Written Answers of 24 February 1992

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

  Repossession Orders
  Mr. Cox
  To ask the Attorney-General how many repossession orders in favour of building societies or other lending institutions were made by Wandsworth county court in 1979, 1990 and 1991.

  The Attorney-General
  The 1979 figures are not available. The total number of mortgage possession actions entered, suspended orders and orders made during 1990 and 1991, in each county court in England and Wales, is contained in two lists which have been placed in the Libraries of both Houses of Parliament. 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.

TRANSPORT

  Vehicle Test Certificates
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will supply the figures of the numbers of Ministry of Transport test certificates for both heavy goods vehicles and public service vehicles that have been reported stolen over the last five years from heavy goods vehicle and private vehicle testing stations.

  Mr. Chope
  The numbers of heavy goods and public service vehicle testing certificates reported as stolen in each of the last five years are as follows:

  HGV test certificates

  Year

  Motor vehicle test certificates

  Trailer test certificates

  PSV test certificates

  1987

  3,499

  1,189

  1,077

  1988

  111

  48

  0

  1989

  0

  0

  0

  1990

  0

  0

  250

  1991

  1,160

  1,005

  505

  Total

  4,770

  2,242

  1,832

  Black Cabs
  Mr. Bendall
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the steps that are taken to ensure the fitness of applicants for black cab licences in London; what action he is considering to tighten the scrutiny procedure; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  On my behalf, the Public Carriage Office of the Metropolitan police already carries out 356
  stringent checks on the suitability of applicants for taxi drivers' licences in London, including a criminal record check. It also carries out further checks on each driver every three years when his or her licence is due to be renewed. It is difficult to know what effective additional checks might reasonably be carried out.

  I am satisfied that the present procedures do ensure, as far as possible, that licensed cab drivers are suitable for the task they undertake, although no such system can give a 100 per cent. guarantee.

  There is at present no regime for the licensing of minicabs or minicab drivers in London. I have commissioned a working party to make recommendations on the framework needed to ensure that users of taxis and minicabs in London can travel in reasonable safety and security.

  Pollution, Bristol Channel
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of measures to reduce pollution of the Bristol channel by the dumping of refuse or the pumping out of bilges by vessels in transit.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  Standards for the discharge of oil and garbage from ships are set by international convention and implemented by domestic legislation which applies to all ships in United Kingdom waters. The Department's marine surveyors monitor compliance with the regulations as part of their responsibilities when they go on board ships to undertake port state control inspections. In addition the marine pollution control unit's surveillance aircraft regularly overfly all United Kingdom waters, including the Bristol channel, to check for infringements which may also be reported by ships in the area.

  The Department recently completed research into the shore provision of reception facilities for oil and garbage. Although the report of the findings is still being considered, indications are that such provision is adequate.

  BR (Disabled People)
  Mr. Peter Bottomley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to his answers to the hon. Member for Southport (Mr. Fearn) on 5 November 1991,Official Report, columns 23–24 on British Rail's duties in respect of access to its services by disabled people, whether British Rail is permitted to make arrangements to exclude wheelchair accessible taxis from Eltham station.

  Mr. Freeman
  It is for the courts to interpret the law. My advice is, however, that what British Rail is alleged to be doing at Eltham station is not contrary to the London Cab and Stage Carriage Act 1907. I am, however, disturbed to learn that its effect may be to reduce the transport opportunities open to disabled people, and I am writing to the chairman of British Rail about it.

  Rail Investment
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will give the percentage change in British Rail rail investment between(a) 1964 to 1970, (b) 1970 to 1974, (c) 1974 to 1979 and (d) 1979 to 1991–92; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Freeman
  The percentage changes in real terms for the given periods were as follows:
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  Per cent.

  1964–1970

  -57

  1970–1974

  +48

  1974–1979

  +13

  1979–1990–91

  +55

  The 1991–92 financial year is not yet complete, so no outturn figures is available.

  Over-height Vehicles
  Mr. Spearing
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will publish, or give references to, the latest report into the problem of over-height road vehicles, or their loads, hitting bridges, overhead structures, or the roofs of tunnels; and what methods are currently in use or are being developed to deter or prevent their use of approaches to such obstructions.

  Mr. Chope
  The recommendations of a joint British Rail and Department of Transport working party were published in 1988 in a report, entitled "A Strategy for the Reduction of Bridge Bashing", published by HMSO.

  The Department has made progress with implementing the working party's recommendations. Last month I announced proposals for increasing driver awareness of the height of the vehicle, and the award of contracts worth £1 million for warning systems at 15 high-risk low bridge sites. Other measures include better road signing and road improvements to increase the headroom at some low bridges.

  Cradlewell Bypass
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what was the cost of the Transport and Road Research Laboratory pilot study of traffic origins and destinations prepared for the Cradlewell bypass project, Newcastle upon Tyne.

  Mr. Chope
  In autumn of 1991 the Transport and Road and Research Laboratory carried out the "before" part of a study to improve understanding of traveller responses to road improvements at a total cost of £109,000. This study forms part of a larger research project being undertaken by the Department of Transport.

  Blind Spots
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what are the number of accidents due to blind spots involving lorries over 12 tonnes, first used before 1 October 1988, in each of the last three years.

  Mr. Chope
  The statistics requested are not available. It is almost impossible to prove that a blind spot was the cause of any particular road accident.

  British Rail Leasing
  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how a long-term finance lease by British Rail would be capitalised for public expenditure purposes.

  Mr. Freeman
  Leased assets will be capitalised for external financing limit—EFL—purposes in the same way as if they had been bought. The capitalisation of such leases follows standard accounting practices applying to 358
  all similar business undertakings whether in the private or public sector. Leasing is a form of borrowing, and the Government need to ensure that BR borrows according to its means; hence it is brought within the same EFL control as all other borrowing.

  M42–A45 Junction
  Mr. Roger King
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will make a statement on the progress of road improvements at the M42–A45 junction adjacent to the Birmingham exhibition centre.

  Mr. Chope
  Good progress is being made on a number of planned highway improvements at this junction. Statutory orders will soon be published for the construction of a new dedicated slip road from the M42 northbound to the A45 westbound. Design work is well underway on a scheme to improve access from the national exhibition centre to the M42 northbound. Work will also begin soon on a scheme to improve the roundabout itself.

  An extra camera has been installed to improve television surveillance of traffic conditions at the junction and new motorway gantry signs will be erected later this year on the approaches to it. In the longer term the M42 is to be widened and consultants have been asked to investigate the options for improved access to the NEC and other facilities.

  Rotherhithe Tunnel
  Ms. Gordon
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) when he expects continuous TV surveillance to be installed in Rotherhithe tunnel for traffic control;

  (2) when he expects work to be put in hand to improve ventilation in the Rotherhithe tunnel.

  Mr. Chope
  Management of the Rotherhithe tunnel—including ventilation and TV surveillance—is a matter for the London boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Southwark. I understand that discussions are taking place on the need to install surveillance equipment in the tunnel, linked to the new east London traffic control centre.

  Lorries
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he has made representations to the European Community for lorries weighing over 12 tonnes, and used prior to 1 October 1988, to be obliged to be fitted with additional close proximity mirrors on their near-side, and, if the articulated type, also fitted with additional wide-angle mirrors.

  Mr. Chope
  The directive which requires the fitment of additional close proximity mirrors and, in some cases, additional wide-angled mirrors has applied to new lorries since 1 October 1988. The Government have not sought a retrospective requirement that vehicles manufactured before that date be fitted with such mirrors.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will extend the MOT test to require all lorries over 12 tonnes to be fitted with additional close proximity mirrors on their near-side and, if articulated, to be fitted also with additional wide-angle mirrors.

  Mr. Chope
  No. It would not be reasonable to require vehicles manufactured before 1 October 1988 to be fitted in such a way in the absence of any proven road safety benefit.

  Motor Vehicles
  Mr. Fry
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will consider amending the construction and use regulations for motor vehicles to prohibit the use of fluorolastomel or veton.

  Mr. Chope
  As no danger arises from the use of fluorolastomel or veton in the normal course of construction or use of motor vehicles, there is no reason to amend construction and use regulations to prohibit these materials. There is only a risk from these materials if they have been subjected to high temperatures. For motor vehicles this is only likely to be a problem when scrapping burnt out vehicles. Health and safety inspectors are aware of the risks and give appropriate advice.

  Rail Services
  Mr. Adley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) what standby assets are specifically allocated for contingencies by British Rail InterCity, French and German railways;

  (2) if he will issue a general directive to British Rail to seek to reduce InterCity train cancellations, even if this involves a lower utilisation of capital assets;

  (3) if he will tabulate the cancellation records of British Rail InterCity and the French and German railways;

  (4) if he will meet the chairman of British Rail to discuss the relationship between the improved financial results on InterCity and the increase in the number of InterCity train cancellations.

  Mr. Freeman
  As part of the quality of service objectives agreed between the Government and British Rail, InterCity already has an objective to operate 99·5 per cent. of its scheduled services. The actual performance achieved in recent years is as follows:

  Percentage of scheduled services

  1987–88

  99·5

  1988–89

  99·0

  1989–90

  98·0

  1990–91

  97·5

  Not all cancellations are due to rolling stock problems. I understand that crew shortages, particularly in the south-east, have been a major factor in the recent decline in performance.

  It is a management matter for BR to judge how much spare capacity is needed for maintenance and other contingencies. The Department does not hold information on this or on the performance of French and German railways in this area.

  I have no reason to believe that there is any direct link between InterCity's financial performance and the rate of cancellations.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.
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  Mr. McLoughlin
  My Department currently proposes to carry out a child road safety publicity campaign in April. Further road safety publicity campaigns in the period to June are under consideration.

  Helmsdale Auxiliary Coastguard
  Mr. Maclennan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport (1) why he proposes to reduce the Helmsdale auxiliary coastguard complement to seven; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) what changes he proposes to make to the present roles of the Helmsdale auxiliary coastguard.

  Mr. McLoughlin
  The recently completed sector and auxiliary coastguard review defined the Coastguard's coastal commitments and reviewed the availability, readiness and training of coastguard personnel to meet current requirements. It concluded that the present day coastguard needs modern bases from which to operate. The present complement at the Helmsdale auxiliary coastguard station is 11 members. Their present roles will not change, and the premises currently occupied will not be released. Equipment utilised by the team is to remain unchanged, except that the Land Rover presently in use will be replaced by a modern 4WD Vauxhall Brava in March 1992. The complement will be reduced by four members initially, however a further two will he recruited in the Dunbeath area to the north in order to fulfil the initial response requirement between Helmsdale and Wick. It is anticipated that these changes will be implemented by the end of the financial year 1992–93.

  A21
  Mr. Speed
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport if he will list the road improvement schemes and their estimated time of completion that are being planned for the A21 trunk road.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: The road improvement schemes in the national programme for the A21 trunk road are as follows:

  Tonbridge bypass to Pembury bypass

  Kippings Cross to Lamberhurst improvement

  Lamberhurst bypass

  Lamberhurst to Flimwell improvement

  Hurst Green bypass

  Silver Hill improvement

  These schemes are at varying stages of development. Their completion will depend on progress that can be made with the design, statutory and other procedures and the availability of funds.

  In addition, there are a number of smaller scale works in the regional programme, mostly aimed at improving safety and traffic flow.

  Leicester Eastern Bypass
  Sir John Farr
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport in relation to the tender secured by Travis Morgan to act as advisers on the proposed route of the Leicester eastern bypass, if he will state the total number of companies who submitted unsuccessful tenders and, where possible, their names and addresses.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: Two companies submitted unsuccessful tenders. They were Sir Owen Williams and Partners, 41 Whitcomb street,

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  London, WC2H 7DT; and Sir Alexander Gibb and Partners, Earley House, London road, Reading, Berkshire RG6 1BL.

  National Parks
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what appraisal he has made of transport needs to and within each of the national parks.

  Mr. Chope
  [holding answer 21 Feburary 1992]: My right hon. and learned Friend's responsibility is for the trunk road network, which forms a small proportion of the transport infrastructure serving national parks. The Government's policy remains as stated in the 1987 White Paper:
  "In National Parks the Government is committed to ensuring that no new trunk routes will be constructed or an existing road upgraded unless there is a compelling need which cannot be met by any reasonable alternative means."

  Policy for trunk roads in national parks in Wales is the responsibility of my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Wales.

  Other transport needs are a matter for local authorities, passenger transport executives, and British Rail, in consultation with the national park authorities where appropriate.

CIVIL SERVICE

  Civil Service (New Tasks)
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what new tasks have been assumed by the civil service in the past year; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  As departmental and agency reports show, the civil service is responding to a wide range of new tasks flexibly, effectively and efficiently. The question of functions and priorities is constantly under review.

  Racial Discrimination
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Minister for the Civil Service what measures he is taking to counteract racial discrimination in the civil service; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  We continue to implement the servicewide programme for action on race, introduced in May 1990. There has been an increase in ethnic minority representation among staff. Copies of a recent report on progress have been placed in the Libraries of the House.

THE ARTS

  Royal Academy
  Mr. Tim Smith
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he last visited the Royal Academy; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  I visited the Royal Academy on 15 January when I formally opened the Andrea Mantegna exhibition and was a guest there at the Japan festival gala one month later. I have also again seen the Mantegna exhibition, and very splendid it was too. I am delighted to congratulate the 362
  Royal Academy on its magnificent and almost entirely self-sufficient work of refurbishment and pleased that the Government were able to contribute to the renovations via the museums and galleries improvement fund.

  Natural History Museum
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what is(a) the current number of employees and (b) the current funding for the natural history museum.

  Mr. Renton
  There are currently 672 staff in post at the natural history museum. In 1991–92 the museum will receive £27·8 million grant-in-aid.

  Libraries
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will meet the Association of London Authorities to discuss public library provision.

  Mr. Renton
  Yes. The association should first write to me outlining its points for discussion.

  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Minister for the Arts if he will meet representatives from the Association of District Councils to discuss library provision.

  Mr. Renton
  Yes. The association should first write to me outlining its points for discussion.

  Welsh Arts Council
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister for the Arts when he next intends to meet the chairman of the arts council for Wales to discuss funding.

  Mr. Renton
  I meet the chairman of the Welsh Arts Council from time to time to discuss matters of mutual interest. I met the chairman in May and October last year and look forward to meeting him again in the near future.

  Museums and Galleries (Attendance)
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Minister for the Arts how many people visited the national museums and galleries in the last year for which figures are available.

  Mr. Renton
  I was delighted to see that it is estimated that more than 21 million people visited the 11 national museums and galleries for which I am responsible during 1991.

  Galleries and Theatres (Regulations)
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Minister for the Arts what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of proposed regulations affecting museums, art galleries and theatres prior to implementation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Renton
  The Office of Arts and Libraries carefully monitors the likely impact any proposed regulations might have on museums, art galleries and theatres before their implementation. The number of such regulations is, however, small.

NATIONAL FINANCE

  Customs Checks
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he intends to review the number of routine checks by Customs officials at Scottish airports; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  Routine checks by Customs officers are becoming less of a feature of customs work at all ports and airports as a result of that department's strategy of more flexible deployment of staff based on intelligence and assessment of risk and concentrating on drugs, obscene material, instruments of terrorism and other high priority smuggling targets.

  The strategy is kept under constant review.

  Customs (Honesty System)
  Mr. Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the honesty system employed by Customs and Excise at Cardiff airport.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  The arrangements at Cardiff international airport are part of Customs' strategy to provide a more flexible deployment of staff according to intelligence and assessment of risk and targeted on the key areas of drugs, instruments of terrorism, pornography and so on. We aim to allow honest travellers the freest movement through our frontiers.

  Customs will continue to monitor the effectiveness of the approach but it is too early to make an assessment.

  Income Tax
  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the cost of collecting income tax from Scottish-based taxpayers; and how this relates to the Inland Revenue's calculations of the late 1970s.

  Mr. Maude
  Information specific to taxpayers resident in Scotland is not available.

  Mr. Bill Walker
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will give details of Scottish-based income tax which is collected via computer-based offices; and what assessment he has made of the extent to which computers make the collections easier and less costly to collect.

  Mr. Maude
  No information is available on total income tax collected in Scotland as opposed to the liabilities of those resident there. Computerisation projects are subject to rigorous investment appraisal before approval to proceed is given. In the 10 years to 1991 a reduction of 6,260 Inland Revenue staff is attributable to computerisation.

  Uniform Business Rate
  Mr. Edwards
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received from the Abergavenny chamber of trade concerning the uniform business rate; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Mellor
  I have received a letter.

  Energy Efficiency
  Ms. Walley
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will consider introducing capital allowances for equipment installed as part of an energy efficiency drive.

  Mr. Maude
  I cannot anticipate my right hon. Friend's Budget statement.

  Taxpayers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the number of people paying tax in each year since 1978–79, giving the numbers on basic rate and higher rate tax.

  Mr. Maude
  Latest estimates are given in table 1.5 of "Inland Revenue Statistics 1991".

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the number of taxpayers divided into basic rate and higher rate, and by sex, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates at 1991–92 levels of income are as follows:

  Number of taxpayers million

  Basic rate men

  14·2

  Higher rate men

  1·4

  Basic rate women

  9·3

  Higher rate women

  0·2

  TOTAL

  25·1

  Single Person's Allowance
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the cost in 1992–93 of an increase in the single person's tax allowance of(a) £50, (b) £100, (c) £150, (d) £200, (e) £250 and (f) £300, giving the numbers taken out of tax in each case, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates are given in the table.

  Increase in personal allowance1 £

  Exchequer cost in 1992–932 £ million

  Exchequer cost in full year2 £ million

  Numbers taken out of tax thousands

  50

  260

  330

  100

  100

  510

  650

  190

  150

  770

  970

  300

  200

  1,020

  1,300

  400

  250

  1,270

  1,620

  480

  300

  1,520

  1,940

  570

  1 Including the personal allowances for the over-65s and over-75s.

  2 Over and above statutory indexation.

  Married Couples Allowance
  Ms. Armstrong
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what would be the effect on revenues in 1992–93 of freezing the married couples allowance instead of index-linking it.

  Mr. Maude
  A yield of about £180 million in the first year and £230 million in a full year.

  Civil Service Relocation
  Mr. Thurnham
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what further plans he has to relocate civil service staff to the regions; what performance assessment he has made of the civil servants in the north-west; and if he will make a statement.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave on 4 December 1991,Official Report, columns 163–64, to my hon. Friend the Member for Ealing, North (Mr. Greenway). Under the Government's relocation policy, it is for Departments and agencies to review the location of their work regularly and systematically, with the intention of finding sites offering better value for money. Departmental Ministers will announce their own decisions on significant relocations on completion of the essential processes of assessment and consultation.

  Performance assessments of civil servants are made by their line managers within the department or agency in which they work. These assessments are neither collected nor analysed on a regional basis.

  Civil Servants
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress is being made to reduce the number of civil servants.

  Mr. Maples
  I refer my hon. Friend to table 4.13 of the "Statistical Supplement to the 1991 Autumn Statement", Cm. 1920, presented to the House last month, which shows that civil service manpower fell by 171,000 between 1978–79 and 1991–92.

  Civil Servants (Scotland)
  Mr. Strang
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many civil servants from Departments and agencies other than the Scottish Office are based in Scotland.

  Mr. Maples
  I would refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Glasgow, Garscadden (Mr. Dewar) on 21 February 1992, at columns 308–10.

  Competitive Tendering
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what arrangements his Department has to assess proposals for regulations on competitive tendering and their effect on existing small firms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  My Department well appreciates the effects of changes of policy on small firms. When assessing proposals for regulations on competitive tendering, full consideration is given to the impact upon small firms. My Department consults the Department of Employment, which has responsibility for Government policy on small firms. Minimising the costs of regulation for business is an important part of the Government's programme to create the conditions to promote prosperity.

  Training
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what representations he has received in favour of treating training as an investment qualifying for an investment allowance against corporation tax.
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  Mr. Maude
  I have not received any such representations.

  Earnings
  Mr. Richard Shepherd
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what percentage of taxpayers earned over £55,000 a year gross in each of the past five tax years.

  Mr. Maude
  Estimates are readily available for both 1990–91 and 1991–92. About three quarters of 1 per cent. and just under 1 per cent. of taxpayers respectively are estimated to have gross earnings from employment and self-employment of over £55,000 in these years.

  Taxes
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list those taxes which have to be renewed annually by resolution of the House.

  Mr. Maude
  Income tax and corporation tax.

  Fiscal Drag
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the amount of revenue that would accrue to the Government from fiscal drag if the tax system were simply indexed in the 1992 Budget, in the United Kingdom.

  Mr. Maude
  The amount of real fiscal drag that accrues to the Government in any one year depends on the rate of growth of the economy and on the composition of demand. But on average over a cycle it might be expected to raise the ratio of tax receipts to GDP by about 0·2 percentage points per year.

  Disabled Taxpayers
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what, in the latest year for which information is available, is the total number of people in receipt of a disability benefit who pay income tax; and how many pay VAT.

  Mr. Maude
  The latest estimates for 1991–92 of the numbers of people in receipt of a disability benefit who pay income tax are as follows:

  Thousands

  Invalidity benefit

  220

  Severe disablement allowance

  20

  These estimates are based on Department of Social Security estimates of the total numbers in receipt of each benefit and information on taxpayers derived from the results of the 1990 family expenditure survey. The figures are, therefore, provisional. VAT is chargeable on a wide range of consumer expenditure and it seems likely that everybody has to pay some during the course of a year.

  Tax Inspectors
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is the latest estimate of the amount of revenue brought in by each tax inspector in a year; and what is their average salary.

  Mr. Maude
  In the year to 31 March 1991 the average yield of inspectors of taxes in local offices involved in
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  counter evasion and avoidance and technical review work was £700,000. A figure for average salary is not available, but the average overall cost of such an inspector was £32,000.

  Business Expansion Scheme
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what was for each year of the years of the existance of the business expansion scheme, the total amount invested in BES, the total cost to the Exchequer, and the percentage and amount of BES money invested, and associated cost to the Exchequer, in residential and assured tenancy schemes.

  Mr. Maude
  The business expansion scheme was extended to include investment in private rented housing in 1988–89. The latest estimates are as follows:

  Amounts invested

  Cost of income tax relief

  Total of which investment in private rented housing

  Total of which in respect of investment in private rented housing

  £ million

  amount £ million

  percentage

  £ million

  £ million

  1983–84

  105

  —

  —

  50

  —

  1984–85

  148

  —

  —

  75

  —

  1985–86

  157

  —

  —

  85

  —

  1986–87

  169

  —

  —

  95

  —

  1987–88

  201

  —

  —

  120

  —

  11988–89

  420

  368

  88

  150

  130

  11989–90

  211

  160

  76

  75

  55

  11990–91

  320

  280

  88

  120

  105

  1 provisional estimates.

  Information is not yet available for 1991–92.

  Taxation
  Mr. Austin Mitchell
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether he will bring up to date his answer of 25 November 1983,Official Report, columns 316–17 showing the proportion of taxation levied on capital, labour and other.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: In the table, taxes on capital include corporation tax, North sea taxes and royalties, income tax on rent, dividends, interest and so on, capital gains tax, inheritance tax, development land tax, and national non-domestic rates. Taxes on labour include income tax on earned and self-employment income—including pensions and benefits to the unemployed—and employer's and employees' national insurance contributions. Other taxes—mainly taxes on expenditure and community charge—are not allocated.

  On this basis the figures for 1990–91 are as follows:

  Percent

  Capital

  Labour

  Other

  Total

  19·4

  44·0

  36·6

  100·0

  Mortgage Tax Relief
  Mr. Battle
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of people receiving mortgage tax relief are first-time buyers.

  Mr Maude
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: Information on the proportion of all those receiving
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  mortgage tax relief who were first-time buyers when the mortgage was taken out is not available. Almost 50 per cent. of those mortgages taken out in the year ending September 1991 were for first-time buyers.

  Invalidity Benefit
  Mr. Morgan
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer under what conditions and at what rate he expects to initiate the taxation of invalidity benefit; if he proposes at the same time to review the taxation liability of the invalidity benefit supplement to the retirement pension; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maude
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: It remains the Government's intention to bring invalidity benefit into taxation when operationally possible. When taxation is introduced the benefit will form part of the recipient's taxable income and will therefore be taxed at the taxpayer's marginal rate. The Government have no intention of changing the tax treatment of the addition to retirement pension given to those previously entitled to the invalidity allowance.

  Alcohol Duty
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what is his policy relating to European Community legislation with regard to duty on(a) vin doux naturel and (b) vin de liqueur compared with still table wine.

  Mrs. Gillian Shephard
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: The UK excise duty bands of wines and made-wines are based solely on alcoholic content. These constitute neutral and objective demarcations between alcoholic drinks of different strengths. I see no reason to make any fiscal distinction between fermented and distilled alcohol and will seek to retain our existing arrangements in future EC negotiations.

  Royal Mint
  Dr. Marek
  To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will list the members of the board of the Royal Mint, together with the ranges of pay applicable to their position and any appropriate qualifications.

  Mr. Maples
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: The members of the management board of the Royal Mint, their current ranges of pay, including performance-related pay, and appropriate qualifications are:

  Member and Relevant Qualification

  Pay Range £

  Mr. A. D. Garrett MA Deputy Master and Comptroller (Chief Executive)

  up to 166,000

  Mr. D. C. Snell FCMA MBCS Director of Finance and Corporate Services (Deputy Chief Executive)

  242,724 to 47,921

  Mr. A. R. W. Lotherington Sales Director

  2337,928 to 49,671

  Mr. R. D. Burchill MSc C.Eng MIEE Director of Operations

  234,667 to 46,122

  Mr. B. D. Williams Marketing Director

  226,622 to 41,120

  Mr. C. J. J. Boyle FIPM Director, Human Resources and Establishment Officer

  226,622 to 41,120

  Mr. S. G. Cameron MC Non-Executive Director

  43,000

  Mr. J. Burnett-Stuart BA Non-Exective Director

  43,000

  369

  1 Including special performance-related bonus.

  2 Excluding bonuses payable under the Mint's profit-sharing scheme.

  3 Including London weighting.

  4 Fee paid.

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

  Lockerbie Disaster
  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will make contact with Mr. Mazn Abu Shriff about responsibility for the Lockerbie air disaster; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Douglas Hogg
  No. I refer my hon. Friend to the statement made by the Foreign Secretary on 14 November. A thorough three-year investigation into the Lockerbie disaster by the Dumfries and Galloway police revealed no evidence to suggest that any other countries or groups were behind the attack on Pan Am 103.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Lennox-Boyd
  The Foreign and Commonwealth Office is continuing its campaign of consular publicity. For the period in question new versions have been commissioned of films on drug smuggling and holiday medical insurance, made for free showing on TV as public service announcements and aimed at viewers planning holidays overseas. The cost of producing the films will be around 160,000.

  Spanish customs Officers
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Spanish Government on the problems likely to be encountered by Scottish fish processors as a result of industrial action by Spanish customs officers.

  Mr. Garel-Jones
  I have had no discussions with the Spanish Government about the industrial action by Spanish customs agents. The embassy in Madrid is monitoring the situation.

WALES

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Wales if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. David Hunt
  The Welsh Office does not plan to run any television campaigns. At present the Department plans to run the following three publicity campaigns:—

  Education—including teacher shortage

  Industry—including Enterprise Wales

  Road Safety.

PRIME MINISTER

  Lockerbie
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Prime Minister if he will raise with President Bush the circumstances of involvement of non-Libyans in the Lockerbie bombing.

  The Prime Minister
  We remain in close contact with the United States over the Lockerbie bombing. We and the United States authorities share the view that there is no evidence to suggest that any countries other than Libya were responsible for the Lockerbie bombing.

HEALTH

  Ministerial Engagements
  Mr. Callaghan
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) hospitals and (b) clinics in the Greater Manchester area he has visited in the last year.

  Mr. Waldegrave
  My Ministers and I regularly visit hospitals and clinics in the course of our official duties and I last visited hospitals and clinics in the Greater Manchester area on Tuesday 12 March 1991.

  Cataract Operations
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what advice he issues to regional health authorities about adding cataract patients to the waiting list when it may be many months from diagnosis to preparedness for an operation for medical reasons.

  Mrs. Virginia Bottomley
  Guidance on the management of waiting lists, issued by the Royal College of Surgeons in July 1991, states that patients should only be placed on a waiting list when they are clinically ready to undergo surgery. This advice is reiterated in departmental guidance which was issued to all health authorities at the same time.

  Procurement
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of proposed regulations made by his Department affecting companies involved in the procurement process; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Where regulations are planned which are likely to impact on the business sector a compliance cost assessment is prepared wherever possible in order to provide an indicative guide to costs and other effects. The Department seeks wherever possible to reduce the burden of regulations or other Government procedures on the business sector.

  Dentists
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he has evaluated the effect on national health service patients of any changes to dentists' fee structures; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Dorrell
  The health departments have been consulting dentists' representatives on dental remuneration. The health departments and the general dental
  371
  services committee have now agreed to re-examine the detailed elements of the levels of fees. They will simultaneously begin a more fundamental review of the dental remuneration system, as recommended by the doctors and dentists review body.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Television advertising campaigns during February are:

  Solvents Misuse

  Nursing Regional

  Other planned publicity campaigns likely to cost over £100,000 from February to June are:

  Food Safety

  Blood Donor Recruitment

  Health Advice for Travellers

  Nursing

  AIDS

  Drugs Misuse

  Back to Sleep

  Help with NHS Treatment Costs

  Individual campaign allocations from April 1992 have yet to be confirmed.

  Local Government Electors
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will publish a table to show for England the number of local government electors on each of the 1985 to 1990 electoral registers, together with the estimated resident population for the mid point of each preceding year, including those aged 17 years and over, and 63 per cent. of those aged 16 years.

  Mr. Dorrell
  Numbers of local government electors on the 1985 to 1990 registers have been published in annual volumes of "Electoral Statistics"—series EL nos. 13 to 17— copies of which are available in the Library. I have arranged for the requested resident population estimates to be prepared and sent to the hon. Member, and a copy will then be placed in the Library.

  Parkside Health Authority
  Ms. Harman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Health when he will begin a review into the adequacy of hospital services in Parkside health authority.

  Mr. Dorrell
  [holding answer 11 February 1992]: We are satisfied that Parkside health authority is fulfilling its statutory duty to provide a comprehensive health service for its residents, within the resources available. We do not intend to institute an inquiry.

EMPLOYMENT

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of proposed new regulations affecting small firms and enterprises; and if he will make a statement.
  372
  Mr. Forth
  In line with the deregulation initiative and in common with other Government Departments, all regulations proposed or approved by my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment are assessed for their impact on business. Details of these assessments are provided to the deregulation unit in the DTI and are publicly available. Because of my responsibilities for small firms, I take a keen interest in the impact on small firms of regulations proposed by other Government Departments.

  Job Discrimination
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment what representations he has made to those companies who impose an age limit of 50 years on job applicants to ensure people above this age group do not suffer discrimination.

  Mr. Forth
  The Department regularly urges employers to give proper recognition to the qualities that older workers possess. They should abandon arbitrary age limits in recruitment and treat everyone on their merits. To assist this process, my right hon. and learned Friend the Secretary of State for Employment announced on 11 February that we propose to set up an advisory group on older workers. The group will have an important role to play in the identification and dissemination of good practice in the employment of older people.

  Wages Councils
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will update his answer to the hon. Member for Coventry, South-East,Official Report, 22 April 1991, column 366, concerning wages councils.

  Mr. Forth
  The information requested is not yet available but will be available during March.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Employment if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Forth
  No television advertising campaigns are planned by the Department between February and June this year. Other publicity campaigns costing more than £100,000 planned for this period are jobclubs, national training awards, high technology national training, employment action, and learning technologies.

OVERSEAS DEVELOPMENT

  Commonwealth of Independent States
  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessments have been carried out of the impact of food aid on markets for locally produced food, on the development of the marketing system and on the prices that farmers receive in the Commonwealth of Independent States.

  Mrs. Chalker
  EC food aid is being sold through free market mechanisms so as to bolster the development of a
  373
  market infrastructure which will greatly assist the development of distribution systems and thus benefit local producers. No formal assessment has yet been carried out of the impact of this on emerging markets, as the process of providing food aid on a large scale is as yet in its infancy, and time is needed to assess its full effect.

  Mrs. Clwyd
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what is the total level of counterpart funds raised from the sale of food aid from all western donors in the Commonwealth of Independent States; and what mechanisms exist within the Overseas Development Administration, the EC and other bodies to monitor the use of these counterpart funds.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Unofficial estimates suggest that over 400 million roubles may be generated by the sale of food so far delivered under the European Community's 200 mecu (£140 million) food aid package for Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities. These counterpart funds will be used to provide direct aid for needy groups such as families and pensioners—an approach which we endorse. The fund will be monitored by the Community task force which currently oversees the entire food aid operation. We are pleased to see that more staff have been made available to the European Commission in this area.

  Turks and Caicos Islands
  Mr. Fishburn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what are his plans for assistance to the Government of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

  Mrs. Chalker
  Discussions on future assistance were held between the Government and the Turks and Caicos Islands—TCI—Government on 13 and 14 February.

  Her Majesty's Government have agreed to provide nearly £24 million to the TCI Government over the three financial years beginning in 1992–93.

  Of this, £18 million in bilateral funds and £1 million in regional funds will be used in support of projects agreed between the two governments in accoreance with the TCI Government's "Progress through Partnership" policy. It is anticipated that a further £4 million will be forthcoming over the same period for activities in support of the basic functions of government. Funds will also be used to clear part of the debt of the TCI Government inherited during the winding up of the national airline.

  This is the largest aid package the United Kingdom has provided to TCI and is designed to assist the TCI Government in their policy of moving rapidly towards economic self-sufficiency.

  Her Majesty's Government have agreed to further talks with the TCI over the next few years to monitor the progress of this aid in meeting the objective of economic self-sufficiency.

EDUCATION AND SCIENCE

  Education, Suffolk
  Mr. David Porter
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what extra money has been given to Suffolk county council to cover the teachers' salary award for 1992–93; and what advice he has given to the authority on how to meet the gap between its budget and its teachers' pay bill;
  374
  (2) if he will make a statement on the estimates he made of pupil numbers and teachers required for Suffolk county council for 1992–93; and how he expects those estimates to be altered following the teachers' salary settlement for 1992–93.

  Mr. Fallon
  The Government are paying additional grant to authorities in England of £56·5 million to help them cover the cost of the increase in teachers' pay recommended by the school teachers review body. Suffolk's share will be some £677,000. The Government's view is that with this additional support LEAs should have adequate headroom within the 1992–93 local authority finance settlement to cover the cost of the teachers' award in full, provided that they exploit their scope for making efficiency savings. It is for individual local authorities and schools with delegated budgets to determine spending priorities, including the number of teachers to be employed. In determining education's share of the overall 1992–93 settlement, the Government took account of the expected growth in pupil numbers nationally; and individual authorities' shares reflect the latest information available about the distribution of school pupils between authorities.

  Palaeontology
  Mr. Dalyell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what representations he has had from geologists at the British Geological Survey about funding for palaeontology in Edinburgh.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received no such representations.

  Ice Skating
  Mr. Denis Howell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science (1) what discussions he has held with the National Skating Association regarding the need to replace the first-class coaching facilities lost to skating by the closure of the Richmond ice rink; and what proposals he has to ensure the future level of national and international skating skills in this country;

  (2) what steps he has taken to assess the effects of the closure of the Richmond ice rink upon the development of the sport of ice skating in the United Kingdom and the training of future international competitors; also upon the public of the loss of these facilities for recreational use; and what steps he is taking to safeguard these interests.

  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what discussions have been held with the London borough of Richmond to plan a replacement of ice skating facilities in that area.

  Mr. Atkins
  Despite the closure of Richmond ice rink I understand that training facilities are available elsewhere. I welcome, however, the feasibility study, by a subsidiary of the National Skating Association and funded by the Foundation for Sport and the Arts, into a proposed national ice training centre.

  Discussions are still taking place between the London borough of Richmond and the London Edinburgh Trust which owns the former ice rink, concerning an alternative site for an ice rink in the borough. It is for the National Skating Association to consult with the London borough of Richmond and others as appropriate, and I have not, therefore, held discussions with either body.

  Argentina Animal Health Authority
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will make a statement about any agreement between the Agricultural and Food Research Council's institute of animal health arid the animal health authority of Argentina including the costs involved.

  Mr. Alan Howarth
  The Pirbright laboratory of the AFRC institute for animal health—IAH—has agreed in principle to undertake a collaborative programme of research with the Centro de Investigacion en Ciencias Veterinarias—CICV—of Argentina's Institute de Virologia del Institute Nacional de Tecnologia Agropecuaria subject to agreement of suitable funding arrangements. The research will investigate the role of carrier animals in the epidemiology of foot and mouth disease, for which Pirbright is the European and world reference laboratory. The Argentine Government are considering whether to support the project. The CICV and IAH are also seeking support from the Commission of the European Communities as part of its scheme to promote bilateral scientific co-operation between laboratories in the Community and countries in Latin America, Asia and the Mediterranean.

  Stratford School
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when Her Majesty's inspectors last visited Stratford school; and if the report was published.

  Mr. Eggar
  Two HMIs paid a routine visit to Stratford school on 4 December 1991. As with all such visits, there will be no published report.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how much financial support he has given to Stratford school in the past 12 months.

  Mr. Eggar
  The annual maintenance grant for the financial year 1991–92 is some £1·5 million. In the last 12 months we have paid further sums amounting to some £100,000 for capital and special purposes.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what is the current pupil roll at Stratford school; and what proportion are resident in the borough of Newham.

  Mr. Eggar
  I understand that there are currently 570 pupils on roll at the school, of whom fewer than 2 per cent. are resident outside Newham.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he intends to take in respect of Stratford school.

  Mr. Eggar
  We shall continue to monitor the situation at the school and make further use of our powers to act when appropriate.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what action he has taken to date to deal with the current difficulties at Stratford school; and what has been the effect.

  Mr. Eggar
  My Department has communicated with the school on a range of matters. My right hon. And 376
  learned Friend has used his powers to intervene to ensure the reinstatement of the headteacher. He has also appointed Mrs. Daphne Gould and Mr. Eric Bolton as additional governors to the school. We have made it clear that we are keeping in close touch with the situation and we will not hesitate to use our powers further in the interests of the education of the pupils at the school.

  PE Teachers
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many qualified physical education teachers left training colleges in each of the last five years; and what is his Department's estimate for the number still in teaching.

  Mr. Fallon
  The table shows the numbers of students specialising in PE who successfully completed an initial teacher training course in England and Wales, in each year from 1985 to 1989, together with the number of these who were teaching in the maintained nursery, primary and secondary schools sector in England and Wales on 31 March 1990.

  ITT complelers with main subject PE

  Of whom: teaching on 31 March 1990

  1985

  654

  369

  1986

  781

  466

  1987

  661

  428

  1988

  687

  454

  1989

  571

  394

  Total

  3,354

  2,111

  The remainder includes those who have not taught since qualifying or have left teaching, as well as those who are teaching in other sectors such as independent schools, or teaching outside England and Wales.

  Sports Grounds
  Ms. Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what response he has made to the report by the Institution of Structural Engineers "Appraisal of Sports Grounds", a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Atkins
  I received the institution's report with interest. I understand that it has been warmly welcomed by the Home Office, within whose responsibility sports ground safety falls, and whose "Guide to Safety at Sports Grounds" it complements.

  Sensory Impairments
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what criteria were used in determining the outcome of Liverpool education authority's bid for funds to develop provision for children with dual sensory impairmants; how many bids from the north-west were successful; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  Bids under the grants for education support and training programme to encourage the development of regional provision for deaf-blind children were assessed against the criteria set out in the Department's published guidance. Bids were to be made on a regional basis, with
  377
  at least three local education authorities per bid unless geographical constraints made this impossible in practice. The successful bids were those thought most likely to secure lasting benefits both locally and nationally. Geographical representation was not a selection criterion, and none of the successful bids involved authorities in the north-west.

  GCSE Coursework
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many letters he has received on the subject of GCSE coursework; and how many of these have supported his proposed changes in the extent of coursework.

  Mr. Eggar
  My right hon. and learned Friend has received a large volume of correspondence on this subject. The correspondents have expressed a range of views.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Eggar
  Publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 cover the following areas:A touring exhibition, "Time for School", which was launched in January will continue during February and March.
  A campaign of information for companies about tax relief on business gifts and charitable giving to educational institutions—February/April.
  Information for parents about the National Curriculum —February/March.
  Information for parents about testing at age 7 and 14—May/June.
  In addition, the professional, industrial and commercial updating programme will continue to support and encourage colleges, polytechnics and universities to improve and increase their provision to meet the training needs of employers and their employees.
  No television campaigns are planned for these months.

  Mr. David Mogie
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science when he expects to pay Mr. David Mogie, a student at Sunderland polytechnic, his bursary of £1,500; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Fallon
  A cheque for the first instalment of the bursary was dispatched from this Department to Sunderland polytechnic on 29 January. The second instalment of £750 will be paid in April.

  A-levels
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what information he has on the drop-out rate from A-level courses in England and Wales each year from 1985.

  Mr. Eggar
  Comprehensive information on A-level drop-out rates is not readily available. However, estimates of the percentage of 16-year-olds commencing A or AS level courses at schools in England who were no longer pursuing those courses a year later are as follows:
  378

  Academic year of commencement of A/AS level course

  Percentage no longer pursuing course one year later Per cent.

  1984–85

  13·6

  1985–86

  13·3

  1986–87

  13·5

  1987–88

  12·7

  1988–89

  12·9

  1989–90

  12·4

  Seven-year-olds (Tests)
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science if he will publish a table of local education authorities whose attainment test results at seven years were published showing in each case(a) those who included all seven-year-olds in the tests, (b) those who excluded special needs pupils, (c) those who excluded statemented or excluded pupils, (d) those who excluded pupils with a mother tongue other than English, (e) those who excluded other categories of pupil with an indication of which other category was so excluded and (f) those who made no return of which categories of pupil were excluded.

  Mr. Eggar
  With the exception of pupils with statements of special educational needs, and some others temporarily excepted from the provisions of the national curriculum under section 19 of the Education Reform Act, all pupils coming to the end of key stage 1 of the national curriculum were required to be tested in the core subjects last summer.

  Some LEAs and schools chose to include pupils with statements of special educational needs in the tests. The reply which I gave to the hon. Member for the City of Durham (Mr. Steinberg) on 10 February, Official Report, column 374, explains how the LEA results published on 19 December treated such pupils.

  National Curriculum Council
  Mr. McCartney
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science what financial arrangements were made for the former chairman and chief executive of the National Curriculum Council upon his departure from office last year.

  Mr. Eggar
  Mr. Duncan Graham received financial compensation of just over £100,000 in respect of loss of income and pension benefits on the early termination of his contract of employment.

  Pupil Placements
  Mr. Pawsey
  To ask the Secretary of State for Education and Science how many children attend city technology colleges, grant-maintained schools and grammar schools and use the assisted places scheme.

  Mr. Eggar
  [pursuant to his reply, 10 February 1992, c. 373–74]: Latest estimates suggest that more than 105,000 pupils now attend grant-maintained schools in England, and that this is expected to rise to some 160,000 next term. Nearly 8,000 pupils are in city technology colleges and in excess of 27,4000 pupils receive support under the assisted places scheme.

TRADE AND INDUSTRY

  Fairs and Promotions
  Ms. Quin
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what is the cost of the review of the fairs and promotions branch of his Department being carried out by Price Waterhouse.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  Price Waterhouse is not carrying out a review of my Department's fairs and promotions branch.

  Life Cycle Analysis
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry what advice and assistance his Department offers companies to introduce life cycle analysis in product planning and development.

  Mr. Leigh
  Life cycle analysis—LCA—is a system for assessing the environmental impact of products at all stages of their life from the winning of raw materials through to the eventual disposal of the product. Although the methodology for assessing these impacts is still developing, many individual companies are turning to LCA to assist them in understanding where the main environmental impacts of their products occur. My officials actively encourage companies in this direction.

  My Department has been involved in a number of presentations to business audiences to explain the relationship between LCA and the setting up of an EC-wide official ecolabelling scheme for consumer products. This official scheme will use a "cradle to grave"
  380
  analysis as the underpinning requirement for assessing the environmental criteria to be applied to products which may attract a label.

  RENAVAL
  Sir Robin Maxwell-Hyslop
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry how his statement to the House on 17 February,Official Report, column 27, about agreement with European Commissioner Bruce Millan affects the RENAVAL programme in Plymouth, and other Devon county council programmes dependent on EEC part-funding including RECHAR.

  Mr. Lilley
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: I expect the RENAVAL programme now to proceed satisfactorily. Devon is not eligible for RECHAR grants, which are for coalfield areas.

  Export Controls
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry when his Department next plans to hold seminars on changes to United Kingdom export controls to prevent proliferation; and if he will make a statement on the outcome of the export control seminars his Department sponsored for industry in 1991.

  Mr. Sainsbury
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: Five DTI non-proliferation seminars are planned for this year, the first in Manchester on 23 March.

  The seminars held last year were well received by industry. I am satisfied that they made a valuable contribution to highlighting awareness about the risks of clandestine procurement activities and explaining export controls.

HOME DEPARTMENT

  Criminal Records
  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what representations he has received regarding the production in court of the offender's previous criminal record.

  Mr. John Patten
  We receive representations from time to time on this subject, about which my hon. Friend wrote to my right hon. Friend the Home Secretary on 4 February.

  Marriages of Convenience
  Sir John Wheeler
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when his Department was last notified by the Registrar General that a proposed marriage was purely one of convenience.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  On Wednesday 29 January 1992.

  Police (Body Armour)
  Mr. Redmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, pursuant to his answer of 30 January,Official Report, column 647, what is the cost to public funds in providing body armour for police forces.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The information is not available centrally and could he obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  Police, Hampshire
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what are the figures for Hampshire police establishment(a) police operational duties and (b) civilian staff; and what were the figures in 1979.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  The present establishment of the Hampshire Constabulary is 3,202 compared to 2,954 in 1979. The establishment will increase to 3,269 from April 1992. It is for the chief constable to decide how available manpower should be deployed. At the end of 1990, 84 per cent. of the force was deployed to operational duties.

  My right hon. Friend does not control civilian staff numbers: this is a matter for the police authority. At the end of December 1991 the civilian strength for the Hampshire Constabulary was 1,039, as against 708 in 1979.

  Vehicle Test Certificates
  Mr. Meale
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the numbers of prosecutions for using or possessing stolen Ministry of Transport test certificates each year for the last five years by each of the following categories(a) heavy goods vehicles, (b) public service vehicles and (c) private cars.

  Mr. John Patten
  The information is not available centrally.

  Extradition
  Mr. Archer
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many persons have been detained at his request by the police in(a) Spain, (b) Turkey, (c)
  382
  Zimbabwe, (d) the Republic of South Africa and (e) all other countries and subsequently flown to the United Kingdom, arrested and remanded into custody for each of the last five years; and whether extradition procedures were followed in each case.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  No such requests have been made in the last five years. International co-operation between police forces to apprehend people suspected of criminal offences is a matter for individual chief officers of police.

  Charities
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements his Department has to assess proposals for regulations to be made by his Department and their effect on charities; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  Guidance on this matter, approved by the ministerial group on the voluntary sector, has been issued by the Home Office to all Government Departments. It has been circulated to officials within the Home Office. The guidance is designed to ensure that, when considering changes of policy or changes in procedures, the Home Office, and other Departments, should assess the implications which those changes may have for voluntary organisations and charities.

  Sports Grounds
  Ms Hoey
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what response he has made to the report by the Institution of Structural Engineers, "Appraisal of Sports Grounds", a copy of which has been sent to him; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. John Patten
  I was sent a copy of "Appraisal of Sports Grounds" on 30 May 1991. My private secretary replied to the Institution of Structural Engineers on 13 June 1991 to convey my thanks for the report and to relay my congratulations to the institution on producing a document which I regard as an important contribution towards achieving safety at sports grounds.

  Football, London
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was received by the Metropolitan police from London Football League clubs in respect of matches called off last season 1990–91 and 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the Metropolitan police received £5,316 for matches postponed during the 1990–91 season. To date no payments have been received for the 1991–92 season.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the minimum amount of notice required by the Metropolitan police in respect of Football Association cup and league matches in London.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  This is a matter for the Commissioner of the Metropolis. I understand that safety certificates for most London clubs require that the police be notified of fixtures 28 days beforehand. In the case of cup match replays, the police require 10 days notice. The police are sometimes able to accommodate fixtures with less notice, depending on other operational commitments.
  383
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what has been the total amount received by the Metropolitan police from London's Football League clubs in respect of charges for police services in seasons 1989–90, 1990–91 and 1991–92 to date.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the information is as follows:

  Amount received by the Metropolitan police

  Season

  £

  1989–90

  2,384,379

  1990–91

  2,394,469

  1991–921

  1,051,642

  1 To 20 February.

  Wimbledon Tennis Championships
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how much was received by the Metropolitan police in respect of police services at the 1991 Wimbledon tennis championships.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  I understand from the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis that the Metropolitan police received £172,296·50 for policing the 1991 Wimbledon tennis championships.

  Car Crime
  Mr. Morley
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list the total number of car-related crimes between 1979 to the present in(a) Humberside and (b) Scunthorpe divisional police area.

  Mr. John Patten
  Figures for Humberside are contained in the table.

  Figures for Scunthorpe are not available centrally.

  Car crimes1 recorded hr the police in Humberside

  Year

  Number of offences

  1979

  7,077

  1980

  7,498

  1981

  9,168

  1982

  10,488

  1983

  9,680

  1984

  9,462

  1985

  11,267

  1986

  13,004

  1987

  15,298

  Grants1 2 3 of asylum or exceptional leave in the United Kingdom, by the location of application

  Granted asylum

  Granted exceptional leave

  Application made at port

  Application made after entry

  Total granted asylum

  Application made at port

  Application made after entry

  Total granted exceptional leave

  Date of grant

  July to September 19914

  15

  55

  75

  30

  90

  120

  July to September 1990

  120

  80

  200

  345

  220

  565

  1 Excluding dependants.

  2 Provisional figures, rounded to the nearest 5.

  3 Decisions do not necessarily relate to applications made in the time period.

  4 1991 figures are likely to understate because of delays in recording.

  384

  Year

  Number of offences

  1988

  16,515

  1989

  17,969

  1990

  23,060

  1 Theft or unauthorised taking of motor vehicle; theft from motor vehicle.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Kenneth Baker
  My Department is running a car crime prevention campaign on television from 11 February until June. It will be supported by press, poster and radio advertising for shorter spells within that period.

  A smoke alarms campaign was run on television from 26 December until 12 February.

  An absent voting campaign will be run on television and in the press for three days from the announcement of an election date.

  A prison service recruitment campaign has been run in the press from 13 January and will continue until 13 April.

  With the exception of absent voting, all Home Office advertising will be suspended for the duration of the general election campaign period.

  Political Asylum
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applicants for political asylum, at ports of entry and after entry, since last July to the latest available date, have been(a) granted political asylum and (b) granted exceptional leave to remain; and what were the figures for the comparable period of 1990–91.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: The readily available information is of total grants of asylum or exceptional leave made in the period July to September 1991. This is shown in the table, along with corresponding information for the same period in 1990.

  The figures for July to September 1991 may be an understatement because of delays in recording. Information on decisions made since September 1991 is not yet available.

  Asylum
  Mr. Madden
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what is the total number, to the latest available date, of applications for political asylum, from
  385
  all sources, awaiting decision; and what were the comparable figures for the comparable period of each of the last three years.

  Mr. Peter Lloyd
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Information is given in the table:

  Number of asylum applications1 outstanding

  Date

  Total

  As at:

  31 December 1988

  6,500

  31 December 1989

  10,500

  31 December 19902

  27,200

  30 September 1991 2 3

  59,300

  1 Estimated figures, excluding dependants.

  2 Provisional figures.

  3 Corresponding information for 31 December 1991 is not yet available.

AGRICULTURE, FISHERIES AND FOOD

  Rabies
  Mr. Hill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what plans are in place to end rabies quarantine for domestic animals; and what changes in procedure are expected as a result of the European single market.

  Mr. Gill
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made towards retaining United Kingdom quarantine regulations until rabies has been eradicated on the continent.

  Mr. Maclean
  European Community scientific experts have been asked to review the scientific evidence relating to the precautions necessary to avoid the spread of rabies by domestic animals. The Government would not support any proposal for changes to existing arrangements which would increase the risk of rabies being introduced to this country.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what progress has been made in the EC on the elimination of rabies; and what facilities are available to the Commission to confirm the reports given by member states.

  Mr. Maclean
  I understand that the campaign to eradicate rabies from the European Community is progressing more slowly than the Commission originally expected. It is too early to say whether the campaign will be a complete success. Member states are required to report to the Commission on their plans for control of rabies, which is a compulsorily notifiable disease throughout the Community.

  Sir Teddy Taylor
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what public statements the chief veterinary officer has made in 1992 about possible developments in EC law affecting United Kingdom quarantine regulations; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Maclean
  The Chief Veterinary Officer has explained that the Commission has recently asked the Scientific Veterinary Committee to review the scientific evidence relating to the spread of rabies, in the light of suggestions that some categories of animals that have been vaccinated and blood-tested could represent no greater risk of the introduction of disease than those imported 386
  under our existing arrangements. The Government will not support measures which would increase the risk of rabies being introduced into this country.

  Dietary Supplements
  Mr. Hain
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) if he intends to support the European Commission view that dietary supplements with a greater strength than that in food should be classified as medicines and sold as such, regardless of whether the manufacturers made medical claims for them;

  (2) if he will make a statement about European Community proposals to restrict the availability of dietary supplements and his assessment of the consequences of so doing to both consumers and practitioners.

  Mr. Maclean
  The European Commission have not issued proposals for legislation on dietary supplements but a discussion paper which presents various options for consideration by member states. One option would be to introduce maximum permitted daily doses for dietary supplements containing certain vitamins and minerals known to be toxic in excess. The Government support this proposal although we have not yet reached a firm view on the limit that would be appropriate for individual substances. The consequences of introducing maximum daily doses would depend on the limits actually set. But in principle such limits would protect consumers by preventing the sale of high dose products to consumers of food although such products would still be available for proper medicinal purposes.

  Beef
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement about the agreements which are currently in place between the United Kingdom and Argentina Governments concerning the import and export of beef between the two countries.

  Mr. Gummer
  No such agreements exist.

  Fur Farming
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when the recommendation on fur farming adopted under the 1976 Council of Europe convention on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes was implemented; and what information, advice or instructions have been distributed to British fur factory farmers.

  Mr. Maclean
  The recommendation on fur farming was adopted in October 1990 and was implemented in October 1991. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food wrote to the Fur Breeders Association in November 1990 informing them of the adoption of the recommendation. The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food also advised that officers of the State Veterinary Service would follow the recommendations in future inspections of fur farms.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (1) what changes will be brought about in the living conditions of mink and Arctic foxes on fur farms as a result of implementing the recommendations on fur farming of the Council of Europe convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes 1976;
  387
  (2) what plans exist to inspect Arctic fox factory farms in Britain to ensure they comply with the recommendations contained in the Council of Europe convention for the protection of animals kept for farming purposes 1976.

  Mr. Maclean
  The recommendations have no legal force in themselves but it is expected that the European Community will incorporate them in binding legislation. In the meantime State Veterinary Service officers will continue to inspect fur farms and will advise operators to adopt the recommendations. For mink the standards broadly reflect current practices in this country, while for foxes implementation of the standards will lead to welfare improvements particularly through the provision of nesting boxes or platforms. The Community, when considering legislation on this subject, will have the opportunity to lay down more stringent conditions.

  Animal Welfare
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food which recommendations of the 1976 Council of Europe convention on the protection of animals kept for farming purposes have been implemented by Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Maclean
  All recommendations are implemented, either by way of regulations or administratively through the issue of guidelines.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Curry
  MAFF has no plans to carry out television advertising campaigns during February, March, April, May or June of the current year. An exhibition programme will take consumer information on a wide range of food safety and environmental issues to a number of major venues in England. The revision and distribution of the Department's publications on food will also continue.

  Badgers
  Mr. Ron Davies
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food what recent advice he has received from his consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis; if he intends responding publicly to that advice; and if he will place a copy of the advice in the Library.

  Mr. Maclean
  The work of the consultative panel on badgers and tuberculosis is described in "Bovine Tuberculosis in Badgers" a report published annually by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and

  Discharges from mental illness hospitals, psychiatric units and mental handicab hospitals by disposal on discharge, years 1985–90

  Discharges

  Year

  Home alone

  Home to relations/friends

  Hostel for ex-patients

  Other hostel/home

  Other type of residence

  Total

  1985

  3,729

  20,405

  207

  784

  455

  25,580

  1986

  3,992

  20,136

  305

  1,043

  425

  25,901

  1987

  4,366

  20,669

  294

  1,067

  524

  26,920

  388
  placed in the Library of the House. At its most recent meeting, on 13 February, the panel had a preliminary discussion of the feasibility of a control strategy based on the application of a diagnostic test applied to live badgers.

  Pollution, Bristol Channel
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food if he will make a statement upon the measures being taken to reduce the pollution in the Bristol channel caused by the dumping of sewage sludge from the Bristol and Avon area.

  Mr. Curry
  Regular monitoring shows that there is no evidence of harmful effects from licensed dumping of sewage sludge in the Bristol channel. Nevertheless the two water companies who currently dispose of their sludge there have well developed plans to terminate the operation by the end of 1993.

  Pennine Dales
  Mr. Hague
  To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food when he expects to make changes to the Pennine dales environmentally sensitive area scheme.

  Mr. Gummer
  As I foreshadowed, I have decided to make changes to the provisions of the Pennine dales environmentally sensitive area scheme which I introduced on 15 January. This scheme was drawn up following extensive local consultations with farmers and conservationists. In the event, there do seem to be better ways of balancing the payments to achieve the envirmental ends. I have sought to maintain a premium payment for hay meadows, now set at £125 per hectare, while increasing the payment for pastures to £90 per hectare. I have also increased the payments for meadows which are managed without fertilisers to enhance their floral diversity to £210 per hectare. The necessary amending Statutory Instrument has today been laid before Parliament. I am sure that these changes will be welcomed by all farmers throughout the extended environmentally sensitive area as well as by the environmental interests. Questions of detailed application of the revised scheme will be addressed in a way which responds to local circumstances.

SCOTLAND

  In-patients
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish a table showing the number of in-patients(a) returned to the community in each year since 1985 and (b) the planned number to be returned into the community in the current and future years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The information for all Scotland is as follows:
  389

  Discharges

  Year

  Home alone

  Home to relations/friends

  Hostel for ex-patients

  Other hostel/home

  Other type of residence

  Total

  1988

  4,667

  21,189

  310

  1,219

  542

  27,927

  1989

  4,970

  20,768

  293

  1,323

  507

  27,851

  1990

  5,091

  21,308

  333

  1,567

  583

  28,882

  There is no planned number for current or future years. Each patient is considered on their individual merits and only those patients who would benefit from a community placement are offered such a move.

  Dykebar Hospital
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what support services are available for patients from Dykebar hospital, Paisley who have been or will be released into the community; and which agencies he expects to provide each service.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The requirements of each patient will vary depending on their individual needs. Only those patients who are inappropriately placed in hospital and who would benefit from the move will be considered for a community placement. Patients would be offered such a placement only if appropriate support arrangements were in place.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what representations he has received in relation to the services provided by Dykebar hospital, Paisley.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Since July 1987 I have received only one such representation, relating in that case to laundry services at Dykebar.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what discussions he has had with Argyll and Clyde health board regarding the services and facilities provided at Dykebar hospital, Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  None. It is, however, open to the board to raise any issue, at any time as part of the regular meetings and contact that is established to discuss the full range of services and strategic issues.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how much(a) has been spent, (b) is being spent and (c) is planned to be spent on the development of Dykebar hospital, Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  A total of £7·4 million has been invested since 1984 to the end of the financial year 1991–92 and a further investment of £2 million is planned within the next three years.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what capital developments are currently taking place at Dykebar hospital, Paisley, and what is the purpose and financial value of each development.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The development of a £1·3 million purpose-built 24-bedded intensive therapy clinic for acutely disturbed patients and the provision of a new £150,000 dispensary are currently underway.

  In addition, there are five minor capital developments with a total value of £125,000 which are designed to improve the amenity and facilities for patients in the hospital.
  390
  The decentralisation of the hospital boiler plant is currently being planned at an estimated cost of £250,000. This investment will potentially yield an energy efficiency saving of £50,000 per annum.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many in-patients there are currently at Dykebar hospital, Paisley; and what is the projection for the current and future years.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  On 11 February this year there were 437 in-patients at Dykebar hospital. The Argyll and Clyde health board expects that level to be maintained for the current year and beyond.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial assistance has been or will be earmarked for local authorities and other agencies to provide support and assistance to patients who have been or will be released into the community from Dykebar hospital, Paisley.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for the Argyll and Clyde health board, the local authorities and other agencies to determine from within the financial and other resources available to them what level of provision is appropriate to the needs of any patients transferring from Dykebar hospital.

  I announced on 18 November last that funds available to local authorities under the mental illness specific grant scheme would double for 1992–93 to £6 million. I have also recently announced that £33 million in total will be available during the period 1991–92 to 1994–95 under the bridging finance scheme to assist their programmes of care in the community. Of this, some £2·26 million has been allocated to Argyll and Clyde health board and it has been invited to submit bids for a further allocation.

  These decisions underline the Government's main aim of improving the quality of life for the mentally ill and their carers and our commitment to assisting health boards and local authorities in providing facilities in the community to reduce the number of people inappropriately placed in hospital.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has for the long-term future of Dykebar hospital, Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Such matters fall entirely for consideration by the Argyll and Clyde health board.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to dispose of land or assets associated with Dykebar hospital, Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no current plans to dispose of land or assets associated with Dykebar hospital, other than a small strip of roadway which was not required for health service purposes, and over which the health board will retain a right of access.
  391
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to review the services and facilities provided at Dykebar hospital, Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for Argyll and Clyde health board to review continuously the needs of the population that it services and how to meet these. The managers and clinicians at Dykebar hospital should also consider regularly how its services can be improved and should discuss that with the board.

  Patients (Relocation)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to relocate patients from the state hospital at Carstairs to Dykebar hospital in Paisley; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The suitability of patients for transfer out of the state hospital following treatment is a matter for agreement between the clinicians at the state hospital and those of the referring health board.

  Economy (Paisley)
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to regenerate the economy of the Paisley post code area; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The Government's main instrument for economic development, environmental improvement and training in the Paisley area is the Renfrewshire enterprise company. The company has a range of powers available to it and will continue to fulfil these functions. Renfrewshire Enterprise's budget of £24·7 million for 1991–92 is substantial, and makes it well placed to respond to opportunities within the local economy.

  In addition, the Ferguslie Park partnership in Paisley is implementing an agreed strategy for the comprehensive long-term regeneration of the area.

  Elderslie Hospital
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what plans he has to dispose of or acquire any land or assets in relation to Elderslie hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  There are no current plans to either dispose or of acquire land or assets in connection with Elderslie hospital.

  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what services are provided in or from Elderslie hospital; what plans he has for the development of services at Elderslie hospital; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  Elderslie hospital provides 10 continuing care places for young adults, and eight respite care places for children, with a mental handicap. The services provided include medical and nursing care and paramilitary input where appropriate. There are also links with community mental handicap nursing staff.

  As part of its continuing review of service provision, Argyll and Clyde health board is considering how best to improve the facilities and care at the hospital.

  Argyll and Clyde Health Board
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what financial support has been earmarked for Argyll and Clyde health board to provide support and assistance to patients who have been or will be released into the community; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  It is for Argyll and Clyde health board to determine from within the overall resources available to it what financial and other support should be made for the health care of those patients who would benefit from a community placement.

  Ministerial Visits
  Mr. McMaster
  To,ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he has any plans to visit Paisley, Johnstone or Elderslie to discuss the economic, housing and social problems; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Allan Stewart
  The Secretary of State has no immediate plans to visit Paisley, Johnstone or Elderslie. His last visit to Paisley was on 4 October 1991 to launch the Glencoats area development, a major joint venture housing initiative associated with the Ferguslie Park partnership.

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  A total of 1,342 sites of special scientific interest have been notified in Scotland. Site monitoring, using standard recording techniques, is undertaken by local staff of the Nature Conservancy Council for Scotland. Site visits are the usual method, but other techniques such as overflying or comparative air photography may also be used when appropriate. In addition sites may be the subject of specific monitoring projects; examples include research into the effects of skiing, overgrazing on moorland and the acidification of lochs.

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

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  The areas by hectares of each of the six geographically largest parliamentary constituencies in Scotland are as follows in descending order:

  Parliamentary constituency

  Area by hectares

  Ross, Cromarty and Skye

  954,680

  Inverness, Nairn and Lochaber

  870,708

  Caithness and Sutherland

  788,297

  Argyll and Bute

  661,362

  North Tayside

  485,104

  Galloway and Upper Nithsdale

  441,883

  Housing Valuations, Borders
  Sir David Steel
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will publish the district valuer's valuation for houses in each of the areas in the borders proposed to be sold by Scottish Homes to the Waverley housing trust.

  Mr. Lang
  I am considering the terms of the sale proposed by Scottish Homes to Waverley housing trust. Details such as the district valuer's valuations will be made available when I announce my decision.

  NHS Trusts
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland which hospitals within the Renfrew district area of Argyll and Clyde health board have applied for trust status; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  No applications for NHS trust status have been received from within the Argyll and Clyde health board area. However, given the benefits to patients which are now clearly emerging from existing operational trusts, I would expect those charged with health care in Renfrew district, as elsewhere, would wish to examine the matter very carefully.

  Spanish Customs Officers
  Mr. Salmond
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland (1) what assessment has been made on the impact on the Scottish fishing industry of the interruption of supplies bound for the Spanish market as a result of planned industrial action by Spanish customs officers;

  (2) what discussions he has had with the Scottish Fish Merchants Association on the planned industrial action by Spanish customs officers.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  The Spanish market is a very important outlet for Scottish fish and shellfish and it would be of some concern if the trade with Spain were to be disrupted. For the moment, industrial action by Spanish customs agents appears to be sporadic with notice of their intentions being given in advance. As yet there have been no representations from Scottish fish processing sources on the matter. We are continuing to monitor the situation.

  Food Hygiene
  Mrs. Ray Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on the likely timetable for the introduction of amendments to the Food Hygiene (Scotland) Regulations 1959.

  Mr. Michael Forsyth
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Paisley, South (Mr. McMaster) on 21 February 1992.

  Repossession Orders
  Mr. Robertson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many orders for repossession of houses there were in each sheriff court area in Scotland for 1979, 1990 and 1991.

  Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: Information on orders for repossession of houses is included in the returns relating to all actions involving land or heritable estate which are
  394
  supplied to the courts for the purposes of the Judicial Statistics (Scotland) Act 1869 and cannot be identified separately.

DEFENCE

  Atomic Energy Authority, Harwell
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence (1) from which subheads of which votes funds for his Department's contracts with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Harwell are taken;

  (2) what contracts his Department has with the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority establishment at Harwell; what are the purposes of these contracts; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Kenneth Carlisle
  The Atomic Weapons Establishment has a number of contracts which utilise the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority's expertise in the fields of nuclear waste treatment, plutonium handling, safety studies, materials analysis and equipment testing and calibration. Funding for these contracts is provided from class 1, defence vote 2—defence procurement. It would not be in the national interest to reveal further details of the funding arrangements.

  Nuclear-Powered Warship Safety Committee
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what are the terms of reference of the nuclear-powered warship safety committee.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The terms of reference are to advise the Secretary of State for Defence and other Ministers on all public safety matters associated with the construction, operation and maintenance of nuclear-powered warships.

  Procurement
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of proposed changes of regulations relating to the defence procurement programme on supplier companies; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Alan Clark
  My Department is unaware of any proposals for such changes that would affect supplier companies.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The information requested is as follows:

  Royal Navy/Royal Marines

  1. Press campaign to recruit RN/RM officers—February/ March 1992.

  2. Press campaign to recruit specialist RN officer categories —February/March 1992.

  (This is in place of the cinema campaign mentioned in my answer of 8 November 1991, at column 297.)

  Territorial Army

  1. Combined TV and press recruiting campaign—January/ March 1992.

  395

  Northern Ireland
  Mrs. Gorman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on the involvement of military forces in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Archie Hamilton
  The armed forces are in Northern Ireland acting in support of the Royal Ulster Constabulary to defeat terrorism. We are determined to defeat terrorism within the rule of the law.

  Housing Task Force
  Mr. Carrington
  To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he expects the housing task force to report.

  Mr. Tom King
  The housing task force, under the chairmanship of my noble Friend the Earl of Arran, was required to look radically at housing for the services. This it has done and it has now reported to me with proposals for the immediate future, and the medium and longer term. It has undertaken a major task in a short time and I pay tribute to the contribution made by its members, including those from the private sector, the service charities and the voluntary housing sector. I have placed in the Library a note describing the actions that are being taken in the light of its recommendations. Separately, I have placed a note in the Library setting out a number of improvements to provision for resettlement advice and support for the services.

ENERGY

  Renewable Energy
  Mr. Dykes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what initiatives he is taking to assist local authorities in the development of renewable energy sources.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The Department of Energy is supporting a series of pilot studies to assist local authorities to identify the renewable energy potential in their area and to explore the associated planning and environmental issues. The first two studies are taking place in Cumbria and Devon.

  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what new plans he has to increase electricity production from renewable sources.

  Mr. Moynihan
  The non-fossil fuel obligation will continue to bring forward additional renewables-sourced generating capacity. Meanwhile, I am reviewing my Department's renewable energy strategy.

  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what arrangements his Department has to assess the effect of new rules and regulations proposed by his Department which would affect small firms engaged in renewable energy projects; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Proposed new regulations are subject to a compliance cost assessment, which would include consideration of the effect on business. The departmental deregulation unit regularly surveys the scope for reducing burdens on business. However, at present I have no proposals to introduce new rules or regulations which would affect small firms engaged in renewable energy projects.

  United Kingdom Continental Shelf
  Mr. Jacques Arnold
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of gas production on the United Kingdom continental shelf in 1990.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In 1990, 50 billion cubic metres of gas were produced from the United Kingdom continental shelf. My Department's provisional estimate is that the level of production rose by over 10 per cent. in 1991.

  Petroleum Act 1987
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has any proposals to modify the Petroleum Act 1987; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  As far as the abandonment provisions of the Petroleum Act 1987 are concerned, I refer the hon. Gentleman to the reply that I gave him on 9 December 1991 at column 335. In addition, the Offshore Safety Bill makes provision for those powers in the Petroleum Act which relate to the establishment of safety zones to be made an "existing statutory provision" of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974. There are no other plans to modify the Petroleum Act.

  Carbon Dioxide Emissions
  Mr. Hind
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of carbon dioxide emissions produced as a result of energy use in the home; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Ian Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the level of carbon dioxide emissions produced as a result of energy use in the home.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  It is estimated that in 1990 the domestic sector emitted some 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (or 40 million tonnes of carbon). This represents about a quarter of total emissions. These figures take into account the domestic sector's estimated share of emissions from the electricity supply industry.

  Energy Prices
  Sir Anthony Durant
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much the level of prices for fuel, light and power has changed in real terms since 1986.

  Mr. Moynihan
  I refer my hon. Friend to the oral answer that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Twickenham (Mr. Jesse') earlier today.

  Coal Task Force
  Mr. Illsley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he is in a position to respond to the report of the coal task force.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Our response to the report by the task force on coal research and development issues will be published in due course.

  Coal Industry (Industrial Disputes)
  Mr. Dunn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what was the level of production lost through industrial disputes in the coal industry in(a) 1980–81, (b) 1986–87 and (c) 1990–91.
  397
  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Saleable tonnage lost as a result of industrial disputes for the years quoted are as follows:

  Million tones

  1980–81

  1·5

  1986–87

  1·0

  1990–91

  0·2

  Mr. Gregory
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how many days were lost through strikes in the coal industry in 1979, 1983, 1987 and 1991; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Wakeham
  This Department does not collect information of this nature. British Coal, however, records saleable tonnage lost as a result of disputes in its annual report, and the latest figures are:

  Million tones

  1978–79

  1·5

  1982–83

  3·6

  1986–87

  1·0

  1990–91

  0·2

  Site

  Applicant

  Proposals

  Status

  Hinkley Point "C"

  Nuclear Electric

  1,200 MW PWR

  Consent given 6 September 1990

  Killingholme "A"

  National Power

  1,020 MW combined cycle gas turbine station (CCGT)

  Consent given 17 April 1990

  Little Barford

  National Power

  680 MW CCGT

  Consent given 5 February 1991

  Rye House

  PowerGen

  560–680 MW CCGT

  Consent given 19 December 1990

  Sutton Bridge

  Electricity System Industry

  60 MW coal-fired station

  Withdrawn

  Ratcliffe on Soar

  PowerGen

  Installation of FGD

  Consent given 27 March 1991

  Ferrybridge "C"

  PowerGen

  Installation of FGD

  Under consideration

  Wilton

  Teesside Power Ltd.

  1,725 MW CCGT

  Consent given 5 November 1990.

  Deeside

  Deeside Power Development Company Ltd.

  450 MW CCGT

  Consent given 15 November 1990. A new application to increase the output to 500 MW has been received and is under consideration

  Drax

  National Power

  New ash disposal facilities

  Under consideration

  Keadby

  Energy Resources Ltd.

  720 MW CCGT

  Consent given 4 March 1991

  Plymouth

  PowerGen

  350–450 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Staythorpe "C"

  National Power

  1,500 MW CCGT

  Awaiting report of public inquiry

  Angle Bay

  Texaco Ltd.

  1,100 or 1,280 MW CCGT

  Consent given 9 September 1991

  Didcot "B"

  National Power

  1,500 MW CCGT

  Awaiting report of public inquiry

  Ryedale

  Kelt UK Ltd.

  50–60 MW open cycle gas turbine station

  Awaiting report of public inquiry

  Coryton

  Coryton Cogen Ltd.

  460 MW CCGT

  Consent given 4 July 1991

  Barking

  Barking Power Ltd.

  1000 MW CCGT

  Consent given 11 February 1992

  Rugby

  Rugby Power Company Ltd.

  380 MW CCGT

  Withdrawn

  Blyth

  National Power

  New ash disposal facilities

  Consent given 3 February 1992

  Killingholme "PowerGen"

  PowerGen

  Cooling water works

  Withdrawn

  Belvedere

  Cory Environmental Ltd.

  126 MW station fuelled by refuse

  Under consideration

  Ardleigh

  Eastern Generation Ltd.

  380 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Medway

  Medway Power Ltd.

  660 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  King's Lynn

  Energy Supply Company Ltd.

  118 MW CCGT

  Consent given 14 January 1992

  Stallingborough

  Humber Power Ltd.

  1,100 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Dungeness

  Nuclear Electric

  New low level waste handling facility

  Under consideration

  West Burton

  National Power

  New ash disposal facility

  Under consideration

  Pembroke

  National Power

  Fitting of new dust control equipment

  Under consideration

  Connah's Quay

  PowerGen

  1,350 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Shoreham

  South Coast Power Ltd.

  450 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Oldbury-on-Severn

  Nuclear Electric

  Installation of a silt lagoon

  Under consideration

  Charterhouse Street, London ECI

  Citigen Ltd.

  90 MW station fuelled by gas and fuel oil

  Under consideration

  Spondon

  Courtaulds

  318 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Seabank

  Seabank Power Ltd.

  1,212 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Greenwich

  MetroPower Ltd.

  370 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Sutton Bridge

  Independent Power Generators Ltd.

  700 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Trafford, Manchester

  Electricity System Industry Ltd.

  680 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  King's Lynn

  Eastern Generation Ltd.

  380 MW CCGT

  Under consideration

  Electricity
  Mr. Andrew Hargreaves
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy by how much domestic electricity prices rose(a) between 1974 and 1979 and (b) since 1984.

  Mr. Wakeham
  Between 1974 and 1979 domestic electricity prices rose by 16 per cent. in real terms (an increase of 147 per cent. in cash terms). Between 1984 and 1991 they fell by five per cent. in real terms (an increase of 41 per cent. in cash terms).

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the applications under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, stating for each application whether it was granted, refused, or is outstanding; and whether it has gone to a public inquiry.

  Mr. Wakeham
  The applications made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 are as listed.

  Citizens Charter
  Mr. David Evans
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy when he last met the chairmen of the regional electricity companies to discuss the citizens charter.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I meet chairmen of the regional electricity companies from time to time to discuss a range of issues.

  Severn Barrage
  Mr. Speller
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will report progress on the Severn barrage project.

  Mr. Moynihan
  A £50,000 preliminary financing study for the barrage has just been agreed, in addition to the existing environmental and energy capture studies costing £940,000.

  Verification Technology
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether his Department received any invitation to(a) attend, (b) participate in or (c) present a paper on radioisotope monitoring at the Joint Verification Technology Information Centre/Royal Astronomical Society discussion meeting on nuclear verification being held at the Geological Society on 14 February.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  No.

  Photovoltaic Research
  Mr. Gareth Wardell
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what funding his Department has provided into photovoltaic research for each of the last 10 years.

  Mr. Moynihan
  On 8 May 1991 I announced that the Government would fund a £250,000 programme of research into photovoltaics. It is expected that expenditure in FY1991/92 will amount to about £60,000. Prior to my announcement, the Department's renewable programme undertook an investigation into photovoltaics costing about £40,000, and the report was published in 1990 as ETSU-R-50, "Review of Photovoltaic Power Technology". Between FY1981/82 and FY 1990/91, the solar element of the renewables programme was directed primarily at passive solar design, rather than photovoltaics, with expenditure rising from £0·7 million to £2·1 million during that period.

  Oil
  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy how much oil is refined per head of population in each Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development country and member state of the European Community.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In 1990, the latest year for which data are available, the amount of oil refined per head of population in OECD countries and member states of the European Community was as follows;

  Country

  Tonnes of refind oil per head of population

  Australia

  1·75

  Austria

  1·16

  Belgium1

  2·96

  400

  Country

  Tonnes of refined oil per head of population

  Canada

  3·16

  Denmark1

  1·54

  Finland

  2·10

  France1

  1·40

  Germany1

  1·71

  Greece1

  1·63

  Iceland

  Nil

  Ireland1

  0·50

  Italy1

  1·58

  Japan

  1·41

  Luxembourg1

  Nil

  Netherlands1

  4·74

  New Zealand

  1·38

  Norway

  3·10

  Portugal1

  1·06

  Spain1

  1·42

  Sweden

  2·05

  Switzerland

  0·45

  Turkey

  0·40

  United Kingdom1

  1·54

  United States

  2·92

  1 Member states of the European Community.

  NB Germany refers to the (former) Federal Republic of Germany.

  Source: Population—OECD Main Economic Indicators.

  Source: Oil data—International Energy Agency.

  Mr. Wigley
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what proportion of United Kingdom oil is refined within Wales; and how much this is per head of population.

  Mr. Moynihan
  In 1990, 19·7 per cent. of United Kingdom oil was refined in Wales. The amount of oil refined per head of population in Wales in 1990 was 6·06 tonnes.

  International Atomic Energy Agency
  Mr. Cohen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) what information he has regarding the annual budget of the International Atomic Energy Agency for safeguards and other purposes for each year since 1979;

  (2) what has been the annual contribution in financial terms to the International Atomic Energy Agency for each year since 1979; and what non-financial assistance has been given.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Details of all these are given in the International Atomic Energy Agency's annual accounts. I am making arrangements for copies of the accounts to be deposited in the Library of the House.

  Nuclear Waste
  Mr. McGrady
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy from which countries radioactive and toxic waste was treated at the nuclear re-processing plant at Sellafield in Cumbria from 1 April 1991 to 31 December 1991; and what methods of transportation were used.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  Neither radioactive nor toxic waste is imported for treatment at Sellafield. During the period mentioned by the hon. Member, spent nuclear fuel from Italy and Japan was reprocessed to recover the uranium and plutonium for possible recycling. The fuel in question was transported by sea and rail. The arrangements were subject to the stringent requirements laid down by the appropriate national and international regulations. Fuel from United Kingdom customers was also reprocessed at Sellafield during the period.

  Libya
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he has received the report of the outcome of the visit of the Director-General of the International Atomic Energy Agency to Libya on 2 February.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  The International Atomic Energy Agency has made a report in the form of a press release on this visit. A copy of the press release has been placed in the Library of the House.

  Balance of Trade (Fuels)
  Mr. Barry Field
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will make a statement on the balance of trade in fuels in 1991.

  Mr. Wakeham
  In 1991 the United Kingdom had a trading surplus in fuels worth £104 million.

  Coal Imports
  Mr. Hardy
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the volume of coal which will be imported into the United Kingdom during 1992 and in each of the next three years; and what proportion he expects imported coal to be of the total tonnage consumed in each of those years.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  We do not make such estimates.

  Privatisations
  Mr. Harry Greenway
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what is his estimate of the amount of electricity and gas saved since privatisation; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Heathcoat-Amory
  In the electricity industry, competition has created an incentive on generators to reduce their fuel costs and an incentive on customers to manage their demand. As a result, the National Grid Company has noted evidence that high peak demands are now being managed more effectively, and older, inefficient plant is being closed down.

  The Government are taking steps in the Utilities Bill to open up the gas market to wider competition, which will encourage a further focusing on costs by supplier and consumer as they evaluate the new options open to them.

  British Gas and the regional electricity companies have also introduced initiatives to encourage their customers to use energy more efficiently, such as advisory services, Codes of Practice, competitions for industrial and commercial consumers, and appliance labelling. In addition, the Government have welcomed OFGAS' intention to incorporate into the gas tariff an "E factor" which would allow British Gas to pass on costs of energy efficiency programmes to consumers, and also the consultation document from OFFER on energy efficiency in the electricity industry.

  Greenwich Power Station
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy whether he will take into account the impact on the water quality and fish stocks of the Thames when considering whether to approve the application from MetroPower Ltd., to reconstruct the Greenwich power station.
  402
  Mr. Wakeham
  I am obliged, when considering an application made under section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989, to take into account the environmental effects before deciding whether to grant my consent to an application.

  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will take into account the reports by Greenwich environmental health department and by the director of public health for Bexley on the rate of respiratory diseases among the population of Greenwich when considering whether to approve the application from MetroPower Ltd., to reconstruct the Greenwich power station.

  Mr. Wakeham
  I have not received either of the reports.

  Greenwich borough council, which is the relevant planning authority, has yet to give me its views. It is a matter for the council whether to include these reports when submitting its views to me.

  Offshore Installations
  Dr. Godman
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy (1) in relation to the relevant provisions contained in the Petroleum Act 1987, if he will list the offshore installations and pipeline networks which have been dismantled and removed or those which are to be demolished and withdrawn from their sites on the United Kingdom continental shelf; and if he will make a statement;

  (2) in relation to the relevant provisions contained in the Petroleum Act 1987, how many programmes involving the abandonment of (a) offshore installations and (b) submarine pipe line networks he has approved over the past three years; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Over the past three years my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Energy has approved two abandonment programmes under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987, relating to the Crawford (block 9/28a) and Blair (block 16/21a) fields. On the Crawford field all installations and pipelines have been dismantled and removed from the United Kingdom continental shelf. They comprised:

  —The North Sea Pioneer floating production system.

  —The Hamilton 2 CALM loading buoy.

  —Subsea facilities, including flexible pipelines and control lines.

  On the Blair field, the single production wellhead has been dismantled and removed; two small partially trenched pipelines have been left in place after cleaning and, to prevent interference with fishing vessels, have been covered with concrete mattresses where they were not trenched. Approval of the abandonment programme was subject to conditions requiring inspection and maintenance of these pipelines.

  No other installations or pipelines have been dismantled and removed. The Piper Alpha installation was toppled in situ in 1989 as it was not safe or practicable to abandon it by other means.

  The Government have made clear that each abandonment programme submitted under the terms of the Petroleum Act 1987 will be considered on its merits, in the light of all the circumstances prevailing at the time, and taking full account of environmental and fishing interests. The standards taken into account when a decision is made regarding the removal of disused offshore installations and structures will be consistent with the guidelines adopted by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). Application of the IMO guidelines means that the majority of platforms on the UKCS will be entirely removed.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May, or June of the current year.

  Mr. Wakeham
  My Department has a continuing programme of publicity to promote energy efficiency, the United Kingdom offshore supplies industry and renewable sources of energy. Within the energy efficiency programme, both the joint campaign with the Department of the Environment on the environment and home energy efficiency and the "Making a Corporate Commitment" campaign will cost over £100,000 between February and June this year. No television advertising is envisaged during this period.

  Wind Power
  Mr. Harry Barnes
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what information he holds on plans by electricity companies to extend wind power facilities; if he will list the sites that are under consideration for the development of wind farms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Information is held by the Department of Energy on plans by the electricity companies to extend wind power facilities through registration of these schemes under the non-fossil fuel obligation. In the tranches of NFFO announced to date, only three projects (out of 57) have been registered by an electricity company. These are:

  Carmarthen bay

  National Power

  Richborough

  PowerGen

  Cold Northcott

  National Power

  Full lists of sites that have contracted for wind projects under the NFFO are in the Library of the House. Other plans for new wind power facilities are a matter for the companies concerned.

  Employment Survey
  Mr. Doran
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy what meetings he has had with representatives of the oil industry, the oil industry trade unions and the police services in connection with his Department's oil and gas facilities employment survey; what are the objectives of this survey; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Moynihan
  Officials from my Department meet regularly with the relevant representatives of the oil industry and security agencies to discuss this and other wider security issues.

  It is Government policy to carry out a counter-terrorist check on anyone who is going to be allowed to be unescorted in or on an installation of national importance. The Government would be failing in their duty if they did not take appropriate measures to protect these installations and the work force from deliberate man-made or accidental disasters.

  Power Stations
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Energy if he will list all the power stations in England and Wales of 300 MW or over which are located in residential areas.
  404
  Mr. Wakeham
  The table lists those powers stations currently operating in England and Wales of 300 MW or over, with the name of the county in which each is situated. My Department's records do not show which, if any, are located in residential areas: these stations were in many cases constructed many years ago, so that records relating to the grant of consent would not give the information requested.

  National Power plc

  Power station

  Location

  Willington "A"

  Derbyshire

  Blyth "A"

  Northumberland

  Staythorpe

  Nottinghamshire

  Aberthaw "A"

  South Glamorgan

  Skelton Grange

  Yorkshire

  Rugeley "A"

  Staffordshire

  Uskmouth

  Gwent

  Willington "B"

  Derbyshire

  West Thurrock

  Essex

  Blyth "B"

  Northumberland

  Thorpe Marsh

  South Yorkshire

  West Burton

  Nottinghamshire

  Eggborough

  North Humberside

  Tilbury

  Essex

  Fawley

  Hampshire

  Ironbridge

  Shropshire

  Pembroke

  Dyfed

  Aberthaw "B"

  South Glamorgan

  Rugeley "B"

  Staffordshire

  Didcot

  Oxfordshire

  Drax

  North Yorkshire

  Littlebrook

  Kent

  PowerGen plc

  Power station

  Location

  Hams Hall

  Warwickshire

  Castle Donington

  Derbyshire

  Drakelow "B"

  Derbyshire

  High Marnham

  Nottinghamshire

  Richborough

  Kent

  Drakelow "C"

  Derbyshire

  Ferrybridge "C"

  West Yorkshire

  Ratcliffe

  Nottinghamshire

  Cottam

  Nottinghamshire

  Kingsnorth

  Kent

  Fiddler's Ferry

  Cheshire

  Grain

  Kent

  Ince

  Cheshire

  Nuclear Electric

  Power station

  Location

  Dungeness "A"

  Kent

  Hinkley Point "A"

  Somerset

  Oldbury

  Avon

  Sizewell "A"

  Suffolk

  Transfynydd

  Gwynydd

  Wylfa

  Gwynydd

  Dungeness "B"

  Kent

  Hartlepool

  Cleveland

  Heysham 1

  Lancashire

  Heysham 2

  Lancashire

  Hinkley Point "B"

  Somerset

ENVIRONMENT

  Projects, Stockton
  Mr. Devlin
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what resources and projects have been directed to the Blue Hall, Ragworth, Portrack and Tilery areas of Stockton-on-Tees in each year since 1980.
  405
  Mr. Key
  The table provides details of approved expenditure under the urban programme and estate action since 1987–88.

  £

  1987–88

  Urban Programme

  Portrack Tilery

  Landscaping Portrack

  22,000

  Black Path Park

  50,000

  Riverside Landscaping

  36,000

  Blue Hall

  Blue Hall Housing Centre

  152,000

  1988–89

  Urban Programme

  Portrack/Tilery

  Portrack Landscape Master Plan

  2,000

  Security/Environmental Grants

  50,000

  Blue Hall

  Health Visiting Project

  52,000

  1989–90

  Urban Programme

  Portrack Tilery

  All Weather Playing Surface

  176,000

  Security/Environmental Grants

  50,000

  Green Dragon Museum Enhancement

  56,000

  Portrack Lane Shops

  29,000

  Blue Hall

  Blue Hall Street Lighting Improvements

  84,000

  Blue Hall Catering

  22,400

  1990–91

  Urban Programme

  Portrack/Tilery

  High Street Commercial Improvement Zone

  35,000

  Norton Road Commercial Improvement Zone

  75,000

  Townscape Works

  8,000

  Security/Environmental Grants

  70,000

  Blue Hall

  Tenants Participation

  31,000

  St. Michael After School

  116,000

  New Blue Hall Community Project

  62,000

  Blue Hall/Ragworth

  Conservation Work in the Community

  115,000

  Health Needs

  5,500

  Estate Action

  Portrack Flats

  250,000

  1991–92

  Urban Programme

  Portrack/Tilery

  High Street Commercial Improvement Zone

  50,000

  Norton Road Commercial Improvement Zone

  50,000

  Source

  Relative contribution per cent.

  per cent

  Estimated quantity released into the environment each year, g TCDD1

  Municipal incinerators

  20·00

  1,500

  Domestic coal fires

  11·00

  800

  Vehicle exhausts

  7·00

  500

  Coal-fired industrial plant and power

  5·00

  200 coal-fired industrial plant

  stations

  160 coal-fired power stations

  Chemical incinerators

  0·06

  a few grams

  Hospital incinerators

  0·40

  30

  Other sources: fires, metallurgical processes, etc

  26·40

  6·4

  6 Cigarettes

  450 Stubble burning

  13 Accidental fires

  406

  £

  Ext. Improvements to Key Building

  70,000

  One Stop Advice Centre

  300,000

  Tenants Management Co-op

  71,000

  Portrack Flats Concierge Wardens

  135,000

  Victoria Estate Landscaping

  134,800

  Blue Hall

  Prevent Unwanted Pets

  5,000

  Ragworth

  Ragworth Community Centre

  249,000

  Estate Action

  Portrack Flats

  275,000

  Energy Efficiency Scheme

  Ragworth Estate

  190,000

  Note: These figures do not cover local authority expenditure in these areas from the housing investment programme and other capital programmes.

  Information regarding investment prior to 1987 is not available in the form requested. Stockton on Tees BC became an urban programme authority in 1987. The estate action programme commenced in 1986.

  Dioxins
  Dr. David Clark
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will make a statement about the calculations and data upon which figure 2, Food Surveillance Paper No. 31, "Estimated relative contribution to total TCDD released into the atmosphere from sources of dioxins and furans in the United Kingdom" is based.

  Mr. Trippier
  Figure 2 in Food Surveillance Paper 31, "Dioxins in Food" is taken from information in Chapter 3 of the Department of the Environment's Pollution Paper 27, "Dioxins in the Environment" published in 1989. The figure shows the estimated relative combined contributions from both known combustion sources and other sources, such as manufacture, processing and use of chlorinated aromatic and other chemicals and chlorine bleached materials and metallurgical processes. It thus refers to releases to the environment, not just atmosphere.

  Unfortunately an arithmetical error has affected the numbers shown in Figure 2, although not the relative importance given to each source. The correct figures taken from Pollution Paper 27 are given in the table. I would stress, however, that the figures are relatively crude estimates although based on the best information available at the time.
  407

  Source

  Relative contribution per cent.

  Per cent

  Estimated quantity released into the environment each year, g TCDD1

  20 metallurgical processes etc.

  Manufacturer and use of organic chemicals

  30

  ' Figures from Pollution Paper 27, Dioxins in the Environment.

  Child Refugees
  Mr. Shersby
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what financial support his Department is providing to West Sussex local authorities for the care of child refugees who arrived at Gatwick airport.

  Mr. Key
  I have been asked to reply. Support for local authorities' revenue expenditure is provided through revenue support grant; authorities in West Sussex will receive a total of £149·739 million in this way in 1992–93. The grant is not hypothecated to particular local services.

  Council Vacancies
  Sir David Mitchell
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will introduce legislation to require the chairman of a parish or town council to advise each member of the council of a vacancy for a councillor.

  Mr. Portillo
  I have been asked to reply.

  A parish council must give immediate public notice of a vacancy by posting a notice in some conspicuous place or places within its area. I have no plans to add to that requirement.

  Non-domestic Rates
  Mr. Viggers
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what reductions or remissions in liability for non-domestic rates have been made by local authorities using their powers under section 49 of the Local Government Finance Act 1988.

  Mr. Key
  Local authorities in England used their powers under section 49 of the 1988 Act to reduce rates bills in 1990–91 by a total of £23,582.

  Departmental Annual Report
  Mr. Flynn
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how many copies of his departmental annual report 1992 have been printed; at what cost; and what arrangements have been made for distribution of the report.

  Mr. Heseltine
  A total of 3,800 copies of the Department of the Environment 1992 annual report were printed. The costs of printing, publishing and distribution are borne by HMSO which aims to recover its costs from sales revenue. Copies of the report are available from all HMSO bookshops and agents and from HMSO's distribution centre by mail or telephone order.

  Visitor Statistics
  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment how the statistics relating to(a) visitor bed nights and (b) day visitors are compiled for the purpose of preparing standard spending assessments in English resort towns.
  408
  Mr. Key
  Details are given on page 14 of the The Revenue Support Grant Distribution (Amendment) (No. 2) Report (England) which is in the Library. No allowance is made in SSAs at present for day visitors; there is no consistent and reliable source of this information for all authorities.

  Mr. Allason
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment on what dates the statistics relating to visitor bed nights were collected in 1990–91.

  Mr. Key
  The allowance for overnight visitors within the All Other Services element of standard spending assessments has been updated for 1992–93. It is now based on information from a number of sources: the British Home Tourism Surveys (1980 to 1984), the British Tourism Surveys (1987 and 1988) and the United Kingdom Tourism Survey (UKTS) (1989) for domestic visitors. It is the intention to incorporate in future years information from the UKTS for 1990 and 1991.

  Urban Development, Gosforth
  Mr. Cousins
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he has yet received a further application from Newcastle upon Tyne city council for permission to develop the Rectory road allotments, south Gosforth; and whether he will undertake to consult the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, Central on any such application.

  Mr. Yeo
  I understand that Newcastle upon Tyne city council will be submitting an application shortly for consent to dispose of the Rectory road allotments, south Gosforth. Any representations which the hon. Member wishes to make on his own or his constituents' behalf will be taken into account when the application is decided.

  BCCI
  Mr. Stott
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will give local authorities credit approval to cover Bank of Credit and Commerce International debts.

  Mr. Key
  I refer the hon. Member to the answer given to the hon. Member for Newcastle upon Tyne, East (Mr. Brown) on 18 February at column 76. Any further applications will be considered on their merits.

  Disabled Council Tenants
  Mr. Alfred Morris
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what representations he has received from Manchester city council for a supplementary allocation to the housing investment programme for adaptations to the homes of disabled council tenants; what reply he is sending; what action he will be taking; and if he will make a statement.
  409
  Mr. Yeo
  The Secretary of State has received a letter on this subject from the chair of the housing committee of Manchester city council. I have replied today and will place a copy of my response in the Library.

  Waste Discharges (River Mersey)
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment (1) if he will list the number of consents to companies to discharge waste in the River Mersey issued for each year since 1979;

  (2) if he will list the number of prosecutions brought together with the number of convictions secured for polluting the River Mersey for each year since 1979.

  Mr. Baldry
  I understand that information on numbers of discharge consents, or on prosecutions or convictions, is not held centrally by the NRA in respect of individual rivers.

  CITES
  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment who will be attending the Conference in Trade on Endangered Species meeting in Japan on 2 March as representatives of Her Majesty's Government.

  Mr. Baldry
  I shall attend the meeting from 9 to 13 March. From 2 March the United Kingdom will also be represented by three officials from the Department, two officials from the Joint Nature Conservation Committee and one from each of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. Three members of the Hong Kong Conference in Trade on Endangered Species Management Authority will also be on the United Kingdom delegation.

  Mr. Tony Banks
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if Her Majesty's Government will resist any attempts to re-open world trade in leopard skins, cheetah skins, black rhino and elephant products due to be discussed at the Conference in Trade on Endangered Species meeting in Japan on 2 March.

  Mr. Baldry
  On the question of elephants, I refer the hon. Member to the reply that I gave to my hon. Friend the Member for Norfolk, North-West (Mr. Bellingham) on 19 February 1992,Official Report, column 202. The Government are also opposed to any action that could re-open trade in products from rhinoceroses, cheetahs and leopards.

  Local Government Finance
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what information he has on the annual loss of rents and community charge on the vacant properties in the public and private sector in Liverpool during the past 12 months; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Key
  Information about rent loss from vacant local authority dwellings is collected on housing revenue account subsidy claim forms submitted by local authorities to the Department. Liverpool city council's mid-year claim form for 1991–92 shows the following estimates:

  rent loss on vacant local authority dwellings in 1990–91, £5,111,100

  rent loss on vacant local authority dwellings in 1991–92, £6,428,400

  410
  The Department does not collect information about rent loss on vacant dwellings in the private sector, nor about losses in respect of community charges on vacant dwellings.

  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will direct Liverpool city council to refund the cost of wrongfully issued summonses to community charge payers who have paid their bills.

  Mr. Key
  A community chargepayer becomes liable to pay costs only when a liability order has been grated against him by a magistrates' court. In the case of a wrongful summons, it would be the local authority who would bear the cost of the abortive work.

  Housing Investment, Coventry
  Mr. Nellist
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what was the level of the housing investment programme allocation awarded to Coventry in each financial year since 1978–79; and what the damages amounted to in real terms.

  Mr. Yeo
  Housing investment programme (HIP) allocation and gross capital expenditure figures are as follows:

  £ thousands

  HIP allocation

  Gross expenditure1

  cash value

  at 1991–92 prices

  cash value

  at 1991–92 prices

  1978–79

  12,225

  33,164

  12,020

  32,608

  1979–80

  13,736

  31,937

  15,591

  36,249

  1980–81

  10.551

  20,731

  9,832

  19,318

  1981–82

  7,679

  13,759

  9,236

  16,549

  1982–83

  12,247

  20,485

  13,436

  22,474

  1983–84

  8,070

  12,901

  9,973

  15,943

  1984–85

  8,941

  13,612

  11,148

  16,972

  1985–86

  7,707

  11,120

  18,674

  26,943

  1986–87

  8,288

  11,577

  14,794

  20,665

  1987–88

  8,276

  10,964

  15,428

  20,439

  1988–89

  8,990

  11,112

  19,507

  24,112

  1989–90

  7,381

  8,568

  22,482

  26,097

  New capital finance system2

  1990–91

  9,820

  10,507

  11,702

  12,521

  31991–92

  9,715

  9,715

  not available

  1 Since 1981–82 local authorities have been able to augment the borrowing power of their HIP allocations by using the prescribed proportion of their capital receipts.

  2 From 1990–91, under the new capital finance system, the HIP allocation does not convey borrowing approval directly. The allocation totals are the HIP allocation plus supplementary credit approvals for housing projects.

  3 Provisional estimate of final allocation.

  An initial HIP allocation of £10·2 million—£9·7 million at 1991–92 prices-has been issued for 1992–93 and additional resources-supplementary credit approvals—may be allocated later.

  Leeds Development Corporation
  Mr. Fatchett
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, pursuant to his answer of 11 February Official Report, columns 430–31 if he will set out the basis of calculation of the employment statistics for the area covered by the Leeds development corporation.

  Mr. Key
  The employment figures are provided annually as at 1 April by economic consultants. These are
  411
  based on a sample survey of existing firms operating within the development area together with new firms which commenced trading during the 12 months to 31 March.

  Estate Action Programme
  Mr. Alton
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment when he now expects the estate action programme to he completed on the Phythian street estate, Liverpool; and whether there are any plans to inclucle the Chatsworth street estate, Edge Hill, in a similar programme.

  Mr. Yeo
  I expect the estate action programme at the Phythian street estate in Liverpool to be completed during the financial year 1994–95.

  My right hon. Friend announced on 16 December 1991 that Liverpool city council had been invited to work up a detailed estate action scheme for the Chatsworth estate in Liverpool, with an anticipated start in 1992–93.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Heseltine
  Jointly with the Department of Energy my Department will continue to carry out the campaign "Helping the Earth Begins at Home". This will run for at least two years.

  An information campaign is now in progress to publicise the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act, 1990, relating to the duty of care for the carriage and disposal of waste. Also, in the coming months, I intend to mount campaigns relating to citizens' environmental rights and initiatives for protecting the countryside.

  None of these campaigns involves television advertising.

  Peat Extraction, Thorne Moor
  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what consultation he has had with English Heritage over the arrangement between English Nature and Fisons plc on peat extraction on Thorne moor, Yorkshire.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]None. Such consultations are a matter for English Nature to undertake as they consider necessary. I am advised that discussions with English Heritage on the future management of the Thorne conservation area will now take place.

  Mrs. Ann Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what plans he has to review the regulations concerning sites of special scientific interest in the light of the arrangements between English Nature and Fisons plc on peat extraction on Thorne moor, Yorkshire.

  Mr. Trippier
  [holding answer 20 February 1992]: None. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for the Environment to my hon. Friend the Member for Taunton (Mr. Nicholson) on 12 February 1992, Official Report, column 506.

  Fal Estuary (Pollution)
  Mr. Matthew Taylor
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment what is the cost involved in the proposals submitted to his Department by the National Rivers Authority for medium to long-term plans to tackle the pollution in the Fal estuary from the River Carnon; when he expects to take a decision; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Baldry
  [holding answer 21 February 1992]: The National Rivers Authority's initial estimates of costs for the main options for tackling the mine discharge into the Carnon river are:

  £ thousands

  1991–92

  1992–93

  1993–94

  Monitoring programme

  342

  180

  —

  Short term treatment

  185

  460

  —

  Medium term treatment by biological anaerobic system: planning and design

  —

  100

  —

  construction and operation

  —

  900

  350

  Estimates have also been submitted for an alternative method of treatment in the medium term costing some £3 million per annum in a full year, and a longer term solution costing some £2·3 million over the first two years plus research and development costs. All these estimates may be subject to substantial amendment as planning and design work proceeds.

  These are estimates of costs and not bids for extra resources. The NRA's head office are currently assessing the extent to which they can make provision for expenditure on Wheal Jane from within their existing budgets for 1991–92 and 1992–93. We expect to receive their assessment for 1991–92 later this month or early next, so that we can consider their grant-in-aid position. As in previous years, we will be reviewing later this year whether the NRA's grant for 1992–93 is adequate. The cost of installing and operating improved medium term treatment arrangements at Wheal Jane will be taken into account at that review.

  For 1993–94 and later years, the NRA's grant will be considered in the normal way as a part of the 1992 public expenditure survey.

  Ozone Layer
  Sir Michael McNair-Wilson
  To ask the Secretary of State for the Environment whether he will seek a meeting of the Montreal protocol signatories to discuss the latest reports about the depletion of the ozone layer; what consideration he has given to an earlier phasing out of CFCs because of their known effect on the layer; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Trippier
  [pursuant to his answer, 12 February 1992, c. 504]: I wish to stress that the Government are greatly concerned about the effects of ozone depletion and are committed to phasing out CFCs by the end of 1995 at the latest. Last December, I proposed to the EC Environment Council that the Montreal protocol's phase-out dates be brought forward to the end of 1994 for halons, and the end of 1995 for CFCs and other ozone-depleting substances. I also proposed that the intermediate cut stages should be brought forward to the end of 1993, with an 85 per cent. cut for CFCs and carbon tetrachloride and 50 per cent. cut for halons and methyl chloroform.
  413
  Following my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State's letter of 14 February to the President of the EC Environment Council, urging the Community to take a stronger line on the early phase-out of CFCs, the European Commission has now proposed the phase-out of all controlled substances by the end of 1995. This issue was discussed at the informal Environment Council in Estoril, Portugal which I attended last weekend. Commissioner Ripa de Meana set out the Commission's proposals, which were generally welcomed by member states. Formal agreement to the proposed new phase-out dates will need to be given at the meeting of the Environment Council in March.

  My officials are continuing to review our position with industry.

SOCIAL SECURITY

  Local Offices
  Mr. McMaster
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will publish his definitions of(a) field offices, (b) inspector outstations and (c) customer access points in relation to the Benefits Agency; if he will list by category the offices within Renfrewshire; and what plans he has to recategorise any of these offices.

  District

  Sheffield East

  Sheffield West

  Type of application

  CCG

  BL

  CL

  CCG

  BL

  CL

  (a) Referred back for determination by social fund officer (SFO)

  42

  22

  2

  11

  5

  1

  (b) Changed by SFO

  6

  6

  0

  4

  2

  0

  (c) Unchanged by SFO

  35

  IS

  2

  3

  1

  1

  Notes:

  1. Data for April 1991 to 14 February 1992.

  2. Changed decisions are defined as those resulting in an award being made to the applicant (b). Included in (b) are partially changed decisions which are not separately recorded. (c) represents decisions where no additional payment is awarded by the SFO on redetermination.

  3. The difference in figures between the total of (b)+(c) and (a) is due to cases where notification of the final decision has not yet been received at the office of the social fund inspectors.

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of applications for review to social fund officers for the year 1991–92 to date in the Sheffield East and Sheffield West districts; and for each district how many of those were(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans; of those applications what was the total number revised wholly in favour of the applicant; of the total number of applications for review to social fund officers in Sheffield how many were reviewed partially in favour of the applicant; and what number of applications for review by social fund officers in Sheffield had the original decision confirmed, giving all answers by district and by type of application.

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

  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what is the total number of claimants who are currently in debt to the social fund in Sheffield and the total amount that is owed by them
  414
  Mr. Jack
  The location of field offices, inspector outstations and customer access points is a matter for Miss Ann Chant, chief executive of the Contributions Agency. She will write to the hon. Member and a copy will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Social Fund
  Mr. Bill Michie
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security for the year 1991–92 to date, how many social fund applications were referred back by social fund inspectors for reconsideration by social fund officers in Sheffield East and Sheffield West district; and for each district how many of those were(a) community care grants, (b) budgeting loans and (c) crisis loans; how many were revised wholly in the applicant's favour; how many were revised partially in favour of the applicant; and how many were unchanged from the social fund officer's original decision, broken down by district and type of application.

  Mr. Scott
  I am informed by the social fund commissioner that all the information cannot be provided in the form requested. The table summarises the data collected on decisions made by the social fund inspectors for the named districts, broken down by payment type, community care grant (CCG), budgeting loan (BL) and crisis loan (CL).

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

  Disability
  Sir John Hannam
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the statutory and departmental committees which advise him and his governmental colleagues on matters concerning the needs of disabled people.

  Mr. Scott
  The needs of disabled people can affect almost any aspect of life in the community, and therefore any advisory body may give advice on the needs of disabled people as part of a wider brief. In this Department, for example, the social security advisory committee looks at social security legislation some of which will affect people with disabilities. Issues affecting the needs of people with disabilities may also be considered through appropriate departmental and interdepartmental machinery as needed. Ministers may also seek advice on an ad hoc basis from non-statutory bodies.

  The major statutory and departmental advisory committees primarily concerned with disability issues are:

  415

  Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee

  Building Regulations Advisory Committee

  Advisory Group on Rehabilitation

  Industrial Injuries Advisory Council

  War Pensions Committee

  Attendance Allowance Board

  Disability Living Allowance Board

  Sheltered Employment Consultative Group

  National Advisory Council on Employment of People with Disabilities

  The 60 Committees for the Employment of People with Disabilities

  Scotland

  Building Standards Advisory Committee

  Disability Research Committee

  Committee on Special Educational Needs

  Prosthetic Advisory Committee

  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security how many people have(a) 40 per cent. or more disability and (b) 80 per cent. or more disability and how many in each category are aged (i) 60 to 65, (ii) 65 to 70, (iii) 70 to 75 and (iv) over 75 years in Great Britain.

  Mr. Scott
  The information requested is not available.

  Small Businesses
  Mr. Steen
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what arrangements his Department has to assess proposals for regulations relating to occupational pensions and national insurance contributions and their effect on existing small firms; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Jack
  The Department regularly consults with employers organisations including representatives of small firms. As part of the Government's deregulation initiative, the Department also carries out compliance cost assessments on new proposals in both these and other fields to identify any impact that they may have on businesses of all sizes.

  Additionally, in the case of occupational pensions, there is a statutory duty to refer, with limited exceptions, proposals to make regulations to the Occupational Pensions Board. The board, in considering such proposals and reporting back, consults a number of representative bodies including the Confederation of British Industry.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Mr. Jack
  Campaigns being carried out by the Department during this period are:

  New disability benefits.

  Change in hours rule for family credit and income support.

  Advice to trustees of occupational pension schemes.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Social Security what would be the cost in 1991–92 and 1992–93 of abolishing the 2 per cent. rate of national insurance contributions on earnings below the lower earnings limit.

  Mr. Jack
  We estimate that the loss in revenue would be about £1 billion in both 1991–92 and 1992–93.

NORTHERN IRELAND

  Social Fund
  Mr. Peter Robinson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many cases were referred to the social fund inspectors seeking a review of decisions made by social fund officers in each of the past two years.

  Mr. Hanley
  Social security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency. He will write to the hon. Gentleman and copies of his reply will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Electors
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what is the total number of electors in each(a) council area in Northern Ireland, (b) each parliamentary constituency in Northern Ireland, (c) the total for Northern Ireland, on the 1992 register of electors and (d) what are the areas of each constituency.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  District Council

  Number of electors1

  Belfast

  209,126

  Derry

  63,309

  Limavady

  19,282

  Coleraine

  37,138

  Ballymoney

  17,610

  Moyle

  10,509

  Larne

  22,318

  Ballymena

  42,091

  Magherafelt

  25,611

  Cookstown

  21,637

  Strabane

  25,319

  Omagh

  30,973

  Fermanagh

  39,112

  Dungannon

  32,354

  Craigavon

  54,520

  Armagh

  36,222

  Newry and Mourne

  58,207

  Banbridge

  24,891

  Down

  40,656

  Lisburn

  69,472

  Antrim

  30,227

  Newtownabbey

  55,155

  Carrickfergus

  24,527

  North Down

  54,464

  Ards

  49,089

  Castlereagh

  47,505

  Total

  1,141,324

  1 Note:

  (a) Figures are taken from the electoral register published in February 1992.

  (b) Shows electors registered to vote in local government elections and young people who, reaching the age of 18 before 16 February 1992, will then be eligible to vote in local government elections.

  Constituency

  Number of electors1

  Size in hectares2

  Belfast East

  53,375

  2,908

  Belfast North

  55,587

  4,162

  Belfast South

  52,556

  2,371

  Belfast West

  55,280

  4,026

  East Antrim

  63,739

  43,055

  East Londonderry

  76,912

  145,839

  Fermanagh and South Tyrone

  71,472

  266,000

  Foyle

  75,970

  60,694

  Lagan Valley

  73,688

  45,546

  417

  Constituency

  Number of elector1

  Size in hectares2

  Mid Ulster

  70,410

  257,026

  Newry and Armagh

  68,716

  109,721

  North Antrim

  70,217

  154,490

  North Down

  69,604

  10,269

  Strangford

  69,855

  43,313

  South Antrim

  68,292

  69,885

  South Down

  77,371

  147,585

  Upper Bann

  68,422

  48,036

  Total

  1,141,466

  1Note:

  (a) Figures are taken from the electoral register published in February 1992.

  (b) Shows electors registered to vote in parliamentary elections and young people who, reaching the age of 18 before 16 February 1993, will then be eligible to vote in a Parliamentary election.

  2 Including inland water.

  Radioactivity, Glenshane
  Mr. William Ross
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland by how many acres the designated area at Glenshane, County Londonderry has been reduced by Statutory order No. 527, 1991, what was the original level of radioactive contamination of the area now excluded and the present level of contamination; what was the original level of contamination and the present level of contamination of the area still under restriction; when he expects the remaining area to have its restrictions removed; what other areas in Northern Ireland and of what acreage are still under restrictions; when he expects those restrictions to be removed; and if he will make a statement.

  Mr. Hanley
  SR 1991 No. 527 reduced the restricted area at Glenshane, Co Londonderry, by approximately 568 acres. The highest level of radiocaesium recorded in sheep in the derestricted area of Glenshane before derestriction was 504 kg. No monitoring has been done in this area since derestriction. The highest level of contamination in sheep found in the area of Glenshane still under restriction, 3,723 kg, was recorded in 1987; the highest level recorded in 1991 was 1,289 kg. This apparent diminution in monitored levels must be interpreted with caution. The 1991 figure was recorded in sheep put forward for monitoring prior to movement out of the restricted area. These sheep are usually grazed on lower, clean pastures before monitoring resulting in lower levels being detected and cannot be taken as a true reflection of change in the situation in the upland areas.

  Approximately 1,305 acres at Belraugh, Co Londonderry and 8,620 acres at Glenwherry, Co Antrim still remain under restriction. It is not possible to predict when the remaining restrictions will be removed. They will be lifted as soon as it is possible to do so without compromising the food chain.

  National Insurance
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what would be the cost in 1991–92 and 1992–93 of abolishing the 2 per cent. rate of national insurance contributions on earnings below the lower earnings limit.

  Mr. Hanley
  The estimated costs are £23 million and £24 million, respectively.

  Disability Statistics
  Mr. Nicholas Brown
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many people have(a) 40 per cent. or more disability and (b) 80 per cent. or more disability; and how many in each category are aged (i) 60 to 65, (ii) 65 to 70, (iii) 70 to 75 and (iv) over 75 years in Northern Ireland.

  Mr. Hanley
  Social security operational matters are the responsibility of Mr. Alec Wylie, chief executive of the Social Security Agency. He will write to the hon. Member and copies of his reply will be placed in the Library and the Public Information Office.

  Publicity
  Mr. Dobson
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will list all the television advertising campaigns and all other publicity campaigns costing over £100,000 to be carried out by his Department in February, March, April, May or June of the current year.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  The information is as follows:

  Campaign

  Pedestrian safety

  Duration

  May-June

  Type

  Television

  Cost

  £100,000

  Orange Halls (Damage)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list all the Orange halls reported to the police as damaged or destroyed by fire since 1 January 1990 and also indicate whether a chief constable's certificate for the purposes of the criminal damage legislation has been issued in respect of any of the above incidents.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: The available information is set out in the table:

  Date and Orange halls which sustained serious damage

  1. 14 July 1990 Allistragh, Armagh

  2. 18 August 1990 Alexandra Park, Belfast

  3. 21 August 1990 Alexandra Park, Belfast

  4. 26 August 1990 Tullywhisker, Sion Mills

  5. 4 October 1990 Downpatrick

  6. 16 November 1990 Whitewell, Greencastle

  7. 23 May 1991 Dundrum

  8. 7 July 1991 Ballymoyer, Newtownhamilton

  9. 14 July 1991 Carnagh, Keady

  10. 20 July 1991 Kilmore, Moira

  11. 28 July 1991 Dungonnell, Antrim

  12. 31 August 1991 Donaghmore, Newry

  13. 16 September 1991 Derryadd, Lurgan

  14. 9–12 October 1991 Whitehill, Banbridge

  15. 12 October 1991 Glasgar, Banbridge

  16. 24 December 1991

  419

  Charlemont, Moy

  17. 25 January 1992 Tanaghmore, Markethill

  18. 1 February 1992 Tanvally, Banbridge

  19. 7 February 1992 Glebe Hill, Tandragee

  Chief constable's certificates have been issued in respect of Nos. 5, 10, 12 and 13.

  Agricultural Property (Damage)
  Mr. Trimble
  To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he will list the incidents of malicious damage to agricultural property reported to the police since 1 January 1990.

  Dr. Mawhinney
  [holding answer 19 February 1992]: The information requested is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

  TREATY OF MAASTRICHT
  TREATY OF MAASTRICHT
  THE GULF WAR: IRAQI CASUALTIES
  THE GULF WAR: IRAQI CASUALTIES
  CLOSED SCHOOLS: APPLICATIONS FOR USE OF PROPERTY AND FUNDS
  CLOSED SCHOOLS: APPLICATIONS FOR USE OF PROPERTY AND FUNDS
  FOREIGN SHIP INSPECTIONS
  FOREIGN SHIP INSPECTIONS