Written Answers of 20 February 1992

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Lenient Sentences
  Mr. Brandon-Bravo
  To ask the Attorney-General how many referrals under the Criminal Justice Act 1988 have been made on the basis of alleged lenient sentences.

  The Attorney-General
  Since February 1989, when this part of the Criminal Justice Act came into force, I have sought the leave of the Court of Appeal to refer 69 cases, including five from Northern Ireland, in which the sentence passed appeared to me to be unduly lenient. Of these, in 36 cases the sentence was increased, seven cases were withdrawn by me, in a further 10 cases the sentence was not changed, in one case the sentence was lowered, and 15 cases remain outstanding.

  Land Registry
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will publish the number of applications for registration of title for land currently being dealt with by the Swansea district land registry; and if he will separately distinguish the number of those applications that have already been at the district registry in Swansea for(a) up to three months, (b) between three and six months, (c) between six and nine months, (d) between nine months and one year, (e) between one year and 15 months and (f) over 15 months.

  The Attorney-General
  The Swansea district land registry processes more than 58,600 applications a quarter for registration of title and currently it is holding 47,879 applications of which more than 15,000 are awaiting the results of surveys or replies to correspondence raised by the registry with applicants.

  The numbers within the categories of the question are as follows:

  (a) Up to three months, 25,287.

  (b) Between three and six months: 9,446

  (c) Between six and nine months: 4,461.

  (d) Between nine months and one year: 2,507.

  (d) Between one year and 15 months: 1,638.

  (f) Over 15 months: 4,540.

  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Attorney-General if he wil abolish the facility to pay an extra charge for faster registration of title to land at district land registry offices.

  The Attorney-General
  No. The facility referred to is a very long-standing element of the Land Registry's service to applicants. In the great majority of cases application for the registration of dealings in land are completed under the normal arrangements well before the applicant resells or otherwise deals with the land again. However, the special expedition service is needed to allow applications to be expedited in a relatively small number of cases of urgency, where the normal registration process might otherwise give rise to unacceptable delays in the conveyancing process. The fee for the special expedition service, currently a226
  minimum of £35, is described by the Land Registration Fees Order 1991 and is required to offset the additional cost to the Land Registry of providing the service.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Environment Treaties
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list those treaties to which the United Kingdom is a signatory which are concerned with protection of the environment giving, where appropriate, dates of signature, ratification, accession and entry into force.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The information requested is not readily available and could be provided only at disproportionate cost. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office treaty index contains details of 12,000 treaties, agreements and protocols, many of which have environmental implications. The United Nations environment programme has 152 major treaties and other agreements recorded as being directly concerned with the environment.

  Qaiser Khan
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 11 February,Official Report, column 446, what further document was requested by the British high commission when Qaiser Khan was interviewed in Islamabad.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The further document requested by the British high commission at Islamabad when the family were interviewed on 22 February 1990 was the marriage certificate of the parents of Qaiser Khan. This is still awaited.

  Mr. Salman Rushdie
  Mr. Fisher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he last met the Iranian ambassador or a representative of the Iranian Government to discuss the case of Mr. Salman Rushdie.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We have raised the plight of Mr. Rushdie with the Iranian Government on many occasions and will continue to do so. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs discussed the matter with the Iranian Foreign Minister when they met in the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in September 1991. More recently, my hon. and learned Friend, the Minister of State made clear our continued concern during a call made by the Iranian charge, at his own request.

  India
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what representations Her Majesty's Government has made to the Government of India following the publication of the report by the Indian Ministry of External Affairs supporting India's right to retain nuclear weapons capability.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We are unaware of the publication of any such report by the Indian Ministry of External
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  Affairs. However, the Indian Government are in no doubt about the importance we attach to nuclear nonproliferation. We take every opportunity to raise these issues with the Indians and encourage them to accede to the NPT, most recently when my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs visited India in January.

  Yugoslavia
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, if he has raised the reports of breaches of the arms embargo in(a) Serbia and (b) Croatia with his European Community partners; and what action he is taking to ensure such breaches do not take place.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Reports of violations of the arms embargo are discussed in the United Nations. When possible, we have also raised the most disquieting reports bilaterally with the authorities of the country in which they are alleged to have occurred.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, upon what principles he will base his policy towards Bosnia-Herzegovina after its proposed referendum on 28 February.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The policy will be based on the guidelines adopted by EC Ministers on 16 December 1991 and the circumstances prevailing after the referendum. The guidelines require that the state to be recognised should respect the United Nations charter; guarantee the rights of minorities; respect the inviolability of frontiers except by peaceful agreement; accept commitments on disarmament, non-proliferation, security and regional stability; and promise to settle by agreement questions of state succession and regional disputes.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what discussions he has had with his European Community partners about the implications for peace in Yugoslavia and in Europe generally of the decision to hold a referendum on independence by Bosnia-Herzegovina and on how this might affect the deployment of British personnel within a United Nations peace-keeping force.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  We and our European partners are in regular contact about all aspects of Yugoslavia. These issues including the question of the referendum in Bosnia-Herzegovina were discussed most recently at a meeting of European Community Foreign Ministers on 17 February.

  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, pursuant to his answer of 17 February, who is currently responsible for the protection of Slovenian and Croatian citizens visiting or residing in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  In the absence of diplomatic or consular representation, neither the Slovenian nor the Croatian Government have appointed any third government to protect their interests in the United Kingdom.

  United Nations
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to publish in each week a record of decisions taken at the United Nations General Assembly and its constituent committees, together with an estimate of the cost to the United Kingdom of implementing such decisions that involve United Kingdom financial commitments.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Resolutions of the United Nations General Assembly and its constituent committees are published as United Nations documents. Copies are placed in the Library of the House as a matter of course. The budgetary implications of each UNGA resolution are also published in UN documents. We are arranging to have these too placed in the Library as a matter of course. The United Kingdom bears 5·02 per cent. of the costs of all activities financed from the regular UN budget.

TRANSPORT

  Traffic Junctions (Pedestrians)
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he intends to make a statement on his Department's trials into new pedestrian facilties at traffic-signalled junctions including the use of infra-red devices to detect the presence and movement of pedestrians.

  Mr. Chope
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply given on Friday 14 February 1992, at column 672.

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether he proposes to review the discount scheme for tolls on the Severn bridge.

  Mr. Chope
  Following the introduction of the tolling arrangements provided for in the Severn Bridges Act 1992, the discounts for advance payment of tolls will remain at the current rates of 20 per cent. for cars, motor caravans, light vans and minibuses, and 10 per cent. for buses and goods vehicles. The detailed administration of the discount scheme will be a matter for the concessionaire.

  Road Planning
  Mr. Mudd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list those public local inquiries into trunk road schemes for which no ministerial decision has yet been announced, with the concluding date for each of those inquiries and, where appropriate, the date on which the inspector's report and recommendations were submitted to the Secretary of State.

  Mr. Chope
  The following schemes in the national roads programme for England are awaiting a decision following a public inquiry.
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  Scheme

  Public inquiry finished

  Inspectors report received

  A4/A46 Batheaston/Swainswick bypass and A36 link

  6 December 1990

  28 June 1991

  A6 Clapham bypass

  4 October 1991

  13 December 1991

  A10 Wadesmill, High Cross and Colliers End bypass

  11 November 1991

  —

  All Stump Cross to A505 junction improvement

  14 November 1991(joint public inquiry)

  —

  A11/A505 junction to Four Wentways improvement

  A13 West of Heathway to Wennington and Wennington to Mar Dyke improvement

  8 February 1991

  13 September 1991

  A17 Leadenham bypass

  20 December 1991

  —

  A19 Easingwold bypass

  3 July 1991

  2 September 1991

  A27 Patching junction improvement

  7 February 1992

  —

  A31 Ashley Heath grade separated junction

  4 September 1991

  21 October 1991

  A31 Stoney Cross junction improvement

  1 December 1989

  23 March 1990

  A43 Silverstone bypass

  3 December 1991

  —

  A47 Walpole Highway and Tilney High End bypass

  21 June 1991

  23 July 1991

  A52 Ashbourne relief road

  27 January 1992

  —

  A63 Selby bypass

  27 March 1991

  1 October 1991

  A65 Gargrave bypass

  5 December 1991

  15 January 1992

  A249/M2 bobbing improvement

  12 July 1991

  30 October 1991

  A435 Studley bypass

  9 January 1992

  —

  M5 junction 18 Avonmouth relief road

  3 October 1991

  16 January 1992

  M40 Waterstock—Wendlebury (Fencott bridge)

  2 July 1991

  15 August 1991

  M56 widening junction 4 and 6

  22 October 1991

  21 November 1991

  M66 Denton—Middleton

  5 February 1992

  —

  M65 Blackburn southern bypass

  27 November 1991

  —

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what action he proposes to take in order to counter the increased level of carbon dioxide emissions from catalyst equipped motor vehicles.

  Mr. Chope
  Catalyst equipped vehicles are unlikely to be able to achieve the same levels of fuel economy and, hence, carbon dioxide emissions as the same vehicles without catalysts. The fitment of catalysts does, however, provide a reduction of approximately 90 per cent. in emissions of carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons and oxides of nitrogen.

  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce the level of carbon dioxide emissions from road transport.

  Mr. Chope
  The Government are committed to reducing carbon dioxide emissions from road transport as part of the target of stabilising these emissions at 1990 levels by 2005. We have been considering, with the motor industry, the various ways in which fuel efficiency, and hence carbon dioxide emissions, might be improved by better vehicle design for all types of vehicle. The 230
  Government are considering how best to provide the necessary stimulus to improve fuel efficiency, whether through fiscal measures or regulation. At the European level, the Government are pressing the European Commission to propose a directive to control carbon dioxide emissions from the whole European car fleet using a system of tradeable credits as an alternative to direct regulation. This system is designed to improve fuel efficiency and carbon dioxide reduction, whilst allowing manufacturers the maximum flexibility to choose the technology that will best suit their individual commercial constraints.

  London Transport
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answer of 12 February,Official Report, column 508, if he will indicate the fees, benefits in kind and receipts other than salary paid to (a) the chairman and (b) board members of London Transport for (1) 1990–91 and (2) 1991–92.

  Mr. Freeman
  The total emoluments received in 1990–91 by the Chairman and Members of the Board, including salaries, fees, pensions and other benefits, are
  231
  shown in London Transport's annual report for that year. A copy of the report has been placed in the House Library. The corresponding figures for 1991–92 will appear in that year's annual report which will be published later this year.

  Speed Limit Signs, Rutland
  Mr. Latham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport upon what date it was reported to his regional office in Nottingham that official 50 mph signs had been erected in the village of South Luffenham, Rutland; why they have since been removed; what has been the cost to public funds; and whether he will order a departmental inquiry into the procedures involved in erecting speed limits.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: My Department was not aware that 50 mph speed limit signs had been erected and subsequently removed; nor is it aware of the costs incurred. The A6121, which runs through South Luffenham is a local road and, as such, is not the responsibility of my Department. The Secretary of State's involvement is confined to giving consent to any speed limit promoted by the local highway authority, Leicestershire county council. No consent has been granted in this case.

  The system for implementing speed limits is clearly laid down and I do not consider that an inquiry into the procedures involved in erecting speed limit signs is necessary.

  Ham Street Bypass
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport when he expects to publish the results of the public inquiry into the proposed Ham Street bypass in the county of Kent.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: The Secretary of State expects to publish the inspector's report of the public inquiries into the proposed Ham Street bypass by mid-March.

ENVIRONMENT

  Standard Spending Assessments
  Sir Dudley Smith
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will revise the standard spending assessment formula in accordance with representations received from county councils;

  Apportionment of HRA subsidy between housing and rent rebates

  £ million

  1990–91 outturn

  1991–92 estimated outturn

  1992–93 forecast

  1993–94 forecast

  1994–95 forecast

  Housing element

  Positive entitlements

  1,365

  1,155

  1,008

  970

  988

  Negative entitlements

  -915

  -328

  -530

  -582

  -620

  Gross rebates

  2,492

  2,920

  3,277

  3,307

  3,497

  Total HRAS

  3,662

  3,747

  3,755

  3,695

  3,865

  Sum of positive housing element and gross rebates

  3,857

  4,075

  4,285

  4,277

  4,485

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  (2) if he will re-examine his financial provision for Warwickshire in response to the county council's representations about its standard spending assessment.

  Mr. Portillo
  In each of the last two years changes to the SSA formulae have been made in response to representations from the local authority associations, including the Association of County Councils.

  The calculation of standard spending assessments for 1992–93, as set out in the Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) (No. 2) Report (England), was approved by the House on 4 February. All representations from individual local authorities including those made by Warwickshire were carefully considered prior to this.

  Leigh Barton
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 31 January,Official Report, column 226–27, about the historic monument Leigh Barton, near Kingsbridge in Devon; how many days Leigh Barton has been open to the public since English Heritage took over its guardianship in 1984; what is the admission charged to the public; how many members of the public have been admitted in each of the last three years; and what is the estimated cost of maintenance and repair to complete the project.

  Mr. Yeo
  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave on 11 February,Official Report, column 429. Two supervised group visits, for which no charge was made, have taken place in the last three years; no requests for such visits have been refused. The cost of completing repairs at the property is estimated at £250,000.

  Housing Revenue Account
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish a table describing the apportionment of housing revenue account subsidy between(a) rent rebate subsidy and (b) general housing subsidy on an outturn and estimated outturn basis for financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93 and 1994–95, stating the assumptions employed to produce such figures; and if he will publish a table showing a similar apportionment, if the total cost of rent rebates was met by rent rebate subsidy.

  Mr. Yeo
  The information requested is shown in the table. The actual figures for 1993–94 and 1994–95 will depend on annual determinations of subsidy yet to be made. The table assumes that guideline rents and management and maintenance allowances for those years will be increased in line with inflation.
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  1990–91 outturn

  1991–92 estimated outturn

  1992–93 forecast

  1993–94 forecast

  1994–95 forecast

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Rent increase

  10·0

  8·0

  9·5

  M and M increase

  8·0

  6·0

  6·5

  Water Capital Projects, Cleveland
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost of capital renewal to the water supply and sewage currently under way in Cleveland.

  Mr. Baldry
  This is a matter for Northumbrian Water, but I understand that in the year to 31 March 1992 capital investment in the Teesside area, which includes Cleveland, is expected to total £18·2 million. A further £1 million is being spent on other sewerage schemes by third parties —for example. Teesside development corporation—under Northumbrian Water supervision.

  Bird Pests
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether the introduction of a general licensing system to control the shooting of bird pest species will be delayed until the European Parliamentary Environmental Group and the European Commission have decided whether or how the European birds directive is to be changed.

  Mr. Baldry
  Should such a system be introduced, it would take full account of any changes that may be made to the EC birds directive, and the need to maintain arrangements for sensible and practicable control of pest bird species where necessary.

  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what work his Department is carrying out on preparing for the introduction of a closed season for bird pest species; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  There are no proposals for introducing a closed season for pest bird species.

  City Challenge
  Mr. Caborn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what are the general rules that should be adhered to by the bidders for city challenge; what is the procedure for awarding city challenge; and how much Government money is available for bids for this year's city challenge.

  Mr. Key
  The general rules and procedure relating to city challenge bids and information about available resources are contained in the documents "City Challenge Bidding Guidance 1993–94" and "City Challenge Financial Guidance Note No. 1" revision No. 2, copies of which have been placed in the Library of the House.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a further statement on his discussions with mortgage lenders and insurance companies on mortgage repossessions; and when he intends to introduce a scheme.
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  Mr. Yeo
  My right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced on 19 December that agreement had been reached with mortgage lenders on a package of measures. The package included pledges by lenders of £750 million for rescue schemes to help borrowers in difficulty, with the expectation that up to £1 billion would be available if necessary.

  Lenders are now coming forward with details of schemes. Six lenders have so far announced schemes—Halifax building society, Nationwide building society, Leeds Permanent building society, Bradford and Bingley building society, National Westminster Home Loans and the Mortgage Corporation. Others are expected to follow soon. Lenders are also introducing improved counselling arrangements for borrowers and have given a commitment that no action will be taken to repossess properties while borrowers are making significant regular payments.

  The Chancellor also announced that the Government would introduce legislation for the temporary suspension of stamp duty on transactions up to £250,000 and for the direct payment to lenders of sums allowed for mortgage interest in income support. Both these measures have now passed their Commons stages.

  The combined effect of these measures is expected significantly to reduce the number of repossessions this year.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what effect Her Majesty's Government current policy on stabilising carbon dioxide emissions is forecast to have on the concentration levels of carbon dioxide in the atmoshere.

  Mr. Baldry
  The stabilisation of emissions of carbon dioxide, if applied globally, will slow the rate of increase of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere. The impact of the United Kingdom acting alone would be negligible. We therefore strongly support concerted international action to control carbon dioxide emissions.

  Holcombe Moor
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will publish the results of his Department's inquiry concerning Holcombe moor; and if he will make a statement on the proposed future use of the land in question.

  Sir George Young
  The inspector's report of the inquiry was made available to interested parties on 16 July 1991, along with details of the new condition proposed by the Ministry of Defence for limiting its use of the land for training. My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State hopes shortly to be able to say how he proposes to take matters forward.

  Local Authority Debt
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has as to the total level of local authority debt; from which sources the greatest proportions are borrowed; and what percentages mature in the short, medium and long term.

  Mr. Key
  Local authority loan debt, ie debt incurred for capital purposes, in England at 31 March 1990 is estimated at £49 billion. This figure includes both internal and external debt.

  The chief sources of borrowing were the Public Works Loan Board—75 per cent.—and internal reserves and balances—20 per cent. Of the external debt, some 5 per cent was due to be repaid within one year, 20 per cent. in over one year but within five years, and 75 per cent. in over five years.

  Building Maintenance, Camden
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what action he will take in response to the failure of the London borough of Camden to make the statutory rate of return on its building maintenance work in 1989–90.

  Mr. Key
  My right hon. Friend has given careful consideration to the response which the London borough of Camden has made to the notice served on the authority on 1 July 1991, and has today given a direction under section 19B of the Local Government Planning and Land Act 1980 in respect of building maintenance work. The effect of this direction is to preclude the council from assigning housing repair and mintenance work in three of the five districts of the borough to its direct labour organisation without the express consent of the Secretary of State.

  Royal Parks
  Sir Philip Goodhart
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the review of the royal parks.

  Sir George Young
  I am pleased to welcome today the publication of the report of the royal parks review group.

  The review group's report is a key part of our strategy aimed at fundamental changes and improvements in the
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  royal parks and how we run them. We are aiming for excellence in the way the parks are kept, quality in what the parks offer and better management and value for money.

  We are grateful to Dame Jennifer Jenkins and her team for their efforts and their expertise. They have produced a stimulating report of interesting proposals.

  The group's proposals will be discussed by local amenity groups, professionals and everyday park users at a conference on 5 March. We will produce a full response to the report once we have heard what they have to say.

  Copies of the report have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses.

  Humming Birds
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee regarding the transportation of humming birds and other nectar-feeding birds; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 12 November 1991]: The Joint Nature Conservation Committee has not made any representations about the transportation of these birds. It has, however, advised that some of these species are difficult to keep in captivity. The committee is consulted about all individual applications to import these birds and and their sensitivity is taken into account in determining the applications.

  Bird Pests
  Mr. Riddick
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether his Department will be considering the national shooting and farming organisations before introducing a licensing system to control the shooting of bird pest species.

  Mr. Baldry
  Should any such licensing system be introduced, my right hon. Friend would be required to make an order to amend schedule 2 to the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981. Before making such an order, he would be required by the Act to give any local authority, or any other person affected, an opportunity to submit objections or representations.

EMPLOYMENT

  Dignity at Work
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment whether he intends to accept the recornmendation of the European Commission on the protection of the dignity of women and men at work of 27 November 1991.

  Mr. Jackson
  By means of the Council declaration of 19 December 1991 the United Kindom Government endorse the general objective of the Commission recommendation.

  Migrant Workers Convention
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment (1) what consideration Her Majesty's Government have given to acceding to the European convention on the legal status of migrant workers;

  (2) what consideration Her Majesty's Government have given to acceding to the international convention on the protection of the rights of all migrant workers and their families.

  Mr. Forth
  We have considered both conventions carefully, but we are unable to sign either. The conventions go beyond this country's existing international commitments on access to labour markets and what is necessary to secure the interests of migrants working here, who already enjoy the protection of the same laws and regulations as British workers.

  Population Statistics, Devon
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list the areas and sub-areas which compose the travel to work area of Barnstaple/Ilfracombe and South Molton, together with the number of adults and of young people included in each of them.

  Mr. Jackson
  Barnstaple/Ilfracombe travel-to-work area—TTWA—consists of ward numbers 1 to 11 and 13 to 22 in North Devon local authority district—LAD. South Moulton TWA consists of ward numbers 24 to 29 in North Devon LAD, Taw Vale ward in Mid Devon LAD and Exmoor ward in West Somerset LAD.

  The latest data on age distribution of residents for wards are available from the 1981 census of population and can be obtained from the NOMIS database in the Library. Similar data from the 1991 census of population should be available towards the latter half of 1992.

PRIME MINISTER

  Hackney (Government Achievements)
  Mr. Norris
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on the achievements of Her Majesty's Government in Hackney since 1979.

  The Prime Minister
  The information could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

  I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave my hon. Friend the Member for Teignbridge (Mr. Nicholls) on 16 December at columns 22–25.

  European Assemblies
  Sir Geoffrey Finsberg
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will place in the Library a copy of the information bulletin on the activities of the United Kingdom delegation to the parliamentary assemblies of the Council of Europe and the assembly of the Western European Union, which has been sent to him.

  The Prime Minister
  I have done so today.

  Engagements
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will list his official engagements for 20 February.

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

  Planning Seminars
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will give the date and location of his national seminar with planners, conservationists and farmers; if he will list the organisations, both government and non-government, which are to be invited to attend; if he will also give the same information for each of the local seminars being organised around the United Kingdom; and if he will make a statement.

  The Prime Minister
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: A national conference "The Countryside and the Rural Economy" is being held to promote the role of the planning system in balancing the needs to diversify the rural economy and to conserve and enhance the rural environment. It is being organised jointly by the Department of the Environment and Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and will be held on 16 March at the Royal Agricultural Society of England.

  More than 200 invitations have been sent to individual farmers and planners, representatives of conservation, farming, planning and other organisations with an interest in rural development, planning consultants and academics. DoE and MAFF propose to follow up this conference with a series of regional seminars, inviting people and organisations with a similar range of interests and concentrating on issues of particular concern in each area.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  European Community Grant Aid
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the effect £15·2 million of grant aid to the successful applicants under European Community Regulation 866/90 will have upon the relative competitive position of companies whose projects will not be supported.

  Mr. Curry
  This is an EC-funded scheme and the question facing the Government was whether to allow some United Kingdom applicants to benefit or whether to allow all the money to be spent on helping their competitors in other member states. Given the impact of the internal market in 1993 the effect on unsuccessful companies of United Kingdom participation is likely to be
  239
  minimal, but the overall effect of United Kingdom participation on the competitiveness of the United Kingdom industry will be to show a significant benefit. All companies submitting projects are told clearly that they have no guarantee of success given the limited resources available.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what was the total estimated expenditure of all applications under European Community Regulation 866/90(a) received by the MAFF and (b) recommended by the MAFF to Brussels for the latest round of grant awards.

  Mr. Curry
  The total amount of grant aid sought in applications submitted to MAFF in respect of projects in England for the latest round of awards under EC regulation 866/90 was £27·3 million. Of these, projects seeking a total of £6·8 million in grant were recommended to the Commission.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications under European Community Regulation 866/90 were received by his Department; and how many were subsequently recommended to Brussels for the latest round of awards.

  Mr. Curry
  The total number of eligible applications for grant received by MAFF for projects in England for the latest round of awards under EC regulation 866/90 was 93. Of these, 20 were recommended to the EC Commission.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the extent to which FEOGA grants militate against the creation of a level playing field for fair trade in food within the EC.

  Mr. Curry
  European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund grants are paid in all EC countries, and are made according to clearly defined social and economic criteria.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what criteria were applied in assessing United Kingdom applications for grant aid in the latest round of awards under EC regulations 866/90.

  Mr. Curry
  In order to decide which projects to put forward to Brussels under this scheme we have to apply a range of criteria derived from the appropriate EC legislation, in particular EC regulation 866/90 and Commission decision 90/342/EEC. All projects must demonstrate direct benefits to primary producers and special priority is given to projects which improve marketing structures, assist the marketing of high value products, involve substantial technological innovation, reduce the seasonality of supply or cut the costs of prepared products, the recycling of waste or use of organic produce.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food how many applications were received in each of the Community countries for grant in the latest round of awards under EC regulations 866/90; how many were successful in each country and what was the value of awards in each member country.

  Mr. Curry
  The information we have through our involvement in the European Commission's management committee under which this grant scheme is administered is shown in the table.
  240

  Member state

  Successful projects

  Total value of awards

  mecu

  £ million approx.

  United Kingdom

  53

  21·7

  15·1

  Netherlands

  54

  6·5

  4·5

  Germany

  124

  11·4

  7·9

  Belgium

  10

  2·9

  2·0

  France

  108

  26·2

  18·3

  Denmark

  15

  5·1

  3·6

  Greece

  15

  13·9

  9·7

  Portugal

  46

  22·5

  15·7

  Spain

  146

  44·0

  30·7

  Ireland

  35

  31·1

  21·7

  Luxembourg

  4

  0·7

  0·5

  We have no information on the number of applications received in other member states. No programme for Italy has yet been agreed.

  Grant Aid
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food on what basis it is decided to grant aid to industries which have structural problems due to over capacity.

  Mr. Curry
  Our overall approach has been to target sectors where there is a need for new investment. This would generally be as a result of market opportunities, but can also arise where there is a need for modernisation to improve the technical efficiency of the United Kingdom industry to enable it to compete with that in other member states.

  European Community Intervention Stores
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list the location of European Community intervention stores within the United Kingdom and in each case which products they contain.

  Mr. Gummer
  Since the question concerns matters which are the direct responsibility of the chief executive of the Intervention Board executive agency, I am asking him to write directly to the hon. Member.

  Pennines Environmentally Sensitive Area
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the further changes he intends to make to the North Pennines environmentally sensitive area.

  Mr. Gummer
  In drawing up the Pennine Dales environmentally sensitive area scheme, which I announced on 15 January, I consulted farmers, conservationists and other bodies. I have continued to work closely with local interests, and as a result, I have concluded that further changes are needed. I will announce the details as soon as possible.

THE ARTS

  Lending
  Mr. Faulds
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what was the total amount paid from public funds since 1980 to lenders of works of art and heritage objects to museums,
  241
  galleries, libraries and public exhibitions in respect of claims satisfied under the indemnification powers given in section 16 of the National Heritage Act 1980; and if he will list the amounts paid in each year since 1980.

  Mr. Renton
  Central records have been maintained only since 1985. The total amount paid under the Government indemnity scheme from then to the present time is £149,000. The amounts paid in each year are as follows:

  £

  1985–86

  0

  1986–87

  0

  1987–88

  78,000

  1988–89

  0

  1989–90

  10,000

  1990–91

  61,000

  There have been no payments this financial year.

WALES

  Sports Council for Wales
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current level of funding to the Sports Council for Wales; what proportion it represents of total Welsh Office expenditure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Grant-in-aid to the Sports Council for Wales for the current financial year is £5·2 million. This represents just under 0·1 per cent. of the forecast outturn—£5,286 million—for total Welsh Office expenditure as published in Cm. 1916.

  Welsh Office support is also given to other bodies in respect of specific sports-related projects under the urban programme, rural initiative and PRNI—projects of regional and national importance—and SP—special projects—schemes.

  Education (Abergavenny)
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has to develop Welsh medium education in Abergavenny; and if he will make a statement.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This is a matter for Gwent county council as the responsible local education authority.

  SSSIs
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many sites of special scientific interest are currently designated in Wales; what means exist to monitor loss and damage to sites of special scientific interest in Wales; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  A total of 827 sites of special scientific interest have so far been designated in Wales. The Countryside Council for Wales monitors these sites through its site integrity monitoring programme. 'This process involves undertaking a rolling programme of visits and collecting and examining relevant photographic evidence.

  Leader Programme
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what plans he has to claw back financial assistance given under the European Community's Leader programme 242
  from the moneys allocated to the Development Board for Rural Wales and the Welsh Development Agency for the forthcoming financial year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The likely level of EC receipts arising from the Leader initiative was taken into account in arriving at the grant in aid settlements for the respective agencies for 1992–93.

  General Practitioners
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will publish figures showing the average number of NHS general practitioner consultations in Wales per person, per year from 1977 to 1991 according to each age category.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information is readily available only for the years shown in the table.:

  National Health Service general practitioner consultations per person per year by age group1

  0 to 15

  16 to 64

  65 or over

  all ages

  1978

  7

  4

  6

  5

  1980

  4

  5

  7

  5

  1982

  4

  4

  11

  5

  1983

  3

  4

  7

  4

  1985

  5

  4

  7

  5

  1986

  4

  4

  8

  5

  1987

  7

  4

  6

  4

  1988

  5

  4

  5

  5

  1989

  6

  6

  7

  7

  1990

  6

  4

  5

  5

  1 Estimated from responses by households sampled in the General Household Survey.

  Council Housing
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how much money his Department is making available to local housing authorities in Wales to deal specifically with problems of condensation and dampness in council housing stock; what is his assessment of the extent of the problem in Wales; and what are the prospects of achieving a solution.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply I gave him on 5 February. The results of the 1986 Welsh house condition survey indicated serious problems of dampness in 0·3 per cent. of the local authority stock.

  Elderly People
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the projected number of single-person elderly households in Wales for each year from 1986 to 2001; and how many are estimated to be(a) male and (b) female.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The most recently published estimates of single person elderly households are those in table 3 of the "1989-Based Household Projections for Counties of Wales" a copy of which is in the Library of the House. Comparable figures for 1986 are not available.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many(a) private, (b) voluntary, (c) local authority and (d) long-stay national health service places were made available for elderly people in Wales in each year from 1977 onwards.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The available information concerning beds and places is given in the following table:
  243

  Type of premises

  Private nursing homes1

  Local authority residential homes2

  Private residential homes2

  Voluntary residential homes2

  National health service hospitals3

  1977

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  4,208

  1978

  N/a

  7,424

  1,571

  4,263

  1979

  N/a

  7,549

  1,689

  4,285

  1980

  N/a

  7,581

  1,969

  4,383

  1981

  N/a

  7,660

  2,307

  4,468

  1982

  984

  7,732

  2,584

  4,489

  1983

  1,168

  7,682

  3,015

  4,561

  1984

  1,333

  7,758

  3,894

  4,656

  1985

  1,901

  7,700

  4,817

  4,759

  1986

  2,787

  7,844

  5,875

  4,707

  1987

  4,005

  7,669

  6,535

  4,665

  1988

  N/a

  7,559

  7,492

  N/a

  1989

  5,966

  7,350

  7,331

  822

  4,477

  1990

  7,759

  7,119

  7,760

  859

  5,389

  1991

  9,656

  N/a

  N/a

  N/a

  5,413

  1 Beds designated as elderly/long stay. Information is not available for the years 1977 to 1981. Data for 1982 to 1987 are at 31 December, for 1989 onwards they are at 31 March.

  2 Number of places at 31 March.

  3 Average daily available beds in the specialties of geriatric medicine and elderly mentally infirm/old age psychiatry, not all geriatric beds are designated as long stay. National health service beds are allocated according to the specialty of the consultant using the bed and not to the age group of the patient and, therefore, there will be beds in other specialties apart from the ones included here which at some time will be occupied by elderly patients. Data are for years ending 31 December for 1977 to 1987 and for years ending 31 March for 1989 to 1991. Due to a change in the definition of specialties, data for 1990 and 1991 are not strictly comparable with previous years.

  In-patients
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) if he will publish figures for in-patient bed days per 1,000 population in non-psychiatric hospitals in Wales in each year from 1979, broken down into age categories;

  (2) how many in-patient admissions per 1,000 population into non-psychiatric hospitals have occurred in Wales in each year since 1979; and if he will publish the figures according to age category.

  Year

  0 to 14

  15 to 24

  25 to 44

  45 to 64

  65 to 74

  75 +

  Total2

  In·patient bed days per 1,000 population1

  1979

  378·3

  360·8

  473·3

  1,088·2

  2,684·3

  7,243·6

  1,193·7

  1980

  379·2

  361·6

  475·3

  1,052·1

  2,825·4

  7,662·3

  1,219·5

  1981

  392·6

  366·8

  471·4

  1,051·6

  2,673·5

  7,372·6

  1,199·1

  1982

  370·3

  520·9

  575·8

  959·8

  2,651·2

  7,441·4

  31,236·1

  1983

  392·8

  526·0

  608·6

  1,031·5

  2,805·0

  7,932·0

  1,317·7

  1984

  392·5

  529·9

  595·9

  1,033·1

  2,866·4

  7,707·6

  1,316·7

  1985

  408·3

  520·2

  597·5

  1,092·5

  2,974·1

  8,459·4

  1,403·8

  1986

  399·1

  506·2

  576·2

  1,033·4

  2,860·1

  8,048·3

  1,352·3

  1987

  462·0

  518·9

  584·0

  1,052·9

  2,842·4

  7,756·7

  1,377·3

  1988

  445·0

  514·4

  550·7

  1,009·9

  2,769·4

  7,412·4

  1,327·2

  1989

  481·7

  578·5

  575·5

  1,022·5

  2,775·5

  7,397·3

  1,351·5

  1990

  418·9

  467·6

  506·3

  914·8

  2,424·5

  6,629·0

  41,196·3

  In-patient deaths and discharges per 1,000 population1

  1979

  80·2

  68·8

  75·2

  95·5

  152·2

  239·0

  97·5

  1980

  83·5

  70·8

  78·8

  100·7

  162·0

  255·3

  102·0

  1981

  88·6

  73·7

  80·4

  104·3

  170·1

  272·8

  106·7

  1982

  84·2

  109·7

  103·2

  95·5

  158·7

  261·5

  3113·9

  1983

  95·6

  120·3

  119·2

  113·5

  189·2

  303·2

  131·7

  1984

  100·5

  126·3

  122·9

  118·1

  196·2

  322·7

  137·8

  1985

  102·2

  131·7

  130·3

  124·2

  215·4

  375·4

  143·4

  1986

  106·6

  134·4

  131·5

  128·8

  220·5

  383·7

  147·7

  1987

  106·9

  135·8

  128·8

  129·4

  218·2

  372·7

  151·7

  1988

  109·1

  141·3

  129·0

  131·4

  225·2

  382·0

  154·9

  1989

  110·3

  142·5

  127·0

  128·6

  228·3

  394·5

  155·3

  1990

  110·4

  139·2

  125·5

  124·9

  218·9

  380·1

  4151·8

  1 Figures prior to 1982 exclude Obstetrics and GP Maternity cases. Bed days by age of patient are not available for such cases in those years, but in-patient deaths and discharges per 1,000 population are given separately below.

  2 Includes age not known.

  3 Data for 1982 is believed to understate the true position due to an industrial dispute which affected the completeness of the data.

  4 Provisional.

  244
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information is collected on the basis of in-patient discharges, including deaths, from hospital rather than admissions to NHS hospitals in Wales.

  Bed days and in-patient deaths and discharges per 1,000 population in non-psychiatric NHS hospitals in Wales, by age of patient on discharge, are given in the tables.
  245

  Obstetrics and general practitioner maternity in-patient deaths and discharges per 1,000 population

  Year

  0 to 14

  15 to 24

  25 to 44

  45 to 64

  65 to 74

  75+

  Total1

  1979

  0·1

  45·8

  33·4

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  15·2

  1980

  0·1

  46·0

  33·7

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  15·5

  1981

  0·0

  45·7

  32·9

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  15·5

  1 Includes age not known.

  Constituencies
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the six highest and the six lowest numbers of electors in parliamentary constituencies in Wales; and what is the average constituency electorate in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The six parliamentary constituencies with the highest number of electors and the six parliamentary constituencies with the lowest number of electors in Wales at 1991 are as follows. The average electorate of a parliamentary constituency in Wales was 58,086.

  Parliamentary constituency

  Electors

  Highest

  Pembroke

  73,500

  Carmarthen

  68,833

  Clwyd North West

  68,462

  Delyn

  66,953

  Vale of Glamorgan

  66,852

  Ceredigion and Pembroke North

  65,947

  Lowest

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

  32,754

  Montgomery

  41,334

  Caernarfon

  46,653

  Cynon Valley

  50,000

  Newport East

  50,931

  Brecon and Radnor

  51,738

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the acreage of each of the, six geographically largest parliamentary constituencies in Wales.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The six geographically largest parliamentary constituencies in Wales are as follows:

  Parliamentary constituency

  Acreage (000s)

  Brecon and Radnor

  744

  Ceredigion and Pembroke North

  561

  Carmarthen

  525

  Montgomery

  510

  Meirionnydd Nant Conwy

  478

  Clwyd South West

  367

  Source: Office of Population Censuses and Surveys.

  Homelessness
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give figures for the number of people accepted by local authorities in Wales as homeless under part III of the Housing Act 1985 between January and December 1991, by district, compared with the previous year.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  The information is given in the table:246

  Number of persons in households accepted as homeless under part III of the Housing Act 1985, by district

  1990

  1991

  Aberconwy

  137

  104

  Alyn and Deeside

  474

  499

  Arfon

  77

  93

  Blaenau Gwent

  841

  761

  Brecknock

  269

  318

  Cardiff1

  2,483

  —

  Carmarthen

  189

  227

  Ceredigion

  331

  373

  Colwyn

  103

  178

  Cynon Valley

  623

  1,017

  Delyn

  825

  683

  Dinefwr

  181

  410

  Dwyfor

  162

  127

  Glyndwr

  46

  87

  Islwyn1

  370

  —

  Llanelli

  297

  383

  Lliw Valley

  338

  284

  Meirionnydd

  250

  257

  Merthyr Tydfil

  496

  365

  Monmouth

  281

  388

  Montgomeryshire

  188

  259

  Neath

  610

  656

  Newport

  2,696

  2,936

  Ogwr

  1,332

  1,671

  Port Talbot (Afan)

  303

  340

  Preseli Pembrokeshire

  209

  255

  Radnorshire

  64

  45

  Rhondda

  166

  358

  Rhuddlan

  293

  177

  Rhymney Valley1

  439

  —

  South Pembrokeshire

  248

  205

  Swansea2

  450

  1,779

  Taff-Ely

  568

  715

  Torfaen

  1,216

  1,038

  Vale of Glamorgan

  1,160

  1,184

  Wrexham Maelor

  863

  730

  Ynys Môn

  97

  111

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  1 Information is not yet available for Cardiff, Islwyn and Rhymney Valley.

  2 It is known that the figure for 1990 for Swansea is under-recorded.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many patients from within Gwent with kidney disorder are treated by dialysis at centres outside Gwent; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This information is not collected centrally. The hon. Gentleman may wish to approach Gwent district health authority about this.

  Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales when he expects to announce his decision on current planning applications for golf courses in the Wye valley area of outstanding natural beauty; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Planning applications for golf courses at Porthcasseg farm, St. Aryan's Chepstow and at
  247
  Croes Bleddyn farm, Itton, Chepstow were called in for my determination on 7 February. Following receipt of documents from Monmouth borough council, consideration is now being given to holding public local inquiries.

  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what guidelines are issued to local authority planning departments with regard to development in areas of outstanding natural beauty.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Planning guidance on development in areas of outstanding natural beauty may be found in the following planning policy guidance—PPG—and minerals planning guidance—MPG—notes issued jointly by the Department of the Environment and the Welsh Office:

  PPG7 "The Countryside and Rural Economy" (paras: 3.8–3.11);

  MPGI "General Considerations and the Development Plan System" (para: 43);

  MPG2 "Applications, Permissions and Conditions" (para: 39);

  MPG3 "Opencast Coal Mining" (para: 14); and

  MPG6 "Guidelines for Aggregates Provision in England and Wales" (para: 20).

  Schools Inspectorate
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will give details of all the visits made by Her Majesty's inspectors of education to schools in the Monmouth constituency since September 1990.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  All secondary schools and over 70 per cent. of the primary schools in the Monmouth constituency have been visited by Her Majesty's inspectors of schools since September 1990. In secondary schools these visits have included surveys of mathematics, science and music; in primary schools they have included two full inspections and surveys of music, Welsh, history, geography, school-industry links and arrangements for teacher appraisal. The monitoring of the implementation of the national curriculum has received priority in the routine visits to schools.

  Monmouth Borough Council
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what announcements he has made regarding the reduction in standard spending assessment for Monmouth borough council for 1992–93 since it was first announced; and what was the reason for the reduction.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The final local authority standard spending assessments were set out in the settlement reports laid before the House on 10 February and debated and approved by Parliament on 12 February. Recalculation of the provisional SSAs laid before the House on 20 January took account of the increase in resources for teachers' pay. To achieve consistency, it was also necessary to take account of other data changes. These altered the relativity of individual district authority SSAs within the overall amount of total standard spending allocated to district authorities which was unchanged.

  Hydatid Disease
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what research is available to him regarding(a) the incidence and (b) the effects of hydatid disease on animals and humans in Gwent; and if he will make a statement.
  248
  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  Information on the incidence of human hydatid disease in Gwent for the period 1974 to 1983 is contained within the published report "The Changing Incidence of Human Hydatid Disease in England and Wales" by S. R. Palmer and Ann H. B. Biffen. The communicable disease surveillance centre (Wales) is currently working on an updated survey covering the period 1984 to 1990. This survey will again include data for Gwent. The results are expected later this year.

  A considerable body of research exists into the effects of hydatid disease in humans, though none specific to Gwent.

  As far as farm animals are concerned hydatidosis is not a notifiable disease, and there are no official statistics available on incidence. The disease causes little discomfort in farm animals affected.

  Kidney Patients
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what proposals he has for a renal dialysis unit for Gwent health authority; and what is the estimated cost of such a unit.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  This is a matter for Gwent district health authority. No proposals have been made by the authority to the Welsh Office.

  National Health Service Staff
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) what was the number of staff graded as general or senior managers in the health service in Wales on 1 January 1986; and what was the corresponding number on 1 September 1991;

  (2) what was the number of administrative and clerical staff in the health service in Wales on 1 January 1986; and what is the corresponding figure for 1 September 1991.

  Mr. Nicholas Bennett
  [holding answer 14 February 1992]: On 31 January 1986 there were 6,805 whole-time equivalent administrative and clerical staff employed by the health service in Wales, including staff employed by district health authorities, by the Welsh Health Common Services Authority, and by certain family health services authorities which share the payroll system from which this information is derived, but excluding information for other FHSAs. The figure for 30 September 1991 was 8,733.

  Of the September 1991 figure, 693 whole-time equivalents were graded as general or senior managers, including "second tranche" senior managers reporting to general managers or management board/teams. Due to changes in the grading structure of managerial staff between 1986 and 1989, a comparable figure for 1986 is not available.

  Administrative and clerical staff costs as a proportion of the National Health Service pay bill in Wales have fallen from 12·2 per cent. in 1979 to 10·9 per cent. in 1991. Authorities often differ in their approach to coding jobs for record purposes. Advice is to be issued shortly to ensure that staff figures are derived on a common basis.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Income Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish a table showing, by range of total income, for those(a) under and (b) over 65 years, the number of increases to the tax yield and estimated average rates of income tax payable in 1990–91, broken down by bands of £1,000s to £10,000, £2,000s to £20,000, £5,000s to £50,000 and £50,000s to £500,000, distinguishing between single persons, married and single persons qualifying for married allowance and other married persons.

  Mr. Maude
  The available information on average rates of tax is in the tables. Estimates of increases in tax yield could be made only by reference to an alternative tax regime.

  Estimated average rates of tax paid by taxpaying individuals aged under 65, 1990–91

  Gross income of individual

  Single people not claiming additional personal allowance

  Husbands and single people claiming additional personal allowance

  Wives

  £ p.a.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Under 4,000

  4

  ֵ

  3

  4,000 to 5,000

  8

  1

  7

  5,000 to 6,000

  11

  3

  7

  6,000 to 7,000

  12

  5

  9

  7,000 to 8,000

  14

  6

  11

  8,000 to 9,000

  15

  8

  12

  9,000 to 10,000

  16

  9

  13

  10,000 to 12,000

  16

  10

  15

  12,000 to 14,000

  16

  12

  16

  14,000 to 16,000

  17

  13

  17

  16,000 to 18,000

  17

  14

  18

  18,000 to 20,000

  17

  15

  19

  20,000 to 25,000

  19

  16

  19

  25,000 to 30,000

  21

  18

  21

  30,000 to 40,000

  23

  21

  25

  40,000 to 50,000

  26

  25

  28

  50,000 to 80,000

  30

  28

  32

  80,000 and over

  34

  34

  36

  All taxpayers

  17

  17

  15

  Number of individuals paying income tax and tax liability by range of total income 1990–91

  Singles not claiming additional personal allowance

  Husbands and singles claiming additional personal allowance

  Wives

  Total income (lower limit) £ pa

  Number of individuals paying tax Thousands

  Tax yield £ million

  Number of individuals paying tax Thousands

  Tax yield £ million

  Number of individuals paying tax Thousands

  Tax yield £ million

  Taxpayers under 65

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  580

  80

  —

  —

  570

  60

  4,000

  690

  250

  30

  1—

  520

  160

  5,000

  700

  410

  150

  30

  440

  170

  6,000

  750

  600

  220

  70

  380

  230

  7,000

  850

  870

  330

  160

  370

  300

  8,000

  840

  1,050

  400

  280

  350

  360

  9,000

  690

  1,020

  540

  450

  270

  350

  10,000

  1,200

  2,070

  1,210

  1,350

  340

  550

  12,000

  1,300

  2,890

  1,780

  2,890

  320

  710

  15,000

  1,060

  3,120

  2,110

  5,110

  340

  1,030

  20,000

  610

  2,740

  1,690

  6,820

  160

  740

  30,000

  170

  1,470

  650

  5,270

  60

  560

  50,000

  60

  1,770

  280

  8,070

  20

  470

  250

  Estimated average rates of tax paid by individuals aged 65 and over, 1990–91

  Gross income of individual

  Single people not claiming additional personal allowance

  Husbands and single people claiming additional personal allowance

  Wives

  £ p.a.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  per cent.

  Under 5,000

  3

  0

  3

  5,000 to 10,000

  11

  6

  10

  10,000 to 15,000

  17

  13

  16

  15,000 and over

  26

  23

  23

  All taxpayers

  17

  16

  14

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the loss of revenue from taxation of investment income at(a) standard rate and (b) higher rates as a result of independent taxation of men and women; and how much of this loss results from the transfer of taxable assets for husbands to wives.

  Mr. Maude
  An estimate of the total direct revenue cost of independent taxation was given in the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1988–89". The further analysis requested is not readily available.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date, for 1990–91, his answer of 19 October 1988,Official Report, columns 921–24, concerning investment income, replacing the categories for married couples with and without earned income with (a) married and other persons qualifying for a married allowance and (b) married persons entitled only to a single allowance.

  Mr. Maude
  The updated information is as follows:
  251

  Singles not claiming additional personal allowance

  Husbands and singles claiming additional personal allowance

  Wives

  Total income (lower limit) £ pa

  Number of individuals paying tax Thousands

  Tax yield £ million

  Number of individuals paying tax Thousands

  Tax yield £ million

  Number of individuals paying tax Thousands

  Tax yield £ million

  Taxpayers aged 65 and over

  2,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  3,000

  70

  1—

  —

  —

  30

  1—

  4,000

  210

  40

  —

  —

  80

  10

  5,000

  170

  70

  20

  1—

  50

  20

  6,000

  150

  100

  130

  20

  60

  30

  7,000

  120

  110

  110

  40

  50

  40

  8,000

  90

  100

  100

  60

  20

  30

  9,000

  80

  110

  110

  100

  10

  10

  10,000

  110

  190

  110

  140

  40

  70

  12,000

  90

  230

  140

  260

  20

  40

  15,000

  90

  300

  110

  340

  30

  100

  20,000

  60

  300

  70

  330

  10

  60

  30,000

  30

  300

  50

  470

  1—

  20

  50,000

  10

  390

  20

  440

  1—

  40

  1 — Less than £5 million or 5,000.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was the level of income tax received on income from overseas for the last two years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Maude
  Income tax chargeable on investment income received by United Kingdom residents from overseas in the years ending 5 April 1990 and 5 April 1989 and taxed under cases IV and V of schedule D is estimated to be in the region of £170 million and £95 million respectively before allowing for double taxation relief. The amount of such relief allowed is not known.

  Income tax deducted from foreign company and public revenue dividends paid by or through United Kingdom paying and collecting agents in these two years amounted to £201 million and £192 million respectively. Figures are also available for the year ending 5 April 1991 where the amount was £329 million.

  Incomes
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer of 29 July 1988,Official Report, columns 724–25, concerning the distribution of incomes by range of income in excess of £20,000 a year to give the figures for 1991–92.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates for 1991–92 are given in the table. The figures relate to taxpaying individuals following the introduction of independent taxation in 1990.

  Higher rate taxpayers 1991–92

  Thousands

  Total income (£)

  Single

  Husbands

  Wives

  Total

  Under 20,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  20,000 to 25,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  25,000 to 30,000

  60

  40

  20

  120

  Distribution by total income 1991–92 for higher rate taxpayers

  Single people

  Married couples1

  One taxpayer

  Both taxpayers

  Range of total income lower limit (£pa)

  Number (000s)

  Average amount of investment income2

  Average amount of mortgage interest relief2 3

  Number(000s)

  Average amount of investment income2

  Average amount of mortgage interest relief2 3

  Number(000s)

  Average amount of investment income2

  Average amount of mortgage interest relief3

  20,000

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  25,000

  60

  5,500

  730

  10

  1,300

  750

  —

  —

  —

  30,000

  180

  5,300

  700

  250

  2,700

  670

  90

  3,100

  700

  252

  Total income (£)

  Single

  Husbands

  Wives

  Total

  30,000 to 50,000

  240

  750

  70

  1,060

  over 50,000

  90

  330

  20

  440

  Total

  390

  1,120

  110

  1,620

  Total tax liability of higher rate taxpayers

  £ million

  Total income (£)

  Single

  Husbands

  Wives

  Total

  Under 20,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  20,000 to 25,000

  0

  0

  0

  0

  25,000 to 30,000

  390

  250

  120

  760

  30,000 to 50,000

  2,060

  6,170

  620

  8,850

  Over 50,000

  2,420

  9,390

  580

  12,390

  Total

  4,870

  15,800

  1,330

  22,000

  Mortgage Interest Relief
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will update his answer of 6 April 1987,Official Report, columns 70–72, showing the estimated amount of mortgage interest relief due to taxpayers with an income in excess of £20,000 a year, to give the figures for 1991–92; and if he will give separate particulars for those with income between £50,000 and £100,000 and in excess of £100,000.

  Mr. Maude
  Equivalent available information taking account of independent taxation is given in the table. The estimates are based on a projection from the 1989–90 survey of personal incomes and are therefore provisional.
  253

  Single people

  Married couples1

  One taxpayer

  Both taxpayers

  Range of total income lower limit (£pa)

  Number (000s)

  Average amount of investment income2

  Average amount of mortgage interest relief2 3

  Number (000s)

  Average amount of investment income2

  Average amount of mortgage interest relief2 3

  Number(000s)

  Average amount of investment income2

  Average amount of mortgage interest relief3

  40,000

  60

  7,700

  750

  110

  3,700

  660

  170

  4,400

  710

  50,000

  90

  22,000

  750

  160

  11,600

  700

  360

  17,000

  700

  1 With at least one partner liable at the higher rate. Married couples are analysed by joint income range.

  2 Average based on those having investment income or mortgage interest relief as appropriate.

  3 Average reduction in tax liability by virtue of the relief.

  European Community Budget
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what has been the net cost of contributions to the European Community, per head of population, in each country for each of the past five years.

  Mr. Maude
  The European Commission does not publish information on member states' net balances in respect of the European Community budget. The latest information available is contained in the European Court of Auditors' report for 1990; this gives information on member states' gross contributions and information on some 85 per cent. of receipts, with administration and research the main elements of internal expenditure excluded. Using this incomplete information, member states' net contributions per head for the last five years for which information is available were as follows. Net recipients are shown as negative.

  ecu per head

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  Belgium

  +29

  +73

  +101

  +113

  +77

  Denmark

  -82

  -58

  -64

  -34

  -82

  Germany

  +61

  +79

  +99

  +105

  +88

  Greece

  -128

  -154

  -149

  -202

  -244

  Spain

  -2

  -7

  -23

  -47

  -44

  France

  +10

  +11

  +32

  +52

  +32

  Ireland

  -347

  -311

  -328

  -381

  -540

  Italy

  +3

  -1

  +19

  +4

  +7

  Luxembourg

  +160

  +165

  +180

  +171

  +157

  Netherlands

  -15

  -36

  -78

  -76

  -25

  Portugal

  -21

  -38

  -50

  -63

  -58

  United Kingdom

  +25

  +46

  +36

  +59

  +59

  Note: Although the table shows Belgium, Luxembourg and Italy (except for 1987) as net contributors in each year, none is likely to have been when receipts excluded from the Court of Auditors' Report are taken into account.

  European Community Contributions
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net cost per head of population of the United Kingdom's contribution to the EC in the current financial year; and what is the projected figure for 1992–93.

  Mr. Maude
  The Chancellor's departmental report, Cm.1918, gives an estimated outturn for 1991–92 and forecast for 1992–93 of the United Kingdom's net contribution to the European Community budget, taking account of public sector receipts, but not those to the private sector, mainly for research. On the basis of these estimates the net cost per head of population for 1991–92 is £21 and the projection for 1992–93 is £50. The figure for 1991–92 is unusually low owing to a refund of contributions paid in earlier years and a high level of abatement.
  254
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the net cost per head of population of Germany's contribution to the EC in the current financial year; and what is the projected figure for 1992–93.

  Mr. Maude
  The European Commission does not publish information on member states' net balances in respect of the European Community budget. The latest information published in Germany's contributions and receipts is contained in the 1990 Court of Auditors' report. Information on 1991 will be given in the 1991 Court of Auditors' report, due to be published next December.

  Public Works Loan Board
  Mr. Simon Burns (Chelmsford)
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if any changes are proposed in the quotas for lending to local authorities by the Public Works Loan Board.

  Mr. Norman Lamont
  Yes. The Public Works Loan Board Commissioners have issued a circular today giving local authorities advance notice of a change in the formula for calculating the quotas for 1992–93, reflecting continued concern about the level of investments held by some authorities expressed, among others, by the Treasury and Civil Service Select Committee in its recent report "Banking Supervision and BCCI: the Role of Local Authorities and Money Brokers", HC26. The modified formula will reduce the quota available to local authorities who hold substantial investments which could be used in place of fresh borrowing. It will have little or no effect on authorities where investments are small. Quota loans are made at rates close to but below market rates: local authorities will still have access to non-quota loans.

  The circular also notified local authorities of two improvements to the board's facilities: the ability to make premature repayments of loans in advance of the day on which it is due will be extended to include variable rate loans, and an option given to replace a fixed rate loan before maturity by a variable rate loan.

  A copy of the circular has been placed in the House Library.

  Value Added Tax
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) if he will give details of the quantity and content of representations he has received concerning the change to the postponed accounting system for VAT on goods and services commencing on 1 January 1993;

  (2) how many individual businesses he expects to be included in the new postponed accounting system for VAT in each of the years 1993, 1994 and 1995;
  255
  (3) what assessment he has made of the effect on the cash flow of businesses of the postponed accounting system for VAT at the end of 1992.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 14 February 1992]: No representations directly relating to the postponed accounting system have been received. Businesses have been informed of the change which has been generally welcomed because of the resulting cash flow benefits. Some representations have been received on the proposals that the larger businesses will be required to account for VAT monthly to offset the cash flow loss to the exchequer which is a consequence of the postponed accounting system.

  Some 90,000 businesses will be included in the postponed accounting system and, because they will no longer need to pre-finance the payment of VAT on imports of goods and associated services from other EC countries, these businesses will make a cash flow saving equivalent to deferring payment for six weeks.

  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if the items listed as zero-rated for VAT in table 4B.1 of annex B to chapter 4 of the "Financial Statement and Budget Report 1991–92" are safeguarded until at least December 1996.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Yes. In the context of European Community negotiations last year on VAT rates, our right to continue to apply all our existing zero rates was confirmed. The

  Taxpaying single people and married couples1 with investment income in 1991–92

  Single people under 65

  One taxpayer married couples under 65

  Two taxpayer married couples under 65

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average Investment Income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average Investment Income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average Investment Income £ per year

  3,000

  1,700

  560

  90

  640

  —

  —

  7,000

  2,100

  640

  440

  780

  —

  —

  10,000

  2,500

  870

  1,500

  890

  230

  1,300

  15,000

  1,200

  1,100

  1,300

  970

  640

  1,100

  20,000

  750

  1,600

  1,100

  1,200

  1,400

  1,400

  30,000

  160

  3,600

  280

  1,900

  660

  2,200

  40,000

  120

  13,000

  260

  7,700

  660

  9,700

  Single people 65 and over

  One taxpayer married couples 65 and over

  Two taxpayer married couples 65 and over

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average Investment Income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average Investment Income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average Investment Income £ per year

  3,000

  430

  1,400

  10

  220

  —

  —

  7,000

  290

  2,500

  160

  1,300

  —

  —

  10,000

  210

  4,500

  330

  2,500

  40

  4,100

  15,000

  70

  7,900

  120

  3,600

  60

  6,300

  20,000

  60

  14,000

  70

  4,500

  100

  8,100

  30,000

  20

  19,000

  20

  11,000

  40

  16,000

  40,000

  20

  42,000

  10

  21,000

  50

  24,000

  1 Counting married couples as one and combining their incomes.

  Investment Income
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer (1) whether he will publish for each of the four fiscal years ended on 5 April 1991, the estimated amount of investment income accruing to(a) non-earning and (b) earning married women;

  (2) if he will publish a table in the same form as in his answer of 7 November 1988, Official Report, columns 35–36, showing for 1989–90 and 1990–91 the number of
  256
  agreement reached relates to the so-called transitional period, which, in principle, will end on 31 December 1996 subject to unanimous agreement that the conditions for moving to the definitive system have been met, but is without prejudice to the future of our zero rates thereafter.

  Overseas Income
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information on gross overseas income for tax purposes given in his answer of 23 March 1987,Official Report, columns 42–43.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: The latest estimate for property and entrepreneurial income from abroad, net of foreign taxes, relates to 1990 and is £81,287 million. Estimates for earlier years are given in table 10.1 of the 1991 edition of "United Kingdom National Accounts".

  Income Statistics
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date the information on investment incomes in his answer of 25 July 1986,Official Report, columns 671–72, on the basis of income ranges adjusted to take account of inflation.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Estimates are given in the table:

  women and the amount of investment income divided between those with earned income and those without; and if he will add figures for a lower limit of £15,000, £25,000 and £100,000.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Readily available estimates for taxpaying wives with investment income at 1990–91 levels of income are as follows.
  257

  Wives with Earned Income1

  Range of Wife's Total Income (lower limit) (£ per year)

  Number (000's)

  Amount of investment income (£ per year)

  3,000

  2,070

  1,320

  7,000

  1,060

  980

  10,000

  710

  930

  15,000

  360

  650

  20,000

  120

  400

  25,000

  40

  230

  30,000

  40

  230

  40,000

  20

  210

  50,000

  20

  390

  1990–91 levels of income Single women

  Gross investment Income greater than or equal to £1,000 per year

  Gross investment income less than £1,000 per year

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  3,000

  380

  2,300

  1,030

  370

  7,000

  390

  2,800

  930

  470

  10,000

  440

  3,800

  680

  470

  15,000

  240

  4,600

  240

  480

  20,000

  120

  7,900

  130

  540

  30,000

  30

  18,000

  —

  —

  40,000

  30

  39,000

  —

  —

  1990–91 levels of income Married women

  Gross investment income greater than or equal to £1,000 per year

  Gross investment income less than £1,000 per year

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  3,000

  440

  2,700

  1,190

  350

  7,000

  240

  3,500

  630

  340

  10,000

  210

  3,900

  430

  420

  15,000

  110

  5,500

  230

  490

  20,000

  70

  9,300

  90

  540

  30,000

  30

  9,700

  20

  540

  40,000

  30

  25,000

  —

  —

  1991–92 Levels of income Single women

  Gross investment income greater than or equal to £1,000 per year

  Gross investment income less than £1,000 per year

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  3,000

  310

  2,300

  900

  340

  7,000

  350

  2,700

  950

  420

  10,000

  380

  3,800

  740

  420

  15,000

  200

  3,900

  310

  450

  20,000

  150

  7,200

  180

  480

  30,000

  30

  14,000

  20

  370

  40,000

  30

  35,000

  —

  —

  Married women

  Gross investment income greater than or equal to £1,000 per year

  Gross investment income less than £1,000 per year

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  3,000

  330

  2,800

  1,060

  310

  7,000

  180

  3,400

  650

  320

  10,000

  170

  4,100

  510

  390

  258

  1 Wives with income from employment, self-employment or occupational pensions.

  There are estimated 80,000 non-earning taxpaying wives with total investment income of £760 million. It is not possible to provide an analysis of non-earning wives by income range.

  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will publish for 1990–91 and 1991–92 the information on investment income of females given in his answer of 6 April 1987,Official Report, columns 81–82; and if he will publish separate figures for females aged over 60 years.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Estimates for female taxpayers with investment income are given in the tables.
  259

  Gross investment income greater than or equal to —1,000 per year

  Gross investment income less than £1,000 per year

  Total income lower limit £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  Number (000's)

  Average investment income £ per year

  15,000

  90

  5,600

  270

  440

  20,000

  70

  8,200

  130

  500

  30,000

  30

  9,800

  20

  540

  40,000

  30

  21,000

  —

  —

  I regret it is not possible to publish separate figures for females aged over 60.

  Company Perks
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what effect the reduction in higher rates of tax has had on the giving of perks by companies; what is his estimate of the reduction in the value of such perks since 1979 as a proportion of the amount paid to those paying higher-rate tax; if he will estimate the taxable values in the current year of each class of benefit subject to taxation under special rules; and what estimate he has of the actual value of(a) the provision of accommodation and (b) cheap or interest free mortgages and loans for the purchase of accommodation.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: It is not possible to provide an estimate of the taxable benefits paid to higher rate taxpayers in 1978–79. The available analysis of estimates of the taxable value of benefits in kind and expenses payments in 1991–92 by type of benefit is as follows:

  Type of benefit

  Amount of taxable benefit

  (£ million)

  Car

  4,400

  Fuel

  550

  Beneficial loan

  180

  Private medical insurance

  420

  Car allowance

  190

  General expenses

  20

  Travelling and subsistence

  70

  Entertainment

  40

  Home telephone

  80

  Living accommodation

  110

  Educational assistance

  20

  Goods or services supplied at less than market value

  30

  Vouchers

  40

  Transferred assets

  110

  Other expenses and benefits

  1,100

  TOTAL

  7,360

  It is not possible to give a reliable estimate of the actual value of provided accommodation or of cheap or interest-free loans for house purchase.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Seismic Monitoring
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science whether Her Majesty's Government support any broadband-3 component seismic data monitoring stations in the United Kingdom for scientific research purposes.
  260
  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Her Majesty's Government support two broadband-3 component seismic data monitoring stations, and partially support another, in the United Kingdom. Data from these stations are available to the scientific community for research purposes.

  Pupil Numbers
  Mr. Hunter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what has been the total spending on(a) primary—infant and junior—and (b) secondary schools in England each year since 1979 in cash terms and at 1979 prices; and what was the percentage change in the level of spending in real terms between each of those years.

  Mr. Fallon
  [pursuant to his reply, 12 February, 1992, c. 525–27]: Following are revised tables showing corrected figures for spending on nursery and primary schools and secondary schools in England.

  Nursery and primary schools2

  Year

  Net recurrent expenditure £ million1

  Net recurrent expenditure at 1979–80 prices £ million3

  Real terms change on previous year Percentage

  1979–80

  1,908·1

  1,908·1

  —

  1980–81

  2,328·2

  1,967·5

  3·1

  1981–82

  2,522·2

  1,943·8

  -1·2

  1982–83

  2,656·1

  1,910·8

  -1·7

  1983–84

  2,765·4

  1,901·3

  -0·5

  1984–85

  2,863·0

  1,874·7

  -1·4

  1985–86

  3,050·9

  1,893·3

  1·0

  1986–87

  3,401·1

  2,043·4

  7·9

  1987–88

  3,829·1

  2,181·9

  6·8

  1988–89

  4,225·4

  2.246·4

  3·0

  1989–90

  4,761·7

  2,377·3

  5·8

  Secondary schools

  Year

  Net recurrent expenditure £ million1

  Net recurrent expenditure at 1979–80 prices £ million3

  Real terms change on previous year Percentage

  1979–80

  2,484·6

  2,484·6

  —

  1980–81

  3,093·4

  2,614·1

  5·2

  1981–82

  3,438·4

  2,649·8

  1·4

  1982–83

  3,691·5

  2,655·7

  0·2

  1983–84

  3,880·0

  2,667·7

  0·5

  1984–85

  4,017·3

  2,630·5

  -1·4

  1985–86

  4,352·3

  2,700·9

  2·7

  1986–87

  4,561·7

  2,740·6

  1·5

  1987–88

  4,906·7

  2,795·9

  2·0

  1988–89

  5,221·7

  2,776·1

  -0·7

  1989–90

  5,539·1

  2,765·4

  -0·4

  1 Net recurrent expenditure includes total expenditure other than costs of financing capital expenditure, less income other than from specific grants.

  2 Spending on nursery and primary schools was not collected separately for years after 1986–87, so expenditure figures cover both nursery and primary schools.

  3 Expenditure figures have been repriced to 1979–80 prices using the current GDP (Market Prices) Deflator index.

  261
  Note: The figures in the tables are derived from local education authorities' returns of their spending to the Department of the Environment.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  German Shipyards
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what efforts his Department has made to ensure that German shipyards do not have an unfair advantage over British shipyards in tendering for new contracts.

  Mr. Leigh
  Support for all Community shipbuilders is subject to the terms of the seventh directive on a id to shipbuilding. Under the terms of the directive the European Commission sets the maximum level of support which they may receive for each contract.

  P and O Line
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what assistance his Department gave to British shipyards to tender for the construction of a new cruise liner for the P and O line.

  Mr. Leigh
  No requests for assistance were received.

  Auditing Practices Board
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what recent discussions he has had with the Auditing Practices Board over its proposal to introduce a going concern audit test on companies.

  Mr. Redwood
  I met the chairman of the Auditing Practices Board recently to discuss its work programme, and he explained to me the board's current thinking on its proposals to revise the existing guidance on the auditor's considerations in respect of going concern.

  Investors (Compensation)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what representations he has received about the exclusion of promises to pay binding in Scots law from the investors compensation scheme; and from whom.

  Mr. Redwood
  The rules and operation of the investors compensation scheme are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.

  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) what representations he has had about the protected withdrawal of insurance cover for the investors' compensation scheme; and whom those representations were from;

  (2) what representations he has received about the funding of the investors compensation scheme; and from whom.

  Mr. Redwood
  The funding arrangements of the investors compensation scheme are a matter for the Securities and Investments Board.

  Beer (Complaints)
  Mr. Colvin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how many complaints he has received from members of the public in England concerning froth on beer.
  262
  Mr. Leigh
  My Department has received 22 such complaints since the beginning of 1991.

  Post Office (Customer Redress)
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on the Post Office's arrangements for customer redress.

  Mr. Lilley
  As the citizens charter White Paper indicated, I asked the Post Office, in consultation with the Post Office Users' National Council—POUNC—to draw up a report on their present arrangements for customer redress. I have now received reports from the three Post Office businesses: Royal Mail, Royal Mail Parcelforce, and Post Office Counters Limited, together with responses from POUNC in respect of all three businesses. I will place both the reports and the responses in the Library of the House today.

  One of the key principles of the citizens charter concerns redress for consumers when service falls below the standards they are entitled to expect. Of course, getting it right first time is much to be preferred to compensating for service failures. But when things go wrong, it is important that the customer can be assured, first, that Post Office practice matches up to the best in the field; and secondly, that the customer knows what he or she is entitled to.

  On the first of these, the reports demonstrate the continued commitment each Post Office subsidiary is making, in consultation with POUNC, to ensure that they have the right compensation and redress practices for each business. While comparisons are not always straightforward, I am satisfied that Post Office arrangements are comparable to—and in several areas, surpass—those of similar companies or institutions.

  The need for increases in amounts paid in compensation must be carefully evaluated, for it would be wrong for money to be diverted from service improvement into over-generous compensation for poor services. I do recognise, however, that there is some scope for increases where they help stimulate efficiency, and I welcome, therefore, the Post Office and POUNC agreement, for example, on increased payments for added-value letter service failure to up to twice the service fee or a book of 10 first class stamps, whichever is the greater.

  On the question of ensuring a well-publicised and available complaints procedure, I note the commitment by all the businesses to increase the publicity given to compensation and redress schemes. Furthermore, I understand that it is the intention of the Post Office to set out compensation entitlements in the next edition of the "Post Guide", which is to be distributed to every home in the country during the course of this year.

  I am grateful to the Post Office and POUNC for all the hard work and hard thought that has been put into these reports, and encourage both organisations to continue these productive discussions—which are entirely in keeping with the spirit of the citizens charter.

  Bicycles
  Mr. Alex Carlile
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry (1) if he will make a statement concerning the duty-free status of Chinese bicycles imported into the United Kingdom;
  263
  (2) if he will press the European Commission to change the import rules so that duty is applied retrospectively to all those imports of bicycles from China in excess of the approved import thresholds in 1991 and in 1992; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: Bicycles from China enter the United Kingdom under the European Community's generalised system of preferences —GSP—scheme which allows entry duty-free up to a threshold or ceiling of 9·45 mecu worth of bicycles. After this threshold is reached, duty may be reimposed by the Commission at the request of a member state if they are satisfied that domestic industry is being damaged by such imports. A review of the whole generalised system of preferences scheme is to be held this year. The views of the bicycle manufacturers, as of other sectors of industry, will be sought on changes which might be made to the operation of the scheme.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Terrorism
  Mr. Hayes
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989 makes it possible to proscribe terrorist organisations such as the IRA. It also provides powers of examination, detention and exclusion, and also to counter financial assistance for terrorism. These powers are essential for the police to investigate and combat terrorism and form an essential part of the Government's counter-terrorist strategy.

  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he received the report from the Viscount Colville of Culross QC on the operation in 1991 of the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act 1989; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have received such a report from Viscount Colville and have placed copies on the Library.

  Policing Costs (Hunts)
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will issue guidelines to police forces about recovering costs of policing from fox and deer hunts along the same lines as costs recovered from football and other sporting activity.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Policing inside football grounds and at similar events is provided as a special police service, for which charges can be made under section 15 of the Police Act 1964. The guidance which has been issued on policing at football grounds includes general guidance on the principles of charging for special police services. The decision whether to provide a special police service is a matter for the chief constable concerned.

  Prison Statistics
  Mr. Ron Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were held in prison during 1991.
  264
  Mrs. Rumbold
  The average population in prison establishments in England and Wales during 1991 was 44,808.

  Carl Bridgewater
  Mr. Corbyn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many representations he has received concerning the case of those convicted of the murder of Carl Bridgewater.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  Since 1982, there have been some 200 representations about the safety of these convictions.

  Strangeways Prison
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are now being held in police cells in Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and elsewhere as a result of the riot at Strangeways: and what were the corresponding figures six months ago, nine months ago and one year ago.

  Mrs Rumbold
  There are currently 625 prisoners being held in police cells as a result of the loss of accommodation at Manchester prison. Six months ago this figure was 552, nine months ago 487 and a year ago 582.

  Tobacco (Children)
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the Children and Young Persons (Protection from Tobacco) Act 1991 will come into force.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The Act, apart from section 4, will come into force on 1 March in England and Wales, and Scotland. Section 4, which deals with the display of warning statements in retail premises and on cigarette vending machines, will be brought into effect later in the year after separate consultations with the interested parties have been completed.

  Postal Voting
  Mr. Rooker
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will arrange for an immediate newspaper advertising campaign to outline provision for postal and proxy voting at parliamentary elections.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  As soon as the general election is announced, we shall run a newspaper and television advertising campaign, informing electors about their right to apply for an absent vote if they cannot get to the polling station to vote in person. We believe that such a campaign is likely to be most effective if launched once the date of the general election has been announced.

  Police, Leicestershire
  Mr. Janner
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will approve an increase in the number of police in the Leicestershire force.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend has approved 13 additional posts for Leicestershire from 1 October 1991 and a further 26 police posts with effect from 1 April 1992, subject to confirmation by the police authority that it will meet its share of the cost. These approvals will provide for a police establishment of 1,853; an increase of 148 or 8.7 per cent. since 1979.

  Police, West Cumbria
  Mr. Campbell-Savours
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will visit west Cumbria to discuss matters relating to policing.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend the Home Secretary has no plans to do so at present.

  Community Service
  Dr. Michael Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment he has made of the effectiveness of community service as a sentence.

  Mr. John Patten
  The introduction in 1989 of monitored national standards for the operation of community service orders has successfully promoted a higher use of the orders by the courts. In 1990—the first full year of operation and the most recent for which figures are available—the number of people who began a community service order was 37,490. This was 10 per cent. more than in 1989 and without any reduction in the proportion of offenders—36 per cent.—who had previously been in custody.

  Probation Service
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make a statement about the future of the probation and after-care service.

  Mr. John Patten
  The planned commencement from October of the main provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 will give the 55 probation services in England and Wales an even more important role, especially in preparing advice to the courts and in supervising offenders in the community.

  Visas (Right of Entry)
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy to resist proposals for visitors to other EC countries on visas to thereby have the right to enter the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  That is already my right hon. Friend's policy. The proposal for mutual recognition of visas which is contained in the draft external frontiers convention does not imply such a right.

  Police, Cambridgeshire
  Mr. Moss
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase in the police manpower levels in Cambridgeshire since 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  At the end of November 1991 police strength in Cambridgeshire was 1,247; an increase since 1979 of 176 officers, or 16 per cent. My right hon. Friend approved 16 new posts from 1 October 1991, six more from 28 November and a further 10 posts from 1 April this year.

  Violence Against Women
  Mr. Martyn Jones
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps his Department has taken to help protect women against violent crime.
  266
  Mr. John Patten
  Government action in recent years has been directed towards tackling rape and domestic violence. In the light of Home Office research studies, which provided fresh insight into the nature of these crimes, we have taken a number of steps. We have issued guidance to the police on how to improve their response; we have strengthened the powers of the courts to punish offenders and to protect victims; and we have encouraged local agencies to work together to provide help and support to women who are victims of violent or sexual crimes.

  Police (Urban Areas)
  Mr. Michael
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment he has made of the pressures on police in serving urban communities and the appropriate allocation of police manpower.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend considers requests from police authorities for increases in police establishments with the advice of Her Majesty's inspectorate of constabulary. In formulating its advice, the inspectorate uses a manpower formula to aid assessment of the relative needs of forces, and one of the factors in that formula is the degree of urbanisation in each force area.

  Lollipop People
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many lollipop people are known to be needed in Greater London; what is being done to recruit them; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that at 11 February 1992 there were 208 vacancies on a total establishment of 1,350 schools crossing patrol posts. Recruitment effort is being directed to local communities by advertising in schools, libraries and community centres.

  Betting Shops (Evening Opening)
  Sir Michael Neubert
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what proportion of representations he has received against the evening opening of betting shops has come from greyhound racing interests.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  Since issuing our consultation document on the evening opening hours of licensed betting offices on 14 October, the great majority of the representations we have received against evening opening have come from the greyhound racing industry and its supporters.

  Crime Statistics
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the increase in reported crime since 1979.

  Mr. John Patten
  The available information relates to recorded crime. Figures for 1979 to 1989 are published in table 2.2 of "Criminal Statistics, England and Wales, 1989" and figures for 1990 are published in table 3 of Home Office Statistical Bulletin 13/91. Copies of these publications are available in the Library.

  The British Crime Survey provides a measure of reported crime as experienced by adults in England and

  267
  Wales. The most recent available results show that there was a 30 per cent. increase in offences measured by the survey between 1981 and 1987, as against a 41 per cent. increase in comparable recorded offences.

  Murderers on Parole
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the number of convicted murderers on parole from Leyhill open prison in February 1988, February 1989, February 1990 and February 1991.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Information on the establishment from which ex-prisoners, still subject to a life licence, were originally released is not recorded centrally.

  Northern Ireland Prisoners
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what further progress has been made in relation to Northern Ireland prisoners who are serving sentences in gaols in England and Wales to serve the remaining part of their sentences in gaols in Northern Ireland.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The policy and practice governing the transfer of prisoners between United Kingdom jurisdictions is being reviewed by an inter-departmental working party. We expect to receive the working party's report shortly.

  Fire Service
  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) what was the total cost of the fire service in(a) England and Wales and (b) in the United Kingdom in 1979 and in the last year for which records are available;

  (2) how many fire appliances were in service in (a) England and Wales fire brigades and (b) the United Kingdom fire brigades in 1979 and the most recent year for which figures are available;

  (3) how many fire-fighting personnel were in post in fire brigades in (a) England and Wales and (b) the United Kingdom in 1979 and in the last year for which records are available.

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

  1979

  1991

  Total cost1

  2355

  31,164

  (£ million)4

  825

  1,164

  Number of firefighters5

  48,648

  51,300

  Number of fire appliances6

  3,572

  3,462

  1 Includes local authority current and capital expenditure.

  2 1979–80 outturn.

  3 1991–92 estimated outturn.

  4 Expressed in real terms at 1991–92 prices using GDP deflator.

  5 Wholetime and part-time (retained) firefighters and control room staff.

  6 Pumping and special appliances.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many special service calls the fire 268
  brigades of (a) England and Wales and (b) the United Kingdom responded to in 1979 and the most recent year for which records exist.

  Mr. John Patten
  Fire brigades attended 85,568 special service incidents during 1979 and 190,787 during 1990 in England and Wales. Figures for the United Kingdom are 90,508 and 198,868 respectively.

  Mr. Sheerman
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department to how many call-outs to fires the fire services in England and Wales responded in(a) 1979 and (b) the most recent year for which records exist.

  Mr. John Patten
  Fire brigades attended 304,582 fires during 1979 and 400,904 during 1990 in England and Wales.

  Mr. Habib Somai
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he will make an early decision in the case of Mr. Habib Somai who first applied to remain as a spouse in this country on 22 January 1991, and whose Member of Parliament first wrote to him on 1 August 1991; and whether he will make a statement on the reasons for the time taken to deal with this application.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State is about to write to the right hon. Member, conveying a decision on Mr. Somai's application. The delay in resolving this application is due, in part, to the need to obtain further information about Mr. Somai's original visa application in Tunis and to arrange an interview with Mr. Somai and his wife.

  Constituencies
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the six largest geographical parliamentary constituencies in England and, in each case, show the acreage.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  The information is set out in the tables. The areas are given in hectares and include land and inland water. A hectare is equivalent to 2·471 acres.

  Parliamentary Constituencies in England: The six largest constituencies, by geographical area

  Constituency

  Area in hectares

  Penrith and the Border

  327,964

  Hexham

  250,992

  Richmond (Yorks)

  233,012

  Berwick-upon-Tweed

  231,456

  Skipton and Ripon

  218,136

  Torridge and West Devon

  214,465

  National Criminal Intelligence System
  Mr. Andrew F. Bennett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department who will have access to the new integrated national criminal intelligence system; how many records the system is expected to hold; and what will be the source of the information held on the system.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The current project plan only allows national criminal intelligence service staff to input information on to the computer system. However, it is
  269
  intended that police forces and regional crime squads will have terminals for inquiry purposes and that Her Majesty's Customs and Excise will be allowed restricted access.

  Until the functional specification has been agreed, it is not possible to say how many records the system will hold. The intelligence will come from police forces in the United Kingdom, regional crime squads and regional drugs wings, Interpol, Her Majesty's Customs and Excise and other international enforcement agencies.

HEALTH

  Social Services
  Mr. Rowe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health (I) if he has any plans to compensate health authorities for any additional costs incurred by the failure of local authorities to meet their obligations to clients within the health authority boundaries;

  (2) what steps he takes to monitor additional costs falling upon health authorities as a consequence of industrial action by social services or other staff caring for vulnerable people in their communities;

  (3) what representations he has received from health authorities affected by the withdrawal of services by social services staff in Camden; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We are not aware of any calculations of excess costs being made by health authorities in these circumstances.

  The strike by social workers in Camden has disrupted social services in the borough, although statutory duties are being carried out on an emergency basis by management. The protracted nature of this dispute is clearly against the interests of the public and Camden residents. The dispute should he resolved quickly by the local authority and its work force.

  Dentists, Durham
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients registered with dentists in the Du rham area for each year since 1981 were(a) under 16 years, (b) between 16 and 65 years and (c) over 65 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Patients registered with dentists for the first time when the new dental contract was introduced in October 1990. The only figures available for a complete year are those for 1991. The information requested for the Durham family health services authority is as follows. All figures are for the year ending 31 December 1991.

  Number

  Under 18 years

  73,511

  18 to 64 years

  188,102

  65 or more years

  31,167

  Source: Dental Practice Board GDS Quarterly Statistics.

  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many dentists in Durham have resigned from the National Health Service.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None.

  Toxocara Canis
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table to show for each of the last three years his estimates of(a) the number of children in Great Britain who have been infected with toxocara canis, (b) how many of those infections are attributable to dogs, (c) how many are attributable to foxes and (d) how many are attributable to other canines; and what is his estimate of the level of infected (i) foxes and (ii) dogs in (1) urban and (2) rural areas.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Human Toxocariasis is caused by a variety of species in the genus toxocara. Information collected by the Public Health Laboratory Service communicable disease surveillance centre refers to infection caused by any of these parasites.

  The table lists the total number of laboratory reports of infections due to Toxocara species in children for the period 1988–91. These data cover England, Wales Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, but not Scotland.

  No information is available on how many of these infections were attributable to dogs, foxes or other canines. The Public Health Laboratory Service is concerned predominantly with human infection and does not have information on the level of infection amongst urban and rural dogs and foxes.

  Toxocariasis

  Age Goup

  Laboratory reports by year

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  1 year

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1 to 4 years

  15

  8

  12

  11

  5 to 9 years

  9

  5

  8

  6

  10 to 14 years

  5

  3

  2

  1

  TOTAL

  29

  16

  22

  18

  Vapona Strips
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice has been issued by his Department concerning the adverse effects on some human beings of contact with Vapona strips or similar insecticides.

  Mr. Dorrell
  None.

  All insecticides have to be approved for use under the Control of Pesticides Regulations 1986. Before approval is given advice must be sought from the statutory Advisory Committee on Pesticides.

  Manufacturers are required under the regulations to state on the product what precautions should be taken by those who are likely to use or come into contact with it. Provided these precautions are taken, it would be most unlikely for any adverse effects to be experienced. We are not aware of any adverse effects being reported from the use of these particular products.

  Electoral Register
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if the will state(a) the estimated population of 18 years and over and (b) the number of names on the electoral register.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The latest estimate of the United Kingdom population aged 18 and over, relating to mid-1990, is 44·3 million. There were 43·6 million names on the 1991
  271
  electoral register—qualifying date 10 October 1990. Information about the 1992 electoral register is still being collected.

  Prescription Charges
  Miss Lestor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the dates and amounts of increases in prescription charges, in pence and percentage terms, since June 1979.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The requested information is in the table. One hundred million more items are prescribed free now compared to 1979. One item in six now carries a charge. In 1979 it was one item in three.

  Prescription Charges: increases in pence and percentage terms June 1979 to April 1992.

  Date

  Increase

  Pence

  Per cent.

  16 July 1979

  25

  125·00

  1 April 1980

  25

  55·55

  1 December 1980

  30

  42·85

  1 April 1982

  30

  30·00

  1 April 1983

  10

  7·69

  1 April 1984

  20

  14·28

  1 April 1985

  40

  25·00

  1 April 1986

  20

  10·00

  1 April 1987

  20

  9·09

  1 April 1988

  20

  8·33

  1 April 1989

  20

  7·69

  I April 1990

  25

  8·92

  1 April 1991

  35

  11·47

  1 April 1992

  35

  10·29

  Liverpool Family Service Unit
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what representations he has received from the Liverpool family service unit respecting funding; and what his response has been.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I have received a letter from the chairman of the Liverpool family service unit about general funding for the unit. We have also received two applications from the Liverpool family service unit for funding specific projects and these are currently under consideration; it is not however our usual practice to fund local projects from the Department unless they are of national significance.

  In responding to the letter from the chairman of the Liverpool family service unit I have pointed out that the overall standard spending assessment—the Government's view of the appropriate level of local authority expenditure —for children's services in 1991–92 showed an increase of 18·4 per cent. over 1990–91, partly in order to take account of the implementation of the Children Act. In 1992–93, the first full year of the Children Act, standard spending on children's services will be over 27 per cent. higher than in 1990–91, or up nearly 14 per cent. in real terms over the two year period.

  It is for local authorities to decide how to encourage the provision of services by other, in particular voluntary, organisations within their own area. It is also for authorities to determined in the light of local circumstances the distribution of resources for services within their area.

  Children Act 1989
  Mr. Wareing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what additional financial assistance he plans to provide to(a) local authorities and (b) voluntary organisations in order to enable them to carry out their duties under the provisions of the Children Act 1989; and if he intends to review the situation.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have allowed for the full implementation of the Children Act in the local authority settlements for 1991–92 and 1992–93. Included in the latter is the introduction of a specific grant of £5·7 million to support expenditure of £8·1 million on the guardian ad litem and reporting officer service.

  We discuss with the local authority associations new pressures on social services expenditure each year to inform the Government's decision on the settlement.

  Voluntary organisations do not as such have duties under the Children Act except in relation to children looked after by them under section 61. This largely repeats their duties under section 64 of the Child Care Act 1980. Where voluntary organisations carry out duties on behalf of local authorities, such as under sections 17 and 47 of the Act, we would expect the authority to enter into a contract which sets out the financial basis upon which those duties are undertaken.

  The Government also provide support to a wide range of voluntary organisations in the child care field under section 64 of the Health Services and Public Health Act 1968.

  Radiation
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice his Department has issued to the public of the risk to health from the increased ultra-violet radiation resulting from ozone depletion.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The National Radiological Protection Board advises that its solar monitoring programme has not revealed any increase in ground levels of UV beyond the variations that would normally be expected.

  With regard to exposure to UV generally, the Health Education Authority publications, "Are you dying to get a suntan?" and "Can you avoid cancer? A guide to reducing your risks", contain advice on the health risks from UV light. Copies are available in the Library.

  The Department proposes to seek advice from the Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment on what further action may be appropriate in the light of the studies referred to in the replies I gave the hon. Member on 20 December 1991 at columns 353–54.

  Patients' Fares
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether trust hospitals will operate the same system for the payment of fares for in-patients and out-patients as health authority hospitals.

  Mr. Dorrell
  All national health service units, whether trusts or directly managed, have a statutory obligation to reimburse fares for those in-patients and out-patients who satisfy the eligibility criteria.

  Social Services Training
  Mr. Amos
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what work has been done to evaluate the Department of Health's social services training support programme: and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The Government fully recognise the vital importance of training social services staff to meet the challenges of implementing the Children Act, the recommendations of Sir William Utting's report "Children in the Public Care" and our community care changes. The social services training support specific grant will be £29 million in support of £41·4 million expenditure in 1992–93, an increase of nearly 100 per cent. in three years. The arrangements and allocations for local authorities were contained in local authority circular LAC(91)21, issued on 23 December 1991. The training support programme's scope and funding has increased year on year since its commencement in 1988–89, reflecting both its popularity and success in improving the quality and quantity of training for local authority staff. Staff from the voluntary and private sectors have also benefited. Three evaluation reports were published by the Department of Health social services inspectorate on 13 February 1992, on different aspects of the training support programme. Each provides good evidence of the success of the training support programme in increasing the availability of training for social services staff, and an indication of the benefits this brings for service provision.

  Copies of the documents mentioned are available in the Library.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Legislation (Plain English)
  Sir Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Lord President of the Council whether he will set a timetable for privatising the drafting of Government Bills and statutory instruments with the remit(a) that the draft shall state on its face what it does, without reference save in appendices, to existing legislation, (b) that it shall wherever possible employ comprehensible English terminology and grammar, (c) that it shall avoid ambiguity and alternative possible constructions and (d) that such drafts of statutory instruments unamendable by Parliament shall undergo special scrutiny before being laid before Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. MacGregor
  There are no plans to set such a timetable. Privatisation is not necessary to achieve the objectives detailed at(b) and (c) of my hon. Friend's question. As to (a), reference to existing legislation is in some contexts unavoidable, and as to (d) I believe that the Joint Committee on Statutory Instruments already performs an effective service for both Houses.

  Parliamentary Questions
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Lord President of the Council when he will respond to the recommendation in paragraph 130 of the Select Committee on Procedure's third report of Session 1990–91 on parliamentary questions, concerning Government Departments' use of answers pursuant to previous answers; and if he will make a statement.
  274
  Mr. MacGregor
  I am still considering the report and will reply in due course.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Family Credit
  Ms. Ruddock
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security (I) how many children are in families receiving family credit;

  (2) how many families were receiving family credit at the latest available date; and if he will break these figures down into (a) one-parent and two-parent families and (b) one-earner and two earner families.

  Mr. Jack
  The latest available information upon which a breakdown on the basis requested can be provided is for the end of July 1991, when there were 754,000 children in the 355,000 families receiving family credit. The latter figure breaks down as follows:

  Number

  (a) One parent families

  133,000

  Two parent families

  222,000

  (b) One earner families

  338,000

  Two earner families

  17,000

  Local Offices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what are his plans for the development of a new Paisley office; and when he expects works to commence and be completed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The development 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) what new-build or capital works were undertaken in relation to the Johnstone office in each year since 1980; and what was the value of these works;

  (2) if he will publish a table showing the amount spent on (a) furniture and fittings, (b) interior decorations, (c) carpeting and floor coverings and (d) works associated with office redesign at the Johnstone office in each year since 1980.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is in the table.

  New build/Capital works

  Office redesign works £

  Maintenance (external fabric improvements) £

  1985–86

  nil

  1,821

  1986–87

  nil

  734

  1987–88

  nil

  3,501

  1988–89

  12,714

  1,084

  1989–90

  268,000

  2,885

  1990–91

  358,000

  5,161

  1 Minor refurbishment

  2 Computer installation

  3 Combining public waiting areas

  Figures prior to April 1988 do not include any work projects over £2,500, which were the responsibility of the Department of the Environment.
  275

  Other capital expenditure

  Furniture and fittings £

  Interior decoration £

  Carpeting and floor coverings £

  1985–86

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1986–87

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1987–88

  nil

  nil

  nil

  1988–89

  nil

  9,200

  nil

  1989–90

  26,451

  1,000

  21,500

  1990–91

  12,021

  nil

  nil

  The information which I have provided does not include the years prior to 1985–86 as it is not readily available.

  The amount spent on works associated with office redesign has been shown in the new-build/capital figures.

  Expenditure
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish the latest figures showing the spending per head on social security benefits in(a) the United Kingdom and (b) Wales.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information is not available in the form requested. Benefit expenditure in Northern Ireland is a matter for my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. Regional breakdowns of current levels of benefit expenditure are not available.

  Estimated average spending on social security per head of the population in Great Britain in 1991–92 is about £1,225.

  Disposable Income
  Mr. Ralph Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what information he has on the disposable income available on a wage of £150 per week to(a) a lone parent with two children and (b) a four-person family.

  Mr. Jack
  The information is given in the tables. All assumptions are set out in the published tax benefit model tables. Each family is assumed to live in council property appropriate to its size and to pay estimated average rent and community charge.

  It should be noted that the results in the tables remain arbitrary. They cannot reflect, except by chance, the actual circumstances of particular people, and cannot claim to be representative of the population at large. The tables use hypothetical rents, so they do not reflect the full range of housing costs which people can pay. My hon. Friend may further wish to note that the tax/benefit model tables show the total net income on income support for each family type and this information has been included in the tables.

  Year

  Residential care homes £ million

  Nursing homes £ million

  Annual equivalent expenditure £ million

  December 1979

  —

  —

  10

  December 1980

  —

  —

  18

  December 1981

  —

  —

  23

  December 1982

  —

  —

  39

  December 1983

  —

  —

  104

  276

  Single parent with wo children aged four and six

  Gross earnings (£pw)

  Take home pay (£pw)

  Family credit (£pw)

  Child benefit (£pw)

  Total net income (£pw)

  Net income after rent and community charge (£pw)

  150·00

  126·75

  12·55

  22·35

  161·65

  130·92

  Total Net income on income support = £115·06

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support = £84·33

  Married couple with two children aged four and six

  Gross earnings (£pw)

  Take home pay £pw)

  Family credit (£pw)

  Child benefit (£pw)

  Total net income (£pw)

  Net income after rent and community charge (£pw)

  150·00

  126·75

  12·55

  16·75

  156·38

  120·95

  Total net income on income support = £136·97

  Net income after rent and community charge on income support = £101·54

  Cold Weather Payments
  Mr. O'Hara
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security in the month of January on Merseyside how many people in receipt of income support or housing benefit were registered as in receipt of old age pension, disabled and having children under five years; and how many of those so registered received cold weather payments.

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

  Industrial Asthma
  Mr. Roy Hughes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will issue guidelines with a view to assisting compensation claims in respect of industrial asthma being more quickly settled.

  Mr. Scott
  We are not aware of undue delay in deciding industrial injuries benefit claims for occupational asthma.

  Residential Care Homes
  Mr. Hinchliffe
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will state for each year since 1979 the total amount paid in supplementary benefit or income support towards(a) private residential care home fees, (b) private nursing home fees and (c) voluntary care home fees including estimated expenditure for the current financial year; and if he will express each element as a percentage of total expenditure for each year.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The available information is shown in the table:
  277

  Year

  Residential care homes

  Nursing homes £ million

  Annual equivalent expenditure £ million

  December 1984

  —

  —

  200

  December 1985

  —

  —

  348

  February 1986

  —

  —

  459

  May 1987

  —

  —

  671

  May 1988

  —

  —

  878

  May 1989

  659 (60 per cent.)

  446 (40 per cent.)

  1,105

  May 1990

  741 (58 per cent.)

  529 (42 per cent.)

  1,270

  May 1991

  888 (47 per cent.)

  984 (53 per cent.)

  1,872

  11991–92

  930 (48 per cent.)

  1,020 (52 per cent.)

  1,950

  1 Figures for 1991–92 are the estimated outturn of total income support expenditure on homes for the year.

  Notes:

  1. Figures for December 1979 to December 1984 are taken from the annual statistical inquiry; figures for December 1985 to May 1991 are taken from the quarterly statistical inquiry and are based on "snapshot" data.

  2. Separate data are not readily available for residential care homes and nursing homes before May 1989 and to obtain it would involve disproportionate cost.

  3. Separate data are not collected for voluntary homes.

  Child Benefit
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would have been the value in 1992 prices of child benefit had it, since its inception, been increased annually by the equivalent of the rise in the value of(a) the retail price index and (b) average earnings.

  Mr. Jack
  The full child benefit scheme started in April 1979 when the rate of benefit was £4 a week. Using the movements in the relevant indices between the April 1979 and October 1991 uprating dates the values would have been(a) £9·95 and (b) £12·94. Comparable information is not yet available for April 1992, when we are again increasing both levels of child benefit.

  Select Committee Reports
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security when he plans to publish the Government's response to the fourth report of the Social Security Committee, Session 1990–91, and to the first report of the Health Committee, Session 1991–92.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The Government's response was published today and copies have been placed in the Library.

  Pension Schemes
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions he has used his discretionary power to ensure that beneficiaries of pension schemes wound up because of insolvency have been guaranteed the guaranteed minimum pension.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 6 February 1992]: The numbers of occupational pension schemes which wound up, for whatever reason, with insufficient funds to make the necessary payments to buy the members back into SERPS and had those payments treated as paid are in the table. Separate figures in respect of those cases where the employing company had become insolvent are not available.
  278

  Year

  Number of schemes

  1978–79

  1—

  1979–80

  1—

  1980–81

  9

  1981–82

  nil

  1982–83

  6

  1983–84

  38

  1984–85

  55

  1985–86

  60

  1986–87

  119

  1987–88

  97

  1988–89

  74

  1989–90

  63

  1990–91

  49

  21991–92

  47

  Notes:

  1 Information not available.

  2 (to date).

  Occupational Pensions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security on how many occasions the Occupational Pension Board has used the powers under the Social Security Pensions Act 1975 to prevent breaches in the conditions upon which a contracting out certificate has been granted.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 6 February 1992]: I understand from the Occupational Pensions Board that the number of individual contracting out certificates cancelled because of a salary-related occupational pension scheme's failure to meet the financial requirements set by the board has been as follows:

  Number

  1981

  3

  1982

  12

  1983

  19

  1984

  28

  1985

  30

  1986

  29

  1987

  23

  1988

  18

  1989

  107

  1990

  81

  1991

  100

  1 1992

  Nil

  279

  1 To date.

  Note: The upturn since 1989 in the main reflects problems experienced in one life office responsible for a large number of small schemes.

  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list which pension issues he has referred to the Occupational Pensions Board for its consideration; and if he will list the reports the Occupational Pensions Board has made in respect to each of these references.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 7 February 1992]: In fulfilling specific remits from successive Secretaries of State under section 66 of the Social Security Act 1973, the Occupational Pensions Board has considered and reported on the following issues:

  Solvency, Disclosure of Information and Member Participation in Occupational Pension Schemes

  (Cmnd. 5904: February 1975);
  Equal Status for Men and Women in Occupational Pension Schemes

  (Cmnd. 6599: August 1976);
  Occupational Pension Scheme Cover for Disabled People

  (Cmnd. 6849: June 1977);
  Improved Protection for the Occupational Pension Rights and Expectations of early leavers

  (Cmnd. 8271: June 1981);
  Greater Security for the Rights and Expectations of Members of Occupational Pension Schemes

  (Cmnd. 8649: October 1982);
  Protecting Pensions: Safeguarding Benefits in a Changing Environment

  (Cm. 573: February 1989).

  The terms of reference for each remit are in each of the reports, copies of which are available in the Library.

  In addition, the board has reported on numerous sets of draft regulations referred to it for consideration.

  Mr. Allen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the company in each case where he has used his powers since 1979 to provide guaranteed minimum pensions after insolvency; and what was(a) the total cost and (b) the average remaining pension shortfall in each case.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: The information is not available in the form requested because the Department deals with pension schemes rather than with the associated companies. Records are not, therefore, maintained of the companies concerned. Similarly, the remaining pension shortfall after the members' rights in SERPS have been restored is not known. The number of occupational pension schemes winding up, for whatever reason, with insufficient funds to buy the members back into SERPS, the amounts for buying back into SERPS that have been treated as paid and the amounts of those payments subsequently recovered are in the table. Separate information in respect of cases where an associated employer has become insolvent is not collected.

  Year

  Number of schemes involved

  Amount treated as paid (£000)

  Amount recovered (£000)

  1978–79

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1979–80

  1—

  1—

  1—

  1980–81

  9

  8

  Nil

  1981–82

  Nil

  Nil

  Nil

  1982–83

  6

  8

  5

  280

  Year

  Number of schemes involved

  Amount treated as paid (£000)

  Amount recovered (£000)

  1983–84

  38

  162

  25

  1984–85

  55

  48

  18

  1985–86

  60

  75

  39

  1986–87

  119

  224

  113

  1987–88

  97

  105

  28

  1988–89

  74

  122

  39

  1989–90

  63

  153

  91

  1990–91

  49

  96

  55

  21991–92

  47

  150

  33

  1 Information not available.

  2 To date.

  Benefit Deductions
  Mr. Frank Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many households, from data taken for the annual statistical inquiry, in 1990 and 1991, are having weekly deductions made from their supplementary benefit or income support, as appropriate, for electricity and how many for gas(a) under £2 per week and (b) in each £1 band above £2 per week up to £40 per week.

  Miss Widdecombe
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: The information required for 1990 on deductions from income support for electricity and gas is given in the table. No data are currently available from the 1991 Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  Cases with deductions for Electricity

  Cases with deductions for Gas

  Total number of cases with deductions

  98,000

  122,500

  £0·01 to £1·99

  2,500

  1,000

  £2·00

  500

  500

  £2·01 to £3·00

  4,500

  2,000

  £3·01 to £4·00

  7,000

  6,000

  £4·01 to £5·00

  6,500

  7,500

  £5·01 to £6·00

  8,500

  9,500

  £6·01 to £7·00

  8,000

  10,000

  £7·01 to £8·00

  9,000

  15,500

  £8·01 to £9·00

  9,000

  17,500

  £9·01 to £10·00

  7,000

  13,000

  £10·01 to £11·00

  7,000

  11,000

  £11· 01 to £12·00

  4,000

  10,000

  £12·01 to £13·00

  4,500

  6,000

  £13·01 to £14·00

  5,000

  6,000

  £14·01 to £15·00

  2,500

  3,000

  £15·01 to £16·00

  1,500

  1,500

  £16·01 to £17·00

  2,500

  500

  £17·01 to £18·00

  1,500

  1,000

  £18·01 to £19·00

  2,000

  500

  £19·01 to £20·00

  2,000

  —

  £20·01 to £21· 00

  500

  500

  £21·01 to £22·00

  500

  —

  £22·01 to £23·00

  500

  —

  £23·01 to £24·00

  500

  —

  £24·01 to £25·00

  —

  —

  £25·01 to £26·00

  500

  —

  £26·01 to £27·00

  500

  —

  £27·01 to £28·00

  —

  —

  £28·01 to £29·00

  —

  —

  £29·01 to £30·00

  —

  —

  £30·01 to £31·00

  —

  —

  £31·01 to £32·00

  —

  —

  £32·01 to £33·00

  —

  —

  £33·01 to £34·00

  —

  —

  £34·01 to £35·00

  —

  —

  £35·01 to £36·00

  —

  —

  281
  Note: All figures have been rounded to the nearest five hundred. Totals will therefore not match those figures published in the Annual Statistical Enquiry.

  Source: Income Support Annual Statistical Enquiry 1990.

SCOTLAND

  Privatisation (Forestry Commission)
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland, pursuant to the answer to the hon. Member for Holborn and St. Pancras (Mr. Dobson) on 30 January,Official Report, columns 633–34, if he will make a statement on the basis of the calculation of the privatisation proceeds of the Forestry Commission for 1991–92; how much land he expects to be sold; and how much income has been received to date.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The sum of £16 million quoted in the answer to which the hon. Member refers is the estimated proceeds from the disposal of Forestry Commission land and buildings in 1991–92, as part of the programme of disposals announced by my right hon. and learned Friend the member for Edinburgh, Pentlands (Mr. Rifkind), on 16 June 1989,Official Report, columns 544–45. The commission expects to sell about 10,000 hectares during the year. Some £12 million had been received by 21 January, the latest date for which figures are available.

  Industrial Diseases
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to speed up the fixing of hearing dates for compensation claims made by retired industrial workers suffering terminal illnesses.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The Scottish Law Commission will shortly be publishing a report on the adverse effects created by the death of parties pursuing certain types of reparation action: the report will pave the way for a reform of the present law.

  Expedited ie "fast stream" procedures for the disposal of certain repatriation actions already exist in the supreme courts and the courts are aware of the need to accelerate in-court procedures where special circumstances apply, subject always to the need to preserve the rights and interests of all parties to a litigation.

  In regard to the sheriff courts, the Sheriff Court Rules Council is currently considering proposals for reducing delays in disposing of actions generally, including compensation claims of the type referred to, and a working group is currently examining ways of improving the programming and scheduling of court business.

  Prison Service
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about the future organisation of the Scottish Prison Service.

  Mr. Lang
  I have decided that, under the "next steps" initiative, the Scottish Prison Service will become an Executive Agency within the Scottish Office Home and Health Department. I intend that this should be from 1 April 1993. Consultations with the trade unions will begin shortly.

  Traffic Systems, Hawick
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement outlining the current timetable for consideration of the internal traffic management systems in Hawick; and when he now expects to be in a position to authorise the funds and capital consents required to enable work to start to alleviate the current congestion.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: I expect a report on proposals to provide improved traffic management in Hawick to be submitted to the Secretary of State by Borders regional council in the course of the next two to three months. Until this report is available it is not possible to estimate the level of funding which would be required.

  A7, Hawick
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) whether he is yet in a position to authorise the local roads authority to make progress on any significant road improvement schemes on the A7 trunk route south of Hawick; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what progress has been made to date on the possibility of improving the A7 trunk route south of Hawick at Colterscleuch; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: The work undertaken by the A7 management group, in their second interim report, has allowed the identification of sites at Colterscleuch and between Mosspeeble and Bush as presenting opportunities for the creation of new high quality overtaking sections. Borders regional council and Dumfries and Galloway regional council have therefore been commissioned to carry out design work on two "convoy buster" schemes on the A7 at these sites. These schemes will provide important overtaking opportunities for drivers who can find themselves stuck in convoys for some miles on sections of this route even though traffic is light. The schemes should ease hold-ups, relieve driver frustration and reduce the temptation for reckless overtaking on the road between Hawick and the English border. This design work will start in advance of the conclusion of the full study. Approval for the construction phase will be considered as soon as the design and any necessary statutory procedures and land acquisition have been completed.

  "Convoy busting" schemes such as the two to be designed for the A7 are being developed on a number of Scottish long-distance single carriageway trunk roads as a means of securing real and rapid improvements for drivers on lightly trafficked routes without the inevitable delay and costs associated with complete re-engineering of a route. In many cases wholesale re-engineering cannot be justified given the high cost and limited traffic.

  Excellent progress has also been made in implementing accident remedial measures at ten locations between Hawick and the Border since our proposals were set out in the A7 pamphlet published last year. I look forward to the completion of this work during the current financial year.

  I am confident that these measures will bring direct benefits to many drivers through improved journey times and safer driving conditions.

  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what steps he is taking to improve the collection
  283
  of information on road traffic accidents which are occurring on the A7 trunk route between Hawick and Langholm and which are not being reported; and if he will make a statement.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Information on all injury road accidents reported to the police is provided to the Scottish Office as part of a Great Britain wide system on a report form called stat 19. Damage-only accidents do not have to be reported to the police by drivers and information on them is not therefore collected by the Scottish office. There is no intention of changing this position either for all Scotland or for the A7.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Public Service
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will publish a table showing, for each of the last three years for which figures are available, how many applications were received and processed for posts in(a) the Civil Service in Northern Ireland, (b) the Housing Executive, (c) each health and social services board and (d) each education and library board; and how many employees each of these bodies had at the beginning of each such year and the end of the last year.

  Staff in Posts

  Beginning 1988

  Beginning 1989

  Beginning 1990

  Beginning 1991

  End 1991

  Civil Service

  —

  29,222

  29,751

  29,469

  28,864

  Housing Executive

  5,113

  5,299

  5,374

  5,051

  —

  Health and Social Services Boards:

  Eastern

  —

  —

  32,342

  31,706

  —

  Northern

  —

  —

  10,732

  10,680

  —

  Southern

  —

  —

  10,523

  10,214

  —

  Western

  —

  —

  8,750

  8,839

  —

  Education and Library Boards

  Belfast

  —

  —

  4,276

  4,195

  4,063

  North-Eastern

  —

  —

  5,505

  5,775

  5,908

  South-Eastern

  —

  —

  4,463

  4,328

  4,073

  Southern

  —

  —

  5,392

  5,469

  5,462

  Western

  —

  —

  5,035

  5,050

  5,098

  Air Pollution
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps will be taken by the air quality monitoring network in Northern Ireland to reduce levels of air pollution.

  Mr. Needham
  The monitoring network is an independent, United Kingdom-wide system operated on behalf of the Department of the Environment. Its work is supplemented locally by the monitoring carried out by a number of district councils.

  The data available from all the monitoring systems operating in Northern Ireland provide a basis from which air quality guidelines and targets can be set. and assessments can be made of the efficacy of measures to cut urban pollution. Such measures include the continued introduction of smoke control areas; proposed regulations to control the composition and sale of certain fuels in smoke control areas; catalytic converters in all new petrol-engined cars from 1 January 1993; new MOT emission tests; and tough new standards for diesel vehicles.
  284
  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information requested insofar as it can be readily provided is set out in the following tables.

  Applications received and processed

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Civil Service

  10,153

  20,991

  24,960

  8,231

  Housing Executive1

  —

  —

  7,000

  4,500

  Health and Social Services

  Boards1 —

  Eastern

  —

  —

  28,456

  —

  Northern

  —

  —

  11,131

  —

  Southern

  —

  —

  7,825

  —

  Western

  —

  —

  10,774

  —

  Education and Library

  Boards1:—

  Belfast

  —

  —

  8,776

  6,906

  North-Eastern

  —

  —

  6,450

  5,302

  South-Eastern

  —:

  —

  6,685

  5,633

  Southern

  —

  —

  6,368

  8,087

  Western

  —

  —

  5,241

  6,716

  Notes:

  1. Information about applications in the calendar year prior to 1990 is not readily available and could only be provided at disproportionate cost.

  2. All applications received are processed.

  Textile Industry
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what steps he will take to assist job creation in the textile industry in the constituency of South Down; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Needham
  The south Down area benefits from the wide range of measures currently undertaken by the Government to promote economic and industrial development throughout Northern Ireland.

  Training Statistics
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have been registered on(a) job training programmes and (b) youth training programmes in the constituency of South Down since 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991 and from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991; and, of these, how many have received full-time employment.

  Mr. Needham
  From 1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991, 1,436 adults and 2,209 young people and from 1 April 1991
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  to 31 December 1991, 632 adults and 868 young people entered the job training programme and youth training programme respectively in the constituency of South Down.

  Information on the destination of these precise cohorts of entrants is not available. However during the periods mentioned the numbers leaving the job training programme and the youth training programme in this area who were known to have moves into employment were as follows:

  Adults

  Young people

  1 April 1988 to 31 March 1991

  362

  830

  1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991

  231

  286

  In addition, at 31 December 1991, there were 178 trainees who had entered employment and whose training was continuing within the youth training programme.

  Equal Opportunities Commission
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the members of the Equal Opportunities Commission; how many persons are employed by the Commission; and how many of these employees are from the Protestant and Roman Catholic communities.

  Mr. Needham
  The members of the Equal Opportunities Commission for Northern Ireland are as follows:

  Mrs. Mary Clark-Glass (Chairman)

  Mr. R. A. Coughlin

  Mr. S. B. Dickson

  Mrs. P. Feeney

  Ms. A. Hegarty

  Ms. P. McKeown

  Ms. L. Walker

  Ms. M. Young

  There is currently one vacancy.

  At 1 January 1992 the Commission employed 22 staff and, as indicated in the monitoring return due for submission to the Fair Employment Commission, the religious composition of these staff was as follows:

  Number

  Protestant

  12

  Roman Catholic

  9

  Cannot be determined

  1

  Pay and Display Car Parks
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total income for each month to the Department of Environment (Northern Ireland) since the scheme came into operation from pay and display car parks in Lame, County Antrim; and what additional costs have been incurred per month for supervising pay and display car parks in Lame, County Antrim.

  Mr. Needham
  Since the scheme came into operation on 14 October 1991 the monthly income has been as follows:

  £

  October

  2,124

  November

  4,487

  December

  6,166

  January

  4,526

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  Supervision costs are approximately £1,100 per month.

  Government Training Centres
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons are registered on waiting lists at each of the following government training centres(a) Felden, (b) Ballymena and (c) Ballymoney; and for how long each person has been awaiting training or re-qualification.

  Mr. Needham
  The following is the information:

  Felden training centre—138 (of whom 50 are waiting for short computer courses).

  Ballymena training centre—56 (of whom 21 are waiting for short computer courses).

  Ballymoney training unit—6.

  Information on the length of time that each person has been on the waiting lists could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will make it possible for government training centres to purchase training from private sector providers or permit persons seeking training or requalification to do so at their nearest approved training facility even if it is in the private sector.

  Mr. Needham
  It is already possible for training centres of the Training and Employment Agency to purchase training from private and public sector providers in cases where the training required cannot be provided from the training centres' own resources. In practice, however, it is more usual for private sector providers to purchase training from the training centres. Persons seeking training or requalification may do so at any training facility regardless of whether it is in the private or public sector. Government financial support under the youth training and job training programme is available in each case.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what additional costs will be incurred to public expenditure on transport costs in respect of a trainee normally resident in Larne but required to travel for training to(a) Ballymena government training centre and (b) Ballymoney government training centre.

  Mr. Needham
  The following is the information.

  Ballymena Training Centre

  By Public Transport—£13·00 per week

  By Private Transport—£42·43 per week

  Ballymoney Training Unit

  By Public Transport—£29·00 per week

  By Private Transport—£50.00 per week.

  Car Parking, Larne
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many vehicle parking spaces are available in Lame, County Antrim, for use under pay and display arrangements.

  Mr. Needham
  A total of 409.

  Training
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he has any plans to meet representatives of community-based training organisations or community workshops to discuss problems arising from block funding arrangements; and if he will make a statement.
  287
  Mr. Needham
  I met representatives of the Northern Ireland Association of Community-based Training Organisations to discuss funding issues on 19 February 1992.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many applicants were transferred from the waiting list at Felden training centre during 1991–92 to waiting lists at other training centres.

  Mr. Needham
  During 1991–92 to date, 48 persons were transferred from the waiting list of Felden training centre to Boucher Road training centre and 29 persons from Felden training centre to Ballymena training centre. All such transfers are with the agreement of the individuals concerned.

  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what provision is being made for ex GEC/Alsthom employees who are now more than six months unemployed to obtain re-training and re-qualification.

  Mr. Needham
  Under the restart programme—for those unemployed for six months or more—interviews with ex-GEC Alsthom employees began on 15 January 1992.

  To date, all 66 in this group have been interviewed. Twenty-five have made job applications, 17 have applied for training and 19 applied to a job club.

  Of the remaining five, three have registered voluntarily for employment and two have been unable to accept any opportunities offered due to domestic circumstances.

  Metal-framed Windows
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on which housing estates the Northern Ireland Housing Executive has replaced metal-framed windows in the past six years; and if he will indicate how old the houses are in each instance and the number of houses improved.

  Mr. Needham
  This is a matter for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive but I have been advised by the chairman that the information is not readily available in the form requested and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Annalong Harbour
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make improvements to the harbour at Annalong, County Down.

  Mr. Needham
  None.

  Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many persons have been charged with an offence under section 29 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991 or the equivalent offence in earlier Acts, giving the numbers charged in each calendar year since the creation of the offence.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: No persons have been charged with an offence under section 29 of the Northern Ireland (Emergency Provisions) Act 1991, nor with the equivalent offence introduced by section 11 of the 1987 Act.

DEFENCE

  ELF Communications
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether his Department is continuing research into extremely low frequency communications.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No. The MOD is currently not pursuing research into this field.

  Radioactive Waste
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what quantities of(a) low level, (b) intermediate level and (c) high level radioactive wastes are currently stored at (i) Aldermaston, (ii) Burghfield and (iii) Llanishen; and if he will distinguish between materials being temporarily stored and those being permanently stored.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Wastes from all three sites for which a current national disposal route is available are stored on the sites temporarily only pending transfer to a disposal site. No high level waste is produced at any of the sites of the Atomic Weapons Establishment. Low level waste only is produced at Burghfield and Llanishen, and both low and intermediate level wastes are produced at Aldermaston. Long-term storage of wastes, for which no disposal route is currently available, is carried out in purpose-built stores at Aldermaston. The stores are subject to regular monitoring and surveillance, and constitute no danger to the public, the work force or the environment. At December 1991, which is the latest date for which figures are available, the volumes of wastes stored at Aldermaston are 1,800 cu/m of low level waste and 2,100 cu/m of intermediate level waste; at Burghfield no waste is stored; and at Llanishen 19 cu/m of low level waste only is stored.

  Uranium
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence to which subheads of which votes costs are attributed by his Department for enrichment in the United States of British uranium for defence purposes.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  Such costs are attributed to class 1, vote 2—defence procurement. It would not be in the national interest to reveal further details of vote attribution.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether there are continuing exchanges of British military plutonium for United States highly enriched uranium.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  It would not be in the national interest to disclose such details of the nuclear procurement programme.

  Atomic Weapons Establishment, Aldermaston
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date(a) design work and (b) white commissioning started for (i) the A89 building, (ii) the A90 building and (iii) the A91 building at AWE Aldermaston.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The dates for(a) design work and (b) white commissioning are as follows:

  (i) A89—design work commenced in 1983; much of the building is already in use, white commissioning of the remainder will begin shortly.

  289

  (ii) A90—design work commenced in 1981; the early stages of white commissioning began in 1990

  (iii) A91—design work commenced in 1982; white commissioning began in 1990.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if the problems with new building work at AWE Aldermaston has any implications for the dismantling of British nuclear weapons.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date building A45 at AWE Aldermaston was first declared operational.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The building was first declared operational in 1957.

  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the role and function of the A89 building at AWE Aldermaston; on what date construction work on this building commenced; on what date building work was completed; and on what date this building is scheduled to be operational.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  A89 provides office, laboratory and other facilities to support buildings concerned with the treatment of radioactive waste. Construction began in 1985 and was completed at the end of 1988. Part of the building is currently in full use, with the rest expected to come into operation later this year.

  Trident
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the expenditure on the Trident programme in each year since the beginning of the programme expressed in(a) then year prices and (b) current prices.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Expenditure each year since the beginning of the Trident programme is as follows:

  £ million

  Financial year

  Historical (Outturn) prices

  Constant 1991–92 prices and £1 = $1·59

  1980–81

  3

  7

  1981–82

  30

  55

  1982–83

  69

  110

  1983–84

  92

  128

  1984–85

  162

  212

  1985–86

  264

  352

  1986–87

  369

  495

  1987–88

  579

  738

  1988–89

  713

  859

  1989–90

  923

  1,073

  1990–91

  993

  1,080

  11991–92

  1,155

  1,155

  1 The figure for 1991–92 is an estimate.

  Nuclear-powered Submarines
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if any nuclear-powered submarines that have been decommissioned or are awaiting decommissioning have been moved since 22 July 1991.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  No, other than small distances within naval bases.
  290
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how long his Department has been carrying out feasibility studies into the options for the disposal of nuclear-powered submarines.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  Following a decision in 1989 not to pursue the immediate sea disposal of HMS Dreadnought, studies were initiated into alternative methods of disposal for decommissioned nuclear submarines. These studies continue.

  Terrorists (Dependants' Claims)
  Mr. A. Cecil Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many claims have been made against the Ministry of Defence by dependants of terrorists killed by the security forces in line of duty in the last five years; and what sums were paid in compensation in each of these claims.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Claims data are not maintained in the format requested. The recorded data does not distinguish between dependants of terrorists and others.

  Arms Control Implementation Group
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what has been the cost to date for the maintenance and operation of the joint arms control implementation group; and what commitments have been made to support the group in its role.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The joint arms control implementation group (JACIG) was established at RAF Scampton in 1990 and became fully operational on I January 1991. Since then, JACIG has been involved in a full programme of training, exercises and evaluation visits, thus ensuring that inspections in the United Kingdom and overseas are conducted effectively and in accordance with the terms and spirit of the Vienna document and INF treaty; and of the CFE treaty once it enters into force. The initial setting-up cost for JACIG was £1.4 million at current prices; running costs have totalled £3.2 million at current prices to date.

  Seismic Monitoring
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what contribution United Kingdom scientists have made to the group of scientific experts on technical test 2 seismic monitoring system established in April 1991 by the group of scientific experts of the United Nations Committee on Disarmament.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The group of scientific experts (GSE), a group established under the auspices of the United Nations conference on disarmament, set up a six week experiment called the GSE technical test. The United Kingdom participated fully in this experiment which involved the transmission of data of each seismic disturbance detected by the United Kingdom national seismic station located at Eskdalemuir, Scotland. The data were used by experimental international data centres to produce a daily bulletin of seismic disturbances.

  Type 22 Frigates
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 13 February,Official Report, column 632, how many of the type 22 batch 1

  291
  frigates have been modified to provide extra accommodation for young officers; at what cost; how many officers will undertake initial sea training in each ship; for what periods of time; and how many type 22 batch 1 frigates will at any one time be unavailable for normal operations as a result.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Three type 22 batch I frigates have been converted: HMS Broadsword, HMS Brazen and HMS Brilliant, HMS Battleaxe is to follow later in the year. The cost of these modifications to date has been in the order of £514,000.

  The modification provides extra accommodation on each ship for up to 65 young officers who will undertake
  292
  initial sea training (1ST) for eight weeks, seven of which are spent at sea. IST will not affect the operational availability of these ships.

  Tugs
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence, pursuant to his answer of 12 February,Official Report, columns 511–12, whether the costs of the new tugs Impetus and Impulse will be attributed to the Trident programme.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  No.

  VOLVO: LOCATION PROPOSAL
  VOLVO: LOCATION PROPOSAL
  CIDER: TAX CATEGORY PROPOSAL
  CIDER: TAX CATEGORY PROPOSAL
  ROYAL PARKS: REVIEW GROUP'S REPORT
  ROYAL PARKS: REVIEW GROUP'S REPORT
  PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT—OPERATION: REPORT
  PREVENTION OF TERRORISM ACT—OPERATION: REPORT
  EAST TIMOR
  EAST TIMOR