment trap and we have got rid of the worst elements of the poverty trap. People in north Yorkshire will have benefited from all these improvements.

  The creation of the benefits and contributions agencies in April 1991 has provided the opportunity for further improving efficiency and quality in the administration of social security business. In particular, the agencies have focused on improving service to the public and have issued their own customer charters. Mr. Michael Bichard, the chief executive of the Benefits Agency, and Miss Ann Chant, the chief executive of the Contributions Agency, will write to my hon. Friend about their agencies' achievements in north Yorkshire. Copies of their letters will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  CAMBODIA: UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS—UK CONTRIBUTION
  CAMBODIA: UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS—UK CONTRIBUTION
  INDONESIA: ARMS
  INDONESIA: ARMS
  VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS
  VIETNAMESE MIGRANTS
  ASSASSINATION
  ASSASSINATION
  ALLEGED OFFENDERS: SURRENDER REQUEST
  ALLEGED OFFENDERS: SURRENDER REQUEST
  CAMBODIA AND EAST TIMOR: DEATHS
  CAMBODIA AND EAST TIMOR: DEATHS
  EAST TIMOR: DILI INCIDENT
  EAST TIMOR: DILI INCIDENT
  WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY
  WESTMINSTER FOUNDATION FOR DEMOCRACY
  COURT DUTY PSYCHIATRIST SCHEMES
  COURT DUTY PSYCHIATRIST SCHEMES
  POWYS: COUNTY ARCHIVES
  POWYS: COUNTY ARCHIVES