Written Answers of 21 February 1992

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Grendon Prison
  Mr. Jopling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many prisoners are awaiting admission to Grendon prison.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  A total of 245 prisoners were on the waiting list for transfer to Grendon prison on 14 February 1992.

  Filipino Wives
  Mr. Summerson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many Filipino wives of British husbands have been refused entry to the United Kingdom since August 1988; and how many have been admitted.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information requested is available only in respect of such wives applying in the Philippines for entry clearance for settlement in the years 1990 and 1991. This is given in the table.

  Annual figures on admissions of wives or fiancees of Filipino nationality are published in table 1 of Cm 1571, "Control of Immigration: Statistics, United Kingdom 1990", a copy of which is in the Library. These admission figures include Filipino wives and fiancees granted entry clearance other than in the Philippines and any joining non-British husbands settled in the United Kingdom. They do not take account of the year in which the entry clearance was granted.

  Estimated number of Filipino wives of British husbands applying for a settlement entry clearance in Manila

  Entry clearance applications

  Year

  Granted1

  Refused initially2

  1990

  200

  110

  1991

  200

  140

  1 Including granted on appeal.

  2 Some may be subsequently granted on appeal.

  Unlawful Killings, Lambeth
  Mr. Fraser
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many unlawful killings took place in Lambeth in 1991.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that there were 19 unlawful killings in the borough of Lambeth in 1991.

  "Getaway"
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration he has given to the representations made to him by the hon. Member for Liverpool, Mossley Hill concerning the publication and 294
  sale of manuals on sale at Soldier of Fortune shops in Liverpool; what steps he is taking to ban their publication; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I understand that the hon. Member wrote to my right hon. Friend on 18 February about the sale of a book entitled "Getaway" which is alleged to contain information on illegal and dangerous ways of driving.

  Ministers do not have the power to ban or censor books or other publications. However, it is an offence to publish a work which is obscene, which incites its readers to crime, or which is otherwise a breach of the criminal law. It is for the police to investigate any allegation of an offence and for the courts to decide whether an offence has been committed in any particular case; Ministers cannot intervene in either of these processes. I understand that in this particular case the owners of the shops concerned have decided to withdraw the book from sale.

  Project Comtram
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he is taking to sustain Project Comtram and the community lawyer scheme, funded under section 11, in Bradford; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Rumbold
  Decisions on the eligibility of projects for funding under section 11 of the Local Government Act 1966 have been made in accordance with policy and administrative criteria laid down under new arrangements for the administration of the grant which were announced in October 1990, when local authorities were invited to bid afresh for funding from 1 April 1992. Applicants were required to demonstrate that proposals were within the policy criteria and fulfilled key requirements of a procedure designed to ensure that the available funding is targeted to achieve maximum benefit for members of ethnic minorities. Applications for the projects in question failed in key respects and were not approved.

  Criminal Justice Act 1991
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when he intends to bring the remaining provisions of the Criminal Justice Act 1991 into force.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  I have today made a commencement order which will bring into force from 1 October 1992 most of the remaining provisions of the Act, including the bulk of the new sentencing framework. The order will also bring into force from 1 April 1992 the provisions relating to the inner London probation area (section 75) and court security officers (sections 76 to 79). A consultation paper setting out detailed proposals for implementing the provisions on curfew orders and electronic monitoring (sections 12 to 13) will be issued shortly, and these provisions will be brought into force as soon as possible after consultation. The provision in section 60 which will replace remand to custody for 15 to 16-year-old boys by remand to local authority secure accommodation will be implemented when sufficient local authority secure accommodation is available.

CHURCH COMMISSIONERS

  Sunday Trading
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the right hon. Member for Selby, as representing the Church Commissioners, what response they have received to their letters as shareholders to public companies allegedly in breach of the Shops Act 1950; and what further action they intend to take.

  Mr. Alison
  Those companies to which the commissioners wrote whose stores had opened on Sundays took the line that the law was unsatisfactory and in need of reform, that they had not particularly wanted to open on Sundays but felt under pressure to do so from competitors. The commissioners will continue to monitor the situation.

EMPLOYMENT

  Pay Statistics
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will give the information on full-time workers' pay for the west midlands and, if available, cities and counties within the region, and for comparison England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, as given for Scottish regions in his answer to the hon. Member for Angus, East, (Mr. Welsh) on 6 February Official Report, columns 266–69.

  Mr. Forth
  The information available from the "New Earnings Survey", closest to that requested, is given in the tables.

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

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual women

  West Midlands region

  37·6

  46·3

  77·8

  82·6

  West Midlands MC

  37·3

  44·3

  76·4

  83·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  35·6

  52·9

  77·9

  81·7

  Shropshire

  39·4

  50·0

  84·8

  87·9

  Staffordshire

  39·4

  46·8

  76·9

  79·6

  Warwickshire

  36·1

  44·4

  83·3

  86·1

  England

  34·0

  42·7

  71·7

  76·5

  Scotland

  39·2

  48·1

  75·9

  80·7

  Wales

  36·6

  48·9

  76·8

  80·6

  Northern Ireland

  51·1

  61·1

  84·4

  87·0

  Non-manual women

  West Midlands region

  12·4

  18·0

  44·7

  50·5

  West Midlands MC

  10·6

  15·2

  40·4

  46·7

  Hereford and Worcester

  12·7

  21·1

  49·5

  55·9

  Shropshire

  19·7

  28·0

  55·5

  60·1

  Staffordshire

  15·8

  21·9

  48·2

  53·0

  Warwickshire

  10·9

  15·3

  50·8

  55·2

  England

  9·0

  13·1

  34·1

  39·1

  Scotland

  12·4

  17·7

  42·6

  48·1

  Wales

  15·4

  20·2

  44·4

  50·8

  Northern Ireland

  17·9

  22·2

  42·4

  47·1

  All women

  West Midlands region

  18·0

  24·2

  52·0

  57·6

  West Midlands MC

  15·9

  21·0

  47·6

  53·9

  Hereford and Worcester

  17·7

  28·1

  55·7

  61·6

  Shropshire

  24·3

  33·1

  62·3

  66·5

  Staffordshire

  22·4

  28·8

  56·2

  60·4

  Warwickshire

  16·6

  21·9

  58·1

  62·2

  England

  13·5

  18·4

  40·9

  45·9

  Scotland

  17·9

  23·9

  49·4

  54·7

  Wales

  20·3

  26·8

  51·8

  57·7

  Northern Ireland

  25·6

  31·2

  52·1

  56·4

  296
  Source: New Earnings Survey.

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

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual men

  West Midlands region

  4·7

  7·0

  22·5

  27·3

  West Midlands MC

  4·4

  6·6

  18·8

  23·2

  Hereford and Worcester

  4·6

  7·7

  30·9

  35·7

  Shropshire

  3·4

  6·2

  25·5

  32·0

  Staffordshire

  5·9

  8·2

  27·3

  32·9

  Warwickshire

  5·1

  6·8

  20·8

  24·7

  England

  4·6

  6·7

  21·2

  26·1

  Scotland

  6·8

  9·3

  26·0

  31·4

  Wales

  6·4

  10·0

  26·8

  32·1

  Northern Ireland

  13·7

  18·5

  40·5

  46·8

  Non-manual men

  West Midlands region

  3·1

  4·5

  12·5

  14·8

  West Midlands MC

  3·2

  4·6

  12·1

  14·3

  Hereford and Worcester

  2·3

  3·3

  10·5

  13·9

  Shropshire

  2·7

  3·1

  11·9

  15·0

  Staffordshire

  3·9

  5·3

  15·6

  17·9

  Warwickshire

  2·4

  4·8

  11·8

  12·4

  England

  2·3

  3·4

  9·9

  11·9

  Scotland

  3·1

  4·7

  12·2

  14·7

  Wales

  3·5

  4·9

  14·1

  16·1

  Northern Ireland

  7·2

  9·7

  16·4

  19·7

  All men

  West Midlands region

  3·9

  5·8

  17·7

  21·3

  West Midlands MC

  3·8

  5·6

  15·4

  18·7

  Hereford and Worcester

  3·5

  5·7

  21·5

  25·7

  Shropshire

  3·1

  4·9

  19·9

  25·0

  Staffordshire

  5·0

  6·9

  22·1

  26·2

  Warwickshire

  3·7

  5·8

  16·3

  18·6

  England

  3·3

  4·9

  15·1

  18·4

  Scotland

  4·9

  7·0

  19·2

  23·2

  Wales

  5·1

  7·7

  21·0

  24·8

  Northern Ireland

  10·5

  14·1

  28·6

  33·4

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

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

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual women

  West Midlands region

  42·2

  52·1

  83·7

  88·1

  West Midlands MC

  41·1

  50·8

  82·0

  87·3

  Hereford and Worcester

  41·3

  57·7

  86·5

  90·4

  Shropshire

  47·0

  60·6

  93·9

  97·0

  Staffordshire

  44·0

  50·5

  81·0

  84·3

  Warwickshire

  40·3

  48·6

  88·9

  93·1

  England

  37·7

  47·4

  77·4

  81·9

  Scotland

  42·1

  52·8

  83·3

  87·3

  Wales

  40·9

  53·8

  82·8

  85·7

  Northern Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Non-manual women

  West Midlands region

  13·4

  19·6

  47·4

  53·1

  West Midlands MC

  11·4

  16·8

  43·7

  49·7

  Hereford and Worcester

  14·1

  23·0

  50·5

  57·0

  Shropshire

  21·1

  29·8

  58·7

  62·8

  Staffordshire

  17·1

  23·3

  50·4

  56·0

  Warwickshire

  11·3

  16·5

  52·8

  56·0

  England

  9·8

  14·3

  36·1

  41·3

  Scotland

  14·0

  19·4

  45·5

  50·8

  Wales

  16·7

  21·4

  46·2

  52·7

  Northern Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  All women

  West Midlands region

  19·8

  26·8

  55·4

  60·8

  West Midlands MC

  17·3

  23·6

  51·3

  57·2

  Hereford and Worcester

  20·0

  30·6

  58·4

  64·3

  Shropshire

  27·1

  37·0

  66·9

  70·8

  297

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Staffordshire

  24·6

  30·8

  58·9

  63·9

  Warwickshire

  17·8

  23·7

  60·9

  64·4

  England

  14·9

  20·3

  43·6

  48·6

  Scotland

  19·7

  26·2

  53·2

  58·2

  Wales

  22·2

  28·8

  54·6

  60·3

  Northern Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note: "—" denotes information not available.

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

  April 1991

  £130

  £140

  £180

  £190

  Manual men

  West Midlands region

  7·2

  11·1

  34·1

  40·5

  West Midlands MC

  6·4

  10·0

  28·4

  35·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  7·2

  13·3

  47·7

  52·1

  Shropshire

  6·8

  11·5

  42·2

  50·9

  Staffordshire

  9·2

  12·8

  41·3

  47·9

  Warwickshire

  7·7

  10·7

  28·0

  32·7

  England

  6·7

  10·3

  32·1

  38·5

  Scotland

  9·2

  13·7

  39·4

  46·6

  Wales

  8·6

  13·7

  38·1

  45·9

  Northern Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Non-manual men

  West Midlands region

  3·8

  5·4

  14·8

  17·3

  West Midlands MC

  3·9

  5·4

  14·6

  17·1

  Hereford and Worcester

  2·6

  3·6

  12·3

  15·2

  Shropshire

  2·7

  4·0

  15·5

  19·5

  Staffordshire

  5·0

  6·8

  17·5

  19·6

  Warwickshire

  3·3

  5·1

  13·9

  15·1

  England

  2·7

  4·1

  11·8

  14·0

  Scotland

  3·7

  5·7

  14·4

  17·1

  Wales

  4·4

  6·1

  15·9

  18·4

  Northern Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  All men

  West Midlands region

  5·6

  8·3

  24·8

  29·3

  West Midlands MC

  5·1

  7·7

  21·4

  26·0

  Hereford and Worcester

  5·1

  8·9

  31·4

  35·1

  Shropshire

  5·1

  8·4

  31·2

  38·0

  Staffordshire

  7·3

  10·1

  30·6

  35·2

  Warwickshire

  5·5

  7·9

  21·0

  24·0

  England

  4·5

  6·9

  21·0

  25·1

  Scotland

  6·5

  9·8

  27·1

  32·1

  Wales

  6·7

  102

  28·0

  33·4

  Northern Ireland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  Source: New Earnings Survey.

  Note: "—" denotes information not available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Foxes
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what information he has as to the number of foxes living in the larger urban areas of Great Britain; and how the density of the fox population in urban areas compares with that in rural areas;

  (2) what surveys his Department has carried out into the health hazards associated with the presence of foxes in urban areas.

  Mr. Maclean
  The average fox population density in cities varies between 1:2·24 fox families per square kilometre. However higher densities are found in some cities up to 8·5 adult foxes per square kilometre. In rural areas fox densities vary widely, depending on habitat, between one fox per 30 hectares in rich habitats to one pair 298
  per 4,000 hectares in poor habitats. This Department has not carried out any surveys into health hazards associated with urban foxes, but they can become infected with a variety of parasites and diseases, including rabies.

  Common Agricultural Policy Fraud
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what assessment he has made of the prospects of eliminating fraud in European Community matters, in particular that associated with the common agricultural policy.

  Mr. Curry
  The United Kingdom remains at the forefront of the fight against fraud in the European Community. In particular, the United Kingdom continues to press the European Commission for further action to implement, and update, measures included in the 45-point anti-fraud programme adopted in 1989 with our strong support. Substantial progress has already been made; measures in connection with the common agricultural policy include:mandatory minimum levels of physical checks on export refunds
  strengthened requirements for annual stocktaking of intervention stocks
  improved procedures for reporting irregularities
  improved procedures for auditing payments
  the inclusion of improved control arrangements in regulations implementing common agricultural policy schemes

ENERGY

  Advertising
  Mr. Alan W. Williams
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much money was spent on media advertising in February and March 1990 concerning energy efficiency and global warming; and how many coupons requesting booklets were subsequently received as a result of the advertising campaign.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The cost of the March 1990 advertising campaign was £405,959.15; 9,034 information packs were subsequently dispatched.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Assisted Places Scheme
  Mr. Steinberg
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list the expenditure incurred on(a) the assisted places scheme and (b) city technology colleges in each year of the programmes so far, together with the proposed expenditure in future years.

  Mr. Eggar
  The assisted places scheme was launched in 1981. The city technology colleges programme was launched in 1986. Actual Government expenditure to 1990–91 and estimated and planned expenditure for future years on the APS and the CTC programme are shown in the table. In addition, private sponsors have pledged well over £30 million to the CTC programme.
  299

  Table

  Financial Year

  (a) Assisted Places scheme £ million

  (b) City Technology Colleges £ million

  1981–82 (outturn)

  3

  —

  1982–83 (outturn)

  9

  —

  1983–84 (outturn)

  15

  —

  1984–85 (outturn)

  22

  —

  1985–86 (outturn)

  30

  —

  1986–87 (outturn)

  38

  —

  1987–88 (outturn)

  46

  1

  1988–89 (outturn)

  51

  14

  1989–90 (outturn)

  57

  30

  1990–91 (outturn)

  63

  58

  1991–92 (estimated outturn)

  65

  51

  1992–93 (plans)

  78

  54

  1993–94 (plans)

  84

  55

  1994–95 (plans)

  89

  56

  Notes: The figures are cash plans rounded to the nearest £ million.

  Research (Diseases)
  Mr. Andrew Bowden
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will state the overall figure spent by the Medical Research Council into research into diseases affecting older people in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Most diseases affect people of all ages and become more critical in old age. Total expenditure by the MRC over the last five years on all research, including training awards and fellowships, has been:

  £ Thousands

  1986–87

  125,188

  1987–88

  135,195

  1988–89

  149,779

  1989–90

  172,346

  1990–91

  181,077

  By far the greater part of all that research is potentially relevant to improving the health of any age group, including older people.

  Books and Equipment
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the most recent figure for annual expenditure on books and equipment in schools, excluding provision for 16 to 19-year-olds.

  Mr. Fallon
  In 1989–90, the latest year for which actual spending information is available, expenditure in England on books and equipment in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools was some £390 million. Expenditure on provision for 16 to 19-year-olds is not separately identified and is included within this total.

  Teachers' Pay
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the most recent figure for the annual cost of teacher salaries.

  Mr. Fallon
  In 1989–90, the latest year for which actual spending information is available, expenditure in England on teaching staff in nursery, primary, secondary and special schools was some £7,339 million. This includes gross pay and employers' contributions to national insurance and superannuation.

  Student Loans
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the cost of student loans in each of the next 10 years.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  Student loans are available for all eligible students who apply for them. Levels of expenditure on loans depend on the level of demand and the rates and conditions of loans prescribed in the statutory regulations for each year.

  Table 1 in the departmental report of the Department of Education and Science (Cm 1911) sets out planned net public expenditure provision for England and Wales of £137 million for 1992–93, £204 million for 1993–94 and £286 million for 1994–95. We shall review the expenditure plans for future years—and the underlying planning assumptions—in successive public expenditure surveys.

  Nursery Education
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's estimate of the extra revenue costs of extending nursery places to 80 per cent. of three and four-year-olds.

  Mr. Eggar
  The extra revenue costs are difficult to estimate since they would depend on the types of provision and on the precise balance between full-time and part-time attendance. Assuming the current mix of types of provision and modes of attendance, a broad extrapolation from the estimated cost per pupil for all forms of provision made by local education authorities for the under-fives1 suggests an extra annual recurrent cost of approximately £530 million at 1991–92 prices. In addition there would be capital costs; and costs would also be incurred in training or retaining the additional teaching and ancillary staff who would be needed.

  1Table 2 of DES departmental report "The Government's Expenditure Plans 1992–93 to 1994–95", Cm 1911.

  Further Education
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the average hourly cost of a part-time place in a further education college.

  Mr. Eggar
  The average hourly cost for students in all modes of attendance in a further education college was £2·80 in 1988–89 (the latest year available). There are no figures available for part-time students separately.

  Student Fees
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his Department's estimate of the cost of extending an entitlement to student fees to part-time students on higher education courses.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The cost would depend on what decisions were taken about eligible courses, their duration, the maximum fee entitlement and the account to be taken of the personal circumstances of potentially eligible students.

  Special Needs Education
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the most recent figure for annual expenditure on services for children with special needs.

  Mr. Fallon
  In 1989–90, the latest year for which actual spending information is available, school-based expenditure in special schools in England was some £688 million. Expenditure in primary and secondary schools on services for children with special needs attending such schools is not collected separately. The figure for special schools does not include costs of services such as child guidance and educational psychology provided centrally by local education authorities, nor of LEAs' central administration to support special education, as these costs were not apportioned between services in LEAs' expenditure returns.

  Student Grants
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is his estimate of the cost of uprating the student grant to allow for inflation since it was last uprated.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The cost of increasing the main rates of grant payable under the Education (Mandatory Awards) Regulations 1991 in line with with the Government's current estimate of inflation since those rates were last increased in 1990 would be £66·4 million. This figure assumes student numbers to be consistent with the autumn statement and that no other provisions of the regulations are changed.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Egypt
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make it his policy to contribute to the social fund project in Egypt to mitigate the social impact of economic reform; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Chalker
  We are participating substantially in the social fund project through our share of International Development Association and European Community contributions. Our bilateral aid programme for Egypt is fully allocated to other priority development areas agreed with the Egyptian Government.

  CIS
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what additional staff have been recruited to deal with aid to the Commonwealth of Independent States by(a) the Overseas Development Administration and (b) the EC.

  Mrs. Chalker
  (a) At present we have 34 staff from the Overseas Development Administration dealing with aid to the Commonwealth of Indpependent States and other eastern European countries. Precise disaggregation would not be realistic. Individuals have not been recruited specifically for these positions, but additional staff have been recruited generally to the ODA to permit the expansion in our activities.
  302
  (b) An additional 40 mecu has now been agreed to reinforce the Commission's external activities. We understand that its intention is to establish at least 140 now posts in DGI and convert a further 150 from expert to statutory posts. Many of these additional posts will support the Community aid programmes in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

  United Nations Funding
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will review the decision no to fund the second phase of the United Nations international fund for agricultural development.

  Mrs. Chalker
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bradford, West (Mr. Madden) on 12 February at column 528.

PRIME MINISTER

  London School of Economics
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will set out the action necessary by the relevant Government Departments for the London School of Economics to be successful in its bid to move to the old London county council building on the south bank.

  The Prime Minister
  The London School of Economics has as yet made no formal bid to the London Residuary Body, which is responsible to the local taxpayers of London for the disposal of county hall, for the acquisition of the site. Should it do so my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment and my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Education and Science would then be in a position to consider the matter in consultation with the residuary body.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Appeals, North East Region
  Mr. Ronnie Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list the number of appeals heard and decided by tribunals concerning(a) mobility allowances, (b) attendance allowances, (c) invalidity benefit, (d) injury and disablement benefit and (e) non-income related benefit in the North East region in the last two years.

  Mr. Scott
  The latest available annual statistics for social security appeal tribunals and medical appeal tribunals are for the year ending December 1990. The relevant information for the north-east region is given in the tables.

  Social security appeal tribunals

  Heard and decided appeals

  Year ending December 1989

  Year ending December 1990

  Mobility allowance

  214

  223

  Attendance allowance

  23

  28

  Invalidity benefit

  1,418

  1,354

  Disablement benefit

  459

  637

  Child benefit

  233

  271

  Invalid care allowance

  73

  57

  Maternity allowance

  16

  16

  Retirement pension

  167

  168

  303

  Social security appeal tribunals

  Heard and decided appeals

  Year ending December 1989

  Year ending December 1990

  Severe disablement allowance

  26

  23

  Unemployment benefit

  2,787

  2,194

  Widows benefit

  115

  82

  Medical appeal tribunals

  Heard and decided appeals

  1Six months ending December 1989

  Year ending December 1990

  Mobility allowance

  178

  1,206

  Severe disablement allowance

  36

  224

  Disablement benefit

  150

  1,900

  1Medical appeal tribunal statistics were collected from 1 July 1989.

  Housing Benefit
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the cost of restoring student entitlement to housing benefit.

  Miss Widdecombe
  Based on information available when the new arrangements for student benefit entitlement were introduced, the estimated cost of restoring housing benefit entitlement to those students who are not currently eligible is estimated to be around £70 million at current prices.

  Income Support
  Mr. Meacher
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will set out his Department's management statistics for the total number of claimants on income support, plus separately their partners and dependants, for each month since January 1990.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The information requested is not available. Liveload figures based on May 1990 annual statistical enquiry, the latest date for which information is available, are as follows.

  Number

  Total number of claimants

  4,180,000

  Total number of partners

  691,000

  Total number of dependent children

  2,045,000

  Source: Annual Statistical Enquiry 1990.

  Pensions
  Mr. Clelland
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security why the increase promised by the Secretary of State, in his statement on 21 October 1991, to pensioners over the age of 80 years, and which is to be effective from 1 April 1992, does not appear in newly issued pension books.

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

  Income Support
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is his Department's estimate of the cost of restoring student entitlement to income support during the summer; and what was the cost in the last year before it was removed.

  Miss Widdecombe
  The estimated expenditure on income support for students during the 1990 summer vacation was about £27 million. The estimated cost of restoring student entitlement to income support during the summer vacations, based on information available when the present arrangements were introduced, would be around £30 million at current prices.

WALES

  Dispensing Pharmacists
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many prescription items were dispensed by retail pharmacists in Wales in each year from 1977 onwards; and if he will publish the figures according to age categories of the consumers.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Information on the number of prescription items dispensed is given in the table.

  Prescription items dispensed (thousands)

  1977

  22,801

  1978

  23,853

  1979

  23,600

  1980

  23,676

  1981

  23,430

  1982

  24,033

  1983

  24,594

  1984

  24,966

  1985

  24,738

  1986

  25,083

  1987

  26,047

  1988

  27,072

  1989

  27,761

  1990

  28,299

  It is not possible to give numbers of prescription items dispensed according to the age of the consumer. However, the following table gives, for the years for which data are available, an estimate of the percentage of prescriptions which were exempt from charges by reason of age.

  Category of exemption

  Under 161

  Retirement age2

  1983

  14

  42

  1984

  14

  47

  1985

  14

  45

  1986

  13

  45

  1987

  3N/A

  3N/A

  1988

  13

  50

  1989

  12

  50

  1990

  12

  52

  1 Children aged under 16 and children aged under 19 in full-time education.

  2 Women aged 60 or over and men aged 65 or over.

  3 Not available.

  Archaeological Excavations
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list the instances in the past 12 months in which Monmouth borough council has(a) imposed a watching brief condition on the advice of Glamorgan and Gwent archaeological trust or (b) required preservation in situ or archaeological excavation in advance of development.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  This information is not held centrally.

  Council Houses
  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales how many council houses were built in Wales in the years 1979, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is given in the table:

  Local authority completions

  Number

  1979

  3,010

  1987

  810

  1988

  793

  1989

  566

  1990

  551

  1991

  1388

  1 Provisional.

  Source: Welsh Office local authority returns.

  Mr. Livsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what was the annual amount spent on council house maintenance in Wales in the years, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  1987

  1991

  1992

  (i) Wales

  Male

  Total

  Male

  Total

  Male

  Total

  January

  83·0

  85·7

  89·6

  92·2

  86·7

  90·1

  February

  83·4

  86·2

  89·2

  91·9

  —

  —

  March

  83·9

  86·6

  88·9

  917

  —

  —

  April

  84·1

  86·8

  88·6

  91·5

  —

  —

  May

  84·7

  87·3

  88·6

  91·5

  —

  —

  June

  85·3

  87·8

  88·6

  91·5

  —

  —

  July

  85·3

  87·7

  88·1

  91·1

  —

  —

  August

  85·5

  87·9

  88·0

  90·9

  —

  —

  September

  85·1

  87·5

  87·8

  90·8

  —

  —

  October

  85·7

  88·0

  87·9

  91·0

  —

  —

  November

  85·8

  88·3

  87·6

  90·8

  —

  —

  December

  85·8

  88·2

  87·2

  90·5

  —

  —

  1987

  1991

  1992

  (ii) Valleys

  Male

  Total

  Male

  Total

  Male

  Total

  January

  77·9

  81·8

  84·2

  88·6

  80·6

  86·0

  February

  78·3

  82·3

  83·8

  88·4

  —

  —

  March

  78·9

  82·9

  83·0

  87·8

  —

  —

  April

  78·9

  82·9

  82·4

  87–3

  —

  —

  May

  79·3

  83·2

  82·3

  87·3

  —

  —

  June

  80·0

  83·8

  82·4

  87·4

  —

  —

  July

  80·1

  83·8

  81·7

  86·8

  —

  —

  August

  80·4

  84·1

  81·7

  86·7

  —

  —

  September

  79·9

  83·6

  81·5

  86·7

  —

  —

  October

  80·8

  84·5

  81·9

  87·1

  —

  —

  November

  81·2

  85·0

  81·7

  86·9

  —

  —

  December

  81·2

  84·9

  81·3

  86·6

  —

  —

TRANSPORT

  Shipping North Sea
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many vessels operating in support of the North sea oil industry, United Kingdom sector, are under(a) the British flag and (b) foreign flags, by country.
  306
  Sir Wyn Roberts
  The information is available only by financial year. Figures for the financial years 1987–88 to 1990–91 are given in the following table. They have been derived from local authorities housing revenue account subsidy claim forms. Expenditure in 1990–91 is the sum of maintenance expenditure charged either to the housing revenue account or the housing repairs account.

  Council house maintenance expenditure in Wales

  £ million

  1987–88

  191·8

  1988–89

  94·6

  1989–90

  106·5

  1990–91

  2110·1

  1 Includes an estimate for those authorities who did not submit subsidy claim forms.

  2 Provisional.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what is the current(a) male and (b) total employment percentage in (i) Wales and (ii) the area covered by the valleys initiative in each month of 1987 and 1991.

  Sir Wyn Roberts
  Estimated percentages of the work force in employment, including those on work-related government training programmes, are given in the following table:

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On 31 January 1992, there were 147 vessels operating as supply, anchor handling and other support vessels and, in addition, 176 standby vessels in the United Kingdom sector of the North sea in support of the oil industry. The countries of registration and the numbers involved were:
  307

  Support Vessels

  Number

  United Kingdom

  86

  Norway

  22

  Denmark

  10

  Netherlands

  8

  Germany

  3

  Others

  18

  Standby Vessels

  Number

  United Kingdom

  149

  Isle of man

  9

  Bermuda

  2

  Norway

  2

  Netherlands

  1

  Cayman Islands

  4

  Bahamas

  4

  United States of America

  5

  Rail Privatisation
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will delay publication of the White Paper on railway privatisation until after the general election.

  Mr. Freeman
  We will publish our White Paper as soon as we are ready.

  Flight Safety
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the future of co-ordination of research effort in matters of flight safety.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  In the United Kingdom the Civil Aviation Authority is responsible for co-ordinating research on civil flight safety. The machinery for this co-ordination is being reviewed, so as both to increase managerial accountability within the authority and to obtain additional advice from outside.

  Research on flight safety in Europe is co-ordinated as appropriate through the joint aviation authorities or Eurocontrol. I expect to see more extensive co-ordination of research in this field in the years ahead.

  Table 1

  Non-industrial staff in post in Scotland by Department (including Agencies) and Scottish region at 1 October 1991 (excluding Scottish Office)

  Department

  Highland

  Grampian

  Tayside

  Fife

  Lothian

  Borders

  Central

  Strathclyde

  Dumfries

  Islands

  Total

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  8

  93

  11

  —

  31

  6

  5

  19

  6

  2

  181

  Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal

  35

  60

  72

  43

  305

  9

  47

  584

  28

  8

  1,191

  Customs and Excise

  48

  250

  116

  34

  333

  11

  70

  790

  17

  28

  1,697

  Defence

  80

  272

  227

  1,467

  362

  1

  158

  4,032

  54

  90

  6,743

  Employment Department Group

  205

  284

  340

  219

  1,140

  52

  184

  2,348

  97

  52

  4,921

  Energy

  —

  8

  —

  —

  2

  —

  —

  70

  —

  —

  80

  Environment

  —

  —

  —

  —

  47

  —

  —

  21

  —

  —

  68

  PSA Service

  16

  70

  22

  46

  453

  —

  5

  254

  14

  13

  893

  General Register Office, Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  303

  —

  —

  21

  —

  —

  324

  Home Office

  —

  —

  6

  —

  3

  7

  —

  —

  219

  —

  235

  Inland Revenue

  159

  243

  195

  137

  1,942

  45

  97

  3,752

  72

  —

  6,642

  Lord Chancellor's Department

  —

  —

  —

  —

  17

  —

  —

  36

  —

  114

  167

  National Savings

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  2,562

  —

  —

  2,562

  Ordnance Survey

  10

  7

  7

  8

  24

  3

  5

  33

  6

  —

  103

  OPCS

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  108

  —

  —

  108

  ODA

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  555

  —

  —

  555

  Registers of Scotland

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,112

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  1,112

  Scottish Courts Administration

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  161

  —

  —

  —

  161

  Scottish Courts Service

  26

  51

  46

  36

  218

  6

  34

  369

  23

  6

  815

  Scottish Record Office

  —

  —

  —

  —

  117

  —

  —

  —

  —

  —

  117

  Social Security

  174

  389

  427

  334

  1,465

  74

  315

  4,325

  133

  62

  7,698

  Severn Bridge
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what percentage increase in tolls on the Severn bridge will be introduced in April; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: The tolls which will apply from 26 April, as provided for under the Severn Bridges Act 1992, involve the following increases over the current tolls at the Severn bridge, based on the cost of a return trip over the bridge:

  Per cent.

  Cars and motor caravans

  40

  Light vans and minibuses

  180

  Buses and goods vehicles

  110

  These increases are a reflection of the cost of building the second Severn bridge, which will provide a substantial and eagerly awaited improvement in the road links between south Wales and England.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Civil Service (Scotland)
  Mr. Dewar
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list how many non-Scottish Office civil service jobs there are in Scotland by Government Department and location of employment.

  Mr. Maples
  The number of non-industrial civil servants employed in Scotland—other than in the Scottish Office—at 1 October 1991 totalled 37,926. Table 1 gives a detailed breakdown by Department and by Scottish region.

  In addition, another 6,355 industrial civil servants were employed in Scotland—other than in the Scottish Office—at 1 April 1991 (the latest available information). Table 2 gives a departmental analysis. No breakdown by Scottish region is available.
  309

  Department

  Highland

  Grampian

  Tayside

  Fife

  Lothian

  Borders

  Central

  Strathclyde

  Dumfries

  Islands

  Total

  Trade and Industry

  —

  1

  2

  —

  47

  —

  —

  323

  —

  —

  373

  Transport

  32

  94

  32

  26

  197

  5

  5

  219

  7

  43

  660

  Other

  —

  —

  4

  2

  490

  —

  3

  21

  —

  —

  520

  TOTAL

  793

  1,828

  1,501

  2,355

  8,612

  212

  1,089

  20,661

  457

  418

  37,926

  Note: Figures are on a full-time equivalent basis, i.e. part-timers are counted as half units.

  Source: MANDATE/Departments.

  Table 2

  Industrial staff in post in Scotland by Department (including agencies) at 1 April 1991 (excluding Scottish Office)

  Department

  Number

  Agriculture, Fisheries and Food

  13

  Defence

  5,432

  Employment Department Group

  5

  HMSO

  72

  Ordnance Survey

  4

  Social Security

  3

  Trade and Industry

  74

  Transport

  704

  HM Treasury (inc. Forward/CISCO)

  35

  Others

  13

  TOTAL

  6,355

  Note: Figures are on a full time equivalent basis, ie part-timers are counted as half units.

  Source: Civil Service Statistics 1991 Edition.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his estimate of the loss of revenue from income tax at(a) the standard rate and (b) the higher rate, of allowing husbands and wives to aggregate their incomes for tax purposes and divide by two; and whether he will publish a table showing the loss by range of total incomes and the number of incomes in each case.

  Mr. Maude
  Approximate figures at 1991–92 levels of income are given in the table:

  Total income £ per year

  Number of taxpaying in a full year married couples(million)

  Revenue loss in a full year £million

  0 to 10,000

  0·9

  400

  10,000 to 15,000

  2·2

  1,700

  15,000 to 20,000

  2·2

  1,800

  20,000 to 40,000

  2·7

  1,900

  30,000 to 40,000

  1·0

  800

  40,000 to 50,000

  0·4

  600

  Over 50,000

  0·6

  1,600

  £ billion

  1970–71

  1974–75

  1978–79

  1990–91

  (i) NICs 1

  employers

  1·4

  3·1

  6·2

  20–4

  employees

  1·3

  2·4

  4·1

  14·9

  (ii) Income tax 2

  total tax liability

  6·2

  11·8

  20·3

  59·4

  total liability at higher rate

  —

  1·5

  1·8

  12·5

  total liability at excess over standard rate

  0·3

  0·6

  0·8

  4·7

  (iii) VAT3

  —

  2·8

  5·2

  32·5

  (iv) Other indirect taxes 4

  5·2

  4·9

  9·0

  24–0

  310

  Total income £ per year

  Number of taxpaying in a full year married couples(million)

  Revenue loss in a full year £million

  Total

  10·0

  8,800

  These estimates do not allow for any behavioural effect that might result from such a change in the tax system.

  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the value of income tax paid by Scottish-based taxpayers.

  Mr. Maude
  The amount of income tax liability for residents of Scotland was estimated to be £3·49 billion for 1988–89, the latest available year.

  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many Scottish-based income tax payers' affairs are handled by tax offices in England and Wales.

  Mr. Maude
  Of 1·9 million single people and married men liable to income tax in 1988–89 and resident in Scotland, about 400,000 had their income tax affairs handled by tax offices in England and Wales. The corresponding information about married women under independent taxation is not yet available.

  Taxation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will publish a table showing for 1970, 1974, 1979 and 1990–91, the amount collected in (i)(a) employees and (b) employers national insurance contributions, (ii) income tax at the (c) standard and (d) higher rates, (iii) value added tax and (iv) other indirect taxes.

  Mr. Maude
  The information requested is given in the table.
  311

  1 Excludes national insurance surcharge (levied from 1977–78 until 1984–85)

  2 Until 1972–73, Surtax, a deferred instalment of income tax charged at rates additional to the standard rate, was payable.

  3 VAT excluding that refunded on central government and local authority expenditure.

  4 Other customs and excise duties. Includes purchase tax in 1970–71.

  European Community Fraud
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress has been made towards implementing recommendations contained in the European Court of Auditors' report in regard to fraud.

  Mr. Maude
  The Community took an important step to combat fraud against the Community budget by the adoption, in 1989, of a 45-point action programme, which covers areas of irregularity, particularly in agriculture, identified in the reports of the court. The Commission produces, for consideration by the Council and European Parliament, an annual report on the fight against fraud which details the progress made. The action taken includes steps by the Commission to revise its operating systems, to simplify existing legislation, and to consider new measures to prevent irregularities in the implementation of the budget. The Commission is currently considering the measures needed to bring the 45-point action programme up to date, on the basis of proposals from member states including the United Kingdom.

  The further important recent development was the agreement at Maastricht that the treaty should clearly place responsibility on member states to counter fraud affecting the Community's finances. The Maastricht treaty also seeks to strengthen procedures to counter fraud and irregularities by requiring the Court of Auditors to provide a statement of assurance on the reliability of the Community's accounts; by making explicit the Commission's responsibility for sound financial management; and by giving enhanced powers to the European Parliament to examine the Commission on the basis of the court's observations including action it has taken in response. The Government will also continue their active role in the Council, pressing to ensure that the scope for fraud and irregularities continues to be narrowed.

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost to the Exchequer of increasing the maximum limit for mortgage tax relief to(a) £40,000, (b) £50,000 and (c) £60,000.

  Mr. Maude
  The estimated costs at 1991–92 levels of increasing the ceiling on mortgage interest tax relief are shown in the table.

  Ceiling on mortgage interest tax relief

  Cost of increasing the ceiling on mortgage interest tax relief for 1991–921

  £

  £ billion

  40,000

  0·7

  50,000

  1·1

  60,000

  1·3

  1 The estimates are based on the distribution of existing mortgages and therefore exclude behavioural effects which might result from the change and could be substantial.

  Privatisation
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, further to his answer of 10 February,Official Report, column 336, if he will indicate which shares for each of the concerns privatised since 1979 are currently held by (a) individual shareholders, (b) pension funds, (c) domestic companies, (d) overseas companies and (e) others.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: This information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Overseas Private Investment
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the current level of total overseas private investment; and what was the level in 1979 expressed at current prices.

  Mr. Mellor
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: The estimated level of United Kingdom residents' identified direct investment (at book values) and portfolio investment (at market values), excluding public corporations' direct investment overseas, was £312 billion at the end of 1990. The corresponding figure at the end of 1979 was £44 billion (at end-1979 values) or £74 billion (at end-1990 values). Figures for 1991 are not yet available.

  Public Service Pay
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he has any plans to amend the principle whereby the rates of civil and public servants are a matter of public record.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: There are no plans to change arrangements whereby the Treasury makes publicly available pay scales, maxima and minima for the main civil service grades.

  The pay of individual officers will continue to be confidential to the individual, apart from in the case of a small number of senior staff whose pay is a matter of public interest.

  Policy for other parts of the public sector is a matter for the organisations concerned.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Dentistry
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the dates on which the equipment recommended in the Poswillo report for resuscitation and monitoring of patients in connection with the provision of general anaesthetic in dentistry was installed in each community clinic in the area of the southern health and social services board; and if he will list those community clinics which have not yet received the equipment.

  Mr. Hanley
  The community clinics in the Southern health and social services board area which are equipped to the standards recommended in the Poswillo report arc as follows:
  313
  Clinic

  Thomas Street, Dungannon

  Dobbin Street, Armagh

  St. Luke's Hospital, Armagh

  John Mitchell Place, Newry

  Each of these clinics met the recommended standards prior to 1990. As to the other clinics in the Southern board, equipment for the Banbridge clinic is currently being ordered, and the Brownlow health centre will be equipped to Poswillo standards when it reopens in the summer.

  Cardiac Surgery
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to make provision for a fifth cardiac surgeon at the Royal Victoria hospital, at Belfast.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Eastern health and social services board is responsible for the management of the cardiac surgery unit at the Royal Victoria hospital. A fourth cardiac surgeon, who is a locum, has recently been appointed and will take up post on 1 May 1992 for a period of one year, with a review and possible extension at the end of that period. I am not aware of any plans to make provision for a fifth cardiac surgeon at the Royal Victoria hospital but I can assure the hon. Gentleman that a very high priority will continue to be accorded to the specialty.

  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what plans he has to reduce the waiting lists for cardiac surgery.

  Mr. Hanley
  The Government have provided significant additional capital and revenue funding to enable more cardiac operations to be carried out at the Royal Victoria hospital. An extension to the cardiac recovery unit costing £1·5 million was completed in October 1991, and funds of £300,000 were made available for a fourth cardiac surgeon and supporting team. A locum surgeon has been appointed and will take up post on 1 May 1992. In addition, health and social services boards are purchasing cardiac operations for their resident populations from other parts of the United Kingdom. It is the Government's intention in respect of the cardiac surgery waiting list to honour, at the earliest possible date, the guarantee in the citizens charter that no one should have to wait for more than two years for a cardiac operation.

  Statutory Sick Pay
  Mr. Beggs
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the estimated value of savings in public expenditure and the estimated additional cost to employers in Northern Ireland to date of changes in statutory sick pay regulations since 1990.

  Mr. Hanley
  The estimated value of savings to date is £5 million and the estimated additional cost to employers is correspondingly £5 million.

  Public Appointments
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether the Republic of Ireland is now involved in the matter of public appointments in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The Irish Government may put forward views and proposals on the role and composition 314
  of bodies appointed by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland or by Departments subject to his direction and control, as envisaged by article 6 of the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

  Labour Statistics
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how man Protestants are employed by the establishment in the(a) Newry and Mourne council area and (b) Strabane whose employees are over 90 per cent. Protestant.

  Mr. Needham
  Monitoring returns submitted to the Fair Employment Commission in 1991 show that there are 118 Protestants employed in such concerns in the Newry and Mourne council area. There are no concerns in the Strabane council area whose employees are over 90 per cent. Protestant.

  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many Roman Catholics are employed by the establishments in(a) the Newry and Mourne council area, (b) the Omagh council area and (c) Strabane, whose employees are over 90 per cent. Roman Catholic.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is:

  Number

  Newry and Mourne council area

  1,971

  Omagh council area

  156

  Strabane council area

  319

  The information is derived from the monitoring returns submitted to the Fair Employment Commission in 1991.

  Distilleries (Financial Support)
  Mr. John D. Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what has been the value of financial support given in each of the past five years to(a) Bushmills distillery and (b) Bass Ireland brewery.

  Mr. Needham
  The value of financial support given to the Bushmills distillery and the Bass Ireland brewery in each of the past five years is as follows:

  Year

  Bushmills distillery £

  Bass Ireland £

  1987–88

  96,151·98

  195,885·63

  1988–89

  47,093·55

  9,113·50

  1989–90

  9,678·60

  Nil

  1990–91

  150,160·00

  Nil

  1991–92

  169,176·27

  Nil

  TOTAL

  472,260·40

  204,999·13

  Killough Conservation Area
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what progress has been made in relation to the enhancement strategy for the Killough conservation area.

  Mr. Needham
  A contract has been let to replace the existing concrete bollards and further upgrade the Castle street car park in Killough.

  Roads
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what was the total expenditure for(a) road improvements, (b) road repairs on (i) A category, (ii) B

  DOE (NI)

  Road improvements £ million

  Road repairs £ million

  Roads service division

  Class A and B roads

  Class C and unclassified roads

  Class A and B roads

  Class C and unclassified roads

  1986–87

  Ballymena

  1·33

  0·82

  2·22

  4·23

  Belfast

  4·51

  0·52

  2·27

  6·43

  Coleraine

  2·43

  0·82

  3·41

  5·98

  Craigavon

  2·80

  0·41

  3·03

  5·34

  Downpatrick

  1·72

  1·38

  3·25

  6·02

  Omagh

  1·43

  0·56

  3·96

  5·03

  1987–88

  Ballymena

  1·70

  0·78

  2·48

  3·98

  Belfast

  4·07

  0·65

  2·21

  7·10

  Coleraine

  2·79

  0·37

  2·16

  3·90

  Craigavon

  2·63

  0·40

  2·66

  5·58

  Downpatrick

  2·04

  1·02

  3·50

  5·88

  Omagh

  1·45

  0·80

  3·21

  5·74

  1988–89

  Ballymena

  3·81

  0·41

  2·49

  4·03

  Belfast

  2·74

  0·73

  2·42

  7·41

  Coleraine

  1·73

  0·48

  3·04

  3·78

  Craigavon

  2·47

  0·51

  3·70

  5·20

  Downpatrick

  3·63

  1·34

  3·84

  5·82

  Omagh

  1·22

  0·86

  4·41

  5·71

  1989–90

  Ballymena

  2·84

  0·46

  3·81

  3·72

  Belfast

  7·52

  0·83

  3·78

  7·60

  Coleraine

  2·03

  0·75

  3·60

  4·03

  Craigavon

  1·78

  0·91

  4·45

  5·08

  Downpatrick

  2·32

  1·26

  5·19

  5·62

  Omagh

  3·97

  0·77

  5·46

  6·00

  1990–91

  Ballymena

  2·65

  0·36

  4·27

  3·93

  Belfast

  5·99

  0·97

  3·70

  7·79

  Coleraine

  1·70

  0·89

  4·12

  4·23

  Craigavon

  2·37

  0·89

  5·24

  5·45

  Downpatrick

  3·65

  0·75

  6·02

  5·34

  Omagh

  4·56

  0·55

  6·35

  6·30

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total length of(a) A category, (b) B

  Department of the Environment (NI) roads service division

  Class 1 (A category) Kms

  Class 2 (B category) Kms

  Class 3 (C category) Kms

  Unclassified Kms

  Ballymena

  401·4

  446·8

  663·5

  1,764·1

  Belfast

  157·2

  122·0

  114·4

  1,287·4

  Coleraine

  374·9

  522·1

  550·3

  1,832·8

  Craigavon

  445·5

  564·7

  1,030·3

  3,034·5

  Downpatrick

  419·3

  330·7

  597·8

  1,822·5

  Omagh

  525·0

  888·6

  1,762·0

  4,507·7

  Rural Development
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total projected expenditure on(a) rural development division of the Department of Agriculture, (b) Rural Development Council for Northern Ireland, (c) interdepartmental committee on rural development and (d) other rural development initiatives in the financial years 1990–91, 1991–92, 1992–93, 1993–94 and 1994–95.
  316
  category, (iii) C category and (iv) unclassified roadways in each section of the Department of the Environment (NI) roads service in each of the last five years.

  Mr. Needham
  The information available is as follows:

  category, (c) C category and (d) unclassified roadways in each section of the Department of the Environment (NI) roads service.

  Mr. Needham
  The information is as follows:

  Mr. Hanley
  Projected expenditure on the Government's rural development initiative is as follows:

  Rural Development Division of the Department of Agriculture
  The DANI Rural Development Division has been established progressively since February 1991. Running costs for the year to 31 March 1992 are estimated at £145,000. Projected running costs for 1992–93 are £263,000. Subject to pay and prices increases the running costs for subsequent years are projected at a similar level.
  317
  Northern Ireland Rural Development Council
  The Northern Ireland rural development council was established on 31 July 1991. Expenditure by the council in 1991–92 is estimated at £396,000, including both running costs and assistance to community-based rural development groups. Financial allocations to the rural development council for 1992–93 and subsequent years have not yet been finalised pending the outcome of the council's deliberations on its strategic plan and budgetary requirements.

  Inter-Departmental Committee on Rural Development
  The costs of the committee have been absorbed within existing provision.

  Other Rural Development Initiatives

  1990–91—£234,000, financed in part by the EC, was incurred on rural development pilot projects.

  1991–92—Expenditure on rural development projects is estimated at £248,000, financed in part by the EC.

  Allocations for 1992–93 and subsequent years have not yet been finalised and will depend on, among other things, the outcome of the rural development council's strategy and budget discussions as well as the pattern of expenditure on the NI LEADER programme—for which £4 million is available from EC and national resources —and on any rural development projects under the community development measure of the EC INTERREG initiative.

  Housing Executive (Replacement Grant)
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will give full details of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive's replacement grant scheme.

  Mr. Needham
  I have been informed by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which is responsible for the administration of the house renovation grants scheme, that details of the scheme are as follows.

  Replacement grants are available in respect of those dwellings where on technical and cost grounds, replacement is a more effective solution than improvement. The executive will decide through technical surveys of the dwelling and through value for money assessment —economic assessment—which dwellings will be suitable for a replacement option. In general, dwellings which are suitable subjects for improvement at reasonable costs will not be considered for replacement.

  Replacement will predominantly be aimed at rural properties which are considered necessary and viable to meet the housing requirements of the rural population. Such dwellings are likely to be occupied or have recently been occupied. Where vacant, the executive will have to be satisfied that replacement will be specifically required to meet the current housing needs of the applicants or members of his or her household as sole residence for the foreseeable future. Alternatively, such dwellings will be required to be available for letting.

  All new dwellings provided under this scheme will be required to meet standards set down by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive and the normal statutory approvals—planning, building control, etc.—will be required.

  The replacement grant will initially operate within the terms of the existing improvement grants legislation, and grant will be limited to the maximum grants applicable to the current improvement grants scheme.

  The details are as follows:

  1. £9,450 at the 75 per cent. grants level.

  318

  2. £11,340 at the 90 per cent. (financial hardship) grants level.

  In cases where the higher eligible expense level applies for the first time, service provision in excess of £1,500 the maximum grant levels will be increased as follows:

  1. £12,450 (75 per cent.)

  2. £14,940 (90 per cent.)

  To qualify as being in financial hardship, applicants must be receiving housing benefit or rate rebate, income support or family credit continually for at least six months before making a formal application for grant or before the executive gives formal grant approval.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland when decisions will be issued in respect of applications for replacement grants submitted in the past six months.

  Mr. Needham
  I have been informed by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which is responsible for the administration of the house renovation grants scheme, that no formal applications for replacement grants have been submitted in the past six months. I am also informed that to date the executive has only received preliminary inquiries and that decisions on these will be issued in individual cases where replacement is determined to be the appropriate course of action. Formal applications supported by the required documentation will then have to be submitted for processing and approval.

  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland (1) how many applications for replacement grants have been received by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive; and in how many cases a decision has been issued;

  (2) how many replacement grants have been awarded by the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

  Mr. Needham
  I have been informed by the chairman of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, which is responsible for the administration of the house renovation grants scheme, that no completed formal applications have yet been received and as a result no replacement grants have yet been awarded.

  Water Charges
  Mr. Mallon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many requests for a reduction in water charges were received by the Department of the Environment (Northern Ireland) in each year since 1985, in each water board area; and in how many cases reductions were agreed.

  Mr. Needham
  Information on the number of requests for a reduction in water charges is not readily available and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  The numbers of reductions granted are as follows:

  Financial Year

  Division

  North

  South

  East

  West

  Total

  1985–86

  117

  210

  85

  225

  637

  1986–87

  267

  262

  132

  232

  893

  1987–88

  254

  227

  116

  199

  796

  1988–89

  214

  177

  133

  150

  674

  1989–90

  199

  227

  126

  172

  724

  1990–91

  115

  122

  112

  126

  475

  11991–92

  196

  246

  112

  180

  734

  TOTAL

  1,362

  1,471

  816

  1,284

  4,933

  319

  1 To 31 January 1992.

  Police Traffic Operations
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many(a) police traffic officers and (b) civilians working in police traffic departments there were in each year since 1981.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 February 1992]: The information requested is as follows:

  Year

  Police Officers

  Civilians

  1981

  346

  23

  1982

  351

  23

  1983

  365

  23

  1984

  353

  25

  1985

  395

  27

  1986

  363

  33

  1987

  361

  33

  1988

  316

  31

  Reckless driving

  Failing to stop at pelican and zebra crossing

  Speeding

  Breach of traffic sign

  Drink, driving offences

  1981

  Proceeded against

  409

  —

  4,883

  532

  3,165

  Convicted

  377

  —

  4,840

  517

  3,108

  1982

  Proceeded against

  411

  —

  3,841

  528

  3,071

  Convicted

  363

  —

  3,834

  512

  2,997

  1983

  Proceeded against

  423

  —

  3,461

  686

  3,315

  Convicted

  386

  —

  3,437

  664

  3,228

  1984

  Proceeded against

  454

  —

  5,039

  749

  2,971

  Convicted

  418

  —

  5,005

  659

  2,913

  1985

  Proceeded against

  500

  —

  5,287

  873

  3,143

  Convicted

  468

  —

  5,234

  840

  3,083

  1986

  Proceeded against

  386

  nil

  4,726

  741

  3,042

  Convicted

  354

  nil

  4,673

  722

  2,985

  1987

  Proceeded against

  478

  1

  7,296

  780

  3,060

  Convicted

  456

  1

  7,229

  758

  2,989

  1988

  Proceeded against

  431

  5

  8,304

  830

  2,818

  Convicted

  392

  5

  8,199

  801

  2,750

  1989

  Proceeded against

  469

  3

  7,344

  722

  2,499

  Convicted

  420

  3

  7,268

  688

  2,432

  1990

  Proceeded against

  542

  8

  7,414

  799

  2,796

  Convicted

  480

  8

  7,312

  752

  2,705

  Notes:

  1. Prior to 1986, offences relating to pelican and zebra crossings are included in the figures for breach of traffic signs.

  2. Offences relating to bus lanes and traffic lights are included in the figures for breach of traffic signs.

  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many motorists have been(a) charged with and (b) convicted of assault against (i) pedestrians, (ii) cyclists and (iii) other motorists, in each year since 1981.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 February 19921: The information requested is not available from existing records.
  320

  Year

  Police Officers

  Civilians

  1989

  301

  31

  1990

  320

  30

  1991

  319

  30

  Traffic Offences
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many motorists have been(a) charged with and (b) convicted of (i) reckless driving, (ii) illegal use of bus lanes, (iii) failure to accord precedence at zebra and pedestrain crossings, (iv) speeding, (v) failure to stop at a red or amber traffic light and (vi) drunken driving, in each year since 1981.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 February 1991]: The available information is set out in the table:

  Traffic Statistics
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cyclists have been(a) injured and (b) killed in road traffic accidents in each year since 1981.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 February 1992]: The available information is as follows:
  321

  Year

  Cyclists injured

  Cyclists killed

  1981

  299

  7

  1982

  368

  9

  1983

  432

  154

  1984

  480

  13

  1985

  365

  10

  1986

  318

  10

  1987

  374

  12

  1988

  397

  4

  1989

  366

  9

  1990

  388

  11

  Year

  Total killed

  Pedestrian adults killed on or near pedestrian crossings

  Pedestrian children killed on or near pedestrian crossings

  Total injured

  Pedestrian adults injured on or near pedestrian crossings

  pedestrian children injured on or near pedestrian crossings

  1981

  223

  —

  —

  7,557

  —

  —

  1982

  216

  —

  —

  7,923

  —

  —

  1983

  173

  —

  —

  7,540

  —

  —

  1984

  189

  —

  —

  8,561

  —

  —

  1985

  177

  —

  —

  8,460

  —

  —

  1986

  236

  10

  2

  9,206

  155

  90

  1987

  214

  10

  0

  9,722

  129

  89

  1988

  178

  8

  2

  10,789

  176

  90

  1989

  181

  4

  1

  11,430

  150

  85

  1990

  185

  2

  1

  11,576

  147

  89

  Note: Prior to 1986 the numbers of pedestrian adults and children injured or killed on or near pedestrian crossings arc not separately identifiable.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Mr. Abdul Rauf
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Attorney-General whom the appellate authorities notified when an appeal by Mr. Abdul Rauf, TH/19383/89, against refusal to grant a visa to visit the United Kingdom was upheld; when the notification was sent; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The immigration appellate authorities (IAA) notified the United Kingdom Immigrants Advisory Service at Leeds and the Home Office on 26 September 1990 of the adjudicator's decision to allow Mr. Abdul Rauf's appeal.

  The IAA's records indicate that the correct procedures were used to notify the parties of the outcome of this appeal.

  Mortgage Repossessions
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the numbers of mortgage repossession actions entered and orders made in the Coventry and Warwickshire area by county court division in each year since 1987.

  The Attorney-General
  The table gives the total number of mortgage possession actions entered and orders made in the Coventry county court and each of the three county courts in Warwickshire for each year since 1987. These figures do not indicate how many houses have been repossessed through the courts as not all of the orders made will have resulted in the issue and execution of warrants of possession. At this stage the 1991 figures are provisional and therefore liable to revision in the future.
  322
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list the annual figures for (i) road deaths and (ii) injuries for each year since 1981, including the number of(a) children and (b) adults who have been hit by cars on or near pedestrian crossings.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 14 February 1992]: The available information is set out in the table:

  Mortgage possession actions

  Court

  Year

  Actions entered

  Orders made

  Coventry

  1987

  560

  385

  1988

  454

  536

  1989

  668

  500

  1990

  1,213

  930

  1991

  1241

  1,328

  Warwick

  1987

  178

  70

  1988

  172

  129

  1989

  228

  126

  1990

  310

  217

  1991

  332

  321

  Stratford-upon-Avon

  1987

  67

  41

  1988

  43

  30

  1989

  75

  47

  1990

  122

  68

  1991

  206

  143

  Nuneaton

  1987

  484

  353

  1988

  343

  220

  1989

  560

  327

  1990

  848

  708

  1991

  998

  772

  Admission Appeals
  Mr. Simon Hughes
  To ask the Attorney-General how many applications against refusal of admission made in Dhaka are awaiting determination by the Immigration Appeal Tribunal in the United Kingdom.

  The Attorney-General
  The information requested is not readily available because the Immigration Appeal Tribunal does not record the statistics sought by the hon. Member. In October 1991 there were 14 applications against refusal of admission made in Bangladesh awaiting determination by the appeal tribunal in the United Kingdom.

  Executive Agencies
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the quality of service performance indicators adopted by each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies since their establishment and separately identify those quality of service performance indicators already operative prior to agency status.

  The Attorney-General
  The quality of service indicators operating in the Land Registry, the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none), are:

  (a) speed of processing applications;

  (b) accuracy of the work produced;

  (c) number of complaints received.

  Prior to becoming an agency, standards of service existed for the first two aspects but not in respect of the number of complaints received.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the new forms of alternative working patterns introduced into each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies since their establishment and provide a break-down by grade of the numbers of staff taking up each new working pattern for each agency.

  The Attorney-General
  The Land Registry, as the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none) provides a wide range of alternative working patterns which were all introduced before it became an executive agency.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General how much was spent on events and publicity surrounding the launch of each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies; and whether the cost was borne by the parent department or the new agency.

  The Attorney-General
  The cost of events and publicity surrounding the launch of the Land Registry as an executive agency (the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department—the Law Officers' Departments have none) in July 1990 was £23,063. This included "open" days which enabled members of the public and others who use the registry's services to visit and see the work of the agency. The whole cost was met by the Land Registry.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General how many staff were in post on the date that each of the executive agencies in the Lord Chancellor's and Law Officers' Departments were established; and how many are in post now, in each case.

  The Attorney-General
  The Land Registry, as the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none), became an executive agency on 2 July 1990, at which time there were 10,698 staff employed. The equivalent figure at 1 February 1992 was 9,637 staff.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General what is the maximum salary payable to the chief executive of each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies, including performance-related element, and the length of time of the chief executive's contract in each case.

  The Attorney-General
  The current maximum salary payable to the chief executive of the Land Registry, the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's324
  Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none), including a performance-related element, is £66,100. The contract is for 3¼ years—1 January 1991 to 31 March 1994. It is renewable.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list those new facilities for staff including nurseries and health care schemes which have been introduced in each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies since their establishment.

  The Attorney-General
  Since becoming an executive agency in July 1990, the Land Registry, as the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none), has established or provided places in eight local holiday play schemes and two local nurseries. This is in addition to six pre-existing holiday play schemes. Six new ventures are currently being evaluated.

  Both before and after becoming an agency, the registry has pursued a range of health care measures, such as workplace policies on smoking, cervical cancer screening, and alcohol-related problems; giving publicity to national health campaigns; promoting healthy eating in staff restaurants; and providing awareness counselling and support through a readily accessible welfare service.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General what was the first degree obtained by the chief executive of each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies; and from which university or polytechnic it was awarded.

  The Attorney-General
  The chief executive of the Land Registry, the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none) has not pursued a course of study which would lead to a university or polytechnic degree.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies that operates a group bonus scheme and state the cash amount per person awarded in the last year for which figures were available and the conditions attached to its award.

  The Attorney-General
  The Land Registry, as the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none), does not operate a group bonus scheme.

  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General if he will list the post, grade and maximum salary payable, including performance-related elements, in each case where appointments have been made to his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies at grade 7 or above, since their establishment.

  The Attorney-General
  The following appointments at grade 7 level and above have been made to the Land Registry since becoming an executive agency in July 1990 (the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department—the Law Officers' Departments have none):

  Post

  Grade

  Number

  Maximum pay £

  Chief Land Registrar (Chief Executive)

  2

  1

  66,100

  Solicitor to Land Registry

  3

  1

  57,000

  Director of Finance

  5

  1

  47,921

  325

  Post

  Grade

  Number

  Maximum Pay £

  Land Registrars

  5

  1

  53,740

  Deputy Establishment Officer

  6

  1

  42,724

  Controller of Operational Development

  6

  1

  42,724

  Head of Development Computer Services

  6

  1

  41,120

  Area Managers

  6

  4

  41,120

  Senior Assistant Land Registrars

  6

  4

  46,122

  Office Manager York

  7

  1

  33,175

  Head of Personnel Division 1

  7

  1

  34,667

  Head of Internal Audit

  7

  1

  34,667

  Principal, Legal Practice

  7

  1

  34,667

  Management Accountant

  7

  1

  34,667

  Finance Officer

  7

  1

  34,667

  Deputy Area Managers

  7

  7

  33,175

  Computer Services Divisional Managers

  7

  2

  33,175

  Assistant Land Registrars

  7

  19

  37,755

  Most of the appointments have been occasioned by retirements and the effect of two restructuring exercises, one based on a Treasury staff inspection report and the other on a review by management consultants.
  326
  Mr. McAllion
  To ask the Attorney-General when the last annual report for each of his and the Lord Chancellor's Departments executive agencies were published; and when the next ones are due.

  The Attorney-General
  The annual report for 1990–91 of the Land Registry, the only executive agency of the Lord Chancellor's Department (the Law Officers' Departments have none) was published in October 1991. The report for 1991–92 is expected to be available in August of this year.

  Legal Aid
  Mr. Ken Hargreaves
  To ask the Attorney-General whether he has any plans to amend the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulation 1989 to enable charitable or voluntary organisations which are subject to the special limitations imposed by rule 3 of the solicitors' practice rules to obtain payments on account from the Legal Aid Board; and if he will make a statement.

  The Attorney-General
  The Lord Chancellor has no proposals to amend the Legal Aid Regulations with regard to payments to charitable or voluntary organisations. Any solicitor acting for an assisted person under a legal aid certificate is entitled to apply for payments on account in accordance with the Civil Legal Aid (General) Regulations 1989.

HEALTH

  Hospital and Community Health Services
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will give for the northern region and its constituent areas and districts, for each year from 1978–79 onwards, current expenditure on the hospital and community health services(a) in cash terms and (b) adjusted for NHS pay and prices.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Tables I and II show the information requested for the northern region.

  Both tables show expenditure in cash and in input volume terms. Changes in input volumes are, however, an inadequate guide to the level of service the NHS can be expected to achieve, since they do not reflect the continuing success of the NHS in increasing the efficiency with which it uses its resources. The third column of each table therefore shows the relevant expenditure figures in real terms, ie adjusted by the GDP deflator.

  Table 1

  Northern region—revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services (HCHS)

  1978–79

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  9,583

  29,371

  24,295

  Cleveland

  46,448

  142,362

  117,759

  Cumbria

  36,569

  112,085

  92,714

  Durham

  46,474

  142,443

  117,826

  Northumberland

  26,511

  81,256

  67,213

  Gateshead

  13,457

  41,246

  34,118

  Newcastle on Tyne

  53,699

  164,586

  136,142

  North Tyneside

  9,029

  27,674

  22,891

  South Tyneside

  9,434

  28,917

  23,919

  Sunderland

  26,202

  80,310

  66,431

  Northern Region Total

  277,406

  850,250

  703,308

  1979–80

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Northern RHA

  12,363

  31,452

  26,864

  Cleveland

  57,350

  145,899

  124,616

  Cumbria

  43,755

  111,312

  95,075

  Durham

  56,071

  142,645

  121,837

  Northumberland

  31,819

  80,949

  69,140

  Gateshead

  16,436

  41,812

  35,713

  Newcastle on Tyne

  66,041

  168,008

  143,500

  North Tyneside

  10,965

  27,895

  23,826

  South Tyneside

  11,307

  28,766

  24,570

  Sunderland

  31,889

  81,125

  69,291

  Northern Region Total

  337,996

  859,863

  734,433

  1980–81

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  15,519

  30,835

  28,497

  Cleveland

  74,296

  147,627

  136,430

  Cumbria

  57,163

  113,582

  104,968

  Durham

  73,147

  145,343

  134,320

  Northumberland

  41,055

  81,576

  75,389

  Gateshead

  21,173

  42,072

  38,881

  328

  1980–81

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  84,200

  167,305

  154,616

  North Tyneside

  14,209

  28,234

  26,093

  South Tyneside

  14,814

  29,435

  27,202

  Sunderland

  41,449

  82,359

  76,113

  Northern Region Total

  437,025

  868,368

  802,508

  1981–82

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  17,042

  31,307

  28,537

  Cleveland

  81,897

  150,446

  137,137

  Cumbria

  62,835

  115,429

  105,218

  Durham

  80,908

  148,627

  135,480

  Northumberland

  45,503

  83,588

  76,194

  Gateshead

  23,263

  42,735

  38,954

  Newcastle upon Tyne

  94,708

  173,978

  158,588

  North Tyneside

  15,748

  28,929

  26,370

  South Tyneside

  16,293

  29,930

  27,282

  Sunderland

  44,473

  81,696

  74,469

  Northern Region Total

  482,670

  886,665

  808,231

  Table

  II Northern Region—revenue expenditure on hospital and community health services (HCHS)

  1982–83

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  18,694

  32,247

  29,222

  Hartlepool

  14,038

  24,216

  21,945

  North Tees

  22,658

  39,085

  35,419

  South Tees

  53,150

  91,684

  83,084

  East Cumbria

  29,143

  50,272

  45,557

  South Cumbria

  19,301

  33,295

  30,172

  West Cumbria

  19,048

  32,858

  29,776

  Darlington

  22,746

  39,237

  35,557

  Durham

  26,540

  45,782

  41,488

  North West Durham

  13,552

  23,378

  21,185

  South West Durham

  24,001

  41,401

  37,518

  Northumberland

  48,677

  83,968

  76,092

  Gateshead

  24,973

  43,078

  39,038

  Newcastle

  101,394

  174,905

  158,499

  North Tyneside

  16,984

  29,298

  26,550

  South Tyneside

  17,999

  31,049

  28,136

  Sunderland

  47,938

  82,694

  74,937

  Northern Region Total

  520,838

  898,446

  814,174

  1983–84

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Northern RHA

  19,861

  32,591

  29,672

  Hartlepool

  14,679

  24,089

  21,931

  North Tees

  24,310

  39,893

  36,319

  South Tees

  55,879

  91,698

  83,483

  East Cumbria

  30,842

  50,611

  46,077

  South Cumbria

  20,703

  33,974

  30,930

  West Cumbria

  20,544

  33,713

  30,693

  Darlington

  24,038

  39,446

  35,913

  Durham

  27,338

  44,861

  40,843

  North West Durham

  14,180

  23,269

  21,185

  South West Durham

  25,938

  42,565

  38,752

  329

  1983–84

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northumberland

  51,771

  84,956

  77,345

  Gateshead

  26,495

  43,478

  39,584

  Newcastle

  108,216

  177,583

  161,675

  North Tyneside

  18,708

  30,700

  27,950

  South Tyneside

  19,061

  31,279

  28,477

  Sunderland

  51,432

  84,400

  76,840

  Northern Region Total

  553,996

  909,107

  827,670

  1984–85

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  20,834

  32,313

  29,644

  Hartlepool

  15,679

  24,318

  22,309

  North Tees

  25,451

  39,474

  36,214

  South Tees

  58,141

  90,177

  82,729

  East Cumbria

  32,460

  50,346

  46,188

  South Cumbria

  22,894

  35,509

  32,576

  West Cumbria

  21,682

  33,629

  30,852

  Darlington

  25,625

  39,745

  36,462

  Durham

  28,834

  44,721

  41,028

  North West Durham

  15,018

  23,293

  21,369

  South West Durham

  27,584

  42,783

  39,249

  Northumberland

  55,168

  85,566

  78,499

  Gateshead

  28,308

  43,906

  40,280

  Newcastle

  114,164

  177,068

  162,444

  North Tyneside

  20,961

  32,511

  29,826

  South Tyneside

  20,048

  31,095

  28,527

  Sunderland

  54,000

  83,755

  76,837

  Northern Region Total

  586,852

  910,207

  835,031

  1985–86

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  22,432

  33,064

  30,249

  Hartlepool

  16,980

  25,029

  22,898

  North Tees

  26,751

  39,430

  36,073

  South Tees

  60,693

  89,461

  81,844

  East Cumbria

  34,282

  50,532

  46,229

  South Cumbria

  24,433

  36,015

  32,948

  West Cumbria

  22,998

  33,899

  31,013

  Darlington

  26,771

  39,460

  36,101

  Durham

  29,999

  44,218

  40,453

  North West Durham

  15,713

  23,161

  21,189

  South West Durham

  29,209

  43,054

  39,388

  Northumberland

  57,893

  85,334

  78,068

  Gateshead

  29,795

  43,918

  40,179

  Newcastle

  121,728

  179,427

  164,150

  North Tyneside

  21,950

  32,354

  29,600

  South Tyneside

  20,879

  30,776

  28,155

  Sunderland

  57,580

  84,873

  77,647

  Northern Region Total

  620,085

  914,005

  836,184

  1986–87

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Northern RHA

  22,735

  31,352

  29,681

  Hartlepool

  18,391

  25,361

  24,009

  North Tees

  28,890

  39,840

  37,716

  South Tees

  65,963

  90,963

  86,115

  East Cumbria

  37,270

  51,396

  48,656

  South Cumbria

  26,348

  36,334

  34,397

  330

  1986–87

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  West Cumbria

  24,492

  33,775

  31,975

  Darlington

  28,983

  39,968

  37,838

  Durham

  32,344

  44,602

  42,225

  North West Durham

  16,776

  23,134

  21,901

  South West Durham

  31,230

  43,066

  40,770

  Northumberland

  61,546

  84,872

  80,348

  Gateshead

  32,434

  44,727

  42,343

  Newcastle

  129,754

  178,931

  169,394

  North Tyneside

  23,792

  32,809

  31,060

  South Tyneside

  22,519

  31,054

  29,399

  Sunderland

  61,197

  84,391

  79,893

  Northern Region Total

  664,666

  916,574

  867,721

  1987–88

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  £000

  £000

  £000

  Northern RHA

  20,978

  26,663

  25,973

  Hartlepool

  20,888

  26,549

  25,862

  North Tees

  31,895

  40,538

  39,489

  South Tees

  73,203

  93,040

  90,632

  East Cumbria

  40,719

  51,754

  50,414

  South Cumbria

  29,120

  37,011

  36,053

  West Cumbria

  26,753

  34,004

  33,123

  Darlington

  31,4 18

  39,932

  38,899

  Durham

  35,005

  44,491

  43,340

  North West Durham

  18,585

  23,621

  23,010

  South West Durham

  34,224

  43,499

  42,373

  Northumberland

  66,239

  84,190

  82,011

  Gateshead

  34,789

  44,216

  43,072

  Newcastle

  145,364

  184,758

  179,976

  North Tyneside

  25,922

  32,947

  32,094

  South Tyneside

  25,147

  31,962

  31,135

  Sunderland

  66,176

  84,109

  81,932

  Northern Region Total

  726,424

  923,285

  899,386

  1988–89

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  22,455

  25,823

  25,940

  Hartlepool

  23,529

  27,059

  27,181

  North Tees

  34,304

  39,450

  39,628

  South Tees

  81,915

  94,202

  94,628

  East Cumbria

  45,167

  51,942

  52,177

  South Cumbria

  31,978

  36,774

  36,941

  West Cumbria

  29,434

  33,849

  34,003

  Darlington

  34,595

  39,785

  39,964

  Durham

  37,827

  43,501

  43,698

  North West Durham

  20,946

  24,088

  24,197

  South West Durham

  38,069

  43,780

  43,978

  Northumberland

  73,107

  84,072

  84,453

  Gateshead

  37,737

  43,398

  43,594

  Newcastle

  160,885

  185,018

  185,855

  North Tyneside

  29,409

  33,820

  33,973

  South Tyneside

  27,745

  31,907

  32,051

  Sunderland

  73,559

  84,593

  84,976

  Northern Region Total

  802,662

  923,061

  927,235

  331

  1989–90

  cash £000

  input volume terms £000

  real terms £000

  Northern RHA

  25,813

  27,724

  28,002

  Hartlepool

  26,858

  28,846

  29,136

  North Tees

  37,472

  40,245

  40,649

  South Tees

  86,059

  92,428

  93,357

  East Cumbria

  47,772

  51,307

  51,823

  South Cumbria

  35,090

  37,687

  38,066

  West Cumbria

  31,506

  33,838

  34,178

  Darlington

  37,285

  40,045

  40,447

  Durham

  37,981

  40,791

  41,201

  North West Durham

  22,496

  24,161

  24,404

  South West Durham

  40,337

  43,322

  43,758

  Northumberland

  77,989

  83,760

  84,602

  Gateshead

  40,496

  43,492

  43,930

  Newcastle

  173,702

  186,556

  188,432

  North Tyneside

  31,906

  34,267

  34,611

  South Tyneside

  30,098

  32,325

  32,650

  Sunderland

  79,543

  85,429

  86,288

  Northern Region Total

  862,403

  926,221

  935,535

  1990–91

  Cash £000

  Northern regional health authority

  27,479

  Hartlepool

  28,589

  North Tees

  39,248

  South Tees

  93,727

  East Cumbria

  52,050

  South Cumbria

  38,647

  West Cumbria

  33,314

  Darlington

  39,145

  Durham

  40,698

  North West Durham

  23,812

  South West Durham

  43,169

  Northumberland

  82,563

  Gateshead

  44,040

  Newcastle

  190,898

  North Tyneside

  34,800

  South Tyneside

  33,384

  Sunderland

  85,835

  NORTHERN REGION TOTAL

  931,400

  Notes to the tables:

  1. Expenditure on the HCHS covers services directly managed and/or accounted for by the health authorities (at the relevant time) including hospital, community health, patient transport (i.e. ambulance), blood transfusion and other services.

  2. The figures are derived from the annual accounts of the regional health authority (RHA) and the area health authorities (district health authorities from 1 April 1982) comprising the Northern region. 1990–91 figures are as yet subject to audit.

  3. The volume input terms column of each table shows the cash figures for the relevant year expressed at 1990–91 prices after adjustment by the HCHS pay and prices index.

  4. The real terms column of each table shows the cash figures for the relevant year expressed in 1990–91 prices after adjustment by the GDP deflator.

  District Nurses
  Mr. Kennedy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of whole-time equivalent district nurses employed by each regional health authority in England in 1976, 1981, 1986 and 1991; and if he will list the number of people aged(a) 65 to 74 years, (b) 75 to 84 years and (c) 85 years and above in each of those regional health authorities in each of those years.
  332
  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  The information requested is shown in the tables. Information has been provided for 1990, the latest available year.

  National health service district nurses as at 30 September each year England by regional health authorities1 2

  Whole-time equivalent3

  Region

  41976

  41981

  1986

  1990

  Northern RHA

  930

  1,040

  1,160

  1,160

  Yorkshire RHA

  900

  1,100

  1,110

  1,170

  Trent RHA

  1,230

  1,390

  1,520

  1,610

  East Anglia RHA

  430

  550

  590

  560

  North West Thames RHA

  840

  900

  990

  1,080

  North East Thames RHA

  850

  990

  1,010

  1,180

  South East Thames RHA

  1,020

  1,240

  1,240

  1,210

  South West Thames RHA

  870

  970

  970

  970

  Wessex RHA

  630

  800

  910

  900

  Oxford RHA

  600

  740

  690

  700

  South Western RHA

  740

  930

  970

  1,050

  West Midlands RHA

  1,270

  1,600

  1,570

  1,610

  Mersey RHA

  650

  760

  800

  830

  North Western RHA

  1,300

  1,530

  1,640

  1,730

  London Post Graduate Special Health Authorities

  —

  —

  20

  —

  England Total

  12,270

  14,520

  15,190

  15,740

  Source: Department of Health (SM13) Annual Census of NHS Non-Medical Manpower.

  Notes:

  1 Excludes senior nurses grade 1 to 8 and district nurse students. Includes district nurses, district nurse practical work teachers, registered and enrolled nurses assisting district nurses, dual posts (DN/MID) and bank district nurses.

  2 District nurses are defined by occupation code, not by payscale, and the former is known to be less accurate than the latter. Apparent changes in the figures can be due to changes in coding accuracy by health authorities rather than actual changes in numbers of district nurses.

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

  4 Not adjusted for the reduction in nurses working hours during 1980–81. (From 40 to 37·5 per week).

  Estimated resident population at mid 1976 by specific age groups

  Regions

  Ages 65 to 74

  Ages 75 to 84

  Ages 85 +

  Northern

  280,900

  124,600

  26,500

  Yorkshire

  335,500

  153,900

  35,000

  Trent

  403,800

  180,200

  39,400

  East Anglia

  174,000

  82,000

  19,200

  North West Thames

  290,200

  130,100

  32,200

  North East Thames

  345,900

  161,000

  39,400

  South East Thames

  369,400

  183,600

  46,200

  South West Thames

  287,700

  142,700

  35,000

  Wessex

  263,400

  127,200

  30,800

  Oxford

  169,300

  77,600

  19,800

  South Western

  317,400

  152,400

  36,500

  West Midlands

  426,300

  183,000

  39,800

  Mersey

  214,800

  95,900

  22,400

  North Western

  395,100

  177,500

  36,900

  England Total of above

  4,273,700

  1,971,700

  459,100

  Estimated resident population at mid 1981 by specific age groups

  Regions

  Ages 65–74

  Ages 75–84

  Ages 85

  Northern

  280,600

  141,400

  28,700

  Yorkshire

  336,200

  175,900

  38,300

  Trent

  417,500

  208,200

  44,400

  East Anglia

  186,400

  95,800

  22,300

  North West Thames

  295,800

  148,500

  35,100

  North East Thames

  343,900

  177,900

  41,400

  South East Thames

  365,700

  201,700

  50,000

  South West Thames

  290,600

  160,600

  41,200

  Wessex

  277,100

  148,900

  35,900

  333

  Regions

  Ages 65–74

  Ages 75–84

  Ages 85+

  Oxford

  179,600

  91,300

  22,100

  South Western

  324,900

  175,800

  41,800

  West Midlands

  444,700

  215,000

  44,400

  Mersey

  218,000

  109,100

  24,200

  North Western

  385,900

  199,400

  41,500

  England Total of above

  4,346,900

  2,249,500

  511,300

  Estimated resident population at mid 1986 by specific age groups

  Regions

  Ages 65–74

  Ages 75–84

  Ages 85+

  Northern

  275,850

  153,972

  34,078

  Yorkshire

  318,712

  190,983

  45,814

  Trent

  409,487

  234,720

  52,845

  East Anglia

  184,677

  111,166

  26,778

  North West Thames

  280,787

  167,878

  41,446

  North East Thames

  324,917

  196,496

  49,125

  South East Thames

  345,563

  219,139

  57,300

  South West Thames

  271,871

  176,387

  47,134

  Wessex

  272,400

  169,716

  43,431

  Oxford

  183,335

  105,317

  25,674

  South Western

  316,377

  197,864

  50,795

  West Midlands

  443,004

  244,492

  52,874

  Mersey

  208,230

  120,169

  28,093

  North Western

  355,377

  212,740

  47,896

  England Total of above

  4,190,587

  2,501,039

  603,283

  Estimated resident population at mid 1990 by specific age groups

  Regions

  Ages 65–74

  Ages 75–84

  Ages 85+

  Northern

  277,958

  161,846

  42,403

  Yorkshire

  318,247

  197,925

  56,402

  Trent

  413,706

  250,066

  66,169

  East Anglia

  192,253

  120,299

  33,157

  North West Thames

  274,194

  175,423

  51,287

  North East Thames

  315,389

  203,596

  60,283

  South East Thames

  337,186

  224,073

  67,441

  South West Thames

  265,750

  181,378

  55,349

  Wessex

  276,733

  180,540

  52,715

  Oxford

  193,123

  115,630

  30,965

  South Western

  319,189

  209,108

  62,499

  West Midlands

  450,453

  263,646

  67,158

  Mersey

  207,747

  125,358

  34,691

  North Western

  345,647

  215,792

  59,017

  England Total of above

  4,187,575

  2,624,680

  739,536

  Fresh Fruit
  Mr. Couchman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to his answer of 6 February,Official Report, column 275, if he will specify the various considerations that led the 1989 Committee on Medical Aspects of Food panel on dietary sugars and human disease to classify fresh fruit, as eaten by humans, as intrinsic sugars.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The panel found that the physical location of sugars influences their availability for bacterial metabolism in the mouth and the readiness with which they are absorbed after ingestion. For that reason they considered it would be helpful to distinguish between intrinsic and extrinsic sugars. They defined intrinsic sugars as being those which form an integral part of certain unprocessed foodstuffs, and which are enclosed in the cell of the food. The sugars present naturally in fresh fruit and vegetables (mainly fructose, glucose and sucrose) fall within that definition.

  Tobacco Advertising
  Sir Russell Johnston
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what position he will adopt concerning the proposed ban on tobacco advertising throughout the European Community when it comes before the Council of Ministers in May; in reaching his decision, what weight he will attach to the opinion of the European Parliament; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  We have noted the opinion of the European Parliament. When the proposal comes to the Health Council, the Government will maintain their position that the proposed directive is unnecessary for the completion of the single market.

  Waiting Lists
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department collects individual case histories of patients who have been waiting for over two years.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  No.

  Child Care
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he intends to apply the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations 1991 to the local authority sector.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  We have no intention of doing so. Although the Disqualification for Caring for Children Regulations do not apply to the local authority sector, volume 8 of the Children Act regulations and guidance series advises that local authorities should have regard to the regulations when considering the appointment of staff to any children's services run by the local authority, and when assessing people's suitability to work as childminders or foster parents employed by a local authority.

  In addition, volumes 2—"Family Support, Day Care and Educational Provision for Young Children", 3—"Family Placements" and 4—"Residential Care" in the Children Act series contain clear guidance on the requirement for local authorities to undertake a thorough assessment of the suitability of people who wish to work with children in any service run by the local authority. Compliance will ensure that equivalent measures exist for safeguarding the welfare of children cared for in the local authority sector as those in the private and voluntary sectors.

  General Whitley Council
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement about his decision to revoke the appeals procedure for national health service employees, General Whitley Council, section 32.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave the hon. Member for Roxburgh and Berwickshire (Mr. Kirkwood) on 19 February at columns 206–7.

  National Health Service Expenditure
  Mr. Robin Cook
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish table 3 of Cm 1913 adjusted for input unit costs.
  335
  Mr. Dorrell
  [pursuant to his reply, 18 February 1992 112–14.]: I regret that there was an error in the table. The last two columns of the table were incorrectly calculated. A revised table is as follows.

  Expenditure figures as they appear in table 3 of Cm 1913 adjusted for changes in input costs and by the GDP deflator (all at 1990–91 prices)

  £ million

  1986–87

  1987–88

  1988–89

  1989–90

  1990–91

  1991–92

  1992–93

  NHS hospital, community health, family health (cash limited) and related services

  Current expenditure

  Adjusted for change in input unit cost

  Gross

  14,977

  15,251

  15,311

  15,329

  16,081

  1—

  1—

  Net

  14,540

  14,818

  14,876

  14,873

  15,590

  1—

  1—

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  Gross

  14,178

  14,857

  15,377

  15,483

  16,081

  17,405

  18,380

  Net

  13,764

  14,434

  14,940

  15,022

  15,590

  16,950

  17,967

  Capital expenditure

  Adjusted for change in input unit cost

  Gross

  1,423

  1,425

  1,450

  1,591

  1,555

  1—

  1—

  Net

  1,221

  1,166

  1,110

  1,332

  1,377

  1—

  1—

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  Gross

  1,372

  1,369

  1,376

  1,548

  1,555

  1,536

  1,368

  Net

  1,178

  1,121

  1,054

  1,296

  1,377

  1,338

  1,189

  NHS family health services (non cash limited) current/total expenditure

  Adjusted for change in input unit cost

  Gross

  5,146

  5,323

  5,489

  5,470

  5,304

  1—

  1—

  Net

  4,593

  4,763

  4,891

  4,807

  4,690

  1—

  1—

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  Gross

  4,740

  4,976

  5,261

  5,219

  5,304

  5,293

  5,524

  Net

  4,231

  4,452

  4,688

  4,587

  4,690

  4,673

  4,888

  Total health services

  Current expenditure

  Adjusted for change in input unit cost

  Gross

  20,777

  21,223

  21,400

  21,436

  22,01

  1—

  1—

  Net

  19,774

  20,218

  20,364

  20,317

  20,88

  1—

  1—

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  Gross

  19,524

  20,446

  21,216

  21,314

  22,017

  23,414

  24,641

  Net

  18,581

  19,477

  20,189

  20,201

  20,889

  22,310

  23,559

  Capital expenditure

  Adjusted for change in input unit cost

  Gross

  1,474

  1,454

  1,487

  1,621

  1,603

  1—

  1—

  Net

  1,273

  1,193

  1,121

  1,361

  1,425

  1—

  1—

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  Gross

  1,422

  1,398

  1,411

  1,577

  1,603

  1,686

  1,529

  Net

  1,227

  1,147

  1,064

  1,325

  1,425

  1,423

  1,350

  Total expenditure

  Adjusted for change in input unit cost

  Gross

  22,271

  22,696

  22,908

  23,064

  23,62

  1—

  1—

  Net

  21,061

  21,429

  21,517

  21,688

  22,314

  1—

  1—

  Adjusted by the GDP deflator

  Gross

  20,945

  21,843

  22,628

  22,891

  23,620

  25,100

  26,170

  Net

  19,808

  20,624

  21,253

  21,526

  22,314

  23,734

  24,909

  1 Estimates are not made for changes in input unit cost until the financial year has ended.

ENVIRONMENT

  Fair Rents
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps he is taking to ensure that fair rents for regulated tenants in private properties are based on the same valuation as that made for council tax.

  Mr. Yeo
  None. Fair rents are not based on the capital values of property with vacant possession, but are determined according to the rules set out in section 70 of 336
  the Rent Act 1977. The valuation bands to be used for council tax purposes are not suitable for setting rents. We have no plans to change the way in which fair rents are set for regulated tenancies.

  Planning Advice
  Mr. Bowis
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will now bring forward regulations under section 150 of the Local Government and Housing
  337
  Act 1989 to enable local authorities to recover their costs in providing pre-planning application advice and other related services.

  Mr. Yeo
  The Department encourages local authorities to discuss development proposals with applicants before a planning application is submitted. The implications of the recent judgment of the House of Lords that local authorities may not charge for this service are being studied.

  Ozone Layer
  Mr. Darling
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what steps the Government are proposing to take to ensure the eradication of the production of ozone-depleting chemicals at the earliest possible date; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  The Government are committed to phasing out CFCs, halons, carbon tetrachloride and methyl chloroform within the United Kingdom by the end of 1995 at the latest. Both United Kingdom producers will cease production of these substances no later than that date. Last week, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment wrote to the president of the EC Environment Council, urging the Community to adopt the strongest possible position in the negotiations towards the revision of the Montreal protocol, which will begin in April.

  Development Plans
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he intends to replace the Town and Country Planning (Development Plans) (England) Direction 1981; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Yeo
  We have today sent to all local planning authorities in England a copy of the Town and Country Planning Development Plans (England) Direction 1992 which comes into effect on 28 February. This replaces the 1981 direction.

  The new direction will require authorities to advertise in a local newspaper all applications not in accordance with the development plan and which they do not propose to refuse. This gives the local community the opportunity to comment on and object to such applications; and to ask my right hon. Friend to call them in.

  Authorities must also report to my right hon. Friend all such applications which are for major development or which otherwise threaten important policies in the plan. This will enable my right hon. Friend to be aware of significant divergences from the development plan and to consider whether he wishes to call in such applications for his determination. It remains his policy that in general applications will be called in only where planning issues of more than local importance are involved.

  My right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales is issuing a similar direction to Welsh local planning authorities.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Defence Sales
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will now make it his practice to provide information about the levels of Export Credits Guarantee Department insurance cover for individual overseas defence sales.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  No. It has been the policy of successive Governments not to publish details of ECGD cover for individual sales contracts unless all the commercial parties agree.

  Advanced Technology Programme
  Mr. Brazier
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry if he will make a statement on what plans he has to announce any further assistance under the advanced technology programme.

  Mr. Lilley
  Yes. I have approved a £15 million collaborative research advanced technology programme for tracked-transport systems aimed at stimulating R and D expenditure to the end of the century.

  This initiative will help United Kingdom firms to gain a greater share of new opportunities in tracked-transport arising out of increasing public concern for the environment and recent advances in new technology.

  There will be close co-operation between my Department and the Department of Transport and the programme will be fully in line with the priority given to the railways by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Transport in his statement on 28 May 1991.

  The opening of the channel fixed link and the completion of the single European market including the move to freer public purchasing will present further opportunities.

  Hong Kong (Visit)
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry whether, on his visit to Hong Kong in November 1989, the then Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, the hon. Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers), took part in party political activities in addition to official duties.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: I understand that the hon. Member for Gosport (Mr. Viggers) did not visit Hong Kong in November 1989.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Julie Ward
  Sir Eldon Griffiths
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will raise with the Attorney General of Kenya during his visit to London the matter of Julie Ward's killing in that country.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Two Kenyan rangers have been accused of the murder of Julie Ward, and the case is currently sub-judice. It would not therefore be appropriate to raise any substantive points about the case at this stage. The high commission is in touch with the Attorney-General's office in Nairobi about the arrangements for the trial, which we shall be following with the closest attention.

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many visits have been made by Overseas Development Agency and Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff to the Commonwealth of Independent States in connection with aid matters in the last year; and at what approximate cost.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  Since 21 February 1991 there have been 14 visits to the former Soviet Union in connection with aid matters involving a total of 19 ODA and FCO staff, some of whom have visited more than once. The approximate cost—airfares and local expenses not met by the host authorities—was £63,000.

  Francisco Javier Perez Egert
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will deny diplomatic status to Francisco Javier Perez Egert, recently appointed as military attaché to the Chilean embassy in London; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  Francisco Javier Perez Egert has not been notified to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office as a member of staff of the Chilean embassy and has not been accepted or received as such.

DEFENCE

  Beagle Packs
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements he has to license beagle packs to use land owned, operated or leased by his Department; and if he will list the beagle packs that have such licences.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  Two beagle packs have licences to hunt on Ministry of Defence land. These are the Glyn Celyn beagles and the Catterick beagles. The licences to these packs are negotiated by the Defence land agent taking into account the particular requirements of the Defence establishment concerned.

  Five other beagle packs have access to Ministry of Defence land under other arrangements.

  Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the terms of reference of the Nuclear Weapons Safety Committee.

  Ministry of Defence industrial civil servants

  Full-time equivalents

  Area

  1 July 1987

  1 July 1988

  1 July 1989

  1 July 1990

  1 July 1991

  South East

  18,896·0

  17,449·0

  16,093·5

  15,661 0

  15,379·0

  East Anglia

  1,092·5

  1,087·5

  1,022·0

  997·0

  934·5

  South West

  10,711·5

  10,286·0

  10,002·5

  9,748·0

  9,456·5

  West Midlands

  4,432·0

  4,249·0

  4,177·0

  4,145·5

  4,021·5

  East Midlands

  1,986·0

  1,789·0

  1,614·0

  1,428·5

  1,599·5

  Yorkshire/Humberside

  2,355·5

  2,185·0

  2,013·0

  2,043·5

  1,801·5

  North West

  636·0

  599·0

  576·5

  567·5

  552·5

  Northern

  1,605·0

  1,582·5

  1,566·0

  1,569·0

  1,506·5

  Wales

  3,465·0

  3,130·5

  3,102·5

  3,030·0

  3,030·5

  Scotland

  5,929·0

  5,852·0

  5,713·5

  5,581·5

  5,393·0

  Northern Ireland

  1,761·0

  1,785·0

  1,818·0

  1,798·0

  1,748·5

  Inner London

  566·0

  479·0

  444·5

  485·0

  483·0

  Intermediate London

  1,025·0

  863·5

  822·5

  713·5

  748·0

  Outer London

  1,678·0

  1,506·5

  1,406·0

  1,412·5

  1,241·5

  Elsewhere in United Kingdom

  1·0

  1·0

  1·0

  2·0

  2·0

  340
  Mr. Alan Clark
  It is not our practice to make these terms of reference public, but I will consider further whether I could help the hon. Gentleman.

  HMS Revenge
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence on what date HMS Revenge started its current commission.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  HMS Revenge began its present commission in January 1983.

  Civilian Employees
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what is the number of civilians employed by his Department for each of the years 1980 to 1992.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The information requested is as follows:

  Number

  1980

  218,026

  1981

  208,761

  1982

  197,491

  1983

  190,334

  1984

  181,183

  1985

  174,077

  1986

  169,462

  1987

  164,002

  1988

  143,394

  1989

  141,317

  1990

  141,372

  1991

  140,199

  1992

  140,024

  The figures are based on the total number of MOD civilians in post at 1 April each year with the exception of that for 1992 which relates to 1 January.

  Industrial Workers
  Mr. George
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were employed in the industrial sector by his Department at each location for 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  The available information is as follows:
  341

  Area

  1 July 1987

  1 July 1988

  1 July 1989

  1 July 1990

  1 July 1991

  At sea and RFA

  1,343·0

  1,512·0

  1,565·0

  1,552·0

  1,685·0

  Overseas

  10·0

  10·0

  11·0

  23·0

  24·0

  Not allocated

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  0·0

  1·0

  MOD TOTAL

  57,492·5

  54,366·5

  51,948·5

  50,757·5

  49,608·0

  Flight Safety
  Mr. Haselhurst
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the future of co-ordination of research effort in matters of flight safety.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The Ministry of Defence co-operates closely with the civil aviation community and international aviation authorities on matters of flight safety, including research, and will continue to do so in the future.

  HMS Green Rover
  Mrs. Mahon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement about the sale of HMS Green Rover to Indonesia.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  It has been the consistent policy of successive Governments not to discuss particulars of defence contracts with other countries since these are matters of commercial confidentiality.

  RAF Greenham Common
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when the hon. Member for Newbury can expect answers to his letter of 13 December, to the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Lord Arran, and to his letters of 20 December and 3 February to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces, relating to RAF Greenham Common.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  My noble Friend the Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces will write very shortly to my hon. Friend in response to his letters on 16 and 20 December and 3 February.

HOUSE OF COMMONS

  Written Answers
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Lord President of the Council if he will list the three most expensive answers for which calculations have already been made to parliamentary written questions since 1987.

  Mr. MacGregor
  I will write to the hon. Member as soon as possible.

SCOTLAND

  Food Hygiene
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland when he expects to publish the new Scottish food hygiene regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Formal consultations were held last year on proposals to introduce statutory temperature 342
  controls for certain foodstuffs. In the light of the responses received, we have more recently had discussions with representatives of trade interests and with local authorities who would be responsible for enforcement. We are considering the issues which have been raised, and will announce our conclusions in due course.

  Bus Services
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what response he has given to schemes prepared by Scottish bus companies supported by regional councils following the publication of "Buses Mean Business"; and whether the Scottish schemes will be funded on a similar basis to English ones.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  I support the aims of the "Buses Mean business" campaign in Scotland. For this reason, regional and islands councils have been invited to treat bus priority measures as a special objective in their financial plans on which capital allocations are based. The arrangements for central Government support for local authority transport expenditure in Scotland are different from those in England.

  Mental Hospitals
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will give the change in the number of beds in NHS mental hospitals in every year since 1977 in absolute and percentage terms; and the number of day centre places opened in the same period.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The available information on psychiatric beds is shown in the table. Information on numbers of day patient places, opened is not centrally available.

  National Health Service hospitals in Scotland_psychiatric specialties average available staffed beds; absolute and percentage change from previous year; years ending 31 March

  Change from previous year

  Absolute

  Percentage

  1977

  -522

  -2·8

  1978

  -343

  -1·9

  1979

  -46

  -0·3

  1980

  -364

  -2·1

  1981

  -215

  -1·3

  1982

  -188

  -1·1

  1983

  -196

  -1·2

  1984

  -125

  -0·8

  1985

  19

  0·1

  1986

  -266

  -1·6

  1987

  -377

  -2·3

  1988

  -312

  -2·0

  1989

  -535

  -3·5

  1990

  -566

  -3·8

  1991

  -479

  -3·3

  Blood Transfusion Service
  Mr. Tom Clarke
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the arrangements made for(a) the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service and (b) the Plasma Fractionation Centre in connection with the transitional arrangements covering removal of Crown immunity status consequent upon the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Following the removal of Crown immunity status from health bodies under the National Health Service and Community Care Act 1990, the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) and the protein fractionation centre (PFC) were required to apply to the Medicines Control Agency (MCA) for pharmaceutical manufacturer's licence and product licences in order to comply with the legislation. However, the granting of licences by the MCA is an extensive process and in order to ensure continuity of clinical and pharmaceutical services special provisions were made under the Act for transitional arrangements to allow the SNBTS and PFC to continue to operate. Under these arrangements the SNBTS was required to submit all new licence applications and resubmit existing licences held by 31 March 1991. This has been completed.

  The PFC has been granted a manufacturing licence and also a number of product licences have been obtained. A group of product licences previously held under the arrangements prior to the removal of Crown immunity are still being processed by the MCA but it is expected that new licences will be obtained shortly.

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The latest information available relates to the 1991 register of electors, when the average electorate was 54,369, and is as follows:

  Highest parliamentary constituency electorates

  Number

  Gordon

  78,438

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  68,848

  East Lothian

  67,223

  Ayr

  66,126

  Kincardine and Deeside

  65,660

  Perth and Kinross

  65,135

  Lowest parliamentary constituency electorates

  Number

  Western Isles

  23,073

  Caithness and Sutherland

  31,120

  Orkney and Shetland

  31,355

  Glasgow, Provan

  37,838

  Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale

  39,608

  Glasgow, Central

  42,270

  Traffic, Dairsie
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the results of all traffic surveys his Department has carried out at Dairsie in the last 10 years for which information is available.
  344
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Classified traffic counts are carried out at a location on the A91 west of Dairsie at six-yearly intervals. The results of those carried out on the last two counts were:

  14 October 1980 5,782 vehicles from 7 am to 7 pm.

  14 October 1986 6,438 vehicles from 7 am to 7 pm.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what factors influenced his decision in 1991 not to build a bypass round Dairsie.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The resources available for road building schemes are limited and therefore choices have to be made between the numerous schemes competing for the available funding. Before a feasibility study is carried out, it is necessary to ensure that the benefits arising from a scheme would justify the capital expenditure. In the case of a bypass of Dairsie such an evaluation indicated that this criterion could not be met.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what considerations have caused him to conclude that a controlled pedestrian crossing at Dairsie is not justified.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Counts of pedestrian and vehicular movements on the A91 within Dairsie indicated that the combined movements were less than one quarter of the figure required to justify the provision of a pedestrian crossing.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will institute traffic-calming measures to reduce the speed of vehicles travelling through Dairsie.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Measures to reduce the speed of traffic through Dairsie have already been introduced and further measures are planned for later this year.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will instruct a fresh survey of traffic at Dairsie to determine whether a bypass is justified.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Classified traffic counts are undertaken on a six-yearly cycle at predetermined census points throughout the United Kingdom.

  One such census point is located just west of Dairsie and is representative of the traffic flows within the village. The next count at this location is planned for October this year from which it will be possible to determine whether further consideration of a bypass of Dairsie is justified.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many representations he has received in support of a controlled pedestrian crossing at Dairsie; and from whom.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A total of 64 individual letters have been received from residents of Dairsie supporting the installation of a pelican crossing. In addition two petitions containing in total 266 signatures, including 38 from primary school children, have been received. Some of the signatories to the petitions also wrote individually and are therefore included in both totals.

  Pedestrian Crossings
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the criteria which his Department uses when deciding whether a controlled pedestrian crossing is justified.
  345
  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The criteria for establishing pedestrian crossings are contained in "Technical Memorandum SH 7/87", published by the Scottish Office in February 1987. A copy of this memorandum has been placed in the Library.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list the number and locations of the controlled pedestrian crossings which his Department has approved in(a) Scotland, (b) Fife and (c) north-east Fife in the last 10 years for which information is available.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The number of pelican crossings currently on trunk roads which have been authorised by the Secretary of State are given in the table. Some of these crossings will have been authorised longer ago than 10 years. Other crossings, originally authorised by the Secretary of State on trunk roads, are not included in the table because the roads concerned are no longer classified as trunk roads.

  Pelican crossings on trunk roads

  Number

  Fife

  North East Fife

  3

  Elsewhere

  3

  Borders

  5

  Central

  3

  Dumfries and Galloway

  2

  Grampian

  8

  Highland

  2

  Lothian

  2

  Strathclyde

  20

  Tayside

  0

  All Scotland

  48

  Bypasses
  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many bypasses his Department has funded in(a) Scotland, (b) Fife and (c) north-east Fife in the last 10 years for which information is available; and what sums have been spent in doing so.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The figures requested are as follows:

  (a) 38 bypasses at a cost of £373 million,

  (b) 1 bypass at a cost of £3·4 million,

  (c) none.

  These figures exclude the construction of the £40 million east Fife regional road which effectively bypassed many towns and villages in central Fife.

  Mr. Menzies Campbell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the criteria his Department uses in determining whether a bypass should be built.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  Many factors are used in determining the need for a bypass and the relative priority of these varies depending on local circumstances. Criteria include: traffic flow and composition such as the percentages of heavy goods vehicles and the proportion of through traffic; safety considerations for vehicles and pedestrians; environmental factors such as noise benefits to residential or commercial properties; the feasibility and economic viability of a bypass route; and the relationship to local and national development plans and transport strategy.

  Bankruptcies
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year for which figures are available the names of the 20 trustees in Scotland who received the largest aggregate total sum for work carried out under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 and for each of the top 20 the sum received in each year; if he will state in respect of each year, for cases where the final outcome is known, the fees paid to trustees in sequestrations which have exceeded 50 per cent. of the total debt; in how many cases the block fee system was(a) applied or (b) disapplied in each year; and in how many cases each year since 1985 there has been any dividend paid to unsecured ordinary creditors.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: (i) The 20 insolvency practitioners who received the largest aggregate payments and the amounts paid are shown in the table:

  Name of trustee

  Firm/Office

  Payments made from public funds £

  1987

  R. S. MacGregor

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  35,477.11

  G. I. Rankin

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Glasgow

  18,668.98

  N. J. McNeill

  BDO Binder Hamlyn, Glasgow

  12,968.09

  P. C. Taylor

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Edinburgh

  10,924.72

  R. B. M. Graham

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  10,916.44

  D. I. Turner

  Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  10,852.22

  D. J. Watt

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  8,124.95

  0. I. Balfour

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Aberdeen

  7,008.66

  G. Ritchie

  Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  7,998.81

  A. S. Gray

  Peat Marwick McLintock, Glasgow

  6,679.63

  J. D. Laurie

  cork Gully, Edinburgh

  6,347.80

  R. E. Blin

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  5,430.22

  J. C. Pringle

  J. C. Pringle and Co., Inverness

  4,782.46

  A. C. Thomson

  Thomson Cooper and Co., Dunfermline

  3,865.47

  C. A. F. Hastings

  Hastings and Co., Glasgow

  3,753.75

  R. C. Wallace

  Wallace and Co., Hamilton

  3,162.50

  B. A. Jackson

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  3,008.55

  A. I. Armstrong

  Grainger and Co., Glasgow

  2,901.95

  P. L. Stewart

  Peat Marwick McLintock, Glasgow

  2,569.60

  P. J. Campbell

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  22,555.36

  1988

  R. S. MacGregor

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  169,801.05

  0. L. Balfour

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Aberdeen

  101,178.60

  D. B. Jackson

  Douglas Laing and Jackson, Glasgow

  82,602.91

  R. B. Graham

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  73,565.60

  C. A. F. Hastings

  C. A. F. Hastings and Co, Glasgow

  69,256.07

  J. C. J. Readman

  Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  53,376.04

  P. C. Taylor

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Edinburgh

  47,813.63

  J. D. Laurie

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  47,113.15

  G. I. Rankin

  Deloitte Haskins and Sells, Glasgow

  42,943.90

  F. Blin

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  33,764.26

  A. S. Gray

  Peat Marwick McLintock, Glasgow

  27,448.21

  347

  Name of trustee

  Firm/Office

  Payments made from public funds £

  B. A. Jackson

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  24,433·13

  A. Amoore

  Peat Marwick McLintock, Aberdeen

  23,406·52

  R. A. Johnson

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  22,204·69

  N. Robinson

  Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  21,699·32

  K. A. Ross

  Kenneth Ross and Sharkey, Glasgow

  21,468·72

  W. Hecht

  F L Walker and Co, Glasgow

  19,886·25

  T. Dyer

  Scott Oswald and Co, Dundee

  18,914·64

  T. P. C. Taylor

  Spicer Oppenheim, Glasgow

  18,518·03

  P. J. Campbell

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  18,094·42

  1989

  R. S. MacGregor

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  940,219·67

  P. J. Campbell

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  363,305·17

  J. C. J. Readman

  Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  267,649·68

  B. A. Jackson

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  267,371·11

  O. L. Balfour

  Cork Gully, Aberdeen

  253,747·66

  P. C. Taylor

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  200,849·57

  R. B. M. Graham

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  169,909·08

  C. A. F. Hastings

  Hastings and Co., Glasgow

  162,639·78

  W. T. M. Cleghorn

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  145,561·02

  G. I. Rankin

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  137,441·84

  A. S. Gray

  Peat Marwick McLintock, Glasgow

  123,481·09

  D. B. Jackson

  Douglas Laing and Jackson, Glasgow

  118,239·72

  K. A. Ross

  Kenneth Ross and Sharkey, Glasgow

  110,450·79

  J. D. Laurie

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  110,306·12

  R. E. Blin

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  102,468·64

  T. Dyer

  Scott Oswald and Co., Dundee

  77,962·79

  G. Ritchie

  Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  61,618·00

  A. Amoore

  Peat Marwick McLintock, Aberdeen

  52,675·43

  N. Robinson

  Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  47,535·77

  W. Hecht

  F. L. Walker and Co., Glasgow

  38,486·43

  1990

  R. S. MacGregor

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  1,649·996·80

  N. Robinson

  Kidson Impey, Glasgow

  664,389·06

  J. C. J. Readman

  Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  651,547·69

  P. J. Campbell

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  454,322·46

  B. A. Jackson

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  436,609·84

  C. A. F. Hastings

  Hastings and Co., Glasgow

  401,615·46

  N. J. McNeill

  BDO Binder Hamlyn, Glasgow

  245,562·04

  O. L. Balfouar

  Cork Gully, Aberdeen

  211,310·41

  P. C. Taylor

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  204,758·15

  F. Blin

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  181,825·24

  A. W. O'Boyle

  F L Walker, Glasgow

  170,686·55

  G. Ritchie

  Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  163,361·81

  R. E. Blin

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  150,245·16

  G. I. Rankin

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  147,425·87

  W. T. M. Cleghorn

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  139,235·54

  N. M. Sharp

  Ernst and Young, Aberdeen

  136,767·95

  R. B. M. Graham

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  124,492·96

  W. Hecht

  F L Walker, Glasgow

  120,201·78

  D. B. Jackson

  Douglas Laing and Jackson, Glasgow

  103,547·39

  D. H. Beedie

  Ernst and Young, Dundee

  100,676·45

  1991

  R. S MacGregor

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  2,217,113·44

  N. Robinson

  Kindsons Impey, Glasgow

  1,232,632·10

  J. C. J Readman

  Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  1,217,222·00

  348

  Name of trustee

  Firm/Office

  Payments made from public funds £

  C. K. Russell

  Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  642,390·93

  B. Jackson

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  625,631·25

  P. J. Campbell

  Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  585,341·66

  G. Ritchie

  Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  541,501·81

  C. A. F. Hastings

  Hastings and Co, Glasgow

  493,208·22

  P. C. Taylor

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  354,351·58

  J. D. Laurie

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  337,315·45

  G. I. Rankin

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  299,835·95

  O. L. Balfour

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  287,910·66

  F. Blin

  Cork Gully, Glasgow

  267,467·30

  A O'Boyle

  F. L. Walker, Glasgow

  254,850·18

  N. M. Sharp

  Ernst and Young, Aberdeen

  236,039·25

  N. J. McNeill

  BDO Binder Hamlyn, Glasgow

  232,461·89

  W. T. M. Cleghorn

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  231,691·42

  D. H. Beedie

  Ernst and Young, Dundee

  214,440·89

  R. B. M. Graham

  Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  166,954·11

  W. Hecht

  F. L. Walker, Glasgow

  129,101·74

  (ii) In those cases where the final outcome is known, payments to trustees have exceeded 50 per cent. of the total debt in the following number of cases:

  Year

  Number of Cases

  1986

  None

  1987

  None

  1988

  None

  1989

  3

  1990

  31

  (iii) The block fee system of remuneration for trustees was introduced on 1 October 1990 and applied only to awards of sequestration made on or after that date ie where the first accounting period ended on or after 1 April 1991. In the period 1 October 1990 to 30 September 1991 there were 6,965 awards of sequestration. Of these, in 175 cases the trustee was elected and the provisions of the block fees scheme did not therefore apply and in a further 174 cases the block fee was disapplied. In the balance of 6,616 cases the trustees were remunerated under the block fee arrangement.

  (iv) In sequestration under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 dividends were paid to ordinary creditors as follows:

  Year

  Number of Cases

  1985

  Not applicable

  1986

  None

  1987

  None

  1988

  None

  1989

  4

  1990

  11

  Trustees
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list(a) the number of awards of sequestration made and (b) the total gross payments in respect of trustees' funds and refunded to trustees for each year since 1985.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: The number of awards of sequestration made since 1985 was as follows:
  349

  Year

  Number of awards

  1985

  295

  1986

  437

  1987

  834

  1988

  1,457

  1989

  2,344

  1990

  4,364

  1991

  7,782

  Gross payments to trustees ie including outlays, statutory fees, remuneration and VAT, but excluding recoveries, were as follows:

  Financial year

  Gross payments (£000s)

  1985–86

  Nil

  1986–87

  13

  1987–88

  418

  Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985

  Sequestrations awarded in each sheriff court 1985–89

  1986

  1987

  1988

  1989

  1990

  1991

  Glasgow

  46

  99

  186

  302

  509

  1,032

  Edinburgh

  56

  78

  139

  197

  360

  792

  Duns

  1

  5

  10

  9

  28

  24

  Haddington

  13

  16

  17

  21

  87

  166

  Jedburgh

  4

  7

  10

  17

  24

  83

  Linlithgow

  11

  30

  72

  63

  171

  273

  Peebles

  0

  0

  5

  3

  11

  30

  Selkirk

  3

  8

  9

  10

  39

  58

  Campbeltown

  0

  2

  4

  6

  13

  18

  Dumbarton

  8

  17

  28

  52

  92

  174

  Dunoon

  1

  5

  6

  18

  19

  29

  Greenock

  3

  13

  30

  25

  62

  72

  Kilmarnock

  12

  31

  43

  111

  209

  386

  Oban

  1

  3

  5

  10

  15

  26

  Paisley

  12

  27

  35

  83

  146

  229

  Rothesay

  1

  2

  5

  8

  10

  4

  Airdrie

  9

  18

  44

  60

  149

  396

  Ayr

  12

  32

  35

  84

  204

  273

  Dumfries

  5

  22

  13

  30

  85

  112

  Hamilton

  26

  43

  54

  101

  233

  457

  Kirkcudbright

  4

  5

  4

  9

  32

  33

  Lanark

  7

  13

  18

  20

  30

  62

  Stranraer

  2

  9

  10

  8

  9

  27

  Alloa

  6

  9

  5

  24

  66

  73

  Arbroath

  5

  5

  10

  33

  43

  43

  Cupar

  6

  13

  19

  36

  43

  73

  Dundee

  3

  28

  65

  85

  87

  112

  Dunfermline

  10

  23

  33

  84

  209

  494

  Falkirk

  6

  14

  31

  163

  299

  527

  Forfar

  3

  7

  10

  12

  26

  34

  Kirkcaldy

  21

  16

  68

  136

  336

  593

  Perth

  9

  20

  29

  28

  70

  127

  Stirling

  5

  15

  20

  31

  145

  160

  Aberdeen

  30

  73

  173

  233

  200

  268

  Banff

  1

  3

  12

  9

  13

  34

  Dingwall

  3

  10

  9

  15

  20

  30

  Dornoch

  0

  2

  6

  2

  9

  10

  Elgin

  4

  19

  31

  49

  84

  116

  Fort William

  1

  4

  5

  2

  9

  32

  Inverness

  2

  17

  35

  37

  51

  107

  Kirkwall

  2

  11

  4

  5

  3

  18

  Lerwick

  1

  1

  3

  3

  6

  16

  Lochmaddy

  1

  0

  1

  5

  2

  1

  Portree

  1

  3

  2

  1

  8

  13

  Stnehaven

  2

  9

  27

  25

  39

  41

  Stornoway

  0

  14

  5

  1

  4

  7

  Tain

  3

  7

  4

  12

  11

  27

  Wick

  1

  5

  2

  3

  6

  15

  350

  Financial year

  Gross payments (£000s)

  1988–89

  2,415

  1989–90

  6,390

  1990–91

  10,880

  Sequestrations
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many sequestrations were awarded in each sheriff court for each year since 1985.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: Since 1 April 1986 when the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 came into effect awards in each sheriff court have been as follows:
  351
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since 1989 the names of the 10 trustees who were most frequently appointed in sequestrations, and for each year the number of cases to which each was appointed.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: Following the coming into effect on 1 April 1986 of the provisions of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 the staffing levels and administration costs of the office of the accountant in bankruptcy have been as follows:

  Average number of staff

  Administration costs (£)

  1986–87

  6

  73,000

  1987–88

  9

  94,000

  1988–89

  15

  221,000

  1989–90

  26

  400,000

  1990–91

  38

  730,000

  Bankruptcy
  Mrs. Margaret Ewing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will list for each year since commencement of the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 1985 the number of employees and the total cost of the administration of the Account of Bankruptcies office.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: The information requested is as follows:

  Permanent trustee

  Number of cases

  1989

  R. S. MacGregor, Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  383

  J. C. J. Readman, Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  244

  B. A. Jackson, Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  209

  N. Robinson, Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  177

  P. J. Campbell, Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  162

  N. M. Sharp, Ernst and Young, Aberdeen

  55

  N. J. McNeil, BDO, Binder Hamlyn, Glasgow

  55

  C. A. F. Hastings, Hastings and Co., Glasgow

  48

  A. W. O'Boyle, F. L. Walker, Glasgow

  44

  G. Ritchie, Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  41

  1990

  N. Robinson, Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  899

  R. S. MacGregor, Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  510

  B. A. Jackson, Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  451

  J. C. J. Readman, Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  446

  P. J. Campbell, Pannell Kerr Forster, Aberdeen

  302

  G. Ritchie, Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  265

  C. K. Russell, Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  244

  J. D. Laurie, Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  150

  N. J. McNeil, BDO, Glasgow

  105

  G. I. Rankin, Cork Gully, Glasgow

  86

  1991

  B. A. Jackson, Pannell Kerr Forster, Glasgow

  722

  J. C. J. Readman, Ernst and Young, Glasgow

  690

  N. Robinson, Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  587

  R. S. MacGregor, Pannell Kerr Forster, Edinburgh

  570

  C. K. Russell, Kidsons Impey, Glasgow

  512

  J. D. Laurie, Cork Gully, Edinburgh

  486

  G. Ritchie, Ernst and Young, Edinburgh

  364

  C. A. F. Hastings, Hastings and Co., Glasgow

  240

  G. I. Rankin, Cork Gully, Glasgow

  173

  A. C. Thomson, Thomson and Co., Dunfermline

  159

  Further and Higher Education
  Mr. Maxton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what comparative data he has on participation rates of young people in further and higher education including(a) numbers achieving higher education entry qualifications, (b) numbers entering higher education, (c) numbers entering higher and further education, (d) numbers with no qualifications when leaving school and (e) numbers entering work with no training, in Scotland and other EC and OECD nations.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 18 February 1992]: I shall write to the hon. Member. A copy of my reply will be placed in the House Library.

  Health Service Staff
  Mr. Doran
  To asked the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what was the number of nursing and midwifery staff, including temporary agency staff, in the health service in Scotland on 1 January 1986; and what was the corresponding figure on 1 September 1991;

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

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: This information is not available centrally in the form requested.

  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what was the number of staff graded as general or senior managers in the health service in Scotland on 1 January 1986; and what was the corresponding number on 1 September 1991.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 13 February 1992]: As at 1 January 1986, the term "general manager" was applied only to the most senior officer in each health board. Since that date it has been extended to other management posts. The term "senior manager" has been progressively introduced into the NHS in Scotland from 22 December 1987 when new arrangements for the remuneration and conditions of service of persons employed in a range of senior management posts came into operation.

  Nurses
  Mr. Wallace
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he has in respect of each health board in Scotland regarding(a) the number of enrolled nurses currently employed by the health board and (b) the number of enrolled nurses who are currently engaged in an enrolled nurse conversion or bridging course.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: As at 30 September 1991, the latest date for which figures are available, the number of enrolled nurses employed by health boards is set out in table 1.

  Table 1

  Number of enrolled nurses (whole-time equivalents)

  Number

  Argyll and Clyde

  636.8

  Ayrshire and Arran

  355.8

  Borders

  140.4

  353

  Number

  Dumfries and Galloway

  217·0

  Fife

  684·7

  Forth Valley

  385·2

  Grampian

  1,040·1

  Greater Glasgow

  1,661·5

  Highland

  275·3

  Lanarkshire

  1,008·1

  Lothian

  1,000·7

  Orkney

  76·9

  Shetland

  54·1

  Tayside

  981·7

  Western Isles

  37·5

  Scotland

  8,555·8

  Information by health board on the number of enrolled nurses currently engaged on an enrolled nurse conversion or bridging course is not held centrally. The numbers of enrolled nurses on bridging courses in each college of nursing and midwifery at 30 September 1991 is, however, given in table 2 below.

  Table 2

  Number of enrolled nurses on bridging courses

  Number

  Argyll and Clyde

  27

  Ayrshire and Arran

  48

  Scottish Borders

  18

  Dumfries and Galloway

  20

  Fife

  37

  Forth Valley

  46

  Foresterhill

  37

  Greater Glasgow

  103

  Highland

  53

  Lanarkshire

  89

  Lothian

  132

  Tayside

  99

  Scotland

  709

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. Home Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will order a public inquiry into the proposals of Scottish Nuclear to erect storage facilities for waste nuclear fuel at Torness and Hunterston.
  354
  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 17 February 1992]: Scottish Nuclear Ltd. would require the consent of the Secretary of State in terms of the Electricity Act 1989 to build a dry store for spent advanced gas-cooled reactor fuel. No such application for consent has yet been made to the Secretary of State. The 1989 Act provides for a public inquiry to be held to consider unresolved objections to any application made in terms of section 36 of that Act.

  Lothian Health Board
  Mr. Kirkwood
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what consultations have been held with the officials and members of Lothian health board to discuss their latest management proposals; and if he will make a statement outlining the Government's view of the proposals.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Officials of the management executive of the national health service in Scotland are aware that Lothian health board is considering possible changes to the structure of the units of the board and 1 would expect the board to notify the management executive of its proposals before a final decision is taken. Changes in unit management arrangements are a matter for the board itself.

  Employment Initiatives
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what initiatives are being taken to improve employment prospects in Argyll and Bute; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: Argyll and the Islands Enterprise is currently preparing its business plan for 1992–93. It has created some 275 new jobs in their area during the current financial year and I am confident that they will continue to give high priority to employment prospects.

  CAMBODIA: AID TO THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED
  CAMBODIA: AID TO THE INTERNALLY DISPLACED
  POPULATION ACTIVITIES: CONTRIBUTION TO UN FUND
  POPULATION ACTIVITIES: CONTRIBUTION TO UN FUND
  CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1991
  CRIMINAL JUSTICE ACT 1991
  EDUCATIONAL TRUSTS: DIOCESAN APPLICATIONS
  EDUCATIONAL TRUSTS: DIOCESAN APPLICATIONS
  HEALTH CARE SPENDING IN THE EC
  HEALTH CARE SPENDING IN THE EC